The Dead Collects Food For Charity
The Dead, along with the non-profit Conscious Alliance, will host food drives during its “Wave That Flag” summer tour. At every show, the first 1,000 concertgoers who donate 10 non-perishable food items will receive a free poster designed by Grateful Dead artist Stanley Mouse. The food drive will take place two hours before doors open until the beginning of the first set. Donations received will benefit Native American reservations across the Western U.S. and local America’s Second Harvest food-share affiliates (www.secondharvest.org). The Boulder, Colo.-based Conscious Alliance began in 2002 as a group of college students coordinating food drives in conjunction... read more
Tracy Spuehler's New Album
Three years after her debut Six Three One, Los Angeles native Tracy Spuehler will release her sophomore record It’s The Sound on Aug. 10. The former MTV, CMT and VH1 producer made waves in 2001 when her first album received airplay on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. The single, “Where Do We Go?” was featured on Paste Sampler 8. “On my last album,” says Spuehler, “I was working through my experiences of losing my Mom, my childhood home and even my little red car. The new album reflects the next chapter, an intimate struggle with commitment, communication and the search for... read more
Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright, Guster
It’s impossible to escape politics in Washington, D.C., even miles outside the city limits—even in a leafy national park, even during a rock ’n’ roll show... read more
Lollapalooza 2004 Cancels All Dates
Faced with millions of dollars in losses, Lollapalooza promoters and organizers made the decision to pull the 2004 tour this morning, a mere three weeks prior to kick-off. Despite having arguably the best line-up since the tour's inception in 1991, billing respected artists like Morissey, Sonic Youth, PJ Harvey and The Flaming Lips, the festival still faced weak revenue and poor ticket sales. Marc Geiger, co-founder of the tour stated, "I am in utter disbelief that a concert of this stature, with the most exciting line-up I've seen in years did not galvanize ticket sales. I'm surprised that given the... read more
Morning Becomes Eclectic airs 1,000th show
Congratulations to Nic Harcourt of KCRW who airs the 1,000th show of Morning Becomes Eclectic today, June 21. L.A. band Ozomatli will perform new material during the milestone broadcast, which can be heard again online from 4 to 7 p.m. and from 2 to 5 a.m. (PST). www.kcrwmusic.com Morning Becomes Eclectic is the signature music program of 89.9 KCRW and has spawned a nationally-distributed weekly show. Host Nic Harcourt promotes a wide range of music, including progressive pop, world beat, jazz, African, reggae and new music. His radio show airs online and out of the Santa Monica station from 9... read more
Rogue Wave - Out of the Shadow
Although this debut album was originally released in 2003, it’s fair to assume that few have actually heard the captivating Out of the Shadow... read more
Yep Roc's Slew of Notable June Releases
This month, Chapel Hill, N.C., label Yep Roc has seven scheduled releases to note. Former Flat Duo Jets frontman Dexter Romweber released Blues That Defy My Soul on the first of this month. Today, June 15, Grammy-winner Dave Alvin releases his Yep Roc debut Ashgrove, and Chris Stamey—dB’s co-founder and well-known producer (Whiskeytown, Yo La Tengo)—will release Travels in the South. June 29 will herald the rest of the releases, with new albums from Philly’s Marah and Atlanta’s The Forty-Fives becoming available. Revival, the new record from Texas punkabilly staple The Reverend Horton Heat, will also hit stores. Tres Chicas—a... read more
Leftover Salmon dispel breakup rumors, take hiatus
This weekend, in a post on the band's website, Leftover Salmon dispeled rumors of its impending breakup, but informed fans the band would be taking a hiatus. After 15 years on the road and after forging-on in the wake of banjo player Mark Vann's death from cancer in 2002, the band felt it was finally time for a vacation. Here's part of the band's message to fans (for more visit www.leftoversalmon.net): "The band is indeed going to take a break at the end of this year. After years of touring everyone is ready for some time off to spend with... read more
Pixies Write and Record First Song In 13 Years
The Pixies have written and recorded a brand new song, the band's first in 13 years. "Bam Thwok" was penned by Kim Deal and produced and recorded by the band at Stagg Street Studios in Los Angeles this past March. The song's music had its genesis in a chord progression Deal had been toying with for a while, and the lyrics from an art book she found discarded on a city street a number of years ago, while on tour. "From the handwriting, you could tell that this book must have belonged to a little kid," Deal said. "This kid... read more
American Music Legend Succumbs to Liver Disease
