Handsome Dick Manitoba Throbblehead

From Aggronautix:

Handsome Dick Manitoba, King of New York and fearless leader of The Dictators, has been promoted to throbblehead status! This figure capturing Richard's signature modern day look is limited to 1000 numbered units, stands at 7 inches tall, and is made of super strong polyresin.

Don't mess with Manitoba as he stands proudly representing the Lower East Side. He's accurately sculpted right down to the weathered Dictators leather jacket and searing glare.

Currently, you can him out on his own radio show, "The Handsome Dick Manitoba Radio Program" in Little Steven Van Zandt's Underground Garage, on Sirius - XM Satellite Radio(Ch. 21), Mon.-Fri., 8pm-12am (ET). You can also drop by his World Famous Rock and Roll Tavern, MANITOBA'S located at 99 Ave. B, NYC (Btwn. 6th & 7th Streets).

That's rock 'n roll on your shelf right there! Check out more throbbleheads at Aggronautix. And check out Handsome Dick in his rock 'n roll heyday below.

Abandon Kansas offers free Remix Ep

Abandon Kansas have released a new Ad Astra Per Remix EP, which includes three songs from the band's last album remixed with a whole new feel and energy. The song "Like It or Not" is the winning fan remix chosen by the fans in a contest launched last month. The EP will be available free of charge as an early holiday gift to all from Abandon Kansas. Get it today at freeabandonkansas.com

The band is led by Jeremy Spring (vocals, gtr), is complemented by Brian Scheideman (drums) and Brad Foster (Gtr). Their site reads:
"With fearless hearts, ingenious songwriting, & poignant wit, Spring & company shine like supernovas among fading stars. This is indie pop/rock that will surprise you with its candor & cause you to contemplate the deepest recesses of your heart."

AD ASTRA PER REMIX EP includes:
1. Heaven Come My Way (Eric Kaufman Remix)
2. The Golden State (Capital Kings Remix)
3. Like It Or Not (Seth Duncan Remix)

The band's Living Room tour continues at the following dates and places:
11/27 Oklahoma City, OK
11/28 Arlington, TX
11/29 Houston, TX
11/30 Austin, TX
12/1 Irving, TX
12/2 Denton, TX
12/3 Tulsa, OK
12/4 Springfield, MO
12/5 St. Louis, MO
12/6 Indianapolis, IN
12/7 Cincinnati, OH
12/8 Columbus, OH
12/9 Springboro, OH
12/10 Buffalo, NY
12/11 Detroit, MI
12/12 Fort Wayne, IN
12/13 Chicago, IL
12/14 Cedar Falls, IA
12/15 Minneapolis, MN
12/16 Minneapolis, MN
12/17 Sioux Falls, SD
12/18 Omaha, NE
12/19 Kansas City, MO
12/20 Raymore, MO

Here's a great clip of their song "Like it or Not":

Spotify Announcement - New apps for deeper music experience

(photo via Business Insider)

The business of listening to music changes daily. Today your love, tomorrow the world.

Today, music streaming subscription service Spotify announced application partnerships with a bunch of music-related sites (see pic above) in order to create more individualized music experiences.

Business Insider blogged today from the announcement in New York that Spotify will be adding "Editorial apps, concert tickets, lyrics, and much more. Pitchfork, Fuse, Soundrop, Rolling Stone, Last.fm, Songkick."

Digital Music News writes that Spotify's CEO said these words: "Today, Spotify becomes a music platform."

The company's blog post reads:
"Let’s say you’re listening to a new track and you’d like to know the lyrics. Just click over to the TuneWiki app and see all the words of the song perfectly synced as you’re listening.

Maybe you want to see a gig this weekend? Check out the Songkick app to find out if any of the artists in your library are performing near you. Then get your hands on tickets with a few clicks."

That's a big step for Spotify, which says it now has some 2.5+ million paying subscribers, and 7 million new subscribers since September's Facebook launch. Plus, its subscribers have created over 500 million playlists.

Here's a look at a video the company made to help you find "lots of lovely free apps to discover the latest music news."



I'm a Spotify listener already. Looks Like I'll be there more often now.

Music News Around the Webworld

There is music news around web - let's see what it is!

- We're in the home stretch of the year, and among the top-5 scored LPs by Metacritic include those by The Weeknd, The Bug, Kanye West, Animal Collective and the Field. Check 'em out.

- VintageRock.com shares news that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are planning a 2012 world tour, the first they've done since the Big Man went to the Big Guy.

- Phoenix New Times reports that Guns 'N Roses are spending part of Christmas week in Phoenix for a Dec 27th show here. Rock.

- The NY Times writes about the newly launched digital concert series from 80s/90s DC alt-hardcore band Fugazi. "After letting audio tapes for more than 800 shows languish in a closet for years, Fugazi has begun putting them all on its Web site, with the first batch of 130 shows going up next Thursday." Check 'em out at Dischord.com.

