<P>For years, the biggest knock on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has been its unwillingness to recognize the contributions of artists that fall outside the standard definition of, well, "rock and roll."</P><P>In recent years, the Hall has taken steps to rectify the problem. The list of 2006 inductees included punk pioneers the Sex Pistols and Blondie, proto-metallers Black Sabbath and forward-thinking jazznick Miles Davis (see <a href="/news/articles/1526082/metallica-thuds-blondie-feud-at-rrhof-ceremony.jhtml">"Metallica Thud, Blondie Feud At Rock Hall Of Fame Ceremony"</a>). And now an even more unlikely group of artists will be allowed inside the hallowed Hall: a bunch of sweat-stained and sunburned punks &#8212; or, more specifically, their guitars, Converse All Stars and hairspray.</P><P>Starting in January, an exhibit honoring Warped Tour &#8212; the longest-running touring rock festival and summertime celebration of piercings, Manic Panic and all types of punk rock &#8212; will display gear, clothing and various ephemera donated by the hundreds of artists that have graced Warped's many stages over the years.</P><P>"It's a great honor for the Hall to recognize the success of Warped, and I know it's a special thing for a lot of the bands," Warped founder Kevin Lyman told MTV News. "So many of them have donated their personal gear, because they realize how great this is. A lot of them have kids now, and so they looked at it like, 'Well, I don't know if I'll ever get into the Hall, but now at least my guitar will.' "</P><P>New-school acts like My Chemical Romance, New Found Glory and Gym Class Heroes all contributed items, as did a host of punk stalwarts, including NOFX, the Dropkick Murphys and the Bouncing Souls. And in keeping with the spirit of the tour, the list of donated items is particularly punk &#8212; from the Murphys' bagpipes and Anti-Flag's sneakers to a customized Millencolin beer bong.</P><P>"When we first reached out to Kevin about making this exhibit happen, we wanted to recognize the significant contributions Warped has made to the state of rock and roll," Todd Mesek, a spokesperson for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, told MTV News. "We wanted to explore just what the fest means and how it has developed so many artists. And so we set out to collect as many artifacts as we could from the past 12 years."</P><P>The Warped exhibit is scheduled to open sometime in late January at the Rock Hall's permanent home in Cleveland, and Lyman told MTV News that he's in the early stages of planning a show to coincide with the opening (the Used and Paramore are already on board to play, he said). And when the exhibit wraps &#8212; which should be sometime in June &#8212; the Hall plans to seal all the donated items in a special time capsule, which will be reopened in 25 years.</P><P><a href="/bands/w/warp_tour/news_feature_071105/">(Click here for a look at what goes on behind the scenes at the summer's craziest punk-rock circus.)</a></p>

• Warped Tour 2006 Photos

• My Chemical Romance
• New Found Glory
• Gym Class Heroes
• NOFX
• Dropkick Murphys

