andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

A group of musicians joined a campaign on Tuesday that asks the Obama administration to close down the terror suspect camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, reports MTV News.

The musicians are all angered after hearing that their songs are reportedly being blasted at ear-bleeding levels in an attempt to break uncooperative terror suspects. Artists including Nine Inch Nails, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine, Steve Earle, Billy Bragg, and Rosanne Cash have announced their support for the National Campaign to Close Guantanamo.

Part of the effort entails the National Security Archive in Washington, D.C. filing a Freedom of Information Act request. This is in an effort to uncover classified records that prove the use of loud music as a means of interrogation. A report by the Senate Armed Services Committee in November, 2008 makes reference to the use of loud music to unhinge terror suspects. One instance involved the case of a Mauritanian prisoner who was allegedly blasted with songs such as Drowning Pool’s “Bodies” to cause him stress because he believed that listening to music was forbidden. Drowning Pool has apparently so far not objected to the use of its music at Guantanamo Bay or other U.S. detention sites.

Some of the songs reportedly played at high volumes close to the prisoners at the camp are Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” Don McLean’s “American Pie,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.,” Nine Inch Nails’ “March of the Pigs,” Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” the Meow Mix cat food jingle, music from Sesame Street, the “I Love You” song from Barney, as well as songs by R.E.M., Pearl Jam, AC/DC, Britney Spears, Marilyn Manson, the Bee Gees, and more.

READ MORE »

A few weeks back Trent Reznor took to his Twitter account to express his discontent for Chris Cornell’s pop inspired new sound. He wrote: “You know that feeling you get when somebody embarrasses themselves so badly YOU feel uncomfortable? Heard Chris Cornell’s record? Jesus.”

Although Reznor is not a fan of Cornell’s new Timbalake produced material, he was however, inspired by Cornell’s new album to pull an April fool’s prank on the public.

Reznor took to the Nine Inch Nails website yesterday (Wednesday) to announce that they have released a new album entitled “Strobe Light.” It was written that the joke disc was produced by Timbaland (a dig at Cornell’s recent crossover) and features songs such as “Clap Trap Crack Slap” and “Laid, Paid and Played.”

READ MORE »

There’s good news and bad news for NIN fans. Good news is Nine Inch Nail’s Trent Reznor has confirmed the band will go on tour with Jane’s Addiction according to a post on the NIN website. The bad news is that same post says it will likely be the last time NIN goes on tour.

“After some thought, we decided to book a last run of shows across the globe this year,” Reznor wrote in the post. “The approach to these shows is quite different from last year – much more raw, spontaneous and less scripted.”

In the post, Reznor also revealed that Nine Inch Nails has been recording in the same studio with Jane’s Addiction. However, he did not say if these collaborations are due for release, or are meant to be played during their upcoming tour.

“Emails were sent, phone calls were made, dinner was arranged, ideas were discussed and the next thing I know we’re in the studio experimenting,” Reznor continued in the post.

It looks like Canadians will be seeing a lot of Trent Reznor this summer.

The Nine Inch Nails frontman has announced the first leg of his upcoming tour, and the schedule includes a July 25 stop at the Pemberton Festival in B.C., followed by dates in Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Toronto.

Reznor also said that his touring band — which included Twiggy Ramirez, who has since rejoined Marilyn Manson, and Devo/Vandals drummer Josh Freese — would be “reformed,” with details about the new lineup to come later.

The tour is in support of the band’s 36-track instrumental album “Ghosts 1-IV,” which was released online March 2. It is NIN’s seventh studio album.

Here are NIN’s tour dates:

July 25 – Pemberton BC @ Pemberton Festival
July 26 – Seattle WA @ Key Arena at Seattle Center
July 28 – Edmonton ALB @ Rexall Place
July 29 – Calgary ALB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
July 31 – Winnipeg MAN @ MTS Centre
August 2 – Minneapolis MN @ Target Center
August 5 – Toronto ONT @ Air Canada Centre
August 7 – Uncasville CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
August 8 – Worcester MA @ DCU Center
August 12 – Knoxville TN @ Knoxville Civic Coliseum
August 13 – Duluth GA @ Gwinnett Arena
August 15 – Oklahoma City OK @ Ford Center
August 16 – Houston TX @ Toyota Center
August 18 – Dallas TX @ American Airlines Center
August 20 – Saint Louis MO @ Scottrade Center
August 22 – Cleveland OH @ Quicken Loans Arena
August 23 – Auburn Hills MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills
August 27 – East Rutherford NJ @ Izod Center
August 29 – Philadelphia PA @ Wachovia Center
August 31 – Lexington KY @ Rupp Arena
September 2 – Morrison CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheater
September 3 – Salt Lake City UT @ The E Center Of West Valley
September 5 – Oakland CA @ Oracle Arena
September 6 – Inglewood CA @ The Forum

Ready to shell out some cash for the latest Nine Inch Nails album? Keep the money in your wallet.

The band has taken Radiohead’s lead and put 9 of their 36-track album on their website as a free download. For just $5, you can download the entire thing. For a hard copy, all you’ll need is $10 for the two-disc set.

Hardcore fans may opt for the $75 deluxe edition, however, “including a hardcover book and a data DVD and a Blu-ray disc featuring high definition recordings and a slide show,” NME.com reports. And if you have £300 to burn, you can get a copy of the deluxe edition that has been autographed by frontman Trent Reznor.

The album, entitled ‘Ghosts I-IV,’ is completely instrumental and was recorded in ten weeks last year.

Christmas is coming early to Los Angeles? KROQ this year, with the rock radio station kicking off their 16th annual ?Almost Acoustic Christmas? concert festival on Dec. 10.

The lineup for the first night has been announced and features System of a Down, Nine Inch Nails, Thrice, Fall Out Boy, Korn, Avenged Sevenfold and Rise Against, according to MTV.com.

Night two details will be released later.

Proceeds from the event will benefit several local charities, including Hollygrove, which provides shelter, education and services for abused and neglected children.

Tickets go on sale Nov. 14.

The festival will take place at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif.

In 1999, KROQ released a compilation album, ?The Best Of KROQ?s Acoustic Christmas,? featuring highlights from past concerts. Last year’s edition included Jimmy Eat World, Interpol, Franz Ferdinand, the Shins, Green Day and many others.

Nine Inch Nails will not be performing at the MTV Movie Awards as planned.

The band pulled out when MTV refused to allow them to display a photo of George W. Bush behind them while performing their song, “The Hand that Feeds.”

“While we respect Nine Inch Nails’ point of view, we were uncomfortable with their performance being built around a partisan political statement,” the network said in a statement. “When we discussed our discomfort with the band, their choice was to unfortunately pull out of the Movie Awards.”

Nine Inch Nails, led by frontman Trent Reznor, wanted an unedited picture of the president in the backdrop.

Reznor wrote on the band’s web site that they wanted to perform in front of an “unmolested, straightforward image of George W. Bush.

“Apparently, the image of our president is as offensive to MTV as it is to me. See you on tour this fall when we return to play in America.”

The Foo Fighters will fill their spot. Eminem and Mariah Carey are also scheduled to perform at the award show on June 9.