Gwen Stefani offers up new rockin‘ fashions

Dec. 13, 2009

Gwen Stefani Offers Up New Rockin’ Fashions
Singer-songwriter-fashionista Gwen Stefani has been working on her latest LAMB fashion collection, the most recent installment of which was featured at this fall’s New York Fashion week to great critical and fashion-mag acclaim. Stefani’s newest designed look draws from much of ‘80s fashion, as several of the items in her line include acid-wash denim and off-the-shoulder sweatshirt type tops as well as T-shirt dresses; other influences seem to be punk, from studded suspenders to skinny jeans and plaid. Stefani’s new items will be on sale in early 2010...
So are the ‘80s back in full force? Well, the record industry - and apparantly a large segment of the ticket-buying public - think so. Nederlander Concerts, in a recent interview, said that they feel that “’80s acts are a lot more valid now than they were even two years ago; it’s not as gimmicky a feel as it used to be.” Bon Jovi, Cyndi Lauper, Blondie, and the Pet Shop Boys are just a few of the retro ‘80s bands that have had successful tours this past year or so; tour plans are currently underway for the likes of Wang Chung, ABC, and Missing Persons; and NPR recently ran a localized special on music from the late John Hughes’ series of classic ‘80s films. So keep an eye out for all those retro bands whose songs you likely heard in the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore movie The Wedding Singer...
Guitar giants Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck have announced that they’ll share the stage at London’s O2 Arena on February 13, 2010 at an epic, giant-sized co-headlining concert, only their third recent performance together since a pair of concerts in Japan in February of this year. Both Clapton and Beck will perform a full set of their own music before teaming up onstage for a set together; fans of both musicians are hoping that the dual show will be making its way to the U.S. shortly after the London show wraps...

Kings of Leon will be touring until the end of this year, but after their touring duties are over, they say they’ll be heading right back into the recording studio to begin work on a new album that will serve as follow-up to their latest release, Only by the Night. The new album, according to the band’s Followill brothers, may be a little more “grungy” than previous efforts; the band has already started writing the instrumental portions of the new set, and hope to release it in the latter half of 2010...

MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK:
The Clash’s Mick Jones and Topper Headon have re-recorded their 1979 tune “Jail Guitar Doors” for the charity of the same name, which was set up by fellow rocker Billy Bragg; Bragg also contributed to the recording of the new version of the track, as were several former prisoners who were helped in their rehabilitation through music by the Jail Guitar Doors charity. The whole session was filmed as part of a documentary film about the charity itself - you can see the movie trailer for the documentary, which has been titled “Breaking Doors,” at www.breakingrocks.co.uk...

MINI BUZZ:
Son Volt’s Jay Farrar and Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard have recorded a collaborative album together; titled One Fast Move Or I’m Gone: Kerouac’s Big Sur, the set is based on writer Jack Kerouac’s 1962 novel Big Sur and is in-stores now...
Genesis say that their next release is going to be a box set that will compile the band’s concert videos and will also include some home movie footage shot during the making of their 1983 eponymous album; the box set will hit stores in 2010...
Barbra Streisand, still a vocal legend at 67, has just released a new CD that features the singer interpreting classic retro tracks, perfect jazz club/hipster dinner party music...
Mexican singer/songwriter/producer Juan Gabriel was recently honored for his many musical accomplishments at the 10th Latin Grammy Awards; Gabriel was feted alongside fellow honorees Julio Iglesias, Carlos Santana, Ricky Martin, and Gloria Estefan...
Toronto, Canada MC Drake’s long-in-production debut disc, Thank Me Later, is now set for an early 2010 release, as produced by Omen...
Santa Monica influential radio station KCRW has launched a new online channel of continuous music that they’ve dubbed Eclectic 24; the only break from the music will be from 5 to 7 pm when the station airs NPR’s All Things Considered, so check it out at www.kcrw.com/music/eclectic24...

And you can craft your own channel of continuous music via your CD/DVD collection - just add a few of this week’s new releases... ON CD: Chamillionaire’s Venom... Animal Collective’s Fall Be Kind EP... ON DVD: Howard Jones: 25th Anniversary Concert... and Creed Live ... and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.

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