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« August 2008 | Main | October 2008 »
Coda
Posted on September 30, 2008 at 08:15 AM
Whoa. So despite rumors last week that a full scale Led Zeppelin tour scheduled for next year was ready to go, it looks like it won't be happening - not with Robert Plant, anyway. Last week, word out of England was that Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham were rehearsing with different singers, keeping their instrumental chops sharp while waiting for Plant to stop touring with Alison Krauss and return to the Zep fold. And those fill-in vocalists also served to ignite pangs of envy in Plant, giving him a glimpse of a Led Zeppelin without him. Or not. Plant's out, and wishes luck to the other dudes. So... what now? Page and Jones have too much pride to just back down after regularly rehearsing since December. And they're itching to play. We're likely looking at a Zeppelin tour WITHOUT Robert Plant.
Got $49.99? Why not purchase the Katy Perry doll? Integrity Toys calls the doll a "fitting gesture"; others just think it's lame.
Who will pen the Ghostbusters 3 theme song? New York Mag wonders, and gives odds on Huey Lewis, Rick Astley and the Jonas Brothers. Dude - maybe the ENTIRE MOVIE should be rickroll! Just thinking out loud.
Because it's awesome: The National give "Slow Show" and "Apartment Story" the acoustic treatment in Northern Ireland.
Links:
Plant Rules Out Led Zeppelin Tour [Reuters]
Further Adventures in Press Releases [AV Club]
Who Will Write the Ghostbusters 3 Theme Song? [New York Mag]
The National Go Acoustic in Northern Ireland [Stereogum]
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Glory Days
Posted on September 29, 2008 at 11:09 AM
After months of rumors, it's official: this year's Super Bowl halftime show will be a performance by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. The Bruce boards have been rife with speculation regarding this for months, with the prevailing opinion being that it was a probability. That opinion has been proven true, but now, talk turns to a possible setlist. The performance segment is usually 15 minutes. This likely translates to four songs. Given the enormity of the audience, we're probably talking the "hits." Born To Run is a given. Probably Dancing in the Dark (an encore staple at Springsteen shows), too. That leaves two wild card numbers. Glory Days and... Badlands. Nothing obscure, nothing political. There's your Bruce Springsteen Super Bowl Halftime Show setlist.
Womanizer, the first single from the upcoming Britney Spers album, was released to radio on Friday. The reviews are coming in and... they're not good. No sir. Jim Farber of the Daily News calls it annoying, noting that the word "womanizer" is repeated nine times in each chorus. Poor Britney. Poor Britney. Poor Britney. Poor Britney. Poor Britney. Poor Britney. Poor Britney. Poor Britney. Poor Britney.
Because it's awesome: The Walkmen does La Blogotheque.
Links:
Springsteen to Headline Super Bowl XLIII Show [NFL]
'Womanizer' Not the Brilliant Single Britney Needs [New York Daily News]
'Four Provinces,' 'I Lost You' [Pitchfork]
Tagged as: Music
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Sometimes, Magic Sucks
Posted on September 26, 2008 at 02:59 PM
The grand finale of magician David Blaine's latest stunt sucked, according to David Blaine. After hanging upside down for sixty hours, Blaine was supposed to leap to the ground, and then, right before hitting the earth, be lifted up into the sky. But that didn't really happen. And he kinda dangled awkwardly. And then he was lifted into the sky. And that was that. And now we go about our lives before Blaine doesn't something else crazy/weird in a year and a half or so.
Lil Wayne gets his own blog on ESPN. Is a fan of the Pizzackers and the Brizzuins.
Looks like Led Zeppelin will tour. With Robert Plant.
Yet another reminder to renew that fire insurance on your crib: Ludacris loses part of his Atlanta home, including the pool house, to fire.
Links:
David Blaine Says He's Unhappy with Latest Stunt [AP]
Lil Wayne Gets a Blog [ESPN]
Led Zeppelin Finally Agree to Tour? [NME]
Ludacris Loses Part of Home in Blaze [SFGate]
Tagged as: Celebs , Music , Television
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Embassy Row
Posted on September 25, 2008 at 08:24 AM
Forty three years after the Beatles were snubbed by Israel, and weeks after receiving threats from some of the more extreme pro-Palestinian groups in the region, Paul McCartney touched down in Tel Aviv in advance of his show there on Thursday. It will surprise no one to hear that he flashed his famous V for peace sign to anyone that would look his way.
