2003

Fans of veteran modern rock act the Cure will get a late Christmas present on Jan. 27, when Fiction/Elektra/Rhino releases the four-disc boxed set “Join the Dots: B-Sides and Rarities, 1978-2001 (The Fiction Years).” Frontman Robert Smith personally supervised the project, which will feature a 76-page booklet with track-by-track commentary from Smith and bassist Simon Gallup.
The 22-track first disc spans 1978-1987 and includes “Another Journey by Train” (the B-side to “A Forest”) as well as a version of “Lament” which was only available in 1982 on a single inserted in copies of the magazine Flexipop. Disc two is highlighted by “Sugar Girl” (the B-side to “Just Like Heaven”), alternate mixes of “Icing Sugar” and “How Beautiful You Are” and three different versions of the Doors’ “Hello I Love You.”
The third disc, collecting 15 tracks from 1992-1996, sports tunes contributed to soundtracks for “The Crow” (“Burn”) and “Judge Dredd” (“Dredd Song”), “Halo” (the B-side to “Friday I’m in Love”) and covers of Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” and David Bowie’s “Young Americans.”
Disc four rounds up 15 cuts from 1996-2001, such as an acoustic version of “Just Say Yes,” the import-only “Coming Up,” a cover of Depeche Mode’s “World in Your Eyes” and alternate mixes of “Wrong Number,” “This Is a Lie” and “Strange Attraction.”
Source Billboard.com.

Hawaiian singer/songwriter Jack Johnson will headline a benefit concert on Jan. 3 in Oahu, Hawaii. The event will also feature performances by Michael Franti & Spearhead, DJ Logic, Makana and Amy Hanaiali’I & Willie K.
The goal of the concert is to raise funds for the Kokua Hawaii Foundation, which works to preserve Hawaii’s natural environment. Some funds have been earmarked to start school recycling and gardening programs on Oahu, in the hope that similar programs will eventually be implemented throughout the state.
As previously reported, Johnson has two releases on the horizon for Nov. 25 via his Brushfire label. The first is a DVD of the surfing film “Thicker Than Water,” which will be accompanied with a 14-track soundtrack featuring two newly recorded songs.
Johnson is in the midst of a tour of Australia and New Zealand, which hits Christchurch on Friday (Nov. 14).
Source Billboard.com.

Following in the footsteps of its history-making opening day last season, Killington opens Nov. 10, at noon for skiing and riding with top to bottom terrain from Killington Peak to the base of the K1 Express Gondola. Since Nov. 7, Killington snowmakers have been stationed at the helm of the most extensive snowmaking system in North America, making snow for opening day. An average of two-to-three foot base depths (deeper in some spots) can be credited to the resort’s access to 600 million gallons of water for snowmaking.
Killington plans to open with eight trails and two lifts across three distinct runs. Skiers and riders may access terrain via the K1 Express Gondola and the Glades Triple Chairlift. Trails include Great Northern, Rime and East Glade.
Killington traditionally sets the pace for early season skiing and riding in eastern North America. Because of its snowmaking capacity, by Thanksgiving, Killington typically has nearly 80 trails open for all ability levels, often two to three times more than the nearest competitor.
In other mountain openings, Copper Mountain in Colorado opened to the general public on November 1st. Mt.Rose-Ski Tahoe was recently blessed with 16 inches of snow and has opened as well. Snowbird in Utah, plans to pen on Saturday, November 14th.
Source skinet.com.

The Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution have joined with the Federal City Council to create a National Music Center & Museum in Washington, D.C., Billboard Bulletin reports. According to Mayor Anthony Williams, the center will be a state-of-the-art facility to showcase America’s musical heritage.
The museum will be the core of a mixed-use development project to be built on the former site of the Washington Convention Center in downtown Washington D.C. It will have 55,000 square feet of exhibit space, including two performance halls.
The museum is scheduled for completion in 2008. There are no financing details at present. There are tentative plans for the Sinatra family to donate Frank Sinatra