· March, 2008

Stories about Music from March, 2008

Caucasus: Eurovision Song Contest Fever… and Politics

It might be considered a little cheesy, but the South Caucasus takes participation in the annual Eurovision song contest very seriously indeed. Not only does the competition represent the region moving closer to Europe, but given that this year has proven to be a political turbulent one it might also provide people here with a welcome break from rigged votes and post-election unrest.

Haiti, Jamaica: Haitian Reggae

  9 March 2008

“Bigga Haitian hails from a ‘fiery land,’ often characterized with turmoil. The general decline of political ‘correctness’ in Haiti sometimes seems to be so tragic, that all good news associated with the country is refreshing”: YardFlex.com blogs about the latest Haitian musical sensation.

Armenia: Politics & Eurovision

Spectacular Self-Indulgence reports that the venue for yesterday's final to select Armenia's entry into the Eurovision Song Contest was changed because of the current state of emergency in the country. The blog is furious, but more about interfering with a Eurovision final than the political situation.

Jamaica: Homophobia

  8 March 2008

“What’s at the crux of such bigotry? Our homophobia can be so extreme that a man who has only one woman is suspect. And there in lies the subtext, that our Homophobia is not really homophobia at all but a crisis in manliness”: Marlon James dissects the issue of homophobia...

Japan: American enka singer makes waves

  7 March 2008

The first ever American-born enka singer, Jero, has become the talk of the Japanese blogosphere the past weeks as he made his debut with the single “Umiyuki (Ocean Snow)”. The single came in fourth on the Oricon music chart, setting a record in the enka as well as Top 10...

China: No more free lunch, even at here?

  1 March 2008

Now the fire has been burned to right outside the door. Is the litigation of movie makers in U.S agasint Xunlei in China a start of a fire that is bound to burn down the pirate paradise, or itself a scheme resulted from the drastic trade conflict of the two powers?

Trinidad & Tobago: “No” to Violent Music

  1 March 2008

Keith in Trinidad admires the example being set by a young radio DJ who is calling for the local entertainment industry to take a stand against violent music after the recent murder of a schoolboy by one of his classmates.