I stumbled upon this the other day, and thought it was a pretty cool concept, put together by local station kut 90.5. Thus, I share with you, the Retread Sessions.

KUT’s Retread Sessions are unique live performances in which musicians are given a chance to reexamine and reconstruct songs outside of the traditional performance locales. Stepping out of the studio, off the stage and into the world that influences their sound to give intimate performances, these artists showcase the beauty of great songwriting, the art of improvisation and a devotion to evolving that quickly becomes addictive to watch. Paige Maguire curates, directs and produces the series for NPR affiliate KUT 90.5 FM in Austin, Texas.

Mates of State “My Only Offer” from Retread Sessions on Vimeo.

There has been some discussion over the past couple of years regarding artists lending their music to certain products, more specifically in commercials for those products. Much ado was made about Wilco songs in Volkswagen ads on television, upsetting quite a few Wilco fans, and you can hardly watch an hour of television these days without hearing a Spoon song in a product ad or movie preview.

Welcome to the environment that we have created, where artists have to seek out other alternatives to earn a living in order to continue pursuing their art. We all know that there isn’t any income from music sales these days, and touring costs an arm and a leg with gas prices currently.

So, in my usual fashion today as I sit and work on my laptop, I have a multitude of things working at the same time. I’m listening to KEXP on iTunes, I’m working on a couple of posts for the site, I’m checking e-mails, I have a couple of Myspace pages open checking on a few things, etc. The usual day. As I’m waiting for something to upload, and I’m checking out something of personal interest, I hear “Black Grease” from the Black Angels begin to play and I cannot figure out where it might be coming from. It’s not from my iTunes, I don’t have their Myspace open, and I’m a bit confused for a minute. I am checking out the T-Mobile page for the new Google G1 phone, which I’m completely stoked about, and I realize that this is where the song is coming from! The newest badass phone to hit the market soon and one of my favorite bands together. Seems a bit weird at first, but I like it!

Check it for yourself: The Black Angels and The G1

And for those of you who didn’t catch this one the first time around: The Black Angels and Roky Erikson In the Studio Together

Love the KEXP!

KEXP DJ’s John Richards and Cheryl Waters have entertained me and turned me on to more great music over the past few years to no end, that the only way to show my appreciation is to support the station with my donations. I’d give them a hug but they live in Seattle. All listener supported and free from any corporate manipulation, KEXP is setting the standard for the future of radio, both broadcast and online.

If you haven’t checked out the station yet, do yourself a favor, and do so. KEXP.org

Pledge drives are also the best time to hear John and Cheryl at their best, or worst, but funny as hell nonetheless.

Feel the need to donate? You can do so HERE.

I know that there are many of you out there that enjoy the internet radio/webcasting site Pandora, and for good reason. It’s a great site created to assist the music listener in discovering new music based on the listeners already decided likes. Pick an artist that you are a fan of and Pandora will suggest endless possibilities of artists that you might like based on a very complex system that involves analyzing hundreds of details of songs. They analyze and match.

Now, it’s not just Pandora that needs your help right now, it’s the entire webcasting/internet radio world. Once again the giant corporate radio mongers are doing all they can to make it more difficult for these ententies to exist. I received an e-mail from Pandora founder Tim Westergen early today, and I’m sure many others did as well, that details the issue at hand. Please read and please take action.

Hi, it’s Tim from Pandora;

After a yearlong negotiation, Pandora, SoundExchange and the RIAA are finally optimistic about reaching an agreement on royalties that would save Pandora and Internet radio.  But just as we’ve gotten close, large traditional broadcast radio companies have launched a covert lobbying campaign to sabotage our progress.

Yesterday, Congressman Jay Inslee, and several co-sponsors, introduced legislation to give us the extra time we need but the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), which represents radio broadcasters such as Clear Channel, has begun intensively pressuring lawmakers to kill the bill. We have just days to keep this from collapsing.

This is a blatant attempt by large radio companies to suffocate the webcasting industry that is just beginning to offer an alternative to their monopoly of the airwaves.

