NYC punk group the Lower East Side Stitches (or L.E.S. Stitches) have reunited after a 6 year hiatus. The band, which was famously featured in the Spike Lee film Summer of Sam, released 3 records between 1996 and 2000 before going on hiatus in 2001. The group features U.S. Bombs guitarist Curt Gove, and had reunited in 2005 and 2006 for two one-off reunion shows at legendary NYC bar, The Continental, before its closing.

Material for an upcoming new release is in the works, and the band is scheduled to headline the NYC Unity Fest in Brooklyn NY on July 7th with Murphy’s Law, The Freeze, Turbo ACs, Subzero, and others.
Source Continue reading L.E.S. Stitches announce reunion →

Aubin: Since we renamed this feature from “MP3 of the Week” to “Editor’s Picks,” this has given me a little creative license with what I can use this space for and this is probably the most out-there example of this flagrant abuse of the rules. An Italian student has assembled a fully animated version of the beloved comic strip, Calvin & Hobbes using Bill Watterson’s designs as a reference and despite being voices in Italian (albeit subtitled) it is about the most natural looking animation of Calvin and Hobbes that I have ever seen. It’s definitely worth a look:
The Animated Calvin & Hobbes – in Italian with English Subtitles

Meg: Despite the song still being pretty rough around the edges (rightfully so), Bracewar’s recently posted “Demo 2” is just as frenetic and chaotic as any fan could hope to hear in the months preceeding the release of their debut full-length Juggernaut on 1917 Records. The band’s hardcore punk/ powerviolence concoction should satisfy fans of Ceremony and maybe even Mind Eraser. Sometimes it’s just nice to listen to music that makes you feel OK about being pissed off.
Bracewar – Demo 2

Chris: I love me some good “munk”. Mock-punk, if you will. I first heard of this band via t-shirts I’ve seen a number of people sporting. I mean come on, how could you not laugh at the name of a band that so blatantly ridicules one of the worst incarnations of “punk” we’ve ever had to put up with? Go listen to some Jewdriver and realize that the best way to deal with idiots is to laugh at them.

Jewdriver MySpace page
Source Continue reading MP3 of the Week: Animated Calvin & Hobbes, Bracewar, Jewdriver →

Social Distortion has posted a month-long slew of US tour dates beginning in late June.

The tour kicks off just a few days after the release of their greatest hits album, which is the follow-up to 2004’s Sex, Love and Rock ’n’ Roll.
Source Continue reading Tours: Social Distortion →

The Redemption Song has decided to call it quits and head in different directions.

The band’s guitarist Jeremiah has already started a new band called Through Trials, which will play music in the vein of Youth of Today, American Nightmare and Mouthpiece and will feature ex/current members of xDown to Nonex, Cast from Eden, Another Way and sink or swim. You can check out the new project on MySpace.
Source Continue reading The Redemption Song (2000-2007) →

The Pietasters are back. The DC ska band has launched a new label through Redeye USA dubbed Indication Records. The label will launch with the band’s new album All Day on August 21, 2007. The 14 track record is the band’s first since 2002’s Fueled By Ramen released Turbo. Jagermeister will partner with the band release free EPs previewing three tracks from the album (“Don’t Wanna Know,” “Dream of You” and “Fozzy (Part 1).” These will be given away at two release parties, June 1st at the 930 Club in DC, and June 2nd on the Rocks Off Concert Cruise. Every person that attends one of these shows will pick up a free EP.

In addition to the new record Indication Records will reissue out of print Pietasters albums and look towards signing other artists. The Pietasters are planning dates around the US throughout the year there are also European and Japanese tours in the works. The band will appear at the upcoming All Good Fest and Knoxville Ska Weekend as well.

Click below to check out the artwork and track listing.
Source Continue reading The Pietasters launch Indication Records, new album due in August →

The lineup for the 5th annual Dude Fest has been posted. The festival is scheduled to take place July 27 and 28 in Indianapolis, IN and will feature Ed Gein, Coliseum, Hewhocorrupts, Young Widows, Engineer and Premonitions of War, among many others.

Tickets for the festival are currently available here.
Source Continue reading Dude Fest 2007 lineup completed →

The Junior Varsity has posted a new song online. The track will appear on the band’s forthcoming release Cinematographic, which is scheduled for a June 19 release through Victory Records.

