Hello again and welcome back to another week of Duane’s Pit Stop. This week I want to say thanks to my Bro Robert who sent these good pictures of our future Leaders of America.

In this week's edition, we, once again, have some great bands coming over to your neck of the woods as well as some good new releases. Also, I wanted to add that this coming Friday the 24th, this greasy bastard is heading out to check out the Shrooms at the Stardust here in CA. I should have a follow up on them in my next edition of the Pit Stop. With that in tow, lets do what we do best.

Sonic Youth in Kunsthalle, Vienna - From Oct 24 to March 7 The Kunsthalle in Vienna will be the venue for a show entitled "Go Johnny Go- The Electric Guitar, Art and Myth." Sonic Youth has an installation "Stage" which is comprised in part by instruments and amplifiers with deep band history. Lee also has three sculpture/guitar works from the HWY SONG series, with video and sound.

More information available here.

MONSOON

A trio consisting of Lee Ranaldo, Willaim Hooker and Roger Miller has initiated a new series on the Atavistic label. The series is dedicated to out trios and is kicked off with this disc titled Monsoon. Below is what the Atavistic site has to say:

Atavistic’s Out Trios Series is dedicated exclusively to issuing the most captivating instrumental music available- as deployed within the context, structure & constraints of the trio format. The Series is an open-ended experiment in freedom, interaction & sonic architecture.

The gorgeously powerful debut release in Atavistic's new Out Trios Series features Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), Roger Miller (Mission Of Burma/Binary System) and NYC free jazz legend William Hooker -summitting at NYC's Knitting Factory.

Massive extraterrestrial waves of sound crest, trough, collide & coalesce- making for some truly exhilarating, interplanetary music. With Ranaldo on guitar, Miller on keys & Hooker behind the kit, the textural essence of each player’s style emerges- creating a simultaneously new, yet familiar listening experience for those previously acquainted.

Monsoon lives up to it’s name: a tsunami has been unleashed by this über power trio, captured live to analog, and mastered by Ace of Hearts label mogul Rick Harte- well regarded for his production expertise. In an effort to capture the essence of his experience in words, Mr. Hooker framed it thusly:

“i feel an integrity, and i have no qualms... i work with what i have.... there are no answers...” -William Hooker

Thrice Really Are The Next Big Thing - Congratulations to Thrice who have won Tower/Fuse's Next Big Thing Award. The band says "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" to everyone who helped them come out on top, and has let us know that the channel has been airing a little special something on them, so watch for it.

The band has also posted a few photos from their "Stare At The Sun" video shoot, which can be found on their website. It looks like the video will be hot. Finally, their tour with Thursday and Coheed & Cambria is now in full-throttle and to coincide with the road happenings, their tour journal is constantly being updated by Riley (a post Apple acoustic performance writing can be found there, too) in the band's "Ramblings" section, so hit that up, as well. Thrice.net has it all.

The Letdown Won’t Let You Down - New Jersey’s own The Letdown has just released their debut EP entitled Recovery Room. The emo-hardcore guys have put the disc up for grabs at SmartPunk.com. Curious to hear some stuff off of the disc? Rightfully so; mp3.com has “This Form Of Murder” up to be downloaded. Check it out.

Tooth & Nail 2004 - Tooth & Nail Records have announced some big news for 2004; the label will be putting on a T&N tour, showering the country with their artists. The tour, slated to start in February and run for five weeks, will include T&N artists Further Seems Forever, Anberlin, mewithoutYou, Watashi Wa and Emery. Dates and ticket info are on the way, we’ll give you the heads up when more becomes available, or stay tuned into Tooth & Nail for the rest of the goods.

Brazil News - Fearless Records' Brazil have announced they will be headed out to record their new, still untitled, debut full length album. The album will be produced by Alex Newport who has worked with a plethora of great bands including The Mars Volta, The Locust, The Melvins and Sepultura. Don't know who Brazil are? Head over to their website to stream their entire debut EP Dasein as well as a link to where you can hear two songs off the new album, "We" and "A Hostage."

The Room's Too Cold, So TEN Are Seeking Some Heat -That's right, The Early November's new album The Room's Too Cold has reached the #1 spot on Billboard's Heat Seekers Chart. If you're curious as to just why you can head over to TEN's mp3.com site and find out by downloading "Baby Blue" and "The Mountain Range In My Living Room," as well as several demoes and songs off their other releases.

More Joe Strummer Material On The Way? – Joe Strummer could be the subject of numerous posthumous releases, it has emerged. This week, ‘Streetcore’, an album made from the deceased Clash hero’s last recordings with The Mescaleroes, was released. But according to bandmate Martin Slattery, that is by no means the bottom of the Strummer vault.

He told Billboard: "There’s loads of reels that haven’t been listened to properly yet, all these tapes that he kind of doodled around on. We’ve listened to bits of it and found some kind of stuff that relates to what The Mescaleroes were doing, but nothing totally new. But I’m not sure whether they’ve all been completely listened to."

