Chinese Democracy

Can you hardly wait for Guns n Roses to release Chinese Democracy?  Did you really think they ever would?  Have you stopped caring long ago about anything Axle says or does?  Well, regardless of what your current opinion of Axle Rose's "Guns" they release their much awaited/mocked album this Sunday, November 23. 

(post written by dcedave)

Mythical Beatles track does exist

The 14-minute "Carnival of Light" from 1967 does exist and Paul wants the public to hear it.

Read about it here.

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

I recently took a real good listen to Black Sabbath's "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (1973, 5th studio album) for the first time in 20 years. I had the CD for a brief time back in high school or college, but never got into it. So I sold it. As I read about music, specifically the history of metal, this album keeps coming up. So I recently re-acquired it.

Wow! This album is incredible! Just a few quick thoughts:
- Production values are dynamic (adding Rick Wakeman's keyboards and an orchestra work great)
- Great riffs throughout
- "Fluff" is a fantastically beautiful acoustic instrumental piece
- I've never felt such a strong link before between the Sabs and Jethro Tull, but it's here (slightly progressive blues based rock)
- Amazing power chords just after the 3:00 minute mark of "Spiral Architect" mixed with keyboard and orchestra for a fantastically heavy layered wall of power
- "Who Are You?" uses a distinctive analog pad keyboard sound and mentions "Big Brother" in the lyrics. Van Halen uses almost the same keyboard sound on the instrumental song "1984". Coincidence? Or did Van Halen do an intentional homage?

I'm inspired now to seek out more Sabbath (the only other ones I have are Paranoid and Master of Reality... I know... weak). I also had Heaven and Hell for a while and sold that. I need to revisit that. Plus I read good things about the late '80s albums with Tony Martin on vocals.

Saigon Kick to reunite

SAIGON KICK will reunite for an appearance at next year's Rock Gone Wild music festival. The event, sure to be Iowa's preeminent music destination of 2009, will feature more than 50 rock legends on two stages over four days.

Rock Gone Wild will take place August 20-23, 2009 at the Freedom Park festival grounds, located at 2507- 160th Avenue, in Algona, Iowa.

Check out more info here.

Starclock - Progressive Power Pop?

You have absolutely got to get Starclock by Starclock!
From Not Lame's description:

Imagine Toy Matinee or The Bears doing "Skylarking" by XTC with dashes of 70`s progressive rock and mid-70`s hard rock riffs all glossed up with pop perfection. Lots of Owsley / The Semantics or PFR or the poppy side of King`s X produced by Prince. And how bout The Merrymakers and Sugarbomb? Well, there you go! Starclock combines great studio sonds and, more importantly, highly admirable and catchy songs that dig a hook into the back, hold the listener up for all to see and wondering what`s around the next corner. Peppy and incredibly melodic, beginning to end. 13 complex but incredibly easy to enjoy and digest pop songs and most assuredly, Extremely Highly Recommended.

From Starclock's MySpace page:

Starclock is the solo project for Chris Bradley, bassist for Look What I Did. The self titled debut was released in 2002 on Chris' own Clockrock Recordings. It was written, performed, engingeered and mixed mostly by Chris.

Not Lame: http://www.notlame.com/Starclock/Page_1/CDSTAR2.html

CD Baby: http://cdbaby.com/cd/starclock

Castledoor

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="192" caption="Castledoor"][/caption]

Anyone looking for a band with energy, amazing talent, and incredible song-writing should look no further than Castledoor.  If you're in LA, you should go see them, as they hail from Silverlake and play a lot around those parts.

Tonight I saw them for the 3rd time -- at {open} in Long Beach for their EP release party, and each time the show they put on is tremendous.  The EPs are great too, their first, "Follow The Dove" can be had on iTunes. The 2nd, newly released "'Til We Sink" can be procured on 7" purple vinyl, couresty of the 7inchproject.

If you see these guys on a marquee of a club near you, go, you won't be sorry.

--UPDATE--  I wanted to try to describe Castledoor's sound and why I dig'em.  This band has the making of a typical Power Pop band, but theyr'e not, they've got their own thing going.  They have multiple mics for viocals and there are great backing vocals with the bum bum bum's and the doooo wahhh's, but it's not in a bubblegum sorta way, it'll make you move.  It's hard to describe, but infectious, and just saying that is a testament to the niche that Castledoor is  carving out for themselves.  I wish they'd write more music!

Great New Interviews with Roger J. Manning and Jason Falkner

These are great interviews (they are multiple pages long, look for page numbers you can click on at the bottom):

http://popshifter.com/2008-07-30/speaking-the-language-of-pop-an-interview-with-roger-joseph-manning-jr/

http://popshifter.com/2008-07-30/creating-utopia-an-interview-with-jason-falkner/

Ex-Anthrax Guitarist Dan Spitz Launches 'Christian Heavy Metal' Project

Let's keep the theme going here. This is also from Blabbermouth:

Some close friends, and of course, record company executives there at Cornerstone, were amongst the first to be blown away by what is to come to the Christian heavy metal genre. My brother Peter Baltes, from the legendary band ACCEPT (who has tracked all the bass on the project) stood alongside me at the festival as well. Matt Thompson from the band KING DIAMOND did some drum overdubs and will be my touring drummer, but was not available to attend.

And from here:

Spitz still has contacts with friends in music and says that others are coming to Christ. "There are people you would not believe that God has put me in touch with in the mysterious ways He does. I'm talking about bands that are some of the most out-there in the secular market, who are completely and radically saved."

