Spinner http://www.spinner.com Spinner http://www.spinner.com/media/feedlogo.gif Spinner http://www.spinner.com en-us Copyright 2013 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this headlines and excerpts feed are available for limited commercial distribution. You may repost this feed to your site provided you link back to the original story, do not edit the material, and do not remove this copyright notice. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ STS9 Lead Fans Through Ruins at Mayan Holidaze http://www.spinner.com/2012/12/22/sts9-mayan-holidaze/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/12/22/sts9-mayan-holidaze/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/12/22/sts9-mayan-holidaze/#comments Filed under: , ,


Dave Vann

So Friday, 12/21/12, was not the end of the world as some people had interpreted the Mayan calendar as predicting. But it did make for one hell of a great party deep in Mayan territory, on the Yukatan Peninsula, where multiple music festivals brought hundreds of thousands of fans over the weekend to celebrate whatever the date of Mayan significance would bring.

But for one band in particular, Sound Tribe Sector Nine (STS9), playing just five minutes away from the Mayan ruins in Tulum, Mexico, was particularly poignant -- STS9 has long embraced Mayan culture, even basing elements of their tour schedule, routing and stage production on various parts of Mayan lore. It all culminated with a midnight-to-early-morning set on Friday on a stretch of beach nearly within eyesight of the actual Tulum pyramids, at an annual destination festival called Mayan Holidaze. ]]> mayan holidazemayan holidaze concertMayanHolidazeMayanHolidazeConcertSTS9sts9 concertsts9 concert recapSts9ConcertSts9ConcertRecap Benjy Eisen 2012-12-22T20:02:00 00:00 'Ticket Masters' Q&A: Greedy Artists, StubHub and How to Fight Back http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/05/ticketmasters-book-interview/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/05/ticketmasters-book-interview/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/05/ticketmasters-book-interview/#comments Filed under: , , ,


AP

When the book Ticket Masters: The Rise of the Concert Industry and How the Public Got Scalped first dropped last year, it dropped more than one bomb on music fans: While Ticketmaster itself may not exactly be a fan-friendly company, they're not the only reason concert tickets are so pricey these days. Despite their frustrating fees and annoying add-ons, none of these companies really have much to do with the actual face value of the ticket, at least not initially. And then there's the highway robbery that's now an accepted part of every concert experience, be it the parking, concessions or merchandising.

But the blame can't simply be shifted to the venues or promoters either. As authors Dean Budnick and Josh Baron clearly illustrate, the economics of the concert business are part of a system where cause and effect have resulted in some incredibly expensive nights out. Even for those willing to pay face value, the best seats are often impossible to get. There's a reason for that, too, and the truth isn't always pretty.

The new paperback edition of Ticket Masters includes an added chapter to bring concert fans up to speed with the latest developments. Indeed, the book has some pretty big, eyebrow-raising moments as it examines more sides of the concert industry than you may have known existed. And it does so in a way that makes for a fascinating must-read for anybody who has ever attended a rock concert and loved everything about it -- except the price.

In researching this book, what was the biggest surprise that you uncovered, along the way?

Josh Baron: While there were a number of surprises throughout the process, the biggest surprise -- discovery might be a better word -- was how significant a role artists play in the whole process: They're the biggest factor in determining ticket price, they're frequently the ones delivering tickets to the secondary market and for all the fan-friendly poses they strike, they're often greedy. That said, the industry as a whole continues -- as it always has -- to protect and insulate artists from such scrutiny since they're the drivers of the whole business. ]]> livenationlivenation ticketmasterstubhubstubhub feesticket mastersticket masters authorsticket masters bookTicketmasterticketmaster feesticketmaster fightticketmaster stubhub Benjy Eisen 2012-07-05T15:00:00 00:00 Phish Petition Metallica in Atlantic City http://www.spinner.com/2012/06/18/phish-metallica-atlantic-city/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/06/18/phish-metallica-atlantic-city/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/06/18/phish-metallica-atlantic-city/#comments Filed under: ,


Phish's Trey AnastasioTim Mosenfelder, Getty Images

After taking the week off following their headlining two-set show at Bonnaroo, Phish launched the proper first leg of their summer tour with a three-night stand at Bader Field in Atlantic City, the same site where Metallica will hold their Orion festival on June 23rd and 24th. As for Phish's takeover this past weekend, it had much of the feel of their own festivals, even if it didn't have the usual bells and whistles. Except, perhaps, for a Ferris wheel that didn't actually start to work until the final night. But with casinos, resorts and a boardwalk all within walking distance, Phish fans converted Atlantic City into some kind of adult playground for a few days.