Rock Clip of the Week - Guided By Voices, "The Best of Jill Hives"

"The Best of Jill Hives" is an awesome Guided by Voices song, underrated in the Pollard canon. I've been playing it in the house over the past the past few days on a great compilation I made of GBV songs of outtakes (a cover of Cheap Trick's "Downed", B-sides and cool tracks like this one). "The Best of Jill Hives" has an understated opening, leading into a melancholy melody, surfacing with a cool chorus, all toped by Pollard's magnetic vocalizing.

When this song came out, I consciously nicked a lot of it for my own song "Melody Guaranteed", clearly proving the point that one can try to imitate greatness without achieving it.

Here's a live medley of early 2000s Guided By Voices songs, including "So Sad If I Lost It", "Window of My World", "Back to the Lake", "My Kind of Soldier", "Watch Me Jumpstart" wrapping up with a live "The Best of Jill Hives" (starts at 2:35),



Here's the recorded version from the GBV LP "Earthquake Glue":

New Paul Weller song - Around the Lake

Great to read at Stereogum about the release of a new Paul Weller track called 'Around the Lake', from forthcoming 2012 LP "Sonik Kicks". MOre info below from Paul's site. It's a killer song, highlighted by awesome double-tracked vocals and swirly psychout tricks. Give it a spin below.

His website announces:
"Never one to rest on his laurels, Paul Weller is a musician who is always evolving and on March 26th 2012 (US on Yep Roc - March 27) the next phase of his evolution begins with the release of 'Sonik Kicks'. On his eleventh solo album Weller continues to the push the boundaries, looking forward rather than back unlike so many of his contemporaries. Sample a taster of what's to come right now on www.paulweller.com in the form of album track 'Around The Lake'.

'Sonik Kicks' features appearances from the likes of Noel Gallagher and Graham Coxon, the full tracklisting is:
1. Green
2. The Attic
3. Kling I Klang
4. Sleep Of The Serene
5. By The Waters
6. That Dangerous Age
7. Study In Blue
8. Dragonfly
9. When Your Garden's Overgrown
10. Around The Lake
11. Twilight
12. Drifters
13. Paperchase
14. Be Happy Children

'Sonik Kicks' reveals Paul Weller once again shaking up his palate and stirring his influences anew, mixing pop art punch with soulful communication, jazzy explorations into psychedelia and dub with razor-sharp melodies, abstract soundscapes with clear-eyed forest-folk. Believers can discover this at The Roundhouse when 'Sonik Kicks' is performed in full this spring with two shows on 18th & 19th March 2012."

Bob Mould Tribute - Los Angeles

Video is appearing from Monday night's tribute to Bob Mould in Los Angeles, which I previewed here two months ago.

Stereogum wrote:
"Britt Daniel, Ryan Adams, Dave Grohl, No Age, Grant Lee Phillips, Margaret Cho, Craig Finn and Tad Kubler of The Hold Steady all paid tribute by running through classic Hüsker Dü and Sugar songs."

Rolling Stone wrote:
"Dave Grohl appeared with Mould for an explosive six-song set, looking thrilled to be there as merely a fan, singing harmony and slashing along on guitar. They stood just inches apart during the opening of Hüsker Du's "Ice Cold Ice," thrashing their guitars and trading shouted lyrics. For "New Day Rising," a Hüsker Du track, Grohl pounded a shattering drumbeat as Mould smiled at him over his shoulder."

Consequence of Sound wrote:
The performance featured covers of Mould’s “Black Sheets of Rain” and “Heartbreak A Stranger” by Adams, Hüsker Dü’s ”Real World” and Sugar’s “A Good Idea” by Finn, and Sugar’s “The Act We Act” by Daniel. For his part, Grohl teamed up with Mould for performances of Hüsker Dü’s “Hardly Getting Over It” and “Could You Be The One” and switched to drums for “New Day Rising”. Then, to close things out, Mould dished out renditions of ”Makes No Sense At All” and Sugar’s “Hoover Dam”, among other tracks, before being rejoined by everyone for a performance of ”See a Little Light”.

I bet those songs were great to hear with that rocktastic lineup. Mould rocked six Husker Du songs with Dave Grohl (guitar, vocals), Jason Narducy (bass) and that awesome drummer whose name I can't place. Here's video of Mould's oft-played "Hardly Getting Over It" and "Could You Be the One" with the lesser heard "Ice Cold Ice". Second clip has "Chartered Trips" and a ferocious "New Day Rising", in which Mould looks super excited to be playing again at its original intensity.

Daily deal music site PopMarket offering up Black Friday specials

Sony's Daily Deal site for back catalogue rock - PopMarket - is teasing customers like me with Black Friday deals. Oh my! Can I get a Ramones box? R.E.M. deal? More more more? If interested, sign up at PopMarket. Click here for the times of the deals.

Popmarket.com is the ultimate shopping club for music fans offering its members limited-time private sales on the world's coolest music. All sales are offered on a first come, first served basis. Membership is free.

Play Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks"

Play Foster the People's 'Pumped Up Kicks' - Four chords and a swirl of melody!

