A Sunday-night update.
Facedown Recs has announced the specs of this year's Facedown Fest - East Coast edition. The mosh goes September 29th in Bowie, Maryland, featuring the following acts:
A Plea For Purging
Alove For Enemies
Bloodlined Calligraphy
Bloody Sunday
Inked In Blood
Kingston Falls
Means
Remove The Veil
Seventh Star
Sleeping Giant
War Of Ages
xLooking Forwardx
Check out the website for all the details. [AP]
Some drama from the ongoing Sounds of the Underground tour: death-obsessed rapper Necro has left the tour of his own volition, following an extended display of hostility from the crowds thus far. There's a long statement posted online, but it can be summed up by saying teenaged emo kids don't really wanna hear anything other than that they're told is cool. These things happen.
What the hell - Sparta have announced that they'll open for - this can't be real - Velvet Revolver on tour this fall? Huh? No. Wait. I know what's going on here - it's NOTHING MAKES SENSE Day. That has to be it. Geez.
An exclusive here at sweetdisaster: Rage Against the Machine's setlist from last night(July 28th) in NYC for the Rock the Bells Festival:
Testify
Bulls On Parade
People of the Sun
Know Your Enemy
Vietnow
Bullet In The Head
Down Rodeo
Guerilla Radio
Tire Me
Sleep Now In The Fire
Calm Like A Bomb
Wake Up
ENCORE:
Freedom
Killing In The Name
This from our man on the scene, Mr. Ryan B, who was in attendance last night. Everyone who was not in attendance last night, feel free to hate.
Dashboard Confessional are touring Europe with high-powered radio band Maroon 5. I still think 'This Love' is a killer tune.
Something that's kinda slipped between the cracks concerning the whole Dillinger Escape Plan/Coheed & Cambria drama - C&C's new album features Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins on drums. Which means they're well played.
Opening for The Almost on their post-Warped Tour east-coast tour will be none other than Josh Moore of Classic Case - and formerly the vocalist for the much-missed Beloved. Judging from these offerings, Mr. Moore is quite the talent even when he's not screaming.
Scene.
Just to dispel the myth of the Great White North covered in igloos: right now, in Ottawa, at 7:04pm on a Friday night, it's 29 degrees Celsius, with the humidity feeling like 35, which is 95 Fahrenheit. So shut up.
Some film news to kick off your Thursday update: acclaimed director Steven Soderberg(Traffic - one of my favourite pieces of work) is undertaking a two-film project centered around Che Guevara - and portraying the title character? None other than Benicio del Toro of Traffic fame. This will be a solid outing for Soderberg; shooting starts this week over in Spain. [MSN]
In honour of the new Simpsons movie in theatres tomorrow(woooo!), check out Blender magazine's opinions on the best Simpsons band cameos ever. [absolutepunk]
Essential Listening for today, July 26th, is Manchester Orchestra. I first heard the name at the Cornerstone Festival last month, in the press tent, where one of the old-timers wouldn't shut up about them - and judging by this sampling, they might deserve the hype. The band appears on The Late Show with Dave Letterman September 6th. Why does this band make me think of a less-refined Copeland? Very odd.
Dragonforce's 'Through the Fire and Flames' will - get this now - appear on the upcoming third installment of Guitar Hero, making this game the most amazing thing ever.
It really doesn't reflect well on singer Jay Forrest when every last member of Hopesfall leaves the band - except him. However, since we know nothing of the circumstances, we will say nothing, especially since Jay has been good to sweetdisaster in the past. All that said, yes, it would appear that an entirely new band has been put together to hit the road in support of Hopesfall's latest, Magnetic North - a strong piece of work. [saveyourscene]
Some love for our old friends Strike Anywhere - all the way from Greece!
Dead Poetic drummer Jesse Sprinkle isn't just a drummer - he's a producer and artist in his own right, and he's got some new tunes up on Myspace. Go listen to the acoustic-based multi-tracked vocal goodness, and be his friend. [IVM]
Harry Potter loves The Hold Steady. That counts him among roughly 35882894249 other people.
If you work an office job, and you steal the occasional pencil or fancy pen - we've all done it! - then you might feel the occasional twinge of guilt, perhaps think yourself, "Gee...." Well, take heart - you're not this guy. [Relevant]
To zero surprise, Oprah Winfrey tops the list of best-paid TV types, earning in excess of $260 million a year. That's obscene. Coming in a distant second: American Idol's Simon Cowell, punching in at $45 million. Which of course is peanuts compared to O.
