Keith Morris is ready to Blast OFF!

"an astronaut once was overheard at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral telling another astronaut ""I'M READY TO BLAST OFF!""." Thats how Keith Morris and his new Hard Core punk super group, OFF! is feeling these days. Keith Morris may be more well known as the Singer of Punk legendary bands black Flag and the Circle Jerks, but what hes most pumped about is his new band OFF!, formed by Morris with Demetri Coats (Burning Bridges), Steven McDonald (REDD KROSS) and Mario Rubalcaba (ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT and EARTHLESS). OFF! is simply a punk band that wants to play fast, hard, and angry songs... What could really be more punk than that.
"OFF! is about Being the life of the party! Being the angry, aggressive, volatile, handsome, well coiffed, in love with the world, uptight, loud and fun loving Boy band/group of nuts that we are!" and thats exactly what the band is. A fun loving but angry and volatile band that could care less what it is that you think of them or anything for that matter.
"playing in the Circle Jerks makes great money playing live and I could pay my bills" Morris say's but its the unending pursuit of music that led him to start a new band. "things are happening in OFF! that would've never happened for the Circle Jerks." the singer says. if you don't believe him listen to the band your self, and you'll understand what hes saying.
As far as Morriss is concerned, the music he plays is not so much punk as it is honest. " Before i'm any label, catagory or whatever anybody sez or thinks I belong to a gang called the HUMAN RACE!" the singer say, " I don't consider myself a punk or hardcore Founding father." he only thinks of himself, as an angry man, who cares too much to shut up.
OFF!'s first album, a collection of four EPs has appropriately been titles "First Four EPs" with original artwork by Raymond Pettibon and was originally released this last month on vinyl by Vice Records and a limited run of cassette releases by Burger Records., but as of February 15th will be available available on CD through Vice. go pick a copy up and treat your self to some real, honest music. a change of pace from the everyday sound on the radio.

Holding Onto Hope's Hopefull rise

Last year, holding onto hope were coming off of a huge tour of Europe, they had 50,000 plus fans on myspace, and were getting their name put on numerous "up and coming" lists when they found out that they were with out a singer. Former front man Corey O'keefe was leaving to do other things and the sudden news of this left the rest the band to fend for them selves, find their own way.
That way would lead them to a new singer, a new sound, and a revolutionized spirit and purpose. "we scream because we have to and it comes out with a heavy feeling rather than an angry beatdown" guitarist Matt Black explains when I talked to him this last week. Black maybe more than any of member wishes to not be compared to other hard core acts and dreams of a day when his band sounds nothing like anything else.
"my influence comes from the bands i listened to early on such as The Get Up Kids, 238, Pedro the Lion, Thursday, Saves the Day and Sunny Day Real Estate. bands like that." Not much a hard core enthusiast himself, his attraction to pop hooks and smooth and flowing leads is part of what sets the band apart from the rest of modern day hard core scene.
this last month, the band entered the studio with engineer and producer Jeff shneewies(Number One Gun) in Chico California to work on their next album. the album was recorded over three weeks and was fully funded by fan donations via kickstarter.com. "we had a nice relaxed attitude and things just flowed." Black said of the process. if everything goes accordingly this album should be a huge step forward not just for the band but hopefully for hard core music. "musically i think we differ because of our diverse individual musical backgrounds. we've all played a number of different styles ranging from thrash to country to indie pop." With this in mind, look forward to a great, ear opening sound from the California natives. The album drops later this year, so keep your ear to the ground and hear the rumbling, cause the stampede is on it's way.

One More Cup of Coffee by the white stripes

So the Votes are in, The White Stripes cover Bob Dylan the best. at least thats what you guys are telling me according to last months poll. keep an eye open for a new poll, coming this week. this is a video I saw that some one had made of the winning song and I just had to share it.