The Music Elitist

Source: Spin.com

Spin.com released new information about the upcoming debut album from Tinted Windows. In case you somehow missed my last post, Tinted Windows is a ridiculously awkward looking supergroup consisting of James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins/A Perfect Circle), Taylor Hanson, Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick) and Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne):

Earlier this week, a promo clip surfaced, previewing the power-pop band’s new tunes “Kind of a Girl” and “Messin’ with My Head,” complete with ’80s-to-the-max visual effects. Watch below.

And yesterday, more news about the band’s self-titled debut surfaced. Produced by Iha and featuring vocals by Hanson, the 11-track self-titled debut (out April 21 via S-Curve) was written in large part by Schlesinger, Fountains of Wayne’s core songwriter, who said the project represented a departure for him.

“This was much more straight-forward musically and lyrically,” he told Billboard.com. “They’re just pop songs.”

Schlesinger, who was also nominated for an Oscar in 1996 for penning the title track to the Tom Hanks-directed film That Thing You Do!, said that though most associate Hanson with “MmmBop,” a lot has changed since the hit song’s 1997 release. “It’s a shame that when people think of Hanson, they think of Taylor as a teenager. But he’s a grown man, and he’s capable of doing so much.” And Schlesinger kept Hanson in mind during the songwriting process:  “We have Taylor with this incredible voice so I had the idea of doing something with a lot of energy.”

Well, at least the mystery of who is to blame for this manufactured monstrosity is over: S-Curve Records. Their roster also includes such wonderful acts as the Baha Men and We the Kings. I don’t know much about the Baha Men (aside from the fact that if I ever hear “Who Let the Dogs Out Again” there will be f*cking murders) but I do know that We the Kings is definitely a “product” of S-Curve Records. And by product, I mean S-Curve made changes to the band’s line-up before signing them. And by changes, I mean S-Curve made them kick out their bass player because he was ugly.

And I may have a little bit of insight for Mr. Schlesinger on why people only think of Taylor Hanson as a teenager…the last time anyone cared about who he was or what he was doing, he WAS a teenager. When the only song you’re known for singing was released before your voice changed and is titled “MMMBop”, you’re gonna have a hard time getting anyone to take you seriously in a “real” music project when you get older

Former Smashing Pumpkins/A Perfect Circle guitarist James Iha refused to reunite with the Pumpkins in 2007…but apparently he has no problem starting a supergroup with the most unlikely bandmates possible. In case you can’t recognize him (because the last time you saw him was in 1997, when he looked like a 12-year-old girl) that’s Taylor Hanson sitting up front with Iha. On the left is Ben E. Carlos from Cheap Trick and on the right is Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne. This ridiculous lineup calls themselves Tinted Windows.

Now, as tempted as I was to talk shit about this band simply based on the line-up, I had to at least listen to the song. I am thankful to report that I can now make fun of this band without any hesitation. The song is pretty awful. Its basically a Jonas Brothers song, but with Taylor Hanson singing.

I think the question on everyone’s minds here is…how the hell did this band get together? I somehow can’t picture these guys all hanging out together at some party and suddenly saying to each other “Hey…we should start a band!”. So if someone can tell me who is responsible for this unholy union, I would greatly appreciate it.

Craig Owens: Alleged "creep" and pedophile

I have never really been a fan of Chiodos. The singer’s voice always kind of bugged me. So when I saw THIS on the “I Bang the Worst Dudes” blog, I couldn’t help but repost it:

This guy was the singer of a mediocre band, which I didn’t really take into consideration while we were dating since we had met through mutual friends and I thought he was such a sweet guy. He always said the perfect things, until I went to visit him while he was on tour and he ended up being a total creep after we started dating. I found out, amongst other shameful things, that he hooks up with some of his (really) young fans.

Wow, I’ll bet he never saw THAT coming. He’s gonna have a hard time hooking up with all those underage fans if this gets around. So I am posting this to do my part in preventing statutory rape. Spread the word.

