Category: Alternative (Page 144 of 155)

Pearl Jam: “Marker In The Sand”

With my upcoming Pearl Jam/Tom Petty show, I thought it wise to dig into Pearl Jam’s most recent effort (creatively titled Pearl Jam). It’s a pretty good record, but my favorite song is “Marker In The Sand,” which is reminiscent of the band’s Vs. days. (That’s a good thing.) I especially like the cascading chorus.

Listen to a song clip here.

Read Bullz-Eye’s review.

Although the headline is awful…

…when you’ve done an interview with notoriously long-winded Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra, you’re gonna be a little punchy, so it’s only to be expected that you’re gonna take the easy way out and go with a headline like, “Make Room For Jello.”

In an interview with PortFolio Weekly, the Hampton Roads, VA, alt-weekly, Biafra got decidedly political, but, on the music front, he spoke frankly (what a shock) about how there’s no lack of love between himself and his former DK bandmates.

PortFolio Weekly: I know your lyrics have always been political, but do you ever find it hard to flip-flop between music and spoken word?

Jello Biafra: It is kind of hard to concentrate fully on both at the same time. And, plus, there’s Alternative Tentacles [the label Biafra owns] and all kinds of other things going on, so there isn’t always as much time for music as I would like. Especially with unending harassment from greedy former band members and great, big, nasty corporate lawyers.

PFW: Well, I was going to hold off asking about that, but now you’ve given me the perfect segue.

JB: Yeah, it’s as ugly as it ever was. I mean, I’m not allowed any say in how the band is pimped any more…and I emphasize the word “pimped.” I’m not allowed to see all the books; they’ve never adequately explained how “Viva Las Vegas” got into American Idol or an ad for The O.C. overseas. And, now, I guess they’re in negotiations with some big, slick Hollywood manager whose website lists experience with sports stars and Britney Spears.

PFW: Oh, geez.

JB: And no matter what they try, I will not be forced into that. I mean, they’ve alternately tried to arm-twist and sweet-talk me into rejoining the band, but, y’know, I have no interest in dumbing down something that means as much to me as Dead Kennedys does. I actually care more about the quality and integrity of the songs than they ever did.

Read the rest of the interview here.

What’s that? You say you need an excuse not to work…?

This ought to keep you busy for awhile: the as-snarky-as-they-wanna-be PitchforkMedia.com have taken it upon themselves to scour YouTube and compile a list of 100 Awesome Music Videos, complete with the link to each one.

I’m sure we’ll all have our favorites, but I have to give rare props to the site (I generally loathe their hipper-than-thou writing style) not only for including Journey’s “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” but for calling out the guy playing air keys.

Also, someone should call David Hasselhoff’s agent; his cover of “Hooked On A Feeling” is cheesy enough to begin with, but the video – which appears to have about the same budget as those “Make Your Own Video!” booths they have at most amusement parks – is…well, if you don’t go watch it right now, you’re missing the biggest laughs you’re likely to get all day.

I guess he didn’t look good on the dance floor

The Arctic Monkeys have just kicked bassist Andy Nicholson off the tour bus, according to recent reports:

The remaining Monkeys confirmed in a statement posted Monday on their Website that Nicholson will not be rejoining his mates after bowing out of their North American schedule last month, ostensibly to take a breather from the Sheffield, England-based band’s increasingly hectic life in the spotlight.

“We are sad to tell everyone that Andy is no longer with the band,” frontman Alex Turner, guitarist Jamie Cook and drummer Matt Helders said.

“Nick O’Malley, who stood in for Andy while he was absent from the recent tour of North America, shall carry on playing bass for the remaining shows this summer. We have been mates with Andy for a long time and have been through some amazing things together that no one can take away. We all wish Andy the very best.”

Um, that was fast. How long have these guys even been on this round of touring? Like a week, maybe?

Oh, wait, nope: It was a full two weeks. That’s MUCH better. Twice as good, even.

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