photo by Mikael Kennedy

That’s Nat Voghlan from Transistor Transistor posed in the Danziggy alley mugshot by buddy Mikael Kennedy. Kennedy, who used to squat in the Royal Street closet of TT's Brad Wallace, snapped all the grainy, B&W photos for TT’s recent Erase All Name and Likeness (Level-Plane), a record our OTD bretheren reports is “some frantic, electrifying, pulverizing, evil-sounding shit.”

Hear for yerself:
Transistor Transistor's "Powerchord Academy"

Voghlan's portrait is the first image in the just-released Still, Not Dead, Kennedy’s slick Snapshot-Poetics-inspired collection of photos culled from crazy summers on a NH island cobbling together tattoo guns out of old walkmans, boxing, and brewing wine. (Read more here.) Check Kennedy’s dope artists’ collective, plus more of his photos. They'll make you itch for a Holga.

TONIGHT: Mission of Burma, Q & Not U, LP, the Books (officially sold out), Bourbon Princess, the Damn Personals, the Dents, and more.

4/29/2005 12:17:00 PM by cami | Comments [0] |  

Image from here

1. Overzealous door dudes at the Middle East last night stole some of OTD's pens, for fear the Pitchfork nerds homie-ing out under BoSox hats would blog each others' eyes out. So the details about the Dizzee Rascal show might be a little sketchy. One thing we couldn't forget, though, is that when the grimey limey says Showtime, he means showtime: Dyl was onstage right at 10:15, bouncing around with his name on his shirt. Besides being the only punctual emcee in the planet, Rascal's other specialty is getting the super-white sorta-motionless crowd to shift extremes, both waving-their-middle-fingers-in-the-air-like-they-just-don't-care and moufing cubicle-happy, seven-dwarf-style mantras like, "It's off to work I go!" Anyways, the best joints were, "Dreams," "Big Beat," and "Respect," plus whenever Rascal said 'call,' which sounded like 'cool.' Nice.

Big ups to the poor fella who sold us his deliquent friend's ticket for five bucks less than face, minutes before the show sold out. If he'd waited ten, the price would've doubled. Thanks, anyways!

2. Is blogging on the job?

TONIGHT:
Sylvie Lewis, Big Digits & Plunge Into Death (previously, scroll to 3), Les Angles Morts, Jimmy Ryan and Sarah Borges, and more.

4/28/2005 3:25:00 PM by cami | Comments [0] |  

More soon on last night's Rascality; in the meantime, photos and highlights over at Chris Lemon-Red.

You've seen Oliver Mak's stuff on the walls at Great Scott, and a few of you might've caught his Bangers N Mash night at ZuZu. This Friday night he's back at ZuZu for one-night-only crunktastica and grimeyness, now that Dizzee whet yr whistles. Flyer action here, and while you're there, check out his planet-rocking Dizzee remix.

TONIGHT:
Burning Brides, Dave Alvin, Group Saloum

TOMORROW:
Aerosmith junkie alert: you boys wanna be up bright and early for those secret Joe Perry gig tickets at Harpers Ferry. Gig: Monday, May 2. Onsale: Thursday, April 28, at 10 a.m. via (800) 594-TIXX or www.harpersferryboston.com. Then come over to our place for Ted D.'s sit-down with the man himself.

4/27/2005 4:01:00 PM by onthedownload | Comments [0] |  

Closing time.

1. Above graphic is for real, for real: the boys down in the Square have brought the hardcore tee heat yet again. Available in limited quantities, only in Kenmore, only on game night. Thought I was gonna get the inside scoop last night on how Keith ended up coming out to "Mother," but somehow that story didn't quite get told. Carbo, get at us with details. Rucker is claiming Foulke has occasionally taken the mound to "Die, Die, My Darling." Can an any of my Fenway peeps confirm or deny? And speaking of tees, when is Bud Selig gonna give my man Chris a job?

2. Keith Foulke: not the only Danzig fan in town. Can someone over at Deathwish get us an advance of this?

3. Dinosaur Jr. tickets went on presale today for the Avalon gig on July 15. Over-the-phone sales go up May 6 at 10 a.m. Stay tuned.

