Radiohead Plan Japan Tour, Confirm Toronto Date?

Hello? Gee, hey Radiohead! How ya been? It's been, like, nearly five days since we ran a story on you guys. I know, right? Sooooo, what ya'll been doin'? Oh I see. Uh huh. Uh huh. That's nice.

A reportedly confirmed date in Toronto, you say? August 15 at the Molson Amphitheatre, according to Much Music's Red Hot blog [via At Ease]? Shucks, guys, you shouldn't have!

Ooh, and a little travel out East, eh? Gigs in Osaka and Tokyo? Cool! Any idea where or when exactly? Oh I see, you don't know yet. Uh huh. Just sometime in October. Well that's still pretty sweet.

And just those two All Points West performances in the NYC area, huh? Oh hey, how about that San Francisco fest thing? Still just a rumor for now, I see.

Well guys, I have to go fetch my laundry, but it's been cool. Don't worry, I will. OK, catch you next time! Keep it real, dudes! [MORE...]

Joe Gibbs, Legendary Reggae Producer, R.I.P.

Photo via reggae.co.uk

Pioneering Jamaican producer Joe Gibbs, an instrumental figure in the growth of the sound of reggae, died at a Kingston, Jamaica hospital Thursday, February 21, according to a post on the Guardian's blog by Pitchfork contributor Dave Stelfox (via Idolator). He was 65 years old.

Gibbs began his career in the United States, where he trained as an engineer. Upon his return to Jamaica, he sold records out of his TV repair shop. Encouraged by the success of his vinyl sales, Gibbs added a recording studio to his office at the rear of the shop, which took off even further.

Gibbs' Amalgamated label was vital to the development of rocksteady, a somewhat more deliberate, bass-heavy version of the ska sound popular in the country at the time. His studio was soon home to fellow legends-in-the-making as Lee "Scratch" Perry and Winston "Niney the Observer" Holness.

As reggae's popularity continued to rise both in Jamaica and abroad, Gibbs scored his first big success beyond the island in 1970 with Nicky Thomas' "Love of the Common People", which hit #10 on the UK charts. It was around this time that Gibbs and partner Errol Thompson-- known jointly as "The Mighty Two"-- firmed up their house band, the Professionals, which included bassist Robbie Shakespeare and drummer Sly Dunbar (aka the unstoppable rhythm section known as Sly and Robbie).

With the band in place, Gibbs began to enjoy an untold string of hits that stretched into the 1980s. Gibbs and Thompson worked with legendary figures like Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs, and helped craft such unparalleled recordings as Althea and Donna's 1977 smash "Uptown Top Ranking" and Culture's hugely influential Two Sevens Clash LP.

Gibbs scored an international hit in 1980 with JC Lodge's "Someone Loves You Honey", a cover of a tune by American country singer Charley Pride. But according to Allmusic, the song was at the center of a lawsuit between Pride and Gibbs, which left Gibbs financially devastated. Gibbs took up recording again periodically later in life, though he never enjoyed the same success he experienced in the 60s and 70s.

A series of CDs compiling Gibbs' most famous productions are available, and according to Allmusic, 17 North Parade plan to issue Joe Gibbs Reggae Anthology in May.

Photos: Bill Callahan / Jonathan Meiburg [Mount Pleasant, SC; 02/23/08]

Photos by Drew Katchen

Backed by Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg and Thor Harris, and having shed the Smog moniker he so long carried, Bill Callahan took the stage at Mount Pleasant, South Carolina's Village Tavern this past Sunday. All clad in ill-fitting suits, the crew bore resemblance to a down-on-their-luck, drowsy wedding band as they rolled through tunes off Callahan's Woke on a Whaleheart and old favorites like "Cold Blooded Old Times".

Meiburg also opened the show, in anticipation of Shearwater's forthcoming Rook on Matador. He, Callahan, and Harris head to Birmingham, Alabama tonight, then continue their roll through the American South into early March.

BILL CALLAHAN




JONATHAN MEIBURG

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Photos: El Guincho [Barcelona, Spain; 02/22/08]

Photos by Daniel Cantó

It's not a bad time to familiarize yourself with Barcelona's El Guincho, whose Alegranza! recently earned Best New Music distinction from some website you may be reading right now. Heck, before you know it, you might just be running into this guy-- born Pablo Díaz-Reixa-- at festivals and clubs around the globe.

For now though, catch him right here in photo form (depicted at his hometown's Apolo this past Friday night), then around his native Spain and the UK in the coming weeks.






