Interview: New York Rivals

Good afternoon friends, lovers, rockstars, and loyal readers. Fridays have become even more special for me here at PUMP Sessions, largely due to our burgeoning interview series, which has grown our readership exponentially in the last few weeks. Today I sat down with Josh, frontman of red hot and brand new rock n roll band, New York Rivals. I'm sure you will love this band as much as I do. Giddy up and happy motherfucking Friday. Long live Rock n Roll. x

Welcome to the PUMP Sessions Interview Series. Where are each of you from? 

I moved around a a lot since I was young. The rest of the guys are Jersey Born.

How did you all end up in New York, and what neighborhood do you call home?  

Once I decided I wanted to pursue music full time I packed my shit up and headed right to Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

How did the band form? 

My previous band ended up signing to a Major and things got a little sticky it took a really long time to get out of the situation I was in. I was so sick of what I was doing and who I was playing with that I decided to hunt for totally new musicians. I couldn't be happier with the guys I have now. They are really really talented.

Were any of you in bands before this one? 

My Drummer Nash and I were both in touring bands before this but you'll have to guess...

Please tell us how you came up with your name, New York Rivals… 

We originally start playing shows under a different name but another group had the name trade marked so we had to change it. "NEW YORK RIVALS" comes from all the people that have wronged me or my friends since moving up here. You tell yourself the city is sooo big but you always seem to run into the same people. Some of which were less than reputable.

Adele

Well now, what an incredible coincidence...

The much anticipated new video for Adele's breathtakingly perfect second single, "Someone Like You"

And it JUST dropped tonight. I learned via Twitter. So, of course I immediately posted.

What a goddess. x

The Dance Party cover Adele

My favorite DC rock n rollers, The Dance Party - fresh off the Warped Tour - break it down here and get real.

TDP's Mick and Kevin respectfully cover the most beautiful song of 2011, Adele's "Someone Like You"

This is absolutely beautiful, gentlemen. Well done.

For their sweatier, sexier shit, go HERE.

Korn featuring Skrillex

I've been reading about this pairing for a while now, but honestly had no idea what to expect.

Skrillex has definitely got a gothy - dub vibe and Korn has obviously had a nu metal thing going for years.

I've got to admit, "Get Up" is not at all what I expected. It kind of fucking rawks.

And I'm giving both big props for originality and enginuity \,,/

Guster + HeadCount + Patagonia

I'm sure some of you readers know that I have been volunteering with HeadCount - off and on now for nearly 8 years.

The latest amazing collaboration from the HeadCount family has been with the legendary outdoor clothing company, Patagonia.

Here is the latest band to offer something special to the cause, Guster. Enjoy. x

CB550 + Sidecar

A lovely lady sent me this work of art today. My first guess is it's a 1974 CB550, give or take a couple years.

What a masterpiece. And the sidecar is just way, way fun.

PUMP Motos Photo of the Week, for sure.

Lana Del Rey

I have fallen madly, head-over-heels in love with Lauren Del Rey.

"Blue Jeans" is one of the most original, hypnotic songs I have heard all year.

Her voice is simultaneously haunting and soothing, exciting and calming.

I am literally blown away. x

Gabriel Miller Phillips

My friend Gabriel Miller Phillips just released this exceptional video for his lovely song, "I Saw You"

Brilliant concept, beautiful song. Well done, brother.

Enjoy. x

Nirvana: Live at the Paramount Theater

This is absolutely fucking incredible.

Nirvana, live at the Paramount Theater in Seattle, Washington. October 31, 1991.

Sara Bareilles

Outstanding new video from my crush, Sara Bareilles.

"Gonna Get Over You" was directed by Jonah Hill.

Gaga Dedication

From the MGM Grand in Vegas, Gaga dedicated "Hair" to her fan Jamey who committed suicide last week on 9/18/11.

Another tragic victim to bullying.

Radiohead on SNL

Alec Baldwin and Radiohead on SNL this past weekend.

"Staircase"



"Lotus Flower"

Both were great. The skits, not so much.

Fossil Collective

I just discovered this British gem, thanks to the band following PUMP Merch on Twitter.

This two-man-band hails from Leeds.

For more music, click HERE.

Fossil Collective "On and On"

Coldplay covers REM

Coldplay covered "Everybody Hurts" in Georgia over the weekend.

A lovely tribute to the recently disbanded Athens, GA legends, R.E.M.

The Black Box Revelation

The Black Box Revelation are some dirty rock n rollers.

This Belgian rock band has got it all, hooky riffs, tight vox, strong rhythm, and pounding drums.

