<![CDATA[Pink Spiders]]> http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/pink_spiders/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/pink_spiders/artist.jhtml 65 44 Music en-us 15 <![CDATA[New Releases: DMX, <i>Kidz Bop 10,</i> Stone Sour, Pink Spiders, Powerman 5000, Body Count & More]]> Also due Tuesday: new Vaux, Five for Fighting LPs; Clash DVD; Poison, Journey reissues.
By Kurt Orzeck


DMX's <I>Year of the Dog, Again</I>
Photo: Sony Music

Should Kidz Beware of Dog?: All five DMX albums have debuted atop the Billboard albums chart, making the gravelly voiced rapper the Grand Champ of rap (as he titled his last LP). But while he edged past A Perfect Circle and Erykah Badu the last time around, he's locking horns with a wave of pint-sized pests for his latest effort, Year of the Dog, Again.

With four cuts spruced up by Swizz Beatz — plus one produced by Scott Storch ("Give 'Em What They Want") and an intro cut with Dame Grease — X also beckoned Busta Rhymes for "Come Thru (Move)," Jadakiss and Styles P. for "It's Personal," and Amerie for "Dog Love." Janyce also appears on the latter track, but she's not the only fresh Bloodline artist on the album, with Bzr Royale and Jinx also representing X's label.

DMX has some worthy teammates in his corner, but could he be toppled by a krew of karaoke-krazed kiddies? That's what indie label Razor & Tie is hoping for the 10th installment of its most successful venture ever, Kidz Bop. Being released barely five months after the latest entry, this one has the buggers brushing up Kelly Clarkson's "Because of You," Pussycat Dolls' "Stickwitu" and Nickelback's "Savin' Me" over the course of its 18 tracks.

But if the kids want to pick on competitors their own size, they've chosen the right week to bop heads. The Doodlebops — who have a TV show on Playhouse Disney and made their live debut at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus — have sketched out two DVDs and a CD for release this week, immortalizing such gems as "Wobbly Whoopsy," "Gibble Gobble," "Cauliflower" and "I Want to Be Bigger."

And there's yet another juvenile in the mix: Rachel Piña Trachtenburg, the 12-year-old brainchild (of sorts) who tours with her parents as the nomadic Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players. The "Off & On Broadway" DVD captures day-in-the-life and performance footage from the group, which crafts songs out of old slides they find at random yard sales.

Spider Men: On a related note, garage pop-punkers the Pink Spiders are a little older than the aforementioned competitors, but they're fighting wrinkles with their major-label debut, Teenage Graffiti. The "You Hear It First" artists — who recently played a show at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium after a ballgame — worked with ex-Cars frontman/ Weezer production guru Ric Ocasek and pre-eminent mixer Tom Lord-Alge for the effort, which features "Saturday Nite Riot," "Little Razorblade" and "Pretend That This Is Fiction."

And Now for Something Completely Brutal: This week's remaining heavyweights will have kids, dawgs and insects alike ducking for cover. First up is Stone Sour, the Slipknot ancillary affair that puckers up with its first studio release in four years. The band's hoping for more Grammy nominations with Come What(ever) May, which features the first single "Through Glass," plus "30/30-150," "Reborn" and "Zzyzx Road."

Powerman 5000 have also been away for a while — about three years and two months — but with a new lineup and label, a rebirth could re-energize their fanbase. With guitarists Adam 12 and M.33 being replaced by former Alien Ant Farm-er Terry Corso and Johnny Heatley (Half Cocked), Spider One and the gang will surely deafen the Pink Spiders with Destroy What You Enjoy, which features "Return to the City of the Dead," "Murder" and "All My Friends Are Ghosts."

Also on the metal front, Ice-T is strapping on his armor again for Murder 4 Hire, the first album by his revived Body Count in almost a decade. T also revives his feud with the fuzz on "Invincible Gangsta," the leadoff track that features the phrase "F--- the Cops," but he also has a few things to say about "The Passion of Christ," "Dirty Bombs" and "Relationships."

