Clash of the Titans remake

My favorite childhood movie is being remade, and as of right now will be released March 26, 2010. Clash of the Titans came out in 1981 and featured the groundbreaking talents of special effects pioneer, Ray Harryhausen. The CG effects that are now being used are nowhere near as frightening or tangible as Harryhausen's stop-motion monsters. I'm a big fan of his and enjoy the Sinbad films, the fringe obscurities, and of course the seminal Jason and the Argonauts.

I can't wait to see how this remake will come out. I'm not holding my breath for anything too spectacular, but I think it will be a nice kind of tribute to this wonderful film.

1981
2010

Teenage Bottlerocket "Radio"

I hear that Teenage Bottlerocket is going into the studio in a few weeks to start on their follow up to the wonderful Warning Device LP. This new album will be coming out on Fat Wreck shortly after, and I can't wait! I tend to enjoy the album Total a little more and I highly recommend it. From Wyoming's Teenage Bottlerocket, please enjoy...

Radio mp3
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Valentines Day Punk Rock Mix

A Valentine's Day punk rock mix "tape". Yes, punk rockers have hearts too, and I thought I'd share some of my favorites and maybe inspire a last minute idea. With the speed and style of some of these, it's easy to miss the wonderfully touching lyrics within. American Steel does this great song that sneaks up on you and before you realize it, the song is a full on love song("Everyone that I meet I wanna stab in the ear...except you 'cause you're like me...". NOFX does the saddest song of their career("we're gonna die, but not our love...)Please enjoy...

Good Riddance: Not With Him mp3
American Steel: Mean Streak mp3
Damned: Love Song
88 Fingers Louie: Blink mp3
Supersuckers: She's My Bitch
The Queers: From Your Boy mp3
NOFX: Falling In Love
Screeching Weasel: Supermarket Fantasy mp3
Mr T Experience: I Will Be With You
Buzzcocks: Ever Fallen In Love mp3
Descendents Cheer mp3
Dead Milkmen: Punk Rock Girl mp3

Star Wars Rocks

Everyone needs their daily dose of awesome. From The Donnas, please enjoy...

Get You Alone mp3

Lily Allen "The Fear"

I had high hopes for her follow up to Alright, Still, and this new single is even better than I expected. Her sound is refreshing and fun, with that British accent and sailor's mouth, put it all to a strong beat and you can't go wrong. From Lily Allen, please enjoy...

The Fear mp3
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Bad Astronaut "Linoleum"

They take the NOFX classic and put an odd spin on it. It really works with all those interesting textures, banjo, cello, various percussion. Joey Cape (from Lagwagon) and Fat Mike (NOFX) are long time friends and I think this cover is a fun way to appreciate the other one's work. This version is unreleased as of now, but there are talks of Suburban Home releasing some of the bands vinyl some time soon. From Bad Astronaut, please enjoy...


Linoleum mp3
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Happy Birthday Axl Rose

William Bruce Rose Jr. was born February 6th, 1962. His mother remarried after his father left and William Rose was now William Bailey. He came up with the name "Axl" from a band he was in when he was young and had it legally changed in 1986.

Guns N' Roses was a very important part of my youth. I was an impressionable adolescent and they filled me with awe. Appetite and Lies will always have a place in my collection. From Guns N' Roses, please enjoy...

Patience mp3

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Lux Interior

When I found out that Lux passed away two days ago, the news rippled through me and I was deeply saddened. I did not know the man personally(though I did meet him before)but I knew his music. The Cramps are the only band besides my own that is tattooed into my flesh, and there is a pretty substantial amount of their records in my collection. The Cramps delivered a unique brand of rock n' roll that pulled from the deepest roots of rock's past. Lux and Ivy were passionate record collectors themselves and had huge rooms devoted to vinyl. Their influential sound has been described as horror punk, and I would add to that primal surf, garage fuzz, and B-movie psychobilly. From the Cramps, please enjoy...

Lonesome Town mp3

Human Fly mp3

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Buck "My Fascination"

Great fuckin' track. Lisa Marr's voice is sweet yet confident, and this sugary pop punk gem always puts me in a good mood. The self titled album Buck was released on Sympathy For The Record Industry in 1998 and is the band's only album on that label (their other album Buck In Black is on Lance Rock)

The version I own is off the spectacular Sympathy collection Alright, This Time, Just The Girls. This double gatefold was a limited release on pink vinyl and features some of Long Gone John's amazing ladies of indie rock such as Hole, Holly Golightly, April March and an early version of the Donnas called the Electrocutes.

Buck sadly broke up in 2000, but Lisa's voice is all over various albums from the Beards, Cub, and the Lisa Marr Experiment. From Buck, please enjoy...

