Icons of Punk News/Updates

Morrissey isn't happy? Why is this news?

2008-08-25T16:07:15Z

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: Another Smiths greatest hits package is on the way, and Morrissey isn’t happy about it.

The new compilation, a 23-track retrospective titled “Hang the DJ: the Very Best Of,” drops stateside Nov. 4 through Warner Bros. It will also be available in the UK in a 46-track deluxe CD edition.

But it’s not enough to satiate Moz fans - they already have all his best. They’ll have to wait until Feb. 2 to hear something fresh on his new album, “Years of Refusal.”

While the Smiths released only four studio albums, the revered band now has seven compilations in its discography, many featuring the same songs in various order. As Morrissey, who maintains he had nothing to do with this latest release, cryptically sang on the 1987 Smiths track “Paint a Vulgar Picture,” “Reissue, repackage! Re-evaluate the songs, double-pack with a photograph.”

The “Years of Refusal” title plays on a famous lyric from the song “Panic” but has already been used a gazillion times over for ’80s compilations. It will be sold alongside “The Very Best of the Smiths” (2001); “Singles” (1995); “The Best of the Smiths Vol. 1” (1992); “The Best of the Smiths Vol. 2” (1992); “The World Won’t Listen” (1987); and BBC1 recording session “Hatful of Hollow” (1984).

Now Morrissey is railing against Warner for over-saturating the market with Smiths compilations. He was similarly displeased in 2001 with the release of “The Very Best.” But this time he has another piece of product to hate on: an upcoming live DVD, “Morrissey Live at the Hollywood Bowl.”

“It is the work of cash-hounds, and I urge people not to buy it,” Moz said last week in a statement. “No royalties from this DVD will come to me. Please spend your money elsewhere.”

Clearly a frontrunner for "Most Awesome Show of the Summer"

2008-07-11T04:12:40Z

VOD and Mind Over Matter (Reunion) at The Crazy Donkey, Farmingdale, NY, on August 16th.

Free things are awesome.

2008-07-09T00:50:03Z

Head on over here for the new. free sampler from Tooth & Nail, available until Septermber 15th.

IOP EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW - DAVEY VON BOHLEN of MARITIME & THE PROMISE RING!

2008-07-08T03:56:32Z

As the lead singer in the 1990's band “The Promise Ring”, as well as his earlier and equally influential band “Cap'n Jazz”. Von Bohlen and his band mates were at the forefront of a movement. The band, along with many of their contemporaries on the Jade Tree label helped lay the groundwork for what would come to be recognized as the punk sub-genre 'emo'. Ah! The “e” word. Although that genre today is essentially a pop-punk gone glam-rock explosion of eyeliner, bad hair, and tight pants, “The Promise Ring” were the real thing: Kids from the punk and indie scene making introspective and thought provoking music. Today Davey Von Bohlen lives with his family in Minnesota and continues to record with the band “Maritime”. Icons of Punk caught up with Davey to see what's been going on with Maritime and to talk about the history and impact of “The Promise Ring”.

(Click the image below to read the exclusive interview!)

IOP EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW - DORMITORY EFFECT!

2008-07-08T03:53:09Z

Okay, I’m just gonna throw it out there right away. For the most part, I do not care for female musicians. It’s not a personal, catty “I hate other females” thing, I simply have found that out of all of the musicians that I love, especially in Rock/Punk/Metal, majority rules and, in this case, the majority are male. Sure there have been a handful or two of “exceptions” over the years, but, again…majority rules.

A few years back, a friend of mind told me that she had joined an all female Metal band. Now, I was not appalled by this sudden news, but I will admit to feeling slight indifference. Imagine my surprise when (about a year later) I actually took the time to listen to them and found them to be good….really good. I have since become a big fan of theirs and love the fact that they proved me wrong.

Meet: Meredith, Urith, Gee and Sue; also known as Dormitory Effect. They are the Icons of Punk Unsigned Band of the Month for July and we could not be more happy or proud to have had them agree to this interview. We ask that you give this powerhouse of Metal a shot…they may just surprise you, too.

(Click image below to read the full exclusive interview!)

New CD Reviews! REM, NYC Show Reviewed!

2008-07-06T15:20:55Z

Our new staffer Dan Alleva sent in his thoughts on the recent R.E.M. show at Madison Square Garden from June 19th. Click the image below to read it!

Myk also uploaded a few CD reviews. Click the images below to read them!

2 New Articles From Staffer Dan Alleva! THE FUTUREHEADS! BLACK LIPS!

2008-06-28T00:44:29Z

As our new staffer Dan Alleva prepares the first of many editions of his new column covering the history of punk pioneers, he's submitted these two articles on recent bands he's covered for other publications. Click either logos below and introduce yourself to THE FUTUREHEADS (in an article titled "Breaking Up Time") and BLACK LIPS (in an article titled "Fowl and Frenzy") Plenty more updates to come!

