Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

"Celebrating its 15th anniversary this month, Stones Throw is a Masada for those who never sold their turntables. There's an unspoken compact between the label and those who love what Madlib called "the old music." Collectors. Romantics. Sentimentalists.

"Our releases have always been whatever and whoever I've liked, whatever makes me excited at the time," says Peanut Butter Wolf, Stones Throw's founder and resident Wonka. Wearing a gray porkpie hat and T-shirt, the San Jose-born Chris Manak looks a decade younger than his 42 years. "It's all outsider music."

In the upstairs offices -- made up of four large rooms and a small studio -- a pencil sketch of Manak's late musical partner, Charizma, is framed above his desk. It starts a mini Stones Throw wall of fame, including the label's most iconic artists, the late J Dilla, Madlib and MF Doom. To a generation of underground rap fans, the trio might well be Mount Rushmore, a holy trinity that has accounted for six of its seven top-selling records in the United States: Madvillain's Madvillainy; J Dilla's Donuts and Ruff Draft; Jaylib's Champion Sound; and (Madlib alias) Quasimoto's The Unseen and The Further Adventures of Lord Quas. (The seventh is Mayer Hawthorne's A Strange Arrangement.) Madvillainy, the top seller, has moved just north of 150,000 copies." [LA Weekly]

Stones Throw is celebrating their 15th anniversary at the Exchange in LA on 12/22.

Madlib isn't currently on the bill, but he just played an LA show at the Echoplex on Saturday night (12/10). A few weeks earlier Madlib played a show in San Francisco with Freddie Gibbs who he just released a collaborative EP with. Listen to "Thuggin'" below. Stay tuned for a full album in 2012.

Look for the EP at the merch table at Music Hall of Williamsburg on January 18, 2012. Madlib is headlining the Brooklyn venue with a DJ set that night. Tickets go on sale Friday.

UPDATE: JRocc and Freddie Gibbs are also playing the Brooklyn show.

Stones Throw signee The Stepkids play Knitting Factory in Brooklyn four days earlier. Tickets are on sale. All Stepkids dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Stones Throw is 15; Madlib schedules NYC gig; Stepkids too"

Updated ATP flyer

"Can we assume they'll be added to ATP, which starts a few days after the Bklyn date?," asked a commenter in the comments of our post announcing the Swans show at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and that commenter was dead on.

ATP NJ (aka "Ill Be Your Mirror") has updated its previously announced lineup to include Swans, Peanut Butter Wolf (who will be DJing), Battles, Deerhoof, Jim Thirwell's Manorexia, and Oneida (who will again perform in Ocropolis formation, like in 2009) "ONEIDA PRESENTS THE OCROPOLIS III which will take place at the Asbury Lanes Bowling Alley - the band will perform continuously throughout the day, sometimes with guests from the rich array of musicians also performing in the festival, sometimes alone and mostly improvised."

Though 3-day passes for the Asbury Park Fest, which include your only shot at seeing Jeff Mangum, are sold out (now called the Jeff Mangum Three Day Pass), tickets are still available in multiple incarnations for the three day celebration, including a new "Portishead Three Day Pass" which allows "passholders to see everything else from Friday-Sunday as well as giving priority access with the day pass holders to BOTH Portishead shows on Saturday and Sunday" (the pass doesn't include entry into Jeff Mangum). The "Portishead Three Day Pass" will go on sale at 10AM EST Thursday (4/21) and individual day passes are currently on sale. The versions of the 3-day pass that are sold out only guarantee you one night of Portishead. "Existing Day ticketholders or Jeff Mangum Three Day pass holders who wish to switch to a Portishead Three Day Pass should contact ATP via feedback@atpfestival.com before May 30th."

The current lineup is below.

