Stereolab Videos GALORE (Music Videos)

Check out this cool collection of Stereolab videos CLICK HERE TO VIEW
(via largehearted boy)

New Modest Mouse Single- “Float On” (Legal MP3 Download)

In the hit and miss world of MM singles here is a excellent new one.. Enjoy CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Eagles of Death Metal (Live at Slims S.F.)

Josh from QOSTA side project.. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

1986 Pogues Concert (Legal MP3 Download)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

The Stooges LIVE on DVD

This Creem Magazine DVD release features Iggy Pop and the original lineup of the Stooges (except for bassist, filled in by indie legend Mike Watt) performing at their first Detroit homecoming in 29 years. It is a full concert of the best songs of the first two Stooges albums from 1969 & 1970 including: Loose, Down On the Street, 1969, I Wanna Be Your Dog, TV Eye, Dirt, Real Cool Time, No Fun, 1970, Funhouse, Not Right, and Little Doll. Also included is the title track from the 2003 release "Skull Ring." Bonus materials are highlighted by the legendary NYC instore performance (minus Mike Watt) where Iggy explains the origin of the songs. Click Here for more info

KINGBLIND: News that you can use

* Sigur Rós Sign to EMI; New Album May Be Pushed To 2005
* Super Furry Animals touring with Papa M
* Yo La Tengo, David Byrne, Ray Davies, Bright Eyes headline Tibet benefit. The 14th Annual Tibet House benefit concert is February 25th at the NY landmark Carnegie Hall

CBGB’s Photographic History

CLICK HERE to check out these amazing photos

CD dead by 2007?

CANNES -- "Get out of the plastics business!" That was the message to the international recording industry at the annual MidemNet conference from Josh Bernoff, principal analyst at Forrester Research. Citing new research in the United States showing that young music fans have no interest in holding a CD in their hands, Bernoff said Saturday: "Songs are fluid; albums are dead. Retailers are no longer the place to buy music. The CD will be passe by 2007." Bernoff said that in a recent poll of consumers ages 12-22, 49% said they had downloaded songs in the previous month. Of those, 51% said they bought fewer CDs because they could download any song they wanted. He said 12% of consumers 23 and older reported downloading songs, but he pointed out that in sheer numbers, that was more than equal to the number of young people. Of that number, 55% said they saved money by downloading music. Bernoff said that, as a result, figures showed that the annual loss in sales due to illegal downloading of music in the United States alone was $700 million.

Leroy Bach Out Of Wilco

As Wilco puts the finishing touches on the follow up to their critical slam-dunk Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, multi-instrumentalist (which I think is code for 'keyboard player') Leroy Bach is moving on to greener pastures. Bach popped up in the liner notes of 1999's Summerteethas playing the piano, and played various instruments on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot., as well as rounding out Wilco's live incarnation on both keys and guitar for the past five years. According to the band's official site, Bach "has decided to leave this band. We'll all miss him and of course wish him the best in what comes next." We're not sure exactly what that is, but he sure kept busy during his time with the band and before it-- playing on albums by Liz Phair (not that album), the Sun, Euphone, and the funk/fusion group 5ive Style, of which he was a member. Bach was originally brought on board around the time steel guitarist Bob Egan left the lineup, and ended up filling the boots of fellow multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett after he was ejected from the band sans cheery website well-wishes and pretty much right in front of documentarian Sam Jones' camera. For both the recording of the new album and in live shows, Mikael Jorgensen (Califone, Rebecca Gates) has become an increasingly visable presence in Wilco, playing keyboards and laptop. (PFM)

TAYLOR MADE!

A film charting the seven-year career odyssey of THE DANDY WARHOLS and their friends THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE has won the special JURY PRIZE at the SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL. ‘Dig’, a labour of love by first-time director Ondi Timoner, picked up the documentary gong at the prestigious festival over the weekend. The film has now been picked up for major distribution in the US by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell's Palm Pictures. The movie focuses on BJM mainman Anton Newcombe and his maniacal self-destruction, contrasting that with The Dandy Warhols, and especially their frontman Courtney Taylor, and their rise to stardom. Often using a spy-cam planted in her hat, Timoner chronicled the changing friendship between Newcombe and Taylor as their paths crossed then separated."I went up to meet the band at a gig they were playing [in LA seven years ago]," Timoner told Rolling Stone. "The first footage you see in the film is them outside, and they'd showed up late for the gig and they weren't allowed to play. They just were bitching and standing outside wanting to play . . . and immediately the energy of the band hit me - they were either going to play the game on their own terms or not play it at all. And that was really refreshing. After being in LA and documenting a bunch of bands who were like, 'Ooh, what can we be to make the industry like us?' the BJM didn't give a shit."Despite their ups and downs and band members constant fights with frontman Newcombe, The Brian Jonestown Massacre are still together. Their new single, ‘If Love Is The Drug Then I Want To O.D’, is released on April 12.

Blonde Redhead "Elephant Woman" (Legal MP3 Download)

On their forthcoming 4AD debutMisery Is A Butterfly, Blonde Redhead finally evolve beyond their old formula (you can't hear it, but here's my impression: uh uh, eh eh, ah ah, oh oh, ii ii, uh uh) and find themselves sounding like some kind of cross between the Cocteau Twins and Debut-era Bjork. The lush sound suits them well; but even though the new record may be their most consistent to date, nothing on it comes close to the restrained melancholy of "In Particular" from their previous album.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Lou Reed and John Cale "Waiting For My Man" (live at the Bataclan, 1972) (Legal MP3 Download)

This stripped-down acoustic guitar and piano arrangement of the Velvet Underground classic is taken from the newly released Bataclan 72 live album, which is notable for being a one-off reunion of John Cale, Lou Reed, and Nico. The three play several VU songs along with selections from their solo albums, all with similarly low-key arrangements, making the record come off sort of like the Velvet Underground Unplugged.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
(via fluxblog)

Gabriel, Eno Launch Musicians Alliance

Veteran rock artists Peter Gabriel and Brian Eno are launching a provocative new musicians' alliance that would cut against the industry grain by letting artists sell their music online instead of only through record labels. With the Internet transforming how people buy and listen to songs, musicians need to act now to claim digital music's future, Gabriel and Eno argued Monday as they handed out a slim red manifesto at the Midem conference in Cannes, France. They call the plan the "Magnificent Union of Digitally Downloading Artists" - or MUDDA, which has a less lofty ring to it. "Unless artists quickly grasp the possibilities that are available to them, then the rules will get written, and they'll get written without much input from artists," said Eno, who has a long history of experimenting with technology. By removing record labels from the equation, artists can set their own prices and set their own agendas, said the two independent musicians, who hope to launch the online alliance within a month. Their pamphlet lists ideas for artists to explore once they're freed from the confines of the CD format. One might decide to release a minute of music every day for a month. Another could post several recorded variations of the same song and ask fans what they like best. Gabriel, who has his own label, Real World Records, said he isn't trying to shut down the record companies -- he just wants to give artists more options. "There are some artists who already tried to do everything on their own," he said, adding that those musicians often found out they didn't like marketing or accounting. "We believe there will be all sorts of models for this." Gabriel previously co-founded a European company, On Demand Distribution, which runs legal download sites in 11 European countries. The company would provide the technology for MUDDA, though Gabriel and Eno are looking for online partners. Because both legal and illegal digital download sites offer tunes a la carte, many in the industry believe they'll make albums less important by putting the focus on catchy singles. But Eno and Gabriel both suggested they'd welcome a chance to make songs that stand alone. "I'm an artist who works incredibly slowly," Gabriel said. "If some of those [songs] could be made available, you don't have to be so trapped into this old way of being confined only by the album cycle." Gabriel adds that he is interested in putting multiple versions of the same song online. He's also looking forward to being able to hear unfinished music from other artists. "We tend at the moment ... to try to find a moment when a song is right. You stick the pin in the butterfly and put it in the box and you sell the box," he said. "Music is actually a living thing that evolves."

FUGAZI LIVES

Contrary to a flood of recent internet postings, Fugazi has not broken up. Over the years the band has circulated in and out of active recording and touring according to the ebb and flow of their personal lives. Two band members now have families with children and currently their concerns are being put above the band's. As of this moment Fugazi is not actively playing or recording but that doesn't mean the band won't become active again in a year, two or possibly never....such is life. Members of Fugazi have always made music outside the band and will continue to do so. Ian is currently playing in a duo with Amy Farina (ex-Warmers) called the Evens, Brendan has been playing with Amy Domingues and Jerry Busher in Garland of Hours, Joe recorded an album with Black Sea(now called Decahedron) feautring ex-Frodus members Jason and Shelby, and Guy performed with members of The Ex at a jazz festival in Austria.

THE O ZONE!

YEAH YEAH YEAHS have announced details of their first UK tour of 2004. The trio will take time out from recording their second album to play four dates, including a return to the London Forum, where they played an acclaimed sold-out show in June 2003.
The shows are at:
• Glasgow Barrowlands (April 11)
• Birmingham Carling Academy (12)
• Manchester Academy (13)
• London Forum (15)

The Darkness Ready First Major U.S. Trek

Up-and-coming British rock combo the Darkness will launch its first major U.S. tour on March 26 in Milwaukee. The act has confirmed 18 dates through April 19 in Denver. Also in March, Real Networks will cybercast a recent Darkness concert on a date to be determined. The tour announcement comes just as the group's single "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is taking off at rock radio. The song moved up 21-19 last week on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks tally, and is currently the most-played clip on MTV2. The group's debut, "Permission To Land," was released last summer on Atlantic Records. The album arrived with a flurry of hype, thanks to the flamboyant vocals of singer Justin Hawkins and the act's hair metal shtick, and thus far, has sold 165,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. "When it went to radio, it brought a lot of negative calls, but the reaction was so extreme, the brave programmers knew they had something interesting and hung with it," Atlantic co-president Ron Shapiro said last week. As previously reported, the Darkness received four nominations for the 2004 Brit Awards, to be held Feb. 17 at Earl's Court in London.
Here are the Darkness' tour dates:
March 26: Milwaukee (Rave)
March 27: Chicago (The Vic)
Mach 28: Detroit (St. Andrews)
March 30: Cleveland (Peabody's)
March 31: Pittsburgh (Laga)
April 2: Philadelphia (Theater of the Living Arts)
April 3: Boston (Avalon)
April 4: Providence, R.I. (Lupos)
April 6: Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)
April 8: Atlanta (Cotton Club)
April 9: New Orleans (House of Blues)
April 11: Houston (Engine Room)
April 12: Dallas (Trees)
April 13: Austin, Texas (La Zona Rosa)
April 15: Phoenix (Marquee)
April 16: San Diego (Canes)
April 17: Los Angeles (Henry Fonda Theatre)
April 19: Denver (Ogden Theater)

KINGBLIND: Famous 5 Top 10 (WEEK 5 OF 5)

Well, We told you what we thought was the best of 03 back in November now it?s time for the movers and shakers to tell you theirs.. Every week there is a new member of the Famous 5 now on week 5 of 5 the grand finale.. please welcome: Kurt B. Reighley, aka DJ El Toro, Seattle-based writer and lead singer of Purty Mouth. Oh yeah.. He writes for Rolling Stone, Time Out, Interview and many many other.. He has also written a couple of great books.. A former NYC resident DJ El Toro Now resides in the Emerald City.. Seattle, WA
June Carter Cash, Wildwood Flower (Dualtone)
Zongamin, Zongamin (XL/Beggars Group)
Soft Pink Truth, Do You Party? (Soundslike)
Sparks, Lil' Beethoven (Palm)
Basement Jaxx, Kish Kash (Astralwerks/XL)
The Decemberists, Her Majesty The Decemberists (Kill Rock Stars)
Four Tet, Rounds (Domino)
New Pornographers, Electric Version (Mint/Matador)
The White Stripes, Elephant (V2)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fever To Tell (Interscope)

NYC's Bottom Line Club Closes

Famed New York nightclub the Bottom Line closed the doors forever at its Greenwich Village location yesterday (Jan. 22). Opened nearly 30 years ago by Allan Pepper and Stanley Snadowski, the club was forced to close after failed negotiations with its landlord, New York University. "When we opened the Bottom Line on Feb. 12, 1974, our goal was to create a Music Room. Not a jazz, rock or folk club, but a venue where many different genres could find an audience," the pair writes in a farewell letter posted on the savethebottomline.com Web site, the center of a grassroots campaign started by fans of the club. "The Bottom Line has always been about the music, and we find fulfillment in knowing that we have stayed the course and remained true to our vision." Stevie Wonder, Dr. John and Johnny Winter performed on the opening night. Across the next three decades, everyone from Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and Prince to Miles Davis and Tony Bennett played at the 400-capacity club. Despite publicity, public support and financial commitments from Springsteen, Sirius Satellite Radio, AT&T and Viacom president Mel Karmazin that were contingent on a new lease for the club, negotiations between the owners and NYU broke down in the fall."We are proud to have provided a stage where new acts grew to become familiar friends, where unknown acts became superstars, where pioneers and innovators could stake their claim, where acts who were tentative could fail, fall on their faces and then could come back and learn to do it the right way," Pepper and Snadowski write on the site. "For all those things and more, the stage at the Bottom Line was special."

