Compiled by Blurt Staff

206 digital, satellite and hi-def channels and nothin' on? Not likely. Here are BLURT's top music television picks of the day. The time is followed by the network/cable/satellite channel, then the name of the program and/or featured artist(s). All times are EST. For a comprehensive hour-by-hour listing, go to the VH1 Rock On TV site. Note that for certain channels, shows frequently repeat during the day on or subsequent days.

TIME (EST) / CHANNEL / PROGRAM / ARTIST(S)

11:30 AM NICK: Yo Gabba Gabba!: Paul Williams 

12:00 PM NICK: Yo Gabba Gabba!: I'm from Barcelona , Mark Mothersbaugh

2:30 PM MOJO:  London Live!: The Kills , Sugababes , Boy Kill Boy , Elbow

5:00 PM VH1 Classic in Concert: AC/DC Live at Donnington

6:00 PM FUSE: The Weekly Riff: Butch Walker

8:00 PM FUSE: Loaded: Voodoo 2008 w/Panic at the Disco , N.E.R.D. , Lil Wayne , Nine Inch Nails , R.E.M. , Lupe Fiasco

8:00 PM MTV2: mtvICON: Metallica w/ Aerosmith , Korn , Limp Bizkit , Staind , Sum 41

9:00 PM FUEL: The Daily Habit: Deerhoof

9:00 PM MOJO: London Live!: Boy Kill Boy , The Pipettes , Graham Coxon , Dirty Pretty Things

10:00 PM Biography: Johnny Cash's America

10:00 PM Sundance: Kurt Cobain: About a Son

11:35 PM CBS: The Late Show With David Letterman: Beck

11:35 PM NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Al Green

12:05 AM  ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Smashing Pumpkins

12:37 AM CBS: The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Lenka

Soliciting input from the fans to remix latest album.

By Matthew Recchia

I'm from Barcelona, fresh off the release of sophomore album Who Killed Harry Houdini?, are conforming to the new trends of band and audience interaction by announcing a remix contest for a track off their new album.

Fans are encouraged to create a remix of the group's new single, "Music Killed Me". The winning submission will be posted on the band's website and Myspace page, plus the winner will receive free tickets to upcoming I'm From Barcelona shows.

The deadline for the Remix Contest is November 3, 2008. To submit your project, visit the band's Myspace page and follow the directions posted in the top-left corner.

Who Killed Harry Houdini?, a follow-up to I'm From Barcelona's debut album, Let Me Introduce My Friends, has huge footsteps to follow. Let Me Introduce My Friends, released in March 2007, brought the twenty-something member band their first United States performance at the Lollapalooza Music Festival in Chicago, IL.

Check out the band's tour dates and new album, released October 14, 2008 on Mute Records, at their website or Myspace pages.

Tracklist:

Andy
Paper Planes
Headphones
Music Killed Me
Gunhild (feat. SoKo)
Mingus
Ophelia
Houdini
Little Ghost
Rufus

Ron Howard, Andy Griffith and Henry "The Fonz" Winkler say it's about darn time for some change...

By Fred Mills

As a friend noted when he emailed me the link - "I think this settles the issue."

If you've ever wondered what Opie ‘n' Andy, and for that matter Richie and The Fonz, would look like all grown up, here's your one and only chance. That Ron Howard, Andy Griffith and Henry Winkler - the latter, admitting that he was "wrong" eight years ago, no less - would team up to do a pro-Obama, get-out-and-vote video for the good folks over at FunnyOrDie.com is just plain awesome.

Find out whether or not Sarah Palin is "loose"....

Name of song collection, "Season 1"

By Mandy Rodgers

Beginning Nov. 10, Kicksville is releasing a digital single a week for 13 consecutive weeks, and each will be available for purchase at Ropeadope Digital. The first single is "Phatty," and the ones to follow are various covers from the Talking Heads and The Police to name a few and older songs from Kicksville itself. Season 1 follows Kicksville's recent album, The Results of a Higher Mission. The group is comprised of "city council" kind of personas, Mayor Mike Stehr and Commissioner Conrad St. Clair, both providing bass, vocals, keys and percussion for the music.

According to Kicksville's record label, "(The two) curate a crack team of collaborators on these special releases. In classic Kicksville fashion, these singles showcase the collective's improvisation, melodic sensibility, intriguing programming and bizarre sound effects."

Kicksville Citizen Andy Ewen is illustrating an original cover for each track, and the first single can be streamed at www.imeem.com/kicksville. The closer the releases get, the more information Kicksville will reveal.

Web TV portal and Music Nation partner to offer exposure to emerging young artists.

By Blurt Staff

 
Babelgum, the free, independent Web TV platform today announced the launch of its brand new "Babelgum Music Video Awards" ^TM, in partnership with Music Nation. Following the success of the Babelgum Online Film Festival, which showcased the work of gifted independent filmmakers, Babelgum has now created a special contest focusing solely on music videos.
 

