Retail outlets that SD Big Cheese now has Christmas gift cards for thanks to the largesse of his wonderful family:
1. HMV - yay tunes(or a DVD perhaps)
2. Mark's Work Wearhouse - yay clothing
3. Kelsey's/Swiss Chalet/etc/etc - yay food
4. Famous Players - yay flicks
5. President's Choice supermarkets - yay real food
And now, what you came here for: hard, solid news.
In Flames, California upstarts Job For A Cowboy and High On Fire are all rumoured to be supporting Megadeth on next year's edition of the annual Gigantour, hitting the road for April and May of '08. [pastepunk]
If genuine New York City hardcore is your thing - and it sure as hell is mine - watch for N.Y.H.C., a two-disc DVD from director Frank Pavlich, featuring dudes like Madball, Agnostic Front and tons more, from the glory days of the mid-1990s(oh, man, hardcore was so good then). The film will be in north American stores(imported to Canada no doubt) March 25th; for details check out the website.
I still can't quite wrap my head around the fact that Pennywise's upcoming new album(March) will be released with MySpace. Odd.
The 2008 edition of the Taste of Chaos tour has the suckiest lineup I've ever seen: Atreyu? Bullet For My Valentine? A slew of no-name Japanese bands? Wretched. The inaugural 2005 tour featured the likes of Killswitch Engage, Underoath and My Chemical Romance, among others. It's been crap since. Just my opinion.
My friend Marie-Eve went and saw him at Toronto's Massey Hall a few weeks back, the CBC's Bob Mersereau named Harvest the number-one Canadian album of all time, and now actors are covering him? Huh? Val Kilmer has apparently recorded an album, including a cover of Neil Young's 'After the Gold Rush,' and he's shopping it around, evidently actually expecting someone to want to release this. I wouldn't wait by the mailbox, Val. [Paste]
One of my favourite acts discovered by moi this calendar year was Lost Angels' Cold War Kids; I had the pleasure of seeing them at a legendarily intimate Ottawa nightspot last spring, copped the album, and been a fan ever since - and now they're making me love them more, releasing an EP called Mulberry Street(recorded prior to their 2006 breakout album Robbers & Cowards) for freeeee. You can add it to your burgeoning collection here.
We knew Jermaine Dupri had some clout in the music biz, but this is something else: his fiancee, a woman by the name of...oh, what was it again...oh yeah, Janet Jackson has coerced five of her brothers, including the most famous one, Michael, into performing a Jackson 5 reunion show in Atlanta on New Year's Eve. Dupri says it will be "the biggest party this town has ever seen." The show will serve as Jermaine and Janet's engagement party, but it's unknown whether the public will even be invited to purchase tickets.
I got my first taste of Down Under comedy act Flight of the Conchords earlier this year from my then-roommate; after laughing my keester off at 'Business Time,' I'm a big ol' fan, and the duo will release their first full-length album on Sub Pop(who have previously worked with comedian David Cross, among others) on April 22nd. Get excited.
I can tell you one thing: T will pity the fool who doesn't go see this here.
You know, I always liked them: Sum 41 have recorded a Christmas song with none other than Tenacious D. Have fun with this one. [punknews]
April 29th will be a red-letter day around here, as that's the day Goldfinger hope to have a new album out! One of the best of their breed. God bless Goldfinger.
Remember The Presidents of the United States of America? Not only do they still exist, but they're putting out their fifth album soon, called These Are the Good Times People. And yes, they still have the 'guitbass,' albeit played by a different dude this time around. How 'bout that. "She's lump, she's lump, she's lump..."
I just thought I'd interject the fact that I'm listening to old-school Squad 5-0 while putting the news of the day together. That's all.
