Let's start off with a good one:
Remember Jamie Kennedy, the comedian who ruled in the Scream series and sucked ass in Malibu's Most Wanted and Son of the Mask? Well, he released an awful comedy-rap album titled Blowin' Up this year, and is being called out by another crew — the supposedly gay CBT, or Cock Brothers Team — for the track "Bologna," in which Kennedy portrays the stereotypical lisping caricature of the gay man, and uses the word "faggot." CBT has fired back with its own eight-minute-plus dis track, the appropriately titled "Fuck Jamie Kennedy," posing the usual questions regarding its target's masculinity, creative abilities, etc., and an accompanying national PR campaign calling for a public apology. Listening to CBT, whose music is even worse than Kennedy's, it's easy to get the idea that this is more about publicity than outrage, but whatever. Check out "Fuck Jamie Kennedy" at myspace.com/cockbrothersteam.
Tellingly, "Bologna" isn't posted on Kennedy's MySpace page, but there's plenty of other reprehensible shit up there to inspire your ire …
Unless his psychic says otherwise (or the sound sucks at one of his other shows, or the security guys are dicks, or he gets arrested, or he forgets he's got something to do that night), Axl Rose will be bringing the cavalcade of rock he probably shouldn't be calling Guns N' Roses to the St. Pete Times Forum on Oct. 25. Tickets are already on sale. No Slash? No Izzy? No Duff? No bueno. In other Guns news, everyone involved is saying the 13-years-in-the-making album Chinese Democracy will drop before the end of the year, as hell's frozen butt prepares to release flying monkeys …
Speaking of long-awaited albums no one's really sure they even want to hear anymore, the third installment of portly rock-opera icon Meat Loaf's Bat out of Hell saga is due in stores on Halloween. It's been nearly 15 years since Bat out of Hell II: Back into Hell inspired a generation to wonder why Meat Loaf made a sequel to the first opus. In addition to longtime collaborator Jim Steinman, the latest episode also features songwriting contributions from Motley Crüe's Nikki Sixx, former Marilyn Manson guitarist John 5 and famed hit-spinner Desmond Child …
Listen up, emo kids: One of the bands that influenced some of the bands that influenced all of the bands that seem to know exactly how you feel is reuniting for one show only. Cult-legendary New York City post-hardcore outfit Texas is the Reason, which broke up in '97 while in the midst of negotiations with major labels, will hit the stage of its hometown venue Irving Plaza on Nov. 25. If you're interested in getting a quality history lesson while finding out what's new in girl's pants for guys in the big city, an online ticket pre-sale takes place this weekend, Sept. 22 and 23, at www.itshappeningagain.com and www.texasisthereason.org …
If that show isn't enough to tempt you, but you're still willing to be cajoled into taking a trip to the Big Apple for reasons of hip-music edification, the annual showcase series/industry group-grope known as the CMJ Music Marathon has been set for Oct. 31-Nov. 4. A lengthy partial lineup of performers is posted at www.cmj.com, and includes Steve Earle & Allison Moorer; Medeski, Martin & Wood; Magnolia Electric Co.; The Shins; The Black Keys; Madlib; Cold War Kids; Apples in Stereo; Mary Timony; Mute Math; Suzanne Vega; and Rah Bras, to name but a tiny few. Yeah, you should go …
But if you can't afford that kind of high-falutin' hipster travel, and simply love the sound of loud guitars, gritty, earnest voices and beer sloshing onto a dirty cement floor, then Gainesville's got you covered with The Fest V. Running Oct. 27-29, this punk-heavy festival has scored some more substantial names for its fifth consecutive year: The Lawrence Arms, Planes Mistaken for Stars, The Riverboat Gamblers, Dillinger Four, Thunderbirds Are Now! and Tiltwheel join a host of others, including several from right here in the Bay area …
Do you really like The Pogues, or do you just have that T-shirt because you overheard some dudes talking about them at the Flogging Molly show? That's what we thought. Now's your chance to bone up, because Rhino Records has reissued the seminal Celtic folk-punk band's first five albums, including the landmark '85 masterpiece Rum, Sodomy & the Lash. Each CD features multiple bonus tracks …
KISS has officially run out of even halfway decent crap upon which to slap its various logos and likenesses in the name of keeping America's economy out of the gutter. The group's website recently announced that the band would be releasing a line of fucking fragrances for Gemini Cosmetics; a series of promotional events will take place this fall in the Midwest at retailers such as, God help us, Dillard's …
And now, on to the local stuff … The Bay Area Arts & Music Organization, or BAAMO, is still calling for applications and music from bands wishing to be considered for its party/unofficial showcase at Austin's annual South by Southwest Music Festival. You gotta want it, you gotta be able to get your ass out there when the time comes and you gotta pitch in at local BAAMO fundraising events until then. Download an application at baamo.org … Gainesville's formerly chart-topping Sister Hazel will be playing Jannus Landing again on Oct. 10. So why is this in here? Because the band is touring in promotion of a brand-new EP called Just The Tip, and that shit is just plain funny …
Dave Eichenberger, guitarist for the ambient, real-time improvisational project Hazard Factor, will unveil his ambitious latest project, Collectives, at New Port Richey's Progress Energy Gallery on Nov. 3. Collectives is a series of 50 CDs, each containing one unique, hour-long improvised musical piece; every one will be accompanied by artwork and "an extensive multimedia section documenting the creation process." For more details, visit hazardfactor.com …
In case you haven't been paying attention, Tampa indie new-and-used music store Vinyl Fever is celebrating its 25th anniversary of selling great tunes and supplementing losers' incomes this year. The crew has put on some great in-stores featuring both local and national acts, and the fun isn't over yet. Catch underground alt-country fave Josh Ritter there at around 6 p.m. on Oct. 10 …
In other anniversary news, caustically funny Bay area punk act Pig Pen celebrates 10 years of masks, volume, "Crack Whore Barbie" and pissing off venue staff members next month. How will they do so? With a three-date, Halloween-themed spin around Hillsborough and Pinellas counties that features the return of original vocalist Johnny Dweeb, that's how. Fri., Oct. 27 finds 'em at St. Pete's Uptown Bar; Sat., Oct. 28, they'll be at Tampa's Pegasus Lounge; and it's Hudson's Key Club's turn on Wed., Nov. 1. Go to myspace.com/pigpenband for the full skinny …
We'll close this week with nothing more than blatant but unsolicited pimpage: Go pick up a copy of the self-titled EP by Bradenton outfit Have Gun, Will Travel. It's a side project of Chase Theory singer/guitarist Matt Burke, and it's simply beautiful.
This article appears in Sep 20-26, 2006.