Top 40 | New Music | New Music Blog | New Music Sucks : Top 40 Music Sucks! (NOW)

Powerade - Never Ending Game Video

2010-03-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

Alex Lifeson's Favorite Solos - Who knew?

2009-02-09T16:30:00.000-08:00

I personally am a big fan of "Analog Kid" and "Digital Man" but check out Gibson's interview w/ Lifeson on his 3 favorite solos.

Limelight (agreed!)
Kid Gloves (interesting)
Freewill (of course!)

Marcy Playground - Sex & Candy is Evil

2008-10-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

There are so many bands on the radio that have this sickeningly popular hit that drives people mad (good and bad) and then are pretty much never heard from again. Well, if you were one of the lucky one's who bought Marcy Playground's self titled "Marcy Playground" you will notice that the album's brilliance was most definitely overshadowed by one song...and here's a bands dichotomous relationship with that one song that peg's them as "that band that did that one song...you know?" for the rest of their lives...on one hand you have a hit single that will pretty much put a nice check in your mailbox for 20 years to come, but with that comes the pressure to repeat which in my opinion Marcy Playground did with "Shapeshifter" except no single. Who gives a fuck about the single? The album as a whole is great. And to my surprise there has been an album out for quite some time entitled "MP3" from the Playground that I'm just getting into (the first song is a RIPPER by the way)...this is why Top 40 Sucks. It takes the art of a band...sucks it dry...expects the band to recreate brilliance for the non-musical masses in order to turn art into money. If that doesn't happen...well into the dumpster you go. Top 40 Sucks.

P.S. There must be some fans out there...check out the ratings on Amazon for the previously 3 mentioned albums.

The Fucking Champs are THE FUCKING CHAMPS!

2008-09-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

Alright metal fools...if you haven't heard of the metal instrumental trio "The Fucking Champs" from San Francisco I HIGHLY recommend it's high fucking time you did. I've never heard 2 guitar players and a drummer make such incredibly intricate, bone crushing, tasteful, tone full, part cheese (in a good way), METAL in my life? Take the best riffs from Metallica, Maiden, Dio, Kings X, and meld them together (take out any singing for the most part) and you have The Champs...well you can't call them The Champs..they've already been sued for that so they called themselves The Fucking Champs...which is much more fitting... recording only to analog tape/equipment and using old analog synths, 6, and 9 string guitars (9 strings?) the trio blasts out shit that'll have you rockin' like Beavis and Butthead in no time. Check 'em out. Recommended starting album: "VI". The Fucking Champs are:

Tim Soele
Drums, Guitar, Synthesizer

Phil Manley
6 and 9 string guitars, Acoustiic Guitar, Piano, Bass, Guitar Synth, Synthesizer

Tim Green
Guitar, Baritone Guitar, Vocals (extremely limited)

Go download a bunch of The Fucking Champs here

Outside Lands San Francisco - An audio disaster of no proportion

2008-09-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

Yeah, Yeah...this post is incredibly late, but I've been thinking a lot about what I witnessed Friday, Aug 22nd and Sat, August 23rd at Outside Lands, an incredibly ambitious 3 day music festival in Golden Gate park, San Francisco. Something happened that I have never in my life seen and heard at a show...something so insanely out of the realm of possibility that when this particular moment arrived 100k+ people's jaw hit the floor...back to this moment in a sec...let me brief you on the day.

We arrive at the show early (a SMART thing it turns out) to an incredible fairytale layout of tents, windmills, lighted Cypress trees, and music from all angles. If I were still in college I probably would have seen dancing bears and Chinese dragons too. Excited we walk into Steel Pulse who set the mood as an opener for this festival perfectly...great call concert promoters. Even though Steel Pulse has been around for many moons they were extremely tight and bled the peaceful Rasta vibe that got everyone moving and in the mood. Awesome so far.

Manu Chao is up next on our agenda, GREAT! I've been hearing great things, but wait...BECK is scheduled to start 10min after they start. Fuck. Ok, 10min of Manu Chao and then let's go to BECK. Manu Chao is KILLING IT. The crowd is going crazy and fuck it all if we have to leave...I mean it's BECK for God's sake. So we journey across Golden Gate fields running into the largest corralled group of people bottlenecked into an area 25 feet wide trying to get from the main stage to where Beck was playing...NOW we understand just how big this thing is. After an incredible fight for positioning like no other I've ever experienced...BECK! or should I say beck :( If that wasn't the most lack luster show I've seen in a while than you can shove your foot up my ass and shit down my neck. GAWD, what a disappointment. Beck seemed to almost SLEEP through the set barely moving, metal hair in his face, shitty guitar tones...disappointing. Ok, let's go...20min to Radiohead!

So we knee, elbow, and fight our way through 25k+ people back to the cattle drive to get back to the main stage to claim our land for Radiohead. We had been afforded VIP tickets (HIGHLY recommended if you can get them bought for you) so were front row stage left. AWESOME. Radiohead comes on to an absolutely fucking mind blowing set leaving no doubt that they are the rock and roll arena giants of our time...and then the impossible happens...every bands nightmare...every fans annoyance...every sound electricians pink slip...every sound man’s death certificate.

The sound stops.

It just cuts out like someone tripped over the main cord that powered the whole front of house speaker system. Confusion. A mass sigh of "Whaaaaa!?". A faint sound of a band coming from the on stage monitors. The end is here. It's the fucking Rapture. 15-20 seconds go by, but Radiohead is still playing...the sounds pops back on as quickly as it pop's off. The crowd ROARS!!! ALL IS SAVED!!!! until 3 minutes go by and the same thing happens again...this time Thom York obviously pissed mentioning that "I don't know what the fuck is going on" and apologizes profusely. Un-fucking-real. I'm surprised a riot didn't break out. I about started one.

Now the good news is that the sound came back...the sun went down...Radiohead picked themselves up by the bootstraps and showed why they are professionals and beat out a perfect set being the first band in history to play Golden Gate Park at night...it truly turned back to amazing in a gratifying hurry... HUGE props to Radiohead. Amazing.

The nights over...the audio blunder behind us we head home with high hopes for Sat. thinking what we witnessed operationally would never happen again...oh contraire mon friar. To make a long story longer and skipping the best musical act IMO (I'll touch on this later) I'll jump to the most amazing blunder even WORSE than what happened during Radiohead's set.

Imagine this...It's night time in golden Gate Park. The Cypress trees are glowing red, purple, orange all around the park. Tom Petty is KILLING it on the main stage to a crowd where you can not see the end North, South, East, or West...this is fucking MASSIVE. People dancing all around...you get the idea...BUT! all of the sudden Steve Winwood pops on stage and The Heartbreakers bust into a full set of old Traffic tunes! HOLY SHIT! If this isn't a moment in music history then you're outta your mind. The crowd absolutely ERUPTS! And then...yes folks...it happens.

The sound cuts out. Once, twice, then three times during this magical moment. I fucking lost it...HOW? WHY? Where's the sound man...I'm going to wring his fucking neck! Were people pissed, disappointed? You can only imagine...it was a disaster. Petty, Winwood, and the Heartbreakers finish like the pros that they are never acknowledging the audio blunders. The crowd leaves extremely satisfied, but with a dark hole in their soul.

Me? I leave with the thought that I saw the most amazing set earlier in the day at one of the side stages...a band like no other...a power trio coming together to absolutely crush this festival and make my musical concert going year. Primus. You Suck.

McDonalds does NOT rock...

2008-08-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

...except if I'm hung over as hell or want fries to stay undigested in my colon for 3 months...ya know, save 'em for later kind of thing. I guess this was an ad in Brazil...to cater to those who love Sepultura.

RUSH plays Tom Sawyer on ROCKBAND

2008-07-25T17:58:00.000-07:00

In follow up to the RUSH post where they play the Colbert Report I never in a million years thought I'd see this, but this is the shit! RUSH plays thier own song, Tom Sawyer, on the game Rockband and FAIL!

Zakk Wylde rips National Anthem at Staples Center with Randy Rhodes Flying V

2008-07-23T08:51:00.000-07:00

Zakk Wylde Shreds the National Anthem

Pretty bad ass...Zakk Wylde pays a little tribute to America and Randy Rhodes before a Los Angeles Kings hockey game at L.A.’s Staples Center. It sounds loud as hell and I'd love to have been there.

Zakk Wylde National Anthem Tab

Rush plays on TV for the first time in 33 years! And on none better than Colbert Report

2008-07-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

33 years since performing on TV. 33 years!!!! Think about that. It's a combination of longevity as a band and a serious lack of understanding of how bad ass these guys are by the networks and most of the world. Whether it was RUSH's choice to not play on air for 33 years or not..fuck it...I still blame the man, the networks, the music labels, and chlorine in our drinking water. I guess the choice of songs was obvious..Tom Sawyer...but for us hard core fans some serious mad respect for RUSH and Stephen Colbert would be if Stephen just introduced them right at the beginning and they played the first side of Hemisphere's and then went to credits. But, unfortunately I don't run the show. Or anything for that matter except this ridiculous blog. Anyway, what's with the attention RUSH is getting these days? All of the sudden they are in Rolling Stone (it has to be 33 years since then too) and now TV appearances? Are people finally waking up after a 33 year hibernation in their musical holes? Am I a biased RUSH fan? Absolutely. 24 Gold and 14 Platinum records has a good way of saying fuck you :)

Awesome Rush Intro

Rush plays Tom Sawyer on The Colbert Report

Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman Jam at Rothbury Festival

2008-07-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hippies, Multi-Day Festivals, Dead Heads, Phish Heads, Twirlers, Spinners, and those with incredibly bad hygiene gone from the music scene? Judging by the 35,000 people who attended the Rothbury Festival, jam bands and those who follow them with an undying fervor are alive, well and still selling grilled cheese sandwiches...and were treated to a mini PHISH reunion when Trey, Mike, and Fish all shared the stage during Mike Gordon's own solo set to do a rendition of The Beatles "Rain". Hints of a reunion from Trey were rumored to be heard, but dammit NO. NO REUNION TOUR. Don't get me wrong. I myself was a PHISH head following them around from city to city to see their amazing shows and hear songs from incredible albums such as "Junta", "Lawn Boy", "Rift", and "Picture of Nectar". But having PHISH find this weird pop sensibility on albums such as "Undermine", "Round Room", and "Farmhouse” really, well, kinda sucked...do we really need to hear anything past The Story of the Ghost from 1998? (I should get some good flaming from that comment). And don't get me started on anyone's solo work (Mike Gordon's being the best efforts IMO). Anyway, there really is no point to this post I guess except it has given me a selfish reason to bitch about how bad PHISH has gotten, that there are still (and always be) hippies, and venues across the nation in which to give reason to sell grilled cheese sandwiches. Oh, and also...who knew that Trey's real name is Ernest J.?

