ANTHONY KIEDIS:
He's perhaps the most surprising frontman not to try to make the jump, and thank the devil for that. While tracks like "Under the Bridge" certainly suggest he could make a Rob Thomas-like, big-ballad move, Kiedis seems dedicated to his mates, and rightly so. Flea and guitarist John Frusciante have continued to move the Red Hot Chili Peppers to new musical fields, and their interplay has served as a cozy bed for Kiedis' career. While Kiedis may be capable of solo glory, it's admirable he's saved his pepper for the band and spent his spare time acting and writing and, let's hope, improving his dance skills.
Courtesy of Indyweek.com
Thursday, 22 October 2009
Are the Red Hot Chili Peppers guilty of a Greatest Hits mistake?
'Spinner' have created a list of the top 10 things that should never happen on a Greatest Hits album.
Are the Chili Peppers guilty of some?...I kinda think so :)
10. Omission of Key Songs - Not too guilty of, but where is Can't Stop?
9. Too Many Greatest Hits Albums - Not Guilty
8. The "Previously Unreleased" Single - Kinda Guilty
Quote from article:
"Bands want to make you think you're getting a bonus by adding a new song to a greatest-hits record. But acts always save the good stuff for the next studio album, so the "previously unreleased" songs are usually terrible. The Red Hot Chili Peppers had the sense to put 'Save the Population' at the end of their 2003 best-of compilation. Sugar Ray weren't as considerate: In their case, new songs were probably needed to fill the album, leading us to ..."
7. You're Not Worthy! (Not enough hits) - Not Guilty, loads of hits
6. Inclusion of Cover Songs - Guilty, BUT a brilliant cover
5. B Sides and Rarities - Guilty? I think? Was Soul To Squeeze a B-Side?
4. Lack of Chronology - Guilty
3. The Late-Era Song - N/A
2. The Same Song Twice - Not Guilty
1. The Live Version - Not Guilty
Anyway you can read the full article HERE
Are the Chili Peppers guilty of some?...I kinda think so :)
10. Omission of Key Songs - Not too guilty of, but where is Can't Stop?
9. Too Many Greatest Hits Albums - Not Guilty
8. The "Previously Unreleased" Single - Kinda Guilty
Quote from article:
"Bands want to make you think you're getting a bonus by adding a new song to a greatest-hits record. But acts always save the good stuff for the next studio album, so the "previously unreleased" songs are usually terrible. The Red Hot Chili Peppers had the sense to put 'Save the Population' at the end of their 2003 best-of compilation. Sugar Ray weren't as considerate: In their case, new songs were probably needed to fill the album, leading us to ..."
7. You're Not Worthy! (Not enough hits) - Not Guilty, loads of hits
6. Inclusion of Cover Songs - Guilty, BUT a brilliant cover
5. B Sides and Rarities - Guilty? I think? Was Soul To Squeeze a B-Side?
4. Lack of Chronology - Guilty
3. The Late-Era Song - N/A
2. The Same Song Twice - Not Guilty
1. The Live Version - Not Guilty
Anyway you can read the full article HERE
Monday, 19 October 2009
Lupe Fiasco's Favorite Rapper is a Chili Pepper
Jay-Z was an early champion. Kanye featured his him on 'Touch the Sky.' So, who is Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco's favorite rapper?The spicy answer might surprise you.
Lupe, who has spent the past year quietly working on material his forthcoming release 'Lasers,' took time to shout a little about one new song, 'Solar Midnite,' in a message posted yesterday on his Myspace page.
"'Solar Midnite' is my first commercial release that I actually produced as well as wrote," Lupe wrote about the track, which appears on the soundtrack to the 'Twilight' sequel, 'New Moon.' "The 'New Moon' team asked me if I could do a song specifically for the film."'Solar Midnite' is exclusive to the the iTunes version of the soundtrack, released on Friday (October 16).
Nonetheless, Lupe says he's still extremely excited about being a part of the highly anticipated film."They invited me to an early screening of the unfinished film, from which I pulled different elements that I thought would translate into a great song," he wrote. "I pulled in vocalist and bassist Graham Burris and acclaimed musician Matt Nelson to help fill out my vision musically and ... 'Solar Midnite' was born." Though not included on the physical soundtrack release -- an indie rock-heavy set featuring Death Cab For Cutie, Bon Iver, Sea Wolf and Radiohead singer Thom Yorke, among others -- 'Solar Midnite' will be heard in the highly anticipated film, which depicts a bizarre love triangle between characters Bella Swan, Edward Cullen and Jacob Black.
"The song basically deals with the chaotic love story that takes place between the characters," Lupe explained in his post.
As for the music, Lupe said that the song channels rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, "It's more on the rock side of my musical catalog and comes straight from my die-hard fanhood of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Anthony Kiedis, one of my favorite rappers."One has got to wonder what Jay and Kanye will think of that.
