12 Bar News

In this episode, the hosts discuss there favourite drummers of the decade for the '60s, 70's, 80's, 90's and today, which is 2000s to present. They also discuss the week's music news and current events portion of the show, or What's Happening?!? Darsh tells us what grinds his gears about music in advertising.

This week the guys talk about the New York Scene of the late 1990s through the 2000s with bands like The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Moldy Peaches, LCD Soundsystem, and many more. 

In this week's music news segment "What's Happening?!?!?" the hosts discuss:

David Crosby Dead at 81

• Founding member of The Byrds and Crosby Stills Nash and Young has passed away at age 81.
• His wife released a statement that the folk-rock singer/songwriter died peacefully surrounded by his family after a long illness.
• Crosby released his 8th solo studio album back in 2021 and had spent his whole life creating music and inspiring generations.
• He is credited, along with his bandmates, for progressing folk and rock to where they are today.
• Let us know what your favorite David Crosby song or memory is on Facebook or Instagram.

Boygenius Are Back

• A perfect transition from the sad passing of one of folk rock’s founding fathers to the birth of a modern folk-rock supergroup’s debut album.
• Boygenius, who has often drawn comparisons to Crosby, Stills, and Nash, have announced that they are back and this time we are getting a full record from the band.
• The trio consists of rockstars Julian Baker, Lucy Dacus, and Phoebe Bridgers.
• Over the last couple of years, these Sad Girl Icons have been exploding in popularity.
• Each artist has put out a successful solo album since 2020. Bridgers with her smash hit Punisher in 2020, and with Dacus’ Home Video and Baker’s Little Obvious both released in 2021.
• For the uninitiated, I would recommend checking out the band’s Tiny Desk Concert from 2018. It really highlights the harmonic beauty that happens when these singers combine.
• In the concert, which is available on NPR Music’s YouTube channel, the band performs songs off their 2018 self-titled EP.
• This last week the band made the cover of Rolling Stone, recreating the famous Nirvana pose, and announced their new album, titled the record, which will be out on March 31st 2023.
• 3 songs are available now on streaming services and I would recommend checking them out.
• Each of the bandmates take the lead on one of the tracks, which provides a nice contrast of writing styles in the same musical umbrella.
• We even get a scream from Phoebe on the track $20.

Otoboke Beaver On Tour In the US

• The Scared Fox discusses the 2022 album from the Japanese punk band Otoboke Beaver. 
• The album is called Super Champon and is a very fast and chaotic punk rock experience. 
• The band is playing in Underground Arts in Philadelphia on Feb 24, 2023
• For a sample, take a listen to the song I Don't Dish Out Salads off of Super Champon

NOFX Announce More Dates For Their Farewell Tour

• Legendary Pop Punk Band NOFX have announced additional dates for their farewell tour.
• The LA skater/stoner punk band started in 1983 which makes this their 40th year.
• Last year, Fat Mike announced the band would be breaking up and go on one more massive farewell tour.
• The tour is billed as Punk in Drublic Presents NOFX 40 Years, 40 Cities, 40 Songs Per Day.
• So far the band has announced tour stops in Austin, TX in late April, and then in May the band is playing in San Diego before going oversees to Spain, The UK, Austria, and Germany.
• In late June 2023 the band will be back in the states Sucking Live in Columbus, OH, late July in Tacoma, WA and in late September in San Fransico and St. Petersburg, FL.
• There seems to be a lot of space in between that could be filled with more dates to be announced sometime soon.
• They are bringing other Pop Punk legends on this tour with them, some opening bands include Pennywise, Circle Jerks, Bad Cop/ Bad Cop, Good Riddance, Lagwagon, Mad Caddies, Strung Out, Sick Of It All and Me First and The Gimme Gimmes among others.
• I know I want to go see them live at least one more time, they were my absolute favorite band from 8th grade to like 11th grade.
• I also kinda hope this is a bluff and that they will just casually get back together sometime soon.

