martes, 27 de septiembre de 2011

Blink 182 return with “Neighborhoods”


The announcement of the reunion of the punk-rock band Blink 182 in 2009 was a huge surprise both for their fans but also for anyone involved in the music industry in one way or another. After a long hiatus- where they gave free rein to side projects like Tom DeLonge’s Angels & Airwaves, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker’s +44 or Barker debut solo album “Give The Drummer Some” (Interscope)- the boys released yesterday “Neighborhoods”, their first album in over eight years.

The new record offers a 10-track list which brings a more mature Blink 182 that reminisces on lost, isolation and death and the title came after each member discovered they bring a very different essence to the band, each like different neighborhoods in a city. 

Hoppus revealed to MTV: “Everybody in the world thinks of something unique unto themselves when they hear the word “Neighborhoods”.

“To some it is a big city, others a small town, others suburbia, everything. The world is wide, exciting and very different. That's what “Neighborhoods” means to me.”

The first single Up All Night came out in July and weeks ago Hearts All Gone and After Midnight were aired on prime time radio.

“Neighborhoods” (Interscope Records) which is the first self-produced album due to the death of long-time producer Jerry Finn in 2008 is now available to purchase as deluxe version which includes four bonus tracks and vinyl edition. 

Here goes “Neighbourhoods”’s definitive tracklist:

1. Ghost on the Dance Floor (4:18)
2. Natives (3:55)
3. Up All Night (3:20)
4. After Midnight (3:27)
5. Snake Charmer (4:27)
6. Heart's All Gone - Interlude (2:02)
7. Heart's All Gone (3:15)
8. Wishing Well (3:21)
9. Kaleidoscope (3:53)
10. This is Home (2:47)
11. MH 8-1.22.2011 (3:27)
12. Love is Dangerous (4:26)
13. Fighting the Gravity (3:42)
14. Even if She Falls (3:00)

jueves, 22 de septiembre de 2011

R.E.M. say goodbye after 31 years together


The alternative rock band R.E.M. announced yesterday on a statement in their website they are splitting up after more than three decades on the road.

With 15 albums under their belt and a bunch of hits like Man on the Moon, Losing my Religion or Everybody Hurts, the band, initially a quartet transforming to a trio after drummer Bill Berry’s departure in 1997, insisted it was an amicable parting and the only reason to that decision is that each member want to build the groundwork for solo careers.

Each of them have posted individual statements explaining the sudden breaking up and thanking fans for their unconditional support through all these years.

Frontman Michal Stipe said: “A wise man once said--'the skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave.' We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we're going to walk away from it. 

“I hope our fans realize this wasn't an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way” 

He added: “We have to thank all the people who helped us be R.E.M. for these 31 years; our deepest gratitude to those who allowed us to do this. It's been amazing.”

Mike Mills, bassist, said: “During our last tour, and while making “Collapse Into Now” and putting together this greatest hits retrospective, we started asking ourselves, 'what next'? Working through our music and memories from over three decades was a hell of a journey. We realized that these songs seemed to draw a natural line under the last 31 years of our working together. 

“We have always been a band in the truest sense of the word. Brothers who truly love, and respect, each other. We feel kind of like pioneers in this--there's no disharmony here, no falling-outs, no lawyers squaring-off. We've made this decision together, amicably and with each other's best interests at heart. The time just feels right.”

Guitarist Peter Buck added: “One of the things that was always so great about being in R.E.M. was the fact that the records and the songs we wrote meant as much to our fans as they did to us. It was, and still is, important to us to do right by you. Being a part of your lives has been an unbelievable gift. Thank you. 

“Mike, Michael, Bill, Bertis, and I walk away as great friends. I know I will be seeing them in the future, just as I know I will be seeing everyone who has followed us and supported us through the years. Even if it's only in the vinyl aisle of your local record store, or standing at the back of the club: watching a group of 19 year olds trying to change the world.”

R.E.M. released “Collapse Into Now” (Warner Bros.) earlier this year to complete in that way the prefect music legacy.

We leave you with out Top 5 favourite songs from Stipe and Co.

1. Shiny Happy People
2. Losing my Religion
3. Man on the Moon
4. Imitation of Life
5. The Great Beyond

miércoles, 21 de septiembre de 2011

Closed beta test starts for “Diablo III” videogame


The highly anticipated sequel to the best-selling “Diablo” action role-playing game series, “Diablo III”, has begun its closed public beta testing, as Blizzard Entertainment announced yesterday.

