andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Biggest story of this week is of course Live 8. The most amazing thing about it is not that 10 concerts were held around the world to bring awareness to poverty, but that every possible big name act participated. The biggest artists in the world, in any genre, is arguably Paul McCartney, U2 and Madonna, who all performed in England. After them there could be a number of artists, perhaps Elton John, Coldplay, and a reunited Pink Floyd, who all performed. Even Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, who were not on any bill, was supposed to show up in England to perform with McCartney (though didn’t make it).

The message that we are not living in a perfect world should not be lost, but ponder this: who else in the world can bring together all these A-list artists? Bob Geldof pulled off the miracle of the century (now twice).

The only problem is, was this all for nothing? Remember, there was no number being flashed across the screens to call to donate money, and tickets were free. This wasn’t about money (”We want your voice, not your money,” Geldof said). We’ll see July 6, when the world leaders meet for the G8 conference.

The other big news was the passing of a legend, Luther Vandross. His health had deteriorated since he had a stroke in 2003. He won eight Grammys in his career, four since the stroke. Little was reported about his health over the past year, and many speculated he was improving, so it was a shock to read Friday that he died in a New Jersey hospital.

Randomosity: Get this album right now: State of Mind by Raul Midon. More on him next week? Robin Thicke, AKA Thicke, AKA Alan Thicke’s son, somehow is working with Pharrell Williams on new material, even though nobody cared to buy his first album? John Mayer is now the John Mayer Trio. Hopefully they will stick with quality music as opposed to the soulless “Daughter”-type songs?

Looks like jail for Cassidy won’t help his album sales. His latest album will debut with a respectable number next week, probably around 100,000, but less than his debut album released last year. So much for street cred?

The Fugees getting back together at the BET Awards was my highlight of the week. I just hope they take their time to record a new album. Rushing it would ruin their legacy. What legacy you say? There has never been a hip-hop group to have as much success both as a group and then with solo careers. Well, Pras still has a chance?

Gwen Stefani’s Hollaback Girl is perhaps the worst song to make it onto high rotation since the Macarena. If you keep buying her album, she’ll keep making music….

Last thought on Live 8: 50 Cent pulled out due to a “prior commitment.” Excusable. But if you turned on your Sirius radio to the Slim Shady channel, you would have heard 50 live in studio for 4 hours…

And final thought: Congrats to Frayda and Yoni! See you in New York.

The Rolling Stones, U2, Madonna and Paul McCartney have had some of the highest-grossing tours in recent memory. But if you see one of them one summer, chances are they won’t hit your city again for another few years.

There is one tour that returns year after year?this is its eleventh year?and that’s the Warped Tour.

The Warped Tour is unique because it brings together almost every punk band for a summer long outing. Established bands (The Offspring), hot bands of the moment (My Chemical Romance) and up and coming acts (Fall Out Boy) all co-exist in an informal setting with no preferential service. It doesn’t matter if you’ve gone triple-platinum or are looking for a record deal; lunch is served at noon.

And they go all summer without controversy. There’s the very odd band scuffle, but it’s like a summer camp, and every band is thrilled to be a part of it; even Good Charlotte, who were booed last year because they put too much pop into pop-punk. “Warped Tour’s kind of like a community,” Joel Madden told andPOP last summer. “It’s not about the money, it’s about being part of the Warped Tour. I’ll play Warped Tour for free if I had to. When you play it, you become a part of it.” Turns out they aren’t back this year, but the fans probably aren’t complaining.

So why aren’t more genres trying this? Here’s why:

-Hip-hop- 50 Cent has a beef with everyone. Even if he’s not on the tour, one of his G-Unit members will be, or Emimen, or Dr. Dre, or someone associated with him. There are far too many beefs in the rap world that a hip-hop tour with 50 artists going from city to city all summer will never happen. That’s a certainty. If 50’s on the tour, Ja Rule, Fat Joe, and The Game won’t be. If Jay-Z signs up, Nas and R. Kelly drop out. No R&B singers will dare to commit, out of fear that the audience will jeer them off the stage for not being tough enough. It’s a shame because few hip-hop artists tour extensively, and it would be a great chance for people to see artists that don’t normally visit their city.

-Country- First, it would be hard to secure big artists like Faith Hill and Shania Twain because they’re making 6-figures for every concert on their own tours. Second, country music is trash, nobody would go (ok that’s my bias, and fine, lots of people will go, but wouldn’t it be great if nobody showed up and country music just, well, stopped?). Third, all the artists will break the audience’s achy hearts with their tear-jerking music, there wouldn’t be enough Kleenex in each city to go around (Editor’s note: country fans can send their complaints to Adam on the contact page).

-Pop- Who’s going to perform, the Backstreet Boys? There are no pop acts left, and if there are, they say they’re rock or hip-hop. Try telling Ashlee Simpson she’s pop and she’ll hit you with her never-working microphone. Her sister Jessica is too busy making movies in scantily-clad shorts. Leave her to be. And heaven forbid a pop tour.

-Jazz- what a great tour that would be, except the average age of a jazz artist is 82.

Somehow those punk kids know what they’re doing.