antiMUSIC's Day In Rock 08/15: Against Me Cafe Brawl- Van Halen Snub Anthony- Bong for The Streets- Mellencamp- Idol Musical Flops- more

Click Here To Bookmark DayInRock.com - Make The DayInRock.com Your Homepage - RSS feed
..

Today's Headlines

Full Report for 08/15/06

Add the Day in Rock to your site, blog or Myspace page!

antiMusic reports: This week we celebrate the DIY spirit of Brad Skistimas, better known as Five Times August, who not only turned down major label deals to stay indie but does everything on his own resulting in over 100,000 in sales at online digital stores like iTunes, placed nine songs from his album on television shows like MTV's "Laguna Beach," the CW's "One Tree Hill," etc. And he has become the very first unsigned artist to have a CD carried by retail giant Wal-Mart. This week we asked Brad to pick five of favorite songs from the "Independent" album and tell us a little bit about them.

Here is Brad to tell us about "Do It Again": I'm a very bitter person at the end of a relationship. I get those "I hate you" feelings that I don't really mean, but simply put... no matter how any of my relationships end, I'd still do it again. I think most people would.
Even though we tend to say things we don't mean and manipulate the image of "greatness" we just had of that person into some kind of cold bitterness, in the back of our heads we're thinking "Man, that was great. I'm going to miss that."

Have a listen for yourself and if you like what you hear, support true Indie music by picking up the Five Times August CD or buying the download!- check it out here

More on Five Times August - Five Times August CDs - - Comments

Against Me Cafe Brawl

antiMusic reports: It started out as such a nice a gentle punk rock evening. The lead singer of Against Me! and his girlfriend had stopped at a cafe for a spot of tea and ended with the singer smashing another patron's head against a counter. And it was all over a little extra commentary applied to an article about his band.

Tom Gabel had just ordered his tea and walked into the rest room when all hell broke loose according to tallahassee.com. Seems Gabel found an article about his band pinned to the wall. Instead of saying for a good time call, someone had defaced the article with obscenities, which angered him greatly. So he tore down the article and tossed it into the emo basket (trashcan). Another patron asked Gabel why he had torn down the fine altered article and according to the victim's friend a shouting match ensued between the singer and the victim before escalating into violence.

Gabel reportedly then knocked the cup out of the hand of his questioner, Jared Smith. Smith told the police that Gabel proceeded to grab him by the neck and forced his head into the wooden counter before a man entered the cafe, headbutted Gabel and put him into a headlock. The mysterious crime fighter exited before the police showed up.- more on this story

More on Against Me - Against Me CDs - - Comments

Van Halen Snub Anthony

antiMusic reports: antiMusic contributor Anthony Kuzminski had a rather disturbing entry in his blog today about the Van Halen reunion. He was over at the Van Halen site and noticed that Michael Anthony was removed from the cover artwork on previous albums. While not as bad as Sharon Osbourne removing the original rhythm tracks from Ozzy's classic albums over royalty disputes, this is pretty disturbing.

Here is a bit of Tony's blog: I was actually OK with Van Halen going out on the road without bassist Michael Anthony. I think Mike and Sammy are better off without them...for at least the time being. But after seeing what is on the Van Halen website today, I'm pretty shocked and disappointed in the Van Halen brothers. If you want to see what I'm ranting and raving about [go to their site and] check the left column and look at the album covers for Van Halen and Women and Children First.

Had a chance to look? OK, if you have you can now see that they have removed Michael Anthony from all album covers and on the original Van Halen album they have replaced him with Wolfie. It's one thing to disagree with someone and go your own separate ways, but it's another to alter history.
- read more

More on Van Halen - Van Halen CDs - - Comments

Bong for The Streets

antiMusic reports: The Streets a.k.a. Mike Skinner is in dire need of a new bong and is asking fans to get creative and make one for him. The winner will be able to test the device out on stage with Skinner at the Get Loaded in the Park festival.