Nothing says Christmas without the announcement of the first few confirmed bands for Cornerstone Festival; 2008 will mark the fest's 25th anniversary, and thus far Resurrection Band(!), Flatfoot 56(on the main stage!) and a bunch more are set to perform. Haste the Day, touring like animals behind Pressure the Hinges, will hit the main stage as well. Should be fun. [IVM]
First, Island Records lost Thrice; now, they're without a big boss, as Jay-Z announced yesterday he's stepping down as CEO of Island/Def Jam, saying, "It's time for me to take on new challenges." Read: "The industry is collapsing, and I'm getting out while I still have my dignity." Hova remains with the label as a performing artist, and owes Island one or two more albums.[MTV]
No word on whether this is an indication of their comeback album Zeitgeist flopping like Greg Louganis, but the Smashing Pumpkins are readying an acoustic EP to be digitally released in the new year. American Gothic will be on iTunes January 2nd. [aversion]
This kind of thing only happens once in a lifetime: Thrice, Brand New and mewithoutYou had their Albany show canceled recently, but they made the most of it, caroling their night away on camera. Merry Christmas to all of you from us here at the D. Christ is King. Peace.
Good news this Christmas for mid-'90s Victory Records fans: Earth Crisis appear to, in fact, be reuniting for some shows, having booked the Palladium in Worcester, Mass. on February 29th with Terror, Sworn Enemy, Shai Hulud and more opening up. That's a hell of a show. [theprp]
SD Big Cheese picked up the Every Time I Die DVD Sh*t Happens yesterday at Music World(the chain is closing its doors imminently, so get your bargains now!), and having watched it this afternoon on a slow Saturday, we can assure you it's worth the purchase, with killer live footage shot around the U.S., hilarious bus hijinks("flaming mohawk"??) and the razor-sharp humour embedded in Keith Buckley's DNA. Recommended.
A mix of old and new: check out Dillinger performing the new song 'Fix Your Face' with original vocalist Dmitri Minikakis here.
Some of the most genuine dudes out there, War of Ages, are hitting the bricks come March for the biggest tour of their career: they'll open for the likes of Soilwork and Throwdown on the Scum of the Earth Tour. Congratulations to five dudes from Erie, PA who started out playing on the grass in front of their trailer at the annual Cornerstone Festival.
Lamb of God are such hardworking MFs, they'll play their damn set in the dark, thanks kindly: at a show opening for Killswitch Engage in Kansas City recently, all but a few house lights went out mid-set, and frontman Randy Blythe said, quote, "We'll play this mother****er in the dark, I don't care," and the band heaved right back into it. That's nails, baby. [HXC]
February is my birthday month, and this is a killer present - Misery Signals will begin work on their next album that month, working with Devin Townsend out in Vancouver on Canada's west coast. If it's even three-quarters as good as Mirrors, I'll be a happy boy. The bi-national outfit(featuring Canadian and American gangsters in their ranks) cut ten pre-production tracks last weekend, most of which will reportedly make the new record. [lambgoat]
Apparently Boston's favourite sons, Aerosmith, will have to "miss" a show for regular folk, but manage to perform for the corporate illuminati: the band canceled a show on the island of Maui(Hawaii), saying their gear couldn't make it there in time, and say through lawyers that they shouldn't have to refund the money of fans who paid huge dinero to see the show. However, that same weekend, Aerosmith - remarkable! - played a private gig for Toyota bigwigs - at the University...of......Hawaii..hmmm. Innnnneresting. [buzzgrinder]
My girlfriend and I were flipping channels last weekend and came across a Rush show filmed live over in Germany, and I was struck by how devastating the band remains in 2007, thirty-plus years after their inception in Toronto. So it's with pleasure that I inform you of not one but two upcoming docs on the band, one a low-budget look at the behind-the-scenes days of Rush's road crew, and the other a $1.5-million production called Rush: The Documentary(original). The latter will feature interviews with fans of the band that you may have heard of - members of Metallica, Iron Maiden, Tool and Nirvana for starters.
We apologize for the two-week silence around here; things have been busy at SD.com HQ in wintry, miserable eastern Ontario, what with jobs, Christmas, etc. Our Christmas shopping is done - yours?
Ten Second Epic's 'Boys Will Be Boys' is among the ten Universal Music artists' songs being considered by Sportsnet to accompany the Play of the Year, airing Christmas Eve, going up against the likes of Wolfmother, Kanye and more. Take five seconds to hit Sportsnet.ca and vote for our boys in TSE! Oh, and on that note, the band just surpassed one million plays on ye olde Myspace. Congrats!
