Now this is a good one, not only because I am a big fan of both bands, but because Guns N’ Roses and the Rolling Stones are universally considered to be two of the greatest bands in rock and roll history (for me top ten). The song is “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones.
First up, The Rolling Stones:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfopuBaHQeI
You know? “No, you don’t know, you don’t know, you don’t know!” As Daryl Palumbo belts these lines in “You Think You’re John Fucking Lennon” one thing remains perfectly clear. You have no idea what Daryl is so angry about, but as a band these guys are at their prime! It’s brilliant; it’s brutal; it’s beautiful; ladies and gentlemen, it’s Glassjaw.
Much like studying a serial killer, before you can fathom enjoying this sporadic, hybrid that is the JAW, we must delve into the groups history. The Long Island based band remains one of the most melodic, influential, misunderstood, and underestimated groups in the past ten years. Formed in 1993, when vocalist Daryl Palumbo and guitarist Justin Beck met at a camp, these guys were destined to be different. In their earliest efforts (these songs can be found in a collection coined “The Impossible Shot”) you can hear unique ideas, and tremendous energy. It is evident that the band had something special that even they didn’t fully understand. In 1997 the band recorded and released the EP Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. This album was re-released in 2001. The album is pure energy from start to finish. The best thing about the EP is that Glassjaw wasn’t trying to change the world, or make a brilliant album. They wanted a CD that represented hardcore at its finest. The tracks represent just that.
In 2000, GJ released the cult classic “Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence” through Roadrunner. The band hoped to put an end to the Nu-Metal craze that was Limp Bizkit, KoRn, etc. Not only were their attempts widely successful, they metaphorically curb stomped rap/rock. At this time I will give readers the opportunity to reflect, bow, and praise these Long Islanders……
Little did they know this album would be praised and their pioneering style would be copied (poorly) for years to come. You know that neighbor who always copies the other neighbor’s terrific jokes? They take a great joke, re-tell it incorrectly to the wrong audience, without all the subtleties that made the joke funny. Then they tell it again. No one laughs because the teller doesn’t fully comprehend their own tongue, and the riddle is now over used. This is exactly what happened to the style represented in “EYEWTKAS.” Artists who praised GJ’s work tried to recreate something pure in a formulaic way. They created “organized chaos” if you will. This just doesn’t work; Hence, the birth of Screamo.
Let me make it clear that Glassjaw is not to blame, and this doesn’t make the album any less enjoyable. Any artist who does anything unique will be poorly copied. It is inevitable. Just realize when you listen to the album that Glassjaw is not trying to be The Used, or Norma Jean. Glassjaw is being Glassjaw. I would say this is the most emotionally riveting album I have ever heard. From the first second of “Pretty Lush” to the line “now the record’s over” with tasteful delay, your ears and mind will be compelled in a way you never imagined. EYEWTKAS is an album that dares explore the dark avenues most people, and artists stay clear of. The record is bold, raw, and brutally honest. Unfortunately the corporation backing the band were linear, profit crazed zombies. Beck and Palumbo have frowned upon their treatment at Roadrunner openly in interviews.
With line up changes (the band had an immense number through the years) a substantial following, and a new label, GJ released “Worship and Tribute” in 2002. Many artists can appear unique once, after that they are revealed as a one trick pony of sorts; Not Glassjaw. The band and Ross Robinson pick up right where “EYEWTKAS” left off. As a band they are much more mature. The album embellishes upon GJ’s chaos while also tuning into Daryl’s wonderful hooks, and more melodic moments. The lyrics are more insightful, and Glassjaw seems to acknowledge their strange style in this record. Worship is an untouchable follow up.
After difficulty with tour, Daryl dealing with Crohn’s disease, and the start of Head Automatica, the band went on a hiatus. Fans waited impatiently. We were given a B-side to Worship, a handful of shows, and a page full of questions. Every year, for the past four years fans have expected the release. The wonderful thing about GJ is that fans are not upset. The true followers never turned their back on these guys. With high hopes they waited. Well it’s refreshing to say that Glassjaw is back in full force. The band has been touring, and releasing new music along with videos. Although they now record and tour as a four piece, they are tighter and more creative than ever.
