The latest on the indie, alternative, and rock music scene including news, music, contest, interviews, and more. Best described as your favorite place to find new bands.
Ozzy Osbourne will be releasing his new album, Scream, on June 18th. For those attending Ozzfest this year, every ticket you purchase before June 18th will allow you to get a full download of the release.
For more information on the new album, a video can be seen on the making of Scream on www.ozzy.com. Also, a new track from the album called “Let Me Hear Your Scream” can be heard here.
Isis has broken up. A statement can be seen on their blog.
The schedule for this year’s Bonnaroo can be seen here.
Switchfoot
is teaming up with Bidfire, a competitive shopping site, to offer one lucky fan the ultimate experience: the opportunity to record a song with the band during a deluxe, four-day trip to the group’s hometown of San Diego, CA. The resulting track will be released on iTunes and MySpace.com. No musical talent is required ““ the winning bidder can opt to play on the session or just help shape the song.
“Record a Song with Switchfoot,” Bidfire’s first charity auction, will benefit StandUp for Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of at-risk and homeless youth (www.standupforkids.org). It will begin on Friday, May 28th, at 12:00 PM M/PT at http://bidfire.com/switchfoot but fans are encouraged to purchase bids in advance to guarantee a “seat” since the auction is expected to sell out. Bidfire is a different type of online auction. Users purchase bids for $1 and it only takes a single bid to win. The last bid placed when the auction closes wins. The closing price of the Switchfoot auction is estimated to be between $5 and $15.
The winning bidder will be flown to San Diego and put up at The Grand Del Mar, a Five Diamond resort. In addition to recording with Switchfoot, they’ll have VIP access to the band’s June 24th show at the San Diego County Fair and the events of the weekend’s 6th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am, including a charity auction on June 25th and the concert/surf contest on June 26th. The Bro-Am will once again benefit San Diego area chapters of StandUp for Kids.
How the Switchfoot Auction works…
Register today on the site at http://www.bidfire.com/switchfoot to reserve your seat
Buy a “bid pack” – bids cost only $1 each
Attend the auction on May 28th at 12pm Pacific and bid! The last bidder wins (we expect that the closing price of the auction will be between $5 and $15)
Proceeds of the auction go to benefit StandUpforKids.
Bad Religion is giving away a free digital album, 30 Years Live, which is available now as a thank you to fans for their loyal support over the last three decades. For a limited time only, fans are invited to sign up for the band’s mailing list to receive a link to the free digital download of 30 Years Live.
Spanning the course of 30 years of genre defining music from the west coast’s quintessential punk rock band, 30 Years Live was recorded during Bad Religion’s recently wrapped House of Blues tour of Southern California and features vigorous performances of fan favorites and rarities from their classic releases How Could Hell Be Any Worse, Recipe For Hate, Suffer, Stranger Than Fiction, The Grey Race, Against The Grain, The Empire Strikes First and Generator. Additionally, the band is including live versions of two new songs “Won’t Somebody” and “Resist Stance” that will be featured on the group’s next album.
The 30th anniversary celebration continues this spring as Bad Religion enters the studio where they are recording their 15th studio album which is due out this fall.
30 Years Live Track Listing
1. Fuck Armageddon, This is Hell
2. Dearly Beloved
3. Suffer
4. Man With A Mission
5. New Dark Ages
6. Germs of Perfection
7. Marked
8. A Walk
9. Flat Earth Society
10. Resist Stance
11. American Jesus
12. Social Suicide
13. Atheist Peace
14. Tomorrow
15. Won’t Somebody
16. Los Angeles Is Burning
17. We’re Only Gonna Die
My entire life is mapped out and plagued from memories tied to certain bands and particular records. There are few moments in my young life that I can’t identify (or label) with records or bands. Which is why, no matter how much artist changes, good or bad, usually bad, I cannot stop being a fan.
I’ve tried. Really, I have. There are some bands who continuously get worse, yet I still listen because well, I loved it once. I’m not like most people. I don’t just listen to music, I have passionate love affairs with my record collection. Weird? Maybe a little, but I’m kind of obsessive.
