Two Minneapolis Stores Make Rolling Stone's Top Record Stores List

A blurb at the City Pages website brought this to my attention. Rolling Stone has published "The Best Record Stores in the USA: The Top 25 Spots for Unique Vinyl and CDs", and two Minneapolis stores made the list: Electric Fetus and Hymie's Vintage Records. City Pages notes that the author, Michaelangelos Matos, is a "former Minneapolitan and onetime City Pages contributor." Congratulations to Electric Fetus and Hymie's are certainly in order.

I know that Electric Fetus is iconic here in Minneapolis, but the Uptown location of Cheapo's is a far better shop. Cheapo's easily has the largest selection of used CDs and LPs, and their prices are great. Anyways, go check out the list to see if a store in your city made the cut.

Share Tweet

Jerry Raskin's Needle Doctor Relocating To St. Louis Park

I came across a couple items in the local newspapers here this week that are of interest. First, if you're a vinyl junkie like me, then you've likely heard of Jerry Raskin's Needle Doctor (www.needledoctor.com), a Minneapolis-based retail and mail order shop that claims to have the world's largest selection of turntable equipment including turntables, needles, cleaners, and DJ equipment. Tucked away in the Dinkeytown neighborhood, it's a cramped little store always bustling with activity. Think vinyl is dead? It's amazing to walk into the store at any time and see around ten people hunched over computers, processing internet orders and talking with customers on the phone.

The Needle Doctor has outgrown their current location, and will shut down this Friday to relocate to more expansive space at 6006 Excelsior Blvd. in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The new store is slated to open this Monday, September 27. If you have a pile of vinyl but need a new turntable, needle, or any supplies, this is the place to go either in person or online. You can read a recent article about the shop at the Minnesota Daily.

Share Tweet

TOMMY STINSON Launches Charity Auction

Current Guns N' Roses and Soul Asylum bassist and Minneapolis native Tommy Stinson has organized a charity auction to benefit the Timkatec schools in earthquake-ravaged Petion-Ville, Haiti. Charitybuzz is hosting the auction; a link the plight of Haitians and what Tommy is doing to help is here, and the list of all 14 auction items is here.

Included in the auction items are two vacations in the Bahamas, a couple of Tommy's basses and stage clothes (I love the plaid suit!), a guitar signed by The Replacements, a Chris Mars art package, and packages of tickets to shows at First Avenue and the Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis.

Share Tweet

GUNS N' ROSES Archive Story

Slash is bringing his solo band to the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina tonight, Thursday, September 23, and I had to use this as an excuse to tell a story about a Guns N' Roses show in Iowa City, Iowa back in 1993 on the Use Your Illusion tour. Here's a scan of the flyer for the show and my backstage pass.

I was helping out with the production company, and was initially supposed to be an usher for the concert. When I got to the arena in the early afternoon, the caterer needed an extra hand so I quickly volunteered. This had to be more interesting than standing around on some stairs all night. This turned into one of the most bizarre concert experiences I've had. Basically, I did all the crap work for the caterer that was brought in from Chicago - I washed dishes, set up meals for the band and crew, and dashed around doing odd errands.

Things quickly turned funny when I had to help set up the band's dressing rooms. Carver Hawkeye Arena served as a hub for athletics at the University of Iowa, and I first saw the band's crew ripping down every athletics picture, plaque, and lettering off the walls. It was later reported that at least $10,000 in damage was done to the backstage area. Cases of beer were stacked floor to ceiling along the entire wall in the dressing rooms but apparently this wasn't enough. Since I was the only local person there, several hundred dollars were stuffed into my hands and I was given a list of hard liquor to buy. The caterer whispered to me to also buy some porno mags, so of course I got the most nasty, sick ones I could find and set them prominently out on the band's tables! After we finished setting up the dressing rooms, the highlight of the night was spotting Queen guitarist Brian May as he entered the building and getting to briefly chat with him, axe in hand.

I never did see any member of G N' R in the backstage areas, but at least I was given a cool crew tour T-shirt. The only break I had was being allowed to watch about 30 minutes of the show from the soundboard area, but I was too exhausted to care at that point. More dishes had to be washed! I vaguely remember finally leaving the venue around 2 or 3 in the morning, completely drained and physically sore. I think the caterer did give me a wad of extra cash at the end of the night, but it's the memories from this that live on!

