Thursday morning music news: Brian Eno explains the 20th century, Ed Helms goes bluegrass and we say goodbye to Adam Yauch and Michael Burks

Adam Yauch. Courtesy of Fabio Venni and commons.wikimedia.org

Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys succumbed to cancer this week. Read Sasha Frere-Jones’ excellent tribute to the late MCA.

Stream two new songs by Animal Collective.

Pop Matters ranks 15 overlooked albums of the ’90s.

Tom Gabel, lead singer of Against Me!, goes public about his experience with gender dysphoria and will begin living openly as a transgender woman.

J. Tillman, aka Father John Misty, aka former Fleet Foxes drummer, loves mushrooms, and we’re not talking Morchella ascocarps here.

Mushrooms are recommended while watching John Hamm and Reggie Watts pay tribute to “Taxi.”

Matthew Weiner spent $250K to get a Beatles song on “Mad Men.” Was it worth it?

According to the Seattle Weekly, some greatest hits albums really are great.

The week in St. Louis concert announcements features new dates from Norah Jones, Merle Haggard and Marty Stuart, Josh Ritter and Old Crow Medicine Show.

RIP bluesman Michael Burks.

In the following video, cat barfing is mashed up with Deadmau5. You’ve been warned.

No Doubt is set to release its first album in over a decade.

First grader quotes LMFAO, gets suspended, comes back.

Watch Brian Eno dish on the evolution of visual and musical arts in the 20th century.

NPR is streaming new albums by Best Coast, Beach House and Sara Watkins.

Musicians make music. Boxers punch. And nary the twain should meet.

Back in the day, Axl Rose penned a mean letter to the editor.

The latest Live at KDHX sessions feature Reckless Kelly, Emily Wells, the Right Now and JD McPherson.

Rock Book Show, a one-stop website for the latest on music book news, features interviews with Mac Randall about “Exit Music: The Story Of Radiohead” and RJ Smith on “The One: The Life and Music of James Brown.”

Jason Pierce of Spiritualized chats with the A.V. Club about the band’s new album, “Sweet Heart Sweet Light.”

The Chicago Reader looks at the rise and fall and rise of Chicago house music.

NPR talks to Santigold about pop music and songwriting.

Surrender to the dark side of electronica with this list at Flavorwire.

You like music, so it’s not too late to take part in #musicdiary2012.

Ed Helms of “The Office” is making a bluegrass album.

For some bands, Instagram is a way of life.

Posted by | May 10, 2012 | Music, News | Comment 

Thursday morning music news: Leonard Cohen launches North American tour, John Peel’s records find a virtual home and Skip Pitts, Bert Weedon and Pete Fornatale pass on

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Master of the soulful wah-wah guitar, Skip Pitts, has passed away.

Licensing fees are holding up what should be an excellent documentary on the Wrecking Crew.

Jimmy Williams talks to the New York Times about the fine art of photographing blues musicians.

Henry Rollins turns over his KCRW radio show to Ian MacKaye for a pretty cool punk DJ spin. Listen.

Countdown to layoffs as Roadrunner merges with Warner Bros.

“Stolen” is a strong word but that won’t stop this list of “white music stolen by black people.”

Listen to Lucinda Williams cover a new song by Cornish folk musician Michael Chapman.

Leonard Cohen announces North American tour dates.

The Internet is good for a lot of stuff, including John Peel’s record collection.

Dig, or not, the soundtrack to Wes Anderson’s new movie.

Rolling Stone looks at the making of “In Rainbows.”

NPR remembers the life and legacy of guitar teacher Bert Weedon, who passed away at the age of 91 last week.

This must be a hoax, right? Right?

Thumb through the high school yearbook photos of a bunch of rock stars and be amazed.

Will there really be an “Exile on Main St.” movie?

The week in St. Louis concert announcements includes dates from Beach House, Dr. John, Dale Watson, Joseph Arthur, Nicki Minaj, Carrie Underwood, My Morning Jacket and War.

