Grunge & Punk Kings Together!

In the early years of Foo Fighters career they would open for Mike Watt and his band The Minutemen and Dave Grohl and Pat Smear would join Mike on occasion on stage and they would jam. Now after nearly 17 years later, they all decided to do the same thing to surprise Watt's recent Seattle audience. With his band, The Missingmen, Watt brought out Grohl and Smear along with Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder to perform "Big Train." Take a look!

Quick News

As she just released her latest solo record, legendary and seminal punk singer Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex had succumbed to her battle with cancer. The singer was just 53. Poly, whoes real name, Marianne Elliot Said, passed away in an East Sussex, England hospital on Monday.

Morrissey has given some details about his autobiography that is due out later this year. The former Smiths singer has revealed that Penguin books will publish his story. Moz tells BBC Radio 4 that "I have been through the whole life. I just wonder if 660 pages are too much for people to bear. And then I sit down and think, well, are six pages too much for people to bear? I really don't know. baffling."

UK Hardcore hero's Flats have revealed that guitarist Luke Tristram has left the band and was replaced by Fiction guitarist Dan Djan.

Swedish experimental rockers The Knife have revealed that they will have a new album out in 2012. The band are currently working on new material.

Wilco are planning a fall album release for the first album under their brand new label, which the band own. Singer Jeff Tweedy told Rolling Stone that "out of the things I had coming in, which was somewhere in the fifties and sixties. It's a pretty great time for me writing-wise."

Airborne Toxic Event on Kimmel!

Airborne Toxic Event went on Jimmy Kimmel Live this week to promo their latest album, All at Once. Take a look as the band perform "Changing" and their classic song "Sometime Around Midnight." Be sure to listen to our interview with Mikel from ATE HERE.

Portugal. The Man Cover & Track Listing

The perfect Portugal. The Man are set to release their seventh studio album and their first major label debut. After giving fans some web teases, the Portland via Alaska art rockers will give the world In the Mountain In the Cloud on July 19 on Atlantic Records. Take a look at the cover, above and the track listing below.

1. So American

2. Floating (Time Isn’t Working My Side)

3. Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now)

4. Senseless

5. Head Is a Flame (Cool With It)

6. You Carried Us (Share With Me The Sun)

7. Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs)

8. All Your Light (Times Like These)

9. Once Was One

10. Share With Me The Sun

11. Sleep Forever

EXCLUSIVE! AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT INTV!

They arrived in our hearts and heads in 2008 with a little song called "Sometime Around Midnight," the local cult LA band Airborne Toxic Event broke through to develop a following of passionate and faithful fans since the release of their self titled debut that same year. Now three years later, the band return with their sophomore album and first major label release, All at Once. Like it's predecessor it is guided by building and bold arraignments and lush layers and most of all passionate lyrics. Right before the big release of All at Once, Officially A Yuppie had the honor to speak with the band's leader - singer and songwriter Mikel Jollett. Jollett, who was once a novelist has now given his words a beat and is finding success and joy in what he is doing. Take a listen to our extensive interview about the band's history, his writing and their latest record.

We interviewed the band back in 2009, take a look at that interview HERE.

Playlist

It is starting to finally feel like spring in our home base of Brooklyn! Take a look at our April playlist to start your season in bloom!

- Radiohead - "Giving up the Ghost"

- Lykki Li - "I Follow Rivers"

- The Streets - "Going Through Hell"

- EPMD - "Hardcore"

- The Libertines - "Boys in the Band"

- Esoteric - "1989"

- Gaslamp Killer - "Turk Mex"

- Blu - "My Boy Blu"

- Tyler, The Creator - "Yonkers"

- Passion Pit - "To Kingdom Come"

- Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Hey Pal"

- James Blake - "Unluck"

- Titus Andronicus - "A Pot in Which to Piss"

- LCD Soundsystem - "The Sound of Silver"

- Dave Haus - 'Rankers and Rotters"

- Drift Division - "Hush"

- The Strokes - "Undercover of Darkness"

- Glasvegas - "Euphoria, Take My Hand"

- Robyn - "Stars 4-ever"

- A Million Years - "Suspicious"

- Cut Copy - "Need You Now"

STREAM FRANZ FERDINAND COVERS EP!

Franz Ferdinand - Covers EP by DominoRecordCo

April 16 was Record Store Day and a great EP of Franz Ferdinand covers. Take a listen to LCD Soundsystem, Debbie Harry, Peaches, ESG and Stephen Merritt interpreting the Scottish Brit Poppers songs!

Win Butler Joins The National

Win Butler of Arcade Fire jumped on stage with The National to perform "Start A War" in Chicago this past weekend. Take a look.

Lupe Fiasco on Letterman

The Mayor of Chicago, Lupe Fiasco returned to Letterman to perform "Show Goes On." Take a look.

STREAM NEW SMITH WESTERNS!

Latest tracks by WeirdWorldRecordCo

Smith Westerns will release their latest Dye it Blonde, before it hits stores next week. Stream it here. Spoiler Alert - It's Awesome!

FITZ & THE TANTRUMS CONTEST!

Officially A Yuppie and the magnificent Dangerbird Records are teaming up for a special contest for YOU to try and win a vinyl copy of Fitz & The Tantrums latest single "Pickin' Up The Pieces" on Vinyl.

Simply just enter your email address in the widget box below and you will be automatically entered. ALSO, you will instantly receive a download of Fitz's sensational song "Moneygrabber" just for entering. One winner be will chosen at random, so good luck!

Subject Rules: Contest is open to US Residents only. Winner will be notified by Dangerbird Records. Contest runs 4/23 to Midnight 4/30. Your e-mail address will not be given out in the public, for privacy info, please see widget box above.

EXCLUSIVE! KILIMANJARO INTV!

While As Tall As Lions give their farewell to Australia before they call it quits for good, another project has already been blooming - in fact, this project began while As Tall As Lions were touring their final record, You Can't Take It With You. That project is KILIMANJARO. Featuring ATAL members guitarist Saen Fitzgerald, drummer Cliff Sarcona, bassist Julio Tavarez and trumpeter Duncan Toothill. That band plays an improv - free form style of music, with roots in acid jazz, prog rock and modern indie. One of the most exciting bands and group of musicians around since you never know what you are going to get. Before they headed off to Australia to link up with former ATAL singer Dan Nigro, I spoke to KILIMANJARO's Duncan Toothill as we discussed the band's style, sound and what is expected 0r unexpected....

Take a look at my interview with Duncan below:

You are a jazz trumpeter and have worked in alternative and art rock for a few years now. How did you get into that?

A good teacher and a good record collection.

With the various styles of music you play, do you think you will ever release a solo record?

Yes, eventually, but people can't handle it yet.

Being not one of the original members of ATAL and coming into the band as a touring member, how did you link up with the guys?

I was playing in a noise rock band in a practice space on Long Island, when Julio knocked on the door and asked me if I wanted to jam. So I followed him into the practice room next door, where Julio, Cliff, and Nate Patterson (The Receiving End of Sirens, The Dearhunter, Black Cards) were jamming. We played what I can only describe as freak out jazz for about half an hour and they all seemed to dig my playing, so Julio asked me if I would ever be down to play with ATAL. I gave him my number and told him to call me. He did about a week later (to play the Mercury Lounge) and we started working together from that point on.

How did Kilimanjaro form from ATAL?

We were on tour with MuteMath, when Dan got sick and had to fly home to New York. To our dismay, our manager cancelled the next show. There's nothing worse then being on tour and not playing music, so we decided that instead of canceling the next week of shows, we would just get up on stage and jam. So for the next couple weeks that's what we did. The response from the crowd was so overwhelming that it quickly formed into a concept for a band.