Thrice are supporting their upcoming four-disc "concept" album with a killer tour this fall - taking Brand New and mewithoutYou as openers? C'mon, man, be real. No, fa shizzle, it's true! Dates are over here.
Oh man - this was my joint twenty-odd years ago: the original Johnny 5 figure from the '80s movies is up for sale! A hundred grand! Who wants to help me buy a piece of awesomeness?
Our condolences go out to our friend Jay Bakker, whose mother, evangelist Tammy Faye Messner, died this week at the age of 65. Messner had battled cancer for over a decade.
I know that it's all the rage to abandon Myspace in favour of Facebook, but in my line of work Myspace remains a vital necessity every day - so how come they can't seem to keep their innards free of bugs? I haven't been able to add new bands in days. C'mon, Tom, get your ass in gear.
Two releases of note that together comprise today's Essential Listening for July 25th: MxPx's eighth studio album Secret Weapon is as quintessential Magnified Plaid as it could be - solid from beginning to end; and from Finland, Immortal Souls' latest, Wintereich, is a bruising, guttural, melodic, Living Sacrifice-esque beast of a metal album. Highly recommended.
Amid rumours that Taking Back Sunday are going to re-record Tell All Your Friends, their breakout album on Victory Records a few years back, Straylight Run have come out saying it ain't happening. And Straylight ought to know, given two of them used to be in TBS. [absolutepunk]
Abacus Recordings have been enfolded into the(much larger) Century Media empire; the former was originally owned by the latter's co-founder, and now all things have come full circle. Does anyone else think Abacus never gave The Juliana Theory's last album proper promo? Me neither. "Certain bands" will be imported from the now-defunct Abacus to the mothership.
Check out the directors' cut of the latest video from wunderkinds Cold War Kids over here.
No. No no no. A thousand times no. I will not permit this to happen.
A quick Wednesday promo: my friend Korey Schaefer, filmmaker/documentarian par excellence, had an adventure with Ottawa export Tom Green not too far in the past - and he's got a flick detailing his travails with the renowned comedian up as part of CBC Television's Exposure series. Check it out over here, give it five stars and make someone's day!
Firstly this fine evening: a gallery of many pictures, all of them of last month's Cornerstone Festival. Behold: Cstone 2007. There are lots of shots; enjoy at length. Send comments to itacs@hotmail.com
A new book about singer/songwriter Elliott Smith will hit bookstores - and coffeetables - this fall. Featuring a foreword written by Beck and Death Cab For Cutie's Chris Walla, and over two hundred photographs, the book will also include handwritten lyrics and conversations with Smith's friends and collaborators and a five-song CD. [Paste]
Homer Simpson will make an appearance tomorrow night on The Tonight Show. No word on what exactly is planned, but this provides some clues.
Gnarls Barkley's sophomore album will be out this holiday season. I know what I want in my stocking.
The Weakerthans are finally putting out their new album; called Reunion Tour, it'll be out September 25th. Check out a slew of tour dates.
Another album coming out 9/25 is the self-titled latest from my friends Spoken. You can peep a brand-new song over here. Great dudes, great band.
Follow us on this: Rise Against recently lost guitarist Chris Chasse, who just wasn't down with the intense touring of a major-label act. So. They replace him with Zach Blair of Only Crime, who in turn was replaced in OC by Modern Life Is War axeman Matt Hoffman. Done? Noooo. All this leads into Essential Listening for today, July 23rd: Last of the Believers, comprised of fomer and current members of Rise Against, Ignite and more - including Chasse. Check out a full album stream they've put up over here. I severely dig this. [punknews]
Congratulations are in order to Newmarket, Ontario's Tokyo Police Club, who in the last(short) year have seen their stock rise from local phenomenon to the newest signings to Saddle Creek Records, home of Bright Eyes, The Faint and more. I care little about most SCR bands, but I love me my TPC. And vocalist Dave used my cellphone once.
According this article, Late Night with Conan O'Brien bandleader Max Weinberg is a bigtime Against Me! fan - along with a guy Weinberg has been known to collaborate with.
I've never heard of any of the fledgling label's first three announced acts, but Gnome Records, formed and owned by Say Anything bassist Alexander T. Kent, will succeed simply because its owner is associated with something as brilliant as Say Anything.
I'm a fan of Silverstein, don't care much for foosball, but I'm posting this not for any of those reasons - no, Silverstein throat Shane Told references my childhood stomping grounds of Rexdale(a Toronto suburb). That's it, that's all.
