While we ride out this Labor Day long weekend, why not spend a few minutes tearing through the New York Times Magazine’s in-depth cover story on producer and record mogul Rick Rubin. The piece positions Rubin, who recently appointed as co-chairman of Columbia Records, as a potential savior for the beleaguered industry. A choice quote:

The music business, as a whole, has lost its faith in content, Only 10 years ago, companies wanted to make records, presumably good records, and see if they sold. But panic has set in, and now it’s no longer about making music, it’s all about how to sell music.

Rubin has produced records from a huge list of artists including the Beastie Boys, Slayer, Danzig, Red Hot Chili Peppers, System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine, the Mars Volta, the (International) Noise Conspiracy, Weezer and of course his groundbreaking American Series with Johnny Cash.
Source Continue reading Rick Rubin talks about the music industry →

Bigwig has posted a previously unreleased, “fairly old” cover of Jawbreaker‘s “Ashtray Monument.”

You can find the song streaming on the band’s MySpace page. The original version appears on Jawbreaker’s final proper independent release, the lauded 24 Hour Revenge Therapy from 1994.
Source Continue reading Bigwig: "Ashtray Monument" (Jawbreaker cover) →

Lemuria and Ringers are headed across the pond for a full European vacation this fall. The duo will be starting in Germany and will spend some time in that country, along with the UK and Ireland. The dates are available below.

Lemuria will be directly supporting their recent release on YoYo Records that comprises all of their out of print 7″ singles along with their 7″ split with the Ergs!. Ringers will also be touring in support Detention Halls, which was released by YoYo in Europe, 1-2-3-4 Go! in the US.
Source Continue reading Tours: Lemuria / Ringers (Europe) →

The first few dates for a tour that will ultimately feature A Wilhelm Scream, Only Crime and the Swellers have been revealed.

It seems A Wilhelm Scream will forgo the first two dates of the tour or so, though; sorry, Texas. More are promised as they are confirmed.

All three bands are supporting 2007 full-lengths: A Wilhelm Scream’s Career Suicide (set for release October 9th), Only Crime’s Virulence (though they also released a split EP with Outbreak), and the Swellers’ My Everest.
Source Continue reading Tours: A Wilhelm Scream / Only Crime / The Swellers →

Acoustic troubadour Chuck Ragan is heading across the pond for most o September and the beginning of October. The former warmed liquid representative will then be spending some time playing shows on the East and West coasts of the USA when he gets back.

Ragan is supporting a slew of releases this year the most recent being Feast or Famine on SideOneDummy and a 7″ on Rat Patrol that will be available on this tour.
Source Continue reading Tours: Chuck Ragan (Europe, USA) →

Brian: HOLY SHIT STOP THE PRESSES BRIAN’S RECOMMENDING A BAND THAT SOUNDS LIKE KID DYNAMITE. MIND-SHATTERING THINGS, PEOPLE. Really though, say “Hi” to Deny Everything, listen to them and fall in love, and then book your plane tickets to Germany so you can actually see them live.

Aubin: I still miss the Hot Snakes but if anything, Cloak/Dagger does help soften the blow. While it’s made up of a lot of bands that would never be confused for that Swami act, including Give Up the Ghost and Striking Distance, Cloak/Dagger plays punk rock in the tradition of those rock’n’roll hooligans and quite well, I might add. They’ve got a new record coming out on Jade Tree very soon, it’s called We Are and is due out September 11, 2007. I suggest you check out some music on their MySpace page and then snap up a copy of the album when it drops.
Source Continue reading MP3 of the Week: Deny Everything / Cloak/Dagger →

The bulk of the lineup for this year’s Saints and Sinners Fest has been announced. The show at Asbury Park will feature Against Me!, Saves The Day, Glassjaw, Strike Anywhere, Alexisonfire, Shai Hulud, Municipal Waste, The Number Twelve Looks Like You, The Gaslight Anthem, The Casualties and many more.

Source Continue reading Tours: Against Me!, Saves The Day, Glassjaw, Strike Anywhere at Saints and Sinners 2007 →

Merrimack Valley, MA-based hardcore band Shipwreck has announced that they have changed their name to Shipwreck A.D. The band explained:

Somewhere out there another band has already trademarked the name SHIPWRECK. That means we can’t use that name for future releases. Therefore, we had to alter the name for administrative purposes so we don’t get in any legal problems.

If you see the other Shipwreck, don’t give them any shit for their name. This was all discovered on a casual level and handled peacefully and calmly. That band could fuck us over huge if they wanted, and they didn’t. Therefore, we owe them a bit of gratitude for their easy going-ness with this situation. So, before you go hating on them becausethey have our name and are some shoe gaze band, remember that they are alright guys at the end of the day.

The band released a 7-inch on Deathwish this year.
Source Continue reading Shipwreck becomes Shipwreck A.D. →