December 7, 2007

Friday: Hi, I’m Back, and It’s Music News Day

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  • Bay Area trio Green Day is finally ready to hit the studio to work on the follow-up to 2004’s American Idiot. The band released a statement on their website saying they wouldn’t be repeating any of the angry themes established on that decidedly political album, which makes sense because everything’s totally fine now.

  • Jay-Z may be splitting from his label Def Jam after allegedly demanding “big, big money” that Def Jam bigwigs found “excessive.” The rapper’s contract is set to expire at the end of the month, and the article helpfully points out that instead of working on his negotiating skills, he was celebrating his 38th birthday… in Paris. No wonder he needs more cash.

  • Brit combo Manic Street Preachers are accusing Radiohead of “demeaning” music by allowing fans to decide how much to pay for their new album, In Rainbows. This is a band right up there with Robbie Williams on the list of Bands Most Successful In Europe That Nobody In the US Has Ever Heard Of. Anyway, their bassist Nicky Wire spoke to UK newspaper the Daily Star, saying the free download phenomenon is “ruining” the music industry.

  • Can’t get enough of Benny, Bjorn, Anni and Agnetha? Well, starting in 2009 you’ll be able to take a chance (ahem!) on the Abba museum in Stockholm, a three-floor complex dedicated to the Swedish legends. The complex will include a room dedicated to the band’s fashions as well as a recreation of their recording studio. Hey, let’s watch an Abba video.

    • WE CAME UP SHORT.

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    So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

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    WE CAME UP SHORT.

    We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

    That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

    So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

    Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

    And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

    payment methods

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