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Nov
23rdGet ‘Close’ With Butch Walker and Do “Cocaine” With DAMNDOGS

Does anyone remember that old skit on In Living Color about the Jamaican family whose members continually try to one-up each other by namedropping how many jobs they have? Of course you do. Well, Butch Walker would fit in that fictional family quite well dreads or no dreads. Walker is a sought-after music producer, whose worked with Avril Lavigne, Pete Yorn, and Weezer to name a few. On top of that, he’s a respected musician in his own right who is currently touring in support of his new album The Spade, which he released with his band of “Black Widows.” If that weren’t enough, the singer/songwriter also released his debut memoir Drinking with Strangers: Music Lessons From a Teenage Bullet Belt. “Hey mon… how many jobs you have?” OK, I’m done with that analogy. Moments before taking the stage at the Gramercy Theatre in New York City, Walker performed a tune off his new record and chatted briefly about it in typical “A-sides” and “asides” fashion. “Closest Thing to You I’m Gonna Find” [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf35CwYnMHs&w=460&h=315] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-UJX7LZuCE&w=460&h=315] …and now for something completely different. DAMNDOGS hail from Australia and have much more of a rock and even dance work ethic than Walker. The band, who recently released their debut EP Strange Behaviour, consists of Mitch McIvor, Louis Macklin, and JET bandmates Chris Cester and Mark Wilson. As Cester told me in New York City — just days after their CMJ show at Bowery Electric, DOGS aren’t merely a side project – [...]
Oct
13thDiamond Rings Gives It Up

Diamonds are forever, and Canadian musician Diamond Rings is hoping his career lasts, well, for a very long time. Apologies for the crappy introductory sentence, but it makes sense when you chat with the artist who could be pegged as a cross between David Bowie and Lady Gaga. A few hours before his final tour date (a sold-out show Oct. 7 at Webster Hall in New York City), the man born John O’Regan discussed his career game plan and performed an intimate piano-acoustic version of “Give It Up” off his debut album “Special Affections” within a practice studio in the Music Conservatory of Westchester in White Plains, NY. Diamond Rings’ plan is essentially to keep making music and to not stop doing so until he’s — at the very least — in his 40s. In other words, to rest is to die in this industry so don’t expect the lipstick-wearing Canuck to take a long break between his well-received debut and its follow-up. Watch and listen below… preferably in that order. “Give It Up” Live and Not Giving Up [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNcQMnRW1w8&w=460&h=315] About “A-Sides with Jon Chattman” Jon Chattman’s music series features artists (established or not) from all genres performing a track, and discussing what it means to them. This informal series focuses on the artist making art in a low-threatening, extremely informal (sometime humorous) way. No bells, no whistles — just the music performed in a random, low-key setting followed by an unrehearsed chat. In an industry where everything often [...]