Artists need iTunes like they need a record company...that is: not at all. iTunes is just another third party leech sucking $$$ out of the system while adding zero value.

Van Morrison is also kind of a prick. Good music, though.

He wrote 'Gloria.' He's allowed to be a prick.

I don't see the prickishness in that interview. (?)

I love the story I heard Van relate in an interview, where he was recording 'Gloria' in a duet with John Lee Hooker. They just took it down into a section where they're spelling out G-L-O-R-I-A and John Lee starts riffing "Tell you bout my woman....wanna tell you bout my woman..." over and over. Van segues into the chorus by yelling "What's her name, Johnny?" and Hooker yells back "LORETTA!"
Heh...take 2.

Favorite Van story...

In an interview, he's asked his opinion of a Waterboys version of one of his songs. He says, "It's not as good as mine, is it."

The simple statement that says it all. Love it.

All the Van Morrison I own came from mp3 blogs.

Who says I'm not Van Morrison?

I once sang a karaoke version of Gloria. Why??? It was not pretty.

My favorite Van Morrison song says a whole lot of nothing. He repeats the same few sentences a couple times and that's about it. It's a good song. Not his best by far, but it's good.

Someone Like You download

Patti Smith's version of Gloria wasn't pretty either. That was its beauty.