Chicago's Kill Hannah keep up the violence with their Atlantic record Until There's Nothing Left of Us and the tracks "Black Poison Blood" and "Love You to Death," and if you're up for even more gore, don't miss Ollabelle's Riverside Battle Songs — which was crafted by Amy Helm, daughter of drum legend Levon Helm — the American Black Lung's ... And They Rode Their Weapons Into War and Towers of London's Blood Sweat & Towers.

Seeming violent but much more tame are Five for Fighting, which is actually just one dude: John Ondrasik. His Two Lights has already drawn some VH1 attention with "The Riddle," and while FFF are best remembered for the post-9/11 staple "Superman (It's Not Easy)" (which was actually written before those events), Ondrasik has a few things to say about the state of the nation on "Freedom Never Cries" and "Johnny America."

Song Title of the Week:

"George Romero Will Be at Our Wedding" from Showbread's Art of Reptiles

Other Notables:

Various artists' Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited: Serge Gainsbourg is name-dropped left and right these days, but to many Americans, that's all he is: just a name. Michael Stipe, Franz Ferdinand, Cat Power and others are trying to change all that with this collection of reworked songs by the French neoclassical musician. Placebo, Tricky, the Rakes, the Kills and Marianne Faithfull also chime in on the disc, which has already been released overseas.

Poison vs. Journey reissues: The '80s titans go head-to-head this week with three and five revitalized albums, respectively. Poison's first three multiplatinum records — Flesh & Blood, Look What the Cat Dragged In and Open Up and Say ... Ahh! — arrive in 20th anniversary packages, with unreleased and rare bonus tracks. In the other corner, Journey's Departure, Escape and Greatest Hits also come with bonuses, while Infinity and Evolution are straight reissues.

TRS-80's Mystery Crash: The Chicago electro-rockers have been cranking out music for nearly 10 years — and hopping from label to label ever since — but they're hoping their music will get recognized beyond fleeting appearances in Coca-Cola and Nike commercials. The bandmembers — some of whom have been friends since high school — have also created tunes for NPR's "This American Life" and seen their songs used in "CSI."

New Releases:

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

  • Audio Adrenaline - Adios: The Greatest Hits (Forefront)
  • Count Basie - One O'Clock Jump: The Very Best of Count Basie (Columbia/ Legacy)
  • Eddie Boyd - The Sonet Blues Story (Verve)
  • Brecker Brothers - Sneakin' Up Behind You: The Very Best of the Brecker Brothers (Arista/ Legacy)
  • Rosemary Clooney - Come On-A My House: The Very Best of Rosemary Clooney (Bluebird/ Legacy)
  • Johnny Copeland - An Introduction to Johnny Copeland (Fuel)
  • Snooks Eaglin - The Sonet Blues Story (Verve)
  • Dizzy Gillespie - Night in Tunisia: The Very Best of Dizzy Gillespie (Bluebird/ Legacy)
  • Daryl Hall & John Oates - The Philadelphia Years (Varèse Sarabande)
    Buy Now: The Philadelphia Years (Varèse Sarabande)
  • Billie Holiday - God Bless the Child: The Very Best of Billie Holiday (Columbia/ Legacy)
  • Lightnin' Hopkins - An Introduction to Lightnin' Hopkins (Fuel) and The Sonet Blues Story (Verve)
  • Journey - Departure, Escape, Evolution, Greatest Hits and Infinity (Columbia/ Legacy)
  • Memphis Slim - The Sonet Blues Story (Verve)
  • Ronnie Milsap - The Essential Ronnie Milsap (two CDs; RCA/ Legacy)
  • Buck Owens - 21 #1 Hits: The Ultimate Collection (Rhino)
  • Charlie Parker - Charlie Parker for Lovers (Verve)
  • Poison - Flesh & Blood, Look What the Cat Dragged In and Open Up and Say ... Ahh! (Capitol)
    Buy Now: Flesh & Blood, Look What the Cat Dragged In and Open Up and Say ... Ahh! (Capitol)
  • Elvis Presley - Elvis: Live, Elvis: Movies and Elvis: R&B (BMG Strategic Marketing)
  • Otis Rush - The Sonet Blues Story (Verve)
  • J.D. Short - The Sonet Blues Story (Verve)
  • Steely Dan - The Definitive Collection (Geffen)
  • Sunnyland Slim - The Sonet Blues Story (Verve)
  • Allen Toussaint - Life, Love and Faith and Southern Nights (Water)
  • Sarah Vaughan - Send in the Clowns: The Very Best of Sarah Vaughan (Columbia/ Legacy)
  • Dinah Washington - Dinah Washington for Lovers (Verve)
  • Robert Pete Williams - The Sonet Blues Story (Verve)
  • Sonny Boy Williamson - The Best of Sonny Boy Williamson (Fontana)
  • Various artists - The Best of Classic Country '70s (Time Life)
  • Various artists - Billboard #1s: The '70s (Rhino)
  • Various artists - No Limit Records: Greatest Hits (Priority)
  • Various artists - Rap It Up (three-CD box set; Thump)

