We can confirm that the beautiful Poly Styrene, who has been a true fighter, won her battle on Monday evening (4/25/11) to go to higher places. Poly Styrene was born Marianne Elliot Said on June 3, 1957. She passed away due to cancer. Poly Styrene was a punk amongst punks. A groundbreaking presence that left an unrepeatable mark on the musical landscape, she made history the moment she uttered, “Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard...
Sometimes the most difficult records to review are those which see a band reaching out artistically to examine several sounds at once but do it so well that they feel as though they should be the work of more than one band – or at least the work of one band on more than one album. Such is exactly what happens on Tin Horn Prayer's new album, Get Busy Dying; depending on which side of the 12” LP a listener...
As a member of The Band, Robbie Robertson wrote dozens of classic songs, including "The Weight,” "Up on Cripple Creek" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” He also worked regularly with Bob Dylan – playing guitar on several tracks on 1966's Blonde on Blonde and touring with the singer on his infamous 1966 "electric" tour (among others) – and recorded 1974's Planet Waves and 1975's The Basement Tapes along with both Dylan and The Band. Since breaking up...
Hey there junky, Awright, firs' an' foremost, we gotta give the man his due – Happy Birthday Iggy Pop! On'is day in 1947, missus Louella Osterberg screamed out one o' the most enduring self-proclaimed idiots inna world, named 'im after his Daddy an' turned 'im loose onna world. We owe 'er a debt o' thanks! Here's to ya Ig, hope yer gettin' some tonight. Anyway, onta business. I figure, jaw-bonin' about that's gotta be gettin' ya nervous, ain't it junky?...
Gainesville, FL – Just when you thought you heard it all with Reality TV stars vying for a chance at running the US, seemingly wholesome punk/pop/ska band Less Than Jake were on the receiving end of picket signs and protests from the Westboro Baptist Church during their show last weekend in Pensacola, FL. Asked why he thinks his band would be targeted by the controversial religious group, drummer Vinnie Fiorello replied, "I have no idea. I mean, let's face the...
No decade has produced more bands that seem to tour tirelessly than the 2000s. Since record sales began to decline, bands have had to work harder to get noticed and get paid, and there is no better way to do that than to keep a full calendar of live shows. Every time The Black Lips return to Toronto, they get bigger and more fantastic. Even though their show remains the same, the non-stop movement and complete lack of self-control always...
Mastodon sucks live. Okay, okay, that’s not how I actually feel – I’ve never even seen them live – but ever since Mastodon released Remission in 2002, metal fans have been drooling over everything the band has put on the table. Four albums and nearly a decade has gone by since then, and I still haven’t stopped hearing about this band. They’ve had their positive and negative criticisms – leaning much more on the former – but the rumor that...
Artist: Black Lips Venue: The Phoenix – Toronto, Ontario, Canada Date: April 2011 No decade has produced more relentlessly touring bands than the 2000’s. Since the decline of record sales, bands have had to work harder to get noticed and get paid, and there is no better way than to play live shows all over the world all of the time. Every time The Black Lips return to Toronto they get bigger and more fantastic. Even though their show remains...
I had hip parents. They were folk music fans from way back; even before the big folk revival of the early Sixties. Their record collection included all the usual suspects – Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary, Woody Guthrie – but they loved Simon and Garfunkel. Our entire family did. All of their albums were part of the soundtrack of my pre-teen years. Bridge Over Troubled Water was probably my least favorite of the duo's albums. It was too mellow for...
NORTH BY NORTHEAST (NXNE) announces the second wave of bands for the 17th edition of the festival, taking over Toronto June 13-19, 2011. Tickets are now available online at www.nxne.com NXNE has just confirmed that Devo, Descendents, Stars, The Pharcyde, Men Without Hats, Digable Planets, Twin Shadow, OFF!, Art Brut, Shad, Land of Talk, Chad VanGaalen, and Cults will join a festival line-up that also includes performances by The Dodos, Deerhoof, Hot Water Music, The Bouncing Souls,...