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 Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Reno rocks!
Posted by peter
 So ... Janet Reno wants to rock. I guess issuing dull, dry legal opinions and scaring young children doesn't have the allure it used to for the former U.S. Attorney General. Well, she'll learn quickly that politics is a lot more forgiving than rock 'n' roll. I mean, the music business eats its young. If you make a mistake in Washington, you do some sort of penance and get a high-paying job as a lobbyist. It's pretty easy to bounce back. But, what if you make a stinker of an album? You might wind up living under a bridge or something, that's what! Actually, Reno isn't actually recording or playing in a band or anything (thank God!). What she's done is help put together a three-CD set of songs titled Song of America that serves as a sort of history lesson for those that never passed high-school civics.  Among those contributing tracks are the Blind Boys of Alabama, Devandra Banhart (photo at left by Galen Pehrson), the Black Crowes, Andrew Bird, Danielson, Jim Lauderdale and John Mellencamp. Due out Sept. 18 as a joint (she never inhaled!) release between Split Rock Records and 31 Tigers (through RED Distribution), the collection aims to take listeners on a journey through time from 1492 to the new millennium. Running the gamut of folk, rock, R&B, country, classical, blues and even hip-hop, the set is the brainchild of Reno herself, who enlisted her niece's husband, blues-punk phenom Ed Pettersen (for a review of his new album, check out http://www.goldminemag.com/Default.aspx?tabid=825&articleid=6367&articlemid=
4972#4972Articles), for assistance. "The historical detail of the songs fascinated me and I suggested that Ed (Pettersen) record a whole album of songs focusing on key periods in American history, in order to tell our story to young people who might find joy in learning history through music," says Reno, in a press release. Now, I sincerely hope that it works out for Reno and that the collection does lead children to a greater understanding of history, but really ... are kids going to sit still long enough to listen to John Wesley Harding doing "God Save The King?" The complete track listing for Song of America is as follows: Lakota Dream Song Earl Bullhead Once More Our God Vouchsafe to Shine Julie Lee Let Us Break Bread Together Blind Boys of Alabama God Save The King John Wesley Harding Young Ladies In Town Elizabeth Foster The Old Woman Taught Wisdom Malcom Holcombe The Liberty Song Ed Pettersen Yankee Doodle Harper Simon Jefferson & Liberty The Wilders Hail Columbia Steven Kowalczyk-Santoro Star Spangled Banner Take 6 Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child Beth Nielsen Chapman Peg and Awl Freedy Johnston Sweet Betsy From Pike BR549 Trail of Tears Will Hill and Jehnean Day Washington Declaration Of Sentiments Minton Sparks and Pat Flynn Go Down Moses Fisk Jubilee Singers Dixie's Land Mavericks featuring Thad Cockrell John Brown's Body Marah Battle Hymn of the Republic Joanna Smith Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye Janis Ian Thousands Are Sailing to Amerikay Tim O'Brien The Farmer Is The Man Otis Gibbs Home On The Range Joni Harms Stars & Stripes Forever Jake Shimabukuro Over There Jen Chapin How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down On The Farm Andrew Bird Lift Every Voice And Sing Karen Parks Happy Days Are Here Again Danielson Brother Can You Spare A Dime? Andy Bey Seven Cent Cotton and Forty Cent Meat Jim Lauderdale Deportee Old Crow Medicine Show Rosie The Riveter Suzy Bogguss Reuben James Folk Family Robinson Apache Tears Scott Kempner The Great Atomic Power Elizabeth Cook and The Grascals Little Boxes Devandra Banhart The Times They Are A Changin' The Del McCoury Band Get Together Kim Richey Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud The Dynamites/Charles Walker Ohio Ben Taylor What's Going On Anthony David I Am Woman Martha Wainwright Youngstown Matthew Ryan Streets Of Philadelphia Bettye LaVette Wave Gary Heffern/Chris Eckman The Message Shortee Sleep, My Child (Schlof Mayn Kind) Judith Edelman/Neilson Hubbard Where Were You When The World The Wrights This Land Is Your Land John Mellencamp
6/19/2007 4:21:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
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Thursday, June 14, 2007
Flashbacks
Posted by peter
 In case you haven't heard, it's the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love. Goldmine will be celebrating the three-month long period of musical exploration, liberation and flower power with a special issue dated Aug. 17. Now, I wasn't even born until August of that year, so, obviously, I don't remember much from it. Some of you, though, did experience that magical time, though you may not remember much from it either. Drugs can have that effect. If you care to jog your dormant memory, the organizers of Hippiefest have an offer for you: The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals and The Zombies (pictures live at right) are headlining the second annual tour event. Other acts slated to appear include Mitch Ryder, Mountain, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald, Iron Butterfly, Denny Laine and Melanie. "This festival is for people who weren't around in the '60s and '70s, or were and just can't seem to remember," says