The announcement and details were posted on Skinner's blog and read as follows: As you know, The Streets are headlining this year's Get Loaded In The Park at Clapham Common on Sunday August 26th (the day before the Summer Bank Holiday). Mike has decided to invite one of you to go on stage with him for the finale of the show. All you need to do is design a home-made bong, which you'll then smoke live on stage during 'Irony Of It All'.- details on how to enter

More on The Streets - The Streets CDs - - Comments

Ozzy Surprise Times Square Gig

antiMusic reports: Ozzy Osbourne performed a surprise gig above the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square Monday night to cap off the Maddenoliday 2008 celebration for the release of Madden 08. (a game named after the annoying football announcer)

Fans of the game were on hand to be the first in line to buy the new video game and Ozzy came out to provide some entertainment with a three song set. Syndicate Blog had a humorous recap of the set:

The Ozzman led off with 'I Don't Wanna Stop', which is featured in the Madden game. After some typical Ozzy-isms ("I can't f**kin hear you New York!)", he went into 'Crazy Train', which everyone in attendance knew except for a confused journalist next to us (Him: "What's this called?" Us: "It's called 'Crazy Train'". Him: "'Crazy Brains'?"). The set finished with Black Rain's opener, 'Not Going Away'.- video of the performance

More on Ozzy Osbourne - Ozzy Osbourne CDs - - Comments

Kayne, Pharrell and Lupe Form Hip-Hop Supagroup

antiMusic reports: It looks like CRS (Child Rebel Soldiers) will be more than a one off for Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Lupe Fiasco as the supa group plan to record a full album following the results of their collaboration on Kanye's mix-tape.

Fiasco spoke with Billboard.com and told them that plans are in place to move forward with a full album by the trio. "Now our labels are working it out. Whoever is going to pay is going to pay a whole hell of a lot," he said.- more on this story

More on Kanye West - Kanye West CDs - - Comments

Wu-Tang Beatles

DiR reports: We all know rappers have a hard time doing anything original and a lot resort to "sampling" good songs, even classics, and putting their nonsense over it. Wu-Tang Clan are planning such a crime against a Beatles classic on their new album that may have George Harrison gently spinning in his grave.

Contact Music has the story: Rap supergroup the WU-TANG CLAN are giving the BEATLES an urban twist by reworking the Fab Four's WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS with GEORGE HARRISON's son for a new album. Group member RZA has revealed the eight-piece's fifth album, 8 Diagrams, will feature the track Gently Weeps, which heavily samples the Beatles classic.

And, to give the new version the stamp of approval, the Wu-Tang Clan asked Dhani Harrison to join them in the studio. Red Hot Chili Peppers star John Frusciante also joins the group on the track.- more on this story

More on Beatles - Beatles CDs - - Comments

Mellencamp Recruits T Bone for New CD

PR reports: John Mellencamp, who spent the better part of the past year writing a slew of new songs, has just started recording his 22nd career album. Sessions began this week at Belmont Mall, Mellencamp's studio outside Bloomington, Indiana with T Bone Burnett producing.

As has been his custom throughout this 32-year long career, backing musicians on the album (as yet untitled) are drawn from Mellencamp's touring band including Mike Wanchic (guitars), Andy York (guitars), John Gunnell (bass) Dane Clark (drums), Miriam Sturm (violin) and Troye Kinnett (keyboards, accordion).- more on this story

More on John Mellencamp - John Mellencamp CDs - - Comments

Idol Musical Flops

antiMusic reports: They are turning everything into musical these days and some bad ideas are best left undone. Such was the case for Idol: The Musical, a satirical look at American Idol and the nutty fans of the karaoke singers. Idol: The Musical lasted but one day off Broadway before getting voted off by lack of interest.

Contact Music reports: Idol: The Musical closed one day after it opened "due to a lack of advance ticket sales, a lack of positive feedback from audience members and critics and a lack of sustainable financial resources," producer Todd Ellis said in a statement.

