Happy Labor Day! Time for BBQ, Bands and B-Movies.. We miss you Rip...

New Yeah Yeah Yeah's Video

RealVideo stream the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' brand new Date With The Night video!

New Single from Joe Strummer

Called "Coma Girl", from the new Joe Strummer and The Mescalaros album "Streetcore" which comes out October 21st. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN Requires Real Player.

Spiritualized: She Kissed Me-- (MP3 Download)

Highly Limited Edition three track EP before the upcoming full length "Amazing Grace" album. Come in cool box packaging that will hold all three ep's in the series. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3 CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

Broadcast: "Pendulum" (MP3 Download)

On their early singles and brilliant debut album The Noise Made By People, Broadcast's committment to crafting meticulously, ethereally beautiful atmospheres gave their music a detached quality that made them somewhat difficult to embrace fully. This isn't the case on Haha Sound, the band's second album. While their music still sounds like it could've been crafted by ghosts in the machine, now Broadcast gives it flesh and blood through more warmth and texture. A big part of Haha Sound's expansive feel is Trish Keenan's increasingly expressive vocals; while she can still occasionally seem to be hovering slightly outside the songs, her delivery is much more vulnerable and emotive. Broadcast could probably make dozens of immaculate pop songs if they wanted to, but all the detours the band takes are precisely what make the more perfectly-crafted songs so precious. Haha Sound may not be Broadcast's most superficially perfect album, but it's a more challenging and exciting one because of its deliberate imperfections. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

The Polyphonic Spree-- The Beginning Stages Of… (Album Review)

You might think that I'm reciting the works of a singing participant from the Hare Krishna. That is not entirely correct. Actually, I'm reciting lyrics from the debut album of the Polyphonic Spree called The Beginning Stages Of… The Polyphonic Spree consists of 24 men and woman in long white gowns who make music that sounds like the Flaming Lips and Belle & Sebastian, but without the "negative" emotions that those bands have in their songs. The Spree only wants happy songs, apparently, so you won't get a "Feeling yourself Disintergrate" or a "Fox in the Snow" on The Beginning Stages of… . Only happy thoughts! Only positive emotions! Nothing will stop you from emerging yourself completely in the beautiful arranged music (I didn'’t except any less from 12 band members who play an instrument), and jump through the room while shouting "Follow the day and reach for the sun!" Or will it? The Beginning Stages of… ends with a track called "A Long Day." Supposedly some experimental avant-garde song, it can be measured to the most dreadful boring experiments by the likes of Yoko Ono and Laurie Anderson. To put it simple: it's almost 37 minutes full of sampled "aah" en "oooh" voices, arranged in a way that it should somehow resemble a melody. The only thing it does is getting on my nerves. Don't get me wrong, I like experimental music, but 37 minutes of buzzing voices is too much, even for me. But off course, you could recite Dizzee Rascal by shouting "Oh well!" and use the stop button on your CD player where it is made for. "Hey it's the sun! And it makes me smile!" Overall this is a recommended purchase.. Enjoy.

Erase Errata - At Crystal Palace (Album Review)

Like a spazzier and less overtly-politicized Le Tigre, Erase Errata are easily the coolest thing going in San Francisco right now, a cleansing rain of lo-fi disco punk helping to erase any lingering patchouli odor wafting off of Haight. Not for everybody, but I bet this makes those cool girls from your art class dance around all jerky like Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang.

Kings of Leon - Youth and Young Manhood (Album Review)

This debut full-length from Nashville's Kings of Leon is not the balls-to-the-wall Southern rock that I was expecting - there's a lot more charm and diversity in the 11 tracks of Youth and Young Manhood. The band, consisting of three brothers and a first cousin, is talented enough to change things up from bluesy, backwoods rockers ("Molly's Chambers") to sixties-inspired singalongs ("Holy Roller Novocaine") and on into the high-quality slow jams ("Dusty", "Trani"). Check the Blondie riff of “California Waiting” as well. Recommended late summer tunes.

WELLER 'MALICE' DELIGHTS FANS!

PAUL WELLER delighted 500 fans by playing a host of classics from throughout his career at a LONDON instore show last night (August 27). The Modfather, backed by his regular band of Steve White, Steve Cradock and Damon Minchella, performed a 13-song set at the HMV store in Oxford Circus, which took place after the store had closed for the evening. As well as tracks from most of his solo albums, the star encored with Jam classics 'The In Crowd' and 'A Town Called Malice', to the delight of the audience. Weller released a 3CD anthology of B-sides and rarities called 'Fly On The Wall' last Monday.

Cash ill again

JOHNNY CASH has been hospitalised with an unspecified stomach condition. The country music legend was due to appear at the VMA awards in New York, but instead – according to manager Lou Robin - watched the ceremony from his bed in the Nashville Baptist Hospital. A statement from Robin says Cash's hospitalisation is an "isolated incident", despite the singer being admitted several times over recent years due to autonomic neuropathy, a disease that makes him particularly vulnerable to pneumonia. He said; " Johnny is being held for observation and treatment of this stomach condition and should be released within a few days."

High Llamas Veg Out On New Album

Sean O'Hagan is one of those people who, a bit like Frank Black, might be considered by some to be too damn clever for his own good. In other words, with a little more focus and a little less extravagant allusional riffing, both of them might have actually become genuinely famous. But they took the snarky road less travelled, and that has made all the difference. O'Hagan, who along with Cathal Coughlan ran the estimable Microdisney empire for a good many years, has latterly chosen to peddle the pomo-Beach Boys angle with the High Llamas, interspersed with some technical assistance in the general direction of Stereolab. Said High Llamas are about to release a new album, Beet, Maize and Corn , on Drag City this October 7th. The album was recorded in London in 2002, and produced by O'Hagan and Fulton Dingley. The Llamas have been fairly quiet since their last album, Buzzle Bee , all the way back in 2000-- although Sean O'Hagan has been previewing these new songs in a live solo environment since some time in 2001. But in the meantime, the band has had some time to think about what they did, and where they want to go next. So they seem to have dispensed with a conventional rhythm section and their usual raft of electronic jiggery-pokery for this album, in favor of string and brass arrangements, and more of an emphasis on pure melody. There seems to be some confusion, however, about the imminence (or lack thereof) of Llamas live dates. It seems that there were to be some shows here sometime in October, but it looks like those might have been, ahem, deferred until early next year. In any event, Drag City tells us that "it's going to be a religious experience when The High Llamas come to town-- reserve your meditation mat today." I'm not entirely sure Ticketmaster won't try to divine an additional fee for that existential bliss, but it sounds good to me.

All Tomorrow's Parties L.A. Festival Sets Sail In November

After being postponed earlier this summer due to poor ticket sales (What's that? Couldn't sell $100 tickets to a multi-venue experimental music festival in the middle of a war-driven recession?), the Matt Groening-curated All Tomorrow's Parties 2003 is back with a new name (ATP™ Pacific 2003), a new venue (the venerable Queen Mary, a 1930's-era steamship), and a surprisingly strong new lineup. Modest Mouse, Built To Spill, The Shins, Elliott Smith, Spoon, Cat Power, !!!, and the Black Heart Procession are just a few of the recent additions to the fest, which will now be held November 8th-9th. ATP™ Pacific 2003 will also feature a number of blasts from the past-- most notably, the West Coast debut of the reformed Iggy Pop and the Stooges. Actually, I think "reformed" is a poor choice of words to use to describe Iggy. You might recall that Mike Watt and J Mascis joined forces with the former Stooges at a prior incarnation of ATP; brace yourself for the real deal. And speaking of Watt, look for a Minutemen reunion of sorts at the fest, with bassmaster Watt and drummer George Hurley joining forces to cover Minutemen material as a duo. Mission of Burma, Daniel Johnston, and the Magic Band (sans Captain Beefheart) are among the other musical veterans who'll be-- quite literally I suppose-- on board. Unfortunately, the only drawback to the postponement is that Groening's original lineup-- which included worthy acts like ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, The Breeders, The Boredoms, Neko Case, The Fall, Mogwai, Wire and Yo La Tengo-- won't all be able to make it. However, the organizers are offering full refunds to ticketholders who either can't make it, preferred the original lineup, or get seasick just watching TV's "Shipmates." As an added bonus, the fest organizers have actually lowered the ticket prices and made one-day passes available at half the original cost. The new venue is also all-ages, according to ATP organizers. In other ATP news, the Stephen Malkmus-curated East Coast edition of ATP has been pushed back to 2004. However, Malkmus is on board for the UK Director's Cut edition of ATP, which will feature two weekends of ATP madness curated by six different ATP alumni. Mogwai, Tortoise, and Shellac will split duties for the first weekend, March 26th-28th, 2004 at Camber Sands Holiday Centre. Malkmus (and the Jicks), Sonic Youth, and Foundation take a day apiece for the second weekend, April 2nd-4th, 2004. So far, each of the curating groups are booked to play, but the remainder of the lineup has yet to be announced.

Free live track from The Strokes

The Strokes "12:51" (live at the Summer Sonic Festival, August 3rd 2003) - So does this mean that next year it will be hip to say that you are influenced by the first two U2 albums? Or could Julian Cassablancas's passable Mark E Smith impression be enough to distract most people from the fact that the music sounds as though it is an outtake from the Boy sessions? CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

Tom Waits helps with the healing

Singer/songwriter Tom Waits has joined the lineup of Healing the Divide - A Benefit Concert for Peace and Reconciliation. Set for Sept. 21 at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in New York, the event will also feature performances by Hamza El Din, Philip Glass, Buddhist Monks from the Gyuto Tantric Choir, Nawang Khechog, Kronos Quartet, R. Carlos Nakai, Anoushka Shankar and Foday Musa Suso. A highlight of the event will be an address by the Dalai Lama, who will be in New York for a rare visit that will also include a public talk held in the city's Central Park. Glass and actor Richard Gere will host the show, which will benefit Healing the Divide, a non-profit organization established to improve the lives of impoverished communities throughout the Himalayan region.

REM / Wilco Webcast

The official Web sites of R.E.M. and Wilco will host a free Webcast of a concert by both bands Sunday (Aug. 31) in Missoula, Mont. The show is the first U.S. date on R.E.M.'s 2003 world tour, which kicks off its North American leg Friday (Aug. 29) in Vancouver. The Webcast will begin at 9 p.m. ET and will be accessible to fans at Remhq.com and Wilcoweb.com .Wilco is supporting R.E.M. through a Sept. 14 show at Morrison, Colo.'s Red Rocks Amphitheater. Other opening acts on the include Sparklehorse, Ed Harcourt and Pete Yorn.

Vintage AC/DC Show Hits DVD

While AC/DC gets down to business on its next studio album , Epic has set a Nov. 11 release date for "Live at Donington," a two-hour DVD chronicling an Aug. 17, 1991, show at the famed outdoor U.K. venue. Originally issued on VHS in 1992, the DVD will be packaged in a deluxe digi-pack with a 12-page color booklet. At the time of the performance, AC/DC was touring in support of its 1990 album "The Razor's Edge." Opening cut "Thunderstruck" and "Moneytalks" are represented from that set, as are such classics as "Back in Black," "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap," "You Shook Me All Night Long," and the show-closing "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)." The DVD is packed with extra features, including a director's cut by original filmmaker David Mallet, a remastered stereo audio track and 5.1 Surround mix, and the option to view several songs with a close-up view of guitarist Angus Young. Epic continues to trot out reissues of the group's back catalog, continuing on Oct. 7 with a vinyl boxed set collecting all 15 albums in the series. The albums will also be available individually on remastered 180 gram vinyl. The 1997 AC/DC boxed set "Bonfire" has also been remastered and will be released Sept. 9.

Azure Ray Peddling Love In October

Azure Ray, comprising Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor, are set to release their third full-length album, Hold on Love, October 7th on Saddle Creek. The album will be preceded by a single, "The Drinks We Drank Last Night" (try saying that five times fast after the drinks you drunk last night) on September 9th, replete with non-album tracks galore:
01 The Drinks We Drank Last Night
02 Last Night
03 The Love of Two
04 We Are Mice (Bleed Version)
The good people of Saddle Creek (whose recent Saddle Creek 50 sampler is the best value for money this side of the free advice I hand out at the bus station every Saturday morning, and which includes two beautiful examples of Azure Ray's musical wares) tell us that, while they haven't entirely broken the mold, Azure Ray are evolving with this new material, maintaining the ethereality that characterized their earlier output, but rounding the sound out somewhat a little too. They got a good bit of help in that process from a fairly formidable production team, consisting of Eric Bachmann (of Archers of Loaf and Crooked Fingers), Andy Lemaster (a principal of Fink and Taylor's other outfit, Now It's Overhead) and Mike Mogis, a Saddle Creek mainstay who's produced for Bright Eyes and The Faint. The band also gets some programming assistance from The Faint's Clark Baechle on "The Devil's Feet" and "We Are Mice." But in case you fear change, you can rest assured that this album is still drenched in some pretty lush string arrangements and gorgeous harmonies. Just right for the burnished and smoldering cusp of summer and fall, you might say.

New Ted Leo EP coming up!!