[Capo 1]

Em G D A [4X]

Em G
Robert's got a quick hand
D A
He'll look around the room he won't tell you his plan
Em G
Got a rolled cigarette
D A
Hangin' out his mouth, he's a cowboy kid
Em G
Yeah, found a six-shooter gun
D A
In his dads closet hidden with a box of fun things
Em G
I don't even know what
D A
But he's comin' for you, yeah he's comin for you, hey


Em G
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
D
You'd better run, better run
A
Outrun my gun
Em G
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
D
You'd better run, better run
A
Faster than my bullet
[Repeat]


Em G
Daddy works a long day
D A
He'll be coming home late, he's coming home late
Em G
And he's bringing me a surprise
D A
Cos' dinner's in the kitchen and it's packed in ice
Em G
I've waited for a long time
D A
The slight of my hand is now a quick pull trigger
Em G
I reason with my cigarette
D A
And say your hair's on fire you must have lost your wits, yeah


Em G
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
D
You'd better run, better run
A
Outrun my gun
Em G
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
D
You'd better run, better run
A
Faster than my bullet
[Repeat]


Em G D A [2X]
(run run run)
Em G D A [2X]
(whistle)


Em G
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
D
You'd better run, better run
A
Outrun my gun
Em G
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
D
You'd better run, better run
A
Faster than my bullet
[Repeat 2X]

Ty Segall - Early Rare Tracks Compilation

awesome photo by Andrew St. Clair (via Brooklyn Vegan)

Good news on indie grunge rocker Ty Segall - Memphis, TN label Goner Records has compiled much of Ty Segall's indie output between 2007-2010 and putting out a double album of it all, calling it 'Singles 2007-2010'.

Goner writes:
"Jet-packing around the indie / garage cosmos for the last four years, Ty Segall has done too many singles and EPs and split records and shared records and albums and cassettes to count. He’s found himself increasingly in the spotlight, and this year’s Goodbye Bread for Drag City was met with a big wet kiss from the indie media world. But Segall don’t care about that. He ain’t in it for the corporate buck. He’s made it because he’s toured constantly, puts on a great show and genuinely loves what he does.

Goner is proud to present a double-album of tracks culled from Segall’s massive out-of-print catalog—plus some stuff that never made it out in the first place. Here ya go: Singles 2007-2010."

One of the songs on the compilation is "Skin": Here's a rocked up live version of that song from an Amoeba Records performance a few years ago:

Google Music full launch

Google Music launched fully this week. It's Google's main on ramp into tying together song sales from its Android marketplace to your ears.

Media Tapper wrote:
"This week Google finally moved its music service out of beta with a big event showcasing the new service and features. In moving out of beta, Google Music keeps everything users already had – a free online storage locker for music for up to 20,000 songs that can be streamed through a browser on any computer or mobile device (including even iOS). That’s a fantastic bargain right there. Google then added the ability to purchase music. They announced deals with Universal, EMI, and Sony with only Warner missing from the big four record labels. They also have deals that provide access to tons of indie labels and artists. Pricing is similar to Apple and Amazon with the ability to buy individual songs and albums.

What is really cool is the new Artist Hub. Artist Hub essentially allows musicians who are not signed to a music label to completely bypass services like TuneCoreor CD Baby (which is what allows them to put their music on other major music stores like iTunes and Amazon) and upload their music directly to Google for sale to users. Not only can they upload music, musicians can build their own pages, upload original content, and set their own prices. According to the press release, Google is giving artists 70 percent of sales revenue. Musicians who want to use Artist Hub are required to pay a one-time registration fee, but won’t have to pay annual or upload fees after that."

That sounds like a great DIY tool for unsigned musicians to ply their wares. Read more about Artist Hub at Search Engine Watch.

Morrissey Tour underway, Hits Phoenix on Sunday

Solo singer Morrissey is now officially on tour. Brooklyn Vegan has pics and setlist from Moz's Austin, TX show earlier this week. A healthy smattering of songs from his 1980s band The Smiths litter the setlist - click to the link for way more pics and info.

Here is a clip of the encore song, The Smiths' song "Still Ill" from the same show. Watch to the end when Morrisey mops up his sweat with his shirt, then throws it into the crowd and the fans tear it up.


Morrissey and the band come to the Orpheum Theater in Phoenix on Sunday night, Nov 20. Get tickets here.

US and Mexico 2011 tour dates:
11/17 Dallas, TX McFarlin Memorial Auditorium
11/19 Santa Fe, NM Santa Fe Center
11/20 Phoenix, AZ Orpheum Theater
11/22 Escondido, CA Center for the Arts
11/25 Las Vegas, NV The Cosmopolitan
11/26 Los Angeles, CA Shrine Auditorium
11/28 Pomona, CA Fox Theater
12/01 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
12/05 Monterrey, Mexico Arena
12/07 Mexico City, Mexico Plaza Condesa
12/08 Mexico City, Mexico Plaza Condesa
12/10 Puebla, Mexico Siglo XX1
12/12 Guadalajara, Mexico Diana
12/13 Guadalajara, Mexico Diana
12/17 Chicago, IL Congress Theater (Rescheduled from 11/10)

All Around the World I've Been Looking for New!

Here's a glimpse around the blogosphere to hear what's happening in parts unknown, unboned and uncovered.

