The Jesus and Mary Chain's brilliant second album Darklands was released on this day in 1987. The follow up to Psychocandy was given a bit of the cold shoulder by some fans that initially eschewed it for lacking the sweet feedback of its predecessor, however in time those fans (mostly) came to their senses and eventually welcomed the album and all was right with the world.
Darklands was the album that earned JAMC a wider audience - the album spawned the hits "Happy When It Rains" and "April Skies," both of which received considerable airplay on college radio and on MTV's 120 Minutes. Darklands holds up as one of the finest gems in JAMC's phenomenal catalog. Give it a loving spin today in honor of its 30th anniversary.
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Throbbing Gristle's 1977 noise classic The Second Annual Report, Mute announced plans today to reissue the band's catalog on limited edition vinyl. The reissue campaign for the industrial-electo pioneers begins on November 3rd with the reissue of The Second Annual Report on white vinyl and as a double CD. Also available on November 3rd will be 20 Jazz Funk Greats pressed on green vinyl and as a double CD; and The Taste Of TG: A Beginner's Guide To The Music Of Throbbing Gristle - the first ever vinyl edition of the release includes an updated tracklisting and will be pressed on red vinyl, along with a CD and digital release.
The next set of reissues - D.o.A. The Third And Final Report, Heathen Earth, and Part Two: Endless Not, are set to arrive on January 26th; with Mission Of Dead Souls, Greatest Hits, Journey Through A Body, and In The Shadow Of The Sun completing the reissue campaign on April 27th.
Remastered audio of Joy Division's performance at Leigh Open Air Festival (aka Zoo Meets Factory Halfway) has appeared online. Several bootlegs of the August 27th, 1979 concert have been available for years, however a seriously cool individual over at A Means To An End painstakingly remastered the concert recently. The concert is a raw, stirring listen - always haunting to hear Ian Curtis' live performances - plus the version of "Colony" includes alternate lyrics.
The remastered bootleg is available as a free download through Mega and/or We Transfer for a limited time. Stream below via Coil Archiver and head over here for all the vital info and links to download.
01. Disorder
02. Leaders Of Men
03. Colony
04. Insight
05. Digital
06. Dead Souls
07. Shadowplay
08. She's Lost Control
09. The Sound Of Music
10. Transmission
11. Interzone
U2 announced they'll premiere a new song titled "The Blackout" today at 12pm ET during an event on Facebook. They'll follow up today's announcement on September 6th with details behind their new album Songs Of Experience and the premiere of the album's first single "You're The Best Thing About Me."
UPDATE: Watch U2's "The Blackout" below:
U2 kick off a the second leg of The Joshua Tree 30th Anniversary Tour in Detroit on Sunday. Beck serves as support for the full tour.
U2 -- The Joshua Tree 30th anniversary tour
Sep 03 -- Detroit, MI @ Ford Field
Sep 05 -- Buffalo, NY @ New Era Field
Sep 08 -- Minneapolis, MN @ US Bank Stadium
Sep 10 -- Indianapolis, IN @ Lucas Oil Stadium
Sep 12 -- Kansas City, MO @ Arrowhead Stadium
Sep 16 -- St. Louis, MO @ The Dome At America’s Center
Sep 22 -- San Diego, CA @ Qualcomm Stadium
The Verve's Urban Hymns celebrates its 20th anniversary on September 27th, marking the milestone with an expanded reissue of the acclaimed album on September 1st. In promotion of the release, guitarist Nick McCabe, who reunited and performed with ex-bandmate Pete Salisbury last month, sat down with Drowned In Soundand offered up fascinating insight into the inner-workings of The Verve.
The interview is highly recommended for Verve fans -- not only did McCabe discuss Urban Hymns, he scoffed at the notion that Richard Ashcroft was the sole songwriter of their third album, revealing that everyone in the band developed and constructed the songs. He also spoke about The Verve's various break-ups, recounting the "explosive" moment that led to the Verve's second breakup in 1998:
"Basically, I had glandular fever and was advised by our management to visit a private GP who said I should take two months off. Then somehow I got coerced into going on tour anyway despite me saying it's the least wise thing I can do at this moment in time. Because I was so ill I was also self-medicating; by the time of the tour I was an absolute wreck and we only got one date into it anyway. I was a mess all day but managed to play this blinding gig and made a flippant comment when we came off stage. "Well amazingly that was a really good gig." Richard exploded and threw a beer bottle at my head so it all kicked off and that was the end of the band from that moment really."
