ABC - Alternative Rock News

Tom Morello, Thom Yorke, Chris Robinson & more featured in 'The Singers Talk' podcast

Posted today at 6:00pm

Artists including Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, Radiohead's Thom Yorke and The Black Crowes' Chris Robinson will guest on the new podcast The Singers Talk.

The series finds host Jason Thomas Gordon interviewing different singers about their voices, which he also did for his book of the same name.

"[Singing is] a really brutal job, and I couldn't believe there was no resource to find out how people like [Bruce] Springsteen do this night after night," says Gordon. "So, I decided to do something about it and wrote The Singers Talk."

Morello, of course, is known more as a guitarist than as a vocalist, though he does sing with his The Nightwatchman solo project. For his contribution to The Singers Talk, Morello speaks on late Soundgarden front man Chris Cornell, whom he played with in Audioslave.

The Singers Talk podcast will also feature Rush's Geddy Lee, The Who's Roger Daltrey, former Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar, Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, My Morning Jacket's Jim James and Sex Pistols' John Lydon. The first two episodes, featuring Bryan Adams and Norah Jones, are out now.

The book The Singers Talk came out in September, with proceeds donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which was founded by Gordon's grandfather, famed entertainer Danny Thomas.

Noah Kahan celebrates four-year anniversary of the EP "that completely changed" his life

Posted today at 2:30pm

Noah Kahan released a vinyl version of his 2020 EP Cape Elizabeth for Record Store Day last year. This year, he's marking the EP's four-year anniversary with a post about the record that he says "woke me up."

"Cape Elizabeth isn't just an EP to me," he writes on his Instagram Story. "It's a line in the sand that I have never stepped over again. Music is supposed to be fun. Music isn't supposed to make you bored and depressed and jealous and angry. It should be the same thing it was to you as a kid; a magic trick that makes you and the listener understand each other and yourselves."

"Cape Elizabeth was the first time in so long I felt like a kid again," he continues. "When you guys accepted this EP with open arms it genuinely rearranged the cells in my brain and completely changed my life. I remembered something. I try to never forget it."

Noah recorded Cape Elizabeth during the pandemic, and it was an acoustic, folk-influenced project, unlike his 2021 album I Was/I Am, which he's said was more influenced by what his record label wanted from him.

Speaking about the EP, he told Variety last year, "It was the first time that I let myself just not care about how it sounded at the end ... I just wanted it to make me happy. And to see it connect with people really inspired me to write Stick Season. It kind of gave me the confidence to be like, 'All right, this niche-specific storytelling stuff can actually connect with people in a more universal way.'”

"I really owe it all to that EP, and it’s still probably my favorite piece of work I’ve made. I just love it."

Listen to Duff McKagan cover Mad Season for upcoming live album

Posted today at 2:00pm

Duff McKagan has released a cover of the grunge supergroup Mad Season's song "River of Deceit," recorded for an upcoming live album, Tenderness Live from Los Angeles.

The set captures a performance at LA's El Rey Theatre in 2019 in support of the Guns N' Roses bassist's then-new solo record, Tenderness.

"Such a beautiful song written by guys from back home that I know now, and a couple who are no longer with us," McKagan says of "River of Deceit." "It feels like a celebration to me."

Mad Season featured Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin, bassist John Baker Saunders and late Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley. Late Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan also contributed to the lone Mad Season album, 1995's Above.

You can listen to McKagan's "River of Deceit" cover now via digital outlets. Tenderness Live from Los Angeles will be released on May 31.

Foo Fighters release new merch benefiting New Orleans charities

Posted today at 12:35pm

Foo Fighters have released new merch items benefiting two New Orleans charities.

The collection includes two T-shirts and two posters. Proceeds will support No Kid Hungry and Grace at the Green Light.

"NOLA WE LOVE YOU," the Foos say.

For more info, visit Shop.FooFighters.com.

Foo Fighters will be playing the Big Easy when they headline the New Orleans Jazz Fest on May 3.

Coldplay streaming 'Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate' concert film on Veeps

Posted today at 11:30am

Coldplay's Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate concert film is premiering on Veeps.

The streaming platform will air the set live for free on May 11 at 3 p.m. ET. You'll also be able to rent it on-demand for $3.99 following the live broadcast.

