Gossip -- October 2004

Due to Bettawreckonize fanzine’s sudden and indefinite hiatus, the rest of Joe Anderl’s full-length album won’t be available until its release in November on his brand new label Bettawreckonize Media. He has a series of CD release shows planned around Ohio with Denovo, Tom Foolery and The Mistakes, Bipolar Bear and Southeast Engine. In Bettawreckonize Media related news, he may be re-releasing Captain of Industry’s debut full-length, !, followed by the Joe Anderl full-length and a Joe Anderl/Southeast Engine split.

The Party of Helicopters broke up and that really sucks a lot.

If I'm ever in a band again, the dude who did the My Chemical Romance video is totally doing our video.

According to a statement on the Beta Band’s website, the group has decided to call it quits at the end of 2004.

Travis, formerly of Song of Zarathustra, is in a new band called Chariots who will be releasing a record in early 2005 on Troubleman Unlimited.

The Faint's Wet From Birth hit the streets on the 14th of this month and ended up debuting at #99 on this week's Billboard Top 200. The record is also doing very well at college radio, where it hit #9 in it's first week on the CMJ chart. The Faint are about to go out and play live shows. A full US tour with TV on the Radio and Beep Beep started in early October in Omaha.

Zulu will be released October 12, 2004 on Kill Rock Stars and the Wrangler Brutes can be found touring the U.S. for the next few months.

Starlite Desperation are enjoying a brief stint at home. They've been writing new songs to showcase this Fall. They'll be supporting the Dirtbombs and Ponys up the West coast in October, and The Donnas and Von Bondies across the U.S. in November.

Battles will begin touring in late October/early November. They've
been laying low in anticipation of their new EP to be released on Dim Mak this fall. They Play CMJ at Irving Plaza with TV On The Radio and Pinback, then hit the road. The vinyl repress is almost done. The enhanced CD version still available.

There will be a winter release for the Devendra Banhart/White Magic single.

Clancy Six are really nice. At least over e-mail anyway.

Light Up The Sky is also going on hiatus. Let’s hear it for quitting your fanzine.

It was just announced that Johnny Ramone died. He had been fighting prostate cancer for years, and passed in his sleep earlier this afternoon. We wish his family and friends our deepest condolences.

The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower are also hitting the road for the next two months, playing dates with their NYC pals Fresh Kills, and Breather Resist.

Shah and Jake have left Ex Models. After two full lengths, many singles, tons of tours and a shitload of amazing shows, they've left the band for greener pastures. The Ex Models will continue on with Kid Millions (from Oneida) filling in on drums.

Three.One.G. announced the title of the upcoming Jaks anthology will be Here Lies The Body of Jaks. They've also tipped off fans that they'll be releasing the LP version of the new Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower Record Love In The Fascist Brothel, which will be released on CD by Revelation Records.

Our favorite Canadians, Alexisonfire, show the road no mercy as they begin their three month long fall tour in the U.S., and ending with a stint in the UK. With rotating tour support from Moneen, Hopesfall, Closet Monster, Don’t Look Down, Planes Mistaken For Stars, The Bled and a full month supporting Hot Water Music, Alexisonfire can put another notch in their touring belt.

The Militia Group is very proud to announce that Copeland is nominated for an MTV"Woody Award" in the "Streaming Woodie" Category. The only way you can vote for Copeland is by going to www.mtvu.com/music/streaming_woodie/ and streaming the video before October 15th.

Liars Academy had all their equipment stolen out of
their trailer in the Roland Park area of Baltimore, MD, the band's hometown. This comes right on the heels of the release of the band's new album, Demons, and in the middle of their east coast tour. In an effort to get Liars Academy back on their feet and out on the road, the band is accepting donations via Paypal. If anyone has information or leads that they think could be helpful in any way please email LiarsAcademy@equalvision.com.

Canada's favorite sisters Tegan & Sara have just released their 3rd full-length So Jealous (Vapor/Sanctuary) and first week of sales have been outta control! The record is available, and soon the Quins will be too when their video for the first single "Walking With A Ghost" hits MTV2 and MTV and the girls hit the road for shows in the states, including the Bridge School Benefit with Neil Young, Paul McCartney, Tony Bennett, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sonic Youth and the Spin CMJ Showcase in NYC.

