THE SHINS "So Says I" (Legal MP3 Download)

Chutes Too Narrow, the Shins' heavily anticipated follow-up to "Know Your Onion", was recorded in James' basement home studio, with later mixing assistance from Phil Ek (Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, David Cross, Les Savy Fav, etc.). And, with 10 songs, clocking in at just over 30 minutes, the new record is a brief yet entirely scintillating glimpse at chiming, reflective and perfectly skewed pop innovation. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

Kingblind: News that you can use.

PETE TOWNSHEND and ROGER DALTREY are planning to demo new material before year's end and record an album next spring . . . RONALD SPAGNARDI, founder and publisher of Modern Drummer, died on Monday of cancer; he was sixty . . . MIKE WATT AND THE SECONDMEN will open eleven dates for the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, starting October 8th in Las Vegas . . . The reunited AMERICAN MUSIC CLUB will play a free show at Spaceland in Los Angeles every Monday night in December . . . BELLE AND SEBASTIAN will begin a fifteen-date tour on October 26th in Atlanta . . . JOHNNY CASH won Artist of the Year and his American IV: The Man Comes Around won Album of the Year at the 2003 Americana Awards in Nashville over the weekend. JOHN PRINE received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriter . . . WILCO, SPOON and BRIGHT EYES will contribute songs to The Amos House Collection, due in December . . . PAUL McCARTNEY told fans in a September 18th Webchat that he had started work on a new album but isn't likely to finish it until next year . . . STARSAILOR will release their new album, Silence Is Easy, on January 27th . . . Songs by the ROOTS, the DEAD, SONIC YOUTH and the FLAMING LIPS will be included on Live From Bonnaroo 2003, a two-CD set due September 30th. A DVD from the event will also be released . . . The YEAH YEAH YEAHS launch a twelve-date tour on November 8th in Washington, D.C. . . . AL GREEN has reunited with his old producer WILLIE MITCHELL to record a new album, I Can't Stop, due November 18th. With the album's release, Green's four-CD box, The Immortal Soul of... will be bumped to 2004 . . .

On the Bridge

WILCO, DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL, INCUBUS, WILLIE NELSON and CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH have joined the lineup for the seventeenth annual Bridge School Benefit concert. The acoustic event, which was founded by NEIL YOUNG and his wife PEGI, will be held on October 25th at the Shoreline Amphitheater in California. YOUNG and PEARL JAM will also perform. The Bridge School is a learning facility for children with speech and physical impairments . . .

Upcoming British singer-songwriter MATTHEW JAY has died.

The 24-year-old fell from a seventh-floor window and died from his injuries, according to his manager. Currently, there is no official cause of death. In a statement, his parents said: "Matthew Jay died late evening on Wednesday, 24th September 2003, killed in a fall from a seventh-storey window. It is understood that there was nobody with him in the room at the time and no note was left. His family loved him dearly, admired him greatly and wish Matthew and all who loved him peace and tranquility. "Matthew lived and died for his music. We hope that his music will live on and help fill the terrible void left in all those who loved him." Jay grew up around music. His parents were avid folk musicians and he joined the family band at a young age. Around the same time, Jay’s dad uprooted his family to move to Abergavenny, South Wales. Often compared to fellow British singer/songwriters such as Badly Drawn Boy and Nick Drake, his debut album ’Draw’ was a critical success following its release In 2001. During a fruitful period, Jay then supported the likes of Stereophonics, Dido and Doves. In the UK his highest profile gigs were supporting Starsailor. A spokesperson at Matthew's former record label said: "Everyone here who knew Matthew will remember him as such a lovely guy, and a very talented artist. We are deeply shocked and send our sympathy to his family and friends." His manager Martyn Watson added: "Matthew's genius was an inspiration. He brought light to all our lives and his songs will live on forever. All his friends will miss him so much." Jay was working on new material at the time of his death.

New Law Passed To Block Concert Suicide

The St. Petersburg, Fla., city council passed a law today (Sept. 30) designed to scuttle a rock group's plans to feature an onstage suicide. The hard rock band Hell On Earth had said that a suicide by a terminally ill person would take place during a concert Saturday to raise awareness of right-to-die issues. In response, the city council met today to unanimously approve an emergency ordinance making it illegal to conduct a suicide for commercial or entertainment purposes, and to host, promote and sell tickets for such an event. "While I still think it's a publicity stunt, we still couldn't sit idly by and let somebody lose their life," council member Bill Foster said. A Florida law already makes assisting in a suicide manslaughter, a second-degree felony. Tampa-based Hell Of Earth, known for such outrageous onstage stunts as chocolate syrup wrestling and grinding up live rats in a blender, created the furor by announcing the suicide would happen Saturday at the Palace Theater in downtown St. Petersburg. But the theater's owner, David Hundley, promptly canceled the band's show, and another venue also turned away the event. Band leader BillY Tourtelot has vowed that the concert and suicide will still take place at an undisclosed location in the city, and broadcast live on the band's Web site. "This show is far more than a typical Hell On Earth performance," Tourtelot said in a statement on the group's official Web site. "This is about standing up for what you believe in, and I am a strong supporter of physician-assisted suicide." A message left for Tourtelot was not immediately returned. Hell On Earth is playing clubs in support of its independently produced album, "All Things Disturbingly Sassy."

Kingblind.com gets named as one of the best blogs (weblogs) in the world !

The Australian news service SMH has name Kingblind.com as one of the best blogs in the world!! Check out the story right here. Wow.. First MSNBC.COM and now this.. COOL!!

Death Cab for Cutie: "The New Year" (Legal MP3 Download)

Like Noam Chomsky and Ted Williams before them, the bashful boys of Bellingham, WA powerhouse Death Cab for Cutie are stepping forward as their generation's renaissance men.” Their fourth studio album blends subtle songwriting, amazing production, boundless creativity, and thoughtful rock. Highly recommended. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

Kings of Leon announce biggest UK tour EVER

KINGS OF LEON are coming to the UK in December for an NME PRESENTS... tour, which takes in their biggest UK and Irish shows ever. The tour starts at the 3,500 capacity London Brixton Academy, then visits Southampton, Birmingham, Dublin, Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol and Glasgow. The band will be arriving fresh from a massive US tour that’s been star-studded and completely debauched. Currently on the road with Jet and the 22-20s, they are due to go out for more dates supporting The Strokes before coming to the UK. The full tour dates for NME Presents…Kings Of Leon are:
London Brixton Academy (December 11)
Southampton Guild Hall (13)
Birmingham Academy (14)
Dublin Olympia Theatre (16)
Manchester Academy (17)
Nottingham Rock City (18)
Bristol Academy (21)
Glasgow Academy (22)

Stereophonics sack drummer

The Stereophonics have fired their drummer Stuart Cable who hasn't been playing on the Welsh band's US dates due to ill health. Singer Kelly Jones said on the band's website that there had been "commitment issues" but Cable isn't taking this sitting down. He was apparently stunned by the decision and in a statement said, "I'm a founder member of the Stereophonics and I would like to stress that I did not leave nor ever had any intention of leaving the band. As has been published, I underwent a minor operation whilst in the US and was unable to play two of the gigs. My doctor subsequently told me I was able to continue the US tour. However, Kelly and Richard (Jones, bassist) suggested I return to the UK to recuperate for the forthcoming UK and European tours. Last Monday evening (9/22), Richard and Kelly telephoned me from the US and I was stunned to be told that they had decided to sack me. I still want to continue to be a part of the Stereophonics and play on the band's forthcoming UK and European tours. I am, and have always been, a fully committed member of the Stereophonics and am very upset that Kelly seems to be saying that I was not committed to the band." Although Kelly has stated that there will be no permanent replacement for his childhood friend, ex-Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman has been filling in for Cable on this tour and will continue to play with the band. Kelly for his part has written on the band's website: "Me and Stuart started a band when I was 12. Emotionally to me this is heartbreaking, I love him like a brother, but commitment-wise there have been issues since Just Enough Education to Perform." “No one member of the band is bigger than our songs,” continues Kelly. “It's a rock and roll band and the coming shows will be rocking." The band are currently on tour promoting their fourth album You've Got to Go There to Come Back.

New Strokes leaked onto internet

THE STROKES’ second album 'ROOM ON FIRE' has leaked onto the internet. According to fan websites, ten of the songs from the record were leaked onto the internet over the weekend. kingblind.com understands users of various unofficial message boards are now sharing MP3 files of the album. The record joins the list of hundreds that have appeared on the internet before its official release, despite a massive clampdown on file sharing by the music industry. Earlier this year, unmastered songs from Radiohead’s new album 'Hail To The Thief' turned up on the internet months before the record was due to hit the shops. 'Room On Fire' is officially released in the UK on October 20. The single, '12:51' comes out two weeks earlier on October 6.

New EP from Polyphonic Spree

The Polyphonic Spree's "Light & Day" will be the title track of a new EP, due Tuesday (Sept. 30) via Hollywood. The limited-edition disc will feature a re-recorded version of the song, which is prominently featured in a joint Volkswagen/iPod television commercial. Available at select U.S. independent record stores and the group's shows, the EP will be rounded out by the previously unreleased song "The March" and a Stereolab remix of "Soldier Girl" from the debut album, "The Beginning Stages Of... The Polyphonic Spree." As previously reported, the 20-plus member group is currently on tour in the U.S., and will play Birmingham, Ala., tonight. An appearance on NBC's "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" that was scotched due to the massive Aug. 15 blackout will be made up Nov. 5.

New Delay for Strokes record

The Strokes have bumped the release of their highly anticipated sophomore RCA album back a week. "Room on Fire" was originally due Oct. 21 but will now come out Oct. 28 "due to some unforeseen packaging problems," according to the group's official Web site. The group's fall tour begins Oct. 9 in Philadelphia, with a 10-date European trek set to kick off Dec. 1 in Glasgow. The new album's first single, "Supernova," is No. 27 in its second week on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Robert Palmer Dies At Age 54

Robert Palmer died today (Sept. 26) in Paris of a heart attack. He was 54. The singer was on a two-day break in Paris following a television recording session in Britain, his manager Mick Carter said from the French capital. In the 1980s, Palmer became a superstar with such singles as "Addicted to Love" and "Simply Irresistible" - accompanied by slick videos featuring the smartly dressed Palmer with a back-up band of attractive women, all in black outfits and glossy makeup. A side project, Power Station, formed in 1985 with John Taylor and Andy Taylor of '80s supergroup Duran Duran, scored three top-10 hits on Billboard's Hot 100, including "Communication" and a cover of "Get it On (Bang a Gong)." The son of a British naval officer, Palmer was a member of several British rock bands before he hit the big time as a solo artist. He had lived in Switzerland for the past 16 years. Known for his GQ sense of style, Palmer was named best-dressed male artist by Rolling Stone in 1990. The "Addicted to Love" video, with its miniskirted models strumming guitars as Palmer sang, became one of MTV's most-played clips, and sparked protests from some feminists. "I'm not going to attach inappropriate significance to it because at the time it meant nothing. It's just happened to become an iconic look," Palmer once said of the video. He had his first hit album and single, "Sneakin' Sally through the Alley," in 1974. In his 20s, Palmer worked with a number of small-time bands including Dada, Vinegar Joe, and the Alan Bown Band, occasionally appearing in opening acts for big draw including The Who and Jimi Hendrix. Palmer once confessed that he was not attracted to the excesses of rock'n'roll stardom. "I loved the music, but the excesses of rock 'n' roll never really appealed to me at all," he said. "I couldn't see the point of getting up in front of a lot of people when you weren't in control of your wits."

LENNON'S LEGEND - ON DVD

A new JOHN LENNON DVD is set for release, compiled by the late legend’s wife YOKO ONO. ‘Lennon Legend’, a companion to the Lennon compilation of the same name, is set for release on October 27 and features a raft of exclusive features. The DVD is made up of highlights of Lennon’s solo career, including an all-new video for ‘Working Class Hero’ featuring footage of the star’s childhood, material from John and Yoko’s legendary ‘Bed In’ and a live version of ‘Imagine’ from Lennon’s last ever live performance. The DVD also features a set of new animations based on Lennon’s line-drawings, Yoko Ono said of the project, which she executive produced: "This is as definitive a collection as it is possible to be. John's life was an amazing one and one that I feel privileged to have been part of. Compiling this DVD has been a very emotional experience: unearthing rare footage, watching it increase in clarity before my eyes, reliving hundreds of memories that were part of our lives and which are now being passed on to a new generation. It is a film made with love and hope – my love for my husband and our hope that peace will prevail in the world. Give peace a chance!"

Drive-By Truckers - Decoration Day (Album Review)

Here in the American south, decoration day refers to placing bouquets of flowers on loved ones' gravesites. A more fitting name couldn't be found for this brilliantly crafted collection of songs covering dour and depressing topics with southern boogie, insightful lyrics and country wisdom. Whether it's a song about an incestuous brother and sister ("The Deeper In"), an ode to a father and his advice to an unheeding son ("Outfit") or the reaction to a friend's suicide ("When The Pin Hits The Shell"), "Decoration Day" manages to flesh out its stories while never losing its dignity.

KAAZA TURNS THE TABLES.. AND SUES RECORD LABELS

Turning the tables on record labels, makers of the most popular file-sharing network are suing the companies for copyright infringement. Sharman Networks, the company behind the KaZaA file-sharing software, filed a federal lawsuit on Monday accusing the labels of using unauthorized versions of its software in their efforts to snoop out users. Sharman said the companies used KaZaA Lite, an ad-less replica of its software, to get onto the network. The lawsuit also claims efforts to combat piracy on KaZaA violated terms for using the network. Labels have allegedly offered bogus versions of copyrighted works and sent online messages to users. Sharman's lawsuit also revives its previous allegation that the labels violated antitrust laws by stopping Sharman and its partner from distributing authorized copies of music and movies through KaZaA. U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson rejected those claims in July but last week allowed Sharman to try again. Last year, the labels filed suit against Sharman, accusing it of providing free access to copyrighted music and films. The Recording Industry Association of America called Sharman's "newfound admiration for the importance of copyright law" ironic and "self-serving." Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group declined comment on the lawsuit. In related news, the software developers who wrote KaZaA have launched an Internet phone service they claim could put traditional phone companies out of business. The service, called Skype, purports to offer free, unlimited phone service between users -- with sound quality near to what its developers derisively dub "POTS" -- a Plain Old Telephone Service. Unlike KaZaA, which drew the wrath of the music industry, Skype shouldn't stir up a legal hornet's nest. "The goal here is that we want Skype to be the telephone company of the future," said Niklas Zennstrom, the firm's chief executive. "Traditional network technologies date back to the 1870s. They're inflexible and costly to maintain."

Ted Leo Hooks Back Up With Pharmacists For Fall Dates

Ted Leo's vocal cords seeming to be holding up fine, as he's been crusing through a set of solo dates. So while the Pharmacists have been sitting at home on Saturday nights, watching Law and Order reruns and flipping through their (very) little black books, ol' Teddy's been out having a ball. But now the situation's being rectified, and the Pharmacists will be joining Ted for a new set of dates around the U.S, starting a little under three weeks after he finishes up his own gigs in Cali. The Pharmacists dates start off with a bang in New York, with Lookout! Records' big phat CMJ paaaaartay. You get Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Small Brown Bike, The Washdown, Communique, The Reputation, and the Evening, all on one bill! All right! Sure, Ted Leo's the only one I've ever fucking heard of, but still, what a deal! As previously reported, Leo is releasing the solo-centric EP Tell Balgeary, Balgury Is Dead on October 7th via Lookout! and should have plenty available on the tour.

