News and Notes

I'm up at three in the morning for no good reason whatsoever, so I was trying to pull together a great blog post. However, much of what I came up with didn't sound so good after being typed, so I just thought I'd go over some recent news to catch you guys up!

First off, Mikalah Gordon did decide to go ahead and do the benefit concert for pediatric cancer this weekend, despite the horrific events of the past week. She felt like she needed to sing to keep her spirits up and that not going would be equivalent to letting her attackers get the best of her. Your response to her has been tremendous.

Those of you who have been keeping up with the Idol Interviews for a while will probably remember Brooke Barrettsmith. According to her band's Myspace blog, Brooke has undisclosed good news. She hasn't responded yet to my questions of what exactly the news is, but as Goodbye is no longer booking new shows, my guess is that a solo career can't be far off.

This note was sent out by Chris Daughtry to his fans: 'Sup guys and gals? Just started production on the album yesterday and I'm in the studio again today. Working w/ Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Papa Roach, etc.) is amazing. I'm sitting next to my buddy Ed (LIVE) in the studio now, just hangin out getting ready to get started. He's not recording w/ me, just hangin' out. I'll be doing this between shows for the next week or two and hopefully we can get alot done in a short amount of time. Thanks again for all you love, support, and prayers. God bless y'all.-Chris

My blogger buddy, Mack Collier, recently got his "100 CDs for a 100 Bloggers" marketing plan mentioned in The Washington Post. Way to go, Mack!

Jordan Southerland, whose recent Idol Interview can be found in the archives (or by clicking on his name), recently re-auditioned for American Idol in Birmingham, AL. While he couldn't discuss specifics, he let me know that auditions "went great." I think we all can guess what that means.

Vegoose 2006, the concert festival in Vegas, has added several new acts to their lineup. There are also a series of night shows that include Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews, Damian Jr. Gong Marley, and many others. Check their website if you're interested in going.

I recently re-designed Roxie Mae's Myspace for her, with her help, so go take a look. New music from her new album is not up yet, but will be premiering soon. And to clear up the rumor mill, no, Roxie and I aren't dating. We're just really good friends. Not that that would be a bad thing, necessarily... But I digress.

My Myspace friend, Joy Williams, has posted a new article in Radiant Magazine. In it, she talks about her success in the music world, but how that same success led her to ultimately opt out of her recording contract. It's actually a rather interesting take. She's a great writer, and I encourage you all to read her. And yes, that's her in the photo up at the top of this post, courtesy of her Myspace.

And finally, for those of you who have been begging me to do a podcast, I haven't gotten one online yet, but there are currently plans in the works. I'm negotiating with an online radio station that I'll not disclose at the moment, but look for more updates as time goes by. I'm excited about it!

There...now you're updated. Enjoy!