Does Jack White Ever Sleep?
By TK & Felicia | Posted Under Music | Comments (34)
BMG Music Service is throwing in the towel this June. The mail-order music company announced last December that they would not be taking in any new customers, and now comes the news of the full shutdown. They are offering an alternative on the website yourmusic.com where you can buy CDs for $6.99, which includes free shipping. This is a great deal for those of us who can’t accept a digital replacement of a physical CD along with liner notes. I guess this means two things for me personally. One, I won’t be able to send fraudulent new account requests with my dead cat’s name on it for the buy one get 400 free anymore. And two, I guess I don’t ever have to pay back that money I owe them from 1995.
Jack White is a busy motherfucker. In addition to being creepy-looking and vaguely disturbing, as well as keeping the White Stripes (who I’ve mixed feelings on) and the Raconteurs (who I like very much) afloat, he’s started his own record label, designed new office space for it, and will soon release its first album. That album? Yet another project of his, Dead Weather. White will mostly play drums, leaving the singing up to The Kills’ Alison Mosshart
We speculated this appearance and now it’s been confirmed that Amy Winehouse has dropped out of the upcoming Coachella line-up. She apparently is having the same sort of visa troubles she had when trying to come to the U.S. for The Grammys in 2007. For some reason, I don’t get the feeling she tried very hard this time.
Believe it or not, just a week after we mentioned them in “Bands The Like to Play Dress-Up,” Devo is getting their act back together, releasing their first album in 19 years. NINETEEN YEARS! Dear God, many of our readers weren’t even alive when they last released an album. Should be… interesting. And yes, I take full credit for their reunion. Unless the album sucks, in which case, I blame… um… Shepard! Yes, it’s all Shepard’s fault!
For the second time this week, I’m thrown by a blast from the past, this time in a story of when music and politics meet. Remember Midnight Oil? The energetic, renegade, revolutionary rock Aussie rock band from the 80’s? Fucking awesome band, still to this day. Well, apparently Peter Garrett, the big bald lead singer, is the Australian Environmental Minister! I shit you not. Anyway, apparently they’re getting the band back together for a benefit to help the thousands of families affected by the wildfires in Southern Victoria. It’s sparked a bit of a kerfuffle, since Garrett has softened his political views somewhat since he got into government service. Anyway, the Times has a good piece on it here. But most importantly, this gives me the excuse to play a game I’ve always wanted to play — Peter Garrett’s secret life! I maintain that in addition to being a fancy pants minister, he also acts and plays professional basketball. You be the judge:
Peter Garrett
Milwaukee Bucks Power Forward Charlie Villanueva
Michael Berryman of The Hills Have Eyes and Weird Science
Am I right or am I right?A Oh, shut it. Here’s a little reminder for those who’ve forgotten Midnight Oil:
UPDATES:
Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams tied the knot last week, even though I predicted they wouldn’t even make it this far.
Michael Jackson has already extended his 10 show stint at London’s O2 Arena to 50 shows due to popular demand. I guess there’s more three album release on March 29th.
Your Monday Afternoon Playlist is somewhat abbreviated this week. Suck it up.
Shepard: Ned’s Atomic Dustbin — “Grey Cell Green.” This was one of the first songs I fell in love when I began getting into music back in Middle School. The great thing is that it is still a relevant song, 18 years later. It’s fuzzed out guitar, and duel bass interplay are solid and could have been recorded by any number of pop oriented rock bands today. The whole album God Fodder is a great listen straight through, and I heard the guys are even reuniting this May in the UK for a live performance!
Chris: “Ascending” by …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead from Century of Self: I gave up on this band a while ago, but here they come roaring back into relevancy. Dueling lead vocals with equal impact and an ebb and flow unparalleled by most contemporary bands - probably because no one dares to caterwaul and chant like the Trail of Dead still do.
TK: I’ll never get sick of DJ Shadow, no matter what he tries next. But I’m forever drawn back to Endtroducing…, his classic first album. The deluxe edition has some particularly impressive cuts on it, not the least of which is this remix called “Stem (Cops and Robbers Remix” which is a version of his “Stem - Long Stem (Transmission #2)” mixed with dialogue from the Michael Mann film Heat. It’s bloody beautiful. Also be sure to check out Coldcut’s remix of “The Number Song,” for sheer danceability.
At last, victory! The devil spawn Taylor Swift has been toppled. Only an ego as massive as Bono’s was apparently capable of such a defeat. Yup, U2’s No Line On The Horizon is at the top. Check for our review in a couple of days.
TK and Felicia are both damn tired. Felicia from this damn Minnesota cold, TK from all the SXSW boozing.
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Comments
Posted by: Cindy at March 16, 2009 12:07 PM
I suppose there is something wrong with me that I knew all the 80s band news already.
Oh, and let the Bono bashing commence!