MTV.com LIVE: The Used Photos 10.01.2004
Related ArtistsDonnerstag, 21. April 2011
Coldplay - Christmas Lights
- Artist: Coldplay
- Label: Capitol Records
- Director: Mat Whitecross
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1111141&vid=604575
Third Eye Blind - 10 Days Late
- Artist: Third Eye Blind
- Label: Elektra/EEG
- Director: Francis Lawrence
- Album: Blue [Clean]
Linkin Park Say 'Iridescent' Was A 'Natural Fit' For 'Transformers' Soundtrack
A Thousand Suns tune will be in third installment of franchise.
By Gil Kaufman, with reporting by Audrey Kim
Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda
Photo: MTV News
On the surface, it makes perfect sense that Linkin Park would contribute a song to the third installment in the "Transformers" film franchise, "Dark of the Moon." Both the band and the film are known for their thunderous, metallic noise and post-apocalyptic vibe. Plus, LP were on the first two soundtracks and they clearly have a connection with director Michael Bay.
But LP vocalist Mike Shinoda recently told MTV News about why the band offered up a remix of their A Thousand Suns tune "Iridescent" for the soundtrack to the summer blockbuster.
"The 'Transformers' collaboration has been really fun for us. I mean, we grew up playing with the toys," Shinoda explained. "When we first got approached on the first one, we said yes based on the idea of taking that thing that we loved so much and bringing it to life in a modern way. As it's gone on, that's still a big part of it for us."
The original "Transformers" soundtrack led off with the LP song "What I've Done," and the companion CD to the sequel, "Revenge of the Fallen," also gave LP the pole position with the tune "New Divide."
So when director Bay approached the band to contribute a song for the third film, Shinoda said the tune that came to mind right away was "Iridescent." It's been a fan favorite at live shows, even though it doesn't have the kind of bombastic sound that you'd expect for the battling-robots flick. "We put out the record in the late part of last year and even though it's never been a single up until this point, [when we played it live] you could really hear the singing pick up momentum during that song. It was just something that seemed a natural fit."
Though it's less of what Shinoda called an "in-your-face" kind of tune, he said the somber, hopeful tone of the song appealed to both the band and to Bay. "We loved that part of it when we were in the studio, but Michael actually loved pairing it with the movie because there's something that he feels it speaks to about the story line."
Do you think LP's "Iridescent" will fit well into the "Transformers" movie? Let us know in the comments below.
Related Videos Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662068/linkin-park-transformers-soundtrack-remix.jhtml
Mittwoch, 20. April 2011
For The Record: Quick News On Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, INXS, My Morning Jacket, Chevelle, The Ramones & More
J. Lo readies new perfume; Spears' camp goes solo; Aussie rockers sign new deal.
Jennifer Lopez (file)
Photo: Sony
Jennifer Lopez is getting ready to launch her fourth fragrance, an upbeat, fruity, floral perfume called Live Jennifer Lopez, due in October. Live's top notes include orange and pineapple; the heart of the scent is red currant, peony and violet; and beneath that will be caramel, vanilla and sandalwood. J. Lo claims this perfume will "reveal the core of her inner being." ...
Now that Britney Spears is entering a new phase in her life, so is her summer camp. The Britney Spears Camp for the Performing Arts is "spinning off" to become its own entity, the Summer Stars Camp for the Performing Arts. It will still be funded by the Britney Spears Foundation, the singer wrote on her Web site. The foundation will also be making new grants to City of Hope and Gida's Club Worldwide, she said, "which represents the beginning of our work on behalf of children battling cancer." ... Going to this summer's Warped Tour? If so, tour founder Kevin Lyman's got some advice for you: Don't trust scalpers. A number of fans have been punk'd by scammers trolling the areas outside the festival stops, peddling counterfeit tickets, laminated backstage passes and all-access wristbands, Lyman said Thursday. "Do not buy anything in the parking lot," Lyman cautioned, "because you will be wasting your money." Others are hawking fake goods on eBay. Some of the forged tickets are so convincing, he said, that at first glance it's almost impossible to tell that they're not Ticketmaster-issued. ...
Cam'ron might have one of the meanest rides in New York — a new Lamborghini — but it was an NYPD patrol car that upstaged him Thursday. Police pulled the Diplomats general over in Harlem for a routine traffic stop and ended up arresting him for outstanding traffic tickets, according to a source close to the case. Cam was later released. ... Whoever is chosen to be the new singer of INXS (via the band's new reality show, "Rock Star: INXS," premiering Monday on CBS at 9 p.m. ET/PT) also wins a label deal. The band has just signed with Epic Records to do a new album, their first since the death of Michael Hutchence in 1997. "We can't wait to get back into the studio to record again," INXS' Andrew Farriss said. "It's been too long." The band is also planning a tour. ... Fans of My Morning Jacket are going to have to be patient. The release date for the Southern rockers' upcoming fourth studio LP, Z, has been pushed back two weeks from September 26 to October 5, according to their publicist. ...
In a posting on the message board of Chevelle's Web site, former bassist Joe Loeffler tore his bandmate brothers a new one and refuted the group's assertion that his departure was self-imposed. According to Joe, his bros — drummer Sam and singer/guitarist Pete — gave him the boot. "This is exactly what I expected from them. Try and make it look like I didn't want to be in the band. I was fired, plain and simple; in fact, there wasn't even a discussion about it — they just dropped it on me," he wrote. "I made no decision and am not taking a break. I will be working on getting a new job immediately. A break also means there's a chance to come back, and nothing could be farther from reality. I was fired and they have not said a word to me since. I would never ask to be back in." Epic Records, the band's label, would not comment on Joe's allegation. ...
Dropsonic, the first rock band on Dallas Austin's Rowdy Records, will release their third album, Insects With Angel Wings, on August 23. The Atlanta trio have been likened to Led Zeppelin and Fugazi. ... Rhino Records will release a three-CD, single DVD box set on August 16 called Weird Tales of the Ramones. The 85-song collection includes rare, demo and album versions of cuts like "Beat on the Brat," "Judy Is a Punk," "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment," "Do You Remember Rock & Roll Radio?," "The KKK Took My Baby Away" and, of course, "I Wanna Be Sedated." The DVD is chock-full of videos, as well as a live version of "Blitzkrieg Bop." ...
07.06.2005
Usher is hosting a black-tie fundraiser for his nonprofit New Look Foundation, which helps disadvantaged youth, Friday at New York's Capitale. The event will raise money for Camp New Look, to be held next week at Clark Atlanta University to give 150 children a chance to learn about the business side of the entertainment and sports industries. ...
Gavin Rossdale's new band, Institute, is hitting the road next month to support their upcoming debut, Distort Yourself, due September 13. The 13-date trek kicks off August 11 in San Diego and wraps August 30 in New York. The band's first single, "Bullet-Proof Skin," goes to radio August 2 and will be featured in the Jamie Foxx movie "Stealth." ... It's not quite their autobiography, but Maroon 5 are working on a book about their life on the road. The story, due from MTV Books in March, will be told mainly via never-before-seen photos, which will be fleshed out by text from the bandmembers about their experiences. ... System of a Down keep adding more dates to their upcoming North American trek with the Mars Volta. On August 27, the bands perform in Worcester, Massachusetts, followed by a string of seven new September dates that'll have the rockers visiting Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Minneapolis; Detroit; and Chicago. Three October dates have also been added: Denver on October 2, Seattle on October 5, and in Portland, Oregon, on the following night. ...