My Fascination mp3

"You put the wag in my tail, you put the buzz in my beehive and when I’m with you, it’s enough to just be alive. I don’t know nothing much but this much is true: my fascination is just another nail in the coffin. You put the skip in my step, you put the smile in my turnstile. I’d walk a city block or even a country mile for you. These things I’d do, this much is true: my fascination is just another nail in the coffin. I’ll be your umbrella if you’ll be my fella and I’ll keep you from the rain. Don’t you worry, in a hurry there’ll be sunshine once again. When we’re out and about, we only have eyes for each other. You make me wanna shout and tell the whole world that I love you! I know it’s nothing new but this much is true:my fascination is just another nail in the coffin. Sha la la la... I know it’s nothing new..."

Oblivion "Day Job"

The sloppy production of this album barely contains the talent within. I can hear all the different styles of music coming at me at once and it's hard to pigeonhole the sound. I would say this is pop punk with classic rock tendencies and some metal flavor for good measure. If I had to guess where this Chicago three piece gets most of their influence, I would say the Descendents and 80's T.V. theme songs. I like how they "zig" when you think they are going to "zag", they use unusual chord progression just to keep from becoming boring. Shoot Me A Waco was released in 1995 on Johanns Face Records and you can still find copies floating around here and there. I'm featuring my favorite track off the album, it's a great closing number that has one of those hypnotic repeating outros. From Oblivion, please enjoy...

Day Job mp3

buy the album here

Simpsons Food Chain

A classic from the Simpsons.

Interpol "Next Exit"

Great opening track from the 2004 album Antics. Solid album that had two singles and furthered the band's popularity. From Interpol, please enjoy...

Next Exit mp3

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Carson and "Pillcult"

This character is named "Lil' Shot" or "Pillboy", and is the creation of tattoo artist Carson. Carson works out of Costa Mesa California, and has been doing tattoos, album covers, and some beautiful artwork for 13 years and counting. He actually offers to do free tattoos of the "Pillboy" just for the fun of it, and to keep the "Pillcult" growing. I love his use of color and the beautiful girls that spring from his imagination are captured perfectly. I urge you to check out his site to see some fine examples of his tattoo work.

Zeke "Mainline"

Time for an audio ass-kicking from Zeke. Take the MC5 and AC/DC high on various amphetamines and you get the dirty, violent punk assault of this Seattle band. This is actually the slowest song on the 1996 Scooch Pooch album Super Sound Racing, but the testosterone is in full swing. From Zeke, please enjoy...

Mainline mp3

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Roy Orbison "Love Hurts"

Sure you've heard the Nazareth version countless times, now treat yourself to the lush crooning of Roy Orbison. The original version was released as the b-side to "Running Scared" in 1961 on the Monument label, and that single hit #1 in the U.S. From Roy Orbison, please enjoy...

Love Hurts mp3

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Supersuckers "Heavy Heart"

This a great tune the Supersuckers did for the benefit album Free The West Memphis Three. "Heavy Heart" was originally performed by Australia's You Am I back in 1998 and can be found on the album #4 Record. This is a rockin' mid-tempo song about break ups and lock ups. From punk rock's country fried Supersuckers, please enjoy...

Heavy Heart mp3

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Skid Row

It was 20 years ago today, Jan 24 1989, that the debut album by New Jersey's Skid Row was released. I was 12 years old and it floored me. I didn't know or care of hipster indie bands or any of the great punk records that were floating around at the time. I know I wasn't alone because Skid Row's self titled album went on to sell 10 million copies and that's no joke.

The album contained the bands three biggest hits, "Youth Gone Wild", 18 And Life", and one of the all time great metal ballads "I Remember You". What I find intriguing is that there were apparently 10 more songs written for the album, but they never saw the light of day. There's probably a good reason they were cut, but my curiosity still peaks.

Don't deny your roots. If you liked this album when it came out, throw it on and see if it still moves you. I have a feeling that it will at least bring some pleasent memories back. I am featuring a track that has always been my favorite off this album. The lyrics are extremly lame, but they made sense at the time and I wouldn't change a thing. I love this killer riff, it's so sinister and they seemed to have trimmed all the useless fat. Please enjoy...

Piece Of Me mp3

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Dwarves "Are Young And Good Looking"

This was the Dwarves coming "back from the dead".

A couple of years earlier the band had faked their guitarist death claiming he had been stabbed in a bar in Philadelphia. Their label at the time didn't find it too funny, and Sub Pop promptly dropped the band. "Are Young and Good Looking" was released on Epitaph Records in 1997 and continues the sick tradition of violence, underage girls, hard drugs, and a great little number that glorifies adultery. From the Dwarves, please enjoy...

Everybody's Girl mp3


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Lost Returns Tonight

Season 5 begins tonight and I can't wait. This show is absolutely amazing and the season openers are always spectacular. Lost is one of the best reasons to ever turn on your television and if you're a fan then you are already well aware of this.

From Driveshaft, please enjoy...

You All Everybody mp3

Bouncing Souls

The Bouncing Souls deliver good solid pop punk that never enters the realm of immature. How I Spent My Summer Vacation was released on Epitaph Records in May of 2001 and features some of their catchiest melodies and plenty of infectious hooks. "Private Radio" is great, "True Believers" is great, If you like sing along punk, give this album a shot. My favorite song off this album is the last track, a fitting closer and an all time classic pop punk song. From the Bouncing Souls, please enjoy...