Courtesy of The Boom Box
Lupe, who has spent the past year quietly working on material his forthcoming release 'Lasers,' took time to shout a little about one new song, 'Solar Midnite,' in a message posted yesterday on his Myspace page.
"'Solar Midnite' is my first commercial release that I actually produced as well as wrote," Lupe wrote about the track, which appears on the soundtrack to the 'Twilight' sequel, 'New Moon.' "The 'New Moon' team asked me if I could do a song specifically for the film."'Solar Midnite' is exclusive to the the iTunes version of the soundtrack, released on Friday (October 16).
Nonetheless, Lupe says he's still extremely excited about being a part of the highly anticipated film."They invited me to an early screening of the unfinished film, from which I pulled different elements that I thought would translate into a great song," he wrote. "I pulled in vocalist and bassist Graham Burris and acclaimed musician Matt Nelson to help fill out my vision musically and ... 'Solar Midnite' was born." Though not included on the physical soundtrack release -- an indie rock-heavy set featuring Death Cab For Cutie, Bon Iver, Sea Wolf and Radiohead singer Thom Yorke, among others -- 'Solar Midnite' will be heard in the highly anticipated film, which depicts a bizarre love triangle between characters Bella Swan, Edward Cullen and Jacob Black.
"The song basically deals with the chaotic love story that takes place between the characters," Lupe explained in his post.
As for the music, Lupe said that the song channels rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, "It's more on the rock side of my musical catalog and comes straight from my die-hard fanhood of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Anthony Kiedis, one of my favorite rappers."One has got to wonder what Jay and Kanye will think of that.
Courtesy of The Boom Box
Tinchy Stryder wants Flea
Tinchy Stryder wants to work with Red Hot Chili Peppers star Flea.
The British rapper - who has previously collaborated with Sugababes singer Amelle Berrabah and hip-hop group N-Dubz - is a big fan of the bassist and would like to collaborate in the studio with him.
Tinchy - who despite being a hip-hop star once admitted to liking the Spice Girls - said: "Flea, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' bass player, is pretty cool, it would be cool to work with him. I'm also trying to introduce the word 'Flee' to everybody... it's for when something is so fly, it's flee. Basically, he stole my word for his name."
Flea isn't the only rock star Tinchy admires. He is also a fan of Blink 182 - especially their drummer Travis Barker.
The grime star says he was "blown away" by the group after watching a documentary about them on TV.
He said: "Travis plays with Blink 182. They're good! I watched some programme about the band and Travis' playing blew me away."
Thursday, 15 October 2009
Brendan Mullen: Flea remembers the Masque punk rock club founder
Brendan Mullen had a lot of friends. I was one of them.
When the Red Hots started in 1983, Brendan was booking the Club Lingerie, and because he was booking it, it was an exciting place to play. One knew that he would be playing in the company of interesting, inventive musicians, the avant of independent music, youth culture or not. Brendan created a fertile, exciting, creative environment, the type of scene that inspired musicians to reach out, to try and find new sounds.
Anthony [Kiedis] and I walked in there one afternoon to see him, armed with a boombox and our first demo tape. We were trying to hustle our act, saying and doing what we thought we needed to do to try to get a gig.
Brendan was polite but could have cared less whether we were cool, or popular, or could sell tickets. He wanted to hear the music. We sat down and played it for him; he focused and listened, making occasional insightful comments about the music. We were so proud and excited when he liked it and booked us to open for Bad Brains.
It was a huge step for us to get that gig, but in a much more important way, I felt profoundly validated to be accepted and acknowledged by Brendan Mullen, who was a crucial part -- a hub -- of a scene that for me had mythological status.
When I first became conscious of the punk, innovative part of the youth rock scene in L.A., it was 1980. We were hovering on the far outskirts of it; about as close as we could get was to hang out in the Starwood parking lot and get in to see shows once in a while. The more I learned about the wellspring for the intense punk rock scene that I loved, the more enthralled I was by it.
Universal punk
Then it was not the scene it would become -- macho and violent, with rules about haircuts and uniforms -- it was a freethinking, vibrant, artistic scene of groundbreaking bands like the Germs, the Weirdos, the Screamers, all groups who sounded completely different from each other but were united by their willingness to be their own freaky selves, embrace an intense new rhythm and raise a robust middle finger to the face of the rock music corporate structure and all of its musical lackeys.
Nursing the scene
When Brendan started the Masque, it was a pure act, creating a place for people he liked (the aforementioned bands and many others) to do their thing, have fun and get wild, no salesmen allowed.
It became a nucleus for a thrilling new music environment that gave birth to the Southern California punk rock music scene, which later gave birth to some of the most important rock music to ever come out of California: X, Black Flag, Los Lobos and then later, the Minutemen, Jane's Addiction and the (humbly I say) Red Hots. He also played drums for Hal Negro and the Satin Tones.