Rest easy, U2 fans: Bono's prized Stetson hat will be returned to its rightful owner in due time, the BBC reports. That's because the Irish rock stars were the victors in their legal battle with former stylist Lola Cashman, whom U2 collectively claimed stole several personal items she later attempted to sell at auction. Several of the items, including the aforementioned hat, some earrings and a pair of trousers, Bono wore during the band's Joshua Tree tour, and also appeared on the frontman in the film "Rattle and Hum." Cashman maintained the items were presented to her as gifts, but a Dublin, Ireland, judge believed Bono's side of the story instead. ... Run-DMC co-founder the Reverend Run will release his debut solo album, Distortion, on September 13. Run (born Joey Simmons), will debut his first single, "Mind on the Road," on the upcoming "Madden 2006" video game (August 9) and will star in his own MTV reality show, "Run's House," in the fall. The album will feature the songs "Boom Ditty," "I Use to Think I Was Run," "Break'em Til It's Broken," "Got a Way," "Home Sweet Home," "Distortion," "Changetime," "Beats to the Rhyme" and "High and Mighty Joe." ...
After three albums and six years, hard-charging indie-rockers the Hot Snakes have decided to throw in the towel. "It was a complete thrill to be a part of and satisfied my insatiable hunger for sinister, throbbing action," guitarist John Reis wrote on his Swami Records Web site. "Thank you to all that urged us along and leant (sic) an ear for us to abuse." Last year's Audit in Progress was the group's last, and the Snakes disband with the distinction of being the last group to record on the late John Peel's BBC show. Several farewell dates have been lined up. ... Broken Social Scene's Arts & Crafts Canadian label is branching out. The first non-Broken-related signing is Milton, Ontario, teen collective the Most Serene Republic, whose debut, Underwater Cinematographer is due July 12. Indie stalwarts the American Analog Set will release their sixth record, Set Free, on September 20, and Australian chanteuse New Buffalo will drop her North American debut August 23. Meanwhile, Broken Social Scene guitarist Jason Collett will release his sophomore disc, Idols of Exile, in early '06. ...
Celebrating its 25th year, the annual CMJ Music Marathon is getting ready to take over New York. The initial lineup for the September 14-17 event includes the Arcade Fire, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Blackalicious, Dungen, the Wrens, !!!, Mary Timony, Annie, Funeral for a Friend, Pony Up! and Mahjongg. Hundreds of others are expected to be announced. ... The Constantines will release their third disc, Tournament of Hearts, on October 11 for Sub Pop. Meanwhile, Sub Pop labelmates Wolf Parade will release their debut, Apologies to the Queen Mary, on September 27. Produced by Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock, the Montreal art-rockers' 12-song album will be preceded by a four-track EP and an appearance on McSweeney's Believer compilation. The collection will features indie-rockers covering indie-rockers. Wolf Parade will tackle Frog Eyes, Spoon will transform Yo La Tengo, and the Shins will put their stamp on the Postal Service. ...
Deep Dish's new album is called George Is On, but it might as well be called Stevie Is On. That's because the album, due July 12, features none other than Stevie Nicks on a remake of "Dreams." Deep Dish are currently doing DJ nights to support the release, hitting Austin's Sky on Wednesday, Boston's Axis on July 12, and Los Angeles' Avalon on July 15. ...
Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1505382/record-j-lo-britney-inxs.jhtml
Rihanna, Eminem, Justin Bieber Lead Billboard Music Award Finalists
Rihanna leads the pack with nominations in 18 categories.
By Gil Kaufman
Rihanna
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ WireImage
It was strictly A-list names at the top of the list when the lead finalists for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards were announced Wednesday (April 13).
In the lead among all nominees was Rihanna, a finalist in 18 categories, who was followed by fellow multiple-award finalists Eminem, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber.
Among the categories Rihanna is up for awards in are: Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Female Artist, Top R&B Artist and Top Dance/Electronic Artist, while her smash collaboration with Eminem, "Love the Way You Lie," racked up notices in six song categories. Right behind her was Slim Shady, a finalist in 16 categories, including Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Artist, Top Male Artist and Top Rap Artist.
Lady Gaga was next with nods in 12 categories, including Top Dance/Electronic Album, which included three of her releases, The Fame, The Fame Monster and The Remix
Mars and Bieber had 11 nominations each and will face each other in the Top New Artist and Top Male Artist categories. The other contenders in Top New Artist include Ke$ha, Nicki Minaj and Taio Cruz.
The Top Artist category will pit Bieber against, Eminem, Gaga, Rihanna and Taylor Swift, while the Top Rap Album category will be a showdown between Drake, Eminem, Minaj, Lil Wayne and Kanye West. The Top Alternative Artist race will feature Muse facing the Black Keys, Kings of Leon, Linkin Park and Mumford & Sons.
The event honors artists who have appeared on the Billboard charts during the period of February 28, 2010, through March 1, 2011. Winners are also determined by album, single and digital sales, touring, streaming and social interactions on MySpace, Facebook and other popular online destinations for music.
Winners will be announced at the Billboard Music Awards on May 22 at 5 p.m. PT. Among the announced performers are Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Cruz, Lady Antebellum, the Black Eyed Peas and Keith Urban.
Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1661913/rihanna-eminem-justin-bieber-billboard.jhtml
Coldplay - Strawberry Swing
- Artist: Coldplay
- Label: Capitol
- Director: Shynola
- Album: Viva la Vida
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1111141&vid=424460
The Decemberists - This Is Why We Fight
- Artist: The Decemberists
- Label: Capitol Records
- Director: Aaron Stewart-Ahn
- Album: The King Is Dead
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228709&vid=641550
Rachael Ray Defends Her Indie-Rock SXSW Party, Featuring Raveonettes, Holy F--- And Mac 'N Cheese
'People think I'm like this food robot or something, but music is a huge part of my life,' TV host says.
By James Montgomery
Rachael Ray
Photo: King World
Attention bloggers, indie snobs and all forms of Internet naysayers: Rachael Ray does not have time for your hateration.
And that is a very good thing, especially considering the storm of controversy the TV host and "30 Minute Meals" mogul kicked up last month when she announced plans to throw a day party at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas. It seems the holier-than-thou music community didn't take too kindly to her invading their most sacred of sacred cows (or maybe they just weren't fans of EVOO), and they let her know about it through a series of snarky posts and general unpleasantness, the point of which seemed rather lost on the celebrity chef herself.
"I'm not aware about what blogs were saying about me," Ray told MTV News on Tuesday (March 4). "To be honest, I have five jobs, so I'm aware of what I have to do for them when we get up in the morning. But I don't see why we'd be out of place down there, when we're just fans of music who decided to put on a show. I guess if they don't like good music, and they don't like good food, they don't have to go."
So there! If you're not a fan of acts like the Raveonettes, the awesomely named Holy F--- or the Cringe (the band fronted by Ray's husband, John Cusimano), or if you don't want to try some of Rachael's South by Southwest Seven-Layer Sliders or Austin Mac and Cheese Suizas, then don't bother attending her SXSW party, which, incidentally, will be held March 15 at the Beauty Bar in Austin.
And for those wondering whether or not Ray actually listens to Holy F---, well, the answer is yes. Sort of. In fact, she finds it rather difficult to understand why people are amazed that she's an indie-rock fan.
"My husband and I listened to a bunch of discs and picked our favorites," Ray explained. "We also have Sirius, so we're always listening to the Left of Center program, which is how we heard the Raveonettes. With a band like [Holy F---], I have to say that it was the name that got us listening. But we're glad we did. They're pretty good.
"And I don't understand why that's so surprising. I find it weird that they find it weird. People think I'm like this food robot or something, but music is a huge part of my life," she continued. "I'm a huge fan of rock music in general — all kinds. I like indie stuff, my favorite band is the Foo Fighters. When I first met my husband, he told me what he made for dinner the night before, and I thought, 'OK, well, he can cook.' And then he told me he had a band and I was like, 'Aw, jeez. I hope they're good,' because I couldn't deal with someone who didn't play good music."