KINGBLIND RECOMMENDS

Here is what's on the kingblind stereo this week
(Yeah Yeah Yeah's- "Fever to Tell")--(VA'-"Lost in Translation Soundtrack")--(Fela Kuti-"Zombie")--(Four Tet-"Rounds")--(The High Strung-"These are good times")

PANIC' STATIONS!

THE HISS will release their debut album 'PANIC MOVEMENT' in the US and Canada on March 23 and have also revealed details about the follow-up. 'Panic Movement' will be put out throughSanctuary Records, making the Atlanta four piece label-mates with Morrissey and Spiritualized. It will be followed by a stateside tour in April. The band will then head into the studio in Atlanta'sCabbagetown district to start work on their second album, due to be released in the UK this Autumn. Produced by Owen Morris (Oasis, The Verve, Ash) in Spring 2003 inBuckinghamshire, 'Panic Movement' takes its name from Alejandro Jodorowky's cult movie 'El Topo'

Love Live Music?

Well do ya? Cuz good ol' Kingblind has the ultimate live music hookup for you.. It's this nice little website called Sharing the Groove ... You can thank us later.. And trust us.. You will...

Von Bondies-"Cmon Cmon" (Music Video)

Jack White's favorite punching bag has their own video.. How cute
CLICK HERE TO VIEW Requires Quicktime

Elbow-"Fallen Angel" (Music Video)

New video from ELBOW.. For their first single from their new album "Cast of Thousands"
CLICK HERE TO VIEW Requires Quicktime

Neil Young Revisits 'Greendale,' Plans Tour

Neil Young's latest album, "Greendale," will be re-released Feb. 24 by Reprise with a bonus DVD featuring behind-the-scenes footage of its creation. Issued in August, the original edition of "Greendale" was bundled with the DVD "Live at Vicar St.," which found Young performing the new material during a solo concert in Ireland. The Young-directed "Greendale" film, which brings to life the characters described in the album, will be rolled out nationally around the album's re-release. Screenings begin Feb. 27 in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, with new locations added through late April. For a full list, visit Young's official Web site. Young and Crazy Horse are also planning to return to the road, beginning Feb. 19 in Vancouver. Eighteen dates are on tap through March 21 in Amherst, Mass., including a March 17-18 stand at New York's Radio City Music Hall. The "Greendale" film is tentatively scheduled for a summer release.
Here are Neil Young and Crazy Horse's tour dates:
Feb. 19: Vancouver (Queen Elizabeth Theater)
Feb. 20: Portland, Ore. (Rose Garden Arena)
Feb. 23: Sacramento, Calif. (Memorial Auditorium)
Feb. 24: Los Angeles (Shrine Auditorium)
Feb. 28: Albuquerque, N.M. (Tingley Coliseum)
Feb. 29: Colorado Springs, Colo. (World Arena)
March 2: Milwaukee (Milwaukee Theater)
March 4-5: Rosemont, Ill. (Rosemont Theater)
March 7: Moline, Ill. (Mark of the Quad Cities)
March 9: Detroit (Fox Theater)
March 11: Cleveland (CSU Convocation Center)
March 12: Hershey, Pa. (Giant Center)
March 14: Camden, N.J. (Tweeter Center)
March 15: Wallingford, Conn. (Oakdale Theater)
March 17-18: New York (Radio City Music Hall)
March 21: Amherst, Mass. (Mullins Center)

Grandaddy, Saves The Day, Fire Theft Plan Tour

Modern rock acts Grandaddy and Saves The Day will co-headline a spring tour due to launch March 1 in Santa Cruz, Calif. The six-week journey will also feature the Fire Theft, the Seattle-based group featuring three former members of Sunny Day Real Estate. The 41-date trek is scheduled to wrap April 17 in Los Angeles. The tour is Grandaddy's fourth major outing in support of last year's V2 album, "Sumday," which peaked at No. 84 on The Billboard 200. Grandaddy has recently toured with Pete Yorn and the Super Furry Animals. The upcoming dates will be promoted with a free downloadable limited-edition EP available through Apple's iTunes Music Store. A track list and release date for the EP will be announced shortly, and the digital songs will be available to fans that have purchased "Sumday." Saves The Day is touring in support of its DreamWorks debut, "In Reverie," which peaked last year at No. 27 on The Billboard 200. The Fire Theft's 2003 self-titled Rykodisc debut reached No. 11 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart.
Here are Grandaddy/Saves The Day/Fire Theft tour dates:
March 1: Santa Cruz, Calif. (Catalyst)
March 2: Sacramento, Calif. (Crest)
March 3: San Francisco (Warfield)
March 4-5: Los Angeles (House of Blues)
March 6: Anaheim, Calif. (House of Blues)
March 7: Las Vegas (House of Blues)
March 9: San Diego (Soma)
March 10: Phoenix (Marquee)
March 12: Dallas (Next Stage)
March 13: Austin (Stubb's)
March 15: New Orleans (House of Blues)
March 16: Tallahassee, Fla. (Moon)
March 17: Pompano, Fla. (Amphitheatre)
March 18: Orlando, Fla. (House of Blues)
March 19: Atlanta (Tabernacle)
March 20: Myrtle Beach, S.C. (House of Blues)
March 21: Raleigh, N.C. (Rodeo)
March 23: Baltimore (Recher)
March 24: Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)
March 25: Worcester, Mass. (Palladium)
March 26: New York (Hammerstein Ballroom)
March 27: Philadelphia (Tower Theater)
March 28: Sayerville, N.J. (Starland Ballroom)
March 30: Pittsburgh (Laga)
April 1: Toronto (Kool Haus)
April 2: Cleveland (Agora)
April 3: Chicago (Riviera)
April 5: Milwaukee (Eagles)
April 6: Minneapolis (Quest)
April 7: St. Louis (Pageant)
April 8: Iowa City, Iowa (Union Ballroom)
April 9: Lawrence, Kan. (Granada)
April 10: Denver (Fillmore)
April 12: Salt Lake City (Bricks)
April 14: Seattle (Moore)
April 15: Portland (Crystal)
April 16: Chico, Calif. (Brickworks)
April 17: Los Angeles (House of Blues)

New Video from LIARS (MUSIC VIDEO)

Watch the video for Liars' forthcoming single, There's Always Room On The Broom, which comes out on 9 February
CLICK HERE TO VIEW (Requires REAL)

Kingblind: News that you can use

Bonnie "Prince" Billy Greatest Hits out in March,
New Iron & Wine LP in March
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists DVD documentary out next month
New Elbow album out this month “Cast of Thosands”
TV on the Radio album out in March
The Cure is playing Coachella

The Roy Owens Jr. : HITS THE ROAD

Kingblind's favorite supergroup The Roy Owens Jr. Hits the road again with The High Strung
from Detroit.. Hope to see you there. More tours from Kingblind coming soon..
WINTER TOUR w/ The Roy Owens Jr. and The High Strung
Jan 22: Charlotte, NC @ the Room
Jan 23: Atlanta, GA @ the Echo Lounge w/The Tom Collins
Jan 24: Athens, GA: @ the Caledonia Lounge
Jan 25: Nashville, TN: @ the End
Jan 26: Birmingham, AL @ the Nick
Jan 27: Talahassee, FLA: @ the Beta Bar

Howard Dean loses it. (Post Caucus Speech MP3 Clip)

The infamous Howard Dean clip from the Iowa post caucus speech. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN- 103k- MP3

Gary Panter custom artwork for $100

Gary Panter (of Jimbo and Pee Wee's Playhouse fame) has an incredible offer. Send him $100 and "one to three keywords" and he'll send you an orginal drawing.
CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE
(via boing boing)

THE WHO TURN TO 'TOMMY'

THE WHO are to perform their rock opera'TOMMY' at this year's series of TEENAGE CANCER TRUST benefit shows in LONDON. This year's series of events at the Royal Albert Hall also features performances fromStereophonics, Tom Jones and Jools Holland. Teenage Cancer Trust patron Roger Daltrey said "it is fantastic that we are able to announce another line-up of exceptional shows to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust. "Teenagers with cancer are still discriminated against by the NHS. It is my mission, through these shows, to end this prejudice. Without teenagers, there would be no pop industry and it is about time they are recognised by the NHS as the distinct group of people that they are. "Teenage Cancer Trust is a charity close to my heart and I am working with other members of The Who to break through red tape and get specialist cancer wards built for teenagers suffering from this terrible disease. These units are a right, not a privilege."
The full list of gigs is as follows:
• The Who (March 29)
• Stereophonics (March 30)
• The cream of British comedy hosted by Alan Partridge (March 31)
• Jools Holland (feat David Gilmour, Solomon Burke, Marc Almond, Ruby Turner, Mica Paris) (April 1)
• Tom Jones (April 2)

My Morning Jacket Loses Members

Original lead guitarist Johnny Quaid and keyboard player Danny Cash have quit My Morning Jacket, according to an open letter on the band's official website. Under the headline "MY MORNING JACKET LINE-UP EVOLVES" is a note that states: "After four years of passion, sweat, traveling the world and spreading the love, Danny Cash and Johnny Quaid have decided to hang up their instruments and pursue other things in life." The lead story links to extremely candid statements by Cash and Quaid explaining their recent departures. Quaid's exit is striking for two reasons: first, he's one of My Morning Jacket's original members; the band's in his blood. He's the cousin of woolly bandleader Jim James. Secondly, the majority of the band's last two albums (2001's excellent At Dawn and last year's major label debut, It Still Moves) were recorded on Quaid's family farm in Kentucky. Almost as compelling/stupefying is the fact that Quaid was always grinning like a mo'fucker on stage. His side of the story, so to speak, is a parable about a competition show horse that basically adds up to "my country ass is now ready to go the fuck home." Keyboardist Cash joined the band just in time to record At Dawn. His tasteful, solid playing is a staple of the band's recorded work, and he played a role early on in the development of My Morning Jacket's now somewhat legendary live show. Cash echoes Quaid's home-body sentiment, stating, "Unfortunately, the lifestyle of a touring musician is not the one for me. I've spent a lot of the past several years missing my family and friends back home. As much as I love the band and the music we make, it's just not worth sacrificing my home life." When reached for comment, a spokesman for the band elaborated: "Bands are weird things. It's really like having five girlfriends. Five different people that all need to be happy, have all their needs met and feel fulfilled. It's a tough thing to pull off and sometimes things have to change. John and Danny are great friends and we will miss them dearly, but I think they made the right [decision] in leaving and I really hope and believe that things will still be fine in MMJ world. Life's too short to live it unhappy." Carl Broemel (of shitrockers Silvercrush) and Bo Koster are listed as "on the road" with the band filling in for Quaid and Cash in the interim (Broemel's website, linked below, is pretty priceless -- see for yourself). As previously reported, James is embarking on a solo/collaborative tour with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes and M. Ward (that dude who plays like Stephen Stills and sings like Edie Brickell) after the current flurry of My Morning Jacket tourdates have concluded at the end of the month.

KEVIN'S BLOODY GREAT!

