Explaining the difference between The Sex Pistols and The Clash, Don Letts put it this way: "The Sex Pistols made you want to smash your head against the wall. The Clash gave you reason to."

Meaning, of course, that The Clash, with the righteous, socio-political nature of its lyrics, made you think, and what they made you think about ... well, it was enough to cause such outrage as to make you not consider the health risks of banging said head against said wall.

Letts, an iconic filmmaker, DJ and one-time founder of Big Audio Dynamite with The Clash's Mick Jones, should know. He's been friends with members of the band since 1975, and in 2000, he directed — in my opinion, anyway — one of the best rock documentaries ever in "Westway To The World," which told the story of The Clash through recent interviews with the band and assorted friends and rare footage of the "only band that mattered."

I talked with Letts today about his new Clash DVD "Revolution Rock," which presents a variety of live footage of the band tearing through many of its classics. Letts, who noted that it was the DIY spirit of punk rock and The Clash that made him want to be a filmmaker, says the new DVD works as a companion piece to "Westway To The World."

"I think it's the perfect accompaniment," says Letts. "The only thing that bugged me about 'Westway' was that there wasn't enough music, and that was only because of budget and time restraints."

"Revolution Rock," due out April 15 on Epic/Legacy, sets out to right that wrong. For more of my interview with Letts, watch www.goldminemag.com for an upcoming podcast and watch our Dead Air schedule for a broadcast of the interview on Goldmine Radio.

"We can live beside the ocean/leave the fire behind/swim out past the breakers/watch the world die."

For some reason, that line from Everclear's first real hit, "Santa Monica," a "shake your fist at the world" diatribe set to revved-up, roots-flavored punk that comes on like a reincarnated X, gets me every time. Maybe someday, some young band will think about covering it, just as Art Alexakis and company have remade some of their favorites in their own image for a new covers album called The Vegas Years.

Featuring retooled versions of Hall & Oates' "Rich Girl" and the Go-Gos' "Our Lips Are Sealed," along with Neil Young's "Pocahontas" and a smoking-hot blitz through Little Jimmy Dickens' "Night Train to Memphis," among other tracks, the album collects studio and concert recordings stretching as far back as 1994 of Everclear doing songs that Art grew up with. The album will be released on tax day, April 15.

Alexakis recently chatted with Goldmine about the upcoming LP and all things Everclear. Alexakis, who has a five-month-old baby in tow these days (just to keep him more busy than ever), explains why the time was right for a covers album.

"Well, we had a stock of about 24 covers, and we thought, 'Man, this would be a great thing. Fans would really like it, I think people would really like it, and there are some really great songs there. We went to Capitol — we're not on Capitol anymore — but we went to Capitol to see if they'd license some of them, and they listened to them and said, 'They're really great. We want to put them out.' And we said, 'Well, okay, but we have some songs ... 'cause the personnel in the band changed about five years ago, and we want to do some songs we have [with the reconfigured Everclear], and they let me produce it and gave me a little bit of money to re-mix some of them, and for not a lot of money, for like a fraction of what I used to spend making records, we put this together and made all these songs live together in a way that sounds like an album. There's old songs and new songs, and songs we did with the old band. It ties in the old with the new real well I think."

Alexakis has already gotten some feedback. He said that Darryl Hall of Hall & Oates liked Everclear's version of "Rich Girl" so much, he had his management call Alexakis to invite him to appear on a web cast Hall does.

To read or hear more of my interview with Alexakis, watch the podcast section on www.goldminemag.com for a podcast of our talk or wait patiently, and a story on Everclear will appear in a future edition of Goldmine. In the meantime, let me know what some of your favorite cover songs are, or tell me what songs haven't been covered that you think should be re-done.

For more on Everclear, who is plotting a new album of originals as we speak, and this release, visit www.everclearonline.com or www.myspace.com/everclear

Having spent my teenage years in the wilds of western Wisconsin in the '80s, I'm particularly partial to the Twin Cities music scene. And what a scene it was back then with The Replacements, Husker Du and others blazing a sonic trail that was fast, loud and sometimes ragged, but always with a sense of melody that prevailed over the crashing din.

