Bettye LaVette brings the grit and wisdom of a 50 year career to her new album, Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook. (more…)
The Archives
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Bits & Pieces
Santana Forges Classic Rock Covers Album
05.28.10Mexican axe wielder Carlos Santana has come a long way since Black Magic Woman, as his plans for an album of classic rock covers mixes things up a touch. Santana went ahead and recruited some high profile type characters for his distortion filled undertaking, as word on the street dictates we’ll hear Nas handling AC/DC’s Back in Black, Chris Cornell manning Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love, Joe Cocker covering Jimi Hendrix’s Little Wing and The Doors‘ ivory tickler Ray Manzarek lending a hand on a take of Riders on the Storm. Awesome! By the way ladies, just in case you thought Carlos forgot about you over the years, he didn’t. The guitarist explains his estrogen filled agenda on this project saying, “I paid special attention to the groove so the females would get completely aroused.” Well there you have it femmes… Music to get moist to since 1966.
Lit
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CD Reviews
The Black Keys – Brothers
05.22.10American rock band The Black Keys are out with Brothers, their newest album and yet another testimony to the band’s sense of incredible style and talent. (more…)
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CD Reviews
The Hold Steady – Heaven is Whenever
05.09.10On Heaven is Whenever, their uneven fourth studio album, Brooklyn’s The Hold Steady prove once again that they aren’t your average indie band. (more…)
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CD Reviews
Johnny Cash – American VI: Ain’t No Grave
02.28.10Hello, it’s Johnny Cash’s new posthumous album appropriately called, American VI: Ain’t No Grave, a continuation of the American record saga that began with and was supervised by producer Rick Rubin. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
Vampire Weekend Cover Rancid for the BBC
02.08.10Perhaps the indie-punk crossover was made slightly more acceptable after Dave Longstreth of the Dirty Projectors cast his eccentric eye over the oeuvre of Black Flag, covering their classic album Rise Above in its entirety in 2007. But Vampire Weekend covering Rancid – that sounds like a collaboration from last week’s GRAMMYs to me. But no, apparently the New Yorkers recorded a cover of Rancid fan favorite Ruby Soho at a BBC Radio 1 session whilst in London last week. Despite VW singer Ezra Koenig recently coming out and saying that he grew up listening to No Doubt and Sublime, it’s still a bit of stretch to imagine him accessorizing his khakis with a wallet chain and a Mohawk. Still, we’re living in a world where Mary J. Blige can cover Led Zeppelin’s Stairway live on television, so anything’s possible I guess… and you know what, it’s a pretty decent cover. Check it out here. No word on what Tim Armstrong thinks of it, although by the looks of things he has his hands full making fairly crappy looking television cop shows for the time being.
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Bits & Pieces
Mary J. Blige and Travis Barker to Cover Led Zep’s Stairway for Haiti
02.04.10Murdering the classics for a good cause? Is it OK? Probably. Mary J. Blige – no stranger to a hammy rock cover, having previously performed U2′s One and, most recently, Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water at the GRAMMYs – entered the studio this week to record a version of the song whose opening refrain strikes fear into the hearts of guitar store clerks everywhere. Yup, Blige has gathered a slightly (OK, very) random group of musicians that is to include Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, American Idol judge/studio bassist Randy Jackson, Steve Vai and former Michael Jackson bandmember Orianthi to give the mighty Led Zeppelin’s epic 1971 hit Stairway to Heaven the ‘weird-musician-celeb-cover-for-charity’ treatment. Apparently the track will appear as a bonus track on the R ‘n B diva’s forthcoming international release of her album Stronger With Each Tear, which drops March 15th, and when interviewed Blige felt confident she would do it justice, “I think this song is not hard at all because it’s based on pure emotion…You gotta get lost in the rock ‘n’ roll moment of it all, and once you get lost in the rock ‘n’ roll moment of it all you can do is scream to the top of your lungs or go as low as you need to go.” The track can be purchased as a single via iTunes, with all the proceeds going to the Red Cross’ Haiti efforts.
