New Pernice Brothers Album Cover Art

After Joe's solo book tour, it looks like the band is coming out with a new album, goodbye, killer. The cover art was put online today.  Their website says it will be dropping June 15. 

I know this Rockist can't wait.  Let's hope a tour with the complete band in in the works.

Breaking News: R.I.P. Georgie James

The TRS local favorite, Geogie James, has announced that they are no longer.

via www.georgiejames.com:

After three years, Georgie James is calling it a day. We're proud of the album we made and everything else that we were able to do during our time together. We are both working on our respective solo projects (John's can be found at www.myspace.com/titletracksdc and Laura's at www.myspace.com/lauraburhenn) and hope to have albums out early next year. Thanks to everyone that helped our band over these past few years. And thanks to those who've listened to the music and come out to the shows. It is greatly appreciated. See you around soon. - John and Laura/Georgie James

It's too bad. Places made it to my top 10 albums of last year. Although both John and Laura are doing solo projects, the pop powerhouse will be missed.

[from DCist]

Rocker Falls Off Bike; Teaches TRS A Lesson

Not sure if you all had heard, but earlier this month David Byrne, of Talking Heads fame, was BUIing and broke a few ribs. From his blog (or as he calls it, a "Journal," which is online, also known as a blog...):

“You drank too much and fell off your bike” could be the title of a drawing by David Shrigley. But in this case, it actually happened to me after meeting Shrigley for dinner and drinks. While riding home, C and I were briefly separated. Upon reuniting, my tire slipped on the cobblestones of West 14th St., and I remember lying in the street, looking at oncoming headlights and rolling towards the curb so they wouldn’t run me over. Two cops approached and looked down at me. “Have you been drinking?” they asked. Probably a typical question in that neighborhood at that time of night. “Yes, I’ve had a few drinks,” I replied. “But I’m hurt.” I managed to get up by myself and retrieve my bike (no help from the NYPD, though one of them asked if I was David Byrne) and it wasn’t until later, when I was in bed, that the pain made itself truly known. I wondered how I would ever even get out of bed. The next day I went to the hospital and x-rays revealed two broken ribs — numbers 3 and 5, way up high. They're healing now, little by little, and I was told that in 3 weeks I should be OK.

I have been known to imbibe a little and hop on a bike. Let's not delve into things, but there have been a couple rides to Bolis that I don't remember. It's a sobering when you discover rock stars aren't infallible. Let's all learn from this...

“Another thing that's bugging me ”

Heh. Neil Young is immortalized... as a spider.

He now joins the ranks of other rockers with bugs (or dinosaurs) named after them.

Roy Orbison
Mark Knopfler
The Beatles
The Ramones
and many more.


Congrats, Neil. TRS will never squash a spider again.

R.E.M. Release New Album Details

Yeah, so this was already posted on Stereogum, but it caught my eye. According to NME, R.E.M.'s new album will be titled Accelerate and will be released on April Fool's Day.

I can't speak for the other Rockists, but I'm actually looking forward to this. After a few disappointing albums recently, let's hope R.E.M. gets back to what they do best: vague, almost incomprehensible lyrics with political and social commentary over solid pop rock licks.

R.E.M. - "Superman"

Led Zeppelin to play Bonnaroo?

We don't like gossip, we don't like those who gossip, and we don't like to talk about those that gossip.

But when we get word that some Rockist legends are getting back together (relax folks, it's not the Bigger Lovers), Rockist Commandments state that thou must share the information.

So it looks like Led Zeppelin -- and not this Page and Plant crap -- will be reuniting and playing at Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN this summer. It's still a rumor, but it's on Billboard, so it must be good. On second thought, Josh Groban's on Billboard too so... well, nevermind. The report's here. I guess Metallica is rumored to be there too, but I'm not really too worked up about that. If we hear anything else, we'll keep you posted.

The XYZ Affair can outdo Britney Spears in anything

Alex Feder of The XYZ Affair recently informed the Rockists that they have retained the services of Richard Grabel, counsel to such bands as Sonic Youth, Interpol, Franz Ferdinand, Modest Mouse, Tokyo Police Club and many more. Grabel is a partner in the NYC office of Davis Shapiro Lewit & Hayes, LLP, the same firm that represents Britney Spears in certain matters. I think you've heard of her.

Now, XYZ doesn't have any children to neglect and lose custody of, but if they did, they would neglect the shit out of those kids. None of this half assed, "I need a judge to determine where the kids should go" nonsense. It would be so obvious that XYZ are unfit parents that the President would create a mandate stating The XYZ Affair shall lose all custody of any living being and be castrated. That's how rock and roll these guys are.

Oh, and they are coming back to DC on October 28 at the Black Cat backstage with Small Sins. Better not bring your kids.

photo courtesy of the band's myspace page

Jason Isbell Quits the Drive-By Truckers

Nearly shedding a tear over this one. Jason Isbell, the youngest member of the Drive-By Truckers, has announced he's left the band to pursue a solo career. He's already on the road, swinging through the Midwest and Northeast (no DC-area stop) as we speak, and hopefully his appetite for the road will be every bit as insatiable as his former band's.

As for the reasons why he quit, message board rumors are suggesting Isbell and DBT bassist Shonna Tucker are in the process of a divorce. He joined in the middle of the Southern Rock Opera tour, and Tucker joined for some of the Decoration Day touring. The Truckers have always pursued solo acts to some degree, and, however you slice it, it doesn't seem like he's leaving because of disagreements with Patterson Hood or Mike Cooley, but who knows. We're behind Isbell wherever his career should take him, and his new tunes (especially "Dress Blues") reveal an unaltered musical trajectory.

To read Patterson's heartfelt letter of explanation, go here.

Jason Isbell - Various Songs (stream)

Update: New Wilco Track

We just stumbled across this diddy today. Hopefully we'll be able to get the complete Sky Blue Sky album before it's released in May.

note to RIAA: just kidding

note to everyone else: no we're not


Wilco - Impossible Germany

New Wilco Tracks

Three tracks from Wilco's upcoming record, Sky Blue Sky, have been leaked through the intertubes and we're making them available to you, our faithful readers. Seems like they're keeping up with the general sound of A Ghost is Born, though with a slight return to their more alt-countryish roots. Those of you who have had the pleasure of seeing Wilco in the past year or so have probably heard the country-shuffle of "Walken", as it's been in heavy rotation on tour. Sky Blue Sky is slated to be released on May 15th on Nonesuch, though we've heard that the entire album may leak before then. We'll keep you posted. Here are the tracks:

Wilco - Either Way
Wilco - You Are My Face
Wilco - Walken