It was an exciting cross-cultural punk scene that embraced all races, genders, sexual orientations and any manner of deviant. It was beautiful. Just no phonies. Brendan Mullen was key in all of this. Brendan was also a part of and present for the first hip-hop scene that made its way to Hollywood, working on shows with Ice-T, Afrika Bambaataa and the Arabian Prince.
A broad palate
Brendan never deserted the L.A. music scene through its ups and downs; he always looked to what new exciting thing he could find, and in more recent years supported the music as a writer.
We always had great talks about music, of which he had a deep passion and an encyclopedic knowledge. He loved music from the Contortions to Return to Forever to John Coltrane -- he signed off on all his recent e-mails to me "A Love Supreme" -- and everything in between and beyond.
We would talk at length about any kind of music and all the fun stories and folklore that surrounded it, and reminisce about the L.A. music scene. He always had ideas, hopes and curiosities about more new and creative things to happen in the future.
One of us
Over the last year the Red Hot Chili Peppers had been working closely with Brendan on a book about our band, and we all spent many hours with him talking about our history, discussing the direction of the book, etc. Throughout all of it, we were grateful to work with someone who cared for and knew as much about music and its culture as he did.
But more than that, we were lucky to work with a friend, part of our family, one of us.
Whenever I came home to L.A. and saw him, I knew that I belonged to something, that I was in a place that was my home.
Brendan was an intellectual, a musician, a writer, a partyer and a regular dude. And I speak for all of us when I say to Brendan . . . a love supreme! Brendan has broken through to the other side!
R.I.P., Brendan Mullen.
When the Red Hots started in 1983, Brendan was booking the Club Lingerie, and because he was booking it, it was an exciting place to play. One knew that he would be playing in the company of interesting, inventive musicians, the avant of independent music, youth culture or not. Brendan created a fertile, exciting, creative environment, the type of scene that inspired musicians to reach out, to try and find new sounds.
Anthony [Kiedis] and I walked in there one afternoon to see him, armed with a boombox and our first demo tape. We were trying to hustle our act, saying and doing what we thought we needed to do to try to get a gig.
Brendan was polite but could have cared less whether we were cool, or popular, or could sell tickets. He wanted to hear the music. We sat down and played it for him; he focused and listened, making occasional insightful comments about the music. We were so proud and excited when he liked it and booked us to open for Bad Brains.
It was a huge step for us to get that gig, but in a much more important way, I felt profoundly validated to be accepted and acknowledged by Brendan Mullen, who was a crucial part -- a hub -- of a scene that for me had mythological status.
When I first became conscious of the punk, innovative part of the youth rock scene in L.A., it was 1980. We were hovering on the far outskirts of it; about as close as we could get was to hang out in the Starwood parking lot and get in to see shows once in a while. The more I learned about the wellspring for the intense punk rock scene that I loved, the more enthralled I was by it.
Universal punk
Then it was not the scene it would become -- macho and violent, with rules about haircuts and uniforms -- it was a freethinking, vibrant, artistic scene of groundbreaking bands like the Germs, the Weirdos, the Screamers, all groups who sounded completely different from each other but were united by their willingness to be their own freaky selves, embrace an intense new rhythm and raise a robust middle finger to the face of the rock music corporate structure and all of its musical lackeys.
Nursing the scene
When Brendan started the Masque, it was a pure act, creating a place for people he liked (the aforementioned bands and many others) to do their thing, have fun and get wild, no salesmen allowed.
It became a nucleus for a thrilling new music environment that gave birth to the Southern California punk rock music scene, which later gave birth to some of the most important rock music to ever come out of California: X, Black Flag, Los Lobos and then later, the Minutemen, Jane's Addiction and the (humbly I say) Red Hots. He also played drums for Hal Negro and the Satin Tones.
It was an exciting cross-cultural punk scene that embraced all races, genders, sexual orientations and any manner of deviant. It was beautiful. Just no phonies. Brendan Mullen was key in all of this. Brendan was also a part of and present for the first hip-hop scene that made its way to Hollywood, working on shows with Ice-T, Afrika Bambaataa and the Arabian Prince.
A broad palate
Brendan never deserted the L.A. music scene through its ups and downs; he always looked to what new exciting thing he could find, and in more recent years supported the music as a writer.
We always had great talks about music, of which he had a deep passion and an encyclopedic knowledge. He loved music from the Contortions to Return to Forever to John Coltrane -- he signed off on all his recent e-mails to me "A Love Supreme" -- and everything in between and beyond.
We would talk at length about any kind of music and all the fun stories and folklore that surrounded it, and reminisce about the L.A. music scene. He always had ideas, hopes and curiosities about more new and creative things to happen in the future.
