*posted by Britt, who wishes she had enough battery power to...
-elaborate on TOMS
-review Rooney's sophomore album 'Calling the World'
-stir up Perfuma's leaky cauldron of album secrets
*Brittany
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
shoes with soul.
TOMS shoes is making the world a bit comfier one step at a time. for every pair of TOMS shoes bought, a pair is donated to a barefoot child in need. check this new foot phenom out at www.tomsshoes.com. treat yourself to a fab pair and feel good knowing that you made the road a child in need walks on a little less rough.
*posted by Britt, who wishes she had enough battery power to...
-elaborate on TOMS
-review Rooney's sophomore album 'Calling the World'
-stir up Perfuma's leaky cauldron of album secrets
*Brittany
*posted by Britt, who wishes she had enough battery power to...
-elaborate on TOMS
-review Rooney's sophomore album 'Calling the World'
-stir up Perfuma's leaky cauldron of album secrets
*Brittany
Friday, July 13, 2007
Warped Tour 2007 (Ventura, CA)
Written By: Jackie Rudolph
Photos By: Jackie Rudolph & Farah Tamaddon
Ventura, California’s Seaside Park Warped Tour probably ranks as one of the best locations for Warped. With a huge plot of land used as fairgrounds smack dab next to the Pacific Ocean with its breeze making you survive the heat waves is the luxury provided for this hot summer, Southern California day. It’s definitely interesting to see all the bands that roll into Warped year after year. This year’s headlining bands consisted of bands like Pepper, Circle Jerks, Gallows, Pennywise, and last but not least, Bad Religion. Being at Warped Tour for about 8 hours that day was pretty much an enthralling experience, and even being there years before, it still doesn’t get old.
Don’t you just love it when thousands of people are in the crowd with you singing along to the same words that are coming out of the lead singer’s mouth? Being able to be apart of that experience is such a momentous event. Who cares if you’re next to a big old sweaty shirtless guy, it’s okay because you’re just living it up at Warped. It’s the day that everyone looks forward to in the summer where they don’t have any guilt about ditching school or work, because dude, it’s Warped Tour.
With seeing all the sick performances, I was even able to speak with a couple of the bands which was pretty sweet I must say. The bands that were breathing the same air as me that day were: The Spill Canvas, Paramore, and The Automatic Automatic. Right when I got to the concert, it was straight to the press booth to chat it up with Nick (vocals) and Joe (drums) from The Spill Canvas. Proudly sporting Sire Records, these South Dakota guys have in their words, “pieced together the puzzle” with their hard work and commitment as they started as an acoustic act and came up to what they are now over the past few years. Especially with South Dakota not having such as big of a music scene like other places, these guys were able to make a great success by working hard and making it big. With guys like The Spill Canvas, they show that they have an unstoppable motivation that can get them anywhere. So when asked what their favorite part about Warped was, they easily responded back “the camaraderie.” With being on Warped Tour with so many different bands for the summer, how is it not easy to become BFF with another band? These guys say they are buddies with bands like Circa Survive, Yellowcard, and Cute is What We Aim For…how cute. (pun intended…haha) So you better make sure to watch out for these South Dakota studs because they’ll sweep you off their feet with their tunes and make you coming back for more! Be sure to check them at out www.myspace.com/tsc.
After the interview with The Spill Canvas, I wandered through the fairgrounds and came across The Circle Jerks and The Unseen. Being at Warped is nice since there’s a good number of stages so if you’re not really digging one band’s style, it’s cool because you can just continue on to the next one. It was good to hear some more intense music than the other bands. The Circle Jerks took the main stage and showed how they rocked out in front of everyone, where as The Unseen were on a smaller stage, but were still able to attract a huge crowd. And let me tell you, I LOVED this crowd. Seeing these punks with enormous Mohawks and decked out in the coolest clothes, they were passionate about singing along with the band. This crowd was loud, intense, and probably one of the best crowds around who really showed you what it was like to be at a great show.
Later day that I got to talk to Paramore which consists of Hayley (18), Zach (17), Josh (19), and Jeremy (22). Young ages, huh? One must wonder … did the members of Paramore finish high school since they’re so young? Hayley explained that they graduated at different times, and she added that she even took the SAT…now I must say, recording, touring, and taking the SAT, that’s pretty amazing. Not many can conquer that task. But what about their families being accepting of their young offspring going out and playing in the rock scene instead of staying at home? Fortunately for them, their families are really cool with it, especially since they’re all really close. With the four of them starting in 2004, they have had 3 years of being together, and hopefully many more to come in the future. This is their 3rd year on Warped Tour and are not even close to being sick of it. “It’s like summer camp, we hang out with our friends,” Hayley mentioned. If Warped Tour were my summer camp, wow, I’d be in Heaven. With bands playing from morning to night, food stands all over the place, thousands of people, and booths galore, what’s not missing? I came across one booth which Paramore is deeply involved in which is known as To Write Love On Her Arms. It’s a good cause that deals with suicide prevention, and if Paramore truly believes in it, as well as so many other people, then you might want to check it out at http://www.twloha.com.
Right after speaking with Paramore, I was able to have a nice conversation with Rob, the lead singer of the up and coming band, The Automatic Automatic. This Welsh guy was quite the character I must say. His stories were hilarious and if you have a chance to go see The Automatic Automatic, go for it! The band is new to America, but they are on the right track to doing well out here. A humorous story that Rob mentioned in the interview was that one time back in the U.K. during a summer concert, the venue was boiling, “it felt like a greenhouse.” Since it was so hot, the guys decided to play an encore in their boxer shorts for the hundreds of people that were in the crowd that night. Rob continued his story with saying, “After we knew it, there were loads of people who started stripping off their clothes!” Even if it was a joke that the band wanted to do at first, they inspired the majority of the crowd to get naked. So watch out everyone, because it’s hot this summer and The Automatic Automatic is coming to a town near you! Besides their success with getting their fans naked, they have been quite the roar back home in the U.K. with selling a numerous amount of records. But now that they’re in the U.S. of A, it’s a new game since the U.S. is the biggest market, and like how Rob puts it, “each state is like its own country.” At least the guys seem to get along with each other since they met when they were very young. Rob explains, “I met the guitarist when I was either 4 or 5 years old, so we got our music together for 15-16 years.” These guys seem like they are ready to take on the U.S., with their high ranked album back in the U.K., and their touring this summer, one must question…what will they come up with next? Well, just be ready to be taken by storm, America…and that goes for Canada too!
So with ending the day as the sun set into the Pacific Ocean waves, and Killswitch Engage being the final performance on the main stage, I am able to say that this was a successful Warped Tour. The performances from bands like Bad Religion, Circle Jerks, Circa Survive, Pennywise, Pepper, Gallows, Paramore, The Spill Canvas, The Automatic Automatic, and all the others on the lineup of that day were pretty much amazing. So you still have time to catch a Warped Tour since it doesn’t end until late August, so if you haven’t been yet…GO! Because I know you don’t want to wait until next year while you still have the chance to go now!
Photos By: Jackie Rudolph & Farah Tamaddon
Ventura, California’s Seaside Park Warped Tour probably ranks as one of the best locations for Warped. With a huge plot of land used as fairgrounds smack dab next to the Pacific Ocean with its breeze making you survive the heat waves is the luxury provided for this hot summer, Southern California day. It’s definitely interesting to see all the bands that roll into Warped year after year. This year’s headlining bands consisted of bands like Pepper, Circle Jerks, Gallows, Pennywise, and last but not least, Bad Religion. Being at Warped Tour for about 8 hours that day was pretty much an enthralling experience, and even being there years before, it still doesn’t get old.
Don’t you just love it when thousands of people are in the crowd with you singing along to the same words that are coming out of the lead singer’s mouth? Being able to be apart of that experience is such a momentous event. Who cares if you’re next to a big old sweaty shirtless guy, it’s okay because you’re just living it up at Warped. It’s the day that everyone looks forward to in the summer where they don’t have any guilt about ditching school or work, because dude, it’s Warped Tour.