KEVIN SHIELDS's contributions to the soundtrack of critically acclaimed movie 'LOST IN TRANSLATION' have been praised by long-time fan and director of the film, SOFIA COPPOLA. The former My Bloody Valentine guitarist's involvement in the project marked the release of his first new music in more than a decade, as well as now earning him a BAFTA nomination. Sofia, daughter of legendary director Francis Ford Coppola, said: "Loveless' (MBV's classic 1991 album) is one of my favorite records. I got it when I was in my early twenties and would just sit in my house and just listen to it over and over again. The band were really important for me and I'm still a really big fan of [Shields'] music." She added: "We thought it would be great to think we could get in touch him, and weren't really sure whether he'd do it or not. It was really great to finally meet him." However, when Coppola met Shields, she had trouble trying to explain to him how she wanted the music to sound. She told Xfm: "When we first met, I spent much of the time trying to convey to him what I was looking for. I love music, but I don't really know how to talk about it. Its very abstract to me." "Kevin and I worked together by me showing video tapes to him, a musician, and then the result became the way that he responded to it," Coppola said. "Brian (Reitzell - Music Supervisor for 2000's 'The Virgin Suicides') also worked with him, as after working on 'The Virgin Suicides' he's aware of what's required for a film. But really it was just Kevin's response to the visuals of the film." As previously reported Shields contributed four songs to the film, 'City Girl', 'Golf Course', 'Are You Awake?' and 'Ikebana', alongside My Bloody Valentine's previously released 'Sometimes'. The last time Shields' songwriting appeared was on 'Loveless'. After signing to Island shortly after its release, the band indulged in years of sessions for a follow-up until the group dissolved in the mid-90s. The guitarist has now been shortlisted for the 'Anthony Asquith Award For Achievement In Film Music'. He'll find out if he's won at the ceremony, which takes place on February 15 at London's Leicester Square Odeon. Shields is currently touring the UK with Primal Scream, and has reportedly been back in the studio with My Bloody Valentine working on material for an upcoming retrospective compilation.

Prototype DJ madness

Check the the new intergrated Turntable/Mixer from Vestax.. TOO COOL CLICK HERE TO VIEW

Want some new music? Maybe Gnod is the answer

Even if you don't know what you are looking for - gnod will find it. Gnod is a self-adapting system that learns about the outer world by asking people what they like and what they don't like. In this instance of gnod all is about music. Gnod is kind of a search engine for music you don't know about. It will ask you what music you like and then think about what you might like too. When I set gnod online its database was completely empty. Now it contains thousands of bands and quite some knowledge about who likes what. And gnod learns more every day. CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE

Bitten in the Groin by Squirrels: (A tale of madness and intrigue )

We open to find our hero, Lance Manyon, getting ready for bed after another exhausting day at the salt mines. Rather than drink himself into coma, which has been his preferred method of inducing sleep as of late, he decides to drink some tea. This foul-smelling brew is something he picked up at the local hippie emporium. It is a curious mixture of valerian root and melatonin, with perhaps just a pinch of evil. Slaking his thirst with a few healthy gulps, he belches approval and puts on his nightclothes. He reads for a while before his eyelids become narcotic-heavy. Sleep overcomes him in one magnificent wave and he begins a vivid, realistic dream. His first vision is of himself lying bed, very comfortably reading the Sunday morning paper. He is soon distracted by a faint scratching sound. Curious, he gets up to walk around the house and investigate. He doesn’t hear the sound anywhere else other than the bedroom. Forgetting it momentarily, he lies back down and continues reading. The sound appears again, but much louder this time. Just as soon as he looks up at the ceiling, the whole damned thing comes crashing down in his lap and he is face to face with the source of the noise. A squirrel the size of a small dog immediately lunges at him and clamps down firmly on his crotch. It’s small teeth tear into his skin quickly and it’s all he can do to put his hands in the way of certain castration. The beasts jaws are more powerful than imagined and Lance has a hard time prying them open. In his struggle they fall to the floor,tumbling, gnashing, screaming. Eventually, he is able to muster enough strength to rip the squirrel’s jaw open and pull it completely back, breaking it’s small head cleanly in two. Exhausted, he falls back onto the bed and begins sobbing. Just like that, the dream is over and he wakes up confused and frightened. He goes into the master bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. Upon closer inspection he notices what appears to be a small animal hair on his t-shirt. “That does it”, he thinks to himself. “I’m back to bourbon before bedtime.” (by: Adam Renshaw)

Dizzee Rascal- “Fix Up, Look Sharp” (Legal MP3 Download)

New single from the UK Mercury Prize winner.. Rapper Dizzee Rascal CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Dead Meadow “Sleepy Silver Door ” (Legal MP3 Download)

Unreleased version-- Third of the Dead Meadow Unreleased MP3 Series. Fuzz pedals never sounded so good.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Stereolab “Margerine Rock” (Legal MP3 Download)

New single from Stereolab.. Generally, a new Stereolab record does not mean new Stereolab songs so much as slightly new approaches to the old ones. There's a lot of new textures and some different song structures on their new Margerine Eclipse LP, but aside from a couple of the tracks and some interesting formal touches, but it still feels like the same old thing to me. It's so frustrating - they are a band which is constantly changing, but has felt the same way since 1998. And that’s not such a bad thing afterall.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

The Fiery Furnaces- "Gallowsbird’s Bark" (Album Review)

The comparisons are so obvious – how related are The Fiery Furnaces to The White Stripes? The vocals are similar, there’s some good old blues influenced guitar, and the approach is eccentric. I heard their single Crystal Clear about 6 weeks ago and I was impressed by the A-side but it is only now that I have the album that I can get a grip on what they are doing. They are tellers of stories over clever and strange music and it’s as unsettling as it is intriguing. The Fiery Furnaces are unique in the same way as The White Stripes (if that’s not a complete contradiction). Each are wonderful in their own way. The Furnaces are seriously strange and more art-rock with Pissaro references and odd stories. It’s much more keyboard-based and, in some ways, the eccentric songs of Jack and Megan that sometimes seem like fillers between the rocking out pop re interpretations of the blues are actually what The Furnaces are all about. This is an astonishing debut by a band that seems destined to earn the love off everybody who enjoys the offbeat. They don’t have the pop-sensibility and old-age appeal to readers of the Guardian, and the kids that listen to Radio One – but that just makes them even more special. The lunatics are out of the asylum and they play startling music.

KINGBLIND: FAMOUS 5 - TOP 10 (Week 4 of 5)

Well, We told you what we thought was the best of ’03 back in November now it’s time for the movers and shakers to tell you theirs.. Every Monday there is a new member of the “Famous 5” now on week 4 of 5 please welcome: Adam Renshaw-- I am writing this on behalf of Adam Renshaw, a man who wears many hats. He is the backbeat behind rock legends, The Forty-Fives, an opinionated record store employee who also moonlights behind the bar of a live music venue. He enjoys spending time with his cat, Hi-jak!, working on his etchings and mouthing off. Since he is currently infirmed and barely able to summon his man-servant, he scribbled down the following records and cd’s on a crumpled cocktail napkin as some of his favorite finds of 2003. He assured me, however, that this is not a traditional “best of” list, is arranged in random order and is for entertainment purposes only. Some of the following names have been changed to protect the innocent.

10) The Flaming Lips – “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots 5.1”
This gave me a reason to reconfigure my home stereo in “Surround Sound” mode and provided me with the best at-home concert I’ve had yet. 5.1 Audio seems the perfect toy for Wayne Coyne. The Flaming Lips have raised the bar and proved that technology can be used for good instead of evil.

9) Carla Bozulich – “The Red Headed Stranger”
It’s very ambitious to cover an entire album, but she has done it with surprising insight and interpretation. I saw a live performance of this over a year ago and couldn’t wait for the recorded version to come out. Nels Cline’s fluid guitar work is the perfect counterpoint to Bozulich’s smokey vocal. The fact that Willie Nelson himself appears on two tracks is the icing on the cake.

8) Johnny Cash – “Unearthed”
The man, the legend, the icon – what could I possibly say that hasn’t already been pontificated ad nauseum? This is a fantastic 5-cd collection of Rick Rubin recordings and I can’t believe it took this long for some of this material to see the light of day. “Pocahontas” and the Joe Strummer duet “Redemption Song” give me goosebumps in particular.

7) The Who – “Tommy” – Deluxe Edition
I’d first like to say that even though I’m a huge Who fan, I always thought “Tommy” was bit overblown and silly. Frankly, I always preferred “The Who Sell Out”. This new version, however, won me over. The second disc alone is worth buying the whole thing. The out-takes and demos sound great and the instrumental interplay between the band is unlike any other. I don’t know how Townsend, and Entwistle managed to keep time with Keith Moon, but it’s the audio equivalent of watching a car careen off the road.

6) The White Stripes – “Elephant”
Too much press coverage (mainly by the English) and general media overexposure overshadows the fact that this is a great record. And it doesn’t hurt that Jack White plays the shit out of the guitar.

5) The Pretty Things – “The BBC Sessions”
Great 2-cd collection of live in the studio recordings. The fidelity is excellent, except for an odd version of “Midnight to Six Man” that sounds like it was recorded through a telephone. Disc One is the more rockin’ 60’s stuff. Disc Two features some great 70’s “butt-rock” which the Pretties pull off better than contemporaries like Humble Pie or the Faces.

4) David Sedaris – “Live at Carnegie Hall”
This is essentially an “audio book”, but who cares? David Sedaris is one funniest, smartest authors working today and this is a hillarious spoken word performance. The track “Six to Eight Black Men” has become my new favorite for the holidays and I actually made my own mother listen to it on Christmas Eve.

3) Various Artists – “Lost In Translation” Soundtrack
I still haven’t seen the movie, but the soundtrack won me over immediately. Kevin Shields did an excellent job of assembling moody, brooding, introspective music and making it all sound vaguely like My Bloody Valentine.

2) Various Artists – “Nederbeat 63-69”
This is a mammoth 5-cd collection of Dutch garage bands mostly unknown (with the exception of Shocking Blue – the band that gave of “Venus”) here in the U.S. Regardless, there is some fantastic stuff here. Both The Hunters and Brain Box feature the amazing guitar work of Jan Akkerman who went on to form Focus (Hocus Pocus, anyone?). Not only does this box include songs with titles such as “Zoek Je Zo Eenzelfde Verschijnsel Mens”, but Chubby Checker makes an appearance for some inexplicable reason.

1) The United States Government – “War in Iraq”
Absolutely hysterical! The standout track has to be “Search for Weapons of Mass Destruction”. Great stuff and a wonderful addition to their body of work.

Dylan 'Bootleg Series' Rolls On With 'Live 1964'

Bob Dylan enthusiasts will have plenty to celebrate on March 23, when Columbia/Legacy issues "Live 1964: Concert at Philharmonic Hall ... The Bootleg Series Volume 6." The 19-track, double-disc set is drawn from Dylan's Oct. 31, 1964, solo acoustic performance at New York's Philharmonic Hall, two months after the release of the album "Another Side of Bob Dylan." At the show, Dylan previewed three cuts ("Mr. Tambourine Man," "Gates of Eden" and "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)") that wouldn't see the light of day until the March 1965 release of "Bringing It All Back Home." According to the label, the show constitutes the earliest all-acoustic Dylan concert to be officially released. Joan Baez guests on four songs: "Mama, You Been on My Mind," a new arrangement of the traditional "Silver Dagger," "With God on Our Side" and "It Ain't Me, Babe." "Live 1964" is bolstered with a 52-page booklet featuring unpublished photographs and an essay by Princeton University historian Sean Wilentz, who attend the concert as a 13-year-old. The albums comes on the heels of the November 2002 release of the fifth volume in the "Bootleg Series," which chronicled Dylan's 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue tour. Dylan is up for three awards at the 2004 Grammys: best traditional soul gospel album for "Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan"; best pop collaboration with vocals for "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking" from the same album; and best male rock vocal performance for "Down in the Flood" from the "Masked & Anonymous" soundtrack.
Here is the "Live 1964" track list:
Disc one:
"The Times They Are A-Changin'"
"Spanish Harlem Incident"
"Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues"
"To Ramona"
"Who Killed Davey Moore?"
"Gates of Eden"
"If You Gotta Go, Go Now (Or Else You Got To Stay All Night)"
"It's Alright Ma, (I'm Only Bleeding)"
"I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)"
"Mr. Tambourine Man"
"A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall"
Disc two:
"Talkin' World War III Blues"
"Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"
"The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll"
"Mama, You Been on My Mind"
"Silver Dagger"
"With God on Our Side"
"It Ain't Me, Babe"
"All I Really Want To Do"

Escovedo Benefit Album Lineup Swells

Billy Corgan, Jackson Browne and Los Lobos are among the artists who will contribute to the forthcoming tribute album "Por Vida." Due in April via Or Music, the compilation will benefit the Alejandro Escovedo Medical & Living Expense Trust, set up to pay costs associated with the singer/songwriter's treatment for Hepatitis C. Others who will appear on the two-disc album are John Cale, the Jayhawks, Howe Gelb, Calexico, Chuck Prophet, Peter Case and Ian Hunter. They join previously confirmed participants Whiskeytown, Joe Ely and the Flatlanders, Jennifer Warnes and Los Lonely Boys, as well as the artist's brother, Pete Escovedo, and niece, Sheila E. The latest in a series of U.S. benefit concerts for Escovedo will take place Jan. 25 in Charlotte, N.C. Whiskeytown alum Caitlin Cary leads the bill of more than 15 acts that will perform at the Double Door Inn. For information on Escovedo's condition or to contribute, visit the Alejandro Escovedo Medical & Living Expense Trust Web site.
http://www.alejandrofund.com/

ALAN WHITE'S DEPARTURE FROM OASIS CONFIRMED

ALAN WHITE is out of OASIS - and the band say they’ve asked him to leave. The future of the drummer has been the subject of intense speculation all week after a tabloid newspaper claimed he was to quit the group because of problems with tendonitis. White joined Oasis after original drummer Tony McCarroll was booted out before the recording sessions for classic second album ‘What’s The Story (Morning Glory)’ in 1995. White is the closest thing the Gallaghers have to a founder member besides themselves, having played on four albums and countless tours. A spokesperson for the band said today, and confirmed White had left the band. She said:" Alan White has been asked to leave Oasis by the other band members. There are no plans to replace Alan. The band's scheduled recording sessions remain unaffected." Oasis will release their new album later this year, possibly in September.

