Stone Temple Pilots Live Jakarta 2011 Photos


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Show Review: Stone Temple Pilots Live Jakarta 2011


 Finally, the seminal alternative rock band from San Diego, Stone Temple Pilots, often referred to simply as STP, performed for the first time ever in ASEAN. Indonesia was luckily have them on stage last week (I hope they will make it to Malaysia someday). Heavy rain couldn’t stop Stone Temple Pilots fans from flocking to Pekan Raya Jakarta Arena in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta on Sunday, 13th March 2011.


 When the gates opened at 6 p.m., the rain had already stopped and a cool, fresh breeze provided some much-appreciated relief from the humidity.

The stage
 Around 8 p.m., the concert’s opening act, The Flowers, an Indonesian rock band that had its heyday in the mid to late 1990s, took the stage, delivering a handful of songs to warm up the crowd.

Scott Weiland and Dean DeLeo
  An hour or so later, the long wait was finally over when STP members Scott Weiland (vocals), Eric Kretz (drums), Robert DeLeo (bass) and his brother, Dean DeLeo (guitar), walked out on stage.

 STP’s flamboyant frontman, Weiland, who has battled drug addiction throughout his career, was the center of attention during the concert, and probably not just due to his chaotic stage persona.

Scott Weiland
 Weiland, who is in his early 40s, had a breakdown during a concert in Houston in September 2010, when he admitted that he had a drinking problem. Only a month before that, Weiland reportedly fell off the stage while performing in Cincinnati.

 Fortunately, he was on his best behavior during the show in Jakarta and his total commitment to the band’s music showed in his enthusiastic performance throughout the concert.

Songs Setlist
  STP formed in 1992 and was initially dismissed by critics as “grunge imitators” who were jumping on the bandwagon of the Seattle music scene that catapulted groups like Nirvana and Pearl Jam into the spotlight.

 Despite the criticism, STP’s debut album, “Core,” released the same year, was a major success, as was the band’s sophomore effort, “Purple,” released in 1994. “Tiny Music … Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop” (1996), “No. 4” (1999) and “Shangri-La Dee Da” (2001) followed before STP eventually decided to call it quits. Many observers blamed Weiland’s addiction to heroin for the breakup.

Robert DeLeo and Scott Weiland
 While Kretz and the DeLeo brothers started their own music projects, Weiland became the lead singer of Velvet Revolver in 2004. The hard rock band also featured former Guns N’ Roses members, including the legendary guitarist Slash.

 Despite the band’s success, however, Weiland was “fired” in 2008 — again because of his erratic behavior and personal problems.

 He then reteamed with his former bandmates and, suddenly, STP was reborn — complete with its original lineup. The group released a self-titled album of new material in May 2010.

 Most of the people who made it to the Jakarta concert were ecstatic about the fact that STP had finally made its way to Indonesia. For a long time, it seemed that seeing the band play live in its original formation would simply be impossible.

 Given the fact that STP’s biggest commercial success dates back to the 1990s, most of the people in the crowd were in their late 20s to early 40s, and, of course, the most anticipated songs were STP’s greatest hits.

 Weiland and the boys took their time to introduce songs from their new album to their Indonesian audience during the concert. Influenced by both 1970s rock music and country music, STP’s newest release features several standout songs, such as “Cinnamon,” “Take a Load Off” and “Huckleberry Crumble,” all of which the band performed on Sunday night.

 But the crowd really came alive when the band traveled back in time to perform some of the biggest hits from its earlier albums. Both “Vasoline” and “Big Empty” received huge cheers from the crowd, but they went crazy over the song “Plush,” from STP’s debut album — arguably the group’s most popular song to date.

 Weiland, who limited his communication with the audience during the show to saying “thank you” after each song, proved that, despite his troubled past, he still has a fascinating stage presence and has lost none of the power of his signature guttural voice.
 
Crowd during the show
  The concert, organized by Java Musikindo, also attracted quite a few Indonesian celebrities, including musicians Ahmad Dhani and Elfonda “Once” Mekel; film directors Nia Dinata and Joko Anwar; and actors Tora Sudiro and Vino G Bastian.

STP on their appreciation to the crowd in final moments. L-R: Rob DeLeo, Scott Weiland, Dean DeLeo, Eric Kretz
 It was a thrilling concert — and everyone who is a true rocker at heart must have gone home satisfied after one and a half hours of great live music and a little trip back in time to their youth.

More pictures from the show click here
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The Smashing Pumpkins Debut New Song “Lightning Strikes” via RollingStone.com


 The Smashing Pumpkins released their ninth free track “Lightning Strikes” on Thursday, March 17. It will first be available for 24 hours at Rollingstone.com, Then starting Friday, March 18, it will be available for free download at www.smashingpumpkins.com; the site also offers a widget enabling fans to host the song anywhere on the web.   

  Pumpkins leader BILLY CORGAN says the song is “dedicated with affection to Mark Tulin...and all our great Japanese fans who are in our prayers.”  Mark Tulin, the bassist and founding member of the pioneering psych-rockers The Electric Prunes, died last month.  Tulin played in the Pumpkins and appears on tracks from the band’s Teargarden By Kaleidyscope work.  He also toured with Corgan in the band Spirits In the Sky in 2009.