With seeing all the sick performances, I was even able to speak with a couple of the bands which was pretty sweet I must say. The bands that were breathing the same air as me that day were: The Spill Canvas, Paramore, and The Automatic Automatic. Right when I got to the concert, it was straight to the press booth to chat it up with Nick (vocals) and Joe (drums) from The Spill Canvas. Proudly sporting Sire Records, these South Dakota guys have in their words, “pieced together the puzzle” with their hard work and commitment as they started as an acoustic act and came up to what they are now over the past few years. Especially with South Dakota not having such as big of a music scene like other places, these guys were able to make a great success by working hard and making it big. With guys like The Spill Canvas, they show that they have an unstoppable motivation that can get them anywhere. So when asked what their favorite part about Warped was, they easily responded back “the camaraderie.” With being on Warped Tour with so many different bands for the summer, how is it not easy to become BFF with another band? These guys say they are buddies with bands like Circa Survive, Yellowcard, and Cute is What We Aim For…how cute. (pun intended…haha) So you better make sure to watch out for these South Dakota studs because they’ll sweep you off their feet with their tunes and make you coming back for more! Be sure to check them at out www.myspace.com/tsc.
After the interview with The Spill Canvas, I wandered through the fairgrounds and came across The Circle Jerks and The Unseen. Being at Warped is nice since there’s a good number of stages so if you’re not really digging one band’s style, it’s cool because you can just continue on to the next one. It was good to hear some more intense music than the other bands. The Circle Jerks took the main stage and showed how they rocked out in front of everyone, where as The Unseen were on a smaller stage, but were still able to attract a huge crowd. And let me tell you, I LOVED this crowd. Seeing these punks with enormous Mohawks and decked out in the coolest clothes, they were passionate about singing along with the band. This crowd was loud, intense, and probably one of the best crowds around who really showed you what it was like to be at a great show.
Later day that I got to talk to Paramore which consists of Hayley (18), Zach (17), Josh (19), and Jeremy (22). Young ages, huh? One must wonder … did the members of Paramore finish high school since they’re so young? Hayley explained that they graduated at different times, and she added that she even took the SAT…now I must say, recording, touring, and taking the SAT, that’s pretty amazing. Not many can conquer that task. But what about their families being accepting of their young offspring going out and playing in the rock scene instead of staying at home? Fortunately for them, their families are really cool with it, especially since they’re all really close. With the four of them starting in 2004, they have had 3 years of being together, and hopefully many more to come in the future. This is their 3rd year on Warped Tour and are not even close to being sick of it. “It’s like summer camp, we hang out with our friends,” Hayley mentioned. If Warped Tour were my summer camp, wow, I’d be in Heaven. With bands playing from morning to night, food stands all over the place, thousands of people, and booths galore, what’s not missing? I came across one booth which Paramore is deeply involved in which is known as To Write Love On Her Arms. It’s a good cause that deals with suicide prevention, and if Paramore truly believes in it, as well as so many other people, then you might want to check it out at http://www.twloha.com.
Right after speaking with Paramore, I was able to have a nice conversation with Rob, the lead singer of the up and coming band, The Automatic Automatic. This Welsh guy was quite the character I must say. His stories were hilarious and if you have a chance to go see The Automatic Automatic, go for it! The band is new to America, but they are on the right track to doing well out here. A humorous story that Rob mentioned in the interview was that one time back in the U.K. during a summer concert, the venue was boiling, “it felt like a greenhouse.” Since it was so hot, the guys decided to play an encore in their boxer shorts for the hundreds of people that were in the crowd that night. Rob continued his story with saying, “After we knew it, there were loads of people who started stripping off their clothes!” Even if it was a joke that the band wanted to do at first, they inspired the majority of the crowd to get naked. So watch out everyone, because it’s hot this summer and The Automatic Automatic is coming to a town near you! Besides their success with getting their fans naked, they have been quite the roar back home in the U.K. with selling a numerous amount of records. But now that they’re in the U.S. of A, it’s a new game since the U.S. is the biggest market, and like how Rob puts it, “each state is like its own country.” At least the guys seem to get along with each other since they met when they were very young. Rob explains, “I met the guitarist when I was either 4 or 5 years old, so we got our music together for 15-16 years.” These guys seem like they are ready to take on the U.S., with their high ranked album back in the U.K., and their touring this summer, one must question…what will they come up with next? Well, just be ready to be taken by storm, America…and that goes for Canada too!
So with ending the day as the sun set into the Pacific Ocean waves, and Killswitch Engage being the final performance on the main stage, I am able to say that this was a successful Warped Tour. The performances from bands like Bad Religion, Circle Jerks, Circa Survive, Pennywise, Pepper, Gallows, Paramore, The Spill Canvas, The Automatic Automatic, and all the others on the lineup of that day were pretty much amazing. So you still have time to catch a Warped Tour since it doesn’t end until late August, so if you haven’t been yet…GO! Because I know you don’t want to wait until next year while you still have the chance to go now!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
coming at u from the wrong side of day.
Being a completely nocturnal person at the moment, I'm typing this at 2am UK time whilst working on finishing illustrations for a learning game. I have also never posted on here so i best introduce myself, I'm Gina. No stranger to this planet verge business I have been somewhat absent from it for a while. So why am i writing? To rant and rave and share my thoughts like the other girls do. and hell I'm starting with this.
The live earth concerts.
The live earth concert in the uk (held at webly areana) was staged a week after the Diana tribute concert and was at the same venue, with similar artists. Not only was i comfused as to which highlights from which concert i was watching on TV, it really ruined the 'specialniss' (its not a real word, i know) of the Diana tribute. This is a sidenote to what I want to rant about however.
HOW ON EARTH DOES 7 OR 8 CONCERTS WORLDWIDE DO ANYTHING TO HELP THE STATE OF THE EARTH?! The concert is live earth, it aims to raise awareness of climate control throughout the world through music. I do not understand how using as much lighting, energy and resources as it did to host 8 worldwide concerts really helps to control the energy levels. How does hosting these huge concerts really contribute to helping the matter? Can music really bring people together to take action against an issue like this? Concerts to 'raise awareness' of matters really are the biggest gimic in the book. Any excuse for a charity or company to gather together some huge names getting paid rediculious ammounts so they can get some TV air time does not constitute to helping solve a problem. Now the concert is over, the television coverage in the UK to promote the cause has plummeted right back down to minimal again and the issue has now been swept under the carpet and in its place is 'the next big thing' we have to throw a concert and a party about to try and 'resolve'. For every person i have asked who watched it, not one of them have responded with 'that was a good concert, what are your views on the climate change?' or 'what a good way to raise awareness' , they have simply spoke of the bands who played or something along the lines of the pussycat dolls wearing next to nothing on stage. How that helps solve the situation i DON'T KNOW!.
So the next time some charity wants to raise awareness of a situation, think outside the box and don't put on a concert, you're raising nothing but the profiles of the people who play it, not the issue you wish to promote.
On a totaly different note, if you are hitting warped tour this year please PLEASE go and see BIFFY CLYRO. I have to fly the patriotic scottish flag here, and yes i am probably very biased but whether they came from Ayr, scotland or the middle of nowhere, they are one of my favourite bands ever. Their new album 'puzzle' hit number 2 in the UK charts but if it all sounds a bit too generic rock for you, look into older LP's such as 'Blackened Sky' and 'The vertigo of bliss'. Hit up Itunes and download '27', '57', 'justboy' 'glitter and trauma' and/or 'Saturday superhouse' to get a taster. their dates are as follows...
28 Jul 2007 12:00
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre Chicago, Illinois
29 Jul 2007 12:00
Metrodome Minneapolis, Minnesota
31 Jul 2007 12:00
Marcus Amphitheatre Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1 Aug 2007 12:00
Riverbend Music Center Cincinnati, Ohio
3 Aug 2007 12:00
Tweeter Center at the Waterfront Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
4 Aug 2007 12:00
Nassau Coliseum New York City, New York
5 Aug 2007 12:00
Raceway Park Englishtown, New Jersey
7 Aug 2007 12:00
Verizon Wireless Center Indianapolis, Indiana
8 Aug 2007 12:00
Post Gazette Pavilion Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
9 Aug 2007 12:00
Tweeter Center Boston, Massachusetts
10 Aug 2007 12:00
Darien Lakes Field Buffalo, New York
11 Aug 2007 12:00
Park Place Toronto, Ontario
12 Aug 2007 12:00
Parc Jean-Drapeau Montreal, Quebec
14 Aug 2007 12:00
UMB Bank Pavilion St Louis, Missouri
15 Aug 2007 12:00
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Kansas City, Kansas
Other UK bands to get on your myspace whilst I'm at it:
Tellison, from London. With their astounding album contact! contact! www.myspace.com/tellison
and also
Hell is for heroes - this band have been on the UK circuit for years, yet when i recently went to london to see them at one very small Barfly venue, they as always, tore the place apart with both new and old material. Best songs to download, 'I can climb mountains' and 'you drove me to it'
www.myspace.com/hellisforheroes.
