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Today's News
 BASS:
AIR album inspired by classic French film 'Le Voyage Dans La Lune'
Edited Press Release
French downtempo band AIR
(pictured left) has released a new album, "Le Voyage Dans La Lune" (A
Trip To The Moon), inspired by a classic black & white silent film
of the same title by revered French director Georges Méliès. Eager
to put a contemporary spin on this classic silent film, the producers
decided to approach AIR's Nicolas
Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel
to compose an original modern soundtrack, an enormous honor for French
musicians considering the film's place in the canon of French cinema. Read More
 AUDIO:
DJ Mettrax mixes Progressive House set
DJ Mettrax has
played at various clubs throughout his native Austria, where he’s
focused on liquid Drum & Bass and House music. He has produced DNB
tracks for Hospital Records, one of the UK’s top labels, as well as
Fucuz Records. In October 2011, he founded Generation Golla Recordings,
which releases DNB, House, Dubstep, Trance, Psytrance and Goa, among
other genres. Here Mettrax mixes a Progressive House set
that showcases his diverse style. Listen Now
- WORD:
Litquake 2011 kicks off with Ellroy, Smiley; Lit Crawl this Saturday,
Oct. 15
The 12th annual Litquake festival kicked off on Friday, Oct. 7,
beginning a weeklong series of daily events throughout San Francisco.
Events will happen throughout the City and beyond through Litquake’s
traditional close with the notorious booze-fueled Lit Crawl on
Saturday, Oct. 15. Read More
- WORD:
Tomas Tranströmer Wins the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature
Edited Press Release
New Directions announced that Tomas
Tranströmer, author of "The Great Enigma: New Collected
Poems," has won the 2011 Nobel Prize for Literature. Long deserved and
long awaited, the 2011 Nobel Prize for Literature has gone to a
magnificent, unforgettable poet. Read More
- BASS:
Kaskade voted America’s Best DJ for 2011 - awards ceremony in Las Vegas
Oct. 9
Edited Press Release
The votes have all been counted and it's official -- DJ Times magazine
and Pioneer DJ are proud to announce that Kaskade has been voted America's
Best DJ for 2011. The talented Los Angeles-based jock will be honored
October 9 in Las Vegas for the ABDJ Closing Party, which will include a
press reception at Marquee. Read More
 BASS:
dBridge returns to San Francisco at Mighty, US tour dates added (UPDATE)
British drum & bass artist dBridge,
who kicked off 2011 with the release of his latest mixed album Mosaic
Vol. 1, returns to San Francisco on Thursday, September 22 when he
headlines at Mighty. dBridge, whose birthname is Darren Wright, has collaborated with
some of the biggest names in DNB from Future Forces to Bad Company and
mostly recently Club Autonomic. Fellow UK DJ Lynx will also play at the
21-and-up show along with local DJs Bachelors
of Science and Method One.
Read More
- BASS:
UK dubstep artist Youngsta launches fourth mixed album ‘Rinse: 14’ –
with audio
Edited Press Release
Youngsta, who
UK label Rinse calls "the people’s favorite human dubstep metronome,"
has mixed the latest Rinse CD. This is Youngsta's fourth mix for Rinse,
after previous releases including 'Dubstep Allstars' Volumes 2, and 4,
and 'I Love Dubstep'. Rinse: 14 sees him further solidify his place as
one of the best dubstep mixers in the world, curating a heavy hitting
'eyes down' selection of dubstep's deeper sounds. Read More
- WORD:
Litquake September fundraiser -- Americans in Paris
On Thursday, September 22, Litquake hosts a feast of words and French
cuisine, featuring three heralded authors known for Parisian settings
in their fiction: Cara Black, Diane
Johnson and Ellen Sussman.
This fundraiser takes place in the intimate cellar dining room of Cafe
Bastille, in the heart of San Francisco's French corridor. Prix fixe
dinner includes three courses, unlimited wine, and readings. Drinks and
mingling at 6:30 pm, with program and dinner starting at 7 pm. Tickets
now on sale - click here
for more details. Litquake, San Francisco's annual literary festival,
was founded by Bay Area writers in 1999 to put on a week-long literary
spectacle for book lovers with cutting-edge panels, unique cross-media
events, and hundreds of readings. This year's Litquake
happens October 7-15, 2011.
- BASS:
Thievery Corporation cuts sixth studio album ‘Culture of Fear;’ tour to
hit Calif.
Edited Press Release
Thievery Corporation
returns with their sixth original studio album "Culture of Fear" with
ESL Music. Following up their incendiary and bombastic call to arms
"Radio Retaliation" from 2008, this time around Eric Hilton and Rob Garza craft a simmering and hazy
collection of atmospheric songs that recall their early production work
but reflect a thoroughly contemporary zeitgeist of socio-political
angst and unease. Read More
- REVIEW:
YA author de la Cruz pitches captivating tale in adult debut 'Witches
of East End'
Review by Michelle Simon
HYPERION; 288 PAGES; HARDCOVER; $23.00
Melissa de la Cruz,
best known for her addictive Blue Blood series of novels geared to a
young adults, has switched to writing for an adult audience. Her first
book in this mid-career transition is "Witches of East End" (Hyperion
Books), a captivating novel about three witches living in North
Hampton, Long Island. Read More
- Editor's Note June 18: Editor BPM Smith
is in Las Vegas until June 26 playing in the World Series of Poker.
WORD'N'BASS will be updated with new editorial and audio content when
he returns.
