All You Cannot Live Without 03.06.06: Not An Oscar Nominee
Posted by Ben Czajkowski on 03.06.2006
Official Tool album title. This time, I (maybe) swear it’s true. Guns ‘N Roses’ Chinese Democracy: a TRIPLE disc set?? Pearl Jam self-titled release date. Insane Clown Not-Posse’s “Fuck the Fuck Off” tour. New Pink Floyd music. Listeners’ Lounge: Rock Singles Suck (Staind, Rob Zombie, Godsmack). And a war brewing between Crossbreed and Nothingface.
Prelude to the Media.
Hip hop made it to the Academy Awards. Holy fucking shit. I have lost faith in everything. What a fucking joke. That track is crap. And you fucking know it. To steal Jon Stewart's joke, which is actually true: 3-6 Mafia 1 Oscar, Martin Scorsese 0 Oscars. Boo.
So, last night was the Oscars, and I'm sure you didn't watch because you had much better things to do with your time. Apparently, I didn't because I sat through all of it. I haven't seen any of the nominees for any of the categories (except Constant Gardner), but I am addicted to Jon Stewart. He's such a hot Jew. And Jennifer Gardiner just slipped. I laughed. I'm such a bad person.
I scored better on guessing who was going to win Oscars better than I did for Grammy's. I guess I'm a bad music columnist. NOT! I won a gift bag for selecting Philip Seymour Hoffman as best actor for Capote.
Anyway, it's been a very eventful week. There could be some life-changing choices in the near future for me to make, and if and when I do, you all will be the first to know. Because I love you more than I love my mother. She's scary. I don't like telling her my life-altering bits of news because she tells me that I'm wasting my life.
Actually, my mother is the biggest supporter of me. Other than this wonderful bra from Victoria Secrets. These new bras without underwire are fantastic! Check them out.
My Sweet Little Bitches
Brandon Ratliff is the writer for the second installment of 411's new segment of what we call music.
Jared McGuckin has this week's Saturated in Sound and why he thinks rock stars die early. Here's a hint: crack cocaine.
411 Music Roundtable looks at the staff's views on February's chalked-full of music news. And by music news, I mean Guns N Roses.
Brandon Ratliff has an exclusively awesome interview with Hinder.
Brandon Ratliff also has his new column about Bands That Need Fans. And guess who it features: Hinder!
Tollah has the other-other rock music news. Just because he has a cool slogan like "Taco, please" doesn't make it better than my edgier, more in-your-face music news column. I will defend it to the death.
And Rhett is still MIA. O' Rhett, where art thou?
It's All Too Much to Look Up Yourself, So I've Done the Work for You **Bold denotes a new listing/updated release date**
Trivium – Ascendancy (Re-release) (CD/DVD) (out now)
Hawthorne Heights – If Only You Were Lonely (out now)
Kid Rock – Live Trucker (out now)
Liv Kristine – Enter My Religion (out now)
Mogwai - Mr. Beast (out this week)
Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders - Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders (out this week)
Mindless Self Indulgence – Straight to Video: The Remixes (out this week)
Katatonia – The Great Cold Distance (3/13)
Type O Negative – Symphony For the Devil (DVD) (3/14 US, 3/20 Europe)
Run-DMC – Checks, Thugs and Rock'n'Roll (3/14) Black Sabbath - Greatest Hits 1970-1978 (3/14)
Faktion – Faktion (3/21)
Hurt - Vol. 1 (3/21)
My Chemical Romance - Life on the Murder Scene (3/21)
Norma Jean – O' God the Aftermath (Re-release) (3/21)
From First to Last – Heroine (3/21)
Live - Songs from Black Mountain (3/21)
Boysetsfire – The Misery Index; Notes from the Plague Years (3/21)
Megadeth – Arsenal of Megadeth (3/21)
Soil – True Self (3/27 Europe)
Atreyu – A Deathgrip on Yesterday (3/28)
Rob Zombie - Educated Horses (3/28)
Queensryche – Operation: Mindcrime II (3/31 Europe, 4/4 US)
Lacuna Coil – Karmacode (3/31 Europe, 4/3 UK, 4/4 US)
Goo Goo Dolls - Let Love In (4/4)
Blue October – Foiled (4/4) Nine Inch Nails: Halo 21: Every Day Is Exactly the Same (4/4)
NearLY – Reminder (4/11)
MTV Headbangers Ball – The Revenge (4/11)
Eagles of Death Metal – Death By Sexy (4/11)
Silent Civilian - Rebirth of the Temple (4/18)
Jane's Addiction - The Best of Jane's Addiction (4/18)
Hoobastank – Every Man For Himself (4/18)
The Dresden Dolls – Yes, Virginia (4/18)
Godsmack – IV (4/25) Tool – 10,000 Days (5/2?)
