PUNK NEWS
Late and breaking in the world of music.
Courtesy of Punknews.org.
May 2005

T.S.O.L. cleared in shooting case
but start up legal defense fund

LOS ANGELES May 21, 2005 -- In November of 2002, two people were shot backstage at a T.S.O.L. show at the House Of Blues in Los Angeles, and after the incident, the band was named in a lawsuit filed by those shot against the House of Blues.

While the full details are still becoming available, news has come that the case has been resolved. The venue has settled with the two victims for a million dollars a piece, and T.S.O.L. was cleared of any blame in the incident. However legal fees of $13,500 remain outstanding for the band.

Jack Lloyd Jones (Jack Grisham) commented on the T.S.O.L. message board: “We can’t counter-sue because we can’t afford it. The House Of Blues was supposed to pay our legal fees [but] they said no, and if we attempt to sue them, they will counter-sue for a percentage of the settlement paid to the [victims]. Even though we are not security guards, they believe I should have turned in the shooter for carrying a gun. We owe our lawyer $13,500 still, so any help would be great. Until this bill is paid, we cannot tour.”

Duane Peters documentary
premiers in California

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. May 21, 2005 -- Who Cares: The Duane Peters Story, a documentary chronicling the storied life-to-date of skateboard legend / longtime punk rock frontman Duane Peters premiered on May 20th at The Brigg in Huntington Beach, CA.

The event featured a screening of the film along with live performances by Die Hunns, JFA and the Stitches.
Who Cares was directed by John Lucero and written by Keith Hamm, a former reporter for the Santa Barbara Independent who recently released the skateboarding book Scarred for Life. A DVD release of the film is expected soon from Black Label.

Anti-Flag discusses RCA deal

PITTSBURGH, Pa. May 15, 2005 -- In a recent interview with their hometown Post-Gazette, Anti-Flag discussed the reasonings behind their signing to major label RCA Records (owned by Sony BMG).

Of note was the band’s attitude towards the major label, with drummer Pat Thetic saying that, “We’ve been getting offers for a long time, and then last year, a year and a half ago, the offers started to get more serious. And what we did is, we sat down and said, ‘This is what we want. Unless you are willing to give us this, there’s no point in talking.”

The band stressed complete creative control and the freedom to release singles and vinyl via their own A-F Records. The band also managed a slight two record deal, rather than the much longer deals typically offered independent artists. Finally, the story confirms earlier details about the upcoming record and says that recording is planned for mid-July with an early 2006 release date with a strong “anti-militarism-for-profit theme.”

Dinosaur Jr. announces summer tour dates

AMHERST, Mass. April 15, 2005 -- On the heels of the second set of Dinosaur Jr. re-issues, this time via Merge Records, the band has announced their first tour in fifteen years with the original lineup of J. Mascis, Emmett Jefferson Murphy III, and Lou Barlow. The band will first reunite on national TV with a performance on the Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson before heading out on a world tour this summer. The first dates take place in the UK this June, followed by the announced US dates. After that, the band will head to Japan for three dates.

Q And Not U, Mates Of State, Spoon at
2005 Siren Music Festival

NEW YORK June 3, 2005 -- The Village Voice has posted the line up for this year’s edition of the annual Siren Music Festival, taking place at Coney Island, New York, on July 16th, 2005.

Headliners this year include Spoon, Mates Of State, and Q And Not U, as well as performances by Brendan Benson, VHS Or Beta, Dungen, and the Dears, with more to be announced.

Previous participants have included Death Cab For Cutie, And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Blonde Redhead, Mission Of Burma, Thermals, Constantines, Sleater-Kinney, and many others.

Joe Escalante offers legal advice
on Indie 103.1

HOLLYWOOD May 14, 2005 -- Joe Escalante of Kung Fu Records and The Vandals has joined the on-air staff of Indie 103.1. According to Kung Fu, the show is called Barely Legal (Saturday at 11 PM) and is a call-in program featuring people trying to make it in show business that need legal and/or professional advice. According to Escalante, “It should be part Judge Judy, part American Idol, and part train wreck, if everything goes as planned.”

Escalante has promised to reply to “interesting” e-mails sent to dreamcrusher@barelylegalradio.com, as well as on-air calls.

American Idol apologizes for
unauthorized use of Dead Kennedys recording

EMERYVILLE, Calif. June 10, 2005 -- Alternative Tentacles reports that the music supervisor from American Idol has apologized (via e-mail) for using the Dead Kennedys’ version of “Viva Las Vegas” in an American Idol episode a few months ago.

“Many loyal AT fans sent us word of this happening, and thanks to a couple of alert folks, we were able to get copies of the broadcast to prove that they had broadcast the band’s version of the song. The television show had asked the band, including Jello, if they could use the song for a hefty sum of money, but were turned down by all of the members of the band [even East Bay Ray].”

Susan Slamer, music supervisor of the popular show, wasted no words in her e-mail to the band and label: “I wish to express our sincere apology to the Dead Kennedys and their fans for the inadvertent use of their version of the song “Viva Las Vegas” in American Idol, Season IV.”

Iggy Pop releases new retrospective
and play dates in Europe

LOS ANGELES May 13, 2005 -- Pitchfork.com is reporting that Iggy Pop is supervising the release of A Million in Prizes: The Iggy Pop Anthology. The retrospective release is intended to provide the most comprehensive overview of Pop’s thirty-five year career, and will include a wealth of material from the three Stooges records as well as solo material recorded through to 2003’s Skull Ring.

The record is due out July 19th, and the same day will see the release of Live From the Avenue B which documents Pop’s 1999 European tour.

Iggy (b. James Newell Osterberg) will also be headed to Europe for a series of festival dates including a London date in August where the reunited Stooges will play 1970’s Funhouse in its entirety.

Gang of Four signs to V2

NEW YORK April 29, 2005 -- Recently reunited post-punk quartet, Gang of Four has signed to V2 Records. The band will soon see the reissue of their 1979 debut Entertainment!, and then will release a new double-disc package on August 30th.

The record will include re-recorded versions of “To Hell With Poverty,” “I Love A Man In A Uniform” and “Damaged Goods”, along with new remixes from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Ladytron, Dandy Warhols and The Futureheads. Gang of Four have also announced series of dates in the US and Canada beginning in May.

Lollapalooza lineup announced

CHICAGO April 23, 2005 -- After the cancellation of the 2004 edition of the Lollapalooza touring festival, this year’s edition is planned as a single two-day event at Chicago’s Grant Park this July 23rd and July 24th.
The lineup will include The Pixies, Weezer, Widespread Panic, the Killers, Arcade Fire, Dinosaur Jr., Liz Phair, the Black Keys, and Death Cab For Cutie, among others.

All stories courtesy of punknews.org.

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