Damon Che Books Don Caballero Reunion, Forgets To Invite Rest Of Band

In a move that's unexpected but not so surprising (considering who we're dealing with here), Damon Che-- longtime drummer of the hilariously amazing Don Caballero-- will be re-forming the band for a number of shows starting in late October. Here's the catch: Damon's opted not to invite the rest of Don Cab to the reunion. But hey, weren't you bored with those same old geniuses that'd been an integral part of the band for the ten years of their existence anyway? It seems Che was. Members of his current project, Creta Bourzia, will be filling out the roles instead, leaving many to wonder what happened to Ian Williams, Mike Banfield, and the bevy of faceless bassists that might have been expected to take part in this glorified reunion. No word has been snatched up yet as to the original band member's reactions to the initiative (write us!), or if Che even approached any of them about participating. But you can be sure that while the new Don Cab won't be exactly the first thing you'd envision in a reunion, it will without a doubt be a spectacle of one stripe or another. So far the only official reunion dates are as follows:
10-23 Boston, MA - Middle East *
10-24 Philadelphia, PA - Khyber *
10-26 Baltimore, MD - Ottobar *
10-29 Atlanta, GA - Echo Lounge *
10-31 Charlottesville, VA - Tokyo Rose *
11-01 Pittsburgh, PA - Carnegie Mellon (w/ Modey Lemon, Creta Bourzia, We Safari)
11-02 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop *
11-05 Detroit, MI - Lager House *
11-06 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
* with The Constantines
This kind of strange and perhaps questionable maneuvering has defined Damon Che for Don Caballero fans throughout his career, most recently in the drunken tantrum marking his departure from Bellini this time last year. In the meantime, those in need of witnessing the alien guitar work of Ian Williams can find him tapping and squelching out all sorts of melodic disorder in his new project, Battles. Who knows, if this trend catches on, perhaps next month we'll get news that Lou Barlow is bringing back Dinosaur Jr. with some other guy we've never heard of in the driver's seat. Or, uh, The Doors could reform without Jim Morrison. How about John Mellencamp and the E Street Band?

Liberines at Liberty soon?

THE LIBERTINES could reform as soon as co-frontman PETE DOHERTY comes out of prison. Sources close to the band say Doherty's songwriting partner Carl Barat wants his old pal back in the band as soon as he is freed - and a appeal against his sentence could see Doherty out by November. Insiders have even begun talking about a Christmas single. Doherty's lawyer Richard Locke has also spoken of his hopes for the appeal and on what grounds he is going to contest Judge Roger Davies' decision."We've launched an appeal," he said. "We just have to wait. The court hasn't notified us of the date of the hearing yet. I'd say between two or four weeks with any luck, depending on how busy the court lists are."Locke added: "I've got good legal argument for an appeal, in that the sentence ought to be reduced certainly and possibly that (Pete) should have received a community penalty and not gone to prison at all. "The best argument is that six months was an excessive sentence because he wasn't given any credit for pleading guilty. He ought to have given a third off. "As previously reported, Doherty pleaded guilty to burglary after breaking into Barat's flat on July 25, while The Libertines were touring in Japan. Horseferry Road Magistrates' Court heard Doherty admit to stealing an antique guitar, video recorder, a laptop, mouth organ, and a CD player. Whatever the outcome of the appeal, Doherty will only serve three months of the sentence behind bars. Locke said: "He's automatically released after three months but he'll be on licence which means if he gets into trouble or arrested he's brought straight back to serve the remainder of his sentence."

Four Tet Touring with Animal Collective, Prefuse 73

After a summer full of high-profile remix projects and a touring schedule that included an opening slot for the ubiquitous Radiohead, Kieran Hebden-- aka the ever-so-increasingly-in-magazines-like-Rolling-Stone Four Tet-- is preparing to release a new single off of Rounds, his most recent Domino soirée into acoustic glitchtronica. The record, "As Serious As Your Life," will be ready for consumption on October 20th, and according to online music marketing juggernaut AMP, comes backed with an incredible 23-minute (!!) live version as well as two self-done remixes that will leave you wondering whether it's really the same song at all. But the fun don't stop there, my little Hrvatski's and Fennesz's. Nope, Hebden has also recorded a music video for the track, which can presently be downloaded at the Four Tet AMP homepage. In other Tet news, Hebden will be lathering up his laptop and dusting off the sampler for a whirlwind tour of the UK and a flash-in-the-pan visit to the U.S. During the first part of October, the British half of the tour will wind its way through England, Wales, and Scotland, accompanied by the chaotic noises of Animal Collective, only to slide right back into England for a phat ass electro-blowout of sorts. I mean, it's gotta be a blowout when it includes both the minimal post-techno of Mouse On Mars and the saccharine patchwork of Max Tundra. The pond-hopping will then commence, finding Mr. Tet on club stages of the mid-sized variety with Hotlantan and previous tour buddy, Prefuse 73.

Win a Adam Franklin of Swervedriver tour poster

Head over to Swervedriver.com to win a tour poster for the Fall 2003 tour of Adam Franklin from Swervedriver. This tour is presented by Kingblind.com

Apples' Hilarie Sidney Teams with Oranger, Von Hemmling, Palermo Members For New Band

As any Elephant 6 aficionado knows, Apples In Stereo songwriter/vocalist/drummer Hilarie Sidney has suffered somewhat from the John Entwistle syndrome-- no, really, think her "Winter Must Be Cold" to Entwistle's "Boris the Spider." With her contributions usually limited to one or two tracks an album with the Apples, Sidney had been looking for an outlet for her songs, and found it when she met Per Ole Bratset, guitarist for Norwegian band Palermo. After meeting at an Apples show in Oslo, they began communicating via e-mail and writing songs by sending four-track recordings back and forth. Bratset has since moved to the U.S., and they've spent the last four months recording and playing some initial shows as The High Water Marks. In a phone interview, Sidney elaborated on the new band and her motivations: "I'm just really excited to be doing something new," Sidney told Pitchfork. "Per and I collaborate on pretty much all of the songs, and the whole process just goes really fast. With the Apples, everything seems to take a really long time-- that's just how it works with us-- but I've really been inspired to write more, now that I have an outlet for it. We're recording stuff all the time." The High Water Marks consist of Sidney on guitar and vocals, Bratset on guitar and vocals, Jim Lindsay (Oranger, Preston School of Industry) on drums, and Mike Snowden (Von Hemmling) on bass. They've already completed their first album, which is currently untitled, with plans to mix and master it with the Apples' Robert Schneider at Pet Sounds (his Lexington, KY home studio) this fall or winter. According to Sidney, The High Water Marks are currently in negotiations for their debut to be released on LA's Eenie Meenie Records, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, it'll be out around March 2004. They're also planning to record several more songs in October for an upcoming EP, and Sidney says they hope to make it out to CMJ next month for some live shows as well. Songs recorded for inclusion on the record include:
Good I Feel Bad
About the Ocean
Slow Hand (No, Not That One)
Five Thousand
Second Time
Feel Everything
High Water Marks
6th of July
National Time
Things to Do
The Leaves
Queen of Verlaine
Suicide
The High Water Marks is not Sidney's first side project-- in 1995, she teamed with friend Lisa Janssen to form Secret Square, whose self-titled debut single and EP were both released on Elephant 6 within a year of being recorded. However, the project proved to be short-lived and Sidney's songwriting continued to grace Apples albums and EP's with memorable tracks like "Silver Chain," "Questions and Answers," "20 Cases Suggestive Of..." and "I Want." As reported in yesterday's Kingblind, Schneider also has a new side project, Ulysses, and plans to issue seven-inch singles from both his own band and The High Water Marks on his new label Optical Records Mfg. in the coming year. The Apples In Stereo, though currently on hiatus and with members split between Denver, CO and Lexington, are also set to reconvene in early 2004 for a possible tour and to record tracks for their fifth full-length (already tentatively titled The Novelty of the Manor , according to unofficial fansite Elephant6.com).

Teenage Fanclub Retrospective Gets U.S. Release

Teenage Fanclub, purveyors of epic Scottish power pop (bet you never thought you'd see all of those words in the same sentence in that particular order) are releasing a career-spanning retrospective, Four Thousand, Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six Seconds: A Short Cut to Teenage Fanclub on Jetset Records, due out on October 7th. The album will include an overview of the band's six-album oeuvre, along with three new tracks, "The World'll Be OK," "Empty Space," and "Did I Say." Tracklist:
01 The Concept
02 Ain't That Enough
03 The World'll Be OK
04 Everything Flows
05 Star Sign
06 Mellow Doubt
07 I Need Direction
08 About You
09 What You Do To Me
10 Empty Space
11 Sparky's Dream
12 I Don't Want Control Of You
13 Hang On
14 Did I Say
15 Don't Look Back
16 Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From
17 Neil Jung
18 Radio
19 Dumb Dumb Dumb
20 Planets
21 My Uptight Life
You will note that we are calling this a retrospective and not a greatest -hits album because, well, Teenage Fanclub haven't really had any hits, as such. In fact, some might say that they're one of the most criminally overlooked bands of our times. Beginning in 1990 with A Catholic Education , the Fanclub proceeded to pick up Big Star's mantle and run with it all the way to lamentable obscurity (although there was a brief flirtation with fame in the UK with Bandwagonesque and its subsequent releases), bouncing from label to label, major and minor, including Matador, Sony, Geffen, Thirsty Ear and Alternative Tentacles, to name but a handful. Among other things, Teenage Fanclub were notable for the presence of three equally gifted and timesharing singer/songwriters in Norman Blake, Gerard Love and Raymond McGinley. And while there were always more hooks and harmonies than you could shake a stick at, and an accompanying boatload of critical acclaim (Spin magazine called Bandwagonesque "the greatest album made by white people in ten years"), commercial breakthrough just never quite happened. It so never happened, in fact, that as recently as 2002 the band hooked up with Jad Fair and made a really weird album called Words of Wisdom and Hope that we're still scratching our heads about. And it looks like Jetset will also be just a temporary port-of-call, as label representatives tell us that they have no plans for Teenage Fanclub releases beyond this compilation. But there's a special place in rock 'n' roll heaven for the Fanclub, of that you can be sure.

KINGBLIND HEADS WEST

Kingblind.com is heading to the left coast for a week and we will be invading the scene and sending you the hottest news stories. So the updates will be a little less frequent. BUT.. When we come back there will be a ton to tell … Here is just a little taste of what we will be doing. As part of the West Coast trip Kingblind.com will be at the wrap party and screening for the new Coen Brothers film. Intolerable Cruelty US RELEASE DATE: October 10th, 2003: Intolerable Cruelty is the Coen's newest film. George Clooney stars along side Catherine Zeta-Jones. This film has a long history, most amazing is that doesn't appear to be an original script. The Coen's have yet to direct something they didn't conceive of on their own. Deakins will be behind the camera once again. Now here's the plot summary. "A slick Beverly Hills divorce lawyer (Clooney) frames the wife (Zeta-Jones) of a client to get him released from the marriage without a settlement. She vows to get revenge by marrying the attorney, aiming to take him to the cleaners in their own savage divorce, but what she doesn't expect is that she falls in love with him in the process..." Kingblind gets the inside scoop on the flick weeks before it hits the screens nationwide. So stay tuned. Oh.. And don’t worry we will tell George and Catherine you said hello.

QOTSA, Distillers Head Down Under

As tipped here, Queens Of The Stone Age will tour Australia early next year with the Distillers in tow. The trek begins Jan. 2 in Brisbane and wraps Jan. 10 in Perth; the two bands begin a North American run Sept. 28 in Montreal. The shows will mark QOTSA's second trip down under in less than a year, following the group's January 2003 appearances at the annual Big Day Out festival. QOTSA remains on the road in support of its second Interscope album, "Songs for the Deaf," which has sold 819,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. Although bassist Nick Oliveri recently said the group would likely return to the studio in February, guitarist/vocalist Josh Homme said last week QOTSA is in no hurry to make its next move. One reason: both artists are deluged with side project work, despite the fact that QOTSA has North American dates lined up through Nov. 2 in New Orleans, and has three shows left on a stint opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. "I enjoy opening for the Chili Peppers but I'm done opening up," Homme admitted. "We'll hit the studio as soon as I re-learn to appreciate it," he continued. "Whenever that is, you know? I want to love this and I'm a little burnt on it. I'm not appreciating it and I think that's a really bad attitude, personally." "Go With the Flow," the latest single from "Deaf," is No. 39 this week on Modern Rock Tracks chart. Homme said the group is considering a DVD release to help give the album one final push. "We have all this footage and we're trying to figure out if we should put out a DVD. It's not for certain but I hope it is coming." Before the year is out, Homme (on drums) will tour with Jesse "The Devil" Hughes in their side project the Eagles Of Death Metal, supporting Placebo. Oliveri will hit the road with his own band, Mondo Generator, beginning Nov. 6 in Phoenix. Homme and Polly Jean Harvey also recently shot a video for "Crawl Home," drawn from the upcoming album " Desert Sessions Vol. 9 & 10 ," due Oct. 7 via Ipecac. Hommeays select members of the lineup are planning to perform live on the U.K.'s "Later With Jools Holland" and NBC's "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" this fall. As for the Distillers, the group will on Oct. 14 release its Warner Bros. debut , "Coral Fang." After its North American dates with QOTSA end Oct. 30 in Santa Barbara, Calif., the group will play two weeks of shows in Europe, beginning Nov. 11 in Glasgow.

POLICE SAY SPECTOR SHOT ACTRESS

LOS ANGELES COUNTY sheriff's detectives have concluded that legendary producer PHIL SPECTOR was responsible for the shooting earlier this year that left actress LANA CLARKSON dead. The legendary producer was arrested in the early hours of February 3 after police responded to reports of a shooting at his Alhambra mansion. Clarkson , 40, was found dead in the foyer of his home and a handgun was retrieved from the scene. Spector posted $1 million bond the next day and was freed. He was initially scheduled to appear in court on August 4, six months after he posted bail, but prosecutors were still waiting for the evidence to be handed over by investigators. Police cite complex forensic tests and the thorough review of evidence as the cause for the lengthy lag time between Clarkson 's death and the conclusion of their investigation. Spector has maintained his innocence since the shooting occurred. He told Esquire this summer, "I didn't do anything wrong. If they had a case, I'd be in jail right now." The producer insists that Clarkson , whom he met for the first time on an evening out in LA the night before the shooting, shot and killed herself. Investigator Captain Frank Merriman disagreed, telling the LA Times : "It's not an accident, it's not a suicide. Phil Spector shot her." Last month Spector 's bail was extended to September 30. Prosecutors have not yet indicated their course of action. No charges have been filed yet, but the case has been turned over to the county's district attorney.

Kevin Shields: "City Girl" (Single Review)

For all My Bloody Valentine's innovations in sound, very little of their music could have survived cult status without the melodies. Twelve years after Loveless , it's apparent that though he may never scrape together enough inspiration to put together another album, Kevin Shields hasn't forgotten how to make beautiful, blissful pop. Of four Shields contributions to Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation , "City Girl" is the closest to an actual song, and though it's not quite as sonically ambitious as his MBV material, it's almost as gorgeous a trip. The spirit of the Beach Boys shines brightly from Shields' vocal, even without harmonies-- the densely layered solo vocal glides by, swimming through phrases effortlessly. "You're beautiful, I love you, I do, I do"-- the lyrics, like the singer, do their best not to disturb the churning, eternally strummed electric guitar or indie ballad propulsion. It's not exactly a revelation, but it is a welcome return.