Soil – True Self (5/2 US) Pearl Jam – Pearl Jam (5/2) Thursday - A City By The Light Divided (5/2) Rebel Meets Rebel – Rebel Meets Rebel (5/2)
DimeVision – Vol. 1: That's the Fun I Have (Dimebag Tribute DVD) (5/2)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium (5/8 UK, 5/9 US)
Loser – Just Like You (5/9)
Mushroomhead – Untitled, So Far (6/6)
Zao – The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here (6/13) 36 Crazyfists - Rest Inside The Flames (6/13)
Seemless – Untitled, So Far (6/27) Eighteen Visions – Eighteen Visions (6/27) Walls Of Jericho – Untitled, So Far (6/27)
The Low Down on the Underground
Three Days Grace have titled their new album One X. They will begin touring this April on the Jagermeister tour with Staind and Hurt.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has officially certified Disturbed's latest album, Ten Thousand Fists, which was released last September, as a platinum record, meaning that one million units have officially been sold in the U.S. According to IGN.com, Spawn comic and movie creator Todd McFarlane revealed at the inaugural New York Comic-Con this past weekend that he has been tapped to direct the next video for Disturbed. Details have not yet been released on which single on the album will get "the McFarlane touch."
Dead Poetic's new album, Vices, will be a closer look into their lives and who they really are, as a band and individually. They write, "It's our chance to show ourselves in our most honest form, in hopes that you "get it" once you've taken the time to understand who we are. For once we truly get to be brutally honest, and for once we make the rock n roll record we have been dying to make." Look for that to drop in early summer, maybe.
The new Black Sabbath album, entitled Greatest Hits 1970-1978, is due on March 14 from Rhino. The CD was executive produced by Sharon Osbourne and contains 16 hits from the original Black Sabbath, with over 80 minutes of remastered music. Liner notes were written metal journalist Don "Fang" Kaye.
Greatest Hits 1970-1978 track listing:
01. Black Sabbath
02. N.I.B.
03. The Wizard
04. War Pigs
05. Paranoid
06. Iron Man
07. Sweet Leaf
08. Children Of The Grave
09. Changes
10. Snowblind
11. Supernaut
12. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
13. Hole In The Sky
14. Rock 'N' Roll Doctor
15. Never Say Die
16. Dirty Women
Black Sabbath will finally be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this month. The 21st annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on March 13 in New York at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Artists are eligible to be inducted into the Rock Hall after at least 25 years have passed since their first record was released.
After ten years and four albums, Cold has finally decided to fold. Kind of. On the band's official message board, frontman Scooter Ward wrote about the practical failure of A Different Kind of Pain, their record label, the radio, and how the music industry is jaded and fake. He says, "Since we've gotten off tour in December, we haven't even talked to the label. Hell, I wouldn't even know who to call. But instead of having someone tell us that it's over, we choose to tell them instead. We bled on those tracks and the label just didn't see what they had. The industry today is too jaded and fake….Some might say we gave up because of the money. For some reason, people think we're rich rock stars who live in mansions and all that, but that is far away from the truth. We made enough to survive and we have no regrets." There is GOOD news for all you Cold fans: Scooter and Sam McCandless are starting a new project. "I know that some of you need our music like we do too. And I'll never quit writing songs for y'all. Sam and I are going to start a new project. If God allows us to do this (which I have confidence that he will), you will hear songs again from us some day." Apparently God stopped liking Cold, though. If that new group ever hits the surface, I'll pass along the information.
