News – Page 51 – 7th Level Music

shame announces new album and massive 2023 tour.

Today, shame announce Food for Worms, their explosive new album out February 24th on Dead Oceans, and present its lead single/video, “Fingers of Steel.” In conjunction, the band announces their biggest headlining tour to-date, with stops in Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Chicago and more. Following 2021’s Drunk Tank Pink, “the sound of a band stretching into new shapes” (Pitchfork), shame finally arrive at a place of hard-won maturity on Food for Worms, which frontman Charlie Steendeclares to be “the Lamborghini of shame records.”

Food for Worms marks a sonic departure from anything they’ve done before, and – for the first time – the band are not delving inwards, but seeking to capture the world around them. Abandoning their post-punk beginnings for far more eclectic influences, Food for Worms draws from the sharp yet uncomplicated lyrical observations of Lou Reed, as well as the more melodic works of 90s German band Blumfeld. They called upon renowned producer Flood (Nick Cave, U2, PJ Harvey) to execute their vision. “I don’t think you can be in your own head forever,” says Steen. A conversation after one of their gigs with a friend prompted a stray thought that he held onto: “It’s weird, isn’t it? Popular music is about love, heartbreak, or yourself. There isn’t much about your mates.”

The “Fingers of Steel” video, directed by James Humby, sees the band work 19-hour shifts creating fake social media accounts to like, follow, and comment on their own material. Of the video,Steen says: “Self-obsession, social media flagellation and death can all be seen in this Oscar-nominated performance. No one’s ever done a video like this before and when you watch it, you’ll see why. Think Casablanca, but in color, and better.”

WATCH SHAME’S “FINGERS OF STEEL” VIDEO

On one hand, Food for Worms calls to mind a certain morbidity, but on the other, it’s a celebration of life; the way that, in the end, we need each other. The album is an ode to friendship, and a documentation of the dynamic that only five people who have grown up together – and grown so close, against all odds – can share.

Back in 2018, around debut album Songs of Praise, shame were at the vanguard of a transformative scene that changed the underground music landscape in the UK; paving the way for artists soon to come. Then, Steen suffered a series of panic attacks which led to the tour’s cancellation. For the first time, since being plucked from the small pub stages of south London and catapulted into notoriety, shame were confronted with who they’d become on the other side of it. This era, of being forced to endure reality and the terror that comes with your own company, would form shame’s second album, Drunk Tank Pink.

Reconnecting with what they first loved about being in a band hotwired them into making the album after a false-start during the pandemic. Their management then presented them with a challenge: in three weeks, shame would play two intimate shows and debut two sets of entirely new songs. It meant the band returned to the same ideology which propelled them to these heights in the first place: the love of playing live, on their own terms, fed by their audience. Thus Food for Worms crashed into life faster than anything they’d created before. The band recorded while playing festivals all over Europe, invigorated by the strength of the reaction their new material was met with. That live energy, what it’s like to witness shame in their element, is captured perfectly on record – like lightning in a bottle.

Food for Worms sees shame enter a new, surreal landscape, as reflected in the cover art designed by acclaimed artist Marcel Dzama. It’s suggestive of what is left unsaid, what lies beneath the surface, the farcical and fantastical everyday that we are living in, in a society where both everything and nothing is possible. Recording each track live meant a kind of surrender: here, the rough edges give the album its texture; the mistakes are more interesting than perfection. In a way, it harkens back to the title itself and the way that with this record, the band are embracing frailty and, by doing so, are tapping into a new source of bravery.

It’s through this, and defiance, that the band have continually moved forward together; finding light in uncomfortable contractions and playing their vulnerabilities as strengths. The near-breakdowns, identity crises, Steel routinely ripping his top off on-stage as a way of tackling his body weight insecurities – everything is thrown into their live show, and the best shows of their lives are happening now.

Pre-order Food for Worms

Food for Worms Tracklist
1. Fingers Of Steel
2. Six-Pack
3. Yankees
4. Alibis
5. Adderall
6. Orchid
7. The Fall of Paul
8. Burning By Design
9. Different Person
10. All The People

