So 15 years. The joke was always that China would be a democracy before the album was released, but alas, the album came first. I scurried my behind over to best buy today. Every other album release by GNR I got the day of release. In fact I once waited in line for 4 hours after skipping school to get my copy of Use Your Illusion I only to learn II was out! I once camped out for tickets to the opening day of the Use Your Illusion tour which kicked off here in WI at Alpine Valley. There was no way I wasn't getting "Chinese Democracy" today.
At first listen, I was mildly let down. All these years (15 of them) awaiting this, and the edge isn't there. I knew what I expected, dreamed and hoped for. It wasn't there. The edge is gone. The raw grit is missing. Now at second listen, trying to separate the GNR I worshipped as a child. Its an oddly mellow CD. Axl's voice sounds more refined and less gravelly. The list of musicians involved in the project is totally mind boggling. Buckethead, Bumblefoot, Brain. All amazing artists in their own respect collaborated on this project. This is the first album I have ever looked at liner notes and each song had a list of people playing instruments and who did what on arrangements.
Some songs give touches of old GNR. "Scraped" and "Riad n' the Bodouins" are songs with hints of the old guard. "IRS", while a more mellow selection is most definately a Guns song. Songs like "Sorry" have in my taste too much processing on vocals, almost to the point that Rose's voice is unrecognizable.
I think die hard GNR fans like me may need more than one listen to get into the CD. When not comparing it to what I expect, the CD is ok. Just remember its the new Guns.
Ian McLagan at ACL Fest in 2006 - more photos... photo by Jeff Barringer - Staff Photographer
It's a little early for spring but try telling that to the SXSW rumor birds that started flying early this week. I am already starting to hear some neat stuff, and some of the usual stuff. Perhaps the neatest one I have heard so far sounds pretty solid based on the background info I know. Rod Stewart and The Faces are supposedly set to be headliners at next years SXSW. I know that the faces are re-uniting, I know that Ian McLagan, the Faces keyboardist, is based here in Austin. I know that Ian has been traveling back and forth to practice. And it makes a lot of sense since there are more music journalists in Austin at SXSW than any other place in the world. We'll see how this one plays out, I hope it comes true.
Other rumors, the perennial Morrisey/Smiths reunion rumor is already making the rounds, and I can tell you from past history we are liable to see Les Claypool and one of his bands. MuteMath will probably play which is a repeat SXSW performer, and there is a good chance that Slash will pop up someplace as well, though most likely as a walk on, not with a re-formed G-N-R or Velvet Revolver. The newly re-united Jane's Addiction is said to be on the SXSW rumored list, Perry Ferrell and Satellite Party played SXSW in 07. Katy Perry is said to be making a SXSW tour stop and finally Quincy Jones is rumored to be this years SXSW keynote speaker.
It will be interesting to see how the poor state of the economy will impact SXSW 2009. Hotel reservations are said to be slower than normal, and many companies are said to be scaling back their presence. Club kingsnake is planning on covering SXSW(assuming we get press credentials) but we will be sending fewer staffers to provide coverage.
Will you be going to SXSW 2009? Let us know, and if you have any juicy rumors about who will be appearing this year, I am all ears.
Some bands have a problem with taking themselves too seriously. That was not the case when Dragonforce came to town. This was a show that had two out of three bands in costume and a band whose rise to popularity came from a video game. It wasn’t anything groundbreaking, but it sure was a whole lot of fun.
Powerglove opened the show and walked onto stage all wearing video game inspired outfits and ready to play what the band called video game metal. They started with a bang, one of my favorite video game songs of all-time, Tetris. It sounded fantastic. The band definitely had fun with the material as I definitely had fun listening to their set. The best song of the night may very well have been their blazing performance of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I loved it.
Olli Vänskä of Turisas at Stubbs BarBQ - more photos... photo by Jeff Barringer - Staff Photographer
Turisas has a very interesting sound. They came out decked out in Viking clothes and with a 6-piece band that included both a violin and an accordion. I was interesting to hear a metal band that was driven by a violin rather than a guitar, but I enjoyed it. The band had traveled all the way from Finland and it made use of their time here by playing a very energetic set. It may have been the weakest set of the night, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Dragonforce is a band that clearly loves to play their music. They came out with all guns blazing into the opening cut. They are a band known for their incredibly technically proficient guitar playing, and deservedly so. The rest of the band was clearly capable of playing their instruments, but it was clear who the real stars were. Guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman really owned the show. They spent the entire gig spitting out blazing fast machine gun solos. It was more than impressive. It really seemed like the whole set was one big 90-minute guitar solo. It was a whole lot of fun watching them go. I went into the show not expecting much, but I left really hoping to see Dragonforce again one day.
