L7
L7 Announce Bricks Are Heavy 30th Anniversary Tour
L7 are celebrating big for the 30th anniversary of Bricks Are Heavy. The band announced a reissue of their third record and a tour of the U.S. throughout October. On April 14, 1992, Bricks Are Heavy released via Slash Records. The 30th anniversary reissue is slated for release on September 30, which will include all 11 tracks remastered by Howie Weinberg (Ramones, Pixies, Metallica). “After all these years,” L7’s vocalist and guitarist Donita Sparks says, “we began thinking it is strange that we have never received a proper accounting of actual sales to date for this record. We were so close to Certified Gold 30 years ago, surely we have crossed the line by now.” Produced by Butch Vig (Nirvana, Garbage, Smashing Pumpkins), the reissue will release via Licorice Pizza Records....
The Reissue Section: Spring 2021
A pair of classic comedy albums from a revolutionary standup, a previously unreleased live recording from one of Germany’s most influential bands, a new collection honoring a post-disco R&B queen and the “Ultimate” edition of a John Lennon masterpiece are just a few of the archival gold hitting retail this Spring. But first, we dive headlong into a box set that classic rock fans have been anticipating since the news broke of its existence. The Who, The Who Sell Out: Super Deluxe Edition (UMe) When you listen to The Who with a 21st-century mind, especially the 1967 concept album The Who Sell Out, it’s easiest to think of them in the context of a group like Van Halen or Aerosmith when it comes to their lusty feelings about young women. By the mid-60s, teenage girls across Ameri...
L7, Courtney Barnett and More Join Hands Off! to Empower Young Womxn
L7, Courtney Barnett, Palehound, X’s Exene Cervenka and more are part of a new cassette compilation called Hands Off! It is a response to the shutdown of Burger Records in July, following sexual misconduct allegations. “This is a statement about there being no tolerance for predatory behavior in the rock scene. The buck stops here. We wanted to put together something special by womxn to empower womxn, as a collective force for change. Cassette culture and DIY culture must progress and maintain its importance moving forward for a better tomorrow inclusion accessibility for all artists. fuck boys clubs,” LG of Thelma and the Sleaze, who co-produced the project, said in a statement. LG teamed up with Miss Alex White of White Mystery, May McDonough of Psychedelic Cherry and Charlie Kaplan of T...
L7’s Donita Sparks Rocks ‘Fast and Frightening’ With Lucha VaVOOM Dancers
L7’s 30th-anniversary reissue of Smell the Magic is out tomorrow on Sub Pop. Singer/guitarist Donita Sparks performed new live vocals on her group’s 1990 song “Fast and Frightening,” and there’s a new video for the song where Sparks appears “alongside” Los Angeles’ Lucha VaVOOM dancers. As Sparks rocks guitar and vocals, the mask-clad dancers shimmy to the rollicking tune in front of legendary L.A. locations including the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood sign. Sparks recorded the new vocals during a feisty performance of “Fast and Frightening” as part of radio station KCRW’s Summer Series, 2020. Check out the raucous mayhem below. [embedded content] The anniversary edition of the landmark feminist album includes all nine songs from the seminal record, remastered and togethe...
The 25 Best Soundtrack Albums of the 1990s
In the 1980s, music and film collided for cross-promotional blockbusters both transcendent (Purple Rain) and transcendently cheesy (Footloose). In the ‘90s, soundtracks continued to sell in the millions, capturing cultural moments like the Seattle grunge of Singles or the Britpop and electronica of Trainspotting. Auteurs like Quentin Tarantino and Wes Anderson reached deep into their record collections to set the mood while movies like Above the Rim and Menace II Society pioneered the concept of soundtracks as hip-hop mixtapes. A great soundtrack can propel an unsuccessful single, like Seal’s “Kiss From A Rose,” to the top of the charts, or revive a decades-old hit, like Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It can also push a cult singer-songwriter like Elliott Smith or Aimee Mann to an Oscar perf...
L7’s Smell the Magic to Be Issued on Vinyl for the First Time
L7 broke through with their power-packed sophomore album, Smell the Magic, 30 years ago. Now, the record that melded elements of is getting a proper reissue. Out on Sept. 18 via Sub Pop, this is the first time that the album is coming to vinyl. You can listen to a remastered version of “Shove” below. The reissue comes in a special Loser edition — which in this case is — a clear with orange, blue, and gray vinyl. If you’re a collector, and into that, there enjoy. Prior to this release, the L7 covered Joan Jett’s 1983 track, “Fake Friends,” which also brought Jett on for vocals and guitar. Check out the tracklisting below and preorder the album here. 1. “Shove” 2. “Fast and Frightening” 3. “(Right On) Thru” 4...
My Chemical Romance, Smashing Pumpkins, Run the Jewels, Pixies Highlight Riot Fest 2021 Lineup
My Chemical Romance, Smashing Pumpkins, Run the Jewels and Pixies are among the highlights of the first wave lineup for Riot Fest 2021. Yes, you read correctly. In addition to announcing the first part of its lineup for 2021, Riot Fest shared the sad news that the 2020 edition has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Also appearing are Lupe Fiasco (who is performing The Cool in full for the first time), Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday, New Found Glory and the Circle Jerks, back for the first time at the fest since 2010. Vic Mensa, Living Colour, Big Freedia, Toots and the Maytals, Best Coast, L7, Meg Myers, Beach Bunny also are part of the first wave announcement. The actual festival will take place on Sept. 17-19, 2021. Weekend passes are on sale now, starting ...
