Annual fiesta features NOFX, Rancid, The Briefs, The Adicts and Pennywise. And beer.

By Randy Harward

Punk Rock Bowling. Insert lame Jerry Maguire joke.

It just sounds good. Loud, snotty rock ‘n’ roll + big balls + plus lubricated, passive lanes. Add beer. That’s a party.

Actually, it’s a music festival happening this Memorial Day weekend (May 25-28). Shawn and Mark Stern (founders of Youth Brigade and BYO Records) started it in 1999 and it’s now a three-day festival with five dozen bands. It starts outdoors in the late afternoon on Saturday, Sunday and Monday with eight bands each day and late-night club shows every night – with some surprises. And get this: There’ll be pool parties and Texas Hold ‘Em every day.

Oh, it’s also in Las Vegas.

And the first five bands announced? NOFX, Rancid, The Briefs, The Adicts and Pennywise.

The only thing that’d be cooler is if the initials were PBR.

More info: www.punkrockbowling.com

Texas rockers confirm dates and artists for Dia De Los Toadies 2011, debut video for LCD Soundsystem cover.

By Blurt Staff

Since resurfacing in 2006 after a label-hassle induced absence, the Toadies have been full-speed ahead. Along with 2008’s comeback No Deliverance and the 2010 resurrection of their lost album Feeler, the Texas-based alt-rockers have toured relentlessly and conceived/curated their own festival, Dia De Los Toadies. Now it’s already time for the fourth such fest – Dia De Los Toadies Cuatro, which will occur August 26 and 27 at the Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels, TX.

“The Dia festival keeps getting better every year,” says guitarist Clark Vogeler. “It always feels like a big family reunion with a great soundtrack.” Whitewater, he says, seems like it was designed specifically with the Dia festival in mind, with multiple stages, “lots of shade and the ever-flowing Guadalupe River there to cool us all down whenever we want.”

The music menu – featuring all Texas-based acts – has included The Secret Machines, Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears, The Heartless Bastards, Ben Kweller, Two Tons of Steel, Bowling for Soup, Centro-matic, and Sleepercar. First among the acts confirmed for Dia Cuatro are The Sword and UME, with more to be announced soon.

After the festival, the Toadies will play a handful of dates before hunkering down to crank out another platter for release later this year. An acoustic record and Toadies tribute CD are also in the queue.

See below for a video from last years Dia De Los Toadies performance in which the band performs an acoustic cover of LCD Soundsystem’s “Someone Great.” The clip was produced and edited by Vogeler, who is an Emmy Award-winning editor and recently worked on Bombay Beach, a documentary that premiered at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival.

TOADIES – “SOMEONE GREAT (LIVE ACOUSTIC LCD SOUNDSYSTEM COVER)

Stoner-prog trio breaks off a piece of The Local Fuzz for Blurt readers.

By Blurt Staff

One song, 42 minutes, 50 riffs, back to back. Such is the simple description of the rock ‘n’ roll feast that is The Atomic Bitchwax’s fifth album – and Blurt has an exclusive nine-minute bite just for you, courtesy of the band and Tee Pee Records. As usual, the stoner-prog power trio serves it straight-up and complex, with big, dumb riffs segueing into labyrinthine but accessible passages and back again. It’s a space truckin’ road trip down the rabbit hole that culminates with you swinging from a quantum string, bug-eyed and drooling. Get some here: http://www.teepeerecords.com/albums/TAB_CLIP.mp3

The Local Fuzz comes out June 21 and The Atomic Bitchwax – fresh from the Roadburn Festival in Holland – will wrap up its European tour April 30 in Siegen, Germany. Remaining dates:

April 22    Winterthur, Switzerland       Gaswerk

April 23    Weil der Stadt, Germany     JH Kloster

April 24    Paris, France                      Nouveau Casino

April 25    Rotterdam, Netherlands       Baroeg

April 26    Antwerpen, Belgium            Trix

April 27    London, UK                        Underworld 

April 29    Athens,Greece                    AN Club

April 30    Siegen,Germany                 Vortex 

Punk rock supergroup records live four-song 7” at Amoeba Records.

By Blurt Staff

Supporting independent record stores is very punk rock, even if its is via a nationally-recognized commercial exercise like Record Store Day on April 16. (Hey, if you’re gonna spend money, spend it on something you believe in!) It figures, then, that OFF!, a punk rock Damn Yankees – talkin’ composition, not comparisons – featuring Keith Morris (Black Flag/Circle Jerks), Steve McDonald (Redd Kross), Dimitri Coats (Burning Brides) and Mario Rubalcaba (Earthless/Rocket from the Crypt/Hot Snakes), would pitch in to support underground record retailers.

What’re they coughin’ up? A live four-song live 7” record, natch. Check it out here: http://youtu.be/xUezxT8CB5g

Also, you can download an MP3 of “Panic Attack” from the Amoeba show performance as well as watch the exclusive interview here: http://www.amoeba.com/live-shows/videos/off.html

(Photo: Sean Peterson)

Portland-based stoner rockers book additional dates in the U.S. and Europe, including a hometown record release show.

By Blurt Staff

Can’t get enough of the mighty Red Fang? Good news: They’re beefing up their summer road expedition that takes them through the U.S., then Europe, and back through the States. The tour kicks off in Eugene, OR on April 16, an ostensible warm-up gig before they celebrate the release of Murder the Mountains (Relapse) in their hometown of Portland on April 30 (the official release date was yesterday). Then, starting with a show in Spokane on May 12, the stoner rock foursome will stay on the road through the summer, wrapping up August 14 in West Palm Beach, FLA.

The Euro-jaunt sandwiched between the Stateside gigs is Red Fang’s first-ever visit to Europe and they’ll top it off with an appearance at Hellfest in Clissoon, France. All dates from July 9 thru Aug. 14 are part of Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, featuring Megadeth, In Flames, Trivium and more.

Full dates are below. Murder the Mountains is currently streaming in its entirety at NPR.org, and a video for “Wires” – directed by Whitey McConnaughy (The Gossip, Mudhoney, Flogging Molly) will premiere online soon.

(Photo: James Rexroad)

RED FANG Tour Dates:

April 16             Eugene, OR                  Luckey’s

April 30             Portland, OR                 Branx (Murder The Mountains record release show)

May 12             Spokane, WA                The A Club

May 13             Billings, MT                   The Railyard

May 14             Cheyenne, WY              The Forum

May 15             Omaha, NE                   The Hideout

May 17             Memphis, TN                 Hi Tone

May 18             New Orleans, LA            The Parish

May 19             Nashville, TN                 The End

May 22             Columbus, OH               Crew Stadium (as part of 2011 Rock on the Range Festival w/ A PERFECT CIRCLE, DANZIG, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, more)

May 23             Milwaukee, WI               Cactus Club

May 24             Des Moines, IA              House of Bricks

May 25             Fargo, ND                     The Aquarium

May 27             Missoula, MT                 The Palace Lounge

***All dates from May 31 thru June 19 w/ THE OCEAN, INTRONAUT***

May 31             Wiesbad, Germany        Schlachtorf

June 1               Bochum, Germany         Matrix

June 2               Lingby, Denmark            Templet

June 3               Bremen, Germany          Tower

June 4               Athens, Greece             Kyttaro Live

June 5               Berlin, Germany              Lido

June 6               Leipzig, Germany           Conne Island

June 7               Bratislava, Slovenia        Randal Club

June 8               Vienna, Austria              Arena

June 9               Zagreb, Croatia             Mocvara

June 10            Salzburg, Austria           Rockhouse Bar

June 11            Winterthur, Switzerland  Gaswerk

June 12            Munchen, Germany        Feierwerk

June 13            Milano, Italy                     Magnolia Segrate

June 14            Via Vi, Italy                        Blogos

June 16            Stuttgart, Germany        Universum 

June 17            Kassel, Germany           Hot Spot

June 18            Brugge, Belgium            JH Comma

June 19            Clisson, France              Hellfest

***All dates from July 9 thru Aug. 14 as part of Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival w/ MEGADETH, IN FLAMES, KINGDOM OF SORROW, TRIVIUM, more***

July 9                San Bernardino, CA        San Manuel Amphitheatre

July 10              Mountain View, CA         Shoreline Amphitheatre

July 12              Auburn, WA                     White River Amphitheatre

July 13              Nampa, ID                       Idaho Center Amphitheatre

July 15              Phoenix, AZ                     Desert Sky Pavilion

July 16              Albuquerque, NM           Hard Rock Casino: The Pavilion

July 17              Englewood, CO              Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

July 18              Dallas, TX                      Granada Theatre (w/ UNEARTH, ALL SHALL PERISH)

July 19              Maryland Heights, MO    Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

July 20              Cincinnati, OH               Riverbend Music Center

July 21              Mansfield, MA               Comcast Center

July 23              Montreal, QC                 Parc Jean Drapeau

July 24              Hartford, CT                   Comcast Theatre

July 26              Auburn, ME                   Club Texas (w/ UNEARTH, ALL SHALL PERISH)

July 27              Holmdel, NJ                   PNC Bank Arts Center

July 29              Burgettstown, PA           First Niagara Pavilion

July 30              Bristow, VA                   Jiffy Lube Pavilion

July 31              Camden, NJ                  Susquehanna Bank Center

Aug. 2               Virginia Beach, VA         Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach

Aug. 3               Raleigh, NC                   Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion

Aug. 5               Tinley Park, IL               First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

Aug. 6               Clarkston, MI                 DTE Energy Amphitheatre

Aug. 7               Noblesville, IN                Verizon Wireless Music Center

Aug. 9               Oklahoma City, OK        Zoo Amphitheatre

Aug. 10             Dallas, TX                      Gexa Energy Pavilion

Aug. 11             Memphis, TN                 New Daisy Theatre (w/ UNEARTH, ALL SHALL PERISH)

Aug. 12             Atlanta, GA                   Aaron’s Amphitheatre @ Lakewood

Aug. 13             Tampa, FL                     1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre

Aug. 14             West Palm Beach, FL    Cruzan Amphitheatre

RED FANG - "WIRES"

Oklahoma arena blues-rockers’ clip features model/actress Chelsea Tyler - daughter of Steven.

By Blurt Staff

Blurt caught just a snippet of a performance by Stillwater, OK band Taddy Porter at South-by-Southwest, but it was enough. The quartet’s big, bluesy arena rock sound harkens back to a time when it was still cool – and they have the goods to resurrect it, for real. Have a look at the video for the band’s single “Long Slow Drag,” a power ballad minus the schmaltz. Keep an eye out for an appearance by Chelsea Tyler, daughter of Aerosmith frontguy Steven Tyler. And check out tracks from band’s eponymous debut at www.myspace.com/taddyportermusic and see their tour dates after the video.

Taddy Porter – “Long Slow Drag”

Taddy Porter tour dates:

April 6 – The Met Cafe, Pawtucket, RI (with Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights)
April 7 – The Bayou Café, Albany, NY (with Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights)
April 8 – Port City Music Hall, Portland, ME (with Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights)
April 9 – Webster Underground, Hartford, CT (with Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights)
April 10 – Brighton Music Hall, Allston, MA (with Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights)
April 11 – Higher Ground, Burlington, VT (with Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights)
April 12 – The Club at Water Street, Rochester, NY (with Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights)
April 13 – Crocodile Rock Cafe, Allentown, PA (with Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights)
April 14 – Chameleon Club, Lancaster, PA (with Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights)
April 16 – Fraternal Order of Eagles, Parkersburg, WV (with Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights)
April 17 – DC9, Washington, DC (with Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights)
April 18 – Mercury Lounge, New York, NY (with Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights)
April 30 – House of Rock, Corpus Christi, TX
May 3 – George’s Majestic Lounge, Fayetville, AR
May 4 – The City Club, Houma, LA
May 6 – Lucky Joe’s, Tupelo, MS
May 7 – Club La Vela, Panama City Beach, FL
May 12 – Tulip Time Festival, Holland, MI
May 14 – Rockford Speedway, Loves Park, IL
May 28 – Rocklahoma, Pryor, OK
June 9 – The Bluelight Live, Lubbock, TX
June 10 – Republic of Texas Biker Rally 2011, Austin, TX
June 11 - Republic of Texas Biker Rally 2011, Austin, TX

Singer-songwriter distills his Mississippi River experiences on new album due July 12.

By Blurt Staff

Anti- Records announced today that singer-songwriter William Elliott Whitmore will drop his eighth album, Field Songs, on July 12. In a press release, Anti- said Whitemore “documents a vanishing American landscape with all the heartfelt soul and quiet fury one would hope for… The new songs vividly evoke a life of struggle, humble resilience and family bond undoubtedly inspired by life on his family’s farm along the Mississippi River.”

Whitmore will tour in advance of the releases beginning with a string of dates in April and May opening for Chris Cornell. See dates below.

William Elliott Whitmore (with Chris Cornell):

Apr 12 - New York, NY - Town Hall Theatre

Apr 13 - New York, NY - Town Hall Theatre

Apr 15 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata - Music Box

Apr 16 – Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre

Apr 17 – Washington, D.C. - Sixth & I Historic Synagogue

Apr 19 – Poughkeepsie, NY - Bardavon

Apr 20 – Toronto, ONT - Queen Elizabeth Theatre

Apr 22 – Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre

Apr 23 – Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater

Apr 24 – St. Paul, MN - Fitzgerald Theatre

Apr 26 – Edmonton, AB – Winspear Centre

Apr 27 - Medicine Hat, AB - Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre

Apr 29 – Victoria, AB - Royal Theatre

Apr 30 – Coquitlam, BC - Red Robinson Show Theatre Blank

May 01 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre

May 03 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore

May 04 - Los Angeles, CA - John Anson Ford Amphitheatre

May 05 - Los Angeles, CA - John Anson Ford Amphitheatre

May 06 - San Diego, CA - Humphreys Concerts by the Bay

Once again, journeyman drummer for Devo, NIN, Weezer, Guns N’ Roses, Vandals, et al, offers more wacky prize packs to promote My New Friends EP.

By Blurt Staff

Lots of artists offer prize packages to fans that help finance their projects – just check out Kickstarter.com. And while virtually all of the artists have fun creating prize tiers, and offer personal interactive experiences, only one guy pulls out all the stops: Josh Freese.

Rock ‘n’ roll’s everydrummer, Freese plays with all the cool kids, especially the ones that helped him finance his Since 1972 album. Some of the wild perks he offered included writing original songs about fans, playing in their bands, taking them to for chicken and waffles at Roscoe’s with Twiggy Ramirez from Marilyn Manson, and escorting them to Tijuana to “show [them] how it’s done.” And he’s doin’ it again to promote My New Friends, an EP containing some of those commissioned songs.

So check out Freese’s freaky list and see what madness money can buy – you might find yourself a nice trip to Build-A-Bear with Freese and Mr. Johnny Knoxville. Imagine the awesome jackassery that will ensue…

My New Friends packages (available today via Joshfreese.com):

$5

- My New Friends digital download

$12 (includes shipping in the U.S.)

- My New Friends CD Digipak

$50 "The Thank You Phone Call"

- Thank you phone call from Josh for purchasing his record

- My New Friends CD Digipak

- Since 1972 CD/DVD

- "I Heart Josh Freese's New Friends" bumper sticker

$125 "The Box Set" (numbered, limited edition of 100; includes shipping in the U.S.)

- All three of Josh's solo albums: The Notorious One Man Orgy, Since 1972 and My New Friends

- Thank you phone call from Josh for purchasing his record

- Set of signed drumsticks

- Copy of Josh's 5th grade report card

- One of Josh's boarding passes from a past flight

- "I Heart Josh Freese's New Friends" bumper sticker

- One mystery item

$350 "The Lunch Date" (limited edition of 25)

- Take Josh to lunch at P.F. Chang's in Long Beach

- 5 copies of both My New Friends and Since 1972 (Pass 'em out to friends.  A perfect way to tell someone "I love you" or "You are very special to me")

- Copy of Josh's 5th grade report card

- "I Heart Josh Freese's New Friends" bumper sticker

- Signed drumhead

- Set of signed drumsticks

- Signed photo (can't promise what the photo will be... but it will be signed)

$7500 Packages (1 of each available)

 - Evoke spirits with Tommy Lee, Danny Lohner and Josh

 - Engage in light "'80s hair metal/pinup girl gossip" with Tommy, Josh and Lohner while a 'C-list Porn Star' applies 'corpse paint' to your astonished face.  Next you'll be escorted to the opulent gardens of Castle Renhold'r, where the four of you will be Throwing Bones under the midnight moon in a blasphemous attempt to evoke the spirit/entity of YOUR CHOICE! (BYOB)

- 10 copies of My New Friends

- Get a ditty written about you for the next record (not necessarily a full on song but definitely a "ditty")

 - $50 gift certificate to P.F. Chang's

 - Since 1972 CD

 - The Notorious One Man Orgy CD

 - Copy of Josh's 5th grade report card

 - "I Heart Josh Freese's New Friends" bumper sticker

 - Signed drumhead

 - Set of signed drumsticks

 A day at the spa with Twiggy Ramirez

                - Get a mani/pedi with Twiggy and Josh followed by a body wrap or massage

                - Go to "Color Me Mine" with Twiggy and Josh, put all of your creative forces together and create the most kick-ass plate ever!

                - 10 Copies of My New Friends

                - Get a ditty written about you for the next record (not necessarily a full on song but definitely a "ditty")

                - $50 gift certificate to P.F. Chang's

                - Listen to 5150 and discuss how it has helped or hurt you over time

                - Since 1972 CD

                - The Notorious One Man Orgy CD

                - Copy of Josh's 5th grade report card

                - "I Heart Josh Freese's New Friends" bumper sticker

                - Signed drumhead

                - Set of signed drumsticks

                Co-pilot with Dexter from The Offspring up in his private jet

                - Dexter Holland will fly you and Josh up to San Luis Obispo

                - Lunch at the Madonna Inn with Josh and Dexter

                - Visit Bubble Gum Alley (discreet parking available)

                - 10 Copies of My New Friends

                - Get a ditty written about you for the next record (not necessarily a full on song but definitely a "ditty")

                - $50 gift certificate to P.F. Chang's

                - Since 1972 CD

                - The Notorious One Man Orgy CD

                - Copy of Josh's 5th grade report card

                - "I Heart Josh Freese's New Friends" bumper sticker

                - Signed drumhead

                - Set of signed drumsticks

                Bet on ponies and build bears with Johnny Knoxville

                - Cruise down to Hollywood Park with Knoxville and Josh to bet on horses for the afternoon

                - Hit up Build-A-Bear Workshop with Knoxville and Josh on way back and create some unbelievably cute stuffed animals

                - 10 Copies of My New Friends

                - Get a ditty written about you for the next record (not necessarily a full on song but definitely a "ditty")

                - $50 gift certificate to P.F. Chang's

                - Since 1972 CD

                - The Notorious One Man Orgy CD

                - Copy of Josh's 5th grade report card

                - "I Heart Josh Freese's New Friends" bumper sticker

                - Signed drumhead

                - Set of signed drumsticks

$10,000 (limited edition of 1)

- 100 copies of My New Friends

- Take home Josh's now infamous Volvo 940 Station Wagon (Perfect for hauling drums, plenty of room for getting busy in spacious back-seating area.  Good for trips to Goodwill or disposing bodies.)

- Make Josh's next record for him

- Josh joins your band for 2 days (quick book some studio time!)

- "Motorboat" Sarah for a minute or so (Josh's wife's friend... couples welcome, discreet parking available)

- Oh yeah... $100 gift certificate to P.F. Chang's and a bumper sticker  that says something funny on it

$75,000 (limited edition of 1 ... same as it ever was)

- Josh joins your band for a month (or becomes your personal assistant)

- Take home one of Josh's drum sets

- Josh writes and records a 5 song EP entirely about YOU

- Take shrooms and cruise Hollywood in Danny from TOOL's Lamborghini

- 500 copies of My New Friends (start your own online CD store... specializing in just this one CD)

- Go get matching outfits at Tommy Bahama and make everybody very sad

Josh Freese – “You And Me And The Tuba Tree”

Josh Freese – “NY Style Eddie”

Alt-rockers follow up May tribute with four West Coast shows in October, plus new single "Til the End."

By Blurt Staff

Having already eulogized fallen drummer Gregory Slay last May with a New Orleans reunion show—their first in eight years, alt-rockers Remy Zero will pay further tribute with four additional memorial performances in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles in October.

Slay passed away on New Year’s Day of complications relating to cystic fibrosis, and the original tribute show in occurred in his birthplace. The new dates are in towns where Slay had a high concentration of family and friends—and were the scene of the final four dates of his tour with O+S, the band formed around Orenda Fink and Remy Zero bass player Cedric Lemoyne.

Remy Zero also marks the occasions with the release of “at least one” new or unreleased song. Currently, “Til the End” is available for free download at www.popantipop.com/remyzero. Proceeds from the shows and new music will benefit the Honeymoon Trust (www.honeymooontrust.com) set up for Slay’s wife and daughter. Also, according to the press release, “Just prior to his passing, Gregory finished recording a solo album, The Sound Will Find You, that will officially be released in tandem with the memorial tour dates, although it is already available for streaming on bandcamp.com.

Tour Dates:

10/7                                         Dante's                        Portland, OR

10/8                                         Crocodile Cafe            Seattle, WA

10/11                                       Cafe Du Nord                         San Francisco, CA

10/12                                       Spaceland                    Los Angeles, CA

www.remyzero.com

http://www.popantipop.com/remyzero/

http://www.facebook.com/RemyZeroMusic

New York rocker has a new album out - and well as a mini-documentary, viewable at Blurt.

By Blurt Staff

Jamie McLean is no stranger to those who have their ears to the ground and their eyes on the skies of American music.

As a songwriter, singer, and guitarist, McLean has a diverse set of talents that frame his music, which combine rock, blues, R&B and soul. The New York-based musician has been called to play sessions for artists as diverse as Norah Jones and Chuck D, shared the stage with Elvis Costello, The Black Crowes and Dave Matthews, toured the world as a member of the celebrated Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and rocked the worlds of fans in small clubs, in Madison Square Garden, and before crowds that sprawled toward the horizons of Bonnaroo and Japan's Fuji Rock.

So we're pretty proud to be able to host a new video about McLean - it's called "From The Bottom Up" and it's an intriguing documentary featuring producer Stewart Lerman discussin McLean and his band. Just click over to the BLURT video kiosk.

His latest album Completely was released on April 13 and you can download the album at www.jamiemcleanband.com and "pay what you want" for the digital version. He's currently in the middle of a national tour - tour dates at his website.

Meanwhile, enjoy the video!

Jamie McLean also penned a recent installment in our recurring feature "The Most Fucked Up Thing I've Ever Seen" - check it out here.

Former Sex Pistols manager succumbs to cancer. He was 64.

By Blurt Staff

UK paper The Independent reports that Malcolm McLaren, best known as the former manager of the Sex Pistols, died today after a long battle with cancer.

"McLaren had had cancer for some time," reads the obit. "His condition recently suddenly worsened and he died this morning in New York. His body is expected to be brought home to be buried in Highgate cemetery, north London."

McLaren's spokesman, Les Molloy, told The Independent that despite the cancer McLaren had been "full of health, which then rapidly deteriorated."

The Young@Heart chorus to perform musical theater piece at St. Ann's Warehouse April 21 - May 1.

By Blurt Staff

"Cover band for the ages" the Young@Heart Chorus will perform End of the Road, a musical theater collaboration with experimental company No Theater, at St. Ann's Warehouse NYC from April 21-25.

The group, whose members range in age from 73-90, came to fame performing "a set list of rock's greatest hits-including songs by Joy Division, Wilco, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, The Clash, and Outkast-in the 2008 Fox Searchlight documentary Young@Heart (see video below). With End of the Road, the group continues to explore "the power of music to transcend age" as they take audiences on "a journey through the 20^th Century, with ballads giving way to songs of sexual love and hardcore rock n' roll." Tunes featured in EOTR include The Pixies' "Monkey Gone to Heaven" and The Traveling Wilburys' "Handle With Care" as well as interpretations of Bruce Springsteen and the Buzzcocks.

"End of the Road is moving but unsentimental, honors life and death,
creativity and vitality, and challenges what happens on the life continuum when old people co-opt ‘youth' culture," reads the press release. "The piece concludes serenely, with a sense of wisdom that can come with age. A core value for Young@Heart can be summed up in one of its famous program notes: ‘We all have to die. Some of
us are lucky enough to grow old first.' They are having a ball and so are their audiences."

Show dates:

April 21-24, 8pm

April 25, 3pm (official opening)

April 27-30, 8pm

May 1, 2pm and 8pm

Tickets are $32-$65 online at www.stannswarehouse.org, by phone at 718.254.8779 or 866.811.4111, and in person at the St. Ann's Warehouse Box Office at 38 Water Street in NYC. See website for box office hours.