That's all for now, must crash, More UK bands and useless banter to be added soon!
Gina xo
The live earth concerts.
The live earth concert in the uk (held at webly areana) was staged a week after the Diana tribute concert and was at the same venue, with similar artists. Not only was i comfused as to which highlights from which concert i was watching on TV, it really ruined the 'specialniss' (its not a real word, i know) of the Diana tribute. This is a sidenote to what I want to rant about however.
HOW ON EARTH DOES 7 OR 8 CONCERTS WORLDWIDE DO ANYTHING TO HELP THE STATE OF THE EARTH?! The concert is live earth, it aims to raise awareness of climate control throughout the world through music. I do not understand how using as much lighting, energy and resources as it did to host 8 worldwide concerts really helps to control the energy levels. How does hosting these huge concerts really contribute to helping the matter? Can music really bring people together to take action against an issue like this? Concerts to 'raise awareness' of matters really are the biggest gimic in the book. Any excuse for a charity or company to gather together some huge names getting paid rediculious ammounts so they can get some TV air time does not constitute to helping solve a problem. Now the concert is over, the television coverage in the UK to promote the cause has plummeted right back down to minimal again and the issue has now been swept under the carpet and in its place is 'the next big thing' we have to throw a concert and a party about to try and 'resolve'. For every person i have asked who watched it, not one of them have responded with 'that was a good concert, what are your views on the climate change?' or 'what a good way to raise awareness' , they have simply spoke of the bands who played or something along the lines of the pussycat dolls wearing next to nothing on stage. How that helps solve the situation i DON'T KNOW!.
So the next time some charity wants to raise awareness of a situation, think outside the box and don't put on a concert, you're raising nothing but the profiles of the people who play it, not the issue you wish to promote.
On a totaly different note, if you are hitting warped tour this year please PLEASE go and see BIFFY CLYRO. I have to fly the patriotic scottish flag here, and yes i am probably very biased but whether they came from Ayr, scotland or the middle of nowhere, they are one of my favourite bands ever. Their new album 'puzzle' hit number 2 in the UK charts but if it all sounds a bit too generic rock for you, look into older LP's such as 'Blackened Sky' and 'The vertigo of bliss'. Hit up Itunes and download '27', '57', 'justboy' 'glitter and trauma' and/or 'Saturday superhouse' to get a taster. their dates are as follows...
28 Jul 2007 12:00
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre Chicago, Illinois
29 Jul 2007 12:00
Metrodome Minneapolis, Minnesota
31 Jul 2007 12:00
Marcus Amphitheatre Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1 Aug 2007 12:00
Riverbend Music Center Cincinnati, Ohio
3 Aug 2007 12:00
Tweeter Center at the Waterfront Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
4 Aug 2007 12:00
Nassau Coliseum New York City, New York
5 Aug 2007 12:00
Raceway Park Englishtown, New Jersey
7 Aug 2007 12:00
Verizon Wireless Center Indianapolis, Indiana
8 Aug 2007 12:00
Post Gazette Pavilion Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
9 Aug 2007 12:00
Tweeter Center Boston, Massachusetts
10 Aug 2007 12:00
Darien Lakes Field Buffalo, New York
11 Aug 2007 12:00
Park Place Toronto, Ontario
12 Aug 2007 12:00
Parc Jean-Drapeau Montreal, Quebec
14 Aug 2007 12:00
UMB Bank Pavilion St Louis, Missouri
15 Aug 2007 12:00
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Kansas City, Kansas
Other UK bands to get on your myspace whilst I'm at it:
Tellison, from London. With their astounding album contact! contact! www.myspace.com/tellison
and also
Hell is for heroes - this band have been on the UK circuit for years, yet when i recently went to london to see them at one very small Barfly venue, they as always, tore the place apart with both new and old material. Best songs to download, 'I can climb mountains' and 'you drove me to it'
www.myspace.com/hellisforheroes.
That's all for now, must crash, More UK bands and useless banter to be added soon!
Gina xo
RIP, JANE
Shocking news- JANE magazine will print its last issue this August.
Or... not so shocking?
JANE used to be be the only magazine I read from front to back, each and every line. I loved that each writer's personality was portrayed through their writing. The staff became characters in my mind and I anticipated their next move. Gigi was my favorite. I missed her when she left. But greats like Katy McColl, Stefanie Trong, Annemarie Conte, Erin Flaherty, Esther Haynes, Joshua Lyon and Jeff kept things going. (OK, actually I liked it better when there was an actual music editor).
Then founder, Jane Pratt, left JANE. Things were never the same. My subscription ended and I never renewed it. Issues would arrive at my door and live lifelessly on my desk, having only been flipped through once. Maybe it's because I got too busy living life to read about other people's. Or, the magazine just lost its magic.
I was excited when former Teen People (also RIP) staffer, Laura Morgan went over to JANE. But unfortunately, now matter which magazine she stayed out would have made a difference. They both had the same fate.
Rumor has it that JANE won't even reside online. That's a devastatingly cruel fate. At least archive the articles for future 20-something women to look up to!!
I was excited to see Zooey on the cover of a magazine. What other publication would be brave enough to do that?
Bauer publishing was slated to launch Cocktail, a magazine for 20-something women. It got shut down before employees even got a full day's work in! Chickens. How is anything great going to revolutionize the world if no one takes risks. Publishers should go sit down with label A&R reps and have a little "we suck" party.
And there's all excitement for Fashionista Diaries on SoapNet. I was so excited for that.
Back when Planet Verge first started, JANE was my muse. I tried to inject personal tidbits about our staff to help our audience feel connected to us. I dreamed of one day working a JANE.
Today, I work at The Musician's Atlas. Updating our database on press is upsetting. So many magazines are getting shut down, or dropping in circulation.
I used to be frustrated when Planet Verge never became totally huge or picked up by a major distributor. But now I'm ok with it. It's a bad time for print. And a bad time for music. And I'm a part of both so wish me luck! lol
Seriously, let's all appreciate what JANE magazine did for women-kind. Here's to hoping that someday, we can all get back that feeling of holding a brand new issue is our bands for the first time when we pick up another magazine.
*By Joelle, who writes little blurbs like this after her name because she loves that JANE did it
Or... not so shocking?
JANE used to be be the only magazine I read from front to back, each and every line. I loved that each writer's personality was portrayed through their writing. The staff became characters in my mind and I anticipated their next move. Gigi was my favorite. I missed her when she left. But greats like Katy McColl, Stefanie Trong, Annemarie Conte, Erin Flaherty, Esther Haynes, Joshua Lyon and Jeff kept things going. (OK, actually I liked it better when there was an actual music editor).
Then founder, Jane Pratt, left JANE. Things were never the same. My subscription ended and I never renewed it. Issues would arrive at my door and live lifelessly on my desk, having only been flipped through once. Maybe it's because I got too busy living life to read about other people's. Or, the magazine just lost its magic.
I was excited when former Teen People (also RIP) staffer, Laura Morgan went over to JANE. But unfortunately, now matter which magazine she stayed out would have made a difference. They both had the same fate.
Rumor has it that JANE won't even reside online. That's a devastatingly cruel fate. At least archive the articles for future 20-something women to look up to!!
I was excited to see Zooey on the cover of a magazine. What other publication would be brave enough to do that?
Bauer publishing was slated to launch Cocktail, a magazine for 20-something women. It got shut down before employees even got a full day's work in! Chickens. How is anything great going to revolutionize the world if no one takes risks. Publishers should go sit down with label A&R reps and have a little "we suck" party.
