<![CDATA[Atreyu]]> http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/atreyu/artist.jhtml (c) 2007 MTV Networks. (c) and TM MTV Networks. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See http://www.mtv.com/sitewide/mtvinfo/terms.jhtml for terms and conditions. http://www.mtv.com/sitewide/images/u/mtv-logo.gif MTV http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/atreyu/artist.jhtml 65 44 Music en-us 15 <![CDATA[Linkin Park Tell How Busta Rhymes Invited Himself Along For Projekt Revolution 2008]]> Chris Cornell, Atreyu, the Bravery also join the bill of bands Linkin Park 'think would be a good match.'
By Laura Lane


Linkin Park's Chester Bennington
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Linkin Park weren't sure they'd be able to top last year's Projekt Revolution tour, but with a lineup that includes veteran rap and rock performers Busta Rhymes and Chris Cornell, as well as the Bravery and Ashes Divide, this year's bill may prove to be their most eclectic yet.

"We just pick groups that we think would be a good match together," Linkin Park MC Mike Shinoda said of the tour, which will hit 24 cities, kicking off July 16 in Mansfield, Massachusetts, and wrapping up August 24 in The Woodlands, Texas. "We want to create a bill that we think we'd enjoy seeing this summer."

After collaborating with Linkin Park on "We Made It," the first single off his eighth album, Blessed, Busta Rhymes was determined to join them on tour.

"Apparently, Busta was telling people, 'You don't understand, I'm going to be on that tour; you need to get me on that tour,' " Shinoda recalled. "I was saying to our touring committee ... with the single, it would be really great to do at least some shows with Busta."

Rhymes laughed at his efforts. "I was going hard, though, shamelessly," he said. "I wanted this bad."

"Busta, he's a performer," Shinoda said. "This isn't a DJ on the stage playing records."

With Rhymes and Linkin Park spending so much time together on the tour, are other collaborations on the horizon? "Absolutely. Why not?" Rhymes said. "Make an album, a couple of albums. Make a movie together. You know what I'm saying?"

Cornell decided to join the tour after enjoying his brief time with Linkin Park in Australia last October. "It's not that easy to find bands or artists [that are musically] different from what you do but that you like and your fans are going to like them, and it all makes sense but it's completely different," Cornell explained.

The former Audioslave and Soundgarden frontman described his spontaneous approach to creating a set list. "I sort of decide on the moment what the set list will be and sometimes even when we're onstage — it depends," Cornell said. "The funny part is when I'll forget. There will be a song that everybody loves that everyone expected to hear, and I forgot that song existed."

Cornell may also be debuting material from his recent collaboration with chart-topper Timbaland, who is producing Cornell's third solo album, which is planned for a September release.

"The idea of playing some new material is good," Cornell said. "Not every day is the same for me. Sometimes an audience feels different, so for me it requires a couple of different songs. You never know."

Metal band Atreyu will headline the tour's smaller Revolution stage, where 10 Years, Hawthorne Heights, Armor for Sleep and Street Drum Corps will also play.

"We just kept sending manila envelopes full of $1 bills," Atreyu lead singer Alex Varkatzas joked of how they made the lineup.

Before the U.S. leg of the tour begins, Projekt Revolution will head to Europe for the first time in the tour's five-year history, with a completely different lineup that includes N.E.R.D., the Used, H.I.M., the Blackout, InnerPartySystem and Enter Shikari. After three stops in Germany (June 21, 27, 28), the tour meets up with Jay-Z in Milton Keynes, England, on June 29.

"For some reason, there's an interest in this tour, there's an interest in what it means, and I think that it's translating in other places," Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington said. "We've never showed up to the U.K. and sold 50,000 tickets, but when we say we're doing Projekt Revolution and we have these different bands, all of a sudden it's, like, awesome."

One thing that hasn't changed since last year is Linkin Park's commitment to making the tour "green" by donating $1 from every ticket purchased to help reduce global warming through their charity, Music Relief.

Even after five years of putting this tour together, Linkin Park are excited to hit the road again. "When all the musicians on a tour feel like this is really an opportunity, and we're probably not going to be able to do this again, you're living in that moment, and you're being present with the fact that this is a really special thing we get to do," Bennington said. "It's just like I'm living out a fantasy."

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1589723/20080620/linkin_park.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1589723/20080620/linkin_park.jhtml 20 Jun 2008 03:13:00 EDT <![CDATA[Yung Joc And N.O.R.E. Try To Put Raekwon Proteges Ice Water On Ice, In <i>New Releases</i>]]> Also due Tuesday: Atreyu, Aesop Rock, Circus Devils, Ben Harper, Akon, Northern State, Obituary, VHS or Beta, Whitestarr.
By Kurt Orzeck


Yung Joc's <i>Hustlenomics</i>
Photo: Bad Boy

Heading back to school this week? We're jealous, we swear — so much so that in the spirit of the fall semester, we're sharing a few of our favorite school subjects.

Grammar: Even if he can't spell, Yung Joc sure knows how to make a debut: The ATL rapper's first album, last year's New Joc City, bowed at #3 on the Billboard albums chart. Now Yung is back with another word you won't find in Webster's — "Hustlenomics" — and a few upperclassmen in tow: Diddy, Snoop, Game and Bun B. With peers Rick Ross, the Neptunes, Young Dro and Jim Jones also in attendance, this could be one for the books.

Joc — who sings on the Hustlenomics title track: "You can call me Malcolm X/ I hustle by any means" — also goes by another name: J.O.C. That handle might call to mind another rapper, New York's N.O.R.E., who drops by this week with a Noreality check. Like Joc, the rapper formerly known as Noreaga also has some A-list support: Kanye West, Three 6 Mafia, Jadakiss, Kurupt and Styles P drop guest verses, while Swizz Beatz and others man the boards.

Economics: Speaking of words that end in "-nomics," Akon knows a thing or two about making a buck — his second album, Konvicted, has gone platinum twice since it was released in November. Now he's double dipping by putting out a spiffed-up version of the album with extra tune-age — three new tracks, including his hit "Sorry, Blame It on Me" — and a bonus DVD. The video bristles with a 30-minute segment following the R&B singer back to his homeland, Senegal, and also includes clips for "Smack That," "I Wanna Love You" and "Don't Matter."

Physics: It might take an expert or two to figure out the complete scientific ramifications of Atreyu's Lead Sails Paper Anchor, but fans should take note of a few key details: The SoCal metalcore ensemble tucked in a hidden track; joining the group on "Blow" is none other than Buckcherry's Josh Todd; and a cover of Faith No More's "Epic" will be available on import editions. Want a taste of the album? Last week Atreyu posted it — sans the hidden cut — on their MySpace page.

Communications: Rappers know how to get by with a little help from their friends — it's all about the publicity, of course. Likewise, Staten Island, New York, newcomers Ice Water turned to Raekwon for their new album, and you can tell by its title — Raekwon Presents: Ice Water - Polluted Water — that their efforts to recruit him were successful. Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Remy Ma, Three Six Mafia and Jagged Edge kick it with the four-man crew on its LP as well. Aesop Rock is also a fan of the guest-verse thing, so he roped fellow-minded hip-hop taste-makers El-P, Cage and Rob Sonic onto his None Shall Pass LP. John Darnielle of Mountain Goats repute also makes a surprise appearance, on the album-closer, "Coffee."

Criminal Justice: Some 15 years into his career, Ben Harper and his Innocent Criminals have earned themselves a new Lifeline — the 11-track album features "Fool for a Lonesome Train," "Needed You Tonight" and "Younger Than Today." ("Riding in Golf Carts With Tim Kash" not included.)

Computers: Perhaps taking a tip from Stars, Super Furry Animals are issuing their new album Hey Venus! this week — waaay before the set is due to reach terrestrial stores in the U.S., on January 22. The electro-psych pop act's eighth effort includes "Let the Wolves Howl at the Moon," "Baby Ate My Eight Ball" and "Run-Away" — which contains the unforgettable lyric, "We may have fought with teeth and nails: I still recall your banking details." And while we're on this subject, Louisville, Kentucky's technologically adept VHS or Beta look starry-eyed on their new one, Bring on the Comets, which features the title track, "The Stars Where We Came From" and "Alpha Theta."

Geography: When the Beastie Boys are involved, it's always easy to figure out where you're at: NYC. Adrock and Shitake Monkey's Chuck Brody produced Can I Keep This Pen?, the new album by female rap trio Northern State. The album — which is dropping on Mike Patton's Ipecac label, oddly enough — melds old-school hip-hop with new, club-ready electro-rock, and includes "Three Amigas," "Sucka Mofo" and "Iluvitwhenya."

Religion: While Ozzy Osbourne has headed up another installation of Ozzfest this year, Black Sabbath fans have eaten up Heaven and Hell, the tour project featuring vets Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice. The group's March 30 performance at New York's Radio City Music Hall is being immortalized in audio and video form, with a two-CD set, DVD and deluxe CD/DVD being made available. The deluxe package also has tour memorabilia, including a tour program, backstage laminate and glossy photos of the band.

Zoology: Horse the Band pack quite a bite — the electro/metalcore spazzes have piled bizarre songs like "Kangarooster Meadows," "The Startling Secret of Super Sapphire" and "Rotting Horse" onto their whirlwind fourth album, A Natural Death. Maybe what keyboardist Erik Engstrom said in a recent press statement will put you at existential ease: "Everyone who will ever live will die a natural death and will soon after be forgotten for eternity. Hopefully this album will serve as a warning to the human race to stop taking itself so seriously, as we have seen the dire consequences of its actions in the future. You are nothing."

Song Title of the Week:

"Eyebrows Are Nature's Makeup" from Two Loons for Tea's Nine Lucid Dreams

Album Cover of the Week:

Prinzhorn Dance School's Prinzhorn Dance School

Other Notables:

Circus Devils' Sgt. Disco
If you're ever wondering in the future whether Robert Pollard is still alive, just follow this simple test: If a month goes by and he hasn't put out anything new, start worrying. The former Guided by Voices major-domo formed this project with his one-time collaborators Tim and Todd Tobias back in 2001, and Tim surmises the otherworldly project as follows on the band's Web site: "We is from under space." The band's first effort — which it says "is for everyone, not just for those who enjoy music" — features 32 tracks, including "Lance the Boiling Son" and "Safer Than Hooking."