<P>Finally, the fated 6/6/06 has arrived. But what's to show for it? Where's <b>Slayer</b>'s LP, intended for today? Alas, still in purgatory (a.k.a. production). <b>Deicide</b> and <b>Entombed</b> also missed deadlines. But have no fear, Beelzebub believers. <b>Artimus Pyledriver</b> and <b>Sikth</b> are repping. As are new grindsters <b>Genghis Tron</b>. There's the End Records' black-metal tutorial. And don't forget the "Omen" soundtrack.</P><P>Are you pent up with pentagrams? Not feeling horny for devil's horns? There's a heavenly corner as well. <b>Amps for Christ</b>, <b>Combichrist</b> and <b>Evangelicals</b>.</P><P>And there's loads more, of course. Here goes, each in six words:</P><P><b>The Despair Faction Weep With Joy</b>: That would be <b>AFI</b>'s fan club. Sobbing at the arrival of <i>Decemberunderground</i>. It's the band's seventh time out. Replete with requisite choruses and bombast. No limited editions or video enhancements. Just 12 doses of strident punk. You've already heard "Miss Murder" tirelessly. So check out "37mm" and "Affliction."</P><P><b>More Crying, Courtesy a Rap Legend</b>: <b>Ice Cube</b>'s <i>Laugh Now, Cry Later.</i> It's another classic West Coast hoedown. <b>Snoop</b> and <b>WC</b>, all over it. Plus <b>Lil Jon</b>'s helping out, too. Just "Go to Church" for proof. <b>Swizz Beatz</b> and <b>Green Lantern</b> produce. <b>Scott Storch</b> polishes off two tracks. And don't miss <b>Mike Epps</b>' spot. Come on, "Holla @ Cha' Boy." Make LP #7 worth Cube's while.</P><P><b>Head Automatica Graduate to Become Sophomores</b>: <b>Daryl Palumbo</b> is at it again. <i>Decadence</i> followed <b>Glassjaw</b>'s hiatus &#8212; now this. Fourteen tracks' worth of power-pop prickliness. "Graduation Day" is all over mtvU. The band is "Laughing at You." While you're "Lying Through Your Teeth." Don't miss "God" or "Curious," either.</P><P><b>DJ Khaled Brings the Miami Heat</b>: <b>DJ Khaled</b>'s <i>Listennn ... The Album</i> arrives. And it's presented by <b>Terror Squad</b>. <b>Kanye</b> and <b>Jeezy</b> also on here. <b>Beanie Sigel</b> and <b>Lil Scrappy</b>, too. Plus <b>Clipse</b>, <b>Freeway</b>, <b>Pitbull</b> and <b>CTE</b>. Now that's called a star-studded LP. It's devoted to Khaled's Miami hometown. ("Future of Dade" says it all.)</P><P><b>Paul Oakenfold's Aged Oak-Barrel Wine Flows</b>: At last, <b>Oakenfold</b>'s <i>A Lively Mind</i>. This one has been bumping forever. But it's well worth the wait. <b>Pharrell</b> and <b>Grandmaster Flash</b> both appear. Plus <i>8 Mile</i>-r <b>Brittany Murphy</b>, incredulously. On "Faster Kill Pussycat," no less. This is the producer's second LP. Emphasis on the unquenchable, club-ready beats. <b>Fall Out Boy</b> need new shoes.</P><P><b>The Fort Minor Queen Steps Out</b>: She's half of "Where'd You Go." You know, <b>Mike Shinoda</b>'s "TRL" tune. Now, time for <b>Holly Brook</b> proper. <i>Like Blood Like Honey</i> is piano-heavy. Many a heart-wrenching confessional as well. "What I Wouldn't Give" is ubiquitous. It's on TV's "Conviction" and "Related." Is this 20-year-old ready to break? Will she be the next <b>Dido</b>? Only time will tell, they say.</P><P><b>Some People Just Won't Say Die</b>:<ol> <li><b>Cheap Trick</b>'s <i>Rockford</i> <li><b>Cracker</b>'s <i>Greenland</i> <li><b>Joan Jett and the Blackhearts</b>' <i>Sinner</i> <li><b>Live</b>'s <i>Songs From Black Mountain</i> <li>The <b>New Cars</b>' <i>It's Alive!</i> <li><b>Frank Sinatra Jr.</b>'s <i>That Face!</i> </ol></P><P><b>A Rose by Any Other Name</b>:<ol> <li><b>Joe Bonamassa</b> (<i>You &amp; Me</i>) <li><b>Donavon Frankenreiter</b> (<i>Move by Yourself</i>) <li><b>Heideroosjes</b> (<i>Royal to the Bone</i>) <li><b>Janez Detd.