 WORD:
Emily St. John Mandel takes Indie Booksellers' Choice Award
Emily St. John Mandel
(pictured left) was one of the winners at the first annual Indie
Booksellers' Choice Awards, presented in a standing-room only ceremony
that was recently hosted by comedian David Rees at the Housing Works
Bookstore in New York City. Mandel, one of today's most talented
emerging novelists, took an IBCA for her sophomore novel "The Singer's
Gun" (Unbridled Books). Read More
- REVIEW:
Talyor Stevens' prose, plot twists make 'The Informationist' a solid
thriller
Review by Michelle Simon
CROWN; 307 PAGES; HARDCOVER; $23.00
"This is where he would die." When a novel opens with such a comment
and it's from an event in West Central Africa, the reader knows to
expect some
chilling scenes, perhaps a haunting past. 'The Informationist' by Talyor Stevens (Crown Publishers) is
a thriller set in Dallas and North Africa that lives up to its early
promise. Read More
- WORD:
San Francisco novelist García debuts with 'badbadbad,' book tour
begins May 19
San Francisco author Jesús
Ángel García will launch his debut novel
"badbadbad" (New Pulp Press) with a party on May 19 in The City that
kicks off a nationwide tour for García's work, described as a
transmedia novel about sex, God, rock ‘n’ roll and the social web. Read More
- BASS:
Global Dubstep artists Breakage, Goth-Trad play SF club Mezzanine Apr.
13
Coming off his recent widely-acclaimed "Foundation" album, UK Dubstep
and Drum & Bass artist Breakage
will play San Francisco club Mezzanine on Wednesday, April 13 in a show
hosted by Audio Angel that
features local and international DJs and a screening of the dubstep
documentary film "Bass Weight" by Kode9
that UK's Guardian named "one
of the best documentaries made about the full spectrum of dubstep."
Known to move effortlessly through styles from DNB to dubstep, Breakage
has proved himself to be one of the most versatile operators in either
scene to date. In a co-feature, Japan's Goth-Trad returns to San Francisco
to play before taking on his first Coachella set. Bass Weight,
a feature length film that offers an unparalleled insight into the
subterranean world of Dubstep, screens at 9 pm during the 21-and-up
show, which commemorates the new "When I Was A Youth" issue of Big Up. Mezzanine is at 444 Jessie
Street at Mint in San Francisco.
- BASS:
Tiësto releases 'CLUB LIFE Volume One – Las Vegas' on his new
Musical Freedom label -- with audio
Edited Press Release
International DJ and producer Tiësto’s
brand new album "CLUB LIFE Volume One -- Las Vegas" was released today
(April 5) via his own Musical Freedom record label. This marks the
first installment of an exciting new series and Tiësto’s first mix
album since In Search of Sunrise -- one of the most successful mix
compilation series of all time. Read More
- WORD:
San Francisco's Modern Times
Bookstore to close Apr. 30
In what's become a sadly common trend, San Francisco indie bookstore
Modern Times is closing shop on April 30 after 20 years at 888 Valencia
Street. The bookstore, which has hosted countless events during 40
years as a Mission District hub for politcal literature, announced the
closure after their landlord refused to renew their lease. While Modern
Times will never again operate at their current location, they hope to
reopen in about a year by running a cooperative with Busboys &
Poets, a Washington, DC-based restaurant, bookstore and progressive
event space. "The eventual goal would be a smaller version of Modern
Times housed within a Mission District Busboys & Poets with shared
events (and) programming," Modern Times said in an announcement.
Meantime, they're holding a sale with 20% off all new and 50% off used
books to reduce inventory. Don't miss their ‘Goodbye to 888 Valencia’
Party on Saturday April 23. Click here
to see their announcement, and watch the Modern Times Bookstore website
for future updates.
- WORD:
Boxing writer George Kimball helms new LOA title 'At The Fights'
Edited Press Release
American writers have always been fascinated by the ring -- by the
primal contest inside the ropes and the crazy carnival world outside
them. Library of America (LOA) announced that George Kimball, a longtime
sportswriter for the Boston Herald and author of an earlier critically
acclaimed book about boxing, helmed a new book on the sport "At the
Fights: American Writers on Boxing." Read More
 BASS:
Grid Recordings signs Rawtee; Electrosoul System cuts new tracks - with
audio
Drum & Bass label Grid Recordings announced another brand new
signing to the Grid family -- US based producer Rawtee -- who has been a leading
figure in Miami's DNB scene for the past few years with his unique
American style beats. Also, Russian producer/DJ Electrosoul System (pictured left)
has several new tracks with the label. Read More
- WORD:
Barry Eisler to self-publish novel 'The Detachment' in June, pulls out
of St. Martin's deal
In a surprise turnaround that sent shock waves through the book
publishing industry, best-selling author Barry Eisler has pulled out of a
reported $500,000 deal with St. Martin's Press imprint Minotaur Books
and in June will self-publish "The Detachment," the first of two novels
he was to write for Minotaur. Read More
- BASS:
Drum & Bass duo Ulterior Motive drops Tesla/Seven Segments -- with
audio
Returning to Drum & Bass label Subtitles after recent excursions on
Metalheadz and Critical, Ulterior
Motive are back with another brace of bangers set for release in
April, ESP Agency announced. Ulterior Motive's latest work includes
"Tesla" and "Seven Segments" two fast and fluid songs that are bound to
get feet moving among DNB-heads. Read More
 BASS:
Armin van Buuren dominates at IDMAs with 5 awards
Trance DJ Armin Van Buuren of
the Netherlands and American Deadmau5 took down a bevy of honors at the
26th annual International Dance Music Awards in Miami, Fla., this
weekend. Van Buuren (pictured left) won five awards including the
coveted best global DJ, while Deadmau5's rise in global status included
a best solo artist nod a surprise win in the Drum & Bass/Dubstep
category. Read More
- WORD:
David Halperin debuts with novel 'Journal of a UFO Investigator'
David Halperin,
a professor of religious studies who received his PhD from Cal Berkeley
back in 1977, has made a late-career turn to writing novels. His debut,
"Journal of a UFO Investigator," (Viking) is an impressive debut about
a teenage UFO investigator that effortlessly swings from the real world
to fantasy. Read More
- BASS:
Family of missing British journalist Michael Dixon releases ‘Come Home’
feat. Kyra Simone
The family of Michael Dixon, a
British journalist who disappeared in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, on October
18, 2009 without a trace will release a song ‘Come Home’ sung by
London-based artist Kyra Simone.
