Hey, kids, if you live in or near Virginia Beach, VA(straight-up VA hXC baby!), you can catch Emery doing an in-store performance at Volume Records in the Beach this Saturday, February 3rd. [Decoy]
Well, that didn't take long: following a weekend traffic accident in which a car allegedly piloted by singer/actress Brandy hit and killed a young woman, the pop star has been sued by the victim's parents for fifty million dollars(US). More details as events warrant.
We've said it before, we're saying it now and we'll damn sure say it again: Embodyment are one of the the most underrated bands ever.
Attention, all you stadium-rock fiends: Velvet Revolver's new album Libertad has been pushed back from May to June of this year. They're presently in Lost Angels recording said disc with producer Brendan O'Brien.
I've never heard of them, but I bet working in Christian top-forty radio I soon will: Our Heart's Hero has signed a deal with veteran label Gotee Records(Relient K). I wonder what their name means.
Some killer shows coming to the nation's capital, according to the latest scoop from the kids at punkottawa:
- Hostage Life and Attack In Black - fine Ontario products
both - February 14th(happy Valentine's Day, schmucks! Hit the pit!)
- For the Mathematics and Sleeping Pilot, both Ottawa bands,
both awesome, also on V-Day
- The Spilll Canvas, The Reason and Ten Second
Epic, February 21st
- The Esoteric(Prosthetic Records), March 2nd
- Switchfoot with openers Copeland(this is where I'll
be March 2nd)
- Sworn Enemy with Kataklysm and more, March 4th
- Despised Icon(Quebec) and Job For A Cowboy, March 6th
- Comeback Kid(just announced), March 9th, this one will sell out
- August Burns Red with Chasing Victory, also just announced, March 21st
- Walls of Jericho with I Killed the Prom Queen(Australia),
April 16th
Whew, that's a lot of kickass shows coming up. From hardcore to radio rock. I love this city in the springtime. For all the information concerning when and where, hit punkottawa.
A quick word of congratulations to Mr. Brian Kilrea, longtime coach of our own Ottawa 67s here in the capital, on coaching his 2000th game with Ottawa tonight. Thirty years, a few Memorial Cups, and a legacy the likes of which pro hockey has never seen. Big ups. I had the pleasure of shaking his hand in the restaurant he co-owns after he won his 1000th game a few years back, and he's a class act.
For those in the Cleveland area, either traveling through or native to the land, check out a very cool exhibit that opened last week at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It honours the longest-running tour festival in America - none other than the annual Vans Warped Tour. Quoth the Hall's website: "The Museum has worked with the Tour's management to create an exhibit and time capsule that document the story of the Warped Tour from its inception in 1995 through the present." The exhibit is called Warped: 12 Years of Music, Mayhem and More and runs from three days ago through to September 3rd, 2007. I may have to take a roadie down there. Oh, and performing at the event's opening? Pennywise, Bouncing Souls and Bad Religion, all of whose punk cred is unquestionable, along with a rather new band(like, very new) in Paramore. The Used had to cancel due to illness, not that they should have been there anyway.
If you're into subtle, expansive rock in the vein of Mutemath and mewithoutYou(though minus the shouted vocals), check out Trois-Riviere, Quebec's Bonaventure. The band are in town at Sunnyside Wesleyan Church(58 Grosvenor) on Saturday, February 10th, and in my official Radio Boy guise sweetdisaster Big Cheese will be co-hosting the soiree. C'mon out.
Arguably the finest hardcore band in Canada(certainly the best-known), the lads of Comeback Kid have succumbed to the pestilence of countless requests and put new music up on their Myspace page, the title track to their upcoming third album Broadcasting. Enjoy.
Congratulations to my man Ken Dryden; he got his number 29 retired and hung in the rafters of Montreal's Bell Centre in honour of his eight-year career goaltending with the Canadiens, winning six - six! - Stanley Cups over that time and posting a record so unbelievable I'm not even gonna bother reprinting it here. Plus homey is an educated man with a law degree from the University of Toronto who found time in his playing days to collate a ton of notes that became a book called The Game, to this day my favourite hockey book. Word.
Victory Records really does still sign good bands from time to time - as evidenced by the extreme catchiness of A Day To Remember(thanks for the heads-up/recommendation, soundthesirens!). ADTR have a new album out on Victory, but don't hold that against them - go listen over here.
