Filed under: Adventures in Stereo favourite, Blind Melon, Bootleg of the Month, Downloads, Imperial Teen, Izzy Stradlin, Mark Lanegan, Scott Weiland | Tags: Blind Melon, Bootleg of the Month, Download, Imperial Teen, Izzy Stradlin, Live, Mark Lanegan, Scott Weiland, Shannon Hoon
It’s June! How quickly has the last 6 months passed? It seems that the older I get the quicker I grow older (if that makes sense to anyone but me) … I can’t believe that just about 10 years ago the soundtrack to my summer was Imperial Teen’s What Is Not to Love, 12 Bar Blues by Scott Weiland, Mark Lanegan’s Scraps at Midnight and Izzy Stradlin’s 117 Degrees.
Another band that I listened to a helluva lot (although not active) around this time was Blind Melon.
Blind Melon’s debut album was one of those records that sorta defined the generation … when rock music was breaking into the mainstream without the bands sacrificing their integrity.
No Rain and Change where big hits and people knew what you were talking about when you mentioned the “song with the bumblebee girl”. The debut, Blind Melon, was in many ways a rock classic. It was seeped in all the 70’s influences that each member had, whilst sounding fresh.
Their second album, Soup, was superior in many ways … the song craft was perfected and diversified. The band was inspired! Sadly, this wasn’t everyone’s belief and the album never really took off … many people looked for the big hit in the foil of Change or No Rain.
Soup never had a song like that … it offered more than a few hits. It was a master class in how to write and compile an album that consisted of nothing but great songs.
Sadly, Shannon Hoon died during the touring to promote Soup.
June’s Bootleg is a brilliant show from Vancouver, Canada, October 3rd 1995. A great performance and one of my favourite shows … and as always it’s a soundboard recording. Enjoy.
2×4
Toes Across the Floor
Tones of Home
Wilt
Vernie
No Rain
Walk
Lemonade
Time
St Andrew’s Fall
Skinned
Change
Soup
the Duke
Galaxie
Car Seats (God’s Presents)
Filed under: 10 Minute Warning, Adventures in Stereo favourite, Bright Eyes, Downloads, Greg Dulli, Grinderman, Guns N' Roses, Isobel Campbell, Jane's addiction, Mark Lanegan, Music News, NME, Nick Cave, Slash, The Gutter Twins, The Panic Channel, Tom Waits, Velvet Revolver, Video, folks on tour | Tags: 10 Minute Warning, Appetite for Destruction, Autobiography, Bright Eyes, Downloads, folks on tour, Fopp, Gears of War, Greg Dulli, Grinderman, Guns N' Roses, Isobel Campbell, Mark Lanegan, Mark Lanegan & Isobel Campbell, Mercury Rev, Sigur Ros, Slash, Spiritualized, The Gutter Twins, The Panic Channel, Tom Waits, Velvet Revolver, Video
So, in between going to work and playing Gears of War on the Xbox I’ve been reading Slash’s autobiography (SLASH) and it’s pretty damn good. Those Gn’R fellas were pretty wild … as I’ve said many times, I don’t care much for anything past Appetite for Destuction, but back when I was ‘discovering’ music I sought out everything Gn’R. Although I don’t listen to much of their post-Appetite output, there is a good album within the Use Your Illusion double. I can’t even be bothered discussing this ‘Chinese Democracy’ and the best of all the post Guns projects was Duff McKagen’s record with his old 10 Minute Warning pals. However, I just had to listen to some early Gn’R stuff that I had kicking around so as to hear what Slash was talking about.
Here’s a few early Guns N’ Roses tracks (available for 1 week only):
November Rain demo from 1986, Welcome to the Jungle, Bad Obsession (early Use Your Illusion demo)
… and away from this Guns N’ Roses stuff, the Connect Festival (held in the ancient grounds of an 18th Century castle in the Scottish Highlands) will feature some mighty fine bands this year (as well as not so mighty fine) and although the tickets are pretty pricey, you can expect your weekend of Friday 29th to Sunday 31st August to include entertainment from Sigur Ros, Grinderman, Elbow, Spiritualized, Mercury Rev, Howling Bells, Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band and … The Gutter Twins! (for the full list of the announced acts visit the Connect Music Festival dot Com).