Read More
- BASS:
Nu:Tone's third studio album 'Words and Pictures' to launch with
Hospital Records
Nu:Tone, a
talented drum & bass artist who rose to become one of the world's
most popular with his jump up style productions, will launch his highly
anticipated third studio album "Words and Pictures" on February 28,
Hospital Records announced. Read More
- BASS:
Drum & Bass artist dBridge presents 'Mosaic Vol. 1' mix album
Edited Press Release
After a busy start to 2011 with a festival tour of Australia and New
Zealand, UK drum & bass artist dBridge
has returned to focus on the release of the first various artists
compilation on his highly-regarded Exit Records label. dBridge has
brought together 22 tracks from an array of talent - with 170bpm
explorations from Instra:mental, Scuba and Skream sitting neatly
alongside deeper beats from Exit mainstays Consequence and Code 3 -
reinforcing the labels reputation for high-quality electronic music
with broad appeal. Read More
- WORD:
Leigh Feldman Joins Writers House Literary Agency
Edited Press Release
Literary agent Leigh Feldman
has joined Writers House after 20 years as an agent at Darhansoff,
Verrill, Feldman. At Writers House, she will build on the agency's
literary fiction and narrative non-fiction lists, as well as continue
representing bestselling YA authors such as Sarah Dessen, the
NYC-headquartered agency said in a press release. Read More
- WORD:
Sedaris, Verghese, Larsson top Southern Indie Bestseller List
Edited Press Release
Novelists David Sedaris, Abraham
Verghese and Stieg Larsson
topped the first Southern Indie Bestseller List of 2011, based on
reporting from IndieBound.org and independent booksellers of the
Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA). The top 15 books in
hardcover fiction, trade paperback fiction, and mass market are as
follows. Read More
- Author Wendy Clinch,
the wife of critically acclaimed novelist Jon Clinch
who debuted her first novel Double
Black one year ago, is back with a second "ski diva" story Fade To White
from publisher Minotaur Books. Her sophomore novel once again follows
the adventures of avid skier Stacey Curtis who this time hits something
on the slopes -- a dead body.
 WORD:
Men! Would you buy a science thriller from an author named ‘Karen’?
by Karen Dionne
Karen Dionne (pictured left) is the author of two environmental
thriller novels and founded Backspace, a leading writers' website,
annual conference and message board. In 2008 her debut novel Freezing
Point was published by Penguin imprint Berkley, which launches her
second novel Boiling point on Dec. 28, 2010. On the eve of her
sophomore novel's launch, she shared her views on gender, genre fiction
and the publishing industry as a guest of WORD'N'BASS.com. Read More
- BASS: DJ Mettrax plays BassDrive
ahead of Hospital Records debut
DJ Mettrax of
Austria, who just might become a breakout Drum & Bass talent in
2011, is playing a set on BassDrive.com
on Tuesday, Dec. 14 from 8 pm to 10:30 pm Austrian time (11 am to 1:30
pm PST). Mettrax (pictured left), a prolific producer who focuses on
liquid DNB, said he has a new track “Styuss” slated to debut with
Hospital Records in February 2011. He also has a tune “Friendship”
coming out soon on Fucuz Records. To hear an hour-long mix Mettrax
recorded last month check out his page at DNBshare.com.
- WORD:
Fiction for the holidays from novelists James, Morrison, Schwartz
With holiday shopping season underway and literary fans on the lookout
for hot new offerings, WORD’N’BASS.com’s choices include the freshly
completed novels of American icon Henry
James, a new thriller from breakout author Boyd Morrison, and a prequel short
story from Stephen Jay Schwartz.
Read More
-
 WORD:
Portes novel ‘Hick’ gets two A-list actresses in film adaptation
Producer Christian Taylor has
lined up A-list actresses Kirsten
Dunst and Chloe Moretz
to play key roles in the film adaptation of Andrea Portes’ novel "Hick." The
additions give further momentum to a project that will help introduce a
new wave of book and movie fans to talented novelist Portes' work.
WORD’N’BASS readers first met Portes
(pictured left) on the day she launched Hick with indie publisher
Unbridled Books in May 2007. Read More
- WORD:
ABA says indie bookstores to benefit from Google eBooks
Edited Press Release
As Google launched its long awaited eBooks platform today, the American
Booksellers Association (ABA) announced its support for the Mountain
View, Calif., firm's new platform, saying independent bookstores would
benefit from its "open and accessible platform so ABA member bookstores
can provide an easy way for their customers to discover, read, and buy
ebooks at competitive prices." Read More
 BASS: Noisia nominated for 3 awards
at 2010 D&BAAs
Noisia’s
breakthrough year continues as they topped an impressive list of drum
& bass artists nominated at the 2010 Drum & Bass Arena Awards.
Dutch crew Noisia bagged nominations in three categories including best
DJ, best producer, and best album for their full-length debut Split the Atom.
In a heated battle among record labels, Hospital, Lifted Music, Ram
Records, Shogun Audio and Viper Recordings got DNBAA nods. Keep it
dialed on www.breakbeat.co.uk
for final results, which will be announced at an awards show on Dec. 2.
Click here
for a full list of nominees, including in other categories such as MCs,
events, venues, promoters, TV & Video, and singles.
- BASS:
Mutated Forms cuts new tracks featuring Jenna G -- with audio
Around the start of 2010 Mutated Forms
caught the attention of vocalist Jenna
G. Their debut collaboration 'Last Time' has all the makings of
a future classic. With plays on Radio 1 and 1xtra’s D&B shows, a
spin on Pete Tong's Essential Mix and lots of love and singing in the
clubs, the track is poised to see continued exposure at clubs
worldwide. Mutated Forms is back with the deep, dark and rolling 'With
You' through Grid Recordings imprint All Sorts. Click here
to listen and bag your copy of Last Time, and here
for more from Mutated Forms. For more information check out the Mutated
Forms website.
