Readers’ Rock List: Friend Songs

Last week, inspired by John McCain’s frequent use of “My friends,” we dedicated our weekend Rock List to songs that stress companionship. After counting the votes, the Beatles’ Billy Shears and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band anthem beat out other friendship odes like from the White Stripes, the Kinks and Amy Winehouse: 1. The Beatles – “With A Little Help From My Friends” 2. White Stripes – “We’re Going To Be Friends” 3. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “My Friends” 4. Queen – “You’re My Best Friend” 5. Rolling Stones – “Waiting On A Friend” 6. Foo Fighters – “Friend of a Friend” 7. The Kinks – “See My Friends” 8. Morrissey – “We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful” 9. Ben E. King – “Stand By Me” 10. Amy Winehouse – “Just Friends” 11. Bill Withers – “Lean On Me” 12. War – “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” 13. James Taylor – “You’ve Got a Friend” 14. Whodini – “Friends” 15. Sonic Youth – “My Friend Goo”

Published: 2008-10-14 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock Lists

Ray Davies: Kinks Are “Three Quarters Of The Way” To Reunion

Photo: Kane/Getty The Kinks’ Ray Davies says the band is “three quarters of the way” toward finally reuniting. “The stumbling block is my brother because he was seriously ill recently and whether he feels ready to do it,” Davies told the BBC. Guitarist Dave Davies suffered a stroke in 2004. Dave’s health might not be the only issue, however: Back in January, Dave responded to Kinks reunion rumors by saying “It would be like a poor remake of Night of the Living Dead” before poking fun at brother Ray’s songwriting talents. Still, Ray Davies made a good point when he said to the BBC, “The amazing thing is that the Kinks are the only band, of that period, where the only original members are still alive.” If the Kinks were to reunite, Ray hopes some new music will come out of it, as he “couldn’t do it just for nostalgic reasons.” Related Stories: • Dave Davies on Kinks Reunion: “It Would Be a Remake of ‘Night of the Living Dead’” • The Kinks: The Ultimate Album-by-Album Guide • Ray Davies Dials Up Showmanship, Kinks Tunes at San Fran Solo Gig

Published: 2008-09-24 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

New Kids on the Block Return to U.S. Stage For First Time in 15 Years

Photo: Getty New Kids on the Block returned to the stage for their first U.S. Show in 15 years at East Rutherford, New Jersey’s IZOD Center. A sold-out crowd of legal drinking-age women, many sporting t-shirts with “MILF” written across the back) greeted them with the same sort of fervor the New Kids enjoyed during their heyday. Though the boys stepped out to massive applause, that wasn’t good enough for Donnie Wahlberg. “15 years and that’s the best you can do?” Wahlberg joked, provoking the audience into hysterics. Later in the night, Joey McIntyre told Rock Daily, “Canada was a warm-up — a good place to get the kinks out. Our hometown is here, in the Northeast. These are the fans who help take the show to another level.” The group covered the expected hits, including “Right Stuff,” “Cover Girl” and “I’ll be Lovin’ You” along with tracks off their recently-released comeback album The Block. McIntyre provided a fluid solo performance of “Stay the Same,” while Jordan Knight screeched through a falsetto version of “Give it to You.” In one of the more sentimental moments of the show, a montage of musicians and stars who have passed away since the group’s last show accompanied “If You Go Away,” with images of Kurt Cobain, Frank Sinatra, Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Aaliyah, Heath Ledger and Wahlberg’s father and Wood’s mother. With multiple outfit changes throughout the evening, the guys ended the show wearing Boston Celtics jerseys emblazoned with their last names, while performing “Hangin’ Tough.” Fluorescent strips of confetti fell to the ground to the delight of every screaming fan still living in 1990. Set list: “Single” “My Favorite Girl” “(You Got It) The Right Stuff” “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” “Please Don’t Go Girl” “Grown Man” (With Nicole Sherzinger) “If You Go Away” “2 In the Morning” “Dirty Dancing” “Tonight” “Big Girl Now” “Twisted” “Baby I Believe in You” “Give It To You” (Jordan solo) “Stay the Same” (Joey solo) “Cover Girl” “I’ll Be Lovin’ You (For

Published: 2008-09-24 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Live Shows