The New York Scene

• Now let's move on to our main event for this week, The New York Rock Scene of the 2000s.
• You may not be familiar with this scene but I can guarantee you have heard of most of the bands we are going to be talking about tonight.
• I’ll be honest and say I didn’t really know much about it until a friend of the show suggested I watch Meet Me In The Bathroom. It's a documentary based on a book by Lizzy Goodman.
• Since I’m a music nerd, of course, I bought the audiobook after watching the movie, which I found very entertaining.
• The book is an oral history of the scene, told by some of music’s biggest names. Spoiler alert, the NY scene is basically driven and made popular by The Strokes.
• Some famous artists who tell the stories are Karen O, Moby, Julian Casablanca and the rest of The Strokes, Kimya Dawson, Adam Green, Conor Oberst, as well as members of TV on the Radio, LCD Soundsystem, and Interpol among many others.
• I would recommend checking out the book if you are into music history and if this discussion interests you.

Cage the Elephant’s Singer Arrested in NYC

• Matt Shultz, the lead singer of the American alternative rock band Cage the Elephant was arrested this week in NYC on gun charges.
• Apparently, someone narced on him while he was staying in a hotel in the city.
• Police arrested the singer after finding 2 loaded and unlicensed firearms in his hotel room and he was booked for felony criminal possession of a gun.
• I remember when their first hit “Aint No Rest For The Wicked” came out in 2008 and I thought it was pretty catchy and well done for a radio rock hit.
• I haven’t really followed the band since but that hasn’t hurt their success because the band from Kentucky has won 2 Grammy awards for Best Rock Album, once in 2017 and again in 2020.
• Even though Shultz is in Trouble and he seems to have his Back Against The Wall at the moment and I’m sure he is Ready To Let Go of this bad Cigarette Daydream. He shouldn’t let a plea deal go In One Ear if he is Ready To Let Go of his Cold Cold Cold jail cell he should Take It or Leave it before the Broken Boy is Skin and Bones.
• Those are all Cage the Elephant songs. You are welcome.

The Smile’s Tiny Desk Concert

• The Smile, the side project of Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood and jazz drummer Tom Skinner, performed a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR music this last week.
• The band played 3 songs off of their debut album A Light For Attracting Attention in a stripped-down, live format.
• The band was accompanied by Robert Stillman on saxophone which complemented Yorke’s piano and bass and Greenwood’s guitar style nicely.
• I would definitely recommend listening to this concert with headphones or through nice speakers because it's mixed beautifully and the interesting and subtle low-end elements will be lost with a phone or computer speakers.
• Johnny Greenwood shows off his amazing guitar prowess especially on the last track of the set, Skirting On the Surface, while Yorke provides the perfect counterpoint on his bass line. All while crooning in his signature style.
• This side project came out of the pandemic and their music is produced by longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godric, who has produced all of their albums since OK Computer back in 1997.
• The band put out a live album back in Dec of 2022 called Live at Montreux Jazz Festival, July 2022 and I would recommend checking out all their releases if you are a fan of Radiohead.

Jeremiah Green’s Tragic Passing

• On to sadder news, founding member and drummer for Modest Mouse, Jeremiah Green, passed away on New Years' Eve 2022.
• Earlier that month, the band put out a statement on Green’s diagnosis of stage IV cancer and ongoing treatment. Sadly Green passed away peacefully in his sleep.
• He will be remembered as one of Indie Rock’s best drummers with his unique style and he made Stylus Magazine’s 50 Best Rock Drummers list, coming in at number 37 back in 2007.
• Green played on all of Modest Mouse’s albums except for their biggest hit 2004’s
• Good News For People Who Love Bad News.
• Green quit the band due to some mental health issues in 2003 and he rejoined the band in May of 2004 the rest is history.
• RIP to a great drummer and I look forward to hearing new music from Modest Mouse.
• The legendary guitarist of The Smiths and fellow Modest Mouse bandmate Johnny Marr posted on his Instagram quote “The Great Jeremiah Green. My friend, bandmate, and the most creative musician I ever met.”
• The band had been on tour in 2022 and frontman Isaac Brock and Johnny Marr announced that they were writing new songs together and a new 9-song EP has been hinted to be in the post.
• News broke last night that the band’s management has confirmed they will play the Qunicy, Massachusetts In Between Day’s Festival in August of this year. Festival organizers say quote “Out of respect for the band, any other messages or statements regarding personnel or specifics will come from the band itself at a later date. In Between Days has made a donation to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of Jeremiah Green.”

