15 Years Dead, Cobain Gets a Strange Tribute

Last week, the famous (or infamous, depending on your politics) cartoonist Ward Sutton did up a full page comic in the Village Voice in remembrance of Kurt Cobain’s death 15 years ago this April.

It basically pokes fun at stardom and fandom and (more importantly) stereotypes. Kurt thinks twice about killing himself, lives on and dies in the year 2051 listening to The Melvins. Along the way he becomes a diva ala Axl Rose (nice switch, Ward!) and recluse. His bandmate Dave Grohl becomes “the guy who killed Nirvana and a studio session hack — bassist Krist Novoselic becomes merely “destitute.” And Kurt honeybun, Courtney Love, has a critically-acclaimed career as the leader of Hole.

Hysterically twisted. Check it out here in an online slideshow.

Then, yesterday, Sutton wrote an unneeded  column for Huffington Post on Kurt’s death, and how it effected his life. The summary of his thoughts? Here ya go:

“… we can’t stop fantasizing about what died-in-their-prime rock stars would have accomplished if only they’d lived a full life.”

btw, this is all much better than another post on Cobain on the 9th of this month, with a headline that questions whether Cobain will be forgotten or not. C’mon Arianna. Please.

For an even more skewed and ignorant opinion on Kurt, listen to Axl Rose mouth-off on the Nirvana singer (got to wonder if Axl’s really expressing concerns about himself here):

(Note: Axl continues this ultra-trash talk to this day, even harshly dissing his former bandmates. What a douche. It’s hard for me to even listen to that guy anymore.)

But for some straight-forward insight into who Kurt Cobain was, watch Krist Novoselic explaining Kurt in the video below:

Jimmy Page’s Autograph Most Treasured

It seems that among living rock stars, Jimmy Page’s John Hancock is the most prized (and expensive).

One of the reasons for that is the sad fact that, according to houndstv.com, Page and the other members of Zeppelin were voted worst autograph-givers. Page actually stated recently:”I’m kinda finished with that.”

Nice.

Isn’t that kinda what Plant said to him about recording with Led Zeppelin again?

btw, the best autograph-signer was Angus Young of AC/DC (looking pretty hardcore in photo below).

For related items that you may enjoy:
• Download Guide to Alice Cooper (PDF download)
• Check out the book on classic guitars: “Classic Guitars, Identification and Price Guide,” By Nick Freeth
• And click here to check out the latest Goldmine record price guides

Manowar to Record in 15 Different Languages

…except the only one that really matters: Cro-Magnon. Seriously, this is the kind of pretentious shit that Manowar has been doing their whole career.

Yep, one song on their new album will be in 15 different languages. The English version of the song will probably be enough. I know it will be for me.

I am starting to wonder, however, if Manowar were ever on steroids. Their music certainly has been. How about a new tag for them: “Steroid Metal”? Hey, that pretty much sums up their form of metal! It really does. After all, real men play on ten, no? It sounds more appropriate than their current tag: “The Undisputed Kings of Metal.” (Does anybody really believe that?)

The new, yet untitled, multi-lingual song will make its debut at Monowar’s own Magic Circle Festival III on July 18, 2009 in Germany. (Where else??!!! And will they sing it in German?) Original drummer Donnie Hamzik will be on tour with them, too.

Below is a promotion for their latest DVD, which includes a documentary of a nearly 6 hour Bulgaria performance and the band performing the Bulgarian national anthem with full orchestra and choir.

You can’t make this stuff up.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Discuss New Album On BBC 6 Music And XFM London

New York’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs (pictured above in a Josh Wildman photo) recently spoke to BBC 6 Music and XFM London about their latest album, It’s Blitz.

Karen O spoke with BBC 6 Music about how the new album differs from their previous recordings:

“I guess an electronic and more synthesized sound felt right this time.

“We moved away from the raw rock that we recently did and freed up the direction for something new.”

She also talked with BBC 6 Music about how the band felt concerning the leak of the album to the Internet before its official release:

“We were really excited about building this excitement around the new record.

“So it knocked the wind out of our sails a little bit at first.

“But at the same time we were lucky because there was a pretty positive reception with the leak.”

To read an article from BBC 6 Music about their interview with Yeah Yeah Yeahs, click here.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs interview with DJ John Kennedy of XFM London’s Xposure program can be heard by clicking here and then clicking the individual audio links.

Kanye West Blogs About His Hurt Feelings Over South Park Parody

Kanye West has blogged about his feelings concerning the rip job that Comedy Central’s South Park did on him in its most recent episode. I haven’t watched South Park regularly in years, but I did watch this episode online after reading about it. It is absolutely hilarious. I think people will be yelling “Do you like fish sticks?” at Kanye for years to come. Still, Kanye should be grateful that South Park‘s parody of him didn’t reach the level of their parodies of Tom Cruise and Paris Hilton. (I still can’t believe that Hilton didn’t sue over that one!)

In his blog, West wrote (all in capital letters, for some reason) about his ego (NOTE: The typos are his, not mine):

“SOUTH PARK MURDERED ME LAST NIGHT AND IT’S PRETTY FUNNY.