Readers’ Rock List: Best Sibling Bands

Last week, in honor of the Jonas Brothers on the cover of the current issue, Rock Daily asked the readers for their favorite bands that include siblings. The Kinks ended up as the top vote getters, which should smooth things over between brothers Ray and Dave Davies. Other popular choices included Van Halen (brothers Alex and Eddie), Heart (Nancy and Ann Wilson) and Radiohead (Jonny and Colin Greenwood). Click below for the gallery of the winners. • Readers’ Rock List Gallery: Best Sibling Bands [Photo: Ivan Keeman/Redferns/Retna]

Published: 2008-07-28 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Rock Lists

Weekend Rock List: Color Songs

This weekend’s rock list pays homage to one of music’s most celebrated subjects: Roy G. Biv. Let us know which song with a color in its title you prefer, and on Monday we’ll tally the votes to a form a rainbow we’ll call “‘Rock List: Readers’ Best Color Songs.” Before you go consorting the Crayola box, here are our preliminary picks: Prince – “Purple Rain” Weezer – “Pink Triangle” The Velvet Underground – “White Light, White Heat” The Kinks – “The Village Green Preservation Society” New Order – “Blue Monday”

Published: 2008-02-29 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock Lists

New Music Report: Ray Davies, The Mountain Goats

In this week’s New Music Report, Rolling Stone’s Christian Hoard points his critical ears at Kinks legend Ray Davies’ Working Man’s Cafe and the Mountain Goats’ lovely, quirky new offering Heretic Pride. Plus: Read Christian Hoard’s review of Working Man’s Cafe here. >>Watch every episode of our weekly New Music Report video podcast by subscribing via iTunes (when prompted, click “Launch application”). Every Tuesday, a new episode will be delivered to your iTunes. [If you don’t have iTunes, download it here. [Video: Jennifer Hsu]

Published: 2008-02-18 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Videos, New Music Report, Podcasts

Kinks’ Ray Davies Pens New Musical “Come Dancing”

The Kinks’ Ray Davies has reportedly written a new musical based on one of the band’s biggest hits, “Come Dancing.” Davies wrote roughly 20 new songs for Come Dancing, which is set in a 1950s London dance hall. The only Kinks song to make the show is the title track. The new musical will start its six-week run at London’s Theatre Royal Stratford East on September 13th. Rumor has it that Davies himself will serve as narrator during that initial run. Davies joins the ranks of a bunch of other artists who have stage shows in the works. U2’s Bono and the Edge are currently at work on a Spider-man musical, and Fela!, a musical based on the life of Afrobeat innovator and political prisoner Fela Kuti, is set to debut Off-Broadway in September.

Published: 2008-07-17 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

News Ticker: Yoko Ono, Foxy Brown, Miley Cyrus, The Strokes

Yoko Ono is fighting in court to prevent a film of John Lennon smoking pot and talking about putting LSD in President Richard Nixon’s tea from being shown publicly. The footage was shot in 1970 — just weeks before the Beatles split up — by Ono’s previous husband Anthony Cox. Less than a week after being released from prison, Foxy Brown was back in court yesterday for a status hearing regarding her assault case from a 2007 incident at a Florida beauty salon. Brown attempted to plea deal without her attorney, which made her attorney resign, delaying the case for two more weeks. Fifteen-year-old Disney sensation Miley Cyrus will write about her ascension to stardom in a memoir that is set to published next spring. The Strokes are planning to start work on the follow-up to 2006’s First Impressions of Earth, bassist Nikolai Fraiture posted on the band’s website. “I’d like to say that I’m still looking very forward to a fourth album release. We just need to work out a few technical kinks,” Fraiture said. [Photo: Getty]

Published: 2008-04-23 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Afternoon News Roundup

Readers’ Rock List: Best “Green” Songs

Last week, in honor of tomorrow’s Earth Day and yesterday’s “Sit on the couch and watch The Big Lebowski repeatedly” Day, we asked our readers to pick their favorite Earth-friendly/colorful/wake n’ bake songs. With bloodshot eyes we tallied the picks, and the double entendre that is Black Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf” was deemed the Best “Green” Song. Without further ado, here’s our Readers’ Top Ten picks. Why only ten? We’re trying to decrease our carbon footprint. 1. Black Sabbath – “Sweet Leaf” 2. Booker T. and the MG’s – “Green Onions” 3. Gorillaz – “O Green World” 4. Weezer – “Hash Pipe” 5. Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Green River” 6. Coldplay – “Green Eyes” 7. The Kinks – “The Village Green Preservation Society” 8. Sublime – “Smoke Two Joints” 9. Joni Mitchell – “Big Yellow Taxi” 10. Elvis Costello – “Green Shirt” [Photo: Retna]

