Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 113

Chuck D Drops New Solo Single Today, "New Gens"

ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME® INDUCTEE & GRAMMY® AWARD-WINNING RAP LEGEND CHUCK D RETURNS WITH NEW SINGLE + VIDEO “NEW GENS” ANNOUNCES NEW SOLO ALBUM RADIO ARMAGEDDON ON MAY 16PRE-SAVE HEREApril 18, 2025 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® inductee, Public Enemy Co-Founder, and GRAMMY® Award-winning rap legend Chuck D returns with his first new solo single and video in seven years, “New Gens” featuring Daddy-O, out now via Def Jam Recordings. Listen HERE. Watch HERE. It makes way for his new solo album, Radio Armageddon, arriving on May 18. Pre-save the upcoming album, Radio Armageddon, HERE.His last solo effort was 2018’s Celebration of Ignorance. However, he’s back with a bang and he’s lyrically firing on all cylinders…“New Gens” alternates between rowdy horns, scratchy cymbals, samples from old school educational VHS tapes and even pops of distorted guitar. The soundscape proudly throws it back to the Golden Age of hip-hop—which he helped pioneer. At the same time, he adopts a fiery and fresh flow evocative of his signature delivery, yet simultaneously future-facing. He tips his hat to this era as he urges, “And don’t forget, ‘New Gens’, I love y’all, have a ball.” He still remains rap’s most poetic and prescient provocateur though, going on to muse, “We don’t know what’s behind the race, right here right now, the place to be.” It serves as the perfect prelude to Radio Armageddon, a 14-track opus that finds Chuck D in top form. Special guests include Daddy-O of Stetsasonic, Schoolly D, Philadelphia hip hop legend Phill Most Chill, Donald D and Jazzy Jay of the Universal Zulu Nation, hip hop’s first hype woman 1/2 Pint, ULTRAMAG7, NYC’s Miranda Writes and artists from Chuck’s own SpitSLAM Record Label Group: The Impossebulls and Blak Madeen.Threaded together by transmissions from “Enemy Radio,” he turns the dial to one knockout banger after another. Following the intro “Radio Armageddon,” a jagged guitar riff kickstarts the hard-hitting “What Rock Is.” As if teasing what to expect across the LP, he proclaims, “Philosophy, politics, rebellion, recovery, gimmicks, magic, inspiration, music.” Feedback echoes on “Black Don’t Dead,” and a slick beat bounces in tandem with his incendiary delivery punctuated by elastic rhymes. Among other standouts, “Is God She” layers jarring vocal echoes over a thumping bassline and otherworldly scratching and samples. Chuck D’s razor-sharp cadence cuts through the haze as he wonders, “Is God she?” Then, there’s “Carry On,” which revolves around a classic lyrical masterclass and off-kilter groove. The trip concludes with the broken-sounding synths, warbly sampling, and spacey exhale of “Signing Off,” providing a fitting finale. Check out the full tracklist below.Just five years ago, Chuck D and Public Enemy unleashed their 15th album What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down? on Def Jam in 2020. It incited unanimous applause worldwide. Rolling Stone raved, “Chuck D and Flavor Flav summon the steely spirit of their Eighties heyday for a new hour of chaos” and HYPEBEAST hailed it as “triumphant,” going on to praise “the group continues to unapologetically point out the systemic flaws that damage humanity — all while sounding at their best in decades.” NME concurred and summed it up best as “the icons’ finest effort in decades.” It boasts collaborations with Beastie Boys, Cypress Hill, George Clinton, Ice-T, Nas and more.Now, in 2025, Chuck D continues to look forward and bring the culture with him.Radio Armageddon Tracklist: Radio ArmageddonWhat Rock Is Black Don’t DeadNew Gens Station Break Rogue Runnin Is God SheStation Identification Here We Are HeardSuperbagg Carry On What Are We To YouSight Story Style Sound Signing Off

IRON LUNG release first new album in 12 years 'Adapting // Crawling' today. Curated fest kicks off tonight in Seattle.

Iron Lung Release First New Album in 12 Years - Adapting // Crawling  Today via Esteemed Imprint, Iron Lung Records

Hometown Curated What We Like Fest - Celebrating 18 Years of Iron Lung Records This Weekend in Seattle
Additional 2025 Dates Confirmed: NYC, UK, AUS, JP & More

Adapting // Crawling Official Music Videos: 
“Purgatory Dust / Virus / Purgatory Dust (Finale)” | “Cog II”

Iron Lung See No End In Sight - See Saw (Read Interview)

Label of the Month / 10 Essential Iron Lung Records Releases - Treble (Read Feature)

“Their blasts of hardcore/agit-prop are savage and unrelenting, but IRON LUNG somehow manage to imbue the negative space between blasts with an oxygen-destroying heaviness as well, perhaps the defining trademark of this group who once saw their reflection in a full-body pressurized metal chamber and decided to turn it into music.” - Matt Korvette of Pissed Jeans 

“a feverish 52-second fast-hardcore burst [Lifeless Life] - Stereogum

“a bleak and short-winded blast of hardcore, juggling anxious bouts of thrash with instrumental dropouts” [Lifeless Life] - Consequence