The Sea and Cake - Car Alarm - Releases October 21st

2008-06-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

The Sea and Cake take no time off to record their latest release entitled "Car Alarm" which is due out October 21st. Tour dates to follow as soon as they are available...sweet.

Track List
01 Aerial
02 a Fuller Moon
03 on a Letter
04 CMS Sequence
05 Car Alarm
06 Weekend
07 New Schools
08 Window Sills
09 Down in the City
10 Pages
11 the Staircase
12 Mirrors

"All In Throws" Live Video from The Pitchfork Festival

Outside Lands - 3 day San francisco Music Festival - Look at that Line Up!

2008-06-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

Holy Crap. Holy Crap. Holy Crap. Have you seen the line up for "Outside Lands" in San Francisco August 22nd-24th? Reeeeeediiiiicuuulous. Radiohead and Beck Headline the first night with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals and Primus headlining the second night (what!?) and to top the final night off we have Jack Johnson, Wilco, and Widespread Panic (I could probably due with out Jack Johnson and Widespread...but The Mother Hips are playing!) Oh yeah, STEVE WINWOOD is playing the second night...STEVE WINWOOD!? WHAT!? Normally I'd think fuck seeing Steve Winwood on his own, but right now a little ex-traffic action sounds pretty damn cool in this kick ass summer weather we're having. Long story short...What a great 3 days and at $80 something a ticket you get to see over 10 bands as opposed to just seeing one...ticket prices really suck these days and upon reading an article in Spin magazine on who is making the money in the music industry it's the PROMOTERS because they know we'll pay an arm,leg and a left nut to see our favorite bands. Fuckers.

George Carlin - R.I.P.

2008-06-23T14:25:00.000-07:00

George Carlin, Comedic Genius, dies at 71

Les Claypool turns from musician to DIRECTOR! - Electric Apricot: Quest For Festeroo

2008-06-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

Les Claypool turns director creating a National Lampoons film about a band with "no limits, no fear, and no clue". The DVD will hit stores May 13th and knowing Les's wit from seeing him at shows to other videos such as Cheesy Home Video it's going to be pretty damn funny. Check out the Electric Apricot trailer below.

Electric Apricot: Quest For Festeroo

"Top 40 Sucks" Kinda Sucks These Days

2008-05-21T22:57:00.001-07:00

But Ned's Still Kinda Rules

shreds

2008-04-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

Amazing.

I recommend all the installments of the "shreds" series.

Like, Steve Vai

The Breeders - Coming to Amoeba in San Francisco - FREE!

2008-04-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

The Breeders play at Amoeba Records in the Haight on Thursday May 1st 6pm - San Francisco

Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses formed The Breeders in Boston in 1988. Over some seriously tumultuous years for Kelley Deal and the group in general they are back supporting another album called Mountain Battles, out April 8th. Check out the Rolling Stone review...This is their first album to be released since 2002's Title TK and the current line-up includes Kim Deal (vocals and guitar), her twin sister Kelley Deal (vocals and guitar), José Medeles (drums), and Mando Lopez (bass). Missing are the original Breeders friends Tanya Donelly (then of Throwing Muses, later of Belly), Josephine Wiggs, bassist for the British band the Perfect Disaster, and violinist Carrie Bradley.

Juliana Hatfield tells is like it is in both music and reality television

2008-03-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

I've always liked Juliana Hatfield (seriously)...and now I know why... Check out some excerpts from Juliana's blog explaining some of the songs on her new album entitled "How to Walk Away" which is due out June 10th on her own Ye Old Records. This is some pretty deep shit served up right here...Top 40 SUCKS.
-----------------------------------
"You Are The Camera" was my attempt to explore the vanity, artifice, shallowness, meanness/selfishness/coldness/heartlessness/dis-honesty of the entertainment business and to admit my own guilt, shame, and embarrassment at being part of this system that exploits women/people and their art.

To let one’s music be sold involves some necessary amount of fakery, illusion, and collusion in the sales/marketing/whoring process, even if it’s just the makeup on your face..."

"...The fact that I still want and need and court an audience — to be appreciated and acknowledged by total strangers — seems, to me, a failing, a weakness, a character flaw. I consider the fact that I submit myself and my work over and over again to the judgment of random people — when I have such a low opinion of humanity (myself included) in general — to be seriously twisted. It doesn’t make any sense. Why do I care what any of you thinks? Why does anyone care what I think? A woman my age should be comfortable enough in her skin — mature enough, sensible enough — to eschew the random and sometimes uninformed and unintelligent opinions of those whom she doesn’t know well, and care about, and trust.

But so many of us need to be mirrored in others. We need to be reflected back at ourselves to feel we have any idea of who the hell we are."

(In explaining the song..."I look right you and see myself")
"Some of us are filmed by the television cameras and the magazine photographers and the rest of us watch the tv and look at the magazines and it numbs us, in a pleasant way, like an anti-anxiety pill.

I believe that television — and cable tv in particular (and now the internet, and all the other technologies which weren’t such a presence when I wrote the song) — is ruining our country. Ruining us. Some people actually think that what is on tv is real. It’s wired into their brains. With so many reality shows, they get the "reality" on these shows mixed up with real reality, and it leads to identity confusion. And dimwittedness. And conformity. And greed (people want what they see on tv). And it moves to the streets, the malls, schools, to the culture, as a uniformity of experience, language, dress, style, thought, desire...

...Almost every kind of rebellion — tattoos, drugs and drug abuse, porn/sex — has been commodified and nullified by overexposure to the world by cameras.

You know what would be radical? Subversive? Brave? If LC went a whole day and night of her life without makeup.

Judging by what I see all over the place — countrywide — young women seem to want to look like Heidi Montag. (By the way, I hate the fact that I know Heidi Montag’s name; that I know who she is; that she takes up any space at all in my consciousness. And the fact that I actually enjoy watching The Hills proves that television — and cable tv in particular — has ruined my brain. And I don’t even have cable in my home but, still, the damage gets/got done — see how dangerous and insidious it is? I’ve watched The Hills when I could’ve been reading a book or painting a painting or trying to find a cure for cancer.)..."

(Here it comes...do I hear the fat lady singing?)
..."I used to want to try to "be myself" in photos, with no special trickery or heavy makeup or flattering lighting or smiles, but now I can see that trying to present myself as "myself" is futile and pointless, because there is no "self" that the camera can capture. It’s what’s inside that makes us who we are."

Definition of Alternative Rock by Buzz Cuts - Sad Sad Sad...

2008-03-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

So I'm watching TV and this commercial airs claiming "The 30 biggest and best alternative rock hits of all time on 2 awesome CDs". Pretty bold statement if you ask me. This list of songs sucks 98% major ass and is truly a poor representation of what "Alternative Rock" was meant to be when first coined...and what's worse is that this is what the mass population consider good alternative rock and they'll probably sell the shit of these CD's. Ya gotta check out the song list and commercial below...the world is coming to an end...

CHALLENGE: Name 5 quality songs in this list...

Kryptonite | Three Doors Down
Fat Lip | Sum 41
I Miss You | Blink 182
Blurry | Puddle Of Mud
I'd Do Anything | Simple Plan
Celebrity Skin | Hole
Sour Girl | Stone Temple Pilots
Last Resort | Papa Roach
Running Away | Hoobastank
Hangingaround | Counting Crows
Lakini's Juice | Live
Hanging By A Moment | Lifehouse
The Way | Fastball
What It Is To Burn | Finch
The Chemicals Between Us | Bush
Smooth Criminal | Alient Ant Farm
Higher | Creed
Meant To Live | Switch
Butterfly | Crazytown
Hemorrhage (In My Hands) | Fuel
My Own Worst Enemy | Lit
I Will Buy You A New Life | Everclear
Amber | 311
Somewhere Out There | Our Lady Peace
Bodies | Drowning Pool
I Hate Everything About You | Three Days Grace
Inside Out | Eve 6
Send The Pain Below | Chevelle
Wherever You Will Go | The Calling
Fly | Sugar Ray f/Supercat

Check out the Buzz Cuts TV commercial

Rush equals doo doo t-shirt

2008-03-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

Are there any new bands who ROCK on stage anymore?

2008-03-05T10:41:00.000-08:00

I mean really rock with some sort of stage show/presence. i.e Alice Cooper, Van Halen, Flaming Lips, David Byrne, Les Claypool, etc.

I've seen enough shoe gazers to know which band members have bald spots and who doesn't. Doesn't anyone put on a stage show anymore? And I'm talking some good new bands who don't suck major ass (i.e. New Found Glory). When is the last time you saw a guitar player step up to the front of the stage, rip a solo, give the screaming hot chick in the front row a wink and throw out a pick? Or is this shit too 80's cock rock for everyone these days? Is stage presence becoming a lost art? Doesn't anyone ever jump off the drum kit anymore?

Someone prove me wrong with some sweet YouTube clips of a "new" band actually rocking out. Definition of "new" band would be anyone who's "broken" in the last 1-2 years...

Eddie Van Halen's Issues, "Atrocious" Playing Derail Tour

2008-03-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

You knew it was coming...

From stereogum.com:

It doesn't come as much of a surprise that VH are reportedly canceling their tour. According to TMZ, it's due to Eddie's "issues," such as being "out of it" during shows and this "out of it" guitar playing. Guess there's no blaming the guitar tech this time. Comes at an interesting time, as Valarie Bertinelli's pushing that autobiography in which she talks openly cheating on Eddie. On top of that, she looks pretty hot in her new Jenny Craig ads. Well, for Eddie's sake, hopefully Val didn't lose all that weight eating Michael Anthony's special sauce.

It's Noise Pop time in San Francisco - Feb 26th - March 2nd

2008-02-26T11:34:00.000-08:00

Noise Pop Schedule

Lineup for the 2008 Sasquatch! festival |May 24th- 26th, 2008

2008-02-26T09:07:00.000-08:00

According the Sasquatch MySpace page: "The 2008 Sasquatch! Music Festival, now in its seventh and best year yet, will expand to three days and take place Memorial Day Weekend at the legendary Gorge Amphitheatre.

