For most artists, it may be challenging to recreate their favorite songs, but Young Statues have released a solid cover record that reflects their own originality and maintains the integrity of the artists that inspire them the most.
Harp magazine, which folded last month, is at least the third music magazine to cease publishing in 2008, joining alt-country title No Depression and indie rock mag Resonance in the dead pool. For a certain section of the indie world focused on a more mature, college-educated demographic, the loss of Harp and No Depression hit especially hard. “Those two outlets really spoke to our consumer,” says John Biondolillo, general manager at Dave Matthews’ ATO Records, which handles such critical darlings as singer/songwriters Patty Griffin and David Gray. Josh Wittman, group marketing director at Redeye Distribution and Yep Roc Records, home… Read more »
Good Charlotte is slated to appear on a compilation album titled Rock Against Bush, which is being assembled by Fat Wreck Chords president and NOFX frontman Fat Mike. Good Charlotte, Green Day, Sum 41, and a number of other punk acts will contribute songs to the record as part of a campaign to vote George Bush out of office next year. Good Charlotte guitarist Billy Martin revealed that the band isn’t afraid of the same kind of backlash that hit the Dixie Chicks. “I mean, we considered that at the same time, you know, but I think that the Dixie… Read more »
The punk world is abuzz: Boston’s infamous hardcore Celts the Dropkick Murphys’ latest album Blackout (the second since letting their numbers swell to oh, seven) is the deciding factor: does it manage to successfully blend old school punk rock anger with their leaning trend towards… folk? “It certainly has,” reassures frontman Al Barr. “It went unbelievably well. A lot of people thought we’d be too busy putting out fires inside the band with that many people, but this album was really collaborative. The same core of people did the majority of writing and I’ve been starting to get more involved… Read more »
Rockers want to act, actors want to rock. What are you gonna do? For musicians who lack thespian aspirations, though, scoring a movie seems to suffice. Following in the footsteps of everyone from Bob Dylan and Jon Bon Jovi to Björk and Peter Gabriel, bandleaders Jonathan Davis, Billy Corgan and Jeff Tweedy and solo act Badly Drawn Boy are scoring some points with the Hollywood crowd this summer. Korn singer Davis teamed up with film scoring veteran and ex-Oingo Boingo keyboardist Richard Gibbs for the soundtrack to “Queen of the Damned,” released earlier this year. The pair co-wrote and performed… Read more »
The Pet Shop Boys finished their ninth album yesterday. The as-yet-untitled release is due in March. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe turned fourteen tracks over to engineer Michael Brauer, who finished mixing the tracks on November 3rd. Brauer handed the tracks back to the duo who pulled eleven for the final product. Tennant and Lowe recruited former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr to play on nine of the album tracks, with Jodie Linscott (Elton John, Billy Bragg) adding percussion. The record will be the Pet Shop Boys first album of new material since 1999’s Nightlife. Earlier this year, the group’s first… Read more »
One of the premier bands of the 1980s, Australia’s Midnight Oil is plotting a return to international prominence with that unmistakable big-bass, big-drum sound and the charismatic, herky-jerky flailing about of its 6-1/2-foot-tall bald leader, Peter Garrett. The band debuted a few new tunes Wednesday at the second of two packed L.A. club gigs that revealed a tonal softness, almost Beatlesque, that could permeate its new release, now slated for February. Generally speaking, though, the performance was more a re-acquaintance gig to remind fans that the act has not lost any of its ferocity. Garrett still possesses an enviable mix… Read more »
To Lars Frederiksen, his band Rancid, his label-mates on Epitaph and Hell-Cat Records, and his favorite bands are all about being part of a family – a punk rock family. Fresh off a tour playing with tour with two, high-powered Hell-Cat bands, Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards and the Dropkick Murphys, Frederiksen is set for Rancid’s stint on this summer’s Vans Warped Tour and readying a new, high-tech Rancid release. There’s no time to rest for this tattooed, mohawk-sporting, family man. Rancid will join the roving punk festival on June 22nd in Phoenix along with Epitaph label-mates Pennywise, the Bouncing… Read more »