Ted Leo is set to release a new EP October 7th on Lookout! Records. The lead track is "Tell Balgeary, Balgury is Dead" from the Hearts of Oak album, but there are also three more solo tracks and three very interesting covers. First of all, there's "Dirty Old Town," written by Kirsty McColl's dad Ewan, which was made kinda-famous by The Pogues. And then there's The Jam's "Ghosts," from their last studio album, The Gift . And finally, and perhaps most bafflingly, there's "Six Months in a Leaky Boat," the old Split Enz hit. Apparently the reports that Leo might also take on Springsteen and Thin Lizzy on this EP didn't pan out for this release. So dig on Leo's new Celtic pop thang and love.

Iggy, Stooges explode back in raucous homecoming

The Stooges played the DTE Energy Music Theatre on Monday night. Iggy Pop, right, performs with band members Mike Watt (Minutemen /fIREHOSE) on bass and Scott Asheton on drums and brother Ron Asheton on guitar. All of the group's original members, minus Dave Alexander (who passed away), performed in a wild homecoming. It took five minutes for the years to slip away. Twenty minutes for the Detroit rock crowd to descend into mayhem. And just an hour for the Stooges to deposit one of the best, most explosive rock shows the area has seen in a long, long time. Monday evening at DTE Energy Music Theatre was a night that many had been awaiting for years: the return of Iggy Pop with brothers Ron and Scott Asheton on a hometown stage. The pent-up energy was disgorged, triumphantly, by the time the Stooges got to their seventh song, "Real Cool Time," with a lone fan wiggling past security and up onto the stage. That's all it took. Egged on by Iggy -- "Let 'em up here!" -- dozens of concertgoers piled onto the stage, elbowing past frustrated guards and dancing for 10 minutes of glorious chaos as the band played on. Cups hurtled through the air. Beer decorated those below. More than 100 jammed themselves onto the DTE stage as Iggy and the Ashetons blasted into "No Fun" (wanna bet?) and turned the night into a memorable event. It was a supremely Detroit evening for the band whose hell-raising posture and hair-raising sound helped launch punk rock and gave Detroit one of its definitive contributions to popular culture. It was three decades since the Stooges hung up their gear, but Monday, time got blasted away when Ron Asheton lit into the clipped riff of show opener "Loose." The tempo was raced -- nerves can do that -- and a show that had been scheduled for 13 songs in 80 minutes turned into 14 songs in just an hour. But not before the Ashetons and a kinetic Iggy, joined by bassist Mike Watt and sax man Steve McKay, had laid out sonic destruction: the primal crunch of "1969," the ecstatic rumble of "Dirt," the pungent bite of "T.V. Eye." With all but one song drawn from the Stooges' first two albums, the show's energy continued to mount as it moved forward -- menacing, dark, noisy and loud. For all the band's efforts -- and musically, they were near flawless -- it was the dyed-in-the-wool Detroit rock crowd that made the night. The Stooges had sought communion from the get-go, bringing up the house lights frequently to dissolve the distance between band and audience. No spotlights were engaged; the band played under a wash of orange and red stage lights. This wasn't about the Stooges. This was about the Stooges and their hometown. "We could be back at the Grande in '69," yelled one concertgoer, finding familiarity in the energy and tumult. It takes a special band to make that kind of sensation come to life, to transform it from a memory into something visceral and real. And if the Stooges are smart, they won't wait 30 years to do it again.

The New Pornographers back out on the road

The New Pornographers are in the midst of a two-week jaunt across the U.S. which actually took flight last week (sorry for the late notice, kids). However, we didn't want to deter you from checking them out because their show is not to be missed, with the gorgeous Neko Case belting out tunes equal parts classic-rock '70s and po-mo '00s. And when the Pornos swing into the breakdown at the end of Mass Romantic , it's almost like they're singing right to me. Oh Mylanta, what a voice. So foxy! Let Neko (or Carl, if that's your thing) fulfill your glam fantasies like the New Pornographers have in this boy's life. They'll be introducing the United States to Vancouver popsters The Young and Sexy, whose second album, Life Through One Speaker , will be released by Mint Records on October 7th. Here are the remaining dates (all August shows with The Young and Sexy):
08-26 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts
08-27 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
08-28 Atlanta, GA - Echo Lounge
08-29 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
08-30 Houston, TX - Fat Cats
08-31 Austin, TX - Emo's
09-01 Seattle, WA - Bumbershoot Festival

Sleazefest 2003- Chapel Hill, NC

Well, it's quarter to three in the morning and I've just seen about the most asinine thing ever to spew forth from my television - a segment on Martha Stewart's "Living" about how to properly sanitize your home telephone. This was all the inspiration I needed to sit down and put into words - why now, more than ever, in this foul year of our Lord, 2003, we need an event like "Sleazefest". Now in it’s tenth year, Sleazefest finds it’s home in the sleepy college town of Chapel Hill, NC. It’s hot and humid climate seems the perfect setting for this three-day orgy of bands, beer and barbecue. Originally organized and still maintained by scene stalwarts, Southern Culture on the Skids, it is a weekend testimonial to everything that frightened your parents about rock-n-roll. This is where we should insert the stock footage of 1950’s – era disc jockeys breaking 45’s, Chuck Berry being arrested, Jerry Lee Lewis and his cousin and Alan Freed testifying before Congress. Before I get into the meat of this, I should offer up the disclaimer that I was not personally able to see all of the bands this year as they run continuously in between two clubs, the Local 506 (main stage) and the Cave (smaller venue). Friday night found Atlanta newcomer’s, The Black Lips, giving it their punkified, drunkified, pukeyfied all. They and their spew seemed quite well-received. Next up were veterans, Jimmy and the Teasers. There is simply nothing more uniquely American than seeing a man writhe around on the floor playing guitar backed by good-looking girls in matching cheerleader outfits. Hallelujah! Detroit rockers, The Paybacks, were up next with their own brand of Motor City guitar rock. For a female-fronted band, the testosterone level of their set was unbelievably high. Direct from Memphis came Jack Oblivian’s new project, The Knaughty Knights. They played a spot-on set of amped-up 60’s nuggets and fuzzrock. The Forty-Fives from Atlanta (a band I have nothing to do with) were up next and kicked out the jams in their own over-the-top manner. It was during this set that the frenzied dancing of the crowd finally made it’s way on stage. Finally, Southern Culture on the Skids was right on time like hair on a biscuit. Frankly, I’ve seen this band more than any other and they always put on one hell of a show. I also think Mary Huff was wearing the largest blonde wig I’ve ever seen. The Dirtbombs were supposed to play last but were stuck at the Detroit airport due to the massive Northeastern blackout. At that point it really didn’t make any difference because it had already been a long, sweaty, chicken-throwin’ Friday night and in order to make the scene tomorrow, you needed to be frugal with how you spent your energies. Being the consummate professional, however, I rarely heed my own advice. I have a hazy memory of stumbling around behind the 506 inquiring about any swingin’ “afterparties, but to no avail. The Knaughty Knights, though, were kind enough to give me a lift back to my hotel and help me clean out my stash of liquor. It served me right. Honestly, how many bottles of champagne does a man need for three nights at a Red Roof Inn? Saturday’s festivities kicked off with Get Hip Records’ mainstay, Mondo Topless doing their best farfisa-led go-go rock. Next up were Cleveland’s Cowslingers and their own take on Midwestern cowpunk. Sleazefest war heroes, The Subsonics, gave another grand performance after a few years absence. All the way from Milwaukee, came the best thing from Wisconsin since beer, a rockin’ little three-piece called Bleed. This is probably the best unsigned band in America and their firebrand variety of R&B is not to be missed. The Legendary Shack Shakers (Bloodshot records, SCOTS tourmates of late) came up from Nashville and set the 506 on fire with a set that pits Jason and the Scorchers against Iggy Pop and Hank Williams. Former Flat Duo Jet, Dexter Romweber hit the stage with his new duo and proceeded to pound out more high-octane rockabilly. This was followed by an excellent set from the Woggles, still fresh from the loss of guitarist, George “Montague” Holton . Unfortunately, due to time constraints, their set was cut short. I, for one, felt like I was on my way to a rock-n-roll baptismal, only to have the water dry up before I could be saved. Not to worry, though, Boston’s legendary Real Kids hit the stage with fury and precision. From “Bad to Worse” to “All Kindsa Girls”, it was a treat to see them in such fine form. In fact, bandleader, John Felice, might have had the quote of the weekend. When asked if the blackout had affected their travel plans, he replied – “The power company shuts off my electricity every couple of months. You think a blackout’s gonna scare us?” The Cave also hosted some fine shows Saturday evening. Snatches of Pink, The Spinns, and The Forty-Fives (a band I have absolutely nothing to do with) all put on excellent shows. Cozy though the Cave may be, it was packed all night but was surprisingly comfortable. Significant improvements must have been made in air conditioning since last year. For the first time in recent memory, I didn’t collapse from heat exhaustion. Sunday was host to the 10-year anniversary party at the Local 506. DJ Marco was spinning records to a roomful of people who looked like they’d been hit by a beer delivery truck. Local upstarts, The Dynamite Brothers, laid it down so heavy even the walking wounded could get their groove on. The Rebelles, burlesque act from Asheville, took a while getting their stage show together, but performed to a packed room. Highlights of their show included a girl playing ukulele accompanied by a stripping hula hoop dancer and a French maid who cleaned up the stage in between sets. Then it came time for the crowning of the king and queen. This year a young lady named Jennifer Saunders, who came all the way from Birmingham, AL via Greyhound bus, took the crown for the ladies. And seeing as how no man appeared sleazier all weekend long than event organizer, Dave Robertson, he was crowned king. At this point, the evening’s special guests hit the stage, James Mathus and his Knockdown Society. This sideman to Buddy Guy pulled out some scorching blues for the remainder of the evening. It seemed the proper soundtrack for the end of another sleazy year. People stumbled away as the evening wore on. Hugs and sloppy kisses were given. And I saw a guy throw up near the dumpster on my way out. God bless Sleazefest. - J. Adam Renshaw (The Forty-Fives Rock and Roll Band)

Iggy And the Stooges LIVE in Detroit

Well.. Just moments ago .. I got the call from the Motor City.. Iggy and the Stooges just played LIVE in Detroit.. Man.. I wish I was there.. We will have a live show review soon.. VERY soon.. I am too sad to go on.. must go to bed.... God.. The Stooges LIVE in Detroit.. Can you imagine. The Von Bondies opened.. And Sonic F**king Youth was the middle band.. WOW !! Did I mention that our writer in Detroit that is reviewing the show got in for free??

Helmet 'Best Of' A Go; Reunion, No

Fans of seminal New York hard rock act Helmet will have a little something to celebrate later this year, when Universal releases a retrospective of the group's three studio albums for Interscope. The set is due Nov. 4, although it's unknown whether any rare or unreleased tracks will be included. Contrary to a published report, the group, which split in 1999, has no plans at present to reform for a tour in conjunction with the retrospective. A management spokesperson for Helmet frontman Page Hamilton was unsure how the rumor began, but confirmed that Hamilton is working on a new project with late period Helmet guitarist Chris Traynor, among others. The two musicians recently played together on tracks intended for Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale's solo debut. According to the spokesperson, Hamilton is no longer pursuing his band Gandhi, which featured former White Zombie drummer John Tempesta and Rob Zombie bassist Rob Nicholson. Hamilton remains unsigned, which he admits is a source of annoyance considering how widely imitated Helmet's sound is by today's up-and-coming rock acts. "They're more reluctant to sign someone who's 40 years old and known for this certain thing," "'We think you're the greatest. We respect you so much, but how do we market this?' [Then] you go see a band and they're playing a riff I wrote 10 years ago and they have a wallet chain and a load in their pants and they'll get signed."

Echo and the Bunnymen Remaster Catalog, Tour Europe

After playing a select few festival dates in the U.K. and Spain during the month of August the artists formerly known as Crucial 3 have decided that they will continue touring to commemorate their 25th year as a band and participate in even more festivals throughout Europe (even Turkey gets in on the action!) The band formed in 1978, broke up in 1988 and officially re-formed in 1997, touring consistently ever since. But during that nine-year hiatus and even today, frontman and founder of the unit, Ian McCulloch, has been ardently working as a solo artist and just this year released the respectable Slideling .Echo and the Bunnymen have also announced that their first five albums-- Crocodiles, Heaven Up There, Porcupine ,Ocean Rain, and Echo and The Bunnymen -- have been remastered and will be re-released via Warner Strategic Marketing complete with new inner artwork and photos along with comments from the band. All five long players will drop in October.