After an opening night whose merits were hotly debated among fans, Phish played their strongest show on Saturday night when they were able to let loose and let the jams lead them to some interesting corners of the improvisational rock universe. They opened up the second set with a cover of the Talking Heads' "Crosseyed and Painless," and then spontaneously weaved its chorus into jams during several songs that followed. At one point, they even stacked bits of "Crosseyed" on top of their original tune, "Light," after first taking the song through an impromptu detour that included their rare take on Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca." ]]> Phishphish atlantic cityphish bader fieldphish metallica Benjy Eisen 2012-06-18T18:35:00 00:00 Les Claypool Looks Back on Primus 'Breakup,' Influence of Coen Brothers http://www.spinner.com/2011/12/28/primus-Green-Naugahyde/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/12/28/primus-Green-Naugahyde/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/12/28/primus-Green-Naugahyde/#comments Filed under: , ,


Getty Images

Although Primus got their start in the Bay Area music scene, circa 1984, bassist and band leader Les Claypool is, by now, firmly entrenched in Sonom, two counties north of San Francisco. Wine country. In fact, Claypool even runs a boutique winery called Claypool Cellars, with a tasting room in Sebastopol. Many of his lyrics over the years have referenced local spots such as Bodega Bay ('Last Salmon Man'), the Coddingtown Mall ('Coddingtown'), a greasy-spoon in Sebastopol ('D's Diner') and the oddball town of Boonville ('Booneville Stomp').

More to the point, in his home, nestled in a secluded spot under redwood trees and not far from the Pacific Ocean, Claypool operates his hidden Rancho Relaxo studio, where he records and produces almost all of his music. So when Primus regrouped with original drummer Jay Lane back on the drum kit and, as always, Larry LaLonde on guitar, the storied trio hunkered down in their isolated surroundings and emerged with 'Green Naugahyde,' the first Primus album of all-new material in more than a decade.

Speaking to Spinner recently from another local landmark, the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Claypool opened up about Primus' long journey to the present, comparing the band's subject matter to an entire catalog of dark and disturbing cinema.

It's been 11 years since the last Primus album. During that time you put together a lot of other bands, but it always seemed like Primus was sort of just on hiatus.

No, Primus stopped for sure.

How long would you say Primus had definitely broken up for?

For about three years. Then we came back and did the nostalgia thing, in '03, with a pretty big tour. And then in 2006 we did another round. But those tours, they were just -- they were what they were. They were nostalgic tours; we weren't writing anything, we weren't talking about writing anything. ]]> Les ClaypoolLesClaypoolPrimusprimus Green Naugahyde Benjy Eisen 2011-12-28T16:00:00 00:00 Young Man Outgrows 'Boy,' Is More Than That Indie-Covers Kid From YouTube http://www.spinner.com/2011/10/26/young-man-ideas-of-distance/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/10/26/young-man-ideas-of-distance/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/10/26/young-man-ideas-of-distance/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Taylor Burton

As much as the Young Man moniker is, technically, an accurate description of singer-songwriter Colin Caulfield, it is also evident that this young man is, as the saying goes, wise beyond his years. You can substitute any number of other adjectives for "wise" in that statement and you wouldn't be wrong.

At just 22-years-old, not only does Caulfield have a record contract and two releases in the can, he's also got another two fully-realized albums in the oven. What's more -- before his first official full-length, 'Ideas of Distance,' even dropped last month, he already had carved out its place as the first part of a trilogy. He expects to release the other two volumes within the next year and a half. Not bad for a kid barely out of college.

