Charts - August 16

U.S. (from Billboard)

Alternative Songs

1) Cage The Elephant - In One Ear
2) Dirty Heads feat. Rome - Lay Me Down
3) Linkin Park - The Catalyst
4) Neon Trees - Animal
5) Phoenix - Lisztomania
6) Rise Against - Savior
7) Brandon Flowers - Crossfire
8) 30 Seconds To Mars - This Is War
9) Shinedown - The Crow And The Butterfly
10) Phoenix - 1901


Alternative Albums

1) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
2) Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
3) Buckcherry - All Night Long
4) Jack Johnson - To The Sea
5) Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
6) Black Keys - Brothers
7) Soundtrack - Twilight Saga: Eclipse
8) Korn - Remember Who You Are
9) Secondhand Serenade - Hear Me Now
10) Nickelback - Dark Horse


U.K. (from BBC)

Indie Songs

1) Example - Kickstarts
2) DJ Fresh - Gold Dust
3) Xx - Islands
4) Fake Blood - I Think I Like It
5) Basshunter - Saturday
6) Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition
7) Dizzee Rascal - Dirtee Disco
8) Radical Face - Welcome Home Son
9) Dizzee Rascal - Bonkers
10) Vampire Weekend - White Sky


Indie Albums

1) Xx - Xx
2) Vampire Weekend - Contra
3) Skream - Outside The Box
4) Example - Won't Go Quietly
5) Jedward - Planet Jedward
6) Chicane - Giants
7) Dizzee Rascal - Tongue N'cheek
8) Katie Melua - The House
9) Caitlin Rose - Own Side Now
10) Prodigy - Invaders Must Die

Top 10 Albums (for a Desert Island)

So, a few months ago I had a conversation with a close friend about something similar to this, with the 10 albums that I would take on my deserted island. These are in no particular order.

Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
Pixies - Doolittle
The Beatles - The Beatles
The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
The Cure - Disingtegration
Pink Floyd - The Wall
The Runaways - The Runaways
Journey - Escape
NOFX - Punk in Drublic

She and Him

So usually I would stray away from any Hollywood actor/actress that him the music scene, especially the popular ones - of most recent times: Cyrus, Duff, Lohan and the list goes on. But, here I am going to break the rules. She and Him is an indie pop duo with Hollywood actress, Zooey Deschanel and indie singer-songwriter, Matt "M. Ward" Ward and have made some quiet success over the last 5 years, most prominent with their Volume 2 record which was released earlier in 2010.

Most know Deschanel from her appearances on Elf, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Manic and (500) Days of Summer. This side project, which in turn has seemingly become a major one for her has produced a relative amount of success without the mainstream pop title being labelled towards it. Her beautiful and innocent voice that she presents on She and Him EPs and 2 albums does she that she actually does have musical talent and her collaborations with M. Ward work wonderfully, and believe it or not, she does most of the songwriting.

I will be posting reviews and analysis on She and Him's two records shortly...

Updated Charts

U.S. (from Billboard)

Alternative Songs

1) Cage The Elephant - In One Ear
2) Dirty Heads feat. Rome - Lay Me Down
3) Neon Trees - Animal
4) Phoenix - Lisztomania
5) 30 Seconds To Mars - This Is War
6) Brandon Flowers - Crossfire
7) Rise Against - Savior
8) Shinedown - The Crow And The Butterfly
9) Phoenix - 1901
10) Civil Twilight - Letters From The Sky

Alternative Albums

1) Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
2) Jack Johnson - To The Sea
3) Korn - Remember Who You Are
4) Soundtrack - Twilight Saga: Eclipse
5) Black Keys - Brothers
6) Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
7) Best Coast - Crazy For You
8) Nickelback - Dark Horse
9) Godsmack - The Oracle
10) Various Artists - Vans Warped Tour 2010


U.K. (from BBC)

Indie Songs

1) Example - Kickstarts
2) DJ Fresh - Gold Dust
3) Basshunter - Saturday
4) Xx - Islands
5) Ash - Carnal Love
6) Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition
7) Dizzee Rascal - Dirtee Disco
8) Fake Blood - I Think I Like It
9) Radical Face - Welcome Home Son
10) All Time Low - Weightless

Indie Albums

1) Xx - Xx
2) Jedward - Planet Jedward
3) Chicane - Giants
4) Vampire Weekend - Contra
5) Example - Won't Go Quietly
6) Buckcherry - All Night Long
7) Dizzee Rascal - Tongue N'cheek
8) Black Crowes - Croweology
9) Katie Melua - The House
10) Faithless - The Dance

Spontaneous Pop Quiz

Try this one! The answer is below question, highlight the text to discover the answer.

1. Which Kate Bush song did Nada Surf cover in their 2010 covers record - If I Had a Hi-Fi?

Love and Anger

2. Less Than Jake, ska punk outfit from Florida, USA refers to Fiorello's pet. What kind of animal is it?

A dog

3. The 2010 Honda Civic Tour is an annual concert tour in which a Honda Civic is the raffle prize. Paramore and Tegan and Sara were two of the three leading notable acts on the tour. Which band/artist was the third act?

New Found Glory

4. Morrissey's full name is (no middle name required):

Steven (Patrick) Morrissey

5. Johnny B. Goode is the classic rock and roll track by which famous rock and roller?

Chuck Berry

6. The Talking Heads first formed in Rhode Island with three of the members in 1974 performing as:

The Artistics

7. What is Keith Jarrett famous for doing during his recordings and live performances?

Singing/Humming

8. Why did Jimmy Eat World rename their 2001 record Bleed American to Jimmy Eat World?

They deemed it an inappropriate album title because of the events during September, 2001.

9. The Beatles' song - Yesterday was originally written with what words instead of 'yesterday'?

Scrambled Eggs

10. Who joined Mick Fleetwood and Peter Green to play with 'Shotgun Express'?

Rod Stewart

Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer Of The Void

Written and produced by frontman Eric Earley, Destroyer Of The Void is the fifth offering from the Portland band and sees the convergence of 60s folk, 70s country, 80s prog and contemporary indie. To illustrate this, the title track leaps from polite, mid-tempo country-folk to piano balladry through stomping indie rock and vocal harmonies within its six minutes. It may show the increased ambition on this album, but it's hardly the Bohemian Rhapsody it perhaps hopes to be.

The truth is that Blitzen Trapper are actually best when keeping things simple. THe Man Who Would Speak True proves this, with just acoustic guitar and howling harmonica accompanying this old-fashioned country yarn. "On a drunken night with a stolen gun/I show my lover as she made to run," Earley sings, and it's clear this man is a fine storyteller. "The judge sent me away/And they buried my Grace, yeah, the very next day."

Heaven And Earth is similarly simple with piano and strings allowing the song to breathe and The Tree - a lovely folk duet with Alela Diane - further illustrates this is a band that doesn't need to throw the kitchen sink at songs.

It seems a waste then - considering how mich heart this record has - that the six-piece litters it with unmemorable and fairly bland outings like Love And Hate. Alluding the arena rock, there is nothing specifically wrong with it, but it demonstrates the unnecessarily overblown nature of much of Destroyer Of The Void. In this case, less would most certainly have been more.