Was it odd do you think for the guys to be working without Dan for the first time?

What we do with Kilimanjaro is completely different to ATAL, so we approached it as a different project, rather than ATAL without Dan.

Kilimanjaro is a collective fusion of various sounds and styles, was that the idea going into the band?

I believe that the most important thing in music, rather than having good songs or good technique, is having musicians that can form meaningful connections when they play, regardless of what style of music or instrument they play. If you don't have that, then you've already lost; you can have a band of the sickest session musicians in the world, but if they can't connect it's meaningless. So with Kilimanjaro we kept style out of it, our concept was always "no restrictions", that we could go anywhere and that anyone could do anything at any given moment, as long as we did it together.


With so many styles and sounds in Kilimanjaro, we hear a bit Miles Davis “Bitches Brew” era, Ghostland Observatory, Holy Fuck and others. Are these some of your influences? Who or what inspires Kilimanjaro?

Miles is definitely a big influence for all of us, as well as Kneebody, CAN, Alice Coltrane, Jaga Jazzist, D'Angelo, and Jimmy Johns.

When recording, since the band is free form, experimental and improv. Do you go in with any basis of how you want a song to sound, how you want it to start or end? Is there any organization to the recording or do you go in – press play and jam?

We enable the record button, press play and jam, then we cut together the parts until we have a cohesive record.

You have released two EPs, will there be a full length LP?

It's in the pipeline.

How you released the EP’s was very interesting, it was a small price to download them from your website and no releasing any physical copies. Will there be physical releases? Do you think the idea of physical format is dead and download is the only way to go now?

I like having a hard copy of a record, but the internet has made it a lot easier to get your music out there. Since we're not on a label, releasing music online is our best option right now. That's not to say there won't be physical copies in the future.

Since the band is all instrumental and improv, do you think you will ever work with a singer or have someone guest on vocals?

Like I said, nothing's off limits, you'll just have to wait and see.

Now that ATAL are gone. How do you feel about their departure? How do you feel to have been a part of the band?

It's definitely sad, it has been an amazing 2-3 years for me, an experience I'd recommend to anyone. But there is still a lot more music to come from the six of us, in all different formats - everything from Blocks (Dan Nigro), Apres Vous (Rob Parr), Kilimanjaro, my own band (so new it has no name), Julio's acoustic solo record, Saen's hip hop record, and much much more in the works; and to me that's exciting as hell.

The Strokes on Conan

The Strokes performed "Games" on Conan last night. Take a look!

BROTHER Cover & Track Listing

They came and blew us away in New York City last month and will be releasing their much anticipated debut, Famous First Words in July. Take a look at the track listing to BROTHER's Famous First Words (below) and cover (above).

1 - new year's day
2 - still here
3 - david
4 - high street low lives
5 - electric daydream
6 - darling buds of may
7 - otherside
8 - fly by nights
9 - false alarm
10 - time machine
get your copy in now

Quick News

Sad news to report, after batteling lung cancer, TV on the Radio bassist Gerard Smith has passed away from the disease. The band posted on their website:

We are very sad to announce the death of our beloved friend and bandmate, Gerard Smith, following a courageous fight against lung cancer. Gerard passed away the morning of April 20th, 2011. We will miss him terribly.
The following shows will be cancelled:
April 20 St. Andrew Halls, Detroit MI
April 22 Metro, Chicago IL
April 23 First Ave, Minneapolis MNApril 24 First Ave, Minneapolis MN
April 26 Ogden, Denver CO
There will be more information as it becomes available.

Picking up his crazy heart and giving it one more try, Jeff Bridges will release a country music album produced by his Crazy Heart music producer and legend, T. Bone Burnett. The album will be out later this year.

Arcade Fire will re-release their Grammy Award winning The Suburbs this summer. The expanded release will feature two new songs "Speaking Tongues" and "Culture War," and will release a making of The Suburbs DVD, it will be out June 27.

Elton John will be returning to Sin City to start his "Million Dollar Piano" shows at Cesar's Palace. The gigs will run three years and will be a new feature and spin on his long running "Red Piano" shows that were also held at Cesar's.

Just call them cheeky monkeys, Arctic Monkeys have released the cover of their forthcoming Suck It and See. Take a look at the cover below:

Vintage Clip! Foo Fighters on Letterman

Last week we were front and center (or a bit off stage right, but whatever) for Foo Fighters private gig at Letterman. After doing much debate and thought, we realized the Foo's have played Letterman so many times and have all been memorable moments, especially their version of "Everlong" after Letterman's massive open heart surgery a decade ago. Take a look at some vintage clips and moments of the Foo Fighters on Letterman. Enjoy!

Plan B on Conan

Now it is time for Plan B. The English singing sensation made his US TV debut on Conan this week after his much talked about Coachella performance. Take a look at Plan B perform "She Said."

Bon Iver Cover & Track Listing

After a three year wait for fans, Bon Iver will be releasing new music. The self-titled latest release from Kanye West's favorite indie singer will be out June 21. Take a look at the cover and track listing below:

01 Perth
02 Minnesota, WI
03 Holocene
04 Towers
05 Michicant
06 Hinnom, TX
07 Wash.
08 Calgary
09 Lisbon, OH
10 Beth/Rest

EXCLUSIVE! TONY McCAROLL INTV!

Since the surprise split of Oasis back in 2009 before a gig in France, the band has fractioned into two separate acts, one being Liam Gallagher taking every member of Oasis and forming Beady Eye, while big brother Noel will go solo. Yet, the ironic thing about the split is that the only two original members of Oasis were Liam and Noel themselves, every other original member has either left or been kicked out. None of the exits have been more noted than that of original drummer, Tony McCarroll. McCarroll, who was a member of The Rain with Liam and first Oasis lineup before Noel stepped in to take command, has documented all of his days in one of the world's greatest rock and roll bands in his autobiography - Oasis: The Truth. It reads like a journal entry of how the band formed and the days that Tony had spent on the road before he was kicked out by Noel in 1995 for allegedly punching Liam. In his book, Tony clairifies every situation and in fact states that he and Liam are cool and Liam is not the one you may think to be the massive jerk the media has made him out to be. Instead, according to Tony, it is Noel who is the one who is hard to work with. As this is the first book from any member of Oasis, it paints a picture the media and fans have never seen. I spoke with Tony as we discussed his days in the band, the book and the brothers. Take a look at our exclusive interview with Tony McCarroll, the original drummer and a founding member of Oasis.

What was the reason after 15 years, you decided to write this book?

Noel Gallagherisms!! I first decided to put pen to paper after the release of the final Oasis album, Dig Out Your Soul. Noel was promoting the album and was once again ridiculing my drumming etc. I simply thought that it was time to tell the truth. I guess it was just time to defend myself.

Have any former members of Oasis commented on the book? Do you know if Liam and Noel have read it or know about it?

I believe most of the original line up including Noel have read the book and thoroughly enjoyed it by all accounts. It’s good to see that Noel has taken it in the manner it was intended. Although it puts paid to the ‘I just turned up with a bagful of songs and demanded to be called chief’ story that Noel regularly peddles, I guess you can’t argue with the truth. Shamed many a devil.

You started drumming when you were five years old, did you realize at a young age that being a musician is what you want to do for the rest of your life?

I kind of had a natural desire to want to drum at a very young age and whether I was successful as a musician or not wasn’t important. I just loved the sound of the skins. When you were part of a band it was a fantastic feeling. I have enjoyed that privilege all my life and am truly grateful.

Are you drumming still today?

