Cyndi Lauper ‘Home For The Holidays’
To be held at New York’s gorgeous Beacon Theater on December 7th, Cyndi is wranglin’ up her pals (including Rosie O’Donnell?) to ho ho ho your ass to the holidays for good cause.
Malaysia Bans Ke$ha's Upcoming Concert Over Religious And Cultural Reasons
As everyone can imagine, she isn’t the only one to have had this kind of problem, Lamb of God, Lady Gaga were also the victims of the same censorship, and of course you could say that Malaysians didn’t miss much (Ke$ha included of course), but I hate hate censorship
Sneak Peaks: Upcoming Album Releases 10-29-13
People of good faith may disagree but despite my dubbing Arcade Fire the loser of the week, I love Reflektor, it is overlong, self-indulgent and hit and miss but when it hits it’s among their best work ever
Guided By Voices Robert Pollard Fired His Drummer For Selling His Drums On Ebay
Fennell was saying that he wasn’t fired but ‘resigned’ from the band whereas Pollard declares he ‘was already fired’. To justify the auction, Fennell claimed he needed money because of the band’s inactivity, Pollard responded he made a fool of himself by asking such a large amount,
UK Top 10 Singles, 11-2-13
Two really good songs here, “Booyah” is awesome straight up no chaser House and “Afterglow” is a very good dance track with lyrics that if they were maybe twice as good would put you in mind of Lily Allen.
UK Top 10 Albums, 11-2-13
the worst UK top 10 in a long, long time. I may have underestimated Andrea Begley, the UK Voice winner, she really does have a lovely voice,
Hear Ye On Spotify: what rock nyc is listening to 10-28-13
Nights Of Cinnamon – John Mendelssohn – The quality sarcasm of the great Kinks Kronikler comes wrapped in melody and charm, days of sulphur seems to be the operative the word but the mood is (you know we’d get their eventually, is rather Victoria-ish – A
Iman and Hel Do SNL: Janelle Monae
A strange thing happened on the way to SNL tonight. I ended up doing this on my own. Yup, Iman is off in the wilds of Maryland for the marriage of his dear niece and well the kid is busy entertaining so…you’re stuck with me
Van Morrison "Moondance" Deluxe Reviewed
Van Morrison sent a message that this 50 song deluxe version of The Celtic Cowboys follow up to “Astral Week” and one of the most beloved albums in rock history “Moondance” was being released without his participation or approval, I did what any vaguely intelligent person would do I ignored him.
Black Flag's New Album Is Almost There, But You Don't Want To See This Cover
And honestly, they are gonna be even more confused when they see the artcover for the new Black Flag album! What.is.that? Isn’t this green cartoon really ugly… and is that thing puking? It’s not even ugly in a good way!
Not One Of Elliott Smith's Friends Doubt He Committed Suicide? Really?
There were too many people in Elliott’s life and he only talked to a few of them, so he should not have made some grandiose declaration as if he had interviewed everyone close to him. It’s not the case at all. Actually, at this level he didn’t do much better than Benjamin Nugent
Winner And Loser Week Of October 21st, 2013: Morrissey And Arcade Fire
I contacted my sister Nadia in Scotland and she is forwarding Helen and I our own copies!!! Till then, that isn’t why he is a winner, Morrissey he is a winner because the bio outsold Bridget Jones Diary to take first place on the UK bestseller list.
Alan Jackson To Play Carnegie Hall on Monday (Yes, Tomorrow!!)
With the exception of George Strait, I can’t think of living musician I haven’t seen that I want to see as much as Alan Jackson.
That Was The Week Of October 21st, 2013, That Was
Sports – So are the Jets for real??? Please be because this World Series is so upsetting .
Active Viewin': Concert Picks For The Week Of October 28th, 2013
Not only are they pushing a really good new album lousy with sylvian briar, released just last week ,but I’ve seen Of Montreal on stage before and they put on a very very live show. Like a thetarical wallop. Monday at Webster Hall.
Hear Ye, What rocknyc is listening to Sunday October 27th, 2013
. Love Is All Around – The Troggs – Reborn as a classic thanks to “Love Actually”
The Avett Brothers, "Magpie and the Dandelion" Reviewed
“I and Love and You” haunted me for weeks, as I listened to it over and over again. Some of the plaintive beauty of that song, as well as the high-energy kick of their up-tempo songs from the album of the same name, are on display in Magpie and the Dandelion.