New Young Pony Club's Fantastic Playroom
London's latest electro-indie exports — who toured as part of the NME Rave Tour with Klaxons and CSS — have already made a stir overseas with their Fantastic Playroom debut, which came out in early July and earned four-star reviews from Q and Uncut. Now the five-member gang is bringing songs like "Ice Cream" — featured in a recent Intel ad campaign — "The Bomb" and "Tight Fit" to the U.S.

Obituary's Xecutioner's Return

Tampa, Florida's pioneering death-metal squad originally planned to issue its new disc on September 11 but shifted it forward because the whole Kanye/50 thing had the guys shaking in their boots. The band's seventh studio album, which leaked in late July, features the forebodingly titled tracks "Face Your God," "Contrast the Dead" and "Seal Your Fate."

New Releases:

· Tasmin Archer - On (MVD Audio)
· Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass (Def Jux)
· Paul Anka - Classic Songs, My Way (Decca)
· At Vance - VII (Locomotive)
· Atreyu - Lead Sails Paper Anchor (Hollywood) [Buy Now]
· Avagami - Metagami (Lens)
· Rick Braun and Richard Elliott - RnR (Artizen)
· Dee Dee Bridgewater - Red Earth: A Malian Journey (Emarcy)
· Caedmon's Call - Overdressed (INO/Columbia)
· Casting Crowns - The Altar and the Door (Reunion)
· Circus Devils - Sgt. Disco (Ipecac)
· Collective Soul - Afterwords (El Music; available exclusively at Target) [Buy Now]
· Matt Darey - Nocturnal (Koch)
· Debbie Davies' Blues Blast - Debbie Davies' Blues Blast (Telarc)
· Driver of the Year - ... Will Destroy You (Future Appletree/ Nail in the Coffin)
· Emanuel - Black Earth Tiger (Vagrant) [Buy Now]
· Encomiast - Encomiast (Lens)
· Fior Fiero - The Satellite EP (Anger Down)
· Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals - Lifeline (Virgin)
· Victoria Hart - Whatever Happened to Romance? (Decca)
· Heaven and Hell - Live From Radio City Music Hall (two CDs; deluxe edition comes with DVD; Rhino)
· Terri Hendrix - The Spiritual Kind (Wilory)
· The Honorary Title - Scream & Light Up the Sky (Reprise)
· Horse the Band - A Natural Death (Koch)
· Donny Hue and the Colors - Folkmote (The Kora)
· Ice Water - Raekwon Presents: Ice Water - Polluted Water (Babygrande)
· Jeremy Kay - Talking to My (10 Spot)
· Evelyn "Champagne" King - Open Book (RNB/Jaggo)
· The Last Goodnight - Poison Kiss (Virgin)
· Ledisi - Lost & Found (Verve)
· Liars - Liars (Mute) [Buy Now]
· Lyle Lovett and His Large Band - It's Not Big It's Large (deluxe edition comes with DVD; Lost Highway)
· Marsmobile - Minx (G-Stone)
· Michael McDermott - Noise From Words (One Little Indian)
· Sophie Milman - Make Someone Happy (Koch)
· Mink - Mink (Spitfire)
· Oliver Mtukudzi - Tsimba Itsoka (Heads Up)
· New Buffalo - Somewhere, Anywhere (Arts & Crafts)
· New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom (Modular)
· New York Voices - A Day Like This (MCG Jazz)
· N.O.R.E. - Noreality (Babygrande)
· No Age - Weirdo Rippers (Fat Cat)
· Northern State - Can I Keep This Pen? (Ipecac)
· Obituary - Xecutioner's Return (Candlelight) [Buy Now]
· Pash - The Best Gun (Exotic Fever)
· Point of Grace - How You Live (Word Entertainment)
· Prinzhorn Dance School - Prinzhorn Dance School (Astralwerks)
· The Real Tuesday Weld - The London Book of the Dead (Six Degrees)
· Recordkingz - Heavyweight (ABB)
· Scary Kids Scaring Kids - Scary Kids Scaring Kids (Immortal)
· Scorpions - Humanity: Hour I (New Door)
· Christian Scott - Anthem (Concord)
· Siggi Schwarz & Michael Schenker - Live Together 2004 (MVD Audio)
· Brandi Shearer - Close to Dark (Amoeba)
· Brian Simpson - Above the Clouds (Rendezvous)
· Soul: ID - Sex, Love & Philosophy (ABB)
· Strong Arm Steady - Deep Hearted (Nature Sounds)
· The Subdudes - Street Symphony (Back Porch)
· Jacky Terrasson - Mirror (Blue Note)
· Toots & the Maytals - Light It Up! (Fantasy)
· Two Loons for Tea - Nine Lucid Dreams (Sarathan)
· VHS or Beta - Bring on the Comets (Astralwerks) [Buy Now]
· Natalie Walker - Urban Angel (Quango/Fontana)
· Kirk Whalum - Roundtrip (Rendezvous)
· Whitestarr - Fillith Tillith (VH1 Classics)
· Keite Young - The Rise and Fall of Keite Young (Hidden Beach)
· Yung Joc - Hustlenomics (Bad Boy) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - Cielo: Volare (two CDs; Kinkysweet)
· Various artists - Guilt by Association (Engine Room)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· Akon - Konvicted (with DVD; Universal) [Buy Now]
· The Allman Brothers Band - Idlewild South (Mobile Fidelity)
· Jon Anderson - The Mother's Day Concert (MVD Audio)
· James Brown - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of James Brown, Vol. 2 (Polydor/UMe) [Buy Now]
· Joe Cocker - Classic Cocker (deluxe edition comes with DVD; Capitol/EMI)
· Joe Ely - Musta Notta Gotta Lotta (American Beat)
· Crystal Gayle - Greatest Hits (Capitol Nashville/ EMI)
· Heaven and Hell - Live From Radio City Music Hall (two CDs; deluxe edition comes with DVD; Rhino)
· Bob James - 12 and The Swan (Koch)
· George Jones & Tammy Wynette - We Go Together/ Let's Build a World Together (American Beat)
· Kool & the Gang - 1's (Island/Mercury/UMe)
· Little Feat - Little Feat (Mobile Fidelity)
· Loretta Lynn - 1's (MCA Nashville/UMe)
· Patrick Moraz - Future Memories I and II (MVD Audio)
· Willie Nile - Beautiful Wreck of the World (MVD Audio)
· Edith Piaf - The Best of the Little Sorrow (Varèse Sarabande)
· Queensrÿche - Sign of the Times: The Best of Queensrÿche (collector's edition comes with bonus CD; Capitol/EMI)
· Paul Robeson - On My Journey: Paul Robeson's Independent Recordings (Smithsonian Folkways)
· Ringo Starr - Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo (collector's edition comes with DVD; Capitol/EMI)
· Sly & the Family Stone - Greatest Hits (Epic/Legacy)
· Tangerine Dream - Madcap's Flaming Duty (MVD Audio)
· Bill Taylor & Gerry Mulligan - Live at MCG (MCG Jazz)
· The Truth - Playground (American Beat)
· The Tubes - Remote Control (American Beat)
· Conway Twitty - #1's (MCA Nashville)
· Rick Wakeman - "The Burning" soundtrack (MVD Audio)
· Various artists - Classic Disco #1's (Hip-O)
· Various artists - Classic Rock #1's (Hip-O)
· Various artists - Hard Rock #1's (Hip-O)
· Various artists - Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970 (Rhino)
· Various artists - Modern Rock #1's (Hip-O)
· Various artists - Putumayo Presents: World Hits (Putumayo)
· Various artists - Wattstax (three-CD box set; Stax)

Music DVDs:

· Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe - "An Evening of Yes Music Plus" (MVD Visual)
· Blaze Bayley - "Alive in Poland" (MVD Visual)
· Bill Bruford Earthworks - "Video Anthology Volume 1: 2000s" (MVD Visual)
· Cro-Mags - "The Final Quarrel: Live at CBGB 2001" (MVD Visual)
· Darzamat - "Live Profanity: Visiting the Graves of Heretics" (MVD Visual)
· Heaven and Hell - "Live From Radio City Music Hall" (deluxe edition comes with two CDs; Rhino)
· Incredible String Band - "Live at the Lowry" (MVD Visual)
· Kool & the Gang - "Videology" (IslandMercury/UMe)
· John Lennon - "John Lennon's New York: A Magical History Tour" (two DVDs; Arts Magic)
· Lene Lovich - "Live From New York at Studio 54" (MVD Visual)
· Mountain - "Live in Paris 1965" (MVD Visual)
· Notorious B.I.G. - "Bigger Than Life" (Image)
· Mike Oldfield and Tony Palmer - "Space Movie" (MVD Visual)
· Onslaught - "Live Polish Assault 2007" (MVD Visual)
· Solitude Aeturnus - "House of Despair" (MVD Visual)
· Tangerine Dream - "35th Anniversary at Shepherd's Bush" (MVD Visual)
· Johnny Thunders - "Who's Been Talking? Johnny Thunders in Concert" (MVD Visual)
· Rick Wakeman - "The Other Side of Rick Wakeman" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "Preserving Efforts Vol. 01" (MVD Visual)

Digital Releases:

· Gliss - Love Thy Virgins (hits terrestrial stores September 25; Cordless)
· Ben Kweller - Live and Solo at the Artists Den (EP; ATO/ Artists Den) [Buy Now]
· The Photon Band - Get Down Here in the Stratosphere (EP; Empyrean)
· Ringo Starr - Sentimental Journey; Beaucoups Of Blues; Ringo; and Goodnight Vienna reissues (Capitol/EMI)
· Super Furry Animals - Hey Venus! (hits terrestrial stores January 22; Rough Trade)
· Tigercity - Pretend Not to Love (exclusive iTunes EP) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - The Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam: Next on the Mic (Rounder)

Coming Attractions:

