Blog: Uncensored Interview Blog

Fat Mike, he of NOFX and urine-shot fame , has abandoned his tinkle-soaked shenanigans to focus on his ever-expanding belly. Fat Mike has partnered with a pupu platter of restaurateurs (David Massoni and Chef Rebecca Weitzman of 'inoteca, plus John Bush of Niagara Bar) to open Thistle Hill, a bar-restaurant with surprisingly grown up aspirations in Yuppie HQ, Park Slope. Has he sold out? According to the chatter at Punknews , yes, but then again, who hasn't sold out according to the chatter at Punknews? Thistle Hill has begun to garner accolades for its [...]

Grouplove hits the road in September for a two-month U.S. tour alongside by Belle Brigade, Young Man and Two Door Cinema Club on select dates. The Los Angeles-based band also have a new single, "Close Your Eyes And Count To Ten," from their upcoming full-length Never Trust a Happy Song . Head to their website to preview the new track and grab tickets to upcoming shows. In the meantime, check the awesome beginnings of the band, dead cat stories and all. Grouplove : [...]

The word sommelier is enough to send most of us into a discombobulated "uh-oh" zone of self-doubt and shame over not knowing the difference between critter wines and ultra-extracted Garagiste juice. That's why Belinda Chang is such a breath of fresh air. The James Beard-Award toting sommelier has transformed super fancy dining rooms like The Modern into not-at-all intimidating beehives of curiosity and learning. Wine, in Belinda Chang's mind , is "for everyone, every place and every time." In her hands, fermented grape juice becomes accessible, understandable and laid-back again, while managing to maintain its [...]

Surfer Blood will release a four-track EP, Tarot Classics , October 25 (Kanine Records), their first release since last year's Astro Coast . There are also bonus remixes from Totally Sincere, Speculator, School of Seven Bells and Allen Blickle. The band also hits the road as support for The Pixies this fall, and wrap things up this December at ATP in Somerset, U.K. Details on their website . Let's hope the guys don't run into any of the same tour troubles they've had in the past. [...]

Talk about a "Kitchen Nightmare ": Kanye West has hired Gordon Ramsay to teach him to cook. A man who casually spends $7,000 a night on hotels and is unafraid to claim a teddy bear as his mascot is perhaps not someone who is psychologically and temperamentally suited to stand over a hot pot of bubble and squeak. Gordon Ramsay was an interesting choice of tutors. West could probably have had his pick from the ranks of celebre-chefs, so why choose the ill-tempered Brit with bad hair? Perhaps after his Chicago flagship outpost [...]

With just a few notes on his trumpet, Miles Davis could tease the soul out of nearly anything. The jazz man has inspired many things, from multiple music sub-genres and new departments at universities to music festivals and beer . And now, a mini-chili cook-off, courtesy of Jonathan Dixon , a writer, cook and Davis enthusiast who stumbled upon his recipe in " So What ." The recipe included a half-jar of mustard, a half a shot of vinegar and was meant to be eaten over pasta. (Delicious [...]

Das Racist are set to release their new album, Relax , September 13 on their very own Greedhead label. The album features guest appearances from Diplo, Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij and Yeasayer's Anand Wilder. Check their new single "Michael Jackson" here. The Brooklyn group plays some of the best remaining summer festivals-Mad Decent Block Party, Afropunk and Bumbershoot-before hitting the road on a tour of their own starting in September. They'll be bringing along Danny Brown and Despot, who they shout out when describing the New York music scene. [...]

Action Bronson's rhymes flow as cleanly as New York City tap water, sans the metal tinge. He harks back to an era when Ghostface Killah, Biggie and Tupac reigned capriciously and with a degree of self-regard that actually met, instead of exceeded, their capacious talents. He looks like an overgrown, slightly sinister leprechaun, with an appetite for meat, beer and trouble to match. He was recently dubbed the "Maharajah of Meat" at Meatopia, and onstage, he's part rapper, part comedian, part chef. As the New York Times recently pointed out, dude is obsessed with [...]

Passion Pit, Public Enemy, The Damned, Slayer, Lykke Li and more are headlining the Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin November 4-6. The eclectic fest also includes Henry Rollins , Diplo, Odd Future, Blonde Redhead, Del , Asobi Seksu, Big Freedia, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears and dozens more, all taking one of four stages. As part of the Danzig Legacy Tour, Glenn Danzig will be performing Misfits songs with original guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein. Hum and Hot Snakes are also reuniting at the fest. Complete lineup and ticket information [...]

The Airborne Toxic Event hit the road today on a U.S. and European tour in support of their sophomore album All At Once . The band tours the East coast before flying across the pond for the V Festival , followed by more U.S. and European dates through December. The band is also scheduled to play "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" September 30. We caught up with the guys who told us a little bit about making it big, and passed along some advice from a music industry vet. [...]