Deez Nuts - This One's For You

When I Killed The Prom Queen called it a day, drummer JJ Peters formed hardcore outfit Deez Nuts, and not only does he handle all of the drumming and vocal duties on their second album, The One's For You, but also a vast majority of guitars. Peters has called it some mates to add guest vocals, most notably Ollie Sykes from Bring Me The Horizon on the angst-driven If You Don't Know, Now You Know, aiding the record's collective and inclusive nature.

Deez Nuts tread the line between the guitar-driven simplicity of hardcore and hip hop-inspired vocals that are riddled with common themes of self-expression and pure, unabashed anger. The music has common themes as well, the tracks have driving rhythm sections and simple guitar lines. The Deez Nuts project is about creating an atmosphere and a mood, with less emphasis on musical technicality and a stronger focus on conveying their mood of being pissed off into the world.

Opening track Don't Call It A Comeback has an old school punk ethic at its core, whilst title track This One's For You is dedicated to the downtrodden, blue-collar worker and is, surprisingly, an endearing song - a prime example of the Deez Nuts vibe. On the other hand, the ode to his party crew DTD is simply about getting drunk and enjoying the ride. The same goes for Party Song, which takes a less subtle tack in inciting excessiveness. Peters provides the atmosphere for yoy to shake the working week off and forces you to enjoy the little things in life, music, your mates and good times.

Teenage Fanclub - Shadows

Bandwagonesque (1991) and Grand Prix (1995): two albums, both by Glaswegians Teenage Fanclub, which together constitute an epochal moment in joyous pop music. That no other album quite matches the glory of these two is of little consequence. Grand Prix alone is almost perfect. The band's meticulous fusion of My Bloody Valentine's noise, Neil Young's guitar work and Big Star's sunshine pop remains a watershed moment in songwriting history.

Shadows is the first Teenage Fanclub album in five years and happily, it wipes the floor with its predecessor, 2005's Man Made. In keeping with the Fannie's protocol, it is a balanced mix of songs by Norman Blake, Raymond McGinley and Gerard Love, and as always, Blake's songs shine just that little bit brighter. Here it's in Baby Lee, another rolled-gold TFC hit: a little bit cheeky, just earnest enough to be meaningful and catchy as all hell. And Dark Clouds is playful enough to warrant its too-cute, fiddle-heavy production. Yet the Bowie-esque The Past loses its momentum within its polish, and Shock And Awe flounders without distinction. That said, When I Still Have Thee overcomes its pretentious title by being impossibly nice. The folk-waltz of Live With The Seasons is also impeccable, and the almost Beach House sunshine of Sweet Days Waiting and The Back Of My Mind actually work. It's not the Fannies' best - since toning down the Neil Young and the MBV, the band was become one-sided - but it's a nice side to keep.

New Releases - Week of July 13 2010

Admiral Radley - I Heart California
Autechre - Move Of Ten
Calibro 35 - Ritornano Quellidi
Crowded House - Intriguer
Danger Mouse And Sparklehorse - Dark Night Of The Soul
Fat Joe - The Darkside Vol.1
Innocence Mission - My Room In The Trees
Korn - Korn III: Remember Who You Are
Tony Lucca - Rendezvous With The Angels
The Maine - Black & White
M.I.A. - MAYA
New Politics - New Politics
Panda Bear - Tomboy
School Of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire
Chris Shiflett & The Dead Pheasants - Chris Shiflett & The Dead Pheasants
Sting - Symphonicities
Sun Kil Moon - Admiral Fell Promises
Paul Wall - Heart Of A Champion
Zoroaster - Matador

Good Riddance - Farewell

For a lot of fans who tracked Good Riddance's rise from the Santa Barbara, Calif. punk world to its position as undisputed melodic-hardcore kings in the early '00s, the band's almost a force of nature. Mixing idealist, left-leaning lyrics, sizzingly heavy guitars and enough melody to sweeten both up, Good Riddance seemed to come out of nowhere with 1995's For God And Country to rule the edge hardcore world for nearly a decade and a half.

The truth is, the band didn't come out of nowhere, but just percolated on tiny regional labels as it perfected its sound on a bunch of splits and EPs. Now, with Good Riddance officially a done deal, the band dips back into its vaults and brings those early-days recordings to the surface. It also grabs a few other B-sides and rarities to fatten out the 21-track collection. If Capricorn One stands for anything, it's to remind us that Good Riddance didn't spring fully grown from Zeus' head, but spent years honing its craft in obscurity.

Longtime fans will enjoy watching as Good Riddance feels out its sound on early 7-inch singles, slowly morphing from another generic hardcore outfit into one whose chops and lyrical prowess were so difficult for its peers to match. That pretty much ensures that some of the tunes on the album aren't quite up to the standard Good Riddance would establish by its second album: "Class War 2000" juggles the mouthful of long-outdated fiscal policies like Reganomics and choppy, basic hardcore riffs. "Free" flogs the same ground musically, while singer Russ Rankin mixes his metaphors and targets, lashing out at pro-life activists and (sigh) the police as arms of the same sort of repressive culture. It's a little naïve, it paints in broad strokes, but it's still a good time out.

An early version of "Last Believer" gives fans the best glimpse at the burgeoning powerhouse Good Riddance would become. A slower, more restrained version than the sizzling cut on 1996's A Comprehensive Guide to Moderne Rebellion (Fat), holding it up against the album version is the most clear-cut example of how much the band grew: Capricorn One's version is lifeless and listless compared to the second take. Other songs showcase the band as it begins to hit its stride: There's a "Guilty of Being White" retread in "Me from Adam" that's slightly more than regurgitated Minor Threat, "Patriarch" is a scowling condemnation of American traditions and "Great Experiment," written during the sessions for 2006's My Republic, catches the band stretching its boundaries almost past breaking.

Capricorn One, like just about every other rarities collection by just about every other band, isn't nearly as good as a studio effort. That's to be expected. For a band like Good Riddance that thrived on honesty and openness, getting these old tunes to the fans is poetic: There's no secrets as Good Riddance goes to its grave. Hardcore warriors have to start somewhere, and on this album you'll see where Good Riddance got its start. The climb to greatness doesn't seem quite as steep now, does it? Now get off the computer and go start your own band.

Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record

During their five-year hiatus, one could assume that Broken Social Scene frontman Kevin Drew had been trimming his garden of friends substantially. On Forgiveness Rock Record, he notes a mere seven collaborators - leaner indeed, compared with the 22 credited on their previously self-titled album. That said, he knows how to pick them, with Metric's Emily Haines, Stars' Amy Milan and the gorgeous Leslie Feist among the survivors. Perhaps ironically, then comes the forgiveness factor.

As the tile suggests, this is a rock and roll record that through its songs explores the emotional process of forgiving, forgetting and moving forward together. From the macro distress of World Sick to Haines' deeply personal Sentimental X's, it's thick with catharsis and human release. It's also the most song-based record the band has even mustered. Where You Forgot It In People was sprawling and tangential, Forgiveness Rock sets it up and knocks it down with steadier structures and that stronger rock inclination.