Apples In Stereo / Elephant 6 Founder Robert Schneider Starts New Band, Label

Since the unofficial dissolution of the musical leviathan that is (or was) Elephant 6, one thing has become abundantly clear-- it doesn't necessarily mean all that much. All of the principals that founded the damn thing in the first place continue to make very similar music. The worship of Brian Wilson and '60s pastiche pop continues unabated, and bands influenced by, and related to E6, continue to form and develop around the same ethos championed by the original Elephant 6-ers. Such is the case with the latest entrants in the canon-- separate side projects from the Apples' Robert Schneider and Hilarie Sidney. Pitchfork spoke with both Schneider and Sidney about their new bands, the future of the Apples In Stereo, and the (California?) demise of Elephant 6. With The Apples on temporary hiatus, Schneider is putting his efforts into a new project, Ulysses, as well as launching a label, Optical Records Mfg., with good friend Amanda Burford. Schneider, who relocated to Lexington, KY last year, was impressed by local band Big Fresh and tapped two of its members for his latest project. "Big Fresh is really amazing, and these two kids just seemed like they'd be perfect for Ulysses. John [Ferguson, Ulysses' drummer] is a great singer, and he writes incredible harmonies. I'm kinda singing in a lower register, and John comes up with all these great parts." Ulysses' other member is Ben Fulton, who provides the synthesizers and bass. Schneider says the focus and sound of the band is significantly different from the Apples. "Without going into it too much, I had just been going through a lot in my life, and a lot of these songs come from that. It kind of forced me to dig deeper, emotionally, and it's really taken my lyrics to a new level." During the conversation, Schneider name-checks influences like The Velvet Underground, My Bloody Valentine (!), The Cars, and Pavement's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain -- not your typical Apples source material. "I got tired of writing songs with chords, and I was playing around with lots of open tunings, or just a couple of fingers on the guitar at a time, where the other strings ring out and create cool harmonics. The sound is a lot more sad, spacey, droney, and clean [than the Apples]-- it's new wave, basically. I'm trying to do everything differently with this band." Although Schneider writes the majority of songs for Ulysses, some are collaborative, and Ferguson has also contributed a couple of original songs. The band is concentrating on practicing right now, although they will be playing a few shows in New York to coincide with this October's CMJ festival. Schneider says they intend to track much of the album live-to-tape, possibly with Jason Falkner (Jellyfish, TV Eyes) at his home studio. Schneider hopes to have Ulysses' debut out by spring 2004, though at present he's not sure what label might be releasing it.

Iron & Wine -The Sea and The Rhythm (Legal MP3 Download)

More melancholy, bedroom country-pop songs from your favorite new Sub Popster. Softly strummed guitar, some slide, a sad banjo and tiny imperfections all arranged to break your heart. Fans of Nick Drake and vintage Sebadoh will adore this. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

TOSHACK HIGHWAY "Thought I Saw My Ship A-Coming" (Legal MP3 Download)

Pronounced like Peter Tosh, Toshack Highway came about as the result of Adam Franklin's acquisition of an Italian analogue synthesizer and a borrowed Korg electric piano which led him to start dabbling in keyboard compositions. Recruiting his friend and engineer Charlie Francis (REM, High Llamas) to play keyboards (so that Adam could move over to guitar), the trio was then rounded out by Jeff Towsin (Submarine, Horsepower, Sophia) on drums and the three set about recording this album. Following up on Swervedriver's 1997 release, 99th Dream, Franklin has taken Toshack Highway into new territory while still maintaining elements of the Swervedriver sound. Using a variety of instruments, including analogue synthesizers, crackling acoustic guitars, drums, piano, samples, and beautiful melodies, the album represents a head-on collision between atmospheric instrumentals and conventional pop-rock songs. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

Tracklist, Release Date For Flaming Lips EP

Warner Bros. have set a date of November 18th for the Flaming Lips EP Pitchfork reported on earlier this week, according to a report from Rolling Stone. The 'Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell' single will comprise eight tracks in all, including two Dave Fridmann remixes of the title track and Dntel's Jimmy Tamborello taking on 'Do You Realize' the way Uma Thurman takes on all those blindfolded samurais in that Quentin Tarantino trailer. As previously reported, the single will also sport new b-sides recorded with Fridmann last month including the Christmas anthem 'A Chance at Christmas (Say It Isn't So).' Tracklist:
01 Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell [album version]
02 Assassination of the Sun
03 I'm a Fly in a Sunbeam (Following the Funeral Procession of a Stranger)
04 Sunship Balloons
05 Do You Realize?? (Jimmy Tamborello Mix)
06 Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell (Ego in Acceleration Mix)
07 Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell (Self-Administration with Blow-Up Mix)
08 A Chance at Christmas (Say It Isn't So)
At present, the plan we reported on earlier to back the single with DVD content appear to have been quashed. In related news, Warner Bros' Jennifer Bird reports on the official Flaming Lips site that the DVD-audio version of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots has encountered more mastering difficulties and will not be available before November 4th.And while we've got you, the group's collaboration with the Chemical Brothers, 'The Golden Path,' was released as a single in the UK earlier this week and should just... be... hitting... U.S. shops... NOW. The single is available on CD, DVD, and twelve-inch vinyl. So old school and new school all at the same time. So Lips."

Wilco, Spoon, SFA Give To Charity Album

Wilco, Super Furry Animals, Spoon, Bright Eyes and Elliott Smith are among the artists who will contribute rare material to the third volume of the charity compilation series "The Amos House Collection." The double-disc set will be released in early December on Wishing Tree Records. The Rhode Island-based label started the series to benefit Amos House, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing food, shelter and health benefits to Rhode Island's homeless population. Other contributors to "The Amos House Collection, Vol. III" include Califone, Elf Power, James William Hindle, Her Space Holiday, Circulatory System, Archer Prewitt and Hayden. Most artists have donated non-album tracks or rare demo versions, including Super Furry Animals, who contributed an old B-side, "Foxy Music," and Wilco, who offered the unreleased track "Let Me Come Home."

VEGenergy.com
What is biodiesel? Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics. Why should I use biodiesel? Biodiesel is better for the environment because it is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions compared to petroleum diesel. It is less toxic than table salt and bio degrades as fast as sugar. Since it is made in the USA from renewable resources such as soybeans, its use decreases our dependence on foreign oil and contributes to our own economy.

"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.

Here our the tour dates:
Nov 7th Atlanta, GA: The Echo Lounge BUY TICKETS
Nov 8th Athens, GA: Tasty World
Nov 9th Charlotte, N.C. Fat City Deli
Nov 10th Raleigh, N.C. King's Barcade
Nov 11th Philadelphia, PA: Khyber Pass
Nov 12th Washington D.C.: The Velvet Lounge
Nov 13th Baltimore, MD: The Ottobar BUY TICKETS
Nov 14th NYC, NY: The Knitting Factory BUY TICKETS
Nov 15th Boston, MA: The Plan @ Great Scott's
Nov 16th New Haven, CT: BAR
"The adam franklin of Swervedriver tour will be an ELECTRIC tour. Full band.. guitar, bass, drums and keys.. Supporting the tour is the Atlanta based supergroup The Roy Owens Jr. (mem. of Magnapop and Crooked Fingers)

Al Green Heads Back To Memphis

On his next studio album, soul legend Al Green is repeating history. Due Nov. 18 as the first in a new deal with Blue Note, "I Can't Stop" finds Green re-teamed with longtime collaborator Willie Mitchell. The set is being recorded at the pair's old stomping grounds, Memphis' Royal Studio. Green is even recording with the same microphone he used in the '70s. Green and Mitchell combined to produce some of the most enduring soul albums ever, including 1972's "Let's Stay Together" and "I'm Still in Love With You" and the following year's "Call Me." The pair has not made an album together since 1985's inspirational-themed "He is the Light." The impending arrival of "I Can't Stop" has pushed the release of the four-CD EMI package "Al Green: The Immortal Soul Of . . ." from this week to early 2004. As previously reported, the set features 75 tracks recorded between 1967-1978 for Hi Records. Each track has been remastered from the original analog tapes.

Circus Devils Plan Trip To Mars ; Guided By Voices Cover Cheap Trick

Robert Pollard side project Circus Devils are returning with a third album release, Pinball Mars , this coming Halloween (that's October 31st, ghoul) on Fading Captain. With a new sound straddling the fence between their two previous concept-y outings, 2001's Ringworm Interiors and 2002's The Harold Pig Memorial, Pinball Mars promises to be yet another a trip into Pollard's psychedelic limbic system. Tracklist, sir:
01 Are You Out With Me?
02 Gargoyle City
03 Pinball Mars
04 Sick Color
05 Don't Be Late
06 Inkster and the King
07 A Puritan for Storage
08 Alien
09 Plasma
10 Dragging the Medicine
11 Bow Before Your Champion
12 Glass Boots
13 No Hell for Humor
14 Raw Reaction
Considering the recent mysterioso departure of Circus Devil Tim Tobias from Guided By Voices, we're certain this one will have Postal Blowfishers and assorted GbV wingnuts with highlighters in hand, ready to yellow through the lyrical passages that, Nostradamus-like, portended the friction. Add to this drama the latest single from GbV on Matador Europe. Jill Hives finally gets some props with "The Best Of Jill Hives," augmented by a Cheap Trick cover and the Doug Gillard-authored "Free Of This World," out next week in the UK. Don't mind if I do:
01 The Best Of Jill Hives
02 Downed [Cheap Trick]
03 Free Of This World

Can coming to DVD

The birth mother of all art-rock bands, Can, is celebrating the October 13th release of a double DVD, according to the Can/Spoon Records website. Get out your psychotropics, because the new DVD includes both a new film by director Peter Pryzgodda (who, if you need pedigree, edited most of Wim Wenders' films) entitled Can Notes , as well as the classic Can Documentary . But that's not all-- the double set also includes footage from Can's free 1972 live performance in Cologne, Germany. The cherries on this Can sundae include a complete discography with tracklistings and release dates, a short film made by Brian Eno to mark Can's Echo Award for lifetime achievement, footage from the Echo Awards ceremony itself, an audio CD of Can solo recordings, new interviews with the band at the CAN Studio, and a weblink to an exclusive Can site where photos and interviews can be downloaded and printed out, all included in the package. Shit, baby. If you don't know, Can was the brilliantly inventive, always challenging, ever lineup-changing German-based rock group that disbanded in 1977; of course, this short history glosses over the massive impact Can had on generations of psychedelically-minded groups that have followed. Have you listened to This Nation's Saving Grace lately? Or Zaireeka ? Seen the Black Eyes recently? I think a little bit of Can can be discerned in all of the aforementioned ventures. And if you are lucky (?) enough to live in Minneapolis or Seattle, you can attend a screening of the new DVD between September 26th-29th, at the Sound Unseen film festival in Minneapolis and the Experience Music Project in Seattle. So go there and do that, then. The power of Krautrock compels you.

It's September 19th.. You know what that means don't you.. IT'S TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY!!

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE INFORMATION

Yeah Yeah Yeah’s new video.. MAPS

View the new music video from The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.. mmmm Karen O. CLICK HERE TO VIEW Requires Quicktime 6.

New video from R.E.M.

The video for R.E.M.'s new song "Bad Day" will premiere tomorrow (Sept. 19) at 7 p.m. ET on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" show. In the Tim Hope-directed clip, group members Michael Stipe, Peter Buck and Mike Mills appear as newscasters. The track is drawn from R.E.M.'s upcoming hits collection, "In Time," due Oct. 28 via Warner Bros. It can also be viewed on a new R.E.M. Web site, Morningteam.com . "Literally, it's about a series of small weather [patterns] hitting a city -- in other words, people have hurricanes in their living room, or monsoons just in one room of their house," Mills tells Billboard.com. "But on a larger level .. with all the crap that's shoved into one TV channel, and the fact there are 10 or 12 of them all showing these little tidbits of information, how can you really get what you need? How do you find out what's news and what's entertainment and what's important and what isn't? We're just sort of reflecting a bit of that. And it's funny too." The group is in the midst of a North American tour, which hits Grand Prairie, Texas, tomorrow.

KAREN O AND HAR MAR GET IT ON!

YEAH YEAH YEAHS KAREN O is to go into the studio with HAR MAR SUPERSTAR . to record a sleazy R&B song. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are now back in the US where they are just about to go out on the road supporting The White Stripes . Speaking from her New Jersey home, Karen said she’s keen to work on other projects outside of Yeah Yeah Yeahs , as well as writing and recording for the band’s forthcoming second album. The first thing she wants to do is hook up with pal Har Mar , who she knows from way back. "Plans for a collaboration with Har Mar are in the making when we both find the time," she said. "I think it’ll be a little more R&B than the Yeah Yeah Yeahs usually are!"
Karen said that she felt lucky to even make it back to the US, after chaotic sets at the recent Carling Weekend festivals, where she almost broke her neck during a particularly riotous gig in Leeds ."The reception we got was just ridiculous," she said. "That was such a crazy show for me because I was breaking glass Iggy Pop style. I came really close to going head first off the stage. I nearly broke my neck." Things will hopefully be a little calmer for the band this winter, when they retire to the studio to work on new songs of their own. Karen said: "We’ve been banging out some new songs. We’re going to do that in the winter months and come back with a completely new set. There’s one thing that Yeah Yeah Yeahs used to do, that’s write two new songs for every show that we had. "We were ridiculously prolific. We’re ready to start pumping them out again. We’ve been playing a few on the last tour. There’s three – ‘Down Boy’ ,‘Rockers To Swallow’ and ‘Ten By Ten’ . When me and Nick (Zinner ) get together we never know what’s going to come out." Yeah Yeah Yeahs release a new single, ‘Maps’ , on Monday (September 22)

(Legal MP3 Download) From You’ve got your orders vol 1- MIKE GENT "Point a Finger"

LIMITED PRESSING! The idea was a simple one: Jason Ziemniak wrote up the musicians in his record collection and asked them if he gave them song titles would they write and perform songs based around the title. Those that said “yes” were: Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Mark Arm (Mudhoney), Mike Watt (Minutemen, Firehose), Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde), Neil Fallon (Clutch), Aaron Turner (Isis, Hydra Head Records), Bluebird, Nels Cline, Mike Gent (the Figgs, the Gentlemen), Bliss Blood (Pain Teens), Beehive & the Barracudas (Red Aunts, Rocket From The Crypt), Twink, Weasel Walter (the Flying Luttenbachers), IDX1274, Betty's Trash, Godstomper, Hella, Jed Parish (Gravel Pit), Greg (Lana Dagales, Brainoil, Lemur Mutation),and Chris Taylor (Pg.99, Mannequin). 22 songs, 74 minutes. Too damn cool not to own.. find it at a indie retailer near you. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO MP3

Stripped ‘Let It Be’ to be released

Production effects removed from Beatles’ 1969 recording
LONDON, Sept. 18 — More than 30 years after they broke up, The Beatles are to go back to basics with a stripped down version of their classic “Let It Be” album. ‘This is the noise we made in the studio.’ —SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY “IT’S ALL EXACTLY as it was in the room. You’re right there now,” Paul McCartney said on Thursday of the album “Let It Be ... Naked.” After Abbey Road Studios put their 21st century digital technology to work on the original 1969 album, McCartney said of the no-frills result: “This is the noise we made in the studio.” Ringo Starr, the only other surviving member of the world’s most famous pop group, was equally re-assured by the new-look album. “When I first heard it, it was really uplifting,” the drummer said. “It took you back again to the times when we were this band, the Beatle band.” A statement from management company Apple Corps said the album will be released worldwide on November 17. It said the group had originally set out to make the 1969 album with no studio effects and no over-dubbing of voices and instruments. But the album was caught up in the turmoil of the band’s break-up. It was re-produced by Phil Spector and never released as the Beatles had originally intended. The track listing for the new album differs from the original with “Dig It” and Maggie Mae” taken out and replaced by “Don’t Let Me Down.” BONUS DISK Diehard Beatle fans with an inexhaustible appetite for nostalgic trivia will also be treated to a 20-minute bonus disc of the Beatles at work in rehearsal and in the studios. As their fame soared, the band stopped playing live and became more involved in elaborately produced albums that changed the face of pop. But John Lennon, killed by a crazed fan outside his New York apartment building in 1980, always argued: “In spite of all things, The Beatles could really play music together.” After three decades, Beatlemania shows no signs of fading, with their compilation album of number one hits selling 24 million copies worldwide. BBC viewers will be taken down memory lane on Saturday with the televising of lost footage that shows Lennon clowning around with his wife Yoko Ono and Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. The film was discovered in the archives of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) by a team making a documentary about Lennon. The footage was part of a project that Austrian film-maker Hans Preiner had been working on during the 1960s.

