Biggest news for the day is that Jerey’s own Thursday have signed to Epitaph after their short run on a major label. Life In A Bungalo talked with singer Geoff Rickly a few months back at Jonathan Levine Gallery and he pretty much alluded to the fact that the band was looking to gt back to one of the larger indie punk labels. The band was originally on Victory, but abandoned the metal-core label for greener pastures. Then the record industry collapsed. The band is working on a new record, but nothing has been announced yet. This is the second big pick-up for Epitaph in the last few weeks, having just signed New Found Glory. We’ll try to get an interview with Thursday ASAP.
Fat Wreck Chords just released a bunch of new records from the likes of Star Fucking Hipsters, Lagwagon, and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Most importantly, The Swingin’ Utters’ “Juvenile Product of the Working Class” is getting repressed on limited yellow vinyl.
Slayer is giving away a new song to people attending their upcoming Unholy Alliance dates. Too bad all the tour dates are overseas. Word on the street is that the new album will be hitting stores some time next year. Prepare to be slayed.
Finally, the Satin Peaches have a new video and it isn’t that awful. It would be cooler if their name was Satin’s Peaches.
Rancid, Big D and the Kid’s Table
Irving Plaza August 15, 2008
Rancid took the stage a week or so ago for a five day stint at New York’s prestigious Irving Plaza (only fools call it the Fillmore). It’s been a few years since Rancid’s last visit to the Big Apple, and this time they packed in a larger venue and brought a ton of legendary bands with them–Bloodclot, Sick of it All, Madball.
Alas, I got the bum night and had to sit through Big D and the Kid’s Table and their ska-infused pop punk hooha. They reminded me of a castarated version of the Suicide Machines, but with way more horns and a lot less punk. That said, they covered Morphine, which is always a plus in my book. Too bad no one but me were old enough to care.
Rancid were the stars of the night and truth be told, the band have become legends in their own right. God knows they’ve earned it. While not as intimate as their run at BB Kings a few years back, the plays was packed with kids itching to sing and the band did not dissapoint. Particularly if you’re a fan of “Out Come the Wolves,” from which the band played nearly a dozen songs. It would have been nice if they peppered in some pre-Wolves classics, but alas, they had five nights to fill.
Besides, a fantastic rendition of “Rejected” courtesy of Matt Freeman, the band dipped into their new B-sides collection and pulled out “The Brothels,” “I Wanna Riot,” and “Tattoo.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard them touch those tunes, except maybe Riot during the early Wolves tours.
Other than that, the show was rather paint by numbers with most of the hits accounted for and a single song encore of “Time Bomb.” In all honesty, if you go see the Offspring or Green Day, the chance of them playing a song of their first two records is slim to none, let alone really random B-sides, so this tour ranks pretty high in my book. Good to know there are still bands out there that know there fans weren’t all born after they released their biggest records.
With their new record nearing completion, the punk rock veterans Rancid are turning their attention towards a new project—a summer tour that will mark their first live shows since 2006. Rancid—Tim Armstrong (vocals, guitar), Lars Frederiksen (vocals, guitar), Matt Freeman (bass, vocals) and Branden Steineckert (drums)—have spend the last few months working on their seventh studio album.
Working with Epitaph president Brett Gurewitz, who helmed the project as producer, and mixer Joe Barresi (Tool, Bad Religion), the album is slated for release later this year.
Rancid depart on April 5 for a week of shows in Japan, a mini-tour which includes headlining the Punkspring festival in Tokyo and Osaka, reuniting Rancid with 15,000 of their closest friends each night.
