Spinner http://www.spinner.com Spinner http://www.spinner.com/media/feedlogo.gif Spinner http://www.spinner.com en-us Copyright 2012 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/ Blink-182 Offer 'Throwback, Progressive' Songs on 'Neighborhoods' http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/15/blink-182-up-all-night/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/15/blink-182-up-all-night/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/15/blink-182-up-all-night/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Kevin Winter, Getty Images

This week, Blink-182 released their new single, 'Up All Night,' and revealed that their new album would be called 'Neighborhoods.' This means that by the time the trio of Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker start their tour with My Chemical Romance, they should have plenty of new material to showcase for fans.

"One of the things I'm really proud of about this record is a lot of the songs are really built for a big audience," DeLonge tells Spinner. Stylistically, the record is a mix of the past and future of the band. "I think we've done a really great job kind of separating our record into sections, where some stuff is throwback, some stuff is very progressive, and some stuff is just plain different." ]]> Blink-182blink182Mark HoppusmarkhoppusTom DeLongetomdelongtomdelongeTravis Barkertravisbarker Steve Baltin 2011-07-15T15:00:00 00:00 Duff McKagan Looks Back at Coke-Filled Past, Mom-Inspired Sobriety in Memoir http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/12/duff-mckagan-memoir/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/12/duff-mckagan-memoir/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/12/duff-mckagan-memoir/#comments Filed under: ,


Steve Thorne, Redferns

Lots of rock stars say they're lucky to be alive, and when former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan says, "On a lot of accounts I shouldn't even be here," we believe him. But McKagan is one of rock's true success stories, a guy who furthered his education to the point that he now has a finance management company, writes multiple columns, fronts his own band, Loaded, and has a family.

For him, that last accomplishment is the most important. "It's very possible none of this should've been here," he tells Spinner. "And every morning I sort of wake up and go, 'Oh yeah, it's all good. I'm happy to be here.'" ]]> Duff McKaganDuffMckaganGuns N RosesGunsNRosesLoaded Steve Baltin 2011-07-12T16:00:00 00:00 Mick Jagger and SuperHeavy Preview Album, Ponder Tour in Los Angeles http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/01/mick-jagger-superheavy/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/01/mick-jagger-superheavy/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/01/mick-jagger-superheavy/#comments Filed under: ,


Dave M. Benett, Getty Images

Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart, Joss Stone, AR Rahman and Damian Marley got together at L.A.'s Jim Henson Studios on Thursday to preview their new SuperHeavy album and talk to a few invited guests about one of the most anticipated records of the fall, which will be released on September 20.

The hour-long listening session began with a short documentary showing the band recording at Henson Studios, before the invited guests got a taste of what it sounds like when cultures, genres and generations gather together for a supergroup. ]]> AR RahmanarrahmanDamian MarleydamianmarleyDave StewartdavestewartJoss StonejossstoneMick Jaggermickjaggersuperheavy Steve Baltin 2011-07-01T17:00:00 00:00 Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea Admits Band Nearly Split During 'Dysfunctional' Period http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/23/red-hot-chili-peppers-im-with-you/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/23/red-hot-chili-peppers-im-with-you/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/23/red-hot-chili-peppers-im-with-you/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Clara Balzary

The Red Hot Chili Peppers return this August with 'I'm With You,' the band's first new collection since 2006's double album, 'Stadium Arcadium.' During the hiatus, the band lost guitarist John Frusciante, who's been replaced by Josh Klinghoffer. But as bassist Flea tells Spinner, Frusciante wasn't the only one who had doubts about going on.

"I just felt like I wanted to take two years away just to really look and see if the band was something we should still be doing," the bassist says. The fact the band is back with a new Rick Rubin-produced collection answers the question of whether or not he thought it was worth continuing. In this very honest interview, Flea opens up on how his relationship with frontman Anthony Kiedis helped save the band, the change in guitarists and the new album.

We talked to Anthony during the making of the last album and he said it was such an intense experience and you guys recorded so much music, but it's been five years. Did that time reinvigorate you for the making of 'I'm With You'?

