Former Ghosts = Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart + This Song Is A Mess But So Am I’s Freddy Ruppert + Zola Jesus’ Nika Roza; New LP Coming on Upset The Rhythm
By Mango Starr on 03-31-2009
Remember the supergroup The Dialectic Immaterialists? It contained members of Relish X, Senatori Strides, and Inhaler, as well as collaborations with John Kinsen (Pensive), Mary Schilling (Dark Eyes), and producer Phil Bark. Doesn't ring a bell? Well, that's because I made all of that up, but if The Dialectic Immaterialists did exist, they'd do well to get the fuck out of the way, as Xiu Xiu's Jamie Stewart has teamed up with Freddy Ruppert (This Song Is A Mess But So Am I) and Nika Roza (Zola Jesus) to form a new "supergroup" called Former Ghosts
Former Ghosts' debut full-length is scheduled for release "later this year" on Upset the Rhythm, according to Ruppert. You can check out a few tracks at their MySpace. As you can tell by the tracks, you'll see that all three of 'em take on vocal duties.
Meanwhile, Ruppert will play some solo shows. The dates are listed on Former Ghosts' MySpace, but it's unclear whether he'll play FG songs or not. So, go and find out for me, could ya?
04.10.09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Smell %
04.12.09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Smell - L’Keg Gallery !
04.14.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Silverlake Lounge @
04.16.09 - Costa Mesa, CA - Detroit Bar #
04.18.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Echo Curio &
! White Leopards
@ Pulse Out
% Railcars, Br’er, Felt Drawings
# Los Campesinos!
& Xiu Xiu
Also, don't forget about Jamie Stewart's solo dates (TMT News):
04.02.09 - Greenville, NC - The Spazzatorium
04.03.09 - Norfolk, VA - The Boot
04.04.09 - Richmond, VA - The Triple
04.05.09 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
04.06.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Monkey Town
04.09.09 - Durham, NH - The Stafford Room
04.10.09 - Chicago, IL - Ronny's Bar
04.11.09 - Grinnell, IA - Gardner Lounge (Grinnell College)
04.14.09 - Seattle, WA - The Vera Project
04.15.09 - Portland, OR - Backspace
04.17.09 - San Francisco, CA - Cafe Du Nord
04.18.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Echo Curio
04.19.09 - Tucson, AZ - Solar Culture
04.21.09 - Austin, TX - Salvage Vanguard Theater
04.23.09 - Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder
04.24.09 - St. Augustine, Florida - Cafe Eleven
04.25.09 - Atlanta, GA - Wonderroot
Finally, keep an eye on Zola Jesus' tourdates to get confirmed here.
The National Announce New Tour, Offer Sneak Preview Of Their New Album
By Annapocalypse on 03-31-2009
It’s been awhile since we’ve heard anything from The National. In order to drum up interest for their yet-to-be-released new album, the band decided to send TMT a rough copy of the album and has allowed us to describe several of the songs for our readers:
- Track 1: Slow, churning guitars start this song, followed by singer Matt Berninger’s signature baritone, singing something about being tired and saying goodbye to a lover.
- Track 6: Slow, wistful guitars start this song, followed by Berninger’s baritone, lamenting the loss of a lover.
- Track 10: Slow, brooding guitars start this track, as Berninger's pines for an ex-girlfriend.
I think you get my point.
New tourdates:
05.03.09 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall &
05.21.09 – Toronto, ON – Kool Haus
05.22.09 – Montreal, QB – Metropolis
05.23.09 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
05.24.09 – Washington, D.C. – 9:30 Club
05.25.09 – Washington, D.C. – 9:30 Club
05.27.09 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
05.28.09 – Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theater
05.29.09 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
07.18.09 – Chicago, IL – Pitchfork Music Festival
& Dark Was The Night Live with Dirty Projectors, Feist, My Brightest Diamond, Sharon Jones, Dave Sitek
Meet Billy Corgan’s Ego, Up Close and Personal: Audition to Be the New Smashing Pumpkins Drummer
By Annapocalypse on 03-31-2009
You know how your mom always said that all those hours you spent drumming along to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness in the garage wouldn’t get you anywhere? Well, fuck you, Mom, because I’m going to LA to audition for The Smashing Pumpkins!