The Oasis show cancellations continue: after a recent test revealed three of Noel Gallagher's ribs to be broken or dislodged, three more shows have been postponed. Hey, that's one for each broken or dislodged rib!
Every other year or so Matador Records reissues a Pavement album and includes bonus tracks, live stuff, unreleased material and nice new packaging. Next in line to receive the deluxe treatment is the band's sometimes-overlooked 1997 gem Brighten the Corners. Geddy Lee still speaks like an ordinary guy.
Links:
Rekindled Beatlemania Greets McCartney in Israel [Reuters/New York Times]
Noel Gallagher News [Oasisinet]
Pavement - Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Ed. [Matablog]
Tagged as: Music
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Come Dancing with the Kinks, and Others
Posted on September 24, 2008 at 11:42 AM
So if you didn't know, Vampire Weekend have become quite a popular band. Hence/thus/etc it's kinda big news when they release a new song. Which they have now - it's called Ottoman, and it's from the soundtrack to the upcoming Michael Cera/Kat Dennings flick Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist. The soundtrack also features We Are Scientists, Richard Hawley, Takka Takka and more. Anyway, that new VW track - streaming at Stereogum now.
Nothing says Christmas more than Elton John and also Las Vegas's The Killers. Which is why it makes perfect sense that the two entities are transatlantically teaming up for a Christmas single titled Joseph, Better You Than Me. Actually, thinking of the Killers around the holidays is not an unusual thing. The Killers have recorded two holiday tunes - A Great Big Sled and Don't Shoot Me, Santa - in the past.
Guess who's gay? Clay Aiken (officially), and Lindsay Lohan (almost officially). Wow, big day.
The Kinks might reunite, but they'd have to write new songs to make it worth Ray Davies' while. Um, that would be completely acceptable. Only stumbling block is the health of guitarist Dave Davies, who suffered a stroke in 2004. Ray recently told the NME: "The thing that would make me decide 'Yes' or 'No' would be whether or not we could do new songs. I couldn't do it just for nostalgic reasons. My pitch to the other guys in the band was what would we have written if we hadn't have had our first hit, 'You Really Got Me'?"
Links:
New Vampire Weekend - "Ottoman" (Stereogum Premiere) [Stereogum]
Killers and Elton John to Release Christmas Single [NME]
Clay Aiken Comes Out [E! Online]
Lohan 'Comes Out' On Radio Show [BBC]
Ray Davies Says 'Kinks Could Reunite' [NME]
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Let's Play Two on the Ones and Twos
Posted on September 23, 2008 at 09:39 AM
It's no secret that Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder is a known fan of the Chicago Cubs. And it's no secret that the Cubs are doing pretty well this year (not to jinx them or anything). So it's not surprising that Vedder has written and released a song called "All the Way," a new tune recorded at a Chicago Pearl Jam show last month and with a title suggested by Cubs great Ernie "Let's Play Two" Banks. The song, which is receiving airplay on Chicago radio as well as the bars around Wrigley Field, is on sale for a measly 99 cents. It's a small price to pay to root for the Cubbies, who locked up the NL Central title this past weekend, and who haven't won it all since, erm, 1908.
Possible Germany! Likely Japan! Wilco will enter the studio next month to begin recording the follow-up to last year's Sky Blue Sky. According to Jeff Tweedy, the new album will make more use of the studio as an instrument, as opposed to the live document style of Sky Blue Sky.
Lars Ulrich would like to clarify something about the whole Napster thing. It wasn't about money - it was about control. Ah! And he has a couple of words for those who DO think it was about money. The first word rhymes with duck, the second with foo.
Links:
Eddie Vedder Releases New Song for Chicago Cubs [Chicago Tribune]
Wilco Hitting the Studio Next Month [Billboard]
Lars Ulrich: 'Napster Wasn't About Money, It was About Control' [Rolling Stone]
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In the Blink of an Eye
Posted on September 22, 2008 at 08:27 AM
Well, that was a bit scary. Of course, the big news from the weekend was the horrific Learjet crash in South Carolina which killed four people. Travis Barker and DJ AM Adam Goldstein escaped with burns, and are now expected to make a full recovery. 'Fortunate' doesn't even begin to describe their situation. Burn recovery is an often long and painful process - and tattoos do not help. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery
Freedom '08: George Michael, brilliant songwriter and singer and noted frequenter of public toilets, has gone and gotten himself in trouble yet again. Hot on the heels of a successful tour, his first in years, Michael was arrested in London for possessing 'Class A'
and 'Class C' drugs (what, no 'Class B'?). And what's the Class A drug? That would be crack, according to reports.
