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)

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: Alicia Keys

9:00 AM SYN: Live with Regis and Kelly: Alicia Keys

11:00 AM ETV: Saturday Night Live (E!): Lindsay Lohan / Coldplay

2:00 PM Biography: Brigitte Bardot

2:30 PM FUEL: The Daily Habit: Foals

3:00 PM Ovation: Elvis Costello & the Imposters: Club Date

4:00 PM Ovation: Peter Gabriel Live: Growing Up

8:00 PM RAVE HD: Soundstage: John Mayer

9:00 PM Gospel Music Channel: Bill Gaither: He Touched Me: The Gospel Music of Elvis Presley

9:00 PM MTV2: Sucker Free Presents: Honoring VH1's Hip-Hop Honors

10:00 PM VH1: 2008 Hip Hop Honors

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

11:35 PM NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Katy Perry

12:05 AM ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Solange

12:35 AM NBC: Late Night with Conan O'Brien: Jenny Lewis

12:37 AM CBS: The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: The Smothers Brothers

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

2:00 AM Palladia: Donavon Frankenreiter - The Abbey Road Sessions

Jamming for the Lord....

By Fred Mills

Word got out over the weekend that Carlos Santana is looking to quit music when he turns 67 and become a church minister. The legendary guitarist, currently 61, set the six-year plan into motion via an interview with Rolling Stone in which he likened his career arc to that of Little Richard's (although, it should be noted, the latter leads a dual career as both a minister and a rocker - the two disciplines aren't mutually exclusive).

Said Santana, "I'm going to stop playing when I'm 67 and work on what I really want to do, which is to be a minister, like Little Richard. I'm not sick of what I do, but I find that God gave me the gift of communication even without my guitar and with the ability to get people unstuck with certain sections of the Bible having to do with guilt, shame, judgment and fear."

"The thing I learned is, you have to go through the darkest night of the soul to get to the brightest light of the day, and that's what I did last year," added Santana, referring to how his Faith got him through tough times. He indicated that he'd like to start his church in Maui, Hawaii.

Santana's current Live Your Light tour wraps Oct. 12 in Concord, Calif.

Perhaps the first thing Santana could do once he gets off the road is to pray that Rob Thomas and Chad Kroeger both get hit by a bus so he won't be tempted to collaborate with those doofuses again and decimate whatever remaining credibility he has with his longtime fanbase.

Or maybe he could simply join the Church of John Coltrane and take things from there.

By Blurt Staff

This morning it was announced that the 2009 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival will take place Friday, April 17, Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19. That's to be followed a weekend later by Stagecoach: California's Country Music Festival, set for Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26. 

Both events will again take place at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, CA

Additional details about both shows' line-ups and ticket sales will be available in the coming months. For more information, visit www.coachella.com and www.Stagecoachfestival.com. 

No, that's not a picture of Slipnot, punk....

By Blurt Staff

Mushroomhead announces the DVD release of Volume 2, on October 28, 2008 on Filthy Hands/Megaforce Records. It's the follow-up to their 2005 DVD release Volume 1.  The new DVD features what's described as "2 ½ hours of pure mayhem" featuring exclusive never before seen content, live footage from the past three years on their "Savior Sorrow" tour, music videos including Headbanger's Ball 2007 Video Of The Year "1200," "Simple Survival," and the band's brand new video "Save Us."  Other extras include video commentary, behind the scenes footage and band antics. 

According to the band, "Volume 2 contains all the content that fans are hungry for, all the 'behind the scenes antics and drama' that shows the human side of Mushroomhead and what goes on when we are not on stage.  Everything about this home video is personal, we filmed and edited all of the content in it as well, over 2 1/2 hours of mayhem and comedy. If you own Volume 1 then Volume 2 will blow your fucking mind."

The band hits the road this week with The Autumn Offering, XFactor1 and Human Factors Lab and December dates with Brujeria.  Mushroomhead will also enter the studio this winter to record the follow-up album to their 2006 release Savior Sorrow.  The new CD is slated for release spring 2009!

 The background:

In the spring of 1993 seven musicians from Cleveland, OH came together to form a side project called Mushroomhead.  The intentions of this project were to create an eclectic blend of music, forceful yet melodic alterna-metal incorporating elements of heavy rock, punk,  goth, and industrial, yet combined with a vaudevillian stage show.  From the band's first concert it was obvious that this was far more than a side project, but would soon become a pioneering band.  Known for its theatrical live show and the black masks that most of its members wear on-stage, Mushroomhead is one of the more unique and adventurous alternative metal outfits to ever emerged on the scene.