Though The Verve were well established before Oasis, McCabe admitted to DIS that their association with Oasis introduced The Verve's music to a larger audience:
"They were our support band in the early days. I heard their tape and decided we were going to take them on tour with us. But very very quickly they just eclipsed us so it went from them being our mates to them dropping our names. Had that not happened there'd have been less of an audience for Urban Hymns."
Read the full fascinating interview with McCabe over at Drowned In Sound.
Urban Hymns will be reissued on September 1st as a 2CD deluxe edition, 6 LP super deluxe set, and 5CD/1DVD super deluxe boxset. All three expanded editions come with bonus material, including b-sides and live material. Pre-order here or through Amazon.
Adam Ant returns to North America next week and kicks off his Anthems - The Singles tour. In celebration of the tour, he's holding a Q & A on Facebook Live tomorrow (Wednesday, August 30th) and will be answering fan questions. Submit questions now through tomorrow morning on Facebook, then head over here at 3pm ET tomorrow to watch the Q & A with Adam Ant.
UPDATE (8/30): Apparently there were some technical glitches which prevented the Q & A from happening today. The statement on the matter posted on Adam Ant's FB page:
"Due to unforeseen technical difficulties, it has proven too difficult to get the Facebook Live Question and Answers session as advertised. Adam apologises to everybody that has taken the time to ask questions, but he is still looking through them and will try and organise something in the short time before the US ANTHEMS tour starts next week."
Don't miss Adam Ant on Anthems - The Singles tour. Dates are posted below.
Adam Ant -- Anthems - The Singles tour
Sep 06 -- Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Parker Playhouse
Sep 08 -- Clearwater, FL @ Capitol Theatre
Sep 09 -- Orlando, FL @ The Beacham Theatre
Sep 10 -- Jacksonville, FL @ The Florida Theatre
Sep 13 -- New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
Sep 15 -- Detroit, MI @ Sound Board (Motor City Casino Hotel)
Sep 16 -- Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
Sep 17 -- Pittsburgh, PA @ Palace Theatre
Sep 19 -- Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage
Sep 20 -- Richmond, VA @ The National
Sep 22 -- Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
Sep 23 -- Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
Sep 24 -- Nashville, TN @ War Memorial Auditorium
Sep 26 -- Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
Sep 29 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic
Sep 30 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
It's Monday, which means The Smiths have unveiled another previously unreleased live song in celebration of the forthcoming expanded reissues for The Queen Is Dead. This week's selection from the archives is a live version of "Cemetry Gates" recorded live at Manchester's Free Trade Hall on October 30th, 1986. Like the previous four installments in the series, it will not be included on the newly expanded editions of The Queen Is Dead. Stream below or on Spotify.
Fans are encouraged to post memories of The Queen Is Dead and/or The Smiths on social media with a fitting hashtag (for example, #TQID2017) for inclusion on The Queen Is Dead official tribute site. View the page here.
The Queen Is Dead will be reissued as a 2CD, 5LP, and 3CD/1DVD box on October 20th with previously unreleased material. The material (original, demos, and previously unreleased material) included on these expanded editions was remastered by engineering guru Bill Inglot who worked with the Smiths previously on The Very Best Of The Smiths (Dan Hersch also contributed to that 2001 compilation).
All three editions of The Queen Is Dead are available to pre-order through Amazon. 2CD, 3CD/1DVD, 5LP
Presenting Classic Alternative - Episode #21: Regret
Rock it old school with a new episode of Time Warp online. This week's show includes music from Depeche Mode, The Jesus And Mary Chain, Ministry, Cocteau Twins, The Fall, Smashing Pumpkins, Blur, Iggy Pop, The Smiths, and more.
Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.
A heartfelt thanks to everyone who has streamed the program, and to those who have reached out via social media or email over the last 21 weeks. Time Warp was always a passion and labor of love and it continues to be, regardless of the new format and new rules. Your love helps keep the record spinning, so to speak and I couldn't do it without you, so thank you kindly!
The DAT (digital audio tape) format was a thing for a hot second in the late 80s. The Durutti Column's 1987 album The Guitar And Other Machines was the first album to be released on DAT, and was later followed by The Ideal Copy by Wire, U2's The Joshua Tree, and New Order's seminal album Substance, among others.