Hat tip to my buddy Jeff for the link. I am lovin "High on a Wire"

Let's hope for a US tour real soon. x

Interview: 9 Electric

Happy motherfucking Friday, readers. In this week's PUMP Sessions Interview Series, I sat down for an entertaining Q&A with LA industrial rockers, 9 Electric. These guys do not fuck around, as you'll see and hear below. Their video for "Feel This" is out of control and the explosion from their latest single, "Time Bomb" is absolutely bonkers. Get on it, kids. This is the real deal.

9Electric Sessions:

Welcome to the PUMP Sessions Interview Series, 9 Electric. Where are you boys from?

Thunderwood- Phoenix, AZ
M.Lopez- Los Angeles
CaseyDC- New York City
Micah Electric- New York City

In what part of Los Angeles do you live?

We all live in Hollywood.

How did the band form?

CaseyDC: We had some help from super-attorney Eric German, who put Thunderwood in touch with Micah and M.Lopez. CaseyDC knew Thunderwood from some previous touring they had done together.

Were you in any other bands before this one?

*M.Lopez*: Yes, Opiate For The Masses, Dry Kill Logic and My Evolution to name the most notable ones the 4 of us have been in.

Please tell us how you came up with your band name…

*M.Lopez*: We started throwing around some ideas of names and one of the key words that kept sounding cool was, Electric. Especially regarding our sound. At first we were thinking about using Red in front of the Electric but it was already taken. I then proposed that we use the # 9 seeing that it’s my favorite number and 9Electric rolled nicely off the tongue!

You’ve been getting some buzz throughout the industry lately. What has your experience been so far in dealing with record labels, A&Rs, journalists, bloggers, promoters, agents, managers, etc?

Thunderwood: Everyone has been really cool to us. We are very thankful to all the people in the industry who have helped us get so much attention in only a few months of doing shows.

Your manager is Logan Mader of Machine Head. How did you all meet and what is it like to work with such a legendary rocker?

CaseyDC: We were introduced to Logan by Mikey Doling (Snot/Channel Zero), who produced our first demo. Logan is an animal in the studio and in the business world. He has gotten a few other bands signed recently and has a few gold records on his wall. He's helped us all step our game up and he's done a lot to put us on the map.

Spotify + Facebook

It started small, with techy and industry friends posting their songs on Facebook.

Now it's half my friends list and Spotify owns a large chunk of the news feed.

Integration is a great, great thing. x

Nirvana Town Hall

In honor of Nirvana's Nevermind 20th Anniversary, Sirius/XM is airing a Town Hall, hosted by Jon Stewart, featuring Kris Novoselic, Dave Grohl, and producer Butch Vig.

Saturday, September 24th at 8pm.
Sunday, September 25th at Noon.

I will definitely be tuning in. x

Grieves

This is not the first time I've posted about Seattle rapper, Grieves... and it won't be the last.

A recent addition to the infamous Rhymesayers crew, this kid has a big future ahead of him.

Killer flow, strong vocab, slick rhythms, and a orchestral production are just a few of the tricks up his sleeve.

Expect a lot more from where this came from.

The Black Angels

I know I've posted The Black Angels before - because I'm fucking obsessed with them.

But I have never put up the clip of "Haunting at 1300 McKinley"

So, you're welcome.

Army of One

An American soldier comes out to his father by phone on the heels of the repealing of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" while stationed abroad.

Black Stone Cherry

New video from the Black Stone Cherry boys...

"Blame it on the Boom Boom" is way fucking fun.

9 Electric

My new favorite hard rock band is LA's 9 Electric.

"Feel This" is a real mind fuck.

Lyrically powerful, vocally aggressive, sonically explosive. This band is going to be HUGE.

Another favorite is "Time Bomb" which can be found on their Facebook page.

Long live Rock n Roll  \,,/

God Loves the Foos

I think we can all agree that the Westboro Baptist Church members are the worst people in America.

Go FOOS.

Interview: Capital Cities

Happy Friday, everyone. I sat down with Ryan from LA buzz band, Capital Cities, for today's edition of my PUMP Sessions Interview Series. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. This band is so fucking rad and their single, "Safe and Sound" was definitely one of my summer anthems of 2011. So, turn up your speakers and dance those work blues away. x

Capital Cities Sessions

Welcome to the PUMP Sessions Interview Series.

You're in Los Angeles now, but where are you from? 

 I was born and raised in San Francisco, but have been in LA for about 11 years. 

You’ve been getting some buzz throughout the industry lately. What has your experience been so far in dealing with record labels, A&Rs, journalists, bloggers, promoters, agents, managers, etc? 

 My experience has been very positive with all sides of the music industry. I think when you have some good songs and can perform them pretty well, people start to find out and opportunities arise. That’s exciting because it confirms my belief that hard work, more than anything else, leads to success. 

What people or companies have you brought on to your team in order to build your brand and gain exposure? Such as a manager, agent, publicist, etc? 