Dan Wilson, and his power-pop trio Semisonic, wasn't a part of that '80s Minnesota scene. They came after. But, the band that made "Closing Time" a smash hit made some of the dreamiest, hook-heavy pop the city ever produced, and now, Wilson is going on tour (through April 19) to support his solo debut, Free Life.

An interesting cross-section of pop and country artists join Wilson on this record, including Sheryl Crow, who sings sweet harmony on "Sugar." Nickel Creek's Sean Watkins exercises his digits with some expert, finger-picked acoustic guitar on "Free Life," while The Jayhawks' Gary Louris — Minnesota represent! — plays a guitar solo on "Cry" and Benmont Tench of The Heartbreakers sprinkles in some piano throughout.

As of this writing, Goldmine is efforting an interview with Mr. Wilson. In the meantime, check the tour dates (below) and visit www.danwilsonmusic.com or www.myspace.com/danwilsonmusic

On the Hotel Café tour:
Apr 1 2008 Record Bar <http://www.therecordbar.com/>  Kansas City, Missouri
Apr 3 2008 Fox Theatre <http://www.foxtheatre.com/JabbaWeb/Index2.aspx>  Boulder, Colorado
Apr 4 2008 Bluebird Theatre <http://www.bluebirdtheater.net/>  Denver, Colorado
Apr 5 2008 Avalon Theatre <http://www.theavalontheater.com/> Salt Lake City, Utah
 
Supporting Kathleen Edwards
Apr 10 2008 The Fillmore NY @ Irving Plaza <http://www.irvingplaza.com/april.htm>  New York, New York
Apr 11 2008 Rams Head On Stage  <http://www.ramsheadtavern.com/annapolis/onstage.html> Annapolis, Maryland
Apr 12 2008 The Fillmore @ Theatre of Living Arts  <http://www.livenation.com/venue/getVenue/venueId/1681> Philadelphia, Penn.
Apr 14 2008 Birchmere  <http://www.birchmere.com/> Alexandria, Virginia
Apr 16 2008 Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall  <http://www.thegreyeagle.com/> Asheville, North Carolina
Apr 17 2008 Headliners Music Hall  <http://www.headlinerslouisville.com/> Louisville, Kentucky
Apr 18 2008 WorkPlay Theatre <http://www.workplay.com/> Birmingham, Alabama
Apr 19 2008 Mercy Lounge <http://www.mercylounge.com/> Nashville, Tennessee

Not exactly the best-kept secret in metal, Judas Priest has a big summer planned, what with the impending release of Nostradamus and extensive touring afoot.

In talking with lead singer Rob Halford on Friday, there is still no release date scheduled for the new record, which Halford calls "a massive endeavor." He did say, though, that the album should be out before the band starts its summer tour, and that begins June 3 in Finland.

As far as a setlist goes, Halford did give leak some details.

"There'll be a handful of songs that we always play for the fans, but there will be a lot of material that we've not played much before or put in our show for awhile," says Halford.

And where do things stand with Nostradamus?

"We're in the final mixing, and then we'll rush off to do masters," he says.

Watch for a podcast of my interview with Halford at www.goldminemag.com, and read Goldmine's metal issue, dated May 9, for a story on Halford.

Below are tour dates. For more information on what's happening with Priest or Halford's projects outside the band, check out judaspriest.com/ or visit www.RobHalford.com, www.HalfordMerchandise.com, www.HalfordMusic.com, or www.myspace.com/robhalford