The Smiths' live album Rank was originally given a DAT release, but as legend has it DAT copies were eventually pulled by the label and presumably destroyed. EIL, a record shop specializing in rarities, recently managed to get a hold of a copy of Rank on DAT and it's up for grabs. According to EIL, there are reportedly only 50 copies of Rank on DAT in circulation*; the copy they acquired has remained boxed since manufacture and has never been played. Check out the listing here if you've got the inclination and the bucks! Not sure if you'll be able to find yourself a nifty DAT player to play it on (not that you'd want to), but it sure is a cool collectors item for a fan of The Smiths.
The Fall have been forced to cancel their U.S. tour after leader Mark E. Smith was hospitalized. According to a press statement from band manager Pamela Vander, the band is gutted to cancel shows, but the good news is that Smith is on the mend and expected to make a full recovery. The U.S. tour is in the process of being rescheduled for 2018 and the new dates should be announced shortly.
Excerpt from Vander's statement:
"Due to the most recent hospitalization of our fearless leader Mark E. Smith, The Fall have had no choice but to cancel their U.S. dates for 2017. Unfortunately it would be a gamble on his health to fly anywhere over the next couple of months. Mark’s current problems are connected to his throat, mouth/dental & respiratory system…continuing with the travel/shows would certainly harm any progress that we have made over the past few weeks. These things happen. Most importantly, Mark seems to be hanging tough as always, and for what it’s worth, I’ve been told a re-schedule is already in the works for early 2018."
It hasn't been an easy 2017 for The Fall - back in April drummer Keiron Melling sustained head injuries after being "beaten to a pulp" in a train attack. Two men were later arrested in connection with the assault. Additionally, back in March the BBC erroneously reported that Mark E. Smith had died, and later apologized to Smith and fans worldwide.
The Fall released their new album New Facts Emerge in July. Stream in full below.
Morrissey's November 10th show at the Hollywood Bowl went on sale today and sold out in minutes. Moz has now added a second show November 11th -- tickets will go on sale Tuesday, August 29th at 10am local time (PST).
Morrissey announced earlier this week that his new studio album Low In High School arrives November 17th through his new BMG imprint Etienne Records. More shows in support of the album are expected to be announced shortly.
Morrissey - Tour
Nov 10 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
Nov 11 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
The Jesus & Mary Chain reunited with former drummer Bobby Gillespie last night in Portugal. Gillespie, who also played the Vilar de Mouros festival with his band Primal Scream, graciously accepted the offer and rocked three Psychocandy songs with his old band. Watch incredible history being made below:
The Jesus & Mary Chain released Damage & Joy, their first new album in almost 20 years earlier this year. Jim Reid revealed to Nottingham Post that a new record was in the works for almost 10 years, but tension between he and brother William prevented them from making it into the studio. The brothers eventually enlisted Youth as producer (in part to be a producer, but also to be a peacemaker), and the scheme worked out quite well -- everyone got along. Reid even goes to far as to predict the Mary Chain will record another album together in the near future. "There were a lot of songs for this record which meant that we could have put out a double album but with it being being such a long time since we released our last studio album, it's a case of us dipping a toe into the water to see how it goes. It seems to have gone down quite well so I see no reason why we can’t make another album sometime soon."
The Jesus & Mary Chain head to North America this autumn. Dates for the trek are posted below:
Jesus & Mary Chain - North American tour
Oct 19 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Oct 22 -- Sacramento, CA @ Ace Of Spaces
Oct 24 -- Eugene, OR @ Macdonald Theatre
Oct 25 -- Portland, OR @ The Crystal Ballroom
Oct 31 -- Missoula, MT @ The Wilma
Nov 02 -- Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex Grand
Nov 03 -- Denver, CO @ The Fillmore
Nov 05 -- Dallas, TX @ The Bomb Factory
Nov 07 -- Austin, TX @ Emo's
Nov 08 -- Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
Depeche Mode released their beloved single "Never Let Me Down Again" 30 years ago today. The alluring and dark anthem was issued as the second song from their soon-to-be released album Music For The Masses, which followed September 28th, 1987 (shares the same release date with the Smiths' swansong Strangeways Here We Come and Pixies' debut Come On Pilgrim).
Part of what makes "Never Let Me Down Again" so grand and majestic is its music video, which was directed by visual genius Anton Corbijn. By this time in '87 Depeche Mode had already established a creative and successful relationship with Corbijn, who directed the previous two videos "A Question Of Time" (off Black Celebration) and "Strangelove," the first single off Music For the Masses. The band's collaborations with Corbijn indeed played an essential role in transforming Depeche Mode into one of the most iconic and legendary acts in music history.
