Glastonbury at 40!

The world's greatest music festival, Glastonbury in England is well underway and some amazing events have all ready popped off for the festivals 40th anniversay. Gorillaz who stepped in for U2, who were forced to cancel due to Bono's emergency back surgery, pulled out all the stops as Paul Simonon and Mick Jones from The Clash are now in the band's touring line up and special guests Lou Reed, Mark E Smith, Snoop Dogg and Bobby Womack all joined Damon Albarn's animated band. Yet, that was not the only suprise of the weekend, as Radiohead performed a special surprise acoustic set! Kylie Minogue joined Scissor Sisters, Shakira covered The xx and the grand daddy of them all Edge joined Muse for a epic rendition of "Where the Streets Have No Name." Take a look and a look back at other Glasto performances through the years:





A look back at Glasto's past:

Live Review - Good Old War @ Maxwell's

"So who wants to get dirty!?" said Good Old War singer Keith Goodwin to a packed crowd of twenty-somethings in the heart of Hoboken. It was a hot and sweaty night as 200 people crammed into the tiny and intimate Maxwell's just outside New York City. The legendary venue always boasts artists on the rise and it is certainly the right place to see many bands that are right on the cusp of exploding into something pretty big, Good Old War is one of those acts. The Philly grass roots band is a cross between Dispatch style and sound meets the catchy aspects of Vampire Weekend. Their legion of devoted fans is something to be admired as they have only been around for just over two years. The tiny club went into an all out sing-a-long as fans waved to and fro and sang the lyrics to each song the band had. Good Old War are a professional bonfire sing-a-long band that just have so much fun and passion in what they do and their fans appreciate their honesty. One of their biggest fans, Anthony Green of Circa Survive showed off his love for the band and made a surprise visit on stage to sing "Weak Man," a song he has with the band and stuck around for a few more songs. As the crowd just went absolutely nuts to have Green on stage with their band, it escalated the excitement of the night. After an hour long set Good Old War, waved goodbye not just to the fans but to headlining tiny clubs like this, next stop - somewhere bigger.

Quick News

The only way to start off this post is by this: NEW. RADIOHEAD. THIS. YEAR! In an interview with BBC6 Music, guitarist Ed O'Brien said that the latest record from the Oxford band will be finished in "a matter of weeks." Though a release date is unknown, the follow up to 2007's In Rainbows is also said to be the bands "best yet." Ed went onto say "We're in the heart of the record. It's genuinely exciting. It's very different from what we did last time. It’s really nice to be doing this. It's so good to be making music with the band that you feel is still as good as it's ever been. Ideally, it would be great if it came out sometime this year. It has got to. I hope so. We’re at the finishing line. When you're making a record, a film, writing a book for ages and ages you think the finishing line is miles away. Now it feels it's in touching distance. But of course, it being a creative process, at the last bit also, you have bursts of energy, you achieve a lot of things in a small period of time and then you’re nearly there… it might slow down. But yeah, hopefully it will be a matter of weeks." Also, no word on how the band will put it out, possibly as they did with the pay-as-you want In Rainbows.

Depeche Mode's back catalouge is set to be a musical which will open in Malta early next year called "Playing the Angel," after their brilliant 2005 album. Playwright Aaron Buckle told The Times of Malta "Depeche Mode are not ABBA or Queen. The story can't be a happy one. It is a story of two boys growing up, coming of age and discovering love. They are abused, used, taken advantage of. It's their sad way of discovering life."

Bush is back! No not the President, but the band...remember Gavin Rossdale's old grunge outfit?! Yep, they are returning for the first time in nine years. Rossdale dropped by famed LA rock radio station, KROQ and played the band's first new track "Afterlife," and that their new record, Everything Always Now will be out in October. This is Bush's first album of new material since 2001's Golden State.

Last year a collaboration between Bjork and Dirty Projectors happened to benefit the New York charity Housing Works. Now the two artists are coming together for the Mount Wittenberg Orca EP, a charity in which all proceeds will go to. The album will be available next week on the site, www.topsin.com. Take a look at the track listing below:

'Ocean'
'On And Ever Onward'
'When The World Comes To An End'
'Beautiful Mother'
'Sharing Orb'
'No Embrace'
'All We Are'

U2 & Soweto Gospel Choir - "Magnificent" World Cup Remix

ESPN has been doing a phenomenal job covering the 2010 World Cup, and the fact that they are remixing U2 tracks with African artists is just icing on the cake. Take a look at the video for "Magnificent," featuring the Soweto Gospel Choir.

Playlist

Here is a playlist of jams to enjoy when heading to the beach this weekend or just taking in the sun OR better yet - getting ready for more World Cup soccer!

