Since Joe Strummer‘s passing, the proliferation of greatest hits packages, movie soundtracks, compilations of dubious origin and other “treasures” that ostensibly pay lip service to The Clash has increased at a rate of about one and a half per year but, really, from a studio recordings standpoint, this one makes the most logistical sense. The band’s legend has only grown since Strummer, Simonon and company called it quits in 1986 and the band’s fans have only grown more rabid as...
On a cold, San Franciscan Sunday night, TV on the Radio ruined at least one song for me. Jerks. I mean, seriously, I can’t be expected to listen to “A Method” again, without recalling the 12-piece instrumental orgy that took place on stage at the Warfield. Lead singer Tunde Adebimpe shouted the lyrics, while ten of his peeps (members of the opening act, The Dirtbombs, included) marched around stage playing some sort of percussion, with one more in the back...
Coming out to the Hard Rock Cafe on a Thursday evening is kind of like the atmosphere of any other touristy/family restaurant with rock memorabilia on the walls. Chicken fingers, high chairs and cool drink coasters. But instead of a jukebox there is a somewhat decent sized stage set in the main circular room filled with high school suburban kids marking their spots with their winter jackets. In sponsorship with non-profit, Why., the Shiny Toy Guns have good karma by...
People are going to talk and, in the interest of covering all the obvious bases, getting what they’ll say out of the way early makes sense. Yes, Chinese Democracy is the long-awaited first full-length release of original material in seventeen years; those terms eliminate the band’s contributions to the End Of Days soundtrack and 1993’s The Spaghetti Incident which was all covers. Yes, it’s been so long in coming that the existence of the record has, until now, become regarded...
So do you want bleak? As the new Smashing Pumpkins DVD opens, a crushing sense of inevitability and despair overtakes viewers as Billy Corgan recounts, “I’m obsessed with the concept that, just as I’m about to get out of Hell, I seem to find my way back in. There was that feeling about getting back into the band like I’m sort of re-signing on to the army for a set of experiences that I know I don’t want.” Bold and...
I'm not going to give you a history lesson in Bay Area metal here, but just in case you are not familiar with Death Angel, here is the CliffsNotes version of the band’s history: Back in the early days of Bay Area thrash metal, there was one band in particular whose name I would see more and more on all the flyers promoting metal and punk shows at legendary venues such as The Stone, Ruthie's Inn or The Rock on...
So do you want bleak? As the new Smashing Pumpkins DVD opens, a crushing sense of inevitability and despair overtakes viewers as Billy Corgan recounts, “I’m obsessed with the concept that, just as I’m about to get out of Hell, I seem to find my way back in. There was that feeling about getting back into the band like I’m sort of re-singing on to the army for a set of experiences that I know I don’t want.” Bold and...
One of Ground Control's favorite obsessions (seriously, look at all the related articles at the bottom), The Sword, has announced the perfect present for all the nascent metal fans in your family: a limited edition box set featuring Age of Winters and Gods of the Earth. The one-two punch comes with a limited edition sticker and will be available on Amazon on November 25th, as well as all of their forthcoming tour dates with Metallica. Yeah, The Sword and Metallica...
Shiny Toy Guns could’ve gone a few different routes to better the world. They could’ve collected toys, as in Toys for Tots. Or they could’ve collected guns (no questions asked) to get those violent weapons off the streets. Or, better yet, they could’ve collected toy guns for tots. But, after a long deliberation between the band members, they decided on a free concert at the Hard Rock Café in Chicago to benefit Illinois Hunger Coalition. They did manage to weave...
Day/Track 1 – Pukkelpop IntroCan you say exciting? I know I’m crazy, but starting off a trip to the sound of 150,000 people says I’m about to go on a journey. I’m self-admitting myself to Pukkelpop. I hear this place has been around since I’ve been born, and legends have divulged their abilities here. Everyone should be a believer of Pukkelpop when people like the Ramones and The Killers have dropped in on this place. Insanity does only one thing,...