The Web TV company has launched this new competition to seek out and reward talented musicians and video directors, with a focus on indie artists. Once again, the audience vote will be crucial in picking the finalists, together with the professional jury consisting of Michel Gondry, David Ford and additional celebrity judges soon to be announced.

 
The competition offers bands the chance to win one of three prizes:

 
• The Grand Prize, a record development deal with Universal Music UK, will go to the final winner selected by the professional jury, announced on February 6th 2009;

 
• The "Performance Award", an opening slot at a gig at one of MAMA Group's live music venues, for the band with the most audience votes at the end of voting January 27th 2009;

 
• The "Mobile Award", promotion in a Babelgum application for mobile devices, will go to the 40 semi-finalists.

 
Submissions are open now through the 16th November. Screening and voting will start on 17th November on the Babelgum TV platform, and will continue for around 2 months.

 
Babelgum CEO Valerio Zingarelli commented "This is a great opportunity for young musicians and video makers to expand their audience and find a new route into the industry. Today's web users can't get enough of new, non-mainstream music acts, so the Internet is an excellent place to present strong musical talent and an original vision to a vast audience. Building on the success of the Babelgum Online Film Festival, Babelgum is keen to expose new artists and help them overcome the obstacles of a system that's still controlled by the majors".

 
Details on the voting and prizes and full terms & conditions can be found on the Babelgum (www.babelgum.com/musicnation-video-award/)  and Music Nation (www.musicnation.com/contest/babelgum)  websites.
 

How in the hell did they get back there? Watch it and find out...

By Blurt Staff

Illinois roots rockers Backyard Tire Fire have just released a video for "How In The Hell Did We Get Back Here?" off their acclaimed new album, The Places We Lived, on Hyena Records. Shot in their hometown of Bloomington, Illinois, the footage captures the Midwestern, blue collar spirit that shapes the band's music.  View the video HERE, or simply scroll down and enter our video and film kiosk.

Director Filipe Bessa explains:

"What always struck us about Backyard Tire Fire is the idea of the musicians and the music coming from a working-class background and really embracing what that means by approaching their music as their craft. Upholding an artist as a craftsman is very important to us, because art shouldn't be looked at as something we do to 'express ourselves,' but rather as a craft, worked within and around its own contexts and environments. The local musician has a lot more in common with the local mechanic than we tend to imagine. Ideally they both represent what makes up the American landscape as we know it. The joy and the sadness of work are present in both, and that's a powerful correlation."

Backyard Tire Fire will remain on the road throughout 2008. Meanwhile, check out our exclusive interview and feature on the band HERE.

Tour Dates:

October 24 / The Double Door / Chicago, IL

October 25 / Bloomington Cent. for the Perf. Arts / Bloomington, IL (w/ Los Lobos)

October 27 / The Orange Peel / Asheville, NC (w/ Squirrel Nut Zippers)

October 28 / The Music Farm / Charleston SC (w/ Squirrel Nut Zippers)

October 29 / Variety Playhouse / Atlanta, GA (w/ Squirrel Nut Zippers)

October 30 / Bijou Theatre / Knoxville, TN (w/ Squirrel Nut Zippers)

November 5 / Blueberry Hill / St. Louis, MO (w/ Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)

November 6 / Redstone Room / Davenport, IA (w/ Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)

November 7 / Crosstown Station / Kansas City, MO (w/ Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)

November 13 / Newport Music Hall / Columbus, OH (w/ The Clarks)

November 14 / Club Cafe / Pittsburgh, PA

November 15 / Grog Shop /Cleveland, OH (w/ The Clarks)

December 3 / Mercy Lounge / Nashville, TN (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)

December 4 / Vogue / Indianapolis, IN (w/Reverend Horton Heat)

December 5 / Southgate House / Newport, KY (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)

December 6 / Majestic Theatre / Detroit, MI (w/Reverend Horton Heat)

December 7 / The Intersection / Grand Rapids, MI (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)

December 10 / Otto's / Dekalb, IL (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)

December 11 / People's / Des Moines, IA (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)

December 12 / Cain's Ballroom / Tulsa, OK (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)

December 13 / The Village / Little Rock, AR (w/ Reverend Horton Heat)

December 27 / House of Blues / Chicago, IL (w/ Rusted Root)

December 28 / House of Blues / Chicago, IL (w/ Rusted Root)

December 29 / Eagles Ballroom / Milwaukee, WI (w/ Rusted Root)

December 30 / St. Andrews Hall / Detroit, MI (w/ Rusted Root)

December 31 / House of Blues / Cleveland, OH (w/ Rusted Root)

Annual concert benefits fight against Parkinson’s Disease

By Blurt Staff

Jesse Malin, Marah, Willie Nile, Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers,  and Goo Goo Doll John Rzeznik will play the two-day Light of Day concert in Asbury Park, NJ during the weekend of Nov. 1 and 2. [UPDATE: An earlier version of this story indicated John Easdale of Dramarama would appear. He will not play after all.] The shows benefit the fight against Parkinson’s Disease, a degenerative neurological disorder whose most famous sufferer is Michael J. Fox who, incidentally, starred in the 1987 film Light of Day, about a Cleveland band that sounds a lot like the Asbury Park pub rockers on this very bill.