Anton Corbijn is still a key player in the world of Depeche Mode -- he created the visuals for their latest album Spirit and designed the stage sets for their Global Spirit tour. The U.S. leg of the tour kicked off last night in Salt Lake City and rolls through DTE August 27th. Tickets are available here.
Depeche Mode - North American Global Spirit tour
Aug 25 -- Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
Aug 27 -- Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
Aug 30 -- Chicago, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Sep 01 -- Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
Sep 03 -- Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
Sep 05 -- Montreal, QC @ Centre Bell
Sep 07 -- Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
Sep 09 -- New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
Sep 11 -- New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
Sep 13 -- Tampa, FL @ Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sep 15 -- Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
Sep 18 -- Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater
Sep 20 -- Austin, TX @ Austin360 Amphitheatre
Sep 22 -- Dallas, TX @ Starplex Pavilion
Sep 24 -- Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Sep 27 -- Phoenix, AZ 2 AK-Chin Pavilion
Sep 30 -- Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena
Oct 02 -- Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara County Bowl
Oct 06 -- San Diego, CA @ Mattress Firm Amphitheatre
Oct 08 -- San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
Oct 10 -- Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena
Oct 12 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
Oct 14 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
Oct 16 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
Oct 18 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
Oct 21 -- Seattle, WA @ KeyArena
Oct 23 -- Portland, OR @ Moda Center
Oct 25 -- Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
Oct 27 -- Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
Gary Numan releases his 22nd studio album Savage: Songs From A Broken World on September 15th. He's issued a few tracks from the album over the past few weeks including the intense first single/video "My Name Is Ruin." Now he's shared a marvelous slow and stirring groover titled "And It All Began With You."
Stream below and pre-order Savage: Songs From A Broken Worldhere.
Gary Numan - North American tour
Nov 15 -- San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
Nov 16 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Nov 17 -- Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
Nov 19 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Nov 21 -- Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Nov 22 -- Seattle, WA @ Neptune
Nov 23 -- Vancouver, BC @ The Rickshaw Theatre
Nov 24 -- Calgary, AL @ Commonwealth
Nov 26 -- Winnipeg, MB @ Pyramid Cabaret
Nov 28 -- Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Nov 29 -- Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
Nov 30 -- Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew's Hall
Dec 01 -- Toronto, ON @ Opera House
Dec 04 -- Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
Dec 05 -- Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
Dec 06 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Dec 07 -- Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Street
Dec 09 -- Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Dec 11 -- Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade/Heaven Stage
Dec 12 -- Nashville, TN @ Exit/IN
Dec 13 -- New Orleans, LA @ House Of Blues
Dec 14 -- Dallas, TX @ Trees
Dec 15 -- Houston, TX @ The Mohawk
Dec 18 -- Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
Dec 19 -- Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen
Liam Gallagher releases his debut solo album As You Were on October 6th. So far he's released three songs from the album - "Wall Of Glass," "Chinatown," and the latest single "For What It's Worth." Today Gallagher premiered a live version of "For What It's Worth" backed by his live band and a string section that he recorded recently in London's AIR studios.
Stream the live performance of "For What It's Worth" below:
The full length album As You Were arrives October 6th and is available to pre-order on LP (standard black and limited edition white), CD, and digital download; a deluxe edition on CD & digital download adds three extra songs (15 total). A limited edition box set with 12" vinyl, CD, bonus etched 7", art print, hardcover book, and more is also available. Check out all the options here.
Liam Gallagher -- North American tour
Nov 13 -- San Francisco, CA @ Warfield
Nov 18 -- Denver, CO @ Gothic
Nov 20 -- Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Nov 21 -- Chicago, IL @ The Riviera
Nov 23 -- Toronto, ON @ Rebel
Nov 25 -- Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
Nov 27 -- New York, NY @ Terminal 5
Nov 29 -- Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre
Nov 30 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Beck unveiled a new song from his forthcoming studio album Colors. "Dear Life" technically serves as the third single from Colors, as the album includes the previously issued tracks "Dreams" and "Wow." Stream the lyric video for "Dear Life" below.
Colors arrives October 13th and is available to pre-order on a variety of formats: standard and deluxe LP, CD, cassette, and digital album download. Check out all of the options here.
Beck hits the road in September for the second leg of U2's tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Joshua Tree. The tour rolls through Ford Field on September 3rd and tickets are available here.
