News

Twas five days before Christmas and all through the house, everyone was shaking, even and especially our personal main man o' the cloth, Brother JT! He's known the deep dark signs of the cross since he was a swaddlin' babe, and now that he's almost grown (but really, when do you ever stop?), here's his tribute to everyone's favorite jesus (other than their own personal pan-jesus)...the baby jesus!

"Booty for Xmas (Hot Nuts)"

And in the good ol' X-Mas spirit, it's free to you... (read more)

It's going on right now and it's going to go on for a Jerry Lewis-like amount of time! It's Second City's ninth annual Letters To Santa music and improv event, staged in coordination with the Hull House to gather money for the underprivileged of Chicago .

They've got personalities like Jeff Tweedy , Steve Albini, Robbie Fulks and members from the current casts of the Second City revues. There'll be laughs! There'll be music! There'll be improv! And this year, there'll be Bill "Sweet... (read more)

Speaking of having one on someone: Far be it from us to suggest that the late-night landscape is changing in any way...but if Joanna Newsom's making her third stop of the year on yet another show, it surely can't be getting worse! This time, she's gracing the stage of the Ed Sullivan Theatre to cap off a show an episode of The Late Show with David Letterman. The adorable Paul Rudd is the non-musical guest, followed by Joanna doing...who knows? You'll have to... (read more)

Kids, this holiday season, don't let those last-minute record-buying sprees go down without a "Have One On Me" tote bag! What better to put those second and third copies of your Joanna Newsom favorites? In addition to bearing a pint-sized embroidered replica of the stained-glass promotional window for Have One On Me , this bag has been designed to fit all Drag City LP, CD, DVD and t-shirt releases - and yeah, all of the same formats from our "well-respected" competitors, as well as... (read more)

Did you ever wonder what would happen if Elisa Ambrogio and Ben Chasny got together and made a record in addition to making out? Sure, they've collaborated on each other's music, with Magik Markers and Six Organs of Admittance, respectively, but it's tough when you don't have a project to call your own. Ever problem solvers, these two have done what everyone had hoped for-- gone along and formed a new band. They call it, 200 Years-- and we call it one of the... (read more)

Art lovers of Greater New York! Grab your monacles (or whatever it is you peer at fine art through - !) and head on out to the Arf Art Gallery of Parsippanny NJ (well, Boonton, actually - but they're practically the same) to catch the final moments of Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's much-noted month-long installation, "There Is Someone What Will Pay For This (Darkness)." Our kid's a reg'lar renaissance man - singing, acting and now making with the visual arts, some of which can be... (read more)

Hey everybody! Remember the 80s? Live Aid and all that shit, that was horrible! Then there was "We Are The World," the landmark charity single from 1985 that raised the bar for bleeding-heart celebrity supergroups, liberal guilt & promotional tie-ins. It also spawned more parodies than COPS. Well...are you ready for another? Think of this as more of an update for a new generation (it worked out well with Gus Van Sant's PSYCHO, remember?) This is a similar shot-by-shot tribute BUT all profits... (read more)

The women of Cliffie Swan are tough, but they're not mean. They bear no ill will towards Canadian Lights. Ultimately, they chose a new name for the band in order to reflect the transformations that have occurred within the band. They needed a name as unique as their sound.

But face it, it's been frustrating sharing this name the past couple of years. It was a name that both parties felt was important to their message. If the word 'wretched' could be applied... (read more)

Regular readers of this space are thoroughly aware of what the Israeli power trio Monotonix can do to move a crowd: they can literally move the crowd with the force of their convictions - their convictions and their hairy, sweaty bodies, which when thrust forth with the power of rock, can push an assemblage all the way across the room.

Part of this phenomenally moving ability can be explained by Monotonix's preference to set up their drums and guitar and vocal mic on the floor... (read more)

Recent correspondence from Britain reports that the High Llamas chaps are quite busy! Busy writing and recording a new album for one, as well as just shoring up operations in general. Did you know you can get High Llamas updates directly from the band? ‘Tis true, and all you need do is have a glance at this link to find out how — there are a few options. Being so chuffed with the completion of a new album, the lads are playing live for the... (read more)