 "Lightning Strikes" is now the ninth song to be offered to fans via free download.  It is from the Pumpkins’ Teargarden By Kaleidyscope, an in-progress 44-song work. Since December 2009, the band has been releasing one song at a time for free, with eight of the songs also available on two physical EPs that were released in 2010.

 The Smashing Pumpkins -- singer/guitarist BILLY CORGAN, guitarist JEFF SCHROEDER, drummer MIKE BYRNE and bassist NICOLE FIORENTINO--recorded “Lightning Strikes,” says CORGAN, “by all the members of the band after we came off our last tour” at the end of 2010.  “I feel this song organically hints at new directions without being forced.”

 “Lightning Strikes” has an interesting back story. Explains CORGAN: “It was supposed to be more of a fun thing, a song originally written for the Electric Prunes. But I found an element in it that suggested a bigger picture, and unfortunately I stole it back from them. The lyric in my mind combines the isolation of modern life with the need for a never ending romantic story.”

 For CORGAN, the process of releasing music one song at a time “has inspired me to treat each song as its own thought as opposed to a collective mentality where songs need to fit together. It has definitely helped me to focus, and pay more attention to what I'm trying to say with each release.”
 
 In 2010, the Pumpkins performed three runs of dates in the U.S. plus shows in Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America. Asked about the band’s touring plans for 2011, CORGAN says: “We had no plans of going on the road this year, but now we may go to Europe in the fall, and if that happens, we’ll play a few select dates in America.”

Play "Lightning Strikes" via RollingStone.com
Download "Lightning Strikes" via SmashingPumpkins.com
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Exclusive Listen: Smashing Pumpkins' New Song 'Lightning Strikes'


 "Lightning Strikes," a new wave rocker with sparkling synthesizers, is the latest track from the Smashing Pumpkins' Teargarden By Kaleidyscope, an epic 44-track album that the band have been releasing for free one song at a time. The song, which frontman Billy Corgan dedicates to the memory of his collaborator Mark Tulin and to the Pumpkins' fans in Japan, will be available on the band's site tomorrow – but you can stream it here today.


Click to listen
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Eddie Vedder - Longing To Belong


Have a listen to Longing To Belong, the first single from Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder's forthcoming reportedly called Uke Songs, which due to out this June


Click to listen
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[REVIEW] The Strokes – "Angles" (Album)


 It’d be nice to live as one of The Strokes. Just their mere existence seems enthralling. Although Julian Casablancas always looks two shades away from a drug addict – you know, disheveled, sleep deprived, and with hair in dire need of Pert Plus – he still shuffles around with this aura that sells him as the coolest fucking guy on the planet. The same applies to the four others, who all still look like they’re in their early 20s. Yes, 10 years later, New York’s finest rock ‘n’ roll export – a title that deserves more credit than you’d imagine – need not worry about its prestige, or its relevance. They went on hiatus, only to return as kings, headlining festivals and working with a red-hot hype machine, one that most acts in their class would perform sex acts for – it’s true. Five years ago, you wouldn’t have pegged the band as even potentials for headlining the likes of Lollapalooza, and especially not Coachella. You just wouldn’t. Here’s some perspective, though: The last time they stepped off the stage (sometime in Fall of ’06?), they were opening for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and they looked fucking miserable, too.
  So, they’ve had a vacation of sorts. Casablancas, Albert Hammond, Jr., and Nikolai Fraiture put out solo works, all with mixed results, Valensi spent time raising his child and performing next to Sia, while Fabrizio Moretti broke things off with Drew Barrymore (ouch) and worked on Little Joy. It’s been a tender five years since they unbuckled First Impressions of Earth, the polarizing third LP that left fans and critics swinging both ways. Because of this lapse in time, so many folks love to romanticize the idea of the band nearly breaking up, speculating that Casablancas grew tired, or Hammond, Jr. wanted more. It’s not surprising, really, especially since the band spent sessions recording without Casablancas, or vice versa. But, as Fraiture told Spin back in January, “There was a lot of back and forth. I don’t know if Julian had trouble being with us — I don’t know what was going through his mind. There were tensions. But it worked.”

 Worked, indeed. Angles, The Strokes’ long awaited fourth LP, stands as the group’s most eclectic album to date. Digressing on the album title, again with Spin, Fraiture insisted, “It’s all about the different approach and the different ways these song came out.” That truth speaks volumes here. If you pegged “Under Cover of Darkness” as the true harbinger for the record, you’re sorely mistaken. It’s maybe one of possibly two tracks that harkens back to the band’s early days. The remainder sees the quintet exploring new sounds and new faces, assembling a pocket full of erratic tunes that sound like The Strokes but in a non-traditional sense. To use an inordinately esoteric (and borderline asinine) example, it’s sort of like the old action figure lines for Batman in the mid-’90s. The figure itself always looked the same, at least in terms of size and specifications, but it came in seven or eight different variations. You know, like Arctic Batman, Midnight Batman, Tarantula Batman, etc., etc.. If you were lucky, you snagged a missile launcher, or a dino buddy, or something to that nature.