JUNE 2008          
 3rd     ICEHALL, HELSINKI, FINLAND     
 5th     SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL/SOLVESBORG, SWEDEN     
 7th     TRONDHEIM ROCK FESTIVAL/TRONDHEIM, NORWAY     
 8th     BERGENSHALL, BERGEN, NORWAY     
 11th     ROCKHAL, LUXEMBOURG     
 13th     DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL, U.K.     
 15th     NOVA ROCK FESTIVAL/ VIENNA, AUSTRIA     
 16th     INCHEBA/BRATISLAVIA, SLOVAKIA     
 17th     CEZ ARENA, OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC     
 20th     KOBETASONIK FESTIVAL/BILBAO, SPAIN     
 22nd     TBA     
 23rd     PHILIPSHALLE, DUSSELDORF, GERMANY     
 24th     ZENITH, MUNICH, GERMANY      
 25th     NATIONAL SPORTZENTRUM,/HUTTWIL, SWITZERLAND     
 27th     GRASPOP METAL FESTIVAL, BELGIUM     
 28th     BANG YOUR HEAD FESTIVAL, STUTTGART, GERMANY     
 29th     GODS OF METAL FESTIVAL, BOLOGNA, ITALY     
 JULY 2008          
 1st     CASTLE FESTIVAL/BELGRADE, SERBIA     
 2nd     DOM SPORTOVA, ZAGREB, CROATIA     
 3rd     LIBEREC ARENA, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC     
 5th     ROSKILDE FESTIVAL, DENMARK     
 9th     ROCKWAVE FESTIVAL/ATHENS, GREECE     
 11th     B'ESTFest AFTERSHOCK/ROMANIA, BUCHAREST     
 13th     TURKCELL KURUCEME ARENA/ISTANBUL, TURKEY

The inevitable backlash against Vampire Weekend has begun in earnest, and once again, another indie-rock hopeful is trashed on message boards across the Internet after some good, initial word-of-mouth.

Want to see the "flaming" — and by that, I mean 'Internet flaming," get it? — wreckage? Go to obner.org and read the post called F**k VAMPIRE WEEKEND. It's a message board I generally read on occasion to get a good laugh and find out what people of my ilk are digging these days, now that I'm a little out of the indie-rock loop.

Anyway, if you're not hip to Vampire Weekend, they're a hot little Brooklyn-spawned, Afrobeat-indie rock combo that sounds a little like The Talking Heads doing island music. Not sure why some have taken such an intense dislike of the band. Perhaps it's the fey beachwear they wore on a Saturday Night Live performance a few weeks ago. Perhaps it's the tricky little melodies they chase and how their music lacks the balls of full-throated rock, or how the Caribbean rhythms that give Vampire Weekend's energetic, wistful pop soda an unexpected, citrus-flavored twist.

Whatever the case, I just find it so interesting how the indie community eats its young. An interesting new band comes along. Word spreads like wildfire across the Internet and then, after the world discovers them, out come the wolves. Okay, so maybe the hype with Vampire Weekend was a little over the top at first. And if you don't like them, fine. But man, this happens so often, you can predict exactly what's going to come to a band like Vampire Weekend before anybody gets a taste of what flavor of the month is to come.

I say, give 'em a break, enjoy what they do and give 'em some time to develop. Remember how record companies and fans actually used to do that?

Interested in what Vampire Weekend is all about? Go to www.vampireweekend.com, and give the album a listen. Then, tell me what you think. That's how this blog thing is supposed to work after all. And watch for a review in a future issue of Goldmine.

Autumn leavings
Switching gears, I wanted to talk about an album from the fall of 2007 that I loved at the time and wanted to review for Goldmine, but just didn't have the time. It's by indie stalwarts Pinback and it's called Autumn Of The Seraphs.

Love the dynamic, stop-on-a-dime-and-change-directions musicianship. Love the unexpectedly melodic turns Rob Crow and company take on "From Nothing To Nowhere" and "Barnes." Love the smart hooks, wistful (there's that word again) tones and interwoven vocals of "Good To Sea." And speaking of tone, the rich guitar lines and piano of "How We Breathe" are evidence of the really smart, tasteful production found here. And yeah, I know I'm going through the first four songs of the record, but I don't care. From top to bottom, you can't find a clunker.

The guitars of "Walters" are heavy and dramatic, as simple piano figures wind around your ears like ivy. The agile guitar gymnastics of "Devil You Know" flip and tumble about like a series of acrobats, each one executing his routine as perfectly as the one before him. The intricate vocal movements are similarly executed.