Co-produced by Tortoise/Sea and Cake drummer John McEntire, it's exactly as we remember their intense aesthetic only sharper, more focused and perhaps better behaved - much like the Broken Social Scene/Sea and Cake contrast. This may alienate those who fell for the granidose and immersing instrumentals of the band's recent history, though the joy here is within our human connection to story. It's a nice thought, and one that's terribly reliant. And after all, who couldn't use a little forgiveness?

The New Pornographers - Together

Put bluntly, The New Pornographers copped a lot of shit for their last release, Challengers, their 'mellow' album with a tonality that somehow escaped their power-pop fan base. It was by no stretch a bad record; if anything it was merely bland and smaller than its predecessors: Mass Romantic, Electric Version and Twin Cinema, three independently brilliant albums that each served to better the last.

Perhaps to avoid a similar fate, they're come out all guns blazing with Together, embracing that all-in quality so valuable to their first records. Neko Case is at her heady finest in The Crash Years, an earthy acoustic number up on the perils of First World economic depression. The graduating riffs of My Shepard build perfectly with jolting drums and moody strings, while Dan Bejar's three song credits play nicely against main-man Newman's more complex tendencies.

From the first dirtied strings of Moves to the flowing, upbeat keys of Your Hands (Together) it has all the markings of great New Pornos: the seminal harmonies, the jaunty acoustics, the dramatic twee of naturally suburban pop. It is more daring, more developed and at the same time, more relaxed.

Most important of all though, after the somewhat lacking Challengers, Together remembers all that's truly great about this band: their ability to build and destroy entire structures before the first chorus and lift songs to entirely different places with gorgeous melodies and wildly beautiful arrangements. This is smart pop music, beautiful and quirky with foundations set in simple stone.

May 25th 2010 Releases (US)

All Time Low - Straight To DVD [Live CD/DVD]
Marc Anthony - Iconos
Beach Fossils - Beach Fossils
Andy Bell - Non-Stop
Caw! Caw! - Bummer Palace
D.M. Stith - Heavy Ghost
Fyfe Dangerfield - Fly Yellow Mood
Dogg Pound - Keep On Ridin'
Karen Elson - The Ghost Who Walks
Far - At Night We Live
First Aid Kit - The Big Black And The Blue
Framing Hanley - A Promise To Burn
Grosvenor - Soft Return
It's Alive - Human Resources
Leela James - My Soul
Adam Kesher - Challenging Nature
Bettye LaVette - Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook
Marina And The Diamonds - The Family Jewels
Neverever - Angelic Swells
Peter Wolf Crier - Inter Be
John Prine - In Person & On Stage
Solvent - Subject To Shift
Stone Temple Pilots - Stone Temple Pilots
Tobacco - Maniac Meat
Tomorrows Bad Seeds - Sacred For Sale
Transient Songs - Cave Syndrome
Various Artists - Ultra Weekend 6
Widespread Panic - Dirty Side Down
Hank Williams III - Rebel Within
Keller Williams - Thief
Will Young - Leave Right Now

Glastonbury 2010

Friday

Pyramid Stage
U2
Dizzee Rascal
Vampire Weekend
Snoop Dogg
Willy Nelson
Corinne Bailey-Rae
Femi Kuti
TBA

Other Stage
The Flaming Lips
Hot Chip
Florence and the Machine
La Roux
Phoenix
The Courteeners
Gaslight Anthem
The Stranglers
The Magic Numbers
TBA

John Peel Stage
Groove Armada
The Black Keys
Mumford & Sons
Ellie Goulding
Kele
Bombay Bicycle Club
Tegan and Sara
TBA
De Staat
Chapel Club

West Holts Stage
Mos Def (with full live band)
Femi Kuti
Nouvelle Vague & Guests
Breakestra with Chali 2na
Bonobo
Mariachi El Bronx
Tune-Yards
Matthew Herbert Big Band

The Park Stage
The XX
Broken Bells
Special Guests
The Big Pink
Local Natives
Steve Mason
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
Beth Jeans Houghton
Lissie
TBA
TBA

East Dance
DJ Fatboy Slim
Live Chase and Status
DJ Zane Lowe
Live Plan B
DJ Rob da Bank
Live Example
DJ Roger Sanchez
DJ TBA
DJ TBA

West Dance
DJ Boys Noise
DJ Simian Mobile Disco
Live Delphic
DJ Fake Blood
DJ Rusko
Live Chromeo
DJ Aeroplane
DJ Boy 8-Bit
DJ Hannah Holland


Saturday

Pyramid Stage
Muse
Scissor Sisters
TBA
TBA
Seasick Steve
Jackson Browne
Lightning Seeds
TBA

Other Stage
Pet Shop Boys
Editors
The Cribs
The National
Kate Nash
Imogen Heap
Coheed and Cambria
Reef
Two Door Cinema Club

John Peel Stage
Jamie T
Foals
The xx
Marina & The Diamonds
Delphic
Field Music
Cymbals Eat Guitars
Sophie Hunger
TBA

West Holts Stage
George Clinton with Parliament / Funkadelic
Jerry Dammers Spatial AKA Orchestra
Os Mutantes
Devendra Banhart
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
Phenomenal Handclap Band
Brother Ali
Troy Ellis & The Longshots

The Park Stage
Midlake
Laura Marling
TBA
Special Guests
Stornoway
Beach House
Strange Boys
Frankie & The Heart Strings
The Ballad of Britain
Peggy Sue
TBA

East Dance
Live N-Dubz
Live Chipmunk
Live Kelis
DJ DJ MistaJam
Live Tinie Tempah
Live Giggs
DJ Yasmin
Live Chiddybang
Live McClean
Live BashyLive Dubfire
DJ Nick Warren
Live Mix Hell
DJ Sander Kleinenberg
Live Banco de Gaia
DJ Riva Starr
Live Neville Staple
Live Dub Pistols
DJ TBA
Live Foreign Beggars
Live Donaeo
Live Roll Deep
DJ TBA

West Dance
Live Dubfire
DJ Nick Warren
Live Mix Hell
DJ Sander Kleinenberg
Live Banco de Gaia
DJ Riva Starr
Live Neville Staple
Live Dub Pistols
DJ TBA
Live Foreign Beggars


Sunday

Pyramid Stage
Stevie Wonder
Faithless
Jack Johnson
Ray Davies
Slash
Norah Jones
Paloma Faith
TBA

Other Stage
Orbital
lcd soundsystem
MGMT
We Are Scientists
Grizzly Bear
Temper Trap
The Hold Steady
Frightened Rabbit
TBA


John Peel Stage
Ash
Julian Casablancas
Broken Social Scene
Gang of Four
The Drums
Holy F***
These New Puritans
Everything Everything
TBA
Dan Mangan

West Holts Stage
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Toots & the Maytals
Quantic & his Combo Barbaro
Staff Benda Bilili
Dr John
Tunng
The Bees
Dizraeli and the Small Gods

The Park Stage
Empire Of The Sun
Dirty Projectors
TBA
Archie Bronson Outfit
TBA
Portico Quartet
Fionn Regan
TBA
Here We Go Magic
Travelling Band

East Dance
DJ Above & Beyond
Live Crystal Castles
DJ Filthy Dukes (DJ Set)
Live Professor Green
Live Reverend Sound System
Live Crystal Fighters

West Dance
Live Magnetic Man
DJ Jackbeats
Live Stanton Warriors
DJ Adam F
Live Blasted Mechanism
DJ Toddla T
Live Alex Metric Live
DJ South Central
Live Jaguar Skills
DJ A1 Bassline
Live Killaflaw
DJ Virus Syndicate

2010 Splendour In The Grass Lineup

The lineup for the 2010 Splendour in the Grass festival was announced this morning and it's pretty impressive!

