http://avaxcontrol.buzznet.com/user/journal/ en-us http://avaxcontrol.buzznet.com/user/journal/2581651/ Gym Class Heroes have enough on their plate, what with being rock's foremost rap group (or rap's foremost rock group), not to mention their summer stint on the Warped Tour, you'd be wrong. [cut=More.] Drummer Matt McGinley seems to have some time on his hands, at least judging by the fact that his side project just released a new album.


[Gym Class Heroes drummer Matt McGinley performs at the Warped Tour stop
in San Francisco on Saturday; check out all our nonstop Warped coverage here.]

Kill the Frontman, originally known as Sherwood (turns out that was taken) are a punk/pop/hardcore band that formed when McGinley was an undergraduate at Oneonta College, part of the State Univesity of New York system. There he connected with guitarist Chris Reynolds (formerly of This Is Hell) and guitarist/singer Frank Sicari. With the help of then-bassist Eric Roberts, who now plays in GHC, the band recorded its first album, Picture Fights, in 2005. Though they became popular on a local level, the band eventually went on indefinite hiatus as McGinley and Roberts focused on Gym Class and Reynolds joined a new hardcore band called Scraps and Heart Attacks.

They came together again last fall (minus Roberts, whose spot was filled by Zo Mourning) to record Songs From the Game Room, which is now available as a free download courtesy of AbsolutePunk. AbsolutePunk's take on the album is highly positive, calling the music "innovative and steadfast" and "a welcome violation of what we've come to accept as our expectations of pop, punk and hardcore." The new album represents a combination of songs written before the band's hiatus and songs written in the last year, providing a sonic document of the members' musical growth.

You can download Songs From the Game Room free here and/or listen to a few songs from the album on the band's MySpace. At this point it's unclear whether there will be a tour to support the album, but McGinley will of course be busy all summer. If you happen to fall in love with Kill the Frontman, take heart: there's always the chance they'll tour in the fall. [/cut]
]]> gym class heroes kill the frontman this is hell Buzznet avaxcontrol 2008-06-26T09:45:00Z http://avaxcontrol.buzznet.com/user/journal/2577011/ SANTA BARBARA, California – Last night I had the pleasure and very great honor of seeing Death Cab for Cutie live at the Santa Barbara Bowl. Though I've been a fan for years, this was my first time attending one of their concerts, and after seeing their performance, I'm kind of annoyed I waited so long. For some reason I thought their mellow sound wouldn't be entertaining live, but I was very wrong. [cut=More.]



My friend and I arrived at the venue early, around 5 p.m., wanting to make sure we had a good spot in the crowd to make the most of our general-admission tickets. There were already about 15 other fans there already, and we chatted with them to get a feel of the crowd. Most of the early birds were girls with an obsession for frontman Ben Gibbard; one girl named Michelle even brought a very well-done set of portraits she'd made of each of the bandmembers, with the Ben portrait being her favorite.



Unlike many fangirls, the Death Cab fans didn't seem obsessed in a creepy way; their love of the band seemed to be based on a genuine affection for its music, which was a nice change.

Speaking of a nice change, The Santa Barbara Bowl struck me as the perfect setting to enjoy a relaxing concert – it's peaceful and natural. Because it is outdoors and in a residential neighborhood, there's a cap on how late bands can play, so the opening act began almost as soon as my friend and I got settled. I had heard of Rogue Wave – who hail from Oakland, California – but never heard their music or seen them live, so I was looking forward to their set.



According to their frontman, Zach Rogue, they'd just finished a small tour of Europe ,where the attendance was somewhat less than they would have liked, so they were grateful to be on tour with Death Cab.

"We’ve been playing bigger venues than we're used to," he said with an ironic smile.