For more info, visit Veeps.com/coldplay.

Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate was recorded over Coldplay's 10-show run in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2022. One of the shows, which featured a guest appearance by BTS member Jin for the live debut of his Coldplay-assisted song, "The Astronaut," streamed live in theaters.

Additionally, Coldplay screened Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate in cinemas in 2023.

Live Nation offering $25 tickets to blink-182, Sum 41 & Creed during Concert Week promotion

Posted today at 10:15am

Live Nation has announced the return of its Concert Week promotion, offering $25 all-in tickets to summer shows by blink-182, Sum 41 and the reunited Creed.

Other artists taking part include 311, AJR, Bret Michaels, Bush, Cage the Elephant, Dashboard Confessional, Deep Purple, Five Finger Death Punch, Halestorm and I Prevail, Iron Maiden, Kings of Leon, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Maggie Rogers, Megadeth, Modest Mouse and Pixies, Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar, The Smashing Pumpkins, Staind and Breaking Benjamin, Stone Temple Pilots and Live, Third Seconds to Mars and Vampire Weekend.

Concert Week ticket sales run from May 8 to 14 or while supplies last. There will also be T-Mobile and Rakuten presales beginning May 7 at 10 a.m. To purchase tickets, fans can go to LiveNation.com/ConcertWeek, search for their show and then look for "Concert Week Promotion."

Report: Linkin Park discussing possible 2025 reunion tour

Posted today at 9:20am

Linkin Park is in talks about a possible reunion tour for 2025, Billboard reports.

According to the publication, the lineup would feature vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Mike Shinoda, guitarist Brad Delson and bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell alongside a possible unnamed female vocalist. Drummer Rob Bourdon and turntablist Joe Hahn are not mentioned.

Billboard's report comes after Jay Gordon of the band Orgy said in a radio interview that heard Linkin Park was getting back together with a female singer. He later posted that "I know nothing about any of that" and "People sure do love to take my words out of context."

Linkin Park has not performed live since their 2017 tribute concert to late frontman Chester Bennington, who died earlier that year. Since then, the band has put out a variety of archival releases, including 20th anniversary reissues of 2000's Hybrid Theory and 2003's Meteora. In April, they released a greatest hits compilation titled Papercuts.

ABC Audio has reached out to Linkin Park's reps for comment but has not received a response at press time.

As Garbage preps next album, Shirley Manson reflects on band's "mind-blowing" longevity

Posted today at 5:00am

Garbage has been working on a new album, the follow-up to 2021's No Gods No Masters. Speaking with ABC Audio, front woman Shirley Manson shares what it means to her and her bandmates to still be putting out fresh material 30 years into their career.

"We're working on our eighth record, which is mind-blowing to me," Manson says. "It will be our second record released on BMG Records ... to be still signed to a major record label at this point in our career just feels insane."

"We realize how privileged we are, and we do not take it for granted," she continues. "We take what we do, we take it to heart. It's important to us."

Manson adds that Garbage is hoping to finish the album "by the end of May."

"Fingers crossed," she teases.

Garbage released a reissue of their 2005 album, Bleed Like Me, in April.

Machine Gun Kelly & Trippie Redd releasing live videos from 'genre: sadboy' NYC show

Posted yesterday at 6:00pm

Machine Gun Kelly and Trippie Redd are releasing live videos from their April 2 show at New York City's Irving Plaza celebrating the release of their collaborative album, genre: sadboy.

You can watch the rendition of the genre: sadboy opener "lost boys" streaming on YouTube. In between trading verses with Trippie, MGK plays a riff on his signature Schecter Razor Blade guitar.

Performances of the songs "beauty," "summer's gone" and "struggles" will premiere May 1, 2 and 3, respectively.

MGK and Trippie have collaborated numerous times previously, including on their respective Tickets to My Downfall and Neon Shark vs Pegasus albums.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

RHCP's Flea, Weezer & more appearing on John Mulaney's 'Everybody's in LA' special

Posted yesterday at 2:00pm

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and Weezer are among the musicians who will appear on John Mulaney's upcoming six-part comedy special, Everybody's in LA.

