Radiohead have announced the winners of their “Aniboom In Rainbows” Animated Music Video Contest.

The band asked fans to create videos for tracks from last year’s historic release In Rainbows. Three winners were to be selected, but since Radiohead do things their way, they picked four. The winners will have their videos placed on MySpace.

The videos for “Reckoner” and “Weird Fishes” (which you can watch below) were put up last week. By the way, both are pretty clever and very pretty damn good. You can look for “15 Step” on November 25 and “Videotape” on November 28.

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About a good five years ago I stumbled upon five unreleased tracks from Stone Temple Pilots on the great STP fansite Below Empty.

The tracks were outtakes from the band’s last two albums, No. 4 and Shangri-La Dee Da, which I immediately dug.

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It just wouldn’t be fun to neglect the love triangle between Velvet Revolver, Axl Rose and Scott Weiland. Let’s check in and see how everybody’s doing.

Things may not be looking too bright for the now Weiland-less Velvet Revolver. Blabbermouth is reporting that RCA has dropped VR. There are no other details right now, bit maybe because they went from pushing around 2 million copies with their debut Contraband to around 300,000 with Libertad is one obvious factor. By the way, I’m not shitting on Libertad, cause I think it’s a more solid album, but money walks. Anyways, I think Slash, Duff and Matt will be fine. Who needs a major label nowadays? Especially when You’re Slash, Duff and Matt Sorum.

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It’s been a rather gloomy week, at least weather wise, so it’s refreshing that there were a good amount of news on 90′s acts.

While not a 90′s band per se, Guns N’ Roses have revealed a number of listening parties for the long awaited Chinese Democracy. The listening parties are open to the public, but no recording devices what so ever will be allowed in. And, for fans that pre-ordered the new album and bring their receipt will get a free shirt. He may have taken over a decade to finally get Chinese Democracy out, but Axl seems to be making it up to the fans. Here’s the info on the listening parties:

Musical pioneer Peter Gabriel has now ventured into the world of free music sites.

Yesterday the former Genesis frontman launched the full version of We7, which after an initial visit to the site reminds of a nice hybrid of imeem and iTunes.

So here’s the skinny on We7. The site is ad founded, where people can listen to whatever they want for free. They can even create playlists after making an account, which is the imeem similarity. Now, here’s what’s really cool about We7. Fans can then purchase the track directly off the site if, they want to, and the musicians and rights owners of the tracks will get the money. Ah cutting out the middle man.

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Official Press Release:

ReverbNation, the preferred marketing and promotion platform for over 250,000 musicians, labels, managers, and venues, and JamBase, the world’s leading source of live music and concert information, have agreed to swap concert data in an effort to drive more ticket sales for artists, labels, and promoters who use the sites to reach live music fans.

The arrangement, which will begin by November 15th, will allow users to post their dates to either site and receive automatic concert listings at the other.

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It’s that time of the month for a Pearl Jam post.

I figured with the all excitement still swirling from last weeks election that I would mention the recently released documentary Pearl Jam: Vote for Change? 2004.

The documentary was shot all on 8mm, so it looks pretty sweet. The filming took place during the 2004 Presidential Election, when a bunch of bands ranging from The Boss, R.E.M., Dave Matthews Band, The Dixie Chicks, John Mellencamp, Bright Eyes, Death Cab For Cutie and many more, hit the road in several key states for the Vote For Change Tour. The tour had several acts play in different cities of a state, or region, during the same night to get people to vote out George W. Bush.

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One of my favorite bands out there right now just self-released a new album.

Through their own Abstract Dragon imprint, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has digitally released a collection of ten “instrumental/ambient” tracks entitled The Effects of 333. You can purchase the album through the band’s website for $6. You’ll also get a poem to download, which is hidden in one of the tracks, and an acoustic version of “Too Real”.

Here’s the tracklisting:

“The Effects of 333″
“Still No Answer”
“I Know You’re in There”
“And With This Comes”
“A Sad State”
“A Twisted State”
“Sedated With Sterilized Tongues”
“We’re Not Welcome Alone”
“Or Needed”
“And When Was Better”

Earlier this week I read on NME about this band from New York City who decided to incorporate themselves, instead of signing to a major label.

In one hell of a promotional tactic, Francis and The Lights received $100,000 from the Normative Music Company, kind of like an online startup, to help become Francis and Lights, LLC.

You should read this post, which is rather amusing and gives a brief look at the financial side of this deal.

While this is a rather clever marketing move, it’s such a shameless gimmick, that I actually feel dirty writing about it.

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During the 2004 Democratic National Convention, I saw a speech by some guy whose name I could not pronounce.

Like so many other people, I was absolutely moved. There was something about him that made me think that this man was going to be big. In my wildest dream I would have never imagined that Barack Obama would become the 44th President of the United States of America.

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Yup, it’s finally here…Election Day!

For all your voting info, check out Rock the Vote.

While I’m all about Obama, some folks may still be undecided. Maybe a look at the playlists of the candidates will change your mind.

Barack Obamas Favorite Music Playlist

John McCains Favorite Music Playlist

Hmm, McCain has the Beach Boys (which I like), but he’s got not one, but two, Abba songs. Meanwhile, Obama has The Boss, Th e Stone, Nina Simone and The Fugees. Oh yeah, he’s got his own song on there too.

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