Rogue Wave proceeded to play a short set of nine songs featuring an even mix from their first and second albums, Out of the Shadow and Descended Like Vultures, respectively. They had a sound that definitely appealed to the audience: Their music was atmospheric, with a slightly edgy indie sensibility. "Chicago x 12" was their most memorable song, featuring great sound from the Wurlitzer. They told the crowd they'd be back in Santa Barbara in August, and I think I'm going to have to go.

Of course, as much as the crowd enjoyed the opening act (and they really did: At the end, there was thunderous applause), everyone was very anxious for Death Cab to begin their performance. Perhaps sensing this, Rogue Wave ended the set by saying that if they played any more songs, Ben Gibbard would beat them up. Then they exited the stage.

Luckily, after that we didn't have to wait long, thanks to the sound curfew. Death Cab opened with "Bixby's Canyon Bridge," the first song on their new album, Narrow Stairs, and that really set the tone for the rest of the night. Their singles got the biggest reaction, with everyone singing along to "Soul Meets Body," "I Will Follow You Into the Dark," "Title and Registration" and the most recent one, "I Will Possess Your Heart." To my friend's delight, they played the eight-minute album version of the latter song, rather than the three-minute radio edit, and the crowd sang and danced the whole time.

The band didn't interact much with the crowd during the set, which was almost two hours long (including the encore), but the interactions that did occur were spontaneous and fun. At one point, Gibbard – smelling something funny in the crowd – exclaimed, "Wow, either that's a dead animal or some really bad weed!" Then, to introduce "I Will Follow You Into the Dark," Gibbard told a story about listening to Bryan Adams' "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You." He accused Adams of lying, saying, "I personally would like ... give you a kidney, or something. But I wouldn't die for you. I guess I'm just a selfish person."

Finally, just before the second-to-last song of the night, Gibbard mentioned that his hair was getting really long and he wanted a headband like the one a girl in the crowd had. When he asked her where she got it, she threw it up to him and he wore it for the song before returning it.

Death Cab closed with "Transatlanticism," ending the night on a perfect note, so to speak. I'm happy to have learned that just because their music can seem very mellow doesn't meant they don’t play it with energy, making for an entertaining show. My only complaint is that the acoustics were such that it was difficult to understand the vocals. But that's OK; I already knew every word.[/cut]
]]> ben gibbard chris walla death cab for cutie music rogue wave santa barbara bowl Buzznet avaxcontrol 2008-06-25T12:12:00Z http://avaxcontrol.buzznet.com/user/journal/2566051/ VENTURA, California - If you happen to be a lover of alternative music, Warped Tour is inevitably destined to be part of your summer. The festival needs no introduction; with over 150 bands ranging from the relatively unknown to the best-loved artists in the independent scene, if you haven't heard of Warped, you've clearly been living under a rock. [cut=More.]


[The Higher perform in Ventura, California on Sunday.]

This may sound sacrilegious, but I sometimes wish I could crawl under a rock for the summer. I have a love/hate relationship with Warped that my fellow music fans often fail to understand. While they only see all the amazing bands and great merchandise vendors, I see crowds, short set times, dust and 100 degree heat. Or I usually do. This year the crowds were significantly thinned out (bad news for Kevin Lyman, good news for me) and dust and heat weren't an issue since the date I went was held right on the beach, at Seaside Park. Nice!

Another benefit this year was the lineup: I had almost no feelings about any of the bands one way or the other. While one might think this would be a drawback, it was actually a bonus. There was no reason to be upset over short set times when I didn't care about hearing specific songs. This gave me the chance to let go of my Warped rage and just enjoy the festival, which to my own surprise I really did.

The first band I saw was Cobra Starship, whom I would normally avoid like the plague. Sacrilege again, I know, but generally speaking I just don't like their music. However, so many of my friends who love them told me I needed to see them live before judging. I’m not going to lie; I still don't like their music. But their live show was a lot of fun, very energetic, and the crowd was so into it. I've seen performances by bands I actually like that were less enjoyable, and a good performance counts for a lot. They definitely got the day off to a bouncy start, and in my mind were a Warped highlight.