And there's all excitement for Fashionista Diaries on SoapNet. I was so excited for that.
Back when Planet Verge first started, JANE was my muse. I tried to inject personal tidbits about our staff to help our audience feel connected to us. I dreamed of one day working a JANE.
Today, I work at The Musician's Atlas. Updating our database on press is upsetting. So many magazines are getting shut down, or dropping in circulation.
I used to be frustrated when Planet Verge never became totally huge or picked up by a major distributor. But now I'm ok with it. It's a bad time for print. And a bad time for music. And I'm a part of both so wish me luck! lol
Seriously, let's all appreciate what JANE magazine did for women-kind. Here's to hoping that someday, we can all get back that feeling of holding a brand new issue is our bands for the first time when we pick up another magazine.
*By Joelle, who writes little blurbs like this after her name because she loves that JANE did it
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Jessica's Got Her Gun Out
Just because I don't drink (for personal reasons I don't care to discuss in a public forum) doesn't mean I necessarily have a problem with other people consuming alcohol. Frankly, what others do isn't my business, nor is it my concern.
However, when you go to a show smashed out of your gourd, it becomes a problem.
Last night I went to see Rediscover at the Internet Cafe in Red Bank. Opening for them were Upper Clash Trash and Time and Distance. One of the guys in Time and Distance brought his girlfriend with him to the show. She was a cute, petite blonde, and she was polite to me when squeezing past to use the ladies' room--which, I should point out, is really inconveniently placed behind and slightly to the left of where the bands play (there's no actual stage, they're on the floor), so there's lots of amps, equipment, and musicians in the way when one has to tinkle--so I decided that I liked her and that she was a nice girl.
One of the three drunk girls--one in a green dress with a habit of sitting with her legs wide open and trying (and failing) to dance seductively with her chubby blonde friend whose bra kept coming out of her shirt--tried to kiss this particular member of Time and Distance while his girlfriend was right next to him. When he pushed her away, she became belligerent.
This all went down while I was dancing to Rediscover's killer set, and it partially interrupted it. When the girls began to argue, a big part of the crowd that was in their area moved with them towards the exit, leading frontman Wes to throw his mic down mid-song and chase them to see what was going on. When he and the drunk girl in green returned, he asked the crowd what happened. A girl who looked no more than about twelve years old yelled, "You have to be a slut to try making out with a guy when his girlfriend's right next to him!" The drunk girl in the dress began a slurred soliloquy about how it was "totally, like an accident, seriously guys." The crowd responded with a chant of "GET OUT, SLUT," leading to the ceremonious exit of the Trashed Trio, partially orchestrated by Wes himself, who called her actions "fucked up" and "nuts."
Best of all, those class acts were all captured on video by members of the bands who were clearly influenced as much by Joe Francis as they were by MxPx.
Despite the drunken distractions, Rediscover played an amazing set considering the sound system left a bit to be desired and that most keyboard-based bands aren't great live. Rediscover are an enormous exception to this rule.
And on top of it all? Wes smells really, really good.
Bravo, fellas.
*By Jess, who got serenaded with her friends Ella and Etta. If you don't understand the reference, that's the point.
However, when you go to a show smashed out of your gourd, it becomes a problem.
Last night I went to see Rediscover at the Internet Cafe in Red Bank. Opening for them were Upper Clash Trash and Time and Distance. One of the guys in Time and Distance brought his girlfriend with him to the show. She was a cute, petite blonde, and she was polite to me when squeezing past to use the ladies' room--which, I should point out, is really inconveniently placed behind and slightly to the left of where the bands play (there's no actual stage, they're on the floor), so there's lots of amps, equipment, and musicians in the way when one has to tinkle--so I decided that I liked her and that she was a nice girl.
One of the three drunk girls--one in a green dress with a habit of sitting with her legs wide open and trying (and failing) to dance seductively with her chubby blonde friend whose bra kept coming out of her shirt--tried to kiss this particular member of Time and Distance while his girlfriend was right next to him. When he pushed her away, she became belligerent.
This all went down while I was dancing to Rediscover's killer set, and it partially interrupted it. When the girls began to argue, a big part of the crowd that was in their area moved with them towards the exit, leading frontman Wes to throw his mic down mid-song and chase them to see what was going on. When he and the drunk girl in green returned, he asked the crowd what happened. A girl who looked no more than about twelve years old yelled, "You have to be a slut to try making out with a guy when his girlfriend's right next to him!" The drunk girl in the dress began a slurred soliloquy about how it was "totally, like an accident, seriously guys." The crowd responded with a chant of "GET OUT, SLUT," leading to the ceremonious exit of the Trashed Trio, partially orchestrated by Wes himself, who called her actions "fucked up" and "nuts."
Best of all, those class acts were all captured on video by members of the bands who were clearly influenced as much by Joe Francis as they were by MxPx.
Despite the drunken distractions, Rediscover played an amazing set considering the sound system left a bit to be desired and that most keyboard-based bands aren't great live. Rediscover are an enormous exception to this rule.
And on top of it all? Wes smells really, really good.
Bravo, fellas.
*By Jess, who got serenaded with her friends Ella and Etta. If you don't understand the reference, that's the point.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Thursday, July 05, 2007
sephoratitis.
i went to sephora yesterday. y'all know what that means... planetverge beauty rant!
here it is, ladies. favourite new items:
-stella mccartney eau de parfum roll-ons:
this is by far one of the best things i've bought in a while. it's summer and we ladies have places to be and people to see. with stella mccartney's eau de parfum roll-on, you can just throw the .33 oz bottle in your purse or clutch and jetset anywhere. you will leave a legacy of gorgeous air wherever you go. the fact that they are only $13 is pretty swell. they are sold exclusively at sephora... hop on sephora.com and get one or buy a set of four for $35.
runner up is rosebud salve:
i use rosebud salve on my lips and my cuticles. with just a hint of red, it makes your lips look full and healthy. apply to your lips with your fingers and then rub the excess into your cuticles. you can also use it on your elbows, knees and heels... or anywhere that you desire a sleek, healthy glow. where else can you get flawless skin and a manicure for $6? keep it in your pocket or your purse for on-the-go glossing.
lastly... bare escentuals get started eye kit:
this set is so universal. it comes with 3 neutral colors and a liner shadow that compliment all shades of eyecolor. it also provides you with all the brushes you need to achieve that perfect doe-eyed look. it's $49 but it's worth every pretty penny. locking gazes across a crowded room, a candle-lit table or a campfire will become a snap. get this kit and all eyes will be on you.
*posted by Britt, whose wrists have become permanently attached to her nose. thanks, stella.
here it is, ladies. favourite new items:
-stella mccartney eau de parfum roll-ons:
this is by far one of the best things i've bought in a while. it's summer and we ladies have places to be and people to see. with stella mccartney's eau de parfum roll-on, you can just throw the .33 oz bottle in your purse or clutch and jetset anywhere. you will leave a legacy of gorgeous air wherever you go. the fact that they are only $13 is pretty swell. they are sold exclusively at sephora... hop on sephora.com and get one or buy a set of four for $35.
runner up is rosebud salve:
i use rosebud salve on my lips and my cuticles. with just a hint of red, it makes your lips look full and healthy. apply to your lips with your fingers and then rub the excess into your cuticles. you can also use it on your elbows, knees and heels... or anywhere that you desire a sleek, healthy glow. where else can you get flawless skin and a manicure for $6? keep it in your pocket or your purse for on-the-go glossing.
lastly... bare escentuals get started eye kit:
this set is so universal. it comes with 3 neutral colors and a liner shadow that compliment all shades of eyecolor. it also provides you with all the brushes you need to achieve that perfect doe-eyed look. it's $49 but it's worth every pretty penny. locking gazes across a crowded room, a candle-lit table or a campfire will become a snap. get this kit and all eyes will be on you.
*posted by Britt, whose wrists have become permanently attached to her nose. thanks, stella.
Monday, July 02, 2007
To Hell with Dave Matthews' "boy's dream." This is the real deal.
Shadows Fall? Check.
Driving a badass van? Check.
Zombies and monsters? Check.
Killing things? Check.
Video game? Check.