tour creator Toby Ludwig. "Bring your parents, your grandparents and your kids. Come be a hippie for a day!" For more information on Hippiefest, you're going to have to do some Google searching. Tour dates: Wednesday, July 25 Toronto, ON / Molson Amphitheater (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Thursday, July 26 Brooklyn, NY / Seaside Park (FREE SHOW) (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Melanie, Denny Laine, Country Joe McDonald) Friday, July 27 Wallingford, CT / Chevrolet Theatre (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Saturday, July 28 Vernon, NY / Vernon Downs (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Sunday, July 29 Farmingville, NY / Brookhaven Amphitheater (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Monday, July 30 Vienna, VA / Wolftrap (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Thursday, Aug. 2 Hollywood, FLA / Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Friday, Aug. 3 Atlanta, GA / Chastain Park (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Saturday, Aug. 4 Wichita, KS / Cessadium Stadium (The Turtles, The Zombies, Mountain, Iron Butterfly, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Denny Laine, Country Joe McDonald) Sunday, Aug. 5 Grand Prairie, TX / Nokia Live (The Turtles, The Zombies, Mountain, Iron Butterfly, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Denny Laine, Country Joe McDonald) Tuesday, Aug. 7 Cape Cod, MA / Melody Tent (The Zombies, Mountain, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Wednesday, Aug. 8 Cohasset, MA / South Shore Music (The Zombies, Mountain, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Thursday, Aug. 9 Philadelphia, PA / Mann Center (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Friday, Aug. 10 Champion, PA / Seven Springs Resort (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Denny Laine, Country Joe McDonald) Saturday, Aug. 11 Liberty, NY / Bethelwoods Amphitheater (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Badfinger, Denny Laine, Country Joe McDonald) Sunday, Aug. 12 Gilford, NH / Meadowbrook Farms Amphitheater (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Badfinger, Denny Laine, Country Joe McDonald) Thursday, Aug. 16 Temecula, CA / Pechanga Resort & Casino (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Friday, Aug. 17 Lemoore, CA / Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Saturday, Aug. 18 Phoenix, AZ / Dodge Theatre (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Badfinger, Denny Laine, Country Joe McDonald) Sunday, Aug. 20 Saratoga, CA / The Winery (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald) Tuesday, Aug. 21 San Diego, CA / Humphrey's By The Sea (The Turtles, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, The Zombies, Mountain, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald)
6/14/2007 3:31:48 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Direct Hit
Posted by peter
 Contrary to the title of its new album, there's nothing complicated about Art Brut. And despite the band name, which refers to the outsider 20th century art movement that encapsulated the work of mental patients and other artists that specialized in trespassing beyond established artistic boundaries, there's nothing pretentious about the group either. The U.K. art-punks just bang out quick, three-minute songs that are fun and catchy, but with angular riffs that seem to come at you from everywhere, like a squadron of fighter planes. The band's sophomore album, It's A Bit Complicated, is due out June 19 on Downtown Records, and so far, it's a chart buster. Powered by the deliriously infectious single "Direct Hit," It's A Bit Complicated debuted as the #1 Most Added Album at the CMJ Top 200. Nice. A lot of you might know some of this from the pimping of the new record I did in an earlier blog. But, there's more news about Art Brut to tell you about. First off, the band is going to be touring the U.S. this summer (keep checking www.artbrut.org.uk/ for more information as it becomes available) and you should go out and see them. And there's more. Art Brut will be performing on Late Night With Conan O' Brian on July 11 and playing an exclusive New York City show with Goldmine favorites, White Rabbits on July 9. In addition, Goldmine plans on running a feature story about the band in its July 20 issue. Art Brut's cheeky master of ceremonies Eddie Argos talked recently about his group's live performances, which reportedly are the stuff of legend. To them, it's all about showmanship. "We played live so much now," says Argos. "We played live nearly every day of last year I think. We left Germany and went to America and back to England. No time off, hardly, and everybody's a big show-off." Along with the bristling energy and gripping hooks of the new album, Art Brut employs a horn section in certain areas, fleshing the band's highly caffeinated sound out in more soulful ways. Will they be brought on tour? "If we can, but I think it might be quite expensive," laughs Argos. "No, for special occasions I think. We're thinking of getting them for a few shows. I'd love to have a horn section though all the time, but I don't think it's financially viable. Maybe I should learn the trumpet. That's something I might do. Maybe I could play the horn section then." Dates across the U.S. will include opening act Maximo Park.