Ben Harper's new album with the Innocent Criminals, Lifeline, comes in a two-disc-plus-photo-booklet package that is outstanding - pick it up dirt-cheap at any Music World location; the chain is closing its doors and the fire sale is impressive.
Set Your Goals have had a bit of a setback heading into the Christmas season: lead guitarist Dave is leaving the band, having given notice of his departure a month ago already. The band already have some candidates to replace him in mind, so don't go bothering yourself sending in wacky audition packages.
Two tech-metal bands from our neighbouring province of Quebec, Despised Icon and Ion Dissonance, were among the Ten Worst Metal Albums of the Year, as voted on by the folks at SMN News. That's pretty harsh. [hxc]
Just a note: We have two new reviews up of The Starting Line and Set Your Goals. Enjoy those at the links to the right.
(Sorry I don't have any music news - I'll leave that up to our main man.)
Just to keep our readers in the know, our lovely site will be undergoing some functional (but largely not cosmetic) changes over the next little while. If you see any errors, send us an E-mail, and we'll try to work out any kinks that may pop up.
Thanks for reading.
Ever the smartasses and holiday-haters(just kidding; we love you, Relly), the kids at Relevant mag have, with the help of their hometown paper down in Orlando, Florida, assembled a gallery of children being scared of the Man of the Season. Nice.
It's been a very long time indeed since we had an opportunity to talk about Rancid, but the time has come: December 18th will see a b-sides/rarities comp hit stores, through the band's own Machete label. Here's the tracklisting:
1. Ben Zanotto
2. Stop
3. Devil's Dance
4. Dead And Gone
5. Stranded
6. Killing Zone
7. 100 Years
8. Things To Come
9. Blast 'Em
10. Endrina
11. White Knuckle Ride
12. Sick Sick World
13. Tattoo
14. That's Entertainment
15. Clockwork Orange
16. The Brothels
17. Just A Feeling
18. Brixton
19. Empros Lap Dog
20. I Wanna Riot
21. Kill The Lights
[AP]
Pretty solid tour taking shape here: headliners Silverstein will take compatriots Protest the Hero as well as A Day to Remember and The Devil Wears Prada on the road across the US of A beginning February 21st.
Some more fun nominations for the Grammys:
- our boys As I Lay Dying for Best Metal Performance
- Flight of the Conchords for Best Comedy Album
- Mute Math(whoo!) for Best Short Form Music Video
- Johnny Cash for Best Short Form Music Video
- Shadows Fall for Best Metal Performance
- Slayer(still, after all these years) for Best Metal Performance
- Wilco for Best Rock Album
- Nas for Best Rap Album(how 'bout that??)
The following are confirmed for the entirety of next summer's 14th edition of the Vans Warped tour: The Color Fred, The Devil Wears Prada, Every Time I Die, Norma Jean, Reel Big Fish(??) and Relient K lead the charge thus far. Solid. Reel Big Fish?? Outstanding.
Former Hawthorne Heights guitarist Casey Calvert, who passed away in his sleep last week at the age of 26, will be laid to rest in Middletown, Ohio today. The band told MTV that they will continue on without him, and further that they won't be replacing him; drummer Eron Bucciarelli said, "We don't need another guitarist. We don't need another screamer. If the fans want screaming, they can provide it themselves." Amen. Godspeed, fellas. As well, To Write Love On Her Arms, the Florida-based organization founded to raise awareness about depression and suicide among young people, has come up with a t-shirt design in tribute to Calvert; you can purchase it now at Zambooie.com.
Two of the coolest media entities out there, Seattle's weekly The Stranger and KEXP radio, are combining forces to present The Program, a five-day hiphop fest featuring Blue Scholars, Van City's Swollen Members - and our boy Ohmega Watts, who's getting some love for his solo work, along with his crew Lightheaded. Too bad I live nowhere near Seattle, but if you're interested check out the website. [SPB]
MySpace, looking to stay fresh with Facebook on its tail(though the latter is certainly having its own problems), has created a new MTV's Unplugged-like series where they post interviews and performances with artists on their site. First up: the eternally-irritating James Blunt. [RS]
Essential Listening - we've not had one in a while, sorry - for December the 7th is Quicksand's 1995 album Manic Compression. Equal parts latter-day Snapcase, early Helmet and irrepressibly groove-driven post-hardcore, this record is a killer. Walter Schreifels is a monster, too; the meltdown at the end of 'East 3rd St.' is something.
