Andrews Rock Blog

This Tuesday will see the release of the brand new R.E.M. studio album “Accelerate”. We’ve been spinning first single “Supernatural Superserious” fairly regularly and the song seems poised to hit number one on the Jack Nation Countdown. I’ll have a review of the new album up in a few days. All I’m hoping is that the album is an improvement over 2004’s “Around the Sun”, which to this day I find virtually unlistenable.

R.E.M. is one of those bands that I can’t get a handle on in terms of where they sit with people today. They had an amazing run of solid albums and chart success between 1987 and 1994, but since the release of 1996’s “New Adventures In Hi-Fi” R.E.M. has seen their album sales bottom out (in North America anyway; overseas the band can still do no wrong). It’s a shame because that means people have missed out on both 1998’s ”Up” and 2001’s “Reveal”, each which contain some amazing songs on them. While critics seems excited about the new album “Accelerate”, I’m wondering what you think. Are you interested in R.E.M.? Take a listen to “Supernatural Superserious” and let us know. Then take the song and use it as today’s bonus code (one word, caps).

A few days ago Dr.Pepper made that big announcement about Guns N Roses and “Chinese Democracy”; that if the band (read Axl) release it sometime in 2008, the soda doc will give every American a free can of pop (except for former axe-men Slash and Buckethead, which I thought was pretty funny). But perhaps more interesting from a business side of things is the fact that today Axl Rose announced that he and Guns N Roses are being co-managed by a new team - Andy Gould and Irving Azoff.

Now I’d never heard of Gould until today; his clientelle includes Primus and Rob Zombie. But Irving Azoff is a name I’ve known for years. He’s got a reputation as a take-no-prisoners manager who likes making money. Check out his roster of clients for proof: Van Halen, The Eagles, and Neil Diamond are just a few. I’m sure he had a big hand in helping the Eagles score their mega-deal with Wal-Mart for their most recent album. Maybe with this sort of guidance, Axl will finally get the decade in the making “Chinese Democracy” into the stores.

The question really is, do you care? It’s been such a long time coming, and the songs that have leaked out haven’t been met with rapturous applause. I wonder if it’s really worth it for Axl to put “Chines Democracy” on store shelves. Maybe it’s best to leave it to rock and roll legend. Tale a listen to one of many leaked versions of “There Was A Time” and tell us, what do you think?

This weekend’s bonus code is: DEMOCRACY. Have a good one!

I was checking out RollingStone.com today, and they had an interesting interview up with Phil Collen from Def Leppard. In it, Phil talks about how fans react to new music from the band when it’s performed in concert:

“You’d really like to go out there and play all your new sh-t off the new record, but you can’t do that, because they’d walk out,” he says. “It’s like when you go and see the Stones and Keith Richards starts doing a couple of songs, and everyone goes and buys a T-shirt.”

It’s unfortunate that for so many bands, that’s really the case. But not for everyone. Artists like U2 and Bruce Springsteen have the sort of fans that love hearing the new material. I remember seeing one gig on U2’s ”Vertigo” tour at Air Canada Centre where a woman behind me was singing along with “Yahweh” from “How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb” like it was an old classic and not the closer to the new album.

I figure fan reaction to a new song directly correlates to strength of the material. Will a new Def Leppard track from “Songs From The Sparkle Lounge” hold up beside a classic from “Pyromania” or “Hysteria”? If it does, than I’d think fans would want to hear it as much as a classic song.

How about you? When you see Def Leppard, or any established band for that matter, do you want to hear new material? Why or why not?

Take a listen to ”Nine Lives”, the first single from Def Leppard’s ”Song From The Sparkle Lounge” and then input the bonus code: LIVES

They are the greatest progressive rock band in history (Genesis fans, put up your dukes). They’ve created some of the greatest albums of all time (The Yes Album, Fragile, Close To The Edge, 90125). They’ve had more band members than the TSO. Now, Yes are coming back to Toronto for the “Close To The Edge and Back”40th Anniversary tour. They’ll be here Sunday, July 13th. This time out the line-up will feature Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Alan White, and Oliver Wakeman (replacing his father Rick on keyboards). 

I’ve seen Yes 10 times, and I haven’t witnessed a bum show yet. The last time the band were through town in 2004 they brought along an amazing Roger Dean designed stage set and an eclectic selection of songs from throughout their career. That being said, I am a little bummed about the top ticket price for this show though - $149! Come on guys! The band has had a hard enough time filling seats at the Amphitheatre and Air Canada Centre when their tickets were far cheaper. I hope the price doesn’t turn people off from seeing one of the greatest bands in rock history. I gurantee you’ll hear Yes classics like ”Close To The Edge”, “Roundabout”, “I’ve Seen All Good People”, and hopefully some surprises too.  Tickets go on sale Monday morning at 10am.

