New Dealers Music Blog

Metallica and the Dawn of Thrash

2008-03-16T15:12:00.002-06:00

Visit The Marquee Magazine @ http://www.marqueemag.com/

Aural Amphetamine/ Metallica and the Dawn of Thrash (DVD) / MVD Video

As the title implies this video focuses on Metallica and their rise to fame.

There are some interesting parts like when one of the movies “thrash experts” tries to explain that Motley Crue is actually an important part of Thrash’s rise.

Another humorous moment comes when thrash bands are compared, with much seriousness, to The Grateful Dead.

The Panel of “thrash experts” includes members of Megadeth, Machinehead, Diamond Head and Laaz Rocket who spend most of their time recounting the appeal of early Metallica albums and their own theories about the scene.

For an unauthorized video of Metallica and random stories about the thrash scene this movie works. Hardcore fan even find some tidbits that they weren’t aware of.

A definitive film about the history of the thrash scene still needs to be made. This is a good distraction in the meantime.

DJ Hippie

Dengue Fever / Venus on Earth

2008-03-15T16:26:00.008-06:00

Visit The Marquee Magazine @ www.marqueemag.com

Dengue Fever / Venus on Earth / M80 Music

I got to say the music on this disc is decent even when it veers off into sounding like a slinky 70’s style spy movie soundtrack. What I personally don’t like is the “I’m a poor Cambodian waif” routine that singer Chhom Nimol brings to the table. I think the current “cute girl” rock sound that is in current fashion is as deplorable as the boy band trend that once ruled the airswaves. Thankfully guitarist Zac Holtzman lends his vocals to a few songs including “Sober Driver” the best track on the disk.

I certainly don’t here any psychedelic music here, as the press release promises, just music that makes you want to invoke some random mythical spirit.

Fans of the band will surely like this release and hopefully the bands time at SXSW will help them as advance their careers. The albums not bad, just not my cup of rice wine for the most part.

The album has done well since its release and the band is launching a full scale tour with some important festival dates added.

Get more info on Dengue Fever @ http://www.myspace.com/denguefevermusic

DJ Hippie

The Gaslight Anthem "Senor and the Queen"

2008-03-07T16:17:00.007-07:00

--Visit The Marquee Magazine @ http://www.marqueemag.com/--

This four song EP buy New Jersey based band The Gaslight Anthem creates a good balance between old school punk and the cleaner style of new punk rock.

The best track "Senor and the Queen" is easily the albums best cut. It's not quite razor sharp punk it more like dull kitchen knife punk. That is a compliment by the way.

The next two tracks "Wherefore Art Thou, Elvis" and "Say I Wont" stays basically in the same vein as the title track.

The last cut "Blue Jeans and White T-Shirts" takes a more mellow path and has almost an country feel to it.

Overall if you are a fan grab this up, if you've never heard of the band before pick up one of their other efforts. Get more info @ http://www.myspace.com/thegaslightanthem

DJ Hippie info@newdealers.com

New Monsoon Helping Jam Bands Grow

2008-03-07T11:19:00.009-07:00

--Visit The Marquee Magazine at http://www.marqueemag.com/--

This album has been out for a minute but I'll still give it some love here. Although my tolerance for "Jam-Bands" is limited to The Grateful Dead and The Black Crowes, who are really a pseudo "Jam Band," I have watched New Monsoon grow over the years.

Their fifth effort simply titled "V" is as strong musically as their live album "New Monsoon live at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival" Part of the strength comes from the utilization of producer John Cutler who produced several killer albums with The Grateful Dead including "In The Dark" that finally brought The Grateful Dead some mainstream acceptance with the single "Touch of Grey."

The album also offers a ton of diverse musical styles that offer something for even the most discerning fan. Over all the album is as kick-ass as a after-show grilled cheese fried up by some backwoods hippie. A suggest you put the pipe/bong down and go buy this disc

The Band recently stared a lengthy tour that features a two-night stand here in Denver and an appearance at Wakarusa. You can find out more at www.newmonsoon.com

--DJHIPPE- info@newdealers.com

2007-01-21T22:56:00.000-07:00

There are few bands these days that will get me out in sub-zero (I’m writing from Denver) temps to go a club the has exorbitant drink prices and a normal caliber of clientele that makes Pairs Hilton seem like a extraordinarily smart blonde. Couple that with the fact that this particular club, “The Shelter,” is the same club where Denver Broncos player Darrent Williams was partying at when he allegedly got into an altercation that got him murdered, and it should be pretty clear how strong my love for the band I’m about to review is.

The band happens to be Digital Underground, the hip-hop crew that was formed in Oakland, California and is best known for their song “The Humpty Dance” as well as being the launching pad for the late Tupac Shakur. Digital Underground is easily one of the most talented and underrated groups in hip-hop and it’s sad to see them playing in such a cesspool of a club, as opposed to the packed arenas they deserve. Still, I’m willing to brave it for a band that sits among Guns and Roses, The Black Crowes and The Rolling Stones as one of my all-time favorite bands.