Already the official opener to summer for music fans, Sasquatch! is becoming a certified monster of a musical event: this year features another exciting and diverse line-up for the
musically adventurous, and ups the ante on an event already hailed for its independent spirit.

Over the years Sasquatch! Music Festival has evolved from a unique homegrown and laid back fest into a full blown three day extravaganza, complete with camp-outs, canyons, sunsets and three stages, and this year (for the first time) a comedy tent. . "

Here is the pretty sick lineup for the 2008 Sasquatch! festival:

R.E.M.
the Cure
the Flaming Lips "U.F.O. show"
Death Cab For Cutie
Modest Mouse
M.I.A.
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Flight of the Conchords
the New Pornographers
the Presidents, the National
Tegan & Sara
Built To Spill
the Hives
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Ozomatli
Cold War Kids
the Breeders
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks
Okkervil River
Dengue Fever
Jamie Lidell
Crudo
Mates Of State
Destroyer
Rogue Wave
Battles
Fleet Foxes
White Rabbits
the Cave Singers
Pela
Grand Archives
the Little Ones
Thao Nguyen & the Get Down Stay Down
Dead Confederate
65Daysofstatic
the Heavenly States
Kinski
David Bazan
Dyme Def
Vince Mira with the Roy Kay Trio
Sera Cahoone
Joshua Morrison
the Blakes
Siberian
Throw Me The Statue
the Cops
Say Hi
the Shaky Hands
J. Tillman

The Joni Letters

2008-02-25T14:47:00.000-08:00

Herbie Hancock's recent homage to Joni Mitchell is fantastic. I think it just won a grammy. It's all I've listened to for weeks. Listening to the album you wonder what would've happened if Mingus would've lived to complete his collaboration with Joni, or if Jaco Pasterious would've lived to do subsequent recordings with her. . . Anyway, if you're a Joni fan, you're gotta be so stoked for this album. If you're not, what the hell is wrong with you? Buy or otherwise download "The Joni Letters" and get with it.

Built to Spill and Meat Puppets at The Fillmore Feb 24th, 2008 - review

2008-02-25T13:08:00.000-08:00

Curt Kirkwood- Guitar, Vox, Keys
Cris Kirkwood- Bass, Vox, Keys, Guit-Jo
Ted Marcus- Drums, Percussion (replaced Derrick Bostrom)

I must preface this review that I haven't heard the new Meat Puppets album "Rise to your Knees" and unfortunately was one of those fans looking to hear "the classics" where "true" Meat Puppets fans will burn me at the stake for saying that I thought the set list was a little week (Sooo many good songs un-played) and is Cris Kirkwood really rehabed? If so, good for him because he had more energy than Animal on methamphetamines and had to have woken up this morning with a stiff neck from all that bouncing around. All in all, they were...well...good. with Curt's guitar playing really stealing the show (away from Cris's bouncing). He's a damn good guitar player. Ted Marcus on drums was solid, but forgettable. Not that any Meat Puppets songs call for Neil Peart drum solos but he could have done more. So all in all, I'm happy I FINALLY got to see the Meat Puppets, but was a bit disappointed at the set list. I bet Monday's show (tonight) will be better... ON TO THE MAIN ACT!

Built to Spill
How was the Built to Spill show? Good. Again, a bit disappointed with the set list, but "Goin' against your mind" and "The Plan" saved the day. I really like the more rockin' Built to Spill because they do it so fucking well. I don't want to say that the other stuff is "fluff" but live? It doesn't translate as well as the rock. I do have to say that Doug Martsch is a very polite front man with a very nice "thank you" after every song. He goes into a bit of a trance much like Thom Yorke (in a way) when he's singing with his head sorta doing a weird vibrating thing and his facial expression very distant. The strangest thing for me was to hear so much rockin' but not a lot of rollin'.... and what I mean by that is that I don't understand how Mr. Martsch just sorta stands there not hitting any rock and roll poses during very rockin' moments. He's extremely still with just his right arm just sorta moving back and forth...interesting.

Final verdict? Well, with the Meat Puppets AND Built to Spill on the same bill I had extremely high expectations and expected a show of epic proportions. That being said, I wasn't blown away. All in all it was a good show, and I'm very happy I went... the best thing? I got the sweet Fillmore poster!

No one is replaceable... Not even Steve Perry

2008-02-22T15:53:00.000-08:00

This is the movie "ROCKSTAR" in real life. Wasn't that movie about Rob Halford and Judas Priest? Anyway, I digress...let's go a step further into reality (reality music?)...let's go Journey. Arnel Pineda, a guy in the Philippines who'd been fronting a Journey cover band called "ZOO" posted some of his videos on YouTube, and was subsequently discovered by Journey guitarist Neal Schon - unbelievable? not after seeing how bad ass this dude is at covering Steve Perry...I know this is like the 10th time he's been replaced...but THIS dude...just watch.

Getting The Police "PRE SALE" tickets sucks major ass...

2008-02-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, so we went to the The Police Reunion Tour last year and jumped through the necessary hoops in order to get tickets. Hoops were as follows:

Register as an OFFICIAL Police member at www.thepolice.com. This allows you access to the quickly becoming load of crap "PRE SALE", which means this gets you access to tickets BEFORE the actual PRE SALE... so a PRE SALE to the PRE SALE if you will...
Pay your $99 for a year of membership to the site "Loads of great content!, Access to PRE SALE, cool poster!" - Ok, sweet.
Get your PRE SALE to the PRE SALE secret "Password"
Go to www.ticketmaster.com and make sure you register and have an account since most Police tickets are sold through Ticketmaster. Getting an account at time of purchase only slows you down..and you SURELY don't want that.
Go back to www.thepolice.com with your super secrete password and your Ticketmaster log in and make sure that the PRE SALE to the PRE SALE hasn't already ended (don't blink) at the venue you would like to see The Police.
Click the PRE SALE button (your hopes should be getting high by now & fingers crossed)
Get redirected to Ticketmaster LOG IN and put in your secret password (Aren't you glad you signed up earlier?)
Start picking good seats! The first thing you will see is your pickin's for great seat are nill and good seats already slim due to the PRE - PRE - PRE SALE the industry folk, friends of the band, "special" people get. Anyway...your still excited...you've paid your $99...and after all..YOU'RE A SPECIAL POLICE MEMBER!!! You will have SWEET seats!
You found the PERFECT seats! Hooorah! Quickly put in the quantity of tickets and press "buy" - HURRY!
"Seats not available. Please try again" FUCK. So you do...you get your second best choice. Ok, cool.
Checkout
Drain bank account or max out credit card.
Hit friends up for the price of their ticket to pay off credit card (always awkward)
Get tickets and have a great time! HOOOOORRRRAAAYY!!! The Police rocked! Best show ever!
Realize you could have gotten the same tickets at the same price and had the same great time with out the hassle. NOT Priceless...

So after going through this insane process The Police decide to tour again...YIPPEE!!! I'm an "OFFICIAL LEGACY POLICE MEMBER" so I'm going to take advantage of the PRE - PRE SALE with out all the crap I went through before. Oh, wait...I got an email from The Police members club! Cool.

No, not cool. (Click above picture). Pisser, eh? GREAT time for another tour...just when everyone's membership ends and needs to pony up another $99!

I advise reading the The Police PRE SALE stipulations as well...there's a bunch. Just scalp the fuckers or wait until the tickets go on regular sale. Save yourself the hassle. Although, the shining moment of being a Police member is the awesome old school poster they send to you (4 months later). It's ALMOST worth $99.

New Music Releases - February 2008

2008-02-21T15:54:00.000-08:00

Here are the new music releases for all of February, 2008. Print out and take to your local record store...I mean music store. I mean itunes? Online music store? Whatever, I can't believe "Thriller" is 25yrs old...

Artists : Album

Crystal Method : Drive
Dead Meadow : Old Growth
Hot Chip : Made in the Dark
Jack Johnson : Sleep Through the Static
Jill Scott : Live in Paris
Josh Ritter : In the Dark
KD Lang : Watershed
Kelly Stoltz : Circular Sounds
Kinky : Reina
Lenny Kravitz : It's Time for a Love Revelation
Nada Surf : Lucky
School of Language : Sea From Shore
Sheryl Crow : Detours
Sons and Daughters : This Gift
Soundtrack : Assassination of Jesse James (Nick Cave / Warren Ellis)
Soundtrack : Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
Steve Bug : Fabric 37
British Sea Power : Do You Like Rock Music?
Gary Louris : Vagabonds
Guru : Best of Guru's Jazzamatazz
MANDY : Fabric 38
Michael Jackson : Thriller 25th Anniversary Edition
Simple Plan : Self Titled
Widespread Panic : Free Somehow
Allison Moorer : Mockingbird
American Music Club : Golden Age
Baby Walrus : Self Titled
BB King : Live
Bob Mould : District Line
Foxy Brown : Brooklyn's Don Diva
Grand Archives : Self Titled
Growing : Lateral
Jim Lauderdale & the Dream Players : Honey Songs
KMFDM : Brimborium
Kula Shaker : Strangefolk
Marianne Faithfull : No Regrets
Mike Doughty : Golden Delicious
Monade : Monstre Cosmic
Morcheeba : Dive Deep
Mountain Goats : Heretic Pride
Raveonettes : Lust Lust Lust
Ray Davies : Workingman's Café
Score : American Gangster
Beach House : Devotion
David Allen Coe : Penitentiary Blues
Diane Schuur : Some Other Time
Erykah Badu : New Amerykah Part One
Ghostland Observatory : Robotique Majestique
Goldfrapp : Seventh Tree
Janet Jackson : Discipline
Missy Higgins : On a Clear Night
Original Broadway Cast : Little Mermaid
Pete Rock : NY's Finest
Richard Julian : Sunday Morning in Saturday's
Soundtrack : Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Soundtrack : Other Boleyn Girl
Soundtrack : Semi Pro
Soundtrack : Vantage Point
Tift Merritt : Another Country

White People Like Indie Music

2008-02-19T21:56:00.000-08:00

The people at "Stuff White People Like" offer a few funny observations in their rankings. One of my favorites is #63 - Expensive Sandwiches, but for this blog there's #41 - Indie Music:

"Talking about Indie Music with white people is perhaps the most dangerous subject you touch upon. One false move and you will lose their respect and admiration forever. Here are some general rules

Bands that have had their songs in an Apple ad are still marginally acceptable
Bands that have had their songs in ads for other companies are not acceptable
If you mention a band you like and the other person has heard of them, you lose. They own you. It is essential that you like the most obscure music possible."

