Andre 3000's brand spanking new cartoon series, Class of 3000, will be airing on Cartoon Network this Friday. Every episode will feature a new track from the likes of Big Boi, Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dog and Andre 3G himself. Andre plays an art teacher named Sunny who introduces his students to the world of cool. Sounds good to me.

Ha! What a joke. Apparently the one guy called the other guy and apologized. The NME ran the article this morning. Check it out HERE.

If you fancy yourself of good DJ or phat beat maker, check out www.badsects.com. Cursive is running another DJ-remix contest and I know some of you might have what it takes (Mark Ritsema). Let me know if you enter and I'll sponsor you.

You can stream Stufjan Stevens' Christmas Album HERE. Pretty cute!

I received this letter today from Jon Graef, thought it was hilarious and worth reprinting in whole:

"Ian-
Thought you might like this:

Pitchfork already covered this, but it is too hilarious not to share.
Here's a link to an anti-marijuana PSA from the Office of National
Drug Control Policy and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America
.

Here's a summary of the ad: If you smoke weed, then you'll listen to
music you don't actually like just to fit in (such as indie rock). If
you don't smoke weed, then you will just be yourself and people will
respect you for that.

I guess that's why, when I smoke up, I listen to the entire back
catalogue of REO Speedwagon. It's because I want to fit in with the
guys who are still wearing jean jackets (collars popped), sport
mullets, and drive their '84 Cameros to their jobs at McDonald's. I
mean, come on, those guys are the picture of cool! Who wouldn't want
to fit in with them?"

Jack Black will be starring in the new film written and directed by Michel Gondry (who wrote Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep). The film takes place in a video store, nice, and Black mistakenly wipes every film in the store by some kooky brain-magnetic mishap. The best part, though, is that he decides to remake every film in the store - like Robocop and Back to the Future, I'm serious.

The film is called "Be Kind Rewind" and will be out in the Fall 2007.

I will keep you updated on this amazing story as more information comes up.

The Vancouver-villes You Say Party! We Say Die! were refused entry into the United States and have been forced to cancel their U.S. Tour. They are attributing the mix-up to various miscommunications between the Vancouver Musicians Association and the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service. Pretty vague, I know, but here is their statement:

"due to circumstances that we should have been more in control of, we were denied access to the united states last night. the remaining dates on the west coast have been cancelled. we are very sorry to those that were excited to see us. we're sorry to not get to finish the tour with thunderbirds are now! everyone needs to listen to them. they're are a great great band and they're such nice people."

If you have no idea who I'm talking about, check them out here.

Apparently, Billy Joe Armstrong may have ripped off another song writer. Paul McPike, an Oreganian, claims that he wrote both the lyrics and melody to "American Idiot" in 1992. He claims that he has contacted Warner Bros and Green Day repeatedly, but has been ignored.

This reminds me of a similar situation around "Warning" a few years back, not to mention that "American Idiot" also ripped off Dillinger Four. Dudes, sue.

Behold, our first sponsored show!

Sliver Magazine Presents:
Jayber Crow
Jeremy Messersmith

on November 4 at the Nomad World Pub
8PM - ID

We will be giving away tickets via MySpace over the next few days, so keep an eye out.

The Hold Steady
Live Review
Chicago, The Metro
Thursday Oct 26, 2006
Openers: Catfish Haven, Sean Na Na

By Jon Graef
Staff Writer

After The Hold Steady ended their main set with "Southtown Girls," I was all ready to declare them:

A) The best live act going in rock music.
B) The second coming of The Replacements (more so the spirit of The Replacements, if not necessarily the sound. More on this later).
C) Saviors of Rock.

But then came the most awesome encore ever. If Stephen Colbert been in attendance for this encore, he would surely include it as a part of his "The Colbert Report" segment, "That's The Craziest Fucking Thing I've Ever Heard." Or in this case, seen.

The reason for A) became apparent the moment Craig Finn started singing the first verse in "Stuck Between Stations." As any Hold Steady fan knows, once Finn starts singing he becomes magnetically jittery and manic. He makes gesticulating into an art form. Picture a Mexican jumping bean reincarnated as Elvis Costello. Do you have that mental image? Good. That's Finn when he is singing.

While his antics could potentially distract the listener from hearing the content of his work, they actually make the listener more aware of what the songs are saying. Finn's tales of wayward youth walking around and drinking end up becoming that much more authentic, more real. Since teenagers amplify their own problems and adventures to epic proportions, why not have a rock band that does the same thing, both sonically and visually?