Mars Bar has been closed to make way for the B&T bourgeoisie, and Hank's Saloon may be next. The Bowery is no longer a grimy haven, and it's easier to find an artisanally-made vegan scoop of fat-free ice cream than it is to find a decent bagel in New York City. Luckily, some are still kicking it old-school. The founder of the Knitting Factory, Michael Dorf, was sick of the slick, so he opened up a place where New Yorkers can still embrace their inner crusty even if they've grown up a bit. [...]

Brooklyn's Vivian Girls have released a new video for "Take It As It Comes" from their recent album Share the Joy . Directed by Travis Peterson (Ariel Pink, Nite Jewel), check the retro-styled video here . Vivian Girls are currently playing dates in Europe, and in September they return to the U.S. for a string of dates along with Widowspeak, Coliseum and Black Lips. The band members stopped by our studio to talk about life on the road, in all its glory (and not so glorious parts). [...]

Travis, a post-Britpop Scottish band, tread the murky detritus of mid-level Top-40 fame with their late-90s song "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" and gained some of the benefits of rock stardom (recording at Abbey Road Studio and random chateaus in France, a legendary Glastonbury show). They eventually broke up to hang out with their kids and wives, to avoid each other and to recover from their late 20th century Oasis-powered rocket ride to semi-cheesy success. But they're back, and focused on what the music world still has to offer. "Each festival you [...]

Metric are set to release a remix album, Fantasies Flashbacks , on October 11. The album is entirely crowdsourced via Indaba Music, with fans contributing remixes of songs from the band's 2009 album Fantasies . To top it off, all proceeds will be donated to the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, a teaching hospital in Ontario. The band is also testing out the tech waters with a new app via Hear Now . Fans can check in at record stores in Austin and Seattle, unlocking a free download from the new album. [...]

Let's go for a dip, shall we? The latest foodie craze has come to Brooklyn via Cali courtesy of Richard Sloven, better known as the Gorilla Guac. So WTF is Gorilla Guac? According to an interview over at NachosNY , Sloven hails from the Mission District of San Francisco, where he began slinging bruised avocados at various corners and gathered quite a following among itinerant, drunken weekend hipsters with his movable feast and punk rock "pay what you want" MO. And now he's here! Sloven moved East to book shows and bartend at [...]

Escape to New York , an art, music and interactive git-down, has created a credulity-defying line-up of bands and general punk-rock awesomeness in one of the most un-punk rock places on Earth-the Hamptons. Patti Smith, the Vaccines, Au Revoir Simone, Chairlift, Graffiti 6, The Submarines and so many more take the stage August 5th-7th. Concertgoers can also check out performance art, experimental theater and traditional Shinnecock arts/crafts (the festival is on the site of Shinnecock Nation Reservation). Silkstone, the group behind The Fat Radish and Ruschmeyer's, is organizing much of the deliciousness: Look for [...]

Copenhagen's Asteroids Galaxy Tour will tour the U.S. in October, hitting New York and Chicago in addition to Los Angeles, where they'll play Filter's Culture Collide festival. Full route on their website . Download an electro-acoustic version of "The Golden Age" from their full-length, Fruit , here . Asteroids Galaxy Tour stopped by our studio and talked about life on the road, specifically about the importance of good vibes. The Asteroids Galaxy Tour : Touring Teamwork is a Must .

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Take no prisoners Steven Frank Albini -singer/guitarist (Big Black, Rapeman, Flour), producer (Nirvana, The Breeders, Superchunk) and music journalist (Matter, Forced Exposure)-actually has a warm and cuddly side. It's true! The sweet and alluring fuzzies are expressed via his new blog, mariobatalivoice , in which Albini documents what he cooks for his wife, Heather. He explicates it thusly: "The name comes from the way I bring her food in bed and present it to her using an imitation of Mario Batali's voice from TV. "I don't give quantities or exact recipes because I eyeball [...]

Real Estate are set to release their sophomore album, Days , on October 18 (Domino) featuring the single "It's Real," available for download . The 10-track album was recorded in upstate New York alongside Kevin McMahon (The Walkmen, Titus Andronicus ). The band also heads out on tour this week, playing select dates with The Feelies , Times New Viking , Dominant Legs and Melted Toys. Head over to Domino for details .

Train , poster boys for wuss music enthusiasts everywhere, responsible for such teeny-bopper, virgin seducin' classics as "Meet Virginia," "Calling All Angels" and "Hey, Soul Sister," is releasing their own wine. Named after their number one number hit, the new wine, Drops of Jupiter, is a Petite Sirah and it's coming to a bar near you on July 18. Consider yourselves warned. "The minute you uncork the bottle, the boysenberry fruit leaps from your glass," Train guitarist-cum-sommelier Jimmy Stafford explained on his spankin' new blog , Train Wine Club (also an awesome read for its [...]