A new interview with Fat Mike reveals the status of his Punk Voter project and its future.

I would say we’re on a vacation now. I want to keep PunkVoter going. Put news stories up there. I will always be politically active, but not like I was in 2002 to 2004. I don’t really enjoy politics. I was flying across the country going to different radio stations, different DNC meetings. I met (wealthy liberal funder) George Soros. I met John Kerry. I did Dennis Miller, I did Howard Stern, I was really active. And you know, it’s not fun. I’m a musician, I’m not used to hard work,

I feel it is the most important thing I did in my life. I also never tried to do anything so hard, either. I’ll spend some time trying to write songs or whatever, but everything is at my speed. I really pushed myself for about a year and a half.

The lengthy article also notes that the Punk Voter compilations sold a combined 650,000 copies and raised more than $1 million in the 2004 election cycle.

You can check out the entire article article.
Source Continue reading Fat Mike of NOFX talks about the future of Punk Voter →

Today, as millions of Americans use this holiday to do what we do on every holiday — eat, we here at Punknews would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone who has fought and died protecting their nation. If you think you hate Nazi-punks now, just imagine the hell-hole this world would be if the outcome of WWII was not in our favor.

So we say thank you to those who have lost their lives serving our countries, so that the rest of us can go to sleep each night knowing we’ll wake up safe the next morning. Maybe we can all rest our political beliefs for one day, and appreciate just how large of a sacrifice that really is.
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Vice Magazine‘s online network VBS.tv recently assembled a multi-part series dubbed Heavy Metal Baghdad. They explained:

It is a story about a group of guys and what they have to go through in a war torn country to play in a band. The film documents everything from sneaking into Iraq for the story, followed by the segment about said metal band Acrassicauda, and what they have to go through living in Iraq as metal heads. In the final installment, the band has united in Damascus, Syria and play a reunion concert. We went to the show, hung out with them, and then recorded a demo with the band. Yes, a heavy metal demo in Syria! Something very rare. Even though they have fled war torn Iraq their trials and tribulations of being a rock band continue.

This is a unbiased story about war, people, and music and how they all impact each other.

You can check out the entire series here.
Source Continue reading Vice looks at heavy metal in Baghdad →

Envy on the Coast has announced summer touring plans including dates with The Sleeping and their stint on the Smartpunk stage at the Warped Tour.

The band continues to support their 2006 EP, Envy On The Coast, released on Photo Finish Records.

Source Continue reading Tours: Envy on the Coast (Summer) →

We Are The Union released a sampler track from their upcoming album, Who We Are, on Monday, May 21st. The record is scheduled to be released on June 20th at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan. You can listen to the new tracks on their myspace page

Kalamazoo, MI-based The Denslow Cup have posted some material from their new EP, Did You Hear Who’s Fucking Who?. You can check out the songs on their myspace page.

Pinky Ring punk outfit SS Nova has posted a new song, titled “Dancing On Air.” The track comes from their upcoming self-titled EP. The EP was produced by Shaun Lopez (Deftones, Revolution Smile, Will Haven) and will hit stores and iTunes next month. You can find the song on their myspace page.
Source Continue reading New Music Roundup: We Are The Union, The Denslow Cup, SS Nova →

After much speculation following the shutdown of their prior home, V2 Music, Chicago’s Alkaline Trio have signed with Epic Records, which falls under the Sony-BMG Music Entertainement umbrella.

The band will be playing a few dates on this year’s Warped Tour, and also contributed an exclusive track to the traveling festival’s annual compilation, which hits stores June 05, 2007.

Additionally, the band will be giving it’s fan-favorite album, Goddamnit, the re-issue treatment via old friends, and the album’s orginal home, Asian Man Records. Earlier this year, the trio released their second rarities and b-sides compilation, Remains.
Source Continue reading Alkaline Trio signs to Epic Records →

It’s Sunday May 27th, 2007. I’m so clairvoyant I predict one of next weeks biggest stories will arrive around at around midnight tonight. You should all prove me wrong by ignoring it and not commenting on it at all. Just go to bed early. Get some sleep. You really need to rest more you look horrible.

The people must have something good to read on a Sunday

So first I break a lace and for the life of me can’t find a long enough replacement, and now this. Advertising images peddling boots from U.K. based Dr. Martens was unveiled — and it featured the photo-manipulated sales-angels of Joe Strummer, Joey Ramone, Sid Vicious and Kurt Cobain. After a few days of negative feedback (including some from Joey Ramone’s brother) the makers of the iconic rock-related boot apologized for the the “unauthorized” campaign, firing their ad agency in the process. Aside from that, we had a deluge of Green Day news, among them an appearance by the the band on a popular TV talent show performing John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero.” The band apparently won’t be featured on the Simpsons Movie soundtrack, despite the fact that they’re in it (that honor goes to Fall Out Boy, which I guess is sort of fitting), but they will contribute to the score. Oh, and just to get you all riled up Rolling Stone named American Idiot the best comeback album ever.

