Jordan Pruitt who a handful of you may know was the opening act on the High School Musical tour has done a reworking of Nickleback's "Rockstar." Using her Christian values as a guide Jordan gives us a few laughs and really doesn't do to bad, if you like the whole Disney music thing. At least she's no pregnant like Billy Ray Cyrus's kid.
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Three Imaginary Girls had this great post and I had to share it with everyone. Tali White of The Lucksmiths covers Andre 3000's "Hey Ya." Tali can definitely hit the high notes and even gets the audience involved.
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Some photos of Street Scene 2007
G. Love rockin' the crowd 
Fair to Midland
Matt Costa says hi
Matt Costa plays a special side stage encore after his set
Matt Costa meets Carina Round and they traded CDsCourtesy of NME
Radiohead appear to be revealing details of their new album, rumoured to be due for release in 2008, on their new website.
Fans are convinced that the band are communicating information about their seventh album through a code, and have cracked what they think are the very first details of its track listing.
A series of 'Radiohead hieroglyphs' appear by clicking on the link 'Hodiau Direkton'.
The first code, which appeared on September 20, was deciphered as stating: 'Yes we are still alive'.
A further posting on September 21 reads: 'Blink your eyes one for yes two for no code code code.'
Fans posting on the band's message board have deciphered that these are in fact the lyrics for new song 'Bodysnatchers'.
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Tales from the greenroom
Two underground legends, two up and coming MC’s, one crazy night in Seattle, follow two rookie reporters as we get to interview one of our heroes and subsequently break just about every rule of reporting in the process.
Unwritten rules of the green room
1) What happens in the Greenroom stays in the Greenroom
2) Repeating rule #1 for rule #2 like its 1999 and Fightclub is still popular is well, so 8 years ago
3) Don’t get star struck
4) The families of celebrities are off limits
5) Be prepared for anything
9:30 pm
My fellow associate and I are standing outside the The Showbox in Seattle waiting for a tricked out red Escalade driven by Brandon the manager for Talib Kweli and Strong Arm Steady who has our press passes. As he arrives flanking the tour bus with a custom grill and wheels I can only think of one thing. “Man I wish I had this guy’s job.” We talk briefly going over the ground rules and how the interview will go down. He seems like a cool guy but you can tell that the stress of the road is getting to him a little but he doesn’t let it affect his work. After going over the specifics he hands us over our press passes which we grab like, well two guys being handed free backstage passes for one of their favorite artists in the world, and head for the door where we utter the words I’ll never forget for the rest of my life “We’re on Talib Kweli’s guest list.”
After taking a couple of Jaeger shots provided by the Showbox’s excellent service staff we head back to the backstage area. The artists haven’t made their way back yet and the two of us whose official assignment is to interview Strong Arm Steady aren’t sure where to go since they don’t have their own greenroom. So after a few minutes we decide to walk into the room set aside for Common Market not quite accidentally as I’m hoping I’ll get to meet him too. The room is empty but it has a view of the hallway so we sit there and wait for everyone to arrive. After a few minutes a young lady of about 12 walks into the room and asks why we’re in there. It turns out to be Common Markets daughter well into her I know everything phase. We tell her our situation and she asks whose guest list we’re on. We reply Kweli and she replies “Well why don’t you go into his room.” Thanks Miss Market I’m thinking as we head back into the hallway starting to think that I may have more access to one of my all-time favorite rappers than I ever thought that I would. After heading into hallway the confusion is broken thankfully as Krondon, Mitchy Slick, and Phil da Agony of Strong Arm Steady walk in and we’re on our J-O.
We’re introduced briefly and at this time I’m cursing at myself as, the rolling eyes tell me that, my day job forces me to dress a little to clean cut than I would like to be at this point. But I was kind of expecting to have to work my way in with my knowledge of over 15 years of listening to the art form, but for now I hang to the side and watch how things unfold. Then Kweli walks in and I break rule number 3. I had handled meeting famous people well up until that point, my previous experiences being with Jean-Claude Van Damme, The Ravonettes, and a forgettable former boy band member from Together when that band was at it brief peak. But when I saw Kweli I could barely speak only managing to get out that I was a huge fan at that time. He thanks me and walks towards the members of Strong Arm Steady with a look on his face like he was in the mood for a little freestylin’ specifically towards Phil da Agony who himself is a legendary battle MC in the Los Angeles area and I’m thinking I’m going to witness a real life scene from (insert your favorite hip-hop movie here). Phil who is either sick or a little road weary isn’t feelin’ it though and everyone heads back to the Greenroom.
Krondon, is the first member to really give me access. From L.A, an avid blogger himself, and a fan of punk music, specifically the Transplants, Kron is the least veteran of the crew with a little over 5 years rhymin’ under his belt. Originally Xzibit of Pimp my Ride fame was a member of the group and he says that it’s too bad that things turned out they way that they did but they are grateful for the exposure that they got from being affiliated with him. He turns out to be a real intelligent dude and we talk for a while about the current state of music and digital promotion/piracy while he distributes blunt after blunt of from Cali’s newest enterprise where he obviously didn’t go just for the cool hat.
