Casey Calvert, guitarist for breakout emo sensationsHawthorne Heights, died Saturday night in his sleep just hours prior tothe band’s scheduled performance at Washington, DC’s 9:30 Club. He was26. Authorities, currently investigating the mysterious death, haveyet-to-determine a cause.
“Today is probably the worst day ever,” read a band website post.”It’s with our deepest regrets that we have to write this. CaseyCalvert passed away in his sleep last night. We found out thisafternoon before soundcheck. We’ve spent the entire day trying to cometo grips with this and figure out as much as possible. At this timewe’re not sure what exactly happened.”
The post continues,requesting fans to not fuel rumors of drug use, run rampant on theInternet. “Just last night he was joking around with everyone before hewent to bed. We can say with absolute certainty that he was not doinganything illegal. Please, out of respect to Casey and his family, don’tcontribute or succumb to any gossip you may hear. We don’t want hismemory to be tainted in the least. Casey was our best friend. He wasquirky and awesome and there will truly be no others like him! His lossis unexplainable.”
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Jesus and Mary Chain Shape New LP
As you may remember, seminal shoegaze outfit the Jesus and Mary Chain reunited at the 2007 installment of Coachella and subsequently confirmed “there will be a new record,” the follow to 1998’s Munki.Well, now fans awaiting further details of this murky reunion set canrest assured, for the brothers Reid are prepping the opus for atentative late spring/early summer release. But in a recent interviewwith Billboard.com,JAMC manager Kevin Oberlin states the prospect of a new album came as asurprise to him. “I originally started working on both Jim’s andWilliam’s solo albums, and when I approached (promoter) Goldenvoiceabout getting Jim a solo gig at Coachella, they came back with an offerfor the Jesus and Mary Chain,” Oberlin revealed. “We thought having theband reunite for Coachella would help set up both of their solo albums,but the very next day after the show, Jim and William did an interviewand said that they were going to do a new Mary Chain album.”
“When we ended in ’98, we hated each other,” William Reidadds. “A lot of that was down to drink and drugs. Jim’s completelysober now, and I don’t drink during the shows. But there is a kind ofwariness. We’re both aware that we could snap at each other, but we’retrying to hold it together. We love this band, and we love each other.”
Currently,the Reid brothers are going through dozens of new songs — all writtenseparately — selecting roughly 12 for the forthcoming album. One newtrack, “All Things Must Pass,” which the band often plays live, will beincluded on the LP, as well as featured on the soundtrack to NBC show Heroes.”I would say it’s an evolution,” Reid said of the new songs. “Itdefinitely sounds like the Mary Chain, but I guess you evolve as aperson and a writer. You can’t really stand still. If you do that,you’re lost.”
Though numerous labels aiming to distribute theforthcoming album have pursued the band, the Jesus and Mary Chain haveyet to sign a deal.
My Bloody Valentine To Release New LP Digitally
Sure, NIN appear to be gearing up for digital distribution, while Oasis certainly aren’t, but now is seems My Bloody Valentine will join the former and “do a Radiohead” by releasing their forthcoming LP— the band’s first in over 15 years, digitally via the Internet.”Kevin [Shields, frontman] is getting the band back together and theywill go into the studio next month to work on the new record,” managerVinita Joshi told Billboard.com. “The plan is that they will release the album themselves via the Internet, but there will also probably be a vinyl release.”
But unlike Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine will likely shun In Rainbows‘ donation box distribution scheme said Joshi. Furthermore, Joshi, speaking on the band’s recently slated reunion gigs, confirms the entire Lovelesslineup — frontman Shields, singer/guitarist Bilinda Butcher, bassistDebbie Googe and drummer Colm O’Ciosoig — will take the stage at theUK-based gigs, but states the rumors of a 2008 Coachella headlining slotare not confirmed. “If the band had been booked to play any summerfestivals, I’d know about it,” Joshi said. “We’ll see how the summershows go first.”
Well, if not at Coachella, at least stateside fans can expect a U.S. tour in near future.
Silver Jews Unveil New Album Title
Silver Jews principal David Berman has named the follow up to 2005’s Tanglewood Numbers and the title is… drum roll please… Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea.The new record, for which a tracklisting a has yet-to-be revealed, willtentatively arrive sometime in April 2008 via Drag City, Pitchfork reports. A supporting tour will soon be announced.
