August 31st, 2008

Hello everybody and welcome to Navel Gazing: your look back at the week in Punknews. I’m Adam White and I’ll be your guide through some of the most popular, notable, and otherwise attention getting stories of the past seven days. Each and every Punknews story is built from tips contributed by you fine folks, and here’s what got the strange, slow, old people in the community talking…

The People Must Have Something Good To Read On A Sunday
This week’s most popular stories

The Fest 7 will likely dominate our news coverage for the next few months, and the resulting video footage will linger well into 2009. Why is that? Well there is a 250 band list that includes Leatherface, Less Than Jake, the Bouncing Souls, Strike Anywhere, Dillinger Four, Atom and His Package and the Lawrence Arms. That probably has something to do with it. We had a rare punk rock story out of Cuba this week, as Porno Para Ricardo frontman Gorki Aguila was tried for “social dangerousness” and freed after paying a fine. Fans at the Reading Festival in the UK rioted after punk band the FF’ers turned out to actually be punk band the FF’ers and not, say, the Foo Fighters. Reports also came in from London that Iggy Pop was injured on stage in a fall, although we’ve had eyewitness reports come in to the contrary. The Queers announced a ton of news, including a tour, new album, and a new studio that will see the Riptides recording soon. Our pals in the Swellers did Max Bemis one better this week, releasing a free album’s worth of “personalized” songs based on subject matter provided by fans.

Winnipeg’s Propagandhi is doing what they were doing last month, but any mention of the group is enough to get people foaming at the mouth `round here. Sonic Youth is working on a new record as well, this one to be a return to the indie world after years on a major. A new Dead To Me EP will arrive on Fat in October. Members of Thusrday and Glassjaw have launched their supergroup United Nations with a full album stream. Underoath is also streaming their new one, and throwing a very Wonka-inspired promotion to boot. Defiance, Ohio also returned this week with a new track titled ” Hair Pool.” On the touring circuit we have new dates from beleaguered pop-punk act Mest, shows in Canada and the US from Misery Signals and US dates from Silverstein and Chiodos. Finally, because we can’t stop talking about them, we had a video blitz from the Gaslight Anthem.

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This week we spoke with Vinnie Fiorello of Less Than Jake, Paper and Plastick and Sleep It Off Records (interview) and Joe Haege of 31Knots interview). So what’s coming up this week? Look for releases from Underoath, and Hatebreed with tours kicking off from MxPx, Lagwagon and Only Crime (North America), the Real McKenzies (Canada), and Fear Before The March Of Flames (USA).
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Album-loving artists blame iTunes for changed music tastes

As music sales begin to rise with iTunes, some artists have begun to dislike the online retailer, which allows people to purchase music track by track. The argument seems to be that these artists would rather sell their music in album only format, either for artistic or monetary means. Says Kid Rock to the Wall Street Journal:

In so many ways it’s turned our business back into a singles business.

Ars Technica has a rundown of this trend amongst artists, noting that AC/DC has never put their music on iTunes, and both Estelle and Jay-Z eschewed the music selling service in favor of selling the album in full only.
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Update: Cuban punk rocker fined, freed

Following up on Thursday’s story, Cuban punk rocker Gorki Aguila has walked away from his trial with a 600 peso ($28 USD) fine (the average monthly income in Cuba is 408 pesos). The Porno Para Ricardo vocalist, a vocal critic of Fidel and Raul Castro, was arrested Monday on charges of “social dangerousness.” He was facing up to four years in prison. More details are available from the AP.

Punk band Porno Para Ricardo was formed ten years ago and has built a reputation on ridiculing the island nations’ communist government and it’s leaders. At one time it’s music was broadcast on state radio and TV, but the group was later banned and has resorted to smaller, underground concerts.
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The Jealous Sound: “Got Friends”

Los Angeles, CA’s The Jealous Sound have posted the title track off of their upcoming full length, Got Friends. The band has cleverly claimed that a group of terrorists named Gel Is Sound have taken the song hostage and posted it on their virb page.

No word on what label the album will come out on, but in 2005 the band signed to The Militia Group and haven’t released any new material since then. Regardless, the song can be found here.
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Tours: Torche: Europe with Pelican, USA with Clouds, Japan with Coliseum

Torche are heading out on tour. Forever. They’ll be joined by label-mates Clouds, Louisville’s Coliseum and San Francisco’s Black Cobra. First, they’ll be going to Europe with Pelican and in between legs with Clouds will be in Japan with Coliseum. They’re supporting their 2008 release, Meanderthal.

Dates are below.
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Jonesin’ line up 7″‘s, FESTing

Long Island, New York’s Jonesin’ have announced a slew of 7″s to come in the coming months: a split 7″ with California’s Dude Jams to be released by Dirt Cult Records and Muy Authentico Records, a split 7″ God’s Lightning (ex I-Farm) to be released by Dead Broke Rekerds, and finally a 7″ E.P. later this year on Tampa’s A.D.D. Records. The band just released their split 7″ with Shang-a-Lang in July on Dead Broke/Dirt Cult.

Jonesin’ will also be playing THE FEST 7 and touring down the east coast with hometown buddies, Iron Chic.
Source Continue reading Jonesin’ line up 7″‘s, FESTing

Gatorface details “Sick and Stupid”

Orlando, FL’s Gatorface, which features Alex and Richard of New Mexican Disaster Squad, has announced further details on the upcoming debut EP Sick and Stupid. The six song track listing and cover art can now be seen by clicking below.

The album will be released by Vinnie of Less Than Jake‘s digital and vinyl only record label, Paper and Plastick. The record will be released as a 10″ with a digital download code included. The album is also one sided, with the b-side featuring a sketch drawn by the band’s drummer.
Source Continue reading Gatorface details “Sick and Stupid”