Kweli meanwhile seems to be at a great point in his life newly independent and happy to be so he’s just about glowing from an inner energy that comes from building a successful career from the ground up as he is about to take the stage for the sold out Seattle crowd. As he makes his way toward the stage I stay back to try to talk to Phil da Agony for a while but he’s still not really in the mood. At this point my associate and I are arguing visibly about how the interview is going which is getting a few chuckles from Phil who’s the only one else backstage. After a while he asks us if we want to go watch the show and we head out just before Strong Arm Steady joins Kweli onstage.
Strong Arm performs three songs at this point all of which are received relatively well. Krondon has the most natural stage presence of the three and while not performing his own songs with the group is often backing Kweli as his hype man. Phil da Agony is a laid back dude but has the most natural lyrical ability of the three. Mitchy Slick combines a little bit of both with an old school gangster swagger that takes me back to the G-Funk Era. After Strong Arm finishes their set I head out to the outside to catch my breath and regroup.
A few deep breaths, words of advice, and Jaeger shots later and I’m back at it. Kweli is taking an intermission and the DJ is playing all the choice cuts from the 70’s to today while some break dancers perform onstage one of whom I swear is Geologic from the Blue Scholars. Meanwhile Talib's kids, who obviously have been having a better summer break than I ever did, are keeping me entertained backstage by dancing and having a ball. I ask them what its like to have a dad who’s a famous MC and they say it’s just like having any other dad and they love getting to go on tour with him. But when I ask for a picture they decline and won’t really speak to me afterwards.
Kweli meanwhile is back from his break and in peak form going over all the classics form his 8 album career dating back to his infamous Black Starr debut with Mos Def. I get up in the thick of things to take a few pics and notice Mitchy Slick watching from the side so I move over there to watch and try to ask him a few questions. Mitchy Slick is from San Diego and has already released 5 independent solo albums many of which have gained retail distribution and can be found at your local Best Buy. He says that he greatly respects the work of DJ Quik who helped him a lot during the beginning of his career and that getting to meet Dr. Dre is the only time that he ever got star struck. We also talk about the fine line between selling out and realizing that this is his career and he has a family to provide for. Then Kweli starts “Respiration” and we both turn back into fans having to get a view of the stage.
After a few more choice cuts Kweli ends his set and heads back stage. After giving his kids a hug they push him back towards the stage for the encore. Another classy family moment from a class act. After a few more songs Strong Arm Steady rejoin Kweli for the finale and my highlight of the evening as the make their way onstage the beat from M.I.M.S. “This Is Why I’m Hot” can be heard from the speakers which Kweli has changed to “(Rappers) Lie A lot” I ask him later if this is a reference to MIMS specifically especially in the wake of the statement he made about Kanye but he won’t answer saying it is what it is and there are a lot of MC’s out there flat out lying in their rhymes. The other song they do is “Get Your Bars Up” both unreleased anti-materialistic bangers and Kweli leaves the crowd wanting more.
After the last cut the DJ who did a great job tonight comes back on and the MC’s invite the ladies onstage. Let me say this out of all the concerts me and my associate have been to the Blackstarr collective (Common included) get the more and the most beautiful women onstage than any other rap group.
Everyone dances onstage for a while and then heads back to the greenroom which is jumping. There are a number of girls and fans who have been invited backstage. Krondon continues to hand out blunts and my associate and I begin to take liberal advantage of the free drinks. Although I stay to the side for the most part as the MC are obviously more concerned with other things than us I do get a chance to get a few pics, signed posters, and a book recommendation from Kweli who with Mos Def own Nkiru bookstore in Brooklyn. Not a bad night, oh and I did finally get to meet Common Market on the way out.
Thanks again to Kweli, Strong Arm Steady, and their manager Brandon.
Kweli’s book recommendation Paulo Coelho – The Alchemist
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Last night MJ and I were front row for the Flaming Lips show at the Paramount in Seattle. For those of you who don't know the Flaming Lips put on one of if not the best live shows in rock. When you've seen a band several times you tend to know what to expect but when it comes to the Lips you have no idea what will happen from one show to the next. You only know a few things for certain, there will be dancing Santa Clause and aliens, lots of confetti, and some heartfelt words from Wayne. This show was no different so instead of writing about the show we give you The Flaming Lips at the Paramount a picture retrospective. Gander on for the goodness.
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3.5 out of 5
Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace like most other Foo Fighter’s albums is hit and miss which combined with Dave Grohl’s uncanny ability to connect with the crowd makes for a great concert and will eventually make for a pretty good greatest hits CD. Unfortunately these things don’t make this album any better but there are a few good tracks that are worth downloading.