The musical, which satirized the TV show and its fans, had begun preview performances on July 5 with a cast that was unceremoniously dumped a few weeks later and replaced without explanation.
- Contact Music Story

More on Clay Aiken - Clay Aiken CDs - - Comments

Rock With Ron Jeremy

antiMusic reports: The biggest star in porn (literally and figuratively) Ron Jeremy will be hosting a night of mayhem at a Vegas hot spot on August 27th. Ron Jeremy will be joined with other adult stars to host the event including Randy West, Sunny Lane, Sara Jay and Caroline Pierce.

Ron Jeremy's Erotic Ball will take place at The Canyon Club inside the Four Queens Hotel and Casino on Freemont St. in Las Vegas. What does this have to do with music? According to BW&BK the ball will include a live set from The Sin City All Stars featuring Phil Lewis (L.A. Guns), Jizzy Pearl (Love/Hate, Ratt) and Brent Muscat (The Underground Rebels, Faster Pussycat).- more

More on L.A. Guns - L.A. Guns CDs - - Comments

John Lennon Now Digital

PR reports: Apple today announced the debut of the John Lennon solo catalog on the iTunes Store . Sixteen of Lennon's solo works from EMI Music are available for the first time on iTunes starting today, with the "Lennon Legend" and "Acoustic" collections making their worldwide digital debuts.

For a limited period of 30 days, exclusive video content will be included with the albums "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band," "Sometime in New York City," "Walls and Bridges," "Milk and Honey" and the collections "Anthology" and "Working Class Hero."

"John Lennon is one of the greatest artists of our time," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We're thrilled to have his solo catalog available on the iTunes Store for the first time."- DRM free info!

More on John Lennon - John Lennon CDs - - Comments

The Echo Project Expands

PR reports: The Echo Project confirmed the second round of performers slated for the inaugural three-day eco-responsible music and arts festival in Atlanta, Georgia this October 12-14, 2007. The most recent additions to the 60+ performer lineup at the multi-stage camping festival include: The Flaming Lips; Thievery Corporation with their full live band; Les Claypool; The Bravery; Clap Your Hands Say Yeah; Secret Machines; MSTRKRFT; JJ Grey & Mofro; Son Volt; The Egg; The Album Leaf; Man Man; Tea Leaf Green; The Benevento - Russo Duo; Lazaro Casanova; and Telepath.

The Echo Project will be held on 350-acres of scenic Chattahoochee river front property on a privately owned 1250-acre farm just south of metropolitan Atlanta and has a mission to revolutionize how music and arts events affect our environment through eco-friendly event production by ways of carbon emissions, power consumption and creation, alternative energy sources, and waste management and recycling initiatives. Along with Sustainable Waves and Rivers Alive, The Echo Festival is also launching a major Chattahoochee river clean up prior to the festival. - current line up info is here

More on Flaming Lips - Flaming Lips CDs - - Comments

Cradle To Grave To Get Heavy Devy Mix

PR reports: Cradle To Grave, featuring ex-Aggression guitarist Denis "Sasquatch" Barthe, have announced that they have enlisted Devin Townsend (Lamb of God, Darkest Hour, Gwar) to mix and master their upcoming new album "Texas Medicine". The new LP will be released on Year of the Sun Records.

"We got introduced to Devin through a mutual friend which is kind of ironic since I know Gene Hoglan way back from the Dark Angel days but never had the chance to meet Devin via the drum god," says Barthe. "We're almost done all the vocals and guitar solos which will be followed by our favorite mad scientist mixing up the insanity."

Cradle To Grave has also recently announced the return of ex-Karrion &
Assault drummer Matt Fowler to their ranks. The band has four tracks
from their debut album uploaded
- here

More on Cradle To Grave - Cradle To Grave CDs - - Comments

Wait there is more!

Click here for the second half of Today's Day in Rock Report
(To save on download time, longer reports will now be spread over two pages)