There are some unsubstantiated rumours online that Spoken are heading for Canada this spring, but nothing we've found online verifies that. Hmm. Anyone wanna corroborate this for us? Drop us a line up where it says CONTACT, eh? [TVU]
Looks like the nostalgia circuit just expanded a little: rumour online is that as soon as, like, now, Van Halen could be signed up for a 40-date tour this summer with none other than original vocalist David Lee Roth at the front of the stage. The band last toured in 2004 with the man a lot of people think was their best singer, Sammy Hagar, with the tour grossing forty million bucks. Oh, and Van Halen's new bassist? Yeah, fifteen-year-old Wolfgang Van Halen - Eddie's son. What a circus.
Sparta and Moneen will tour western Canada in late March/early April, with southern Ontario boys Attack In Black opening all the shows:
03.24.07 Winnipeg, MB @ West End Cultural Centre
03.25.07 Saskatoon, SK @ Louis Pub (Uni of Sask)
03.26.07 Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
03.27.07 Calgary, AB @ Warehouse
03.29.07 Victoria,BC @ Legends (2 Shows same day) * There will be 2 shows
on the same day here in Victoria one will be
All Ages and the other 19 +)
03.30.07 Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
03.31.07 Whistler, BC @ Garfinkles
04.05.07 Regina, SK @ The Distrikt
Attack In Black's debut EP just arrived at sweetdisaster.com HQ this week; we'll get a review up when we find time to get all the other reviews up. Geez. [AP]
It Dies Today, who recently ousted their vocalist, have replaced him with Jason Wood, who last played bass in Still Remains. Some news to keep all the metalcore kids happy. Wood's first tour as the frontman for IDT will be a lengthy jaunt opening for Papa Roach, which kicked off a few days ago.
A favoured beatmaster around here, Ohio's RJD2, will be touring a bunch the next few months in support of his new album The Third Hand. The two dates of note to Ontarians: April 16th in Montreal, and the 17th in Toronto. [SPB]
Relapse Records kingpins High On Fire will record the followup album to 2005's Blessed Black Wings this spring. Look for the album in stores this fall.
Wow, I wish I lived in Europe: Converge are taking Animosity on tour there this summer. Geez. If you're over there, either studying or a native, check the dates out over here.
Toronto punk mainstays F***** Up recently opened for Henry Rollins in Toronto; Rollins was doing a spoken-word gig at the Masonic Temple in T-dot, and apparently when FU hit the stage to get things going, um, a lot of people went stark raving mad and started tearing up the venue. The damage was estimated around $2000, and MTV, who were filming the segment, are refusing to air it. However, MTV Canada is running it online, and you can see part of it over here.
Haven't heard their name in a while, but Strung Out are making new music. Blackhawks Over Los Angeles(sounds like an alternate Rage Against the Machine title) is being made as we speak, and an online diary of the proceedings for hard-core fans is up over here.
Some love for my man Pigeon Johnny right over here! The man himself is coming to Ottawa, March 22nd at Heaven, downtown. Word.
My youth personified. Yours, too? Discuss!
A while ago, TV personality Stephen Colbert placed a wager with Oshawa, Ontario mayor John Gray that Colbert's adopted Ontario Hockey League team, the Saginaw Spirit, would beat the Oshawa Generals, with the stakes being the usual having to wear your better's jersey if you lost kinda deal. Well, the Spirit pulled it out 5-4 this afternoon in OHL play, scoring the winner with 1:44 to go in the third period, and now Mayor Gray's birthday - March 20th - pursuant to Colbert's wager will be declared Stephen Colbert Day in Oshaway. This whole thing is just an excuse to mention two loves of mine - Colbert and hockey. Why, you're asking yourselves, did a celeb like Colbert suddenly throw his support behind a minor-league hockey team? Saginaw's mascot is called Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle, in tribute to Colbert. Yup. [Sportsnet]
Brampton lads The End cruised through Ottawa last night wielding songs from their brand-spankin'-new album Elementary as well as some oldies from Within Dividia, and one glaring difference I noticed last night - having not yet heard the new record - is the melodies are a lot more prominent. They've always been there with these guys, but the new material showcases it much better. Keep your eyes peeled for an interview sweetdisaster did with vocalist Aaron Wolf and guitarist/lyricist Andrew Hercules in the grimy back room of Mavericks Bar downtown. Word.