Apparently having two children to my none enables sweetdisaster web guru Brody to point out my flawed narrative: Supersize Me was released way back in 2004. Time flies in my little universe.
Mr. Kanye West leads this year's list of Grammy nominees, with a cool eight, while Bruce Springsteen managed only four. Something about that doesn't sit right with me, but in very good news, Toronto's own Feist scored a nom for Best New Artist alongside Paramore, a big fave around here at SD.com headquarters. [Relevant]
The guy who made last year's unlikely hit Supersize Me - and ate nothing but heinous food at McDonald's for a month in the process - has found...Osama bin Laden? What? No way. Actually, way - according to this, this guy may have beaten the US government to the punch after six years. Hilarious.
The new issue of Relevant features a discussion between LA Symphony's Joey the Jerk and Black Eyed Peas mastermind Will.I.Am; not to be missed. You can find the mag on newsstands everywhere.
A description, in Messenger conversation form, of my morning this fine Thursday:
sd: so I'm making coffee
sd: right
sd: and I put the water in, and the grounds and everything
sd: and turn it on and walk away 'cause SportsCentre's on, right
sd: with me so far?
valued sd.com contributor Pliggot: *nods*
sd: so I'm watching sports, and my Senators finally snapped the ugly losing
streak, hooray
sd: and I think I hear something funny
sd: so I mute the telly and listen, and it's just the coffeemaker, doing its thing
sd: aight, back to sportscentre
sd: oh, neidermayer's coming back for the ducks? okay, duly noted
sd: oh, commercial break
sd: let's go check on the coffee
sd: maybe it's done
sd: I sure can't wait for some
sd: right
Pliggot: it ate a baby monkey!?
sd: I walk into the kitchen and I FORGOT TO PUT THE COFFEEPOT UNDERNEATH
THE SPOUT
sd: so there's half a pot all over the place
Pliggot: LAWLZ!!!!!
sd: grinds and sh*t EVERYWHERE
sd: a ten-minute disaster-relief cleanup
sd: fund drives
sd: telethons
sd: the whole nine
Pliggot: rofllmfaololhahahalawlzzomg
sd: entire coffeepot has to be cleaned, because turning it off mid-pot is just not a good scene
sd: so the entire filter is full of grinds and water
sd: and course it's VOLCANICALLY HOT
Pliggot: and kanye west showed up because it was a DISASTER
sd: so I'm burning myself doing this
sd: I need to hire someone to do this for me apparently
Pliggot: two words
Pliggot: instant coffee
The End.
A few years ago, I went to Zaphod Beeblebrox in downtown Ottawa to see a band from Kingston, Ontario called Chubb, a three-piece street-punk band fronted by a girl calling herself Dee. They were a lot of fun live; I even bought a CD and a t-shirt that quickly became too small for my expanding gut. Then earlier in this fine year of 2007, I went to Babylon to see a band called I Hate Sally, also from Kingston, and featuring the same Dee Prescott on vocals. The difference is huge - from fun, mega-distorted alley punk to Converge-style metallic-hardcore abrasion, and though I wasn't all that keen on IHS's live show, their debut album Don't Worry Lady is a solid effort, if a little samey-sounding and without very clear demarcations between tracks(also akin to Converge). For fans of Converge(have I mentioned Converge enough?) and Cursed. I like it. Bigs up to Underground Operations in southern Ontario for championing the IHS cause. And as one last Converge reference, guitarist Kurt Ballou mixed this album at his Godcity base in Massachusetts. So there. As well, two of these songs top eight minutes, so if you like epics, here you go.
Our boys from Manheim, Pennsylvania, August Burns Red, will take part in next year's annual Take Action Tour benefiting a number of good causes, including 1-877-HOPELINE. Other headliners announced so far include Every Time I Die, The Bled and The Human Abstract. [punknews]
The Tragically Hip singer/lyricist Gord Downie will appear on Dallas Green's new City and Colour project Bring Me Your Love, which will be out February 5th. Two members of Attack In Black will also guest-star.
