Rise Against just dropped "House on Fire," the second single from their 2017 album Wolves, and man, is it a catchy jam. While it sounds like it could be about a love lost, lead singer Tim McIlrath recently revealed that it's actually about his 13-year-old daughter, and how it's sometimes difficult for a parent to connect with a child, particularly when that parent is trying to be strict despite having a general anti-authority message in a ton of songs. ROUGH LIFE.
Anyway, the music video for "House of Fire" is an emotional tale between grandfather and granddaughter. The Rise Against fellas make a cameo, but as has been the case with a lot of their recent videos, the main characters of the story take center stage, not the band. And that's A-OK in my book, especially when the storylines are as engrossing as this one.
Hanson released a new song today called "I Was Born," and the music video is a delight. Shots of the band performing are interwoven with little kids singing along to the tune, as well. And, in natural Hanson fashion, this is a pretty catchy jam. Though the band plans to release a Christmas album this winter, this song appears to be a standalone track. Maybe it'll end up on another record later, but for now, enjoy!
Fine Brothers Entertainment recently shot a video of teenagers listening and reacting to Linkin Park songs. One of them was the debut single off their new album, One More Light, while others were jams from their first two records, Hybrid Theory and Meteora. The kids had a variety of responses, and at least one of the girls didn't even recognize it was Linkin Park until the end. Amazing.
Anyway, with One More Light debuting today, FBE decided to bring in a member of Linkin Park to react to those teenagers reacting to Linkin Park. If the whole thing sounds very Inception-like, you're not alone. It is pretty entertaining to watch Shinoda make little comments, though. He says he plans to never show his kids the "One Step Closer" music video, and that's probably for the best.
At this point, it shouldn't surprise anyone that OK Go is capable of fantastic music videos. Their latest tune, "The One Moment," is right up on par with anything else they've done, but if you blink, you might miss it entirely.
That's because "The One Moment" uses the shortest amount of time ever filmed for a music video – just 4.2 seconds. 325 events happen in that timeframe, whether it's guitars exploding, water balloons being tossed, or a large flipbook being...well, flipped. The footage is then slowed down to stretch over the full length of the song, sometimes at a slowdown rate of 20,000 percent. The result is something that looks majestic and serves as the perfect backdrop for the dreamlike melodies of the song. Enjoy!
Back in the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones were just an up and coming band out of England. But that didn't stop Rice Krispies from contacting the rockers to record a jingle about Snap, Crackle and Pop. The song, which was likely recorded in 1963 or 1964, has a lick so hot you might burn your ears just listening to it. Sing it, Mick!
It's been a hot minute since an episode of Locally Sourced Joey, but we're back! And with substandard audio quality since my portable studio (aka an echo-y room) does not have good sound. But, as always, the conversation is riveting, and that's the most important thing.
In this episode, Joey is joined by brother/sister rocker duo Jocelyn and Chris Arndt. Their new album Edges is fantastic, and they're cool people to boot. The three chat about the essentials to bring on a tour, the strangest gigs they've played, and the best activities you can only partake in during the summer. Listen along, won't you?
This truly is the summer of pop punk resurgence. Between Blink-182, Green Day, Simple Plan and Good Charlotte, a number of albums have been released or are soon to be released that 15-year-old me really would have enjoyed, and current me probably will still like.
Oh, and let's add Sum 41 to that list. The Canadian pop punkers just dropped the first single from their album 13 Voices, an aggressively...well, aggressive song called "Fake My Own Death." The music video is a meme lovers dream, featuring all kinds of annoying things flying across the screen while the band plays amidst the battlefield. This is the first album that features three guitar players, so it should lend itself to some creative sound. We'll see – for now, this is plenty to nod your head to.
Dave Grohl recently announced that the Foo Fighters are taking a break, but that doesn't mean he's going to stop rocking. In a recent episode of The Muppets, Grohl takes on Animal, everyone's favorite puppet drummer, in a drum battle for the ages. Who ends up the victor? Well, you'll just have to watch and find out.
Weezer has a new song called "Thank God For Girls." It has gotten mixed reviews on YouTube, but I'm kinda digging it. The music video is...well, it's something. It's a man sitting in front of a painting of Jesus, eating a plate of cannolis. I don't understand it, and I don't particularly like it. But man, do I want a cannoli now. Just one, though. Not a plateful.
