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Bob Dylan Collection of Essays on Modern Songs: Who He Will Include or Exclude Could Be An Issue

Roger Friedman
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Bob Dylan Collection of Essays on Modern Songs: Who He Will Include or Exclude Could Be An Issue

Bob Dylan has something to say about his favorite songs.

He’s publishing a collection of around 60 essays reviewing them, from songwriters like Nina Simone, Elvis Costello, Australian rockabilly singer Alis Lesley, Eddie Cochran, Stephen Foster, and probably Little Richard.

Dylan’s favorite song writers include Peter Seeger, Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie, and George Harrison, so most of them are probably included. I would guess John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, and Paul Simon, as well.

Simon & Schuster will publish “The Philosophy of Modern Song” in November. It’s Dylan’s first book in 18 years. Apparently that’s when “Chronicles, Vol 1.” came out. It feels like yesterday.

An audiobook will be available, with Dylan reading some portions and “a mix of other voices” doing the narration on others.

According a press release, the book will constitute “a master class on the art and craft of songwriting,” as Dylan “analyzes what he calls the trap of easy rhymes, breaks down how the addition of a single syllable can diminish a song, and even explains how bluegrass relates to heavy metal.” The announcement further declares that while the essays “are ostensibly about music, they are really meditations and reflections on the human condition.”

I’m betting now that a lot of top songwriters will be hoping Dylan has included them in the book, and the ones who don’t appear will feel slighted. This should be interesting. Knowing Dylan, he’ll leave out someone like Carole King but include Metallica’s “Enter the Sandman.” Just watch.

“SNL” Suffers Lowest Ratings So Far This Year with Oscar Isaac, Charli XCX Outing

Roger Friedman
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“SNL” Suffers Lowest Ratings So Far This Year with Oscar Isaac, Charli XCX Outing

“Saturday Night Live” is in another ratings decline.

The return show on January 15th scored just over 5 million viewers. But ever since then, it’s been all downhill.

This past Saturday was the worst outing yet. Just 4.4 million tuned in for Oscar Isaac as host and Charli XCX as musical guest.

That’s the fourth decline in a row and down 300,000 viewers from the previous week with John Mulaney.

This coming weekend will feature Zoë Kravitz With Musical Guest Rosalía, cashing in on Kravitz’s starring in the mega hit “The Batman.” Will it work? Only if there’s a good parody of “The Batman.” And maybe a guest cameo from either Kravitz’s father, Lenny, or boyfriend, Channing Tatum with his dog.

Morgan Wallen Wins Best Album, Forgiven by Academy of Country Music for Using the N Word

Roger Friedman
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Morgan Wallen Wins Best Album, Forgiven by Academy of Country Music for Using the N Word

Morgan Wallen’s time in purgatory is over.

Last night, Wallen won Album of the Year from the Academy of Country Music. His “Dangerous Double Album” took the big prize.

Last year, Wallen was momentarily ostracized for using the “N” word, caught on a video tape that wound up on TMZ. His record label and manager temporarily suspended him, then forgot about it because he was making millions for them.

Country music fans didn’t care much either. They kept buying “Dangerous” by the boatload, so much so that it was the best selling album of the year. So far, “Dangerous” has sold about 5.7 million copies, most of it streaming equivalent. Actual sales are around 305,000 according to MRC Music Connect.

So all is forgiven. What the heck? Money talks, and that’s the bottom line.

 

Dolly Parton Has the Number 1…Book? “Run, Rose, Run” Comes from the James Patterson Publishing Mill

Roger Friedman
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Dolly Parton Has the Number 1…Book? “Run, Rose, Run” Comes from the James Patterson Publishing Mill

Country superstar Dolly Parton is no stranger to the top of the music charts.

But books?

This morning, Dolly has the number 1 book on Amazon. It’s called “Run, Rose, Run” and it’s from the James Patterson publishing mill. Both of their names on the cover, even if neither of them actually put pen to paper.

“Run, Rose, Run” is about a young girl singer who arrives in Nashville with a load of secrets and ambitions. Armchair reviewers on amazon are less than impressed. One wrote: More than once I thought this was based on the television show Nashville. About halfway through the book, I stopped even calling her Ruthanna and just called her Dolly. She along with the other characters are all slightly damaged in some way. Emotional trauma. Secrets they can’t share. But the past always catches up to us. And Annielee is about to find that out.

Parton has already a soundtrack album of new songs she wrote for the occasion also called “Run Rose Run.” It’s number 5 on iTunes. Ironically, as bad as the book is, the album is quite good. It shows that Parton, 76, is at the top of her game musically, and that’s all that’s important. Patterson is a cynical guy who slaps celebrities’ names on his “books” and makes the cash register ring but contributes nothing to the world of letters. He’s probably the whole bottom line for Little, Brown publishers.

