Back in 2010, Courtney Love expressed a desire to separate from the estate of Kurt Cobain. As The Fix has learned, it turns out she got exactly what she wished for by the end of that year. The publicity rights – which include Cobain’s name, likeness, and appearance – now belong to her 19-year-old daughter, Frances Bean Cobain..

The Fix reports to have obtained documents stating Love received a $2.75 million loan from Frances’ trust fund. This resulted in Love stepping down as Acting Manager of End of Music LLC, which generates revenue from Cobain’s publicity rights. Thus, Frances has final say over any deals brokered by EOM’s current Acting Manager, David Byrne. All this could be reversed, however, if or when Love pays back the loan.

The documents also revealed that Primary Wave Music’s CEO, Larry Mestel, owns 100% of Nirvana’s and Cobain’s music, so Love has little influence on the Cobain legacy at this point. What all this means in the end, really, is that she should stop whining now.

Last year, director P. David Ebersole’s Hole documentary Hit So Hard made its rounds in select theaters. While the focus is on former drummer Patty Schemel’s struggles with fame and addiction, as Antiquiet points out, there is also a bevy of unreleased footage featuring Kurt Cobain and headline-grabbing Courtney Love as a couple. One such clip has surfaced online, namely a jumbled duet titled “Stinking of You”, which also features a young Pat Smear in the background. It’s all vintage Cobain and sounds like half a dozen of his demos, though it’s nice to see his humor eek out, especially when he asks, “Is this a Genesis jam?” Check it out below.

Hit So Hard is currently available for download/rent via iTunes.

Here’s one way to shake off a week of negative press: Courtney Love reunited with the mid-’90s lineup of Hole at New York City’s Public Assembly on Friday night. As the Village Voice reports, drummer Patty Schemel, bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur, and guitarist Eric Erlandson performed at an afterparty for the premiere of Hit So Hard, a documentary about Shcemel. Love joined the trio for two songs, “Miss World and The Wipers’ cover “Over the Edge”, and you watch a recording of the performance below.

Two decades from now, how do you think 2011 will be remembered? As the year we lost Amy Winehouse? How about the year three of music’s most iconic outfits – The White Stripes, R.E.M., and LCD Soundsystem — all decided to call it quits? Maybe Lana Del Rey will prove a sustainable force and then we can all tell our children about the great collagen debate of 2011. Or try to explain to them how two rock and roll hall of famers came together to create the worst piece of music imaginable.

Yeah, 2011 was a fucking weird year. Like, a total mindfuck. We lost some great ones, both literally and figuratively, and we wrote or read about them in between stories about Wayne Coyne’s gummy fetus and Nick Oliveri’s standoff with a S.W.A.T. team. Along the way, we were presented with a legal way to listen to a jazilion songs for free, watched that dude from Nine Inch Nails win an Oscar, and witnessed the return of not just Kate Bush and Tom Waits, but Jeff Mangum as well. Yet, at the end of the day, Lana Del Rey’s collagen lips and Odd Future’s misogynistic tendencies won the award for stories with the longest shelf life on my Twitter feed.

Then again, four weeks from now it’ll be 2012′s turn and who knows what that year has in store. Maybe some scientist will be able to revive Jim Morrison’s frozen head so that we can have a true collaboration between The Doors and Skrillex. Whatever the case may be, Consequence of Sound will be here, 24/7/365, ready to bring you all the major headlines. Until then, though, we remember the last 12 months, categorized by themes, in the pages that follow. And, as always, thanks for reading.

– Alex Young
Publisher

R.I.P.: The Ones We Lost in 2011

Amy Winehouse (1983-2011): The soulful, sultry songstress was the first British female to win five Grammy awards. Unfortunately, she also became a member of the infamous “27 Club” when police found her dead in her London home on July 23rd. An autopsy later confirmed her death as the result of accidental alcohol poisoning.

Clarence Clemons (1942-2011): Founding member and saxophonist of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Clemons was a larger-than-life figure, and he’ll forever be remembered for his solos on “Jungleland” and “Born to Run”. Clemons died on June 18th from complications caused by a stroke. He was 69.

Bert Jansch (1943-2011): Acclaimed Scottish folk singer who was both a celebrated solo musician and member of the band Pentangle. Jansch died on October 5th following a lengthy battle with lung cancer. He was 67.

Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011): A celebrated musician, poet, and author who was largely credited as one of the leading influences of hip-hop and neo soul. Scott-Heron died on May 27th. He was 62.

Heavy D (1967-2011): The founding member and leader of Heavy D & the Boyz helped bridge the worlds of hip-hop and R&B in the ’90s before transitioning to a career in film. Heavy D (born Dwight Arrington Myers) died on November 8th reportedly from complications of pneumonia. He was 44.

Nate Dogg (1969-2011): West coast crooner collaborated with Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Snoop Dogg. Nate Dogg (born Nathaniel Hale) died from complications of multiple strokes on March 15th. He was 41.

Poly Styrene (1957-2011): The former singer of X-Ray Spek was described as the “archetype for the modern-day feminist punk.” Styrene died on April 25th following a battle with breast cancer. She was 53.

Trish Keenan (1968-2011): Founding member and singer of British electronic band Broadcast. Keenan died from complications with pneumonia on January 14th. She was 42.

Hubert Sumlin (1931-2011): Legendary guitarist and longtime collaborator of blues icon Howlin’ Wolf is ranked at number forty-three in the Rolling Stone list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Sumlin died on December 4th. He was 80.

Cory Smoot: (1977-2011): Guitarist for the shock rock band GWAR was the longest-serving member to play the character Flattus Maximus. Smoot was found dead on the band’s tour bus on November 3rd; as of December 5th, his cause of death is still unknown. He was 34.

DJ Mehdi (1977-2011): French hip-hop and electro producer was a member of Ed Banger Records and collaborated with Chromeo, Cassius, and Carte Blanche. DJ Mehdi (born Mehdi Favéris-Essadi) died on September 13th when the roof of his Paris home collapsed during a friend’s birthday party. He was 34.

Michael “Würzel” Burston (1949-2011): The former Army corporal served as guitarist for Motörhead from 1984-1995. Würzel died from complications of heart disease on July 9th. He was 61.

Mike Starr (1966-2011): The founding member and bassist of Alice in Chains contributed to two studio albums — including the 1992 classic Dirt — before departing in 1993. Starr was found dead on March 8th, with an autopsy later finding traces of drugs in his system. He was 44.

Suze Rotolo (1943-2011): The former girlfriend of Bob Dylan inspired many of the songwriter’s early love songs and appeared on the iconic cover of his 1963 classic, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. Rotolo died of lung cancer on February 25th. She was 67.

Gerard Smith (1974-2011): The TV on the Radio bassist appeared on the band’s celebrated albums Return to Cookie Mountain, Dear Science, and Nine Types of Light. Smith died from lung cancer on April 20th. He was 36.

John Barry (1933-2011): The Academy Award-winning composer soundtracked 12 James Bond films between 1962 and 1987 in addition to Born Free, The Lion in Winter, and Out of Africa. Barry died of a heart attack on January 30th. He was 77.

Mikey Welsh (1971-2011): The former Weezer bassist appeared on the band’s 2001 The Green Album. Welsh was found dead on October 8th. He was 40.

Welcome Back: 2011′s Reunions

Photo by Colin Athens

While 2011 was a particularly harsh year for band breakups (see the next slide), at least Pulp came back. Long a dream on festival message boards, the legendary UK outfit finally reunited in the summer of 2011 for their first live performances in nine years. Our own Frank Mojica was at the band’s comeback show at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound and declared it “an explosive set that cemented Pulp’s status as the essential festival band of 2011 and will be remembered as fondly and regarded as definitive as their Glastonbury 1995 performance.”

However, Pulp wasn’t the only celebrated outfit to return in 2011. Buffalo Springfield — the folk rock supergroup comprised of Richie Furay, Stephen Stills, and Neil Young — reunited after 43 years for a brief West coast tour and headlining performance at Bonnaroo. Wrote our own Carson O’Shoney of their Bonnaroo appearance: “Even those who weren’t familiar with the band’s work were surely impressed. Seeing Neil Young wail on guitar is simply one of the better things in all of music. But the final three knockout punches of ‘Broken Arrow’, ‘For What It’s Worth’, and ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ were what really solidified it as one of the best sets of the weekend.”

Other 2011 reunions:

After inciting a riot during their first live performance in five years at South by Southwest, hard-hitting Canadian outfit Death From Above 1979 played any and every summer festival, including Coachella, Sasquatch!, Quebec City Summer Fest, Lollapalooza, FYF Fest, ACL, and Treasure Island.

Post-punk icons New Order reunited after five years with a pair of benefit shows in Europe.

Mazzy Star unleashed a two-song single, their first pieces of new music in 15 years.

Ben Folds reunited Ben Folds Five for their first new material in a decade.