Warren Zevon- Dirty Life & Times. (Legal MP3 Download)

Legally download the first single from Warren Zevon's new record. Goodbye Warren ... You will be missed Dirty Life & Times MP3

Don't believe the hype- The true story behind the universal music price drop

Don't believe the hype. This is a pretty disgusting attempt by one of the majors to further stick it to the small retailers and the one-stop wholesalers who have helped to make these fuckers fat and rich over the years. Earlier this month Universal Music gave our independent record coalition an early look at this "great deal." The details are pretty offensive. They advertise a big cut in the list price and hype this great savings to consumers. In reality the actual cost to wholesalers is dropped a buck and a half or so. Retailers who aren't direct with the majors (95% of us) will still get stuff through a one-stop who will have to compensate for their own shrinking margin by adjusting prices to us. We may ultimately pay a buck less for discs and are now faced with an already cynical, downloading public who saw the news reports and now thinks they shouldn't have to pay more than $10 or $11.99 for a cd. Long story short: record stores end up looking even more like the bad guys. Best Buy will still sell stuff at or below the already unfair cost price they get from these fuckers. On top of all that, Universal plans to use this move as an excuse to cut program incentives and co-op advertising dollars to retailers. Now we can't even get some of the ad dollars that have been available to us. They even have the balls to make it sound like they are doing us a favor. "Our new pricing model will enable U.S. retailers to offer music at a much more appealing price point in comparison to other entertainment products," said Jim Urie, president of Universal Music & Video Distribution. "We are confident this pricing approach will drive music fans back into retail stores." I hate to get completely preachy here but...if you love music (and I know you guys do) you need to support record stores. These labels are evil bastards who would love nothing more than to completely eliminate us from the process. They could care less if the only place to buy music is Best Buy, Circuit City, Borders and through their own online methods. And half of these label reps are too stupid to realize that if this happens it's going to eliminate most of their jobs as well. No accounts to service means no need for account reps.If you only care about sitting at your computer and ordering from Amazon or think saving two bucks on a new release justifies shopping at Best Buy and Target (great music store), then ignore all this shit. But if you are at all like me and you love shopping in record stores, seriously reconsider your buying habits. I seriously believe that the erosion of real stores will ultimately mean the erosion of lots of the real music out there.

Outkast- Speakerboxx / The Love Below (Album Review)

You know we live in freakish times when two of pop's most outrageous characters, Andre ''3000'' Benjamin (a.k.a. Dre) and Antwan ''Big Boi'' Patton -- the duo called OutKast -- can walk on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards and be counted among the more understated participants. Of course, they could afford to be: They'd just finished Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, a long-awaited pair of solo CDs (out Sept. 23) that, if released separately, would each be a candidate for Hip-Hop Record of the Year. Packaged together, they make a twofer whose ambition flies so far beyond that of anyone doing rap right now (or pop, or rock, or R&B), awards shows may need to create a special category for it. Forgive the hyperbole, but it's been a while since artists adept at the nitrous-oxide head rush of radio hitmaking have also shown talent for the old-fashioned art of the album. Hip-hop's other reigning visionaries, Missy Elliott and Timbaland, have yet to make a great LP, despite devastating singles; ditto the Neptunes. You need to look back to vintage Prince, Funkadelic, and Sly & the Family Stone for a mix of funky pop and wide-screen aesthetic madness comparable to what you get on ''Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.'' In fact, the set winds down with an environmentalist warning that mirrors the opening of Funkadelic's 1971 mind melter, ''Maggot Brain.'' But there's much more here than recycled influences. In OutKast's yin and yang, Big Boi is the Everydude -- the neighbor you talk football with, who raises pit bulls and admits a fondness for both corny pop ballads and gangsta rap. So you'd expect ''Speakerboxxx,'' his half of the package, to be fairly straightforward. But it's surprising how far-reaching it is. It kicks off with ''GhettoMusick,'' a machine-gun-speed rap reclaiming '80s electrofunk from hipster ironists while targeting low-aiming rappers: ''You oughta be detained by the hip-hop sheriff/Locked up, no possibility of getting out/Because the s--- you make is killin' me/And my ears and my peers.'' ''Bowtie'' and ''The Rooster'' are good-time anthems with a brass-band swing; ''The Way You Move'' mates a Dirty South synth-drum bounce with a faux Phil Collins hook; and ''War'' gets grimly topical with a chorus of ''tick-tick-boom.'' Things lose some creative steam on posse cuts like ''Last Call'' (with Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz and Slimm Calhoun) and ''Tomb of the Boom'' (with Ludacris and others), but even the old-school tracks have a twist, whether it's Jay-Z rapping the hook of ''Flip Flop Rock,'' or ''Reset,'' with its dice-roll percussion and sermon by Big Boi's Georgia neighbor Cee-Lo. The tradition-minded moments also remind you where all this experimentation is rooted: hip-hop. And that's important because, judging from the swirling strings and Nat King Cole crooning that begin Dre's deliriously art-damaged ''The Love Below,'' hip-hop tradition is fairly low on the list -- at least until the Beatles-referencing finale, ''A Life in the Day of Benjamin Andre (Incomplete),'' an autobiographical epistolary to an ex that lays deep rap testifying over a laptop-techno-beat blur. Between these poles is as strange and rich a trip as pop offers nowadays, a song cycle about love's battle against fear and (self-) deception that's frequently profound, hilarious, and very, very sexy. It's long -- okay, maybe overlong -- on skits and stylistic spelunking (see the John Coltrane-meets-Roni Size cover of ''My Favorite Things''). But it's filled with so many pure ass-moving pleasures, you're happy to indulge its excesses. ''Hey Ya!'' is the no-strings-sex-championing single, and maybe the two discs' catchiest moment. But ''Happy Valentine's Day'' comes close: a half-spoken, half-rapped soliloquy by Cupid, reimagined here as a pistol-packing gangster of love whose hand-clapping denouement should become as linked to its titular holiday as ''White Christmas.'' On ''Dracula's Wedding,'' Dre's a vampire -- or a rap star -- who's met his match (''I've cast my spell on millions, but I'm terrified of you''). And on ''Vibrate,'' a pitch to uplift the human race through music bobs alongside cool muted trumpets in a whirlpool of backward drumbeats. Dre sings more than raps here, which could be a problem, as his nasal drawl isn't the greatest instrument. But hip-hop, like punk, is about making magic with limited means through the sheer force of creative will, and whether he's cooing baby noises on the Goth-soul cha-cha ''Pink & Blue'' or scatting with multiplatinum siren Norah Jones on the interlude ''Take Off Your Cool,'' Dre's limitations read here like strengths. With ''Speakerboxxx/The Love Below,'' his lonely Day-Glo lothario and Big Boi's wise-thug MC have made an LP that offers an outsize artistic vision, not focus-group ''perfection,'' as the route to a mass audience. They may be wrong, but you'll be very glad to go along for the ride.

Pretty Girls Make Graves --The New Romance (Album Review)

How is that terrible musicians are able to write incredible songs? And why can't technically competent musicians write songs as well as they can play their instruments? There are bands like The Kinks who-- let's face it-- were far from the most technically adept in their field, yet have somehow left behind some of the most timelessly enjoyable and imminently relevant rock music artifacts. Then there's a guy like Yngwie Malmsteen, whose technical proficiency exceeds that of every rock musician ever to exist-- maybe combined. And how many Alcatrazz records do you own? All too often, it seems technically proficient artists are their own worst enemies. Titillated by their own prowess, they compose music that showcases their chops but masks their humanity. It's a schtick that impresses but rarely inspires. There is a point, though, when some mathematically complex set of chords stops being impressed with itself and becomes a truly inspiring song, when a bushel of mind-numbing guitar riffs transcends its sonic masturbation and reaches an emotionally satisfying stratosphere. No one knows exactly where that point is, but we know when it's reached, and more importantly, we feel it when it's crossed. Pretty Girls Make Graves' latest, The New Romance , crosses that point. The album exists in that scarcely inhabited rock-and-roll world where technical prowess coexists peacefully with clear and simple songcraft, the former never forgoing the latter. Contrasting with Good Health 's cut-to-the-chase opener "Speakers Push the Air", "Something Bigger, Something Brighter" opens deliberately and confidently. Nick DeWitt taps away at his snare rim, haunting its vague militancy with the cannon-like blast of his bass drum. Twin guitars trade high-strung lilts, panning from left to right with each call and response. For the sake of its title, the heretofore dark and subtle song does deliver something bigger and brighter: After an ominous dynamic increase, the band piles layers upon layers of beautiful, serpentine riffs. For all its tonal and rhythmic complexity, The New Romance breathes with healthy lungs and a muscular diaphragm. "The Grandmother Wolf" follows, a relentless parade of charged guitar lines that climax when DeWitt's drums go out with a whimper and vocalist Andrea Zollo sings an utterly breathtaking melody over sparse guitar punches. "Mr. Club" is a short transitional organ-and-drum piece that takes on immense significance with the entrance of a dark piano line that hints vaguely at what comes next. And what does come next is quite possibly the best rock song I've heard this year: "All Medicated Geniuses" is the pinnacle of Pretty Girls Make Graves' technical abilities and songwriting. Built upon a very subtle ring structure, each segment quadruples the intensity of the one before it. The guitars just scream here, trading lines back and forth across the pan. DeWitt proves well beyond doubt that he's one of indie rock's most talented drummers, and certainly one of only a handful these days who plays his kit as an instrument and not merely as a timepiece. "Blue Lights" adopts a post-rock approach, the band infusing more immediacy as the song builds to its climax. While it would be unfair to expect the lyrical charm of Dan Bejar or the clever wordplay of Colin Meloy from a band more interested in the aesthetics of rock than those of lyrics, it should be noted that "Blue Lights" sports unfortunately atrocious lyrics. Fortunately, "Chemical Chemical" quickly redeems the misstep, rivaling "All Medicated Geniuses" in intensity and structure, and maintaining the latter's visceral pull (if, perhaps, with less tonal depth). "Holy Names" is the closest of the album's songs that come to being classified a ballad. But while slower in tempo, there's certainly no lapse in intensity. The song builds for one part to a short-lived guitar scream reminiscent of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nic Zinner, and boasts one of album's most stunning moments. Soon after, the band jumps into the album's title track, prominently featuring a few fantastic organ lines and a killer B-part break, replete with Zollo's catchy vocal hook. The New Romance is immediately impressive and gratifying, each subsequent listen unearthing an increasing number of underlying subtleties. Each of Pretty Girls Make Graves' members have contributed 110% here, and their ambitious zeal, coupled with their remarkable technical depth, has made for a utterly breathtaking full-length. One could almost analyze The New Romance 's many layers to the death, if the desire to air-guitar wasn't so damn distracting.

CMJ Music Marathon

"My Morning Jacket, Black Box Recorder, Killing Joke, the New Deal, the Fever and VHS Or Beta will perform at the kick-off concert for the 2003 CMJ Music Marathon. The show will be held Oct. 22 on multiple floors at New York's Webster Hall and will feature additional bands to be announced. The 23rd edition of CMJ, which runs through Oct. 25, will feature performances throughout the New York area by the Rapture, the Shins, Superchunk, Death Cab For Cutie, Broken Social Scene and the Mars Volta, among hundreds of others."

Blues Explosion Offers New Cuts At Surprise Gig

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion previewed a slew of new songs during a surprise gig last night (Sept. 14) at the Mercury Lounge in New York. Among the tracks performed were "Hot Gossip," "Mars Arizona," "Don't Smile," "Been My Baby," "Help These Blues," "Grindin'" and "Halftime Loser" (all are working titles). The band also played oldies such as "Bell Bottoms" and "Afro," the latter delivered seconds after an audience member requested it. The show was a makeshift warm-up for a five-date European tour, which begins Sept. 17 in Tilburg, Holland. The band slipped onto the bill, which featured friends in the Flash Express, after the original headliner dropped off. The new songs constitute a fraction of the new material the band has been demoing in drummer Russell Simins' Manhattan studio. The songs played last night "were either the oldest [or] the ones that have been the most flushed out, but there's a bunch more material that we're focusing on over the next several months that's as important, if not more important to us," he said. "We just haven't gotten around to that point yet, where we're comfortable enough to play [them] out live yet." The upcoming album is the follow-up to 2002's "Plastic Fang" (Matador), which debuted at No. 14 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart. Producer Steve Jordan, who helmed "Plastic Fang," has been helping out with pre-production, but Simins notes that the band has yet to pick a final producer for the album. "With the last record, which I think he did an amazing job on, we became good friends, and he became almost like a part of the band, and we trust him a lot," Simins says of Jordan. "He's just been kind of helping us a lot. We really feel comfortable working with him the studio, [but] whether or not he's going to be the producer is still unsure. There's a bunch of other names that have been tossed around." It's also unclear at this point what label will issue the set. "We're not committed to anybody -- we've always done one-offs with Matador," says Simins. "We're not under contract to anybody so we're just keeping our options open. That's another thing we're in the process of figuring out."

Flaming Lips Plan New EP, Tour with Red Hot Chili Peppers (Sigh)

The Flaming Lips recently paid a visit to Dave Fridmann's Tarbox Studios to record b-sides for a forthcoming EP, according to a report on the band's official website. Among the items on the Lips' to-do list were "two songs connected with the Pink Robots theme," some remixes of Yoshimi album tracks (including one by Peaches), and "a Christmas-type song of some description." As previously reported, the Lips' Wayne Coyne and Dave Fridmann also remixed at least one song for Modest Mouse's forthcoming album in the August session as well. Although the plans are somewhat sketchy at this point, the current plan is to release a single for "Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell" on a double-sided disc, where one side would contain the single and new b-sides, and the other would include DVD content such as live footage. The EP may drop as soon as November. Eternally striving for musical congruity, the Lips are constructing a creaky wooden bridge connecting the really-mainstream with the kinda-mainstream one plank at a time. New Musical Express , contractually obligated by the prince of freaking darkness to make mind-bogglingly painful puns for every Lips-related headline (rejected titles include "The Lips Mouth Off: 'Multiple Sclerosis Is No Flaming Joke!'" and "The Flaming Lips Flame On And Give Lip Service To Actual, Not Metaphorical, Giant Floating Pair Of Lips Which Have Just Been Set On Fire By A Mysterious Third Party Who Is As Of Yet Unidentified But Is Probably Very Flaming As Well"), has reported that the Oklahoma snack-rockers have signed on to open for the Red Hot Chili Peppers on seven dates scattered across the American West. I'd weep, but, eh, whatever. It's not like they haven't appeared on 90210 before, and Coyne is probably co-writing music with Fred Durst as we speak. Wicky wicky robot starfish, ya'll. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are currently touring in belated support of their contribution to the Power Rangers soundtrack, and as previously reported, the Lips are set to release DVD-enhanced reissue of that one album where they sing about tentacle demons or something similarly "wacky" and "out there" next week.

