New Found Glory Hits

PR reports: Now, for the first time, all of New Found Glory's best-loved singles and album cuts have been brought together for Hits, set to be released on March 18, 2008.

Hits also includes a couple of rare gems--"Constant Static," previously available only as a Japanese album bonus cut, and "Situations" (streamed on the Warped Tour Website for only one month and never before commercially available). All of the tracks were personally selected by the bandmembers.

New Found Glory's most recent album, the movie covers project From The Screen To Your Stereo Part II, was released in September 2007, and a new album is expected in summer 2008. - more on this story

Glastonbury on the Rocks

BBC reports: US singer Neil Diamond is to perform at the Glastonbury Festival, organiser Michael Eavis has confirmed.

The 67-year-old crooner, famed for hits like Sweet Caroline, [Love on the Rocks,] and Cracklin' Rosie, will play the event on Sunday.

Mr Eavis reiterated that a New York hip-hop star would perform in the Saturday headline slot in a bid to attract a younger crowd to the festival - more on this story

Madonna Whores Song for 10 Million

E! reports: One ticket to the Super Bowl: $2,000. Thirty seconds of advertising during the Super Bowl: $2.7 million. Five seconds' worth of Madonna in a Super Bowl ad: A heck of a lot more than that.

Sources tell E! Online that the Material Girl was paid $10 million to appear in a new advertising campaign for Sunsilk hair-care products, including a commercial that will premiere during the the fourth quarter of Sunday's game between the New England Patriots and New York Giants (most of whom do not make $10 million in an entire season).

In the 30-second spot, old stock footage of Madonna, Shakira and Marilyn Monroe is woven together in a Warholian pop art-inspired montage - more on this story

Don Pavel RIP

PR reports: Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua announces the untimely death of their long-time bandleader, lead guitarist and friend Don Pavel. Don died unexpectedly on January 30 of an apparent heart issue. Don was 60 years old.

Donald Stanley Pavel was born in 1947 in St. Paul, MN to Edna and Stanley Pavel. He has been a musical partner of Warren Nelson's since the mid 70s and was a founding member of Lost Nation String Band and Big Top's Blue Canvas Orchestra. He was a Veteran of the Vietnam War from 1966 to 1972.

He is survived by his loving partner Therene Gazdik, two sons: Mason and Ira Pavel and Mason's wife Rachel, and one sister: Barbara Pavel Jurek. Warren Nelson says of his dear friend "we always said the show would go on and so it will. The picnic of our music is all laid over the fabric of Don's playing."

Funeral services are pending in Washburn, WI. Updates will be available at - www.bigtop.org.

Even Kenny G Thinks Arista is a Cheese Factory

Contact Music reports: Saxophonist KENNY G parted ways with label Arista Records after 25 years because he was tired of recording other artists' music.

The jazz musician has been releasing albums of cover songs since 2002 - and decided to leave the firm in favour of specialist label Concord Records after executives refused to allow him to record his own compositions for his next LP.

He says, "I was with Arista forever, and Clive (Davis, record producer) was like family to me. But I wanted to do an album of original material, and that wasn't what they wanted me to do." - more on this story

The Duke Spirit CD and Tour

PR reports: This is the rock 'n roll album to royally kick off 2008! Produced by desert rock guru Chris Goss (Kyuss, Queens Of The Stone Age), The Duke Spirit put their pedal to the metal with their new album Neptune being released digitally worldwide via iTunes on February 5, with official US release to follow April 8 on Shangri-La Music.

The band have a handful of shows coming up in New York next month, SXSW in March, and will soon be announcing their plans for a full US tour in the Spring. - dates and a link to an online preview

From Autumn To Ashes Temp

Metal Underground reports: Earlier this week FROM AUTUMN TO ASHES drummer Jeff Gretz announced that he had broken bones in his foot in an accident, and would be forced to sit out the remainder of the band's European tour and Australian dates.

The group have since posted the following update:

"Australian fans need not worry... the band is still making it's way to the Soundwave Festival. The fill-in drummer for Jeff will be good friend Joe Zizzo of Victory Records' THE SLEEPING - more on this story

Lamb of God Producer Challenge

PR reports: Fresh off the December 4 release of the Deluxe Producer Edition of Sacrament, Grammy-nominated metal juggernaut LAMB OF GOD has teamed up with Sirius Satellite Radio and GarageBand to bring fans the "Producer Challenge" contest. The contest winners will win a trip to New York to meet LAMB OF GOD at the premiere of their upcoming DVD, slated for a Spring 2008 release.