</b> (<i>Like Cold Rain Kills a Summer Day</i>) <li><b>Kraak En Smaak</b> (<i>Boogie Angst</i>) <li><b>Shakatak</b> ("Live at the Playhouse" DVD) </ol></P><P><b>They Are Singing the Body Electric</b>:<ol> <li><b>Amps for Christ</b> (<i>Every Eleven Seconds</i>)</li> <li><b>Elevator Action</b> (<i>Society, Secret</i>)</li> <li>The <b>Robot Ate Me</b> (<i>Good World</i>)</li> <li><b>Scanners</b> (<i>Violence Is Golden</i>)</li> <li><b>Soft Machine</b> ("New Morning: The Paris Concert" DVD)</li> <li><b>Stereo Fuse</b> (<i>All That Remains</i>)</li></ol></P><P><b>Yeah, They Decided to Take Off</b>:<ol> <li>The <b>Bottle Rockets</b> (<i>Zoysia</i>)</li> <li><b>Camera Obscura</b>, as they declare <i>Let's Get Out of This Country</i></li> <li><b>Jefferson Airplane</b> (<i>The Worst of Jefferson Airplane</i>)</li> <li><b>Jet Lag Gemini</b> (<i>Business</i>)</li> <li><b>Ladyhawk</b> (<i>Ladyhawk</i>)</li> <li><b>Metallic Falcons</b> (<i>Desert Doughnuts</i>)</li></ol></P><P><b>Are They Rivals in the Making?</b>:<ol> <li>The "Cars" soundtrack vs. the <b>New Cars</b> (<i>It's Alive!</i>)</li> <li><b>Cheap Trick</b> (<i>Rockford</i>) vs. <b>Cheap Sex</b> (<i>Written in Blood</i>)</li> <li><b>Jet Lag Gemini</b> (<i>Business</i>) vs. <b>Joan Jett and the Blackhearts</b> (<i>Sinner</i>)</li> <li><b>Oakenfold</b> (<i>A Lively Mind</i>) vs. <b>Oakley Hall</b> (<i>Gypsum Strings</i>)</li> <li><b>Henry Rollins</b> (<i>Sweatbox</i>) vs. <b>Sonny Rollins</b> (<i>The Impulse Story</i>)</li> <li><b>Divided by Zero</b> (<i>The Black Sea</i>) vs. <b>Zero 7</b> (<i>The Garden</i>)</li></ol></P><P><b>They Need Direction in Their Lives</b>:<ol> <li><i>Drift</i> (<b>Scott Walker</b>)</li> <li><i>Compass</i> (<b>Susanne Abbuehl</b>)</li> <li><i>Floating World</i> (<b>Anathallo</b>)</li> <li><i>Koast II Koast</i> (<b>Kottonmouth Kings</b>)</li> <li><i>The River in Reverse</i> (<b>Elvis Costello &amp; Allen Toussaint</b>)</li> <li><i>The Search Party Never Came</i> (<b>Vanna</b>)</li></ol></P><P><b>The Song Title of the Week</b>:</P><P>"Hanasakajijii" from <i>Floating World</i> by <b>Anathallo</b></P><P><b>Six More Notables for Your Consideration</b>:<ol> <li>The <b>Hush Sound</b>'s <i>Like Vines</i>: They opened for <b>Fall Out Boy</b>. Actually, they're on <b>Pete Wentz</b>'s label. <i>Like Vines</i> is Hush's second effort. Their first for Wentz's Decaydance imprint. FOB singer/guitarist <b>Patrick Stump</b> co-produces here. Don't miss "Magnolia" and "Wine Red."</li> <li><b>Psapp</b>'s <i>The Only Thing I Ever Wanted</i>: Domino Recording Co. is still gold. These Londoners follow <b>Franz Ferdinand</b>'s lead. Except they're even goofier and quirkier. Their bleeps made it to radio. Go, <b>Carim Clasmann</b> and <b>Galia Durant</b>. Psapp us of all our energy.</li> <li><b>Camera Obscura</b>'s <i>Let's Get Out of This Country</i>: How apropos: this is a sextet. And this is their third release. One album for every other person. "If Looks Could Kill," they say. On the new LP, that is. Even comes with a free-MP3 coupon.</li> <li><b>Amps for Christ</b>'s <i>Every Eleven Seconds</i>: Recorded in L.A.'s San Gabriel Mountains. Unbelievably, this is Amps' ninth LP. An age-old German standup bass &#8212; check. Washboard, autoharp, sitar and electronics &#8212; check. Some lyrics about time travel &#8212; check. Yup, it's all right in there.