- WORD:
After 100-year wait, Mark Twain’s autobiography already a best seller
Mark Twain, the late humorist who is widely considered among America’s
greatest authors of the 20th century, is poised to reach post-Millenium
audiences with the first volume of his autobiography. Read More
- BASS:
BSE launches fourth album ‘Lights and Wires’ -- with audio
Black Sun Empire
(BSE), among our favorite drum & bass production crews and one of
several that have emerged from northern Europe to change the tone of
DNB worldwide, kicked off the vinyl release of their fourth album
"Lights and Wires" this weekend. Read More
- WORD:
Novelists Child, Connolly, Gericke, Sakey hit San Francisco for
Bouchercon
Hundreds of authors, publishers, literary agents and other book
industry participants are arriving this week in San Francisco to attend
Bouchercon from Oct. 14-17 at the Hyatt Regency. The conference, with a
focus on genres such as thrillers, mysteries, and crime novels, is one
of the largest annual book events on the calendar. Read More
- The San Francisco launch of Stephen Jay Schwartz’s new novel
"Beat," (Macmillan imprint Forge Books) will take place at The Beat
Museum in North Beach on Wednesday, October 13, at 7:00 pm. The party
will be packed with authors who are arriving in town for Bouchercon,
the mystery-thriller conference being held this year in downtown San
Francisco. The Beat Museum
is located at 540 Broadway in SF.
- BASS:
DJ Mark Farina returns with "Mushroom Jazz 7"
Press Release
On November 9, Mark Farina
releases Mushroom Jazz 7 -- the latest installment in the
groundbreaking compilation series. Mushroom Jazz 7 features Farina's
signature hip-hop, jazz-infused, downtempo, dance floor friendly beats.
This time around, he deftly mixes and arranges tracks by some of the
world's most dynamic artists including Andy Caldwell, Billa Qause,
Colossus, Dave Allison, Derek Dunbar, The Hue, Giano & Michael
Knight, Jazz Spastiks, Joshua Heath, Lurob, Slakah the Beatchild, Tommy
Largo and Uneaq. Read More
 BASS:
DJ Dan launches debut artist album ‘Future Retro’ -- with audio
Edited Press Release
DJ Dan
(pictured left by BPM Smith) dropped his debut artist album ‘Future
Retro’ that is now available to download through iTunes and Beatport,
record label Nettwerk Music Group announced. With extra bonus tracks
available on each outlet, it’s a meaty selection of the best house
music classics, topped with Dan’s inch perfect and highly knowledgeable
productions. To mark DJ Dan’s long-awaited debut, his label released a
track WORD’N’BASS.com readers can download for free. Read More
- WORD:
Litquake underway, weeklong festival hits neighborhoods throughout San
Francisco
Edited press Release
The 11th edition of the annual Litquake festival kicked off on Friday,
Oct. 1 with Night of the Living Read, an opening cocktail schmoozer at
SOMA club 111 Minna. Over the next week the festival features daily
events throughout San Francisco. In addition to well-known roving
parties like the notorious Litcrawl, events include author talks,
discussions and even a film festival. Read More
- WORD:
McSweeney's Fall Harvest, Lawrence Ferlinghetti award show announced
The week before San Francisco plays host to two of the year’s biggest
literary showcases -- Litquake and Bouchercon -- two shindigs take
place that are sure to draw hoards of bookish types. Lawrence Ferlinghetti bags an award
and San Francisco-based publisher McSweeney’s will have several authors
perform readings. Read More
- WORD:
Quick takes on hot fall novels from authors Schwartz, Gruen, Reuss
By BPM Smith
Indian summer has struck, and with the scorching temps of fall underway
it’s time to round up some hot September novels that’ll buoy your
visits to the cafes, beaches and parks of the San Francisco Bay. Our
choices include Stephen Schwartz’s
detective novel set in San Francisco, the long-awaited latest from
author Sara Gruen and a DC
story from acclaimed author Frederick
Reuss. Read More
 AUDIO:
BPM Smith mixes Downtempo Electronica set
BPM Smith, who
began mixing Downtempo and Drum & Bass in 2000, often works
Electronica artists into the weekly WORD’N’BASS Show, broadcast in the
San Francisco Bay Area on 104.1 FM and streamed worldwide on Friday
nights. In this set of primarily Electronica, he lulls listeners into a
trancelike state with the dreamy atmospherics of Aaron Sontag & Nica Brooke
before turning to UK and European artists who’ve defined the genre such
as UNKLE, Röyksopp, Smith &
Mighty and Underworld,
among others. As always this set is served chilled, without editing of
the original live broadcast. New mix posted on September 19, 2010. Listen Now
- BASS:
Berkeley Liberation Radio benefit party at Revolution Cafe Sept. 17
Several local musicians and DJs including Funky Nixons, Yukon, Soul, St.Steven, Miss
Jada Siomone', Will War, Joshua James Thorton, Macsen Apollo, Kathleen
Stuck and Kene-J will
play a fundraiser party for Berkeley
Liberation Radio at Revolution Cafe in Oakland, Calif., on
Friday, Sept. 17. The show, co-hosted by the Arnold Fields for Mayor
Campaign, will go from 8 pm to 11 pm and be streamed live
here in lieu of BPM Smith
and Abdul Jamal's regular
Friday night shows. Doors open at 7 pm for this event, with Food Not
Bombs serving organic vegetarian food. Proceeds go toward the continued
operations of the Bay Area's longest-standing alternative radio
station. A $10.00 sliding scale donation is requested. Revolution Cafe
is located at 1612 7th Street in West Oakland.
