News
Smashing Pumpkins prepare for new album release
Posten on: 2006-04-24 11:33:16
According to the Smashing Pumpkins Web site, "It's official. The Smashing Pumpkins are currently writing songs for their upcoming album, their first since 2000."The popular 1990s rockers have been tipped to reunite for months, ever since leader Billy Corgan took out a full-page ad in the Chicago Tribune last summer announcing his intentions to re-form the band. In December, he posted another cryptic message on his MySpace page, which read, "The surprise I have in store for you all will be announced soon enough. Hold on to your horses. After all, good things surely come to those who wait. Don't you just love the suspense?"Otherwise, Corgan has been mum on when or how the reunion will take place and who will join him on the second go-round. The only other new information on the official Web site is that "no release date has been set yet, but the band plans to begin recording this summer."A source close to the group confirmed last week that the Pumpkins were in "pre-production" mode, but did not discuss who would be in the band's lineup for the new album and expected tour. Corgan has been estranged from original bassist D'Arcy Wretzky for more than seven years, since she left the band prior to the release of 2000's Machina/ The Machines of God. She was replaced by former Hole bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur, who told MTV earlier this year that she would be happy to rejoin the group . The status of guitarist James Iha, who has also had strained relations with Corgan over the years, is also unknown.The last original recording from the Pumpkins, Machina II: The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music, was released on the Internet as a free download in 2000. On December 2, 2000, the band played what Corgan said would be their last-ever show, at the club that helped launch their careers more than 12 years earlier, Chicago's Metro.Days before the group's final show, Corgan was asked if there was any chance that Wretzky might make a surprise appearance and signal a thaw in their relationship. He joked, "Obi-Wan has a better chance of playing with us."Then again, he opened that last, epic 4-hour show with the quip, "Welcome to the last gasp of the Smashing Pumpkins" and said in the days after the gig, "This is the last time I will play all these songs for the rest of my life." At the time, he said he had discussed it with the group's other members and they'd all decided that they would never play live together again .But never seems to have come sooner than Corgan thought, as the one person who is definitely on board is his long-time right hand man and the group's muscular drummer, Jimmy Chamberlin . (A spokesperson for Azoff Management confirmed in February that Corgan and Chamberlin had signed on with the firm as the Smashing Pumpkins.) Chamberlin was also the drummer for Corgan's short-lived post-Pumpkins group, Zwan.Earlier this year, Auf Der Maur said Corgan has been working on material that will, at some point, surface in the form of a new Smashing Pumpkins album. "From what I understand, Billy [will be] making a Pumpkins record over the next little while," Auf Der Maur told MTV News. "Everyone knows Billy doesn't need too many people to make a Pumpkins record, other than Jimmy [Chamberlin, longtime Pumpkins drummer] — who he has [on board]."Auf Der Maur said she's game for a reunion. "My services are there for him whenever he needs them," she said in February. "Assuming I'm not on tour — but even then, we can cross paths. I love the Pumpkins, and to play those songs again would be nothing but fun for me. It was a big part of my life."