September 4:
· Every Time I Die - The Big Dirty (Ferret) [Preorder]
· Megadeth - That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires (two CDs; Image)
· Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (limited-edition three-CD reissue; Capitol)

September 11:
· 50 Cent - Curtis (G-Unit/Interscope) [Preorder]
Read: "50 Cent Explains Last Week's Blowup, Says 'I Will Be #1 On September 11' "
· Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam (Domino) [Preorder]
· Hot Hot Heat - Happiness Ltd. (Reprise)
· Kenna - Make Sure They See My Face (Interscope) [Preorder]
· Kanye West - Graduation (Roc-A-Fella) [Preorder]
Read: "Kanye West And Lil Wayne Counting On 'Barry Bonds' For A Hit Single"

September 18:
· Chamillionaire - Ultimate Victory (Motown) [Preorder]
Read: "Chamillionaire Ditches Bad Attitude; Hooks Up With Snoop, Busta For LP"
· Mya - Liberation (Motown) [Preorder]
Read: "Mya Gives Up Grudges And Ego, Picks Up Relationship Wisdom On Liberation"
· KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic (Virgin)

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1567951/20070827/yung_joc.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1567951/20070827/yung_joc.jhtml 28 Aug 2007 08:01:00 EDT <![CDATA[Atreyu Singer Tries To Stay Sane; Plus Dark Fortress, Brutal Truth & More News That Rules, In <i>Metal File</i>]]> 'I lose my mind a couple times a day now,' says singer Alex Varkatzas, who recently went off his meds.
By Chris Harris and Jon Wiederhorn


Atreyu
Photo: Hollywood Records

Atreyu singer Alex Varkatzas used to deal with severe anxiety by taking antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication including Lexapro and Klonopin, which helped him work and tour without suffering from panic attacks. However, for the writing and recording of Atreyu's new album Lead Sails Paper Anchor, Varkatzas went cold turkey and let his emotional upheaval inform the band's songs even more directly. Of course, as any psychiatric worker will tell you, being off your meds can have its drawbacks as well.

"I lose my mind a couple times a day now," Varkatzas admitted. "But I try to deal with my emotions instead of hiding behind them, and that's something that's new for me. In the past, I always used to drink or take a pill. Now I'm learning to cope with reality."

One of Varkatzas' main coping methods these days is writing lyrics, which is partially why new tracks like "Honor," "Can't Happen Here" and first single "Becoming the Bull" are so fraught with tension and aggression. But while Varkatzas is raging as hard as ever, he's no longer ranting about getting dumped or betrayed. Instead, he's addressing larger issues such as war, self-empowerment and the importance of family.

"I'm dealing with grown-up stuff now lyrically because that's what's going on in my life," he said. "I'm 25 now. I bought a condo, so I'm dealing with the responsibilities of being a homeowner. I just had my grandpa pass away when I was on tour, and it was horrible that he was dying and I couldn't go home. There was nothing I could do about it, and I had to learn to accept that."

In addition to maturing as a lyricist, Varkatzas has branched out as a singer. With the help of vocal coach Ron Anderson and an awful lot of persistence, Varkatzas is no longer leaving all the melodic parts up to drummer Brandon Saller. Sure, Saller's honey-sweet voice washes through many of the choruses, but Varkatzas has learned to carry a tune as well, and now offers a variety of voices including a more powerful roar ("Can't Happen Here"), pained croon ("Lead Sails [And a Paper Anchor]") and Vince Neil-style yowl ("Blow").

"This is the most nervous I think I've ever been for a record," Varkatzas admitted. "I wanted to do something different and to live up to my potential, so I worked really hard to be able to handle the singing parts. I'm still not a natural singer, but when I set my mind to something, I refuse to take no for an answer."

Various stylistic nuances also contribute to the album's fresh feel. "Falling Down" is a shuffling romp that sounds like a metallic Green Day with horns; "Becoming the Bull" is embellished with industrial effects; and "Slow Burn" features pedal-steel guitar.

"This album isn't just about guitars, bass, drums and vocals," Saller said. "There are strings, opera vocals, hand claps, mandolins, Turkish saz — anything we could think of that seemed cool at the time."

Contributing to the diversity of the album was producer John Feldmann (Goldfinger, the Used), who encouraged Atreyu to push their boundaries and take chances. "He really helped us with our structuring, and figuring out what works and what didn't, and bringing a different set of ideas to our band than we would normally have," Varkatzas said. "But we put in a lot of really long and hard days. He'd make me come up with lyrics on the spot and push me so hard. I would work my ass off and try as hard as I could, and then John would go, 'You know, that's good, but you can do better.' But that pushing helped us all get to new levels on this record."

In the end, Atreyu created their most diverse and ambitious album — a disc that should shatter the metalcore box they've been forced into and help earn them a new following that appreciates good, challenging music. At the same time, many of the elements on Lead Sails Paper Anchor are poppier than past excursions — occasionally bordering on Linkin Park territory.

"This is definitely a metal record, but there's more to it as well," Saller said. "There are rock and roll, punk and even almost dance aspects. But in essence, it's a true Atreyu record. This is where we come from. This is what we are."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Machine Head's upcoming U.S. tour will be light one member. Bassist Adam Duce will miss the fall run after breaking his leg while dirt-bike riding in Redding, California. At first, doctors thought Duce had merely sprained the limb, but X-rays later confirmed the break. The injury required surgery that involved attaching a steel plate and two screws to the broken bone. Machine Head — who are in the final stages of selecting Duce's temporary replacement — will kick off their tour September 7 in Anaheim, California, and bring it to a close October 12 in Hollywood. ... Lamb of God throat specialist Randy Blythe makes a guest appearance on Overkill's next one, Immortalis, which is slated for an October 9 release. According to a statement from the band, Blythe "stepped in to give the track 'Skull and Bones' the ultimate hellish vocal-duet vibe." ... Exodus will release The Atrocity Exhibition ... Exhibit A in late October. The disc boasts nine cuts, including "Riot Act," "Children of a Worthless God" and "The Garden of Bleeding." ...

First they were calling themselves Inflikted. But now the new band — featuring Sepultura founders Max and Igor Cavalera, along with Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier on bass and Soulfly's Marc Rizzo on guitar — will go by the moniker the Cavalera Conspiracy. The band is in the process of tracking its debut LP in Los Angeles and hopes to have it ready in time for an early 2008 release through Roadrunner. ... Nebula, Les Breastfeeders and Bonk will team up for a North American tour set to kick off September 28 in Whistler, British Columbia. The trek, called "Rock de National," runs through November 10 in Los Angeles. ... On October 22, Swedish-metal minstrels Opeth will release The Roundhouse Tapes, a two-disc live set captured during the band's November 9 performance at the Roundhouse in Camden, London. The collection will include live versions of Opeth classics like "Under the Weeping Moon," "Bleak" and "Demon of the Fall." ...

Droid are no longer opening the main stage on the Family Values Tour — they're now closing the fest's second stage. ... Colorado's Planes Mistaken for Stars are throwing in the proverbial towel but plan on going out in style with a spate of to-be-announced farewell shows. In a statement, the band blamed the split on "financial strain" and "family obligations," before adding that "we just felt it was time. Our love for each other and our music has not diminished. It will always be there." ... Fear Before the March of Flames will hit the road this fall with Circa Survive and Ours for a series of 34 live gigs. The first is scheduled for October 10 in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the last for November 25 in Cleveland. ...

Dutch death-metal act Prostitute Disfigurement have finished work on their next studio outing, the aptly titled Descendants of Depravity. The set will feature nine fresh songs, including "The Sadist King and the Generalissimo of Pain," "Killing for Company" and "Fatal Fornication." ... German black-metallers Dark Fortress have found themselves a new frontman in Morean, best known for his work with Noneuclid. "Our decision is based on his immense musical and vocal abilities ... and dedication to extreme and dark music," the band said in a statement. "He will be responsible for the lyrical concept of the forthcoming album, which will be completely finished by the end of October. Expect a worldwide release via Century Media Records in early 2008, followed by increased live activities." The band's previous singer, Azathoth, left back in May, citing personal reasons. ... Norwegian death-metal outfit Chain Collector — which features Carpathian Forest guitarist Gøran Boman — will release their sophomore LP, Unrestrained, on October 22 in Europe. There's no word yet on when — or if — the disc will see an American release yet, but expect it to feature "Your Halo of Thorns," "Bringer of Sins" and "As the Play Unfolds." ...

Sometimes band breakups can be confusing or overly dramatic. In the case of Austrian extremists Pungent Stench, it's both. According to drummer Alex Wank, the band's split was "very sudden and sad," and he blames the internal strife on singer Martin Schirenc. Wank claimed in a statement that Schirenc is "jealous about my work for the Stench." Tension between the two now puts the future of the Stench's upcoming LP in doubt, as Schirenc has vowed to stop playing live gigs and working on the record. "I think the band has come to an end and there won't be any future live activities, which is sad," the drummer said. "This was always the most important thing with Pungent Stench, at least for me, and I think our supporters honored that in coming to our shows and let us feel good. I am very sorry that this unique project has come to an end." ... French black-metal act Blut Aus Nord have posted a new track, "The Sounds of the Universe," on their MySpace page. The cut is from the group's Odinist, which hits stores October 22. ... Rwake and Total F---ing Destruction will head out in October for a brief 10-date run of shows. The first takes place in Atlanta on October 5 and the last date is scheduled for October 14 in Chicago. ...

Reunited grindcore trailblazers Brutal Truth have started writing material for their forthcoming LP, which will be released through Relapse. So far, the boys have finished six new songs, which bassist Danny Lilker said in a statement "are shaping up to be some of the most intense sh-- we've ever written. After eight years, it feels damn good to write some really psychotic grind, and we've jumped right into the deep end of the pool." ... Bury Your Dead have lined up a headlining fall tour with support acts Bring Me the Horizon, Ion Dissonance and Nights Like These. The trek launches September 21 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and runs through October 20 in Tampa, Florida. ... Dates are still being confirmed for a fall tour that will see Jesu and Torche teaming up. Things will get started in Washington, D.C., on October 18, and so far, gigs are booked through October 30 in Lawrence, Kansas. More dates will be announced in the coming weeks. ... As Cities Burn have been tapped as the support act for Dredg's upcoming tour, which begins September 20 in Reno, Nevada, and runs through October 7 in Los Angeles.

