Dillinger Escape Plan talks about departure of drummer

Dillinger Escape Plan recently parted ways with their drummer, Gil Sharone. Guitarist Ben Weinman discussed the lineup change with Rock Sound saying:

It seems everyone is trying to play up that we can’t keep members in this band. Gil didn’t quit Dillinger and there is no animosity. The fact of the situation is that he both didn’t like a lot of touring and felt guilty he had gone over a year without really giving his band that he started with his twin brother much attention.

Though nothing has been officially confirmed, rumours suggest that the replacement will be Billy Rymer from The Rivalry.
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Quote Unquote Records released downloadable 2009 sampler, details 2009

Donation-based digital label Quote Unquote has detailed their 2009 release schedule, promising records from Let Me Crazy, Bomb the Music Industry!, O Pioneers!!!, Matt Kurz and Shinobu as well as re-releases from The Arrogant Sons of Bitches and Cheap Girls.

The label has also posted a free 2009 sampler along with the release details and you can read and download all of that here.
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Chris Walla – “I want to make a radio record”

Chris Walla of Death Cab For Cutie recently spoke to Alternative Press about some of his and the band’s plans for the coming year. Of note, are details about the Something About Airplanes reissue, his next solo album, and his hopes for the next album from Death Cab:

I have no interest in doing anything that’s mild and meek. I want to make a radio record this next time out. There’s no reason for us to keep doing what we’re doing if we’re making meeker, smaller records. That stuff doesn’t translate well to the kinds of shows we’re playing and to the numbers of people we’re playing for. I don’t particularly have any real connection to a lot of the mellower stuff that Ben writes. I really feel like he’s getting his best stuff when he’s being assertive and forward.

In a way, when we signed to Atlantic, Plans was a sort of partial, half-hearted step into an attempt to make something that is more appealing on a broader scale. And I think that Narrow Stairs was really sort of a reactionary move–like very much the opposite of that. Maybe it’s just a phase, but I’m really interested in making something that is appealing on a really broad level and something we can be really satisfied with. But I think that there’s a way to bridge those two gaps.

You can find the rest of the interview here.
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Chris Walla: “I want to make a radio record”

Chris Walla of Death Cab For Cutie recently spoke to Alternative Press about some of his and the band’s plans for the coming year. Of note, are details about the Something About Airplanes reissue, his next solo album, and his hopes for the next album from Death Cab:

I have no interest in doing anything that’s mild and meek. I want to make a radio record this next time out. There’s no reason for us to keep doing what we’re doing if we’re making meeker, smaller records. That stuff doesn’t translate well to the kinds of shows we’re playing and to the numbers of people we’re playing for. I don’t particularly have any real connection to a lot of the mellower stuff that Ben writes. I really feel like he’s getting his best stuff when he’s being assertive and forward.

In a way, when we signed to Atlantic, Plans was a sort of partial, half-hearted step into an attempt to make something that is more appealing on a broader scale. And I think that Narrow Stairs was really sort of a reactionary move–like very much the opposite of that. Maybe it’s just a phase, but I’m really interested in making something that is appealing on a really broad level and something we can be really satisfied with. But I think that there’s a way to bridge those two gaps.

You can find the rest of the interview here.
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Traffic Street Records starting with 7″ releases

Traffic Street Records will be debuting sometime soon with a four-way split between Rational Anthem, Iron Chic, Amen and the Hell Yeahs and Unwelcome Guests titled Dangerous Intersections. The label has several other releases on the way including splits between Turkish Techno and Troublemake and the Brokedowns, Unwelcome Guests and Saint Sweetheart and more.
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Issue Oriented starts 2009 with H2O and more

Bronen Kauffman has posted the newest Issue Oriented episode. This episode features Adam and Rusty of H2O, photographer Theresa Kereakes and The Fest 7 coverage with some help from band members working as correspondents.

You can check out the latest episode of the show by clicking on the big "Issue Oriented" button on the right side of Punknews.org or by visiting Issue Oriented directly.

Kauffman also took time to weigh in on "The Vinyl Bubble", from an ecological standpoint.

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Shot Baker and Serf Combat record new tracks and covers for split

Underground Communique Records will be teaming up with Home of the Brave Records to release a split between Shot Baker and Serf Combat. The split will feature one new song from each band and a cover from the other band’s home city (Chicago and London respectively).

The hope is that the bands will tour together later this summer.
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Vinyl and digital music spur music sales growth

Despite much doomsaying by analysts and trade groups, music sales are actually up by 10% as of the end of 2008. According to a report from Nielsen SoundScan, sales are up, but much of this growth can be attributed to vinyl and digital sales. The report notes that more than 1.5 billion songs were sold digitally in 2008, a 10% bump over 2007. However, vinyl sales were up by 89% over the previous year. That is a relatively small number (1.88 million) but not all retailers participate in SoundScan.

While it’s impossible to say, many of the smaller or independent retailers will not be reporting to SoundScan. Those retailers are often more likely to specialize in vinyl so it is difficult to be sure how much of those sales come from vinyl. The only bad news came for physical CDs which were down 14% from 2007.
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Nobunny releases “Give It To Me” 7″

Nobunny has released a new 7″ on the Bay Area’s HoZaC label. Give It To Me features the title track on the A side and “Motorhead With Me” on the B side. The record is available at the 1234 Go! Records store or Down At Lulu’s in Oakland. You can find mailorder information here, at the Pop Punk Bored.

Nobunny released Love Visions last year, which was featured on at least one list here at the Org.
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