Stream Arcade Fire's New Album 'Reflektor' In Its Entirety
I actually like that, the fact I can’t make sense of it at once, that I can’t digest it in one meal. It is like a big fat cake sitting in front of you, that you want to taste piece by piece. Some songs sounded exciting at the first listening, some others will take time or will forever stay among the leftovers.
Another Great Rock And Roll Swindle, Lights Over Paris
The pseudo star even had loan officers who came to his studio to verify his worth and still failed to realize he was a con man. Wait though he actually is in a legitimate band but by no means a star.
The Drake Setlist 2013 Annotated And Spotified!
Ever since I caught Drake on SNL I’ve been hunkering to see him on stage and this set list is tasty indeed. I don’t know Drake’s material as well as I know Kweey’s so if I seem a little vague that is why. But I do know I am shocked he isn’t performing one of his greatest songs, “Over My Dead Body”.
Kanye West Meets His Homeboy On Stage Every Night
‘I didn’t come here to make bad people feel good. I came here to make dead people alive. That’s all I need from you is to show people the light — the light of truth in you.’ And he comes back later on, at the top of a mountain, ‘alongside a group of women back-up dancers dressed in white’… What? Jesus had back-up dancers?
Ron Wood And Mick Taylor to Play The Cutting Room… $600 On Stub Hub
Sounds like fun? Well, an instantaneous sell out at the $50 – $150 ticket price range, it is currently changing hands at $600 a pop and only FOUR left on Saturday (day two).
rock nyc's Top 10 Songs Week Of October 24th, 2013
Any week with a new Swift song ain’t gonna be an entire dog but the only hold over from last week is Pearl Jam and going round down this list you will find some terrific new songs
Alter Boys Unite! The Bad Religion Christmas Album Will Save You!
Bad Religion is one of those bands whos ‘daring’ logo make them timeless. Really there is nothing more effective in teenage angst than pissing off the folks with blasphemed religious symbolism. Its cliche’, its boring and its old. Sorta like the band itself.
Hear Ye On Spotify: what rock nyc is listening to 10-26-13
Dull Tool – Fiona Apple – The highlight of her Beacon Theater concert stands up as a major find hidden as an album only track on This Is 40, which kinda makes sense as it isn’t about libidos out of control but rather very much in control – A
Katy Perry's "Prism" Reviewed
A mish mosh of high end pop by the numbers, Perry tries to convince us she has a soul (highly doubtful but still, give her the benefit of the doubt) while screaming at the waitress for table service
The 25 Greatest Country Songs of the 1970s
Pop stars like John Denver and Olivia Newton-John crossed over regularly onto the country charts and future chicken salesman Kenny Rogers became a superstar in the genre.
Five minutes of A Kurt Cobain's Lost Interview As An Animated Video
Really difficult to understand that he was dead 9 months later in the circumstances that we all know. Almost 20 years after his tragic death, Cobain continues to fascinates us, and the animation is quite well-done
The Taylor Swift Q&A Off AskFM!!!
So until we get big enough to score a phoner, Ladies And Gentlemen, without further ado, the not even slightly exclusive Taylor Swift Q&A!
Fiona Apple Needs To Be Careful With Her Health
Fiona was the poster girl for growing up with a sense of the pressures that bear down on girls, it was a rare gift, she spoke for and to injured girls but surely the hope (even the point) was that she gets better
"Springsteen And I" Reviewed
One couple have never been able to afford a ticket at all which is kinda mindboggling. The wife’s prize possession is a tee shirt an ex-boyfriend bought her from a gig. She wears it rarely because she doesn’t want it to fade.
Clive Chin: The Lost Archives of 17 North Parade
It was only a 16-track head, meaning that we could only record 16 tracks. So, we had four different formats of tapes. Now, a good bulk of those recordings never see the light of day; they were never released. What one must remember is that Randy’s Records wasn’t just a label but also a distributor
Hear Ye on Spotify: what rock nyc is listening 10-25-13
Maladjusted – Morrissey – “On this glorious occasion of this splendid defeat…” Morrissey’s mid-career masterpiece was the opening track that seems to get lost in the shuffle – A
Fiona Apple And Blake Mills Anything We Want At Beacon Theater , Tuesday, October 23rd, 2013 Reviewed
It’s not that Fiona Apple and Blake Mills can’t make this lo-fi ish meeting of minds work, they can and do. It’s that they can’t do it often enough.
