News you may have missed! (2/26/23)
Is Avril now single? + Artists and bands we can't get into + Another WWWYF date added + Travis Barker breaks another bone + Panic attacks becoming common at gigs + NEW MUSIC + MORE!
Happy Sunday! This week brings us some rumors about Avril Lavigne and Mod Sun’s relationship status. We also were informed of a second date added for When We Were Young Fest—I mean, we knew it was coming all along, right? Also, Travis Barker broke yet another finger! Plus, there was some new music released this week that you need to check out. More about all of that and more are below.
Let’s get to it!
OUT NOW: Our interview with Thriller Records / ex-Fearless Records President Bob Becker
Bob Becker joins The All Punked Up Podcast this week to discuss the very early days of starting Fearless Records and how even though he quit his real job to focus solely on the label on a shoestring budget, he’s so very grateful for and credits the early bands he signed as they put the label on the map.
Bob also reflects on the days after running Fearless Records. Even though running Fearless Records was tough and a grind every day, and with Bob having the drive and desire that he has, he just couldn’t stay away from the label side of the music industry, and Thriller Records was born.
And as with all record labels, there are times when they make the in-hindsight mistake and wind up passing on signing a particular band that goes on to be very successful. And Bob is no exception to that as he missed out on probably the BIGGEST band he could have missed out on. Oops! Also, Bob teases the next big band joining the Thriller roster. He gives some hints. Can you figure it out? Tune in to find out the hints and guess the new signing.
Listen to our latest episode here.
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ICYMI: Our interview with MOD SUN
How can you like that band or album? This is probably the most controversial episode we’ve dropped so far. And we’re guaranteeing this episode is going to either piss off some scene fans or at the very least surprise them. This week’s question was: Is there an album or band everyone hypes up that you just can’t get into? And let me tell you, we DID NOT hold back. Listen here. And please let us know what bands and/or albums you can’t stand.
If Travis Barker could stop breaking things that’d be grreeeaaat. The blink-182 drummer has suffered yet another injury to his ring finger, just two weeks after dislocating and tearing ligaments in the same finger during rehearsals. Barker showed off his swollen and bruised finger with a giant bump on his middle knuckle on an Instagram story. He confirmed the news on Monday with x-ray images that clearly depicted the serious injury to his left middle finger. It is unclear if the injury will affect the band's touring plans in support of their reunion album with Tom DeLonge, as the group's spokesperson had not provided any additional comment at the time of reporting. Blink-182's reunion is slated to begin on March 11 in Tijuana, Mexico.
Now settle down, kids. The 1975’s Matty Healy and Yungblud appear to come to blows online. Both have been involved in an online spat recently, with Healy releasing a video impersonating Yungblud. Healy had received criticism for his appearance on The Adam Friedland Show, where he commented on Harry Styles' alleged "queer-baiting" and impersonated the accents of Hawaiian, Inuit, and Chinese heritage. Yungblud responded with a viral tweet calling out three privileged white men objectifying a young black female artist who's blowing up. A week later, Healy released a video on Instagram mimicking Yungblud's northern accent and impersonating the singer. Yungblud has yet to respond to the video.
Marilyn Manson Accuser Says She Was “Manipulated” by Evan Rachel Wood, Retracts Allegations. Ashley Morgan Smithline, a model who had accused Marilyn Manson of sexual assault, has retracted her claims, alleging that fellow accuser Evan Rachel Wood "manipulated" her into implicating the artist. Smithline claims that she was pressured into making accusations of rape and assault against Manson that were not true. Manson's lawyers filed a statement from Smithline in his current defamation lawsuit against Wood. In the statement, Smithline said she had met with Wood and other Manson accusers, who asked her if she had experienced the same abuse as they did. Smithline's claims aid Manson's lawsuit against Wood, which claims that Wood and another woman had "secretly recruited, coordinated, and pressured prospective accusers to emerge simultaneously" with false accusations against him.