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El Perro del Mar Lines Up World Tour
Leads Swedish invasion of North America with Lykke Li, Anna Ternheim

Photo by Johanna Hedborg

From the Valley to the Stars and from the tour bus to just about everywhere comes Sarah Assbring and El Perro del Mar this spring. Set to release new album From the Valley to the Stars on Wednesday in her native Scandinavia on Licking Fingers, El Perro del Mar will stick to her home country of Sweden for a couple of shows later this week, followed by a full-on European tour with countrywoman Lykke Li. When they two have had their ways with their home continent, it'll be off to North America in May, when El Perro del Mar will be joined nightly by Lykke Li and Anna Ternheim (yes, she's Swedish too). That trek may wouldn't have anything to do with the Control Group's April 22 release of From the Valley to the Stars in the U.S., now would it? I thought it might!

And hey, we never ran the tracklist for the new El Perro del Mar album, did we? It's there, after the jump. [MORE...]

Photos: Jay Reatard [Chicago, IL; 02/22/08]

Photos by Joseph Mohan

The hurricane known as Jay Reatard blew through the South Side of Chicago Friday night, tearing up Reggie's and leaving a wake of no-fi garage destruction in his wake. No blood was shed though, thankfully.

Jay heads to Australia next week before hitting up SXSW (including our very own day party with the Windish Agency on Friday, March 14 at Emo's) and then hitting the road with the Black Keys. In mid-April, he's back in the headlining slot again.

This whirlwind of activity is set to drum up attention for his series of singles for Matador, the first one of which, "See/Saw", drops April 8.

More photos and dates below.




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Christian Music Legend Larry Norman, R.I.P.

Often regarded as the "father of Christian rock", long-running music-maker Larry Norman passed away at his Salem, Oregon home early on the morning of Sunday, February 24, according to his official website. He was 60.

Norman first emerged in the 1950s, and signed to Capitol Records in 1966 as part of the group People!, whose debut I Love You (originally titled We Need a Whole Lot More of Jesus, and a Lot Less Rock and Roll) arrived in 1968. Though outwardly Christian, People! would open for such secular giants of the era as the Doors, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, and the Byrds.

Norman soon left People! and embarked on a solo career that would span the ensuing decades. Along the way his sometimes progressive views would draw the ire of more religiously conservative peers. He also won fans from across rock, including Bob Dylan, Pete Townshend, U2, Van Morrison, John Mellencamp, Danielson, and even Frank Black, who joined Norman onstage at a 2005 concert.

The influential singer and songwriter was twice invited to perform at the White House, and was inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Hall of Fame in 2001.

Arena Rock Recording Company has plans to release a Norman retrospective entitled Larry Norman: The Anthology on May 27.

Norman dictated the following message just prior to his death:

I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God's hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home.

My brother Charles is right, I won't be here much longer. I can't do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone. In the past you have generously supported me with prayer and finance and we will probably still need financial help.

My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside. But still it will be costly because of funeral arrangement, transportation to the gravesite, entombment, coordination, legal papers etc. However money is not really what I need, I want to say I love you.

I'd like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be a funeral posted here on the website, in case some of you want to attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell, we will meet again.

Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

Larry

Larry Norman: "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" (live in 2000)

Paul Scheer Gets Role in Jack Black/Michael Cera Movie, Human Giant Cancel Tour Dates

I don't know too much about the comedy biz, but I have to imagine, when a Ghostbuster calls, you accept the charges. So it went for Paul Scheer of Human Giant, who's taken a last-minute role in the Harold Ramis-directed flick The Year One starring Jack Black and comedy dreamboat Michael Cera.

Good for Paul! But a tough break indeed for quite a few stops on the Human Giant's currently-in-progress comedy tour. With Paul busy shooting The Year One in Shreveport, Louisiana, fellow Giants Aziz Ansari and Rob Huebel have opted to axe a good chunk of their plotted dates. Still, Paul's schedule allows him to make it out to Noise Pop later this week, UPDATE: PAUL WILL NOT BE APPEARING AT NOISE POP and over to Austin next month for South by Southwest-- including, of course, a stop at the Pitchfork/Windish day bash at Emo's and Emo's Jr. on March 14. The cancelled dates will be rescheduled for April.

Human Giant will hit a little closer to home March 4, when the first season of the MTV show comes to DVD. The show's second go will hit the airwaves March 11. [MORE...]

Beirut Schedules Spring World Tour

Photo by Akmal Naim

It's been a long time now since we've seen, well, much of anything outta young master Zach Condon and his Beirut. After a productive summer/fall last year around the release of the soaring Flying Club Cup LP, Beirut have been in hibernation (or, perhaps, learning the ins and outs of another worldly genre to explore for the next album). But Zach's back, and ready to rock Australia, New Zealand, North America, and Europe on tour this spring. The North American trek surrounds a performance at the just-announced Sasquatch! fest.