- BigOZine has a nice sweet batch of tracks from a Graham Parker & The Rumour live show from NYC in 1988.

- Well! Here's one rock band brand extension no one's thought of yet! Chicago pomp rockers Styx have teamed up with jewelry designer Diana Warner for a line of Styx-themed jewelry items. Each piece is hand-made in Diana Warner's New York City studio, with prices ranging from $55-$200. The first items available are eight dog tag necklaces made of 30 inch chains of gunmetal, antique gold or antique silver plate over brass. The charms are made of pewter and rose gold, gunmetal, antique gold or antique silver. They'll also be selling guitar pick earrings available in 4 finishes: gunmetal, rose gold, antique gold and antique silver, as well as antique gold and silver charms with one of the band's well-recognized lyrics, "Come Sail Away With Me."

- Rolling Stone catches hardcore rockers Fucked Up in a fragile state of being before Monday night's NYC showing of "David Comes to Life". "Drummer Jonah Falco is just as careful as Abraham to note how grateful they all are for their opportunities. "You don't have the external part of your life to qualify that tour," he says. "That's the funny thing that happens when you switch from being a person that has a job and has a life, and goes on tour as an exceptional thing, to touring all the time. This record, the way it's being received, [it means] we've played the most shows we've ever played in one year. And this is after two or three years of having played the most shows we've ever played. The energy starts to press on you. It was like the collective body of Fucked Up, passing out."

- Singer-songwriter extraordinaire Butch Walker has a new book titled 'Drinking With Strangers', writes Twangville. Co-authored with Matt Diehl, this funny tale of Walker’s love/hate relationship with the music industry is pretty much summed up nicely by Walker when he describes his 20 plus career in the biz as “failing upwards.”

- My guitar rockin' trio Dfactor opens for LA pop-punk Matt Toka and his band tonight at Scottsdale, AZ's Roxy Lounge. Come down if you're in the Valley of the Sun. Everything starts to bang around 8:30pm.

Guns 'N Roses - Full concert, Dallas, 11-5-11

(photo from New G 'N R.com)

Wanna see (the new) Guns 'N Roses on this US tour without having to stay up to 3am the night they play your city? Here's your chance!

Dedicated video dude WarpedVidsDallas shot the entire Nov 5th concert in Dallas with his handheld. It may not be awesome, but it works for a taste of a full G 'N R rock show these days.

And dig Axl Rose on his Elton John piano tribute (at 1:31;31), and Tommy Stinson doing his turn at the mic (at 58:40) for a run at The Who's 'My Generation' - fun! Full set list below video.



Setlist:

Dexter Intro
Chinese Democracy
Welcome To The Jungle
It's So Easy
Mr. Brownstone
Sorry
Rocket Queen
Estranged
Richard Fortus Guitar Solo (James Bond Theme)
Live and Let Die
(Paul McCartney & Wings cover)
This I Love
Out Ta Get Me
My Generation (The Who cover) (Tommy Stinson on vocals)
Dizzy Reed Piano Solo (Baba O'Riley)
Street Of Dreams
You Could Be Mine
DJ Ashba Guitar Solo (Mi Amor)
Sweet Child O' Mine
Instrumental Jam
(Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2)
Axl Rose Piano Solo (Someone Saved My Life Tonight/Goodbye Yellow Brickroad)
November Rain
Bumblefoot Guitar Solo (Pink Panther)
Don't Cry
Whole Lotta Rosie (AC/DC cover)
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
(Bob Dylan cover)
Nightrain
Encore:
Instrumental Jam
Madagascar
Patience
Instrumental Jam
Paradise City

Mystery Music Monday

My inbox fills up daily with loads of emails from bands known and unknown. Here are a few unknown ones (to me anyway) - hope you like 'em!

- Los Angeles band Archer Black creates a compelling sound with its new single "Onward and Down" - it's a moody, melancholy sound that's a teaser of its forthcoming LP "Forgiveness Is A Weapon" (January 3rd, 2012 – Post Planetary Records). Have a taste, and while you're at it, let the track below go right into the the quiet version of their song "The Sounding" - sweet stuff. Archer Black - "Onward & Down" Single by fanaticpro


- The Amends hail from Boulder, CO and are busy promoting their debut rock 'n roll record, which came out earlier this fall. The band says they've tried to "...create a kind of love letter to rock n roll — the LP's an attempt to create something new from the music that’s inspired us. Song by song, you’ll hear some blues, some punk, some indie anthems, some screaming guitar solos, some jangly pianos, and some old fashioned rock n roll." Here's a smokin' track they call 'Dance"


- San Diego band The Beautiful View kicks up the right amount of rock dance dust on their new song "The Horseman" below. (But is the catchy chorus singing "My mom, the soda party?" or something else?) Words about the band: "Formed in May of 2007, The Beautiful View earned their stripes playing a ton of new shows while earning a notable following and developing a stage presence with explosive live shows. The band decided to take a step off the stage in 2011 and dedicate all their efforts to creating a full length album, recorded at Black Box San Diego with Mario Quintero and mastered at D2 studios in Burbank." And it's now out, called "Life is beautiful".
01 The Horseman by requiemme music

Happy Nigel Tufnel Day on 11-11-11

It's 11-11-11 and Nigel Tufnel Day is being celebrated the world over! In honor of this legendary musician's contributions to rock 'n roll, we bring you Nigel and his beloved band Spinal Tap to you fine Waved Rumor readers.