Shortly after wrecking stage here in Ottawa(August 31st), Misery Signals will hit the road for another headlining tour across the US, with help from The Agony Scene. Should be killer. Here's the way it goes. [lambgoat]
To no one's surprise, Toronto's Cursed are putting out album number three, called simply III. Given that albums one and two were called I and II, respectively, not much of a shocker here. " All of III is now recorded, and 80% mixed as of today," wrote vocalist Chris Colohan in an update. The album should be in stores and online through Goodfellow Records by year's end.
Though they remain property of Mickey Mouse in the United States(Hollywood Records), Atreyu have signed a deal concerning the rest of this big blue planet with Roadrunner, who will release the band's upcoming Lead Sails Paper Anchor worldwide August 27th. One of my friends made out with one of their guitar players. Just a fun fact.
Golly gee willikers, those White Stripes are amazing. As if I've yet to see them live. [buzzgrinder]
Every Time I Die guitarist Andy Williams hates his band's last album. 2005's Gutter Phenomenon did, however, spawn 'The New Black,' which landed on Guitar Hero II, cementing the coolness factor of ETID.
The inevitable starmaking machine known for reducing one-time bands to individuals(ie No Doubt et al) has caught up to Sum 41. So long, Josh and Steve, it was nice, but Deryck is the man now.
I'm excited for this album to be recorded, mixed, tweaked and released to me. BTBAM = gold.
It took me a listen or three, but Mastodon's latest, Blood Mountain, is truly a work of genius - and you can see the video for 'Sleeping Giant' right over here. [theprp]
Following quite the health scare concerning their vocalist earlier this year(Matt was hospitalized and things were sketchy for a while there), Inked In Blood - fully recovered - have a new song up over here, taken from their upcoming new album Sometimes We Are Beautiful(out later this year on Facedown Records).
Rumour has it that Deftones' classic track 'My Own Summer' will appear on the new Guitar Hero: III game. If this is true, that is one song I know I can beat on Expert.
Word from the Thrice camp is that they're a couple weeks away from annoucing their new label, their new record is mastered and in the can - and the new album from The Dillinger Escape Plan is apparently killer. [decoy]
Very odd: my boy Jon's band Liferuiner signed a deal with very fast-rising(no pun intended) label Rise Records(Drop Dead, Gorgeous, The Devil Wears Prada etc) - only to have the signing retracted a week later. What? "It was a great week while it lasted," a statement from the band said, tongue-in-cheek. The full statement is over here.
Copeland bassist James Likeness has left the band, doubtless to pursue his graphic-design career(check out Tired Children - you may have seen it in the credits of some albums you own).
This band still exists?
August Burns Red are everywhere these days - and now they're reportedly putting together a headlining tour in September with openers A Life Once Lost, Cancer Bats and Oh, Sleeper. Amazing!
HUGE props to the kids at Decoy for showing some respect and love to the late, great, much-missed Living Sacrifice! Attaboy.
An Illinois guy named Brian is working up a book on '90s hardcore tentatively called Burning Fight: The Nineties Hardcore Revolution in Ethics, Politics, Spirit, and Sound, and he's looking for relics of that bygone era for inclusion. If you're down, and have some stuff, check out his Myspace page. [punkbands]
The NHL '08 video game features Paramore's new tune 'Misery Business' on the soundtrack. Not that this is any reason to own or not own the game.
Things are apparently really not going well at all for the much-hyped Fugees reunion - as in, it's really not happening. Pras told Billboard, "We went in the studio and recorded a couple records that were incredible. But, to put it nicely, it's dead." Which sucks for all the heads that really wanted this to go down. The full interview with Pras can be seen here. [Rolling Stone]
Smashing Pumpkins' new album debuted at No. 2 on Billboard last week. What, pray tell, beat it out for number one? T.I. Wow, it sure as hell ain't 1995 no more.
It's rampantly reported around the interweb that just prior to Fall Out Boy's Live Earth performance recently, bassist Pete Wentz dropped to a knee and proposed to his girlfriend Ashlee Simpson. What a kick in the junk to common decency, as the kids at Dose put it.
Gotta give it to the White Stripes: when they decide they're gonna do Canada, they go all the way.
I've never been a huge huge fan of Throwdown - just a little casual floorpunching from time to time - but if this sampling is any indication, I may have to make it a point to catch their set on Warped later this summer. [soundthesirens]
In the same vein, one-time Throwdown tourmates As I Lay Dying are clearly not screwing around with their new album.