So, if her SXSW soirée is successful, will Ray consider taking it on the road to other indie-centric events, like Coachella or CMJ? Or has the blogger backlash proven to be too much for her? Well, to be honest, if she does throw another party, it'll have more to do with her schedule clearing up, and less to do with what a few message-board meanies have to say about her.
"I have so many commitments and so many jobs that it'd be really hard for me to sneak out and do this again next year," Ray sighed. "So this might just be a one-time thing. And to be honest, the food is more of what I care about."
Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1582742/rachael-ray-defends-sxsw-party.jhtml
Kanye West Super Furry Animals Red Hot Chili Peppers Franz Ferdinand
Jay-Z - D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)
- Artist: Jay-Z
- Label: Roc Nation
- Director: Anthony Mandler
- Album: The Blueprint 3
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1269&vid=406087
Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez To Perform At Billboard Music Awards
Black Eyed Peas, Taio Cruz also among artists set to hit the stage at the event, which takes place May 22 in Las Vegas.
By Jocelyn Vena
Rihanna
Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images/DCP
Some of the biggest acts on the charts will be on hand to take the stage when the 2011 Billboard Music Awards hit Las Vegas on May 22. Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, the Black Eyed Peas, Taio Cruz, Keith Urban and 2010's crossover kings, Lady Antebellum, have all been tapped to perform at the show, which ABC will air live from Sin City's MGM Grand.
The event honors artists who have appeared on the Billboard charts during the period of February 28, 2010, through March 1, 2011. Winners are also determined by album, single and digital sales, touring, streaming and social interactions on MySpace, Facebook and other popular online destinations for music, according to Billboard.com.
"This show marks the first of several broadcast platforms we plan to build around the Billboard franchise," Richard D. Beckman, CEO of Prometheus Global Media, which owns the magazine, said in February about the show. "We have an incredible network partner and with Don Mischer, one of the finest producers in the world. We look forward to entertaining music fans with Billboard's own rendition of a televised celebration of music."
The scheduled performers have not just been successful during the period of eligibility for the awards show, but they are still hot on the charts. Currently, Rihanna's Britney Spears-free "S&M" holds steady at #2 on the Hot 100 chart, the Black Eyed Peas' "Just Can't Get Enough" is right behind at #3 and J.Lo's "On the Floor" is sitting at #8. Keith Urban's "Without You," meanwhile, is #11 on the Country Songs tally.
Which pop superstar are you most excited to see performing on the Billboard Music Awards? Let us know in the comments.
Related Photos Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1661691/rihanna-jennifer-lopez-billboard-music-awards.jhtml
Dienstag, 19. April 2011
Third Eye Blind - 10 Days Late
- Artist: Third Eye Blind
- Label: Elektra/EEG
- Director: Francis Lawrence
- Album: Blue [Clean]
Marky Ramone Hopes To Show The Ramones' Happier Days With 'Raw'
Drummer shot more than 400 hours of footage of band while on tour over the years.
By Jennifer Vineyard
Marky Ramone (file)
It isn't easy being a Ramone.
With three of the bandmembers dead (Joey, Dee Dee and now Johnny), the remaining members are left to carry on a legacy that doesn't completely include them, since only one (drummer Tommy) was an original member. Still, Marky Ramone, who took over on drums after Tommy's departure and played with the band longer than any other non-original member, is doing his best to carry on for the band — mainly with a DVD he's put together about the group, called "Raw." And it couldn't have come out at a better time, Marky said. "Raw" is the happier-days antidote to all the obituaries of the last three years — and to the recent rumors about how the bandmembers actually hated one another.
"Contrary to what a lot of people thought, it wasn't just infighting. There were good times too," said Marky (real name Marc Bell). "And I'm grateful to have been in a band like that."
During the last eight or nine years he spent touring with the Ramones, Marky carried a Hi-8 camera with him everywhere he went, and he shot a ton of behind-the-scenes footage. He said that at the time, he hadn't been thinking about releasing it one day — it just seemed like a natural and non-intrusive way to document the band. "They weren't playing up to the camera or anything," Marky said. "And I had no commercial thoughts at all. I just thought I might give [the footage] to them as gifts one day. It just seemed like a good idea."
In all, Marky shot around 200 two-hour tapes. Eventually, over the course of nine months, he and director John Cafiero whittled the footage down to five hours. Then, in May, Marky brought Johnny Ramone in to work on the commentary track.
"He went to the studio, he watched it and then he made his comments," Marky said. "It was very simple. He didn't want to watch all the footage before the finished version. He wanted his reaction to be fresh on the first viewing. And he'd get so focused, going over those memories. I think he really enjoyed it."
Johnny's prostate cancer was taking a heavy toll on him by that time (see "Ramones Guitarist Johnny Ramone Dies At Age 55"). "I'm amazed he had the energy to do this," Marky said. "And I'm grateful that he did this. I'm also grateful that I was able to give him something back, that it gave him a chance to relive those memories. And he gave us a huge compliment. He said this was exactly the way he remembered it, too."
Once Marky saw the condition Johnny was in, he decided that if anyone asked him about the guitarist's health, he would tell them the truth — that he thought Johnny was dying. That decision didn't make Marky very popular in the Ramones' circles, and it made Johnny's wife, Linda, very angry at the time (see "Johnny Ramone Is Not Dying, His Doctor Says" ).
"I got some flak for it," Marky said. "But it was the truth, and I felt a responsibility to say something. I wasn't being vicious. I was just trying to set the record straight. Some people were happy I told the truth. Johnny was OK with it, but his wife was a little upset. But it came from a positive place on my end, and we all made amends."
Marky says that "Raw" — as opposed to another Ramones doc called "End of the Century" — is (inevitably) from a more positive place (see " 'End Of The Century': The Ramones' Long, Sad Trip, By Kurt Loder"). "End of the Century" directors Michael Gramaglia and Jim Fields focused on the dysfunction within the band, most memorably with a harsh scene in which Johnny explains why he never contacted Joey after the band's 1996 breakup — even when the singer was on his deathbed ("If I didn't like someone, I wouldn't want them calling me up if I was dying," he said). In addition, Marky said, "End of the Century" doesn't really capture the band the way the members remembered it themselves — or at least the way Marky does.
"It's good," he allowed. "It's a decent job, and everyone should go see it. But it's a straight-up documentary. 'Raw' is also true-life events, but it's more [our] experience of them. You're witnessing it with us versus looking at it after the fact. It's the closest to us that you can get."
Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1492940/marky-ramone-share-ramones-happier-days.jhtml
Third Eye Blind - How's It Going To Be
- Artist: Third Eye Blind
- Label: Elektra Records/EEG
- Director: Nigel Dick
- Album: Third Eye Blind
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=823&vid=10684
Red Hot Chili Peppers Franz Ferdinand Alien Ant Farm Govt Mule
Avenged Sevenfold And All-American Rejects OD On DVD Extras, In New Releases
Also due Tuesday: Now 25, Too Short, Chemical Brothers, Editors, MxPx, Rooney, Magic Numbers, Yellowcard.
By Kurt Orzeck
Avenged Sevenfold's <i>All Excess</i>
Photo: Warner Bros / Wea
This week's an odd one, with almost too many titles hitting stores to count ... but probably just a few that'll have you reaching for your wallet. Luckily for us, there's enough variety among the litter to have some fun. Let's go.