Published: 2008-04-21 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock Lists

Rock List: Readers’ Best Drinking Songs

To honor St. Patrick’s Day, we asked our readers to tell us their favorite drankin’ tunes. We went through the picks and came up with the top ten, because $3 will buy you ten songs on any respectable jukebox. Without further pregaming, here are your picks for the Best Drinking Songs: 1. Tom Petty – “Free Fallin’” 2. Guns N Roses – “Paradise City” 3. Billy Joel – “Piano Man” 4. Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Sweet Home Alabama” 5. Beastie Boys – “Fight For Your Right” 6. The Kinks – “Lola” 7. Elton John – “Tiny Dancer” 8. Journey – “Don’t Stop Believin’” 9. Bon Jovi – “Livin’ On a Prayer” 10. Jerry Lee Lewis – “What Made Milwaukee Famous”

Published: 2008-03-17 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock Lists, Rock Daily

Rewind: The Week in Rock Daily

Paula Abdul debuted her video for “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow” and confirmed that a full-length album and tour are in the works. Of course, that was just the tip of the Abdul iceberg, as American Idol’s semifinals kicked off with the guys‘ and girls‘ performances; four contestants were sent packing. Eminem’s reps confirmed the rapper is writing a book, while Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams spent time blogging this week: announcing a canceled European tour to focus on “internal issues,” and dispelling rumors that they’re breaking up. England handed out its equivalent of the Grammys, awarding Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys and Kanye West Brit Awards. Amy Winehouse also gave her first public performance since entering rehab. T.I., the Roots and Gym Class Heroes all gave us updates on their next albums, and we previewed Panic at the Disco’s release. In honor of the Ray Davies feature in the new issue we posted a comprehensive guide to the Kinks’ discography, featuring twenty-five of the band’s albums.

Published: 2008-02-22 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

News Ticker: Paramore, Snoop Dogg, U.K. vs. ISPs, Kinks

After “internal issues” forced Paramore to cancel their European tour, lead singer Hayley Williams blogged today that the band has not broken up, that they are just going through some hard times and that she was disappointed in some of the rumors floating around the web about her. The band plans to shoot a video in Nashville in March before kicking off their tour with Jimmy Eat World . Snoop Dogg was issued a “desk appearance ticket” after being caught with marijuana in his possession in New York City on Wednesday. In an effort to cut down on the nearly six million illegal downloaders in the U.K., a government proposal there may force ISPs to curb the downloading or face sanctions. While a Kinks reunion is still being discussed, Ray Davies is hopeful that a reunion will happen. Judging by our Kinks album guide, we share that optimism. [Photo: Getty]

Published: 2008-02-22 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Afternoon News Roundup

Wes Anderson’s ‘The Darjeeling Limited’: First Look at the Film’s Soundtrack

Last night Rock Daily got a first look at the latest film from Rushmore director Wes Anderson, The Darjeeling Limited, which follows three brothers — Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody — on a spiritual train journey across India following their father’s death. Since his first feature was released more than ten years ago, Anderson has become known for his soundtracks, which have featured psych-rock, British invasion hits and bossa nova renditions of David Bowie songs. When the Darjeeling trailer hit the Web last month, fans noted the Kinks’ “This Time Tomorrow” and “Strangers,” which both appear in the film, as does “Powerman.” The Peter Starstedt tune “Where Do You Go To My Lovely” is a recurring theme, but the most stunning use of music comes near the movie’s conclusion, where a particularly poignant slow camera pan is accompanied by the Rolling Stones’ “Play With Fire.” The movie also features classical tracks like Debussy’s “Clair de Lune,” but overall, the soundtrack made less of an impact on us than the tunes from The Royal Tenenbaums did.

