The Great Rock News Report 05.06.09
Posted by Daniel Wilcox on 05.06.2009
No Doubt looking for inspiration, 30 Seconds to Mars settle label dispute, Slipknot man injured, Fall Out Boy cursed, album updates from Paramore, Friendly Fires, Clutch, Our Lady Peace, Mayday Parade, Daughtry, Evile, new Green Day tracks streaming, Radiohead nearly split, and more, all in the latest Great Rock News Report!
*
No Doubt officially returned to the stage over the past week, with a performance on The Today Show and a headlining gig at Bamboozle. Their tour really doesn't get underway until May 19, but the band is hoping that playing their hits every night will inspire some new material for their long-awaited follow-up to 2001's Rock Steady.
"These are all steps in the process of making the record," bassist Tony Kanal revealed. "That's what this tour is. And it's kind of cool, because it's nontraditional. Usually, you make a record, and you go on the road. And there's something sort of challenging and exciting about the fact that we're doing it a little bit differently this time around. And, of course, when we do something, we can't really do it small, so here we are doing 55 huge shows, but I think it's going to lead into us making a great record, and I really honestly believe that. Once we reconnect onstage and reconnect with all the people who have supported us, I think it's going to inspire us to make an amazing record."
"I think it's really super-rewarding to write music," Gwen Stefani added. "For me, personally, it's the magic of the whole thing. It's something you don't have control over. Every time that I've ever written a song, it's always a miracle. I go, 'Wait, how did I write that?' And I think that's the journey we're on right now, is to figure out how to do it again. And I do that every time, and I know that, but it's this whole writer's block, frustrating and tortured process. But the reward of that — especially if it's a hit, and you know it right away when you write it if it's going to be — there's kind of nothing like that, because you're creating something. It is like having a baby, in a way, because it's something that's there permanently, that you created and comes through you and... I think that's what we're all aiming towards."
No Doubt recently added a number of additional shows to their summer tour with Paramore opening, including more shows on their home turf in Irvine, CA. The trek runs until August 11 in Honolulu, HI. No Doubt will appear on American Idol tonight, the Fuse network on May 15, the Ellen DeGeneres Show on May 19 and Jimmy Kimmel Live on May 20.
*
In a bizarre about face, 30 Seconds To Mars have ended their long-running dispute with their record company, Virgin Records, and have re-signed to the label. Virgin's parent company, EMI, filed a $30 million lawsuit against the band last August for alleged breach of contract.
"If you think the fact that we have sold in excess of two million records and have never been paid a penny is pretty unbelievable," said frontman Jared Leto at the time. "The fact that EMI informed us that not only aren't they going to pay us AT ALL but that we are still 1.4 million dollars in debt to them is even crazier."
Eight months on, and 3STM and Virgin are now bosom buddies.
"We are thrilled to have set aside our differences and signed a new agreement with 30 Seconds to Mars," said EMI's president of A&R, Nick Gatfield in an official statement. "Our relationship has been extremely rewarding and successful, and we're eager to move forward and put our global team to work on the brilliant new album they are recording."
"It's great to finally move forward and focus on what's most important to us all - the music," added Leto. "We are excited about starting over with the many talented people at Virgin/EMI, and to sharing our new music with the fans in the very near future. We will never forget the unrelenting support from all our friends, family, and fans around the world."
The follow-up 2005's A Beautiful Lie, This Is War, will now be released later this year through Virgin.
In other 30 Seconds To Mars news, the band are rumoured to be working with hip-hop star Kayne West on their upcoming new album, This Is War.
In an interview with MTV News, Leto shed light on the collaboration…
''It's pretty unbelievable that it actually happened,'' said Leto. ''[Kanye] was here in the studio, and we did some initial kind of listening, and he did some singing, and we knew we needed to kind of follow up and finish things, so I went over to Hawaii with an engineer and a small crew, and we had a great time.''
West however described the collaboration in simpler terms via his blog: "I was working on this dope-ass song with Jared. Shit was dope."