“Known for their ferocious commitment to the DIY ethic and their extreme, unfiltered sound, Iron Lung has always walked the line between catharsis and confrontation. This time, though, the stakes feel even higher.” - New Noise Magazine (Read Interview)

“It's a great time to listen to Iron Lung” - Heathen Disco / Doug Mosurock

“punishing, in your face punk” - MetalSucks

“a legacy that continues to inspire” - Heaviest of Art

 

For nearly two decades IRON LUNG have played an integral part in punk / hardcore and all scenes adjacent via their music and very own esteemed label, Iron Lung Records. From the beginning, duo Jensen Ward and Jon Kortland have ethically / sonically approached the world: Do It Yourself, obscure, extreme, maladjusted and utterly free from the constraints of “music” or, more widely, rules in general. Today IRON LUNG are back with their first new full-length album in over 12 years - Adapting // Crawling - a vital, 21 minute onslaught that takes head shots at mental health with specific emphasis on the exacting tolls that the past five years have taken on humanity. 

Each song on Adapting // Crawling is a newly peeled layer exposing the corrosive effects of deep depression, a failed healthcare system, heavy grief from multiple friends/family deaths, paranoia and distrust of government, meaningless existence and loss. So much loss. When time disappeared between 2020 and 2023, the loss of function, of relation, of drive, of everything was incalculable. Life goes on but we lose a little more each day. To help cope with that crushing reality, IRON LUNG finally sat down and wrote about their pain. 

In order to not be consumed by it, they built a wall around themselves utilizing an “us versus them” modality in the lyrics. All of the band’s points of view are from the “we” stance and are funneled through their long established lens of antiquated medical procedures and devices. The only times that mode breaks is when quoting an outsider view before rejecting and destroying it. The power belongs to IRON LUNG and by association, to the allied listener.

Listen / Buy / Share Adapting // Crawling: Digital | Physical

IRON LUNG celebrate Adapting // Crawling simultaneously with the label’s 18th anniversary this weekend in Seattle. Their own three day curated hometown fest - What We Like - kicks off tonight across three all-age venues: The Vera Project, Black Lodge and Beacon Cinema. Throughout the weekend, IRON LUNG are joined by 26 exceptional bands from all around the globe, plus two films, an art show and local cuisine. Tickets and more info are here. Iron Lung have also confirmed performances throughout 2025 across North America, UK, Japan, Australia, Iceland, so on, including a highly anticipated return to NYC this summer. For a full list of live dates, see below.

L-R Jon Kortland (Guitar / Vocals), Jensen Ward (Drums / Vocals) 
Photo By Christina Hamilton 

Iron Lung Live Dates:

Apr 18-20: Seattle, WA - The Vera Project * (WHAT WE LIKE Weekend)
Jun 11: Reykjavik, IS - The Bird
Jun 13-15: Copenhagen DK - Ungdomshuset (K-Town Hardcore Fest)
Jun 18: London, UK - New River Studios ~
Jun 19: Bristol, UK - Exchange ~
Jun 22: Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool
Jul 11: Brisbane, AU - Crowbar
Jul 12: Sydney, AU - Marrickville Bowls Club
Jul 13: Melbourne, AU - Fairfield Bowls Club
Jul 18: Melbourne, AU - The Tote
Jul 19: Frankston, AU - Singing Bird Studio
Jul 20: Perth, AU - Milk Bar
Jul 24: Tokyo, JP - Earthdom 
Jul 25: Nagoya, JP - Huckfinn
Jul 26: Osaka, JP
Jul 27: Osaka, JP - Bears
Jul 28: Tokyo, JP - Moonstep
Jul 29: Yokohama, JP - El Puente

*  w/ Slant, Bootlicker, Physique, Direct Threat and Crawl Space
~ w/ Bad Breeding

 

Mt. Joy Release New Single "God Loves Weirdos." Forthcoming Studio Album Out May 30

MT. JOY RELEASE NEW SINGLE “GOD LOVES WEIRDOS”

FOURTH STUDIO ALBUM HOPE WE HAVE FUN OUT MAY 30 –  PRE-ORDER
(VIA FUTURES x BLOOM FIELD RECORDS)

42-DATE NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINE HOPE WE HAVE FUN TOUR INCLUDES NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL, BONNAROO, AND GOVERNORS BALL –  TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW LISTEN
“GOD LOVES WEIRDOS”

PRE-ORDER/ADD/SAVE  |  VINYL
“HOPE WE HAVE FUN” (ALBUM)

April 18, 2025- Mt. Joy return with their brand new single “God Loves Weirdos”, out everywhere today. The track is the latest offering from their highly anticipated fourth studio album,  Hope We Have Fun , arriving May 30 [PRE-ORDER]. Following the release of single “Coyote,” “God Loves Weirdos” similarly taps into the soul of the band’s journey- long nights on the road. Layered with muted guitar and atmospheric keys, the song spotlights frontman Matt Quinn’s earnest vocals. Listen to “God Loves Weirdos” HERE.