Spammed by FUSE TV - Talking Metal

2008-02-12T17:01:00.000-08:00

This is only the first or second piece of blog spam I've let through...but I figure spam about metal is good spam... (FUSE - we expect some sweet shwag!)

Hi,

I wanted to reach out with some information about a new TV series called Talking Metal that I think you and your readers will be very interested in.

Here is the official press release from Fuse:
Talking Metal, Friday, February 22, 12 midnight (6 episodes, 30 minutes)
Full metal mayhem on Talking Metal, an all-new hard rock/heavy metal series on Fuse bred from the #1 podcast on iTunes, Talking Metal.

Hosted by ultimate metal geeks Mark Strigl and John Ostronomy, the show will feature exclusive interviews and field packages in the podcast's signature style. Follow Mark and John as they rock out with members of Guns N Roses, get tangled up with Kerry King's (Slayer) Snakes, strum chords with Dave Mustaine and take a road trip to a New York City movie premiere with Rob Halford; then catch them in the studio with sidekicks Bud Friendly, Metal Mike and the Talking Metal fans.

For more information about Talking Metal (plus exclusive video previews of musician interviews from the show)

Talking Metal You Tube Trailer

Thanks very much for your time!

Best,

Carrie

The 50th annual Grammy awards you didn't see on TV

2008-02-11T09:22:00.001-08:00

Most people (including me) have never really known all the Grammy categories and award winners past what we are shown on television. Did you know there is a category for best album notes? Or even best packaging? How about all those great album cover artists who never get airtime recognition. God forbid that I would ever suggest making the Grammy's actually longer, but how about a second (or even third) show showcasing everyone who won? Granted I could see this show only being aired on some 2nd or 3rd tier network, but at least there is some love for people who work just as hard as those who are in the limelight. Here you go - A link to everything that happened last night and a list of all categories:

(full) 50th Annual Grammy nomination and winners list

General Field
Field 1 — Pop
Field 2 — Dance
Field 3 — Traditional Pop
Field 4 — Rock
Field 5 — Alternative
Field 6 — R&B
Field 7 — Rap
Field 8 — Country
Field 9 — New Age
Field 10 — Jazz
Field 11 — Gospel
Field 12 — Latin
Field 13 — Blues
Field 14 — Folk
Field 15 — Reggae
Field 16 — World Music
Field 17 — Polka
Field 18 — Children's
Field 19 — Spoken Word
Field 20 — Comedy
Field 21 — Musical Show
Field 22 — Film/TV/Visual Media
Field 23 — Composing/Arranging
Field 24 — Package
Field 25 — Album Notes
Field 26 — Historical
Field 27 — Production, Non-Classical
Field 28 — Surround Sound
Field 29 — Production, Classical
Field 30 — Classical
Field 31 — Music Video

Kicking the Dead Horse That Is SXSW

2008-01-31T15:09:00.000-08:00

I'm not even sure what it means for a Food network D-list celeb to be sponsoring some kind of SXSW party , but it sure confirms that SXSW is the most over-exposed piece of rotting feces on the music map. Attendance at FXFU should swell this year. "Rachel Ray loves "indie" rock." Huh? I think we've now fallen through the looking glass's looking glass when using this term.

Where do these people come from? Rodney Branigan plays two guitars and percussion

2008-01-30T14:31:00.000-08:00

...AT THE SAME TIME

Raw David Lee Roth Vocal Track on "Runnin with the Devil"

2008-01-25T17:00:00.000-08:00

This is BRILLIANT - best thing I've heard in a long time. Actual, RAW David Lee Roth vocal track for "Runnin' with the Devil" ...SOLO... NOTHING ELSE... You can actually hear the other tracks in his headphones and that ridiculous little "wheeeeeeee!" sound made with the toy those dudes who think they're robots use on the street corner in Union Square of San Francisco. Enjoy!

Raw David Lee Roth Vocal Track on "Runnin' with the Devil"

Rock Song Takes Pro-Rock Stance

2008-01-18T12:47:00.000-08:00

From the Onion:

LOS ANGELES—A fist-pumping spokesperson for the rock and roll song "Rock You" declared the new track's unwavering pro-rock stance Monday amid a deluge of blistering guitar solos and monster drum fills. "In addition to its steadfast pledge to rock you into the night, 'Rock You' also intends to rock at least until the morning light, and does not care what any authority figures may say at this time," public relations associate Mark Boudreaux said. "Furthermore, rock and roll is here to stay." Boudreaux added that lame asses, poseurs, and mama's boys opposed to the song's militant pro-rock agenda could face a long, uphill battle if the song's prediction that rock will never die proves true.

Whopper Freakout (Ghetto Version)

2008-01-10T15:23:00.001-08:00

Give me my mutha bleepin' Whopper!

This has NOTHING to do w/ music, but is just too damn funny not to post.

Brand New - Not New

2008-01-09T15:46:00.000-08:00

I was recently at NorCal Surf Shop in Pacifica, Ca checking out some shades and I started getting into this tune "Limousine" ripping through the speakers of the shop. Background music hardly ever makes it past my ears to my brain so I asked the hottie surf punk chick with the bullets on her belt what the hell I was listening to and she handed me "The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me" by Brand New. Now some of you probably know that Brand New hails from Long Island, NY and has been around since before the year 2000. Not what you would say is Brand New, but it's new to me so I thought I'd tell ya about 'em. Most would put them into the Punk/Pop category since they have opened for shitty ass bands like Good Charlotte and New Found Glory, but I would disagree. The opening track sounds like the Mars Volta with Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs on vox while the rest of the album continues on a dark, prog, punk, vocal harmonized rock journey (remember the band Menthol?) Good stuff...definitely worth checking out. The word is that the album before this entitled "Deja Entendu" is worthy of any record collection as well. Brand New has a few tunes on MySpace you can check out.

The Recording Industry Really is Trying to Kill Itself

2008-01-04T18:58:00.000-08:00

Not content to just sue college kids for sharing or stealing songs across networks, the RIAA is now saying it's illegal to simply rip a CD to your own computer or mp3 player for your own personal use .

Washington Post Article

As Motley Fool recently observed with regard to Sony's stock outlook, "a good sign of a dying industry that investors might want to avoid is when it would rather litigate than innovate, signaling a potential destroyer of value." This has been the case with the music industry for years with the download battle, but with this new wrinkle, the RIAA has taken away every last reason anyone would want to buy a CD. They are cutting their own throats

I own an mp3 player, but I do not buy my music via download. Call me old fashioned, but I like CDs and LPs. I like having something physical to hold and touch, and I like to look at the album art, liner notes, etc. Also, I hate the way data compression makes music sound. But I love having access to lots of CDs on a tiny little mp3 player I can carry in my pocket, and I use my computer for theatrical sound designs, so I often rip music to my hard drive to edit and mix for sound cues. CDs give me the fidelity and tactile advantages I prefer, with the flexibility of being easily ripped for portable/professional use.

But if I have to worry about being sued for copying a CD to my laptop or ipod, why would I want to buy it? What the hell is the music industry thinking? This is the final nail in the coffin.

CandyRat - I love this label

2007-12-21T15:11:00.000-08:00

Peter Ciluzzi

Other artists on Candyrat:

Andy McKee
Craig D'Andrea
Andrew White
Don Ross
Antoine Dufour
Nicholas Barron
Matthew Santos
Robert Taylor
Dean Magraw

Also, check out the CandyRat You Tube Channel to see all these artists.

Who wants to go to San Juan, Puerto Rico?

2007-12-21T14:40:00.000-08:00

Grammy Nomination
35 Million albums
No. 25 top-grossing tour of the year
Grossed $29.7 million
Drew more than 517,000 fans to 48 shows
$1000 jacket

Malignant Narcissism

Wired Mag's Great Interview Between David Byrne and Thom Yorke on the Real Value of Music

2007-12-19T15:33:00.000-08:00

El Ticknor brought to my attention a sweet article where David Byrne interviews Thom Yorke about the real value of music and how Radiohead ended up offering "In Rainbows" online at whatever somebody offered to pay for it...There are a ton of great audio clips of both David Byrne and Thom Yorke talking and joking around.

"It turns out the gambit was a savvy business move. In the first month, according to comScore, more than a million fans downloaded In Rainbows. Roughly 40 percent of them paid for it, at an average of $6 each, netting the band nearly $3 million. Plus, since it owns the master recording (a first for the band), Radiohead was also able to license the album for a record label to distribute the old-fashioned way — on CD."

The Radiohead Website

By the way...ya can't get the "In Rainbows" digital album via whatever you feel like bidding anymore. Ya gotta get the "discbox" on the site or get the CD in stores Jan 1st, 2008

Led Zeppelin Concert News, Videos, Pics, and Links

2007-12-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

So I was in O.C./L.A. the past couple of days for biz and had a LOT of time to listen to the radio (O.C. to L.A. is not a short or fun drive) and according to KLOS there wasn't one critic who anything bad to say about the Led Zeppelin reunion show at the O2 arena in London...even the UK critics were astounded by the first Led Zeppelin show since 1980 and we all know how critical UK critics are - uh, yeah. Anyway, I figured I'd throw some news, videos, pics, and links for ya.

DISCOGRAPHY

1969 -- Led Zeppelin
1969 -- Led Zeppelin II
1970 -- Led Zeppelin III
1971 -- Led Zeppelin IV
1973 -- Houses of the Holy
1975 -- Physical Graffiti
1976 -- Presence
1979 -- In Through the Out Door

Zeppelin Encore - O2 Arena - Whole 'Lotta Love

Led Zeppelin - O2 Arena - Kashmir

Led Zeppelin - O2 Arena - Good Times, Bad Times

Taco Leg Tour = Another Great Way to Keep from Doing your Day Job

2007-12-07T11:13:00.000-08:00

Howdy yall,

Shameless self promotion, but not only does the Top 40 suck, so do the pricks in Taco Leg... so go out and suck with them.

Eastcoasters Rejoice for a A Very Taco Leg Christmas Tour:

12/23 - Boston, MA - The Middle East
12/26 - Ithaca, NY - The Rongovian Embassy
12/28 - Brooklyn, NY - Luna Lounge (w/ the Sutras)
12/29 - Philly, PA - The Fire

There are a couple secret shows and private parties (Manhatten and Philly) along the way for more time to be wasted, get wasted, and hike yo pants up till they high-waisted. So holler if you want in.