Published: 2007-08-15 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust Turns 35, Beck Hits the Studio, Ray Davies Loses His Day in Court

Everyone’s going milestone crazy. Rolling Stone is honoring Appetite for Destruction’s 20th birthday, the Sex Pistols are getting ready for Never Mind the Bollocks to hit the three-decade mark, and everyone can celebrate the 35th anniversary of David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust by voting in the new album cover contest on his Web site. Our favorite: number thirty-nine’s post-modern take on the iconic Bowie image. Comedian Zack Galifianakis reminisces about that time he and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy went down to the farm and lip-synched to Kanye West. The man who shot the Kinks’ Ray Davies in New Orleans in 2004 has had the charges against him dropped due to Davies’ failure to make it to court (Davies says the district attorney didn’t notify him in time). Beck and Jamie Lidell are sharing studio time while recording on a direct-to-disc device. To honor Gene Simmons’ birthday, the minor league baseball team Brockton Rox will pay homage to his band Kiss on August 25. The team will don Kiss-inspired uniforms and, if we’re lucky, the starting pitcher will paint his face like Ace Frehley.

Published: 2007-07-28 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Afternoon News Roundup

Readers’ Rock List: City Songs

On Friday, Rock Daily was so inspired by a visit from Tokio Hotel that we wondered what were the finest songs that incorporated the name of a city into the title. What we discovered was that the definitive winner was British, there are way too many songs about New York and a handful of readers think California is a city and that “Paradise City” is real (only in Axl’s mind, children). Check out the twenty biggest winners below, lead by the Clash’s signature anthem “London Calling.” 1. The Clash - “London Calling” 2. Kiss - “Detroit Rock City” 3. Billy Joel - “Allentown” 4. Randy Newman - “I Love L.A.” 5. Neil Young - “Philadelphia” 6. Deep Purple - “Woman From Tokyo” 7. Ryan Adams - “New York New York” 8. Bob Dylan - “Stuck Inside Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again” 9. LCD Soundsystem - “New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down” 10. Wilco - “Via Chicago” 11. U2 - “New York” 12. Dropkick Murphys - “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” 13. Bruce Springsteen - “Streets of Philadelphia” 14. David Bowie - “Panic in Detroit” 15. The Kinks - “Waterloo Sunset” 16. Johnny Cash - “Jackson” 17. Lou Reed - “Berlin” 18. Beastie Boys - “An Open Letter to NYC” 19. Stone Temple Pilots - “Atlanta” 20. R.E.M. - “Leaving New York” [Photo: Tabak/Sunshine/Retna]

Published: 2008-05-13 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Rock Lists

Green Day Cut Secret New Album

Fans waiting for a new Green Day record are about to get one. Sort of: The Bay Area punks have just revealed that the rowdy garage-rock band called Foxboro Hot Tubs — who posted six tunes online in December — is in fact the rock superstars working under a pseudonym. And just as two of the new tracks are gaining traction on rock radio, Green Day have announced that the Foxboro Hot Tubs’ full-length album, Stop Drop and Roll, will be out “any day.” Billie Joe Armstrong and Co. say they consider the FHT album, recorded with perennial Green Day sidemen Jason White and Jason Freese, to be “the next Green Day record.” “We record live to an eight-track reel-to-reel machine,” they say in an e-mail to Rolling Stone. “We write songs as we go, on the fly, fast and spontaneous.” From the design of the Foxboro Hot Tubs’ Website — which includes Sixties clips of girls dancing the Swim and the Jerk — to the style of music, Green Day are riffing on the aesthetic of classic garage bands like the Animals and the Kinks on this project. Specifically, their inspirations were “red wine and the Troggs,” they say. The upbeat FHT tunes are presumably very different from the material the trio have been working on for the follow-up to their ambitious megahit, American Idiot, which sources expect out this year. “I want to dig into who I am and what I’m feeling at this moment — which is middle-aged,” Armstrong told Rolling Stone late last year. “We’ve been doing this for almost twenty years.” The project gives Green Day a chance to blow off steam before forging ahead with their next official album. “This is them having fun,” says a source close to the band. And it’s not the first time they’ve used a pseudonym: In 2003, while working on American Idiot, Green Day released a spiky New Wave LP as the Network. Of course, fans did

Published: 2008-04-17 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News