Its true that Rivers Cuomo, the shy, yet always busy Weezer frontman is having fans help him write a new song by use of his own YouTube page, RiversCuomoAlone. This is a first for me, something never done by anyone; and believe it or not, it actually sounds like its going to be good.
I found the below videos quite odd, but fun to watch. Rivers seems to have the 'My Name Is Earl' look going on at the moment. The song being worked on is tentatively called "80s Radio" although in part 7, Rivers disbanded from this name and leaves the floor open. Have a look below.
Here's one of my favorite tracks from Maladroit:
MP3: Weezer - Burndt Jamb (buy)
Video: Rivers Cuomo - Let's Write a Sawng (Step 1 and Step 2)
Video: Rivers Cuomo - Let's Write a Sawng (Step 3: Chords)
Video: Rivers Cuomo - Let's Write a Sawng (Step 3b))
Video: Rivers Cuomo - Let's Write a Sawng (Step 4)
Video: Rivers Cuomo - Let's Write a Sawng (Step 5 and 6?)
Video: Rivers Cuomo - Let's Write a Sawng (Step 7. Lyrics.)
When it comes to music, the Irish rock scene has much to offer, particularly with Director, the 2006 sensation whose We Thrive On Big Cities captured the attention of avid rock-seekers abroad. Whether their matter-of-fact approach pulls you in, or if you're merely looking for a solid rock group to build your music library on, Director fits the mold.
Now that they've been back in the studio working on their next album for a few months, Music Under Fire is pleased to pull some thoughts from guitar lead Eoin Aherne about the band's current status and what to expect on their upcoming album.
First off, where are you all originally from, how long have you known each other?
We're all from Dublin. Michael, Rowan and I are all from the same town Malahide. It's a fairly small suburb, a seaside town. It’s become a little more cosmopolitan in the last few years (it now has a Starbucks etc.) but it’s mostly quiet with a few schools, a few pubs, a couple of churches a video store and increasingly a lot of women’s clothes shops. I went to national school with Michael and then secondary school too so I’ve known him for about twenty years which is usually a phrase only old people are able to use. Rowan was at the same secondary school and we were friends mostly – all quite into music but not in a band. The three of us finally got it together around the end of school and started playing at school shows and that kind of thing. We started to get much more into it once we started college and started doing our own songs but we still didn’t have a drummer and were playing our shows with quite a cra
ppy drum machine. We weren’t having much luck with drummer auditions until Michael met Shea. They were both studying Music at college and Shea was up for abandoning his classical guitar to fulfil his Dave Grohl/Stuart Copeland ambitions. It was great to get a really musical drummer and we all have the same sense of humour which is always really important. It worked pretty much from the start.
What made you choose the name Director for your band?
It wasn’t really an epiphany moment. We wanted something that was one word, something that looked good on a poster and not to be a ‘the’ band. We played under the moniker of ‘Business’ for a time but it was taken by about a million others. I do think that in a way just the sound of the word Director or what it conjures up in your mind suits the type of music that we play. It’s authoritative obviously and that can only be a good thing. Most importantly if you say, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen…Director’ it doesn’t sound lame.
We Thrive On Big Cities has undoubtedly been a great step for Director. Your album reached #2 on the Irish album charts within its first weeks back in 2006, how has this changed your careers leading up to 2008?
We haven’t had to get real jobs would be the main one. We’ve been able to play shows around Ireland consistently with people always wanting to come and see us play. We hadn’t really been on the ‘scene’ much before it came out so it put us on the map in Ireland straight away. We moved from never having done an interview or having been on television to people ringing us up asking would we do stuff for them. It’s just so much easier to try and do something, get people interested in your band if you have an album under your belt. Obviously you guys are interviewing us because you like the record. If you try and tell one of your friends about a band you’ve just discovered the first thing they’ll ask is if their album’s any good? We’re really looking forward to its release internationally in the Summer. Hopefully it’ll be a slow burner while we’re recording or just get people interested for the second record.
