ChordStrike

The Go-Betweens Bridge Goes Between Milton and South Brisbane

Influential Australian indie-rock band The Go-Betweens are to receive an honor perfectly befitting their name: a bridge named after them. The Go Between Bridge, currently under construction in their hometown of Brisbane, was so-named after a public vote on eleven suggested names. It will connect Milton and South Brisbane over the Brisbane River. 

It's not uncommon for musicians or other prominent figures to have roads named after them, but such an appropriate naming of a major structure is rare. It'd be great if Australia also had a Highway To Hell, but finding a town mayor happy to receive that road might be tricky. Liverpool's airport is named after John Lennon, but San Francisco's isn't named after Jefferson Airplane. Decatur, Illinois is the birthplace of Alison Krauss, which gives it the option of having trains arrive at the somewhat awkward Alison Krauss and Union Station. OK, so they're unlikely to take up that option, but if officials in Oakland, California, ever get round to honoring their funk heritage, all they have to do is re-christen a high building the Tower of Power. That's a no-brainer, right?

Can you think of more highly appropriate honors?

--Ally @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We'll be posting a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike every week; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

Guitar Hero: The Beatles

As you play your shiny new copy of The Beatles: Rock Band, listen to the newly remastered albums, and otherwise indulge in yet another wave of Beatlemania, get excited about the upcoming The Beatles: Guitar Hero, discussed here in detail. (Disclaimer: This video is not for the reflexively literal-minded.)

Happy Monday, Monday...

     --Jason Kirk

Homme, Grohl and JPJ in New Supergroup?

Queens of the Stone Age bandleader Josh Homme and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl are no strangers to collaboration, pooling their talents on several occasions, most notably on QOTSA’s 2004 album Songs for the Deaf. Now, Homme’s wife and ex-Distiller Brody Dalle (busy promoting her new outfit Spinnerette) has let the cat out of the bag on their most newsworthy venture yet – a trio comprising of Homme, Grohl and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. Dalle revealed to Antiquiet.com that “[the project] is pretty amazing. Just beats and sounds like you’ve never heard before.” This star-studded collaboration has been on the cards for years, but now Homme and Grohl are taking a break from their respective day jobs and Led Zeppelin have shelved their plans to reunite, it has time to develop. The three main players are remaining tight-lipped, and very few people are thought to have heard the sessions. Back in 2005, however, Grohl told MOJO magazine that “the next project that I’m trying to initiate involves me on drums, Josh Homme on guitar, and John Paul Jones playing bass. That’s the next album. That wouldn’t suck." If this album ever does surface, there’s no question it'll be one of the most hotly anticipated releases in rock.

Here's a video of QOTSA performing at Glastonbury 2002, with Dave Grohl on drums:

--Gillian @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We'll be posting a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike every week; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon.

Kiss Kidney Stone Anyone?

Kiss is famous for being an unstoppable merchandising machine, willing to put its name to anything in the hope of selling some entirely unrelated product-or-other. But if you previously struggled to see the appeal in Kiss shampoo, coffee, cigarette lighters or wine, Gene Simmons says he’s sold another unique Kiss product recently – a kidney stone. Although the claim has yet to be corroborated, Kiss bassist Simmons told The Today Show host Kathie Lee Gifford: “I passed a kidney stone and I put it on eBay for charity. I got fifteen grand.”

The name of the lucky charity – and the yucky buyer – have yet to be revealed, but Simmons will be disappointed to know that this latest stunt is not original. In 2006 William Shatner sold a kidney stone to GoldenPalace.com for $25,000 and gave the money to a housing charity. The Shatner stone now resides in a collection of weird and wonderful ephemera and the money was contributed to a new house for the needy. First or not, Simmons’ great personal effort will not be wasted as it contributes to a growing wave of publicity surrounding the release of the first Kiss album in eleven years. In the meantime, the band is currently undertaking the Kiss Alive 35 tour in celebration of its 35th anniversary, where a stone-less Simmons will no doubt be feeling much more perky.

--Hazel @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We'll be posting a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike every week; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon.

50 Cent & Bette Midler: BFFs

Rapper 50 Cent and legendary singer and Beaches star Bette Midler are new best friends. This is no story from the Onion, and I'm not kidding--I am however, slightly stunned to learn this bit of information.

The two apparently met while working on park restoration projects together. Says Bette, "He is one of the newest members of our tribe. He has really made my life worth living. 50 has been with me through thick and thin."

50 Cent agrees, "Look how beautiful things are and how nice it feels when I'm around her. Me and Bette collaborating would be really hot. But I'd need to make something new for her. For the right song, we'd definitely get together."

Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor.

While I might be surprised, I have to admit, I think it's super cool that they're such tight friends. I'm curious just what he's doing that's making her "live worth living," though. That's quite a bold statement.