Share Tweet

Earache Offers Free ANNIHILATOR Download Compilation

This is simply too good of a deal to pass up. Head on over to the Earache Records website (http://www.earache.com/totalannihilation/) to download a free, 14-track compilation from the long-running Canadian technical thrash band Annihilator. Entitled Total Annihilation, this compilation is to promote Earache's reissue campaign of six Annihilator albums: King Of The Kill (1994), Refresh The Demon (1996), Remains (1997), Criteria For A Black Widow (1999), Carnival Diablos (2001), and Waking The Fury (2002). These six albums cover a broad range of creative styles and sounds, not to mention a revolving cast of band members centered around guitar phenomenon Jeff Waters. Even on an album like Refresh The Demon, not Annihilator's best album by any means, you can always be guaranteed to hear amazing riffs and innovative solos. "City Of Ice" is my favorite track from that album. Hands down the best in this reissue series is Criteria For A Black Widow and Carnival Diablos. Criteria For A Black Widow ranks up there with the first two albums, Alice In Hell (1989) and Never, Neverland (1990), as a bonefide thrash classic - be sure to check out "Loving The Sinner" and "Bloodbath". After Never, Neverland Annihilator seemed to drop off the face of the earth in the US, and it's a real shame that they aren't more widely known here. Alice In Hell was actually Roadrunner's top-selling debut album for ten years until Slipknot came along, and Annihilator continued to tour Europe with the likes of Judas Priest and Pantera. Jeff Waters also nearly joined Megadeth on two different occasions - imagine having to choose between Jeff Waters, Diamond Darrell (as Dimebag was then known), and Marty Friedman for your band! Total Annihilation serves as a great introduction to some key parts of the Annihilator catalog that are worth your time, so go download this now.

Share Tweet

STAIND Vocalist Aaron Lewis Lines Up Solo Acoustic Tour

The complete list of solo acoustic dates for Staind vocalist Aaron Lewis has been released. The routing includes a stop at MPR's Fitzgerald Theater in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday, October 26. Tickets for the St. Paul show are already on sale. Here is the full tour itinerary:

October 7 - Boston, MA, House Of Blues

October 8 - Sayreville, NJ, Starland Ballroom

October 10 - New Bedford, MA, Zeiterion Theater

October 11 - New York, NY, Best Buy Theater

October 12 - Philadelphia, PA, TLS

October 14 - Portland, ME, Merrill Auditorium

October 15 - Baltimore, MD, Ram's Head Live

October 17 - Hershey, PA, Hershey Theater

October 18 - Cleveland, OH, House Of Blues

October 20 - Chicago, IL, House Of Blues

October 21 - Munhall, PA, Carnegie Music Hall

October 23 - Milwaukee, WI, Pabst Theater

October 24 - Indianapolis, IN, Egyptian Room

October 26 - St. Paul, MN, MPR's Fitzgerald Theater

October 28 - St. Louis, MO, The Pageant

October 31 - Dallas, TX, Palladium Ballroom

November 1 - Houston, TX, Verizon Wireless Theater

November 2 - Abilene, TX, Paramount Theater

Share Tweet

MUTINY WITHIN Cancels Tour Supporting NEVERMORE

Roadrunner Records recording artist Mutiny Within has officially cancelled their upcoming tour supporting Nevermore on a massive North American trek. Mutiny Within is currently looking for a full-time drummer, and the "slow visa process" derailed the rehearsal time needed for the temporary drummer hired for the tour. Mutiny Within's self-titled debut album was previously reviewed here (7/10). The tour kicks off this Friday, September 24 in Seattle, and will hit Station 4 in St. Paul on Sunday, October 31. Warbringer and Hatesphere are still on as support acts for Nevermore and there's been no word on whether Mutiny Within will be replaced. The full itinerary for Nevermore, Warbringer, and Hatesphere follows:

September 24 - Seattle, WA, El Corazon

September 25 - Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theatre

September 26 - San Francisco, CA, Slim's

September 28 - Hollywood, CA, Key Club

September 30 - Santa Ana, CA, Galaxy Theatre

October 1 - Ramona, CA, Ramona Mainstage

October 2 - Mesa, AZ, UB's

October 3 - Tucson, AZ, The Rock

October 5 - Denver, CO, Bluebird Theater

October 6 - Tulsa, OK, The Marquee

October 7 - Ft. Worth, TX, Ridglea Theater

October 8 - San Antonio, TX, Scout Bar

October 9 - Houston, TX, Numbers

October 11 - Austin, TX, Emo's Annex

October 13 - Atlanta, GA, The Masquerade

October 14 - Raleigh, NC, Volume 11

October 15 - Springfield, VA, Jaxx

October 16 - Worcester, MA, The Palladium

October 17 - Philadelphia, PA, Trocadero Theatre

October 19 - New York, NY, Gramercy Theatre

October 20 - Montreal, QC, Les Foufounes Electriques

October 21 - London, ON, London Music Hall

October 22 - Toronto, ON, Opera House

October 23 - Cleveland, OH, Peabody's Downunder

October 25 - Pittsburgh, PA, Diesel Club Lounge

October 26 - Louisville, KY, Headliners Music Hall

October 27 - Detroit, MI, Blondies

October 29 - Chicago, IL, Reggie's Rock Club

October 30 - Milwaukee, WI, The Rave

October 31 - St. Paul, MN, Station 4

November 1 - Winnipeg, MB, Royal Albert Arms

November 2 - Regina, SK, The Exchange

November 5 - Edmonton, AB, Pawn Shop

Share Tweet

KAMELOT Poetry Contest

You know by now that Kamelot's North American tour has been postponed due to singer Roy Khan's illness, so I'm waiting here on word that their show at First Avenue in Minneapolis will be rescheduled. Their new album, Poetry For The Poisoned, was just released, and Kamelot has announced a poetry contest. Entries should be submitted by email to poetry@kamelot.com by Thursday, September 30. You can create any form of poetry that is Kamelot-related, such as a song, an album, or what the band's music means to you. The band will select their top five favorites, and these winners will receive a Kamelot T-shirt, an autographed poster, and more.