VIDEO:

Bouncing back from double-bypass heart surgery, the singer-songwriter announces new album due June 29.

By Blurt Staff

It's time to go back to work for one of rock's most talented songwriters-and since musicians famously lack health coverage, Peter Case is wiggin' out.

"I'm what you'd call ‘very extremely overcommitted' at this point," jokes Case in a Yep Roc Records press release announcing his 10^th studio album, Wig! A 2009 double-bypass left Case with a six-figure medical bill (a chunk of which was defrayed by benefit shows by friends Dave Alvin, Richard Thompson, Joe Henry, Loudon Wainwright III and Van Dyke Parks) and lots of time on his hands. He says he killed time maxin' and relaxin' to jazz records but as he prepared reissues of albums by his bands The Plimsouls and The Nerves, he began to feel like rockin' again.

"I had to do the mastering and spent quite a bit of time listening to the old records," he says, and "it really got me going, hearing those guitars." After an "especially rocking" sold-out comeback show at favorite venue McCabe's where he debuted the new stuff, Case went into the studio with drummer DJ Bonebrake (X) and lead guitarist Ron Franklin (Gasoline Silver, Jack Oblivian, Arthur Lee). The trio had Wig! "mainly finished" five days later. The press release describes the album as "full-on electric and loaded down with dirty, raw blues riffs... recorded largely live and definitely straight to analog tape."

"It felt really good to rock again," says Case.

It's good to have you back, man.

The beloved singer-songwriter's debut Roman Candle and penultimate release From a Basement on the Hill, remastered and reissued on Kill Rock Stars.

By Blurt Staff

Heads up, folks: they're ready. Elliott Smith's 1994 Cavity Search debut Roman Candle and penultimate release, 2004's From a Basement on the Hill (originally on Anti-), have been remastered and reissued by Kill Rock Stars.

For those of you who haven't been waiting in slobbery suspense, here's the skinny on the reissues campaign from Kill Rock Stars:

Roman Candle had quite an impact on Slim Moon, Kill Rock Stars' founder. "In 1994, I had been asked to be on this five-person solo-act tour called Pop Chord with Tammy Watson, Carrie Akre, Sean Croghan and Elliott Smith. The first night at the Crocodile in Seattle, I didn't pay too much attention and people talked all thru Elliott's set. Sean Croghan got up next and said, ‘All of you people who just talked through Elliott's set are bummed because you just missed something very, very special.' The next night of the tour, at The Bottom Of The Hill in San Francisco, I listened very closely to Elliott's set, and it was basically one of those life-changing moments. Instead of watching the rest of the performers, I went out to the tour van and popped Roman Candle into the player, and listened to it on endless repeat for the rest of the evening and beyond. It completely blew my mind. I have never heard music as heartwrenchingly, gut-checkingly honest, intimate, and wise - before or since."

Roman Candle has been remastered for the re-release by Roger Seibel and Larry Crane, editor of Tape Op Magazine and archivist for Elliott's family.

Larry explains, "The intention that I had was to make the album more listenable. I felt that a lot of the guitar "squeaks" were jarring and very loud, and that many of the hard consonants and "S" sounds were jarring and scratchy sounding. I felt by reducing these noises that the music would become more inviting and the sound would serve the songs better. When I went to Roger Seibel's SAE Mastering, he proceeded to equalize the tracks a small amount and to make the volume slightly louder.  We never tried to make this CD as loud as current, over-limited trends, but just to match the volume of the rest of Elliott's KRS catalog in a graceful way. Please note that none of this album is "remixed" from the master tapes - it is still composed of the mixes Elliott created himself."

Kill Rock Stars will also be releasing Roman Candle on vinyl for the first time in the U.S.

With the addition of these two records Kill Rock Stars is now the home for all of Elliott Smith's independent releases: Roman Candle, Elliott Smith, Either/Or, From a Basement on the Hill, and New Moon.

A Blurt editor arrives in Austin wielding a camera and all hell breaks loose as we get in your face once again...

By Randy Harward

(above) Michael Monroe and Cheetah Chrome

(below) Monroe again!

Gemma Ray

The Walls

Dwight Twilley

Big Star w/Mike Mills

Street Sweeper Social Club

 Billy Bragg, Boots Riley, Tom Morello, Wayne Kramer

Broken Social Scene

Chylde

John Hiatt

Hollerado

Marty Willson-Piper

Walter Salas-Humara (Silos) & Blurt CEO Stephen Judge

Metric

Motorhead

Nudozurdo

Roadsaw

Suckers

The 88s

Those Darlins

Tommy Keene

Whitey Morgan & the 78s

Voices and words from the past...

Ed. note: With the arrival of today's news of erstwhile Hold Steady multiinstrumentalist Franz Nicolay's upcoming book/music tour, let's cast our vision back to just over a year ago when Nicolay sat for the official BLURT grilling. Our esteemed griller as A.D. Amorosi, and as you'll read, at the Nicolay had just released his solo album Major General and, although he was still a member of the Hold Steady, he was clearly laying plans for a busy future.

***

Interview conducted by A.D. Amorosi

Franz Nicolay isn't just another pretty face with a handlebar mustache that happens to play the accordion. (Franz plays the accordion. Not the mustache.) He's the most debonair multi-instrumental Brooklyn-based composer famous for playing tickling ivories for his pals in the frenetic cabaret act The World/Inferno Friendship Society and the equally fevered-but-poppier The Hold Steady. Plus Nicolay's played a bunch with The Dresden Dolls, recently co-founded the Anti-Social Music (an avant-garde composer/performer collective) and become part of the gypsy-klezmer outfit, Guignol. But Nicolay isn't so busy that he can't finish the solo cycle he demo-ed on his show-sold 2007 CD Black Rose Paladins. Nicolay then dropped Major General on Pennsylvania's Fistolo label with Dresden Doll drummer Brian Viglione and pals from Demander, Nanuchka, and World/Inferno assisting.

NICOLAY: I picked up the accordion after my father's German grandfather brought him one from the homeland in the early 50s so grandson could play him polkas and waltzes. As a good child of his times, my dad rebelled - to the point where he sliced the bellows with a butcher knife to keep from going to lessons. To his credit, he kept the thing around, and I picked it up in high school when I got obsessed with (Dylan's) Basement Tapes.

I never really had an opportunity to play the accordion in a band until I joined World/Inferno in 2001. I joined as a keyboard player, but after two rehearsals, I thought, "You know, this is the kind of band that could really use an accordion". They said yes immediately and then I faked it until I could play it for real.

Most bands, I find, don't know that they need an accordion until they hear it on their songs, then they crave it everywhere.

What kind of man does it take to grow my sort of a mustache? One very secure in his self-image. Who'd've guessed Greg Norton was the straight guy in Husker Du? The mistake most hipster-come-latelys to the handlebar scene make is that you can't just grow it, you have to organize your whole wardrobe around it. It doesn't work with Converse. I'm looking at you, Nick Gazin.

My brand of moustache wax is Cowboy Stache Wax from Montana. I had been experimenting with brands for years - regular pomade; Clubman the name brand you could find it in old-school drug stores. The problem with them, for a performer, is that once you started to get hot and sweaty, they'd melt. My then-girlfriend vacationed at her family's ranch in Montana and picked up a tin at this car dealership-slash-saddle store somewhere in the middle of nowhere and brought it back for me to try. I've been ordering it from them online ever since.

There is virtually nothing that I wouldn't do. As the great John Barrymore once said, "A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." And I've made a life where all my regrets are ones of action, not inaction.

I co-founded Anti-Social Music. No. It's not so doggone anti-social. The idea is that the music we're playing - new chamber music - has a reputation as a room-clearing racket. We thought, metal, free jazz, all this extreme music has lost its cachet as parent- and friend-alienator, what if you showed up at your holiday party and put on Diamanda Galas? Or Xenakis? And, while you're at it, come to our show and have a drink or ten.

Our meetings are productive at the beginning and increasingly less productive as they continue - they tend to trail off toward the end. A good meeting - World/Inferno rehearsals used to be like this too - is more like a scheduled drinking bout with friends you'd just as soon be hanging out with anyway, with the added benefit of you occasionally get some work done. Jean Cook is the most likely to bring cake. Pat Muchmore is the most likely to bring a pint of Jack. Andrea La Rose is the most likely to bring ocarinas in five keys.

I don't have the foggiest idea what the The Hold Steady boys or World Inferno think of my solo stuff. They came to see one show I did in Hoboken while we were making Stay Positive but never said word one about the record. One guy just got stumbling drunk and told my friend he was the most famous guy in her cell phone. Not the most communicative bunch, those boys. Terricloth said he always gets emotional when he hears other people singing his lyrics. Hess said he only wanted to hear "World/Inferno" once through, which I said was sort of the point.

I'm not afraid of losing  the momentum THS garnered in 2008. We took a step back already when Tad got sick in October. But I don't think this will affect THS touring and scheduling in the slightest - I'm small potatoes in that organization. I just told our booking agent to go ahead and assume that I'll tour whenever the Hold Steady is off. It's not like I'm the main story in the Hold Steady novel, you know?

The biggest shock regarding how big Hold Steady was came when I got the text from Tad that we'd be opening for the Rolling Stones. They are one of the small handful of bands that still have that "wow" factor.

I was a strange little child - I grew up in almost complete cultural isolation, in a mountain cabin in New Hampshire with no electricity or plumbing. I really didn't hear pop music until about 1989 or so.

I had cassette series of "Lives of the Great Composers" - narrated biographies interspersed with clips of the greatest hits - that I listened to obsessively, and decided I'd grow up to be a Great Composer, capital G, capital C. I'd cover my ears when my dad put classic rock radio on. "Ow, Dad, this is too loud." "Someday, son, I bet you'll like rock music." "No way, Dad!"

I think you're exaggerating how many opening dates we do, but the reality is, being a full-time musician really means FULL TIME. You gotta keep working. It's a strange lifestyle that operates somewhere at the nexus of art, craft, and factory job. You can be precious about it, but you still gotta show up.

I missed the shows where THS opened for the Get Up Kids. I hear that was a culture clash. I'd have to say the Kings of Leon in London was a difficult band to open for - for a band whose press styled them as straight-outta-the-hills Southern boys they sure had the most rock-star attitude of anyone I've ever dealt with. Their security team - they had a bodyguard for each band member - locked us in our dressing room because "The band needs the stairs". And their front row was all bored models. Not very rock, boys.

I'm not surprised theater festival organizations like the Fringe Festival love us. How many nascent theatrical productions can promise an instant crowd of hundreds of teenagers? On the other hand, though, what do you do with hundreds of drunk teenagers in a seated theatre - they don't always think as hard about that.

I believe Major General me fresh perspectives on what I do with THS and W/IFS. And I don't care if it does or doesn't. And I am being selfish. I think it'll help me blow off some steam. I think it'll keep me from playing live with Inferno, probably, this year, just for scheduling reasons. It's frustrating being sort of the George Harrison of the Hold Steady, especially when it's become such an all-consuming time commitment, so it's already good to have another outlet for my songs, which, let's face it, are not always in the main stream of the Hold Steady river. I may have to count the first THS B-sides collection as a Franz Nicolay record.

I never wake in a cold sweat trying to figure out which of my ideas fit what ensemble. It's usually pretty obvious. And sometimes I can treat it like a project, like, "Ok, time to sit down and write three songs for the new Hold Steady record. Oh, only two make it? OK, let me see if I can re-purpose that one and see if someone else will bite. No song left behind!" In theory, it's ideal to have multiple outlets and die with every (decent) note recorded.

I was a average-to-mediocre baseball player and skiier until I moved to New York. I'll kill you at ping-pong.

Dresden Dolls? We've been friends for an awfully long time - I think I saw their second-ever show in New York, at a cabaret night my friend Professor Jef used to run, for maybe thirty people, then my girlfriend hit on Amanda - or was it vice-versa? - and it was buddies thereafter. We share an aesthetic, musically and sartorially. They're serious and focused people. And I think sometimes it helps them to have a neutral third party as a foil. One time I flew to Paris with them to play one song on one show, a showcase for European promoters - their label boss had happened to see me do the Jacques Brel song "Amsterdam" with them at a coffeeshop at Bennington College, and said, "Bring the accordion guy. I'll pay for it." Same guy who funded the Inferno acapella project, incidentally. I shared a bottle of champagne with their manager and never really got on top of the jetlag.

Viglione is someone I always knew wanted to do a record or six with. He and Yula are the greatest rhythm section that never happened in a regular band. Both of them are among the most extraordinary musicians I've ever met - on any instrument, without obvious effort, and with an unerring generosity and fierce drive for perfection regardless of circumstance. We would watch the Dolls and wonder if Amanda knew what she had in Brian. Still sometimes do.

One singularity I wish someone had on tape was myself, Terricloth, and the Dolls doing Kurt Weill's "Tango Ballad" at Bowery Ballroom five years or so ago. What a performance. Jack and Amanda were born to do that song.

The last book that inspired me to madness was Good Night, Sweet Prince, a biography of John Barrymore by his boon friend, my favorite writer, the fantastically purple Gene Fowler.

The biggest differences sonically and spiritually between Black Rose Paladins and Major General is that Paladins is demos for the record: one-take solo run-throughs of the songs so I'd have something to give the band, and something to sell at the shows. Major General is the proper record. That said, I'm keeping BRP available in digital form because there are a few songs that didn't make it on Major General, and because I'll be touring without a band and maybe people who see that would want to hear the songs done that way.

I knew I wanted to start doing solo shows again - if only so I'd never have to turn down a gig again.

I knew that if I ever did a record my dream band included Brian Viglione and Yula. Jared was kind of the x-factor; I knew him from Demander but I knew his band mates way better, and it wasn't until we did "Jeff Penalty" that I realized the kind of spark he could be. A very strange fellow.

In regard to "Jeff Penalty" - sometimes a great band is about more than who's standing the front of it.

Major General. I knew I had limited time to make a record, and wanted to turn that into a virtue by trying to capture that elusive moment when really talented musicians are just figuring out their part on a song they don't know very well, but before it's really crystallized. We did two day-long rehearsals, a chaotic show at the Brooklyn DIY warehouse Death By Audio, and three days of tracking and feasting - the studio has an apartment upstairs, so we could stay and cook a proper family-style dinner each night. And mostly, we got it.

In the future, Major General will be a signifier - if it's Franz Nicolay, it's just me; if it's Franz and Major General, I'm bringing a band. I can't promise Brian, Jared, and Yula; everyone's got a lot on their plates. But it might be a woodwind quintet. Or barbershop. Don't assume I'm kidding - you should hear my demo for "Two-Handed Handshake".

Everyone always likes the pre-reknown band better, you know, "Oh you like The Hold Steady? Lifter Puller There's always a reason one band succeeds in one way while other bands succeed in others. Nothing ever burns down by itself. Every fire needs a little bit of help.

On "Do We Not Live in Dreams" I think this might be cribbed from Wordsworth. I was on a Brazilian music kick when I wrote this; I was learning all those Jobim chords.

You can be whoever you want to be, sure, but some roles fit better than others. Excess is not excessive when it is conceived in principle. Except when it gets excessive. That's "Confessions of an Ineffective Casanova."

"Note on a Subway Wall" is the saddest story ever told. We will never run into one another on trains.

Dexys Midnight Runners is one of the great underrated bands of their generation. My string parts are my homage to "Celtic Soul Brothers".

Some of these songs were old songs that I rewrote the lyrics to, because as a 31-year-old sometimes you can't sing the lyrics you wrote as a 22-year-old. This one I felt I had to leave alone in deference to the old me who took himself so seriously. You can't get that back, you know?

"This World Is an Open Door" is a reminder to myself. Somebody once said 'I don't get it, what's so special about hardwood floors?" Clearly you've never gone apartment-hunting in New York.

Am I really "Done Singing"? Not ‘til they pry the banjo from my frozen claws.

My last words for 2008? Why is there so much month left at the end of the money?

Official Release Series: Discs 1-4

(REPRISE)

www.becausesoundmatters.com

Rating: (9)

On Neil Young's Official Release Series: Discs 1-4 (Reprise; www.becausesoundmatters.com): The first time I heard Neil Young was on my stereo while lying on the top bunk in my room. Sunlight beat down on the east-facing window, heating the curtains until the must smelled up the whole room. That copy of After the Gold Rush was clean, being a recent purchase by my friend, who lent it to me. I thought he was nuts to have purchased an LP when cassettes were the wave of the future. I also thought the artwork-patchy jeans, acoustic guitars-screamed "country and western" artist and, when I played the record and it didn't sound like Kiss or Prince & the Revolution, decided it sounded country enough to be country, whether it was or not.

I didn't listen to Neil Young-willingly-for years. If he came on the radio, I made fun, whining along to "Old Man" and "Rockin' in the Free World," even as those songs started to make sense to my (woefully slowly) maturing mind. Eventually, I grew to appreciate the work of Crosby, Stills and Nash, but only figured out Young's connection to them when I ordered 4-Way Street from Columbia House. On the strength of "Ohio" and "Southern Man," I penciled the corresponding numbers to the then-new Young album Sleeps With Angels into the boxes on the CH form.

When it came, I found myself only really connecting with "Piece of Crap" and, once more, emulating Young's voice, which had taken on a crotchetiness that made "Piece" sound like my grandpa bitching and moaning. Ha! He said ‘crap.'

I know. What a douchebag. Did I really get anything from listening to "Ohio" and "Southern Man?" Looking back, I was connecting only to the sound of the songs and not what they said. I hadn't learned, hadn't grown up enough, to appreciate the hypocrisy of a Bible-thumper's racism or the significance of a protest gone horribly wrong. I was happy in my bubble where the events of the world affected someone I didn't know-and where my Kiss Alive! poster, a symbol of all that was well and truly cool and relevant, towered above my headboard.

Makes me kinda sick, actually. I know pretty much everyone starts stupid and ignorant, but man... I took a long time to pull my head out.

When I finally did, it was because another friend, much farther down the road, found the CD copies of Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and Tonight's the Night he thought he'd lost and, somewhere along the line, had replaced. In that time, I'd learned about the discord between Young and Lynyrd Skynyrd over "Southern Man" and how "Sweet Home Alabama" was their response to the song, which forever altered how I heard both songs. The line "four dead in Ohio" now evoked a heaviness, a combination of dread and remorse, in my viscera, and sent a chill down my spine. 

Finally I got my own copy of After the Gold Rush-it was less than two years ago, and at least six years since I got Nowhere. Although I listened to them both plenty of times, start to finish, in car, in my office, alone and with company, life-and the flood of promotional CDs I've received since taking this job, pushed them to the outskirts of my collection, where staples languish while new artists file in and out, demanding various level of attention. Some of them leave strong, defined imprints on me and others mere footprints in the soft soil of my consciousness.

It's winter now, days before Christmas. The last time I listened to a Neil Young album was August, on a road trip through southern Utah while my wife and daughters slept. I don't think they heard a note, but I did. It was Harvest, and it was one of those magical uninterrupted listens that happen less frequently now as life hurtles past me. It was interesting to note how the red rock canyons of St. George gave way to the sagebrush-the normal, dry variety and the fire-blackened shadows of that-of central Utah as "Old Man" played. I didn't mimic Young. Instead, I pondered what the song means to me now as the grown son of an overgrown infant, and what it could mean to my daughters when they reach the age of reason.

This box set, the fancy 180-gram deluxe limited-to-3,000 copies audiophile's-wet-dream whose components I've considered for the better part of the last ten days? I don't know what the format has to do with anything. To me, it's just presentation. The quality of sound is superior to my compact discs and MP3s, but that's not what I get out of the music. Holding these records in my hand now, letting them play in my office as snow falls outside and I sweat road conditions and deadlines and Christmas, I don't know what the big deal is about the heavy wax and audio quality.  

I do know this: Every time I listen to Neil Young, I get at least one part of that summer day back... and then some. My youth and the accompanying sense of wonder and future have eroded, such that they're beyond my grasp, and I'm still ashamed for that boy who couldn't get a handle on Neil Young's music when it was handed to him on a slick black platter. But I'm happy for the not-quite old man who gets to hold the album cover again and hear the music and know just what Shakey means, why it's important, and how it pertains to my life now and my days to come.

As this would be a "review," it occurs I should tell you why it's good and why you should pay attention or money-assuming, of course, that Neil Young still hasn't creeped into your collection. I would cough up some adjectives, but since I'm pretty happy with the way I came to Shakey, I can only recommend that, when you decide you're ready for his songs, you listen well.

***

Neil Young's Official Release Series: Discs 1-4 features his first four albums on 180-gram vinyl with gatefold covers and a nice, sturdy box to keep ‘em lookin' real good. Incidentally, those four albums are Neil Young (1969, reissued with the original art/cover), Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (1969), After The Gold Rush (1970) and Harvest (1972). It retails for $149.98 and came out December 1. There's a gold-disc CD edition, too. That'll set you back $84.98. www.becausesoundmatters.com

Fela fans start drooling... now.

By Blurt Staff

Knitting Factory Records announced yesterday that they'll reissue all 45 Fela Kuti albums on CD and vinyl. The campaign marks the first time all Kuti releases have been issued on wax in the States, as well as the first time all of Kuti's 1960s work with the band Koola Lobitos has been available here.  The CDs will come in digipaks with the original artwork.

The 13-track compilations The Best of the Black President will kick off the series on Oct. 27. A deluxe edition will feature a DVD including segments from the film Music Is A Weapon as well as Glastonbury and Berlin Jazz Festival performances, plus interviews with Fela biographer Carlos Moore and choreographer/director Bill T. Jones. The full press release:

KNITTING FACTORY RECORDS TO BEGIN COMPLETE
FELA REISSUE SERIES
 
FIRST RELEASE TO BE THE BEST OF THE BLACK PRESIDENT WITH EXCLUSIVE DVD ON OCTOBER 27, 2009
 
FIRST TIME ALL 45 TITLES WILL BE RELEASED
ON VINYL IN NORTH AMERICA
 
FIRST OFFICIAL RELEASE OF ENTIRE CATALOGUE OF
FELA'S 1960s BAND: KOOLA LOBITOS
 
BROADWAY MUSICAL FELA! TO OPEN
NOVEMBER 23 AT EUGENE O'NEIL THEATRE

Knitting Factory Records is very excited to announce that over the next 18 months, all 45 Fela titles will be remastered and re-released in unique digi-packs with the original artwork. This reissue series will mark the first time all of the titles will be released on vinyl in North America, and also the first official release of the entire catalog of Fela's 1960s highlife band Koola Lobitos. The first release of the series will be The Best Of The Black President on October 27, 2009, which compiles 13 of the most popular Fela compositions. The deluxe edition of the CD will come with a DVD featuring segments from the film Music is the Weapon, performances from the Berlin Jazz Festival, "Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense" from the Glastonbury Festival and interviews with choreographer/director Bill T. Jones and Fela biographer Carlos Moore.   Tony Award-winner Bill T. Jones is the director and choreographer of the new Broadway musical, FELA!, based on the life and music of the legend. The critically acclaimed musical will open at the Eugen O'Neill Theatre in New York on November 23. Sold-out crowds were left dancing in the aisles during its premiere last summer at Off-Broadway 37 Arts, as the world renowned Antibalas and other members of the NYC Afrobeat community, under the direction of Aaron Johnson, performed Fela's music live onstage.   "The timing couldn't be more perfect," says Knitting Factory Records' Ian Wheeler. "With the play opening, it made the most sense to start the reissue series in the fall. We are taking great care working with Fela's estate to make the reissue series the most true to the artist's original concepts than ever before. We have a lot of fun ideas up our sleeves too."   Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, previously Ransome-Kuti, was born in Abeokuta, Nigeria, in 1938. His father, like his grandfather, was a minister of the Protestant church, and director of the local grammar school. His mother was a teacher, but later became a politician of some considerable influence. His parents sent him to London in 1958, but rather than study medicine like his two brothers and his sister, Fela chose to register at the Trinity School of Music, where he was to spend the next five years. He formed Koola Lobitos with other Nigerian musicians living in London.   Fela decided to take the Koola Lobitos to the United States in the mid 60s. In Los Angeles, he changed the name of the group to Fela Ransome-Kuti And Nigeria 70. At the club where they were playing, he met an African American girl, Sandra Isodore, who was a close friend to the Black Panthers. She introduced Fela to the philosophies and writings of Malcolm X, Eldridge Cleaver and other Black activists and thinkers, through which he was to become aware of the link existing between Black people all over the world. While in Los Angeles, Fela also found the inspiration he was seeking to create his own unique style of music, which he named Afro-Beat. Before leaving America, the band recorded songs in this new style. When he returned to Nigeria, Fela once again changed the name of the group, this time to Fela Ransome-Kuti & Africa 70. Fela soon became a virulent critic of colonialism and neo-colonialism soon grew famous as a spokesman for the great mass of people, in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa and the African Diaspora, disenchanted with the period of post-independence. His songs became satirical and sarcastic towards those in power, condemning both military and civilian regimes for their crimes of mismanagement, incompetence, theft, corruption and marginalization of the underprivileged. In 1974, pursuing his dream of an alternative society, he built a fence around his house and declared it to be an independent state: The Kalakuta Republic. To the chagrin of the bourgeois section of the Nigerian society, this act of defiance was soon to spread throughout the entire neighborhood as more and more people were inspired by Fela's stance. The authorities remained vigilant, fearing the potential power of his "state within a state." On countless occasions, he was to suffer the consequences of his scathing denunciations with arrests, imprisonment and beatings at the hands of the authorities.   Fela presented himself as a presidential candidate in the 1979 elections that would return the country to civilian rule. His candidature was refused. Four years later, at the next elections, Fela once more stood for president, but was prevented from campaigning by the police, who again rampaged through his house, imprisoning and beating Fela and many of his followers. However, any further presidential aspirations were crushed when a coup brought Nigeria back to military rule. In 1984, Fela served 20 months of a five-year prison sentence on trumped-up currency charges. He was only released when the judge confessed to having sentenced him with such severity because of pressure from the previous regime. The judge was dismissed from office and Fela was given his liberty. Over the next decade, with an entourage of up to 80 people, now called Egypt 80, Fela made several visits to Europe and the United States. These tours were to receive tremendous public and critical acclaim, and made an important contribution to the worldwide popular acceptance of African rhythms and African culture.   Fela passed away in August 1997.