One of us
Over the last year the Red Hot Chili Peppers had been working closely with Brendan on a book about our band, and we all spent many hours with him talking about our history, discussing the direction of the book, etc. Throughout all of it, we were grateful to work with someone who cared for and knew as much about music and its culture as he did.
But more than that, we were lucky to work with a friend, part of our family, one of us.
Whenever I came home to L.A. and saw him, I knew that I belonged to something, that I was in a place that was my home.
Brendan was an intellectual, a musician, a writer, a partyer and a regular dude. And I speak for all of us when I say to Brendan . . . a love supreme! Brendan has broken through to the other side!
R.I.P., Brendan Mullen.
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Chickenfoot Prepare Limited Edition Release of Debut Album
Sammy Hagar's newest project, Chickenfoot (with guitarist Joe Satriani, Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer Chad Smith, and Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony) will release a deluxe limited edition of their self-titled debut.
The band's original release has already been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America with over 500,000 in album shipments.
"This band is so intense and so loud," Hagar, who grew up in Fontana, said in a telephone interview over the summer.
The new disc will include the bonus track "Bitten by the Wolf," and a DVD of an hour's worth of behind the scenes footage of the band, music videos, interviews and concert footage from their European and U.S. tours.
Hagar said performing every night on tour was a little bit different.
"Every night we were just experimenting between songs," he said.
It will be available exclusively through Best Buy starting on Nov. 1.
The limited edition album will feature a reverse design from that which was featured on their self-titled debut. The original black album artwork was printed with heat sensitive ink and the new design will feature a white background printed with fluorescent ink.
"We're still creating as we go," Hagar said.
Courtesy of PE.com
Monday, 12 October 2009
Red Hots back rehearsing/jamming/recording today?
Apparently the Chili Peppers are due to get together today (Monday the 12th of October) and start working towards new material.
Fingers crossed it won't take too long.
I'll keep everyone posted with the latest news.
Fingers crossed it won't take too long.
I'll keep everyone posted with the latest news.
"Red Hot Chili Peppers" Halftime Show at the Maryland vs Cal football game
Cal Bears Band performs the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" Halftime Show at the Maryland vs Cal football game on September 5, 2009.
VOTE for the Chili Peppers
The end of the decade is just weeks away, and in celebration BT Vision is giving you the chance to win 50 of the best albums from the past ten years from the likes of Justin Timberlake, Amy Winehouse, Lady GaGa, Take That, The Killers and Coldplay, as selected by the Vision Music team. Plus, ten runners-up will receive a copy of Now 74, which is due for release on 23 November.
All you have to do is vote in our poll to select the best music video of the decade from the 50 listed here, and then complete your details.
The competition closes 31 October, so turn on and tune in to watch some of the most revered and visually stunning music videos of the past ten years in BT Vision’s Best Of The Decade special during November.
Click HERE to vote
All you have to do is vote in our poll to select the best music video of the decade from the 50 listed here, and then complete your details.
The competition closes 31 October, so turn on and tune in to watch some of the most revered and visually stunning music videos of the past ten years in BT Vision’s Best Of The Decade special during November.
Click HERE to vote
Monday, 5 October 2009
Did the Red Hot Chili Peppers sell out?
Among the many terms that should be considered cliché and overused, “selling out” is a phrase that is often abused by vindictive and selfish music fans. Bands are frequently labeled “sell-outs,” because their original fan base felt they became too famous. More often than not, this tends to be an inaccurate accusation. Not every famous band betrayed their fans and their principles for fortune and fame.
One could debate whether or not being famous is a good thing, but I don’t believe that every band that achieves mainstream success can be considered a sell-out. Nevertheless, no matter the band, the CD, the situation, someone will inevitably criticize them and apply the dreaded sell-out label, especially if he or she is a die-hard fan. This is something I cannot understand.
Bands that play together for an extended period of time slowly form their style and undergo an organic transformation, in many cases eventually sounding completely different than their initial music. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are considered a staple rock band in today’s music industry and have come a long way to be considered such. They gained a very loyal fan base in the late 80s for their rap lyrics and psychedelic funk sound, culminating in their breakthrough album Blood Sugar Sex Magik in 1991.
This album gave them some big hits, but the one everyone is most familiar with from this part of their career is “Under the Bridge.” The song was written as a personal poem about Anthony Kiedis’ drug use, and he didn’t intentionally write it for use as a song. Almost twenty years later, it is still considered one of their greatest songs. It also broke the mold for them. When they had their comeback in 1998, the softer side of the Chili Peppers allowed them greater mainstream success. You can bet the original fans gave them a hard time about it. However, so many other fans were able to appreciate their new music direction.