Walls Of Jericho have chosen producer Ben Schiegel (Chimaira, Ringworm) to record their new album which will see a June 27th release date through Trustkill records. In other news, the band will also soon be tracking a cover of Sick Of It All's "Us Vs. Them" for inclusion on an upcoming 20th anniversary compilation being put together by Sick Of It All. The latter band is hand-picking groups to cover their material for the effort. Furthermore, Walls of Jericho have stated that they have some "huge summer touring" planned.
Are you a Soil fan? If you are, and you haven't already heard, they've posted a 60+ minute, uncensored interview with guitarist Shaun Glass, conducted with "Metalheads Worldwide". The interview previews two new tracks off the band's forthcoming DRT Entertainment debut True Self, out this spring. You can snag an MP3 of the interview at this location. I've heard the album. Sounds pretty solid. Fans should be happy with it.
Stone Sour is doing their best to keep us updated as their recording process continues. Couple weeks ago, they finished with the drums with replacement drummer Roy Mayorga. Most recently, the band has finished 8 out of 17 rhythm guitar tracks, including for one called "Your God.". But, you ask, is there supposed to be 18? Maybe we're going to get another track like "Omega." Corey Taylor (also of Slipknot) begins vocalizing for this disc very, very soon. Looks like the album will come out midsummer and the touring will start in May/June. The I'll keep you posted as it all comes together.
All you Nine Inch Nails (or Trent Reznor) fans are going to be ecstatic. On April 4, 2006, the band is releasing Halo 21: Every Day Is Exactly the Same. The EP includes the number one single " Every Day Is Exactly the Same " and five remixes of songs from With Teeth.
Here is the track listing:
01. Every Day Is Exactly the Same
02. The Hand that Feeds dfa mix
03. The Hand that Feeds straight mix by photek
04. Only el-p mix
05. Only richard x mix
06. Every Day Is Exactly the Same sam fog vs carlos d of interpol mix
We also might see new material later this year from the band. Reznor has gone on record saying that we should see new stuff sooner rather than five years down the road. Tool should take a note from NIN.
Since I mentioned Tool, I might as well say that I finally found new information about the album. Rumors circulated the internet with titles set to Elephtheria or Aldaraia. The band, however, has decided on a less cryptic title as opposed to Anemia, Opiate, Salival or Lateralus. It shall be called 10,000 Days, which, coincidently, has been the exactly number of days since Lateralus was released. They've confirmed that they're doing a shitload of dates in Europe. Still, only a few dates are official in the US. What's funny is that the post that was made on the band's official website was subsequently removed. I wouldn't be too surprised if you hear more about this later.
After headlining the Sounds of the Underground 2005 tour, Lamb of God has bunkered down to begin the writing process on the follow-up to the bands 2004's release Ashes of the Wake. The band has tapped friend and producer of Ashes of the WakeMachine to handle the production duties for the upcoming effort. Pre-production is scheduled to begin on March 13. The release is tentatively expected to be released though the band's label Epic Records in late August of 2006. The band has also confirmed touring plans both before and after the release. These will be announced shortly.
I'm just about sick of this piece of news, but I'm doing this for you Modzelewski! There are rumors circulating around the net that the long-delayed Guns N' RosesChinese Democracy will be a triple CD release. Axl Rose, GNR's frontman, reportedly told Jayme Peyton (Big Damn Band) at an after show party at the Roxy that it would be. Rose attended the Derek Truck show at the Roxy on Feb 23rd, in which the Indiana-based Big Damn Band opened. "(Rose) heard us say that it was my birthday, and he came over and bought me a couple of shots of Patron (tequila)," Jayme said according to a Indy Star Blog report. "I thought that was real nice." But Rose also had another gift for Jayme. "Jayme says the party eventually moved to Trucks' tour bus, where Rose produced a CD and previewed some of 'Chinese Democracy' -- which the singer said will be sold as a 3-disc collection," reports David Lindquist on his blog.
In other related news to GNR, their Greatest Hits collection, which was originally issued in March of 2004, sold more than 15,000 copies in the United States last week alone (week ending Feb. 26), bringing the total number of copies sold since its release to 2.79 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album presently stands as the only currently charting release that has spent more than 100 weeks on the Billboard Top 100 album chart.