Headlining are artists like The Strokes, The Pixies and LCD Soundsystem, plus you'll see Mumford & Sons and Florence & the Machine and stacks more.

Tickets for the event go on sale at 9am Thursday May 6 and this year Splendour will not be held at Byron Bay as usual. The new location is Woodfordia, QLD and the festival runs from Friday 30th July through to Sunday 1st August.

2010 Splendour In The Grass Lineup

The Strokes
Pixies
Frightened Rabbit
LCD Soundsystem
Broken Social Scene
The Drums
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Yeasayer
Mumford and Sons
The Temper Trap
Band Of Horses
Passion Pit
Florence and the Machine
Laura Marling
Grizzly Bear
Band Of Skulls
Surfer Blood
Alberta Cross
Two Door Cinema Club
Midlake
Foals
Goldfrapp
Jonsi
Ash
Scissor Sisters
The Ting Tings
Hot Chip
Ben Harper and the Relentless 7
We Are Scientists
Richard Ashcroft and the United Nations Of Sound
K-Os
Delphic
School Of Seven Bells
The Magic Numbers
The Temper Trap
Angus and Julia Stone
Empire Of The Sun
Wolfmother
The Vines
Tame Impala
Paul Kelly
Operator Please
Lisa Mitchell
Midnight Juggernauts
Little Red
Space Invadas
British India
Oh Mercy
The Middle East
Bluejuice
Washington
Whiteley
Dan Sultan
Cloud Control
Miami Horror
Clare Bowditch
Philadelphia Grand Jury
The John Steel Singers
Violent Soho
The Mess Hall
Jonathan Boulet
Boy and Bear
Gypsy and the Cat
Last Dinosaurs
Ernest Ellis
Tim and Jean
Yacht Club DJs

Splendour In The Grass Rumours 2.0

There's already been a few whispers as to which bands might play Byron Bay's Splendour In The Grass - the music festival that this year will be held at Woodford in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland (but every year prior has been at Belongil Fields in Byron Bay). One particularly reliable whisperer has mentioned the following acts as virtual lock ins:

The Pixies
The Strokes
Florence & The Machine
Smashing Pumpkins
Hot Chip
Mumford & Sons
LCD Soundsystem
Bat For Lashes

An intriguing list there's no doubt about that, but is there any truth to these rumours - thereby making them 'trumours'? We've analysed as much of the available data and studied the stats in order to come up with the most plausible odds for whether these names represent a legit lineup leak.

The Pixies

For: Last year Black Francis told NME that the Pixies would return to the studio to make their fifth album in 2010. "New Release" is often synonymous with "World Tour".
Against: They are playing in Australia at the moment so it's unlikely they would come back so soon. And they hate each other.
Odds: A major long shot at 100-1

The Strokes

For: They are about to finish recording their new album which means touring the new material. Australia is a likely destination because they love it here and they've never played Splendour.
Against: The Strokes also love Japan and might play Fuji Rock - which falls on the same weekend as Splendour.
Odds: Fab loves it. Julian loves it. They're a good bet at 7-1.

Florence & The Machine

For: She just killed it at Laneway and all her side shows were sellouts - the demand for mo Flo is strong. She's also doing a heap of Euro festivals in the middle of the year and her calendar is oddly blank over the Splendour weekend dates (30 July - 1 August 2010). Coincidence?
Against: Too soon to bother with the 15 hour flight from UK to here.
Odds: Decent at 10-1.

Smashing Pumpkins

For: Billy Corgan is a weird and unpredictable man so you just never know. A Greatest Hits-style Pumpkins set could be totally epic though...
Against: Billy Corgan is a weird and unpredictable man - i.e. he might be too busy being in love with Jessica Simpson.
Odds: Another long shot at 99-1.

Hot Chip

hot-chip

For: They should drop in to Oz to tour their latest album. Plus they've played Splendour before and killed.
Against: They have already been confirmed for Fuji Rock so they'll be in the right hemisphere, although that might also mean the cross over will be impossible and they won't be able to get here in time for Splendour.
Odds: 2-1. We are totally feeling Hot Chip for the first announcement.

LCD Soundsystem

For: They've got their new record coming out and already announced a world tour - without the Splendour weekend dates filled yet. They're confirmed for Fuji Rock too and there's no way Murphy would leave us out of the tour.
Against: Same issue as Hot Chip - the cross over time might make it impossible.
Odds: Nothing's impossible. Let's dance: 5-1 odds.

Bat For Lashes

For: Nothing specific. Pedestrian staff members just thinks Natasha Khan is totally hot. She also has never performed live in Australia as far as we know, and is currently "Not Available" for an Australian tour in 2010 suggesting she might already be locked in to an exclusive with a particular festival or promoter.
Against: She might be weirded out by desperate Aussie fan-bros and avoid.
Odds: We'll put the odds that Bat For Lashes to play Splendour at 20-1. The chance that any Pedestrian staff members will get to pants her? Not good.

RIP Malcolm

Malcom McLaren, the British entrepreneur and musician who's best known as the founder and ex-manager of the Sex Pistols, died Thursday morning. According to the Independent, the 64-year-old had been battling cancer.

The London native originally got involved in the music business through fashion, starting a clothing store in the city with his partner, Vivienne Westwood. After meeting the New York Dolls on a trip to the US in the early '70s, McLaren supplied the androgynous punk group with stagewear. After that modest success, his return to London in the middle of the decade changed his life permanently.

The clothing shop, now known as Sex, focused on bondage and S&M fashion and became central to the fledgling punk scene. Through acquaintances, McLaren began managing the Strand, a band that would eventually become the Sex Pistols. The band's lineup was cemented in 1975 when McLaren's friend and future Clash manager Bernie Rhodes spotted John Lydon. Intrigued by his fashion sense -- he sported green hair and a torn Pink Floyd shirt with "I hate" written above the band's name -- they had him audition for the band, creating Johnny Rotten.

The Sex Pistols released 1977's 'God Save the Queen' during Queen Elizabeth II's 25th anniversary celebration (aka Silver Jubilee) and to mark the occasion, McLaren planned for the band to perform the single on a boat outside Parliament. The ship was raided, McLaren was arrested and the legend of the Pistols grew, though it would be less than a year before they broke up.

In the following years, McLaren launched a career as a singer, releasing the hip-hop-influenced album 'Duck Rock' in 1983, with the songs 'Buffalo Gals' and 'Double Dutch' both reaching the Top 10 on the UK charts. Around this time, another McLaren-founded band, New Wave act Bow Wow Wow, had a hit with their cover of the '60s pop song 'I Want Candy.' In later years, McLaren collaborated with rappers like KRS-One and had several of his songs sampled by popular artists, including Mariah Carey and Eminem.

