The Current Music Blog: May 10, 2007 Archive

The Stream 05/11/07

Posted at 8:45 AM on May 10, 2007 by Barb Abney (1 Comments)

Billy Bragg on Tony Blair.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to be movie stars.

Austin City Limits Festival's full line-up.

Metric to release previously unreleased debut album.

If you missed Wilco's original free-stream day, hear Sky Blue Sky here.

Today In Music History:
1946 - Donovan was born.
1957 - John Ritchie (Sid Vicious) was born.
1960 - Paul Hewson (Bono) was born.
1967 - Young MC was born.
1977 - Adam And The Ants made their live debut.
1986 - Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) married Heather Locklear.
1999 - Shel Silverstein died of a heart attack.
2000 - Bobby Brown was arrested at an airport for breaking his probation.
2005 - Seal married Heidi Klum.

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Live On Air Blogging 05/11/07

Posted at 9:14 AM on May 10, 2007 by Barb Abney (1 Comments)

11:40 a.m. Bluetones
Have a few UK/French festival dates this summer.

11:30 a.m. Sonic Youth
On their official site there's a list of places where you can see Daydream Nation performed live.

11:20 a.m. Andrew Bird
He'll be playing with Dosh at First Avenue tomorrow night.
He played our SxSW showcase.
He was here in March, 2005, as well.

11:10 a.m. Bloc Party
Are coming back to the USA later this month.

10:50 a.m. Local Music - The Vestals
Listen to more of their tunes here.
They've played The Local Show with Chris Roberts, as well. If you're in a local band, you should send The Local Show your music!!

10:40 a.m. White Stripes
Icky Thump will be released June 19th.
Pre-sale info for the upcoming tour.

10:30 a.m. Modest Mouse
What's up with Eric Judy?

10:20 a.m. Bjork
Volta is The Current's CD Of The Week. Get your copy when you support The Current online.
Delve deeper into Volta here.

10:10 a.m. Song Of The Day Info - Matthew Dear
Today on our Song Of The Day Podcast we're featuring Matthew Dear with the tune "Deserter" from his album, Asa Breed which will be in stores next month . Tour Dates and more here.

9:50 a.m. Local Music - Gang Font
Here's a great place to learn more about the band.
They stopped by for an in-studio last month.

9:40 a.m. New Order
Peter Hook talks more about the split.

9:30 a.m. Trans Am
Sure, they just wrapped up dates with Zombi and Psychic Paramount and they have an upcoming appearance at a All Tomorrow's Parties. But how would you like to know what the band was doing back in 1996?

9:20 a.m. The Fratellis
While they've had to canel the majority of their American dates, they are still planning on playing Lollapalooza and three dates in support of The Police.

9:10 a.m. Patrick Wolf
Here's an interview that explains his retirement comments.

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Name that Band

Posted at 12:10 PM on May 10, 2007 by Jacquie Fuller (8 Comments)

A pal of mine is trying to start up a new band, and she and I spent our lunch hour last week brainstorming band names (although a lot of what came out were more like brain burps.) Yesterday, another friend mentioned that he was needing to change his musical moniker. Is it a spring thing? Clean your house, start a band ...

I don't know why folks enlist my help with this stuff, but it makes me feel good. First off, it lets me know that creative writing degree that got me $50,000 in student loan debt wasn't a complete waste. But it's also fun because it lets me live out a little fantasy: I wanna be in a band. And the truth is, I never will be. Unless someone around here starts a 37-member I'm From Barcelona-type thing and will tolerate me squeaking away in a choir robe at the back of the stage. Or someone lets me play the triangle on their next album.

It's a DJ cliche, really--this idea that people become deejays 'cause they can't play music (or art critics 'cause they can't make art, etc.) And it doesn't hold true at the Current--quite a few of our on-air folks are also musicians. But not me. I embody the cliche. Not only am I a deejay ... I was an art history major! Musically, I will never rise above my broken, beer-soaked stabs at karaoke glory. So helping real musician friends brainstorm band names is a real treat for me.

So, help me help my friends. Some suggestions for naming a band? I always thought a good place to start was with stories or books you like, or song titles (Pretty Girls Make Graves got away with it.) In an act of creative desperation, I even consulted a map, and decided Grand Marais would make a pretty cool metal band name. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, neither of my friends play metal.

Ever fantasized about being in a band? What's your fantasy band name?

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"My 3 Songs" for Thursday

Posted at 1:20 PM on May 10, 2007 by Steve Seel (16 Comments)

Diane Rideout of Plymouth says of her songs today, "They are songs I won't hear on any other station, from artists with truly unique talent."

1) Hawksley Workman, "Your Beauty Must Be Rubbing Off"
2) Jamie T, "If Youv'e Got the Money"
3) Ted Leo & The Pharrmacists, "Counting Down the Hours"

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Open window

Posted at 1:36 PM on May 10, 2007 by Christina Schmitt (5 Comments)

Now that the weather is nice and my apartment window is open all the time, I'm hearing a lot more of my neighborhood. Of course that can be a drag, but there's been one bonus thus far: A rockabilly band has started practicing in a garage in the alley and they're pretty good. I love their version of "Baby Please Don't Go."

Have you had any good experiences this spring hearing a song through an open window -- either your window or someone else's, like someone at a stoplight blasting Nas's "Hip Hop Is Dead" on their car stereo?

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