4/26/2005 7:49:00 PM by onthedownload | Comments [0] |  

Tsar photo: Jim Lowney

1. Go ahead and groan, but these kids have been around for a minute, and what with outsourcing and all, we always get patriotic-like when some fashionable American band capitalizes on all the hard work (and hard rock) that our Swedish bretheren have suffered through all these years. We rocked the Tsar advance in the Echo for our girls (ages: 2, 5) and they wrecked shop on their car seats like it was Kidz Bop or some shit. Tsar is definitely for the children.

Verdict: pure genius.

Stream a little stream: Tsar, "Band, Girls, Money"

2. What's with all the good rawk bands these days taking the titles of deposed royalty? Skeptics take note: Louis XIV did the damn thing last night at MidEast. First words out of dude's mouth were "bang a gong," but top highlight wasn't their straight-up T-Rex homage ("Letter to Dominique") or even the single -- but, instead, the non-album track "The Grand Apartment," which was fifteen kinds of Bon Scott goodness. Afterwards, we grilled their manager on why that song ain't on Best Little Secrets, and he admitted it had taken him a while to realize it wasn't a cover. "I'm not as up on the AC/DC catalogue as I should be," he sulked. Secondary highlight: hearing "Carrot juice, I wanna squeeze you away until you bleed," while a tall glass banged her head on my right.

3. Back when local crypto-booty selectors Plunge Into Death were just getting off the ground, cartoonist-turned-indie-rocker-turned-Miami-bass-fiend Jeff Czekaj emailed us looking for Anquette's mid-'80s hit "Janet Reno," from waaaaay back when Anq was running with 2 Live Crew and Janet had just become a Panhandle baby-mama hero for lowering the boom on deadbeat dads. Now the rest of you can hear it thanks to Fluxblog.

Anquette, "Janet Reno"

After downloading that, you NEED TO go here to listen to Czekaj -- a/k/a Mark E. Moon -- turn Cassette, U.V. Protection, Big Digits, and Squids into the Cambridge/Slummerville/Jay-Pizzle megamix of the year.

4. Our boy Nick gets the big scoop: Karen O left for a bag of leaves.
5. Stop the presses: Axl fails to show up for tiny club gig.

4/26/2005 3:42:00 PM by onthedownload | Comments [0] |  

Killswitch Engage

1. John MacLean abducted by aliens! Made of tinfoil pie-plates! Who want to get to second base! And he's not exactly against the idea! Go here, and click on "video."

2. Killswitch on Kimmel?! Mmm-hmm. But will Mike D (no, not that Mike D) be back in time? Oddly, Kimmel site says show's airing last night, though band's peeps say tonight. In the meantime, if you don't already have it:

Killswitch Engage, Rose of Sharyn (right-click, save-as)

3. New England Metal and Hardcore Festival jumpoff tonight in Wormtown. While we're on deadline, go load your iPod for the long drive. By the way, Danzig: still fat. Danzig and Doyle, though: Misfits set at the Roxy last month was supremely focused.

Cryptopsy, "Carrionshine" (unreleased demo from forthcoming album). Canadian dudes tuck in their t-shits, spit 12-bar dry-heaves, kick Millennium Falcon-speed blastbeats, wreck guitar charts that give Stephen Hawking headaches. How do you say "Tour de force" in French?
Cryptopsy, "Cold Hate, Warm Blood" From Whisper Supremacy, which, along with Converge's When Forever Comes Crashing, was responsible for getting us to come out of headbanger retirement back in 1998.

Go here or here for "Antman," the advance track from the Red Chord's Clients, which really is perfect-10 material.

All That Remains, "The Deepest Gray" (right-click, save-as)

Jamey Jasta's side project Ice Pick have downloadable tracks here.

Unearth, "The Great Dividers" (right-click, save-as)

3. While we're talking metal: Beyond the Embrace dropped jaws this month at the Rumble, proving that, well, at least the Rumble is good for something. For everyone who's been sleeping, we've been telling you about these dudes since '02: New Bedford's Metal Blade'd triple-guitar kids have the Master of Puppets-style thrash-anthem game on lockdown. Go download here.

4/22/2005 12:11:00 PM by onthedownload | Comments [0] |  

Decoded: "We're still Radiohead for pussies."