Aficionados of mastering and/or My Bloody Valentine will appreciate this compare and contrast stream of “Loveless.”

Remember last week when I said you could buy J Dilla’s record collection at a vinyl shop in Detroit? Turns out you can’t, but for a very good reason.

Influential New York DJ (as in radio DJ) Pete Fornatale has passed away.

Spotify comes to the iPad.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse tackle “Oh Susannah” and she barely survives.

The New Yorker shares a list of 10 “perfect” orchestral performances.

What was your first concert t-shirt? Compare with Jason Isbell, Steve Aoki, Simone Felice and 13 other musicians.

There still is no Jenny at 867-5309.

Posted by | May 3, 2012 | Music, News | Comment 

Thursday morning music news: Tricky talks up ‘Maxinquaye,’ the Beach Boys spin off new single and Chris Ethridge and Levon Helm pass on

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Musicians remember the late, great Levon Helm. Memorial services will be held today in Woodstock, N.Y.

Enough with the rumors and innuendo already: The Avalanches really do have a new mixtape.

RIP Chris Ethridge, founding member of the Flying Burrito Brothers.

Together again: Conor Oberst’s punk band Desaparecidos.

Brendan Benson chats with Paste about his new album and record label.

KDHX DJ Michael Kuelker talks to Cedella Marley about “Marley,” the movie, and more.

Tricky talks to the Guardian about “Maxinquaye.”

Listen to the new single by the Beach Boys.

Grooveshark is taking it from all sides. CEO Sam Tarantino fires back.

Flavorwire puts together a list of 10 essential bluegrass artists.

Whatever energy supplements Jack White is on, I’ll take a case. The new “Lone Ranger” film, featuring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer, will be scored by Mr. White himself.

Amy Carter once wrote a letter to the Ramones. Really.

Take some drugs and watch the new Cornershop video featuring Izzy Lindqwister.

The Beatles first show in the U.S. was thought to be lost. It’s not, and it’s getting the big screen treatment.

This week in WTF features Santigold covering “Proud Mary.”

Want J Dilla’s record collection? All 7K discs can be yours, but you’ll have to make the trip to Detroit.

Animal Collective, Deerhunter and Lightning Bolt lend their video support to French DIY joint Grrrnd Zero.

The strange, sad death of Men at Work’s Greg Ham.

What would Hieronymous Bosch say upon hearing Slayer’s “Reign of Blood”? Probably nothing like this.

Watch Beirut perform “Santa Fe” on the Tonight Show.

Cher wants you to buy her key to the city of Adelaide. The city of Adelaide wants Cher to GTFO.

Posted by | April 26, 2012 | Music, News | Comment 

Thursday morning music news: Occupy Wall Streets gets an album, St. Vincent and David Byrne get together and Dick Clark gets a fond farewell

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The world’s oldest teenager has died. RIP Dick Clark.

Tupacogram may be coming to a venue near you soon.

And just how did they make that thing after all?

Maybe the Olympics should get a hologram Keith Moon.

The world’s biggest mouth is getting a visit from the Secret Service.

Tom Petty gets his guitars back.

You know that story that you read on Facebook, the one about the woman who got knocked up at a Motorhead concert and is looking for the father of her child on Craigslist? Too metal to be true.

KDHX’s Hear and Now is streaming the forthcoming album by the Waco Brothers and Paul Burch.

St. Vincent and David Byrne hook up.

Occupy Wall Street will have a benefit album, featuring Yo La Tengo, Mogwai and Willie Nelson.

You probably have an old iPod around somewhere. Find it and donate it to Music and Memory.

There would be no Stax soul without the horn section; there would have been no section without saxophonist Andrew Love, who has died at the age of 70.

The new Metric album, “Synthetica,” will feature a cameo from Lou Reed.

Rush shares a track from its forthcoming album.

Paste picks its top 25 songs of the year thus far.

Sadly, Robin Gibb’s health continues to decline.

Amazon wants your old CD collection but won’t give you much for it.

M.I.A. + Wikileaks = mixtape love.