"As I was finishing school, I was continuing to write, and so I wrote 'Ideas of Distance' in the winter, and then just recorded it," Caufield tells Spinner casually, as if writing and recording whole albums was as easy as picking up the dry cleaning. ]]> Colin CaulfieldYoung ManYoungMan Benjy Eisen 2011-10-26T16:00:00 00:00 LCD's James Murphy and Disco Biscuits Discuss Irish Dance Beats at Camp Bisco http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/11/disco-biscuits-play-camp-bisco-with-james-murphy-2011/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/11/disco-biscuits-play-camp-bisco-with-james-murphy-2011/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/11/disco-biscuits-play-camp-bisco-with-james-murphy-2011/#comments Filed under: ,


Disco BiscuitsRoger Kisby, Getty Images

It took ten different incarnations, but the Disco Biscuits finally had a festival sell-out to the tune of 25,000 at their annual Camp Bisco in upstate New York this past weekend. While they hosted a number of marquee acts -- including Wiz Khalifa, Death From Above 1979, Pretty Lights, Bassnectar, Yeasayer and Skrillex -- the Biscuits still commanded the center of attention with six different sets over all three days, plus a set from side-project Conspirator.

The Biscuits aside, another easy highlight of the weekend was the DFA Records late-night dance party which featured LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy spinning disco breaks with his partner in crime, Tim Goldsworthy. ]]> Camp BiscoConspiratorDisco BiscuitsJames MurphyJamesMurphyJon GutwilligLCD SoundsystemLCDSoundsystemMarc Brownsteinthe Disco BiscuitstheDiscoBiscuitsTim GoldsworthyTimGoldsworthy Benjy Eisen 2011-07-11T18:10:00 00:00 Phish Deliver 'Prime' Performance at 'Super Ball 9' Festival in New York http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/04/phish-super-ball-9-festival/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/04/phish-super-ball-9-festival/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/04/phish-super-ball-9-festival/#comments Filed under: ,


Phish ConcertAP Photo

One of the biggest rock festivals of the summer took place this past weekend on a racetrack in Watkin's Glen, New York. The same site that, in 1973, hosted Summer Jam. That one-day festival became legendary for having a crowd far larger than Woodstock but for just three bands -- the Band, the Allman Brothers and the Grateful Dead.

Yeah, well, unlike Summer Jam, this past weekend's 'Super Ball 9' went on for three whole days (July 1-3). But it featured just one band -- Phish. ]]> Phish Benjy Eisen 2011-07-04T16:00:00 00:00 Bruce Springsteen Posts Moving, Revealing Clarence Clemons Eulogy Online http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/29/bruce-springsteen-clarence-clemons-eulogy/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/29/bruce-springsteen-clarence-clemons-eulogy/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/29/bruce-springsteen-clarence-clemons-eulogy/#comments Filed under: ,


Bruce Springsteen and Clarence ClemonsKevin Mazur, WireImage

When Clarence Clemons, longtime saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, passed away on June 18, Bruce Springsteen was quick to offer a statement, which ran on his official website just hours after Clemons' death. He also spoke at the funeral, giving a eulogy that many in attendance had described to the press as being particularly "moving."

Now, fans can read Springsteen's eulogy in its entirety and, yes, it certainly is moving. It's also unexpectedly revealing. In the essay-length speech, which Springsteen posted (slightly amended) to his website, he writes, "Clarence doesn't leave the E Street Band when he dies. He leaves when we die." But he also alludes to the fact that Clemons wasn't just a sideman playing saxophone in a rock band -- he had many sides and shades to his towering personality, not all of them flattering. ]]> Bruce SpringsteenBruce Springsteen the E Street Bandbruce springsteen eulogyBruceSpringsteenBruceSpringsteenAndTheEStreetBandClarence Clemonsclarence clemons eulogyclarence+clemons+eulogyClarenceClemonsclarenceclemonseulogy Benjy Eisen 2011-06-29T20:26:00 00:00 Odd Future's Pitchfork Appearance Will Be Protested by Women's Rights Group http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/29/odd-future-pitchfork-protest/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/29/odd-future-pitchfork-protest/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/29/odd-future-pitchfork-protest/#comments Filed under: , ,