Honestly, the only things missing from this game are boobs and beer. Men are sure to enjoy this regardless. And I did too, because I have the former and don't like the latter. Get ready to get addicted.
*By Jess, who likes this almost as much as Street Fighter.
Driving a badass van? Check.
Zombies and monsters? Check.
Killing things? Check.
Video game? Check.
Honestly, the only things missing from this game are boobs and beer. Men are sure to enjoy this regardless. And I did too, because I have the former and don't like the latter. Get ready to get addicted.
*By Jess, who likes this almost as much as Street Fighter.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
free neon love
if you've ever fantasized about a five-headed david bowie in gold spandex getting moognasty, your wildest dreams have come true. ever heard of apes and androids? they'll be your new guilty pleasure. the guilty part? well, because they are your standard brooklyn hipster -we play schminstruments and look like the baumer in space drag- organization. the pleasure? their sound is not so standard and their live performance is visual LSD. i had the chance to check them out at the wellsville creative arts center friday night and, let me tell you, it was quite the experience. the denim squeezed the cellulite, the neon bracelets were free and this little western new york village was transformed into a technicolor sonic boomtown. even some local talents got in on some of the action. calvin rocchio organized the show and played some killer hand percussion. calvin is quite a terror on the drumset and has played in a few popular local bands. he's also quite renowned for his photography and impeccable wardrobe. closing the show, the ever-talented and sexy phoebe oglesbee (www.myspace.com/phoebeoglesbee) screamed out a killer rendition of aerosmith's dream on. phoebe has been collaborating with apes and androids for a long time. apes back her tracks and morgan, the keyboard player, produces all of her stuff.
it has become quite apparent that they create a major scene wherever they haunt. from sxsw to some of the best venues in nyc (they hail from brooklyn) to teeny cafes in the hills of western new york, these five glamournauts bring the rave. check out their myspace (www.myspace.com/apesandandroids) and see and listen for yourself. you'll love it or hate it. even if you do hate it, you'll at least be able to add a scratch or two to your "most retarded..." bedpost.
word on the street is that there is some footage from the wellsville show getting uploaded onto vimeo as we speak. for now, here is a video of apes and androids playing the Four Eyed Monsters DVD release party:
on the way home from the show my pal senneca threw in some matt & kim. i'd heard of them a little while ago and wanted to punch them and say 'jack and meg don't do coattails so don't try riding them.' i gave ol' matt & kim a second listen, though, and i decided that they're actually alright. perfect to hum to while brushing your teeth... or any other activity that doesn't require much brain power.
so there's the weekend in review. your homework: check out apes and androids and phoebe oglesbee. and brush your teeth... not just to make matt & kim's existence less annoying but because it's good for you.
*posted by Britt, who is grateful she survived the great purge of '07 and vowing to post more and poop out less (as in sleep. c'mon now...).
it has become quite apparent that they create a major scene wherever they haunt. from sxsw to some of the best venues in nyc (they hail from brooklyn) to teeny cafes in the hills of western new york, these five glamournauts bring the rave. check out their myspace (www.myspace.com/apesandandroids) and see and listen for yourself. you'll love it or hate it. even if you do hate it, you'll at least be able to add a scratch or two to your "most retarded..." bedpost.
word on the street is that there is some footage from the wellsville show getting uploaded onto vimeo as we speak. for now, here is a video of apes and androids playing the Four Eyed Monsters DVD release party:
on the way home from the show my pal senneca threw in some matt & kim. i'd heard of them a little while ago and wanted to punch them and say 'jack and meg don't do coattails so don't try riding them.' i gave ol' matt & kim a second listen, though, and i decided that they're actually alright. perfect to hum to while brushing your teeth... or any other activity that doesn't require much brain power.
so there's the weekend in review. your homework: check out apes and androids and phoebe oglesbee. and brush your teeth... not just to make matt & kim's existence less annoying but because it's good for you.
*posted by Britt, who is grateful she survived the great purge of '07 and vowing to post more and poop out less (as in sleep. c'mon now...).
Friday, June 29, 2007
Tune In: Tokyo Rose
There must have been something in the water fountains of Bloomfield High School, because some pretty cool people in our little "scene" have emerged to make a name for themselves beyond the hallways.
1. Joey Southside: Hardcore's favorite frontman from The Banner (Ferret Records).
2. Obi Fernandez: Ska-elites all know and love Westbound Train (Hellcat-Epitaph).
3. Matt Reilly: Once a member of Tokyo Rose and former singer for The Finals (Immortal Records).
4. Ryan Dominguez: Singer for Tokyo Rose (Side Cho).
Which brings me to....
The new Tokyo Rose album, The Promise in Compromise, is good I can barely concentrate on writing this review because I'm singing along with it.
Leaps and bounds ahead of the band's past effort, New American Saint, (which was also great), these 11 new tracks show a riskier Tokyo Rose. Track 3, "We Can Be Best Friend's Tonight, But Tomorrow I'll Be..." introduces some dance floor tunes from the band. It's one of my favorites and should be on the playlist at MisShapes if it's not already. I can just picture the hipsters doing the steps along with the song. Classic.
The songwriting comes across as carefully penned and is quite impressive. The choruses are big and the verses are more than just filler. "Love is just a lyric we all sing along to" from track 9 is one of my favorite new lines. The Promise in Compromise should give Tokyo Rose a good push towards the forefront of the scene and by the next album, mainstream recognition shouldn't be too far behind.
On July 31, make sure you get your hands on this disk and if you have the chance to see the band- with a new line-up- I recommed it for a good time.
*By Joelle, who graduated with Obi and Ryan, but writes about them only because she likes the music.
1. Joey Southside: Hardcore's favorite frontman from The Banner (Ferret Records).
2. Obi Fernandez: Ska-elites all know and love Westbound Train (Hellcat-Epitaph).
3. Matt Reilly: Once a member of Tokyo Rose and former singer for The Finals (Immortal Records).
4. Ryan Dominguez: Singer for Tokyo Rose (Side Cho).
Which brings me to....
The new Tokyo Rose album, The Promise in Compromise, is good I can barely concentrate on writing this review because I'm singing along with it.
Leaps and bounds ahead of the band's past effort, New American Saint, (which was also great), these 11 new tracks show a riskier Tokyo Rose. Track 3, "We Can Be Best Friend's Tonight, But Tomorrow I'll Be..." introduces some dance floor tunes from the band. It's one of my favorites and should be on the playlist at MisShapes if it's not already. I can just picture the hipsters doing the steps along with the song. Classic.
The songwriting comes across as carefully penned and is quite impressive. The choruses are big and the verses are more than just filler. "Love is just a lyric we all sing along to" from track 9 is one of my favorite new lines. The Promise in Compromise should give Tokyo Rose a good push towards the forefront of the scene and by the next album, mainstream recognition shouldn't be too far behind.
On July 31, make sure you get your hands on this disk and if you have the chance to see the band- with a new line-up- I recommed it for a good time.
*By Joelle, who graduated with Obi and Ryan, but writes about them only because she likes the music.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
The Replacements
Today, Hit The Lights frontman, Colin, announced his departure. Turns out the touring life is just not for him. It's sad but understandable. I'd never want to live life on the road and never have a homebase, time for love, or puppy kisses greeting me at my front door every night, either.
A similar announcement came about a month ago from NYC-based band, Fixer, when their usually shirtless guitarist, Wilson Lihn left for the same reason. That was a huge shock to me, because I worked with the band for years and Wilson was one of the members who besides frontman, Evan Saffer, handled a lot of the business aspects of the band. I guess everything eventually took it's toll. And as time goes on, sometimes reality sets in and it's time to settle down and appreciate the less hectic side of life. Like a wife and family, perhaps.
It always takes a bit getting used to a new band member. Most of the time, I don't like the replacements. But then, look at The Finals. Their new singer really improves the band. I was never too much of a fan of their original singer Matt's voice and can't wait to hear the new recordings. The live show already rocks.
The only thing that hurts in the process is having the old songs up promoting the band when a singer leaves. The Finals are dealing with this and now Hit The Lights will, too.
