Archive: 2009

Capitol Records breakthrough dance-rock band Hockey have been making impressive first impressions with music fans, bloggers and mainstream media around the globe with a non-stop touring schedule leading up to the October 6th release of their debut album Mind Chaos.  The Portland, OR based quartet have toured the UK with both Passion Pit and Friendly […]

The self-proclaimed "Greatest Band in the World," Tenacious D, is joining the world’s greatest lineup of artists for the 2nd annual Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival, taking place August 28 – 30 in historic Golden Gate Park.  The closing act on Sunday night, Tenacious D will share the day’s bill with remarkable artists such […]

The Shotgun is series of "shotgun" reviews by Glide contributor Eric Saeger

Cheap Trick.  Poison.  Def Leppard.  It's an odd billing to be sure.  Poison and Def Leppard seem reasonable enough, with careers that rode the hair metal explosion of the 80s to multi-platinum success, but Cheap Trick, an 80s power ballad aside, were churning out power pop gems (that continue to influence bands today) five to ten years earlier than their tour mates.  Oddly enough, the tour's oldest band chronologically is its youngest spiritually and that is part of the magic that still makes Cheap Trick matter.

Phish returns to The Gorge for the first time since 2003 tonight when they kick off a two night stand at the scenic Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA. Both DaveO and Scott Gordon are on the scene and will be tweeting their thoughts @YEMblog. We’ll keep track of the setlist and highlights on HT. [Photo […]

Downtown faves The Benevento-Russo Duo used to play gigs in NYC all the time, but these days you’re much more likely to see one of Joe or Marco’s side project than a Duo show. Well New Yorkers, you’ll have a chance to catch a special acoustic Benevento-Russo Duo show on August 17 at the Highline […]

When I heard producer/director/writer John Hughes died yesterday, it took a few minutes to hit me. While his movies are literally a part of my every day life – I don’t think I go 24 hours without quoting Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 16 Candles or the Breakfast Club – I realized I didn’t know anything about the man. And that’s how he wanted it. A notorious recluse, Hughes let his films speak for themselves and to this day, they represent some of the best movies ever written about teenagers. No special effects or slick language. No gratuitous sex or quick cuts. Mostly truth and laughs.

Along with the Bratpack, the Griswolds and the Donger, Hughes created some incredibly memorable musical scenes throughout the course of his career. Below is a small tribute.

1. Danke Schoen > Twist & Shout – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986, Written/Directed by John Hughes)

I remember seeing this movie in the theaters and halfway through this scene, the place was absolutely rocking. Beginning with a schmaltzy snippet of the Wayne Newton classic Danke Schoen, a tune mentioned or hummed several times throughout the flick, the scene erupts into a complete throw down with the Beatles version of Twist & Shout. From Ferris’s own father shaking it in his office to the thousands of extras lining the Chicago street on which it was filmed, it’s hard to imagine people having more fun on a movie set and it shows. The dance crew is spectacular with their Thriller-like moves and I always get a kick out of the “vibrating man” who shakes so hard his hat falls off his head. I defy anyone to change the channel when this scene comes on. READ ON for four more musical scenes from JH’s movies…

This past Wednesday – I – like many other readers of this blog, headed out to The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, NJ to see Gov’t Mule. What I don’t think many of the people who went to the show did beforehand was to take the express NJ Transit train to South Orange and walk to The Town Hall Deli for Sloppy Joes from the deli that invented them.

I know when I did my Millburn Deli posting a few people stood up for Town Hall as the better of the two. After not having a Town Hall Joe in a while, I have to agree. I got 2 Joes (for the office, really). One was “the Favorite” with Roast Beef, Turkey and Swiss. The second was with Corned Beef, Pastrami & Swiss ($2 extra for the pastrami btw). I have to say, the originator of the Sloppy Joe is still the best. Below is their “Joe” menu and a few pictures of the making of a Town Hall Sloppy Joe.