Please call your Congressperson right now and ask them to support H.R. 7084, the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008 – and to not capitulate to pressure from the NAB.  Congress is currently working extended hours, so even calls this evening and over the weekend should get answered.

If the phone is busy, please try again until you get through. These calls really do make a difference.

Representative Lloyd Doggett: 202-225-4865

Thanks so much for you ongoing support.

Tim

Please take the time to contact your local Representative and voice your opinion.

I believe that I posted a YouTube video of these two great bands covering Dylan, and now the official live recording has surfaced for our listening pleasure.  If you want to do so quite honest and commited, Wilco asks that you pledge to vote in this year’s election for a free download of the song.

MP3> Wilco and Fleet Foxes ‘I Shall Be Released’ it’s a Dylan song

I know that there are going to be some seriously dissapointed folks out there when they hear this news. Erykah Badu has cancelled her Friday Austin City Limits taping for the popular show, and has been replaced by The Drive By Truckers. She is still scheduled to perform at the Festival on Saturday the 27th at this point.

A time for the taping hasn’t been determined yet, as The Truckers are also scheduled to play that night @ Emo’s for one of the official ACL Aftershows.

More ACL tapings scheduled for that weekend:

Saturday, September 27 – Gnarls Barkley
Sunday, September 28 – The Swell Season
Monday, September 29 – Foo Fighters

Austin based psych-rock band, The Black Angels are currently in the studio working with legendary pioneer of psychedelic rock, Roky Erickson. Black Angel’s vocalist Alex Maas revealed in a conversation that The Black Angels have been working on recording previously released material of Erickson’s, including well known released tracks as “Two Headed Dog”, “You’re Gonna Miss Me”, along with some unreleased Erickson material. Erickson is known for his early work with The Thirteenth Floor Elevators and is finding a recent resurgence and renewed interest in his music. The band recently announced plans to hit the road for a few dates with Roky as the opening act in addition to performing as his band. Only one Texas date on the schedule currently, in Dallas.

Nothing at this point in the means of how or when the recorded collaboration might present itself, but one could only be slightly excited with the idea of what may come of the partnership.

Roky will be performing @ ACL Festival 2008, Saturday 9.27 @ 7:45 on the Ventures Stage.

The Black Angels will also be playing an “official” ACL Aftershow with The Black Keys @ Stubbs on Sunday the 28th of September.

Roky and The Black Angels Tour:

October 4th: Granada Theatre – Dallas, TX

October 28th: The Showbox – Seattle, WA

October 29th: The Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR

October 31st: El Rey – Los Angeles, CA

November 1st: Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA

November 2nd: Great American Music Hall – San Fransciso, CA

Tom Gabel, Against Me! frontman, has apparently be working on some solo material. A myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/tomgabelmusic) has popped up with two of his acoustic songs, “Graceful Concession” and “Nuclear Cowboys In An Age of Drift.” The myspace links to a studio journal he kept while recording the tracks in late August. Songs that were mentioned for a potential EP (produced by legendary producer Butch Vig) include, “100 Years Of War,” “Cowards Sing At Night,” “I Can’t See You, But I Know You’re There,” “Random Hearts,” “Harsh Realms,” and “Anna Is A Stool Pigeon” (ft. Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music), many of which he performed in Austin earlier this year when his band had a day off from Warped Tour. He will be going out on solo the Revival Tour with Ragan, Ben Nicols of Lucero, and Tim Barry of Avail, so surely these tracks will make many appearances then.

So, I was pretty surprised (and okay, amused) when I read about an attack that happened at an Oasis show this past Sunday in Toronto.

Mostly because it was the ever-obnoxious Gallagher brothers that were being attacked. Shocking, I know.

Noel Gallagher was suddenly pushed from behind by a man now identified as 47 year-old Daniel Sullivan during their performance of “Morning Glory”, which actually resulted in some serious injuries due to a collision with his speakers.

A statement posted on Oasis’ official Web site says that Noel suffered bruising to his ribs and hip and has been advised to rest. Due to this, the band has also cancelled their show for tonight (Sept. 9^th) and have rescheduled for sometime in December.

Sullivan has been charged with assault and has already been released from custody.

