Supergrass

New Supergrass LP: Born In A Barn, Literally

10 Aug 2005 08:46:00 EDT

Band abandons trademark buzzsaw pop for a more esoteric sound on fifth album.
By Jennifer Vineyard, with additional reporting by Agnes Marquis

Supergrass (file)
Photo: Island Records

Supergrass might have called their second album In It for the Money, but this time around, they're gleefully committing commercial suicide — or at least they're joking that they are.

The band trades in its trademark buzz-saw pop for a more esoteric sound on its fifth album, Road to Rouen — the title of which refers to the city in northern France where the album was recorded, as well as the Ramones' 1978 LP Road to Ruin and the potential disaster in abandoning the Britpop formula that's brought Supergrass much success over the last decade. Still, they hope fans dig it.

"Any kind of reaction is good," singer Gaz Coombes said. "Silence and no movement should be a worry."

"We're hoping our fans will dance and look happy," drummer Danny Goffey added.

The album, which contains just nine songs, runs the gamut from "Zappa and Jimi Hendrix riffs" to "weird elements of Eastern Europe," from Talking Heads to country music, the band says. They used zithers, ukuleles, brass, strings and a drum machine, and although Supergrass' new sound is all over the place, the bandmembers say they were much more focused in the studio: a converted barn with rudimentary recording equipment.

"It was a bit like when we were younger and used to make eight-track [recordings]," Goffey said.

"You get all these [crazy] drum sounds, which you just wouldn't get in a [more advanced] studio, because everything's mic'd up beautifully with an engineer that's been there for years," Coombes said.

Inspired by the rustic surroundings, Supergrass tried to reflect that feeling in the album: For instance, they recorded the album's first single, "St. Petersburg," in one take. "You wouldn't be able to overdub," Coombes said, "because the [instruments all blended together], there would have been guitar all over Danny's drums, so basically all of you have to play the right thing at the same time." When they took it to be mixed, the engineer couldn't really mix it — rather than individual tracks, the song was one complete sound. All this, of course, goes against what's usually considered commercially viable. Not that Supergrass care.

"When you get to a certain point, the expectations are really high," Coombes said. "I think sometimes you lose sight of the fact that you could be working on tracks that were a bit more bizarre, that would mess with people's heads a bit. I think we've got to a nice level where we can do as we please and keep the band interesting and not be pressured for the next song to be [the band's 1999 U.K. hit] 'Pumping on Your Stereo.' Because we've done that. And who knows what the next record is going to be like? It could be a return to punk rock."

Or a soundtrack. "We could use our sensitive sides to do a really nice film score," Goffey said. "So if anyone's out there, give us a ring."

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Supergrass

For The Record: Quick News On Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton, R. Kelly, Talib Kweli, Britney Spears, Supergrass & More

9 Aug 2004 06:11:00 EDT

Jessica Simpson, Destiny's Child For NFL Concert
By MTV News staff report

Jessica Simpson (file)
Photo: John Shearer

Mary J. Blige, Destiny's Child, Jessica Simpson, Lenny Kravitz, Elton John and Toby Keith are among the headliners slated for the "NFL Opening Kickoff" concert, airing September 9 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC before the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. In the Rocky Mountain and West Coast time zones, the concert will air after the game. ...

Paris Hilton was robbed late Wednesday night, and among the items taken from her Hollywood Hills home — besides the jewels, cash and other valuables — were her laptop computer and videos and photos of her with her ex-boyfriend Nick Carter. They got "everything ... all my jewelry, all my money," the hotel heiress told ABC News. She declined to confirm how much it was all worth, but the haul was reportedly worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Police are investigating, but they have yet to identify a suspect. ... R. Kelly was the big winner at the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards on Friday night. Kelly, who still faces child-pornography charges in Illinois, took home seven awards, including trophies for Top Male Artist and Top Songwriter and Producer. Outkast nabbed four awards, including Top Album for Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below. Beyoncé was named Top Female Artist. ...