Slipknot percussionist Shawn 'The Clown' Crahan has been forced to leave the band's current North American tour due to a family emergency.
Crahan was due to join the Iowa metallers on stage in Toronto, Canada this past Friday (May 1), however singer Corey Taylor apologised to fans for The Clown's absence saying that "a very terrible, terrible predicament [is] going on in his family".
No more news is available at this time, but it doesn't sound good, does it?
*
In a recent journal update, Paramore frontwoman and the Great Rock News Report's banner-girl Hayley Williams says she is so proud of Paramore's forthcoming new studio album and can't wait for fans to hear it.
"The past couple years were some of the first times in a while that I've felt the burn of other people's ignorance; a lack of patience and a quickness to judge," wrote Williams. "It forced me to "grow up" and realize what's real. Who's worth the pain and who's not."
"I'm most proud of these lyrics because they were the healer," she continued. "A couple of these songs and their lyrics acted like some kind of therapist, forcing our band to talk out the true issues we've dealt with, both as a band and personally. I owe a lot to these songs! Of course, I'm nervous about putting it all out there on the table. But what else is there to do!? I'm just as excited to hear people's thoughts.''
More recently, the band confirmed the completion of the album;
"Now that we've all left California the record is most definitely officially complete. Hope you guys will be happy with it. We are!"
*
Newly signed to Atlantic Records, Mayday Parade has begun recording their follow up to A Lesson In Romantics. The band is currently hard at work at The House of Loud Studios in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, with David Bendeth (Paramore, All Time Low) producing. Fans can keep track of the sessions via in-studio video blogs posted on the band's Myspace page.
*
Everyone's getting engaged this week! Meg White of the White Stripes has announced that she has gotten engaged to Jackson Smith, the son of punk icon Patti Smith and MC5's late guitarist Fred Smith. The two are set to get married on May 22 in Nashville.
Meanwhile, Trent Reznor has gotten engaged to Mariqueen Maandig of West Indian Girl. The following statement was posted on the West Indian Girl website next to a photo of Reznor and Mariqueen.
And Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst got engaged to long-time girlfriend Esther Nazarov. "Great news - I'm getting married to Esther in July," said Dusrst vai his Twitter page. "It's on!! Break out the bubbly! I've never known true love until now."
*
REM have announced that they will release a 25th anniversary edition of their second full-length album, Reckoning, this summer.
The deluxe edition of their landmark 1984 album is set to be reissued in the US on June 23. It has been remastered and contains liner notes written by author Tony Fletcher.
The two-CD deluxe edition will also contain a bonus disc featuring the previously unreleased concert the band recorded at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom on July 7, 1984. During this show, the band performed eight of 10 songs from Reckoning as well as classics such as 'Gardening At Night' and 'Radio Free Europe'.
Reckoning track list is as follows;
1. Harborcoat
2. 7 Chinese Brothers
3. So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)
4. Pretty Persuasion
5. Time After Time
6. Second Guessing
7. Letter Never Sent
8. Camera
9. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville
10. Little America
*
Metallica were already multi-platinum selling metal superstars before you saw them on MTV. In fact, the band managed to release a string of albums before producing their very first music video which they did for the song "One" off of 1988's"...And Justice For All. What made the clip unique, aside from being the band's debut video, was the use of clips from the film "Johnny Got His Gun" to fuse together the storyline. Now the band is happy to report that the film is finally being released on DVD and the release will include the band's famed video as a bonus.
Here is what they had to say on their website: "Over the years many of you have asked about the film footage used in the video for "One" and now that cult classic, Johnny Got His Gun, is available on DVD. Including bonus features and our video for "One," the movie tells the story of an American soldier wounded on the last day of World War I as he relives his life through strange dreams, memories, and conversations with Jesus."
The screenplay was written by Dalton Trumbo (he also wrote the book in the 1930's), who later went on to achieve fame for his work on Exodus and Spartacus in the '60's.