Continue reading "ATP NJ adds 'Portishead 3 Day Pass', expands lineup (Swans, Oneida, Battles, Deerhoof, more)"

by BBG

These 2 men will collaborate together - not on a hair care line

You might know Steve Arrington's voice from his major R&B hit "Just A Touch if Love" from his R&B/Funk band Slave. The song was a major smash in the late 70s and is still a dance club staple for fans of funk/rare groove/hip hop/R&B. Now comes word that Steve Arrington has returned to music and will enlist the great DâM-FunK (pronounced dame-funk, FYI) to provide the backing to his new joints. One of those jams, due from a forthcoming collaborative album, is streaming below along with the story of how the collaboration came about via Peanut Butter Wolf. Steve Arrington listens to Aphex Twin? Wow.

The ex-Slave vocalist will play the Park Central Hotel on November 13th with the creator of the dancefloor classic "Somebody Else's Guy", Jocelyn Brown. Tickets are still available.

In a more obscure vein, Syl Johnson is probably famous among the latter generation for his rare and coveted LP Is It Because I'm Black (the title track sampled recently by Wu-Tang for "Hollow Bones") and similarly rare 45 "Different Strokes" (famously sampled by Kool G Rap for "Talk Like Sex" and Wu-Tang Clan for "Shame On a Nigga"), both on the now defunct Twinight Records. The R&B singer has since come back (he played Music Hall of Williamsburg last year) and will play Southpaw on December 3rd with The Sweet Divines and The Sweet Divine Rhythm Band. Tickets are on sale.

DâM-FunK recently played Fun Fun Fun Fest as part of a US tour. Those current dates with the Peanut Butter Wolf story about Steve Arrington, the first song of the DâM-FunK/Arrington collaboration, as well as some live video and tons of others are below...

Continue reading "Steve Arrington & Dam-Funk collaborating, playing shows ++ Syl Johnson, Jocelyn Brown & other stuff too"

"The 2010 Lollapalooza line-up is official: Soundgarden, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire, The Strokes, and Phoenix will headline, joined by Social Distortion, MGMT, Jimmy Cliff, Hot Chip, and The Black Keys. With 130 bands on this year's bill, its sure to be a weekend long feast for the ears.

It's a monumental year for Lollapalooza, filled with homecomings, reunions, and first-times. Soundgarden, 1992 and 1996 Lollapalooza alumni, return to the Lollapalooza stage for their first performance since 1997. Green Day will rock Grant Park sixteen years after their first Lollapalooza appearance. While Lady Gaga will headline the festival only three short years after playing the BMI stage at Lollapalooza 2007.

Arcade Fire returns to Grant Park, having played the reincarnated Lollapalooza in 2005. This is the first Lollapalooza for The Strokes - and also their first show in four years. And making their Lollapalooza debut: Phoenix." - Lollapalooza

After extremely accurate early leaks and then much teasing, Lollapalooza oficially announces this year's lineup. Check it out below...

Continue reading "Lollapalooza actually announces 2010 lineup "

photos by Tim Griffin

David Yow rides the crowd as beer flies

Titus Andronicus drama aside for a second, I was worried that the "party" crowd wouldn't be a good audience for the Jesus Lizard and Bad Brains. But as security pointed out, the audience very much treated the show like the "concert" it was. It got crazy for Jesus Lizard, energetic front-man David Yow included...

"The Jesus Lizard performed a ferocious set, with singer David Yow crowd diving and singing noise rock anthems while sweaty hands held him aloft. Meanwhile, the line outside on North 10th Street snaked around the block, as hundreds of costumed revelers waited in the rain to get inside." [The Wall Street Journal???]

The crowd was ferocious too, but ironically they were 10 times more ferocious for Bad Brains whose front-man just stood there in a white hoodie. Luckily for security (who after a few songs of frustration just let the show be), Bad Brains played a lot of reggae jams. That kept it relatively calm. Bad Brains setlist below. The Jesus Lizard will be back for two more NYC shows later this month.

