SIAN MAN RECORDS 13 YEAR ANNIVERSARY show on AUGUST 1st at the OAKLAND COLISEUM. Asian Man Records has announced their 13th Anniversary “generator” show set to take place on August 1st at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA. They add:

Well, of course we’re not playing the real coliseum, but will pull a generator into the parking lot before the A’S game and do a commando DIY show. We’ll be set up in the far north corner of the parking lot right next to the freeway. Look for a white tent that blazes PLEA FOR PEACE on top situated next to a red van. Basically, as soon as they open the gates, we’ll set up and start putting bands on. Hopefully we don’t get shut down. Everything of course is totally free and there will be complimentary hot dogs, sodas, and beer for those of you who are 21+.

Bands confirmed so far include: Toys That Kill, The Hot Toddies, The Singularity, The Atom Age, For.the.Win., Pillowfights, Classics of Love, Anchor Down, Mike Park and Ready The Jet.
Source Continue reading Asian Man Records announces 13th Anniversy Party →

A live video of Lemuria performing a new song has surfaced. The song is called “Ozzy” and drummer/vocalist Alex Kerns explained:

“We have a new song that we’re recording in the studio this week and it’s called “Ozzy”. It really has nothing to do with Ozzy Osbourne, and more so to with the Ozzella family name.

[Vocalist/guitarist Sheena Ozzella’s family name, to be exact — ed.]

Somebody posted a video on youtube of us playing the song live on our last tour and we figured we’d share it with you, so you can see what we’re up to. After we finish these songs for the 7″ on Hex Records, we will begin writing and recording our 2nd full length.”

The band last released Get Better in 2008.
Source Continue reading Lemuria: “Ozzy” →

Hello everybody and welcome to Navel Gazing: your look back at the week in Punknews. I’m Adam White and I’ll be your guide through some of the most popular, notable, and otherwise attention getting stories of the past seven days. Each and every Punknews story is built from tips contributed by you fine folks, and here’s what got the community talking this week…

This week started with rumours that indie music distributor Lumberjack Mordam was shutting down and ended with confirmation from CEO Dirk Hemsath. The distributor worked with a vast set of labels including Asian MAn, Thick, Springman, the Union Label Group, Chunksaah, Doghouse, Lookout, Jump Start, and Red Scare. AFI has completed their new record Crash Love and has set a September 29th release date. Brand New excited fans with the announcement of a performance alongside Glassjaw this November. They also apparently changed the name of their new record to Daisy. Nine Inch Nails‘ Trent Reznor gave some advice to unsigned artists, suggesting they give away high-quality DRM-free MP3s, collect email addresses in exchange for downloads, then offer a variety of premium packages for sale.

Drummer Jon Reilly of Big D and the Kids Table left the band. The group is currently preparing their new record Fluent in Stroll. Former Bayside member Andrew Elderbaum has a new project with the fate-tempting name of Victory Records, which he may just rename Victory Rex if the label gets litigious. The Aquabats posted an update on their new record. They also discussed the controversy surrounding a recent Denver ska festival. Labelmates Strike Anywhere, Crime in Stereo, Polar Bear Club and Ruiner will tour together soon. Look for Dillinger Four, the Riverboat Gamblers and the Arrivals as well Kinda Like A Fest 5 will feature Dead To Me, Broadway Calls and many others in Half Moon Bay, CA. This week brought a fan-shot live video of Rise Against performing “Savior” and the Gaslight Anthem performing live-to-air on BBC Live Lounge. This week also saw Mean Magazine’s Cinemash recreate a scene from the 1986 Gary Oldman / Chloe Webb film Sid & Nancy. In this version Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt appear as the infamous Sex Pistols member and his equally storied partner.

Punknews.org will be represented this year at the 2009 San Francisco AIDS Walk on July 19th. The current team features Punknews readers, staff from Fat Wreck Chords and our pal Mike Park of Asian Man Records. You can register here or make a general donation here.

Our Dispatches series of band blogs featured Episode 13 of Mike Hale‘s For Those Still Standing and the second Warped Tour Journal from our own Ben Conoley.

This week we spoke with Jesse Michaels of Classics of Love (interviews), Dan Swartz and Tim Arnold of Good Old War (interview), Justice Tripp of Trapped Under Ice (interview), and drummer Penny Rimbaud of the legendary Crass (interview). Our Video of the Week featured Carbondale, IL’s the Copyrights performing three songs. As always we brought you new streaming music from some great up and coming bands, including American Rubicon, the new full length from Cobra Skulls, and the new full length from Anaheim, CA-based the Scarred. So what’s coming up this week? Look for new releases from Billy Talent, Cobra Skulls, Beastie Boys (Ill Communication deluxe), and Bad Religion (Stranger Than Fiction vinyl reissue) with tours kicking off from Set Your Goals / Four Year Strong / Fireworks (US), Chixdiggit / Kepi Ghoulie (California), Mad Caddies (California, Europe), ALL / Big Drill Car (California), the Weakerthans / Jason Collett (US), the Adolescents (Europe), Shai Hulud / Reign Supreme / The Carrier (US).

Click Read More to check out our ongoing contests, new streaming music, social networking links and more.
Source Continue reading July 12th, 2009 →

The Aquabats have posted an update. The band is currently working on a new album, and had this to say about the process:

“With a possible title for the next album already being thrown around, The Aquabats are busy working toward their next masterpiece!! “It will be a beauty!”, says Crash Mclarson, the Aquabats AKA ‘The little ray beam of positive Light’. “Everything the band is doing right now is like little golden cookies and I cant help but feeling so lucky to be part of the greatest band in the world!”, Crash gushes. It looks like things are really going to be great from now on, and it’s a good sign that Crash is working so hard to make sure this will be the best new record the Aquabats work on this Year.”