The tour dates: 

w/ The Autumn Offering, XFactor1 and Human Factors Lab:

10/07 - Allentown, PA - Crocodile Rock Cafe
10/08 - Williamsville, NY - Club Infinity
10/09 - Hartford, CT - Webster
10/10 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
10/11 - Worcester, MA - Palladium Rock'n'Shock
10/12 - Orono, ME - Ultra Lounge
10/14 - Huntington, WV - Monkey Bar

10/15 - Springfield, VA - Jaxx

10/16 - Raleigh, NC - Volume 11 Tavern
10/17 - Jacksonville, NC - Hooligans
10/18 - Fayetteville, NC - Jester's Pub
10/19 - Charlotte, NC - Tremont Music Hall
10/23 - Palatine, IL - Durty Nellies
10/24 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
10/25 - Maplewood, MN - The Rock
10/26 - Madison, WI - The Annex
10/29 - Traverse City, MI - Streeters

10/30 - Grand Rapids, MI - Intersection
10/31 - Cleveland, OH. - The Agora {famous Halloween show!!!}
11/01 - Flint, MI - The Machine Shop

11/2 - Pittsburgh, PA  - The Saddle Ridge

w/ Brujeria:

Saturday Nov.29 Los Angeles CA  - House Of Blues

Monday Dec 1 Tucson Arizona  - The Rock

Tuesday Dec 2 Sunshine Theater  - Alburquerque, NM

Wednesday Dec 3 El Paso T.X - Club 101

Thursday Dec 4 Mcallen TX   - Cene El Rey

Friday Dec 5 Victoria T.X  -  Riverside Multiplex

Saturday Dec 6  Austin T.X   - Red 7

Sunday Dec 7 Fort Worth T.X  - Ridglea Theater

Fresh off the political trail and onto the concert trail.

By Blurt Staff

Hip-hop upstarts Flobots have announced a fall tour that comes on the heels of their high-profile performances at the 2008 DNC (w/Rage Against the Machine, no less). Here's the scoop in case you're not in the loop.

***

A roaring 6 piece collective from Denver, CO, the effusive group blends searing songs of social justice with a playful disdain for anything status quo, flipping symphonic bursts over bass-rattled cadences one minute, and layering Seuss-like verses across a crackling rhythm section the next.  And they're packing a viola.

 
Righteous rhymes seem to magically ignite from the tongues of hyperkinetic Emcees Brer Rabbit and Jonny 5, reminding one of both an unclenched Eminem and reborn Red Hot Chili Peppers, among other breakthrough artists who came correct by laying down their own trailblazing iconography.  A 360 model (before the term was ever hatched) of self-sustaining, mind bending autonomy, the group rallies their audience by practicing the progressive value system they flaunt in song and story, mining a catch-all website (‘Denver: where the water boils faster' -crows one alert) that even plugs fans into the Flobots own nonprofit destination, flobots.org.  
 

Formed as a cohesive alternative organism in 2005, the Flobots ‘good-fight' mythology can be traced via  Denver's underground vines and creative community of the late ‘90s when various members enlivened each others' gigs and creative events, setting the charge that would eventually power up the band's contagious and rollicking rock/rap pedigree.

 Their rousing live show, seasoned by classically trained viola player Mackenzie Robert's innovative playing, sparked an impressive undertow of across-the-board support (including both coasts and off-the-grid territories such as Nebraska and Utah) as the group honed its glowing activist edge with a refreshingly positive message and bristling musicianship.  

 
FLOBOTS FALL 2008 TOUR - (All Dates with Matisyahu unless otherwise noted)

10/18/08    Milwaukee WI The Eagles Club    
10/19/08    Chicago IL Riviera Theatre  
10/21/08    Covington KY Madison Theatre   
10/22/08    Indianapolis IN Egyptian Room     
10/23/08    Detroit MI The Fillmore Detroit  
10/26/08    Johnson City NY Magic City Music Hall  
10/28/08    Providence RI Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel    
10/29/08    Boston MA Orpheum Theatre  
10/30/08    Philadelphia PA Electric Factory Ballroom  
11/01/08    Baltimore MD Ram's Head Live  
11/02/08    Montclair NJ Wellmont Theatre  
11/03/08    New York NY Webster Hall *w/ Blue Scholars*  
11/04/08    Washington DC 9:30 Club *w/ Blue Scholars*
11/06/08    New Haven CT Toad's Palace *w/ Blue Scholars*    
11/12/08    Nashville TN Rocketown *w/ Blue Scholars*     
11/17/08    San Diego CA House of Blues     
11/18/08    Los Angeles CA Club Nokia LA  
11/20/08    Anaheim CA The Grove of Anaheim
11/22/08    Las Vegas NV House of Blues  
11/23/08    San Francisco CA The Warfield

Net worthless heiress somehow fit to sing alongside Joan Jett, Daniel Ash, David J.

By Randy Harward

Repo! The Genetic Opera looks like a cool film. Watch the trailer closely, however, and you’ll see someone who looks familiar despite her—and the makeup department’s—best efforts to act and conceal, respectively. Among shots of substantially more talented artists like Joan Jett, Bauhaus and Love and Rockets principals David J and Daniel Ash, Skinny Puppy’s Nivek Ogre, Rasputina’s Melora Creager, Sarah Brightman, Jane’s Addiction’s Stephen Perkins and Filter’s Richard Patrick is famous-for-nothing, hot-as-herpes Paris Hilton. And get this: she’s one of the vocal leads.