Jack Black and Kyle Gass--Tenacious D--announce a performance on the third day of the S.F. music and arts festival. Careful... You might get burned.

By Randy Harward

Forget Tom Jones. Fuck Jason Mraz. For that matter, you can tell the Dave Matthews Band to suck it. Also, Pearl Jam should go spread itself on toast 'cause True Rock Gods have been added to the lineup for the 2009 Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, taking place August 28-30 in San Francisco.

Tenacious D annouced their appearance today on a teleconference with media--including Blurt, which is honored at our inclusion. The D will play on August 30, the same day that even lesser acts such as The Dead Weather, Modest Mouse and Ween play, but Jack Black was complimentary of these acts, mentioning them as his own must-sees. "I'm always into seeing me some Ween," he said... perhaps cheekily.

In fact, both Black and bandmate Kyle Gass praised the lineup, Gass saying, "Pretty much we're on the best day... pound for pound."

In addition to their three faves, the D's day will feature M.I.A., Band of Horses, Calexico, Lucinda Williams, John Vanderslice and The Avett Brothers. Among others. For the full lineup, visit www.sfoutsidelands.com.

Oh, one more thing. The D would like everyone to heed a caveat about their upcoming performance: "Our shit is toned," says Black.  "You might get burned."

Rockers say the darndest things, especially when they're looking into the lens of Brian Staker, host of the aptly-titled podcast "The Awkward Hour," in which Staker takes the often-spoofed (see Tim & Eric, Bob Odenkirk) model of awkward, unprepared interviewers and well, runs with it in the "be who you are" spirit. 

Earlier this month, Blurt sent our schlubby bundle of nerves to the Pitchfork Festival for special on-the-spot interviews where he cornered artists for on-the-spot (and we do mean on-the-spot) interviews. Today we add Vivian Girls and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart to the list of victims, which includes The Jesus Lizard's David Yow and The Thermals (posted earlier this week) and, coming up, The Flaming Lips, Built To Spill, and The Black Lips. 

If interviewing David Yow wasn't intimidating enough, putting Staker on the spot with attractive ladies cranks the Awk up to eleven. Hit with ubiquitious queries like "How would you describe your sound?" and likewise hackneyed references (My Bloody Valentine), Vivian Girls respond monosyllabically ("cool" and "nice") after a charitable comment from Ali: "Someone said we sound like the Zombies with bigger balls." (To which, Staker replies with a goofy Beavis and Butt-head guffaw.) His follow-up, the even more trite question about the band's moniker, gets a curt comeback from Cassie Ramone (who spends part of the interview, plucking grass from the lawn): "Because it was... the only name that wasn't stupid." It's only downhill from there, as the Girls entertain questions about the Internet and whether they plan to put out more albums...

Staker kicks of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart interview by tardily cutting into the same leadoff question ("--describe your music?") but gets better results, especially when he infers a Teenage Fanclub influence on the band. The success only lasts so long, 'cause his next question is about playing a big festival on a big stage--not like they haven't heard that one all... festival... long. Then he asks, "Any other big festivals coming up?" Here, talk turns to European fans and "Do they know your music?" The reply? "Yeah, I think the Internet helps." Ah, the Internet. A series of tubes chock fulla boobs. Check out the (dare we say pained) look on Kip Berman's face when he finishes talking about that. 

We'll post the Lips (Black and Flaming) and Built to Spill soon. Staker's epic talk with Coyne should be something special... it's a two-parter.

Now let's R-Awk!

The Thermals/Pitchfork Festival 2009

Interview by Brian Staker for Blurt

The Awkward Hour with Brian Staker, featuring Vivian Girls, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Thermals, Jesus Lizard's David Yow, and Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips.

Rockers say the darndest things, especially when they're looking into the lens of Brian Staker, host of the aptly-titled podcast "The Awkward Hour," in which Staker takes the often-spoofed (see Tim & Eric, Bob Odenkirk) model of awkward, unprepared interviewers and well, runs with it in the "be who you are" spirit. 


Earlier this month, Blurt sent our schlubby bundle of nerves to the Pitchfork Festival for special on-the-spot interviews where he cornered artists for on-the-spot (and we do mean on-the-spot) interviews. Today we add Vivian Girls and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart to the list of victims, which includes The Jesus Lizard's David Yow and The Thermals (posted earlier this week) and, coming up, The Flaming Lips, Built To Spill, and The Black Lips. 

If interviewing David Yow wasn't intimidating enough, putting Staker on the spot with attractive ladies cranks the Awk up to eleven. Hit with ubiquitious queries like "How would you describe your sound?" and likewise hackneyed references (My Bloody Valentine), Vivian Girls respond monosyllabically ("cool" and "nice") after a charitable comment from Ali: "Someone said we sound like the Zombies with bigger balls." (To which, Staker replies with a goofy Beavis and Butt-head guffaw.) His follow-up, the even more trite question about the band's moniker, gets a curt comeback from Cassie Ramone (who spends part of the interview, plucking grass from the lawn): "Because it was... the only name that wasn't stupid." It's only downhill from there, as the Girls entertain questions about the Internet and whether they plan to put out more albums...

Staker kicks of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart interview by tardily cutting into the same leadoff question ("--describe your music?") but gets better results, especially when he infers a Teenage Fanclub influence on the band. The success only lasts so long, 'cause his next question is about playing a big festival on a big stage--not like they haven't heard that one all... festival... long. Then he asks, "Any other big festivals coming up?" Here, talk turns to European fans and "Do they know your music?" The reply? "Yeah, I think the Internet helps." Ah, the Internet. A series of tubes chock fulla boobs. Check out the (dare we say pained) look on Kip Berman's face when he finishes talking about that. 

We'll post the Lips (Black and Flaming) and Built to Spill soon. Staker's epic talk with Coyne should be something special... it's a two-parter.

Now let's R-Awk!

The Awkward Hour with Brian Staker, featuring Vivian Girls, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Thermals, Jesus Lizard's David Yow, and Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips

By Blurt Staff

Rockers say the darndest things, especially when they're looking into the lens of Brian Staker, host of the aptly-titled podcast "The Awkward Hour," in which Staker takes the often-spoofed (see Tim & Eric, Bob Odenkirk) model of awkward, unprepared interviewers and well, runs with it in the "be who you are" spirit. 


Earlier this month, Blurt sent our schlubby bundle of nerves to the Pitchfork Festival for special on-the-spot interviews where he cornered artists for on-the-spot (and we do mean on-the-spot) interviews. Today we add Vivian Girls and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart to the list of victims, which includes The Jesus Lizard's David Yow and The Thermals (posted earlier this week) and, coming up, The Flaming Lips, Built To Spill, and The Black Lips. 

If interviewing David Yow wasn't intimidating enough, putting Staker on the spot with attractive ladies cranks the Awk up to eleven. Hit with ubiquitious queries like "How would you describe your sound?" and likewise hackneyed references (My Bloody Valentine), Vivian Girls respond monosyllabically ("cool" and "nice") after a charitable comment from Ali: "Someone said we sound like the Zombies with bigger balls." (To which, Staker replies with a goofy Beavis and Butt-head guffaw.) His follow-up, the even more trite question about the band's moniker, gets a curt comeback from Cassie Ramone (who spends part of the interview, plucking grass from the lawn): "Because it was... the only name that wasn't stupid." It's only downhill from there, as the Girls entertain questions about the Internet and whether they plan to put out more albums...

Staker kicks of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart interview by tardily cutting into the same leadoff question ("--describe your music?") but gets better results, especially when he infers a Teenage Fanclub influence on the band. The success only lasts so long, 'cause his next question is about playing a big festival on a big stage--not like they haven't heard that one all... festival... long. Then he asks, "Any other big festivals coming up?" Here, talk turns to European fans and "Do they know your music?" The reply? "Yeah, I think the Internet helps." Ah, the Internet. A series of tubes chock fulla boobs. Check out the (dare we say pained) look on Kip Berman's face when he finishes talking about that. 

We'll post the Lips (Black and Flaming) and Built to Spill soon. Staker's epic talk with Coyne should be something special... it's a two-parter.

Now let's R-Awk! Go to:

http://www.blurt-online.com/video/

David Yow

Thermals

Vivian Girls

The Awkward Hour with the Vivian Girls/Pitchfork Festival 2009

Interview by Brian Staker

The Awkward Hour with Brian Staker, featuring Vivian Girls, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Thermals, Jesus Lizard's David Yow, and Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips

Rockers say the darndest things, especially when they're looking into the lens of Brian Staker, host of the aptly-titled podcast "The Awkward Hour," in which Staker takes the often-spoofed (see Tim & Eric, Bob Odenkirk) model of awkward, unprepared interviewers and well, runs with it in the "be who you are" spirit. 


Earlier this month, Blurt sent our schlubby bundle of nerves to the Pitchfork Festival for special on-the-spot interviews where he cornered artists for on-the-spot (and we do mean on-the-spot) interviews. Today we add Vivian Girls and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart to the list of victims, which includes The Jesus Lizard's David Yow and The Thermals (posted earlier this week) and, coming up, The Flaming Lips, Built To Spill, and The Black Lips. 

If interviewing David Yow wasn't intimidating enough, putting Staker on the spot with attractive ladies cranks the Awk up to eleven. Hit with ubiquitious queries like "How would you describe your sound?" and likewise hackneyed references (My Bloody Valentine), Vivian Girls respond monosyllabically ("cool" and "nice") after a charitable comment from Ali: "Someone said we sound like the Zombies with bigger balls." (To which, Staker replies with a goofy Beavis and Butt-head guffaw.) His follow-up, the even more trite question about the band's moniker, gets a curt comeback from Cassie Ramone (who spends part of the interview, plucking grass from the lawn): "Because it was... the only name that wasn't stupid." It's only downhill from there, as the Girls entertain questions about the Internet and whether they plan to put out more albums...

Staker kicks of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart interview by tardily cutting into the same leadoff question ("--describe your music?") but gets better results, especially when he infers a Teenage Fanclub influence on the band. The success only lasts so long, 'cause his next question is about playing a big festival on a big stage--not like they haven't heard that one all... festival... long. Then he asks, "Any other big festivals coming up?" Here, talk turns to European fans and "Do they know your music?" The reply? "Yeah, I think the Internet helps." Ah, the Internet. A series of tubes chock fulla boobs. Check out the (dare we say pained) look on Kip Berman's face when he finishes talking about that. 

We'll post the Lips (Black and Flaming) and Built to Spill soon. Staker's epic talk with Coyne should be something special... it's a two-parter.

Now let's R-Awk!

'Cause collectors gotta have it ALL.

by Blurt Staff

Puerile pop punks blink 182 are getting into the action figure business--but no, you won't be seein' signed, numbered, nekkid Mark Hoppus dolls on shelves. The band, with the help of the artist known only as Acorn, is makin' bunnies. Sadly, unlike real rabbits, they're not reproducing in great numbers. The main wabbit, a 3-inch tall version "full of fury," will be available on blink's upcoming tour while supplies last. Another iteration, standing 40cm (why mix systems of measurement, guys?) or roughly 15.75 inches will be even more limited--talkin' 250. You can almost hear blink geeks chanting, "Get the wabbit" like so many Elmer Fudds. Or would it be Elmers Fudd? Eh.

Influential Chicago punks return with singles series, eye tour and new album.

By Blurt Staff

Influential Chicago punk rockers Naked Raygun announced today that they’ll enter Transient Sound studios in their hometown to track new material. The songs—the band’s first new stuff since 1997 when they issued the anthology-plus Last of Demohicans—will be pressed for a singles series.

The band—the final pre-breakup roster of drummer Eric Spice, bass player Pierre Kezdy, guitarist Bill Stephens and vocalist Jeff Pezzati—originally reformed in Fall 2006 for Riot Fest in Chicago. The show’s success prompted them to continue. At a recent two-nighter at the Chicago House of Blues, they played their first new songs in seventeen years to the delight of the crowd. In press release speak: “…[the songs were] met with a reaction of surprise and elation from the slam dancing crowd… [and] embody the classic ‘Chicago Sound’ that Naked Raygun first defined more than twenty years ago.”

The songs will be among those released in the 7” series, put out on Riot Fest Records, who eyes a tentative Fall 2009 street date. “Once the 7” series ends Naked Raygun plans to hole up in their rehearsal space for a while then re-enter the recording studio to track their first proper LP since 1990’s Raygun, Naked  Raygun.” The band will tour the East Coast in September, for the first time in two decades Philadelphia’s Paint It Black and Chicago band Shot Baker will open." And naturally, Naked Raygun will headline Riot Fest 2009 in Chicago this October, along with peers and old friends Rights of the Accused, No Empathy and Wax.

Naked Raygun East Coast Tour

September 9, 2009

The Mideast (Cambridge, MA)

with Shot Baker

September 10, 2009

First Unitarian Church (Philadelphia, PA)

with Paint It Black, Shot Baker

September 11, 2009

Ottobar (Baltimore, MD)

with Paint It Black, Shot Baker

September 12, 2009

The Music Hall of Williamsburg (Brooklyn, NY)

with Paint It Black, Shot Baker

September 13, 2009

Maxwell’s (Hoboken, NJ)

with Paint It Black, Shot Baker

Limited-edition single “Perpetual Motion Machine” due July 21.

By Blurt Staff

Greedy little vinyl grabbers take note: the third platter in Modest Mouse’s single series, “Perpetual Motion Machine,” comes out July 21. It’ll be red, individual numbered (to 4,000) and backed with “History Sticks to Your Feet.” The songs, for those of you who don’t like to play your vinyl, you can buy the songs on iTunes. Starting today, smart shoppers can hear before they buy by going to a website whose name cutely fits the title of the A-side. On Thursday, you can find the B-side at the devil's music blog. Hit www.recordstoreday.com for a list of brick-and-mortar retailers that will carry the single or pick it up here.

I And Love And You drops Sept. 29; NPR plays it a week early.

By Blurt Staff

Wanna hear the Avett Brothers’ new album I And Love And You early without giving into Satan and just downloading it? Or at least look like you’re doing the right thing? Tune into NPR (more specifically, click on www.npr.org/firstlisten) on Sept. 22 and they’ll play the whole damn thing for you. Or if you’re into teasin’ yourself, sit on your hands ‘til Sept. 29, then get on down to participating Starbucks locations in the U.S. and Canada and get two fixes at once.

Now, this ain’t no Starbucks exclusive; it’s just funny that this is the first retail location mentioned in the press release. Didja ever think you’d be nostalgic for a time when new albums were available in record stores?

Insound.com and Richard Hell give the Voidoids' second album a makeover.

By Blurt Staff

Nearly thirty years after punk rockers Richard Hell and the Voidoids delivered their second album, Destiny Street, and almost fifteen years after it was reissued, Hell and Insound.com have given it a spit-shine.

In a press release, Insound says Hell was “dispirited by the ultimate recording” of Destiny Street. “At the time of the original recording I was so debilitated by despair and drug-need that I was useless,” says Hell. “The record ended up being a high-pitched sludge of guitar noise. It was a shame because the songs were clean, simple, and well-constructed, but those values were sabotaged by the inappropriate arrangements and production.”

The platter was frequently bootlegged and downloaded for “years in the nineties and early 21^st Century” until Hell reacquired the rights in 2004 and deliberately let it go out of print. It was upon finding a two-track recording of the original rhythm tracks that Hell decided to use them to realize his vision of what Destiny Street could have been. “I couldn’t resist trying to use them to fill and patch up the sinking feeling that the thought of the record had always produced in me.” Hell tracked new vocals, did some editing, recruited Marc Ribot, Bill Frisell and Ivan Julian to supplement Robert Quine’s original guitar parts. Naturally, Insound.com says “the updated version… manages to surpass the original in almost every way.”

On September 1, Insound.com will issue Destiny Street Repaired on digipak CD and as a signed, numbered limited-edition (1,000-copy) deluxe vinyl/CD version including a two-sided 18” x 24” color poster featuring a Roberta Bayley photo (from the session that produced the album’s original cover) and art by Josh Smith that incorporates Hell’s liner notes. The deluxe version CD will include two bonus tracks from 1979: the never-before-released “Smitten” and extremely scarce “Funhunt.” For both editions, renowned Scottish artist Jim Lambie retooled the original cover art. For more information, visit Insound.com and RichardHell.com.

Destiny Street Repaired Credits

All rhythm tracks by: Robert Quine, guitar; Naux, guitar, Fred Maher, drums; Richard Hell, bass. Produced by Alan Betrock at Intergalactic Studios, NYC. Engineer: Jay Burnette. Recorded 1982.

All lead vocals by: Richard Hell. All solos and additional guitar by: Marc Ribot, Bill Frisell, Ivan Julian. Produced by Richard Hell at Hal Willner’s House of Knuck and John Kilgore Sounds and Recording, NYC. Recorded 2008-09, NYC, Engineer: Patrick Ford. Recorded 2009.

We KNEW it!

By Randy Harward

Okay, so it was no secret that producer/convicted killer Phil Spector's poofy hair-sphere was fake. But thanks to The Smoking Gun we have proof. Enjoy the wigless mugshot, guys. We're certainly getting our kicks.

Okay, Blurt readers: Here's a pictorial taste of our Day Four SXSW activities. Look for a full recap tomorrow. For now, enjoy these shots. Above shown is PJ Harvey at Stubb's BBQ. Below are David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls at Rachael Ray's big Feedback party. And Katie from The Thermals at the same.

And here's Janeane Garofalo at Esther's Follies:

And finally Hot Leg, the new band from Justin Hawkins--former lead singer/guitarist of The Darkness.

Yesterday we officially unveiled the first tangible copy of Blurt at the Bloodshot Records party (co-sponsored by Blurt) at the Yard Dog Gallery on South Congress. It's good to be back, and we think you'll like holding our (initially) skinny little volume in your hands. It has the look and feel of our original incarnation, HARP, and it's like comin' home. Or getting back on the pipe after a lengthy and forced stay in a rehab facility. Ah...

We celebrated accordingly, guzzling free Shiner (Blonde and Bock - do we know how to party, or what?) and checking out the fine roster of Bloodshot artists including the legendary Mr. Silky himself, Andre Williams. He showed us why among septuagenarians, he's the "Bad Motherfucker." Not that Charlie Pickett, Dexter Romweber, Exene Cervenka, Justin Townes Earle, and I'm Not Jim (The Silos' Walter Salas-Humara) aren't bad mofos in their own right.

We detoured to the Austin Convention Center to check out the Proclaimers, who really are more than the one song which, while great, will not be mentioned here. Forget about it temporarily and just go buy their classic album Sunshine on Leith. Listen to it alone the first time and you'll get it. 'Nuff said. Except, y'know... the show was, as Scots say, "geh-RAYT!"

Hamell on Trial was the next stop. Soho Lounge, tiny room, tiny guy--big crowd, big presence. The man is a god. Sorry. That's breathless. But it's true. One little forty minute show is almost a festival worth of music, comedy, and education. For example, we learned that when Barack Obama asked Michelle out for the first time, he said, "You should date me because one day I'll be president." So she did. Then, according to Hamell, everything in marriage is a negotiation. So when Barack asked Michelle if she'd do anal (this is after they were married, Puritans), she said, "When you're president." And Hamell,  ever a fount of information, said that on election night, when Obama took Ohio, Michelle "must've been like, 'Oh, fuck.'"

We didn't even try to get into the Metallica show. Well, we stopped by. The line had been moving and a couple of 'tallica songs would've been cool. Then the line stopped so we skedaddled over the Rusty Spurs to catch Bigelf. You must see them at your earliest convenience. Even if it's not convenient, and you have to get time off work and a babysitter or donate plasma to afford a ticket, just do it. Easily one of the best things Blurt had the pleasure of seeing at SXSW 2009. Huge psychedelic classic stoner rock with a frontman who looks as if he might blow zombie dust in your face then roast you on a spit, all the while humming melodies from the Beatles songbook.

Last show of the night was the comedy showcase at Esther's Follies. We heard the last half of Marc Maron's angry-hilarious set from the lobby, and spotted Doug Benson and Janeane Garofalo. Then Mr. Even Keel, Todd Barry played to an estimated 37 people (crowd's guess may be arbitrary) and his made-for-self-hypnosis voice and is about as comforting as Hope Sandoval's singing voice. Only she's not nearly as funny as him. Howard Kremer, whom you may recognize as various psycho characters from the Sci-Fi Channels Scare Tactics--or from the old MTV series Austin Stories, closed the night with his wacko Dragon Boy Suede raps and reciting random song titles by crappy bands who foist CDs upon him on the street. Much funnier than it sounds. See him if you get a chance. 

Finally we met another comic, Ruby Collins, in the lobby. Completely random. Nice little conversation. Listened to her on MySpace today and watched a couple of her videos. She's worth a look too, and we're bummed we missed her set. So go here now: www.myspace.com/robothands.

(Photos: Randy Harward)

Blurt checks out Devo, Roky Erickson with Okkervil River's Will Sheff, Laura Gibson, N.A.S.A., and Foreign Born.

By Randy Harward

First things first on a beautiful Austin a.m.: Breakfast tacos. Like BBQ and Lone Star, probably one of the most ubiquitous topics, but compelling nonetheless. Since the sainted Las Manitas is gone, we tried El Sol y La Luna near Emo's. Sublime. There was a fight out on the street in front of Emo's after, but we were slow getting outside, being so fat with migas con chorizo.

Walked around the music tradeshow long enough to get all the swag that was worth getting and then some. Let's hear it for the Hawaiian music marketing people--they had a very attractive woman handing out Hershey's kisses and nuts. A little backward, and marginally effective, but entertaining nonetheless.

After that, it was time for the Devo press conference and panel. In the little press suite at the Austin Convention Center, about 30-40 lucky hacks and photographers got to shoot and grill Devo about their not-reunion and upcoming new album, and have them elucidate (again) the concept of Devolution. One asshole photographer asked them about the hats. The hats. Moron. But Blurt's own Greg Walton got Mark Mothersbaugh to talk about how Drew Barrymore fired him from scoring the film Whip It. Mothersbaugh said that he kept bumping Devo from the studio to accomodate Barrymore, who kept canceling. When he finally had enough and said so, he says she told him they just didn't see eye to eye, "so I got fired."

The public Devo panel started with the video for the band's new song "Don't Shoot, I'm A Man." It's good--as if we expected anything else? Well, kinda. you never know what to expect from a reunion. Although Devo is one of the smartest and most innovative bands ever, well... there's always that chance. That the song is the same taut, eccentric dork-rock with salient messages (in this case, it's a "humanist plea") without looking shticky is a testament to Devo's contribution to rock n' roll then and now.

We then caught the ass end of the Roky Erickson Ice Cream Social, the last half of Erickson's set, where he was joined by Okkervil River's Will Sheff, who was clearly stoked to be onstage with Erickson again. After a leisurely meal of street pizza, we saw Laura Gibson at the Red Eyed Fly--she was beguiling--and then, for shits and gigs, N.A.S.A. That there is a puzzle: Why care about two DJs, no matter how good, when they're at the back of the stage being nerdy while they paint two bitches green and tell 'em to dance (freestyle, evidently) on the front of the stage? Jiggles aside, that's uninspired and irritating. Foreign Born capped the night for Blurt. Randy, anyway. While I was falling asleep, Fred Mills was shaking his ass to the Bar-Kays, which he said were like seeing a party on the level of those thrown by The Time or Prince (of course the B-Ks influenced those acts--we know). Damn it. 