The album starts off well with “The Pretender” and “Let It Die” both punishing tracks the latter of which is an obvious letter to the late Kurt Cobain wondering after all these years why he had to lose control and ultimately lead to his own and Nirvana’s end. Dave Grohl finally realizes that no matter how far he takes the Foo Fighters most never have the chance, as he did, to be in a generational defining band and he never will again.
Another highlight is “Come Alive” a half-acoustic love song, another of the band’s strong points. It’s not “Everlong” but it’s pretty good. The rest of the album is a good but not spectacular mix of 90’s alt rock and classic rock elements. Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace won’t blow you away and it lacks the sure-fire singles of some of their other cds but If you’re already a Foo Fighter’s fan or if your just looking for a little old fashioned rock and roll you’ll like this album.
Standout Tracks: “Come Alive” “Summery’s End”, “Let It Die”
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Kanye West is having The Best Week Ever! He has been everywhere promoting his new album Graduation which just hit stores on Sept. 11th. He performed on the MTV VMA's, had an in-store in NYC and in LA, and made an appearance on the Emmy Awards. That same night fellow chart topper Justin Timberlake had a show at the Staples Center and Kanye surprised the crowd and performed "Stronger" Check out the clip here:
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Kay Kay and his Weathered Undergrounds frontman Kirk Huffman is a busy man. Aside form his succesful Kay Kay ensomble, he has started The Wild Orchid Children. These guys have a very cool sound that sceams of RATM inspired vocals. Here is an exclusive look at the recording of their new song Tree Of Knowledge. Gander on for more about the Wild Orchid Children.
The Project includes other KayKay members including Thomas's amazing guitar and Kyles work on the keys. They are finishing up an EP but are currently unsigned. You can support the mushroom trip inspired Wild Orchid Children at their myspace page wwww.myspace.com/wildorchidchildren Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground performs this weekend at EndFest.
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First Zeppelin and now this. Who's going to reunite next?
Courtesy of NME
Sex Pistols have exclusively revealed details of a one off London gig.
The band are set to play Brixton Academy on November 8.
Speaking about their return to the London gig scene for the first time since 2002, Sex Pistols' frontman John Lydon explained: "Maybe it's because we're all Londoners, but there would be no Sex Pistols without dear old London town."
He added: "See you all at Brixton with proper feelings and proper people all around. From London Bridge to The Rose And Crown, all of Britain is welcome so come on down."
Tickets go on sale on September 21 at 9am (BST).
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We manged to catch up with Seattle pop-punk rockers The Pharmacy after their set at the EMP Sky Church during Bumbershoot and talk about everything from the Sky Church's Psychedelic backdrop to Rembrandt's b-sides. The band recently got done with a seventy plus date tour and are currently working on finishing their second album while still managing to play a few local dates. This bands love for amusement parks really shines through as they are not only fun and exciting to see live but talk to as well. Check out their video for "Tropical Yeti" below and Gander On for the interview.
GN: How long have you guys been together?
Scottie: Ryan and Stefan have been playing with us for the past year but Brendhan and I have been playing music since we we're like sixteen so about five years now. We started playing shows and touring in 2003.
GN: Is this your first time at Bumbershoot?
Scottie: It's our first time playing.
GN: How was it?
Scottie: It's really Psychedelic. The lights were intense.
GN: What did you think about that giant screen?
Scottie: I couldn't really look at the screen
Stefan: I was trying to match up the keyboard parts with the screen. I tried really hard.
Ryan: I think there were giant anime creatures being projected behind us.
Brendhan: It was like watching a computer screen, like watching Itunes.
GN: It seems that your music covers a wide spectrum, where does that come from?
Brendhan: I think we started out as a Ska band right.
Scottie: No not really, that was like the second wave of The Pharmacy. First we were like a garage rock band. It's kind of hard to keep track of what music style we are. it's hard to think about.
GN: Where do you guys draw most of your influence from?
Brendhan: Nirvana, Electric Light Orchestra, The Beatles.
Scottie: Moldy Peaches
Brendhan: On Tour we always go together to theme parks and we're always at the top of the roller coaster together and we like our music to represent that feeling when we're all going down.
GN: Have you ever been on this ride here?(pointing to The Booster.)
Stefan: Yes I have it's so great!
Scottie: One time Stefan spent Seventy dollars on that ride.
GN: So you guys have an album out right now?
Scottie: Yeah we record an album and it came out about two years ago. We've been in the middle of recording. We've been touring so much this year it's been hard to finish the new one.
GN: Who did you guys tour with this year?
Scottie: This year we pretty much booked our own tour. We toured with Totally Michael for a little while.
Ryan: We toured with different friends we have around the country for little blocks.
GN: So there is a new CD in the works?
Scottie: Yeah, we've been recording it for about eight months or so, off and on.
GN: When can we expect to see that?
Scottie: By the end of year.
GN: You guys are all from the same area?
Scottie: yeah, we're all from Vashon Island but Ryan's from the Tri-Cities.