Posted in: News | Smashing Pumpkins | 0 Comments
Intimate show for lucky fans
Posten on: 2006-04-17 04:52:35
RHCP played six tracks from their forthcoming album 'Stadium Arcadium' at a tiny show in London tonight (April 14).The band tore through a 90 minute set in front of an audience of just 300 lucky BBC Radio 1 competition winners at the Canvas club in Kings Cross. Security was incredibly tight for the hottest ticket in town. A roadblock was in place some 100yards from the venue, stopping all except ticket holders getting close. Massive images of the new album were projected onto the exterior of the club. Aside from the brand new tracks - 'Slow', 'Charlie', 'Call Me Baby', '21st Century', 'Hard To Concentrate' and forthcoming single 'Dani California' - the Chilis also ran through their extensive back catalogue, delighting devotees with tracks including 'Scar Tissue', 'Other Side' and 'Give It Away'.The band themselves said little from the stage. Wearing a black sleeveless t-shirt, frontman Anthony Keidis drank frequently from a massive white tea-cup between songs. "Don't read magazines and don't watch commercials, they rot your brain - unless its our ipod commercial," said bassist Flea.The intimate gig was the band's first in the UK since their 2004 shows, which included a residency at Hyde Park in London.The full concert will be broadcast in a special show on Radio 1 on Easter Monday (April 17) from 7pm. The setlist was:Can't StopCharlieScar TissueThrow Away Your TelevisionDani CaliforniaMe And MySnowOther Side21st CenturyDon't Forget MeTell Me BabyRight On TimeHard To ConcentrateBy The WaySoul To SqueezeGive It Away'Stadium Arcadium' is released on May 8 and the band will return to the UK for a series of dates the following month calling at:Ipswich Portman Road (June 30)Coventry Ricoh Arena (July 2)Reading Madjeski Stadium (3)Derby Pride Park Stadium (5)Sheffield Don Valley Stadium (6)T In The Park Festival (8)Manchester MEN Arena (11/12)London Earls Court (14-15, 17-18)
Posted in: News | Red Hot Chili Peppers | 0 Comments
Morrissey tops album chart
Posten on: 2006-04-13 05:15:16
Singer Morrissey has topped the first official UK album chart to include downloads. His latest album release Ringleader of the Tormentors secured the number one spot, ahead of Massive Attack's Best Of, at number two. Pink's I'm Not Dead debuted at number three. In the singles chart, Morrissey's You Have Killed Me fell from number three to number 20. Gnarls Barkley's Crazy remained top, after going on sale in shops last week, ahead of Mary J Blige's and U2's One. Crazy made pop history becoming the UK's first number one song on the strength of download sales alone. This weekend sees full album downloads become part of the main rundown, a year after digital single sales were merged into the singles top 40. Only about one in 50 albums are currently sold in download form and digital albums are so far not proving as popular as digital singles. But more than 825,000 albums were downloaded in the UK in the first three months of this year and their popularity is growing. In the singles stakes, 26 million individual songs were downloaded in the UK in 2005 - compared with 21 million CD and vinyl singles.
Posted in: News | Morrissey | 0 Comments
The band's 40th aniversary plans
Posten on: 2006-04-10 05:22:49
As the Doors' surviving members prepare for the band's 40th anniversary -- with plans for a comprehensive boxed set, reissues, merchandise and an interactive Las Vegas attraction -- there is a possibility that their music may be used in adds for the first time.It has almost happened in 1969, when drummer John Densmore, guitarist Robby Krieger and keyboardist Ray Manzarek agreed to license "Light My Fire" to Buick to advertise its German-made Opel. Singer Jim Morrison, who was out of town for the meeting, vehemently disagreed, and the deal never came to pass. From that point, Densmore has opposed commercial usage, although Krieger and Manzarek have opened up to the possibility.All deals, licensing and otherwise, must be approved by all partners in the Doors' assets: The three surviving members have a 75% share, and Morrison's families and his late girlfriend, Pamela Courson, share the other 25%.Why the change of heart now? "With older music no longer getting played on the radio and listenership fragmenting, how do we penetrate a whole new generation?" manager Jeff Jampol asks. "Selling out the Doors is not an option, on the other hand, certain commercials can be effective at reaching listeners."That said, Jampol adds, "We will never license a Doors song for a mundane product like toothpaste or deodorant."Densmore says, "There's a possibility if something came along that's very 'green' that agreed with where we're at, then maybe" the band would consider commercial usage. But Densmore puts the emphasis on "maybe."In addition to environmentally friendly products, Jampol says cutting-edge Internet or mobile platforms could be contenders. For example, Densmore says the SBC Internet commercial featuring Eric Clapton is "very cool."Densmore hates that there has been industry confusion about the Doors' position on licensing and stresses that the group has allowed numerous movie placements ("Apocalypse Now," "Forrest Gump," "Jarhead") and TV usages ("Alias," "Entourage" and "The Simpsons")."People think I veto everything," Densmore says, "[but] we are open and excited by an artistic film."The Doors 40th anniversary will be marked with a 12-disc box set due this fall via Rhino. It will pair the band's first six studio albums -- all remastered with bonus tracks -- with six DVDs featuring 5.1 remixes of the studio albums and bonus material. There will also be a vinyl boxed set of the first six albums and January will see two-CD versions of the albums released individually.Targeted to open in 2008, the Las Vegas show will be helmed by video director Jake Nava, who describes it as "a one-hour acid trip, but you don't come down." A traveling Doors memorabilia exhibit is being planned and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum exhibit will open in April 2007. Other plans include a documentary film directed by Bill Guttentag, a summer 2007 multi-night TV special ("Six Nights, Six Years, Six Records") and a pair of coffee-table books ("The Doors by the Doors With Ben Fong-Torres" and "Jim Morrison: Treasures" by Rock Hall curator Jim Henke).