Smosh TV is back with another Honest Game Trailer, this time to the tune of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. And I certainly agree: the music is the best part of that game. Now let's go do some kickflips. Enjoy!
Katy Perry invited a fan onstage during a recent show at the Rock in Rio festival. That was her big mistake. The fan, clearly high on...something (and it ain't life) gets many feels in on Perry's body, and kisses her at least a dozen times. Of course, the singer kissed a girl in the past, and even liked it, so she turns the potential fiasco into a positive. And the fan even gets a fun souvenir out of it, so win-win all around.
Dances is a Brooklyn-based band that is just as catchy as their name would imply. Made up of Trevor Vaz, Sam Stoeltje and David Su, you'll hear everything from punk to rock to Britpop to 60s psych. After releasing their EP Whiter Sands in 2014, the band is set to drop its debut LP Keep Talking on September 4th via Black Bell Records/Gigawatts Records.
If you're anything like me, you enjoy getting a little hyped up before an album releases. Luckily, the band has given us a sneak preview of its "Holy Fool" music video, which you can check out below.
You may have noticed there's finally a new episode of Locally Sourced Joey at the top of this post, too. Trevor was kind enough to take some time to chat with me. You can hear us discuss the finer things in life, from terrible, horrible gigs to fantastic dance moves. Because really, what's more fun than dancing?
I am an absolute sucker for some bubblegum pop. And here's a terrific example of the genre: Tommy Roe's "Sweet Pea." That drumbeat is killer, and the lyrics are saccharine and sweet. The music video is quote precious, too, with Tommy singing to some lucky fan who knows every single word. Enjoy!
Chesapeake, VA band The Last Bison is coming to Austin for SXSW, and I, for one, am quite excited. The band just released an EP, Dorado, which is four songs full of catchy, folksy, aural paradise. They're playing in Austin on Wednesday, March 18 with two separate shows that are absolutely worth checking out:
3/18 - SXSW Official Showcase @ Esther's Follies (4:30pm)
Lead singer Ben Hardesty was gracious enough to take a few minutes to chat with me about life on the road, his dream tour, BBQ, and the strangest place The Last Bison has ever played. All terrific stuff. Check out the interview below, and pardon the occasional technical difficulty. That's what I get for trying a new recording setup!
It's rare for a single nowadays to be under two minutes--in fact, the only two I can think of off the top of my head are "Fell In Love With a Girl" by The White Stripes and "All I Want" by The Offspring, and those were both released more than ten years ago. Well, let's add a third one to that list. Big Harp just dropped "It's a Shame" from their upcoming 7", which is dropping tomorrow via Fat Possum.
Definitely one you'll be tapping your toe to, and the husband/wife duo are going out on tour. Dates below--check 'em out if they're in your neck of the woods!
3/13 - Las Vegas - VIVA VEGAS festival - playing with 1975 Terrors and PPL MVR
Punky veterans The Offspring just dropped a new song from their untitled tenth studio album. "Coming For You" follows the recent Offspring trend of kind of ripping off their own music, with an intro that sounds like their 2008 song "Stuff Is Messed Up." Going even further, the misheard lyric of "Donkey Kong" in the chorus has already happened once, way back on 1994's "Genocide." But hey, it's still a rockin' song, and should get the toe tapping. And that's really all we can hope for from a song.
What do gladiators and Rick Ross have in common? Other than rocking enormous bling, they can both be found in Fall Out Boy's new video for "Centuries," the first single from their as of yet unnamed new album. It looks like the songs from this record are going to follow the path of Save Rock and Roll, where an entire story was told via the 11 songs and their respective music videos. Should be some interesting stuff.
Weezer has already had a penchant for delivering crunchy, catchy songs, although recent efforts haven't been nearly as strong in the eyes of most critics (also in my ears). But as the band celebrates its 20th year of existence, they've released their first song in several years--and it's a throwback, for sure. They even say "rockin' out like it's '94" in the chorus, so you know it's true. The music is baller, though some of the lyrics could use a little polishing. All in all, if this is a sign of things to come, count me as excited for their new album. Everything Will be Alright in the End is due out later this year. Until then, let's go back...to the shack...
