For the past few years, the Connells' back catalog has been trapped in a hellish netherworld -- one in which it may as well not have existed at all. The Raleigh band's music has been unavailable in any form, not even digitally on iTunes, due to an odd set of circumstances. Their former label TVT Records put up its most valuable master tapes and copyrights (including the Connells catalog) as collateral for a $23.5 million loan. Then TVT defaulted on the loan and declared bankruptcy, leaving the music in limbo.

Prudential Securities wound up with the rights and had no idea what to do with them beyond trying to find a buyer, and i's been slow going. But there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. Bicycle Music Company has acquired the rights to the music in question, which also includes Nine Inch Nails' 1989 landmark "Pretty Hate Machine." And negotiations are underway to have the Connells catalog on the market again as soon as possible.

"We're actually talking to labels right now, trying to determine the best fit for distributin and marketing," says Steve Salm, Bicycle's vice president of business development. "Some regional North Carolina labels as well as some bigger independents elsewhere. It should be out in less than a year. We're working with the band to get it out there as fast as we can."

Good news: Dates are out for the upcoming Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour, and there's a North Carolina date. Bad news: It ain't in our end of the state. Instead, it's in (yes) Charlotte on June 12. Oh well; I guess we'll have to settle for the memory of when those two bands played Raleigh together on the first Lollapalooza tour way back in 1991 -- back when NIN was the opening act instead of the headliner...

(Thanks, Isaac.) 

At Monday night's "future of music" discussion in Chapel Hill, there was quite a bit of talk about Nile Inch Nails' 2008 release "Ghosts I-IV," which was available in a variety of formats, from free up to $300 for a box set. It was an ingenious pricing scheme, and now we have the next illogical step from NIN drummer Josh Freese. His new album, "Since 1972," is available in an array of formats and price points, from $7 up to $75,000 -- and since today isn't April 1, one can only assume he's not kidding.

Shell out $75,000 for the deluxe version (a "limited edition of 1"), and you'll get the following:

-Signed CD/DVD and digital download.
-T-shirt.
-Go on tour with Josh for a few days.
-Have Josh write, record and release a five-song EP about you and your life story.
-Take home any of his drumsets (only one but you can choose which one).
-Take shrooms and cruise Hollywood in Danny from TOOL's Lamborgini OR play quarters and then hop on the Ouija board for a while.
-Josh will join your band for a month...play shows, record, party with groupies, etc....
-If you don't have a band he'll be your personal assistant for a month (4 day work weeks, 10 am to 4 pm).
-Take a limo down to Tijuana and he'll show you how it's done (what that means exactly we can't legally get into here).
-If you don't live in Southern California (but are a US resident) he'll come to you and be your personal assistant/cabana boy for 2 weeks.
-Take a flying trapeze lesson with Josh and Robin from NIN, go back to Robin's place afterwards and his wife will make you raw lasagna.

There are also somewhat more modest versions for $1,000 to $20,000, which include various bonuses such as "Get drunk and cut each other's hair in the parking lot of the Long Beach courthouse (filmed and posted on youtube of course)." You've just got to respect anyone who has that much commitment to fan outreach.

ADDENDUM (2/24/09): A commercial, sorta.