The bands played upstairs in the two-level warehouse on North 10th Street between Berry and Wythe. Downstairs, and between bands, there were DJs. I was especially appreciative of all the classic 90's techno hits (at the 1994-themed party). The music mixed with the warehouse location, lights, and smoke machines probably made the Vice event more Maskarave than the actual Maskarave happening across the river. That felt especially true late night, after Bad Brains which was when the majority of the crowd left (and they weren't letting anyone else in). I don't know a lot of song names, but Moby's "Thousand", Josh Wink's "Don't Laugh", and "Percolator" were at least three of the more popular ones I remember hearing during the DJ sets from Dave 1 from Chromeo, Peanut Butter Wolf, Nick Catchdubs, Rub-N-Tug, and/or Blu Jemz. Earlier in night there was also lots of classic hip hop, sometimes accompanied with the song's video.

As promised, there was a skate ramp with skaters too (and all the alcohol was free) (I wish they had more porta potties though). More pictures below...

Continue reading "Jesus Lizard & Bad Brains @ Vice's Halloween Party - pics"

I know many have been waiting anxiously for details on how to get in to the VICE 15th year anniversary party featuring live performances by Bad Brains and The Jesus Lizard. Well, now they're running a contest. Flyer and more details below...

Continue reading "Vice giving away tix to Bad Brains/Jesus Lizard show (Titus Andronicus, Children, Dave 1, others added to bill)"

photos by Tim Griffin and Chris La Putt

"It was announced during Vampire Weekend's rain-soaked but well-attended 6 p.m. set on the main "Blue Comet" stage that due to the weather, single-day Friday tickets would be accepted for festival entry on Saturday and Sunday. This elicited quite a few cheers, presumably from those who had not already purchased weekend tickets. While the early afternoon had been hot and sunny, allowing for clear views of nearby Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, the storm clouds rolled in rapidly just as Fleet Foxes took the stage at 3:30 p.m. The wind, rain and thunder actually worked as fitting accompaniments to the band's dramatic harmonies, a fact not lost on the Foxes themselves. "We kind of look like a guild of wizards here to deliver an ominous warning," said drummer J. Tillman, one of several bearded members of the band. ""I'm going to leave the stage on a horse." [Billboard]

Before we head out to APW Day Two (schedule here), here are some pictures from Friday (7/31)....

Continue reading "All Points West 2009 - Day One in Pictures"

M. Ward @ Sasquatch Festival (more by Chris Graham)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Movits @ the Bell House
* Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Northern Lights
* Justin Ripley @ Alphabet Lounge
* Steely Dan @ Beacon Theatre
* Cass McCombs, Jennifer O'Connor @ Union Hall
* Noisettes, The Love Language @ The Bell House
* Voodoo Fe', The Juggs, Apollo Heights @ Pianos
* BARR, Silk Flowers, Love Tan @ Sculpture Center
* Summer Warm Up w/ Stars Like Fleas, more @ PS1
* Blues Control, S.S.P.S., Budy Blues @ Cinders Gallery
* LA Riots (DJ), Tokyo Police Club (DJ) @ Red Bull Space
* The Mekons, Megan Reilly, The Horse's Ha @ Mercury Lounge
* Soft Power, Hot Lava, Gramercy Arms, Hologram @ Cake Shop
* The Atomic Bitchwax, Black Horse, Heavy Hands @ Union Pool
* Jump Into The Gospel, The Press, Vintage Villain @ The Cameo
* Pretty & Nice, Fugitive Souls, The Valley Arena @ Littlefield
* Ethan Iverson, Reid Anderson & Paul Motian @ Village Vanguard
* Johannes Lauer/Tyshawn Sorey Duo Plus, First Meeting @ The Stone
* DANGEROUS: All Metal Tribute To Michael Jackson @ Bowery Ballroom
* Jack Rose, Common Eider, King Eider, Tom Carter, US Girls @ Bruar Falls
* Talibam!, Steve Gunn & Heidi Deihl, Julian Lynch, Behavior @ Market Hotel
* The So So Glos, Lovvers, The Sundelles, Babies, That Ghost @ Death By Audio
* Greatest Hits, Ex-Humans, The Rats, Tough Shits, Pretty Vanilla @ Don Pedro
* Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy Tell'em, Drake @ Jones Beach Amphitheater
* M. Ward, Floored By Four w/ Mike Watt & Nels Cline @ Central Park Summerstage
* Celebrate Brooklyn w/ Dean & Britta, Crystal Stilts @ Prospect Park Bandshell
* All Points West w/ Tool, My Bloody Valentine, Gogol Bordello, Arctic Monkeys, more @ Liberty State Park

Free outdoor music tonight includes Dean & Britta performing their "13 Most Beautiful Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests" with Crystal Stilts at Prospect Park Bandshell, and M. Ward with Floored By Four (Mike Watt, Nels Cline, Yuka Honda and Dougie Bowne) at the Central Park Summerstage.

