Captain Howdy's Twisted Return

Snider wrote and co-produced the original film in 1994, pre-dating the cinematic vogue for torture film franchises like Saw and Hostel. "At the time, I really wanted to re-invent the wheel of horror. Horror, traditionally, plays on people's fears of being chased and dying. That's totally played out. When you're being chased, there's the chance of escape. When you die, there's peace. What's much worse than being chased and dying is being helpless and suffering."

Strangeland is the story of a schizophrenic sexual sadist who lures victims via the Internet, forcing them to submit to ancient tribal rituals. "I came up with the idea of Internet crime before anybody had ever committed Internet crime," says Snider. "And if I am the father of torture films, I've got to come back like a sledgehammer to reclaim my crown!" To that end, Strangeland: Disciple will come complete with an NC-17 rating right out of the box. Obviously, Snider ain't kidding around. Strangeland: Disciple promises to be ultra-intense, taking place in the underworld of body modification fetishists, amid the secret sado-masochistic freak societies of perverted pleasures that lurk just underneath the veneer of respectable society. - more on this story

Oops: Katy Perry Given Someone Else's Award

NME reports: Katy Perry won one of the big prizes at France's main music award ceremony, but it wasn't meant for her.

The star yesterday (January 17) claimed the gong for Best International Song at the NRJ Awards in Cannes, for her 2008 worldwide smash 'I Kissed A Girl'.

However, the real winner was Rihanna for 'Disturbia'. Host Nikos Aliagas told the BBC there had been a mistake in the vote-counting. - more on this story

Brian Setzer Plans Stray Cats Gig For 50th birthday

Nightwatcher reports: Guitarist Brian Setzer will celebrate his 50th birthday in his new hometown of Minneapolis with a rare club gig by his old band, the Stray Cats, April 10 at the Fine Line.

Known for the '50s-sounding '80s hits "Stray Cat Strut" and "Rock This Town," the Stray Cats embarked on their first tour in 15 years in 2007.

Since 2000, Setzer has earned 3 Grammy Awards: Best Pop Performance Duo/Group for "Jump Jive An' Wail", and two Best Pop Instrumental Performance awards for "Sleepwalk" and "Caravan". - more on this story

Girls Rock: The Movie on DVD

PR reports: Liberation Entertainment will release Girls Rock: The Movie on DVD on January 27th, chronicling an all-girls rock 'n' roll camp in Portland.

At Rock 'n' Roll Camp, girls ranging in age from eight to 18 are taught that it's OK to sweat like a pig, scream like a banshee, wail on their instruments with complete and utter abandon, and that "it is 100% okay to be exactly who you are."

The girls have a week to select a band, an instrument they may have never played before, and write a song. In between they are taught various lessons of empowerment by indie rockers such as Carrie Brownstein from Sleater-Kinney and The Gossip's Beth Ditto. What happens to the girls as they are given a temporary reprieve from being sexualized, analyzed and pressured to conform is truly moving and revolutionary. - http://girlsrockdvd.com

The Ting Tings Are Coming

PR reports: The Ting Tings are set to headline a national tour of North America this spring. The 22 city tour will kick off in New York, NY on March 16th at Webster Hall and run through April 15th in San Francisco, CA at The Fillmore

The Ting Tings live show is renowned for it's upbeat and enjoyable vibe, the Philadelphia Inquirer raved "They are a stone cold gas, trading in kicky-cool, post-everything hybrid of dance, pop and rap combined with an innate sexiness, impeccable style and an irrefutable 'get down' imperative."

The Ting Tings' are slated to release their next single, "That's Not My Name," this January. - more on this story

Kiss Kiss The Gay Blades

PR reports: The Gay Blades will be hitting the road with close friends Kiss Kiss for a Northeast run of dates later this month in an effort aptly titled The Recession Procession.

The band has been all over the NYC circuit lately playing with acts from all over the musical landscape; Scott Weiland, Men, Women & Children, and The Honorary Title among others. - more on this story

Azure Ray + Remy Zero = O+S

PR reports: A seemingly unlikely collaboration but one that has borne compelling and captivating results, O+S has completed its self-titled debut, to be released March 24 on Saddle Creek Records. Buoyed by Orenda Fink's (Azure Ray, Art In Manila) lilting vocals and propelled by the sonic collages of Scalpelist (aka Cedric LeMoyne of Remy Zero), the album is a hauntingly beautiful collection of light/dark, electronic-tinged pop, drawing inspiration equally from the films of David Lynch as well as classic 4AD Records.

This intriguing musical alliance sprouted from an experiment directly linked to Fink's residency at the esteemed Bemis Center of Contemporary Arts in Omaha. The aural nature of this art project steered Fink on a series of sound-collecting excursions that extended beyond her home in Omaha to Alabama, and ultimately Haiti. "My idea was to go and collect field recordings from all over. Places that inspired me in a kind of atmospheric way," Fink reveals.

With a recorder filled with sounds and a head full of ideas, Fink called her near two-decade-long friend and fellow Alabama native LeMoyne to assist with her endeavor. In no time at all, LeMoyne found himself taking residence at the Center, diligently constructing the random noises into structures, and eventually, pop songs. - more on this story

Chainsaw Return for Evilution

MMP reports: Chainsaw, one of the best bands on Polish melodic thrash metal scene, returns with a brand new album entitled "Evilution".

"Evilution" will be released by Metal Mind Productions on 23rd February in Europe and 7th April in USA (via MVD).

The new LP is a concept album due to the lyrical content, written by a native Scotsman, Alex Summers. It consists of 10 rather dark and gruesome tales - Celtic legends telling stories of half-human and half-animal creatures, paranormal activities, supernatural powers and the evolution of evil and magic that took place in Scotland throughout the centuries. - more on this story

. Bruce Springsteen Month: Lucky Town

What most people, aside from die hard Springsteen fans, do not realize is that despite the fact that Lucky Town and Human Touch were both released on the same day in March 1992, they are vastly dissimilar albums. (4.5 stars) - Read the full Bruce Springsteen Month: Lucky Town review

. Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball

This is a solid debut album and I can definitely see why Conan had this band on his show. It's music that is hard to categorize (pyschedelic-alt-country?, Bakersfield via Athens, GA?), but easy to enjoy. (4 stars) - Read the full Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball review

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