Myspace is Yourspace: Boots Factor

Every once in a while, we at the Noise Bazaar will take the time to sift through the crap on Myspace and find something that is actually worth hearing.

I feel like I'm beating you readers to a pulp telling you about Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, but I can't seem to help myself. If it's any consolation, this post isn't really about SK6ers, but rather about their drummer Brian "Boots" Factor and his Myspace page.

During the short time last year when the band wasn't touring, Boots took the time to record an EP where he plays 90% of the parts, with a little help from band-mates SK and Kit on the album. It's nothing mind-blowing, but given the small amount of time to write, record and mix, it's a fairly impressive EP. You can get it on iTunes or listen to most of it on his Myspace page. I highly recommend picking it up and, of course, checking out him and SK6ers when they come around the country this spring.

Boots Factor's Myspace Page

The 20 Worst Cover Songs in Pop Music History

While I write this I'm laying on an entirely too comfy white bed of a fancy-shmancy Marriott hotel in Winston-Salem, NC. Why, you might ask? Well one of the few upsides to being in the UNC Marching Tar Heels is the opportunity to travel with the men's basketball team to the NCAA tournament, the first round of which happens to be in Winston-Salem this year.

All bragging aside, this means there might be more posts than usual since there will be way too much down time chilling in the hotel. Depending on your point of view, that could be a very good thing or a very annoying thing.

While relishing in my newfound boredom, I came across this interesting list on stereogum that they took from cracked.com. The guys at Cracked decided to compile the 20 worst cover songs in pop music history, and in my opinion did a pretty bad job.

20. "You Shook Me All Night Long" — Celine Dion and Anastasia
19. "Downtown Train" — Rod Stewart
18. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" — Guns N Roses
17. "Demolition Man" — Manfred Mann
16. "American Pie" — Madonna
15. "My Generation" — Hilary Duff
14. "It's My Life" — No Doubt
13. "Video Killed The Radio Star" — The Presidents of the United States of America
12. "Walk this Way" — Macy Gray
11. "Another Brick in the Wall" — Korn
10. "I'm A Believer" — Smash Mouth
09. "Satisfaction" — Britney Spears
08. "Sweet Child O Mine" — Sheryl Crowe
07. "Big Yellow Taxi" — Counting Crows
06. "911 Is a Joke" — Duran Duran
05. "Anarchy in the UK" — Motley Crue
04. "Behind Blue Eyes" — Limp Bizkit
03. "Feel Like Making Love" — Kid Rock
02. "Dock of the Bay" — Michael Bolton
01. "And It Stoned Me" — Bob Dylan

They're completely right about the Sheryl Crow, Korn, Britney, Duff and Dion, but come on, Dylan as #1??? You've got to be kidding me. I also have to say that I'm a huge fan of the Presidents of the U.S.A. version of "Video Killed the Radio Star."

What do you guys think, is Dylan's version really that bad, or are the guys at Cracked on crack?

Talk amongst yourselves.

Say Anything's New Music Video

This new music video from Say Anything's "Wow, I can get sexual too", is down right tongue and cheek. It has Bollywood like dancing, the Fonz, Max Bemis licking a car and impersonating Justin Timberlake. What else could you ask for? If this video wasn't so funny, it would just be creepy. It's just a creepy song, but it is great!

Ben Folds Plans Second Show for Central NC

Surely this can't be. Surprisingly enough, the North Carolina native is slotted to play an opening gig for John Mayer at Walnut Creek Amphitheatre July 31st (six days after my birthday...hint, hint). This comes after announcing the Memorial Hall show in Chapel Hill on March 28th that hundreds of students camped out for (including me) and the 900 student tickets sold out before noon.

I wish I had known this would happen before I slept outside on the ground without a tent, but that's OK, I'd rather see him in the smaller setting anyway. It was a good experience, too.

Music Video of the Day: Ben Kweller - "Penny On The Train Tracks"

I know it's been a while, but I'm bringing this thing back.

Nothing says a good music video like an 82-year-old woman dancing around in tights at a gym, right? Well, at least Ben Kweller thinks so. This video for his new single, "Penny On The Train Tracks," dangerously toes the line between cute and downright disturbing (especially the commentary at the end). The video was shot by Ben himself and the woman in the video is his grandmother dancing around the gym at her condo. I have no idea who that other woman is.

I'm a fan of the song, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to sit through that video again.

Say Anything...Is on TRL?

For some crazy reason I never thought that this would ever happen. According to Billboard.com and the band's website, Say Anything's new video for "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too" (featuring the timeless and ageless Fonzie) will debut on MTV's Total Request Live this afternoon.


From SayAnythingMusic.com:

If you haven't heard already, our new video for "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too" will be debuting on MTV'S TRL Monday, March 12th.

Now......i know that most Say Anything fans aren't the "stand outside of TRL" types, but there will be some people down at the MTV TRL studio (1515 Broadway, between 44th and 45th) with signs and posters, so feel free to head down and join in.

As much as I love Say Anything, I don't think this will entice me to watch the worst thing that ever happened to music videos. I can't help but wonder how the kids watching the show (and their parents) are going to react to Bemis singing "I called her on the phone and she touched herself."

If you haven't seen the music video with Bemis calling random girls from a hotel room and smacking himself on the ass one to many times, you can check it out at their Yahoo! artist page.

Has Say Anything sold out? I sure as hell hope not, and really don't think so. Either way, I'm excited about their sophomore album, "In Defense of the Genre," which should be out by the end of the year. You can read more about it in the Billboard.com article.

Say Anything - "Every Man Has a Molly" (m4a)

REM Coming Out With a New Album!

Via NME.com:

REM are to record their 14th studio album with Grammy-winning producer Jacknife Lee, the man behind recent LPs by Bloc Party and Snow Patrol.

Singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck and bassist Mike Mills hope to release the follow-up to 2004's 'Around The Sun' before the end of the year.

The band had used Pat McCarthy as producer on their last three albums, but have decided on a change for the new record.

Lee said of his new challenge: "REM are consistently one of the great bands, if not the greatest. The new songs they've written are some of their most exciting and visceral yet. They're a beacon for any band wishing to remain honest and challenging."

I thought these guys were done for good, for some reason, after their "Best Of" album and tour. Guess not. It will be interesting to see what the Bloc Party producer is able to do with them; hopefully he won't mess it all up.

R.E.M. - "Bad Day" (m4a)