Drowning Pool Week: 37 Stitches

If 37 Stitches doesn't tie with Shame as my favorite track, then it is a close 2nd. Hell, some days it is #1. This track was written it the 13th hour. The tracks on the album had been turned in for all intents and purposes. We decided that we had to put this track on the record just before we flew out to L.A. to write a track or two with Nikki Sixx and DJ Ashba. On returning to Dallas we jumped back into the studio and recorded the song in a matter of hours. I am very thankful that all the band members were under the same conviction; that we had to do the track for THIS album. It is, again, a very personal song for me. The track talks about relationships in which one partner is in the limelight while it is the one in the shadows that deserves the applause. In so many instances in my life it was the ones that had my back that deserve the acclaim. The track also has a couple of musical moments that I dig a lot and are my favorite on the CD, from Mike's drums in the 2nd verse to CJ's lead. The number 37 is a nod to my dad who has had my back throughout this journey. A long strange trip it's been…
- Learn more about this new release, as well as their worthy USO efforts for wounded troops, grab tour dates and more here

Fck CMJ Say Indie Artists

The quest began on July 30th when organizers of the then fckCMJ Music Fest launched a myspace page looking for artists as well as NYC bookers and venues to take part in an event "that aims to put music back in the hands of musicians and music fans, not middle man for profit corrupt bureaucracies". As of Tuesday afternoon two venues and five artists have signed on. 

No One and the Somebodies, Le Rug, Thomas Francis Takes His Chances, Rosalee Motor Revival, Ollie Byrd are the artists that joined up early for the event which organizers asks "Who needs 'style guilds' of 'music journalists' taking money from the musicians to rent space and then sell advertising for a profit? The unCMJ Music Fest is about music, not marketing opportunities.- more on this story

Don't Spit on the Rapper

LeBron filed a lawsuit Monday in Manhattan state Supreme Court. The suit alleges LeBron "was kicked in the head after an encounter with Rhymes and his nine bodyguards in August 2006," according to AP who also asked the rapper's attorney for comment but the lawyer says he hasn't seen the lawsuit yet. 

This isn't the rappers only legal problem at the moment. According to AP he also faces "separate trials on charges that he drove drunk, drove with a suspended license, and beat and kicked a former employee."- Read the AP report

MTV VMA Nominees

This year the awards show will take place in Las Vegas and will be broadcast live from the Palms Casino Resort on September 9 at 9 p.m. ET. Timberlake, West, Rihanna, Amy Winehouse, Timbaland, Fall Out Boy, Chris Brown, Lily Allen and the Foo Fighters are all scheduled to perform and remind us why music sales are once again down this year. 

One of the most interesting nominations is for Carrie Underwood who is in the running for "best new artist," which is really interesting considering the song mentioned in the nomination was on an album release in November of 2005. But she was beat by a month by Peter Bjorn and John who are also nominated as a new artist when they have a US album out in October of 2005. Maybe they couldn't come up with a real new artists to fill the nomination? Or maybe this is like when Jethro Tull won the best "metal" Grammy sending roars of laughter across the globe at the cluelessness of the academy? Because you know you don't get much more metal than a flute solo. Then again we can't really take these nominations that seriously when they put up Gwen Stefani and Akon as one of the "Most Earthshattering Collaboration." Yes, that is actually a category name! - The full ASB list can be found here

The Great Rap Hype: Fiddy and Kanye Debate

Kanye reportedly issued the challange during an interview on a radio station last Friday, according to Gigwise. Fiddy quickly accepted the challange on an unnamed TV appearance saying " I accept the challenge. Kanye, he's not going to want to show up. Just don't be asking me if I am a conscious rapper. I know exactly what I am saying - so I am conscious" 

Wait just a minute. Seems Kanye had second thoughts. "I don't have beef with anyone," West said on MTV's TRL according to sixshot.com. "What am I going to debate about? I'm going to go in the studio and make music. When I heard the thing about the debate, I thought that was the stupidest thing."- more on this story

Crack, Heroin, Ketamine and Pot Not Enough To Send Pete Doherty To Jail

Oh, but he did receive a stern warning that he COULD face jail over his habitual drug offences which at this point is starting to sound like chicken little. The BBC reports that "In July, the 28-year-old Babyshambles frontman pleaded guilty to driving illegally while in possession of crack cocaine, heroin, ketamine and cannabis."

So Pete checked himself into a "detox program" and now the judge hearing his case has decided to adjourn the case for a month so he can "assess his (Doherty's) motivation."- more on this story

The Police Reunion A Greenlight for Cash

The trio has grossed $107.6 million from their American tour so far - and that doesn't include cash they made from festival appearances. 

The group now heads for Europe for concerts in Sweden at the end of August- more on this story

Bon Jovi Java Backfire

A source tells the New York Post's gossip column Page Six, "One store had people coming and getting their pictures taken with the drink. And it's even spawned a cocktail named the 'Angry Rocker'."

The product is also marketed under the slogans 'itsmijovi' and 'itsmilife', but Marcos Carrington, the owner of the energy drink brand, maintains he was inspired to name the drink Mijovi after his girlfriend Jovita.- more Sleazeroxx.com news

Nationwide Rap Protest

The name of the event isn't that original (just google it, seems that every other day is a "day of outrage") but an organized protest against the "bitches, hoes and pimp" culture of hip-hop is relatively new. And unlike recently empty "public" PR events like Live Earth that didn't really have a clear goal in mind, Sharpton used these protests as a call to arms to hit the music companies where it hurts by pushing for the "withdrawal of public investments from companies that won't clean up their act,"according to a press release.- more on this story

Free Stickers From Queensryche!

So forget that boring old standard edition of the CD and waiting to buy it at a discounted price at Wal-Mart. Sure you'll get the stickers for preordering it but you won't get all the extra groovy stuff that comes on the "deluxe" edition. 

The band made the announcement on their site: A single CD jewel case of greatest hits, and a double CD digipak of greatest hits, rarities, b-sides, demos, etc. For all those who pre-order, we're including a limited edition sticker set. 

We know you're dying to see those stickers,- so click here to salivate and preorder the CD!

Threatening Guitarist Needed

"A solid 6 string guitar god who will drop whatever life he currently has to tour, write, and record with us. Being in Threat Signal must be the single most important thing in your life or please don't apply. Must have professional gear, down pick like a maniac, clean criminal record, between 18 and 30 years of age, and willing to relocate if not local.
- find out how to try out here

Illness Kills Celtic Frost Mexican Tour Plans

"We were very proud and truly delighted to be invited to play our first headline concerts in Mexico this summer. As we stated many times, playing in Mexico was a long-held desire of ours. And almost everywhere we performed on this globe in the course of the "Monotheist" tour, there would be Mexican Celtic Frost fans who asked us when the band would finally come to their country. 

It is with infinite regret, then, that we have to announce that we are forced to postpone the two Mexican concerts to a later date. Our drummer, Franco Sesa, has been diagnosed with an acute otitis media (an inflammation of the middle ear) which has affected the inner ear and severely impairs his sense of balance, among other serious symptoms. 
- more on this story

The Hives Plot Black and White Album

"This new album has been recorded all over the world because we thought it was time to have other people involved besides ourselves and our closest friends," frontman Howlin' Pelle Almvquist says.- more on this story

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