“King of the Dogs,” the lead single from Iggy Pop’s forthcoming album ‘Préliminaires’, was released digitally on May 5th through all digital retailers including Amazon, iTunes and Rhapsody.

Rolling Stone included the song on their “Hot List” calling it “Magnifique,” and adding that “on this Big Easy-style single from his French-novel-inspired new disc, Ig gets his Tom Waits on.” The track is also currently being featured on Stereogum.

“King of the Dogs” was inspired by New Orleans style jazz, with an arrangement featuring trumpet, trombone and clarinet. “At one point, I just got sick of listening to idiot thugs with guitars banging out crappy music,” says Iggy. “I’ve started listening to a lot of New Orleans-era, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton type of jazz.”

‘Préliminaires’, which will be released in the U.S. on EMI Music’s Astralwerks label on June 2, 2009, was produced by Hal Cragin and inspired by French author Michel Houellebecq’s 2005 novel The Possibility of an Island.

Iggy will also be performing at the fifth annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert honoring Red Hot Chili Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis, which takes place at club Nokia in Los Angeles on May 8th.

Buy Music:

Iggy Pop on amazon.com

Iggy Pop on amazon.co.uk

Iggy Pop widget:

Iggy Pop Official Website

Iggy Pop Préliminaires

The Foo Fighters founder and frontman Dave Grohl is looking good and his passion and stage presence during their set at Live Earth was infectious. Passion wouldn’t be a word that I would use for some of the other acts that took to the stage before the Foo Fighters.

Technical difficulties were an issue. Bands were having problems with their sound on stage all day. Razorlight’s Johnny Borrell couldn’t hear anything through the monitors and when the Red Hot Chili Peppers played I thought we might get through a set without the sound drama. They sounded great and Flea was on fire, but after playing a couple songs, the Chili Peppers stopped to have what appeared to be a ‘band meeting’ on stage – at Live Earth in front of millions of people. At one point I could hear Anthony Kiedis say something about not being able to hear. I think after that they only had one more song to go.

Now I, as a singer, can understand sound problems on stage. I love to have a good mix in the monitors with some reverb coming back at me. But you know what? If I was playing only three songs with my band at Wembley Stadium – in front of millions (some say 2 billion) of people I think even I could handle not being able to hear and just play on like everything is okay. Especially since most acts only played two or three songs. As a viewer, I don’t want the distraction of stage problems and complaining while trying to enjoy a band and their music, well then again…these things do tend to make good ‘car crash TV’.

I’m sure the bands didn’t want to upstage their set by complaining about the sound and even though bands should know better, the first thing the stage manager or event director should have told them before they went out on stage, was “don’t mention the sound”.

The reason I’m even bringing this up is because knowing that there were sound problems all day at the new Wembley Stadium, it was brilliant to see Dave Grohl just get on with things, with the passion and the attitude that all rock fans love to see – and he played like his life depended on it. The band sounded great, they were having fun and if Dave Grohl had any problems hearing there were no signs or nasty expressions coming from him. Drummer Taylor Hawkins also put on an incredible performance. Excellent set by the Foo Fighters.

Watch Foo Fighters – “Best Of You” video from Live Earth:

Tour dates could be added or changed! Go to the Foo Fighters Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

August 18 V Festival, Hylands Park Chelmsford, UK
August 19 V Festival Weston Park Staffordshire, UK
August 21 T On The Fringe: Meadowbank Sports Centre (Meadowbank Stadium) Edinburgh, Scotland
August 22 Marlay Park Dublin, Ireland

Foo Fighters Official Website
Foo Fighters on Myspace

By: Jenny May – Band Weblogs

Metallica announced their “well kept Metallica secret” that fans have been “chatting about for weeks” on their Official Website. Apparently their show won’t be a full on Metalli-show and their performance will be available shortly after to download for a small fee on iTunes and on the Metallica download site: www.livemetallica.com. All proceeds from download sales will benefit four climate charities that Metallica has selected: Sierra Club, The Apollo Alliance, WWF and Rainforest Action Network.