Oh, and though the End didn't headline, Cancer Bats did - and they just destroyed all in their path. What a set.
Aversion has checked in with the expected interview with Thrice frontman Dustin Kensrue concerning his new solo album Please Come Home. Check out the piece here.
And then there were four: Capitol Records and Virgin Records have announced their impending merger. EMI, which operated both labels, have crammed them together in a streamlining effort, though apparently no jobs will be lost in the shuffle. [Aversion]
Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, aside from prepping for the Rage reunion at Coachella in April, is also gonna release an album under his Nightwatchman moniker. One Man Revolution will be released on Epic April 24th, and if you wanna hear some stuff beforehand, check out the Axis of Justice DVD featuring RATM alumni Morello and Zack de la Rocha as well as System of a Down vocalist Serj Tankian.
Gainsville's finest, Against Me!, are coming to Canada:
March 4 - Imperial Theatre, Quebec
March 6 - Le Studio, Montreal
March 7 - New Capital Music Hall, Ottawa
March 8 - Call The Office, London, Ontario
March 9 - Phoenix Theatre, Toronto
August 12th: Warped Tour in Montreal. Some highlights: The Almost, Toronto progressive-hip hop MC K-os(weird!), Pennywise, Bad Religion, Bayside and Paramore. For the full list, check out Warpedtour.com. [AP]
Happy hump day to one and all.
Our boys down at Virginia's Blood & Ink Records have gone and launched two different initiatives at the same time; their first digital release from Medford Drive, and to make it easier to get it, a new webstore. Sweet!
Ottawa metal and hardcore kids, listen up: tomorrow night(Thursday, January 25th), The End open up for Cancer Bats at Mavericks Bar(221 Rideau Street, downtown Ottawa). I'll be there, the D's official photographer DJ Omnifik will be there, and all our vast array of friends. C'mon out. Locals Thine Eyes Bleed are opening up the show, and maybe someone else, but I'm too lazy to go check on it.
Thrice frontman Dustin Kensrue's solo debut album Please Come Home is in stores as of yesterday - in fact I bought my copy today and I look forward greatly to listening to it on the way to work later today. Anyway, go pick it up and support good music. And say nasty things about bad music.
Hot on the heels of the announcement that Rage Against the Machine will reunite to play Coachella in April, there are "intimate sources" confirming "one hundred percent" that not only is Rage coming back, but so are Smashing Pumpkins(Lollapalooza), The Police(Bonnaroo) and - get this - Nirvana with Ben Kweller playing guitar and singing Kurt's songs at SXSW. That last strikes me as real unlikely. [MTV]
For those interested in the doings of From Autumn to Ashes in the wake of frontman Ben Perri's departure, you can satisfy your craving for knowledge reading this. Of interest to me in particular is the upcoming tour with Haste the Day, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster and perhaps America's best band The Sleeping. That'll be a rad show if it makes it up north.
Some followup on word of Evanescence's headlining tour with Finger Eleven and Chevelle: the latter will release their fifth album Vena Sera April 3rd, while F11 will drop Them vs. You vs. Me March 6th. I'm excited about both records. Evanescence...meh.
Biggest news of 2007 by a landslide thus far, from sweetdisaster source A-Hill: Rage Against the Machine will reunite to headline the last night of this year's Coachella Festival in the badlands of California, April 29th. The band's website is sketchy on details, only confirming what KROQ in Lost Angels and the LA Times reported this morning. AMAZING. Who's going? Can I hitch a ride? I'll pay for gas cross-country! Good Lord!
Oh, and Fair, a favourite of ours around here at the D, are also playing the last day of the fest. Like I need another reason to go to this.
Another piece of news, from by far the best-looking sweetdisaster goldmine news correspondent Carly: if you're in a band, and you wanna play a week's worth of shows on this summer's Warped Tour, check out Music Saves Lives and their efforts on this spring's Taste of Chaos trek to raise bone marrow donations.
My homey Josh Chaillou sings for a hardcore band called xLooking Forwardx, and put this here up on Myspace for everyone's persual. Well said, man.
American Idol "judge" Simon Cowell is a complete a-hole. Another reason not to watch that idiot show.
This just in from yet another source here at the D, Mr. Dave Leibold(he hosts Over My Head, Sunday mornings on CKCU here in Ottawa): the second-newest signing to Facedown Records, Canada's own Means, are coming to Ottawa February 8th. I was unable to find confirmation or location through punkottawa.com, but Facedown's website has it up there, so we'll go with that for now. Incidentally, Facedown's newest signing is a band called Impending Doom. Natch.
