Once known as Andy Warhol’s house band, the Velvet Underground is the archetypal NYC band that spawned devotees (and brazen imitators) ranging from Jonathan Richman to the Strokes. Now, the revered group has announced sudden plans for an unexpected reunion—but there’s a catch, of course. Continue reading »
garage rock
Be the first to comment Springsteen’s Four-Letter Word Offends Fans
Published November 16th, 2009 by Karen
Sometimes, it doesn’t pay to be the Boss.
At a concert in Auburn Hills, Michigan on Friday the 13th, Bruce Springsteen risked turning the entire crowd against him as he repeatedly uttered the most offensive four-letter word imaginable: Continue reading »
NYC Halloween: Weekend Concerts
Published October 30th, 2009 by Karen
Halloween is here!
Now that you’re all dressed up, where are you going to go?
As always, we suggest checking out some concerts around NYC!
See what kind of rock’n’roll fun we’ve dug up for your wild weekend!
Plus, if you’re looking for a last-minute costume idea, we’ve got you covered with Top 10: Easy Halloween Costumes with a Music Theme.
Now, for those creepy weekend concerts: Continue reading »
Strokes Singer Goes Solo, but Did the Band Ever Matter?
Published October 23rd, 2009 by Karen
Just in time for the release of Phrazes for the Young, the debut solo album by Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas, NME takes an anti-nostalgic look back at the Strokes’ unpunctuated debut album, Is This It.
In its evaluation of the alleged NYC garage-rock hipsters/Drew Barrymore daters, the sassy Brit rock mag reminds readers that Continue reading »
Top Weekend Concert: $5 Rock Show and BBQ in Brooklyn Saturday.
Published September 25th, 2009 by Karen
Considering the fact that it’s easy to drop $5 on something as absurd as a cup o’joe these days, we have to say we were shocked and amazed to see what the folks at Brooklyn/Gowanus/Park Slope’s Bell House are serving up to rock’n'roll fans this weekend for a five spot.
In celebration of Bloodshot Records’ 15th Anniversary, this big gig finds eight seven rock, rockabilly and roots bands hitting the stage beginning ’round 5pm on Saturday (doors open at 4pm + free food for the first 100 people).
(Read: Chicago Band Scotland Yard Gospel Choir Car Crash)
Tickets are a ridiculously awesome $5, and Dex Romweber Duo (friends of Jack White), Rosie Flores and Exene Cervenka of X are sure to be some of the day’s highlights.
C’mon, it’s the best $5 you’ll ever spend in Bklyn.
BELOW: Schedule, free MP3s, tickets and venue info: Continue reading »
"How can you say he's a pretentious idiot? Have you read a single thing he's ever actually said about himself? His s--- has nothing to do with Led Zeppelin,..."
MaryWhite Stripes Documentary: Band Eats Caribou, Performs on Bus. Really.
Published September 25th, 2009 by Karen
The White Stripes’ tour documentary Under Great White Northern Lights has debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival, according to a report on NME.com. The film, which was directed by video director Emmett Malloy, chronicles Jack and Meg White’s 2007 tour of Canada.
What makes it different from typical tour documentaries is that the film captures the White Stripes performing at nontraditional venues like bowling alleys, boats and city buses. It also features the band’s 10th anniversary show at the Savoy Theater in Nova Scotia and their famous one-note show in Newfoundland.
“The idea was there was this gigantic frontier right next to where we grew up in Detroit that is just so untouched by our band, let alone bands in general,” Jack White said. During the film the duo can be seen eating raw caribou, meeting tribal elders, walking along frozen tundra, donning traditional kilts and even firing a canon.
According to director Malloy, most of the locals didn’t even know who the White Stripes were.
A trailer for the movie released by Jack White’s Third Man productions, tags the feature “A brother and sister’s journey across the great white north.”
