Ed of Lowlight did a very cool thing. He asked a bunch of up and coming directors to make a video for each of the 10 songs on his latest record. I love when indie musicians and indie film makers work together. The music scene in LA in the past few years has formed a great community, especially with the Beachwood Rockers scene going on right now. Check out the youtube channel with all of the videos HERE.

P.S. My favorites are “Wake” and “Amused”.

P.P.S  I’m inventing a new philosophy called Post Post Script…it involves writing a lot of letters to my younger self that I bury next to national public landmarks while frequenting small cafes in Paris, Texas. Sometimes I’ll walk invisible dogs on leashes…it will be a total party.

In a recent post on Pitchfork.com there is a bit about a band called I Blame Coco. Coco is Sting’s daughter (yes, the Police Sting) and this is something you should check out because:

• She retains a bit of her dad’s singing style and has a wonderfully raspy voice.
• She can play a ridiculous amount of instruments.
• She writes her own songs.

Ignore that she is absolutely stunning…she’s the whole package and the music powers that be are banking on her being mainstream huge. Oh and don’t believe that crap about them saying it’s a “new project”. They’ve been working on this record with her for years to make sure it comes out just right (the big labels had a bidding war over her when she was just 15, so this is many years in the making). Unfortunately, they chose to spin her off as being more pop than her rock/ ska roots, which is too bad. Check out the old and new Coco below:  (READ MORE)

I had a conversation with someone yesterday, shocking I know.  He asked me to suggest some bands to him that he may not have heard of.  I thought I’d make a list here for those of you on the lookout out for new music, but scratching your head at where to go amidst the clusterf*ck of 5 million bands out right now. 

Some of these you probably know and some you might not.  Some are more psychedelic, some are more punk, some are a bit electro (you get the picture), but all are excellent choices. Click on the links to check out their Myspace music pages. 

This is going to be a continually running list, so whatever I’ve forgotten leave as a comment and I’ll tack it on!  Here we go:

If you like Black Lips:

Frat Dad   Wavves   The Drums   Real Estate   Dead Man’s Bones   The Babies   Beach Fossils    (READ MORE)

Well, to say things have been a bit hectic is a slight understatement. I moved back to the sunny dysfunction of Los Angeles and right after getting settled in…well, I got ridiculously sick. Just a stomach virus, but one of epic proportions that put me in the hospital for 4 days. I’m still a bit tired, but so glad for “Puke-fest 2009″ to be over. Too much information? Yes.

So I am still working on the book with Gordon Raphael and it is coming along. I’m still managing Love Darling and we’re about to shoot a new video and have a massive New Year’s Eve party. As for the blog, I am about to update the bands to watch list, so be on the look-out.

I’m back in the land of fake boobies and over-rated celebrities…that would be the Hollywood part of this post’s title.

The Sharks reference is about Sharks the band that has all of England abuzz with their rock n’ roll fury. If you like The Clash then there is a possible 5,895% chance that you will dig Sharks. You can download a track for free from their Myspace too, so get on it Sailor.

http://www.myspace.com/sharksuk

First of all, I must say my favorite music blogs have to be  The Recommender, Any Decent Music ? and Brooklyn Vegan. The amount of musical knowledge about new bands, reviews, interviews, etc. is astoundingly on point. Pitchfork is amazing as well, but they’re really an online mag (and good God are their album reviews boring…and this is coming from a chick who reads dead german writers, nihilists and existentialists on the regular!).

OK, so I’m still working on the book with Gordon Raphael and he just told me the most insane story (that no one has EVER heard before) about the last night of recording Is This It with The Strokes. That’s all I can say now, but trust me it’s amazing and crazier than you think. Just so you can see why this whole book thing is going to be rad you can check out our 3 part interview here (and yeah, I said it “rad” like Patty Smyth “Warrior” rad).  (READ MORE)

The video is Japandroids and I am So Busy isn’t a band it’s just a statement because I am very busy. I’m coming back to LA this weekend. Too  much to do. Plus, I’m writing the intro to Gordon Raphael’s biography. Honestly though, I love when things are busy and chaotic!

Not many of you know this, but the penguin is my power animal. I learned this from the movie Fight Club (see video below for a reminder of what I mean in case you think I’m talking out my arse right now, which I partially am).

So all that aside, I like this Fuck Buttons video a lot because of the many penguins and the psychedelic dance craziness. If you like Health and Dan Deacon I think you’ll dig them.

Aww look, Fuck Buttons likes horseys too!

Ok people…lots of Animal Collective news today.  First of all, the new EP Fall Be Kind comes out online on Nov. 23 before it’s release in stores on Dec. 15th.

Then they have this trippy new video for “In the Flowers” streaming on their site here.

Oh and then today Pitchfork announced Panda Bear (from Animal Collective) announces a solo tour. Ok I think I’m up to date. Done and dusted. Moving on…

This next band, I fell in love with when Gordon Raphael mentioned them in the interviews we did. This is “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Please enjoy, If not I won’t take it personally…I didn’t write it…or did I?

Myspace music site for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Hopefully, you have read Part 1 and Part 2 of my interviews with Gordon. There’s so much I wasn’t able to fit into these interviews, so we’re going to have to stick with highlights until the book and all the magical and wild details come out. For now we’ll cover Gordon’s work with the Psychedelic Furs, The Libertines and Regina Spektor.

Next, you moved to London and started a studio there. What was that period like for you. There was a possibility of working with the Libertines at one point?

I’m gonna keep these answers brief, I have to save some factoids for my book! ja? I had met The Libertines at the after-party for that previously mentioned Heaven London show by The Strokes. At the time The Libertines were a kind of soft spoken, well dressed group that reminded me of an old fashioned English style of barbershop quartet music. They asked me to work with them then, but it was not at all my cup of tea. Besides, I didn’t know how my techniques and input could help them.  (READ MORE)

Hi guys

I’m just writing to say that the blog is going to be changing a bit. For the next few months I’m going to be ass-knees-ankles deep in writing the first 3 chapters of a book about Gordon Raphael and his musical wanderings. Why, you say? See, the tricky thing about submitting book proposals to publishers & agents is that they have the nerve to ask to see some of it first! Balls.

So, I will continue to post my favorite new music and videos here, but I won’t have time for any more interviews or lengthy write-ups. Along with posting videos of new bands I’ll keep you updated on how the whole writing and interview process is going (as well as the whole “buy my book, bastard” phase). So pray, wish me good thoughts, meditate on “Secrets”, open up your chakras (or whatever else you freaky people do) and wish me luck on this crazy journey I’m about to begin.  (READ MORE)

Part Two in a Three part interview with Gordon Raphael.

For Part One Click Here.

Previously, we covered Gordon’s experiences recording members of Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, Ian Brown and his run-ins with Nirvana. There’s so much more to his story, he’s been in Sky Cries Mary and toured with the Psychedelic Furs. Honestly, there’s just no way to fit it all in! So together, with his memories and guidance, I’ll be writing a book on Gordon and his experiences in the past three decades of rock n’ roll history. For now though, here’s a sampling of what you can look forward to.

You met the Strokes at a gig and ended up recording a three song demo in three days. I know you’ve been asked about working with the Strokes a million times. Can you tell us about some experiences with them that we may not know about?  (READ MORE)