Very much so. The record was more than intense and the tour even more intense. We toured for a year and a half on that record and at the end of it, it was just time. I said, "Let's take two years off." And I talked everyone into it and some people were more prone to it than others, but it just felt like we needed to stop. We've been going really hard for a lot of years with small breaks here and there, but never a major break. And I just felt like I wanted to take two years away just to really look and see if the band was something we should still be doing. ]]> Anthony KiedisAnthonyKiedisFleaJohn FruscianteJosh KlinghofferJoshKlinghofferRed Hot Chili PeppersRedHotChiliPeppers Steve Baltin 2011-06-23T15:00:00 00:00 Rage Against the Machine Look Back on 20 Years of 'Terrorizing' Audiences http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/22/rage-against-the-machine-LA-rising/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/22/rage-against-the-machine-LA-rising/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/22/rage-against-the-machine-LA-rising/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Steve Thorne, Redferns

On July 30, Rage Against the Machine will take over the L.A Coliseum with special guests Muse, Rise Against, Lauryn Hill, Immortal Technique and El Gran Silencio. L.A. Rising, as the show is being called, is "Rage Against the Machine's festival," according to guitarist Tom Morello.

The inspiration is the 20-year anniversary of the first time the band was in a room together, and the L.A. quartet, who've been relatively quiet interview wise since their Coachella reunion in 2007, are opening up in honor of the milestone. In this "guerilla" video from Tim Commerford, the bassist takes fans into his prep routine for a show and says, "Hopefully it'll continue to happen, but no guarantees here ... Truth be told, this might be the last show we ever play. That's the way I always look at it."

Speaking to Spinner, Morello echoes those sentiments, saying, "Sometimes the guys in the band don't know from one day to the next." That's been the Rage way since they reformed: enigmatic and letting the music speak for them. But in this interview, Morello lets fans into the Rage world, talking about the feeling of being on stage with the band, coming back to the Coliseum 14 years after opening for U2 there and why L.A. is the music capitol of the world.

Tell us about the inspiration for this show.

This is a Rage Against the Machine show -- we chose the bands and the venue, we're choosing the activists and the charity causes that will be in the Rage reeducation camp that will be part of the venue. The 20th anniversary of the first time the four of us were in a room together is this August and we thought "What better way to mark it than by, from the very humble beginnings of playing in a little rehearsal studio in the San Fernando Valley, to playing the biggest venue in town?" ]]> Rage Against the MachineRageAgainstTheMachineTomMorelloZackDeLaRocha Steve Baltin 2011-06-22T15:30:00 00:00 My Morning Jacket Play Intimate Gig at Famed L.A. Studio for KCRW http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/22/my-morning-jacket-kcrw/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/22/my-morning-jacket-kcrw/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/22/my-morning-jacket-kcrw/#comments Filed under: ,


Karl Walter, Getty Images

As the lucky 250 fans who either bought or won tickets to see My Morning Jacket rock for Los Angeles radio station KCRW made their way into Santa Monica's Village Studios, they were greeted by more bling than a hip-hop summit. Adorned along the walls were gold and platinum albums that ranged from Lady Gaga, Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails all the way back to Bob Dylan and the Band's 'Before the Flood' and Sly and the Family Stone's 'There's A Riot Going On.'

This is a studio that has seen a tremendous amount of history -- there's even a special booth that was built for Stevie Nicks. And Tuesday night, My Morning Jacket added another tale to the legend of the Village, playing their new 'Circuital' album live from start to finish for a taping of KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic that will air July 15. ]]> Jim JamesJimJamesMy Morning JacketMyMorningJacket Steve Baltin 2011-06-22T12:10:00 00:00 U2 Explore Alternate Careers, Toast Manager's Birthday in Anaheim http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/18/u2-360-tour/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/18/u2-360-tour/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/18/u2-360-tour/#comments Filed under: ,


Wendy Redfern, Redferns

In more than 30 years of performing and two years into the highest grossing tour in music history, one would think U2 would have accomplished everything they set out to do. But at Friday night's gig in Anaheim, Calif., at Angels Stadium, Bono wanted to fix one thing that he had never achieved.

Speaking of their longtime manager, Paul McGuiness, Bono said he had been at almost every U2 gig "but never been on a U2 stage. Without this man, things might have turned out a little differently." ]]> Adam ClaytonBonoEdgeLarry Mullen Jr.U2 Steve Baltin 2011-06-18T14:50:00 00:00 Foo Fighters Play Surprise Set at KROQ's Weenie Roast in L.A. http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/05/foo-fighters-kroq-weenie-roast/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/05/foo-fighters-kroq-weenie-roast/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/05/foo-fighters-kroq-weenie-roast/#comments Filed under: ,


Foo Fighters' Dave GrohlNoel Vasquez, Getty Images

When L.A.'s KROQ holds its annual Weenie Roast concert, there's almost always an unannounced act. Years ago, Dave Grohl played a surprise acoustic set, and for the 2011 edition, he brought some friends.