Drumming is something I will always do! There’s always a kit set up at home and an Ipod at hand. The fact I get the same enjoyment today as I have done for the last three decades is not something I take for granted. Also if a drummer stops’ drumming it all goes wrong. That’s what they say. Leads down a rocky road towards mental instability. Got to keep drumming. Ha ha.

Do you ever miss the limelight and world you had in Oasis?

No. I don’t believe in regret. I guess at first it was difficult to get out of the routine. I travelled a lot to compensate for the touring I guess. I was in the band for 5 years so it obviously was my whole life. Leaving when we had just celebrated our first No 1 hit was a bit gutting but I guess I also knew it was only a matter of time before Guigs and Bonehead would be off so the whole idea of being left behind was tempered somewhat.

Before Oasis, there was The Rain. The band that featured everyone but the Gallaghers. Did the mood and attitude of the band immediately change once Liam joined?

Most definitely! When Liam joined we all felt that it was a step nearer to where we wanted to be. Once Noel joined the jigsaw was complete.

What was your first impression of him?

Liam has an aura that fills any room. It’s infectious! He’s a real good laugh and always has been. That day was no exception. We used to say he was a walking wardrobe and no matter what he was wearing he always looked swanky. The perfect frontman.

After Liam joins, Noel comes in and takes control of the band. What was your first impression of him? It seems that you butted heads with Noel more, why is this?

I had known Noel for ten years before he joined the band. He was a good fella to be around. His humour was somewhat less cutting than it is now but he was still an entertaining chap. As the book explains I simply stood up for myself when Noel was pushing his luck. I guess after that it became a personal war for him.

Once Noel was in the band, was it a total dictatorship? Did you get any creative input?

The whole band took part in the creative input. Although Noel will tell different.

Did you notice a change in Liam & Noel’s personality once fame hit them?

Liam’s personality is only a slightly exaggerated version of himself. That’s one thing I admire about him. He’s real. Noel on the other hand decided to increase his chemical content and hop on a one way rip to Meglomania.

What I love about the book is that, once the tour’s begin, there is a literal day by day account of what happened and where. How did you remember everything so specifically?

I have diaries from all the tours I went on. Couple this with a researcher that could interrogate for the FBI and it all just comes pouring out. Jason Bourne I ain’t.

What was it like to go back and remember everything and put it to paper?

It took a long time for me to release the book because I guess I was worrying about exactly that. What I can say is that it became the most therapeutic exercise I’ve ever completed.

As the band was rising to become the biggest band in the world, you were asked to leave. Was this a shock to you?

Yes and No. I had been bitch arguing with Noel but I honestly was completely shocked when I received the phone call.

It was said that you punched Liam, but in the book you deny it. Why do you think the reason they wanted you out?

It wasn’t a case of ‘they’. More a case of him.

Was being Oasis good fun or was it just tiring work? Did you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor or was it just work, work, work – record, tour, repeat?

You’ll never hear me describe being in Oasis as work. It feels too good to be classified as work.

You were replaced by Alan White, what did you think of his style as opposed to yours? Do you feel that it was an unfair replacement? What about the other drummers that went revolving in the band through the years?

I think Alan is a fantastic drummer but as always if you add a new drummer it creates a new band. With absolute respect to him I’m confident that I would have recorded a comparable performance but Noel wanted me out. The way Zak approaches drumming often reminds me of his very so famous Father. It’s perfectly all over the place. Love it!

The book closes with Noel’s statement on leaving Oasis and his reasons, yet you find it to be a joke. Do you think there is more to the story of Liam and Noel that no one knows outside of the guys that were in that room that night?

What I found funny about that statement was it painted Noel as a victim. People had been ‘picking’ on him. I knew that was the most unlikely thing since sliced water. There is so much more to the story of Noel and Liam and I guess the book goes someway to explaining it.

Where were you when you heard Oasis split? Where you surprised?

I attend the V festival every year in the uk. This festival is spread over two sites. One in the North of England and one in the South. It so happened Oasis headlined on the Saturday night, a gig I attended. They were supposed to headline the site down south on Sunday but overnight things had fallen apart. One for the trivia book..I attended Oasis’ first and last ever gig.

Have you heard Liam’s new band, Beady Eye?

Yeah. I think they’re great. Its good to see Liam with a smile in his eyes again. He sounds real good right now, like back in the old days.

What is your favorite Oasis song and why?

Too many and too many reasons to explain.

What is your favorite Oasis song AFTER you left the band and why?

Don’t look back in anger! Need I explain??

Neville Staple - The Original Rude Boy

High unemployment, high tensions, and global recession – these are headlines that can fit into the world we live in today, yet they were also the headlines the world faced in 1977. Just as punk exploded into the forefront of pop culture and brought a counter culture attitude as to what was going on in the world, youth all around the planet were listening to the words and music of The Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones and The Who. Yet, in 1977, inspired by the attitude and message of punk, a band with distant island sound formed and changed the musical landscape forever. That band was The Specials. Originally known as The Automatics formed by Jerry Dammers, Lynval Golding and Horace Panter in Coventry, England then calling themselves the Coventry Automatics after Terry Hall and Roddy Byers joined the band a year later, they eventually became The Special AKA Coventry Automatics. The Special AKA Coventry Automatics eventually became The Specials as their line up solidified with the promotion of roadie to hype-man and vocalist, Neville Staple. The band took rocksteady island rhythms and beats and added a ska flair to their clatter and began a big buzz in their small English town. The Specials made music about youth, life, sex, race and the cruel world in and outside their small town of Coventry.

Between 1977 and 1984, The Specials changed the world around them in both style and sound. They showed the world that being different was fashionable and having fun was what life is supposed to be. Writer Tony McMahon told me “I think it has to be said that music was almost like an ideology or a religion in those days.” The trials and tribulations of The Specials is all documented in the autobiography of the man that was there at the forefront seeing it all, original rude boy – Neville Staple. In his autobiography, Original Rude Boy, Staple along with writer Tony McMahon tell the uncensored story of life in one of music’s most loved bands. The book chronicles Staples youth, moving abruptly from Jamaica to Rugby, England with his strict father. What we find is Staple was always looking to have the time of his life and make the best of his situation, no matter what setting he was in. The story of Neville Staple is one to be admired and adorned; it shows that anyone, given the opportunity and passion can create a great situation for themselves. For a Jamaican immigrant in England, there was not much opportunity but to work in the factories nearby, yet Staple wanted something more. “If there was an escape route out of poverty, he [Neville] was going to find it” McMahon tells me. With hard work and a bit of luck and charm, Neville has become an icon in music and music culture for nearly four decades.

Staple wanted to be the starter of every party and the center of attention and with The Specials, he not only did it, he altered the earth around him. Tony McMahon tells me “There was a division in the late 70s between black kids in to reggae and white kids in to punk. The genius of 2Tone was to take an older Jamaican sound, ska, and mix it with punk sensibilities. Suddenly, we all had pork pie hats and wearing a lot of black and white check.” Mixing races at gigs in those days seemed to be unheard of, but for The Specials it was the norm and was shown in the infamous 2Tone checkered logo. Staple tells me “Thing is, we were using English and black music mixed together. And the symbol was the black and white checks together. And that was a statement saying we wanted to see the youth, no matter what their colour, standing together.” The band and music’s message would eventually gain the attention of Joe Strummer of The Clash who asked The Specials to tour with his band in 1978. “To be honest with you, in those days, the only group of people I got on with was the Clash, Joe Strummer and Mick Jones – they were the first people who helped us. They understood black kids, that was very different back then.” Staple tells me about linking up with The Clash. While on a national tour with The Clash the Coventry band would boom across the country. “There was a weird thing about The Specials coming from Coventry, which frankly in London was a place we knew little about. It was a Midlands town with a big automotive industry but otherwise, not somewhere you’d visit unless there was a football match,” McMahon says about the band’s origins.