Lunareturn next month with a covers album and instrumental EP. The covers album, A Sentimental Education, includes reworkings of originals from David Bowie, The Cure, Fleetwood Mac, Mercury Rev, B-Sides, and more. The band previously covered The Cure's "Fire In Cairo" at live shows, but yesterday they unveiled the highly anticipated studio version along with the single's artsy video, which was directed by Keven McAlester and stars Rose McGowan. Watch below:
A Sentimental Education and instrumental EP, titled A Place Of Greater Safety arrive September 22nd and are available to pre-order through Amazon and Pledge Music.
Don't miss Luna on tour in North America this autumn. Dates are posted below:
Luna -- North American tour
Sep 30 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Swing House (meet & greet/release party)
Nov 01 -- Minneapolis, MN @ The Cedar
Nov 02 -- Chicago, IL @ Park West
Nov 03 -- Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
Nov 04 -- St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
Nov 05 -- Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
Nov 07 -- Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
Nov 08 -- Toronto, ON @ The Great Hall
Nov 09 -- Cleveland, OH @ The Grog Shop
Nov 10 -- Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall
Nov 11 -- Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
Nov 12 -- Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
Nov 14 -- Washington, DC @ Black Cat
Nov 15 -- Pittsburgh, PA @ The Warhol at Carnegie Lecture Hall
Nov 16 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Nov 17 -- Jersey City, NJ @ Monty Hall
Nov 18 -- Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
William Patrick Corgan (the artist previously known as Billy Corgan) has announced a new solo album. Ogilala was produced by Rick Rubin and arrives October 13th. Corgan commented on the album and working with Rubin:
"Having written the songs for voice and guitar, I put myself in Rick's hands to take the music wherever he'd like. Normally I would have done more, and tinkered more on production, but rather Rick put the onus on me to deliver at a molecular level via live takes. The rest was simply a reaction."
Today Corgan shared the first song "Aeronaut," a shimmering piece featuring piano, acoustic guitar, and strings. Stream below and pre-order Ogilala from Smashing Pumpkins' official store.
Corgan also announced a North American tour which bypasses the Detroit area. Dates are posted below.
William Patrick Corgan - North American tour
Oct 14 -- Brooklyn, NY @ Murmrr Theatre
Oct 15 -- Brooklyn, NY @ Murmrr Theatre
Oct 18 -- Wilmington, DE @ Grand Opera House
Oct 20 -- Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Oct 24 -- Chicago, IL @ Athenaeum Theatre
Oct 25 -- Chicago, IL @ Athenaeum Theatre
Oct 27 -- Nashville, TN @ CMA Theater
Oct 29 -- Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater
Nov 01 -- San Francisco, CA @ Herbst Theatre
Nov 02 -- San Francisco, CA @ Herbst Theatre
Nov 09 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
Nov 10 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
Nov 11 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
Morrissey has announced he'll return with his 11th studio album in November. The new album, Low In High School was recorded in France and Italy earlier this year, and arrives November 17th through BMG via Morrissey's newly launched label Etienne Records. BMG is thrilled to have partnered with the legend: "There are not many artists around today that can compare to Morrissey. He is an extraordinary talent. He is prodigious, literate, witty, elegant and above all, courageous. His lyrics, humour and melodies have influenced many generations. The music on this new landmark record will speak for itself and we are delighted to welcome him to BMG."
So far Morrissey has not unveiled the cover art or opened pre-orders, however the album will be available on a variety of formats including standard and limited edition vinyl; CD, cassette, and digital album download. Stay tuned for details.
Morrissey released his last album World Peace Is None Of Your Business in 2014 through Harvest. That partnership didn't go so well and Morrissey severed ties with the label shortly after its release.
One live date has been announced in advance of Low In High School - Morrissey performs November 10th at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. More dates are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
The Smiths unveiled another previously unreleased live song in celebration of the forthcoming expanded reissues for The Queen Is Dead. This week's selection from the archives is a live version of "Never Had No One Ever" recorded live at Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham on October, 21st 1986. Like the previous live tracks, it will not be included on the newly expanded editions of The Queen Is Dead. Stream below or on Spotify.
Fans are encouraged to post memories of The Queen Is Dead and/or The Smiths on social media with a fitting hashtag (for example, #TQID2017) for inclusion on The Queen Is Dead official tribute site. View the page here.
The Queen Is Dead will be reissued as a 2CD, 5LP, and 3CD/1DVD box on October 20th with previously unreleased material. The material (original, demos, and previously unreleased material) included on these expanded editions was remastered by engineering guru Bill Inglot who worked with the Smiths previously on The Very Best Of The Smiths (Dan Hersch also contributed to that 2001 compilation).