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1567801/20070823/atreyu.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1567801/20070823/atreyu.jhtml 24 Aug 2007 08:01:00 EDT <![CDATA[New Releases: Shins, Pretty Ricky, Of Montreal, Atreyu, Clinic & More]]> Also due Tuesday: Deerhoof; Dustin Kensrue; Rob Crow; Gipsy Kings; Vietnam; Good, the Bad & the Queen.
By Kurt Orzeck


The Shins' <i>Wincing the Night Away</i>
Photo: Sub Pop

The All Tomorrow's Parties festival gives the crem de la crem of the indie-rock netherworld a chance to periodically strut their self-deprecating stuff. But in case you haven't been able to make one of the 18 installments, there will be a re-enactment of sorts in record stores this week. The lack of heavy-hitters on the roster — with Madonna's live set bumping to next week, we're looking at you, Pretty Ricky — leaves a vacuum that's being filled by a drove of indie luminaries including the Shins, Clinic and Of Montreal.

A few stragglers might be giving those contestants a bit of a challenge, though. Pretty Ricky — who have been seducing the ladies on the Scream tour alongside Bow Wow and Omarion — dish up their second effort, Late Night Special, led by the single "On the Hotline." Also, the Miami quartet consisting of Spectacular, Baby Blue, Pleasure and Slick 'Em "Push It," "Stay" and "Make It Like It Was."

Elsewhere, Victory Records kisses its former metalcore mavens Atreyu goodbye with The Best of Atreyu. Adorned with an illustration of a rainbow arching over the disembodied head of a pink sheep with a bowtie in her hair, the package culls the Orange County, California, band's three LPs and includes a DVD with seven videos for good measure.

Fellow OC native Dustin Kensrue will give his neighbors a run for their money. Splitting away from his principal project, Thrice, the frontman spills singer/songwriter goodness onto his first solo outing. Look for eight songs on the digipak, including "Consider the Ravens," "Blanket of Ghosts" and "Weary Saints."

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Presents: 10 Days Out - Blues From the Backroads and John Mellencamp's Freedom's Road are also expected to do some chart damage this week, but let's not dilly-dally with them. Here are your 10 most anticipated college-friendly releases this week:

The Shins' Wincing the Night Away: After becoming just the second Sub Pop band to perform on "Saturday Night Live," the "Garden State" juniors are hoping their broadened success means big things the third time around. And yes, those are elements of hip-hop and electronic music you're hearing on "Sea Legs" and "Sleeping Horses," respectively.

Of Montreal's Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?: The Athens, Georgia, act has outlasted many of its brethren in the Elephant 6 collective, and mtvU recently gave lots of love to their last video, "Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games." This album also has plenty of bleeps and bloops but features much bleaker lyrics.

Clinic's Visitations: The Liverpool, England, critic darlings lost their grip a little with 2004's tepidly received Winchester Cathedral, but they're also verified vets at this point, having been around for a decade. For their fourth release, though, Clinic are freer than ever after having toyed around with a steam calliope, gong, melodica and more in their new home studio.

Deerhoof's Friend Opportunity: The Radiohead tourmates just witnessed a grammar school in Maine perform an entire show based on their Milk Man — will they get lucky again? There's a decent chance: While the San Francisco gang is now scaled down to a threesome, its latest material is being called its most accessible yet.

Six Parts Seven's Casually Smashed to Pieces: Jazz, Americana, mariachi and rock come together on this LP, and fans of Tristeza and Mogwai's more ambient material need look no further. The Kent, Ohio, quartet continues to be all-instrumental, but they've got enough melody and texture for bands twice as big.

Rob Crow's Living Well: You know him from Pinback, the Ladies and every other collaborative side project Travis Barker isn't in — now the artist is taking a break to reflect on his own life. The autobiographical lyrics describe Crow's wedding and the birth of his first child, and the CD is stocked with images of the artist with his family.

Ghost's In Stormy Nights: You know it's a Ghost album if one of the six songs runs 28 minutes long and is actually a combination of multiple live recordings carefully sewn together. The Tokyo band has been around for 23 years, and this experimental acid-doom-jazz disc is proof of that fact.

The Broken West's I Can't Go on, I'll Go On: It's never easy for a band to change its name after promo CDs reach rock critics. But that's exactly what these Los Angelinos — formerly named the Brokedown — are hoping to do with their debut. Power-pop fans, prepare to be hooked.

Vietnam's Vietnam: The quiet Brooklyn, New Yorkers dropped a live album almost three years ago — well before stepping up with this, their first studio LP. Jenny Lewis, Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle, Zwan) and others climb onboard the effort — but not the Living Things, who allegedly got into a public brawl with the duo last year.

Exploding Star Orchestra's We're All From Somewhere Else: The Chicago post-rock scene is notoriously incestuous — just look at the résumé of any member of Tortoise to prove it. This album underscores the trend: Jeff Parker, Rob Mazurek, John McEntire, Matt Lux and others unite — thanks to a commission from the Chicago Cultural Center — to form a three-part narrative "involving the death and ascension of a stingray into an exploding star, intelligent conversations with electric eels and the destructive power of humans," according to a press release. We're there.

Song Title of the Week: "Getting Mugged and Loving It" from Piebald's Accidental Gentleman

Other Notables: The Good, the Bad & the Queen's The Good, the Bad & the Queen: Move over, Helen Mirren — Damon Albarn's bastard version of the Queen has arrived. The artist — who also has Gorillaz, Blur and Mali Music under his belt — gangs up with Paul Simonon of the Clash, Fela Kuti collaborator Tony Allen and the Verve's Simon Tong for an album's worth of dub-informed world-music fun.

Julie Doiron's Woke Myself Up: Eleven years after Eric's Trip disbanded, its former co-pilots are getting back together on this half-hour release. Don't expect to hear much reminiscing about the band, though: Here, Rick White — who produces and contributes bass, among other instruments — is helping Doiron reflect on her own family life on songs like "Don't Wanna Be/ Liked by You," "Me and My Friend" and "I Left Town."

Lee Hazelwood's Cake or Death: It's rare that an artist's new album is advertised as his "final" one — unless the musician is dead, of course — but that's exactly what's happening with this LP of reworked classics and originals. The guest list alone is enough to attract attention: Hazelwood teams with his granddaughter, one of Scandinavia's top jazz singers, the woman who composed the "March of Penguins" soundtrack and more. The disc closes with the tear-jerker "T.O.M. (The Old Man)."

New Releases:

· Abigail Williams - Legend (limited-edition LP; Candlelight) · The Affair - Yes Yes to You (Absolutely Kosher) · Sunshine Anderson - Sunshine at Midnight (Music World) · Arbouretum - Rites of Uncovering (Thrill Jockey) · Walter Beasley - Ready for Love (Heads Up) · Eric Bibb - Diamond Days (Telarc) · The Bird and the Bee - The Bird and the Bee (Blue Note) · Black Diamond Heavies - Every Damn Time (Alive) · The Broken West - I Can't Go on, I'll Go On (Merge) · Tom Brosseau - Grand Forks (Loveless) · Cadillac Sky - Blind Man Walking (Skaggs Family) · Clinic - Visitations (Domino) · Rob Crow - Living Well (Temporary Residence) · Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity (Kill Rock Stars) · Tony DeSare - Last First Kiss (Telarc) · Destruction - Thrash Anthems (Candlelight) · Devilz Rejects - Necronomicon (Dynasty Muzik/ Raptivism/ Imperial) · Julie Doiron - Woke Myself Up (Jagjaguwar) · Earlies - Enemy Chorus (Secretly Canadian) · Exploding Star Orchestra - We're All From Somewhere Else (Thrill Jockey) · José Feliciano - The Soundtrack of My Life (Hip-O) · Tony Furtado - Thirteen (Funzalo) · Future of Forestry - Twilight (Credential) · Chris Garneau - Music for Tourists (Absolutely Kosher) · Get Set Go - Selling Out & Going Home (TSR) · Ghost - In Stormy Nights (Drag City) · Gipsy Kings - Pasajero (Nonesuch) · The Good, the Bad & the Queen - The Good, the Bad & the Queen (Virgin) · John Hammond - Push Comes to Shove (Back Porch) · Lee Hazlewood - Cake or Death (Ever) · Kristin Hersh - Learn to Sing Like a Star (Yep Roc) [Buy Now] · Hit the Lights - This Is a Stick Up ... Don't Make It a Murder (Triple Crown) · I Walk the Line - Desolation Street (Gearhead) · Dustin Kensrue - Please Come Home (digipak; Equal Vision) Read: "With Thrice Halfway Through Four-Disc Set, Singer Takes Solo Turn" · David Kilgour - The Far Now (Merge) · Chuck Loeb - Presence (Heads Up) · Macromantics - Moments in Movement (Kill Rock Stars) · Maher Shalal Hash Baz - L'Autre Cap (K) · John Mellencamp - Freedom's Road (Universal Republic) [Buy Now] · Menomena - Friend & Foe (Barsuk) · Moe - The Conch (digipak; Fatboy) · Múm - The Peel Session (Fatcat) · MV & EE With the Bummer Road - MV & EE With the Bummer Road (Ecstatic Peace) · Ken Navarro - The Meeting Place (Positive) · The New Trust - Dark Is the Path Which Lies Before Us (Slowdance) · Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (Polyvinyl) [Buy Now] · Only Crime - Virulence (Fat Wreck Chords) · Carey Ott - Lucid Dream (Dualtone) · Permanent Me - After the Room Clears (Stolen Transmission) · Ed Pettersen - The Punk Blues of Ed Pettersen (digipak; Split Rock) · Piebald - Accidental Gentlemen (Side One Dummy) [Buy Now] · Pretty Ricky - Late Night Special (Atlantic) [Buy Now] · Alasdair Roberts - The Amber Gatherers (Drag City) · Sonny Rollins - Sonny, Please (Emarcy) · Peter Rowan and Tony Rice - Quartet (Rounder) · Saliva - Blood Stained Love Story (Island) [Buy Now] · Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Presents: 10 Days Out - Blues From the Backroads (with DVD; Reprise) [Buy Now] · The Shins - Wincing the Night Away (Sub Pop) [Buy Now] · Six Parts Seven - Casually Smashed to Pieces (digipak; Suicide Squeeze) · DJ Spinna - Compositions 2 (Sickbay) · Marnie Stern - In Advance of the Broken Arm (Kill Rock Stars) · Billy Strayhorn - Lush Life (Blue Note) · The Tiny - Starring Someone Like You (Eyeball) · Tony Trischka - Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular (Rounder) · Twilight Singers - A Stitch in Time (EP; One Little Indian) · David Vandervelde - The Moonstation House Band (Secretly Canadian) · Caetano Veloso - Cê (Nonesuch) · Vietnam - Vietnam (Kemado) · Year of Desolation - Year of Desolation (Prosthetic) · You Am I - Convicts (Yep Roc) [Buy Now] · Various artists - Grammy Nominees 2007 (BMG Strategic Marketing) · Various artists - Casey Kasem Presents: The Long Distance Dedications (Top Sail) · Various artists - Fabric 31: Marco Carola (Fabric) · Various artists - "Catch and Release" soundtrack (Legacy/Sony Music Soundtrax) · Various artists - "Dane Cook's Tourgasm" soundtrack (Rhino)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· Atreyu - The Best of Atreyu (with DVD; Victory) · Bee Gees - 1st, Horizontal and Idea (each comes with a bonus CD; Rhino) · Glenn Branca - Indeterminate Activity of Resultant Masses (Atavistic) · The Chrome Cranks - Diabolical Boogie: Singles, Demos & Rarities (1992 B.C. - 1998 A.D.) (two CDs; Atavistic) · D.O.A. - Bloodied but Unbowed: The Damage to Date 1973-83 (Sudden Death) · Echo & the Bunnymen - The Very Best of Echo & the Bunnymen: More Songs to Learn and Sing (with DVD; Rhino) · Faces - The Definitive Rock Collection (two CDs; Rhino) · Grateful Dead - Live at the Cow Palace: New Year's Eve 1976 (three CDs; Rhino) · The Jam/ The Style Council/ Paul Weller - Hit Parade (Yep Roc) · Al Martino - An Introduction to Al Martino (Fuel) · Medford Drive - All of Your Wonder (Blood & Ink) · Mew - Frengers (Epic) · Placebo - Meds (Virgin) · Pete Townshend - The Definitive Collection (Hip-O) · Pete Townshend/ Ronnie Lane - Rough Mix (Hip-O) · White Lion - The Definitive Rock Collection (two CDs; Rhino) · Yes - The Definitive Rock Collection (two CDs; Rhino) · Various artists - Forever Changing: The Golden Age of Elektra 1963-1973 (five CDs plus CD-ROM; deluxe limited edition due same day; Rhino) · Various artists - Ultra Dance 8 (Ultra)