“The music of The Specials – bouncy political pop – allowed you to dance and think at the same time. Even more than the snarling postures of punk, 2Tone had a deadpan cynicism that seemed a whole lot more relevant,” McMahon tells me about the bands mission and resonance. While The Specials would create harmony in their music and sing about peace and love, some members of their audience would see otherwise. McMahon says “2Tone burned bright but burned briefly. You could almost say it rose with the election of Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1979 – which felt to half the country like the enemy had taken over – until the riots of 1981.” With mounting tensions in Britain in the summer of 1981 due to high unemployment, the sound of The Specials was an escape but reality was brought into the clubs. National Front and Neo-Nazi members would storm the band’s gigs and beat up the black kids in attendance. For Staple and The Specials, the actions by these ignorant groups hindered the beauty of what The Specials and ska were about. When I ask Neville if he was afraid of these groups, he replied “Never. No, never. Because it’s in my nature not to be scared by stuff like that. I grew up with it. Saw it on the streets. They could bring it on.” Though the violence would be continue at some gigs, as were the tensions outside the venues The Specials played in coupled with escalating tensions within the band, The Specials called in quits.

Neville, Terry Hall and Lynval Golding formed Fun Boy Three, which Neville describes to me as “darker with all the excitement of The Specials, we were just easing down a bit with Fun Boy Three.” Though that band only lasted two years, Neville continued to work in the music business. Though the spark of The Specials and 2Tone may have died down by the end of the 80’s, in 2008 The Specials reformed without Jerry Dammers and continue to tour the world and sell out every gig they play. “There will not be a new record but we will be back again in September,” Staple says of the Specials plans for later this year. As for Staple himself, he still keeps busy with his big family and work in the music business, as well as working on a follow-up to Original Rude Boy. He says of working with Tony McMahon “He knows how to talk to people, knew how to talk to me. And I want to do a follow up about the touring with the Specials and stuff we left out before – and he’s the man because he knows what I’m like.” Whatever Staple may do down the line, his impact is still as inspiring to today; in his 50’s bouncing around stage as he did when he was a teen all those many years ago. He may have had too much too young, but he recognized the accountability that went along with his proceedings.

Gaslight Anthem on Letterman

Gaslight Anthem ripped it on their return to Ed Sullivan Theater. Take a look as the band plays "Bring it On" for Letterman.

The Kills on Conan

The Kills returned to Conan this week to perform their latest "Satellite," take a look!

Quick News

Since being away since 2007, The Shins have announced the end of their hiatus and will play this years Outlands Festival in August. The band is also set to release new material later this year via singer James Mercer's new label Aural Apothecary.

Having swept a near four hour final swan song show at Madison Square Garden earlier this month, LCD Soundsystem will release their farewell gig on DVD. No word as to when the DVD will be released. Meanwhile, in his first post-LCD appearance, singer James Murphy will be DJing at the Sonar Festival in Barcelona, Spain this summer.

Speaking of final concert DVD's, The White Stripes are also set to release the band's final concert from Southaven, Mississippi as a CD/DVD. These along with two other CD/DVD combo's from the band's earlier performances will be released later this year.

After years of being pushed around by Hollywood studios, the late Jeff Buckely will finally be getting a biopic. Deadline.com reports that Jake Scott is set to direct the final based on the iconic 90's singer who passed away in a freak drowning accident in 1994.

In sad but understandable news, Johnny Marr has left The Cribs to concentrate more on his solo material. After three years in the popular British band, Marr is leaving on good terms and will begin work on another solo record slated for release sometime next year.

New Zealand electro rocker, Ladyhawke plans to have a comeback single out before the year is over. She takes to Twitter to write "Getting the ball rolling, first single out in the nxt few months. Can't wait to get back into it again!"

After much speculation, Radiohead have come out and said there will be no sequel to their latest record, The King of Limbs. Due to the album's length, many fans and critics thought there was another part to the album or a sequel coming. Guitarist Ed O'Brien tells The Guardian that "There are songs that we have started, that we never finished, but there's not like seven or eight finished songs waiting in the wings to be released now, or in the autumn."

Incubus have given out the track listing to their upcoming record, If Not Now, When? The album is slated to arrive in July, take a look at the track listing below:
"If Not Now, When?"
"Promises, Promises"
"Friends and Lovers"
"Thieves"
"Isadore"
"The Original"
"Defiance"
"In the Company of Wolves"
"Switchblade"
"Adolescents"
"Tomorrow's Food"

Queens of the Stones Age on Conan

Queens of the Stone Age returned to the telly on Conan to perform "If Only," take a look!

Live Review - TV on the Radio @ Ed Sullivan

It was an interesting week in music at the Ed Sullivan theater, Foo Fighters took over on Tuesday for Letterman's birthday and to celebrate their album release, but another one of the Dave fave's returned for a special concert - Brooklyn's art rockers, TV on the Radio. The same day the Foo's released Wasting Light, TV on the Radio released their latest disc, Nine Types of Light and in a week that saw them celebrate in Brooklyn as well as a packed gig at Radio City, they capped it off by doing an intimate performance on a grand scale. The ambitious five piece art/funk/rock/punk act were joined by a trombonist and for 40 minutes transported the audience and theater into another planet.
Opening with their latest single, "Young Liars" and cranking into the REM "It's the End of the World" inspired "Red Dress," the momentum and energy were skyrocketed through the roof. Singer Thunde Adebimpe slithers and moves around on stage like a soulful snake and the band is his charmer, multi-instrumentalist and the band's in house producer (not to mention, latest Jane's Addiction bassist) David Sitek, who had a wind chime hang off his guitar would provide the cosmic noises and sounds that would alter the shape of the band's already diverse sound. Guitarist Kip Malone is a forced to be reckoned with, playing his guitar more like a drum and pounding in the strings while the rhythm section made up of Gerard Smith and Jaleel Bunton provided a heart thumping sound that would have every arm in the air and every foot dancing. Playing a majority of songs off their latest record and their previous, 2008's brilliant Dear Science, TV on the Radio would close their small but mighty set with the pulse pounding party starter (or in their case, ender) "Wolf Like Me." It was a show that would cap off an amazing week for this band and much like a caged wild lion, they are ready to roar across the world, be warned, TV on the Radio are on the prowl and are out for you to have a great time.

Robyn on Kimmel!

Our girl Robyn lit up Jimmy Kimmel Live last night and did what she does best - be the single greatest popstar on planet Earth! Here she is performing "Dancing on my Own" and "Call Your Girlfriend." Take a look!

Live Review - Mumford & Sons @ PC Richards Theater

In just a year the explosion Mumford and Sons has had on the world has been something to admire. The band's mix of folk, bluegrass, country and Americana seems to be blairing off everyone's speakers and the band is on the tip of everyone's tongue. Much like the epic build ups in their songs, Mumford and Sons have been building up their success to now look at the fruits of their labor and smile with ease. The London quartet led by the charismatic Marcus Mumford have gone on to do something most bands do not do in this day and age- have an album go platinum. One of last years best, the bands debut, Sigh No More just recently sold over a million copies, much is to the success of their scene stealing performance with Avett Brothers and Bob Dylan at this years Grammys. As the band is about to embark on on their Railroad Revival Tour after Coachella this weekend, a tour that will take them around the southwestern US on a train, they made their way to New York City, a place some members of the band have called home for a little over a year. New York and Mumford and Sons have a special bond, the band would perform concerts in backyards in Brooklyn the summer before their debut was released, they have played their biggest headlining gigs at Terminal 5 - twice, and were in town to do a few publicity tapings, including one for Iheartradio.com.

