EXCLUSIVE! MELVINS INTV!

For the last four decades The Melvins have been thrashing their way through the music business. This year marks the iconic band's 30th anniversary and after 20 albums, various line-up changes, they show no signs of stopping, in fact, only gaining momentum as they ready the release of their 21st album, Tres Cabrones, which arrives in November. This will be the band's second release this year, after they released their covers record, Everybody Loves Sausage in the spring. We spoke to singer and guitarist Buzz Osbourne about being in a band for so long, their influence on other bands and what all of this means. Take a look at our interview below:

Being in a band that has been around for 30 years, how does it feel?

Uh, good? We've seen em come and go... How long until I can collect Social Security and live maggot like off of the state?

Being a band that has been influenced by so many styles and sounds early in your career, what inspires you today?

Life is an inspiration. I guess. Inspiration? God only knows.  I'm just happy to still be kicking. 

Your latest album, “Everybody Loves Sausage,” is a collection of covers. How did it come about as to what songs you would be covering?

We picked mostly songs that we felt told our story. It's a long story filled with tension and broken promises. We are big fans of music of course and our weird fandom knows few limits. 

Do the songs that you cover on this record have significance to you, or did you just want to take a crack at them?

I think it would be weird if they weren't significant to us in some way, after all its not just random. Actually that would be kind of cool, just draw band names out of a hat and record those.

So, does everyone in the band love sausage?

Like we said, Everybody loves Sausages....

Of all the work you have done with The Melvins, which is your favorite and why?

I don't know really. Maybe Colossus of Destiny or the Bulls and the Bees... They're hip slick and cool but I could change my mind about all of that tomorrow.

This band has influenced everyone from Nirvana, Tool, Mastodon, Boris, and the list goes on. Being a band that is so influential, did you ever think you would reach this pinnacle?

Oh yeah, I always knew we would be way up top looking down on everyone. It's a great view from up here and now that I'm at the absolute pinnacle of success it's time for me to start giving back... I think the next thing for me is to set up a string of benefit concerts to try to raise awareness about some bullshit cause like freeing Tibet. Actually fuck that, I think I'm going to concentrate on getting women the right to vote.

What do you have to say about music today?

Same as ever really, some bands are good but most are not. Nothing's changed. I have to admit I find no love whatsoever for a DJ with a laptop or anyone who plays "proper" techno.

Who are some of the bands today that strike your attention?

I like Big Business and Tweakbird and this weird band from Seattle called Mudhoney...

The Melvins have seen all sides of the music business, from independents to major labels, do you ever feel jealous or angry, if not both, about how fast it is for someone to get recognized today, unlike when you started out starving for what you were doing?

Oh you bet I'm mad! In fact I've never been so mad. Fucking kids today and their bullshit, sometimes I just want to scream FUCK! Just fuck fucking fuck fuck fuck! What were we talking about again?

The Melvins have always done things on your own unique terms, what is the next trick up your sleeves?

Maybe try to write some hit songs and sell a ton of records! I want to be bigger that shit now... Yeah, we want to be big... The biggest fucking thing ever! Bigger than Jesus, in fact that's what we'll call the record, "Bigger than Jesus."

Quick News

KISS have been the kings of rock and roll marketing more than any other band in history. With everything from KISS coffins to KISS urinal cakes (yes, you can take a piss on Gene Simmons fucked up face), but now the band has kicked off an unlikely new venture -- into sports. Move over Jay Z, KISS are coming to town. Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have purchased their own arena football team in LA called, LA KISS. The team will make their debut in 2014. Hey, it may not be the raiders, but LA now has their own football team.

In other strange business venture news, Dinosaur Jr. will be releasing a coffee table book that chronicles the bands entire history from their days as high school students to today. It will arrive in November.

Interpol have confirmed they have begun work on their fifth studio album.

After 12 years as a band, Canadian punks Fucked Up now have finally launched their own website. As a celebration, the band are offering a bunch of rarities, B-sides, bootlegs as free downloads. Click HERE to check out what they got.

Geoff Rickley of Thursday has formed a new band with members of Made Out Babies, United Nations, Pigs, and Red Sparrows called STRANGELIGHT. The band will release their debut, 9 Days, this fall. Take a look at the tracklisting below:
1. Split And Divide
2. Mosh Party
3. High Five Hailstorm
4. Tiers Of Joy
5. Xmas
6. White Feather

Parquet Courts New EP Info!

New York City garage punks, Parquet Courts will release their new EP, Tally All The Things You Broke in October. Take a look at the cover above and see the tracklisting below as well as hear the first single, "What's Your Rupture?"

