SXSW Music: March 17-21, 2010

The Daily Chord is taking Monday, July 6 off to grill and chill. We'll see you next Tuesday. In the meantime, check out the PanelPicker and pitch us a panel idea for the music conference. You can also pitch for the film and interactive panels, until the deadline - next Friday, July 10.

• Ticketmaster pays fine and closes deceptive sites
  Post from The Consumerist.
• Giving up my iPod for a Walkman
  Story from BBC News.
• Radio stations fight Performance Rights Act.
  Story from LA Times.
• Olympic cyclists join Kraftwerk
  Story from BBC News.
• Net neutrality gets a boost from the feds
  Story from CNET.
• A big week for copyrights and piracy
  Post from LA Times blog.

This week brings new albums from SXSW 2009 Artists Sleep, Let's Wrestle and Ebony Bones. Ebony Bones totally wins the most colorful press photo this week. Let's Wrestle has the silliest band name and Sleep gets the award for having the best album name with "Hesitation Wounds". Everyone this week is a winner!

Ebony Bones - Bone of My Bones
Let's Wrestle - In the Court of the Wrestling Lets
Sleep - Hesitation Wounds

I hope those of you in the US have a great Independence Day weekend and stay safe with all those fireworks. Those of you around the world who won't be a part of our festivities, I hope you have a nice regular weekend or whatever holiday it might be in your part of the world.

Here's some delightful video of Owen Ashworth aka Casiotone For The Painfully Alone performing "White Jetta" courtesy of our most excellent YouTube channel.

Pre-festival I was lucky enough to get Mr. Ashworth to do the LP Questionnaire. You can check out the good times here.

The internets are full of fun!

And back to Wimbledon I go (wishing that Federer would just win already so we can get to Andy vs Andy), lp

• Quincy Jones on Michael Jackson at SXSW '09
  Post from SXSW.
• BMI moving jobs from NYC to Nashville
  Post from NY Times.
• Jammie Thomas-Rasset will appeal, lawyer says
  Story from CNET.
• Sony makes strategic investment in IODA
  Story from Reuters.
• Small music companies sue tech giants over copyrights
  Story from Wall Street Journal.
• How the net saved live music
  Story from Sydney Morning Herald.
• New Pirate Bay owner discussed going legit
  Post from Wired.
• Summer music preview
  List from Pitchfork.

We are excited to announce our unique partnership with the Roskilde Festival and Austin-based Sol Design Lab, in a mutual exchange that will explore both the artistic and practical applications of clean energy. At this year’s Roskilde Festival, (July 2 - 5, 2009) outside Copenhagen, Denmark, the SXSW sponsored SolarPump™ will make its debut. Incorporating cutting-edge solar technology and the adaptive re-use of a classic symbol of American fuel culture, this innovative Solar Charging station will power electric scooters that members of the media can use to travel back and forth from the Media Village (in the center of the festival grounds) to the Press Center about a mile away (where the media can use the facilities to file stories). The SolarPump™ will also serve as a practical and eye-catching tool to educate festival-goers about the possibilities of Solar Power, from both a technological and a creative point of view.

Designed by Austin-based Sol Design Lab, the SolarPump™ project is part art, part education and part practicality. It was created in February 2009, when Beth Ferguson, (a MFA candidate at the University of Texas at Austin), debuted it as her graduate project, with the intention of helping people re-imagine the future of transportation by showing solar powered mobility in action. Using the reclaimed body of a 1950’s gas station pump retrofitted with solar panels, she installed an innovative system to harness solar energy to charge electric scooters, laptops, cell phones, cameras, etc. (any item that uses a standard electric plug). In consultation with SXSW staff, Ferguson redesigned and modified the Pump to be truly portable, temporary and suitable for outdoor events. The Pump was fabricated and assembled by Ferguson’s Sol Design Lab in consultation with Austin Energy, Lighthouse Solar and with assistance from the University of Texas Department of Art. The batteries and electric scooters are being supplied locally in Denmark, and Roskilde is providing space and other support for the assembly on-site.

SXSW would like to thank the following for their support: Austin Energy, Department of Art & Art History at the University of Texas at Austin, Lighthouse Solar and Maverick Solar.

From left to right - Designer Beth Ferguson and Lula Marcondes, of Sol Design Lab, and Rick Mansfield from the University of Texas at Austin Art Department surround the SolarPump™ produced for the 2009 Roskilde Festival.

• RIAA triumphs in Usenet copyright case
  Story from CNET.
• Microsoft pacts with Live Nation to promote browser
  Story from Media Post.
• The future of Pirate Bay, with pirate metaphors
  Post from Wired.
• Report: Twitter users buy music
  Story from Marketing Vox.
• What's up with Jody Stephens
  Interview from The Daily Swarm.
• Jackson tops sales, reflected in catalog chart but not Top 200
  Chart watch from Billboard.
• The most ill-timed album art ever
  Post from LA Times.

The 2009 SXSW Music Keynote speech from Quincy Jones contained many unforgettable moments. Among them was a series of stories about his work and friendship with Michael Jackson. After meeting on the set of "The Wiz," Jackson convinced Jones to produce his next record, and went against label advice to pursue this collaboration. What ensued was history, and 'Q' shares his unique perspective on the blockbuster of 'Thriller' and the breaking of racial barriers at MTV. As we remember Michael Jackson's music and note his deep and wide cultural impact, we thank Quincy Jones for sharing his remarkable life stories at SXSW '09.

check out the SXSW Youtube channel for more videos...

• Pirate Bay site sold to game firm
  Story from BBC News.
• Quincy Jones on Michael Jackson
  Post from LA Times.
• RIAA: Jammie Thomas-Rasset snubbed settlement 'overture'
  Story from CNET.
• Malcom Gladwell on 'Free' by Chris Anderson
  Review from The New Yorker.
• Jackson will from 2002 in spotlight
  Story from Wall Street Journal.
• Licensing issues shut down Pandora outside US
  Post from Slashdot.
• Topper Headon on making peace with Strummer sacking him
  Story from The Independent.

• Should RealNetworks switch gears?
  Story from NY Times.
• A rock masterclass at Glasto
  Story from Reuters.
• MJ as seen by the Village Voice
  Collection of reviews from Village Voice.
• 'Don't Stop Believing' as cultural touchstone
  Story from LA Times.
• Oscars toughen up best song rules
  Story from BBC News.
• Hoffs and Sweet have more covers
  Story from Billboard.

We know the SXSW community abounds with intelligence, enthusiasm and creativity, and is brimming with new ideas on the future of music, film and new media, so listen up! If you have a brainstorm for a great panel (or a great solo presentation) at the event next spring, then we want to hear from you soon! Don't delay, as the deadline for submitting proposals to the 2010 Panelpicker interface is Friday, July 10.

Keep in mind that as a new initiative for 2010, the Panelpicker interface will now be used to help slot programming for SXSW Music and SXSW Film (in addition to SXSW Interactive).

Wondering how to increase your odds of getting picked? Here's a tip - at present, we have received a lot more programming ideas for the geek portion of the event than SXSW Music or Film, so don't be shy about submitting ideas for those events as well (as there is less competition for slots).

So get going, and be sure to read the FAQ for extra tips and guidelines before you submit!