Video Vipers: Avenged Sevenfold are greasing up a new, self-titled album for an October release, but while that's still in the works, 'Fold fanatics can sink their teeth — or eyes, rather, or ... oh well, never mind — into "All Excess," a new DVD. The title doesn't just allude to the band's hard-partying, c'mon-don't-we-really-look-like-GN'R-now? ways but also hints at what you'll find inside the set: more video bonuses than frontman M. Shadows has tattoos. Piled onto the disc is a documentary, live footage, music videos and segments capturing the making of each of them. "There's footage from some early shows, when we still sucked," Shadows told MTV News' Chris Harris. "[You'll] learn everything about us with this DVD."
Turn the volume knob down a notch or two and you'll be ready for the All-American Rejects, who are teeing up a video set of their own this week. This one's got a funny name too — "Tournado" — but that was actually the band's craftily named trek with Motion City Soundtrack, Gym Class Heroes and others. The resplendently packaged DVD captures the band's gig in the Twin Cities, plus the requisite on-the-road documentary, photo gallery — and a not-so-requisite batch of skits.
Hey guys, wait for us! Underoath are also anteing up with a DVD, the piously titled "777" (well, they are Christians, after all). Frontman Spencer Chamberlain and the crew have dumped onto their disc 75 minutes of unreleased footage from the Warped Tour, Taste of Chaos and other stints, as well as videos and a making-of doc.
So it's Tyson Ritter vs. M. Shadows vs. Spencer Chamberlain. You decide. They all sound like porn stars to us.
Now and Then: Who are we kidding — a quick glance at the listings below will tell you that this week's heaviest hitter is definitely Now That's What I Call Music! 25, and if the set featured more than just previously issued fare, we'd have more to say about it. It doesn't, so we don't.
A Bit of Hip-Hop: With all the rock that's been hitting stores the last two weeks — Smashing Pumpkins, Interpol, Against Me!, etc. — you'd figure rap would want to step up its game on the whole. But that really hasn't been the case (MCs must still be fearing the mighty T.I.) That said, Too Short is plopping a new effort into his massive catalog, and for once the title isn't about chicks or pimps or ego — in a sweet gesture, he's named it I Love the Bay. New York rapper Akir is also stepping up to the plate — well, sorta: His paradoxically named debut, Legacy is back again, thanks to Babygrande, with guest spots by Jean Grae, Immortal Technique and others still intact.
Well, Aren't They Special: When all else fails, there's always the vaults. This week, two ladies and a Guy are back thanks to bonus-track-laden special editions of their noted LPs. Erykah Badu's Baduizm is getting beefed up via B-sides, U.K.-only cuts and more hard-to-find tunes, while sister-in-soul India.Arie's Acoustic Soul is getting similar treatment. Guy's eponymous release is getting a full disc of extras, though ... feeling jealous, ladies? Don't be: As far as reissues go, Garbage have them all beat — the special limited-edition version of their best-of Absolute Garbage boasts a second disc of remixes by Massive Attack, Crystal Method, UNKLE and more.
Chemical Balance: While we're on the subject of electronic music, don't forget the mighty Chemical Brothers. That's right, mighty: While the group's releases have been slipping Stateside — 1997's Dig Your Own Hole peaked at #14 on the Billboard albums chart, followed by 1999's Surrender at #32, 2002's Come With Us also at #32 and 2005's Push the Button at #59 — the group's last five releases have all hit #1 in the U.K. That includes its new one, We Are the Night, which docks at U.S. shores this week. Featured on the effort are legendary Canadian beat poet Bill Bissett, members of Klaxons, Fatlip of the Pharcyde and progressive-rockers Midlake.
Throwing a Changeup: Or maybe we should say "gyro ball" ... either way, if you're looking for something different this week — and happen to like a little rinky-dink team of scrappers called the Boston Red Sox — you'll want to dig your cleats in a little deeper. Music From the Mound is a new compilation curated (supposedly) by Japanese pitching import Daisuke Matsuzaka (a.k.a. Dice-K). Featured on the disc — seriously, don't laugh — is a song called "Gyro Ball" featuring no less than J. Geils harmonica player Magic Dick, onetime Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt and Sox TV announcers Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy. The team's charity, the Red Sox Foundation, will be getting all proceeds from the album, which features other anthems for a nation ... Red Sox Nation, that is.
Song Title of the Week:
"Handicapitation" from Birdflesh's Mongo Musicale
Album Cover of the Week:
Winters' Black Clouds in Twin Galaxies
Other Notables:
Los Campesinos!'s Sticking Fingers Into Sockets
This Welsh band came together thanks to a common affection for Super Furry Animals and the Decemberists — which should give you an indication of its indie-pop goodness. Before heading into the studio to record their proper debut with Broken Social Scene producer David Newfeld, Los Campesinos! are bowing with this enhanced EP. Look out for "We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives," "You! Me! Dancing!" and other timelessly titled tracks.
Eastern Conference Champions' Ameritown
These guys wish they were from Wales, or somewhere in British, even though the solidly American squad named their album the way they did. The group hooked up with Oasis and Verve producer Owen Morris for this LP and just toured with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club too. And while BRMC aren't from overseas either, they're also all about My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3 and other louder-than-thou Brit psych bands. Expect to hear lotsa soaring vocals, heavily distorted psych guitars and big drums on this LP.
Mick Harvey's Two of Diamonds
You might know him from the Bad Seeds or the Birthday Party ... eh, you probably haven't heard of Mick Harvey at all. The longtime (read: decades-long) Nick Cave collaborator has a few things of his own to say, which he details on his follow-up to 2005's One Man's Treasure. Enlisting PJ Harvey pianist/drummer Rob Ellis — oh, and a double-bass, too — Harvey spills his soul on "Slow-Motion Movie Star," "Home Is Far From Here" and "Out of Time Man." So are we!
