Members of the pop-punk band discuss their music, new album and their support for the troops.

There’s more on the new CD at Queensryche’s site. Music site JAMSBIO has developed a very cool community driven site for the album that allows their users to share their own stories and honor friends and family who’ve served.

Paul Newman was claimed by cancer this morning.

A post on LiveLeak contains the lyrics:

I’m back on it like I just signed my record deal
yeah the best is here, the Bentley Coup paint is dripping wet, it got sex appeal
never should have hated
you never should’ve doubted him
with a slot in the president’s iPod Obama shattered ‘em
Said I handled his biz and I’m one of his favorite rappers
Well give Luda a special pardon if I’m ever in the slammer
Better yet put him in office, make me your vice president
Hillary hated on you, so that b^$&%* is irrelevant
Jesse talking slick and apologizing for what?
if you said it then you meant it how you want it have a gut!
and all you other politicians trying to hate on my man,
watch us win a majority vote in every state on my man
you can’t stop what’s bout to happen, we bout to make history
the first black president is destined and it’s meant to be
the threats ain’t fazing us, the nooses or the jokes
so get off your ass, black people, it’s time to get out and vote!
paint the White House black and I’m sure that’s got ‘em terrified
McCain don’t belong in ANY chair unless he’s paralyzed
Yeah I said it cause Bush is mentally handicapped
Ball up all of his speeches and I throw em like candy wrap
cause what you talking I hear nothing even relevant
and you the worst of all 43 presidents
get out and vote or the end will be near
the world is ready for change because Obama is here!
cause Obama is here
The world is ready for change because Obama is here!

Those lyrics won’t sit well with most Americans. Luda is bringing more harm than good to the campaign (not that I have a problem with that). Obama’s people seem to agree:

“As Barack Obama has said many, many times in the past, rap lyrics today too often perpetuate misogyny, materialism, and degrading images that he doesn’t want his daughters or any children exposed to,” said spokesman Bill Burton. “This song is not only outrageously offensive to Senator Clinton, Reverend Jackson, Senator McCain, and President Bush, it is offensive to all of us who are trying to raise our children with the values we hold dear. While Ludacris is a talented individual he should be ashamed of these lyrics.”

It’s their first USO tour but it sounds like it won’t be their last:

After the performance, Sevendust let a soldier from the crowd come up on stage and smash a guitar. They also gave him one of their guitars and gave other servicemembers a set of bongos and another guitar, practically giving away their entire set of instruments. “I think they were awesome,” said Air Force Capt. Vanessa Mahan, 455th Aerial Expeditionary Wing. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a hardcore band here, so it’s kind of refreshing. “

The band gave thanks and saluted the servicemembers for serving in the military.

“If it wasn’t for you guys over here, [the Taliban] would be over there, [in the United States],” Lajon “LJ” Witherspoon, Sevendust’s lead singer, said during the performance.

The band stuck around to ensure everyone who wanted an autograph, a free copy of their new CD or a picture with the band got one.

The members of Sevendust said they plan on doing another USO tour in the future.

“This, to us, has been the best thing that’s ever happened in our lives,” Witherspoon said. “As soon as you guys will have us back, we’ll be back.”

There’s more on the band at Sevendust.com.

They sang Joy to the World as well. Hopefully Baghdad will see more joy, and many more silent nights, in 2008.

If anyone ever asks if you have any recommendations for ethereal Puerto Rican electronica tell them to listen to Balun. You’re bound to look pretty cool if that ever happens.

Check out Ted’s site for more politics, guns, and rock. Oh, this old interview is pretty classic too. He hasn’t changed much.

You can see the list here. As usual some picks are good, some bad. I had to add one of my favorites – The Godfathers:

Before their incarnation as The Godfathers they went by the name The Sid Presley Experience, which lasted from 1983 to 1985. They were signed to Epic Records in 1987. Their guitar-driven alternative rock sound was somewhat out of place in the electronica-driven music scene of the UK at the time. In particular their most famous song the storming rocker ‘Birth, School, Work, Death’ failed to make the charts in the late eighties, despite standing the test of time much better than other music from this era. Its raw lyrics though probably did not endear it to the elderly, middle of the road DJs then dominating Radio 1, then the main youth pop station in the UK.

Try to enjoy the video while your stock portfolio evaporates.

I think they’ve announced this 5 times since 1984 and never managed to actually pull it off. I’m not sure if this is any different. Anyway, here’s the news via Rolling Stone:

The long awaited Van Halen reunion tour is on: Rolling Stone has confirmed that the band will make an official anouncement at a Los Angeles press conference sometime next week. The band lineup will be David Lee Roth on vocals, Eddie Van Halen on guitar, Alex Van Halen on drums and Wolfgang Van Halen on bass. The tour, Van Halen’s first outing with Roth since 1984

Having seen them at their peak in 1984, and still struggling with the brain cell loss and hearing damage that resulted from that night, I’m not sure I’d want to taint that experience with whatever they can muster now.