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  • R-Tel Way Better Than K-Tel

    Rob Thomas, who still insists matchbox twenty (or however we’re spelling it this year) is an ongoing enterprise, is ready to be a music mogul. Having already proven that he can write a hook better than any other songwriter this decade, that’s probably a good call for Thomas’ Sony BMG Epic backer.

    The new label is called RTel Records, which is too retro for words. The label’s first signing is Garfield Mayor. Remember Garfield’s name. We’ll be profiling him on the main site when he cuts his tracks, but you can listen to some nice low-key alt sounds. The vocal dynamics are reminiscent of Thomas at times, but as Garfield’s page points out, there are a lot of sounds in there, including David Gray, Ben Harper and Paul Simon. All good there and I definitely hear some David Gray, but like Thomas, Garfield apparently can rip into a song, listing Zeppelin and Foo Fighters as well.

    Take a listen at his MySpace page for now and enjoy. I’m putting in an advance order with the man himself.

    Spinning In The CD
    Check out Shop Boyz and Party Like A Rock Star. If anything has summer hit written on it, this may be the one. Go explicit. We double dog dare you.

  • RATM Unveils Tour Plans

    That was some good web marketing, boys. The dual countdown we told you about on Rage Against The Machine’s site?

    It’s a reunion.

    Duh.

    Tickets are on sale Saturday. Counter #2 is a countdown to the show. Nice job, web and music company. RATM must have liked the way things sounded when they tried it out. Maybe there will even be a (gasp!) album.

    Spinning In The CD
    Have to show some love. Listening to Rage’s Battle of Los Angeles. C’mon back. Jay-Z unretired. You can too.

  • What Machine Are They Raging Against? We Learn About Something Monday

    Rage Against The Machine, California’s metal men, are toying with the web community years after breaking up with an album in the can. Their website features two counters. Could one be for a new release? Perhaps, although their supposed last tracks were released several years ago. A tour? Even more likely, especially for the first counter.

    The two counters are spaced to go off at very different times. The early counter expires Monday, while the later counter is set for August 24.

    This is Internet viral marketing buzz at its best. No messy MySpace pages, no email blasts to “fan clubs”. There’s just a simple mystery at its finest from one of rock’s most creative outfits. Special props to MTV for learning that the site’s name is registered to a concert promoter.

    Since the boys reunited as the headliners for Coachella’s last night this year, that’s a good bet. Now if only their promoter knew that you can pay a few bucks more and make your registration anonymous. And what’s that second timer for?

    Spinning In The CD
    Amy Winehouse is fast becoming one of my new favorites. Back to Black is more than a year old, but it was one of those discs that just sat there. She is getting nowhere near the chart success she deserves in the US so show her some love next time you’re near a download or music store.