Music DVDs:

  • Chris Botti - "Chris Botti Live With Orchestra & Special Guests" (with CD; Columbia)
  • Jimmy Buffett - "Live at Wrigley Field" (Bayside)
  • The Clash - "Rude Boy" (Epic/ Legacy)
  • Alice Cooper - "The Nightmare Returns" (Geffen)
  • Dissection - "Rebirth of Dissection" (Escapi)
  • Doodlebops - "Dance & Hop With the Doodlebops" and "Rock & Bop With the Doodlebops" (Lionsgate)
  • Pitbull - "Mr. 305: The Pitbull Story" (Clanagan)
  • Elvis Presley - "Aloha From Hawaii" and " '68 Comeback" (BMG Heritage)
  • The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players - "Off & On Broadway" (Sarathan)

Coming Attractions:

August 8:

August 15:

August 22:

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1537537/20060731/dmx.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1537537/20060731/dmx.jhtml 1 Aug 2006 06:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Emo Rules Warped Tour '06, But AFI Draw Biggest Crowd]]> Joan Jett is sentimental favorite at festival; attendance down this year.
By Gil Kaufman


The Casualties' Jorge performs in Cincinnati on Wednesday
Photo: MTV News

CINCINNATI — The Warped Tour ought to consider hooking up with Baskin-Robbins as a sponsor next year. Because when the 12th edition of the longest-running U.S. summer festival touched down at the Riverbend Music Center on Wednesday, it served up 36 flavors — approximately 30 of which were variations of the punk taste of the past few years: emo.

With few exceptions, angsty, tattooed white boys with a lot to scream about ruled the day for the 11,000-plus fans who wandered among the eight stages and endless collection of band merch and sponsor booths. The exceptions were goth punks AFI, who drew the day's biggest crowd with their dramatic dinnertime set, and old-schooler Joan Jett, who provided one of the few true cross-generational bonding moments for the many families in attendance.

(Click for photos from the Cincinnati stop on this year's Warped Tour.)

Unlike last year, when breaking bands like My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy and Avenged Sevenfold drew big crowds and lots of hype (see "My Chemical Romance And A Very Stiff Chicken Rock Milwaukee Warped Tour Stop"), three-quarters into this summer's dates, Warped attendance is down slightly, according to tour founder Kevin Lyman. Still, he said Warped '06 is on track to an expected total draw of approximately 600,000.

With fewer mainstream bands on the bill, Lyman says he feels fine about the lower attendance figures. And judging by the crowds that lesser-known acts like Cartel and Emery drew to some of the smaller side stages, it was clear that rabid fans will turn up for their favorite bands no matter which stage they're on. Whatever the final numbers, Lyman, who brandished the top-secret '07 roster (albeit at a safe distance), is certain that Warped will be back next year.