And boy, do The Hold Steady songs take on epic proportions in their live incarnations. It certainly helps when you have a crowd singing heartfelt back-up vocals for you, as they did especially well on "Chips Ahoy!" and "Massive Nights." That's part of the reason for C. The Hold Steady craft songs that are both immensely catchy and substantive.

Most people think of pop music as escapist fare. This is fine by me. But why does escapist have to be synonymous with stupid? Can't movies and read books that take us to other worlds, expose us to other points of views, and make us forget about how our lives are currently going without insulting our intelligence. Shouldn’t it also be possible to rock out without having to check your brain at the door? Who else in rock write songs that include references to John Berryman, Jack Kerouac, and St. Barber? Here’s a hint: It sure as shit isn't Bon Jovi.

It is because of the way they blend anthemic rock with intelligence that The Hold Steady are Saviors of Rock. Not in a pompous, taking-up-the-noble-cause, woe-is-me way but in the way that they are simply terrific. Terrific showmen, terrific storytellers, terrific musicians. They are also have the same quality as every meaningful and great rock band ever: they are chaotic and unpredictable.

Which leads us to: B) The second coming of The Replacements and a series of events that may become known as The Greatest Encore Ever Given. During the set, the audience saw Finn wittily tell the backstories of "Chips Ahoy" and "Don't Let Me Explode" and "Girls Like Status;" Franz Nicolay rocking the 'stache the only way he knows how (also: rocking the keys); bassist Galen Polivka tossing out dollar bills to crowd members; and of course, Tad Kubler throwing his guitar over his shoulder and leaping to the adoring crowd to play his solos. Not even a technical difficulty could stop the man from rocking out.

Then, after "First Night" (the first song of the encore) ended, a dude from the audience yells at Tad for his pick. He is mocked by some of the audience members, but lo and behold, dude gets what he asked for and then some. During the last song, Tad climbs down from the stage and hands the dude his guitar and proceeded to teach him the chords to the song.

After some further coaching, with Tad working effects pedals and the audience member playing chords during the chorus, Tad leaps into the audience, and then starts giving people high-fives and jumping up and down with the audience. The crowd is eating this up with a spoon, and the rest of the band is as well. At the end of the song, Tad gets his guitar back from the dude, who this whole tell has the wide-eyed, glazed, "I can't believe this is fucking happening to me" look in his eyes. Tad tells him to keep the pick.

That's why The Hold Steady are the second coming of The Replacements or, B.) Both The Replacements and The Hold Steady embody the volatile and spontaneous nature of the rock music at its best. For the audience at the Metro on Thursday night, it couldn't have gotten any better than the performance The Hold Steady gave. If they aren't careful, they are going to make all other rock music look like meaningless bullshit. Oh wait...

Check it out, gotta love it:

Gnarls Barkley - "Who Cares"

I actually saw this on CNBC earlier today. According to Forbes, Kurt Cobain's estate earned $50 million between October 2005 and October 2006, which puts him at numero uno for top grossing dead guys. Much of which is attributed to Courtney Love's pawning of 25 percent of Cobain's estate to New York-based music publisher PrimeWave.

According to an interview with E!, Marilyn Manson said that 20th Century Fox is currently in talks with him to start as the famous transvestite Dr. Frank-N-Furter in a remake of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show." I actually think this might work. More to come.

To be honest, I am surpirsed these guys have found the time to record another record. A Weekend In the City will be released Feb. 6, 2007 on VICE Records. It was produced by Jacknife Lee who also worked with U2 and Snow Patrol.

Here are the tracks!

A Weekend In The City:
01. "Song For Clay (Disappear Here)"
02. "Hunting For Witches"
03. "Waiting For the 7:18"
04. "The Prayer"
05. "Uniform"
06. "On"
07. "Where Is Home?"
08. "Kreuzberg"
09. "I Still Remember"
10. "Sunday"
11. "SRXT"

I saw this on TripWire this morning and was inspired to look it up on NME because I guess I missed it. In regards to a new album, Frank Black had this to say:

"We're rehearsing in January, if we can persuade Kim to come out of her house. We offered to go to her but we figured if we book the rehearsals she'll show up."

"We know we like playing and everyone likes touring together, so to keep doing that and not record anything is kind of like being a county fair band. We don't want to do that, so the only thing we can do is become a vital band again. So it's just a matter of doing it, I guess."

