Rage Against The Machine to Play in Mpls During Republican National Convention

Speaking of the Taget Center in Mpls, the night after Ron Paul's Ra-Ra Rally for the Republic finishes, rap-rock icons Rage Against the Machine will give a rare performance, hereby bookending this decade as they did so outside of the Staples Center where the Democratic National Conventionwas held back in 2000.

RATM played a free show that day that ended in a crowd-dispersing melee. Shortly after Ozomatli took the stage right after Rage's set, amped up patrons started to climb the barricade to the Staples Center and were shot with tear gas and pepper spray. I was there. It was a complete clusterfuck. I guess after shouting "Fuck You, I Won't Do What You Tell Me" with several thousand like-minded individuals during RATM's final send-off of "Killing In The Name Of," some rowdiness was bound to occur.

It was a pretty surreal experience, with snipers on rooftops, helicopters circling overhead and hundreds of armed LAPD in riot gear lining the streets. Definitely looked like a war zone and was not the back lot of a movie studio. It was actually the first and only time I used the train in L.A. Get me the hell outta here!

Golden Smog Performance At A Barack Obama Rally

Golden Smog reunited and performed a mini set at a Barack Obama Rally back in February at the Target Center in Mpls, soon to be the temporary home for the Ron Paul Rally For The Republic from Aug 31- Sept 2.

Here's their 1st song "Looking Forward to Seeing You" which is track #2 on their new Rhino Stay Golden, Smog: The Best of Golden Smog release.

Nine, Nine, Niet, Death Magnetic, Nein!

September 12th marks the return of Metallica with their 9th studio album DEATH MAGNETIC.

Today, radio began playing the epic 8-minute THE DAY THAT NEVER COMES.

It sounds as if producer Rick Rubin has steered the band back on their glorious track of domination. The last 3 minutes of TDTNC can rub weenies with anything they've done. You can listen to it at their My Space page.


Pre-order info at Amazon.com (CD for $9.99)

Full North American tour this winter including a Dec 17th date at the Forum in Los Angeles. A nice prelude to Christmas, the day that always comes.

CNBC HD in Full Effect

So, my many calls over the past 6 months didn't register a blip as to when Time Warner Cable in Los Angeles was going to add CNBC in HD (channel 451). Well, a little viewership phenomenon called the Olympics tipped the scale. Finally! Now, I can be inundated with more scrolling tickers; currency, index & commodity fluctuations on my TV screen to parse during the trading day.

After 237 Weeks At #1, The Changing of The Guard

A momentous day in tennis today.

After 237 weeks at #1, Roger Federer fell today to #2 to Rafael Nadal. Roger's run is unprecendented, not only in tennis, but in all of sports. The second longest streak in tennis goes to Jimmy Connors, logging 160 weeks at #1 while even Tiger Woods has only achieved 167 weeks at #1. Four and a half years is a long time to dominate all other players in the world.

It still remains to be seen if Fed will be remembered as the greatest tennis player ever but his matches against rival Rafa will go down as some of the greatest in history with this year's dramatic Wimbledon final atop the heap.

Earlier this year at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, I had the court-side thrill of watching both players compete. Long live the epic battles between these two titans of tennis.

Paris Hilton Responds to the White-Haired Dude...

Like, why can't we follow an energy plan like this...I mean totally...

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die

Been There, Survived That - Download A Free Chapter

Zest Books recently released a High School Freshman Year survival guide called Been There, Survived That. Packed with tips and practical information to help teens survive a challenging time in life—the dreaded freshman year—this handy guide is written by teens who have lived through their first year of high school and want to share their advice and experiences with peers.

You can download a free sample chapter here.
More info @ Amazon.com

Stay Golden, Smog: The Best of Golden Smog Listening Party

This great new 18-track Best of Golden Smog is being released by Rhino Records on 9/23. Here's an exclusive 1888 Media listening party:

QT

WMA

Real

TRACK LIST:
1) Until You Came Along
2) Looking Forward To Seeing You
3) Lost Love
4) Jennifer Save Me
5) Making Waves
6) Glad And Sorry
7) To Call My Own
8) Pecan Pie
9) Red Headed Stepchild
10) He's A Dick

Congratulations to Nastia Liukin on her Gold Medal Triumph!

What a dramatic finish in the Women's All-Around Gymnastics competition last night! Came down to having to do a series of nearly flawless high-flying twists, flips and turns on her floor exercise. And Nastia delivered. NBC controls all the Beijing Olympic videos so here's a recent clip of her competing at the Olympic Trials in June.

GOLDEN SMOG Rolls In With The Best

We're very excited to be working the new Best of Golden Smog release. Here's the mini skinny:

In the late '80s, Minneapolis was home to a tightly knit music scene that claimed its fair share of groups on college and alternative radio playlists. When they weren't playing in their own bands, singer Kraig Johnson (Run Westy Run) and guitarists Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum) Gary Louris (the Jayhawks) and Marc Perlman (the Jayhawks) got together as Golden Smog to play with friends and have a good time. The band recorded a pair of albums for Rykodisc in the early '90s, featuring Uncle Tupelo/Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and drummers Noah Levy (Honeydogs) and Jody Stephens (Big Star).

Rhino brings together the essential tracks from both of those early releases for STAY GOLDEN, SMOG: THE BEST OF GOLDEN SMOG. This 18-song collection also features an alternate version of the fan favorite ("Until You Came Along") and an unreleased Brian Wilson cover ("Love And Mercy.").

