the future of music is in serious jeopardy

Wanna know how desperate the music industry is right now?

You’re about to see a whole new genre of music, the reissuing of classic albums and compilation CDs, thanks to the success of the Beatles reissues last week.

The Beatles had similar success a couple times before like this, but when put in comparison to the state of the music industry, it wasn’t that big a deal. But with 16 remastered albums hitting the top 50 this week, we’re about to see every major album from every major band remastered and re-released.

It’s going to start innocently enough, with Exile on Main Street and Dark Side of the Moon getting the special treatment. The second tier bands will get people scratching their heads when Lynyrd Skynyrd starts remastering its albums, then comes the phase when it starts happening too soon like when No Doubt remasters Tragic Kingdom, and then the nonsense will really kick into high gear when Duran Duran’s Rio comes off the trash heap and into pop culture again.

But make no mistake — this is the new trend in music and the money the record companies are making off this new windfall will not go into anything resembling developing new artists so the dregs of today’s music are pushed to the back. And yes, we’re all looking squarely in your direction, Flo Rida. What other conceivable explanation can there be for U2 and Springsteen still being relevant to the point that 20-year-olds would rather listen to their new stuff than the new Killers album?

Just look what’s happened to the film industry once its ideas dried up. And you think it’s not about to happen in the music industry?

Anyway.

Maybe getting some good bands into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will help us stop worrying about the future of music. Whoops, never mind. KISS is on the list of nominees. Maybe music was never good in the first place? So the RRHOF has no problem putting in KISS, which denies its hackiness and would rather be laughed at by a large majority of the population, but still won’t put in “Weird” Al Yankovic, who knows he’s a joke and would rather the world laughed with him? The man is never going to get his due for his talent in music or movies — yes, UHF is in my top 10 comedies of all time, and I saw it in the theater, and when I talked to him a couple years ago, he said he’d give me my money back if I wanted it, of course I said no — and he belongs in the RRHOF.

Old School for me is one of those movies I absolutely hated on first viewing, but now I watch it every single time it’s on and keep meaning to buy the DVD. I just wasn’t in a very Will Ferrell mood when I saw it in the theater, I think. And I get really disappointed when I remember that half the movie is actually a script from Jim Breuer that got “borrowed” to make the recruitment scene (no link, but he’s talked about it). So it’s actually a hodgepodge of a bunch of scripts. But on second, third and 85th viewing, it’s a pretty freakin’ funny movie, as long as you ignore the fact that Luke Wilson doing straight comedy is kind of a waste. So I’m all good with a sequel, if they ever decide to make it.

Disaster scenario last night of password malfunction, DVR confusion and constipated/sleep-deprived baby that kept me from checking out The Good Wife or the ABC pilots I wanted to. So I have no reviews for any of them. Sorry about that. But Sons of Anarchy was pretty good last night, huh? Huh? (SPOLIER MOMENT) I don’t but that ending scene. That takes a big leap of faith to 1. know that Jax was going to follow her into the bathroom of all places, 2. that the other #### would follow Jax in and 3. that it would all happen precisely at the right moment she planned it happening at. I’m not buying that TV logic, though it made for a good scene.

Just so we’re clear, this new version of The Host has nothing to do with the very good Japanese movie of the same name, which just missed my top 20 for last year. But just seeing Stephenie Meyers’ name attached to this gives it a big “pass” for me. That’s how much I can’t stand this manufactured Twilight phenomenon, to the point where I now hate anyone involved in the production. I think it’s why I still haven’t rented Adventureland (because of Kristin Stewart) and I know it’s why I stopped my Entertainment Weekly subscription. I think I even hate vampires now, since I may be giving up on Vampire Diaries even though I like the pilot. So thanks a ton, Twilight.

No wonder actors are worried about the end of broadcast TV, since the same people keep getting all the jobs. Now people are taking two jobs at once, since Campbell Scott is one of the central figures in Royal Pains (I think) and now he’s going to be in Damages next year. But that’s not even the weirdest part of the casting news in the story — Martin Short? The casting call had to look something like ”Out-of-work comedian, completely unrelatable to the next generation who will work for nothing and in between takes, will also fetch coffee for the crew.” No wonder they would immediately think of Martin Short. I like the comic genius of Clifford as much as the next guy — and knew a guy in college who defended it as the funniest movie of all time — but perhaps there’s another Martin Short out there this story refers to, and not the one who played Ed Grimley 25 years ago. Yeah, that’s right, Ed Grimley was 25 years ago. Maybe you can ponder that while reading your AARP magazine.

You may now burn every copy of Monday, Monday or California Dreamin’ you have. You at least have to feel bad when you’re listening to them. Or at least say “Ewwwwwwwww” before you listen. Otherwise, I’m not sure we can be friends. Then again, it’s been well-documented Mackenzie Phillips is a little wack-o.