Nearly every strain of emo was on display in the scorching 90-degree heat over the course of the nine-hour marathon: screamo with two lead singers and one guitarist (Marilyn Avenue); screamo with one singer and two guitarists (Classic Crime); screamo with a metal edge (Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, the Bled); goth-tinged screamo with scary pancake and scar makeup (Aiden); classic-rock-inspired emo (the Sunstreak); the three guitarists/ two backup screamers variety (Vaux); the Coheed and Cambria-type (the Junior Varsity); and straight-up, classic emo (Thursday, Emanuel).

Some bands added signature metal touches: Every Time I Die weren't afraid to do some athletic spin kicks, whip their heads around and show off their Kiss-style unison guitar-swinging. Warped veterans Valient Thorr brought Motörhead-style metal thunder to their set, with some hammer-swinging Nordic jams that rocked way too hard for 1 p.m. The only hip-hop act on the bill, Gym Class Heroes, moved the crowd with a combination of live instruments and the head-bobbing ode to MySpace addiction, "New Friend Request."

Then there were political rockers Anti-Flag, who staged a fist-pumping mini-rally against oppressive governments, sexism and lots of other isms through subtle message songs like "F--- Police Brutality." Sets by Saves the Day and Motion City Soundtrack had a more pop-punk feel, with plenty of chant-along choruses and a lighter touch than some of the day's more tortured acts.

Sweden's the Sounds — one of the few female-fronted acts — brought a bit of class to the proceedings thanks to singer Maja Ivarsson's black heels and clingy cocktail dress. The formal wear was just a front for an unhinged stage persona that paid serious homage to late punk priestess Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics, right down to the partly shorn blond hairdo and a few unladylike glimpses of her panties during some deep knee bends. As a bonus, the Sounds were one of the few bands at Warped to bust out the cowbell, which they did proudly during the catchy "Song With a Mission."

Though they had the day's most iridescent hairdos, there was nothing elegant about hardcore punk survivors the Casualties. The New York kings of the Day-Glo Mohawk tore through a set that included the tough-as-nails punk ballad "Punk Rock Love" and their tribute to the three deceased members of the Ramones, "Made in NYC." Their set also inspired the day's biggest circle pit, a 50-foot-wide swirl of bodies that tore around the sound booth. The crowd was less juiced up by the Pink Spiders, who, between their pink spandex pants and fingerless gloves, seemed to confuse some of the kids with their Ramones-meets-Loverboy sound and look.

Though she didn't draw a huge crowd, old-schooler Joan Jett was the sentimental favorite of the day and the unofficial cell-phone champ, as half of her crowd held their cellies aloft during her set. Lyman says he invited her along as a lesson to the rest of the bands on the tour about the history of punk rock. Jett and her Blackhearts delivered a tight, half-hour set of classics, including "I Love Rock N' Roll," "Crimson and Clover," "Do You Wanna Touch Me" and her latest hit cover, Sweet's "ACDC" (see "Warped Tour Nabs Trailblazing Rocker Joan Jett For Trek").

Jett, who started out as a member of the jailbait all-girl punk group the Runaways as a teenager in 1976, has never forgotten the first rule of punk: The chorus needs to be easily chantable (think "whoa-whoa-whoa" or "yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah") and the guitars need to rip like buzz saws.

Doug Pyle, 21, drove up from Knoxville, Tennessee, to attend his third Warped Tour show, and he admitted to not really being into all the emo bands on the bill. The heavily pierced, Mohawk-sporting Pyle, clad in a Rancid T-shirt, was on the same page as Dayton, Ohio's John Fritz, 24, who lamented the emo overload and tagged Jett and the Casualties as his favorites of the day. "Man, she's still really hot!" Fritz said of the lean, ripped Jett.