 (Photos: Randy Harward)

Couldn't ask to start SXSW 2009, Day One: While in the Hyatt Regency lobby awaiting my turn to talk to Billy Bob Thornton and the Boxmasters, I met the dean of swamp rockers--Mr. Tony Joe White. It just so happened that the chair I chose was around the corner from a couch where a besunglassed TJW was giving an interview. Afterward, I snagged a quick autograph. Hot damn.

Here's what was supposed to a be real-time, live bloggery--not that it would've been all that interesting. "Still waiting for BBT," I typed into my Blackberry, "but the TJW encounter is a nice way to pass the time. Holy shit." I then figured I chould check in with the publicist to see what was the hold up. While typing a text message, she called. We spent about five minutes on the phone directing each other around the lobby bar so we could go up to the interview suite... And guess what? Your humble dumbass was at the wrong hotel. I was advised of the change, but because the Holy Crackberry said Hyatt, I of course obeyed. Luckily, I wasn't far. Grabbed a cab, made it to the Four Seasons in five minutes. 

Walked into the suite, which was posh, and Boxmasters Mike and J.D. were scattered around the room. A very nice lady with the band offered me several drinks, failing to take no thanks for an answer, so I finally relented when she said she made a great Bloody Mary. She did. Billy Bob plopped down just as the drink arrived, and the strangest thing was it didn't feel too much like an interview. Might've been Billy Bob Thornton--a fuckin' giant--next to me, but it felt like four guys just hanging out. And though I'd never had a Bloody Mary before, I took to it like a lush. Very tasty, Mystery Lady.

I should say Billy Bob, despite appearing to be no more than a regular dude, still got off plenty of zingers. One of them being, after J.D. took us on a somewhat long (but worthwhile) walk of an answer, was the interjection, "We have long answers and short answers. The short answer is we like *****." Uncensored answer will appear in Blurt sooner than later. Mike and JD play excellent straight men, by the way. And they laid an autographed copy of the new album Modbilly on me. Nice.

It wasn't easy to top that encounter, but a dinner and several more drinks at Jaime's Spanish Village worked well. Even better was Jessica Lea Mayfield's set at The Parish. If you thought the album was good, wait'll you see her live. How can she be 18 (or is she 19 now?) years old? Her youth just doesn't show on stage. She's like a more charming Neko Case. And offstage, when I approached her to say hello, she was almost bashful. An autograph request seemed to make her blush. And though she couldn't oblige 'til she went backstage to lay down her guitar, she pledged to return--and did, telling the fan, "See? I remembered."

Afterward, I spotted Dan Auerbach, Mayfield's producer and "the dude from The Black Keys," hanging out and we both gushed about Mayfield's performance before Holly Golightly came on. I stayed for about four songs, wanted to stay for more, but had to get movin', make sure I got to Smokin' Music before the potential crush of Boxmasters fans arrived. En route, I detoured to the Emo's Annex for the last half of Valient Thorr's sweaty, feral--LOUD--set. Watching frontguy Valient Himself was like watching a tent revivalist preacher (and we were in a tent) after his first taste of crank. He looked like he was channeling ((((GOD)))) and Satan (probably his representative demon Pazuzu, from The Exorcist) and it was just... in a word... awesome.

Before I head out for Day Two, here's another moment of live bloggery that didn't happen: "Can't wait 'til the show tonight. It's at 1 am. Very worth the wait." I was talking about The Boxmasters. I did make it to Smokin' Music, but thanks to the Xanax I took because air travel makes me weep inwardly, and the Bloody Mary, and all the beer, I kept falling asleep while I tried to wait out the 60-70 minutes before the Boxmasters went on. Not wanting to risk a public intox, I opted to leave. But man, I scored a really good chicken taco on the way home.

A claymation rendering of Heligoats' (Troubled Hubble's Chris Otepka), "You Win," directed by Ben Chandler.

Blurt’s sleuthy sources dish on Sundance 2009 buzz flicks.

By RANDY HARWARD

It’s January in Salt Lake City, Utah. Wafting off the Wasatch Mountains, from a crevice called Parley’s Canyon that leads to Park City, is an enticing bouquet of hope, desperation, delusion and pretension… or maybe it’s just Axe™ body spray and swag bag perfume samples. It’s time again for the Sundance Film Festival, a veritable three-ring circus of the stars, where films are made and broken, and stiff smiles and firm handshakes—in even firmer, newly purchased ski gloves—are exchanged. Here’s a peek at what Blurt’s shadowy sources say will be the talk of Park City next week.

Cobra Verde, Puta Madre

Quentin Tarantino presents this grindhouse-meets-arthouse film in which Klaus Kinski and Cheech Marin play an odd couple who run a temp staffing agency as a front for their private investigation business. When a tile setter goes rogue and starts taking side jobs, Kinski and Marin set out to teach the fucker a lesson, only to learn a little something themselves—from a Zen Dadaist who calls himself The Last Slice of Pizza. (R, 87 minutes, dir: Werner Jodorowsky)

Anything is Popsicle

A young music blogger with a Jew-fro (Napoleon Dynamite’s Jon Heder) gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to write a cover story for a national magazine but clashes with his editor, who requests numerous rewrites and refuses to let the young scribe use his affliction—malapropism—as an excuse. A subplot follows a mother-daughter rock crit/groupie team that gets interviews via unscrupulous front-row slurping. (R, 101 minutes, dir: Charlie Kaufman)

Excreted

From the producers of An American Carol and Expelled comes a film about how we all came from Ben Stein’s droning anus. (PG-13, 61 minutes, dir: Alan Smithee)

Itty Bitty Titty Kumite

Loosely based on Joe R. Lansdale’s short story The Pit. Four flat-chested barely-legals and their chaperone (Kate Hudson) on a post-high school trip to Alabama take a wrong turn and are abducted by a snake-handling preacher who forces them to fight each other in underground, to-the-death cage matches. Hudson falls for a toothless Cajun with literary aspirations while the girls come to grips with their heterosexuality. (R, 89 minutes, dir: Harmony Korine)

Our Band Could Fuck Your Wife… If You Enroll In Our Super Special VIP Fan Club

Exploring the phenomenon of VIP fan clubs, in which fans pay money for the privilege to pay even more money for VIP ticket packages, worthless tchotchkes and maybe/maybe-not backstage meet-and-greets. It doesn’t stop there: Our Band…reveals that some artists—such as kabuki-rockers KISS—plan to take the fleecing to ridiculous levels. (NC-17, 78 minutes, dir: Miranda Azerrad-Meltzer)

Doll Farts: The Ringer 2

Penniless and even more desperate, Courtney Love (Courtney Love) blows an appellate court judge and wins the right to replace Kurt Cobain (played in flashbacks by Kurt Cobain’s exhumed skeleton) in Nirvana. Remaining members Dave Grohl (Aziz Ansari) and Krist Novoselic (Aaron Eckhart) figure “fuck it” and allow the hijinks to ensue, hoping that by the end of the band’s second meteoric rise to fame, Love will blow her head off, too. (R, 114 minutes, dir: Benjamin Silverman for Reveille Productions)

Pop Rocks

Popstar puppy mill Disney answers Before the Music Dies with an apologist documentary about the New Bubblegum, the cloying yet flavorless style of pop music where a pretty face is all you need. Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato argue for the fair use of Auto-Tune, with Cyrus paraphrasing the famous Elvis quote about her McMusic: “Like, 50 billion Cyrus fans can’t all be tone-deaf.”

Each screening to be preceded by the short film Hannah Mantegna, in which character actor Joe Mantegna plays a cross-dressing tribute performer with a stutter. (PG, 90 minutes, dir: Walt Disney’s frozen head)

Wigger

Melvin Van Peebles (Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song) directs this tale of a twenty-year-old, rail-thin, albino Jiffy Lube employee in suburban Utah that experiences a downward spiral when his rims are stolen from his Datsun B210 Wagon, his own mother calls him a wigger and kicks his ass, and Soulja Boy’s career tanks. (Unrated, 79 minutes, dir: Melvin Van Peebles)

Just a Juggalo

The tagline for this horror show is “They’re dumb… and they’ve come (for handouts).” Forget Jimmy Buffett’s “Parrotheads” and David Archuleta’s “Archies”: Insane Clown Posse’s “Juggalos” are most devoted (and retarded) fans of all—and they’re breeding. Juggalo Julz (The Sopranos’ Aida Turturro) is a heavyweight Juggalette [Editor’s Note: Redundancy?] whose favorite pastime, other than being a Juggalo—is washing down Xanax with beer. Julz discovers she’s pregnant on Valentine’s Day and delivers on Mother’s Day. When the baby—named Annabelle Lotus after ICP side project Dark Lotus—dies after only 13 minutes, she gives her “little Ninjette” an ICP-themed funeral… then blames the doctors and calls ICP’s WFuckOff Radio to announce the news—and use it as leverage when she complains about not receiving promised swag. Based on a true story. Seriously… we couldn’t make this shit up. (NC-17, 105 minutes, dir: Jorg Buttgereit)

The U.K.'s Sun published photos of Lilly Allen sunbathing--sans top--today, just 24 hours after topless pics of fellow Brit songstress Amy Winehouse surfaced.

Draw your own conclusions and see for yourself below:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article2065467.ece

Season finale of hit HBO series to feature "World Can't Have Her" on Sunday, Nov. 23.

By Randy Harward

For the third time this year, uber-indie rockers Cobra Verde will have a song in a high-profile TV show. First, the FX series Sons of Anarchy used the Cleveland band’s “Riot in the Foodcourt” from their new album Haven’t Slept All Year (CobraVerde.com). Then HBO’s vampire show True Blood used CV’s cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Play With Fire.” Now another HBO series, Entourage, is including another Slept track, “World Can’t Have Her,” in its season-closer on Sunday night.  

“Woohoo,” says Cobra Verde main man John Petkovic in a press release, which goes on to say that the True Blood exposure resulted in “more than 1,500 downloads of the song  in the first two days after the show's airing alone. It also brought Mick Jagger out of his castle to come track us down. (Ugh, I won't get into that now...)”

Petkovic also points out that there was one other Cobra Verde TV moment—when they playing a Foreigner tribute band (they do “Waiting for a Girl Like You”) on… wait for it… The OC. See it at: http://www.cobraverde.com/media/

Stay tuned to Blurt for an upcoming interview with Petkovic!

Black Keys singer-guitarist to release solo debut, Keep It Hid, Feb. 10

By Blurt Staff

Don’t call it a breakup—'cause we've heard diddly (and squat!) about the Black Keys breaking up, but when one guy of a two-man band goes solo, it does activate that paranoid section of the brain. ‘Specially ‘cause The Black Keys are one of the last bands we at Blurt wanna lose. Even if it means Dan Auerbach will still make solo records. You know, like Keep It Hid, which is something we did hear about. It’s comin’ atcha February 10, 2009. In true solo fashion, he produced and engineered the record his own se’f. And he’ll go on tour starting February 28 in Washington, D.C. at the 9:30 Club. Here are more dates. And a Black Keys video.  

Dan Auerbach tour dates:

02-28 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club

03-01 Boston, MA - Paradise Club

03-02 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg

03-03 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom

03-05 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom

03-06 Chicago, IL - Metro

03-07 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue

03-10 Seattle, WA - The Showbox

03-11 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom

03-13 San Francisco, CA - Bimbo’s 365 Club

03-14 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre

The Mars Volta's guitarist serves up another solo helping.

By Blurt Staff

Yesterday Stones Throw Records digitally released Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodriguez Lopez's solo album, Old Money. Although it is his umpteenth solo release, it's the first for the label. Omar has intimated that the album may have been intended as The Mars Volta's follow-up to 2006's Amputechture until he veered in another musical direction. More details, ripped from the press release: 

The addictive melodies and passionate execution of each performance render Old Money perhaps the most accessible of his non-Volta recordings, and the perfect entry point to anyone not yet familiar with what this prolific artist has to offer.

The album fits comfortably between the guitarist's monumental work with The Mars Volta, and his prior rock-based solo releases such as 2007's The Apocalypse Inside Of An Orange. Loosely based on the concept of exploitative industrialists and, well, their old money, the album presents a 10-track collection of concise rock compositions, which range from progressive to psychedelic to downright funky. Many of these sounds could easily be at home on a Volta record proper had they meshed with Cedric Bixler-Zavala's vocals; Rodriguez Lopez has hinted that this record was a potential follow up to the 2006 Volta release Amputechture until he changed his musical direction.

Through the assistance of many of the players familiar to any fan of his "day gig", Rodriguez Lopez goes straight for the jugular with an unrelenting trio of opening tracks: the lead-in "The Power of Myth," the haunting, Middle Eastern-psych flavored "How to Bill the Bilderberg Group," and the blistering "Population Council's Wet Dream." The results are formidable and easily rank among the most exciting moments of Rodriguez Lopez's solo output. The remainder of the album is equally as memorable and certainly the product of acute inspiration on behalf of its creator. Though clear influences of popular ensembles such as Pink Floyd and Santana can be discerned, a deeper study reveals the cross-continental influence of Israeli garage psych heroes The Churchills, French proggers Ame Son and Magma and Turkish guitar-god Erkin Koray - amongst others.

THE OMAR RODRIGUEZ-LOPEZ GROUP (w/CEDRIC BIXLER) AT THE FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL 2007:

Guitarist stricken with unknown ailment, has been in London hospital since Nov. 3. Tour will continue.

By Blurt Staff

Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher is in a London hospital, reports the band’s label, Warner Brothers. No details were provided, except to say that the Atlanta-based band will continue their European Unholy Alliance Chapter 3 package tour with Slayer, Trivium and Amon Amarth. Doctors will continue to monitor Kelliher’s condition which, according to the press release, “is improving at press time. Doctors and Bill are hopeful that he will rejoin his bandmates in time for their headlining tour of Europe which begins Nov. 30, in Utrecht, Holland and will end on Dec 7, at the All Tomorrow’s Parties Festival in Somerset, England. More details to follow as they develop.”

"MOTHER PUNCHER" Video:

On the eve of her release from an eating disorders treatment center, Juliana Hatfield shares.

By Blurt Staff

Music fans obsess over the minutiae behind their favorite songs, and often get a generic “I like to leave them open to interpretation” answer. If not that, then a longwinded, anticlimactic and unsatisfying, sometimes even pompous, explanation. Only rarely does a songwriter share something worthwhile. Last night, Juliana Hatfield laid down 1300 words of pure candor about “Universal Heartbeat” from her 1995 album Only Everything.

“What a trip; I'm better for it,” Hatfield says, starting the post with a quote from her song. “That will be me, when I get through this thing I am going through. This song is all about depression. When we make it to the other side we can feel triumphant (“landing on a crowded shore, high-fiving”) and so grateful for having survived. Also we can't help but develop an empathy for the suffering of others after going through something so painful.”

She wrote Sunday night from an eating disorders treatment center she checked into after “unraveling” and hitting a personal low weight of 100 pounds. “I wasn't fully conscious of it,” she wrote. “Others around me noticed it before I did. A good friend forced me to confront the fact that I was in serious trouble. ‘You need to get well’ were his words.”

Hatfield explains that anxiety led her to restrict food as a coping mechanism. “Sometimes I feel like a human pincushion. Every painful emotion hits me with ridiculously exaggerated force. And the anxiety feels like hands inside of me, squeezing my guts really hard.” She went to such extremes as limiting herself to a Clif Bar for breakfast or a handful of trail mix for lunch.

Much more if revealed in the post, which you can read below and, despite its subject, has a confident tone. Looking forward to her release today, Nov. 10, Hatfield declares, “I refuse to succumb; to accept that I can't fix this. I want desperately to be a better, happier, healthier, saner person and companion. My will to endure is, so far, unkillable.”

“I need to believe this. I need to try and manifest this, and to live it. If nothing else, I've already gotten some kickass songs out of this latest experience.”

Way to go.

Entire post:

UNIVERSAL HEARTBEAT

Sunday, November 9th, 2008

What a trip; I'm better for it": that will be me, when I get through this thing I am going through.

This song is all about depression. When we make it to the other side we can feel triumphant ("landing on a crowded shore, high-fiving") and so grateful for having survived. Also we can't help but develop an empathy for the suffering of others after going through something so painful.

Maybe those of us who feel and think deeply, who suffer a lot inside, who are kind of mental are not to be pitied for our frequent aches, but should be patted on the back for sticking it out when it hurts so much. We who don't ever give up and who continue to believe that things can -- that WE can -- be better. We are alive, we are not numb. We fight on and on and on. We fight our self-destructive urges. We refuse to close up our hearts and become bitter and dead inside in order not to experience the frequent hurts of an ultra-sensitive soul/mind/heart.

Sometimes I feel like a human pincushion. Every painful emotion hits me with ridiculously exaggerated force. And the anxiety feels like hands inside of me, squeezing my guts really hard.

For the most part I have not ever been inclined to escape with drugs and alcohol. In the drugs-and-alcohol sense I am and have always been very straight. My coping mechanism -- or one of them; the one that kicked into high gear again most recently -- has been restricting food.

We swim through the deep dark oceans to reach the crowded shore; lots of people have made it through the same sort of experiences. We are not alone. It just feels like we are when we are in the thick of it. And after one of us endures one of these things, she may be transformed into a more humble and compassionate person, "high-fiving" all the other freaks and mental defectives and addicts who have continued to survive and to try.

I am having to come to terms with the fact that at age 41, I found myself unraveling. Or, rather, I unraveled. I wasn't fully conscious of it. Others around me noticed it before I did. A good friend forced me to confront the fact that I was in serious trouble. "You need to get well" were his words.

He was there when I woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat -- pajamas soaked, hair wet, sheets wet, even the pillow with a head-sized wet spot on it (where my head was). He witnessed my fatigue; my falling asleep every time he put on a movie for us at night; I tried so hard to stay awake with him to watch "Sunshine" and "Network" (for about the fifth time -- I love that one. I never get sick of it) and "The Strangers" and the DVD with Robert Thurman talking with the Dalai Lama, but they are all blurry in my mind.

I was dehydrated and anemic -- anemia caused by malnutrition -- and I didn't even know it; I didn't realize the seriousness of my problem until I had already entered dangerous territory. My anxiety was so great and all-consuming (funny choice of words considering I was "consuming" so little) that at some point I lost my appetite completely and it was no more about restricting food but became an almost inability to eat. My weight went as low as it has ever been in my adult lifetime.

They tell me here at the E.D. treatment center that people have been hospitalized for being as low (at my height) as I was when I came here. (I found that kind of alarmist and hard to believe -- I was still skeptical and in a little bit of denial, like everyone is when they first come in for treatment for anything anywhere -- but it scared me anyway.) In this environment they shorten "eating disorders" -- the name of our problem -- to "E.D.," and say it like a man's name ("Ed"), like he is a bad man; an evil man whom we need to cast out of our lives, our psyches.

Before computers you never would have found me blabbing (blogging [blogging is blabbing]) so openly like this about this. This is me being modern. Damn these computers and this Interweb and the pressure on us musicians to update constantly and to communicate. It encourages, inspires oversharing. It's so easy to say too much and to feel safe giving away one's private secrets. But screw it. I have nothing to hide. I've been embarrassing myself publicly for over twenty years. Why should I stop now? A heart that hurts is a heart that works. I will shout it from the rooftop (as I contemplating jumping but then ultimately don't [jump, that is], and walk back indoors). I am not dead inside. I still care about right and wrong. I refuse to succumb; to accept that I can't fix this. I want desperately to be a better, happier, healthier, saner person and companion. My will to endure is, so far, unkillable.

They make us eat six times a day. Three meals and three snacks. We all sit in the kitchen together and there is a monitor at the head of the table making sure we eat everything on our plates and drink everything in our cups. This is called the refeeding process. It must be done slowly and steadily, with more food added on as time progresses so we don't shock our systems. So we are not in danger of ending up like Karen Carpenter -- she gained too much weight too fast after starving for a long time, and her heart couldn't take it.

The bathroom doors are locked so the bulimics can't go in and puke. (I myself have never been a purger.) When you need to go, you must ask a monitor to unlock the door for you and after she lets you in she stands just outside the door and then you must either count while you are on the toilet, loud enough so that she can hear you, right up until the moment you exit, or you must let her flush for you after you are done -- so that there is proof that you didn't vomit your food into the toilet.

Every morning they wake us up at seven and we all put on hospital johnnies, first thing, and go and have our vitals (temperature, blood pressure) checked and have ourselves weighed. I have gained five pounds so far. I'm doing well. I'm a model patient, weight gaining-wise. My mental/emo health is another story -- a longer story, a work in progress.

All I want is to be well and to have energy and to get back on track and to have my quiet little life back. It was a lonely and solitary life, but it was mine. And I was basically healthy-ish. And I was free, in a sense.

I'm going to be released on the 10th, maybe before you read this.

I will play all my currently scheduled gigs, barring unforeseen acts of God.

"When the damage is done, you're damaged goods." I am damaged goods. Truly. But I don't want to complain. I am what I am. Others have it worse than I do. In fact, "it could be worse" is my motto and my mantra.

"Dark and repulsive though it is, suffering has been revealed to us as a supremely active principle for the humanization and the divinization of the universe."

- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

I need to believe this. I need to try and manifest this, and to live it. If nothing else, I've already gotten some kickass songs out of this latest experience.

The Angry Young Man's autobiographical song resonates post-election.

By Randy Harward

Graham Parker wasn't thinking of Barack Obama when he wrote "I Discovered America" from his 2007 album Don't Tell Columbus (Bloodshot Records), but the song sure suits how I felt last night when Obama won the presidency.

I was one of the politically apathetic guys energized by George W. Bush and the Republicans' theft of the 2000 election and subsequent squandering of the post-9/11 international goodwill in the form of a war for oil. I bitched about Bush and evangelized about Kerry, then voted, and watched a majority of the country vote for another Bush term. Then came Katrina, and the Iraq War lingered. The country had gone batshit. 

But finally, the tide began to turn when the Dems kicked some booty in the 2006 election--and proceeded to accomplish nothing. Hope, as I knew it, was lost.

But last night, that was magical. If I sound like an erstwhile virgin in love, it's because I am. The United States of America, having elected Barack Obama, appears to be back on her meds and looking forward to four years of badly needed change. Last night, I feel like I rediscovered America. Parker's song---in which flat-earthers tell him to quit, but he still finds hope and fends off a "milquetoast rearguard" of Christian soldiers selling ice cream, and feels that the "might chains of darkness" have lifted---has been running through my head since 11 p.m. EST last night.

I have a feeling it'll be on repeat for a while.

"I Discovered America" - Graham Parker

Lyrics:

THERE WAS SMOKE UP TO MY EYEBALLS

POISON BURNED MY THROAT

BUT I SAID I'D KEEP ON GOING

WHEN EVERYONE SAID DON'T

WITH MY BONY-CHESTED T-SHIRT

SOME STOLEN GUITAR LICKS

NAVIGATING BY DEAD RECKONING

IN 1976

AND WHEN THE MIGHTY CHAINS OF DARKNESS

HAD ME ON THE ROPES

EVERYONE SAID QUIT NOW

THAT'S WHEN I FOUND HOPE

SO PLEASE DON'T TELL COLUMBUS

DON'T TELL HIS QUEEN FOR SURE

THAT I HAD THE ACCURATE COMPASS

AND I DISCOVERED AMERICA

WELL THE GUY IN THE FIVE AND DIME STORE

SAID IT AIN'T ANYWHERE AROUND HERE

TAKE YOUR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE

ALONG WITH YOUR MAD IDEA

SO I LOOKED INSIDE YOUR CLOSET

AND YOUR BROKEN TV SET

YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE BORN HERE

BUT YOU HADN'T FOUND IT YET

WELL I KNEW ONE DAY SHE'D LET ME IN

I KNEW I'D GET THE GIRL

AND LIVE IN A TOWN CALLED VETERAN

PORK CAPITOL OF THE WORLD

WELL THEY'VE DAMMED THE YANGTSE RIVER DAMN IT

THERE'LL BE HELL TO PAY

BUT I GUESS THAT'S WHAT YOU DO

WHEN THE YANGTSE RIVER GETS IN YOUR WAY

BUT I HAD THAT POSITIVE FEELING

I KNEW I WAS ON THE RIGHT TRACK

WHEN A FLAT EARTH SOCIETY MEMBER

TOLD ME I MUST TURN BACK

HE SAID I'D REACH THE ABYSS

AND KEEP ON GOING DOWN

SO I GAVE HIM MY LAST PENCIL

AND I FLATTENED HIM TO THE GROUND

THEN AN ARMY OF CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS

BROKE THROUGH THE RANKS AND CHARGED

WITH THEIR ICE CREAM VENDOR BUDDIES

AND THEIR MILQUETOAST REARGUARD

THEY HAD WHEELBARROWS FULL OF ELASTIC

AND PAPER MACHE HEARTS

AND THINGS I DID NOT RECOGNIZE

IMPALED UPON THEIR DARTS

AND WHEN THE MIGHTY CHAINS OF DARKNESS

HAD ME ON THE ROPES

EVERYONE SAID QUIT NOW

THAT'S WHEN I FOUND HOPE

YEAH THAT'S WHEN I FOUND HOPE

Brooklyn garage-pop band picked to open Kinks singer's 12-date U.S. tour-and back him up, too.

