Las Vegas quintet Escape the Fate began their ascent during the love-it or hate-it screamo scene. The band's formation was propelled in part by MySpace (just like Hollywood Undead who theyre currently on tour with), which vocalist Ronnie Radke and bassist Max Green utilized while searching for new bandmembers after their previous group's demise. The guys recruited guitarist Bryan 'Monte' Money, who subsequently brought along Vegas transplant (and former Lovehatehero guitarist) Omar Espinoza. Drummer Robert Ortiz joined thereafter to complete the group. In 2005, Escape the Fate had won a local radio contest judged by My Chemical Romance. The gig awarded them the chance to open a show on the band's headlining tour with Alkaline Trio and Reggie and the Full Effect.
From there, the band was signed to Epitaph, Espinoza left the group, and Radke was ousted due to drug problems and a charge of battery (which indirectly resulted in the death of an 18-year-old boy). Pretty metal, i know. Former blessthefall vocalist Craig Mabbitt was recruited to fill the vacant frontman position, and here we are...57 million myspace streams later.
Alex Varkatzas on the meaning behind Storm To Pass: "You can feel that depression coming on, you can see yourself doing f---ed up things, but you can't stop it. I grew up watching the first Iraq war and the invasion of various countries and how the whole thing became one giant s--- storm."
Off their new album Congregation of the Damned. Oh, if you're in the NYC area, hit up Roseland Ballroom for Atreyu, Hollywood Undead and Escape the Fate. I'll wear a carnation on my lapel so you can recognize me.
Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg - Have to say I'm a little trepidatious about this one. Australian hard rock band Wolfmother were pretty great on their last few slabs, but that was before 2/3 of the band left. Now singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale is carrying the name alone, with a new trio backing him up. What I've heard doesn't disappoint - massive, sludgy riffs, some absurd song structures, and a rumored collaboration with Slash. If you've got a bong, load it. If you've got a gas pedal, gun it.
Winger - Karma - Does anybody even still talk about karma anymore? I thought it was something like crystals or astral projection that white people with empty lives moved on from a while ago. Kip Winger, however, will never move on, and I love that little scamp for it. This is a Winger record, so you know what that means: New Jersey rejoices.
Tegan And Sara- Sainthood - Apparently people like this Canadian hot identical twin duo for their cunning songcraft, but I just can't get over that they're Canadian lesbian identical twins. Like, that's something you make up to impress kids at camp in between stolen sips of Communion wine. It's not even like a thing that's real.
Devendra Banhart - What Will We Be - I'll tell you what you will be. You will be forever hated by me as a guy who got to bone Natalie Portman despite having a disgusting beard with food caught in it and making intolerable modern "freak-folk" music. God, I'm dirty and don't know how to play the banjo, why aren't I getting major Hollywood tail? Life ain't fair.
Placebo have put together a free ‘Tour Bundle’ download package, which features band performing Breathe Underwater live from Belgium’s Pukkelpop festival earlier this year. There are also five other tracks to download for free.
In addition to Placebo themselves, there are tracks included from all the support bands on their upcoming December tour, plus a PDF booklet with info on all of these bands.
The full track listing is:
1. PLACEBO – Breathe Underwater (Live At Pukkelpop 2009)
2. EXPATRIATE – Get Out, Give In
3. SILVERSUN PICKUPS – Panic Switch (Recorded live for radio station KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic show)
4. THE HORRORS – Sea Within A Sea
5. UNITED - For What I Feel (Live At Debaser).
FOTC's has a new album. And that makes me happy. Here are some other albums from the week...
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Flight Of The Conchords - I Told You I Was Freaky - I seriously can't count the number of girls I know who want to bone one or both of these New Zealanders, who star in the musical comedy HBO program of the same name. Literally, these dudes have hypnotic command over hipster chic underpants gravity. But does playing their music guarantee the same effect? There's only one way to find out. This new disc is songs from Season 2 and forwards.
Rammstein - Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da - we've already covered the disgustingly pornographic music video for the lead single off of this platter by one-hit German industrial rock wonders, and there's not really much else to say. They dress like tools and make synthesizers cry. If you unironically like this music there's probably some other stuff you unironically like that could get you arrested. Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young - I never got into the Strokes - there was just something too contrived about their self-styled Lower East Side indie rock for me, like they were grown in a laboratory from Hanson cell scrapings and discarded toupees. But you know what? The tracks leaked off of Casablancas' solo project are actually pretty compelling. Who would have thunk it?
