You might have noticed a new icon in the header of my blog. But if you haven’t, it’s a smaller version of the icon to your left (assuming you’re viewing this in a browser and not an RSS reader, mobile browser or Facebook). It’s the new iTunes 10 icon, and for those who were under a rock yesterday, one of the new features in iTunes 10 is Apple’s social network Ping. Here’s what Apple has to say about Ping:

Discover new music by going social with Ping. Learn even more about your favorite artists and friends starting with their bios. See what they’ve been up to — even listen to 30-second previews of music they like. Find out when and where artists and bands are on tour, and check out photos and videos they’ve posted. With Ping, a community of the world’s most passionate music fans is just a click away.

Sounds pretty cool. If you’ve got iTunes installed on your computer (Mac or Windows) or if you’re on an iOS device, simply click the iTunes 10 icon at the top of my page and iTunes should open and take you to my Ping profile. Of course, iTunes 10 is required and as always, is a free download (updates automatically on iOS devices).

Why is it that we teach children they are unique, and encourage them to “be themselves” and celebrate their differences, and then get frustrated when others don’t act normal, or make fun of those we deem weird or different?

Self-destruction and creativity are not always in the same package, and I want young kids to understand this. You can’t just wear leather pants and drink and make it. Picasso lived to ninety and he was a genius. And I’m sixty-two and I like being an example in the same band, of a longer road. In his case they came together – creativity and self-destruction.

John Densmore (percussionist for The Doors) on Jim Morrison

Much of my life I’ve heard people (particularly musicians) describe drug and alcohol use in the creative process as contributing to the creative process, and they’ve got a long list of musicians to use as examples.

And when it concerns writing lyrics, maybe that’s true to some extent. But the simple fact is this: you either have talent, or you don’t. Popping a pill or smoking a joint isn’t going to change that. It’s not like chugging a bottle of Jack will suddenly give you the ability to play guitar like Slash – just like eating a can of spinach won’t give you superhuman strength.

Case in point: Jim Morrison is viewed by most as the creative center of The Doors. And it’s understandable; he was the frontman. But in reality, guitarist Robby Krieger wrote the majority of their songs, including some of their biggest hits (“Light My Fire”, “Love Me Two Times”, “Touch Me” and “Love Her Madly”).

Here’s a more recent example: Zakk Wylde is famous, not only for being a guitar virtuoso, but also for his love of alcohol. Except that he’s been sober for over a year now, and his latest album with Black Label Society, Order of the Black, is, in my opinion, his best work to date, and I’m including his years with Ozzy Osbourne!!

And many other fans seem to agree – Order of the Black debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Chart, #2 on the Billboard Rock Chart, #4 on the Billboard 200 and #6 on the Billboard Digital Albums Chart.

That’s the highest BLS has ever charted and they did it with a sober Zakk Wylde leading them. Prior to Order of the Black they’d never even cracked the top 20 in the Billboard 200.

Just some food for thought.

“I view making this [porn] movie as an important first step in my career… I’ve watched how successful Kim Kardashian became and I think a lot of it was due to the release of her sex tape by Vivid. I’m hoping the same magic will work for me. I’m impatient about getting well-known.“

The above quote is a statement from Laurence Fishburne’s daughter Montana, made on July 30, 2010, when it was announced she is starring in a Vivid Entertainment porn production.

Wow. Just, wow.

Source: New York Daily News