</li> <li>The <b>Paper Chase</b>'s <i>Now You Are One of Us</i>: Which makes us one of them. It's subversive racket, through and through. Harrowing pianos about to burst apart. Squawky vocals that make you shudder. If this sounds appetizing, click "buy."</li> <li><b>Mojave 3</b>'s <i>Puzzles Like You</i>: This is Mojave at their poppiest. <b>Neil Halstead</b> gets slightly more accessible. One song by drummer <b>Ian McCutcheon</b>. Glorious pencil artwork adorns the cover. "Breaking the Ice" video is included.</li></ol></P><P><b>New Releases</b>:<ul> <li>Susanne Abbuehl - <i>Compass</i> (ECM) <li>AFI - <i>Decemberunderground</i> (Interscope) <br><a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/#/music/artist/afi/albums.jhtml"><font color="#FF007B"><b>Buy Now: <I>Decemberunderground</I> (Interscope)</a></b></font><br> <li>Amps for Christ - <i>Every Eleven Seconds</i> (5 Rue Christine) <li>Anathallo - <i>Floating World</i> (Nettwerk/ Artist Friendship) <li>Artimus Pyledriver - <i>Artimus Pyledriver</i> (Sever/ DRT) <li>B-Real - <i>The Gunslinger</i> (BCD) <li>Joe Bonamassa - <i>You &amp; Me</i> (Premier Artists) <li>The Bottle Rockets - <i>Zoysia</i> (Bloodshot) <li>Bouncing Souls - <i>The Gold Record</i> (Epitaph) <br><a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/#/music/artist/bouncing_souls/albums.jhtml"><font color="#FF007B"><b>Buy Now: <I>The Gold Record</I> (Epitaph)</a></b></font><br> <li>Holly Brook - <i>Like Blood Like Honey</i> (Warner Bros.) <li>Peter Br&#246;tzmann Group - <i>Alarm</i> (live; Atavistic) <li>Camera Obscura - <i>Let's Get Out of This Country</i> (Merge) <li>Cheap Sex - <i>Written in Blood</i> (enhanced; Punkcore) <li>Cheap Trick - <i>Rockford</i> (Cheap Trick Unlimited/ Big3) <br><a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/#/music/artist/cheap_trick/albums.jhtml"><font color="#FF007B"><b>Buy Now: <I>Rockford</I> (Cheap Trick Unlimited/ Big3)</a></b></font><br> <li>Combichrist - <i>Get Your Body Beat</i> (EP; Metropolis) <li>Conner - <i>Hello Graphic Missile</i> (Sonic Boom) <li>Barbara Cook - <i>The Metropolitan Opera Presents: Barbara Cook at the Met with Special Guests</i> (DRG) <li>Elvis Costello &amp; Allen Toussaint - <i>The River in Reverse</i> (version with DVD due same day; Verve Forecast) <br><a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/#/music/artist/costello_elvis/albums.jhtml"><font color="#FF007B"><b>Buy Now: <I>The River in Reverse</I> (Verve Forecast)</a></b></font><br> <li>Cracker - <i>Greenland</i> (Cooking Vinyl) <li>Decyfer Down - <i>End of Grey</i> (SRE) <li>The Derailers - <i>Soldiers of Love</i> (Palo Duro) <li>Divided by Zero - <i>The Black Sea</i> (Corporate Punishment) <li>Drag the River - <i>It's Crazy</i> (Suburban Home) <li>Elevator Action - <i>Society, Secret</i> (MoRisen) <li>Evangelicals - <i>So Gone</i> (Misra) <li>Jon Faddis - <i>Teranga</i> (Koch) <li>Etran Finatawa - <i>Introducing Etran Finatawa</i> (World Music Network) <li>Fleshies - <i>Scrape the Walls</</p>

• AFI
• Ice Cube
• Head Automatica
• DJ Khaled
• Holly Brook

