Blog: Uncensored Interview Blog

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 [...]

The inimitable Portishead will play a month's worth of dates in the U.S., Canada and Mexico starting October 1. The band kicks things off at I'll Be Your Mirror, ATP's newest event, in Asbury Park, NJ, followed by two nights in New York City. Jim Barr (bass), Clive Deamer (drums) and John Baggott (keyboards) will be joining the original members for the tour, and English trio Thought Forms will support. Limited tickets are available on the Portishead website through this Thursday, and tickets go on sale to the general public Friday in most cities.

The Strokes unveiled a new video for "Taken For a Fool" today on their website , directed by Laurent Briet (Radiohead, Aphex Twin). The band also performed the song live with Elvis Costello at Madison Square Garden. Check that out courtesy of Some Kind of Awesome. The Strokes are currently touring the European festival circuit, with upcoming dates at T in the Park, as well as Reading and Leeds festivals.

Some beer seems like it just tumbled willy nilly off the back of a turnip truck, as rootless as Britney Spears post-Mouse Club. Other beers ooze history. In June of 1639, Jonas Bronck made his way up the East River on some sort of superannuated tug boat to a wee plot of land he bought from the local Indians, as the colonizing imperialists did. Before long, Bronck had erected a bustling, successful farm with a beer brewing arm. But alas! His hoppy, victorious reign didn’t last: Three short years after Bronck's trip up the [...]

Chromeo will release a remix EP of "When the Night Falls" featuring covers from Solange and Mayer Hawthorne , plus remixes from Hercules and Love Affair , Breakbot, and Lifelike. The EP is out July 26 via Big Beat/Atlantic. The dynamic duo are also currently on a massive tour, with stops at Pukkelpop Festival, Electric Zoo, Bestival and POP Montreal. They're on the road in Europe, Canada and the U.S. through November alongside Mayer Hawthorne and Breakbot. Complete details on their website . Mayer Hawthorne stopped by our studio to drop knowledge on [...]

In Oedipal news du jour, a group of MILFs is taking Austin by storm. Dubbed the Beat Divas (I’m hoping their name is an accidental double entendre, because seriously, ew), the trio make a living with singing their way through cooking classes. The Beat Divas, according to the Grey Lady , are part jazz trio, part baking enthusiasts who perform regularly, including a recent appearance at the International Association of Culinary Professionals. The trio sound like Phil Spector’s wet dream and look like Harold’s . Below, they frolic around, harassing a willing young buck at [...]

Vetiver are currently in England promoting their fifth full-length, The Errant Charm , on Sub Pop/Bella Union. The band returns to the U.S. for a few dates before playing San Francisco's Outside Lands Festival in August, and wrap things up in September at Bumbershoot. Complete details at their website . Bandleader Andy Cabic talked with us about how the band fits in with the Sub Pop roster, and why they're something of an anomaly. Vetiver : Sub Pop Anomaly .

Not content to merely shape the planet’s sartorial desires, win Grammy awards, garner Guinness World Records, sing duets with Elton John and write fashion columns for V , pop's royal highness has taken it upon herself to help the homeless, advocate for LGBTQ rights, rally for HIV/AIDS patients and restore Haiti’s economy. While scoffing at the Fame Monster is easier than taking the stilt-wearing wonder seriously, in reality, Lady Gaga has more power to effect substantive change than the United Nations. Her latest call to arms is indubitably worthy: Japan. Lady Gaga launched a charity [...]

Wilco have released the first single from their very own record label dBpm Records , "I Might." The single will be available July 19, and you can stream it now at Stereogum . The single is backed with a cover of Nick Lowe's " I Love My Label ." Wilco play Japan's Fuji Rock festival next month, and will also be on the road in Europe this fall. Check out a recent interview (and performance) with Jeff Tweedy over at the CBC where he discusses the new label.

Crazy footballer turned clinically insane restaurateur Gordon Ramsay has found God, Zen Buddhism or some form of supernatural/chemical release, causing the chef to comport himself in a manner typically associated with Emily Post’s code of conduct. Even Jimmy Kimmel is alarmed. When Ramsay appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," Jimmy pumped him for info on his recent personality transformation. Gordon claims that no surgical, drug or Dr. Phil-style intervention was responsible-merely the wonderful home cooks who do a “really good job” on MasterChef, Season 2. Get a load of the new, non-spitting, distressingly credulous, syrupy-sweetened [...]

The Cool Kids have teamed up with soul man Mayer Hawthorne for "Swimsuits," from their forthcoming album When Fish Ride Bicycles, out July 12 (Green Label Sound). Stream the track over at Pitchfork, or pick up the song at iTunes starting today. Tour dates for the Chicago duo have not been announced, though you can catch Mr. Hawthorne spinning in London on June 30. He stopped by our studio one afternoon to talk shop on hip-hop. Mayer Hawthorne : Bumped in the Boombox [...]