Talib Kweli and David Banner headlined the seventh annual Black August concert in New York on Sunday night. The concerts aim to promote the socio-political consciousness of the hip-hop community, and this year, Banner, newcomer Saigon and Jean Grae each expressed the importance of artists and fans getting involved in the political process. ... As Ashlee Simpson exits "7th Heaven" for her new singing career, the show is getting another pop star to help its ratings. Aaron Carter will appear as a love interest of the character Ruthie on the third episode of the season and will remain on the show for two or three episodes, possibly more. ...

Pictures of Britney Spears and her fiancé, Kevin Federline, are now in abundance, but now the first family portrait of the singer with one of her soon-to-be-stepkids has emerged. Spears posed with Federline and his 2-year-old daughter, Kori, as well as their puppy, Laci, for shots that ran in the British tabloid The Sun. Federline's newborn baby son, Kaleb Michael Jackson, does not appear in the shot. ... The track list for Korn's upcoming Greatest Hits Vol. 1, slated for an October 19 release, has been announced. The 19-track album features two cover songs: Cameo's "Word Up" — which, after some back-and-forth, will actually be the first single — and Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall, Parts 1, 2, 3," as well as a Dante Ross remix of "Freak on a Leash." Other songs on the LP include "Got the Life" and "A.D.I.D.A.S." ...

The Pixies' New York fans can finally rejoice: After a 12-year absence, the band will return to the Big Apple for two dates, December 12-13, at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Tickets go on sale Friday. ... Supergrass are commemorating their 10th anniversary by raiding the vaults for a best-of collection. Supergrass Is 10: The Best of 94-04, due out September 28, will include "Pumping on Your Stereo," "Caught by the Fuzz," "Alright" and other hits, as well as two new songs, "Kiss of Life" and "Bullet." ... The band is also planning a six-city U.S. tour, set to launch the same day as the album's release. The trek kicks off in Philadelphia and ends October 7 in Los Angeles. ...

Before the summer's over, four early Bob Marley and the Wailers albums are set to be reissued. Soul Rebels, Soul Revolution Part II, Upsetter Revolution Rhythm and The Best of the Wailers — each recorded before 1972 — have been digitally remastered and will be out once again on August 31, along with a thematic compilation, Original Cuts, featuring the early Jamaican hits the Wailers later re-cut, including "Stir It Up." ... Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates showed up as a surprise guest at Rob Thomas' New York benefit show last week, and now the Matchbox Twenty frontman is going to team up with him to write new songs for Hall's next solo album. Meanwhile, Thomas continues to work on his own solo LP, which should be out early next year. ...

Add another band to the list of artists taking their music to the Great White Way. Parts of the Beach Boys' catalog will be used for a new Broadway musical called "Good Vibrations," which will hit the stage in early December at New York's Eugene O'Neill Theatre, according to Playbill. John Carrafa of "Urinetown" will direct and choreograph the show, which is not a biographical tale of the band, and will use more than 30 songs written by Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. Oh, and if you think this all sounds a little familiar, you're not alone: Vassar College recently presented the musical featuring first season "American Idol" runner-up, Justin Guarini. ...

8.6.2004

The estimated 15,000 singers who auditioned for "American Idol" in Cleveland this week was the largest group the show has seen in its four years, topping the 13,000 who tried out in New York a year ago. Cleveland was the first stop on an audition tour that will head to Orlando, Florida; St. Louis; Washington, D.C.; New Orleans; Anchorage, Alaska; San Francisco and Las Vegas. ...

According to Britney Spears' mom, the singer is shooting a TV spot this week to promote her upcoming Elizabeth Arden fragrance, called Curious. Lynne Spears posted on Britney's Web site that her daughter had also "been lying in the sun and doing some shopping," as "wedding plans are going along smoothly. Britney and I both are getting very excited!" The singer posted a note herself to fans, thanking them for the well wishes she received during her knee recovery and for the congratulations on her impending nuptials. "This is the happiest time for me," she wrote. ... Jam giants the String Cheese Incident will stretch their current tour through the end of the year. A 19-show fall stretch begins September 11 in San Francisco and includes a New Year's Eve gig at New York's Radio City Music Hall. ...