Music DVDs:

· Hate Eternal - "Perilous Fight" (Earache) · Various artists - "Chicago Blues Reunion: Buried Alive in the Blues" (with CD; Eagle Vision) · Various artists - "Pure '80s: Headbangers Rule," "Totally New Wave" and "Video Idols" (Hip-O) · Various artists - "We Are the Future" (Image Entertainment)

Coming Attractions:

January 30: · Alkaline Trio - Remains (Vagrant) [Preorder] · Norah Jones - Not Too Late (Blue Note) [Preorder] · Madonna - The Confessions Tour (with DVD; Warner Bros.) [Preorder] · Katharine McPhee - Katharine McPhee (RCA) [Preorder] Read: "Katharine McPhee's LP: A Little Bit Pussycat Dolls, A Little Bit Mariah"

February 6: · Bloc Party - Weekend in the City (Vice) [Preorder] Read: "After Failed Panic! At The Disco Tour, Bloc Party Look Ahead To New LP" · Fall Out Boy - Infinity on High (Island) [Preorder] Read: "Jigga What? Fall Out Boy Get A Hand From Jay-Z On Infinity" · The Used - Berth (live CD with DVD; Reprise) [Preorder] Read: "The Used Hate Los Angeles But Love To Write About It"

February 13: · Gerald LeVert - In My Songs (Atlantic) [Preorder] · Bobby Valentino - Special Occasion (Def Jam) [Preorder] Read: "Bobby Valentino Asks Sean Garrett, Rodney Jerkins To Attend Special Occasion" · Lucinda Williams - West (Lost Highway) [Preorder]

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1550529/20070122/shins_the.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1550529/20070122/shins_the.jhtml 23 Jan 2007 06:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Metal File: Light This City, Gwar, Dissection & More News That Rules]]> Bay Area band's female singer would rather be compared to men than women.
By Chris Harris and Jon Wiederhorn


Light This City
Photo: Prosthetic Records

Light This City's Laura Nichol wants to clear something up, once and for all.

Two tracks on the Bay Area death-metallers' 2005 LP, Remains of the Gods — "Letter to My Abuser" and "Your Devoted Victim" — are not about any skeletons Nichol has in her proverbial closet, although fans ask her all the time if she'd ever been abused.

"I have a great family, and I've never had that sort of experience," she explained. "Those songs are more about religion and my struggle earlier on with finding faith and losing it. They're about people I know who are just complete hypocrites, who use religion as a justification and rationalization — an excuse. Those songs are about what I think about that, but really, they're more metaphorical songs and people will have their own interpretations."

Oh, and those constant comparisons to Arch Enemy's Angela Gossow and Lacuna Coil's Cristina Scabbia? Yeah, she doesn't quite get that.

"I really respect them and I love to see women in music, but it is kind of frustrating when you take influence and inspiration from your idols — like [At the Gates'] Tomas Lindberg, [Carcass'] Jeff Walker and [the Black Dahlia Murder's] Trevor Strnad," Nichol said. "And then people will go ahead and compare you to someone who has the same anatomy as you. And if you want to do that, it's fine. I think Angela and Cristina are awesome."

But to be fair, Nichol's voice is more menacing, more intense and more passionate at times, which she said, "is what I'm going for." And fans of the band can expect to be injected with a healthy dose of Nichol's thunderous vocal stylings on Facing the Thousand, which hits stores September 19. She said the album's material came to the members of Light This City without much effort. Well, almost all the members.

"Our plan was to wait and tour on Remains for a while, but we just started pumping out songs — like, no joke," she said. "I couldn't even keep up with my lyrics. I was just like, 'Dudes, you need to slow down.' It just kind of happened. They would all sit around, and we wrote this record in no time at all. We're really proud of it, and I was able to learn so much from the recording of our first album, and I used a lot of that to completely improve my style. We also practiced the songs a lot more; when we recorded Remains, we didn't have a lot of time to practice the songs. We wrote 'em and went right into the studio. So this time around we were able to get the whole band together, practice the songs and perfect certain things."

Nichol's lyrics were inspired by Richard Adams' classic novel "Watership Down," which follows a group of Berkshire rabbits as they flee from the destruction of their warren by land developers and search for safe haven, skirting danger at every turn.

"The new record is a lot about nature, and how f---ed-up it can be," she said. "I drew inspiration from 'Watershed Down' and applied it to my own life. And on the album, I talk about certain types of leaders. On our song 'Cradle for a King,' it's about this plantation owner and how he treats all the people who work for him. I compare him to better, more noble types of leaders in other songs, and some of the tracks relate to each other while others relate back to songs on Remains."

Light This City are on tour with Suicide Silence, All Shall Perish, Too Pure to Die and Nights Like These through September 8 in Las Vegas and will head out with Caliban, the Acacia Strain and Stick to Your Guns September 25 in Roseville, California. On September 10 and 11 in Los Angeles, they'll shoot a video for "The Unwelcome Savior," the first single from Facing the Thousand. Metal video director du jour Darren Doane (Deftones, Every Time I Die) will be helming the clip.

Nichol said Doane would like to take the emphasis off the frontwoman for the video. "You can definitely expect to see intensity, and really, he wants to downplay the fact that I'm a girl," she said. "You won't see our faces for a while — just a bunch of hair — and in the middle of the video, you start to realize, 'Holy sh--! That's a chick and she's kicking my ass right now.' "

As for Light This City's future, Nichol said the band is hoping to land a slot on 2007's Ozzfest. "That's definitely one of our goals in our career," she said. "When the Black Dahlia was on Ozzfest, I went to go see them and hang out, and it was just so cool to experience that backstage lifestyle. It's huge, and it would be a great opportunity. We'd love to do it."

The rest of the week's metal news:

Atreyu, Killswitch Engage, Full Blown Chaos and Every Time I Die are among the acts confirmed for this year's Saints and Sinners Festival, which will happen October 28 and 29 at the Asbury Park Convention Hall Complex in New Jersey. Others expected to take the stage for the two-day festival include the Devil Wears Prada, From First to Last, the Warriors, the Number 12 Looks Like You, A Life Once Lost, Job for a Cowboy and Suicide City. ... "Anti Pizza," a track from mathcore specialists Horse the Band's forthcoming Pizza EP, has been posted on the band's MySpace page. Look for Pizza to hit stores on September 5. ... The Red Chord, Gwar and Municipal Waste will hit the road this fall for a North American tour, for which only 11 dates have been confirmed. More dates will be revealed over the coming weeks. The trek kicks off October 13 in Philadelphia, and dates are scheduled through November 4 in Salt Lake City. ... It Dies Today will team up with the very un-metal bands Silverstein and Aiden for a U.S. run this fall. The jaunt kicks off October 13 in Milwaukee, with dates scheduled through November 25 in Albany, New York. It Dies Today's forthcoming album Sirens will drop on October 3. ...