6/13/2007 4:00:28 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Calling all writers
Posted by Peter
 Do you think reviewers always get it wrong about your favorite albums? Do you feel like your prose measures up to the great Lester Bangs (pictured at right)? Well, here's your chance to prove it. Goldmine is looking for writers to supply us with fresh content in the form of features or reviews for our web site, www.goldminemag.com. If you're interested, write to me at peter.lindblad@fwpubs.com, send me a few clips of your work, and we'll talk. Now, these are not paid positions at the moment. Let me repeat that. THESE ARE NOT PAID POSITIONS. I know what you're going to say. "Well, what's in it for me?" For one, you'll get free CDs that are yours to keep. That's perk No. 1. Secondly, getting your work published is the first step to possibly getting a paid job writing for us or some other music rag. Everybody's got to start somewhere. I wrote reviews and features for an online music site for three and a half years and never saw a dime from it. In essence, this is a labor of love that could vault you into actually becoming a professional music journalist. It's a great opportunity! I look forward to hearing from you.
6/6/2007 9:44:49 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Fishbone, Bad Brains and Living Colour? Make it happen
Posted by Peter
 All right, everyone. I want your undivided attention. Fishbone, the energetic, stage-diving, ska-metal-funk-soul-jazz circus that burned down concert venues and aurally intercoursed with your ears with its fiery sonic assault in the '80s and '90s, is back ... with a vengeance. Featuring original members the manic Angelo Moore on saxophone, soulful lead vocals and general mayhem, and bassist Norwood Fisher (pictured at right, courtesy of soundincolor.com), a man who can negotiate both the light-speed rhythms of punk and the fat grooves of funk, Fishbone, new lineup and all, is wilder and heavier than ever on its new record, Still Stuck In Your Throat (see http://www.goldminemag.com/Default.aspx?tabid=825&articleid=6395&articlemid=
4972#4972Articles for review). Part of the reason is the molten, metallic riffs and subtle jazz stylings of former Suicidal Tendencies' guitarist Rocky George. I dare you to find anything hotter this summer than the crazed, all-out sonic blitz of "Let Dem Ho's Fight" or the tight, ska dance-party "Party With Saddam." You might remember this band's t-shirts more than its music, which would be a damn shame. In the movie "Say Anything," a young Lloyd Dobber, played by John Cusack, wore the instantly recognizable skeletal fishbone t-shirt while wooing Ione Skye. No strangers to movies, Moore and Fisher also appeared recently in the OutKast imaginative, if flawed, movie "Idlewild' and the David Arquette movie, "The Tripper." Anyway, Goldmine recently chatted up Fisher about the new record and his thoughts on Sly And The Family Stone, Parliament-Funkadelic, Jimi Hendrix and Tom Waits, of all people, for a feature story on the band that will appear in a future issue. One of the interesting things Fisher touched on was a desire to have Fishbone tour with two of its contemporaries: the godfathers of reggae-punk, Bad Brains, and Living Colour — considering that both bands have either mounted comebacks or are plotting returns as we speak. Fisher hinted at the possibility that Living Colour would come out with a new album next year. And Bad Brains, the band that perhaps unleashed the most fury of any American punk act ever, have a new disc titled Build A Nation due out June 26 that's produced by none other than the Beastie Boys Adam "MCA" Yauch. "We've been talking about it for years," said Fisher. "Maybe 2008 is the time it becomes reality." People, let's make this thing happen. Write your congressman, do a petition drive, sell your blood for money ... do whatever it takes to get these three bands together. That would be one of the hottest concert tours ever.
6/5/2007 4:33:02 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Monday, June 04, 2007
Feels like the first time
Posted by Peter
High atop my summer reading list is "My First Time — A Collection of First Punk Show Stories."
Edited by Chris Duncan, the book is essentially a clutch of essays from journalists, musicians and other punk faces in a crowd about their initial forays into the sometimes violent, but usually fun as hell, counter-culture world of punk rock. Included among the writers are Jawbreaker alum Blake Schwarzenbach, the Queers' Joe Queer (see our story on the Queers in the April 27 issue of Goldmine) and Big Takeover editor Jack Rabid (if you don't already, get a subscription to this magazine. Outside of Goldmine, of course, it's one of the best out there)
The book is due out this summer and a review is in the works.