Another band whose music I personally dislike but who also puts on a great show is the Family Force 5. This band makes me go ... WTF?! Their official genre is "Christian crossover crunk rock." How did they even happen? I have no clue, and I don't necessarily think they’re a good idea, but the crowd loved them and they were definitely a fun time. I feel dirty just typing this. Please don’t tell anyone I enjoyed them. In my defense, one of their members (Derek Mount, guitar) goes by the name Chap Stique. That’s gotta count for something.

But for me the day didn't only consist of enjoying, against my will, bands I dislike; I went to see Jeffree Star, which gave me the chance to not enjoy a band I dislike. Maybe I'm too old, maybe I just don't get it. Or maybe I'm just jealous; (s)he looks so much better in a skirt than I do.

I'm not going to lie, I sulked about that for a bit. But then I got over it and went to check out yet another band. One of the first punk bands I ever heard was Pennywise, and for some reason they're on the tour this year. I saw them for the first time toward the end of the evening. They're the kind of band I love because of what they were to me; without them and a few other older SoCal punk bands, I'd still be listening to *NSYNC or 2008's equivalent. During their set they played a lot of old favorites, and hearing them live put me right back into junior high in a good way. There didn't seem to be any sign of the anger and frustration that almost led to a breakup in Pomona; there was just good old-fashioned hardcore punk energy.

Strangely, this punk energy was followed up by FBR darlings The Academy Is …, and even stranger, it worked somehow. I'm not sure if all the punk fans kind of rotated out and all the FBR fans rotated in between the sets, but the crowd seemed just as enthused (OK, maybe more enthused) about TAI. They knew the words to almost every song, and the band clearly fed off the fans' enthusiasm. Like many of the other bands I saw on this year's tour, they didn't just play their songs; they put on a genuine high-quality performance that was only enhanced by the brisk weather and the beautiful sunset taking place in the distance. The perfect end to a ... well, not quite perfect day. But it was definitely more perfect than I expected, and enough to make me look forward to future Warped dates.

Of course, Warped isn't just about music. It's about buying stuff! I made a list of the fun things I bought this year ...

Top 5 Things I Bought At Warped Tour

1. an almost $5 bottle of water
2. some chicken on a stick
3. a huge pair of bright pink plastic sunglasses
4. a Glamour Kills hoodie
5. a year's subscription to AP magazine at the Warped discount price of $5

All in all, a Sunday well spent.

Don't miss our nonstop Warped Tour 2008 coverage:

"Travis McCoy Reportedly Gives Katy Perry a Diamond Ring"
"Warped Tour '08 Weekend Kickoff: Cobra Starship Draw Huge Crowd, Pennywise Nearly Break Up"
"Warped Tour Founder Kevin Lyman: 'Ill Make Less Money' This Summer"
"Cobra Starship Drummer: 'Shake What Your Momma Gave Ya!' Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Classic Crime Promise 'Pyrotechnics': Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Relient K Guitarist Recalls Seeing Blink-182, Eminem: Warped Tour"
"Warped Tour '08: The 411 on Four Year Strong, Against Me!, Every Avenue, The A.K.A.s"
"As I Lay Dying Guitarist: Don't Wear Black Clothes - Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Warped Tour '08: Who Are You Most Excited to See?"
"Warped Tour '08: A to Z"
"Warped Tour '08: Hip-Hop Acts Might Give You a Reason to Leave Emo Alone"
"Norma Jean Considering Nirvana Cover, Fireball Dance: Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Fall Out Boy's Andy Hurley Unveils Clothing Line; Plans For Warped Tour Booth"
"We the Kings Singer Saved Drummer's Life at Summer Fest: Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Warped Tour '08: The 411 on Angels & Airwaves, Bouncing Souls, 1997, Devil Wears Prada"
"Angels & Airwaves Ditching Lasers This Time Around: Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Race Through the Aisles of Virgin Megastore Phoenix With As I Lay Dying, Protest the Hero"
"From First to Last Call Themselves 'Romantics,' 'Fatties': Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Midnight to Twelve Want Some McLovin: Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Motion City Soundtrack Extend Warped Stay; Fear Just on for One-Night Stand"
"Academy Is ... Bassist Prefers Leap Frog Over 'Halo': Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"All-American Rejects Drop Off Warped Tour"
"Warped Tour '07 Retrospective"
"Be Your Own Pet Talk Trash About Warped Tour: 'It's Like the New Hair Metal' "
"Every Time I Die on 'Punkguins,' GCH and Sitting in Pee: Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Warped Tour '08: How to Meet the Bands"
"The Audition Buffing Up for This Summer: Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Maylene and the Sons of Disaster Writing New LP on the Road: Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Warped Tour '08: Last Chance to Be a Pit Reporter and Get the VIP Treatment"
"Pennywise Can't Get Enough of Warped Tour, Add More Dates"
"A.K.A.s to Be Joined Onstage by Gym Class Heroes? Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Forever the Sickest Kids Want 'A Monkey at Every Show': Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Warped Tour '08: Roll Call - and Dos and Don'ts"
"Charlotte Sometimes Wonders if She'll Blow Up This Summer: Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Warped Tour '08: A Guide to Pit Etiquette"
"1997 Keyboardist Longs for the Slip-N-Slide: Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Warped Tour '08: The VIP Guide"
"Protest the Hero Singer Says 'We Don't Roll Like Carrot Top': Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Set Your Goals Are Packing Extra Boxers: Warped Tour Warm-Up"
"Warped Tour '08: Top 10 Must-Haves"
"Two More Killer Bands Added to Warped Tour Main Stage"


[Click on picture to view the rest.]


[Click on picture to view the rest.]

Also, feast your eyes on these pics of Katy Perry, Beat Union and more at the Warped Tour kickoff show on April 11 in West Hollywood, California – click on the image below.



Get psyched for summer with Buzznet's Warped Tour 2008 gallery:


[Click on picture to view the rest.]

See which females will be rocking out on Warped this summer:


[Click on picture to view the rest.]

Check out these bands that will be playing Warped for the first time:


[Click on picture to view the rest.]

Find out which Warped artists are out of their 20s:


[Click on picture to view the rest.]

Warped Tour dates:

6.25: Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Pavilion
6.26: Las Cruces, NM @ N.M.S.U. Practice Field
6.28: Salt Lake City, UT @ TBA
6.29: Denver, CO @ Invesco Field
7.1: St. Louis, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7.2: Kansas City, KS @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7.3: Dallas, TX @ Superpages.com Center
7.5: San Antonio, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7.6: Houston, TX @ Sam Houston Race Park
7.9: Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheater
7.10 : Orlando, FL @ Central Florida Fairgrounds
7.11: Tampa, FL @ Vinoy Park
7.12: Miami, FL @ Bicentennial Park
7.13: Jacksonville, FL @ St. Johns County Fairgrounds
7.14: Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7.15: Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7.16: Washington DC @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
7.17: Cleveland, OH @ Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City
7.18: Detroit, MI @ Comerica Park
7.19: Toronto, ON @ Downsview Park Allen Road
7.20: Montreal, QC @ Parc Jean Drapeau
7.23: Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
7.24: Buffalo, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
7.25: Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
7.26: Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum
7.27: Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion
7.28: Englishtown, NJ @ Raceway Park
7.29: Pittsburgh, PA @ Post Gazette Pavilion
7.30: Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
7.31: Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
8.1: Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheatre
8.2: Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
8.3: Minneapolis, MN @ Canterbury Park
8.5: Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
8.6: Calgary, AB @ Race City Speedway
8.8: Boise, ID @ Idaho Center Amphitheatre
8.9: Seattle, WA @ George Amphitheatre
8.10: Portland, OR @ Columbia Meadows
8.13: Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center
8.14: San Diego, CA @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
8.15: San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
8.16: Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre Lot
8.17: Los Angeles, CA @ Home Depot Center

