The Godfather Trilogy Restoration

Quick News

Honestly at this point just call him St.Bono. The legendary U2 singer (and hero of mine) has been blogging about his experience at the UN summit this week. You know you are a big deal when Presidential hopefuls and other world dignitaries want to speak with you more than the current U.S. President...anyway, check out what Bono had to say here

Kanye West has bumped the release of his latest record 808's and Heartbreak up from December to "November Something," as West put it on his site. West feels that since the record is done why hold on to it and just let the people hear it.

Does it Offend You, Yeah? have created a video blog about their adventures on their first ever U.S. tour. Check out the video as it also features their fantastic performance at Lollapalooza last month.

Tricky Live on Letterman

English Renaissance Man Tricky performed a rousing rendition of "Council Estate" on Letterman from earlier this month.

Playlist

Here are some tracks I have been spinning...and so should you!

Oasis - "Falling Down (Chemical Bros. Remix)"
Glasvegas - "Flowers and Football Tops"
Devotchka - "Transliteration"
John Legend feat Andre 3000 - "Green Light"
Kings of Leon - "Sex on Fire"
The Verve - "Noise Epic"
The Black Kids - "I'm Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You"
Kanye West - "Love Lock down"
Lupe Fiasco - "Paris, Tokyo"
Queen - "Radio Ga Ga"

Kings of Leon News!

Live Review-Bloc Party @ Roseland

"Hello, we are Bloc Party from London, England. Now are you are ready to get a little fresh?!" The opening remarks of Bloc Party front man Kele Okereke as they took the stage for a free concert Thursday night at New York City's Roseland Ballroom. The legendary swing venue was transformed into an all out new wave dance party as the London lads broke out into new songs from their latest Intimacy. While the surprise record has gotten mixed reviews, the songs live sounded fantastic. This was the second time I have seen Bloc Party this year and the third time overall. The last time I had witnessed this band was just last month at Lollapalooza during a disappointing main stage performance, Thursday night the band redeemed themselves and proved they are a band that excels in a club atmosphere. Cranking out so much energy and having the crowd in absolute awe, Bloc Party delivered a set filled with old favorites like "Banquet," and "This Modern Love," while tossing in tracks from Weekend in the City. Yet the set was chock full of new tunes from Intimacy, a dance - electro record of epic proportions. I look forward to seeing when they will return and if you must, catch them in a small venue where they fit like a glove.

Quantum of Awesomeness!

From a slick poster to a sick trailer and now a great song. Can this latest 007 installment be the best yet? Jack White and Alica Keys posted their song "Another Way to Die," the theme to Quantum of Solace online...listen to it HERE

Ben Kingsley is Minor Threat?!

Sir Ben Kingsley STOMPS into the shoes of Minor Threat's Ian MacKaye from Mean Magazine on Vimeo.

This video is so fresh, well done, and bizarre that it had to be posted. Sir Kingsley seriously is an actor who will do anything and be brilliant at it! Enjoy!

The Cure Tracklisting

After being pushed back, the pushed back again. Fans of the Cure wont have to wait any longer as their latest record 4:13 Dream is set to come out October 28. Here is the track listing for the band's new disc...

Underneath The Stars
The Only One
The Reasons Why
Freakshow
Siren song
The Real Snow White
The Hungry Ghost
Switch
The Perfect Boy
This. Here And Now. With You
Sleep When I'm Dead
The Scream''It's Over

This is the band's first record of new material since 2004's self titled record.

Vintage Clip! The Verve Live on Letterman

Here is a vintage clip from The Verve on The Late Show with David Letterman back in 1998, performing the hit "The Drug's Don't Work." They were amazing then and still are now...

BASS FOR SALE!

My close friend and former ThereforIam frontman Jay Driscoll (aka Jay Drizz) is selling his Bass and looking to upgrade. If anyone is in the market for an electric Bass, head on over to his craigslist profile for more info ...Click Here

Quick News

Sad News to report, Pink Floyd keyboardist and founding member Rick Wright has passed away at 65. Wright had succumbed to a battle with cancer and is now playing that great big gig in the sky.

The Killers have announced a title to their forthcoming album. Their third disc, entitled Day and Age is due in stores late November.

The Police are set to release a live CD/DVD set from their latest Reunion/final tour in Argentina. The live extravaganza will also feature a documentary and is due out in November.

New Bond Trailer!!!

All I can say is .... How far is November?!!

Glasvegas Cover Amy Winehouse!

