Serving up a hot platter courtesy Fat Possum.

By Blurt Staff

A year ago this month, Heartless Bastards front-chick Erica Wennerstrom left the creature comforts of her hometown of Cincinnati, OH behind and moved to Austin, TX to work with producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Trail of Dead, Patty Griffin, Dead Confederate) on The Mountain, the Cincy power-rock trio's third studio release and first since the departure of bassist Mike Lamping and drummer Kevin Vaughn. The Mountain drops on January 29, 2009 on Fat Possum Records.

The 11 tracks on The Mountain mark the return of Jesse Ebaugh on bass, who played on the original Heartless Bastards demo that Wennerstrom sent to Fat Possum to secure her record deal. Joining Ebaugh in the new rhythm section is fellow Ohio brethren Dave Colvin on drums. The lineup this fall will also include Bill Elm on lap steel, and occasionally Zy O.Lyn on violin.

Upcoming October tour dates pair the Bastards with Langhorne Slim and Dead Confederate. In November, they hit the road with The Broken West.

10/7/08 -  Iron Horse Music Hall - Northampton, Massachusetts

10/8/08 -  T.T. the Bear's - Cambridge, Massachusetts

10/9/08 -  Capitol Theater - York, Pennsylvania

10/10/08 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, New York

10/11/08 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, New York

10/13/08 - Black Cat - Washington, Washington DC

10/14/08 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, North Carolina

10/15/08 - The 5 Spot - Atlanta, Georgia

10/16/08 - Exit / In - Nashville, Tennessee

10/17/08 - Proud Larry's - Oxford, Mississippi

10/18/08 - D.B.A. New Orleans - New Orleans, Louisiana

11/3/08 -   Santa Fe Brewing Co - Santa Fe, New Mexico

11/4/08 -   Rhythm Room - Phoenix, Arizona

11/5/08 -   Beauty Bar - San Diego, California

11/7/08 -   Spaceland - Los Angeles, California

11/8/08 -   The Independent - San Francisco, California

11/10/08 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, Oregon

11/11/08 - The Tractor - Seattle, Washington

11/14/08 - 400 Bar - Minneapolis, Minnesota

11/15/08 - High Noon Saloon - Madison, Wisconsin

11/16/08 - The Picador - Iowa City, Iowa

11/18/08 - Waiting Room - Omaha, Nebraska

11/19/08 - The Bottleneck - Lawrence, Kansas

11/21/08 - Venue TBD, Dallas, Texas

11/22/08 -  Stubb's, Austin, Texas

[Photo Credit (taken at ACL last month): Andy Tennille]

Punk legends to whip up sentiment in hometown fundraiser.

By David Downs

Master art punk provocateurs Devo announced this week that they will hold a fundraiser for Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama October 17, at 8 p.m. at the Akron Civic Theater with tickets for a lucky 3,000 people starting at $25 and going up to $125.

Founding member and bassist Gerald "Jerry" Casale, vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh and guitarist Bob Casale join current line-up Bob Mothersbaugh ("Bob 1") and Neil Taylor on percussion next Friday. The usual high-energy Devo show features little crowd interaction, but Mark says this show is more about the the voters than the band. It's also the first show they've played in their hometown Civic Theater in anyone's memory.

"We always knew Ohio was a special place. We refer to our hometown as the house of pain because people seem so unbelievably conflicted in Ohio," says Mark, speaking to BLURT. "It's not farmland, it's not hick, but it's not the big city. People kind of know just enough about everything to get all anxiety ridden and conflicted."

The 35-year-old band dedicated to the notion that humans were devolving not evolving has always been political, says Mothersbaugh. It was founded during the aftermath of the 1970 Kent State shootings. National Guardsmen shot and killed four students, wounding nine. Casale -- a member of the Students for Democratic Society, (later The Weathermen of Bill Ayers fame) -- said he was friends with two of those shot dead. His pacifism and illusions died that day and with Kent State closed, he and fellow art buddy Mark Mothersbaugh spent the summer forming Devo in response.

Furthermore, Mark states their 1980 hit "Whip Hit" was directed at President Jimmy Carter; a candidate Devo endorsed but who proved embattled by an international oil crisis and seething hostage situation in Iran. Needless to say, Carter did not whip it into shape, and eights years of Reagan soon followed.

