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.

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    From the desk of Mother Jones CEO, Monika Bauerlein...

    Newsrooms can be funded in many ways. One of the most controversial (and volatile) ways is by a for-profit corporation or a billionaire owner. We see it across the headlines on a weekly basis: the claw backs in public media, the gutting of The Washington Post, the bending over backwards to appeal to Trump and his allies.

    But not here.

    When Mother Jones first started publishing 50 years ago, our founders made a critical decision: to be a reader-supported nonprofit. They knew that no corporate owner would be interested in a muckraking newsroom; they also knew that no muckraking newsroom would be interested in following the agenda of a corporate owner.

    And so, we’ve been reader-funded for half a century. We rely on contributions from our readers—readers like you—whether it’s $50, or $15 a month, or whatever fits your budget. People give what they can, and every donation makes a difference for our newsroom, which has grown tremendously—in size and reach and renown—since its inception in 1976.

    You may be wondering: What does it take to publish an investigation? And what does my donation actually fund? The answers are one and the same: It takes people, resources, and time. And that’s what your donation funds directly.

    Every donation Mother Jones receives from readers fortifies our newsroom, whether we’re covering underreported scandals out of Washington, DC, or the most important news of the day. And right now, each donation will be doubled because of our $50,000 match. So when you make a donation—$5, $50, any amount—it’ll go twice as far.

    Your support keeps us going. If you’re able, donate today.

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