Music is undergoing a revolution -- but I ain't telling you nothing new, right?  But the labels are clinging to the past, digging fingernails into a bloated corpse that needed burying a long fucking time ago. 

Check this link for info on forward-thinking artists, music-wielding revolutionaries: Trent Reznor  .  And here's some words from Trent Reznor's blog on the official NIN fanclub, The Spiral:

"...the music business has imploded and nobody knows what to do. As an artist finally free from any obligations to a record company, I can do pretty much anything I want to - but what should that be?

"How do you (in this order):

"A. Be sure to place and keep yourself in a nurturing, creative space that inspires your art

"B. Then determine how to present that to your audience in an appropriate fashion that's respectful to both you the artist AND them.

"C. Ideally do that in a way where it makes financial sense.

"I highly doubt whether the strategy Saul and I chose to release his new record will be a viable business model for the road ahead. We didn't do this as a "get rich quick" scheme. We did it because it felt (and feels) like the best way to get the most people to have the opportunity to hear what we consider to be an important record. It feels like the best approach as of October 2007 with the current set of circumstances in the "marketplace" (I hate that fucking word.) We did it because it kept the art PURE and it involved NO compromises regarding the content or the way it was presented to you. No iPod commercials, no ringtone giveaways, no billboards, no Best Buy exclusive content... and one could argue no exposure.

"That's the problem. How do you get the word out to as many people as possible and maintain your integrity in the process?

"We assumed that by releasing the record this way it would generate some press interest, and it has. We hope that people will be curious enough to download and listen to the record, and yes - we hope people will choose to pay for it.

"I have to say I've been amazed at some lengthy conversations I've seen on fan BBs regarding the decision to pay or not. People who are interested enough to register and frequent boards dedicated to an artist's work really having to weigh out whether or not it's worth $5 for an hour of new music. Has music really and truly been devalued that much? $80 is a decision, $5 is not.

"All of that aside, our secret weapon is the record itself. It is what it is and that's what people will be talking about long after the story of the business around it fades away." -- Trent Reznor

D'accord.  So what can you do to help?  So good of you to ask!  Support the artists who are blazing a path into the future, a future of music available via online downloads and direct from the artist.

Share and burn, spread the noise.  Slide your hard-earned money into the artist's hand.  Sick of hearing unoriginal shit?  Bored by irrelevant shit?  Go to Niggy Tardust and check out Saul Williams's newest, The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust  and download it for free or pay $5 to support Saul's work and get a higher-quality download.  Niggy Tardust is a brilliant work, a one-two punch to the guy and the heart, and you'll keep it on repeat.  Trust me.  I never lie.

And that's what Club Hell is all about -- showcasing new and innovative artists, little-known musicians who deserve a larger audience, artists whose work will change your fucking world, or even just add something a little extra to your fucking. 

Whatever you're listening to, I hope it sets you on fire.  Burns.  Illuminates your mind.  Makes you dance.  

If you're ever in N'awlins, stop by Club Hell and listen to some of the most talented, innovative, hungry musicians on the planet -- listen to some soul-shredding riffs and break your heart lyrics.

As for me, I'm knocking back some absinthe and feeling up my guitar.   See ya.  Bonne nuit.