Digital Underground also happens to be one of the few bands I enjoy a personal relationship with. During my somewhat brief career as a concert promoter, that actually came about as a result of having to drive to Aspen to see the band years ago, I brought the band to Denver for their first show in the area where they sold out the joint (A “Deadhead” bar called Quixote’s,) quickly. I subsequently brought the bands leader Shock-G, whose alter ego is the famous Humpty Hump for his first solo tour in support of his great album Fear of a Mixed Planet As a side-note, for all you aspiring promoters, let me tell you the job isn’t as glamorous as it sounds and the real money in the business is made by plying people with liquor and not from selling tickets.

That said, it’s Shock-G, and his partner in crime Money B, that make Digital Underground such a great band. They have a passion for their craft that is rare, especially in the “Bitches and Hoes” world that is hip-hop and rap. While the bands mainstream success was brief the bands music is some of the best out there. If you even remotely like rap, or Parliament style funk for that matter, you owe it to yourself to seek out and absorb Digital Underground albums like Sex Packets, Sons of The P and the mind-blowing masterpiece that is The Body-Hat Syndrome. But I digress, and as they say in show business “on with the show.”

After a few backstage libations the band hit the unusually small stage (about the size of a walk-in closet) at Midnight at proceeded to deliver a hefty dose of the distinctive “D-Flow” funk that they are famous for. Unlike many groups, Digital Underground regularly switches up it’s set lists and this particular show saw the band running through classic verses from “Rhyming on the Funk,” “Kiss You Back” and the show stopping “Freaks of the Industry” among others gems. Shock-G also took to the piano and laid down some killer riffs before donning his trademark Humpty Nose to send the crowd into frenzy with the side-splitting lyrical boasting of the aforementioned “Humpty Dance.” By the end of the show the crowd was in a state of elation and DU left the stage proving they are still the best, and most consistent, hip-hop crew around.

DVD Review: Elvis, still a hero to most....

2007-01-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

Elvis Presley
The Ed Sullivan Shows
Image Entertainment

For Members of the Web 2.0 Generation the Ed Sullivan Show may seem like an ancient relic of days long gone. Yet in its heyday the show was considered the equivalent of a popular Myspace page or, for the less idealistic, an appearance on American Idol.

With that considered it’s fair to say that Presley’s three appearances on the Ed Sullivan show were paramount in not only cementing Presley’s image in the American conscious but also, along with "Beatlemania," helped launch America’s, and eventually the world’s, infatuation with celebrity.

Presley’s appearances on the show, all occurring between late 1956 and early 1957, made him both a hero to the youth and an enemy of the state. By the time his final appearance on the show (January 6th, 1957) rolled around, his influence had become so bothersome to the moral majority that the show refused to let the cameras shoot him below the waist. The contrast of this, compared to today’s flesh-bearing television standards, is a stunning, and somewhat disturbing, reminder of how much America has changed in the last fifty-years.

Presented in a lavish three-disc set, all three shows are included in their entirety and provide a great keepsake for hardcore fans. They also provide a time warp like glimpse of the creation of one of music’s biggest stars for younger fans.

These days it’s hotly contested, especially by the hip-hop community, if Presley deserves his long standing title as “The King,” but there is no denying that in the late 50s Presley’s popularity made the success of American Idol look like boring reruns of C-SPAN senate hearings.

Brandon Daviet

A new, revealing book about the Murder of Dimebag Darrell

2007-01-14T17:07:00.000-07:00

For music fans few events, if any, in the last decade carry the same weight and significance as the murder of guitarist Darrell “Dimebag” Abbott. While there were a relativity small number of fans present at the December 8th, 2004 show, held at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, featuring Abbott’s post Pantera band Damageplan the event has a profound effect on music fans the world over.

In addition to the loss of one of rock music’s most charismic and talented guitar players, the senseless tragedy also clamed the lives of Nathan Bray, Erin Halk and Jeff Thompson and forever changed the lives of those who were present on that fateful night. Despite what some critics of “Heavy Metal” have said the actions of killer Nathan Gale, an allegedly deranged fan, contradict everything that true metal-heads stand for. For the generation of fans that grew up on bands like Anthrax, Slayer, Metallica and, of course, Pantera this is our Altamont, a moment that forced us all to take stock of what we really stand for when we pledge our allegiance to Heavy Metal.

In his forthcoming book A Vulgar Display of Power: Courage and Carnage at the Alrosa Villa writer Chris A. explores the solidarity of the metal community, the heroic actions of Officer James Niggemeyer, who provides the books foreword, as well the Columbus Police Department and the fans who were there. What the book is not is a glorification of killer Nathan Gale, but rather a story of triumph over evil.

The following is a conversation with author Chris A. about the book and his experiences writing it. You can get more information about the book, scheduled for publication in March, at the Authors Website.

Newdealers.com: What originally interested you in doing this book?

Chris A.: Well the whole event really kind of bothered me, and I don’t think I had felt that way since John Lennon was killed. It was just one of those things that I had a lot of questions about, and I was always very skeptical about the break-up of Pantera being the cause. I was also very interested in the other three people who were killed that night, and there was very little in the media about them. Their stories seemed to be obscured by Dimebag's celebrity so I started to do some digging.

Newdealers.com: What did you find out?

