The Thermals lose drummer, look ahead
And then there were two—again. The Thermals just announced that their current drummer, Lorin Coleman, will be leaving the band, but with the warmest of well-wishes. According to singer/guitarist Hutch Harris’s MySpace blog, Coleman intends to devote his newfound free time to his other band, Andy Combs and the Moth. And as for Harris and bassist Kathy Foster? “I think Kathy and I will be splitting drum duties on this next record, and possibly every one that follows it,” Harris wrote on his blog, as quoted in Willamette Week. This seems to be a bit of an inescapable pattern for... read more
Major labels considering ISP surcharge
In an effort to rein in the chaos of online file sharing, the music industry is considering a deal that asks Internet service providers (ISPs) to pay a monthly surcharge for the sharing taking place via P2P servers. Jim Griffin, digital-strategy consultant for three of the four major labels, recently proposed a plan to collect a surcharge from ISPs—about $5 per user every month—and distribute the revenue to producers, artists and songwriters according to their popularity on P2Ps. With this plan, the companies hope to “monetize the anarchy” of music sharing. The music industry rejected a similar fee-collection plan in... read more
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to be split in two
Rumors have been flying about on broomsticks for months over the fate of the final film installment of the Harry Potter series, the franchise that even has touring musician-types pining away. At last, a decision has been made, and it's one that many of the most fanatical of fanatics will doubtless be pleased with. The extremely plot-packed and action-filled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be split into two feature films, to be released in Nov. 2010 and May 2011, satiating the desires of HP fans to see as much storyline from the book pumped into the finale as... read more
SXSW shows to be broadcast live via NPR, KEXP
Tired of seeing friends on Facebook with status messages that read something to the tune of “SXSW or bust” or “SXSW-ing it up”? Never fear, dear music lover, for the fine folks at both NPR and KEXP are bringing SXSW out of Texas and to the doorstep of Stipe-fantatics everywhere. That’s right, enjoy Basia Bulat, Vampire Weekend and Bon Iver from the comfort of a favorite pair of PJs. For those who missed the events from yesterday (i.e., R.E.M., et al), check out the archives of both NPR and KEXP in a few weeks. Try not to crack a smile... read more
Edward Norton seeks distributor for Obama doc
Actor/producer Edward Norton is seeking a distributor for a documentary about Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, according to Variety. The as-yet-untitled documentary is being produced by Norton’s Class 5 Films and is scheduled for release in 2009. Directors Amy Rice and Alicia Sams started shooting in 2006—long before Sen. Obama announced his intention to vie for this year's Democratic presidential nomination—when they accompanied him on a trip to Africa. The filmmakers will continue shooting for the duration of the senator’s campaign. Although Norton and Endeavor agent Ari Emanuel (yes, he's the namesake of that Ari), who's helping the film find... read more
Radiohead, Wilco, NIN rumored for Lollapalooza
The Internet has become the modern equivalent of a game of "whisper down the lane"—a juicy rumor may seem like reliable information, but at the end of the day, it's possible you and your neighbor will have entirely different ideas about what Sally did with those seashells by the seashore. If you know what we mean. Over the past few months, the Internet has become a hotbed of activity for festival rumors—speculation on Coachella's line-up nearly crashed the festival's website in January, and the confirmation that All Points West was, in fact, happening in New Joisey only poured fuel on... read more
Duran Duran announces North American tour
It should come as no surprise that the '80s are chic again, what with the revival of suspenders, gravity-defying hairdos, and a surge in popularity of the music of the "Me Decade." So it's not exactly shocking that one of the decade’s most popular bands, Duran Duran, is going on tour this spring. For those that missed it, Duran Duran’s latest release, Red Carpet Massacre, arrived last year. Original guitarist Andy Taylor left the band but, in his stead, Massacre features production work from Timbaland and Justin Timberlake, proving the band still knows how to put together really good pop... read more
Leonard Cohen announces first tour dates in 15 years
Leonard Cohen, the legendary 73-year-old Canadian songwriter—who looks nothing like Al Pacino—will embark on his first tour in 15 years, staring June 6 in Toronto (remarkably close to when we told you he would). The tour follows Cohen's recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with Madonna, The Dave Clark Five, the Ventures and John Mellencamp. It precedes the forthcoming release of a new studio album on longtime label Sony BMG, which Cohen aims to put out by the end of the year. Cohen's touring band will include Roscoe Beck on bass and guitar; Neil Larsen... read more
Beggars Group inks deal with free music network Qtrax
Qtrax, the legal P2P music service that looked dead on arrival in late January, seems like it could actually do quite all right for itself. The company recently signed a digital license contract with Beggars Group, home of indie label giants Matador Records, Beggars Banquet, 4AD, XL Recordings and several others. Despite spurns from the music industry and online media, the beta version of the free, ad-based music sharing network launched early this year. As for the major labels, Universal signed a contract with Qtrax in 2006 (it's currently lapsed), but both have yet to mention anything certain about whether... read more
Sixpence None the Richer to reunite for EP, play SXSW
Four years after Austin’s Sixpence None the Richer split up, two of the founding members have decided it's time for a comeback. The group was best known for the single “Kiss Me” and a couple of inescapable, soundtrack-worthy covers (namely, the La’s "There She Goes" and Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over"). Before the breakup, the band had released four albums. “[Singer] Leigh [Nash] and I had been making music together since we were teenagers,” Matt Slocum, guitarist and Sixpence founding member, said in a recent press release. “As we approached our 30s, there was a bit of restlessness to... read more
Body of War soundtrack features Vedder, Waits
