Tampa Calling

Sludgy post-punkers The Melvins are set to release Chicken Switch, a different sort of 15-song remix CD, on Sept. 29 via Ipecac Recordings. How is it different? Apparently, instead of given a single track to work with, the remixers on Chicken Switch were provided with complete albums to produce their single tracks, and in some instances, more than one album was used as source material.

The band is also hitting the road to support NOLA heavy metal supergroup Down this August and September, which includes a stop at House of Blues in Orlando on Sept. 2.

Check out the Chicken Switch track listing and participating artists as well as the complete Melvins tour schedule after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

In response to Leilani’s “Top 10 Stupid Band Names,” I’d like to point out that, yes, not only are some band names stupid, or bad - sometimes they’re downright stolen.

We’ve all sat around stoned, drunk (even sober) and thought up – or accidentally stumbled upon - the next greatest band name EVER. There’s got to be a list of those names somewhere, right? I seem to remember someone saying, “We’ve got to write that one down!” 

There are plenty of band names inspired by literate source material or that just make sense (Steely Dan, named after a dildo in William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch or The L.A. Guns and Hollywood Roses combining to form Guns and Roses). But to lift the name of your group straight out of another artist’s catalog instead of establishing a new identity for your sound, your band, your business? It’s like starting up a fast food chain and calling it “Big Mac’s.”

As my wife pointed out, the only time a tribute should be paid to a band’s song is when you’re actually paying tribute to that band – as is the case with “Paradise City: The Guns N Roses Tribute” or ”Strutter: The Ultimate Tribute to Kiss.”

Here’s my list of offenders (in order of offense taken):

Read the rest of this entry »

If Ivan’s sludge primer piqued your curiosity – or you’ve been a stoner rock aficianado for longer than your pot-addled brain can remember – this news should please you.

Shrinebuilder is the doom supergroup that will rule them all.  Just look at the lineup! Read the rest of this entry »

I woke up with a bug this morning. Something heavy. Something fuzzy. Something hazy. None of the pop-tinged alternative in my music collection seem to satiate this thirst. Then I stumbled upon these Sludge Rock gems. Sludge Rock (aka Stoner Rock, Psychedelic Heavy Metal) is a down-tuned, thicker-than-molasses branch of heavy metal that focuses on sexual/drug-related topics, thumping drum patterns and guitar tone engulfed in Big Muff fuzz. I went on a quest on iTunes and ended up spening $15 amassing a nice Sludge playlist. Here are 7 recommendations if you are feeling dirty like I was:

Read the rest of this entry »