Dragonforce at Stubbs BarBQ - more photos... photo by Jeff Barringer - Staff Photographer
I heard from filmmaker Stephen Kijak today that Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, his award-winning documentary about the music of Scott Walker, is about to hit US theaters:
Scott Walker takes a decade to make a record. So it only took us, oh, about two years following our film festival debut to get this damned thing into theaters. Not bad. So if you haven't seen it, downloaded it illegally, bought a PAL copy and unlocked your DVD player - save the date! NYC leads the pack with a week run at the IFC Center. SF/Berkeley will follow on Jan 23. More info to follow on that and other bookings. Plexifilm is releasing and will put out the DVD sometime in the Spring.
You can sign up to get updates on the film, including info on future release dates in the US, festival showings, and a prospective US DVD release over on Facebook's Scott Walker Film Fans.
I saw 30C Man at SXSW two years ago, and reviewed it for Club Kingsnake here. I also interviewed Stephen and associate producer Gale Harold about Scott, his music, and the film over on AfterElton.com.
It really does seem like forever more than two years since I saw the film... and here in San Francisco, it looks like only two more months before I can see it again. I'm not sure but I think I can probably live through that.
Guitarist Slash and his wife Perla Ferrar send out this message in support of marriage rights for all:
I married my sweetheart. You should be able to marry yours, too. So say no to hate and yes to equal rights. Keep up the fight...Be loud, be proud and stand up for your rights.
In the message, they encouraged everyone to find an event in your area on Saturday, Nov. 15, the National Day of Protest of the passage of Prop 8 in California, which stripped lesbian and gay Californians of the right to marry and forcibly divorced over 18,000 couples who had legally tied the knot since the state had recognized marriage equality the previous June.
Before this set I was unfamiliar with almost all of A7X's music, but judging from the flood of fans pouring into The Rave I was in for a good show. The last time I was at a sold out show was back on The Unholy Alliance tour with Slayer and Lamb of God.
The venue was packed to capacity and ready to burst at the seams. I took my spot at the side of the stage and as I waited for the curtain to drop and the show to start, a thunderous chant of A7X accompanied with feet stomping the hardwood floor filled the ballroom. The show started and I took my shots for the first 3 songs and got to sit back and watch the show.
A7X had a tight set, I really dug the dual guitar solos and excellent harmonies created between Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengence. The bass and drums were kickin and spot on. Singer M.Shadows sounded great when you could hear him over the crowd, I can't remember the last show I was at where the crowd new every song and sang along word for word almost drowning out the band at certain points.
The set lasted over an hour with songs including "Bat Country", "Beast And The Harlot", "Almost Easy", "Scream", and "Afterlife". The band put on a great show and seemed to feed off the energy of the crowd. I have to admit I wasn't a fan before tonight, but I am now.
Catch Avenged Sevenfold where you can you wont be disappointed.
I really regret the fact that I have seen so many Static X shows and this is the first one I actually watched. I also further regret the fact that it took Jeff starting this website for me to actually listen to this band.
Released on October 14, 2008 "Cannibal Killers Live" is a cool little collection of a live show, both the video and audio, shot in Spokane Washington on the Cannibal Tour, 12 of their made for TV Videos (which for me was the true highlight) and a ring tone feature. Your One Stop Static shop if you will.
There are very few live CDs that I ever find fault with and this one definitely lived up to my expectations. For those who haven't seen Static X, I have no clue where to start. The video is shot with at least 10 different camera angles including a few from the sound board and the wings. It gives you an almost 360 degree view of the band. While at times, I wish the camera shots were a bit longer in positions, the switches actually coincide nicely with the tempo of the music. Brian has been telling me that drummer Nick Oshiro is one of the most animated drummers around, and despite the fact that I have seen X at least 4 times in the past 2 years this is the first time I ever actually got to see how animated he really is. Wayne Static is almost so much of a geek that he is cool. He postures like a rooster, he has some of the most entertaining facial expressions and never fails to make me laugh during a show. He loves what he is doing and it comes through. Even with some of the sound issues with the venues I see them at regularly they sound near perfect and that comes across on both the CD and DVD.
The video portion is cool for a Johnny Come Lately fan like me. I missed the peak of their MTV times, and seeing older videos was just plain cool. It sounds cheesy, but I just fell in love with the aura of fun that this band puts forth.
Personally I cant wait to load the CD portion on my IPod for the gym. Nothing gets me going better on the bike than a little evil disco. LONG LIVE EVIL DISCO!
White Denim may have been the headliner, but the show belonged to Dead Confederate. The Athens, GA natives destroyed any and all expectations with their epic, sweeping, shoegazer sound. As good as White Denim was, they just couldn't handle following the immense beauty of Dead Confederate.\
The evening stated with an energetic set from Apollo Sunshine. They came out sporting an interesting sound that blended psychedelic and funk. The nice bass grooves got the crowd moving early in the show, and when the bass was dropped for a keyboard, the bongo player kept up the fun atmosphere. For me, the highlight of the set was the extended closer which featured everything from a four man drum solo to some very Jack White esque guitar work.
