Duane's Punk Pit -- March 30, 2003

Welcome back to another week in Punk Rock news. We have the line-up for the Download Festival. We have news for the UK as well some great news for here in the States. I want to say thanks to Laura in Ontario, Canada for the great sound bites and pictures. I loved your '61 Gibson SG; that’s a sweet guitar. Please don’t use that instrument for Punk. With that having been said, let's get on to the goods.

Download Festival News!!!! --

The current lineup for the Radio 1 / Kerrang! stage at the Download Festival is:

Saturday 31st May:

A
Hatebreed
Sikth
Stampin’ Ground
Funeral For A Friend
From Autumn To Ashes
Shadow’s Fall
Arch Enemy
Murder One

Sunday 1st June

Mudvayne
Spineshank
One Minute Silence
Raging Speedhorn
Chevelle
Brand New
Taking Back Sunday
The Blood Brothers
Instruction
Pacifier

There are still a few more slots unfilled - more news on these as we get them.

Triple Crown Signs A Heart Attack -- Long Island's Scraps and Heart Attacks have signed with Triple Crown Records. An LP should be out sometime in the fall.

Taking Back Sunday On Jimmy Kimmel -- Taking Back Sunday has announced that they will appear live on the Jimmy Kimmel Show on May 14th. Yes, that's right, so mark your calendars. The show will be taped live in CA at 9pm PST, so it can air at midnight on the East Coast.

Amazombies Album Stream -- Go-Kart Records announced that the Amazombies upcoming album "Bitches & Stitches" is available as an online stream. According to the label, all of the 12 tracks can be listened to online. The Amazombies album "Bitches & Stitches" will officially be released April 8th and is already available for pre-order.

Starflyer 59 MP3 -- Starflyer 59, has a new mp3 up called "Underneath". This is the first taste off their new album, which is set to hit stores May 20th. The new album is on Tooth and Nail Records and will be entitled "Old." Check out the song here.

White Stripes -- http://www.ford.com/en/default.htm. The White Stripes are going to perform a four-night residency on talk show 'Late Night With Conan O'Brien'. The duo will perform a different song each night they appear, and are expected to play selected tracks from eagerly awaited new LP 'Elephant', which is released next Tuesday (April 1). The band follows up the release of 'Elephant' with the first single from the LP, 'Seven Nation Army', scheduled for release through Third Man/XL Recordings on April 21. The B-sides are both covers - one of traditional standard 'Black Jack Davey' and Brendan Benson's 'Good To Me'.

Small Comp, Big Names -- Good Thief Records (Orange County, California) released "The Under Garden" -a compilation of all unsigned bands. This comp was worked on by an ex-pro surfer & MTV host, people at Hurley International, and an ex-member of Guttermouth, and features musicians who used to be the US Bombs, White Caps and The Shutdowns. Most of the bands are brand new underground bands that are being introduced through this comp. www.goodthiefrecords.com

The Reunion Show/Nerf Herder On Tour -- The Reunion Show and Nerf Herder are heading out on tour for a quick East Coast tour starting March 27th. Dates can be found at thereunionshow.com or nerfherder.net.

The Used On Fox Sports Net Today -- The Used will be appearing on Fox5 today (Editor's Note: My bad, this date is passed), in a special feature. Cameras followed them around on their tour, and put together a tv worthy presentation. Their sold out show at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood will also be featured.

Fan Contributions Save Paul Westerberg's DVD -- A DVD that was recorded on Paul Westerberg's recent tour will be released later this year, Vagrant Records owner Rich Egan told Billboard.com. According to Egan, the bulk of the footage was provided by Westerberg fans who videotaped shows.

Alternative Tentacles DVDs -- Alternative Tentacles are getting on the information bandwagon in a big way with four big DVD releases. The first is a reissue of a Butthole Surfers live video from 1985 called Blind Eye Sees All-Live in Detroit. Noam Chomsky has a double DVD lecture he gave at Harvard in late 2002, in which he discusses the war on terror. The other two are documentaries about the punk scene. D.I.Y or DIE discusses independant artistic vision with Ian Mackaye, Mike Watt, J Mascis, Ron Asheton, and Dave Brokie. Rage: 20 Years of Punk contains interviews and live footage from all your favorites Circle Jerks, Christian Death, Dead Kennedys, Germs, TSOL, and US Bombs.