Honestly, I can’t help but wonder just exactly how much liquid courage (re: booze) it takes to get the nerve to try and take out the Gallagher brothers. Regardless, in what is a case of both hilarious irony and karma, this definitely counts as a WTF moment.

-Daniela Garcia

How the folks at MTV can justify putting on an awards show for music videos, realizing that they have abandoned the music video format, is as much a mystery to me as to many in the industry? Brittany Spears wins an award for best female video? What the f***? Is this in regards to a music video or some YouTube crotch shot video? Or maybe best white trash female that could’ve earned some respect, but turned out to be just white trash and out of control and crazy caught on video. We’ve all been witness to the story and it’s tragic all right, but tragic in all the wrong ways. I could gone on about this, and probably should, but i’ll leave the rest of the commentary to industry vet Bob Lefsetz.

So can we all agree that MTV ruined music?  Changed it from something you hear into something you see?  From aural to visual?  From life force to entertainment?

You know how you know MTV is done?  THE PAINT IS NO LONGER DRIPPING OFF THE LOGO!  The original team fought for that, it was their cheekiness, their evidence of revolution, the flickering flame of the irreverent sixties.  But that era is truly done.  This show couldn’t be more whored out.  Is Verizon V-Cast a band?  God, I didn’t know you could suck a cell phone company’s dick, but MTV is doing its best.  To think we used to revere bands, not brands.

Speaking of Brands…  Russell is not for this audience.  He’s too smart for these dumb blowhards.  At least those in the audience.  These dolts have watched so much television that their synapses are fried, they can no longer think for themselves.

As for the show being at Paramount…  It reminds me of nothing so much as “Our Gang”, with Spanky, Alfalfa and Darla putting on a show.  Everybody looks so small on the big screen.  We’re not watching this on our mobile phones, but fifty inchers, and you just look desperate and small, like you’ll do ANYTHING for the money.  If your manager doesn’t tell you to STAY OFF TV, FIRE HIM!

In an era of YouTube, of user-generated content, this show is an anachronism that makes one weep.  Twenty five years?  It’s time to can it.  The VMAs used to be the countercultural event of the year, the hipsters’ award show.  Now, it’s so establishment, so lame, as to have fallen to the bottom of the heap.  At least people are drunk and go off script on the Golden Globes.

Speaking of scripts…  I hope that opening with Britney and Jonah Hill was improvised, for that wouldn’t even qualify as an SNL outtake.  Then again, SNL’s been lame for decades.

Britney looked fabulous, but giving her an award is like honoring Doris Day.  A has-been who’s completely irrelevant, unless you live in Perez Hiltonville.  Hell, this show should have been canceled and put on the Web.  Certainly better than the Paramount lot…

What, do they think it’s 1950?  That kids revere the rock, the one in the Paramount logo?  Viacom owns both, MTV and the movie studio…  Even little kids know this.  But I think the real reason they didn’t have this in a real venue is they’re afraid they wouldn’t be able to sell it out, or in the alternative, the audience would be uncontrollable, wouldn’t exclaim on cue.

What was up with the Jonas Brothers playing acoustic?  This isn’t Crosby, Stills & Nash wooden music, but a camp singalong by amateurs.

Katy Perry looks like a TV confection, and didn’t even get to sing her whole song.

I would ignore this whole damn show if it wasn’t evidence of how out of touch those steering mainstream media companies are.  How they have contempt for their audience, think everybody watching is fucking dumb.

But that’s the story of the Internet.  How smart people actually are.  How they want to play.  Voting for Video of the Year is not playing, it’s ripping the audience off for the texting fee.

The future will not be televised.  The revolution is happening now.  And this whole Top Forty, dancing fool SoundScan concoction will be engulfed by the earth like an old building being engulfed by blowing sand.

Not a moment too soon.

I’m switching to “Entourage”.