shame Tour Dates
Wed. Mar. 1 – Dublin, IE @ Button Factory
Fri. Mar. 3 – Glasgow, UK @ SWG3
Sat. Mar. 4 – Newcastle, UK @ Boiler Shop
Sun. Mar. 5 – Leeds, UK @ Stylus
Tue. Mar. 7 – Sheffield, UK @ Leadmill
Wed. Mar. 8 – Liverpool, UK @ Invisible Wind Factory
Thu. Mar. 9 – Bristol, UK @ SWX
Sat. Mar. 11 – Manchester, UK @ New Century Hall
Sun. Mar. 12 – Cardiff, UK @ Tramshed
Tue. Mar. 14 – Nantes, FR @ Stereolux
Wed. Mar. 15 – Paris, FR @ Cabaret Sauvage
Thu. Mar. 16 – Bordeaux, FR @ Rock School Barbey
Sat. Mar. 18 – Lisbon, PT @ LAV
Sun. Mar. 19 – Madrid, ES @ Nazca
Mon. Mar. 20 – Barcelona, ES @ La 2 de Apolo
Wed. Mar. 22 – Nimes, FR @ Paloma
Thu. Mar. 23 – Milan, IT @ Magnolia
Fri. Mar. 24 – Zurich, CH @ Plaza
Sun. Mar. 26 – Munich, DE @ Technikum
Mon. Mar. 27 – Berlin, DE @ Astra
Tue. Mar. 28 – Hamburg, DE @ Markthalle
Thu. Mar. 30 – Oslo, NO @ Vulkan
Fri. Mar. 31 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser
Sat. Apr. 1 – Copenhagen, DK @ VEGA
Mon. Apr. 3 – Brussels, BE @ AB
Tue. Apr. 4 – Cologne, DE @ Floria
Thu. Apr. 6 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
Fri. Apr. 28 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
Wed. May 10 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
Fri. May 12 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
Sat. May 13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Sun. May 14 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
Tue. May 16 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
Thu. May 18 – Montréal, QC @ Foufounes Électriques
Fri. May 19 – Ottawa, ON @ Club SAW
Sat. May 20 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
Mon. May 22 – Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe
Wed. May 24 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
Fri. May 26 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
Sat. May 27 – Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
Sun. May 28 – Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge
Tue. May 30 – Dallas,TX @ Granada Theater
Fri. Jun. 2 – Austin, TX @ The Scoot Inn
Sat. Jun. 3 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
Sun. Jun. 4 – New Orleans, LA @ Toulouse Theatre

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[Thanks to Jacob at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Raw Poetic gives out his “Digits” on his new single.

Raw Poetic & Damu The Fudgemunk by Earl Davis

MC/Lyricist Raw Poetic (aka Jason Moore) shares a new single, “Digits,” from his forthcoming album, Space Beyond The Solar System, out December 9th on 22nd Century Sound. It follows lead single “A Mile In My Head,” which features legendary saxophonist Archie Shepp “soaring above a simple piano melody…with [Irreversible Entanglements‘ Luke] Stewart’s bass driving it forward alongside a boom-bap beat and several smooth productional flourishes from Damu” (The FADER). “Digits” is immediate, with Raw Poetic’s vocals spitting over an atmospheric beat and keys. “‘Digits’ is basically about moving through the digital ages, yet being unfazed by it,” says Raw Poetic. “I like being an average joe. I like doing things in an organic way. So while the sound rides and moves into this unique digital format, we still give you what’s true to us.”

Listen to “Digits” by Raw Poetic

Although Space Beyond The Solar System could be considered a concept album by its outcome, its inception started from a string of experiments between Moore and frequent collaborator/producer Damu the Fudgemunk. These initial sessions had no specific direction but became the catalyst for what would become a prolific wave of Raw Poetic projects; five of which have been released since 2020. At two hours, absorbing Space Beyond in its entirety may be overwhelming for most, especially in the present day, but Raw and Damu are very aware of this. With a total of over 40-plus years experience between the vocalist and producer, the two of them went down memory lane taking every influence and experience in their personal histories to extract ingredients for a groundbreaking statement. Space Beyond The Solar System is their most comprehensive environment to date.

The creation of Space Beyond sparked a conversation between Raw and Damu about their creative chemistry, with Raw likening their direction to a “space beyond the solar system.” His comment was a eureka moment for the two artists, giving their wandering efforts a sense of definition that was needed. “I think we’ve been exploring music beyond our limits for a few years,” says Raw Poetic. “It’s hard to tell where we’ll land, but we are constantly pushing our way out of the norm. Hence the title, ‘Space Beyond the Solar System.’ It’s just to say, this is new territory for us. Where the sky was once the limit, now it’s just the start.”

Raw Poetic will head overseas to headline the Jazz Cafe in London April 1, 2023. More European dates to be announced in the coming weeks.

Listen to “A Mile In My Head” (Feat. Archie Shepp) by Raw Poetic

Pre-order Space Beyond the Solar System

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[Thanks to Sam at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Bass Drum of Death undergo a “Head Change” on their new single.

Today, Bass Drum Of Death share ‘Head Change’, the Zeppelin-esque third song taken from their forthcoming album, Say I Won’t, released January 27th via Fat Possum Records. Bandleader John Barrett says of the track,”We kind of wanted a mid-tempo psych stomper, and really didn’t change a whole lot from the demo. We added the dueling guitar bridge in the studio spur of the moment, and it ended up being one of my favorite parts on the whole record.” Watch the video HERE.