New Yo La Tengo Ep

Olé! The mighty Matador Records website has announced that Yo La Tengo is releasing a new EP, Today is the Day , on CD and twelve-inch October 21st. The tracks include an alternate version of "Today is the Day" from Summer Sun , a previously unreleased version of "Cherry Chapstick" from And Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out , and four other exclusive tracks. Whippin' out their classic bitin'-the-hand-that-feeds-ya style, the Matador mafia even take a dig at our heavily focus group-tested tracklist style-- yet get it all wrong in the process ! Matador, it's Zero. Numeral. Space. Title. No quotes, no periods. Got it? Surrounding the release of the EP, Yo La will embark on a solid fall tour of the east and Midwest, including a stop at the sure-to-be-killer Austin City Limits Festival. All dates with the exception of the Austin gigs will feature the twee and ironic musical stylings of the Aislers Set. And in other Yo La Tengo news, Matador has ended their surfboard contest and declared the winners. The object of the game was to watch seven interview clips and then pass a test, in order to win, well, a Summer Sun surfboard. Why are we telling you this? For one, the interview clips (which are still posted) are rather entertaining, as they are taken from the Midnight Pajama Jam hosted by Jon Benjamin and his puppet co-hosts Scott Fellers (the octopus) and Lumpy (the eagle). For another, the interview clips will feed your Yo La Tengo trivia-hungry minds. And finally, we just want you to picture your average Yo La Tengo fan on a surfboard. Dude, that was a gnarly cover of "Interstellar Overdrive"

Mick Collins heads for Funkytown

We knew Mick Collins could do garage. We knew he could do blues. And now we know -- if we ever wondered -- that he can do funk. The album's opening measures make it immediately clear that "I Sing the Booty Electric" is a different sort of record for Collins, the mastermind behind such bands as the Gories and the Dirtbombs and the godfather of Detroit's modern garage rock. With a fat bass and greasy groove provided by collaborator Jerome Gray, "The Mother Ones" quickly pushes the action to the dance floor. Instead of the quick-and-crunchy volleys familiarized by Collins' minimalist rock bands, the Voltaire Brothers (there's no family or "Voltaire" in the lineup) create a wide-open sonic party that nods to Clinton-Zappa, glued together with the kind of thick bottom end you'll find on obscure funk LPs from the '70s. Produced by Collins at Detroit's Ghetto Recorders, garage rock's studio mecca, the record is all movement -- the most laid-back parts on the album are Collins' vocals, bawdy spoken-word bits that make him sound like an updated Andre Williams. There's nothing fancy here -- just classic booty-shake stuff, Detroit style, punctuated with horns and laced with slinky guitar. A buoyant rendition of Roy Ayres' "Funky Motion" is the only cover among a slate of originals that include the smoky "Which One" and slicing title track. If nothing else, "Booty Electric" proves what we always knew: Detroit rockers can cut a groove left, right and upside down.

KINGBLIND RECOMMENDS

Here's what's on the Kingblind stereo this week:
(Stereolab: ABC Music)--(The Cars: S/T)--(BRMC: Take them on, on your own)--(New Pornographers: Electric Version)--(Iron Maiden: Piece of Mind)

BRMC hit all the right buttons

BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB did an anthemic cover of WHITE STRIPES ''THE HARDEST BUTTON TO BUTTON' at their CARLING WEEKEND: READING UK show this evening. The band, watched by Stripes drummer and friend Meg White did a version of the song halfway through their set this evening. BRMC are only on the bill because the Stripes pulled out of the event at the 11th hour following Jack White 's car crash. Backstage after he came offstage, BRMC 's Peter Hayes said Meg was asked to perform the cover with them on the stage, but it never quite happened.

Rare ‘Rat Pack’ concert recordings

A two-disc CD/DVD release featuring rare concert recordings of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. — aka the Rat Pack — will hit the streets Oct. 14. “Live & Swingin’: The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection” (Reprise) pairs 1960s performances in Chicago and St. Louis, Mo. THE AUDIO DISC is culled from a six-night 1962 engagement at the Windy City’s Villa Venice nightclub and features several previously unreleased recordings. In the set’s liner notes, author Bill Zehme (“The Way You Wear Your Hat: Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art Of Livin”’) claims Sinatra staged the shows to repay a favor to mobster Sam “Momo” Giancana. The DVD, meanwhile, captures a 90-minute 1965 black-tie charity performance at St. Louis’ Kiel Opera House that was broadcast via closed circuit to U.S. movie theaters. Originally titled “The Frank Sinatra Spectacular,” the show featured Sinatra, Martin and Davis, as well as Quincy Jones leading the Count Basie Orchestra and Johnny Carson on stage.

Jacko to open Neverland to the public

Pop eccentric Michael Jackson is to open his theme-park home Neverland to the public - for $5,000 a ticket. The singer's home will be open for one day only - September 13 - and 250 visitors will be able to enjoy the attractions, which include an amusement park, video arcade, zoo and movie theatre. The promotional material reads, "From the moment you enter the gates, you will wish that this day could last forever." However, questions are being fielded as to what will happen to the $4,000 left over after $1,000 from each ticket is given to a charity. A source tells gossip site People News, "(It'll go into) Michael's pocket. He stands to make a million from this - and there's no guarantee he'll even be there!" Others are speculating that the move may be an effort on Jackson's part to sell the theme park - which is proving cripplingly expensive to maintain in the wake of the Thriller star's many court cases.

Twenty-Five Years and Still Strong, The Damned To Release New DVD Next Week

Outlasting many trends and generations, The Damned has plans to release Tiki Nightmare , a DVD filmed at London's Shepard's Bush Empire last year, as a follow up to their 2003 tour. This will be the first time we have heard from The Damned as a whole since their 2001 release, Grave Disorder , on Bryan Holland's (The Offspring) label, Nitro Records. The DVD will be released August 26th on Nitro, depsite The Damned's claims to part with Nitro in January 2003 for reasons unknown (although it is public knowledge that the band was disapointed with Nitro's promotion of Grave Disorder ). The DVD will be the first official Damned video release since Final Damnation in 1994, and their second release on Nitro Records. It's about damned time!

Ernie Ball Vs. Microsoft

Sterling Ball, a jovial, plain-talking businessman, is CEO of Ernie Ball, the world's leading maker of premium guitar strings endorsed by generations of artists ranging from the likes of Eric Clapton to the dudes from Metallica. But since jettisoning all of Microsoft products three years ago, Ernie Ball has also gained notoriety as a company that dumped most of its proprietary software--and still lived to tell the tale. In 2000, the Business Software Alliance conducted a raid and subsequent audit at the San Luis Obispo, Calif.-based company that turned up a few dozen unlicensed copies of programs. Ball settled for $65,000, plus $35,000 in legal fees. But by then, the BSA, a trade group that helps enforce copyrights and licensing provisions for major business software makers, had put the company on the evening news and featured it in regional ads warning other businesses to monitor their software licenses. Humiliated by the experience, Ball told his IT department he wanted Microsoft products out of his business within six months. "I said, 'I don't care if we have to buy 10,000 abacuses,'" recalled Ball, who recently addressed the LinuxWorld trade show. "We won't do business with someone who treats us poorly."

New Tom Waits on the way

A new album by enigmatic singer/songwriter Tom Waits is on the Anti Records release schedule. No details are available about the set, which is tentatively slated for a March 2004 release. If it comes to fruition, the set will be Waits' first proper studio album since 1999's acclaimed "Mule Variations." It debuted at No. 30 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 388,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album won Grammys for best folk and alternative music albums. Last year, Waits released a pair of albums -- "Blood Money" and "Alice" -- consisting of music written for plays conceived by Waits, his wife/collaborator Kathleen Brennan and Robert Wilson. The albums debuted at No. 32 and No. 33 on The Billboard 200 and have sold 143,000 and 140,000 copies, respectively.

New album from ex Geradine Fibber coming soon

Geraldine Fibbers frontwoman Carla Bozulich has recorded her own version of Willie Nelson's classic 1975 album "Red Headed Stranger" and will release the set Sept. 9 on DiCristina Stairbuilders. Nelson himself contributes vocals and guitar work to "Time of the Preacher," Can I Sleep in Your Arms" and "Hands on the Wheel." Bozulich is backed on the set by guitarist Nels Cline, drummer Scott Amendola and bassist Devon Hoff. These artists have also toured together to perform "Red Headed Stranger," and were joined at some shows by violinist Jenny Scheinman (Norah Jones, Bill Frisell). Bozulich will be on tour with Wilco starting Sept. 4 in Eugene, Ore. The artist is working on a Halloween-themed album due for release in 2004, as well as a new solo album.

Queens Of The Stone Age Documentary

With mounting tales of riotous excess, the Queens Of The Stone Age lead the way in rock and roll debauchery. But as their tour hurtles across Europe, can the South Californian rockers live up to their devil burning myth? Mary Anne Hobbs of Radio 1 packed her 'first aid kit' and persuaded the group to reveal all about the dirty road in a documentary. Listen to it here.

Musician, Wesley Willis (1963-2003)

From Alternative Tenacles Records:
We are deeply saddened to report that one of our artists, Wesley Willis passed away yesterday, Thursday, August 21st. Wesley will be greatly missed by all that had the privilege to know him, as well as the fans who have been fortunate enough to experience his genius. Wesley was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) at the end of 2002, and had to undergo emergency surgery on June 2nd to identify the source of, and to suppress internal bleeding. It is not clear if this bleeding was related to his leukemia or not, and the exact cause of death is still unknown. Wesley had been recovering at a Hospice in Illinois, and since the surgery his health had deteriorated rapidly. His songs were simultaneously disturbing, hilarious, blunt, and intoxicating. Wesley's sheer excitement and unaffected honesty about every cultural phenomenon, defined his music as truly individual, and truly punk rock. Wesley released well over 50 albums - 3 of which are on Alternative Tentacles, and a 4th, entitled, Wesley Willis Greatest Hits Vol. 3 (CD) had already been scheduled for release in October of this year. For more information on Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, please visit http://leukemia-lymphoma.org. Currently there are no plans for any funeral service but we will inform you if there will be.

NEW video from The White Stripes

Supermodel Kate Moss becomes a pole dancer in the video for The White Stripes ' new single 'I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself' – a cover of the classic made famous by Dusty Springfield. And guess what - now we've got the whole video, directed by Sofia Coppola, for you to watch exclusively. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO Requires REALplayer

Sebadoh Frontmen Reunite For Acoustic Shows In October

Sebadoh principals Lou Barlow and Jason Loewenstein are reuniting for a pair of acoustic shows in October to celebrate Domino Records' 10th anniversary, according to the label's official website. "I thought it would be an excellent time for Jason and I to play together," Barlow said. "I was missing him anyway... plus Sebadoh [1992's Rockin' The Forest EP] was the first Domino release, it'd be absurd not to." Barlow hopes to re-create the vibe of Sebadoh's first tour, which was just himself and Loewenstein on four-string guitar and bass, "stomping on a tambourine" for percussion. "I'm thinking we'll reprise that for my songs, do Weed Forestin -era things, and any others that fit that approach," Barlow says. "We are rehearsing for it. I get to visit Louisville again, which I always enjoy. Once I'm there Jake will show me what he wants to play... and I will play it, it's going to be good."

Sun Ra's Space Epic Hits DVD in Fall

Plexifilm is set to release the director's cut of Sun Ra's 1974 film Space Is The Place October 28th. Initially conceived as a half-hour PBS documentary, the project morphed into a feature-length freakout, described by biographer John Szwed as a "revisionist bibilical epic." The restored version of the film, which saw a very limited engagement on its initial release, features home-movie footage of the Arkestra's trip to Egypt in 1972, where they played in front of the pyramids. The package includes liner notes by Szwed, author of the definitive Sun Ra biography of the same name, and also a written introduction by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore. Here is some plot summary, because, really, nothing I might say could better convey the wonder that is Sun Ra. And as you read this, think about the recall in Cali and the situation in Liberia, and how much better everything would be if Sun Ra were still alive to be running against the Terminator and stepping up as the new President of Liberia: After having traveled through space in a yellow spaceship propelled by music, Sun Ra finds a planet he believes could serve as a new home for the black race. Returning to earth he lands in Oakland, California, circa 1972 and has to fight The Overseer, played by Ray Johnson (from 1971's Dirty Harry ), a supernatural villain who pimps out the black race. Sun Ra offers those who would follow him into space an "alter-destiny," but the Overseer, the FBI, and NASA-- who are after Ra's Black Space Program-- ultimately force him to return to space before the destruction of Earth. Any questions? And seriously, that's by no means as weird as it gets. There's a card game in the desert, a stroll through an intergalactic garden, a cloaked figure with a mirror for a face, and-- dare I say it-- so on. It's kind of like Earth, Wind and Fire meets The Seventh Seal , if you need some kind of hook to hang this funky shit on. Opinions vary as to whether or not you need to be baked out of your mind to enjoy this, or if just watching it straight will totally get you where you need to be. We leave this decision entirely up to you, gentle reader. Did we mention that Sun Ra was kind of odd?

Jam Master Jay Suspect Booked

New York City police are looking into a connection between the murder of Run-DMC DJ Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell) last fall and the shooting of his nephew in May. Twenty-year-old Karl Jordan was arrested August 8th for the attempted murder of Mizell's nephew Rodney Jones, a rapper who uses the name Boe Skagz. According to Police Comissioner Raymond Kelly, a source has suggested the two shootings were done by the same person -- though Kelly said that tip may not be credible. The source, a convicted criminal named Ronald Tinard Washington, is also a suspect in Mizell's death. The pioneering DJ was shot to death in his Queens recording studio last October 30th.

New Yorkers celebrate Joe Strummer

New Yorkers will be able to celebrate what would have been Joe Strummer's 51st birthday this Saturday (August 23rd) with an event in his honour at the Knitting Factory. Strummertime In The City has been billed as a celebratory night of live music in tribute to Joe and marks his birthday. The show will feature Crazy Baldheads with Vic Ruggerio of The Slackers, King Django, Seanchie & The Unity Squad, The Ruffians, Rudie Crew and Bonebox. The event is presented by Strummernews.com. Proceeds will benefit Strummerville, The Joe Strummer Foundation for New Music. Tickets are $15 and available from the Knitting Factory Box Office at 74 Leonard Street in New York City. Joe Strummer was a founding member of the legendary Clash. He died of a heart attack on December 22 last year. He was 50.