TRACK LISTING:
1. "Until You Came Along" (Gary Louris)
2. "Looking Forward To Seeing You" (Kraig Johnson)
3. "Ill Fated" (Dan Murphy)
4. "Lost Love" (Jeff Tweedy)
5. "Jennifer Save Me" (Kraig Johnson, Gary Louris)
6. "Making Waves" (Kraig Johnson)
7. "Glad & Sorry" (Ronnie Lane of the Faces)
8. "V" (Kraig Johnson / Gary Louris)
9. "To Call My Own" (Dan Murphy)
10. "Pecan Pie" (Jeff Tweedy)
11. "Won't Be Coming Home" (Gary Louris / Mark Olson)
12. "Red Headed Stepchild' (Dan Murphy / Marc Perlman)
13. "He's A Dick" (Kraig Johnson)
14. "Radio King" (Gary Louris / Jeff Tweedy)
15. "Please Tell My Brother" (Jeff Tweedy)
16. "If I Only Had A Car" (Kraig Johnson, Gary Louris)
17. "Until You Came Along" (1997 version) - Bonus Track (Gary Louris)
18. "Love And Mercy" - Bonus Track (Brian Wilson)

For the Increase and Diffusion of Geographic Knowledge.

Today, we tip our hats to another event that transpired in the year 1888, that being the formation of the National Geographic Society.

Founded in 1888 by a group of thirty three men in Washington D.C. The men met at the Cosmos Club which was located on Lafayette Square. The men discussed "the advisability of organizing a society for the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge". What they would become is the largest nonprofit scientific and educational institution in the world. Members of the forming group were geographers, explorers, teachers, cartographers, military officers and financiers.

We proudly salute the NGS. More info @ National Geographic

Daily Liquid Candy For Life...

In honor of the staggering sum of 125 MILLION dollars that Comcast paid for The Daily Candy, we have to opine about the idea that perhaps there's something to blogging daily after all and give credit where credit is due.

Earlier this week, TDC touted the new Absolut Los Angeles vodka which is flavored with all the trendy antioxidant berries (blueberries, açaí berries, acerola cherries and a splash of pomegranates) to allow the beautiful people to further rationalize their drinking habits. While we personally have no interest in trying this fashinable concoction (we prefer our vodka pure & clean), we still woke up with a bad hangover at hearing that ABSOLUT LOS ANGELES will receive an honorary star on Hollywood Boulevard at the entrance to the Kodak Theatre. Only in L.A., so we guess it's a perfect marriage.

Peter Hook (New Order) Interview @ Bullz-eye.com

Peter Hook was in L.A. last month to do some DJ gigs. He took some time out from dropping the grooves to talk with Will Harris from Bullz-eye.com about New Order's Live in Glasgow 2-DVD new release, Joy Division & Freebass.

New Order 'Live in Glasgow' DVD

On tour for the band's 2005 follow-up, Waiting For The Sirens' Call, New Order made a rare two-night stand at Glasgow's Carling Academy in October 2006. The celebratory shows were filmed, capturing songs that span the band's extraordinary career, including several rare performances of Joy Division favorites. The result is a 2-DVD set called Live in Glasgow.

We're working with Rhino Records on this release which also contains a bonus disc of unreleased footage from the band's personal archives, including classic live performances filmed between 1981 and 2006. Check out some exclusive 1888 Media DVD clips:

CRYSTAL
QT
WMV

TRUE FAITH
QT
WMV

More info @ Amazon

Mick Hucknall Interview @ Bullz-eye.com

Mick Hucknall talks about life after Simply Red and his new Tribute To Bobby release with our buddy Will Harris @ Bullz-eye.com

Mick Hucknall Chats w/ Bobby Bland

Mick just released his Tribute to Bobby album. Here's a 5-minute clip excerpted from an upcoming documentary about the making of the album.

Mick Hucknall - Tribute To Bobby (Blue Bland)

We're working with Rhino Records on the debut album from Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall. Check out this exclusive 1888 Media listening party.

QT
WM
RM

Listening Party Track list
1. Farther Up the Road
2. Ain't That Lovin' You
3. I'm Too Far Gone (To Turn Around)
4. Poverty
5. Yolanda
6. Stormy Monday Blues
7. I Wouldn't Treat A dog (The Way you Treated Me)

More info at Amazon

Fashion 101, A Crash Course in Clothing

Our friends over at Zest Books are giving away copies of their hot new book FASHION 101, A CRASH COURSE IN CLOTHING every day this week at their My Space page.

More info @ Amazon

MATS - Rhino Listening Party

We're working with Rhino Records on the MATS re-issues (of their 1st 4 albums). Check out this exclusive 1888 Media listening party.

Links
QT

Real

WMA


Listening Party Tracklist
I Will Dare - Let It Be
Take Me Down to the Hospital - Hootenanny
Kick Your Door Down - Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash
Dope Smokin' Moron - Stink
Hootenanny - Hootenanny
Johnny's Gonna Die - Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash
Sixteen Blue - Let It Be
Kids Don't Follow - Stink
Within Your Reach - Hootenanny
Unsatisfied - Let It Be
Shiftless When Idle - Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash
Stuck in the Middle - Stink

More info @ Rhino