"He had been suffering from cancer for some time, but recently had been full of health, which then rapidly deteriorated," his spokesman, Les Molloy, told the Independent. "He died in New York this morning. We are expecting his body to be brought back to London and buried in Highgate Cemetery."

"For me, Malc was always entertaining, and I hope you remember that," Rotten said in a statement. "Above all else he was an entertainer and I will miss him, and so should you."

Splendour In The Grass Headliner Rumours

THE Splendour In The Grass line-up lotto game is in full tilt and if only half the bets are true, it's shaping up to be the hottest winter festival yet.

The Strokes seem all but confirmed as one of the headliners of the three-day event, which has had to move to Woodford this year thanks to the northern NSW NIMBYs stopping it from taking up residence at the purpose-built Yelgun site.

Other acts mooted for the 2010 event, which kicks off on July 30, include Scissor Sisters, Florence And The Machine, Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem, Jet, Mumford And Sons, The Middle East and Angus And Julia Stone.

A surprise late addition and potential headliner is the Pixies, who have a one-off concert in New Zealand on August 3 which has the bloggers speculating that they will stop into Woodford first.

Lest We Forget - Herb Ellis

Famed jazz guitarist Herb Ellis -- who played alongside the legendary Ella Fitzgerald during his storied career -- died Sunday at home in Los Angeles, according to the Associated Press. Ellis, 88, passed away due to complications from Alzheimer's disease.

Ellis originally got his start with big band icon Jimmy Dorsey but the jazz soloist was regarded for his work with the Oscar Peterson Trio. Following his stretch playing with Dorsey, he co-founded the Soft Winds trio. That outfit's song 'Detour Ahead' was embraced by Billie Holliday, who helped make it a standard in the jazz genre. Later, Ellis joined pianist Peterson and bassist Ray Brown for a productive run between 1953 and 1958 before touring and recording as a sideman to Fitzgerald.

A native of Farmersville, Texas, Ellis was an innovative player who fused bebop with country twang, and was touted as one of the genre's finest guitarists. In addition to his aforementioned efforts, Ellis was a recurrent contributor to Norman Granz's all-star Jazz at the Philharmonic tours.

In a statement, Recording Academy President Neil Portnow said, "Ellis always remained true to the form he played from the beginning. The jazz world has lost a great musician, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and all who enjoyed his work."

Love Is All - Two Thousand and Ten Injuries

Love Is All’s first two albums (2006’s Nine Times That Same Song and 2008’s A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night) were thrilling noise pop records that drew from post-punk experimentalism, twee pop sweetness, and punk rock energy, added hooky songs and rambunctious performances, and ended up making a glorious racket. It’s nice to report that their third album, Two Thousand and Ten Injuries, is the equal to the first two in quality, that it delivers the same level of thrills, and is packed from to top to bottom with excellent songs and fiery playing. The band took a more relaxed approach to writing and recording the album and it shows in the slightly more precise arrangements, the songs that sound more constructed than hastily slapped together, and the clearer production. That’s not to say the intensity level has dropped, only that they have refined and focused their approach a bit. Where they used to clatter, now they might smolder, and where Josephine Olausson would have howled, now she might croon a little more. It’s a welcome move toward sophistication that works because the underlying passion and drive that are the group’s strength are never far from the surface. For every song like "Never Now" that scales back the energy in favor of arrangement, there are songs like "Early Warnings" or "Kungen" that rattle and roll like early Love Is All. The crisp and punchy production gives these rockers an extra kick that was sometimes lost in the ramshackle production of their debut and in the reverbed murk of A Hundred Things. The care given the sound really comes to light on "The Birds Were Singing with All Their Might; the synths, saxes, and Olausson’s vocals combine to give the song a majestic feel that brings to mind early New Order with Clare Grogan (of Altered Images) singing. The album is filled with great moments like this, and plenty of songs that will be the highlights of summer 2010 mixtapes. Many bands start to lose their way around the time of their third album, but on Two Thousand and Ten Injuries Love Is All sound better than ever and well-positioned to keep making smart, hooky, passionate records for a long time to come.

Disintegraton - Deluxe Edition

The Cure - Disintegration... THE PUFF...

Deluxe Edition - Polydor/Universal

Date : 24th May 2010



Three-Disc Deluxe Edition Produced & Compiled by Robert Smith, Including a Remastered Version of the Original Album, plus Unreleased Songs, Demos, Out-takes and Live Performances.



The Cure’s eighth studio album, released in 1989, is the dark tour de force Disintegration.


Following on from 1987's outstanding Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me release, and spurred by the hits “Lullaby”, “Fascination Street“, “Lovesong” and “Pictures Of You”, the album quickly became the group’s most successful yet, with sales topping more than 3 million, as the band sold out stadiums and arenas around the world.



Polydor/Universal reissues this landmark album, remastering the original, adding a disc of unreleased out-takes and demos, plus a third disc that contains a live performance of the entire album recorded in 1989 over 3 nights at Wembley Arena, London, the European climax of the The Cure's global ‘Prayer Tour‘. This Deluxe Edition comes with a 20 page booklet containing previously unseen pictures and art, as well as lyrics and an in depth overview of the period by the band's founder Robert Smith.



Robert Smith compiled, produced, and supervised the mastering of this three-disc collection, which covers the evolution of Disintegration, from demos and rehearsals to studio and stage. The first disc contains newly remastered versions of the album’s original 12 tracks.



Gathering 20 unreleased tracks, the second disc trawls through Smith’s home recordings to find early instrumental demos of fan favourites “Pictures Of You”, “Prayers For Rain” and “Fascination Street.” The Cure can be heard rehearsing and arranging various instrumental versions, including ”Homesick”, “Closedown” and “The Same Deep Water As You”, as well as playing studio out-takes of several other tracks, including “Plainsong”. The disc also contains four unreleased songs: “Noheart”, “Esten”, “Delirious Night” and a cover of Judy Collins’ “Pirate Ships”, the latter a solo performance by Smith that was recorded for, but ultimately not included on, Rubáiyát, a 1990 album celebrating Elektra Records’ 40th anniversary.



For the final disc, Smith remixes and expands Entreat, a live album recorded in 1989 at Wembley Arena. Entreat Plus combines the original’s eight tracks, remixed with the four 'missing' songs to create a complete contemporary live version of Disintegration.



Comments Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai: “Disintegration by The Cure is one of the greatest records of all time. It has the feel that only a tiny amount of albums have, that it exists completely in its own universe, immune to context or fashion. I literally cannot imagine the band members in a room playing these songs for the first time, its as if they've always been there. From stunning opener “Plainsong” through to “Untitled”, it is unrelentingly beautiful and achingly sad. Disintegration is a simply wonderful record.”