TV: Dreadful Independent Spirit Awards Fails to Make the Top 150 Cable Shows on Sunday

Roger Friedman
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TV: Dreadful Independent Spirit Awards Fails to Make the Top 150 Cable Shows on Sunday

Sunday afternoon’s Spirit Awards, on the IFC Channel, were a travesty. There has rarely been an awards show on television that was so badly written and executed.

Luckily, no one saw it.

The ratings for the top 150 cable shows for Sunday are now available, and the Spirit Awards are not on it. The lowest rated show recorded was just 96,000 viewers, a basketball game.

It’s not surprising the Spirit Awards didn’t make the cut off. They’ve gone as low as 65,000 in the past. I’ve no doubt this year was in that neighborhood. I’ll update if someone can find the actual number.

Everyone involved with Film Independent should be removed at this point. Hosts Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally — not ever associated with film of any kind —  couldn’t have been worse. Offerman was especially bad and offensive hosting the program. They seemed to make up half of what they were saying. Offerman knew nothing about the films or the people attending, had a scowl on his face, didn’t wear a shirt (which I still don’t get), and was dismissive of everything that was going on.

There were many embarrassing moments. But the best one was Kristen Stewart coming out toward the end, identified as chairman or something of the awards. She remarked that she’d never been to the Spirit Awards, had never been nominated in the past even though she’d made a lot of independent films. “Now I see you have to make a good one,” she cracked wise. Ouch!

The big winner for the day was “The Lost Daughter,” which won Best Feature, Directing, and Screenplay. It’s a fine film but certainly not independent as it comes from Netflix, which campaign for it vigorously. “Summer of Soul” won Best Documentary although it was an archival film pieced together from a 1969 film and distributed by Disney’s Searchlight division. And so on.

I really felt watching this desultory exercise that the era for this thing has passed. It’s over. The heyday was ten years ago. Stop it now before it gets worse.

Kanye’s “Donda 2” Ineligible for the Charts Because It Only Comes on $200 Stem Player

Roger Friedman
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Kanye’s “Donda 2” Ineligible for the Charts Because It Only Comes on $200 Stem Player

“Donda 2.” It’s out there, somewhere.

But Kanye West’s new album is ineligible to be counted on the charts. Any charts.

Billboard posted their reasons today: “Donda 2” is only available on Kanye’s $200 Stem Player. The player also includes the first “Donda” album and “Jesus is King.”

“Donda 2” is otherwise not available in any conventional form that is measured by Soundscan or MRC. It’s not on any streaming service and doesn’t exist as a download or CD.

The Stem Player is only available through its own website, so there are no independent sales for it anyway.

But Billboard says the release violates its album bundling rule. An album cannot be bundled with other things like a player or other albums.

“Donda 2” can be found pretty much all over the internet at this point, for free. So Kanye has basically wasted all the work he did on it. My guess is one day he’ll release a very expensive collector’s CD.

If you’ve bought a StemPlayer and want to tell me about it, please email me at showbiz411@gmail.com. I did see a young woman wearing a bright red Kanye Gap jacket Saturday afternoon in the theater district. She was so happy she had it. It was certainly, um, noticeable.

Adele’s “30” Album Leaves the Top 10 After 4 Months, Just 2.3 Mil Copies, and No Rescheduled Shows

Roger Friedman
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Adele’s “30” Album Leaves the Top 10 After 4 Months, Just 2.3 Mil Copies, and No Rescheduled Shows

Adele’s “30” album is starting to fade after four months.

The album has sold roughly 2.3 million copies including streaming. Physical and digital sales have come to just 1.6 million.

“30” was released November 15, 2o21. It had a strong first couple of weeks but weakened as other tracks on the album failed to pick up steam. Absent from the project was Adele’s regular producer, Paul Epworth.

The single “Easy On Me” was the only one that topped the charts. After that, “Oh My God” did not crack the top 20 anywhere.

Times change and so do tastes. Adele’s previous album, “25,” released November 2015 has sold over 10 million copies. Much of that was in 2015-2016.

The problems with “30” were only exacerbated by Adele suddenly cancelling her thirteen weekends in a row of shows in Las Vegas. Her fans have been left high and dry without refunds in most cases, and out all the money they put up for flights and hotels. The dates have still not been rescheduled.

Today, “30” is number 16 on iTunes and number 12 on Amazon. “Easy On Me” has fallen to number 19 on iTunes.

Gizmodo Websites Announce Victory Forming Union After Week Long Strike with G/O Media

Roger Friedman
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Gizmodo Websites Announce Victory Forming Union After Week Long Strike with G/O Media

Victory!