Sufjan Stevens - The BQE - This guy wears butterfly wings on stage and plays the banjo, making him some sort of time-traveling gay Appalachian hipster fairy. If you think that is in any way a good thing, please seek professional help.
If this doesn't get you laid nothinge will. I learned from an early age that women love a man you can edit themselves singing every part of an 80's hit.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: THE DEAR HUNTER CLICK PIC FOR INTERVIEW
September Concert Calendar
Manhattan/Brooklyn
9/04: Mavado / Bounty Killer / Beenie Man /
Serani @ Hammerstein Ballroom
9/06: Benny Page / LionDub / Starkey
@ Public Assembly: BK
9/06: Irie Jamboree @ York College: Jamaica
9/08: Rubblebucket @ Brooklyn Bowl: BK
9/08: The Roots @ Highline Ballroom
9/11: John Brown's Body / The Black Seeds
@ Bowery Ballroom
9/12: Bill Laswell Presents: Method of Defiance
@ Bowery Ballroom
9/17: Face To Face / Pegboy @ Gramercy Theatre
9/18: Groundation @ BB King Blues Club
9/18: Dub War / Mary Anne Hobbs @ Love
9/19: Skream / Benga / Drop The Lime @
Le Poisson Rouge
9/20: Thursday @ Bowery Ballroom
9/22: Face To Face / Pegboy @ Irving Plaza
9/25: The Pimps Of Joytime @ Brooklyn Bowl: BK
9/26: Dub Trio @ Knitting Factory: BK
9/26: Brothers Past @ Bowery Ballroom
9/27: Sunny Day Real Estate @ Terminal 5
New Jersey
9/04: Last Days Of Empire / The Casting Out / Chambers /
Stay Gold @ Court Tavern: New Brunswick
9/09: The Janks / Magic Hat #9 Party @
The Saint: Asbury Park
9/11: Westbound Train / Hub City Stompers @
Asbury Lanes: Asbury Park
9/18: Youth Brigade / The Casualties @ Asbury Lanes:
Asbury Park
9/20: Little Joy @ Maxwell's: Hoboken
9/24: Rorschach @ Asbury Lanes: Asbury Park
Philadelphia & PA.
9/04: Rubblebucket @ World Cafe Live
9/05: Dopapod / Turkuaz / Josh Phillips @ The Fire
9/18: Immortal Technique @ Trocadero
9/18: Thursday @ First Unitarian Church
9/19: Mary Anne Hobbs @ SubDivision: Pittsburgh
9/20: Face To Face @ Trocadero
9/21: Face To Face @ Mr. Smalls: Pittsburgh
9/30: Immortal Technique @ Altar Bar: Pittsburgh
9/30: Mike Gordon @ Mr. Smalls: Pittsburgh
Washington DC.
9/05: !!! / Pivot @ Black Cat
9/06: DJ Jerome Baker III / DJ Tom Lim @ Studio 10
9/08: Motorhead @ 9:30 Club
9/17: Yo La Tengo @ 9:30 Club
9/25: Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ 9:30 Club
9/29: BLK JKS / Laughing Man @ Black Cat
9/30: Sunny Day Real Estate @ 9:30 Club
Baltimore & MD.
9/04: Ruiner / Pulling Teeth / Sick Fix @
Talking Head Club
9/06: Medeski Martin & Wood / Karl Denson's
Tiny Universe/ Dumpstaphunk / Traffic Jam @ Sonar
9/08: Down / Melvins @ Sonar
9/10: Akron/Family @ Talking Head Club
9/11: Naked Raygun / Paint It Black / Shot Baker
@ Ottobar
9/16: Mos Def / Talib Kweli @ Sonar
9/17: Matt and Kim / Amanda Blank @ Sonar
9/18: Busdriver / Mickey Free @ Talking Head Club
9/19: Face To Face / Pegboy @ Sonar
9/19: Immortal Technique @ Recher Theatre
9/20: Appomattox @ Talking Head Club
9/21: People Under The Stairs @ Ottobar
9/25: Ponytail / Crazy Dreams Band @ Ottobar