Gone mp3
Gone buy

Splatter Vinyl Is Nothing New

It seems that these highly popular "splatter" designs for vinyl have been around much longer than you would think. Morrison Records was one of Seattle's first record labels and they used to churn out beautiful psychedelic pressing for their releases.

Take a look at this beauty, it's from the mid-1940s

Gimme Gimmes "The Boxer"

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes 7th full length, "Have Another Ball came out in July of 2008. Their first album "Have a Ball" came out 10 years earlier and there were a ton of songs left over from the sessions. Gimmes collectors will probably already have most of these songs on various singles that came out quite a while back, but now they're compiled for your listening convenience. There were 551 of these pressed on baby blue vinyl and you can try your luck getting one here from Fat Wreck. Oh yeah, the Gimmes are a punk rock "super group" featuring Fat Mike(NOFX), Joey Cape(Lagwagon), Spike Slawson(Swingin' Utters), Chris Sheflett( Foo Fighters and No Use For A Name), and Dave Raun(Lagwagon). They only play punk rock covers and it's a blast. I'm posting my favorite track from the album, originally performed by Simon and Garfunkel, please enjoy...

The Boxer mp3

The Boxer buy

Indie 103.1 Says Goodbye

A few years back I stumbled onto a Los Angeles radio station that brought a smile to my face and a huge swell to my heart. Indie 103.1 was playing "Lucky Denver Mint" by Jimmy Eat World and they followed it up with "Floyd The Barber" by Nirvana. From that moment on I always had a place for Indie on my dial and they blossomed into something more special and beautiful than I could have imagined. The shear volume of great artists that I was introduced to through this radio station is astronomical. The program directors were smart enough to have tons of specialty shows, including metal, reggae, local, and worldwide alternative. Over the years I have enjoyed Passport Approved on Saturdays, and spent many fine hours listening to Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols from Noon to Two during the week. Jones' show featured many, many guests such as Iggy Pop, Pete Townsend,Eddie Vedder, Adam Sandler, Julliette, Lewis, Rainn Wilson, Dominic Monaghan, Courtney Love, Jonah Hill, Moby, Dennis Hopper, Steve Buscemi, Johnny Knoxville, Rosanna Arquette, Perry Farrell, Robert Plant, Brian Wilson, members of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oasis, The Breeders, Sonic Youth, The Cult, Stray Cats and of course his band mates John Lydon and Paul Cook.

Indie was the first Los Angeles radio station to play Lily Allen, MGMT, Arcade Fire and seamlessly jump from Morrissey to The Velvet Underground. I will miss this station immensely and will never forget the joy they brought me. They will try and continue on the internet at this point and you can find that here.

From Bob Dylan, Please enjoy...

Don't Think Twice, It's Alright mp3

Don't Think Twice, It's Alright buy

Top 10 Worst Band Names

Now, I am not commenting on any of the music created by these artists, in most cases I have not heard it. They could be some of the greatest bands to ever walk the planet, but I wouldn't know it. I don't like this trend of loooooong boring band names that sound more like album titles than anything else. What happened to short and to the point? Something memorable that would look good carved into a school desk or sprawled across a pair of tits in a T-shirt? I'm talking about Social Distortion, The Ramones, Sonic Youth, Megadeth, Black Flag, Iron Maiden. Maybe some band was clever or lucky enough to think of a perfect play on words (Propagandhi), or something that was already part of the social landscape but just needed to be plucked out of the proverbial air(Dead Kennedys). These are in no particular order.

#10. Between The Buried And Me
#9. A Day To Remember
#8. Bring Me The Horizon
#7. Every Time I Die
#6. Kill Me Tomorrow
#5. I Would Set Myself On Fire For You
#4. Clinging To The Trees Of A Forest Fire
#3. Flagitious idiosyncrasy In The Dilapidation
#2. Success Will Write Apocalypse Across The Sky
#1. Tomorrow's Last Hero

Come on guys, that's the best you could come up with? Really??

I urge you to check out these artists and measure their worth based on their music, not their name.

Murder City Devils Represses

The Murder City Devils are getting back together for a handful of shows and Sub Pop is repressing all of their albums on colored vinyl to celebrate this momentous occasion. I had the opportunity to see them in Hollywood the night before their final show in Seattle. They shared the bill with the mighty Rocket From The Crypt and I thought my head would explode from the pure ecstasy of ROCK and ROLL.

I just found out today that Vinyl Collective has these colored vinyl versions up for sale and you can find that here. I wouldn't hesitate because they will go fast and people collect Murder City Devils records rather feverishly. If you've never heard the band before, I think you owe it to yourself to check out their organ-soaked street level rock and see what all the fuss is about. I'm featuring a track from the band that really got my attention the very first time I heard it and it's off the album "Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts"

From The Murder City Devils, Please Enjoy...

18 Wheels mp3
18 Wheels buy