What do you think? Would you be into a 50 Cent/Bette Midler collaboration?

--Alan Wiley

(via Towleroad)

Nick Cave's Gladiator Ambitions

"The last thing I ever wanted to get involved with is Hollywood," Nick Cave once told Variety, but somehow it sucked him in anyway. As well as being a prolific songwriter and singer with The Bad Seeds, Grinderman and formerly The Birthday Party, Cave has co-written scripts for three films, including the widely acclaimed 2005 drama The Proposition. Now details have emerged of a rejected script Cave wrote for a sequel to Ridley Scott's Oscar-winning epic Gladiator. Cave's biggest challenge was how to deal with the fact that [spoiler alert!] Russell Crowe's central character, Maximus, dies at the end of the first film - so he dispensed with realism altogether in favor of turning Maximus into a war-mongering version of Dr. Sam Beckett from Quantum Leap. According to film blog Gone Elsewhere, who reviewed the script, it features "a damned Maximus paying for his transgressions against the Gods by serving as an eternal warrior," meaning he has to fight in medieval and modern wars such as World War II. Towards the end there's a "highly-ambitious, crocodile-packed battle sequence," and a final shot shows Maximus working in the Pentagon. Sadly, but not surprisingly, Hollywood wasn't willing to fund the movie, but Cave doesn't mind: “I’m very comfortable in my day job as a musician... and I have a lot to do.”

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' first four albums are being reissued on May 19 in special double-disc Collector's Editions. Which is your favorite?

--SoundUnwound

OMG. We Killed Stereolab. Sorry!

Reading Idolator today, I came across this story and was shocked. Apparently blown away at their #51 ranking on our 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of All Time list, Stereolab, one of the greatest bands of the '90s, after 19 years of pretty much non-stop music making and touring, have gone on indefinite hiatus. We're not kidding. Here's what they had to say on their website:

    "Dear All,

As we recently made #51 with Emperor Tomato Ketchup in the Amazon 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of all Time we feel that our work is done for the moment. We have had to cancel the last two shows that we were scheduled to play, apologies to all that had bought tickets, and there are no plans to record new tracks."

Maybe Maura over at Idolator is right--maybe "the listicle era is ruining lives". HA! Keep your eyes peeled for our next list: The 100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time, coming soon. And our condolences to all the Stereolab fans out there, ourselves included. We didn't mean to, promise!

R.I.P. Stereolab

--Alan Wiley

Semi-formal Pavement reunion last weekend

Tripwire reports on the Pavement reunion that took place Saturday... as a wedding band.

Bob Nastanovich, Pavement drummer/singer/toaster/fancy dancer, got hitched in Nashville. His old band mates rocked the reception. Apparently word got out and fans crashed the event but were flummoxed by the funk and 80's repertoire.

Congratulations to the newlyweds!

The Cramps' Lux Interior Dead at 60

The Daily Swarm reports that Lux Interior died this morning, with official confirmation from the band's PR agency. The official cause is an existing heart condition.

Lux Interior, born Erick Lee Purkhiser, was the front man of the Cramps, who burst out of the NYC punk scene in the mid-70s and remained active until the present day.

The Cramps' cauldron of warped rock-a-billy, garage punk, and B-movie horror kitsch--slapped with the handle "psychobilly"--earned them devoted fans, and curious onlookers, worldwide. They released eleven albums, swarming with punk classics like "Garbage Man," "Human Fly," "Some New Kind Of Kick," and "Can Your Pussy Do The Dog," some of which were covered and recorded by the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Halo of Flies, and Social Distortion. Cramps' live performances were legendary, rubberized, compound-gender hoedowns, with a slithering Lux counterbalanced by the sequined tremolo grind of fellow founder Poison Ivy. 

Rest In Pieces, Lux.

--Patrick

George was telling porkies

Board members and patrons of Dallas Opera, TX were breathing a sigh of relief just before the new year, when the New York Times published a very eloquent denial from Dallas' new general director, George Steel, saying he was happy in Dallas and not contemplating a move back to New York to head up the fast-sinking New York City Opera.  Today, the same newspaper broke the story that George is, indeed, returning to the big apple to become general manager.  I'm linking to the Alex Ross blog, for the details. 

NYCO is in big trouble.  They owe a large amount of money.  Their original choice for the position, Gerard Mortier (Paris Opera / Salzburg Festival), walked away from the position at the last minute, because he thought their budget wasn't big enough.  They are also homeless.  The New York State Theater is under a massive renovation, which will keep the company flitting around the five boroughs in temporary accommodation for 2009/2010.