However, there are no plans as yet for any of the material and much of it is believed to pre-date the formation of The Mescaleroes (NME).

Singer/Songwriter Elliott Smith Found Dead - MTV reports: Folk-punk singer/songwriter Elliott Smith has died, an apparent suicide, according to the Los Angeles County Department of the Coroner's office. Smith's body was found in his apartment, in the Silverlake section of Los Angeles, by a female friend, who took him to a local hospital at approximately 12:18 p.m. on Tuesday.

He was pronounced dead at Los Angeles County University of Southern California Medical Center just over an hour later. He was 34.

A single knife wound that appeared to be self-inflicted was evident on the body, though police detectives are investigating the incident for foul play and/or other possibilities. No other details were available at press time.

Smith (real name Steven Paul Smith) had battled drug and alcohol addiction throughout his career. His first two albums, 1994's Roman Candle and the next year's self-titled LP for Olympia, Washington's Kill Rock Stars label, intimated these subjects with haunting, sparsely recorded acoustic songs such as "Needle in the Hay" that drew comparisons to 1960s singer/songwriter Nick Drake and Simon and Garfunkel. He reportedly cleaned up midway through his career, but the problem was believed to have escalated in recent years due to a reclusive nature and sporadic public performances.

A cornerstone of the indie-rock scene in Portland, Oregon, in the mid-1990s, Smith gained critical acclaim with 1997's Either/Or and 1998's XO, albums that best demonstrated his ability to delicately deliver poetic, emotional lyrics and beautifully dark, lush pop melodies. "Miss Misery," his contribution to the film "Good Will Hunting" that earned him an Academy Award nomination in 1997, brought mainstream recognition to the artist regarded as a figurehead of the indie-rock underground, and who influenced such artists as Bright Eyes and Dashboard Confessional.

Born August 6, 1969 in Omaha, Nebraska, Smith grew up near Dallas and took an interest in music at age 9, and began writing and recording original compositions as a teenager. He moved to Portland in high school, where he played in a local band, before attending Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Returning to Portland, he formed the alternative-rock quartet Heatmiser with future Quasi member Sam Coomes. The band released three albums and disbanded after hitting its creative stride with 1996's Mic City Sons.

While still a member of Heatmiser, Smith retreated to his basement to focus on more intimate material in vast contrast to Heatmiser's heavier sound. Roman Candle, on which he played all the instruments, was recorded on a four-track and epitomized the lo-fi DIY aesthetic while showcasing Smith's talent to craft emotive song structures that emphasized the dark themes of his lyrics.

The promise of a great songwriter was furthered on Smith's self-titled album. While keeping with an overall melancholy vibe, he concentrated on beautifying the melodies. The songs floated like lullabies, though the lyrics could disrupt sleep for weeks.

Smith continued to play all the instruments on 1997's Either/Or, while focusing on the arrangements. Dramatic constructions combine with Smith's eerily potent stripped-down fare for the album that cemented his role in the indie-folk pantheon. At the time of the LP's release, filmmaker and Portland resident Gus Van Sant used Smith's music for the soundtrack to "Good Will Hunting." Smith performed "Miss Misery," which was nominated for Best Original Song, at the Academy Awards show in April 1998. The Oscar went to Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On," from "Titanic," though simply being nominated helped his subsequent LP, 1998's XO, become Smith's best-selling album.

XO and his final album, 2000's Figure 8, both released on major-label DreamWorks Records, were marked by lush textures and acoustic melodies inspired by the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson and latter-day Beatles, that brimmed with a sunny brilliance, but still retained Smith's keen commentaries and forlorn sentiments. He had been working on a follow-up album, From a Basement on the Hill, at the time of his death (see "Elliott Smith Flying Solo On Next LP, But It Won't Sound Like It").

The limited-edition 7-inch single "Pretty (Ugly Before)" was released in August on Seattle indie Suicide Squeeze Records, and the previously unreleased songs "Splittsville" and the instrumental "Snowbunny's Serenade" appear in the film "Southlander: Diary of a Desperate Musician," directed by Silverlake resident Steve Hanft, who's helmed videos for Beck. After limited theatrical showings, the movie was released on DVD October 7.

In June, Smith performed on the second stage of the Field Day festival in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which was headlined by the Beastie Boys, Radiohead and Blur. A brief tour of the U.S. followed. He was scheduled to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Los Angeles on November 9.

Yellowcard Free Show And Album Stream! - Yellowcard will be doing a free show before the L.A. Kings game this Saturday, October 25th, right in front of the Staples Center! Set begins at 6:30pm. For those of you that don't have the record yet, the band has added an audio stream of "Ocean Avenue.

Skate And Surf Festival 2004 Dates Announced - The dates for next year's Skate and Surf Festival have been announced - April16th-18th.