Sometimes, things can get a little crazy onstage at a benefit. A bunch of musicians who normally don't play together get together, sometimes a beer is spilled on someone's head, sometimes a punch is thrown, and sometimes stitches are needed. And, more rarely, sometimes there are no hard feelings about the whole thing. Pitchfork has a thorough wrap-up on the recent altercation between Brent Hinds of Mastodon and garage dude King Khan.
Links:
Doctor Expects Recovery for Two Musicians in Crash [AP]
George Michael Arrested in London [People]
Mastodon's Brent Hinds vs. King Khan: FITE! [Pitchfork]
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Captain Timberlake and Tennille Biel
Posted on September 19, 2008 at 10:45 AM
If you've got a girl and you want to impress her, there are several options available. You can surprise her with flowers and gifts, you can taker her out to a nice dinner... or you can write and produce an album for her. The latter is currently going down in the Justin Timberlake/Jessica Biel relationship. And by "for" her we mean this is HER album. Plus, Justin has recorded most of the backing vocals. A snappy name like Timberlake and Biel and they could be this generation's Captain and Tennille.
OutKast's Andre 3000 has been acting, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been thinking about music. In fact, he should have a solo album by the end of this year or early next. Also, he's a fan of Woody Harrelson and thinks Woody would have "shared his stash." Hmmm.
Remember how Lindsay Lohan wanted to stump for Barack Obama, and the Obama camp was all, 'No thanks'? Michael Lohan, Lindsay's dad, had some stuff to say about Obama. And it wasn't nice.
Another entry in Fuseblog's series Great Moments in Awesomeness: Brian Wilson performs That Lucky Old Sun and one verse and a chorus of California Girls in the newest Black Cab Session. Yes, the performance takes place in the back of a London black cab.
Links:
Justin Timberlake to Record Album with Girlfriend Jessica Biel [Gigwise]
OutKast's Andre Benjamin Says New Solo Album Coming Soon [Rolling Stone]
Lindsay Lohan's Dad Slams Obama Over Reported Dis [Fox News]
Black Cab Sessions: Brian Wilson [Black Cab Sessions]
Tagged as: Celebs , Current Affairs , Music
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Chrissie Hynde: Thumbs Up, Candace Bushnell: Thumbs Down
Posted on September 18, 2008 at 02:05 PM
Normally, we keep things fairly music-oriented around here, but is this not completely lame? Sex and the City person Candace Bushnell is writing two teen novels about Carrie Bradshaw's formative years. As Carrie would write, Candace is going back to the well, a well that can be found at the corner of 59th Street and Milking It Avenue. Seriously Candace, stop it. Just stop milking it and just... stop. </rant>
Barack Obama's campaign has turned down Lindsay Lohan's offer to help with any public appearances and stumping they might need. The move risks alienating the youth drunk driver demographic.
And on the other side, Ted Nugent, guitarist, rocker, average to below average songwriter (especially following the Amboy Dukes years), right wing activist, George W. Bush buddy and avid hunter and fisherman, wrote a letter of support to Sarah Palin.
Yes, there is a rock god: The Pretenders will be releasing their first album in six years this fall.
Links:
Zits and the City: Teen Novels Coming about Carrie [AP]
Obama Camp Nixes LiLo [Chicago Sun-Times]
Ted Nugent Writes a Letter to Satah Palin [BrooklynVegan]
Chrissie Hynde Fronts New Pretenders on New Album [Pitchfork]
Tagged as: Celebs , Current Affairs , Film , Music
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What's So Funny 'Bout...
Posted on September 17, 2008 at 08:38 AM
You know, it's never too early to talk about Christmas. And it's never too early to start talking Christmas music. So it's nice that Stephen Colbert is already planning his holiday special. The premise is simple: Colbert is snowed in at his cabin, and musical chums stop by to help pass the time and celebrate the season. Who's involved? Elvis Costello, Feist, Willie Nelson and, erm, Toby Keith. What's Toby Keith doing in a place so north that it snows? Guess we'll find out. Original songs for this show will be written Daily Show Executive Producer David Javerbaum and Fountain of Wayne Adam Schlesinger (!).