Others taking part include St. Vincent and Beck, David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Sarah Silverman, Bill Hader and Cedric the Entertainer.

Mulaney previously dipped into the music world with the 2019 special John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch, which featured Talking Heads' David Byrne.

Everybody's in LA will premiere live at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, May 3. Subsequent episodes will stream starting at the same time May 6-10.

Will Butler nominated for 2024 Tony Awards with 'Stereophonic'

Posted yesterday at 12:35pm

Ex-Arcade Fire member Will Butler is nominated in two categories for the 2024 Tony Awards thanks to his work on the Broadway play Stereophonic.

Butler will compete in the Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre and Best Orchestrations categories. Talking Heads frontman David Byrne's Here Lives Love musical is also up for Best Original Score.

Stereophonic, not to be confused with the Welsh band Stereophonics, tells the story of a fictional rock band in the 1970s and features original music and lyrics by Butler. It earned a total of 13 Tony nominations, tied for most among all productions.

The 2024 Tony Awards will take place June 16.

Butler, the younger brother of Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler, left the band in 2021. He released a new album with the band Sister Squares in 2023.

Tribeca announces Micheal Stipe talk + Daft Punk 'Interstella 5555' screening

Posted yesterday at 11:30am

New York City's Tribeca Festival has announced a talk with Michael Stipe and a rare screening of the Daft Punk film Interstella 5555 for its 2024 event.

The R.E.M. frontman will take part in Tribeca's Storytellers Series on June 12 at the SVA Theatre. As for what Stipe will be talking about, you'll have to attend to find out, but he has been working on his debut solo album.

Notably, the event takes place a day before R.E.M. is inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on June 13.

Meanwhile, Interstella 5555 will receive its North American premiere in remastered 4K on June 14 at the OKX Theater. The film — full title: Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem — was originally released in 2003 and is rarely shown in its full, theatrical form, though scenes appear in several Daft Punk videos, including "One More Time."

For more info, visit TribecaFilm.com.

Founding Local Natives member Kelcey Ayer leaving band

Posted yesterday at 10:00am

Founding Local Natives vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Kelcey Ayer is leaving the band.

In an Instagram post, the "When Am I Gonna Lose You" share that "our latest album and its upcoming tours will be the last with Kelcey as a member of Local Natives."

That album, But I'll Wait for You, was just released on April 19.

"We started making music together when we were teenagers, our bond is so much deeper than just bandmates; we have a true family love between us," the post reads. "While we're of course sad to see our very talented and wonderfully weird friend go, we're supportive of his decision to step away from Local Natives to focus on other projects."

It concludes, "For now we're looking forward to celebrating what we have all done together over the last six records, and what’s yet to come."

Kings of Leon's Caleb Followill forms "core memory" with kids on 'Can We Please Have Fun' album

Posted yesterday at 5:00am

Given that three of the Kings of Leon members are brothers and the fourth is their cousin, the band is used to recording around people they're related to. But on their upcoming album, Can We Please Have Fun, front man Caleb Followill found himself laying down his vocals in front of his kids for the first time.

In a Facebook video, Followill explains that the Can We Please Have Fun cut "Split Screen" is "the only song I've ever recorded the vocal while my family was in the room."

"I was looking at my kids when I recorded that vocal," Followill shares. "My son had his hand on the glass."

"It was just one of the moments where I was, like, 'Man, I think this is a core memory for them,'" he continues. "I hope it is, 'cause I know it is for me."

Can We Please Have Fun will be released May 10. It also includes the lead single "Mustang" and the track "Nothing to Do."

Kings of Leon will launch a U.S. tour in August.

Kaleo announces North American headlining tour

Posted Monday evening

Kaleo has announced a North American headlining tour.

The headlining outing, dubbed the Payback tour, launches August 25 in Bend, Oregon, and wraps up October 10 in Cleveland. Presales begin Tuesday, April 30, at 10 a.m. local time. Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, May 3, at 10 a.m. local time.

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit OfficialKaleo.com.

Ahead of the Payback tour, Kaleo will play a run of U.S. dates in June, including a headlining set at Colorado's famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre and a gig opening for The Rolling Stones in Philadelphia.

Kaleo put out a new single, "Lonely Cowboy," in March.