 We are now working with CAA as our booking agency. They have a great reputation and we just hit it off instantly with the people there. Despite being large, they are very hands on and responsive. We’ve also been working with an independent publicist and a music consultant to help with marketing the EP. 

Gaga Chrome

I am madly in love with this Gaga commercial for Google Chrome.

Peter Murphy

Peter Murphy, of legendary group Bauhaus, dropped a new video today.

Filmed in a gorgeous old mansion in Los Angeles.

He's still got it, kids.

Ashleigh Stone

Every once in a while I stumble on an artist, a voice, and a song that just stops me in my tracks.

Ashleigh Stone is that artist and "Comfort" is that song. I can't stop clicking "replay" on this video.

This song puts me in a field, lying on my back, watching the clouds go by, without a care in the world.

Enjoy. x

Neon Girl

Here's the latest video from Neon Indian.

"Polish Girl" is rockin some super sexy synth lines and the futuristic video is tip top.

Diggin it. x

Boatlift

Grab a handkerchief for this one, readers.

Boatlift, An Untold Tale of 9/11 Resilience.

From YouTube:

Tom Hanks narrates the epic story of the 9/11 boatlift that evacuated half a million people from the stricken piers and seawalls of Lower Manhattan. Produced and directed by Eddie Rosenstein. Eyepop Productions, Inc.

BOATLIFT was executive produced by Stephen Flynn and Sean Burke and premiered on September 8th at the 9/11 Tenth Anniversary Summit: Remembrance/Renewal/Resilience in Washington. The Summit kicked off a national movement to foster community and national resilience in the face of future crises. See www.road2resilience.org to become a part of the campaign to build a more resilient world. The film was made with the generous support by philanthropist Adrienne Arsht, Chairman Emerita, TotalBank

www.arsht.com

So Long Davey

SoCal pop rock darlings, So Long Davey, totally own this cover of Billy Idol.

"White Wedding" has been getting rave reviews and have helped put these guys on the map.

Keep up the good work, boys. And congrats on your agency contract.

Big things are coming from these boys.

Dream Theater

The latest video from prog-rock legends, Dream Theater, is fucking rad.

"On the Backs of Angels"

\,,/

The Parlor Mob

FINALLY... the new video from Asbury Park's very own, The Parlor Mob.

"Into the Sun" is a fucking scorcher!

Long live Rock n Roll. x

Question Everything

UFO sightings from around the world have escalated in the last three years.

This is some crazy shit right here. x

Portugal. The Man

Every band should watch this interview.

Portugal. The Man discusses their DIY road to indie rocker success.

Hesta Prynn

Finally, some new music from the gorgeous and talented, Hesta Prynn.

I love "Seven Sisters" and, as usual, I'm crushin hard. x

Himalayan Outlaw

Building a Royal Enfield custom bobber.

The artist at work is a glorious thing to witness.

Hat tip to Pipeburn for the post.

Pop Up Video

Get More: Britney Spears, Pop Up Video, Pop Up Video: Britney Spears, 'Till The World Ends', Free Music Videos

Yes, yes, and... YES.

VH1's "Pop Up Video" is BACK.

And the channel's blog says the network has already ordered 60 episodes.

Coldplay

Here's the latest single from Coldplay, entitled "Paradise"

The Big Pink

Here's the latest single from London act, The Big Pink.

"Stay Gold" has been on repeat in the PUMP Merch office all afternoon.

Well, this and their other amazing single that I posted earlier this year, "Dominos"

Madly in love with this band. x

Fuller CB750 Cafe Racer

 The latest episode of Cafe Racer TV was fucking insane, mostly because of this incredible build by custom bike and hot rod builder, Bryan Fuller. He bought an old '69 Honda CB750 and this is what he turned it into.

Talk about badass...

From the Cyril Huze blog:

Frame: 1969 Honda CB750 with custom rear section. Engine: 1969 Honda 750 with an 836 kit and CR Carbs. Rear Swing Arm: Yamaha Seca II modified to have oil tank in swing arm. Rear Wheel (Size): 5.50- 18″ steel rim with stainless spokes. Front Wheel (Size): 3.50-18″ steel rim with stainless spokes. Rear Shock(s): Fox shock with Hyperco. Bars:  Custom made stainless clip- ons with Berringer Controls. Headlight: Custom cast housing with Buell lense and ring. Seat: Handcrafted aluminum seat pan with red leather by John Whitaker. 

Tank: Honda tank modified with knee cutouts with aircraft gas cap. Rear Sets: Custom made. Tail Section: Handmade Aluminum Rear with cast taillight bezel. Battery:  Speedcell race battery. Brakes: Beringer inboard discs, hubs and 4 piston calipers front and rear. Tires (Sizes): Front 110/80-18.  Rear 180/55-18. Exhaust: Custom stainless pipes with Cone engineering mufflers. Paint: Custom paint by JDK with stripping by Papa Studios. Plating/Polishing:  Pro Plating Atlanta.