 No dino buddies here, but the band does change its wardrobe aplenty. At one moment, they’re exploring murky ’80s dance grooves (“Machu Pichu”), only to backpedal seconds later with sunny melodies and popcorn riffage (“Under Cover of Darkness”). In the latter track, arguably the album’s most accessible and traditional moment, Casablancas insists he “won’t just be a puppet on a string.” He sticks to his guns, abandoning the band’s more ancestral sounds, and instead surges forward. But, remarkably, the band sounds most comfortable when they’re exploring uncharted territory.

 Some of it isn’t too distant and bizarre. If you took a chance with Casablancas’ incredibly underrated solo effort, 2009′s Phrazes for the Young, portions of material here may sound oddly familiar. “Two Kinds of Happiness” channels that hazy, aerial riffage that made up “Left & Right in the Dark”, while “Games” swims with filters and synthesizers that follow up “11th Dimension”. The difference here, however, is that these songs feel more focused and in tune. They don’t wander as much. Fraiture won’t let them; neither will Moretti. The two rope in the remaining three, keeping things precise and less fragmented. Take latest B-side, “You’re So Right”, for instance. Manic guitar lines segue with toe numbing percussion, while vocals wade in and out of Fraiture’s accelerated bottom lines. It helps that the guy wrote it. Altogether, it’s a frantic, pulsing inclusion, but it wouldn’t work without the solid composure of each member. That’ll silence the skeptics.

 Still, you can’t silence them for long, and, admittedly, parts of the album do falter. Having produced this themselves, with the exception of the closing track, which was worked on by producer Joe Chiccarelli (Shins, My Morning Jacket), there’s little touches that irritate. At times Casablancas marries himself too closely to the instrumentation (“Taken for a Fool”), while other moments seem spoiled by flooding out the background (“Metabolism”). Time will tell if abandoning longtime producer Gordon Raphael was a good thing, but at the moment, it seems like the band could have used a little tightening. It’s not just them, though. On the aforementioned album closer, “Life is Simple in the Moonlight”, Chiccarelli patches up any holes in sound, rounding out the album with a soiree of Police-like scales, atmospheric chords, soaring synthesizers, bells, etc.. It’s a beautiful collage, but slightly distracting, specifically the verses, where Casablancas happens to exhibit his strongest lyrics. Rest assured, though, the chorus champions on, and while it sounds stripped from Phrazes…, it’s catchy, it’s dance-y, and the layers finally work to its advantage.

 As with any Strokes record, the band slows things down, taking some time out for deeper moments of reflection. After all, Casablancas loves to dwell. “Is This It”? “Under Control”? “Ask Me Anything”? All in the same ballpark. Much like its predecessors, “Call Me Back” sees the elusive frontman coming to terms with his present conditions. “I look for you, and you look away,” he observes, moaning along to ghostly harmonies and spider-like guitars that crawl over an array of light noises. For a record stuffed with instrumentation, this sparse melody feels delectably rich and grounded. The bitter frontman entertains us with some humor, too, when he remarks, “Wait time is the worst/I can hardly sit/No one has the time/It’s why I’m always late.” That must be tongue-in-cheek, right? Maybe. Well, probably since he follows this up with “Gratisfaction”, a hip swinging jamboree that sees the band applauding themselves – literally.

 Recently, Valensi told NME, “If we had just released [Angles] a year or two after the last one, I imagine it would have gone better.” Not sure that’s true. So many critics winced at the twists and turns of First Impressions of Earth, and yet that featured more traditional sounding tunes than here. It’s very likely they would have seethed from the mouth at the nature of this beast. While they do “return to form” on a couple tracks here, it’s quite the departure in sound from their last effort. But, we’re more open to the changes today. Not to mention, the band’s laid it out for us. They’ve insisted upon the album’s differing perspectives again and again. Because of this, Angles stays true to its name. It’s a multidimensional record that picks and pulls from various folders. Sure, it could benefit from some cohesion, but given the boys’ state of mind, it would be unfair to expect that from them. Instead, it’s a sultry exhibition, one that spotlights the band’s strengths, yet also its weaknesses. There’s something remarkably intimate about that. Exciting, too.

 Before the proverbial curtain drops on “Life is Simple in the Moonlight”, Casablancas warns, “Don’t try to stop us, get out of the way.” If we’re to take Angles into consideration, it’s highly unlikely we’ll stand our ground. At this time, we’re more than willing to step aside and let them do their thing. Hell, it’s that redemptive freedom that brought them back to the fold in the first place – and with headlining slots and smiles to boot. All we ask, however, is this time, please don’t leave us waiting in the dust for five more years. Deal?

Tracklist:
01. Machu Picchu (3:30)
02. Under Cover Of Darkness (3:56)
03. Two Kinds Of Happiness (3:42)
04. You’re So Right (2:34)
05. Taken For A Fool (3:23)
06. Games (3:52)
07. Call Me Back (3:02)
08. Gratisfaction (2:59)
09. Metabolism (3:01)
10. Life Is Simple In The Moonlight (4:15)

Official Release:
March 22, 2011
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[LISTEN] The Strokes - "Angles" (Album)


Listen to 10 full tracks of Angles online stream via the band’s official site here
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Video Review : Foo Fighters "Rope"


 American rock band Foo Fighters released a simplistic performance based music video on MTV today for their latest single "Rope," which is the bands first single off their upcoming album Wasting Light.



 Foo Fighter's music video for "Rope" has a basic concept of the boys playing in a cube-like room. At first the room is pure white, and midway though starts changing color.

