RIP: Dewey Martin, Buffalo Springfield drummer
By Shane Mack on 02-06-2009
From Rolling Stone
Buffalo Springfield drummer Dewey Martin died January 31st of unknown causes. He was 68. Born Walter Milton Dwayne Midkiff, Martin cut his teeth in Nashville, playing with Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison and the Everly Brothers. He moved to L.A. in the mid-1960s and learned that a fledgling band was looking for a new drummer. The group’s guitarist, Neil Young, was highly impressed by Martin during his audition in 1966. “He was a sensitive drummer,” Young says in his biography Shakey. “You get harder, he hits harder. You pull back, he hits back. He can feel the music — you don’t have to tell him.” After his successful audition, Martin asked the group what their name was. “They went over and pulled out this sign, Buffalo Springfield,” Martin later recalled. “I said, ‘Great man, a steamroller. You got a heavy sound. Let’s go for it.’ ”
- Dewey Martin Wikipedia entry
- Buffalo Springfield
The Juan Maclean to Release Sophomore Album in April, Continues to Justify Use of Definite Article Beside His Own Name
By Mike McHugh on 02-06-2009
If you walked into any decent club in 2008 with the intention of shaking your ass, you inevitably heard The Juan Maclean’s infectious single “Happy House” and commenced to set your ass to shaking. Wait a tick, I have absolutely no evidence to back that up. I don’t think I ever set foot in a single dance club for the whole of 2008, or even my whole life, now that I think about it. The horseshit dives I usually frequent are little more than crackhouses with better roofs and fewer emaciated dogs. I have no idea what the club scene is like in any city, let alone my own. What am I doing writing about a supposed club standard like The Juan Maclean? Moreover, what am I doing with my life? Maybe I should go to grad school after all...
Waaaah fuck! No! Get out of here, bad thoughts, and take that grad school talk with ya! Okay, get it together, McHugh, and report this shit the lazy way. Eh hem: I really liked The Juan Maclean’s “Happy House,” and I really liked his (Or is it “their?” What’s with this band anyway?) 2005 album Less Than Human. Okay, that part’s done.
Now, the press release called “Happy House” an a “international club anthem,” so as long as I unabashedly trust everything press releases say (which I always do), I think I now have the authority vested in me to report that The Juan Maclean will release their new album The Future Will Come April 14 on the dependably dancy DFA Records. Oh man, I think I even have enough clout leftover to announce that the album will be bookended with The Juan Maclean’s other ’08 club stomper “The Simple Life.” Phew! I’m sure glad I could get through all that with my cred intact!
Oh yeah, and the band or dude or what/whoever are gonna release a new 12-inch for the tune “One Day” and has two dates left on his/their/whatever European tour. I don’t know if I have enough cred remaining to say those two things, so I’m just gonna list the dates and the tracklist and get the fuck out of here.
Tourdates:
02.06.09 – Lisbon, Portugal – Lux
02.07.09 – Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz
The Future Will Come tracklist:
1. The Simple Life
2. The Future Will Come
3. One Day
4. A New Bot
5. Tonight
6. No Time
7. Accusations
8. The Station
9. Human Disaster
10. Happy House
Big Bopper’s Casket to be Sold on eBay, Listed As: “Recently Unearthed Time Capsule.”
By Kid Midnight on 02-06-2009
Children of famous people are presented with two paths in life: to follow in the parents' footsteps and attempt fame or to live a life of anonymity. Big Bopper’s kid? Rather than furthering his own career in entertainment or even tastefully maintaining his father’s legacy, he just wants to make money off his dad in any way he can. How so? Well, by digging up a casket that’s been buried for 48 years, moving the body to a new location, and then unloading the casket as “rock memorabilia,” that’s how!
The Big Bopper, real name J. P. Richardson, is of course known to rock ‘n’ roll history for his most famous hit “Chantilly Lace.” However, we all remember Mr. Bopper when he, along with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, died in a plane crash in 1959, the day famously becoming known as the “day the music died.” The accident was later memorialized by Don McLean in 1972 with his song “American Pie” and dramatized in 1999 in a film starring a young Jason Biggs.
But, even with his place in rock ‘n’ roll history ensured, Big Bopper’s son had this to say: "In another 200 years, will people care about rock ‘n’ roll? Who knows? But why would I want to destroy it? Even though it was dad's resting place for 48 years, it's also a unique opportunity to learn more about the early years of rock ‘n’ roll."
Skeletal structure of rock ‘n’ roll?
The casket was dug up in 2007 when Richardson’s son wanted a “more visible” final final resting place. The Little Bopper, born three months after his father’s death, offers his reason for the sale: “I have no personal use for the casket, when you get down to it; it is just a metal box. More important is what this particular metal box represents."
Exactly. CH-CHING! Dollar, dollar bills, ya’ll.
South Korea’s Answer to Failing Banks, Collapsing Economies and Legions of Unemployed: A Government Bailout for Korean Popstars!
By Brom on 02-06-2009
It’s been tough for the superstars of South Korean pop music recently. Thanks to declining CD sales, online piracy, and a global recession, these poor souls have had to cut back on their luxury houses, fancy parties, and bribing television producers for guaranteed TV appearances. Fortunately, the South Korean government has taken the vital step of awarding their music industry $91 million to secure the next generation of Gods (Groove OverDose), Wonder Girls, and Shinhwas.
Amongst the plans are to create a Korean version of the U.S. Billboard charts and a Grammy-style ceremony to increase the profile of “K-pop.” Not only will this create essential jobs for hard-working, downtrodden music journalists and television presenters, but the proposals will encourage greater spending on pop-related products, such as hair-gel and luxury clothes, in these modest times.
Two new concert venues will be built in Seoul with 4,000 seats total, and a K-pop culture center with a 3,000-capacity concert hall is also planned for construction in Goyang City. While Obama intends to get Americans working on infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and green technologies, the South Koreans realize the only way you’re going to get people out of bed in the morning is to get them assembling places of worship for their future idols.
Politicians should be ashamed of themselves for failing to give cash to the likes of American Idol, Billboard magazine, and the Grammys. The future prosperity of the Justin Timberlakes and Kelly Clarksons of this world are fundamental to securing our economic future.
Cursive Reveal New Album Details to Attract More Attention
By Annapocalypse on 02-05-2009
When a band has been around for almost 15 years, it’s usually time to start evaluating ways to get noticed again. In Cursive’s case, they have unveiled a three-fold plan to capture their fans attention again:
1. Release a new album. Bonus points to Tim Kasher and Co. for naming their album, Mama, I’m Swollen, which is provocative enough to get indie eyes turning. Look for it on Saddle Creek March 10.
2. Tour, tour, and tour again! And play those new songs live, too. (See Cursive’s upcoming tourdates below.)
3. Be happy that your longtime drummer Clint Schnase decided to quit so you could replace him with Engine Down’s drummer, Cornbread Compton. I shit you not; the dude’s name is Cornbread. If that doesn’t garner Cursive some more attention, then all hope is truly lost.
Mama, I’m Swollen tracklisting:
1. In The Now
2. From The Hips
3. I Couldn't Love You
4. Donkeys
5. Caveman
6. We're Going To Hell
7. Mama, I'm Satan
8. Let Me Up
9. Mama, I'm Swollen
10. What Have I Done?
Mama, I’m Touring:
03.09.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
03.10.09 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
03.13.09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour
03.14.09 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah
03.15.09 - Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room
03.16.09 - Albuquerque, NM - The Launchpad
