Katy Perry - New artist of the year

I didn't think there'd be a major new artist good enough for me to write on, but I found one. Katy Perry, who's making waves with her quasi-LGBT hits "Ur So Gay" and the latest "I Kissed a Girl". I caught some of that last one on VH1 and thought it was hilarious. Parents are up in arms. She's gonna be around a while.
We do feel cheated with the new video because she doesn't actually kiss a girl on air. I see it all the time on Jerry Springer anyway, so it's nothing new.
Katy used to be a Christian artist named Katy Hudson, but now she's making Amy Grant sound like Vestal Goodman! This oughta get people here! With that early album, she might pull an Alanis and distance herself from it. Some might think she sold out and sold her soul to the devil, like my mama said! (The generation gap is alive and well forty years on!)
Katy Perry is the hottest thing from Santa Barbera since Santa Barbera!
Then again, she's tame compared to Avenue D!
She's even a Queen fan, which is good for me.
I heard of her when I had to go to the Capitol site. I saw her and just assumed she was another Lily Allen. Turns out that Katy's a different animal from her US stablemate.
One of the Boys is out 17 June.

Roger Hodgson - Rites of Passage

Also saved from emusic:

This was his first release overall since his accident a decade before, and his first and only official live album to date. Like now, he is mainly alone on keyboard and guitar. I hope he goes back to Supertramp one day. None of us are getting any younger! A 1997 release on Voiceprint. Some of the tracks are sung by others in the band, much like Rick Davies did back in Supertramp on his songs. "Smelly Feat" is one example. Hodgson's solo track record is sporadic. The rest aren't on emusic because they're on major labels, though many mp3 sites have most or all of them anyway.

The Twin - Yum Yum

Saved from emusic (album deleted)

The Twin is really none other than Boy George, with the most makeup he's ever worn! This album is reggaeton/dance hall/electronica/electroclash/whatever. A different animal from Culture Club ("This ain't the '80s, mate!", he says in one song), along with a mock-Rasta accent. One guilty pleasure on this set is "Fire Desire", a duet with electroclash duo Avenue D, who come off as a surrogate Li'l Kim and Foxy Brown. The lyrics are X certificate (calling Mary Whitehouse who he did get to meet)! I laughed when I first heard them! It can be embarrassing! There should be a Tipper Sticker on the cover! Boy's freakish clown look is clearly inspired by his late club friends Trojan and Leigh Bowery (who BG played in his Broadway flop Taboo), and has been copied in the gay clubs (as I saw in a local LGBT magazine). He brought it to VH1s I Love the '80s Strikes Back. It could be in a gay circus! "Here Comes the Girls Part 1" was already on another CD, so just Part 2 is here. If Boy can straighten out his latest legal mess, there should be another album and DJ tour soon (he's doing a regular tour, but he won't come Upstate [see earlier blogs], not even Ithaca).

This album is very rare on CD, but is still on itunes and amazon.

Where I've been

emusic
amazon
amazon UK
iTunes (as Sposato2007)
MSN
mp3sale.ru
YouTube

I can't remember any others. You can Google me. These are the ones I go to most.

Reviews and ads

One thing the real Melody Maker was known for was want ads and reviews. I have reviews on amazon.com, iTunes, emusic, amazon.co.uk, and other places. You can Google my name and you might find them. The emusic ones might be tricky, but my e-mail address might lead you to those. Use quotations for best results. If there are too many reviews for a certain album on amazon, or the album's a bootleg or officially out of print, it may show up here. Stay "tuned". However, I am no David Fricke, Neil Tennant, Frank Rich, Ron Sheffield, or Kurt Loder. I'm just like you. I also have a few things pop up here and there. It'd take too much time to get them all here. Also, for most of them, I legally gave them the rights to my reviews, so I couldn't put them here anyway. That's how it works to protect you and them.
As for ads, you can use the paper, Craig's List, MySpace, Goldmine, Rolling Stone, Facebook, Gumtree, Postaroo, local and national music and entertainment magazines and papers, the bulletin boards at shops, or wherever. Many bands and careers of yesteryear like Genesis and Kajagoogoo would not exist or be the same without MM ads. MM and NME merged, and Mojo will sometimes recall an MM article. To many people, it's like when Marshall-Fields became Macy's. It was heresy and treason!
I've only read a few articles of MM in my life, but I know it's had an impact.

Reunions

Here are bands I'd like to see get back together:

ABBA (a lot of people would agree!)
Black Sabbath
Culture Club
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Genesis (one last time)
Gentle Giant
Renaissance
Supertramp
Talk Talk
Yes
The Smiths (not for me but this bird in Wales)

Who would you like to see reunite?

Record stores

The indie (or chain) record store of old is a dying breed because everybody, even me, comes here online (this is the last one today; my arm hurts!).
The last full fledged one in Syracuse I fell out with before they pulled up stakes and went west. The Sound Garden in Armoury Square doesn't have used tapes and vinyl (some new Argentine CDs though). I get bored at the second-hand bookstore and fye. eBay and such are too easy! Some things can't be downloaded. I need more imports!
In the past few years, I've gone out of my way to Off-Centre in Utica, Last Unicorn in adjacent New Hartford (RIP), Last Vestige in Albany (see newer post), and Disc Go Round in Guilderland nearby. I just went to Pulaski where The Disc Connection is the last one standing in all of Oswego County. I was worried it was gone because they changed their number when I first called, and found the right one recently, saving a wasted trip. These stores appeal to hipsters and the middle aged alike. I'm not necessarily either! The owner prefers good ol' wax, but sells special things on eBay to turn a profit in his rather sleepy, provincial and sometimes snowy little town. Would Charles Kuralt have stopped by?
I know these stores are in and around New York City, and I couldn't find an indie close enough when I was there a few weeks ago (I did look some up). I saw one of our sort coming blocks from one in the Chinatown/Bowery wing with his labelled bag, but it was almost time to catch the charter bus home, so I didn't even bother to ask. At least I finally got to Virgin Megastore in Times Square! Maybe next time.
I know someone who could open such a place, but he's not up to it right now, so he just has an occasional yard sale or will do special orders. He'll also turn up at the semi-annual trade show at the Ramada Inn. I have my own fish to fry, so I can't do it either.
Remember to give love to your brick-and-mortar today!
There's an article in Syracuse New Times.