Ted Leo to Taco Bell: WTF?!
"I have no desire to be attached to the Pepsi corporation"

Yesterday, we ran a story about how Ted Leo-- along with Girl Talk, Enon, Blitzen Trapper, and several other musicians-- had won a Taco Bell contest entitling them to $500 in free Taco Bell food. The information in the story came from a press release from Taco Bell themselves.

One problem: Ted Leo never even entered the contest, as far as he knows!

This morning, Leo emailed us and posted the following on his website, under the heading "For the Record (Re: Taco Bell)":

Here are two letters I sent to Pitchfork today:

Hey Peeps - for the record, I know nothing about this Taco Bell thing - I'll try to get to the bottom of why my name is being used here, but I'd appreciate a clarification from someone at Pitchfork as to where they heard/saw this...
(I'm referring to this story: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/46311-girl-talk-ted-leo-enon-blitzen-win-taco-bell-contest)
Thanks!
-Ted Leo

Friday 10/12/07 10:11 AM

Yo - upon further research, I have found that the web site (http://www.tacobell.com/feedthebeat/) says that "hundreds of bands submitted applications" - I knew nothing about this until this morning, and obviously, did not submit an application. Maybe it's a hoax, maybe someone else did it and didn't tell me, but I have no desire to be attached to the Pepsi corporation, which also runs KFC, etc., and anything you guys can do to help me get that point across would be greatly appreciated.
xo - Ted

Friday 10/12/07 10:24 AM

And also for the record, Taco Bell will be hearing from me (not a big threat to them, I know, but still...)

Wow. We are really, really sorry about that, Ted! Thankfully, after we sent Ted's label, Touch and Go, the Taco Bell press release, it all got worked out. Ted updated his site with this message:

UPDATE 11:11 AM - We have contacted Taco Bell (that's a sentence I never thought I'd have to type - ed.), and have found out that someone submitted an application from a G-mail address that is not ours (Heck of a job, G-mail!), so we have, in fact, been pranked, which, since Taco Bell is now removing our name from everything associated with this dumb-ass "Muy Caliente! Side Stage at the Altell Garden Party Pavillion" bullshit, I have to appreciate on some levels... but anyway, it was fake, we weren't involved with Taco Bell, and now it's over. Thank you for your participation!
Yo quiero the internet.

(For the record, Ted Leo's Touch and Go labelmates Enon did, in fact, enter the contest knowingly.)

Another reason why Ted probably isn't so happy with Taco Bell using his name is that he's vegan, and a PETA spokesman.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are on the road now. Go spend money on their shows and merch, and not on crappy fast food. [MORE...]

Radiohead's Rumored Rainbows Downloads: 1.2 Million

Download your copy of In Rainbows on Wednesday? You weren't alone (duh). According to a Gigwise.com report that cites an unnamed "source close to the band"-- and completely unconfirmed at this point-- the digital version of In Rainbows that Radiohead made available October 10 logged an impressive 1.2 million downloads in its very first day on the digital market.

Were precious metal distinctions awarded on the basis of global sales, our headline might read: Radiohead Go Platinum (Maybe)!!

Of course, the fact that Radiohead gave fans the option to name their price (and £0.00 was indeed an option) no doubt bolstered the "sales" some-- and, again, Radiohead's camp have neither confirmed nor denied these figures-- but yeah, there you go, something to discuss on your lunch break.

As if you needed reminding, the In Rainbows deluxe discbox is due in December (we'll never get sick of the alliterative punch of that one), and folks can still expect a regular CD early next year. Ah, and Jonny Greenwood's got a soundtrack and a U.S. orchestral premiere, plus he's had enough of yer 160 kbps bitching.

Miami's BANG! Festival Postponed

Dang! No BANG! This year's BANG! Music Festival-- previously planned for November 10-11 at Miami's Bayfront Park Amphitheatre-- is off. So no dice for two days of uncomfortable sunburns, Rick Ross sightings, and such fest-makers as Spoon, Kanye West, the Roots, the Smashing Pumpkins, Explosions in the Sky, and Chromeo in the Magic City this time 'round.