UK glam rock outfit The Darkness reunited for their first live performance since 2006 at UK’s Download Festival.

In celebration of their 45th anniversary, The Monkees hit the road for their first live performances since 1997. Unfortunately, the final eight dates of their trek were canceled “due to internal group issues and conflicts.”

Chicago’s own Hum delivered their first performance in a decade.

San Diego-based post-hardcore outfit Hot Snakes reunited at ATP’s Nightmare Before Christmas in December.

Austin, TX, noise rock pioneers Scratch Acid toured extensively for the first time in over two decades.

NYC punk band D-Generation hit the road in the fall for their first performances since 1999. A new album is also in the works.

Mexico City rock band Caifanes reunited after 15 years for a performance at Coachella.

The End of An Era: 2011′s Breakups

Bands, like trends, come and go. Some last for decades with deep catalogs, and others only survive a couple years with an album or two. Their presence has a lasting impact on our lives and ears, and thus their disbandment has the same. To the greats we lost this year: Thanks for the tunes. -Ben Kaye

R.E.M. (1981-2011): Seminal, legendary, and unequaled, Georgia’s alternative rock icons ended their career after three decades. From their 1983 debut, Murmur, to their 2011 finale, Collapse Into Now, to the world’s first GIF album cover, the band exemplified how to be successful, innovative, and cool while remaining uncompromising. Their legacy will be felt for decades more to come.

The White Stripes (1997-2011): One of the greatest bands of the era, this garage blues-rock duo left an indelible mark on music with six albums. Jack White will continue on in his myriad of forms, but The White Stripes will be remembered as the band that started it all and his most widely celebrated triumph.

LCD Soundsystem (2001-2011): These modern dance-punk virtuosos left us with three full-lengths and a year-long swan song, culminating in a finale at Madison Square Garden. And we still wish we were getting more.

Rilo Kiley (1998-2011): Fourteen years of indie rock ended rather unceremoniously. Regardless, their sophomore full-length, The Execution of All Things, will go down as one of the best albums of the last decade.

The Stills (2000-2011): These Canadian indie rockers released three albums over 10 years. They will likely be best remembered for 2008’s Juno Award-winning Oceans Will Rise.

The Academy Is… (2003-2011): These Warped Tour regulars dispersed while in the process of recording album #4. At least they got to tour with KISS before it ended.

Dear and the Headlights (2005-2011): Two full-lengths and extensive touring proved too much for this Arizona indie pop rock band. Scared by all the lights.

The Felix Culpa (2003-2011): Unsung heroes of the Midwest post-hardcore scene. Despite the success of last year’s self-released sophomore effort, Sever Your Roots, there will be no more happy mistakes.

Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon (1984-2011): Founding members of Sonic Youth and godparents of indie rock. What the power couple’s separation means for their iconic band is yet to be seen, though side projects abound.

Ben Gibbard and Zooey Deschanel (2009-2011): This pair of indie darlings split after only two years of marriage amidst heavy work schedules for each. While separations are always sad, we can’t help but swoon over the idea that Deschanel is technically available…

Digital Takeover

On July 14, 2011, millions of music fans sighed in relief: Spotify hit U.S. shores, and the end of the war on music drew closer to its end. Now, that’s not entirely true – the labels still aren’t too happy, neither are the artists – but the idea that “music is free” has never been more agreed upon until now. Thanks to Spotify, users can legally check out a variety of new releases in addition to a fully digestible catalog that spans everyone from ABBA to John Zorn, at any time — even on their phones, though that option will cost them. But it’s a price that many will pay, simply because it’s the way of the future.

It’s the death of the mp3 and the dawn of the truly, strictly digital age, where music listeners can immerse themselves in digital clouds of music. This year, Apple, Amazon, and Google Music all introduced similar formats, asking users to upload their collections into digital lockers, where they’ll always have access. Anywhere. Anytime. Where else can you go from there?

How about interactivity? Online forums evolved this year, too. “You should check this band out” is so passe. Instead, online users are opting for more media savvy formats, where they can turn their textual suggestions into aural delights. Through a service like Turntable.fm, which surfaced earlier this year, users now create rooms, throwing online soirees, where they DJ their own stations. All of this comes at little to no price and with zero trouble (although, there are always exceptions). So, it’s been a pretty transitive year in the music industry. A game changer, if you will. -Michael Roffman

An Odd Future, Indeed.

There’s that wonderful exchange at the end of Batman Begins, when Lt. Gordon digresses on The Caped Crusader’s influence over Gotham City, calling attention to like-minded criminals with a “taste for the theatrical,” stating plainly, “You really started something.” So true of the internet. Most of the time, you’ll find a chunky, melting pot of deep-seeded opinions, but sometimes, just sometimes, they all come together to agree on something. That’s when true change is had. And it can happen overnight.

Case in point: Odd Future and Lana Del Rey.

Controversy played a big role in the successes of these two – the former because of obscenities, the latter because of collagen – but, really, it only fueled it. The real credit, however, goes to the blogosphere. It’s the classic “she tells her friends” routine – only to an ungodly nth degree. One blog hypes a track, one site swears by another, and all of a sudden you’re trending on social networks nationwide, then worldwide, then… yeah, it sort of stops there. It’s nothing new. That’s the true nature of a fad (see: Trapper Keepers, Pogs, LA Gear). But, it’s never seen extremes such as this.

And as polarizing as these acts may be – “Aren’t they being misogynistic?”; “She’s not real! Her real name’s Lizzy Grant! OMFG, hate her!!1!” – it’s the way they came to fruition that’s far more interesting. It reveals a true power within the internet, one that may or may not be good. Regardless of its moral worth, though, it’s here to stay. As the Joker, essentially a by-product of Batman, ominously declared in the film’s follow-up, “There’s no going back. You’ve changed things… forever.” Yep. Deal with it, folks. -Michael Roffman

The Return of R&B

Some guy somewhere jokingly called it “PBR&B” and that gained traction for a little while — R&B for “hipsters.” If we take one thing away from this, let it be this: The resurgence and strength of R&B in 2011 had nothing to do with “hipsters,” a word I apologetically use here (and if I had two wishes for Christmas this year, it would be that I never hear that word again). The strength of The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, The-Dream, How To Dress Well, Active Child, and tangentially Drake this year was born from little else than a defibrillator to a dormant art form using a bit of indie sentiment.

The Weeknd’s sudden and (not so) mysterious arrival drew the highest peak in the EKG chart with the hedonistic, dripping-wet jams of his House of Balloons mixtape, sampling Beach House and Siouxsie and the Banshees, which of course reached across the aisle to white tumblrites more ostensibly than Aaliyah and R. Kelly ever did in the 90’s. From there, Frank Ocean bowed out of producing pop hits for Biebs and made known his association with OFWGKTA for his Nostalgia Ultra mixtape, a damp and druggy confessional. Kanye took a liking to him, as well.

The cross-cultural movement was just as strong for Active Child’s choir-boy jams and How To Dress Well’s shrouded pangs, both of whom collaborated with each other on the song “Playing House”. There are many more artists working with these tools: production rooted in current trends, voices like butter, beats like woah. Perhaps the response to the hidden vocals of last year’s genre de l’année Chillwave is that these artists are putting the spotlight back on the soul of the human voice.  -Jeremy D. Larson

The Return of the Legacy Act

It’s been seven years since Tom Waits released his 23rd album, six years since Kate Bush released her 9th, and 13 years since Jeff Mangum (as Neutral Milk Hotel) released his second. Not all acts that resurface have to have page-long catalogs, and like Mangum, not all comebacks have to include new material, but these three artists made the biggest impact in 2011 after some time away from the spotlight.

Not even just away from the spotlight, but in some cases purposefully reclusive. Before this year, Jeff Mangum appearances were becoming lore, like seeing the face of Mother Mary in a Crunchwrap Supreme. Mangum only did some one-off shows in barns or was seen looming backstage at some gig. But last January, he announced his reemergence for ATP New Jersey at the “I’ll Be Your Mirror” event — a festival! He went from barns to a major festival in like a year! He then went on a small U.S. tour and released a career-spanning Neutral Milk Hotel box set, and there are no signs of him stopping with tour dates already stretching into 2012.

For Kate Bush, pace is the trick. With 10 albums in over 30 years, we’re running on her press cycle — releasing her babies into the world only when they’re ready to leave the nest. With a flurry (ahem), she dropped two albums in 2011 — her self-explanatory Director’s Cut and her acclaimed new studio album, 50 Words for Snow. With no tour or late-night performances, Bush is still staying out of the limelight for now. But it’s not like she needs the press.