My parents' alma mater, Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, three or four years ago created something called the Festival of Faith & Music, and in its short time it's become a very hot ticket every other year. 2005's edition was instrumental in author Andrew Beaujon's book Body Piercing Saved My Life: Inside the Phenomenon of Christian Rock, released last year, and this year's lineup includes bluegrass legend Emmylou Harris, indie kingpins Sufjan Stevens and Anathallo and Canadian songstress Neko Case, along with authors Steve Stockman, David Dark and the aforemention Beaujon. Seeing as my parents are both proud alumni, maybe I should take a little roadie for this one. More info can be found over here.
Well, the cat is out of the bag.
You see before you the product of two guys. One of them is Dave Marcantonio, an Ottawa native and longtime member of the SD Posse; the other is, of course, erstwhile web guru and sometimes contributor Galen "Brody" Broaddus of the fine state of Illinois. We quite like it. If you the reader think something could be improved, or you wanna see more of something(we know, reviews and interviews are slack; shut up already), don't hesitate to contact us. Using the CONTACT tab. Yes. Welcome to The New Deal.
The kids at absolutepunk did a nice interview with Anberlin ringleader Stephen Christian on the verge of the band's third album Cities(February 20th). Check it out here. Of note: apparently Anberlin drummer Nate Young is putting together a little project of some sort with some of the Underoath fellas. Innnnteresting.
The Showdown, hailing from the heartland of America(Tennessee), are getting a lot of comparisons to Metallica "during their good years." The band's second album Temptation Come My Way comes out soon, and there's some new material up on their Myspace page. [IVM]
In the big-summer-blockbuster-movie spirit encompassing The Simpsons move, Transformers and the rest, check out a discussion of the new Indiana Jones flick(the fourth installment) over here.] That movie is not getting nearly enough play, in my opinion.
I saw this skit the night it aired on Late Night with Conan O'Brien last week, and while it was stupid(like a lot of that show's material, fan of it though I am), I don't find myself really offended. Does this mean I don't take my faith seriously enough, or that I believe Jesus can take care of Himself? Discuss. [rockrebel]
The dudes in MxPx have matured a lot since 1994's Pokinatcha almost fifteen years ago, and with their new record being released by "Christian scene" bastion Tooth & Nail Records this summer, everyone and their dog's been after singer/songwriter Mike Herrera for interviews - and finally a reputable Christian mag got their chance; check out christianitytoday's interview. Well done.
Funniest thing ever. Stolen via my brother's blog.
My man Sev Statik with beats from Mars Ill's DJ Dust are about to drop Back To Dust. Guests include Pigeon John, the other half of Mars Ill in ManCHILD, Raphi, Playdough and more. Gonna be sick. [SOHH]
Evanescence is reportedly taking Finger Eleven and Chevelle out on tour in March, thus answering my questions about both of the latter two bands, whose continued existences I had been wondering about of late. [IVM]
Celebrating with a brief tour with This Is Hell, April 3rd will see the latest from Poison the Well, entitled Versions. Ferret Music will get it into our hot little hands - almost four years after You Come Before You. Far too long. Scandalous. [punknews]
I've loved MxPx almost half my life to date, and now I really know why - the band endorses Bremerton Blend, a coffee delicacy. Hit the link to see the wonder caffeinated beverage and how you can win free swag.
July 10th will see the new Bad Religion in stores, though it has no name as yet.
This one is worth watching: Henry Rollins guested on former MuchMusic VJ George Strombolopolous' CBC show The Hour. "What, pray tell," you may be asking, "is a guy from Black Flag doing on Canada's public-access national broadcaster?" For those with short memories(or those under the age of fifteen), Strombolopolous previously hosted and championed both The Punk Show and Loud on Much, both of which I truly miss. Check out his Rollins interview right here.
Anti-Flag fans, take note: the band will be hitting skateboard retailer West 49 stores cross-country while on tour with Billy Talent and Rise Against, and the store is encouraging donations of warm, dry blankets, coats or anything else to help out those who need it. The Ontario visits are as follows:
Tuesday, January 30, 2007 5:30 p.m.