New Music Recommendations

Our adoring fans have spoken and the badger listens, you guys want more music recommendations.

Murs' Guide to World’s Greatest Cities

• The new year so far has seen some decent new releases including some that just popped up on streaming services this weekend.
• American rapper Murs released an EP titled Guide to World’s Greatest Cities. I had been sleeping on Murs for a while even tho he has been active since 1992 but he has been releasing some sold material over the last couple of years.
• As the titles suggest this EP is geographically influenced with songs called NYC (Gold Apple), Oakland (Luv), T- O-K-Y-O (Bullet Train Backflip), and the highlight for me Ethiopia. Let's hear a little of that (Cue Ethiopia)
• In this song, Murs pays homage to the African country which brought us coffee and Halle Selassie (Jah Rastafari), and as Murs says it's the only African country to never be colonized.
• Murs is known for his activism including his veganism which he casually drops throughout the release. He also playfully calls out Anna, Elsa, and Olof and says “ Fuck Santa and his helpers”... Ballsy move Murs with only 11 months until Xmas comes around again 
• I give this EP an 8 out 12 Bars because its a fun listen

The Wind and The Wave's Racing Hearts

• For my next new music recommendation, we are moving away from Hip Hop and towards Folk Inspired Pop Rock with a new album by the band The Wind and The Wave.
• The band is a collaboration of singer-songwriter Patty Lynn and songwriter/producer Dwight Baker who has produced music for Brandi Carlile among others and has written songs for Kelly Clarkson.
• The new full-length release is titled Racing Hearts and was released on Island Records.
• I did enjoy this album, especially the way the band played around with multiple melodic and harmonic parts weaving together in interesting ways. This can be heard on the track Keep Your Head Down. Let's hear a little bit of that (Cue Keep Your Head Down 2:32-3:05)
• As I said, I do like this release but I feel like this album is familiar in an almost derivative way. Not that anything is original anymore, but parts of this record feel like covers to me.
• An example of what I mean is the title track Racing Hearts (Cue Racing Hearts 0:15-0:45)
• For this reason, I would give the album 7 out of 12 bars but I would still recommend giving this album a listen, some of my favorite tracks from the record are Enemy and Feet in the Grass.

Anti Flag's Lies We Tell Our Children

• The last new release I am going to talk about today is also my favorite: Lies They Tell Our Children by Anti-Flag.
• The start of this album hits you in the face with nostalgia for the early 2000’s political pop-punk scene in the Fuck Bush years. With song titles like SOLD EVERYTHING, MODERN META MEDICINE, and IMPERIALISM.
• As the album continues the songs start to drift into almost Screamo territory, harkening back to the more pop punk-focused acts of the late 2000s emo scene, I’m talking about Senses Fail, Aiden, dare I say Bayside? (cue Dare, Dare from blazing saddles)
• This is probably because of the staggering list of featured artists that this album boasts, including some of the biggest acts of the 2000s. Tim McIlrath from Rise Against and guitarist Brian Baker from Bad Religion come together with Justin Sane and the boys on THE FIGHT OF OUR LIVES. Other features include the singers from Killswitch Engage, Silverstein, BadCop/BadCop, the German Singer Campino, and American singer Tre Burt among others.
• I would recommend this to any pop-punk fans out there, it's on the top of my list for albums of this 8-day-long year.
• My favorite song on this album has to be VICTORY OR DEATH (WE GAVE ‘EM HELL) let's hear some of that (Cue Victory Or Death 0:00-0:30).
• While announcing this album back in the fall of last year, the band said quote “look, this is our 13th album. There’s no other way to put it; Lies They Tell Our Children is the best fucking version
  of ANTI-FLAG we have ever been. We haven’t been afforded the privilege and ability to spend every day together writing and focusing on every detail of an album in well over a decade and I think you can feel that collaboration and collectiveness in these songs more than any other record of ours.”
• This song is one of those Celtic-infused punk songs that are great live, you know to scream along with while dodging 11-dollar bud lights as fellow old fat people try to mosh like we are 15 again.
• Other highlights of the album are WORK & STRUGGLE and NVREVR for which I am pretty sure they have to pay royalties to Taylor Swift now.
• Overall I would highly recommend the album and I would give it 10 Bars out 12 Bars