And then there’s the categorical Tom Waits, doing his thing for the 24th time with not a hint of phoning it in. Bad As Me is another trophy for his buckling shelf and his most commercially successful album to date, peaking at #6 on the U.S. Billboard charts. Twenty-four albums in 37 years with rarely a misstep or an eye roll, soundtracking movies, musicals, German surrealist plays, and with his release this year, he’s only further cementing himself as an American cultural icon. We await for “Waitsian” to be added to dictionaries. -Jeremy D. Larson

The Return of Radiohead

Photo by Nate Slevin

It’s a predicament: A member of Radiohead posts something online (e.g. new track, obscure art, a haiku-like blog entry, et al.), and you’re a.) out at lunch, b.) four hours into a deep sleep, or c.) at your own wedding. Whatever the situation, you’re finding the closest computer and fast. That sort of conundrum plagues every blogger’s life annually, but especially in 2011. As of today, Consequence of Sound has 10 pages of Radiohead-related news for this year alone. Quite a lot. To think, it all started in the eye-tweaking, early morning hours of February 14th, 2011. That’s when the group announced the release of their eighth LP, The King of Limbs, set to deliver only four days later. Naturally, the ‘net exploded soon after; in fact, as one reader put it that morning, “I just pooped my pants.”

That reaction turned sour (or just downright polarizing) when the LP eventually surfaced. Some complained about its length (a copious 37 minutes), speculating on a second part (which never materialized), while others wondered where the band went, calling it a Yorke-centric effort. A week after it was announced, Consequence of Sound awarded the album four stars, hailing it as “one of their most absorbing efforts to date.” (Currently, the album has a Metacritic score of 80.) Despite the general acclaim, critics everywhere levied their slight disappointment between their words.

But that hardly stalled the group. Since 2007′s event release of In Rainbows, the UK collective has stayed ahead of the curve, and this year was no different. Things just got weird. They issued a free newspaper, their “Lotus Flower” video sent dance enthusiasts on edge, and Yorke started hitting the DJ scene hard. But, on the other hand, they struck all the right nerves by releasing an exclusive Record Store Day 7″, “surprising” festivalgoers at Glastonbury, endorsing an album of remixes, and media blitzing NYC for a week (which included stops at Fallon, SNL, The Colbert Report, and two sold-out nights at The Roseland Ballroom). It doesn’t look like it’ll end for 2012, either, what with another LP and a proper tour on the way. That’s okay, though. Our stomachs, sleep schedules, and loved ones won’t appreciate it, but hey, more Radiohead, right? As the old adage with this group goes, “Stay tuned.” -Michael Roffman

The Day Trent Reznor Won An Oscar

When first approached by director David Fincher to score his film about the founding of Facebook, Trent Reznor had just wrapped up Nine Inch Nails’ lengthy farewell tour and was planning to take time off. However, as Reznor later explained, “When I actually read the script and realized what he was up to, I said goodbye to that free time I had planned.” Undoubtedly attracted by the film’s sentiments on isolation, greed, and entitlement (all familiar issues to the Nine Inch Nails frontman), Reznor graciously accepted his new role as film composer.

Teaming with longtime collaborator Atticus Ross, the duo would go on to create a masterpiece of “alternative-rock infused ambient electronic music” that as our Drew Litowitz writes, “mimics the anxious ambivalence that Sorkin’s script and Fincher’s direction convey so similarly.”  The score amplified the angst and turmoil that accompanied the success of Mark Zuckerberg. For a movie with no ostensible “action” sequences, the score built tension to great heights alongside Aaron Sorkin’s signature verbose script. One question remained: Would movie critics give praise to an outside artist who once sang, “God is dead and no one cares/ if there’s a hell, I’ll see you there”?

With 15 nominations for Best Original Score, it seemed Reznor and Ross had created a score that struck an international cord. Even after winning the Golden Globe, skeptics wondered if The Academy would give Reznor and Ross the Oscar over perennial favorites Hans Zimmer and Alexandre Desplat. All doubt dissipated when Nicole Kidman and the all-too-pleased Hugh Jackman called the duo up to accept each one’s first Academy Award. “Wow, is this really happening?” Reznor asked during his acceptance speech.

Reznor’s now working on the score for the Fincher-directed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Will he need to make more room on his trophy shelf? Plus, with an alt-rock artist taking home the coveted award, might Reznor’s win, combined with the efforts of Daft Punk and The Chemical Brothers, be incentive for more contemporary artists to try their hand at composing film scores? We’d like to hope so. -Derek Staples

Who is Arcade Fire??!!?

Sunday, February 13, 2011. Talk about a tumultuous 24-hour news cycle: Hours before Radiohead resurfaced to wreak havoc on the ‘net with The King of Limbs (see page nine), Arcade Fire walked home with a Grammy for Album of the Year for their 2010 album, The Suburbs. As Win Butler & Co. cooked up an impromptu cut of “Ready to Start” over the ceremony’s closing credits, fingers raced across keyboards, mouses clicked, and emotions ran wild. Some praised the news – Kanye West tweeted, “#Arcade fire!!!!!!!!!! There is hope!!! I feel like we all won when something like this happens! FUCKING AWESOME!” – while others, many others, updated their Facebook and Twitter accounts in utter confusion. Thus, one of 2011′s most popular internet memes came to fruition: Who Is Arcade Fire??!!?

For days following the Grammys, the widely celebrated Tumblr account reposted countless social media updates from users everywhere, all of whom had no clue who these Canadian indie rockers were. Some were angry, some were frustrated, and some felt victimized – as if the Grammys robbed Lady Antebellum, Eminem, Lady Gaga, or Katy Perry of a truer win. Naturally, as with anything this insubstantial to normal, everyday life, the wake calmed and most of the anger turned to curiosity. This partly speaks for the thousands upon thousands of fans that arrived in droves to catch them headline festivals, or take over their nearby venues. Creation through chaos, so to speak.

So, while recent Grammy-nominee Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) might think otherwise, the Grammys proved that they do still hold some weight, turning an indie rock icon into a household name. Admittedly, you might not appreciate your mother keeping The Suburbs on rotation with Taylor Swift, but hey, it’s an improvement, right? Yep, Jimbo: “Strange days have found us.” -Michael Roffman

Lulu and more WTF collaborations

We’re generally all for unique, head-turning collaborations, but some instances of teamwork insanity in 2011 really had us going “WTF?” For instance, just last week director Darren Aronofsky glorified Lou Reed and Metallica’s Lulu, which our own Jeremy D. Larson so bluntly described as ”a complete failure on every tangible and intangible level of its existence,” with a music video for “The View”. But not even a video by a top-notch director can save an album doomed by its concept and only further hindered by poor production that awkwardly abandons Reed’s vocals on top of the mix

If Metallica and Lou Reed would have spent a bit more time exploring other odd collabos of 2011, they possibly could have avoided their joint tragedy all together. Back in July, SuperHeavy, the supergroup made up of Mick Jagger, Joss Stone, Dave Stewart, A. R. Rahman, and Damian Marley, dropped their first single, “Miracle Worker”. The bloated, inorganic track felt stapled together, with many critics and listeners calling it a marketing ploy by Warner Music Group.

Then in August, profanities flew left and right when we were presented with this picture of Jack White and Insane Clown Posse. If the pic wasn’t awful enough, whoever chose to listen to the White-produced “Leck Mich Im Arsch” and “Mountain Girls” were subjected to ICP at their crudest and most bizarre. Once again, we were left with two very important questions: Was this some maniacal plan each shared during their days in Michigan, or was this collaboration the strange payoff of a backroom bet?

Arguably, Re:Generation takes the prize for most “WTF”-worthy collaboration. Presented by the Hyundai Volster, the concept of Re:Generation was to explore jazz, R&B, country, classical, and rock through the eyes of five modern DJ/producers. Pairings included the Crystal Method and Martha Reeves, Pretty Lights, Leann Rimes, and Ralph Stanley, and the most noteworthy, Skrillex and the remaining members of The Doors. All that bass resonating from “Breakin’ a Sweat” had Jim Morrison rolling in his Parisian grave.

Here’s hoping 2012 finally brings us that Celebrity: Apprentice-inspired boy band featuring Meat Loaf, Lil Jon, and Mark McGrath. -Derek Staples

The Year of the Gummy Fetus

This past January, the often-unconventional Flaming Lips did something decidedly conventional: re-sign with Warner Bros. Records for a multi-year deal. However, with the deal came a newfound level of creative freedom, which Wayne Coyne and co. used to build their wildest and wackiest year to date. Seriously, some weird stuff’s ahead.

The band’s 2011 was marked by decidedly gimmicky ploys to sell music. If they weren’t schlepping tunes inside of gummy skulls or gummy female anatomy, they were creating songs that were six and 24 hours long (though proceeds from those massive, massive “songs” did go toward charity). That, or the group was busy crafting tunes about copulating blobs with the use of YouTube. Some of their releases, like where they wrote people’s name into songs, were decidedly hokey (even if, once again, they were for a good cause). If there were any legit music-making endeavors, like collabos with Prefuse 73, Neon Indian, and Lightning Bolt, not to mention super-shows with Weezer and Yeasayer, they were outshined by graveyard gigs and playing human Whack-A-Mole with SUNY students. If it made headlines while generating mass confusion this year, The Flaming Lips were undoubtedly behind it.

