
I mentioned this in my list of picks from 2012, and promised to write a piece on it, as Cold Chisel most certainly aren’t a household name in the US. Cold Chisel come from that land down-under, the one with the kangaroos and the platypus. You know the one I’m talking of? Yep, the one they call Australia. You might be under the misconception that AC/DC or INXS or even Crowded House was Australias hottest band. They’re not. Cold Chisel was. And is. Cold Chisel started out in 1973 under the name Orange, before changing to Cold [...]

"I feel every artist is inherently granted one shot at singing about having a good time in his or her life, and six months ago, I realized I hadn't cashed in my chips yet," Adam Young (aka Owl City) recently told MTV News . A blind man could see that's just Young's way of rationalizing the chasing of an easy hit by hooking up with pop's It Girl of the moment. (And indeed, "Good Time" by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen debuted on Billboard's Hot 100 this week at No. 18.) But [...]
Set for the first week of July in Kent, England, Hop Farm Fest aims for a "return to the basics," where legends of past and present play amidst 30,000 festival-loving folks who all paid one universal price. As the festival's website puts it, there's no sponsorship, no branding, no VIP attitude. If it sounds too good to be true that's because it probably is, but the Hop Farm Fest has pushed this Utopian idea for the past three summers and will again in 2011. This year's festivities, set for July 1st and 2nd, will feature a [...]

Jimmy Barnes : Dancing in the Street [ purchase ] The time is right for this one. Apparently, Ella Fitzgerald absolutely nailing Summertime is proving to be a hard act to follow. So, I created this mess, and I get to fix it, (I hope). And why not do it with this classic workout in praise of summer partying. The classic version is, of course, by Martha and the Vandelles. And that’s a fine version. But I thought, “This song is such a bar band classic. Surely there are [...]

Liam Finn live @ Dante's Portland, Oregon New Zealand's Liam Finn and Eliza Jane performed last month here in Portland. We weren't sure exactly what to expect from this musical duo. We had read a few reviews on Liam's debt album, I'll Be Lightning , as well as listened to a few of his new tracks off his latest EP, Champagne in Seashells, and were excited to see him perform live. Some background on Liam: He was born in Melbourne, Australia but calls New Zealand his home as [...]

Hi, folks. Sorry about the lack of Stagger Lee over the weekend -- I had a family daytrip to go on, and forgot to prepare a post ahead of time. Why? Well, I was working on this: It's October, and people all over the world will be listening to "I'll Put A Spell On You" in a few weeks. Last year, I put up a total of 19 versions of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' classic voodoo howl. I just reupped the zip, and you can find Volumes One and Two here. Now, here are ten more versions [...]
Most of you might already know (and some of you lived thru it) that the Jimmy Barnes 1991 'Soul Deep' album is not only the biggest seller in his illustrious career, but was also the most successful in Mushroom Records history. This new collection of songs is not strictly 'soul' but moreso a 50's and 60's rock, rhythm and blues blend. The Rhythm & The Blues is where rock 'n' roll and modern soul
When you toss in a duet with Joe Cocker (Guilty) and some guest spots with Aussie rock luminaries like Diesel, Tommy Emmanuel, and Archie Roach. The mix ends up being an even more well-rounded and a delightful treat. (Thx Perplexio) DL SOON! 1. It Will Be Alright ----------> LISTEN/DOWNLOAD 2. Weight 3. Ride the Night Away 4. Gulty 5. You Cant Make Love Without a Soul 6. Hell of a Time 7.