Q: How Many Guitarists Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb? A: None, They Just Steal Someone Else’s Light. Billy Corgan Gets the Signature Fender Treatment.
By David Nadelle on Jul 23 2008
If the ego wasn't big enough already, Fender has helped to expand the size of Billy Corgan's melon by green-lighting the release of his own Stratocaster model. Corgan is the latest guitarist to be immortalized with a signature Fender guitar, joining the ranks of Eric Clapton, J Mascis, and Yngwie Malmsteen, all of whom have worked with the venerable instrument maker to produce axes according to their exacting preferences. The Smashing Pumpkins leader is not often recognized for his guitar prowess, partly because he is not overly flashy, but he is underrated and has a distinctive sound (“buzz-saw tone,” say some folk). Fender claims that Corgan emerged in the grunge period and “stepped forward with lengthy and unconventionally next-level instrumental breaks that could go from shredding, screaming incendiary intensity in one song to delicate, whispering beauty in the next.” They then mentioned something about his time spent as a shepherd, freeing Hebrew slaves, receiving commandments, and parting seas with an apathetic shrug, a few teen angst-fueled words, and oodles of fierce distortion and dramatic shifts in song tempo.
Guitarists are a serious species, so for spec lovers (I am specifically thinking of a high school acquaintance who had his walls covered with guitar layouts and configurations... he also got his hair permed to play in a Ratt tribute band), the Corgan strat features: alder body, satin lacquer finish, maple neck, 9.5' radius maple fingerboard, 22 jumbo frets, 25.5' scale length, chrome hardware, Fender standard cast/sealed tuning machines, modern hard tail bridge, 3-ply pickguard, special design Dimarzio 'Billy Corgan' single spaced humbucking bridge pickup, Dimarzio ‘Chopper’ Middle Pickup, special design Dimarzio ‘Billy Corgan’ single-spaced humbucking bridge pickup, 5-position pickup switching blade (full humbucking bridge, inside coil of bridge and full humbucking middle, full humbucking middle, full humbucking middle and outside coil of neck, full humbucking neck), 2-tone master control (neck and bridge), choice of Fat Black or Olympic White satin nitrocellulose lacquer finishes, and an exhaust, because it's so smoking hot! Hisssss.... rock... on...
Madvillain to Release Box Set, Madlib Release a Couple Albums
By Mango Starr on Jul 23 2008
This news should be about a new Madvillain LP. It also should be about an entirely new LP from Madlib on Stones Throw. And whatever happened to that fucking MF DOOM/Ghostface collaboration? Okay, so maybe these little nuggets ain't quite ready yet, but there is quite a bit of related material rolling out. Ready? Let's go:
- Madvillainy 2: The Box: This is a beast. Not only does it feature Madvillainy “2” The Madlib Remix, a 25-track remix CD that Madlib made on a 10-hour plane ride to Tokyo, but it also contains the "One Beer (Drunk Version)" 7-inch, a 12-track demo tape on cassette, a Madvillain t-shirt, and a comic book called Meanwhile... (the sequel to the All Caps video on the CD). All of this is housed in a 12x13x13 inch box, "wrapped in a silver like a mask," according to Stones Throw. You can pre-order the box until August 15 for $124.99 (plus shipping) here. Too expensive for you? Luckily, you can also purchase the remix album as MP3s for $9.99.
- Madlib's Remixes 2: Saturday Morning Edition and WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip: The first release is Madlib Remixes 2: Saturday Morning Edition, a collection of remixes "made entirely of samples from early 80s funk and disco," released by France's Le Smoke Disque. The second is WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip, Madlib's contribution to BBE's Beat Generation series, which has in the past included works from Pete Rock, DJ Spinna, will.i.am, J Dilla, and DJ Jazzy Jeff. It's set for release on September 9 via Rapster/BBE.
- Dilla Ghost Doom's "Sniperlite" 12-inch: Okay, enough typing. Here's what Stones Throw had to say about this one: "In late 2005 Ghostface Killa and MF DOOM were both recording over tracks from J Dilla's instrumental opus, Donuts, which saw release the following February. Some of these were released on Ghostface's Fishscale in 2006, while others, including a Dilla-Doom project, were postponed indefinitely after J Dilla's passing. Two of these tracks, ‘Sniper Elite’ and ‘Murder Goons,’ are presented here for the first time. The two are taken from two sequential songs off Donuts, meant to mix together. We are presenting the two songs unmixed, plus the two mixed together as a bonus track."
...Soooooooo... what about a new Madvillain album? According to Stones Throw, "Every once in a while we hear from DOOM, and he tells us he’s getting closer. Madlib still sends him beat CDs." Ugh. C'mon DOOM! What do you want? Some private cheerleading??? Actually, that'd be pretty cool. Give me a ring.
WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip tracklist:
Deerhoof Releases First Single from New LP as a Score, Intended for Every Good Boy Who Deserves Fudge
By Mike McHugh on Jul 23 2008
Grab your keytars and get crackin’, people -- Deerhoof have a new single coming your way! Ever the clever cookies, the band has left you, the consumer, with the task of recording their latest dittie, “Fresh Born,” from their upcoming album Offend Maggie (TMT News), based on the sheet music the foursome has provided.
In an effort to prevent any track leaks (and to do something really cool), Deerhoof wants you to download the tune’s sheet music here, record your own version, post it on your blog or website, then post the link back here at the same place you got it. Deerhoof plans on releasing their own version soon, but first they want to see all your smiling MP3s up on that website!
Deerhoof sent their fans to work on the song at the band’s recent show at New York City’s Prospect Park, but unless you speak fluent toy piano or ukulele, it’s hard to identify what the song sounds like just yet. All the more reason for you to do it yourself, ya bum! Let’s hope that these past few years of pot smoking and American Gladiators hasn’t destroyed all memory of your childhood piano lessons.
Offend Maggie drops October 7 from Kill Rock Stars. Here are a couple of dates to hold you over until then:
07.27.08 – Hollywood, CA – Hollywood Bowl
08.31.08 – Vancouver, BC – The Malkin Bowl