You can check out “The Sky” on MySpace.
Source Continue reading The Junior Varsity post new song →

It seems that dead celebrities can be used to sell more than pointless reissues and vacuum cleaners. A new print/poster campaign in the U.K. for famous punk rock footwear maker, Doc. Martens, has used four of the biggest names of the genre’s deceased stars. Kurt Cobain, Sid Vicious, Joey Ramone and Joe Strummer all appear as angels wearing the famous boots. Writer Andrew Petch said the following of the add campaign:

We wanted to communicate that Dr. Martens boots are ‘made to last,’ and we discovered that these idolized musicians wore them. Showing them still wearing their Docs in heaven dramatized the boots’ durability perfectly. And, as images, they feel very iconic.

According to the article over at the Daily Swarm, the images have been cleared for use in the U.K. only, in an arrangement with Corbis, supplier of the original photographs, which have been enhanced by photographer Dimitri Daniloff and retoucher Christophe Huet.

Source Continue reading Kurt Cobain, Joe Strummer, Joey Ramone, and Sid Vicious peddle Doc Martens →

Less Than Jake drummer / lyricist Vinnie confirmed for us that the band has left their major label home as we reported previously. Vinnie told the `Org:

A few days ago it became “official” we left Sire and Warner bros to go it alone for the moment. A few months back we talked as a band and decided to ask Warner to release us from our contract and the one last record we owed them. It became obvious to me and everyone else that its time to move on and in a new direction as band.

So cue the comments from the .net and .org crowds “they made a shitty last record”, “maybe they’ll have more horns on the next record”, “they haven’t done anything good since pezcore anyways”, “they should have played more ska”, “maybe they’ll find a label that promotes the record” I’ve heard it and read it all before when we left Capitol records way back when. Hell, I could go point by point and defend or agree with everyone of the above statements but its not the right time to do that. The time right now is to look at things with a fresh prespective, look to the future- remember your history – move on. It seems obvious but sometimes when you’re reaching for the other shore you drown in the middle somewhere.

Thanks to everyone involved in the last few years, that gave their time, understanding and energy to less than jake.

The band released In with the Out Crowd last year. In the coming months they’ll be playing a hometown charity show in Gainesville, touring Europe, visiting Brazil, and playing a US tour alongside Reel Big Fish, Streetlight Manifesto and Against All Authority.
Source Continue reading Vinnie confirms it: Less Than Jake leave Warner / Sire →

The original lineup of Calgary instrumental surf / garage rock three-piece the Huevos Rancheros will reunite next Saturday in their hometown. The band will convene at the South Calgary Community Center alongside Chixdiggit, Forbidden Dimension, the Smokin 45s, and Michael Rault and the Mixed Signals for a benefit show. The bands are raising money to establish a journalism scholarship in memory of friend James Muretich.

The band, who last released the full length El Muerte Del Toro in 2000, last reunited a year ago at a Mint Records event in Vancouver.
Source Continue reading Huevos Rancheros reunite for Calgary show →

At All Cost and One Dead Three Wounded will hit the road together throughout June and July for a US tour. Dead Hearts will join the bands on various dates.

Source Continue reading Tours: At All Cost / One Dead Three Wounded →

Airdate will record an EP June 30 – July 7 with John Naclerio (My Chemical Romance, Brand New, Midtown) at Nada Studios. The EP will tentatively be released late summer/ early fall.

Frog of Staten Island, NY has posted two new songs on MySpace from their forthcoming EP I Cannot Erase, which will be their debut release on Demotic Records.

Queen City Station, a band featuring former It Dies Today singer Nicholas Brooks, has posted 5 songs online. You can check them out on MySpace here.
Source Continue reading Airdate, Frog, Queen City Station (ex-It Dies Today) →

Here's the top 15 tracks on GR2 for the last 7 days.  I must say I am suprised to see Henry Rollins there at the top.  Keep voting as it lets me know what you like and more importantly, what you don't so I can take it off the air.

1. Rollins Band – Drive By Shooting
2. Born To Lose – Broke Down
3. Civet – State Line
4. Joy Division – Warsaw
5. I Decline – Devil's Playground
6. Dropkick Murphys – The Auld Triangle
7. The Unseen – Scream Out
8. No Use For A Name – For Fiona
9. Bouncing Souls – Sing Along Forever
10. The Nobodys – Joe's Sister
11. X-Ray Spex – I Am A Poseur
12. Nofx – The Separation of Church and Skate
13. Good Riddance – Shame
14. Fugazi – Waiting Room
15. Black Flag – Wasted