- BASS:
DJ Qbert voted America’s Best DJ for 2010
Edited Press Release
The votes have all been counted and it's official -- San Francisco Bay
Area’s DJ Qbert has been voted
America's Best DJ for 2010, DJ Times magazine and Pioneer DJ announced.
The talented San Francisco-based jock, who was the runner up in both
2008 and 2009, will be honored October 2 in Las Vegas for the ABDJ
Closing Party, which will include a press reception at Ghost Bar in The
Palms Hotel & Casino. Read More
- WORD:
As Jeffrey Archer launches ‘And Thereby Hangs a Tale,’ St. Martin’s
runs short story contest
Writers, start your computers. St. Martin’s Press announced a short
story contest that’s free for the public in conjunction with author
Jeffrey Archer’s latest book of shorts "And Thereby Hangs a Tale." To
mark the Archer’s latest work, St. Martin’s is sponsoring a writing
competition in which authors can submit an original, unpublished short
story of no more than 5,000 words for a chance at getting a publishing
contract. Read More
 BASS:
Bay Area's Kaskade, Qbert in top 10 at America’s Best DJ
The road to America’s Best DJ 2010 is winding down with voting set to
close this Monday, September 6, and several DJs from the San Francisco
Bay Area including Kaskade and
DJ Qbert are
among the leaders, contest officials announced. Launched on
Memorial Day weekend and ending on Labor Day Weekend, the
three-month-long promotion run by DJ Times magazine asks the eternal
question: "Who’s America’s Best DJ?" Read More
 WORD:
Authors Eggers, Vida host Litquake fundraiser party
Litquake’s series of author parties concludes the year on Sunday,
September 12 when Dave Eggers
(pictured left) and Vendela Vida
host a schmoozer at the Kentfield home of Phil and Christine Bronstein
with special guests Amy Tan
and Deborah Santana. The
award-winning authors of "Zeitoun" and "The Lovers" will host a
"casual-yet-elegant afternoon soiree" with Mexican food and margaritas
during the event, where attendance is limited to 30 guests. Sample fine
food
and beverages, enjoy stimulating conversation, and help support
Litquake’s ongoing mission. Tickets are $125 here,
where you must cite the Eggers/Vida event. The 2010 Litquake
festival runs from October 1-9 in San Francisco.
- BASS:
DJ Mettrax to play BassDrive Aug. 20
DJ Mettrax, a
talented Drum & Bass and House music DJ/producer from Vienna,
Austria, told WORD'N'BASS he’s playing a live show on BassDrive.de this
Friday, Aug. 20. Click the BassDrive stream
to hear Mettrax’s show at 11 am PST/ 2 pm EST. In the meantime, check
out his catchy new liquid DNB track "Who Loves Summer"
that we’ve been enjoying all week.
- WORD:
Crime author Sakey drops short story eBook 'Scar Tissue'
In somewhat of a suprise announcement, crime author Marcus Sakey said
he released a new e-book "Scar Tissue," a collection of seven
previously published short stories. One of the shorts included in Scar
Tissue is "The Desert Here and the Desert Far Away." Read More
- BASS:
'Simian Mobile Disco Is Fixed' marks UK duo's first US mix album --
with audio
Edited Press Release
Defend Music is proud to announce the first release in a new series of
mix CDs celebrating New York City’s famed FIXED parties -- Simian
Mobile Disco Is Fixed. Released on October 12, 2010, this marks the
first domestic USA release for the famed British DJ/Production/Remix
team. Read More
- BASS:
Grime/Electronic radio station Rinse FM awarded broadcasting license
By Sean Michaels
London's biggest "pirate" radio station is going legit. Rinse FM has
been awarded an FM broadcasting licence, giving it further opportunity
to bring dubstep, UK funky and other new urban sounds into the
mainstream. Founded in 1994, Rinse FM played a pivotal role in
introducing London listeners to grime, garage and other homegrown
sounds, when mainstream radio was still mostly concerned with Take That and S Club 7. Read More
 AUDIO:
BPM Smith mixes Downtempo/Lounge set
BPM Smith’s
Downtempo sets have kicked off the weekly WORD’N’BASS Show, broadcast
in the San Francisco Bay Area on 104.1 FM and streamed worldwide on
Friday nights, since 2002. His latest mix fuses global artists who have
been staples of the genre, from Scotland’s Boards of Canada to British pioneers
Cinematic Orchestra
and Purple Penguin as well as
continental Europeans like St.
Germaine, DJ Cam and Viva La
Fete. American duo Thunderball
and a remix of Brazilian bossa nova singer Astrud Gilberto switches up the vibe
of this set, dedicated to martini-drinking lounge lizards around the
world. As always, this set is chilled without editing of the original
live broadcast. New mix posted July 25, 2010. Listen Now
 BASS:
UPDATE -- Tragedy at Love Parade as stampede kills 21; festival
terminated
Love Parade,
the world’s biggest annual electronic music festival,
kicked off amid tragedy today when at least 17 people were killed
during a stampede at Duisburg, Germany. The city of Duisburg has set up
a hotline number where concerned family members can seek information. Read More
- WORD:
Publishing brawl -- The Wylie Agency dishes Mailer, Nabokov
eBooks with Amazon
By BPM Smith
The Wylie Agency is launching a new eBook division
Odyssey Editions in an exclusive deal with Amazon that allows it to
sell a bunch of old school novels via Kindle. Naturally, it resulted in
yet another brawl between Big Publishing and Amazon but with a twist --
Amazon has a major literary agency with some 700 clients on its side. Read More
- WORD:
Litquake announces late-July author events, parties
Edited Press release
Litquake, San Francisco's annual literary festival, announced several
author and book-related events and opportunities for book fans to
mingle with Litquake cognoscenti that include cocktails parties,
socials, entertainment and readings at public and private venues across
the City from tonight through late July. Read More
- Karen Dionne,
author of environmental thriller novel Freezing Point
(Berkley) and the follow-up Boiling Point
that Berkley will publish in January 2011, announced that she's been
nominated to the International Thriller Writers Board of Directors as
Vice President, Technology. In her new role, in addition to being in
charge of ITW's website and official communications with members,
Dionne will working alongside the other board members to help shape the
organization for the next several years.
