It’s Sunday, January 6th, 2008. Welcome to Navel Gazing, your look back at this week in Punknews. Last week when the Punknews staff sounded off on our favorites of 2007 the readership rallied that a certain band wasn’t getting it’s due. A few keystrokes later and we had our first ever reader’s choice chart. You folks make this site happen, and this year we’re planning to get you involved in a big way.

There’s no finer way to kick off the year then with Jawbreaker news. While providing an update on their upcoming documentary Adam Pfahler revealed that the members of the influential band got back together a few months back and even played a few songs together. The audio’s under wraps for the time being. Roger Miret of Agnostic Front and Zoli Teglas of Ignite spoke out against digital music and lauded the benefits of sticking with CDs, an opinion that may put them at odds with many of their fans. Orange County’s Slick Shoes are back together after a period of inactivity, but we also had word that North Carolina’ Hopesfall down for the count. You gain one, you loose one. This week also posed the eternal question if there has been a band as significant as Nirvana since their time.

Horse The Band win points for ambition, planning a true world tour that should take them to 40 countries before they rest. Hot Water Music continues to slowly reveal details of their reunion, this week confirming a SXSW appearance. Reader favourites A Wilhelm Scream are already looking towards their next record, but in the meantime they’ll tour the UK and the US with the Unseen joining them Stateside. It’s a small tour so far, but fans are salivating at a March billing of Strike Anywhere, Paint It Black and the Riverboat Gamblers. On the audio front we had a new track from Teenage Bottlerocket, a preview of Goldfinger‘s SideOneDummy debut, something new from Panic! At the Disco, a new single from the Gaslight Anthem, and a live set from Chuck Ragan. There’s no new audio yet from that upcoming Offspring record, but we did get a progress report.

The twenty third edition of Vinyl File spoke with Gilead Media founder Adam Bartlett and looked at some upcoming releases. This past week we also ran our end of year features for 2007. We had staff picks from editors Aubin Paul, Adam White, Brian Shultz, Justin August, Meg Reinecker, Chris Moran and Ben Conoley, a list from alumni editor Scott Heisel, and picks from reviewers Greg Simpson (Greg0rb), Jesse Raub, Jordan Rogowski (Anchors), Darren McLeod, Tyler Barrett (GlassPipeMurder), and Jon Daley. Via some wacky math we even calculated an overall Punknews.org list that had the Weakerthans at the top. More importantly though, you folks stepped up and via your individual ratings created the readers picks list that gave huge props to A Wilhelm Scream.
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Alt-country supergroup Drag The River, which features alumni of ALL, Armchair Martian, Hot Rod Circuit, have expanded their reunion into a full tour. As previously announced the band will play in Colorado alongside Scott Reynolds’ new act 40Engine, but we can now confirm February visits to Boston, Providence and several cities in California.

The band is supporting the release of their final album, You Can’t Live That Way, which is due on January 22.
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Kevin Nunn from North Lincoln has, along with friend Jeff Bolt, launched cassette label Tapes Not Bombs. A mix tape trading board and proper website are in the works soon with the intent of bringing people together to discuss music and the art of the mix tape in particular. Kevin announced:

We feel TAPES can still make big news. In that aspect, the first release is now officially out. We recently released a tape form the recently defucnt Potboiler called “Rolling Boil” which is also a discography. It’s 11 Songs of brilliant punk from New York thta includes tracks from thier “Izzy Alcantara” 7″, Art of the Underground Single Series 7″, some compilation tracks, and some unreleased songs. 25min total music. 1st press on high bias tape and NOT dubbed.

The label has releases on the way from the Gibbons, Vietnam Werewolf, the Measure [SA], Loser Life and the Goddamn.
Source Continue reading Cassette label Tapes Not Bombs launched with Potboiler discography →

Moncton, New Brunswick’s Varsity Weirdos and Astoria, New York’s the Steinways have put out a limited edition split 7″. Each band has 50 copies and that’s all that will be made available. The project was created as a wedding gift for the folks behind It’s Alive Records.

The purpose of this record was to be a gift for Adam and Jenna on their wedding day spearheaded by Mr. Alive himself. Each band was asked to write a song, the artwork was done by Sefan Stardom, from Stardom records, and the rest is all Adam. Don’t you wish he was your husband?