The band shared two tracks previously, the midtempo bruiser ‘Say Your Prayers‘ (a collaboration with Mike Kerr of Royal Blood) and the hi-octane ‘Find It‘ (the video features live footage from the band’s sold out New York show in June of this year). Say I Won’t, comes at a time of massive change for Barrett, having relocated from New York to his hometown of Oxford, Mississippi during the pandemic. The record is also a homecoming of a different sort, with the band rejoining the ranks of Fat Possum, also in Oxford, the label that released their first record GB City in 2011.

The point of an odyssey is to return home changed—still the same person, but deepened somehow, wiser and better, wearing your traveling scars proudly. Bass Drum of Death’s new album is the end result of a journey that took singer and bandleader John Barrett from a small town in Mississippi and sent him across the world and back home again. The music still rips, with blown-out guitars and drums, and the melodies are catchier than ever, hollered in Barrett’s trademark yelp. But the music hits differently now, more at peace with itself, propelled by a new swagger. Say I Won’t is the record of a veteran band finding its stride and leaning into it, stripping back the excess and finding the raw core of their sound.

“Moving back to Oxford was a much-needed reset,” says Barrett. “When I started, I just wanted to play in a punk band and drink beers and travel around. I didn’t really think much past that. And I got really burned out. When I moved back home, I started writing songs again, just for fun. I realized I wanted this record to have more of a hometown feel. The switch back to Fat Possum was easy. It’s much better working with people I know and love and love everything they do.”

Say I Won’t is the first Bass Drum of Death album written, demoed, and recorded with the touring band instead of Barrett doing everything on his own. He found a freedom in working with collaborators that wasn’t available to him before, opening different aspects of the songwriting. It was a process of live recording, layering on different parts and overdubs, and then stripping it all back to the bones of the song, keeping the raw wild heart of the music intact.

“My first two records were made entirely by me alone with my gear, my laptop, and a Snowball USB mic,” says Barrett. “They were just made quickly, cheaply, as an excuse to tour. I wanted to take my time with this record. Make something good that I was proud of in itself.”

The band recorded the new record with Patrick Carney of the Black Keys at Audio Eagle Studios in Nashville and the result is a groove-oriented, 1970’s-indebted collection of rock songs, with tempos set for cruising and scuzzy guitars galore. There’s an energy and vitality to the music that feels in line with the best of the Bass Drum songs, but with an added boost that comes from new bandmates and a new perspective.

The album finds a reinvigorated Barrett firing at all cylinders, backed by his best band yet. It’s Bass Drum of Death at their loosest and scuzziest and most tuneful, a true rock record in all the right ways. It’s a throwback by way of moving forward, sporting a maturity and swagger that comes from a decade of playing music on the road and surviving to tell about it. More than anything, Say I Won’t is a blast to listen to, music built for driving with your stereo cranked.

“I had to relearn that making music is fucking fun,” says Barrett, “and you should have fun doing it. If it’s miserable, what’s the point?” He laughs. “But man, when a song hits, it’s the best feeling in the world. That’s what this record is about. Getting back to that good place and staying there.”

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[Thanks to Jo Murray.]

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard announce 2023 U.S. residency tour and theatrical release of “Chunky Shrapnel” concert film.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are one of the greatest and most ambitious working rock bands today. This year alone, they’ve released six incredible albums and played sold-out shows all across the world (including three nights at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre and a packed show at New York’s Forest Hills Stadium), earning themselves an insatiable following. Today, they announce a 2023 North American residency tour, which will be their only shows stateside next year, plus cinema screenings of CHUNKY SHRAPNEL, their full-length concert film directed by John Angus Stewart and distributed to cinemas by Abramorama. The band will play three consecutive shows in select cities, and then will cap off with a 3-hour marathon show at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl. As pointed out in their encompassing SPIN feature, it doesn’t matter if the band is playing “in the California desert, an amphitheatre carved into the Rocky Mountains, or a tennis stadium in Queens, the Australian sextet is blowing more minds than ever, one fan at a time.” Tickets are on sale this Friday at 1pm ET.

CHUNKY SHRAPNEL is a feature length live music documentary from King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, directed by John Angus Stewart. Literally bringing the audience onto the stages of their 2019 tour across Europe and the UK, CHUNKY SHRAPNEL offers a uniquely immersive experience never before captured on film, a musical road movie dipped in turpentine. Screenings will largely take place one night only on December 7th. A full list of cities and dates can be found here.