Win Warped tix on Buzznet right here!
[/cut]
]]> ap cobra starship family force 5 family force five jeffree star pennywise the academy is warped warped 08 warped tour Buzznet avaxcontrol 2008-06-23T15:16:00Z http://avaxcontrol.buzznet.com/user/journal/2549851/ several late-summer festival appearances by the Dresden Dolls, the duo's singer/keyboardist/songwriter Amanda Palmer has another announcement to make. Yes, Virginia, she's releasing a solo album! [cut=More.]



Titled Who Killed Amanda Palmer – an obvious reference to the famous question "Who killed Laura Palmer?" from the now-defunct David Lynch TV series "Twin Peaks" – the album was originally supposed to be released earlier this year. However, it somehow mutated from a small solo project into a "full-production monster," she said according to multiple reports. And how! It will reportedly feature a veritable who's who of indie guest contributors.

In a press release issued late last year, Palmer said of the Dresden Dolls' live shows, "We always wind up with a ton of people onstage, doing weird things," and one can't help but wonder if the same principle will apply to her solo album. Annie Clark (a.k.a. St. Vincent) is featured on a cover version of "What's the Use of Wonderin' " from the musical "Carousel"; and cellist Zoe Keating, composer Paul Bruckmaster and Dead Kennedys guitarist East Bay Ray (WTF?) also make appearances.

In addition to all of that star power, the disc is produced by Ben Folds, the liner notes are by graphic novelist Neil Gaiman, and Gaiman and Palmer are also planning a book of photography to be released at the same time as the album. It will arrive in a store near you on September 16, courtesy Roadrunner Records, and soon after you'll be able to hear the songs live.

Palmer is also in the process of planning a fall tour in support of her solo album. In the meantime, she has her hands full with other shows, which may or may not feature songs from Who Killed Amanda Palmer.

The track list recently announced differs significantly from the original list of potential songs reported in November. Of the five tracks known then – "Don't Take Flowers," "Night Reconnaissance," "Awful Detail," "The Mouse and the Model" and "Blake Says" – only one seems to have made it onto the album, though some titles may have been altered.

Who Killed Amanda Palmer track list:

"Astronaut"
"Runs in the Family"
"Ampersand"
"Leeds United"
"Blake Says"
"Strength Through Music"
"Guitar Hero"
"Have to Drive"
"What's the Use of Wondrin"
"Melissa Mahoney"
"The Point of It All"
"Another Year"

Amanda Palmer/Dresden Dolls tour dates:

6.20 - Boston, MA @ Symphony Hall (with the Boston Pops)
7.3 - Rothbury, MI @ Rothbury Festival (The Dresden Dolls)
8.4 - West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour
8.6 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
8.8 - Chicago, IL @ Lakeshore Theater
8.9 - Toronto, Ontario @ Rivoli
8.11 - New York, NY @ South Street Seaport
8.14 - Salzburg, Austria @ Frequency Fest (The Dresden Dolls)
8.15 - Erfurt, Germany @ Highfield Festival (The Dresden Dolls)
8.16 - Hasselt, Belgium @ Pukkelpop (The Dresden Dolls)
8.19 - Hamburg, Germany @ Docks
8.20 - Cologne, Germany @ Gebäude
8.21 - London, England @ ICA
10.17 - Milan, Italy @ Music Drome
10.23 - Paris, France @ La Boule Noire
10.24 - Ghent, Belgium @ Handelsbeurs[/cut]
]]> amanda palmer ben folds dresden dolls Buzznet avaxcontrol 2008-06-20T13:10:00Z http://avaxcontrol.buzznet.com/user/journal/2549131/ finishing the nationwide Honda Civic Tour, Panic at the Disco have announced several new live performances. Most of them will take place in the U.K. as the Pretty. Odd. rockers make the rounds of our British friends' festival circuit, after already committing to many European fests. [cut=More.]