Do you like Amy Poehler? Like her on Saturday Night Live? Wanna see her on more new SNLs? You've only got a few more. Originally set to leave after this season, Poehler is now leaving as soon as she has her shortie, IE sometime in October. Babies... they're ruining comedy.
There are so many film festivals these days its hard to keep track. One of the good ones, though, is the Toronto Film Festival. It takes place every September, and this year, Rolling Stone went, and saw five music flicks they think were awesome. Included in the roundup is It Might Get Loud, Davis Guggenheim's (An Inconvenient Truth) pan-generational story of the electric guitar as told by Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White. But what about a pan-generational history of some awesome pedals?
Links:
Colbert Hosting Costello, Feist For Christmas [Reuters]
Amy Poehler Moves Up SNL Exit [E! Online]
Five Essential Rock Movies From the Toronto Film Fest [Rolling Stone]
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Sammy Hagar - Voice of America?
Posted on September 16, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Politics - you can't escape it! The latest rock n' roller to get his name dropped into the whole mess is former Van Halen vocalist/partier Sammy Hagar, who is psyched that the McCain/Palin campaign is blasting Van Halen's Right Now at rallies. Taking the opposite approach from Heart, who are positively enraged that Barracuda has been co-opted by Sarah Palin, Hagar says he's thrilled that a song he co-wrote is being used by ANYONE so high up. By all reports, Sammy's a good guy, but one would imagine that the money they got from Pepsi to use Right Now back in the 90s was equally thrilling. And Eddie hasn't been so quick to note his delight at the whole McCain thing.
As you've probably heard, Tina Fey did an awesomely spot-on Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live. Chevy Chase, for one, loved it. And he wants Fey to keep drilling, baby.
Even more politics: former Nirvana and current Flipper bassist Krist Novoselic writes a political column in the Seattle Weekly.
Very sad news from the UK, and, yes, he did write The Great Gig in the Sky - R.I.P., Richard Wright of Pink Floyd.
Links:
GOP's Use of "Right Now" Leads Sammy Hagar-Eddie Van Halen Phone Tag [Rolling Stone]
Chevy Chase Wants Tina Fey to 'Decimate' Sarah Palin [Fox News]
Krist Novoselic: Contention and Conscious [Seattle Weekly via Brooklyn Vegan]
Gilmour's Tribute to Floyd Star [BBC]
Tagged as: Current Affairs , Music
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Blue Monday
Posted on September 15, 2008 at 10:54 AM
If you've checked any newspaper this morning, you are aware that some major S is going down all over the place. Markets are shaking, value is being lost... even the price of crude oil is down this morning! Let's get right to the news:
Britney Spears will release her new album, Circus, on December 2. There - your Christmas shopping is done!
Amy Winehouse looks f***ing ugly, according to Amy Winehouse, which is why she didn't go to her own birthday party. Guests ate her cake without her (seriously). Sad!
Former Nirvana manager Danny Goldberg has written a book about his time with the band and attributes Nirvana's downfall to one person. Here's a hint: this person was married to Kurt Cobain.
Bob Dylan - yes, THE Bob Dylan - has some poetry in the latest New Yorker. It's, erm, pretty much a total downer.
Links:
Britney Spears Announces New Album , Due Dec. 2 [Hartford Courant]
Amy Winehouse Snubs Her Own Birthday Party [The Sun]
Nirvana Manager: 'Courtney Love Marked End of the Band' [NME]
17, by Bob Dylan [New Yorker]
Tributes For U.S. Novelist Wallace [BBC]
Photo by AP/Peter Morgan via.
Tagged as: Current Affairs , Music , Television
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Not So Pretty Persuasion
Posted on September 12, 2008 at 10:59 AM
Once again, a story of stolen gear has reared its ugly head: the beloved Rickenbacker of guitar of R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, owned and used since the time of their debut EP Chronic Town, was stolen in Helsinki. The band has offered a 'generous reward, no questions asked.'
Famous person Kanye West was arrested at LAX for attacking a photog. The still footage was destroyed by Kanye and his minions. Also destroyed was a video camera but not before the tape was removed and the shooter raced off to TMZ HQ. Meaning we'll be seeing this soon enough. UPDATE: the footage is up. And it's fascinating. Stars... they're NOT like us.
Remember that club show Oasis were scheduled to play tonight? Not gonna happen. Which would probably mean NYC commuters will have a Gallagher-less subway ride. But, according to Pitchfork, it's still happening.
