Post-punk pioneers Gang of Four have detailed their new studio album. The record is titled Content and it’s due out October 4, 2010; once out, it’ll be the band’s first studio album since 1995’s Shrinkwrapped, though they’ve released singles as well as the 2005 compilation Return the Gift in the interim.

The band is taking a unique approach to the release of the album, utilizing Pledge Music to raise money for distribution, as well as for charities like Amnesty International and Plan International. Guitarist Andy Gill explained the band’s decision to take such a route:

“Making an album, you focus on the creative process, on exactly what you want to do and how to get there. Jon and I have been working on this new material for three years. It’s only as we came close to the end of the process that we began to think in practical terms, about how to make our music available. The traditional route, via the majors, doesn’t make sense any more. In fact, the whole architecture of the music industry doesn’t make sense any more. Record companies are taking more than ever before from artists and giving less than ever before to the people who want to listen to their music.

We decided to work with Pledge Music as a direct and innovative way to get our music out there. Towards the end of the summer, the album will be released and sold in record shops and as a download, but Pledge Music makes it possible for Gang of Four aficionados to get involved ahead of the release and to get a deeper insight into the making of the album and our ongoing work, through special pages on the site with daily updates of videos, gigs, conversations, demos, rough mixes, previously unreleased songs from the archives, and also words and photos.”

More information is available here.
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Hot Hot Heat were recently interviewed on Dirty Laundry and spoke about signing to Dangerbird Records, their video for “Goodnight, Goodnight” and watching Shrek 4 while drunk, among other things.

The band released Future Breeds back in June, their first LP for Dangerbird.
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Today, we’re especially excited to unveil the first episode of the official Punknews.org podcast. From here on out, a rotating cast of Punknews staff members will convene every week to talk about some of the more prudent stories we’ve posted on the ‘Org recently, as well as premiere some new music that we feel you should know about.

This week, I was joined by news editor Adam White and interviews editor Rich Verducci for a roundtable discussion regarding notable stories such as Weezer going indie, Fugazi’s work on a digital live archive, MySpace and Spin’s best of 2010 so far lists, the planned Bomb The Music Industry! documentary and the news that Sublime with Rome are planning new music.

Along with copy editor Jesse Raub, we each selected a song to play on the show and those include brand new tracks from My Heart to Joy and Austin Lucas that are likely never-before-heard by most folks, as well as music from Comadre and Coliseum.

It should be noted that with this being the first episode, the format for future shows is likely to change. You’ll have to excuse any bumps in the road, as we’re still sort of learning how to do this. Anyway, you can click Read More to stream and/or download the show, or subscribe via RSS (we’re awaiting approval in the iTunes store). Of course, we’d love to hear your feedback in the comments section or via e-mail.
Source Continue reading Punknews Podcast for the week of July 20, 2010 →

As some of you have noticed, Red Scare has combined its annual Red Oktoberfest label showcase with the recently announced Riot Fest 2010. Label czar Tobias Jeg explained:

First of all, this year we will be combining Red Oktoberfest with Chicago’s Riot Fest. If ya can’t beat ’em, join ’em, right? Here’s what’s up. First of all, the Riot Fest guys extended a very awesome and gracious invitation and those guys know how to run shit. All the people there and all the volunteers have been nothing short of super cool towards any of my friends and any of the bands I work with, so I’m honored to be able to work with them this year. The other thing is that I am getting married at the same time that all this crap is going down. And of course, I can’t just get married like a normal person. No, we decided to do something that is apparently unlawful. Not for some deep “corollary of love” bullshit, or some wild nonsense I came across in “I Wrote Her Name Upon The Strand”. No, nothing like that. We’re just doing it cuz we’re stupid, so be sure to come visit us in jail.

To that end, the label has confirmed the following bands for their stage/showcase: Propagandhi, Cobra Skulls, The Copyrights, The Brokedowns, Vultures United and Brendan Kelly.

