Sunday Edition: December 31st, 2006

It's Sunday December 31st, 2006. I'll keep this short and sweet since the time we've spent working on the year end lists has reduced me to a vegetative state. Those articles are now available on the right sidebar for your reading / arguing pleasure. We've got columns from the editors Aubin, Adam, Brian, Justin, Meg and Chris, our alumni editor Scott, and staff reviewers Anchors, Jesse, Greg0rb, Matt Whelihan and Ben_Conoley.

Have fun tonight folks, if you drink don't drive.

The people must have something good to read on a Sunday

Against Me! may be our number one newsmaker this year, not that I have a way to find out, but it's a hunch. The band
titled their new record this week and announced tour plans with the Riverboat Gamblers and Fake Problems. New York hardcore mainstays Madball are writing their next, declaring that it will be their "hardest record to date." AFI posted some audio this week including a cover of David Bowie for AOL Sessions. The Loved Ones, a band I suspect is on quite a few year end lists `round here, lost their bassist Spider and announced plans for the new year. Social Distortion is back in the studio, but it only took them 7 years or so last time around so don't hold your breath. Finally we ended the week with some tour dates featuring Rise Against, the Bronx and Cancer Bats.

This week in music we bid farewell to the legendary Godfather of Soul James Brown (1933-2006), while news headlines were made around the world by the death of former U.S. president Gerald Ford (1913-2006) and former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein (1937-2006).

Our Video Of The Week featured the ever-popular Lifetime playing a few songs from the Fest earlier this year in Gainesville, FL. Also, our Fishmas present to all of you was video of Kid Dynamite's entire set live at CBGB.

Radio Free Punknews

Check the Punknews Music page to stream all sorts of anticipated new music including Cry Tuff Council, a new dub outfit featuring former Bosstones axeman Nate Albert, the new Fake Problems collection Spokes and Spurs / Bulls > Matador,
Down To Nothing's All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone, the new album from Deltona, FL's No Harm Done, Planes Mistaken For Stars' Mercy, Avail frontman Tim Barry's solo debut Rivanna Junction, and Anthem Red's Dancing on the Dishwasher. PNR's also giving you a gift this year with full album streams of Somerset and Ryan’s Hope's latest.

Suntans are for Winners

Win an iPod shuffle, skate deck from Octone Records

It's always time for more prizes here at Punknews.org, and so when Octone offered us an iPod Shuffle and a new skate deck (as well as some other nice stuff) to give away, we were quick to take them up on the offer. The contest is to celebrate the release of two albums from two bands on the label. The first comes from Dropping Daylight who released Brace Yourself and Flyleaf who unveiled their self-titled full length this year.

'The Ultimate Band Rig' from MxPx

MxPx is testing the limits of discography categorization this year with both a compilation and a reissue of an eight-year-old compilation. Fanscape wants to help celebrate the latter's release by giving one extremely lucky fan a mind-blowing band rig that includes ::deep breath:: an Ernie Ball guitar, an Ernie Ball bass, a Truth Drums snare drum, Samson Wireless Technology full personal setup, a…oh forget it, you can check out the entire prize lineup by clicking to this handy contest entry form. Two runners up will even get in on the action with some band merchandise and autographed drum sticks.

'The Ultimate Band Rig' from MxPx

MxPx is testing the limits of discography categorization this year with both a compilation and a reissue of an eight-year-old compilation. Fanscape wants to help celebrate the latter's release by giving one extremely lucky fan a mind-blowing band rig that includes ::deep breath:: an Ernie Ball guitar, an Ernie Ball bass, a Truth Drums snare drum, Samson Wireless Technology full personal setup, a…oh forget it, you can check out the entire prize lineup by clicking to this handy contest entry form.

Staff Blogs

When not writing about music on the internet, many members of the Punknews staff find time to write about music on the internet. You can check out the depraved musings of Justin August at Kinder Words and Adam White at 2:59. Chris Moran's all over the place with content rocking both MySpace and Flickr.

Life at Disconnect

We've theorized that you visit other websites out there, and we know it can be tough to leave the calming blue glow of the `Org, so we'll help by infecting the rest of the web with Punknews content. Waste some time on the Punknews.org and Punknews Records MySpace pages or contribute your listening habits to the weekly charts Last.fm group.

Come Join Us

Why register on Punknews.org? Registered users can rate bands and reviews, building recommendations and links between artists for the whole community to share and discover. Users get their own profile page showing recent comments, top rated bands and favourite records and more. So go ahead, cast off the cloak of anonymity and create your account today - it's free, easy and private.