Theatrical California goths AFI rambled from punk to goth and electronica without losing a step. After a day of blazing temperatures, nature seemed to feel the heaviness of singer Davey Havok's inner vampire, as gray clouds rolled in to block the sun during the band's set. Havok, a bilevel-haircut-sporting dude in distress, waved his tattooed arms and threw off panicky jazz-hand gestures while screaming and thrashing around during the Depeche Mode-like gothtronica tunes "Love Like Winter" and "Silver and Cold."

Thanking Ohio natives Devo and the Dead Boys, Havok tore into the band's current hit single, "Miss Murder." The crowd re-created the video's fist-pumping rally theme, bringing what looked like a momentary smile to Havok's pale face (see "AFI Blow Kisses, Play Gothic Bumper Cars At Dramatic NYC Show").

At an intense fest full of throat-scraping screams, karate-kicking guitarists and microphone-cord tourniquets, it was the message on a simple black T-shirt worn by an emo-looking dude that brought plenty of laughs to passersby during the day's otherwise heavy proceedings: "Girls pants are for girls."

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

Related Photos Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1537277/20060727/afi.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1537277/20060727/afi.jhtml 27 Jul 2006 03:11:00 EDT <![CDATA[Ashley Parker Angel, Augustana Might Make You Regret Skipping Tour Openers]]> Pink Spiders, Rogue Wave — in addition to veterans like Frank Black — also among those in opening slots.
By Shana Leonard


Ashley Parker Angel
Photo: Scott Gries/ Getty Images

Opening musical acts are like the redheaded stepchildren of the music scene: neglected, underappreciated and designated as second-class citizens by many concertgoers.

Many fans skip the supporting act and show up for concerts right before the headliner hits the stage. But in many cases, they're missing out on seeing the "next big thing" before it's selling out arenas. Or at the very least they're missing out on discovering a great band that they might really enjoy.

This summer, many opening acts are just as good — if not better — than the bands they're supporting. And don't forget about the slew of festivals, where even more up-and-comers play before the sun goes down. Here are some worthy supporting acts you might want to head out early for:

Who: The Pink Spiders
Supporting: Vans Warped Tour
Where you might have heard them: The band's "Little Razorblade" has been rocking the airwaves, and the video premiered on "TRL" in April.
Why you should show up early: Named one of the 100 Bands You Need to Know in 2006 by Alternative Press magazine, the Pink Spiders play garage pop-rock infused with deliriously catchy hooks bound to get your head bobbing and your foot tapping. Don't be deceived by their pink outfits and oversized sunglasses: These guys know how to rock.

Who: Ashley Parker Angel
Supporting: Ashlee Simpson
Where you might have heard him:
A regular on the reality-TV circuit, Angel got his big break when he was chosen as a member of O-Town for "Making the Band." After the group disbanded, Angel's struggle to launch a solo career was documented in the MTV series "There and Back."
Why you should show up early: Angel has undergone a musical and physical makeover since his stint as O-Town's resident heartthrob. Not only has he grown out his blond locks and started sporting a more laid-back rock style, but his solo songs feature an edgier sound that proves he's more than just a pretty face. Ashlee fans might dig the other Ashley's honest, attitude-laced pop.

Who: Augustana
Supporting: The Fray
Where you might have heard them: Augustana have earned a spot in the regular rotation at many radio stations nationwide with the emotional track "Boston," and they've already hit the road opening for the Counting Crows and Goo Goo Dolls.
Why you should show up early: Only in their early 20s, the members of Augustana seem to draw from a well of life experience equivalent to that of people twice their age. The band might be on the fast track already, having also secured an opening spot for Snow Patrol in September.