 The camera never stays still on one member for too long, and the camera shot is constantly moving from one Foo Fighter member to another. All members are wearing black to accent the room color.

 The music video has a gritty look, which reflects the songs sound. In this day and age, music videos usually have crystal clear focus but Foo Fighters "Rope" looks like it was shot with a low-quality hand held camera.

 The music video has an intriguing change of pace when all Foo Fighter members became dark silhouettes playing their instruments against the all white background. The effect is especially brilliant because the only real thing in focus is their sprawled out guitar chords running from their instruments to the non-seen amps. When the Foo Fighters become black silhouettes the camera seems to be more in focus, which creates a sharper look.

 There is something simple, yet captivating about the Foo Fighters music video for "Rope" that makes you want to watch it again. Over the years the band has produced many music videos including performance, and storyline. It is nice to see after doing a storyline comedic video for "White Limo" they completely switched gears to a stripped down performance based music video.

 "Rope" is the first single from Foo Fighters upcoming album Wasting Light, which will be released April 12, 2011 via RCA Records.

Foo Fighters' "Rope" Music Video Sreenshots :


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[WATCH] Foo Fighters - "Rope" Music Video


 Official music video by Foo Fighters performed "Rope".

Watch the video below.


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BILLY CORGAN New TRACY BURKE painting


Click on image for FULL SIZE | Buy it on eBay
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Mark Lanegan' Burning Jacob's Ladder Song Review


 Despite the tsunamis, anti-winning and political cannibalism happening all around us, a ray of sunshine has struck on this tumultuous Friday with a new track from lone-wolf rock veteran Mark Lanegan, man of many hats and collaborations. Set for the upcoming Rage game, Burning Jacob’s Ladder is a slow-haunt stretch of greatness that features the inimitable Alain Johannes on guitar and backing vocals. Some of you know him from his work with Queens of the Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures.


 No word on whether the track will appear on Lanegan’s upcoming album, but Johannes is said to be taking collaborative part in those sessions. Keep an eye on Lanegan’s official site for updates, or just keep that dial tuned in to Antiquiet. We’ve got what you need.


Check out the sick Rage game trailer, featuring the track:


 The new Mark Lanegan song, Burning Jacob’s Ladder, is available as a free download for a limited time at the official Rage: Untethered website.

 Instrumentally, the song is unlike anything on his most recent solo album, Bubblegum. Rather, it is more musically similar to the recordings on his fourth solo album, Scraps At Midnight, or any of his earlier work up until Here Comes That Weird Chill. Lanegan’s voice, as it did more so in his earlier recordings, returns as the main focus, rather than being somewhat undercut by the heavy layering of instrumentals more prominent in his later solo recordings.

 The song is both lyrically and instrumentally poignant, especially considering it was recorded for a video game. Given the deviation of the song from the material on Bubblegum, it is still vintage solo Lanegan; a somewhat minimalist guitar riff repeats for duration of the song, while Lanegan’s voice is layered several times, creating an effect that is more focused on his voice as opposed to the instruments. Towards the end of the song, Lanegan picks it up, singing in more of a rock-oriented growl as he did on several tracks in the 2002 Queens of the Stone Age album, Songs For The Deaf.

 Mark Lanegan, in my opinion, is the best pure vocal talent to come out of the grunge movement by far. Everything he does is tinged completely with emotion, whether its with the Screaming Trees, Gutter Twins, Twilight Singers, Soulsavers, or in his solo catalog. Nonetheless, his solo work is by far his best, as he is the focus, rather than the entity of the band. I’m sure this is an indication of what’s to follow with his next solo record, tentatively scheduled for release this fall. If he follows this formula, his new record will be another gem in his catalog, spanning over 25 years.

RATING: 9.5/10
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[TRACK] Mark Lanegan - Burning Jacob's Ladder


Burning Jacob's Ladder is an all-new, original song by Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Queens of the Stone Age, Gutter Twins) created for and featured in the RAGE UNTETHERED Trailer (released February 17, 2011.)

Check out this song review

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[WATCH] MTV First : Foo Fighters' 'Rope' Video Premiere

Premiere of Foo Fighters' 'Rope' video and interviewed with the band on MTV First


Watch the full session on MTV First
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Review Of Tres Mts.Debuts Album "THREE MOUNTAINS"


 The band, Tres Mts. have just released their debut album entitled "Three Mountains" on March 8th. The members of Tres Mts. are Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam) on bass, Dug Pinnick (King's X) on guitar and vocals, Richard Stuverud (The Fastbacks) on drums along with guitar help from Pearl Jam's Mike McCready.


 The idea of this album has been in the works for almost two decades. The writing sessions began in early 2001 and again in 2004 before the band members finally met together last year to finish writing and recording about 13 songs. The groups different musical backgrounds are heard throughout this new release.