GN: Are there any bands you guys are excited to see tonight?
All: Tiny Vipers!
Stefan: Scott and I work with Jesy.
GN: We always ask the bands what some of their guilty pleasure songs are?
Scottie: I like eighties Paul McCartney.
Brendhan: I like The Knack. They sing "My Sharona," they have some really cheesy songs.
Ryan: I like The Waitresses actually.
Scottie: The Rembrandts. Every one knows them for the "Friends" song but they've got a lot of really cool b-sides.
Brendhan: I used to really like that Shaggy song "It wasn't me"
Stefan: We actually ripped off a few measures of that on "My Friends."
Brendhan: Yeah the dub breakdown. We recorded it backwards.
You can catch The Pharmacy at the Reverb Festival October 6th and look out for the yet to be titled album coming out later this year.
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3.5 out of 5
"Pound for pound I'm the best around", 50 cent claims on Curtis his third LP and second made specifically for the adolescent children who buy his records and still believe that rappers kill each other (oh and the toothfairy).
But why does he actually believe this? It might be because he sells the most records. But this doesn't make him the best just as it doesn't make "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em" the best rap CD of all time. And just as Hammer couldn't do hard (and failed trying) 50 can't do smart or well-rounded for that matter as all the songs on Curtis are about killing, sex, and how much money he has as you would expect from a 50 cent CD.
Maybe then its how much he can switch his style up (and watch the money pile up?). On Curtis 50 tries various different flow patterns other than his normal and ridiculously pathetic fake southern flow but the problem is that none of them work well.
So why the rating after all the hating? Well the production on Curtis is very good and saves Curtis Jackson from comming out like Michael Jackson. The Shady Aftermath team once again does an incredible job in salvaging this album by varying the style of beats to keep the listener interested and by keeping the songs short and blending them together like a mix-tape (why we liked 50 in the first place) so if you don't like one song you won't have to wait long.
Also as with other top-selling artists 50 cent pulls out an A-list mix of guests who all outshine 50 but in doing so make the album better such as Akon on "I'll Still Kill" and the JT/timbo callabo "AYO Technology" (Oh and 50, you lose all credibility when you let a former boy band member write some of your verses).
Though 50 cent on Curtis is a shell of his former self we still have to give him credit for ending Ja Rule's career (thank god) and for "Get Rich or Die Trying" one of the better LP's of this decade and on Curtis it takes a Tony Yayo cameo on "Hands Up High" to remind us of when 50 was good and why we liked him. Shit-talking and punchlines.
See 50 you were never a great rapper (so let's just forget about the best talk) but on your early shit you were funny as hell as you made it impossible for anyone with any self respect to listen to Ja's music, and we loved you for that. And while your handelers may keep telling you how much "They luv da kid" unless you become hungry like that again, or (gasp) show some artistic growth, it won't be for long.
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This is a heads up for all you Comcast Digital Cable Subscribers. Occasionaly they have some great content on-demand. Currently featured in the Seattle International Film Festival section of free on-demand movies is Screaming Masterpieces. This well made documentary features the unique music of Iceland. Many of the well known artists you love (MUM, Bjork, etc...) as well as some worth looking up. Watch it free while you can.
And here is the rest of it.
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This being my first post on GooseNinja, I felt obligated to make it count. The love of live music is whats behind the creation of this blog and the reason why I read it/shoot photos for it constantly. October 6th marks Seattle Weeklys REVERB Local Seattle area music showcase. The bill is an incredible day of music in one of my favorite Seattle neighborhoods for a mere $8 (10 day of show). Although there are many talented acts involved I wanted to showcase one band and one solo artist from the day. 
Siberian & Jtillman are my two suggested acts. I'm throwing up a live performance of my favorite J Tillman tune: Jesse's not a sleeper. Gander on for more information and insight about Siberian/J Tillman. Including there family connection
I recently had the pleasure of photographing Siberian. These 5 guys are making some incredible rock music that really stands out in a city overloaded with Indi Rock. Zach Tillman of Siberian comes from a family with no lack of talent.
His brother is my second recommendation for the showcase. J Tillman is an incredible songwriter with a voice that you will fall in love with. Siberian is releasing a new record at the end of October with Sonic Boom recordings. Some samples can be heard at their myspace page (myspace.com/siberian) J Tillman is also working on a new record and can be heard on his myspace (myspace.com/jtillman) Keep an eye for both acts because they wont be a local secret much longer. -Kyle Johnson over and out
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At last nights Primetime Emmy Awards Kanye West and Rainn Wilson engaged in a battle of name those lyrics. The category was The Songs Of Kanye West and in a remarkable outcome Rainn defeated Kanye leaving host Wayne Brady stunned. In other Kanye news you can hear 30 Seconds To Mars emotastic cover of "Stronger" on their Myspace Page. We have to thank Stereogum for that one because there was no way we would ever visit 30 Seconds To Mars Myspace page otherwise.