No one would ever make the mistake of calling a one-hit wonder a sellout. After all, a group defined by one big song and nothing more cannot be accused of changing its style to find success – success found them. How is this different from how other bands become famous? One day they get lucky and one of their songs becomes a hit, and that’s the start of the next phase in their career. The original fans may grow to dislike the very song everyone else likes, as they now have to share their secret discovery with everyone else. These fans get bitter, and as a result they start throwing that dreaded label around.
Courtesy of New University
Thom Yorke and Flea: Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles
The news that Thom Yorke had come to Los Angeles and formed a temporary supergroup with Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers was surprise enough to most Radiohead fans. Most were intrigued, but for those concerned with rock credibility it was like hearing that the chaps from Peep Show were taking a break to write a show with Jim Davidson, or that Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall was collaborating with Bernard Matthews on a turkey burger.
Then, for those lucky enough to get hold of tickets for the suddenly announced shows (first a "rehearsal show" at the 600-capacity Echoplex nightclub, then two nights at the glorious 2,000-seater Orpheum Theatre) the even bigger surprise was in seeing what would happen when Yorke's solo album, The Eraser, was played in full by this new, nameless band, also featuring Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich on keyboards, Joey Waronker on drums and Mauro Refosco on Brazilian percussion.
Then, for those lucky enough to get hold of tickets for the suddenly announced shows (first a "rehearsal show" at the 600-capacity Echoplex nightclub, then two nights at the glorious 2,000-seater Orpheum Theatre) the even bigger surprise was in seeing what would happen when Yorke's solo album, The Eraser, was played in full by this new, nameless band, also featuring Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich on keyboards, Joey Waronker on drums and Mauro Refosco on Brazilian percussion.
Harrowdown Hill, a gut-wrenching work that queries whether the death of Ministry of Defence weapons expert Dr David Kelly was really suicide, has been described by Yorke as "the angriest song I have ever written". So who knew that what it really needed was a funky Chili Peppers bassline wriggling through it? Yet somehow Flea managed to take this most haunting and most English of songs and make it his own. The Clock turned into something between trip-hop and dubstep, thanks to the pounding tribal beat of Refosco's berimbau, an Afro-Brazilian instrument used to keep time in capoeira slave dances.
Skip Divided saw Flea, a gifted trumpeter, parping into a melodica, and on some songs Godrich provided backing vocals. Yet the biggest surprise of all was seeing Flea and Yorke share the front of the stage to dance together – Yorke wiggling his hips while an electric shock appeared to run through his arms; Flea doing his unique loose-neck limbo, like a swan that has mistaken itself for a woodpecker.
"This music was all about making a dance record, in my head, so if you want to sit there like it's a cinema that's fine," announced Yorke, "but if you want to get up ..." And with that, an audience that included Hollywood actors Tobey Maguire, Anne Hathaway and Woody Harrelson leapt to their feet.
Later, Yorke was left alone to play three new songs at the piano: Lotus Flower, Open the Floodgates, and Super Collider, the latter involving piano chords that looped from major to minor with an unadulterated sweetness rarely associated with Radiohead. Then the band returned for an encore of Paperbag Writer (dedicated to Colin Greenwood, the only Radiohead member in the audience), Judge, Jury & Executioner, The Hollow Earth, and Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses.
Lily Allen, recently annoyed by Radiohead's support for guerrilla music industry schemes, may be even more annoyed now. Not only did this show require a marketing budget of zero but rehearsal time was only three weeks, according to Yorke, "so I'd like to thank these guys for working their tits off".
The biggest cheer of the night came during Atoms for Peace. "No more talk about the old days," he sang, "it's time for something great."
Courtesy of The Guardian
Radiohead's Thom Yorke debuts new band in LA featuring Flea
Radiohead's Thom Yorke debuted new material with an all-star backing band at an intimate venue in Los Angeles tonight (October 2).
The frontman rolled out several tunes with the new band, which featured Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, REM collaborator Joey Waronker, Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Mauro Refosco, and producer Nigel Godrich. Tickets for the last-minute "secret" gig at the Echoplex were at a premium, selling out in a matter of minutes and reportedly being scalped online for as much as $3,000.
Yorke was in incredibly high spirits, dancing, smiling and even joking with the audience, which included Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, actresses Rosanna Arquette and Ellen Page, famed producer Rick Rubin, and members of Neon Neon and Cold War Kids. "Welcome to the 'rehearsal,'" he said, miming quotes in the air with his hands.
He kicked things off with the title track from his 2006 solo album 'The Eraser' before seguing into 'Analyse' and running through the tracklist of his debut full-length. The band kept the pace, adding layers to the material and breathing new life into it.
Flea, who began the evening playing nonchalantly off to the side of the stage, gradually moved toward centre stage, sharing the spotlight with Yorke while jamming on his bass guitar. At one point in the evening, a member of the audience shouted, "Play some Skynyrd!" Yorke responded by flashing both middle fingers, saying, "You think I should be playing Stone Temple Pilots too?"