Bowie Tour Hits North America In December

David Bowie's A Reality tour will arrive in North America Dec. 6 in Atlantic City, N.J., and wrap Feb. 5 in Phoenix. As previously reported , the trek -- Bowie's most extensive in more than a decade -- gets underway Oct. 7 in Copenhagen. Macy Gray will support the North American leg of the tour, named after Bowie's just-released ISO/Columbia album, "Reality." Tickets for some North American shows go on-sale this weekend. As usual, members of Bowie's BowieNet fan organization will get first crack at seats. In a new twist, each ticket sold for the tour will include a free three-month membership to BowieNet, which has been providing uncommon access to Bowie since its 1998 launch. "Last year's shows were such a tremendous high and the audiences so responsive," Bowie says in a statement. "My band is playing at the top of its form right now and it would be foolish not to play a tour this year while we're in such good spirits about the live show aspects of our work." Although the majority of the North American shows will be held in arenas, there are a handful of smaller venues on the schedule, including the 1,500-capacity Joint in Las Vegas and the 3,600-capacity Fillmore in Denver. After North America, the A Reality tour will hit Australia and Southeast Asia.

iTunes music store coming to europe and windows

The ever popular iTunes music store from Apple Music is coming to europe next year AND the windows version is expected in october. The iTunes music store has just passed the 10 million mark in sales. also.. the iPod mp3 player has a new 20gb and 40gb version available for both mac and windows platforms. Just in case you were wondering the 40gb player can hold over 10,000 songs. WOW.

Boycott-RIAA.com

FIGHT THE POWER... BOYCOTT THE RIAA.

Johnny Cash is laid to rest

"Family and friends, including singers SHERYL CROW, EMMYLOU HARRIS, KID ROCK and KRIS KRISTOFFERSON, gathered near NASHVILLE yesterday (September 15) for the funeral of music legend JOHNNY CASH. More than 1,000 mourners attended the private two-and-a-half-hour service at First Baptist Church of Hendersonville, about 15 miles north of country music's capital. It was the same church where Cash mourned his wife and soulmate, the late June Carter Cash, who died in May. Johnny Cash died last Friday (September 12) following complications caused by diabetes. He had been in ailing health for the last few years. Kristofferson, who wrote the 1970 classic Sunday Morning Coming Down for his friend, led the tributes. 'He represented the best of America; we're not going to see his like again,' he said. He added that Cash was 'Abraham Lincoln with a wild side', a man always willing to champion the voiceless and downtrodden, 'whose work in life has been an inspiration and salvation to so many people around the world'. Cash's daughter Roseanne, a recognised country star in her own right said: 'I can almost live in a world without Johnny Cash because he will always be with us. I cannot begin to imagine a world without Daddy.' Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow sang the gospel hymn The Old Rugged Cross and Bob Dylan's Every Grain of Sand. The Reverend Franklin Graham, son of Cash's friend, the televangelist Billy Graham, delivered the sermon, calling Cash 'a good man who also struggled with many challenges in his life. He was a deeply religious man.' Among the other celebrities attending were country singers Vince Gill, Hank Williams Jr, Travis Tritt, Dwight Yoakam and veteran hellraiser George Jones. Former US Vice President Al Gore was also amongst the mourners. Johnny Cash remained The Man in Black right until the end. He was buried in a black coffin with silver handles. A public memorial service is being planned."

Harrison guitar goes for $434,750

Anonymous collector buys Telecaster played on ‘Let It Be’
The guitar played by George Harrison at the Beatles’ last concert in 1969 fetched $434,750 in a Hollywood auction conducted live and online Saturday. THE GUITAR, A custom-made Fender Rosewood Telecaster, was used by Harrison during the filming of the Beatles’ movie “Let it Be.” Harrison also played it on Jan. 30, 1969 when the Beatles performed on the rooftop of Apple Records in London, the last time the group played together, said Bill Miller, a president of Odyssey Auctions based in Corona, California. The sale was also conducted on eBay Inc. The winning bidder was a West Coast collector who asked to remain anonymous. Harrison had given the guitar to musician Delaney Bramlett in December 1969.

Zwan split after just one album

Billy Corgan's new band call it a day... HURRAY!! It's about time...

My Morning Jacket: "One Big Holiday" (Legal MP3 Download)

Already labeled "America’s best new band" by NME, My Morning Jacket’s first major-label release, IT STILL MOVES, looms as a highly anticipated new album. MMJ has developed a reputation as one of today’s most exciting rock acts via several indie releases, highly favorable press and truly mind-blowing live performances. The music of MMJ combines restless experimentation, heartfelt emotion and unforgettable songs. This Louisville, Kentucky quintet is perhaps the most acclaimed new group to emerge from Mid-America in the past two years. CLICK HERE TO HEAR MP3

ELEPHANT AWAKENS

The White Stripes made a triumphant return to the stage saturday night (September 13) in San Francisco, two months after Jack White broke his left index finger in a car accident. The gig at the Greek Amphitheatre in Berkeley, California was also the band's biggest-ever headline performance, in front of 8500 people. White 's guitar playing was slightly affected by his recovering finger, which still cannot bend fully. Nevertheless, the duo put on their customary exhilarating show. "It's very nice for us to be playing again," he told the sell-out outdoor crowd. "San Francisco was the first town that ever loved us." The set list avoided many obvious tracks like 'Hotel Yorba' and 'Fell In Love With A Girl', instead concentrating on 'Elephant' and The White Stripes' earliest songs. In tribute to Johnny Cash, who died on Friday, White recited the lyrics to the country legend's song, 'I Got Stripes'. Alongside familiar cover versions like Bob Dylan's 'Isis' and Son House 's 'Death Letter',White also played a snatch of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's 'Man'. The New York trio join the White Stripes as their support act in Seattle on September 16.
The full set list was:
'The Big Three Killed My Baby'
'Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground'
'When I Hear My Name'
'Death Letter'
'Black Math'
'Apple Blossom'
'You're Pretty Good Looking'
'In The Cold, Cold Night'
'I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself'
'Cannon'/'John The Revelator'
'Ball And Biscuit'
'The Hardest Button To Button'
'We're Going To Be Friends'
'Isis'
'Let's Shake Hands'/'Man'/'Pick A Bale Of Cotton'
encore:
'Seven Nation Army'
'Little Room'
'The Union Forever'
'Truth Doesn't Make A Noise'
'The Boll Weevil Song'

Interpol Follow "Lights"

New album coming next year... New York post-punk revivalists Interpol will enter the studio to record the follow-up to their 2002 debut, Turn on the Bright Lights , at the beginning of next year. The band has seven new songs written already, and plans to release the new album next fall. Two of the new songs, "Length of Love" and another currently untitled, have been finding their way into live sets. "They've been in existence for close to a year now," bassist Carlos Dengler says. "But they've needed fine tuning, and it's taken us so long to do that because we've been on the road, and we don't get a chance to write on the road." According to Dengler, the band will get together and work up the rest of the set, including the new song "NARC" while they're at home in New York this winter after a fall tour. "We got to where we are by doing our own thing and having our own sound," Carlos says. "We're going to approach the second album with the same sort of natural instinct." Meanwhile, Bright Lights single "Obstacle 1" has been remixed by producer Arthur Baker (New Order, Kraftwerk) for a September 15th release in the U.K. "It's a very, very interesting remix," Dengler says. "Instead of an edit, it's like the reverse of an edit. Instead of taking things away, he made them longer, and it's a little bit more dancey."

James Brown Returns to Apollo

Legendary soul singer, legendary venue reunite.. Forty years after James Brown made a classic live album at Harlem's Apollo Theater, the Godfather of Soul will return to the venerable venue for a guest-filled anniversary concert. Brown will take to the stage of New York City's Apollo on November 20th and 21st, though no further concert information is available. The seventy-year-old singer plans to hold a September 18th press conference in the city to give more details. As for the 1963 Apollo performance by the Hardest Working Man in Show Business, it's widely considered to have yielded one of the best live records in rock & roll history, featuring hits like "Try Me" and "Please Please Please," delivered with Brown's live-wire gusto. The album was Brown's first to have charted, reaching Number Two and staying in the Top Forty for thirty-three weeks. Live at the Apollo was also something of an anomaly during its release, a full-length soul album amid an industry that was almost exclusively singles-driven. It served as a launching pad for Brown's career, which to that point had been relegated to the R&B charts, with only three singles scratching the deeper side of the Top Forty. After Apollo , he had fourteen records reach the Top Forty (pop) over the next eleven years, including 1968's Live at the Apollo, Volume II and 1972's Revolution of the Mind: Live at the Apollo, Volume III. In addition to establishing Brown's career, the album also lent the Apollo a regal cache as venue of choice among artists for live albums. The Supremes, B.B. King, Bob Marley, Hall and Oates, and Patti Labelle have also recorded there.

2004 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Nominees Set

Former Beatle George Harrison, Prince, John Mellencamp and Jackson Browne are among the nominees on the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot. Harrison, who died of cancer in November 2001, is already in the rock hall as a member of the Beatles. Former bandmates John Lennon and Paul McCartney preceded him for their solo work. Both Harrison and Mellencamp are former Billboard Century Award honorees. Previous nominees back for another try include the Sex Pistols, Black Sabbath, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gram Parsons and Patti Smith. Other nominees include the Dells, the "5" Royales, Bob Seger, the Stooges, Traffic and ZZ Top. Ballots were mailed this week to voting members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. Artists are eligible to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after at least 25 years have passed since their first record was released. The inductees likely will be announced in December.

Kingblind Recommends:

Here is what's on the Kingblind stereo this week:
(The Kinks: Something Else)--(Outkast: Speakerboxxx / The Love Below)--(British Sea Power: The Decline of British Sea Power)--(Pretty Girls Make Graves: The New Romance)--(The Kinks: Village Green Preservation Society)

Trans Am Tour, Frighten Everyone.

Whether you're a conservative or a liberal, a cat dander or a ragweed, a Shark or a Jet, I think there's at least one thing we can all agree upon: in modern American society, it's very, very cool to leave people unsure if you mean what you say. The Thrill Jockey website reports that Trans Am, masters of musical parody/ homage, are gearing up to tour these amber waves of grain, leaving in their scorched wake a fan base who can't decide whether they're supposed to laugh and be in on the joke, or to scoff and risk missing the point. Nervous half-smiles, pseudo-smirks and equivocal judgments ("I think Trans Am's pretty good." "Are you kidding?" "They're ridiculous!" "I mean they're kind of good but..." "Ye-yeah, that's what I meant, sort of...") will mark the way they came. Trans Am have been together for nigh on seven years now, handily exploiting our fear of ingenuousness by couching their musical adventures in such winkingly ironic tones that we'll accept pretty much any weirdness they send down the pike, for fear of cynics saying we don't get it. After several albums that appropriated such diverse genres as salsa, electropop, Krautrock, new wave, funk and rumbling techno-- filtering it all through Trans Am's post-rock sensibility, canned Casios, arcade noises, vocoder vox and tongued cheeks-- they released TA, which boiled down cock-rock, hair-metal and a Brazilian dance music style called Funk Carioca to their most absurd and overblown essences. The result was either a postmodern comment upon kitsch and the cultural values that could support such styles, an unlistenable mess that failed to surpass the genres it parodied, or just plain weird (depending on who you asked). Decide for yourself at any of the following dates (all shows except Carrboro with A.R.E. Weapons and The Movies):
09-12 Brooklyn, NY - Luxx
09-19 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle (w/ Dalek)
09-20 Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern (w/ From Safety to Where)
09-21 Charlotte, NC - Casbah
09-22 Atlanta, GA - Echo Lounge
09-23 Jacksonville, FL - Rock and Roll Pizza
09-24 Miami, FL - I/O
09-25 Gainesville, FL - Common Grounds
09-26 Orlando, FL - The Social
09-27 Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder
09-29 New Orleans, LA - Twiropa
09-30 Houston, TX - The Proletariat (w/ Radio Berlin)
10-01 Austin, TX - Emo's
10-02 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room
10-03 Little Rock, AR - Vinos
10-04 Memphis, TN - Hi Tone Cafe

Modest Mouse's Good News Pushed To 2004; Flaming Lips' Coyne, Fridmann Remix Some Tracks

You may remember that we reported back in June on the imminence of a new Modest Mouse album. But Edmonton, Alberta alternative Vue Weekly is reporting that the album is on hold, at the mercy of the Mice's corporate masters, Sony/Epic. They hate those Meeses to pieces, apparently. The album, Good News For People Who Love Bad News , turns out to be appropriately named. Initially due for a September release, it's now been pushed back until the spring of 2004. Chief Mouseketeer Isaac Brock is not best pleased by these developments. He told the Vue that he and his bandmates were often in the studio until dawn trying to ensure that the record was done in time for the September release date, and that he's less than enamored of his new major label home, which also released the acclaimed 2000 release The Moon and Antarctica : "There's no more of a budget [to record]," he lamented. "We had more of a budget before we signed to a major label deal." Isaac, have you met Aimee Mann? But the Mouse is undaunted, and continues to tour, regardless of the vagaries of indentured major-label servitude. Brock doesn't especially like to tour ostensibly in support of a new album, anyway, claiming that "For us, touring is not a device to move units and shit. We tour because we enjoy it, and I can't think of why a band would not think that way. Touring is at least 75% of the fun of being in a band." He doesn't elaborate on the remaining 25% of fun, but you can probably figure it out. And the delay has also given the band a chance to shop the tracks around in search of further production help. Dave Fridmann and the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne reportedly remixed some album cuts last month, but don't look for some kind of anime concept album to emerge from this mess; I-Bro don't play that way. But still, it's got to be a little worrying that the last MM album came out in 2000, and the subsequent silence has been punctuated only by the smatterings of 2001's collection Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks and the side project Ugly Casanova (with members of Califone and Holopaw). While Modest Mouse's albums have been almost obsessively dedicated to recording the travelogue of their touring odyssey, it looks like the odyssey is currently having to take precedence over the cataloguing of it. And Brock's not giving much away as to the shape of the new product: "I really don't know how to toot our own horn," he says, "so sometimes you make up things that are more interesting because lies can be so much prettier. I really don't know what to say other than that it is a really different record for us. But I really don't know how to describe it." We do learn from the Vue , though, that the new album will feature some pretty new instrumentation, including horns, strings and banjo, along with "backing from a New Orleans jazz band playing something akin to a Dixieland funeral march."

New Shins Single In September; Making-Of Documentary Circles Overhead

According to their website, the friendly fellers at Sub Pop are set to drop a single for the Shins' "So Says I" on September 23rd. The single is drawn from the Phil Ek-aided and long-awaited Chutes Too Narrow and will be fortified with exactly one new song and exactly one alternate version of an album cut ("Gone For Good," previously known as "A Call To Apathy")-- a puzzling phenomena considering the album's running time is barely thirty-four minutes, and the band had two years to create it. But, presumably for artistic reasons, the additions to "So Says I" suit the single just fine. Tracklist:
01 So Says I
02 Mild Child
03 Gone For Good [alternate version]
"Gone For Good" is also the song the Shins can be seen performing in their basement studio on the group's official website in cinema-verite quality QuickTime. And speaking of cinema verite, the salty badasses at Pitchfork have learned that the band have completed a "making of"-type documentary about the creation of Chutes . Call me a big fat Brian Wilson-for-brains, but I'd like to see this in stores. There are currently no plans to release the documentary-- at least yet, anyway, according to sources at Sub Pop. A tracklist for the new album and a host of spanking new tour dates for Albuquerque's favorite model-dating, lap-dance loving pop band can be accessed through our previous story linked below. In other news, guitarist/bassist Dave Hernandez has signed back on with the band. IN BLOOD! Hernandez, also a member of the schizo west-coast punk outfit Scared of Chaka, is an old pal who played on the Shins' 2001 single/ McDonald's commercial "New Slang."

Talking Heads To Release 4xCD/DVD Box Set In November

Former Talking Heads drummer Chris Franz has announced exclusively to fansite Talking-Heads.net that a comprehensive new box set will be released this November 11th on Rhino Records. Entitled Once in a Lifetime , the set continues to muddle the Talking Heads discography by including exclusive tracks not found on the last Talking Heads compilation, Sand in the Vaseline . Along with the studio demos included on that release, there are alternate versions of "Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town," "New Feeling," "Cities," and "Drugs" (featuring Robert Fripp on guitar!) as well as "In Asking Land," an outtake from the Naked sessions. So any frustrated completists out there pining for the resin at the bottom of the barrel, here it is, kids. The real prize here is that the set will come with a DVD version of the band's ultra-rare VHS video anthology Storytelling Giant , expanded to include three videos ("Blind," "[Nothing But] Flowers," and "Sax and Violins") not featured on the original. The Talking Heads' videos have so far been painfully under-seen, and are considered by many to be some of the most inventive and visual in the genre. Not to mention the best choreography-- here's hoping the release of the DVD will bring David Byrne's "spastic preacher" moves back to the dance floor. The box set comes at a fairly convenient time, since this is just about when any hardcore fans are realizing that the band's brief reconvention at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is on, well, the road to nowhere. There won't be a reunion, but you can have this rehash instead.