 Jeff Ament believes that King’s X invented grunge. They were doing the dropped D tuning thing slightly ahead of everyone else, so maybe he’s onto something. With Tres Mts, Jeff’s new collaboration with dUg Pinnick of King’s X and Richard Stuverud of Fastbacks, (with an assist from Mike McCready), the point becomes moot. dUg is now forever immortalized in grunge (or at this point post-grunge) history by simply making a record with Pearl Jam’s bassist and co-lead guitarist. Tres Mts isn’t simply grunge though. It’s the perfect amalgamation of the best aspects of grunge, blues, funk, and an all around meaty guitar, bass, and drums sound. Musically, the group’s first offering is loaded with such. At a glance, one might think that Jeff simply joined or formed a King’s X knock off group, but Tres Mts goes beyond anything that King’s X or Pearl Jam has ever done by bringing not just the hard driving grunge riffs and soulful singing, but some real muddy and sludgy blues. With McCready’s love of Stevie Ray Vaughn type guitar blues this is no surprise.

 As reported at pearljam.com, ever since Jeff saw King’s X in concert in 1989 and subsequently invited them to open for Pearl Jam a few years later, Jeff repeatedly joked to dUg, “when are we going to make that heavy R&B record, you and me?” With dUg joining him, Stuverud and McCready at Jeff’s yearly song writing sessions at his Montana studio, first in 2001 and later in 2004, the guys finally managed to put together the “baker’s dozen songs that make up Tres Mts.” It’s a shame that it took so long. There’s still time though for this project to make music for years to come, and based off of what we’re hearing off their first album, hopefully this will be the case.

 The album begins with the album's first single "My Baby" (free download) which is an "in your face" hard rocker. The band's love of punk music shines through on this opening track. The energy still flows in "Oh, Lord" before the band slows the tempo down for "God Told Me." The song "Holes In The Road" draws upon Dug Pinnick's hard rock roots with McCready lending a hand on the solo. You can almost pinpoint the years when some of the songs were written, as "In The Middle" sounds like a reflection of a Pearl Jam song written in the past decade. Tres Mts. show off their bluesy side on "She's My New Song", but don't stray too far from their formula, returning strong in the ballad "Break" and the up-tempo beats of "Mystery."

Click to listen 30 seconds preview of each songs
LISTEN

 Tres Mts, unlike Jeff’s other major side project Three Fish, is a much more commercially viable offering. This also shouldn’t detract though from the album’s appeal. It’s a bunch of guys making and playing the music and instruments that they love. That’s how the whole grunge thing got started anyway, and Tres Mts is definitely keeping that sacred aspect of grunge alive in the face of the manufactured bile on the radio today.

 Pearl Jam have plenty on tap for 2011 — they're celebrating their 20th anniversary by releasing reissues of Vs. and Vitalogy and planning an outdoor summer festival — but Ament and his band have managed to slot in a few Tres Mts. gigs: They'll perform on Fallon March 24, and play a handful of shows across the country, where they'll be joined by PJ guitarist Mike McCready. Check out dates below.

Tres Mts. Tour Dates
3/16, Seattle, WA (Showbox at the Market)
3/19, Austin, TX (Stubb's BBQ)
3/21, Washington, D.C. (Black Cat)
3/23, Philadelphia, PA (Theatre of the Living Arts)
3/26, New York, NY (Gramercy Theater)
3/27, Boston, MA (Paradise Rock Club) 

STAY CONNECTED with Tres Mts.
Official Site http://www.tresmts.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/tresmts

PURCHASE the album online at pearljam.com
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R.I.P. Mike Starr (1966-2011)


Former Alice In Chains bassist (April 4, 1966 – March 8, 2011)
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Silverchair - Tomorrow (Live SNL 1995 New York)

SCREENSHOTS


DOWNLOAD

http://www.mediafire.com/?z54zxhhjeaj8ssw
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Really??

The following note was posted on the Billy Corgan's Twitter. Either their basist is one of the two girls or Corgan has gotten so annoyed at getting asked this question that he's claiming it's her. What do you think? Is Nicole Fiorentino actually one of the girls from the cover?

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Tres Mountains - Make Me Feel


Tres Mountains released second single from their upcoming album. "Makes Me Feel" is one of the album's most striking highlights: a brooding, five-minute ballad powered by tribal drums, groovy bass lines, and Pinnick yelping, shouting, and screeching like a shaman who's in the throes of a peyote-powered desert ritual.

Click to listen :
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Where Are They Now? : Kids from Album Covers


 What do a swimming baby with a dollar bill as bait, a girl on a swing set with shadow of an evil man in front of her ,and a baby angel smoking a cigarette have in common? They're all album cover artwork that are as memorable as the classic records themselves.They also all have children on them. Maybe it's the child's innocence or perhaps it's just mere coincidence, but these records tend to sell more copies for the group than the rest of their repertoire.
Many have wondered what happened to these kids when they grew older. Luckily, we live in a day and age where finding this information is easy. Lets take a look a few of this.



Nirvana's Nevermind Baby
 Most people had only discovered Nirvana after their second album, Nevermind, began to flood MTV. The music video for their single, Come As You Are, featured a water scene similar to the cover art; however, the baby and the dollar bill were replaced by a floating gun. Spencer Elden, who was undoubtedly referred to as "The Nevermind Baby" during his school years, grew up just fine. His parents earned a mere $200 for the classic picture and they didn't even know who Nirvana was at the time. To be fair, nobody really did in 1991. Spencer recreated the Nevermind cover for Rolling Stone magazine in 2001 and then again in 2008, this time for a cool $1000. He also graced the cover of cEvin Key's, The Dragon Experience, in 2003. Elden now works as an artist.