LAMB OF GOD is giving you the GarageBand files for the song "Redneck," (available online) or you can use the producer files that come with the Deluxe Producer Edition of Sacrament (available in stores now) to remix ANY song off the album. - more on this story

The Aquabats Plan Benefit

PR reports: Saturday, February 2, The Aquabats will take the stage at the Glass House in Pomona, CA, this time to benefit their friend, Tony Carbone, and battle cancer. The money generated from this show will go to aid Carbone, a friend, teacher, and fellow musician, in an all out fight with cancer, his insurance company, and the financial and emotional woes associated with his condition. At this event there will be a raffle to win various prizes including guitar lessons from James Valentine (guitarist for Maroon 5), The Aquabats Nike warm-up jacket, and clothing from reality show Project Runway Season 4.

There will be several other events in Southern California and an eBay auction for those outside of California. The support comes from friends, family, fellow Southern California teachers and a long list of musicians, record companies, and clothing brands: Paul Frank, Element, RVCA, Maroon 5, Plain White T's, Sugarcult, 311, Rancid, All Time Low, Fearless Records, Nitro Records, Hopeless Records, and Vagrant Records. Each of these companies have made donations or otherwise contributed to the benefit. - more on this story

Van Hunt Dropped

antiMusic reports: The EMI cuts have hit home for Van Hunt as the R&Ber has parted ways with EMI /Blue Note. Hunt posted the new via his Myspace page earlier this month. Here is what he had to say:

today was to be a day of celebration. it still can be; but, not for the same reason. i would once turn red from such an electrical surge as having a record on the way to the stores, $3,000,000 behind me in marketing and tour support and the president of the record label, and the manager of my career, making frantic phone calls on my behalf-trying to get me on the letterman show. "what will people think about the record?" talking to myself became casual parlance on the eve of record releases. not to mention preparing a new band for the album release party. an event where the "stars" of hollywood would line up against the south wall of the Roxy on sunset to get in and watch me sweat while they attempted to talk louder than our amplifiers could turn up.

but, not this time. 'Popular' is not on its way to the store. it is sitting in a box in my flat in LA, on 1/2 inch reels down in the blue note basement in new york and on about 30 laptops across this country and england - fans who spent anywhere from $30 to $70 to hear what i was thinking 15 months ago.

you never know how much you mean to somebody until they break up with you. blue note and i are not seeing each other anymore. i am planning. i won't go into more than these details until after we work out the business of our parting. but, this year you will see, at least, one album and a book of short stories from me. i can not promise you that you will ever see the official release of 'Popular.' at this point i'm just hoping for MY release - read his blog

Stax Does The Beatles and Motown

PR reports: Stax Records will release Stax Does The Beatles and Stax Sings The Songs of Motown Records on February 26. Stax, of course, was best known for creating its own songs — classics like "(Sittin' On The) Dock of the Bay," "Knock On Wood" and "Respect Yourself." But in the hands of a Stax artist, a Beatles or Motown song found a new Southern groove, often redefining what would seem improbable to improve upon.

"I was moved by the Beatles," explained Booker T. Jones of Booker T & the MGs, quoted in Rob Bowman's Soulsville USA. "I thought they were doing really great things. Their records didn't sound alike ever." And thus Booker T & the MGs recorded the Beatles covers album titled McLemore Avenue, containing such songs as "Eleanor Rigby," "Michelle" and "Lady Madonna," all included on Stax Does The Beatles. MGs guitarist Steve Cropper called The Beatles "a cool group of superhumans. Hats off to the Beatles and thanks for the music."

But Booker T & the MGs were by no means the only artists to turn to the Beatles as a song source. - more on this story

Beneath The Massacre Tour Plans

PR reports: Beneath The Massacre currently on tour in Europe, have announced their US tour plans. The band offers an update from the road: "The tour is nothing short of amazing!" frontman Elliot Desgagnes says. "The crowd reactions are overcoming our expectations. Touring with our bros in Despised Icon and Misery Index is only making it even better. All the shows have so far been crazy. We really enjoy the European crowd, it almost feels like we're at home."

Upon completion of the current European tour, BENEATH THE MASSACRE will continue to support the band's first full-length, with a complete US headlining tour, which will feature support from See You Next Tuesday, Born of Osiris. - more on this story

Autumn Fallin for Jaymay

PR reports: Not just another "girl with a guitar", Jaymay is based in New York and garnered much local attention after charming her way through performance after performance throughout Lower East Side staple venues Pianos, Mercury Lounge and a particularly memorable residency at the Living Room.