*
Alexi Laiho, guitarist and frontman for the award-winning Finnish metal band Children Of Bodom has sustained a serious injury while on the road as part of the "No Fear Energy Tour" alongside Lamb of God.
Laiho broke his shoulder when he was ejected from his bunk as a result of the band's tour bus taking an irregularly harsh sharp turn. Laiho and Children Of Bodom are touring North America in support of the band's critically acclaimed album, Blooddrunk.
Against recommendation, Laiho has decided to remain on tour and will "bite the bullet" to give metal fans the electric live performances they have come to love from the Finnish act. For the duration of the tour – set to run through May 15 - Alexi will be resigned to wearing the arm in a sling, restricting movement at all times when he is not on stage.
When asked for comment, the celebrated axe-slinger said, "Four nights ago I fell out of my bunk in the tour bus and came down pretty damn hard as the driver was taking a sharp turn. It turns out I have a broken shoulder as well as internal bleeding. I am going through a great deal of pain every second that I am awake. However, I can still play the guitar and I will give everything I have to try to finish this tour and play every remaining show! I would just like to apologize in advance for not being able to move around or sing with my full power at all times and I hope the COB fans understand. What can I say? I'm jinxed! End of story. See you out there."
*
Veteran Maryland rock quartet Clutch are putting the finishing touches on their ninth studio album, titled Strange Cousins From the West. Produced by Clutch and J. Robbins at Magpie Cage Studios in Baltimore, the effort is the first Clutch original to be released on the band's own Weathermaker Music, through RED Distribution. Label manager Jon Nardachone reports Strange Cousins... will be available both digitally and through retail on July 7th. He also reports the first single and video, "50,000 Unstoppable Watts" will be officially released prior to Memorial Day weekend.
Also of note is the Poppo's Blues Band cover song "Algo Ha Cambiado," which vocalist Neil Fallon sings in Spanish. Poppo was a legendary Argentinian hard rock singer/guitarist throughout the 70's and 80's. The title Strange Cousins From the West was taken from a line in the song "Minotaur." Although the band has toured the world extensively over the past 2 years, and released multiple Clutch oriented projects, Strange Cousins... is the band's first original studio work since March of 2007's From Beale Street to Oblivion.
*
A film adaptation of Mastodon's latest album, Crack the Skye, is well within the realm of possibility -- albeit not in production yet.
Drummer and lyricist Brann Dailor has revealed that the heavy rocking Atlanta quartet sat down with a film director, who he declined to name, and "wrote out a screenplay that reads from song to song. We didn't storyboard it, but we wrote a screenplay." Three different directors, he adds, have expressed interest in taking on the project.
"That'd be killer if it actually happens," Dailor says. "That's something that's cool about making concept records, that opportunity for more to be done, artistically. If you just had an album with a bunch of songs that didn't have anything to do with each other and there was no common thread, that aspect of the art wouldn't be there. But with Crack the Skye, we have that possibility."
Crack the Skye's seven songs, produced by Brendan O'Brien, weave together a conceptual story involving a quadriplegic, astral travel, Stephen Hawking's theories on wormholes and the philosophies of Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin. "I think it's definitely the closest we've come to a fully cohesive story from start to finish," Dailor says.
The primary challenge to turning it into a film, he says, will likely be financing.
"It all comes down to money," Dailor acknowledges. "We don't want to half-ass it; we want to make it real and...awesome. But we're in a time period where labels are doing significantly less, moneywise, or trying to cut back, and making movies isn't exactly cutting corners. It's hard for an A&R guy to go to whoever writes the checks and be like, 'Yeah, this band that sells 150,000 records wants to make a million-dollar movie...' But we're not ruling it out yet."
*
Intermission
This Week's Great Rock Recommendation…
Madina Lake - Attics to Eden
Attics to Eden is the sophomore album by the Chicago-based quartet Madina Lake, who achieved critical acclaim with their release of 2007's debut From Them, Through Us, To You.