The Sean McGrath Hold Onto Your Friends cancer benefit concert has been postponed due to unforeseeable circumstances. Originally scheduled for August 14 in New York, the show was set to raise money for the final medical expenses of the late McGrath, who played bass with Saves the Day, Mouthpiece, Hands Tied and the Alps. Organizers say the event is tentatively rescheduled for November or December. ... Soulful songstress Nikka Costa always names her records at the 11th hour, and she's finally come up with a title for her long-overdue follow-up to 2001's Everybody Got Their Something. The more rockin' Can't Never Did Nothin' is due October 5; the first single is called "I Don't Think We've Met." ...

Wilco have added a slew of dates to their current tour, scheduled in the wake of Lollapalooza's cancellation. Starting August 6 in Portland, Maine, the band will travel across the country with stops at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island on Sunday and the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Texas September 19, ending in Ann Arbor, Michigan, October 10. Joining Wilco for seven dates will be the Fiery Furnaces, who are also headlining their own tour in support of their second album, Blueberry Boat, starting September 8 in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and ending October 31 in Hoboken, New Jersey. ... For the first time, video footage from the Warped Tour stage is available for purchase. Concertgoers can now purchase, download and burn videos from Altnet Network Web sites and peer-to-peer affiliates including Kazaa. "We want to give artists as many ways as possible to connect with their fans," Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman said in a statement. "If you can't make it to a show, check out Altnet's feed on our site, and even if you did, check it out to catch stuff you missed, or remember your favorite performances." ...

You won't find Death Cab for Cutie's new EP, Studio X Sessions, in stores. This four-song, piano-driven EP, recorded at the end of their spring tour, is available exclusively through iTunes' music store in MP3 format. Death Cab will also take part in four late summer festival dates, including Bumbershoot in Seattle, before joining Pearl Jam on the Vote for Change Tour in October. ... Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament, his Three Fish collaborator Richard Stuverud and King's X singer Doug Pinnick have recorded an album tentatively titled Montana. Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready also contributed to the group, which does not yet have a name. ...

Sheryl Crow is giving back to her hometown — by giving them a new swimming pool. The singer pledged last fall to get a new community pool for the town of Kennett, Missouri, and while details of her financial involvement were not disclosed, the local chamber of commerce kicked in a $250,000 grant to go toward building the Sheryl Crow Community Aquatic Center, which is scheduled to open around Memorial Day next year. ... Moby's tea, TeaNY, was launched this week in New York, where the bald-headed musician DJed at a cocktail/tea party at A60 in SoHo (the only time he's DJing in New York this year). Moby's cookbook/autobiography that ties into the tea line is now set to come out in April. ... Glam-pop group Scissor Sisters are bringing their traveling act to more familiar terrain. The band will embark on its first U.S. tour starting September 7 in Washington, D.C.; the monthlong trek wraps September 29 in Hollywood. ...

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New Releases: Nick Cave, Massive Attack, John Mayer, Supergrass, Paul van Dyk, Tech N9ne & More

11 Feb 2003 07:57:00 EST

Nick Cave
Photo: Epitaph

With just under two weeks until the Grammys, it's time to start revisiting the songs that were the most popular — and by extension, the most grating — last year. And what better way to jog your memory than the Grammy Nominees 2003 album?

The disc includes Pink's "Get the Party Started," Britney Spears' "Overprotected," Avril Lavigne's "Complicated," Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why," Eminem's "Without Me," Nelly's "Hot in Herre," 'NSYNC's "Girlfriend" and Nickelback's "How You Remind Me."

On the other end of the spectrum are new releases from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Massive Attack. Cave's Nocturama comes two years after No More Shall We Part and features, among other tormented songs, a 14-minute "Babe, I'm on Fire." Meanwhile, following a five-year absence, Massive Attack return with 100th Window. The album offers the standard soaring Massive Attack sound, but this time with the addition of Sinead O'Connor on "What Your Soul Sings" and "A Prayer for England."

John Mayer's live Any Given Thursday shares shelf space with cheeky Supergrass' fourth album, Life on Other Planets.

