A few quick hits for this Thursday:

1.) Saw the Cribs last night and couldn’t believe they were playing a 21+ venue. They make music for teenagers. Jeff Lewis, on the other hand, makes music for people of all ages. His opening set, which we missed a substantial chunk of, was brilliant. Can’t wait to see him again—hopefully in a headlining slot in someone’s basement.

2.) Buzz abounds in response to Jay-Z’s monster contract with Live Nation. For the most part, who cares? Smaller groups that don’t stand to profit on letting the corps get involved, DON’T LET THEM TOUCH YOUR TOUR! They don’t deserve a fucking cent of it. Let those fucking dinosaurs starve to death.

However, there was one odd bit of the Jay-Z article:

“In a way I want to operate like an indie band,” (The Jigga Man) said. “Play the music on tour instead of relying on radio. Hopefully we’ll get some hits out of there and radio will pick it up, but we won’t make it with that in mind.”

Excuse me? You want to what? Then how exactly does a $125 million dollar contract with a gigantic corporation fit into this plan? Sorry brah, nice try.

3.) This aint music related, and may not come across as well as it did in the interview, but it made me flap around my apartment last night. Head of Blackstone investment group Pete Peterson (yes, that’s his real name) told Charlie Rose this story about Kurt Vonnegut and his publisher at a party thrown by a hedge fund:

Vonnegut to his publisher: Doesn’t it bother you that these people have made more money in a day than you have selling “Cat’s Cradle” all over the world?

Publisher: No, I have something they don’t have.

Vonnegut: What could you possibly have they don’t have?

Publisher: I know when I have enough.

Brilliant. Beautiful. And with that, Good Day.