R.E.M. Rock Hard on New Songs, Rarely Played Tracks at the Hollywood Bowl

“We’re a really good live band,” R.E.M. vocalist Michael Stipe said backstage at the Hollywood Bowl yesterday. Not bragging, just laying out the facts. “So even on a bad night, it’s going to be entertaining. And some nights, it’s magical.” Down the hall, five hours before showtime, guitarist Peter Buck was busy pulling together the band’s set list (one of his longtime jobs in the group). “My job is to mix the new and the old,” Buck said. “All of the new songs are shorter, so we play more songs. It’s like the Ramones.” Last night, R.E.M. ended up cramming twenty-six songs into a blitzkrieg-bop show running a bit under two hours. On the third date of their summer tour, they made their 2008 agenda clear: rock, rock, and in addition, a bit more rock. The set was powered by eight of the eleven tracks on their new fast-and-loud album Accelerate, but it kicked off with 1984’s “Pretty Persuasion” and included some surprises, such as the acidic political rant “Ignoreland” (from Automatic for the People, but never played live before this tour). Stripped down to a five-man touring band (Stipe, Buck, and Mike Mills, plus multi-instrumentalist Scott McCoughey and drummer Bill Rieflin), R.E.M. played like hungry men. Concert staples like “Walk Unafraid” and “Fall on Me” were revved up, while “Circus Envy” (from Monster) got a heavy-metal makeover. Even an impromptu encore of “Happy Birthday” (dedicated to Stipe’s 40-year-old “computer guy”) was surprisingly rocking. “We’re available for parties,” joked Mike Mills at its conclusion. As Stipe promised, it was all hugely entertaining — and some songs, like the set-closing “I’m Gonna DJ” and an acoustic version of “Let Me In,” were indeed magical. Stipe’s final review, delivered onstage: “Not bad

Published: 2008-05-31 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Live Shows

The Art of the Band T-Shirt: Ramones, Led Zep, Metallica and More: Book available now.

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Published: 2007-08-25 Provider: Rolling Stone

Most Iconic Rock T-Shirts Ever? A Photo Gallery of Wearable Art

Got some amazing old concert T-shirts in your closet? Dig ‘em out and compare them to the ones Amber Easby and Henry Oliver photographed for their book The Art of the Band T-Shirt. Click through our photo gallery to find shots of tees from the Sixties to today (and info on some of the graphic artists who designed them) featuring souvenirs from Led Zeppelin, the Ramones, Metallica, Pixies, Sonic Youth, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more. And feel free to tell us about your most prized rock & roll T-shirt, too.

Published: 2007-08-25 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Eighteen Grateful Dead Tracks Coming to “Rock Band”

“Truckin’,” “Uncle John’s Band,” “Touch of Grey,” “Sugar Magnolia,” “Casey Jones” and thirteen more original Grateful Dead recordings are coming to Rock Band when the four-player game is released this winter. The Who’s Who’s Next will still be the first full album of downloadable content available, and users will be able to nab individual tracks from Mountain, Black Sabbath, David Bowie, Rush, Blue Öyster Cult, the Hives, Queens of the Stone Age, the Ramones, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Weezer, Foo Fighters and the Strokes. For more on Rock Band, check out Rock Daily’s first hands-on experience with the game here. [Photo: Baker/Redferns/Retna]

Published: 2007-09-06 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Rewind: The Week in Rock Daily

It was a wild week for one Miss Britney Spears: First a choreographer leaked word that her Video Music Awards performance is a go, then her first new single dropped, she had custody woes and that dress she wiped her chicken-greased fingers on went up for auction. New York City and punk fans lost a hero as CBGB founder Hilly Kristal died after a battle with lung cancer; Patti Smith, Debbie Harry and others remembered him, and Rock Daily ran a photo gallery of the Ramones, Talking Heads and more bands onstage at his legendary club. U2 collaborator Daniel Lanois told us that the band’s next album is progressing well, and that he and producer Brian Eno have been invited to write with the band this time around. Bruce Springsteen announced a fall tour to support his forthcoming album Magic. Bonus: Amazon will debut the video for “Radio Nowhere” on Tuesday, September 4th. We showed off some nice photos of Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fall Out Boy and more big names rocking the U.K.’s Reading and Leeds festivals.