Velvet Revolver are embracing a new direction on their forthcoming second album, and hope fans will be able to "dance" to it. And when I hear this, I cannot help but think "Justin Timberlake." Drummer Matt Sorum says, "Our first album was very aggressive and just in-your-face and we made it very quickly. This album, we just really want to pull it back a bit, groove a little harder, make it a little more danceable. "While Scott Weiland has said he wants to make a concept album for their second release, bassist Duff McKagan was hesitant to confirm it, according to MTV.com. "I think a lot's been said, but when it comes down to it we have to make the best record all of us collectively, and separately, ever made," he said. "Now we know who each other are and who we are as a band. The first record was really just us coming together and being straight in the studio, but now it's gonna be deeper and bigger and all that. Concept record? I don't know, but it's gonna be killer." Well, whatever it is, it's probably going to be god-awful. The follow-up to the band's Contraband, which has a working title of Libertad is scheduled for release later this year, and will be a more relaxed affair if all goes well during its recording.
King Diamond will be lending his inimitable voice to acclaimed director Kevin Smith's next movie, The Passion of the Clerks, which is a sequel to the 1994 independent classic Clerks, and is due to arrive in theaters later this year. The movie is set 10 years later, but Dante and Randall are still spending time together, sitting around work, not working. "Welcome Home," from 1988's gothic album Them is the song in question - no word yet on whether Jay and Silent Bob will launch into fits of air guitar or burst into a joint chorus of "GRANDMAAAAAA!"
Lost Prophets are at the final stages of mixing now. The record will be officially finished this week. It's taken about a year to write, so hopefully they have something half-decent. (I still can't get over the fact that they covered "Cry Me a River.") The band writes, "Seems like a long time, but then again it doesn't. From the crazy house parties in our Woking mansion, to the scene parties in LA, to the beach parties in Hawaii, to the crack parties in Vancougar, it's all been fun. I guess the weirdest thing now is letting everyone else hear it because I'm sure there will be a lot of people who are surprised. I'm sure we will lose some fans and hopefully gain others. It's hard to say. To me the record sounds like a natural progression, yeah there are still aggressive songs on there but its not heavy per say, and considering where we have come from I'm sure there will be people upset with that. Its hard to say." I'm starting to think they might sound like Avenged Sevenfold. As a side note, the continue to write, "I think the bottom line is that I give our fans a lot of credit and a lot of respect when it comes to their open mindedness, so we will have to wait and see. I guess it's a tougher record, way more attitude…When i say this album isn't as heavy, I don't mean its not as aggressive, cause trust me it is. It will blade you. I would go as far as to say that this new record has the most attitude we have ever put out on CD…Bottom line is that we fucking love it." This record will cut you so bad that you wish it didn't cut you so bad.
Fuel is looking for a lead singer because, apparently, they cannot afford an ad in the Pennysaver. And if you're interested in joining the now defunct rock band, you can lend your eyes to this site in hopes of lending your vocal expertise. They have the record written and ready to go. Just need the right guy…Maybe they can get Chris Daughtry from American Idol to sing for them, since he covered "Hemorrhage".
Starting in late March, Shaggy 2 Dope of the Insane Clown Posse will embark on his first ever nationwide solo tour. Dubbed the Fuck the Fuck Off tour, Shaggy will be joined by label mates Blaze Ya Dead Homie and the Axe Murder Boys, as well as the Subnoize Souljaz. The tour is set to run from the end of March until the beginning of May. And I just cannot stop laughing my ass off at this one. It's going to suck. Badly.
As I reported recently, Pearl Jam's new album will be released on 5/2, with its first single being "World Wide Suicide." That'll hit radio on March 8, 2006. Good to see that the band can rhyme their titles. "It's been a difficult record and it's like sometimes the harder something is, then the more valuable it becomes," Eddie Vedder said last November. "It's easily the best stuff we've done but also some of the hardest stuff. It's very aggressive, because again, it's kind of a product of what it's like to be an American these days. It's pretty aggressive, especially when you turn it loud." The album will be self-titled.