Badger explains The 12 Bar Blues and gives a demonstration on how to build one yourself.

Make Sure To Subscribe Whereever You Get Your Audio

What are the nerds listening to this week?

Darsh has been listening to video game music, specifically old Super Nintendo game music. What a nerd.

The Scared Fox has been listening to the new Sounds Of Animals Fighting EP and says it is great! The band is currently on tour this winter, good luck finding tickets!

Badger recommends the song Fire by the band Waxahatchee and also gives a sneak peek at one of his favorite albums of 2022, Big Thief's Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You.

The 60s or The Times They Were A Changing

We are exploring the decade that changed it all the 1960s, the vibe, the transformation, and the gear that helped change music into what it is today.

First, let's start off with the general vibe of the decade. If I had to label the vibe in one quote it would be “The Times They Are A Changing”

The early ’60s can still fall into the category we call “The oldies” which includes American standards like Elvis, Johny Cash, and also early Motown acts playing Soul, R&B, and DoWap. Bob Dylan released his first album in 1962 which was totally inspired by traditional Americana music like Folk, Bluegrass, and Country.

The mid ’60s was when the vibe really began to change, English acts were starting to Invade, Dylan went electric and change was in the air.

Artists started experimenting more with Psychedelic drugs, political protests, world music, and rebellion which was reflected in the stylistic changes of the music.

As the decade went on these changes were on full display with acts like The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Led Zeppelin, and the Grateful Dead all coming into the spotlight.

All of this led up to 1969’s Woodstock festival which was one of the nation's most notable positive events. This all sets the stage for the 1970s but that’s a different episode.

Make sure to subscribe to 12 Bar News on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your audio!

In this episode of 12 Bar News, the hosts Badger and Scared Fox discuss "What's Happening" in the news as well as some entertainment suggestions to get through this holiday season.  

Here are some of the headlines from this episode:

Punk Rock Museum

• The Punk Rock Museum located in Las Vegas, Nevada has announced that they are pushing back their opening date to March 10, 2023.
• In this announcement, the Fat Mike-created museum also revealed that they will be hosting guided tours with Punk Rock icons starting April 1st, 2023
• Some of these punk heroes include Noodles of The Offspring, Smelly of NOFX, and Angelo Moore of Fishbone as well as representatives from Suicidal Tendencies, Rise Against, Circle Jerks, The Germs, The Vandals, Agnostic Front, Bad Cop/Bad Cop and Face To Face among others.
• According to the release, the tours will be limited to 20 people each and be offered multiple times a day.
• Tickets are available for preorder from the museum's website

Postal Service and Death Cab Co-headling tour

• The Postal Service and Death Cab For Cutie, both bands led by Benjamin Gibbard, have announced that they will embark on a co-headline tour.
• The Postal Service only released one full album back in 2003 and they have only gotten back together for one tour since, the 10th anniversary in 2013. Well, the 3’s are back again so I guess it's time to get the band back together for the 20-year anniversary.
• The Postal Service was a side project for its members, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab, Jenny Lewis of Riley Kiley, and Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel. All 3 also have solo careers in addition to these projects. So they’ve been busy and prolific.
• For Death Cab 2023 also marks 20 years for their hit record Transatlanticism
• Tickets are on sale and selling out fast, at last check Ticketmaster is selling Lawn Seats at The Met in Philly for over $150 and it shoots up to well over $250 from there
• Demand is high because both bands are set to play their albums in full, with Ben Gibbard in the spotlight the whole night.
• If you give us money then maybe I can buy these tickets and give you guys a review in full.