There’s no way to catalog these decisions and projects as true artistic exploration. If anything, nearly everything the band did this year were either jokes and goofs or absurd, almost harebrained marketing schemes. But when someone gives the inmates the keys to the asylum, should anyone be surprised when they smear the walls in green paint and dress up like penguins? We, for one, applaud Wayne Coyne and company for doing what they do best: entertaining us with their increasingly batshit hijinks. Here’s to the kooky things the band will cook up in 2012. -Chris Coplan

Stage Collapses

In the span of two months between July and August 2011, a freak trend hit the music world. Four stages in three separate countries collapsed, killing a total of 11 and injuring many more. The first collapse occurred on July 17th at the Ottawa Bluesfest, where strong winds caused the festival’s main stage to implode 20 minutes into Cheap Trick’s set. Gusts blew the stage backwards, which pushed the scaffold to teeter under the force. Three people were reported injured, and the remainder of the fest – one headlining spot by Death Cab for Cutie – was canceled.

Then, just weeks later on August 7th, a similar occurrence befell Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Brady District Block Party. Moments before local heroes The Flaming Lips were scheduled to go on, a lighting rig was struck by wind and fell into the stage. Though the stage was evacuated beforehand, preventing injury to fans, band members, and road crew, some $800,000 worth of the Lips’ equipment was damaged or destroyed.

The summer festival circuit’s worst incident occurred six days later during country duo Sugarland’s set at the Indiana State Fair. A massive gust of wind toppled the stage, sending steel scaffolding, lighting, and sound equipment into the audience. The destruction of the stage had come just minutes after organizers had announced the storm and outlined evacuation plans. Seven people died as a result of the collapse, with another 44 receiving treatment for various injuries at nearby hospitals.

The fourth and final collapse took place on August 18th at the Pukkelpop festival in Hasselt, Belgium. As Chicago-based indie rock band Smith Westerns were playing on The Chateau Stage, bursts of wind uprooted trees and collapsed several festival tents. The band was evacuated offstage just prior to its collapse. (A second construct, the Shelter stage, was also damaged by weather.) Four people were killed, with another 75 reported injured. The festival, scheduled to run until the 20th, was canceled Friday morning (August 19th).

Late last month, in the aftermath of the incident in Indiana, 51 individuals connected to the collapse sued Sugarland, concert promoters, and those who built the stage for breach of reasonable care. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. A state-sponsored investigation of the collapse will be completed before the case moves forward.

On a more positive note, following the tragedies, fans, musicians, journalists, and festival promoters alike have all emerged to sound the call for increased safety measures, demanding better crowd accommodation and weather preparedness. While festivals will always contend with X-factors, better preparation can only benefit subsequent summer festival seasons. -Chris Coplan

And the Rest…

Clearly, as you’ve just read, a lot of things happened to the musical landscape in 2011. Some occurrences, though, were so darn awesome, head-turning, or just downright strange that they can’t be classified anywhere else. So, here they are, the rest of the biggest news stories of the year. -Ben Kaye

Kanye: The Musical: Ya know, this was probably bound to happen. Students at Australia’s Sydney University told the tale of Ye, from making beats for Jay-Z to his solo ascension, in this September production “about a guy who took a shot at the throne and didn’t miss.”

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks hold a “blowjob” contest: Seems the lyrics to “Senator” weren’t exactly FCC-approved. The line “I know what the senator wants/what the senator wants is a blowjob” needed a rewrite for the radio, so Malkmus reached out to fans for help. Turns out the senator actually wanted a corndog (who doesn’t?).

Bon Iver Day: Even a perfunctory listen to Bon Iver’s music reveals Justin Vernon’s strong affections for Wisconsin. That love was returned on July 22nd when Milwaukee’s Mayor Tom Barrett christened the day “Bon Iver Day” in celebration of Bon Iver’s WI ties, musical accomplishments, and the beginning of their world tour.

Beavis and Butt-Head: America’s favorite slackers/social commentators returned to MTV this year for all-new animated episodes. With a whole new slew of modern musicians and pop-culture to mock, this news… hee… errm.. uhh huhuhuh… rules.

2011: A Rock Odyssey featuring Jack White: For three epic nights, Stephen Colbert joined Jack White at the musician’s Third Man Records. The goal was to revive Colbert’s “music career,” and it ended up giving us three awesome segments, a Catholicism-off, and a duet of The Star-Spangled Banner.

Nick Oliveri arrested after S.W.A.T. standoff: When his girlfriend called the police, ex-Queens of the Stoneage/current Kyuss Lives! bassist Nick Oliveri refused to let her leave the residence or let the cops in. Four hours and a L.A. county S.W.A.T. team later, he was arrested for felony domestic violence. While the case awaits trial, Kyuss still lives, though Oliveri, out on $100,000 bail, won’t be joining them for any international tour dates.

Mic Todd arrested for armed robbery: On tour with Soundgarden, Coheed and Cambria bassist Mic Todd went out and robbed a Walgreens in Attleboro, MA, by telling the pharmacist he had a bomb. He was arrested that night at the Comcast Center on charges of armed robbery and unlawful possession of prescription narcotics. A month later, he was looking for a new band.

Courtney Love dates SALEM’s Jack Donoghue: So, Courtney Love thinks Dave Grohl is a dick, but witch-house is sexy. You know, sometimes I just don’t understand that woman.

Metallica Monopoly: Because nothing says “metal” like family game night.

Luther Campbell runs for mayor of Miami-Dade County: Admittedly, it takes some cajones to choose the eighth-most populous county in the country as your first foray into politics. Probably takes more to try to tax strippers. He lost, by the way.

Joe Jonas says he’s influenced by Daft Punk: The middle Jo Bro cites Daft Punk’s Tron: Legacy work as an influence on his solo debut. So, in essence, you’re saying this led to this.

“I don’t care what you listen to at home, but if a guy takes off money off my kid’s table, fuck him.”

– Courtney Love spouts off against Foo Fighters frontman and former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl during a massive meltdown at Brazil’s SWU Festival on Saturday night. To see the entire rant, which stemmed from an audience member holding up a picture of her late husband Kurt Cobain and resulted in a ‘Foo Fighters are gay chant’ and another flashing by Love, check out the NSFW video here (via Antiquet). You stay classy.

Photo via Last.fm

Following on the heels of Zooey and Ben and Ryan and Mandy, music’s latest and greatest couple comes in the form of Courtney Love and SALEM‘s Jack Donoghue. Betcha weren’t expecting that now, were you? Or, maybe you were. Anyhow, the Daily Dish reports that the couple appeared together at a charity gala in New York City this week where they “posed for pictures on the red carpet with their arms around each other and were snapped holding hands.” Photographic evidence can be viewed thataway, and your horrible Courtney Love witch house jokes can be shared below.

Included in the performance are a cringe-worthy version of “Honey” and a cover of Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy.” A new song Love performs reading hand-written lyrics sounds pretty good, and even though she dodges questions about who is playing Kurt Cobain in an upcoming biopic, her bantering about being obsessed with Britney Spears is entertaining enough to suggest Love may have a career as a stand up comic. She also sheds light on her custody battle over her daughter and all of the oddity is available for your viewing pleasure in this stream below. (Update: The stream has expired, but KNDD says individual tracks from Courtney Love’s  mini-concert will be available tomorrow. Until then, check out this video of Love covering “Jeremy” thanks to YouTube user sathherp5.)  Have a look and feel better about the rest of your day.

Courtney Love – “Jeremy” (Pearl Jam)

]]> Update: The stream has expired, but KNDD says individual tracks from Courtney Love's  mini-concert will be available tomorrow. Until then, check out this video of Love covering "Jeremy" thanks to YouTube user sathherp5.)  Have a look and feel better about the rest of your day. Courtney Love - "Jeremy" (Pearl Jam) [youtube -hN_7H9htHg] ]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/09/watch-courtney-love-cover-pearl-jam-ramble-on/feed/ 3 http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/07/cos-end-of-week-recap-june-28-july-2/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/07/cos-end-of-week-recap-june-28-july-2/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/07/recap71.jpg Fri, 02 Jul 2010 22:00:14 +0000 Emma Ramsay http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=51269 My hometown prides itself on attracting the likes of Ted Nugent, Randy Travis, and Los Lonely Boys to play its annual Ribfest, a run-of-the-mill Independence Day celebration but with a lot more refined sugar and animal fat than most others of its kind. This year they managed to get Sammy Hagar, Charlie Daniels, and a post-divorce LeAnn Rimes.

What does any of this have to do with CoS? Don’t worry, I’ve got a point to make.

The suburbs can be dire place for a music fan, especially this time of year when the only viable options for many young live music fiends are washed-up rock stars. You’re so close and so far away from great music all at once. There’s so much of it to the point it can be overwhelming. This is where we come into play. We’re here to help you sort things out, to remind you that there’s more to music than the stuff your parents listened to in high school on 8-tracks. You can’t see or hear everything new and exciting, but you can certainly try.