Jawbreaker Tribute -– I really pumped for this one, Dying Wish is now in the process of recording a tribute album to one of the most influential bands of our generation, Jawbreaker. The compilation will be comprised of about 15-20 brand new, unreleased Jawbreaker covers from a range of different bands that have all been inspired by this legendary band. The list includes: Bayside, Name Taken, Kill Your Idols, Riddlin Kids, Face to Face, Big Wig, Sparta, Fifteen and many more. Look for this release to drop early this summer.

These Arms Are Snakes Signs To Jade Tree -- Seattle, WA's These Arms Are Snakes will be calling Jade Tree home, as they recently joined the growing Jade Tree roster. With members who have participated in such Northwestern luminaries as Botch, Nineironspitfire, and Kill Sadie, These Arms Are Snakes pedigree is only but a touchstone for the band's progressive aggression and passionate chaos. The band will be recording their debut, "This Is Meant To Hurt You" CD EP with Matt Bayles (Blood Brothers, Isis) at the end of April for an August 12 release date (available for preorder June 17). Until then, enjoy the MP3 from the band's unreleased demo.

August Premier Update -- For those of you who hadn't heard, Fueled By Ramen Records have signed Chicago, IL's August Premier. The group was featured on last years "Plea For Peace" compilation, and we had been talking to them ever since we heard their track on the CD. Rory Phillips, who has produced Slowreader, The Stereo, and Kissing Chaos, made the trip up to Chicago to record August Premier at Sean O'Keefe's Rosebud Studios. O'Keefe is the producer of the upcoming Fall Out Boy record, to be released May 2003. The August Premier debut full length is slated for a summer release. For more information on the band, please check www.fueledbyramen.com

Classic Filth Gets Warped -- Classic Filth has announced that they are going to be on all 44 dates of the 2003 Warped tour and have also signed a new ska band out of WI named, I Voted For Kodos! The new EP from the band will be out this MAY, just in time for their US tour and Warped Tour. You will be able to pick it up on all dates and on www.classicfilth.com.

The Offspring Vs Guns 'n' Roses -- It seems everyone except Axl Rose has had a good chuckle over the proposed name of the next Offspring album. The Offspring have been planning to call their next album "Chinese Democrazy (You Snooze You Lose)". At least that was the proposed name until Axl Rose caught wind of it. The Offspring report at their website that they have been sent a 'cease and desist' letter from Rose's lawyers. Axl didn't find any humour in the similarity of The Offspring's album title compared to his never ending saga 'Chinese Democracy' (Undercover Media).

More Yellowcard tour dates. -- Friday, more Yellowcard tourdates were announced. The band is going to be touring with The Ataris, The Juliana Theory, and Further Seems Forever from April 1st until April 18th, and then with Rufio and Lagwagon from the 21st through May 17th. For the full list of tour dates go to http://www.yellowcardrock.com/shows.cfm

Cave In Tour Dates With Foo Fighters -- Cave In tour dates opening for the Foo Fighters have been added in the tour section. Confirmed dates start in Los Angeles on April 18th and span the southern states up to Philadelphia, PA. As more dates are confirmed we will add them accordingly.

Smackin' Isaiah Becomes A Wilhelm Scream -- Smackin' Isaiah has decided to change the name of their band. Their website lists numerous reasons and explanations, but basically they had simply grown out of it and were tired of seeing it taken out of context. The band's new name for their new record will be A Wilhelm Scream. Read the news on their website to find out what the new name means.

Kid Dynamite Openers -- The openers have been announced for the Kid Dynamite reunion / benefit shows. The first two dates will include Strike Anywhere and The Curse. The third will feature Trial By Fire and one time reunion by of Grey Area. The dates are listed by the promoter as the final Curse shows ever. The band's website has yet to announce any breakup however.

With all that finished, I want any readers who have information regarding the Punk genre, you're more than welcome to share your information with me at dkleyva@musictap.net. Any up and coming bands who want us to review your CD, just let us know as well. With that final thought, please, let's all be good humans and play more Punk..less junk. Peace.