New Found Glory In The Studio - New Found Glory is back in the studio this week and you can be there for every minute of it. Webcam, Live-Broadcasts, Cheetah video updates, and more! No info about release dates yet. More info can be found at www.newfoundglory.com

Dropkick Murphys to Rock a Hockey Game - In what is possibly the first punk rock hockey concert ever Dropkick Murphys will perform live at the FleetCenter on Saturday November 15th immediately after the Boston Bruins game against the Vancouver Canucks. You read right, the NHL Boston Bruins. Get further details.

The Queers/Manges Split Release - The Queers have a new split release out with The Manges on Stardumb Records. The Queers tracks feature Dusty Watson, Dick Dale's drummer.

Check out their MP3s here.

Tiger Army in the Studio - Even as you read this Tiger Army is in the recording studio working on their forthcoming album entitled III: Ghost Tigers Rise out on Hellcat Records in April 2004. From what we've heard the new album promises to be the best Tiger Army album yet. The band will be in the studio all this month before stopping work on the record to hit the road with Rancid in November. For the most current dates, rely on http://www.tigerarmy.com/

Foundation Tour W/ Dave Smalley - Foundation an acoustic side project by Rob from Ann Beretta is set to tour with Dave Smalley of Down By Law and Dag Nasty fame, to promote the latest release. This is sure to be a great tour if you're lucky enough to live on the east coast. Dates:

11/7 philladelphia, PA NORTH STAR w/ DAVE SMALLEY
11/8 NYC CBGB's GALLERY w/DAVE SMALLEY
11/9 arlington,VA IOTA w/DAVE SMALLEY
11/10 va beach, VA TBA solo
11/11 chapell hill, NC TBA solo
11/12 columbia, SC uncle doctors solo
11/13 TBA TBA solo
11/14 ft lauderdale, FLA TBA w/DAVE SMALLEY
11/15 orlando,FLA WILL's w/DAVE SMALLEY
11/16 pensacola FLA HANDLEBAR w/DAVE SMALLEY
11/17 birmingham, AL CAVE 9 solo
11/18 atlanta, GA TBA solo
11/19 lexington KY TBA solo
11/20 charleston, WV TOKYO ROSE solo
11/21 charlotte,NC TREMONT w/DAVE SMALLEY
11/22 chalotesville, VA TBA w/DAVE SMALLEY

Craft Sticks Changes Name to Beyond Your Eyes - After playing CalEXPO at this years California State Fair, Craft Sticks found themselves without a lead singer. Two days before their performance at Expressions Studios http://www.expression.edu Rikki auditioned. The rest is history. She did great at Expressions and gelled with the band for their performance at Boardstock 2003. With Rikki's addition and the band's music taking on a more hardcore edge, they decided to change their name to Beyond Your Eyes. Check out their new site and sounds.

New School, New Site - After going 3 years with the same site, New School Records. site, just launched a new version. The new site has much more content with a more friendly navigation system. Check it out at www.newschoolrecords.com.

Further Seems Forever On Tour - Don't miss your chance to see Further Seems Forever on tour with Beloved, Zao, and Armor For Sleep. Do not miss this tour. Make your plans now.

10.27.03 – Dallas, TX – The Door
10.29.03 – Tucson, AZ – Skrappy’s
10.30.03 – Las Vegas, NV – Skate City
10.31.03 – Anaheim, CA – Chain Reaction
11.01.03 – Anaheim, CA – Chain Reaction
11.02.03 – San Diego, CA – The Scene
11.03.03 – West Hollywood, CA – Troubador
11.05.03 – San Francisco, CA – The Pound
11.06.03 – Portland, OR – Nocturnal
11.07.03 – Vancouver B.C. Canada
11.08.03 – Seattle, WA – Graceland

J18/Digger Tour Cancelled - Junction 18 has had their two week tour with digger cancelled. they are going to be trapped out in utah unless they can hop on some shows to get them back east to boston. they are willing to play for gas money. so far, they have october 29th in utah and november 2nd in minnesota. they need dates between those two shows and another 4-7 shows to get back towards boston. if you can help please contact chris.

Tooth & Nail/Solid State Showcase This Wednesday - If you live in the New York City area, you will not want to miss the insanity that Tooth & Nail and Solid State are bringing your way. The showcase is going down this Wednesday, October 22nd at Downtime in the heart of Manhattan. Unfortunately, Watashi Wa will not be playing the showcase as previously planned, but Underoath will take the stage in their place. This show will be sick. You are advised to get your tickets now. Seriously. Go. Tickets are $10 in advance or with a flyer and $15 day of show. Doors open at 5pm.

Fighting Jacks Debut In Stores Tomorrow - That's right, the Fighting Jacks are delivering you the highly anticipated goods. Their debut album, "The Dying Art Of Life," hits stores tomorrow and is teeming with intense melodies and irresistible hooks. If you haven't heard this band yet, check out the e-card or mp3.com to hear songs from "The Dying Art Of Life." And then hit up your favorite record store tomorrow.

Well that’s going to wrap another week in Duane’s Pit Stop. And remember if you should have any information or you just want to talk smack to me, I can always be reached at dkleyva@musictap.net Have a great weekend and drink beer.