- Gogol Bordello - "Pala Tute"

- Arrested Development - "People Everyday"

- The Clash - "Rudy Can't Fail"

- Weezer - "Surf Wax America"

- Red Hot Chili Peppers - "By the Way"

- Gorillaz feat. Bobby Womack - "Cloud of Unknowing"

- Broken Bells - "Vaporize"

- Violent Soho - "Son of Sam"

- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "By the Skin of my Yellow Teeth"

- Surfer Blood - "Floating Vibes"

- The National - "Terrible Love"

- The Soft Pack - "Mexico"

- Strange Death of Liberal England - "Flagships"

- The Dig - "Look Inside"

- Marina and the Diamonds - "I'm Not a Robot"

- Lena Mayer - "Satellite"

- Band of Horses - "Factory"

- Gaslight Anthem - "American Slang"

- The Hold Steady - "Hurricane J"

- Deftones - "Diamond Eyes"

NEW MONEYPENNY!

My favorite Chicago DJ's Moneypenny have unleashed three free songs for your listening pleasure! Take a listen and snag the tracks above. For more info on Moneypenny, take a look at my interview with the ladies from 2009 HERE.

EXCLUSIVE! Mary Onettes INTV!

For a rock and roll band to hail from Sweden and break internationally it must be a harder task than from any other country. Why, you may ask? Well for starters there is no concrete music scene and everyone expects a Abba sound-a-like. Admit it, it is true. Yet for some bands like Soundtrack of Our Lives and The Mary Onettes, breaking through the crowd and making a name for themselves and country is a task that has to be admired. Starting off as a synth-pop band, The Mary Onettes shifted styles and sounds to be a much more layered and textured music outfit. Their debut, Islands, was released last year and since then they have been on the road supporting their efforts across the globe. With each new place and frontier they visit, they gather attention and fans, as they should. I had the opportunity to speak with singer Philip Ekström as we discussed the bands rise, influences and his humble way of gaining attention around the world. Take a look at my interview with Philip below.

Hailing from Sweden, what kind of impact has your country had on your music?

Probably a lot. Pop music has always been an important thing in Sweden; a huge par of the Swedish popular culture. I mean we have a lot of successful bands coming out of Sweden so if you wanna play pop music you have to put a lot of spirit into it and compete with the others doing it so well.

Since you sing in English, do you feel like you are abandoning your roots not singing in your native language?

Not really. I've tried to write music in Swedish but feel that I’ve never done it good. So much easier to express emotions in English. Easier to put down in words what you feel, and it's much easier finding the words for the quite abstract thoughts and feelings you have. I guess it just sounds better to.

The band was birthed around a love of acts like The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen and The Stone Roses. What impact did those bands have on your style and sound?

I would say that the sound of the 80's had a huge impact on us. I love the epic and the nearly bizarre production some had. I mean what's the point of drown everything in huge reverbs? I don't know, but I just love it. And almost every band or artist was produced in the same way in the 80s.Some was really bad produced but some made it really beautiful and timeless.
And of course some of the bands really inspire us! They probably made us realize what kind of music we wanted to do. But I find it very important that the music I write is totally unique. I never try to steal a melody or copy a song. We just have the same sound as all the bands we are compared with. Quite simple!

A decade into forming this band, is there anything you would like to say to yourself 10 years ago about what you know now in regard to playing style, live shows and industry?

Not really. I think our process as a band has been really healthy despite all the ups and downs. And we've gone thru bad and good things together you know. It's really like a relationship in many ways. And to be honest I haven't realized until now what important mission we have, and that we have so much more to give. Feels like we are just about to begin our musical journey in a strange way.

When it comes to the industry we know how it works and we know what decisions that will harm us and vice versa.

Live shows will always be important to us as well. We don't work as many other bands that goes into the studio and record and then play live. The only time we're working together as an organic piece is when we're playing live. And it can be quite chaotic and intense ; )

The Mary Onettes and major labels seem to go like oil and water; did it ever come to a point of pure frustration that you wanted to give up?

Not one single time. We only do what's best for the band.

Not many acts break big in the US from Sweden aside from Soundtrack of Our Lives. Do you ever feel intimidated by how American audiences will respond to your music?

No I don't think so. The people who shows up at our gigs in the US are people that want to hear us. They are really nice I think. I think it's better to have a crowd of 60 people that really want to hear you than 600 people that is hearing you for the first time. Maybe that scenario would be intimidating.

Is making it in America still a big deal for foreign bands?