After a rousing 50-minute set, the band left the stage. Yorke returned for what began as a solo encore, performing the piano-based ballad 'Open The Floodgates' as well as 'Lotus Flower' all on his own. The din of the crowd could be heard above the quiet tunes, which prompted Yorke to say, "If you want to have a chat, go fuck off outside, all right?" The crowd cheered and then quieted down.
After struggling through the opening notes of a couple of tracks (the only evidence that this was, in fact, a rehearsal) Yorke invited the rest of the band back on stage to debut several new tunes that showcased almost tribal rhythms augmented by synthesizers and his distinctive falsetto.
"This one is brand, brand, brand, brand new," Yorke said of several of the tracks, which were received positively by the audience. The band ended the night with an explosive version of 'Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses'.
Thom Yorke played:
'The Eraser'
'Analyse'
'The Clock'
'Black Swan'
'Skip Divided'
'Atoms For Peace'
'And It Rained All Night'
'Harrowdown Hill'
'Cymbal Rush'
'Open The Floodgates'
'Lotus Flower'
'Skirting On The Surface'
'Judge, Jury, Executioner'
'Paperbag Writer'
'The Hollow Earth'
'Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses'
Yorke and his new band are set to perform two more shows in Los Angeles at the Orpheum Theatre on October 4 and 5.
Courtesy of NME
The frontman rolled out several tunes with the new band, which featured Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, REM collaborator Joey Waronker, Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Mauro Refosco, and producer Nigel Godrich. Tickets for the last-minute "secret" gig at the Echoplex were at a premium, selling out in a matter of minutes and reportedly being scalped online for as much as $3,000.
Yorke was in incredibly high spirits, dancing, smiling and even joking with the audience, which included Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, actresses Rosanna Arquette and Ellen Page, famed producer Rick Rubin, and members of Neon Neon and Cold War Kids. "Welcome to the 'rehearsal,'" he said, miming quotes in the air with his hands.
He kicked things off with the title track from his 2006 solo album 'The Eraser' before seguing into 'Analyse' and running through the tracklist of his debut full-length. The band kept the pace, adding layers to the material and breathing new life into it.
Flea, who began the evening playing nonchalantly off to the side of the stage, gradually moved toward centre stage, sharing the spotlight with Yorke while jamming on his bass guitar. At one point in the evening, a member of the audience shouted, "Play some Skynyrd!" Yorke responded by flashing both middle fingers, saying, "You think I should be playing Stone Temple Pilots too?"
After a rousing 50-minute set, the band left the stage. Yorke returned for what began as a solo encore, performing the piano-based ballad 'Open The Floodgates' as well as 'Lotus Flower' all on his own. The din of the crowd could be heard above the quiet tunes, which prompted Yorke to say, "If you want to have a chat, go fuck off outside, all right?" The crowd cheered and then quieted down.
After struggling through the opening notes of a couple of tracks (the only evidence that this was, in fact, a rehearsal) Yorke invited the rest of the band back on stage to debut several new tunes that showcased almost tribal rhythms augmented by synthesizers and his distinctive falsetto.
"This one is brand, brand, brand, brand new," Yorke said of several of the tracks, which were received positively by the audience. The band ended the night with an explosive version of 'Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses'.
Thom Yorke played:
'The Eraser'
'Analyse'
'The Clock'
'Black Swan'
'Skip Divided'
'Atoms For Peace'
'And It Rained All Night'
'Harrowdown Hill'
'Cymbal Rush'
'Open The Floodgates'
'Lotus Flower'
'Skirting On The Surface'
'Judge, Jury, Executioner'
'Paperbag Writer'
'The Hollow Earth'
'Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses'
Yorke and his new band are set to perform two more shows in Los Angeles at the Orpheum Theatre on October 4 and 5.
Courtesy of NME
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
"The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a band of middle aged Los Angeles Lakers fans"
Not my words, the words of Uncyclopedia (Joke version of Wikipedia)
Click HERE to see the full page on the Chili Peppers
Click HERE to see the full page on the Chili Peppers
NME Give the Flea and Thom Yorke collaboration the "WTF?" treatment
Last time music bloggers got excited about a Thom Yorke "collaboration", supposedly a video incorporating Banksy's urban art, it turned out to be a pointless and annoying hoax, perpetrated by the self-promoting clown who "directed" the video.
This time we're presumably dealing with the real thing, since it was announced via Radiohead's Dead Air Space blog, but it's still scarcely easier to believe: Thom Yorke has started a new band with Red Hot Chili Peppers bass-thwacker Flea. It's possibly the least likely hook-up since Snoop Dogg recorded a track with Buzz Aldrin.