TOUR DATES (new dates in bold)
Sat. Dec. 10 – St. Kilda, AUS @ The Palace Foreshore
Thu. Dec. 29 – Tauranga, NZ @ Wharepai Domain
Sat. Dec. 31 – Wanaka, NZ @ Rhythm & Alps
Wed. Jan. 4 – Auckland, NZ @ The Matakana Country Park
Fri. Jan. 6 – New Plymouth, NZ @ Bowl of Brooklands
Thu. Mar. 2 – Paris, FR @ Zenith
Fri. Mar. 3 – Amsterdam, NL @ Gashoulder – SOLD OUT
Sat. Mar. 4 – Tilburg, NE @ 013 – SOLD OUT
Mon. Mar. 6 – Malmo, SE @ Plan B – SOLD OUT
Tue. Mar. 7 – Stockholm, SE @ Munchenbryggeriet – SOLD OUT
Wed. Mar. 8 – Oslo, NE @ Sentrum Scene
Thu. Mar. 9 – Copenhagen, DK @ Den Gra Hal
Sat. Mar. 11 – Warsaw, PL @ Progesja – SOLD OUT
Sun. Mar. 12 – Prague, CZ @ Lucerna Velky Sal
Mon. Mar. 13 – Vienna, AT @ Gasometer
Wed. Mar. 15 – Milan, IT @ Alcatraz
Thu. Mar. 16 – Zurich, CH @ X-Tra
Fri. Mar. 17 – Lausanne, CH @ Les Docks
Sat. Mar. 18 – Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof
Mon. Mar. 20 – Brussels, DE @ Cirque Royale – SOLD OUT
Wed. Mar. 22 – London,UK @ Brixton Academy
Thu. Mar. 23 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
Thu. Mar. 30 – Sydney, AUS @ Big Top Luna Park
Thu. Apr. 6 – Byron Bay, AUS @ Tivoli
Fri. Apr. 7 – Byron Bay, AUS @ Byron Bay Bluesfest
Thu. June 1 – Grundy County, TN @ The Caverns Underground
Fri. June 2 – Grundy County, TN @ The Caverns Underground
Sat. June 3 – Grundy County, TN @ The Caverns Amphitheater
Wed. June 7 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Thu. June 8 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre – EARLY SHOW
Thu. June 8 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre – LATE SHOW
Sun. June 11 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
Mon. June 12 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
Tue. June 13 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
Fri. June 16 – Carnation, WA @ Carnation Farms
Sat. June 17 – Carnation, WA @ Carnation Farms
Sun. June 18 – Carnation, WA @ Carnation Farms
Wed. June 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Hollywood Bowl – 3 HOUR MARATHON SET

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Jacob at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Eaves Wilder releases her second single – “Morning Rain.”

London-born-and-raised musician and producer Eaves Wilder presents her second single, “Morning Rain,” via her new label, Secretly Canadian. Wilder fuses “indie rock tropes with pop to create a raucous yet melodic sound” (Clash). While her first single, “I Stole Your Jumper,” was described as “cool and vengeful” (Brooklyn Vegan), “Morning Rain” airs more on the melancholic side. It finds the 19 year old toying with the struggle of returning to school. Growing up, Eaves spent more time doodling pianos in her workbooks than paying attention to her teachers. Frustrated with having to allow another person to take control of her day, she’d long to be at home, writing music in her bedroom. “For me, school was something that postponed life from starting. I spent the entire time trying to get out of it. You spend 18 years memorizing so much information and then they turn around and expect you to know who you are and what you want, but you’re not given a chance to really figure that out.”

Watch Eaves Wilder’s “Morning Rain” Lyric Video

Eaves Wilder began songwriting around the age of eight, harnessing an early obsession with ‘60s Motown records and the left-field pop of Lily Allen. She plastered pictures of her idols on her bedroom wall, but realized in her mid-teens that it was lacking any women. From then on, she made an active effort to get into more female musicians, coming across the riot grrl movement, a discovery that completely changed her life.

She began filing her own teenage obsessions into her collection and while doing so, uncovered the ugly sides of the music world, but also empowerment in the punk feminist fanbase; how artists took ownership in male dominated spaces, and what a powerful tool community could be. Online, and in real life at shows, Eaves saw these elements in the contemporary fan bases of the bands she loved. She became captivated by the idea of reclaiming the worth of the fan girl (which she considers herself to be) and how one can be hyper-feminine without the baggage that comes with it.

Since that self-realization, Wilder has been recording, producing and releasing her own music since the age of 16. Her honest and deceptively cutting lyrics have earned widespread praise from UK tastemakers, including The Sunday Times, NME, Clash, DIY, Dork and The Line of Best Fit, which hailed Eaves as “a star on the rise” (The Line of Best Fit). Signing to Secretly Canadian in 2021, something she waited until she was 18 to do because she thought it would be “uncool” to have her mom sign her record deal for her, Eaves has now swapped her bedroom for the studio, spending 2022 co-producing a run of new music with Andy Savours (Arctic Monkeys / Black Country, New Road / Rina Sawayama).