When Tucker (bass) and Sprout (guitar) left The Pennyroyals, I pretty much decided that band is over and their name should be changed. After all, once the founding member and most recognizable faces from the band are gone, it's a totally different band. Mike (vocals) was pretty new to band at the time and I think it would have done them well to change their name. I'm sure they wanted to hold onto the acclaim and fan base, but none of it holds true because everyone who worked hard for it is pretty much finito.
Fixer's new guitar player doesn't have Wilson's looks or shirtless appeal that all the ladies loved. But maybe he adds a new dimension to the band and should be checked out.
I can't say I'll still love Hit the Lights. Sure, Omar and his 'fro are awesome. But, if Colin wrote most of the songs, then the remaining members have a lot to work on to keep things going. However, I'm looking forward to see who steps up to the mic.
*Joelle
A similar announcement came about a month ago from NYC-based band, Fixer, when their usually shirtless guitarist, Wilson Lihn left for the same reason. That was a huge shock to me, because I worked with the band for years and Wilson was one of the members who besides frontman, Evan Saffer, handled a lot of the business aspects of the band. I guess everything eventually took it's toll. And as time goes on, sometimes reality sets in and it's time to settle down and appreciate the less hectic side of life. Like a wife and family, perhaps.
It always takes a bit getting used to a new band member. Most of the time, I don't like the replacements. But then, look at The Finals. Their new singer really improves the band. I was never too much of a fan of their original singer Matt's voice and can't wait to hear the new recordings. The live show already rocks.
The only thing that hurts in the process is having the old songs up promoting the band when a singer leaves. The Finals are dealing with this and now Hit The Lights will, too.
When Tucker (bass) and Sprout (guitar) left The Pennyroyals, I pretty much decided that band is over and their name should be changed. After all, once the founding member and most recognizable faces from the band are gone, it's a totally different band. Mike (vocals) was pretty new to band at the time and I think it would have done them well to change their name. I'm sure they wanted to hold onto the acclaim and fan base, but none of it holds true because everyone who worked hard for it is pretty much finito.
Fixer's new guitar player doesn't have Wilson's looks or shirtless appeal that all the ladies loved. But maybe he adds a new dimension to the band and should be checked out.
I can't say I'll still love Hit the Lights. Sure, Omar and his 'fro are awesome. But, if Colin wrote most of the songs, then the remaining members have a lot to work on to keep things going. However, I'm looking forward to see who steps up to the mic.
*Joelle
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
PV LA show Recap
Most of Planet Verge was stuck in NJ while while our good friends Carrie at Reflection Music Management and MTV and Jennifer at ATN Management brought PV on board to co-sponsor a rockin' evening at The Key Club. This ASCAP reccomended show featured The Scene, The Good Cheer, The Ringers, Dirty Kings and OK Stranger.
Superb-photographer, Don Richner of DRZ Images captured the action:
Monday, June 25, 2007
Rooney & The Rewinds (say that five times fast)
I had the pleasure of a guest list spot at Rooney's show in Hoboken at Maxwell's, their first Jersey appearance in three years. Friendly, energetic, and interactive, they played a variety of new and old material and engaged the over-sold out crowd in their Beach Boys-with-a-twist style singalongs. I strongly encourage you all to get their new album when it drops next month, because everything they played from it was just as good, if not better, than their self-titled debut. I loved their set so much that I spent the entire length of it recording it on my friend's voicemail for us to relive later on.
Another fun part of the evening was the sole opening act, The Rewinds, who were just as catchy and fun and infectious as their headliners. Discovered and handpicked by Rooney through the ubiquitous MySpace, the Birmingham, Alabama natives will probably be headliners soon, if not for their killer songs, then for their neat merch--they have ribcage shirts (similar to Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap, who is one of my heroes) and--get this--a Rewinds gumball machine. It's clear that they're going places, and hopefully one of those places is a return to Jersey. We like them here.
*By Jess, who feels like she's hogging this blog space and got a killer haircut at the Hoboken Beauty Parlour this weekend.
Another fun part of the evening was the sole opening act, The Rewinds, who were just as catchy and fun and infectious as their headliners. Discovered and handpicked by Rooney through the ubiquitous MySpace, the Birmingham, Alabama natives will probably be headliners soon, if not for their killer songs, then for their neat merch--they have ribcage shirts (similar to Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap, who is one of my heroes) and--get this--a Rewinds gumball machine. It's clear that they're going places, and hopefully one of those places is a return to Jersey. We like them here.
*By Jess, who feels like she's hogging this blog space and got a killer haircut at the Hoboken Beauty Parlour this weekend.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Darfur for Dummies
Courtesy of Wikipedia.
"Date 2003–present
Location Darfur
Result Humanitarian catastrophe (est. 200,000-400,000 or more dead and 2,500,000 refugees)
There are many casualty estimates, most concurring on a range within the hundreds of thousands. The United Nations (UN) estimates that the conflict has left as many as 450,000 dead from violence and disease.
Most NGOs (non-governmental organizations) use 200,000 to over 400,000, a figure from the Coalition for International Justice that has since been cited by the UN. Sudan's government claims that over 9,000 people have been killed, although this figure is seen as counterfactual (that means the Sudanese government is lying).
As many as 2.5 million are thought to have been displaced as of October 2006.
The Sudanese government has succeeded in suppressing information by jailing and murdering witnesses since 2004 and tampering with evidence such as disturbing mass graves and by doing so eliminating their forensic value. In addition, by obstructing and arresting journalists, the Sudanese government has been able to obscure much of what has gone on. The mass media once described the conflict as both 'ethnic cleansing' and 'genocide,' and now do so without hesitation."
*By Jess, who encourages you to spend the ten bucks on iTunes and get Instant Karma.
"Date 2003–present
Location Darfur
Result Humanitarian catastrophe (est. 200,000-400,000 or more dead and 2,500,000 refugees)
There are many casualty estimates, most concurring on a range within the hundreds of thousands. The United Nations (UN) estimates that the conflict has left as many as 450,000 dead from violence and disease.
Most NGOs (non-governmental organizations) use 200,000 to over 400,000, a figure from the Coalition for International Justice that has since been cited by the UN. Sudan's government claims that over 9,000 people have been killed, although this figure is seen as counterfactual (that means the Sudanese government is lying).
As many as 2.5 million are thought to have been displaced as of October 2006.
The Sudanese government has succeeded in suppressing information by jailing and murdering witnesses since 2004 and tampering with evidence such as disturbing mass graves and by doing so eliminating their forensic value. In addition, by obstructing and arresting journalists, the Sudanese government has been able to obscure much of what has gone on. The mass media once described the conflict as both 'ethnic cleansing' and 'genocide,' and now do so without hesitation."
*By Jess, who encourages you to spend the ten bucks on iTunes and get Instant Karma.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Do yourself (and the world) a favor.
I recently purchased the Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur album because it was a cause I believed in.
Even if you are completely ignorant to what's going on in Darfur (for once, I'm not going to lecture you about it), I urge you to buy this as a music fan. Why? Regina Spektor's cover of "Real Love." I wasn't a fan of hers before and couldn't understand what the fuss was about, but upon hearing this song... I get it. It gives me the chills.
There's something on this for everyone, really. Buy buy buy! And bye.
*By Jess, who made some nice money at a bake sale/basement show this weekend
Even if you are completely ignorant to what's going on in Darfur (for once, I'm not going to lecture you about it), I urge you to buy this as a music fan. Why? Regina Spektor's cover of "Real Love." I wasn't a fan of hers before and couldn't understand what the fuss was about, but upon hearing this song... I get it. It gives me the chills.
There's something on this for everyone, really. Buy buy buy! And bye.
*By Jess, who made some nice money at a bake sale/basement show this weekend
Thursday, June 14, 2007
More on the musical act that makes Jay-Z bob his head
Remember a little bit ago when I introduced y'all to PlayRadioPlay?
Since then, I got to talk to him on the phone (while baking biscuits, no less!), and now I just love him even more. And don't be fooled by his Texan roots--he's not an idiot (like one really famous, powerful person from that state, or my older brother--hi Steve!), nor does he have a really strong accent. However, they say everything is bigger in Texas--and if they're talking about potential for greatness in powerpop, by God, they finally got something right with Dan.
Tell us a bit about your newest EP, The Frequency.