Anyone else catch the video for System of a Down's "Lonely Day?" If you didn't, you didn't miss a fucking thing. The worst track on a terrible CD made a fucking horrible video. The video is just random clips played in slow motion. It's retarded. Yeah, I know, everyone loved Mesmerized and Hypnotize. Boo hoo. Bite me. You can watch the video at the band's official website. The band is expected to make a big announcement today (Monday 3/6) that they will be playing at this year's Ozzfest, as rumors have stated.
Sources close to Metallica have told said that the band will not play any U.S. shows this summer. Sources say that the band will enter the studio in July with producer Rick Rubin (System of a Down, Slipknot, Audioslave) to begin recording their ninth album. Ninth album? Jesus…
My last piece of news for the week is about Pink Floyd. David Gilmour, of the band, is set to release his third solo, studio album. Called On An Island, this is his first album since Pink Floyd released multi-platinum-selling The Division Bell. The album is being described as "a special experience that not only bears comparison with the best of Pink Floyd, but also confirms their lead guitarist and singer as an outstanding solo artist."
Tracklisting:
01. Castellorizon
02. On An Island
03. The Blue
04. Take a Breath
05. Red Sky at Night
06. This Heaven
07. Then I Close My Eyes
08. Smile
09. A Pocketful of Stones
10. Where We Start
"It's my best and most personal work,' Gilmour says. ‘Making it with my musician friends has been a positive experience on so many levels." And touring it this spring can only take him to a new high since he's developed a tolerance to all the drugs that he's done. Additional performers on the album include David Crosby, Graham Nash, Richard Wright, Robert Wyatt, Phil Manzanera, Jools Holland, Georgie Fame, Caroline Dale, Guy Pratt, Willie Wilson, and, from Pink Floyd's earliest incarnation, Rado ‘Bob' Klose. The tour starts in Europe in March, goes to US in April and returns to the UK at the end of May, with concerts in Manchester, Glasgow and London.
411Mania Music Presents: Making the Band
In another new segment of my column, I continue to look at the band, Monument the Ghost, who recently (in the last few months) decided that they didn't like most of the music that they saw in Pittsburgh, PA. So, they decided to put together their own metal band, the likes of which the sleepy, slowly-digressing town has never seen.
They're showcasing their talent, publicly, for the first time at the end of March. They will be playing a set on March 25, 2006, at the Pittsburgh Youngbloods show. The place to be is the Open Door (12 stratmore street pittsburgh pa 15205). Tix are only fucking $5, so if you live in Pittsburgh, and you have nothing to do that night, go and support the acts Monument the Ghost, O Captain, My Captain, Failure to Fall, and three more unannounced groups. You can see a flyer for the show here.
I smell a feud brewing…Recently, Nothingface finished up a quick stint on the road, playing with bands like Disturbed and Bloodsimple. The guys from Nothingface said they made a special bond with Silent Civilian.
On the other side of that coin is Crossbreed, who, perhaps, were forced to drop off that tour. They were raving on their Myspace blog about having to stop touring after taking issue with the way Nothingface was running the tour, and then they removed their official statement for the reason why they ended it.
Silent Civilian frontman/guitarist Jonny Santos has issued a statement regarding the Nothingface/Crossbreed situation that took place on the bands tour together. Here's what he had to say:
"Regardless of any differences some bands may have with Nothingface, I would like to say this... We have been on this tour since day one, and Nothingface has treated us like family. Being in a band and touring for the better part of the last 8 years, I have learned that there are certain guidelines and rules that apply when you are a support act. Knowing this, any band on a tour like this should follow these guidelines. That's just how it is. If you don't play ball, not only is it not cool, but you could find yourself being kicked off of a tour. With that said, we have had the best time on this tour and feel that we have life long friends in the Nothingface family/band/crew. There were difficulties between certain bands on this tour that could not be rectified, and it was very unfortunate. None of us wanted to see that happen. But... from a 3rd party that was a witness to everything that happened, I would like to say that we feel Nothingface are some of the most awesome guys I/we have ever had the pleasure of touring with, and we are sad that the tour is coming to an end. If ever asked to tour with them again, I would not hesitate to accept their offer."