<P>Who better to talk about <I>Love & Life</I> than Mary J. Blige? And who better to take the reins on the new album than P. Diddy, the producer responsible for getting Mary's career off the ground more than a decade ago? That's not the only reunion on <I>Love & Life</I> &#8212; the single "Love @ 1st Sight" features one of Blige's best-remembered collaborators, Method Man. But this record isn't just a rehashing of Blige's former formulae: She's got new blood in the form of 50 Cent on "Let Me Be the 1" and Eve on "Not Today."</P><P>Warren Zevon's <I>The Wind</I> was recorded after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer (see <a href="/news/articles/1457439/warren-zevon-terminally-ill.jhtml">"Singer Warren Zevon Terminally Ill"</a>) and features special guests Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Tom Petty, Jackson Browne and Dwight Yoakam. In a clear allusion to his state of health, Zevon covers "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and closes the album with the ballad "Keep Me in Your Heart."</P><P><I>Metamorphosis,</I> the sweet-rock debut LP by actress Hilary Duff, features the single "So Yesterday," written and produced by the Matrix. Meanwhile, Phish bassist Mike Gordon, fresh off of his backstage misunderstanding involving a 9-year-old girl and his subsequent arrest for child endangerment (see <a href="/news/articles/1476993/phish-bassist-arrested-child-endangerment.jhtml">"Phish Bassist Arrested For Child Endangerment"</a> ), makes the news for a more pleasant reason this week: his new album, <I>Inside In.</I></P><P>The Bronx, a California foursome who were both formed and signed within nine months, release their self-titled debut alongside rapstress 24K's album <I>Quotable</I> and Brookville's <I>Wonderfully Nothing,</I> which features James Iha.</P><P>The Nappy Roots return with their second major-label album, <I>Wooden Leather,</I> and the lead single "Roun' the Globe," which is their attempt to show the world they're not Kentucky-fried country bumpkins. But rather, we all are.</P><P><B>Out Tuesday, August 26</B>:<UL> <LI>24K - <I>Quotable</I> (Madd) <LI>Gary Anglin and the Voices of CCC - <I>Gary Anglin and the Voices of CCC</I> (Eagle) <LI>Art Ensemble of Chicago - <I>Tribute to Lester</I> (ECM) <LI>Ben Atkins - <I>Mabelle</I> (HighTone) <LI>Avenged Sevenfold - <I>Waking the Fallen</I> (Hopeless) <LI>Mary J. Blige - <I>Love & Life</I> (Geffen)<br> Read: <a href="/bands/b/blige_maryj/news_feature_030807/">"Mary J. Blige: Love Of My Life"</a><br> <a href="/bands/az/blige_mary_j/349625/album.jhtml"><font color="#FF007B"><b>Buy Now: <I>Love & Life</I> (Geffen)</a></b></font><br> <LI>Joe Bonamassa - <I>Blues Deluxe</I> (Medalist) <LI>Boo & Gotti - <I>Perfect Timing</I> (Universal) <LI>Bouncing Souls - <I>Anchors Aweigh</I> (Epitaph) <LI>Rick Braun - <I>Esperanto</I> (Warner Bros.) <LI>Bright Calm Blue - <I>Direct Approach for Casual Conversation</I> (EP, Level Plane) <LI>The Bronx - <I>The Bronx</I> (White Drugs/Ferret) <LI>Brookville - <I>Wonderfully Nothing</I> (Unfiltered) <LI>The Business - <I>Hardcore Hooligan</I> (BYO) <LI>Michel Camilo - <I>Live at the Blue Note</I> (2 CDs, Telarc Jazz) <LI>Caribbean Jazz Project - <I>Birds of a Feather</I> (Concord Picante) <LI>John Carty - <I>At It Again</I> (Shanachie) <LI>Tommy Castro/Lloyd Jones/Jimmy Hall - <I>Triple Trouble</I> (Telarc) <LI>The Chesterfield Kings - <I>The Mindbending Sounds of ...