1. Drop by Nervous Acid and pick up the new Coldplay single. We liked the ringtone better.

Coldplay, "The Speed of Sound" (right-click, save-as)

2. Matzo Metal: Dee Snider's Power-Metal Passover, Or, I Think We're Gonna Need a Bigger Yarmulke.

3. Speaking of metal, where can we get a cursor like this one?

4. The kids who brought you Harry and the Potters were, at least for a couple of days, running for Pope. They lost. But Pope Rock still rules, yo:

Ed in the Refridgerators, Song for the Pope
Ed in the Refridgerators, The Pope Song

5. Phoenix dance-music critic Michael Freedberg's favorite Boston radio station, Star 93.7, pulled the plug this week; ironically, it's now being called Mike 93.7 FM. It's the latest victim of the ominous "Jack" format, in which human DJs are replaced by robots armed with the iTunes-shuffle button. (Globe and Herald will begin the rending of hair and gnashing of teeth in tomorrow's editions.) Next week: ClearChannel throws in the towel, buys free iPods for everyone, converts to Podcasting.

4/20/2005 12:37:00 AM by onthedownload | Comments [0] |  

This just in:

Eminem and 50 cent
With G-Unit, Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz, D-12, Obie Trice, Stat Quo
At Tweeter Center
Wednesday, August 10, 2005 at 7:00 pm
Tickets are $81.00, $66.00 and $56.00
Tickets go on-sale Saturday, April 23, 2005 at 10:00 am

Alkaline Trio
At AvalonThursday, June 23, 2005 at 7:00 pm
Tickets are $16.00 adv, $19.00 dos
Tickets go on-sale Thursday, April 21, 2005 at 10:00 am

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers – Second Show Added
At Tweeter Center
Friday, July 29, 2005 at 7:00 pm
Tickets are $55.00, $42.50, $39.50 and $27.50
Tickets go on-sale Friday, April 22, 2005 at 10:00 am

AIMEE MANN RETURNING TO BOSTON JUNE 9
Tickets for Orpheum Theater Performance
on sale Friday, April 22nd at 10:00AM

PAUL McCARTNEY RETURNS TO ROCK WITH ‘US’
ALL NEW Beatles, Wings and Solo Concert Tour
Hits FleetCenter On September 26th
Tickets On Sale Monday, April 25th At 10:00 AM

Vans Warped Tour ‘05
Monday, August 15 – 12:00 pm
Three County Fairgrounds – Northampton, MA
Tickets cost $29.75 and go on sale Friday, April 22 at 10:00 am. Tickets will be available at all Strawberries Record Stores, by phone at (800) 477-6849 or online at tickets.com.

Vans Warped Tour ‘05 will feature the musical line-up of Transplants, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, The Offspring, Strung Out, Relient K, Dropkick Murphys, Thrice, Mest, Senses Fail, Hawthorne Heights, MxPx, Avenged Sevenfold, The Starting Line, Atreyu, Millencolin, Something Corporate, Motion City Soundtrack, Mae, Reggie And The Full Effect, The Kinison, Bedouin Soundclash, Funeral For A Friend, Hot Rod Circuit, Saosin, Over It, Bleeding Through, Gratitude, Street Dogs, Go Betty Go, The Fight, Skindred, The Briefs, Dead 60’s, ASG, Valient Thorr, and more.

4/19/2005 7:41:00 PM by onthedownload | Comments [0] |  

Mary gets her Wednesday on.

The new M. Timony reminds us of that enormous crush we had on homegirl back in The Dirt of Luck days: she totally beat all these type people to the video-game indie-pop hustle with a little masterpiece called "Superball." New empeethree right here to get you stoked for her show tonight over at T.T.'s:

Mary Timony, "Friend To J.C."

Other thangs to do tonight:
Anyone getting crusty at this thing over at Regeneration Records has probably heard 'em before, but here's three reasons why the rest of you might want to see Born/Dead, plus another bonus-round reason to see Boston's own Sleeper Cell.

These guys are coming all the way from Italy to play PA's Lounge tonight.
Franklin Delano, "Sounds Like Rain"
Franklin Delano, "Please Remember Me"

ON THE DOWNLOAD:
Benzino Watch: Jeff Chang owns the story on The Source, but Can I Bring My Gat? follows up with a couple of pre-sexual-harassment-suit fight songs from Zno's Almighty RSO and Made Men days.