New Releases:
· A Fine Frenzy - One Cell in the Sea (Virgin)
· Almah - Edu Falaschi (Candlelight)
· Big Shug - Street Champ (Babygrande)
· Birdflesh - Mongo Musicale (Candelight) [Buy Now]
· Bottom of the Hudson - Fantastic Hawk (Absolutely Kosher)
· Colbie Caillat - Coco (Republic)
· The Chemical Brothers - We Are the Night (Astralwerks) [Buy Now]
· The Cribs - Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever (Warner Bros.) [Buy Now]
· Deathspell Omega - Fas (Southern Lord)
· Destroyer Destroyer - Littered With Arrows (Goodfellow)
· Minnie Driver - Seastories (Zoë/Rounder)
· Eastern Conference Champions - Ameritown (Suretone)
· Editors - An End Has a Star (Fader Label) [Buy Now]
· Federation - It's Whateva (Reprise)
· Eliza Gilkyson - Your Town Tonight (Red House)
· Great White - Back to the Rhythm (Shrapnel)
· Emerson Hart - Cigarettes & Gasoline (Manhattan)
· (Hed) p.e. - Insomnia (Suburban Noize)
· Mick Harvey - Two of Diamonds (Mute)
· Ryan James - Directed (High Tail)
· Ben Jelen - Ex-Sensitive (digipak; Custard)
· Eilen Jewell - Letters From Sinners & Strangers (Signature Sounds)
· Lillian Axe - Waters Rising (Locomotive)
· Livin' Out Loud - What About Us (Pyramid)
· Los Angeles Jazz Ensemble - Expectation (with DVD; Kind of Blue)
· Los Campesinos! - Sticking Fingers Into Sockets (enhanced EP; Arts & Crafts)
· The Magic Numbers - Those the Brokes (enhanced; Astralwerks)
· Raul Malo - After Hours (New Door)
· Meat Puppets - Rise to Your Knees (Anodyne)
· Memfis - The Wind Up (Candlelight) [Buy Now]
· MxPx - Secret Weapon (Tooth & Nail) [Buy Now]
· The Rocket Summer - Do You Feel (Island)
· Rooney - Calling the World (Geffen)
· Rose Funeral - Crucify Kill Rot (Candlelight)
· Matt Shulman - So It Goes (Jaggo)
· Slough Feg - Hardworlder (Candlelight)
· Mark Soskin - One Hopeful Day (Kind of Blue)
· Sound the Alarm - Stay Inside (Geffen)
· Strata - Strata Presents the End of the World (Wind-Up) [Buy Now]
· Tech N9ne - Tech N9ne Collabos: Misery Loves Kompany (Strange Music)
· Too Short - I Love the Bay (Up All Nite)
· Suzanne Vega - Beauty & Crime (Blue Note)
· Violent Storm - Storm Warning (Gold Storm)
· Winters - Black Clouds in Twin Galaxies (Candlelight)
· Wise Intelligent - Wise Intelligent Is ... The Talented Timothy Taylor (Intelligent Muzik/ Shaman Work)
· The Phil Woods Quintet - American Songbook II (Kind of Blue)
· Yellowcard - Paper Walls (deluxe edition with DVD due same day; Capitol) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - A Shaman Work Retrospective: Looking Back to Move Forward (Shaman Works)
· Various artists - Daisuke Matsuzaka: Music From the Mound (EMI Catalog Marketing)
· Various artists - FabricLive 34: Krafty Kuts (Fabric)
· Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 25 (UTV)
· Various artists - Toolroom Knights, Vol. 1 (two CDs; Toolroom)
Notable Reissues and Archival Material:
· Akir - Immortal Technique Presents: Akir - Legacy (Babygrande)
· Laurie Anderson - Big Science (Nonesuch)
· India.Arie - Acoustic Soul - Special Edition (Motown/Universal)
· Chet Atkins - The Essential Chet Atkins (two CDs; RCA/Legacy)
· Chet Atkins and Les Paul - Chester & Lester (RCA/Legacy)
· Erykah Badu - Baduizm - Special Edition (Motown/Universal)
· Bobby Bare - Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies (two CDs; RCA Nashville/ Legacy)
· George Benson - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Grant Lee Buffalo - Fuzzy (Noble Rot)
· Cheech & Chong - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Confederate Road - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Rodney Crowell - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Detente - Recognize No Authority (MVD Audio)
· The Dramatics - The Very Best of the Dramatics (Stax) [Buy Now]
· Holly Dunn - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Einstürzende Neubauten - Palast der Republik (MVD Audio)
· Freddy Fender - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Ella Fitzgerald - The Very Best of the Harold Arlen Song Book and The Very Best of the Irving Berlin Song Book (Verve)
· Eddie Floyd - The Very Best of Eddie Floyd (Stax)
· Garbage - Absolute Garbage (limited-edition two-CD set; Almo Sounds/ Geffen/ UMe) [Buy Now]
· The Groundhogs - The Best of the Groundhogs (Caroline)
· Arlo Guthrie - The Best Of (Rhino)
· Guy - Guy - Special Edition (Motown/Universal) [Buy Now]
· Robyn Hitchcock - Jewels for Sophia (Noble Rot)
· John Lee Hooker - Jealous (Shout! Factory)
· K-os - Collected (Virgin)
· The Knife - Silent Shout - Deluxe Edition (two CDs and one DVD; Mute) [Buy Now]
· Johnny Lee - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Little Milton - The Very Best of Little Milton (Stax)
· Neal McCoy - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Natalie MacMaster - The Collection (Foreign Media)
· Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy - Cornell 1964 (live; two CDs; Blue Note)
· Gary Morris - Hits (Rhino)
· Willie Nelson - Live at Billy Bob's Texas (limited edition; with DVD; Smith Music Group)
· Louis Prima - Jump, Jive an' Wail: The Essential Louis Prima (Capitol/EMI)
· Rammstein - Völkerball (available as a standard digipak with one CD and one DVD; a special-edition digipak with one CD and two DVDs; or limited-edition photo book with two CDs and two DVDs; Universal) [Buy Now]
· The Rivingtons - Papa Oom Mow Mow: Rockin' R&B and Boss Ballads (Shout! Factory)
· Saxon - Best of Saxon, The Eagle Has Landed and Power & the Glory (Caroline)
· Seals & Crofts - Greatest Hits (Rhino)
· Keely Smith - The Essential Capitol Collection (Capitol/EMI)
· Johnnie Taylor - The Very Best of Johnnie Taylor (Stax)
· Susan Tedeschi - The Best of Susan Tedeschi: Episode Two (Sheridan Square)
· Rufus Thomas - The Very Best of Rufus Thomas (Stax)
· Teddy Thompson - Up Front & Down Low (Verve Forecast)
· UFO - Lights Out (two CDs), Masters of Rock and Obsession (Caroline)
· Manuel Valera - Vientos (Anzic)
· Warren G - Regulate: G Funk Era (two CDs; Def Jam) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - Crickets: Best of the Fading Captain Series 1999-2007 (two CDs; Recordhead)
· Various artists - Freeway Jam: To Beck and Back (Tone Center)
· Various artists - Seriously Good Music: Bollywood, Burleque, Celtic, Gypsy and Reggae (Petrol/EMI)
Digital Releases:
· Seizure Crypt - Hello, My Name Is ... Madness (available through Interpunk and on SeizureCrypt.com)
Music DVDs:
· Aerosmith - "In Performance" (with book; Hurricane) [Buy Now]
· All-American Rejects - "Tournado" (Interscope) [Buy Now]
· Avenged Sevenfold - "All Excess" (Warner Bros.) [Buy Now]
· James Brown - "Mr. Dynamite" (MVD Visual)
· Johnny Cash - "Music in Review" (with book; Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· Bob Dylan - "The Golden Years 1962-1978" (Chrome Dreams)
· E-40 - "The Best of E-40: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow - The Videos" (Jive/Legacy)
· Donald Fagen - "The Nightfly Trilogy" (three-MVI box set; Rhino)
· Garbage - "Absolute Garbage" (Almo Sounds/ Geffen/ UMe) [Buy Now]
· Green Day - "In Performance" (with book; Hurricane) [Buy Now]
· Green Day - "Rock Case Studies" (with book; Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· The Moody Blues - "Videobiography" (Classic Rock Legends)
· Nirvana - "In Performance" (with book; Hurricane) [Buy Now]
· Rolling Stones - "Rock Case Studies" (with book; Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· Jill Scott - "Live in Paris" (Hidden Beach)
· Sublime - "The Ultimate Bundle for the Sublime Fan" (two DVDs and one DVD; MVD Visual) [Buy Now]
· Tanya Tucker - "Tanya Tucker" (MVD Visual)
· Underoath - "777" (Tooth & Nail) [Buy Now]
· Gene Watson - "Gene Watson ... Sings His Greatest Hits" (MVD Visual)
· The Who - "Videobiography" (Classic Rock Legends) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - "60's Rock 'N' Roll Jukebox" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "Reggae Nashville Deep Roots Music 1 - Revival/ Ranking Sounds" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "This Ain't Your Mom's Hardcore: Volume Two" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "The Undagrind" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "We Love Ella! A Tribute to the First Lady of Song" (Verve)
Coming Attractions:
July 24:
· Prince - Planet Earth (Columbia) [Preorder]
· Sum 41 - Underclass Hero (Island) [Preorder]
Read: "Sum 41 Kill President In New Song — Deryck Whibley Says It's 'A Metaphor' "
· Tegan and Sara - Con (deluxe edition with DVD due same day; Vapor/Sanctuary)
July 31:
· Common - Finding Forever (Universal) [Preorder]
Read: "Kanye West, Lily Allen Finding Something In Common"
· DevilDriver - The Last Kind Words (Roadrunner) [Preorder]
· Korn - Untitled (deluxe edition with bonus DVD due same day; Epic) [Preorder]
Read: "Korn Are Cracking Up Over Eighth LP's 'Gothic Feel,' Munky Says"
August 7:
· Constantine Maroulis - Constantine (6th Place)
Read: " 'American Idol' Vets Bo Bice, Constantine Maroulis Can't Stop Rockin' "
· Okkervil River - The Stage Names (Jagjaguwar)
· UGK - Underground Kingz (two CDs; Jive) [Preorder]
Read: "Ex-Con Pimp C Juiced For UGK Album, Says He Has Lessons To Teach"
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1564781/avenged-sevenfold-now-25-amp-more-new-releases.jhtml
The Chemical Brothers - Let Forever Be
- Artist: The Chemical Brothers
- Label: Astralwerks
- Director: Michel Gondry
- Album: Surrender
Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1052&vid=309383
Montag, 18. April 2011
MTV News At CMJ: Pizza, G.I. Joe's Head And 1,000-Plus Bands
Our fearless reporters vow to push themselves to the limit to fully experience the massive music-biz convention.