By Blurt Staff

Brooklyn's Locksley, a band that bears many similarities to the Kinks, has been tapped to open Kinks singer Ray Davies' 12-city U.S. tour in November and December. In must be a deliriously good turn of events for the baby band, but there's more to it: They get to back Davies up, too.

Locksley (visit them on MySpace) is currently headlining MTV's national Choose or Lose tour, which wraps tonight in Vienna, VA. After an in-store performance Nov. 8 at Vintage Vinyl in Woodbridge, NJ, Locksley will take a few weeks off before joining Davies in Tampa, FLA on Nov. 28. Tour dates are below.

TOUR DATES

Nov-28 Tampa FL - Tampa Theatre

Nov-29 Miami FL - The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie

Gleason Theater

Nov-30 Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live

Dec-02 Atlanta GA - Variety Playhouse

Dec-03 Nashville TN - Wildhorse Saloon

Dec-05 Atlantic City NJ - Borgata Music Box

Dec-06 Poughkeepsie, NY - Bardavon 1869 Opera House

Dec-08 Washington DC - 9:30 Cub

Dec-10 Providence RI - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel

Dec-11 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground

Dec-12 New York NY - Hammerstein Ballroom

Dec-13 Asbury Park, NJ - Paramount Theatre

Fabchannel.com streaming entire performance from Amsterdamn’s Paradiso.

By Blurt Staff

Looking for something to take your mind off today’s election? Check out this free full Calexico show on FabChannel.com. It’s from the Tucson band’s sold-out show at the Paradiso in Amsterdam earlier this Fall. Calexico starts a U.S. tour this Friday at Antone’s in Austin, TX. Complete dates below.

Tour Dates:
Friday November 7 - Austin, TX - Antone's * TICKETS
Saturday November 8 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater * TICKETS
Sunday November 9 - St. Louis, MO - The Duck Room * TICKETS
Monday November 10 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge * TICKETS
Wednesday November 12 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle * TICKETS
Thursday November 13 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club * TICKETS
Friday November 14 - Philadelphia, PA - Theater of Living Arts * TICKETS
Saturday November 15 - Tarrytown, NY - Tarrytown Music Hall * TICKETS
Sunday November 16 - Somerville, MA - Somerville Theater * TICKETS
Monday November 17 - Montreal, QC - Le National + TICKETS
Tuesday November 18 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theatre + TICKETS
Thursday November 20 - Pontiac, MI - The Crofoot Ballroom * TICKETS
Friday November 21 - Chicago, IL - Metro * TICKETS
Saturday November 22 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Music Cafe * TICKETS
Sunday November 23 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown ^ TICKETS
Monday November 24 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre # TICKETS
Tuesday November 25 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theatre % TICKETS

* with The Acorn
+ with Cuff the Duke
^ with Mal Madrigal
# with Gregory Alan Isakov
% with the Handsome Family

“Bona fide hustler” releases How Many Votes Fix Mix EP, watches “Paper Planes” hit #5, opens school, starts label, launches clothing line.

By Blurt Staff

M.I.A., that pop culture terrorist, is blowing up. First, her 2007 album Kala is sticky with the critical drool, and her “Paper Planes” single has entered the Top Five on Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles chart—and T.I., with Kanye West, Jay-Z and Lil Wayne, uses a sample of the tune on “Swagga Like Us,” from his # album Paper Trail. Now M.I.A.’s opening a school, starting her own label, launching a clothing line (which, yeah, is kind of old news), and dropping the How Many Votes Fix Mix EP, which features two new tracks and a remix of “Boyz” featuring Jay-Z. The gory details, straight from the press release:

Reenergized, re-recognized, and reverberating worldwide, M.I.A. will release the How Many Votes Fix Mix on iTunes October 28th (and everywhere else November 4th.) The Digital EP will feature a remix Boyz featuring Jay-Z as well as two unreleased tracks: “Shells” and “Far Far.”

And as the world takes to Kala, M.I.A. takes on the world—literally. This past August, Maya Arulpragasam (aka, M.I.A.) partnered with non-profit organization Youth Action International and opened the rebuilt and renovated Becky Primary School in Liberia. New additions include more classrooms, a library, computer labs, and a new playground. Plus, free tuition for its 625 students. She also launched her own clothing line, featuring T-shirts, jackets, and hoodies of her own design.

M.I.A. started her own label, N.E.E.T., which stands for Not in Education, Employment, or Training. Her first signing is Baltimore’s own Rye Rye, whose debut album is due early next year.

GET INVOLVED: www.youthactioninternational.org/yai

GET DRESSED: http://shop.miauk.com/category/13409-okley-run

GET DOWN: http://www.myspace.com/mia

Blackie Lawless declares national emergency, compares Obama to Hitler, barfs up debunked claims, endorses McCain. Oh, and he's not a racist.

By Randy Harward

For reasons ranging from insubstantial-yet-cool to somewhat noteworthy-throwing raw meat at their fans, covering The Who without sucking, releasing at least three classic metal albums, bucking censorship lynch mob the PMRC, just plain rocking balls-W.A.S.P. rules. But band founder and frontman (and erstwhile New York Doll) Blackie Lawless, is a stone cold, mouth-breathing, egomaniacal, pseudo-intellectual jackass.

Today he had his publicist send out a letter titled, "Read in Case of National Emergency." The title alone is ridiculous, but with each line it gets-one would think, impossibly-more retarded.

One needs not expend the energy to ignore the fact that, in an actual national emergency, the last guy we'd turn to is the singer of a shock-rock band that peaked early and exists now as an ego boost to its increasingly unreliable and unhinged sole original member. That much is forgotten one or two paragraphs into the idiotic epistle. By the end, the jaw of any sentient being with at least a GED will scrape the toes of their shoes.

Lawless declares his love for the country and Constitution, and that he's not a John McCain supporter-he's an equal opportunity government-hater, suspicious of Democrats and Republicans alike.

"I grew up and lived with the ideals and philosophy of the ‘counterculture' generation," writes Lawless. ‘Peace and Love', ‘Flower Power', ‘Stop the War', ‘Never Trust Anybody Over 30'. ‘Stop the War' was absolutely correct! Vietnam was a disaster and more than 50,000 U. S. soldiers died for that mistake. But the rest was a load of naïve, idealist, ‘we can change the world' CRAP! Not that some of those sentiments weren't a good idea. It's just that this generation of self-serving, selfish, spoiled brats has now come of age."

Lawless henceforth blames these "brats" for perpetuating "the greed and the lies of the Wall Street bailout and a laundry list of other political atrocities too numerous to mention [emphasis added]." He also says they probably think the founding fathers are "some new rap group," calling that "an indictment on their parents" for not teaching them "the values and history of this nation."

He then bemoans Americans' gluttonous, vain, financially irresponsible lifestyles, and how the people who touted the "Woodstock/Marxist scream-dream"-who he refers to as "yuppies" (weren't they largely Reaganites?)-are the ones in charge of the extremely biased liberal media that has "conspired to deceive, manipulate, suppress the truth, promote their candidate at all costs and bury any story that does not put a halo around the head of that candidate." You know the candidate of which he speaks, but Blackie spells it out for us. "It is with this that the American People are brought Barak [sic] Obama."

To support his Obama paranoia, Lawless proceeds to fall back on debunked, or at least satisfactorily addressed, theories including but not limited to how Obama's "redistribution of wealth" comments ("he is a Marxist in Socialist clothing"), and has supposed terrorist ties. ACORN, Rev. Wright/America-hating, tax increases, etc.

"This man is a product of that extreme leftist-Marxist movement that has been building in this country for over 40 years. He is a product of the Harvard far left. He is the face and mouthpiece of a movement that is hell-bent on breaking up the U. S. Constitution and reassembling it to conform to their vision. He is a lawyer, the Democratic Johnnie Cochran, in which every time he speaks gives a closing argument. He is the embodiment of the New Democratic Machine...

"Never in the history of the United States has any presidential candidate had a shroud of controversy surround them as has Obama. If someone would have told me two years ago that anybody with these associations could get nominated for their party, or even dog catcher, much less President of the United States, I would have said your [sic] insane."

Speaking of! Lawless explains that the reason he started this letter with the first seven words of the Constitution is "to reference a radio interview Obama did in which he says the U. S. Supreme Court did not go far enough in attempting to provide reparations to African-Americans and that the Earl Warren edition of the Supreme Court was not liberal enough. That Court was probably the most liberal in U.S. history." Lawless says that "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is "not a guarantee of wealth or any form of happiness, but the chance to raise one-self up" and "this government never has, nor ever will, nor ever should provide for anything more than this.

"It is ironic that Obama's supporters so often refer to him as a new John F. Kennedy. Senator Obama should be reminded that it was JFK... that said ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for you country.' That is the true American spirit!

"[Obama supporters'] belief is win... at any cost... the Constitution be Dammed [sic]! If that's not prejudice, I don't know what is. If it is true that ‘What is past, is prologue' then we need look no further than Obama's books. His blueprint is there in black and white. Literally and figuratively."

Uh...wow. But it gets better. Or worse:

"The books Obama has written about himself are very clear as to his true ambitions concerning his leftist, Marxist views but the average person will not take the time to read them. In the 1920s while in prison, a young Adolf Hitler wrote Mein Kampf... which outlined his entire plan for world domination and the extermination of the Jewish race. No one would read it, and then when they did it was too late... any book that was not approved by the Nazi Party was burned. The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx at one time was required reading in our schools. This book is Obama's ‘how-to' guide with his ideal of the ‘redistribution of wealth'... Somewhere Karl Marx with his godless, utopian vision is laughing in delight."

It's not like we expect Blackie Lawless to be a fountain of wisdom. It's just that the hubris, the undiluted delusion of this letter, is astonishing. Lawless-who plays a guitar adorned with the Confederate flag, just like many other "undecided" voters, is simply justifying his latent racism. It can't be because he's made an informed decision based on both candidates' stances or qualifications ‘cause all he has to say about McCain is:

"I will vote for McCain, not because I believe in all he stands for, but as a mandate against Obama, to keep him from becoming president."

[You can read the entire letter below. Wouldn't want him to be able to say we took him out of context.]

"Read in Case of National Emergency"

by Blackie  Lawless


"We the people of the United States'. These are the first 7 words of the Constitution of the United States of America. As I stood in the reception area of the Pentagon in Washington D.C. early this year, a large recreation of that Constitution was posted on the wall. It's the first thing you see as you enter the building. "We the People of the United States", I stared at it and said: "I'd die for that idea"!

I've written in the past, I love my country, but I'm scared to death of its government. That idea for me has taken a new twist in this coming election.

I'd first like to point out that I am not a John McCain supporter. I have been critical of the U. S. Government for years, and I, like most of my fellow Americans am angry and frustrated with the lying, manipulation and partisanship of the elected officials, both local and national, Democrat and Republican, of this country. 

The Founding Fathers of this Country wrote this Constitution, with all it's Amendments, as THE Cornerstone that this country would be governed by.  We Americans now find ourselves on the eve of, without a doubt, THE most important election of our lifetime.  In a time of World uncertainty, the volatility of the global financial Markets, the Middle East at war, Russia invading Georgia, Iran and North Korea attempting to develop nuclear weapons and with that Iran threatening to "Wipe Israel Off the Map", the entire world is at a dangerous point in history.

I grew up and lived with the ideals and philosophy of the "Counter Culture" Generation.  "Peace and Love", " Flower Power", "Stop the War", Never Trust anybody Over 30".  "Stop the War" was absolutely correct!  Vietnam was a disaster and more than 50,000 U. S. Soldiers died for that mistake.
But the rest was a load of naïve, idealist, "we can change the world", CRAP!

Not that some of those sentiments weren't a good idea. It's just that this generation of self-serving, selfish, spoiled brats has now come of age. They are the ones that now have perpetuated the greed and the lies of the Wall Street Bailout and a laundry list of other political atrocities too numerous to mention. The weakness of true conviction to teach their children about the values and history of this Nation. Their children know nothing of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Washington, Lincoln or the understanding that this Great Nation was built on the Dreams, the Tears, the back breaking Labor, the unending sacrifice and the Blood spilled by the generations before them that sacrificed their all, including the men and women that gave their lives, and the ones that will give their lives in defense of this "Great Experiment", this Great American Dream.  If you don't think so, go up to most any of their kids on the street and ask them about the Founding Fathers. More than likely they'll think its some new rap group. It's not just a glimpse into poor enlightenment. It's an indictment on their parents.

The generation that was going to change the world certainly did. Their gluttony for botox, living on credit cards, busy being fabulous and its all about me, me, me cause I'm better than you. "All You Need is Love".. I'm sorry pal, you missed the boat, all you really need is some guts and character. I'm disgusted and ashamed to be part of it.  Instead, that generation with their 'Woodstock / Marxist"  Scream - Dream are the ones which now control the majority of the mainstream media in this country. That includes almost all Television and almost all Newspapers. They are the ones that now bring the extreme liberal, radical 60's utopian vision of their world to the American people. The extreme liberal bias of the mainstream American Media which are now controlled by these "Yuppies" have conspired to deceive, manipulate, suppress the truth, promote their candidate at all costs and bury any story that does not put a halo around the head of that candidate.  It is with this that the American People are brought Barak Obama.

This man is a product of that Extreme Leftist - Marxist movement that has been building in this country for over 40 years. He is a product of the Harvard far left. He is the face and mouthpiece of a movement that is Hell Bent on breaking up the U. S. Constitution and reassembling it to conform to their vision. He is a lawyer, the Democratic Johnny Cochran, in which every time he speaks gives a closing argument. He is the embodiment of the New Democratic Machine.

When I was a kid everyone I knew were Democrats, but these are not your fathers Democrats anymore. They are part of some liberal elite that looks down on the ideals that made this Country great.  This Leftist Machine has hidden the truth from the American People (and the World) and continues to deceive at any cost.

Right now, as I write, the L. A. Times Newspaper has a videotape, which it refuses to release to the American Public, which shows Obama at a farewell dinner celebration for the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Spokesman Rashid Khalidi. He was also a spokesman for Yassir Arafat. In this tape are the recorded verbal attacks on Israel and the Israeli People and reference to Israel as a terrorist state.

Reportedly, the Domestic terrorist Bill Ayres, who as part of the "Weather Underground" terrorist organization bombed several U. S. targets including the Pentagon and the home of a U. S. Judge and killing 2 policemen in the process, was also at this dinner.  Obama has been close friends with Khalidi and Ayers for many years. The oath of President requires that the President will "protect the United States against all enemies, both Foreign AND Domestic".  Guess he didn't read that part!

Now, what should be of utmost concern to the American People are the repeated denials by Obama, that he has no ties to any of these people. If he has nothing to hide why not be truthful with the American Public and request the L. A. Times to release this videotape for us all to see. If it turns out to be nothing then at least the truth will be served.  From Obama's 20 year association with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright who has repeatedly said: "It's not God Bless America, No, No, No, It's God Damn America!

Obama sat in Wrights church and listened to this Treason for 20 years.
Wright also performed Obama's marriage and Baptized both of his children. Obama was an organizer for Acorn, the group now accused of massive voter registration fraud. Some working for Acorn have already been jailed for this. Obama was also Acorns lawyer for a time. Obama recently donated over $800,000 to Acorn.  He accuses Americans for "clinging to their guns and religion".  Never in the history of the United States has any Presidential candidate had a shroud of controversy surround them as has Obama. If someone would have told me 2 years ago that anybody with these associations could get nominated for their party, or even dog catcher, much less President of the United States, I would have said your insane.

My reasons for starting this letter with the first line of the Constitution is to reference a radio interview Obama did in which he says the U. S. Supreme Court did not go far enough in attempting to provide reparations to African- Americans and that the Earl Warren edition of the Supreme Court was not liberal enough. That Court was probably the most liberal in U.S. history.

It is not the job of the Supreme Court to be liberal or conservative. It is to interpret the Constitution. period. It is not to legislate from the bench based on the "general consensus of the people" as stated in a recent Supreme Court ruling, but rather to make its rulings based on the precise wording of the Constitution. If at some point "the people" wish to have any new amendment to the Constitution based on their modern day ideals, then all 50 states must ratify it..period.  This is the Obama quote from that interview with radio station WBEZ.FM in Chicago. This is not taken out of context. It is the entire quote:

"The Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society. To that extent, as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn't that radical. It didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution, at least as its been interpreted and Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states can't do to you. Says what the Federal government can't do to you, but doesn't say what the Federal government or State government must do on your behalf, and that hasn't shifted and one of the, I think, tragedies of the civil rights movement was, um, because the civil rights movement became so court focused I think there was a tendancy to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalition of powers through which you bring about redistributive change. In some ways we still suffer from that".

These are things he would NEVER say in front of a national audience. He only says and does these things when he thinks his base group is listening. In this interview he is making it clear that if elected, he would nominate Supreme Court Justices that will put forth his agenda's, "redistribution of wealth", his idea of "economic justice" and "redistributive change" which are other words for reparations for slavery and a Marxist redistribution of wealth which is no more than welfare.
Thomas Jefferson wrote in The Declaration of Independence about 'Life, Liberty and the PURSUIT of Happiness. This PURSUIT is not a guarantee of wealth or any form of happiness, but the chance to raise one-self up. This government never has, nor ever will, nor ever should provide for anything more than this.
It is ironic that Obama's supporters so often refer to him as a new John F. Kennedy.

Senator Obama should be reminded that it was JFK in his inaugural address that said "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for you country".  That is the TRUE American Spirit!

On the issue of taxes, in effort to "spread the wealth around" he first defined the rich as making $300,000 then he said it was $250,000 then he said $200,000, then a few days ago Joe Biden said it would be $150,000. So, what's the real number?  This is more about him not being truthful with the public.

Will all of his tax schemes of taxing anyone who makes over $250,000  (or whatever it is) a year destroy our economy, yeah, just like Jimmy Carter did in the 70's and Herbert Hoover before him. It's not the individual that makes that much money that's the issue. If this were only about individuals then that could be argued.  But what he doesn't tell you is what it does to businesses. Most any business that creates that much revenue MUST employ a number of people. If the business is taxed upwards of 30% or more then those jobs are gone.its that simple.

There have been a lot of charges about racism in this election from the Obama side. I personally have never been a racist. Any of you that know me, know I've said many times that after my Father, Muhammad Ali has been the biggest influence in my life.  But there definitely is racism in this election.  96 to 97% of African-Americans polled in this election say they will vote for Obama. Never in the history of this country has ANY candidate ever had such overwhelming numbers from any group. White, Black, Hispanic, Asian or other. The traveling Political,  Racist, Circus called Acorn, which Obama worked with for years, is creating and sponsoring voter fraud across the country by registering illegal immigrants, the Dallas Cowboys and Mickey Mouse. This is no joke. Acorn has actually done this and much, much more. Their belief is win .. at any cost.. the Constitution be Dammed!

If that's not prejudice, I don't know what is.

The books Obama has written about himself are very clear as to his true ambitions concerning his Leftist, Marxist views but the average person will not take the time to read them,  In the 1920's while in prison, a young Adolf Hitler wrote "Mein Kampf" (My Struggle) which outlined his entire plan for World Domination and the extermination of the Jewish race. No one would read it, and then when they did it was too late.. any book that was not approved by the Nazi Party was burned. The "Communist Manifesto" by Karl Marx at one time, was required reading in our schools. This book is Obama's "How To" guide with his ideal of the "Redistribution of Wealth". If you don't think so, go back and look at the above radio interview. Somewhere Karl Marx with his Godless, Utopian vision is laughing in delight.

If it is true that "What is Past, is Prologue" then we need look no further than Obama's books. His blueprint is there in black and white. Literally and figuratively.

I will vote for McCain, not because I believe in all he stands for, but as a mandate against Obama, to keep him from becoming President.  Yes, I will cling to my guns and my religion, and continue to believe in the Constitution, the Cornerstone of our society and trust that this is STILL a "Government of the People, By the People, For the People".

The point of all this is, that no matter whatever any of us encounter in life, look for the truth. The truth can and will stand up to anything. If that truth cannot stand up to scrutiny then you must see it and call it for what it truly is.  If any would be Messiah comes along and he looks like it, acts like it and smells like it then you call him what he truly is. a Marxist, in Socialist clothing!

I challenge all Americans to go back and READ the Constitution of the United States, READ the Declaration of Independence.

Decide for Yourself

God Help Us. . God Bless America

I encourage anyone who understands this letter and is moved to action, to send this letter in an email to everyone you know, to all who will listen!

- Blackie  Lawless

The Flaming Lips are known for giving the people more than they expect—but alas, not all we want.

By Randy Harward

You’ve already read about (or watched Wayne Coyne's video explaining--it's below) the exciting, completely expected, mega-deluxe edition of the Flaming Lips’ Christmas on Mars DVD that comes out on 11/11. You may even be justifying the expense to your wife or mother. Or just rolling up the sleeve for another plasma donation. Anything to get your hands on a movie, T-shirt, popcorn box “with real Flaming Lips popcorn,” fake (replica) tickets, Lips trading cards, “Eat Your Own Spaceship” bumper sticker and—maybe, just maybe—one of ten golden tickets that will land you in the audience at the Lips’ New Years’ Eve show in Oklahoma. So is the Blurt staff.

Well, what would you do if the mega-deluxe edition contained more and better stuff? What if everything discussed in the initial meetings actually made it to the final product? What would you do then? Knowing ourselves as we do, we shudder to think of the drastic, desperate actions we’d take to procure the items on this list, anonymously provided to Blurt in the wee hours of today.

-         A lock of Drozd’s hair

-         A lock of Santa’s back hair

-         Fred Armisen voicemail greetings, including “Cosmic reality is a motherfucker!”

-         Wax lips painted black with flames a la Big Daddy Roth, then dipped in mescaline

-         Five golden things

-         Miniature jar of mint petroleum jelly with a portion of the skinned baby lamb from Eraserhead.

-         Rolling papers made from band members’ sloughed off skin cells

-         Some of what they’re smoking

-         1/8-ounce vial of Wayne Coyne’s cerebrospinal fluid on Boondoggle lanyard made by Jesus (or Jeebus)

-         X-ray Spex (real)

-         Download code for new Hinder album

-         Make-your-own-swirly-colored-vinyl kit

-         Michael Ivins Chia Pet

-         Flaming Lips fleece throw and hot cocoa mug and lost John Grisham novel from his “caffeine days.”

-         Clips from assorted Flaming Lips TV appearances, including Dr. Phil, The View, Oprah, Crossing Over with John Edward, Scare Tactics, Family Feud, and Band vs. Wild

Alas, we’ll never lay our greedy little hands on such treasures. Unless, Blurt readers, you’d entertain a scavenger hunt? If anyone can provide all of the things on the list, you’ll be rewarded handsomely.

Damn Right Rebel Proud debuts at #2 on Billboard country and #18 on Top 200. Hail Satan!

By Randy Harward

There’s something special about the news that Hank III hittin’ number two on the Billboard country chart and #18 on the publication’s Top 200 with album number four, Damn Right Rebel Proud. This is a guy whose on-bus inner sanctum contains a mason jar half-full of weed—which he gladly shared with Blurt while speaking of his distaste for cops, a trade paperback copy of The Satanic Bible, rusty dumbbells and scores of heavy metal CDs in stacks and scattered on the floor. And he says in the album’s EPK (see it below) that “One song’s written and dedicated for the outlaw scumfuck G.G. Allin…”

If he’s bubbling under country fluff like current #1 shitkicker Kenny Chesney, and beats out other vanilla-scented twangers like Carrie Underwood (#7), Sugarland (#3), Faith Hill (#10), Taylor Swift (#6) and erstwhile Hootie, Darius Rucker (#5—that’s right, vanilla), that’s one big billboard sayin’ we may one day take country back from the poseurs. Damn right, rebel proud!

