The Offspring’s self-released demo tape from 1986 has found its way to YouTube.
Passion Pit Frontman Shares Essay About Mental Health
Passion Pit frontman Michael Angelakos has shared an essay on Facebook about mental health and horrific blog comments:
So in this tent, I had entered the lion’s den. It was the culmination of all of my childhood pain, but actualized on such an absurdly profound level, in that I was playing a show for a bunch of people I was absolutely certain did not like me, were not looking to be impressed but looking to watch me fail, and were, in fact, the comment section. They were my nightmare. And I was going to perform for them. Smiling.
And then I had, what I later learned, a literal breakdown. In front of the audience. That was not the art. But it was perceived as the art. It was perceived as insane, as melodramatic, as a cry for help. It was beyond a cry for help — that cry had been ignored, had been dismissed, had been mistaken for the antics of a “snowflake.”
Sponsor: My Thanks to Bitter Pills
My thanks to Bitter Pills for sponsoring the website this week. The band recently released their new EP, Night Season, and you can check it out on iTunes, Apple Music, and Spotify. This EP feels like it was ripped from what everyone on AbsolutePunk was listening to around the Anberlin Cities-era.
‘Star Wars Rebels’ Renewed for Fourth Season
Star Wars Rebels has been renewed for a fourth season:
Star Wars Rebels is set to return for a fourth season, Lucasfilm announced today, premiering later this year on Disney XD. Production is already underway. Marc Buhaj, senior vice president, programming and general manager, Disney XD said, “The team behind Star Wars Rebels delivers epic storytelling that has captivated fans of all ages across the globe. We’re excited to continue sharing the journey of these fan-favorite rebels with our audience in the fall.”
Dance Gavin Dance – “Inspire the Liars” Video
Dance Gavin Dance has debuted their video for “Inspire the Liars.”
Lucky Boys Confusion Perform for 101 WKQK
Lucky Boys Confusion performed at 101 WKQK’s live studio. They debuted two new songs during the performance.
LANY – “Good Girls”
LANY have released their new song “Good Girls” on Spotify and Apple Music.
Cold War Kids – “Can We Hang On?” Video
Cold War Kids video for “Can We Hang On?” has been unveiled.
Chris Shiflett Offers Small Foo Fighters Update
Chris Shiflett spoke with NME about the future of the Foo Fighters:
“I don’t know what our plans are, but we’ll make a new album when the time is right,” said Shiflett of their next record. “There will be a new Foo Fighters at some point.”
Western Addiction – “Your Life Is Precious” Video
Western Addiction have released a video for “Your Life Is Precious.”
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Portugal. The Man – “Feel It Still”
Portugal. The Man have released their new song “Feel It Still.”
The Shins – “Painting a Hole”
The Shins have released their new song “Painting a Hole.”
SXSW Details Their International Artist Agreement
South by Southwest’s managing director Roland Swenson has issued a statement in response to some of the stories circulating yesterday about the festival’s artist agreement with international acts. The official statement can be read below.
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Spotify Hits 50 Million Paid Subscribers
Spotify has reached 50 million paid subscribers.
Write Better Songs (Encore Episode 144)
On this week’s episode of Encore I am joined by special guest Jesse Cannon. Jesse has credits on albums from The Menzingers, to Man Overboard, to The Cure. He has managed bands, produced bands, and has written multiple books about the music industry and navigating the current realities of being a musician and a songwriter in the internet era. He joins the show to talk about everything from authentic creativity when writing songs, to originality in music, to the biggest mistakes bands make when recording. We talk about sophomore slumps, how being emotionally aware leads to better music, and the entire idea behind bands writing albums for themselves versus for the fans. There’s a lot here, but it’s a fun one.