All Points West goes into its second day at Liberty State Park with Tool, My Bloody Valentine, Gogol Bordello, Arctic Monkeys and mroe. Its official afterparty at Red Bull Space features DJ sets from LA Riots and Tokyo Police Club.

The Mekons play an electric set with Megan Reilly and The Horse's Ha at the Mercury Lounge.

Movits from Sweden play a free late show at the Bell House after the Noisettes.

Blues Control celebrate the release of their new CD Local Flavor with a show at Cinders Gallery (103 Havemeyer St, Williamsburg) featuring S.S.P.S. and Budy Blues.

Mary Timony's Soft Power plays the Cake Shop with Hot Lava, Gramercy Arms and Hologram.

The So So Glos join Lovvers, The Sundelles, Babies and That Ghost for a show at Death By Audio.

BARR, Silk Flowers and Love Tan play LIC's Sculpture Center. Also in the hood, PS1 hosts its Summer Warm Up party, this week with Stars Like Fleas.

Get DANGEROUS at the Bowery Ballroom's All Metal Tribute To Michael Jackson.

Steely Dan drop the "albums" act for a night of fan requests at the Beacon Theatre.

Cass McCombs follows up his sold-out Joe's Pub show at the beginning of the week with a show tonight at Union Hall. Jennifer O'Connor joins him on the bill.

A video of Oneida live at the Market Hotel on July 24th, below.

Some videos and stuff from All Points West Day One, HERE. More videos from APW below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Guilty Simpson & Madlib - "Coroner's Music" (MP3)

'Coroner's Music' off O.J. Simpson

Before we go any further, no, Mr. Bloody Glove has not released a solo record. Yet. (More on that below). BUT, Jedi Mind Tricks frontman Vinnie Paz is prepping his. Vinnie Paz recently dropped the early-Wu-tastic single "Drag You To Hell" which is currently streamable here and available via iTunes here. The track comes from his upcoming solo LP The Assassin's Creed, which features appearances from Beanie Sigel, Clipse, and Freeway as well as production by Madlib, Lil Fame (M.O.P.), Da Beatminerz, and 4th Disciple (Wu-Tang) among others.

Jedi Mind Tricks will hit the road in mid August for a west-midwest-east tour with Esoteric (of 7L & Esoteric) and Reef the Lost Cauze that includes an NYC show at Highline Ballroom on 9/13 and a show on L.I. at Crazy Donkey the night before. Tickets for Highline are on sale.

Speaking of Madlib, the Beat Konducta has announced his collaboration with Guilty Simpson for an album named, er, OJ Simpson (Madlib's real name is Otis Jackson). The new track "Coroner's Music" (available above) comes from an LP due on the mighty Stones Throw this fall (and a 12" that is out now), and features Strong Arm Steady, Elzhi (of the recently reunited Slum Village who played Rock the Bells at Jones Beach on July 19th), as well as cuts from the great J.Rocc.

Speaking of Rock the Bells (and Wu-Tang),

Between the end of Wu's set and the beginning of Slaughterhouse's, Method Man and Joe Budden were seen walking together in the parking lot. The two took their time quashing the beef.

When Slaughterhouse, which also includes Royce da 5'9", Joell Ortiz and Crooked I, took the stage, they publicly announced the end of the short-term feud.

"It will never be a beef with Wu-Tang clan," Royce said. He then revealed the convo between Meth and Budden, saying the situation was "squashed." [MTV]

Ghostface, Redman & Method Man play Nokia Theatre in NYC on July 30th.