Lovitt will be re-releasing the CD by Bughummer in late Oct/early
November. Originally self-released, this rock outfit was the product
of three men trapped in a southern town brought together by the
similar interests at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Jonathan Procktor, Keeley Davis, and Brian Lackey were the machine that made pounding and aggressive, yet moody, rock tunes. Davis, you may recall, went on to join Engine Down after this band. Bughummer's music is a mix of revealed temper, emotion, attitude, and romanticism.

Decahedron recently got back from their with Dillinger Escape Plan
They are taking some time off but will play shows again in the fall
and write some new material.

After being humbled by their nomination to the Long List of the Fourth Annual Short List Music Prize, the Wrens are now hunkering down in their Teaneck, NJ (Secaucus is a thing of the past) cave/studio/abode and remixing 1997's Abbott 1135 EP (the final product will include a few bonus tracks not found on the original), looking towards an early 2005 release date. They will then begin the hopefully-not-too-long-or-too-painful process of starting work on the follow-up to 2003's The Meadowlands.

The Cinema Eye's Some Nerve (Sound Virus) comes on the heels of their debut EP A Complete Arsenal and a 10" split with Audion. Due out this November on Sound Virus, it binds Sleater-Kinney with The Runaways and smacks a bit of Berlin with leading lady Mollie Wells telling you like it is. The Cinema Eye have toured alongside Pretty Girls Make Graves, An Albatross, Audion and Radio Berlin, taught the kids a thing or two at this spring's SXSW and played two sold-out Sound Virus showcases in LA.

Son, Ambulance has finished up their follow-up to 2001's debut
full-length, Euphemystic. The new record is entitled Key, it will be
released October 26th, 2004.

The Beautiful Mistake is back from a short break with new members and new tour dates for September and October. The band played their first show back at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim, Ca. on Saturday Sept. 4th with Reeve Oliver, Wester and more. They also hit the road with Anberlin and Noise Ratchet in mid September for a few weeks on the West Coast, then out to play CMJ and tour the east coast and midwest with Park and Tokyo Rose.

Be sure to go to stores to grab your HOMESICK - Volume 1 DVD from The Militia Group.

After a wildly successful 2003, which saw 31 Knots tour the U.S. and Europe, the Portland, OR trio has laid low, hard at work on the follow up to the critically-acclaimed It Was High Time to Escape. The result? An EP titled The Curse of the Longest Day will be released on the Japanese label Stiff Slack and will coincide with a tour of Japan.

Death Cab for Cutie has announced fall dates with Travis Morrison, former frontman for Dismemberment Plan, and Pretty Girls Make Graves. The group will be touring the states in October for opening for Blink182 overseas.

In support of the forthcoming third studio album Rubber Factory, which came out September 7th on Fat Possum/Epitaph, the Black Keys have a slew of North American tour dates scheduled for this fall. Beginning this weekend in Seattle, the duo winds through the midwest before leaving for the UK in October and Europe in November.

Dayton/Cincy’s The Heartless Bastards have signed to Fat Possum. They are the shit. Word on the streets is that they'll be changing their name to avoid getting sued though.

It looks like Interscope is cleaning out the Dreamworks catalog and the first casualty is Saves The Day. Rumor has it the band was cut loose from their three record deal with a rather large check in hand.

Green Day have mapped out some tour dates in support of their latest album, American Idiot. The trek, which features New Found Glory on several of the dates, kicked off September 16 at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles and works its way around North America before ending November 24 in San Francisco.

Recently after their Houston show, Engine Down's van and trailer were stolen from the parking lot of the Red Roof Inn on NW Freeway in Houston. All of their gear, 3 laptop computers, cameras, merchandise and personal items are all gone. The band has the fortune of having Brazil as their touring partners who are lending them what they need to play to stay on the road. Anyone with any tips or information about this crime should contact the Houston Police Department, case #132442904T. Also contact Cathy Bauer, General Manager of Lookout! Records at 510 450 8310 x22 or cathy@lookoutrecords.com.

Gwen Stefani's forthcoming solo album is coming along. In a profile of the singer, Newsweek reported that among her many collaborators are New Order, Depeche Mode's Martin Gore, Wendy and Lisa (formerly of Prince and the Revolution), as well as Eve.

Stars will release their third record, Set Yourself on Fire, on November 19. The track "Ageless Beauty" will be the album's first single.

Lovitt Records has signed Del Cielo, an all-female trio from Washington, DC. The group will be recording its first full-length for Lovitt in October. In other label news, Lovitt will also be releasing the vinyl version of the new Engine Down album and the Rah Bras EPs, a remastered collection of three out-of-print EPs originally released on Lovitt, Vermiform, and Lungcast. Expect both of those out September 13th.

