Perry Farrell Pitching New Music Performance TV Show
Jane's Addiction frontman and Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell may have another project in the works. Entertainment Weekly reports that Farrell is pitching a primetime music-performance TV show to broadcast executives.
According to EW, the show wouldn't be another amateur, contest-driven show likeAmerican Idol. Instead, the series would feature top acts doing what they do best: playing music.
Back in the days before MTV, live music performance was a television staple -- from variety shows like Ed Sullivan's to 1970s late-night classics like Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. But these days, a regular, primetime series featuring musical performers is a somewhat novel idea. EW reports that the high ratings of primetime awards shows driven by musical performances -- like the Grammys and the CMAs -- may have television executives intrigued.
Blur Releasing Download of Hyde Park Show; Deluxe Editions to Follow
When Blur played London's Hyde Park Sunday, at a special concert celebrating the close of the London Olympics, thousands of people were in attendance. But many more will get a chance to hear the performance this week because the whole show will be released today on iTunes.
While many have speculated that the Hyde Park show will be Blur's last-ever concert, the Hyde Park download definitely won't be the band's last commercially-available live recording. That's because Parklive, a three-CD collection containing the Hyde Park show, plus a CD of material from the band's mini-tour of warm-up gigs, will be released a week later.
Finally, in November, Blur will release a five-disc version of Parklive, which will contain all the material from the three-CD set plus a DVD of the Hyde Park gig and Blur Live at the 100 Club, a CD capturing a live set recorded this month at that famous London venue. The five-disc set will also come with a 60-page, hardbound book of photographs from the Hyde Park and 100 Club concerts.
Lamb of God Frontman Recalls Time in Czech Prison, Says He Will Return to Stand Trial
Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe says he's worried about facing trial for manslaughter in the Czech Republic, but the singer tells Rolling Stone that if he must, he's prepared to return to Prague to do just that.
The singer was charged in July over an onstage incident dating back two years, in which a fan who'd rushed the stage died after a fall.
Blythe, who was held at Pankrác Prison in Prague from July 27 to August 2, told Rolling Stone he spent his days in the Czech prison reading, trying his best to speak with his two Mongolian cellmates, and writing.
"I wrote a song for my friend Hank Williams III –- I've been wanting to write a song for him for years, and what better place to do it than prison?" Blythe said. "I started the outline of a novel set in Pankrác, and a journal, because I'm sure there's going to be some sort of book out of this experience."
He recounts to the magazine how he was met at the airport by "four or five large men with masks, machine guns, knives -– the full-on SWAT team. They looked like they were there to apprehend a terrorist."
Although Blythe tells Rolling Stone that there's a chance the matter will be settled without trial, he says it's unlikely. "From what I understand, it could get settled out of court, but I doubt it will, especially with the kind of intensity that the prosecuting attorney pursued my continual incarceration with," he said.
Blythe wouldn't talk about any memories he may have had of the original incident, saying only, "There were a lot of people on stage. There's a lot of questions as to what happened with this young man." But he did say that he feels that it is his obligation to stand trial, even though he could face up to 10 years in prison.
"It's the right thing for me to do and stand trial if called -– if only from the ethical viewpoint that this young man's family is sitting there with a lot of questions still," said Blythe.
Green Day's Video for "Oh Love" to Debut on MTV Wednesday
If you're a Green Day fan, make sure you're watching MTV next Wednesday night at 7:49 p.m. ET. That's when the band will premiere the video for their new single, "Oh Love." That'll be followed by a 30-minute interview over on MTV.com, where frontman Billie JoeArmstrong and the guys will answer fans' questions and talk about their upcoming album trilogy, ¡Uno!¡Dos! and ¡Tre!
The video for "Oh Love" was directed by Samuel Bayer, who was also behind the camera for their award-winning clip "Boulevard of Broken Dreams."
Billie Joe tells MTV that "Oh Love" and its video are a real departure from some of Green Day's more politically-charged tunes. "'Oh Love' is kind of like leading with your heart and not necessarily with your brain as much," he explains. "And [also] kind of maybe losing your mind, and shooting a little bit more from the crotch area."
Muse Releases Video for "The 2nd Law: Unsustainable"
Muse has now posted online a video for their dubstep-flavored track "The 2nd Law: Unsustainable." The video had previously only been available to fans who pre-ordered the band's forthcoming albumk The 2nd Law.
The band, which performed at Sunday's Olympics closing ceremony, has said that the song was inspired by a Skrillex concert they attended.
The 2nd Law, which had been set for a September release, is now scheduled for release on October 2. It's the follow-up to Muse' 2009 album, The Resistance.
Beck Plays San Francisco Club Gig in Front of Outside Land's Appearance
Beck's been pretty quiet lately, at least in public, while he's been working on his upcoming album, Beck Hansen’s Song Reader. San Francisco fans, though, enjoyed a rare treat Thursday night when the musician performed a 90-minute set at Bimbo's 365 Club.
According to various online reports, including details posted on YouTube, tickets for the gig went on sale just four hours ahead of time, and were being scalped for up to $125 minutes before the show began. Beck treated the crowd to a solid assortment of his hits, plus two covers -- Bob Dylan's "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" and Neil Young's "Barstool Blues."
Beck was in town for his Friday appearance at the Outside Lands music fest, which wrapped up Sunday at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.
By the way, about that new album: look for Beck Hansen’s Song Reader, his first release in four years, in stores this December. It'll be released in the form of a 108-page book featuring sheet music for twenty new songs, including two instrumentals, along with original artwork from more than a dozen different artists.