- WORD:
Jon Clinch hits the road in support of ‘Kings of the Earth’
Talented literary author Jon Clinch,
whose long-awaited sophomore novel "Kings of the Earth" (Random House)
came out this week in bookstores across the USA to considerable buzz,
announced he’s begun a nationwide book tour that will bring him to the
San Francisco Bay Area. Read More
- Shane Gericke
launched "Torn Apart" (Pinnacle Fiction) on July 6, during the same
week he chaired book conference ThrillerFest in New York City. He’ll
make appearances in the Chicagoland area over the next two months in
support of his novel. San Francisco readers can catch him this fall at Bouchercon,
when the world’s biggest mystery book conference is held in The City
from October 14-17. Gericke’s upcoming events are listed here.
- WORD:
Literary agent Diver continues novel-writing career with ‘ReVamped’
Lucienne Diver,
a writer by night and a literary agent by day, announced her sophomore
novel "ReVamped" will launch this fall with publisher Flux putting out
the second installment of her teen vampire story. Read More
- BASS:
LTJ Bukem to play SF club the Independent June 27
Drum & Bass pioneer LTJ Bukem
makes his long-awaited return to San Fransciso this Sunday (June 27)
when he plays the Independent with MC
Conrad. Also, Los Angeles readers will be interested in Bukem’s
two sets on Saturday. Read More
- WORD:
Little, Brown and Company forms new crime/suspense imprint Mulholland
Books
Edited Press Release
Little, Brown and Company announced a new imprint devoted to publishing
crime and suspense fiction: Mulholland Books. The name is taken from
Mulholland Drive, a winding stretch of road in the Hollywood Hills. Its
hairpin turns, sharp cliff faces, and breathtaking views of Los Angeles
have long made it synonymous with drama and suspense. Read More
- Editor’s Note Saturday, June 12, 2010:
WORDNBASS.com Editor BPM Smith
is in Las Vegas to play in the World Series of Poker. WORD'N'BASS will
be updated upon his return after June 19 with an exclusive studio mix
and new editorial content.
- WORD:
Barbara Kingsolver wins 2010 Orange Prize for Fiction
Veteran author Barbara Kingsolver
has added yet another trophy to her growing collection, winning the
2010 Orange Prize for Fiction with her sixth novel "The Lacuna" (Faber
and Faber). The win earned her a £30,000 prize and the award's
traditional limited edition ‘Bessie’ bronze. Read More
- BASS:
Noisia releases DNB mix, album ‘Split The Atom’ -- with audio
Noisia, among
today’s hottest production crews in Drum & Bass and on a roll with
their recent debut studio album "Split The Atom," has released a new
mix readers can hear for free. The Dutch crew -- Nik Roos, Thijs de Vlieger and Martijn van Sonderen -- has been
among the most prolific DNB producers since founding their label Vision
Recordings in 2005. Read More
 BASS:
2010 America’s Best DJ Tour, voting has begun
Edited Press Release
Once again, it’s on. The voting for America’s Best DJ kicked off
Memorial Day Weekend. The three-month-long promotion run by DJ Times
magazine asks the eternal question: "Who’s America’s Best DJ?" This
weekend fans started giving their answers by casting their votes for
their favorite DJ at www.americasbestdj.net.
Voting also gives fans the chance to win awesome prizes. Read More
- WORD:
Rising crime novelist Shane Gericke readies 3rd novel ‘Torn Apart’
Now that WORDNBASS.com has turned five years old, it's time to kick off
the 'Where are they now?' series in which we discuss literary and
musical talent we discovered in our first year. Let's start off with Shane Gericke, a former business
news editor whose knack for prose drove him to drop out of the news
business back in 2005, the same year this website launched. Read More
 BASS:
Nervous Records to launch NYC-inspired summer CD releases
Edited Press Release
The summer’s fast approaching and that means peak time for New York
City label Nervous Records, which has supported the NYC club scene
since it’s inception in 1992 bringing a mix of local and international
sounds to a range of venues both small and large. In 2010 things are
going strong with a trio of new releases -- each representing a
different facet of the Big Apple scene. Read More
- WORD:
Anger Management Reborn, Litquake events in SF
On Thursday, May 20, the Anger Management Reborn show in San Francisco
has Bay Area writers Tony DuShane,
Lauren Becker, Amy Glasenapp, Debbie Kirk, Missy Church and Jesus Angel Garcia among others
reading from their books. The event happens at Kaleidoscope, located at
3109 24th Street, from 7:30-11:30 pm. Proceeds benefit the City’s
Conservatory of Vocal and Instrumental Arts. Then on Sunday, May 23,
Litquake kicks off the Epicenter -- a free monthly series of informal
gatherings for writers and readers. The first one, from 7-9 pm at
Fivepoints Arthouse (72 Tehama St., San Francisco), is a free literary
schmoozer co-hosted by Portuguese Artists Colony. Find out more about
Litquake and its upcoming events here.