Other acts scheduled to perform at Wembley Stadium for Live Earth London include Madonna, Duran Duran, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Spinal Tap.

The Live Earth SOS organizers are expecting the events to bring together 2 billion people from around the world to raise awareness about climate change and combat the climate crisis.

Live Earth Links:

Live Earth information on Band Weblogs
Live Earth on MSN
Metallica Official Website

By: Jenny May

I wonder what Duran Duran’s set list will look like. Maybe some oldies but goodies from the “Save A Prayer” and “Rio” era? And is Andy Taylor really out of the band? Actually, to answer my last question, all I had to do was look at the Duran Duran Live Earth promo photo to see that he’s not there. Everyone else is though: Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes (who recently designed the first ever video guitar – “Pixelator” for Fender), John Taylor and Roger Taylor.

Watch “Save A Prayer” video by Duran Duran

Duran Duran Official Website
Duran Duran on Myspace
Live Earth Official Website

By: Jenny May

Acts scheduled to perform at the US concert in New Jersey are to include:

AFI, Akon, Alicia Keys, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Fall Out Boy, John Mayer, Kanye West, Kelly Clarkson, Kenna, KT Tunstall, Ludacris, Melissa Etheridge, Roger Waters, Sheryl Crow, Smashing Pumpkins, The Police, Keith Urban and Taking Back Sunday.

From LiveEarth.org, “Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. EDT on Monday, April 16 2007 and will be available at livenation.com/liveearth or by calling Ticketmaster at (212) 307-7171. All ticket information is available at LiveEarth.MSN.com. All proceeds will benefit the Alliance for Climate Protection and other international NGOs.”

More information about Live Earth and the bands playing at Wembley Stadium in London. Also Live Earth locations around the world: Hamburg, Germany, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tokyo, Japan, Shanghai, China, Antarctica, Johannesburg, South Africa, Sydney, Australia and Washington, D.C.

Live Earth is going to be the most talked about music event of the summer. I can say that with confidence, and there are many reasons why people will be discussing the worldwide concerts that will be taking place to help raise awareness about climate change and global warming. You could spend days debating the subject. For instance, the fact that Al Gore is the co-chair of Live Earth is just enough information to have caused a mass media feeding frenzy. Some people like the idea of Al Gore’s involvement, some people don’t and they all have their reasons for it.

Then there are the questions about the concert goers who will be traveling to the shows and all of the equipment that needs to get to the shows and the “carbon footprint” that the concerts will leave behind. Is it justifiable?

And of course with Live Earth founder Kevin Wall’s recent announcement of concert venue locations and headlining acts like Madonna and the Red Hot Chili Peppers brings to light a fresh debate of more carbon footprints and is this hypocrisy?

Quite a few people that I’ve talked to about Live Earth think that rather than having only a handful of concert locations around the world for thousands of people to have to travel to, why not put on local gigs? To Think Globally, Act Locally, with local clubs set up to host a special Live Earth night.

Say for example, if Radiohead and Supergrass, two bands that happen to be from my town which is Oxford, were to announce that they are headlining Live Earth down the road at The Zodiac or the New Theatre for the locals – that would be brilliant. Of course this is just a hypothetical wish. Seriously though, have there been any local arrangements made throughout the towns and communities for Live Earth?

I obviously don’t have all the answers and am simply a bystander without a car, who has no plans to travel to the shows but will be happy to watch the Live Earth concerts either online or on TV. However, if there is a local event happening in Oxford, that would be a different story. I would be there with bells on.

Live Earth Official Website

By: Jenny May

Madonna Sticky & Sweet Tour Dates 2008 + ticket information

If you want to go to the London concert at the new Wembley Stadium, it’s now time to start preparing to register. Live Earth organizers are buckling down on ticket misuse and because of the expected demand for tickets, it seems that they’re following Glastonbury’s lead and have incorporated a registration process for concert goers who want to buy tickets to Live Earth.