Katy Perry

Katy Perry is dropping her SIXTH single from her album, Teenage Dream.

"The One That Got Away" is the latest in her monster sophomore release from Capitol Records.

She is one hell of a pop star. x

Banksy vs. King Robbo

Banksy vs. King Robbo on Channel 4 from YSarna on Vimeo.


Amazing little documentary on the battles being fought be two amazing street artists.

Banksy versus King Robbo is outstanding. Enjoy. x

From Channel 4's Graffiti Wars:

In London over the past 18 months the tension between the camps has played out in a battle of spray cans between freehand graffiti writer King Robbo and his nemesis, the stencil-using street artist Banksy.

The graffiti war between the two men began in the early 90s but was re-ignited by what was widely seen as an unforgiveable transgression of strict graffiti rules by Banksy.

It was an act that pulled 80s legend King Robbo out of retirement to retaliate in the place where it all began, the streets.

The film goes behind enemy lines as the war escalates, until tragic and unforeseen circumstances bring about an unexpected ceasefire.

Evanescence

Say what you want about Evanescence, but Amy Lee's voice is truly legendary.

"What You Want" is a solid tune with a hooky chorus.

I will always be a fan of her vocals. Amazing. x

Lady Antebellum

Here's the newest single from Lady Antebellum.

"We Own the Night" is just the latest coming from this Nashville hit machine.

Their A&R's deserve a HUGE bonus for pairing them with all of these incredible songwriters.

Kanye in Brooklyn

Here are some clips Kanye just posted of the Brooklyn Heineken party back in July.

I've got to admit, it was definitely one of the greatest hip hop show I've ever seen.

Yeezy sure knows how to put on a fucking show and brought out all kinds of guests.

And the bottomless free beers didn't hurt the vibe of the bash one bit. x

Butcher Babies

Why the fuck am I JUST hearing the Butcher Babies now?

I blame all of you Los Angelinos. Each and every one of you. Well, better late then never...

Obviously, I had to post a live clip, because, well, um, er, I think you can figure it out.

But, to get a real idea of the band's talent, you need to hear "After the Machines"

These smokin hot ladies are thrashing their way to the top of the Sunset Strip.

"Fucking  Hostile" is some rowdy shit, but this band has got something.  

And I need to catch a gig. STAT. x

Sucker Punch Sally's Thruxton 900

This monster combines my two favorite things on this amazing Earth - custom motorcycles and rock n roll.

But this post is in tribute to a fallen comrade among the great builders around the world, Christian Clayton.

More, from Bike EXIF:

On Friday, Christian Clayton of Sucker Punch Sally’s passed away in his sleep, at the age of 40. His Arizona-based company was relatively young too: founded in 2002, it was renowned for building stripped-down, stylish bobbers and choppers. This Triumph Thruxton cafe racer was a collaboration with Fender Custom Guitars, and we first featured it in 2009. Back then, the distressed old school look was uncommon: the paint is by leading hot rod artist Sara Ray, who had relocated to become a permanent part of the SPS team.

The Wicked Tomorrow

Brooklyn, NY rockers, The Wicked Tomorrow were interviewed by Quiksilver Pro for Fuse TV.

This band fucking rocks and you need to catch a gig SOON.

For more music and videos, head over to their YouTube.

Enjoy. x

The War On Drugs

The War On Drugs is quickly becoming one of my favorite bands.

"Your Love Is Calling My Name" is a straight up post-punk, dream pop, shoegazey indie ROCKER.

I can not wait to see this band. x

Roman Holiday

I am really diggin this Seattle pop-rock-quartet, Roman Holiday.

"The Long Way Home" is a beautiful tune and could be on a number of radio stations across the country.

Hopefully we'll hear more from these guys in the coming months as A&Rs discover them...

Kowalski

"Outdoors" is the latest from Kowalski, a Northern Ireland band who is getting some global buzz lately.

They've opened for Snow Patrol, Editors, and even Two Door Cinema Club.

I'm diggin these Irish rockers. x

Economic Hitmen

This incredibly clever animation by Studio JOHO is based on the most important book I have ever read.

Confessions of an Economic Hitman not only blew my mind, it opened it to a world I could never even imagine.

John Perkins was an economic hitman, hired by some of the most powerful corporations in the world, and trained by the American government.

Read up. Knowledge is power.

Kira & the Strange Familiar

I just fell head over heels in love with Kira & the Strange Familiar.

"Being Me" is everything an A&R should be looking for in a songwriter and I'm fucking sold.

Let's hope for a ton more from this Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio band.