Commented Crossbreed: "Please understand that all attempts were made to clear up this mess to remain on the tour. In 10 years, Crossbreed has never EVER been in this situation before. We thank god for bands like Mushroomhead, Rammstein and Static-X for existing, 'cause if everyone acted towards us like Nothingface did, we wouldn't ever want to tour with another band again!!!"
Silent Civilian will release their new album Rebirth Of The Temple through Mediaskare on May 2, 2006. Nothingface is set to enter the studio to record their next album since they recently rejoined.
The Listeners' Lounge
The Listeners' Lounge this week is packed with fucking singles that suck the ass of a hairy, unwashed Italian-Polack. I don't know how these bands keep making music, but it's fucking disgraceful. I can't even listen to the goddamn modern rock radio anymore without wanting to throw up. It's bad when I prefer bands like Coheed and Cambria over Staind.
If you have heard Godsmack's new single, "Speak", you might be disappointed, and I don't blame you. This track does not live up to the hype that Sully Erna has made it out to be. It's been several years since new Godsmack music hit the mainstream, and I have to say my expectations have been bombarded with suck.
And if you've heard "Foxy, Foxy" by Rob Zombie, then you, again, are probably disappointed. I've listened to this track a bunch, hoping that it would grow on me, and I've only grown sick of it. Zombie, though, has tried to justify his completely different direction in his music. "I just wanted to do something different," he said. "I've sort of had a new philosophy, also with music, to do the exact opposite of what I would normally do. You know, maybe some people will be, like, pissed off because it's not what they expect, but I just think that once music starts becoming like you're a Vegas performer...you know, you don't ever want to be like Barry Manilow at the Sands — 'Oh, let's do 'Copacabana' again.'" Zombie also explained the meaning of the title Educated Horses: "It was a weird kind of phrase, like, that I remembered as something as a kid. You know, my parents, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, the whole family, were involved in carnival business and, like, circus business, so as a kid, we would get dragged to these things, and we'd have to spend all this time there. And that was just one of the attractions I remember, what they would call the trained animals, you know, educated horses."
After promising to never listen to Chapter V, I gave in and listened to the newest single from the disc. Staind's new single, "Everything Changes," has been released to radio. Um, yeah. It really sucks a lot. The band has lost their edge since Aaron Lewis got off the drugs and got happy. With the birth if his new daughter gently behind him, he and his crew are hitting the road this summer with Three Days Grace and Hurt. The Jagermeister tour is set to kick off on the pot-happy 4/20 and will run through mid-June. Give a listen to "Everything Changes" if you haven't already heard it.
This Week's Benjamin Czajkowski Stamp of Approval (BCSA) Goes To…
Atreyu for their work on their new album A Death-Grip on Yesterday. I've never really been a huge fan of the band, with a very select taste to the tracks that I'd listen to from them. However, when I put on this CD, I can listen to it all the way through without thinking "this track is filler." It's short, concise, and hammer down in a fine, metal hotcake that is going to sell a bunch of records when it comes out at the end of the month.
Atreyu have posted 30 second clips of all the tracks on their upcoming new album, 'A Death Grip On Yesterday', which is due out on March 28th via Victory Records. You can give a listen over here, and while you do that, know that I've listened to the album, in its entirety, all the way through, and all 32 minutes and change worth of it is fucking solid. Listen to the tracks and then buy the album. My favorite track so far: "Untitled Finale." Biggest disappointment, though, is that they didn't include "Her Portrait in Black" on the disc. Oh well. Win some, you lose some.
The Stuff I Can't Put Down (Like Scott Weiland and His Heroin)
5. Liv Kristine – Enter My Religion
4. Katatonia – The Great Cold Distance
3. Soil – True Self
2. Loser - Just Like You
1. Atreyu - A Death-Grip On Yesterday
It's A Problem to Just Quit, So I'll End With This
I warn you now, next week's column might be a bit stifled. I'll be in Chicago, smackin' up some bitches and touring the most beautiful city on the face of the planet. Plus, I'll be downtown for St. Patty's day. Happy early Birthday, Matt.
As always, I'm on Myspace, not yours. Check it out. Until next time: peace, love, and a little pessimism.–BC