Their time across the pond will begin with the Glastonbury Festival on June 27, when they'll perform with such indie artists as Pete Doherty and My Morning Jacket. After a week in France and Germany, Panic will play two one-off gigs in Southampton and London before making appearances at Oxegen on July 12 and T in the Park on July 13.

If you can't make it to the UK or Europe on such short notice (and even if you can, festival tickets there are unholy expensive!), hopefully you can hold out until the end of October. Panic have also announced they'll play the Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, set to take place October 24-26. The festival, curated this year by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, will also feature Death Cab for Cutie, Tokyo Police Club, Cold War Kids and Dashboard Confessional. A weekend pass will set you back $115 ($450 for VIP), but never fear: a percentage of the proceeds from the festival is traditionally donated to New Orleans-centric charities.

If traditional tours are more your style, there are rumors of a fall tour with Bloc Party and Jack's Mannequin, but no dates have yet been confirmed.

Panic at the Disco tour dates:

6.21: ScheeBel, Germany @ Hurricane Festival
6.22: Neuhausen, Germany @ Southside Festival
6.23: Wuppertal, Germany @ Eins Live Radiokonzert
6.24: Arendal, Norway @ Hove Festival
6.26: Utrecht, Netherlands @ Tivoli
6.27: Glastonbury, UK @ Glastonbury Festival
6.28: Paris, France @ NRJ Festival
7.1: Bochum, Germany @ Matrix
7.2: Frankfurt, Germany @ Batschkapp
7.3: New York, NY @ "Live From Abbey Road" (TV taping)
7.4: Paris, France @ Parc Des Nordes
7.6: Wertcher, Belgium @ Rock Wertcher
7.7: Southampton, UK @ Guildhall
7.8: London, UK @ Astoria
7.10: Madrid, Spain @ Palacio de los Deportes
7.12: Naas, Ireland @ Oxegen
7.13: Kinross, UK @ T in the Park
8.3: Singapore @ Singfest
8.4: Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur @ Stadium Niagara
8.7: Seoul, South Korea @ Summerbreeze
8.9: Tokyo, Japan @ Summer Sonic Festival
8.10: Osaka, Japan @ Summer Sonic Festival
8.12: Hong Kong, China @ Asia World Expo
8.14: Manila, Philippines @ Araneta Coliseum
8.17: Senayan, Jakarta @ Indoor Tennis
8.20: Brisbane, Australia @ Entertainment Centre
8.22: Sydney, Australia @ Acer Arena
8.23: Melbourne, Australia @ Rod Laver Arena
8.25: Adelaide, Australia @ Entertainment Centre
8.27: Perth, Australia @ Burswood Dome
8.30: Auckland, New Zealand @ Vector Arena[/cut]]]> brendon urie glastonbury jon walker oxegen fest panic at the disco ryan ross spencer smith t in the park Buzznet avaxcontrol 2008-06-20T10:23:00Z http://avaxcontrol.buzznet.com/user/journal/2540351/ Pete Wentz isn't just known for playing bass in Fall Out Boy, running Clandestine Industries and ruling the music world with Decaydance Records. Mainly, he's known for being Pete Wentz ... as shown by his most recent television project. [cut=Whaaat?]



According to PerezHilton.com, Wentz has signed on to play himself in a September episode of the Showtime hit "Californication," which stars "X-Files" actor David Duchovny. (Better order the channel if you don't already have it!)

"Californication" centers around Duchovny's character, Hank – a writer living in Los Angeles. Wentz's appearance will reportedly take place at a pool party thrown by the teenage daughter of Hank's ex-girlfriend. A writer himself – Wentz will tell Hank that he enjoyed his book. (Wentz wrote and published "The Boy With the Thorn in His Side"in 2005.)