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CD Reviews
Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures
11.28.09The latest vogue of supergroups might be overdone, but Them Crooked Vultures spew heavy rock worth listening to with their self-titled debut. At the cakehole is Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), on the drums Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), and the last of the vertices goes to Led Zeppelin’s bassist John Paul Jones; so yeah, this anticipated debut can’t be spinning crap. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
Full Streaming Album Online: Them Crooked Vultures
11.09.09Them Crooked Vultures, the collaboration between Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, Josh Homme of Queen of the Stone Age, and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, are planning a tour in the UK. Starting in Plymouth on December 10th, and wrapping up with back-to-back shows in London on the 17th and 18th, the tour is a quick eight day six date affair. If you’re at one of the shows you’ll be hearing material from the group’s new self-titled debut album. If you’re sitting at home in front of the computer, you can stream the entire album online. Check out themcrookedvultures.com for the goods.
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Bits & Pieces
Them Crooked Vultures Finally Announce Debut Album
10.22.09Since their live unveiling in Chicago on August 9th, the public has patiently waited for Them Crooked Vultures to unleash their debut album upon the masses. Well wait no more! Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones have announced the release of their first self-titled full length due out November 17th! Are ya’ll tingly inside? You are aren’t ya?
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Bits & Pieces
Clash, Blur, Bowie, Rolling Stones Album Covers Enshrined as Postage Stamps
10.16.09My dream has long been to send a fan letter, through the old fashioned postal service, to David Bowie. The only thing that has stopped me is that that no stamp has ever been able to properly convey my appreciation of him as an artist. Until now. Postage stamp collector site Norvic Philatelics has broken the news that ten classic album covers will be immortalized as UK postage stamps this January. Now I can tell David Bowie how much I respect his work, and my letter will arrive with the cover of The Rise and Fall Of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars affixed to the envelope. I’m sure he will love it. The other nine album covers poised to take the leap into postage are: Pink Floyd’s The Division Bell, Coldplay’s A Rush of Blood to the Head, Blur’s Parklife, New Order’s Power, Corruption & Lies, the Rolling Stones’ Let It Bleed, Primal Scream’s Screamadelica, Led Zeppelin’s IV, Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells, and The Clash’s London Calling. Come January 7th all will be available through the British Post.
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Bits & Pieces
Visual Bio of Led Zepplin Out Now
10.08.09A new book titled Good Times, Bad Times: A Visual Biography of the Ultimate Band came out early this month, and it is packed with pics of Led Zeppelin. Published by Abrams, Good Times, Bad Times collects shots of the offstage lives of the legendary rockers, whether it be them relaxing, spending time with family, or in the studio writing and recording. Anthony DeCurtis, in his introduction to the book, sets up the pervasive nostalgic quality of the book. He recalls seeing Led Zeppelin for the first time saying “The entire set was mesmerizing… Page soloed spectacularly on every song, and the ecstatic call-and-response exchanges he and Plant engaged in were galvanizing.”
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Bits & Pieces
Guitar Pioneer Les Paul Dies At 94
08.13.09The legendary Les Paul, inventor of the electric guitar and multi track recording, passed away today due to complications from pneumonia. The guitar as an instrument and music as a whole would have never been the same without the innovative ideas of the famed guitar god. Above and beyond his many inventions throughout his long and prosperous life, Les Paul also garnered recording success with his wife Mary Ford, earning 36 gold records and eleven number one hits, including Vaya Con Dios, How High the Moon and Lover. In 1952 Gibson began production on Les Paul model guitars; Pete Townsend of The Who, Steve Howe of Yes, and Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page all wielded their very own Paul stamped axes with pride and passion, ostensibly guiding the future of rock ‘n’ roll with a tool built by the blood, sweat and tears of a true icon. Today a piece of music history died… today musicians mourn. R.I.P Les Paul, you shall live on forever through the waves of glorious sound you’ve made possible.
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Bits & Pieces
Them Crooked Vultures: Grohl’s New Super Group Performs
08.10.09Dave Grohl’s latest super project titled Them Crooked Vultures, featuring Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones and of course the Foo Fighters frontman himself, rocked the Lollapalooza aftershow at Chicago’s Metro Club with a completely original 80 minute set. With Grohl back behind the drums, fans witnessed what was reported as a riff heavy set sporting Homme at the helm on guitar and vocals and Jones manning the bass and keys. Look for Them Crooked Vultures’ debut album slated to drop October 23rd 2009. I would imagine we have nothing but greatness to look forward to.
