That Lucky Old Sun turning out to be more than just lucky for St. Brian....

By Blurt Staff

Brian Wilson announces a November tour to 11 U.S. cities, performing his new Capitol/EMI album, That Lucky Old Sun, in its entirety.  Wilson and his band will also perform many of his classic hits at the special shows. The tour begins in Nashville on November 10 and will continue to 10 more cities, including New York, Chicago, Boston and Washington, DC, before ending in Westbury, NY on November 25.

On September 12, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Jack Weiss honored Brian Wilson before a standing-room-only crowd at Los Angeles City Hall for his "unique and unparalleled contributions" to Los Angeles and California culture. Following several heartfelt speeches and some dancing in the chamber's aisles to his sun-splashed hits, Wilson was presented with a special Brian Wilson Day proclamation by Mayor Villaraigosa and Councilmembers LaBonge and Weiss.

During a recent visit to the U.K., Wilson and four of his band members piled into a London cab with a camera crew for "Black Cab Sessions," a one-take performance filmed en route through the city. To watch the video, visit www.blackcabsessions.com.

On October 10, NPR's "World Café," carried by nearly 200 public radio stations across the country, will premiere an exclusive performance by Wilson and his band, featuring a mix of songs from That Lucky Old Sun and classic hits. The program will also be available for streaming at www.npr.org.

Read BLURT's review of the album HERE.

Read BLURT's review of Wilson's Oakland concert HERE.

Brian Wilson: "That Lucky Old Sun" Tour

Nov 10    Nashville, TN          Ryman Auditorium

Nov 12    Ann Arbor, MI       Michigan Theater

Nov 13    South Bend, IN     Morris Performing Arts Center

Nov 15    Minneapolis, MN                State Theater

Nov 16    Chicago, IL             Chicago Theatre

Nov 18    Washington, DC    Warner Theater

Nov 19    Boston, MA            Orpheum Theatre

Nov 21    New York, NY      Hammerstein Ballroom

Nov 22    Glenside, PA           Keswick Theater

Nov 23    Montclair, NJ          Wellmont Theatre

Nov 25    Westbury, NY         Westbury Theater

* * *

BBC: Brother Dave Davies is lone holdout due to illness.

By Blurt Staff

Ray Davies has told the BBC Radio 4’s Front Row he’s keen on a Kinks reunion, saying it’s “three-quarters of the way there.” The lone holdout is his brother Dave Davies, who may not feel up to it due to his 2004 stroke. “There is a desire to do it, but the thing that would make me decide yes or no would be whether or not we could do new songs, even if it's four or five,” said Davies, adding he couldn’t do it purely for nostalgic reasons.

“My pitch to the other guys in the band—because I'm really for it—was what would we have written if we hadn't have had our first hit, ‘You Really Got Me’?” What if we put ourselves in that situation, what would have happened? So I think new work is important for artists as they mature and get older.”

The prospect of new music is tantalizing given Ray’s recent solo work and especially because, as he notes, “The amazing thing is that The Kinks are the only band, of that period, where the only original members are still alive.” There truly is no time like the present. Let’s hope Dave’s feelin’ frisky soon.

Jeanette Sliwinski, trying to kill herself, took out members of Silkworm, The Dials and The Returnables

By Blurt Staff

Jeanette Sliwinski, the suicidal ex-model who killed three indie rock musicians in 2005 will be released on October 2. Sliwinski attempted to kill herself by running her Ford Mustang into the Honda Civic—carrying Silkworm’s Michael Dahlquist, The Dials’ Douglas Meis, and The Returnables’ John Glick—at nearly 90 miles per hour. She was sentenced to eight years (instead of the maximum 10 for reckless homicide) in light of her bipolar disorder. The Chicago Tribune reports defense attorneys argued Sliwinski didn’t receive adequate treatment because her insurance didn’t cover it. Prosecutors poo-pooed the diagnosis, blaming Sliwinksi’s psychotic episodes on her drug and alcohol abuse.