By MTV News staff
Mew perform in New York on Friday
Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images
NEW YORK — MTV News' trek through the maze of venues and bands that is the CMJ Music Marathon continues. As we told you Wednesday (scroll down for prior CMJ reports), the festival is cluttered, confusing, exhausting, and, of course, a really good time.
FRIDAY, November 3 / SATURDAY, November 4
For all the whining, scrambling and gnashing of teeth that comes with it, sometimes CMJ is totally awesome. Like on Friday night, for example, when we were lucky enough to catch a Twin Cities doubleheader in the form of the mighty Hold Steady and the equally weighty Plastic Constellations, who, as luck would have it, played sets within minutes — and blocks — of each other. ...
The Steady topped an impressive bill at the Annex, taking the postage-stamp-size stage after Dirty on Purpose and the Cold War Kids had already rocked the invite-only crowd (we're not sure who this "private party" was for, but there were many casualties at the door, including our buddy Kevin — sorry Kevs). It was an abbreviated set, like many at CMJ, but it still packed plenty of punch, with Craig Finn and company blasting through a host of boozy standards from their new Boys and Girls in America album ("Stuck Between Stations," "Chips Ahoy!" and the set-closing "Southtown Girls") while the crowd pumped their fists. ...
As soon as the last guitar note had faded away, we made a beeline for Pianos, arriving just in time to catch the Plastic Constellations plugging in. Conjuring a stumbling racket like their Minnesota forebears Hüsker Dü — and earning geek points for singing about decidedly "D&D" topics like dragons and swords and stuff — TPC windmilled their way through a terse 40-minute set featuring material from their criminally overlooked Crusades LP and a pair of hard-charging new tunes, all while looking like they were having the time of their lives. They rule. ...
Uptown at the Nokia Theater, Austin, Texas' premier drone merchants, the Black Angels, served up a head-nodding set of hypnotic psychedelic rock — in marked contrast to the frantic roots-rock of headlining duo the Black Keys. While the Angels' influences are obvious — the Velvet Underground and Spacemen 3 being most prominent — they do the drone thing so well that any derivativeness is more than forgiven. They're also enormously fun to watch: less for charisma or stage antics than for the way they interact musically, with each of the six members tastefully contributing to the whole rather than showboating. (Having said that, slugger Stephanie Bailey is just about the most bad-ass drummer we've seen all year.) ...
Another of us headed over to the Mercury Lounge to check out some of Australian quartet the Drones' grunge-metal guitar torture. Alternating spare and bluesy riffs with all-out chaos, the band worked itself into psychotic fits of string-tearing, throat-shredding hysteria. Frontman Gareth Liddiard grew increasingly unhinged as the set wore on, grinding his boot into his effect-pedals while flinging himself across the stage. ...
The music was equally intense but somewhat sweeter at the Bowery Ballroom, where adorable London quintet the Fields politely made their way through a set of lovely anthems. Built around frontman Nick Peill's quickly strummed, effects-laden acoustic guitar, the group recalled a more lush, less meandering Broken Social Scene as simple riffs swelled into epic refrains. ...
Denmark's Mew took Fields' ambitious sound and pumped it up even bigger, adding a psychedelic film display on a giant banner hung behind them. At first the group came off as a psych-rock Duran Duran with Kenny G on keyboards (seriously), but that impression didn't last long: Singer Jonas Bjerre's soaring tenor is truly arresting and a perfect match for the band's polished art-pop. ...
Back in Manhattan, Lavender Diamond turned in a sublime set at Joe's Pub. Clad in a red velvet dress, kooky frontwoman Becky Stark delivered more LOLs with her loopy stage banter than a David Cross comedy night — and this was before the folksy quartet had played a note. When Stark opened her mouth to actually sing, it felt as if an angelic golden light had been cast over the room: The band is often lumped in with L.A.'s freak-folk scene, but its fairy tale-ish and precious qualities were more joyful than grating. The group is currently recording its debut full-length with former Pernice Brothers bassist-turned-producer Thom Monahan (Devendra Banhart, Brightblack Morning Light).
A completely different — but just as amazing — experience was to be had at the Studio B rave-up in Brooklyn, featuring Parisian dance duo Justice (a.k.a. Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay). The pair crafted a masterful set of slamming, sweeping peaks and valleys as the sweaty capacity crowd danced manically. Highlights included tracks from their Waters of Nazareth EP, a tweaked version of Justin Timberlake's "My Love," a remix of Franz Ferdinand's "The Fallen" and the duo's recent MTV European Music Award-winning (and Kanye West-enraging: see "Kanye Admits To Having Had A 'Sippy Sippy' (Or Two) Before EMA Rant") remix of Simian's "We Are Your Friends." At 4 a.m., the exhausted crowd was still yelling for more. ...
On Saturday in Brooklyn, we bore witness to an afternoon of booze, BBQ and Bobby Bare Jr., all thanks to the good folks at Bloodshot Records. In keeping its longstanding tradition (and its decidedly alt-country bent), the label turned the hipster haven Union Pool into an old-fashioned honky tonk, complete with cold beer in the can, an honest-to-goodness campfire and, well, about 5 million bearded dudes in delivery-driver jackets. ...
After downing several burgers and taking full advantage of Bloodshot's somewhat laissez-faire approach to free drinks, we somehow made it to Northsix for yet another invite-only shindig, a multi-band monster that went under the billing "New York to London." Once again, the beer was free and the room was hot, as a host of up-and-coming acts (most notably Illinois, who took great pleasure in antagonizing the industry-heavy crowd, and L.A.'s Pumpkins-esque rockers Silversun Pickups) made glorious noise. The party raged until 4 a.m. and, to be honest, we don't really remember a whole lot, but we're pretty sure one of our pals went a little heavy on the hospitality and was nearly booted for yelling "Australia sucks!" at the Phoenix Foundation (who are actually from New Zealand). ...
Not far away, at Brooklyn's coolest venue — Warsaw, a club tucked inside the Polish National Home, where you can get pierogies and sausage to munch on during gigs — the Secret Machines brought their ear-pummeling psych-rock and brain-tickling light show. It was the last gig on the act's tour behind its latest LP, Ten Silver Drops, and featured the band playing on a specially designed circular stage that was set up in the center of the room. After nearly 90 minutes of roaring crescendos and space jams, the trio wrapped the night with a fuzzy feedback loop after ripping through a high-energy take of "First Wave Intact." ...
