The Spill Canvas‘ Nick Thomas was nice enough to answer a few of my questions via email recently. We discussed his past past role in Nodes of Ranvier, Superman and caught up about their progress on their next full-length.

Source Continue reading Interviews: The Spill Canvas →

After thirteen years of publishing, Punk Planet is officially closing its doors. The editors sent out this letter to subscribers:

We’ve come to the impossible decision to stop printing, having sounded all the alarms and reenvisioned all the systems we can. Benefit shows are no longer enough to make up for bad distribution deals, disappearing advertisers, and a decreasing audience of subscribers.

As to the latter two points, we could blame the Internet. It makes editorial content-and bands-easy to find, for free. (We’re sure our fellow indie labels, those still standing, can attest to the difficulties created in the last few years). We can blame educational and media systems that value magazines focused on consumerism over engaged dissent. And we can blame the popular but mistaken belief that punk died several years ago.

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The Apers have announced plans to travel through the East Coast as they make their way to Insubordination Fest. The long-running band most recently released their latest album Reanimate My Heart on Insubordination Records. The album was released in Europe by Sonic Rendezvous. Reanimate My Heart is set to be released in the U.S. on April 21st.

Source Continue reading The Apers (East Coast) →

Today we’ve got three brand new songs from Ben Weasel’s upcoming sophomore solo album, These Ones Are Bitter. The record is due out June 26, 2007 and is his first solo outing since 2002’s Fidatevi.

As reported, the disc will be released via Ben’s own digital-only Mendota and will be available via digital download from iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody, downloadpunk.com, Napster, and many other digital retailers. A limited edition vinyl version of the album will be released later in 2007 on Edmond Records.

For the record, Weasel has recruited bassist Dan Andriano of Alkaline Trio as well as two members of he All-American Rejects: Mike Kennerty and Chris Gaylor. Kennerty also acted as producer.

You can check out all three songs on Ben’s Punknews.org Profile.
Source Continue reading Ben Weasel: “These Ones Are Bitter” →

Tool continues to mine the Hydrahead family for openers, this time enlisting Los Angeles-based duo, Big Business. The band will be providing support on Tool’s upcoming summer tour which is scheduled to hit both the US and two cities in Canada.

Tool is supporting their new full length, 10,000 Days while Big Business will be showing off their latest album, Here Come the Waterworks.

Source Continue reading Tours: Tool / Big Business →

Ultra Dolphins have embarked on an approximately three-week European tour in support of 2006’s proper Robotic Empire debut and first full-length, Mar. Starting on June 22 the band will be joined by Vietnam’s Interlude for the rest of the tour.

Additionally, Ultra Dolphins has posted a recording of their Yes cover, “Heart of the Sunrise,” which you can find at their now twice-linked MySpace page.
Source Continue reading Tours: Ultra Dolphins / Interlude (Europe); Yes cover posted →

Straight-edge punks Down to Nothing will head out with Verse, Allegiance and I Rise for two weeks’ worth of dates in the U.S. next month, including tour-ending appearances at Ventura, CA’s Sound & Fury Fest.

Down to Nothing will be supporting their proper Revelation debut, The Most, due out July 17. Verse’s last was 2006’s Rivalry effort, From Anger and Rage. That band’s labelmates Allegiance will drop a teaser 7″ this coming Tuesday entitled Out of My Blood as a pre-cursor to their upcoming full-length, Desperation, due this summer. Finally, I Rise recently released both a demo and split 7″ with Soul Control.

While the tour will officially kick off July 13 and feature the additional likes of Have Heart and Sinking Ships at that particular show, Verse, Allegiance and I Rise will preface the tour with shows on July 11 and 12 in Amityville, NY and Rochester, NY, respectively, with Crime in Stereo hopping on the former date and Ceremony on both.
Source Continue reading Tours: Down to Nothing / Verse / Allegiance / I Rise →

Boys Night Out has another new song from their upcoming album. The song is featured on their forthcoming self-titled effort, which will hit stores June 26, 2007.

You can check out “Get Your Head Straight” on their myspace page.
Source Continue reading Boys Night Out: “Get Your Head Straight” →

Brand New have posted another new b-side taken from their recording sessions for The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. The song is available in physical form on the single for Jesus as issued in the UK.