Since we're in the mood to remember things, remember that whole thing earlier in the week about another Ghostbusters movie possibly being made? Well, looks like another 80s classic is gearing up for a new installment. Banana in the tailpipe!
Links:
Kanye West and Bodyguard Arrested at LAX [Los Angeles Times]
Peter's Rickenback Stolen in Helsinki [REM HQ]
Oasis Cancels Friday's NYC Show @ Terminal 5 [BrooklynVegan]
Play It Again, Eddie Murphy [Yahoo! Movies]
Tagged as: Music
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Go Let It Out
Posted on September 11, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Spinner has news regarding some underground promotion concerning the club show that Oasis will be playing tomorrow night in New York. And we mean underground: over thirty subway performers - the sometimes extraordinarily talented musicians who perform on train platforms - will be playing songs from the new Oasis album all day Friday, leading up to the evening's show at Terminal 5. And yes, a Gallagher or two will be showing up somewhere, sometime, to play a tune. But, erm, will Noel be sufficiently recovered from his recent, bizarre, attack? Maybe the New York subway isn't the best place for him to go.
Adam Yauch aka MCA of the Beastie Boys, has started an independent film production and distribution company called Oscilloscope. It's a D.I.Y. affair, but don't use that acronym around Yauch - he hates it. Even though it's true, he says.
It's still not official, but Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson seem to be getting more serious. And Lohan says she's buying a house and will be living in it with someone. And it probably won't be a dude.
'Where is Michel Gondry' graffiti popping up in NYC. Actual cool art, or lame marketing campaign? Probably not the former.
Links:
Oasis Definitely, Maybe Playing NYC Subways [Spinner]
Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys Tries Out the Challenging Business of Independent Film [New York Times]
Lindsay Lohan, Samantha Ronson Inch Closer to Coming Out [New York Daily News]
Where is Michel Gondry? [FREEwilliamsburg]
Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for IMG via Daily News.
Tagged as: Music
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In and Out of Rainbows
Posted on September 10, 2008 at 01:14 PM
The Mercury Prize is a biggish deal in the UK. Basically, it's an award meant to honor the 'best album' of the year by a British or Irish act; specifically, albums that might normally receive short shrift in the mainstream awards wrld, IE the Brit Awards. This year's shortlist included albums by Radiohead, British Sea Power, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss and the Last Shadow Puppets, among others. And the Mercury Prize goes to... Elbow! A bit of an upset, as any competition that includes Radiohead would be, but are Radiohead upset? Nope. Bassist Colin Greenwood tells the NME that Elbow made a super album and are fine chaps, to boot. Pints of Old Speckled Hen all around.
On October 7, Bob Dylan will release Tell Tale Signs, The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8. This time around, the Bootleg Series dips its toe into unreleased and live tracks from the late 80s to the present, IE, Dylan's "comeback" period. Amazon has the video for Dreamin' of You. The clip stars Harry Dean Stanton!
Sonic Youth, the ultimate indie band who, at the turn of the 90s, signed to the ultimate major label, is back on an indie. And what an indie: home of Guided By Voices, Pavement and, as they say, many others... Matador Records.
From the Everyone Can Be a Musician Department: if you've ever wondered what it would sound like if a theremin and an iPhone had a baby, go here.
Links:
Radiohead 'Delighted' at Elbow's Mercury Prize Victory [NME]
Video: Dreamin' of You [Amazon.com]
Sonic Youth to Release New Material on Matador in 2009 [Matablog]
Cosmovox for iPhone, Accelerator-Controlled Musical Instrument [BoingBoing]
Tagged as: Music
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If Jessica Simpson Could, Would You?
Posted on September 9, 2008 at 10:19 AM
In what is surely a night that will live in infamy, Jessica Simpson, she of Tony Romo, short shorts, failed romances and lip-syncing sisters, appeared this weekend on the legendary Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Also appearing that evening were Loretta Lynn and Patty Loveless. She performed Remember That, a tune from her album that deals with abuse. Simpson says that when she first heard the song, she knew that God wanted her to sing it. But did God want us to hear it?
They've come to snuff the rooster again - Blabbermouth is reporting that Alice in Chains are heading back into the studio to record their first new album since 1995. Yes, Layne Staley is still not with us, but current vocalist William DuVall is. The band have very slowly started to demo new songs. Unsurprisingly, they are taking their time.
