Pitchfork

If you've been following LP5 the last couple of years, you know that making the record has proved problematic. Let's recap: The first recording session for the album occurred in December 2003. The songs from those sessions were reportedly scrapped. More sessions in Summer and Fall 2004 followed. Make Believe will probably contain 12 songs and feature tracks completed during the 2004 sessions, tracks started at those sessions and later touched up, and tracks salvaged from 2003 and recently reworked with new vocals.

Adding to the confusion was a bunch of bullshit about Rick Rubin producing, then Rick Rubin having a diminished role, then Rick Rubin maybe being fired and spending his time picking peanut brittle out of his beard. But, you see, it's really quite simple: The Roobster was 'round for the original December '03 sessions, which were eventually scrapped before being revived. Roobies skipped the '04 sessions, but was still listening to the band's daily efforts and adding his input. Rubin then oversaw Rivers Cuomo's vocal rejiggering, thereby smearing his fingerprints all over the album's vinyl ridges.

"Beverly Hills" is still slated to be the record's first single, and its video was shot two weekends ago at the Playboy mansion in Los Angeles. The vid will feature the band and some of its fans mingling with playmates and an old man whose hypothetical sex life is even grosser than your dad's. Whatever. At least there's no fucking Muppets.

The band is playing Coachella and some dates in Europe. Here they are:

04-30 Indio, CA - Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
06-03 Nurburgring, Germany - Rock am Ring Festival
06-04 Nuremberg, Germany - Rock im Park Festival
06-05 Hamburg, Germany - Grosse Freheit
06-10 Nickelsdorf, Austria - Nova Rock Festival
06-13 Birmingham, England - Academy
06-14 London, England - Brixton Academy
06-17 Glasgow, Scotland - Carling Academy