As we gave away a pair of tickets to this invite only event, it was then when we realized the magnitude of how big this band has gotten. One would think that after what we witnessed with them at Lollapalooza last summer, where their stage was packed with spectators you had to climb trees to see them would be a good omen as to what would come of this band. The demand to get into one this show tonight seemed to be just as massive as the demand for one of LCD Soundsystem's farewell gigs just few weeks earlier. In such an intimate setting, a room that could only cram about 350 people, it will be the smallest stage Mumford and Sons will play for years to come. Opening with the title track of the album, the band sounded pitch perfect. Their crescendo intonation would have the packed room ready for a ho-down, New York style. In the short 40 minute set, the band would banter and rag on each other's habits, personalities and style, it just adds to the charisma and charm of the band. They seem to be a traveling band of brothers that looked like they just got off the farm and picked up their instruments after a long night of drinking. With each song getting more and more intense and the crowd savoring and hanging onto every word and moment as if their lives depended on it, the band even broke out a new song that had never been played live before. "We are working on new material," keyboardist Ben Lovett said, "we are currently calling this 'Lover's Eyes,' we don't know when you will hear it again." It is a song of pure Mumford emotion and raw power and that is what this band is all about, with those elements and their attitude, what they are witnessing is only the beginning of their success.

Mumford & Sons Playlist 4/13/11

"Sign No More"
"Awake My Soul"
"Roll Away Your Stone"
"Timshel"
"White Blank Page"
"Lover's Eyes"
"The Cave"
"Little Lion Man"

Glasvegas on Jools Holland!

Glasvegas returned to TV this week in the UK to perform the epic "Euphoria, Take My Hand" off their latest record, Euphoric /// Heartbreak \\\ on Later...With Jools Holland. Take a look!

Live Review - Foo Fighters @ Ed Sullivan Theater

20 years ago, Scream drummer Dave Grohl joined a local Seattle buzz band called Nirvana. 20 years ago this week, the band debuted a new song called “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” no one, including the band who realize the impact the song and the record that it was on, Nevermind would have on pop culture and music history. With that song and record, the band lamented themselves as one of the most important bands of the 90’s and are now one of the most important of all time. We all know the history of the band at this point, tragically this month in 1994 Kurt Cobain took his own life and left us with a lifetime of music to treasure and the “what if” factors if the band continued on. After Kurt’s death, Dave Grohl started Foo Fighters and are now easily the most respected rock and roll band on the planet. 20 years after Grohl debuted “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” with that Seattle buzz band, he is now releasing Foo Fighters seventh album, Wasting Light. What better way to celebrate the release of a new record – playing on one of TV and New York Cities most iconic stages – Ed Sullivan Theater.

As the invite only crowd shuffled in for a birthday bash David Letterman will never forget (it was Letterman’s birthday as well as his favorite band’s album release day), the sound of The Beatles was playing over the speakers. The sound and music of the band that made that stage infamous and the stage that made TV and variety shows infamous, Foo Fighters were up at bat to do what they do best – play loud, fast and heavy. Walking on stage at 9pm sharp, the band, dressed as The Beatles (even drummer Taylor Hawkins had his drum kit look like Ringo’s) on a reconfigured Letterman stage, they busted right into playing their latest record, Wasting Light. No hello’s, no introductions, Foo Fighters just let the music do the talking. Playing the brand new album from top to bottom, the Foo’s were showing off why they are so loved. As loud as they possibly could, even the lights around the set were shaking; they did not miss a beat. With a few technical glitches coming from guitarist Chris Shiflet, it did not slow the band down, in fact, no one seemed to notice but Shiflet himself as the band has Pat Smear playing his axe to support Grohl and Chris. After being a touring member of the band since 2006 (Smear was an original member of the band but left in 1997), Pat is back full time with the Foos and it just makes their energy and shows that more pulse pounding. It would not be until 51 minutes into the set where the band would actually say something to the crowd, “and that is our new record,” he said as soon they played the final note from Wasting Light.

The band broke out into their comedic banter and displayed their brilliant sense of humor and fun. Engaging the audience even more, they performed a full greatest hits set which included every radio hit from “Learn to Fly,” “One by One,” “Best of You” and David Letterman’s favorite song, “Everlong.: Even including deep cuts from drummer Taylor Hawkins singing “A Cold Day in the Sun” to riffing on Pantera’s “Walk,” to closing with “This is a Call,” Foo Fighters are the band and live rock and roll show every generation they have tapped into love and for their charm, charisma and of course music, they will have the longevity and drive that will keep them going for more generations.

Underrated Classic - REM "New Adventures in Hi-Fi"

New Adventures in Hi-Fi
R.E.M.’s Forgotten Masterpiece

By Bill Reese*

R.E.M.’s 10th studio album, New Adventures in Hi-Fi is not just an underrated classic, it’s a record that most people—even a few R.E.M. fans—don’t even remember. In many ways, it’s the album the band would rather forget. It was a record born during the band’s 1995 Monster tour—a tour that nearly killed their drummer, put their singer and bassist in the hospital, and wounded the psyche of the band so much that themes like fear, loss, death and loneliness would haunt the group’s next three albums.

Recorded during and after the tumultuous Monster Tour, New Adventures in Hi-Fi captures the sound of R.E.M. at one of the band’s most pivotal moments. By 1996 they had been playing together for the better part of two decades and singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bass/multi-instrumentalist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry had never had better chemistry and tightness in their live shows. Inspired by the zeitgeist of the early 90’s alternative movement, Buck’s guitars were grittier, rawer, buzzing with distortion and ready to fill up the basketball arenas they played on tour. All of this was so significant because after that tour, the original four members would never tour again. The energetic, loud, modern rock sound that they had just perfected would have to be thrown out the window and re-invented from the ground up. New Adventures was the last true R.E.M. record, and for the 10 years that followed, it appeared to be their last good album.

More than half of the record’s 14 tracks were recorded live at shows, at soundchecks in empty arenas or while passing time in dressing rooms before gigs. On those tracks, Peter Buck is Boss Hog. His fast-paced, fiery riffs roar through songs like the roof-raising “Departure” and the raucous, thundering “The Wake-Up Bomb.” Whereas with Monster R.E.M. had sought to write arena-sized alternative anthems, the tracks from New Adventures realized the sound fully and completely. Their grunge foray was arguably a gimmicky attempt to grasp onto a young audience with a new sound, but on New Adventures, they played like the veteran rock band they were—one who’d been rocking before the terms “indie” and “alternative” had even been coined. On the rolling choruses of “Undertow,” Stipe and Mills harmonize over Buck’s thrashing guitar chords in one of the best Pete Townsend impressions ever recorded.

Not all of the live tracks were arena-shaking rockers. The record’s closer, “Electrolyte” was recorded at an amphitheater in Arizona and features Buck on banjo, Mills on piano and Berry playing what can only be described as a Latin American güiro stick. The song is an homage to old-school Hollywood, name dropping Steve McQueen, James Dean and Mulholland Drive.

They’d headed out on tour to promote Monster, but they were creating a new set of songs that were just as good, if not better. Many of the New Adventures tracks found regular places in the setlist, joining songs from R.E.M.’s already-extensive back catalogue. The tour was off to a good start, but it soon took a turn for the dramatic.

During a gig on March 1, 1995 in the city of Lausanne, Switzerland, Berry suddenly collapsed on stage. He was rushed to the hospital where he had emergency surgery for a brain aneurysm. Berry survived the aneurysm and recovered fully. He re-joined the band and finished out the remainder of R.E.M.’s Monster Tour, but it would be his last with the band. After Berry’s brush with death, Mills went under the knife to remove an intestinal adhesion. A month later, Stipe needed to get emergency hernia surgery. After each incident, the band recovered and resumed their marathon jaunt around the globe.