And finally, on Sunday, though CMJ was drawing to a close, we got the sort of unexpected treat that can make the fest so totally worth it. After stumbling up to Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn's hipster main drag, to soothe our sore heads with some bloody marys, we found ourselves sharing a bar with none other than the Shins, who were in much higher spirits than us, tossing back beers and watching the New York Giants squeak past the Houston Texans. (OK, so they were actually sitting across the room from us, but whatever.) Serendipitous? Perhaps. A mirage? Most certainly not. After all, this is CMJ. And you never know who you'll be sharing a bar with.
With no less than three hot-ticket shows occurring Thursday night — the Sub Pop Records showcase at the Bowery Ballroom, featuring the Shins; Hot Chip at Webster Hall; and the Horrors at the Annex — hands were wrung, schedules drawn up, plans made (then dashed) and curses uttered. Most CMJ goers were left with one of two daunting options: scrapping one show in favor of another, or arriving at a venue really early, making it through a bunch of bands they didn't want to see and complaining about persistent foot pain and back aches from all the standing around — or maybe that's just us.
THURSDAY, November 2
With no less than three hot-ticket shows occurring Thursday night — the Sub Pop Records showcase at the Bowery Ballroom, featuring the Shins; Hot Chip at Webster Hall; and the Horrors at the Annex -- hands were wrung, schedules drawn up, plans made (then dashed) and curses uttered. Most CMJ goers were left with one of two daunting options: scrapping one show in favor of another, or arriving at a venue really early, making it through a bunch of bands they didn't want to see and complaining about persistent foot pain and back aches from all the standing around -- or maybe that's just us. ...
One thing CMJ attendees learn really fast: When it comes to getting into the conference's biggest shows, your badge might as well be a "kick me" sign — unless you're prepared to get to the venue a couple of hours in advance to wait in the doubtless already-long line of badgeholders. Oddest of all, when you finally get in, the venue is likely to be three-quarters full. (We've stopped asking why: It's like when you see a lane on the highway blocked off for miles, without any construction in sight.)
This was the case at Thursday's Sub Pop Records showcase at the Bowery Ballroom — which one of us was foresighted, smart, lucky, connected and (most importantly) sexy enough to get on the guest list for. We arrived in time to catch Portland, Oregon's the Thermals, whose adenoidal mix of punk and pop was impressively on point. (We heard the Oxford Collapse, who preceded the Thermals, were also pretty great.) Next up were the Album Leaf, whose pretty, gauzy sound you'd think would go over like a Catholic-school slumber party in a live setting. However, head Leaf/keyboardist Jimmy Lavelle was accompanied by a full band (drummer, guitarist, violinist) who beautifully embellished the songs' swelling, sonorous peaks. The evening's headliners, the Shins, have some stellar songs and may have changed Natalie Portman's life in "Garden State," but live they're a little snoozy. Frontman James Mercer is anything but, relegating himself to stage left so the keyboardist/bassist Marty Crandall — he of the terrible jokes — takes center stage. And although the band has a new album, Wincing the Night Away, due in January, they played old material at half-mast. It also didn't help that they hit the stage at 1 a.m.; we decided to hit the hay midway through their set. ...
At a packed Webster Hall, hotly tipped British electro outfit Hot Chip bobbed their way through a set that the NME described as "rousing" but we felt was closer to "eh." They played the truly excellent songs from their sophomore album, The Warning, some not-so-excellent ones and bowed a couple of brand new-songs, too... all while hammering keyboards, tweaking knobs and jerking around like geeky salmons out of the brook. Of course, the crowd — which was loaded bloggers clutching Canon ELPHs, dudes in glasses effortlessly texting with one hand and, strangely, goofy white guys with afros — ate it up, but we would've liked to see a bit more of the Devo-esque moxy that separates Chip's records from the millions of faceless electro-drones out there. ...
Speaking of which, it's one thing to hold up your cellphone for a favorite song, but the eerie blue/green glow of Sidekick and Razrs is lighting up the audience like an alien invasion at every venue (and majorly distracting from the stage action). If you're there to rock, chill with the texting, OK cowboys? ...
Anyway, during a set by Canadian odd-pop-rockers Malajube at the Mercury Lounge, we noticed a sign on the wall behind the soundboard that read, "No pyro/hazers smoke machines." We don't even know what hazers are, but we're glad they're not allowed because they might have caused the monstrously over-perfumed woman standing in front of us (perhaps a bandmember's mom — or maybe an aunt, considering her whining about having to pay admission for the show) to burst into a chemical fireball. The band's unusual fusion of pop hooks with off-kilter song structures works pretty well on record, but the mix was off and the keyboardist could roll out his falsetto a little less often. ...
The Vice showcase a few blocks away was running about an hour behind schedule, leaving us to see the entirety of the Panthers' set. Now, there's nothing wrong with worshipping Black Sabbath, but here's the thing: there's no smiling in metal. We're OK with the Ozzyesque maniacal grin that says, "You think I'm leaning in to kiss you but I might take a bite out of your cheek," but Panthers singer Jayson Green's goofy smirk just didn't work with his band's dinosaur stomp, which heavily featured tracks from their upcoming album, Sweet Beast. One thing kept coming to mind as we watched him wail away: Andy Metalakis (or maybe it was Ozzy Milonakis). ...
On the other hand, Atlanta's Black Lips laid down a shambolic bubblegum/garage fusion that rocked the roof off of the joint. It was an odd situation: the shabby-looking-and-sounding quartet often wandered off-key, off-beat and off-kilter, but their enthusiasm, sense of fun and infectious songs made technical proficiency seem like just something else to laugh at. While the band is renowned for onstage misbehavior, on this night they kept it light: On the last song, the rhythm guitarist (who was actually wearing a shiny gold grill) smashed a beer bottle, played slide guitar with the neck and then dragged the jagged end across his shirt (although we didn't see any blood). ...
Friday looks even more jam-packed schedule-wise, as evidenced by the following IM exchange:
MTV News Reporter: Apparently, we need to go to the show right after work CMJ-Dazed Fiancee: what? CMJ-Dazed Fiancee: oh CMJ-Dazed Fiancee: ok MTV News Reporter: Because the line-up is Dirty on Purpose, Cold War Kids and then the Hold Steady CMJ-Dazed Fiancee: well if thats what we gotta do CMJ-Dazed Fiancee: so when does it actually start? MTV News Reporter: 6:30, but nothing will probably happen until like 10pm MTV News Reporter: AAAAARGH
WEDNESDAY, November 1
Sure sign that you're at CMJ, #1: A guy in beer-mug pattern pajama bottoms and a fuzzy pink bunny hat is standing on the corner outside the downtown club Pianos. (He's gotta be in a band.)
Sure sign that you're at CMJ, #2: The singer of Somebody Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin utters this so-indie-it-hurts statement: "That song is on the colored vinyl re-release of our first album. There's a couple [in the back of the club] if you want to buy one."
Given the ridiculous number of shows by bands most people have never heard of, there are several ways to attack CMJ. You can dash frantically from one hipster set to the next, hoping to catch a song or two. You can opt to only see bands based on the ridiculous pictures next to their names in the CMJ festival guide. Or you can camp out all night at a club like the Knitting Factory, which has three stages on three floors, each hosting multiple acts (approximate total number of stairs climbed or descended by one reporter on this night: 1,800).
Some rewards of an evening at the Knitting Factory:
» The Two-Man Gentlemen Band, who wore Mark Twain-meets-"Clockwork Orange" white suits with suspenders and porkpie hats and played old-timey ragtime tunes on banjo, kazoo and stand-up bass.
» Dracula Zombie USA: Three women in wifebeaters and black miniskirts wearing dead-president masks, accompanied by a male cohort clad in a Dracula cape and George Bush mask. They played a dance-beat-fueled riot-grrrl mashup we'll call punko — or maybe discunk?