Tyler, the Creator of Odd FutureRoger Kisby, Getty Images

We all know that Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA or, just, Odd Future for short) is not exactly a family values band. In fact, if 2 Live Crew didn't do it in the early 1990s, this L.A. hip-hop collective might've single-handedly ushered in those once-controversial "Parental Guidance: Explicit Lyrics" warning labels. The group's message expounds a particularly violent misogynistic worldview that is not exactly the most friendly towards women.

And so, it was only a matter of time before their blogosphere-fueled success was publicly challenged. According to the website Exclaim.ca, that's exactly what a US women's rights group plans to do, at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago where Odd Future is scheduled to perform on July 17. The group, Between Friends, plans to peacefully protest by distributing 5,000 hand fans containing information and resources aimed to counter violence against women. ]]> Odd Futureodd future pitchforkodd future protestOdd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them Allodd+future+pitchforkodd+future+protestOddFutureoddfuturepitchforkoddfutureprotestOddFutureWolfGangKillThemAllOFWGKTAPitchforkMusicFestival Benjy Eisen 2011-06-29T19:16:00 00:00 Chuck Berry Statue Approved, Despite Opposition http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/28/chuck-berry-statue-approved-despite-protest/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/28/chuck-berry-statue-approved-despite-protest/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/28/chuck-berry-statue-approved-despite-protest/#comments Filed under: , ,


Chuck BerryFrancois G. Durand, WireImage.com

Rock 'n' roll history buffs, music aficionados and statue-loving citizens can relax now -- a short-lived protest against a proposed 8-foot Chuck Berry statue in his hometown of St. Louis, Mo. has been quieted after the local council rejected the protesters' bid to delay its installation. The statue will soon be a permanent adornment in a public area that acts as a gateway to a row of restaurants, shops and Blueberry Hill, the revered nightclub where Berry still performs to this day.

The opposition wanted to hold Berry, 84, accountable for crimes that he paid for long ago. While he was convicted of armed robbery as a teenager and tax evasion in 1979, the issue that they had with the rock 'n' roll legend/forefather mostly centered on a 1962 conviction in which Berry was found guilty of violating the Mann Act. ]]> Chuck BerryChuckBerryChuckBerryStatue Benjy Eisen 2011-06-28T20:58:00 00:00 Mother Hips' Tim Bluhm Takes Kate Wolf 'Crash Course' for Memorial Festival http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/27/kate-wolf-festival-tim-nicki-bluhm/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/27/kate-wolf-festival-tim-nicki-bluhm/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/27/kate-wolf-festival-tim-nicki-bluhm/#comments Filed under: , ,


Tim Bluhm (Mother Hips) and Nicki Blum perform with Poor Buttered RumskyJohn Taber, JT Productions

In the summer of 1996, a concert was held to celebrate the late Kate Wolf and to honor the singer-songwriter's memory by keeping her music alive -- even introducing it to new audiences. It quickly transformed into an annual festival that has drawn repeat appearances from artists ranging from Ani DiFranco to Steve Earle. This past weekend's edition featured a lineup that strayed far from the Wolf tree, with crowd-pleasing sets by Los Lobos, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Taj Mahal, Bruce Cockburn, and Todd Snider with Great American Taxi among many others. Hippie icon and ice cream flavor Wavy Gravy gave color commentary throughout. Not all of the bands mentioned Kate Wolf by name, though, and even fewer may have actually been influenced by her music.