Spencer Elden Living The Life Aquatic (1991, 2001, 2008)

The Conjoined Twins from Siamese Dream

 Many are unaware, but the two girls who appeared on the cover of Smashing Pumpkins' 1993 album, Siamese Dream, were probably not conjoined twins to begin with. A simple flip of the album reveals a picture of the girls as separate entities in white dresses. In a blog post in 2007, the Smashing Pumpkins announced that they were looking for the girls but were unable to locate them:

"NEED HELP! Looking for girls from Siamese Dream album cover. There's no one better to ask than the super fans themselves! We are trying to locate the girls that adorn the cover of Siamese Dream. As you all know, they were quite young when the photo was taken. They are not conjoined anymore, as far as we know."


 It's been three years since that post and nothing has turned up. Neither Virgin Records, Billy Corgan, nor the photographer have the names of the girls.
UPDATE: The following note was posted on the Smashing Pumpkins' Facebook page. Either their basist is one of the two girls or Corgan has gotten so annoyed at getting asked this question that he's claiming it's her. What do you think? Is Nicole Fiorentino actually one of the girls from the cover?


Flip the album over and they aren't conjointed, problem solved!

The Boy on Illmatic from NAS

 Illmatic, the debut album from NAS, is considered one of the most important records for East Coast Hip Hop. It marked a high point for the scene in the mid 90s. The cover art consists of a young boy superimposed over a grainy backdrop of New York City. Whatever happened to the child? Did he beat the odds and become a successful adult or did the ghetto engulf him?

This one is pretty easy to solve. It's a picture of 7 year old NAS taken by his father. It's that simple. He's also been on the cover of all of his other albums.

The Baby Angel from Van Halen's 1984

  Van Halen's 1994 featured a great art piece by Margo Nahas. She took a photograph of young Carter Helm who is the smoking angel model on front cover. Yes that's right, he's a real person (sans the wings of course). The baby, the cigarettes (which were actually chocolate cigarettes), and the sky in the background were all part of the original picture taken by Margo. She painted in the marble table and the wings to complete the illustration.



So what happened to Carten Helm and Margo Nahas? Check out the interview below to find out:



The Girl on the Swing From KoRn's album

 KoRn's self-title debut album depicted a little girl alone on a swing set. On the ground, a mischievous looking shadow of a man with tools could be seen. The girl was Justine Ferrara, who doesn't remember much from the shoot except that man was actually nice for covering the light in front of her. The tools were added to the picture in post processing. Justine was 6 years old in 1994 when the picture was taken. She graduated in Communications at New York University in 2009 and now works as an Administrative Assistant for The Threadshop at Sony Music Entertainment. She isn't a KoRn fan.


Those kids on Led Zeppelin's Houses of the Holy

 Considering the age of the album, I didn't expect to find any information on the kids that were on the cover of Houses of the Holy. Check out their great article here.

 Here are the cliff notes: The boy is actually Stefan Gates from BBC2's Cooking In The Danger Zone. Who would have thought! His sister, Sam, is happily married and now lives in Cape Town, South Africa with her husband and daughter.
House of The Holy = The cook from that BBC show and his sister

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44 Things You Didn’t Know About Kurt Cobain - Happy 44th Birthday R.I.P

Close to 17 years ago, Kurt Cobain died. Conspiracy theories about his death anchoabound — as they tend to do with people of note — but most agree it was Cobain’s own decision to end his life. Since today would have been his 44th birthday, we bring you 44 facts about the man who struggled with drug addiction, being misunderstood, and those record industry types willing to defang the music from Cobain’s Pacific Northwest for the sake of money, power, and instant, yet fleeting success.



1. Before Nirvana, Cobain had auditioned to be in the Melvins, but was rejected.

2. While still a teenager, for eight months Cobain lived at a friend’s house and slept on the sofa.

3. When Nirvana was on the rise, Metallica sent them a fax that read: “We really dig Nirvana. Nevermind is the best album of the year. Let’s get together soon, Metallica. PS, Lars hates the band.”

4. For many years, Cobain enjoyed making Super-8 films. One of these movies contains a scene in which Cobain commits suicide.

5. In his free time, Cobain liked to buy big hunks of meat from the grocery store, and then go out into the woods and shoot at them with a variety of guns.

6. For a time, Cobain would often throw up before each show.

7. In June 1976, shortly after his parents divorced, a young Cobain scribbled onto his bedroom wall, “I hate Mom, I hate Dad, Dad hates Mom, Mom hates Dad, it simply makes you want to be sad.”

8. One of Cobain’s friends, Carrie Montgomery, once said that he “made women want to nurture and protect him. He was a paradox in that way, because he also could be brutally and intensely strong, yet at the same time, he could appear fragile and delicate.”

9. Cobain came close to joining the Navy, even meeting with a recruitment officer at one point to discuss enrolling.


10. A line from one of Cobain’s journals reads: “I have met many minds able to store and translate a pregnantly large amount of information, yet they havent an ounce of talent for wisdom or the appreciation of passion.”

11. Cobain recorded his first songs in December 1982 at his Aunt Mari’s house. They involved a guitar, bass, and spoons banged against a suitcase. Cobain titled the recordings “Organized Confusion.”