Chris A.: Well, after I went on line and did a little poking around. I discovered that were really very few things of any merit that had been written, so I got the Idea in my mind that maybe it was something I could do.

Newdealers.com: At one point, in a 2004 interview with Metal Hammer magazine, Phil Anselmo had said that Dimebag “deserves to be severely beaten,” how much do you think that statement might have influenced Dimebag’s murder?

Chris A.: I looked into that aspect a great deal and the fact is that nobody knows. Obviously if he [Nathan Gale] heard about it or read about it, one could suspect that it may have influenced him. As far as finding anything absolute or concrete that he was even aware of the interview, there wasn’t anything.

Newdealers.com: Did you speak with members of the Columbus Police Department in your research for the book?

Chris A. Yes. I spoke with the Homicide Detectives, Ambulance Crews. I spoke with the families of the victims and the mother of Nathan Gale as well as speaking to tons of fans. I probably corresponded with close to 200 people while researching the book.

Newdealers.com: After doing all this research do you think that there was anything that could have been done to prevent this from happening?

Chris A.: Well hindsight is always twenty-twenty, but as far as culpability goes I would put the culpability squarely on the shoulders of Gale. I’m not aware of any precedent to his actions, I never found any instance of somebody actually getting on-stage and killing a performer. I think the biggest misconception is that there was something that the venue missed. I think the security at Alrosa Villa that night, and this is based on my opinion, was no better or no worse than the security at other clubs that I’d seen. We’re not talking about somebody getting drunk and starting a fight or smoking weed. We’re talking about an armed intruder coming into a club with a mission to kill people, and I don’t know of a single venue anywhere in the United States that has a protocol to deal with that.

Newdealers.com: Do you think that the level of aggression present in the type of music that Damageplan, and other bands of the same ilk, are playing had anything to do with the tragedy?

Chris A.: I absolutely, totally reject that and that is part of the thesis of the book. It’s very easy to take a negative, narrow view of Heavy Metal based on what happened. What the book is going to very clearly explain is that the killer was not a fan, and he was not enamored with Pantera or Dimebag for the reasons people think he was. Looking beyond that it is absolutely inspiring and amazing that so many people stayed around and tried to help. When the police showed up there were 250 people milling around the parking lot waiting to give statements. One of the detectives, Bill Gillette, said that in his nine and a half years of working homicides he had never seen that kind of cooperation.

Interview by: Brandon Daviet

Faster Pussycat Returns...

2007-01-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

Faster Pussycat
The Power and the Glory Hole
Full Effect Records

For me Faster Pussycat along with Guns N’ Roses and Motley Crue represent the holy trinity of 80s rock. While there were many other bands from that period that adequately represented the essence of the Sunset Strip and the Hollywood way of life Faster Pussycat had them all beat when it came to projecting vibes of sex and sleaze. On top of that the band just flat out rocked, their first, self-titled album and Wake Me When it’s Over are some of the best of the era. The bands third album, Whipped, wasn’t anything to sneeze at either even though it was eclipsed by the rising popularity of grunge rock.

That said, I was ecstatic when I heard that the band was finally releasing their first proper studio album in 14 years. Now that I’ve listened to it a few times my reaction is a bit mixed. It’s sort of like a close, straight, long-time friend of mine who took a lengthy sabbatical and upon returning announced that they were gay. Now of course this person is still my friend, as I believe in personal choice and only hate people who earn it, but we don’t have as much in common anymore.

To break this down to musical terms, I’m saying that The Power and the Glory Hole is still the Faster Pussycat I know and love in many respects but the new elements are a bit alien to me. There are still great grooves on songs like Sex, Drugs and Rock N’ Roll, Number One With a Bullet and the Betty Blowtorch penned Shut-up and Fuck but the band is missing the melodic sensibilities that graced tracks like Poison Ivy, Non-Stop to Nowhere and Smash Alley.

Of course, as anyone who heard The Newlydead’s, or Taimie Downe’s stint in Pigface for that matter, knows that Downe’s tastes started leaning to industrial beats and tempos and S&M visuals long ago. While this isn’t the same Faster Pussycat that put the sleaze in the L.A. club scene, I admire Tamie’s resolve in following his musical heart. The Power and the Glory Hole is not a bad record by any means just a bit different than before, sort of like the friend I mentioned earlier.

Brandon Daviet

A Few Words with Unearth's Trevor Phipps

2007-01-12T15:49:00.000-07:00

Un-swayed by the trends of their Peers and the wants of the music industry, Massachusetts band Unearth is currently touring in support of their latest record Unearth III: In The Eyes of Fire. The album is a fiery blast of uncompromising metal at its best .In addition; the band has just started a run of dates opening for the mighty Slayer.

Unearth and Slayer will be pulling through Denver on January 31st for a show at the Fillmore Auditorium. The show promises to be a sweaty night of heavy music at its best and the bill also features hometown heroes Cephalic Carnage.

The bands business savvy singer Trevor Phipps took a minute to fill Newdealers.com in on some of the details of life in a rock band.

Newdealers.com: So you are just starting a Tour with Slayer , Do you have a favoriteSlayer record?TP: Seasons in the Abyss. Bad ass Album

Newdealers.com: What do you do to keep busy on the road?