After nearly a decade of grassroots touring and three critically acclaimed albums, Mt. Joy has cemented themselves as one of the most rapidly growing and magnetic live acts around. The band’s steady climb culminated in a banner year in 2024, selling out legendary venues like Madison Square Garden, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and more. Their 70-date North American and European headline tour sold over 180,000 tickets, a testament to the devoted community they’ve built from the ground up and on the road.

Now, as they prepare to release  Hope We Have Fun , Mt. Joy is launching into their most ambitious live chapter yet: an extensive 2025 headline tour that will see them playing to arena-sized crowds across the U.S. and Europe, as well as major festival slots including Governor’s Ball, Bonnaroo, and a coveted headlining set at Newport Folk Festival.

Recorded in bursts between tour dates,  Hope We Have Fun  is both a celebration and reflection. “God Loves Weirdos” dives deeper into life on the road, after the stage lights go out,” says Matt Quinn. “You pull into the gas station and those are your date nights — goofing around at a truck stop, looking at all the funny T-shirts. Maybe the road is pulling you apart, but then you have those moments where you're laughing and thinking, this is so fun... I love this person.’”

The album captures that surreal emotional terrain: the exhaustion and euphoria, the heartbreaks and hotel rooms, the glory and the grit. “God Loves Weirdos” is a snapshot of those moments, a reminder of the power in sticking together and dancing through the madness.

With over 1 billion global streams, six Top 5 AAA radio hits, and performances on stages from Jimmy Kimmel Live to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Mt. Joy has evolved from DIY darlings to festival headliners without ever losing their spark. Hope We Have Fun is the soundtrack to that evolution — weird, wild, and full of heart. Hope We Have Fun  is out May 30 – pre-order/add/save  HERE
1. More More More
2. Coyote
3. In The Middle (ft. Gigi Perez)
4. Pink Lady
5. God Loves Weirdos
6. Scared I'm Gonna Fuck You Up
7. Lucy
8. Groove In Gotham
9. Wild and Rotten (ft. Nathaniel Rateliff)
10. Highway Queen
11. She Wants To Go Dancing
12. You Are Who She Loves
13. Hope We Have Fun.
 
HOPE WE HAVE FUN TOUR
04/19 - John Paul Jones Arena - Charlottesville, VA  
04/21 - KEMBA Live! - Outdoors - Columbus, OH  
04/25 - Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre - Charlotte, NC 
04/26 - High Water Festival - North Charleston, SC  
05/04 - BEACHLIFE FESTIVAL - Redondo Beach, CA  
06/06 - Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre - Sterling Heights, MI 
06/07 - Stage AE - Outdoors - Pittsburgh, PA  
06/08 - The Governors Ball Music Festival - New York, NY 
06/10 - Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo - Essex Junction, VT  
06/12 - MegaCorp Pavilion - Newport, KY  
06/13 - Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia, MD 
06/14 - Bonnaroo - Manchester, TN  
06/17 - Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park - Indianapolis, IN  
06/19 - Thompson's Point - Portland, ME  
06/20 - Green River Festival - Greenfield, MA  
06/20-06/22 - Mountain Jam Music Festival - Highmount, NY 
06/27 - Rough Trade East - London, UK
06/28 - BST Hyde Park - London, UK
06/29 - Banquet Records - London, UK
06/30 - HMW Manchester - Manchester, UK
07/04-07/05 - Zootown Festival - Missoula, MT  
07/23-07/27 - FloydFest - Floyd, VA  
07/27 - Newport Folk Festival - Newport, RI  
08/09 - Scotiabank Saddledome - Calgary, AB  
08/10 - Edmonton Folk Festival (Gallagher Park) - Edmonton, AB  
08/12 - Twilight Concert Series at Library Square - Salt Lake City, UT  
08/14 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO  
08/15 - Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre - Denver, CO  
08/17 - Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater - Nampa, ID  
08/19 - Deer Lake Park - Burnaby, BC  
08/20 - WAMU Theater - Seattle, WA 
08/22 - Hayden Homes Amphitheater - Bend, OR  
08/23 - The Greek Theatre - Berkeley, CA  
08/24 - Santa Barbara Bowl - Santa Barbara, CA  
08/26 - The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park - San Diego, CA  
09/11 - Budweiser Stage - Toronto, ON  
09/12-09/14 - Borderland Music Festival - East Aurora, NY  
09/13 - United Center - Chicago, IL  
09/16 - The Armory - Minneapolis, MN  
09/17 - Kohl Center - Madison, WI  
09/20 - TD Garden - Boston, MA  
09/23 - Koka Booth Amphitheatre - Cary, NC  
09/24 - ExploreAsheville.com Arena - Asheville, NC  
09/26 - TD Pavilion at The Mann - Philadelphia, PA  
09/27 - TD Pavilion at The Mann - Philadelphia, PA  
Buy Tickets HERE

JULIE @ Glass House 04.16.25 // THE PORTABLE INFINITE

All photos taken by Martin Worster   

The Brian Jonestown Massacre Announce New Single Out April 25th / Extensive North American Tour This Fall

   THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE
ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE ‘MAKES ME GREAT / OUT OF BODY’ ON 10” VINYL OUT APRIL 25TH ON A RECORDINGS RETURNING TO NORTH AMERICA THIS FALL FOR EXTENSIVE RUN OF LIVE SHOWS
TICKETS ON SALE NOW  
Photo: Joe Eley  THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE announce a new single, ‘Makes Me Great / Out Of Body’, on red transparent 10” vinyl, released April 25th via Anton Newcombe’s record label A Recordings. Pre-save here.  Following a hugely successful UK and Europe tour earlier this year, the band will return to North America this fall for an extensive run of live shows, including two dates with special guests, Cast, making their first US appearance in nearly 30 years. Tickets on sale now. 
 
It is over 30 years since Anton Newcombe – frontman, songwriter, composer, studio owner, multi-instrumentalist, producer, engineer, father, force of nature – and his band The Brian Jonestown Massacre released their first single She Made Me / Evergreen. Released in 1992, as the British music press descended on the US to anoint the next US guitar band as flavour of the month and major labels were on the hunt for the compliant hopefuls to be their latest quick fix, Anton Newcombe had an idea: say no. As leader of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Newcombe had already established himself as a visionary songwriter, a man to whom making music wasn’t a lifestyle choice or a hipster haircut but the very fabric of existence itself, and he had observed in silent horror as his peers meekly acquiesced to everything – yes to contracts, yes to management, yes to suggestions, yes to this, yes to that, yes, yes, yes. But he was different. Anton Newcombe was going to say no to everything. “I just knew I would be more successful in a certain way by saying no, just being contrary because I figured that if people liked me they were gonna like me anyway,” he says. “Or dislike me. It doesn’t matter.”
 
Much of this was documented on the controversial documentary ‘Dig!’, which is still hailed as one of the best rock documentaries ever made, and celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year with the remastered, expanded version “Dig! XX.”
 
Brian Jonestown Massacre’s shoegazing-tinged debut album Methodrone was released in 1995 and since then numerous band members have joined Newcombe on his sonic escapades, but he has remained the sole constant, the creative mastermind at the centre of one of music’s most fascinating bands. There have been a further 20 albums under the Brian Jonestown Massacre moniker since then, each embarking on their own mind-expanding adventure and exploring the outer realms of rock’n’roll; psychedelic rock, country-blues, snarling rock’n’roll, blissed-out noise-pop and more.
 
Along the way, Newcombe has established himself as a once-in-a-lifetime talent who saw the direction in which mainstream indie-rock was heading and opted to take the long way round. He’s emerged as a revolutionary force in modern music, an underground hero. There was no other way, this was how it had to be. “My only option with everything in life has always been that you just jump into the fire,” he declared. “It doesn’t matter what it is.”
 
It's with that spirit that he’s hopped around the globe, from the West Coast to New York, from Manhattan to Iceland, and then to Berlin, where he’s lived for 15 years and has two flats, one to live in and one that’s been converted into his studio. After a hugely prolific 2010s that saw the release of eight long-players and one mini-album, Newcombe had been going through a period of writer’s block when one day he picked up his 12-string guitar and The Real (the opening track on previous album Fire Doesn’t Grow on Trees) came out of him. Like the kraken, it was as if he’d summoned it. “All of a sudden, I just heard something,” he says. “And then it just didn’t stop. We tracked a whole song every single day for 70 days in a row.” By the end of it they had 2 albums ready to go. Joining Newcombe in the studio for The Future Is Your Past were Hakon Adalsteinsson (guitar) and Uri Rennert (drums).
 
Brian Jonestown Massacre released their 20th full-length studio album The Future Is Your Past, in February 2023 on Anton’s record label, A Recordings. In 2022 / 2023, they completed a massive world tour that saw them play 34 dates in North America, 25 dates across Europe and 16 dates in the UK. Towards the end of 2024, they released ‘Don’t Look At Me’ ft. Aimee Nash. It is a delicious slice of hypnotic shoegaze with Nash lyrically casting a spell with the mantra “Do No Harm.”
 