Immediately following Rise Against's highly anticipated and energetic 40-minute set, the stage rotated, as it had all day and night, and the familiar opening riff of the Foo Fighters' 'All My Life' rang out, with Grohl punctuating the frenzy of the guitars and the crowd with a bellowing "Surprise!" ]]> Dave GrohldavegrohlFoo Fightersfoofighters Steve Baltin 2011-06-05T11:30:00 00:00 Jane's Addiction See a 'Dream Come True' With RockWalk Induction http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/02/janes-addiction-guitar-center-rockwalk/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/02/janes-addiction-guitar-center-rockwalk/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/06/02/janes-addiction-guitar-center-rockwalk/#comments Filed under: ,


Jason LaVeris, FilmMagic

On Wednesday, June 1, Jane's Addiction were inducted into the Guitar Center RockWalk in Hollywood. Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro and Stephen Perkins were on hand to be honored by Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, who called himself Jane's number one fan in his stirring induction speech.

"Nirvana often gets credit for being the first 'alternative' band to break through, the band that changed music and led rock out of the hair metal wilderness of the '80's," Morello said. "That's just not true. It was Jane's Addiction: Inspiring, intelligent, furiously rocking and artistically deep as f---."

Afterward, Jane's frontman Farrell quipped, "That speech made me sound so damn good, I don't need to look in the mirror ever again. Just play that over and over every morning." ]]> Dave NavarroDaveNavarrojanes addictionJanesAddictionPerry FarrellPerryFarrellStephen Perkinsstephenperkins Steve Baltin 2011-06-02T16:00:00 00:00 Perry Farrell Battles Queen for a Bassist, Plots Dream Lineup for Lollapalooza 2012 http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/20/perry-farrell-janes-addiction-dave-sitek-queen/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/20/perry-farrell-janes-addiction-dave-sitek-queen/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/20/perry-farrell-janes-addiction-dave-sitek-queen/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Jason LaVeris,FilmMagic

For it's more than 20-year history, Jane's Addiction has had a steady core of frontman Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins. The role of bassist, on the other hand, has been a revolving door since Eric Avery split several years ago only to return for one tour and leave again. On their new album, 'The Great Escape Artist,' Jane's Addiction has had three bassists involved: Duff McKagan, who started writing with the band, TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek, now playing on the record, and Chris Chaney, who's been playing the live shows.

After all of this, the band may have ended up with the best situation, with Sitek on the album and Chaney, who played on 'Strays' and toured with the band multiple times, playing live. It is a win-win, as they can utilize both bassists, with Farrell telling Spinner he hopes to do at least three special shows with Sitek playing the new album live while Chaney will handle the remainder of the tour. ]]> Dave SitekDaveSitekjanes addictionjanesaddictionPerry FarrellPerryFarrellQueentv on the radioTVontheRadio Steve Baltin 2011-05-20T14:00:00 00:00 PJ Harvey Plans to Release Paintings, Poetry and Prose http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/18/pj-harvey-let-england-shake/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/18/pj-harvey-let-england-shake/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/18/pj-harvey-let-england-shake/#comments Filed under: ,


Matt Kent/WireImage

The art world's loss was music's gain when PJ Harvey opted for a career in rock instead of pursuing life as a sculptor.

"My initial beginnings were as a visual artist, not a musician," she tells Spinner. "I was going to do a degree in sculpture at a place to go onto study sculpture, but then the path towards music opened up for me. I had an opportunity to make a record and it took me away from ever doing that." ]]> PJ HarveyPjHarvey Steve Baltin 2011-05-18T12:30:00 00:00 Prince and Stevie Wonder Perform Surprise 'Superstition' in L.A. http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/14/prince-stevie-wonder-superstition/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/14/prince-stevie-wonder-superstition/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/14/prince-stevie-wonder-superstition/#comments Filed under: ,


Michael Caulfield,WireImage

During his current 21-night stand at the L.A. Forum, Prince has had an array of guests, from Alicia Keys to Gwen Stefani. But on Friday night, during an epic two-hour-and-45 minute performance, the Purple One raised the bar by bringing out living legend Stevie Wonder for a rendition of 'Superstition.'

