Death has once again reared it's ugly head.  On January 11, guitarist Mick Green died, leaving behind a legacy of guitar influence so widely spread, you'd think he was the only guitarist ever.

Mick Green played for a band called The Pirates, who enjoyed a massive hit with their "Shakin' All Over," as well as having been part and parcel of so many popular bands and artists in one way or another.  His interesting ability to combine a riff with lead lines were the stuff that drew fans and guitar acolytes from everywhere.

The talent of Mick Green is such that we'll unlikely see such talent again after the remaining guitars of note are gone.  He bears remembering and as such, one that we'll greatly miss for a myriad of reasons.  He brings great pedigree and reward to the Great Band.

Mick Green
1944-2010
RIP

Music download services.  They're everywhere with more springing up all the time.  Frankly, I'm getting sick of reading about new start-ups partnering with the big boys.  Recently, Universal had announced a partnership with Free All Music, that allows users to download 20 free tracks a month from UMG. 

I'm asking the question now, for all of us.  Can we please, PLEASE stop this splintering and partnering business?  It doesn't help any of us.  Here's the thing.  All of these large labels have deep, rich catalogues of great music.  We want digital access to them, either by downloading or by streaming.  We don't want limited access to only available tracks.  The labels have them now.  In their vaults.

Cut the necessary artist deals and let's get EVERYTHING...EVERYTHING YOU POSSESS, up on a download service somewhere and not ad-supported, which entices everyone and their many brothers.  Either Universal starts up their own and charges a monthly fee to stream, a little more for each download or partner with a strong, mutually supportive site that has deals in place with all labels.  But for everyone's sake, supply EVERY song you have to this service.  And the others (EMI, Warner, Sony), please follow suit.

Let's put a final end to an endless supply of "partnered" relationships, farming a few tracks out to everyone.  Give us a few logical services, make EVERYTHING available, and allow us to choose which does it best for the best pricing plans.

I want access to many songs.  There's just not even one site that does it completely.  Please!  Give us total access.  And let's rest our tired, shuffling feet.

And, before I run off, I have a cool contest for you as well. I have a single CD copy of Elvis 75: Good Rockin' Tonight. It's not as great as the 4CD Box but it has 25 Elvis greats skimmed from the 100-track Box. Want it? All you have to do is to click the email link and send me the pertinents. Simple. And good luck to everyone of you.See you on Wednesday.

We'll see you back here on FRIDAY! (I love weekends!)

I have a music-related app idea that I'm fleshing out but, surprise, I can't code for it. If anyone out there can write iPhone/iPod apps, and would like to do a collaboration for a 50/50 revenue split, let me know.

Vagrant Records will release the new Black Rebel Motorcycle Club album called Beat The Devil's Tattoo and is planned for March 9 in both CD and DD formats.

Bryn Terfel fans will get his Bad Boys album scheduled by Deutsche Grammophon for issue on April 13.

MCA Nashville will release 50th Anniversary Collection for Loretta Lynn on March 30.

Island Records will release Of Men and Angels from The Rocket Summer planning for February 23. The title will be released on CD, DD, and LP.

Geffen Records will release Greatest Hits Live from The Who on March 23.

Nettwerk Records will release Remixed: The Definitive Collection for Delerium on March 3.

J Records has Body coming from Jamie Foxx on CD in both PA and Edited versions on March 3.

Rhino Records will release the When You're Strange soundtrack featuring The Doors on March 16.

Warner Brothers plan the release of Elect the Dead Symphony from Serj Tankian in standard CD and a CD/DVD Deluxe Edition, both planned for March 9.

And did I forget the release note for the upcoming Jimi Hendrix album, Valleys of Neptune, planned for March 9? I did! And I apologize. Here's a cut 'n' paste of the details:

Centered around tracks recorded during a pivotal and turbulent four-month period in 1969, Valleys of Neptune unveils the original Jimi Hendrix Experience's final studio recordings, as the group lays down the foundation for its follow-up to Electric Ladyland, alongside the guitar superhero's first sessions with bassist Billy Cox, an old army buddy he'd recruited into his new ensemble.

Valleys of Neptune provides an essential, compelling, and up-til-now largely unseen view of what Jimi Hendrix was up to musically in the critical period between the release of Electric Ladyland in October 1968 and the 1970 opening of his own Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, the state of the art facility where he would begin his final project, the ambitious double album First Rays of the New Rising Sun.

Janie Hendrix, CEO of Experience Hendrix LLC, the Hendrix family-owned company entrusted with preserving and protecting the legacy of Jimi Hendrix, noted, "My brother Jimi was at home in the studio. Valleys of Neptune offers deep insight into his mastery of the recording process and demonstrates the fact that he was as unparalleled a recording innovator as he was a guitarist. His brilliance shines  through on every one of these precious tracks."

Valleys of Neptune is originality electrified, offering more than 60 minutes of previously unreleased Jimi Hendrix music, originally
recorded, and newly mixed for this historic release, by Hendrix's longtime engineer Eddie Kramer, who first worked with the guitarist on Are You Experienced? in 1967.  Valleys of Neptune is produced by Janie Hendrix, John McDermott (who contributes detailed liner notes to the album) and Eddie Kramer.

"Valleys of Neptune" has long been one of the most sought after of any commercially unavailable Jimi Hendrix recording.  The song will be released as a single globally on February 2, 2010, nearly forty years after Jimi finished recording the track at New York's Record Plant in May of 1970.

Other highlights on Valleys of Neptune include blazing studio covers of Elmore James' classic "Bleeding Heart" and Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" as well as premier performances of original Hendrix compositions like "Ships Passing Through The Night," "Lullaby For The Summer" and the original un-dubbed Jimi Hendrix Experience rendition of "Hear My Train A
Comin'."  Also included in Valleys of Neptune is "Mr. Bad Luck," a Jimi Hendrix Experience track, produced by Chas Chandler during the 1967 Axis: Bold as Love sessions.

And here's some more cool Jimi Hendrix news for fans: Legacy and the Experience Hendrix label will reissue the Hendrix catalogue:

As part of the opening wave of releases for the Jimi Hendrix Catalog Project, Legacy Recordings will also be releasing new Deluxe CD/DVD Editions of Are You Experienced?, Axis: Bold As Love, Electric Ladyland, and First Rays of the New Rising Sun, also available on vinyl, on March 9.

Each of the essential titles in the Jimi Hendrix catalog to be newly reissued on Legacy will feature a bonus DVD featuring newly created documentaries directed by the Grammy award winning Bob Smeaton [Beatles Anthology, Festival Express, Beatles: The Studio Recordings] and featuring interviews with Experience members Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell, Billy Cox, original producer Chas Chandler and engineer Eddie Kramer.  In addition, Smash Hits, Jimi's original compilation, will be reintroduced. The critically acclaimed Live At Woodstock will be available as a standard DVD as well as a Blu-ray Disc.