It's no surprise that the British press have now showered Jaymay with praise and adoration over these past months as she's worked her way across the land with an impressive array of touring buddies including Bright Eyes, Jose Gonzales, Teddy Thompson, Laura Veirs, Isobel Campbell, Elvis Perkins, and Okkervil River.

Autumn Fallin' hits stores on March 11th and is out now digitally and, like the season itself, Jaymay's laments hint at hopeful fruition with an underlying yearning for change. The songs are disarming and poetic, and will capture your imagination in the most organic of ways. - "Blue Skies" MP3

Le Tigre Members are now Men

PR reports: JD Samson and Johanna Fateman, of Le Tigre, have joined forces for their new project MEN. Continuing their reputation as electronic provocateurs that never sacrifice the intelligence or the fun, the duo will take over dance floors coast to coast on their winter 08 dj tour.

Along with their genre-defying dj sets, MEN are also working on some new tracks to release this year. - more on this story

Spark is a Diamond Go To Pluto

PR reports: Pluto Records is pleased to announce the signing of Philadelphia's SPARK IS A DIAMOND. Formed in the summer of 2006, the band mix punk and hardcore, heavy dance beats, and alternating female/male vocals, resulting in a style somewhere between Refused and Death From Above 1979. Featuring vocalist Alison Bellavance, guitarist/vocalist Matt Boylan, and drummer Joe Crawford, the trio have previously released an EP with Emerald Moon Records.

The band adds: "We are stoked to work with Brian and Pluto Records. We've been fans of the label for years, and we are really excited to now be a part of that family and great roster of bands."

SPARK IS A DIAMOND have just completed recording their full-length debut in Baltimore, MD with Paul Leavitt (Circa Survive, The Bled) and will be mixed by Matt Bayles (The Blood Brothers, Mastodon). The album, titled TRY THIS ON FOR SIZE, is expected to hit stores in May. - http://www.myspace.com/sparkisadiamond

Leave Britney Alone! (Smack Down Editorial)

Jake Brown reports: The Fall of Western Civilization will be televised, blogged, TMZed, Greta'd, stalkerazied and more! Jake Brown offers his latest Smack Down on the Britney overload overtaking our society. [note this article was turned in a couple days before Britney was 5150ed] Here is Jake:

I can't believe I am finally siding with Britney Spears, but on the other hand, I never thought this whole Paparazzi hurricane- which is almost SOLELY responsible for her multi-chapter meltdown- would lead me to throw some respect K-Fed's way. You almost have to, if only for the fact that he is being a stable figure in his children's lives. The real evil here isn't entirely the Paparazzi either, they have a not-so-silent partner in that sad portion of the American public who are so bored with their own lives that they live vicariously through the dramas of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, or Lindsay Lohan.

Sadly, this is not a recent phenomenon, although the caliber of gossip-worthy targets has moved down a few notches from the A-List heydays of the 20s with Howard Hughes, or the 50s with Elvis and the Rat Pack, or 60s and 70s with the Rolling Stones or John Lennon and Yoko Ono… Instead, in the new millennium, D-List has-beens, or never-would-have-beens (were it not for America's obsession with Reality TV i.e. Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie) dominate our pop-culture. Its indicative of an overall shift from MTV primarily playing MUSIC VIDEOS to the present dominance of REALITY TV programming.

One BASIC, BASIC difference with any of the aforementioned eras was the foundational fact that those being stalked by the paparazzi almost always had some talent which had made them famous in the first place - more on this story

.... St. Madness (Artist of the Month)

St. Madness have a real variety that is quite pleasing. The band sucks you in with some subtlety and gets you laughing with some of the wink and a grin lyrical matter. Check out Morley's must read interview with Prophet to catch the madness for yourself. - Read the full St. Madness review

.... Soulsavers (Artist of the Month)

It's Not How Far You Fall... is a stark reminder of how mysterious the world was prior to the influences of technology and Rock music. Soulsavers is soulful, sinful, spiritual, and mystical. (4 stars) - Read the full Soulsavers - It's Not How Far You Fall, It's The Way You Land review

.... Blood Red Throne - Come Death

Although it has its moments, Come Death doesn't feel like the same Blood Red Throne that once ejaculated insane riffs, intense growls, and rapid percussion all so nicely. Taking a few steps back is never a good thing, but there is still some decency present - Read the full Blood Red Throne - Come Death review

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