Published: 2007-09-01 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Bootleg Watch: Elvis Costello Hits the Gas on “This Years Model”

Starting this week, we’re going to be spotlighting our favorite bootlegs of the moment. No, we won’t be linking to them – we don’t want anybody to get sued on our account – but if you’re interested, begin here and here. Elvis Costello and the Attractions Winterland Ballroom, June 7th, 1978 By the time Elvis Costello and the Attractions hit San Francisco for this show in 1978, they had been on the road pretty much nonstop for a solid year and had only just begun to play large rooms such as Bill Graham’s famed Winterland Ballroom. Performing most of This Year’s Model – Costello’s first album with the Attractions, which had hit stores just a few weeks prior – the four-piece bashed away at a frantic pace they haven’t matched since. The songs rush by Ramones-style – there are barely any pauses between them except for Costello screaming out terse intros like, “This one’s called ‘Pump It Up!’.” This must be why all their early press called them a punk band. Highlights include a highly pressurized ‘Watching the Detectives” and a frenzied “Radio Radio,” during which Steve Nieve bangs on his organ with such force that the thing sounds like it’s on the verge of short-circuiting. Photo:Photo: Sussman/Getty

Published: 2007-07-24 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Will Madonna Be the Next to Cameo on The Simpsons?

The latest bold-faced-name musician rumored to appear on The Simpsons is none other than Madonna. While we’re not holding our breath for the notoriously choosy Material Mom to actually eat anyone’s shorts, the notion brings back fond memories of our favorite appearances by rockers on the legendary show (remember the White Stripes’ underwhelming cameo?) Which rock-related Simpsons cameos do you like best? Here are five of our favorites: Metallica’s tour bus breaks down and Bart takes the band to school with him. Spinal Tap are smothered by their half-inflated devil at a disastrous show in Springfield. Homer goes to the Rolling Stones’ rock & roll fantasy camp and runs into Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Elvis Costello and Lenny Kravitz. The Ramones sing a punk-rock version of “Happy Birthday” to Mr. Burns. Johnny Cash is Homer’s coyote spirit guide.

Published: 2007-07-05 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Fricke’s Picks: The Dictators, The Pretty Things and The Wildbirds

Weekend Warriors In August 1973, the Ramones were a year away from their first gigs, sitting around in Queens, looking for something to do, when Bronx-bred bombers the Dictators went into a Columbia Records studio to make the five-song demo that opens Every Day Is Saturday (Norton). It’s a rock-city set of work tapes and outtakes, mostly from the band’s first decade, that doubles as iron-fist proof that the Dictators were punk even before CBGB. The founding triad of singer-bassist Andy Shernoff and guitarists Ross the Boss and Scott “Top Ten” Kempner was deeply glam, too — and truly heavy — in its hooks, slash and crush. With Shernoff’s smart, acerbic songwriting, the Dictators were also arguably America’s funniest and most fearless (if not famous) explorers of the American teenage wasteland. “Sleepin’ With the TV On,” “Faster and Louder,” “Baby Let’s Twist” and “I Stand Tall,” all here in rough, exuberant blueprints of later LP versions, are the equal and more of Killer-era Alice Cooper — atomic pop about fast food, warm beer and salvation noise, sealed with the subway-soul bravado of microphone bruiser Handsome Dick Manitoba. Ironically, the Dictators, who have made only four studio albums since those ‘73 demos, outlived the Ramones, still popping up on singles and stages. “The joke’s on you!” Manitoba crows in “Laughing Out Loud,” cut in 1999. Save your bread for Saturday, and know why he’s right. Also note the radio ad here for the Dictators’ 1977 stand at the Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles: You could get in for a buck, and some lucky folks got a free copy of the band’s Bloodbrothers album. Those were the days. The Long View For longevity and sheer bloody-mindedness, even the Dictators can’t compete with the Pretty Things, founded in London in 1963 by singer Phil May and guitarist Dick Taylor, an early Rolli