12. Cobain started using heroin on a daily basis to relieve his chronic stomach pains. In his diary, he wrote, “So I decided, if I felt like a junkie, I may as well be one.”

13. At one point, Cobain claimed to spend $100 per day on heroin.
14. In one journal entry, Cobain stated that the Sex Pistols were “one million times more important than the Clash.”

15. After Nirvana was famous, Cobain offered to play at the inaugural International Pop Underground festival in Olympia, but the event coordinators turned him down. Cobain was hurt by the rejection, and felt alienated from the scene he cared about most.

16. Cobain started wearing boxer briefs after Courtney Love expressed concern over his tiger-print Y-fronts.

17. Cobain would sometimes get moody and sit in a corner for 45 minutes without saying a word.

18. Cobain once wrote, “Art that has long lasting value cannot be appreciated by majorities, only the same, small percent will value arts patience as they always have. This is good.”


19. As a child, Cobain could recite the dialog from Close Encounters Of The Third Kind word-for-word.

20. Just hours after performing on Saturday Night Live, and one week before Nevermind hit number one on the charts, Cobain overdosed on drugs. Courtney Love found him at 7:00 am the next morning lying on the floor. She revived him by splashing water on his face and punching him in the stomach.

21. On Christmas Eve, 1991, three months after the release of Nevermind, Cobain and Courtney Love were living in a tiny room in a friend’s apartment.

22. As a boy, Cobain was temporarily put on Ritalin to curb his hyperactivity.

23. When asked what it’s like being number one on Billboard, Cobain responded, “It’s like being number 16, only even more people kiss your ass.”

24. One of Cobain’s most prized possessions was a signed first edition of William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch.

25. In 1992, Cobain claimed that he and Courtney Love spent a million dollars: $80,000 on personal expenses, $380,000 on taxes, $300,000 on a house in Carnation, Washington, and the rest on doctors and lawyers. “That’s not very much,” said Cobain. “That’s definitely not what Axl [Rose] spends a year.”

26. After performing “Territorial Pissings” on Saturday Night Live, Cobain and Nirvana bassist, Krist Novoselic began French-kissing. SNL refused to air the footage on reruns.
27. Before he was famous, for a time Cobain worked as a swimming instructor for kids at the YMCA in Aberdeen.

28. Cobain claims he started throwing 7-Up cans full of pebbles at police cars at the age of six.

29. In a letter he sent to Nirvana’s former drummer, Dave Foster, Cobain wrote: “Getting a name on a record isn’t shit. Anybody can do it, but theres a big difference between credentials & notoriety, and self respect through music.”

30. After hearing “In Bloom” for the first time and feeling overwhelmed by how good it was, in 1992 Courtney Love said: “I instantly felt sorry for Kurt. I knew immediately the nightmare that awaited the poor thing.”

31. As a child, Cobain had a Mickey Mouse drum kit.

32. Cobain once wrote: “I have been forced to become a reclusive Rock Star. IE: No interviews, no radio appearances, etc. due to the legions of self appointed authorities on music who are not musicians, who have not contributed anything artistic to Rock and Roll besides maybe a few second rate long winded, books on Rock and Roll and most importantly who are the highest group of mysogynists in all forms of expression.”

33. The first time Cobain saw himself on television was on September 28, 1991, for a taping of MTV’s 120 Minutes.

34. One year, Cobain cut up an inflatable sex doll and wore it for Halloween.

35. Cobain once said, “I went through most of my adolescent life being a male and not being aware of feminism, but I was always more of a feminine person. I always felt more inclined to hang out with girls, and I appreciated softer pop music during most of my childhood, until I became a teenager when I started smoking pot.”

36. Before launching into “Smells Like Teen Spirit” live on the British television show The Word, Cobain announced, “Courtney Love, the lead singer of the sensational pop group Hole, is the best fuck in the world.”


37. Cobain’s favorite Pixies song is “Gigantic.”

38. Courtney Love once said, “Kurt was pure and he was also insanely ambitious. He wanted what he got, but because of his training, because of Olympia, he decided he didn’t want it.”

39. When just starting out, Cobain insisted that Nirvana practice five nights a week.

40. While in junior high, Cobain’s father, Donald, enrolled Cobain in his school’s wrestling team. In tournaments, Cobain refused to fight back. Instead, he sat on the mat with his arms folded.

41. As a boy, Cobain had an imaginary friend named “Boddah.”

42. Cobain often watched television late into the night.

43. In a letter to his father, Donald, Cobain wrote: “Ive never taken sides with you or my mother because while I was growing up I had equal contempt for you both.”

44. While homeless for a time, Cobain would sleep in the waiting room at Grays Harbour Community Hospital, the place of his birth. 

May you Rest in Peace.You're gone but never forgotten. HAPPY 44TH BIRTHDAY
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Top 10 Albums of the 90's

10. Guns N' Roses - 'Use Your Illusion 1 and 2' (1998)


These are technically two different albums, but since they were released on the same side they are widely seen as a double album. Even most hardcore Guns N' Roses fans admit that it's bloated and all over the place, but the high points ("November Rain," "Civil War," "You Could Be Mine" "Don't Cry") rank among the best work the band ever did. The original group split after a long tour supporting the disc, and Axl Rose has made it quite clear that he will never again share a stage with Slash. GNR are eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, so the world will finally be able to call his bluff.