Speaking of The Gutter Twins, here’s some more dates that are shown on their MySpace:
JUNE
28 - Sled Island Festival, Calgary
JULY
10 - The Roxy, Hollywood, CA
12 - Showbox, Seattle, WA
AUGUST
2 - Lollapalooza, Chicago, IL
6 - Tavastia, Helsinki, FI
7 - Way Out West, Gothenburg, SE
8 - Voxhall, Aarhus, DK
9 - Haldern Festival, Haldern, DE
11 - Zodiac, Oxford, UK
12 - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, UK
13 - Shepherds Bush Empire, London, UK
15 - Pukkelpop Festival, Hasselt, BE
16 - Lowlands Festival, Biddinghuizen, NL
17 - Highfield Festival, Hohenfelden, DE
19 - Beatpol, Dresden, DE
20 - Ampere, Munich, DE
21 - Palac Akropolis, Prague, CZ
23 - Proxima, Warsaw, PL
25 - Forum, Bielefeld, DE
26 - Komedia, Brighton, UK
27 - Leadmill, Sheffield, UK
29 - Electric Picnic, Stradbally, IE
30 - Academy, Liverpool, UK
Also on tour is Tom Waits. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to catch one of the Edinburgh shows, but here’s a list of dates from the Anti- website …
JUNE
17 & 18 - Orpheum, Phoenix, AZ
20 - Plazza Theatre, El Paso, TX
22 - Jones Hall, Houston, TX
23 - Palladium, Dallas, TX
25 - Brady Theatre, Tulsa, OK
26 - Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO
28 - Ohio Theatre, Columbus, OH
29 - Civic Auditorium, Knoxville, TN
JULY
1 - Times Union Centre, Jacksonville, FL
2 - Saenger Theatre, Mobile, AL
3 - Alabama Theatre, Birmingham, AL
5 - Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
12 - Auditorium Kursaal, SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN
14 & 15 - Auditorium Forum, BARCELONA, SPAIN
17, 18 & 19 – Teatro Degli Arcimboldi, MILAN, ITALY
21 & 22 – KCP, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
24 & 25 – Grand Rex, PARIS, FRANCE
27 & 28 – Playhouse, EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
30 & 31st - The Ratcellar, DUBLIN, IRELAND
AUGUST
1 – The Ratcellar, DUBLIN, IRELAND
There’s loads of other stuff happening (Festival season and all), but I’ve been to busy playing Gears of War to notice! … oh, and Sunday at Devil Dirt (the new Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan album) was released on May 12th, not May 5th! … but it’s a great album. I also got my hands on The Panic Channel’s (ONe) for £3 out of Fopp: it’s anything but brilliant, but enjoyable enough (hopefully something comes from the NME jam with the original Jane’s Addiction line up).
I’ll be getting May’s bootleg posted in the next few days, but in the meantime enjoy those Gn’R tracks and this smashing video from Mr. Waits.
Filed under: Adventures in Stereo favourite, Greg Dulli, Jools Holland, Mark Lanegan, The Gutter Twins, Video, folks on tour | Tags: folks on tour, Greg Dulli, Jools Holland, Later, Mark Lanegan, The Gutter Twins, Video
It’s just occurred to me that I made no mention of The Gutter Twins’ performance on Later … I watched the Tuesday show and caught up with the extended Friday show on Saturday via Virgin Media’s ‘Catch Up’ service (skipped most of the acts - especially Operator Please).
It was great to see Dulli, Lanegan and the rest of the guys (Dave, Jeff, Cully, Scott and Ed) on UK TV and if you missed it …
… and some other dates:
August 1st - 3rd - Lollapalooza, Grant Park, Chicago
August 13th - London’s Shepherds Bush Empire
Filed under: Adventures in Stereo NEWS!, Adventures in Stereo favourite, Stone Temple Pilots, Video, folks on tour | Tags: Adventures in Stereo favourite, Adventures in Stereo NEWS!, folks on tour, Stone Temple Pilots, Video
So, the newly reformed Stone Temple Pilots have made some additions to the reunion tour which kicks off on May 17th and have suggested that a new album is on the cards. This is all very good and certainly makes me a happy man. Don’t get me wrong, Velvet Revolver were enjoyable, but not a patch on Stone Temple Pilots.
The band start by headlining the Rock on the Range Festival in Columbus, OH before finishing up in New Orleans (Voodoo Music Festival) on October 24th (list of dates below). Hopefully they’ll make their way out of the US.
As well as annoncing a pretty extensive touring schedule, the band appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live on May 1st.
Welcome back!