</I> (Sundazed) <LI>Clearlake - <I>Almost the Same</I> (EP, Domino) <LI>Client - <I>Client</I> (Mute/Toast Hawaii) <LI>Dressy Bessy - <I>Dressy Bessy</I> (Kindercore) <LI>Hilary Duff - <I>Metamorphosis</I> (Buena Vista)<br> Read: <a href="/bands/m/movie_house/hillaryduff_news_feature_060203/">"Hilary Duff: Not Just For Kids"</a><br> <a href="/bands/az/duff_hilary/349142/album.jhtml"><font color="#FF007B"><b>Buy Now: <I>Metamorphosis</I> (Disney) </a></b></font><br> <LI>Envy - <I>A Dead Sinking Story</I> (Level Plane) <LI>Forty Foot Echo - <I>Forty Foot Echo</I> (Hollywood) <LI>Ghazal - <I>The Rain</I> (ECM) <LI>Scott Gibson - <I>Make Ready</I> (Hayden's Ferry) <LI>Glasseater - <I>Everything Is Beautiful When You Don't Look Down</I> (Victory) <LI>Mike Gordon - <I>Inside In</I> (Ropeadope/Atlantic) <LI>Growing - <I>The Sky's Run Into the Sea</I> (Kranky) <LI>Hamell on Trial - <I>Tough Love</I> (Righteous Babe) <LI>The Havoc - <I>Our Rebellion Has Just Begun</I> (Punkcore) <LI>The Heavenly States - <I>Heavenly States</I> (Future Farmer) <LI>Hella - <I>Total Bugs Bunny on Wild Bass</I> (EP, Narnack) <LI>Hot Shots - <I>Jubilee</I> (Sundazed) <LI>Stacey Kent - <I>The Boy Next Door</I> (Candid) <LI>Bill Mallonee - <I>Perfumed Letter</I> (Paste) <LI>T.S. Monk - <I>Higher Ground</I> (Thelonious/Hyena) <LI>Joye B. Moore - <I>The Cocoon</I> (Moore Music/Lightyear) <LI>Nappy Roots - <I>Wooden Leather</I> (Atlantic)<br> Read: <a href="/news/articles/1472192/nappy-roots-talk-new-lp.jhtml">"Nappy Roots Out To Show They're Not Just Country Boys"</a><br> <a href="/bands/az/nappy_roots/346980/album.jhtml"><font color="#FF007B"><b>Buy Now: <I>Wooden Leather</I> (Atlantic)</a></b></font><br> <LI>Aaron Neville - <I>Nature Boy: The Standards Album</I> (Verve) <LI>Overseer - <I>Wreckage</I> (Columbia) <LI>Pedal Steel Transmission - <I>The Angel of the Squared Circle</I> (Cardboard Sangria) <LI>Pepe Deluxe - <I>Beatitude</I> (Emperor Norton) <LI>Pigeon John - <I>Is Dating Your Sister</I> (Basement) <LI>Po' Girl - <I>Po' Girl</I> (HighTone) <LI>Pro-Pain - <I>Run for Cover</I> (Spitfire) <LI>Radio 4 - <I>Electrify</I> (EP, Astralwerks) <LI>Josh Rouse - <I>1972</I> (Rykodisc) <LI>Eric Sardinas - <I>Black Pearls</I> (Favored Nations) <LI>Simply Red - <I>Home</I> (SimplyRed.com) <LI>Soundtrak - <I>Soundtrak</I> (EP, Ace-Fu) <LI>Streetlight Manifesto - <I>Everything Goes Numb</I> (Victory) <LI>Jimmy Sturr - <I>Let's Polka 'Round</I> (Rounder) <LI>The Talk - <I>No, You Shut Up!</I> (MoRisen) <LI>Vaz - <I>Dying to Meet You</I> (Gold Standard Laboratories) <LI>Weakerthans - <I>Reconstruction Site</I> (Epitaph) <LI>Keller Williams - <I>Home</I> (SCI Fidelity) <LI>Pamela Williams - <I>The Perfect Love</I> (Shanachie) <LI>Gerald Wilson - <I>New York, New Sound</I> (Mack Avenue) <LI>Warren Zevon - <I>The Wind</I> (Artemis) <LI>Various artists - <I>Exile on Blues Street</I> (Telarc) <LI>Various artists - <I>The Future Is My Melody</I> (Den of Thieves/Milan) <LI>Various artists - "Jeepers Creepers 2" soundtrack (Varese Sarabande) <LI>Various artists - "Sweet Charity" soundtrack (Decca) <LI>Various artists - <I>Uncorrupted Steel 2</I> (Metal Blade) <LI>Various artists- <I>Verve Remixed 2</I> (Verve) <LI>DVD Atomic Kitten - <I>Right Here, Right Now: Live</I> (Eagle Vision) <LI>DVD Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - <I>God Is in the House</I> (Mute) <LI>DVD Cher - <I>The Farewell Tour</I> (Image Entertainment) <LI>DVD Sin&#233;ad O'Connor - <I>Goodnight, Thank You. You've Been a Lovely Audience</I> (Eagle Vision)</UL></P><P><B>September 2</B>:<UL> <LI>Mariah Carey - <I>Remixes</I> (Sony) <LI>Raveonettes- <I>Chain Gang