TP: I keep busy with my label Ironclad Recordings. I am always on the phone, computer or my blackberry getting things done for the label. I handle a lotof the Unearth business as well. Besides that, I try to exercise every dayand take walks around each city to see some different sights. At the end ofit all, we party hard at night after the show.

Newdealers.com: Do you write songs while you're on the road?

TP: Rarely. We are most proficient when we are home for a while.

Newdealers.com: What song do you look forward to playing live most?

TP: It varies from time to time, but right now it is "Giles". We have beenopening most of our shows with that tune and I get real amped to go outthere and get the show underway. On top of that the song is aggressive asall hell, so it is a good one to get stoked about playing.

Newdealers.com: Is being in a band everything you thought it would be when you wereyoung?

TP: Pretty damn close. I wouldn't trade my life for anything.

Newdealers.com: Are you going to do more touring after the Slayer Tour?

TP: Yeah, we never stop! We are doing a headlining European tour in March andApril and there are talks of more worldwide touring after that.

Newdealers.com Does the band play the same set list every night?

TP: We mix up the order of songs almost nightly and we trade a couple songs inand out of the set every couple of days. We need to keep it interesting forus and for the fans that have come out to see us more than once.

Newdealers.com: How much importance do you put into making music videos?

TP: Music videos are a great way to get people to visually see what you band isall about, so to me it is a video is very important. Growing up a fan ofmetal, I couldn't wait to see the "World Premiere" of my favorite bandsvideos.

Newdealers.com Do all five members travel on the same bus?

TP: Hell yeah, we have a damn good time with each other on the road. Living, playing and partying with your band mates makes for a closer overall unit. Those guys are some of the closest friends I have ever had. I wouldn't wantto be in a separate bus.

Newdealers.com: Blondes say they have more fun do you think that is true?

TP: Well, my fiancé is a blonde. Does that answer your question?!

Interview by: Brandon Daviet

Car Bomb's debut album sounds like, well, a Car Bomb...

2007-01-05T13:40:00.000-07:00

Car Bomb
Centralia
Relapse Records

Release Date 2-6-07

Car Bomb is an aptly appropriate name for the four member New York band responsible for this 11 track slab of hardcore noise metal. The funny part is that the press release describes the album as being full of “vicious jazz-inspired blasts.” Truth be told, it is the shameless compunction of comparing this album to jazz that’s vicious.

While the album could be mistaken for a explosion it would be more accurate to say that the album is a great example of what would happen if you juiced-up a group of high-school kids with low SAT scores on Ridilan and set them loose in a room of full of tuned musical instruments and a P.A. hooked to a distortion pedal. It’s also important to add that the high school where these kids were plucked from obviously has little or no arts budget.

I would also suggest whatever snowboarding, electric guitar playing A&R person that signed this band to Relapse Records be subjected to a lengthy and thorough internal review and possible public flogging. If this is the future of metal it is certainty nothing to be jazzed about.

Brandon Daviet

Compilations Still Rock...

2007-01-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

Music Ration Entertainment Presents:
A Murderous Mix
http://www.musicration.com/

Back in the early days of Heavy Metal and Thrash, the compilation album was a fun and effective way to get the music of new bands to new people. Many bands like Metallica and Exodus, just to name a few, contributed songs to compilations by now famous labels like Megaforce and Metal Blade records.

That’s the same theory behind this new compilation CD from Music Ration Entertainment. A Murderous Mix contains 18 tracks of the best up and coming Industrial and Hip-Hop artists and also serves as a teaser for the new Sound of Mass Production release The Treatment.

In addition to two tracks and a music video by SMP, there are tracks by The Marginal Prophets, Dimension Zero and Tankt.

Now you’re probably asking why should I give two shits? Well, unlike a movie soundtrack that is usually made up of left-over songs, bands normally put their best foot forward when contributing to a compilation. Check out A Murderous Mix and judge for your bad self.

Brandon Daviet

Just a liitle More Patience...

2006-12-28T19:17:00.000-07:00

Just a Little More Patience…
By: Brandon Daviet
For fans of Guns N' Roses 2006 was supposed to be the year they had been waiting for. Early in the year, at a release party for Korn’s album See You on the Other Side to be exact, the elusive Axl Rose commented that the long awaited new Guns N' Roses album Chinese Democracy would be released by the end of the year. Of course for fans there were plenty of reasons to be skeptical even in the light of such good tidings.

For starters, Chinese Democracy had been in the works for well over a decade and the last time Rose and the band emerged from seclusion they canceled a 2002 world tour just as it was picking up steam. The reason for the tours demise is still somewhat unclear although Rose hinted, sometime later, in an interview with radio DJ Eddie Trunk that he simply wasn’t the ready.

Rose’s comments that Chinese Democracy would be released in 2006 gained a lot of steam in May when the band announced several sold out shows in New York, and more surprisingly completed a lengthy European tour that was well received by fans and critics alike. Not long after their triumphant return from across the pond the band, along with new guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, launched their first lengthy string of U.S. shows since the aborted 2002 tour.