To get you psyched, check out this clip from the 2004 tour, where Yes returned to Madison Square Garden for the first time in over a decade. It’s the second half of “And You And I” and the crowd is electric and won’t stop cheering. Take a look and then input today’s bonus code: YES

Hope you had an excellent long weekend. I managed to have four days of rest and relaxation with my lovely wife, which we spent doing our Easter festivities, throwing a surprise birthday party for my mother, and watching Season 3 of Battlestar Gallactica (I’m the fifth Cylon, if you were wondering).

 While all this was going on it looked like Velvet Revolver was exploding from within. First we had Scott Weiland’s announcement from a Dublin stage on March 20th that this would be Velvet Revolver’s last tour.  You can see a clip of that below (it’s muddy and distorted but you can still hear what he says):

Drummer Matt Sorum responded the next day on his own blog, stating:

“So last night was interesting. Had a little band turmoil on stage, as you probably all could tell. Being in a band is a lot like being in a relationship. Sometimes you just don’t get along. I guess there has been more turmoil lately, I guess, with the cancellations and all. It has been frustrating, I am not going to lie. Everybody could see who was unhappy last night, but all I can say is let’s keep the rock alive, people!!!! In this life, you just pick up and keep moving. And don’t ever let anybody stand in your way.”
 

Well, those words really ticked off Weiland, who sent out an open letter to Mr. Sorum that read something like this:

“Well, first of all, the state of my family affairs is really none of his business, since he is too immature to have a real relationship, let alone children. So don’t attempt to stand in a man’s shoes when you haven’t walked his path. Secondly, ‘keeping rock ‘n’ roll alive?’ I’ve made many attempts to remain cordial with the members of VR, but mainly, the likes of you. Funny though — this is your FIRST band, as opposed to being a hired gun. I’ve been making records (now on my ninth), which have sold over 35 million copies worldwide and have maintained a level of professionalism regardless of how many drugs I’ve ingested into my system. I have only cancelled one tour during the entire course of my 16-year run and that was the ‘make-up’ Australia tour. Now, shall I open that can of worms, Matthew? Release the Kraken? Serve… Volley! You cancelled the Aussie tour in the fall because you went to rehab, but I won’t say why… “

Yikes! These guys are supposed to be a band. I guess that’s the problem with the Internet in some ways. Rather than talking with one another, these guys can snipe at each other over the web. I’d say they’re both pretty immature, but I’d guessing Weiland would say that Matt started the whole thing. He might be right.

Either way, Slash still plans on recording another VR album, while Weiland is psyched for his reunion with the rest of Stone Temple Pilots. Does any of this matter to you, or is it just rock stars being big babies?

Think it over while you input this bonus code: REVOLVER

Word on the street as of this past Wednesday is that the folks at Apple and the big record labels are discussing a one time only fee that would give ipod users unlimited access to itunes at no additional cost for 5 years (the average ipod lifespan). The sticking point at the moment is just how much to charge users. According to Rolling Stone.com and the Financial Times, Apple wants to charge us the amazingly low price of $20 for unlimited itunes access while the labels are aiming for something in the neighbourhood of $80, which is what Nokia phone users are paying for unlimted access to downloads from the artists on the Universal label. Basically, all new ipods would include the extra price increase that goes towards itunes access.

$20 or $80 - while one is obviously cheaper, I think both are extremely reasonable for the opportunity for unlimited music downloads. The question is, what will happen to all of us that already own ipods? Will we get any sort of brand new deal comparable to what new ipod buyers will receive?

Do you own an ipod? If not, will this potential new deal entice you to get one? Let us know.

In the meantime, here’s a bonus code that’s going to have to last you until Tuesday: IPOD.

Have a great long weekend!

So I have a musical Achilles heel. Maybe writing about it will make things better. I’m a cd collector/connoisseur - no doubt about it. But since I married, I truly have tried to cut down on my cd purchases. I now realize I don’t need to have everything.

Unless it’s from the Grateful Dead archives.

I don’t know if I’d call myself a Dead Head. In fact, no I wouldn’t. I think that term should be reserved for all those that actually saw the band before Jerry’s passing in 1995. I suppose I’m a post-Dead Head. Over the past 6 or 7 years I’ve become a big fan. I’ve seen “The Dead” (2003 w/Bob Dylan at Darrien - great show), Phil and Friends a few times, and last summer I made it to my first Bob Weird and Ratdog show. While my live experiences don’t even come close to those that still travel to see their tye-dyed icons, I have amassed a pretty good collection of Dead albums. And at these times when i should be cutting back on the purchases because of both space and saving, every time a new Dead release appears on the band’s official website dead.net, I immediately make my order. I can’t help it - I’m obsessed.