9. The Smashing Pumpkins - 'Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness'(1995)


It's been the great debate amongst depressed teenagers for over 15 years: What's the better Smashing Pumpkins album, Siamese Dream or Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness? Rolling Stone readers went with the former by a handful of votes. Mellon Collie does contain more classics, including "Tonight, Tonight," "1979," "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" and "Zero." It was also the last disc with the classic line-up of Billy Corgan, James Iha, Jimmy Chamberlin and D'arcy Wretzky. Judging by Wretzky's recent mug shot and Corgan's recent statements, they'll almost certainly never come together again.

8. Metallica - 'Metallica (The Black Album)'(1991)


Metallica's army of hardcore fans found their 1991 self-titled disc to be a betrayal. Metal bands weren't supposed to score huge radio hits, or wind up playing stadiums alongside Guns N' Roses. They also weren't supposed to write songs as catchy as "Enter Sandman" or as gentle as "Nothing Else Matters." They may have lost some stubborn, old fans with The Black Album – but they more than made up for it by bringing in a whole generation of new ones. Twenty years later they're still one of the biggest bands in the world, and The Black Album remains their best selling disc.

7. The Smashing Pumpkins - 'Siamese Dream'(1993)


In late 1993 the Smashing Pumpkins were an inescapable presence on MTV, with their videos for "Disarm" and "Today" playing around the clock. The two massive hits made them one of the most popular groups of the exploding alternative music scene. But relations in the band were tense before the disc even came out. Bassist D'arcy Wretzky and guitarist James Iha complained that frontman Billy Corgan had overdubbed their work on the disc, and that he wasn't open to their input. The band continued through 2000 before massive internal problems split them apart. Today Corgan tours with a new line-up of the band.


6. Oasis - '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' (1995)


It's difficult to overstate just how massive Oasis were in England after the release of their second LP (What's The Story) Morning Glory. No band since The Beatles had hit that big, and copies sold as quickly as they could be printed. When everything calmed down it was the third-best-selling album in the history of England, bested only by The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band and Queen's Greatest Hits. They were also pretty popular in America, scoring huge radio hits with "Wonderwall" and "Champagne Supernova." Unsurprisingly, the whole thing went to their heads and their follow-up LP, Be Here Now, was a disaster.

5. Red Hot Chili Peppers - 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' (1991)


Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Rick Rubin, it was the band's first record released on Warner Bros. Records. Peaking at number three on the Billboard 200, the album has sold over seventeen million copies worldwide and was the Red Hot Chili Peppers' introduction into worldwide popularity and critical acclaim. Blood Sugar Sex Magik produced an array of hit singles including the hugely successful "Under the Bridge", "Give It Away", "Suck My Kiss" and "Breaking the Girl"

4. Alice In Chains - 'Dirt' (1992)


Dirt is the second studio album by Alice in Chains and was released on September 29, 1992, through Columbia Records. Peaking at number six on the Billboard 200, the album was well received by music critics and has since been certified four-times platinum by the RIAA, making Dirt the band's highest selling album to date. The album spawned five singles: "Would?", "Them Bones", "Angry Chair", "Rooster", and "Down in a Hole". The songs on the album focused on depression, anger, drug use, war, death, and other emotionally heavy topics.


3. Pearl Jam - 'Ten' (1991)


Weeks before Nevermind hit shelves in September 1991 Pearl Jam released Ten. Videos for "Jeremy," "Even Flow" and "Alive" were soon in constant rotation on MTV, and Kurt Cobain wasn't thrilled about the competition. In 1992 he said that Pearl Jam were "pioneering a corporate, alternative and cock-rock fusion." The two camps eventually made peace. "I don't think he ever really figured out the band," Vedder told Rolling Stone in 2006.  "However, I think that if he had survived, I think he would have gotten it. Now, mind me, those are big words, but I really think it's true."

2. Radiohead - 'OK Computer'(1997)


It's almost impossible to imagine now, but before Radiohead released OK Computer in June of 1997 the band was seen by many as a one-hit wonder. Their second LP The Bends didn't have a hit anywhere near the size of "Creep," off their 1992 debut Pablo Honey, and the American tour behind it featured many dates opening up for Alanis Morissette. OK Computer changed all that, though it did take a few months to find a mass audience. Fourteen years later Radiohead remains one of the biggest names in music, even if a vocal minority of fans feel that they peaked with OK Computer.

1. Nirvana - 'Nevermind' (1991)


Nobody should be surprised that Nirvana's Nevermind was the clear winner. Released in September of 1991, it famously knocked Michael Jackson's Dangerous off the top of the charts and sent shockwaves through the industry. Its effect has been slightly exaggerated over the years, but it did send label executives scurrying to sign soundalikes. Nirvana would only release one more studio album, 1993's In Utero, before Kurt Cobain's suicide ended the group.

You have read this article 90's / Album / Alice In Chains / Blog / Gun N' Rose / Metallica / Nirvana / Oasis / Pearl Jam / Radiohead / Red Hot Chili Peppers / Smashing Pumpkins with the title March 2011. You can bookmark this page URL http://thewhigs.blogspot.com/2011/03/top-10-albums-of-90.html. Thanks!