In honor of Record Store Day this weekend, PopMatters talks to some musicians about their favorite shops.

If you go to a show and spend it looking at your phone, the Voice would like a word with you.

Viewer discretion advised, as once seen it cannot be unseen: Coachella fashion.

Paul Banks of Interpol goes solo on new EP.

The family of Levon Helm announces that he is in the final stages of cancer.

The Alan Lomax Global Jukebox is a major label, in the best of ways.

The Ramones first one-sheet is one of the greatest things ever.

Kraftwerk hasn’t released a new album in nine years but Ralf Hütter says that’s about to change.

Flavorwire ranks its top 30 it’s-really-really-really-over songs.

Posted by | April 19, 2012 | Music, News | Comment 

Thursday morning music news: Scarlett Johansson meets Massive Attack, Sony downsizes and Jim Marshall passes on

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Rock music just got a whole lot less loud. RIP Jim Marshall of Marshall amps.

Johnny Marr talks to Rolling Stone about the Smiths breakup.

Drowned in Sound picks the best music videos of the year, so far.

Axl Rose isn’t exactly psyched about the whole Rock and Roll Hall of Fame thing.

Listen to First Aid Kit’s session on the Current.

Your Passover seder conflicts with a Springsteen show, but you have a plan.

Of course you don’t have to be a musician to write about music. But sometimes it helps.

Maybe women really are making the best punk rock.

GQ scores a sit-down with James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem.

How Skrillex took over the world.

Gulp. Sony cuts 10,000 jobs.

Amazing theremin player and composer, Barbara Buchholz, has passed away.

The DBTs are in “a little bit of a hiatus period.” Patterson Hood explains.

Lollapalooza lineup is out. Team VVM disagrees.

Todd Rundgren talks songwriting and “studio trickery” with the A.V. Club.

It’s about time Atticus Finch had a mixtape.

Is ambient electro Scarlett Johansson’s destiny? You decide.

The audience for online radio is way up.

Fender 1959 vs. 2012.

Producer Butch Vig chats about Garbage and Nirvana.

NPR is streaming forthcoming albums by Horse Feathers, Spiritualized and Sidi Touré.

Read some excerpts from “Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album”

Once upon a time, Keith met Mick and wrote a letter to his Aunt.

There really will be a new My Bloody Valentine album. Kevin Shields says so.

McSweeney’s helps you write a death metal song.

Posted by | April 12, 2012 | Music, News | Comment 

Thursday morning music news: Patti Smith preps new album, Diplo takes to the air and Jack White gets creepy

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Follow the Trayvon Martin case as seen through the eyes of Brother Ali.

OK, things really have changed: In 2011 over half of all music purchased was digital.

Watch the trailer for “Sparkle,” Whitney Houston’s posthumous comeback.

Whatever you think of “Grand Theft Auto,” the soundtrack was pretty cool.

Wayne Coyne talks about collaboration, Yoko Ono, Ke$ha and more.

Diplo and Co. have a new radio show.

Watch the trailer for “Rock of Ages.”

NPR is streaming new albums by Alabama Shakes, Bonnie Raitt, M. Ward and Amadou and Mariam.

PopMatters chats with Gareth Campesinos!

Bon Iver will be on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” on April 19.

Q1 is in the books and Downed in Sound shares a playlist of its favorite tracks.

The video for Jack White’s “Sixteen Saltines” is … words fail.

Read the story of one of Nirvana’s final and coolest photo shoots.

Sir Peter Blake updates the album art for “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”

Can fans rejoice: “The Lost Tapes” are on their way.

Nerve counts down the 25 greatest breakup songs of the ’70s.

Legendary Slayer guitar tech, Armand Crump, has passed away.

Jarvis Cocker says he has ideas for some new Pulp songs.

Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards shares some of her favorite tunes.

Patti Smith talks about “Banga,” her first record in eight years.

Kiss your morning goodbye with a bunch of Synapse magazines from the ’70s.

Slate looks at the history of swag.