Ah, The Frequency--it's six songs; they're demos I recorded by myself at my house over a year. Half of it is very electronic-y--is that a word?--and half's a lil' mellow but dancy. I'm actually working on a full length that should be out in January.
Oh, neat! Wanna dish a little about that?
We might redo one or two songs from The Frequency EP, but things are going well in studio, so now maybe we won't. And I'm recording with producers! So it's gonna be a lil'–-still really electronic, but a lil' bit more full band interaction, too.
Do you prefer working with a full band, or do you like to be on your own to have more control over your sound?
You know, I'm excited for the chance to do a full album on my own, but I'm definitely not in a place yet where I can make a full album by myself. I'm working with Garrett Lee and Dr. Luke--and we're all from such diff backgrounds, with different musical experiences... I'm just taking it all in right now, and I'm really learning a lot. But, I would like to do one on my own in future.
One of your marketing points is "straight edge Texas softcore." Do you listen to any hardcore bands at all?
Hmmm, I dunno'. I listen to metal, but I'm not a connoisseur. I do like harder stuff definitely, but I'm not the best versed person. I will never be an encyclopedia of metal bands.
You're straight edge after a pretty tough battle with substances. Is it hard for you on the road, like if you're playing with other acts that don't share that quality?
Ah, straight edge--I started being straight edge right out of rehab. It was really difficult at first, but now it's really just not an issue.
What could we find if we invaded your iPod right now?
Muse, Arcade Fire—-I actually just saw them live last night at the Amphitheater in LA, and man, it was quite an experience!—Sigur Ros too. And my all time favorite, the Smashing Pumpkins.
You must be excited for their new material.
Ohhh yeah, definitely. The new album will be awesome, I'm sure.
You just played Bamboozle, which is pretty huge. Do you prefer big crowds or smaller, more intimate shows?
Oh boy, the bigger the better! But I definitely like small shows where everyone knows the words. Bamboozle was unreal--it was such great experience, and I really liked it a lot, but I definitely do like more intimate shows too.
You've accomplished all this before you even graduated high school. Are you gonna don the cap and gown with your class?
I finished school two months ago with online courses. The ceremony is next week, but I'm not really excited…
As a rehab veteran, what do you think of Lindsay and Britney? You think they'll make it?
Ha, I'm not sure, but you know what? Any press is good press, so rehab press is good press.
And naturally, I have to ask. What was it like meeting Hova?
Jay-Z works at Def Jam, which is a part of Island, and I played for everyone there, and he was there, and he was bobbing his head discreetly in back room while I played. And we had an awkward handshake and an extremely awkward picture taken.
*By Jess, whose biscuits are better than Red Lobster's (are you paying attention, Joelle?)
Since then, I got to talk to him on the phone (while baking biscuits, no less!), and now I just love him even more. And don't be fooled by his Texan roots--he's not an idiot (like one really famous, powerful person from that state, or my older brother--hi Steve!), nor does he have a really strong accent. However, they say everything is bigger in Texas--and if they're talking about potential for greatness in powerpop, by God, they finally got something right with Dan.
Tell us a bit about your newest EP, The Frequency.
Ah, The Frequency--it's six songs; they're demos I recorded by myself at my house over a year. Half of it is very electronic-y--is that a word?--and half's a lil' mellow but dancy. I'm actually working on a full length that should be out in January.
Oh, neat! Wanna dish a little about that?
We might redo one or two songs from The Frequency EP, but things are going well in studio, so now maybe we won't. And I'm recording with producers! So it's gonna be a lil'–-still really electronic, but a lil' bit more full band interaction, too.
Do you prefer working with a full band, or do you like to be on your own to have more control over your sound?
You know, I'm excited for the chance to do a full album on my own, but I'm definitely not in a place yet where I can make a full album by myself. I'm working with Garrett Lee and Dr. Luke--and we're all from such diff backgrounds, with different musical experiences... I'm just taking it all in right now, and I'm really learning a lot. But, I would like to do one on my own in future.
One of your marketing points is "straight edge Texas softcore." Do you listen to any hardcore bands at all?
Hmmm, I dunno'. I listen to metal, but I'm not a connoisseur. I do like harder stuff definitely, but I'm not the best versed person. I will never be an encyclopedia of metal bands.
You're straight edge after a pretty tough battle with substances. Is it hard for you on the road, like if you're playing with other acts that don't share that quality?
Ah, straight edge--I started being straight edge right out of rehab. It was really difficult at first, but now it's really just not an issue.
What could we find if we invaded your iPod right now?
Muse, Arcade Fire—-I actually just saw them live last night at the Amphitheater in LA, and man, it was quite an experience!—Sigur Ros too. And my all time favorite, the Smashing Pumpkins.
You must be excited for their new material.
Ohhh yeah, definitely. The new album will be awesome, I'm sure.
You just played Bamboozle, which is pretty huge. Do you prefer big crowds or smaller, more intimate shows?
Oh boy, the bigger the better! But I definitely like small shows where everyone knows the words. Bamboozle was unreal--it was such great experience, and I really liked it a lot, but I definitely do like more intimate shows too.
You've accomplished all this before you even graduated high school. Are you gonna don the cap and gown with your class?
I finished school two months ago with online courses. The ceremony is next week, but I'm not really excited…
As a rehab veteran, what do you think of Lindsay and Britney? You think they'll make it?
Ha, I'm not sure, but you know what? Any press is good press, so rehab press is good press.
And naturally, I have to ask. What was it like meeting Hova?
Jay-Z works at Def Jam, which is a part of Island, and I played for everyone there, and he was there, and he was bobbing his head discreetly in back room while I played. And we had an awkward handshake and an extremely awkward picture taken.
*By Jess, whose biscuits are better than Red Lobster's (are you paying attention, Joelle?)
Thursday, June 07, 2007
They Aren't So Invisible Anymore....
It's not everyday that you are afforded the opportunity to learn about a truly life changing documentary that does not show case the horros of skateboarding injuries or the effect a good solid tour has on one's liver...
The 2007 Honda Civic Tour (feat. Fall Out Boy, +44, The Academy Is..., Cobra Starship, and Paul Wall) signed on a bunch of "roadies" to promote this "life-umentary" at the venues being played to help spread the word and educate the general population of teenies attending...I was lucky enough to find these roadies. Being an avid reader of basically all public accessable documents published on modern conflicts, I was aware of the civil unrest in the African nation of Uganda. This documentary is called Invisible Children and it captures the up close and personal experience of three guys who really didn't know anything but discovered everything...everything from the lords to the rebels to the childrens'involvement in internal militant ventures to the massive displacement of people. Living on hardly anything each day, they work and they fight to survive not only the harsh weather, but the harsh world they live in. There is certainly an unexplainable sense of emotional tormoil, you get to witness it all in their story...its just incredible.
The reality of this horror is crippling and the world is in vital need of awareness.
Help me spread the word.
Help us change the world.
www.invisiblechildren.com
*By Amanda whose life was changed by two guys under a tent who had a passion, and a message...worth hearing. Thank you.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Five Reasons Why Paolo Nutini Would Be The Perfect Boyfriend
Foremost and first, he has a song called "New Shoes," so he'd understand my fetish for them and wouldn't roll his eyes at my excitement for yet another pair of gogo boots, Chucks, or some other fun footwear.
Second, he could sing me to sleep. "Last Request," though it makes me misty occasionally, is just very relaxing to hear.
Third, he can easily be--and has been--likened to Al Green.
Fourth, he's from Scotland with an Italian name, so not only does he have an adorable accent, but my mother would just die.
Fifth--Jesus Christ, he looks like this.
Paolo, I will show you my prowess any time you damn well please. Just come to the US, because I don't have a passport, and no amount of eyelash batting can get me around that.
*By Jess, who got a rack today (for her shoes).
Second, he could sing me to sleep. "Last Request," though it makes me misty occasionally, is just very relaxing to hear.
Third, he can easily be--and has been--likened to Al Green.
Fourth, he's from Scotland with an Italian name, so not only does he have an adorable accent, but my mother would just die.
Fifth--Jesus Christ, he looks like this.
Paolo, I will show you my prowess any time you damn well please. Just come to the US, because I don't have a passport, and no amount of eyelash batting can get me around that.
*By Jess, who got a rack today (for her shoes).