- WORD:
Interview with Emily St. John Mandel, author of 'The Singer's Gun'
Emily St. John Mandel,
whose debut novel "Last Night in Montreal" (Unbridled Books) in 2009
sparked critical accolades, has had a busy year. She traveled across
the USA and Canada in suport of her debut while juggling a day job,
life in New York City, and finishing a new novel "The Singer's Gun" --
which tops the IndieNext list this month. On the eve of her sophomore
launch, Emily shared her thoughts with WORDNBASS.com Editor BPM Smith about how life's changed
over the past year, her unconventional methodology, and flawed
protagonists. Read More
- WORD:
Author briefs -- Kiernan, St. John Mandel, Greer, Cowell, Howard
Following are updates on award-winning novelist Kristy Kiernan’s latest novel that
launched this month, Emily St. John
Mandel who is about to hit the road in support of her sophomore
novel, James Greer as he
prepares to embark on the second round of his nationwide book tour, Stephanie Cowell who has a new novel
about Claude Monet, and Francine
Howard who won the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. Read More
 AUDIO:
BPM Smith mixes 420 Drum & Bass set
BPM Smith
began mixing Drum & Bass in 2000 and has hosted the WORD'N'BASS
Show, streamed worldwide and broadcast in the San Francisco Bay Area on
104.1 FM since 2002. In what’s become a WNB tradition, he dug deep into
his shiny silver record case to mix old and new artists who emphasize
heavy bass for this year’s special 420 set. After a Mode Mellow remix and eerie Candyman
appearance, he drops some of today’s best-known DNB producers like Klute, SKC, Photek and Nu: Tone, offsetting them with
remixes of BSE and Chris Su and crossed with spaced out
effects throughout -- ideal for lighting up. As always this mix is
"unfiltered," with no editing from the original live broadcast. Listen Now
- BASS:
Electronic Creatives to launch Laura Escudé debut artist album
-- with video
Edited Press Release
Los Angeles musician and technologist Laura
Escudé is set to launch her debut artist CD "Pororoca,"
record label Electronic Creatives announced. Pororoca encompasses a
myriad of genres, utilizing live electronics, synthesis, found sounds,
samples and violin affected by hardware and software. Read More
 WORD'N'BASS.com
turns 5 years old
By BPM Smith
Time sure flies when you’re both a participant and an observer of the
literary and electronic music scenes. WORD'N'BASS.com, which launched
in spring 2005 to draw attention to our favorite authors and DJs, is
now five years old. To mark our five-year anniversary, I’m going to run
a series of ‘Where are they now?’ pieces on the scene's personalities I
covered way back in our first year. Read More
- WORD:
DeFiore and Co. expands to mid-size agency
Edited Press Release
DeFiore and Company announced a major expansion with the addition of
four new agents, Debra Goldstein,
Laura Nolan, Matthew Elblonk and Karen Gerwin. Agency founder Brian DeFiore said the expansion
means the firm "is now a solidly mid-size agency." Read More
- BASS:
Dimitri from Paris new album 'Get Down With The Philly Sound' an ode to
Disco
Edited Press Release
BBE Records proudly presents its fifth and arguably most exciting
compilation with The French DJ and ambassador of disco Dimitri from Paris. "Get Down With
The Philly Sound" focuses on Dimitri’s essential disco era tracks, all
made in Philadelphia, and feature the core of the rhythm section that
created and defined the sound of the genre. Read More
- WORD:
Sherman Alexie wins PEN/Faulkner award
Seattle author Sherman Alexie
won the 2010 PEN/Faulkner award for fiction for his short story
collection "War Dances" (Grove Presss), the foundation announced
Tuesday. Alexie, who authored four novels and three short story
collections prior to War Dances, beat out finalists Barbara Kingsolver, Lorraine Lopez
and Lorrie Moore to bag the
top award and $15,000. Read More
 AUDIO:
Lantz mixes mash-up set
Lantz has
rocked the turntables since his first gig at a desert party outside of
Phoenix, Ariz., in 1994. Since then, he has performed at various club
and underground events throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and was a
founding member of the NetAmp Breakbeat crew. In this Spring 2010
release, Lantz mixes a short but sweet mash-up set where classic rock
meets hip hop. Listen Now
- WORD:
Livingston’s ’Wondrous Strange’ shortlisted at CLA as HarperCollins
dominates
Author Lesley Livingston said
her novel "Wondrous Strange" (HarperCollins) was shortlisted for the
Canadian Library Association’s 2010 Young Adult Book Award, which
recognizes an author of an outstanding English-language Canadian work
of fiction (novel, collection of short stories or graphic novel) that
appeals to young adults. Wondrous Strange is about a 17-year-old
actress who relocates to New York City to work at a theater company.
HarperCollins authors ran a virtual coup of the competition, having
published five of the 10 shortlisted authors. "Vanishing Girl" by
Shane Peacock
(Tundra), "Come, Thou Tortoise" by Jessica
Grant (Alfred A. Knopf) and "The Gryphon Project" by Carrie Mac (Puffin) were among other
shortlisted titles. CLA will announce the winner of the award at its
national conference and trade show in Edmonton, Alberta on June
3, 2010. Check out the CLA website
for more information.
- BASS:
Air embarks on 'Love 2' North American tour
French downtempo electronic music duo Air
kicked off a North American tour in support of their studio album "Love
2" this week and will hit 13 cities in the US and Canada through the
end of March. Bay Area lounge lizards will depart to Oakland when Air
plays their first local show in three years. Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel have led Air to
nearly a dozen fanstastic albums since the '90s including 'Talkie
Walkie' and their influential 1998 album 'Moon Safari' among
others. Read More
- WORD:
LOA Interviews editor Lawrence Rosenwald about Ralph Waldo Emerson
As the Library of America prepared to launch ‘Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Selected Journals’ the publisher conducted an interview with editor Lawrence Rosenwald, who helmed the
massive task of sorting through a lifetime of journals from the
prolific author and piecing together what he felt were the most
significant passages. Read More
 BASS:
Madrid duo Chus & Ceballos ride the Iberian sound with 'Back On
Tracks'
Edited Press Release
Like a mirage on a foot high snow bank, Chus & Ceballos’ (Chus pictured
left) first ever mix compilation from house music authority Nervous
Records -- Back On Tracks -- is a delicious slice of hypnotizing, warm,
inviting tribal soundscapes laced with a brilliant use of modern tech
elements. This two-disc CD features tracks and remixes from Danny Tenaglia, Steve Lawler, Radio Slave,
Umek and many
other contemporary house music artists. Read More
- Editor's note Mar. 6, 2010:
WORD'N'BASS.com Editor BPM Smith
is in Amsterdam on business until Mar. 15. The website will be updated
with new audio and editorial content when he returns.