Photo: Michael Muller

This week in Entertainment Weekly’s “Bullseye” section they mentioned the blink-182 reunion. But in a rather surprising way…

The reunion no one was waiting for: blink-182

How old are the writers for Entertainment Weekly? 80? How can they possibly think that no one cared about that? Then again this is the magazine that has given a bad review to every good movie that has come out in the last 10 years. In the same section they also referred to the CW picking up the TV show Vampire Diaries as a “hit” because “it’s like Twilight for TV.” F*ck off and die Entertainment Weekly, f*ck off and die.

Apparently Slipknot is still angry over their “battle” with The Game for the #1 spot the first week their album came out. The funny thing about this is….THEY GOT THE #1 SPOT AND THEY’RE STILL COMPLAINING!!

Initial reports from SoundScan put rapper the Game’s LAX in the top spot by a margin of 13 albums, but after a recount the positions were reversed, with Slipknot taking it by over 1,100 units. And it’s a near-slight that still drives the band nuts, even six months later.

“Any time we get something, it’s almost like we had to steal the fucking thing,” frontman Corey Taylor tells Rolling Stone. “We had to fight for that, in true Slipknot fashion. They didn’t want to just fucking respect us and wait until all the fucking numbers were in. They were like, ‘No, you didn’t have it — you got beat by 13 CDs.’ We’ve come so fucking close so many goddamn times, and this was our time.”

For Taylor, taking the top spot is the ultimate middle finger to an industry he feels holds his band in disdain, and the victory and continued success is only made sweeter by the odds his band has overcome

I may have an explanation as to why you feel the music industry holds your band in disdain…THEY PROBABLY DO. Your band represents everything that is wrong with America: white trash. That’s what you guys are and that’s what the majority of your fans are. And why the f*ck are you still complaining??? Enjoy the victory because I doubt it’ll happen again. But, hold on. Taylor’s got more for us.

“I truly believe that every time we win, it just makes so many people angry,” he said. “Right out of the gate, we should not have been successful. We were a nine-piece metal band from Iowa wearing masks and doing this insane shit, but we were talented and we were lucky, and we went out and built this following. For us, this is a legacy.”

Very perceptive, Corey. At least he knows everyone with good taste in music hates his band. “Lucky” I’ll definitely give you, “talented” is debatable. Enjoy your legacy, Corey. Me and everyone else that DOESN’T live in a trailer want no part of it.

Source: Spin.com

Spin.com announced today that Limp Bizkit’s original lineup will be reuniting this year. Ugh…here’s some of the story:

The quintet’s plans were outlined in a statement posted to their official website, which said a European tour and a new album — the original lineup’s first since 2000’s Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water — are currently in the works.

“We decided we were more disgusted and bored with the state of heavy popular music than we were with each other,” lead singer Fred Durst and guitarist Wes Borland said in a joint statement. “Regardless of where our separate paths have taken us, we recognize there is a powerful and unique energy with this particular group of people we have not found anywhere else. This is why Limp Bizkit is back.”

Borland’s words are a total 180 degree turn from those he made a week ago while discussing his current project, the industrial-rock band Black Light Burns. “I have no plans on working with Limp again,” he told mlive.com. “It’s better for me for sure. I’m having a great time doing Black Light Burns.”

Borland had the right idea last week. But, my guess is that he saw how great the reaction to blink-182’s reunion was and realized how much f*cking money they were gonna make, so he assumed the reaction to a Limp Bizkit reunion would be just as positive. And I can’t say that he’s completely wrong. There’s a lot of people out there who like horrible music, and Limp Bizkit’s next record will probably break some kind of sales record. Rest assured I’ll be on here bitching when it happens. But, in this economy, I can’t blame Borland for putting his musical integrity on the backburner for a little bit.

Also, “disgusted and bored” by the state of heavy popular music? That’s mostly YOUR fault, guys! This awful nu metal thing started around the same time you guys showed up the first time. Don’t try and act like you weren’t involved.

According to a story from Spin.com, Paris Hilton was “in hot pursuit” of Paul McCartney backstage at the Grammys on Sunday night. Why the hell she was even AT the Grammys is anyone’s guess. Paris Hilton and music go together about as well as spaghetti and milk.

It seems Hilton was in hot pursuit of McCartney backstage at this year’s Grammys — she reportedly asked him to consider recording a duet with her [via The Sun], explaining “I’m a singer too and have had an album out.” His response? “I’ll have to check my schedule.”

