Montreal-via-Berlin’s King Khan and the Shrines have joined Vice Records. The 12-piece rock’n’roll band will release The Supreme Genius of King Khan and the Shrines — a greatest hits compilation of sorts — on June 17 on their new label.

The disc features tracks from throughout King Khan’s history and liner notes by Jared Swilley of Khan’s new labelmates the Black Lips. The band released What Is? last year. You can find some music from that album on their official website. Khan is of course one half of the The King Khan and BBQ Show with his former Spaceshits bandmate Mark Sultan.
Source Continue reading King Khan and the Shrines sign to Vice Records →

To coincide with their new album, Anti-Flag have launched a new blog hat encourages readers to submit events such as protests, rallies, benefits, etc. to promote awareness and change. The site was started on the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq, and suggested that readers who were opposed to the war participate in midnight vigils in prominate areas such as US Embassies, as a form of peaceful protest.

Justin Sane and Chris #2 from the band have put together a short introduction to the project.
Source Continue reading Anti-Flag launch ‘We Are the Bright Lights’ activism blog →

In a new interview with Spinner, Social Distortion‘s Mike Ness reveals some of the long-running bands plans for the coming years.

For 2009, Ness is aiming for an acoustic Social Distortion album saying:

I think it could be really, really neat. It’s almost like a Bob Dylan/Bruce Springsteen/Johnny Cash kind of feel with a punk edge … but acoustic. Sometimes [the songs] are more powerful stripped down than with full volume.

The record will include new acoustic renditions of older songs as well as new material. Ness promises that a more traditional Social D. album as well as another solo album are also in the works:

I don’t know what will be first. It’s hard to say. I’m kind of leaving the first part of next year open for writing and recording and whatever happens, happens.

Ness begins a solo tour May 2 at the Stagecoach Festival at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, Calif. The run lasts for three weeks. He has scheduled three more weeks in July and December.
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Torche have launched a full album stream of their new full length for Hydrahead. Meanderthal is the follow up to last year’s In Return 12-inch EP.

You can check out the entirety of Meanderthal on this page.
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Anthony Green of Circa Survive and formerly of Saosin will be releasing his solo debut, Avalon this August.

You can check out some of his music on his myspace page.
Source Continue reading Anthony Green (Circa Survive) plans solo album for August →

Though not quite ready for it’s “official launch,” AMP Magazine has opened up part of its website to post a time sensitive article about Cal Robbins, son of legendary producer J. Robbins. They have posted interviews with J. Robbins, Var from No Idea Records, Zach Barocas (ex-Jawbox / Cultural Society) and Gordon Withers (cello player who released Jawbox On Cello: A Benefit for Cal Robbins).

The site also talks about a new fund raising drive that AMP is coordinating for Cal.

We will be launching our own Ebay auction in the next few days. This is not an AMP thing! We are merely a hub for our friends support. We will be launching our auction site with test pressings from NOFX, THE LOVED ONED, THE DWARVES, THE EXPLODING HEARTS, a gold record from HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS, REAL BIG FISH stage clothes, symbols from Zildjian signed by VELVET REVOLVER, art from friends like Horsebites, and so much more. This is directly from them, their own actions, and their concern for this situation. Again, we are merely a hub for this. Please know that, and thank them directly for their help, if you feel so moved.

Click here for more info on AMP’s efforts.

No Idea Records also launched an auction in support of Cal Robbins. Some of the items end today, while another batch have just been posted. That auction can be viewed here.
Source Continue reading AMP Magazine hosts fundraiser for Cal Robbins →

Earlier this year, Carbondale, IL-based The Copyrights released Learn the Hard Way and even though it’s a little older, we thought some of you might like a chance to check out the album so today we’ve got a stream of six of their songs.

You can find the songs on their Punknews.org Profile.
Source Continue reading The Copyrights: “Learn the Hard Way” →

Madball has announced a lineup change. They have parted ways with drummer Rigg Ross and have replaced him with Mackie Jayson (Cro-Mags, Bad Brains.) They explained:

We’re sad to announce that after 6 years with the band, our drummer Rigg Ross will be moving on. We’d like to wish him all the best for the future, and he will have our love and respect forever. At the same time, we’d like to welcome Mackie Jayson (former Cro-Mags, Bad Brains) to the band. We look forward to playing our first shows with him later this month.

The band released Infiltrate the System last year.
Source Continue reading Madball replaces drummer →

Deftones have posted an update on progress towards their upcoming follow up to Saturday Night Wrist.

So these past few weeks have been just a little barbarous for us as we get closer to the actual recording part of this record. April 14th is our official start date. Our longtime producer Terry Date graced us with a short visit early last week to hear the songs and do some pre-production. Now it’s pretty much crunch hour trying to stick with our plan to have everything written before we start tracking the drums.

Hard for me to describe what this record will sound like. So far, it’s shaping up to be our most unorthodox piece of work, not only sound-wise but the way a lot of the songs have come about. There is also some of that good old “fuck you, i hope you die!” aggression I know a lot of you love and miss from us.

The new record is titled Eros.
Source Continue reading Deftones post studio update →

G7 Welcoming Committee has shut down. The label made the announcement on April 1st, leading some to speculate about whether it was a joke, but some of the label collective has confirmed the shutdown to Punknews.org. The label issued the following statement:

Instead of pretending that we’re actually still interested in the practice of accepting submissions and hunting for, then filtering and sorting, then negotiating and paying for, then promoting and distributing and accounting for music … instead of pretending that we like and are happy doing all THAT … we are doing the opposite. And opposite, is opposite.

All G7 releases will remain available in their current high-quality digital form into the foreseeable future.

The label was originally formed by members of Propagandhi and friends and released material by Propagandhi, The (International) Noise Conspiracy, Greg MacPherson, The Weakerthans, GFK and others.
Source Continue reading G7 Welcoming Committee shuts down →

Though the situation seemed unreconcilable, according to Hits Daily Double, Victory and Hawthorne Heights have apparently settled their differences and, “the label […] will release the band’s new studio album later this summer. ”

Over the past 12 months, the band and label have launched suit and counter-suit against each other and the band itself has not been able to tour due to both internal tragedies and the inability to record new material during the pending litigation.
Source Continue reading Victory and Hawthorne Heights reconcile →

Alkaline Trio have posted another new song from their upcoming Epic Records debut. The record is titled Agony and Irony and is due out July 01, 2008. It is their first studio album since 2005’s Crimson.

You can find “Help Me” on their myspace page.
Source Continue reading Alkaline Trio: “Help Me” →