Gizmodo websites including Jezebel, Deadspin, and other sites owned by G/O Media went on strike last week to unionize. And it worked. They’ve won. Congrats..

Here’s the press release:

GMG Union Reaches Fair Contract After First Open-Ended Strike in Digital Media History
The GMG Union Bargaining Committee is very excited to announce we reached a deal with G/O
Media, pending WGAE Council approval and a ratification vote by members. After four days of
picketing in the first open-ended strike in digital media, management has acknowledged the
strength and demands of our members.
To this end, G/O Media agreed to raise salary minimums, severance, and parental leave;
maintain our healthcare while requiring it to be trans-inclusive; and ensure annual increases for
our Unit members.
We want to thank all of our supporters and those who gave to our GoFundMe. Your donations
have ensured that none of our staffers and regular contractors had to lose a paycheck to fight for
a fair contract. We have been made stronger by all of you

What we won:

  • Higher salary minimums for all positions, including $62,000 at the lowest tier in 2022 (up from $55,000), with an additional $1,000 each year for the life of the contract

  • Guaranteed 3% annual raises for all unit members

  • 15 weeks parental leave

  • 12 weeks minimum severance

  • Maintained our current cost-sharing cap for healthcare

  • WPATH-compliant, trans-inclusive healthcare

  • Defeated management’s proposal to give up bargaining rights over changes to healthcare mid-contract

  • 45K diversity effort budget with audit and transparency

  • Goal of 40% of candidates at the hiring manager interview stage from underrepresented backgrounds

  • Retained right to publicly speak about working conditions, including social media escalation campaigns

  • Strengthened editorial independence language; management must now adhere to both G/O Media’s editorial policy and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics

  • Obtained guarantees against forced relocation for current remote staff

 

Broadway Rock Bottom Hail Mary Pass: Pamela Anderson Joining Limping Musical “Chicago”

Roger Friedman
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Broadway Rock Bottom Hail Mary Pass: Pamela Anderson Joining Limping Musical “Chicago”

Broadway needs to fill seats, but this is ridiculous.

The long running musical, “Chicago,” has always relied on stunt casting for its various roles. Sometimes it worked — like when Christie Brinkley joined the cast and wowed audiences. And sometimes it doesn’t.

Now comes Pamela Anderson, a Celebrity with no musical background other than she could hum to ex husband Tommy’s Motley Crue “songs.” Anderson, famous for being Julian Assange’s jail buddy and having made a sex tape years ago, will join “Chicago” playing Roxie Hart.

I know it sounds funny and kitschy but it’s also embarrassing to all the great ladies who’ve played Roxie over the last 25 or so years. Right now that would be the amazing Charlotte D’Amboise. Tony winner James Monroe Inglehart is playing Billy Flynn. They must be gobsmacked.

“Chicago” gets a bad rap because the producers, Fran and Barry Weissler, are hosts to large swaths of international audiences that may not be fluent in English. The last time I visited the show, when the great Valerie Simpson guest starred as the prison matron, I was pretty much the only American in any direction, let alone New Yorker.

But with the pandemic, tourists are scarce. We have no numbers on “Chiccago,” but it can’t be easy over there. Who exactly would be attending at this point? So they need to stunt cast. Pamela Anderson from “Baywatch” no doubt has a big following of some kind. If the international tourists return, they’ll know who she is immediately. Meantime, Bob Fosse is turning in his grave.

The fun begins April 12th and lasts 8 weeks.

“Mockingbird” National Tour Will Feature Original Oscar Nominated 1962 Film “Scout” Mary Badham in Cast

Roger Friedman
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“Mockingbird” National Tour Will Feature Original Oscar Nominated 1962 Film “Scout” Mary Badham in Cast

Mary Badham was 10 years old when she played Scout Finch in the 1962 movie, “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Now, some 60 years later, Badham will hit the road with the national tour of “Mockingbird” playing Mrs. Dubose, one of the townspeople Atticus and Scout Finch have to deal with. That would make Badham 70 years old.

Back in 1962, Badham was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in the “Mockingbird” film that starred Gregory Peck. She had a few TV roles then including “The Twilight Zone” and “Dr. Kildare.” Then she took several decades off presumably to live her life. She appeared in indie films in 2005 and 2019.

Badham will be joined on stage by Richard Thomas, of “The Waltons” fame, who’s playing Atticus, and a big cast of talented actors. But she’ll be the only one who knew and worked with Peck and the 1962 movie cast. The only other actor alive from that movie is Oscar winner Robert Duvall, who’s 91. Maybe he can go backstage and say hello.

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