Early the in the band’s career, the duo had claimed to be siblings, but it was later revealed that they were in fact ex-husband and wife (White being Meg’s maiden name, which Jack adopted). Both musicians are now married: Jack to British model Karen Elson; Meg to Jackson Smith, son of MC5 guitarist Fred “Sonic” Smith and poet/musician Patti Smith.
BELOW: The trailer for the new White Stripes documentary, Under Great White Northern Lights. Continue reading »
Top NYC Concerts 9/18-9/20: Punky Girls and Noisy Boys
Published September 18th, 2009 by Karen
If you need a reason to peel yourself off of the sofa, we’ve put together a list of some shows worth checking out in the city this weekend (and a couple that might be good for a laugh).
Whether you’re looking for quiet acoustic tunes, punky girl rockers or noisy garage-rock boys, we’ve got you covered.
BELOW: Our weekend concert picks (w/music and videos): Continue reading »
New Calvin Harris “Humanthesizer” and Cool DIY Musical Instruments
Published August 20th, 2009 by KarenScottish electro-pop musician Calvin Harris is creating a buzz with a new version of his song “Ready for the Weekend” created using a rather unusual instrument: the Humanthesizer.
Confused? Don’t worry, we’re pretty sure that is Harris’s plan.
It’s easier to understand if you watch the video (above), but the idea is basically to use special electro-conductive body paint (applied to bikini models, of course) to create a living synthesizer.
Will musicians ever stop coming up with excuses to paw at hot girls? Yeah, probably not.
Anyway, with Harris’s unique instrument making headlines, we thought this would be a good time to take a look at some other extremely cool homemade instruments that musicians are using–and offer a quick lesson on how to make your own! Continue reading »
"[...] know we’re not alone in missing cassettes, because a few indie acts like Ty Segall (who we love) have started releasing limited edition cassettes...."
Mixtape Nostalgia: Retro Fun with USB Mixtape | Music Vixen BlogREVIEW: Lemons by Ty Segall Destroys Boring Indie Rock
Published August 10th, 2009 by Karen
Ty Segall
Ty Segall
2009
MusicVixen Rating:
Recommended if you like:
Oblivians
If anyone else out there is bored stiff by all of the overly-sweet and spineless indie sounds sweeping the nation’s earbuds (Passion Pit? Vampire Weekend? Bat for Lashes? Pains of Being Pure at Heart? snore), then this blast of rock’n'roll noise will be a pleasant reminder that the sleepy cardigan rockers of the world haven’t won, yet.
If you don’t have merrily ringing ears and slightly scuffed dancing shoes after San Francisco noisemaker Ty Segall’s new disc, Lemons, finishes spinning, you must’ve done something wrong. Turn it up and try again.
Making the deal a little sweeter, Segall’s new disc is Continue reading »
RIP Sky Saxon, Psychedelic Rock Icon of “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine” Fame
Published June 25th, 2009 by Karen
ABOVE: The Seeds perform the 1966 hit, “Pushin’ Too Hard.”
An influential ’60s garage-rock band, the Seeds found success with singles such as “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine,” “A Thousand Shadows” and, most notably, 1966’s “Pushin’ Too Hard.”
The LA band’s psychedelic rock sound continued to win over fans in the decades to come, with artists such as the Ramones, Garbage, Yo La Tengo, Alex Chilton and Johnny Thunders all releasing versions of Seeds’ hits.
The group went through numerous line-up shifts throughout the late-60s and early-70s before disbanding, but ultimately reunited for a run on the Nuggets-friendly nostalgia circuit alongside groups like the Music Machine, Arthur Lee/Love, Big Brother and the Holding Company and Strawberry Alarm Clock, the latter noted for the single “Incense and Peppermints,” and a featured role in the cult film classic, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.
Seeds singer/bassist Sky Saxon, born Richard Marsh, died earlier today, June 25, 2009, in an Austin, Texas hospital. An official cause has not yet been confirmed, although sources such as Austin360 report that Saxon had fallen ill last week, suffering an organ infection. Saxon leaves behind a wife, Sabrina. Check back for additional details as they become available.