Links posted on September 28, 2005
Contracts in the music business are always good for gossipy fodder and are plenty of fun to read about when either party isn't so into the other anymore. Some bands leave their indie labels in the lurch when they sign for a big guy. Others release an improbable "greatest hits" album (or have one released for them) to fulfill a contracted number of albums. Some artists churn out crap to get to that number.
Rising above all others like a slacker king must be Van Morrison, who (as the story goes) sat down one afternoon and churned out 31 one minute tracks to get out of an early contract. I'd recommend you hit up "Ring Worm" and of course "Want a Danish", both of which are about exactly what it sounds like they're about. "Do It" should have been on the Starsky and Hutch soundtrack and "Hang On Groovy" should have given co-writer credit to Brian Wilson. I would have loved to see the exec's face on the first listen to this thing.
Name History Wizard This really deserves its own post... This baby Name Generator has a really cool java applet that follows names through the generations based on birth certificates. It plots the occurances over the decades. [more inside]