Okkervil River Announce Tourdates, None of these Tourdates Are in the U.S.
By AJ Pacitti on 01-14-2008
Okkervil River, though not in the good ol’ US of A, will obviously rep us so well by:
(1) feasting nightly on hefty portions of meat, potatoes, and apple pie,
(2) curing world hunger with aerial drops of freedom fries,
(3) democratizing other nations.
Obviously, all the while with waving American flags announcing their presence.
Good luck, boys! Make us proud!
Liberty, justice, tour dates:
Holy Fuck to Watch Their Language, Tour with Super Furry Animals and A Place To Bury Strangers
By Hanky Panky on 01-14-2008
Last year, my New Year's resolution was to make a resolution and stick by it, but seeing as that was the resolution, I had nothing to stick by. So this New Year's was actually the one when I had to pick something to uphold. As a writer, I figured examining my frequent use of "fucking" and "hella" (as opposed to more descriptive adjectives and adverbs) would be a good start. That said, it's pretty fucki-- I mean, fairly challenging to keep my language under control, especially when it comes time to discussing things that completely unhinge my enthusiasm, like Canadian, lo-fi supergroup Holy Fuck (which being a proper noun cannot be considered profanity) and their upcoming tour.
Utilizing toy ray guns and other non-instrument instruments, Holy Fuck's improvisational EP kicked fucking a-- err, I mean... was a strong debut landing them festival gigs worldwide, such as Coachella, CMJ Music Marathon, All Tomorrows Parties, and given their past propensity to reach out, slap you around, and draw you in (figuratively speaking), I predict that every show on this tour will hella rock the house-- fuck, I said "hella."
Golly, I'm excited.
* Super Furry Animals
$ A Place to Bury Strangers
Why I have more in common with Enon than the United Kingdom ever will: a short list.
By 8bit on 01-14-2008
Reason number one: The band's name is Enon, a town northeast of my hometown of Dayton, OH. Incidentally, also the hometown of band founder John Schmersal. Daytonians are supposed to be closed-minded and unworldly, John. We DON'T travel to England.
Reason number two: I know the whereabouts of and have played Brainiac's old Micromoog synthesizer. Sorry John, I'm afraid you'll never get it now.
Reason number three: Clotted cream. Who are these guys kidding with a name like that? I already know it will fill my body with lipids and all kinds of unhealthy cholesterols, they don't have to advertise it. Plus, it's impossible to eat scones and jam without looking pretentious. Talking with a British accent can have the same effect.
Reason number four: Profit.
Alright, my argument isn't as convincing in text as it was in my head. Maybe I like using verbs of being when action verbs could be used! They are are essential to righting a well wrotten newsstory, and I efuse too list to your English Oxford bullbabble!
I must be losing my mind... I need you Enon, more than you'll even know.
Dates and oats:
Flipper Gets Their Replacement Tour Bassist to Play On Their New LP. Who Cares? The Replacement Bassist is Krist Novaselic. Oh Cool!
By Joe B. on 01-14-2008
It’s been a good 15 years since Flipper last released an album. Suddenly, they find themselves compelled to re-enter a rock ‘n’ roll market now full of kids who aren’t even familiar with the maritime heroics of the original Flipper.
Shrewdly, the group appears to have realized they needed a hook, something to pull today’s adderall-riddled kids (read: me) away from their Hannah Montana body doubles and their Nintendo Wiis they got for Christmas. Luckily, the band has been playing some shows with former Nirvana bass player Krist Novaselic (TMT News).
When it came time for Flipper to re-enter the studio, they asked Novaselic to play on their currently untitled new record, and he not only said he would, he also said that he would setup a makeshift studio in his house and that he that he would tap Jack Endino (Mudhoney, Soundgarden, Nirvana’s Bleach) to produce. What a nice guy!
Drummer Steve DePace claims the album is “99% done” and also that they “can write songs with Krist now that sound just like Flipper.” The group wants to be on the road again by “the spring and summer,” so here’s hoping we all get to see that gangly Andy Kaufman-looking motherfucker in a town near us sometime soon.
Industry Alphabet: RIAA, EMI, IFPI, LMNOP
By Hanky Panky on 01-14-2008
"Guys, this is fucked up. We've got to re-evaluate our game plan," EMI was reported to say before filing a letter of resignation to the IFPI, effective March 31, 2008. Upon receiving said letter, the IFPI was all, "Dude, we totally suck," and then the RIAA was all, "Hey, if we merged, we could be, like, Kings of Assholes worldwide," and the IFPI was all "Stoked."
And that's pretty much how it might have and could have possibly went down. For months now, industry officials have been undergoing ball-crushing discussions in hopes of bearing an industry merge/restructure that will save them all, like a major label Jesus. Besides a possible merging of the IFPI (an organization that represent worldwide recording interests) and RIAA, which would become the somewhat ironic PIRAATE (Phonographic Industries and Recording Associations for the Amelioration of Troubled Earnings), industry sad-men are looking to consolidate functions with minimal overlap, which, yeah, sounds like a more solid business structure.
"What can be accomplished by one global trade group would be preferable and more cost-efficient than two," said a greasy, unnamed EMI source involved in the discussions. Essentially, EMI is saying that it will drop out of the IFPI by March 31 unless there is a "solution" it can "support," as it is undoubtedly worried about the cost of paying two industry groups on top of its piling bills. Whether that solution means a consolidation of the RIAA and IFPI or a 25% off coupon remains to be seen.