So pour yourself a cold drink, crank up Animal Collective’s “Fireworks” and, well, actually watch some fireworks this weekend. And while you’re at it enjoy the following recap. We’ll be back next week, as always, to keep you up to speed.

– Where would Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood play an unscheduled gig? Where would Gorillaz attempt to recreate Plastic Beach in its entirety? Where could you hear a Muse-Edge collaboration? The answer to all three of these questions is Glastonbury. If you couldn’t make it to England last weekend, don’t worry because we’ve got your back.

– Several Lilith Fair dates were cancelled.

– Matador Records unveiled the lineup for its 21st anniversary celebration.

– More artists joined Zach de la Rocha’s “Sound Strike.”

–Things seem to be looking up for BBC 6.

– Eminem continues to enjoy phenomenal record sales. 

– Pete Townshed isn’t totally deaf, at least not yet.

– Kanye West performed his new single “Power” at the BET awards. I don’t censors have had this much fun since The Grammys.

– Kanye West was also accused of plagiarism.

– Jimmy Paige faced similar charges.

–Neither one of these things should come as surprises to anyone, but Courtney Love had another news-worthy meltdown and Trent Reznor‘s up to something on Facebook.

–Remember Rancid? Well, I’m sure you never expected to hear their music in this particular context.

– Andre 3000‘s take on The Beatles’ “All Together Now” dropped. So did a new M.I.A. single called “Teqkilla”.

–Big Boi‘s debut solo effort won’t be out until next week, but enjoy a free mix tape for now.

– Lady GaGa premiered a new song during one of her shows.

– There’s another exciting new Bjork collaboration on the horizon. This time it’s with Antony and the Johnsons.

– Check your newspaper. A new Prince album might be in it.

– Interpol unveiled the artwork and tracklist for their upcoming LP.

– A new Portishead album is in the works, according to Geoff Barrow.

– Los Campesinos! lost their drummer.

– Hip-hop pioneer Rammellzee passed away.

– Chris Coplan shared his thoughts on The Roots‘ How I Got Over (you know, the album with Joanna Newsom).

– Pavement have been going strong on their reunion tour. Read what Ted Maider had to say about their recent Bay Area gig.

– Evan Bright covered The Creators Project.

– Carson O’Shoney interviewed rising singer-songwriter Frank Turner.

– Check out our Third Quarter Music Preview. Three months worth of new music to hear. Think about that.

Love showed up an hour late for her 9:30 p.m. scheduled start time Sunday night and put together a guide for what not to do on stage. She took 10 minute breaks between songs, stripped her clothes off, forgot lyrics, repeated songs, had an assistant stand on stage to record her with an iPhone and went on racist tirades. Rolling Stone reports she had the following outburst:

Do you really like rock music?” Love asked one young woman earnestly during the show. “Because you’re African American. That would be like me being into Lil Wayne.”

According to the Washington Post review, a number of fans yelled “Bullshit” and the club went from 3/4 full to 1/4 full despite the $45 ticket cost. Of course, for those who left early, you missed the chance to see something special. Having been at the Sly and the Family Stone show at Coachella, (where Sly had a similar meltdown and couldn’t make it through one song) I can say it was the most memorable show of the festival. The worst, but by far the most memorable, moment of an incredible weekend. It’s rare to see a musician have a complete meltdown on stage. Even if it is a perennial train wreck like Courtney Love.

Enjoy this fan captured video below:

Courtney Love has made an astounding comeback lately as the face of a new-and-improved Hole lineup. With the latest release, Nobody’s Daughter, carrying substantial weight, and its single “Skinny Little Bitch” stomping all over alternative radio, it is safe to say that Love’s recent stint through recovery has done her well. Can the queen of jacked up Twitter retorts push a two-hour Behind The Music special and redeem the series with her own tale of rises and falls? Pregnancy, drugs, feuds, and plenty of expletives to be seen on June 21st at 8:30PM Eastern on VH1.

Courtesy of Stereogum, here are some quotes from the upcoming show:

I look at audiences, and I like what I see. So when I say “Fuck you” I say it in a loving manner. And they say “Fuck you” right back.

My goal for Hole was stupid. I said, “This band is going to be ten times bigger than Sonic Youth, but not as big as Jane’s Addiction.” What was the “but” for? It’s like a fucking curse. That’s so stupid. The gods were listening when I said that. I could have said “This band’s going to be ten times bigger than Sonic Youth and the Beatles, and that’s where we’d be right now!”

So I said in Spin that … don’t call your band Nine Inch Nails if you have a three-inch one. My band’s called Hole. It’s not called Little Hole, it’s not called Big Hole, it’s not called Flopping Noni, it’s not called Tiny Rosebud, it’s not called Barbie pussy. It’s called Hole, okay?

Stay tuned for one hell of a night. In the meantime, enjoy the teaser trailer below:

Now, again, we really shouldn’t care, but M.I.A. did promise to publish her own “unedited” version of Hirchsberg’s piece this weekend. She has since sort-of-kind-of-not-really-at-all made good on her promise, posting two short audio excerpts from their interview — one demonstrating she didn’t order those now infamous truffle fries and one in which she explains that she didn’t use the situation in Sri Lanka to her advantage — as well as a brand new song dedicated to Hirchsberg. And when I say dedicated, I mean the song titled “I’m A Singer” “Haters” features the following lyrics (via NME):

“Why the hell would a journalist be thick as shit” and “You can talk shit to me I’m used to it / You make me hard with the wounds that I have to lick / You can pick on me and I can see it at a click.”

Hear the song below and check out the audio excerpts here. Now back to your regular scheduled and much more important Memorial Day Weekend activities.

Check Out:
“I’m A Singer”

“im very proud of this leonard cohen cover [sic]” Courtney tweeted, and she should be. Holding a single red rose, she delivers the dense lyrics with a nuance and poise few knew she had in her. See for yourself in the video below.

Hole’s Brixton Academy concert came on a tour promoting Nobody’s Daughter, an album CoS called “the most sincere thing the public has been given by Love since the days of Live Through This.”

The latest dates keep the band on the road through July, highlighted by a previously announced appearance at the Ottawa Bluesfest and a two-night run in Billy Corgan’s hometown, aka Chicago.

Tickets for the latest batch of dates go on sale starting Saturday, May 8th via Ticketmaster.com.

Hole 2010 Tour Dates:
04/22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater
04/27 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
05/01 – Dallas, TX @ Edgefest 2010
05/03 – Glasgow, UK @ ABC
05/05 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
05/07 – Manchester, UK @ Academy 2
05/09 – Birmingham, UK @ Academy
06/03 – San Diego, CA @ 4th & B Concert Theater
06/06 – San Francisco, CA @ BFD 2010
06/22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
06/23 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
06/25 – Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theatre
06/27 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
06/30 – Atlanta, G A @The Tabernacle
07/02 – Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore
07/03 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
07/06 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
07/07 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
07/09 – Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Bluesfest
07/10 – Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
07/11 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
07/13 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
07/14 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
07/15 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
07/16 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

“I’m thinking about selling all of Kurt [Cobain]‘s rights – everything,” Love says. “It’s not a financial decision. It’s an emotional one. He was the best friend I ever had, but Kurt and I were only married for three years, and now I need to have my own life. I’m always the widow and that drives me nuts.”

This wouldn’t be the first time Love’s whisked away from what was once Cobain’s. If you know your history, you’ll recall back in 2006, when she sold a percentage of her share to Larry Mestel of Virgin Records. Parting with Cobain’s actual rights, however, well that’s just bold on her part.

Oh, by the way, her band Hole has a new album out this week.

Hole 2010 Tour Dates:
04/22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater
04/27 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
05/01 – Dallas, TX @ Edgefest 2010
05/03 – Glasgow, UK @ ABC
05/05 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
05/07 – Manchester, UK @ Academy 2
05/09 – Birmingham, UK @ Academy
06/03 – San Diego, CA @ 4th & B Concert Theater
06/06 – San Francisco, CA @ BFD 2010
06/22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
06/23 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
06/25 – Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theatre
06/27 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
06/30 – Atlanta, G A @The Tabernacle
07/02 – Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore
07/06 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
07/09 – Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Bluesfest

In far more entertaining news, Love also released a music video for “Skinny Little Bitch”. The one minute and 45 second clip is billed as the “Least Expensive Courtney Video Ever,” which basically means we get to watch a one minute and 45 second clip of Love getting a tattoo and then wandering around aimlessly. Unfortunately, there are no scenes of her tweeting. Speaking of which, favorite tweet from Courtney Love vs. Billy Corgan Twitter Fight: Day Two? “its not an accident hes using today to spew his jealousy, i simply wont respond at ALL , i said all that i will say publically, enough.sad,” wrote Courtney before sending out another 20 tweets. Your turn, @billy!

Also, more Hole tour dates have been announced. Find them as well as the aforementioned videos below.