Mucho Guided by Voices.. Both audio and video!!

Watch the new video for My Kind Of Soldier the new single from Guided by Voices. Directed by Adam Levite and featuring legendary St. Louis personality "Beatle Bob". CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT Requires Realplayer ... AND while your'e at it.. Listen to their entire new record "Earthquake Glue" CLICK HERE TO LISTEN Requires Quicktime 6

Dead Kennedys Reunion? "Over My Dead Body!"

Last Tuesday, August 12th, the aging remnants of archetypal Southern California hardcore heroes The Dead Kennedys issued a press release inviting former frontman, occasional political candidate and current defendant, Jello Biafra, to "bury the hatchet" and rejoin the band for their 25th anniversary concert at Los Angeles' Key Club. On Friday, three days later, Biafra issued his own statement that read, in part: "To put it mildly, this reeks of false advertising. They obviously aren't serious or they would have called me on the phone. Instead, their message came through their lawyers and their publicist. What's the matter, not enough Hot Topic bozo teens flocking to stuff cash in their bikinis? Are they having that much trouble selling tickets to a bar that holds less than 600 people? If they really want to, 'bury the hatchet,' why won't they stop suing me? They have been dragging me through court for almost six years now, and have refused attempts to compromise and settle. I feel sorry for anyone duped into paying top dollar for a ticket because they heard, 'I might be there'. But I hardly think I'm 'letting fans down' by refusing to be part of a nostalgia scam."

Fans are warming up to cheaper, pick-and-choose methods of buying music.

With album sales slipping for an unprecedented third straight year — the first extended slump since the introduction of the CD in 1982 — labels and artists are beginning to wonder if the album is a thing of the past. More than half a century ago the debut of vinyl LPs was a revelation for music fans, more than tripling the amount of music that could be held on a single album side. By the early '70s, albums were being stuffed with up to a dozen hit tracks and often ran 40 minutes or more. Flash forward to today, when CDs max out north of 70 minutes, frequently come bundled with a bonus DVD and cost nearly twice as much as those old albums. Balance that against the ease of illegally downloading your favorite song or legally downloading it from iTunes for less than a buck and you might wonder, "Who needs to spend $18 on an album?" You're not alone. "The days of releasing an album with 17 or 18 cuts are over," said Charles Goldstuck, president and CEO of the RCA Music Group, home to the Strokes, Christina Aguilera and Foo Fighters. "It's difficult to give full quality with such an abundance of music. ... I think we can expect to see more extras in the future instead of additional songs." And with the resurgence of singles and EPs, you can also expect to see labels delivering music to fans in more varied sizes and shapes.

Sunset Junction Fest L.A.

Attention residents of the sprawling city of Los Angeles: have you grown weary of the Arnold Show? Looking for a real mix of politics and entertainment? Then you might consider heading over to the Silver Lake area this weekend for the Sunset Junction Street Fair. The Sunset Junction Neighborhood alliance is a non-profit organization whose main focus is improving the quality of life for people in the Echo Park, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake neighborhoods, as well as Los Angeles in general. Their annual street fair is held to celebrate diversity, so you can probably expect the standard-issue hippie hat tents and compost-making demonstrations, but we're only speculating. While the good work the Sunset Junction Neighborhood alliance does should not be overlooked, we're just tickled over the remarkable lineup they've collectced for their main stage. In addition, their other stages feature a wide range of music from DJ's to flemenco to Issac Hayes. So if you're in the area, show your support for some good old fashioned community work (the entrance fee is a $7 donation) and catch some good music as well. Icarus Line, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Twilight Singers, Guided By Voices, The Muffs, Circle Jerks are just a few of the bands peforming.

THE PASSION (Movie Trailer)

No Way.. The new Mel Gibson movie "THE PASSION" the story of Jesus Christ is entirely in LATIN!!! WITH NO SUBTITLES.. Nice marketing move Mel. CLICK HERE TO VIEW TRAILER I hope they change their mind before the march 2004 release date.

Gigantic 7xLP Bright Eyes Box Set Due Next Month

The Omaha phenomenon that launched a thousand cracked-voiced stickboys with tousled haircuts is righting all wrongs come September 9th, when Saddle Creek ships Bright Eyes , a massive 56-track, 7xLP vinyl box set that includes remastered versions of Conor Oberst's first three albums, two EP's, and five rare cuts previously released only in Japan (and, well, KazAA). The exhaustive box is the first vinyl release for Bright Eyes' debut album, 1998's A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995-1997 , which is spread over two platters. Also making its vinyl debut is the Japanese EP Don't Be Frightened Of Turning The Page , which rounds up all of the cuts from 2001's Oh, Holy Fools split EP with Son, Ambulance as well as two bonus offerings (Son, Ambulance tracks now sold separately). Letting Off The Happiness (1998) will feature the "original vinyl cover art" and add a bonus track from the Japanese release. The expanded Fevers and Mirrrors (2000) now sprawls across four sides and has been remastered accordingly to present a richer vinyl presentation, and adds two bonus cuts from the Japanese CD. The seventh disc contains 1999's Every Day and Every Night EP. That's eighty-four inches of pure, unadulterated, pre-Winona Oberst.

Radiohead-- Go to Sleep (Music Video)

Animated Radiohead video for the song “go to sleep” from their new record “Hail to the theif” CLICK HERE TO VIEW Requires Quicktime 6

Outkast: "Hey Ya"

When Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is finally released, it looks like Andre 3000's contributions will command the bulk of initial dialogue surrounding the record, since what he's doing (or isn't: there's a notable dearth of proper raps) is both different and generally more rock critic-friendly than anything the group has previously done. And on the evidence of "Hey Ya", the strongest and most enduring of the leaked tracks so far, that attention will be deserved. From Andre's 1-2-3 introduction to his request for those on the floor to "shake it like a Polaroid picture," the communal juke joint, dancehall, roadhouse approach gives the track the organic music-as-community/refuge feel also found in "Hey Baby" and "Señorita". This delightful slice of melodic pop (!) starts with Andre in full quirky, affected Frank Black vocal mode before-- after determining that dancing, honesty, and pleasure beats the hell out of standing still and being unhappy-- he breaks out of "character" into playful puns and joyful spontaneity. Songs that cram as many moments of sheer surprise and joy as "Hey Ya" has don't tend to retain their impact over time, but this track not only had my neck snapping on first listen, but leaves my head bobbing and a smile on my face with every subsequent play. This is pure pop for now people.

Nirvana Baby Resurfaces

Twelve years ago, Spencer Elden, then four months old, graced the cover of Nirvana's Nevermind . The image became a generational landmark -- Elden even reprised the shot in a 2001 Rolling Stone tenth-anniversary tribute to Nevermind . Now, the California sixth-grader is appearing on his second album cover -- The Dragon Experience , the third solo CD by industrial group Skinny Puppy's cEvin Key. The album's title and cover art reflect a dream Key had thirty years ago, when he was eleven: He found himself surrounded by "3-D dragons," and envisioned the sound of his future work -"experimental electronic rock," he says. "I'd never heard of it or seen it yet in my life."

Kingblind.com presents-- Adam Franklin from Swervedriver

Here our the tour dates for Adam Franklin of Swervedriver (w/ full band)
Nov 7th Atlanta, GA: The Echo Lounge BUY TICKETS
Nov 8th Athens, GA:
Nov 9th Charlotte, N.C. Fat City Deli
Nov 10th Raleigh, N.C. King's Barcade
Nov 11th Philadelphia: Khyber Pass
Nov 12th Washington D.C.: The Velvet Lounge
Nov 13th Baltimore, MA: The Ottobar
Nov 14th NYC: The Knitting Factory BUY TICKETS
Nov 15th Boston, MA: The Plan @ Great Scott's

Sigur Rós Begin Work On "More Accessible" New Album

Sigur Rós have gone into the studio to begin work on their fourth full-length album, according to the band's official news source, www.sigur-ros.co.uk. We talked to the site's editor, Björn Erlingur Flóki Björnsson, who said the band began recording two weeks ago but "don't even know much yet themselves" about what the album will eventually sound like. Three tracks the band has been working into their setlists during their extensive touring in support of ( ) ("Gong," "Mílanó," and "Salka") are leading candidates for inclusion; live clips of each song are available on the site. However long this recording session lasts, it probably won't be the band's only trip into the studio. With trips to New York planned in August and October to play with Björk and Radiohead, respectively, they'll probably be in and out of sessions for the remainder of the year. According to Björnsson, the album "already looks to be considerably more accessible than ( ) -- this Jónsi said to me himself the other day." The trio of new songs would seem to bear this out, offering no great resemblance to the grey, laden hymns and bitter crescendos of ( ) . The chiming guitars of "Salka" (an Icelandic female name) and lively snare rolls of "Gong" (a Malayan word for... um, a gong) give the new material a comparatively buoyant, urbane feel. As for "Mílanó"-- well, it doesn't fit either of those adjectives particularly, but it's about a city, so there!

Ed Music

THE BEATLES legendary performances on the US ED SULLIVAN SHOW in 1964 and 1965 are to be released on DVD. The four-hour two-disc collection includes versions of some of the band's early classics such as 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' ,'She Loves You' ,'I Feel Fine' ,'Help!' and 'Yesterday'. The Beatles first appeared on the show on February 9, 1964, when an estimated 73 million viewers tuned in. The broadcast remains one of the highest-rated shows in US TV history. Andrew Solt , owner of the show's archives and executive producer of the DVD, negotiated with Apple , which oversees The Beatles ' business matters, for more than five years before getting clearance. The DVD set is released on October 28 in the US.

Milo goes to Fat!

The Descendents? Yeah, I heard of 'em. Hopefully you have too cuz Fat Wreck Chords is putting out their new record in March '04! This not only means that the Descendents are now on Fat, more importantly, there's a brand new Descendents album on the way! Seriously, we're all huge fans of this band (as they are one of THE most important punk bands of all time) and we can't even begin to express how excited we are to work with these guys. Oh, and we've heard a couple of these new songs and it is very safe to say that Descendents fans will be pleased with this upcoming record. That, folks, is our way of saying that these new songs rule! Enough of the love fest, have a look at their official site for more info on this glorious band: CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL SITE

PISTOLS TO PLAY IN DEATH HOTEL

The Sex Pistols are to perform in the hotel where Sid Vicious killed his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. The last date on their current US tour is a trendy club called Serena in the basement of New York's notorious Chelsea Hotel, where Sid stabbed Nancy to death in room 100 in October 1978. But the ageing punks won't sleep in the hotel. Johnny Rotten, 47, and fellow band members Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock, will kip on couches in the club before catching a plane back to England the following morning. Vicious died of a heroin overdose in February 1979, aged just 21, while on bail waiting to be tried for Spungeon's murder.

Supermodel in White Stripes Video

KATE MOSS becomes a pole dancer in the video for WHITE STRIPES ’’I JUST DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF’. The supermodel, who has appeared in a host of videos throughout the years from the likes of Primal Scream and Har Mar Superstar, dances in the clip for the single, which is released on September 1 via XL."The video has been directed by Sofia Coppola," a source close to the band said. "It’s all very tasteful!" White Stripes long-awaited return to playing live following Jack White ’s car crash will be at the Berkeley Greek Theatre (September 13).

GUIDED BY VOICES- EARTHQUAKE GLUE (ALBUM REVIEW)

For those who love the idea of Guided By Voices a bit more than the reality, it's sometimes hard not to be frustrated with Robert Pollard , a scattershot genius who is equally well-defined by both halves of that description. GBV leader Pollard is a startlingly gifted and prolific songwriter and musician, but he also displays either an inability or a disinterest in separating his wheat from his chaff, as anyone who has tried to plow through his relentless barrage of side projects has doubtless noticed. Which is why Earthquake Glue is such a pleasant surprise -- it may well be the most consistent and satisfying Guided By Voices album to date, and if its potent rock crunch is bettered by 2001's superb Isolation Drills , this comes close enough to make any fan pummel his air guitar with glee. While the sharper focus and tight set list of Earthquake Glue is impressive, just as important is how good Guided By Voices sounds as a band these days; while usually regarded as little more than Pollard 's backing group, this edition of GBV has become tight, emphatic, and joyously powerful after several years on the road and in the studio, with the guitars of Doug Gillard and Nate Farley and the rhythm section of Tim Tobias and Kevin March giving the tunes all the smarts and twice the muscle their creator could have hoped for. And while Earthquake Glue lacks the clunky lo-fi ambience of Bee Thousand or Alien Lanes , these songs suggest Pollard and his collaborators have been able to take the spontaneity and adventure of those tracks and graft them into a better structured and more satisfying framework. If Earthquake Glue isn't a masterpiece, it's as close as this band can be expected to get, and is the rare Guided By Voices effort that's imaginative enough for longtime loyalists and tight enough for dabblers at the same time. (from a.m.g.)

The Shortlist Music Prize

In an industry that obsesses over first-week album sales, MTV rotation and radio airplay, the Shortlist Music Prize is trying to help offbeat or niche recording artists find a wider audience. Now in its second year, the contest taps successful musicians to champion the work of peers who have yet to make an impact on the charts. CLICK HERE to see if your favorite record made the short list. OR just to find some great new bands.