Here's the reported setlist from Thursday night's club show:
"Black Tambourine"
"Novacane"
"Soul of a Man"
"Sissyneck"
"Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat"
"Hotwax"
"Modern Guilt"
"Think I'm In Love"
"Bad Blood"
"The Golden Age"
"Lost Cause"
"Pay No Mind"
"Sunday Sun"
"Jack-Ass"
"Soldier Jane"
"Gamma Ray"
"Barstool Blues"
"Girl"
"Where It's At"
Encore:
"Loser"
"Mutherfuker"
"E-Pro"
Hoobastank Launches Web Video Series Ahead of Album Release
Fans of Hoobastank have had a long wait for the band's latest album, Fight or Flight. It's been three years since the band's last studio record, and the release date for Fight or Flight has been pushed back twice.
Now, however, the album is set for release on September 11, and the group has launched a series of webisodes in preparation. The first Hoobastank on Tour webisode was recently posted on YouTube. To the accompaniment of the band's latest single, "This Is Gonna Hurt," Hoobastank is seen in performance, during soundchecks and backstage, all ahead of next month's album launch.
In other Hoobastank news, the band will begin shooting a video for "This Is Gonna Hurt" in Los Angeles this week.
New Songs by AWOLNATION, Karen O, Mark Foster & More Featured on Tim Burton's Frankenweenie Unleashed! Album
AWOLNATION, Foster the People's Mark Foster, Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahsand Imagine Dragons are among the artists contributing new songs to Frankenweenie Unleashed!, a collection of songs inspired by Tim Burton's upcoming animated filmFrankenweenie.
All the songs on the album were written specifically about the film, except for two newly-recorded covers: the standard "Witchcraft," sung by Robert Smith of The Cure, andThe Ramones' "Pet Sematary," performed by Plain White T's. The latter song, which The Ramones recorded for the movie version of the Stephen King novel about dead pets who are resurrected, is appropriate, since the movie is about a boy who brings his dog back to life, Frankenstein-style. Winona Ryder, a Tim Burton staple who also appeared in Edward Scissorhands andBeetlejuice, voices a character in the film, and she's also on the soundtrack, with a tune called "Praise Be New Holland," sung by her character. Karen O's song, "Strange Love," will play over the movie's closing credits. Frankenweenie Unleashed! is due September 25. The movie hits theaters October 5.
Here's the complete Frankenweenie Unleashed! track listing:
“Strange Love,” Karen O
“Electric Heart (Stay Forever),” Neon Trees
“Polartropic (You Don’t Understand Me),” Mark Foster
“Almost There,” Passion Pit
“Pet Sematary,” Plain White T’s
“With My Hands," Kimbra
“Everybody’s Got a Secret,” AWOLNATION
“Immortal,” Kerli
“My Mechanical Friend,” Grace Potter featuring The Flaming Lips
“Lost Cause,” Imagine Dragons
“Underground,” Grouplove
“Building a Monster,” Skylar Grey
“Witchcraft,” Robert Smith
“Praise Be New Holland,” Winona Ryder
Papa Roach Frontman Talks Uproar Festival, New Album
The opening of the Rockstar Uproar Festival is less than a week away, and one of the headliners says being part of the tour is the perfect opportunity to bring their new music to the fans.
Papa Roach frontman Jacoby Shaddix tells Loudwire, "We’ve got a record coming out in October and so it’s a great way to get in front of s*** tons of people and promote our new single and our new recording coming out."
The new record, The Connection, is due October 2 and the album's first single, "Still Swinging" is climbing the charts. Shaddix says recording the new album was different from the way the band cut previous discs.
"We went home, we own our own recording studio and we took some money from the budget and outfitted it with all the proper gear and equipment and that was, within itself, just totally inspiring," he says. "We did it our way on our terms in our studio and really just rediscovered the basic elements of who Papa Roach is again."
Fans will be able to hear the rejuvenated band on the road as part of the Uproar Festival starting Friday, August 17, and Shaddix says he's looking forward to hitting the road with so many old friends.
"I’ve got nothing but love and respect. I mean the guys in Staind are good friends of mine, Shannon Larkin from Godsmack is one of my favorite rock drummers," he says, "....and my dudes in Shinedown, those are my homies. Plus P.O.D.'s representing out on the second stage, headlining that s***. So I’m definitely gonna be hanging out with those guys."
As for the vocal problems that plagued him last month, Shaddix says, “I think I’ll be alright. I’ve got a speech and vocal therapist at the current time to learn how to sing through this and work through this and take care of myself.” He adds, “Really, it’s just a matter of having a little bit more discipline than I’m used to...as far as vocal rest and warm ups and cool downs and all that kind of stuff."
Former Kottonmouth Kings Member Pakelika Dies
Former Kottonmouth Kings member Patrick "Pakelika" Cochrun, who went by the name the "Visual Assassin," died on Saturday evening due to health complications, according to the band’s official website, KottonmouthKings.com. His age was not released.
A post by the band on their website reads in part: "We were blindsided, shocked and saddened by the terrible news about former member & friend, Pakelika's sudden death. Nothing prepares you for such news. It is another example of how precious life really is. It has been a couple years since Big Pak performed with the Kings, but his presence and impact will be felt and live forever."
The Kottonmouth Kings had posted on their Facebook page early Saturday evening, announcing their former bandmate was in the hospital suffering from "serious heath issues," and about an hour later they confirmed his passing, writing, "It is with saddened hearts we have heard that Pakelika has passed away. May his soul rest in peace. Thanks for all the years & all the memories, respect Kmk."
Pakelika wore a white face mask during the psychedelic hip-hop punk rock band’s performances, and he never spoke while on stage.
Kottonmouth Kings are currently out on the Mile High tour preparing for the Tuesday release of their latest album, Mile High.