Intercity Shopping Centre
1000 Fort William Rd., Thunder Bay
Thursday, February 1, 2007 5:30 p.m.
Northgate Mall
1500 Fisher Street, North Bay
Saturday, February 3, 2007 4:00 p.m.
Place d’Orleans
110 Place d'Orleans Dr., Ottawa
Wednesday, February 7, 2007 5:30 p.m.
Conestoga Mall
550 King St. North, Waterloo
Thursday, February 8, 2007 4:00 p.m.
White Oaks Mall
1105 Wellington Road, Unit 101, London
New Jersey heavyweights The Dillinger Escape Plan are recording their latest album and first since 2004's Miss Machine, and they've posted a video trailer in which they promise to have the new stuff out by September. Click.
One of Canada's best and most unknown bands, Cuff the Duke, are working on their new album - and their first one, Life Stories For Minimum Wage, is being reissued by Outside Music. The album was originally put out on the now-defunct Guelph label Three Gut Records in 2002. The band will hit the studio next month to begin recording; in the meantime, singer Wayne Petti has some solo stuff up over here. Cuff the Duke are fantastico.
Haste the Day - been a while since we heard from them - are releasing their third album Pressure the Hinges on March 20th. A co-headlining tour with the recently-revamped From Autum to Ashes is also upcoming. [JFH]
My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero, after leaving the band due to illness while on tour in Japan a while back, is set to rejoin the band. A dude from Drive By filled in for him while he was convalescing. [absolutepunk]
History has been made, according to Sony/BMG: classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma's new album Appassionato had 57 percent of sales coming from digital download, making it the first in label history to sell more online than physical copies. How 'bout that. The times, they are a-changin'.
Sure, I've never heard of the label before, but 567 Records has the last offering from Further Seems Forever, a CD/DVD entited The Curtain, available for preorder.
Wilco have a new record coming out May 15th on Nonesuch Records. It's called Sky Blue Sky, not that I'd care what it's called - it's WILCO!
Rumours on the web have actor Ewan McGregor portraying Kurt Cobain in an upcoming movie. I'd go see it.
First, they were called Number One Fan, and they toured with The Juliana Theory back in the day. Then, they changed the name to The Robins. Now, continuing with the winged-fowl theme, they're The Wildbirds. I doubt anyone cares.
An old friend of mine's band has signed with North Carolina's Tribunal Records - Toronto's own xliferuinerx, along with a band called Woe of Tyrants, have joined the Tribunal roster to take over the world, one breakdown at a time. Check out my boy Jon's band tearing it up over here.
The Fiance is The Chariot's third album, coming out April 3rd on Solid State. Let's all get excited.
Cancer Bats and The End, both from the southern Ontario area, will hit Mavericks Bar here in Ottawa next Thursday, January 25th. I'll be there. You should be too. It will kill.
A slew of Johnny Cash's gospel-flavoured tunes over the years will be released in a compendium called Cash: Ultimate Gospel. While this reeks of some idiot TimeLife compilation cashing in on weak-minded Christian folk(not to be a completely jaded a-hole here), the music is the music, and therefore recommended. Info over here.
Apparently Portland, Oregon doesn't get much snow. The video player is on the right side of the linked website.
Thrice are awesome.
For anyone who's ever said, "That would be an awesome name for a band!" - check this action out. [punknews]
Some news concerning everyone's favourite quasi-relevant "punk" band Offspring: presumably due to his duties in Angels & Airwaves, drummer Atom Willard has left the band. Offspring continue working on the followup to 2003's Splinter, and rumours have them doing the Warped Tour again this summer.
The Ataris still exist. Did anyone else know that?
A personal note: my beloved hometown Ottawa Senators are awesome to be a fan of. Just sayin', homey.
Sparta will perform their new single 'Taking Back Control' live on Late Night with Conan O'Brien January 16th. Everybody stay up and watch. [theprp]
One of my favourite metal records of the last two years was A Life Once Lost's Hunter, put out by the kind folks at Ferret Music - and I've always thought Lamb of God had a profound influence on ALOL's tunesmithery. Well, turns out I was way right: LOG frontman Randy Blythe will help out with the band's vocal direction on their upcoming new album Iron Gag, which they'll start work on in a month or so. All the info can be consumed over here.