I really like the idea of George Steel taking over.  He is a proven impresario from his days at the 92nd Street Y, and at The Miller Theatre, where he built a reputation for imaginative, high-quality programming, that proved very pleasing to new and established audiences, alike.  He's also a conductor, which could save them a buck or two, as he could moonlight.  I've even heard him sing counter tenor, but I should stop right there.

This appointment feels a lot better than unsuccessful attempts to import big, expensive stars from Europe.  I also think that City Opera's founder, Mayor, Fiorello La Guardia, were he around today, would also want to give the local boy a chance.  Go GRS!  Make us proud! -- Hugo Munday

More Beloved '80s Band Reunion News: Stone Roses

On the heels of big Smiths reunion rumors comes news that fellow Manchester band Stone Roses are also possibly, probably reuniting, according to Austrailia's The Age.

The world's a pretty different place than it was when the world was under the influence of Day-Glo and irreverent hippie/electro/rave stuff. I wonder what today's Stone Roses would sound like. And, in feeling old news, their pivotal, highly influential debut album turns 20 next year.

Here's one of the best songs to reference the Stooges ever written.

The Stone Roses |I Wanna Be Adored

The Return of the Smiths?

Oh, please, please, please. Let me, let me, let me--get what I want this time...

--Alan Wiley

Clay: I'm Gay = ClayMate Meltdown

Acknowledging a gigantic elephant in the room, and surely devastating many obsessed fans worldwide, born-again Christian and new father Clay Aiken has finally come out of the closet in a People Magazine article. I've blogged about Mr. Aiken before, and have suspected/known he was gay for years--and now, he's finally willing to admit it. For someone so obviously gay to be in the closet while in the spotlight has got to be one of the toughest places in the world to be. Clay, who recently returned to his role in Spamalot on Broadway, is surely waking up this morning with a sense of relief he's never felt before.

To me, the real story here lies with the super fans--the ClayMates. ClayMates have spent years obsessing over Aiken with message boards and chat rooms, full of cute, gooey, PG-rated love for all things Clay. And while the majority of ClayMates remain supportive, many are freaking out. Check out some of these priceless reactions:

"Please tell me I'm not the only one who is shocked beyond belief! I feel numb I'm so upset. This can't be real!! How can you guys say this won't change anything? This changes EVERYTHING. I don't even know what to think right now."

"I have defended Clay for years against these accusations. What do I say now?"

"Yes I am REALLY, REALLY angry.  I feel like such a fool!  I wish he would have kept his mouth SHUT!"

"This is a gut wrenching day for the ClayNation. Somebody wake me up, I hope it's a dream."

"My head hurts because as soon as I saw the cover, I burst out in tears and haven't been able to stop ever since. If this turns out to be true, I don't know if I can accept it because it would mean he lied to us all of these years. He told us the rumors were not true, he told us he was not gay and to now here it from the media and not him is just too much. The baby story was tough enough to handle, but I don't think I can deal with this."

I know many people won't care and will think this is none of our business, which may be the truth. However, any celebrity must realize that part of the trade-off of fame and fortune is the loss of some privacy. The fact of the matter remains--the public is hungry for juicy information about celebrities, and you have to admit--this is pretty juicy. I, for one, applaud Clay for making the tough decision to do the right thing and be honest with himself, his family, and with the world. He seems instantly infinitely less creepy to me now. I might even listen to his music. OK, well, maybe not. What's your take?

--Alan Wiley

Led Zeppelin Seeks A New Singer?

This little news item certainly lives comfortably in the "rumor" category (as it's being reported by England's notorious rag The Sun), but I thought it was interesting enough to share: Led Zeppelin are potentially seeking to replace Robert Plant as their singer. Apparently, he's committed to touring with Alison Krauss in support of their fantastic duo album Raising Sand, and, following Zep's one-off performance at London's O2 last December, the rest of the band is anxious to start touring--with or without him. Would you go see Led Zeppelin without Robert Plant? Sounds like a bad idea to me.

--Alan Wiley

Jay-Z and Kanye Back Together for Blueprint 3?

I know I should try to manage my expectations, but I'm already moronically excited about rumors that Kanye West is producing most of Jay-Z's upcoming Blueprint sequel. I just hope they push each other and the songs end up more "Never Change" than "Some People Hate." Judging by "Jockin' Jay-Z," which the two premeired recently at one of Kanye's nights at MSG, things are looking pretty good so far. Check out the video after the jump.

-- Jeff Reguilon

[Hat tip to Nah Right for the rumor and Poplicks for the ridiculous Jigga/Gervais .gif]

Baby 8-ken

CNN reports that Clay Aiken became a father at 8:08am on 8/8/08. Parker Foster Aiken was born 6 pounds 2 ounces and 19 inches long. The mother, Aiken's best friend, Jaymes Foster, is 50 years old, and was artificially inseminated. To me, this appears to be a sign of the apocalypse.

--Alan Wiley