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Greta Van Fleet, as a band, have declined to comment on an extravagantly negative Pitchfork review of their recent album. After all, with the album, Anthem of the Peaceful Army, debuting in the top five on Billboard's album chart, they seem to be doing all right.

That's the attitude the band's publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald takes. She tells Billboard, "Love my artist, hate my artist, just don't be ambivalent about them. [...] I would think that has to increase the amount of people that are somehow going to reach for the music." She says that when she saw the review, she was ready to head home for the rest of the day, "because somebody else was doing my job."

Live Nation reports best quarter ever

Live performances are where it's at if you want to make money in the music world today, and a giant promoter is seeing its bottom line soar. Live Nation reports that the summer months constituted its best quarter ever, with revenue of $3.8 billion. The company says it's expecting to sell 90 million tickets this year. Are artists seeing any of that revenue boost? The company says yes. According to Live Nation, both increased attendance and increased ticket prices at arenas and amphitheaters it operates have increased artist earnings by $50,000 a show. (Music Business Worldwide)

Jack White responds to reports of homophobia at show

Jack White has responded to reports that security staff at his recent show in Edmonton, Canada prevented two women from kissing. White dedicated his song "Love Interruption" to the two women at his next show, and took to Instagram with a photo of two women kissing at a Beatles concert in 1964. Writing that he was "really disappointed" by the Edmonton incident, he added, "Let's promote love and acceptance wherever and whenever we can." (NME)

Guitar Center's coming back from the dead

Earlier this year, there were rumors that major retailer Guitar Center was on the brink of bankruptcy. No one plays guitars any more, right? Wrong. CEO Ron Japinga says the company is committed to a comeback plan centered around helping people make music, whatever that means.

That means both increasing online offerings while also adding to the in-store experience with increased expert help, customer service (for anyone, not just guys who want to play "Stairway to Heaven"), and even music lessons. The company has just spent $5 million renovating its flagship store in Hollywood, which now has "a 15-feet-long interactive pedal display, a room of rare and vintage instruments and memorabilia including Eric Clapton's 'Blackie' Fender Stratocaster, alongside DJ equipment, pro audio tools and consumer electronics," reports Rolling Stone.

Midterm elections: The music angle(s)

From a music news angle, the big news coming out of the midterm elections on Tuesday was that Beto O'Rourke — a.k.a. the bassist from Foss, a.k.a. "Beyoncé-endorsed Beto O'Rourke," as Billboard puts it — narrowly lost his battle to oust Ted Cruz, whose younger days didn't include any rock bands but did include at least one outing as a mime. Willie Nelson also supported O'Rourke, to the dismay of some of his politically conservative fans.

But then came a presidential press conference on Wednesday. While the midterms were the central subject of discussion, eventually Donald Trump was asked about Lil Jon's claim that on The Apprentice, Trump called the artist "Uncle Tom." Trump's response? "I don't know who Lil Jon is." Reminded that he was a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice, Trump said, "Okay. Oh, I see," and went on to deny ever making racist remarks.

Needless to say, Twitter immediately filled with photos of Trump and Lil Jon together, and even a tweet by Trump promoting Lil Jon's appearance on the show. ("The fans love him!") Other users tried to imagine how Lil Jon would react to hearing that Trump had forgotten him. (USA Today)

https://twitter.com/OriginalYoni/status/1060235846832586752

Watch Nick Cave interview Marianne Faithfull

Marianne Faithfull has a new album, called Negative Capability. It includes a collaboration with Nick Cave on one song, called "The Gypsy Faeire Queen." A new video to promote the album is our viral pick of the day: it features footage of the two making the track, and video of Cave interviewing Faithfull. The 71-year-old music legend talks about the beginning of her career, when she was discovered at age 17 by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Oldham. "Suddenly my whole life just did a somersault and instead of going to Cambridge or Oxford I was in Atlantic studios with Mick and Keith singing 'As Tears Go By.'" (NME)

Songs sampled in podcast
Jahzzar: "Comedie" (CC BY 4.0)
BoxCat Games: "Against the Wall" (CC BY 3.0)
BoxCat Games - "Mt Fox Shop" (CC BY 3.0)
Marianne Faithfull interviewed by Nick Cave, The Rolling Stones - "As Tears Go By"