You can check out “Coca Cola” on their MySpace page. It might sound familiar if you were paying attention last week. Or in January 2006.

The band recently wrapped up a trip to Australia. Frontman Jesse Lacey will be embarking on a solo tour with Kevin Devine beginning in late July.
Source Continue reading Brand New: “Coca Cola” →

Dillinger Escape Plan have produced a “short episode” detailing the introduction of drummer Gil Sharone. As reported on Friday, the news comes with the confirmation of the departure of founding drummer Chris Pennie. As rumoured, Pennie left the band to join Coheed and Cambria.

The band is continuing work on their next full length which has been titled Ire Works. They will again be working with producer Steve Evetts and a fall release is expected. The “short episode” is a serious and remorseful look at Chris’ departure and provides the required degree of pathos.
Source Continue reading DIllinger Escape Plan “introduces” new drummer →

Saves The Day have entered the studio record their recently announced new full length. Apparently unwilling to allow another three years to pass between records, the band has announced that the follow up to 2006’s Sound the Alarm will be released this fall and be titled Under The Boards.

The band is co-producing the 13 songs with Marc Hudson and Eric Stenman at their studio in northern California. Under The Boards continues a story about self-discovery that began with last year’s Sound The Alarm and will conclude with a third album, Daybreak, to be released next year. Says frontman Chris Conley: “Sound The Alarm is an expression of discontent. Under The Boards is reflection and remorse. Daybreak is acceptance.”

Conley notes that parts of the album are darker than Sound The Alarm as it’s the transitional chapter of the trilogy (“like The Empire Strikes Back”), but adds, “It’s going to be an interesting listen. There are a lot of different moods in these songs.” Says Soloway, “‘Woe’, is the heaviest song we’ve ever written and two of the songs, ‘Get Fucked Up’ and ‘Can’t Stay The Same’, might be the most poppy tunes we’ve ever done.
Source Continue reading Saves The Day hits the studio, promises new albums in 2007, 2008 →

Here's the top 15 for the last week on GR2.  Someone must really like NOFX as they have several tracks on the list.  I'm working on a station update that I should have completed and up for your listening pleasure late this evening depending on when my kids go to bed.  This may be the last update of GR2 for a while depending on what happens with the Royalty rates on July 15th.  If they go up, we go off the air.  It's as simple as that unfortunately.

1. Rise Against – Black Masks and Gasoline
2. No Use for a Name – Feeding the Fire
3. Dropkick Murphys – The Auld Triangle
4. Consumed – On The Take Again
5. Lagwagon – Automatic
6. Sick of It All – Borstal Breakout
7. Rise Against – Ready To Fall
8. NOFX – Seeing Double At The Triple Rock
9. NOFX – Release The Hostages
10. Strung Out – Jackie-O – The Element of Sonic Defiance  Sep 07, 06
11. StrungOut_Jackie-O.mp3 Fat Wreck Chords 64/44/st 3:00
12. Rancid – Corruption
13. NOFX – Linoleum
14. Minor Threat – Betray
15. The Stitches – Cars Of Today
16. Bad Religion – Fuck Armageddon, This is Hell

The documentary Punk’s Not Dead has been completed and the filmmakers have announced a number of plans for the summer. They explained:

First, we have a contest up where people can win their way backstage to watch Punk’s Not Dead with the bands (Bad Religion! Pennywise!) at the Ventura, CA Warped Tour on June 30th and the Fresno, CA Warped Tour on August 22nd. They must already have Warped Tour tickets – otherwise, we can’t get them backstage! If they don’t, they’ll win a PND t-shirt and poster instead.

Secondly, we have some theatrical screening dates! We’re self-distributing the film, so we’ll be getting more and more dates as theaters agree to show the film. Keep checking the website for updates.

As previously reported, the documentary focuses on the past 30 years in punk rock, with the social impact it has shown on everything from the orginal counter-culture, through its marketable image of today. The cast consists of a wide variety of bands, labels and personalities; providing both interviews and performances. Current stars like Green Day, Good Charlotte and Yellowcard; punk staples such as Bad Religion, Pennywise, Rancid and the Casualties; and pioneers like the Ramones, Minor Threat and the Dead Kennedys are just some of groups featured in the presentation.
Source Continue reading Punk’s Not Dead completed, plans contests, screenings →