For more tunes not on the top40 that kick ass, check these cats out:
The Sutras

Warfish = Online Risk = A Great Way to Keep from Doing Your Job

2007-12-05T12:10:00.000-08:00

So Mahsheet, Paxtejana, and Bob Pantsoff (an extremely infrequent contributor, but a friend of Top 40 Music Sucks anyway) play this game called Warfish which is basically the game RISK online where one person makes a move and then the next player is notified via email or IM that's it's their turn to battle. We have had many a game on many a front. I thought I'd show you a video of all of our moves to date. This game has been running for 3 weeks so far...

Mahsheet = Red
Paxtejana = Pink
Bob Pantsoff = Orange

You will see it's been quite a battle. Enjoy.

Van Halen - MSG, NYC - 11/13/07

2007-11-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

Andy Mckee - Michael Hedges reincarnated?

2007-11-09T14:23:00.000-08:00

This dude is sick and definitely has a huge Hedges influence. Andy McKee's album.

Name Three Actors or Actresses Who Released a Good Album

2007-11-02T18:29:00.000-07:00

Prove me wrong, but it seems there has always been this thing with actors and actresses who aspire to be in a good band or do solo work...for the life of me I can't think of ONE that I have listened to where I would buy their music.

On the other hand, I see musicians become decent to good actors and actresses. Albeit the first that come to mind are rappers such as Ice Cube, Ice-T, and even Eminem was decent in his own "biography".

Can anyone name me 3 actors or actresses (by nature) who put out a decent album or two?

Blind Melon Back w/ Travis Warren as front man

2007-10-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

Blind Melon is back with Travis Warren filing in for the late Shannon Hoon (RIP) on vox. Being a huge Blind Melon fan...the news of a reformation with Travis Warren, in a hole many would say is too big to fill, left me a bit skeptical and well...sorta disapointed? like seeing my old collectable die cast metal matchbox cars mixed with a shiny new plastic el Camino where the little yellow motorbikes in the back aren't even removable! The collection is ruined! Get it outta there!

But, ya know? The more I play with this new addition to my collection I'm starting to think it may be a collectable in the near future because it turns out the el Camino is indeed die cast metal...and the little motorbikes on the back not only are removable...they have real rubber tires! What the fuck am I talking about? Well...I don't know, but Travis Warren sounds pretty bad ass and the reviews from the fans so far of the 10/07:Providence,RI, 10/08:South Burlington,VT, 10/09:New York,NY, 10/11:Cleveland,OH, 10/13:Columbus,OH, and 10/14:Bowling Green,OH shows have been nothing short of spectacular.

Travis sounds eeirily like Shannon Hoon and the studio stuff sounds pretty cool...

Shannon Hoon (Deceased) - vocals, harmonica, kazoo and acoustic guitar
Brad Smith - bass, flute and background vocals
Roger Stevens - guitar and piano
Glenn Graham - drums and percussion
Christopher Thorn - guitar, mandolin and harmonica
Travis Warren - vocals, acoustic guitar

The sound sucks, but you'll get the idea...

Madonna Holds a Press Conference to Announce She's Relevant

2007-10-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

Read all about it!

She's like a Woody Guthrie with boobs.

This is awesome. In the same week that Radiohead, NIN, and several other major mainstream artists announce they are going their own way from huge labels as a whole, and are finally putting some interesting spin into the new media pitch, aging (does she actually age or stay young with child blood?) music icon Madonna signs a bazzillion dollar deal with Live Nation for three records. See they aren't a label. But they'll be just like a label who gives her a taste of ticket sales. Apparently she's already worth 325 million.

That's balls. For those who don't know Live Nation, they sell concert tickets mostly promote gigs and exploit student wages/labor around UVA. There must be some irony somewhere in that the poor woman who was just sued by the RIAA for a quarter of a million is a big Madonna fan. She's gotta be. They should have Madonna come pick up the lifelong payments super fan will be making. Really exciting groundbreaking stuff here.

Like a vampire.

For Those About To Hambone . . .

2007-10-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

The highlight of this past weekend's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Fest -- the free festival in Golden Gate Park -- was the intimate set by the "strictly" bluegrass group Dry Branch Fire Squad. You could've heard a pin drop -- and lots of tear drops -- when the band-leader did a Civil War lament, unaccompanied on his Mando, dedicated to his son who joined the army on 9/12/01. The hamboned version of Hot Corn Cold Corn that followed was stunning. Luckily, this is a canned set, so you can see them doing both here -- you may want to skip all the talking, but don't miss the end of the clip when this fucker hambones.

Van Halen is going to fucking ROCK

2007-09-27T10:42:00.000-07:00

I still wish Michael Anthony was there....but they sound fucking awesome!

Van Halen 2007 - Everybody Wants Some

Van Halen 2007 - Part of Romeo Delight

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival 7: Oct 5 - Oct 7, 2007

2007-09-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

I will be ashamed of all of you if you don't go see Jeff Tweedy for free next Friday.

It's gonna be a train wreck...

2007-09-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

But I guess that's obvious.

Sat 12.22 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena ON SALE 9/23 @10 AM

Tue 11.13 New York, NY Madison Square Garden ON SALE 9/24 @10 AM

Modest Mouse at Treasure Island Fest

2007-09-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

Modest Mouse was very, very disappointing last night at the otherwise pleasant Treasure Island Music Fest.

I saw Modest Mouse several times around 2002-2004 and they were fantastic, but its been that long since I've seen them live. The new line-up -- especially having two drummers (WTF?) -- makes the music very sluggish, and they've polished away all the ragged edges from their compositions, when all that edginess and nervous energy is what made them great in the first place. The result is that even when they played the old (far better) tunes, the songs were transformed into antiseptic ditties. Shame. MM is simply inessential now. Damn shame.

Easin back in after a hiatus...

2007-08-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

Howdy TFS... it's been a while. I just want to get a few questions and comments up.

First, why no Vegas/Rush recap from Mansheet?
Pax gets a pass as he's out of the country.
Is Binns even on here?

Second, "best band in 25 years" Taco Leg, was able to open up for these face melting cats last night...

The El Paso Heist
http://www.myspace.com/theelpasoheist

They will run the world shortly i do believe. Their mp3 tracks don't do justice to the amount of searing rock they threw down.

Thanks for having,
Topple

Van Halen And David Lee Roth Announce North American Tour

2007-08-13T13:25:00.000-07:00

Van Halen And David Lee Roth Announce North American Tour

Historic Concert Tour Marks First Of Its Kind For Van Halen In 22 Years

LOS ANGELES, CA -- August 13, 2007

Beginning this September, in what promises to be the most exciting live tour this year, Van Halen will embark on a national concert tour throughout the U.S. and Canada with its original lead singer David Lee Roth for the first time in 22 years.

Considered by fans and media alike as one of the most highly anticipated tours in rock and roll history, Roth, guitarist Eddie Van Halen and drummer Alex Van Halen will perform with Eddie’s son, Wolfgang who joins the line-up as the band’s bass player. Van Halen and Roth have not performed or recorded together since 1984’s classic multi-platinum album “1984” and subsequent tour, making this tour truly a historic event.

25 dates in all were announced today for the tour which is slated for a September 27th kick-off in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tickets for select dates on the tour go on sale beginning on Saturday, August 18th and are available on http://www.LiveNation.com. A complete list of confirmed dates is attached. The Van Halen tour is being produced by Live Nation. Individuals who have the Citi® / AAdvantage® card, the official credit card of the tour, will be offered access to purchase preferred seats to all U.S. shows.

Fans can enjoy the ultimate Van Halen experience including concert pre-show parties, backstage access, premium seating and more. For additional details go to http://www.iloveallaccess.com.

Fans are encouraged to also check in at http://www.van-halen.com/ or http://www.davidleeroth.com/ for additional information.

Van Halen remains one of the most important and influential bands of all time. Formed in Los Angeles in 1974, the band quickly won a loyal hometown fan base with their electrifying live shows. From the moment they released their self-titled 1978 debut album, Van Halen shook the foundations of rock, thanks largely to Roth’s peerless showmanship, Eddie Van Halen’s revolutionary guitar virtuosity and their songwriting abilities. It changed rock music forever.

The band’s first album proved one of the biggest selling rock debuts, with key tracks like “Eruption,” “Running with the Devil,” “Jamie’s Cryin’,” “You Really Got Me” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” leading the way. The next year, the band followed up with “Van Halen II,” which included the hit “Dance the Night Away.”

Subsequent albums like “Women and Children First” (1980), “Fair Warning” (1981) and “Diver Down” (1982), along with worldwide touring, solidified the band’s reputation for innovative and unparalleled live performances. Classic Van Halen tracks from the early 80’s include “Everybody Wants Some,” “Unchained”, “And The Cradle Will Rock”, “Beautiful Girls”, “Mean Street” and “Somebody Get Me A Doctor” just to name a few.

With their sixth album, released in, and titled “1984”, Van Halen rose to stratospheric heights. Recorded at Eddie Van Halen’s 5150 Studios, the multi-platinum smash yielded one of Van Halen’s signature hits, “Jump,” which remained #1 on the Billboard charts for an astounding five weeks straight. Other hits from the album include “Panama,” “Hot For Teacher” and “I’ll Wait.”

The band’s record of achievement is hard to top. Presented with two Diamond Award RIAA Certified Status’ for their albums “Van Halen” and “1984”, Van Halen joins an elite short list of two time Diamond Award honorees in the history of the music industry. The Diamond Award is presented to an artist for album sales of 10 million or more units. They are also in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most #1 hits on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart than any other band in history.

Inducted into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame in March of this year, Van Halen has produced a treasured body of work that fans will admire for decades to come.