Who: X-Clan
Supporting: Jurassic 5
Where you might have heard them: In the early '90s, X-Clan made a significant mark on the rap scene as a conscious hip-hop act in the vein of Public Enemy or Brand Nubian.
Why you should show up early: After breaking up almost a decade ago, the group was recently reunited by Brother J, and a new album is scheduled to drop this fall. Like headliners Jurassic 5, X-Clan are a hip-hop group that rejects the gangsta-rap persona, shuns commercialization and blends a positive message with their beats.

Who: Frank Black
Supporting: Foo Fighters
Where you might have heard him: Frank Black is regarded as an indie-rock icon owing to his turn as frontman for the Pixies, who everyone from Kurt Cobain to Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard have cited as an influence.
Why you should show up early: Black's solo music is much more subtle and toned-down than the Pixies' gritty blasts. But his engaging, mellow tunes are more fitting for the Foo Fighters' current tour, during which they're playing stripped-down, acoustic sets.

Who: Rogue Wave
Supporting: Guster and Ray LaMontagne
Where you might have heard them: Like seemingly every other just-under-the-radar indie band, Rogue Wave had a tune, "Publish My Love," that made it into an episode of "The O.C." that aired this past season.
Why you should show up early: Signed to Sub Pop, the mecca of indie labels, the band blends sing-song vocals with layers of pop-rock. They've been drawing comparisons to everyone from My Bloody Valentine to Neil Young.

Who: Norma Jean
Supporting: Ozzfest
Where you might have heard them: The "Headbangers Ball" darlings have toured incessantly over the last few years, opening for Atreyu and As I Lay Dying, and their 2005 album, O God, the Aftermath, reached #62 on the Billboard albums chart last year.
Why you should show up early: They may be a Christian band, but Norma Jean's music isn't for the gentle-hearted. With their thrashing guitars and guttural vocals, the music demands a mosh pit and gets it. In addition to high energy, they're known to bring elaborate light shows and smoke machines to the stage.

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1537071/20060725/ashley_parker_angel.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1537071/20060725/ashley_parker_angel.jhtml 26 Jul 2006 06:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[<B>Upstaging Everyone: That's What Pink Spiders Are All About</B>]]> Cocky Nashville rockers have emo — and everyone else, for that matter — in their sights.


Photo: Geffen

All About Upstaging Pink Spiders have emo — and everyone else — in their sights.

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/yhif/pink_spiders/ News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/yhif/pink_spiders/ 25 Apr 2006 05:46:00 EDT <![CDATA[You Hear It First: Pink Spiders]]> Despite their Nashville roots, these rockers are more skinny jeans and Sunset Strip than they are Stetsons and steel guitars.


Photo: Geffen

Related Artists ]]> http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1529422 News Article http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1529422 25 Apr 2006 01:30:00 EDT <![CDATA[Pink Spiders - Little Razorblade]]> Pink Spiders - Little Razorblade

Little Razorblade

]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1837759&vid=83402 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1837759&vid=83402 25 Apr 2006 12:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Photos | 2006: The Best of Studio Photos]]>

2006: The Best of Studio Photos

Related Artists ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1547007 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1547007 1 Dec 2006 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Photos | MTV.com LIVE: Pink Spiders 07.24.2006]]>

MTV.com LIVE: Pink Spiders 07.24.2006

Related Artists ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1537710 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1537710 2 Aug 2006 12:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Photos | Pink Spiders, Gym Class Heroes And More At Warped Tour 2006]]>

Pink Spiders, Gym Class Heroes And More At Warped Tour 2006

Related Artists ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1537276 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1537276 27 Jul 2006 12:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Photos | You Hear It First: Pink Spiders Photos]]>

You Hear It First: Pink Spiders Photos

Related Artists ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1529421 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1529421 25 Apr 2006 12:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Photos | MTV.com Exclusive: Pink Spiders Photos 03.30.2006]]>

MTV.com Exclusive: Pink Spiders Photos 03.30.2006

Related Artists ]]> Photos http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1529261 http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1529261 21 Apr 2006 12:00:00 EDT