Interpol also begins a tour this October in support of Antics, which dropped September 28. Secret Machines and On Air Library! will be joining the act.

The Only Children have announced a string of shows leading up to the CD's November 2nd release date on Austin,TX-based indie label Glurp Records.

The band Cartel, from Atlanta, GA has just signed to The Militia Group.

OKC's powerhouse Traindodge will be appearing on Until the Shaking Stops: A Salute to Jawbox.

Helmet's Page Hamilton suffered a broken collarbone while mountain biking, forcing the band to revise its tour schedule. Helmet will now launch their first tour in seven years in early October. The release date of their album Size Matters has also been affected, moving from its original September 14 release date to October 5.

Secretly Canadian is making three classic Songs: Ohio albums - 1996's self-titled debut, 1999's Axxess & Ace, and 2000's The Lioness - available in vinyl format. The re-release of the debut will include a bonus song that first appeared on vinyl printings of the album. All three will be available October 19th, and Magnolia Electric Co. heads out for two weeks worth of North American dates in October.

Five years after releasing their debut album, So ... How's Your Girl?, Handsome Boy Modeling School (a.k.a. Dan the Automator and Prince Paul) will release their follow-up, White People, on November 9. The disc contains a cavalcade of guest stars including Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda, Mike Patton, the Deftones' Chino Moreno, Cat Power, RZA, Tim Meadows of "Saturday Night Live" and John Oates from Hall & Oates fame, among others. The first single, "The World's Gone Mad," features Alex Kapranos from Franz Ferdinand and Del Tha Funky Homosapien.

Morrissey has announced a solo North American tour. The trek begins September 29 in Washington, D.C.; dates have been announced through November 1 in El Paso, Texas.

Jonah Matranga, the man behind Onelinedrawing, is breaking up his solo act.

A spokesperson for Fox's teen drama The OC has revealed that Modest Mouse, the Walkmen, and the Killers will all appear on this show this season. The Walkmen play an opening act at a club and perform two songs, "What's in it for Me" and "Little House of Savages," while the Killers play a similar role. No word as to how Modest Mouse, whose appearance hasn't been taped, gets worked into the script.

Louisville, Kentucky, live-tronica quartet VHS or Beta will release their sophomore disc, Night on Fire, on September 21. The album will feature production work by Mocean Worker.

Tanya Donelly recorded her next album in front of a live studio audience in August. On August 27 and 28, the former member of Throwing Muses, the Breeders and Belly will record 10 songs at a performance in Bellow Falls, Vermont. Joining her will be members of the Dambuilders, Come, Buffalo Tom, Fuzzy and others.

Hot Snakes is preparing for an October 5th release for its latest offering, Audit in Progress, available on, of course, CD and (less obviously) red vinyl LP. Audit in Progress marks the first recordings with new drummer Mario Rubalcaba, who's worked with Rocket From the Crypt, Black Heart Procession, Clikitat Ikatowi, Sea of Tombs, and others. A warm-up tour for the album kicks off September 30th, and the group doesn't plan to get off the road until the end of summer '05.

Story of the Year, My Chemical Romance, Lostprophets and Letter Kills will all play this year's Nintendo Fusion Tour, set to kick off on September 18 in Phoenix. Dates have been announced through October 26 in New York; according to the event Web site, more dates will be announced soon.

One lucky Hives fan may be singing "Scoot Idiot Scoot" come October. The Swedish rock band is sponsoring a contest that will award one grand-prize winner a zippy black-and-white Vespa Motor Scooter reminiscent of the band's mod attire, a Hives 7-inch, an autographed poster and a Hives T-shirt. The sweepstakes is open for entries until October 26; interested fans should head over to the band's Web site.

Fat Wreck Chords has announced a number of upcoming releases for the fall. Among the newly announced releases is a new record from Me First and the Gimme Gimmes titled Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Play Jonny's Bar Mitzvah, due on October 5th. On November 2nd the label will also release a new DVD from Against Me! titled We're Never Going Home.

Reports are beginning to circulate that the recently reunited Pixies may be planning to record a new full-length in the near future, with a release possibly coming as soon as 2005. It would be the first studio album by the band since their 1991 swan-song, Trompe le Monde.

Fat Wreck Chords' outspoken Anti-Flag are the subject of a bidding war.

Hydra Head Records has officially announced the signing of Seattle's Big Business, featuring ex-members of Murder City Devils and Karp. The group has already recorded and released a demo through label Wantage USA. They are currently in the studio with producer Phil Ek (Modest Mouse, Dead Low Tide) recording their debut full-length. The album, as-of-yet untitled, will hit stores in January 2005.