The mystery of Glassjaw is what makes them so great. In today’s music industry we are fed so much information at once. It is difficult for anything to stick. Glassjaw is sticking to what they know. It’s odd, unpredictable, and fans love it. If you ask me, they have formed a brilliant marketing scheme. However, I don’t think that was their intent. If you visited their website a few months ago, you would arrive to a page of their flag logo. A drum loop quietly plays in the background….wait two minutes…..”BURNING!” You would be blown away by their first single release from their anticipated new album. A few months later we were given “All Good Junkies Go To Heaven,” “Jesus Glue” and recently, “Natural Born Farmer.” These songs were all initially released on vinyl. The band also put up a music video of “You Think You’re John Fucking Lennon.” The video was a live take of the track in what looks like their practice space. They also put up a live cut of a song called “Stars.”
Glassjaw fans have every reason in the world to be optimistic. The band is touring, releasing music, and sticking to what they believe. These are the bands finest releases yet. If you are about to ask when the album is coming out, or why the songs are released on vinyl than I haven’t done my job. You certainly don’t get it, and the band couldn’t care less. I re-introduce Glassjaw: the band your friends never understood.
If somebody were to walk up close to my door at various points in the day, they’d most likely be thinking that I have the most inane taste in music. Who else blasts the Lost Sounds, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” “Gimme Gimme Back Your Love,” and Beach House? I was just thinking I ought to lower the volume on my speakers because this is pretty f’ed up.
By: Glen Maganzini
Keyword is “Experiences,” which takes slightly more into account how fun the show was than how awesome the bands were. Like Jay Reatard was funner than Walkmen, but Walkmen were the better performers. The opening acts for Reatard were simply better than the Walkmen show.
The Best
1. March 2009 – Black Lips/Gentleman Jesse & His Men/Mean Creek – Grade: A+
2. May 2009 – King Khan & The Shrines/Mark Sultan/Homosexuals – Grade: A+
3. October 2009 – KK+BBQ/Dum Dum Girls/Downbeat 5 – Grade: A+
4. April 2009 – No Age/The Beets/Lemonade – Grade: A+
5. October 2009 – Jay Reatard/Nobunny/Hunx and His Punx/Box Elders/Useless Eaters – Grade: A+
6. September 2009 – Walkmen/Here We Go Magic/The Dig – Grade: A+
I dig! I gotta find a way to get their new album.
P2K: The Decade In Music…Seriously? They are already naming their top 500 songs of the 2000s, but wait…it’s only August! There’s still months left of awesome music. They say that in early 2010 they will make additions, but can’t they just wait? And the randomness of songs 500-201 tell me this list is going to be disgusting.
The Pop Era
1997: “I’ll Be Missing You,” and “Barbie Girl.”
1998: “Ghetto Supastar” and “Miss America.”
1999: “Mambo No 5” and “Blue”
2000: “The Real Slim Shady” and “Can I Get A”
2001: “In the End” and “Whenever Wherever”
2002: “Lose Yourself” and “Hey Baby”
The Hip-Hop Era/Videogame Era
2003-2006: In sixth grade I started to become pretty obsessed with hip-hop music and culture…but not overly obsessed. I wasn’t listening to anything too far from the mainstream. I sort of took a break from hip hop in late seventh grade and all of eighth grade. I returned to hip hop (more obscure shit this time) in summer and fall 2005 only to lose interest in it a few months later. During this time I became more and more engaged in “alternative” rock and underground/electro-rap thanks to soundtracks on MVP Baseball, Madden NFL, and NBA 2K.
The Modern Age
2006-Now: A lot of credit should be given to Chris as he showed me/got me into a lot of music that I was pretty unfamiliar with. 2007 is when I started to research bands online and explore the unexplored. It’s pretty incredible to think that my top two favorite bands of today (the Black Lips and No Age) were completely unknown to me before 2008. This is true for so so many of my other favorites. My rock tastes haven’t changed that much in as though I still don’t like a lot of the screamo and hardcore punk that I didn’t like before. I remember initially saying something like the Black Lips are something country truck drivers listen to. Obviously I don’t believe that anymore!