And finally, the Ramones tribute album We're a Happy Family features the second all-star lineup of the week. Rob Zombie takes on "Blitzkrieg Bop," Marilyn Manson interprets "The KKK Took My Baby Away," Green Day and the Offspring weigh in with their versions of "Outsider" and "I Wanna Be Sedated," respectively. U2 sings "Beat on the Brat," while the Red Hot Chili Peppers tackle "Havana Affair."

As for the rest of this week's releases — hey, ho, let's go ...

Out Tuesday, February 11:

David Ackles - American Gothic (Collector's Choice)
Alathea - What Light Is All About (Rocketown)
Paul Anka - Absolutely the Best: The 70s (Varese)
Atom and his Package - Attention! Blah Blah Blah (Hopeless)
The Bad Plus - These Are the Vistas (Columbia)
Baka Beyond - East to West (Narada World)
Bass Hit - Bass Re-Loaded (Neurodisc)
Bloody Mary - Day of Resurrection (Danger)
Boulevard Knights - Boulevard Knights (Familia)
Kenny Brown - Stingray (Fat Possum)
Michael Bublé - Michael Bublé (143/Reprise)
C-Bo - West Coast Mafia: Chopped and Screwed (West Coast Mafia)
Rodney Carrington - Nut Sack (Capitol)
Karan Casey - Distant Shore (Shanachie)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Nocturama (Anti/Epitaph)
Read: "Nick Cave Delivers More Tales From The Dark Side"
Buy Now: Nocturama (Anti/Epitaph)
Chevelles - Girl God (Zip)
Coachwhips - Get Yer Body Next Ta Mine (Narnack)
Corporation 187 - Perfection in Pain (Wicked World)
Data 80 - Data 80 (EFA/Caroline)
Debbie Davies - Key to Love: A Tribute to John Mayall (Shanachie)
Dr. Demento - Hits From Outer Space (Laugh.com)
Duke - 21st Century Man (produced by Eddy Grant) (Ice)
Tim Easton - Break Your Mother's Heart (New West)
Eightball and MJG - On Top of the World (Draper)
DJ Envy - The Desert Storm Mixtape: Blok Party Vol. 1 (Desert Storm/Epic)
Fabulous Disaster - Panty Raid (Pink & Black)
John Fahey - Red Cross (Revenant)
Five Way Friday - Wrecked (Redeye)
Flatline - Dead Man Walking (Thug City)
Matt Flinner Quartet - Walking on the Moon (Compass)
Fo Clips - Just Be Thankful (Danger)
Foys Boys - My Life My Hustle (Dog Team)
Funk Porcini - Fast Asleep (Ninja Tune)
Further Seems Forever - How to Start a Fire (Tooth & Nail)
Jeffrey Gaines - Toward the Sun (Artemis)
Vince Gill - Next Big Thing (MCA Nashville)
Girls in the Club - Girls in the Club (Downsouthrap.com)
Grade 8 - Grade 8 (Lava/Atlantic)
Hall & Oates - Do It for Love (U-Watch)
John Hammond - Ready for Love (Back Porch)
Stefon Harris - The Grand Unification Theory (Blue Note)
JoJo Hermann - Defector (Fat Possum)
Hexstatic - Solid Steel Mix (Ninja Tune)
Holland - Photographs & Tidal Waves (Tooth & Nail)
Jackpot - Bone-Ville (Future Farmer)
Jackstraw - Jackstraw (High Horse)
Kingzmen - Not of this World (Holy Hip Hop)
Kissing Chaos - Enter With a Bullet (Fueled by Ramen)
DJ Krush - The Message at the Depth (Red Ink)
Patty Larkin - Red = Luck (Vanguard)
Erik Larson - The Resounding (Small Stone)
