Modern Rock

April 13, 2005

This one goes out to anyone who has ever been to the legendary NYC punk club CBGB, to anyone who can appreciate the birth of punk music (many avant-garde moments of which took place at CBGB’s, including performances from Talking Heads, Blondie, The Ramones, The Police, The Velvet Underground, Elvis Costello, and tons of others), or to anyone who can simply sympathize with the underdog. CBGB is in serious trouble. Founded in 1973 by Hilly Kristal, the New York City club soon became one of the most famous venues ever for live music. You’ve probably seen (or bought) a CBGB’s t-shirt at, say, Hot Topic or similar stores. So what’s the problem? Well, rent for CBGB has now reached such an unreasonabe rate that this landmark venue is in danger of being closed down - but you can help CBGB’s owners make a plea for more reasonable rent payments so they can save this venerable venue for future punk generations. Buy special edition CBGB’s chocolate through NYC shop The Chocolate Bar (www.chocolatebarnyc.com), which also comes with a postage-paid petition you can sign - see what else you can do to help at www.savecbgb.org - or check out the club’s own website at www.cbgb.com...

Collective Soul have announced that they’ll be releasing a pair of new discs in 2005 - the first being an acoustic collection of eight songs, dubbed From the Ground Up, that’ll hit shelves on April 26. Prior to the acoustic album’s release, the band will perform and record two live shows with the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra on April 23 and 24 in Atlanta, Georgia, which will result in both a new CD and a DVD of the event, with portions of the proceeds to benefit the orchestra. Titled Collective Soul Home, the live shows will be filmed by producer/director Pierre Lamoureux (Alanis Morissette, The Who) and will be filmed in high-definition; there’s also a box set in the works that will have content culled from the live footage...

Ozzfest has confirmed their final billing for this year’s event, with the likes of Iron Maiden, Mudvayne, Black Label Society, Shadows Fall, and, of course, Black Sabbath on the main stage. The Second Stage will feature sets from over a dozen acts, including Mastodon, In Flames, Killswitch Engage, Trivium, Arch Enemy, and headliner Rob Zombie. Velvet Revolver will also be joining the Ozzfest tour from August 16 forward, sitting in for Iron Maiden on the last half-dozen or so tour stops...

Adema are currently in the Middle East, rockin’ the ground troops at Camp Arifjan, just outside of Kuwait City. The band reports that the camp is quite modern, unlike most of the U.S. military camps in the region, and includes a Subway, Nathan’s Hot Dogs, and a variety store - but they emphasize that, although there are a few creature comforts, the troops’ jobs still aren’t anywhere near a walk in the park. The band received an award for travelling over to the camp to play live for everyone, and have also experienced a sandstorm and 120 degree temperatures; they’re scheduled to go over to Iraq to perform next...
And Rolling Stone magazine has released the results of their magazine poll on the Best Rock Movies Ever Made - in descending order, the winners were 24 Hour Party People, Rock N’ Roll High School (with the Ramones), Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Desperately Seeking Susan starring Michigan’s own Madonna, Velvet Goldmine with Star Wars’ Ewan McGregor, Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous, John Cusack in High Fidelity, Sid and Nancy, The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night, and the one you’ll want to turn up to eleven, This Is Spinal Tap...

MINI BUZZ:
Moby’s second single from his new album, Hotel, is set to be “Spiders,” and will hit radio on May 23...
Reel Big Fish’s next album, We’re Not Happy ’Til You’re Not Happy, will find its way to CD store shelves on April 5...
My Chemical Romance and The Used have collaborated on a cover of the David Bowie/Queen tune “Under Pressure” - it’ll be available for download on itunes starting April 12, with all proceeds from the single’s sale going to the Tsunami Relief Fund...
Out-of-the-loop-as-of-late Jewel is set to get back on the road for a series of acoustic shows, via which she’ll test out new songs for her upcoming sixth album, which is due out in September...
Canada’s Grammy equivalent, The Junos, were held last weekend, with the big winners turning out to be Avril Lavigne (who snagged Artist of the Year honors), K-Os, and Billy Talent...
And get well soon wishes go out this week to Neil Young, who had brain surgery last week and is reportedly recovering nicely...

New releases this week... ON CD: Rufus Wainwright’s sister Martha Wainwright’s Martha Wainwright (whew)... Lisa Marie Presley’s Now What… Will Smith’s Lost and Found... Brian Eno’s Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks... Dinosaur Jr.’s re-released Bug… and Ray Davies’ re-released Return to Waterloo... ON DVD: The Eagles’ Hell Freezes Over... Ian Hunter’s Strings Attached... Roy Orbison: Live in Australia... and Classic Albums: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours… and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock...

Questions, comments, rants, raves about your fave musicians or this column? Send ‘em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com!