In Memoriam: Bands We Lost In 2011 (Video)

In the spirit of the montage we have become accustomed to seeing during Oscar telecasts, stereogum has made a video of the bands that have broken up over the course of the year.

As with the awards show "In Memoriam" segments, there's the sporadic swell in applause.  There are the occasional superstar/A-List bands, scattered amongst the sea of bands that 98% of people have never heard of (unless there is a true fan out there).  The clip even features a couple of moments that catch you off guard, just like the Emmys do every goddamn year.

"Oh my god...LCD Soundsystem broke up?!?"

It's really quite clever.  Take a look.

After 31 Years, R.E.M. Call It A Day

It is a sad day that was inevitable, I guess.

In a statement issued on the band's website, singer Michael Stipe said:

"A wise man once said--'the skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave.' We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we're going to walk away from it. 

"I hope our fans realize this wasn't an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way. 

"We have to thank all the people who helped us be R.E.M. for these 31 years; our deepest gratitude to those who allowed us to do this. It's been amazing." 

My favorite memory of R.E.M. was in January of 1993.  MTV was producing a concert celebrating the inauguration of Bill Clinton, and a band called Automatic Baby took the stage.  It was Michael Stipe and Mike Mills of R.E.M., along with Larry Mullen Jr. and Adam Clayton of U2.  At the time each band had an album out.  R.E.M. with 'Automatic for the People', and U2 with 'Achtung Baby'. (Get it? Automatic Baby?)  They performed an acoustic rendition of 'One' that, to this day, is easily the best version of the song I have ever heard.




They told us that "It gets better", 18 years before It Gets Better:



R.E.M. will leave a legacy as one of the most prolific and influential American bands of the 20th century.    It's hard not to turn on the radio today and hear a little bit of their songwriting style permeate it's way through modern music.  From contemporary country to Radiohead, R.E.M.'s style has become commonplace to the world.  It's unavoidable.  From Nirvana to The White Stripes, R.E.M. has set the model as the American rock band.  They will be missed.

Say It Ain't So. Jack White's A Juggalo?

Word came out Wednesday, that Jack White's Third Man Records was preparing to release their latest 7" single on September 13th.  In fact, they issued a press release, complete with the following photo:

From Third Man Records' site:

"In the grand tradition of peanut butter meeting Iggy's chest or Bing Crosby getting down with David Bowie, Third Man Records is ecstatic to present the latest in a long-line of unexpected musical pairings…Insane Clown Posse and Mozart.

Back in '82, ahem, 1782, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote a piece that's been left out of the spotlight ever since. The title of the piece is "Leck Mich Im Arsch" or literally translated to English as "Lick me in the arse." Understandably this piece has figuratively been swept under the rug. So who better to give this piece it's due respect than the wildly successful, much misunderstood, and divisive Southwest Detroit rappers Insane Clown Posse?

With fellow Southwest Detroit-born Jack White at the production helm and musical backing by Nashville's very own Jeff the Brotherhood, this 2011 version of "Leck Mich Im Arsch" marries Mozart's melody (and lyrics sung in operatic German) with ICP's poignant lyrical addition in English and Jeff the B’s monster-riffs, letting the whole thing tie together in the most beautiful of ways.

The b-side "Mountain Girl" finds Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope telling tall tales about a shotgun wedding, meth problems and moonshine…all pretty common-fare for a twangy country song birthed in Nashville.

The 7" single and iTunes digital download of "Leck Mich Im Arsch" will be available for sale on September 13th. One-hundred Tri-color versions of the single will be available from the Third Man Rolling Record Store at the MI Fest in Brooklyn, Michigan on September 17th and another 50 Tri-colors will be randomly inserted into mail orders dispatched by Third Man Records."

I am dumbfounded, as are, I'm sure, millions of Jack White, White Stripes and Raconteur fans.  The writers for Rolling Stone and Spin magazines are probably having a field day at the moment.

Jack White has been considered by many, including myself, as a musical genius.  A godsend.  Perhaps the John Lennon, Pete Townsend or Robert Plant of this generation.  He is a shoe in for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  This is sure to effect his credibility.  Just how much has yet to be seen.

I have heard the song already, and let me just say, you'll thank me for not posting it.  At the moment, I'm searching Google for "ear bleach".

You know, an actor by the name of Oscar Levant once said, "There is a fine line between genius and insanity.  I have crossed this line."  I think Jack White can safely say the same.

Here is a video of a much nicer collaboration between White and the great Loretta Lynn.

The White Stripes Officially Call It Quits

After more than 13 years together, six critically acclaimed LPs, five Grammy awards and a shoe in spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the dynamic duo from Detroit have finally decided to call it quits.  Yesterday on their official site, they announced that The White Stripes are no more.  Though they have been on hiatus since the Fall of 2007, believed to be due to acute anxiety that Meg was suffering from, it was rumored that they were planning on returning to the studio to record a follow up to their 2007 album, 'Icky Thump'.

Since their hiatus, Jack has gone on to have a pair of highly successful side projects, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, and seems to have the Midas touch when it comes to anything in the music industry.  The White Stripes had the reputation of having intense live shows.  My wife and I had tickets for a show of theirs in Albuquerque in October of 2007.  They went on "hiatus" and canceled the show.  Looks like I'm going to have to add it to my "bucket list" of concerts now.

The last time that Jack and Meg performed together was on Conan O'Brien's final episode on NBC, in February 2009.  It took some searching, but I found the clip of that broadcast:

The White Stripes on Conan

Myspace | Myspace Video

What a crap performance for one of the greatest rock bands of our time to go out on.