You're only going to be interested in this if you live on Long Island.

2008-06-20T17:36:16Z

Frankie Scorpion and the Gypsy Queens will be debuting the"Tattoo Lounge". The night should be good, but that is probably the best reason to stop by.

]]>

Hoo-ray for new stuff.

2008-06-20T02:46:42Z

About those couple of months where there were hardly any updates? Sorry. To make up for it, we have a bunch of new columns, reviews and an awesome feature for you to take a look at. More importantly, we have a few new writers:

Myk, who previously wrote for Under the Volcano, has agreed to write reviews for IOP. Not only that, the amount of reviews he offered to write is equivalent to a metric assload. Solid dude; check out his first review of The Black Haloes, We Are Not Alone.

Tom Z, formerly of shoutmouth.com, now running and writing for takethisseriously.com, wrote this months feature, The Killers Effect: "The Killers Effect is when a band forgoes easy record sales to make deeper and more meaningful music. It represents the choice of artistic success and a smaller, more devout fan base over huge commercial success. It also represents a major risk."

Robg took a break from iconsoffright.com, and broke his own rule about not writing reviews, just because he is that stoked over the new Weezer Red Album.

We also have a couple of new columns this month from Holli, "We're not in a cab and the police don't charge you for rides" and me, "Pay to Play".

New interviews coming very soon!

New CD Reviews - WEEZER "RED" Album, THE BLACK HALOES

2008-06-18T04:59:48Z

Reviews! Yes, we're slowly starting to build our database here as we work out all the kinks on the site. I reviewed the latest WEEZER record referred to as the "RED ALBUM", while our staffer Myk reviewed THE BLACK HALOES latest "WE ARE NOT ALONE". Expect a slew of new CD reviews within the next week, but check out these two for starters. Just click the front cover images below to check them out!

Kanye causes drama...for a change.

2008-06-17T17:05:56Z

Apparently, Kanye was not happy about something, so somehow, someone decided it was a good idea to delay a show that was already hours behind schedule. What, it makes perfect sense.]]> It's been reported that Kanye West was unhappy with being scheduled to play one of the smaller stages and also that he wanted to wait until it was completely dark out before he went on -- he did not feel that his show would fit well on a smaller stage, as it is a large production, and it all glows- in-the-dark or something -- and requested to play after Pearl Jam had finished their set. Pearl Jam's set went almost an hour over schedule, add in breaking down the Pearl Jam stage setup and preparing for Kanye...sure that all takes a few minutes, but stage work ended, supposedly, somewhere between 3:00 - 3:30AM. Kanye did not take the stage until 4:30AM. And after all of that, dude did not even acknowledge the crowd.

Rude.

Ok, spell it out with me, Tila: M-O-D-E-S-T-Y.

2008-06-16T15:11:23Z

Tila Tequila believes she played a large part in California dropping it's ban on gay marriages. Seriously.]]> I read this three times thinking that I must have missed something, anything, that would prove to me that this article was all in good fun and she was just kiddin'. Hmmm...uh...nope.

Can't ya just see it: A bunch of California State Reps sitting around in their jammies watching A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila: "You know, I didn't think this was a good idea until this young lady came along...maybe she has something here. I mean, how many years have people been trying to address this issue and all it took was another show from MTV. What WOULD have happened if we never caught on to this drivel?? Now we can go change the world...uh, but first, can you please pass the goobers?"

Oh, and a self-help book? Really?

Three hours...THREE.

2008-06-16T14:44:04Z

Pearl Jam, the Main Stage Headliner, ended Bonnaroo's Saturday night by performing for three hours - one hour longer then their scheduled time.

]]> Clearly, I am attending the wrong shows. The last band that I saw perform for three hours was Hatebreed at The Downtown about four or five years ago. Yes, it was amazing.

Is this supposed to build hype?

2008-06-16T14:35:02Z

Metallica has revelaed the title of their new album, Death Magnetic, via a twenty three second video found on YouTube.]]> You're Metallica for shits sake...there should be scantily clad women, bottles of JD and mass quantities of Aqua Net; my inner 80's child is unforgiving in such matters.

Eh, whatever...you can check it ">here.

New Columns are up!

2008-06-16T13:07:34Z

New Columns are up from Holli and Kristin! Rise Above: Kristin's Column

Punk Rock MisAdventures: Holli's Column

More fun stuff from IOP to come, including: Columns, Reviews, Interviews...stay tuned!

]]>