News: Joey Ramone's b-day bash gets Richard Lloyd, Semi-Precious Weapons

Also, everyone you can think of off the tops of your heads.  Seriously.  Just look at the flyer.  What do you think the chances are of seeing Ryan Adams making out with his post-teen-pop star new girlfriend, Mandy Moore.  Something tells us that Cheetah or Handsome Dick might want to help out in that effort.

This year's headliners are Mary Weiss (the Shangri-La's) and Richard Lloyd (Television) and the SmuftyDogs. The spectacular party will conclude with The Joey Ramone Birthday Bashers featuring Jesse Malin, Cheetah Chrome, Walter Lure, Tish & Snooky, Jean Beauvior, Andy Shernoff, Joe McGinty, JP Thunderbolt, Al Maddy, Ivan Julian, Bobby Steele &Mickey Leigh. Also appearing are Charm School, Semi-Precious Weapons, The Independents, Local H, L.E.S. Stitches and Rachel Newman. In what has become a Birthday Bash tradition, Sean O'Sullivan's Punk Pipers will round out the night on the bagpipes. The night will be MCed by "Little Steven" Van Zandt, Matt Pinfield and Peter Aschner. Additional surprises are expected at the evening's events.

(mp3)    Semi Precious Weapons - Rock 'n' Roll Never Looked So Beautiful

(mp3)    Richard Lloyd - Field of Fire

Godspeed!

Radio: John Davis (Georgie James) gets his own show on XM

(photo by Shervin Lainez)

Laura Burhenn not necessarily included.  The Saddle Creek bandmember's show is called "1, 2, 3, 4 More More More", and it's on every Saturday at 4pm EST on the XMU Channel (43).  And not only is he riding the wave of the future of radio by goin on XM, Davis is also turning to the social norm of the future by giving the show its own MySpace page.  So, er, friend it, or something.  According to the write-up of the show, Davis "plays loads of classic power-pop, post-punk, new wave, punk rock, indie rock and plenty of the bands of today that are continuing the tradition".

(mp3)    Georgie James - Need Your Needs

(mp3)    Georgie James - Cake Parade

Godspeed!

News: Burial to do DJ-Kicks record

Okay, so maybe we were the only ones to not put South London producer Burial's record, Untrue, on our year-end Top 20 list, but seriously.  There were a ridiculous many great albums done last year and dude's just didn't make the tops.  Don't get us wrong, it's a great record, just not Top 20 for the culture of me.

Anyway, we just wanted to drop a line to report that he'll try again to get on that list this year, as June 23 will bring Burial's very own version of the massively successful DJ-Kicks series (which has brought mixes from Hot Chip, Booka Shade, Annie, Four Tet, and a few dozen other heavy hitters in the past).

(mp3)    Burial - Unite

Godspeed!

Breaking: Man in Gray say goodbye

One of our favorite Brooklyn-based bands over the last 3 years, Man in Gray, have all but disappeared as of late, and now comes word from guitarist (and friend) Bryan Bruchman of the band's passing.

Hiya friends.

So as you may or may not know, my band, Man In Gray, is doing that thing that bands do when they go on 'hiatus' because they don't want to admit that they're never going to play any more shows. After being a band for 7 years (or 5, depending on who you ask), I guess it's about that time.

I'd been trying to get a big final show together at a larger venue, but the dates we were going after just didn't end up working out (we're sort of limited to May and June since I'm moving away in July), so instead of quietly playing the show I'm about to tell you about under a fake name (for no other reason than that we had a funny fake band name/concept we wanted to use and thought a laid back low-key party vibe would be fun) I thought it would be good to let some people know what's up so they could come out and see us if they want, before they can't.

More of the note after the jump.