I highly encourge you to subscribe to Bob’s newsletter. It will entertain, make you think, and piss you off.

subscribe here: Bob Leftsetz Newsletter

Graham Williams and Co. over @ Transmission Entertainment are busy folks these days with Fun Fun Fun Fest coming into focus (which has been getting quite the bit of national press mind you), plans on putting out White Denim’s album here in the U.S., and re-opening the location @ 507 E. 6th by the end of the year with the new name, Radio Room. Taking a peak at of Montreal‘s tour agenda, one finds a booking for November 13th at this location in Austin. Maybe it’s to be one of the first shows for the new club? November’s going to be fun!

of Montreal Myspace

This is some of the best news I’ve heard all day. I knew that the band was shopping for a new label here in the U.S. in order to put out the new recording that they had wrapped up earlier this year, and Saddle Creek Records seems to be the winner.

July 17, 2008 // Omaha, NE – Saddle Creek have announced the signing of Montreal trio Land of Talk in the United States and are set to release their debut full-length, Some Are Lakes October 7. The album was recorded in Montreal with Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) and is the follow up to their acclaimed 2006 EP, Applause Cheer Boo Hiss, which found Land Of Talk featured in publications such as Paste Magazine, and receiving glowing reviews in SPIN and Pitchfork, who called the EP, “a muscular record of gut-level riffs and fist-pumping choruses.”

Summer Special seems fitting enough for this news

MP3> Land of Talk ‘Summer Special’

Some Are Lakes track listing:
1. Yuppy Flu 2. Death By Fire 3. The Man Who Breaks Things (Dark Shuffle) 4. Some Are Lakes * first single 5. Give Me Back My Heart Attack 6. It’s Okay 7. Young Bridge 8. Corner Phone 9. Got A Call 10. Troubled

Swedish group I’m From Barcelona, have announced a brand new full-length release entitled, Who Killed Harry Houdini?. The 20+ member, chamber pop band will release the new album in mid-october. “Paper Planes,” the first single off the album (and sadly, not an M.I.A cover), is streaming over at Spin right now.

MP3> I’m From Barcelona ‘Oversleeping’

We’ve been a fan of The Ice Cream Man since the day we learned of his sweet concept of delivering free ice cream and producing smiles. I just received this upsetting email from Matt, The Ice Cream Man himself, recently and am little upset with EBay as a result of the message.

Hi ice cream friends,
At around 10pm last night, while i was enjoying a beer with friends at one of my favorite bars in NY, Maracuja, I got two emails from ebay saying that the Ice Cream Man Sponsorship Auction had been removed. WHAT? And everything was going SO well. We were proud of all the work we had put in to get the word out there. And, it was pretty too.

I’ve posted a news article outlining everything that happened here. I’ve talked with live chat on ebay and also emailed Ebay Trust and Security (who haven’t replied) and talked to a nice lady on the phone but we’re still screwed here and there’s very lil recourse. We put in hundreds of hours on this auction and numerous friends (thanks Jambase, SPIN, Glide Magazine, Muzzle of Bees, and more) were willing to post news bits about it and donate thousands of dollars in ad space and now we’ve got $0 and no real person at ebay to talk to about the issue.

I’ve been a registered ebay user for TEN years with 100% positive feedback and this is how I get treated?. The only thing we can think to do right now is to try to get some press about this until we hear back from ebay. We might just run the auction on icecreamman.com but I’ve gotta leave Brooklyn today to get to Chicago in time to sling cream at the children’s hospital and Pitchfork Fest on Friday.

If we can get our story Dugg by over 200 people we’ll get on the homepage and might be able to get some more press from that. Please digg it and shout to your friends to have them digg it too.

Sorry for the excessive email blasts the last week. All we wanna do is give away ice cream…promise
Matt

If you aren’t familiar with The Ice Cream Man and his mission you can watch him explain it himself in this video:

Oasis will release their new album Dig Out Your Soul on October 6th. The album, the band’s seventh, is the follow-up to 2005′s Don’t Believe the Truth and was recorded a London’s famous Abbey Road studio. The 11-track set is led by the single “The Shock of the Lightning,” due Sept. 29.

Track Listing
Bag It Up
The Turning
Waiting For The Rapture
The Shock Of The Lightning
I’m Outta Time
(Get Off Your) High Horse Lady
Falling Down
To Be Where There’s Life
Ain’t Got Nothin’
The Nature of Reality
Soldier On.