Go get ‘em, III. Punch ‘em in the taint!

p.s. Don’t forget to go to www.reinstatehank.org and join III’s fight to get his grandfather, Hank Sr., reinstated to the Grand Ole’ Opry. Stay tuned for tour dates in 2009.

Damn Right Rebel Proud EPK:

The Last Pale Light in the West mini-LP due Jan. 20, Lucero’s Universal debut scheduled for summer.

By Blurt Staff

Lucero vocalist-guitarist Ben Nichols will release his solo debut, a mini-LP called The Last Pale Light in the West, on Jan. 20 on the Liberty & Lament/The Rebel Group label. The news came simultaneously with the announcement that Lucero has signed to Universal Records, with a studio album scheduled for summer 2009.

The Last Pale Light in the West was recorded in August with Rick Steff (Cat Power, Lucero) and Todd Beane (Glossary), and features seven songs inspired by author Cormac McCarthy’s novel Blood Meridian. The record “displays Nichols’ signature gravelly voice accompanied by his acoustic guitar and complimented by Steff’s perfectly placed piano and accordion parts, as well as Beane’s subtle pedal steel guitar.” Nichols’ has been performing tracks from the album, along with Lucero favorites, on the Revival Tour with Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music) and Tim Barry (AVAIL), as well as Tom Gabel (Against Me!).

More Nichols news, from the press release:

…2008 has been a busy year for Nichols, which has found him exploring and pursuing different artistic endeavors.  He started it out by contributing vocals to The Hold Steady’s most recent album, Stay Positive, and was featured on the first single, “Sequestered in Memphis” as well as the tracks “Constructive Summer” and “Magazines.”  Nichols starred in a leading role for MTV New Media’s upcoming and groundbreaking, online serial-music drama, $5 Cover.  Created by filmmaker Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, Black Snake Moan), the series is dedicated to the historic music scene of Memphis, Tennessee—Nichols’ current hometown—and the lives of young modern-day artists working to put their twist on the storied musical landscape created by legendary musicians before them.

“Nichols also did a song for All Aboard: A Tribute to Johnny Cash where he contributed his take on “Delia’s Gone” to the compilation CD (out now on Anchorless Records).  All profits from sales go to the Syrentha Savio Endowment (SSE), a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to underprivileged women who cannot afford the expense of fighting breast cancer.”

Tour dates are below.

Ben Nichols "New Song" video:

Ben Nichols tour dates:

Ben Nichols (Acoustic) Tour Dates

For the most current tour dates, check out www.luceromusic.com or www.myspace.com/lucero.

Joe the Plumber is ready to rock with Aaron Tippin. And why not invite Jeff Guckert-Gannon to the party?

By Randy Harward

We know that a country star has to have three names, but Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher? Sure, Joe the Plumber, as Wurzelbacher is known, has that Larry the Cable Guy ring, but this blue collar fraud/fame-grabbing douchebag now thinks he has what it takes to be a shitkickin' country star. Just like Aaron Tippin, the ostensibly straight-proclaiming, gay-appearing "patriotic" country star and part of the braintrust, along with booker-manager Bobby Roberts and publicity firm The Press Office, that signed Joe the Plumber to a deal that may include a contract with a major record label.

Can you believe this shit? Check out what The Press Office told Politico.com about JTP's musical credentials:

Among the requests: a possible record deal with a major label, personal appearances and corporate sponsorships. A longtime country music fan, Wurzelbacher can sing and "knocks around on guitar" but is not an accomplished musician or songwriter, according to The Press Office's Jim Della Croce. "He's a complicated guy with a very dynamic personality," Della Croce told Politico. "He can sing and obviously has a strong political point of view."

Well, maybe it's not so surprising. Joe the Plumber doesn't have a license to plumb, and probably only sings in the shower. Sarah Palin didn't have a passport until 2006, but wants to be Assistant to the Regional Manager of the United States of America. The Bush Administration let a gay rent boy join the White House Press Corps. To say nothing of the fact that our current president is an all-around dingleberry who lucked into the family business and stole the highest elected office out from under our noses.

You know what? Joe the Plumber looks a lot like that rent boy, Jeff Guckert (or Jeff Gannon, whatever). And check out Tippin's 'stache and come-hither leer. Maybe there's something there, and we can expect a series of DVDs (License to Plumb, Knockaround Guys: The Reaming, Working Class Ass, NASCAR Nights/Fire Island Days) to hit adult bookstores--in the super-secret hypocrites-only room.

In the second edition of the Spinto Band's tour diarty, Jon Eaton checks in from Toronto en route home to the U.S.

We are gathered in Toronto on the first snow day of the season now.  Again, Spiral Beach and Frightened Rabbit have kindly joined us, the only difference is tonite they are all wrapped in scarves... As are we. Well for the most part. I think I packed a little light for this weather.

Enough about weather. We are young, alive, and refuse to kick Father Winter while he's down. He needs an October snow day. He needs people to talk about something besides melting ice caps and he needs us to see more signs like this one. [read more...]

Plexifilm and Warhol Museum releasing 13 Most Beautiful… Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests w/ Dean & Britta soundtrack.

By Blurt Staff

Plexifilm and The Andy Warhol Museum will release 13 Most Beautiful... Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests, a collection of featuring 13 of Warhol's “classic silent film portraits” of pop culture figures shot between 1964 and 1966 at Warhol’s Factory in NYC. Among the subjects including Nico, Lou Reed, Edie Sedgwick, Mary Woronov, Billy Name, Dennis Hopper and more. Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips have created new soundtracks for the films, comprised of original music and cover songs. (The trailer is embedded at the end of this post.)

The studio will release two versions of 13 Most Beautiful: a limited-edition of 1,300 in a deluxe gatefold LP-style package with an exclusive poster and booklet. In addition, one frame from each of the 13 Screen Tests will be hand-printed as an archival gelatin-silver photograph in an edition of 100, with one print in each limited-edition package. Plexifilm is taking pre-orders for the limited edition ($250 a pop) at www.plexifilm.com in advance of the January 17 street date. The retail edition ($34.99) is due February 17 and is presented in a hardcover book with slipcover.

Bonus features on both editions include a behind-the-scenes documentary and a video interview with Dean & Britta about Warhol, the music, and the project. The booklet features brief biographies of each Screen Test subject as well as liner notes from the Warhol Museum's Thomas Sokolowski, Geralyn Huxley, and Ben Harrison. Wareham supplies notes on the music.

More details from the press release:

Between 1964 and 1966, Andy Warhol shot nearly 500 Screen Tests, beautiful and revealing portraits of hundreds of different individuals, from the famous to the anonymous, all visitors to his studio, the Factory. Subjects were captured in stark relief by a strong keylight, and filmed by Warhol with his stationary 16mm Bolex camera on silent, black and white, 100-foot rolls of film. The resulting two-and-a-half-minute film reels were then screened in slow motion, resulting in a fascinating collection of four-minute masterpieces that startle and entrance, mesmerizing in the purest sense of the word.

The 13 Screen Tests included are Paul America, Susan Bottomly, Ann Buchanan, Freddy Herko, Jane Holzer (Toothbrush), Dennis Hopper, Billy Name, Nico, Richard Rheem, Lou Reed (Coke), Edie Sedgwick, Ingrid Superstar and Mary Woronov.

Songwriters Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips, formerly of the band Luna and currently recording as Dean & Britta, created new soundtracks for the 13 films, incorporating original compositions as well as cover songs. The musical sensibilities of Dean & Britta, as well as their keen interest in cinema and their experience with scoring films, including Noah Baumbach's acclaimed feature The Squid & the Whale, make them a perfect match for this project.

13 Most Beautiful…Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests with Dean & Britta is also being presented by The Andy Warhol Museum as a series of live multi-media performances. The original project was jointly commissioned by The Andy Warhol Museum and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust for the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts 2008 and will have its world premiere at The Byham Theater in Pittsburgh on Friday, October 24th. It will travel to contemporary arts centers, museums and festivals throughout the U.S. including the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio on November 20, 2008; Lincoln Center (American Song Book Series), New York, NY on January 17, 2009; Vancouver, PuSH Festival, January 30, 2009; Seattle Art Museum on February 6, 2009; Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, MN on February 28, 2009; MCA Chicago on March 7, 2009; and Mass MoCA, North Adams, MA on March 28, 2009. Additional US dates and European performances will be announced soon.

DVD COVER:

13 MOST BEAUTIFUL… TRAILER:

Annual concert benefits fight against Parkinson’s Disease

By Blurt Staff

Jesse Malin, Marah, Willie Nile, Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers,  and Goo Goo Doll John Rzeznik will play the two-day Light of Day concert in Asbury Park, NJ during the weekend of Nov. 1 and 2. [UPDATE: An earlier version of this story indicated John Easdale of Dramarama would appear. He will not play after all.] The shows benefit the fight against Parkinson’s Disease, a degenerative neurological disorder whose most famous sufferer is Michael J. Fox who, incidentally, starred in the 1987 film Light of Day, about a Cleveland band that sounds a lot like the Asbury Park pub rockers on this very bill.

From the press release:

The first eight years of Light of Day ventures have raised over $750,000 for the fight against Parkinson's disease and related illnesses. Past performers include Joe Grushecky, Jesse Malin, Gary US Bonds, La Bamba, Max Weinberg, Soozie Tyrell, Southside Johnny, John Eddie, Pat Dinizio, Jakob Dylan, Lucinda Williams and many others. Grushecky, who has performed at every Light of Day concert, has been joined onstage by Bruce Springsteen for six of eight years' Light of Day events. At 2003's Light of Day concert, the pair was joined by organizer Bob Benjamin and film star Michael J. Fox for a raucous finale of "Light of Day," the Springsteen-penned anthem from which the event's name is taken.

The Saturday show will be at the newly refurbished Paramount Theatre, a fixture on the Asbury Park Boardwalk since 1930. The Sunday show will be held at the world-famous Stone Pony, the oceanfront night club where Light of Day was launched nine years ago. Lineups:

Saturday, November 1

The Paramount Theater

Asbury Park, New Jersey

Performers include: Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers, Marah,

Jesse Malin, Willie Nile, Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan

Sunday, November 2

The Stone Pony

Asbury Park, New Jersey

Performers include: John Easdale, Boccigalupe and the Badboys, Jobonanno & the Godsons of Soul, Exit 105 and Tom Vella & the Wayside

Any remaining tickets are available at Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster Charge By Phone, Ticketmaster Online (www.ticketmaster.com), (www.livenation.com), (www.stoneponyonline.com) and the Stone Pony box office.

For more information, please visit www.lightofday.org                                                                   

The Spinto Band's Jon Eaton checks in with tales of Legos, frightened rabbits, spiral beaches and national eyes.

By Blurt Staff

Check out the first entry of Blurt's exclusive tour diary from The Spinto Band. In this edition, Jon Eaton tells about a Lego building contest between TSP and tour mates Frightened Rabbit, National Eye and Spiral Beach. TSP won Most Imaginative which, says Eaton, "is kind of bullshit."

Vinyl box set due Nov. 25, more tour dates, video contest winner announced

By Blurt Staff

On Nov. 25, Barsuk Records will release a numbered, limited edition vinyl box set containing all five Nada Surf albums and assorted goodies. Augmenting the NYC band’s five studio recordings will be a repressing of their first 7” single, a full-color 23-page lyric and photo book, and download codes for all The Proximity Effect, Let Go, The Weight Is a Gift, Lucky, plus a collection of rare and out-of-print bonus tracks and b-sides.

Nada Surf has also announced that Richard Card and Austin Trotter are the winners of their YouTube video contest. Card and Trotter will receive $3,000 from Barsuk for their video for “Weightless,” which “focuses on transitions and dream-like experiences, both ordinary and surreal.” Runner-up Sean P. Rogan and third place winner Sam Kuhn will be awarded copies of the Nada Surf vinyl box set, an assortment of Nada Surf t-shirts and CDs, plus stuff from www.dakine.com. Winning entries are viewable at: www.barsuk.com/nadasurfcontestwinners

The band will continue its tour supporting Lucky this Fall.

NADA SURF ON TOUR:

November:

9 New York, NY - The Living Room (Kidrockers event - Matthew +Ira acoustic)

19 Mexico City, Mexico - The Vive Cuervo Salon

21 Denton, TX - Hailey's #%

22 Austin, TX - Emo's #%

24 Oklahoma City, OK - Bricktown Ballroom #%

25 Little Rock, AR - Juanita's #%

28 Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Music Café #%

29 Chicago, IL - Metro #%

December:

2 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club #%

4 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero#%

5 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club #%

6 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #&

7 New York, NY - Webster Hall#*

8 Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's %$

# w/ Delta Spirit

% w/ The Jealous Girlfriends

& w/ Gramercy Arms

* w/ Bear Hands

$ w/ Mary Kate O’Neil

R.I.P. Rudy Ray Moore

All sound and fury, signifying monkey.

By Randy Harward

Today the world is down one bad motherfucker. Actor, comedian, and singer Rudy Ray Moore—more popularly known as the swashbuckling blaxploitation hero Dolemite—passed away yesterday after “a long bout with diabetes and obscurity,” according to his MySpace page.

Moore was a pioneer in the field of raunchy comedy, releasing outrageous party records in the 1960s-70s that pushed the boundaries of good taste and paved the way for countless pottymouthed comics and rappers to come. His onscreen persona, the fuckin’, fightin’ Dolemite, is an icon of American popular culture, especially the blaxploitation film genre along with Shaft, Super Fly, Blacula, Coffy, and Welcome Home Brother Charles. Stereotypical, and deliberately pandering to black audiences, these films portrayed black men as ass-kickin’ lovermen—usually with a grudge against Whitey. Moore’s films were the genre’s B- and even C-level, with Dolemite’s trademark bad acting and fighting, but regarded as classics nonetheless because few blaxploitation stars—Pam Grier, Richard Roundtree, Jim Brown, Fred Williamson—could match the verve and humor Moore displayed in Dolemite, its sequel The Human Tornado, and Petey Wheatstraw, The Devil’s Son-in-Law.

Rest in peace, Dole.

Full announcement, from the Rudy Ray Moore MySpace page:

Legendary actor, filmmaker, comedian, singer, Godfather of Rap and King of the Party Records, Rudolph Frank Moore better known as Rudy Ray Moore or Dolemite has left this earthly plane.

A 60 + year veteran of the stage, the first x rated comedian, one of the first African American filmmakers and the third most sampled man in the world, his self made comedy records and films have inspired and influenced generations from a thousand walks of life and a hundred nations.

He had recently finished work on "The Dolemite Explosion" with longtime friend and costar Jimmy Lynch (his first self-made film in 30 years), an album of soul ballads called "Let Me Sing To You Before I Drift Away" with his daughter Rusty, and had been Highlighted by Hadjii in an episode of "Somebodies" and was looking forward to a resurgence and a country album.

After a long battle with diabetes and obscurity, he passed peacefully on Sunday at the age of 81.

He was a good God fearing man who loved his friends and family.

Chile-based German DJ/producer’s new album features Latin electronic and cha cha cha tributes to Daft Punk, Prince, the Eurythmics.

By Blurt Staff

On Nov. 18, Nacional Records will release Around the World, the new album by Chile-based German producer Señor Coconut (Uwe Schmidt), and reissue Coconut’s debut album, El Baile Alemán.

Around the World will apply a Latin touch to “classic club hits by… Daft Punk ("Around the World"), Prince ("Kiss"), Laid Back ("White Horse"), and the Eurythmics ("Sweet Dreams).” Track-by-track notes from Señor Coconut follow this post.

El Baile Alemán, Coconut’s Latin tribute to Kraftwerk, will be reissued on CD (with bonus tracks)—and for the first time, via download.

Track list:

1. Around the World (Intro)

2. Sweet Dreams

3. Da Da Da Ich Leib Dich Nicht du Liebst Mich

4. Kiss

5. Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)           

6. Around the World (Interlude)           

7. Que Rico El Mambo                       

8. Pinball Chacha                       

9. White Horse                       

10. La Vida Es Llena de Cables           

11. Moscow Discow

12. Around the World (Outro)

13. Dreams Are My

14. Voodoo Dreams [Atom Remix]

Track-by-track:

AROUND THE WORLD - "With my Señor Coconut project, I receive a whole lot of ideas from friends, fans, and other musicians. My friend and valued colleague, Original Hamster, once mentioned 'Around the World' by the French group Daft Punk and since then this track had been stuck in my head. But in parallel with this, Thomas Baxter, son of the legendary exotica musician and composer Les Baxter, asked me whether I would be interested in remixing one of his father's tracks ('Voodoo Dreams' is included on this album as a bonus track). While I was getting absorbed in Les Baxter and listening to him closely, I discovered an album of his entitled 'Round the World with Les Baxter'.

The theme of 'Around the World' began to take hold of me. It can certainly be said that 'Around the World' - whether interpreted by Les Baxter, Señor Coconut, or anyone else - always reflects only a subjective view of the world. The world of Les Baxter is just as incomplete as that of Señor Coconut, defined by the time and place of our respective existences. After the title of the Señor Coconut album had been decided on, it was of course clear that Daft Punk's 'Around the World' would have to be the leitmotif. The track therefore appears three times on the album: as introduction, interlude and finale."

SWEET DREAMS - "Once 'Around the World' had been established as theme and motto of the album, the first prerequisite was that every track had to come from a different country. One track that had been in my thoughts for years for a Señor Coconut production was 'Sweet Dreams' by the British band Eurythmics. It is simply rhythmically and melodically a perfect cha-cha-cha. The ultimate criterion with Señor Coconut is always purely musical: 'Does that give me any interesting ideas?' Suddenly I heard very clearly its lyrics which provide a curious cross-reference to 'Around the World': 'I travelled the world and the seven seas... Everybody's looking for something.'"

DA DA DA - "A few years ago I had the pleasure of doing a remix for Stephan Remmler, so we were already in contact. Stephan likes Señor Coconut and my work on the remix reminded me of 'Da Da Da'. I realized that 'Da Da Da' was virtually crying out to be done as a cha-cha-cha. Rhythmically and melodically, it was clear where the musical journey should go. I asked Stephan if he would be interested in singing and he agreed immediately. I think that hardly any other German track from the 80s was as emblematic or as German as 'Da Da Da.' In my opinion, the brilliant simplicity of the song makes it THE German representative on 'Around the World.""

KISS - "Again, it was Original Hamster who brought 'Kiss' to my attention. Together with Argenis Brito, I translated the lyrics into Spanish and the decision was made to include this song on the album. The real fascination of this song is that the original has no bass line and that its charm lies in its simplicity (and that was the connection to 'Da Da Da'). At the musical level, the challenge was to convey these two aspects in Señor Coconut style."

QUE RICO EL MAMBO - "The original by Perez Prado is quite simply THE Mambo track par excellence. It was also high time to have Perez Prado appear on a Señor Coconut album, not just as a guiding spirit but directly. There are Prado references on all the Señor Coconut albums and he is probably my most important source of inspiration. It is interesting that Perez Prado is in no way a representative of Latin American "standards" but is characterized much more by having continually rejected these standards (apart from those which he himself created). Perez Prado compositions are remarkable not only for their unconventional arrangements and playing styles but also for their wit and simplicity."

PINBALL CHACHA - "Just as on 'El Baile Alemán' and 'Yellow Fever!', an originally electronic track is re-interpreted acoustically. This song is by the Swiss band Yello and was always a cha-cha-cha. This is already enough to explain why it ended up on the album. Produced by Yello at the beginning of the 80s using one of the first samplers, the original version plays with elements which are typical of "exotica" such as sampled bird calls and forest sounds."

WHITE HORSE - "Argenis Brito turned me on to the track. When I found myself short of up-tempo tracks, and it occurred to me that the original 'White Horse' track by the Danish combo Laid Back would be perfect as a merengue song, I knew that I simply HAD to cover it. 'White Horse' is in fact a reference to cocaine ('If you wanna ride, don't ride the white horse...'), a substance which is very popular in the merengue scene and is without doubt responsible for the nervousness of this rhythm."

Human Giant and Flight of the Conchords star embarks on stand-up tour.

By Blurt Staff

While we await the third season of Human Giant and more news about his The Office spinoff, Aziz Ansari is taking his sweet act to us. The 16-date (so far) “Glow in the Dark” tour starts Saturday, Oct. 25 in Saratoga Springs, NY and will hit NYC, Seattle, San Francisco, Austin and other U.S. cities through Jan. 24. More dates to be announced.

Check out Aziz's interview with M.I.A. as well as Jeff Miller's Aziz profile and A.D. Amorosi's Human Giant feature--all done pre-Blurt for the dearly deparated Harp magazine.

Aziz Ansari ComedyCentral.com "Clip Joint":

Aziz Ansari's “Glow in the Dark” tour dates:

10.25.08 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Skidmore College - More Info
10.26.08 - Ithaca, NY - Ithaca College - Buy Tickets
11.08.08 - Notre Dame, ID - Notre Dame (Legends) - More Info
11.13.08 - Seattle, WA - Triple Door - Buy Tickets
11.20.08 - Chicago, IL - Lakeshore Theatre - Buy Tickets
12.10.08 - Atlanta, GA - Punchline - Buy Tickets
12.11.08 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt - Buy Tickets
12.12.08 - Charleston, SC - 99 Theatre - Buy Tickets
12.13.08 - Charleston, SC - 99 Theatre - Buy Tickets
12.19.08 - Austin, TX - Emo's - Buy Tickets
01.09.09 - New York, NY - Comix - On Sale 10/28/08
01.10.09 - New York, NY - Comix - On Sale 10/28/08
01.17.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Largo at the Coronet - On Sale 10/28/08
01.22.09 - San Francisco, CA - The Punchline - On Sale 10/28/08
01.23.09 - San Francisco, CA - The Punchline - On Sale 10/28/08
01.24.09 - San Francisco, CA - The Punchline - On Sale 10/28/08

(Photo: Randy Harward)

It’s just another day for you and me and hope and change in Burnout Paradise—but who invited Obama into that fantasy?

By Randy Harward

Perhaps by now you’ve seen GigaOm.com’s report that the Barack Obama campaign purchased in-game advertising on the Xbox 360 racing game Burnout Paradise (Electronic Arts). The billboard says, “Early Voting Has Begun” which, as GigaOm points out, is possibly “his subtle way of trying to get [gamers] off the couch.”

Hey, with Somebody’s efforts to disenfranchise voters and flat-out steal elections, and the Rovian motivation of fearful bigoted evangelical voters, it’s worth a shot. Gamers are an increasingly substantial portion of the population. And to speak generally—and risk sounding like Bill O’Reilly when he called The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’s viewers “stoned slackers”—many of them probably prefer their banana chair or beanbag time to more significant pursuits and concerns, like presidential elections.

Gamers aren’t all single-minded burnouts. Many have jobs and families, to say nothing of minds and opinions. It’s possible, though, that their leisure activities leave little time for, or passively take priority over, researching candidates and issues. Gamers probably don’t debate their opponents while during a marathon online World of Warcraft session, or engage the drummer in political tête-à-tête while Guided by Joyces holds forth on the Rock Band virtual stage. And chances are very few of them tune into CNN or MSNBC after powering down their systems. So why not reach out to them in their world?

That is, if we/they can stomach more product placement and ubiquitous-verging-on-ridiculous advertising. It’s bad enough to have in-show advertisements on The Office or in films. Like moviegoers and boob-tubers, gamers probably bristle at real-world advertisements in the fantasy worlds that function as an escape from their day-to-day. Especially when those ads don’t necessarily reflect their views or tastes—hell, even when they do.

I support Obama, but I’d nonetheless be taken aback by a campaign ad in a game I for which I shelled out forty to sixty bucks. Sorry, Mr. Almost Maybe President—I just don’t want to be pitched when I’m pretending to be a street racer instead of keyboard monkey. I want to see fire, explosions, gore and girls—and some far-out recreations of exotic locales both extant and extraterrestrial. I want, for the hour or two I can devote to my hobby, to be unmolested by advertising, whether it’s from you, McCain or McDonald’s. And I for damn sure don’t want to see my fictional band on the cover of Paste when I pass a level on Guitar Hero III. Talkin’ to you, Neversoft. That rag wouldn’t know a rippin’ solo if Hendrix pissed one down on them from the Coca-Cola skybox in Jet Blue Heaven.

Let Sleeping Corpses Lie compiles studio and live recordings, video and “hidden gems” spanning 1985-1996.

By Blurt Staff

On Nov. 25, Geffen/UME will exhume White Zombie for the box set Let Sleeping Corpses Lie. The four-CD, one-DVD set will feature all 64 original studio recordings released by the band during its 1985-1996 career. The DVD will include nine music videos, 10 live performances, and some “hidden gems.” Among these latter items will be tracks from rare early EPs Gods on Voodoo Moon (only 300 of those were pressed), Pig Heaven (ltd. edition of 1,000), and Psycho-Head Blowout.