Apple sued by The Beatles over iPod, ITMS

Apple Computer Inc. is being sued by Apple Corps. The parent company for music legends, The Beatles, has begun legal proceedings against Apple Computer, citing breach of contract for the suit, according to Fox News . Apparently when Apple Computer first started, The Beatles sued them for the use of the corporate name. In addition to a hefty cash settlement, Apple agreed to only use the corporate name for computer products and not enter the music markeplace. Years later, The Beatles sued and won another lawsuit when Apple shipped computers that allowed music to be played through attachable speakers. That lawsuit charged breach of a trademark agreement since Apple had agreed to steer clear of the music business. Fox News estimates Apple has paid US$50 million in the lost suits so far. The latest round of legal proceedings surround Apple's popular MP3 player, the iPod and the iTunes Music Store, which just sold its 10 millionth song online. "When it first happened with the iPod, we said, "What could they be thinking?" said a Beatles legal insider, who agreed that posters announcing the iPod from "AppleMusic" were among the most egregious violations. "They knew we had the agreement, and that we'd won a lot of money from them already."

'Man in Black' dies at 71: 1932-2003

Country music legend Johnny Cash died early today of complications from diabetes at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, hospital spokeswoman Nicole Bates said. He was 71. Cash was sent home from the hospital Monday after a week's stay for a stomach condition, according to his official Web site. Bates said he was sent home to "rest and recover."

The Return of Stereolab

Stereolab has readied its first new music since the December 2002 death of multi-instrumentalist Mary Hansen in a bike accident. A five-song EP, "Instant 0 in the Universe," will be issued Oct. 7 via Elektra and features the tracks "'... suddenly stars,'" "Jaunty Monty and the Bubbles of Silence," "Good is Me," "Microclimate" and "Mass Riff." Audio samples of the cuts are available on the group's official Web site .Stereolab is also working on its first studio album since 2001's "Sound Dust," which debuted at No. 11 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. The as-yet-untitled album is due early next year and will be followed by a spring North American tour.

Downloader "Doe" Fights RIAA

Kazaa user invokes her right to privacy in face of lawsuit.. Her lawyer calls her Jane Doe. The music business calls her nycfashiongirl, which is her Kazaa screen name. She's fighting to keep her real name a secret, becoming the first individual to take a stand against the recording industry's latest attack on file traders. In August, Jane Doe filed a legal challenge to block the Recording Industry Association of America from obtaining her identity, because it violates her right to privacy. Since June, the RIAA has run computer searches of hard drives in order to single out at least 1,075 people swapping songs on peer-to-peer services such as Kazaa. The RIAA then subpoenas the person's Internet service provider to obtain his name and address so that he can potentially be sued for copyright infringement. The RIAA says it has been targeting those with a substantial amount of files on their hard drives. And the association claims that Jane Doe's hard drive contained more than 900 MP3s from such major-label artists as Madonna, Tori Amos and Eminem. The RIAA sent her two instant messages on Kazaa with a warning: "Don't steal music." In July, when Verizon let Jane Doe know she was a target, she began calling lawyers. "She was terrified," says Daniel N. Ballard, an attorney at the Sacramento, California, law firm McDonough Holland and Allen. "She wanted to figure out how to protect herself." Ballard says his client has refused all interview requests, and he won't reveal any personal details about her. In addition to privacy rights, her complaint offers up a legal laundry list of defenses. For instance, Jane Doe claims that making files available on a peer-to-peer network is not the same as uploading them to the Internet as is originally inferred in the law. "The law was created before peer-to-peer file sharing existed," says Ballard. "In our case, someone unknowingly put music on the Internet, but the RIAA is saying that's equivalent to distribution." The RIAA scoffs at this claim, saying that of the hundreds of songs on Jane Doe's hard drive, many had identifying computer "fingerprints" that indicate they were originally swapped on Napster. It's a high-stakes tactic for Jane Doe. While not all those subpoenaed by the RIAA will be sued, she probably will be. As RIAA court documents note, she "will be able to raise whatever arguments she wants in the copyright-infringement action that is sure to follow."

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A Nashville court has freed for release 150 "lost songs" recorded by country star Hank Williams.

The catalog was ruled to be the exclusive property of the singer's heirs -- son Hank Williams Jr. and daughter Jett Williams. Since the late 1980s, Jett Williams has had transcription discs of pre-produced segments that Williams recorded in 1951 for "Mother's Best Flour Show," a 15-minute show that once aired on WSM-AM 650. The discs contain live versions of some of his greatest hits, plus 40 songs that were never commercially released, such as "On Top of Old Smokey" and "Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain." There's enough material for four new original Hank Williams albums, said Keith Adkinson, Jett Williams' husband and the lawyer who filed the lawsuit. "It's like Hank came back and visited us on his 80th and presented us with a whole new fruit basket of wonderful things," Adkinson told The Tennessean newspaper Thursday. Through publicist Kirt Webster, Hank Williams Jr. said of the resolution, "It worked out the way Daddy would've wanted."Hank Williams would have celebrated his 80th birthday on September 17. He was found dead in the back seat of his Cadillac on New Year's Day 1953. The official cause of death was heart failure. Over the years, Jett Williams has been approached by companies that wanted to market the recordings, Adkinson said. But they have been in a legal tangle since late 1997, when she filed an injunction against Legacy Entertainment Group LLC and its two principals.

Beck Recording New Album With Dust Brothers, Preparing Sea Change DVD

According to his official website, Beck is returning to the studio next week to start on a new record with Odelay collaborators The Dust Brothers. Although a recent Rolling Stone report stated that the follow-up to last year's Sea Change would be dominated by "aggressive" and "loud" guitar sounds, it appears their reporter might have read a little too much between the lines. "[Beck] hasn't decided exactly what it will be yet or what it will [or] will not include from previously recorded material," Beck webmeister Truck posted recently to the singer's official bulletin board. "That [ Rolling Stone ] article doesn't really represent what he wants the record to be... he didn't know that's what the focus of the article was going to be. You can look forward to his own assessment in his own words soon." The site has been posting a journal written by Beck since last March, mostly covering his touring adventures with his new band, The Black Keys and Dashboard Confessional (sample entries: "Poplockin' Beats From Orlando," "Corporate Bagpipe Deco Wetdreams," "Two Jeff Tweedys and a Microphone"). Now that the Sea Change tour has wrapped, the journal will periodically be updated with tidbits from the studio. Beck's original touring/recording band have splintered to concentrate on other projects, leaving Beck on his own for this album: Justin Medal-Johnsen and Joey Waronker have formed IMA Robot; Smokey Hormel has been recording with Cibo Matto's Miho Hatori as Smokey and Miho, and Roger Manning, Jr. has joined forces with Jason Falkner in the new-wave outfit TV Eyes. As previously reported, Beck also has a backlog of tracks recorded prior to Sea Change with Dan "The Automator" Nakamura and wicka-wicka wizard Timbaland. In keeping with his busy fall, Beck will also be shooting three videos this month for a planned Sea Change DVD. Beck plans to direct one himself and collaborating with old friend Steve Hanft on two others. Hanft has previously directed videos for "Loser," "Pay No Mind," and "Jackass" for Beck, as well as the indie film Southlander , which co-starred Beck in a semi-autobiographical role and will be released on DVD October 7th through Music Video Distributors. BBC Radio 1 will also be broadcasting a new Beck acoustic session this month-- no new original material, unfortunately, but he does cover the Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize?" and Big Star's "Kangaroo." Beck apparently has a love-hate relationship with the marsupials, as evidenced by this journal entry from March: "My first run-in with a kangaroo was in '95," Beck writes. "I rented a van and was way out in the Australian outback about three hours [outside of] Perth. I saw a trail and pulled off the road. I walked through the dirt for a while until suddenly a six-foot kangaroo jumped out of a shrub into the path in front of me. He was decidedly not cute... he had sharp teeth, long claws... he looked like he could rip your arm off! I was envisoning one of those animals-gone-berserk videos... he looked me over, jerking his head around, then eventually hopped back into the bush." Crikey, Beck... just be thankful he didn't take your wallet like that CGI-animated Jerry Bruckheimer 'roo. No tour dates are scheduled at the moment, but give the guy a break, he's been touring the whole summer. It's time to get back to school.

SUPERCHUNK IS BACK

According to Superchunk.com, October will find the elder statesmen and women of indie rock heading out on the road in support of recent rarities collection Cup of Sand , as well as the scheduled November 4th release of their video compilation, Crowding Up Your Visual Field . As previously reported here, the DVD release will contain a number of bonus features, including Quest for Sleep , a documentary shot by the band during their 2001 tour. Well, just in case you're getting all antsy waiting for your Amazon.com preorder (save $2.53 when purchased with 24 Hour Party People !), you'll be happy to learn that Superchunk will be premiering the film during their latest mini-jaunt, at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, NC. Here are the dates:

10-10 Athens, GA - 40 Watt *
10-11 Atlanta, GA - Echo Lounge *
10-16 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle +
10-17 Richmond, VA - Alley Katz (w/ 20 Miles) +
10-18 Washington, D.C. - Black Cat (w/ Army of Me, Washington Social Club) +
10-20 Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's
10-22 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom (w/ Ladybug Transistor) +

* with Matt Suggs
+ with The Rosebuds

In not-exactly-new, but still interesting Superchunk-related news, frontman Mac McCaughan's increasingly prolific side project Portastatic is releasing an EP follow-up to this year's stellar The Summer of the Shark . Portastatic.com reports that Autumn Was a Lark finds the group in "full rock band mode," which is not something you usually hear attributed to a (mostly) one-man band. Apparently Mac was inspired by this summer's tour with Yo La Tengo and headed into the studio with his touring band and some guests of note (including Sara Bell from Sharkquest) to record a new track, a full band version of The Summer of the Shark 's "In the Lines" and covers of songs by The Boss, Badfinger and Ronnie Lane. Never one to skimp on the extras, there are also eight (!) tracks culled from live solo Portastatic performances. Wait a second, I did say EP, right? The bonus tracks span the last three Portastatic albums, with another Springsteen cover thrown in for good measure. Release date is October 7th.

RIAA sues 12 year old girl (Not a Joke)

A 12-year-old girl in New York who was among the first to be sued by the record industry for sharing music over the Internet is off the hook after her mother agreed Tuesday to pay $2,000 to settle the lawsuit, apologizing and admitting that her daughter's actions violated U.S. copyright laws. In a new lawsuit Tuesday, a California attorney sued the recording industry, claiming its offer of amnesty for file-swappers in that state was misleading. The hurried settlement involving Brianna LaHara, an honors student, was the first announced one day after the Recording Industry Association of America filed 261 such lawsuits across the country. Lawyers for the RIAA said Brianna's mother, Sylvia Torres, contacted them early Tuesday to negotiate. "We understand now that file-sharing the music was illegal," Torres said in a statement distributed by the recording industry. "You can be sure Brianna won't be doing it anymore." Brianna added: "I am sorry for what I have done. I love music and don't want to hurt the artists I love." The case against Brianna was a potential minefield for the music industry from a public relations standpoint. The family lives in a city housing project on New York's Upper West Side, and they said they mistakenly believed they were entitled to download music over the Internet because they had paid $29.99 for software that gives them access to online file-sharing services.

Pixies To Reunite For Tour In April 2004; New Album Possible

There's that rare time music news site has to report without any sarcasm or irony. Short of the Velvet Underground, there's no band more beloved, more important, more cited as an influence in indie rock than the Pixies. Whether you're strictly a Doolittle man (surely one of the finest damn rock albums ever) or an obsessive who can name every Trompe le Monde b-side, the Pixies' contributions to the alternative rock canon are sacred texts, the alpha cell of a paisley-flecked v23 flowchart that, down various impeccably typeset branches, might lead to Nirvana, to the Breeders, to Throwing Muses, Guided By Voices, Modest Mouse, Trail of Dead, or Enon. Sadly, most of these revelations weren't made until after the band's prime. Since their reportedly messy and bloody demise in 1993, fans have signed on by the dozens-- based partially on the recommendation of Kurt Cobain, and partially by their desire to find something truly exuberant, legitimate, funny and weird in their music. Anyone born in the '80s might surely have at some point sighed and abandoned all hope of seeing the Pixies on stage at all. In a sense, the idea of a Pixies reunion has almost become a joke, the indie-kid version of "Yeah, when pigs fly." So when the report came in July that all four original members (that's Black Francis, Kim Deal, David Lovering, and Joey Santiago) have been secretly practicing together every couple of blue moons since the breakup, there was the first glimmer of hope. Now that the heavyhandedness is past, here comes the point. The glimmer is now a full-blown supernova. It's happening. In April. No dates yet, not even any quotes from the group's principals-- just a band spokesperson's promise to MTV, who broke the story. The source, who remains unnamed in MTV's story, also claims that if all goes well a studio album will follow. The Pixies. Are back. Together. Music is saved. Lovers of rock, unite and cheer. This is going to truly own. (pitchfork)

Low Releases Vinyl-Only EP

Low has just released a limited edition three-song EP entitled Murderer on writer-director Cameron Crowe's vinyl-only label, Vinyl Records (duh). The EP is second in a series of limited ten-inch EP's released on Vinyl (the first was Duk Koo Kim from Red House Painters' Mark Kozelek, already sold out). Tracklist:
01 Murderer
02 Silver Rider
03 From Your Place on Sunset
When the folks at Vinyl say limited, they aren't messing around-- though just how severely scarce the records will be is a topic of some small debate. The label site claims each release in the ten-inch series will be limited to 1000 copies in America and 500 in Europe.

Michael Franti (Spearhead) Draws 30,000 To Concert

Michael Franti's 5th annual 911 Power To The Peaceful Festival drew a record 30,000 punters to the show on Saturday at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Franti, the show's organizer as well as headline performer, began the 911 event to raise awareness and give support to political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, but added 'The Power To The Peaceful' name in remembrance of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Franti says "the event is now about the desire to rid the world of terrorism and the War on Terrorism". "The 911 Festival began in 1999 as an international day of art and culture in support of political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal" he states at the Spearhead website. "The name 911 was chosen to call attention to the emergency status of Mumia's impending execution and 9/11 was the date of the first event. We expanded the event in 2000 to show support for all prisoners on death row, and to speak out against the exponential growth of the prison industrial complex. In 2001 the day of September 11th took on a wider significance as a result of the tragic loss of life by the attacks of the day. The 4th event in 2002 created a space for healing and compassion for ALL the people killed or displaced by terrorism and the war on terrorism." Franti was expecting 20,000 based on previous years attendance figures but this was a record for the event. Over 100 community groups and charities were represented last weekend at the event.