The festival's website claims the show has been "postponed"-- and therefore, scholars of rhetoric, not "cancelled"-- so perhaps there's hope for regrouping in the BANG! camp soon. In the meantime, tickets can be refunded at the point of purchase.

Thanks to reader Martin Keane for the tip.

Black Mountain Discuss the Future
"This was like 14 days straight, eating and sleeping in the studio, not bathing for a week at a time..."

Before switching on the recorder, I watched as the five members of Black Mountain rolled on and off the stage of Chicago's Empty Bottle, put through the wringer by the Bottle's charmingly particular soundman. Vocalist Amber Webber and I discussed the soy content of Morningstar Farms vegetarian products. There was talk of the weather. More than a few beers were emptied.

Point is, Black Mountain-- Webber, frontman Stephen McBean, bassist Matt Camirand, drummer Joshua Wells, and keyboardist Jeremy Schmidt-- got all the pleasantries out of the way before we went on record. So you'll have to excuse the businesslike nature of the following proceedings... well, it's as businesslike as a scuzzy, good timin' band like Black Mountain gets after a round or two of Coronas. But we had business to discuss: In the Future, the band's second LP and first in nearly three years, drops January 22 from Jagjaguwar.

In the interest of getting down to business, one question was, naturally, at the forefront.

Pitchfork: So is it better than the last one?

Matt Camirand: Much better than the last one.

Josh Wells: It has more songs.

Camirand: Three more.

Pitchfork: Ha, that's something.

Camirand: I don't think I've ever been so excited about anything that we've ever recorded. I don't generally listen to the records we make after the mix is done, but I can still listen to this one and get excited about it. So that's a good sign. [MORE...]

The Go! Team Kick Off Tour This Weekend
The Stay! Team remain immobile, ponder the point of exclamation mark

Photo by Jaime Beeden

Here's something to stand up and cheer about: The Go! Team kick off their North American tour tomorrow night at Chicago's Double Door. Joined at times by the equally-exuberant likes of Cool Kids, Bodies of Water, and Matt & Kim, the Team will fill up stages on this continent through October before heading to Europe, Japan, and finally Australia to ring in '08.

If you hunger for more Go! Team, the group also made a documentary about the making of their new album Proof of Youth, out now on Sub Pop. [MORE...]

Bowie-Inspired Clothes Hit Target, New Box Set Due
It's a far better idea than a Low/Heroes/Lodger-inspired line of coke straws

Noted fashion designer Keanan Duffty isn't the first of his kind to ship a ready-to-wear collection to emporium of merchandise Target. He is, however, the first to rope one of rock'n'roll's true mavericks down into the realm of low-low prices along with him. Duffty's fall men's collection-- hitting stores just in time for this Sunday's circular-- "drew inspiration" from the music, persona, and the years and years of wacky ensembles of Mr. David Bowie.

According to a press release, "Several of the collection's key pieces draw direct inspiration from characters and songs by David Bowie. The tuxedo, vest, and pants were inspired by David's Thin White Duke persona, the song 'Station to Station', and his most recent album Reality. The dress shirts and trench coat are references to David's first movie role as Thomas Jerome Newton in The Man Who Fell to Earth. In addition, the gray button-down shirt features Bowie's 'Let's Dance' lyrics scripted onto the fabric."

That flowery frock from The Man Who Sold the World cover must not have made the cut.

To go along with the threads, Target's got a new Bowie compilation called Strangers When We Meet meant to be "displayed alongside the fashion collection." The thing, which "features tracks from forthcoming and proposed Virgin/EMI David Bowie catalog releases" (including live versions of "Jean Genie, Young Americans" and "Word on a Wing") should be available Sunday.

Thanks to reader Myk Martello for the heads up!

Despite its pitifully uninspired title, even reasonably ardent Bowie fans may want in on David Bowie Box Set. According to Billboard.com, the collection packages the two-disc international editions of Bowie's five most recent LPs-- Outside, Earthling, Hours, Heathen, and Reality-- in vinyl-replica digipaks, complete with a buncha remixes, a few soundtrack cuts, etc. You know the drill, but you might not know these records. That's out November 27 on ISO/Columbia.