May
17 - Columbus OH US Columbus Crew Stadium
18 - Camden NJ US Susquehanna Bank Center
20 - Cleveland OH US State Theatre
22 - Chicago IL US Charter One Pavilion/Northerly Isle
23 - Indianapolis IN US Indianapolis Motor Speedway
25 - Wallingford CT US Chevrolet (Oakdale) Theatre
26 - Uncasville CT US Mohegan Sun Arena
31 - Holmdel NJ US PNC Bank Arts Center
June
01 - Mansfield MA US Tweeter Center
03 - Detroit MI US Fillmore
04 - Detroit MI US Fillmore
06 - St. Paul MN US Wilkens Auditorium
07 - Kansas city MO US Liberty Memorial Park
08 - St. Louis MO US Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
11 - Salt lake city UT US E Center
12 - Las vegas NV US Pearl Concert Theatre (Palms Resort)
14 - Las vegas NV US Pearl Concert Theatre (Palms Resort)
21 - Calgary AB CA V Festival @ Fort Calgary
24 - Los angeles CA US Hollywood Bowl
25 - Tucson AZ US Anselmo Valencia Ampitheatre
27 - San antonio TX US AT&T Center
28 - Woodlands TX US Woodlands Pavilion
29 - Grand prairie TX US Nokia Live
July
02 - Denver CO US Red Rocks Amphitheatre
04 - Milwaukee WI US Summerfest
10 - Quebec City QC CA Quebec City International Festival
11 - Montreal QC CA Bell Centre
12 - Toronto ON CA Downsview Park
15 - Canandaigua NY US Constellation Brands Performing Arts Center
17 - Green bay WI US Oneida Casino
18 - Mt. Pleasant MI US Soaring Eagle Casino
19 - Cadott WI US Chippewa Valley Music Festival
25 - Berkeley CA US Greek Theatre
26 - Paso robles CA US California Mid-State Fair
27 - San diego CA US Qualcomm Stadium
29 - Phoenix AZ US Dodge Theatre
August
08 - Bethlehem PA US Musikfest
09 - Atlantic city NJ US Borgata Hotel and Casino
10 - Pimlico MD US V Festival
16 - Elizabeth IN US Caesars Casino
17 - Charlotte NC US Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
19 - Orlando FL US UCF Arena
20 - Hollywood FL US Hard Rock Live (Seminole)
22 - Tampa FL US Ford Amphitheater
23 - Alpharetta GA US Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre @ Encore Park
30 - Vancouver BC CA General Motors Place
31 - Seattle WA, US Bumbershoot
October
24 - New Orleans, LA US Voodoo Music Festival
Filed under: Adventures in Stereo favourite, Future releases, Isobel Campbell, Mark Lanegan, folks on tour | Tags: Adventures in Stereo NEWS!, folks on tour, Isobel Campbell, Mark Lanegan, Mark Lanegan & Isobel Campbell
With Sunday at Devil Dirt due out on May 5th 2008, Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan will be taking to the road.
31 May 2008, ESTRAGON BOLOGNA
1 Jun 2008, OSSIGENO TURIN
3 Jun 2008, MOUSONTURM FRANKFURT
4 Jun 2008, L’USINE GENEVA
6 Jun 2008, LA CIGALLE PARIS
7 Jun 2008, ANCIENNE BELGIQUE BRUSSELS
8 Jun 2008, PARADISO AMSTERDAM
10 Jun 2008, SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE LONDON
11 Jun 2008, ST GEORGES CHURCH BRIGHTON
12 Jun 2008, ACADEMY 2 MANCHESTER
13 Jun 2008, ABC GLASGOW
According to Onewhiskey.com (the Mark Lanegan fansite) and various music publications, Mark Lanegan will be appearing at all dates … except Glasgow. Which is a bummer, but you can be sure I’ll check this out a little more.
Filed under: Adventures in Stereo favourite, Albums of Year, Chris Goss, Future releases, Masters of Reality, Video, folks on tour | Tags: Adventures in Stereo favourite, Albums of Year, Folks, Future releases, Masters of Reality, Music News, Video
Ok, so being excited over the release of the as yet untitled album on May 12th and their pending visit to Glasgow in June, overcooked spaghetti is the only phrase I could use to describe myself when I discovered that their album and tour has been postponed.
However! According to Mascot Recordsit aint all bad:
Chris Goss has announced the postponement of the new Masters Of Reality release as well as the summer tour, due to the fact that he is still in the studio recording what he considers the best Masters of Reality record ever.
