Music in the news: Jan. 25, 2011

Tom Waits to donate poem proceeds to look-alikes

Gravel-voiced musician Tom Waits has released a limited edition of his poem chapbook “Seeds on Hard Ground” to benefit the homeless. The nine-page release includes both the poem and photos by Michael O’Brien, which were the inspiration for the lyrical piece. There will be only two pressings of 1,000 copies each, with all proceeds going to homeless charities such as Redwood Empire Food Bank, Sonoma County’s Homeless Referral Services and Family Support Center in California. Though the first edition prints have already been sold, pre-orders for the second edition can still be made at www.tomwaits.com. The official release date for the chapbook is Feb. 22.

What a long, strange game it will be

Iconic jam band The Grateful Dead have announced that it will be the subject of a new video game. Curious Sense, the game developer who has undertaken the daunting task of bringing the Truckin’ hitmakers to virtual reality, has been granted access to the band’s enormous video and music archives, which means that the project will include authentic Dead artwork, music and video. The game itself is still in its infant stage with the creators trying to decide what form it will take and what elements from the band’s long career to incorporate. Curious Sense plans on canvassing deadheads to see what kind of games they enjoy in the hopes of drawing some inspiration from the longtime fans. The as-of-yet-nameless game is slated for release this summer.

Blind Eyed Pea

Black Eyed Peas member apl.de.ap has revealed that he is legally blind. The 36-year-old rapper suffers from a rare genetic eye disorder called physiologic nystagmus. The condition, which he has lived with since birth, causes him to have constant blurry vision and nearsightedness. It also causes his eyeballs to vibrate involuntarily. Said apl.de.ap of his condition: “I’m good at shapes. If I’m not close, even if it’s big, I can’t read it.” He confesses that his condition is what ignited his passion for music as a youth: “Until I discovered hip hop, I felt I wasn’t going to accomplish anything. When I dance, I picture myself and the floor in my head. I doubted myself for a long time … I’m comfortable not using my vision. I weave around my problems.”

Beatles, you’re a rich man

In only its second month of availability, the fab four’s music is breaking iTunes records. Since their debut on Nov. 16, the Beatles have sold more than 5 million songs and more than a million full-length albums. “It’s a good number [that] does not impact Apple’s numbers in any way that’s measurable, but still a nice print,” said Hudson Square Research analyst Daniel Ernst. The top selling song in the Beatles catalogue? “Here Comes the Sun” from the 1969 release Abbey Road, which remains their bestselling album to date.

Tom Waits to donate poem proceeds to look-alikes

Gravel-voiced musician Tom Waits has released a limited edition of his poem chapbook “Seeds on Hard Ground” to benefit the homeless. The nine-page release includes both the poem and photos by Michael O’Brien, which were the inspiration for the lyrical piece. There will be only two pressings of 1,000 copies each, with all proceeds going to homeless charities such as Redwood Empire Food Bank, Sonoma County’s Homeless Referral Services and Family Support Center in California. Though the first edition prints have already been sold, pre-orders for the second edition can still be made at www.tomwaits.com. The official release date for the chapbook is Feb. 22.

What a long, strange game it will be

Iconic jam band The Grateful Dead have announced that it will be the subject of a new video game. Curious Sense, the game developer who has undertaken the daunting task of bringing the Truckin’ hitmakers to virtual reality, has been granted access to the band’s enormous video and music archives, which means that the project will include authentic Dead artwork, music and video. The game itself is still in its infant stage with the creators trying to decide what form it will take and what elements from the band’s long career to incorporate. Curious Sense plans on canvassing deadheads to see what kind of games they enjoy in the hopes of drawing some inspiration from the longtime fans. The as-of-yet-nameless game is slated for release this summer.

Blind Eyed Pea

Black Eyed Peas member apl.de.ap has revealed that he is legally blind. The 36-year-old rapper suffers from a rare genetic eye disorder called physiologic nystagmus. The condition, which he has lived with since birth, causes him to have constant blurry vision and nearsightedness. It also causes his eyeballs to vibrate involuntarily. Said apl.de.ap of his condition: “I’m good at shapes. If I’m not close, even if it’s big, I can’t read it.” He confesses that his condition is what ignited his passion for music as a youth: “Until I discovered hip hop, I felt I wasn’t going to accomplish anything. When I dance, I picture myself and the floor in my head. I doubted myself for a long time … I’m comfortable not using my vision. I weave around my problems.”

Beatles, you’re a rich man

In only its second month of availability, the fab four’s music is breaking iTunes records. Since their debut on Nov. 16, the Beatles have sold more than 5 million songs and more than a million full-length albums. “It’s a good number [that] does not impact Apple’s numbers in any way that’s measurable, but still a nice print,” said Hudson Square Research analyst Daniel Ernst. The top selling song in the Beatles catalogue? “Here Comes the Sun” from the 1969 release Abbey Road, which remains their bestselling album to date.

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