All three editions of The Queen Is Dead are available to pre-order through Amazon. 2CD, 3CD/1DVD, 5LP
The third Oasis album Be Here Now was released 20 years ago today. The classic album is filled with epic anthems, and despite critics and the mighty Noel Gallagher himself slagging off and renouncing the album, it remains a fan favorite and important piece of Oasis history.
The psych/spacerock collective Pure Phase Ensemble* converge in Poland each year for the annual shoegaze/psych/space festival SpaceFest. As they've done in the past, an album featuring this year's key performances from the festival will be released on September 29th. Today the first single from the sixth installment of Live At SpaceFest premiered - check out "God Drugs" featuring Anton Newcombe of Brian Jonestown Massacre below. Pre-order the release here.
*Mark Gardener of Ride previously collaborated with Pure Phase Ensemble on the 4th edition of the live series which is available here.
Presenting Classic Alternative - Episode 20: Decay
Rock it old school with a new episode of Time Warp online. This week's show includes music from The Smiths, The Church, Echo & The Bunnymen, Wire, Slowdive, Suede, Catherine Wheel, Jane's Addiction, and a tribute to New Order's classic album Substance, which turned 30 this week.
Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.
Last year Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions released the excellent full length album Under The Hunter. They'll return with an EP titled Son Of A Lady September 15th, which includes previously unreleased material from the Under The Hunter sessions. The 10" vinyl will include a bonus track, which is an alternative, acoustic version of "Let Me Get There," featuring Kurt Vile.
Stream "Sleep" from the EP below and pre-order Son Of A Lady through Amazon or Pledge Music.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark are set to return with their new album The Punishment Of Luxury on September 1st. They've premiered the fourth track from the album -- stream "The View From Here" below.
The Punishment Of Luxury is available to pre-order here.
New Order's epic and iconic Substance turns 30 years old today. The classic album, released August 17th, 1987, is a superb collection of the band's definitive 12" singles and is an essential piece in New Order's remarkable and distinguished catalog. Substance is an extraordinary album from front to back. It is perfect. There is no filler, there is no "skip" track; everything is in its right place.
The idea for Substance was conceived by Factory kingpin Tony Wilson, who wanted all of New Order's singles on one CD so he could rock out while driving his snazzy new sports car. At that point, none of New Order's singles were available on CD format, and only a couple of songs ("The Perfect Kiss," "Sub-Culture") appeared on their studio albums; (let's be honest here, the versions of "The Perfect Kiss" and "Sub-Culture" that appeared on Low-Life paled in comparison to the 12" versions, and let's not get started on the brutally chopped up versions that appear on various greatest hits collections).
Though most of the versions included on Substance were previously issued, not every track was the original 12" mix: New Order went into the studio in May of 1987 to re-record "Confusion" and "Temptation"; an edited version of "Sub-Culture" appears on all formats; and 40 seconds of "The Perfect Kiss" was edited out for space on CD (the full glorious and epic 12" appears on the LP edition).
One new song appeared on Substance -- "True Faith," which was released as a 12" in July of 1987 backed with the b-side "1963." The iconic video for "True Faith" enjoyed a ton of radio and MTV airplay, and was a massive hit in the U.S. This propelled sales of Substance and earned New Order legions of new and passionate fans.
The CD and some cassette versions of Substance included a bonus disc of material -- Substance Disc 2 -- which collected the b-sides to the 12" singles along with the instrumental "Murder." The disc also includes a legendary "Mesh" tracklisting error which continues to haunt New Order to this day.
"Mesh" and "Cries And Whispers" both appeared as b-sides on 1981's "Everything's Gone Green," but the tracks were listed in the wrong order on some of the 12" editions. Years later the tracklisting error followed New Order onto Substance: "Mesh" was listed as track 3 on Disc 2, however in reality "Cries And Whispers" is the song that really appears as track 3, leading to a whole lot of confusion still to this day.
Substance is peak New Order. New Order have released many seminal, iconic, and influential albums, but no release ever captured the intensity, magic, brilliance, and beauty of New Order quite like Substance. This distinguished record stands alone and is the crown jewel in New Order's illustrious catalog.
Noel Gallagher announced he's headlining Manchester Arena's reopening show September 9th. The venue reopens with We Are Manchester, a benefit concert to honor those impacted by the events of the May 22nd attack. All profits from the concert will benefit the Manchester Memorial Fund, which aims to establish a permanent memorial for the victims.