New Release from Lou Reed

Lou Reed's June 24, 2003, performance at Los Angeles' Wiltern Theatre will be released March 23 in North America by Reprise and a day earlier internationally. Dubbed "Animal Serenade," the double-disc set is Reed's first live album since 1998's "Perfect Night: Live in London." "Animal Serenade" spans Velvet Underground favorites such as "All Tomorrow's Parties," "Venus in Furs," the show-opening "Sweet Jane" and "Candy Says" (sung by guest vocalist Antony), solo numbers such as "Ecstasy" and "Perfect Day" and tunes from Reed's 2003 Edgar Allen Poe-inspired album "The Raven." Last year, Reed also released the photo book "Emotion in Action," a collaboration with German printer Gerhard Steidl. The volume can be ordered from the artist's official Web site. www.loureed.com

GO COLTS !!!

ROCK THE VOTE

N*E*R*D and Black Eyed Peas will perform Feb. 7 at the 11th annual Rock the Vote Awards at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. The Dixie Chicks will be honored with the Patrick Lippert Award for their "commitment to protecting of expression," according to organizers. Former Rhino Records president Richard Foos will receive the Founders Award. Tickets for the event are available at http://www.rockthevote.com

The Melvins celebrate two decades...

The Melvins will celebrate their 20th anniversary in March with the coffee table book Neither Here Nor There . The book is a retrospective highlighting artwork from their releases, commentary from the band and their friends along with a CD collection of tracks spanning their career. The self-proclaimed "greatest band in the history of music", will also embark on a mini celebration tour on the west coast.

Do You Really Know Squarepusher?

Prolific man of many bleeps’n’scrapes, Tom Jenkinson (AKA Squarepusher ) will soon be prescribing his latest dosage of wonderful electro-weirdness to the world. According to the cyber-race of techno life at Warp Records , Jenkinson’ ninth album in eight years Ultravisitor promises to be “his best work yet” and “has a very live, personal feel to it.” Though a tracklisting is not presently available, you can scope out the three-track “Squarewindow” EP on 12-inch vinyl out on Jan. 26.
Tracklisting as follows:
1. Squarewindow (5:00)
2. Talk About You and Me (3:07)
3. Ultravisitor (7:23)
For those without turntables (and you know who you are!), the first two cuts will be available for digital purchase via Warp’s recently launched MP3 site Bleep.com . For that juicy-looking seven-minute title-track, you’ll either have to visit a friend, ex, relative, co-worker, and/or stranger with a wheel of steel or wait until the full-length drops on March 8. No word yet of live dates but based on his gangbustin’ '03 North American jaunt (and endorsements from Andre 3000 ,Thom Yorke and the Neptunes ) we’ll certainly see him stateside soon enough. The Coachella rumors start here!

Camera Obscura to release Merge debut

Merge will be releasing the second album from Glasgow’s Camera Obscura on January 20th. Underachievers Please Try Harder will be the band’s Merge debut, bring their “sophisticated and heartwarming batch of pop heaven” to the label. Fronted by the vocals of Traceyanne Campbell, their music features classic horn & string arrangements that bring to mind 60's pop in the vein of Belle and Sebastian and the Clientele. The album features two bonus tracks not available on the European release, as well as a bonus video.

BOB MOULD GET A BLOG

Legandary Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist and DJ. Bob Mould (Husker Du, Sugar, Etc) has new new weblog and he even mentions Kingblind. COOL !
CHECK IT OUT

Hundreds Of Acts Set For South By Southwest

Liz Phair, Junior Senior, Mission Of Burma, N*E*R*D, the Walkmen, TV On The Radio, Papa Roach and Modest Mouse are among the first crop of acts confirmed for the South by Southwest music festival, to be held March 17-21 in Austin, Texas. Other acts set to perform are comedian David Cross, the B-52s, Alkaline Trio, Crystal Method, Ozomatli, the Decemberists, Pretty Girls Make Graves, the Thrills, Athlete, Matthew Dear, Battles, British Sea Power, Cex, Cooper Temple Clause, the National, Cracker, Spoon's Britt Daniel, Preston School Of Industry, the Delgados, Radio 4 and Dillinger Escape Plan.In addition, the conference has confirmed interview segments with Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne (March 19) and independent icon Ani DiFranco (March 20). For more information, visit South by Southwest's official Web site. http://www.sxsw.com/

GREY AREA!

JAY-Z's 'BLACK ALBUM' has been mixed with THE BEATLES, 'THE WHITE ALBUM' to create the 'art project/experiment' 'THE GREY ALBUM'. DJ and producer Danger Mouse has taken the full vocal content of 'The Black Album' and recorded over new beats and production made using the Fab Four's legendary 'White Album' from 1968. Danger Mouse claims that he can explain and prove that all of the music on 'The Grey Album' can be traced back to 'The White Album' and its content via sampling. 'The Grey Album' will be available through hip-hop record stores and via the Internet in early March 2004.

THE DARK(NESS) IS RISING!

THE DARKNESS are continuing their assault on America, despite likening themselves to rabies. At the end of last week, the band saw their debut album 'Permission To Land' jump 81 places to Number 92 in the Billboard charts, and this week the LP has rocketed to 39. Justin Hawkins said: "It's like the three stages of rabies. First people fear us, then they start foaming at the mouth because they want us. And then they start attacking other people." The Darkness are also planning to capitalise on their continuing success Stateside by playing a North American tour - due to kick off on March 24 before winding up on April 18. The spandex clad rockers will then return in the summer to continue the jaunt. Hawkins said: "The only British bands that have made an impact here are the ones that toured relentlessly. And we've already made an impact having played about ten shows." Bassist Frankie Poullain added: "We're looking forward to hitting the Midwest... places like Pittsburgh that helped define rock music." According to MTV News, The Darkness remained unfazed by criticism that they are too English too succeed in America. "I think rock is a nation in itself. It is one of the few genres that can transcend the cultural boundaries mankind puts in place," Hawkins explained. "If you say certain parts of America are different animals to other ones, if you have a blunderbuss it's gonna hurt whether it's a weevil or an elephant. It's gonna hurt and it's gonna make some damage," he added. The band's second US single 'Growing On Me' will be released around the same time that the band hit the road. "You haven't even seen the tip of the iceberg," Hawkins claimed. "It's the tip of the tip. It's like a snowflake atop the iceberg. ... The question is how many snowflakes does it take to build an iceberg? And only the Lord above can answer that because he's the one who makes them." (what did he say? Huh wha?)

Punk Rockers Invade Iowa

Wayne Kramer, guitarist for legendary Detroit proto-punks the MC5, knows a thing or two about the point where rock & roll and politics meet. In the late Sixties, the MC5 were the house band for the White Panthers political party, and they performed amidst the chaos of Chicago's notorious 1968 Democratic Convention. It's little shock, then, that when Punkvoter -- a political action group founded by Fat Mike of NOFX -- came to Iowa for the year's first Democratic caucus, Kramer was there leading the charge. Punkvoter aims to educate young voters and motivate them to use their voting power come election day. "If young people are one quarter of the voting power in this country, they have the power to change the world," says Kramer. "But they've got to get in on the process." Punkvoter's Iowa delegation included members of Anti-Flag, Rise Against and Faith No More, who took their case directly to the Democratic candidates. "Politicians didn't walk away from us, they actually sought us out," says Punkvoter's Scott Goodstein. "[Dennis] Kucinich and [Howard] Dean spent time with us, as did the [John] Edwards folks. We were the only guys in there with red mohawks, and probably the only ones under the age of thirty." Through punk fanzines and the punkvoter.com Web site, the group has managed to get the word out, and a strong contingent of young punks turned out to offer their support. At a press conference on Sunday, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and representatives from the United Auto Workers and the American Federation of State, County and Federal Employees joined the Punkvoter musicians as they announced the release of Rock Against Bush . The CD and DVD, which features songs by Green Day, Good Charlotte, NOFX, Bad Religion, the Offspring and Sum 41, will be released in March. Kramer kicked things off on Saturday with a raucous show at Blues on Grand in downtown Des Moines. "Hey you motherfuckers, it's time to get educated," he yelled to the mixed crowd of young punks and "whoop-and-hollering union people," before launching into a set that included songs such as "Broken Promise in the Promised Land," "Poisonville" and "The American Ruse." The introduction brought to mind the MC5's famous "Kick out the jams, motherfuckers!" war cry, and the MC5/Punkvoter connection is not lost on Kramer. "Thirty-five years ago, we got into the game too late," he says. "There were already 50,000 dead, there was a full-scale war going on [in Vietnam]. Nobody really understood why we were there, there was a president who didn't seem to be qualified for the job, and things were spinning out of control. It was just like it is now, and there's no little irony in that." Kramer and his Punkvoter cohorts want to "get active before things get as bad as we know they can get." But, according to Punkvoter, that depends on energizing young America and getting the vote out. "Freedom isn't free," Kramer says. "Democracy has to be participatory. It's something that requires some effort, so we'll be riding through the neighborhood, clanging bells and yelling, 'The fundamentalists are coming! Wake up, you motherfuckers!'"

Grand Royal: FOR SALE

Go buy whatever is left of Grand Royal. Current Bid: $10,000
(via fimoculous)

SIGUR ROS COMPLETE LIVE CONCERT

Download the entire Sigur Rós March 27, 2003 show in Atlanta, at the Tabernacle. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
(via largehearted boy)

Coachella Update (Pixies, Radiohead, Kraftwerk confirmed)

Organizers have confirmed one of the worst-kept secrets in music — that Radiohead, German electronic quartet Kraftwerk and the newly reunited Pixies will headline the first night of the two-day Coachella music festival on May 1 in Indio, California. Last year's festival was headlined by the Beastie Boys and Red Hot Chili Peppers and included performances by the White Stripes, the Stooges, Ben Harper, Queens of the Stone Age, Underworld, N.E.R.D. and approximately 70 other bands. Did we mention that it’s in the middle of the California desert at a polo field.. hmm.