of Love</I> (Sony)</UL></P><P><B>September 9</B>:<UL> <LI>John Mayer - <I>Heavier Things</I> (Sony)<br> Read: <a href="/news/articles/1474672/john-mayer-hooks-up-with-uestlove.jhtml">"John Mayer Tries Hip-Hop With Help From Roots' ?uestlove"</a><br> <a href="/bands/az/mayer_john/352764/album.jhtml"><font color="#FF007B"><b>Buy Now: <I>Heavier Things</I> (Sony)</a></b></font><br> <LI>Seal - <I>Seal</I> (Warner Bros.) </UL></P><P><B>September 16</B>:<UL> <LI>Elvis Costello - <I>North</I> (Universal) <LI>Bubba Sparxxx - <I>Deliverance</I> (Interscope)<br> Read: <a href="/news/articles/1473437/bubba-sparxxx-softens-bumpkin-image.jhtml">"Bubba Sparxxx Softens Bumpkin Image, Teams Up With Justin For A 'Hootnanny' "</a><BR> <LI>Carnie Wilson - <I>For the First Time</I> (KMA)</UL></P><P><B>October 7</B>:<UL> <LI>Jin - <I>Almost Famous</I> (Virgin)<br> Read: <a href="/news/yhif/jin/">"Ruff Ryders' New Dog: Jin"</a></UL></p>

• Mary J. Blige
• Nappy Roots
• Hilary Duff
• Warren Zevon
• Mike Gordon

<P><B>ASBURY PARK, New Jersey</B> &#151; Twelve hours, four stages and more than 40 bands marked the end of the three-day Skate and Surf Festival on Sunday. Held at the Asbury Park Convention Hall, the second installment of the now annual event featured performances from Bouncing Souls, Face to Face and the Descendents, among many others.</P><P>While the Warped Tour travels from town to town with many of skateboarding and BMX culture's best-known athletes and favorite artists, the stationary Skate and Surf tends to be more down-home, offering quarter-pipes and rails to anybody bold enough to show up with a bike or a board and a $10 registration pass. Booking more up-and-comers and locals than high-profile acts, S&S nonetheless did tap several Warped 2002 bands for the final day, including Allister, the Movielife and Alkaline Trio.</P><P>Topped with ska, thrash, emo, pop and hardcore, punk was the basic flavor of the day. In the Paramount Theater's "Surf Stage," Chicago emo-punk quartet Allister entertained with several cuts off their as-yet-unnamed upcoming release, time-filler special requests and a hopped-up rendition of the "Fraggle Rock" theme. Meanwhile, New Jersey's misplaced Cali-ish pop-punk-styled Dodgeball provided a soundtrack to BMX launches. Fellow Garden Staters Stick Figure Suicide braved the not-so-popular "Arcade Area" stage, where the common complaint was the acoustic quality, which tended to sacrifice much of the music's low end. "It's even worse with bad bands," complained 15-year-old Hillairy Brown of Morris County, New Jersey. "It resonates the horrible by <I>at least</I> ten times."</P><P>At the end of a four-hour skate session, the street course was cleared from the Main Stage floor to accommodate a fuller audience. The highlighted lineup began with thrashers From Autumn to Ashes, followed by the much-beloved mystery band of the day. Any newly-won fans looking for albums or information on the energetic albeit enigmatic Lords of Semen, however, will have trouble coming up with anything.</P><P>Though melodic power-pop song structures belied the image, mullet wigs, head bands, too-short jean shorts and armless T-shirts were among the elements that transformed New Brunswick, New Jersey, emo-punk outfit Midtown (who appeared as themselves on Saturday) into the rock posturing Lords. "You can never clap enough for the Lords of Semen," they self-solicited.