'You’ve Got Me Wonderin' Now'
'Descend (The Way)'
'The More It Works'
'Fall on Yr Face'
'He’s Seein’ Paths'

Quick News

Phantogram have announced they are working on a new album and hope to have it out next year.

After announcing his debut EP with his side project, Higgins Waterproof Black Magic, TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe will star opposite Kristen Wiig in the comedy, Nasty Baby.

Protest The Hero have announced their new record, Violation, will arrive in October.

Julia Adamson, a former assistant to late producer extrodinare, Martin Hannett has found a box of lost tapes from Hannet's recording sessions she claims she saved from going in the trash. Among the box of tapes were original outtakes and masters of Joy Division and New Order's albums. She is now looking to sell the tapes to a fan or collector and posted on Facebook,"I am keen for a collector to have them (the whole collection ideally) as they are very old and probably deteriorating and should be baked or whatever, nor do I really want to look after them anymore."

In October, Morcheeba will be making their triumphant live return with a new album called, Head Up High. Take a look at the tracklisting below:
1. Gimme Your Love
2. Face Of Danger
3. Call It Love
4. Under The Ice
5. I'll Fall Apart
6. Make Believer
7. Release Me Now
8. To Be
9. Hypnotized
10. To The Grave
11. Do You Good
12. Finally Found You

Justin Timberlake has revealed the tracklisting for part 2 of The 20/20 Experience which arrives next month. Take a look below:
01 Gimme What I Don't Know (I Want)
02 True Blood
03 Cabaret
04 T.K.O.
05 Take Back the Night
06 Murder
07 Drink You Away
08 You Got It On
09 Amnesia
10 Only When I Walk Away
11 Not a Bad Thing

The National on Conan

 Watch The National perform "This Is The Last Time" on Conan!

J.Cole on Conan

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Lee Ranaldo & The Dust Album Info!

Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo and his band The Dust have announced their new album, Last Night on Earth. Take a look at the cover above and the tracklisting below, as well as hear the new single, "Lecce, Leaving." 

01 Lecce, Leaving
02 Key-Hole
03 Home Chds
04 The Rising Tide
05 Last Night on Earth
06 By the Window
07 Late Descent no 2
08 Ambulancer

09 Blackt Out

Quick News

Sad news to report, Jon Brooks, drummer for The Charlatans passed away at age 44. In a statement, the British band said, "Following a seizure on tour in Philadelphia in 2010, Jon had been receiving treatment for a brain tumour and had undergone several operations, although he had been working on new material with the band over the summer.. He passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning with his family at his bedside."

Japan's Mono will record a new album in the USA in November. The band hope to have the record out next year.

After burying the hatchet earlier this year, Damon Albarn and Noel Gallagher seem to be close friends according to Albarn's Blur bandmate, Alex James. James spoke to Hungry's Sziget Festival website before Blur's headlining set and said, "Damon and Noel Gallagher are working together on a lot of stuff, so whatever was back then is not relevant anymore. But we have to add that young bands today are all very nice. We were totally intolerable."

Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes has broken his silence following his bands terrible album, Comedown Machine, which was released earlier this year and featured no tour, no press, and hardly any promotion. Hammond told NME, "At some point we will do something and we will speak about it wholly and it will feel good. It just feels too one-sided or weird or not fun when it's not coming as a group effort, but everything's great. The Strokes are always open to... it's always going to have something. I'm not saying that's the word from the band, just that's how I look at it, how it feels - like we've gone past the point of not doing stuff."

Janelle Monae released the album cover to her upcoming record, The Electric Lady, which arrives next month. Take a look below:

WAX TRAX! Documentary Trailer

The trailer for the upcoming documentary on the iconic Wax Trax! record label has finally arrived. No release date has been set for the film, but the filmmakers say in a press statement: ”Regressive Films is super-psyched to be working on the Wax Trax! Records Documentary with Julia Nash. We have already conducted great interviews with Paul Barker (Ministry, RevCo), Chris Connelly (Ministry, RevCo), Richard 23 and Patrick Codenys (Front 242), En Esch (KMFDM), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys, LARD), as well many of the store and label staff. We will be covering Wax Trax! owners/clairvoyants of cool, Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher’s early years in Kansas and Denver, to the opening of the legendary Chicago record store, the formation of the label, it’s success and eventual bankruptcy, and the lasting influence of Wax Trax! Records on the current music scene. If you have any film, video, photos, or stories you would like to contribute, please let us know. For now, check out the first trailer we’ve put together.”

The National on Kimmel

Watch The National perform "This is the Last Time" and "Graceless" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!