Alternative Press Isn't Just a Magazine...it's a tour.
Friday, April 20th 2007
To a successful tour, you have to get bands on board that can A) get along without wanting to commit some kind illegal assault on another band members life, B) have relatively “complimenting” sounds/styles, and C) the drive to rock hard almost every night for…well, months. AP Magazine was able to find four bands that fit the criteria. The tour was made up of Cute is What We Aim For, Circa Survive, As Tall As Lions, and Envy on the Coast.
When you arrive at the Stone Pony it is always exciting when almost all of your senses can feel the emanating presence of talent waiting to be unleashed. Fans were lining the sidewalks waiting to get in well before the doors were slated to open. I knew by the excitement of the fans that it would be a good night. The fans possibly more dedicated than Yankee fans. The show had been sold out and there was an expected 1,500 fans attending. For those of you reading this and have been to the Pony, and have any kind of minds eye…you can imagine that the environment inside was not exactly conducive to having a nice chat with the person standing next to you.
Standing backstage looking at the stage as Envy on the Coast went on, it became obvious to me that even though they are still pretty young they have the talent, drive, passion, and the work ethic of a band that has been in the industry for decades and touring for longer than they have been alive.
Envy walked on stage with a level of confidence that I have to say, I did not expect. With many of the “younger” bands in the business you find that they are complete jokers or don’t take their talent seriously. That was not the case with Envy on the Coast. While you could tell they are fun loving guys, you are also able to see that they have complete respect for their art form and they are in love with music. They played a set filled with skillful keys, powerful guitar and exceptionally energetic vocals. By far one of the highlights of the whole night was when lead singers of Circa Survive (Anthony Green) and As Tall As Lions (Dan Nigro) joined the guys on stage for one of their final songs. It is so inspiring to watch seasoned talent compliment the sound of the young rising talent on stage. You could tell that everyone has respect for everyone else’s expression, very cool to see.
As Envy left the stage, they did so to the yells and cheers of their fans. It was certainly a performance that left you wanting more.
ATAL (As Tall As Lions) singer Dan Nigro had little time to waste as he hopped off stage after helping out Envy on the Coast with their last tune. After accompanying his band with loading their equipment, the band was warmly welcomed to the stage for what would be one of the most amazing live performances I have ever seen.
Before hearing about the AP tour and the bands that would be on it, I had heard extremely little about As Tall As Lions, but from what I had heard…they were good. I found that ATAL’s is one of those bands that you go buy their record because someone told you it was good, you listen to it and you think “ehhh, they are pretty good.” THEN, if you are one of the lucky ones, you stumble upon one of their shows and you walk away from it in awe. You come away from their performance thinking about creativity and wondering if you ever creative at all. They played a set filled with songs that are certainly melodically driven and have deeply rooted lyrics. They played what is now one of my ring-tones, “Love, Love, Love” which certainly set the mood and the majority of the crowd was able to sing back. This was the second band in a row that used synth’s in a way that I actually enjoyed.
I had the pleasure of standing next to Mr. Anthony Green (circa Survive) for ATAL’s set, and after a couple of their songs I saw him looking over at me trying to figure out what I thought. All I was able to do was turn to him and say without any hesitation was “that was amazing.” He smiled, nodded and went back to watching the show. Unless you have a true appreciation for the LOVE of music and the drive for one to convey their passions and emotions through lyrics and performance, I don’t know that you could truly get the whole experience that is an As Tall As Lions performance.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT…CIRCA SURVIVE
Circa Survive. What was once just a thought in Anthony Green’s head is now a reality…a reality that they actually having to recognize themselves as a “bigger band.” With the upcoming release of their 2nd studio album, the guys are living the dream. With Juturna, their first release as a band, being a genre success of barrier breaking proportion their 2nd album entitled On Letting Go with a release date slated for this month, promises to give us a look at how the band has grown, changed, and developed after touring and living life together as Circa Survive following Juturna.
I got to the Stone Pony with just enough time to joint the Circa Survive guys on their bus for a chat before they had to do an autograph signing… Let’s just say I walked on the bus and my “hello” was a poke in the stomach from the guys foam pirate swords that they had acquired at some point on the road. After talking about their experience recording this new album I was able to establish that they have completely tranquil confidence about this record. They seem to be extremely happy about the place in which they mentally and emotionally recorded it. I was happy to hear it.
They are fun guys and responded well to my not-so-conventional interview questions. When asked what super hero they would be, I get an array of responses…superman, batman, aquaman?
The band went on later that night to put on a show stopping performance. Out of the many times I have seen them perform live, this was probably my favorite. Playing some songs of their upcoming release, it was a nice sneak peak at what is to come. I was overjoyed when they played some of my very favorite “classic” Circa songs such as Stop the Car, and The Great Golden Baby.
To end the night on an acoustic note Anthony Green came out to perform an encore that rivals the best I have ever seen. His voice penetrated every emotional nerve in the room and it was certainly a unique and inspiring way to end their set. I was not expecting it, but I was certainly glad I was able to experience it.
Cute is What We Aim For…what can I say? As soon as front man Shannt walked in the side stage door to begin prepping for his bands portion of the show, it was hard not to wince at the screeching and screaming of his female fan section attempting to convey their love to the long haired rocker. Certainly one of the crowd’s favorite bands, their were high expectations for their performance. Not to fear, the “Cute” band brought it, the stars were certainly in line. The band could not perform a song that at least 70% of the crowd could belt back.
Playing “Curse of Curves” along with other crowd favorite about ripped jeans, they guys could not go wrong. Cute is definitely a band that gives the crowd what they want, and they do it in style…and with talent. You know that your band has a good performance when you are able to look out at the crowd and see almost everyone rubbing their sore throats from yelling to many lyrics, i bet 7-11 was packed that night. Props boyzzz.
ALL photos were shot by Amanda Tumulty.
*By Amanda who thanks Circa Survive for their KICK ASS new album....BUY IT
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
How To Get Your Band Taken Like, Really, Super Duper Seriously
Want to show the world your musical act is the real deal? That you're not just a bunch of post-emo pansies, and that you're like, sooooooo totally deep? It's much easier than you might believe.
Obviously, as a band of musicians, it is of utmost importance that you begin your transformation into a Serious Band with your outward appearance. There are a couple of ways to accomplish this, but it's best if you combine all of the following:
- All of you must dye your hair black. Aryans do not have feelings, do not have thoughts, do not have even the slightest hint of cognitive or emotional ability. Emotions and thoughts are for like, gays.
- All of you must wear black t-shirts. Not black pants, though. What do you want to do, be like, goth or something? So old. And like, really gay.
- One of you must wear more eyeliner than the byproduct of the post-nookie pillowcase stains of Dave Navarro and Jenna Jameson. Not all of you, because that would be overkill. And that might look... You know... Gay. And you're totally not gay. You hate gays. You know for a fact that gays killed the dinosaurs, and even though you've never heard them before, you have to make sure everyone knows you listen to T-Rex.
- Your frontman should, after roughly a year, decide black hair isn't working and Prell his way back to blonde roots. Chicks dig blonde guys. The rest of you need to grow it out, because roots look punk. Not that you're punk. Punk and hair dye, you'll decide, are for stupid girly bands. And gays.
Next in your quest not for "rockstardom," but like, really serious musicianship is your stage show.
- You must--must--thrash a great deal. Otherwise, you'll sound like, emo. And emo is for gays.
- When you introduce songs, do so ambiguously. Being obvious is for punks, and you're not a loser fag pop-punker. "This is a song about a girl" will not work for you, because your songs are like, never about girls. Singing about girls is for gays.
Finally, your songwriting has to be like, really, really deep. Like, Marianas Trench deep, brah.
- You really need to use metaphors. "The world is an open herpes sore on my parched lower lip" would be lyrical genius. If you're discussing a relationship, you need to mask it under this same literary device, because you shouldn't even be doing it to begin with. "She's a Motel Six in need of a sugar fix" works nicely.
- Nickelback are your rolemodels as far as music goes. You need to be as unique, as groundbreaking, as innovative, and as evolutionary as these greats. Except you're going to be even better, because you have a keyboard. Not a synth, though, because synths are gay.
By Jess, who recently acquired tan lines
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