Former HT Blips featured artist Alby Cohen has spent the last few months working tirelessly at Rough Magic Studios in Brooklyn on a brand new batch of original songs. Cohen
Jack Johnson and an assortment of musicians on his Brushfire Records roster pitched in to create a debut holiday album called This Warm December.
Zach Gill – Johnson’s keyboardist, solo artist and front man for the Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO) contributed to the Brushfire holiday compilation with a solo track on the album and another one with ALO. Gill has been keeping himself busy lately touring with Mason Jennings after releasing an impressive new solo album entitled Stuff
Jack Spilberg: What’s better, naughty or nice?
Zach Gill: Naughty is usually very attractive at first, but I’ve found that nice works a lot better in the long run.
JS: Which do you prefer, real or fake Christmas trees?
ZG: I like living Christmas trees the most. We have had the same tree for the last few years- she lives outside for most of the year. It is always exciting when we bring her inside for the holidays and decorate her up. She is tiny compared to standard Christmas trees though. If she ever grows too big to come inside we will plant her permanently outside.
JS: What was the best Christmas gift you ever received?
ZG: My parents got me a puppy (a beagle named Frisky) and tickets to see Huey Lewis and the News when I was nine years old. That was a good year.
READ ON for more of Jack’s holiday interview with Zach Gill…
Brooklyn’s Yeasayer has had quite an impressive 2008. The quartet continues to play to bigger audiences each time they return to a city thanks in large part to their fantastic
When we first heard that Peter Gabriel teamed up with electropop aces Hot Chip to record Vampire Weekend’s Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, we wondered how the track would turn out. Turns out they actually did a fine job of it. I’m sure Petey got a big kick out of singing his own name. [via Abeano]
Here’s a look at what else is happenin’ this week…
Finally, Neil Young absolutely kicked ass at the Garden on Monday night and his voice and guitar are still as powerful today as they were in his peak. Speaking of Neil Young’s peak, the trailer for the long-awaited Archives Volume 1 project came out yesterday. Check it out after the jump…
Every year around this time our partners at Glide poll your favorite artists on their tops shows, albums and experiences of 2008 along with predictions for the coming year. This year’s list of participants contains more outstanding acts than most major festival announcements including Mike Gordon of Phish, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Reed Mathis of Tea Leaf Green/Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Hardy of Dead Confederate and so many others.
[Photo by Adam Kaufman]
Keep your eyes on Glide tomorrow for all of the entries. To whet your appetite, here’s Ryan Stasik of Umphrey’s McGee’s picks for the Glide Magazine Best of 2008…
Best Album(s) of 2008
Skeletal Lamping – Of Montreal, Chinese Democracy – Guns n Fuckin’ Roses, Robotique Majestique – Ghostland Observatory
Favorite Song(s) of 2008
My favorite song of 2008 is from 1968. Just pick one!
Your Personal Favorite On-stage Moment/Show of 2008
Omega Moo’s show in Boulder CO, with Brendan, Jamie, and Darren…12-4-2008
Classic Album or Artist You Discovered This Year
Sparks, Lalo Schifrin, NKOTB (im sure I’d like it if I heard it)
Best Film You Saw This Year
Rediscovered Russ Meyer and all his works
READ ON for the rest of UM bassist Ryan Stasik’s Best of 2008…
2008 has been a great year for Phish archival releases and the year was capped off by last week’s surprise announcement that the legendary show from December 30, 1997 at
Jack Johnson and an assortment of musicians on his Brushfire Records roster pitched in to create a debut holiday album called This Warm December.
On the compilation, Money Mark contributes a quirky track called Stuck at the Airport. Mark is probably best known as the Beastie Boys’ longtime keyboardist. Aside from his contributions to the Beasties, he also tours and collaborates with Jack Johnson, and has released a number of impressive solo albums. Mark’s original material is filled with original and catchy tunes and a unique sound that’s tough to stick a label on. Money Mark shares his thoughts below about electric gingerbread guitars, Rudolph the stoned reindeer, and yummy apple cider…
Jack Spilberg: What do you want for Christmas?
Money Mark: I want a full size gingerbread Fender Telecaster guitar with a red licorice whammy bar- yummy!
JS: What’s better, naughty or nice?
MM: Ever heard of WWBD? “What Would Belushi Do?”
JS: Which do you prefer, real or fake Christmas trees?
MM: Fake aluminum Christmas trees mounted upside down on the ceiling- ha ha!
READ ON for more of Jack’s interview with Brushfire’s Money Mark…
Year after year, it is tough to top KINK.FM’s holiday benefit concert. Proving their station’s motto, “True To the Music”, the KINK staff outdid themselves once again. Christmas spirit, a kick ass silent auction and four headliners on the same bill, this yearly extravaganza is truly the show to see in Portland.
Start with the silent auction. Hundreds of items that run the gamut from a hand picked, 20 CD pack of KINK.FM artists to an electric guitar signed by John Mellencamp. Not your cup of tea? Spa treatments, autographed and framed concert posters, drum sticks, symphony tickets, hotel and resort stays. You get the picture. All done with great class and benefiting the Oregon Food Bank. This year’s take: over $23,000.00!!!
First up on the stage, the Bay Area’s Matt Nathanson. My first time seeing him, I was taken by his stage presence. Nathanson has an easy stage presence, relaxed and in control. Tossing one liners to the crowd while checking his tuning, he set up songs with phrases like, “This one is NOT about sex, it’s about ice cream”. He related a story about ‘Poop knocking at the Atlanta airport’ to introduce his wonderfully romantic song (up till I heard his explanation) song, Still.
READ ON for more from KINK-FM’s Holiday Benefit Concert…
If you’ve been paying attention to the Best Of lists that have been rolling out these last couple of weeks the one album that seems to be floating near the
Jack Johnson and an assortment of musicians on his Brushfire Records roster pitched in to create a debut holiday album called This Warm December.
One highlight of the holiday compilation is Mason Jennings’ interesting acoustic take on Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. With his original acoustic folk, rock, and country-influenced sound, and intellectually stimulating lyrics, Jennings has successfully cultivated an incredibly loyal base of dedicated and passionate fans over the course of his musical career. Below, Mason shares his thoughts about the holiday season.
Jack Spilberg: What’s better, naughty or nice?
Mason Jennings: I’ll take Nifty. Or Knopfler. Or Knuckley. Or Nascar.
JS: Which do you prefer, real or fake Christmas trees?
MJ: If you believe it is real, it’s real. I like our real tree, same one we’ve had for 10 years.
JS: Who personifies Scrooge the most in the world today?
MJ: I would have to say I do, at least the part about him being a man and changing his ways
READ ON for more of Jack’s interview with Mason Jennings…