</P><P>Socially conscious Orange County, California, quartet Thrice and Long Island, New York, hardcore five-piece the Movielife (both currently on tour with Midtown and Face to Face through May) followed with equally blistering half-hour sets before the aptly-named Alkaline Trio shifted the show into high gear with 40 minutes of power chords and lyrical confessionals.</P><P>Jersey's punk Bon Jovi, the Bouncing Souls (also slotted at 40 minutes) touched on all of their albums &#151; from <I>Good, Bad & the Argyle</I>'s "I Like Your Mom" to "Private Radio" on the band's latest, <I>How I Spent My Summer Vacation,</I> with such favorites as the soccer sing-a-long "Ole" and "Kate Is Great" mixed in. The boys conquered Cock Sparrer's "We're Coming Back" (with "our friend Dave" guesting on guitar and vocals) before opening the flood gates, inviting fans to join in on "Manthem." By the end of the finale, the band was completely lost onstage amid a sea of young, ecstatic faces, from which spilled the first "Oi! Oi! Oi!" all day (at least from what we witnessed).</P><P>In keeping with the crowd's cravings, Face to Face (narrowed down to a three-piece from the foursome they once were) followed with a similar approach as the Souls. Catering to the veteran fans, they squeezed in only a couple of new tunes (and a couple of plugs for the new album). "Even if you don't like us, stick around because one of the best punk bands ever is next, the legendary Descendents," singer/guitarist Trevor Keith said during the set. "Definitely <I>my</I> favorite punk rock band." Where Face to Face invited crowd participation &#151; "Pretty good, pretty good ... for a bunch of five-year-olds," Keith taunted during "Pastel" &#151; the ultimate act incited it.</P><P>Taking the stage five minutes after they were scheduled to be ending, the Descendents experienced some minor technical difficulties before beginning with their self-titled anthem. "Just because we've gone away ..." sang intermittent frontman/full-time biochemist Dr. Milo Aukerman, "We're not gonna let the music die/ Join us if you've got the energy." The crowd kept up perfectly with 25 songs in 50 minutes (including a brief pause for an encore). Fans sang along to the classics &#151; "Clean Sheets," "Sour Grapes," "Get the Time" &#151; and the newer stuff from <I>Everything Sucks.</I> Some surely started committing to memory the two brand-new tunes, "Blast Off" and another unnamed neophyte.</P><P>When the band returned for its encore, drummer Bill Stevenson strapped on the guitar while guitarist Stephen Egerton picked up the sticks for "Coolidge." "It's like rotating your tires to get more mileage out of them," Aukerman said as each returned to his more traditional position. "It's all on tape; we faked it," joked bassist Karl Alvarez.</P><P>The seats cleared early in the set, though an undiscouraged pack remained, raising fists in the air and dancing until the final notes of "I'm Not a Loser" subsided and Aukerman bid the crowd farewell with a quick "Thanks a lot guys. We'll see you next decade."</P><P>Read about all of the shows we've recently covered in <A HREF="http://www.mtv.com/news/topics/t/tours_hub/">Tour Reports</A>.</p>

• Descendents
• Bouncing Souls
• Alkaline Trio

• Bouncing Souls
• NOFX

Warped Tour 2006 Photos

• Bouncing Souls
• The Academy Is...
• Armor For Sleep
• The Buzzcocks
• Cartel