This is not the first time Wentz will have played himself on television (as you Wentzaholics already know). He's appeared with his band in several episodes of "One Tree Hill" ... even becoming a love interest for one of the characters.

Moreover, singer Patrick Stump recently played someone other than himself (a murderer, no less!) in an episode of "Law and Order: SVU." Will either of them win an award for their acting chops? Only time will tell ...

Meanwhile, drummer Andy Hurley might not be an actor, but he isn't resting on his proverbial laurels – he just launched his own clothing line, F--- City.[/cut]]]> andy hurley californication david duchovny fall out boy patrick stump pete wentz Buzznet avaxcontrol 2008-06-18T17:14:00Z http://avaxcontrol.buzznet.com/user/journal/2527711/ Jack's Mannequin released their debut album, Everything in Transit. But there is finally good news for loyal fans of JM's mellow sound; Andrew McMahon says a new album (The Glass Passenger) is in the final stages of the mixing process and ought to be available in September. [cut=More deets.]



The long wait can be attributed in part to perfectionism on the part of frontman McMahon, who also has Something Corporate on his résumé. Everything in Transit was so well-received that he says he felt an enormous amount of pressure this time around. "There were times where the pressure of it and the stress of it made it where I would have to say, 'OK, let's stop working for a while,' " he confessed to Alternative Addiction about the yet-untitled new effort. "That was why a lot of this took so long, because I didn't want to make a record in a bad vibe. I wanted to make a record about getting through something that was negative and getting to something that was positive."

McMahon had more negative experiences to get through than most. In 2004, just after putting Something Corporate on hiatus and forming Jack's Mannequin, he was diagnosed with late-stage acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Everything in Transit is a reflection of that experience. "It was very much an in the moment sort of thing," he said. "I pretty much wrote in real time as I was going through the turmoil of that."

Difficult as that turmoil was, it resulted in an album with a built-in theme that people really connected with. This time around, McMahon found himself needing to choose a theme instead. "I had to decide if this record was going to be about the struggles of today, or the struggles of the past and about being in the hospital room. So I just had to keep writing until the soul of the album appeared."

After months of hard work, the album started to fall into place in December. "There's a tone hope woven directly throughout this whole record," he said, adding "I tried my best to use these songs to help push me through a past that I was trying to resolve."

Happily, his health issues have been resolved along with his past. After receiving a stem-cell transplant, he's happy to report he "leads a really normal life." Aside from the rock-star part, of course.[/cut]]]> andrew mcmahon jack's mannequin music something corporate Buzznet avaxcontrol 2008-06-16T13:51:00Z http://avaxcontrol.buzznet.com/user/journal/2527561/ rumors have been swirling about the romantic connection between Hayley Williams and Chad Gilbert. Their relationship could be seen as something of an open secret, with Williams singing a duet with Gilbert at some recent shows and fans witnessing some mild PDA. However, there is finally a more public confirmation of the link between the two. [cut=What happened?]



At a recent New Found Glory show, Gilbert introduced the Paramore singer not as a friend but as "the most beautiful girl in the world," acknowledging the relationship to the audience.

The relationship may seem strange to some, especially as Gilbert was recently divorced from Sherri DuPree of Eisley. However, in many ways, it makes a lot of sense. As musicians, they both understand the lifestyle and spend a lot of time on the road. They're also both devoutly religious, a shared interest obviously capable of bridging even a 10-year age gap.

It's anyone's guess as to what the future holds for the couple, but separately they both have a lot on their plates. Gilbert and NFG will be embarking upon a four-month tour of Asia, the US and Europe, starting with a July 31 show in Jarkarta, Indonesia. Williams will be performing with Paramore, including a few dates on this year's Warped Tour, as well as working on her band's new album.

In a recent interview on MTV's "TRL," Williams estimated the new album would be released sometime next year.[/cut]]]> chad gilbert hayley williams new found glory paramore Buzznet avaxcontrol 2008-06-16T13:32:00Z http://avaxcontrol.buzznet.com/user/journal/2488401/ The Bled are at right now. However, instead of giving into poverty, they're relying on their most dedicated fans to help them through.



