Welcome back to the Disposable Underground newsletter, a companion to the blog of the same name. I’ve been tweaking the format of the newsletter, and the below is a slightly leaner version. Please enjoy.
New Video
I have a couple of new live clips at the blog YouTube channel: a jazz band called Swingology followed by a D.C. punk band, Bed Maker.
Music News
Facial recognition at music events is something I first heard about in the New York Times when an attorney was denied entry into Radio City Music Hall—she was ID’d at the door using facial recognition. Now, there’s a boycott happening of venues that use the technology, and Fight For The Future wrote an open letter about it, Even Greer tweets.
“All-in” ticketing refers to a model where the full cost of a music ticket and fees is available for a customer to see up front. A few of the major companies have signed on to a pledge to at least partially use this model, Bruce Houghton writes for Hypebot.
The “Beyoncé blip” is a phenomenon that Fortune says might explain Swedish core inflation slowing less than expected in May of this year, as fans of the singer slammed Stockholm when she came there on tour, according to economists. Niclas Rolander and Bloomberg explain in Fortune.
CD Baby has stopped selling CDs and vinyl “in order to focus on the continuing development of digital music distribution and promotion tools,” the company writes at its blog.
Gen Z is drinking less than other generations, according to research, and that could be bad for clubs, Elias Leight writes for Billboard. A report says that Gen Z drinks 20% less per capita than Millennials; Andrew Benson has more details on the trend at Global News.
Rest In Peace
Big Pokey died in June. The Houston rapper collapsed after one of his shows, Daniela Hurtado writes for ABC13.
Reuben Wilson, an organist whose work was sampled by Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, and others, died in May. Blue Note posted about him.
Teresa Taylor of the Butthole Surfers passed away in June, the band announced. Taylor was one of the drummers and also appeared in the movie Slackers.
Lon Hackett, bassist of the band Sulaco, died at the end of May. The band posted a remembrance.
Photo credit: Wikipedia / Raph_PH
Thank you and see you here next month and at the blog.
July 1, 2023 newsletter




