Magnet Magazine

Though he made fun of pot smokers on 1969 hit “Okie From Muskogee,” Merle Haggard is a big fan of the green stuff. (Then again, who isn’t?) In fact, he used to like to loosen up before shows with some serious pre-concert toking. (Then again, who doesn’t?) But now that the 71-year-old country giant is recovering from lung-cancer surgery in November, he’s facing the prospect of having to take the stage pot-free. (That means more marijuana for Willie Nelson.) But since Haggard—who made a nice little comeback several years ago with two records on the Anti- label (Nick Cave, Neko Case, Tom Waits)—is a professional, he was up to the task, playing shows in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif., last Friday and Saturday, sans ganja. We’re really proud of him. Now, what do you think it would take for Robert Pollard to do a show without consuming beer?

“Wishin’ All These Old Things Were New” from 2000’s If I Could Only Fly:

While the new Antony And The Johnsons album isn’t out until January 20, you can get it now in digital form—plus a bonus track (“My Lord, My Love”)—if you order it from the band’s website. The Crying Light (Secretly Canadian) is Antony Hegarty and Co.’s third album and first since 2005’s Mercury Prize-winning I Am A Bird Now. Hegarty wrote all 10 of the LP’s tracks and collaborated on string arrangements with Nico Muhly (Björk, Philip Glass). Tour dates after the jump. To read the cover story we did on Hegarty back in 2005, click here.

“Another World” from The Crying Light:

Continue reading “Enlarge Your Johnsons (Album) With Bonus Antony”

Late-‘80s British post-punkers the Godfathers, best-known for college-radio fave “Birth, School, Work, Death,” are reforming their original lineup for a February U.S. tour, the band’s first in nearly 20 years. The group previously reunited on Feb. 14, 2008, for one of its traditional St. Valentine’s Day Massacre shows; this year’s version appropriately takes place in Chicago, scene of the famous crime.

“Birth, School, Work, Death” from 1988’s Birth, School, Work, Death:
http://magnetmagazine.com/audio/BirthSchoolWorkDeath.mp3

Continue reading “The Godfathers: Birth, School, Work, Reunion Tour, Then Death”

Taking a page out of U2’s Guide To Releasing One Record As Many Ways As Possible, Andrew Bird is issuing the stellar new Noble Beast on January 20 via Fat Possum in a format sure to suit both your lifestyle and your bank account. Available for pre-order now is the digital version of the 14-song Noble Beast, which comes with two bonus tracks (“Section 8 City” and “10-You-Us”); it can be yours for $9.95. If you wait until January 20 to order it, it will still be $9.95, but “10-You-Us” won’t be part of the deal. If you want just the regular old CD version of Noble Beast, that will set you back around $12-$15, though there’s no bonus material. If you prefer vinyl, the double-LP Noble Beast costs about $22-$25, and though there’s no bonus tracks, there’s a fold-poster and a free digital download of the album. But if you are a real Birdhead, there’s only one Noble Beast for you: the deluxe edition, which comes with Useless Creatures (a bonus CD of nine new instrumental songs), extra photos, a fold-out poster and a 24-page booklet. It will cost you in the $26-$30 range, but can you really put a price on all the joy it will bring you? Tour dates after the jump.

“Oh No” from Noble Beast:

Continue reading “Andrew Bird Gives The People What They Want”

Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante is releasing his 10th solo album, via the Record Collection label, on January 20. The Empyrean, which Frusciante has described as a concept album (we’re still trying to figure out exactly what that concept is, but we’re a little dense sometimes), features guest appearances by actor Michael Balzary (My Own Private Idaho, The Big Lebowski), guitarist Johnny Marr (Cribs) and others. In addition to nine Frusciante originals, The Empyrean also features a cover of Tim Buckley’s “Song To The Siren” (a longtime MAGNET fave). Frusciante has no plans to tour in support of the album. To see how different Frusciante looks with short hair, check out an interview we did with him in 2004 here.

“Unreachable” from The Empyrean:

In a match made in beer-drinking heaven, heavy imbibers and baseball aficionados the Hold Steady will play for more than a few like-minded Chicago Cubs fans at the third annual Len & Bob Bash on January 15 at Chicago’s House of Blues. Named for Cubs TV broadcasters Len Kasper and Bob Brenly, the event has raised more than $70,000 for Chicago Cubs Charities. Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman opens this year’s concert; previous editions featured Ryan Adams And The Cardinals, Son Volt, the Redwalls and the Felice Brothers.

“While the members of the Hold Steady each have their own favorite MLB teams, we are mostly fans of the game of baseball,” said frontman Craig Finn. “Thus, we are excited to have an opportunity to play this event for Chicago Cubs Charities and have another reason to think baseball during the cold and grey off-season.”

“The Hold Steady’s live show reaches out directly to the Wrigley Field bleacher crowd,” said Kasper, a knowledgeable music geek who’s probably the only MLB voice who knows the Hold Steady isn’t some obscure sabermetric statistic. “To have one of the hottest bands going today and one of rock’s greatest guitarists in Tom Morello on the same bill to raise money is awesome. I know Craig Finn is a big Twins fan, and Tom loves the Cubs, so we’re hoping it’s a big, baseball-meets-rock-‘n’-roll group hug.”

Tickets are available at www.hob.com. More tour dates after the jump. To read the in-depth feature we did with the Hold Steady around the release of 2006’s Boys And Girls In America, click here.

The Hold Steady doing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame”:
http://magnetmagazine.com/audio/TakeMeOutToTheBallgame.mp3

Continue reading “Hold Steady Gig To Benefit Baseball-Related Charity”