But the spirit of the festival proved itself and its mission when Mother Hips frontman Tim Bluhm and his wife Nicki (of Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers) showed up, unannounced. They were there to have fun but, of course, they also came ready to jam. And, unlike the majority of the festival's performers, they actually performed Kate Wolf songs; four of them, in fact, as guests of Poor Man's Whiskey, who dedicated an entire set to Wolf's catalog. One of the highlights of the entire three-day event came when Nicki Bluhm took over vocal duties for a moving cover of Wolf's 'Give Yourself to Love.' ]]> Kate WolfLos LobosMother HipsNicki BluhmNickiBluhmPoor Mans WhiskeyPoorMansWhiskeyPreservation Hall Jazz BandTim BluhmTimBluhmWavy Gravy Benjy Eisen 2011-06-27T20:44:00 00:00 Widespread Panic Plan 'Elaborate Party' in Mexico http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/25/widespread-panic-en-la-playa-mexico/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/25/widespread-panic-en-la-playa-mexico/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/25/widespread-panic-en-la-playa-mexico/#comments Filed under: , ,


Widespread PanicC Flanigan, FilmMagic

This coming January 31 to February 4, Widespread Panic will head down to the Mayan Riviera in Mexico to perform four consecutive shows at an intimate, all-inclusive resort as part of a Panic-only festival entitled Panic En La Playa. The destination event sold out of its initial allotment of tickets instantly this week and festival organizers have now added a second resort to double the capacity -- to just 2,000 total. The exclusive, vacation-oriented festival will signify the end of Panic's year-long 25th anniversary celebration... but it almost didn't happen.

"From my angle, it probably was something I wouldn't have wanted to do, because it seems kinda exclusive -- it's not the way we usually do things," bassist Dave Schools confesses to Spinner. "But my personal experience on Jam Cruise this year changed it, because it's the same people who run it. And they've got a really good thing going on Jam Cruise ... The guys in the band were like, 'Do you think we could do it?' and I said 'All I know is that the Cloud 9 people do a great job.' I think it's going to be great." ]]> Dave SchoolsDaveSchoolsWidespread PanicWidespreadPanic Benjy Eisen 2011-06-25T01:59:00 00:00 The Spin Doctors Stage Comeback for 'Pocketful of Kryptonite's' 20th Anniversary http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/25/spin-doctors-pocketful-of-kryptonite-anniversary/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/25/spin-doctors-pocketful-of-kryptonite-anniversary/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/25/spin-doctors-pocketful-of-kryptonite-anniversary/#comments Filed under: ,


Spin DoctorsThe Spin Doctors, MySpace.com

It's been nearly twenty years since 'Little Miss Can't Be Wrong' and 'Two Princes' became radio and video hits, thereby thrusting the Spin Doctors from a tight-knit New York scene centered around clubs like the Wetlands and Nightingales into the worldwide spotlight. The album from which those singles came, 1991's 'Pocketful of Kryptonite,' went on to sell more than ten million copies and the Spin Doctors became bona fide sensations -- but it was a short-lived ride as followup releases weren't able to maintain the same level of success. Or, at least, sales.

In 1999, lead singer Chris Barron was diagnosed with a rare form of vocal cord paralysis that left him virtually speechless. Unable to talk, let alone sing -- and faced with a coin-toss chance of ever getting his voice back -- he dropped out of the band. The Spin Doctors were put on the disabled list, where they remained for some time, regrouping for occasional one-offs and special occasions. ]]> Chris BarronSpin DoctorsSpinDoctorsTheSpinDoctors Benjy Eisen 2011-06-25T01:01:00 00:00 Chuck Berry Statue Draws Protest Because of His Criminal Record http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/24/chuck-berry-statue-draws-protest/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/24/chuck-berry-statue-draws-protest/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/24/chuck-berry-statue-draws-protest/#comments Filed under: , ,


Chuck BerryBarry Brecheisen, FilmMagic

The installation of a statue of Chuck Berry has become mired in controversy in Berry's hometown of St. Louis, Mo. because of a disreputable misstep from long ago. The eight-foot statue pays tribute to Berry's legacy, as the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer's influence on rock 'n' roll is, literally, immeasurable -- way bigger than the eight feet of the statue.

