Tom Delonge of Angels and Airwaves recently discussed his new project, Modlife.com. In particular, he addresses the recent Radiohead hype but expresses some concern about how it could translate to less well-known acts:

Radiohead giving the record away for free is cool because it created a lot of press and got people talking, which is good because the music industry hurts. It didn’t solve anything. It was good for them. (Angels And Airwaves guitarist) David (Kennedy) always says it best. It’s cool that they did that, and they were able to do that. But for younger bands and smaller bands coming They need help. They can’t give away their records for free, yet.

We have some ideas of what we think is working. We started a thing called Modlife, which is an operating system of sorts which is an operating system of sorts that helps bands and artists and anybody of that like broadcast various parameters of their art.

It allows bands to give away their music away for free if they choose, but be connected to the fans basically through the best technologies that exist right now. Yeah, my company, I started it, and we spent a lot of capital, resources and energy and passion on this because we really believe we have an answer for the music industry.

You can find the rest of the interview here.
Source Continue reading Tom Delonge talks Radiohead, free music and his solution to the music industry crisis →

Canadian punks The Real McKenzies have entered the studio to begin work on the follow up to 10,000 Shots. The band is recording at Motor Studios in San Francisco and will be produced by Jamie McMann and Fat Mike.

The band is also promising a Canadian tour in May and a European run in the summer.
Source Continue reading The Real McKenzies hit the studio →

2008 release reviews are starting to trickle in, but we’ve still got some catching up to do on 2007, so expect that for a while.

• Rancid‘s newly released collections album, B Sides and C Sides
• The MIghty Mighty Bosstones‘ New Years’ Eve reunion show in Providence
• Defiance, Ohio‘s newest, The Fear, The Fear, The Fear
• The Bouncing Souls three-night, 60+-song stay in Asbury Park
• More at the reviews page

Source Continue reading Tuesday, January 15, 2008 →

Less than a week after wrapping up his ongoing European tour, Henry Rollins will be hitting the road in the United States for a month long speaking tour.

Henry is also issuing a new DVD this month, It is titled Live in the Conversation Pit and is due out today, January 15, 2008.

Source Continue reading Tours: Henry Rollins (North America) →

The initial lineup has been announced for the 2008 edition of Give It a Name Fest in the UK.

The event will take place on May 10th and 11th at the London Earl’s Court and Sheffield Arena. The event will be headlined by Paramore and Thirty Seconds to Mars and feature Finch, Set Your Goals, Strike Anywhere, All Time Low, My American Heart, Mayday Parade, Meg & Dia, Billy Talent, Glassjaw, Silverstein, Anti-Flag, You Meat Six, The Colour Fred and Four Year Strong.

Source Continue reading Paramore, Finch, Strike Anywhere, Glassjaw, Anti-Flag, Silverstein at Give It A Name 2008 →

Yellowcard have announced plans to release a new iTunes-exclusive live album. The record is titled Live From Las Vegas at the Palms and is due out January 22, 2008.

The album features five tracks from Paper Walls including the lead-off single “Light Up the Sky.” The live album also features Yellowcard’s previous singles “Way Away,” “Ocean Avenue,” and “Only One,” from the band’s double-platinum 2003 Capitol Records’ debut Ocean Avenue, as well as “Lights and Sounds” and “Rough Landing, Holly,” from their 2006 gold album Lights and Sounds.

The band is also planning to tie the release into their upcoming tour, promising purchasers a chance to order tickets prior to the public on-sale date.
Source Continue reading Yellowcard plans new live album →

While hip hop was the first musical genre to publish a book of lists, punk rock has answered with its own such book, The Official Punk Rock Book of LIsts, recently published by Backbeat Books. The book is by Amy Wallance and “Handsome” Dick Manitoba and features guest contributions from members of Guns N’ Roses and the Ramones to Little Steven Van Zandt, Nick Tosches, Lenny Kaye and Debbie Harry. It features over 200 lists dealing with sell-outs, stupid band names and fashion don’ts.
Source Continue reading Book: The Official Punk Rock Book of Lists →

Against Me! have released the latest official video from their 2007 album, New Wave. The video was directed by Justin Staggs and features an appearance from Patrick “Paddy” Costello of former labelmates, Dillinger Four.

Source Continue reading Against Me!: “Stop” →

Pegasuses XL, a new collective from Jeff Rosenstock (Bomb the Music Industry!, Arrogant Sons of Bitches) and Jeff Tobias (We vs. The Shark) have unveiled some new material from their upcoming full length, The Antiphon.

The songs are available on their Myspace page.

The full length is due out in February.
Source Continue reading Pegasuses XL (members of Bomb the Music Industry! and We vs. Shark) plan debut →

Zak Kaplan of Worthless United and The Ratchets has posted an update on the end of the Ratchets and the announcement of his new project:

Sad to say that it looks like The Ratchets are totally over. After a few months off and a couple conversations the hiatus has turned into a breakup. Sorry kids…and thanks for the support. The end of The Ratchets marked the first time in close to 13 years that I found myself band less, however, that didn’t last too long.

New Jersey basement legends Plan A Project recently announced a reunion and I am proud to say that I will be joining the band as second guitarist. Back in ’99 I was set to join the band and for some reason (which none of us can remember now) it never happened but I’m pleased to be playing with them now and we’ll be taking it back to the streets on Jan. 25th in Brooklyn, NY with The Orphans and The New Dress

The Ratchets began their hiatus in August of 2003.
Source Continue reading Zak Kaplan (Worthless United/The Ratchets) joins Plan A Project →

Have Heart will be entering the recording studio in early March to record their as yet untitled second full-length. The album will be tracked at Q Division in Somerville, MA and Godcity Studios in Salem, MA with Kurt Ballou (Modern Life Is War, the Hope Conspiracy, Give Up the Ghost) engineering.

The album is the followup to 2006’s Jim Siegel-recorded The Things We Carry.

The band has one sole tour date booked for now, which is Verse’s 5-year anniversary show in Providence, RI.
Source Continue reading Have Heart to enter studio in March for LP2 →