April 10, 2009 – Few options exist when it comes to free and legal one-stop shops for MP3 downloads. But thanks to the newly launched Free Music Archive -- bankrolled by the New York State Music Fund -- that void is being filled. Curated by renowned independent radio powerhouses WFMU (Jersey City), KEXP (Seattle), and KBOO (Portland, OR), the FMA provides public access to a treasure trove of rare, live, and new material by bands in a way that's "designed for the age of the internet." Think of the FMA as the blog version of each station's record library, but you get to play DJ! While you won't find that new 311 MP3, you can download Daniel Johnston's Phoning It In, a live set that was recorded over the phone in 2005.

February 2, 2009 – "How old are you?" Metallica leader James Hetfield quizzed a boy in the front row during a break in the chaos of Saturday night's show at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. "10? And this is your first Metallica show?" The boy nodded, and an amused Hetfield said: "Well, hopefully you'll take your kids to their first Metallica concert. We'll still be here. Still doing our thing." As the capacity crowd roared, drummer Lars Ulrich pulled the boy on-stage, took a photo and handed him a pair of drumsticks.

January 23, 2009 – We were a bit confused to learn that the riotous King Khan & BBQ Show were playing a gig at posh Princeton University, and even more surprised to discover they'd be performing at the Terrace F. Club, an on-campus eating club (think a fraternity house with women, minus the Greek affiliation). Turns out the kids who live in the co-ed mansion aren't the squares they're cracked up to be and can really boogie. Also, apparently they have no problems staying up really, really late on a school night: The show didn't start until 2 A.M.! Well spent tuition money, Mom & Dad!Check out two videos below from the band's Princeton show, and read more about about them in SPIN's Big in '09 package!.Watch: King Khan & BBQ Show, "Pig Pig"King Khan & BBQ Show, "Zombies"

December 2, 2008 – Tom Gabel's no stranger to video performances, what with his new series in support of his recently released solo album Heart Burns. But when SPIN.com caught up with the punk rock troubadour in Brooklyn to film a live acoustic performance recently, Gabel was treated to, well, a lesson in multiplicity.Below, watch Gabel perform a duet with himself -- admittedly a first for the rocker -- on new tracks "Harsh Realms" and "Anna Is a Stool Pigeon" just hours before he lit up New York's Knitting Factory with old Against Me! obscurities.Watch: Tom Gabel, "Harsh Realms"Tom Gabel, "Anna Is a Stool Pigeon"

November 17, 2008 – What? For 30 years legendary Canadian hardcore outfit D.O.A. has released a steady stream of records that marry Black Flag's raw power, Bad Brains' knee-buckling speed, and Minor Threat's lyrical intelligence with the angst of the Sex Pistols and political messages of early Clash singles. The result is simple, forceful, and anthemic songs that rarely break the 90-second mark -- but always break barriers in the punk scene. Tomorrow the band release their 12th studio album, Northern Avenger (Sudden Death), and, for the first time, they receive proper production oversight courtesy of legendary producer and fellow Canadian Bob Rock (Metallica, Motely Crue, Bon Jovi).

September 22, 2008 – Who knew Kurt Cobain was a Metallica fan? Kirk Hammett spills the beans in this exclusive clip, not available on the DVD, from the documentary Get Thrashed: The Story of Thrash Metal, about how the poster child of grunge "loved Ride the Lightening and 'Whiplash.'"Written and directed by Rick Ernst of MTV's Headbangers Ball fame, the newly-released Get Thrashed, tells its story through more than 50 interviews with thrash metal's most prominent figures, including members of Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer, Pantera, and more. Watch Kirk Hammett below.

September 19, 2008 – With the sun setting on this year's summer music festival season – SPIN has been on the ground for most of them – the 24th annual Street Scene descends upon San Diego September 19 and 20. The two-day block party is returning to its downtown roots, after a two year defection to neighboring Chula Vista, with an eclectic line-up of indie, punk, alternative, world and folk music, along with an army of street performers and vendors. Tickets are still available in one-day ($65) and two-day ($95) passes.

September 19, 2008 – The riotous antics of Matt Reilly and Ian Vanek -- the bratty duo behind Brooklyn's Japanther -- fuel the quirky pop-punk style of the band's latest LP, Tut Tut Now Shake Ya Butt (due Oct. 14 on Wantage USA). Luckily for you, SPIN.com has the album's first track, and boy is it a doozy. The two former art students attack "Bumpin' Rap Tapes" with distorted bass and their characteristic wall-o-fuzz steeped in Casio keyboards. But Japanther take a giant step forward by using a more conventional song structure: Verse? Check. Chorus? Check. Bridge? Check. The whirlwind tune about friendship -- "tell me you love me, no matter the hour," "and you feel like you need a friend/stick by you till the end" -- passes like summer vacation: far too quickly. Now Hear This: Japanther, "Bumpin' Rap Tapes"(DOWNLOAD MP3)

September 11, 2008 – Crammed into a 200-person capacity, double-decker rock'n'roll cruise ship called the Half Moon, New York's O'Death took their boozy, foot-stomping alt-punk to Manhattan's East River Wednesday, slamming through a rollicking, spontaneous night of jubilant, old-time swamp music. The rootsy five-piece winged it without a setlist. Leader Greg Jamie's rambling acoustic odes of youthful indolence rocked along with the boat in the jerking waves at the feet of Lady Liberty. Although their new album, Broken Hymns, Limbs and Skin, doesn't arrive till October 30 (Kemado), the Budweiser-swilling faux-Southerners treated fans to a set of mostly new songs, including the excellent brooding ballad "Angeline." As the band lurched into "Down to Rest," a raucous banjo ditty from 2007's Head Home, the dancing, sweat-soaked crowd struggled to not spill onto the tiny stage.

September 5, 2008 – Who? This Quogue, NY, band's second full-length, Laughter, drops experimental post-punk in favor of a mature vein of indie rock that ponders the differences between town and city life. Fittingly, the music mixes the sounds of New York City hustle and Long Island calm, juxtaposing tense percussive pitter-patter and jangly guitars with langorous vocals.Singer/guitarist Michael Friedrich laments inevitable urban gentrification in "Cities Change," softly emoting the lines "cities change/strangers and fools move in/this neighborhood is gone now/your neighborhood is gone." And the sparse addition of electric blips, melodica, and harpsichord tothe sonic mix moves this quartet beyond the traditional indie rockscope (legendary producer J. Robbins -- Jets to Brazil, The Promise Ring -- helped polish this ambitious band's sound).