Loathe though we might normally be to recommend anything in any way associated with Rolling Stone (is there a sadder story arc in the world of music than starting out as the voice of the fan and ending up as the voice of the industry?), one particular teaser that crossed our desk recently was just too amusing to pass up. Let's face it -- they had us at "Bob Dylan in a Santa hat..."
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The peripatetic Ariel Hyatt of Ariel Publicity recently spotlighted a fascinating piece by technology blogger Kevin Kelly -- now 18 months old but relevant as ever -- in which he argues that all the DIY musician needs to establish a viable career as an independent musical act is to cultivate 1,000 true fans. Agree or disagree, Kelly's piece makes for fascinating reading for anyone interested i...
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It's a little early for 2009 list-making, and it's just one writer's opinion. But from this writer's perspective, the long-awaited new album from Switchfoot is more than just a straight "A" -- Hello Hurricane is nothing less than the album of the year. If you want to know the reasons why... read on.
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Today on the Vault we kick off a new feature from Sean McCarthy, spotlighting the top 100 albums of the decade. Don't miss Sean's look at #s 100 through 81.
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A relatively well-researched and reasonably respectful piece on the many '70s acts still finding an audience on the road appeared n MSNBC.com yesterday -- it's worth a read for any fan of the era.
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If you're looking for something special to occupy your time on 9/9/09 -- other than the somewhat obvious choice of catching Tim Burton's new animated flick 9 -- there's always, say, arguably the most musically significant release of the century.Yes, today is the day the Beatles box sets (stereo or mono) come out -- the day you can purchase the entire series of albums that changed the music worl...
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Legendary musician and composer Kerry Livgren suffered a stroke Tuesday morning. Livgren was a founding member of Kansas, and has been a tireless creative force since the early 70s. Currently he is a busy solo artist and producer, and manages his own label, Numavox Records.Kerry is currently hospitalized near his home in Topeka, Kanasa, where surgery was performed to remove a blood clot in his ...
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Now known more for the guitar that bears his name then for his music, musical pioneer Les Paul died of complication from pneumonia yesterday. He was 94.Les Paul would have great success as a recording artist largely with his wife Mary Ford. But his real impact came in the invention of one of the earliest solid-body guitars, the progeny of which are now the most popular guitars in use around th...
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The Beastie Boys have put a hold on their current touring and recording activities as Adam Yauch (aka MCA) announced that he is having surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. He is expected to fully recover. "I was really looking forward to playing these shows, but the doctors have made it clear that this is not the kind of thing that can be put aside to deal with later.” Among the shows the Beast.
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Man, I am getting tired of posting these. Whatever else can be said about Michael Jackson -- and there's plenty -- he was a music legend, one of the most gifted performers of his generation and, once upon a time, a sweet-voiced kid who amazed the world with his precocious talent. You always wonder when someone falls as far as he did if he might get one more shot at redemption. Now we'll never...
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The Chicago Sun-Times has the sad news about longtime Wilco member Jay Bennett, dead in his sleep at age 45.R.I.P. Jay.
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Singer-songwriter Jon Troast hit the halfway mark the other night on his "100 Concerts in 100 Days" trek across the United States. Since launching this latest run of 100-dollar-a-night house concerts in March, Troast has traveled through Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, and is currently in my neck of the woods, California.Having hoste...
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Once you've ascended to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and been repeatedly declared one of the most influential acts of your era, what's left?Being named Artist Of The Month on The Daily Vault, of course.Talking Heads get the nod this month in a retrospective fueled by fans Sean McCarthy, Michael R. Smith, Kenny S. McGuane, Christopher Thelen, Jeff Clutterbuck and Bruce Rusk. As if the band's ...
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Add to the tales of the new music industry model (coming someday in the future to a wireless card near you), the saga of California indie band Wonderlick's new album.Wonderlick recently conducted an "extremely successful" fan pre-order campaign on their forthcoming album Topless At The Arco Arena. The band ran a month-long pre-order offer via their Web site which allowed fans to set their own ...
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As long as we’re talking modern-day supergroups, why not Chickenfoot?...which seems to be exactly the attitude that pervades the latest major-league musical mash-up, consisting of Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, ex-Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist extraordinaire Joe Satriani and ol’ shaggy himself, Sammy Hagar. I mean, if you put together a group with that much amperage,
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Jeff Beck has had a career anyone would be envious of, from The Yardbirds to his partnership with Rod Stewart in the Jeff Beck Group to years of solo instrumental work with the likes of Jan Hammer. What he's never had before this year, is a live performance DVD. And perhaps you're thinking "Yeah, but the guy's in his mid-60s... do I really want to see a former great on the downside of his car...
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Hundreds of bands have tried to cop that Rolling Stones sneer, and hundreds more songwriters have tried to model the earthy poetic flow and hard-won wisdom of Bob Dylan. Mott The Hoople and its frontman Ian Hunter are perhaps the only ones ever to accomplish both at the same time, making music that explores emotional hills and valleys with penetrating insight, while delivering the whole package w
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Our March retrospective -- kicking off today with dueling reviews of Dream Theater -- finds the Daily Vault exploring the fertile soil of modern progressive rock. All those fans who think prog began and ended with Pink Floyd, Genesis, King Crimson, Tull, ELP and Yes should sit up and take notice, for there's plenty of fine recent work to be discussed by the likes of Porpcupine Tree, the Flower...
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It's not exactly news by now, but what better excuse could there be to dive back into the blog pond than the unveiling of a genuine power-pop supergroup? Tinted Windows is the mind-boggling musical milkshake consisting of James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Adam Schlesinger (Fountains Of Wayne), Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick) and Taylor Hanson (yes, THAT Taylor Hanson). Appearances are set for South...
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While you’re out exploring the nether regions of the Internets, don’t forget to tune in to the latest Daily Vault retrospective, featuring one of the most successful female-fronted bands in rock history – Heart. Beginning Wednesday, February 4 and running every weekday through Friday, February 27, we’ll be featuring 18 reviews covering Heart’s entire studio catalog, plus a handful of li
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