Published: 2008-01-16 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Fricke's Picks, Rock Daily

“Rock Band” Reveals Full Song List: Pixies, NIN, Killers, Metallica, Rush, Clash, Who and More

We’ve spent some time here at Rock Daily gushing about the all-around wonder of Harmonix’s latest music-based video game Rock Band (a.k.a. Guitar Hero for fake drummers, bassists and singers who actually have three other friends to “play music” with). In keeping with its near-perfect gameplay, the folks behind the title have finally revealed its near-perfect playlist. Besides the inclusion of Guitar Hero favorites like Kiss (”Detroit Rock City”), Deep Purple (”Highway Star”) and Nirvana (”In Bloom”), Rock Band also serves up tracks by Radiohead, Iron Maiden, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more for a total of forty-five tunes. For the vocalists, songs like Faith No More’s “Epic” and Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” will probably be the most challenging, and drumming along to the New Pornographers‘ “Electric Version” won’t prove so easy. The game is slated for release on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on November 20th, and there are a few more surprises in the form of thirteen additional songs that you can unlock as you rock. Check after the jump for the entire game tracklist. From the press release: Rock Band Set List: In addition to the 45 tracks listed below, Rock Band will also feature 13 songs ranging from a variety of established bands to up-and-coming independent artists that can be unlocked as you play through the game. 1960s Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter” 1970s Aerosmith “Train Kept a Rollin’”* The Who “Won’t Get Fooled Again” Boston “Foreplay/Long Time” Mountain “Mississippi Queen”* The Police “Next to You” David Bowie “Suffragette City” Black Sabbath “Paranoid”* Blue Oyster Cult “Don’t Fear the Reaper” The Ramones “Blitzkrieg Bop” Deep Purple “Highway Star” KISS “Detroit Rock City” Molly Hatchet “Flirtin’ With Disaster” The Outlaws “Green Grass &#

Published: 2007-10-30 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Rock List: Twenty-Five Favorite Album Covers

On Friday, we lamented the disappearance of striking cover art and asked you, the music fan, what your favorite album covers are. The result is a list of our collective twenty-five favorite record covers — but rather than tell you what they are, we’re showing you what they are. Check out the gallery of winners right here, and because there were so many passionate feelings about this rather personal topic, check after the jump for some RS staffers’ lists of favorites (they’re all subject to change, too). Evan Serpick King Crimson - In The Court of the Crimson King Led Zeppelin - I Can - Tago Mago The Clash - London Calling Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan Melissa Maerz Beck - Mellow Gold Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy - No More Workhouse Blues Daniel Johnston - Hi, How Are You? Swamp Dogg - Rat On! Ice T - Gangsta Rap Kevin O’ Donnell Miles Davis - Bitches Brew Sonic Youth – Goo The Roots - Things Fall Apart Steely Dan – Aja My Bloody Valentine - Loveless Andy Greene Harry Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson Pink Floyd - Animals Ramones - Ramones The Who - Who’s Next Bob Dylan - Bringing It Back Home Caryn Ganz The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers Sonic Youth - Goo The B-52’s, The B-52’s The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico Jane’s Addiction - Nothing’s Shocking Daniel Kreps Pink Floyd - Animals The Beta Band - Champion Versions Jean-Claude Vannier - L’Enfant Assassin Des Mouches Nirvana - Incesticide Can - Monster Movie Jennifer Hsu New Order - Power, Corruption and Lies? Kraftwerk - TransEurope Express? The Beatles - The White Album Elvis Costello - The Year’s Model? R.E.M. - Murmur Nicole Frehsee The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed The Band - Music From The Big Pink Bruce Springsteen - The River The Beatles - Revolver Velvet Underground & Nico - Velvet Underground & Nico

Published: 2007-10-23 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock Lists