There is no such thing as a defining statement in Anton Newcombe’s world anymore, just more chapters that contribute to the tale. “Nobody can stop me, I’m not asking somebody, I’m not making the rounds at Warners, saying ‘please put out my record!’. It’s just for me,” he says. He hopes he can be an inspiration to others. “I would love to see more groups, people playing music in the UK and everywhere else because I really enjoy it. That’s the only reason I need. It’s the only reason to do stuff.” That hits to the core of what makes Anton Newcombe and Brian Jonestown Massacre tick. He’ll keep jumping in that fire. That’s how he rolls. Savor it. LIVE SHOWS: Sept. 3 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC
Sept. 4 – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
Sept. 5 – Basement East – Nashville, TN
Sept. 6 – Orange Peel – Asheville, NC
Sept. 8 – 9:30 Club – Washington, D.C.
Sept. 9 – Webster Hall – New York, NY
- with special guests, CastSept. 10 – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA - with special guests, CastSept. 12 – The Sinclair – Cambridge, MASept. 13 – Beanfield Theatre – Montreal, QCSept. 14 – Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, ON
Sept. 16 – Globe Iron – Cleveland, OH
Sept. 17 – Majestic Theatre – Detroit, MI
Sept. 18 – Mercury Ballroom – Louisville, KY
Sept. 19 – Hi-Fi Annex – Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 20 – Majestic Theatre – Madison, WI
Sept. 22 – Metro – Chicago, IL
Sept. 23 – Slowdown – Omaha, NE
Sept. 24 – recordBar – Kansas City, MO
Sept. 26 – Studio at The Factory – Dallas, TX
Sept. 28 – White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX
Oct. 31 – Music Box – San Diego, CA
Nov. 1 – Pappy and Harriet’s – Pioneertown, CA
Nov. 2 – Observatory OC – Santa Ana, CA
Nov. 4 – SLO Brew – San Luis Obispo, CA
Nov. 6 – Swan Dive – Las Vegas, NV
Nov. 7 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ
Nov. 8 – Tumbleroot – Santa Fe, NM
Nov. 10 – Gothic Theatre – Englewood, CO
Nov. 11 – Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO
Nov. 13 – Metro Music Hall – Salt Lake City, UT
Nov. 14 – Shrine Social Club – Boise, ID
Nov. 15 – The Showbox – Seattle, WA
Nov. 16 – The Pearl – Vancouver, B.C
Nov. 18 – Revolution Hall – Portland, OR
Nov. 20 – Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA
Nov. 21 – Rio Theatre – Santa Cruz, CA
Nov. 22 – Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 23 – Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA TICKETS  
 Single Artwork by Francis Delacroix  PRESS FROM THE BJM’S JAN / FEB UK TOUR
 
"Brian Jonestown Massacre have a cult following big enough to warrant the publication of an acclaimed memoir by percussionist Joel Gion and big enough that this large UK tour includes a date at Brixton Academy… Newcombe is really adept at coming up with melodies and guitar figures that sound immediately familiar, as if you know them already from a song you can’t quite place – a genuine skill." - Guardian
 
"The San Francisco band’s story is one of defiance, survival and surprise…surprise that they’re not only still here, but are seemingly bigger than ever… There’s something gloriously anachronistic about their look and sound, but also something timeless. Newcombe wears his influences on his sleeve, and the melange of The Byrds’ metallic jangle, the shoegaze of Ride and a Stones-esque swagger has given the band the feeling of always being out of time, but never out of fashion." - Louder Than War
 
“The Brian Jonestown’s ability to create an immersive live experience remains unparalleled and this Brixton gig was a masterclass in psychedelia, intensity, and raw musical craftsmanship.” - Music News
 
"A night of hypnotic grooves, kaleidoscopic guitars, and the kind of immersive psychedelia that only they can provide… The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s live show is not just a performance - it’s an experience. At the O2 Institute Birmingham, they proved once again why they remain one of the most compelling acts in modern psychedelic rock. Newcombe’s vision, combined with the band’s tight musicianship, created a night of sonic transcendence that few in attendance will soon forget." - RockShot
 
"I’ve never seen this band so tight before, so hyper focused on one goal, to take this crowd away from the world and into the galaxy." - Northern Exposure
 
“A spiritual experience.” - Essentially Pop
 
"One of the most unpredictable and brilliant bands of our time. Despite their underground status, the band’s influence on music is undeniable, they defy expectations and remain a vital and uncompromising force in modern music. It’s also been a reminder that, for all their psychedelic flourishes, The Brian Jonestown Massacre are a damn fine rock and roll band at heart." - All Music
 
"For longtime fans, this was a revelation. For newcomers, it was an entry point into one of the most enigmatic live bands in modern psychedelia. Either way, it was a night that will linger in the minds of those who witnessed it—a reminder that when the Brian Jonestown Massacre are locked in, there are few who can match their magic." - 5/5 - The Modern Record
 
 “This is a band who are enjoying their craft and is truly authentic in their approach to rock ‘n’ roll. In a world filled with wannabees and try hards, The Brian Jonestown Massacre still prove to be one of the main driving forces in rock and psychedelic culture, forever etched into the history books as rock ‘n’ roll legends…” - Rockwell Unscene
 
"The Brian Jonestown Massacre delivered a night of immersive psychedelia that reminded us why they remain such a compelling force in live music.” - Glasgow Music
 
"Anton Newcombe lounges in his own brilliant, startling, divine genius and at the point where you want to shout something at him just to snap yourself out of his spell, in another masterful stroke he beats you to it and says, “look at this!” and blows your mind." - The Gryphon, Leeds Student “The night ends to an exhilarating high. The final chords chime out, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre has shown that they can still create an immersive musical experience!” - Backseat Mafia    Follow BJM:Website / Instagram / Facebook

TEI SHI New 'Best Be Leaving' Tee is Available Now

HAPPY THURSDAY ♡ I wanted to share a very special collaboration that I've done for my new *limited edition* piece of merch...

