Pitchfork Media has already gotten around to compiling a 2008 list and its only July! Anyway, the list is for “Overlooked Records” and includes a personal favorite of mine…Earth’s “The Bees Made Honey In The Lions Skull” and others such as “Rook” by Shearwater.

They also included the newest release by The Mae Shi, who I think are terrible hipster crap, I think the record is meant to be overlooked. Different strokes for different folks I guess, check out it out for yourself..

Overlooked Records 2008.

As I reported last week, Weezer came up with some different ideas regarding live shows. The band set out on a handful of dates promoted by radio stations in select cities.

The idea was to have all sorts of different people come out and join the band in choosing and playing songs. Particpants could bring their electric guitars, acoustics, or whatever other instruments they wanted.

The results of the Portland, OR Hootenany stop were documented by radio station 94.7. Check out some video here…

Weezer: Hootenany Portland, OR

So its pretty much been decided by critics and fans alike, the new Weezer album will suck. Well, at least the 1/3 of it that has been released via iTunes and leaked so far. Lead singer Rivers Cuomo has another trick up his sleeve. He’s writing a new song, only he’s not just writing it, he is asking you to write it with him.

The Weezer singer has taken to YouTube where he has asked people to help participate in contributing riffs, lyrics and structure to a song. This has been going for quite a while now, but he is still writing/working on it. The title has also been selected for the song, it is “80’s Radio,” not really surprising that Rivers went with that title, is it?

He is currently on “Step #10″ writing lyrics to the bridge of the song. Rivers says “Don’t try to be a William Shakespeare,” this is funny. Maybe people shouldn’t try to be a William Shakespeare…It would be nice however, if a recent Weezer song would come out containing at least some decent lyrics, besides random crap about being a rock star and/or famous person. This song actually sounds better than anything that I’ve heard from the forthcoming “Red Album” but it still sucks.

Open Letter/Note to Weezer:

Bury the hatchet and get Matt Sharp back in the band, start playing cool Fender Jaguars again and rehearsing in a house, (like in the “Say It Ain’t So” music video) and get Ric Ocasek of The Cars as a producer again and THEN record a new album and tour. Otherwise, just break up already! Jeez…

Help Rivers Write a Song @ YouTube.com

Source.

I’m debating spending money on one of two things right now, Boss pedals for guitar or a double bass pedal for my drum kit. I am mainly a guitarist/songwriter and the GNX3 multi-effects unit I had been using is sort of broken. So I’d need a delay, tremolo, chorus and distortion pedal, which could cost me around $400. I am also playing drums right now with a band and I kind of want to get better with double bass, and my drumming in general. Stay tuned to find out which one I get….exciting right?

OM is a band I’ve been listening to for a while who is really amazing and yet may or may not be together at the moment and is also pretty much unheard of outside of certain circles. OM, (pronounced like the chant), is a 2 member band founded from the remnants of San Francisco stoner rock band Sleep. More specifically OM was Sleep’s rhythm section, the band is comprised of only a singer/bassist and drummer, there are no guitars.

The band’s sound could also be described as stoner rock, (slow, heavy songs in 4/4 time that make you nod your head and pay homage to black sabbath), but by listening closely to them a lot more is revealed. Their songs feature not only heavy abrasive moments, but quiet meditative passages that give-way to chant like vocal melodies. OM songs usually feature only a few riffs per song, yet most of their songs clock in over the 10 minute mark. On the surface this seems repetitive, but these few riffs evolve within the song, changing and mutating as the song progresses.

I saw them at the Echoplex here in LA about 2 months ago and they were great, ridiculously loud and hypnotic. Recently though, it has been reported that after 3 albums, the drummer Chris Haikus is leaving the band. Supposedly the bassist/singer Al Cisneros will continue on. Definitely a band worth checking out if you’ve never heard of them before. Below are the titles to their albums and links to their website and myspace page, where you can hear a few tracks.

- (2005) Variations on a Theme

- (2006) Conference of the Birds

- (2007) Pilgrimage

Omvibratory.com

http://www.myspace.com/variationsontheme

Video of OM performing live at Amoeba Records - San Francisco

Today would’ve been Kurt Cobain’s 41st birthday…hard to believe. I remember being in 5th grade, in 1992 and hearing/seeing Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video on MTV and being totally effected by it. I got the Nevermind album shortly thereafter, and still love it to this day. I think a lot of people remember when they first heard that song, as well as when they heard about his death as well. Kurt Cobain and Nirvana was what basically got me wanting to play guitar in general so I wanted to post here about it.

Also, I haven’t had a chance yet to go back and play that 70’s Stratocaster at Guitar Centers Vintage room, but I will definitely get around to it sometime this week. I also want to play some vintage Jaguars and Les Pauls just for fun. I can’t afford all of them so I might as well…

Article

Ok, so I forgot to take pictures of the guitar this weekend, but I got it back and it sounds and plays amazing. I will try to get pics up this week! The DiMarzio’s sound great, the neck and action feels great and my girlfriend was really happy with it. The tech at Guitar Center, John did a great job working out all the issues, and did a great job with the intonation. When I went to pick it up, I stopped in their Vintage room and played a 70’s Stratocaster, and now I’m thinking about buying it…I really should stay away from nice gear…

If you don’t know what the Vintage room is at Guitar Center - Hollywood, it’s basically a huge room filled with only sought-after vintage guitars. A lot of famous players, like John Frusciante, come in and buy guitars there. Somebody posted a clip on youtube, if you want to see what I’m talking about. Basically any guitarist’s dream come true, (not your wallet’s dream come true though)…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-1rFgrowH0

So, I finally heard back from the Guitar Center tech regarding the status of my Fender Mustang. He said the guitar will be ready at the end of today and that everything should be worked out with it. I’m going to pick it up after work and check everything out. I’ll try to post some pics of the guitar up here on Monday.

Also, just wanted to mention that I was browsing the internet looking at different guitar prices this morning. I knew vintage Fender Strats and Les Paul’s to be pretty up there, money-wise. It’s crazy though what prices some of the original Fender Mustangs are selling for. I’ve seen some decently beat up ones going for $2500 - $3500 at times.