R.I.P. Hilly Kristal - Thanks

Every summer for the past three years my close friend Aliana and I would make our pilgrimage to 2nd and The Bowery, what is known today as Joey Ramone Place. We would take Bleeker St. right to the very end where standing right in front of you was a White Canvas that read "CBGB'S," the canvas stood out like a sore thumb from the row of shitbox buildings that occupied that section of the Bowery. For us, and many fans of the infamous club, CBGB'S was a beautiful shitbox. You walk in and are greeted by a fully pierced hostess and the walls are painted black, yet you cant tell due to the fact that they are covered in band stickers, photos and vintage newspaper clippings. No where in the world could you find a bar with more history and more testicular fortitude than CB's.
Last year would be Aliana and I's final pilgrimage to mecca, when after a two year long fight with The Bowery Residence committee (CB'S Landlord), owner Hilly Kristal was forced to close the clubs doors for good. Some say the closing of CBGB'S marked the end of an era, some say the doors should have stayed open, others may also argue that once the 70's where over, so was the club. However you want to look at it, Hilly Kristal and CBGB'S changed the face of music forever.
Kristal opened the bar in the late 70's as a country and blue-grass venue (CBGB's = Country Blue Grass Blues), yet with no country or blues acts coming to the New York City area or willing to play in the seedy Bowery area, punks were coming out of the woodwork. He would then later add "OMFUG" to the marquee (OMFUG = Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers). What Hilly was doing he had no idea would blow up to be a pop culture phenomenon. Bands like The Ramones, The Talking Heads, Blondie were the house bands. Imagine going into a bar today and the guys on stage change the sound and scene forever and go on to become Rock and Roll Icons? That's the power CBGB's had, record labels would send their A&R guys down their to see what the next big thing would be. By the end of the 80's, the next big thing would be the club itself, it became an east coast haven for grunge, a west coast sound. It allowed bands like Dave Matthews Band, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Korn a platform to play when no one wanted to listen. I can go on forever on how much I loved that place and what it did for me. Only going their a handful of times I felt like I stepped into a time machine and was transported to a place and time I would have loved to have seen.
This afternoon I read the news to see that man that started it all, Hilly Kristal, passed away at 75 years old after a fight with Lung Cancer. What Kristal has done not only for myself but the hundreds of thousands of people that walked through those doors and played on that stage, a thank you from each person would never be enough. Oddly enough almost a year later, Kristal passed after his bar had closed, thus officially putting the stamp to mark the end of an era. Kristal is survived by his ex-wife Karen Kristal, daughter Lisa Kristal, and son Mark Dana Kristal.

Fire Flies Buzz

Keep and Eye and Ear out for the new HBO spots...The song playing is "More Than This," by The Fire Flies!!! "More Than This," can be found on their first album Baobabs in the Basement. In more Flies news, the guys were just featured in the New YorkDaily News this weekend, check out the article by clicking the link below:
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2007/08/26/2007-08-26_a_pair_to_draw_you_in.html?ref=rss

Buy Now!!!!!!!!!

Another round of harmonies for your ear drums to infatuate over...

BUY NOW!!!!!!!!!
SilverChair - Young Modern (Nothing like you have ever herd from this band before, sounds more like The Killers than Post Grunge and its great!)
Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight
The National - Boxer

Currently Spinning:
Blur - The Best of...
The Verve - This is Music
The Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Live at Hammersmith Odeon

Shine a Light Trailer

So the movie was pushed back till 2008, however, this will hold you over...

Playlist

Here are a list of songs I have been spinning and you should check out...

The Police - "King of Pain"
The Fratellis - "Ole Black 'n Blue Eyes"
Kanye West - "Stronger"
A Fine Frenzy - "You Picked Me"
MIKA - "Relax, Take it Easy"
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - "Shes the One" (Live from Hammersmith Odeon)
The Hold Steady - "Stuck Between Stations"
Ben E. King - "Stand By Me"
The Klaxons - "Totem on the Timeline"
U2 - "Gloria"

New Sparta Video

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In an age of generic and stock music videos...everyone once in a while a video like this comes along and makes you really miss the glory days of MTV. Sparta's latest video "Erase it Again," off Three's does just that...Directed by Chris Mills it is one of the best videos I have seen in a long time.

Springsteen unleashes "Magic"

Bruce Springsteen has announced a release date for his latest album called Magic. It reunites Bruce with the E Street Band after a five year hiatus, the album is produced by Brendan O'Brien and will hit stores October 2. This will also lead to a full on tour with Bruce and E Street.

Here is the track listing to Magic:
1. Radio Nowhere
2. You'll Be Comin' Down
3. Livin' in the Future
4. Your Own Worst Enemy
5. Gypsy Biker
6. Girls in Their Summer Clothes
7. I'll Work for Your Love
8. Magic
9. Last to Die
10. Long Walk Home
11. Devil's Arcade

Springsteen's manager Jon Landau had this to say via Bruce's website, "'Magic' is a high energy rock CD. It's light on its feet, incredibly well played by Bruce and the members of the E Street Band, and, as always, has plenty to say. It's also immensely entertaining. 'Magic' is the third collaboration between Bruce and Brendan O'Brien and is a culmination of their very productive creative relationship."

Quick News

GREAT NEWS!! So its official, The Fire Flies are now the best unsigned band in the world!! No seriously, they won the European leg of the Emergenza Festival in Germany they competed against 6,000 other bands from across the globe to take the top prize. Drummer Seth Faulk even took home an award for best drummer at the festival. So proud! Congratulations boys, well deserved. You can catch the best band in the world you never herd of Friday the 24 in NYC at the Crash Mansion. Check their myspace page for more info.... www.myspace.com/firefliesmusic

In recording new The Loved Ones are stepping into the studio at summers end to record a follow up to 2006's Keep Your Heart. The new disc will be produced by Pete Steinkopf and Bryan Kienlen from The Bouncing Souls and will be mixed by Bob Strakele (sound man to Alkaline Trio, Bouncing Souls, Hold Steady). With a combo like that you know something great will turn up.

In other record news...Radiohead has delayed the arrival of their latest untitled disc till 2008, never fear the new year is only a few months away...

Vintage Police with BONO!

The Police reuniting for the first time after a three year hiatus and performing Invisible Sun at the Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope concert (6/15/86) at Giants Stadium. Bono joins them for the last verse.

Indy Watch

Check out the teaser poster for Indy 4...