The annual Bonnaroo festival, now in its seventh year, kicked off with a bang yesterday, from all accounts; Metallica played their first US outdoor fest in years, scorching through a set that was heavy on Black Album standards - after being intro'd by Chris Rock, who is awesome. My Morning Jacket's epic set will be talked about for weeks, we're told, while DJ Tiesto pumped up the late-night crowd in his inimitable style. Calgary's Tegan & Sara performed as well, as did Primus, Rilo Kiley and The Raconteurs, who are as amazing as Chris Rock. Day two went down today with sets from Mastodon, the legendary B.B. King, Kanye West and headliners Pearl Jam. We wish we were there instead of Canada. [Billboard]
R. Kelly has dodged the proverbial bullet, having been acquitted on all charges of child porn at trial this week. The jury reached their verdict in under eight hours yesterday in Chicago, after Kelly had gone up on fourteen counts that would've seen him in prison for a minimum of four years, as well as having to register as a sex offender in Illinois. Justice, however one views it, has been served by the people.
Just in time for their first tour in many years, half of Stone Temple Pilots have been slapped with lawsuits by Atlantic Records. Drummer Eric Kretz and singer Scott Weiland are accused by the label of using California laws to nullify their contracts with Atlantic, which are governed by New York state laws. The other half of STP, the DeLeo brothers, were both released from their contracts some years ago after the band's first stint had run its course. Without delving deeply into the well of legalese here, Atlantic is basically coming off as a desperate traditionally-modeled record label trying hard to squeeze some last juice out of a band they still see as viable. Pathetic.
We don't know how it's still possible, but Disturbed just scored their third consecutive number-one album. How? Why? Who? We demand answers!
From Disturbed to music that's actually meaningful, Buddy Guy is still truckin' and working on a new album - and he's scored some bigtime help in the form of Eric Clapton and Robert Randolph, among others. Skin Deep will drop July 22nd, and relatively speaking no one will buy it, and it will be largely ignored by the scads of skids who prefer this bilge, and justice will NOT have been served. The defense rests. PS Buddy will be on tour the day after the album hits, with openers George Thorogood & the Destroyers. Damn straight.
Sure, the Eagles did it, but somehow we didn't see AC/DC following this path - reports here and there indicate the legendary Australian rock act's next album will be another Walmart exclusive. Others who've taken this route include Garth Brooks and Journey. Aren't AC/DC supposed to have more chutzpah?
Random opinion - funny how record sales of three million now qualify for journalistic terms like 'enormous success.' Less than ten years ago, you had to move ten mil to get that kinda props.
We'll end the night on a higher note - no reunion in the last five years has excited me more than that of Living Sacrifice, and Arkansas' finest have their first brand-new album tune since 2003 up on their MySpace. Dig in, enjoy, and you're welcome. It sounds like LS never left.
Posted by mike at June 14, 2008 11:14 PM