I caught Silverchair on The Tonight Show last week, and beyond saying to myself, "Wow, they look so different, but they're still the kids whose Frogstomp album pretty much taught me how to play guitar," I was impressed by the songwriting chops. The band's new album is called Young Modern, and they are doing some Canadian shows in the next couple weeks:
July 21 Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
July 30 Montreal, QC @ Le Spectrum
Aug. 1 Toronto, ON @ Phoenix
Check out a quick interview with main man Daniel Johns here. [chartattack]
Straight from the maker's advertising: "Developed by Harmonix (makers of Guitar Hero I and II and Karaoke Revolution) and published by MTV Games, Rock Band lets up to four people rock out together on specially designed guitar, drum and microphone peripherals, with the guitar controller doubling as a bass." Now all my friends who've said for years that I'm a kickass air-drummer/guitarist can be wowed and awed by my overflowing talent. Oh, and the game includes tunes from the likes of Metallica, Nirvana, David Bowie, The Strokes, Weezer and Canadian prog rock gods Rush, and with the exception of that last, all the songs are the original versions by the bands that made 'em hits. Awesome! For the complete song list thus far, check this out.
Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story was put out on 7/07/07 by former Korn guitarist Brian Welch - everyone remembers his public conversion to Christianity and departure from Korn in 2005; now the book has become a New York Times bestseller just a week after its release. [Relevant]
Acrimony between The Simpsons' franchise and former staff writer turned TV star Conan O'Brien? You decide!
TV freaks, listen up: the season opener of 30 Rock this fall on NBC will feature none other than guest star Jerry Freakin' Seinfeld.
Coolest thing EVER!
As Tall As Lions are making their TV debut tonight, July 17th, on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Ordinarily I'd make a snarky remark about the host, but Kimmel is actually funny. Anyone see him co-hosting the Espy Awards last week with Lebron James? [absolutepunk]
They're cute little kids - and singer Hayley Williams is, I will admit, hot - but do you really wanna hear Paramore at their tender ages covering U2? Too bad.
According to reports hither and yon, the new album from Say Anything(aka Max Bemis and whoever he brings along) will be out this October.
The masterful Mute Math, the touring animals that they be, are hitting the road with Eisley this fall. The latter are releasing a new album called Combinations next month.
Morrissey is the greatest man alive; to wit, he's called out Madonna: "I wouldn't be surprised if she made that African boy she adopted into a coat and wore him for fifteen minutes, then threw it away." Ouch.
Did you know that a former member of late-'90s boy band LFO owns 111 Records? I for one did not, and there's some good bands on that label. Read what LFOer Brad Fischetti had to say about boy-band mogul Lou Pearlman over here. Pearlman, for those who don't know, is currently looking at three charges of bank fraud exceeding a hundred million dollars. Yeah. Nasty. Interestingly enough, Fischetti appears to remain a disciple of the man they called Svengali. Odd.
Kill me now.
Old news, but new to me: Freya have two new members. Perhaps this explains where the hooky hardcore of their debut disappeared to on their newest, Lift the Curse. [saveyourscene]
Not too long after losing a co-vocalist, Showbread have kicked drummer Justin Oblinger out of the band. [IVM]
Word is that the newly-energized Soul Embraced have ten songs ready to go for their next album, and are currently negotiating with labels. Let's get this done already.
It was only a matter of time, really, before Snoop Dogg got his own TV show. I can't wait for this one. [aversion]
Today's Essential Listening(I know, I know, we don't exercise that feature daily like we used to, shut up already) is Sunny Day Real Estate's 2000 'comeback album' The Rising Tide. Sure, Diary is better known, and maybe considered more "seminal," but this record simply has better songs.
Weezer is aiming to have a new studio album out in the first half of 2008. No title or tracklisting or anything of that nature - but I beg you, Rivers, I abjectly beg you: build a time machine, and in it, go back to wherever your headspace was for Pinkerton. Selfish on my part? Absolutely. [punknews]
Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge, aside from his perennially being one of the largest human beings on Warped, is also apparently a film connoisseur of sorts, and the folks at movieweb.com have him writing a new column. Check out his first installment over here! Don't disagree with him, or he'll pound your sorry ass.
The boys in Lovedrug aren't about to let a van theft(occurred two months ago) get in the way of their aspirations: a tour opening for Yellowcard this fall is in the works. I'll go see that.