The 2008 Obama fundraiser grew from the need to do something during yet another pivotal period in American history, says Jerry Casale. Fresh off touring and working on new material-- Devo is firing again on several, if not all cylinders. Jerry says the incumbents have "systematically undermined the very tenants of democracy, and it's almost eroded to the point where it looks like it'll be difficult to restore it. If anyone can do that, it's Barack Obama, not John McCain and Sarah Palin."

Ohio has emerged as THE biblical battleground state, Devo says, noted for its role in unleashing a torrential rain of blood and terror across the globe -- an eight-year plague of idealogical locusts that may finally lift from this poor, weakened land. Mark admits that Devo's gig might be some penance for moving away from the their hometown, taking yet another sane vote in races tight enough for it to matter.

"Ohio is the key and Ohio keeps voting wrong," says Jerry.

"Being out there in California, we didn't realize the Republicans had done such a successful job of bamboozling our country and our home state," says Mothersbaugh, who resides in L.A. where he runs Mutato Productions. "Maybe it is a minor form of atonement."

Mothersbaugh's die-hard Republican father is an exemplary member of that Akron community, and the family hopes to sway him and others Friday. He is aging, event organizers say, and susceptible to being bribed with a long-sought opportunity to introduce his son's historic, singular band.

Tickets are on sale at the box office and at Ticketmaster.

[Photo Credit: Andrew Boyle]

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 ABC: Good Morning America: Sara Evans

7:00 AM CBS: The Early Show: John Rich

7:00 AM NBC: Today: The Pretenders

9:00 AM SYN: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Kanye West , Paris Hilton

9:00 AM SYN: Live with Regis and Kelly: Sarah McLachlan

9:00 AM SYN: Rachael Ray: New Kids On The Block

 10:00 AM Biography: Traci Lords

10:00 AM MTV2: Storytellers: Snoop Dogg

12:00 PM Ovation: Sult - Spirit of the Music Special w/Emmylou Harris , Elvis Costello , Van Morrison , Mark Knopfler , Sinéad O'Connor , Dónal Lunny

2:00 PM FUSE: Steven's Untitled Rock Show: Black Kids

4:00 PM RAVE HD: From The Basement: The White Stripes , The Shins , The Divine Comedy

5:00 PM Ovation: Nine Hundred Nights - Big Brother and the Holding Company

6:00 PM Ovation: Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser

8:00 PM Ovation: Johnny Cash: Half Mile A Day

8:00 PM VH1C: Unplugged: Bob Dylan

9:00 PM VH1: 2008 Hip Hop Honors

9:15 PM IFC: The Henry Rollins Show: Queens of the Stone Age , Gene Simmons , Henry Rollins

11:35 PM CBS: The Late Show With David Letterman: Tegan & Sara

11:35 PM NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: James Taylor

12:05 AM ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Black Kids

12:35 AM NBC: Late Night with Conan O'Brien: Death Cab For Cutie , Alicia Keys

12:37 AM CBS: The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Jim Bianco

1:35 AM NBC: Last Call with Carson Daly: Panic at the Disco

3:00 AM BBCA: The Graham Norton Show: Backstreet Boys

WWJD?

By Blurt Staff

The five-week, cross-country Experience Hendrix tour of music greats paying homage to the music and legacy of Jimi Hendrix  kicks off in New Hampshire on October 14. Just announced as being added to the tour at selected shows: Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, Aerosmith's Brad Whitford, Robby Krieger of the Doors, Cesar Rosas and David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, blues scion Bernard Allison, Texas blues rocker and Eric Clapton sidekick Doyle Bramhall II and Kid Rock guitarist  Kenny Olson.  

 
Previously announced were Buddy Guy, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Hubert Sumlin, Jonny Lang, Mato Nanji of Indigenous, Double Trouble's Chris Layton, along with Billy Cox (Jimi Hendrix Experience/Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsys) and Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience). Cox recently commented to Rolling Stone, "Nothing can compare to playing with the original master. But this tour is helping to validate the musical genius that I knew, by bringing Jimi Hendrix into the new millennium."

Presented by Experience Hendrix, LLC, the Hendrix family-owned company founded by James A. "Al" Hendrix, Jimi's father, entrusted with preserving and protecting the legacy of Jimi Hendrix together with musical instrument giant Gibson Guitar, this year's Experience Hendrix Tour represents a dramatic expansion beyond last year's seven sold out performances.

