American Music Awards nominate Coldplay, Keys, Underwood

Nov. 16, 2008

American Music Awards Nominate Coldplay, Keys, Underwood
The 2008 American Music Award Nominations have been announced, but you’ll have to wait until November 23 for the awards show itself (which will air on ABC TV.) In the meantime, you can ponder the nominees - Alicia Keys leads the pack with five nominations, including Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist and Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist. Following closely behind her are Coldplay, who were nominated for Favorite Band Duo or Group, Favorite Alternative/Rock Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album for Viva La Vida and the much-coveted Artist of the Year. Other nominees include The Eagles, Carrie Underwood and Mariah Carey; the show will once again be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel...

The Black Eyed Peas have just about wrapped work on their fifth album, which they’ve titled The E.N.D. - but it’s not what you think. The cryptic letters stand for “The Energy Never Dies,” according to front Pea Will.i.am. The band is also pondering the idea that 2008 will be the last year in which CDs are of any significance in the music business, which is why they might release The E.N.D. before the end of this year; the Peas are checking out new methods of online song delivery, which might include embedded extra info, so keep an eye on this forward-thinking band...
Seattle prog-rockers Minus the Bear have released an acoustic EP that they’ve titled Acoustics, on which the band re-recorded a listing of fan favorites from their back catalog, as well as a new tune called “Guns and Ammo.” The EP can be purchased digitally at iTunes, EMusic and other electronic retailers; physical copies can be snagged on Minus the Bear’s headlining tour, which will take them through Sacramento CA (11/18), Portland OR (11/21), and Seattle (11/22)...
Toad the Wet Sprocket frontman-turned-solo-artist Glen Phillips is prepping to release a new solo EP titled The Secrets of the New Explorers, which will hit stores in January. It will explore themes of science fiction (available at live shows, digital retailers and at
www.glenphillips.com.) Phillips has also been touring since early October, with a full slate of tour dates still left on his schedule, including stops in Dallas TX (11/21), Minneapolis MN (12/1), Milwaukee WI (12/2), Grand Rapids MI (12/4), and Pittsburgh PA (12/6)...

MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK:
If you’re a fan of guitar players, you’ll want to check out this link courtesy of Gibson guitars and HDtracks.com; they’re giving away a collection of high-def music featuring work from top-ranking guitarists, including Johnny Winter, Tinsley Ellis, and Slash’s instrumental interpretation of a classical track by Rachmaninoff (yes, you read that correctly.) Snag it for free at www.hdtracks.com...

MINI BUZZ:
Currently on tour with James Blunt, singer-songwriter Teddy Thompson will return and then quickly re-embark on a headlining tour of his own, kicking off in Ireland on January 17 of next year...
Canadian band The Acorn will embarking on a U.S. tour, along with Calexico; their tour stops will include Pontiac MI (11/20), Denver CO (11/24), and Toronto (11/27)...
The Supersuckers are set to perform at a special 20th anniversary show on November 29 at the Showbox Theater in Seattle; they’ll also release a brand new album, Get it Together, on November 25...
Sarah McLachlan will release an expanded version of her Closer - Greatest Hits disc that is slated to include a second disc of music. Details TBA...
Pearl Jam co-founder/guitarist Stone Gossard joined 200 volunteers recently to help re-green Los Angeles by planting 250 trees for environmental restoration; the planting was part of the Dig It initiative, a multi-city eco-minded campaign...
The Gibson Guitars website has named its top four guitar teachers from across the internet - namely, Bob Dylan/Paul Simon sideman Arlen Roth; founding Editor-In-Chief of GuitarOne Magazine Wolf Marshall; country/metal guitarist John 5; and Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante, who’s been posting his free lessons on YouTube...
And not free, but worthy nonetheless, are this week’s new releases... ON CD: Sir Paul McCartney’s Fireman project... Chris Cornell’s Scream... Nickelback’s Dark Horse... Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan’s Sunday at Devil Dirt... All-American Rejects’ When the World Comes Down... and David Cook’s title-TBA debut disc... ON DVD: Belle + Sebastian: The BBC Sessions... Smashing Pumpkins - If All Goes Wrong ... and The Who at Kilburn: 1977... 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