Two '90s indie kingpins, Screaming Trees' Mark Lanegan and Afghan Whigs' Greg Dulli, have a new band together called The Gutter Twins. They'll release their debut in March on Sub Pop.
I'm excited: Gnarls Barkley will release Album Number Two this spring. [absolutepunk]
The Bonnaroo festival down in Tennessee are evidently through screwing around: next year's rumoured headliners include Metallica and the reunited Led Zeppelin. That is playing hardball. ***UPDATED*** Led Zep are not playing.
It feels like a decade since American Idiot made them truly global rock stars, and Green Day will finally hit the studio in the new year to record the next album in their ouvre.
Rock Band, one of the most-hyped entries into the gaming market in years, will also include the premiere of the new Metallica single from their upcoming new album. Innovative! Not really.
One of my favourite bands discovered this calendar year are now unsigned, with a new album to shop: Gasoline Heart(ex-Dear Ephesus, Squad 5-0) and their new slab What Now are free agents. I think instead of Petty & the Heartbreakers playing the Super Bowl halftime show, these guys should do it.
According to this, Paramore rocked a Sunny Day Real Estate cover last week in New York City. Good on them!
Stolen from our longtime compadres at HM: U2 3D, the first live action movie ever shot, produced, and exhibited in digital 3-D, is set to open worldwide in late January. Filmed during the band's Vertigo Tour dates in South America last year, the movie is directed by Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington and will be released in both digital 3-D (REAL D and Dolby) and IMAX theaters from late January 2008." Now, Ottawa has an IMAX theatre over there in the Museum of Civilization, and this had better be in it!
Jake Bannon(Converge) and Dwid Integrity are in a new outfit called Irons, who will unsurprisingly put out material on Bannon's own Deathwish Inc. label.
Rough-hewn emocore act Canterbury Effect, who put out a couple projects with Pluto Records back in the day, have made a comeback! Their new album We Are All Dogs was actually released on some tiny label in September. Awesome! [IVM]
Sweden punishers Raised Fist, snakebitten as far as Canadian touring goes for the last two or three years, are trying again:
Dec. 3 Sherbrooke, QC @ Theatre Granada
Dec. 4 Trois Rivieres, QC @ CEGEP
Dec. 5 Montreal, QC @ Foufounes Electriques
Dec. 6 Drummondville, QC @ Box Office
Dec. 7 Oshawa, ON @ Dungeon
Dec. 8 Toronto, ON @ Opera House
Dec. 9 London, ON @ Salt Lounge
Dec. 10 Barrie, ON @ Foundation
Dec. 11 Sarnia, ON @ Trinity Lodge
Dec. 12 Quebec City, QC @ Anti
Dec. 13 St. Hyacinthe, QC @ Le Trash
Dec. 14 St. Jean, QC @ Le Metric
No Ottawa date, interestingly enough, given they've always had good shows here. [chartattack]
A pleasant, albeit chilly, eastern-Ontario Friday evening to one and all.
How 'bout some news?
Guess what album celebrates 25 years soon? That's right, boys and girls, the blackest male white woman alive, Michael Jackson, is collaborating with some humongous names for the silver(is it silver?) anniversary of Thriller, including Kanye, Will.I.Am of Black Eyed Peas, Akon(when he isn't busy "making it rain") and more. Of particular note is the song Mr. West will work on: 'Billie Jean.' Hot damn! [Paste]
One of my favourite southern rock bands ever, The Black Crowes, are about to release their first studio album in five years, Warpaint, on March 4th. "She never mentions the word addiction..."
Carson Daly has become the first of the late-night talkers to cross the WGA picket line in the States; production on Last Call with Carson Daly resumed last week, amid word that Daly acted as he did on behalf of nonwriting staffers at the show who were about to be laid off. Additionally, Daly is not a WGA member. Innnnneresting.
I didn't even know there was another Terminator coming down the pipeline, so it stands to reason I didn't know the masterful Christian Bale has allegedly been tapped to portray John Connor in Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins. However, that doesn't make me any less excited!