Music News Bits Friday Wrap-up- * Sony Music Sales Slip - To add to Sony corp's ills, during the period ended Dec 31, Sony Music Entertainment generated only 105.2 billion yen ($1.16 billion), a 22% decrease on a dollar basis compared with the same quarter of the previous fiscal year. Sony attributed the sales drop to the decline of the physical music market. * THE WHIGS report they've been thrilled to open for Kings Of Leon on KoL's current North American tour. A highlight included a

After checking out Metallica's newly released Death Magnetic, I've had it up to my eyeballs with the twenty year schoolyard shouting match fans have had over old Metallica and new Metallica. Thankfully, with the release of Death Magnetic, Metallica has finally put an end to the debate once and for all.

With the music industry in continuing free-fall, the idea of the “hot upcoming album” may soon be history. As more artists either going DIY (a la Radiohead) or sign deals with not-really-record-labels (such as Madonna and Jay-Z’s 360 deals with Live Nation), the idea that an album is a thing to be prepared and anticipated is quickly going the way of the dodo. So, you could say, is the album itself, though the recent surge of interest in vinyl LPs, as well as the medium’s well-earned rep as the p

The Public Utilities Board voted Monday to change the name of Alameda Power Telecom to Alameda Municipal Power, or AMP. The move follows the board considering names at a Jan. 15 workshop.

ROCK, ETC. A2 — Located over wine restaurant Assemblage Actuel, the new club orientates toward live music. A brainchild of Svetlana Surganova, frontwoman of rock band Surganova i Orkestr, A2 aims at some of the best-known bands and fine sound quality. 300-700 rub., free entrance on Mon.-Wed.