Kenny Lattimore/Chante Moore - Things That Lovers Do (Arista)
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak (Lookout!)
Lil Mac - From the Cracks to the Stacks (Lock Down)
Madder Mortem - Deadlands (The End)
Madhouse - Holiday (Radikal)
Massive Attack - 100th Window (Virgin)
Buy Now: 100th Window (Virgin)
John Mayer - Any Given Thursday (Sony)
John McCusker - Goodnight Ginger (Compass)
My Sick Friends - Simple (Hapi Skratch)
Willie Nelson - Crazy: The Demo Sessions (Sugarhill)
Gary Numan - Scarred: Live at Brixton Academy (2 CDs, Eagle)
Erlend Oye - Unrest (Source/Astralwerks)
Pacifier - Pacifier (Arista)
Pumpkinhead - A Beautiful Mind (EP, Third Earth)
Rae - Rae (Relentless)
Rapture - Songs for the Withering (Century Media)
Rush - The Spirit of Radio: 1974-1987 (Universal)
Rusty Humphries - Bomb Iraq (Laugh.com)
Joshua Ryan - By Design (System)
Sanctus Real - Say It Loud (Sparrow)
Slater - Can You Feel Me (T.O.P.)
Stephan Smith - The Bell (Synchronic)
Socialburn - Where You Are (Elektra)
Sofia - Sofia (Big Sur)
Spiv - Don'tcha Know (Pop Sweatshop)
Tammy Faye Starlite & the Angels of Mercy - Used Country Female (Diesel Only)
Miriam Stockley - Second Nature (Narada)
George Strait - For the Last Time: Live from the Astrodome (MCA Nashville)
Strapping Young Lad - SYL (Century Media)
Supergrass - Life on Other Planets (Island)
Read: "Supergrass Get Thrown For A L.O.O.P, Party With Skanks"
Buy Now: Life on Other Planets (Island)
Tech N9ne - Anghellic (MSC)
Troika - Kingdom of the Sun (Narada)
Twelfth Gate - Summoning (Crash Music)
Paul van Dyk - Global (Mute)
Vexers - The Vexers (Ace Fu)
Cosmo Vitelli - Clean (Astralwerks)
Viva - Blanksidesongs (Pitch a Tent)
Otto Von Schirach - Chopped Zombie Fungus (Schematic)
Voodou - Your Basic Evil Black Squadron (Underground Inc.)
Doc Watson - Then and Now (Tomato)
Carol Welsman - The Language of Love (Savoy Jazz)
Yanni - Ethnicity (Virgin)
Various artists - The American Song-Poem Anthology: Do You Know the Difference Between Big Wood and Brush (Bar/None)
Various artists - "Ash Wednesday" soundtrack (Koch)
Various artists - Buenos Aires Cafe (Narada)
Various artists - Duck Down Records Presents: Collect Dis Edition (Duck Down)
Various artists - Global Hits 2003 (Motown)
Various artists - Grammy Nominees 2003 (Rhino)
Various artists - Motown Soul Jams Vol. 1 (Motown)
Various artists - Oil: Chicago Punk Refined (Thick)
Various artists - Rollin on Dubs (Thump)
Various artists - The Songs of Hank Williams Jr.: A Bocephus Celebration (Warner Bros./Curb)
Various artists - Tribute to Bob Marley (K-Tel)
Various artists - We're a Happy Family: A Tribute to the Ramones (DV8/Columbia)
Read: "Garbage Give Ramones Electro Sheen While Manson Moans, Marches"
DVD: Various artists - "Pass the Mic!" (Image Entertainment)
DVD: The Gathering - "In Motion" (Century Media)
DVD: John Mayer - "Any Given Thursday" (Columbia)
DVD: Jane Monheit - "Live at the Rainbow Room" (N-Coded)