While the U.S. portion of the “2006 Chinese Democracy North American Tour” rolled along smoothly, by GNR standards at least, news on the albums progress was largely scarce to non-existent. For all but the bands inner circle the only real proof that Chinese Democracy was even being recorded came in the early months of 2006 when a high quality demo of a new Guns N' Roses song called I.R.S, was leaked and played on the radio.

To add to the brewing excitement, the song was leaked to the radio by New York’s Mets catcher, and self admitted music fanatic, Mike Piazza, who only said that he received the song in the mail on a CD that also included rough versions of the songs T.W.A.T and Better. Rose’s lawyers quickly issued a cease and desist but the songs quickly made their way into the hands of many fans through underground trading networks. Many magazines and newspapers around the country did stories on the new songs and the impending release of the long awaited album. Guns N' Roses fever was higher than it had been in years. There was also a fair amount of speculation that Rose himself may have allowed the tracks to be leaked in an attempt to gauge fans interest in the new album.

In October the bands manager Mark Mercuriadis (Who was recently fired as a result of the albums not being released as promised according to a statement from Rose himself) told Rolling Stone that Chinese Democracy would be released on one of then 13 remaining Tuesdays of the year. Many fans were hopeful that the album would be released in time for Christmas and Guns N' Roses would prove all the haters wrong. The frenzy over the album became so great that offshore betting sites, like Bodog.com, were making odds on whether or not the album would actually see the light of day in 2006.

Being a diehard Guns N' Roses fan, I too got caught up in the overwhelming excitement and being that the tour wasn’t coming anywhere near my home base of Denver I decided it was time to do a little gambling myself. I decided to travel to see the band play on December 10th in a 9000 seat convention center in a small suburb north of Seattle, Washington. When I booked the trip I was still hopeful that the album would actually be out and the show might feature some previously un-played new songs; that was of course considering that the show actually happened

Don’t get me wrong, Appetite for Destruction, as well as the Use Your Illusion albums are some of the greatest rock records ever made but I’m one of those types that would rather see a band when they have fresh material. On top of that I always felt that the Illusion albums, and the tour that followed them, were a great and enthusiastic step forward for Guns N' Roses and I couldn’t wait to see how the new songs translated live, but we’ll get to that part of the story in a minute.

The Use Your Illusion albums gave the withering carcass of rock and roll the same booster shot that the Rolling Stones had administered in 1972 when they released their double-length masterpiece Exile on Main St. Just like Exile the Illusion albums had their share of radio friendly hits, but just under the surface is a much darker musical undercurrent that really made the albums standout. In addition to hit singles like November Rain and Live and Let Die the two CDs were packed with stunning and soul bearing documentations of rock and roll excess.

Of course much of this was a result of the band spinning out of control under the pressure of massive success and personal addictions. Guns N' Roses, just like the Stones before them, were finding it hard to separate art from reality. Unlike the Stones, Guns N' Roses didn’t survive the storm they had created, and after a lengthy, chaotic tour the band self-destructed. But like any good drama it is this chain of mind-boggling events that have made Chinese Democracy the mythical album it has become no matter what happens when, god willing, it’s released.

By the time I actually left to see the band in Washington it was clear to everybody but the staunchest optimists that the album wasn’t coming out in 2006. Still, I was excited to hear the few new songs that the band was playing. The show in Washington was for the most part an amazing experience. Axl proved hands down that the new Guns N' Roses are far from the all-star cover band that some have accused them of being.

Instead the new Guns N' Roses are a highly talented group of musicians trying to live in the shadow of a legacy and, for the most part, doing an excellent job. More importantly the new songs, most notably I.R.S. and Madagascar, were just as potent as any of the other, better known, songs performed that night.

Axl and company were in fine form and even though I was disappointed that the album wasn’t out yet, I was reassured that Chinese Democracy would be released sooner that later because no band works this hard to achieve nothing. While the original band was legendary, in a warped, cartoon character sort of way, the new band is much closer to Axl’s vision of a great rock and roll band.

When it comes down to it Guns N' Roses still has the one thing that made them so great in the first place: Axl Rose’s terminal insanity. If you think about it that’s what makes Appetite for Destruction, or to be even more specific, the ending verse of a heartfelt but mostly paint by numbers ballad like Patience, so amazing. The listener gets to here Axl Rose lose his mind within the context of a song. This isn’t the failed film-school student buffoonery of Jim Morrison or the calculated theatrics of Alice Cooper but rather the genuine result of Rose’s working through his various demons.

And it’s those very demons that are still holding the band together while threatening to rip it apart at the same time. Shortly after I returned from the show Axl Rose issued a statement confirming what most rationale people had figured out, Chinese Democracy wouldn’t be out in 2006 and he was canceling the last few shows on the tour to finalize the albums release. This time Rose went so far as to announce, without promising, that the album would now come out in on March 6th, 2007.

In the end it seems clear that both Rose and his management believed they could get the Chinese Democracy out by the end of the year. In the end it probably came down to the logistics involved in releasing with proper promotion. While the gesture of a 2006 release was noble it simply wasn’t realistic in this era of a corporate owned music business. It’s likely that Rose’s failure to get the album released this year has only strengthened his resolve to make sure that album is out as soon as possible. While 2006 was a good year for fans of Guns N' Roses I have faith that 2007 will prove to be an even better one. Like many other fans I will be spending yet another year patiently hoping for Chinese Democracy.