Dissection frontman Jon Nödtveidt, 31, was discovered in his Stockholm, Sweden, apartment on August 16, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Swedish newspapers reported that Nödtveidt was surrounded by candles and that shortly before the suicide, he sent farewell letters to his father and girlfriend. In the early '90s, Dissection were one of the founders of the Scandinavian melodic death-metal sound, along with At the Gates. However, after two albums — 1993's The Somberlain and 1995's Storm of the Light's Bane — Nödtveidt was convicted of being an accessory to the murder of 37-year-old Algerian homosexual Josef Ben Maddour. Nödtveidt remained in prison until 2004, then restarted a less-impacting version of Dissection with new bandmembers. The group released the two-track "Maha Kali" single in February 2005, then returned with the full album Reinkaos in May of this year. Nödtveidt had hoped to play shows in the U.S. to support the release, but because of his criminal past, he was denied a visa to enter the country. Shortly after the release of the band's new album, Nödtveidt announced that he would break up Dissection and stop writing songs because he had achieved all his musical goals. ...

Deicide will embark on a North American excursion this October with Desolation. The first date's all set for October 14 in Huntington, West Virginia, and will conclude on November 19 in Mexico City. Deicide's The Stench of Redemption landed in stores this week. ... Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus, Necrophagist and Unmerciful will spread evil across North America this fall, with a 24-date tour that's set to begin on November 10 in Springfield, Virginia, and end December 7 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. ... After touring from September 30 through October 14 with Vital Remains, Grave and Demiricous, Swedish death-metal veterans Dismember will return to North America with Entombed and Grave. The new dates kick off December 1 in Hollywood and are scheduled through December 16 in San Marcos, California, but the bands will likely remain on the road through year's end. Dismember's new album God That Never Was came out March 7. Entombed will release their new EP When in Sodom on November 14. The band's next full-length, Serpent Saints, is expected early next year. ...

Members of Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Vile, Rumpelstiltskin Grinder, Total F---ing Destruction, Divine Rapture and Prosthetic C--- have made guest appearances on the new album by Philadelphia extreme grind band XXX Maniak, Harvesting the C--- Nectar. The album was mastered by Pig Destroyer producer Scott Hull and includes the bloody morsels "Gorestar," "Lost Inside Yourself" and "Skeleton Toucher." ... Johnstown, Pennsylvania, death-metal band Incantation will release their next full-length, Primordial Domination, September 5. The disc was recorded at Mars Recording Compound in Sharlersville, Ohio, last spring and engineered by Bill Korecky. "We feel very strong about the new material," said guitarist and singer John McEntee. "We never seem to run out of unholy dark-metal movements." After its release, on Halloween, the band's former label Nuclear Blast will reissue Incantation's 1991 full-length debut , Onward to Golgotha. The disc will include a bonus DVD featuring three live sets. ... Experimental Boston metal band Kayo Dot will launch a new tour Wednesday in Nashua, New Hampshire. Dates run through November 10 in Boston. The band's most recent brain-teaser, Kowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue, came out in January.

Giant Squid have lost a few tentacles. At the end of a recent tour, drummer Mike Conroy and keyboard/ trumpet player Tim Conroy left the eclectic Austin, Texas, doom band. Fortunately, as with the case of the actual mighty sea creature Architeuthis, the tentacles have grown back. The band has hired keyboardist Kimberly Freeman and drummer Scott Sutton, both from bubblegum glam-rock band Ghetto Princess. "Her obvious musical ability has carried over perfectly to the keyboards, and Sutton's amazing dynamics and ability will remind longtime Squid fans of the monster drummers of the band's old days," the group said in a statement. ... New York punk trio Spoiler NYC, which features Life of Agony bassist Alan Robert on vocals and bass, have finished their debut album, Grease Fire in Hell's Kitchen. The disc, which will be released by year's end, was produced in New York by Robert. Four tracks from the album, including the title track, "Dead to Me," "Hung My Head" and "Every Person Is Corrupt," can be heard on the band's MySpace page. ... The fourth album by Swedish traditional-metal band Wolf, The Black Flame, will be released on October 3.

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1539335/20060824/light_this_city.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1539335/20060824/light_this_city.jhtml 25 Aug 2006 06:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[All Hail The <i>King</i>: T.I. Tops <I>Billboard</i> Albums Chart]]> Ghostface Killah, Rob Zombie, Atreyu, Yeah Yeah Yeahs also earn big sales debuts.
By Chris Harris


T.I.
Photo: Jason Campbell

T.I. must have foreseen that his fourth LP would open at the top of Billboard's albums chart. After all, he did title the effort King. And with the week-one sales tally coming in at just under 522,000 copies, the Atlanta rapper earned that regal title, and will take his rightful seat at retail's throne.

The top of Billboard's weekly albums roll is new territory for the Southern MC. According to the latest SoundScan data, King netted T.I. — who also debuted on the big screen last week, in the film "ATL" — his highest-charting debut and his biggest first-week sales showing (2004's Urban Legend bowed at #7 with 193,000 copies sold, while 2003's Trap Muzik opened at #14, scoring 109,000 scans during its first week).

Guest spots from Pharrell Williams, Young Jeezy, Jamie Foxx, B.G., UGK, Common and Young Buck helped King clear a path to #1. And to characterize Tim McGraw as T.I.'s nearest threat may be overstating matters, as King outsold the country idol's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2: Reflected by over 275,000 copies. McGraw's disc racked up a solid 242,000 scans, which would have all but guaranteed him #1 any other week.

The surprise hit of 2006, the soundtrack to the Disney Channel original movie "High School Musical," hangs tough in the top five, dropping one spot to #3. The album generated an additional 165,000 sales in its 12th week in stores, pushing the album beyond the million-sold mark. "High School Musical" was the highest-charting veteran of the chart as five albums, including T.I.'s offering and McGraw's hits collection, manage to open in the top 10, including fourth-place-finishing Fishscale from Ghostface Killah.

While the Wu-Tang Clan member didn't top his best debut showing (1996's Ironman opened at #2 with sales of 156,000), more than 110,000 copies of Fishscale — which includes contributions from Ne-Yo, Notorious B.I.G., Cappadonna, Trife and Clan mate Raekwon — did swim off store shelves. Rob Zombie follows at #5 with his latest solo outing, Educated Horses. The disc racked up more than 107,000 scans, making it the second-best debut performance of Zombie's career; 1998's Hellbilly Deluxe also opened at #5, but sold more than 120,000 copies.

Shakira's Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, first issued in November, was re-released with two bonus cuts last week: "Hips Don't Lie," featuring Wyclef Jean, and an alternate version of "La Tortura." The revamping, coupled with her recent appearance on "American Idol," helped augment sales of the disc a whopping 643 percent, propelling the release from #98 to #6 after moving more than 81,000 copies. James Blunt's Back to Bedlam falls four to #7 this week, with close to 80,000 copies sold. That's followed by last week's #1, Prince's 3121, which experienced a week-two sales drop of 59 percent, selling nearly 76,000 copies to land at #8.

The third LP from Southern California metalcore quintet and Ozzfest 2006 second-stage performers Atreyu, A Death-Grip on Yesterday, opens this week at #9. Sales nearing 69,000 make it the band's biggest debut yet (2004's The Curse bowed at #32 with 34,000 scans). Alan Jackson's Precious Memories follows at #10 with 58,000 in sales.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs flirted with a top 10 debut but fell just shy of the mark. The band's latest, Show Your Bones, surfaces at #11 with nearly 56,000 copies sold. Other notable newcomers to the chart were Rammstein's Rosenrot, at #47 with 20,000 scans, and Do or Die's Get That Paper, which opens at #159 with over 6,000 sales.

Check out "T.I.: Expanding An Empire" for an in-depth interview with the chart's reigning king.

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1527864/20060405/t_i_.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1527864/20060405/t_i_.jhtml 5 Apr 2006 09:54:00 EDT <![CDATA[New Releases: T.I., Destiny's Child, Shakira, Ghostface Killah, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Matt Costa & More]]> Also due Tuesday are releases by Rob Zombie, Atreyu, Margot & the Nuclear So and So's.
By Kurt Orzeck


T.I.'s <i>King</i>
Photo: Atlantic

Tipping Point?: In case the featured spots by Pharrell, Jamie Foxx, Young Jeezy, Common, B.G., Young Buck, UGK and more heavy-hitting hip-hoppers aren't enough, T.I.'s putting out a limited edition of his King that includes an extras-riddled DVD. Songs on both versions of Tip's fourth major-label solo outing include "Top Back," "Stand Up Guy" and "I'm Straight" (featuring B.G. and Jeezy).

Destiny's Run Wild: Defunct as they may be, Destiny's Child are celebrating their 10th anniversary like heavyweights. Their 38-chapter "Live in Atlanta" DVD captures most of their recent #1's in concert, but there's gobs more: a special feature called "A Family Affair"; three extra audio tracks (offered in surround sound too); the trailer for Beyoncé's "Dreamgirls" flick; fan testimonials and more.

Shaking Up Her New LP: Shakira fans clamoring for the second chapter to her two-part Oral Fixation saga will have their appetites sated when Vol. 2 drops this week. The set was originally slated for release in late November, but now arrives with a slightly modified track list and two bonus tunes, "Hips Don't Lie" (featuring Wyclef Jean) and an alternate version of "La Tortura."

Ghost With the Most: Ghostface hopped into the studio at the last minute to record one more track for his Fishscale LP, "Momma" (featuring new Def Jam artist Megan Rochell), and it's now being considered as the follow-up to his first single, "Back Like That" (featuring Ne-Yo). But there's actually another gem hitched to the end of the record, after the handfuls of skits and guest spots by Wu-Tang Clan, Cappadonna, Trife, et al: "Three Bricks," a bonus cut laced with vocals by the Notorious B.I.G. and Raekwon.

Dem Bones: Yeah Yeah Yeahs tacked a bonus track ("Déjà Vu") onto the import version of Show Your Bones, gave a free T-shirt to U.K. fans who pre-ordered and granted U.S. fans who pre-ordered the record through iTunes a live version of "Cheated Hearts" — but the standard edition is frill-free. Tracks include "Honeybear," "Dudley" and "The Streets."