DISINTEGRATION: DELUXE EDITION

Disc One: Remastered Album

01: Plainsong

02: Pictures Of You

03: Closedown

04: Lovesong

05: Last Dance

06: Lullaby

07: Fascination Street

08: Prayers For Rain

09: The Same Deep Water As You

10: Disintegration

11: Homesick

12: Untitled

Disc Two: Rarities (1988 - 1989)

01: Prayers For Rain – RS Home Demo (Instrumental)

02: Pictures Of You – RS Home Demo (Instrumental)

03: Fascination Street – RS Home Demo (Instrumental)

04: Homesick – Band Rehearsal (Instrumental)

05: Fear Of Ghosts – Band Rehearsal (Instrumental)

06: Noheart – Band Rehearsal (Instrumental)*

07: Esten – Band Demo (Instrumental)*

08: Closedown – Band Demo (Instrumental)

09: Lovesong – Band Demo (Instrumental)

10: 2 Late (alternate version) – Band Demo (Instrumental)

11: The Same Deep Water As You – Band Demo (Instrumental)

12: Disintegration – Band Demo (Instrumental)

13: Untitled (alternate version) – Studio Rough (Instrumental)

14: Babble (alternate version) – Studio Rough (Instrumental)

15: Plainsong – Studio Rough (Guide Vocal)

16: Last Dance – Studio Rough (Guide Vocal)

17: Lullaby – Studio Rough (Guide Vocal)

18: Out Of Mind – Studio Rough (Guide Vocal)

19: Delirious Night – Rough Mix (Vocal)*

20: Pirate Ships – RS Solo, Rough Mix (Vocal)*

* Previously Unreleased Song

Disc Three: Entreat Plus

01: Plainsong*

02: Pictures Of You

03: Closedown

04: Lovesong*

05: Last Dance

06: Lullaby*

07: Fascination Street

08: Prayers For Rain

09: The Same Deep Water As You*

10: Disintegration

11: Homesick

12: Untitled

* Previously Unreleased Live Performance

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Frusciante finally quits... again.

Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante has confirmed that he has “quit” the band, writing in a MySpace blog post, “To put it simply, my musical interests have led me in a different direction.” The Peppers are reportedly working on their follow-up to 2006’s Stadium Arcadium, and rumors began circulating last week that Frusciante had permanently left RHCP and was replaced by guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, who along with Frusciante toured with the band in 2007 and also appeared on Frusciante’s 2009 solo album The Empyrean. Until now, representatives for the RHCPs would not confirm the news of Frusciante’s departure to Rolling Stone. Frusciante clarifies in his MySpace post that he actually left the band over a year ago when they were on indefinite hiatus.

“I really love the band and what we did,” Frusciante writes, adding that there was no drama or anger involved in his decision to leave. “Over the last 12 years, I have changed, as a person and artist, to such a degree that to do further work along the lines I did with the band would be to go against my own nature. There was no choice involved in this decision. I simply have to be what I am, and have to do what I must do.”

Frusciante’s statement ends his second stint with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. After appearing on 1989’s Mother’s Milk and 1991’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Frusciante left the Peppers in 1992. Following RHCP’s brief Dave Navarro era, Frusciante rejoined the band for their three most recent albums: Californication, By The Way and Stadium Arcadium. In September, the band was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; as RS revealed earlier this week, the Peppers will not be a part of the Hall’s class of 2010.

Read Frusciante’s full letter to fans here:

“When I quit the band, over a year ago, we were on an indefinite hiatus. There was no drama or anger involved, and the other guys were very understanding. They are supportive of my doing whatever makes me happy and that goes both ways.

To put it simply, my musical interests have led me in a different direction. Upon rejoining, and throughout my time in the band, I was very excited about exploring the musical possibilities inherent in a rock band, and doing so with those people in particular. A couple of years ago, I began to feel that same excitement again, but this time it was about making a different kind of music, alone, and being my own engineer.

I really love the band and what we did. I understand and value that my work with them means a lot to many people, but I have to follow my interests. For me, art has never been something done out of a sense of duty. It is something I do because it is really fun, exciting, and interesting. Over the last 12 years, I have changed, as a person and artist, to such a degree that to do further work along the lines I did with the band would be to go against my own nature. There was no choice involved in this decision. I simply have to be what I am, and have to do what I must do.

Sending love and gratitude to you all.”

Jeff Beck and Eric "Slowhand" Clapton

On February 18th Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck took to the stage at Madison Square Garden. The long-running rivalry between these two guitar idols has been legendary. The significance of their sharing a stage has brought full circle a battle that began more than 40 years ago when Beck replaced Clapton as the lead guitarist for The Yardbirds.

The concert at Madison Square Garden, along with an unprecedented joint interview Beck and Clapton gave in the March 4, 2010 issue of Rolling Stone magazine, proves that both men have grown beyond the competitiveness that marked their younger days.

They have finally begun to show one another the respect they deserve as two of the most influential guitarists in the history of rock and roll. It's a credit to Clapton that he has been able to overcome his past rigidness and give Beck the credit he has long been due.

There is, once or twice during their Rolling Stone interview, a feeling of cloying, mutual genuflection; an ingratiating, ego-stroking that feels purely saccharine. Even as they poke one another in humorous fashion a few statements stand out. For instance, after being asked, Clapton admits that there are things Beck can play on a guitar that he can't. When Beck is asked if Clapton can do things on a guitar that he can't his response is "no." Both men laugh, but Clapton replies that "it really is true." Beck responds "No, bollocks" and takes his turn to compliment Clapton's playing. No bollocks, indeed.

The one thing woefully missing from this triumphant reunion story is a historical overview of these men, the musically incestuous, and often ugly, relationships between the original members of the British rock explosion and the rift that has now become a part of rock and roll lore.

In the Rolling Stone interview Clapton admits that he was "very disagreeable — intolerant" during the break-up with The Yardbirds. Over the years, mixed reports have accumulated of Clapton's battles with his contemporaries. Couple that with Beck's notoriously violent on-stage temper tantrums, and this reunion would seem unlikely at best. The fact that it happened at all can probably only be attributed to the passage of time and life's lessons hard learned.

Eric Clapton Vs Jeff Beck: The Rivalry Years

In the mid 1960s graffiti proclaiming 'Clapton is God' began springing up all over brick buildings of London. Eric Clapton had recently vacated his position as lead guitarist for The Yardbirds. He let it be known that he had no interest in being in a band that was veering away from hardcore blues into more experimental psychedelic and pop music. Clapton packed his guitar and joined John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. It was during this time that his phenomenal blues guitar playing began spawning a devoted group of followers. These followers would proclaim his holiness by word of mouth and, most famously, in paint across the dirty facade of London's Underground stations. By the time The Yardbirds' single "For Your Love" hit the charts Clapton was already long gone.

The Yardbirds, looking for a replacement, turned to friend and fellow musician Jimmy Page. Page, who was making a name for himself, and a good income as a studio musician, turned them down but directed them to Jeff Beck. It wouldn't take long for Beck to gain his own acclaim within The Yardbirds. He was a fearless innovator when it came to experimenting with new sounds. As The Yardbirds began to rack up hits, Jeff Beck was racking up fans, including worshipful writers from some of London's most influential music magazines. It was during this time that he developed the fuzz, feedback and distortion that would become his trademark, and his legacy.

