Following the press conference earlier this month where Devin Townsend said both Strapping Young Lad and the Devin Townsend Band were finished, he has posted on his official message board:
“I’m officially burnt out on travelling, touring, and self promotion. I want to produce and make records for an undetermined length of time. Please respect that… I’m sure at some point I’ll get the itch to play, but in the meantime, please respect that I’ve burnt myself out and need to get away from it all.”
The Deftones have followed the current trend and set up their own YouTube channel.
The channel will feature their music videos, live footage and more. The band also plan to add more footage from their touring which goes on throughout the spring and summer. Check out the link below to see everything Chino and co related.
Johnny Marr is set to design a limited edition trainer it has been announced.
The former Smiths and current Modest Mouse man is collaborating with PF Flyers and all the proceeds of it will go to the charity partners Cure Autism Now and Pictor School.
Only 108 pairs will be made and the UK pairs will be available via eBay so register at the link below from July 10th to be in with a chance of winning.
CSS and The Gossip will be playing a “secret” show together in Manchester this Friday [May 18th].
The gig will take place at the Roundhouse as part of MySpace’s Secret Shows series and fans can expect full length sets from both acts.
If you want to get into the night, you need to sign up to the Secret Shows profile here and the bands’ MySpace’s profiles here and here putting all 3 friends in your top 8.
Fans then need to print out the profile and show the staff at Fopp on Brown Street in Manchester at 6pm on Thursday May 17th and the lucky fans who get there in time will be able to exchange the profile for a wristband which gets them into both the gig and clubnight.
Shavo Odadjian from System Of A Down will be directing the first video for the new Bad Brains record.
Shavo has said that he was always a Bad Brains fan, claiming they were a huge influence on his band and every other in their era because of their attitude and message of righteousness. He went on to say:
“I am going to rock this video for the Brains and try to capture their intense energy. It’s a big responsibility… I’m honored.”
Air have chosen Mer Du Japon as the next single to be taken from their last album Pocket Symphony.
The single will be released on June 11th and will be available on download, CD and transparent 7″ vinyl.
The band are currently mid-way through a world tour and will be playing at the major festivals in Europe over the summer before continuing their world tour for the remainder of the year.
The Forum
01.05.07
I was introduced to the music of Cat Power last year and immediately fell in love with the lyrics and vocals of the amazing Chan Marshall. I could not believe I had missed the last 10 years of music created by this super talented being.
From the moment she appeared on stage at the Forum in Kentish Town, I was seriously moved. Never before have I been so overwhelmed by a musician. She was amazing, her voice, her passion, her incredible lyrics, her quirky little moves and sense of humour, the lot. She has a reason to show off, yet she is subtle and delicate, you might even say tortured.
She captivated the audience immediately, with songs such as Living Proof, The Greatest and Where Is My Love even throwing in her own version of Patsy Cline’s Crazy. We were all mesmerized and when she finished with the stunning Lived In Bars, which is a personal favourite of mine, I felt lucky to have been part of this night. In my opinion, she really is The Greatest.
Jacquelina.
Brixton Windmill
01.05.07
It’s safe to say that the good folks who run this tiny south London pub probably haven’t witnessed scenes like these before. Tonight may only be Lucero‘s second UK gig, but the sold-out, booze drenched crowd are enraptured; hugging, crowd-surfing and clambering all over the bar as they howl along to every single word of every single song. In the drinking stakes, this lot would leave the Dropkick Murphys choking on their Guinness.
Their devotion is understandable, though; as the Memphis alt-country quintet are so much more than your average bar band. Singer/guitarist Ben Nichols exudes southern bonhomie as he rasps his way through the likes of ‘Slow Dancing‘ and ‘San Francisco‘; punk-infused gems that tell tales of lovers lost, lifelong friends and years spent touring in rusty transit vans. It’s precisely this raw honesty that enables Lucero to connect so well with their fans; there’s no insincere posturing, no unnecessary grandstanding – just five unshaven, tattooed guys with a knack for a great tune and a whole lot of stories to tell.
By the time the Social Distortion-esque ‘California‘ segues into a ramshackle cover of ‘Ring Of Fire‘, Nichols is almost swallowed up by the fans spilling onto the stage. Make no mistake: they’ll all be talking about this one for years to come.
Alex Gosman
Akercocke have seen their new album Antichrist refused by a US pressing plant due to its “anti-Christian” perspective.
The band have already run into problems in Ireland and they will appear on the live discussion show Nolan Live on BBC Northern Ireland with members of the Irish Catholic clergy. Frontman Jason Mendonca said:
“I’m rather perturbed that in this day and age, the 21st Century, people are so uptight. Whatever happened to freedom of speech and freedom of expression in the alleged democracy of the USA? Censorship is always ugly no matter how you view it. It smacks of fascism to me. What other works of art are barred to the good people of America?
The attitude of the printers is typical of the brainwashed. Judging something (literally) by its cover. Anyone who took the time to look into our history would recognise that we have always stated we are anything but anti-Christian. It’s divisive attitudes such as this that bring about conflict. Conflict through ignorance.”
Antichrist gets a May 28th release in the UK and Europe with a July 17th date for the US.
Dizzee Rascal has announced some UK dates this month to promote his upcoming album Maths & English.
The Dirtee Skank tour will also feature DJ Tubby and Newham Generals when it begins on May 25th. The dates are:
May:
25th – Plymouth University
26th – Falmouth Stannary
June:
1st – Edinburgh Liquid Rooms
2nd – Sheffield Plug
14th – London KOKO
21st – Cambridge Junction
22nd – Brighton Concorde 2