Watch the “I Stole Your Jumper” Video

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[Thanks to Jessica at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Chicago’s newest live music venue, The Salt Shed, announces its first shows of 2023 – including The Flaming Lips, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Bikini Kill, and more.

The Salt Shed, the newest venue from 16” on Center, the team behind the Empty Bottle, Thalia Hall, Evanston SPACE, Beauty Bar, and The Promontory, today announces The Shed, the indoor performance space at the historic Morton Salt Building, and unveils its first wave of shows, the first of which is Friday,February 17. The Shed’s initial announcement features The Flaming Lips celebrating the 20th anniversary of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Bikini Kill’s first Chicago show since reuniting in 2019, a three night King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard residency, Guatemalan-American house producer/DJ Gordo, and the “Godfather of Punk,” Iggy Pop. A full schedule, also including The Roots, The Hold Steady, The Mountain Goats, Tove Lo,Third Eye Blind, Fever Ray, Viagra Boys, Boy Pablo, and more, is below.

Tickets will go on sale on Friday, November 18 at 10am CST on The Salt Shed website. More shows are to be announced.

“One of the things that really excites me about this project is continuing to work with the artists we’ve grown up with,” says Bruce Finkelman, Managing Partner of 16” on Center.“These are musicians that started at the Empty Bottle, grew to Thalia Hall, and we now look forward to hosting at the Salt Shed. I remember the Flaming Lips at the Empty Bottle way back in 1994, stopping their show mid-set to walk across a sea of fans and play a solo set on a rinky dink piano that I think came with the bar. I have never experienced a crowd so captivated, and it’s a moment that reminds me why I have the best job in the world. It’s just one of the many stories of live music magic that make our places so special.”

Following this past summer’s launch of the outdoor Fairgrounds space, the newly renovated indoor Shed will feature multi-level grandstand seating, premium experiences with access to balcony opera boxes, custom bars, and expedited entry. Quality of sound at the Salt Shed, for both audience and artist, is prioritized. The venue will feature an L-Acoustics sound system designed specifically for the space to give fans throughout the venue the same great sound experience as the world’s leading tours and festivals. Alongside concerts, the Shed will eventually host a comprehensive food, beverage, and retail experience, with plans to incorporate indoor markets and other creative events that celebrate Chicago’s artistic community into the programming.

“I have spent most of my professional life doing two things,” says Craig Golden, President of Blue Star Properties and partner at 16” on Center. “One, renovating and repurposing some of Chicago’s obsolete and historic buildings; and two, collaborating and creating a number of music venues and restaurants throughout the city. Having the opportunity to combine both passions in the presentation of this iconic Salt Shed, turned music and events venue, is truly a dream.”

As both indoor-Shed and outdoor-Fairgrounds performances continue in 2023, the Salt Shed is excited to welcome key partners into the fold: Grassroots, the official cannabis partner of the Salt Shed, will help bring an educational and forward-thinking cannabis experience to both artists and guests in 2023. Wintrust, the Salt Shed’s exclusive Banking Partner, is bringing a spotlight to local charities and nonprofits by way of customized, uniquely illustrated murals. Living on the exterior wall of the Salt Shed, this fixture aims to positively impact and bring awareness to many in the Chicago community.

VISIT THE SALT SHED WEBSITE

THE SHED 2023 SCHEDULE

Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 – Tove Lo w/ Slayyyter

Sat. Feb. 18, 2023 – Big Gigantic

Fri. Feb 24, 2023 – Viagra Boys

Sat. Mar. 4, 2023 – Elle King w/ The Red Clay Strays

Fri. Mar. 10, 2023 – Iggy Pop

Sat. Mar. 18, 2023 – The Roots

Sat. Apr. 1, 2023 – Third Eye Blind

Fri. Apr. 21, 2023 – Placebo w/ Deap Vally

Sat. Apr. 22, 2023- Bikini Kill

Sun. Apr. 23, 2023 – Nils Frahm

Fri. Mar. 3, 2023 – Gordo

Fri. May 5, 2023 – The Flaming Lips

Sun. May 7, 2023 – Fever Ray

Thu. May 11, 2023 – The Wood Brothers w/ Shovels & Rope

Wed. May 24, 2023 – Hippo Campus w/ Gus Dapperton

Thu. Jun. 8, 2023 – Tyler Childers w/ Marcus King & Miles Miller

Sun. Jun. 11, 2023 – King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Mon. Jun. 12, 2023 – King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Tue. Jun. 13, 2023 – King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Sat. Jul. 1, 2023 – The Hold Steady / The Mountain Goats
w/ Dillinger Four

Sat. Jul. 22, 2023 – First Aid Kit w/ The Weather Station

Fri. Oct. 6, 2023 – Boy Pablo

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe before you go.]