Plz behold the Teardrop Trash Tee, made with Everybody.world in a completely sustainable fashion -- it's sustainable fashion! Their 'Trash Tee' has been one of my favorite tshirts for a while, it's the perfect fit, feel and weight in my opinion. I got to put my stamp on it and I have to say, this is my favorite tshirt I've ever made. This year I decided that I want to approach the merch I make differently. You may have seen that a large portion of my merch over the last two years has been DIY, hand-made by me at home and mailed direct to you. This time, I wanted to make the perfect tee but I wanted to make sure I did it in the most environmentally friendly way I could, and to avoid waste as much as possible.

The teardrop trash tee is made out of 100% reclaimed waste cotton with zero synthetic fibers or microplastics. It's 100% biodegradable and made locally in Los Angeles. I've printed a very small run of these, so grab yours imminently!! SHOPOh and -- if you're in Southern California, I'm coming to Santa Ana and the desert on May 15 & May 16 respectively. These are the only shows I'm doing for the foreseeable future, I'll be trying out a bunch of new music and revisiting all of my albums ♡
I hope you can make it. TICKETSCon cariño, 
💌
tei shi

GoGo Penguin announce new album 'Necessary Fictions' due out June 20

GOGO PENGUIN
ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM 
NECESSARY FICTIONS 
DUE OUT JUNE 20 VIA XXIM/ SONY 

NEW SINGLE + VIDEO “FALLOWFIELD LOOPS” 
 PAYS HOMAGE TO TOAST RACK BUILDING IN MANCHESTER, UK 
LISTEN // WATCH VIDEO

NEW ALBUM FINDS GOGO PENGUIN STRONGER THAN EVER: 
BACK TO THEIR DANCE-RAVE ROOTS, HITTING GROOVE WITH NEW DRUMMER & COLLABORATING WITH MANCHESTER COLLECTIVE + BRITISH-UGANDAN ARTIST DAUDI MATSIKO  

U.S. TOUR DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK

Photo Credit: Mark Gregson | Jon Scott, Nick Blacka, Chris Illingworth 

“‘NECESSARY FICTIONS’ is about shedding the mask and showing who we truly are — as people, as musicians, as a band.” — GoGo Penguin

“It’s almost impossible to categorize them.” – Stereogum

“This prolific U.K. piano/bass/drums trio has always been rooted in an adventurous jazz sound, but the arrival of new stickman Jon Scott has pushed its latest music to different and exciting places… Beyond the music itself, any group with the balls to haul a grand piano into rock clubs on a nightly basis… is surely worth your time and attention.” – SPIN 

“Manchester’s GoGo Penguin almost broke up—but to the world’s relief, they’ve only come out stronger following their near-end.” – FLOOD 

April 17, 2025 – Today, GoGo Penguin, the Manchester trio known for their blend of jazz, classical and electronic influences since forming in 2012, announce their seventh studio album NECESSARY FICTIONS due out June 20. It’s a bold new chapter in the band’s evolution and represents a deep dive into identity, authenticity, and transformation. 

Alongside the announcement is the first single “Fallowfield Loops,” a punchy, melancholic, and danceable tribute to their hometown. The accompanying video — directed by pianist Chris Illingworth and bassist Nick Blacka — features evocative visuals of Manchester’s iconic Toast Rack building, the brutalist landmark seen on the album’s cover, and serves as a visual extension of the track’s mood: stark, nostalgic, and full of movement.

GoGo Penguin’s last album Everything Is Going to Be OK (2023) found the band reeling from almost breaking up, a new drummer in the form of Jon Scott (formerly of Mulatu Atsake’s band), coping with the death of family members, grief, the pandemic, and finding solace in the studio as they journeyed through uncertainty, survival and ultimately, resilience. 

With NECESSARY FICTIONS, GoGo Penguin — Chris Illingworth (piano, synths), Nick Blacka (bass, synths), and Jon Scott (drums) — have embraced new textures and ideas more fully than ever before. They are operating from a place of confidence, having truly found their groove with Scott, and Illingworth and Blacka both in their fifth decade, and truly embracing who they are without fear. The album sees them expanding their signature sound, drawing deeper into modular synths, and, for the first time, welcoming other voices into their sonic world.

“This is what we want to make right now, and it feels authentic,” says Blacka. NECESSARY FICTIONS is the sound of a band unafraid to reflect who they are — not just in sound, but in spirit and surroundings.

Scottish alt-folk musician Theo Bleak shares "Said Like A Poet"

THEO BLEAK UNVEILS NEW SINGLE

 “SAID LIKE A POET” - LISTEN

FINAL SINGLE OFF HER UPCOMING EP

 BAD LUCK IS TWO YELLOW FLOWERS, 

OUT MAY 15, 2025 VIA POLYMOON - PREORDER

UK FESTIVAL APPEARANCES CONFIRMED

 FOR SUMMER 2025, KICKING OFF 

WITH THE GREAT ESCAPE AND WIDE DAYS

Photo by Joy Gansh

Today, Scottish indie artist Theo Bleak shares her latest single with a stunning official visualizer, “Said Like A Poet,” offers another look into her forthcoming EP, Bad Luck Is Two Yellow Flowers, arriving May 15, 2025 via Polymoon. A sharp and introspective track, “Said Like A Poet” explores the tension between intellect and emotion, questioning the way ideas can be beautifully articulated yet still fall short of true meaning.