It's no surprise that a rivalry would develop between Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. It wasn't only the critical and commercial success that The Yardbirds achieved during Beck's time with the band that drove a wedge between them, these two musicians harbored entirely antipodal views on guitar playing as well. Clapton was always a purist, almost elitist, blues guitarist. The pop/blues/psychedelic musical anomalies that The Yardbirds and others (such as The Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and The Rolling Stones' Their Satanic Majesties Request) were creating held no attraction for him. When Jimmy Page decided to join The Yardbirds, taking a backseat by playing bass and rhythm guitar to Beck's lead guitar, the Clapton/Beck rift was firmly set in stone.

The late 1960's marked a turning of the tides. Clapton found his own commercial success and critical acclaim in Cream. His reputation as a first class blues guitarist had grown rapidly within British music circles. Beck and Page, now playing dual lead guitars, had taken The Yardbirds about as far as they could go. Beck would be fired in the middle of a US tour for being a consistent no-show; his perfectionism and explosive temper were reaping havoc on the band and his own health. After his departure, The Yardbirds were unable to recapture their former popularity. Jimmy Page would leave to form Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton would move into one of the darker periods of his career, a period that would lead to great commercial success, but would also put him at odds with friends and fans alike.

After the death of founding member Brian Jones Jeff Beck was approached to join The Rolling Stones. Mick Taylor had initially filled that spot but left complaining of poor treatment by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

Beck's post-Yardbirds project, The Jeff Beck Group, originally started with Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, although musically successful, was cementing Beck's reputation for being tempermental and difficult to work with. Stewart and Wood would finally jump ship to join The Faces. Ironically, it would be Ronnie Wood who would take the position that Beck had coveted in The Stones.

The Jeff Beck Group would go on to cycle through impressive line-ups featuring some of the best musicians in the UK. This project allowed Beck the freedom to experiment, to surround himself with other creative artists, to grow at his own pace musically. During his career Beck has been credited with creating the sounds that would become psychedelic rock and heavy metal. He has won five Grammy awards.

At the same time that Beck was becoming renowned for musical combat, Eric Clapton was entering a period of personal turbulence that would prove to intensify his reputation as both an incomparable guitarist and a deeply troubled, often self-destructive, man. If there were a grave marker at the end of each of Clapton's musical phases and I could write the epitaph, this period would read Broken on the wheel, I climbed their corpses to reach the Gods.

This period would see Clapton vilified for rumors of his mistreatment of Brian Jones just prior to his death. Even as his place as a world renowned musician was secured, his reputation for erratic behavior was growing. He was facing down the dual demons of heroin and alcohol addiction and the implosion of Cream. When his next effort, Blind Faith, failed to rise above mediocrity, Clapton took off for the U.S. He worked on the studio sessions known as Music From Free Creek, as did Jeff Beck, although they managed to avoid one another during recording.

It was also during this period that Clapton was introduced to Jimi Hendrix. As much as he had been critical of Jeff Beck and Brian Jones' musical experimentation, he embraced Hendrix's reverb and feedback-laced acid rock. The fact that Jimi Hendrix was the only guitarist at the time to usurp Clapton's place as the world's greatest guitarist might also have made Clapton more tolerant towards his musical bastardizations.

Whatever the reason, Hendrix was one of the few musicians with whom Clapton never found fault. It has long been rumored that Clapton even went so far as to buy Hendrix a left-handed guitar for his 28th birthday (An extremely thoughtful gift). Hendrix was known to re-string right-handed guitars and play them upside down. A skill born of necessity during the days when he couldn't afford the more expensive left-handed guitars. It would be a birthday that Hendrix would never celebrate, a gift that he would never receive.

Clapton worked with The Plastic Ono Band on the Live Peace in Toronto album as well as recording his self-named first solo album. He also began spending time with close friend George Harrison as they worked on Harrison's album All Things Must Pass. It was during this time that Clapton developed an intense infatuation with Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd. His unrequited passion would lead him to form Derek and the Dominos and release the song "Layla", written to woo her. The song marked a dynamic change in Clapton's musical style. It was raw, fiery and passionate. It was rock and roll.

With the addition of Duane Allman (The Allman Brothers Band) and his searing guitar work to the Dominos, his growing friendship with Jimi Hendrix and inspiration from his (still unattainable) musical muse, Pattie Boyd-Harrison, Clapton seemed to be overcoming the demons of his past. And then it all came crashing down around him.

The devastating deaths of Jimi Hendrix and Duane Allman, along with public criticism over the discovery that "Layla" was written for Harrison's wife, sent Clapton further into the depths of drug addiction. In a drunken rage he took to the stage in Birmingham England and went on a tirade saying that England was turning into "a black colony" and people should vote for Enoch Powell to "keep Britain white." The media and his fans turned against him. The response from his fellow musicians was the creation of the crusade Rock Against Racism.

His reputation seriously tarnished, he would disappear from the public eye while he fought his heroin addiction and reappear with Pattie Boyd, now divorced from George Harrison, finally by his side. He would release the critically acclaimed album Slowhand featuring "Wonderful Tonight," another song written for Boyd, although it would still be years before she would agree to marry him.

I recall once reading an article after the break up of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall in which Hall was asked about gifts given her by Jagger. Although I do not recall her exact reply it was something along the lines of 'I always knew when Mick cheated. He would return home with a sheepish look and expensive gifts'.

I imagine that it was much the same for Boyd. In 1979, after years of public criticism for dumping Harrison and pressure from Clapton, she finally agreed to marry him. During their marriage Clapton would father two children by women he had affairs with. Ruth, whom he did not acknowledge publicly as his daughter until well after his divorce from Boyd, and Conor, whose death after a fall from his mother's 53rd story New York apartment window at the age of four inspired the song "Tears In Heaven." That song earned Clapton six Grammy Awards. It also marked a change in Clapton's attitude. He has become less rigid and competitive over music and musicianship. Willing to give credit where credit is due. For the most part.

Clapton ranked #4 to Beck's #14 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists, published in 2003. The one thing that is consistently said about Clapton's playing is that he plays as if his guitar is merely an extension of his own body. The heights that Clapton has risen to as a musician would be viewed by most as an achievement, but for Clapton it was an obstacle that he needed to overcome. No one can truly appreciate success when they take themselves too seriously. Clapton seems to have found his humor at last.

Jeff Beck's re-emergence into the spotlight is introducing his music, and his unique approach to guitar playing, to a new generation of fans. His determination to dissect every chord and note, to move it, bend it and stretch it until it holds no secrets from him. He knows his instrument intimately. He has explored it like a lover. But it is the precision of his fretwork that still impresses most. His fingers seem to fly in a blur, yet he hits every note distinctly. While fellow guitarists bemoan Beck's lower ranking on the lists of guitar players there really is no one to blame but Beck himself. He has never courted, nor even seemed to care for, commercial popularity.

Eventually Eric Clapton ditched the raw, emotional wailing that has made "Layla" consistently rise to the top of Greatest Songs lists for the more adult contemporary/pop oriented sound that led to heavy radio rotation and record sales, while Jeff Beck continued to work in a different realm entirely, gaining critical praise for his innovative guitar explorations and becoming the sort of guitarist that other guitarists use as a measuring stick. There are few guitarists who can do what Beck does with a guitar. They may be able to emulate him, but the process by which he creates is a secret that lives within him only.