[Thanks to Yuri at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Motörhead set to unleash new version of their “Bad Magic” album – “Bad Magic: Seriously Bad Magic” – with bonus tracks and a full live album.

Motörhead, the iconic Godfathers of heavy metal, released their 23^rd (and final) studio album Bad Magic in 2015. Instantly hailed as one of the best the beloved trio had recorded in many years, Bad Magic: SERIOUSLY BAD MAGIC enjoys a bonus-packed refresh, adding two previously unreleased tracks from those furious sessions:

“Bullet in Your Brain” and “Greedy Bastards” as well as a snarling, fangs-out live performance from that subsequent tour at the giant Mt Fuji Festival in Japan in 2015. Fans will also get “War, Love, Death and Injustice”, an audio interview with Lemmy conducted by Motörhead expert Robert Kiewik during the tour, and should the desire to have a chat with Lem or anyone beyond this mortal coil arise, the box-set will exclusively contain a MURDER ONE ouija board (complete with the Ace of Spades planchette to spell out the conversation).

A new video for “Bullet In Your Brain”, featuring exclusive, never before seen footage of Motörhead in the studio for the Bad Magic sessions, is available right now. A foot-down, fist-pumping, Lemmy-bass-driven stomper with a deliciously dirty Campbell riff, and Dee-driven dynamics, both the song and footage are a tremendous treat for fans who have craved new Motörmaterial.

Watch/Listen to “Bullet In Your Brain” here

At the time of its release back in 2015, Bad Magic arrived as a massive kick in the teeth for anyone who believed Motörhead were going to amble along into a peaceful little pasture containing fluffy little lambs, folk music and perhaps the odd medieval lute here and there. Big-rig head crushers such as “Thunder & Lightning” and “Teach Them How To Bleed” brought such people to their knees begging for forgiveness, as the album unfurled into their toughest, leanest, meanest and most uncompromising album in aeons. Much of this came down to long-time producer Cameron Webb getting the band to record live at NRG North Hollywood, Maple Studios and Grandmaster in California together for the first time in the Kilmister/Campbell/Dee era, and from the crackling punk energy of “Electricity” to Brian May of Queen’s scintillating guest-appearance on “The Devil”, a vast wealth of aggression, attitude, and excellent songwriting was cultivated in that furious working environment. Phil Campbell didn’t just record possibly his finest guitars, he threw down most certainly his best solos for decades, while Mikkey Dee’s drumming found new tribal resonance with the Motörhead sound he had helped nurture. There was also one of Lemmy‘s rawest lyrical life reflections on “Till The End”, and a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy For The Devil” which made the song feel like one of their own. One of the hidden gold-dust additions to Bad Magic: SERIOUSLY BAD MAGIC, is Motörhead’s famous, and internationally acclaimed, version of David Bowie’s classic “Heroes”. Originally slated for inclusion on the last release only to be withdrawn at the last minute, it was a cover version which Lemmy had a great affection for, and as such its inclusion here is both fitting and just.

As the title says, this is Motörhead delivering some SERIOUSLY BAD MAGIC.

Bad Magic: SERIOUSLY BAD MAGIC will be released on Double 12” Vinyl, CD Digipak with Bonus Disc, Limited Edition Boxset, Digital Download and Streaming. The Limited Edition Boxset will contain the CD Digipak with Bonus Disc, Double 12” Vinyl, exclusive Lemmy War, Love, Death and Injustice audio interview on 12” vinyl and exclusive edition Motörhead – MURDER ONE Ouija Board and Planchette. Pre-order all formats at this location

Bad Magic: SERIOUSLY BAD MAGIC Track List:

1. Victory Or Die

2. Thunder & Lightning

3. Fire Storm Hotel

4. Shoot Out All of Your Lights

5. The Devil

6. Electricity

7. Evil Eye

8. Teach Them How To Bleed

9. Till The End

10. Tell Me Who To Kill

11. Choking On Your Screams

12. When The Sky Comes Looking For You

13. Sympathy For The Devil

14. Heroes

15. Bullet In Your Brain

16. Greedy Bastards

Live at Mt Fuji Rock Festival 2015 – Sayonara Folks! Track List:

1. We Are Motörhead

2. Damage Case

3. Stay Clean

4. Metropolis

5. Over the Top

6. String Theory

7. The Chase is Better Than the Catch

8. Rock It

9. Lost Woman Blues

10. Doctor Rock

11. Just ‘Cos You Got the Power

12. Going to Brazil

13. Ace of Spades

14. Overkill

Keep your mind open.

[It might be seriously bad magic if you don’t subscribe.]

