When Fred Mascherino announced that his side-project The Color Fred, coupled with disagreements with his former band-mates over songwriting direction had lead him to quit Taking Back Sunday, it was anyone’s guess how successful his solo endeavor would prove to be.

For the most part, Mascherino’s new band has silenced doubters. The Color Fred’s debut album Bend to Break has lead to a summer-long stint on the Warped Tour as well as a stop at Bamboozle Left back in May where Punknews interviewer Ronnie Raffaniello snagged an opportunity to ask Mascherino some questions.

Source Continue reading Interviews: Fred Mascherino (The Color Fred) →

Nate Gangelhoff, bassist for Minneapolis punk bands such as Banner Pilot, Off With Their Heads, Rivethead, and theThe Pyongyang Metro, has released his first book. Titled You Idiot, the book is a collection of the You Idiot and Whiskey Plus fanzines previously published by Gangelhoff combined with some newly written material as well.

More information about the book an be found here.
Source Continue reading Nate Gangelhoff (Banner Pilot, Off With Their Heads) releases fanzine collection →

The reunited California punk legends Face to Face have announced that Danny Thompson (of The Uprising) has been recruited as the band’s new drummer. He will be filling in for former drummer Pete Parada during the reunion dates, due to touring commitments with The Offspring.

Until this year, Face to Face had been defunct for five years. They got back together this past January for to peform at this spring’s Bamboozle, and have continued to perform multiple live venues since. Face to Face also recently announced another run of reunion dates this fall.

Other than touring the country, frontman Trever Keith said in a recent interview that there will be a new Face to Face album, which will follow 2002’sHow To Ruin Everything.
Source Continue reading Face to Face recruit new drummer →

Sweden’s Burst have posted two songs and announced a release date for their forthcoming full length. The record is titled Lazarus Bird and is due out September 16, 2008 in the US and September 22, 2008 in Europe. They released their previous album, Origo in 2005.

You can check out both songs on their myspace page.
Source Continue reading Burst: “We Watched the Silver Rain,” “Cripple God” →

We’ve got a stream of the brand new full length from Connecticut-based atmospheric hardcore act They and The Children. The record is titled Home and was recently released via Kill Normal Records.

You can check out the whole album on their Punknews.org Profile.
Source Continue reading They and The Children: “Home” →

After a period of inactivity, Morning Glory has regrouped and begun booking a West Coast tour. The band, which includes members of INDK, Leftover Crack, Nausea, World/Inferno Friendship Society and Public Serpents, released their last record The Whole World Is Watching in 2003. A reissue of that album followed in 2007.

According to sources close to the band, the group is also planning to record a new album. More information on that as it comes in. A myspace page with three songs has been launched and you can find that here.
Source Continue reading Morning Glory plans West Coast tour, new album →

Denver based record label Suburban Home is about to celebrate their 13th Anniversary this September. The label plans to hold shows through the weekend of the 12th through the 14th, located at 3 Kings Tavern featuring Joey Cape, Limbeck, Drag the River, and more. The label had this to say:

We are working on nailing down a few more of our bands, but as it stands, the lineup is fucking awesome. We will also be hosting a Punk Rock Garage Sale/Flea Market during the day on Saturday and will be ending the weekend with a big ol’ Barbecue at Washington Park with a Washer’s Tournament.

Source Continue reading Suburban Home’s 13th Anniversary →

In the second deal in so many months, popular skate shoe retailer Vans has announced plans to release a series of Bad Brains-themed shoes and clothing. The line is expected to debut in the Spring of 2009.

Some of the stand out pieces includes a portrait t-shirt which features each member of the band prominently displayed on the front, a t-shirt inspired by the album cover of their classic self titled album cover and pieces that reference the band’s Rastafarian roots. The line will also include Vans’ signature low, high and chukka sneakers.

You can check out photos of all the items here.
Source Continue reading Vans plans Bad Brains merch collection →

New Anti- signing, One Day as a Lion, have posted their first new song. The band is the new project from Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine and drummer Jon Theodore, formerly of Mars Volta.

The EP was recorded by Robert Carranza at Ocean Way Recording. It is due out July 22, 2008. You can find “Wild International” on their myspace page.

Since the breakup of Rage in 2000, Zack has remained relatively quiet, officially releasing a collaboration with DJ Shadow and a handful of other material but keeping largely inactive while his former bandmates formed Audioslave.
Source Continue reading One Day as a Lion: “Wild International” →

Long-running anarcho-punk collective/label Profane Existence, has announced that they will be shutting down:

Today I am sad to announce that Profane Existence Records will immediately stop production on all upcoming releases not currently in the manufacturing process. This decision was a long time in the making and was the result of several years of struggling to make ends meet. Increased pressing, printing and shipping costs – combined with a recent sharp decline in sales – have made it all but impossible for Profane Existence Records to maintain financial self-sufficiency and independence. With no signs of improvement in sight, and all our financial resources exhausted, there is really no choice but to pull the plug once and for all.

The publication of Profane Existence Magazine will not be affected by the record label shutting down and PE Distribution will continue to operation into the foreseeable future. Profane Existence will NOT be putting out back catalog up for sale nor do we plan to sell the rights or licenses to any of our releases. As far as we’re concerned the bands are the proper owners of their music and retain all further reproduction rights

The label was originally formed in 1989, with the shutdown coming just one year shy of their 20th anniversary. Throughout the early and mid 1990s Profane Existence released and/or distributed records by many other crust bands, including Doom, Misery, Fleas and Lice, Anarcrust, Counterblast, Dirt, and Hellbastard.

Recent releases include albums by Nausea, The Cooters, Behind Enemy Lines and Witch Hunt.
Source Continue reading Profane Existence shutting down →

Notoriously technology shy metal act Metallica have apparently mended ways with the whole “Internet” thing and are planning to release their upcoming album simultaneously on CD and through Guitar Hero. The upcoming album, Death Magnetic will be available in the game at the same time as it appears at retail.

The album, which is set to be released in September, will be available for both Guitar Hero III and the upcoming Guitar Hero: World Tour. The video game series along with competitor Rock Band have, of late, become a major distribution mechanism for musicians.
Source Continue reading Metallica to debut next album with Guitar Hero →

Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley) has announced some details about her upcoming sophomore solo album. The album was recorded at San Fernando Valley’s Sound City Studios and will feature appearances from Elvis Costello, Zooey Deschanel, Chris Robinson (the Black Crowes) and M. Ward.

The record is titled Acid Tongue and is due out in September 2008. To support it, Jenny will play a run of shows with former collaborator Conor Oberst in late September.

Source Continue reading Jenny Lewis details second solo album →