Absolutely beautiful. x

Glamour of the Kill

Glamour of the Kill reigns from York, England.

They've toured with Avenged 7Fold and Bullet for my Valentine.

And they kick fucking ASS.

"If Only She Knew"

\,,/

Final Thought

Toronto's hot new rock band, Final Thought, sounds a bit like Fall Out Boy, but a lot stronger.

"This Party" is definitely pop punk, but I hear a big arena-sized anthem in that hooky chorus.

I'm diggin this song. Even more so after a few spins.

Hopefully these Canadians will be touring the states soon. x

Interview: Sick of Sarah

In today's PUMP Sessions Interview Series, we sat down with all-female and all-RAWK band, Sick of Sarah. These ladies are as DIY as it gets and are an inspiration for any band out there trying to make a go of it in this crazy, fucked up new music industry.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. x

Sick of Sarah Sessions:

Welcome to the PUMP Sessions Interview Series. Please introduce yourselves to the readers. 

Jamie Holm, Bass player of Sick of Sarah

Where are you from?

We are from Minneapolis, MN. But we have been touring a lot so it feels like we have a lot of different homes.

You ladies made quite a splash early this year when you released your album via BitTorrent. There were definitely some mixed reviews about that move within the industry. How did you handle the press and do you believe it was a success?

I made sure I knew exactly what it meant to release our album on BitTorrent and it felt like the right decision. I feel press surrounding that subject was more curious about what it would mean for us as opposed to critical of us. In the end we had over 1.5 million downloads. I believe it was a success as in touring I have seen more people at the shows.

What has your experience been so far in dealing with record labels, A&Rs, journalists, bloggers, promoters, agents, managers, etc?

I feel in dealing with any sort of business the best thing is to surround yourself with people you trust and be always aware of what is going on. I feel we have a great team around us right now. My experience has been really good and it is really interesting to me to learnmore about the industry that is always changing. I like getting involved.

What people and/or companies have you brought on to your team in order to build your brand and gain exposure? Such as a manger, agent, publicist, etc?

We have been fortunate enough to have had the support of a very strong team from the get go. Our management/label have been with us for 5 years and continue to come up with innovative ways of promoting and branding the band, the record release being one of those ideas.  We’ve been very fortunate in building a super solid team around us that includes our Agents at THE AGENCY GROUP, and our PR team at Big Hassle. 

How has that helped you thus far? And how do you make sure all units of your team are on the same page and working together?

 We have a small team and that allows us to be in constant communication of what our next steps are. We have a very close relationship with our team but especially our management. Many phone calls!

Bush

Finally, the new video from Bush for their latest single, "The Sound of Winter"

Fuck, I miss Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean.

I'll be back soon, my loves. x

Fanfarlo

Here's the interesting new single from UK-based Fanfarlo, entitled "Replicate"

For more music from these indie darlins, head over to their YouTube page.

Megadeth

New single from Megadeth.

"Public Enemy No. 1" is classic Mustaine - gruff vox, shredding guitars, chugging riffs.

Ahhh, nostalgia. \,,/

Pearl Jam

Here's the new single from Pearl Jam.

"Ole" was premiered on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

The Parlor Mob

The Parlor Mob has been on my radar for about four years now.

Solid band, good vox, strong sound, and a New Jersey swagger.

But "Into the Sun" is their best work to date.

Big things are about to happen for these guys.

Empire State of Mind, Part II

Amazing tribute to the heroes of 9/11.

Directed by Spike Lee.

Creative Merchandising 101

Interesting and informative video from the merch tents of Warped Tour 2011.

Gear up at PUMP Merch, Rockstars. We're on Facebook and Twitter, yo!

Every act should watch this. Know thy demographic and work that merch table, baby. x

Back For The Future

Michael J Fox has teamed up with Nike to offer these SICK sneakers based on Marty McFly's kicks in the legendary movie, Back to the Future...

Interview: Huff This!

Photo by Nick Lee

For the next installment of the PUMP Sessions Interview Series, we are featuring NYC-based Huff This!, a dream-thrash group lead by the lovely and talented, Alison Clancy. She sat down to answer a few questions with me and I hope you enjoy her passion and excitement as much as I do. x

Huff This! Sessions

Hey, Alison. Welcome to the PUMP Sessions Interview Series. Please introduce yourselves to the readers.

Hello hello. I'm Alison. 

Where were you born and raised? 

Nevada City, CA. It's a small town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
I grew up in a cabin in the woods. It was early solar-power. So whenever it was cloudy I did my homework by candlelight...

What brought you to New York City? And in what part of the city do you live now?

