A hundred years ago, the Italian operatic composer was having lunch in New York with Victor Herbert, the leading composer of operettas in this country. Then, the band in the restaurant began playing music from Herbert’s current hit, Sweethearts. Puccini became outraged, according to songwriter Paul Williams, the current president of the performing-rights organization ….

As part of the Off The Record campaign, The Boombox caught up with Meshell Ndegeocello to talk her recording process, her new album and Prince’s influence on her starting out. As an extra, watch as she performs unique covers of Nick Cave’s “Pink Moon” and Nina Simone’s “Be My Husband.”…

In 1961, two brothers, Michael and Philip Burton, set out to make a documentary about the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) by examining the citizens that were affected by their witch-hunts. One of their subjects was folk singer Pete Seeger, who granted the two young filmmakers, then in their early 20s, remarkable access. They Burton brothers…

  Sonic State’s Nick Batt gets the scoop on comparing the new Roland AIRA TR-8 Rhythm Performer to the classic Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer. Classic TR-808′s sell for $2,000-3,000, while the new TR-8 will have a street price of about $500. Can it compare at that price? Give it a listen and let us know…

We’re unsure who was the first musician with the bright idea to hurl themselves off the stage into the crowd, but according to the authoritative source known as Wikipedia, the practice was popularized by Iggy Pop. Four decades after the punk pioneer plopped his Popsomeness on the people, stage diving remains a prominent feature at…

The Cinema Audio Society will present a special tribute to honor the late, Ray Dolby, an American inventor recognized around the world for developing groundbreaking audio technologies at the upcoming 50th Annual CAS Awards. Dolby was the founder of Dolby Laboratories, an environment where scientists and engineers continue to advance the science of sight and…

New Zealand immigration authorities Thursday banned Los Angeles rappers Odd Future from entering the country after deciding they pose a threat to public order. The group was due to play an open-air concert with headline act Eminem on Saturday in Auckland. Border Operations Manager Karen Urwin said authorities decided to decline visas to six group…

Last year, Tom “Squarepusher” Jenkinson worked with a team of Japanese roboticists and producer Kenjiro Matsuo, composing ‘Sad Robots Goes Funny’ (below) for the Z-Machines robots. Unsatisfied by just one composition, Jenkinson re-teamed with Matsuo and company for the material that would become the Music For Robots EP, due out April 7 (April 8 in…

LIVKONTROL – an Ableton Live controller previously available for iOS – is now available for Android devices. Here’s what the developers have to say about it: LIVKONTROL aims to deliver the best possible experience controlling Ableton Live remotely. Boasting an extremely simple yet functional design, all the main control features are at a distance of a finger….

The music supervisors who oversaw music for best picture the Oscar contenders “American Hustle,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Gravity” and “Her” are among the nominees for the fourth annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards. Awards will be given out in 14 categories on Feb. 26 at Mack Sennett Studios in Hollywood. This year sees…