Smashing Pumpkins Select New Drummer Due to "X-Factor," New Drummer Hopes Billy Corgan Is As Nice as The A&R Men Say He Is

By Kid Midnight on

After a grueling selection process, The Smashing Pumpkins (a.k.a. Bill Corgan) has finally found a new drummer to undermine, harass, and ultimately fire. Corgan, who artistically peaked in the mid 1990s and who is humorously peaking right now, began an open audition program in March. After wading through the overwhelming amount of 1,000 entries, Corgan finally selected 19-year-old Mike Byrne.

A statement from Corgan, posted on the band’s website, explains the reasons for why the relatively unknown drummer was chosen:

We counted over 1,000 submissions, and what made Mike stand out was he just seemed to have that 'X Factor' that all the great drummers have, a stunning blend of power, speed, and grace. I'm excited to work with him moving forward -- he truly deserves this opportunity. I believe in my heart he will push me to be a better musician.

Byrne will make his live debut at a series of Billy Corgan solo club shows on the following dates. God help him

08.26.09 - Visalia, CA – Tazzaria
08.27.09 - Santa Barbara, CA – Muddy Waters
08.28.09 - Long Beach, CA – Open
08.29.09 - Pioneertown, CA – Pappy & Harriet’s Place
08.30.09 - San Diego, CA – Che Café
08.31.09 - Los Angeles, CA – Hotel Cafe

MySpace to Buy iLike for $20 Million Dollars, Still Can’t Stop Skeezy Spam

By Kat Gardiner on 08-19-2009

In a move that's likely to solidify MySpace's lead in the online music community, the online social network will be acquiring iLike for around $20 million dollars, sources say. Facebook, MySpace's less lecherous but creepier younger sibling, is likely to have some air let out of its sails, as it has now officially lost its music baby.

iLike hosts nearly 10 million Facebook users each month and, along with Last.fm, was MySpace Music's biggest competitor.

Pygmalion Music Festival Announces Lineup; Meanwhile, the Rain in Spain Stays Mainly in the Plain

By Annapocalypse on 08-19-2009

Does it make me a dork that the first thing I think of when I hear the word “Pygmalion” is the musical, My Fair Lady? On second thought, don’t answer that. Instead, check out the Pygmalion Music Festival, going down September 16-19 in Champaign-Urbana, IL. Passes are $60 and can be purchased directly here. More information is also available on the Pygmalion blog.

And, of course, don’t forget about that lineup:

Iron & Wine, Lucero, RJD2, Ra Ra Riot, Wavves, Low, The Books, Headlights, The Antlers, Autolux, YACHT, Japandroids, Margot and The Nuclear So & So’s, Maps & Atlases, Owen, Maserati, The Hood Internet, BLK JKS, My Brightest Diamond, The 1900s, Starfucker, The Life & Times, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, Bob Nanna, William Fitzsimmons, Skream, Gazelle, Denison Witmer, Company of Thieves, Joe Pug, Pomegranates, Decibully, Jookabox, Brooke Waggoner, The Horse’s Ha, So Many Dynamos, Alpha Mile, DJ Belly, Brighton, MA, Butterfly Assassins, Cameron McGill, Common Loon, DJ CZO, The Daredevil Christopher Wright, Drew Danburry, The Duke of Uke, Early Day Miners, Elsinore, Empires, Final Pygmalion Effect, Ganglians, Gentleman Auction House, Girls Next Door, Golden Quality, Good Night And Good Morning, Hathaways, TheHorns of Happiness, JigGsaw, The Jips, Kilroy, et al, DJ Kosmo, Liesel Booth, Light Pollution, Liz Janes, Lonely Trailer, DJ Lucknow, Lymbyc System, Marmoset, Mason Proper, Matt Wagemann, Mazes, DJ Mertz, Mordechai in the Mirror, My Dear Alan Andrews, Neoga Blacksmith, New Ruins, Now Now Every Children, The Number One Sons, Oceans Ohtis, On Again Off Again, Pamela Machala, Phantogram, Princeton, Post Historic, Ryan Gross, Santa, Scurvine, Solid Gold, So Long Forgotten, Stan McConnell, SteelEater, Sunset Stallion, Tina Sparkle, Take Care, Tracey and Tricia, Tyson & the Friction, Village, World’s First Flying Machine, You & Yourn, Zach May and the Maps.

The Fiery Furnaces to Use Their August Shows as a Propaganda Tool for America’s Socialist President, His Socialist Policies, and His Socialist Health Care Plans (If I Say Socialist Enough, Then It Must Be True!)

By Brom on 08-18-2009

Everyone who loves America, loves liberty and justice, loves freedom, fraternity, and crippling health care costs knows Obamacare will be one of the greatest disasters to ever befall this country. The Civil Rights Act and Bruce Springsteen don’t even come close to matching the travesty that will be Barack Obama’s health care reform.