I dreamed of being a dancer as a little girl, and NYC is the place to be for dance. There's a video of me at age 9, declaring I'm gonna move to NYC because "that's where all the good ballerina's live!" I moved here when I was 18 and feel blessed that I've been able to work mostly as a dancer. At first I lived on the L.E.S. Now I live in Grammercy.

Youngblood Hawke

My man Alex over at Crazed Hits just turned me onto this fresh heat from the City of Angels.

Youngblood Hawke features former members of another favorite LA act, Iglu & Hartley.

"Rootless" is as carefree and perfect as any summer jam could get.

I am loving this record. To hear more, head over to their BandCamp. x

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

New stuff from the best-dressed indie band in the country.

Here's "Morning Thoughts" from Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

Lovely, dreamy tune. Enjoy. x

Hard Times on Main Street

Right the fuck on, Mr. Barry David Butler.

"Hard Times on Main Street"

Let's hope President Obama brings his A Game tonight at 7 EST.

This Jobs speech needs to be a big fucking deal, because the GOP keeps eating his lunch.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd

I am diggin this new rocker from the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band. 

Been a fan for years of this young, but already legendary axe man.

"Never Lookin' Back" is pretty kick ass. x

Behind the Video: Enrique Iglesias

Behind the Music Video with Enrique Iglesias from Rob Riggle     

From the geniuses at Funny or DIE!

LOLZ.

Wilco

Here's the new single and video from Chicago's own, Wilco.

"Born Alone" is a killer tune packed with a steady beat that makes you want to roll down the windows and hit the gas pedal.

Diggin this shit right here. x

Tweedy Covers the Peas

Wilco's Jeff Tweedy covered "I Got a Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas.

Yup, you read that correctly...

Jack's Mannequin

A dear friend of mine dragged me to a Jack's Mannequin show a few years back.

I was definitely the oldest man there by about ten years, except for the Dads waiting patiently in the lobby of Irving Plaza.

As poppy as this kid is, he is a sensational artist and songwriter. And when I found out he had gotten sick, my heart went out to him.

My friend worked on this record, so I wanted to offer my support to the album teaser.

Well done. x

Bill Withers

Bill Withers, "Aint No Sunshine"

One of the greatest. Ever. x

Prima Donna

Diggin this Los Angeles rock n roll band, Prima Donna...

Here's their video for "I Don't Want You To Love Me"

The band has got some edge to them and I love the garage sound.

\,,/

The Stepkids

My buddy Eric from San Franciso-based band Acacia just turned me onto The Stepkids.

Admittedly, I have heard the name thrown around for a year or two, but never got around to listening.

Until now... "Suburban Dream" is pure psychedelic bliss.

Pearl Jam 20 Concert

Temple of the Dog reunion at Pearl Jam's 20th Anniversary bash in Alpine, WI this past weekend.

This one is, of course, "Hunger Strike" - and the boys have still got it.




Pearl Jam asked Glen Hansard, Liam Finn, & Dan Peters to join them for the Who's classic, "Who Are You"



Eddie Vedder joined The Strokes for my personal favorite, "Juicebox"

Holyfuckingshit that was insane.

Clips courtesy of the Consequence of Sound. 

Interview: Eastern Conference Champions

PUMP Intervews: Eastern Conference Champions

Hey there ECC crew! Welcome to the PUMP Sessions Interview Series.

Please introduce yourselves to the readers.

Hey, I'm Melissa Dougherty & I play guitar. Josh Ostrander is our singer & plays guitar. Greg Lyons plays drums & keeps it all together.

Where were you born, raised?

I was born in Brooklyn, NY, & raised there, Las Vegas, NV, & San Francisco, CA. Josh & Greg are from Bucks County, PA, a suburb outside of Philadelphia.

What brought you to Los Angeles? And in what part of LA do you live now?

I think that we all moved here to change things up, try something new & enjoy LA's amazing weather. I moved from San Francisco & they moved from Philly. I live in Los Feliz & the guys live in Boyle Heights.

ECC has been getting some buzz around the industry. What has your experience been so far in dealing with record labels and A&Rs?

So far with labels & A&R it's been good. We've licensed our record to Maple Records in Canada & to another label in Germany. It's great to be independent because we get to do whatever we want to creatively & also be as active as we want with releases. The downside right now is not having the money that a label could provide for tour support, press, promotion. It's a weird time for the music industry.

What apps and sites do you use to promote your music? What have you found that works and what does not?

We have our own website of course - www.eccmusic.com - and people can connect to our Facebook, Myspace & Twitter there. We're very active with social media type stuff & I handle our Twitter which has been such a great tool to connect with fans & friends. It allows us to chat directly with our folks who like our music which is great. We've also done stuff with turntable.fm & other sites that feature live chats & dj sessions.

Do you follow any music or industry blogs regularly? If yes, which ones?

Besides this one, of course.