Now for some silliness! I decided to have some fun with this contest and thought I'd share my poetry entry. Since I went to Steelheart's recent show at G.B. Leighton's Pickle Park in Fridley (review is coming shortly!), I thought I'd pay homage to Kamelot by adapting a Steelheart song. This is intended to be sung to Steelheart's classic power ballad "I'll Never Let You Go (Angel Eyes)". You can follow along while watching Steelheart perform the original at their recent show in Fridley.

I'll Always Crank It Up (Kamelot)

Kamelot

You mean a lot

Such a sound that lights up my life oh

You're a band come true

I love each and every tune

And I'll always, always crank it up

I will always crank it up

First time my ears heard Roy's voice

All my screams were answered

First time I heard Tom's guitars

My loyalty I do pledge

I'll always crank it up

Your band's the greatest find

You're the only band for me

You're all I hear

And I'll always, always crank it up

Kamelot

My blood runs hot

On the songs you share with me

You never let me down

You're always in my mind

And I'll always, always crank it up

I will always crank it up

When the amps cease to rumble

And the curtain starts to fall

The songs stay close within me

And give me strength to soldier on

I'll always crank it up

Your band's the greatest find

You're the only band for me

You're all I hear

And I'll always, always crank it up

Share Tweet

KATATONIA Guitars Stolen At Station 4 Saturday

Blabbermouth is reporting that Katatonia had two guitars stolen at their show at Station 4 in St. Paul this past Saturday night (September 18) with Swallow The Sun, Orphaned Land, and Cold Colours. Despite this, the band continued on with their show resulting in a myriad of technical problems. Katatonia asks that everyone "keep an eye out for the guitars on pawn shops, Craigslist, eBay, etc. etc., and let us know immediately if they show up. Apologies go out to our fans in Minnesota for having to go through this." The stolen guitars were actually the ones to be given away through a contest at the end of the tour, and a picture of the guitars is published below. They are black Mayones Setius guitars, and were stolen along with the straps and wireless transmitters.

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend this show, but was anyone that was there have any comments to add to this? It's really sad that someone would do this, and it really puts a black mark on Station 4. If this show proceeded like every other show I've seen at Station 4, Katatonia likely had their gear sitting in the North corner of the room across from the bar (near the women's restroom).

Brian from Cold Colours added a comment to the Blabbermouth article stating that "I am working with the tour and local promoters in finding out any information about the missing guitars. If anyone knows anything please contact myself or Nathan (MN promoter) [SwordLord Productions]."

Brian's email: coldcolours [at] yahoo.com

Nathan's email: PlazaGuy6ft5 [at] aol.com

Share Tweet

St. Paul Included On Upcoming Rotting Christ Tour

The Greek black/death metal band Rotting Christ will headline a Spring 2011 North American tour that hits all regions of the US, including a show at Station 4 in St. Paul on Sunday, March 20. They will be joined by Holland's Melechesh, Poland's Hate, Abigail Williams, and Lecherous Nocturne. Rotting Christ will be supporting their recently released Aealo album. The complete tour itinerary is as follows:

March 9 - Springfield, VA, Jaxx

March 10 - Trenton, NJ, Championship Bar & Grill

March 11 - Rochester, NY, Montage Music Hall

March 12 - Manchester, NH, Rocko's

March 13 - Worcester, MA, The Palladium

March 14 - Farmingdale, NY, Crazy Donkey

March 15 - Montreal, QC, Petite Campus

March 16 - Toronto, ON, Mod Club

March 17 - Detroit, MI, Blondie's

March 18 - Cleveland, OH, Peabody's

March 19 - Chicago, IL, Reggie's Rock Club

March 20 - St. Paul, MN, Station 4

March 22 - Calgary, AB, The Republik

March 23 - Edmonton, AB, Starlite Room

March 25 - Seattle, WA, El Corazon

March 26 - Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theatre

March 27 - San Francisco, CA, DNA Lounge

March 28 - Anaheim, CA, Chain Reaction

March 29 - Hollywood, CA, Key Club

March 30 - San Diego, CA, Brick By Brick

March 31 - Mesa, AZ, UB's Bar

April 1 - Amarillo, TX, The War Legion Underground

April 2 - Tulsa, OK, The Marquee

April 3 - Ft. Worth, TX

April 4 - Austin, TX, Emo's

April 5 - Houston, TX, Walter's

April 7 - Tampa, FL, Brass Mug

April 8 - Atlanta, GA, The Masquerade

April 9 - Raleigh, NC, Volume 11

April 10 - Charlotte, NC, The Casbah

Share Tweet