Tours: Swervedriver take Longwave, Terra Diablo along for reunion dates

Dates:

May 22 The Waiting Room Omaha, NE
May 23 Marquis Theater Denver, CO
May 24 Club Paladium Salt Lake City, UT
May 26 Neumo's Seattle, WA
May 27 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
May 29 The Fillmore San Francisco, CA
May 30 The Casbah San Diego, CA
May 31 Music Box Fonda Los Angeles, CA
Jun 03 Emo’s Alternative Lounge Austin, TX w/Terra Diablo
Jun 04 One Eyed Jacks New Orleans, LA
Jun 05 The Masquerade Atlanta, GA w/Terra Diablo
Jun 06 Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, NC w/Terra Diablo
Jun 07 The FIlmore TLA Philadelphia, PA w/Terra Diablo & Longwave
Jun 08 9:30 Club Washington, DC w/Terra Diablo & Longwave
Jun 10 Paradise Boston, MA w/Terra Diablo & Longwave
Jun 11 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY w/Terra Diablo
Jun 12 Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY (18+) w/ Longwave
Jun 13 Lee's Palace Toronto, ON
Jun 14 Metro Chicago, IL w/ Terra Diablo

(mp3)    Swervedriver - Jam (live)

(mp3)    Swervedriver - Volcano Trash (Peel session)

(mp3)    Terra Diablo - Setting Sun

Godspeed!

Motocade do video for "Soap Opera"

A year ago, we couldn't rave enough about New Zealand rockers Motocade, vowing to be front and center if they ever made it to NYC, etc. etc.  Well, we just got word from the boys that they are finally trying to complete their debut LP, releasing a first single called "Soap Opera" alongside a video for the track.  The record is (hopefully) going to be coming out somehow later on in the year, but we're stoked just to have more signs of life from these guys.  Enjoy "Soap Opera", a soaring 3-minute pop gem.

(mp3)    Motocade - Soap Opera

Godspeed!

Web: Kanye posts his own remix of Lil Wayne's "Lollipop"

We still totally don't like this guy at all as a person, but it's undeniable how good he is at creating pop music.  If hip hop is rap minus truth, than Kanye West is not necessarily even hip hop.  He makes good records, but like Diddy before him, dude attracts more attention for notoriety off-record than anything else.  We're okay if he calls us out on something, so don't worry about that.  We are unabashedly Team Entertainment Weekly over here.  Click here to stream the remix.  Lil Wayne, on the other hand, is the truth.

(mp3)    Lil Wayne - Lollipop (Kingdom remix)

Godspeed!

Video: The Cure - "The Only One"

The first single from The Cure's 13th studio album (set to drop September 13), "The Only One", may have only been released yesterday (obvs. not counting leaks, etc.), but as of right now, it has a video to accompany it.  In vintage Cure form, it's black-and-white, simplistic, and showcases the band just playing their tune.  These guys are masters at their craft and they don't need or want bells & whistles to prove that.  It's just what they do.  The band also is planning to release four A & B side singles, one each on the 13th of the month, until the unveiling of the still-untitled new record.  The guys play MSG and Radio City Music Hall on June 20 and 21, respectively.

(mp3)    The Cure - 13th (Swing Radio mix)

Godspeed!

mp-FREE: Immuzikation's new blend is ridiculous

We introduced you to Athens, GA based-producer cum superstar Alfredo Lapuz, Jr. aka Immuzikation with one of our favorite mashes from the last season or so.  But now, in an email we got from the dude this morning, he told us about this new one he just finished up, where it's just gone ahead and blown our minds.  Samples used in the  new blend, dubbed "Fish Taco", are as follows:

Coldplay - Viva La Vida
Weezer - The Greatest Man That Ever Lived
Cut Copy - Far Away
The Blow - Parentheses
M.I.A. - Boyz
"Reading Rainbow" theme

If you can't find an ounce of dopeness in the use of any of the above songs in this mix, well, sir, check your chest cavity.  Your heart may be missing.

(mp3)    Immuzikation - Fish Tacos (Extra Tartar blend)

Godspeed!

mp-FREE: Cut Copy - "Hearts on Fire" (Midnight Juggernauts remix)

Nice.  Nice.  Nice, nice, nice.  Midnight Juggernauts take on their fellow Australian trio's track leaves much of the guitar work that's a calling card for Cut Copy, upping the ante with the "drop the bass" style electro treatment, instantly making us think this song in the new form is some forgotten New Order B-side from 1982.  Midnight Juggernauts are in Japan right now and Cut Copy is here, in New York, playing their tour with Black Kids.

(mp3)    Cut Copy - Hearts On Fire (Midnight Juggernauts remix)

Godspeed!