Opening act Janelle Monae hinted something might be up when she dedicated the Charlie Chaplin-penned 'Smile' to "Our friend, Stevie Wonder." And early in his set Prince called out "love and respect to Stevie Wonder." After the show was seemingly over following a glorious 'Purple Rain,' Prince's stellar band came back out and kicked into 'Superstition,' to be followed moments later by Prince rising from underneath the stage holding Wonder by the arm. It wasn't a total surprise but that didn't keep the place from going justifiably crazy at the sight of Wonder playing his harmonica while facing Prince, who rocked out on his guitar. ]]> PrinceStevieWonder Steve Baltin 2011-05-14T15:30:00 00:00 Steven Tyler, Jane's Addiction Honor Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan for Sobriety http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/07/steven-tyler-janes-addiction-honor-dave-gahan-sobriety/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/07/steven-tyler-janes-addiction-honor-dave-gahan-sobriety/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/07/steven-tyler-janes-addiction-honor-dave-gahan-sobriety/#comments Filed under:


Getty Images

Over his illustrious career, Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan has won a lot of awards, but the latest, which he was presented with last night at L.A.'s Club Nokia at the annual MAP/Musicares event, left the singer a bit perplexed. "They said they were going to honor me with some kind of award, which I'm still confused about," Gahan told Spinner on the red carpet.

Gahan was given the Stevie Ray Vaughan award, which has been given in the past to Chris Cornell and James Hetfield among others, and while Gahan was modest about it beforehand, the honor, for both sobriety and help to the music community, is a big one. And that was reflected in the night's festivities, which began with Ozomatli, who threw a raucous rendition of Depeche Mode's 'Just Can't get Enough' into their set and Paramore, performing two scaled down songs, both on-hand to pay tribute to the night's other honoree -- Warped tour founder Kevin Lyman, who was cited for his charity work and help to other musicians.

During Paramore's set, frontwoman Hayley Williams said, "Kevin has been kind of a godfather to us." Though Lyman joked in his acceptance speech that Paramore's presence was probably the only thing that kept his older daughter from blowing off the family this night for a Ke$ha show, the night held special significance for him because of his own relationship with Gahan. ]]> dave gahandepeche mode Steve Baltin 2011-05-07T15:15:00 00:00 Moby's Song About Losing His Mother, 'The Day,' Pulls Double Duty as Protest Track http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/06/moby-move-on-the-day-video/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/06/moby-move-on-the-day-video/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/06/moby-move-on-the-day-video/#comments Filed under: , , , ,


Dimitrios Kambouris, WireImage

It's hard to find a more personal subject than the loss of a parent, which Moby poignantly documents in his moving new single, 'The Day.' Written about a day he spent in the hospital with his dying mother, it might seem like an odd song to become the soundtrack for a protest, but 'The Day' was adopted by the organization MoveOn.org to accompany a video they did to protest recent budget cuts. For his part, Moby believes it's a great testament to his mother.

Watch Moby's 'The Day' Video Feat. Actress Heather Graham


"One of my earliest memories of my mom was marching in anti-war protests in the late '60s and when I was like 7 or 8 years old," he tells Spinner. "On Saturdays, we used to volunteer at the local Public Interest Research Group, so my Saturdays growing up were spent volunteering for lefty organizations. I'm sure that if she were still alive she'd really be thrilled that this song was being used for good purpose." ]]> Moby Steve Baltin 2011-05-06T13:30:00 00:00 Scarlett Johansson, Ben Harper + More Lend Their Voices to Autism Documentary http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/02/wretches-and-jabberers-documentary/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/02/wretches-and-jabberers-documentary/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/02/wretches-and-jabberers-documentary/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Getty Images (2) I jpistudios.com

When it came time to compose the score for 'Wretches & Jabberers' -- a touching documentary about two autistic men, Larry Bissonette and Tracy Thresher -- musician J. Ralph felt he had to create something unique.

"Being so moved by Larry and Tracy's journey it was evident that this film was clearly about searching for your own voice and finding what it means to have your own voice and expressing one's self," Ralph, who has written scores for the Oscar-winning documentaries 'The Cove' and 'Man on Wire,' tells Spinner. "I really wanted to take my experience from watching them and going on their journey with them and put it into a form of music that had words to honor them. ]]> antonyhegartybenharpercarlysimonScarlettJohanssonStephen Stills Steve Baltin 2011-05-02T16:15:00 00:00 Chris Cornell's 'Dream Career' Comes True With Solo Tour, Soundgarden Reunion http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/29/chris-cornell-tour/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/29/chris-cornell-tour/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/29/chris-cornell-tour/#comments Filed under: , ,


Cory Schwartz, Getty Images

Before fans hear Soundgarden's first studio album in 15 years, they'll get to hear frontman Chris Cornell at his quietest. He is currently in the midst of his first solo acoustic tour, and he loves the contrast.