Tomas Young, the disabled Iraq veteran at the center of Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro’s documentary Body of War, asked Eddie Vedder a favor after the Pearl Jam frontman contributed an original song (“No More War”) to the project. “It dawned on me that there was the possibility of making an album with songs that inspired me to keep going through the anti-war movement,” Young told Rolling Stone. Young, 26, became paralyzed after a bullet hit his spine during combat in Iraq. Body of War chronicles his journey home and transformation into an outspoken anti-war crusader. As the SXSW folks... read more
Rilo Kiley announces spring tour dates
It seems the members of Rilo Kiley will be doing a little moneymaking of their own this summer as they hit the road for a North American tour. After taking a brief hiatus that allowed members Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett and Pierre de Reeder to pursue solo projects, the Los Angeles-based band released its latest album, Under the Blacklight, last August. The band followed the album’s release with a two-month tour of the U.S. and Canada last fall. Rilo Kiley kicks off the '08 tour on April 17 in San Francisco, and will perform at the Coachella Valley Music and... read more
Pitchfork Music Festival announces inital lineup
If you really think about it a battle of the bands is really passé; who wants to watch one band at a time, when you could hop between four? What’s cool these days is a battle of a group of bands, maybe over several days with sets running concurrently. Lo and behold, the summer music festival battle royal, and Pitchfork Music has recently entered into the fray. This year the Pitchfork Music Festival starts off nostalgic as they team with All Tomorrow’s Parties to bring Hip-Hop legends Public Enemy performing the entire It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold... read more
Sharon Jones, CSN to play Central Park SummerStage
New York City is, without a doubt, the best city in the world (in the opinion of this writer). Where else can you walk outside at 3 a.m. and run into foot traffic? Where else can you wander down to the Hudson River Park to sunbathe, walk the dog, or stare out across the bay into New Jersey (and mock it senselessly)? Where else can you find 14 different types of ethnic food—all on one block? Where else can you find a 500-square-foot apartment that costs $2,150 in rent per month, and have it called "spacious?" (Okay, so no one... read more
Sun Kil Moon's Kozelek publishes comprehensive lyrics book
For the Mark Kozelek fan who owns everything from Down Colorful Hill to Tiny Cities (and has Sun Kil Moon’s April on pre-order), Caldo Verde Records offers yet another way to appreciate this modern-day bard—Nights of Passed Over, a hardcover book that will encompass Kozelek’s lyrics from the Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon and his solo work. Even for those who don’t possess the expanse of Kozelek’s musical catalog, this comprehensive book of his lyrics would make a fantastic introduction. Nights of Passed Over was originally released in Portugal in 2002, and first-run editions are somewhat hard to come... read more
Pitchfork Music Festival posts initial lineup
If you think about it, a battle of the bands is really passé; who wants to watch one band at a time when you could hop between four? What’s cool these days is a rumble between a group of bands, maybe over several days, with sets running concurrently. Lo and behold, the summer music festival battle royale—Pitchfork, a recent entry into the contender field, recently announced the heavy-hitting headliners for the third annual Pitchfork Music Festival. This year, the Pitchfork Music Festival starts off nostalgic as they team with All Tomorrow’s Parties to host hip-hop legends Public Enemy's performance of... read more
Goldfrapp to tour U.S. and Europe
British duo Goldfrapp will play a handful of U.S. concert dates before kicking off a European tour later this summer. Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory formed Goldfrapp in 1999 and released their debut, Felt Mountain, a year later. The pair has since released three more albums and continues to dabble in multiple musical genres. The duo's unique hybrid of atmospheric electronic music and glam rock caught the ears of marketing teams at Verizon Wireless and Target, who used the songs “Strict Machine,” “Fly Me Away” and “Number One” in national advertising campaigns. Goldfrapp’s latest album, Seventh Tree, was released Feb.... read more
Flaming Lips, Roots, Avetts, more go to Summer Camp
The three-day Summer Camp festival will return to Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, Ill., for its eighth year this May. Campin' jammers will reconvene to hear more than 45 bands on four different stages. Notable acts of the fest include bluegrass spectacle The Avett Brothers, the festival fiends of moe. and The New Pornographers, to name but a few. Alongside these multi-nighters, The Flaming Lips and The Roots each plan to play one evening. Tickets for all three days (May 23-25) plus camping cost $140. Related links: SummerCampFestival.com YouTube: The Flaming Lips Preview Paste: The ?uest for Change - On... read more
Manchester Orchestra to tour the U.S. with Say Anything
Manchester Orchestra is not an orchestra. Manchester Orchestra is not from Manchester. The first rule about Manchester Orchestra is you don't talk about Manchester Orchestra. Ahem, our apologies. Manchester Orchestra is actually set to head out on tour with L.A.'s Say Anything, kicking off their road trip March 13 in Hollywood, Calif. The band is still basking in the glow left by I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child, which was originally released in 2006 on Favorite Gentlemen, then re-released last year on Canvasback. It's the very album that got them on The Late Show With David Letterman: Performance addicts,... read more
Watson Twins release new album on Vanguard, play SXSW
Over the past 50 years, Vanguard Records has represented Doc Watson, Levon Helm, Joan Baez and John Fahey. The imprint is also home to Shawn Mullins, Mindy Smith and Marc Broussard, amongst a host of others. As of June 24, the Watson Twins will join the Vanguard family with the release of their first proper LP, Fire Songs. “Our influences as singers and songwriters are the historic sounds of Vanguard Records, a label steeped in folk, country, jazz and blues,” Chandra and Leigh Watson said in a recent statement. “It just seemed like the perfect fit and we are so... read more
The 20 Best Gadgets of the Decade…
The 17 Best Romantic Comedies This Decade
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Kim Taylor - Days Like this
Gregory Alan Isakov - The Moon Song
Blind Pilot - The Story I Heard
Fanfarlo - I’m A Pilot
Punch Brothers - Punch Brothers at CMJ
David Bazan - Hard To Be
Anya Marina - Whatever You Like