The Varsity Weirdos has another four song release set for release this year. It’s Alive will have it available by February or March. A new full length is half written and should be available by the summer as well. More details on these two releases are forthcoming.
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A Wilhelm Scream has announced tour dates in the United States and the United Kingdom in support of their recent full length Career Suicide. The band will hit the UK later this month for a trek with Failsafe and All Idols Fall. By March the band will be back in the States for a tour alongside The Unseen.
Source Continue reading Tours: A Wilhelm Scream / Failsafe (UK) / All Idols Fall (UK) / The Unseen (US) →

The Bamboozle Left festival will take place on Saturday, April 5th and Sunday, April 6th at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, California. The fest will feature bands like Anti-Flag, Reel Big Fish, the Bouncing Souls, Streetlight Manifesto, Rx Bandits, New Found Glory and Saves The Day. Not enough bands for ya? How about A Day To Remember, Bayside, Chiodos, Danger Radio, Daphne Loves Derby, Finch, Metro Station, Paramore, Pierce The Veil, Set Your Goals, the Color Fred, the Starting Line and 3OH!3. The event will span six stages and more bands are to be announced soon.
Source Continue reading Anti-Flag, Bouncing Souls, Reel Big Fish, Streetlight Manifesto, Saves The Day at Bamboozle Left →

Strike Anywhere, Paint It Black and the Riverboat Gamblers are headed out on the road together this March on the US east coast.

We wouldn’t be surprised if we see more dates added to this tour in the coming weeks, particularly with Paint It Black’s New Lexicon in the wings. Stay tuned.
Source Continue reading Tours: Strike Anywhere / Paint It Black / The Riverboat Gamblers →

Ben Cook, known as Young Governor in his role as one of Fucked Up‘s guitarists and former frontman of Toronto hardcore act No Warning, has a number of releases in the pipe for his band Marvelous Darlings. The power-pop / `77 punk styled four piece have a new single available via Deranged Records titled “I Don’t Wanna Go To The Party.” You can check out the a-side and a number of demos via the band’s MySpace page now.

The band is wasting no time in building their discography. This year will see 7″ releases on Wall Ride Records (“The Swords, The Streets/Galloway”), Pelado Records (“Lagoons/Teenage Targets”) and the UK’s Rat Patrol Records (a pressing of the band’s demo tape). A 12″ EP titled Vixens is due later this year on a label to be announced, as well as a singles compilation CD.

A release party for “I Don’t Wanna Go To The Party” will take place on January 18th at Toronto’s Rancho Relaxo with Sudbury’s Statues on the bill.
Source Continue reading Marvelous Darlings (Fucked Up, No Warning, Violent Minds) release plans →

Long Island ska-punk act High School Football Heroes are back together. In a post to the band’s MySpace page saxophonist/keyboardist Jason Rutcofsky commented:

When I said indefinite hiatus over a year ago I didn’t think we’d get back together, I expected a last show and us to go our separate ways. Again I was proven wrong as the High School Football Heroes are getting back together. I would have waited a little before writing this but Dave insisted I post immediately, so yeah. Give it some time, we’re gonna practice for a while, get the kinks out, but yeah, dust off your dancing shoes cause we’re back. We will be immediately working on new material and tour won’t be immediate, but will happen again and everywhere. More news in the coming weeks, spread the word though, we’re back.

I’d also like to thank everyone that wrote things after the band went on hiatus, the response was absolutely overwhelming and I couldn’t even begin to answer people back, you guys and gals are the reason we’re back. Expect news as it happens.

The band’s discography included their sole full-length, 2004’s Close Only Counts in Horseshoes & Handgrenades, and a more recent EP titled We’ve Fooled Around Long Enough. Both were released via Abestos Records.
Source Continue reading High School Football Heroes reunite →

Sweden’s Ends Like This have released their first EP titled Alarm Alarm. You can stream a number of songs via the band’s MySpace page.

Moncton, New Brunswick’s self-described “juvenile punks” the Short Fused have posted two songs online from their upcoming full length. The 14 song release is currently untitled but is planned to arrive this year. You can check out the music via the band’s MySpace page

Muncie, Indiana metal / punk act the Widow Jenkins, which features former members of Emery, Break The Silence, Brazil and Underminded, have made their entire self-titled EP available for free download. You can find the release via their MySpace page. The band is currently demoing for a new full length with a label to be announced at a later date.
Source Continue reading Ends Like This, the Short Fused, the Widow Jenkins →

Envy on the Coast have announced the dates for their PacSun-sponsored tour.

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