Noel Gallagher was unable to attend the One Love Manchester benefit on June 4th, but donated proceeds from "Don't Look Back In Anger" to the victims and families impacted by the attack.
Gallagher returns with his third studio album in November.
UPDATE (8/19): Look who wants to get in on the fun...
I would love to play that gig in MCR on sept 9th but I'm afraid I'm playing in Spain saying that though it's only a hop skip n a jump LG x
Detroit's Protomartyr return with their fourth studio album Relatives In Descent on September 29th. The band previously issued the single "A Private Understanding" and now they've premiered a new single titled "My Children." Stream below and pre-order here.
Protomartyr previous revealed Relatives In Descent isn't a concept record, however there is a running theme:
"The unknowable nature of truth, and the existential dread that often accompanies that unknowing. This, at a moment when disinformation and garbled newspeak have become a daily reality."
Don't miss Protomartyr's massive record release party aboard the Detroit Princess on September 22nd. Metz, Adult., Preoccupations, and Tyvek are also coming along for the ride! Grab tickets here.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark are set to release their new album The Punishment Of Luxury on September 1st. They appeared on BBC Radio 2 a few days ago for a live sesssion, during which they paid tribute to David Bowie with a cover of the classic "Heroes." Watch how it went down below.
The Punishment Of Luxury arrives September 1st and is available to pre-order here.
L7's highly anticipated documentary L7: Pretend We're Dead is set to be released worldwide October 13th on Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD. The film, produced by Blue Hats Creative, will also exclusively screen in select cities this fall starting September 1st. L7: Pretend We're Dead tells the story of the influential band's 20 year history and includes previously unseen raw performances, interviews, and personal home video. The documentary also features interviews with Exene Cervenka, Lydia Lunch, Joan Jett, Shirley Manson, Louise Post, Brody Dalle, Allison Robertson, and more.
View the screening dates below. For more on L7: Pretend We're Dead, visit the official site here.
L7: Pretend We're Dead -- Screening dates
Sep 01 -- Portland, OR @ Hollywood Theater
Sep 08 -- Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA
Sep 08 -- Chicago, IL @ The Vic/Brew & View
Sep 08 -- Santa Ana, CA @ Frida Cinema
Sep 09 -- Santa Ana, CA @ Frida Cinema
Sep 10 -- Santa Ana, CA @ Frida Cinema
Sep 12 -- Long Beach, CA @ Art Theatre
Sep 14 -- Boston, MA @ Regent Theater
Sep 15 -- Boston, MA @ Regent Theater
Sep 16 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent
Sep 17 -- Austin, TX @ Alamo Drafthouse
Sep 19 -- Washington DC @ The Black Cat
Sep 27 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Roxie
Oct 05 -- Brooklyn, NY @ Nitehawk Cinema
L7 - tour dates
Sep 26 -- Santa Cruz, CA @ Catalyst
Sep 27 -- San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s
Sep 30 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre
Liam Gallagher is appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert tonight. Tune in tonight and check back tomorrow to stream the archive of the performance.
UPDATE (8/15): Gallagher performed his new single "For What It's Worth" along with "Wall Of Glass" - watch the performance below:
Meanwhile Gallagher has gone on a tweeting binge about Lee Mavers of The La's. Enjoy the outburst below.
The beat save it for later I am the key the las cigs n alcohol t fuvking Rex oasis sit down la I got your number you hit mine as you were x
It's Monday, which means The Smiths have unleashed a previously unreleased live song from their vaults in celebration of their forthcoming The Queen Is Dead expanded reissues. Today they've shared an epic live version of "I Know It's Over" recorded live August 25th, 1986 at Universal Amphitheatre. Stream below or on Spotify.
Fans are encouraged to post memories of The Queen Is Dead and/or The Smiths on social media with a fitting hashtag (for example, #TQID2017) for inclusion on The Queen Is Dead official tribute site. View the page here.
The Queen Is Dead will be reissued as a 2CD, 5LP, and 3CD/1DVD box on October 20th. All three editions are available to pre-order through Amazon. 2CD, 3CD/1DVD, 5LP
Presenting Classic Alternative - Episode 19: Shroud Of Betrayal
Rock it old school with a new episode of Time Warp online. Today's episode features music from New Order, Executive Slacks, The Breeders, Republica, Happy Mondays, Sugarcubes, David Bowie, Bauhaus, The Ocean Blue, The Cure, and so much more.
Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.