The band also commented on an incident that took place at a ska festival last month in Denver:

“we apologize for the slow updates this past month but the Aquabats band management and booking agency have been working hard to make sure all the bands get paid and are compensated for their participation in the big ‘SKA’ fest show in Denver last month. It seems a fiasco arose when the young plucky promoter got in over her head and made too many deals with very little to back herself up. It was an unfortunate situation at a really awesome and fun event. It happens sometimes. It just does. And even though we got thrown under the bus for actually accepting the large offer to headline the show, and then actually expecting to be paid close to what we were promised (oh!…the audacity!…of HOPE!), we want to thank all the fans that stood by us and didn’t doubt our integrity. Not even for a second. When we say, “we will work something out..’. we meant it.. and our friends know it! And for those who remain in ignorance on the issue and want to assassinate our long standing good character from behind the safety net of computer screens, we say, ‘Lets put down those computer weapons of the cowardly and fight like men…. in speedos….in the mud..” We will crush you. HOORAY FOR OUR MUSCLES!

The other side of this story can be read here. The band last released Charge!! in 2005.
Source Continue reading The Aquabats post update →

The Vinyl Collective Cooperative Label has announced a pre-order for their third release, A Wilhelm Scream’s 2004 full-length Mute Print. The vinyl is expected to be finished in late August or early September, and will be pressed on two colors: 333 copies on black vinyl and 667 on mustardy yellow vinyl. The black variant appears to be sold out, but those wishing for a copy on mustardy yellow can pre-order it here.

A Wilhelm Scream recently signed to Paper and Plastick and plan to release an EP through the label in the fall.
Source Continue reading A Wilhelm Scream “Mute Print” vinyl pre-order →

Paper and Plastick has released a split 7″ featuring fellow Ontario acts The Flatliners and The Snips. Flatliners vocalist/guitarist Chris Cresswell blogged about the release:

“Both bands set out to write 5 short songs and roll em all up into one 5-minute-long epic weirdo cool-cat jam, y’all. Us and The Snips have had this thing planned out for like 4 years, so for it to finally be coming out is very fucking wicked to us. And we hope it is to you as well. Plus its the first 7″ our band has ever made.”

The record was available from both bands this weekend at the Toronto and Montreal stops of Warped Tour, and info on mail order and a digital release is expected soon. The Flatliners last released The Great Awake in 2007 and recently provided us with a couple of dispatches from the road; Episodes 1 and 2 can be read here and here, respectively.
Source Continue reading The Flatliners / The Snips split 7-inch unveiled at Warped Tour →

Brand New and Glassjaw will perform, alongside “special guests,” Nov. 27, 2009 at Nassau Coliseum.

Brand New will be playing in support of their Sept. 22, 2009 release Daisy.
Source Continue reading Brand New, Glassjaw to perform together in November →

Amusement Parks on Fire have been tapped to support Psychedelic Furs and Happy Mondays on their forthcoming US tour. The band is currently wrapping up work on their third album in California and are promising a release before the end of the year.

Source Continue reading Amusement Parks on Fire with The Psychedelic Furs, Happy Mondays →

Rise Against has posted a new webisode, this one containing fan-shot live footage set to their recent single, “Savior”, which comes from the band’s 2008 album Appeal to Reason. Frontman Tim McIlrath blogged about the clip:

“You shot this! That’s right, we gave video cameras to a handful of die-hard fans at our most recent show at RED ROCKS in Colorado and here’s what they came back with. As you can see here, our tour with Rancid has been epic and it’s still rolling on all through July, so don’t miss out if we end up in your neighborhood!”

The band continues to tour with Rancid.
Source Continue reading Rise Against: “Savior” →

Saw Wheel has entered the studio to record material for an upcoming 7″ to be released by Anti-Creative Records. This record is expected out in time for The Fest 8 in Gainesville, FL Halloween weekend, and will mark the first time the band has recorded electric as opposed to acoustic.

The band recently joined Fail Safe Records and that label will be reissuing and remastering their recent album, The End of the Line. Said album can be heard at the band’s Punknews.org page.
Source Continue reading Saw Wheel enters studio →

First to Leave will head out on a short southwest / west coast run with fellow melodic punks Hear the Sirens.

First to Leave continues to support 2007’s Forging a Future on Wednesday Records, while Hear the Sirens issued Rebel Hearts Lost earlier this year on Silly Girl.
Source Continue reading First to Leave / Hear the Sirens (west coast) →

Kinda Like a Fest V has announced the lineup for the fifth edition of the Bay Area festival. Set for August 8th in Half Moon Bay, CA at the Community Centre.

There are 11 confirmed acts, Dead To Me, Comadre, Broadway Calls, Hour of the Wolf, Sabertooth Zombie, Punch, Touché Amoré, Make Do and Mend, Don’t Trip, Spires and 1994.

The cost is $10 with a donation of canned food and $12 without any canned food (the food is being donated to Second Harvest). The bands start at 2pm and there is a vegan/vegetarian potluck in the parkinglot that starts at 1pm.

For more information visit the official myspace page.
Source Continue reading Kinda Like A Fest 5 with Dead To Me, Comadre, Broadway Calls, Hour of the Wolf →

Throwback emo act Juvenescent Beat! have announced info on their first full-length. The record is titled One Day We’re Going to Fall Through This Roof and is due out August 4th on their own label, Ghidorah Records. Two songs are available for streaming on the band’s MySpace page.

The trio has released three EPs since their inception, the last being 2008’s A Man Could Get Shot for Asking Questions Like That.
Source Continue reading Juvenescent Beat! set to release debut LP →