Asides

New Weezer CD available for the price of a McDonald’s Value Meal

They haven’t gone the way of Radiohead or Nine Inch Nails and decided just to give away their new album (could have something to do with the fact that they are still signed to a major label). For that matter, the band itself probably isn’t even responsible for the pricing, but if you are on fence about picking up the new Weezer CD this Tuesday, Circuit City is offering it on sale for the ridiculously low price of $5.99. Most of the Sunday ads for places like Best Buy and Target show the first week of release price at $9.99, which is still a good deal. But $5.99? That should propel first week sales quite nicely.

New band on Nikki Sixx’s label looks familiar

I’m sure I’m not the only person that will make this connection but I might be one of the few that care. Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue) announced that he’s signed Chosen Son to his label, Eleven Seven. The lead singer’s name (John Allen) looked familiar and when I saw that Chosen Son is from Maryland, I didn’t even have to add up the pieces. John Allen, in my book, will best be remembered as the drummer for Child’s Play, a sleazy, long-haired rock band from the early ’90s that was – probably rightfully so – lumped into the hair metal genre.

Here’s Child’s Play “hit”, “Rat Race”.

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=5r94KcEzTdE[/youtube]

John Allen did some time in SR-71 after Child’s Play before fronting his own band. Also interesting to note, Nick Kay of Child’s Play is also in Chosen Son. Unfortunately, the new band is going towards the Buckcherry sound and sounds a little too much like everything else on modern hard rock radio these days.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_SF5QpNJ-A[/youtube]

Rob Dickinson covers himself … no, NOT in mayonnaise, though that would be funny

Former Catherine Wheel singer Rob Dickinson is set to re-issue his 2005 Fresh Wine for the Horses album on June 10. Not really sure how I feel about this – I mean, shouldn’t he be releasing a new album instead of re-issuing an old one with a bonus CD? Yeah, he should, but when the bonus CD contains re-workings of 6 classic Catherine Wheel songs, well, I *guess* maybe that makes it worth it. While I haven’t run across a single rumor to support this, wouldn’t it be cool if the reason Dickinson is doing this is to get people interested in Catherine Wheel again so that the band can reunite for a new album and tour later this year? If Swervedriver can do it, anybody can.

One of the songs on the bonus CD is “Crank”. You remember the original, right? (No joke – I can NEVER listen to this song just once – I usually spin it half a dozen times in a row)

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=jGqprbDoh4g[/youtube]

The other stripped-down Catherine Wheel songs that Dickinson performs acoustically on the bonus CD  are “Black Metallic,” “I Want To Touch You,” “Show Me Mary,” “The Nude” and “Ma Solituda”.

Thanks to TheTripwire.com not only for the tip about this but for a free download of Dickinson’s acoustic “Crank”.

DOWNLOAD: “Crank” by Rob Dickinson