Main man Rob Zombie writes of the set on MySpace blog: “All I can say is boy the early shit is wacked. I haven't heard some of these songs in over twenty years. I don't know what the hell we were thinking.

“Everything is including on this set. Over 4 and 1/2 hours of music plus tons of never before seen videos. 5 discs in all.”

Meatier details:

Disc One… includes all of the tracks released on the New York City band’s own Silent Explosion label--the four songs on the 1985 Gods On Voodoo Moon EP, of which only 300 copies were pressed; the two songs on the 1986 Pig Heaven EP, which had only 1,000 made; and the seven on 1987’s Psycho-Head Blowout EP, which Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain called one of his favorite albums.

Disc Two encompasses White Zombie’s first two full-length albums, 1987’s Soul-Crusher, which began on Silent Explosion but was re-released by Caroline Records the following year, and 1989’s Make Them Die Slowly.

Disc Three offers the three-selection God Of Thunder EP and the band’s 1992 major label debut, La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Vol. 1, which broke the band into the Top 40, earned double platinum and spawned the Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy-nominated “Thunder Kiss ‘65” and “Black Sunshine” (with Iggy Pop). Also heard is “I Am Hell” from the soundtrack to the 1993 animated flick The Beavis & Butt-head Experience.

Disc Four opens with “Children Of The Grave” from a 1994 Black Sabbath tribute album and “Feed The Gods” from that year’s Airheads soundtrack album. The centerpiece, however, is 1995’s Astro-Creep: 2000, Songs Of Love, Destruction And Other Synthetic Delusions Of The Electric Head, which ranked in the Top 10 for two months, was certified triple platinum and spun off the Modern Rock Top 10, Grammy nominated “More Human Than Human.” The 64 Let Sleeping Corpses Lie recordings conclude with 1996 soundtrack contributions to Escape From L.A., Beavis And Butt-head Do America and The Crow: City Of Angels, with its Grammy nominated cover of the disco hit “I’m Your Boogieman.”

Among the DVD’s videos are those for “More Human Than Human,” winner of the MTV Video Music Award for Best Hard Rock Video, as well as “Thunder Kiss ’65,” “Black Sunshine,” “Super-Charger Heaven,” “I’m Your Boogieman” and “The One.” Live performances include “Soul-Crusher,” “Spiderbaby (Yeah Yeah Yeah),” “I Am Hell” and “Creature Of The Wheel.”

Plexifilm will release documentary theatrically this Fall, on DVD Nov. 18

By Blurt Staff

Plexifilm has announced Fall theatrical release and a Nov. 18 DVD date for Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell, Matt Wolf’s documentary about the prolific late singer-songwriter-composer-cellist-producer. The film will be bolstered by commentary from Allen Ginsberg, Philip Glass, and “other Russell collaborators and loved ones, as well as 65 minutes of rare bonus material including 25 minutes of archival performance footage, footage of Ginsberg chanting a mantra at Russell’s funeral, an audio letter from Russell to his parents, and covers of Russell songs by Jens Lekman, Verity of Electrelane, Joel Gibb of Hidden Cameras, and Arthur’s Landing.

From the press release:

Before his untimely death from AIDS in 1992, Arthur Russell prolifically created music that spanned an extraordinary diversity of styles and won the love of artistic communities that would seem utterly disparate. His collaborators and most ardent supporters ranged from Philip Glass and Allen Ginsberg to rock bands like The Talking Heads and The Modern Lovers; the pre-Studio 54 disco-party scene of Nicky Siano’s Gallery and David Mancuso’s Loft; and DJ-producers like Francois Kevorkian and Larry Levan, among others.

Just as Russell’s music had a relevance much broader than the avant-garde, Matt Wolf’s film about him, Wild Combination, appeals much more universally than just to fans of Russell’s music. It is a universally resonant love story, a film about the experience of being gay and confronting AIDS, a document of the compelling cultural history of New York in the 1970s and ‘80s, and a testament to the cathartic process of making art and pursuing popular success at a time when those goals were mutually attainable.

Since its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival—in festivals including the Edinburgh Film Festival, among many others around the world—Wild Combination has garnered considerable critical praise. Filmmaker just named Wolf one of 25 New Faces of Independent Film. Amy Taubin of Film Comment called Wild Combination a “finely tuned, remarkably affecting and informative portrait.” The Los Angeles Times called it "resourceful and refreshingly open-minded... a rich, complicated picture."

65 MINUTES OF DVD EXTRAS:

• Rare archival footage of two full-length live performances, “Soon To Be Innocent Fun/ Let’s See” (1985) and “Calling All Kids” (1989)

• Allen Ginsberg: A Memorial for Arthur Russell (1992)

• 1970 recording of an audiocassette letter sent from Arthur in San Francisco to his parents

• Tribute performances of Arthur Russell songs by Jens Lekman, Verity Susman (Electrelane), Joel Gibb (Hidden Cameras), and Arthur’s Landing (Ernie Brooks of Modern Lovers, Joyce Bowden, and Steven Hall)

TECHNICAL SPECS:

USA, 2008, 71 minutes (+65 minutes of extras), English, Color, HD, Super8, VHS, 1.78:1 (original ratio), Widescreen, 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital, NR, NTSC

Catalog # PLX-033 UPC: 82354004620 Price: $24.99

For more information, see www.arthurrussellmovie.com

Williams pays homage to Todd on "Rarity" from Little Honey.

By Matthew Recchia

On Gea, Mia Doi Todd's newest album, the singer-songwriter taps into her expressionist and idealistic side to bring the audience her most sensitive and passionate album yet. She probably didn't anticipate the affect it would have on Lucinda Williams.

In an interview with Newsday, Williams said that "Rarity" from her new album Little Honey (Lost Highway) was written for Todd, her fellow L.A. based singer-songwriter. "I was just really impressed with her-how poetic her songs were, how sophisticated her writing was, the beauty of her voice."

Dealing with the destructive forces that surround a "lover of life," Todd's lyrics show hints of the desperation and hopelessness that follow a vulnerable, helpless romantic. From the opening strums of Todd's guitar, the album flows beautifully, accompanied by the beats of Andres Renteria's hand drums and thumping bass lines from Joshua Abrams. Instrumentalist/composer Miguel Atwood-Ferguson also helps out by contributing the sounds of woodwinds, brass, and string arrangements to add a mystical and organic element to the album

The future looks bright for this relentless romantic, who is off the road after an exhausting US tour that saw her perform twenty-seven times in a span of thirty three days.

To listen to Mia or find information on upcoming performances, check out her Myspace page or website.

Mysterious Wilson will sign copies of That Lucky Old Sun in Nashville, Ann Arbor, Boston and NYC.  

By Blurt Staff

To promote his new album That Lucky Old Sun, erstwhile Beach Boy and mysterious musical figure Brian Wilson will do in-store signings in four U.S. cities in November while on tour. Wilson will autograph copies of the album as well as “one additional flat item” at each event.

The first will be at Grimey’s in Nashville on Nov. 9, followed by sessions in Ann Arbor, MI (Borders, Nov. 12), Boston, MA (Newbury Comics, Nov. 19) and finally New York City (J&R Music, Nov. 21). The press release notes these are the confirmed dates, which may or may not mean there will be others.

For more information about Brian Wilson and his upcoming tour, please visit www.brianwilson.com.

CONFIRMED AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS:

Nov. 9   (1pm)                Nashville, TN                 Grimey’s (1604 8th Avenue South)

Nov. 12 (12:30pm)          Ann Arbor, MI                Borders (612 East Liberty)

Nov. 19 (12pm)              Boston, MA                   Newbury Comics (Faneuil Hall Marketplace)

Nov. 21 (12pm)              New York, NY                J&R Music (23 Park Row)

TOUR DATES:  

Nov 10    Nashville, TN            Ryman Auditorium

Nov 12    Ann Arbor, MI           Michigan Theater

Nov 13    South Bend, IN         Morris Performing Arts Center

Nov 15    Minneapolis, MN       State Theater

Nov 16    Chicago, IL               Chicago Theatre

Nov 18    Washington, DC      Warner Theater

Nov 19    Boston, MA              Orpheum Theatre

Nov 21    New York, NY           Hammerstein Ballroom

Nov 22    Glenside, PA            Keswick Theater

Nov 23    Montclair, NJ            Wellmont Theatre

Nov 25    Westbury, NY          Westbury Theater

Three songs from Modern Silence coming via music blogs. First one’s up.

By Matthew Recchia

Although Casper & the Cookies third album, Modern Silence, is due to hit shelves anytime between now and the end of the year, the band has decided to release three exclusive tracks online to the public early. Each week in October, the band will release a new track on different sites to promote their new album.

Modern Silence has been nine months in the making, and comes almost two years after the band’s previous album, The Optimist’s Club. As for the origin of the name of the album, Jason NeSmith explains it as “a phrase that evokes a number of themes. We used most of them: awkward long distance phone calls, language barriers, social anxiety, absence (or a general lack of presence), a sudden numbing realization that one can no longer think of oneself as a good person, extraterrestrial friendship, and of course jazz-mime.”

Relaxing after a tour of Japan, the band plans to hit the road again in 2009 to support Modern Silence.

The exclusive tracks and release dates are listed below, along with where you can find them.

10/10: Three Imaginary Girls (www.threeimaginarygirls.com)

10/17: Optical Atlas (www.opticalatlas.com)

10/24: You Ain't No Picasso (www.youaintnopicasso.com)

Two acts will play together in more ways than one.

By Blurt Staff

Brooklyn-based folkies Ollabelle and ex-pat singer-songwriter Richard Shindell will unite for an East Coast tour in November. They’re not just touring together: On the six-date tour, which his New York, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, they’ll play together onstage, on one another’s songs as well as surprise covers. Dates:

November 12 Le Poisson Rouge (New York City, NY)

November 13 The Barns at Wolftrap (Vienna, VA)

November 14 Tarrytown Music Hall (Tarrytown, NY)

November 19 The Ram’s Head (Annapolis, MD)

November 20 World Café Live (Philadelphia, PA)

November 22 IMAC Theater(Huntington, NY)

ABOUT RICHARD SHINDELL:

An expatriate New Yorker now living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Richard Shindell is a meticulous craftsman of song whose six studio albums and one live recording have been revered by critics and fans alike. Innovative, original and occasionally spiritual, Shindell’s songs weave tales that interchangeably champion the downtrodden, exalt the disaffected or wax empathetic to those lost to society’s fringes. He is also recognized for his astonishing collection of cover songs, South of Delia, and his participation in the multi-artist project Cry Cry Cry.

ABOUT OLLABELLE:

Ollabelle was formed in the East Village as a weekly gospel jam session. Since recording their debut album in 2004, the band has toured the world with their incredible blend of roots music and gospel, sharing stages with everyone from Diana Krall to Alison Krauss to Donald Fagen and Levon Helm. Their latest release, Before This Time (Yep Roc), is a live recording that showcases the bands interpretive skills at their most powerful.

Band makes election season song available free at EverclearOnline.com

By Blurt Staff

Republicans like to claim Jesus is their homeboy, but he and his teachings are true blue. Art Alexakis addresses the misconception and resultant hypocrisy with the free track “Jesus Was a Democrat,” available at www.everclearonline.com. Or listen below.

From the press release: “Everclear debuted the song at the 2008 GRAMMY®s Rock The Conventions show in Denver this August and it left the audience stunned, particularly with an opening salvo like ‘Jesus Christ didn’t have blue eyes or blond hair/He looked just like all those people that you want to kill’ About dropping this charge at the Democratic National Convention, singer, guitarist and songwriter Art Alexakis exclaims, ‘People looked shocked and excited at the lyrics in a good way.’ A little sonic ‘shock and awe’ never hurt anyone, especially before an election.”

“I've wanted to write this song for a long time,” says Alexakis.” “During the 1988 presidential campaign, the right wing made people believe that 'liberals' were anti-American, anti-God and anti-family values. However, if you read Jesus' words, he sounded like a liberal.

“I hope the song can start a dialogue in places where there wasn't one before. I--like a lot of people who consider themselves Christians--get angry and bewildered at the intolerance of so many people who call themselves ‘Christians.' They act and talk in ways that have nothing to do with the lessons of Christ. Look, sexism, racism, bigotry, and hate don't have any place in a Christian's life.

“I think it's imperative that we elect Barack Obama. His election will be a message to the whole world that in today's America anyone can achieve their dreams, regardless of race, gender or economic strata.”

Everclear - "Jesus Was a Democrat"

Full lyrics:

Jesus Christ didn’t have blue eyes or blond hair

He looked just like all those people that you want to kill

Spin your hell into a heaven you can sell

Make it look like California with a bible belt

Jesus didn’t look like the boy next door

Unless you live in Palestine

I wonder what you mean by the golden rule

I think it is a scary play on words

I wonder what they taught you back in Sunday school

I bet you think of him

As a nice clean long haired republican, nah

He would be all locked up in Guantanamo Bay

If he were alive today

He would have been a revolutionary wanted by the CIA

I picture him in all the wrong places finding diamonds in the dirt

A Star of David tattoo and a Che T-shirt

Jesus was a left wing radical Jew

Murdered by people like you

If Jesus was a democrat like the bible says he was

I don't think he's going to want to take the blame

For all the awful things you say and do in his name

If Jesus was alive today he would be sad to see

That it is no different than it used to be

He's going to call you out

I am pretty god damned sure

He is going to be angry

He is going to be angry

You want to know what I think?

I think Jesus would have been a card carrying liberal

If he was a young man born in the USA

He would not be "fiscally conservative"

And he wouldn't vote for John McCain

All those so called Christians that you see on TV

Maybe they scare Jesus like they scare me

Kick you the hell out of my temple too

Too many elephants in the room

If Jesus was a democrat like the bible says he was

I don't think he's going to want to take the blame

For all the awful things you people do and say in his name

If Jesus was alive today he would be sad to see

That it is no different than it used to be

Someday he's going to call you out

I am pretty god damned sure

He is going to be mad

He is going to be angry

He is going to be mad

He is going to be mad

You say Jesus loves the little children

And I say I know that's true

I say he loves all the Muslims and the Jews

All the addicts and the porn stars too

You say Jesus died to save us all from a fiery hell

I say Jesus died to save us

Save us from ourselves

Will you save me from myself?

If Jesus was a liberal

Like the red letters say he was

I know he would have big love

For all the killers and the racists

And the bullies in this world

If Jesus was alive today

And you had a chance to meet him face to face

I'm pretty god damn sure that you and your friends

Would find some way to kill him all over again

You would kill him all over again

Again and again and again

Just like you always do

You do just what you always do

Romweber acts in Lake City, Duo Plays CMJ, Tours. New album in February.

By Blurt Staff

Flat Duo Jets founder Dexter Romweber is acting in Lake City alongside Sissy Spacek, Keith Carradine, Rebecca Romjin, Troy Garity and Drea de Matteo. Romweber plays Frank, the guitarist in Keith Carradine’s band, which also includes Dave Matthews. We smell a supergroup!

From the press release: “In the film, Rebecca Romijn plays a small-town cop romantically involved with Troy Garity's character, who reunites with his estranged mother (Sissy Spacek) when deadly circumstances threaten their home. Directed by Perry Moore, known for his work on The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the With and the Wardrobe, the film debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in April, 2008.”

“It was very different being in a movie, then playing music, but the waiting around to perform was the same,” says Romweber. “All the cast and crew were very helpful to me. Keith Carradine was a true gentleman and Sissy Spacek and Troy Garity (Jane Fonda's son) were very nice. As I've never acted before, Perry Moore the director was ever encouraging. Would I do it again? Yes, of course!” 

Romweber also gets props from Jack White in a new documentary called It Might Get Loud, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September. It “chronicles the artistic process and influences of guitar superstars Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White,” with the latter calling Romweber a “huge influence.” The soundtrack, released earlier this year, includes live and recorded tracks from Flat Duo Jets.

Romweber’s other celluloid credits are the 1987 cult classic Athens, GA-Inside/Out and Two-Headed Cow, a documentary about his career.

After wrapping Lake City, the Dex Romweber Duo signed with Bloodshot Records. The just-completed new album is produced by producer John Plymale (Meat Puppets, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Corrosion Of Conformity) and features Cat Power, Neko Case, Exene Cervenka and Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids. Look for it in February. The DRD will also play two shows at CMJ in NYC on Oct. 25: a Bloodshot Records Party (with Justin Townes Earle, Ben Weaver, Cordero and more) and an evening show with Los Straitjackets. The band will tour the East Coast through Nov. 22.

For more information, visit http://www.myspace.com/dexterromweberduo

Dexter Romweber Duo EPK:

TOUR DATES:

Thu       October 23        Washington, DC            The Red and the Black                          

Fri        October 24        Linfield, PA                    Railroad Street                          

Sat       October 25        Brooklyn, NY                 Union Pool - Bloodshot CMJ Showcase (day show)                                  

Sat       October 25        Brooklyn, NY                 Southpaw          (night show)                  

Sun      October 26        Boston, MA                   Abbey Lounge                           

Wed     October 29        Hoboken, NJ                  Maxwell's                                 

Thu       October 30        Richmond, VA               The Triple                                 

Fri        October 31        Winston-Salem, NC       The Garage                              

Thu       November 6       Athens, OH                  Casa Nueva                              

Fri        November 7       Baltimore, MD               Dangerously Delicious Pies                                

Sat       November 8       Milton, DE                     Dogfish Head                            

Sat       November 22     Norfolk, VA                    Tap House

Rage Against the Machine guitarist—a.k.a. The Nightwatchman—to play acoustic and electric sets on tour for The Fabled City. Appears on

By Randy Harward

Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello will be on The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson tonight, performing "Whatever It Takes" with Flea on bass. He's also hittin' the road to support his solo album The Fabled City, which came out Sept. 30. The tour starts Nov. 1 in at The Fillmore in San Francisco through Dec. 12 at the Anaheim House of Blues. More dates will be announced.

The Fabled City is the first album to bear Morello’s birth name as opposed to his alias The Nightwatchman. It’s also the first to feature both the protest-folkie acoustic material he recorded as The Nightwatchman and the manic, bounding electric rock material for which he’s best known. System of a Down’s Serj Tankian and outlaw country scion Shooter Jennings make appearances on the record. On tour, Morello will play an acoustic set and full-band electric show. Boots Riley (The Coup) will open all the shows. Michael Franti will appear on the Philly date.

“I want to start off with the darker acoustic songs and then build to some of the wildest electric guitar playing I have ever unleashed on stage in my career,” says Morello. “The idea is half Dylan/half Hendrix. I have been practicing my ass off and can’t wait to rock.”

The Nov. 3 show in Seattle will be with Pearl Jam's Mike McCready's band Shadow '86 and Stone Gossard with the Hank Khoir to promote voter participation. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Oct. 11.  

THE FABLED CITY TOUR * More dates to be announced:

11/1 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore

11/2 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom

11/3 Seattle, WA Showbox Theatre ** Get Out The Vote Show w/ Members of Pearl Jam

11/5 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom

11/7 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot

11/8 Aspen, CO Belly Up Aspen

11/9 Boulder, CO Fox Theater

11/11 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Caf�

11/12 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom

11/13 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue

11/15 Detroit, MI Majestic Theater

11/16 Toronto, ONT Opera House

11/17 Boston, MA Middle East

11/19 Baltimore, MD Sonar

11/20 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory

11/21 New York, NY The Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza

12/9 Los Angeles, CA El Rey

12/11 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up

12/12 Anaheim, CA House of Blues

http://www.Nightwatchmanmusic.com or http://myspace.com/thenightwatchman

Three-day tour to feature Tenacious D, Ben Harper, Santogold, Jack Johnson, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Sheryl Crow.

By Matthew Recchia

The Beastie Boys have announced a three-day US tour to help encourage people to vote in the upcoming election.

Although the band has supported Barack Obama throughout his campaign, they say this string of show's purpose is to make everyone aware of how important the upcoming election is and encourage everyone in the music community to show up and vote on November 4th. 

The Beastie Boys tour kicks off in Richmond, VA on October 28, where they will be joined by Sheryl Crow, Jack Johnson, and Santogold.

Tour Dates:

October 28 - Richmond VA - Joined by Sheryl Crow, Jack Johnson, and Santogold

November 1 - St. Paul, MN - Joined by Ben Harper and Tenacious D

November 2 - Milwaukee, WI - Joined by Ben Harper, Tenacious D, and David Crosby with Graham Nash.

With the clip for “Another World,” Antony relies on interpretive dance.

By Blurt Staff

Antony and the Johnsons first teased fans with an abstract 1:22 clip of “Another World,” the title track of their forthcoming EP, released October 7 on Secretly Canadian. That Colin Whitaker-lensed video was simply flowers in and out of focus—an appropriately spare visual to accompany Antony's longing, plaintive song. The actual video is all about interpretive dance around a painting. In a way, just as bare bones, only longer... and nonetheless apropos of something. That is, it's artsy-fartsy, makes you sleepy, but still communicates the hypnotic sadness Antony conveys with his song and his Leonard Cohen-Boy George warble.

Here's the official word on the song: On "Another World", Antony lists things he treasures about the natural world, and expresses that he will miss them; the result is hypnotic and affecting, with the accompanying video reflecting the song’s theme.

The five-song Another World is a stopgap between Antony’s Mercury Prize-winning 2005 album I Am A Bird Now and the follow-up, The Crying Light, due in January. Among the EP tracks are “Shake That Devil,” called “part exorcism and part Shangri-La [in which] Antony calls out perpetrators and banishes them one-by-one.” Two more songs, “Crackagen” and “Sing For Me” are described as “pastoral and surreal,” while “Hope Mountain” closes the EP in epic fashion as “an episodic narrative set after a flood; people gather on a mountainside to witness a girl walking on the water.”

Another World tracklist:

1. Another World

2. Crackagen

3. Shake That Devil

4. Sing For Me

5. Hope Mountain

Antony and the Johnsons on Tour:

10/14   Walt Disney Concert Hall        Los Angeles, CA

10/16   Apollo Theatre                         New York, NY

10/30   The Barbican                            London, ENG

10/31   The Barbican                            London, ENG

From Antony and the Johnsons' Another World EP.

These and “many more” appear on duo’s debut.

By Blurt Staff

The debut release from N.A.S.A. (North America/South America)—Squeak E. Clean (producer/DJ Sam Spiegel, who has worked with Ben Lee and Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and DJ Zegon—will come out on Anti- on February 17, 2009. No ordinary debut, it’ll feature a gaggle of guest appearances from N.A.S.A.’s “”friends, friends of friends and musical heroes,” both living and dead.

From the press release: “While N.A.S.A. stands for North America/South America and contains a number of superstar artists from both coasts of the US, it is about as far from a tension-building geographical showdown as a record can get. Rather, The Spirit of Apollo was born with the righteous goal of bringing people together through music and art, and that is exactly what masterminds Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon have done.”

Among the artists contributing to the 18-track release will be Tom Waits, Kool Keith, Karen O and Nick Zinner, M.I.A., Ol’ Dirty Bastard, David Byrne, George Clinton, Santogold, Kanye West, Chali 2na, Method Man, and Chuck D. “In spite of the range of performers, the pairings seem organic, inspired and make perfect sense on the first listen, never coming off as ironic or impulsive.

“That passion and appreciation for music is the driving force behind The Spirit of Apollo.  Conceived in a crowded party in Sao Paulo and nurtured by a shared love of vintage Brazilian soul and funk records, N.A.S.A. was born when Spiegel and Gonzales got together in a studio and hit record. Five years later, after thousands of miles traveled, many favors called in, countless hours spent in recording studios, bartered, traded and out of pocket, N.A.S.A. landed at Anti- Records…”

N.A.S.A. will play live to support the release, and the show will include dancers, visual effects, art installations and special guests. More announcements are promised “as this album turns into a multi-media extravaganza with the help of more friends, this time from the art world.”