Buzzbands (http://buzzbands.la/) is a great one & also the LA Weekly blog is cool. I scroll the Twitter feeds of a few industry papers that I follow (NME, Spin) & festivals that I like (Treasure Island, NXNE are a few). If something comes up of interest I'll research it further thru other sites.

What is your favorite method of recording music? What instruments do you play, other than your main one?

We record everything ourselves in our lockout in Downtown LA.

Typically Josh has an idea, lays something down with Greg on drums & then I come in and do my thing. Josh & I also do a lot of file sharing so he'll email ideas that he's recorded & I'll flip the arrangement around or write parts over what's there & then we go back & forth like that. We record very fast & none of usually does more than 3 takes.

Greg actually usually nails it on the first take. He's insane.

My main instrument is guitar but I can also play piano, drums, bass.

Which bands and artists have influenced your music?

The Rolling Stones, The Who, Levon Helm, Tom Petty/Mike Campbell, Neil Young, Sonic Youth, Bob Dylan, Joe Strummer

Desert Island Albums – Top 5. GO!

Zuma - Neil Young

Santigold – Santigold

Exile on Main Street - The Rolling Stones

Combat Rock - The Clash

Roxy Music - Roxy Music

Favorite books of all time, can be one Fiction and one Non-Fiction…

Off the top of my head my favorite books would be CosmiComics by Italo Calvino, Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie, Letters to a Young Poet by Rilke, Life by Keith Richards, Just Kids by Patti Smith, Power of Now by Ekhart Tolle, The Prophet by Gibran

Favorite films…

Mean Streets, Akira Kurosawa's Dreams, Wings of Desire, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kill Bill 1 & 2, Deathproof, Clash Westway to the World

When was your first concert? Who did you see? Where was the show?

The Village People with Gloria Gaynor opening in NYC. I was five & totally sold.

What are your hobbies outside of creating music?

I love to go running, cook, go hiking, travel to cool places that we've quickly passed through on tour, read sheet music & hang with my friends.

Any upcoming performances, tours, events, releases, news you’d like to promote here?

Yes indeed. We'll be playing at The Satellite in Los Angeles on Friday September 16th & also at the Lobsterfest in San Pedro, CA, Saturday the 17th. After that we head to Europe for a 3 week tour. We'll be playing in Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Switzerland & Belgium.

Please let everyone know where they can find your music and stay updated on ECC.

Our website is www.eccmusic.com & has links to our other sites (Facebook, Myspace, YouTube page). People can also follow us on Twitter at "@eccmusic."

Thank you so much. I look forward to hearing more and more from you.

Best of luck and please feel free to contact me any time. Be well.

Cool, thanks so much for chatting with me!

Blackbells: Quiksilver Interview

Blackbells frontman Ben Rice recently gave this Quiksilver interview to Australia television.

It was aired on American music programs, Fuse and MSG, to a reported 160 million viewers.

Sick of Sarah

This Minneapolis all-girl rock outfit is pretty fucking RAD.

Sick of Sarah is playing The Roxy in Los Angeles tonight, so if you're there, head over there!

"Overexposure" is way fun. Can't wait to catch these ladies in New York.

They're signed to LA-based Adament Records.

Photo of the Week

This is hands-down the photo of the week in my book, but quite possibly the YEAR.

Bike EXIF just turned me on to an incredible photographer by the name of Ray Gordon.

Please, take a minute to peruse his work. This guy is so fucking rad I can't focus on anything else right now.

The shot above is Thor Drake’s custom Yamaha SR500 - IN MID-AIR.

So SICK!

GroupLove

I am really diggin this summer-y jam from LA-based GroupLove.

"Tongue Tied" will be stuck in your head for hours and hours... and you won't mind a bit.

Turn up them speakers and start dancing in your living room. x

Blackbells: IxI

And the wait is finally over... Brand new music from my favorite rock band in New York City, Blackbells.

Yes, I manage the band, so I may be a "bit" biased in my excitement. But fuck you, it's my blog.

Head over to their updated and redesigned official website for blog, tour dates, photos, merch, and other goodies.

Also, hit their BandCamp to pre-order the new EP, IxI.

Long live Rock n Roll. x

The Aviation Orange

This Brooklyn band could have my favorite name of 2011.

Maybe. There's still a few months left...

Thanks to my boy Kris from Black Taxi for the post.

From Google Talks:

Brooklyn indie rockers THE AVIATION ORANGE are relatively new to the music scene but they have already caught the attention of well-respected, national indie tastemakers such as Under The Radar, Filter Magazine, The Deli, LP33 and MTV U's The Freshman. Adept song writing, sonic experimentation and dueling male and female vocals combine to make this band stand out.