Undaunted, Hilton allegedly proceeded to compliment McCartney on his “cute” hair: “It’s just like in the Beatles.” But unlike on Hilton’s reality show, compliments on coiffure don’t necessarily lead to everlasting friendship when talking to Macca.

Wow. Paris Hilton approached one of the greatest musicians of all time in the hopes of doing a music collaboration. Let me, help you out here Paris, I think by “I’ll have to check my schedule” Paul meant “I wouldn’t work with you if you were the last human being on the planet”.

Cover art for NFG's Not Without a Fight

New Found Glory’s new record Not Without a Fight leaked onto the internet last week. Guitarist Chad Gilbert had this to say:

As far as the leaking thing. If my favorite bands cd came out early online i would download it to. For instance the new Morrissey record. I dont think it comes out for another 2 weeks and i’ve had it for like 3 weeks now. I will still buy it though because when i love a band or singer i gotta have the album artwork. It is a bumm out that some of the anticipation is lost. the whole building up to release date loses a bit of its excitement but to be honest the fans that would go out of their way to download it are the true fans that go out of their way to buy merch and post online about how much they like it and are the ones that will know the words first and sing every song at the show. You are driven to get it because you like NFG so how can I be bummed at that! So to all that have it. Spread the word if you like it and get people to go pick it up when it comes out! Not even for our sake but for epitaphs to. They are so passionate about NFG and our fans. They are true music lovers and they try to always put together cool and fun stuff for fans of this genre of music.

Now THAT’s refreshing. A band that’s OK with you downloading their leaked album. Not only are they OK with it, but they download their favorite bands’ leaked albums too. The sooner we have more bands like NFG and are rid of bands like Metallica, the better off the music industry will be.

Ok. Let me start by saying that Avenged Sevenfold isn’t exactly one of my favorite bands, but I have enjoyed a few of their songs (but mostly from their 2003 record Waking the Fallen…newer stuff’s kinda shitty). Here’s what NOFX frontman Fat Mike had to say about them:

Asked for an example of what’s wrong with music today, Mike comes back with a very specific case in point: “Avenged Sevenfold is the epitome of what’s wrong with rock and roll. They support Bush. Support the Iraq War. Wouldn’t accept a drink ’cause they have to play the next day, but tell everyone they party. And play to a fucking DAT tape. However, a couple of them are decent poker players.”

Again, I am not an Avenged Sevenfold fan, but in my opinion NOFX is one of the most repetitive, unoriginal bands on the planet. As far as I’m concerned they release the same record every few years. On top of it, Fat Mike is the most arrogant prick/biggest moron I have ever seen. Who gives a damn if they support Bush and the Iraq War? Bush is gone now. And how the hell does that affect their music? And I also like how he’s knockin’ them for not drinking in the interest of playing a better show. Might wanna give that a try sometime Mike, maybe you won’t sound like shit.

For those who don’t know this guy was the genius behind 2004’s PunkVoter group which tried to get people to vote for John Kerry by flat out lying and saying the draft was coming back if Bush got re-elected. I’m not a fan of ol’ G. Dubya, but to me PunkVoter was about as good of an idea as Diddy’s “Vote or Die” campaign. As you can see it worked about as well. Fat Mike also likes to preach things like tolerance and acceptance but at the same time will make fun of bands like Underoath because they are Christians. Fat Mike and NOFX are what’s wrong with music today. And Avenged Sevenfold isn’t helping….record a better album.

Photo by Brian Appio

So it appears as though all 3 members of blink-182 are going to be on-stage together for the first time since 2005 as Grammy presenters on Sunday. It sure as hell isn’t as good as them playing, but hopefully this is a first step to an eventual reunion. I gotta say, the people in charge of organizing the Grammy Awards show are making it increasingly difficult for me to not want to watch it. I was originally planning on not watching it, then I see a commercial Radiohead performing and Dave Grohl  performing Beatles songs and now THIS? Touche’ Grammys. Touche’.

HOLY HELL! in the middle of writing this entry I came across this screenshot of a Modlife conversation between someone and Angels & Airwaves‘ David Kennedy. Looks like blink’s getting back together after all and even putting out a record! Hopefully this is legit.

Modlife Conversation confirming blink-182's return