Anyone who watched TV in the 70s and 80s, or anyone with Hulu, knows that WKRP in CIncinnati was one of the most hilarious TV shows of all time. The sitcom, which ran from 1978-1982, focused on the exploits of a struggling rock n' roll station and its employees. Another great rock n' roll station - and current! - is WOXY.com, the fantastic online indie station based in Cincinnati. And now, they have fantastic, WKRP-style t-shirts.
And not that Metallica fans care about Pitchfork, but yeah... 4.9:
It tries mightily to recapture Metallica's former glory, but does so only partially. Producer Rick Rubin told the band to write the unwritten half of Master of Puppets-- a ludicrous proposition. But his intent was well-meaning: get rich, fortysomething rockers to recall themselves as hungry, twentysomething metallers. In the real world, it's called a midlife crisis.
Yikes.
Links:
Jessica Simpson Sings at Tenn.'s Grand Ole Opry [Boston.com]
Alice in Chains to Enter Studio in October [Blabbermouth]
New WOXY in Cincinnati Shirts [WOXY.com]
Metallica: Death Magnetic [Pitchfork]
Pic via.
Tagged as: Music
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Lars Ulrich: It's All Good
Posted on September 8, 2008 at 07:53 AM
Well well well, looks who's changed his tune. Lars Ulrich, Metallica drummer and one-time scourge of Napster, file-sharing and All Internet Users Everywhere, is happy - happy - that Metallica's new album Death Magnetic has leaked a week ahead of its scheduled September 12th (yes, a Friday) release date. "Its 2008 and it's part of how it is these days" he says. It was also how it was back then, it's just that Lars, and most of the industry, chose to close their eyes, put fingers in their ears and refuse to embrace and adapt. That being said, word is this album ain't so bad. Listen to the track Cyanide at Metallica.com.
Sacramento alt-rockers Cake are going photo-voltaic: the band plans to install solar panels on the roof of their studio that they expect will fully power the recording of their new album. If it's overcast for an extended period expect an acoustic affair.
The best fake rock band of all time is, of course, Spinal Tarp ("Spinal Tap? My mistake") of This Is Spinal Tap. Yahoo! Music agrees in their list of film's best rockers. They also lists some Worsts. On the list is Prince... but NOT for Purple Rain (of course)!
Columbia Pictures is quietly talking about a possible new Ghostbusters movie, starring the original cast. Of course, Aykroyd's been trying to do it for years, but would hip-and-respected Bill Murray be down? Would have to be a ghostmobile's worth of dough.
Links:
Album Leak Welcomed By Metallica [BBC]
Cake Bakes Solar Powered Album [Wired]
Film's Best Fake Rockers (and the Actors Who Should Keep Their Day Jobs) [Yahoo! Music]
'Ghostbusters' Back from the Great Beyond? [LA Times]
Tagged as: Music
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All That We Won't Hopefully Want To Leave Behind
Posted on September 4, 2008 at 10:12 AM
It's easy to have a love/hate relationship with U2. Obviously, they have a body of work (an ouvre as our French cousins would say) that is undeniably strong. Their peak years from 1980 through 1997 were notable not only for the popular and artistic success of their songs but also the stylistic changes the band underwent in recording them. But over the past ten years, U2 just haven't been the same. 2000's All That You Can't Leave Behind was notable mainly for the fact that it was not unmemorable, while the more recent How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb was powered by a grotesque single that lifted its melody from the Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hanging On."
Which makes Bono's comments on U2.com tantalizing. Despite earlier claims that we might see a new U2 album before the holidays, the band is instead plowing ahead writing new songs, and have amassed close to sixty new songs. Bono says the new album "is of the same order as the transition that took us from The Joshua Tree to Achtung Baby" - not surprising considering that Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, U2's production midwives from that era, are on board for the upcoming U2 LP. If they can back up those aspirations with an effort even close to that bygone era's innovation and craft, then this new album will be a welcome addition to 2009's release schedule. If not, it'll be yet another shoulder-shrugger of the band's late era.
In other news...
It's like Florida in 2000, except instead of Bush and Gore, it's The Game and Slipknot, and instead of expensive suits, it's XXL shirts and those masks. After a recount due to a processing error (Diebold?), Slipknot was found to be ahead, with SoundScan sales of 239,516 units, 1,134 more then The Game. The industry's a game, and in this game, The Game was second. But there's always next week.