The company has started issuing the first wave of invitations to participate in the testing process and is planning to add more participants over the course of the beta test. While enjoying an early look at the game, beta testers will provide valuable feedback as they help Blizzard Entertainment test server stability and hardware.


Participants will be able to fight their way through part of Act I as any of the five hero classes -- barbarian, witch doctor, wizard, monk, and demon hunter -- and go head-to-skull against the Skeleton King, taking him on alone or playing cooperatively with other adventurers. They'll also get to meet up with some of the artisans, followers, and other key characters from Sanctuary, and try out the game's skill and crafting systems.

Mike Morhaime, Blizzard Entertainment CEO and cofunder, said: “This closed beta test is an important milestone for us as we enter the final stages of development on Diablo III.

“Our goal is to create the best action role-playing game experience to date, building on everything we've learned since the release of “Diablo II” and incorporating the powerful features of the new Battle.net® platform. We hope players enjoy participating in the beta test and we look forward to hearing their feedback.”


The videogame will continue the epic “Diablo” storyline with players playing their role in the ongoing struggle against hordes of monsters and challenging bosses to save the world of Sanctuary from the corrupting forces of the Burning Hells.

The game will be localized and released in multiple languages, but the beta will be English only.

Beta testers will have to set up an account and sign up for a chance to participate at the official Battle.net website.

Release timing and region-specific details such as pricing and supported languages will be announced at a later date in the videogame’s online site.

jueves, 8 de septiembre de 2011

Metallica & Lou Reed: Everything you wanted to know about their upcoming album “Lulu” and you were afraid to ask


One of the most popular projects of the moment and that everyone is talking about is the musical collaboration between New York composer Lou Reed and the most selling hard rock band of all times, Metallica. The king of avant-rock and the four thrash metal horsemen have joined forces to raised a few eyebrows with their musical creature “Lulu”, a set of extended songs inspired by some of German expressionist Frank Wedekind's early 20th century plays.

After coming together for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts and performing Velvet Underground classic hits Sweet Jane y White Light/White Heat in New York in 2009, all guilty parties knew they wanted to make more music together. The Long Island singer was inspired enough by that performance that he pronounced: “We knew from then that we were made for each other.”


The original plan was to revisit what Lars Ulrich describes as “some of Lou's lost jewels - songs that he felt he'd like to give a second spin, and we could do whatever it is we do to some of those songs.” That idea “hung in the air” for a couple of months, until director-choreographer Robert Wilson came to scene with his production of the “Lulu Plays“, based on Wedekind's plays Earth Spirit and Pandora's Box. Reed was responsible of sketching out the lyrics and musical landscape for a theatrical production in Berlin, but soon was joined by the band to start recording at HQ studios in North California early May of this year.

“We were very interested in working with Lou”, confesses James Hetfield. “I had these giant question marks: what's it going to be like? What's going to happen? So it was great when he sent us the lyrics for the Lulu body of work. It was something we could sink our teeth into. I could take off my singer and lyricist hat and concentrate on the music part. These were very potent lyrics, with a soundscape behind them for atmosphere. Lars and I sat there with an acoustic and let this blank canvas take us where it needed to go. It was a great gift, to be asked to stamp 'TALLICA on it. And that's what we did.”

Reed picks up the tale of Lulu's birth. “I'd worked on this thing for a while. Frank Wedekind didn't get it right first time either, so he tried again. In Berlin they told me there were fourteen versions of this play floating around with differing emphases, but the main thrust of is like Pandora's Box and then I got my paws on it, tried to make sense out of it with my significant other, Laurie Anderson. It was almost impossible at first. We had to figure who Lulu was, her psychology. We had to bring her to life in a sophisticated way, using rock. And the hardest power rock you could come up with would have to be Metallica. They live on that planet. We played together, and I knew it: dream come true.”


“It's definitely not a Metallica album, or a Lou Reed album”, concludes Kirk Hammett. “It's something else. It's a new animal, a hybrid. Nobody in our world, the heavy metal world, has ever done anything like this.”

“Lulu” has been produced by Lou Reed, Metallica, Hal Willner and Greg Fidelman will be available worldwide on October 31 on Universal Music.

For more information about the project Loutallica visit the official site: http://www.loureedmetallica.com/index.php

Following it is “Lulu”’s complete track list: 


  1.  Brandenburg Gate (4:19)
  2. The View (5:17)
  3. Pumping Blood (7:24)
  4. Mistress Dread (6:52)
  5. Iced Honey (4:36)
  6. Cheat On Me (11:26)
  7. Frustration (8:33)
  8. Little Dog (8:01)
  9. Dragon (11:08)
  10. Junior Dad (19:28)