Darth Drabek

Judge Blocks Biggie by Gina Serpe Mar 20, 2006, 10:30 AM PT Ready to Die has been deep-sixed by a federal judge. Sales of the Notorious B.I.G.'s 1994 debut were immediately halted Friday after a Nashville jury determined that the album's title track sampled from an Ohio Players song without permission. U.S. District Judge Todd Campbell imposed a ban on sales of both Biggie's breakthrough album and the offending song in all forms, that not only includes physical CDs, tapes and records, but also Internet downloads and radio play. As the album, which has sold 4 million units to date, is still available for sale on several online music sites, it remains unclear when the order will take effect and how it will be enforced, particularly when it comes to monitoring airplay. The federal jury in Nashville determined last week that "Ready to Die" had illegally used parts of the Ohio Players' 1992 funk hit "Singing in the Morning." Aside from the injunction, the jury ruled that Sean "Diddy" Combs, Biggie's most famous friend as well as his record's executive producer, and Bad Boy Entertainment must pay $4.2 million in punitive and direct damages to Bridgeport Music and Westbound Records, the owners of the Ohio Players' song rights. The favorable ruling was a long time coming for the two latter companies, who have filed hundreds of lawsuits against the sampling of their artists, which also include George Clinton and the Funkadelics. Virtually all the other suits have been settled out of court. "We've just been battling this for such a long time," Armen Boladian, owner of Bridgeport and Westbound said Friday. "So many have been settled because companies didn't want anything to do with it, and we knew we were right." Right, maybe. But not yet enriched. Bad Boy Entertainment, Bad Boy LLC, Justin Combs Publishing (so named for Diddy's son) and Universal Music, all named as defendants in the suit, plan to appeal. "We think [the verdict] is without merit," defense lawyer Jay Bowen said. The estate of the late Notorious B.I.G., who was born Christopher Wallace, was originally named as a defendant in the suit but later dropped.

Natty Ice, ohhhhh yeahhhhhh. JUST KIDDING!!! But really, back in my college days we used to pick up a 24-pack (a "suitcase," if you will) of Natural Ice for $9.99. We were young and poor, and nowhere else could we find a beer with a 5.9 percent alcohol content for under 10 bucks. I fought like hell for that B in economics, but when it came to figuring out the most drunk for the least money I knew where to go. Although those plastic vodka bottles baby arm is talking about are just as good a deal, I'd rather drink beer or wine than the hard stuff. Now that I am of legal drinking age, I have the freedom (if not the cash) to diversify my tastes in booze. I've learned to love the dry reds (cabernets, merlots) and the dark beers. Guinness is lovely, but the brewpub in my old town made a Scottish Ale that was, to this day, the best beer I've tasted. I also drink a good amount of coffee, but if feel like breaking the bank I'll get a Chai Tea.

Tom Waits - Jockey Full of Bourbon two dollar pistol but the gun won't shoot Man, I love Rain Dogs.

Yeah the Lackluster video near me has been renting 360 stuff since probably a few weeks after the system came out. I remember being pretty surprised. They had a lot of copies of the first few games. You know, King Kong, DOA4, that sort of thing. Of course, I didn't really care, because I don't have a 360.

I can't wait to get off work and get a pint o' the brown. Hopefully, somebody will have The Pogues on the jukebox. You crazy Finns and your parody holidays. Still, who really needs an excuse to order a Guinness, eh? And now, an excerpt from a nice Irish drinking song: I have acres of land I have men at command I have always a shilling to spare So be easy and free when you're drinking with me I'm a man you don't meet every day So come fill up your glasses of brandy and wine Whatever it costs I will pay So be easy and free when you're drinking with me I'm a man you don't meet every day

Led Zeppelin - No Quarter

Duke Nukem: Zero Hour for the N64 Damn, that game was frustrating, but I struggled through it to the end. Probably some Hydro Thunder for the Dreamcast as well, and maybe Tony Hawk 2 and RollerCoaster Tycoon (if they were out by then).

The Velvet Crush - Seen Better Days There's just something about that twangy rock and roll that just does it for me, and these guys do it better than anyone.