The band sets its music in a fictional town from the 1950s isolated from the rest of the world that's been turned upside-down with the mysterious disappearance of their most famous socialite, Adalia. The music provides an outlet for the band's views on politics, culture, and the media's obsession with celebrity status. The theme behind the band's music is in relation to the mystery of Adalia. The album artwork shows images of her and the mysteries behind her and the town of Madina Lake. It's a concept from the mind of guitarist Matthew Leone that is set to span three albums (Attics to Eden being the second of those three) and includes a book as well as a website devoted to helping fans solve the case by uncovering "clues" hidden in the lyrics, album art, and videos.
When discussing the title, vocalist Nathan Leone commented, "The record's title is Attics to Eden because, lyrically, most of the tracks explore different ways to find psychological refuge in a world that is moving faster than ever."
The track listing for the effort is as follows;
1. Never Take Us Alive
2. Let's Get Outta Here
3. Legends
4. Criminals
5. Through the Pain
6. Never Walk Alone
7. Welcome to Oblivion
8. Silent Voices Kill
9. Statistics
10. Friends & Lovers
11. Lila, the Divine Game
*
American Idol alumnus Chris Daughtry and his band will come back to the Idol stage on the May 6 results show to debut "No Surprise," the first single from Daughtry's as-yet-untitled second album. The band is currently finishing up the disc, which is due to drop on July 14.
"American Idol fans have been so loyal to this band, we wanted to give them the first listen to our new single," Daughtry said a statement. The singer also revealed via Twitter that he co-wrote the tune "No Surprise" with Nickelback's Chad Kroeger.
*
Spinal Tap is celebrating their 25th anniversary with a new album, Back From The Dead, due on June 16. On Back From the Dead, Tap members David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls unearth new studio versions of the classic songs from the movie This is Spinal Tap, as well as six new additional songs. Fans also get an hour-long DVD featuring a track-by-track video commentary by the band.
Back From The Dead also features guest appearances by Def Leppard's Phil Collen, Keith Emerson, John Mayer and Steve Vai.
"This album title says it all. We're back from the dead. But we weren't dead. But we definitely are back," proclaimed Hubbins.
*
Fresh from wrapping up their latest UK tour, the members of Evile have entered the studio to record the yet-to-be-titled follow up album to their 2007 debut, Enter The Grave. Produced by Russ Russell (Napalm Death, Dimmu Borgir) and set for release later this year, Evile's new album promises to be a pure ass kicker according to guitarist, Ol Drake;
"Today is the day we start recording our second album with Mr Russ Russell. The non-stop writing and improving upon already written material has been constant and grueling, but I absolutely can't wait to get all this down and let everyone blast it out at 11."
*
Friendly Fires have outlined their plan to make a second album inspired by samba, calypso and Brazilian music.
The indie-dance combo have been regularly joined by a Brazilian-style band at their live shows and now they say they want the influence to dominate the follow-up to their 2008 self-titled debut.
"It's that samba, calypso vibe that's been pushed further," singer Ed MacFarlane said. "It's a progression from (single) 'Jump In The Pool'. It's really Brazilian. There's no 4/4 drum beats, it's all traditional samba rhythms."
Speaking specifically of the samba influence, he added: "It's something that we've been experimenting with and we really like. It's something a bit different from just doing more traditional disco-inspired music."
*
Radiohead's manager Brian Message says he advised the band to split during the recording of last album In Rainbows. Speaking at the Music Managers Forum in Dublin, Message explained that the Oxford band initially found it difficult to get started on the 2007 album.
"Radiohead are a once-in-a-generation act," he explained. "But you have to be honest if it's not working." Message added that although the band were tired, they chose to ignore his advice. The manager also revealed that it was not the band who came up with the idea of releasing 'In Rainbows' with a pay-what-you-like scheme, reports The Guardian.
"Two of my partners in the management company came up with the idea of pay-what-you-like," he explained. "Both the band and us were really excited about doing something brave and a bit wacky...we realised that by using the internet for the delivery of the album, we could reach 173 countries and it would cost us less than three cents a copy for distribution."