The sentence reduction is an insult to the deceased and families, friends, and investigators are crying foul. Sliwinski's attorney, while expressing sympathy for the families, said Garritt Howard—who along with prosecutors declined to comment for the Tribune—followed the law. “We have to get out of the mindset… that [keeping a defendant in prison] fills the loss of the family somehow,” lawyer Thomas Breen told the paper. “Once you understand the facts, as Judge Howard did, it makes sense. What she was convicted of, the judge sentenced her within the range [of what was allowed].”

Read more here.

Pictured below: Sliwinski.

Legendary soul singer speaks out on film that parallels the story of Sam and Dave.

By Blurt Staff

A New York Daily News story says Sam Moore is consulting lawyers over Soul Men, a new film that bears many similarities to the story of Sam and Dave, the legendary soul duo that also featured his partner Dave Prater.

The film stars Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac as The Real Deal, a duo that reunites after a lengthy estrangement—just like Moore and Prater, who died in 1988, did. “In the movie, they have a reunion concert,” said Moore, who with Prater made “Soul Man” a hit. “Dave and I had a reunion in 1982 after not talking with each other for years.

Jackson and Mac also sing the S&D song “Hold On, I'm Coming” and Moore—who hasn't seen the movie—says he was told the actors listened to Sam and Dave to get psyched for the scene. Moore also told the Daily News that Dimension Films “tried to buy me out” by offering him $1,000 for a walk-on role (“A thousand dollars!” he exclaims. “Whoa. You know, slavery times have ended”) and that he was upset by the free use of the word “nigger” in the film. “Even when Dave and I were fighting and cursing, we never used that word,” he told the paper. “It's an insult to every one of us who fought in the civil rights movement.

“I don't understand how this can happen,” Moore said. “It's not right.”

Soul Men producer David Friendly insists, “Everything in the movie is completely made up. The characters are backup singers, unlike Sam and Dave, who were headliners. [Bob Weinstein's brother] Harvey Weinstein suggested at a party that Sam might be in the movie. But Sam declined the offer. No money was ever discussed. Just because they sing one Sam and Dave song doesn't make it a movie about them. I think it's unfair of [Moore] to criticize a movie he hasn't seen.”

The film will premiere at the Apollo on October 24.

Meanwhile, we have a free unreleased record review...

By Fred Mills

It's been a busy day, Oasis-wise, here at BLURT central. First, we wake up to the news that Noel Gallagher's been diagnosed with broken ribs in the aftermath of that Toronto assault. Then a member of our crack writing team slips us a review of the forthcoming Oasis album Dig Out Your Soul (due Oct. 7 from Warner Bros.) in which he enthuses that while the band had appeared to bottom out of late, the new record "filters glam-rock swagger and a psychedelic Beatles climax through a strictly ‘90s alt-rock sheen (think R.E.M. in Monster mode with bigger payoffs)."

Keep your eyes peeled for the full review next week.

Meanwhile, word just arrived that if you preorder the album from iTunes you'll also get a free download of the non-album track "I Believe In All," which was recorded during Dig sessions but didn't make the final cut. You'll also get album track "Falling Down" when you preorder.

The album incidentally, will come in two formats: a "simple" ten-song version that you'll be able to get on the cheap, and a "full" version that comes with a documentary on the making of the record.

Don't forget that at BLURT we also offer, absolutely free, downloads of every single review we publish. Just right-mouse click and let the digital magic unfold.... Why? Because we care, gentle readers, we care.