They are poised to take it a step further in 2011 with EAST OF HERE, the new self-released EP. "Channeling a mix of greats like New Order, the Pixies and the Shins, this quintet from Brooklyn makes infectious indie synth-pop songs their number one order of business." -Spin

BlakRoc 2: Coming Soon

Finally, Part Deux...

From HitFix:

A new, documentary-style trailer for “BlakRoc 2,” showed up on YouTube starring the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and Pat Carney, as well as Talib Kweli, U Rock,  Jay Electronica, OC, Curren$y, Wiz Khalifa, Jim Jones, Sean Price, The Cool Kids and lots and lots of pot smoke and Blackberry gazing in the studio.  Apparently, they have channeled the earth, who, as the narration tells, us “scientists believe is at least 4 1/2 billion years old.”   There’s a funky, jazzy bed musical bed playing in the background.

The first BlakRoc set, released in 2009, featured the Black Keys with Raekwon, RZA, Jim Jones, Ludacris, Q-Tip, and Pharoahe Monch, among others. It reached No. 7 on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums chart

You And I

Here's Gaga's new video for "You and I"

This is a really good look for her... Simple, elegant, sexy, vulnerable.

Very un-Gaga. And that's why I'm loving it. x

Don't Bro Me

Seriously, motherfuckers. Do NOT bro this dude if you do not know him.

That is all.

Battle At Kruger

This just might be the single greatest video I have ever seen in my entire life.

Watch it all the way through. My jaw dropped to the ground.

A battle between a pride of lions, a herd of buffalo, and 2 crocodiles at a watering hole in South Africa's Kruger National Park while on safari.

Hat tip to the baddest bassist in New York City, my man Seth. 

Pretty Lights vs. Led Zeppelin

Colorado-based Pretty Lights have been blowing shit up lately.

This mashup is bananas.

Turn up them speakas. x

Marilyn Manson

The new Marilyn Manson video for "Born Villian" is fucking INSANE.

And it's directed by Shia LaBeouff - seriously.

They have disabled embedding video, for obvious reasons...

So head click HERE and then let them know you're 18.

Jesusfuckingchrist this is fucking amazing.

I've already watched it twice today. x

Naked Vintage

This photo just made my day. Stole it from my man Buck and had to post on here. Kinda sums up the perfect afternoon ride through the desert.

Joshua Tree, here I come... x

The Pierces

These ladies are both lovely and talented.

"Glorious" by The Pierces is like nothing else out there right now.

And that's a great, great thing.

What a magical, feel-good song. 

Crushing. Hard.

DP Customs Harley Ironhead

Now, here is a motherfucking Harley-Davidson with some ATTITUDE. No bells and whistles, extra chrom, frills, and bullshit. Just straight up American Muscle.

DP Customs absolutely killed it with this beast. Well done. You will be mine, pretty lady... You will be mine. x

As always, from the incredible Bike EXIF:

DP Custom Cycles of New River, Arizona, is a relatively new shop, but one going from strength to strength. Their latest bike is ‘Look Right’, and it’s certainly a sharp looker—with styling cues taken from one of Jacques Villeneuve’s BAR Honda F1 racing cars. In the early 00s, BAR cars carried distinctive Lucky Strike branding, but this had to be modified in countries that banned tobacco advertising. In 2004, ‘Lucky Strike’ was replaced with ‘Look Right’, hence the name of this bike. Mechanically, we’re looking at a modified frame wrapped around a 1982 Harley ironhead 1000 motor. According to DP’s Justin Del Prado, ‘The project began with a complete tear-down of the bike and then we chemically stripped the frame. We ditched the swingarm and welded on the hardtail.’

Black Stone Cherry

I just stumbled onto Kentucky's own, Black Stone Cherry...

And I am so fucking glad I did. Because THEY RAWK!!!

"White Trash Millionaire" is my kind of dirty rock n roll.

\,,/

Far East Movement

Clearly I don't hit the clubs as often as the next guy because...

This is definitely the first time I have ever heard Far East Movement.

And I'm kind of ok with that.

"Like A G6"

Back to the Start

This is one of the nicest ad campaigns for sustainable living from a corporation that I have ever seen.

Brilliant animation, along with a simple and direct message. 

Well done. Go Chipotle.

From YouTube:

Coldplay's haunting classic 'The Scientist' is performed by country music legend Willie Nelson for the soundtrack of the short film entitled, "Back to the Start." The film, by film-maker Johnny Kelly, depicts the life of a farmer as he slowly turns his family farm into an industrial animal factory before seeing the errors of his ways and opting for a more sustainable future. Both the film and the soundtrack were commissioned by Chipotle to emphasize the importance of developing a sustainable food system.

Download the song "The Scientist" by Willie Nelson now available on iTunes for $0.99. Label and artist proceeds benefit The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation.

Purchase the track HERE.