Bono has gone back to aiding Africa again. Well, sort of. According to NME, Bono has partnered with Louis Vuitton to produce an African-inspired clothing line. He’s connecting the project to his clothing line, Edun. “We are excited to draw attention to the new mood in Africa, which is positive…
For Dan Snaith, the mastermind behind Canadian electronic outfit Caribou, 2010 has been a busy year, starting with the release of his critically acclaimed album Swim in April and a subsequent spring tour. Never one to slow down, Snaith has embarked on yet another tour to promote Swim. His massive…
Last year, Steve Martin released a 15-song banjo album, The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo. Sounds funny, right? Well, with winsome songs such as “Pretty Flowers” and guest spots from Vince Gill and Dolly Parton, it was actually a surprisingly earnest affair that ended up picking up all…
“I don’t wanna live in my father’s house no more.” — Arcade Fire, “Windowsill” For argument’s sake, let’s call Arcade Fire “the greatest Canadian rock band/act of all time.” Many rock fans will object, and with great conviction. They’ll rebut with the unquestionably great Neil Young. They’ll point to the…
Artist: The Gay BladesTitle: SavagesRelease date: October 5Label: Triple CrownFans of Foxy Shazam, take note: I’ve just heard a Foxy-lite act that you may wind up loving just as much as you do FS. They’re called The Gay Blades, and they bill themselves as “an NYC trash pop duo,” but…
Song: Nas & Damian Marley, “My Generation” (feat. Joss Stone & Lil Wayne) Context: With Nas and Damian Marley bringing their “Distant Relatives” project to Tempe next week I thought I’d check it out. This is exactly what I expected: Nas throws everything and anything at the wall and nothing…
This week, New Times ran a list in our print publication highlighting some of the most interesting posts published at Up On The Sun over the past week. Here are links to those posts. Did 50 Cent mean to say gay men should kill themselves?What are college football’s most annoying…
Note that this flier says “Day One.”Part of booking bands at a small bar or club is the chance to throw a shindig in your own honor from time to time. Over at the new Long Wong’s in Tempe, Jack Maverik is taking it to the extreme.He’s booked not one…
New-Weezer hater James Burns has offered Weezer $10 million to break up, according to Consequence of Sound.Burns, who has been a fan of the band since the 90s, is hoping for $10 million in donations so he can bribe Weezer into never making songs like “Beverly Hills” ever again. The…
Bruno Mars Whether or not you have enjoyed Bruno Mars on singles such as Travie McCoy’s “Billionaire” and B.o.B.’s “Nothin’ on You,” there’s no escaping him now. The 24-year-old penned the explosive single “Fuck You” for Cee Lo Green, and the crooner is finally stepping out on his own with…
Artist: GrindermanTitle: Grinderman 2Release date: September 14Label: Anti-Most of the indie rock I’ve heard this year (well over 200 records and counting, with 11 weeks to go in this series) is really pretty toothless. Even the harder-rocking stuff, with its big drums or wall-of-sound guitars or garage-rock aesthetic, seems relatively…
Contrary to published reports from the Electric Mustache, Matt & Kim will not be playing the Clubhouse tonight. Rather, they’ll be there tomorrow night, October 6.This is Phoenix’s Best Indie Music Blog? Oof.Kidding, folks. We love those EM guys. Especially when they tip us off to cool things like the…
Song: Gin Blossoms, “I Don’t Want To Lose You Now”Context: This is a song from the new Gin Blossoms record No Chocolate Cake which I wrote about yesterday. Gin Blossoms – I Don’t Want To Lose You Now by cizmar…
The Anti-Defamation League is speculating that part of Roger Waters’ show The Wall is anti-Semitic, according to Spinner. The ADL is concerned with the production aspect of his live performances of “Goodbye Sky Blue” because images of Stars of David and dollar signs were used in the same series of…
It is rather easy to see Swans are not dead with My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky. The album opens up with a nine-minute opus “No Words/No Thoughts,” that creates an atmosphere that feels like Gira and co. never really took those 14 years off…
Artist: The VaselinesTitle: Sex with an XRelease date: September 14Label: Sub PopIf you’re a small-time indie band looking for an opinion leader to lift you from obscurity, you can do no better than Kurt Cobain. That’s the position Scotland’s The Vaselines found themselves in when Nirvana covered a couple of…
This is the sort of thing that should probably be a big deal in the Valley: Gin Blossoms, possibly the most successful Arizona-based rock act ever, released a new record on Tuesday.It’s called No Chocolate Cake and, as singer Robin Wilson told Ed Masley of The Arizona Republic in a…
There is perhaps no band as celebrated as they are reviled these days than Tennessee rockers Kings Of Leon. Always the lightning rod of controversy, Kings Of Leon broke new ground with their commercially viable 2008 release Only By The Night. That album brought the band a Grammy for the…
Hardcore fans of jam bands are a very giving, as are the bands they support. The Grateful Dead recently donated some band memorabilia to a charity auction, while Phishheads/Phans (call them what you will) have raised and distributed over $1 million for charity organizations started by fans of the band.The…
Song: Ted Leo & the Pharmacists – Even Heroes Have To Die Context: Ted Leo & Rx will be at Rhythm Room tonight. Ted Leo And The Pharmacists – Even Heroes Have To Die by Royalty Central…
Nick Cave of Grinderman has been called out by a random 29-year-old shmoe who claims Cave ripped off his song to make “Palaces of Montezuma.”Cave addressed the issue at a show in London on Friday, stating that someone is trying to sue him for supposedly basing the Grinderman song on…
John Lennon’s 70th birthday would have been October 9 and Phoenix’s Musical Instrument Museum has planned events to mark the occasion.The museum houses the Steinway Lennon used to “Imagine” — not the fancy white grand piano people remember, but a more modest brown Steinway pictured right — which is one…