Come November 21, Tom Waits will be releasing a three-CD set called Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers And Bastards. I know, crazy cool. However, a month is a long time to wait. So, if you are a nerd like me, check out Anti.com, which will have 30-second streams of the 56-track triple-disc set.

It's true! Mr. Morrissey will be in the states playing in Chicago on November 21 at the Aragon Ballroom. Tickets will go on sale on Saturday.

Check out Morrissey-solo.com for more information.

Woot!

Here's a post by Jimmy Chamberlin on the Pumpkins' MySpace page:

"Great things are on track for the future. As some of you know we are indeed creating music again. Music that comes from a place so pure it will burn the lies off the very souls of those who try to discount it. The universe has a way of letting you know that things are right by introducing people like RTB [Roy Thomas Baker (Queen, The Cars)]and Terry [Terry Date (Pantera, Soundgarden)] into the fold. It's all part of one big cosmic journey, in so that everyone reading this is hitching their silver chord to the Great Pumpkin Space Train! Hope this helps clear some things up for you."

Apparently, whats his face from Panic! At The Disco doesn't like the term "emo."

This is from this week's NME:

"It's ignorant! The stereotype is guys that are weak and have failing relationships write about how sad they are. If you listen to our songs, not one of them has that tone," he declared.

"Emo is bullshit!" added Urie. "If people want to take it for the literal sense of the word, yes we're an emotional band, we put a lot of thought into what we do. People always try to stereotype us, but we don't fit the emo stereotype."

Man, he sounds really emo.

In response:

Dear guy from that one band,
Alright, whatever dude, you're just in denial. Oh wait, no, bands like yours are the reason why emo is no longer cool. Weezer, Sunny Day Real Estate, Violent Femmes, all actual, real, good emo bands. You desire indie credibility, but it's not going to happen. At least AFI have cool haircuts.

Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs fame is currently working with The Horrors (UK based goth-garage band on their debut album).

"I liked their music and image - both trashy, macabre, loud and a little bit camp. Also, after meeting them, I was happy to learn they were all secret brainiacs," Zinner said to NME via Neu! Magazine.

"The boys were very well behaved in the studio - I would reward each of them upon completion of their final takes with a pint of virgin blood."

Tour dates just in from Tapes 'N Tapes, word:

TOUR DATES:
10/19 columbia, mo @ mojo's
10/20 st. louis, mo @ creepy crawl
10/21 louisville, ky @ phoenix hill tavern
10/22 birmingham, al @ bottletree *
10/24 tallahassee, fl @ club downunder *
10/25 gainesville, fl @ common grounds *
10/26 orlando, fl @ the social *
10/27 st. augustine, fl @ cafe 11 *
10/28 athens, ga @ tasty world *
10/29 atlanta, ga @ the loft *
10/30 chapel hill, nc @ local 506 *
10/31 washington, dc @ black cat *
11/01 new york, ny @ other music (FREE live in store performance @ 1pm)
11/01 CMJ @ Bowery Ballroom (w/cold war kids, dr. dog, elvis perkins,
robbers on high street, the bird & the bee (inara george), what made
milwaukee famous)
11/04 oxford, uk @ zodiac
11/05 birmingham, uk @ barfly
11/06 edinburgh, uk @ liquidroom
11/07 manchester, uk @ manchester uni
11/08 london, uk @ kings college
11/09 dublin, ireland @ the village
11/11 lille, france @ maison folies w/ the pipettes and arman melies
11/12 paris, france @ cigale w/ jarvis cocker, the pipettes, plan b,
and arman melies
11/14 hamburg, germany @ molotow
11/15 berlin, germany @ magnet
11/17 stockholm, sweden @ debaser
11/18 copenhagen, denmark @ small vega
11/19 cologne, germany @ underground
11/20 brussels, belguim @ botanique
11/21 munich, germany @ atomic cafe
11/22 amsterdam, the netherlands @ cafe paradiso

*w/annuals

Awesome. Here's the new video for "Chips Ahoy."
Chips Ahoy Video

Deep Elm new-borns Latterman will be heading out on tour this week with some impressive shows, namely the dates with Lawrence Arms. No Minneapolis date, but for those of you outside of the bubble, be sure to tune in.

