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Music News: No, that's not actually Brian Eno mocking Skrillex on Twitter

Brian Eno
Brian EnoCourtesy the Long Now Foundation

by Jay Gabler

April 12, 2018

In 2011, Skrillex posted a tweet that was so beloved, it's been shared over 200,000 times.

If Brian Eno were to join Twitter, this would be a great way to start.

However, to the disappointment of many fans, Eno is still not on Twitter, and that's just a joke account. 5,000 retweets is pretty good for a hoax, though. Eno's label points out that fans who want to connect online with the electronic music pioneer (Eno, not Skrillex) can do so on the totally uncontroversial platform known as Facebook. (Spin)

Cheech & Chong remake "Up in Smoke"

Not to be outdone by the longevity of "Weird Al" Yankovic, musical humorists Cheech & Chong have remade their 1978 song "Up in Smoke" as part of a 40th anniversary celebration for the stoner comedy movie of the same name. Don't worry, they didn't put themselves out too much in the updating process.

"I think I wrote my part in about a half-hour and Cheech wrote his part in about a half-hour, then we recorded it in another half-hour," reports Tommy Chong. A collectors edition box set will contain a Blu-ray copy of the film, the soundtrack's first vinyl pressing since its original release, oversized Up in Smoke rolling papers, and other goodies.

What day does the box set come out? Need you ask? It's April 20. (Billboard)

Guitar makers struggling with rosewood restrictions

A crackdown on the smuggling of rosewood is causing major headaches for guitar manufacturers and retailers. International trade rules that took effect last year require permits for products made from up to 300 different species of rosewood, which is widely smuggled, with some species on the verge of extinction.

"I'm so annoyed. I'm so distraught by this," says Martin CEO Chris Martin (no, not the Coldplay singer). Music retailers say the new restrictions have cost them $60 million, exacerbating an ongoing decline in guitar sales.

Major guitar makers say they're being unfairly affected by the restrictions, since they use far less rosewood than furniture makers do, and they buy only sustainably farmed rosewood. Regulators, however, fear that any loosening of restrictions will create opportunities for smugglers. (Billboard)

Chrissie Hynde sings with Arcade Fire

Wednesday night in London, Chrissie Hynde jumped onstage with Arcade Fire for a rendition of the Pretenders’s "Don't Get Me Wrong" and their own breakout anthem "Wake Up." On the latter song, openers the Preservation Hall Jazz Band also joined in. (Rolling Stone)

Snoop Dogg chronicles the history of hockey

As Martha Stewart’s BFF Snoop Dogg continues to expand his TV hosting portfolio, he's partnered with the NHL to create a web series about the history of hockey.

"The champs don't just get to photobomb the cup. They get their names with it," he explains about the Stanley Cup in the first installment. "If the engraver is listening, it spells D-O-G-G, capital letters." (NME)