As soon as Apollo Sunshine was off the stage it became clear that not everyone was there for White Denim as Dead Confederate's name was shouted repeatedly by audience members. Their enthusiasm was very understandable. Dead Confederate wasn't much of a show visually, but sonically, it was one of the finest performances that I have ever heard. They stood on stage very still for much of the show, with a smoke machine going in the background. The combination of the smoke machine and the stage lighting made the place look exactly like the 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' music video, and the comparisons to Nirvana don't stop there.
Dead Confederate stand right at the crossroads of shoegaze and grunge. The sound of the rhythm guitar player's echoing slide guitar work cut through the heavily distorted lead guitar beautifully. As emotional as the music was, the vocals came through with the hollow sensibilities that I often associate with grunge singers. The soft and subdued vocals created a remarkable contrast with slow moving epic slide guitar work. I had heard some of Dead Confederate's work previously but I was in too much of a daze to recognize any of it. I was left with the feeling that the only way to fully experience this band would be to close my eyes and the sounds devour me. It was one of the most majestic experiences of my life.
At this point everything completely changed gears. We went from the elegant sounds of Dead Confederate to White Denim's harsh garage rock. As they took the stage, one thing became immediately clear, these are thorough, talented musicians.
The drum kit itself was remarkably small, yet surprisingly loud, and the drummer knew what to do with it. The guitar work was nice, effect-driven, blues rock that would have driven the band had the bassist not been so good. For me, he was the star of the show. He missed more than a few notes on some of his obviously tough bass lines, but when he hit, he really hit. Musically, the trio locked in very tight and it was clear why this band's stock has been rising so rapidly recently. It's worth noting that the guitar player has one of the best singing voices that I have heard in a while. It had the roughness necessary in garage rock but with that roughness came a pretty impressive range.
I really enjoyed the show, maybe even more than I should have since it was the first time I had actually caught them after many attempts dating back to SXSW. It was worth the wait.
Chi Cheng of The Deftones at Wakestock 2007 - more photos... photo by John Hargraft- Contributing Photographer
Burbank, CA- Chi Cheng, bassist for Sacramento-based rock band, Deftones, has been hospitalized for injuries resulting from a serious auto accident which occurred yesterday. Cheng is currently under doctors supervision in an Intensive Care unit. His condition is serious but stable. Cheng’s mother urges everyone to say a prayer for his recovery.
No further details about Cheng’s condition are available at press time. Members of his band, Deftones along with family and friends are requesting privacy.
Our thoughts are with Cheng and his family at this time. We will keep you updated as new information comes across on our end.
Find a band playing better music than TV on the Radio right now. I dare you!
Okay, I may be a bit biased, but the soulful, electronic rock group from Brooklyn who just released their third full-length album seem to be hitting their creative stride. They’re a hard band to pigeonhole, as their sound runs a wide spectrum of blues and soul to noisy rock and electronic dance. Add to the fact their reputation for energetic live shows and you have an excited writer and a packed house at Stubb’s outdoor venue in Austin, TX, on the night before Halloween (All Hallows’ Eve Eve?).
But before TV on the Radio appeared, the crowd was treated to the soul/garage rock hybrid of The Dirtbombs. I was looking forward to hearing them, and they didn’t disappoint. They were an excellent warm-up, with gritty tracks like “Underdog,” “Ever Lovin’ Man,” and “I Hear the Sirens.” They’re worth seeing on their own, but as an opener, they left the crowd clamoring for what was to come.
TVotR came on stage to an excited crowd and opened with the soulful “Young Liars” before upping the tempo with “The Wrong Way” and “Golden Age,” the first single from their new album, Dear Science. Lead singer Tunde Adepimbe was dancing all over the stage, flopping his arms and slithering from one end to the other. It was hard not to feel his enthusiasm, the good vibes flying off him like the sweat dripping down his brow.
I was lucky enough to have made my way to the front, jumping and singing along to tracks like “Halfway Home” and “Wolf Like Me,” their rocked-out, danceable tune from 2006’s Return to Cookie Mountain.
Throughout the show, they brought out a guy dressed as a gingerbread man to help sing one of the songs, and a woman joined them on stage for several others, providing backup vocals. But for the most part, the quintet was on stage by their lonesome, daring the crowd not to move their feet with the catchy “Dancing Choose” or the sultrier “DLZ” and “Love Dog.” They play fast and slow with equal passion, and it’s a treat to see both.
For the encore, they started with two tracks from Return to Cookie Mountain, including a cool spectacle for “Let the Devil In.” After bringing out several kids, everyone donned some kind of percussion instrument (lots of tambourines) to bang out the song. They finished with fan-favorite “Staring at the Sun,” leading in with Kyp’s falsetto cooing. I had retreated to the rear of the venue for an easier getaway during the encore, and was disappointed when I was the only person flailing and singing during the final set. I got a few odd looks from people, but their loss if they didn’t feel the same vibe I did.
This was one of the most fun shows I’ve been to in recent memory, largely due to the talent and creativity of the group. In an industry overrun by banal, fly-by-night Top 40 pap, TV on the Radio prove you can reach out to the masses without having to sacrifice any bit of integrity. See this band. NOW!