CMJ 2007, Night Three: Tiny Masters Of Today, 1990s and British Sea Power

One thousand or so bands (give or take a few shaggy haircuts) hit New York City every fall for the CMJ Music Marathon, a five-day band-a-palooza where new acts get noticed (see Arcade Fire) and scores more get drunk at open-bar showcases. For the next few days, Rock Daily will be bringing you reports on the bands we consider most worthy of your time after CMJ has packed up and moved on: One night after Dan Deacon metaphorically brought the house down, the Bowery Ballroom played host to another anticipated CMJ showcase. First up on the bill were the Tiny Masters of Today, featuring two siblings, thirteen-year-old guitarist-vocalist Ivan and eleven-year-old bassist-vocalist Ada, and a father-figure-like man on drums (yes, folks, we know it’s onetime Jon Spencer Blues Explosion kitman Russell Simins). The wear-and-tear of CMJ showcases seemed to drain the youngsters, as the duo seemed lethargic throughout their performance, like they’ve been staying up way past their bedtimes. When they were on, they sounded like pre-teen Ramones playing Paddy Cake, especially on songs like “Hey Mr. DJ” and the Ada-sung anti-George W. rocker “Bushy.” The band closed out their set with a Kidz Bop-esque version of House of Pain’s “Jump Around.” Yeah, they were cute, but hopefully this band’s sound continues to mature or they might grow up and no one will like them anymore, like Frankie Munoz. Next up was the decade that spawned the Tiny Masters, the 1990s. While their name conjures up images of grunge and Bill Clinton, the Glasgow trio is more indebted to the late Seventies/early Eighties, especially given the Buzzcockish riffs and Elvis Costello bounce of their songs. Singer-guitarist Jackie McKeown, who was once in a band called the Yummy Fur with Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos, delighted the steadily-increasing Bowery crowd with songs from debut album Cookies. U.K. single “You’re Supposed To Be My Friend” and “Enjoying Myself” (with a Modern Lovers’ “Road Runner” tease)

Published: 2007-10-20 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: CMJ

Queens of the Stone Age Team Up With Celeb Chef Anthony Bourdain For Weirdest Holiday Special Ever

If you are Anthony Bourdain, the punk-rock-loving world-renowned chef and star of the hit Travel Channel show No Reservations, sometimes you find yourself in Berlin boozing with Queens of the Stone Age. As the cocktails flow, the conversation morphs from the Ramones to kitsch, and before you know it you’re talking about super-cheesy Christmas variety-show specials in the Bing Crosby-hosts-David Bowie tradition. The result? Last week QOTSA played “Silver Bells” (renamed “Turkey Bells”) for a holiday-themed episode of No Reservations. “We just got a call saying, ‘Hey, we have a weird idea,’” frontman Josh Homme told us. “So when people come to us with that sort of a statement we are all ears.” Here’s the plot: While Bourdain cooks a traditional holiday feast at his Connecticut home, the Queens are rocking tracks including “Sick, Sick, Sick,” “3’s & 7’s” and “Make It Wit Chu” at an ungodly volume in the basement rec room. When the band emerges, they’re sporting appalling Christmas sweaters. “QVC graciously sent us the worst sweaters of all time,” Homme explains. “I think someone Googled the word ‘horrible’ and that’s how we found them.” Bourdain, ever the arbiter of good taste, hasn’t recovered: “Those Christmas sweaters were just the most terrifying things I’ve ever seen in my life. Beyond Sandra Lee on some really awful hallucinogen.” While Homme and Bourdain aren’t giving up the whole story, they revealed the episode will involve karaoke, surly adolescents and a Japanese businessman. “It’s a traditional Thanksgiving/Christmas meal with turkey, all the trimmings, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie … some Christmas carols … and a vicious brother-on-brother knife fight,” Bourdain said. “We spent a fair amount of time spraying stage blood onto my niece and nephew’s face. What’s a holiday special without violent mayhem? I think it’s an honest reflection of the holiday season.” Though Homme

Published: 2007-09-14 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News