Psst. Wanna know a secret? Pavement (pictured) is reuniting for shows in September 2010 at New York City’s Summerstage. They’re up to three gigs so far; at the rate sellouts are going, these slackers are going to be playing somewhere every day next year. Download “Rattled By The Rush” … Here’s a show a little sooner that’s just as worthwhile: Big Star, featuring original members Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens along with Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer, is playing November 18 at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple. Chilton and crew are basking in the glow of the Keep An Eye On The Sky boxed set on Rhino. Get tickets here … And here’s one even sooner but probably worth skipping: On September 25 at the New York Public Library, Ryan Adams and Tony Award-winning actress Mary-Louise Parker will discuss Adams’ new book of poetry and short fiction, Hello Sunshine (Akashic Press). Go and hope for some sort of tantrum, maybe … In news that’s sure to spark another round of Jeff vs. Jay debates, Jay Farrar of Son Volt has been tapped by the family of Woody Guthrie to make a third volume of Mermaid Avenue. The first two editions of unpublished Guthrie lyrics put to new music were, of course, created by Farrar’s Uncle Tupelo partner Jeff Tweedy and some obscure band named Wilco, along with Billy Bragg. No word yet when the LP will be out or if it will be under the Son Volt name or Farrar’s … Continuing the trend of holiday efforts from unlikely sources, histrionic singer/songwriter Tori Amos’ Midwinter Graces (Universal Republic) is set for a November 10 release. Fall asleep to football or this post-Thanksgiving gorging, it’s up to you. We know which way we’re leaning … Smashing Corgans, sorry, Pumpkins are planning to release Teargarden By Kaleidyscope, a free, 44-song album, on their website early next year. (Wait for it … overpriced!) The effort from Billy Corgan and a cast of unknowns will also be available as 11 EPs of four songs each as well as a deluxe boxed set, just in case it’s so good you want to pay for it … Mike Doughty, formerly of Soul Coughing, seems lazy by comparison in releasing only 13 songs (including a cover of Daniel Johnston’s “Casper The Friendly Ghost”) on Sad Man Happy Man (ATO), due October 6. Doughty begins a U.S. tour October 8 in Pittsburgh. Download “Casper The Friendly Ghost” … Former MAGNET cover stars Jawbox will reissue For Your Own Special Sweetheart (Dischored/DeSoto) on November 24. The record from the D.C. quartet was originally released on Atlantic in 1994 and will include three bonus tracks … Canadian sisters Tegan And Sara’s Sainthood (Sire/Vapor) is out October 27. The LP follows up 2007’s The Con … The Merge Companion: A Visual Discography Of The First Twenty Years is CD-sized book of photographs of every one of the label’s releases. Buy it at Merge’s site.
One reply on “In The News: Pavement, Big Star, Ryan Adams & Mary-Louise Parker, Jay Farrar And Free MP3s”
Seems to me that Pavement let it all hang out during their prime like good rock ‘n’ rollers do, recognized when the whole thing was imploding and pulled the plug at just the nick of time (probably a little late, actually), and then spent the ensuing years (always in separate, sometimes rancorous, interviews) trying to bury that horse. Why, oh, why could they possibly think this is a good idea? (I know it’s not for the money, because I have quit 9-to-5s rather than endure sharing working space with people who proved themselves impossible to get along with. That’s how these guys felt about one another by the time it was over.) The final chapter of this band can’t possibly end well.