- WORD:
As Amazon vs. Macmillan battle wanes, authors see books return
By BPM Smith
A battle between Amazon and Macmillan over e-book sales has been
resolved (sort of) but fallout continues as book publishers try to
figure out how to handle the digital rights of their titles -- an issue
the electronic music industry solved last decade. Read More
 BASS: International Dance Music
Awards poll opens
Public voting for the 2009 International Dance Music Awards opened
today. The 24th annual event, which takes place during
Winter Music Conference in Miami this March, has a whopping 57
categories that range from Best Global DJ to best tracks and albums in
various electronic music genres such as Trance, House, Electro and Drum
& Bass/Dubstep/Jungle. You can also vote on your favorite podcast
like the WORD'N'BASS Show
(ha) and full length DJ mix, among other subcategories. Click here
to cast your ballot before the polling closes on Friday, February 26,
2010. In past years San Francisco voters had a considerable impact on
IDMA results, with The City’s Gabriel &
Dresden (pictured) landing Best American DJ honors.
- WORD:
Ski towns inspire Wendy Clinch debut ‘Double Black’
Judging by the gridlock we recently encountered over Donner Summit,
there’s a ton of skiers and snowboarders who will be interested in Wendy Clinch's debut novel, "Double
Black: A Ski Diva Mystery" that she launched with Minotaur Books this
month. Literary fiction aficionados may recognize Wendy's name as she's
married to novelist Jon Clinch,
author of the award-winning "Finn" (Random House). Read More
- WORD:
J.D. Salinger: 1919-2010
J.D. Salinger,
America’s greatest living author whose novel "Catcher in the Rye"
expressed the alienation of youth for generations after it was
published in 1951, died today (Jan. 28, 2010) at the age of 91 at his
home in New Hampshire. Catcher’s Holden Caulfield, one of the
best-known and adored protagonists in all of literature, was echoed in
countless books and movies in the nearly fifty years since his only
novel launched as an instant classic. J.D’s literary agent Phyllis Westberg with the firm Harold Ober
Associates issued a press release today saying he died of
natural causes and that "his health had been excellent until a rather
sudden decline after the new year. He was not in any pain before or at
the time of his death." His passing was greeted with mourning on social
network cites among authors and instant speculation that there are a
series of books he wrote but hoarded over the years -- which could find
their way into publication down the line. The Associated Press
reports Salinger was said to have anywhere from two to 15 completed
manuscripts sitting in a safe.
- BASS:
Armin Van Buuren, LTJ Bukem headline 2010 Ultra Music Festival
Edited Press Release
Promoters for the Ultra Music Festival (UMF), the world's leading
two-day electronic and alternative music experience, unveiled initial
details of its highly anticipated line-up for the festival's 12th
annual installment. Two of the world's top Trance DJs, Armin Van Buuren (pictured) and Tiësto, will take the main
stage with the likes of Groove
Armada, Carl Cox and ATB,
while Drum 'N' Bass will have its own room with LTJ Bukem headlining. Read More
- BASS:
San Francisco's second Flux Summit happens January 21
Edited Press Release
Flux Summit, a free quarterly electronic music industry event featuring
discussions on current industry topics, a cocktail party, and a music
review session, takes place this Thursday, Jan. 21 in San Francisco. In
addition to the discussion and mixer, an integral part of the summit is
Test Press, a music review session for DJs, producers and artists in
front of top industry experts. Read More
- WORD:
Author roundup: Alexander, Greer, Benjamin, Clinch
Talented historical novelist Tasha
Alexander has a lot of work to do for publisher Minotaur this
year. James Greer is back with
a new novel "The Failure" (Akashic Books) about a plan to rob a Korean
check-cashing store in "picaresque Los Angeles." Melanie Benjamin last week launched
a new book with a new publisher and a new name. And attention all ski
divas: You’ve got a novel now. Read more
- BookEnds
Literary Agency announced that co-founder Jacky Sach is retiring from
publishing "to seek new opportunities." Jacky began her publishing
career in 1985 at Berkley Books, now a division of Penguin Group, and
in 1999 started BookEnds with Jessica
Faust. Gillette, NJ-based BookEnds, an agency representing
commercial fiction and nonfiction, will continue business under the
ownership of Jessica Faust with agent Kim
Lionetti and assistant Katelynn
Jacopo -- who it appears is being groomed to become an agent
down the line.
- WORD:
Literary agent, editor Knox Burger: 1922-2010
Legendary book editor and literary agent Knox Burger, who some credit as
ushering in the era of million dollar book deals, died in New York City
on Jan. 4, at age 87. Burger spent his career as an advocate for
writers, first as fiction editor at the magazine Collier’s, then for
two decades as a book editor at Dell and Fawcett Publications. But it
was as a literary agent where his reputation was made. Read More
- WORD:
Novelists Tóibin, Selbourne snag Costa Book Awards
UK coffee shop chain Costa announced the Costa Book Awards 2009 winners
in the Novel, First Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book
categories. Irish novelist Colm
Tóibin tookthe Costa Novel Award for "Brooklyn"; Raphael Selbourne won the First
Novel Award for "Beauty," the story of a young Bangladeshi woman on the
run from her family, inspired by his experiences of teaching in a
deprived area of Wolverhampton; and debut biographer Graham Farmelo took the
Biography Award for his work on the pioneer of quantum mechanics, "The
Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Quantum Genius," which
the judges called "the most compelling biography of the year." The five
authors will now compete for the Costa Book of the Year award, which is
announced on Jan. 26. Click here
for more details.
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