Country Meets Rock

June 2, 2004

Country legend Loretta Lynn and Detroit‘s own Jack White (The White Stripes) have made plans to record another two albums together after White‘s production of Lynn‘s latest album, *Van Lear Rose,* pleased Lynn, fans, and critics alike.  White also got snaps for his duet with Lynn on the track “Portland, Oregon.“  The mutual admiration society of White and Lynn are also planning to possibly head out on the road for a joint tour, ostensibly along with Lynn‘s usual band and also with the band The DoWhaters, who served as the backing band on *Van Lear Rose.*  No word yet on what Meg, the other half of The White Stripes, will be doing in all this...
 
June 11th, 12th, and 13th are the dates set aside for this year‘s Bonnaroo Camping and Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, a fave concert event for folks across the Midwest.  Among those scheduled to appear at the 2004 event are Dave Matthews, Bob Dylan, Mike Doughty, Patti Smith, Wilco, Yo La Tengo, Beth Orton, Damien Rice, Kings of Leon, Los Lobos, Ween, David Byrne, Guster, Maroon 5, and Cracker.  This year‘s Bonnaroo attendees can also take advantage of wireless access, Invigor8 Energy Drink stations, dance and yoga instruction, craft demonstrations, the Sonic “unplugged“ stage, and the Bonnaroo Market...
 
The Pepsi Smash series is back on TV, and is set to begin airing on May 27th.  Pepsi Smash shows will take place every Thursday night at 8 pm on The WB network, with featured performances from the likes of Maroon 5, Sting, Hoobastank, Joss Stone, the Black Eyed Peas, Avril Lavigne, and many more.  There will also be votable Viewer‘s Choice Encore Performances and Smash/Mobile tour footage from many of the concert tours slated to be on the road this summer.  Find out more online at www.pepsismash.com...
 
MINI BUZZ:
Columbia Records will release 14 remastered Bob Dylan albums, including *Blood on the Tracks* and *Highway 61 Revisited*...
While Warner Brothers Records has tentatively announced a June 29th release date for a 9-disc Paul Simon box set titled *Studio Recordings 1972-2000*...
The Beastie Boys played a special one-nighter show at a secret London location earlier this week...
Belle + Sebastian are set to release a new EP titled *Books* on June 21st...
The Futureheads will be releasing their debut album, eponymously titled *The Futureheads,* on June 28th, with a single, “Decent Days and Nights,“ heading to radio on July 12th...
Jet kick off a 21-date tour on July 1st in Buffalo, NY with stops in Detroit (7/3), Chicago (7/6), Cleveland (7/8), and Providence, Rhode Island (7/12)...
And New Jersey‘s Country Cow Creamery is manufacturing a pair of ice cream flavors named after the infamous Osbournes - “Death by Sharon“ is a dark chocolate ice cream with chocolate fudge and bits of brownie soaked in Godiva liqueur, and “Ozzy‘s Carnivorous Carrot Cake“ ice cream is a cinnamon spice concoction with bits of carrot cake soaked in hazelnut liqueur...
 
In stores this week, check out these new releases...  ON CD:  Division of Laura Lee releases *Das Not Compute*... Magnetic Fields present *I*... Goldfrapp release *Strict Machine - The Remixes*...  Ben Vitamin drops *Bohemia*... ON DVD:  Cyndi Lauper: *Live at Last*... Fleetwood Mac - *Live in Boston*... *Iggy and the Stooges Live in Detroit*... and *ABBA In Concert*... and that‘s the buzz for this week‘s Modern Rock.
 
Questions, comments, rants, raves about your fave artists or this column?  Send ‘em to Kristi at expressmodernrock@hotmail.com!*