Best Coast At Amoeba, Tuesday October 22nd 2013
Best Coast is quite huge in its hometown! I arrived too late to see the big line outside the store, but there was one, a big one turning around the block. It was a crowd of girls, lots of Latino girls, with gay guys or straight guys, all looking very young to me, having that same Silver-lake-hipster-in-the-know look.
Courtney Love Is Going To Publish Her Memoirs But Who Will Be Reading?
Do you think Kurt would have killed himself if he had known he had $54 million?’ I will never understand Courtney Love’s math, but that’s the least important point in this story, however, expect a lot of this ‘fraud’ in her memoirs,… I just want her to explain how she killed Kurt Cobain.
Justice for Jennifer Chiba
Over the years, rock nyc’s core convictions has remained that we don’t know what really happened that day and as long as Elliott Smith’s cause of death is left in legal limbo,we are not going to know what happened to him.Truth is justice, revenge on Chiba is not justice.
Ian Rubbish Interviews 'The Clash', And You're Amused?
Fred Armisen was a cast member on Saturday Night Live a few years ago and if the show didn’t suck so badly would never have gained any fame. See the show is so horrific that a comedian need only one good bit to be a ‘star’. I kid you not if Armisen was in the ‘good ol days of SNL’ he’d have ended up a bit player for half a season.
US Top 10 Albums 11-2-13
woohooo, my fave albums of last week are at # 1 and # 3!!! I’d like to thank the little people. But before we get too excited about itm add both albums sales together and you get… 225K. Hmmm
US Top 10 Singles 11-2-13
The question is: are there enough Eminem fanatics to keep this slim shadiest on songs in the charts? Break it down: 3 hip hop stars, 6 pop stars and a novelty hit.
Hear Ye On Spotify: what rock nyc is listening to 10-24-13
Dear Mary – Linda Thompson – A Linda blueprint English folk song to lead of her terrific 2002 album, Linda might take her time but she has never recorded badly and this new one finds her at the peak of her powers – A
CMJ Music Marathon: Caveman At Pianos, Saturday, October 19th, 2013 Reviewed
In an attention getting, quietly arrogant 35 minute set, the band commandeered the Piano stage with a lead singer Matt Iwanusa whose baritone deserves comparison with Matt Beringer
Big Picture Media Showcase at Sullivan Hall
And, well, Amber Crisci of Big Picture had told me to watch for Quiet Company, that they were gonna be big and Jahn raved about them. A lively, exciting thriller of a band that Jahn said “Made my week for me.”
Black Veil Brides Oakdale Dome October 19th, 2013 Reviewed
“I’m not necessarily a part of it, but from what I could tell, there were so many people and they didn’t push or shove once the band was on, it was all just passionate adoration of the music. Also, the lack of judgement regardless of the wide span of people singing all the words was incredible to see; parents came to this show with their kids and they were both yelling along to the tunes.”
A 33 Year-Old Guy Spent An Outrageous Amount Of Money To Look Like Young Bieber
‘It took three transplants and a total of $21,000 to accurately lower my hair line, close off my temples and grow back my bangs,’ he says, add to this a $4.850 spent on eye surgery, and $30,000 on his lips to give this impression of permanent smile
Aerosmith "Rock For The Rising Sun" Reviewed
The band are good humored and friendly and a superfans comment that it is still the same members in the band as it was 40 years ago should be remembered and appreciated
Perform With Your Idols (Dead or Alive!) At Londons Music Hall of Fame
I wonder what the add on fee would be? I can see the hologram bit being a load of fun in other scenarios. Although, I adore Morrissey I don’t think I would want to stand next to his hologram- I mean c’mon you cant hug that!
No Middle Class In World Of Pop 2013
The Indies are now completely screwed, with the brilliant idea in the 1990s of leaving the distribution to the majors and handling A&R themselves they thought they had it made
Kanye West 2013 Setlist Annotated And Spotified
So, the tour has begun, and while I won’t be catching Kanye West for another month it is never too soon to start checking out the dancecard, is it?
Hear Ye On Spotify:what rock nyc is listening to 10-23-13
When you Wish Upon A Star – Cliff Edwards – Disney’s finest music moment from one of their signature achievements, the sound of your conscience, yes, of course, but also the sound of our deepest wishes. All in a crickets chirp. Astounding – A+