Various combinations of these music greats will be performing music associated with Jimi Hendrix on level or another including Hendrix's own compositions including "Purple Haze," "The Wind Cries Mary," "Little Wing," "Red House") as well as other songs that Hendrix performed or recorded as well as roots material that had a demonstrative influence on Hendrix's own musical development. Notes Experience Hendrix Tour producer John McDermott, "The line-up for this tour reflects the breadth of Jimi's ongoing influence that reaches down through the generations. The guests that have been attracted to participate are, to a man, enthusiastic about the proposition of performing with their counterparts. That mindset underscores the fact that the Experience Hendrix tour is all about musical camaraderie and the recognition that Jimi Hendrix, undeniably, casts the longest shadow in the realm of great music and great musicians."

Experience Hendrix Tour dates:

Oct. 14 - Hampton Beach, NH - Hampton Beach Casino
        16 - Albany, NY - Palace Theater
        17 - Providence, RI - PPAC
        18 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theater
        19 - Waterbury, CT - Palace Theater
         21 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
         22 - New York, NY - United Palace Theatre
         23 - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theater
         24 - Detroit, MI - Fox Theater
         26 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theater
         27 - Louisville, KY - Whitney Hall KY PAC
         29 - Omaha, NE - Orpheum Theatre
         30 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theater
Nov.     1 - Las Vegas, NV - The Pearl
            2 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theater
            3 - San Francisco, CA - Nob Hill Masonic
            5 - Spokane, WA - INB Performing Arts Center
            6 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theater
            7 - Portland, OR - Schnitzer Hall

 
For more information, visit www.experiencehendrixtour.com

Rock the goddam vote, folks.

By Blurt Staff

It's one of the best political videos of the year - nonpartisan, at that. Check it out, and if you know anyone who hasn't registered to vote, send ‘em the link and tell ‘em to get off their ass, pronto.

Leonardo DiCaprio, will i. am, Tobey Maguire, and Forest Whitaker have created public service announcements to encourage American youth to register to vote. The non-partisan PSAs, produced by DiCaprio's Appian Way, were created to engage and inspire young people to register and vote and participate in the upcoming election. Celebrities appearing in the PSAs include: Amy Adams, will.i.am, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Bacon, Halle Berry, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Connolly, Courteney Cox, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Jonah Hill, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Kiedis, Ashton Kutcher, Adam Levine, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Tobey Maguire, Demi Moore, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Ethan Suplee, Kyra Sedgwick, Michelle Trachtenberg, Usher, and Forest Whitaker.

Will it be insane or just inane?

By Brian Creech

There's been a bit of internet buzz in recent days about a possible collaboration between Mike Patton, TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe, and Subtle's Adam "Doseone" Drucker.  When they come together, these masters of the human voice box (and to some the universe) form what Pitchfork has called "one of those Yngwie Malmsteen/Steve Vai/Joe Satriani[esque] superjams, minus the old man smell." 

No willing to speculate on Mike Patton's smell, Adebimpe mentioned the collaboration in an interview with The Onion's AV club.  Details are still fuzzy, but Adebimpe has said the three are "working on a project that I'm thinking will congeal toward the end of the year. It came from an idea that Adam had, to have the three of us just, basically, mess around vocally and see what comes of it."

This could be a scary and destructive prospect, given the range each man is capable of and their overwhelming, ear-shattering tendencies.  Have you heard Mike Patton's scream from "I am Legend"?  He alone is capable of making sounds that cross into the realms of inhumanity.  The expectations are high, and we'll be sure to report any mind-blowing that may occur. 

While we all sit around and fantasize about the limitless possibilities of this project, TVOTR have an album out, Dear Science, and kick off their tour October 10th.  Mike Patton is getting bands together for the Nightmare before Christmas ATP, which he will co-curate with the Melvins, and Subtle go on tour in November.   

TVOTR Tour Dates

10-10 Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory

10-11 Providence, RI - Lupo's

10-13 Boston, MA - Wilbur Theatre

10-14 Brooklyn, NY - Masonic Temple

10-15 Brooklyn, NY - Masonic Temple

10-16 Brooklyn, NY - Masonic Temple

10-18 Cincinnati, OH - Bogart's

10-19 Indianapolis, IN - Vogue Theater

10-20 Minneapolis, MN - First Ave.

10-21 Minneapolis, MN - First Ave.

