Upcoming Music Films

Looking at lists of upcoming film release dates, there are a few music-themed movies to look forward to.  Of course there is Footloose (not interested), the Green Day documentary/musical American Idiot, and Tom Cruise in the film adaption of Rock of Ages, but there were a few films that I had forgot about or just heard of.

With an October release, George Harrison: Living in the Material World is the first film to look out for.  Directed by Martin Scorsese with the blessing of Olivia Harrison, the picture debuts on HBO with part one on October 5th and part two on the 6th.  If you happen to live in the UK, there is an October 2nd premiere in Liverpool at the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology.  If you can't wait just over a week to see this picture, then hopefully this trailer can satisfy you for the time being.

Just about a month later, Killing Bono has a limited release November 4th.  In this rock comedy, two brothers and school mates of U2 struggle to make a name in the 1980s music scene and watch U2's fame skyrocket.  If you live outside of a major city and don't get limited releases, you can order Killing Bono on DVD.


Another limited release (see here) in November, is The Other F Word.  The documentary film discusses the transition from rocker to "soccer dad".  The film features Pennywise's Jim Lindberg, Flea, Mark Hoppus, Black Flag's Ron Reyes, Tim McIlrath, Fat Mike of NOFX, and several others.  In case you're still wondering, the other F word is "father".  View all film clips on the official site.

Favorites - Week of April 18, 2011

This week all my things were packed up to move and I've only been listening to my shuffle which hasn't been updated with my new music.  So these are some old favorites of mine, all of these could be any other song from the band/artist.  They're all dynamite and occupy a large portion of my iPod.

5. "From the Ritz to the Rubble" by Arctic Monkeys
One of my personal favourites off the first Arctic Monkeys album.

4. "Pornostartrek" by Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker
All the songs from the first EP from USS is all onederful.  This song is even better when played live using Human Kebab as a mic stand.

3. "Scar Tissue" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
An excellent song by my favourite line-up of the Chili Peppers.

2. "Change (In The House Of Flies)" by Deftones
Probably the best Deftones' song of all time and just an excellent rock song in general.

1. "I am the Highway" by Audioslave
This is my favourite soft Audioslave song and a contender for my top Audioslave song ever.  The standard Audioslave excellence.

Super Group

This is my lineup for the ultimate rock band.  Trent Reznor on the various instruments he plays, mostly synthesizer and keyboard, and doing some composing.  Jack White on guitar, key board and vocals.  Chris Cornell on vocals and guitar.  Flea on bass and trumpet, and Dave Grohl on drums.  To produce their album, I would have Danger Mouse join the team.  They'd be an amazing band and they could all switch parts around for different songs because most of them can sing and play guitar.

Comeback/Hiatus/Gap Albums

I don't know what you would actually call them, but it seems 2011 is the year for artists who have been off the grid for a while to release an album. The Strokes just released Angles (which I reviewed) after 5 years without a new album and the most recent album I reviewed, Screaming Bloody Murder, comes from Sum 41, whose last album released in 2007. And plenty more albums are expected later in the year from bands that haven't been in the studio for quite some time. The Foo Fighters album should be out in April and their last also came out in 2007, and the same for the Beastie Boys. The Red Hot Chili Pepper's new album, currently titled Dr. Johnny Skinz’s Disproportionately Rambunctious Polar Express Machine-head, is expected this year and Stadium Arcadium released in 2006. Radiohead gapped from 2007 to 2011 for The King of Limbs and Blink 182's album if released this year will gap from 2003 to now. I could go on and on with examples of this. At first, I thought it must have been due to 2009 and 2010 being a big period of reunions and reformations. But so many of these bands and those not listed here, never broke up officially. I can't explain why this is, but based on the records released thus far in 2011, I think I don't mind bands spending the time to create a solid album. So long as bands stagger their release years. That way we don't go years without new music and as an added bonus that makes it easier to win awards with less bands competing simultaneously.