Kraftwerk- Tour De France (Music Video)

The new music video from Kraftwerk CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT Requires Quicktime 6 or higher

Get Rare Flaming Lips song for FREE

The Flaming Lips "Seven Nation Army Vs. Moving To Florida" - The Flaming Lips recently recorded this in session for BBC Radio 1. It's the music of The White Stripes "Seven Nation Army" with the lyrics from The Butthole Surfer's "Moving To California." CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

Hell remembers Bangs

On the Occasion of a New Lester Bangs Book, Punk Pioneer Richard Hell Remembers the Late, Great Rock Critic-- The Right to Be Wrong by Richard Hell CLICK HERE TO READ

Blondie Play Tribute To Ramones

Blondie are continuing to pay tribute to the late Dee Dee and Joey Ramone with the inclusion of a Ramones cover in their current Australian set. The band are playing 'Pet Semetary' on this tour. The song was written by Dee Dee Ramone. Dee Dee was found dead in his home in Los Angeles on June 5, 2002. On the new album 'The Curse of Blondie' the band have written the song ' Hello Joe' as a tribute to Joey Ramone, who died April 15, 2001. "Let's wake the roosters, nice to know you Joe" Debbie Harry sings about her friend in the song. Blondie and The Ramones both formed in 1974 in New York and became close friends as well as peers. While the Ramones were belting out 'Blitzkrieg Bop' Blondie were hammering out 'X-Offender', two pivotal songs from the New York punk era.

Kevin Sheild's music in new Sofia Coppolla film

Sofia Coppolla's new movie, Lost In Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansen with music by Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine. You can watch the trailer here. This should be good stuff.

The Hives reveal some new songs at V Festival in England.

THE HIVES gave a hint to their new sound at the V FESTIVAL STAFFORD, UK today, playing one of the new songs set to appear on their forthcoming album - due out next February. Just before the heavens opened at the Stafford site, frontman Howlin' Pelle Almqvist addressed the issue of British politics before launching into the song, titled 'State Control'."Have your leaders been up to any funny business recently?" Almqvist asked the crowd before being met by rapturous applause. "This is a new song called 'State Control'."

KINGBLIND RECOMMMENDS

Here's what's on the kingblind stereo this week
(The Kinks: Somthing Else)--(Elvis Costello: This Years Model)--(BRMC: Take them on, On your own)--(The Roy Owens Jr.: This is an Illusion)--(New Pornographers: Electric Version)

Ennio Morricone box set on the way

Legendary Italian composer Ennio Morricone will be celebrated with Milan's Sept. 30 release of a four-disc boxed set, "io." The package will feature a disc of "Film Music" from such movies as "Once Upon a Time in the West," "Cinema Paradiso," "Lolita" and "The Mission," arranged and orchestrated by Morricone himself. "Film Music" will also be released as a single-disc on the same day.

Rachel's To Release New Album In October

"America's foremost lamentatious rock losers" (since 1991), Rachel's, are set to release their fifth long-player on October 6th via Quarterstick Records. This one is labeled Systems/Layers and, in typical ignorance of the conventions of punctuation and capitalization that the Rachel's are known for, will likely be printed all in lowercase. It will be the band's first album in over four years and the group's first recording since 2000. Work first began on Systems/Layers way back in 1997, as members of Rachel's went wandering around New York City listening and looking for interesting sounds for an album that endeavors to address the themes and problems of modern urban life. Rachel's were so interested in being interesting that they asked all interested fans to submit recordings of anything interesting, sonically that is, in their environs. The band received all types of wafting, echoing effervesence from nicotine-addled fans-- including the public art chimes of the Kendall/MIT subway station in Boston, the sounds of a front porch in Mansfield, OH and a musical garbage truck from Japan. These all eventually made their way into the final product of Systems/Layers . Shannon Wright also collaborates on the final track of the album, "Last Things Last," and influential photographer Harvey Wang snapped pictures for the album's artwork. Oh, and Shellac's Bob Weston engineered and mixed the record.

Blackout pulls plug on Iggy Pop reunion show

A high wattage rock band and a venue named after a power company couldn't make the show go on during the blackout. Iggy Pop & the Stooges had finished a sound check Thursday at DTE Energy Music Theatre and were headed back to their Auburn Hills hotel when the power went out, the Detroit Free Press reported on its Web site. It was supposed to be the biggest Detroit rock reunion of the year: Iggy with brothers Ron and Scott Asheton performing their first home-town show in three decades, in front of what would have been a packed crowd of fans. The concert was rescheduled for Aug. 25th.

Viva lost elvis

Looks like Elvis left something behind on his way out the building. Nearly 40 years after its recording, a never-before-released Elvis Presley track is set to appear on the forthcoming collection Elvis 2nd to None . The King, who died on August 16, 1977, recorded the song "I'm a Roustabout" for his 1964 circus-themed film Roustabout with Barbara Stanwyck and Raquel Welch, but the producers ultimately opted for a different song to be used as the film and album's title track. For decades, the shelved original remained stashed away in the private collection of songwriter Winfield Scott, who penned the track with partner Otis Blackwell (also a collaborator on "All Shook Up" and "Don't Be Cruel"). As the track collected dust, Scott happened to mention it to a reporter, who in turn tipped off a producer at RCA Records. The label, upon hearing the unreleased track, made the arrangements to make the song available. all of this on the 26th anniversary of the king's death

New Hives Record due early next year.

Howlin' Pelle Almqvist of the Hives says fans can expect the album within the next six months. "It depends on the record company, but early next year, like January or February probably. We're looking forward to having new material after all these years."

Dead Kennedys Invite Jello Biafra To Perform At 25th Anniversary Show

Seminal punk rock band Dead Kennedy's announced today that they are extending an offer to former lead singer Jello Biafra to rejoin the band at their 25th Anniversary concert at the Key Club in Los Angeles on August 19th, 2003. "We are absolutely serious in asking Jello to rejoin the band on our anniversary," said Dead Kennedys bassist Klaus Flouride. "This is not a prank or a publicity stunt. Last evening we sent word to Biafra and his representatives informing him of this offer. We wanted to make sure he was informed in advance, so he knows that we are serious in asking for him to participate. We'd love it, and I think the fans would love it, if we could just bury the hatchet." "This isn't about nostalgia," said Dead Kennedys guitarist East Bay Ray. "There are serious problems in the world right now and Dead Kennedys' message of questioning authority and thinking for yourself is more important than ever before. Maybe we could settle our differences and play together while we are all still able to do so." Called "one of the most popular and important American hardcore punk bands of the late seventies/early eighties" by the Rough Guide to Rock, Dead Kennedys band members include East Bay Ray, Klaus Flouride, D.H. Peligro along with Jeff Penalty. Guitar World magazine recently named the band's FRESH FRUIT FOR ROTTING VEGETABLES one of punk rock's 10 Essential Guitar Albums of all-time. The Encyclopedia of Popular Music called Dead Kennedys "the undoubted kings of U.S. punk." Here is our view on their offer to jello: The cynicism and ridiculousness of this "offer" is amazing. Are they going to bury the hatchet by dropping all their legal attacks on Jello? Are they going to start involving him meaningfully in decision-making? Are they going to stop charging his royalties against their legal fees? If they really meant this, it would've been done more than 1 week in advance, and it would've been done directly, not via press release. Pathetic and embarrassing.

Kingblind.com presents-- Adam Franklin from Swervedriver

U.K. Rock Legend Adam Franklin, Singer, Songwriter and Guitarist for Swervedriver is touring the east coast this November with his new FULL band. And the folks here at kingblind.com are proudly presenting the tour. As promised the updated tour dates are here. Nov 7th Atlanta, Nov 8th Athens, Nov 11th Philadelphia, Nov 12th Washington D.C., Nov 13th Baltimore, Nov 14th NYC are all confirmed dates for the tour.. More dates will be posted as they become available. Opening for Adam will be the atlanta based supergroup The Roy Owens Jr. (Featuring members of Magnapop, The X-Impossibles and Crooked Fingers).

THE MAN IN BLACK'S BOX SET

A collection of more than 100 JOHNNY CASH outtakes including a duet with late CLASH singer JOE STRUMMER is set for a possible Christmas release. The box set is being compiled by legendary producer Rick Rubin, with whom Cash has worked extensively over the past decade. Tentatively titled 'Unearthed', the American/Lost Highway collection, will probably span five discs, four of which will be made up purely of unreleased material, Rubin said. The fifth disc would be a compilation of tracks taken from Cash 's past four studio albums, each recorded and produced by Rubin for his American Recordings label. Rubin says over the past 10 years, he and Cash have amassed roughly 150 unused songs, including many covers and duets with the likes of Nick Cave and Fiona Apple, both of whom appeared on Cash's 2002 album' American IV: The Man Comes Around'. The duet with Strummer was on Bob Marley's 'Redemption Song' .Rubin says that since the death of Cash 's wife June Carter Cash in May, the 71-year-old country legend has thrown himself into his work and the pair are currently progressing well on their next American Recordings album.

Radio Heads

RADIOHEAD took over a US radio station on Tuesday night (August 12) - playing a selection of their favourite tracks ranging from the APHEX TWIN to BOB MARLEY. The band, currently on tour in the US, dropped in to Boston radio station FNX for a few hours to take part in their Hostile Takeover show. Arriving with suitcases stuffed full of their personal faves, Thom Yorke, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien and Phil Selway were, according to DJ Paul Driscoll, on top form all night, introducing songs between bites of vegetarian sushi, and, in Thom 's case, even putting in a spot of dancing at one point! Driscoll says: "The whole thing was very surreal. I've been a fan of theirs since 1993... It's hard to put the experience into words." He went on to say how refreshing it was that they were so down to earth and fun to have in the studio. Among the tracks played by the band were Aphex Twin 's Zkthr, Bob Marley 's Put It On, Tindersticks 'Until The Morning Comes, Outkast 's Hey Ya!, Beth Gibbons 'Mysteries and The Meters 'Just Kissed My Baby. The British superstars are not the first band to have taken part in Hostile Takeover -Supergrass, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Feeder and The Music have all in the past opened up their record boxes for the show.

Sound and Vision

DAVID BOWIE has announced details of his most ambitious show yet, broadcasting a live London concert to cinemas across the world on September 8.
The show will be beamed in live to cinemas in London ,Glasgow ,Edinburgh ,Birmingham and Brighton . Another 16 cinemas across Italy, France, Poland, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Denmark - where Bowie 's world tour begins in Copenhagen on October 7 - will also receive the broadcast as it happens. Due to time differences, fans in Australia and Asia will see the show the next day, while fans in America and Canada will be able to watch the gig on September 15. The 90-minute broadcast coincides with the release of Bowie 's latest album 'Reality' , out September 15. Fans will be given the opportunity to make requests during the show, and will also be able to interact with the 'Ziggy Stardust' star via a virtual Q&A afterwards.

THIS DAY IN MUSIC

1967 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "All You Need Is Love," The Beatles. The group's manager, Brian Epstein, dies of an accidental drug overdose while the song is No. 1.--
1985 - Michael Jackson outbids Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono, at $47.5 million, to obtain catalog rights to 250 songs written by John Lennon and McCartney.-
1976 - Nick Lowe's debut solo single, "So It Goes," is released.--
1992 - Wayne Newton files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The singer, a former owner of the Alladin Hotel in Las Vegas, is one of the highest paid performers in Vegas.-

Be on the new BRITISH SEA POWER single.

BRITISH SEA POWER have announced details of new live dates - and asked fans to inscribe their names on the sleeve of their next single. The band - currently on tour in the US - will release a re-recording of previous single 'Remember Me' on October 6, on two CD formats and seven-inch vinyl. The seven-inch will be limited to only 2,003 copies, and each sleeve will be hand-inscribed with a single name picked by the band themselves. While a number of personalities including The Flaming Lips 'Wayne Coyne , head of Rough Trade Records Geoff Travis and WWII heroine Violet Szabo have already been chosen, the band are now asking fans to suggest other names - celebrities, family members or friends - to be included on the sleeves. All names should be accompanied by a 50 word explanatory note and can be emailed to bspjamwagon@hotmail.com

The White Stripes on the silver screen

Everyone's favorite rock duo The White Stripes may continue to tour in support of their latest masterpiece Elephant , but an opportunity to be forever immortalized on celluloid has shined down upon them, as well. TheWhite Stripes have teamed up with veteran New York indie director Jim Jarmusch to star in his next film project. Both Jack and Meg White will play themselves in a feature-length film of self-contained scenes entitled “Coffee and Cigarettes,” alongside fellow musicians Iggy Pop, Tom Waits and actors Steve Coogan, Steve Buscemi and Alfred Molina. Jarmusch has already shot three short films in the series (beginning in 1986) and has a long history of hiring musicians as actors, working with Waits, Pop, and the late Joe Strummer, among others. “It's very naturalistic, semi-improvised dialogue,” reveals Steve Coogan who you may recognize as the lead from 24 Hour Party People . “All the people play themselves in it and I play Steve Coogan, this British comedian who's in New York and wants to try and break into America.” Audiences also await Jack White's film debut in Anthony Mighella's Cold Mountain (Christmas 2003), in which he stars opposite his current girlfriend Renee Zellweger. We will soon find out which is a harder button to button for Jack White, being a rock star or being a movie star.