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Just left the Kanye in-store at Virgin in Hollywood. Kanye was a true
star and signed autographs for over 500 fans, shook hands, kissed
babies, and made some women cry.... Pictures in the morning...
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First we'll tell you who guest stars and then you should be able to guess the theme. Peter North and Randy West guest star...And the theme is 80's VHS porno look. The band used some old eighties porn video and inserted themselves into it. The look is spot on and they couldn't have put it together better. the video is safe for work, so don't worry their won't be a big schlong appearing on screen in the middle of the chorus. Be sure to check out the Office's new album "A Night At The Ritz" out September 25th.
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Kanye May have crashed Justice's European VMA win last year, but from the looks of the video for "The Good Life" he seems to have taken some inspiration form their "D.A.N.C.E." video. Regardless the video is hot. Check it out below and then Gander On for the Justice video for comparison.
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Little Brother is one of the dopest new acts to come out in hip-hop lately dropping three classic albums The Listening, Chitlin’ Circuit 1.5, and The Minstrel Show in the last few years. They have a classic hip-hop feel that takes me back and makes me appreciate what the music can be. So it was my honor to interview Big Pooh of Little Brother and talk about their new album The Get Back. Gander On for the interview.
JB: When’s the new album coming out
BP: October 23rd
JB: I’ve heard that you and 9th wonder have split up since the last album. How has this and other changes that have occurred in your lives affected what we will hear on The Get Back?
BP: The two main changes that have happened since the last one came out have been 9th leaving the group and us leaving Atlantic Records. Besides that the production has opened up a little more but that actually began to happen before 9th left.
JB: We heard that 9th left the group because you guys wanted the opportunity to work with other producers and to try to work with more diverse beats. What can we expect from the new album? The others were very soulful. Can we expect more experimentation? Is it more commercial?
BP: That wasn’t the basis for the split with 9th. This album will still be soulful but there’s a lot more live instrumentation on this record.
JB: Are you guys still cool with ninth and are there possibilities of you guys working with him in the future?
BP: On a personal note it’s not the same and probably never will be but we still have a lot of respect for each other’s work. As far as I’m concerned I have laid down some songs for 9ths solo project the Dream Catcher so you’ll see that coming soon. As far as Little Brother is concerned you will probably see us work together in the future but there won’t be any reunions. He’ll definitely be called to produce whenever myself or the group are planning to put out another album. But no reunions.
JB: Since the last album The Minstrel Show both you and Phonte have released solo projects. Phonte with Foreign Exchange and yourself with Sleepers. Why does great hip-hop continue to be overlooked by the masses?
BP: It’s not what they’re used to. It’s not what they’re being fed. I equate it to junk food. These companies are making money off of junk food which may be good for you now but later you’ll be hungry again which is what they want.
JB: We haven’t seen too many huge Big Brother collaborations. You had Rhymefest on the new mixtape but what artists would you like to work with and/or compete against on the mic?
BP: We got Weezy (Lil’ Wayne) on the new album so your gonna see him on there. I’m a huge
fan of making music and music in general so there’s a ton of people out there. A lot of times we exchange info but just as the nature of the business it doesn’t always work out.
JB: Any specifics?
BP: Outkast. I’ve been listening to them for a long time. Since they came out. Also some of the other legends that I’ve respected. DJ Quik. DJ Quik I feel is one of the most underrated producers in hip-hop. And Dr. Dre definitely Dre. He’s the Master.
JB: Coming from North Carolina what advice can you give to MC’s coming up especially in areas outside of New York, LA, and Atlanta?
BP: Figure out who you are and be consistent. Stick to your guns. Don’t go for the allure of being famous. Being famous doesn’t equal being Rich and being Rich doesn’t equal longevity. You gotta grind, grind, grind. Some people are lucky and have a hit single and get big early but that doesn’t mean they’re gonna be around forever. Nothing is given in this business. It’s a sacrifice.
JB: You guys just left Atlantic. Given the current state of music would you stay away from the major labels if you had the opportunity to do it again?
BP: Naw. We’d do the same thing. You need to go through the experience. It was a great experience and it helped me become who I am and it helped Phonte to become who he is. Naw you can’t sit back and think about what if?
JB: When can we see ya’ll in Seattle?
BP: We’ll be in Seattle November 3rd and Bellingham November 5th
JB: Who are some other dope MC’s coming out of NC right now?
BP: You got Josey Loc, Superstition out of Charlotte, Big Reno outta Salem, and Trill all from North Carolina.
I’d like to thank Big Pooh and Little Brother for taking their time out and for making dope hip-hop which is sorely lacking today. I had the opportunity to listen to portions of the new album The Get Back recently and from what I’ve heard so far it should be another dope outing from Little Brother. And be sure to check out The Listening, Chitlin’ Circuit 1.5, The Minstrel Show, all Gooseninja and JBuc certified hot!!!
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Leave your comments below and we will forward them on to Meg herself!