JACK WHITE PLEADS INNOCENT TO AGGRAVATED ASSAULT CHARGE

WHITE STRIPES star JACK WHITE has pleaded innocent to the charge of aggravated assault against him. As a result the star will stand trial on March 9 on the charge. The charge relates to an incident in December last year when the singer got into a fight with Von Bondies singer Jason Stollsteimer at the Detroit Magic Stick venue. In the incident Jason says he was attacked, Jack spoke to police and insists he was acting in self-defence. If found guilty White is looking at a maximum one-year jail sentence. (Yeah right.. Like that is gonna happen. )

Superdrag on Hiatus; Prepare Box Set, Solo Material, Find Jesus

Knoxville, TN's Superdrag have a whole mess of stuff going on right now-- which is impressive, considering they're officially on hiatus for the time being. After bassist Sam Powers announced back in May that he was departing to focus on starting a family with his wife, the band has been in a holding pattern (aside from a few shows back in the summer). They may've been quiet, but they certainly have been busy. To begin with, Wrecked 'Em Wreckords has released the debut album by The Used To Be, entitled Shameless Self-Destruction . The release is long overdue, as the band, who was previously just called The Used, disbanded in the early '90s, and essentially reformed as Superdrag shortly thereafter. John Davis, drummer for The Used, formed Superdrag as an outlet for the songs he was writing that didn't fit the punk sound of The Used, and recruited the rest of the band (minus bassist Chris Hargrove) to fill out the remaining positions. Considering another band has come along since then using the name, adding To Be seemed like the logical way to avoid any legal issues that could ensue, as well as making it clear that they are no longer a band. In addition, Superdrag has been preparing a box set that will include plenty of unreleased material, demos, and rarities. A book project has also been discussed, although it's unclear what the contents will be, but it's quite possible that the book will simply be absorbed by the box set. A release date has not been set, but the final tracklisting should be hammered out by the end of the month for a release sometime later in the year. Finally, John Davis has been working on solo material of a slightly different nature after moving to Nashville. No, it's not what you think. He is working on his debut solo record, and is in talks to ink a deal, although the specifics of who the deal is with are unclear at press time. Of the record's content, Davis says the following: "I should let you know that if you are offended by spirituality in general, or the word 'Jesus' in particular you may want to proceed with caution when the record comes out." Rumors have been floating around about his signing a deal as a Christian artist, but Davis assures the readers on Superdrag.com that these rumors have been "greatly exaggerated." He did quit smoking though, so that's pretty good I guess. (PFM)

Kraftwerk Announce World Tour

German electronic legends Kraftwerk announce world tour.. Indie geeks of the world rejoice!!
02-06 Helsinki, Finland - Old Ice Hall
02-08 Stockholm, Sweden - Cirkus
02-09 Stockholm, Sweden - Cirkus
02-10 Stockholm, Sweden - Cirkus
02-12 Oslo, Norway - Rockefeller
02-13 Oslo, Norway - Rockefeller
02-14 Copenhagen, Denmark - KB Hall
02-15 Copenhagen, Denmark - KB Hall
02-24 Osaka, Japan - Namba Hatch
02-25 Osaka, Japan - Namba Hatch
02-26 Nagoya, Japan - Kinro Kaikan
02-28 Tokyo, Japan - Zepp
02-29 Tokyo, Japan - Zepp
03-02 Tokyo, Japan - Shibuya Ax
03-03 Tokyo, Japan - Shibuya Ax
03-04 Tokyo, Japan - Shibuya Ax
03-15 Dublin, Ireland - Olympia
03-16 Glasgow, Scotland - Academy
03-17 Manchester, England - Apollo
03-18 London, England - Royal Festival Hall
03-20 London, England - Brixton Academy
03-22 Paris, France - Grand Rex
03-23 Brussels, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique
03-25 Berlin, Germany - Tempodrom
03-27 Cologne, Germany - Palladium
03-28 Hamburg, Germany - CCH3
03-29 Amsterdam, Holland - Heineken Music Hall
03-31 Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 1
04-01 Madrid, Spain - La Riviera
04-02 Lisbon, Portugal - Coliseum
04-05 Munich, Germany - Muffathalle
04-06 Munich, Germany - Muffathalle
04-07 Frankfurt, Germany - Jahrhunderthalle
04-08 Dresden, Germany - Alter Schlachthof
04-23 Toronto, Ontario - Ricoh Coliseum
04-24 Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis
04-26 Seattle, WA - Paramount
04-28 San Francisco, CA - Warfield

Lupine Howl- The Carnivorous Lunar Activities Of... (Legal MP3 Download)

In the late '90's, frustrated by Spiritualized top dog Jason Pierce's notoriously autocratic management style, three of the group's members started talking about forming their own band. In 1999, the idle talk became reality when bassist Sean Cook , guitarist Mike Moooney , and drummer Damon Reece started their own Pierce -less project, which they dubbed Lupine Howl. Here is the fruit of their labor.. Enjoy CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Noise Pop Artists Announced

San Francisco's most awesome annual music festival (incidentally, it may be the only one), Noise Pop is getting all dolled up for 2004, installment number 12 in a long line of illustrious indie extravaganzas. This year's "jam-packed week of music, film, education, culture, beer, and more music" (yeah, that sounds a little too perfect... could it be a trap set by the editors of Fader ? Those scamps are always coming up with some sort of scheme...) is scheduled for Feb. 24 - 29. But boy have we got news for you! News, I tell you! We got a line on a few early confirmations, and we want to share. So far, the word is: Super Furry Animals, Low, Dillinger Escape Plan, Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players, Sage Francis, the Detroit Cobras, Denali, John Vanderslice , the Locust, Trans Am, Gold Chains, and a newly reunited American Music Club. Again, it sounds a little fishy. Now where's a group of meddling kids and a cartoon dog when you need..

Blondie Beats Back The 'Curse'

Blondie's next studio album, "The Curse of Blondie" has landed at Sanctuary for North American release and will hit stores on April 6. The set was issued internationally by Epic last fall and debuted at No. 36 on the U.K. album chart. Cuts on "The Curse of Blondie" include opener "Shakedown," the Joey Ramone tribute "Hello Joe," an update of the Okinawan folk song "Magic (Asadoya Yunta)" and "Desire Brings Me Back," described as "free-jazz tinged." "It's been a standing joke for years," says lead singer Debbie Harry of the album's title. "Every time something weird would happen we would say, 'It's the Curse of Blondie.' A lot of people take it seriously, but it's silly. It's sort of a Vincent Price, horror movie type title. I think it's lucky." Blondie's only confirmed tour plans are a U.K. tour beginning June 5 in Bournemouth and wrapping June 24 in Newcastle. More dates are expected. (And yes that means in the USA)

The Darkness Leads Brit Award Nominees

With four nominations, the Darkness lead the field for the 2004 Brit Awards, to be held Feb. 17 at Earls Court in London. The band is up for best British group, rock act, British breakthrough act and album for "Permission To Land" (Must Destroy/Warner Music). Dido, Dizzee Rascal, Daniel Bedingfield, and Busted each have three nominations; Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera each have three nods in the international categories. As previously reported , Duran Duran will be honored with an outstanding contribution award at the ceremony, in recognition of its 25-year-career. The group will also perform at the event. The nominations were announced at a launch party today in London that featured live performances by nominees Busted, Amy Winehouse and Goldfrapp.
Here are the 2004 Brit Award nominations:
British Male Solo Artist:
Badly Drawn Boy
Daniel Bedingfield
David Bowie
Dizzee Rascal
Will Young

British Female Solo Artist:
Amy Winehouse
Annie Lennox
Dido, Jamelia
Sophie Ellis Bextor

British Album:
Blur, "Think Tank"
The Coral, "Magic and Medicine"
Daniel Bedingfield, "Gotta Get Thru This"
The Darkness, "Permission To Land"
Dido, "Life for Rent"

British Group:
Busted
The Coral
The Darkness
Radiohead
Sugababes

British Single:
Dido, "White Flag"
Gareth Gates, "Spirit in the Sky"
Jamelia, "Superstar"
Mis-teeq, "Scandalous"
Rachel Stevens, "Sweet Dreams My LA Ex"

British Rock Act:
The Darkness
Feeder
Muse
Primal Scream
Stereophonics

British Urban Act:
Amy Winehouse
Big Brovaz
Dizzee Rascal
Lemar
Mis-teeq

British Dance Act:
Basement Jaxx
Goldfrapp
Groove Armada
Kosheen
Lemon Jelly

British Breakthrough Artist:
Busted
The Darkness
Dizzee Rascal
Jamie Cullum
Lemar

Pop Act:
Black Eyed Peas
Busted
Christina Aguilera
Daniel Bedingfield
Justin Timberlake

International Male Solo Artist:
50 Cent
Beck
Damien Rice
Justin Timberlake
Sean Paul

International Female Solo Artist:
Alicia Keys
Beyonce
Christina Aguilera
Kylie Minogue
Missy Elliott

International Album:
Beyonce, "Dangerously in Love"
Christina Aguilera, "Stripped"
Justin Timberlake, "Justified"
OutKast, "Speakerboxx" / "The Love Below"
White Stripes, "Elephant"

International Group:
Black Eyed Peas
Kings Of Leon
OutKast
The Strokes
White Stripes

International Breakthrough Artist:
50 Cent
Evanescence
Kings Of Leon
Sean Paul
The Thrills

Outstanding Contribution:
Duran Duran

New details on the death of Elliott Smith

Read the LA county coroners report for all the new information. CLICK HERE TO READ

Photographic tour of The Replacements' Minneapolis.

CLICK HERE to see The Replacements Minneapolis
(Via fimoculous)

The White Stripes to play grammys

Whether or not they wind up winning any of the four Grammy Awards for which they're nominated, Jack and Meg White will take the stage anyway. No, the red-and-white-clad duo aren't planning on pulling an Ol' Dirty Bastard or "Soy Bomb"-style bum rush as seen at the 1998 ceremony. Rather, the White Stripes are the first performers announced for the 46th annual Grammy Awards, set for February 8 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The stripped-down pair's latest album, Elephant, will be facing off against Missy Elliott's Under Construction, Evanescence's Fallen, Outkast's Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below and Justin Timberlake's Justified for the prestigious Album of the Year honors. The band's fourth LP is also up for Best Alternative Music Album, competing against the latest releases by Radiohead, Sigur Rós, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Flaming Lips, whose seven-song EP Fight Test features the twanged-up tune "Thank You Jack White (For the Fiber-Optic Jesus You Gave Me.)" The White Stripes single "Seven Nation Army," meanwhile, is up for Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Rock Song. This year's Grammy Awards promise a close race. Four artists are tied with a pack-leading six nominations, and nine have garnered five nods.

WHITE TO LEAVE OASIS?

OASIS drummer ALAN WHITE has reportedly left the band. According to yesterday’s The Star (UK) newspaper , the drummer has decided to leave the group because of an ongoing problem with tendonitis. An official spokesperson for the band is unable to confirm the reports today, and there has been no official comment.

Coachella Festival Set For May 1-2

The fifth Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival will be held May 1-2 at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, Calif. Although organizers are still a ways off from announcing the lineup, Billboard.com can reveal that Air, Prefuse 73, the Thrills and Electric Six are confirmed to play. Radiohead and a reunion of the Pixies are strongly rumored as headlining acts. "It's something we've talked about but I don't know if it is confirmed," Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood said this morning about the possibility of the band appearing at the event. Radiohead wraps an eight-date tour of Japan and Australia on April 27 in Melbourne. Fans can expect about 60 bands to descend on the sprawling venue over the course of two days. Last year's festival, promoted by Goldenvoice, featured headliners the Beastie Boys and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, alongside Sonic Youth, Interpol, the White Stripes, the reunited Iggy and the Stooges, Underworld, N*E*R*D and the Hives. Organizers estimate more than 68,000 fans were in attendance.

KINGBLIND: FAMOUS 5 TOP 10 (week 3 of 5)

Well, We told you what we thought was the best of ’03 back in November now it’s time for the movers and shakers to tell you there’s.. Every Monday there is a new member of the “Famous 5” now on week 3 of 5 please welcome: Roy Owens Jr. Hi, I listen to music all day, most days. I listen to all kinds of music, though I have a deep and sometimes violently passionate love for rock n' roll, which in truth makes me a typical kind of rock music lover. I also enjoy making my own rock music. (This fact should probably either make me qualified to have a list like this or be such a huge conflict of interest that you would, in fact be completely wasting your time to read it. Ultimately, who cares right?) Anyway, I'm not famous or rich or even traditionally good looking, though I do know a lot of famous and rich and fantastic looking people, (I'm still waiting for it to rub off.) Kingblind asked me to give them a list of the best 10 releases of 2003 with brief descriptions. Hopefully, reading it will prompt you to either agree or disagree with my opinion - as is your right. ok here you go. (and these are in no particular order) (The Roy Owens Jr. are a super great pop band from Atlanta, GA) (A.Q.: aka Roy) is commonly referred to as the brian wilson of the south.. Which is totally true. He's awesome..

johnny cash - unearthed :: technically it's 5 records...but hey, if you like the man in black, you shouldn't live another day without this collection of mostly solo later recordings.

mogwai - happy music for jerks like me :: I didn't want to like this record. but I somehow kept listening to it over and over again, (thanks to my illegal mp3 download). I bought the 12" for both fidelity reasons and my fear of Matador deciding I was killing music and suing my ass and it just got better and better.
**addendum - I'm not really afraid of Matador, or MP3s killing music, because someday, I am quite certain that ClearChannel will just figure out a way to buy all of it up and then they will come after me...and you too.

pernice brothers - yours mine and ours :: simply an exquisite pop record. This guy's voice is like that first scotch after a long day of work as the CEO of some mega corpo-corp like ClearChannel...smooooth

josh rouse - 1972 :: I know nothing of this guy or his story or anything. I happened upon his record kinda by accident - you guessed it...illegal mp3 downloads strike again. WOW. what a great surprise. catchy, well recorded songy songs that made me hum along until I knew the words, then I just deleted it in case I was being watched...or did I?

the high strung - these are good times :: the record beat me over the head until I submitted to it's greatness. I hope there's more coming soon. Amazing pop infused rock n' roll music with few frills and many great hooks.