Check out Glasvegas covering Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black!" Also, in Glasvegas news their self titled debut beat out Metallica on the UK charts for the number one album this week! No US release date has been set for the record.

The Day the World Changed...

Here is my music video tribute I posted last year...CLICK HERE TO VIEW

Live Review-Stereophonics @ Webster Hall

Take one of the world's biggest bands, place them in the world's biggest city and having them play to one of their smallest crowds does not really sound that accurate now does it? However, the band that can sell out Wembley Stadium in the blink of an eye or the Tokyo Dome without an issue, took a whole summer to pack people into New York's Webster Hall. Welsh band Stereophonics made a rare stateside appearance to support the band's latest Pull the Pin, which just came out in the US this week, but has been out around the world for a year now. The crowd looked more like a firm waiting to cause havoc inside a soccer or rugby match than a concert and feeling like one of the only New Yorkers in the crowd, the band came out and rocked so hard that the floor at Webster Hall was waving. Walking out on stage in leather jackets, sunglasses, slick hair, they looked as if they just rolled out of a GQ shoot and were ready to rock. A roller coaster ride of a concert, Stereophonics proved it does not take a venue to make them one of the best live acts one can see these days. Opening with "Bartender and the Thief," and breaking into Motorhead's "Ace of Spades," and diving into much faster and harder classic's the band then began to slow things down a bit mid set, but did not disappoint. Singer and guitarist Kelly Jones reminisced about the times his band has played New York and what New York means to him and his bands. After a two hour set that included hits such as "Superman," "Vegas Two Times," and "Traffic," they closed with fan favorite "Dakota." I was a little upset to not hear "It Means Nothing," but I really cannot complain, after a career spanning one like the 'Phonics, there is enough to go around. I just still cannot figure out how and why this band is not much bigger in this country, they have it all and refuse to stop.
Opening the show was fellow Welsh band People in Planes. Who were on tour to support their sophomore Rain Maida produced release Beyond the Horizon. The 'Phonics could not have brought a better band over to the States to open for them, as People in Planes caught the attention of the audience right away. Another band that will have a long successful career if they keep up the good work.

Album Updates

After a grand performance at this Sunday's VMA's Kanye West not only premiered his latest single "Love Lockdown," to the world, but had generated a buzz of where fans could expect the song. Wait no longer as speculation rose that West will drop 808’s & Heartbreak on December 16 according to retailers. This is the first record West will have since the passing of his mom, the late Dr Donda West.

In related news, As Tall As Lions have emerged from hiding details about their forthcoming disc You Can't Take It With You. The band is hoping to have it out by March.

Listen to Your Vegas!

Noel Gallagher's Top 10 Band's (and mine too)

Oasis Renaissance man Noel Gallagher has recently revealed his top 10 bands. According to Noel "This is the 1,000th time we’ve been here with this. It never gets any less interesting for me. For the record, THE DEFINITIVE Top 10 is this.." Here is his list

1: The Beatles
2: The Rolling Stones
3: The Who
4: Sex Pistols
5: The Kinks
6: The La's
7: Pink Floyd
8: The Bee Gees
9: The Specials
10: (Peter Green's) Fleetwood Mac

Noel's list got me thinking what my top 10 bands were. I came up with these 10 because in some way, shape or form, each of them have had a strong enough impact on my life to not just define a moment or time, but in some way, changed it forever. These are band's not solo artists. Here is my list....

1- The Beatles
2- U2
3-Incubus
4-Oasis
5-Rage Against The Machine
6-Coldplay
7-The Clash
8-The Ramones
9-Radiohead
10-Depeche Mode

Now what is yours? Please post in the comments section your 10 Top bands (NO SOLO ARTISTS)


***Also I am a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen, but still consider him to be a solo artist***

Videos from The Music

The Music are one of the coolest bands from the decade are back...check them out!

The Battle of the RNC

No strangers to controversy, Rage Against the Machine were set to play an outdoor concert near the Republican National Convention Tuesday, however the performance / protest was shut down by police and riots ensued. Yet Zach De La Rocha and Tom Morello took the opportunity to exercise their 1st Amendment rights and did Acapella versions of "Bulls on Parade," and "Killing in the Name of."

U2009!!!!!

A few weeks ago I mentioned that U2 were rumored to be eyeing a November release for their 12th studio record. Well Bono has squashed the rumors and the band is set to release the album sometime in 2009! "I’m always the one who underestimates how easy it is to simply 'put out the songs now', if it was just up to me they’d be out already! But early next year people will be able to start hearing what we’ve been doing. We want 2009 to be our year, so we’re going to start making an impression very early on …" Bono spoke to U2.com and mentioned many things that would get a U2 fanatic like myself, very excited. ‘This is our chance for us to defy gravity once again," Bono said, knowing that each record the band puts out has to out do the last.
The band has about 50-60 songs written and be sure to keep an eye out here as more news filters in during the coming months!

