Listen to the exclusive premiere of “Riding High” from the Detroit, Michigan-based punk rock collective Koffin Kats after the jump and look for their sixth studio album “Our Way And The Highway,” slated to drop January 24th via Sailor’s Grave Records.
Though Kanye West’s notorious bum rushing of the VMA stage in 2009 will go down in the pantheon of bizarre award show moments, it still plays second fiddle to the granddaddy of all podium-jackings. Next month marks the 14-year anniversary of O.D.B.’s proclamation to a stunned Shawn Colvin and an international Grammy contingent that, regardless of how you saw it, Wu-Tang was the best. Let me repeat that. Fourteen years ago this happened, and the full-length that lost the Best Rap Album award (to Puffy no less) was Wu-Tang Forever, far from their best work. But who’s laughing now? Who’s managed to singlehandedly keep the spirit of posse cut alive in an era of me-first rappers who myopically extol the virtues of popping bottles and not much else? The Wu. That’s who.
I was not in on the ground floor with Odd Future, just like I was late to Bloc Party (2003), missed The Crying Game (1993), and was the last one in my 2nd grade class to hear about the opening of Disneyland Tokyo (1983). Given my somewhat systematic addiction for being on the bleeding edge of “what’s now,” being put in this position usually emits a reaction I call “passive hateration.” Not to be confused with proper hating—which is an active dismissal of whatever person, place or thing that happen to be on-trend—passive hateration is more of a laissez faire approach. I don’t actively hate. I just revel in the not-knowingness of it all, letting the wave of enthusiasm pass by like a surfer training his watchful eye on the Next Big Thing. I don’t surf, either.
For the past two years, Billy Corgan has been dribbling out songs online—some as individual tracks, some grouped together in small EPs—as part of a massive, 44-song magnum opus called Teargarden By Kaleidyscope. Loosely based around Corgan’s interpretation of The Fool’s Journey in the Tarot, he described the project as a return to the Smashing Pumpkins’ psychedelic roots. If you’ve spent seven minutes rocking out to his epic 2008 jam “Superchrist,” you know that an unfettered and experimental Billy is exactly the kind of Billy you want pumping out records on a regular basis.
Last night, eight freestyle MCs from around Detroit competed in Red Bull EmSee, a freestyle battle of sight and sound that took place at St. Andrews Hall. After a night filled with piercing punch lines and lyrical acrobatics, it was Hostyle who dominated the stage and was crowned the Detroit champion. Later this year, he will advance to the Red Bull EmSee National Championships in Atlanta, GA.
The future of super hero party style.
For fashion designer, wardrobe stylist, Angela McBride, spandex is a way of life. The self-taught seamstress has created countless amounts of stretchy goodness while hustling her way to the top. Working runway shows, styling photo shoots, to dressing the biggest names in entertainment today.
She’s currently taking over the city with Aptemal Clothing on a line of “DETROIT HUSTLES HARDER” spandex and booty shorts. She continues building her brand while promoting her work as a stylist for all types: hip hop, rock stars, whatever, she can do it all. Angela’s latest gig includes making some gear for the ultimate party band –LMFAO- who totally embodies what Peace Love and Spandex is all about: High energy fun, dressing up and getting down!
Eminem was slip-sliding away there for a minute. Self-admittedly his last CD was “eh,” his personal life was a bad soap opera and drugs where his number one activity. When he got sober, he grew up. I’ve heard Dr. Drew, of Celebrity Rehab fame, often say that you are stunted at the age that you start to heavily do drugs and you never really emotionally advance from that place until you are willing to quit. Well Dr. Drew, our little Marshall’s all grows up!
Little Dragon is an electronic music band, based in Gothenburg, Sweden. It consists of Swedish-Japanese singer Yukimi Nagano (vocals, percussion) and her close high-school friends Erik Bodin (drums), Fredrik Källgren Wallin (bass), and Håkan Wirenstrand (keyboards). They are currently touring the world at large but we caught up with them in Detroit at Movement.
I first heard of Sonny Moore (better known as Skrillex) back when he was in a little punk rock band called From First to Last on Epitaph Records. His electro house/ dubstep inspired sound doesn’t feel very rock n roll at first blush, however his ability to mix sounds, create moods, and subvert the expected is very punk rock, even in the electro community.
S.O.S. we need help….
“Now this is what Detroit’s all about! People coming together to help each other, not luxury cars and Eminem,” shouted Jason Navarro, as The Suicide Machines took the stage.
Saturday night resurrected the ska-core legends as they headlined a sold out benefit show for 29 year old Drew Podgorski. Everyone knows Drew as a staple of the Detroit punk community and an all around solid dude. Last December, a rare stroke left him partially paralyzed and buried beneath medical bills.