In other Bowie news, the man recently donated $10,000 to a legal defense fund for the Jena Six, calling it a "small gesture". Seems pretty big of him to me! And on a slightly more silly note, Bowie guests on SpongeBob SquarePants on November 11.

Chris Walla, Casiotone, Long Winters on Xmas Comp

Hard to Find a Friend is a blog not unlike a lot of blogs on the internet. Its proprietor Caleb Palma likes music, really likes Beirut, and writes many kind things about both in a public forum. But Hard to Find a Friend sets itself apart in the company it keeps: friends and well wishers of the blog have gathered for fun, fellowship, and Peace on Earth, a digital-only holiday album chock full of exclusive tracks by the cream of indie's crop.

Death Cab's Chris Walla, American Music Club, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Rosie Thomas, the Long Winters, Great Lake Swimmers, and Page France's Michael Nau (as The Cotton Jones Basket Ride) are among those joining their Friend for a little Peace, which drops November 13. The collection is only gonna run you $7, and all proceeds go directly to Toys for Tots. When you think about it, tots need toys more than anybody!

The tracklist is not yet completely finalized, nor is the list of contributors. I must also assume the Grinch role and mention that Via Audio's "My Boo" is not, much as we may wish it to be, a cover of the Ghost Town DJs classic of the same name. Still, the impressive (if tentative) artist and song list is available after the jump. [MORE...]

DJ Spooky Tackles Trojan Catalog Again
Tours with a lecture here, a multimedia presentation there, everywhere a live date

Photo by Tamar Levine

Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky, aka Mr. One Egg in Every Possible Basket, once again dove into the Trojan Records vaults to come up with a mix of tracks with his unique stamp of approval.

Celebrating the Jamaican music label's 40th anniversary, Creation Rebel: Trojan Re-Mixed, Re-Visioned, Re-Versioned is even more customized than last year's In Fine Style, featuring re-works of tracks by Bob Marley, Augustus Pablo, Mad Professor & Rob Swift, the Upsetters, Wayne Smith, and Barrington Levy, among others.

Trojan will release Creation Rebel on October 16.

Aside from that, Spooky has quite a fair number of appearances, from lectures to DJ sets, scheduled for this fall. The next, a lecture/DJ set double whammy, goes down October 26 in Columbia, South Carolina. [MORE...]

Mos Def Signs to Downtown Recordings, Remixes Justice's "D.A.N.C.E." With Spank Rock
Remixing "D.A.N.C.E." is soooo pre-In Rainbows, dude

Photos by William Kirk

Looks like Mos Def's gone all upwardly mobile on us: the Brooklyn MC has packed up and moved Downtown. MTV News reports that the mighty Mos is the latest signing to Downtown Recordings, home to Art Brut, Gnarls Barkley, Eagles of Death Metal, and others.

Others like Spank Rock, who recently completed a remix of Justice's "D.A.N.C.E." with Mos Def and his Bangers & Cash associate Benny Blanco, according to MTV. Because, after all, that song could really use a good remix or two.

No word on just when you'll get to hear them "D.A.N.C.E.", or whether Mos has a follow-up to last year's troubled True Magic waiting in the wings. Or if the album is going to end up being the follow-up to itself.

Mos Def has been busy lately helping to lead the charge in support of the Jena Six, six African-American teenagers in Jena, Louisiana charged with attempted murder after the beating of a white schoolmate. The beating was allegedly in retaliation for white students' hanging of nooses on school property. Mos helped organize a mass walkout and protest in Jena in late September.

Portishead Album in the Mixing Stage, Says Band Blog

Photo by Grumpy Man DJs

Portishead's Geoff Barrow knows there's a web sheriff out there a-lurkin', and as such, he'd better abide by blogger law. So the most recent post on Portishead's blog follows those laws to the letter: there's some chat of a show he just saw, a dissection of all this Radiohead hubbub, and a brief update on what he's been up to.