We understand you've been back in the studio as of late, what have you been up to?
We recorded two tracks at the beginning of the year with a guy called Tom McFall who is Jack Knife Lee’s engineer. It was nice to be back at Grouse Lodge Studio where we recorded the first record. We weren’t really sure what the plan for the songs would be – whether we would go with one of them as a single or if they would be the start of the new album. I think mostly we were interested in trying to work with someone new to see how that process worked out. Tom had just finished recording R.E.M.’s new record in the same studio so he had a lot of experience in using the studio to its full potential. We realised after the session that we weren’t ready to push ahead with the rest of the album and needed more time to write. The writing’s gone well over the last few months and we plan to start recording the new album at the beginning of July but still haven’t made a final decision as to who we will be recording with.
Have you been experimenting with anything new?
We’ve been working a lot more with harmony and extra vocal lines. Big Cities has almost no backing vocals on it at all and Shea and I are singing a lot more which is opening up the songs more in ways we used to not try at all. We’ve also moved away a little from our policy of working on the songs just as a band in the room, making them work with just what we were playing there and then. In the beginning it was what we always did so we would never be faced with having to make a chorus ‘work’ in the studio by layering and layering or ‘fancy’ production and then have it sound weak live. We would always have the different parts speak on their own terms. I think we’re more open now to the possibility of adding keys or extra percussion as integral parts to the songs even if we’ll have to find a way around it live.
What are your biggest influences as an artist?
As a guitar player I love melodic guitar playing and guitarists. I’m a fan of guitar lines you can sing and can easily hum you any number of George Harrison solos. I love the fact that people like The Edge or Matt Bellamy or Josh Homme have their own sound – an identifiable sonic quality that when you hear them play on any number of different songs and different parts you still know it’s them. That’s something I would definitely strive toward. In the bigger sense of being involved in something creative I’m a huge admirer of people who are engaged in a craft, something that you have to work at. I’ve just finished reading Andy Summers from The Police’s memoir and despite 
being a massive rockstar and all that goes along with it the amount of time he talks about just practising his guitar by himself, for years before they ever made it is quite inspiring. I read a lot and admire the late Irish writer John Mcgahern for his very measured prose, carefully worked out and gone over again and again until it feels right. Someone like Nick Cave seems to subscribe to this mantra as a songwriter, just going and doing it everyday until you finally get something you’re happy with, and the whole band and Michael as a songwriter would definitely go along with this idea. Some days we’ll only make one bit of progress, one little change in a song and it’s only when you compare what you started with with what you have at the end that you can see all the progress you’ve made.
While you're not making music, what do you find yourself doing in your freetime?
I would like to say playing guitar; the idea of the musician who always has an instrument to hand but it’s nowhere near the truth. I’m a bit of a square and just do completely normal stuff like watch tv or read or go to the pub. We all have the same group of introverted friends pretty much from school but as it has happened none of us have real jobs. We’ve all ended up in a different band or as an actor or dj or journalist so we just hang out or go to gigs or to see movies. Michael has a passion for making weird home movies with another friend of ours so sometime we get roped into making small appearances in those but heaven forbid if they ever see the light of day.
If you could visit any place and play a show, where would it be?
For me I’d love to go and play shows in the States. I’ve never been over and I’d love to match up all my expectations from the countless American tv shows and movies and news with the reality. I really hope we get to some touring there with the new record. I think the further you get from your home with your music the more progress you feel you are making as a band so I think travelling to America would be both one big holiday and one big step for the band.
MP3: Director - Reconnect (buy)
MP3: Director - Big Cities (buy)
For more videos and info on Director, visit their Official Site or visit their MySpace page. Support Director by buying We Thrive On Big Cities through iTunes.