» The Mall: The lead singer screams into a microphone fashioned out of an old phone handset. What more do you need to know?
» A well-dressed couple cuddling lovingly while seated on a red beanbag near a dumpster. A passerby sniffs, "Is that one of those things where they just fell into a trash pile and said, 'Ha ha ha!'?"
» Rah Bras: The drummer, wearing a clingy halter top and a Mardi Gras mask, uses his thong-clad butt as an improvised percussion device. (Again, what more do you need to know?)
» A couple of hipster dudes blocking traffic on the steps as they try to jam their skateboards into a single backpack.
» Shellshag: As soon as we saw the 6-foot tall male singer in girl jeans, a skintight tank top (with a fake dress shirt collar and zebra-striped tie painted on it) and a cropped gold lame sweater holding a star-shaped guitar, we naturally thought, "joke band." But then we heard the tribal, Melvins-ish sludge-metal sound he made with the girl drummer (wearing bells on her ankles and around her waist). Tribal metal sleigh-bell grunge is the next big thing — and guys wearing girl jeans with tank tops is the next big fashion statement.
» QUOTE OF THE EVENING: "Are you just trying to moderate my anger by putting your water on my banjo case?"
Elsewhere, the Club NME Party at Harmony Palace advertised performances by Brazilian synth rockers CSS, heavily hyped goth-punks the Horrors and "special guests." While it's usually a very bad sign when said guests go on first, they turned out to be the highly touted Swedish outfit the Sounds, who plowed through a bubbly set of highly danceable, new-wave-inflected material. Word gradually spread that CSS' lead singer was feeling too ill to perform, and after an hour of truly inept DJ-ing (reportedly by the members of CSS who felt good enough to DJ, although if that were the case our ears beg to differ), the Horrors salvaged the evening with a stomping, in-your-face, 20-minute set of punk rock. Lead singer Faris "Rotter" Badwan leaped into the bewildered crowd, perilously swinging the microphone stand and screaming like a banshee. ...
However, the evening's best band may well have been the one with the least printable name. Holy F--- are four guys from Toronto who play a wild brand of experimental electronic noise that somehow melds itself into a hard-core dance party. At the Canal Room, two keyboard/sound manipulators hunched over racks holding a mind-boggling number of wires while a rhythm section — containing an extremely nimble bassist and a monster of a drummer — held the whole shebang together. As the psychotic din gradually inspired some crowd members to actually (gasp!) dance, the group was joined by New York MC Beans, who barely paused for air between his poetic screeds. It's often more entertaining to see a rapper accompanied by a live band than a DJ, and any MC who can keep up with a swirling mish-mash of electronic jams is clearly on his game. ...
Over at the Mercury Lounge, the Mobius Band inadvertantly distracted us with their striking resemblances to local indie-rockers (drummer Noam Schatz could pass for Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan; singer/guitarist Ben Sterling looks a bit like ex-Luna frontman Dean Wareham). The Brooklyn-via-Massachusetts trio's mellow glitch-rock has echoes of the Postal Service's lo-fi electro, with shuffling beats underscoring melodies that veer from the mini-anthemic to the wistful. It took a little while, but the group finally worked themselves into a mellow groove that benefited greatly from sporadic, tiny crescendos. ...
Further uptown, the Knife played a set filled with loads of tension (but not quite enough release) to an astonishingly packed house at Webster Hall. The group's superb new LP, Silent Scream, was heavily represented, but the dance beats never kicked in for long enough to send the crowd into the raptures it was anticipating. Such sublime subtlety and menace can sometimes get lost in a live setting. ...
But enough about music, let's get to the first thing on many people's minds: FREE STUFF! Similar in theory (if not in content) to the gift bags filled with iPods, designer clothing and blingage you read about A-list actors receiving at Sundance, the CMJ gift bag is a magical combination of promotional ephemera, plastic junk and CDs you will never listen to, with a couple of pins and the occasional "WTF?" item thrown in for good measure (this year's: a G.I. Joe's severed head). Here's the breakdown of this year's goodie bag, by the numbers:
» Number of fliers, publications and other paper-based products: 119, including a 94-page edition of the CMJ New Music Report, a poster for the Gorillaz's "Rise of the Ogre" autobiography, a postcard with Borat's face on it, and a flier for the Center for Neurofeedback and Integrative Health, Inc.
» Number of Energy Drinks: 1: UpShot — "the smallest, most powerful energy drink" and proud sponsors of the "Kickass Tour."
» Number of Energy Drinks That Don't Taste Like a Robitussin/Espresso Combo: 0
» Number of Condoms: 1
» Number of Promotional Cigarette Tins and/or sets of Monsters of Indie Rock trading cards: 2. The cards especially rule, conjuring up fleeting memories from our Donruss-fueled youths. Plus, now we've totally got a Bob Pollard in mint condition.
» Number of Action-Figure Heads: 1, promoting the return of "Kung-Fu Grip" G.I. Joe figures to Hot Topic Stores nationwide.
» Number of Sampler CDs: 6, plus a full copy of Public Enemy's underwhelming New Whirl Odor. Best of the bunch? Either the disc for "powerful, aggressive" rockers Box of Poems ("Currently Unsigned"!) or the full-blown rancor of the sampler from Psychopathic Records: home to such luminaries as Insane Clown Posse and Dark Lotus and, as the raspy-voiced man on the disc tells us, "the label that runs beneath the streets."
Tuesday, October 31
As music-industry conferences go, the CMJ Music Marathon is a rougher ride than South by Southwest. It's more cluttered and confusing, with hundreds of bands playing at nearly 70 venues scattered across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Hoboken, New Jersey, between Wednesday and Saturday. Assembling a "must-see" list practically requires a degree in quantum mechanics with a minor in cartography. The lines are a bit longer, the crowds a bit angrier and the haircuts more asymmetrical.
Though Austin, Texas' 20-year-old SXSW schmoozefest draws bigger names these days, CMJ is older (the 2006 edition marks its 26th year in the Big Apple), and it has catapulted more acts to stardom, with a list of alumni that includes U2, Beastie Boys, Soundgarden, Green Day and the Killers. It's heavily attended by music-industry executives (and wannabes), college-radio personnel (ditto), musicians (yep) and even fans, some of whom will attend the discussion panels and speeches that take place during the day; all of whom will try their best to get into the most buzzed-about gigs and parties at night, and who will try to see (and rub elbows with) today's most promising up-and-coming artists while spending as little money doing so as possible.
The most exciting shows, early in the week, look to be hyper-literate songsmiths the Decemberists, power-pop titans the Shins, L.A. buzz band the Cold War Kids, Swedish sibling duo the Knife and an unlisted show from boozy, Bruce-y Brooklyn rockers the Hold Steady.
None of this is news to the jaded types who attend the convention, but we'd like to think that at least some of our readers aren't bloggers or publicists or business-savvy musicians, but real music fans who've probably never been to CMJ or SXSW (because passes to the weeklong conferences are expensive). So we're going to try and bring the experience of CMJ to you. There will be loads of info about bands and music, but also about packed clubs, mile-long lines, surly bouncers and late-night quests for pizza. We'll trek from the seediest clubs to the 2,000-capacity concert halls, analyze the vaunted CMJ gift bag, crash the discussion panels and as many parties as we can get into.
We've got an elite squadron of writers on the ground, gig lists in hand, ready to report and — most certainly — rock. Check one-two! Let's do it!
[This story was originally published on 11.02.2006 at 2:01 p.m. ET.]
Related Photos Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1544704/welcome-cmj-experience.jhtml
Abonnieren
Posts (Atom)