A web of new Spidey songs

May 2, 2007

A Web of New Spidey Songs
The soundtrack for Spiderman 3 will hit stores across the U.S. on May 1, with quite a lineup of appropriately super acts contributing songs.  Among the artists being featured on the movie-accompanying set are The Killers (“Move Away”), the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (“Sealings”), The Flaming Lips (“The Supreme Being Teaches Spiderman How to Be in Love”) ,Snow Patrol (“Signal Fire”), Jet (“Falling Star”), and The Walkmen (“Red River”), among others...
 
How many British bands does it take to speak out against nuclear armament? Well, on this particular occasion, 53, to be exact. That’s the number of Brit acts that have signed the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament statement, which calls on British citizens to “choose peace and justice, not nuclear weapons and war.” Among the bands participating - and speaking out on this cause - are Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Blur/Gorillaz/The Good the Bad and the Queen’s Damon Albarn, the members of Franz Ferdinand, and Kele Okereke of Bloc Party, who stated that the billions of dollars... er, make that pounds, in Okereke’s case... being spent on nuclear weapons would be better spent on climate change issues...
 
Speaking of the aforementioned Damon Albarn, he’s branching out from Brit rock to opera, having just completed writing the score to an opera he’s titled “Monkey: Journey to the West,” which will open in late June at the Manchester, England International Festival. The story is based on ancient Chinese legend, and will feature both traditional Chinese and Western instruments as well as Chinese circus acrobats and a set designed by Albarn’s Gorillaz mate Jamie Hewlett...
New York City’s High Line Festival -named for the defunct, grassy above-ground sections of train line that pop up in parts of Manhattan - is set for May 9-19 this year, with none other than Mr. David Bowie presiding over the proceedings. Opening with a live set by Arcade Fire at Radio City Music Hall on the 9th, the event will also feature shows from Air, Deerhoof, The Secret Machines, Laurie Anderson, and The Polyphonic Spree, among others...
 
MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK:  The initial lineup for this year’s Lollapalooza Festival has finally been announced, and it’s all set to happen in Chicago’s gigantic Grant Park on August 3-5. We’ll throw an even dozen of the terrific headliners at ya - namely Muse, Iggy Pop, Modest Mouse, Pearl Jam, Interpol, Regina Spektor, The Polyphonic Spree, The Fratellis, Sean Lennon, Daft Punk, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and I’m From Barcelona – to find out the rest, you’ll just have to go and check out the newly revamped www.lollapalooza.com...

MINI BUZZ:
Swedish singer-songwriter Loney, Dear is set to hit the road with opening act Great Northern in tow;  look for them starting May 10...
While The Fratellis are hopping on the tour bus with their own tourmates, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, through May 13...
And Happy Mondays have extended their upcoming comeback tour, with dates now running through July 8...
Michigan’s Madonna has teamed up with Justin Timberlake to work together on writing new songs for her next album...
Ex-Beta Band members Robin Jones and John Maclean are set to drop their first album as new band The Aliens on June 19;  the album, called Astronomy for Dogs, will appear on the Astralwerks label...
And just in case you were wondering if Apple has been making enough money, the company
just announced that they’ve sold the 100 millionth iPod, making iPod the fastest selling music player in history...

ON CD:  Arctic Monkey’s Favourite Worst Nightmare...  Porcupine Tree’s Fear of a Blank Planet... Leonard Cohen’s Songs of Leonard Cohen... Maria McKee’s Late December... The Electric Soft Parade’s No Need To Be Downhearted... and Future Clouds & Radar’s Future Clouds & Radar...  

ON DVD:  The Beatles, Hamburg, and The Hamburg Sound... A Duke Named Ellington... Tim Buckley’s My Fleeting House... and David Poe’s
On Stage at World Cafe Live... and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.

Questions, comments, rants, raves, suggestions on this column or your fave musicians?  Send ’em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com.