The point where these two artists diverged musically made their 'guitar rivalry' moot. They were no longer competition for one another. They weren't even playing for the same audience any more. But they have now. To sold out audiences in London, New York and Canada.

In a minuscule musical community that offers no more than two degrees of separation between members (that fishbowl known as The British Invasion), Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck have managed to keep their distance from one another for more than forty years. The end of their rivalry leaves a faint ray of hope for future collaborations--and a certain sense of mourning; a nostalgic longing for the good old days of piss and spit, rock and roll rivalries.

Billy Corgan News

Smashing Pumpkins mastermind Billy Corgan definitely knows how to write a sonic epic.

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, his two-disc opus from 1995, remains a modern alternative rock classic—spawning multiple hits and a journey that was definitive for an entire generation. You'll never forget that "Zero" shirt or the "1979" video…Given the breadth, scope and vision of Corgan's work, he might as well be rock 'n' roll's equivalent of Tchaikovsky. There's always a symphonic, orchestral and cinematic thread tying together Corgan's music. Siamese Dream had it, and his most recent studio release Zeitgeist exhibited the same progressive cohesion. However, Corgan's releasing his most epic work to date right now with Teargarden By Kaleidyscope, 44 new songs, released one-at-a-time forming a larger vision. Released via the band's official site for free, the tracks are classic Pumpkins—haunting, hypnotic, heavy at times and simply undeniable. "Widow Wake My Mind" and "A Stitch In Time" show just how diverse Corgan is, while "A Song for a Son" is one of the legend's most poetic and pensive offerings.

The Smashing Pumpkins visionary sat down with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino for an exclusive interview about how crucial "the song" is for Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, the importance of social networks, what an honor it'd be to work with Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino and why the world can always thankfully just go back to Shakespeare.

Given the engaging, visual nature of the songs, if Teargarden By Kaleidyscope were a movie, what would you compare it to?

I would say if Teargarden were to be a film, it would be best served as directed by the great Russian director Tarkovsky. I wish it was more like Alice in Wonderland, but alas I have not had a life so charmed.

Do these 44-songs tell one complete story?

I don't feel like a single life tells only one story. So in that way my album will tell many different stories about my life.

How important is it for artists to tell stories sonically?

I don't think it is important at all. Many great rock songs are more like perfect snapshots of a moment in time that can never be reclaimed, only visited.

The Teargarden songs have a pronounced poetry lyrically that's very poignant. Where you reading a lot while you were writing?

Usually when I'm writing lots of songs I can't read, which drives me crazy because I love to read. I find these days I am writing a simpler lyric, which I am OK with but I would prefer to be writing more like F. Scott Fitzgerald instead.

Are there any authors or works of literature that are especially inspiring to you?

Shakespeare and Bob Dylan I find are always best when trying to goad oneself into a higher level of written communication.

Did you go into recording Teargarden with all 44 songs completed?

So far I've written something like 50+ songs but I think many of them are good but not great. My guess is many of the good ones won't see the light of day, and I'll just have to write more in the hopes of besting what I have. I would prefer if every song were great from now on.

"A Song for Son," "Widow Make My Mind" and "A Stitch in Time" all standalone wonderfully, but at the same time, they share the same spirit. Would you say that's the case?

I agree with that, and thank you for the compliment. They all, I feel, are born of the same 'wandering bard, folkish' root. I might be a closet hippie.

Do you have a favorite song from these Teargarden sessions? It almost seems like the songs blend the classic distorted psychedelica of Gish with the epic nature of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.

There is a song called "Spangled" that I love very much that is sitting in a box waiting to come out. It is not often that the songs I love are the ones others love. but this one might be one of those. It has one of my favorite lines I think I've ever written, something about butterflies not being able to make it in the movies. As far as the mix of distorted psychedelia in the music with the epic quality of say the Mellon Collie album, that is probably true about it re-appearing. It is kind of surprising to me because it is a sound I thought I had lost for good but it seems to have organically re-appeared to support these songs. I love the sound a lot and it is exciting to be in this amusement park of fuzz and blurry colors again.

Your guitar playing and lyrics align so seamlessly. Do you feel like you speak through both at the same time?

I would say with 25 years and counting behind me I communicate best when my guitar playing is well married to my voice and whatever it is I am trying to say. I learned to sing by playing lines on the guitar and so maybe that's where that all comes from?

In some ways, do you feel like you're bridging the gap between the modern and classic methods of releasing an album with Teargarden? You're embracing the online platform of sending out a song at a time, but you've certainly created an intricate whole vision with the entire record.

I think we are back to the old way of connecting with people, which is one song at a time. And maybe it isn't such a bad thing that you are as only as good as your last song. It is exciting to be more in the moment with the songwriting and recording. I'm sure I'll make some funny choices about what should or shouldn't come out, but I want to see if I can reach a level that the old way of releasing didn't seem to afford me.

How crucial are online tools such as Facebook, Twitter and Myspace to music? Do you feel like they bring fans closer to the music or make the experience more impersonal?

The social networks, as they are known, are fantastic places to connect the dots between something exciting and how to gain quick access to it. If people are finding friends and, even in some cases, husbands and wives and partners online, then music would naturally be a part of the way that they would share who they are.

Are there any Teargarden iPod or iPad apps in the works?

It has been discussed but someone tried to tell me that it was a mixed bag, that stuff. I am not tech savvy enough to know what is and isn't cool in that world.

How do you stay so prolific? Are you constantly finding new avenues of inspiration?

I believe the source of all creativity comes from the same place that keeps the Sun hot and the Earth spinning. In essence since each moment is unique in our lives there is always something new to discuss.

The visual aesthetic of The Smashing Pumpkins has always been so unique and unforgettable. Do you have ideas for the stage show, album covers and video concepts when you're writing the songs or do the songs dictate that aesthetic once they're complete?

I have tons of ideas but often times I don't have the support or resources around me to help me make them real. I wish I could do all that I dream of.

If you could work with any director on scoring a film, who would you want to collaborate with and why?

I would be honored to work with Quentin Tarantino or Martin Scorcese in that capacity because they use music in very important ways in their films. Woody Allen as well.

What's on your playlist right now? Who are you listening to? Also, have you seen any movies that were particularly inspiring as of late?

I mostly listen to Fred Astaire and Vaughn Monroe these days, if any one wants to look them up. As far as movies, I mostly watch movies from the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

What inspired you to come up with the "open audition" online process for the band?

The open process of audition seems to me to be the best way to say that The Smashing Pumpkins as a band is really about creating an opportunity, and trying to find whoever out there might be most drawn to that opportunity. It has more to do with faith and the laws of attraction than music in many ways.

What's next for you?

I am currently writing a long-form story version of the old myth of Medea that will be published in book along side a story by my friend Claire Fercak. Once I finish that, I am writing a spiritual memoir that would be finished next year. Also planning a tour with the Pumpkins, which is exciting.