They just don’t make 'em like MFK anymore. Hot, ballsy and a chronic underachiever, she she always knew what to order and who to order around while she was doing it. Author Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher married poet Al Fisher and moved to Paris in 1929, falling gracefully into a life dedicated to making mouths water. She paved the way for Julia Child, as well as David Lebovitz and other ex-patriot foodies currently pointing and clicking their way through life abroad, blogging their findings to adoring fans stateside. A proper, full-fledged biography, "An Extravagant Hunger," has [...]

This week The Uglysuit released their final album, appropriately titled Awwww, Schucks via Everybody Loves Everybody Records.  Stream tracks from the new album on their Bandcamp page . The Oklahoma band is calling it quits after five years and two full-length albums, the latter of which they say is their best work to date. “It's awesome to see all of our thoughts and creativity come to life. It's amazing how six people can come together and make such fun, intricate, and spiritual tones, to become one, “ said bassist/producer Dustin Maynord. [...]

Brandon Baltzley seems to have it all: a super-tight relationship with his mom who let him drop out of school at 14 years old to work the line at local restaurants and play drums; a stint touring with the metal band Kylesa; successfully landing a gig at the temple to culinary audacity and coolness, Alinea; working as head chef at a hyper-ambitious restaurant in Chicago called Tavern. Baltzley sports the life and career that would make most 20 and 30-somethings who crave a creative journey over the cubby-hole life assigned them blanch with jealousy and rage at [...]

Male Bonding will release their second full-length album, Endless Now , on August 30 in the U.S. via Sub Pop. The 11-track album also features Frankie Rose of Vivian Girls and Crystal Stilts , and was produced by John Angelo (Sonic Youth). Preview the first single "Bones" here. Tour dates have not yet been announced, but the band is playing with Weezer on July 6 in London. We caught up with the English band, who hipped us to another of their creations, the vaguely-sexual-but-definitely- not "whinger." Spread the word. [...]

There are many challenges involved in being married to a chef: It’s kinda like being married to a professional breather or someone who sleeps for a living. Like the need for oxygen and Zs, there’s no getting around food. Seriously, can you imagine the stress of simply frying an egg for an accolade-bearing, restaurant empire-running, cookbook-writing hot shot like Jean-Georges? It would be like strutting around in your panties backstage at Chanel in front of Arizona Muse, telling her you were going to show her a thing or two about a thing or two. It just [...]

Los Angeles band 100 Monkeys know how to take advantage of their surroundings. Born in various parts of the world, from Singapore to Chicago, the band's diverse background influences their music with traces of the blues, jazz, zydeco and more. "Twilight" fans will surely recognize guitarist/vocalist Jackson Rathbone from his role as Jasper Hale in the popular film series, and other members of the band are similarly established in the entertainment industry as cartoonists, producers and longtime musicians. 100 Monkeys will release their second full-length, Liquid Zoo , on July 28. "Wandering Mind" [...]

Nothing says "eat me" in Seattle quite like a giant crock of cheap, steaming-hot rice noodles with pockets of everything from veggies to tripe, served with bean sprouts, limes, fresh basil and jalapeno peppers. Ah, pho. Pho shops are as ubiquitous as cupcake stands in Manhattan, and the products boast equally variable merits. Death Cab for Cutie-out with new album Codes & Keys -break it down for us over at Drowned in Sound , providing a much-needed guide to the dirtiest and cleanest Pho in the greater Seattle area. Because nothing ruins a good appetite like [...]

Milagres will release a new album, Glowing Mouth , on September 13 via Kill Rock Stars. Download the first single from the record, also titled "Glowing Mouth." Inspired by a rock climbing trip in British Columbia, the new album was written while lead singer Kyle Wilson recovered from a subsequent back injury. But the injury didn't slow him down, and instead he assembled a new crew of musicians to fill out the band. Wilson stopped by our studio and discussed conquering his fears of rock climbing, and how it inspires his songwriting. [...]

• Milagres - Glowing Mouth (Edit)

Punk rockers are sensitive souls; they may smoke, eat and imbibe more heavy-duty substances with greater frequency and relish than the average gospel singer, but they secretly adore kitties as much as the next guy. Sid and Nancy set the stage for the soft side of hard, and bands like Friendly Fires keep the beat. Friendly Fires launch their U.S. tour on May 31 in Chicago on the heels of the release of their candy-coated razor-sharp album, Pala . It's named after the setting of Aldous Huxley’s book “Island," and both the album [...]