The Bled formed in Tucson, Arizona, in 2001, and supported themselves through much of their career. Like many bands, this "support" came in the form of credit card debt, not an alternate income. Arguably, the gamble paid off: The band is fresh off the Take Action Tour as well as some dates with the Dillinger Escape Plan, and their third album, Silent Treatment, was quite successful by independent standards. But while the gamble may have paid off, the debt itself has yet to be, as the band revealed to Buzznet on Monday.

This is where the fans come in. "Piss poor and in debt," the band took the creative tack of offering bribes in exchange for donations. For a $10 contribution, fans scored a personal phone call from singer James Muñoz. "For anything more," he joked (we hope), "[I] will call you and send you an erotic photo." Other incentives include autographed photos and CDs, and even a weekend partying with James "for $500 and the cost of airfare."

Since the donation drive launched, almost 50 Bled fans have contributed, surprising everyone and making a significant dent in the "monumental credit card debt" the band is dealing with. Overall, fans are viewing the situation as nothing more than an extension of the typical relationship between musicians and music lovers. "I'd pay $10 for a CD, and I'd pay more than that to talk to James," said one fan who donated. "They're in this position because they wanted to make music I love. Why shouldn't I support them like this?"

Other fans have speculated about the unseen factors leading to the donation drive, wondering if it's an indication of problems between The Bled and their label, Vagrant. The band's initial plea, asking for help in their "continuing struggle against sh---y music [and] sh---y record labels," combined with the fact that they've announced a summer hiatus, only seems to confirm the speculation. But the band is keeping mum on the subject. The most James will say is, "We appreciate the tremendous amount of support we've received during these hard times we're facing. It would be great if we could be musicians and not worry about the serious business side. There is so much bullsh-- going on right now, it's really hard to stay focused and do your main job, which is your passion."

If you'd like to help The Bled through these hard times, you can send money via PayPal to IsaiahRose1@yahoo.com. Don't forget to include your phone number to receive your call from the band!
]]> dillinger escape plan james munoz take action tour the bled vagrant Buzznet avaxcontrol 2008-06-09T14:23:00Z http://avaxcontrol.buzznet.com/user/journal/2466981/ Motion City Soundtrack are the most recent band to dabble in interactive Internet technology. The band will be playing a show for the Pepsi Free Concert Series in Las Vegas on Wednesday ... with a twist. [cut=Do tell.]



The show will be broadcast online in real time and include interactive features. Rather than just being able to watch the show on their computers, fans will be able to select the camera angle from which they watch the performance, vote for and request which songs the band plays, and what order they play them in. As a bonus, viewers will be able to type out their thoughts on the show for the bandmembers and all the other fans to read.

This free interactive performance is made available by Deep Rock Drive, a Web site dedicated to providing "the first truly global venue for performances that reach a worldwide network of fans. Since its launch in October 2007, Deep Rock Drive has put on over 80 live interactive Internet performances. Some shows, such as the upcoming Motion City Soundtrack show, are free to fans ... thanks to sponsorship by Pepsi. Others cost a reasonable $4.95.

If you happen to love Motion City, then Wednesday is your lucky day. To attend the free show, visit Deep Rock Drive and click on the Motion City Soundtrack graphic. Then click on "Claim Your Free Seat." The site will display the time of the show based on your computer's time zone setting, though the actual show time is set for 7 p.m. PT in Las Vegas. The day of the show you will have the chance to vote on a list of songs to be performed, from the band's first album all the way up to the recently released Even if It Kills Me. And, even better, you'll be a part of the future of live music.[/cut]]]> disturbed even if it kills me interactive justin pierre live motion city soundtrack music Buzznet avaxcontrol 2008-06-05T15:00:00Z