A Season in Hell With The Rolling Stones

2006-12-27T21:16:00.000-07:00

Exile on Main St. (A Season in Hell with the Rolling Stones)
By: Robert Greenfield
Da Capo Press
If you’re a fan of the numerous, and occasionally noteworthy, DVDs that are released documenting the physical creation of great albums from the time a band clocks into the studio until the minute they clock out then Robert Greenfield’s new book about the making of The Rolling Stones classic double album, Exile on Main St. then this probably isn’t your best bet.

That’s simply because instead of your run-of-the-mill tale of marathon knob tweaking and the search for the perfect lyric Greenfield has crafted a book about the Stones that is much more about the human condition, and its faults, than studio wizardry.

The book lovingly details the period of time that the Stones, who were forced to leave England to avoid astronomical back-taxes, spent in the South of France. The focus of Greenfield’s study is more on the tensions between the band and the entourage of people that that were present at the time than on the music that was being created. It’s also fair to say that the vivid recollections of many of these people provide the books best moments.

Of course, the mass amounts of drugs that were present at the mansion also play a large part in making the story so interesting. Anyone who has ever wondered about the lure of Heroin, Cocaine and their effects on the creation of music will find the book a dark telling of the realities.

Unlike many books about the Stones, Greenfield’s story paints accurate, if somewhat deflating, pictures of both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards without trying to over analyze the pairs relationship. Being that most of the book takes place at the Villa Nellcote, where Keith Richards took up residence, the book also offers a great look in to what makes Richards such an outstanding guitar player.

The actual songs that appear on Exile are largely left undiscussed, with Happy being the only track that get any serious examination, but the wild mood swings and not so random debauchery that were in play during the albums creation are objectively examined from every angle.

Towards the end the book also takes a great look at the Stones recent appearance at the half-time show of Super Bowl XL. Overall, this is truly a refreshing, objective and relevant book in a marketplace that has seen way to many skewed and biased opinions on the “Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World.”

New Dealers Staff

Tranformers Trailer

2006-12-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

There is a new Teaser Trailer for The Transformers online @ http://www.transformersmovie.com/main.html

This looks a lot better than I expected. It may give Spider-Man a run for the money as best geek movie of the year. I think is sucks the they changed Bumble Bee into a Mustang but other than that I am stoked to see the movie and I'm sure many other geeks are actually stroking themselves over this trailer.

New Wu-Tang Album Coming!?

2006-12-21T16:14:00.000-07:00

Some good new from Wu-Tang Clan, if it comes to be true. If you are a Wu-Tang Clan I highly suggest you read The Wu-Tang Manual by the RZA.

Newdealers.com

From Wutang Clan's Web Site

"Re-United with Rifkind For One More Album In 07
© The Wu-Tang Corp.- 2006-12-21

SRC Records CEO Steve Rifkind recently announced that he has reunited with the Wu-Tang Clan for a new album. Wu-Tang, who first came to prominence via Rifkinds now-defunct Loud Records, have not released a group album since 2001. During their six-year hiatus, all nine members of the New York rap collective have released solo albums. The groups most infamous member, ODB (born Russell Tyrone Jones), died in 2004 from an accidental overdose while recording his third solo project. "I just got off the phone with Divine and RZA from Wu-Tang, we are coming back, we are joining forces for one album, coming up in 2007," said Rifkind via a video on his blog, thelabel.blog.com. "I dont know what the name of the album is but we are back, its official. Wu-Tang and Steve Rifkind are back together." Rifkind is also credited for breaking rap acts like Mobb Deep, Big Pun and Xzibit, among others. His current SRC roster includes Akon, Remy Ma and Pharoahe Monch."

Clear Papers Cool But Need Work.....

2006-12-18T20:23:00.000-07:00

I just tried out some of these new clear rolling papers that are all the rage around High School Smoking areas and on many a college Campus.

Now of course I only use these papers to smoke tabbaco as anything else would be illegal and probaly better for you. But I am stone cold afraid of the man. (Definition of Sarcasm).

Now this is a really cool idea but in my extensive tests (I used the "Smoke Clear" brand) these papers need some work.

First make some fucking regular size papers, this wide and cigar size shit is weak. Is your target demographic pre-pubescent rap fans if so I'm pretty sure your breaking at least one law.

Next make the papers adhesive out of something that stays rolled longer than ten minutes and doesn't burst in to flames. I can't help but stress this enough. The whole idea of a cigarette is to have something that can be put ou and re-lit at will, it is also nice if you don't singe your hair doing it.

Some stores sell these for $5.00 a pack, this is almost as bad as paying Phillip-Morris to kill you. Save your money and stick with Zig-Zags.

DJ HIPPIE

2006-12-13T23:29:00.000-07:00

GHOSTFACE KILLAH
FISHCALE
DEF JAM RECORDS

If you go back to the second disc of Wu-Tang Clan's double album masterpiece Wu-Tang Forever you'll notice that the first track on the disc issues a spoken word proclamation informing would be M.C. that there is no room in the game for "fake ass cat in the hat rappers." Many may be wondering why the Wu-Tang Clan felt qualified to issue such a strong decree.