That’s what happened when the band announced a pre-order for their new 9 cd box set “Winterland 1973″. This limited edition collects a classic run of shows at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom at what many would argue was the Dead’s peak period. I can’t wait to hear it! And because I ordered it before April 30th I scored a bonus disc of more music from that time period. A bonus disc!

I have problems.

Tell me I’m not the only one who has a musical obsession. You’ve got to have one too, right?

While there’s no footage out there of the band circa Winterland 1973, here’s a clip of the Dead rocking the Winterland in 1978 (I’ve got this too. I have problems.) As for today’s bonus word, how about: WINTERLAND.

Yesterday I received an email from one of my record company contacts. Inside, it spoke about a brand new album due for release March 25th. It didn’t say who it was, it didn’t say the album’s title either. Just that something was coming. I admit, for a second I thought/hoped it might just be the long awaited “Chinese Democracy” from the Guns N Roses. Then I thought it might be the new Foxboro Hot Tubs, who is actually Green Day, and whose single “Mother Mary” has been moving up the Jack Nation Countdown.

Today, the cat’s out of the bag. The artist in question is The Raconteurs (featuring the White Stripes Jack White, in case you didn’t know). Having finished their second album “Consolers of the Lonely” just a few short weeks ago, the band didn’t want to wait it out for months before getting it out the world. Here’s what they said in their press release.

“The purpose: to get the album to the fans as soon as possible and as we promised. We wanted to get this record to fans, the press, radio, etc., all at the EXACT SAME TIME so that no one has an upper hand on anyone else regarding it’s availability, reception or perception. We wanted to explore the idea of releasing an album everywhere at once and THEN marketing and promoting it thereafter. The Raconteurs would rather this release not be defined by its first week sales, pre-release promotion or by someone defining it FOR YOU before you get to hear it.”

What a great idea. No need to worry about leaks, or bad reviews, or any reviews for that matter. Just get the music to the people. “Salute Your Solution” will be the first single, with a video hitting the web next Tuesday along with the new album. The only question is…will you listen?

If you’re not familiar with the Raconteurs, check out the video to their 2006 single “Steady As She Goes” below.

Today’s bonus word is: RACONTEURS

Have you heard about the Paul Green School of Rock? This was in existence years before the Jack Black flick hit the screen, and it’s a pretty impressive deal.

There are schools all across the US that are teaching kids literally how to rock. But it’s not just getting a bunch of kids to sit in classrooms - these kids learn their instruments, learn some of the greatest rock songs ever, and then go out and play gigs. That’s part of the curriculum. I love that idea. While there are no little Burns’ running around yet, hopefully by the time there are we’ll have a school like this in Toronto so my son or daughter can learn how to rock.  

The Paul Green School of Rock has become so well-regarded that musicians have actually started playing gigs with the School of Rock “All-Stars”. Among them are Alice Cooper, Perry Farrell or Jane’s Addiction, Stewart Copeland of the Police, Eddie Vedder, and Jon Anderson of Yes, who will bring some members of the School of Rock to town when he plays the Music Hall Saturday March 29th. To hear what it might sound like, check out the video below of Anderson and the School of Rock performing “Owner of A Lonely Heart”.

The bonus code for today is: SCHOOLOFROCK 

Sunday is going to be a huge deal for a lot of people, including my longtime friend who goes under the alias “The House That Rock Built”. Iron Maiden returns to Toronto on their “Somewhere Back In Time” World Tour. The set list will be pure 80’s, with a stage design recalling the Powerslave tour.

A few people were surprised when I told them that the show is entirely sold out; they wondered if Iron Maiden were “really” that popular. Indeed they are. Old school metal has been making a huge comeback for years, and since reforming with Bruce Dickinson (thee Bruce Dickinson) on vocals in 1999, Iron Maiden have been consistently getting better. For fans, the bands last three studio albums (2000’s “Brave New World”, 2003’s “Dance of Death, and 2006’s “A Matter of Life and Death”) are considered to be essential pieces of their history, while their live shows are intense, anthemic, and loud.

If you’re going to the gig, let us know what you think of it when you’re done (and bring ear plugs, cuz you know it’s going to be loud). And if you’ve got a favourite Maiden moment, we’d love to hear from you. In the meantime, here’s something to get you ready for the show.

Your weekend bonus code is: SCREAMFORME