By Hans Fink
In the wake of any given disaster, nobody is affected more by it than celebrities and their giant, public bleeding hearts. In spite of the thick film of sarcasm that layers any and every word I happen to write or speak, this is actually a positive thing in that many great musical talents are lending aid to those devastated by the Japanese tsunami. Whether it’s a publicity ploy to capitalize off of a national disaster or genuine, heart-felt goodness or even both, the results and sentiment are the same. I’m going to set aside my skepticism of human nature and assume it’s the latter. Here is a brief round up of some of the efforts in question:
Of course, at the top of the list is U2, the band with the biggest collective moral conscience and bleeding heart of them all. The band is involved in a digital-only album that will be released by Universal Music, which will feature RIHANNA, JUSTIN BIEBER and several as-of-yet-to-be-announced musicians. All proceeds will go to the Japanese Red Cross. KEITH RICHARDS is selling limited edition T-shirts on his website, which in theory will also help fund victims of this disaster, as opposed to funding preservatives for his frail rocker body which began aging in dog years a few decades back. Members of BLINK-182 are auctioning off some rare items on eBay, including the orange sweater Mark Hoppus wore in the band’s video for “Dammit,” tour memorabilia and the original, handwritten lyrics to “Rock Show” (said piece of paper was going for in excess of $21,000 last we looked). All proceeds are going to the American Red Cross’ Japan relief efforts. Mike Shinoda of LINKIN PARK has designed two T-shirts that can be purchased for $25 on the band’s website. One-hundred percent of sales will be donated to Music for Relief, a group of artists, music industry professionals and enthusiasts who work to assist with rescue efforts. And in a surprising turn of events, it turns out CYNDI LAUPER still exists and performs, and in fact, has stayed in Japan through this horrible disaster and is constantly engaged in charity events to help out. Additionally, royalties earned in Japan from her latest offering Memphis Blues, as well as a ringtone available through Kyodo all go towards helping out victims of disaster. It pays to be big in Japan. And rounding out this list, of course Japan’s own super-band, JAPAN X, is taking effort to help their home country. Local super celebrity and Japan X’s frontman Yoshiki will be auctioning off one of his legendary custom Kawai “crystal” pianos and donating the proceeds to help his countrymen. Japan X had relocated to Los Angeles where they were working on their first North American release. However, this has been put on hold so the band may focus its energies in helping with the recovery.
In less topical news, there are some interesting tours and album releases looming menacingly on the horizon, threatening to entertain our senses and empty the pockets of musicophiliacs nationwide.
Working in collaboration with the versatile production talents of DAN THE AUTOMATOR, the band DREDG is releasing its fifth full-length studio album entitled Chuckles and Mr. Squeezy early next month. They will also be launching a supporting tour with details you can read about online since I feel it would be boring to write about tour dates. They will be supported on tour by THE DEAR HUNTER, which is releasing the 9-song EP The Color Spectrum in June, to tide fans over until Act IV finds a release date.
Because the BEASTIE BOYS can’t, won’t and don’t stop, they will be releasing Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2 on May 3. “But wait, Hans Fink, venerable and good looking author of this fine music column, what of Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1?” you ask. Well, as you may or may not remember, that was placed on hiatus back in 2009 when Adam “MCA” Yauch was diagnosed with cancer. The interesting thing about Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2 is that it is pretty much material from the originally intended Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1 except with a slightly different track listing that will feature a new version of their hit single “Too Many Rappers,” which features NAS. Interestingly, there are plans to release a follow up disc called Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1 with an as-of-yet-unannounced release date, that may theoretically contain material originally intended for Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2. Confused yet? Good. Will they make a Pt. 3? Probably, if they can go back in time to release it.
Swiss dance group TEDDYBEARS, famous for wearing giant teddy bear heads with flashing red eyes, are slated for a June release tentatively called Devil’s Music. According to threats on the Web, this album will boast an unreasonable amount of guest appearances, which include CEE-LO GREEN, B.O.B., THE FLAMING LIPS, the B-52S, EVE and ROBYN. Originally slated for release in March 2010, the album will be released June 21 on Big Beat/Atlantic.
Additionally, expect DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE to release their newest album Codes and Keys due in May. A limited tour begins in this merry month of April, show dates in California are scheduled for June. Additionally, GORILLAZ will release The Fall on vinyl April 16. Previously released via download to members of the Gorillaz fan club, this limited release was recorded on tour by Damon Albarn using an iPad. It is, of course, written from the personality and perspective of the group’s fictional lead vocalist and Damon Albarn’s alter ego, 2-D.
That concludes this month’s Liner Notes. Be sure to by some memorabilia to help Japan through these devastating times, and send me any hate mail or love letters if I have offended or amused you. Peace.