Beverly Hills, Calif. — Music legend and 13-time Grammy winner Ray Charles died yesterday at 11:35 a.m. at the age of 73 from complications due to liver disease, announced his publicist Jerry Digney, of Solters & Digney. When he passed, Charles was surrounded by family, friends and longtime business associates at his Beverly Hills home. Charles' last public appearance was alongside Clint Eastwood on April 30, when the city of Los Angeles designated the singer's studios a historic landmark. Last summer, it was initially reported that Charles—born in Albany, Ga., Sept. 30, 1930, as Ray Charles Robinson—was suffering from "acute... read more
Dios
Of all the articles written about Dios thus far, three specific things about the band members are always mentioned: They hail from Hawthorne, once home to The Beach Boys... read more
Benefit for I Am The World Trade Center Vocalist
While on tour this April in Fairfax, Va., Amy Dykes— vocalist for electropop duo I Am The World Trade Center—fell ill and had to be rushed to the hospital by bandmate Dan Geller. After a series of tests, Dykes was diganosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma (cancer of the Lympahtic System). The tour was immediatley canceled, and Dykes is now undergoing chemotherapy. To help raise money for the ailing singer's medical expenses, there will be a benefit in her hometown of Athens, Ga., this Friday, June 11, at 9 p.m. at dance club Boneshakers. The benefit will feature like-minded local dance-party acts... read more
Trashcan Sinatras Return From Rock 'n' Roll Exile
Brit-pop band the Trashcan Sinatras will release Weightlifting, their first album in eight years on spinART records (Camper Van Beethoven, The Church). The new record will hit stores in the U.S. and Canada on Aug. 31, followed by a tour this fall. The Scottish group expects to play 15 to 25 dates to reintroduce themselves to major markets. Considered the musical forefathers to Radiohead, Travis and Coldplay, the peaceful sounds of the Trashcans may have been ahead of their time when the group released Cake in 1990. Though it was a well-received debut, by the time the Scottish band released... read more
Pedro The Lion Offering Free Daily Downloads
Pedro The Lion is currently posting a new live MP3 everyday from the band's summer tour—new songs, old songs, sound checks, record store and radio station performances and more—available for free if you've purchased the band's latest, Achilles Heel. Each mp3 will be posted at 2 p.m. (Central Time) and will be available for 24 hours. Think of it as a audio documentary of the tour, the band told fans in an email. To download the songs, you'll need a username and password that can be found in the liner notes of copies of the Achilles Heel CD and LP.... read more
David Cross - It's Not Funny
Finally, something to fill the void left behind when HBO’s fantastically bizarre Mr. Show left us all too soon... read more
Jonny Greenwood - Bodysong
This is the first full-length extracurricular project released by a member of Radiohead. We now have audible proof that supposed control freak Thom Yorke hasn't been entirely responsible for the anti-pop tendencies... read more
Harry Connick, Jr.
Off in the distance, a speck I took on faith to be Harry Connick, Jr. hunched reverently over a grand piano, bobbing his head like a pious man praying... read more
ATL Hip-hoppers Goodie Mob To Release New Record
The reunited hip-hop group Goodie Mob will release its new studio album One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show on June 29. Considered to be one of the most influential hip-hop acts to come out of the South, the Atlanta-based group is known for its pioneering production (provided by Organized Noise) and lyrical content that focuses on serious themes. Along with close friends OutKast, Goodie Mob helped prove hip-hop was more than a strictly East Coast/West Coast phenomenon. One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show is the group’s first album since it downsized from four members to three, following the departure of... read more
Auf Der Maur's Upcoming Performances
Since releasing a self-titled solo album last week, Melissa Auf der Maur has a string of upcoming performances. The former Hole and Smashing Pumpkins bassist will appear on Late Night with Conan O’Brien on June 17 and then on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on July 6. Auf der Maur will also join The Cure’s summer Curiosa tour. AUF DER MAUR ON THE CURE'S CURIOSA TOUR • 7/24 - West Palm, Fla., Sound Advice Amphitheater • 7/25 - Tampa, Fla., Tampa Amphitheater • 7/28 - Nashville, Tenn., Starwood Amphitheater • 7/29 - Atlanta, Ga., HiFi Buys Amphitheater • 7/31... read more
Michael Franti Leads Middle East Delegation
Spearhead frontman Michael Franti is currently in the Middle East with a delegation of artists, peace workers, musicians and filmmakers. The group will travel to Israel and Iraq from June 2 through June 15, making a documentary film about its experiences. Though no concerts are planned, Franti and others would like to meet with as many Iraqi musicians and artists as possible. Regarding the trip, Franti said he intends "to go there with an open mind, an open heart and a guitar, to experience as much as I can in our limited time. I hope that upon our return all... read more
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