Lost & Found brings some real gems

RYAN ADAMS, BRIGHT EYES and JOHNNY CASH are to appear on 'LOST & FOUND - VOL I' - a collection of rarities, B-sides and unreleased music from the country flagship label LOST HIGHWAY. Due for a September release, the album will feature Cash 's version of the country classic 'Wichita Lineman', Adams ''Rosalie Come and Go' - available on the limited edition of 2002's 'Gold' album - and 'Trees Get Wheeled Away', recorded by Bright Eyes especially for the compilation. Also included is The Jayhawks ''Falling Star' from their hard-to-find 1986 self-titled debut, 'Fools On Parade' from their latest album 'Rainy Day Music' and 'Choked Up' - an outtake from the recording of 'Pneumonia' by the Adams -fronted Whiskeytown. Lost Highway are planning to release the follow-up - 'Lost & Found - Vol II' - in 2004.

D.C.'s Metropolitan Record with Ian Svenonius

Metropolitan is a Washington, D.C.-based band and Ian Svenonius is a haircut. Well, to be fair, Svenonius is also the voice behind Nation of Ulysses, The Make*Up, Weird War and Scene Creamers, as well as resident DJ at favored D.C. nightspot Red, among others. But, really, he does have a lovely, thick, almost indie-omnipresent mop of luxurious black hair, the likes of which is rarely seen elsewhere (collective sigh). Anyway, up until now, Svenonius and Metropolitan have been following similar but parallel trajectories, getting pasty white kids moving in the District and beyond, but without ever piercing the plane of the mainstream or crossing paths. That last part has all changed since the unlikely bedfellows hooked up to work on a new album, recorded at Trans Am's National Recording Studio this summer and fall. The as-yet-untitled new Metropolitan joint and follow up to 2002's Down for You is Up will be released on their homeslice's Crank Automotive Records. This will also mark Svenonius' first production credit.

New Guns & Roses Video- from Chinese Democracy

Maybe the most embarrassing song in music history.. The Gigli of audio. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO 50mb mpeg video.

Program Language Inventor or Serial Killer

Do you know your java beans from your fava beans? CLICK HERE to test your knowledge

Greg Dulli Returns with The Twilight Singers.

Nearly two-and-a-half years into his post-Afghan Whigs career, singer/songwriter Greg Dulli said that working under the moniker of the Twilight Singers offers the perfect blend of freedom within a band mindset. The act will release its second album, "Blackberry Belle," Oct. 14 via Birdman/One Little Indian. "I always liked the plan that Anton Fier had for the Golden Palominos, where he just had a revolving cast of players to play the songs he wanted," Dulli says. "The only difference is he is a drummer, and I'm a singer and I'm a songwriter. And I can, by writing songs, bring in whomever I want. There are 24 other people on this new record besides me, so I definitely went out and did some flesh shopping."

KINGBLIND NEWS BITS

SONIC YOUTH will be inducted into the Hollywood Rockwalk on August 18th . . . LIBERTINES guitarist PETE DOHERTY pleaded guilty to breaking into bandmate CARL BARAT's house. His hearing will continue on September 8th . . . PETE TOWNSHEND will release Live: BAM 1993 , a two CD set recorded in Brooklyn, New York, through eelpie.com starting this week . . .Songs by the BUZZARDS, the ELECTRIC SIX and the DIRTBOMBS will be included on Ghettoblaster Vol. 2 , a new compilation to accompany Ghettoblaster Beer . .

Hendrix Label Unearths Vintage Blues Festival Cuts

Chiming in with the "Year of the Blues" theme, Experience Hendrix/Universal Music Enterprises is set to release two DVDs and one CD commemorating the American Folk Blues Festival, featuring performances in the early '60s by folk and blues masters playing to European crowds. "The American Folk Blues Festival 1962-1966" will be released in two DVD volumes Aug. 26, as will a compilation of 16 audio highlights on one CD. The DVDs feature 36 previously unreleased performances by the likes of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, T-Bone Walker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Memphis Slim and Big Mama Thornton. They were recorded live in a German TV studio and were remastered by producer/engineer Eddie Kramer.

The Clinic Return with 3rd album

Clinic's third album is now officially finished-- at least, according to Domino Records' website. Recorded at Elevator in Liverpool, the provisionally titled Winchester Cathedral promises to be a musically adventurous, yet at the same time more accessible effort. We're promised no less than "more extremes of bubblegum/weirdness with added harmonium, afuche, tables and an effects-driven hint of Professor Longhair." The album is scheduled to be mixed by the able Ken Thomas next month. However, just like the labyrinthine delays at your H.M.O., you're gonna have to wait a while to hear it, as the new record won't be out until sometime in April 2004. As befits any record with an Oasis-esque title like Winchester Cathedral , the album will be preceded by a single next February-- about the same time Clinic plans to make stops across the UK on a "folk"-oriented tour. Could they be forsaking their echo boxes for banjos?

Support for Alejandro grows

Levon Helm, Ian Hunter, Lenny Kaye, Mary Lee's Corvette and Garland Jeffreys are among the artists who will perform at a trio of New York benefit concerts for ailing singer/songwriter Alejandro Escovedo. The first With These Bands event will be held Sept. 2 at Brooklyn, N.Y.'s Southpaw and will feature Mary Lee's Corvette, the Roscoe Trio with Eric Ambel, Paige Wood, Stephen Clair, Milton and Mary McBride. The next night, Manhattan's Mercury Lounge will host Hunter, the Last Hombres with Helm, Los Lonely Boys, Cindy Bullens, Willie Nile and the Worry Dolls and Tammy Faye Starlite. The final show, Sept. 4 at the Knitting Factory, also in Manhattan, will boast Jeffreys and Kaye, along with Ivan Julian, Jon Langford with Ship and Pilot, Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez and the Star Spangles. All three shows will benefit the Alejandro Trust.

Foo’s bassist to join Fire Theft on tour.

Foo Fighters bassist Nate Mendel will join two of his three former Sunny Day Real Estate bandmates in the Fire Theft for the latter group's upcoming North American tour , beginning Sept. 26 in Vancouver. During downtime with the Foos, Mendel participated in the recording of the Fire Theft's self-titled debut, due Oct. 7 via Rykodisc. The Foos wrap a European tour Aug. 31 at Holland's Lowlands Festival. "Obviously, Nate's other commitment is huge," Fire Theft frontman Jeremy Enigk said"We'll just play it by ear and take it one tour at a time at this point. It would be an extreme disappointment if we had to go on tour without him. I'd almost want to cancel a tour just to prove a point, but you've got to keep it rolling no matter what."

OBSTACLE FORCE

Legendary producer ARTHUR BAKER has remixed INTERPOL’s 'OBSTACLE 1'. The track - from last year's debut 'Turn On The Bright Lights’ - will be released on September 15 and includes Baker's remix plus live songs recorded in Paris last year.The DVD release of the track also features a video clip by acclaimed Canadian director Floria Sigismondi. During a long and fruitful career, Baker has worked with the likes of New Order and Afrika Bambaataa, among many others. Mr. Baker must be very happy.. He has always wanted to remix Joy Division.

Musicial Toy

Now this is fun.. My new favorite online music toy.. CLICK HERE TO SING ALONG

TED LEO TOURS SOLO

When we last reported on Mr. Ted Leo, we told you his badly damaged vocal chords had healed (echinacea? Jesus?) and he was heading out to complete his injury-shortened tour. Continuing with the trend of posting evidence of tour injuries on the Internet (the QuickTime film of Jack White's hand surgery clearly raising the bar here), Leo has posted some suitably gnarly photos of his damaged larynx on his website. Nice! Last week Leo finished up the last of his five-gig jaunt through Japan; this week he's back home for an appearance at the Seaport Music Festival in New York. What's more, he's just announced a month's worth of solo gigs-- and yes, that means without his mates and backing band, the Pharmacists. At least he'll have Rebecca Gates to keep him company for nearly half of these upcoming gigs, and that's nothing to sneeze at. The solo tour will take him from one end of the continent to the other, while dutifully skipping over that empty space between Chicago and the California coast (it's called middle America, dude-- drop by sometime).

Kingblind.com presents-- Adam Franklin from Swervedriver

U.K. Rock Legend Adam Franklin, Singer, Songwriter and Guitarist for Swervedriver is touring the east coast this November. And the folks here at kingblind.com are proudly presenting the tour. Dates will be posted here as they become available. The tour will run from Nov 7th (Atlanta) thru Nov 15th (Boston). Supporting Adam on the tour with be the Atlanta, GA based band The Roy Owens Jr. and select dates will have the Boston based band The Information in supporting slots as well.

Win Radiohead tickets

In need of some Radiohead tickets? How about a Canon Powershot A60 ($329 retail value)? If so, clicky here and enter yourself in the tragically titled, "Hail to the Photographer." One winner will be chosen in "every US market." Dude, every US market!! The winner will get two Radiohead tickets to a concert of their choosing, the aformentioned camera (sure, it's no Holga, but it'll work), and a photo pass to take photos that will be posted on Capitol's website. In other words, you can work for Capitol for free!

Grohl ties the knot

Foo Fighter frontman Dave Grohl has gotten married to his longtime live-in girlfriend, a former MTV producer. The couple married at Grohl's Los Angeles home. In attendance at the ceremony was Grohl's former Nirvana bandmate, Krist Novoselic.

COOPER SANCHEZ (ARTIST)

From art school in Savannah, Ga and NYC to returning home to the deep south.. Cooper Sanchez's art aims to please. Part folk / Part pop art Cooper's images jump out and grab you.. and they stick in you like good BBQ on a warm summer's day.. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.. Ladies and Gentlemen.. Mr. Cooper Sanchez CLICK HERE TO GOTO HIS WEBSITE Oh yeah.. and you can buy art directly from him!! How cool is that!! Support the arts.. Buy Cooper Sanchez.

BROADCAST- HA HA SOUND (ALBUM REVIEW)

You get the sense that time matters little in Broadcast's world. Their music, so exquisitely languid, seems to come from a place where clocks don't exist. You can hear it in the chorus to Ominous Clouds: "I've got to get away," sings Trish Keenan, "from this town, don't want to face the ominous clouds - but for now, not now." Her cool, self-possessed voice floats on a flurry of electrically charged melodies, deferring the future, locking us in a sun-drenched present. Of course, the trouble with the Bristol quintet moving at their own pace is that the gaps between albums are painfully long: Haha Sound's predecessor, The Noise Made by People, came out three years ago. But, listening to the album, you feel they haven't wasted a second. Every note, every lyric, is perfect. From the joyful clatter of Colour Me In to the shimmering Before We Begin and the sherbet fizz of Lunch Hour Pops, Haha Sound radiates impish pleasure - a bliss that proves entirely infectious.

Raveonettes Whip Up LP

Danish buzz band the Raveonettes will release their full-length debut, Chain Gang of Love , on September 2nd. The album follows the group's acclaimed 2002 EP Whip It On, a twenty minute collection of three minute, noirish garage rock songs recorded entirely in B-flat minor, with no song featuring more than three chords. The duo-guitarist/vocalist Sune Rose Wagner and bassist/vocalist Sharin Foo recorded the album last fall and winter with Wagner splitting production duty with Richard Gottehrer, who has worked with Blondie, the Go-Go's and Richard Hell and the Voidoids. Wagner wrote twelve of the thirteen tracks, and co-wrote one, "That Great Love Sound," with Gottehrer.

KINGBLIND RECOMMENDS

Here is what is on the Kingblind stereo this week:
(Mogwai: Happy Music for Happy People)--(New Pornographers: Electric Version)--(Jesus Lizard: Goat)--(Stereolab: ABC Music)--(Phleg Camp: Ya'red Fair Scratch)

Illegal Art MP3's

Free downloads from the who's who of the musicans pushing the legal envelope: Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, De la Soul, Negativland, People Like Us, John Oswald, ECC. CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT

THE HISS- CLEVER KICKS (MUSIC VIDEO)

Excellent music video by the Atlanta based group THE HISS. CLICK HERE TO VIEW requires real player

iPod meets Indie Rock

The Shins, The Decemberists, The Oxes, Iron & Wine, The Postal Service, Radio 4, Be-Good Tanyas, Read Yellow and New Pornographers, featured in Apple's latest promotion for the iPod. It seems Apple has teamed up with Volkswagen and a handful of indie labels for what must be the first ever advertising crossover between cars, computers, and indie rock. Apple and Volkswagen are giving away free Apple iPods (the ingenious portable MP3 player that looks like a UFO) to customers who purchase a new Volkswagen Beetle (the tiny hipster car that looks like a UFO). In addition, Apple is throwing in ten bones' worth of free downloads from the iTunes Music Store, which includes one MP3 each from the artists listed above. The Apple site describes the MP3's as "catchy," "kind of weird," and "very Volkswagen." Fahrvergnügen!