“Skinny Little Bitch” on Letterman

“Skinny Little Bitch” video

Hole 2010 Tour Dates:
04/22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater
04/27 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
05/01 – Dallas, TX @ Edgefest 2010
05/03 – Glasgow, UK @ ABC
05/05 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
05/07 – Manchester, UK @ Academy 2
05/09 – Birmingham, UK @ Academy
06/03 – San Diego, CA @ 4th & B Concert Theater
06/06 – San Francisco, CA @ BFD 2010
06/22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
06/23 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
06/25 – Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theatre
06/27 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
06/30 – Atlanta, G A @The Tabernacle
07/02 – Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore
07/06 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues

Sigh, doesn’t Corgan have better things to do? Oh yeah, something like 40 something songs to write? Then again, it’s hard to do work when your producer’s in on it, too. People can point fingers at Love, but we know how she gets when she’s on the press circuit. Still…

Grow up, kids.

Nobody’s Daughter hits streets everywhere tomorrow.

As we reported earlier this week, Courtney Love killed Courtney Love because, “We’ve all decided we don’t like her anymore.  We love her when she goes onstage, but I don’t need her in the rest of my life,” adding that “the name is just a way to oppress me.” She went on to explain that she would like to be addressed as Courtney Michelle. (Her birth name is Courtney Michelle Harrison)

Well, apparently, she doesn’t feel so oppressed anymore.  The spokesman  for the  45-year-old singer has just confirmed that Love is not “changing her name unless it’s to Courtney Love Melllencamp or Big Baby Jesus.”

All of this begs the question: Is this a publicity stunt for the release of Nobody’s Daughter next week, or is it just “Courtney being Courtney?”

It’s all pretty entertaining either way, and don’t worry Courtney; we know Billy Corgan doesn’t like you, but the folks here at CoS like your new album.

Lets have a contest and see who can come up with the best ‘new’ name for Courtney Love.

“We’ve all decided we don’t like her any more… We love her when she goes onstage, but I don’t need her in the rest of my life.”

– The musician formerly known as Courtney Love reveals why (via BBC) she decided to revert back to her birth name, Courtney Michelle Harrison. “The name Courtney Love is a way to oppress me,” she added.

As we noted yesterday, Courtney Michelle Harrison and the rest of Hole v. 2.0 have begun to map out their summer tour plans. Their latest album, Nobody’s Daughter, is scheduled for release on April 27th. Read all about it here.

Love’s recent blogger/Twitter infamy and a fresh turn at being drug-free has ostensibly wiped the slate clean in her head, one fell swoop to eradicate some long-since-worldly-familiar cobwebs by putting them down on paper in ink. From beginning to end, Nobody’s Daughter is probably the most sincere thing the public has been given by Love since the days of Live Through This.

Throw in some influence from fellow ’90s icon Billy Corgan and a proportionate amount of production sheen from Celebrity Skin‘s Michael Beinhorn, Nobody’s Daughter is Love’s Hole: an entity that belongs to Love as much as it did to anyone else ever involved, fans included. Hole is the medium Love utilizes to convey her more personal side to a wider audience, the equivalent of how much easier it is to spill your guts to a stranger as opposed to a family member. No bias, just anonymity and merit.

Everything on Nobody’s Daughter screams retro, but these are not your dainty table scraps or seemingly random leftovers from a decade long gone. The songs stick in your head, the mood strips itself bare, and the term heavy applies to even the softest of inclusions. The vitriolic “Skinny Little Bitch” is a dose of early Hole work sonically, and reminds the crowd why Love and Hole are so respected still in certain circles; “Pacific Coast Highway” waxes poetic in appropriately bleak tones regarding Love’s late husband Kurt Cobain and the anger his suicide left on her shoulders, finally bringing Love’s true feelings on the matter plaintively to the forefront:

I knew a boy who came from the sea
He was the only boy who ever knew the truth about me
I knew a boy who left me so ravaged
Do you even know the extent of the damage?

I’m overwhelmed and undersexed?
Baby what did you expect?
I’m overwrought and so disgraced
I’m too ashamed to show my face

And they’re coming to take me away now
What I want I will never have
I’m on the Pacific Coast Highway
With your gun in my hand

Moving past singles, the majority of Nobody’s Daughter comes across like a series of diary entries and doll parts that present various scenarios about self-mutilation in the emotional sense: “Someone Else’s Bed” reminds us of those drug-addled morning after moments; “For Once In Your Life”, in a different manner from “Skinny Little Bitch” or “Loser Dust”, showcases Hole as the band in unison, crafting something of a lullaby chastising one for not living up to their full potential; “Letter To God” is a very blues-tinted Dylan moment, but does not overshadow the ’90s flavor that blends well with the surrounding songs.

All in all, the running themes that anyone expects from Love, Hole, or anything similar are rarely disappointed. While tracks like “Samantha” lost a little personality transferred from live and into the studio’s double-track production, the entirety of Nobody’s Daughter (if done properly) will translate nicely as the more personable set piece amongst a Hole set list full on “Celebrity Skin” and “Jennifer’s Body” revisits during the current (and sadly short) promotional tour. If only Auf Der Maur had come back, though…ah the memories.

For all who wish to tackle the obvious, we will dispense with the bullshit: this incarnation of Hole holds Courtney Love as the only current original member still present. One could argue that, due to such a drastic line-up cleansing, Nobody’s Daughter is more accurately a Love solo album along the lines of America’s Sweetheart (something former member Eric Erlandson would be adamant to have you believe). In the loosest sense, Nobody’s Daughter is a Courtney Love record with a Hole brand stamped on it to whatever end was intended, but outside of sorely missed Melissa Auf Der Maur, no longer donating her bass strings or contributing some stellar harmonies to the picture, casual listeners would be none the wiser.

Nobody’s Daughter has elements from ’90s punk and grunge (“Loser Dust”, “Skinny Little Bitch”), shoegaze (“Nobody’s Daughter”), and culls inspiration from the likes of Jack Off Jill or L7, while drawing a lot of focus on acoustic guitar and alternative rock during the majority of its track list. There is absolutely no reason to think that this latest Hole creation is not worthy of the name or its respective catalog.

Hey ’90s kids, your favorite crazy blond is back to basics.

To add to the excitement, the album’s cover art and tracklist surfaced today. While the broken glass heel was pretty cool (and somewhat consistent with the band’s previous artwork), this new cover fits just as well. Now, having taken a gander at the tracklist (featured after the jump), one has to be pretty psyched to hear what “Loser Dust” might discuss or whether “Letter to God” is more or less a post-it note to estranged daughter Frances Bean. This might just be wishful thinking, but does anyone else think “Pacific Coast Highway” might be a sequel to “Malibu”? We’ll see.

Also, if you weren’t in Austin for Hole’s performance (or you were, but couldn’t get in), some videos have surfaced on YouTube. Once again, the band’s in top form, though would it have killed them to find another female for the backing vocals? Anyways, here’s a wicked cut of my personal favorite…

Nobody’s Daughter Tracklist:
01. Nobody’s Daughter
02. Skinny Little Bitch
03. Honey
04. Pacific Coast Highway
05. Samantha
06. Someone Else’s Bed
07. For Once in Your Life
08. Letter to God
09. Loser Dust
10. How Dirty Girls Get Clean
11. Never Go Hungry

In addition to two upcoming performance during this month’s South by Southwest (a private party for Spin and an official showcase at the Dirty Dog Bar), Hole has announced two other U.S. dates. On April 22nd, the band will hit Henry Fonda Theater in Los Angeles. Then, five days later, they’ll take to New York’s Terminal 5. And, using logic, it wouldn’t be too far fetched to assume the band will add dates proceeding, in between, and following these two performances. They have a new album to support after all!

Hole also has three dates scheduled for the U.K. in May. Find all upcoming tour dates below. Tickets for LA go on sale this Saturday, March 6th; New York will be available on Saturday, March 13th. Hit up Ticketmaster.com for more info.

Hole 2010 Tour Dates:
03/19 – Austin, TX @ Spin Party at Stubbs (SXSW)
03/19 – Austin, TX @ Dirty Dog Bar (SXSW)
04/22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater
04/27 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
05/03 – Glasgow, UK @ ABC
05/05 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
05/09 – Birmingham, UK @ Academy

Because if the remainder of Nobody’s Daughter sounds anything like the recently performed “Samantha” and today’s “Skinny Little Bitch”, we’re sold on the name again. This stuff rocks through and through. It’s a return to the group’s roots, tossing aside the ugly-girl-gone-sexy-bad-girl mentality that layered 1998′s Celebrity Skin, and dragging back out the raw and angst last heard on 1994′s Live Through This. The mood doesn’t even come off as fabricated or forced, which is a considerable surprise since Billy Corgan contributed here and one might have a hard time saying the same about his latest work. Nevertheless, we’re pretty jazzed about the record now.