As Chris Goss quotes:
“I sincerely regret if the tours’ delay is causing any inconvenience and disappointment. I can only say that I have not stopped and cannot stop writing new music for the album. I believe it is our best work to date. We will bring this on large and correctly; both in album form and in the live arena. The summer will bring the album. The autumn will bring a Masters of Reality tour of a quality I’ve waited my whole life to present to you.”
… donno about you folks, but the blow is more than softened with the prospect of a masterpiece.
In the meantime, enjoy this fantastic performance:
Filed under: Adventures in Stereo Revival, Adventures in Stereo favourite, Jane's addiction, Random, Red Hot Chili Peppers | Tags: Adventures in Stereo favourite, Adventures in Stereo Revival, Dave Navarro, Jane's addiction, One Hot Minute, Red Hot Chili Peppers
I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at underappreciated albums and the first album to get the Adventures in Stereo Revival is Red Hot Chili Pepper’s 1995 release ‘One Hot Minute’.
One Hot Minute is the first and only Red Hot Chili Peppers record that featured ex-Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. Coincidentally it also found the band on a darker, richer vein of form than they had been on their previous albums (and indeed the records that followed).
Although there is no denying that ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ will remain the highlight of their career, ‘One Hot Minute’ is its equal. But, it will forever be discarded by ‘fans’ of the band who dislike its ‘experimental’ sound.
For those fans who discovered the ‘Chili Peppers following the success of Californication and By The Way, One Hot Minute is bound to disappoint. It’s dark and edgy and although it plays unlike anything the band produced before, or after, Navarro’s stint you can’t help but feel that something doesn’t quite fit.
The lead-off single, ‘Warped’, was certainly an indication of what to expect. The band had never sounded so full or heavy. The instrumentation is busy, which seems to highlight the musicianship of the band more than their other records (though there’s no denying that Flea always brings his ‘A’ game to the table). This is evident throughout much of the album.
Navarro turned the band on its head. Turned them into something more than the band they were (or the pop band they would become), but it just wouldn’t work out.
There’s definately a different feel and atmosphere surrounding each of the album’s tracks. But that’s no bad thing. One Hot Minute is a great record. Possibly the record that they needed to make in order to exorcise their demons. 
Filed under: Adventures in Stereo favourite, Mark Lanegan | Tags: Adventures in Stereo favourite, Field Songs, Mark Lanegan, Resurrection Song
Field Songs is one of those beautifully crafted albums that you just have to listen to on a Sunday. I know it’s Monday, but I’m starting late and this is my album of choice.
For those who aren’t familiar with Mark Lanegan (who isn’t these days?), then here’s an excellent performance of one of the albums highlights.
Filed under: Adventures in Stereo NEWS!, Adventures in Stereo favourite, Downloads, Earth, Joseph Arthur, Nick Cave, Perry Farrell, Random, Satelitte Party, Scott Weiland, Stone Temple Pilots, The Gutter Twins, Velvet Revolver, Video | Tags: Adventures in Stereo favourites, Earth, Gutter Twins, Joseph Arthur, Nick Cave, Random, Satelitte Party, Scott Weiland, Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver, Video
Greetings!
I realise that it’s been a while since my last post and in that time Velvet Revolver have announced that they are parting company with Scott Weiland. This comes just shortly on the heels of Weiland’s announcement in Glasgow on March 20th that “this is the last tour” and former band, Stone Temple Pilots, announcing that they were reforming for a tour in the summer.
Slash had stated that “This band is all about its fans and its music and Scott Weiland isn’t 100% committed to either. Among other things, his increasingly erratic on-stage behavior and personal problems have forced us to move on.”
Regardless, it seems that a 3rd Velvet Revolver album is on the cards, while Weiland will no doubt focus on the Stone Temple Pilots reunion.
… I also realise that I’ve again been late with the monthly bootleg. I had loaned much of my collection to a friend and it’s taken me a while to look out a worthy show.
… I’ve also been re-arranging my proper CD collection so that ‘Saturnalia’, ‘The Bees Made Honey In The Lions Skull’, ‘Ultra-Payloaded’, ‘Our Shadows Will Remain’ and ‘Dig, Lazarus Dig!!!’ finally find their place among the many others.