American Princes (minus the guy on the right) are back with their fourth album, Other People, which was released on the 15th this past week. The group from Little Rock, AR is composed of Luke Hunsicker (Bass), Collins Kilgore (Lead Guitar, Vocals), Matthew Quin (Drums), David Slade (Rhythm Guitar, Vocals), Will Boyd (Lead Guitar, Keyboard). The group picked up Boyd in 2006 who was the former guitarist for Evanescence.
AP's sound is highly accessible - their lyrics are nonchalantly sung, the baselines are bitterly sweet and their guitars range from Brit rock to American pop. Their presentation of their different directions the band takes makes for a wildly diverse indie rock album. Definitely worth checking out...
MP3: American Princes - Still Not Sick of You (buy)
MP3: American Princes - Watch As They Go (buy)
Check them out on MySpace, Facebook, imeem, iLike, purevolume, reverb nation and Virb.
Tour Dates:
4.21 - Cambridge, MAThe Middle East - 8 pm
4.22 - New York, NYMercury Lounge - 7 pmw. Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin
4.23 - Scranton, PATest Pattern Art Gallery - 8 pmw. The Swims
4.25 - Grand Rapids, MIThe Intersection - 7 pmw. Lucero
4.26 - Minneapolis, MNHexagon Bar - 9 pm
4.27 - Des Moines, IAVaudeville Mews - 9 pm
4.28 - Omaha, NEThe Slowdown - 9 pm
4.30 - Columbia, MOMojo's - 9 pm
5.01 - Kansas City, MODavey's Uptown - 9 pm
5.02 - Wichita, KSKirby's Beer Store - 9 pm
5.10 Little Rock, ARRock n Roar - 8 pm
5.14 - Austin, TXStubb's - 8 pmw. Northern State
5.15 - Dallas, TXThe Prophet Barw. Northern State
5.16 - Houston, TXWarehouse Livew. Northern State
5.17 - Baton Rouge, LASpanish Moonw. Northern State
5.20 - Birmingham, ALThe Nickw. Northern State
5.21 - Atlanta, GAThe Earlw. Northern State
5.22 - Chapel Hill, NCLocal 506w. Northern State
5.23 - Baltimore, MDOttobarw. Northern State
Video: American Princes - Never Grow Old
Above: Anthony Gonzales jams away on his synth
For those of you who can't get enough M83 this weekend, here's another delicious remix track from Sasha's 2005 album Fundacion NYC. This track is my favorite version of this song, hands down. Happy weekend!
MP3: M83 - Don't Save Us From The Flames (Superpitcher Remix)
This is an extremely rare event, but with my trip up to the Boston Marathon this weekend, I thought I would share one of my workout playlists with you as well as my Boston writeup. Sorry to those who weren't ready for this. I just can't run to death metal or Korn. Be prepared for too much (all) techno on this one, so I don't think it will be good for all 26.2 miles of whatever you are doing.
MP3: Armin van Buuren - Precious (buy)
MP3: Sasha - Magnetic North (buy)
MP3: David Guetta - Just A Little More Love (buy)
MP3: DJ Darkzone - Infinity In Your Hands (buy)
MP3: DJ Mystik - ? (buy)
MP3: Enigma - Push The Limits (ATB remix) (buy)
MP3: Iio - Rapture (buy)
MP3: Iio - Runaway (Ford Edit) (buy)
MP3: Junior Jack - Stupid Disco (buy)
MP3: Kreo - Burn For You (buy)
MP3: Lightforce - Join Me (Club Mix) (buy)
MP3: Paul Van Dyk - Nothing But You (buy)
MP3: Rank 1 - Airwave (Breathing) (buy)
MP3: Shapeshifters - Lola's Theme (Club Mix) (buy)
MP3: Sunbeam - One Minute in Heaven (buy)
MP3: Technique - Sun Is Shining (Mash up Matt Remix) (buy)
(Photo Courtesy of PunkPhoto.com)
The Kooks have been playing some of their live music, and we're happy to grab hold of some of it. Talk of The Kooks has been all over God's creation with their latest album, Konk, making news this week. A few thousand people have had the chance to see them play live, performing some of their latest material from Konk as well as those songs which have already infected the UK from their 2007 album Inside In Inside Out.