Is it really a good idea? It seems so incongruous. I've seen Radiohead live more times than any other band, and perhaps my memory fails me, but I'm fairly sure that at no point has any member of the band taken their top off and gurned like an over-eager yoga instructor.
The new super-group - also featuring long-time radiohead producer Nigel Godrich - are set to play solo Thom Yorke tracks at two LA shows. Can we expect to hear a new version of 'Harrowdown Hill', punctuated by an extended slap-bass breakdown? It's too horrible to contemplate.
And since when has Yorke been a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan? Does he relax of an evening by firing up iTunes and spazzing out to 'Sex Rap'? Does he air-bass to 'Freaky Styley'? It would seem unlikely.
Courtesy of NME Blog
This time we're presumably dealing with the real thing, since it was announced via Radiohead's Dead Air Space blog, but it's still scarcely easier to believe: Thom Yorke has started a new band with Red Hot Chili Peppers bass-thwacker Flea. It's possibly the least likely hook-up since Snoop Dogg recorded a track with Buzz Aldrin.
Is it really a good idea? It seems so incongruous. I've seen Radiohead live more times than any other band, and perhaps my memory fails me, but I'm fairly sure that at no point has any member of the band taken their top off and gurned like an over-eager yoga instructor.
The new super-group - also featuring long-time radiohead producer Nigel Godrich - are set to play solo Thom Yorke tracks at two LA shows. Can we expect to hear a new version of 'Harrowdown Hill', punctuated by an extended slap-bass breakdown? It's too horrible to contemplate.
And since when has Yorke been a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan? Does he relax of an evening by firing up iTunes and spazzing out to 'Sex Rap'? Does he air-bass to 'Freaky Styley'? It would seem unlikely.
Courtesy of NME Blog
Radiohead and Red Hot Chili Peppers join forces
Thom Yorke has assembled a new band featuring Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and producer Nigel Godrich.
The un-named group, which also features musicians Joey Waronker and Mauro Refosco, have announced two live gigs in at LA's Orpheum Theatre on 4th and 5th of October.
They'll play songs from Yorke's 2006 solo album The Eraser and "new songs".
Writing on his blog the Radiohead singer said: "We don't really have a name and the set will not be very long cuz ..well ...we haven't got that much material yet!"
No further dates have been confirmed.
Radiohead last appeared live headlining this year's Reading and Leeds festivals in August.
Courtesy of BBC News
Monday, 28 September 2009
Warner Music and YouTube End Feud
Warner Music pulled all of its music from the video-sharing site in December after the two companies failed to reach a new licensing deal.
The move resulted in thousand of music videos being removed, user generated content using Warner Music falling silent and artists had their videos blocked from their own websites if they embedded clips through YouTube.
Music videos from artists including Madonna, U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kid Rock were among those affected.
The dispute arose after Warner Music demanded a higher fee each time its content was viewed, which YouTube maintained was uneconomical.
YouTube has been embroiled in a series of disagreements with music rights holders, including the UK's PRS for Music, which collects royalties for songwriters and composers for music played in Britain.
The two parties reached a three-year agreement earlier this month, which involved the payment of a one-off lump sum.
For fans of Warner artists, things are looking up. The label is reportedly in talks with Vevo, a joint venture between YouTube, Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, which is expected to launch this year.
Courtesy of Revolution Magazine
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Red Hot Chili Peppers nominated for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Red Hot Chili Peppers, LL Cool J and Kiss are among the first-time nominees aiming for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, according to a dozen-long list of finalists released by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation.
Going up against returning candidates like The Stooges and ABBA, five of the 12 nominees will be chosen for induction in January once the 500 music industry voters have made their choices.
"It's a real honour to be nominated in our first year of eligibility," said Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith to Billboard.com. "Obviously the Hall Of Fame has excellent musical taste," he added.
An announcement of the inductees is due in January, while the 25th Annual Induction Ceremony will take place on March 15 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. While the inductees are being decided, the Hall Of Fame is also preparing for its 25th anniversary concerts on October 29 and 30 at New York's Madison Square Garden with performances by U2, Metallica, Stevie Wonder and Simon & Garfunkel already among those confirmed.
A nine-DVD boxset titled 'Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Live' and a book, 'The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: The First 25 Years', are also due for release to coincide with the celebrations.
The full list of nominees is as follows:
ABBA
The Chantels
Jimmy Cliff
Genesis
The Hollies
Kiss
LL Cool J
Darlene Love
Laura Nyro
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Stooges
Donna Summer
Artists are eligible for induction 25 years after their first single or album release.
Courtesy of NME
Flea to appear on Early 2010 release 'Slash and Friends'
Slash has revealed that he recorded a track with Dave Grohl and Duff McKagan last night (September 22).
The former Guns N' Roses and current Velvet Revolver guitarist revealed the news on his Twitter.com/slashHudson account. Writing on the page, he said that Grohl plays drums on the track, while McKagan plays bass.