"It couldn't be further from what I would do in Soundgarden," Cornell tells Spinner. "The bottom line is that's what's interesting to me about it and that's what's exciting about it." ]]> Chris CornellchriscornellSoundgarden Steve Baltin 2011-04-29T15:00:00 00:00 Strokes Get Shut Down by Fire Marshal at Corporate Beverly Hills Gig http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/21/strokes-beverly-hills-gig/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/21/strokes-beverly-hills-gig/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/21/strokes-beverly-hills-gig/#comments Filed under: ,


Christopher Polk, Getty Images for T-Mobile

When the Strokes played Coachella this past weekend, they had to compete for audience attention with PJ Harvey, Chromeo, Leftfield, Ratatat and more. On Wednesday night, they faced another array of distractions when they performed at a private Beverly Hills gig to celebrate the launch of the new T-Mobile Sidekick 4G.

The New York quintet, who recently released their 'Angles' album, had to vie with laser tag, '80s arcade games, pinball machines, air hockey, basketball, an on-site ice cream parlor, a photo booth, open bar and a sushi stand at a particularly over-the-top party. ]]> Strokes Steve Baltin 2011-04-21T14:32:00 00:00 The National Plan Grateful Dead Tribute Album for Charity http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/19/the-national-grateful-dead-covers-album/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/19/the-national-grateful-dead-covers-album/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/19/the-national-grateful-dead-covers-album/#comments Filed under: , ,


Frazer Harrison, Getty Images

Back in 2009, the National's Bryce and Aaron Dessner curated 'Dark Was the Night,' a compilation that featured Bon Iver, Spoon, Feist, Dirty Projectors, David Byrne and Arcade Fire and benefited AIDS charity Red Hot. The album was so successful that the band will once again solicit their musical friends for another Red Hot album, only this time with a surprising twist.

"We're actually working on a new compilation record, like we did the 'Dark was The Night' record, that's going to be a Grateful Dead covers record," bassist Scott Devendorf told Spinner at Coachella. ]]> Grateful DeadNational Steve Baltin 2011-04-19T13:00:00 00:00 The Joy Formidable Go Crazy From the Coachella Heat http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/17/joy-formidable-coachella-2011/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/17/joy-formidable-coachella-2011/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/17/joy-formidable-coachella-2011/#comments Filed under: , ,


Getty Images

Northern Wales trio the Joy Formidable closed their rocking Coachella set in the Gobi Tent Saturday (April 16) by laying down their instruments and rocking an impressive wall of distortion. Though the band was all smiles later on in the night when Spinner caught up with them, lead singer Ritzy Bryan admitted she and her band mates might have been crazed by the heat.

"I think the heat got to me, I was enraged by the end, and I know why I was enraged, but I'm not gonna tell anybody, but I was so genuinely angry," Bryan told Spinner. "It was very truthful."

Band mate Rhydian Dafydd concurred that the honesty helped make their set one of the early day highlights. "It's whatever comes out at that point in time, we don't over think it. These people really sense it if it's contrite," he says. ]]> coachellacoachella2011Joy Formidable Steve Baltin 2011-04-17T18:25:00 00:00 Soundgarden Announce New Tour Dates, Recording 'Dark, Aggressive' Songs http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/14/soundgarden-live-tour/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/14/soundgarden-live-tour/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/14/soundgarden-live-tour/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Press Here

Hot on the heels of their first concert album, 'Live on I-5,' reunited grunge heroes Soundgarden have revealed their first dates of 2011. The band will hit the road beginning July 2 for four shows in Toronto, Philadelphia, Denver and Los Angeles, and ticket info can be found at the band's official site.

Yes, Soundgarden are officially a band again, with new studio music on the way. "It's pretty developed in the writing process," guitarist Kim Thayil tells Spinner. "We've been at it since December, January. We're still writing, but we have a number of songs that are complete, a number of songs that are close to being completed and a number of songs that look like they just woke up." ]]> Soundgarden Steve Baltin 2011-04-14T13:35:00 00:00