First, yet another artist has utterly given up on the conventional music industry for releasing any future material. The Smashing Pumpkins has announced that they’re all digital from here on out. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin said, "I don't think we will make records again. I look at it like the old business model is dead and the music business doesn't know how to move forward. We want to keep things vital and keep things viable and get our music across while remaining relevant. Music has in many ways just become an advertisement for your tour."

And I have to give credit to the Pumpkins because, to my knowledge, they were the first major act to release an entire album free on the internet. In 2000, they made 25 vinyl copies of Machina and told the people they gave them to to upload them to the internet.  

And speaking of vinyl-only releases, Elvis Costello’s next album, called Momofuku, will be vinyl only. This is news for one reason only. Momofuku is the name of the guy who invented Ramen. Elvis Costello has named his next album after the guy who invented Ramen.

And, hopefully you didn’t hold out on seeing Velvet Revolver the last time they were in town, because they’re officially done. It was assumed when Scott Weiland announced that he would reunite with STP later this year, but it was never publicly spoken until last night when Scott took the stage in Scotland and announced, "You're watching something special... the last tour by VELVET REVOLVER."

A fan who attended last night's show wrote on the band's forum, "Once he said that Slash, Duff, Matt and Dave all looked at each other. They sang 'Fall to Pieces', then Scott goes over to the side of the stage and argues with the sound guy. After a couple of songs, he threw his mic down and walked off. After a long wait, Duff came out with the band and sang the start of 'It's So Easy'. Scott shows up about half way through, sang really half-assed then gone again..."