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That's right according to No Dessert For You Jack and Meg have canceled their show due to a nervous breakdown on Meg's part. There is not really any more information out right now but we can easily say that some festival goers will be disappointed. We wish Meg all the best and hope she recovers quickly and doesn't go all Owen Wilson. We're going to make a virtual get well son card that everyone can sign, look for the link soon.
Also added to the cancellations list are Amy Winehouse and Rodrigo y Gabriela who are both citing exhaustion as their reason for pulling out.
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With Hot Hot Heat set to release "Happiness Ltd." today we figured it would be a great time to post this email interview we did with Dustin and Paul. The guys definitely seem exited to be done with the album. We're excited. for next weeks Endfest and their performance! Gander On for the interview as well as parts four and five of the making of "Happiness Ltd" and make sure to hit your local record stores today for a copy, It's Hot!>
Where did the name of the new album come from?
It came from the first lyric of the first song.
How do you think your music has evolved from Make Up The Breakdown to Elevators to now with Happiness Ltd?
If Make up the Breakdown was a one celled organism, this is album is a fully formed Homohablis.
What is the process you go through when making an album. Do you write a lot of the music and then go in and write to it? Or write the music first? Is it a combination of the two?
We spent a lot of time writing on the road. Songs usually start with one person bringing in an idea, a skeleton of a song, and then we all flesh it out.
You’ve put out some behind the scenes videos on your youtube channel. What’s it like to look back and see the process you went through making the album?
We shouldn't have been drinking so much. It seems as though there is a beer can in every other shot.
What can people expect at a Hot Hot Heat live show?
It's like being struck by lightning, repeatedly. Now ride the lightning!
You’ve said several times that you don’t like playing clubs but rather playing to a larger audience. Why do you think this is?
That's cause Steve was misquoted, what he actually said was that we prefer to play arenas.
What have been some of your favorite venues to play and what have been some of your favorite venues to see other bands play?
Santa Barbara Bowl, Red Rocks, London Astoria, Logan's, Whiskey, Viper Room
Steve did a remix of the Killers “Read My Mind” earlier this year. Are there any other remixes out there we should be looking for or any others in the works?
The Let Me In remixes are quite good.
What are some of your guilty pleasure songs you listen to?
Dripping With Hate - Hatewolf
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As the sun set on Saturday at Bumbershoot we had a chance to catch up with David Terry aka Aqueduct just before he hit the Sound Transit Stage and rocked a huge crowd of Seattle faithful and we talked about everything from Oklahoma to Matt Hasselbeck. Dave is one of the nicest guys we've met and is genuinely happy to be doing what he loves. You can check him out right now on an East Coast tour with Apples In Stereo and back on the West Coast in October and November with Georgie James. Gander On for the interview.
GN: So what do you think about Bumbershoot?
AQ: I like it, it's cool. It's smack dab in the middle of the city and it's a lot of different styles of music and tons of people. I feel very fortunate to be asked to play.
GN: Have you caught any acts while your here?
AQ: I saw St.Vincent and a little bit of The Lashes and most of Menomena
GN: Anyone your looking forward to seeing?
AQ: I really would like to see Apples In Stereo.
GN: Your doing a show with them coming up right?
AQ: Yeah were actually doing a whole East Coast tour with them. They're one of my favorite bands of the last ten years or so, so it'll be great to go play with them.
GN: So Oklahoma to Seattle, how does that happen?
AQ: That's a big jump. It's a big cultural shift. I like it a lot here and moving to Seattle has done nothing but great things for me and Aqueduct.
GN: So you like the Northwest then?
AQ: The West Coast was definitely calling my name and I wasn't sure where to go. I almost moved to Portland but I ended up being here in Seattle and I think that ended up being a great twist of fate.
GN: I see you've become a Seahawks. (Dave was sporting a Seahawks wristband)
AQ: I kind of live down close to the stadium and I had a chance to go see a game for the first time this year a couple weeks ago.
GN: Who do see as most of your major influences?
AQ: Aqueduct as long as it's catchy, that's the consistent thing. So really bands that have kind of motivated me and inspired me over the years have just been super catchy bands. Oldies Stuff, Beach Boys, Bee Gees, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and I also just love fun silly music to like heavy metal, gangster rap, and hair metal.
GN: So how would you describe yourself?
AQ: I pretty much just say it's anything goes and I refer people to the website aqueductisgoodmusic.comand I leave it at that.
GN: So it's pretty much what your feeling at the time?
AQ: yeah it is. I try not to limit myself or pigeon hole myself ti much and really just keep the production something that keeps me going in the studio trying new stuff and trying crazy stuff.
Word Association
GN: Bumbershoot
AQ: Huge
GN: Aqueduct
AQ: Fun
GN: Northwest
AQ: Yes
GN: Oklahoma
AQ: Yes!
GN: Matt Hasslebeck
AQ: Geeky, I saw a picture of him recently and I was like man for a quarterback he's kinda geeky, scrawny looking guy.