Remember when Akon tossed that one dude off the stage like a sack of potatoes during a show in 2007? Now Akon has to face justice - American justice! The court set a December 1 start date, which gives Akon time to reach a settlement with the plaintiff, and/or to train to be able to toss twelve jury members out of the courtroom.
Links:
U2 Pen 'Fifty to Sixty' New Songs, New Album Pushed to 2009 [Rolling Stone]
'We Want 2009 To Be Our Year' [U2.com]
Slipknot Number One After Recount [BBC]
Akon Plans on Trial in New York Fan-Tossing Case [AP]
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Bulls, Weiland, Oasis, Suede on Parade
Posted on September 3, 2008 at 01:31 PM
New Oasis albums mean many, MANY new Oasis soundbites. Today's comes from Noel Gallagher's blog, in which the guitarist announces his admiration for Barack Obama, while giving a little dig to the good ol' USA (classic!). Also, the airline lost his bag and the dressing rooms have not been up to his standard.
And speaking of our cousins across the Atlantic, Brett Anderson of Suede (The London Suede to us Yanks) has a new solo album out. In this lil' piece in the NME, the glam voxman disses Britpop, the mid-90s UK phenomenon dominated by the Blur v. Oasis battle, as well as Pulp's classic Different Class LP, and which also featured countless bands since largely forgotten (Let's see: Sleeper, Menswear, Elastica, Cast, Ocean Colour Scene, etc, etc, etc). Speaketh Anderson: "We could not have been more uninterested in that whole boozy, cartoon-like, fake working-class thing."
Rage Against the Machine have their power taken away by The Man in the currently Republican-held Twin Cities, perform a capella.
Former former ex-Stone Temple Pilots vocalist and current former solo vocalist Scott Weiland will drop his second solo album, Happy, in November via his own label. The release will come days after STP finish their current tour. What luck!
Links:
Oasis' Noel Gallagher Wishes Barack Obama Was British [NME]
Brett Anderson: 'Britpop Was Horrible' [NME]
Ripple Effect Ends in Rage [Star Tribune]
New Scott Weiland Solo Disc On the Way [Billboard]
Tagged as: Current Affairs , Music
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Blogging On the Shoulders of Giants
Posted on September 2, 2008 at 09:16 AM
It's been days since a major paper or mag wrote about the resurgence of vinyl (yes!), and so the Boston Herald gives us yet another article on the matter. Mention is made of vinyl's warm sound, the crappy thin sound of low quality digital (read: your average mp3) and the current "Because Sound Matters" campaign by Warner Brothers, which involves vinyl reissues of 'classic' albums such as Metallica's Master of Puppets and, erm, Blood Sugar Sex Magik by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Not to be outdone is Capitol, which is giving the vinyl reissue treatment to the first six Radiohead albums and that most classic of classic albums, Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys. It's turntable-buyin' time.
Audiotuts has an intriguing list of five former music badasses who've lost their way. It should come as no surprise that James Hetfield is on this list. Also making appearances: an LA rapper, a New York rapper, an Irish woman and a metal legend turned reality show star.
Rising fuel prices have grounded Diddy's private jet and have forced the star to fly commercial. Diddy is not happy. Also upsetting Diddy? John McCain, who Diddy thinks is 'bugging out' for choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate. Diddy... back in the news!
Ryan Adams loves tourmates Oasis and his favorite album of theirs is Standing on the Shoulders of Giants - the album where Oasis took a turn for the boring. More Ryan and Oasis chummery on Ryan's blog.
Links:
Record Labels, Stores, Make Room for Vinyl [Boston Herald]
5 Former Music Badasses Who've Lost Their Way [Audiotuts]
Fuel Prices Ground Diddy [ITN]
Ryan Adams Compares Oasis to Led Zeppelin [NME]
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JAY-Z Video
- JAY-Z on 'The Blueprint 3'
- Toure finds out where the new album resides in JAY-Z's catalog of classic records.
- JAY-Z on Cover Art
- Toure and JAY-Z talk about the inspiration for his new album's cover art.
- Daily Noise: JAY-Z Interview
- We sit down with JAY-Z to talk about his new album and more.
- D.O.A. (TRANSLATED!)
- Watch the video and read Fred Pessaro's translation for the hip hop impaired.
- Run This Town
- Watch JAY-Z, Rihanna and Kanye run this town. Heck, I'd vote for them.
Awsome band!