From the Live Earth Save Our Selves website:

“Free Registration for tickets opens at midday on FRIDAY, 13 APRIL 2007 and Live Earth ticket applicants are asked to register their details at: www.livenation.co.uk/liveearth

Registration opens from midday on Friday 13th April until Monday 16th April at midday. If your application is successful you will be notified how to buy your tickets on Wednesday, 18 April.

ALL TICKETS FOR LONDON WILL BE PRICED AT ?55 EACH”

Other bands and artists scheduled to perform at Wembley Stadium in London include: Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, Bloc Party, Corinne Bailey Rae, Damien Rice, David Gray, Duran Duran, Foo Fighters, Genesis, James Blunt, John Legend, Keane, Madonna, Paolo Nutini, Razorlight, Snow Patrol, Terra Naomi, Spinal Tap, Kasabian, Metallica, The Pussycat Dolls and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Live Earth concert venues and locations will also be staged in Shanghai, China, Antarctica, Johannesburg, South Africa, Sydney, Australia, Giants Stadium, USA, Tokyo, Japan, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Hamburg, Germany and Washington, D.C..

If you didn’t know already, Al Gore is the co-chair for Live Earth and is also involved in organizing the events. There has been some controversy and skepticism about Al Gore and his green ambitions in the media and around the internet. It’s probably not too difficult to find mixed opinions by simply doing a search in Google.

I’ve also noted in a previous entry the irony of Al Gore and his current relationship with bands and music and that of his wife Tipper Gore and their involvement with the censorship of music via Tipper Gore’s PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) vehicle in the 80’s.

I would be curious to know if Madonna remembers that her song, “Dress You Up” was on the PMRC’s “Filthy Fifteen” list. The Filthy Fifteen was a list of fifteen songs that the PMRC found most objectionable. Maybe Madonna sees Live Earth as more important than what went on with the PMRC.

Time must have healed some old wounds or maybe the bands and musicians have simply forgotten or don’t care about the PMRC and the Gores’ affiliation with it. Or it’s possible that the bands feel that spreading the word about climate change and global warming is more important and are willing to brush aside any hard feelings.

I think that it is important to raise awareness of climate change and to listen to the scientists who have been studying global warming. There are also many green and environmental blogs out there in the blogosphere currently discussing green issues like TreeHugger, Hugg.com and the celebrity green gossip blog Ecorazzi.

For more information about Live Earth, go to LiveEarth.org

Watch the concerts and videos online:

The Live Earth concerts will be streamed online live on 7/7/07 at LiveEarth.MSN.com.

The concerts will also be broadcast on the BBC in the UK and on more than 120 networks around the world.

According to the BBC, UK Live Earth TV Schedule and start times: Jonathan Ross will present for BBC 2 starting at 1:00pm BST. The start time for the London Wembley concerts is 1:30pm BST. Graham Norton and Edith Bowman will also be hosting the Live Earth festivities on BBC 2 along with David Shukman, Roger Harrabin and Kate Silverton. Coverage will continue on BBC 1 with concert highlights from around the world.

By: Jenny May

On July 7th, 2007 (07/07/07) concert locations for Live Earth will be taking place in and headliners have been announced for: USA bands at Giants Stadium in New Jersey, Wembley Stadium in London – Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys and more…, Shanghai, China, Antarctica, Johannesburg, South Africa, Sydney, Australia, Tokyo, Japan, Hamburg, Germany and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Other artists and bands scheduled to perform include at Live Earth locations around the world include: Pharrell, Foo Fighters, Snoop Dogg, Lenny Kravitz, Bon Jovi, Paolo Nutini, Sheryl Crow, AFI, Melissa Etheridge, John Mayer, Damien Rice, Corinne Bailey Rae, Duran Duran, Snow Patrol, John Legend, Black Eyed Peas, Akon, Enrique Iglesias, Fall Out Boy, Mana, Keane, Kelly Clarkson, Korn, Faith Hill w/ Tim McGraw, and Bloc Party.