The Miseducation of Rob Zombie: As he continues trolling around small venues across the U.S., Rob Zombie is simultaneously birthing his Educated Horses — which, one can only assume, have scarlet-red eyes, snort fire from their nostrils and spend most of their time quartering sinners in hell. Nevertheless, the record includes "Foxy, Foxy," "Let It All Bleed Out" and "The Devil's Rejects," a song that never made it on the soundtrack to the movie of the same name. Drums courtesy Tommy Lee and A Perfect Circle's Josh Freese.

Song Title of the Week:

"My Fork in the Road (Your Knife in My Back)" from Atreyu's A Death-Grip on Yesterday

Other notables:

Matt Costa's Songs We Sing vs. Margot & the Nuclear So and So's' The Dust of Retreat: Three years ago Matt Costa released the original Songs We Sing, but that's since been cannibalized into a renewed version produced by Phil Ek (Modest Mouse, Built to Spill) and tailored for Jack Johnson's Brushfire label. Most of the original tunes are reordered here, save "Desire's Only Fling," "Whiskey & Wine" and "Shimmering Fields," which are omitted; and "Sweet Thursday," "These Arms," "Ballad of Miss Kate" and "I Tried," which are new. There's also a digipak version, not to mention an iTunes edition and varying copies floating around Europe, Japan and Australia.

Likewise, Margot and so on reconsidered their first step out the door by resequencing, remixing and remastering her Dust debut, which now has a new version of "Light on a Hill" as well. Still soaring after their sizzling SXSW gigs, the band's debut is coming back through Artemis instead of Standard Recording Co. Way to make an entrance, guys.

Rammstein's Rosenrot: Wade past "Mann Gegen Mann" and "Wo Bist Du" and you'll come across an unexpected duet between the wicked-heavy Germans and Scotland's Sharleen Spiteri, who you may recall from her previous band Texas. And venture beyond that song and you'll stumble across "Te Quiero Puta!," a Spanish-spoken track you can translate for yourself. Now that's multiculturalism.

Seth Kauffman's Ting: File this one under "Been Around the World, Made My Own Album Too." Roots-soul singer reminisces about his travels to Jamaica and Africa (to study field recordings) and the Swiss Alps (to, uh, snowboard) on his maiden LP voyage, handling all the instruments, plus production and engineering, by himself. Don't miss the hidden pre-track, "Thick," at the beginning of the record (start playing song 1 and scroll backward) and the one tucked at the end, "Juicy."

New Releases:

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

  • Abba - Chronicles (three CDs; Polydor/ UME)
  • George Benson - The Essential George Benson (two CDs; Columbia/Legacy)
  • Bon Jovi - Chronicles (three CDs; Mercury/ UME)
  • Bread - 2 CD Definitive Collection (Rhino)
  • Celestial Season - Solar Lovers (Displeased)
  • The Cure - Faith, Pornography, Seventeen Seconds and Three Imaginary Boys (Rhino)
  • Doobie Brothers - 2 CD Definitive Collection (Rhino)
  • George Jones - The Essential George Jones (two CDs; Epic/ Legacy)
  • George Duke - The Essential George Duke (two CDs; Epic/ Legacy)
  • Ramsey Lewis - The Very Best of Ramsey Lewis (GRP)
  • Loretta Lynn - Chronicles (three CDs; MCA Nashville/ UME)
  • Tim McGraw - Greatest Hits Vol 2 (Curb)
  • Roy Orbison - The Essential Roy Orbison (two CDs; Monument/ Orbison Records/ Legacy)
  • Junior Wells - An Introduction to Junior Wells (Fuel)
  • Whiplash - Insult to Injury (Displeased)
  • Bill Wyman - Stoned Alone: The Solo Anthology 1974-2001 (two CDs; Sanctuary)
  • Various artists - Best of the Boy Bands (Time Life)
  • Various artists - Chronicles: Music Inspired by the Big Chill (three CDs; Hip-O/ UME)

DVDs:

  • Abba - "Abba: The Movie" (Polydor/ UME)
  • Chris Botti - "Live: With Orchestra & Special Guests" (special fanpack edition with bonus CD also available; Columbia)
  • Destiny's Child - "Live in Atlanta" (Columbia)
  • Barry Manilow - "Manilow: Music and Passion - Live From Las Vegas" (Rhino)

Coming Attractions:

April 4:

April 11:

April 18:

  • The Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virginia ... (digipak; Roadrunner)
  • NOFX - Wolves in Wolves Clothing (Fat Wreck Chords)
  • Various artists - "Coachella" (Epitaph)

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1527086/20060327/ghostface_killah.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1527086/20060327/ghostface_killah.jhtml 28 Mar 2006 06:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Taste Of Chaos '06 Tour Dates Revealed]]> 'Winter Warped' kicks off February 16 in San Diego.
By James Montgomery


Thrice's Dustin Kensrue
Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ Getty Images

It's no secret that Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman is a bit of a workaholic. When we last spoke to him, he was in a London hotel room overseeing promotion on the U.K. leg of his Taste of Chaos tour while at the same time announcing acts for the 2006 edition of Warped and maintaining two separate conversations with tour organizers back in California.

And while our conversation was primarily about Warped '06, Lyman also made sure to promote the 2006 edition of Taste, saying that the tour itinerary was close to being finished (see "Motion City Soundtrack, Thursday, NOFX Already On Board For Warped '06"). And he wasn't joking.

Late Wednesday night (November 30), Lyman gave MTV News an exclusive first look at the dates for the 2006 Taste of Chaos tour, a near two-month jaunt featuring Thrice, Deftones, Atreyu, As I Lay Dying and a whole host of likeminded hard-rock acts. The tour — nicknamed "Winter Warped" during its inaugural run last year — kicks off in the relatively un-wintry climes of San Diego on February 16 and snakes its way throughout the U.S. and Canada before coming to an end April 15 in Montreal.

A special ticket pre-sale begins Friday; fans can visit TasteOfChaos.com for more information.

Last year's version of Taste featured headliners the Used and My Chemical Romance (see "Taste Of Chaos — A.K.A. 'Winter Warped' — Tour Dates, Lineup Confirmed") and was so popular that it spawned a European sequel of sorts, also headlined by the Used, plus a tour-spanning DVD and a charity holiday comp, Taste of Christmas.

Taste of Chaos tour dates, according to event organizers:

  • 2/16 - San Diego, CA @ San Diego Sports Arena
  • 2/17 - Phoenix, AZ @ Mesa Amphitheatre
  • 2/18 - El Paso, TX @ County Coliseum
  • 2/20 - Dallas, TX @ Nokia Theatre
  • 2/21 - San Antonio, TX @ Freeman Coliseum
  • 2/22 - Houston, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
  • 2/24 - Jacksonville, FL @ Metro Park
  • 2/25 - Orlando, FL @ Tinker Field
  • 2/26 - Miami, FL @ Pompano Beach Amphitheatre
  • 2/28 - Duluth, GA @ Gwinnett Center
  • 3/1 - Norfolk, VA @ Convocation Center
  • 3/3 - East Rutherford, NJ @ The Meadowlands
  • 3/4 - Philadelphia, PA @ Tweeter Center
  • 3/6 - Portland, ME @ Cumberland County Civic Center
  • 3/7 - Lowell, MA @ Tsongas Arena
  • 3/8 - Hartford, CT @ Expo Center
  • 3/9 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ Mid Hudson Civic Center
  • 3/10 - Orchard Park, NY @ Buffalo Bills Fieldhouse
  • 3/11 - Detroit, MI @ Cobo Arena
  • 3/13 - St. Louis, MO @ Family Arena
  • 3/14 - Chicago, IL @ UIC Pavilion
  • 3/15 - Cleveland, OH @ CSU Convocation Center
  • 3/16 - Toledo, OH @ Toledo Sports Arena
  • 3/17 - Dayton, OH @ Hara Arena
  • 3/18 - Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
  • 3/19 - St. Paul, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
  • 3/21 - Fargo, ND @ Fargo Memorial Auditorium
  • 3/22 - Lincoln, NE @ Pershing Auditorium
  • 3/23 - Kansas City, KS @ Hale Arena
  • 3/25 - Denver, CO @ Filmore Auditorium
  • 3/27 - Fresno, CA @ Selland Arena
  • 3/28 - San Jose, CA @ SJSU Events Center
  • 3/29 - Sacramento, CA @ Arco Arena
  • 3/30 - Long Beach, CA @ Long Beach Sports Arena
  • 4/1 - Portland, OR @ The Pavilion-Oregon State Fairgrounds
  • 4/2 - Seattle, WA @ Everett Events Center
  • 4/3 - Vancouver, BC @ Pacific National Exhibition
  • 4/5 - Edmonton, AB @ Shaw Events Center
  • 4/6 - Calgary, AB @ Saddledome
  • 4/8 - Saskatoon, SK @ Saskatchewan Place
  • 4/9 - Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Center
  • 4/12 - London, ON @ John Labatte Centre
  • 4/13 - Toronto, ON @ Arrow Hall
  • 4/14 - Ottawa, ON @ Corel Center
  • 4/15 - Montreal, QC @ Stade Uniprix

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1516759/20051130/thrice.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1516759/20051130/thrice.jhtml 30 Nov 2005 08:25:00 EST <![CDATA[My Chemical Romance And A Very Stiff Chicken Rock Milwaukee Warped Tour Stop]]> Offspring, Transplants also highlights of 10th annual trek.
By Gil Kaufman


My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way (file)
Photo: Getty Images

MILWAUKEE — It being Sunday and all, My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way figured he'd throw in a few benedictions between amped-up hits by his New Jersey punk band. But church never sounded, or looked, quite like this. "Let me hear you say hell yeah, Milwaukee!" Way shouted over and over during his band's twilight set, which closed the show on the second night of this summer's Vans Warped Tour.

"Let me hear you say f--- yeah!" he said in a preacher's cadence, stretching out his healing hands as he strode across the stage wearing a very un-priestly vestment of black bondage pants, a black jacket and a black T-shirt with a photo of Bela Lugosi on it. At the very least, most sermons don't contain quite so many four-letter words starting with "f," or pleas to spit in the face of rock stars that ask female fans to lift their shirts.