From Nigel's Wikipedia page:
Tufnel was born in Squatney, east London. He was given his first guitar, a sunburst 'Rhythm King', by his father at six. His life changed when he met David St Hubbins (Michael McKean) who lived next door. They began jamming together in a toolshed in David's garden, influenced by early blues artists like Honkin' Bubba Fulton, Little Sassy Francis and particularly Big Little Daddy Coleman, a deaf guitar player, and wrote their first song, (Cry) All the Way Home. Before long they had formed the Thamesmen and the rest is history.

Nigel's hobbies include collecting guitars; particularly noteworthy is his foam-green six-string Fender Bass VI with the price tag still attached, which he has kept in mint condition by not allowing it to be played, touched, looked at, pointed at, or talked about. He also has a Gibson Les Paul 1959 model, whose acoustic properties and carved flame-maple top he praises. He also plays mandolin, piano, and does backing vocals. He is currently writing a classical piece which he feels combines the musical characteristics of both Mozart and Bach (a "Mach piece") in D minor, which he claims is the 'saddest of all keys'. The piece is provisionally entitled 'Lick My Love Pump'. According to Christopher Guest, Nigel has not yet completed the trilogy, and is still working on it.

Nigel has a great love for Gumby, carrying a figurine in his shirt pocket and wearing Gumby shirts frequently. He is also a self-proclaimed 'fish nut', liking cod and canned tuna because it has 'no bones'. Nigel currently sits on the Editorial Board of his preferred in-flight periodical, Car and Driver. His favorite cookies are Oreos, but without the filling. The rider in his contract requires a large plate of Oreo halves without frosting backstage (similar to Van Halen's request for a bowl of M&M's without the brown ones.) Onstage Nigel wears glam rock inspired makeup and usually plays a Gibson Les Paul.

Tufnel has stated that if he wasn't in the music industry he would like to either enter the field of haberdashery or become a surgeon: 'I like surgery'."

Enjoy a rock moment with Spinal Tap from England's legendary Royal Albert Hall!

The Bangles -- New LP, Shows, Nazz cover

The three women who make up veteran LA garage-popsters The Bangles these days - Susanna Hoffs and sisters Vicki and Debbi Peterson - still wanna rock it out, garage style.

The Bangles have a new release called "Sweetheart of the Sun" and they are touring this LP while playing the songs that fans remember from their 1980s heyday.

The Bangles hit the big time in the 1980s with smash new-wavey hits like "Walk Like an Egyptian", "a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "A Hazy Shade of Winter", the Prince-penned "Manic Monday" and other faves.

Tonight, the band is rocking in San Diego, and Susanna Hoffs told the San Diego Reader that ...
"We still listen to a lot of the same music we listened to when we met," said Hoffs, who plays with The Bangles tonight at San Diego’s House of Blues. "Even though it was the ’80s, one of the things that bonded us is that the Peterson sisters and I were obsessed with ’60s music. That was the goal, this almost worshipful (devotion) we had. … I was very retro. It was the ’80s and I wasn’t interested — I wanted it to be like the ’60s in every possible way!"

Here are the Bangles at a recent show in California covering Todd Rundgren/Nazz power-pop classic "Open My Eyes"

Peter Gabriel - "Red Rain" Letterman appearance

Peter Gabriel, the former early Genesis singer and acclaimed '70s and onward solo artist, has orchestrated many of his well-known hits in the new CD-DVD "New Blood". The collection features...
"re-imagined arrangements of many of Peter’s songs which dispense with the traditional weapons of the rock armoury – no guitar, or drum kits – the lyrics are exposed and laid bare, often taking new meaning with the passing of the years."

I like that. I think songs that were written with original meaning at some point in an artist's career can take on new dimensions and meanings later on. Peter promoted the new release on David Letterman's show last night doing "Red Rain" - Have a listen below and see if it works for you.

Punk Art by Rock Artists

Lots of cool rock 'n rollers have submitted art pieces to London's Signal Gallery for a "Punk and Beyond" art show, starting Nov 25th through December 17th. Rockers include Robyn Hitchcock, Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo), Robert Pollard (Guided by Voices), Grant Hart (Husker Du), Billy Childish, Paul Simonon (The Clash) and many others. Plan your travel abroad accordingly.

Visa Issue causes Morrissey's Nov 10 Chicago gig to move to Dec 17

From the publicists:

"Due to a visa administration error, Morrissey’s lead guitarist is unable to perform in the US this week. Thursday’s sold out concert at the Congress Theatre in Chicago has been rescheduled for Saturday December 17, 2011. The issue is out of Morrissey’s hands but it will not affect Monday’s concert at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio, nor will it affect the rest of the tour."