Hope it's not too late to put in a good word for Pinback and Autumn Of The Seraphs. Consistently interesting and compelling from start to finish, it's an album that won't go stale after a couple of listens. Log on to www.pinback.com to learn more.

All glammed-up with plenty of places to go, Goldfrapp's sexy, glitter-splattered, electro-dance cabaret is wonderfully salacious entertainment. Their burlesque stage show has a Weimer vibe, and the synth-driven music goes from James Bond-theme, widescreen drama to robotic, carnal pleasure principle to majestic, emotional floods in the span of a few songs.

Suffice it to say, I'm a fan, and that may not be very, ahem ... Goldmine of me, considering our classic-rock orientation, but Goldfrapp rules, okay?

Goldfrapp's fourth album, Seventh Tree, is another stunner, though quieter and more acoustic than past efforts. On the heels of its release, the duo of Allison Goldfrapp, she of the pristine, breathy voice, and Will Gregory will perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, an event I've never been to but need to see before I die. Goldfrapp's performance at the Indio, Calif., festival takes place April 25.
 
The band will then play the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco on April 26 and the Beacon Theatre in New York City on April 29. Please see complete show information below.
 
Goldfrapp Spring U.S. Tour Dates:
April 25 Coachella Festival (Empire Polo Grounds) - Indio, CA
April 26 Warfield Theatre - San Francisco, CA
April 29 Beacon Theatre - New York, NY

In other Goldfrapp news, the group will also appear on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” on April 22 and KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic” on April 23.
 
Seventh Tree is available now on Mute Records. The followup to the million-selling, Grammy-nominated Supernature debuted at #2 on the U.K. album charts. It was recorded deep in the English countryside and serves as a more organic sister to the glitter-rock throb of Supernature. Seventh Tree’s first single “A&E” is available now for download and purchase in stores.
 
For more on Goldfrapp, visit www.goldfrapp.co.uk, www.mute.com or  
www.myspace.com/goldfrapp.

Take it from Kiss memorabilia expert Jacques van Gool of Backstage Auctions: If you think you're going to someday collect anything and everything related to the "Hottest Band in the World" – that, of course, being Kiss — it's never going to happen, chief.

So, if you're just getting started in the Kiss collecting game, do what Jacques says and stick to what floats your boat.

"I think Kiss is too big to have it all, and I would almost say that if you are a starting collector, and this really is the most important thing, is to try to figure out early on in your collecting career what type of item you like and focus on that. If you're a vinyl person, then focus on that. If you're a poster person, then focus on that. If you're a paper person, then go after books and the magazines. Whatever your vice might be, try to figure that out and stick to that because trying to do it all, trying to have it all — and I'm an expert — it'll seriously drive you crazy, because there is simply too much to have it all, and I think you'll enjoy your collection a lot more."

In the April 11 issue of Goldmine, which features Kiss on the cover and a story about the band's earliest performances, van Gool provides a look at Kiss collectibles. We'll tell you what items are the holy grails for Kiss collectors, give you a rundown on what Kiss conventions to hit, and provide photos of Kiss items Backstage Auctions has sold over the years and a little bit of pricing information. So, watch out for that.

One thing you'll find out that might surprise you is that Kiss signatures don't fetch a whole lot of cash. But, you'll have to read Goldmine to see why.

For information on Kiss, visit www.kissonline.com/

Sparks are flying
For those L7 fans out there, my interview with co-founder Donita Sparks has been posted in the podcast room at www.goldminemag.com. She talks about her new solo album, Transmiticate, why L7 was not part of the "riot grrl" movement it was often linked with and her new music licensing experiment with Throwing Muses frontwoman Kristin Hersh.

When somebody tells Frank Cavanagh "hey man, nice shot" these days, he's probably firing rounds at an inanimate target. At least, hopefully, in the future, that's all he's going to be shooting at ... for his sake.

Now an Army officer, Sgt. Cavanagh used to play bass for the band Filter, which had a huge hit in the '90s with the dark electronic nihilism and raging industrial guitars of "Hey Man Nice Shot," off the album Short Bus. Recently, Cavanagh flew to Kuwait to perform "Hey Man Nice Shot" with his former band for the Operation MySpace concert on the evening of March 10 that was arranged for the troops.