Paul Westerberg's Alter Ego

Paul Westerberg has reactivated his Grandpaboy alter ego for a new studio album. "Dead Man Shake" will be released Oct. 7 via Fat Possum. The former Replacements frontman's 2002 Vagrant debut, "Stereo," was bundled with a Grandpaboy album titled "Mono." A source describes "Dead Man Shake" as "good, sloppy heartfelt fun" and dabbling in blues, country and rock. An as-yet-unnamed track will be available for sampling shortly from Fat Possum's Web site. Dead Man Shake" isn't the only Westerberg product on the horizon. In late October, Vagrant will release " Come Feel Me Tremble ," the soundtrack to a future DVD release. A new Westerberg solo album, "Folker," is expected next spring.

!!! Gets To Work On 'Dirtier' New Album

Bi-coastal dance/rock ensemble !!! (pronounced "chik chik chik") is about to hit the studio to begin work on its highly anticipated debut full-length for Touch & Go. Guitarist Mario Andreoni tells Billboard.com the set should be released in early 2004. The eight-piece group made its Touch & Go bow in June with the single "Me and Giuliani Down by the Schoolyard," which debuted at No. 16 on Billboard's Dance Singles Sales chart. "The first order of the band is groove," Andreoni says. "The stuff we're hopefully working on is going to sound dirtier and go toward the unexpected. We all really like the element of surprise in music -- things you don't expect to happen. That's why I think it takes us so long to write songs, because we want to make sure all of our ideas are fully represented."

MSNBC LINKS TO KINGBLIND.COM

Kick Ass.. Kingblind.com is listed on MSNBC.COM Thanks to the guy in Athens, GA that likes us!

Dismemberment Plan's Final Album and Final Shows

Ahh, I guess all good things must come to an end-- several times over. As reported previously here, after four fantastic albums and a shitload of even better live shows, Washington, D.C.'s Dismemberment Plan are leaving us for good. Yes, we know this news has been floating around for a while now, but the fact is that the band announced their demise back in January of this year and then kept right on touring. But this, as the Strokes might put it, is "it." The band will be leaving behind their final record, a remix collection called The People's History of the Dismemberment Plan, which will come out September 30th on the newly resurrected DeSoto Records. Fans may remember that the Plan commissioned remixes by posting the raw tracks for several of their most-loved songs on their website for would-be remixers to download and use. The band sifted through the results and picked out ten remixes from some average Joes, plus two from more famous D-Plan fans (and tourmates) Cex and Dalek.Meanwhile, the band has ended their final U.S. tour, but they'll be heading over to Japan for a few more dates before calling it quits... for real this time!

The Kinks Music Videos

Like the kinks? Well I love em' Here is a great collection of some clips of their music videos and TV appearances. CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT

ATP Los Angeles delayed AGAIN..

The much-beleaguered L.A. edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties (ATP) festival is now slated to take place in early November, according to a post on the event's official Web site. Now scheduled for Nov. 8-9 in Long Beach, Calif., the event has already been postponed twice. A full line-up has not yet been revealed, but Cat Power, Spoon, Built To Spill and Modest Mouse are among those promised to appear. The West Coast version of ATP was first scheduled for June then postponed until September due to poor ticket sales. The event was then pushed to November due to a conflict with Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah, according to organizers. Now christened ATP Pacific, the U.K.-bred event is being held in California for a second time. Last year, the fest was sponsored by UCLA, and was held on the university's campus. In addition to moving to Long Beach, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles, ATP has been shortened from a three-day to a two-day event. Bands will perform at two venues on docked cruise liner the Queen Mary, now a luxury hotel and convention center. You know kids.. maybe L.A. just isn't ready for ATP.. You ever thought of that?

Red House Painters frontman is back

What began as a solo project from Red House Painters frontman Mark Kozelek has morphed into a new band, Sun Kil Moon. The group's debut album, "Ghosts of the Highway," will be released Nov. 4 via Jetset. Kozelek hasn't released a studio album since 2001's "What's Next to the Moon," which featured 10 AC/DC covers. The future of Red House Painters remains cloudy. According to a spokesperson, the group has not disbanded, but has no plans to work together at present. Red House Painters' last release was 2001's "Old Ramon" (Sub Pop), its first album since 1996's "Songs for a Blue Guitar." Kozelek has released a handful of tracks on compilations and singles over the past few years. He produced and performed on singer/songwriter Lisa Cerbone's new album, "Ordinary Days," and appears on "The Guitar Man" EP from former Love And Rockets principal David J.

The Beatles 40th anniversary of TV

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' first appearance on U.S. TV, the Museum of Television & Radio (MTR) in New York and Los Angeles will present an exclusive exhibit on the group, running Feb. 6 through April 30, 2004. "Revolution: The Beatles on Television," will include Beatles music videos and TV appearances before and after the breakup of the band. There will also be screenings of Albert and David Maysles' documentary "What's Happening! The Beatles in the U.S.A.," also known as "The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit." The Beatles made their maiden U.S. TV appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on Feb. 9, 1964. The broadcast drew an estimated 73 million viewers and remains one of the highest-rated programs in U.S. TV history.

BRMC - STOP (MUSIC VIDEO)

New video from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's new record. For their first single "STOP" CLICK HERE TO VIEW requires quicktime 6

The Alejandro Escovedo fund.

Following a show in Phoenix on April 26, 2003, acclaimed singer-songwriter and playwright Alejandro Escovedo collapsed and was hospitalized due to complications from Hepatitis C. He is currently at home in Canyon Lake, Texas, resting and undergoing treatment to alleviate the effects of his condition. Alejandro's rigorous touring schedule and recording sessions for a new album that had begun the week before are both on hold as he recuperates. There is no health insurance to cover the mounting medical bills and loss of income as Alejandro continues to pursue treatment. In response to an outpouring of concern from friends, fans, and associates from across the nation, a trust has been established to handle donations. CLICK HERE TO HELP OUT

Libertines Pete gets new band together

Estranged LIBERTINES singer/guitarist PETE DOHERTY has formed a new band with the same name - but admits he still wants to play the CARLING WEEKEND shows with his old bandmates. The band are currently touring without Doherty , with co-frontman Carl Barat saying his old friend was too ill to perform. But Doherty said this is not the case, and that he's getting on with his own thing. He said: "I think he’s deluded about the extent of my overall deterioration. I think he hasn’t been able to write for a while. "Over the years it’s always been the same. We’ll have a little fall out. Sometimes it’ll last six months. I’m not going to sit home like a wife like I used to back in the day. Like when he was out gallivanting round town and I’d be sitting at home sticking chords together. "I’ve got a new band together. And we’re still called The Libertines . If he’s playing in a band called The Libertines then I’m going to play in The Libertines without him." But Doherty says this does not mean the end of the road for him and Barat. He admitted: "I’d play Reading and Leeds with Carl , definitely. I’d love to play all our songs any time. Anywhere. You know I’ll play them tonight. With Carl, without Carl. I don’t care. I can’t be arsed. I’m not going to mope about it."

Film of Jack White’s Hand Surgery

The White Stripes have posted footage of Jack White’s broken hand being fixed up. He has been instructed by doctor's that there is no way he can move his wrist until it is completely healed. The break did not heal properly, and surgery had to be performed. Three screws were placed in my finger to set the bones and insure complete recovery, three screws that will remain in his hand for life. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FILM ------ OUCH.

James Brown to Get D.C. Honor

The Godfather of Soul and the Coal Miner's Daughter are among this year's recipients of Kennedy Center Honors in the performing arts. James Brown and Loretta Lynn will join violinist Itzhak Perlman, comedienne Carol Burnett and director Mike Nichols ( The Graduate ) to receive the lifetime-achievement awards in Washington, D.C., December 7th. Brown, 78, and Lynn, 68, both made their names in the Sixties. Brown broke through as a member of the Flames in the Fifties, but didn't record "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and "I Got You (I Feel Good)" until 1965. Lynn, meanwhile, scored her first hit with 1962's aptly-named "Success"; she's best-known, of course, for 1971's "Coal Miner's Daughter," one of her four Number One singles, which tells the story of her Kentucky childhood.

THE JOHN PEEL SESSIONS

John has been with Radio 1 from the beginning in 1967, establishing himself with the late night program Top Gear. John was the first DJ to give exposure to punk, reggae, hip-hop, long before they crossed over into the mainstream. Almost anyone who is anyone in the world of music has recorded a session for Peel. And I mean ANYONE.. From The Stones to The Kinks to the Sex Pistols to Joy Division up to modern day bands like Radiohead and The White Stripes. John Peel has done it all. For those that have never been fortunate enough to hear his show,. It’s currently broadcast in the UK on BBC Radio 1 Tuesday to Thursday. But fear not readers of North America.. Thanks to the internet this amazing show is available to you. JUST CLICK HERE and enjoy.

Was Paul McCartney replaced in 1966

Undeniable Forensic Proof that the Beatles legend Paul McCartney really was replaced with a Look-Alike in 1966. CLICK HERE TO INVESIGATE THIS CONSPIRACY I love paranoid people with way too much time on their hands.

Best of Big Star on the horizon

Seminal 70’s Pop band BIG STAR are to releasing a 'BEST OF' compilation next month featuring a brand new track.'The Big Star Story', out September 22, includes highlights from the cult band's albums '#1 Record', 'Radio City' and 'Number Three Record'/'Sister Lovers'. It also contains solo tracks from guitarist Chris Bell, who left in 1973, plus songs from the line-up that have toured since the early 90s, original members Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens being joined by The Posies' Jonathan Auer and Ken Stringfellow. The band still play dates, though have only written one song: 'Hot Thing', which gets its first official release here.

Television may return to studio w/ reissues on the way

Television-- the original minimalist guitar rock band (and most routinely name-dropped influence to all things New York art-rock) is apparently talking about getting back into the studio. Although they've been touring together in their original form since 2001, their last recorded material appeared in 1992 (the self-titled Television for Capitol). In a recent interview guitarist Richard Lloyd remarked: "We have quite a few new songs which get performed live, and we also talk about recording from time to time." He goes on in a rather vague manner, stating that the band don't exactly have record-company funding, but may record anyway... on their own time. In the meantime, we can expect several reissues from the seminal proto-punk band this fall. Most notably, Rhino Records is repackaging the group's twin late '70s classics Marquee Moon and Adventure with the requisite additional artwork, new liner notes, lyrics, and unreleased bonus tracks. Among the goodies are alternate versions of "Marquee Moon," "Friction," and "See No Evil," the never-released title track to Adventure , a remix and alternate instrumental version of "Ain't That Nothin'," ultra-rare early single "Little Johnny Jewel" and an early version of "Glory." Both reissues are due September 23rd. Also premiering on the 23rd is Live at the Old Waldorf , a live gig recorded June 29th, 1978-- only a few months before the band's initial breakup. This recording is being made available by Rhino Handmade, and will only be offered online. The tracklist could not be verified by Rhino Handmade at the time of this writing, but will likely mirror various bootlegs of the show.

INDIE ROCK DISASTER!!

ATHENS, GA—Thirty-seven record-store clerks are missing and feared dead in the aftermath of a partial roof collapse during a Yo La Tengo concert Monday. CLICK HERE TO READ Maybe one of the funniest onion stories EVER.. I read it once a month just to make myself laugh.

A Million Little Pieces: By James Frey (Book Review)

Sick of self-pitying, self-important, sob story memoirs of people in their 20s? So is James Frey. These days, it's more a question of who isn't being billed as "the next Dave Eggers" than who is, and while the comparisons are already being made. Frey is determined to rid himself of any associations he might have with any other similar authors. With his debut A Million Little Pieces , you'll find memoir, you'll find a young man in his early 20s and you may sob, but you'll find no self-pity, no self importance. It's crushing and refreshing at the same time. The book opens on a 23-year-old Frey, who appears to have lived eight lifetimes before hitting the quarter mile, and is about to throw in the towel. He is not a pretty sight: "My front four teeth are gone, I have a hole in my cheek, my nose is broken and my eyes are swollen nearly shut." His clothes are covered with spit, snot, urine, vomit and blood, liquids that come up quite often throughout the extent of the book. Delivered to his parents, he is barely conscious, yet requests that his father buy him two bottles of wine, which, amazingly, he does, and which Frey, amazingly, downs as if it were water. At the same time, the story is reminiscent of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," where it's difficult, sometimes, to tell the crazy from the sane and how any break from the routine can seem like an absolute blessing, such as a steak and lobster dinner brought in by one of the patients as a special treat during a boxing match. "In here," says Frey, "Anything resembling normalcy is coveted." However, A Million Little Pieces is not an average recovery tale. "I don't give a fuck what they think of me. I'm going to try to write the best book of my generation and I'm going to try to be the best writer," Frey says in a recent interview with the New York Observer , shunning any comparisons between him and writers like Eggers. Whether Frey is the best writer and whether he will come upon the acclaim and attention that Eggers received is yet to be determined but in terms of a debut book, Frey's is worth reading on its own. Any parallels between Frey and his contemporaries is up to the reader, but only after the journey of A Million Little Pieces is completed.. Folks this is a must read book. You won’t be able to put it down.

New label lays out the wax

Brooklyn, N.Y.-based independent label StarTime International -- home to Brendan Benson, French Kicks and the Walkmen -- has teamed with The Fader magazine to start a joint venture label, STIFLE, which will release club-oriented 12" singles. STIFLE, which stands for StarTime International Fader Label Enterprises, plans to release a 12" single every four weeks. The first edition, STIFLE 001, is due Aug. 12 and will boast remixes of French Kicks' "Close to Modern" by Eucho and DJ Smash. STIFLE 002, set for Sept. 9, will include remixes of the Streets' "Weak Become Heroes" by 3 Friends featuring Lisa Shaw and Royksopp. Each STIFLE release will attempt to bring musicians and remix artists from disparate genres together. Future 12" remix fodder will include VHS Or Beta's "Solid Gold," the Ends' "Are You From the Ends?" and Ted Leo/Pharmacists' "Hearts of Oak."