READ ON for pictures of the making of a TH Sloppy Joe…

With record sales continuing to slide and the licensing of music becoming a bigger piece of the puzzle for musicians vying to make a living, placements in television and film can have a tremendous impact on the career of an artist.

[Photos by Martelli Photography]

For Bobby Long, a talented singer/songwriter from the UK with a penchant for music by Elliot Smith, Gram Parsons, Bob Dylan and the Felice Brothers, one particular song placement launched his career up into the night sky. Teen dreamboat Robert Pattison performed his song Let Me Sign (co-written with Marcus Foster) in the first film of the insanely popular Twilight series. The rest is history.

Now, Long plays for heaps of fans, many of them of the young female variety. Surely that’s not much of a dilemma, but curious to hear if this felt more like a blessing or a curse, I jumped at the chance to chat him up.

Ryan Dembinsky: At your university, you were working on a degree in film/video with an emphasis on writing soundtracks, correct? Is that in any way related to Twilight? In other words, did Twilight drive that decision to study soundtrack creation or alternatively, did your connections there help land the placement in the film?

Bobby Long: No not at all. I always kept my Uni and my music separate to the point that a lot of students at my Uni didn’t know my name. I only really studied to be in London and so I could afford to live there with my student loan.

READ ON for the rest of Ryan’s conversation with Bobby Long…

Blitzen Trapper – Black River Killer

The recently released documentary Iron Maiden: Flight 666 tells the tale of the first leg of the heavy metal pioneers 2008 Somewhere Back In Time World Tour in which the group traveled from gig to gig on a jet piloted by lead singer Bruce Dickinson. Iron Maiden hit 23 concerts on five continents in just […]

Bob Dylan is working on a covers album of Christmas songs, according to reports. He has already recorded versions of ‘Must Be Santa’, ‘Here Comes Santa Claus’, ‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’ and ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’, states Bullypulpit.com. Though Dylan is yet to confirm the album himself, he is alleged to have begun […]

With MCA on the road to recovery, organizers of San Francisco’s Outside Land Festival have revealed that the acoustic-folk-metal act Tenacious D will replace the hip-hop trio as the festival’s closing night headliner. This will mark the duo’s first ever US festival appearance where they will join a diverse bill that includes the likes of […]

We guess recording and touring with three different bands just isn’t enough for Jack White as the White Stripes/Raconteurs/Dead Weather member managed to squeeze in enough time to set to wax  his solo debut via a single titled Fly Farm Blues. The song, which was recorded during the filming of the upcoming documentary It Might […]

If you haven’t picked up Conundrum you’re totally missing out. Here’s a preview video of McLovins’ debut album to give you a taste… McLovins – Album Montage

Our friends Matt and Kelly continue to drop terrific MP3 downloads over at Musical Stew Daily. Just  this week alone they posted killer recordings of shows by moe.,  My Morning Jacket and Fleetwood Mac with Paul Butterfield. I thank them and my iPod thanks them for the tunes. Here’s six other shows your iPod will […]

The Newport Folk Festival, or more recently, George Wein's Folk Festival 50, held in Newport, Rhode Island the first weekend in August, 2009.

Hot off a spectacular four night stand at Red Rocks, Phish heads west for their first Bay Area concert in six years. Our own DaveO will be tweeting live from Shoreline @YEMblog. Be sure to follow him and check out YEMblog.com for the latest and greatest Phish-related content. Anyone have any predictions for what to […]

Thirsty Ear Recordings has announced the release of DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid‘s latest manifesto titled "The Secret Song." Set for an Oct. 6 release, the new record marks DJ Spooky’s sixth full-length album and will feature guest appearances from notable artists and musicians such as Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, The Jungle Brothers, The […]

Look for acclaimed rap artist 50 Cent to perform a special benefit show as part of SIX FLAGS Inc’s annual summer concert series.  The August 29 show at SIX FLAGS Great Adventure (New Jersey) will benefit G-Unity.  The G-Unity Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations that focus on improving the quality of life for low-income […]