Oasis, back when they wuz cool:

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)

8:00 AM TVONE: Tom Joyner Sky Show: Angie Stone

9:00 AM Syndicated: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Pussycat Dolls

11:30 AM NICK: Yo Gabba Gabba!: Mates Of State , Mark Mothersbaugh

11:30 AM Sundance: The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico (2005)

1:00 PM VH1C: Rock Fest: Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Van Halen, ZZ Top

3:00 PM RAVE HD: Other Voices: Daniel Lanois , Kate Walsh , Super Furry Animals , Sons & Daughters

5:30 PM NOGGIN: Yo Gabba Gabba!: Sugarland , Biz Markie

5:30 PM VH1C: Styx: One With Everything

6:00 PM Ovation: Blue Note: A History of Modern Jazz (1996)

7:00 PM Rave HD Concerts: The Rapture - Live at the Trabendo in Paris

9:00 PM Starz: Across the Universe (2007)

10:30 PM VH1C: Bob Dylan - No Direction Home

11:30 PM Comedy Central: The Colbert Report: Jackson Browne

11:35 PM CBS: The Late Show With David Letterman: Kings Of Leon

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

12:00 AM TMC: Prey for Rock & Roll (2003)

12:05 AM ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Atmosphere (Rap)

12:35 AM NBC: Late Night with Conan O'Brien: Billy Bob Thornton

1:35 AM NBC: Last Call with Carson Daly: Bo Burnham  [who?]

3:00 AM BBCA: The Graham Norton Show: Tori Amos

Might want to consider a new choice of headgear if he wants to be a playa, though.

By Fred Mills

During a slow news day yesterday in England, reporters at the NME, trolling for something, anything to write about, discovered that indiepop pet rock Lightspeed Champion had been blogging about how there might be some "romance in [the] air for him and one of the Pussycat Dolls." Apparently Mr. Champion (that's Dev Hynes to Ma and Pa Champion) heard through the grapevine that the Dolls' resident diva-in-waiting, Nicole Scherzinger, saw a L.S. video and declared him to be "real hot."

Well, that does indeed sound like cupid has been bowing a few arrows, now, doesn't it! Of course, Scherzinger might also view a stove with a kettle boiling on the top and determine it to be "real hot" as well, so one must be very, very careful when affairs of the heart are mixed up with basic language semantics. Scherzinger is currently dating a Formula One racing champ, Lewis Hamilton.

That blog entry:

I woke up.. My phone had a text..

"One of the pussycat dolls fancies you... jkz."

.... I replied straight away... "erm, what?!!?"

"Get on Ichat was the response".

"The dolls were on grims show... and there was a video question from you or some shit. Then after the video that nicole biatch asked who you were. So grim said and she said ‘he's real hot.'"

A week or so ago i had to give a question for them to answer on the uk music show "Sounds" presented by Grimshaw and Annie Mac... needless to say, this was a good way to wake up..

True story: BLURT caught Lightspeed Champion a couple of times at SXSW in Austin this past March (and enjoyed him). Sunday afternoon at the airport in Austin, we were having a quick meal with a female friend prior to departure, and across the food court was none other than the man himself, snacking with some acquaintances. He stood out, incidentally, because he was wearing one of his signature furry hats with the droopy ear flaps.

"There's Lightspeed Champion," we commented.

"Who?" she replied, and we pointed him out and gave a quick summary of his music and background.

"Oh!" she said, dissolving into laughter. "I saw him a few minutes ago walking around the terminal. I thought he was a retard since he had that ridiculous hat on indoors..."

Lightspeed Champion has been working on new material and will be touring America later this year.

This time you might want to resist the urge to beat the system, fanboys.

By Fred Mills

Nine Inch Nails mainman Trent Reznor has an offer that you can't refuse. Well, you can refuse it, but if you consider yourself a NIN fan you'd be a real putz to pass it up. Basically, he's soliciting fans' input via an easy-to-navigate online survey on a number of fronts - whether or not and how you've downloaded his recent albums Ghosts I-IV and The Slip, whether you've ever used P2P sites to get NIN material (don't worry, he's not gonna have you busted), if you've seen the band live and where you got tickets, what media outlets you regularly read/surf, your social networking preferences, etc.

And sure, these are all questions that will provide the Reznor camp with marketing gold (not to mention your email address).  But he's also going to give you something back, a free download of an exclusive live video, along with the possibility of something even cooler and more exclusive later on.

Below is Trent's missive, along with the link to the survey.

****

Hello everyone.