On the other hand, a protest group opposes the honor a statue would bestow upon Berry because, they claim, one of his past criminal convictions is unacceptable. They are attempting to delay the statue's planned July installation in a public plaza not far from a legendary venue -- Blueberry Hill -- where Berry, age 84, continues to perform to this day. ]]> Chuck BerryChuckBerry Benjy Eisen 2011-06-24T00:37:00 00:00 Madonna's Story to Be Told in Her Own 'Female Force' Comic Book http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/23/madonna-comic-book-female-force/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/23/madonna-comic-book-female-force/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/23/madonna-comic-book-female-force/#comments Filed under: ,


MadonnaPascal Le Segretain, Getty Images

The OG Material Girl will soon form the subject material for a new comic book based on her life story, according to the Associated Press. Yes, Madonna's life story will translate to 32 graphic pages that Bluewater Productions Inc. plans to publish in August as the latest installment in its Female Force series.

"Our goal is to show the little-known events and influences that resulted in Madonna becoming the phenomenon she remains to this day, more than a quarter-century after she burst upon the scene," Bluewater's executive VP, Jason Schultz, told the AP. The story-line, written by C.W. Cooke and illustrated by Michael Johnson, will focus on her real life transformation from an unknown hopeful into an international superstar. ]]> Female ForceFemaleForceMadonna Benjy Eisen 2011-06-23T21:39:00 00:00 MGMT, Surfer Blood, Jimmy Eat World to Play Free Shows at U.S. Open of Surfing http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/23/us-open-of-surfing-concerts/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/23/us-open-of-surfing-concerts/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/23/us-open-of-surfing-concerts/#comments Filed under: , ,


MGMT's Andrew VanWyngarden liveJuan Naharro Gimenez, Getty Images

Tens of thousands of surfers, spectators and music fans ("surf and turfs?") will get treated to free concerts by MGMT, Jimmy Eat World, Surfer Blood (whose name nobody is hoping will become ironic), the Sounds and Dead Country at the 2011 Nike U.S. Open of Surfing this summer. The action sporting event will take place July 30 to August 7 in Huntington Beach, Calif., with the free, afternoon concerts scheduled for three consecutive days beginning August 4. And, yes, the concerts will be held right on the beach.

"We're pretty excited to come to Huntington Beach for the U.S. Open of Surfing," MGMT's Andrew VanWyngarden admits to Spinner. "Our advice to everyone: Drop out with MGMT, drop by for MGMT, but just don't drop in on MGMT." And while neither VanWyngarden nor his bandmate Ben Goldwasser will compete in the surf contest, the pair have become surfing enthusiasts since moving to Malibu to escape (or, perhaps, bask in) the phenomenal breakout success of their debut album, 2008's 'Oracular Spectacular.' The artwork for their follow-up album, 2010's 'Congratulations,' even features an illustrated surfer on the cover. ]]> Andrew VanWyngardenAndrewVanwyngardenJimmy Eat WorldJimmyEatWorldMGMTSurfer BloodSurferBloodus+open+of+surfingusopenofsurfing Benjy Eisen 2011-06-23T19:56:00 00:00 U2 Are Infighting About Glastonbury Appearance http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/22/u2-infighting-about-glastonbury/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/22/u2-infighting-about-glastonbury/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/22/u2-infighting-about-glastonbury/#comments Filed under: ,


U2's Bono, liveC Flanigan, WireImage

Coming off the biggest, most profitable rock 'n' roll tour in history, U2 are sometimes considered the world's biggest band. But there's one thing they haven't done that most of the other "world's biggest bands" usually do, and that's headline major festivals. Thus, as odd as it may seem to say it, they might actually be a little unprepared for their headlining slot at Glastonbury this coming Friday night.