Morrissey 2011 US Dates

11/14 San Antonio, TX @ Majestic Theater
11/15 Austin,TX @ Bass Concert Hall
11/17 Dallas, TX @ McFarlin Memorial Auditorium
11/19 Santa Fe, NM @ Santa Fe Center
11/20 Phoenix, AZ @ Orpheum Theater
11/22 Escondido, CA @ California Center for the Arts
11/25 Las Vegas, NV @ The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas - Chelsea Ballroom
11/26 Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Auditorium
11/28 Pomona, CA Fox Theater
12/01 Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater

Morrissey 2011 Mexico Dates

12/05 Monterrey @ Arena
12/07 Mexico City @ Plaza Condesa
12/08 Mexico City @ Plaza Condesa
12/10 Puebla @ Auditorio del Complejo Cultural Universitario
12/12 Guadalajara @ Diana
12/13 Guadalajara @ Diana

We Were Promised Jetpacks - US Tour

We Were Promised Jetpacks hit Phoenix last night (I couldn't see them live, natch, was playing a show myself, see below). The Scottish band played the newish Crescent ballroom, which features a wide open stage area and loads of room for cool people to hang out and see the band from all angles.

I've not yet seen any video clips or reviews yet from last night's show, but here's a clip of the band playing their big hit "Quiet Little Voices" from this past weekend's FFF festival in Austin, TX.



Their US tour moves to San Diego tonight and up the West coast to next week, when they return to England for dates up through the holidays.

Local Rock! Dfactor, Roxy Dioxide, Plainfield Butchers

What can I say? I'm excited to rock out tonite with my band Dfactor as we hit the stage at Yucca Tap Room in Tempe, AZ. If you're in the Phoenix/Scottsdale/Tempe triangle of goodness, you should come on out for this FREE show.

Our band is ready with a cool set of glammy guitar pop, garage rock and flat-out punk rockers. San Diego band Roxy Dioxide is bringing its rockin' powerpop to the stage in the form of classic covers and originals. And Phoenix band The Plainfield Butchers, featuring Erratic Radio's Westley Allen, will finish up the night with a smokin' set of rockin' punk blasts.

Show starts at 8:30pm - Roxy at 9pm, Dfactor at 10pm, Butchers at 11pm. Make it tonight, let's have fun!

Noel Gallagher - North American tour start, High Flying Birds CD review

photo by Chromewaves

Noel Gallagher started his North American tour this week in Toronto, and here's a clip below of Noel doing his Oasis classic 'Supersonic' in a stripped down, quite lovely version from the Mod Club in Toronto.



Last night, Noel played Massey Hall and The National Post was there to capture all the goods and bads.
"Perhaps the most surprising musical moment of the night was the full band rendition of Talk Tonight, which places Noel at perhaps his most vulnerable as both subject and songwriter. The muscle of a full arrangement proved transcendent for the usually acoustic song (and its singer).

As a result, Gallagher became looser with the crowd, rewarding them for bellowing at him, chastising them for booing his precious Manchester City football club and discussing his domestic issues. The latter perhaps exemplified the newer, greener singer best — one would never find a member of even 2008’s Oasis asking if anyone in the crowd had kids or warning against the perils of pet ownership."

Rock and Roll Report provides a review on Gallagher's fine new LP "High Flying Birds", in which they write:

"Noel Gallagher has managed to keep his edge and Oasis credibility, but release an album that is still quite different from what he is known for. Production and various genre inspirations aside, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds isn’t as different as I had expected it to be. Sure, there are a few tracks that you can imagine Liam Gallagher laughing at, but underneath all the hype and venturing, the record is still Noel. After all, Noel was the chief songwriting driving force behind Oasis, so he’s got enough credibility to pretty much do what he wants while still staying – excuse the pun – familiar to millions."

Ah.....nice.

The Damned in 1977 - The Damned in 2011

Damned if one of the original punk bands of '76-'77 The Damned doesn't sound better today playing their scorching punk classic "New Rose" than they did nearly 35 years ago.

Here's The Damned playing "New Rose" from a May 1977 show in Brighton UK.


Now listen and hear how brilliantly great the Damned still sounds in this clip from last weekend in Los Angeles, while on their US tour.



The Damned, featuring Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, drummer Pinch, bassist Stu West and keyboardist Monty Oxy Moron, kicked off its 35th anniversary tour October 20 at Middle East in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and finished its US leg this past weekend at the Austin, TX Fun Fun Fun fest - see some pics from the Damned's appearance here.

The band is marking the anniversary by playing both its 1977 debut album, “Damned Damned Damned,” and 1980’s “The Black Album” in their entirety on the UK portion of the tour, which starts on Nov. 9 in Bristol.

The Damned are also being trailed on this tour by a documentary crew, led by New York-based filmmaker Wes Orshoski, who is directing/producing a feature-length documentary on the group. The band will be touring Australia, New Zealand and Japan in January 2012.

GV30 - SoCal Punk Rock Festival Dec. 16-18

Gary Tovar, the LA promoter who started Goldenvoice, which became the huge promoter behind the Coachella music festival every spring in Indio, CA, has announced GV30, a punk rock festival on Dec 16-18 at the Santa Monica (CA) Civic Auditorium to celebrate Goldenvoice's 30th anniversary of existence. Think of it as a pretty rad office party.