In other news outta Beirut, he was recently remixed by Son Lux, and that DVD of his appearances on La Blogothèque's Take Away Show is available exclusively on tour and through his website. [MORE...]

Joy Division, Lou Reed, James Brown in SXSW Films
Plus: Gorillaz, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Wesley Willis, Daniel Lanois, Scorsese's Stones flick

What with all the hoopla surrounding the live music portion of the annual South by Southwest festival, it's easy to forget the event's pre-recorded happenings. We're talking about the SXSW Film Conference and Festival, which runs the week+ leading up to the music bit (with some overlap), March 7-15.

As in previous years, there are some big ticket showings, like the North American premiere of Martin Scorsese's Rolling Stones doc Shine a Light, plus screenings of Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, the LCD Soundsystem-bolstered 21, the filmic adaptation of Fight Club scribe Chuck Palahniuk's super-disturbing Choke, Super Size Me guy Morgan Spurlock's Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?, and directorial debut features from thespians Helen Hunt (Then She Found Me) and David Schwimmer (Run, Fat Boy, Run).

There are some charmingly offbeat selections too, such as Kids screenwriter Harmony Korine's latest Mister Lonely (featuring music by Spiritualized's J. Spaceman), a Super Size Me parody of sorts called Super High Me in which a man goes on a 30-day ganja binge, and Harry Potter fan culture exposé We Are Wizards.

And then there are a whole bunch of music-oriented films. Some highlights: the U.S. premiere of Joy Division, the documentary on the iconic post-punk act by Grant Gee, director of Radiohead's Meeting People Is Easy; Lou Reed's Berlin, documenting a live performance of the living legend's classic album in New York City; Young@Heart, celebrating the Sonic Youth-loving, David Byrne-befriending choir of elders; Gorillaz doc Bananaz; The Night James Brown Saved Boston, about the Hardest Working Man in Show Business' 1968 concert following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.; and features exploring Lee "Scratch" Perry (The Upsetter: The Life & Music of Lee "Scratch" Perry), Daniel Lanois (the previously mentioned Here Is What Is), Wanda Jackson (The Sweet Lady With the Nasty Voice), and the late, great Wesley Willis (Wesley Willis's Joyrides).

Brush up on all the important details right here.

Diplo, CSS, Cool Kids Remix Sunny Day Sets Fire
Sunny Day Real Estate glad they bought fire insurance

Cosmopolitan London quintet Sunny Day Sets Fire have yet to release a full-length album, but they've managed to corral the Cool Kids, CSS, Spank Rock producer XXXChange, and Diplo and his Mad Decent crew to remix them on an EP. Pretty impressive for a bunch of upstarts.

That EP, a North American exclusive titled Stranger / Remix, will be released tomorrow, February 26 via IAMSOUND. The other artists remixing the band on the EP are Baron von Luxxury, the Slips, and Mad Decent.

On March 3, the UK will get some Sunny Day love with Brikabrak's release of a 7" for "End of the Road" (not a Boyz II Men cover, alas), which comes with "Lack of View" on the flip. The band's debut album, Summer Palace, will follow with a North American release on IAMSOUND in April May 6.

Sunny Day Sets Fire are set to play to-be-announced shows in NYC, L.A., and at SXSW in March, followed by a full-blown spring tour of North America.

You can hear the full Stranger / Remix EP here:

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T.V. Eye: February 25-March 2, 2008

Live music on TV this week:

Monday, February 25:

FUEL TV: The Daily Habit: Grand Ole Party
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Super Furry Animals
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Helio Sequence
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daley: Lupe Fiasco

Tuesday, February 26:

FUSE: The Sauce: Andre Benjamin (not performing)
NBC: The Tonight Show With Jay Leno: Lupe Fiasco

Wednesday, February 27:

NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Georgie James
CBS: Late Night With David Letterman: Kenna with N.E.R.D.

Thursday, February 28:

NBC: The Tonight Show With Jay Leno: Cat Power
CBS: Late Night With David Letterman: Liam Finn

Friday, February 29:

FUEL TV: The Daily Habit: Dengue Fever
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daley: Regina Spektor
OVATION: From the Basement: Thom Yorke, Albert Hammond Jr., Envelopes

Saturday, March 1:

NBC: Saturday Night Live: Wilco
FOX: Fearless Music TV: Cassettes Won't Listen

Do you have a news tip for us? Anything crazy happen at a show you attended recently? Do you have inside info on the bands we cover? Is one of your favorite artists (that's not somebody you know personally) releasing a new record you'd like to see covered? You will remain completely anonymous, unless we are given your express permission to reveal your identity. (Please note that publicists, managers, booking agents, and other artist representatives are generally exempt from this rule, but will also be granted anonymity if requested.)