Facebook’s timeline still sucks, a history of music from 1099 to the present notwithstanding.

Gizmodo talks to Sean Adams about the death of MP3 blogging.

Thinking about painting your house? Don’t hire these guys.

Posted by | April 5, 2012 | Music, News | Comment 

Thursday morning music news: Bon Iver and the Flaming Lips get fuzzy, De La Soul gets back and Earl Scruggs passes on

flickr.com/photos/prawnpie/49255406 / Volker Neumann

RIP to one of the greatest musicians ever to draw a breath: Earl Scruggs has died at the age of 88.

Behold: The complete list of Record Store Day releases.

Because of apparent bandwidth issues, Paste names only 10 Missouri bands “you should listen to now.”

Mike Skinner of the Streets talks about his new memoir.

Fact Magazine lists the 10 best and worst posthumous albums of all time.

Aussie band Jet is no more. City Pages tries to persuade you to mourn.

Download some beyond-classic ’80s-era mixes by DJ Jeff Mills.

The Quietus takes you deep inside Abbey Road Studios.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse dive into the American folk songbook.

Bobby Womack has stage one colon cancer.

De La Soul is back (sort of) as First Serve.

Flaming Lips + Bon Iver = Fuzz not for the faint of heart.

Sonic Youth’s Lee Renaldo has a sit down with PopMatters.

Together again: Snoop Dogg and Willie.

The AV Club tries to guess headliners for Lollapalooza 2012.

No guessing required: The Twangfest 16 lineup is out.

Watch a new video for a new Sigur Rós song.

Found: The lost guitar solo from George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun.”

“Least negative” is not exactly “most awesome,” but the music industry will take it.

There are root canals, and then there is the American Hipster YouTube Channel.

Posted by | March 29, 2012 | Music, News | Comment 

Thursday morning music news: SXSW 2012 wraps us, fake Bono pwns blogger and Cyndi Lauper gets real

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The Rolling Stones aren’t going to make that 50th anniversary tour after all.

Wired gives a sneak peek at an animated documentary on Bad Brains.

Let’s say you were a bean counter at Universal Music Group and someone told you to put the squeeze on the Temptations. Would you do it?

Watch the Shins hour-long performance on Letterman.

Flavorwire shares some excellent illustrations of 21st century musical tribes.

Here’s some good news from some unlikely sources: The FCC green-lights low-power radio and the Independent gives hope to tinnitus sufferers.

Bono impersonator 1. Right-wing blogger 0.

Paste shares a new track from S. Carey of Bon Iver.

Read an excerpt from the forthcoming Carole King memoir.

There’s no violin small enough to play this tune, but Stevie Nicks is costing the rest of Fleetwood Mac a lot of money.

Liquidation looms for a major music library.

Chuck Prophet gives great email.

Record Store Day is just around the corner. Queue forms to the far, far out for the Flaming Lips goodies.

I only made it through about 2 1/2 episodes of “Jersey Shore”; a Cyndi Lauper reality show is more promising.

SXSW 2012 is over. Don’t miss KDHX DJ Chris Bay’s diaries from Wednesday-Saturday or the excellent photos and videos from the 88.1 KDHX and Twangfest Day Parties. Also, dude from Fucked Up opines.

Watch the Bruce Springsteen keynote address at SXSW 2012.

NPR rewinds the first mixtape: Marshall McLuhan’s “The Medium Is the Massage.”

For the low, low price of $4K you can become the ultimate vinyl-cutting hipster on the block.

Todd Rundgren chats with Dangerous Minds about his first remix.

The 88.1 KDHX studios have been hopping. Hear exclusive live sessions with Matt Vasquez (of Delta Spirit), WATERS, Hayes Carll and Doomtree.

Batman, the musical, is coming to a cave near you soon.

Who wouldn’t want their own Folk In a Box?

Leonard Bernstein at Harvard circa 1973 is pretty great.

Get ready to cringe at what’s on Bashar al-Assad’s iPod.

Posted by | March 22, 2012 | Music, News | Comment 

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