ASH BRING THE ROCK

Ash were one of the support acts who played to the 370,000-strong crowd at Knebworth during Robbie Williams' weekend gigs. They played a set of their hits which went down well, but they say they will be revealing some new tracks when they play the V Festival in two weeks. They're due to start recording their new album in September in LA with the Foo Fighters producer Nick Raskulinecz. They're planning to rent a big villa and hope to get some surfing in too. This is how Tim and Rick describe their new songs: "I think they're like Ash with Dave Grohl on drums, except it's Rick. I don't know if that clears things up for you at all." "It's a little bit more rock. After spending quite a lot of time in America the riffs are a bit heavier and also we've got the old pop melodies, a la Tim Wheeler." either way.. we here at kingblind look forward to hearing it.

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS: Phantom Power-- Album Review

They may well be stamped "Product of Wales", but eccentric pop superstars Super Furry Animals inhabit a solar system that's light years away from all things traditionally Welsh. Though Rings Around the World garnered SFA a smidgen of mainstream approval (more so at home than abroad), it was also one of the most fantastically warped pop records of recent memory. Happily, its equally phantasmagorical follow-up exudes a similar measure of experimental pop exuberance and extraterrestrial strangeness. As mindlessly captivating an album as you're likely to hear all year, Phantom Power is where the honeyed invocations of Mwng crash headlong into Guerilla 's cosmic psych-hop and emerge from the rubble squeaky-clean. While the group has mostly jettisoned Radiator 's everything-but-the-kitchen sink aesthetic in favor of songs with traditional structures and timeless melodies, their innate oddness can't help but seep through the cracks. The frazzled power-pop of "Liberty Belle" harks back to the days of Fuzzy Logic , and shimmering interstellar country ditty "Sex, War & Robots" is Lee Hazelwood dosed on blackberry brandy and pixie dust, while the stammering "Out of Control" is pitched around a plague-strength riff and Gruff Rhys's catty vocals, and "The Piccolo Snare" is what the Beach Boys would have sounded like had Brian Wilson forgone therapy in favor of marathon studio sessions with the 13th Floor Elevators (and copious amounts of LSD). As rock'n'roll moves steadily toward the gutter, Super Furry Animals once again prove themselves to be a breed apart -- pop stars who keep their clothes on, rock stars without the overblown egos and excessive emotional baggage, and a owners of a sparkling sonic palette that never resorts to hackneyed clichés or gimmickry.

Ryan Adams and Jeff Tweedy at war.

In a recent interview, Jeff Tweedy made several comments on Ryan Adams' "seemingly non-stop shenanigans" when asked if he would ever throw a fan out of a concert (referring to Adams' fated 10.14.02 Nashville appearance, where he kicked an avid Adams fan out of his concert). When Adams discovered Tweedy's remarks, one of which referred to Adams' music as "pedestrian," he responded in his typical hot-headed manner, spouting off insults as he has done in the past with notable musicians such as Rhett Miller (of the Old 97s) and Jack White (um, you know him). "Dear Jeff," Adams posted on ryanadams.org , "you my dear sir are not the only kid on the block with a jean jacket and painkillers.... funny that Jeff would call my music pedestrian considering he wrote that aborhable album AM... yankee hotel foxtrot. hey babe, a delay pedal doesnt make the shitty-eagles anything but the shitty eagles with delay pedals......"Adams also commented that Tweedy "is a little self-conscious about his body image." A response [presumably] from Tweedy appeared later, in which Tweedy set the record straight by saying: "I have no interest whatsoever in participating in public debates.... While I do feel bad that my opinions have been broadcast. I can't take them back.... For what it's worth I do think you have a considerable amount of talent." The post was written under the name Jeff Tweedy, and signed "Sincerely, Jeff." Apparently, Tweedy didn't realize that the interview hadn't ended when he made the comments about Adams. Tweedy ended the debat by saying only "I would never kick out a fan at a concert for yelling out a request."

ASCII ROCK

ASCII art renderings of classic rock imagery. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ROCK

VERY DIFFERENT STROKES

THE STROKES have revealed details about their eagerly awaited new album - describing it as 'more mellow' but with elements of MICHAEL JACKSON 's 'BILLIE JEAN'. Out of the 11 tracks set to make the final cut, working titles include 'Under Control', 'Nightmare', 'Supernova', 'Raga', 'Ze Newie', and 'Meet Me In The Bathroom'. Drummer Fabrizio Moretti said: "We spent a lot of time looking for specific sounds." Speaking about 'Nightmare', guitarist Albert Hammond Jr added: "That's probably one of my favourite drum sounds right there... It's kind of 'Billie Jean' -ish. We spent all this time to make it sound like a drum machine, but Fab still plays it." According to singer Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi "blew up two guitar amps getting that sound" for the solo in 'Supernova'.The band's "first more mellow song", 'Under Control' , was recorded live - annoying neighbours: "The neighbours on the seventh floor complained about the noise," said Hammond Jr. "It was four in the morning, and we had to pull the plug. And that was the take where we felt like we had it. But it was all right because we came in the next day and got it." The new album is due for release on October 20th.

RIAA boss to step down

Everyone's favorite $12 billion underdog, the Recording Industry Association of America, has finally announced a replacement for outgoing anti-piracy pit bull Hilary Rosen. Rosen abandoned the $1 million-a-year gig last month, citing the usual "I have young children and I want to devote more of my time to them" excuse. Almost universally reviled among file-traders for her aggressive campaigns against universities, businesses, internet service providers, parents and now file-swappers themselves, Rosen came in somewhere between a neo-Nazi group and Michael Bolton in an online poll on modern-day supervillains, according to a report in Wired. Predictably, laptop pundits began crowing stuff like "Ding dong! The wicked witch is dead!" on sites like Slashdot and MP3isnotacrime.org. However, file-sharing watchdog Zeropaid.com reports that Rosen is simply swapping one high-paying, high-visibility career for another: starting this month, Rosen will appear thrice weekly as a commentator for CNBC. Though, to be fair, Rosen's income will be taking quite a hit-- I mean, for one thing, now she actually has to buy CD's!.

MX-301 Alpha synthesizer

Loop old school 8 bit synth tracks. too much fun.. Make me wanna bust out my atari 2600 and kick out the jams.

"writing about music is like dancing about architecture - it's really a stupid thing to want to do." -- Elvis Costello

The Minutemen are BACK!! On stage and in a new book.

Punk Rock legends Mike Watt and George Hurley will likely perform as Minutemen at this falls's All Tomorrow's Parties festival, which takes place in L.A. late September. No word yet to who will fill the shoes of D. Boon. And speaking of the Minutemen Spiels of a minuteman is a bilingual (english/french) book that includes all lyrics that mike watt wrote for the minutemen from 1980 to 1985. the book also includes the 1983 minutemen/black flag tour diary of watt's first visit to europe. presentation and forword texts are by joe carducci, richard meltzer, thurston moore and, naturally, mike watt. raymond pettibon's drawings for the minutemen covers are included.. CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOK It's only 14 bucks.. what are you waiting for!!

MOGWAI: Happy Music for Happy People (album review)

Mogwai's music inspires waves of hyperbole, none of which does justice to the massive and detailed sound of the band. Detractors might have once accused them of relying too heavily on the soft/loud/soft formula, especially after the often gorgeous, but predictable, Come On Die Young . But that record contained hints of a new creative direction that crystallized on Rock Action , one of 2001's standout rock albums. There Mogwai diversified its bag of tricks, employing sophisticated post-production techniques and a heightened sense of musical economy to further balance the warring poles of minimalism and cacophony. Happy Songs for Happy People continues to work on the grounds established by Rock Action , but it also draws readily from Action 's precursors. The result is an album that blends and distills Mogwai's most satisfying elements down to a near-perfect 41 minutes. Happy Songs is epic and subtle, technically savvy and emotionally charged and visceral all at once -- in short, it's a summary of everything that is great about Mogwai's music. This album is highly recommended.. Buy it now.

ATP New York postponed until 2004

Since the postponement of the Los Angeles edition of All Tomorrow's Parties, fans have wondered about the status of the New York version of the festival. Though the LA shows have been rescheduled for Sept. 26-28, the New York festival, originally scheduled for September, currently exists in a limbo-like state, according to curator Stephen Malkmus. ATP-NY, which was set to take place in Asbury Park, N.J., at the Convention Center and Paramount Theatre, has been pushed back 'til early 2004, according to information on the festival's official Web site . Apparently there were problems with the New Jersey venue, and a new one needs to be secured. "We have had problems over the past six months trying to find a suitable venue and the search has been compared to George W. Bush's quest for Weapons of Mass destruction in Iraq," reads a statement on the site. "However, we have made significant progress over the past two weeks and will be announcing details very soon so check the site for more details." OFFICIAL ATP WEBSITE

JANE'S ADDICTION: JUST BECAUSE-- MUSIC VIDEO

The new video from Jane's Addiction for their first single "Just Because" from the new album Strays-- The jury is still out on the new record but this single ROCKS.. Requires Quicktime 6

Page Hamilton and Winona Rider.. True Love?

Former Helmet singer / guitarist Page Hamilton and Winona Rider are a new couple.. Man she sure dumped Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) fast. Could this be true love for Winona? We think not.. And while we are talking about Page Hamilton.. He has a new band.. GANDHI

U.S. Bands get Livid

THE WHITE STRIPES, BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB and YEAH YEAH YEAHS have all been confirmed to play Australia's LIVID FESTIVAL in October. The touring festival, which plays Sydney (October 11), Melbourne (October 12) and Brisbane (October 18) will be headlined by Linkin Park and features Turbonegro, The Roots, Rocket Science and Jurassic 5. More acts are due to be announced in the coming weeks, with tickets going on sale on August 7.

KINGBLIND RECOMMENDS

Here's what's on the Kingblind stereo this week:
(BRMC: Take them on, On your own)--(Jesus Lizard: Goat)--(Mogwai: Happy music for happy people)--(Guided By Voices: Earthquake Glue)--(The Kinks: Something Else)

Kentucky Fried Cruelty

What has Paul McCartney putting ads in the paper and Chrissie Hynde protesting in Paris.. Well Click here to find out

Krist Novoselic says goodbye to the music biz

After Nirvana disbanded in 1994, bassist Krist Novoselic became politically active and formed several bands including Eyes Adrift -- he now says that he's finished with the music business after being unable to achieve any post-Nirvana commercial success. "We came together in 2002 as three musicians who like to play. We came together as three people who shared common life experiences," Novoselic said in the opening of a letter to his fans on eyesadrift.com. "While Eyes Adrift is an artistic success, the commercial side is anything but successful. As far as the music industry goes, I quit. I can’t deal. I can’t read the magazines, listen to the radio or watch music television without feeling like I’ve just come in from outer space. I just don’t get it and I probably never did. My lot in life is that every band I’ve ever been in just falls apart. That hurts but I’ve got a thick hide from years of conditioning. Now please take note that I haven’t quit music, I’ve just quit the business." While Novoselic does not specify what he will do in the future, he does hint that he will continue to be politically active. "You’ll all hear about my plans soon enough, he says. "If you’ve been following my politics, you know that I will continue to work for inclusion, fairness and freedom."

Mc Cartney's Russian Concert Documentary

A&E will debut documentaries this fall on Paul McCartney "Paul McCartney: The Journey to Red Square" is a two-hour program about the former Beatle's first Russian concert, which took place in May. McCartney executive-produced the special. The program will include footage of his Moscow concert and his visit to the Russian city of St. Petersburg, where he received an honorary doctorate from the Russian Conservatoire.

Boycott the RIAA

RIAA RADAR "Search to see if the album you want to buy is RIAA affiliated. Works pretty good, too." Query by artists, albums, record labels, etc.

June Carter Cash's Last Statement

June Carter Cash's final work, an album called Wildwood Flower (Dualtone Records), is an appropriate celebration of her Appalachian roots and the musical legacy of her renowned musical family. The album, out Sept 9, features more than a dozen songs, many of which are Carter Family Classics like “Temptation,” “Keep On the Sunny Side,” and “Anchored in Love.” The release will include an extensive enhanced portion featuring exclusive footage from the album's recording sessions and vintage pieces from early radio broadcasts. “What an honor and privilege to be able to release such an amazing body of work, not to mention a part of American history,” said Dualtone Records President Scott Robinson. “June's love for life and music is truly represented in Wildwood Flower . May the spirit of June Carter Cash live on forever.”

WAYNE'S WORLD

THE FLAMING LIPS are to release a DVD version of their latest album 'YOSHIMI BATTLES THE PINK ROBOTS' .The DVD , out September 2, includes the album, a DVDA version of the album, plus several bonus audio tracks. These include the Japanese version of 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 1' and an acoustic 'Do You Realize?' The video features include two versions of the video of 'Do You Realize?' plus a ‘making of’, as well as a trailer for the band's forthcoming movie 'Christmas On Mars'.