Speaking about music and the internet in general, Message said he believes Radiohead are "out of step" with the record industry on the major issues, adding that he thinks file-sharing should not be illegal. "We believe file-sharing by peer-to-peer should be legalised," he explained. "The sharing of music where it is not for profit is a great thing for culture and music."
*
Speaking of file-sharing, let's talk politics. A new poll has suggested that the Pirate Party, a Swedish political party who back file-sharing, could be in with a shout of winning a seat in the European Parliament in June. The survey conducted by Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter found that just over five per cent of the 1,500 people questioned said they would support the party. With four per cent the minimum voting percentage for a European Parliament seat, the results suggest that the party winning one is not out of the question.
The Pirate Party was formed in 2006 with the political aim of legalising non-commercial file-sharing of music and films. The results come shortly after four men involved with the setting-up and running of The Pirate Bay file-sharing website were given jail sentences in Stockholm for copyright infringement.
*
Snow Patrol singer Gary Lightbody has revealed that he is working on two solo side projects.
The frontman said he has been recording an abstract record entitled Listen Tank with producer Jacknife Lee and a country LP called Tired Pony.
"A lot of the stuff I've been writing recently is just so leftfield that it just wouldn't fit on a Snow Patrol record," he said. "So I've had to invent other ways of getting it out there." Lightbody said he has been working with Jacknife Lee in the studio on Listen Tank whenever he has had a moment off from his day job. Lee produced Snow Patrol's last three albums. "We've just been recording and playing instruments on it together," he explained.
"I call it Russian submarine music. I don't know why, there's just lots of voices on it with me using my vocals as an instrument rather than a guitar. It sounds like some underwater choir."
The singer also said he has written a bunch of songs for his country effort which he is hoping to record in the near future. "I've loved country for a long time," he enthused. "I always thought I had a country album in me and it turns out I did. "I don't know whether people will dig it or not. It's just something I wanted to get out of my system."
*
Green Day is currently streaming new tracks on the band's official Web site that recently premiered on KROQ. The tracks will be featured on the band's forthcoming release 21st Century Breakdown.
Canadian rockers Our Lady Peace return with Burn Burn on July 21, the band's first album since 2005. The album was self-produced by the band at frontman Raine Maida's home studio in Los Angeles and will be released in the U.S. via WMG's Independent Label Group.
Maida says, "We've come full circle and the music is just stripped down, full of raw energy. It feels like a proper rock record again."
OLP will tour North America this summer. The first single from Burn Burn, "All You Did Was Save My Life," will officially impact at radio on July 9 and will be available via iTunes the same day. The band recently shot a video for the tune, starring 90210 actress and fellow Canuck Shenae Grimes.
The track list for the record is as follows;
1. All You Did Was Save My Life
2. Dreamland
3. Monkey Brians
4. Never Get Over You
5. Escape Artisit
6. Refuge
7. The Right Stuff
8. Paper Moon
9. Signs of Life
10. White Flags
*
Rockers Fall Out Boy have called in a witch doctor - to banish a curse blighting their current U.S. tour. The "Dance, Dance" hitmakers have suffered a run of bad luck on their current road trip, including several injuries to crew members, technical glitches, and a bout of severe food poisoning. They eventually became convinced the tour is jinxed - so have called in the help of a medicine man to kill off the curse. And they are even taking matters into their own hands, making "reverse voodoo dolls" in a bid to turn their luck around.
Bass player Pete Wentz revealed, "It's actually been a little bit cursed. We've had two trips to the hospital and we've had a show that was cancelled due to lightning. There was a food poisoning that ran rampant through one bus, and then someone broke their ankle, or did something to their ankle.
"So we have a shaman coming in to bless the tour today, and we're making the opposite of voodoo dolls, whatever that is. There's a bit of a hex on this tour, but the show's nuts. We're doing anti-rain dances. We're going to make it happen. We need this show blessed."