VAN HALEN TOUR

North American Dates

Sep. 27 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Sep. 29 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
Oct. 01 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
Oct. 03 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
Oct. 07 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Oct. 10 Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena
Oct. 12 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Oct. 14 Indianapolis, IN Conseco Field House
Oct. 16 Chicago, IL Allstate Arena
Oct. 18 Chicago, IL United Center
Oct. 20 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena
Oct. 22 Auburn Hills, MI Palace of Auburn Hills
Oct. 24 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
Oct. 26 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
Oct. 28 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center
Oct. 30 Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden
Nov. 01 Washington DC Verizon Center
Nov. 03 E. Rutherford, NJ Continental Airlines Arena
Nov. 13 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Nov. 20 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
Nov. 23 Glendale, AZ Jobing.Com Arena
Nov. 25 San Diego, CA Cox Arena
Nov. 27 Sacramento, CA Arco Arena
Nov. 29 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion at San Jose
Dec. 01 Portland, OR Rose Garden
Dec. 03 Seattle, WA Key Arena
Dec. 05 Vancouver, BC General Motors Place
Dec. 09 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
Dec. 11 Calgary, AB Pengrowth Saddledome

Chocolate Rain

2007-08-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

From the LA Times:

"Chocolate raiiiiiin," belts Zonday again and again, in a voice so cavernously deep that it couldn't possibly be coming from the skinny, sweet-faced young boy on the screen (he's actually 25). "Some stay dry and others feel the pain. Chocolate raaaiiiin."

Helping this refrain to super-glue itself into your mind is the short, looping piano phrase that is the song's musical backbone. The riff is replayed, with minor variations, something like 50 times -- the same number that Zonday chants "Chocolate rain." This repetition is such that a single viewing will have you twitchily blurting these two words for hours afterward, disconcerting friends and strangers alike.

Van Halen Tour To Be Announced Next Week

2007-08-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

From billboard.com:

Sources say a Hollywood press conference in one week will announce a 50-date American arena tour by Van Halen to begin in early October. The tour will feature founding Van Halen members David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen and Alex Van Halen, with Eddie's son Wolfgang on bass.

A proposed summer amphitheater tour by the group, never got off the ground, with Eddie Van Halen entering a rehabilitation facility for undisclosed reasons in March.

In the months since, the artist has been seen publicly looking healthy and fit, and Billboard.com reported a month ago that several arena holds were in place in major markets for potential Van Halen dates.

Van Halen last toured in 2004 with vocalist Sammy Hagar, grossing nearly $40 million, according to Billboard Boxscore. Roth has not fronted the band on tour in more than 20 years.

The Police - 8/3/07 - MSG, NYC

2007-08-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

Absolutely fantastic. I could have watched them all night. Andy was trying to melt my face off.

Message in a Bottle
Synchronicity II
Walking On The Moon
Voices Inside My Head
When The World Is Running Down
Don't Stand So Close To Me
Driven To Tears
Truth Hits Everybody
Bed's Too Big Without You
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Wrapped Around Your Finger
De Do Do Do De Da Da Da
Invisible Sun
Walking In Your Footsteps
Can't Stand Losing You
Roxanne

E1:
King Of Pain
So Lonely
Every Breath You Take

E2:
Next To You

Golf Claps for Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation at the Berkely Community Theatre

2007-07-24T12:04:00.000-07:00

I have to say that I was a little disappointed at the crowd who attended the Sonic Youth show at the Berkeley Community Theatre. As Paxtejana commented "What's with the golf claps after each song?" The crowd seemed like they were watching a Pat Metheny show...quiet, listening to every nuance to make sure a note didn't go unheard. I guess that's all fine and good, but this is SUPPOSED to be a fucking Sonic Youth show! Not a group meditation.

Kudos to the one dude in the front row who was jumping around, flipping out, flailing wildly...that's how they do it at the Fillmore in S.F. Maybe the crowd was down because they don't sell beer at the Berkeley Community Theatre? I know Paxtejana and I were...Maybe the crowd was so reverent due to the reason we were all there...to enjoy Sonic Youth's epic album Daydream Nation from front to back? I guess...but still...

Anyway, the pic shown here is a survey sent to me by Live Nation that I filled out...basically it says the theater was too damn hot, no beer, the sound was rough up top, and you couldn't see where your seats were after the lights went out. Basically, if you're gonna see a show at the Berkeley Community Theatre get tanked before hand and wear shorts.

Oh, and Sonic Youth seemed to be just getting warmed up during the first encore...over all an OK show.

Nickelback - All the Right Reasons: 6 times Platinum - PUKE

2007-07-18T14:31:00.000-07:00

Who are these people who listen to such drivel? Gawdddd.....Jeeezzzzz....Mannnnnnn....PUUUKE!

That dudes voice from Nickelback makes me think he's gotta a serious case of constipation.

6 million people listing to that crap...what the hell is going on?

6 times platinum is like U2 big or The Police big or even Madonna big (on one album release)... sad, sad, sad.

OH, and you fans of crapperback...here is what happens to a crappy band like Nickelback when people realize that they really suck without really good engineers and producers.

Deerhoof - Indie Prog?

2007-07-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

In a Pitchfork review of Deerhoof's new album "Friend Opportunity" Chris Dahlen says "We've been using the term "inde prog" mostly to describe bands that quick-cut between ideas and construct mini-suites out of mini-songs. But on this record Deerhoof take everything that clique of indie bands has worked toward-- add the suddenly popular twee vocals-- and ride it like an h-bomb."

Chris Dahlen further goes on to mention 70's art rock bands like Yes, Genesis, and King Crimson to describe Deerhoof's musical highs...interesting. Sounds like a band I could get into, but what other bands would be considered "indie prog"? When I did a search on Pitchfork Media's website for this so oft term to describe bands like Deerhoof I got...well...nothing. Also, what the hell are "twee vocals"?

Reunited Van Halen Eyeing Fall Arena Run

2007-07-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

A proposed summer amphitheater tour by a reunited Van Halen that was derailed when guitarist Eddie Van Halen checked into rehab now looks like it may be resurrected as a fall arena run. Several arena holds are in place in major markets for potential Van Halen dates, Billboard.com has learned.

The tour, negotiations for which were first tipped here on Jan. 24, would feature David Lee Roth, Eddie and Alex Van Halen and Eddie Van Halen's teenage son Wolfgang on bass.

Metal Imagery

2007-07-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

Is a band really metal if its lyrics and iconography don't feature dragons, Frodo, vikings, hellhounds or other creatures and places of Western European lore and mythology? A recent post from one of our esteemed colleagues here at Top 40 Music Sucks criticizes RUSH's lyrics on the grounds that they include such phantasms. But, in defense of Rush and the sacred devil horns, it seems that this is one of the defining elements of Metal -- from Immigrant Song, to Ironman, to Rime of the Ancient Mariner, to By-Tor and the Snow Dog, to Slayer's and Dio's and Maiden's album covers . . . it's elemental. Right?

Does Technical Proficiency = Lack of Soul? Ever hear of Michael Hedges?

2007-07-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

An interesting underlying debate here at Top 40 Music Sucks... Here is Michael Hedges (RIP) playing Rickover's Dream at a 8/1/87 performance at the Maheavy Theater in Great Barrington, MA. Tuning: C2G2D3G3B3C4

A perfect marriage of technical proficiency and Soul IMO...

2007-06-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

Speaking of Peart using Deerhoof's dummer as a drumstick, this dude is throwing two enthusiastic devil horns up to the Rush tour. Reminder: go get tickets -- they're breaking out some sick shit this tour.

June 23, 2007 Setlist:

Limelight
Digital Man
Entre Nous
Mission
Freewill
The Main Monkey Business
The Larger Bowl (with McKenzie Brothers intro)
Secret Touch
Circumstances
Between The Wheels
Dreamline
(-Intermission-/video intro)
Far Cry
Workin' Them Angels
Armor And Sword
Spindrift
The Way The Wind Blows
Subdivisions
Natural Science
Witch Hunt
Malignant Narcissism
Drum Solo
Hope
Summertime Blues
The Spirit of Radio
Tom Sawyer (with South Park intro)
Encore:
One Little Victory
A Passage to Bangkok
YYZ

THE MAKING OF SNAKES AND ARROWS

Drummers: Greg Saunier is not afraid of you and he will beat your ass

2007-06-24T19:28:00.000-07:00

All you drummers who think it's all about having a multi-thousand dollar kit with twelve toms, two kicks and snares, 18 different cymbals and a dozen mics, take a look at this and shut up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEYSeygs97Q&mode=related&search

Eddie Van Halen Unveils His "Frankenstein" Replica Guitar

2007-06-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Starbucks Madness spreads to a most unlikely band: Sonic Youth

2007-06-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

As reported by Pitchforkmedia, an exclusive "celebrity-chosen" compilation of Sonic Youth songs will be sold only at Starbucks, and will include one new exclusive song SY will record just for the corporate coffee-mongers. Read all about Sonic Youth and Starbucks.

The Police at McAffee Coloseum - A dicotomy of sorts

2007-06-14T14:25:00.000-07:00

The Police were loose as shit - The Police were still brilliant

The Police would fall apart frequently - The Police were still brilliant

Sting threw in a bunch of his Stink like Aguilera Vocal Parts - Still Sting was golden boy, his voice like buttah

Andy Summers is 64 yrs old a floundered a bit- Andy had his rips and soloed like a motha'

Stewart Copeland was behind a lot of the time like he couldn't hear his stage mix and missed many Copeland "must have" fills - He still ripped like Animal when in the pocket and had a HUGE grin on his face the whole time.

The moral of the story? The police just can't suck - EVER...no matter how hard they try the songs are brilliant as well as the players who play them. They just can't suck. There were times of incredible brilliance during songs like "Beds to Big Without You" and "Invisible Sun" where I shat myself twice (The people around me didn't like that so much).

They jammed like I've never heard them jam before...and one in particular that I've NEVER heard before which was obviously structured and a potential new tune. Andy Summers said in the latest issue of Guitar Player Magazine that they have been jamming on 2 possible new tunes and if all goes well another ALBUM! Sweet...I think that jam was a taste.

Lastly, Sting's bass playing was so dead on. Thump thump thump through the whole show. I have such a new found respect for him (until I put on his latest solo efforts).

Oh, and I'd like to welcome Gusten Vincent Ticknor (known as Gus to his friends) who was born at 1:24pm, June 12, 2007. He weighed 6 pounds 5 ounces, and he was 19 and 1/2 inches long. Gus has a very good chance at being the next Sting. Congrats el Ticknor and Mrs. el Ticknor!

Geddy Lee joins Doug & Bob MacKenzie on 24th Anniversary

2007-06-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

Geddy Lee hangs with Doug and Bob MacKenzie on their 24th Anniversary. Funny, funny shit.

It's not right

2007-06-07T12:40:00.001-07:00

But I still want one.