GN: It looks like you've drawn quite a crowd here. Are you excited?
AQ: Yeah
GN: Do really like the performance aspect of it? Is that what your in it for?
AQ: I'm really in it just to make the music that I hear in my head and put it down. I'm very fortunate that people like it and playing live has become a whole thing now because it's kind of a one man band thing in the studio and from the get go I had to figure out if I wanted to have a band or if I wanted to be the laptop guy with the guitar. I really decided it should be a full band pretty much from the start and have really been working to mold that into something and I feel like in the last three years I've got a good thing going on.
GN: You play with a regular group of band members?
AQ: Yeah, if they'll have me.
Gander On!
Dyme Def rocked Bumbershoot this year and now their giving us a video for "Three Bad Brothaz" which in our books has one of the hottest samples of the year. Seattle hip-hop is on the rise and these boys are a big reason why.
Gander On!
Over the weekend Ochi “The Tiger” Yosuke defend his Air Guitar Championship in Finland. Ochi air guitared to The Offsprings "Come Out And Play" but the real highlight is his air preparation before hand. He talks to his air band and even air tunes his guitar. Check out his championship performance below.
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4.5 ninja stars out of 5
In a cameo on Talib Kweli’s also excellent Ear Drum (review to come later) Kanye West states that he’s “always ‘bout rockin’ the this ain’t out yet.” Although he was talking about clothes we here @ Gooseninja feel the same way about music. So while we were taking breaks, or traveling to and from, this year’s Bumbershoots festival we were rockin’ the new Kanye album Graduation and let be one of the first to say welcome back Mr. West!!
As always with a Kanye album the production on graduation is a top-notch mix of cherry picked soul samples with extras added in. And even if some of the beats are left-overs from his day job as the most sought-after producer in hip-hop…. Well as Kanye states it perfectly in “Everything I Am”
"Here we go again
Common passed on this beat
I made it to a Jam."
And Graduation is jam-packed with them. Out of the 14 tracks on the album there could easily be five singles. And speaking of his lyrics (a weakness of the otherwise brilliant Late Registration) Kanye has stepped his game at least back to the level of College Dropout and for the first time holds his own with his blend of über cocky, conscious, and everyday, with very few guest rhyme appearances.
Some highlights include “Champion” where he “wishes (Lauren Hill’s) heart was still in rhymin’ (don’t we all). Or “Evertything I Am” where he states “Man Killin’s some wack shit.” Or “Big Brother” where Kanye relays his relationship with Jay-Z and implores us to tell our heroes how they inspire us.
So while others have got rich and stopped trying Kanye West has established himself as hip-hop’s new king of consistency with his third great album in a little over three years with one of 2007’s best so far. Don’t be surprised if you’re still rocking songs like “The Good Life” at your New Years Party. Yes Kanye you can talk your shit again. You can talk all you want.
Gander On!
One of our favorite shows this past weekend was Black Rebel Motorcycles Club's performance at the KEXP Music Lounge. Peter started out solo before he was joined by drummer Nick Jago and finally Rob made his way to the stage to complete the last songs of the set. The performance was acoustic and really added depth to their already amazing tunes. It was Nick's first time playing guitar with the others and he did a great job. Gander on for two videos of their performance "Shuffle Your Feet" and Peter's solo version of "Ain't No Easy Way Out."
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For the record D. Black is not a gangster. What he is though is a member of the up and coming Sportin' Life Records crew taking Seattle by storm. With his parents hailing from Seattle's first real Hip Hop crew, the Emerald City Gang and a stage presence that commands your attention one thing D. Black is sure to be is successful.
After D. got done rockin the crowd inside the EMP Sky Church on Saturday we stepped outside to find out what was really going down with this Seattle Hip-Hopper.
Gander On for the interview.
GN: So How's Life?
DB: Life's good, it's wonderful!
GN: Everything but the bills right?
DB: A lot of the times I come to shows, and for some reason on show days there's always a lot of baggage and that's the time it gets overwhelming. But I swear I love being on stage more than anything. Right when I get on stage, even up to that it's stressful. I know it sounds cliche but I'm serious that's my high, I don't drink, I don't smoke. It's the best part of the game for me.
GN: How long have you been performing for?
DB: I did my first show in like the fourth grade. That was my first time being up on stage. I had my little studio at home so I made a little show tape and I rocked it. My partner started crying he forgot his verse in front of the entire school with the parents. That was my first time rockin it. I can't remember my first real show, my sophomore year of high school we had a club night, Sportin' Life Thursdays at the Safari Club on Rainier. I know that was the beginning stages when we used to rock it.
GN: You had a studio in the fourth grade?
DB: I set it up myself. I had these two karaoke machines hooked together so I could dub my tape to the other tape and I had a microphone hanging from the vent because I didn't have a mic stand. I had a Roland groove box, that was my first beat machine, I got it when I was like eight. I've been doin it for a minute.
