Archive for November, 2009

“It’s more important than any record I’ve ever made, by far,” Courtney Love tells Rolling Stone of Nobody’s Daughter, her much-delayed and much-anticipated album and first release since 2004’s America’s Sweetheart. Love began writing songs for Nobody’s Daughter in 2005 during a court-mandated rehab, then spent “66 and a half days” recording with producers Billy Corgan and Linda Perry. After road-testing the material in 2007, however, Love decided to rerecord the album with a different producer and a new band.

For the LP, Love has resurrected her Hole moniker, making Nobody’s Daughter the first Hole album since 1998’s Celebrity Skin. “Wherever I lay my head is Hole,” Love says to RS‘ Jenny Eliscu, who sat down with the singer at New York’s Electric Lady Studios for an interview in the new issue.

To read the complete article visit ROLLING STONE

Taylor Swift claimed a piece of music history when she became the youngest artist ever to win the coveted title of Entertainer of the Year at the Country Music Awards.

Swift, 19, also claimed awards for Female Vocalist of the Year, Music Video of the Year for her song “Love Story” and Album of the Year with “Fearless” at the Nov. 12 ceremony in Nashville.

“I’ll never forget this moment because at this moment everything that I ever wanted has just happened to me,” a tearful Swift said when accepting her award.

The fan favorite also had some fun at the expense of rap star Kanye West, who last month interrupted her acceptance speech at the MTV Music Video Awards by rushing onto the stage and telling the audience that R&B star Beyonce — and not Swift — should have won best female video.

To read the complete article visit BILLBOARD.COM

Flyleaf’s Lacey is not a rock star.  She’s something much more important.

In fact, Lacey’s got the potential to be the voice for an entire generation. With poetic lyrics and powerful, poignant and passionate vocals, Lacey sings truth over each note that Flyleaf plays. Fans connect with every line, and Lacey gives as much as she can constantly. At the same time, she’s beyond humble, affable, caring and friendly. Spending time with her is warmly comforting and inspiring. She’s got an incredible story of triumph, and she can easily relay it. On Flyleaf’s sophomore album, Memento Mori [Due Out November 10 via A&M/Octone], Lacey and her band mates open up a whole new sonic world for listeners. Like a book, each moment segues into the next and tells one story. It’s quite unforgettable too…

Sitting in Privato, a posh restaurant inside West Hollywood’s LeMontrose Suite, Lacey balances excitement and humility about her band’s new masterpiece. Over peanut butter and jelly French toast and French fries with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino, Lacey discussed Memento Mori, the most important moments in her life, learning from The Jets and Metallica and her favorite thing in the world.

To read the complete interview visit  ARTIST DIRECT

At the Pixies’ Hollywood Palladium show on Wednesday night, the sold-out crowd of 4,000 seemed caught between genuflecting respectfully and just going nuts. Kicking off a 21-date U.S. tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of their thorny masterwork Doolittle, the alt-rock icons performed the album start-to-finish in the form of an edgy history lesson, with the students devotedly trying to keep up.

Doolittle, along with the rest of the band’s legend, has only grown in stature over two decades, its sonic adventurousness and dark, abrasive personality seeping into the bloodlines of countless rockers to follow. But on this night, frontman Black Francis, bassist Kim Deal, guitarist Joey Santiago, and drummer David Lovering were genially focused and the pace measured.

The album’s 15 tracks, after all, clock in at just 38 minutes—and even with its light show, video screen, and smoke machines, the performance didn’t attempt to match the explosiveness of the Pixies’ historic 2004 reunion shows.

To read the complete article visit SPIN

*Footage & Photos by Kenny Howell

ALISON SUDOL, who records and performs under the moniker A FINE FRENZY, seems wise beyond her years, judging by her sophmore album BOMB IN A BIRDCAGE. The 22-year-old pianist is a Los Angeles singer-songwriter and, by extension, a storyteller.

I recently discovered SUDOL while looking at forthcoming concerts for the Paradise and discovered a gorgeous porcelain-skinned redhead under the name A FINE FRENZY. I assumed she was just a model for the album cover then discovered she was the lead singer and pianist. After one listen on MySpace and I instantly bought a ticket.

The show kicked off with tunes from BOMB IN A BIRDCAGE including the lush  piano-driven “The World Without,” the hypnotic melancholy of “Swan Song” and the Shakira hip shaking seductive, “Electric Twist” that even took SUDOL’s breath away, “My goodness that one came out naughtier than normal. Someone spiked the water in Boston.”

Other songs came from the debut album, ONE CELL IN THE SEA including the atmospheric “Almost Lover” and the b-sides “Silent War,” “Coming Around,” and “From Where You Came.”

SUDOL’s infections personality and charm should be more than enough to carry her but I think this album will receive the exposure it deserves now that it is being played on MTV’s “The Hills.” If Spencer and Heidi like it then it must be good, right?

Maybe the world doesn’t have room for another sensitive piano-playing chanteuse, but it’s going to have to open up some space for ALISON SUDOL.

For more information  visit A FINE FRENZY

For more footage visit us on YOUTUBE

For more photos visit us on FLICKER

Is  Aerosmith  taking a Permanent Vacation?

Steven Tyler told a United Kingdom magazine he plans on pursuing solo projects for the foreseeable future, and his bandmates are talking openly of replacing their longtime lead singer.

“I don’t know what I’m doing yet,” Tyler told Classic Rock magazine, “but it’s definitely going to be something Steven Tyler, working on the brand of myself. Brand Tyler,” he said.

Meanwhile, his bandmates – who have told Tyler they don’t plan to work with him again until he straightens up and sobers up – plan to reconvene after doing shows in Hawaii and Dubai and discuss the future of the 40-year-old rock ’n’ roll institution.

To read the complete article visit BOSTON HERALD