Triumph the Insult Comic Dog Pushing Own Poop In October

Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, the Robert Smigel-voiced puppet famous for his sketches on Late Night With Conan O'Brien and VMA 2002 run-in with Eminem, will be releasing his debut CD on Warner Bros. this October 7th. Entitled Come Poop With Me , it features various songs and skits featuring A-listers like O'Brien, Adam Sandler, Janeane Garofalo, Subway spokesman Jared (okay, one C-lister) and Jack Black, no doubt singing some sort Spinal Tap rip-off duet. Also included will be Together In Pooping , a DVD of live performances and interviews. Before making jokes about how painfully horrible a comedy record by a puppet dog sounds, at least consider that Robert Smigel is indeed a very funny man-- responsible for some of the best sketch comedy and animation in recent television history (the interstitial cartoons on Saturday Night Live and Comedy Central's lamentably cancelled TV Funhouse ). But then consider the lyrics, which Triumph has graciously offered a sampling of: "Lady left Tramp for a taste of my G/ I got the Westminster poodles lining up for me." Or another: "I humped Mary Hart's leg on the ET set/ I got Phil Jackson's crotch on the Lakers' team jet." And another: "Little roundworm; tiny roundworm/ Must you live in the ass of a hound, worm?" Once you put it all into perspective, yes, it will be completely horrible. Anyway, the first single, "I Keed," will be released in the same week as the album, along with a new video, which has already guaranteed air time on both MTV and MTV2. Triumph will also be appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and possibly do a brief tour. And, as if that's not enough exciting Triumph news, you can also register at his official website to win... a phone call. From Triumph! Yesss!--- Triumph the Insult Comic Dog: http://www.triumphtheinsultcomicdog.com

Cex signs to Jade Tree

In perhaps the most bizarre pairing since white chocolate and Kit Kat wafers, Maryland's broken-beat answer to Eminem, Cex, has joined forces with Delaware emomongers Jade Tree. Cex (aka Rjyan Kidwell), known for his incredible live performances and tendency to release almost-as-good records, is gearing up for the release of Maryland Mansions, an EP in eight tracks. Jade Tree will be pushing out the record on November 18th."

SUNSHINE SUPERMAN

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS have confirmed full details of new single 'HELLO SUNSHINE', which will be released to coincide with their autumn US/UK tour.The single is out on October 13, the same day the tour kicks off at Stoke Keele University. It's the second track to be lifted from the band's Top Five album 'Phantom Power', following the Top 15 success of 'Golden Retriever' in July. The CD features new tracks 'Cowbird' and 'Sanitizzzed', the latter thought to date back to the sessions for the band's 2001 album 'Rings Around The World'. The DVD also features those tracks with Pete Fowler animated wallpaper, while the picture disc 7"'s B-side is 'Cowbird'.

Libertines singer sentenced to six months in jail

Pete Doherty, the former lead singer of the Libertines, has been sent to jail after burgling fellow band member Carl Barat's flat. He admitted breaking into Carl's home after being asked to leave the group because of his £200 a day heroin and crack addiction. He kicked in the door of the London flat in July while the band were on tour and stole several items including an antique guitar, laptop computer, video recorder, CD player, mouth organ and books. In court today (Monday) Pete looked stunned as the judge sentenced him to six months in prison - his solicitor had appealed for a community penalty so he could go in to rehab and today said he will appeal the sentence.

ITunes Music Store still rockin.

Apple Computer says more than 10 million songs have been purchased from the iTunes Music Store since its launch in April -- an average of more than 500,000 songs per week. The 10 millionth song, "Complicated" by Avril Lavigne, was sold Sept. 3. Apple also says it remains on pace to launch a Windows version of iTunes by the end of the year. In addition, the company has introduced new 20 gigabyte (GB) and 40 GB models of its iPod digitial music player. The new 40 GB iPod holds up to 10,000 CD-quality songs and carries a $499 retail list price. The 20 GB model costs $399. The company was previously selling 15 and 30 GB iPod models for $399 and $499.

Dismemberment Plan Unveil Final Album, Stream Catalog For Free

As a final thank-you to the fans, the Dismemberment Plan have accompanied their goodbyes with an astounding amount of free music on their site, including RealAudio streams of all four of their studio albums, MP3's of a few rare and out-of-print nuggets, and even a full-album preview of the upcoming remix album A People's History of The Dismemberment Plan. CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Singer Warren Zevon dead at 56

LOS ANGELES, California -- Warren Zevon, who wrote and sang the rock hit "Werewolves of London" and was among the wittiest and most original of a broad circle of singer-songwriters to emerge from Los Angeles in the 1970s, died Sunday. He was 56. A lifelong smoker until quitting several years ago, Zevon announced in September 2002 that he had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and had only months to live. He spent much of that time visiting with his two grown children and working on a final album. Zevon died in his sleep Sunday at his home, publicist Carise Yatter said. He faced death with the same dark sense of humor found in much of his music, including songs like "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead," "Life'll Kill Ya" and "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead." Zevon said he "chose a certain path and lived like Jim Morrison and lived 30 more years. You make choices and you have to live with the consequences."

Costello Plans 'North' Bonuses, Performances

The title track of Elvis Costello's upcoming release "North" won't be included on the CD. Instead, purchasers of the album will receive a personal identification number (PIN) allowing access to a downloadable studio version of the song through Costello's official Web site. Additionally, the first 100,000 copies of "North" will include a limited-edition DVD boasting live performance videos of the title track and the new song "Fallen." The DVD will also feature a video clip for the studio recording of "Still." As previously reported, the album is due Sept. 23 in the U.S. via Deutsche Grammophon; it will be released Monday (Sept. 8) in Japan and southeast Asia and Sept. 15 in the U.K. and Canada. Comprised solely of ballads, the intimate 11-track album features instrumentation ranging from solo piano on the song "You Turned to Me" to a 48-piece ensemble conducted by Costello. During the week of the album's release, Costello will be highly visible, with concerts Sept. 22 and 24 at New York's intimate Town Hall accompanied only by Attractions/Imposters keyboardist and frequent collaborator Steve Nieve. On Sept. 23, he'll stage an invitation-only performance at the city's Museum of Television & Radio that will be simulcast live to the museum's sister facility in Los Angeles and to Virgin Megastore locations in New York, Boston, Orlando, Fla., Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The show will also be taped for later airing on the syndicated Public Radio International program "World Café." On Sept. 25, Costello is slated as the next performer in cable network A&E's "Live By Request"

Kingblind offers the sunday free AND legal MP3 download extravaganza.. Enjoy kids.

The Strokes 12:51 (MP3 Single)

The much anticipated new single from The Strokes. Take a listen and see if it was worth the wait. Either way you gotta love the cars style synth lead. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

Pretty Girls Make Graves: "All Medicated Geniuses" (MP3 Single)

Following their breakthrough releases for the Lookout and Dim Mak labels, the Seattle quintet Pretty Girls Make Graves emerge with their hotly anticipated Matador debut, and a late contender for best album of 2003. That The New Romance is as anthemic and explosive as Good Health is no surprise; but the band's compositional skills have grown by leaps and bounds, along with their flair for the dramatic. Features the single "This Is Our Emergency." Produced by Phil Ek CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

Prefuse 73: "One For The Crime Scene, A Bullet For Your Time" (MP3 Single)

Brand new separate EP of outtakes from the album One Word Extinguisher, aptly titled Extinguished: Outtakes. Featuring a whopping 23 tracks in 38 minutes, it's unbelievable to think these tracks didn't make the album. Herren's throw aways are what most artists could only dream of making. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

Constantines: "Nighttime Anytime Its Alright" (MP3 Single)

Last year's self-titled debut landed these Canadians a Juno Award nomination for Best Alternative Album, nearly broke the record for longest charting album in Canadian campus radio history, and placed on the year end top ten lists for both the "Exclaim!" readers' poll and the "Eye" national critics' poll (Canada's equivalent of "The Village Voice"). This is their second full-length and first for Sub Pop; an ambitious record combining a steady diet of 90's DC rock (like a Joe Strummer fronted Fugazi) with dub-inflected bass, blue-eyed soul, and a punk aesthetic. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

Rouse Goes Back to "1972"

Singer-songwriter Josh Rouse's fourth album 1972 is, as one might expect from the title, rooted in Rouse's love of that era's musical offerings. But don't expect kitschy references to Seventies pop culture or flat out mimicry of the decade's biggest artists. "I'm not trying to sound like Neil Young at one moment or the Rolling Stones the next," Rouse says. "But this is what I was listening and that's what I was referencing." It's an interesting move for Rouse, whose early work already reflected a Seventies influence, combining folk and alt-country with leanings towards punk and new wave. But last year's Under the Cold Blue Stars moved in a slightly more soulful direction, with the title track showing off Rouse's ability to create rhythmic, groove-oriented rock. With 1972 , Rouse has fully immersed himself in the decade and emerged a little more exposed, his humor and influences on his sleeve, and with an album that you could dance or at least shake your hips to. "To be honest, when people go see shows they kind of just stand there and it can get tiresome," Rouse says. "From touring so much, we tend to make more up-tempo sets so I thought, why not make people want to move a little bit. Let's do a record that can go out and the crowd feels good the whole time." While musically, his inspiration dates back a few decades, his lyrical influences were contemporary. A big fan of Wes Anderson, Rouse found himself watching the director's films ( Bottle Rocket ,Rushmore ,The Royal Tenenbaums ) with particular attention to the level of detail visually, the nuanced creation of characters and the subtle, wry humor. All of these things had always been present in Rouse's work, though his stories are becoming more explicit. Under the Cold Blue Stars was a narrative album about the married life of a couple in the Fifties. And Rouse has always had a sharp wit, slightly obscured by the moody earnestness of folk and new wave. But with a better groove and bouncier beats, Rouse's irony shines through. He used the pleasant and sometimes not so pleasant random encounters of touring to let his inner storyteller out. "James" is an ode to the devoted patron of a karaoke bar in Atlanta. "I was doing Michael McDonald on karaoke," Rouse admits "and someone got me a beer I didn't want, so I gave it to this guy that was sitting there and he just thought that was too nice. He looked like the type of guy who just sat in there all day and drank and he'd been doing it for a long time. He never told me too much but it was enough for a song. "My intention was to do a record that had a great groove with songs that had interesting lyrics and were about something and I'm pleased with the way it turned out." Rouse will begin a U.S. tour behind 1972 in early October, with fellow singer-songwriter Leona Naess opening.

Superchunk - Cup Of Sand (Album Review)

It just ain't right for a band to release a double CD of b-sides and out-takes and have it end up being the best album they've released in eight years. I really don't understand how this album can be so good (especially the first disc). I'm shaking my head, confused, but happy. The stereo is jumping. My neighbors are pounding the walls. Cup Of Sand defies the odds.

Universal Music Group To Unilaterally Reduce CD Prices- Is the helping or hurting? Well a little of both..

UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP, World's Largest Music Company, DRAMATICALLY REDUCES CD PRICES." That's right-- one of the five major label groups announced a plan yesterday to lower the list price of most top-line CD's to a jaw-dropping $12.98, effective as early as October 1st. Wholesale prices will be decreased as much as 30 percent, effectively reducing the end price of many discs to between $10 and $12 at many retail outlets. Universal's stable of labels includes Interscope, Geffen, A&M, Island, Def Jam, MCA, Lost Highway, Motown, Mercury, and Verve. The group's collective roster includes such powerhouse sellers as Eminem, 50 Cent, Limp Bizkit, Guns 'n' Roses, Peter Gabriel, and U2, as well as Pitchfork faves ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Beck, Elvis Costello, PJ Harvey, Queens of the Stone Age, Sonic Youth, and Weezer. The new pricing policy will cover both new and current releases as well as catalog titles from the likes of Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, The Police, The Velvet Underground, The Who, Hank Williams, and of course the Motown back catalog. By its own estimation, Universal Music Group artists account for almost 30 percent of domestic record sales. The unprecedented move is widely expected to generate a fourth-quarter price war among the major labels, who may be forced to follow Universal's lead and go for volume sales and consumer loyalty (as opposed to charging $19 for a freakin' Andrew W.K. CD and suing the bejeezus out of you if you share it online). This could be excellent news for music retailers as the Christmas season approaches. Clinging to the stubborn formula of minimal selection and exorbitant prices, many chain stores have been forced to close underperforming locations while indie retailers, specialty shops, used-disc sellers, and online operations have actually seen an increase in sales in the last two years. But is this REALLY a help to the indies?? Well kiddies stay tuned.. We will have more on that shortly.

Junior Senior - D-D-Don't Stop The Beat (Album Review)

However sublime it may have been, the Jackson-esque funkiness of Junior Senior's debut single, "Move Your Feet," was a bit of bait and switch - the rest of their album is all twangy guitar mashed up with the stoopidest big beat this side of Fatboy Slim. But who cares, it's still pure, unadulterated joy. People who don't like this must hate animals or some shit.

Sea and Cake Announce Fall Tour, Wake Guys Rejoice

Chicago institiution and Thrill Jockey recording artists Sea and Cake have announced a Fall Tour to begin mid-September. The band, made up of some of Chicago's trendier debutantes (former Cocktail Archer Prewitt, Tortoise's John McEntire, Shrimp Boat buccaneer Eric Claridge, and Sam "self-titled solo debut" Prekop) will whip up some frothy goodness beginning September 19. The boys will be supported on tour by The Zincs, Kingsbury Manx, and Catherine Irwin. In other head-exploding, so good it's gotta be bad for ya news, The Sea and Cake recently released (relatively speaking, of course) the Glass EP to coincide with there less recent One Bedroom LP. The album tosses around selected re-worked tracks from the LP, as well as unreleased material and "reinterpreted" One Bedroom songs by the likes of Stereolab, Broadcast and Carl Craig. And of course, those tourdates:
09. 18.03 - Indianapolis - Radio Radio (w/The Zincs)
09.19.03 - Louisville - Headliners $
09.20.03 - Memphis - Young Avenue Deli $ Scene Creamers
09.22.03 - Oxford, MS - Proud Larry's
09.23.03 - New Orleans - Twiropa $
09.25.03 - Tallahassee - Club Downunder $
09.26.03 - St. Petersburg - The State Theater $
09.27.03 - Orlando - The Social $
09.28.03 - Jacksonville - Jack Rabbits $
09.30.03 - Carrboro - Cat's Cradle $
10.01.03 - Atlanta - Echo Lounge *
10.02.03 - Newport - Southgate House *
10.03.03 - Champaign - High Dive *
10.04.03 - St. Louis - Mississippi Nights *
10.05.03 - Chicago - Logan Square Auditorium
* w/ Catherine Irwin
$ w/ Kingsbury Manx

'FIRE' IN THE THEATERS!

THE STROKES have announced a trio of US live dates. The band, who release long awaited second LP 'Room On Fire' on October 20, have confirmed two dates in Philadelphia, on October 9 and 10 at the Tower Theater, and a third in Detroit on October 16 at the State Theater. Tickets for the gigs do not go on sale until the beginning of October, and more North American dates are due to be announced shortly. According to the band's official website, thestrokes.com, fanclub members should already have been contacted with details of how to obtain Internet only pre-sale tickets for the dates.

The New Pornographers--The Echo Lounge--Atlanta, GA--28 August, 2003 (Live Show Review)

There’s something about a show in Georgia in late August. The air, with a sense of excitement brought about by the heat, the humidity grew as the sticky bodies pile into the popular club off Atlanta’s Flat Shoals Avenue. Pressed together, the audience almost brought a new spin to what might be a little more than a clever name. The New Pornographers, the famed indie supergroup, were slated to play and the gathered crowd, albeit a bit damp, couldn’t be much happier.
Winding down an extensive US tour, the group appeared before the eager audience in support of their latest Matador release, Electric Version. Receiving accolades that span the globe, the band has yet again proven that they are more than just a vanity project for frontman Carl Newman. Without much delay, the New Pornographers took the stage. They are pop at its finest, a flurry of energy that dances off the stage into the crowd without stopping for a single breath. A Canadian collage of music super heroes, the six that form this popular act stop just short of over-the-top. A marriage of harmony, the reputed husband and wife team of Neko Case and Carl Newman interweave vocals that are deceptively melodious despite timing changes and bites that turn into hooks without much notice. Coming over a series of critical praise for Electric Version, the group plowed through old and new songs with a fury that’s not usually seen by acts such as this. Opening with “My New Descent into Alcoholism,” the group continued through, hitting all the songs that the crowd was begging to hear. Included in the formidable set list was the Case-heavy “Jackie,” “To Wild Homes,” and “New Faces of the Millenium.” Their new offerings do differ from their first album, Mass Romantic, in that the band seems to have gelled from superficially pop offerings to a developed sound that evidences time spent recording and touring. They seem to have found their true sound and while some complain that it’s not the Beach Boys-tinged collection of energetically delivered layers of sound, its more than what most would even dare to offer. Overall the show was an entertaining offering of pop at its best. While some of the more jaded listeners weren’t overly impressed with the mirage of sound that, at some points, was a bit overwhelming, in general, the group showed that while they have done good work in the past, the best is probably yet to come. (review: susanne jenkens-- photo: frank mullen)

Will Oldham Hires Guns, Pig for Greatest Hits Record.