C.C. DeVille Wants Poison Concerts To Be 'Honoring To God'

From here:

Pete Wilson, the pastor at Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee recently got a call from POISON guitarist C.C. DeVille asking for advice and inviting him to POISON's July 8 concert at the Sommet Center in Nashville. According to Pete, "C.C. has just become a Christian and was wondering if I would be willing to bring him some messages he could listen to on the road, as well as just encourage him, and answer a few questions."

Click the link, there's more...

What's Under the Covers? or The Song Retains the Name

Off and on for a while now, I have wondered what kind of covers album I would put together if I were able to do so. Would I include Coal Chambers version of Shock the Monkey? What about Back In Black and Tomorrow Never Knows on the Living Colour album Collideøscope? Would I go back to 1989 for Faith No More's version of War Pigs? How about Testament's rendition of Nobody's Fault or perhaps the Guns N Roses version of Mama Kin? Actually the question that interests me most is what the rest of you might add to such a project. So impress us with how deep you can go and come up with covers worthy of their original glory.

(post written by dcedave)

Extreme - Star

Can't wait for Aug. 12 for new Extreme tunes. Just go to their myspace and check out Star.  After just a pair of listens Star picks up with the combination of catchy rock that Nuno and Gary felt was lacking on the music scene today.  See you at the House of Blues on Aug. 26.

(post written by dcedave)

Just another brick

more graph humor and song chart memes

(post written by dcedave)

New Ben Folds album arrives Sept. 16

From Paste magazine:

Everybody’s favorite piano-rocking, Shatner-collaborating, sailor-mouthed goofball Ben Folds has a new album hitting shelves on Sept. 16. Way To Normal, the singer’s first new studio LP since 2005’s Songs For Silverman, is produced by Dennis Herring (Counting Crows, Modest Mouse, Elvis Costello) and will be released on Epic Records.

I Get A Kick Out Of You

more graph humor and song chart memes

KISS's Weekly Calendar

more graph humor and song chart memes

New It Bites album "The Tall Ships" up for pre-order

I know that sounds strange to say "New It Bites album", but it's true... well, mostly. There is a new It Bites album and tour coming, but the latest incarnation of the band doesn't include Francis Dunnery and they've just announced that they are replacing original bassist Dick Nolan. Still, this is exciting news and I hope the album really lives up to the It Bites name.

Find more info at their official site.

Happy Birthday, Colin Edwin

Happy Birthday to Porcupine Tree's Colin Edwin who turns 38 today.

Love

more graph humor and song chart memes

Things That Are Said

more graph humor and song chart memes

Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree Conquers in Progressive Rock Quiz

OPETH frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt and PORCUPINE TREE vocalist Steve Wilson face off in a prog quiz conducted by Roadrunner Records. Check it out, it's great. Questions about Rush, Jethro Tull, Genesis, King Crimson, Yes, Camel, Pink Floyd and more.
http://www.bravewords.com/news/91536

Catnip Dynamite is out - Import only

Roger Joseph Manning Jr.'s new album "Catnip Dynamite" is out in Japan. Import only from Amazon.com. There's a good detailed review at that Amazon link.

Candlemass US Tour Dates

Here are the tour dates for the upcoming Candlemass US tour (first tour of the US in 17 years):

May 19 - Springfield VA @ JAXX
May 20 - New York NY @ BB KING’s
May 22 - Sayreville NJ @ STARLAND BALLROOM
May 23 - Clevelan, OH @ PEABODY’s
May 24 - Chicago Mokene, IL @ THE PEARL ROOM
May 25 - Minneapolis MN @ STATION 4.
May 28 - Seattle WA, @ STUDIO 7
May 29 - Portland OR @ HAWTHORNE THEATER
May 30 - San Francisco CA @ SLIM’s
May 31 - San Marcos CA @ JUMPING TURTLE

June 1 - West Hollywood CA - WHISKU A-GO-GO
June 3 - Phoenix AZ – BRICKHOUSE
June 4 - Albuquerque NM – LAUNCHPAD
June 5 - San Antonio TX – SCOUT BAR
June 6 - Houston TX - SCOUT BAR
June 7 - Dallas-Fort Worth TX – RIDGELA THEATER

Is Gordon Moby's Long Lost Twin?

I ran across this photo of Moby on allmusic.com and thought that it looks like either Gordon is Moby's long lost twin or Gordon just failed to let us in on his sideline as a techno legend.



(post written by dcedave)

The Afters - Never Going Back to OK

As promised, I am here to let you know that The Afters new album, Never Going Back to OK is fantastic. Chalk full of poppy goodness, The Afters sophomore effort does not fail to disappoint. But rather than just tell you about it, why not just enjoy a bit your send. So here is the video for Myspace Girl.


(post written by dcedave)

We Lost the Skyline

Sorry it's been so long. Work has been crazy. From here:

On the 4th October 2007 Porcupine Tree arrived for an in-store performance and signing session at Park Avenue CDs in Orlando, Florida, with 200 fans also in attendance. Although it was originally planned that the full band would play, lack of space dictated that it was only the 2 guitarists / singers Steven Wilson and John Wesley who delivered an impromptu performance, including many songs rarely (if ever) played by the band, making for a very special and intimate show. Fortunately this one-off performance was captured by a remote recording facility and the complete 8 song, 33 minute show is now being released in a mail order only CD, with a digipack sleeve created by photographer Lasse Hoile and designer Carl Glover. The CD will be available to pre-order soon from the PT Store, and is expected to ship in the week commencing 11th Feb.

Full track listing for the album is:

1. the sky moves sideways (4.02)
2. even less (3.27)
3. stars die (4.33)
4. waiting (3.52)
5. normal (4.52)
6. drown with me (4.09)
7. lazarus (4.29)
8. trains (4.04)

I can't wait!!