Stewart Copeland - OUR FIRST DISASTER GIG!

2007-06-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

Stewart's blog.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonley Hearts Club Band

2007-06-01T14:37:00.000-07:00

'Sergeant Pepper' Turns 40

Eddie in the September 2007 issue of Guitar World

2007-05-31T08:55:00.000-07:00

Eddie's new statement on www.van-halen.com:

"I want to say thank you to all the Van Halen fans for the tons of emails and all the support they provided when I was in rehab earlier this year. It was an intensely personal thing that I'm not really comfortable talking about right now, but I want everyone to know that their support has and always will mean the world to me. I want everyone to know that I am truly grateful."

He will also be on the cover of the September issue of Guitar World (on sale June 26) with an interview and first look at the 5150 III amp.

The Police Opening Night Setlist

2007-05-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

Set 1: Message In a Bottle, Synchronicity II, Don't Stand So Close To Me, Voices Inside My Head > When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around, Spirits In the Material World, Driven to Tears, Walking On the Moon, Truth Hits Everybody, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Wrapped Around Your Finger, The Bed's Too Big Without You, Murder By Numbers, De Do Do Do De Da Da Da, Invisible Sun, Walking In Your Footsteps, Can't Stand Losing You > Reggatta de Blanc > Can't Stand Losing You, Roxanne, E1: King of Pain, So Lonely, Every Breath You Take, E2: Next to You

18th Dye Reunited, Working on Album

2007-05-26T22:51:00.000-07:00

18th Dye was one of the most underrated, forgotten indie bands of the 90s. This German/Danish noise rock trio was incredibly talented, reaching their pinnacle with the Steve Albini-produced album "Tribute to A Bus" in 1995. Their live sets were legendary (according to the few people clued in enough to attend them), and not even Sonic Youth or Yo La Tengo could better their highly controlled use of feedback as a source of melody and texture.

After breaking up in 1999, the band reformed last year, and have been playing new material live here and there. They are recording a new album with a release date to be determined. I think their web site has said this for months, but I just noticed it, so it is therefore Top 40 Sucks breaking news.

Method Man a Pot Smoker? NO WAY! I..I..I..JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

2007-05-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

According to Pitchfork Media, Method Man was arrested for possession of The Chron in NYC this past weekend. This completely blows my mind as I had no idea that Method Man was a pot smoker. All those pictures of smoke coming out of his mouth...that wasn't tobacco? And these lyrics:

"I got, fat bags of skunk
I got, White Owl blunts
And I'm about to go get lifted"

...weren't about animals and the mystic magic of nature? Boy do I feel dumb.

Bob Dylan, Bjork, Arcade Fire, White Stripes among notable acts for 2007 Austin City Limits Festival lineup

2007-05-16T19:15:00.000-07:00

This year's Austin City Limits Festival lineup may dissapoint some longtime atendees, due to the high percentage of repeat performers, but for folks like me who have never been, it's a perfect year to go. And it's cheaper than any of the other big name festivals of a similar ilk and has a killer lineup.

I'd just like to say that I am proud of myself for not including Yo La Tengo in the title of this post. YLT are performing at ACL Festival, but apparently not everyone else thinks of them as the most important band in the world like I do, evidenced by the fact that their name is listed in print ads and banner ads in the smallest of the three font sizes, underneath bands that have been around for less than one tenth of the time YLT have been around. YLT have always been the tortoise to rock music's hares, though.

Some acts of note:

Bob Dylan (!)
Bjork
Arcade Fire (!!!)
Wilco
The Killers
The White Stripes
The Decemberists
Spoon
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Crowded House (!)
Lucinda Williams
Bloc Party
Indigo Girls
Damien Rice
Ziggy Marley
Peter Bjorn and John
Blonde Redhead
Steve Earle
LCD Soundsystem
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Yo La Tengo
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Ben Kweller
M.I.A.
Robert Earl Keen
Paolo Nutini

Go to the ACLF website for the complete lineup, tickets and more:

http://www.aclfestival.com/generalinfo.aspx

Darth Vader to revive Smashing Pumpkins - new album Zeitgeist - new tour announced

2007-05-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

Billy "Darth Vader" Corgan and Jimmy Chamberin from the band Smashing Pumpkins have announced the first tour in seven years supporting a new album entitled "Zeitgeist" which Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin recorded in tandem with out original members D'arcy and James Iha. It has been reported b y the Chicago Tribune that D'arcy and James Iha will not tour but bassist Ginger Reyes and guitarist Jeff Schroeder will take their place.

The opening night will be in Paris on May 22nd and the rest of the tour dates are as follows:

The Orange Peel in Asheville
June 23-24, 26-27, 29-30
July 2-3 and 5.

San Francisco's Fillmore
July 22, 24-25, 27-28, 30-31 and Aug. 1. Tickets go on sale Sunday (May 20) but will only be available online.

Fans are encouraged to record the show with their own audio (we'll see what kind of viral action this will have) so we should have links to the show in the near future.

Lastly, the amazing technology of today's dermatology procedures has rendered Darth Vader's intensely disgusting scars on his skull virtually invisible (see above picture).

David Hasselhoff ties one on while eating Wendy's

2007-05-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

David Hosselhoff ties on a big ol' buzz as of late and his little girl video tapes it's (and annoyingly badgers him about it). It seems the once girlie stud muffin of the 80's and even the 90's has found comfort in pounding his liver with the elixer of life and then doing what any red blooded American would do....get some late night fast food...this particular dinning establichment being Wendy's. I have to warn you...this video is mildly painful to watch because we all know we have been there. Shit canned and hungry...and having trouble getting the food to our mouths while making extremely terrible grunts and noises while trying to force all that fast food goodness down our pie hole. Enjoy the life of the Night Rider getting pissed...

A bit about Hasselhoff's singing career (since this is a music blog) Brought to you by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hasselhoff

Hasselhoff launched his career with guest appearances on the children's program Kids Incorporated and also obtained permission to produce a Knight Rider episode ("Let It Be Me") which focused on his singing abilities. The episode served as a springboard for his 1985 debut album Night Rocker.

The debut album was released while he was still working on the show. After two moderately successful albums, he recorded "Looking for Freedom" with German producer Jack White in the summer of 1989 and released it just as the Berlin Wall came down. He performed it at the Berlin Wall on New Year's Eve, 1989. In a VH1 interview, Mr. Hasselhoff still claims he had something to do with the end of communism in Germany.(HA!)

In Germany, his song became an anthem of sorts at the time, and the album went gold and triple platinum, topping the charts for three months whilst the single managed a mere eight weeks. He was later announced as the best selling artist of 1989 in Germany even prompting the newspaper headline "Hasselhoff: not since the Beatles." (See HA! up above) Since then, another six of his albums have gone platinum in Europe.

It was reported that Hasselhoff had teamed with rapper Ice-T and was planning to record a rap album under the handle of Hassel the Hoff. On Late Night with Conan O'Brien Ice-T confirmed that he was not involved in any such project. In June 2006 Hasselhoff confirmed that the project was a "prefabrication" on The Kevin and Bean Show on KROQ, Los Angeles. (THANK GAWD)

You're gonna love this:

100th post on Top 40 Music Sucks!

2007-04-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

I just noticed that we hit our 100th post. Not bad for us slackers here on Top 40 Music Sucks! In celebration I thought I'd share this kick ass streaming site a friend just showed me which is located in the UK. There's everything there from TV shows, movies, anime, cartoons, to music videos...and everything streams really fast. The quality ranges from video to video, but it's a really cool site none the less. I just checked out last nights episode of Entourage (Ari is great) and a couple of Queens of the Stone Age video's...good stuff.

Music Videos: http://tv-links.co.uk/index.do/5

Shows: http://tv-links.co.uk/index.do/1

Movies: http://tv-links.co.uk/index.do/4

Cartoons: http://tv-links.co.uk/index.do/2

Anime: http://tv-links.co.uk/index.do/3

Sports: http://tv-links.co.uk/index.do/6

Paul McCartney - Track list for "Memory Almost Full"

2007-04-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

Sounds like McCartney is jumping feet first into the digital age as this is the first McCartney album to be available in a digital only format as well as a familiar album title frequently seen as a warning on our computer screens.

Here is the track list for "Memory Almost Full":

"Dance Tonight"
"Ever Present Past"
"See Your Sunshine"
"Only Mama Knows"
"You Tell Me"
"Mister Bellamy"
"Gratitude"
"Vintage Clothes"
"That Was Me"
"Feet In The Clouds"
"House Of Wax"
"End of the End"
"Nod Your Head"

What do you think Paul McCartney thinks of Yoko Ono's new album "Open your Box" (man that's a brutal album title)?

Eddie Van Halen before and after rehab

2007-04-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

BEFORE REHAB...

AFTER REHAB...

BEFORE REHAB...

AFTER REHAB...

26hrs, 4min, and 32sec until new RUSH album "Snakes and Arrows" comes out

2007-04-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

I hear Niel Peart is going to bring back the "porn-stash", Alex Lifeson the "marble sack", and Geddy Lee the "starved child arms" look.

Bad Brains - Build a Nation - Comeback Album of the Year?

2007-04-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

WHOOO HOOO!!!! Holy Moly Bad Brains is getting on the comeback trail (along w/ Genesis, The Police, Rage Against the Machine, and MANY others).

But I couldn't be more excited. With all of the crappy new music out there (Fall Out Boy for instance) it's a no brainer (pun intended) for me to bring back the old because even if a new album from an old band is sub-par it's better than the new crap that's out now. Man is it tough to listen to the radio these days or is it just me? Panic at the Disco (nice make-up, but, uh, no.), AFI (wannabe power punk?), My Chemical Romance (eh), MUSE (ok, so the dude's a good player - but I say overrated..reminds me of a cross between Radiohead and Morrisey), The Bravery (?), and don't even get me started on The Red Hot Chili Peppers (an oldie gone sour)...but I seriously digress.

This is about Bad Brains new come back album - Build a Nation. I already like it and it hasn't even been released (due out June 26th). I guess I'm starving for something to listen too (I know there's tons out there...I'm getting to it!).

Now for the best part....ready?......really?......Guess who produced the album? Go on...COME ON, GUESS!

Noooooo....Not Butch Vig

Nooooooo....Not Colin Hayes

Noooooooooo....NOT Billy Corgan

BUT ADAM YAUCH FROM THE BEASTIE BOYS!!!! WOW. Very. Very. Cool. There will be another report shortly after the release on this bad boy...stay tuned and would like to hear your thoughts on this one (c'mon, doesn't anyone remember "I against I"?)