OCT 20 - Bethlehem, PA @ The Globe, 409 Wyandotte St w/ The Project
OCT 21 - Silver Spring, MD @ The Death Star
OCT 22 - Richmond, VA @ The Bonezone
OCT 23 - Charlotte, NC @ The Milestone w/ No Trigger
OCT 24 - Greenwood, SC @ Wreck Center
OCT 25 - Birmingham, AL @ Hotel Birmingham w/ O Pioneers, Lemuria,
Tomorrow The Gallows
OCT 26 - Athens, GA @ The FDR
OCT 27 - Gainesville, FL @ Common Grounds - Fest 5 w/ Lawrence Arms,
Smoke or Fire, New Bruises
OCT 30 - Pensacola, FL @ The Homestead (aka Javelin Joint)
OCT 31 - Birmingham, AL @ Cave9 w/ Slingshot Dakota, Glass and Ashes
NOV 01 - Huntsville, AL @ Flying Monkey Arts Center w/ Glass and Ashes
NOV 02 - Louisville, KY @ Black Bear Lair
NOV 03 - Cleveland, OH @ The Tower2012 w/ Delay, Sun God, Vietnam
Werewolf
NOV 04 - Philadelphia, PA @ Veggieplex Theatre w/ New Mexican Disaster
Squad, Fifth Hour Hero, Cloak / Dagger

This really bothered me, so I hope you take it to heart. Pitchfork did a great job covering the Two Gallants craze-fest that happened the other night. Read it here.

Sean Lennon will be in Minneapolis in December. Sweet, I'm going.

10.29.06 - New York, NY (Living Room)
11.18.06 - Los Angeles, CA (El Rey Theatre)
11.19.06 - San Francisco, CA (Great American Music Hall)
11.21.06 - Vancouver, BC (Richards On Richard)
11.22.06 - Seattle, WA (Neumo's)
12.11.06 - Minneapolis, MN (First Avenue)
12.12.06 - Chicago, IL (Park West)
12.13.06 - Toronto, ON (Opera House)
12.15.06 - Philadelphia, PA (Theater Of Living Arts)
12.16.06 - Boston, MA (Paradise)
12.17.06 - Alexandria, VA (Birchmere)
12.18.06 - State College, PA (State Theatre)
12.22.06 - Balitimore, MD (Ram's Head Tavern)
12.23.06 - New York, NY (Bowery Ballroom)

It's sort of like the Kidz Bop, but not lame. Go-kart Records will be releasing an easy-listening Ramones cover album on Nov. 21 featuring a slew of modern punk greats.

Here is the track order:

Brats On The Beat: Ramones For Kids
01. "Blitzkrieg Bop" - Jim Lindberg (Pennywise)
02. "Rock 'N' Roll High School" - Matt Skiba (Alkaline Trio)
03. "California Sun" - Brett Anderson (The Donnas)
04. "Do You Remember Rock 'N' Roll Radio?" - Greg Attonito (Bouncing Souls)
05. "Suzy Is A Headbanger" - Nick Oliveri (ex-Queens Of The Stone Age)
06. "Rockaway Beach" - Blag Dahlia (The Dwarves)
07. "I Just Want To Have Something To Do" - Emily Wynne-Hughes (Go Betty Go)
08. "Spiderman" - Ash Guff (Guff)
09. "We Want the Airwaves" - Spooney (Gabba Gabba Heys)
10. "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" - Josie Cotton
11. "Cretin Hop" - Tony Reflex (Adolescents)
12. "Bop 'Til You Drop" - Jack Grisham (TSOL)

Yey! It's true. Radiohead will be starting work on their seventh album. The band posted an official statement on their website:

"We've started the record properly now. Staring to get somewhere I think. Finally."

'Bout time.

Rumor has it, Scarlett Johannson has signed a recording contract and will be recording a series of Tom Waits covers. Check out the full article here.

David Bowie announced on his personal blog today that he will be in an upcoming episode of Spongebob Squarepants. Here's a clip from the blog:

"It's happened. At last. I've hit the Holy Grail of animation gigs. Yesterday I got to be a character on....tan-tara...SpongeBob SquarePants. Oh Yeah!! We, the family, are thrilled. Nothing else need happen this year, well, this week anyway."

The episode will air in nine months, and Bowie will play a creature by the name of Lord Royal Highness.