"Great jamming w/Duff & Grohl tonight, the track is a killer instrumental, very heavy," he Tweeted.
Slash's solo album – called 'Slash & Friends' – is reportedly due for release in early 2010. The album is confirmed to feature a number of guest musicians, including Iggy Pop, Nick Oliveri, Ronnie Wood, Flea, Jason Bonham, Fergie and Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine.
Courtesy of NME
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Rick Rubin: In the Studio (book)
There is no greater enigma than Rick Rubin working in record production today. As mysterious personally as the Buddhist religion he practices, Rubin has made one thing crystal clear: the records he produces are sonically and stylistically beyond reproach. MTV has called Rubin “the most important producer of the last 20 years,” while Rolling Stone ventured even further, deeming Rubin the most successful “of any genre.”
Without a niche, Rubin has taken greater risks than any producer in the record industry over the past quarter century. Pushing his artists into new territory has garnered Rubin seven Grammys, including Producer of the Year in 2007, and made him the most in-demand record producer working today. Now for the first time, Rick Rubin: In the Studio offers the behind-the-scenes stories of how Rubin created hit albums with such diverse legends as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Run DMC, Johnny Cash, the Beastie Boys, Audioslave, Tom Petty, Metallica, Danzig, Slayer, LL Cool J, The Cult, Weezer, the Dixie Chicks, Linkin Park, System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine, Jay Z, Neil Diamond, Sheryl Crow, and Slipknot.
This book chronicles his meteoric rise, from his early days as DJ Double R in the early ’80s, founding and running Def Jam Records alongside Russell Simmons from an NYU dorm room, discovering and producing the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J, to his transition in the early ’90s into a successful independent record executive, signing and producing the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Johnny Cash, to his role as the most influential producer of all time (currently as the co-head of Columbia Records), and his continued successes with rock/metal supergroups Audioslave, Linkin Park, and Metallica.
This in-depth look at the life and times of Rick Rubin — in the studio and beyond — is a must-have for any music fan.
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Anthony Kiedis in "I Pledge!" Video for Barack Obama
This is a video featuring celebs promoting pledging a change. Anthony appears at 1:20, 1:35 and 3:17.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
The Youngest and Cutest Chili Peppers fan singing By The Way (video)
Beat those mid-week blues with this nice little video.
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
NEW John Frusciante Interview
People are going to ask again. You have not publicly spoken about The Red Hot Chili Peppers future in music. The other guys in the band have. Are you still with the band?
I don’t address rumors. Music is priority. The rest is nice but I don’t go out of my way to address rumors. Rumors are boring. I have not quit my band.
But you do agree the press can help make or break a band, right?
(laughs) Yes. Music will always stand alone. Music will always have an underground scene. Yes. Press plays an important role for the cross over. You and I disagree sometimes. You know I won’t ever want to do music to commericalize it. I know some of your clients are doing music to make money. It doesn’t mean they are not talented, it just means their hearts are not in the right place. I make money too but it was not the reason I got into music. Music is my first love.
Speaking of music, what are you listening to?
The last three songs I played are Sweet Sunlight by Ten Feet. They are out of Hawaii. Um, Renan Luce’s La Lettre. I know that is one we both like. Oh, and Trouble is a Friend by Lenka. Really like that song. I like the remix version.
Anything you are looking forward to?
The new season of It is always sunny in Philadelphia. I will say your book too. It is shameless and you can be mad. I just know it is a goal of yours so more than the story I think it is important to get it out there.
Any plans to play with Camp Freddy? Dave Navarro said you are the best guitar, are something to the effect.
I won’t say no.
Strangest thing about your fame?
People assume when I am done with a show with my band I want to talk about gear. I do want to talk about it. It is a passion. Just sometimes the spirits feel otherwise and I have to go and write or spend time with my friends.
Want to address to recent cancellation with Bangface?
Not really.
Any advise to offer for other musicians?
Um, really to play around with effects and try not to loose sight of their writing. Your heart and the universe has a way of making things evolve. Greed is a terrible character trait. Do things out of purity for the love of it.
Courtesy of The Horse Chronicles
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge is 25th Greatest Song Ever according to XFM
XFM recently listed their top 100 songs of all time. 'Under The Bridge' was the only Red Hot Chili Peppers' song to chart, appearing at number 25.
'Chase and Status' play 'Red Hot Chili Peppers' at Reading Festival DJ Set
Large crowds gathered for Chase and Status’ DJ set in the Dance Arena. Amongst the drum and bass, the duo slipped Red Hot Chili Peppers ‘Give It Away’ into the set and the popular ‘Jungle Is Massive’ by General Levy. The excitement levels were elevated as teenagers scaled the rafters throughout the set with massive cheers granted for those who made it to the top.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)