Saturnalia, for those who are missing out, is one of the finest albums I’ve heard in a number of years. I’ve been a fan of Lanegan for some time (since I first heard Screaming Trees) and I also loved The Afghan Whigs (Twilight Singers are pretty good, but The Whigs were special), so to say this collaboration is a little special would be understatement. The first 3 tracks (The Stations, God’s Children and All Misery/Flowers) make their intentions very clear: there’s no dwelling on past glories and although often echoing the best work of each frontman (God’s Children sounding like Black Love era Whigs, All Misery/Flowers creeps in like one of Lanegan’s Bubblegum-era tracks, while Bete Noir is reminiscent of the best of Screaming Trees), the approach is fresh, with both are on particularly inspired form.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ latest (Dig, Lazarus Dig!!!) may not be as instantly appealing as it’s predecessor (2004’s amazing double Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus), but after a few listens it has managed to tunnel its way into my brain. The title track is particularly catchy and was for a while my wake up call in the morning. Night of the Lotus Eaters, We Call Upon the Author and Jesus of the Moon are highlights.
I’ll say no more about Earth’s latest, as I’ve already commented on it in a previous post. However, if you haven’t already checked out the MP3 of Omens & Portents I: The Driver (courtesy of record label Southern Lord), I recommend that you do so now. The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull’ is an incredibly powerful album, tinged with desert rock and uplifting southern gothic (doesn’t that stir some intrigue?).
The other two albums are older, but are well deserving of a mention here. Perry Farrell’s first Satellite Party record didn’t get the reaction it deserved from me first time around, but I’ll have to review my top 10 of 2007. I’ve been listening to it a fair bit these last few weeks and it’s a brilliant album … a natural progression from Jane’s Addiction’s Strays.
‘Our Shadows Will Remain’ is another that has grown on me over time. There’s no denying Joseph Arthur’s talent, however I’d initially found it to be a little too … overwhelming. Or underwhelmingly overwhelming? Regardless, it has since grown on me … the sign of a great album. Even Tho is my current favourite, with Can’t Exist being a close second.
Anyhoo, hope you are all doing well and enjoy these videos.
Filed under: Adventures in Stereo favourite, Albums of Year, Chris Goss, Downloads, Future releases, Masters of Reality, Music News, folks on tour | Tags: Adventures in Stereo favourites, Chris Goss, Desert Sessions, Downloads, folks on tour, Future releases, Goon Moon, Mark Lanegan, Masters of Reality, Music News, Queens of the Stone Age, Tour Dates
For those of you unaware of Chris Goss or Masters of Reality, check out this incredible show from Roadburn Festival 2001 that I’d found floating around the net. I’ve been a fan of this band since 1998, when I found ‘How High The Moon’ in one of these record fayre events for £7.00. I had been looking for the rare debut album, but I figured anything would do.
‘How High The Moon’ is one of the finest live albums I have ever heard and remains a favourite. I duly purchased the entire back catalogue (including the Def American, Rick Rubin produced debut) and caught the band on tour in 2001.
You may also be interested to learn (if you aren’t aware of Mr Goss) that Chris Goss was also a major player in the founding of Queens of the Stone Age (having ‘discovered’ Kyuss and having helped name the QotSA) and the Desert Sessions, as well as being a collaborator of Josh Homme, Mark Lanegan … well an extensive list of alternative artists who he’s produced records for or appeared on records with. He has even written a track for an episode of ‘Ren & Stimpy’.
Anyhoo, having been busying himself with Queens of the Stone Age’s excellent ‘Era Vulgaris’, gigs with Josh Homme as 5:15er’s and a brilliant full length debut with Goon Moon, Mascot Records have announced that the new Masters of Reality record is due out May 12th.
There’s also some tour dates announced:
May
31st: Bad Bonn Kilbi - Düdingen [Switzerland]
June
6th: Rock-Im-Park - Nürnberg Zeppelinfeld [Germany]
8th: Rock-Am-Ring - Nurburgring [Germany]
12th: Hultsfred Festival - Hultsfred [Sweden]
16th: The Cathouse - Glasgow [UK]
… oh, and the picture? That was from the last night at the Rancho de Luna.
Goss explains: “the idea was to get a photo of us roasting marshmallows on the burning guitar. It was a 12 string. I tuned the strings pretty high hoping the tense strings would pop and make good noises. We set up a microphone and recorded, but nothing happened. Our spirits shrivelled.
Then John and I thought the wood might explode, splashing molten varnish on us, or perhaps the fumes from the plastic pick guard would kill us. So we ran. We forgot to buy marshmallows too.”
– thanks to MastersofReality.co.uk for this (a great fricken’ site).
