Slowly but surely, we are getting there with the large-scale music project “the Green Washed Ritual” – a digital compilation for BambooSK8.  We are currently securing sponsors, developing the website page, finalizing legal contracts with labels and management, etc.  Official release will most likely be in early September in time for the Action Sports Retail show.  Current labels on the project include Epitaph, WMG, Roadrunner, Trustkill, as well as management from Silverback Artist Management, New World Artist Management and Out of Step Entertainment.

Check out Yellow Rat Bastard Magazine (YRB) out of New York for a recent ad featuring this compilation, as well as a host of artists painting on the bamboo skateboards.

There have been massive changes on the A&R front over the last few months. At Sony in New York, Scott Graves exits Epic while Steve Ralbovsky exits Canvasback. Over at Atlantic, Shani Gonzales and Steve Owens exit while Joe Augustine exists Hybrid. Eddie Weathers and Eric Spec both exit Island leaving no Creative A&R Staff at Island Records in New York. Over at EMI, Mike Bailey exits Manhattan while Gabriella Cudjoe exits Music World. Over in the UK, both Valerie Gross and Oliver Warzola exit Decca, John Leahy exits Domino and Ricardo Fernandez exits Sony. Josh Sarubin joins Virgin and Kevin Carvell joins A&M/Octone as West Coast A&R. Lorne Behrman joins Razor & Tie, Jeff Sledge joins Battery, Lisa Ramsey joins Sony Music in Nashville and Samantha Rosenman joins Music World. We also want to make sure that you are aware that several companies have moved to new locations including Astralwerks, Lizard King-NY, Nashville Underground, Breaking, Great Society and Robbins-NY. Jay-Z’s label Roc Nation (Sony) has opened their doors in New York and Lil Wayne’s new label Young Money (Universal) is open as well.

Went over to the Home Depot Center to see Coldplay in an outdoor format which was very special… hadn’t seen them in a few years since promoting their show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles for Capitol Records.  They were still very solid as a band with high energy.  They kept things moving with the crowd by releasing yellow baloons during “yellow”, or confetti during “viva la vida”, or doing the wave with cell phones, or walking through the crowd all the way to the back of the arena where a makeshift little stage was made for them, then busting out “billy jean” by Michael Jackson.  While it was a quick set, it was a great performance with very touching lyrics, british wit, complete humbleness and gratitude for the crowd and opening bands, etc.