Safe to say pre-Friday Night Lights this probably wouldn't have happened: Explosions In The Sky are set to open for Smashing Pumpkins on the latter's first tour in forever.
Know the Score = a good mood. Proof.
Fans of spacey, Sparta-style experimental rock can check out some of Strata's new stuff over here. The band opened for Finger Eleven on a Canadian tour a couple of months ago. And I worked the show in Ottawa. And liked Strata. [theprp]
Audio of Glassjaw's set at London, England's Brixton Academy(07/07/07) is up on their website. And to read about frontman Daryl Palumbo being angry as hell at everything and everyone, read this.
I saw them play Ottawa's Club SAW once: Denver's Planes Mistaken For Stars have called it quits. On the plus side, two members will now focus on their new band, Git Some.
An aside: I picked up the August Burns Red reissue of their CI Records debut Looks Fragile After All from ABR at Cornerstone Fest - the five songs on the EP are very primitive, if well-produced; it's safe to say August have progressed considerably since their early days. However, the accompanying DVD is a fun watch with some popcorn and perhaps a beverage.
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will be out this fall/winter(seriously, could this franchise rock any harder?) and word is that Slash will be an in-game character, as well as contributing an original song. Oh, and 'Rock You Like A Hurricane' from The Scorpions is in now too. Amazing.
Papa Roach have made another video. No one cares.
In a desperate attempt to gain any sort of cred, rapper DMX is touring with The Warriors and Bury Your Dead this fall, presuming of course that none of those pesky weapons charges he's so prone to interfere.
On July 24th, War of Ages will reissue their first album Fire From the Tomb with a new track and new artwork. To hear one of the new/old songs all re-mastered nicely, check out their Myspace. Their set at Cornerstone Festival - with a short power outage to mar the proceedings - was killer.
New music from As Cities Burn. Need we say more?
Interesting - ex-Embodyment dudes The Famine have signed with the same label their old band was on, that being the venerable Solid State. The Famine sound nothing like the Embodyment most recognize - no, they sound like Embodyment's first record. Proof? Voila. I'm pretty stoked.
Quote of the day: "Get stoked now, because being the last kid to be stoked is so f***ing lame." (Red Leader Records)
Go read our man Pliggot's review of the Gasoline Heart record. Truly an album to restore one's faith in straight-up rock and roll.
Keep August 14th circled on your calendars - two outstanding releases drop that day. The first is the new album from Mae, titled Singularity(check out two new tunes right over here); the second, Unleashed, from the LA Symphony crew. The latter will feature cuts from all eight original rappers from LAS(including Pigeon John, who's gone on to success of his own) as well as production from the likes of Madlib, Posdnus and Will.I.Am from Black Eyed Peas. Heavy. [cmcentral]
Madball have still got it. Two new songs from Infiltrate The System. The band plays Babylon here in Ottawa(317 Bank St.) on July 16th. [lambgoat]
If you're into death metal and Egypt, Nile are - for the moment - streaming their entire new release over here.
One of my favourite bands from La Belle Province(that would be Quebec), A Perfect Murder, have split - for real this time. They are "officially" breaking up after seven years, various lineups, four full-length albums(notably on Victory Records), and all the trials and travails of a full-time touring band. R.I.P.
As I Lay Dying, whilst playing the entirety of this summer's 13th Vans Warped Tour, are also putting out their newest album. Called An Ocean Between Us and coming out August 21st on Metal Blade, I for one hope it's somewhat of a creative departure from their first two worldwide releases, fun as those were. If you wanna see the cover art, check this out. Warped hits Montreal August 12th, and our longtime friends at punkottawa are running some buses to and from Ottawa; hit up the site for details!
Foo Fighters will put out their latest album Echoes, Silences, Patience and Grace on September 25th. They are rad. [buzzgrinder]
Thursday to sign with hop-hop label Death Row Records? Suge Knight's former enterprise? It could happen! Read. And we're kidding about the band joining Death Row - we think.
Back from Cornerstone 2007, and rarin' to go. Thanks for enduring our week-long absence! Que pasa???
Kudos to our longtime webmaster Brody for keeping the unwashed masses informed while I was off cavorting in rural Illinois - and incidentally, the press tent at Cornerstone was quite abuzz with the news of Relient K's unfortunate incident. To re-emphasize: no one was hurt, merely a lot of equipment destroyed. What a bummer.
Expect a ton of pictures, in any event, of the doings in the cornfields.