The remaining tracks on New Adventures were recorded at Bad Animals Studio in Seattle after the tour was over. Those tracks are dominated by the themes of fear, death, uncertainty and sadness. These sessions produced the record’s lead single, “E-Bow the Letter.” While “E-Bow” is one of the most gorgeous songs R.E.M. ever wrote—a stream-of-consciousness set of verses by Stipe and the hauntingly beautiful chorus vocals of punk Godmother Patti Smith—it’s also one of the band’s darkest songs. Its selection as the album’s lead single is a dubious choice at best, and the track failed to catch on as a radio single in an era when airplay was still very important. As a result, New Adventures was a commercial flop. In the 14 years since its release, it sits just shy of 1,000,000 total copies sold.

One of the oft-forgotten tracks from New Adventures is “Be Mine,” where Buck lays down a trebly, clicky hook while Stipe waxes romantically. As far as R.E.M. songs go, it’s one of the least complex and far from their most lyrically brilliant, but it’s a sweet, poignant gem hidden at the back of the record. Thom Yorke thinks so too. When asked by Stipe to sing a R.E.M. song with the band at the 1997 Tibetan Freedom Concert, Yorke inexplicably chose “Be Mine.”

The Monster tour nearly killed R.E.M… and not just the members of the band. R.E.M. spent the next 12 years trying to convince themselves that they were something that they were not. On the Berry-less Up, Reveal and Around the Sun—arguably the band’s worst record—R.E.M. filled the void on drums with melancholic synths, pianos and drum machines. It never worked. Michael Stipe loved what his friend Thom Yorke was doing, but R.E.M. was not Radiohead. This was supposed to be a rock band, a balls-to-the-wall rock band. It wasn’t until the group hired a new permanent drummer in 2007 that they began to re-discover their signature sound. 2008’s Accelerate was the first time the band had rocked since New Adventures in Hi-Fi. It was also the first time since that record that they had been truly relevant in the music scene. Their resurrection was heralded from all corners of the music press. Your glorious editor-in-chief named Accelerate the Best Album of 2008 on OffciallyAYuppie.com.

As good as Accelerate was, and as happy as many were to hear R.E.M. playing electric guitars again, the band sounded older, a little tired and worn out. New Adventures in Hi-Fi gives you all the swagger of the great live rock band mixed with the energy and tenacity of a group of musicians in their creative prime. This is one that cannot be overlooked any longer.


*Bill Reese occasionally pitches story ideas to OfficiallyAYuppie.com when he’s at his day job as an editor for theatre mainstay Playbill. In the past, he has written more pitches than stories for Prefix, Skope, Good Times and The Indy—though when he ran it, that paper was called The Purchase Independent. He spends way too much time listening to Hurrah! A Bolt of Light and waiting in line at El Rey del Taco in Astoria, Queens

TV on the Radio's Nine Types of Light Film

Today marks the latest release from Brooklyn mega minds, TV on the Radio. Their latest, Nine Types of Light comes in all formats, including a deluxe edition that features an hour long film the band made to accompany the record. You can now watch the film right here in the above video. Enjoy!

PJ Harvey on Conan

PJ Harvey stopped by Conan this week to amp up her Coachella appearance set for this weekend and also to amp up more buzz about her latest, Let England Shake. Take a look at Paula Jean performing "The Last Living Rose."

EXCLUSIVE! Gordon Voidwell INTV!

Snarky, edgy, cunning and clever are the best ways to describe Will Johnson aka Gordon Voidwell. The New York City beat maker and artist has been wowing audiences for a few years since he started making music while attending Princeton University. Undeniably, New York's best kept secret, until now, we featured Voidwell as one of our "15 Artists to Watch in 2011" and so far he has not disappointed. Voidwell is a mix of Prince meets New Edition meets Cameo and Chromeo. His music is an instant party starter and his live shows are something that will make even the worlds worst dancer (myself) tear up the dance floor. In an exclusive and very funny interview with the rising singer and entertainer, we discuss his sound, influence and dynamic sense of fashion. Take a look at our interview with Gordon Voidwell below:

Your birth name is Will Johnson, how did you become Gordon Voidwell? Why the moniker – is your Ziggy Stardust, Prince, The Edge, Bono?

Wow, I'd never thought of Gordon Voidwell as the Edge or Bono. Congratulations! For the first time I see the appeal of just going on as Will Johnson.

With such a unique sound and style, who are some of your influences?

Robert Moog, Dave Smith, Roger Linn, and Tom Oberheim. Highly influenced by all of them.

Mark Ronson, Okayplayer and so many others have been praising your style and sound. What is it like to get such high praise before you have even released a debut LP?

I think it's telling how unimportant an LP is in today's musical climate. You can actually be an artist with a following and a decent press trail and not even have an album out. Look at Nicki Minaj or Drake. Both of them were as big as they are before releasing a proper LP. In fairness to me, I released a free 26 song mixtape (all original material) and have played about a hundred shows in the last year. I work hard for the money.

Your music is a fun sonic trip for the listener and yet you do not seem to take yourself too serious, do you think that is a key to success?

Different things work for different people. I like to have fun. I think that's part of my music's intention. I think it'd be weird to make the music I make and then be stonefaced serious musician guy. Maybe if I was making guitar-laden Williamsburg indie rock with obtuse lyrics about nature and cocaine, but that's simply not me or my music.

Many of your songs are about race and culture, are you trying to get a message across to listeners or making someone aware of issues we still face today?

I have no real "message"...just trying to get people to dance with each other and talk about things. Other than that, the medium is, in fact, the message.

You hail from New York but the band is from Princeton University, do you consider yourself a “New York act” or a “Princeton Ivy League act?"

First and foremost, we should be thought of as the "talented tenth." That was the original band name. Gordon Voidwell and the Talented Tenth.

How much has New York inspired your work?

Medium.

You have collaborated with Das Racist, Brahms, Boy Crisis and Kassa Overall, what is it like working with them?

Aside from Kassa Overall, pretty terrible. They've all stolen my ideas to get to where they are today.

Your live shows are just a big ball of energy and you know how to work a room better than most well known acts, do you feel that in this day in age of music – lack of album sales, radio support, etc – playing your hearts out live is how to make a name for yourself?

I think a good live show is the most valuable asset an artist can have. I can remember James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem once saying in an interview - and I'm paraphrasing - "at a certain point it's gotta be about your band being able to kick another band's ass on stage." I feel really confident in my live show. I feel it kicks most bands' asses on stage. There was a while where I really liked opening up for bigger NYC bands that I didn't know, because it gave me a chance to make a lasting impression on the band/their audience. Every time I play a show I put my heart, soul, body, voice fully into it. I take that super seriously.

Some acts tend to take it easy when they make the big time. Will you still be performing each gig as if it is your last when you take the world by storm?

Absolutely! I'm ultimately still a black man so - statistically speaking - my life expectancy is quite low...every show could, in fact, be my last.

How is recording of your debut been? What can people expect that have never heard of you before?

Recording's been great. I was moving so well and then in the middle of being super productive and resourceful, my workhorse of a computer literally stopped working. So now, I'm raising money via Kickstarter to do a studio re-up. People can expect old synthesizers, old drum machines, harmonized vocal sections, chanting, hooks, hooks, hooks and more hooks.

Acid seems to play a key role in the banter of your live sets and some sound bites you have given to other reporters. What is your craziest story on the drug? Are you still using it?