This week saw Vinnie confirme earlier reports that Less Than Jake had left Warner / Sire. The much loved “Goddamnit” album from the Alkaline Trio (cough) will be re-issued soon via Asian Man. Cartel launched their much debated, corporate sponsored bubble stunt. Against Me! kept in the press, with a tour diary from Tom Gabel and a video interview from Warren Oakes. Whole Wheat Bread talked their upcoming album while Good Riddance announced that their final show will be recorded for a live album. Finally, Utah joined the list of US states to have their own little moral panic over the big spooky “emo” movement that’s corrupting the kids.

Our Video of the Week featured Richmond, VA’s Landmines while our Editors’ Picks featured music from Bracewar, Jewdriver and an animated Calvin & Hobbes clip, just because. We streamed new music this week from the Gaslight Anthem, their entire new album, in fact.

Click Read More to see this week’s contests, streaming music and more.
Source Continue reading May 27th, 2007 →

Chicago band Tub Ring experienced an unfortunate incident last night, as their bass guitar came up missing at the end of the evening.

Sometime after playing our set tonight in Orlando, at the Backbooth bar on 37 Pine St (next to the Element dance club) my bass was stolen.

I know that outside, in the back of the club, there is an area that looks like an old outdoor concert courtyard, and after the club was alerted to my bass disappearing, they saw that their house bass cabinet was also missing. After turning the club upside down, we turned our efforts outside, and found the missing cabinet in said courtyard, hidden under a stage and some fencing.

No idea, if anyone in the Orlando area will read this, but if you happen to pop into any pawn shops and see a Doug Wimbish signature series hanging on the racks with a few dings on the left side of the fretboard, and nice little chunk missing from the headstock, that’d be mine and you can contact me via e-mail ([email protected] or [email protected]) and then I’ll know there’s nothing I can do about getting my bass back, but I’ll rest easy knowing some lucky pawnshop owner is going to make a killer sale, and even better knowing that someone else is thumbing through the money they made while they walk to the other end of the block and spend that hard earned money on some new kicks and drugs.

Hope some sack of shit is happy that they got away with something that allows me to scrape by day to day. Also, should said “sack of shit” walk around the corner anytime soon, expect a tire iron through your temples.

If you have any information, you can contact the band: [email protected].
Source Continue reading Tub Ring’s bass guitar stolen in Orlando →

Seventh Star has posted a new song from their forthcoming release The Undisputed Truth. The track, “Isaiah Six,” features guest vocals from Dan Quiggle (Jesus Wept). Drew Russ had this to say about the track:

We are all more than stoked on having Dan Quiggle sing on our record. We always looked up to him as a front man/lyricist in xDisicplex. In the summer of 2006, we had the opportunity to go on tour with Jesus Wept, and talked about a possible collaboration. On “The Undisputed Truth” we really wanted to make each song have its own sound and feel. As we were writing the song “Isaiah Six”, I had a melodic line in my head that went with the chorus. We all agreed the part would be perfect for Dan’s voice. After a month or so of phone calls and going back and forth on ideas and lyrics, it all came together. His vocals really reinforced the dark and epic mood of the song. “Isaiah Six” is probably our favorite song on the album, and it’s an honor to have someone of Dan’s caliber sing on it.

You can check out the new track here: “Isaiah Six.”

The Undisputed Truth will hit stores June 12.
Source Continue reading Seventh Star post new song →

Fearless Records act So They Say have posted the first of many blogs about their current recording experience. The album is being produced by Matt Hyde and will hit stores later this year.

Additionally, the band will be playing a slew of dates on this year’s Warped Tour.

You can check out the blog by visiting the So They Say MySpace page.
Source Continue reading So They Say post studio blog →

To celebrate their 10th anniversary, Facedown Records have announced the multi-disc compilation, Something Worth Fighting For. The CD/DVD serves as a comprehensive look into the history of the label and features highlights from the early careers of bands like Comeback Kid, Figure Four, Overcome, Symphony In Peril and Nodes of Ranvier. Additionally, the comp will showcase some current music and videos from War Of Ages, Means, xDeathstarx, Sleeping Giant, Inked In Blood and many more. As an added bonus, the DVD features over an hour of exclusive and never-before-seen Facedown Fest live footage.

The compilation is scheduled for release June 26th.
Source Continue reading Facedown to release retrospective compilation CD/DVD →

In a recent blog, Victory Records band On the Last Day have announced they will be continuing on without singer Geoff Walker. Additionally, the band is currently auditioning potential replacements:

On The Last Day Fans,

We regret to inform you that singer Geoff Walker will no longer be a part of On The Last Day. For a while now, the band (Aaron, Drew, Frank, and Justin) has been trying to grow in a direction that Geoff’s presence would not allow. We feel that this course of action is ultimately the best for On The Last Day to continue its natural progression. We wish Geoff the best of luck with his future endeavors — wherever they may lead.

Make no mistake, On The Last Day will not stop here. Aaron, Drew, Frank, and Justin will continue On The Last Day without Geoff and begin searching for a new vocalist immediately. We currently have new material in the works and hope to debut it as soon as possible.

If you would like to audition, please contact us at: [email protected]

The band’s label debut, Meaning In The Static, was released last year.
Source Continue reading On the Last Day part with vocalist, search for replacement →

The bands chosen to play on the Hot Topic Kevin Says Stage at this year’s Warped Tour have been announced.

Source Continue reading Kevin Says Stage bands announced for Warped Tour →