March 4:

Cursive - Ugly Organ (Saddle Creek)
Fabolous - Street Dreams (Elektra)
Buy Now: Street Dreams (Elektra)
Hootie & the Blowfish - Hootie & the Blowfish (Atlantic)
Buy Now: Hootie & the Blowfish (Atlantic)
Lil' Kim - La Bella Mafia (Atlantic)
Buy Now: La Bella Mafia (Atlantic)
Special Goodness - Land Air Sea (Control Group)
Voivod - Voivod (Navarre)
Read: "Jason Newsted Says His New Band Can Kick Metallica's Ass"

March 11:

Various artists - Punk Goes Acoustic (Fearless)

March 18:

Buzzcocks - Buzzcocks (Merge)

March 25:

Celine Dion - One Heart (Sony)
Linkin Park - Meteora (Warner Bros.)
Read: "Linkin Park Discuss Meteora, Plan Surreal Video"

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Supergrass Get Thrown For A L.O.O.P, Party With Skanks

30 Jan 2003 07:57:00 EST

Group's fourth release pays homage to band's favorite TV show, 'Carl Sagan's Cosmos.'
By Jon Wiederhorn

Supergrass
Photo: Island

Supergrass drummer Danny Goffey wanted to throw a wild party a few weeks ago, so he called up an adult entertainment service in London and ordered a couple of strippers. But he didn't want the kinds of girls who get rolls of money stuffed in their G-strings. Instead, he asked the agency to provide him with the skankiest bunch of ladies they could find.

"They were repulsive," he said, laughing. "I had to pay [the agency] 20 pounds (roughly $30) extra to get [them] to stop [sending girls over]. In the end, [the women] wouldn't let me pay them properly. They had me in a headlock with one of those feather boa thingies wrapped around my neck. It was a bit like a scene from 'Goodfellas.' "

Supergrass don't take very much seriously. Their second album may have been called In It for the Money, but in reality the bandmembers are mostly in it for kicks and giggles. Their fourth disc, Life on Other Planets, due in the U.S. on February 11, is packed with ebullient rhythms and classic English pop melodies that pay homage to David Bowie, T. Rex and the Kinks. But it's also filled with inside jokes and tongue-in-cheek humor. The band even pays tribute to Spinal Tap's "All the Way Home" on "Evening of the Day" with the line "If she's not on that 3:15 then I'm gonna know what sorrow means."

"I think we've found life quite amusing from an early age," Goffey explained. "When we were 8 or 9 we would write songs, and I think we were more happy writing comedy songs. We haven't changed that much, and I think it's quite healthy. Life's quite absurd, really. And it's quite short. You just should try to enjoy it as much as you can."

There's one thing Supergrass are dead serious about — their music. The bandmembers — Gaz Coombes, Goffey and bassist Mickey Quinn — are determined not to regress or coast, so they've pushed themselves with each release to write energetic songs that are emotionally resonant and structurally pristine. On their last album they occasionally overdid it, obsessing over arrangements, dynamics and mixes to the point where they lost some of the urgency that made their first two albums, I Should Coco and In It for the Money, so enjoyable. That's why Supergrass hired an outside producer, Tony Hoffer, to help them work on Life on Other Planets.

"He helped us keep the takes quite short and sweet," Goffey explained. "We really didn't mess around because he kept us moving. If we had done it on our own again, we'd just get really analytical and start crying and trying to mend things that weren't broken."

The group named the album Life on Other Planets because while they were writing and recording they became obsessed with the TV program "Carl Sagan's Cosmos."

"We're doing a gig tonight, and we've put loads of Carl Sagan voiceovers in between songs," Goffey said. "While we were working, we bought a telescope, and we'd get drunk and sit there looking at the stars. So we just thought it was a good name for the album, and we could abbreviate it and just call it 'L.O.O.P.' But there's no massive astrological thing going on."

The first single from L.O.O.P. is "Rush Hour Soul," a punk-driven pop song informed by '70s rock.

"It's about losing reality and just being really off your head," Goffey said. "You could be really drugged up or stricken by madness, and then it's about just needing an escape to get out of that. That's why the verses are quite intense and the chorus is more reflective about the place you'd rather be in."

Supergrass, who gained mainstream exposure in 1999 with their quirky, puppet-filled video for the song "Pumping on Your Stereo," are about to shoot a video for "Rush Hour Soul." They'll film the clip with Goffey's brother Nic and his partner Dom, who did most of the past Supergrass videos and have also worked with Oasis, Robbie Williams and others. But Goffey said he couldn't reveal the plot of the video without facing some pretty serious consequences.

"It's a deadly secret. I can't even give you a little whiff. My brother will come after me and break my knees," he deadpanned.