Having read through half of it, the book got me thinking about popping my own punk cherry, as it were. Now, most everybody started out seeing some unknown band in a basement or a dirty, fetid club. For me, my first time was seeing the Clash at a hockey rink.
It wasn't just any hockey rink. It was the home of the NHL's Minnesota North Stars, who, sadly, transferred to Texas, a place that shouldn't even have hockey of any sort. Anyway, this was my second concert ... I think (I might have seen Rush first), and it was a pretty big deal for me. It wasn't that often that I got the family car to go the Twin Cities, and, being from a small, unincorporated town in western Wisconsin, this was a show that both excited and scared the hell out of me at the same time.
Up till then, I had never had any dealings with punks of any kind. There just weren't any in my school. Or so I thought. This girl I went with to the show was kind of a closet punk, like me. My friend, Dave, also went along. He was not a punk; he just dug the Clash.
So, we drove to the big city to see the mighty Clash. Now, this wasn't the real Clash. Yeah, Joe Strummer was still in the band, and so was Paul Simonon, but Mick Jones had been fired and replaced by Vince White and Nick Sheppard. This dubious move was supposed to return the Clash to its punk roots and while it did that, it also resulted in the worst album of the band's career, Cut The Crap. Strummer and company were touring to support it. Soon, Strummer and Simonon would bury the Clash, one album too late as it turned out.
But I didn't care, and the people I went with didn't care. This was the Clash, and it was going to be amazing. Live, they were still a fantastic band, tight as hell and furious. But for me, the crowd was the more interesting show. Mohawks, safety pins, leather jackets, colorful hair — it was eye-opening for a teen from the sticks. And I was terrified by the them. I could have sworn I saw two slam-dancers pull switchblades on each other, and because the show was in a hockey rink, there was no seating. The crowd was left to its own devices on the floor, and they were pretty violent. We found ourselves in the middle of it, being jostled about by something called a mosh pit.
I left feeling thrilled by the experience but also petrified at what I would find in the parking lot. I thought for sure I was going to come out to the car my dad had lent me and find it smashed up and sitting on cinder blocks. It was a station wagon, and when we left the building, we did see a station wagon on fire in the parking lot — no joke. But, it wasn't mine.
I saw punk shows after that, but none, except for a Social Distortion show that broke out in a skinhead riot, compared to that one.
Let me know: What was your first punk concert like? Or, if you prefer, let me know what your first concert experience was. I'd love to share more memories with you.
6/4/2007 5:51:52 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Gram Parsons not in the Country Music Hall of Fame?
Posted by Peter
 The world is full of injustice. Oil companies are reaping record profits while the little people shell out $3.42 a gallon for gas. No-talent hacks like Simon Cowell and Paris Hilton are richer than God, and yet, the Pixies have to go on a reunion tour just to make the house payments. It's enough to make me want to drive my Geo Metro into a tree. No doubt, these are vexing times. Along those lines, how is it that the cosmic cowboy Gram Parsons is not in the Country Music Hall of Fame? It's a travesty ... that's what it is. The man who basically invented alt.-country and has influenced everyone from the Rolling Stones and the Band to Wilco is not there. The man who was a key contributor to the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo, perhaps the first country-rock album, is on the outside looking in. Perhaps it's the "rock" part of that equation that makes Nashville nervous. If that's the case, then what about Elvis or Johnny freakin' Cash? You have the power to right this wrong. By going to http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/531164998?ltl=1178745550, you can sign a petition and get this man the recognition he deserves. if you want to e-mail me your favorite Gram Parsons' recordings, I'd be glad to converse about them. Don't be shy kids.