Maylene and the Sons of Disaster had themselves a pretty good 2006, releasing their self-titled debut album and finding themselves touring with Zao and other luminaries of the metal/hardcore scene. Their new album Maylene and the Sons of Disaster: II will drop March 20th on Ferret Music(them again!), and in the meantime Maylene will put out The Day Hell Broke Loose at Sicard Hollow, a digital-only EP with some new material etc etc ET CETERA.
Oh, goodie - Nora are gonna make another record. Highly underrated band, that Nora. Incidentally, since this will apparently be the day only Ferret Music news is featured in this space, Nora frontman Carl Severson owns Ferret. Just to ensure continuity and all that. The new Nora album is called Save Yourself.
Not to be outdone by Sparta appearing on Conan, Slayer will appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live at some point in the not-too-distant future. The taping is January 19th.
A new band on Eulogy Recordings called Fjord(that's "fee-yord" for the grammatically disinclined), featuring ex-members of The Takeover and Winter Solstice, will roll out some tunes from their debut album Lives Lives on their Myspace sector - in fact, the first such tasty morsel is already up there. What're you waiting for, fools?? [pastepunk]
He founded The Minutemen in the 1980s. He's currently backing up Iggy Pop in the reunited Stooges. So what the blazes is bassist Mike Watt doing working with pop starlet Kelly Clarkson?? He wound up playing on six cuts from Ms. Clarkson's upcoming album. Meanwhile, it's probably not a coincidence that the new Stooges album will be called The Weirdness.
I still like this album, but Jordan Pastepunk sure doesn't. It's so on, brother!!
The label made a mistake, and the artist now pays: rapper Mos Def's new slab True Magic was released, in an unusual move, on December 29th - a Friday, no less, deviating from the old Tuesday rule - and sales were not so hot. So they recalled 'em all, and, well, it's a big snafu. Record labels are dumb. [Paste]
Saskatchewan's own Means, newly signed to SoCal major label Facedown Records, have put up a new song on their website. These guys seriously kill.
Worst news I've heard all day: Haste - still the only hardcore band from Alabama I've ever heard of - after a year's hiatus, have decided it's time to call it quits. Brutal.
February 6th, for whatever reason, is shaping up to be a big release day; Boys Night Out are getting in on the hotness by dropping a digital-only release called 50 Million People Can't Be Wrong that day through Ferret Music. Five songs for under five bucks. Can't beat. BNO are also working with producer Lou Giordano on a new full-length album due this summer, and plan to hit the bricks for two months with Plain White Ts come March. [lambgoat]
My old homeys(and homegirl on lead vocals!) in F*** the Facts are headlining a few shows in Ontario and Quebec starting later this week:
1/12 North Bay, ON CAN @ Evolution Nightclub
1/13 Sudbury, ON CAN @ Jubilee Centre
1/13 Sudbury, ON CAN @ Jubilee Centre
1/17 Toronto, ON CAN @ Degrassi House
1/20 Sarnia, ON CAN @ Trinity Lounge
1/27 Quebec City, QC CAN @ Cafe-Bar L'Agitee
2/10 Tillsonburg, ON CAN @ Dungeon Studio
2/17 Brantford, ON CAN @ Bottoms Up
3/03 Montreal, QC CAN @ Katakombes
They're not playing Ottawa, sadly, but they are doing Sarnia, land of my birth. How 'bout that.
Good news for fans of Quebec's A Perfect Murder- namely, me. APM are ready to go on their third studio album, entitled War of Aggression. "It'll be a mix between Strength Through Vengeance and Unbroken," says lead guitarist/songwriter Carl Bouchard. "Having more experience as a performer has certainly impacted my songwriting, but just growing up as a person has helped create a more mature sound in the band." Whatever turns your crank, Carl - just rock us. Expected release date to the slavering masses is June 12th through Victory Records.
Did we report this? I can't remember. Nevertheless, Montreal's Blessed By A Broken Heart have gone from being stranded in Wyoming last winter due to van trouble to leaving Blood & Ink Records and now signing with monolithic metal label Century Media(who, incidentally, dropped Haste a while back, doubtless leading to their breakup). BBABH's Century Media debut will drop later this year.
How they do it, we'll never know, but Buzzgrinder always has the gossip scoop - today word that Evanescence frontlass Amy Lee is engaged to a shrink, and New Found Glory are on LoveLine. How do they do it over there? Amazing!