Waterparks explain ‘Intellectual Property’ album artwork, including religion, sexual guilt, and frogs. Pop punk band Waterparks have given fans a deep dive into their upcoming album "Intellectual Property" and its artwork. In an Instagram post, frontman Awsten Knight explained that the album explores growing up with religious guilt, and that the blue poison dart frog in the center of the artwork is significant to the band as it is viewed differently in various cultures and religions. The striking red color of the album represents different themes such as sexuality and violence, according to Knight. He also stated that the album's title is a play on the mental real estate that someone or something takes up in one's head. "Intellectual Property" is set for release on April 14.
Architects slam hecklers after being assaulted in Australia. During their Australian tour, Architects had a show in Adelaide on February 17. Four songs into the set, a heckler rushed the stage and tried to attack guitarist Josh Middleton while shouting obscenities into the microphone. He was subsequently dragged out of the venue by security guards and handled by the police. The man had been loudly heckling singer Sam Carter before the incident, demanding that the band play older material as a sign of respect for late guitarist Tom Searle. Carter gave a speech after the incident, condemning the violence and heckling and emphasizing that Architects respect Searle every day stating “to turn around and see someone fucking run onstage, and fucking run at Josh… And fucking grab the mic and start shouting whatever the fuck he was shouting – that is fucking insane.” You can watch the speech here.
Furnace Fest reveals full 2023 lineup. Furnace Fest has announced its full 2023 lineup, expanding from two to three days. MXPX, Turnstile, Bane, and Pennywise are headlining the festival's three days. Other notable bands performing at the festival include Thursday, Hatebreed, Between the Buried & Me, The Bouncing Souls, and Norma Jean, among others. The festival takes place from September 22-24, 2023. The festival lineup features a mix of punk, hardcore, and metal bands. Tickets are available here.
Bandcamp introduces playlists function on mobile app. Bandcamp has introduced a playlists function on its mobile app, allowing users to make playlists from the music in their collection. The platform plans to add more playlist features in the coming months. The new function is only available via the Bandcamp Fan app and is not currently available on desktop. To create a playlist, users can add a track or album from their collection by clicking on the three dots next to the title. Additionally, users can shuffle their playlist from the "now playing" screen. Bandcamp will also be featured in the game Fortnite which will be launching a new soundtrack option called Radio Underground to incorporate indie music into its gaming platform. Curated by Bandcamp editors, the playlist will be available until March 8th, coinciding with the end of Battle Royale Chapter 4 Season 1.
YouTube Music will let you make your own custom radio stations. Google has announced a new feature on YouTube Music, the "Radio Builder," which allows users to create custom stations based on specific artists and refine the algorithm to decide what songs it should play. The feature can be accessed on the YouTube Music homepage of the iOS or Android app under the "Your music tuner" section. Users can choose up to 30 artists and decide if they only want to hear music from them or from similar musicians. They can also choose to play familiar or new-to-you songs, add filters, and tune the mix of songs. The new feature is available for both free and paid subscribers of YouTube Music.
When We Were Young 2023 adds a second day with the same lineup. The Las Vegas festival When We Were Young, featuring headliners blink-182 and Green Day, announced a second day for its 2023 edition happening on Sunday, October 22 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. The lineup includes various popular artists such as The Offspring, Rise Against, Sum 41, Simple Plan, New Found Glory Thrice, and Michelle Branch, among others. Tickets will be available for presale from February 24 at 2 PM PT. You can check out the full lineup here.
Maggie Rogers notices more fans having panic attacks at gigs. Maggie Rogers has noticed more people having panic attacks at her gigs since the pandemic during her 'Feral Joy' tour of the United States. Rogers shared her observations in a TikTok video message, where she suggested that concerts may not be the most natural space after a couple of years spent in the pandemic. She reminded fans to stay hydrated, avoid locking their knees when standing for long periods of time and take breaks to keep everyone safe and healthy around them.