The Fiery Furnaces, the decidedly un-American indie rock group who recently put out their new album I'm Going Away (TMT Review) on Thrill Jockey, will be using their upcoming August shows to try to convince thousands that America needs health care reform. They state:

“Let’s make sure the world knows that all of us true grandmother-loving, pro-American, ‘young people’ haven’t given up our political involvement.”

No! What America needs is for Socialist liberals (like The Fiery Furnaces and their ilk) to find the nearest fiery furnace and throw themselves into it (see what I did there)!

Forthcoming Health Care Reform Rallies (cauldron-wielding Republicans encouraged to attend):
08.18.09 - Charlotte, NC - Visulite Theater *
08.19.09 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge *
08.20.09 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse *
08.21.09 - Birmingham, AL - The Bottletree *
08.22.09 - Tampa, FL - Orpheum
08.23.09 - Orlando, FL - The Social *
08.25.09 - Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle *
08.26.09 - Charlottesville, VA - Fry's Spring Beach Club *

* White Rabbits

Legendary Krautrock Pioneers Faust Get Twitter, Let Everyone Know “Faust Entdecken U.S.A. und Kanada Tour Termine” (Translation: Holy Shit! Faust Is Coming to the U.S. of A. and Canada!)

By Jon Lorenz on 08-18-2009

As Julian Cope once said, "There is no group more mythical than Faust." Don't even try to argue with that! Julian Cope will come knockin' on your door and give you a 46-hour history lesson on all things Krautrock. He will draw you diagrams, pie charts, spreadsheets, and family trees. He will sit you down and make you watch every single music video that contains anything remotely considered "Krautrock." He will play every Krautrock record in existence while you sleep, eat, shower, go to school, watch TV... even while you look at those porno mags under your bed. Worst of all, he will hang out with your parents and make fun of them for not knowing who Guru Guru is. Oh, the tragedy!

Well, unless you want Julian Cope hassling you for the rest of your lives you'd better catch Faust while they are on this continent. On September 25, they will set out on a two-week venture through the east side of the U.S., plus two dates in Canada. Yeah that's right, fuck you West Coast, you ain't getting this one! The band has only been to the States twice in their existence -- once in 1994 and another in 1999 -- and not once have they been to Canada. This time around, the group will be made up of original members Jean-Hervé Peron and Werner "Zappi" Diermaier, along with James Johnston (Gallon Drunk, Lydia Lunch, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) and visual/video artist, painter, and musician Geraldine Swayne. Along the way, Faust will also be headlining a number of festivals, including the Sonic Circuits Festival in DC, WFMU Fest in Brooklyn, Pop Montreal in... Montreal, and WRFL's Boomslang Festival in Lexington.

Don't be surprised when you see Julian Cope at every show telling the members of Faust that he knows more about Krautrock than they do.

Here's the dates:
09.25.09 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel *
09.27.09 - Washington, DC - Black Cat (Sonic Circuits Fest) +
09.28.09 - Philadelphia, PA - International House Philadelphia (workshop)
09.29.09 - Philadelphia, PA - International House Philadelphia
09.30.09 - Schenectady, NY - GE Theatre
10.01.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg (WFMU Fest)
10.03.09 - Montreal, QC - Pop Montreal Festival (daytime workshop/night show) $
10.04.09 - Toronto, ON - The Polish Combatants Hall
10.05.09 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Museum of Contemporary Art (workshop)
10.06.09 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Museum of Contemporary Art
10.07.09 - Chicago, IL - The Empty Bottle
10.08.09 - Columbus, OH - Wexner Center for the Arts
10.09.09 - Lexington, KY - Buster's (Boomslang Fest) @
10.10.09 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club
10.11.09 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club (workshop)

$ Butthole Surfers, Jay Reatard, Yo La Tengo, Diamanda Galas, Os Mutantes, Sufjan Stevens, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, The Homosexuals, Thee Oh Sees

* sunn O)))

+ Jandek, Evan Parker/Ned Rothenberg, Tim Hecker, David Daniel, HEALTH

@ Os Mutantes, The Black Angels, Atlas Sound, Bardo Pond, Burning Star Core, Hair Police, Psychedelic Horseshit

RIP: Jim Dickinson, Memphis producer and musician

By Shane Mack on 08-18-2009

From The Commercial Appeal:

The North Mississippi Allstars have lost their father, Bob Dylan has lost a “brother,” rock and roll has lost one of its great cult heroes and Memphis has lost a musical icon with the death of Jim Dickinson.

The 67-year-old Dickinson passed away early Saturday morning in his sleep. The Memphis native and longtime Mississippi resident had been in failing health for the past few months and was recuperating from heart surgery at Methodist Extended Care Hospital.

“He went peacefully,” said his wife, Mary Lindsay Dickinson, adding that her husband remained in good spirits until the end. “He had a great life. He loved his family and music. And he loved Memphis music, specifically.”

- Jim Dickinson official website
- Jim Dickinson Wikipedia entry

More

News
  • Recent
  • Popular

Music Reviews
  • Recent
  • Popular