10-22 Chicago, IL - Riviera

10-24 New Orleans, LA - Voodoo Festival

10-25 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle

10-26 Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre

10-28 Dallas, TX - Lakewood Theatre

10-29 Beaumont, TX - House of Blues

10-30 Austin, TX - Stubb's

10-31 Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom

11-02 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre

11-06 Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern

11-08 San Diego, CA - 4th and B (KBZT birthday show)

11-09 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre

11-15 Dublin, Ireland - Tripod (Heineken Green Synergy Festival)

11-16 Glasgow, Scotland - ABC 1

11-17 Manchester, England - Academy 2

11-18 Birmingham, England - Academy 2

11-19 London, England - Shepherds Bush Empire

11-21 Cologne, Germany - Kulturkirche

11-22 Leuven, Belgium - Depot

11-24 Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle

11-23 Berlin, Germany - SO36

11-26 Vienna, Austra - Arena

11-28 Milan, Italy - Magazzini Generale

11-29 Munich, Germany - OP3 Radio

11-30 Zurich, Switzerland - Aktionshalle

12-01 Paris, France - Balaclan

12-03 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg

12-05 Tourcoing, France - Le Grand Mix

12-06 Rotterdam, Netherlands - Bazar Curieux

01-16 Auckland, New Zealand - Big Day Out

01-18 Gold Coast, Australia - Big Day Out

01-23 Sydney, Australia - Big Day Out

01-26 Melbourne, Australia - Big Day Out

01-30 Adelaide, Australia - Big Day Out

02-02 Perth, Australia - Big Day Out

Subtle Tour Dates:

11-07 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge

11-08 Seattle, WA - Nectar

11-10 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge

11-11 Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge

11-13 Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon

11-14 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle

11-15 Toronto, Ontario - The Kathedral

11-16 Montreal, Quebec - Le Divan Orange

11-17 Boston, MA - The Middle East (Upstairs)

11-18 New York, NY - Knitting Factory

The Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band in the World celebrates two decades of status and volume Nov. 29 in Seattle.

By Randy Harward

There’s just a teensy bit of irony in the Supersuckers’ claim that they’re the “Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band in the World.” That’s ‘cause, they kinda are that good. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of being in the crowd when they throw down, you know they do their damnedest to back up their bravado, treating even a little tiki dive into an arena with a larger than life presence and sound. That they’ve weathered two decades of music business bullshit and still put out consistently good albums—like the new joint, Get It Together (Mid-Fi)—and shows just deserves a party. Hence, on November 29, the band will celebrate themselves at Seattle’s famed Showbox.

Fellow Seattle rockers Mudhoney were initially scheduled to open, but have pulled out, with seminal grunge titans Green River—who recently reunited to celebrate Sub Pop’s anniversary—stepping into the slot.

“Is it a good thing that Mudhoney bailed out of our anniversary party?” asks ‘Suckers frontguy Eddie Spaghetti in a press release. “Some, myself included, say no… We were really looking forward to rocking with our old friends once again and it was a real disappointment to have them cancel. While others, myself included, think yeah, it worked out kind of for the better, especially for Supersuckers fans who now will get to see a bigger, longer set by the Supersuckers and the special treat of seeing a rare performance by local Seattle legends, Green River which features members of Mudhoney and Pearl Jam! …I'm just glad we got someone so special to fill in for the cancelled Mudhoney. And we hope that you will be too.”

Spaghetti promises “a few more surprises,” which—since this is, after all, the Supersuckers, could be something special. One thing that’s not so surprising, however, is that the band will auction “special items from the archives”—including some “one-of-a-kind” items. That’s something those eBay whores do all the time. Proceeds from this sale will benefit the Free the West Memphis Three Defense Fund.

The band also reports that pre-orders for Get It Together are “rapidly approaching the 1,000 mark.” Naturally, the Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band in the World is aiming higher. “That's great and all,” says Spaghetti in full sales mode, “[but] our goal is 5,000 and it couldn't be any easier to help us make this dream a reality. All you have to do is click here… and—wham!—you're instantly entered to win a signed Supersuckers Gibson Les Paul Gold Top. This isn't one of those cheapo Epiphone knock-offs, this is the real-deal-Holyfield and is just another thing that makes us the Greatest.