I'm currently on it which makes it very difficult for me to speak critically about it. I'm afraid it might turn on me if I do.

Aside from a music maker and songwriter, you are also a fashion writer. Is style just as important to your whole persona as the music? With how design has evolved and continues to evolve so tremendously, is fashion the new rock and roll?

Rock and roll is the new fashion. Fashion is the old rock and roll. Rock is the new raprock and hip-hop is the old rock and roll.

...Sorry. I don't know. Style is super important to me. It's a language that sometimes helps me express my music. It's also a language that sometimes makes high school kids in Hell's Kitchen call me names, but fuck them.

David Lynch Music Foundation

Iconic director, David Lynch has started a new branch of his David Lynch Foundation and it involves what else? Great music and musicians.

DLF Music brings together the world’s top & emerging recording artists to support the good works of the David Lynch Foundation’s stress-reducing, meditation-based educational programs.

Featured artists of our Pledge compilation include: Arrested Development, Au Revoir Simone, Ben Folds, Peter Gabriel, Mary Hopkin, Moby, Maroon 5, Neon Trees, Ozomatli, Heather Nova, Iggy Pop, Carmen Rizzo, Salman Ahmad, Slightly Stoopid, Dave Stewart, Andy Summers and Tom Waits.

When you Pledge for the 17-track compilation download, or any of the other unique items and experiences during this 6-week Pledge campaign, you gain access to Pledgers-only updates from participating DLF Music artists. Each week you will receive 2 or 3 of DLFMusic’s featured tracks … PLUS receive exclusive video, photo and blog updates, giving you an insider’s view into the artists lives and experiences.

For more info, please watch the video above or go HERE.

Funeral Party on Kimmel!

LA's finest new band, Funeral Party hit up Jimmy Kimmel Live this week to perform "Finale" and "NYC Moves to the Sound of LA," take a look as to understand why we are saying they are one of the best new live bands out there now.

Live Review - The Hold Steady @ Terminal 5

Baseball season is in full swing across the country and New York City has had a long standing in America's past time. With Baseball and spring in bloom, what better way to kick off a new season than with New York's best band that loves baseball just as much as New York loves their Bronx Bombers and Mr. Met. The Hold Steady returned to their home, the city that never sleeps after a long tour through Europe. The last time we saw them was at the end of January as Brooklyn, the band's home base were sending them off in a two night stint at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Now the band are back and were on fire, after years of covering the band, this was the longest set I have ever seen them do. Just shy of two hours, clocking in at an hour and 50 minutes on stage, The Hold Steady were triumphant and brought with them the fun energy that their audience needed to release their end of the week jitters.

Walking out to the iconic sounds of Ennio Morricone, the Brooklyn five piece were welcomed with a rousing round of applause in the massive Manhattan venue. Opening with the somber and slow "Both Crosses," The Hold Steady were surprising fans right away, normally the band has a bombastic opening and kick starts the show into high gear from the first note. Last night they changed things up a bit and threw their massive following a curve ball but went right into the heater following their dramatic opener with "Stuck Between Stations," "Hurricane J," "Girls Like Status" and kept delivering from there on. Much like in Brooklyn, what was noticeably absent was the absence of Dan Neustadt, who replaced longtime keyboardist and backing vocalist Franz Nicolay was not on stage. In Brooklyn, most of the audience, including myself, thought well maybe Dan will not be going to Europe with the band. Now that the band is back and he is still on stage, maybe he has left the group and no announcement was made. Never the less the band can and has carried on quite well without him, however, the missing keyboards and piano are a bit vital to the bands classic rock and roll sound.

Plowing through their vast catalogue, The Hold Steady did what they did best, just had as much fun or as singer Craig Finn says "There is so much joy in what we do on stage!" That joy is showcased each and every single time they band goes on to do work. Finn later in the night would explain that he started this band 10 years ago when he was 30 and will soon be 40 "the next time you see me, I will be 40 and this has been the greatest job I have ever had. Thank you and I hope your decade and this next decade was as good as this." The love and joy this band has for their fans, their fans have for this band.

Opening the show were Indiana band, Murder By Death. The band, who's songs are mainly about whisky and the devil brought their drinking ho-down, demonic country/rock songs to the opening set. Two heavy drinking bands on one bill, it was bound to be a glorious and fun night. Murder By Death, who are constantly evolving with their Johnny Cash meets Springsteen sound at points were swallowed by the massive size of Terminal 5 and put the band in an off position. All was forgiven and forgotten once the main attraction rose to the stage just a half hour later.

The Hold Steady - Terminal 5 4/8/11 Setlist:

Both Crosses
Stuck Between Stations
Hurricane J
Girls Like Status
Barfruit Blues
The Swish
Rock and Roll Problems
Magazines
The Sweet Part of the City
You Can Make Him Like You
Barely Breathing
Sequestered in Memphis
Stevie Nix
Multitude of Causalities
Lord I'm Discouraged
The Weekenders
Southtown Girls
Your Little Hoodrat Friend
Massive Nights
Chips Ahoy

ENCORE:

Constructive Summer
Hot Soft Light
Stay Positive
Killer Parties

Beady Eye on Jools Holland

Beady Eye made their TV debut this week in UK on the magnificent Later...with Jools Holland. The band performed "Millionaire," "Bring the Light" and "The Roller" on the classic program. Take a look at Liam and the boys in action!

WIN TIX TO A PRIVATE MUMFORD & SONS CONCERT IN NYC!

Officially A Yuppie are teaming up with the amazing Glassnote Music and Iheartradio.com to give YOU a pair of tickets to an INVITE ONLY PRIVATE CONCERT WITH MUMFORD & SONS!

Mumford & Sons will be performing a private show in NYC on Wednesday, April 13 at 8pm at the P.C. Richard & Son Theater.

All you have to do is this, very simple - "Like" us on Facebook and / or Follow us on Twitter (@yuppieblog) and one winner will be randomly selected!

Already Follow us on Twitter? Or "Like" us on Facebook? No worries, just give us a thumbs up, retweet, comment or mention about this contest and you are in the running.

With This I Think I'm Officially A Yuppie

Promote Your Page Too

Subject Rules: This contest is only open to New York Tri-state area residents only. One Winner Will be Notified By Us. Contest runs 4/9 to 11p.m. 4/11. Transportation in NOT Included!

The Decemberists on Kimmel

The Decemberists came to Kimmel this week to perform "Why We Fight" and "Calamity Song" off their brilliant new album, The King is Dead. Take a look.

Stone Roses Are Not The Resurrection

Earlier this week, a story broke in the English tabloid The Sun that beloved Britpop pioneers Stone Roses were reuniting. The Sun reported that singer Ian Brown and guitarist John Squire "buried the hatchet" and were in the process to begin a financially lucrative reunion tour this year. The Sun reported the two squashed their two decade long speaking hiatus and were ready to move forward with a reunion. Adding more fuel to the fire, former Inspirational Carpets singer Clint Book tweeted that "It's true that Ian and John met recently. It was at [ex-Roses bassist] Mani's mum's funeral. We all went back to a pub in Failsworth. Ian and John got on great."

Well, the two may have been civil to each other at Mani's mothers funeral, but that does not mean a reunion would happen. Mani took to twitter and said that the rumors were a "total fantasy island," he then said to NME that he was "disgusted that my personal grief has been invaded and hijacked by these nonsensical stories. It isn't true and isn't happening."

The Stone Roses formed in 1983 in Manchester, England. The band only released two records, one of the greatest debuts of all time, their self-titled album in 1989 and then their final record Second Coming in 1994. The band split in 1996, since then Mani has gone on to form Primal Scream, Ian Brown still makes music and Squire is a painter. The legacy of Roses can be heard in the Britpop movement of the 90's and had a major influence on band's such as Oasis, The Verve, Blur and in later years The Fratellis, Kasabian, Glasvegas and many others.

