You know their big hit track "I Melt With You" from a million '80s compilation CDs and it's placement on the fantastic Valley Girl soundtrack, but can you name a single other song by Modern English?
Step back into the time machine with us and revisit 1982 - the year Modern English released After the Snow on 4AD and unleashed their massive hit single (that wouldn't really hit until the 1983 release of Valley Girl) and this inconspicous single.
The video is a juggernaut of 80s cliches and singer Robbie Grey is working his best Ric Ocasek imitation with a strange broccoli-shaped hair style. Enjoy a nostalgicly underrated single from a band who had more substance than our collective hindsight awards them.
Those wack-a-doos over at MTV.com did an ADD Bio of Interpol. So, if you've never seen Interpol look vaguely bored while explaining the history of the band then first we assume you aren't a music journalist and second we encourage you to get your rocks off watching this clip of exactly that, but in a sweet 2 minute format.
The always adorable Ben Kweller is doing a three night stand in Brooklyn this week, performing all of his albums in full. We sent mega-fan and co-worker Mary Toto out last night to get the scoop.
We were lucky enough to get into Ben Kweller's sold-out show at Southpaw last night, the first of three nights he's doing at the Brooklyn venue, followed by a nationwide tour. There's a catch with the New York shows- each night he's playing a differend album in full. Last night's show covered his debut, Sha Sha.
First things first, someone at the venue (we're not pointing any fingers but it must've been someone's job!) "forgot" to turn on the air conditioner. When we arrived to the packed venue, our first instict was to run for the hills because we thought we were going to melt. But then we thought about it some more and decided to stay, and we're very glad we did. After all, who doesn't love the Kwell? (Don't actually answer that, ya haters!)
We hate it when mommy and daddy fight, but when Hooky and New Order fight we absolutely can't stand it. The posts on MySpace are flying fast and furious, but do yourself a favor and just read the lowdown on Pitchfork, as the obtuse and nonsensical fighting between older folks on MySpace is every bit as unintelligable as you suspect it will be.
Things of note that other blogs are failing to mention: there is contact info on Hooky's MySpace to book him for your Super Sweet Sixteen! Hooky is playing a Hacienda 25th anniversary party with 808 State in late August! The Hacienda has a MySpace page and they are not friends with New Order, if you wanna guess whose side they're taking in the scuffle! They are, however, friends with A Certain Ratio and we recommend you go listen to "Shack Up" immediately!
Ok, we're banning exclimation marks from this blog.
We're digging this Hungarian (yes, you read that correctly) rock band. According to their MySpace they are the first Hungarian rock band signed to a U.S. record label, which is fascinating in it's own way.
If you're the kind of person who really liked the first Weezer album but always wished they dressed more like the Libertines, you should give it a look. We're that type of person.
Today's Unleashed (aka all day video premiere) on MTV2 is the new White Stripes so obviously we have to bring you that.
It's directed by The Malloys, who have helmed dozens of music videos running the gamit from Wolfmother's "Dimension" to the Black Eyed Peas "Don't Funk With My Heart" to the Will Ferrell/Anchorman movie cover of "Afternoon Delight". The Stripes have previously partnered with the Malloys for "Icky Thump" and "My Doorbell," and Jack worked with them on the race car concept version of the Raconteurs "Steady, As She Goes."
You know how we said the Interpol interview by Jim Shearer was going to air this weekend?
Someone effed up and it didn't air. At all. Some lovely segments from Korn did though.
The show is rescheduled to air this Wednesday VERY late night/early Thursday morning at 4AM EST on MTV2 - check your local listings and set your TiVos.
Do we really hate working here sometimes and indulge in paranoid fantasies about how everyone is out to get us? Oh yes, constantly.
Watch the show on MTV.com and below we've embedded a little teaser for you of what you'll see when these segements do run.
Ok you guys - don't be freaked out but this weekend not only will Interpol be our guests on this Sunday night's episode of Subterranean but an old friend is showing up to interview them. That's right, you'll be seeing some Jim Shearer (and Jim's new haircut).
However - Jim is not returning to the show permantely. This is a special episode of Subterranean that's tied into Virgin Fest and someone made a deal before all the changes went down and...well, here we are.
Be happy, be sad, be whatever you feel like being about it but we wanted to give you a heads up!
This fall/winter will be peppered with documentaries and bio-pics featureing all your favorite artists: Joy Division, Nirvana and Bob Dylan. Talk to your doctor now about seasonal affective disorder cos you're going to be depressed as hell.
