Category: 2016 Bands to Watch

A long, but interesting article in Salon written by Courtney Love is the most in-depth look at the music industry I’ve read in a long time.

Love shows how musicians and bands really don’t make as much money as we all think they do, unless they hit it medium to really big.

In the article, Love also explores the new advantages that musicians have today. They can leave their labels behind thanks to all of the advances (and lower cost) of recording technology and distribution channels, most notably the Internet. (We are planning to publish a whole list of bands that have left big labels to create and distribute their music solo.)

[Update 2/1/07 1:20am: Love’s manager and American Idol’s executive producer Nigel Lythgoe say Courtney will not be a judge on American Idol and that Paula Abdul is not being replaced. The story below was written before that news.]

On a related note, there are rumors swirling around the blogs and the news shows that Courtney Love may be replacing Paula Abdul on American Idol. Wow, if you think about that, it may attract viewers who otherwise haven’t really watched the show but may with Courtney Love as a judge. Not just because she is the widow of Kurt Cobain, but also an accomplished musician herself.

But more than all of that, people will want to see how she judges and how she behaves. People will want to see if she may be on drugs like they have suggested Abdul is on (alcohol is a drug, right?).

The wildly-popular indie pop/rock band The Shins have announced U.S. concert dates and released a long-anticipated follow-up album to their masterpiece Chutes Too Narrow, released in 2003.

There has been confusion in the blog world this week about the release date of the band’s new CD – Whincing The Night Away, and concert dates, venues and locations of the band’s upcoming U.S. tour.

A Tower Records commercial during John Stewart’s Daily Show last night (Jan. 25) said the album would be available in the stores this coming weekend (Jan. 27), but the online store and iTunes have had it available for the past two days on their websites.

So, for everyone out there who doesn’t think the album is available yet, it is. You can also head down to your local record store or pre-order the CD on Amazon for a Jan. 30 release date.

If you are unable to get your hands on it at the moment, you can still listen to samples of each song at any number of music-selling websites, like Amazon or Rolling Stone.

The CD-only release of the Whincing The Night Away comes with a Digipak and is currently on sale at Tower’s website.

Whincing The Night Away is The Shins best work so far. It is a more structured band, but that does not infringe on the group’s famous melodic, meandering harmonies and compelling lyrics.

It’s a safe bet that this album will be one of the biggest albums of 2007 – with songs like “Phantom Limb,” “Australia” and “A Comet Appears”.

By the way, the tune “Split Needles,” which every Shins fan would eventually want in their collection, is only available online. And, for vinyl lovers, Subpop Records is selling a LP limited edition of the album on their website.

So now that you have sampled, purchased, and listened to the album, where can you go to see The Shins play live in 2007?

Well, the band polished off an early ’07 U.S. a few days ago in Portland, Oregon and are now reportedly resting up for what is sure to be a busy year for the band.

Make sure to check back with IRC as we keep close attention to changes, additions and cancellations of concert dates for dozens of artists like The Shins.

Finally, IRC is trying to verify and clarify what happened to a number of gigs that were booked earlier this month for places like California and are now not listed on the band’s website.

The Shins ’07 Concert Dates:

Here are The Shins’ most up-to-date (as of Jan. 26) concert dates and show venues for 2007 (notice the two new London dates).

February 9 at 8:00 PM
Eagles Ballroom – Milwaukee WI

February 10 at 8:00 PM
Congress Theatre – Chicago IL

February 11 at 8:00 PM
The Pageant – Saint Louis MO

February 12 at 8:00 PM
Liberty Hall – Lawrence KS

February 13 at 8:00 PM
Liberty Hall – Lawrence KS

February 15 at 8:00 PM
Fillmore Auditorium-Denver CO

February 16 at 1:00 PM
In The Venue – Salt Lake City UT

February 20 at 8:00 PM
Paramount Theatre-Washington in Seattle WA

February 21 at 9:00 PM
McMenamins Crystal Ballroom in Portland OR

February 25 at 8:00 PM
Astoria, London, UK

February 25 at 9:00 PM
Bush Hall, UK

JUST IN: The Shins have booked a gig at L.A.’s Gibson Amphitheatre as part of KCRW’s ‘Sounds Eclectic Evening 6’ with Lily Allen.

No, it’s definitely not the Rosie and the Donald slug fest on the national airwaves, but it’s getting almost as ugly as the verbal feud between two indie rock bands heats up.

The whole sordid affair is either an ill-guided argument about what constitutes good music, or a planned public relations stunt.

The popular emo boy band My Chemical Romance was slammed by the Kasabian‘s lead singer Tom Meighan, who called the band “clowns” with “make-up”. (photo to the left is Gerard Way of MCR)

In his interview with the New Music Express (the “Rolling Stone magazine of the U.K.”), Meighan volleyed an unwarranted series of bitch-slap fireballs at the wildly successful MCR by comparing the band’s music to a group of “ventriloquists.”

(photo to the right is Kasabian)

“[Their music] is weird and dark,” Meighan told NME. “They don’t have anything positive to say. The only good news is that it won’t last. These clowns won’t be around for much longer. Their make-up will flake off and the scene will die out. And it can’t happen soon enough.”

It didn’t take long for MCR to bite back.

“It was obviously meant as a slam, but it was so poorly worded that it ended up sounding like a compliment!” MCR lead singer Gerard Way told NME. “‘Weird and dark?’… that just makes them kinda ignorant. This band has never had a bullshit war ever.

I haven’t found an opponent worthy enough yet. If you’re gonna take me on, you’d better have the balls for it! If you’re gonna talk shit about us, you’d better have the juice. And we haven’t found anybody with the juice yet.”

Note to IRC feed subscribers: Please remember to visit the website for updates on this and other features, profiles and stories. Updates do not necessarily get individually sent out by the system. You can fire off an email to indierockcafe.com/indierockcafe@gmail.com with any comments, questions or suggestions. :-)

Related Links:

My Chemical Romance Dedication

MCR Official Website

MCR Complete Lyrics