the darkness - permission to land :: Is this King Diamond being backed up by early Heart? GOD I HATED THIS RECORD...until the third listen. Now I'm finding myself in the checkout line at walgreens totally reliving the record in my head. Sister Havana never sounded so good - muthafuckah!!!! (I'll hate this record again when I relisten in 10 years...just like Ratt)
**addendum: I just saw the darkness video "I believe in a thing called love" in Target (the retail chainstore). What the fuck? Add to that - the previous video being from Fountains of Wayne, who I was seriously considering for this list until today...the lines are blurring for me now, I guess. Am I evil? Is it too late? ahhh...but why has Stacy's mom got it going on in my head? (what a slut eh?)

the shins - chutes too narrow :: like the first Shins record - it's flawless. I listen to it all the time. Just great songs sung in a real matter-of-fact kinda way. One of those records you put on in 10 years and love just as much....(see: the darkness)

grandaddy - sumday :: I think I heard this and that new pete yorn record on the same day. lucky for grandaddy, I guess that pete yorn's record blows such huge balls. I wore this one out inside a month and now I can't stand it...but it's better than good. I heard they even got to be on Conan, or Letterman or some network late night show, good for them! (next stop Target!....see the darkness)

the starlight mints - built on squares :: A friend handed me a promo 7" of brass digger earlier in the year. I haven't discovered a band that good through a 45 in years. it was as if I were taken back to a simpler time in my childhood. The music is poppy and quirky and fun - that's really hard to do without becoming They Might Be Giants or worse, Fountains of Wayne....(see: the darkness).

supergrass - life on other planets :: Ok, this band is a rawk fucking monster. all of their records have this vibe like everyone in the band is having a big'ol rock n' roll party in their parent's basement while they are away at a tupperware convention in Akron. Another one for the ages of rock to look kindly upon, although probably unlikely if ClearChannel has any say in it....(see: mogwai).

all in all - 2003 was an ok year for my stereo.

the stills: "still in love song" (Legal MP3 Download)

live on conan o'brien CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
(via Bradley’s almanac )

Julian and Bob (Legal MP3 Download)

Download Julian Casablancas of the Strokes singing "Glad Girls" with Guided By Voices.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
(via largehearted boy)

Arab Strap - The Shy Retirer (Record Review)

A standard bearer for Arab Strap's signature pop/hung-over melancholy mix, though it does little to fundamentally advance this idiom. "Shy Retirer" leans too heavily on the pop side, "Good Part" too heavily on the melancholy. My favorites were the B-sides "New Saturday" and "Shy Retirer (Remix)". The Van Halen and AC/DC covers are like dream Karaoke renditions (especially as Moffet's Scottish twang, to my ears, sounds perpetually drunk). They could make good road-trip sing alongs, too, as you can all pretend to have Scottish accents.

Kaoss Entrancer: Gives You Control Over Audio and Video (Gear Review)

Following the success of its KAOSS Pad Dynamic Effect/Controller, Korg is introducing the KAOSS entrancer. This unique hybrid controller brings real-time, fingertip control over visual effects, while retaining the same audio effect processing and sampling as the KAOSS Pad. It's ideal for the VJ, DJ, club, or electronica artist looking for cutting edge video and audio manipulation during live performance. The KAOSS entrancer provides real-time control over digital effects processing for both audio and video sources, either together or separately. Users move their finger along the X/Y pad to control the way in which effects are applied. This touch (or sweep) of a finger allows a multitude of parameters to be manipulated, for easy synchronization of the video and the audio while creating advanced audio and video effects changes. These capabilities provide more intuitive control over real-time visual effects than the current range of VJ software and hardware available in the market. A library of 100 video effects programs is provided for control over the user's video material. It offers basic effects such as fade, wipe, color change, freeze, flip, rotate, and expand/shrink, and more sophisticated effects such as stretch, split-screen, invert image components, mirroring, and emboss. Audio signals are processed with the same 100 effects found in the second-generation KAOSS Pad. Audio and video can be processed at the same time by using the 100 specially-designed Combination programs. The user can also sample audio (up to 12 seconds) and video (up to 6 seconds) independently, then save the images/samples for play back, or apply effects to them. The KAOSS entrancer accepts two video signals (composite or S-Video) and stereo audio input, with the ability to switch between the two video inputs. It has MIDI In and Out for controlling other devices and for playback of sequencing pad movements. Other features include:
*Auto BPM and Tap Tempo control
*Mute/Freeze switch
*Eight "favorites" buttons for instant access to effects programs
*Audio and Video sample playback from the pad for scratching effects
*RCA audio inputs/outputs

Sony unveils 45 hour mini disc

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Sony Corp. has introduced a revamped mini-disc Walkman that doubles the recording capacity of current discs and a new 1-gigabyte mini disc that records up to 45 hours of music, up from the current 80 minutes. The new offerings from the Japanese electronics and entertainment giant, called Hi-MD, attempt to make up for the qualities that were lacking in current mini discs, such as sound quality and compatibility with personal computers, while keeping prices affordable, Sony officials said. Available in the United States in April, in Europe from April to June, and in Japan in June, the machines will sell for about the same prices as current MD Walkmans, ranging from 30,000 yen ($280) to 45,000 yen ($420) in Japan. The new discs will cost 700 yen ($6.50) each. Current MDs cost 100 yen (90 cents). Sound quality will approach that of compact discs, and Hi-MD will also download and upload files to PCs. Current MDs can download but cannot upload information to PCs. Other electronics makers, including Japanese rival Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., producer of the Panasonic brand, are being approached to adopt the technology, and several including Sharp Corp. and Kenwood, have expressed interest, officials said. Hi-MD also comes with copyright protection security, and the new discs can decode encrypted files, so users can purchase music downloads, a business that is expected to grow globally. "The machine matches the broadband era, and we hope to expand the overall music download market," Sony Deputy General Manager Tsutomu Imai told reporters at a Tokyo hall where the new machines -- which look very similar to the old versions -- were shown. Sony's offering is a bid to better compete against digital audio products already on the market such as Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod, which holds up to 10,000 songs on a hard drive and is expected to make a big marketing push in Japan this year. But analysts say prospects for Hi-MD aren't clear because the MD format has not caught on outside Japan. "The MD has taken a back seat overseas," says Kazuharu Miura, analyst at Daiwa Institute of Research in Tokyo. "As long as it remains popular only in Japan, it lacks power as a product." In mini-disc recorder and player sales, Japan accounts for 60 percent of worldwide sales, while Europe stands at 24 percent. North America makes up just 10 percent. Imai said hopes were high the Hi-MD features will help boost U.S. sales. Sony also announced it is launching an online music service, Connect, this spring in the United States. Like a slew of new rivals in the market, Sony's site will sell songs for 99 cents and most records for $9.95. It will feature about 500,000 tracks from the major record labels and independents, the company said. Sony plans to market the service by offering frequent flier miles through United Airlines. Sony is targeting combined sales of 70,000 of the three Hi-MD Walkman models in Japan for the first month. It did not give a target for overseas sales. Sony estimates that global sales of MD players and recorders from all manufacturers have totaled about 80 million since the devices went on sale in 1992. Sony expects to sell more than 7 million mini-disc Walkmans worldwide in the fiscal year ending in March. While acknowledging it wasn't totally innovative like past Sony hits, such as the original Walkman, Vice President Tadao Yoshida defended Hi-MD as adding to consumer choices. "It may be seen as merely bringing together old technology," he said. "But it's keeping abreast of the rapidly changing network era and creating a market. And that's a Sony trademark."

The Mars Volta tour down under

January 15th Auckland, NZ - Galatos
January 16th Auckland, NZ - Ericsson Stadium (Big Day Out)
January 18th Gold Coast, AUS - Gold Coast Parklands (Big Day Out)
January 22nd Sydney, AUS - The Metro
January 23rd Sydney, AUS - Sydney Showgrounds (Big Day Out)
January 24th Sydney, AUS - Sydney Showgrounds (Big Day Out)
January 26th Melbourne, AUS - RAS Showgrounds (Big Day Out)
January 28th Melbourne, AUS - The Hi Fi Bar
January 30th Adelaide, AUS - Royal Adelaide Showgrounds (Big Day Out)
February 01st Perth, AUS - Claremont Showgrounds (Big Day Out)

GO COLTS !

IRISH RAPTURE!

THE RAPTURE have announced details of their first Irish headline show.The punk-funkers will play at The Village in Dublin on February 10 following their appearance at Cardiff University two days earlier (February 8). Tickets will cost €16 including booking fee and go on sale today (January 10).The date also coincides with the release of the band's new single 'Love Is All' from their debut album 'Echoes'. The Rapture will release a new version of 'Love Is All' on February 9 - re-recorded recently in New York with veteran producer Steve Lillywhite (U2, Talking Heads, Morrissey). The single will be backed by album track 'I Need Your Love', which has also been remixed by Ewan Pearson. A special limited edition 7" of 'I Need Your Love'/'Love Is All' will be released on red vinyl on the same day. 'Love Is All' also marks The Rapture's inclusion on the NME Awards tour, due to kick off on January 25 at Newcastle Northumbria University. The band will be joined on the bill by Funeral For A Friend, The Von Bondies and Franz Ferdinand.
The dates are:
* Newcastle Northumbria University (January 25)
* Glasgow Academy (26)
* Birmingham Academy (27)
* Sheffield University (29)
* Liverpool University (30)
* Manchester University (31)
* Leeds University (February 2)
* Nottingham Rock City (3)
* Norwich UEA (4)
* Portsmouth Pyramids (6)
* London Brixton Academy (7)
* Cardiff University (8)

THE DARKNESS GROWING ON THE US

THE DARKNESS have started their assault on the US charts, making their first appearance in the Top 100 as the highest climbing album of the week. 'Permission To Land ' hit the Number One spot in the UK during the summer 2003, and in this week jumped from 173 to 92 in the Billboard chart Stateside. The spandex rockers have started promoting the album in the US, explaining its climb up the charts, and are set to appear on the David Letterman show last night. The band were also due to make an appearance at the Virgin Megastore in New York's Times Square today, according to Music Week magazine. As previously reported, The Darkness are also trying to break the notoriously hard American market through computer games. Tracks from the band’s ‘Permission To Land’ are to be used on the soundtrack for the 2004 instalment of the hugely successful John Madden Football series – a move which could prove make or break for the band’s US fortunes.

KINGBLIND RECOMMENDS

Here is what we have on our stereo
(ELO: Out of the Blue)--(Tom Waits: Blood Money)--(Tom Waits: Bone Machine)--(British Sea Power: Decline of British Sea Power)--(Run DMC: Raising Hell)

HP's iPod

We're just as surprised at this as you are, but apparently Apple and HP have cut a deal to creat an HP-branded iPod. In exchange, HP is going to pre-install Apple's iTunes software on all of its PCs. CLICK HERE FOR STORY
(via Gizmodo)

Dead Meadow – Good Moanin (Legal MP3 Download)

Washington DC's Dead Meadow makes some of the heaviest rock you'll find, but they mix the brutality with an enchanted beauty the likes of which you've never heard before.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Desaparecidos- The Happiest Place On Earth (Legal MP3 Download)

Bright Eyes without the quiet side or something entirely new? You decide. Either way, Desaparecidos comes kicking and screaming to you, straight from Omaha.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Marky Ramone Revisits His Old Band

Marky Ramone said his two-date "Marky Ramone and Friends (an evening of music by the Ramones)" mini-tour is designed to gauge audience interest in hearing the music of the legendary New York band live in concert again. "I've been getting so much email and things from kids saying, 'Why don't you come out and play some Ramones songs?' because a lot of them were too young to see the Ramones," says Marky. "So I figured I would put something together, do a few shows, have some fun and make some Ramones fans happy." The idea for the shows -- Detroit (Jan. 15, Alvin's) and Cleveland (Jan. 17, Beachland Ballroom) -- came to Marky last summer when he played Ramones material at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum with Cleveland musicians C.J. Gunn (guitar), Aaron Dowell (bassist) and David Divine (singer) sitting in. Marky says original member Johnny Ramone is no longer interested in playing music. But fans attending the upcoming special shows can expect to hear material from all eras of the Ramones' 20-plus year career. “I want to see how it is going to go over," says Ramone. "But this isn't a tribute band, I want to make that clear. I just want to show people what I played in the Ramones, who weren't able to see the Ramones and how other bands have, I guess, imitated or copped things from the Ramones, and have put it in their own style, which is fine." He says a good response will more than likely result in a full-fledged tour later this year. In addition to writing a book about his experiences in the New York punk scene, Marky is looking forward to working on another Joey Ramone solo album, a posthumous follow-up to his bandmate's 2002 disc "Don't Worry About Me." Marky hopes the 12 demo tracks, which Joey recorded with producer Daniel Rey, will be out sometime this year. However, the project is not yet affiliated with a label. Hypothetically speaking, Marky feels had Joey survived his bout with lymphoma, which took his life in 2001, that the two of them would be currently working together. Prior to his death, Joey talked to Marky about joining his project the Resistance, as well as the possibility of forming a band with Dee Dee Ramone, who died in 2002, and either Walter Lure from the Heartbreakers or even Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols.