From the blurbsters
"Gary Tovar brings you GV30; three shows in honor of Goldenvoice's 30th Anniversary featuring Social Distortion, Bad Religion, Descendents and more. The artists and line-up for these special shows were chosen to reflect the bands that embraced and were instrumental in building Goldenvoice from day 1. Like us, they had just the right screws loose. Because of their support past and present, Goldenvoice was able to flourish and become a part of the Southern California music scene. These bands took a chance on us 30 years ago, and continue to be a big part of what we do today. We are excited for them to help us honor our first 30 years!

Slated to perform are:
Friday, December 16th Social Distortion, X, Adolescents
Saturday, December 17th Bad Religion, Youth Brigade, T.S.O.L.
Sunday, December 18th Descendents, The Vandals, The Dickies
Also appearing: The Grim, Ill Repute, Love Canal, A Pretty Mess

Will T.S.O.L. feature its legendary frontman Jack Grisham? Hope so! I've been following his 'coaching" career a bit as well as his interviews around his book "An American Demon".

Read a lot more about the show at Pop & Hiss, the LA Times music blog.

KISS Kruise - "Do You Love Me?"

I've posted recently here about the upcoming Weezer cruise in January 2012, but did you know that KISS just had its own cruise fun in mid-October for dedicated fans? Yes, they did. The KISS Kruise sailed October 13-17, 2011 from Miami, FL, to Half Moon Cay and Nassau, Bahamas on board the Carnival Destiny.

There's a good amount of vid clips floating on YouTube, and here's the band in its stripped down acoustic set-up doing its old chestnut "Do You Love Me?". It may not have the visceral experience of seeing KISS live and electric but it sure looks like Gene, Paul, Tommy & Eric are having fun with their fans.



KISS's frontman Paul Stanley just completed successful throat surgery, according to his website, as the band gears up to release a new LP called "Monster" in spring 2012, followed by a tour. Read more at KISS ONLINE.

Rock Clip of the Week - The Strokes, Take it or Leave it

A moment in time - The Strokes bring their streamlined rock action to Dave Letterman's late night show in 2002 to do their classic "Take It or Leave It" from thie debut LP "Is This It?"

This is a great live performance from The Strokes. Rock! Enjoy the weekend! I'm busy doing Beatles!

Stream Grand Atlantic's "Constellations" at AOL-Spinner

Australian rockers Grand Atlantic (who Waved Rumor previewed around SXSW 2010) is gaining some notice for its CD "Constellations" which is streaming at AOL-Spinner.

From the blurbists:
"Brisbane's quartet Grand Atlantic have released their third album Constellations, which shows a maturation that has not gone unnoticed.

Powerpopaholic declares,"This band...sounds ready to hit the big time with this album. It ups the ante for both fans and critics of How We Survive."

Tim Douglas of The Australian said, "For an album recorded in an abandoned lunatic asylum in a far-flung corner of New Zealand, Constellations is remarkably devoid of, well, nuttiness. In fact, the third-long player...is more measured soul journey than psychedelic trip down lobotomy lane."

Jamie Horne of The Border Mail calls the album "crazy good," and The Ripple Effect says it's "a stunning success."

Give 'Constellations' a whirl - it's loud, expansive, spacey, groovy and modern. It probably sounds WAY more awesome on a LOUD club sound system than your tinny laptop speakers or earbuds. Here's a taste of the band's live show from SXSW 2011:

Meat Puppets - New video, tour dates

The Meat Puppets performing at All Tomorrow's Festival 2011

The Meat Puppets have a new video for their song 'Damn Thing' and it's playing over at Rolling Stone. Click on the link to see it. It won't embed here, alas. You can also read a great interview about the band and its history at this link.

The Meat Puppets' tour hits the East Coast and Midwest to support the LP "Lollipop":
Meat Puppets Tour Dates
Nov 3 - Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA
Nov 4 - Le Poisson Rouge - New York, NY
Nov 5 - Middle East - Boston, MA
Nov 6 - Mexicali Live - Teaneck, NJ
Nov 8 - Musica - Akron, OH
Nov 9 - Blind Pig - Ann Arbor, MI
Nov 10 - The Pyramid Scheme - Grand Rapids, MI
Nov 11 - Double Door - Chicago, IL
Nov 12 - Turf Club - St Paul, MN
Nov 13 - Vaudeville Mews - Des Moines, IA

Catch Part 1 of a vintage 5-part 1991 concert of The Meat Puppets below:

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah new LP, tour with Waters

If you missed out on the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah DIY tale of musical independence, you should give it a go. Cuz it's a good one. But that's just hindsight to the fun ahead for the band.

The new, revived 2011 edition of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah has a new CD out called "Hysterical" and a tour to boot. This NPR link provides a good overview of where the band has been over the past few years, and shows that the new LP is a coming together of musical maturity of sorts.