GN: You just had a birthday party for Sportin' Life Records?
DB: We just had a birthday party, a five year anniversary party. We've actually been a crew before that but we made it a business back in 02'.
GN: You have a new album coming out?
DB: Yeah, "Life and Legacy."
GN: When can people expect that?
DB: Around the first quarter of 08' January, February.
GN: What was Mix A Lot's reaction when you first played "808" for him.
DB: I go to Mix's house and I got this record. I'm kinda scared because I know people have done Posse before and Mix didn't like it. We were just choppin it up for a minute. He had already heard about the song, so we're in the studio and he puts it on and he hears himself and he's kinda like that's me and then it just drops and his head noddin and it stopped and then he played it again and he was like this shit is hot and I told him I felt like it was a hit. He worked with it and mixed it and then a baby was born.
Word Association
GN: Bumbershoot
DB: Live!
GN: My Posse's On Broadway
DB: Classic
GN: Seattle Hip-Hop
DB: D. Black, Sportin' Life
GN: Sportin' Life Records
DB: The Movement
GN: D. Black
DB: Forever!
For more info and upcoming shows be sure to check out Sportin' Life Records Myspace page and be sure to pick up Fatal Lucciauno's record "The Only Forgotton Son" a record already labeled a Seattle classic as well as D. Black's "Cause and Effect" out now. And be sure to keep your eyes and ears open for J.Pinder and D. Black dropping new albums soon.
Gander On!
This is Gogol Bordello's final song in the KEXP Music Lounge. They were taking audience requests and there is some great banter between the crowd and the band before they launch into their last song. Enjoy!
Gander On!
Bumbershoot is over this year but we've still got lots of great stuff to post. In the coming weeks you can look forward to plenty of video from the KEXP Music Lounge, show reviews, and interviews with The Pharmacy, D. Black, Art Brut, Iceage Cobra, and more. We'll be posting stuff as we get it uploaded (our real job is getting in the way.) so check back often and starting tomorrow look out for a new interview each morning. We're giving you a teaser below, one of our favorite sets in the lounge this weekend Gogol Bordello.
Gander On!
The show was sick. I'm back at hotel 1000, kickin it with the Wu. Inspectadeck just traded me a great bottle of Champagne for a cig.
U god sends his love to Gooseninja.com. Also, keep an eye out for our own Chief Rocka and the RZA to cook something up for yall real soon (especially if you live in LA). Bobby Digital is entertaining all as we have taken over Boca. Mad respect all around. I'm finding the RZA to be a genuine genius with a genuine demeanor...
*Sent via MJ's BlackBerry*
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The Shaolin masters are kung-fuing the crowd which seems larger than Kanye's last year. Gander On!
Classic concert moment! Lupe says fuck George Bush, everyone cheers because apparently they don't like him either. At the end of the night Lupe and everyone that said fuck George Bush goes home and does nothing about it. Cheering doesn't change things people!! Gander On!
He's got the skate team from Goods out on stage right now and is dedicating the next song to them. I wonder if it could be "Kick, Push?".....Yep it is. Gander On!
Lupe's got Gemini on stage, he's not that great of a singer but he's got a flow reminiscent of another great Chicagoan, Twista! Gander On!
He just hit the stage wearing all white with a pair of shades on. He's got that Kanye swagger on stage. Speaking of Kanye he's opening up with Kanye's "Diamonds Are Forever." Gander On!
He's got the jam packed pavillion movin but it's starting to rain. Let's hope the weather gods are on our side today! Gander On!
He just got a standing ovation at the KEXP lounge. It was an amazing set with Steve giving us the reasons behind why he wrote several of his songs. Gander On!
Their Reggae Rock has Fischer Pavillion packed and all the hippies literally jumping for joy. Gander On!
Vica Voce's run through a couple songs and sound good. Perfect music for chilling in the Beer Garden, apparently everyone knows this since the line for one is stretching at least a hundred people deep. Gander On!
Another local band with a solid follwing Shake Some Action is rockin the Skychurch. They're a perfect band to listen to on a sunny summer afternoon. Gander On!
They managed to get everything fixed and gave us one more song. The banter in between was great so make sure to catch it streamin at the KEXP blog. Gander On!
We've got a guitar emergency, "Does anyone have a screwdriver?" Their doing repairs now and an impromptue interview to fill the dead air. It's great. Gander On!
The guys are doing their soundcheck right now and want everyone to know it's just practice. Everyone seems to be really exited and the house is packed. Gander On!
She's killing it right now. We wish she could have headlined instead of Fergie. She at least would have done a better cover of "Barracuda" Gander On!
Joss' voice is wowing a fairly large crowd at Memorial Stadium. Everyone seems to be slowly swaying to the beat or napping. We're eating corndogs! Gander On!
Anberlin
Andrew Bird
Art Brut
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Geologic and Prometheus Brown
Iceage Cobra
Gander On!