Glen
From AP:
NEW YORK — Les Paul, the guitar virtuoso and inventor who revolutionized music and created rock ‘n’ roll as surely as Elvis Presley and the Beatles by developing the solid-body electric guitar and multitrack recording, died Thursday at age 94.Known for his lightning-fast leads, Paul performed with some of early pop’s biggest names and produced a slew of hits, many with wife Mary Ford. But it was his inventive streak that made him universally revered by guitar gods as their original ancestor and earned his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the most important forces in popular music.
Paul, who died in White Plains, N.Y., of complications from pneumonia, was a tireless tinkerer, whose quest for a particular sound led him to create the first solid-body electric guitar, a departure from the hollow-body guitars of the time. His invention paved the way for modern rock ‘n’ roll and became the standard instrument for legends like Pete Townshend and Jimmy Page.
God rest his soul.
Spinner.com
The Black Lips delivered a raucous performance Sunday at New York’s Williamsburg Waterfront that was greeted by an equally disorderly audience. During the outdoor showcase, Brooklyn concertgoers charged the stage, crashing through the venue’s photo pit barricade. At one point, a member from the audience tossed a ukulele to bassist Jared Swilley, who proceeded to smash the instrument onstage and throw the remains back into the throng…The four-piece has been on a grueling tour schedule this year, which included getting kicked out of India, yet the summer heat and months on the road in support of their 2009 release ‘200 Million Thousand’ did not diminish the Lips’ spirit. Security officers at the state park picked off stage-crashers one by one as they leapt between Swilley, singer Cole Alexander, guitarist Ian Saint Pé and drummer Joe Bradley. Swilley returned the favor by stepping into the mob of fans and was supported by a mass of tattooed arms as he strummed along to such hits as ‘Bad Kids,’ ‘Sea of Blasphemy’ and ‘Drugs.’As audience members continued to jump onstage and flail violently, concert organizers threatened to pull the plug on the impromptu dance party. However, the group demanded that they be allowed to play one more song, hinting they wouldn’t be able to contain the crowd if their request was denied. The chaotic set proved to be the relative calm before the storm. After they packed up, a massive thunderstorm erupted, forcing headlining act …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead to cancel their performance.
Shit!
From Rolling Stone:
Last month, the Pixies confirmed an 12-date U.K. and European tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Doolittle, at which they’ll perform the 1989 LP in its entirety. Now Frank Black, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago and David Lovering have confirmed they’ll be bringing the same show Stateside in November. This morning the band announced a nine-city, 14-date Doolittle birthday run that kicks off November 4th at Los Angeles’ Palladium, includes two nights in Oakland, two in Seattle, two in Chicago and three New York dates (full list after the jump). Tickets go on sale starting August 1st. As in Europe, the shows will feature all of Doolittle’s 15 tracks and related B sides, a list that includes “Weird at My School,” “Dancing the Manta Ray” and “Bailey’s Walk.” The album itself includes Pixies classics “Debaser,” “Gouge Away,” “Monkey Gone to Heaven,” “Wave of Mutilation” and “Here Comes Your Man.” A press release indicates the band is dreaming up “Doolittle-related surprises” for the shows.
Awesome! This ends an amazing three month stretch of great shows. Let me give you a brief overview of some of my personal choices for shows coming up:
On August 3, the Arctic Monkeys are coming to the Paradise. The show is sold out, but I’m still really really hoping that I will be able to buy slightly reasonable tickets. The neo-psychedelia of the Warlocks will be coming to the Great Scott on August 12. They will be backed by the impressionable slow-core Morning After Girls. On September 5, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, whose self-titled album was awarded a 9.6 by KLYAM, will hit the Middle East Downstairs. The Walkmen, always one of my favorite bands, will also be at the Middle East not just for one night, but for two on September 18 and 19. Normally, I wouldn’t go to two straight shows, but this is one hell of an exception. Wavves, the surf-rock group that canceled their European tour because of singer Nathan Williams’ drug bug-out, has actually produced from amazing material in the past couple of years. As long as Williams is fine, I’m sure the show should go just fine. It’s on September 27 at Great Scott. Alternative hip-hop band Why? will be at the Middle East Downstairs a week later on October 2. The next night at the same venue is another two-nights-in-a-row…this one coming from ear-damaging Dinosaur Jr. (Note: even I, a fan of noisy concerts and a lover of standing front row, will probably be at the back.)
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 