Additionally, U2 have gotten used to letting the Claw -- their massive, custom-made, biggest-of-its-kind stadium set -- help them entertain audiences, with its double stages, state-of-the-art light rig and the largest video screen to ever tour with a band. "[Glastonbury] is about a band being able to get up and play the music and there aren't bells and whistles, necessarily," drummer Larry Mullen Jr. tells BBC Radio 1. "That's a challenge for us and we've got something to prove." ]]> GlastonburyLarry Mullen Jr.LarryMullenJrU2 Benjy Eisen 2011-06-22T21:12:00 00:00 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Announce Popped! Feat. Shins, Pretty Lights, Elbow -- Video http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/21/popped-music-festival/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/21/popped-music-festival/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/21/popped-music-festival/#comments Filed under: , ,


Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.Big Hassle

As festivals increasingly offer quirky little multimedia clips to announce their lineups, one new event -- Popped! Music Festival -- actually got one of their performing artists to do it for them. The fellas in Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (no relation) each take turns running down the roster. The resulting video is just quirky enough to bear watching regardless of if you plan on attending.

That said, the festival is worth attending. As you'll hear Jr. Jr.s' Joshua Epstein and Daniel Zott tell you in the video, Popped! boasts sets from the Shins, Elbow, Pretty Lights, Girl Talk, Cage the Elephant, Panda Bear, Foster the People, the Hold Steady, Titus Andronicus, the Vaccines and -- as you may assume -- a whole lot more. ]]> Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.DaleEarnhardJr.Jr.PoppedPopped Music FestivalPoppedMusicPoppedMusicFestPoppedMusicFestival Benjy Eisen 2011-06-21T20:39:00 00:00 Guitar Legend Leslie West Has Leg Amputated in Emergency Surgery http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/20/leslie-west-has-leg-amputated/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/20/leslie-west-has-leg-amputated/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/20/leslie-west-has-leg-amputated/#comments Filed under:


Leslie Westmountaintheband.com

Guitar legend Leslie West is recovering and is with his family following an emergency surgery over the weekend in which his leg had to be amputated. West had flown into Mississippi -- a state whose name appears in the title of his biggest hit, 'Mississippi Queen' -- to perform with his band, Mountain. West, a diabetic, was rushed to the hospital on Saturday (June 18) after his leg began to swell significantly. Surgery was able to save his life but not the limb below one of his knees, which was successfully removed.

West became a true guitar hero as the axe-slinging leader of Mountain, which in many ways can be seen as the successor band to Cream -- with West in the role of Eric Clapton, if that's how you want to look at it. Formed in 1969 by West -- who took the band name as a play on both his guitar playing abilities and his physical stature -- and Cream producer Felix Pappalardi, the band found immediate success. Their fourth gig ever was Woodstock. Furthering both the direct and indirect Cream connection, Cream's Jack Bruce -- who co-wrote a hit for Mountain -- and West formed a power trio (West, Bruce & Laing) during one of Mountain's intermittent breakups or, rather, hiatuses. ]]> Bruce LaingLeslie WestLeslieWestMountainWestWestBruceLaing Benjy Eisen 2011-06-20T18:31:00 00:00 Clarence Clemons Featured in Lady Gaga's 'Edge of Glory' -- Video http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/19/clarence-clemons-lady-gaga-edge-of-glory-video/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/19/clarence-clemons-lady-gaga-edge-of-glory-video/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/19/clarence-clemons-lady-gaga-edge-of-glory-video/#comments Filed under: ,


Lady GagaLarry Busacca, Getty Images

As Spinner previously reported, Clarence Clemons -- the legendary saxophone player from Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band -- died on Saturday (June 18) at age 69, from complications due to a stroke he suffered the previous Sunday (June 12). Immediately following his death, an outpouring of love, tributes and eulogies poured fourth from the music community. Springsteen himself was quick to release a statement, mourning the loss of his companion while, also, celebrating his life.

A few days before Clemons' actual death -- but after he suffered the severe stroke which eventually killed him -- pop superstar Lady Gaga released a video for her track 'The Edge of Glory,' featuring Clemons on saxophone. Clemons is seen in the video sitting on a stoop next to Gaga as he blows the instrument that, in rock 'n' roll circles, he became nearly synonymous with. ]]> Clarence ClemonsClarenceClemonsClarenceClemonsDeadClarenceClemonsDeathEdgeofGloryLady GagaLadyGaga Benjy Eisen 2011-06-19T20:26:00 00:00