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Bits & Pieces
Jack White Flies Solo?
08.05.09As if playing with The White Stripes, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather wasn’t enough, rock mastermind Jack White is officially releasing a solo song slated to drop August 11th through his own Third Man Records. Titled Fly Farm Blues, the track was apparently written at the request of film director Davis Guggenheim during the filming of the upcoming It Might Get Loud documentary featuring Jack White, U2’s The Edge and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. The song was written on the spot following the director’s request, but no further reports have been made as to whether or not this is a one off ditty or if we will get to hear more of White as a lone wolf. Maybe it works like an encore… If we chant long and loud he’ll keep coming back. Jack White, Jack White, Jack White, Jack White… Quick someone check if it worked.
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Concert Reviews
Depeche Mode @ Centre Bell – 07.25.09
07.31.09
After nearly 30 years active is it possible to augment your live performance and continue to impress? If not, Depeche Mode broke protocol tearing the roof off an emphatically charged Centre Bell. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
John Bonham’s Gong Sells For $64,000
07.21.09I’m sure the less fortunate of the world would be ecstatic to hear that yet another absurd quotient of money was spent on a piece of music memorabilia. An anonymous buyer purchased Led Zeppelin’s beat legend John Bonham’s gong for the weighty price of $64,000, after it wouldn’t sell at an auction held by Bonhams and Butterfields Entertainment Memorabilia Company for an expected price of $120,000. This isn’t the first piece of Zeppelin stock to go for big bucks as a recent eBay auction boasted the sale of a 1971 Orange Matamp belonging to Mr. Jimmy Page, which pocketed a hefty dollar amount of $30,000.
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Bits & Pieces
Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones & Josh Homme Band Together!
07.02.09Spontaneous erections tend to slow down as a boy becomes an older man; however the announcement that Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones & Josh Homme have joined forces to record a new album is sure to pitch tents in the pants of many rock enthusiasts. Grohl had mentioned the day dream team up in a 2005 interview saying, “The next project that I’m trying to initiate involves me on drums, Josh Homme on guitar, and John Paul Jones playing bass. That’s the next album. That wouldn’t suck.” But we’re only now learning of the project legitimately coming to fruition, with Homme’s punktastic wife Brody Dalle spilling the beans saying, “I’m not at liberty to talk about it, but I think the project is pretty fucking amazing. Just beats and sounds like you’ve never heard before.” I haven’t even heard the music and I agree with Brody. Foo Fighters, Led Zeppelin & Queens of the Stone Age flavors coming together? Fucking amazing it shall be.
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CD Reviews
Amazing Baby – Rewild
06.27.09
Have you ever wondered what happened to the boys from Lord of the Flies? Well they all grew up, moved to Greenpoint and started a band called Amazing Baby. Actually, that isn’t chronologically correct, however if you name your album Rewild you are either moving back to the wild after years in captivity or you were subject to curriculum suggested readings in high school that you attempted to internalize whilst listening to Led Zeppelin records. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
Jack White, Jimmy Page and The Edge… It Might Get Loud!
06.23.09Jack White of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and U2’s The Edge star in a new guitar god documentary entitled It Might Get Loud, slated to officially release on August 14th 2009. The documentary promises to venture into more than just the simple act of playing guitar, “It doesn’t matter if it’s a guitar or a sitar or a keyboard or a synthesizer. We’re getting into something better than that, deeper than that,” says White. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
The Killers On A Quest To Be Better Than Led Zeppelin & Nirvana?
04.30.09Concerning the band’s US popularity versus their European fame, The Killers front man Brandon Flowers has recently stated that he is striving to surpass bands like Led Zeppelin and Nirvana, saying, “With this last album Day & Age there’s been a noticeable shift but we’re still nowhere near where we are in Europe, in America people are still so obsessed with Led Zeppelin and Nirvana, those sorts of bands — nobody else is allowed to grow. It’s not just us; there are a lot of great bands that have been held down or confined by the influence of these people that we’ve put up on pedestals. (more…)
