I think the Beatles were crap and I can't stand hip-hop (the music, not the culture), so it's not surprising that I think DJ Danger Mouse's Grey Album is shite. That's not the point, though. From greytuesday.org:

DJ Danger Mouse created a remix of Jay-Z's the Black Album and the Beatles White Album, and called it the Grey Album. Jay-Z's record label, Roc-A-Fella, released an a capella version of his Black Album specifically to encourage remixes like this one. But despite praise from music fans and major media outlets... EMI has sent cease and desist letters demanding that stores destroy their copies of the album and websites remove them from their site. EMI claims copyright control of the Beatles 1968 White Album.

Hence Grey Tuesday, a day of online civil disobedience on which sites all over the web will be turning grey in support of artistic freedom from greedy corporate pirates and offering the Grey Album in mp3 format. I couldn't turn this site grey if my life depended on it (html is a dialect of Martian, right?), and I frankly don't have the stones to host the mp3s. My immigration status is somewhat delicate and I just don't need the kind of legal aggravation that bastards with deep pockets and squads of attack lawyers like EMI could give me. Linkage is the best I can do for now. Waxy first made me aware of the issue; mathowie and 6foot6 both have the album and a great, thoughtful post to go with it; and greytuesday.org is the official site and has lists of all participating sites.

Happy Birthday Peter Gabriel, and thanks for all the music.

In comments on portable music, Ralf writes I guess this won't whet your appetite for the iPod or its little sibling:

During his regular evening walk, software executive Steve Crandall often nods a polite greeting to other iPod users he passes: He easily spots the distinctive white earbuds threaded from pocket to ears.

But while quietly enjoying some chamber music one evening in August, Crandall's polite nodding protocol was rudely shattered.

Crandall was boldly approached by another iPod user, a 30ish woman bopping enthusiastically to some high-energy tune.

"She walked right up to me and got within my comfort field," Crandall stammered. "I was taken aback. She pulled out the earbuds on her iPod and indicated the jack with her eyes."

Warily unplugging his own earbuds, Crandall gingerly plugged them into the woman's iPod [...]

Oh dear Ghod. Don't we have a social contract, and laws, and rules, and mores, specifically to keep us safe from things like this? Get away from me, you freaks!

Terrance shops for an MP3 player so I don't have to. All in all, I think I agree with his choice, and will opt for the Zen when I get my next spendy toy fix. I take a bus to and from work; there are conversations I don't need to overhear, and then there are conversations I need to not overhear. Must. Have. Portable. Music.