Broken Social Scene will be hitting the road next week, here are the tour dates:

10.18.06 - Milvale, PA (Mr. Small's Theatre)
10.19.06 - Indianapolis, IN (The Vogue)
10.20.06 - Atlanta, GA (Variety Playhouse)
10.21.06 - Knoxville, TN (Bijou Theater)
10.22.06 - Nashville, TN (City Hall)
10.24.06 - Dallas, TX (Gypsy Tea Room)
10.26.06 - Austin, TX (Stubb's BBQ)
10.27.06 - Houston, TX (Warehouse Live)
10.28.06 - New Orlean's, LA (Voodoo Music Fest)
10.29.06 - Birmingham, AL (Work Play Theater)
10.31.06 - Tallahassee, FL (The Moon)
11.01.06 - Fort Lauderdale, FL (Culture Room)
11.02.06 - St. Petersberg, FL (Jannus Landing)
11.03.06 - Charleston, SC (Music Farm)
11.04.06 - Asheville, NC (Orange Peel)
11.06.06 - Baltimore, MD (Sonar)
11.07.06 - Washington, DC (9:30 Club)
11.08.06 - Providence, RI (Lupo's)
11.09.06 - Philadelphia, PA (Electric Factory)
11.10.06 - Cleveland, OH (House of Blues)
11.11.06 - Ann Arbor, MI (Michigan Theater)

Conor Oberst's newest release (of rarities and b-sides, so archived article) will be out Oct. 24. However, if you're like me a simply cannot wait, Saddle Creek posted some streams here.

According to Harvey's official website, she will be going into the studio in November to work on her new album with Flood and John Parish.

Her post also said, "As mentioned by Polly during recent appearances, the new material has been written mainly to piano, a brand new departure for Polly. We'll keep you posted on any updates as and when we get them."

Piano huh? Well, okay.

The New York Times wrote the best piece from the dozen or so I read. Check it out here.

Come November, Modest Mouse will be trying out new material from their upcoming release, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, which will be out in early 2007. Johnny Marr of Smiths fame will be playing with the band as well.
Here are the dates:

11.05.06 - Los Angeles, CA (Avalon)
11.06.06 - Los Angeles, CA (The Wiltern)
11.07.06 - Los Angeles, CA (The Grove)
11.09.06 - Los Angeles, CA (The Grove)
11.13.06 - New York, NY (Nokia Theatre - ages 16+)
11.14.06 - New York, NY (Webster Hall - ages 16+)
11.15.06 - New York, NY (Webster Hall - ages 18+)
11.17.06 - New York, NY (Bowery Ballroom - ages 18+)
11.18.06 - New York, NY (Bowery Ballroom - ages 18+)

Holy crap. You have to watch this right now. Sit down before you do:
R. Kelly - "Trapped in the Closet".

Wow.

Come Nov. 7, Geffen will be releasing to DVD a copy of the "Live! Tonight! Sold Out!" which was "conceived by Kurt Cobain as a way to anthologize Nirvana's quick ascent to rock superstardom but was not completed until after his 1994 suicide" (Billboard.com).

According to Billboard:
"The bulk of the DVD features live footage from the band's 1991-92 tour in support of 'Nevermind,' highlighted by versions of 'Breed,' 'Drain You,' 'Dive' and 'Aneurysm.' According to the label, the footage has been color-corrected and digitally remastered; previously unreleased bonus performances will be included but details have yet to be announced.

"Live! Tonight! Sold Out!" also sports performances of "Smells Like Teen Spirit," "About a Girl," "Love Buzz," "Negative Creep," "Come As You Are," "Territorial Pissings," "Something in the Way," "On a Plain," "Lithium" and "Sliver," among others.

The only prior Nirvana DVD was included with the 2004 boxed set "With the Lights Out.""

Check this out, it's pretty great:

Click here.

I don't really get it either, but apparently, the UK's Official Chart Company will not chart Beck's new album, The Information. The OCC declared that the extra DVD attachment with homemade videos made by Beck for each song, as well as a make-it-yourself sticker cover gives the album an "unfair advantage." I am serious, this is really happening. More to come on this ridiculous story as it develops.

The Fever's last show will be this Thursday in New York. Here's the statement from their website:

"dearest friends,

After 5 wonderful years of making music together we, the Fever, have decided to disband. We're playing one more show Thursday, Oct 5th, on the high seas of the Hudson River on the Rocks Off Boat Cruise . Come celebrate with us while we blow it out on this fitting final act.

plus!!! Special Appearance by our arch nemesis WOLFBATE!!

mark yr calendars and watch us drift off into the sunset

FOREVER YOURS,
Achilles, Geremy, Jay, & Keith
the fever "

Due to frontman Barry Hyde's case of tendonitis, the Brits cancelled their tour and will not be returning until early 2007. Drummer Ross Millard said "We are deeply sorry, but I guess we have to focus on Barry making progress toward recovery, and only rest will enable that."