It will be interesting to see how all of this unfolds. When the story first broke a few days ago, I couldn’t imagine that Al Gore would be able to make this happen…but by looking at the names of everyone who so far has jumped on board this could very well be one of the biggest music events ever.

As great as all of this is, I’m sensing a particular irony here. Not to rain on anyone’s parade, but doesn’t anyone remember Tipper Gore’s (Al Gore’s wife) Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) which she co-founded back in the 80’s?

The PMRC claimed that popular music, especially rock music, was partially responsible for the contemporary increase in rape, teenage pregnancy, and teen suicide. This and other claims caused outrage and debate amongst bands regarding the PMRC’s commitment to censor music.

From Wikipedia:

As a method of combating this problem, the PMRC suggested a voluntary move by the RIAA and the music industry to develop “guidelines and/or a rating system” similar to the MPAA film rating system. Additional suggestions from the PMRC that appeared in an article in the Washington Post included: printing warnings and lyrics on album covers, forcing record stores to put albums with explicit covers under the counters, pressuring television stations not to broadcast explicit songs or videos, “reassess[ing]” the contracts of musicians who performed violently or sexually in concert, and creating a panel to set industry standards. This article led to the removal of rock music and magazines from American stores including Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney, Sears, and Fred Meyer.

The PMRC also released the “Filthy Fifteen”, a list of the fifteen songs they found most objectionable:

# Artist – Song title - Lyrical content
1 Prince “Darling Nikki” Sex/Masturbation
2 Sheena Easton “Sugar Walls” Sex
3 Judas Priest “Eat Me Alive” Sex
4 Vanity “Strap on Robbie Baby” Sex
5 Mötley Crüe “Bastard” Violence
6 AC/DC “Let Me Put My Love into You” Sex
7 Twisted Sister “We’re Not Gonna Take It” Violence
8 Madonna “Dress You Up” Sex
9 W.A.S.P. “Animal (F*** Like a Beast)” Sex/Language
10 Def Leppard “High ‘n’ Dry (Saturday Night)” Drug and Alcohol Use
11 Mercyful Fate “Into the Coven” Occult
12 Black Sabbath “Trashed” Drug and Alcohol Use
13 Mary Jane Girls “In My House” Sex
14 Venom “Possessed” Occult
15 Cyndi Lauper “She Bop” Sex/Masturbation

Bands and artists disgruntled with Tipper Gore’s censorship views who have mentioned her in their songs include:

“Hook In Mouth” by Megadeth and “Startin’ Up a Posse” by Anthrax accuses Gore of obstructing freedom of speech, “Porn Wars” by Frank Zappa, “Burn Down the Malls” by Mojo Nixon, “Shelter Me” by Cinderella, ‘IfwhiteAmericatoldthetruthforonedayitsworldwouldfallapart’ by Manic Street Preachers, “White America” by Eminem, P.M.R.C. by The Fad, ‘Sucks’ by KMFDM, ‘Lovely’ by Suicidal Tendencies (and is the subject of, but not directly refrenced in You Can’t Bring Me Down), ‘Stigmata (Live)’ by Ministry, as well as ‘Voldemort Can’t Stop the Rock’ by Harry and the Potters. Warrant also have a track on their Cherry Pie album called Ode to Tipper Gore, which is just quotes she would most definitely oppose. Canadian alternative rockers Furnaceface penned the anti-Tipper ditty ironically entitled ‘We Love You, Tipper Gore’, in Ice T’s book he references her.

Will any of these active acts be invited? Does this rule out Madonna or Ozzy since they were on Tipper’s “Filthy Fifteen” at one point? Or have we all gotten over this, forgive and forget and all that.

If only Frank Zappa was here to witness this. What would he say?

http://downlode.org/Etext/zappa.html

By: Jenny May