I don't know. I guess a lot of bands dream of it. I never dare to think such things. I’m a bit scared of the word "making it". I was really surprised when I realized people in the US was buying our album. I remember when we had sold 3 000 albums on iTunes. I was thinking: 3,000 Americans or more have actually bought this record. Why ? … I’m always a bit skeptical. ; )

You released Islands last year, a deeply personal record. Do you feel any vindication now that the record is out?

I don't think I need to feel that way. That album was an important thing for me. Music is my way of telling stories. It's like a little diary. A reflection of the last two years in my life. I’m not a big talker so I just make albums instead. And I don't make music to achieve vindication. I do it cause I just don't know any better way to express myself. And I’m very glad people like it!

You went from being very dance driven synth pop on your debut, to very layered, textured and complex on Islands. What caused the transition and progression in sound?

I guess the sound came with the songs. Along the process we realized that we didn't want to change the sound too much from how it sounded on the demos. The demos was really layered and a bit messy, but we liked it. We just had one idea, that was to make the album as epic as the lyrics was. We wanted the music to fit together with the lyrics and carry them all the way. Not necessarily that the instrumentation of the songs had to be sad like the lyrics. Sometimes the music almost works against the lyrics in a beautiful way.

Videos for "Puzzles" and "Explosions"

Live Review - Addie Brownlee @ Living Room

Fame is a funny thing, it sometimes makes me wonder why some people are famous and popular when there are people out there that should be. One of those people is Alt-country/folk singer Addie Brownlee. For those that know me, know I loathe country music, for me it is nails on a chalkboard, however, when you add a certain spin on it and not make it pure country and let it be much more creative, it holds me down.

Taking the stage last night to a packed Living Room in the heart of New York's infamous downtown music scene, Addie and her four piece band displayed every type of emotion possible, as did the crowd. As Addie began in a alt-country ho-down, the Tennessee via New York songstress proved her worth. After all, it was special night for Addie, it was the release party to her new EP. Addie who has played with the likes of Martha Wainwright, Doveman and others is no stranger to attention but to have the spotlight on her without the backing of famous names would normally be a bit daunting, yet she proved otherwise. Whether it was excitement or nerves or a combo of both, some lyrics were forgotten but the show went on and had everyone in the room rejoicing for a new female voice in music - in a genre of any kind. Displaying so much raw emotion, you could see the eyes of her band well up and turn red and as I looked around the room, that sentiment was echoed across in the audience. Power like that over people is not taught or bought, it is embedded in ones soul.

Addie is one of these rising stars that needs more attention than she already has, with a nice following already in New York, I expect more to come.

Broken Bells on Kimmel

Broken Bells hit up Jimmy Kimmel Live last week to perform "The High Road" and "The Ghost Inside," take a look at James Mercer and Danger Mouse at work!

Quick News

Since the departure of drummer Caroline McKayas in March, Glasvegas have remained mum about the recording of their follow up to their brilliant 2008 debut. Now, after months of silence, singer James Allen has spoken to England's Daily Record to say "It's like comparing a photo of a 10-year-old and a 15-year-old. "It's gone from Disney to Levi's. I'm totally euphoric about it." As the band's sound may have grown up, they are starting to record the record after spending 2010 demoing in LA. No word yet on a replacement drummer for Caroline, but rumor has it Rick Rubin has been filling in on drum parts.

In an interview with Radio 1 DJ, Zane Lowe, Brandon Flowers explained the creation of his solo debut was a lonely, despite having drummer Ronnie Vannucci working on the record with him. Flowers says "Without the union and The Killers and that way of doing things and friendship. I had fun making the record but that brotherhood didn't exist. At times it was a little bit lonely." Flowers also went on to explain that the band will be following up Day & Age and are not breaking up, just taking time off from each other.

Interpol will release their self titled four LP on September 14 in UK and Europe and the following day in the US.

Since shunning the limelight for a bit, Ryan Adams is back in a message to fans via Facebook, that new material is on the way. After going through his archives, he will be releasing a slew of unreleased material such as a double album he did with The Cardinals entitled III/IV and Blackhole (a Cardinal less record). Also to be released will be his Sci-Fi metal concept record Orion and Ryan has confirmed he has written 11 new songs since the passing of Ronnie James Dio.

Taking to Twitter on Friday Arcade Fire unleashed the massive 16 song track listing to their forthcoming The Suburbs. Take a look at the track listing below..

'The Suburbs'
'Ready to Start'
'Modern Man'
'Rococo'
'Empty Room'
'City With No Children'
'Half Light I'
'Half Light II (No Celebration)'
'Suburban War'
'Month of May'
'Wasted Hours'
'Deep Blue'
'We Used to Wait'
'Sprawl I (Flatland)'
'Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)'
'The Suburbs (continued)'