MSG Chair JAMES DOLAN and his band, JD & THE STRAIGHT SHOT, are “releasing an album this month" and Dolan has been "back in the studio to prepare for a series of concerts, including one that was scheduled for Saturday night at Madison Square Garden,” according to Scott Cacciola of the N.Y. TIMES. On the new album, titled “Where I’ve Been,” Dolan “croons about politics and race, love and mortality.” One song called "'Under That Hood' explores the shooting death of TRAYVON MARTIN, which Dolan said he considered an American tragedy.” Dolan said, “There’s literally nowhere I won’t go.” Regarding his NBA interests, Dolan said, “I am definitely spending less time with the Knicks.” Dolan has “filled at least part of that void by pouring himself into his music, a throaty brand of blues that he describes as Americana.” He said that Knicks President PHIL JACKSON has “full control of the basketball operations.” Jackson said that his “interactions with Dolan had been limited to a couple of conversations a month.” Jackson also noted that he “went all of August without speaking with him, simply because there was no need to.” Dolan said, “I’ll be fine. I have a tremendous amount of confidence in Phil and [GM STEVE MILLS], and that is the part that I would say is definitely much better from last year. With the two of them in there, I’m confident they’re going to find a way. And there won’t be anything for me to do” (N.Y. TIMES, 9/14).