Poptone, the new project featuring Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins, debuted in April and are back on the road the week playing shows on the east coast. The pair, rounded out with Haskins' daughter Diva on bass, have been playing a packed set of songs featuring classics from their previous bands: Bauhaus, Tones On Tail, and Love And Rockets. Ash recently revealed that the idea to reunite with Haskins wand revisit their catalog was kind of a Spinal Tap moment -- the idea came to him after waking up to Motorhead's "Ace Of Spades." He told NPR:
"I'm not a massive Motorhead fan. I just knew the singles, to be honest...it was blasting at 4 in the morning and I had this realization. This is hilarious, that cliché about getting the band back together, it was very Spinal Tap I suppose but whatever. And I just thought ‘Am I drunk? What’s going on? I’ve not been wanting to do this for a decade.’ But this thing seemed completely right at that moment in time. Boom. Lemmy, the ‘Ace of Spades.’ Who would have thought that song would have gotten me back out on the road?"
Poptone recently announced a new string of North American tour dates, and this time they're coming to Detroit. Don't miss Poptone at the Majestic Theater on September 23rd. Tickets are on sale now. View the full tour itinerary below:
Poptone -- North American tour
Aug 11 -- Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Sound Stage
Aug 12 -- Richmond, VA @ The National
Sep 22 -- Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theater
Sep 23 -- Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theater
Sep 24 -- Cincinnati, OH @ 20th Century Theater
Sep 28 -- London, ON @ London Music Hall
Sep 29 -- Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
Sep 30 -- Ottawa, ON @ Bronson Centre Theatre
Oct 01 -- Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe
Nov 25 -- Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
Nov 26 -- Memphis, TN @ New Daisy
Nov 29 -- Ft Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
Nov 30 -- Tampa, FL @ Orpheum
Dec 01 -- Orlando, FL @ Beacham
Dec 03 -- Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall
Dec 05 -- New Orleans, LA @ House Of Blues
Dec 07 -- Austin, TX @ Mohawk
Dec 08 -- Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
Dec 10 -- Dallas, TX @ Trees
The Smiths "Girlfriend In A Coma" was released thirty years ago today. The single was the first taste of the band's final studio album Strangeways Here We Come, which would later follow in September of that year.
The single (or really, one of the single's b-sides) played an important role in shaping music history because it was yet another source of frustration for Johnny Marr, who at this point was beyond disgruntled with the Smiths and had had enough. Marr was cool with the b-side "I Keep Mine Hidden," but he detested the other b-side, a cover of Cilla Black's "Work Is A Four Letter Word" and fought to keep it off the release. He famously lost that battle, and as mounting tensions within the band became too much for him to deal with, he decided to go on holiday to Los Angeles to get away from it all. He never returned to the Smiths, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Also: Fans of The Smiths should head over to Glorious Noise to check out some shots of the legendary Shelagh Delaney.
Tony Wilson, television personality, founder of Factory Records and The Haçienda, died ten years ago today (August 10th, 2007)at the age of 57. Wilson introduced the U.K. -- and the world -- to incredible bands through his television programs and Factory Records. He influenced music in countless ways, and the world is an infinitely better place for it. Keep the legend in your thoughts today and enjoy some video in his memory.
Begin with The Way We Were - a BBC documentary hosted by Tony Wilson featuring performances from various TV shows he hosted over the years. Includes performances from Joy Division, Iggy Pop, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Buzzcocks, XTC, Magazine, The Clash, and more.
Liam Gallagher premiered another single from his forthcoming debut solo album. "For What It's Worth" is the third track Gallagher has issued, and it's decidedly the most Beatles/Oasis-ish of the bunch. Gallagher reveals the song is an apology:
"I wanted to write an apology...Not to one person, but to everyone, because I'm no good at saying sorry. That song is a tune."
Check out "For What It's Worth" below:
Gallagher's full length album As You Were arrives October 6th and is available to pre-order on LP (standard black and limited edition white), CD, and digital download; a deluxe edition on CD & digital download adds three extra songs (15 total). A limited edition box set with 12" vinyl, CD, bonus etched 7", art print, hardcover book, and more is also available. Check out all the options here.
Liam Gallagher -- North American tour
Nov 13 -- San Francisco, CA @ Warfield
Nov 18 -- Denver, CO @ Gothic
Nov 20 -- Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Nov 21 -- Chicago, IL @ The Riviera
Nov 23 -- Toronto, ON @ Rebel
Nov 25 -- Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
Nov 27 -- New York, NY @ Terminal 5
Nov 29 -- Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre
Nov 30 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