From the press release:

The first eight years of Light of Day ventures have raised over $750,000 for the fight against Parkinson's disease and related illnesses. Past performers include Joe Grushecky, Jesse Malin, Gary US Bonds, La Bamba, Max Weinberg, Soozie Tyrell, Southside Johnny, John Eddie, Pat Dinizio, Jakob Dylan, Lucinda Williams and many others. Grushecky, who has performed at every Light of Day concert, has been joined onstage by Bruce Springsteen for six of eight years' Light of Day events. At 2003's Light of Day concert, the pair was joined by organizer Bob Benjamin and film star Michael J. Fox for a raucous finale of "Light of Day," the Springsteen-penned anthem from which the event's name is taken.

The Saturday show will be at the newly refurbished Paramount Theatre, a fixture on the Asbury Park Boardwalk since 1930. The Sunday show will be held at the world-famous Stone Pony, the oceanfront night club where Light of Day was launched nine years ago. Lineups:

Saturday, November 1

The Paramount Theater

Asbury Park, New Jersey

Performers include: Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers, Marah,

Jesse Malin, Willie Nile, Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan

Sunday, November 2

The Stone Pony

Asbury Park, New Jersey

Performers include: John Easdale, Boccigalupe and the Badboys, Jobonanno & the Godsons of Soul, Exit 105 and Tom Vella & the Wayside

Any remaining tickets are available at Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster Charge By Phone, Ticketmaster Online (www.ticketmaster.com), (www.livenation.com), (www.stoneponyonline.com) and the Stone Pony box office.

For more information, please visit www.lightofday.org                                                                   

The Spinto Band's Jon Eaton checks in with tales of Legos, frightened rabbits, spiral beaches and national eyes.

By Blurt Staff

Check out the first entry of Blurt's exclusive tour diary from The Spinto Band. In this edition, Jon Eaton tells about a Lego building contest between TSP and tour mates Frightened Rabbit, National Eye and Spiral Beach. TSP won Most Imaginative which, says Eaton, "is kind of bullshit."

Compiled by Blurt Staff

206 digital, satellite and hi-def channels and nothin' on? Not likely. Here are BLURT's top music television picks of the day. The time is followed by the network/cable/satellite channel, then the name of the program and/or featured artist(s). All times are EST. For a comprehensive hour-by-hour listing, go to the VH1 Rock On TV site. Note that for certain channels, shows frequently repeat during the day on or subsequent days.

TIME (EST) / CHANNEL / PROGRAM / ARTIST(S)

7:00 AM NBC: Today:Lee Ann Womack

8:00 PM Biography: Eric Clapton

9:00 AM Biography: Neil Young

10:00 AM Biography: Bob Dylan

11:00 AM Fine Living Network : Emeril Live: Sonya Kitchell

11:30 AM NICK: Yo Gabba Gabba!: Datarock , Mark Mothersbaugh

2:00 PM Biography: Eric Clapton

2:00 & 5:00 PM Ovation: Johnny Cash: Half Mile A Day

3:00 PM Biography: Neil Young

4:00 PM Biography: Bob Dylan

5:00 PM VH1C: David Gilmour - Live in Gdansk

8:00 PM Biography: Willie Nelson

8:00 PM PLD HD: Isle of Wight Festival 2008 w/The Police , The Sex Pistols , Iggy Pop , The Stooges , Kate Nash ,

N.E.R.D.

9:00 PM Biography: Johnny Cash's America

9:00 PM VH1C: U2: Rattle and Hum

11:00 PM Biography: Kris Kristofferson

11:35 PM CBS: The Late Show With David Letterman: Pete Seeger

11:35 PM NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Glen Campbell

12:05 AM ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Lady Gaga

12:37 AM CBS: The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Little Jackie

1:00 AM Biography: Johnny Cash's America

1:35 AM NBC: Last Call with Carson Daly: Moby

Sort of a big deal in the music biz, we hear....

By Fred Mills

That ka-ching sound you hear? It's Guns N' Roses co-manager Irving Azoff counting up his commission as the world preps for the Nov. 23 release of Chinese Democracy (Nov. 24 overseas; it comes out on CD and vinyl, with a digital download code provided with the latter).

Noted Azoff, in a statement issued yesterday by co-manager Andy Gould, humbly said, "The release of Chinese Democracy marks a historic moment in rock n' roll. And we're launching with a monumental campaign that matches the groundbreaking sound of the album itself. Guns N' Roses fans have every reason to celebrate, for this is only the beginning."

The title track shipped to radio yesterday and is already receiving massive airplay. Google the songtitle and you'll easily find a station that's streaming it online as well.

The track list has been announced as well:

'Chinese Democracy'
'Scraped'
'Shackler's Revenge'
'Street Of Dreams'
'If The World'
'Better'
'This I Love'
'There Was A Time'
'Riad N' The Bedovins'
'Sorry'
'I.R.S.'
'Catcher'
'Madagascar'
'Prostitute'