PRIMAL SCREAM LINE UP SUPPORT!

THE ICARUS LINE are to support PRIMAL SCREAM on their imminent UK tour. The punk-rock five-piece release a limited edition single, ‘Up Against The Wall Motherfuckers’ on February 16, followed by an album, ‘Pennance Soiree’ in April. Before that, they head out round the UK with the rock veterans, the dates as follows:
Glasgow Carling Academy (January 16-17)
Manchester Apollo (18)
Birmingham Academy (20)
Southampton Guildhall (21)
London Hammersmith Apollo (23)
London Coronet (24)

Fountains Of Wayne Spoof 'American Idol'

After having been spoofed on "Saturday Night Live" and every late-night talk show, "American Idol" will get another comedy licking courtesy of Fountains of Wayne, who mock a televised talent show in their new video for "Mexican Wine." The power-popsters' video for the second single off Welcome Interstate Managers opens with the pseudo show's host announcing last week's returning champions, Katie and Linda Lipschitz of Piscataway, New Jersey. Asked what song they'll perform, the 10-year-old identical twins shout, " 'Mexican Wine' by Fountains of Wayne!" and break into song. Although Katie's on harpsichord and Linda's playing guitar and "singing," it's Fountains singer Chris Collingwood's voice we hear. "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest had agreed to participate in the video, which was shot in Los Angeles in December, but scheduling conflicts prohibited his appearance, according to the band's spokesperson. Chris Applebaum (Britney Spears, Kid Rock), who also directed FoW's "Stacy's Mom" video, helmed the satire. The scene shifts to the deck of a "Big Pimpin' " yacht for the song's second verse, where Collingwood, bassist Adam Schlesinger, guitarist Jody Porter and drummer Brian Young are performing for a fabulous crowd amid a line of dancers. The bandmembers also mingle with the crowd until a pillow fight between nubile young ladies breaks out. The set then changes to a mock-up of Duran Duran's "Rio" video, complete with a scuba-diving swimsuit model sipping a glass of Mexican wine underwater. The final scene returns to the talent show's soundstage, where little Linda Lipschitz stands behind a makeshift kitchen counter. Her sister is absent until Linda removes the lid from a big, simmering pot. There she finds Katie's head, framed by black beans — à la Wall of Voodoo's "Mexican Radio" video — and singing the remainder of the song as the judges rejoice. "Mexican Wine" is expected to surface at radio beginning January 20, with the video airing at the end of the month.

The Riverboat Gamblers "Ice Water"(Music Video)

Shot with no budget one night in Austin Texas at Beerland in 2003. Was meant to show how great the RBG live shows are.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW Requires Quicktime

Beatle's estate sues doctor

Suit claims physician forced weakened Harrison to sign guitar
NEW YORK (AP) -- A doctor forced a weakened George Harrison to autograph a guitar for the physician's teenage son two weeks before the ex-Beatle died of cancer, a lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges. Filed by Harrison's estate, the suit alleges that the musician tried to resist the request by saying, "I do not even know if I know how to spell my name anymore." The suit alleges that Dr. Gilbert Lederman responded by saying, "Come on, you can do this," and held Harrison's hand as the musician wrote his name on the guitar "with great effort and much obvious discomfort." The estate seeks possession of the guitar and two cards it says Harrison signed as he was treated by Lederman, a Staten Island-based expert in treating large tumors with high doses of radiation. Harrison died in November 2001 after battling lung cancer and a brain tumor. "This lawsuit is strictly allegations. Frankly, I think it's absurd," Lederman's attorney, Wayne Roth, said Tuesday. "He didn't coerce Mr. Harrison." Harrison's wife and son believe a National Enquirer story about Harrison's death that featured Lederman's son holding the instrument was orchestrated by Lederman to raise the item's value, a lawyer for the Harrison estate said Tuesday. "George was literally lying there dying and the doctor forced George to sign a guitar," Paul LiCalsi, an attorney for Harrison's estate, said Tuesday. "The doctor should not be permitted to profit from this behavior." Roth said Lederman's son still plays the guitar and the family has no intention of selling it. The instrument, appraised in connection with a state investigation of Lederman's treatment of Harrison, is worth less than $10,000, Roth said. The estate also accuses Lederman of violating Harrison's privacy by orchestrating invasive media coverage in the interest of promoting his medical practice. Lederman conducted interviews about Harrison with several news outlets, many within hours of the ex-Beatle's death, the suit charges. The state Health Department reprimanded Lederman for talking to the press about Harrison without his consent. Lederman accepted his censure, reprimand and a $5,000 fine, documents show.

Bowie, Wilson, Martin On 'Mayor' Soundtrack

David Bowie, Brian Wilson and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin are among those contributing tracks to the upcoming Shout! Factory soundtrack to the documentary "Mayor of the Sunset Strip." The album is due March 18. The George Hickenlooper-directed film, scheduled to hit theaters March 26, chronicles the career of Los Angeles DJ Rodney "On the Roq" Bingenheimer, who has broken many successful acts on his show on the city's KROQ-FM. Wilson's "Rodney on the Roq" kicks off the set, which also includes an as-yet-unnamed in-studio performance by Coldplay's Chris Martin and a previously unreleased 1971 performance of "All the Madmen" by David Bowie. Other cuts on the disc include Marizane's "Mayor of the Sunset Strip," co-written by Dramarama co-founder and film co-producer Chris Carter. Dramarama's own "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)," Hole's "Malibu" and the Smiths' "London" also appear on the soundtrack alongside the Ramones' "I Wanna Be Sedated," X's "Los Angeles" and They Might Be Giants' "Bangs." Additional tracks may be added.
Here is the track listing for the soundtrack to "Mayor of the Sunset Strip":
"Rodney on the Roq," Brian Wilson
"Los Angeles," X
"My Back Pages," the Byrds
"Bangs," They Might Be Giants
"Welcome to Hollywood," Leon Russell
"All the Madmen," David Bowie
"Get It On (Bang a Gong)," T-Rex
"School's Out," Alice Cooper
"I Wanna Be Sedated," the Ramones
"London," the Smiths
"Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)," Dramarama
"Jennifer Love Hewitt," Ronald Vaughan
"Malibu," Hole
Live In-Studio Performance, Chris Martin
"Who Is Rodney Bingenheimer?," Anthony Marinelli
"Mayor of the Sunset Strip," Marizane
"I Hate the '90s," Rodney Bingenheimer

BEATLE JUICE!

A documentary tracing THE BEATLES’ first assault on AMERICA is to reissued on DVD, 40 years after it was filmed. Released in February, ‘The Beatles First US Visit’ chronicles the first two weeks when Beatlemania crossed the Atlantic in February 1964. Shot by by film-making brothers Albert and David Maysles, the original black and white film was originally screened on television in the UK and US in 1964. It became the inspiration for The Beatles movie ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. The new 80-minute version contains never-before-seen footage, as well as a 50-minute ‘making of’ documentary and an interview with cameraman Albert Maysles. It follows the band on and offstage through New York, Washington and Miami as their single ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ climbed to Number One in the US charts. The DVD will be released in the US on February 3 and worldwide on February 9 by Apple Corps/Capitol Records, following theatrical premieres in New York, Los Angeles and London.

The Shins hit the Road.

From the Kingblind top 15 list to your front yard. New Mexico favs The Shins hit the road.. Catch em if you can. You won’t be sorry.
01-13 New York, NY - Late Show with David Letterman
01-20 London, England - Arts Cafe
01-21 London, England - Garage/Scala (w/ Modest Mouse)
01-22 London, England - Monarch Barfly
01-31 Seattle, WA - Showbox
02-01 Seattle, WA - Showbox
02-02 Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
02-04 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
02-05 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater
02-06 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater
02-08 Mission Beach, CA - Canes Ballroom
02-10 Washington, D.C. - Black Cat
02-11 Washington, D.C. - Black Cat
02-13 Boston, MA - The Roxy
02-14 New York, NY - Irving Plaza
02-15 New York, NY - Irving Plaza
02-15 New York, NY - Late Night with Conan O'Brian

New music videos from Mates of State

Mates of State - "Proofs" CLICK HERE TO VIEW Quicktime (16MB)
Mates of State - "Fluke" CLICK HERE TO VIEW Quicktime (10.6MB)

New Calexico in April

Calexico's still-untitled follow up to Feast Of Wire will be out April 6th on Touch and Go Records.

Little Steven becomes creative advisor for Sirius radio

E Street Band guitarist "Little Steven" Van Zandt has signed on as a creative advisor for Sirius Satellite Radio. He will create a programming stream similar to his weekly syndicated radio show, "Little Steven's Underground Garage," which will launch later this year. "Steven will contribute a lifetime's worth of sage music experience to the Sirius programmers," Sirius president/CEO Joseph P. Clayton says in a statement. "And, as an accomplished musician, radio programmer and DJ he'll create an appealing 24/7 rock format that isn't available anywhere else." "Underground Garage" is heard on more than 130 stations in the U.S. and Canada, and internationally on Voice of America. Information, affiliate lists and archived shows can be found on the show's Web site.Van Zandt recently wrapped a world tour with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, and will be seen in his role as Silvio Dante when the fifth season of the drama "The Sopranos" premieres March 7 on HBO. Meanwhile, Van Zandt's former castmember Vincent Pastore has also joined the radio ranks, debuting a talk show today (Jan. 6) on WVOX-AM New Rochelle, N.Y.

Cursive on NPR

Cursive's "A Gentleman Caller" was featured on NPR's All Things Considered. Take a listen here.

Modest Mouse Returns With 'Good News'

Veteran underground rock act Modest Mouse will on March 30 release "Good News for People Who Love Bad News," its first studio album in more than three years. The Epic set is the follow-up to Modest Mouse's 2000 label debut, "The Moon & Antarctica,". The album was produced by Dennis Herring and recorded at Sweet Tea Studios in Oxford, Miss., with additional recording in Memphis. One song was mixed in mid-August by the Flaming Lips at producer Dave Fridmann's upstate New York studio. The set marks the ecorded debut of Modest Mouse's latest lineup, which features frontman Isaac Brock, bassist Eric Judy and new drummer Benjamin Weikel, replacing Jeremiah Green. Founding guitarist Dan Gallucci is also back on board, after spending the past few years in the now-defunct Murder City Devils. "Good News" also sports guest appearances from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, the Hackensaw Boys' Tom Peloso and Otha Turner's Rising Star Drum Band. Modest Mouse kicks off a three week North American tour Feb. 4-5 in New York. Beforehand, the group will play a one-off Jan. 22 show in London with the Shins.
Here are Modest Mouse's tour dates:
Jan. 22: London (Scala)
Feb. 4-5: New York (Irving Plaza)
Feb. 10-11: Tampa, Fla. (Orpheum)
Feb. 12: Miami (Polish American Club)
Feb. 13-15: Orlando, Fla. (The Social)
Feb. 17: St. Augustine, Fla. (Cafe 11)
Feb. 18: Jacksonville, Fla. (Jack Rabbit's)
Feb. 20-21: Tallahassee, Fla. (Beta Bar)
Feb. 26: Seattle (Showbox)

Apple's iPod Mini

Apple just announced the iPod mini.. A 4gb MP3 player that holds over 1,000 songs.. only $249.00 TOO COOL..
CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE DETAILS

Dave Grohl To Produce Rye Coalition

Rye Coalition, who are either one of the most rocking indie bands on the planet or one of the most indie rock bands on the planet (depending on your perspective), are currently working on the follow up to 2002's On Top . The record will be the band's first since leaving their former home at Tiger Style Records for the big leagues at Dreamworks. The New Jersey quintet made minor waves back in June when they signed to the label, home to a wide range of artists including emo-pop superstars Jimmy Eat World, Saturday Night Live newsman Jimmy Fallon, Nashville songwriter-turned-country singer Jimmy Wayne, and many other artists who's names are not Jimmy. After the deal was set, the band began working with their A&R rep, Kenny Salcido, to find a producer for the new record. A wish list was created, with rocknfuckinroll superstar Dave Grohl at the top as what basically amounted to a "yeah, right" candidate. Luckily, Grohl was already a fan (not too surprising, when you consider that Rye Coalition have toured with Grohl best-buddies Queens of the Stone Age) and hit it off with the band after their first meeting. No release date has been set, but anticipation is high, and the band is aware of it. According to their website, the sessions have been "nothing short of amazing, and each member has not only raised the bar on their writing style, but their already extraordinary playing level as well." It is currently unclear if the finished result will actually be released by Dreamworks considering the label's absorbtion by the notorious roster-slashers at Universal Music Group , but if the end product glows even half as bright as the band's own assessment of the work-in-progress, it just might be Alien Ant Farm that get their walking papers.
(via PF Media)

From Vinyl to Digital, Hold the Crackle

: New York Times instructional article on how to rip vinyl "rip vinyl" being the action of recording the record, and "R.I.P. vinyl" meaning the death of physical medium.
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Judge Orders Kirkwood To Remain In Custody

An Arizona judge has ruled that Cris Kirkwood (Meat Puppets) is a flight risk and a danger to others and must remain in custody. As previously reported, the 43-year-old former Meat Puppets bassist has been charged with assault stemming from a Dec. 26 altercation with a federal post office security guard. U.S. Magistrate Judge Virginia Mathis also ruled Wednesday that there is enough evidence to try Kirkwood in connection with the incident at a Phoenix post office, said Harriet Bernick, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office. Kirkwood is accused of hitting a federal post office security guard in the head with a baton that the musician took from the guard during a struggle. According to court documents, the guard then shot Kirkwood in the back. The incident began over a dispute about parking with another customer. Kirkwood was released from a Phoenix hospital on Dec. 30 and was subsequently arrested and charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon at a federal facility. No trial date has been set.