The band already has new videos for Life on Other Planets tracks "Grace" and "Seen the Light," both of which were released in England. "Grace" is a performance video enhanced with shots of a 10-year-old girl in the band's rehearsal room who tries to produce the group as they play. "Seen the Light" is even stranger.

"We're not actually in it," Goffey said. "It's all really old footage of religious preachers mixed in with old footage of rock and roll audiences, and what's interesting is they react in the same way. They both go into these convulsions and pull their hair out and stuff. It's quite mad."

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Supergrass

Mood Moosic: Cows Love Ballads, Hate To Rock

28 Jun 2001 08:51:00 EDT

Scientists answer age-old question 'Why aren't there ever cows in the mosh pit?'
By Jon Wiederhorn

R.E.M.
Photo: Warner Bros.

Cows are sedentary creatures. They like to eat grass, stand still and occasionally moo. And they don't like to rock. However, they do seem to enjoy calming pop ballads.

That's what a pair of scientists at Leicester University determined after playing a variety of songs to more than 1,000 Holstein-Friesians. Dr. Adrian North and researcher Liam MacKenzie found that the cattle that heard slower music produced 3 percent more milk than average cows did.

R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts," Lou Reed's "Perfect Day," Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and Aretha Franklin's version of "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" were among the songs most enjoyed by the bovine crowd.

However, faster songs seemed to trouble the animals, slightly reducing their milk yield. Sadly, the Wonder Stuff's "Size of a Cow" was one of those tracks. Others included Supergrass' "Pumping on Your Stereo" and Jamiroquai's "Space Cowboy." Researchers played music 12 hours a day for cows in the nine-week study. It's unclear whether record retailers will try to milk the findings, and there's no word on whether playing Limp Bizkit for livestock increases the frequency of mad cow disease.

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Supergrass Nearly Nixed "Stereo"

2 May 2000 07:55:00 EDT

Supergrass' Gaz Coombes

British pop-rock outfit Supergrass has returned to the U.S. with a new single and its first album in three years.

The group is currently on a brief promotional tour in support of the band's first album since 1997's "In It For The Money." "Pumping On Your Stereo," the first single offering from the new self-titled LP, has already invaded radio airwaves and the song's accompanying video is a Breakthrough clip on MTV. That's not too bad, considering "Stereo" nearly didn't make the final cut for the album.

"It's a pretty rubbish song, but it's really good fun to play," Supergrass singer and guitarist Gaz Coombes told the MTV Radio Network.

Bassist Mick Quinn added, "When we came to record it, it didn't really stand up against any of the other songs on the album... with the right mix and just living with it for a bit, we kept it on there."

Supergrass will continue on its promotional tour until the end of May. Then the group will head back to the U.K. for some festival dates. The trio will return to the States in August to be the opening act on the second leg of Pearl Jam's tour (see "Pearl Jam Lands Sonic Youth, Supergrass For Tour").

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Supergrass

Pearl Jam Lands Sonic Youth, Supergrass For Tour

26 Apr 2000 07:30:00 EDT

Supergrass "Pumping Up Your Stereo"

Pearl Jam has tapped indie rock icon Sonic Youth and the scruffy Britpop trio Supergrass to serve as the supporting acts for the Jammers' upcoming North American tour.

Sonic Youth, which will release its own new album, "NYC Ghosts & Flowers," on May 16 before heading out on the road with Stereolab in June, will hook up with Pearl Jam for the first leg of the tour, which kicks off on August 3 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The initial leg of Pearl Jam's tour will wind down on September 5 in Pittsburgh, then start back up on October 4 in Montreal with Supergrass on board. The second leg will then conclude on November 5 with a hometown show in Seattle.

Prior to that, Supergrass plans to launch its own headlining tour with a two-night stand in New York City on April 28 and 29 (see "Supergrass Sets Downloads, Tour For New CD").

Pearl Jam will release its sixth studio album, titled "Binaural," on May 16, and the group has already issued "Nothing As It Seems" to radio as the first single (see "Pearl Jam To Preview New Single Online").