Keane Tracklisting

Unique UK trio Keane are set to release their very much anticipated third album, Perfect Symmetry this fall. Critics and fans are looking forward for this album as it is the bands first since Tom Chaplins release from rehab after having a bad bout with booze. Check out the track listing for Perfect Symmetry here:
1. Spiralling
2. The Lovers Are Losing
3. Better Than This
4. You Haven't Told Me Anything
5. Perfect Symmetry
6. You Don't See Me
7. Again And Again
8. Playing Along
9. Pretend That You're Alone
10. Black Burning Heart
11. Love Is The End

Rising Artist-Glasvegas

They are strong as they are vulnerable. They are haunting as they are catchy. They are Glasvegas. Hailing from Glasgow, Scotland this band is making a name for themselves the world over. At first glance it looks as if singer James Allen could be a young Joe Strummer and bassist Paul Donoghue and guitarist Rab Allan could be members of the Editors. However, do not count out drummer Caroline McKayas she is the backbone of the band, Glasvegas not just have a a unique look but sound as well. Combining dark 80's style music, think Echo and the Bunnymen or Love and Rockets with dark, haunting lyrics about life, death and social workers. At first listen, Glasvegas will strike your heart and mind and will only leaving you begging for more. Their self titled debut record is due out this month and I can already tell it will be very well received. They are just about to embark on their first US tour, and maybe worth catching before they really begin to blow up.

Movie of the Month-Paradise Now

From the most unlikely of places, comes the most unlikely call for Peace. The 2005 film Paradise Now is unquestionably one of the most powerful films I have ever seen, and I promise for those that have not seen it, it will be just as powerful and emotional for you. The premise of the film is about two Palestinian men preparing for a suicide attack in Israel. The idea may not seem all that powerful, if not controversial. However, the film explores reasons why men like these do what they do and why it needs to end. Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad, stated to the Guardian "The film is an artistic point of view of that political issue [...] The politicians want to see it as black and white, good and evil, and art wants to see it as a human thing." With more statements defending the film, it had audiences around the world in awe with its compelling story and the last few frames will leave you to determine your own intriguing ending. Paradise Now is more than a film it is a statement, landing a Golden Globe in 2006 and nominated for an Academy Award that same year. Paradise Now is a film we need now more than ever. It is also appropriate to discuss such a film in a month when story lines such as this hit at home.

Underated Classic-David Bowie "Heathen"

This maybe a young record to consider a classic of any sorts, but in 2002 David Bowie gave the world Heathen, his strongest record in almost two decades. It was a comeback to the US charts for the Thin White Duke, breaking in at 14 and gave the creator his strongest reviews since 1980's Scary Monsters. Heathen is unlike any Bowie record to come before it, combining originals with obscure covers from The Pixies, Neil Young and Norman Odam. The record also features a plethora of notable names contributing their talents to David and his band. Artists like Pete Townshed, Dave Ghrol, Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), and Tony Levin (King Crimson). Heathen was a bit of a concept record focusing on the end of mankind and what could come after. What Heathen also offers is Bowie dipping into ambient / electro rock and showcasing that at his age his never ceases to stop being creative. Heathen delivers a form of music that in 2002, only six years ago was not at its peak. The artists that could have inspired Bowie, bands like; Portishead, Mono, Morcheeba had not been around for sometime. If you pick up Heathen today not only is it still fresh, it will have a staying power that will last forever.

Prospects March!

As you may have figured from reading this site I am a huge Coldplay fan. I have tracked the recording of Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends from Day 1 and am pleased to announce Coldplay will release more music before year ends! An E.P. entitled Prospects March (The original title of Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends) will be out by Christmas and will feature the song "Luna" (the duet they penned with Kylie Minogue).

After the release of Prospects March, the band will hit the studio again to put out a new record to close the decade. No worries I shall follow the progress of that record as well!

Skope Out Music

My good friend and colleague Bill Reese has been reviewing music for former print magazine, now online mag Skope. Check out what he had to say about the latest from The Verve and Okkervil River.

Click here for a review of The Verve's Forth

Click here for a review of Okkervil River's The Stand In's

...and be sure to check back at skopemagazine.com for more reviews and music!