Bored with all of this female pop drivel about boys and clothes? A few of our favorite rock chicks from the 90s are coming back with some relief. + 40 years later, we can’t get enough of David Bowie’s ‘Ziggy Stardust. Here’s an excerpt from a new book about the album. + Of course, 30 years later, we are still loving Duran Duran’s ‘Rio’. + Can fanpower make a political statement? With some grassroots effort, Adam Lambert’s new album just might. + More on how Amanda fucking Palmer totally GETS IT.   They don’t make [...]

Vivienne Westwood is fierce.   As described by the British Design Museum, “Vivienne Westwood personifies the potent and subversive originality of British fashion. Her continual exploration and reinterpretation of history, combined with a tireless individualism, has cemented her reputation as the UK’s most culturally significant fashion designer. Her expansive body of work traces the socio-economic and cultural climate of Britain over the past four decades, and a cursory glance through her archive also highlights the paradox of her career: an ascent from teenage rebellion through luxury and decadence to global commercial success.”   Check out [...]

Jack White‘s magnetic persona and manic work ethic draw constant psychoanalysis from the press, but I found this interview posted today by the A.V. Club to be particularly compelling due to the directness of both the questions asked and the answers Jack provided.   “Jack White could hardly be accused of staying out of the public eye once The White Stripes fell into an extended hiatus after 2007’s Icky Thump. His most famous musical project might’ve been inactive, but White never stopped working. He played with two successful bands, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, [...]

Singer, songwriter, “piano-slayer” and blogger Amanda Palmer is preparing to release her first new studio album in four years. Embracing the “pay what you want” business model, she asked her fans for help. In just 48 hours, Palmer raised $360,000 by crowd-funding via Kickstarter, exceeding her original goal of $100,000 and shattering all previous records for music projects on the crowd funding platform.   Rewards for those who choose to donate money to her campaign range from a digital download of the album ($1) to a live portrait sitting, painted by Amanda herself and including [...]

The internet has been all all atwitter today, thanks to a report from Music-News.com that “The Smiths, widely regarded as THE seminal British band, are to throw their differences aside and return to the live stage this autumn.” The story apparently came about after a “source” revealed that the band members had been in talks to perform with a well-known promoter with the decision was said to have been made “after fellow Mancunians, The Stone Roses, gave in and reformed.” Alas… a Smiths reunion is not to be, as the story was soon discredited by [...]

Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist punk-rock collective that has been staging impromptu, guerrilla style performances around Moscow, protesting the status of women in Russia and the election campaign of Prime Minister Putin. The group wears miniskirts and tights even in bitterly cold weather, their faces masked by candy-colored balaclavas as they take over public spaces with performances for which they have spent weeks training. The collective is made up of about 10 rotating performers — they say anyone can be a member — and dozens of people who handle the technical work of shooting [...]

Music Awakens Minds Alive Inside is a documentary that follows social worker Dan Cohen as he discovers that music can “awaken” people suffering from degenerative memory loss (Alzheimer’s, etc.). Below is an incredibly moving, absolutely astounding clip from the film in which a man goes from a near-coma state to talking about his favorite songs after being given music to listen to on headphones. It’s an undeniable testament to the power that music holds for all of us, no matter what your physical or mental state may be.   Check out MusicAndMemory.org for more information [...]

Björk and Tina Brown rock the boat of digital disruption… Jim Marshall leaves a legacy of love and loudness… what the biggest copyright decision of the year really means… Once revolutionaries, MP3 bloggers are facing a slow death… a gorgeous video of The Wedding Present live at SXSW…   Tina Brown and Björk, Sisters of Innovation Björk and Tina Brown have many differences but one common problem: They are watching the boat beneath them sink. Their print and music industries are being disintermediated by the digital revolution. They are struggling to respond to the blue-ocean [...]

The return of Ultravox? Brilliant!… Deadmau5 embraces the new creative paradigm and reminds us that communicating with fans is a two-way street… Like a diamond through a loupe, take a closer look at the form, arrangement, sound and production of David Bowie’s “Suffragette City”… The Barr Brothers take their iPod Touches to the Grand Canyon and end up making a pretty cool video and some new fans too… For a comedian who’s turned dark and downright icky in recent years, it’s time to go… good riddance.   Ultravox’s ’80s lineup returns with ‘Brilliant’ — first [...]

L’Arc-En-Ciel: The Richest Rock Band You’ve Never Heard Of The group that whipped a near-sellout crowd at the Garden into such a frenzy Sunday night is called L’Arc-en-Ciel, and it’s most likely the richest band you’ve never heard of. With 15 million albums sold worldwide, the group is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with an international excursion that includes the headlining gig at MSG, the first ever for a Japanese act.   By the time L’Arc-en-Ciel winds down its tour in Tokyo later this year, they will have played 17 shows for a total [...]