N.A.S.A. The Spirit of Apollo track list:

1. "Intro"

2. “The People Tree” (feat. David Byrne, Chali 2na, Gift of Gab, & Z-Trip)

3. “Money” (feat. David Byrne, Chuck D, Ras Congo, Seu Jorge, & Z-Trip)

4. “NASA Music” (feat. Method Man, E-40, & DJ Swamp)

5. “Way Down” (feat. RZA, Barbie Hatch, & John Frusciante)

6. “Hip Hop” (feat. KRS-One, Fatlip, & Slim Kid Tre)

7. "Four Rooms, Earth View"

8. “Strange Enough” (feat. Karen O, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, & Fatlip)

9. “Spacious Thoughts” (feat. Tom Waits & Kool Keith)

10.  “Gifted” (feat. Kanye West and others TBD)

11. “A Volta” (feat. Sizzla, Amanda Blank, & Lovefoxxx)

12. “There’s a Party” (feat. George Clinton & Chali 2na)

13. “Whachadoin?” (feat. Spank Rock, M.I.A., Santogold & Nick Zinner)

14. “O Pato” (feat. Kool Kojak & DJ Bãboa)

15. “Samba Soul” (feat. Del Tha Funkee Homosapien & DJ Qbert)

16. “The Mayor” (feat. The Cool Kids, Ghostface Killah, DJ AM & Scarface)

17. “N.A.S.A. Anthem”

ABOUT SQUEAK E. CLEAN:  Sam Spiegel is a composer, producer, DJ and remixer.   Sam has spun all over the World – from award shows and clubs to premieres and parties and fashion shows in Japan, Brazil, Morocco, Canada, Australia, England and all over the US. Spiegel frequently collaborates with his brother, filmmaker Spike Jonze.  Notably, he scored and compiled the soundtrack for the Jonze-directed cult classic “Yeah Right!” (the top-selling skateboard movie of all time), and the two worked together with Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on an Adidas commercial that won the Gold Lion for Best Music at the 2005 Cannes International Advertising Festival and Silver for Original Music at the 2006 Clio Awards. While Spiegel has produced and remixed tracks for Maroon 5, Iggy Pop, Kylie Minogue, the Eels, Ben Lee, the Cardigans and many more, 2006 marked the first Squeak E. Clean fully-produced album.  Show Your Bones, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs sophomore record, was named "Album of the Year" by the likes of Rolling Stone, NME, and Spin, and was nominated for a Grammy for best alternative album.

ABOUT DJ ZEGON: A professional skateboarder who has evolved into one of the most sought after, cutting-edge DJs in Latin America, Ze Gonzales has carved out his own musical niche that marries traditional Brazilian beats with underground hip hop, creating a sound and vibe that places Zegon in a class all his own. Recently, Ze spent two years in Los Angeles working with longtime friend - and fellow Brazilian -- Mario C, the producer and engineer behind such artists as Beastie Boys, Tone Loc, Young MC and Bjork.

Magazine due Nov. 25, Joke comes out Oct. 14

By Blurt Staff

Magazine, the late-1970s post-punk band led by Buzzcocks vocalist Howard Devoto, will get the Complete Peel Sessions treatment Nov. 25 via Virgin/Caroline. This will be the first time the band’s performances on the late John Peel’s venerated BBC Radio 1 show. The tracks were recorded during Magazine’s four “Peel Sessions” appearances between 1978 and 1980.

From the press release:  

While many of their British contemporaries forged ahead in punk and pop as the ‘70s waned, Magazine created a new hybrid sound that has distinguished the band from its peers. “I wasn’t that wild on punk rock,” commented Devoto. “There was a lot of negative energy, perhaps to its credit. I was uncomfortable, even disturbed, and somewhat scared by some of it.” At a time when many others in the UK’s music scene seemed to be trying to recreate The Clash or rewrite The Ramones songbook, Magazine covered songs by artists as diverse as John Barry, Sly Stone, and Captain Beefheart.  “I’m not stupid and I refuse to pretend to be,” declared Devoto to the NME.

Magazine’s Complete John Peel Sessions collection presents fascinating, live-in-the-studio versions of the band’s standout hits, as well as many tracks that were only released as singles. Peppered among the Magazine originals are highly individual covers, including Sly & The Family Stone’s “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” and Captain Beefheart’s “I Love You, You Big Dummy.”  Also of particular interest is Magazine’s version of “Boredom,” which Howard Devoto originally sang on the Buzzcocks’ debut, Spiral Scratch EP, when he was that group’s lead vocalist.

Magazine will reunite for three performances in February 2009 (two in London and one in the band’s hometown of Manchester). The lineup will include Howard Devoto, Dave Formula, Barry Adamson and drummer John Doyle. Magazine’s original guitarist John McGeoch passed away in 2004.

On October 14, Virgin/Caroline World Service will release Killing Joke: The Peel Sessions 1979-1981. The CD and digital collection includes 17 in-studio performances Killing Joke recorded for the BBC Radio program.

Magazine: The Complete John Peel Sessions (CD, digital album)

1. Touch and Go (2/14/78)

2. The Lights Pour Out Of Me (2/14/78)

3. Real Life (‘Definitive Gave’) (2/14/78)

4. My Mind Ain’t So Open (2/14/78)

5. Give Me Everything (7/24/78)

6. Burst (7/24/78)

7. I Love You, You Big Dummy (7/24/78)

8. Boredom (7/24/78)

9. TV Baby (5/8/79)

10. Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (5/8/79)

11. Permafrost (5/8/79)

12. A Song From Under The Floorboards (1/7/80)

13. Twenty Years Ago (1/7/80)

14. Look What Fear’s Done To My Body (AKA I Love You Because You’re Frightened) (1/7/80)

15. Model Worker (1/7/80)

Three Deerhoof clips added to the Blurt player.

By Blurt Staff

We know you Blurt readers loves you some Deerhoof, so check out the three new videos we’ve added to the player. We’ve programmed the new clip “Chandelier Searchlight,” plus “Fresh Born” and “The Tears and Music of Love” just for youse guys. (Okay--kinda for us, too.) Enjoy!

Singer-songwriter and Blurt blogger Todd Snider offers free EP download

By Randy Harward

Giving music away before the release date: That’s balls, folks. Todd Snider’s got some AC/DC-style big’uns, ‘cause he’s putting his new EP Peace Queer up for download on Oct. 11—three days before the CDs hit shelves—and keeping it up until Oct. 31. What’s even cooler is Snider doesn’t explain himself. The press release went out today with just the who-what-when-where-how, select quotes from rave reviews (Blender, The New Yorker), the release date and a line about how the EP is Top 5 at Americana radio. It’s just, ‘Here ya go.’ Since Peace Queer’s the undiluted good stuff, we’re extra grateful. Thanks, buddy.

Download Peace Queer 10/11-10/31: http://www.toddsnider.net

Peace Queer promo video:

“Mission Accomplished” lyrics: http://www.eighteenminutes.com/lyrics/mission_accomplished.html

Corny-ass teen drama on CW seeks hot-as-fire singer-songwriter to spice shit up.

By Randy Harward

Well, if you have a lame, two-dimensional teen drama on a second-rate TV network, you need some spice—maybe a little sugar. Grace Potter is both.

Unlike the plastic actresses on One Tree Hill, the saucy singer-songwriter—shown here in a fashion-backward evening gown by Betsy Ross—is known for her salty language and no-bullshit demeanor. That is, she has a personality that extends beyond, even eclipses, her pinup hotness. Ah, the elusive ((((third dimension))))!

Then there’s her music—call that the fourth dimension, which is her personality, brains and soul all wrapped up in one little bundle. Much better than the mainstreamy dreck OTH’s music supervisor usually licenses for the show. But no matter how cool Grace is, and how good the music she and the Nocturnals crank out, it’s not gonna change the fact that after she appears on the show—and even writes the score, it’s still gonna suck.

But we may tune in anyway, just to see Gracie work her magic. She’s playing two songs—an acoustic version of “Ah Mary” and the brand-new “I Want Something That I Want” with Bethany Joy Gaelotti, who plays Haley. Special, huh!

If you can’t bring yourself to watch the show, catch her live at one of those tour stops:

*** festival date

More dates to be announced.

McCain-Palin campaign using “My Hero” without permission.

By Randy Harward

In an ever-desperate attempt to be hip, the McCain-Palin campaign has stopped ripping off classic rock artists like Van Halen and Heart—they’ve moved on to alternative rock, namely the Foo Fighters. In a press release today, the band blasted the McPalin campaign for using “My Hero” at campaign rallies—again without seeking permission.

Said the Foos: “It's frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people would repeatedly show such little respect for creativity and intellectual property. The saddest thing about this is that ‘My Hero’ was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song. We hope that the McCain campaign will do the right thing and stop using our song—and start asking artists' permission in general!”

Fat chance. Once their clean-cut, doughy handlers realize there was music made after the 1990s, they’re gonna start perverting other songs. In fact, here are some BLURT predictions:

Death Cab for Cutie - “I Will Follow You Into the Dark”

The sweet song from DCFC will be twisted to show McPalin supporters’ devotion.

Andre Williams – “Can You Deal With It?”

The new soundtrack for the Straight Talk Express!

Jenny Lewis – “Acid Tongue”

A little ditty from Palin to her Officer/Gentleman. “I can fix that hole in you.”

Juan Maclean – “Find A Way”

Anything to be president! “I can see the light/I can feel the love!” How does a 52% to 41% Obama-over-McCain edge feel, Juanny McCain?

White Denim – “Paint Silver Gold”

Well, maybe if it was “Paint Turds Gold”...

The Spinto Band – “They All Laughed”

…when I said I was gonna run again.

Concrete Blonde singer plays shows, shows art, covers Midnight Oil, protests Joshua Tree dump and prepares second solo joint.

By Randy Harward

Usually artists give us one little tidbit to talk about: Concrete Blonde singer Johnette Napolitano has released a laundry list of new projects including shows (concerts and galleries), a new single, a political protest and new album news.

First, she’ll play three one-night only” shows this month in Hollywood (Oct. 14, Hotel Café), Tucson, AZ (Oct. 16, Hotel Congress) and San Francisco (Oct. 17, Café du Nord). Simultaneously, she’ll show her wood and tin sculptures in “Saints and Crosses” at the Art Queen gallery in her hometown of Joshua Tree. The show “explores the art and symbolism of the cross while also acknowledging the contributions of a few of the lesser-known Saints.” The gallery is at 61855 Highway 62 in Joshua Tree and will be open from 1-6 pm on weekends.

Speakin’ of Joshua Tree—she and her neighbor Dave Catching from Eagles of Death Metal have created a PSA regarding a proposed Joshua Tree garbage dump site. Check out the avant-Public Service Announcement here. Also, visit http:www.ccaej.org

Napolitano—along with UK artist Will Crewdson—has also recorded a cover of Midnight Oil’s “Beds are Burning,” which you can hear here (or purchase on CDBaby.com). The two have been collaborating online (Crewdson sent Napolitano material that wound up on her debut solo LP Scarred) and both shared an affinity for the Oils politically charged song. Crewsdon will appear with Napolitano at the one-off shows.

“I always thought that Oils song was genius: a great dance track, great bass line, and a political message [about] Native Rights, something I believe in strongly,” says Napolitano. “I'd been inspired from recording John Trudell out at my cabin, and am always trying to fuse the right balance of thought, subject, emotion and badass groove into whatever I put out... Will and I talked about it, and he sent me this track and I flipped, it was so great. I love what he did to the choruses, they're very female; sad and pleading where the Oils' is more demanding and macho... Will's sounds are more industrial, more Modern War.”

Finally, Napolitano is hard at working crafting a follow-up to Scarred, to be released next year, along with a lyric and art book based on the albums. She’s also creating the third disc in her Sketchbook series—Sketchbook III will be available on CDBaby.com in December.

(Photo: Crewdson by Michael Gamon, Napolitano by Doc @ Barfly)

Jim James fell offstage last night in Iowa City.

By Randy Harward

My Morning Jacket has issued a statement saying they’ll postpone some shows due to an injury singer-guitarist Jim James sustained when he fell from the stage during a show in Iowa City. Here’s a statement from the band:

As some of you may have heard we had to cancel our show last evening in Iowa City. We were finishing up the last few bars of  “Off The Record,” and just like any other night we were all having a great time. Jim went to get closer to the audience on his side of the stage, and as he moved forward to step onto the sub-woofer the lights darkened, and he inadvertently stepped off the stage. Upon falling, he suffered traumatic injuries to his torso, and was immediately taken to the hospital. Per the doctor's orders, Jim will be off the road and recovering from his injuries for the next two to three weeks. Sadly, we must postpone the two shows in Chicago on Thursday and Friday until further notice.

For those who attended the Iowa City show, we would like to extend our gratitude for your understanding and cooperation. We take our fans and performances very seriously, and would never cancel a show unless it was absolutely necessary. Please know that we will be making every effort to return to your fine city.

Thank you so much to our fans for the kind sentiments and well-wishes on Jim's behalf. We hope for Jim's quick recovery and to be back out on the road soon.

With Love,

My Morning Jacket

Clip from band’s latest album De Donde Eres talks about the “Russian Roulette” of corporate greed.

By Blurt Staff

The alienation—if not the rage—we ordinary folks feel when told how corporations and government are working to destroy, not bolster, the country, sounds the same in any language. Cordero’s latest single “Ruleta Rusa” (“Russian Roulette”) leans more toward the disaffection than rage as singer and songwriter Ani Cordero sings in Spanish about the damage this avarice does to “nuestro mundo.” This performance clip was shot in the woods, perhaps to illustrate how lost and helpless we feel as the Red Riding Hoods caught in the crossfire of Ruleta Rusa.

The Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band in the World celebrates two decades of status and volume Nov. 29 in Seattle.

By Randy Harward

There’s just a teensy bit of irony in the Supersuckers’ claim that they’re the “Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band in the World.” That’s ‘cause, they kinda are that good. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of being in the crowd when they throw down, you know they do their damnedest to back up their bravado, treating even a little tiki dive into an arena with a larger than life presence and sound. That they’ve weathered two decades of music business bullshit and still put out consistently good albums—like the new joint, Get It Together (Mid-Fi)—and shows just deserves a party. Hence, on November 29, the band will celebrate themselves at Seattle’s famed Showbox.

Fellow Seattle rockers Mudhoney were initially scheduled to open, but have pulled out, with seminal grunge titans Green River—who recently reunited to celebrate Sub Pop’s anniversary—stepping into the slot.

“Is it a good thing that Mudhoney bailed out of our anniversary party?” asks ‘Suckers frontguy Eddie Spaghetti in a press release. “Some, myself included, say no… We were really looking forward to rocking with our old friends once again and it was a real disappointment to have them cancel. While others, myself included, think yeah, it worked out kind of for the better, especially for Supersuckers fans who now will get to see a bigger, longer set by the Supersuckers and the special treat of seeing a rare performance by local Seattle legends, Green River which features members of Mudhoney and Pearl Jam! …I'm just glad we got someone so special to fill in for the cancelled Mudhoney. And we hope that you will be too.”

Spaghetti promises “a few more surprises,” which—since this is, after all, the Supersuckers, could be something special. One thing that’s not so surprising, however, is that the band will auction “special items from the archives”—including some “one-of-a-kind” items. That’s something those eBay whores do all the time. Proceeds from this sale will benefit the Free the West Memphis Three Defense Fund.

The band also reports that pre-orders for Get It Together are “rapidly approaching the 1,000 mark.” Naturally, the Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band in the World is aiming higher. “That's great and all,” says Spaghetti in full sales mode, “[but] our goal is 5,000 and it couldn't be any easier to help us make this dream a reality. All you have to do is click here… and—wham!—you're instantly entered to win a signed Supersuckers Gibson Les Paul Gold Top. This isn't one of those cheapo Epiphone knock-offs, this is the real-deal-Holyfield and is just another thing that makes us the Greatest.

“So really people, get to pre-ordering this bad boy of ours—it won't disappoint. And just think of how awesome it would be to see the Supersuckers in the Billboard charts, even if it's only for a moment. Ah... I can see it now. The looks on our parents faces when we show them we did it. The congratulatory bottle of champagne... The rented limo... The red carpet going to...? Ah, who am I kidding. We don't really care about all those things. We just wanna make a small dent in the charts, that's all. It would be a nice little feather in our Mid-Fi caps. So why not help a brother out?”

“Hittin' The Gravel” Tour Dates”

10/06 Detroit, MI  Corktown Tavern* Info - 313-964-5103

10/07 Detroit, MI Corktown Tavern* Info - 313-964-5103

10/08 Detroit, MI Corktown Tavern* Info - 313-964-5103

10/10 St. Louis, MO Deluxe ALL AGES SHOW!

10/11 Kansas City, MO Record Bar 

10/12 Russell, KS Waudbys Bar 7pm Showtime

10/13 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater Ages: 16 & Over

10/15 San Diego, CA Casbah (619) 232-4355

10/16 Anaheim, CA House of Blues Anaheim "The Head Cat" - Buy Tickets

10/17 West Hollywood, CA  Roxy 

10/18 Pioneertown, CA Way Out West Festival at Pappy & Harriet’s

10/19 Las Vegas, NV Beauty Bar 

20th Anniversary Show w/ Zeke 

11/29 Seattle, WA Showbox Theater* Buy Tickets

* - Only 100 tix available at the bar and Rocket Printing in Royal Oak.

Boston band’s first two LPs for Homestead—never before on CD—due in January.

By Randy Harward

Merge Records has announced they’ll reissue the first two albums by Boston’s Volcano Suns—the first time either will be available on CD. Each will feature “loads of bonus tracks including radio sessions and other rarities.”

Volcano Suns was founded by Mission of Burma drummer Peter Prescott in 1983. Their first platter, The Bright Orange Years, was released two years later, with All Night Lotus Party coming in 1986. Both were issued on Homestead Records. From the press release:

“The Bright Orange Years is so chockful of catchy songs that it could be any other band's greatest hits album. The opening track, “Jak,” is an addictive head-nodder from its opening bass line to its chiming chords and lyrics. By contrast, All Night Lotus Party is a heavier and darker record, with more distorted guitars and bass-heavy production.”

Look for them on January 27, 2009.

New Albini-produced album due in mid-2009.

By Randy Harward

Since moving to the UK, Jason Molina has toured solo, and written like crazy for the next Magnolia Electric Co. record. Great news for fans, eh? Even better: he’s trotting out the band for a 13-date U.S. tour starting October 21. They’re hitting Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Illinois through November 3, all in preparation for the new platter. They’ll be working out the kinks on new stuff and of course playing the classics—including, it’s rumored, some old Songs: Ohia material. After the Nov. 3 date, they’ll hole up with Steve Albini and start laying tracks for the new records, which should be out by mid-’09.

In the meantime, here’s a taste of MEC’s delicious Sojourner box set: “Texas 71”

TOUR DATES:

10/21/08 Bloomington, IN - Buskirk Chumley

10/22/08 Louisville, KY - Headliners

10/23/08 Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle

10/24/08 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club

10/25/08 Birmingham, AL - The Bottle Tree

10/26/08 Memphis, TN - Hi Tone

10/27/08 Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves

10/28/08 Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington

10/30/08 Austin, TX - Mohawk

10/31/08 Norman, OK - The Opolis

11/01/08 Lawrence, KS - Jackpot

11/02/08 St. Louis, MO - The Bluebird

11/03/08 Chicago, IL - Abbey Pub

(Photo: Dan Peterson)

Net worthless heiress somehow fit to sing alongside Joan Jett, Daniel Ash, David J.

By Randy Harward

Repo! The Genetic Opera looks like a cool film. Watch the trailer closely, however, and you’ll see someone who looks familiar despite her—and the makeup department’s—best efforts to act and conceal, respectively. Among shots of substantially more talented artists like Joan Jett, Bauhaus and Love and Rockets principals David J and Daniel Ash, Skinny Puppy’s Nivek Ogre, Rasputina’s Melora Creager, Sarah Brightman, Jane’s Addiction’s Stephen Perkins and Filter’s Richard Patrick is famous-for-nothing, hot-as-herpes Paris Hilton. And get this: she’s one of the vocal leads.

According to the film’s Wikipedia entry, filmmaker Darren Bousman was initially cool to the idea of auditioning what David Cross so accurately called a “rich, giggling cunt,” he gave in and upon seeing her do her thing—oh, here it comes—said she “rocked” the soundbooth audition. Really? Or did she just pull a Sharon Stone with a nitrous oxide/pepper spray surprise to cloud his judgment? KOFF! CHOKE!

More likely is the filmmakers decided their film—which also stars Paul Sorvino, Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Alexa Vega (Spy Kids), and B-horror luminary Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Pt. 2, every Rob Zombie movie)—needed a little more star power, even if it was of the cheap and easy variety. And that’s a shame, because it really does look like a good movie.

The film--from the producers of the Saw franchise--is set in the future, where organ failure is now an epidemic and replacement parts are sold like new automobiles. Also just like with car loans, when you default on the payments, the repo man comes knockin’. And guess how he reclaims the property? Yup—he comes like a thief in the night, and… you know.

The music, which you can sample here, is also pretty good. The songs are darkly funny in a Spring Awakening kinda way and the film’s Sin City-in-color graphic novel look is slick. So it could be fucking cool. Except for She Who’d Pollute the Film With Her Venereal Presence.

Oh, well. We can always hope that the Saw people are just planning a particularly nasty end for her.

That's right: signs, not songs.

By Brian Creech

There was a time in American history when all you needed was a white sign, black paint and some incendiary words to get people into the streets to tell their leaders "We're Not Gonna Take It!" Or as Wayne Coyne would say, "Just be a Nice Person." Or as Chuck D. would say, "Fight the Power."

Embracing what is feeling like a ground swell of change as Election Day approaches, Under the Radar magazine got together some of the more political and photogenic faces of rock and roll to make their own protest signs and bring some attitude back to music. Sons and Daughters capture the ethos of the project with their sign "Stop Neuterin' Rock N' Roll."

Michael Stipe, Chris Walla, Colin Meloy, Isaac Brock, Stars, Jarvis Cocker, Akron/Family, Peter Moren, Supergrass, Sharon Jones, Spoon, the Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket, Stars, Noah and the Whale,  Michael Franti, Neon Neon, Les Savy Fav,  Okkervil River, Metric, British Sea Power, Shout Out Louds, Built to Spill and St. Vincent and join Coyne and Chuck D in taking black paint to white posterboard.

The slogans range from the political to the personal, from Fleet Foxes' direct "Capitalism is Unethical (And We're Hypocrites)" to My Morning Jacket's non sequitur "Puppiez y Kittens."

Mostly though, you can tell where each artist stands, as the sign generally eschew raucous platitudes to reflect messages we're pretty sure each band would be sure to endorse. (Michael Stipe's "Gutless Puff Adder Journalists" with "things I hate" written on the back seems particularly characteristic.) 

Turning other people's words into action, Under The Radar is taking all the signs from their "Protest Issue" and here and putting them up for auction on eBay. Proceeds from the sale will support War Child, a humanitarian organization that helps children affected by war throughout the world. The auctions started on September 30th, with most bids starting at $25 or $50, but as of this writing, several signs had already exceeded $100. So if you want to have a memento of a time when speech was free to show your grandchildren in the future neo-fascist technocratic state, act fast.

Esteemed jam band no longer sitting on pantry shelf.

By Matt Recchia

It’s been four long, painfully anticipated years in the making. Phinally, the wait is over: Phish announced Tuesday that they will return to play three dates at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA March 6-8.

The announcement comes a month after the group played at a friend’s wedding, the first time the quartet had performed together since their final show at Coventry. The likelihood of a reunion was always in doubt, but became a serious possibility after keyboard player Page McConnell released a letter on Phish.com about a possible 2009 recommencement.

A limited number of tickets can be requested now through Phish Tickets, Phish’s online ticketing system. (This will end on Wednesday, October 8 at midnight.) Tickets will later be released online through TicketBastard, or by phone on October 18 at 10:00 a.m. No tickets will be sold through the venue, and there is a two-ticket limit per show to deter scalpers.

The band will announce tour dates early next year.

On tour this fall.

By Blurt Staff

Minus The Bear will release Acoustics, an exclusive seven-track EP, this Fall via Tigre Blanco Records. It will be available in two formats and feature newly recorded live acoustic versions of fan favorites and one new track titled "Guns & Ammo." Beginning October 7, Acoustics will be sold digitally via iTunes, Amazon and Emusic. Physical copies of the EP will be sold exclusively at shows MTB's headlining tour, starting in Spokane, WA on October 8.

Track listing:

1. Guns & Ammo (new track)

2. We Are Not a Football Team (from Highly Refined Pirates)

3. Burying Luck (from Planet of Ice)

4. Knights (from Planet of Ice)

5. Pachuca Sunrise (from Menos El Oso)

6. Throwin' Shapes (from Planet of Ice)

7. Ice Monster (from Planet of Ice)

Tour dates:

October 8th             Service Station                       Spokane, WA

October 9th             The Other Side                       Missoula, MT

October 10th           American Legion Hall             Casper, WY

October 11th           Gothic Theatre                        Englewood, CO

October 12th           Slowdown                               Omaha, NE

October 13th           The Picador                            Iowa City, IA

October 15th           Varsity Theatre                       Minneapolis, MN

October 16th           Turner Hall Ballroom              Milwaukee, WI

October 17th           Vic Theatre                             Chicago, IL

October 18th           Newport Music Hall            &nbs