5/30/2007 5:36:49 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Tuesday, May 29, 2007
40-year anniversary for Ten Years After; DVD coming
Posted by Peter
 1967 was ground-zero for just about everything it seems. Not only did Sgt. Pepper come out that summer, but there was also the Summer of Love, Monterey Pop, and the birth of Ten Years After. The band, formed in 1967 in Nottinghamshire, England, included Leo Lyons, Ric Lee, Chick Churchill and Alvin Lee, and compiled an impressive resume in the years that followed. To celebrate the band's 40th anniversary (don't you feel old now?), a new DVD will be released and there will a tour, according to www.classicrockcentral.com. A touring warhorse that's logged tons of miles on the road, Ten Years After is probably known most for its legendary performance of "I'm Going Home" at Woodstock in August 1969. The band also played career-defining sets at The Newport Jazz Festival, the Miami Pop Festival, the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival and the Toronto Peace Festival between 1968 and 1975. Ten Years After was also one of the first to sell out Madison Square Garden. The band reached gold and platinum status with several albums for the Decca label before signing to Columbia R  ecords for $1 million — which now would probably elicit yawns or laughter, like on "Austin Powers" when Dr. Evil holds the world hostage demanding a ransom of $1 million unless he his demands of $1 million are met. Ten Years After then released, in October of 1971, the A Space In Time album, which spawned the single, "I'd Love to Change the World." In 1975, Alvin Lee went solo and the group dissolved. Since then, aborted attempts to revive the group have resulted in Lee returning to his solo career. However, the other three founding members eventually reunited, working with hot-shot, 25-year-old guitarist Joe Gooch. The new lineup released Now, an album of new material, and a live album called Roadworks. Show dates are below: Ten Years After on Tour Wed 07/11/07 New York, NY B.B. King's Blues Club Thu 07/12/07 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall Fri 07/13/07 Ottawa, ON Cisco Systems Ottawa Bluesfest Sun 07/15/07 Milton, ON Escarpment Blues Festival Tue 07/17/07 Ferndale, MI Magic Bag Fri 07/20/07 Huntington, NY Inter-Media Arts Center Sat 07/21/07 Annapolis, MD Rams Head On Stage
5/29/2007 9:30:53 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, May 25, 2007
Beck-ology
Posted by Peter
 Tribute albums aren't exactly my cup of tea. The last homage to The Band being dreadful, I've just about given up on the concept altogether. But, if you're into Jeff Beck (and really, who isn't? I mean, come on ... Yardbirds? The Jeff Beck Group?), there is a new one coming out that sounds a bit intriguing. It's called Freeway Jam to Beck and Back. Due out July 17, on Tone Center (4057), it brings together some heavy hitters from the world of blues, rock, and progressive jazz/fusion for this paean to a man (photo at right from JeffBeck.com) who, for all intents and purposes, has made the guitar his bitch over the years. Among the contributors are respected guitarists Steve Morse, Eric Johnson, Chris Duarte, Greg Howe, Warren Haynes, and Walter Trout. Something tells me they won't defile Beck's amazing catalog the way other tributes have. Lest you believe that it'll be all guitar solos, with no backing instrumentation, let me tell you, that'd be one false assumption on your part. Playing drums on five of the tracks is Vinnie Colaiuta, with Simon Phillips doing the stick-work on the others. Stu Hamm is holding down the low end on the bass, and Mitchel Forman will be playing keyboards. Let me know: Are there any tribute albums you think are the bomb, rather than flat-out "bombs"? Hit me back and let me know. Track listing, hitting you where it hurts — in the wallet, that is: "Freeway Jam" — Featuring Steve Morse "Over Under Sideways Down" — Featuring John Scofield "Beck's Bolero" — Featuring Eric Johnson "Led Boots" — Featuring Adam Rogers "El Becko" — Featuring Jeff Richman "Diamond Dust" — Featuring Mike Stern "The Pump" — Featuring Warren Haynes "Behind The Veil" — Featuring Chris Duarte "Blue Wind" — Featuring Greg Howe "Brush with the Blues" — Walter Trout
5/25/2007 2:08:13 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Acute ready for prime time
Posted by Peter
 Arms Around A Stranger is the new album from the hot-shit Los Angeles indie-pop band Acute, and you should get to know its fuzz-toned guitar attack and catchy hooks. A collection of gorgeously crafted soundscapes — pieced together with pedal steel, an armada of tasteful strings, a horn section and blissful piano — with melodies that'll make you swoon (for a review, see www.goldminemag.com), Arms Around A Stranger is an early favorite for Top 10 albums of the year mention. Think the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, as filtered through Grandaddy's space-pop modulator — whatever the hell that is. Released May 7 on Help Records, Arms Around A Stranger was produced by one of today's pop producers extraordinaire, Dave Trumfio, who has also worked with Wilco and My Morning Jacket. Of the experience, Isaac Lekach, vocalist and guitarist for Acute, said, "He was terrific. We are fortunate to have worked with him ... Dave has a fine ear and he's also an incredible engineer. We took our time finding the right amp/drum kit/mic configuration and I think it shows. Also, as a producer, Dave took the time before any of the recording actually started to fine-tune some arrangements and work the songs into shape." To read more of the Acute interview, stay tuned to www.goldminemag.com. A full, extended version of the interview will be published in the coming days. To learn more about Acute, visit www.acuteband.com, www.myspace.com/acuteband, or www.helprecords.com.