“Said Like A Poet is a scathing look at how much I idealize intellect, even though I'm entirely emotionally driven,” Theo Bleak shares. “I think ideas can be beautifully written between people, but ultimately, there are concepts that lack properness—regardless of how pretentiously you write them out. I wrote this song about very human things, things I wish I knew how to ask for.”

LISTEN TO “SAID LIKE A POET”

WATCH THE OFFICIAL VISUALIZER FOR “SAID LIKE A POET”

PREORDER BAD LUCK IS TWO YELLOW FLOWERS

Co-written with close collaborators Mark Johnston, Megan McNally, and Dan Gautreau, the song captures Theo Bleak’s signature blend of haunting melodies and poetic lyricism. The track’s layered instrumentals and emotive vocal delivery mirror the push and pull between intellect and raw feeling.

“Said Like A Poet” serves as a perfect sign-off to the upcoming EP,, a project built on themes of longing, superstition, and blurred friendship. “The EP is my imaginings of my friend's inner life,” Theo Bleak explains. “Each song represents a different facet of our blurry friendship. The title imagery is tied to ideas of superstition, astrology, and the feeling of deep, unwavering longing.”

Following the success of last year’s introspective single “You Said I’d Feel It All Again,” this track, along with last month’s “Peach Sky,” marks another chapter in Theo Bleak’s exploration of raw emotion and dreamlike soundscapes. “Peach Sky” captures the fleeting beauty of a single moment, blending wistful lyricism with the artist’s signature “goth waltz” guitar melodies and lush, layered vocals. Theo Bleak delves into themes of change, longing, and the search for meaning.

December’s “You Said I’d Feel It All Again” garnered widespread support. The single was played on BBC Radio 1’s Future Artists, BBC Radio 2’s Unwinds and was also recognized by multiple editorial playlists such as New Music Friday in the USA, UK, Belgium, Sweden & Netherlands as well as Fresh Folk, All New Pop, and Next Gen Singer-Songwriters. Earlier this month, rising star Rachel Chinouriri played the track on her takeover of BBC Introducing on Radio 1. “Peach Sky” and “Said Like A Poet” hope to have the same impact, adding to the young artist's impressive repertoire. 

LISTEN TO “PEACH SKY”

PURCHASE THEO BLEAK VINYL

Last month, Theo Bleak made her North American debut at New York’s New Colossus Festival.  This summer, she will head to various festivals across the United Kingdom, including Brighton’s famed The Great Escape Festival.  For more information on upcoming performances, see below. 

THEO BLEAK LIVE 2025

MAY

1 - Wide Days - Edinburgh, UK

16 - 1:30 pm - Scotland at The Great Escape - 

Creative Scotland Stage at Brighthelm - Brighton, UK

16 - 11:45 pm - The Great Escape - The Hope & Ruin - Brighton, UK

JUNE

14 - Hidden Door Arts Festival - Edinburgh, UK 

21 - Solas Festival - Perthshire, UK

Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Kicks Off 2025 Season with Special L.A. Show: “Strength: A Celebration of Art Queens” Ft. the Works of Lzzy Hale, Chloe Trujillo, Natalia Fabia, Harper Grohl & Many More, Opening April 25

 Punk Rock & PaintbrushesKicks Off 2025 Season With Special Los Angeles Show:“Strength: A Celebration of Art Queens” Featuring the Works of:Lzzy Hale, Chloe Trujillo, Lori Herbst, Natalia Fabia, Lisa Johnson,Olive, Lulu & Nicole Freese (Daughters and Wife of Josh Freese), Harper Grohl (Daughter of Dave Grohl),Heart Hera (Daughter of James “Munky” Shaffer),Peribeau Bentley (daughter of Jay Bentley)& Many More Show Debuts April 25 With Opening Night Event ( RSVP HERE )& Runs Through June 3At Serj Tankian’s Newly-Opened Eye For Sound Gallery Additional Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Exhibits In 2025 To Include:BeachLife Festival, Warped Tour, Punk In The Park,The Offspring Tour, Riot Fest, Furnace FestPoint Break Festival & More 
LOS ANGELES, CA (April 16, 2025) — Since 2007, Punk Rock & Paintbrushes has been on a mission to highlight the intersection of music and art. With a presence at galleries and music festivals around the world, each exhibit features original artworks from musicians and those in the music community that showcases their creativity in a whole new light.  As the collective gets ready to kick off a busy 2025 season, it will begin with a very special exhibition, entitled, “Strength: A Celebration of Art Queens,” held at the newly-opened Eye for Sound Gallery in Los Angeles, owned by Serj Tankian (System of A Down). The exhibition will feature the works of celebrated artists including Lzzy Hale, Chloe Trujillo, Lori Herbst, Natalia Fabia, photographer Lisa Johnson and the incredible wives and daughters of respected musicians, some as young as five-years-old, showing that creativity truly does run in the family. The full list of showcasing artists includes: Olive & Lulu Freese (daughters of Josh Freese)Harper Grohl (daughter of Dave Grohl)Heart Hera (daughter of James “Munky” Shaffer)Bluma Vie de Salvo (daughter of Mark de Salvo)Peribeau Bentley (daughter of Jay Bentley)Remington & Tigerlily Galindo (daughters of Eden Galindo)Natalia FabiaNicole Freese (wife of Josh Freese)Lzzy Hale (Halestorm)Marley Chaney (daughter of Chris Chaney)Stacie Stevenson (wife of Bill Stevenson)Chloe Trujillo (wife of Rob Trujillo)Sally WattsLori HerbstLisa Johnson (legendary music photographer)Mary SanchezRachel BeedeShawn FoleyThea Wilson (wife of Eric Wilson)Adriana HernandezBeebs