Damien Rice’s latest to be re-released

Damien Rice's Shortlist Music Prize-winning album, "O," will be re-released Jan. 27 in an expanded package. The 10-track Vector/Warner Bros. CD remains intact, while an additional DVD will feature live versions of the songs "Cannonball," "The Blower's Daughter" and "Volcano" as performed for "Sessons @ AOL."Rice will kick off a European tour Feb. 11 in Glasgow. Following that leg's March 12 conclusion in Florence, the singer/songwriter will hit the road in North America. Dates are slated to begin March 23 in Boulder, Col., and wrap April 29 in St. Louis, Mo. For full details, visit Rice's official Web site. Released in August, "O" reached No. 7 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart in October, shortly after the Shortlist Prize was awarded. It has sold 167,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Kinks star shot in New Orleans

(CNN) -- Ray Davies, the lead singer with the British rock band The Kinks, is recovering after being shot in New Orleans. A police spokesman said Davies and a female companion were walking near the French Quarter at about 8:30 p.m. ET Sunday when two suspects approached them and grabbed the woman's purse. Davies, 59, ran after the suspects, and was shot in the leg, New Orleans Police Department spokesman Capt. Marlon DeFillo said. The woman was not injured, police said. The songwriter was taken to a hospital, where he was treated and released soon afterwards in good condition. DeFillo said police had arrested one of the suspects and were seeking the other. Davies' manager Deke Arlon confirmed the Londoner had been shot in the leg. "He was in New Orleans and was leaving a restaurant with his girlfriend last night," he told the UK's Press Association. "They were attacked by two muggers who stole a handbag. He chased after them and he was shot in the leg. "It is not really serious. He should be up and about in a day or so. "The message that came back to me was that he is in good spirits." Davies founded the Kinks, which was one of the most influential bands of the 1960s, with his brother Dave in London in 1963. Their hits include "You Really Got Me," "All Day and All of the Night," and "Lola." He continues to perform four decades on and his songs went on to become hits for acts like The Jam, Van Halen and The Pretenders. Davies became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire last week in Britain's New Year honors list for services to music.

Kingblind’s Famous 5 Top 10 (Week 2)

Well, We told you what we thought was the best of ’03 back in November now it’s time for the movers and shakers to tell you there’s.. Every Monday there is a new member of the “Famous 5” now on week 2 of 5 please welcome: Little Steven Van Zandt, Steven Van Zandt's distinguished career in the music business spans twenty-five years, as an acclaimed record producer (for artists like Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Artists United Against Apartheid, Darlene Love, Lone Justice, Gary U.S. Bonds, Michael Monroe (Hanoi Rocks), Lords of the New Church, the Arc Angels), as a songwriter (for artists including Jimmy Cliff, Southside Johnny, Gary U.S. Bonds, Brian Setzer, Darlene Love), and as a musician (Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. As an actor Steven Van Zandt recreated himself once again in a completely new incarnation: acting. He plays Silvio Dante in HBO's new, critically acclaimed dramatic series, "The Sopranos," about a present-day New Jersey Mafia family. In April 2002 Little Steven launched “Little Steven’s Underground Garage!” a nationwide rock and roll radio show...
Little Steven's Top 10 Detroit Albums of 2003
1. The Dirtbombs + Dangerous Magical Noise (In the Red)
2. The Fondas + Coming Now! (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
3. Freddy and the Four-Gone Conclusions + The Wigged Out Sounds (Get Hip)
4. The Hentchmen + Three Times Infinity (Norton)
5. Outrageous Cherry + Stay Right Here for a Little While (Rainbow Quartz)
6. Outrageous Cherry + Supernatural Equinox (Rainbow Quartz)
7. Iggy Pop + Skull Ring (Virgin)
8. The Romantics + 61/49 (Web Entertainment)
9. The Singles + Better than Before (Rainbow Quartz)
10. The White Stripes + Elephant (V2)

Top ten most amazing proposed amendments to the constitution, that, for better or worse, never passed:

1. An attempt to abolish the U.S. Senate. (1876)
2. An Executive Council of three, to replace the President. (1878)
3. Renaming the country, "The United States of the Earth." (1893)
4. Acknowledging that the constitution recognize God and Jesus Christ as the supreme authorities in human affairs. (1894)
5. A proposition that all acts of war be put to a national vote. Anyone voting yes would have to register as a volunteer. (1916)
6. An attempt to limit personal wealth to $1 million. (1933)
7. The forbidding of drunkenness in the United States and all of its territories. (1938)
8. The income tax for an individual shall not exceed 25%. (1947)
9. American citizens should have the right to an environment free of pollution. (1971)
10. Defining marriage as strictly between men and women. (2003)

MAKE BRITNEY SING.. NO MORE LIP SYNCH

Sign the petition forcing Britney Spears to actually SING and not lip synch on her live shows. HA HA ... SOOO FUNNY
CLICK TO SIGN PETITION

Branson wants to buy back Virgin Records

SIR RICHARD BRANSON has tried to buy back Virgin Records from EMI as part of a strategy to become a major force in the music industry once again. The entrepreneur made an approach to EMI’s chairman, Eric Nicoli, in November and “would still be interested if some opportunity arose”, a Virgin source said.
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Elliott Smith: Live and Others (Legal MP3 Downloads)

Some Song Alternate Ver. (4.1mb) orig. from "Needle in the Hay" 7"
Jealous Guy (3.7mb) Live at the Black Cat Washington DC, 1998
Waterloo Sunset (1.5mb) Live at the Terrace Club Princeton, New Jersey 1997

Roqlarue- Seattle / La Luz De Jesus- Los Angeles

Great Pop Art / Lowbrow Gallery in Seattle, WA CLICK HERE
The Legendary Pop Art Gallery In L.A. CLICK HERE

AT HOME WITH RICHARD HELL

Punk for Posterity, for the whole NY Times story. CLICK HERE TO READ

Shellac – “Watch Song” (Legal MP3 Download)

Take three talented musicians, two acclaimed producers, and one brilliantly, famously acerbic personality. Stir. What do you get? You get some highly original, uncompromising, intelligent, and generally all-around ass-kicking music. You get Shellac. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Rachel's – “Last things last” (Legal MP3 Download)

The best indie chamber music ensemble in the world. These sweeping, lovely compositions are as luminous and enticing as the moon itself.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Keith Moon named greatest rock 'n roll rogue

LONDON (AP) -- He wasn't called Moon the Loon for nothing. The late Who drummer Keith Moon, famed for trashing drum kits, cars and hotel rooms, topped a list of the "100 most insane moments in rock" released this week by British music magazine Q. Moon, who died from an overdose of prescription drugs in 1978, was singled out for a life of excess that included countless drug-fuelled brawls, a food fight with police in Flint, Mich., and an impromptu fireworks display on a U.S. television show. The quirky list, chosen by magazine staff, ranges from famously volatile stars such as Marilyn Manson, Courtney Love and Eminem to Bob Dylan, who was included due to an alleged fondness for British motorway service stations; country legend George Jones, who once drove a lawnmower down a freeway; and Elton John, who spent almost $725,000 USD on flowers in less than two years.
The Top 10:
1. Keith Moon
2. Prince -- proselytizes door-to-door for Jehovah's Witnesses
3. Marilyn Manson -- covers fan in meat
4. Michael Jackson -- puts curse on Steven Spielberg
5. Elvis Presley -- flies 1415 kilometres for peanut butter and bacon sandwiches
6. Mayhem -- Norwegian band's bassist kills guitarist
7. Courtney Love -- lies down semi-naked in London street
8. Marion (Suge) Knight -- career of oft-jailed rap impresario
9. Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown -- troubled marriage
10. Freddie Mercury -- Queen frontman's backstage antics

The Mini iPod is in question

Attempting to deflate the recent hype, Jon Fortt of the San Jose Mercury News says that we shouldn't count on seeing a "mini-iPod" introduced next week: For Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs to introduce such a product during his speech Tuesday at Macworld Conference & Expo, Apple would have to either unveil a breakthrough hard-drive technology, begin selling iPods based on the same flash-memory storage cards that many digital cameras use, or adopt a new small drive made by Cornice, a Longmont, Colo., start-up. Apple does not typically focus its engineering efforts on hard drives. Just last month, an Apple vice president told the Mercury News that the Cupertino company has no plans to make a music player based on flash storage cards. And a spokesman familiar with Cornice's business said he is not aware of a relationship with Apple. Personally speaking Kingblind is going to be rather surprised if this surfaces. But truth be told, Apple may very well opt to sidestep all talk of the mini iPod next Tuesday, but analyses like the presented by Fortt are as rumor-driven and discreditable as the very rumors he is trying to discredit. There are also rumours of an iBox?? Guess we just have to wait until Tuesday to find out the real story..

Pinback: Offline PK (Legal MP3 Download)

Vibrant, dueling melodies traded like sunsets experienced by lovers from opposite sides of the world. Frenetic rhythms that speed up and slow down just when you want them to. Taut guitar. And those harmonies. Those harmonies! To hear them is to love them. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

NEEDLE DOCTOR

Needle worn out? Turntable belt broken? Well here is your one stop shop for all things vinyl CLICK HERE

OutKast Tops Final 2003 Album Chart

OutKast's double-disc "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below" (Arista) returns to the pinnacle of the Billboard charts reflecting in the final full sales week of 2003. The 4-1 rebound marks the third separate occasion the set has topped the chart. Sales rose 12% to 374,000 in the holiday week, according to Nielsen SoundScan, giving the set a 14-week sales total of 3.1 million.

Sammy Davis Jr. Musical In The Works

Producers casting a new musical about the life of entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. will hold auditions next month in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. The show will be called "Mr. Bojangles: The Ultimate Entertainer." JTR Entertainment, which is producing the show, is looking for two performers -- "who can sing, dance, act and do impersonations, all at the same time" -- to portray Davis. "The show will focus on Sammy's triumph over his own doubts and fears, and will recreate the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing Sammy live," Gerry Dedera, the show's director, says in a statement. Davis died in 1990. His hit songs included "Mr. Bojangles," "I've Gotta Be Me" and "The Candy Man," and his films included "Porgy and Bess," "Ocean's 11," "Robin and the 7 Hoods" and "Sweet Charity." Auditions are set for Jan. 10 in Chicago, Jan. 17 in New York and Jan. 24 in Los Angeles. The show will open in early 2004 and will tour major casinos across the country.

Time Square NYC New Years Eve

Check out this great Quicktime VR of Time Square last night Requires Quicktime 6 or higher.
(via Boing Boing)

LA Coroner Can't Tell if Singer Committed Suicide

Elliott Smith's death might not have been a suicide.

INDIE ROCK LIVE

Check out this site for some killer live shows. Including Crooked Fingers and Azure Ray CLICK HERE FOR SITE

2004 Happy New Years!!! 2004

GO USC TROJANS !!!