Buzznet’s diet of blogs that it’s consumed now includes Idolator.  Rest assured that BNet’s appetite isn’t going away- they’re still hungry and they still want more.  They’re becoming the News Corp of new media, gobbling up everything it can as it makes a push for not just synergy but also as much hip cache as it can.  It remains to be seen if BNet is going to let the old brands keep the format that made them so desirable in the first place or if it bends them all for its own means (like Uncle Rupert).  If they’re smart, they’ll do the former but rest assured, they’re already thinking about the later.  I wish the Idolator folks good luck.

And just in case you can’t get enough of new ways to punish all consumers to offset the music industry’s mistakes, you can lump the idea for the Internet tax with the idea of an iPod tax.  The same idea here is that another industry is going to be forced to bilk its customers so that it can then pay off the music biz.  So everyone’s happy then, right?  Somehow I don’t think the BPI (aka the British RIAA) will stop with electronics manufacturers or Net providers (and don’t forget that they’re trying to squeeze money from radio too) but they’ll also branch out to other industries that are involved in music- any remaining manufacturing plants for CD’s, plus the graphic designers and print shops that make the photos and sleeves as well as the studio engineers, club owners, caterers, groupies and drug dealers will all get squeezed somewhere down the line for being involved in the music pipeline.  And then the cost will get passed on to the consumers too, whether they pay for or want the goods or not.  It reminds me of the old joke about an exclusive club.  “I wanted to get in and they said ‘That’ll be 50 bucks.’ I said ‘Forget it- I’m going home!’ They said ‘OK, that’ll be 30 bucks!’”

—Jason Gross

It’s easy to pick on Chuck Klosterman.  He has a romantic story, going from earnest Midwesterner to high-flying scribe, which most writers would be jealous of, plus he’s been anointed as a “voice of his generation”.  I’ve met him before and corresponded with him and he’s actually a nice, decent guy.  At the right time, he does write superior articles too (i.e. his Britney profile and his rock death article for Spin).  But his recent article for Esquire about why so many people download for free is long on shaky conjecture and short on common sense.

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—Jason Gross

As Ed Ward noted in a previous comment, another 60’s music mag staple has also returned.  Crawdaddy magazine is back, under the auspices of the Wolfgang’s Vault website (which offers many classic shows streamed).

—Jason Gross

Can it be that this bastion of folk music from the sixties is being reborn on the web?  It’s great timing considering that No Depression and Harp have recently disappeared.  Broadside is back now with a Pete Seeger interview, a George Bush coloring book and a new tune from Harry Shearer (from the Simpsons and Spinal Tap but here in folkie guise).  Welcome back.

—Jason Gross

Just wanted to point out this interesting article in Norient magazine, which happens to have a number of other good pieces that are worth your time.

—Jason Gross

Alternet calls it “YouTube for smart people” and that’s kind of what Big Think is.  Their music section isn’t very extensive yet but there are a number of interesting posts there, including composer John Haribson on overcoming writer’s block, Wyclef Jean on hip-hop stereotypes and Moby on advice for young artists.  Plus there’s DIY threads on which rock bands are best and if Paul is really dead.  I hope they keep developing the site though I also hope that they don’t think they have to restrict themselves to a small group of ‘experts.

—Jason Gross