I am working on some Christmas tunes shopping and had heard some Rooster "I Come Alive" on ESPN a few weeks ago.  So, I hope on iTunes and they aren't there.  Go to Amazon, pricey import.  A cool thing with iTunes though is that you can choose a store.  So I flip to the UK store (this is where the link above takes you) and sure enough a full set of Rooster albums are available.  I think sweet and punch the purchase button, iTunes asks me to log in and presto...."you account is only authorize to purchase from the US store" and you get a redirect.  Tell it you want to create a new account...and you learn that you must have a credit card in the address of the country you are buying it.  This is bogus!  I can go on-line and order things from around the world.  I often find artists in countries outside the US that I like and have become my kids favorite bands doing this.   

 

In general iTunes is pretty good for having a wide distribution of music and I am sure it isn't all their fault because all media has strange distribution rights but if I can buy the CD from Amazon as an import, why can't I pick up the same thing on iTunes.  If you let me switch the store that I am seeing, you should let me purchase from the store.

My son wants an MP3 player for his birthday and we already have a couple ipods in the home.  I was hoping to go with a "real" MP3 player this time rather than Apple proprietary file but cool, easy to use iPod.  Afterall, now that I drank the cool aide and work at MSFT it would follow to "be onboard".  I have been out to Fry's shopping devices and there are some nice ones out there but then Apple comes along and drops the Nano on the market yesterday and it is just SOOO clean, the perfect size and I know that it is what he will want.  So now I could either go cool or a bit more geeky.  Maybe that is it...Apple products get design for fashion and ease of use and MSFT products end up with design for Geeks. 

The Dresden Dolls (great Indie band) have a section on their website dedicated to Karaoke Verite or make your own lip sink music video.  Great Avril Lavigne cover but even better is the Kiss "I was made for loving you baby" video from Bobaloorox join the movement and get your video up to the Dresden Dolls' sight, it may be your big break.