5/22/2007 5:56:54 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, May 17, 2007
An X reunion?
Posted by Peter
 Could an X reunion be in the offing? The answer to that would be a definite maybe. John Doe (photo at right by Autumn De Wilde) is punk rock's resident Renaissance man. An actor who's appeared in "Boogie Nights" and "Roadhouse" (really? Roadhouse?), Doe is known more as the founder of the fiery, Los Angeles rockabilly punk outfit X. His new solo album, A Year In the Wilderness, comes out June 12 on Yep Roc Records, and trust me, it's good stuff. A winning combination of honest songwriting, a little tenderness and world-weary wisdom, A Year In the Wilderness is a dark, confessional take on punk and Americana, with driving rock guitars, elegant piano, creepy organ and soft-footed percussion. Recently, Doe spoke to Goldmine about the record. A full-length story, with a review of the record, will appear in the June 22 issue of the magazine. But, in the meantime, a nugget of news emerged from the interview that X fans might want to take note of. And that is, basically, that X is not dead. In fact, Exene Cervenka wrote the lyrics for "Darling Underdog," a highlight of A Year in the Wilderness. "I'm still trying to work on some songs that might be right for X," said Doe, "and Exene and I have been talking about doing that, so I'm constantly looking at her lyrics thinking X songs, do X songs." With "Darling Underdog," Doe said, " ... these lyrics sounded like a more tender song to me." And so, alas, nothing for X at the moment. All right, so nothing is set in stone and the news is sort of vague, and it's a bit of a tease, but when he said that, my ears perked up and I'm guessing it would make a lot of X fans take notice. Stay tuned. To learn more about John Doe and the new album, visit www.yeproc.com.
5/17/2007 5:53:52 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Smashing Pumpkins' Zeitgeist
Posted by Peter
 'Tis the summer to bury the hatchet, make peace and get the band back together to make some cash. This year has seen the reunions of Genesis, Dinosaur Jr., The Police ... even Van Halen at least thought about it. As it turns out, breaking up may be hard to do, but making up is really, really easy when there is money to be made. And the Smashing Pumpkins are going to make a boatload of it. Their new album, Zeitgeist, is coming out July 10, and hopefully, it'll be a return to the Gish or Siamese Dream Pumpkins, and not the horrible Machina/The Machines of God version. If for some reason you've never listened to Siamese Dream or Gish — first, what's wrong with you? — do yourself a favor and buy both. As the title indicates, Siamese Dream is dreamy, melodic shoegazer music, with heavy guitar riffs and atmospheres you can get lost in. For my money, it's one of the top 3 albums of the '90s. If nothing else, it'll have cool art work. Obey Giant graphic designer and illustrator Shepard Fairey makes a bold political statement, depicting a drowning Statue of Liberty in bold red, black and white. In the background is a sun. Depending on your perspective, it is either setting or rising. “Like a great artist can do, Shepard had summed up very simply a lot of complex themes,” says the Great Pumpkin, Billy Corgan, in a press release. “He also used the type font from our very first single, and I asked him about it and he had no idea. He was just on point.” Zeitgeist is the Pumpkins' sixth album and again, Corgan, ever the control freak, is again shouldering most of the work. This time around, there is no James Iha or D'arcy to get in the way, although drummer Jimmy Chamberlin is back in the fold. He even gets producer credit. Maybe this is a kinder, less controlling Billy Corgan. Anyhow, Zeitgeist's first single, "Tarantula," is due out May 22. Of the illustration's not-so-subtle political tone, Fairey says, "The U.S. is the dominant global force. When things are going wrong in the U.S. they are probably going wrong around the world. I think this images conveys both the U.S. situation and its larger global implications. “I use red frequently because it is a visually powerful, emotionally potent color. Red gets people's attention. In this case there is the added possibility that the red liquid could be blood, giving it an even more sinister sense of foreboding. Red helps people to realize immediately that something is wrong and the image is not a soothing postcard.” To get a gander at the album art, go to www.smashingpumpkins.com and www.myspace.com/smashingpumpkins. Check out the tour dates there as well.
5/16/2007 1:19:36 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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