The U.S. Army gave its blessing for the reunion, as Cavanagh is due to begin his tour of duty later this month. Whatever your feelings about the War in Iraq, this is kind of a touching story, the kind you don't get much in rock.

"I love the Army and I love Filter," Cavanagh said.  "To be able to join (Filter frontman) Richard (Patrick) and my former band for the first time in nearly six years is a huge honor. To perform this song with the band in Kuwait holds a truly special meaning for me, as I am able to share the musical part of my life with my brothers and sisters who are serving our country."
 
Patrick said, "It was an honor for us to perform for the troops in Kuwait at the Operation MySpace concert. Having my former bandmate and current enlisted Army Sergeant Frank Cavanagh on stage next to me made this a show that I will remember for the rest of my life."
 
Nowadays, Filter includes Patrick, vocals; Charles Lee (Loser), bass; Mika Fineo (Red Skeleton), drums; and Mitchell Marlow (He Is Legend), guitar. Filter performed Filter classics, plus tracks from Anthems For The Damned, a new Filter album due out May 13 on Pulse Recordings.

For more information on Filter and the Operation MySpace concert, visit www.officialfilter.com/, http://www.myspace.com/filter1  and http://myspace.com/operationmyspace.
 

Is a new golden age of British blues about to dawn? Is Davey Knowles the next Rory Gallagher? Is Brittany Spears ready for love?

The answer to those first two questions is ... well, a definite maybe, but if a young, hot-shit blues-rock trio out of the Isle Of Man called Back Door Slam has its way, that day is already here. As for Knowles, he appreciates the comparisons between he and Gallagher, but it's a little early for that, seeing as how he's only 20 years old.

"Well, it's so flattering, but it's strange isn't it to be compared to those people who defined the genre when really I'm just playing music that I enjoyed listening to and trying to do to the best of my abilities," says Knowles. Humbly, he continues, "But, it's never t going to touch what a John Mayall, or a Rory Gallagher or an Eric Clapton or a Jimi Hendrix has done."

Knowles may not be ready for deification as the next guitar god, but Back Door Slam is causing quite a stir in blues circles, and beyond. When Knowles and I chatted, Back Door Slam was in New York City wrapping up an appearance on the CBS Morning Show. The band is out promoting its debut CD, Roll Away, out now on the indie imprint Bix Street Records.

Flashes of Stevie Ray Vaughan can be found in the smoldering fires of "Come Home," the first single, and "Heavy On My Mind," but while there's certainly a contemporary feel to Roll Away, Back Door Slam — rounded out by bassist Adam Jones and drummer Ross Doyle — display a reverence and deep appreciation for not only the British blues-rock icons of the past, but also the American originators like Robert Johnson and others.

Expect bigger and better things from Knowles in the future, as the upstart guitar hero incorporates more English folk and American soul and R&B into the band's work.

To hear my interview with the fleet-fingered Knowles, also the band's main songwriter, go to www.goldmine.com and click on podcasts.

Nik Freitas

A sparkling new release that's caught my ear recently is Nik Freitas' Sun Down, a piece of warm, wistful Beatlesque pop – think 1967-69, not 64-65 — that envelopes your ears like a fuzzy blanket and puts you in a psychedelic reverie.

Due out April 6 on Team Love Records, echoes of Paul McCartney's light-hearted personality and Simon and Garfunkel's folky nostalgia can be heard in the title track, "It Ain't Like That" and the sly "See Me There," and the record is full of gentle hooks, breezy vocal harmonies, golden acoustic guitar and rich piano textures. A storyteller of no mean ability, as the protest tome "All The Way Down" and the cautionary tale "Sophie" attest, Freitas played every instrument on Sun Down, and the care that comes with that sort of ownership is felt in every note. A magnificent achievement.

To learn more about Mr. Freitas, visit www.nikfreitas.com or www.myspace.com/nikfreitas