Also, when he posted the link to the blog on MySpace, it was under the subject head "amy gets caught sober........ or some other shit news"

He began with Radiohead, and so shall we. Barrow writes "so then.......music for free is it? well fuking great. so if you get our album for nothing or very little , does that mean i can get my boiler fixed for free... --------i could tell the plumber that its all for the love of sharing and its to combat the evil money grabbing corperation that is zanussi. ...............im sure he will understand. also im not having a pop at radiohead they are fuking good and clever with it. anyways im sure it will all become clear at some point". Clearer than this paragraph, anyway.

As for that show, Geoff says "saw the coral the other night......was sound! as they would say." Do they say that?

On, and those personal deets? They just happen to concern the decade-in-the-making third Portishead LP: "as to the new album , we met the label the other day which was good , i dont think we scared them too much..well mabey a little. going to london to have a listen in a proper studio soon but until then were just mixing the stumps ,stems.whatever. ---------thinking about names ---------films looking really good".

Allow me to sum that up: the Portishead album is in the mixdown stage, ready to be listened to, and discussed with a label. They're so close, they're even coming up with titles. Also, film(s)? That one's new to us. You guys making a movie?

Portishead, as you know, have curated the heck out of the All Tomorrow's Parties-hosted Nightmare Before Christmas festival, going down December 7-9 in Minehead, England. They'll perform, too, along with Thurston, Boris, Black Mountain, Aphex Twin, Silver Apples, Sparklehorse, Oneida, and a mess of others. (Ladytron have unfortunately dropped out.)

And then they will release their album. Right?

As for Beth Gibbons, she can currently be heard on the new Annie Lennox song "Sing", as part of a choir that also includes Madonna, Isobel Campbell, Sugababes, Celine Dion, Fergie, Beth Orton, Gladys Knight, Bonnie Raitt, Dido, Pink, Shakira, and several other random women.

Fennesz, Matmos, Patton, Forrest Redo Foetus on Vein

Photo by Taylor Crothers

Industrial elder J.G. Thirlwell, aka Foetus, has gathered nine of his most glitched-out comrades-in-arms to reimagine Love, Foetus' 2005 album, on a collection called Vein.

Matmos, Mike Patton, Fennesz, Jason Forrest, and Tujiko Noriko are all part of the charge. And in addition to the regular helping of remixes, two of Vein's tracks, Jay Wasco's "L'overture" and Tom Recchion's "Corrodia Gravis", contain elements of several Love songs.

Vein comes out October 16 via Birdman and features album art designed by Thirlwell himself, as well as an animated video for "Time Marches On" by director Sam Sohlberg.

Adding a whole extra layer of meta to the project is Thirlwell's remix of the remix album into a single track, which he and the label have done to avoid the file-sharing of advance copies. They're calling it a trailer for the record, and you can listen to it at the link below.

Thirlwell also has a few other projects with which to busy himself, including the soundtrack to the third season of Cartoon Network show "The Venture Bros." and two forthcoming shows under his Manorexia alter ego. The first of those shows-- at New York City Whitney Museum on November 2-- will feature two sets, the second of which involves robots! [MORE...]

Photos: José González / Tiny Vipers [Los Angeles, CA; 10/10/07]

Photos by Akmal Naim

After chatting through a set by Sub Pop's Tiny Vipers, the talkative crowd at L.A.'s El Rey Theatre hushed to make some sonic space for José González's soft strumming. González didn't chat much with the sold-out crowd, but silence is golden.

The Swedish songsmith's sophomore LP, In Our Nature, is out now on Mute. More photos and tour dates below.

JOSE GONZALEZ






TINY VIPERS



[MORE...]

Do you have a news tip for us? Anything crazy happen at a show you attended recently? Do you have inside info on the bands we cover? Is one of your favorite artists (that's not somebody you know personally) releasing a new record you'd like to see covered? You will remain completely anonymous, unless we are given your express permission to reveal your identity. (Please note that publicists, managers, booking agents, and other artist representatives are generally exempt from this rule, but will also be granted anonymity if requested.)