But those kinds of contradictions are what Warped is all about. One minute you're watching a bunch of lunatics in loin cloths and combat boots calling themselves Bad Fathers play spazz-out punk rap tunes and just a few yards away you catch Phoenix's Greeley Estates shredding their throats during one of the most intense emo sets of the day. Along the way you might wander by MxPx and No Use for a Name playing some classic pop punk, Bedouin Soundclash mixing in a bit of ska and dub and Valient Thorr playing, well, it's hard to say. But it was something kind of scary along the lines of the Black Crowes meet Motörhead in tight trousers, bushy beards and lots of talk about the planet Venus.

The great equalizer? It doesn't matter if you're a veteran act like the Offspring or a band called Dork, just about everyone gets 30 minutes to do their thing, and, more than any other tour out there, it's almost impossible to tell the bands from their fans in the audience.

"It's cool to see kids going from watching the Offspring to something new like Hawthorne Heights, right?" said tour founder Kevin Lyman backstage as the sun was setting and vendors began dismantling their tents. Taking off on his customized lowrider bicycle, which, along with mini motorcycles and longboard skateboards, was the preferred means of backstage locomotion, Lyman smiled as he surveyed another successful outing of his decade-old creation.

While there was plenty of the flavor of the day emo and screamo from the likes of Silverstein, Bleed the Dream and Hawthorne Heights, there was also the hard-to-categorize set from punk supergroup the Transplants. The band played a diabolical mix of rap, punk, dub and drum'n'bass that got the audience hyped. Bobbing his mowhawked head so furiously it looked like he was bashing a cymbal with it to double his already insane torrent of beats, Travis Barker led the band into the new song "Madness," with Tim Armstrong and Rob Aston switching off on gravely vocals on a classic from their first album, "Diamonds and Guns."

One of the day's most theatrical sets belonged to Avenged Sevenfold, who took the stage amid a thick dry-ice fog and chants of "A7X" from their adoring fans. With a double guitar attack and the high-flying theatrics of pumped-up, mirror-shade-wearing singer M. Shadows, the group mixed a bit of Misfits/ Danzig horrorcore with straight-up hardcore, blitzkrieg guitar solos and lyrics worthy of a Dungeons and Dragons game on new tunes such as "Beast and the Harlot."

And though they were among the veteran acts on the bill, the Offspring were Warped newbies, on their first outing with the trek. Touring in support of their greatest-hits album, the classic So Cal punkers gave the audience exactly what it wanted with hits like "Why Don't You Get a Job?," their huge breakthrough, "Come Out and Play (Keep 'Em Separated)," and what amounts to their "Free Bird," the rousing "Self Esteem."

The thousands of fans who braved nearly eight hours of brazen punk on this perfect 75 degree day were rewarded just before 9 p.m., when My Chemical Romance played to the biggest crowd of the day. With just 30 minutes to make their case, MCR blasted out of the gate with their breakthrough "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)," which, like nearly their entire set, broke out into an audience chant-along. With a stage full of his peers looking on, Way relished the role of conquering hero, returning to Warped as a headliner and making the audience jump and shout along to his band's current hit, "Helena," and closing with a crowd-pleasing version of "You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison."

And now, in honor of Warped's 10th anniversary, we present the inaugural Warpie Awards:

  • Most punk-rock move to get invited into the family: The Shira Girl stage. Founder Shira Girl bum-rushed last year's Warped with a guerrilla stage setup outside the tour and this year she had her own stage, which added some much-needed estrogen to the mostly male affair.

  • Rebel yell of the day: Greeley Estates singer Ryan Zimmerman, who sounded like a cat drowning in a steel drum. Honorable mention goes to From First to Last's three vocalists, who brought a bit of opera to their emo.

  • Giving new meaning to the phrase "extreme sports": Avenged Sevenfold, for hitting the Major League Baseball batting cages. If only more baseball players took batting practice in hoodies, studded belts, lip rings and wallet chains.

  • T-shirt message of the day: In a sea of clever tees, "Drink apple juice 'cuz OJ will kill you" stood out. Runner-up prize goes to the 2-year-old budding punk with the black shirt that read, "When I grow up I want to be a sick boy."

  • Best prop: The dude who dragged a taxidermied chicken around all day and waved it like he just didn't care.

  • Too-soon award: To thetruth.com booth, whose DJ managed to get the kids moving to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." If only for a minute.

  • Get no love award: The Marines, who were dissed profanely from the stage by at least two bands for having a recruiting booth at the previous date.

  • ... is the new black award: Pink. It said so right on that guy's T-shirt, "Tough guys wear pink."

  • Best cover: Atreyu, who turned Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name" into a screamo anthem (the band recorded it for the "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" soundtrack) as they got a sea of hundreds windmilling their T-shirts over their heads while flashing devil horns with the other hand.

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports.

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1504365/20050620/my_chemical_romance.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1504365/20050620/my_chemical_romance.jhtml 20 Jun 2005 11:43:00 EDT <![CDATA[Warped Tour Lineup, Itinerary Officially Announced]]> Tour will run from June 17 through August 14; discounted tickets available March 15.
By Gil Kaufman


My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way (file)
Photo: Jason Campbell

The Vans Warped Tour has officially announced the lineup and itinerary for the 11th annual edition of the punk/skating tour. As previously reported by MTV News, the bill for the oldest touring festival in the U.S. will be topped by the Offspring and My Chemical Romance, along with the Transplants, MxPx, All-American Rejects, Dropkick Murphys, Thrice, Atreyu and Senses Fail.

The 48-date tour, which kicks off on June 17 at the Germain Amphitheatre in Columbus, Ohio, will snake its way across the country through mid-August, wrapping up on August 14 at the Englishtown Raceway in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Discount tickets will be available on the Warped Web site beginning March 15.

For the full itinerary, see "Warped Tour Organizers Cave, Announce Full Itinerary Two Weeks Early."

New attractions for 2005 include the Amateur Skate Jam (a daily contest judged by pro skaters for local amateur skaters, who will compete for prize money) and, for the first time, fans can also vote daily on the tour's Web site on which band they would like to see play for an extra 10 minutes.

Making their return are such popular attractions as Reverse Day Care (an air-conditioned area where kids can drop off their parents), the Codes of the Cutz hip-hop tent and the Girlz Garage stage. Organizers are also encouraging attendees to donate items for local homeless shelters through Punk Junk, an on-site donation center.

Other bands confirmed to perform so far: A Thorn for Every Heart, Academy Is, Amber Pacific, Armor for Sleep, Avenged Sevenfold, Bedouin Sound Clash, Billy Talent, the Bled, Bleeding Through, Boys Night Out, the Briefs, a Change of Pace, Dead 60's, Emery, the Explosion, the Fight, From First to Last, Funeral for a Friend, Gatsby's American Dream, Go Betty Go, Gratitude, Greeley Estates, Gym Class Heroes, Halifax, Hidden in Plain View, Hopesfall, HorrorPops, Hot Rod Circuit, Juliette and the Licks, Kinison, Left Alone, Lost City Angels, Mae, Matchbook Romance, the Matches, Midtown, Millencolin, Motion City Soundtrack, Near Miss, Plain White T's, Reggie & the Full Effect, Relient K, Rufio, Saosin, Silverstein, Skindred, Something Corporate, the Starting Line, Street Dogs, Strike Anywhere, Stutterfly, Throw Rag, Tsunami Bomb, the Twenty Twos, Yesterday's Rising and ZAO.

For a feature on My Chemical Romance, check out "My Chemical Romance: They're Okay (Promise)."

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1497704/20050303/my_chemical_romance.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1497704/20050303/my_chemical_romance.jhtml 3 Mar 2005 11:11:00 EST <![CDATA[Atreyu - Storm To Pass]]> Atreyu - Storm To Pass

Storm To Pass

]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=447639 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=447639 17 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Atreyu - Falling Down]]> Atreyu - Falling Down

Falling Down

]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=229644 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=229644 30 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Atreyu - Becoming the Bull]]> Atreyu - Becoming the Bull

Becoming the Bull

]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=174145 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=174145 7 Sep 2007 12:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Atreyu - The Theft]]> Atreyu - The Theft

The Theft

]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=122964 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=122964 4 Dec 2006 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Atreyu - Ex's and Oh's]]> Atreyu - Ex's and Oh's

Ex's and Oh's

]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=79275 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=79275 21 Mar 2006 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Atreyu - Her Portrait in Black]]> Atreyu - Her Portrait in Black

Her Portrait in Black

]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=76930 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=76930 2 Mar 2006 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Atreyu - The Crimson]]> Atreyu - The Crimson

The Crimson

  • Artist: Atreyu
  • Label: Victory
  • Director: Sean Steigemeyer
  • Album: The Curse
]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=61620 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=61620 31 Oct 2005 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Atreyu - Right Side of the Bed]]> Atreyu - Right Side of the Bed

Right Side of the Bed

]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=33141 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1228941&vid=33141 6 Jul 2004 12:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Photos | Korn, Vinnie Paul, Atreyu Announce Family Values Tour At Virtual MTV Press Conference]]>

Korn, Vinnie Paul, Atreyu Announce Family Values Tour At Virtual MTV Press Conference

Related Artists ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1555665 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1555665 26 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Photos | KROQ's Inland Invasion: Devore, CA, September 23, 2006]]>

KROQ's Inland Invasion: Devore, CA, September 23, 2006

Related Artists ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1541666 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1541666 25 Sep 2006 12:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Photos | Red Hot Chili Peppers, Angels & Airwaves, More At 2006 KROQ Weenie Roast]]>

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Angels & Airwaves, More At 2006 KROQ Weenie Roast

Related Artists ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1531740 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1531740 15 May 2006 12:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Photos | Warped Tour in Kansas City, KS 06.22.2005]]>

Warped Tour in Kansas City, KS 06.22.2005

Related Artists ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1505432 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1505432 8 Jul 2005 12:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Photos | Ozzfest at the CTNOW.com Meadows Music Centre in Hartford, CT 07.10.2004]]>

Ozzfest at the CTNOW.com Meadows Music Centre in Hartford, CT 07.10.2004

Related Artists ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1489448 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1489448 15 Jul 2004 12:00:00 EDT