Revelation Records recently signed The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower. The Plot are already in the studio with Rafter Roberts (Kill Me Tomorrow, The Album Leaf) recording their debut for Revelation. The new record will be titled Love In The Fascist Brothel and is expected in February 2005.

Alternative Press Magazine's website is reporting that Strike Anywhere guitarist Matt Sherwood was recently dubbed "completely irresistible" by Gillette. The company was conducting a talent search for someone to help launch their new line of skincare products. Sherwood, who won a $25,000 prize package and a chance to be in an upcoming commercial for the company, was selected after a nomination by his girlfriend Aran. He was greeted at his home's front stoop by tennis superstar Anna Kournikova, who came bearing the news.

Propagandhi has confirmed it will begin recording its first full-length since 2000's Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes this November.

Dayton, Ohio band Mouth Of The Architect, featuring ex-members of Rune, Twelve Tribes, Yes Collapse and a bunch of other bands, have signed with Translation Loss Records. The new album, titled Time and Withering, consists of four songs (forty minutes total) and will be available in late-October.

Bright Eyes is putting the finishing touches on two new albums. Emmylou Harris provided backing vocals on three of the tracks. Both LPs are scheduled for release in January 2005.

Finnish metal band Nightwish have officially signed with Roadrunner Records for the release of their Once album in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand later this year.

After 20 years of serving as Social Distortion’s bass player John Maurer has decided to leave the band. Maurer completed the recording of Sex, Love and Rock and Roll, the new Social Distortion full-length studio recording but has decided to forgo the usual extended promotion and touring in order to stay home and devote time to his wife and two children. He will be succeeded by Rancid's Matt Freeman.

Lambgoat is reporting that members of Most Precious Blood and Today Is The Day have formed a band called KGB. The group includes Most Precious Blood frontman Rob Fusco (vocals) as well as Steve Austin (guitar, samples) and Chris Debari (bass) of Today Is The Day. KGB will record a demo at Austin Enterprises in Clinton, MA in the coming weeks.

Shai Hulud's Matt Fox and Matt Fletcher have been writing material for an album under the The Warmth Of Red Blood moniker.

High On Fire has added former Melvins bassist Joe Preston to their lineup, replacing long-time bassist George Rice. Preston will make his live debut with High On Fire on August 4th in San Diego. In related news, the band will be entering Electrical Audio Studios with producer Steve Albini (Neurosis, Bloodlet) this fall to record their next album. Tentatively titled Blessed Black Wings, the album is expected to hit stores in February 2005 via Relapse Records.

Death Cab for Cutie's Studio X Sessions, a four-song, piano-driven EP, recorded at the end of their spring tour, is available exclusively through iTunes' music store in MP3 format.

Badly Drawn Boy will launch a North American fall tour on October 5 in Vancouver, British Columbia, to support his new album, One Plus One Is One. The first leg will conclude October 28 in Houston.

Lightning Bolt's next album, titled Frenzy, is being pushed back from its originally scheduled release this summer to a 2005 date. They also recorded a coveted Peel Session with BBC radio personality John Peel at the historic Maida Vale studios in London along with Erase Errata on March 31st.

The Blood Brothers have jumped ship from their previous label Artist Direct and have signed with V2 Records.

San Francisco punkers Crime, who used to perform in full S.F. Police uniforms, only released three singles before breaking up in 1981, and the majority of their recordings were lost for over a decade. Now everything's been collected and remastered on the new compilation San Francisco's STILL Burning, which also includes two unreleased outtakes from their very first studio session.

The Blood Brothers are touring in October and they're taking Against Me! and past tourmates True North along for the ride. The three week tour kicks off in San Diego on October 6th with the last announced date being Atlanta on the 28th.

Bettawreckonize contributor Chris “Poppy” Popadak is taking over drum duties for The Story Changes, whose current drummer is heading back to school. He’ll was behind the skins during their September tour with The Slackers and during their Warped Tour date in Columbus, Ohio earlier this summer.

Maritime, the new band featuring ex-Promise Ring frontman Davey von Bohlen, ex-Dismemberment Plan bassist Eric Axelson, and ex-Promise Ring drummer Dan Didier, have already begun recording the follow-up. The band entered Milwaukee's Polish Moon Studios upon returning from their recent Japanese tour, and have thus far laid down five tracks, with two more to be recorded in the very near future. The new record, which is currently without a title, is being slated for an early 2005 release via DeSoto Records, after which the band is expected to launch an extensive tour.