According to the film’s Wikipedia entry, filmmaker Darren Bousman was initially cool to the idea of auditioning what David Cross so accurately called a “rich, giggling cunt,” he gave in and upon seeing her do her thing—oh, here it comes—said she “rocked” the soundbooth audition. Really? Or did she just pull a Sharon Stone with a nitrous oxide/pepper spray surprise to cloud his judgment? KOFF! CHOKE!

More likely is the filmmakers decided their film—which also stars Paul Sorvino, Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Alexa Vega (Spy Kids), and B-horror luminary Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Pt. 2, every Rob Zombie movie)—needed a little more star power, even if it was of the cheap and easy variety. And that’s a shame, because it really does look like a good movie.

The film--from the producers of the Saw franchise--is set in the future, where organ failure is now an epidemic and replacement parts are sold like new automobiles. Also just like with car loans, when you default on the payments, the repo man comes knockin’. And guess how he reclaims the property? Yup—he comes like a thief in the night, and… you know.

The music, which you can sample here, is also pretty good. The songs are darkly funny in a Spring Awakening kinda way and the film’s Sin City-in-color graphic novel look is slick. So it could be fucking cool. Except for She Who’d Pollute the Film With Her Venereal Presence.

Oh, well. We can always hope that the Saw people are just planning a particularly nasty end for her.

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)

SATURDAY OCTOBER 4:

10:00 AM PLD HD: SoulStage: The Roots

1:00 PM VH1C: Seven Ages of Rock

4:00 PM FUSE: Welcome to Timbaland

5:30 PM Noggin: Yo Gabba Gabba!: Aggrolites

6:00 PM Sundance: Live from Abbey Road: Stereophonics, Colbie Caillat & Joan Armatrading

8:00 PM PLD HD: SoulStage: Erykah Badu

8:00 PM VH1C: This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

9:00 PM PBS: Austin City Limits:  R.E.M.

10:00 PM VH1C: Heavy Metal (1981)

11:30 PM NBC: Saturday Night Live:  Anne Hathaway / The Killers

12:30 AM VH1: NWA: The World's Most Dangerous Group

2:00 AM FUSE: Loaded: Motley Crue

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5:

6:00 AM History: History's Lost & Found: Sun Studio Sound Board w/Sam Phillips

9:00 AM CBS News Sunday Morning: David Byrne

10:30 AM VH1C: This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

12:00 PM HDNet Concert Series: Keane - Live at the Aragon Ballroom Chicago

12:00 PM Sundance: Gimme Shelter

1:15 PM Encore Western: The Cowboy and the Senorita (1944) w/Roy Rogers, Dale Evans , The Sons of the Pioneers

3:00 PM RAVE HD: Later With Jools Holland: Roni Size , The Zutons , Razorlight , Mory Kanté , Robin Gibb , Jocelyn Brown

3:00 PM VH1C: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band

4:40 PM HDNet Concert Series: Robert Randolph and the Family Band

5:30 PM Noggin: Yo Gabba Gabba!: Cornelius , Biz Markie

6:00 PM TVONE: James Brown: The Man, The Music & The Message

8:00 PM HDNet: CSNY / Deja Vu

9:00 PM RAVE HD: Beautiful Noise: Grace Potter

9:40 PM HDNet Concert Series: John Mellencamp Live at Walter Reed

11:00 PM PLD HD: Dave Chappelle's Block Party w/Mos Def , Erykah Badu , Jill Scott , Kanye West , The Fugees , Talib Kweli

12:00 AM VH1C: Krush Groove (1985)

Tosses his porkpie hat into the ring in a late bid for the highest office in the land.

By Blurt Staff

Silver Spring, MD: It's already being called this election's October Surprise, according to a slew of media outlets, including Fox News and The Village Voice: this week BLURT Managing Editor Fred Mills formally announced a run for the President Of The United States. He's running, naturally, as the BLURT Party candidate, whose official motto is "40 Acres and A Mule in Every Garage, Plus Some Pot For the Chickens."

Citing an "overwhelming disgust" in the political system following Joe Biden's "craven failure to ritually disembowel Sarah Palin and dress her like a moose" in front of the cameras during prime time during Thursday night's Vice Presidential debates as his chief motivating factor, Mills has already built up an impressive grassroots movement, as evidenced by this news clip.

"There's an old saying about politics and the American people: ‘We're all bozos on this bus',' Mills noted at a brief press conference held at the BLURT grand ballroom yesterday morning. Pulling his hair back into a ponytail and stroking his peach fuzz, Mills continued, "'Well, not any more - I'm hijacking the bus and kicking all the bozos off."

Mills hasn't picked a running mate yet, but his short list reportedly includes Foo Fighter Dave Grohl, funkmaster George Clinton and hockey mom Patti Smith.