Time will tell if this band would ever reunite or this could put forth the gears in motion, Stone Roses are the other band that has been more in demand to get back together from Manchester since The Smiths and in more recent years, Oasis.

Ellie Goulding on Kimmel

Making her TV debut, Ellie Goulding took to Jimmy Kimmel Live to show off "Starry Eyed," take a look!

QUICK SPINS

Joy Formidable – The Big Roar
The Big Roar is the perfect title to describe Joy Formidable’s sound. Roaring in like a wild beast with singer Ritzy Bryan’s vocals and the band’s thunderous sound, this Welsh three piece sounds like they are a 10 person band. With roaring guitars, melodic hooks, seductive vocals and style, The Big Roar is an instant classic debut from one of the best new bands out there today. We named Joy Formidable one of the “15 Artists To Watch in 2011,” The Big Roar is proof why.
FINAL GRADE: A

Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Belong
Most buzz band’s tend to suffer the sophomore slump, not Pains of Being Pure at Heart. This Brooklyn band only has gotten stronger and tighter, with a much more mature sound and style, Belong will find a place in your headphones. Taking new wave 80’s hooks and combining it with modern indie, Pains of Being Pure at Heart are on a path to not just musical glory but longevity.
FINAL GRADE: A

Burial – Street Halo EP
Three magnificent songs is more of a tease than for anyone to give a proper critique to, but dubstep hero’s Burial know how to tease their audiences. Their latest, Street Halo EP, is a glowing three song escape into hypnotic unknown and power as they leave us only wanting more. If this is any indication as to what their next full length will sound like, the dubstep world as we know it, is about to change.
FINAL GRADE: A-

Protest the Hero – Scurrilous
This Canadian metal outfit is always one to keep an eye out for and a eye on. Shining with blistering rythems, shredding guitars and thunderous – yet – melodic vocals, Protest the Hero are the metal superstars for the modern age. Only getting better as records are released, they mature in all the proper ways. Scurrilous sees member and songwriter Arif Mirabdolbaghi taking a back seat in the lyrics department as singer Rody Walker begins to tell his stories and spew a vicious array of stories of discontent. Scurrilous is a metal record that will even please the non metal fan.
FINAL GRADE: A-

Pharaoh Monch – W.A.R.
Standing for We Are Renegades, the socially conscious Queens born and bred rapper returns with an album of spitfire words tossed over an impressive array of music. Monch speaks about the issues that face our inner cities today and what needs to be done to fix it, featuring appearances by Vernon Reid of Living Colour, Styles P, Citizen Cope, Jill Scott, Immortal Technique and a slew of others, Monch and friends give more of a reason that we need to pay attention to the surroundings around us.
FINAL GRADE: B+



Peter Bjorn and John – Gimme Some
The Sixth album from the Swedish rockers shows the band, as always, using a tongue-in-cheek method of rock and roll. This is a band that clearly knows how to have fun and why their fans the world over appreciate every second of music they give them. Gimme Some is another classic Peter Bjorn and John disc that packs no surprises but still sets the tone in a worthwhile listen.
FINAL GRADE: B+

Chemical Brothers – Hanna Soundtrack
The electronic pioneers return and this time it is not for themselves but for a major motion picture. Taking queues from their contemporaries, The Chemical Brothers score their first feature film and bring on their own display of heavy electronic and trance that move along as quick and fast as the story of Hanna herself. Much like their last studio effort, Further, it features no vocal contributions and just straight beats but unlike further this is textbook Chemical Brothers action and flair.
FINAL GRADE: B+

Maritime– Human Hearts
The Milwaukee band returns and ona new home, Dangerbird Records but this time they pack a punch unlike before. Maritime is the band born from the ashes of The Promise Ring and Dismemberment Plan and deliver a great post-hardcore / post-punk album that is a sure fire hit. A great listen that keeps drawing you back for more.
FINAL GRADE: B+

Broken Bells – Meryin Fields EP
The duo of Danger Mouse and James Mercer of The Shins give us some left over music from their 2010 self-titled debut and for them it packs a punch. Not as moody or melodic as their album, but a bit more fierce and tight, Meryin Fields maybe an EP but leaves you wondering if this is the next step for this band.
FINAL GRADE: B

The Strokes – Angles
The iconic New York City rockers return, but seem to fall flat on their big comeback. While Angles maybe one of the most talked about records at the moment it will not be one of the most talked about records for years to come. The Strokes create a enjoyable album but fail to deliver the chutzpah needed to give their comeback the steam it fully needed and deserved.
FINAL GRADE: B-

Volbeat – Beyond Heaven / Above Hell*
After seeing them command a live audience like few other bands can, Volbeat's Beyond Heaven/Above Hell will leave you disappointed and frustrated. If you want the same rush the band brought to Irving Plaza last month (which you can read all about HERE!), you'll need to look somewhere else. It's hard to pinpoint whether the blame lies with bad production or the band failing to bring the same excitement they exude live into the studio. While many lead singers envy Michael Poulsen's stunning vocal range, the mix on songs like "The Mirror and the Ripper" features him so heavily it becomesdetrimental to the galloping drums and infectious riffs that bring the song to life on stage. Even where the bass does come shine through, like during the positively EVIL intro to "Who They Are," the music lacks teeth. Sing-alongs like "Fallen" and "16 Dollars"--which had complete strangers arm in arm, belting out the lyrics--don't capture any of the fun Volbeat's live shows are all about. The only track you might lose yourself on is "A Better Believer," where the rhythm comes through just enough to compliment Poulsen's arguably best vocal hook on the album. Beyond that though, if you haven't experienced Volbeat live yet, you might feel inclined to dismiss the band as one of a hundred others trying to cash in on the rockabilly trend but please, give them a chance in person first. Remember--Pro-Tools can make anyone sound impressive in the studio but real musicians earn their stripes on stage and Volbeathas certainly done that. –
FINAL GRADE: C+

Snoop Dogg – The Doggumentary
On the 11th studio album from the legendary California chronic rapper and what was to be a sequel to his massive and explosive 1993 debut, Doggy Style, Snoop is back and still doing what he does but like The Strokes Angles, Doggumentary fails to reach the impact it was going for. With 21 tracks, less than half are classic Snoop and the others are easily forgettable, even with the help of heavy weights like Swizz Beats, Gorillaz, Willie Nelson, Kanye West, John Legend and others, Doggumentary is a forgettable ambitious rap record.
FINAL GRADE: C-

Javelin – Canyon Candy
This Brooklyn via Providence electronic duo are known for getting the party started but Canyon Candy hears the band venturing west…to the old west. Taking inspiration from spaghetti western films and old dustbowl music, Javelin combined those elements to make a record that is in some areas easily forgettable and some parts down right redundant. For Javelin, this better be an experiment and we hope they go back to the entertaining matter.
FINAL GRADE: C-

The Sounds – Something to Die For
Somewhere between their mega successful and brilliant, Dying to Say This to You and their forgettable Crossing The Rubicon, the Swedish electro rockers lost their edge. Whether they were and still are trying to become more commercial and trying as hard as they can to write a radio hit, Something to Die For are all those pressing elements that have made The Sounds not as enjoyable as they once were. You can hear a band trying as hard as they can to get the masses attention, but they need to look back when they were started and didn’t need rule book and just did it and did it to perfection.
FINAL GRADE: D

*indicates that this review was written by contributing writer Kyle Andrucwicz aka The Rock(jock). Rock(jock)'s other articles include live review of Volbeat and Glassjaw.