The Scared Fox gives us a short review of the Abby Road documentary If The Walls Could Sing produced by Mary Mccartney. It is out now on Disney+!

Bob Dylan Shares His Modern Music Tastes

• In an article released recently, Bob Dylan shared some of his favorite artists and a few of the artists that made the list surprised many people.
• Jack White, Metallica, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Eminem, and Wu-Tang Clan made the cut as well as others.
• Dylan said he made special arrangements to see Jack White and has seen Metallica twice.
• Mr. Dylan must have been listening to our last episode because he also weighed in on the Vinyl Vs. Streaming debate. If you haven’t checked out our discussion on the topic you can find it wherever you get your podcasts.
• Dylan said he streams music, as well as CDs and Satellite Radio, but he agrees that streaming has made things too easy and convenient.
• In the end, the old sound of vinyl coming out of a tube amp is his real cup of tea.

Dave Grohl's Hanukah Cover Series

• In what is becoming an annual holiday tradition, Dave Grohl has continued his collaboration with Grammy Winning Producer Greg Kurstin to highlight Jewish songwriters and musicians by playing one song each night of Hanukah.
• They started doing this in 2020 and so far this year Grohl and his guest have celebrated Beck, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, 10cc, and Rush in front of a live crowd.
• Dave has been helped on stage by Greg Kurstin on keys and guests Beck, Karen O, Violet Grohl, and Tenacious D among others on vocals.
• I checked out the Karen O set and Jack Black’s Rush cover and they were great. It's always great to see Dave Grohl behind the drum set

Happy Holidays to everyone out there and Happy New Year!

Subscribe to the 12 Bar News Podcast wherever you find your audio!

This episode is an encore presentation of Season 1's second episode: Four Winds. In this episode, the hosts discuss their favorite Conor releases from Bright Eyes, Mystic Valley Band, Solo releases, and Monsters of Folk. 

In this episode, Badger hosts an in-studio discussion with regular contributors Scared Fox and Darsh about Vinyl vs Streaming. Badger and the crew discuss the various aspects of each listening platform, the pros and cons, and their opinions on which is a better option. 

This is the first episode of Season 3 and we are happy to be back!

We have a brand new format designed to keep you updated with what’s happening in the music world as well as to bring you in-depth discussions about various music nerd things.

This season, yours truly, The bravest of badgers, will be hosting a short format news segment called ***What’s Happening*** where I will be discussing the week's music news, often joined by a fellow music nerd.

Monthly we will “get the band back together” in the studio for a long format discussion on a music nerd topic of choice, such as Vinyl vs Streaming or Music Through the Decades...

The Scared Fox and Darsh stopped by for a discussion recently, that episode will air next week, so make sure you subscribe to 12 Bar News wherever you get your podcast or at 12BARNEWS.COM

What’s happening?!? All of these topics were discussed by this week's hosts:

• The Sick New World Festival was announced earlier this week and promises to bring the same nostalgia to Nu Metal fans as the When We Were Young Festival brought to Emo Kids.
• Iggy Pop announced a new album featuring amazing guest musicians.
• Aaroon Carter's sad death at age of 34
• New Found Glory announced a new acoustic album featuring some of their classic hits.
• Bright Eyes has released another 3 installments of their companion EPs along with their respective classic albums. Badger gives a quick review of the new EPs and nerds out for a while.