He's been described as an inventive wildcard with a passion for all things extreme. And as one of the founding members of the Dallas Stunt Riderz, Remington has traveled the country performing death defying stunts, while also being a successful singer & songwriter whose original pop rock anthems can be heard as the soundtrack to his group’s stunt shows.
Growing up in Dallas, Remington spent a lot of his time around music with his vocal coach mom, who has worked with major A-list performers including Beyonce, Jessica Simpson, Kevin Haley and Chase Crawford. The early exposure led him to learn to play the piano, saxophone, guitar, drums and bass, while honing his skills as a songwriter and vocalist. Remington took a break from wowing crowds to chat with A Hot Cup of Joey.
A Hot Cup Of Joey: How did you get into stunt riding?
Remington: When I was a kid, I was praying for a dirt bike and never got one. My mom was totally fearful of motorcycles and tattoos, and I always wanted both of those. Guess I went against the mold there. My dad was a professional athlete and my mom was a professional singer.
I had these gauges in my ear and my mom asked if I'd take them out. She said she'd do anything if I did, and she promised me a motorcycle. So I got them sewed up the next day, and three months later she got me a motorcycle. A promise is a promise. It was a Yamaha R '06.
The first thing I wanted to do was pop a wheelie, and so I started riding with the Dallas Stunt Riderz. We began getting some recognition, and then a pilot saw us on the news, and asked if we'd do stunts for his air shows.
I never had any interest in music. I was walking with Jessica Simpson when she was 15 on the red carpet and I got pulled aside and was being asked to sign all these autographs, when my album was coming out and all that. And I had been onstage one time and said "Hell no, never again." But Jessica Simpson told me I didn't deserve all that, and it made me think, whoa, I can get the ladies. So I had a decision between playing basketball and making music.
At an airshow we had 9,000 people, and I'm like, this is more than any show I've ever had! We sold out our merch and were signing autographs for like an hour and a half. Soon I thought I should bring my music, and we had 20,000 or 50,000 people showing up. Then my pilot asks if I can edit his music, and I say, "Sure, if you put mine on, too."
Then I thought, what if the A-list artist was performing on stage, but also doing stunts and then joining the airshow in front of everyone's eyes? People have never seen that before.
AHCJ: What do you think makes a song successful?
R: Relevance. It needs to say something to get with people. Even "Turn Down For What?" It's one line, but it resonates with so many people. If you're constantly up with the times, songs in the 70s were huge but might not be hits today. Like the iPhone 1, if you brought that to society today, people would be like, "sorry for you, you're too late."
AHCJ: You've worked with a number of charities, including Falling Whistles [a non-profit organization campaigning for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo], Giving Keys and Krochet Kids. What made you want to really get involved in these charities?
R: How I got into all that is a move on the bike called a Champion, means I'm a badass and I'm conquering something. I had a friend whose mother was dying of cancer, and she threw me a picture of me doing a Champion while she was getting chemo. I was like "Wow, this could be a social movement." The champion could be the logo of a lifestyle. My buddy Alexander got me into using my network and my music in getting involved and spreading the word.
AHCJ: What move are you most proud of?
R: Riding backwards is a proud move for me. Not a lot of people do it, so people are always impressed by that. Anything like tandem stunt-riding is fun. It's scary, and you're responsible for someone's life in your hands, but it makes for a fun time.
AHCJ: What about wipeouts?
R: In all the extreme sports I do, everything since I was a child, I've never compound fractured anything. I have angels over me or something. I've wiped out on highways, and never anything that's longer than a couple weeks recovery time. I've hurt myself worse in basketball than I have in anything else. Broken ankles, hurt fingers, cut up faces. Basketball so far is my most dangerous sport.
AHCJ: What's coming up next for you?
R: I'm coming out with a new album in the fall. Lots more new videos. Remingtonmusic.com. Everybody can Instagram and all that stuff. Catch the fire, it's gonna be fun. Trying to hook up with some energy drinks and build the brand even bigger. Working on a single that is hopefully on the radio, and with any luck we'll have a tour out there, too. We had a million hits in one day because my pilot flew within two feet of a person standing out there and scared the shit out of her.
Sometimes I like to listen to songs where the lead singer looks like Dave Franco. And also songs that remind me of something The Calling might have put out in the late 90s/early 00s. This song satisfies both of those requirements. Well job.