Dates for Pearl Jam's North American tour:

Leg I with Sonic Youth opening:

8/3 - Virginia Beach, VA
8/4 - Charlotte, NC
8/6 - Greensboro, NC
8/7 - Atlanta, GA
8/9 - West Palm Beach, FL
8/12 - Tampa, FL
8/14 - New Orleans, LA
8/15 - Memphis, TN
8/17 - Nashville, TN
8/18 - Indianapolis, IN
8/20 - Cincinnati, OH
8/21 - Columbus, OH
8/23 - New York, NY
8/24 - New York, NY
8/27 - Albany, NY
8/29 - Boston, MA
9/1 - Philadelphia, PA
9/4 - Washington, DC
9/5 - Pittsburgh, PA

Leg II with Supergrass opening:

10/4 - Montreal, QC
10/5 - Toronto, ON
10/7 - Detroit, MI
10/8 - Milwaukee, WI
10/9 - Chicago, IL
10/11 - St. Louis, MO
10/12 - Kansas City, MO
10/14 - Houston, TX
10/15 - Austin, TX
10/17 - Dallas, TX
10/18 - Lubbock, TX
10/20 - Albuquerque, NM
10/21 - Phoenix, AZ
10/22 - Las Vegas, NV
10/25 - San Diego, CA
10/28 - San Bernadino, CA
10/31 - San Francisco, CA
11/3 - Portland, OR
11/4 - Boise, ID
11/5 - Seattle, WA

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Supergrass Sets Downloads, Tour For New CD

4 Apr 2000 04:25:00 EDT

Supergrass "Pumping On Your Stereo"

The new album from Brit rockers Supergrass hits stores this week, and the band is drumming up support for the effort with a "Breakthrough" video, exclusive downloads, and a U.S. tour.

The band's puppet-inspired clip for "Pumping On Your Stereo" is making the rounds on MTV, which has tagged the video with "Breakthrough" status. Those pondering a purchase of the band's new self-titled album may find the pot sweetened by an offer that will give the first 40,000 to buy the CD the chance to download previously unreleased tracks. Those who grab the album early will find a special code that will allow users to check out five tracks previously unavailable here in the States. After sampling the songs, users will be able to download any two of the five tracks.

If you'd rather check out the band through more traditional means, Supergrass will hit the U.S. later this month. Here's where to catch them:

4/28 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
4/29 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
5/1 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
5/2 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
5/4 - Providence, RI @ Met Café
5/5 - Boston, MA @ Axis
5/7 - Montreal, QC @ Spectrum
5/9 - Toronto, ON @ Opera House
5/20 - W. Hollywood, CA @ Viper Room
5/22 - Los Angeles, CA @ Roxy Theatre
5/23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
5/24 - San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo's
5/26 - Portland, OR @ Paradigm
5/27 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox
5/29 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom

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Supergrass

Supergrass, Spiritualized, Paul Weller Join Dr. John

21 Jan 1998 02:00:00 EST

Supergrass

Supergrass is the latest band to join the piano playing, gravel-voiced, New Orleans-based jazz rocker at Abbey Road studios in London. Spiritualized, Paul Weller and Primal Scream and have also recorded multiple tracks for the album, which is due this summer.

Dr. John is currently enjoying a high profile in the U.K.. He recently played a major role in the all-star charity single and video, "Perfect Day," for the BBC.

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Pearl Jam, Supergrass, Brad To Chip In For John Cusack Film

21 Jan 1998 07:55:00 EST

Eddie Vedder

In the wake of that development ,and amid anticipation for "Yield," comes news that a previously unreleased track from Pearl Jam's 1992 "Vs." sessions, called "Hard To Imagine," will turn up this April or May on the soundtrack to a film called "Chicago Cab" based on a long-running windy city play called "Hellcab."

John Cusack ("Grosse Pointe Blank," "Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil"), Gillian Anderson ("X-Files"), and Julianne Moore ("The Lost World," "Boogie Nights") will appear in the movie, while Supergrass, the Grifters, Stone Gossard's band Brad, and space-rockers Hovercraft (which includes Eddie Vedder's wife, Beth Liebling) will also be on the soundtrack.

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