The answer is rather simple Wu-Tang is light years above anybody else in the rap game as Wu-Tang rapper Ghostface Killah is poised to show the world, once again, with his new album Fishscale.

While Newdealers.com was only sent a 3 song sampler of the new album the three new track, plus two snippets not even worth mentioning here, are solid proof that Ghostface is one of the worlds sharpest M.C.'s capable of morphing his style to fit what ever is on his mind.

The CD's first track Be Easy is a bouncing club banger that challenges today's rappers to put a little more craft and a lot less bravado in their music. The track has been burning up mix tapes for months and features killer production mastermind Pete Rock.

The Second track Back Like That starts off sounding like a siplme exercise in R&B until Ghost's vocals star it turning the track into razor sharp song about a woman who’s done wrong. Even when Ghost takes off his gloves with taunts like "did you swallow his kids" he dose it with an air of class that most rappers can't even fathom.

The third track Kilo pair's Ghost up with fellow Wu-Tang Alumni Raekwon on a classic dope rhyme that declares if you want to shed the rags you got to earn the riches. While the track is no Incarcerated Scarfaces it is a god jam and should properly hype fan up for the sequel to the Raekwon/Ghostface classic Only Built For Cuban Links.

All in all this sampler show that Ghost is out of the slump he found himself in with the Pretty Toni album and is again at the top of his game. Ghostface has just launched a lengthy U.S. tour (By rap standards anyway). You can find more info at Wu-Tang's official site.
bdaviet@newdealers.com

Twisted Sister on Jay Lenno

2006-12-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

Usually I'm not a fan of Christmas Music but This Rocks....

Twisted Sister, who have been dangling sporadic live shows, without a full scale tour, in front of fans for years have finally ponied up a new album. But it's not what you think, the band has made an album of covers of Christmas Classics. Yes, there are probably a few estranged members of the PMRC crying blaspheme right now but its actually cool. OK, not as cool as King Diamond's "No Presents for XMAS" or the performance of "Little Drummer Boy" on the Dick Van Dyke show but still cool. Check http://www.twistedsister.com/ for more info...

www.newdealers.com

Whitesnake Ready to Rock

2006-12-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

Rockers Whitesnake are set to release a new album next year called "Good to be Bad" The album will mark the groups first album of new songs in a grip.

The band has also just released "Live in the Shadow of the Blues," a live document of their last world tour. Here is a teaster clip (Windows Media Player) for a track called "Ready to Rock" to wet your appitites and panties!

http://www.spv.de/eng/whitesnake/multimedia.html

BDAVIET

2006-12-06T17:52:00.000-07:00

Dirty Blonde: The Diaries of Courtney Love
By: Courtney Love
Faber & Faber Publishing
They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but if you could "Dirty Blonde” would be a shoe in for one of the best of 2006. That said, Courtney Love, along with “My Name is Earl’s” Jaime Pressly, gives some style and grace to the tag “Trailer Trash.” In many ways love is the original Suicide Girl, you know she is a freak (In a good way) but cleans up mighty nice too.

While not as highbrow or high-profile as say Paris Hilton, Love is one of the most attractive, engaging celebrities to grace the headlines on a regular basis. Part Autobiography and part coffee table material, “Dirty Blonde” is a testament to everything Courtney.

Laid out like a scrapbook/diary “Dirty Blond” is a vivid collection of pictures, words and memorabilia (Like a great self-typed resume that lists her role in ”Sid and Nancy and her short stint as the singer of Faith No More) that attempt to make sense of Love’s controversial and at times tragic life. Being a guy myself, the book was a unique look into the mind of a woman I would date in a heartbeat.

For women, except Condoleezza Rice perhaps, the book will probably have a more personal feel. I imagine that many girls and probably a few feminine guys, probably had, or still have, something like this stuffed between their mattress and box spring.

There are no new revelations about the Death of Love’s husband Kurt Cobain in “Dirty Blonde,” but the book does paint a nice portrait of the couple’s relationship. There are also a few great excerpts concerning Cobain and Love’s less than friendly run-in with Axl Rose. There are also some interesting insights into Love’s crowning achievement thus far, her band Hole.

The book opens with a hilarious introduction from Carrie Fisher, who most oxygen breathing people is better know as Princess Leia Organa from the Star Wars Movies, and provides a fun peek into the life of a true “Dirty Blonde.”

NEWDEALERS STAFF

2006-12-05T21:03:00.000-07:00

NEW DEALERS TOP TEN ALBUMS OF 2006
Disclaimer: If by some miracle Axl Rose actually gets “Chinese Democracy” out by the end of the year it will take the top spot. We are confident in this after hearing various leaks and demo’s as well as witnessing some of the new songs live. Check out http://www.gunsnroses.com/ Plus this is only rock and roll and is not congressional record.