[Thanks to Maria at Adrenaline PR.]

Failure to stream their first concert film on December 15, 2022.

Failure, the Los Angeles trio of Ken Andrews, Greg Edwards and Kellii Scott, have announced their first ever streaming concert film: “We Are Hallucinations.”

The concert film features a set list that spans the band’s six albums and captures the magic of Failure’s live performance.

The one-time only event debuts on Dec. 15 at 12:00 pm pacific/3:00 pm eastern/8:00 pm UK/9:00 pm EU, and remains available through Dec.18. Viewers have three full days from the time of purchase to watch the film at any time, and as often, as they would like. Tickets as well as a limited-edition commemorative poster, newly released vinyl variants for each of the band’s six albums, as well as various merch items, are available now via linktr.ee/failureband.

“This film is comprised of performances from our Summer 2022 Wild Type Droid tour of North America,” explains Greg Edwards. “It’s crazy that we have never made a concert film before, but I think this will really stand as a definitive document of the dynamic between the three of us on stage and the connection we have with our fans.”

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[Thanks to Monica at Speakeasy PR.]

Midnight Oil to release rare, raw 1982 live recording for Support Act’s Roadies Fund.

Midnight Oil are the 29^th act to throw support behind Support Act’s Roadies Fund through the Australian Road Crew Association (ARCA)’s awesome Desk Tape Series.

The Series was created by ARCA to raise funds to provide financial, health, counselling and well-being services for roadies and crew in crisis.

The recordings are made off the sound desk by a crew member. MIDNIGHT OIL LIVE at the OLD LION, Adelaide 1982 was recorded by Mark Woods, and is another fantastic tribute to the great sounds engineers produced for the early Aussie pub rock scene. This live tape is released on ARCA’s Black Box Records through MGM Distribution and on all major streaming services.

THE BAND

Peter Garrett – lead vocals
Peter Gifford – bass, vocals
Rob Hirst – drums, vocals
Jim Moginie – guitars, keyboards
Martin Rotsey – guitars

CREW

Mark Woods (sound)
Michael Lippold (stage/ production manager)
Ron “Wormy” James (lights)

TRACK LISTING

1 Written In The Heart
2 Brave Faces
3 Armistice Day
4 I’m The Cure
5 Bus To Bondi
6 Quinella Holiday
7 No Time For Games
8 Burnie
9 Cold Cold Change
10 Powderworks
11 Koala Sprint
12 Back On The Borderline
13 Don’t Wanna Be The One
14 Wedding Cake Island
15 Stand In Line
16 No Reaction

The MIDNIGHT OIL LIVE at the OLD LION Adelaide 1982 live tape and all the ARCA Desk Tape Series recordings are available through Black Box Records – ARCA (australianroadcrew.com.au) and the following: Amazon, Anghami, Apple Music / iTunes, Boomplay, Black Box Records, Deezer, MGM, Pandora, Shazam, Spotify, TenCent, Tidal, TikTok, YouTube Music.

The Old Lion show on Friday March 26, 1982 was part of a two-week run through Victoria and South Australia. At that stage, the band were doing 180 shows a year, and firing on all eight cylinders.

Rob Hirst admits: “I’m exhausted listening back to the tape, it’s relentless! We were, excuse the pun, a well-oiled machine, angry young men against the world.”

Mark Woods, who filled in as sound engineer on the run, called it the “Speed and Dust Tour.” It was hot and the tour moved at a frantic pace. Woods had just finished a run with Men At Work, with two weeks off before MAW’s first US visit. When the Oils’ run ended in Whyalla in regional South Australia, he drove 14 hours overnight without sleep back to Melbourne, in time for the Los Angeles flight with Men At Work.

Woods didn’t mind: he was a massive fan. “I thought they were the best band in the world. On this run they were at their absolute peak. Much of the set was from Place Without A Postcard, which was just released four months before, so the songs sounded fresh. It wasn’t that they were loud, it was the power. They weren’t ‘screamy’ or harsh listening, they just had a very full solid big fat sound.”

“They were all red hot players”, Woods recalls, citing how Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey’s guitars intertwined, and how the Peter Gifford/ Rob Hirst rhythm section locked in.

“I loved Giffo’s playing, he was the perfect bass player for them and at his best on this tour. There was something about his beat which worked well with Rob’s drums, they were right on the beat, really driving it forward.”

Gifford left a few years later to become a businessman in Byron Bay. Michael Lippold spent as much time on stage as the band, unravelling Pete’s mic leads from the guitarists’ legs as he danced manically about. Hirst’s drum kit had to be nailed down. Not only did he attack them with exuberance, breaking pedals and sticks, but he’d also jump into the air off his stool for greater power when he landed.