Speak o' the devil... and Nick Cave will appear to show everyone how to write a truly tragic love song. Nick Cave w/ Kylie Minogue - Where the Wild Roses Grow off the essential album "Murder Ballads" Chorus: They call me The Wild Rose But my name was Elisa Day Why they call me it I do not know For my name was Elisa Day Nick Cave: From the first day I saw her I knew she was the one She stared in my eyes and smiled For her lips were the colour of the roses That grew down the river, all bloody and wild Kylie Minogue: When he knocked on my door and entered the room My trembling subsided in his sure embrace He would be my first man, and with a careful hand He wiped at the tears that ran down my face Chorus Nick Cave: On the second day I brought her a flower She was more beautiful than any woman I'd seen I said, "Do you know where the wild roses grow So sweet and scarlet and free?" Kylie Minogue: On the second day he came with a single red rose Said: "Will you give me your loss and your sorrow" I nodded my head, as I lay on the bed He said, "If I show you the roses, will you follow?" Chorus Kylie Minogue: On the third day he took me to the river He showed me the roses and we kissed And the last thing I heard was a muttered word As he knelt above me with a rock in his fist Nick Cave: On the last day I took her where the wild roses grow And she lay on the bank, the wind light as a thief And I kissed her goodbye, said, "All beauty must die" And knelt down and planted a rose between her teeth Final chorus

Haha, I've got that in my car right now. The back half is unbelievable. Boy, you're gonna carry that weight Carry that weight a long time Matthew Sweet - Winona

Chisel - The Dog in Me

Mojo Nixon - Burn Down the Malls Which I will dedicate to Forum Malcontent and Conscientious Objector Lou Gutman, a frequent contributor to our little music thread. Because he shares a few traits with the esteemed Mojo Nixon. 1) They are both crazy. 2) They have both impregnated Debbie Gibson. At different times, mind you.

Iron Maiden - The Trooper Happy Monday.

Steve: I think that shift has happened in the U.S. as well. I know a lot of traditional Democrats who couldn't bring themselves to vote for Kerry because they thought he was weak on terrorism or that he did not have strong convictions (flip-flopper, how I came to hate hearing that term). Some of them just thought he was too patrician, and although W comes from old money just as much as Kerry did, at least W has the "good ol' boy" thing going to identify with Joe Sixpack. Kerry's image pretty much screamed "I'm from New England and I drink tea regularly!" Also, I know quite a few traditional Republicans who voted for Kerry because they 1) opposed Bush's exorbitant spending or 2) resented going to war in Iraq without finishing matters in Afghanistan. I'm outta here. Have a good weekend everybody!

Di ~ Pulling votes from one of the big two is considered a huge success for a third party. Unfortunately, they aren't viable alternatives at the moment, you said so yourself. It's interesting how conservatives align with the Republican party, and liberals align with the Democrats, but to get elected you need to be sufficiently middle-of-the-road to try to appeal to everyone. It's one reason Clinton did so well and Howard Dean never had a chance.

^ One of my favorite Led Zep tunes. Steve Earle - Jerusalem i woke up this morning and none of the news was good Death machines were rumbling 'cross the ground where Jesus stood And the man on the TV told me It had always been that way and there was nothing anyone could do or say

It's easy to find talking heads who are nothing more than mouthpieces for the conservative or liberal cause. John Stewart had it right on "Crossfire." Those guys are not journalists, they are just two guys yelling the party's line on whatever issue they're talking about that day. And I swear, there's people out there who just reiterate that same line as their "opinion" just because it's the "Liberal" thing to do, because the liberals oppose the war, or it's the "Conservative" thing to do, because the conservatives oppose gay marriage and abortion. Of course it makes sense to form your own opinion issue by issue, but it's much easier to just subscribe to a particular set of pre-selected opinions. And many Americans are lazy. Especially when it comes to thinking.

he's never early, he's always late first thing you learn is that you always gotta wait... Bowie's live version is far superior to the VU original. And that ain't opinion, baby, that's fact. Right now: Billy Bragg and Wilco - Walt Whitman's Niece

Pixies - Here Comes Your Man The song that can put me in a good mood no matter how bad my day has been.

LONG LIVE RFTC Tomorrow I'm gonna wear my RFTC T-shirt to a Ted Leo concert to achieve my maximum street cred capability. I might even dig up my low-top Chuck Taylors. Anyway, The White Stripes - Truth Doesn't Make a Noise

True dat, true dat. And the beloved RPG genre. Join up with a diverse posse, have adventures and defeat enemies during the search for a potent talisman that is the key to defeating an ancient evil, etc. etc. There's your debt to Tolkien, right there! Party-based RPGs!

I know various mythologies have done "The Quest" before, but Tolkien definitely set the template for a protagonist gradually picking up group members of different skills and abilities to go off searching for a talisman that has the power to defeat evil. It's the classic formula, ripped off (sometimes lovingly, sometimes just ripped off) in books, movies, video games and the occasional TV show.

David Bowie - Queen Bitch

How about one with Chuck Norris bringin the pain? You wanna know how awesome Chuck Norris is? Chuck Norris can divide by zero.