Kid Rock & Sean Penn Attack Political Stereotypes in Short Film, Americans
Kid Rock has teamed up with his close friend, actor Sean Penn, to promote a message of unity in a short film titled “Americans.” According to the video's description, the film's goal is to "tear down the one-dimensional political stereotypes portrayed by the media by confronting them head on."
The 11-minute clip -- which is definitely not safe for viewing at work -- features Rock and Penn in a bar bickering about their differing political beliefs and calling each other names. Rock scolds Penn for his supporting President Obama, while Penn lashes out at Rock for supporting Republican candidate Mitt Romney. The duo continues arguing until a news report comes on the TV near them announcing that the death toll of American soldiers in Afghanistan has reached 2,000.
Rock and Penn then hug and go on a journey together, where Penn gets Rock to trade in his gas-guzzling Chevy Impala for a Toyota Prius, attend a an environmental protest rally and a gay marriage ceremony. Rock then teaches Penn how to drink beer and offers him the gift of a NASCAR t-shirt. The video ends with both Rock and Penn riding bicycles near the beach while a message flashes across the screen that reads: "Don't let politics divide us. Thinking differently. It's what made this country great."
In other Kid Rock news, the singer will release his ninth studio album, Rebel Soul, on November 19.
Coheed and Cambria Frontman Explains How Wife’s Loss Helped Inspire Concept for The Afterman
Last month, Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez revealed that the concept for the band's double album, The Afterman, was inspired by the death of his wife’s close friend. Now, the singer says that his wife’s reaction to the tragic loss also helped influence the album’s title track and songwriting process.
“One day in Florida, my wife and I, we were out on a boat and we didn’t have any cell [phone] reception,” Sanchez tells ABC News Radio. “When we got home she found that a good friend of hers had passed away and so that moment kind of inspired the song and that song inspired what the concept would be. There are lines in [“The Afterman”] that are like almost direct quotes of things my wife had said as she was going through the grieving period.”
Sanchez added that the decision to release a double album was based upon very specific criteria. “I didn’t just want to do a double album because we had enough material to do one,” he explains. “For me, being a comic book author, one of the things that are kind of part of that process is the cliffhanger, leaving the listener wanting more. And I thought I really kind of posed that sonic cliffhanger with [The Afterman:] Ascension so it’s kind of why we split them up in two.”
While The Afterman: Ascension was released on Tuesday, you'll need to wait a few months to get your hands on the band’s second installment, The Afterman: Descension. That album is slated to arrive in stores sometime in February 2013.
Papa Roach's Tobin Esperance Says Frontman Shaddix Is "Healing Great" & Ready to Resume Tour
It appears that Papa Roach frontman Jacoby Shaddix is almost fully healed from his corrective surgery, during which doctors removed a nodule from his left vocal cord. Bassist Tobin Esperance says that the singer will soon be joining the band to begin practicing for their upcoming tour dates.
“[Shaddix] got the surgery like a month ago and the doctors are saying that it is healing great so we are ready to get on the road and do what we do best,” Esperance tells Pop Culture Madness. “We get together in two weeks and we are going to start rehearsing.”
After taking some time off for Shaddix to heal, Esperance adds that the band is looking forward to their busy schedule, which includes some TV appearances and some tour dates in Russia. “We have two live Guitar Center sessions that we are doing at the end of this month and then in November we fly to Russia and we start a tour,” explains the bassist. “We will be in Russia for like two weeks and we are flying to Siberia. It is going to crazy! We are going to work our way all through Europe all the way over to London; we will be touring with Stone Sour.”
Papa Roach recently released their seventh studio album, The Connection, which clocked in #17 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with 22,000 copies sold its first week out, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Listen to The Black Keys' "The Baddest Man Alive” from The Man with the Iron Fists Soundtrack
After making beautiful music together for 2009’s Blakroc, The Black Keys have once again collaborated with RZA to create a new song. Titled “The Baddest Man Alive,” the track will be featured in the soundtrack for the rapper’s new film, The Man with the Iron Fists. While the soundtrack for the film won’t be out until October 23, the song is currently streaming online at Fuse TV’s website.
According to IMDb.com, The Man with the Iron Fists takes place in feudal China and is about “a blacksmith who makes weapons for a small village [that] is put in the position where he must defend himself and his fellow villagers.”
In addition to RZA, The Man with the Iron Fists also stars Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu,Jamie Chung and Pam Grier. The film is scheduled to debut in theaters on November 2.
Stone Sour Rocks Crowd of Rabid Fans in "Gone Sovereign" Video
Stone Sour has released the video for “Gone Sovereign,” the first single from their upcoming concept double album, House of Gold & Bones. The video, which can be viewed at Noisecreep, features the band performing the track in tight circle surrounded by a large group of enthusiastic fans. House of Gold & Bones Part 1 will hit all the usual outlets on October 23. The second installment, House of Gold & Bones Part 2, is expected to be released sometime next year. In addition, a four-issue comic book mini-series based on the album will be hitting stores as well. You’ll be able to get your hands on the first issue of the series on April 17, 2013.
Jack White Offers Unreleased Solo Live Recordings to Third Man Records Vault Series Subscribers
The fourteenth installment of Jack White’s Third Man Records subscription series The Vault will include a previously-unreleased live recording of The White Stripesfrontman’s first solo performance.
The package will include a double album of White’s debut concert at Third Man Records during the label's three-year anniversary party, which took place earlier this year on March 8. The track list for the vinyl release includes a number of tracks from White’s debut solo album, Blunderbuss, as well as a fair amount of The Stripes’ classic hits.
Vault subscribers will also receive a 7” vinyl record featuring demo recordings ofBlunderbuss tracks “Freedom at 21,” “Love Interruption" and “Hypocritical Kiss.” In addition, a book titled Shark Infested Soda Fountain will also be included in the package. The book features rare and candid pictures of the members of White’s side project, The Dead Weather, taken during their 2009 tour.
Vault package number fourteen will be available to all subscribing members until October 31.
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