Listening to the Old Lion tape, Hirst chuckles, “It reminds me of the breakneck speeds we used to play those songs! The album versions chugged along but the live versions were 30% to 40% faster, if not faster. It’s almost as if we couldn’t wait to get to the (hire cars) and fishtail out of there!”

Also giving him a buzz on the tape were how the guitars sounded so distinctive and Garrett’s onstage patter recalling which politician or issue was irritating him in 1982. The tape shows how the Oils were starting to musically move around at that time. In 1981 when famed English producer Glyn Johns (Stones, Who) saw an Oils show at Selinas in Sydney, he invited them back to England to record in his new studio in Surrey.

“It was supposed to be our big break,” Hirst relates. “It wasn’t.” Hirst says Johns expected them to arrive with 12 fully formed songs, but he and Moginie, as the Oils’ main writers, had been unable to write songs due to the band’s hectic touring schedule. Even worse, Johns failed to capture the Oils’ live roar on the record.

Hirst: “The creativity and the song writing was getting stronger. But we were frustrated with the sound on the albums so far. They didn’t grab you by the throat and wrestle you to the ground. It was only working with Nick Launay (in 1982, on the 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 album) and disassembling the Midnight Oil live sound in the studio and starting again that we started to understand studio craft.”

Johns had a deal with A&M Records in America to release his productions. A&M wanted the Oils to go back to the studio and cut a single for the American market. The Australians gave them a two-finger salute and returned to Sydney.

The Old Lion tape captures how some of Postcard songs should have sounded. “Armistice Day” was an example of their new found song writing depth.

“I’ve always been obsessed with my family’s military history,” the drummer explains. “Songs like ‘Forgotten Years’ were about my father and grandfather’s military service. We knew as soon as we recorded ‘Armistice Day’ that no matter what happened to the rest of the album, it was going to be the lead track.”

“I Don’t Wanna Be The One” was in the spotlight when the Oils were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2006.

LIVE At The Old Lion Adelaide 1982 is the latest initiative by the Oils to support roadies and crews in crisis. Hirst readily admits that the members relied heavily on their crew, “we had the best sound and lighting guys in the business. It is the crew that helps with any band’s success.”

On their farewell tour in 2022, Hirst’s drum tech for nine years, Clem Ryan, wanted to sit it out. Rob rang him, “I’m not doing this tour until you’re doing this tour.” Long-time front of house Colin Ellis wanted to retire before the run. They talked him out of it. “Retire? You’re younger than us!”

LIVE At The Old Lion Adelaide 1982 also highlights how dedicated the fans were.

Woods recalls: “Big lads, well charged up, a happy blokey crowd which sang along, boisterous, rowdy but never unpleasant.”

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Midnight Oil’s press crew.]

Weeping Icon releases new single, “Two Ways,” ahead of a new EP due November 18th.

Last month, Weeping Icon returned after a nearly three year absence to announce their Ocelli EP (out this Friday on Fire Talk). The EP was announced with a single called “Pigs, Shit & Trash“, their first new music since the 2019 release of their thrilling self-titled debut, which generated considerable excitement, earning praise from outlets like FADER, Stereogum, FLOOD, BrooklynVegan and Revolver, who made comparison to Sonic Youth while describing the track as “so sick“.

Today, Weeping Icon are sharing a second track from the three track EP ahead of its Friday release, a single entitled “Two Ways.”

WATCH:
Weeping Icon’s “Two Ways” video
on YouTube

“‘Two Ways’ is about people who want to appear virtuous in their public facing personality, but live a contradictory shadow life in which they do whatever they please, no matter how harmful their actions are to others,” explains Sara Fantry. “It’s told through the voice of a man named Todd (yes, that’s his real name!) who I encountered a few years back. He used a harmful term towards a woman he was angry with, then accepted a long explanatory talk from me, appeared to reflect, enthusiastically told me he’d appreciated me taking the time to educate him and agreed to change his behavior, and then immediately found that same woman and started calling her harmful sexist names without a moment between. I was truly in shock at how comfortable he was with his personality being stratified into two layers – the outward-facing kind, modern man, looking to learn from the necessarily rapid changes in society – and the sinister, selfish sadist beneath who believes in his own entitlement to act with impunity.”

“The video we made (directed by Rafeal Joson & Mike Andretti, all editing and effects by MikeVideopunk) explores the stratified personality of the daytime talkshow host, who wants to appear kind, empathetic and sincere to his viewers, while goading his guests into salacious fights for his own profit, regardless of the personal and public damage done to those guests. With some humor in there, we hope to hold a conversation around the shadow of nefarious intent that lurks below so many supposedly ethical personalities in our world.”

To mark the release of the EP the band will be playing at Alphaville this Friday, November 18th. Tickets can be purchased here.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Tom at Hive Mind PR.]