I've known this guy was talented for years, but it wasn't until I just got my first glimpse of the artwork for Atreyu's new album that my mind officially melted. Introducing Mr. Dave Quiggle. Oh, and he plays guitar for Jesus Wept on the side. Sick.
Montreal-born DJ A-Trak is going to take over the world in 2007, according to his management people via email. The kid who took the world DMC championship in 1997 at the tender age of 15 put out a DVD last year called Sunglasses Is A Must, and oh by the way hooked up with a guy called Kanye to take his decks 'round yonder world. THIS year he'll be releasing albums, producing other ones, doing a clothing line - you name it, the man they call Trizzy'll be up in it. Keep your eyes on him. Maybe this will help.
Speaking of hip hop - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five were recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame down in Cleveland, Ohio; they're the first rap artists to be so honoured. Also entering in are Van Halen, R.E.M. and Patti Smith, as well as the Ronettes, who I don't know anything about.
Brampton metal band The End are about to drop a new record called Elementary on February 6th; a couple new songs from the album can be heard on their Myspace, and a tour with up-and-comers Cancer Bats kicks off tomorrow, January 9th, and concludes on the 27th. For the dates, check the Myspace.
It was threatened a few weeks back - now the ultimate nightmare has come to dastardly life: Good Charlotte, with Avenged Sevenfold's "M. Shadows"(what the frig??) in tow, have posted their new single 'The River' up on their website. I will personally not listen unless it hits a radio in my dentist's office. Remember The Tea Party's song 'The River' from 1995? That tune was awesome. [truthexplosion]
I've never personally heard Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer or blingy rapper guy Chamillionaire, but the former has posted a cover of the latter's 'Ridin' Dirty' on their Myspace. Wow.
Two labels of particular interest to us here at the D have been picked up for exclusive United States distro by the massive Koch Entertainment; underground hip hop bastion Syntax Records in California and Georgia hardcore/metal label Indianola Records have jumped to the big leagues, so to speak. [cmcentral]
Former Five Iron Frenzy ringleader Reese Roper has confirmed that he'll join a few of his old FIF buddies for a quasi-reunion at this summer's Inside Out Soul Fest in New Hampshire. A real reunion and tour and show in my own backyard can only be next. Whee!! [JFH]
Hooray for 2007. Welcome to another year of smarmy, sarcastic print media from us here at the D. Hope you all celebrated safely, smartly and fun...ly. Yeah.
A site I infrequently contribute to(not because I don't want to, either!), In Review dot net, has put up some of 2006's best-of according to the artists we/they cover. Caedmon's Call member Andrew Osenga's choices may surprise you.
Ever heard of Two Seas Records? Me neither. They're based in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the hangout of the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, whose "comeback album" is due out this year. Producing is none other than Black Eyed Peas main man will.I.am, who had a very busy 2006, engineering hits for his bandmate Fergie as well as Justin Timberlake, Snoop Dogg and Nas. But the point remains: Michael Jackson has a new album coming out. Geeeez. Oh, and last week he sued his accountants. Par for the course. [Billboard]
The Used will release a DVD entitled Berth(weird title) on February 6th to tide fans over while they work on their latest album. The CD portion of the release was filmed in Vancouver and includes staples like 'Taste of Ink' and 'Blue And Yellow'. The new studio album is due out in April, and the band headline this winter's Taste of Chaos tour, kicking off in February.
At least he wasn't doing that other thing he was charged with a few years back: British singer George Michael has been charged with DUI. But as was previously stated, it could have been so much worse. We know, we know - we're terrible for even bringing it up, but he did it.
U2 are apparently ready to "reinvent" themselves. "Our band has certainly reached the end of where we've been at for the last couple of albums," singer Bono told BBC Radio. "I want to see what else we can do with it, take it to the next level; I think that's what we've got to do." Their monster Vertigo tour in support of 2004's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb is finally over, and things are about to change. "Maybe the rock will have to go; maybe the rock has to get a lot harder," Bono stated. "But whatever it is, it's not gonna stay where it is." I can't wait. This band can do no wrong.
XM Satellite, despite not making as much money as they'd thought south of the 49th parallel, has had a banner year here in Canada, cornering a solid 80 per cent share of the market for all vehicles model year 2007. GM Canada released a statement saying that of 125,000 vehicle orders last year, 65,000 strong had XM factory-installed. Impressive. Maybe I'll quit terrestrial radio and go over to XM. [Jon Milke]