#1 / The Melvin’s / A Senile Animal / Ipecac Records
Released in October “A Senile Animal” gets Newdealers.com's vote for best album of the year for a few simple reasons. For one, it rocks. Second, by sticking to their guns Buzz Osborne and the rest of the Melvin’s have been in the music game so long that their style of music that their music, once defined as avant-garde, now sounds keenly accessible and filled with groove. Admittedly, The Melvin's tweaked the mix a little by bringing in a second drummer and the results are astounding. We slept on this a little when it first came out but it has stayed in rotation long after we threw out the last piece of crap of that Tom Petty put out, and we normally love Tom Petty. If you are only going to buy one disc this year tell your local retailer "Make Mine The Melvins." http://www.ipecac.records/

#2 / Public Enemy / Beats and Places / Slam-Jamz Records
Public Enemy is still the best hip-hop crew around when it comes to protesting the actions of our lovely government. The group has quietly, and independently, been pumping out a treasure trove of material since they left the artistic control of the major label scene. “Beats and Places” is a collection of the best of these years including some rare tracks and a bonus DVD of self produced videos that show-up anything on MTV. http://www.publicenemy.com/

#3 / Bruce Springsteen / The Seeger Sessions / Sony Records
Springsteen’s tribute to the first amendment and folk singer Pete Seeger is a stunning collection exploring the roots of folk music and protest. The album also spawned Television’s best moment with a performance from “The Seeger Sessions” band on the Cohen O’Brian show that featured O’Brian playing a mean rhythm guitar and smiling like a freshly deflowered teenager.

#4 / The Black Crowes / Live at Red Rocks / Instant Live
One in a series of many official bootlegs (Is that an Oxymoron?) from the Black Crowes. This makes the list because it marks the first time The Black Crowes headlined Red Rocks. The show also marks the last time the band played with guitarist Marc “you won’t be missed” Ford and keyboardist Eddie Harsch, before the band started up yet another game of musician musical chairs. http://www.instantlive.com/

#5 / Bob Dylan / Modern Times / Columbia Records
Not a groundbreaking release from Dylan and there are certainly other records in his cannon that should have gone # 1 on the record charts. Still “Modern Times” is tribute to artist longevity, something sadly missing these days, and a grooving record to boot.
http://www.bobdylan.com/

#6 / Peeping Tom / Self-Titled / Ipecac Records
No, Ipecac records are not paying us to make the list twice but Mike Patton’s long awaited project was well worth the wait. While it’s not Faith No More by any means just hearing Norah Jones curse is worth the scratch to buy this one. http://www.ipecac.com/

#7 / Jerry Lee Lewis / Last Man Standing / Artist First Records
“The Killer” cranks out an albums worth of his favorite covers, all featuring duets with big-name musical alumni. Highlights like Lewis and Bruce Springsteen on “Pink Cadillac” and Jimmy Page helping redo “Rock and Roll” makes this the years best guilty pleasure.
http://www.jerryleelewis.com/

#8 / Johnny Cash / American IV: The Man Comes Around / American Recordings
A haunting, self-eulogy from the “Man in Black” that proves that Cash remained a rebel until the very end. This is the kind of music that gives one goose bumps. Cash was one of the most important, stand-up figures in the history of American Music. http://www.johnnycash.com/

#9 / Faster Pussycat / The Power and the Gloryhole / Full Effect Records
Motley Crue may have lived it better but nobody puts-out the sleazy vibe of 80’s Los Angeles better that Faster Pussycat. If these guys weren’t in a band they wouldn’t be pumping gas they’d be filming porn. http://www.powerandthegloryhole.com/

#10 / Neil Young / Living with War / Reprise Records
Neil Young’s middle finger to President Bush and the war in Iraq is a bit uneven. Just uneven enough to show that it was made from pure emotion and not from the desire of capitalist gain. Young has also recently released live tracks from his Bridge School Concerts on I-tunes and issued the first in his long awaited archives series. http://www.neilyoung.com/

2006-12-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

GONZO
Hunter S. Thompson
AMMO BOOKS
Just in time for the holiday season AMMO books releases their first offering: Gonzo. Gonzo is a fitting tribute to the legacy of journalist Hunter S. Thompson. The book was actually started by Thompson himself, and after his untimely death the book was lovingly finished by editors Steve Crist and Laila Nabulsi.
Gonzo opens with a forward from Thompson’s friend and co-conspirator Johnny Depp and is presented in a dizzying array of dynamic colors and fonts.
Released in a limited edition of 3000 copies, and priced at an astounding $300.00 a pop, Gonzo is a lavish collection of pictures and quotes from HST. The pictures are the main draw, many of the pictures were taken by the good doctor himself and feature some never before seen pictures of Thompson’s long, strange trip.
The quotes throughout Gonzo are nothing new but the way they are laid-out makes a good read, and the choice of quotes wraps up Thompson’s ethos on life quite accurately.
The book is divided up to represent different periods in Thompson’s life. For example, there is a section on his time with the Hell’s Angels Motorcycle gang including a picture the of the beating he received from them. There are also a number of pictures and quotes from his time covering the 1972 presidential race between Richard Nixon and George McGovern.
While the price and limited availability make Gonzo an item viable for fans only it is a stunning exercise in excess that I can only imagine Thompson would approve of.