Posted in: News | Doors | 0 Comments
New projects on the shelf for Incubus
Posten on: 2006-04-06 06:36:47
As singer and songwriter Kate Earl has learned, there are pros and cons to collaborating with members of one of the biggest rock bands in the world.Recording and now and then performing with Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger, bassist Ben Kenney and drummer José Pasillas have brought her credibility and expertise, but the guys are obviously not the most committed bandmates."I don't remember any of the songs," Einziger said backstage at a recent show with Earl. "We just get up onstage and start playing and see what happens. It's really fun, though — totally on the fly."For Earl, whose tender voice and Alaskan roots have garnered her comparisons to Jewel, the required spontaneity is worth the exposure."So many people haven't heard my voice yet, and I would really like to get in front of them," she spoke after the show.Earl, who left a life of solitude working at the family gas station, came to Los Angeles to launch a music career five years ago. She met Einziger through the president of her label (Record Collection), who went to high school with the guitarist."I had, like, one or two songs when I was signed, so I would hang out at Mike's house and he would record my ideas and flesh out stuff," she said. "He asked the other guys to come listen and play, and they all ended up on the album."Einziger also hooked Earl up with Tony Berg, who produced her debut, Fate Is the Hunter, released in May."I'm really proud of her," Einziger said. "A lot of good things are happening for her, and a lot of people are starting to pick up on her music. I'm sure we'll do more musical adventures together in the future."Einziger, it seems, is spreading his collaborative wings even wider. After working with Earl, he signed on to handle production duties for a band called Agent Sparks, with which he also has a personal connection."My younger brother Ben is the guitar player and singer of the band, and my brother Paul [Fried] is the bass player," he explained. "It's a really great new band, really unique and different."Agent Sparks released their first EP, Not So Merry, in mid-September and will follow it up with a full-length record due at the beginning of 2006."They're doing a tour that's sponsored by MySpace with a lot of other bands that are probably heavy rock," Einziger said of his pop-rock protégés. "They're gonna stick out like a sore thumb. It'll be really cool."A self-proclaimed "mad workaholic," Einziger also scored the just-released documentary "Flow," about surfboard maker Al Merrick and the Channel Islands Surf Team. Incubus singer Brandon Boyd narrates the movie, and Incubus and other surfer musicians donated songs.With their side projects behind them, Incubus returned to the studio last month with producer Brendan O'Brien."We always make our records really quickly, and this time we're gonna just slow it all down," Einziger said. "Usually we write 12 or 13 songs, and then we just record them and that's it. We'd like to write, like, 40 songs and really spend a lot more time writing than we ever have."Even though they're looking for quiet in the studio, the guys are already itching to get back on the road."We're talking about doing some shows in South America maybe later this year or sometime at the beginning of next year, whenever we feel like it's a good time to split and go down there," Einziger said.
Posted in: News | Incubus | 0 Comments
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