DAIISTAR launches North American tour tonight in San Diego

DAIISTAR launches North American tour tonight in San Diego

Including headlining shows and dates supporting L.A. Witch

STREAM - "Parallel" (Immersion Remix) -
Bandcamp / Streaming Services 

 

“Fuzzy guitars, energized indie-pop rhythms, and vocals that bring shoegaze to the synthesizer” -KCRW

"Ripples out with psychedelic fuzz and sheer power, and it’s downright hypnotic." -Consequence

“Blends hook-laden psych sounds from across the decades to joyous results.” -Louder Than War

“A consistently solid set of psych, shoegaze, noise-pop, dream-pop, and garage rock.” -KEXP

Today DAIISTAR launches a full Spring tour of North America at the Casbah in San Diego, including a handful of headline shows and a run of dates supporting L.A. Witch, who just released their first new album in five years. 

DAIISTAR is a noise-pop / shoegaze band formed in Austin, Texas in the spring of 2020. The band takes their inspiration from the neo-psychedelic era of the 80s and 90s (The Jesus and Mary Chain, Spacemen 3, early Primal Scream) and pulls it into the future with modulating synthesizers, heavy guitars, bouncing bass lines, and spiraling hooks, creating a narcotic blend of noise and melody. DAIISTAR released their first studio album Good Time (Fuzz Club) in 2023, produced by Alex Maas of The Black Angels and engineered by James Petralli of White Denim. In 2024 the band released the follow-up single "Clear" as well as remixes from Sonic Boom and Immersion. More music is on the way later in 2025. 

DAIISTAR is:

Alex Capistran (he/him) - Guitar/Vocals
Nick Cornetti (he/him) - Drums
Misti Hamrick (she/her) - Bass
Derek Strahan (he/him) - Keys

DAIISTAR TOUR DATES

04/16 SAN DIEGO, CA - CASBAH
04/17 LAS VEGAS, NV - THE USUAL PLACE
04/18 SAN FRANCSICO, CA - MAKEOUT ROOM
04/19 SACRAMENTO, CA - STARLET ROOM*
04/21 PORTLAND, OR - MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS*
04/22 VANCOUVER, BC - THE PEARL*
04/23 SEATTLE, WA - TRACTOR TAVERN*
04/25 SALT LAKE CITY, UT - URBAN LOUNGE*
04/26 GRAND JUNCTION, CO - WESTERN COLORADO BOTANICAL GARDENS*
04/27 DENVER, CO - HI-DIVE*
04/29 ST. PAUL, MIN - TURF CLUB*
04/30 MILWUAKEE, WI - SHANK HALL*
05/01 CHICAGO, IL - LINCOLN HALL*
05/02 DETROIT, MI - LAGER HOUSE*
05/03 TORONTO, ON - LONGBOAT HALL*
05/04 MONTREAL, QC - BAR LE RITZ*
05/06 TROY, NY - NO FUN*
05/07 CAMBRIDGE, MA - SONIA*
05/08 QUEENS, NY - TV EYE*
05/09 QUEENS, NY - TV EYE*
05/10 PHILADELPHIA, PA - JOHNNY BRENDA’S*
05/12 WASHINGTON. DC - DC9*
05/13 CARRBORO, NC - CAT’S CRADLE*
05/14 ATLANTA, GA - THE EARL*
05/15 NEW ORLEANS, LA - GASA GASA*
05/16 HOUSTON, TX - WHITE OAK*
05/17 AUSTIN, TX - HOTEL VEGAS*
05/18 SAN ANTONIO, TX - PAPER TIGER*
05/20 ALBUQUERQUE, NM - JUNO BREWERY*
05/21 PHOENIX, AZ - VALLEY BAR*
05/22 PIONERTOWN, CA - PAPPY & HARRIET'S
05/23 LOS ANGELES, CA - LODGE ROOM*
05/24 TUCSON, AZ - CLUB CONGRESS
05/25 SILVER CITY, NM - WHISKEY CREEK

*= w/ L.A. Witch

BUY TICKETS NOW AT DAIISTAR.COM