“IT HURTS MY FEELINGS BUT WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM SOUTH PARK! I ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON MY EGO THOUGH. HAVING THE CRAZY EGO IS PLAYED OUT AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE AND CAREER. I USE TO USE IT TO BUILD UP MY ESTEEM WHEN NOBODY BELIEVED IN ME. NOW THAT PEOPLE DO BELIEVE AND SUPPORT MY MUSIC AND PRODUCTS THE BEST RESPONSE IS THANK YOU INSTEAD OF “I TOLD YOU SO!!!”

West went on to write how he wants to improve himself:

“IT’S COOL TO TALK SHIT WHEN YOU’RE RAPPING BUT NOT IN REAL LIFE. WHEN YOU MEET LITTLE WAYNE IN PERSON HE’S THE NICEST GUY FOR EXAMPLE. I JUST WANNA BE A DOPER PERSON WHICH STARTS WITH ME NOT ALWAYS TELLING PEOPLE HOW DOPE I THINK I AM. I NEED TO JUST GET PAST MYSELF. DROP THE BRAVADO AND JUST MAKE DOPE PRODUCT.”

He also opined that he hopes pepole realize that he’s not a “douche”:

“EVERYTHING IS NOT THAT SERIOUS. AS LONG AS PEOPLE THINK I ACT LIKE A BITCH THIS TYPE OF SHIT WILL HAPPEN TO ME. I GOT A LONG ROAD AHEAD OF ME TO MAKE PEOPLE BELIEVE I’M NOT ACTUALLY A HUGE DOUCHE BUT I’M UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. I’M SURE THE WRITERS AT SOUTH PARK ARE REALLY NICE PEOPLE IN REAL LIFE. “

To watch the South Park episode featuring the Kanye West parody in full on the Comedy Central Web site, click here. (NOTE: This is the uncensored version. If profanity offends you, consider yourself warned.)

To watch a clip from the episode (which will seem out of context unless you’ve viewed the full episode), click here.

If Kanye West didn’t say things to the music press like that he is “the voice of this generation,” perhaps more people would think he was “dope” and not a “douche.” Just a thought. When the ego is bigger than the talent, trouble (and parodies) are bound to follow.

For more on this, see the article from NME.com.

Happy Easter

CLASSIC VIDEOS: Hawkwind — “Silver Machine”

For a classic song. 1972 with Lemmy (the future Motorhead God, of course) singing.

I also like a later video without Lemmy singing (below — and who the hell knows who’s in the band at this point!). The music sounds a little more punk, which I like.

Hawkwind. Underrated. Great band. Great name. (If it were simply Hawk… “Hawk” would not be a good name for anything or anybody).

Aerosmith and ZZ Top to Tour US Together (??!!)

Kind of one of the weirder on-tour matchups. But three dates are already down late this summer (Irvine, CA, Kansas City, MO and St. Paul, MN ). And you know Aerosmith won’t pull a Black Crowes on ZZ*.

And Aerosmith promises to come out with a new album this year (don’t hold your breath, though).

In the meantime, maybe the Aerosmith gang can grow some nice beards for this tour to be more in-sync. (I’m trying to envision it.)

*The Black Crowes … opening for ZZ Top on a tour sponsored by Miller Beer, from which they were fired in March 1991 after Chris Robinson sarcastically remarked about commercialism on stage.

FREAKY FRIDAY LYRICS: Mercyful Fate — “A Corpse Without a Soul”

Mercyful Fate — “A Corpse Without a Soul”

Listen, I’m a corpse, I’m a corpse,
I’m a corpse without soul
Satan, he’s taken, he’s taken,
He taken his toll

I was walking down among the graves
I heard a cry, my shadow is gone
Emptiness in my body, life in the cold
Small black wings on my naked back
Now guess what I saw on one of those stones
I saw my soul in a magical haze
It was all dressed up as corpse in a wedding dress
Small black wings on my naked back
Now hear my prayer, begging for mercy
I’m just living to die

Listen, I’m a corpse, I’m a corpse
I’m a corpse without soul
Satan, he’s taken, he’s taken
He’s taken his toll
Listen, I’m a corpse, I’m a corpse
I’m a corpse without soul
Satan, he’s taken, he’s taken
He’s taken his toll

After ten years of Corporate America, I think I finally understand what King Diamond was screaming about in this song.

The Specials Begin Their Comeback With An Appearance On The BBC’s Later With Jools Holland

UK ska legends The Specials started their comeback by performing two songs on the Tuesday, April 7th edition of the BBC-TV music program Later with Jools Holland. The Specials, making their first TV appearance since 1981, performed “Gangsters” and “A Message To You, Rudy.” Both songs sounded superb. And thanks to You Tube, you don’t have to take my word for it. You can watch the clips by clicking in the appropriate places below:

Gangsters:

A Message To You, Rudy:

BBC 6 Music’s Web site features an article about The Specials’ appearance on Later with Jools Holland that says that, in addition to their already-scheduled UK tour dates, they may appear at this summer’s Glastonbury festival as well. To read the article, click here.

The Specials’ UK tour starts on April 22nd in Newcastle and runs through May 15th. In July, they will be appearing in Ireland and Australia. There haven’t been any North American dates announced yet. Hopefully, those dates will be forthcoming. Fingers crossed.