We’ll see come April 27th, when Nobody’s Daughter surfaces via Mercury Records.

The LP has stirred up some controversy in the past, as it originally was slated for Love’s solo career comeback. However, last June, Love announced plans to reunite Hole, which (predictably) resulted in her just using the name. (Sound familiar?) Instead, Love now finds herself surrounded by new members to piss off. These fresh faces include guitarist Micko Larkin, bassist Shawn Dailey (of Rock Kills Kid), and drummer Stuart Fisher. However, one rock veteran managed to offer a hand in the studio, former Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam drummer Jack Irons, who laid down drum tracks for …Daughter.

Love cites three figureheads as collaborators on the album: Linda Perry, Billy Corgan, and producer Michael Beinhorn. Don’t get too excited on the last name. According to Spin, Beinhorn, who produced Hole’s last album, abandoned Nobody’s Daughter after only a year, saying, “She had a lot of things going on in her personal life that made it impossible to do the sort of work that I wanted.”

If anything, this should be “interesting.” We’ll see April 27th.

In support of their new album, Nobody’s Daughter, Hole was set to debut and perform at Camden’s Proud Galleries venue. Prior to the gig, Love had been staying in her hotel room in London’s upscale Park Lane area.  However, thanks to a leak via Facebook, word of a squat party at a nearby abandoned townhouse came out, resulting in nearly 2,000 teens flocking to the area, which eventually spilled out on to the streets and even on to the house’s roof. Police arrived with batons and shields and closed off the entire area. According to Rolling Stone, there was a stand off between the two parties, however, no violence ensued. Instead, the police forced Love to remain in her hotel room while they took care of business. By then, at 12:40 a.m., nearly an hour after Hole’s set time, she was forced to cancel the gig.

As per Love’s Twitter (note the exceptional use of grammar):

“per PROUD kids there was as youllread tomorrow in the LOndon papers a MASSIVE riot tonight putside my HOUSE the cops wouldsnt let me leave.”

No word yet on a reschedule date. Deep down though, Love must be proud to see teen angst popping its head out again in mass numbers. Leave it to Mark Zuckerberg to carry the torch in the new millennium.

Hole 2010 Tour Dates:
02/17 – London, UK @ Shepherds Bush Empire
02/19 – Milan, IT @ Magazzini Generali
02/21 – Amsterdam, NE @ Paradiso

First and foremost, Courtney Love and the current incarnation of Hole will appear at next month’s South by Southwest in Austin, TX. The appearance, which will feature a lineup of Love along with new members Micko Larkin (guitar), Shawn Dailey (bass), and Stu Fisher (drums), will use the opportunity to showcase its forthcoming studio album, Nobody’s Daughter. Exact specifics have not yet been released.

Now on to the good news. Among one of the three acts recently added to the Matt Groening-curated Weekend #1 of the All Tomorrow’s Parties music festival is none other than the lovely duo of M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel, aka She & Him. According to ATP’s Twitter, the appearance will mark one of the duo’s first ever appearances outside the U.S. (the festival’s publicist confirms additional dates are likely coming soon). So if you add the She & Him U.K. debut with the other new additions of the Liars and  Trash Kit, as well as the previously announced likes of The Stooges, Spiritualized, Panda Bear, The xx, and Hope Sandoval among others, you basically get one hell of a festival. Maybe even better than what Pavement put together! Incredibly, limited tickets are still available.

— Courtney Love explaining (via Spin) why she decided to bring back Hole. Now it all makes sense.

As reported by Prefix, Hole’s upcoming album, Nobody’s Daughter, will be released sometime in early 2010. A very undetailed website that goes by the name of the album has emerged, announcing tickets for three February gigs in London, Milan and Amsterdam.

The website features a graphic of a shattered glass slipper (in keeping with Love’s love of all things perverted fairy tale-ish) but no mention of the band’s name. Hole co-founder and former guitarist Eric Erlandson has hinted since the summer that Love could not form a band under the Hole moniker without his agreement.

New members of Hole-or-whatever include Larrikin Love guitarist Micko Larkin, bassist Shawn Dailey (maybe or maybe not this one?), and drummer Stu Fischer, according to Prefix.

Hole 2010 Tour Dates:
02/17 – London, UK @ Shepherds Bush Empire
02/19 – Milan, IT @ Magazzini Generali
02/21 – Amsterdam, NE @ Paradiso

As for 2009? Well, the Dirty Projectors became a household name, as did Twitter, Girl Talk turned into a gimmick, Kanye continued to be an asshole, online music streaming got big (and bought), and the sales of digital and vinyl releases continued to increase, while the Virgin Megastores and Sam Goody’s of the world went bye bye.

And that’s not even scratching the surface. Before we turn the page on the 2000s, we wanted to take one more look at the year that was the last 365 days. Music, here was your 2009…

Top Albums of 2009

As selected by the CoS Staff…

01. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion

02. Passion Pit – Manners

03. The Avett Brothers – I and Love and You

04. The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love

05. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

06. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!

07. Kittens Ablaze – The Monstrous Vanguard

08. Wale – Attention Deficit

09. The Antlers – Hospice

10. The Dead Weather – Horehound

Click here for #11 – #100

Top Songs of 2009

As selected by the CoS Staff…

01. Phoenix – “1901″

02. Animal Collective – “Summertime Clothes”

03. Passion Pit – “Sleepyhead”

04. Grizzly Bear – “Two Weeks”

05. Phoenix – “Lisztomania”

06. Wale – “Triumph”

07. Jay-Z – “Run This Town” (feat. Kanye West and Rihanna)

08. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Heads Will Roll”

09. Girls – “Lust for Life”

10. Animal Collective – “My Girls”

Click here for #11 – #50

Headline Grabbers

There is always a few particular artists who seem to appear in the headlines more than others. Take these three for example:

Lil Wayne appeared on ESPN, began work on a rock ‘n’ roll album, talked gangsta with Katie Couric, won some Grammys, released the worst song ever, pushed back the release of his rock ‘n’ roll album, pushed back the release of his rock ‘n’ roll album again, told kids to stay in school, teamed up with Madonna, collaborated with Kanye, Eminem, and Drake, promised two albums before the year was out, plead guilty to weapon possession, released a stellar mixtape, watched his mom get a TV show, had his rock ‘n’ roll album mistakenly leaked, and got arrested again, all while actually failing to release any studio albums at all before the year was out. And to cap it all off, he’s going to prison in February!

For a band that didn’t release an album in 2009, Radiohead sure managed to grab quite a few headlines. Capitol Records reissued their discography, Thom Yorke debuted a new song, as well as contributed to the New Moon soundtrack, Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway collaborated with Neil Finn and Wilco, the entire band got together to release a tribute song for Harry Patch, the last surviving World War I combat soldier, Thom Yorke covered Mark Mulcahy’s “All for the Best”, the entire band got together again to release a track titled “These Are My Twisted Words”, Thom Yorke offered a secret 12″, Thom Yorke formed a new band and played some shows, the entire band got together for a third time to begin work on a new studio album, and Thom Yorke became really pissed about climate change.

You either loved or hated the amount of U2 present in 2009. Bono and crew got on their boots, played the Grammys, resided on Letterman, released a new album, teamed up with Brandon Flowers and Chris Martin, started talking another new album, took to Fordham University for a secret show, embarked on the first leg of their claw-featuring global 360 tour, tapped Muse as an opener, wrote a Broadway musical about Spider-Man, pissed off David Byrne, got reviewed in Chicago, reissued The Unforgettable Fire, apparently made no money, played the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall-of-Fame anniversary, titled their next album, wanted to be like The Beatles, plotted more tour dates for 2010, played a free Berlin Wall concert behind the backdrop of a different wall constructed by MTV to prevent those without tickets from watching U2 play a free Berlin Wall concert, teamed up with Jay-Z, got tapped for Glastonbury 2010, and announced a remix album.

Music Festivals

Despite a recession which saw a number of mid-tier summer music festivals call it quits, the big boys were as grand as ever. Coachella rounded up McCartney, Bonnaroo brought The Boss and Phish, and Lollapalooza finally saw Perry using his festival to his advantage. What’s more, Outside Lands proved once again that its a festival to be reckon with, while Sasquatch! demonstrated that Washington state can also rock hard. Hova was able to save All Points West from a mud filled weekend, Pitchfork continued to serve as a hipster’s wet dream, and the Virgin Mobile Festival reminded us that some good things can be free. Finally, Consequence of Sound hit South by Southwest for the first time, celebrating with events featuring the likes of Astronautalis, Gringo Star, Shad, 13ghosts, Kittens Ablaze, Catfish Haven, and Blueblood. Oh, and did we mention we have already begun planning for next year?