Annnnnd while we're on the subject, Evidence (who performed At Jones Beach with The Alchemist as Step Brothers) will hit the road this coming fall with Brother Ali, BK One and Toki Wright for a US tour in celebration of Brother Ali's new LP on Rhymesayers, US. Evidence recently signed with Rhymesayers, and will release Cats & Dogs via the label in 2010. The Alchemist's new album, Chemical Warfare, is out NOW and features appearances from Kool G Rap, Eminem, Prodigy (of Mobb Deep - recorded before he hit the lock-up I'm assuming) and many others.

The NYC Brother Ali date is November 7th at Irving Plaza. Tickets for the whole tour are now on presale. All dates below.

Founders of the Rhymesayers crew, Atmosphere are on tour, and hit Webster Hall in NYC TONIGHT (7/27).

Stones Throw badass Peanut Butter Wolf is scheduled to perform at All Points West this weekend (July 31 - Aug 2). Jay-Z, KOOL Keith, Q-Tip, Pharcyde, Organized Konfusion, The Cool Kids and others will also be part of the Jersey City festivities.

Esoteric of 7L & Esoteric will release his solo debut Saving Seamus Ryan on 9/22 featuring appearances by Masta Ace and DJ Premier.

Video of Step Brothers @ Rock The Bells, as well as all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "OJ Simpson (Madlib+Guilty), Jedi Mind Tricks, Brother Ali, Atmosphere & other hip hop news (with tour dates) "

photos by Rod Mickens/AMNH, words by Martin Longley

Down in the cosmic ballroom, the One Step Beyond (presented by The Fader at the American Museum of American History) DJ sessions continue, although this evening's attendance might just be down on that enjoyed over the last few Fridays. This will surely swoop back up with Moby's appearance on the 5th of June.

Peanut Butter Wolf's heading up a Stones Throw night, featuring his label's James Pants, Mayer Hawthorne and Dam-Funk, who all returned to play at (le) Poisson Rouge on Saturday. The Californian Wolf is combining laptop with decks, spinning through a very populist, party-pointed playlist. All audio is married to a sequence of back-projected videos, which probably holds some governing force over the selection process. It's a feast of nostalgia, parading through Kid Creole, Prince, Earth Wind & Fire, Rick James, Daft Punk, White Stripes and even the fucking Police. Afrika Bambaataa, House Of Pain and The Beastie Boys bring things back into the hip hop zone, whilst David Bowie, Musical Youth and Bo Diddley stand out as slightly more skewed choices. It's the kind of set that a DJ would prepare for a wedding party. Pleasurable, but also lacking in ambition, particularly when Stones Throw is renowned for its harder niche hip hop sounds.

More pictures below...

Continue reading "Peanut Butter Wolf @ Museum of Natural History, NYC - pics "

Peanut Butter Wolf...

As one commenter pointed out, DOOM's upcoming show schedule, in addition to the Pitchfork Festival (which by the way is now sold out of three-day passes), also includes a visit to daylong hip-hop fest Soundset taking place in Shakopee, Minnesota on Sunday, May 24th. Headliners for the concert include Atmosphere, The Pharcyde, Brother Ali, Sage Francis with B. Dolan, and Immortal Technique. Full lineup below. Tickets for the show are on sale.

That fest is being put on in part by Rhymesayers, the label that put out DOOM's MM..FOOD?. Another of DOOM's many labels, Stones Throw Records (which put out the rapper's Madlib collaboration Madvillainy) will have a strong presence in NYC this weekend. Tonight, Friday, May 8th. Stones Throw founder and head Peanut Butter Wolf will perform at the American Museum of Natural History's monthly One Step Beyond party. Tickets are on sale.

Also on the bill with Peanut Butter Wolf are Stones Throw artists James Pants, Mayer Hawthorne and Dam-Funk. Those three will also be at (Le) Poisson Rouge for a Stones Throw Party on Saturday, May 9th. Tickets are on sale.

