After almost three years, the murder of former Ramones manager Linda Stein has ended with the incarceration of Stein’s assistant, Natavia Lowery. Stein, a former schoolteacher co-managed the Ramones during the band’s heyday. She’s credited with bringing the Ramones to England for their infamous July 4, 1976, show. That performance is often described as the catalyst for the punk movement in Britain. After Stein and Fields parted ways with the Ramones in 1980, she eventually launched a real estate career brokering multimillion-dollar Manhattan apartments for rock and roll royalty.

Lowery recieved a 25 year sentence for the murder and 3 additional years for the theft of $30,000. Stein was found dead at her Manhattan apartment on 30 October 2007 having died from blows to the head and neck. She eventually gave a videotaped account of beating Stein to death after her employer badgered her about the pace of her work and blew cannabis smoke in her face.

Check out the BBC report here.
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Australia’s The Living End have posted a studio update talking about their current recording and other plans:

TLE are still holed up safe and sound in a Melbourne studio toiling away on some rockin’ new tracks. They’ve been hard at it demoing new material, and all things go to plan we should have some fresh tunes for you towards the end of the year.

The Living End will be performing that this years’ Community Cup football match in Melbourne! Raising money for Reclink (who provide music & sporting opportunities to disadvantaged folks) the annual match is a Melbourne rock’n’roll institution. Plus, this years’ match theme is The Clash, so come down to Elsternwick Park on Sunday June 27th and you might just see the mighty TLE cover some old favourites.

Check out the entire update here.
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Brooklyn, NY duo The Naked Heroes recently released their new full length 99 Diamond. The band, which features guitarist / vocalist George Michael Jackson and drummer Merica Lee was just named a Band To Watch by MTV Canada, who compared their Powerload / Drug Front Records released debut to acts like The Cramps, John Lee Hooker, Black Sabbath and James Brown. To celebrate the release of the new record the band is giving away five prize packs to Punknews.org readers featuring some signed vinyl and more.
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Bridge Nine Records hardcore act Cruel Hand have unveiled plans to release their third album this summer. The record is titled Lock and Key and is due out July 27, 2010 via Bridge Nine. It is the follow-up to Prying Eyes which was released in 2008. It was recorded last month in Wakefield, MA with producer Jay Maas (Verse, Bane, Defeater)

Vocalist Chris Linkovich said this:

Lock & Key is definitely not a ‘Prying Eyes Part 2’. It’s not just a progression either, we feel like this is our defining release. We weren’t scared to bring all of our influences to the table, no matter what the genre of music. We spent a lot more time with guitar sounds, a lot of layering and melody and other second guitar work. As far as lyrics, I reached my goal of working with a lot of different subject matters and also using a little bit of melody with different vocal patterns and delivery. The record is ill and we listen to it every day.

The band will head to Europe this summer to support the release.
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Today, we’re stoked to bring you a stream from Elmhurst, NY pop-punk supergroup House Boat. The band, which features current and former members of The Ergs!, Dear Landlord, Off with their Heads, The Steinways and several others, have a new EP for Traffic Street Records entitled Processing Complaints that’s currently available digitally, with a physical release coming in June.

You can check it out on their Punknews.org page.
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Constants have titled their upcoming full-length. If Tomorrow The War is slated for release later this year via The Mylene Sheath. Two songs from the release, “Your Daughter’s Eyes” and “The Sun, The Earth,” can be heard at the band’s website.

The band has also unveiled a cover of the Type O Negative track “Love You to Death” at their MySpace page.
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The Loved Ones frontman Dave Hause will soon release a solo 7″ through Bantic Media. To commemorate the release, he’ll be performing a free show this Wednesday at the Drexel Armory in Philadelphia, as well as a record release show on May 7 with Brian Fallon (Gaslight Anthem) at the Court Tavern in New Brunswick, NJ.

Additionally, Hause will serve as a guest DJ tonight at 7PM ET On WDKU Philadelphia.
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The Punk Site is hosting a stream of “Things They Say,” another new track from the upcoming debut from Blacklist Royals, Semper Liberi, due out May 25, 2010.

Check it out here. Later this month, the band will join up with labelmates Coffee Project and Greenland is Melting for an east coast tour.
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Switchboard Sessions has posted a new update featuring Murder By Death vocalist/guitarist Adam Turla performing “Yes” from the band’s new record Good Morning, Magpie as well as a cover of Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down),” which initially appeared on their Fuego! EP.

Check it out here.
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Less Than Jake has announced plans for two ‘family and friends’ shows in June, featuring the band playing alongside their side projects Rehasher and Coffee Project. The gigs will be happening on June 11 at the Music Farm in Charleston, SC and on June 12 at the Bourbon St. Nightclub in New Port Richey, FL.

The band has also been confirmed for the Doubletree Miami Mart Airport Convention Center on June 18 and Insubordination Fest on June 26.
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Best Friends Day 9 has announced its initial lineup. Among those scheduled to perform are Propagandhi, Negative Approach, Municipal Waste, Banner Pilot, Off with Their Heads, a reunion set from Black Army Jacket, Lemuria, Brainworms‘ final show, The Measure {SA}, Algernon Cadwallader, Amateur Party, The Dopamines, Mouthbreather, Sun Dials, and Cloak/Dagger. More bands are expected to be added soon.

The festival will be happening in Richmond, VA over the weekend of August 21, 2010. More information is available here.
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Traffic Street Records has posted details for Empty Towers, the debut full-length from Rumspringer. It’s slated for a May 31, 2010 release. Head over to the label’s website to check out the cover art, tracklisting, and to hear two songs from the upcoming CD/LP, “It’s Literally Tearing Me Apart” and “The “May I Help You” Riff.”

The record follows up a slew of releases from last year including split 7-inches with Dude Jams and Sleep Like a Log and the band’s self-titled 10″ / CDEP. Rumspringer will embark on a nationwide tour later this month.
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Mogwai have launched the second trailer for their upcoming concert film, Burning. Due in late August 2010, the film is a collaboration between the band and Vincent Moon and Nathanael le Scouarnec of La Blogotheque’s Take-Away Shows. The band promises “a soundscape and cinematic direction [to] rival that of any art-house film.”

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