Camper Van Beethoven Sticks It to Virgin Records

When influential rock band Camper Van Beethoven was denied the opportunity to buy back the rights to material from its Virgin Records catalog for its new 'Popular Songs' retrospective, the band gave its former label a stiff middle finger.

Following in the footsteps of frontman David Lowery's other band, Cracker (who had reworked all of its Virgin material for the 2006 'Greatest Hits Redux'), fans are treated to note by note re-recordings of songs like 'Eye of Fatima,' 'Pictures of Matchstick Men' and 'All Her Favorite Fruit.'

Designed to commemorate the band's 25th year this month, those renditions rest side by side with classic, original takes of 'The Day That Lassie Went to the Moon,' 'Club Med Sucks' and 'Take the Skinheads Bowling.' In addition to the new comp, which drops June 24, the Santa Cruz-based group celebrates its Silver Anniversary with a special headlining gig at San Francisco 's Fillmore on June 28.

If that's not enough, CVB and Cracker will join forces for their fourth annual 'Campout' music festival on the weekend of September 11-13 at Pappy and Harriet's in Pioneertown, California. Famed indie rockers Built to Spill will also be on the bill.