Supergroups

By the time December rolled around, there were as many supergroups in existence as there were non-supergroups…

Dave Grohl + John Paul Jones + Josh Homme = Them Crooked Vultures, Conor Oberst + M. Ward + Jim James = Monsters of Folk, Jack White + Alison Mosshart + Jack Lawrence + Dean Fertita = The Dead Weather, Thom Yorke + Flea + Nigel Godrich + Joey Waronker + Mauro Refosco = ???, Phil Lesh + Bob Weir = Furthur, Coldplay + Mew + a-ha = Apparatjik, Supergrass + Radiohead = The Hot Rats, Joe Budden + Joell Ortiz + Royce da 5’9″ + Crooked I = Slaughterhouse, King Khan + Black Lips = The Almighty Defenders, New Order + Blur = Bad Lieutenant, Sammy Hagar + Michael Anthony + Joe Satriani + Chad Smith = Chickenfoot

Reunions, Hiatuses, and Nothing at All!

Two 2009′s biggest themes were bands reuniting and bands calling it quits (or announcing extended hiatuses). And then there were those that couldn’t make up their mind at all.

Blur began its reunion, The Stooges revived Raw Power, Pixies gave it another go, Creed came back!, No Doubt did too, Faith No More hit Europe, Phish returned, The Murder City Devils reunited for Coachella, Sunny Day Real Estate returned for some grunge, Deadheads got the best Christmas present ever, Blink-182 got back together for the kids, Spinal Tap released a new album for the first time in 17 years, Sublime played a show and then got sued, Eminem reunited with D12, Simon and Garfunkel became friends, Limp Bizkit dusted off the red cap, Three members of the Velvet Underground got together for a discussion, Orbital celebrated its 20th anniversary with a reunion, Jawbox made its first live performance since 1997 on J-Fal, Faces reunited without Rod Stewart, while Take That did reunite with Robbie Williams, John Lydon moved on to Public Image Ltd., Cee-Lo got back together with Goodie Mob, The Jayhawks reunited, as did The Gories, and Ben Lee resurrected Noise Addict. Oh yeah, and some band named Pavement announced plans for a busy 2010.

On the other hand, Blur also ended its reunion, The Verve broke up again, Oasis had a fight, Flight of the Conchords called it quits, Music journalism died, Nine Inch Nails said goodbye, as did Harlem Shakes, The Broken West, and Pela, and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Fall Out Boy, Foo Fighters, Blitzen Trapper, Bon Iver, Lily Allen, Deerhunter, and TV on the Radio all announced lengthy hiatuses.

Plus, we learned an At The Drive-In reunion apparently wasn’t a possibility, nor was the rumored Stone Roses comeback, Spacemen 3 got an offer, but declined, The Kinks kept thinking about it but still didn’t do anything, contrary to Courtney Love’s comments, Hole didn’t reunite, Pulp teased and then unteased, and Swans thought about it and didn’t. And not surprisingly, The Libertines, The Smiths, and Neutral Milk Hotel all continued to tease to no fruition, while Led Zeppelin continued the suspense.

Soundtracks with benefits

There’s nothing like a nice movie soundtrack or benefit album featuring some of our favorite musicians. 2009 exemplified this fact to the max…

Grizzly Bear, LCD Soundsystem, Badly Drawn Boy, Arcade Fire, Karen O and friends, Daft Punk, Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, Beck, Jay Farrar & Ben Gibbard, British Sea Power, Dengue Fever all provided sounds for the silver screen, as did the inane number of musicians appearing on the New Moon soundtrack.

Ben Gibbard, Fleet Foxes, and The Cave singers contributed to the Give Seattle charity album, while Tom Waits, Pete Seeger, and Jim James lent their talents to Preservation, an Album Benefiting Preservation Hall and Its Music Outreach Program. Our friends at Ear Farm rounded up Tom Tom Club, Sean Bones, tUnE-yArDs for their pro-Xmas Do you EAR what I EAR?. Peter Bjorn & John, Juliette Lewis, and White Rabbits helped fight malaria. The Climate change benefiting Rhythms Del Mundo Classics saw contributions from The Killers, The Rolling Stones, and Amy Winehouse. Stars (like Yorke and The National) collided for Mark Mulcahy. Hot Chip, The Hold Steady, and Lily Allen shared reinterpretations on War Child Heroes. And let’s not forget about Dark Was The Night, the tantalizing 31-track effort featuring the Dirty Projectors with David Byrne, Feist with Ben Gibbard, Sufjan Stevens, My Morning Jacket, and more, all in benefit of The Red Hot Organization and AIDS awareness.

Our Most Memorable Features

In addition to everything else that went down, 2009 also saw Consequence of Sound further expanded our feature stories. The following are some of our favorites/most memorable:

We brought you interviews with Pavement, Ms. Consequence of Sound herself, Regina Spektor, Tom Jones, Passion Pit, Slayer, Ben Kweller, The Gaslight Anthem, Flogging Molly, Anti-Flag, Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s, Hot Water Music, The Von Bondies, The Screaming Blue Messiahs, The Antlers, Boots Riley, Cymbals Eat Guitars, and Fleet Foxes’ J. Tillman. Oh and we talked with Los Campesinos! not once, but twice.

Our Editor-in-Chief Michael Roffman gave us the entire story of The Thermals, contributing writer Alyssa Spiel spoke with 311 about its 20th anniversary, and the one and only Cap Blackard spent the day with Astronautalis.

We listed everything from the Top 11 Influential Minds of Industrial Metal and Top 10 Grunge Albums to the  Top 10 Fake Bands and Top 10 Sleepiest Albums. We did some Audio Archaeology, dusted off some ol’ classics, shared our guilty pleasures, introduced you to some great new bands, and continued teaching Rock History 101.

As for the most commented posts of the year? That honor goes to Laina Dawes’ review of 311′s Uplifter.

The Year’s Most “Unique” Moments

We thought we’d close on a light note, as in this year’s stories and moments that, well, left us scratching our heads the most…

Bill Corgan wrote a song for the Super Bowl, Bruce Springsteen apologized for selling music through Walmart, Live Nation and Ticketmaster merged, Mandy Moore married Ryan Adams, Lil Wayne released “Prom Queen”, we wrote a post about the Jonas Brothers, Crystal Castles had a meltdown, Santogold had to change her name to Santigold, Manu Chao pissed off Mexico, Chickenfoot was actually real, Prince released a $2,100 iPod, Billy Corgan made a wrestling promo, Tupac revealed he might still be alive, Creed released a new album, Billy Corgan hired a 19-year-old drummer, Kanye West helped kids stay in school, Ron Artest paid homage to Michael Jackson, Reading Music Festival banned flags, Kidz Bop covered Kanye West, Ryan Adams became a video game reviewer, R. Kelly forgot to title his new album, Oasis broke up, Liam Gallagher formed Oasis 2.0, 30 Seconds to Mars and Kanye West released a song together, 7-Eleven reissued The Beatles, Snoop Dogg got himself a new name, Rivers Cuomo was interviewed by a dog, Diddy appeared on the Home Shopping Network, Morrissey and Johnny Marr emailed, Marilyn Manson got swine flu, Radiohead didn’t break up, Elvis Presley’s grandson scored a record deal, Starfucker changed its name, Fall Out Boy formed a metal band, and Pete Doherty sang a Nazi song.

Thank you!

Before we end our 2009 recap, we would just like to take one last moment to thank the individuals who have helped Consequence of Sound become what it is today. Thank you to the publicists who work hand-in-hand with us each and everyday, thank you to the festival promoters who continue to work with us despite the fact we ruin your lineup announcements, thank you to the message boards which provide such a bevy of information, thank you to those who email us news tips and music submissions, thank you to our fellow bloggers, thank you to our amazing and tireless staff, and thank you to our readers who have put trust in us and our the reason we keep at this 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

2009 was an amazing year for Consequence of Sound, but 2010 will be even better. Stay tuned for a number of brand new features, including that much needed change we’ve all been eagerly awaiting.

What was slated to be the follow up to her 2004 solo debut, America’s Sweetheart, Nobody’s Daughter will instead be the fifth studio album for her former grunge unit, Hole. It’s not by choice, but rather where the album took her, so she says from the studio. And if you can handle the rambling, then by all means, check out the nine-minute plus video below. However, Rolling Stone summarizes it just fine:

In a video of the studio visit, with Love fittingly surrounded by doll parts, Love said that because the scope of Nobody’s Daughter had changed — it was originally conceived as an introspective “Blood on the Tracks,” but Love now likens it closer to the bombast of Davie Bowie’s Diamond Dogs — that the return of “Rock Courtney” meant the return of Hole.

As of now, the only former member on board is bassist Melissa Auf der Maur, and only for backing vocals, too. Though Love hints that she might tag along on the inevitable supporting tour. In the meantime, guitarist Micko Larkin (of Larrikin Love) is helping out around the studio, filling Eric Erlandson’s former shoes (he must be breathing a sigh of relief). Fans should be torn; however, does she need the former members? It didn’t stop Billy Corgan, who, speak of the devil, collaborated with Love on the upcoming album.

Whether or not it’ll still be sponsored by tampons and tequila remains to be seen.