As I grow older, the music I loved in all the different phases of growing up, still sounds wonderful to me. Even when I know better. An old record is like an old photograph. It tells a million little stories that no one other than myself and those from the past can hear (or see).
Taking Back Sunday’s Tell All Your Friends got me through a fair portion of high school and yet, as I listened to it the other evening, I realized how generic the lyrics were, how simple the actual music was, how hilarious my young self must have been to identify with this. Yet”¦I still sang along and it felt right. I remember the long dark drives on country roads, feeling lost, feeling as if I belonged, the general feeling of feeling.
I’m much older now, but the memories and time frame attached to this record are poignant. Taking Back Sunday has evolved and released three records since this one, and I’ve bought and loved two of them. If asked my top favorite records TAYF would most definitely make that list. But not because it’s particularly great, but just because of the memories.
This happens often. I have personal debates. Is this record actually any good? Could I love it if it were just released today? What are these memories with out the soundtrack?
I cannot fully answer any of these questions, but I’m fairly certain, that bands like Thursday, Taking Back Sunday, Spice Girls, Senses Fail, Brand New, and From Autumn to Ashes, could never have worked in another time. These bands aren’t meant to be classics, these bands were meant for the here and the now and that’s why it worked.
The music is good in its own right, but my personal experiences and childlike fondness morphs these bands into so much more. They will always be a part of me like they’ll always be a part of music history. And who can argue with that?
When I go to shows, I like to keep myself in the dark about the openers. I suppose I do this in hopes of being utterly surprised. Usually it’s the bad kind of surprise and I find myself, bored and disappointed. For this show, however, both openers nailed it. The first band, Linfinity, was overly loud, strangely energetic, and a treat to watch.
The second, Ha Ha Tonka, was one of the most fun bands I’ve ever seen live. Their name is silly, but their music and presence is out of this world. The first few songs were a bit slow and not my style, but out of nowhere they transformed into a killer jam band. Their last song was an overcrowded party featuring members of the previous band and Murder By Death. Even better? Both bands sound wonderful recorded.
Murder By Death took the stage at 11:00 p.m. to a crowded, hot, dark venue of eager kids. Before they fully took the stage the crowd was wild, throwing their PBR’s in the air and swaying like Adam Turla was already serenading them. The second he did open his mouth, the crowd cheered and the party began.
The first few songs were classic old school Murder by Death and no one enjoyed it as much as the band themselves. They were at home playing their old time favorites. Early in the set Turla announced, “We’re going to play some new songs for a bit.” It’s always exciting to see bands play their new songs live. Though they only played a couple.The crowd knew the words as if these songs were ten years old. They drank, they sang, they smiled. It was a party.
And then started the slew of whiskey songs. “All of our songs are about doomsday or whiskey.” This elicited lots of “fuck yeahs!!!!!” And rightly so.
For the encore, the band slipped off the stage, drank and waited as the crowd screamed louder and louder for their return. When they finally emerged from the dark hallway near the stage, Turla said, “We’re going to play a song from the new record. The one that seems to be getting good responses.” He started the chord and hesitated, but launched right into my favorite off of the new record, “Piece by Piece”.
Murder by Death’s music is dark and serious, yet, seeing them live is a dance party. The band’s music is powerful, captivating, and a blast even when the message is anything except this.
Show took place Sunday May 9th @ the Grog Shop – Cleveland, Ohio
30 Seconds To Mars have posted a teaser for their new “This Is War” video. Check it out below.
mewithoutYou have announced dates for their upcoming tour, Our Cashew Princess of the Swirling Marble Tour. Joining the band will be Rubik, David Bazan and Rocky Votolato on select dates. There are currently 23 scheduled stops starting June 2nd in St. Louis, MO and culminating June 29th in Kalamazoo, MI. Tour dates can be seen after the jump. [Read more…]
The set times for the Chicago Bamboozle have been announced.