Circle Takes the Square is headed out on a US and Canadian tour this Fall.

Magnolia Electric Co. have scheduled some tour dates for October. Jason Molina has also reportedly already begun work on his next Magnolia Electric Co. project, and a live album recorded on last year's tour of Europe is also in the works.

Los Angeles-based band Dios have been forced to change their name after being served up a cease and desist order from Ronnie James Dio (aka DIO). The ex-Black Sabbath frontman thinks kids will be confused by the similarity. So the band has opted to change their name to Dios Malos.

Lucero will begin recording its next album after finishing up the current tour of the midwest. The band is working with producer Jim Dickinson, who's worked with the Rolling Stones, The Replacements, Bob Dylan, and Rocket From The Crypt. Expect that album early next year.

The Cinema Eye’s very first drummer and Bettawreckonize contributor Jason LaVeris (who Dayton natives will recognize from Blue Ash Solution and the highly lauded Episode Juan) has picked up drum duties for Dim Mak’s Lion Fever. We had the opportunity to catch them on their way to CMJ and they ruled faces.

Franz Ferdinand announced a small number of states dates in September and one date in Canada in October before playing a three-day festival in France this November.

Pink Mountaintops signed to Jagjaguwar.

Rolling Stone is reporting that Ted Leo and the Pharmacists' next album will be titled Shake The Sheets and released on October 19th.

Death From Above will now operate under the name Death From Above 1979. The change comes after problems with New York producers DFA, who own the copyright to all the variants of the name Death From Above.

Shane MacGowan has announced he will rejoin The Pogues for a December tour of the UK and Ireland. The band will play eight dates across the country, similar to the tour the Pogues undertook in 2001.

Blonde Redhead and the Liars are going on tour together in late September and November.

Unearth will be headlining a tour with Terror, Black Dahlia Murder, and Remembering Never at the end of September.

Majority Rule is apparently no more.

Pitchfork Media is reporting that in October Wire will release On The Box: 1979. The CD/DVD set features a 1979 performance on German television show RockPalast at the time between the releases of Chairs Missing and 154. The DVD will feature the entire concert and an unreleased interview.

Anti-Flag is releasing a DVD titled Death of a Nation on October 19th. The disc features footage recorded at shows played over the past year and other behind-the-scenes extras.

Matador will be reissuing Pretty Girls Make Graves’ Good Health (originally released on Lookout! Records), with their self-titled debut EP tacked on at the end as a bonus. Matador also plans to make Good Health available on vinyl for the first time.

Roughly one month after finding their latest drummer, Most Precious Blood has now parted ways with Ryan, who joined the group in late-June. The band has been a revolving door of drummers since Sean McCann's departure late Fall.

Futures, Jimmy Eat World's follow-up to 2001's breakthrough Bleed American, is due October 19.

Playwright Josh Frank's proposed upcoming biography on the Pixies, "Fool the World: An Oral History of the Pixies," has been sold to St. Martins Press. It's slated for release in 2005.

Tiger Army has parted ways with drummer Fred Hell.

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion have shortened their name to Blues Explosion, and they're readying a new disc, Damage!, for release on September 28. The album was produced by a variety of talent including DJ Shadow, David Holmes, Dan the Automator, Steve Jordan and Alan Moulder. Public Enemy's Chuck D guests on the record.

Vaux released a new EP, Plague Music on September 21 via Equal Vision Records. Their next full-length will be out in early 2005 on Atlantic Records.

PJ Harvey, Nick Cave and Damon Albarn from Blur have written songs for Marianne Faithfull's new album, Before the Poison, which came out September 27. The disc is the follow-up to 2002's Kissin' Time, which featured collaborations with Beck, Billy Corgan and Jarvis Cocker of Pulp.

Isis are set to release a new record October 19th on Ipecac. The LP, titled Panopticon, will be the band's first full-length since Oceanic.

Plan-it-X Records has announced several upcoming releases including: the two disc/DVD discography from Operation: Cliff Clavin; and full lengths from Rosa, This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb and Japanther.

Hot Cross and Suicide Note will be touring the Midwest and West Coast together in late-September and October.

Anti- Records has announced that they have completed a deal with the estate of fallen troubadour Elliott Smith to release his final album, From A Basement On A Hill. The 15-track album, completed by Smith before his 2003 death, will come out October 19th.

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