According to Nashville alternative weekly The Scene , Will Oldham is all but through (re)-recording the upcoming Palace greatest-hits record. For those just waking beneath trees with long white beards, Will Oldham is the Louisville, KY based creative force behind all things Palace (-Music, -Songs, -Records, -Flamethrowers) and currently works under the name Bonnie "Prince" Billy. Last fall, Oldham's Palace Records homepage ran an online poll to drum up input for the record's tracklist. Soon afterward we learned that Oldham would be recording new versions of the chosen favorites in Nashville with producer Mark Nevers. Nevers, who has worked with everyone from Vic Chestnutt and the Silver Jews to Hank "Are You Ready for Some Football" Williams, Jr. and Alan Jackson, helped out on this year's Bonnie "Prince" Billy record Master and Everyone and is a longtime associate of Lambchop (longer than Shari Lewis, even). Nevers says Oldham enjoyed the bounty of talented session players on call in the country music capital, mostly using the same studio crew that generally works with Alan Jackson (!). Oldham took a particular liking to the playing of pianist Hargus "Pig" Robbins, whose influence comes through clearly on the new version of "Gulf Shores." Drag City is pushing for a fall release, but with Oldham returning to Nashville in September for vocal overdubbing and again in October for final mixing, it's optimistic to think we'll see a finished product by next spring.

Junior Senior – Move your Feet (Music Video)

The new music video from Junior Senior.. Looks like something out of a vintage Atari game.. Too cool. CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT Requires Quicktime 6.

Green Day and Pavement: Sometimes You Just Don't Feel Fresh

It appears that Lookout Records & Matador Records were starting to get that same feeling. Both have plans to re-master and "freshen" up some classic works from the vaults. Lookout Records will dust off Green Day classics Kerplunk! and 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours . Remember those? They were from the days when you were allowed to listen to Green Day because they were still sorta cool. Extra goodies planned to be packaged with the reissues include live videos, radio shows, interviews, etc. Matador Records also conluded that after the success of the Slanted and Enchanted: Luxe and Reduxe they will be giving Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain the same treatment. Expected release is late in 2004. Until that time please resume debating which Pavement record is your favorite. It's like Wolfman trying to pick his favorite child...

Two ATP Festivals Announced, And We Ain't Talkin' Tennis

Hope you've racked up those frequent flyer miles homies cause its big news we're hearing from the squawk box. Recently the official announcement was made that ATP UK 2004 will be held the weekends of March 26-28 and April 2-4. The events will take place at the Camber Sands Holiday Centre. As in the past each day is curated or organized by a different band or musical artist. The first weekend will see its share of talent and panache as it allows Scottish rockers Mogwai to tackle day one, Chicago jazz aficionados Tortoise to ponder day two, and Steve Albini's three man tag-team Shellac to fondle day three. The next weekend's events will be manipulated by another group of thugs and miscreants hell-bent on making you rock that thang. The first day's line-up will be hand-picked by former Pavement ringleader/current Jick Stephen Malkmus. Day two will be brought to you by your friends Sonic Youth and the final day will be left up to Foundation, although who they are is still a wee bit fuzzy. Of course they haven't announced line-ups yet (it is only September you impatient little monkeys) but you can check out the ATP site for a short history of the fest as well as a list of past curators and their picks. CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Tim Tobias Out Of Guided By Voices

"Bassist Tim Tobias has apparently left Guided By Voices, according to an announcement on the band's official website. 'Guided By Voices would like to announce that Chris Slusarenko (Sprinkler, Svelt, Off Records) will be playing bass on all the upcoming U.S. tour dates and Sam Powers (Superdrag) will be handling bass duties for the upcoming European tour,' reads the announcement, without explaining the cause for Tobias' departure. Guided By Voices had just announced a slew of fall dates in support of their latest album, Earthquake Glue, last Thursday. By late yesterday afternoon, Tobias' photo and instrument had both been removed from the 'Current Band Line Up' page on the official site and replaced by Slusarenko and Powers' names. GbV fans seemed a little bummed out by the sudden departure. One fan on GbV discussion forum Disarm The Settlers wrote, 'In my opinion he was the best bass player for GbV... the last show we saw he seemed kind of bummed and not very energetic, hope he is OK.' Another simply noted, 'Perhaps Billy Corgan called Tim.' Tim Tobias, along with brother Todd, also comprised the music-making muscle behind Robert Pollard side project Circus Devils. It is unclear how the departure affects the future of the Circus Devils project or GbV's relationship with Todd Tobias, who lent his production skills to both last year's Universal Truths and Cycles and Earthquake Glue. Guided By Voices' Earthquake Glue tour commences tonight in Boston with a trio of dates leading up to the 10th anniversary show for Magnet magazine in Philadelphia, PA. The Shins and My Morning Jacket are also on the bill, with the venerable GbV headlining. Then, it's off to the UK and Europe for two weeks' worth of dates with Superdrag's Powers bringing the low end, and back to the U.S. for a handful of West Coast gigs in late October. It's worth noting that in addition to the usual ticket sources, Guided By Voices now sells tickets directly through their website, surcharge-free"

Jim O'Rourke, Shudder To Think's Wedren School Kids Of Rock

Striking like panthers in the night, hungryman engineer/ Sonic Youth noisemaker/ swordsman of love Jim O'Rourke and former Shudder to Think frontman Craig Wedren recently teamed up to mentor the young rockers in the upcoming Jack Black vehicle School Of Rock . Black (sans Michael Jackson medals) plays a down-on-his-luck slacker who, by circumstances too ridiculous to get into in these hallowed frames, exploits a loophole in the education employment process that circumvents any sort of background check or identity verification and gets a job teaching fourth-grade at a prestigious private school. In conjunction with assorted good-natured classtime hijinx that delight his students and shock the school's fuddy-duddy faculty members, Black's character secretly launches a scheme to exploit the budding musical talents of his class in a local battle of the bands competition. Though not explicitly stated in any press release or currently available trailer, it would not be unreasonable to surmise a poignant turning point in the film where Principal Mullins (Joan Cusack), formerly steadfast in her opposition to Black's unruly behavior, resigns herself to accept that he might be just what the children need. O'Rourke worked with the child actors to train them and improve their musical abilities. When an outside obligation with full-time band Sonic Youth reared its static-ridden head, fellow rock warrior Craig Wedren assumed training duties for the remaining days of production. "We kicked out some Velvet Underground and AC/DC covers," Wedren told Billboard . "Then they shot the actual scene with Jack Black. The whole experience reminded me (for better and for worse) of my 7th and 8th grade band, The Immoral Minority. Long live the Minority." Could these guys' jobs get any more fucking plush? In addition to pitch-hitter work with the lovable tykes in School of Rock , Wedren was also asked to compose and perform a portion of the soundtrack, including a self-described "Creed-style" song, the home demo of which has been made available on Wedren's personal website. Garage rockers The Mooney Suzuki also contributed a track, ingeniously sharing its title with the actual film. Directed by Richard Linklater ( Slacker ,Dazed and Confused ,Tape ), School of Rock hits theaters October 3rd, with the soundtrack hitting stores September 30th. Though one might interpret Wedren and O'Rourke's involvement with the film as an indicator of an empty schedule, the reality is quite the opposite-- not only is O'Rourke working with Sonic Youth on their followup to last year's Murray Street , but also "making progress" on a new solo album for Drag City, working on a new album with Loose Fur (the supergroup also featuring singer/guitarist Jeff Tweedy and drummer Glenn Kotche of Wilco), and touring Japan in October with bandmate Kim Gordon as part of her SYR5 project (also featuring turntablist DJ Olive and programmer Ikue Mori, formerly of seminal no-wave group DNA)

Built To Spill Prepare To Record 'Bluesy' New Album

Built To Spill are getting ready to head into the studio sometime fairly soon after their upcoming tour, according to reports from both Billboard and Rolling Stone . The album, which frontman Doug Martsch reckons might be out around this time next year, will reportedly have a similar sound to Martsch's blues-oriented solo album Now You Know , albeit with the addition of guitarist James Roth. "[There are] a few pieces where I was playing around with open tunings and slide stuff I want to use. But it's still pretty early," Martsch says. Whichever way they decide to go on their new album, one thing's for sure-- there'll be plenty of practicing. According to Billboard , Martsch's only complaint about the most recent Built to Spill record, Ancient Melodies of the Future , was that the group "under-rehearsed" the material. However, you might not expect to hear a set chock full o' new songs on the upcoming dates, which include an appearance at the Los Angeles edition of All Tomorrow's Parties in November. This shouldn't be too surprising though, since Martsch eschewed his solo material for older Built to Spill numbers during his recent tour (his slide guitar was broken... no, seriously). He blames the focus on older tunes on drummer Scott Plouf's schoolin': "It turns out [Plouf] has been going to baking school for a year and a half, and he has school all summer, so he hasn't gotten enough practicing in [for us to play the newer stuff]." Baking school? Come on, Scott, get your priorities straight! There's a whole lot of able-bodied drummers out there who could make themselves more available (our threats, not Doug's). Plus, we hear Janet Weiss makes a mean blueberry muffin.

Hendrix Berkeley Show Headed To CD, DVD

The Jimi Hendrix clearing house continues as Experience Hendrix/UME has set an Oct. 14 release date for the CD and limited-edition double-LP "The Jimi Hendrix Experience -- Live At Berkeley (The Second Set)." The recording stems from a 1970 performance that has long been partially available on VHS; a DVD version of the concert mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound will be released Sept. 16. The hour-long DVD draws material from the two sets of a May 30, 1970, concert played by the Experience at Berkeley, Calif.'s Community Theater. Staged less than four months before Hendrix's death, the show features the legendary guitarist augmented by longtime drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Billy Cox. Original Experience bassist Noel Redding had quit the band in June 1969. Highlights of the film include performances of "Purple Haze," "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" and an extended take on Hendrix's Vietnam war epic "Machine Gun." Other cuts include a cover of "Johnny B. Goode," "Hear My Train a Comin'," "Star Spangled Banner," "I Don't Live Today," "Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)" and "Lover Man." The CD/LP release will feature the second set of the performance in its entirety, cutting "Johnny B. Goode" and "Hear My Train a Comin'" from the film version and adding performances of "Foxey Lady," "Hey Joe," "Pass It On (Straight Ahead)" and "Stone Free."

Kingblind.com presents-- Adam Franklin from Swervedriver
And The Roy Owens Jr. (ex Magnapop and Crooked Fingers)

Here our the complete tour dates for Adam Franklin of Swervedriver (w/ full band)
And The Roy Owens Jr.------
Nov 7th Atlanta, GA: The Echo Lounge BUY TICKETS
Nov 8th Athens, GA: Tasty World
Nov 9th Charlotte, N.C. Fat City Deli
Nov 10th Raleigh, N.C. King's Barcade
Nov 11th Philadelphia, PA: Khyber Pass
Nov 12th Washington D.C.: The Velvet Lounge
Nov 13th Baltimore, MA: The Ottobar BUY TICKETS
Nov 14th NYC: The Knitting Factory BUY TICKETS
Nov 15th Boston, MA: The Plan @ Great Scott's
Nov 16th New Haven, CT: Bar
---------------------------
CLICK HERE FOR INFO ABOUT SWERVEDRIVER--
CLICK HERE FOR INFO ABOUT THE ROY OWENS JR.--

'Whistle Test' DVD Showcases Vintage Performances

The U.K.'s legendary '70s and '80s live rock-performance TV series "The Old Grey Whistle Test" (BBC Video) arrives on DVD Sept. 16. The disc contains 28 performance clips from such varied talents as John Lennon, U2, the Police, the Ramones and Bonnie Raitt, along with interviews with such luminaries as Lennon, Elton John, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Robert Plant. Also included is a gallery of stills of the artists on the show, an audio commentary by series producer Mike Appleton and sleeve notes by DVD producer Jill Sinclair, who joined the show in 1977 as a production assistant. "It was fantastic revisiting my youth," Sinclair said. Sinclair says the series' album-track slant "was devised as the antidote to [U.K. show] 'Top of the Pops.' In the early '70s, lots of bands like Led Zeppelin were emerging that didn't want singles and wanted to be seen as 'album bands.' But there was nowhere on television you could be unless you had a hit single until 'Whistle Test.'"

Pink Floyd Action Figures

Models based on Pink Floyd's "The Wall". CLICK HERE TO VIEW

Go-Go in the Nation's Capital (The History of GO GO Music)

It hasn't caught on outside the DC area, but ever since Chuck Brown invented the style back in the mid-1970's, go-go has be a regional sensation. "The Beat: Go-Go's Fusion of Funk and Hip-Hop" explores this very distinct form of local music. Authors Kip Lornell, a professor of Africana Studies at George Washington University, and Charles Stephenson, a long-time activist in the go-go community, talk about the 25-plus year history of this unique DC phenomenon. Requires REALPLAYER Click here to listen

New Comp To Feature Considerable Talents of Thurston Moore, Mike Watt

Here's something interesting kiddies. Point your web browser at http://chromepeeler.com for the latest on a brand-spanking new comp based entirely around the idea of song titles. Head honcho Jason Ziemniak thought up the wonderful and wholly original idea of handing out song titles to a select few, who then wrote and performed the music to accompany said title. The comp, entitled You've Got Your Orders Vol. One (yes, Volume 2 is indeed in the works) includes the works of many familiar and not so familiar artistes. The familiar include Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, former Minuteman Mike Watt, Mark Arm of Mudhoney, Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde, and Beehive & The Barracudas. The unfamilar you can pick out for yourself, cause maybe they're only unfamilar to this old curmudgeon. The song titles appear to be influenced and possibly shat out of the same cranky machinery that launches Bob Pollard's arsenal of unlimited songs into the night sky. They include "Coke Limo," "Smile For The Soul-Stealing Camera," "Shaking Hands And Kissing Babies Covered In Bacteria," and "You Can Get Away With Any Crime If You Just Run Fast Enough." The comp clocks in at a respectable 74 min, inclues 22 toe-tappers and is $10 ppd from chromepeeler.

POLYPHONIC'S 'BEAUTIFUL SONICS'

THE POLYPHONIC SPREE have spoken out about their recent parting with UK record label 679 RECORDINGS, and have also revealed details of the "beautiful sonics" on their forthcoming second album. In a statement on the band's official website, the robe-wearing collective explain why they parted with the label who "truly went out on a limb to help spread the gospel of The Polyphonic Spree." They said: "We are here to say, yes, it is true that we have parted company with 679 in the UK. They are a wonderful label who have spent the last year promoting our band in every way possible. They truly went out on a limb to spread the gospel of The Polyphonic Spree. "However, in a world where there are no guarantees and change is constantly upon us all, the reality takes place. We wish them well in their journey as a label in the business we call rock 'n' roll," they added. The Spree also spoke about the progress of their second album, which is due for release in February 2004. They said: "On the near future of the group, we are finishing the mixes on our new record. So far, the beautiful sonics we were hoping to achieve are coming along quite nicely. We will be putting this latest effort out on Hollywood Records in North America and a soon to be mentioned label abroad. Sorting it out."