It's Sunday October 29th, 2006. I worked in a grocery store for about three years while I was in high school, and between stacking oranges and unloading trucks into the freezer I had written most of Fugazi's The Argument. I played some of the rough demos once for the buggy guy and, well… I sure hope Ian MacKaye can sleep at night.
The people must have something good to read on a Sunday
Oh Green Day, you are so busted. We're on to you, you and your album stealing shenanigans. Not to break our "journalistic objectivity" and take a side in this conflict, but the claim that an Oregon grocery store clerk wrote American Idiot more than 10 years ago is so solid an argument, so obvious a connection, that we can't help but take his side. For shame. Propagandhi at least writes their own songs, and were rewarded for doing so this week by taking home the Echo Canadian songwriting prize. On both ends of the spectrum this week brought us new media from Converge, who launched a full album stream of No Heroes, and pop stars Good Charlotte, who premiered a new video. Protest The Hero lashed out at border guards on the Canadian / US border, voicing a common concern for musicians that cross the 49th. Speaking of crossing borders, NOFX announced plans for 2007 that'll have them doing just that throughout Asia, Europe and Central America. Finally we ended the week with a bit of controversy on the part of From First To Last, who were unceremoniously booted from the Atreyu, Every Time I Die, Chiodos tour.
This week our Video Of The Week featured footage of a number of bands who played The Fest, including the Lawrence Arms, None More Black, and Smoke or Fire. We also spoke with Jim Ward of Sparta about the band's new album Threes (interview).
Click Read More to see this week's streaming music, contests and other highlights.
Radio Free Punknews
Check the Punknews Music page to stream all sorts of anticipated new music including breakneck punk act Bullet Treatment, cover stars Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, the Street Dogs, 1-2-3-4 Go!'s new Replacements tribute We Will Inherit The Earth, melodic hardcore act Shook Ones and the Lillingtons.
Suntans are for Winners Win Riot Fest Swag and Passes!
Next weekend will be Riot Fest in Chicago. The event will feature an amazing array of bands including a rare performance from Chicago punk heroes Naked Raygun, as well as Blue Meanies, Bollweevils all of whom are reuniting for the fest. You'll also have a chance to see Youth Brigade, 7 Seconds, The Toasters, The Business and many more. To celebrate this amazing assemblage of talent, we're giving away some free passes and a bunch of interesting swag including a poster signed by Naked Raygun, shirts and more.
Street Dogs Broken Guitar Giveaway
Recently the Street Dogs delivered their new album Fading American Dream to you, the unwashed masses. In his review, News Editor Chris Moran described it as being "pure punk-influenced rock music" that involves "no gimmicks, no pseudo-image, [and] no bullshit." To celebrate, the Dogs and the Org (with a bit of help from DRT) have teamed up to give you folks the chance to win a non-functioning guitar! Talk about generous. In fact, this is the very guitar immortalized on Fading American Dream in the track "Tobe's Got a Drinking Problem" (album stream). How fancy is that?
80GB iPod, Logitech accessories, albums from Sparta, Sugarcult, more Fanscape was all like "Yo Punknews, want to give some stuff out?" And I was like "Like what yo?" And they were all "An 80 gig iPod and the new albums from Sparta, Sugarcult, Plain White T's, the Summer Obsession and others." So I was like, "Aight." Sorry about that. In truth, one grand prize winner will indeed win all of the above, as well as an AudioStation and Z-10 interactive speakers from Logitech.
Foundation Band "friend contest" (prizes from Foundation Band and Ann Beretta)
Punknews and Rob from the Foundation Band are proud to bring you yet another contest, this one running over at the Foundation Band Myspace Page. Be the 300th, 400th and 500th person to sign up on the Foundation Band's friend list and receive free merch packages.
Bomb the Music Industry!: "To Leave or Die in Long Island" vinyl test pressing
Attention nerds! As previously mentioned, Bomb the Music Industry! is releasing their previously "digital only" album, To Leave or Die in Long Island, on vinyl. Why should you care? Well, they've decided to give one lucky winner a test pressing of the album. Boo-ya. What do you have to do to win it? Well, that's not for me to decide. The band wants to know what you'd be willing to do (figuratively, of course) for a test pressing of this gem of an album.
Life at Disconnect
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