Eddie's first Post-Rehab Appearance

2007-04-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

From Billboard.com

Eddie Van Halen will serve as an honorary NASCAR official this weekend in what will be the guitarist's first post-rehab appearance. Van Halen will participate Friday (April 20) in pre-race activities at the Subway Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series event at the Phoenix International Raceway, unveiling a limited edition Fender Stratocaster guitar series. Additionally, he is set to greet drivers on the pre-race stage the following day as they are introduced prior to the start of the race. As previously reported, the guitarist entered a rehabilitation facility early last month, four days before he and his Van Halen bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York. As such, he skipped the Rock Hall ceremony -- along with lead singer David Lee Roth and drummer Alex Van Halen. Ironically, only ex-members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony were present to represent the band that night. The guitarist's personal travails contributed to the cancellation of a planned summer Van Halen tour with Roth on vocals for the first time in 20+ years.

How about that sweet pic above!? I think that's my favorite Van Halen pic of all time. Also, here is a pic of the Eddie Van Halen Frankenstein™ replica guitar which is an exact replica of Eddie's original strat right down to the 1971 quarter he put underneath his tremolo. There will only be 300 made. It looks pretty kick ass. Check out more about the Eddie Van Halen Frankenstein here.

The Bad Plus - A Jazz collective doing a Prog album - Very Cool

2007-04-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Bad Plus is a collective made up of bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson, and drummer David King who are currently doing a project called "Prog" (out May 8th) which judging by the incredible version of RUSH's Tom Sawyer will be an album made up of different cover versions of some of the greatest prog bands around...but not in the fashion we normally hear cover songs...bland remakes that try to perfectly emulate the song which is good for a quick laugh...no, no, no! Not here!

So you're probably asking yourself.."So, what am I to expect? Why do I need to hear cover tunes of prog songs I already love?" well...because these cover tunes are done in a jazz/fusion style where the music stands alone while still capturing the essence of the original song which is a very hard thing to do. But they somehow manage to do it! Take 5 parts accomplished jazz, 3 parts experimentation, and 1 part cover song and you get The Bad Plus. Definitely worth checking out.

There is also a really good blog written by pianist Ethan Iverson called Do the Math (it seems they are Big Lebowski fans). Lastly, if ya want to check 'em out live, here is their tour schedule.

Go see 'em! (You know they're good if playing a couple dates w/ Mike Stern)

May 2007

06 College Park, MD -- Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
08 San Diego, CA -- Saville Theater
09 Santa Barbara, CA -- Soho Restaurant and Music Club
10 Oakland, CA -- Yoshi's
11 Oakland, CA -- Yoshi's
12 Oakland, CA -- Yoshi's
13 Oakland, CA -- Yoshi's
14 Santa Cruz, CA -- Kuumbwa Jazz Center
15 Los Angeles, CA -- The Mint
16 Los Angeles, CA -- The Mint
17 Seattle, WA -- Dimitriou's Jazz Alley
18 Seattle, WA -- Dimitriou's Jazz Alley
19 Seattle, WA -- Dimitriou's Jazz Alley
20 Seattle, WA -- Dimitriou's Jazz Alley
22 Portland, OR -- Berbati's Pan
23 Bellingham, WA -- The Nightlight Lounge
25 Boulder, CO -- Boulder Theater
27 Atlanta, GA -- Atlanta Jazz Festival

June 2007

15 Paris, FR -- Festival Jazz de la Defense
17 Amsterdam, NL -- BimHuis (TBP only}
19 Amsterdam, NL -- Theater Carre (w/ Mark Morris Dance Group)
20 Amsterdam, NL -- Theater Carre (w/ Mark Morris Dance Group)
23 Winnipeg, CA -- COOL Jazz WInnipeg Festival
24 Calgary, CA -- Calgary Jazz Festival
26 Vancouver, CA -- Vancouver Jazz Festival (opening for Joshua Redman)
28 Montreal, CA -- Le Festival Int'l De Jazz De Montreal (w/ Mike Stern)

30 New York, NY -- The HighLine Ballroom

Kevin Costner Sues Music Promoter

2007-04-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

http://entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=257406

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Kevin Costner has sued a music promoter, claiming the company reneged on a contract to back the actor's fledgling music career.

Costner, 52, filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Superior Court. The suit accuses Mahee Worldwide Ventures Inc. of breach of contract and fraud. Costner is seeking damages in excess of $8.5 million.

Costner is the lead singer in the Kevin Costner Band, for which he also writes songs. He also has a company, Kevin's Music LLC, that manages his musical activities.

The lawsuit claims Costner's company and the promoter entered into a two-year agreement in January that would allow the actor's band to perform in as many as five concerts each year. Mahee also would create and maintain a Web site marketing Costner's band, the lawsuit said.

But Mahee has failed to hold up its end of the deal, according to the lawsuit.

"Defendants made numerous promises regarding their capabilities to promote Mr. Costner's music and (their) willingness to pay for the right to do so," the lawsuit stated. "Instead of following through on their promises, defendants continued to make false promises and ultimately disappeared ..."

An e-mail message left for Mahee was not immediately returned Thursday.

Chadd's Post about Reunion tours

2007-04-11T14:50:00.001-07:00

Genesis is doing a reunion tour now.

So are Smashing Pumpkins.

and Crowded House.

Getting annoyed.

It has to be said that Crowded House had decided to reform before anyone
else did, including the police.

Anyway, the genesis reunion is only the Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, Tony
Banks trio, no Steve Hackett or Peter Gabriel although at one point he was
seriously considering rejoining to a tour that would have been called, "The
Lamb." That would have been badass.

What the fuck Mike? Why didn't I find this out on your blog.

I guess I should have posted it. I'm just too damn lazy to figure it out.

My first post should be about the year of reunions.

But I'll probably not do it.

I snorted my father...

2007-04-05T13:59:00.000-07:00

"The strangest thing I've tried to snort? My father. I snorted my father," Richards was quoted as saying by British music magazine NME.

"He was cremated and I couldn't resist grinding him up with a little bit of blow. My dad wouldn't have cared," he said. "... It went down pretty well, and I'm still alive."

Kieth Richards in Yahoo! music

Are iPod Owners Sheep?

2007-04-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

Killer ad campaign, but the iPod is still cool. I don't like the white headphones that really do mark you as one of the sheep though...

Good PC Magazine article.

It's all about SanDisk's new player. Check out iDont.com.

Sonic Youth to perform the complete Daydream Nation at Pitchfork, elsewhere this summer

2007-03-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

Sonic Youth will be performing their landmark 1988 album, Daydream Nation in its entirety at Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago this summer, as well as in a few choice European cities. You can check out the schedule for this limited group of performances, as well as the rest of their tour schedule, at their website. Word is a special 2-disc reissue of the album will be released later this year with bonus tracks and expansive liner notes.

SONIC YOUTH TOUR DATES
April 17 Osaka, Japan Namba Hatch (with Vooredoms)
April 18 Nagoya, Japan Diamond Hall (with Vooredoms)
April 20 Tokyo, Japan Studio Coast (with Vooredoms)
April 23 Beijing, China The Star Live (subject to PRC Ministry of Culture approval)
April 24 Shanghai, China Shanghai Concert Hall (subject to PRC Ministry of Culture approval)
April 27 Indio, CA Coachella Festival
June 2 Barcelona, Spain Primavera Festival Performing Daydream Nation
June 15 Interlaken, Switzerland Greenfield Festival
June 16 Wiesbaden, Germany Schlachthof
June 15 Interlaken, Switzerland Greenfield Festival
June 18 St. Petersburg, Russia Manezh Kadetskogo Korpusa
June 19 Moscow, Russia B1 Club
June 23 Neuhausen, Germany Southside Festival
June 24 Scheessel, Germany Hurricane Festival
June 26 Koln, Germany E Werk
June 27 Berlin, Germany Columbia Halle Performing Daydream Nation
June 29 Gdynia, Poland Open'er Festival
July 1 Cergy Pontoise, France Furia Sound Festival
July 3 Istres, France La Palio
July 13 Chicago, IL Pitchfork Music Festival Performing Daydream Nation
July 19 Berkeley CA Berkely Community Theater Performing Daydream Nation
July 20 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre Performing Daydream Nation
August 30 London, England Roundhouse performing Daydream Nation
August 31 London, England Roundhouse performing Daydream Nation
September 1 London, England Roundhouse performing Daydream Nation

It's a confusing time.

2007-03-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

Paul McCartney's forthcoming album for Starbucks' new Hear Music label will be the former Beatle's first album for a label other than EMI Records or one of its affiliates.

Charlene - I've Never Been to Me

2007-03-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

It just makes you feel.

New RUSH single - "Far Cry" from the Album "Snakes and Arrows"

2007-03-19T16:42:00.000-07:00

It's out! The new RUSH single "Far Cry" from the new album "Snakes and Arrows". It's definitely an expansion from the feel of the "Vapor Trails" album and is undeniably, RUSH. "Snakes and Arrows" releases May 1st.

Check out Far Cry

David “fingers” Haynes

2007-03-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

Marc Stuart sent this over to me...sick drummer on a drum machine. Check out a solo below or check out all the David “fingers” Haynes You tube stuff. Pretty amazing.

Wolfmother - AOL Sessions and the Letterman show

2007-03-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

Wolfmother is bad ass...the bass/keyboard player is a little goofy, but the raw sound created by vintage instruments (sweet Gibson SG, old Marshalss heads and cabs, and a Rickenbacker) and a cool voice is killer. Check out all the Wolfmother AOL sessions or watch them on the Letterman show. Enjoy. Oh, Wolfmother tix for The Warfield go on sale March 18th.

The Shins @ The Theater at Madison Square Garden, 3/14/07

2007-03-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

They said it was the biggest show they ever played.

They covered Modern Lovers' Someone I Care About.

And they closed with So Says I.

Here's an article about a different show on PitchforkMedia.com.

The Theater at Madison Square Garden is not the massive space at MSG. It's probably 4 or 5 thousand seats. The Shins were good. I wasn't blown down (until the Modern Lovers cover). I think they might be better on record. Wincing the Night Away is a good consistent album. I feel like the earlier ones had more "hits."

The crowd was mostly seated except the 12 or so superfans in front of me.

We are a brutal kind.