This past month, Brighton, UK band played a live show on March 6th sponsored by the one and only BBC Radio 1 at the Barfly in Liverpool. It was the perfect situation really. Fans screaming every word they knew, and new songs being played a month before their album dropped.
Below are two tracks from their show in Liverpool. We highly recommend listening to "Sway". I may have to eat my words when I said "Always Where I Need To Be" was their best song yet because this one exceeded my expectations.
MP3: The Kooks - Sway (live) (buy)
MP3: The Kooks - I Want You (live) (buy)
Check out The Kooks on MySpace, their Official Site, Last.fm and iTunes.
Tour Dates:
May 18 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
May 19 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern *SOLD OUT*
May 24 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom *SOLD OUT*
May 25 - George, WA @ Sasquatch! Festival - all ages
May 26 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom *SOLD OUT*
May 29 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
May 30 - Kansas City, MO @ at The City Market
May 31 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Café
June 1 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
June 2 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
June 4 - Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus
June 5 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore at TLA
June 6 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
June 10 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5
June 11 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5 *SOLD OUT*
At the North Star Bar, which lies just west of Philadelphia, The Republic Tigers and Tally Hall entertained 50 some people with a display of organized talent that left people humming and smiling all the way home.
The Republic Tigers
Although the traditional five guy alt-rock band was on stage, the presence of more people definitely appeared throughout the show. Using vocals from four out of the five members, a tambourine that seemed to make its way all around, solid use of foot pedals and two solo tom-toms that were constantly dabbled with, The Republic Tigers rocked.
What is immediately noticeable about the group, which ranges from ages 21-30, is their relaxed stance in front of everyone. Although not talkative outside of the songs, I got a good feel of what the band is like when talking to guitarist Adam McGill.
Here are their tour dates for the next few months.
4/17 DC9 Washington DC, Washington DC
4/19 gloria logan auditorium @ Salem High School canton, Michigan
4/26 Crosstown Station Kansas City, Missouri
5/2 Tribeca Film Festival - Webster Hall New York, New York
5/12 KCRW "Morning Becomes Eclectic" Los Angeles, California
5/13 Spaceland Los Angeles, California
5/22 David Letterman New York, New York
5/30 Center Stage Theatre w/ Nada Surf Atlanta, Georgia
5/31 Jack Rabbits w/ Nada Surf Jacksonville, Florida
6/1 The Social w/ Nada Surf Orlando, Florida
6/2 Studio A w/ Nada Surf Miami, Florida
6/3 State Theatre w/ Nada Surf St. Petersburg, Florida
6/5 Mercy Lounge w/ Nada Surf Nashville, Tennessee
6/6 tba w/ Nada Surf Memphis, Tennessee
6/7 Bluebird w/ Nada Surf St. Louis, Missouri
6/9 The Music Mill w/ Nada Surf Indianapolis, Indiana
6/10 The Basement w/ Nada Surf Columbus, Ohio
6/11 Beachland Ballroom & Tavern w/ Nada Surf Cleveland, Ohio
Tally Hall
Before the show even started, Tally Hall had a brief video played. Not sure what it was all about but when the band was all ready to go (or so everyone thought), they sounded very smooth. Although I didn't catch too much of this set due to talking to The Tiger Republic's McGill, the well-groomed Tally Hall certainly carried a The Kingston Trio feel to their singing style. When the trio at the front of the stage adjusted in their songs, a Weezer rock atmosphere developed, where all the electric was strumming and the drums pulsing. More often though, the well-tuned vocals of the three frontmen came back and hypnotized the moment.
Although a few technical complications halted the show for a bit, the group kept their cool and did some collective stand-up to give everyone a good laugh before everything was fixed.
Tally Hall will be playing with The Republic Tigers until the 19th in Ann Arbor, Tally Hall's hometown, before tailing off on their own set of shows.