Here's the song "Same Mistake" from Hysterical:
Same Mistake by CYHSYband

CYHSY just played NYC's CMJ festival and here's a clip from their performance, doing the song Misspent Youth:


On the tour, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah will be backed by Waters, the new project from former Port O'Brien frontman Van Pierszalowski, as that entity plays songs from its new release "Out in the Light".

Here's a Waters video for their song "For The One:

WATERS "For the One" Official Video from WATERS on Vimeo.

Here are the tour dates for the next month or so for the bands:
WATERS tour dates (all supporting Clap Your Hands Say Yeah):
NOV. 7 PORTLAND, OR HAWTHORNE THEATER
NOV. 8 SEATTLE, WA THE NEPTUNE
NOV. 29 CHICAGO, IL LINCOLN HALL
NOV. 30 CHICAGO, IL LINCOLN HALL
DEC. 1 MINNEAPOLIS, MN VARSITY THEATER
DEC. 2 MILWAUKEE, WI TURNER HALL
DEC. 4 URBANA, IL FOELLINGER AUDITORIUM
DEC. 6 MILLVALE, PA MR. SMALL'S THEATER
DEC. 7 NEW YORK, NY WEBSTER HALL
DEC. 9 TORONTO, ON THE OPERA HOUSE
DEC. 10 MONTREAL, QC LA TULIPE

Guided by Voices - MAGNET cover - new LP pre-order

Guided by Voices gets the cover of the recently relaunched print version of MAGNET Magazine (a rock mag I subcribed to and enjoyed immensely in the late 90s and early 00s - see me for back issues.)

You can read the digital version here. Former GBV bassist ('95-'96) and well-known writer Jim Greer wrote the piece, which interviewed GBV honcho Robert Pollard and guitarist Mitch Mitchell at friendly confines in Dayton, Ohio.

GBV recently announced that they had secretly recorded two LPs in the past few months, using friends and members' houses and basements to record. Some of those details are in the article. You can pre-order the first LP "Let's Go Eat the Factory" which will be released on New Year's Day 2012 at their band order site.

Mercury Music Digital Record Club launch

A new, personalized digital music record club tied to Spotify launches this week. It's called Mercury Music Digital Record Club and it looks cool if you're a voracious listener and seeker of new music.

For $2.99 a month, you get:
* Two albums per week delivered directly to your Spotify account: just open Spotify, click “Inbox” and press play
* One custom-made Personal Mixtape per membership to introduce you to your new favorite bands
* Mercury’s weekly newsletter, your source for the week’s most important music news, videos and MP3s
* Exclusive playlists, MP3 premieres and more.

What's the rationale for launching another digital music listening site? Here's what Mercury guys wrote on their rawkblog:

"Let’s face it: keeping up with new music is hard work. There are too many blogs, too many bands, too many tweets/Facebook updates/RSS feeds/track premieres/album streams/Vimeo clips/Mediafire links. It’s exhausting. The Mercury Music Digital Record Club is a new subscription service from Rawkblog designed to make finding music easy again. Maybe even fun.

Here’s how it works: Every Tuesday, we send the week’s best new album direct to your Spotify inbox, along with a surprise vintage LP that influenced the week’s sounds–so you can soak up the classics while you stay fresh. All you have to do is open Spotify, press play and enjoy. 8 albums a month, only the good stuff. Easy, right?

Members will also receive a custom-made Personal Mixtape designed specifically for you based on your Spotify or Last.fm profile or a list of your favorite music — curated by a human being who wants to help you find your next favorite band, not a computer algorithm that thinks it knows who you are. In the months to come, Mercury members will also receive special playlists and exclusive MP3 premieres you won’t find anywhere else."

If this sounds exciting to you, click here to sign up and start receiving a new musical education.

Boots Electric - Roxy Lounge, Scottsdale (Sat. Nov 5)

Former Eagles of Death Metal dude Jesse Hughes has a new thing going on, and it's coming into town this weekend.

Some of you might remember Jesse from Eagles of Death Metal, who I was happy to see a few years back and liked 'em alot, most of it because of his cool factor with the rockness of his bandmates.

Jess's new thing is called Boots Electric and they are on tour doing some fun rock songs with an electric bent, all heard on his new LP "Honkey Kong". Hear some tracks at the Boots Electric Facebook page. Boots Electric hits the newish Roxy Lounge in Scottsdale this Saturday. Tickets are $12 and you can order online here.

Here's a glimpse inside Jesse's studio world, where he shares some of the insights into recording.


Boots Electric Tour Dates:
10/29 / New Orleans, LA / Voodoo Fest
10/30 / Houston, TX / Fitzgerald's
10/31 / Dallas, TX / Club Dadd
11/1 / Austin, TX / Stubb's
11/4 / Tucson, AZ / Club Congress
11/5 / Scottsdale, AZ / The Roxy Lounge
11/6 / Santa Ana, CA / The Yost Theatre
11/7 / Los Angeles, CA / The Roxy
11/8 / San Francisco, CA / Bottom of the Hill
11/10 / Portland, OR / Dante's
11/11 / Nahcotta, WA / The Clam Shack
11/13 / San Jose, CA / The Blank Club