Coming up at One Step Beyond: "One Step Beyond finishes their second season with a blow out spectacular with a DJ set by electro pioneer Moby on a new date June 5, 2009 with a DJ set from Holy Ghost! (DFA)."

Full info on both Soundset and One Step Beyond below...

Continue reading "Stones Throw in NYC weekend (One Step Beyond & Le Poisson Rouge) ++ the 2009 Soundset lineup (includes DOOM)"

With the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. this week, albums are released today/Monday instead of tomorrow stateside...

Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak is released today, along with the Paul McCartney collaboration Fireman's Electric Arguments. Other than that, the pickings are slim as the year winds down...

Reissues this week include the remastered R.E.M.'s Murmur (which comes with a bonus disc of b-sides and unreleased material), Death Cab For Cutie's Something About Airplanes (also remastered with a bonus disc), along with vinyl reissues of the Replacements' Tim and Asobi Seksu's Citrus.

Editor's note: Chinese Democracy was also released on Sunday.

What new releases can you recommend?

Continue reading "Largehearted Boy's Interesting CD Releases This Week"

DOWNLOAD: DirtyFinger and PorkChop on WNYU Rotations Radio 6-03-05 Part 2 (zSHARE MP3)

Fred Falke @ Tribeca Grand - July 12, 2008 (CRED).


I feel like so much has happened since my last post. Unfortunately before I left, packing and all that last minute, pre-travel running around caught up with me so I was only able to go out on the 3rd. I had my first Santos experience and it couldn't have been better. No hassle at the door, good opening set from Star Eyes, very impressive set from Chromeo's Dave-1 (tons of really good, underplayed electro remixes - including the Lifelike remix of Needy Girl that was on my Montreal Muxtape, and a lot of classic French house). Despite desperately looking forward to hearing Dominique Keegan's set, I was totally beat, not dancing anymore, and leaning against a big column when he went on at 2, so I called it an early night.

Friday night I really wanted to see Montrealers, NROTB at the Annex, but it just wasn't happening. Luckily I more than made up for it with all the music I experienced the following week while I was actually in Montreal. Each experience was serious fun in some way or another. Here's the quick version of what I managed to catch:

Saturday night - Guillaume & the Coutu Dumonts

Sunday - the Tamtams at Parc Mont-Royal and Piknic Electronikwith Mossa, The Bulgarian, and Luke Solomon at Parc Jean-Drapeau.

Sunday night - Team Canada at Blue Dog Motel.

Tuesday night - the F-Yeah tour with Monotonix & Team Robespierre at La Sala Rossa and Teenwolf at Blizzarts.

Wednesday night - WhiteRoom at Casa del Popolo and DJ Vivie-Ann at Cherry.

I arrived back in New York around 8:30 on Friday and promptly passed out after being home a few hours. Saturday morning (July 12) I read Dave's lovely post to see what was up and nearly fell off my chair when I read that Fred Falke was going to be here! I got warmed up at PS1 early in the evening, waited in the longest beer line I've ever experienced there for most of Free Blood's set, hung around for about an hour of funky, disco-ey goodness from DJ Spun, and then after a few hours I headed down to the Tribeca Grand where Solid Goldberger and I witnessed a truly great, exciting set from Fred Falke. He did it up right using a variety of electronic elements coupled with some great live bass. It was easily one of the best shows I've been to this year.

Another excellent show (also in the live/electronic vein) I've been to in '08 was the Black Ghosts at Glasslands back in May. The Ghosts will be hitting Brooklyn again with their own live/electro take at Studio B on Saturday night. More on that later this week, but be sure to RSVP ($5) to weare138nyc@yahoo.com or get a ticket online or at Other Music in the meantime! If not it will cost you $10 at the door.

Before that show and the rest of the weekend is anywhere in sight there are already a ton of things lined up to get you moving on the floor. Most of them are happening on Thursday (tonight - July 17)....

Continue reading "Showtrotta is back from Montreal, -Thursday night in Dance"

DOWNLOAD: PB Wolf Valentine's Mixtape (MP3)