Toby also addressed the obvious question:

Did you say Propagandhi? They’re not on Red Scare!” I know they’re not on Red Scare, they’re smarter than that! I’ll tell you this much though: Propagandhi are in my opinion the most vital punk band of my generation and their music and words are what motivated me to do good things within underground music and start Red Scare. I can’t think of a more perfect band to headline a Red Scare showcase and I ain’t just sayin’ that because they agreed to play it (after a month of serious begging).

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Spinner has posted a new feature to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Bad Religion. The feature, titled 30 Years, 30 Facts to Celebrate Their Anniversary, They opened with this:

They put Southern California on the map. (Not that Rand McNally didn’t know how to get to the San Fernando Valley.) Punk climbed out of the hovels of London and New York when Bad Religion first emerged. Thirty years later, on their anniversary, the band still makes turbo-charged melody. Like the band name implies, linchpin Greg Graffin is still looking for an absent god; writing partner Brett Gurewitz, with his label, Epitaph, is just looking for another band to die for. If that’s a new map of hell, we’re on the 405 Freeway.

Check out the article here.
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The Black Pacific have revealed the cover art and track listing for their upcoming Side One Dummy Records debut, slated for a September 14, 2010 release.

The band is the new project from former Pennywise vocalist Jim Lindberg. We recently spoke to Jim about The Black Pacific; that conversation can be read here.
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Starting tonight, Boston, MA’s Have Nots are touring down to Nashville where they’ll be recording with producer Matt Drastic.

The band’s 2008 effort Serf City USA was re-released for free download by Paper and Plastick back in February.
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Smoke Or Fire have posted their second video update from the studio. The band is currently holed up at Atlas Studios with producer Matt Allison, hard at work on their follow up to 2007’s This Sinking Ship, which was also produced by Allison.

Guitarist Jeremy Cochran also recently launched an official twitter account for the group, promising updates from the studio. Earlier this year Smoke or Fire released the Prehistoric Knife Fight 7″ to help tide over fans. The band will be joining several of their Fat Wreck Chords labelmates at CMJ in October.
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Our stream today comes from Orlando, FL-based You Blew It!. We’ve got a stream of the band’s new EP, The Past In Present, set for release on August 3rd via Good Friends Records.

You can check it out on their Punknews.org Profile
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Influential Scottish act The Vaselines have announced a tour spanning the UK and North America. The band reunited in 2008 for the 20th Anniversary of Sub Pop Records and the celebratory festival. The band was a notable influence on bands like Nirvana and released music on K Records, 53rd & 3rd, Rough Trade and Sub Pop. The band garnered much attention after Nirvana covered the Scottish band’s song’s “Molly’s Lips” and “Son of a Gun” on Incesticide and “Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam” on MTV Unplugged in New York.

This year, the band released a new studio album, Sex With an X.
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Today, we’re excited to bring you a free download of a new track from Places and Numbers, the new project from former Gatsbys American Dream guitarist Bobby Darling. “Notes From the Dead Zone” is the title track from the band’s upcoming EP, which will follow up Waking the Dead, released back in March via Equal Vision Records.

Download the song here, and click Read More to check out Places and Numbers’ upcoming tour dates alongside The Dangerous Summer.
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Later this week, influential punk/new-wave act Devo will be headed out for a run of dates in support of their newest album, Something for Everybody.

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Director William Eubank has announced the completion of shooting for the Angels and Airwaves film, LOVE. He had this to say:

We are finally done shooting everything for LOVE. We are officially in the “Tying up loose ends” part… was in adr all day yesterday with Gunner, sound design is moving along and the tracks are getting polished etc. Its been a super long haul, but we are way close. Spent the whole morning cleaning up some of the monster mess I made last weekend while shooting.

Its weird to think that this movie has taken around 4 year. I think in the world of film making its rare to be able to have the pallete of 4 years to create something… might not of had the budget, but we definitely had the time. Both the film and I were able to go through some serious evolution. I think back about it now, and decisions I would have made about things back then I dont think I would have made now and vice versa. I think thats why the film will so cool though. The story almost loosely follows a similar path, or theme, of how time changes eveything, especially perspective. Its funny how true the saying is: that only time can understand how precious love is…

Angels and Airwaves released the album of the same name, LOVE, for free this year.
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