For those about to check out the Michael Penn shindig tomorrow at Lizard Lounge, Music (For Robots) has two songs from his upcoming Mr. Hollywood Jr. 1947.

While we're on topic, go here for a download from wifey's concept album, and check http://www.aimeemann.com/theforgottenarm.html for the whole streaming thing.

New White Stripes single (or else try here) via Stereogum via You Ain't No Picasso and Scenestars via someone else . . . Just us, or does that riff sound like "No More Mr. Nice Guy"?

4/19/2005 1:50:00 PM by onthedownload | Comments [0] |  

Balls deep.

Hellacopter-itis: the condition that results when Scandinavian band is finally, after years of genius, in the right place at the right time, with huge American label support, and delivers the most boring album of its career. (See "Grande Rock", also "Scandinavian Leather.") Then, just when you've got done apologizing for them, they return to genius -- too late, of course, for any of your friends to believe you.

New Turbonegro album, Party Animals, is on some back-to-dungaree-high shit. Captain Max is on record as being disappointed, but I'm beginning to think he's too young to appreciate Apocalypse Dudes. (No hard feelings, Max -- get at me if/when listening party at Regen goes down.) And, like AD in its time, PA not coming out here anytime soon. Here: not the best song on the album, just the one that's downloadable -- go get "All My Friends Are Dead" here.

Speaking of darkness, the fact that Shania's hubby is keeping these guys huddled up in the studio is good news: they'll hate him by the end of it, but so did Def Leppard.

Delinquents in thrall to the above already know about Canadian rockthroner Danko Jones (coming soon to a Bear's Place near you April 27); over at Stylus, Danko turns us on to an evil Toronto metal band called Cursed:

Cursed, Head of the Baptist (mp3)

4/19/2005 1:47:00 PM by onthedownload | Comments [0] |  

Guillotine a punk for rock n roll.

"This record makes our first record sound like our second record!" -- Bill Crash and Burn

True: having ditched the doom-metal/sludge-punk of Sick Again, they're back to the "Kill a Punk" days, and then some: immense, evil, brutal. The Guns N Roses album Black Flag never made?

Crash and Burn, "Out of Reach"

Crash and Burn, "Insomnia"

Thangs to do TONIGHT:
Tim Kasher: the next Tim Rice? These kids apparently think so.

4/18/2005 1:37:00 PM by onthedownload | Comments [0] |  

In light of recent developments, we offer this recap of classic Road Steamage:

1. Dave Pino's Crank Yankers-style puppet show (all three open in Windows Media) that started it all.

2. "We don't need to practice. The Marvels . . . the Marvels need to practice."

3. When the strength of a thousand rhinos is almost, but not quite, enough . . .

4/17/2005 11:08:00 PM by onthedownload | Comments [0] |  

Note to Rucker: if you're going to call your editor up all frantic, like, "30 dudes beat up the [insert trendy breakout band here] in front of [insert bar that everybody goes to here] last night," please let it turn out better than the bass player getting drunk and throwing a hissy.

4/17/2005 10:59:00 PM by onthedownload | Comments [0] |  

The Lyte Funky One deserved better than this. How come 98 Degrees ain't goin out like that?

4/17/2005 10:22:00 PM by onthedownload | Comments [0] |  

"We just got back from playing 36 straight nights in Europe."
"With the exchange rate, that's like 93 straight nights."
"Right, and along with bubonic plague we also brought back a case of really bad humor."

Best Music Poll '04 metal/hardcore winners and '05 nominees killed it at Harpers Ferry on Saturday. Bannon's for-self rant ramping up to "The Saddest Day" (video link) had even us cynical rock-crit bastards feeling all posi and righteous and shit. Shouts to Mark V, Boo-Boo, and DWJ; big scene points to the Marquis de Hardcore for putting the hometown all-ages gods on smash in an Allston Rock stylee.

Don't care what anyone says about Dan Millen -- dude stood out front speaking real words on Buckcherry to straight-edge Earth Crisis vegans. So if anyone has the balls to take Dan up on this, you're damn right you'll read about it over thurr.

Upshot of the afternoon was missing the "Legends of Style 2" thing; Oliver's got pix and full report here.

4/17/2005 10:20:00 PM by onthedownload | Comments [1] |