“So really people, get to pre-ordering this bad boy of ours—it won't disappoint. And just think of how awesome it would be to see the Supersuckers in the Billboard charts, even if it's only for a moment. Ah... I can see it now. The looks on our parents faces when we show them we did it. The congratulatory bottle of champagne... The rented limo... The red carpet going to...? Ah, who am I kidding. We don't really care about all those things. We just wanna make a small dent in the charts, that's all. It would be a nice little feather in our Mid-Fi caps. So why not help a brother out?”

“Hittin' The Gravel” Tour Dates”

10/06 Detroit, MI  Corktown Tavern* Info - 313-964-5103

10/07 Detroit, MI Corktown Tavern* Info - 313-964-5103

10/08 Detroit, MI Corktown Tavern* Info - 313-964-5103

10/10 St. Louis, MO Deluxe ALL AGES SHOW!

10/11 Kansas City, MO Record Bar 

10/12 Russell, KS Waudbys Bar 7pm Showtime

10/13 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater Ages: 16 & Over

10/15 San Diego, CA Casbah (619) 232-4355

10/16 Anaheim, CA House of Blues Anaheim "The Head Cat" - Buy Tickets

10/17 West Hollywood, CA  Roxy 

10/18 Pioneertown, CA Way Out West Festival at Pappy & Harriet’s

10/19 Las Vegas, NV Beauty Bar 

20th Anniversary Show w/ Zeke 

11/29 Seattle, WA Showbox Theater* Buy Tickets

* - Only 100 tix available at the bar and Rocket Printing in Royal Oak.

By Blurt Staff

We can't help ourselves; we just love Austin, Texas. That's why we go to SXSW each year, and that's why we chose to hold our official launch party - featuring Band of Horses and James McMurtry - there to coincide with the annual Austin City Limits festival last month.

If you didn't read our wrapup last week about the party and ACL, go HERE ("Blurt Blitzes Austin") and see what Andy Tennille and Allie Goolrick had to say about it. Meanwhile, below is a selection of ace shutterbug Tennille's photos that he snapped at the concerts.

To see his entire gallery, go HERE.

James McMurtry

Band Of Horses

Fleet Foxes

Alejandro Escovedo

David Rawlings and Gillian Welch

Gnarls Barkley

Jenny Lewis

Sharong Jones

Back Door Slam

David Byrne

Boston band’s first two LPs for Homestead—never before on CD—due in January.

By Randy Harward

Merge Records has announced they’ll reissue the first two albums by Boston’s Volcano Suns—the first time either will be available on CD. Each will feature “loads of bonus tracks including radio sessions and other rarities.”

Volcano Suns was founded by Mission of Burma drummer Peter Prescott in 1983. Their first platter, The Bright Orange Years, was released two years later, with All Night Lotus Party coming in 1986. Both were issued on Homestead Records. From the press release:

“The Bright Orange Years is so chockful of catchy songs that it could be any other band's greatest hits album. The opening track, “Jak,” is an addictive head-nodder from its opening bass line to its chiming chords and lyrics. By contrast, All Night Lotus Party is a heavier and darker record, with more distorted guitars and bass-heavy production.”

Look for them on January 27, 2009.

New Albini-produced album due in mid-2009.

By Randy Harward

Since moving to the UK, Jason Molina has toured solo, and written like crazy for the next Magnolia Electric Co. record. Great news for fans, eh? Even better: he’s trotting out the band for a 13-date U.S. tour starting October 21. They’re hitting Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Illinois through November 3, all in preparation for the new platter. They’ll be working out the kinks on new stuff and of course playing the classics—including, it’s rumored, some old Songs: Ohia material. After the Nov. 3 date, they’ll hole up with Steve Albini and start laying tracks for the new records, which should be out by mid-’09.

In the meantime, here’s a taste of MEC’s delicious Sojourner box set: “Texas 71”

TOUR DATES:

10/21/08 Bloomington, IN - Buskirk Chumley

10/22/08 Louisville, KY - Headliners

10/23/08 Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle

10/24/08 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club

10/25/08 Birmingham, AL - The Bottle Tree

10/26/08 Memphis, TN - Hi Tone

10/27/08 Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves

10/28/08 Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington

10/30/08 Austin, TX - Mohawk

10/31/08 Norman, OK - The Opolis

11/01/08 Lawrence, KS - Jackpot

11/02/08 St. Louis, MO - The Bluebird

11/03/08 Chicago, IL - Abbey Pub

(Photo: Dan Peterson)