I'd like to thank everyone for a very successful year so far in the world of Nine Inch Nails. I'm enjoying my couple of weeks off between legs of our Lights In The Sky tour and got to thinking... "wouldn't it be fun to send out a survey to everyone that's shown interest in NIN?" Well, that's not exactly how it went, but regardless - here it is. As we've moved from the familiar world of record labels and BS into the unknown world of doing everything yourself, we've realized it would benefit us and our ability to interact with you if we knew more about what you want, what you like, what you look like naked, etc. I know it's a pain in the ass but we'd truly appreciate it if you'd take a minute and help us out. As an incentive, everyone who completes the survey will be able to download a video of live performance from this most recent tour (and I know what's going through your little minds right now: "I'll just grab this off a torrent site and not have to fill out the survey!!!" and guess what? You will be able to do just that and BEAT THE SYSTEM!!!! NIN=pwn3d!!!)

BUT

What if we were to select some of those that DO complete the survey and provide them with something really cool? I'm not saying we'll ever get around to it, but if we did maybe something like signed stuff, flying someone to a show somewhere in the world, a magic amulet that makes you invisible, a date with Jeordie White (condoms supplied of course), you know - something cool. See, you'd miss that opportunity AND be a cheater.

Do the right thing - help us out. You'll feel better.

Thank you and I've had too much caffeine this morning,

Trent

Visit here to take the survey:

https://www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=1049187

"Intimate" mini tour to run throughout November.

By Blurt Staff

With an October 21 release looming for Brett Dennen's new album Hope For The Hopeless (Dualtone Music Group/Downtown Music), the singer-songwriter has announced a mini-tour commencing Nov. 3 in the roll-up to a more extensive road trek early next year. This one's billed along "intimate" terms -a return to the smaller venues he began playing just five years ago. Tickets are already on sale via www.BrettDennen.net .

Meanwhile, fans can pre-order the album also through Dennen's site, and the first 200 fans to order will receive an autographed album and a chance to win a Martin acoustic guitar hand-painted by Brett.

Hope For The Hopeless' first single, "Make You Crazy," features Afro-Beat king Femi Kuti, and Dennen's label tags the album as an "increasingly electric take on Brett's narrative-rich songs and pop, folk, rock and Afro-Caribbean sounds." The album was recorded at the Village Recorder Studios in Los Angeles with multi-platinum producer John Alagia (John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band).

Brett Dennen Tour Dates:

November 3                                                Portland, OR                                                  Doug Fir

November 5                                                 Seattle, WA                                                  Triple Door

November 6                                        San Francisco, CA                                The Independent

November 7                                             Los Angeles, CA                                           Hotel Café

November 8                                             Los Angeles, CA                                           Hotel Café

November 10                                               Denver, CO                                           Walnut Room

November 11                                               Austin, TX                                The Continental Club

November 13                                               Chicago, IL                                                    Schubas

November 14                                            Annapolis, MD                                Ramshead Onstage

November 15                                           Philadelphia, PA                                              Tin Angel

November 16                                              Boston, MA                                                         Passim

November 18                                            New York, NY                                              Canal Room

And then God created... Memphis!

By Fred Mills

And there's no religious ritual worth observing more than attending the annual Goner Fest. This year's Memphian bacchanal - called Goner Fest V, it's been going since 2005, which if you do some quick math doesn't completely seem to add up, but what the hell -will be held at several downtown venues (primarily the Hi Tone), hosting bands this Thursday through Sunday (Sept. 25 - 28).

Among the must-see acts: the Sic Alps and Dan Melchior on Thursday, the Vivian Girls (currently featured in BLURT's September issue) and Monsieur Jeffrey Evans on Friday, Mouserocket and the Pierced Arrows on Saturday, Thomas Function on Sunday, and Jay Reatard in a special matinee on Saturday afternoon.

Lots more, however. For the complete Goner Fest schedule and more details, go HERE.

Tickets are still available, including the Golden Pass which, for 50 bucks, gets you in to everything "and special goodies," as the website sez. Hey, there's even a ping pong tourney on Wednesday to officially kick off the festivitie, so how cool is that!