Just one year after his successful lawsuit against Volkswagen-Audi in Spain, Tom Waits has successfully prevented another car manufacturer from impersonating the legendary – and distinctive – singer for a commercial. In this latest case, he filed suit against General Motors’ Opel and the advertising agency McCann Erickson in Frankfurt, Germany last year.

The judgement is the latest in a line of successful legal actions the fiercely independent Waits has taken to prevent his music and image from being associated with commercial products. Waits’s first lawsuit was filed in 1988 against Frito Lay, and resulted in a US$2.6 million judgment in his favor. That company had approached Waits to use one of his songs in an advertisement. Waits declined the offer, and Frito Lay hired a Waits soundalike to sing a jingle similar to Small Change’s “Step Right Up”, which is, ironically, a song Waits has called “an indictment of advertising.

He famously condemned musicians who used songs in commercials, saying: “If Michael Jackson wants to work for Pepsi, why doesn’t he just get himself a suit and an office in their headquarters and be done with it.”

As for this case, Waits noted:

I’m glad to be out of the car sales business once and for all.

Waits will donate his net settlement proceeds to an unnamed charity.
Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21912. Continue reading Tom Waits wins another “sound-alike” case →

Recent Fearless signing, Mayday Parade have begun documenting their ongoing recording work with producers Kenneth Mount and Zack Odom (Cartel, All Time Low).

Just wanted to give a quick update…we started pre-production for our new record yesterday in Atlanta, GA…we’re really excited to be working with Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount! We’ll be doing pre-production this week, then we’ll actually start tracking the record this weekend. We’ll be in the good ol’ ATL until February 17 working on the record, so we plan on keeping you guys updated with photos and video blogs from the studio, so keep checkin’ back!

Further updates are expected on their Myspace page.

The band made their Fearless debut with the EP, Tales Told By Dead Friends on November 7th, 2006.
Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21911. Continue reading Mayday Parade blog from the studio →

Sinking Ships have announced a series of tour dates in February and March. The Revelation hardcore act will be supporting Disconnecting with Gracer, Ruiner, Hour of the Wolf and more.

Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21910. Continue reading Tours: Sinking Ships to tour with Gracer / Hour of the Wolf, Ruiner →

CBC Radio 3 is reporting that energetic Vancouver dance-punk quintet You Say Party! We Say Die! have signed with Toronto indie powerhouse Paper Bag Records (home to the Deadly Snakes, FemBots, Tokyo Police Club and Controller.Controller). The band’s second album and Paper Bag debut is entitled Lose All Time and will hit stores in Canada on April 10th. The group was a subject to a bidding war that included V2 and Mint among others.

YSP! hit a wall in late 2006 when the band was issued a 5 year ban on entering the United States. The band was denied US work permits for a west coast tour with Thunderbirds Are Now because authorities felt the shows would not be bringing in sufficient income. The band faked a recording contract in order to cross the border, but their ruse was caught and the lie cost them permission to cross until 2011. The incident has of course sidelined many of the band’s US plans, including a rumored deal with FrenchKiss Records.
Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21909. Continue reading You Say Party! We Say Die! sign to Paper Bag Records →

The Militia Group has announced a release date of April 3 for the self-titled debut from Everybody Else. The album was recorded at Sandbox studio in Los Angeles, with producer Rick Parker (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Sugarcult).

The indie rock band claims a plethora of influences, ranging from prog-rock acts such as Big Star, to 70’s R&B staples including Aretha Franklin and Curtis Mayfield. You can check out some music and videos at their MySpace page.
Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21908. Continue reading The Militia Group sets release date for Everybody Else →

Champion has announced details regarding their posthumous DVD+CD compilation. The band split up in January and recorded their final show for the set. Titled Different Directions: The Last Show, the release is due out April 24th, 2007 and features the band’s performance from the El Corazon in Seattle.

The DVD is a six-camera angle, professionally edited documentary produced by High-Roller Studios, known for their work with Lamb of God’s Killadelphia DVD, the Every Time I Die’s Shit Happens and hundreds of others. The DVD will feature interviews with kids at the show, the band members, past members, footage from their earliest days and the entire show start to finish.

Besides that, the label has announced another April release for Champion fans. The label explained the need to reissue the band’s sole full-length, Promises Kept:

The original version of Promises Kept was last printed almost two years ago, and the original pressing was rushed to the streets for Champion who was on tour with Terror at the time, with a final mix and mastering that did not please the band and original engineer Kurt Ballou.

As the record was due for a new pressing, the label opted to revisit the recording and packaging to produce “the version that the band and Kurt prefer.” Besides the original album, the label is promising some extras, with details expected soon.

They had this to say:

Everything is coming along great. I think its in its final stages. All the footage looks clean, the audio sounds awesome. I’m really proud of this. No official date has been set, but if things keep going this smooth then it should be out this fall/early winter.

Champion released the aforementioned Promises Kept in 2004 and a CD compilation of their two previous vinyl 7″ EPs entitled Time Slips Away in 2005, both on Bridge 9.
Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21907. Continue reading Champion announces final live DVD+CD, “Promises Kept” reissue →

Silverstein have announced that since their most recent tour in December, they’ve been writing songs in Canada for their next full-length. The band will hit the studio in March with producer Mark Trombino (Jimmy Eat World, Blink 182) to work on the album, which is expected to be released this summer.

The band released 18 Candles: The Early Years last year through Victory.
Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21906. Continue reading Silverstein to release new album this summer →

Lucero have announced plans to take their latest album, Rebels, Rogues, & Sworn Brothers overseas for a 10 day tour through Spain.

Besides those shows, the band has bookended the tour with shows in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.

Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21905. Continue reading Tours: Lucero (Spain, USA) →

Appleseed Cast have posted a slew of tour dates beginning in March.

The band is touring in support of last year's Peregrine.
Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21904. Continue reading Tours: Appleseed Cast →

Against Me! have announced more dates on their previously announced headlining tour with Fake Problems and the Riverboat Gamblers.. New additions include more dates in Canada as well the United States.

The tour precedes the release of their Sire/Warner debut which will be titled New Wave, and will be released in the spring.

Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21903. Continue reading Tours: Against Me! / Riverboat Gamblers / Fake Problems →

Billboard is reporting about the upcoming album from Dinosaur Jr.. The album is their first since they reunited last year, and the first to feature previously estranged bassist Lou Barlow since he left the band in 1989. The band released their previous full length, Hand It Over in 1997.

Titled Beyond, the record was recorded with engineer John Agnello and is due out May 1 on Fat Possum. The band was originally signed to SST before joining Sire in the 90s. Reissues of their albums have been produced by both Rhino and Merge.

Also in the works is a Dinosaur Jr. live DVD, due out May 8, 2007. The disc was directed by Mascis’ brother-in-law, Phillip Virus and will include live performance footage from the first half of the reunion tour, including shows in New York and Boston.

Read more at: http://www.punknews.org/article/21902. Continue reading Dinosaur Jr detail first post-reunion album →