...Okay, that’s a lie, I never played drums. But if you do and you want to experience Billy Corgan’s ego firsthand, feel free to email your background info, photos, and performance web links to pumpkinsdrummer@gmail.com. Auditions will be held Friday, April 10 in Los Angeles.
As you may know (TMT News), the auditions are to replace Jimmy Chamberlin, who announced last week that he was quitting the band, stating “I can no longer commit all of my energy into something that I don't fully possess. I won't pretend I'm into something I'm not.” With Chamberlin gone, Corgan is now the last original member in The Smashing Pumpkins. How shocking!
Destroyer Destroy the Past, Create New Future-Past With Reissue of 2nd and 3rd LPs! Confused?? Hey, Don’t Be! Read on! Outta Sight, My Man!
By Nobodaddy on 03-30-2009
Dan Bejar is Matador’s best friend. Destroyer, Swan Lake, New Pornographers... dude’s got that record label covered in the hits department, recessions be damned. So it was probably high-time that they did him a solid and reissued those second and third Destroyer albums, right? Right.
Bejar-boosters may know that Destroyer has released four albums and an EP on Merge Records since 2002, with a new album slated for release later this year. Here to whet that good appetite of yours is the original City of Daughters (1998) and Thief (2000) LPs, which are back on vinyl where they belong and have been updated in all sorts of hyperbolic ways! For instance, vinyl-obsessed, condo-owning Destroyer fans may well-recall that the original City of Daughters suffered from some frequency-related glitches that caused it to skip on many turntables, thus ruining their indie-fondue parties.
And the original Thief mix? Well, that was never satisfying, was it? And besides, the LP/CD was shoddily mastered into mono. What a drag! But don’t worry. Thief has now been remixed by the original team of Daniel Bejar, David Carswell, and John Collins at JC/DC Studios and is available in the intended stereo mix for the first time ever.
What’s more, both albums have been remastered by Roger Seibel at SAE Mastering and have never sounded better. Additionally, the two covers have been reworked by original artist Lester Smolenksi and printed by Stoughton as an "old style," tip-on, gatefold jacket. Sweet. And all you have to do is spend your money on them all over again! Check it out at Nominal Records.
Family Counseling Group Schedules Online Protest of David Lynch’s Transcendental Meditation Benefit Concert with McCartney and Ringo
By Mike McHugh on 03-30-2009
Kat Gardiner recently reported that on April 4 David Lynch will throw a star-studded shindig at Radio City Music Hall to benefit his foundation for "Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace." With acts ranging from Paul and Ringo to Donovan and Eddie Vedder (picture that lovechild, if you will!), who wouldn’t be pumped about such an exciting affair?
Apparently Knapp Family Counseling in Malone, NY, that’s who! On April 2, Knapp will hold an online protest to teach participants “a side of the Transcendental Meditation story they won't tell you.” (I have no idea who “they” is referring to in that quote.) The site also warns of the “secret agendas” of TM leaders and equates Lynch’s commitment to TM with Tom Cruise’s devotion to the Church of Scientology. Damn son, that’s some straight up dubious claims right there! For as much crazy may be floating around in Knapp and company’s allegations, their assertion that teaching TM in schools violates separation of church and state laws is up for debate.
Still, I think it’s unfair to compare TM to any kind of religious praise. TM isn’t about forging a connection with God or some other divine force. A person meditates to connect with the deepest parts of one’s mind to reach a state of transcendental being. I suppose, though, the facet of TM that challenges people the most is the role of the yogi, which could be construed as a pervasive influence to an organization like Knapp’s (the center appears to specialize in cult recovery).
Anyway, it seems like this event could turn out to be kind of interesting, as long as these folks don’t get too out there with their accusations. The panel Knapp has assembled seems pretty interesting, and, hey, maybe David Lynch will toss his hat in the ring and defend his passion. Stranger things have happened.