Did Avril Lavigne and Mod Sun breakup? People says that Avril Lavigne and Mod Sun have reportedly broken up, almost a year after their engagement. A source told the publication that the couple has been "on and off for the past two months," but are no longer together. Mod Sun's representative contradicted this, however, stating that the two were together and engaged as of three days ago when Mod Sun left for his headlining tour.
Ticketmaster takes aim at resale sites. Live Nation Entertainment has called on Congress to pass a "Fair Ticketing Act" to curb scalpers and ticket resale. The company, which owns Ticketmaster, is pushing for federal laws to limit scalpers' ability to mark up prices and gouge customers for in-demand concerts. Live Nation has proposed outlawing speculative ticketing, expanding legislation to stop bots from buying mass amounts of tickets, mandating all-in ticketing, and protecting artists' ability to decide how their tickets can sell on the secondary market. The move comes as Live Nation faces criticism from fans and lawmakers over its position in the ticketing marketplace.
Artists say 260% US visa cost increase will make touring impossible. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to increase touring visa fees for foreign acts by over 250%, which has been met with opposition from the music industry. The cost of temporary visas would rise from $460 to $1,615, while a longer-term visa would go up to $1,655. Musicians and industry figures have warned of the “crippling” effect the price hike would have on international touring. This move could also lead to higher costs for gigs and tickets for international acts performing in the US. Fans and industry workers can oppose the changes until March 6 via the Federal Register website or a survey by the Featured Artists Coalition. You can read more here. I don’t know about you, but this seems like Ticketmaster is just trying to shift the blame and change the narrative. Maybe trying to get the media to make Ticketmaster look like the good guy by going after scalpers? Ticketmaster prices are outrageous. Scalpers are the least of consumers’ worries at this point since Ticketmaster sells tickets (with their fees included) at scalper prices.
Meanwhile, Live Nation had a record-setting 2022 and expects this year to be even bigger. I wonder why? Live Nation reported record-breaking financial results for 2022, with revenue reaching $16.7 billion, up 44% from pre-pandemic levels in 2019, and the company expects 2023 to be even better. The growth was driven by more fans, more concerts, higher spending per fan, higher average ticket prices, and a greater number of large sponsors. Concert revenue was $13.49 billion, up 43.1% from 2019, with attendance reaching 121 million fans, up 24% from 2019. Ticketing revenues were $2.24 billion, up 44.9% from 2019, and sponsorship revenue was $968 million, up 64% from 2019. The company expects 2023 to be even stronger than 2022 based on leading indicators such as ticket sales and deferred revenue.
All Time Low announces live stream from Wembley Arena. They’ve announced that their special album release show at London's OVO Arena Wembley on March 17 will be live-streamed for fans worldwide. The live-streamed concert will be presented in 4K UHD video resolution with Dolby Atmos technology, providing an unforgettable spatial audio experience. The band's ninth studio album, "Tell Me I'm Alive," will be released on March 18. This move will allow fans worldwide to have a front-row seat and experience the band's latest album release show, promoting the new album. More info here.
Oh boy. Wes Scantlin was arrested for trespassing at his former home. The lead singer of Puddle of Mudd, was arrested on February 20th by the Los Angeles Police Department for allegedly trespassing at one of his former homes. A TikTok video captured the moment when Scantlin was parked outside the home in a black Hummer and threatened the maid of the current owner, prompting the police to be called. Scantlin was taken into custody at 12:33 pm for a misdemeanor violation. This is not Scantlin's first arrest, as he has an extensive record including a 2016 incident where he was arrested for vandalism at a foreclosed home of his. Scantlin's latest arrest highlights his ongoing troubles with the law.
A 'secret' Spotify trick nobody knows about to find any song stuck in your head? Yes, please. Spotify has a feature that allows users to search for songs by typing in the lyrics directly into the search bar. This feature has surprised many users who were unaware of it until now. In addition to songs, the search function can also locate albums, artists, genres, playlists, moods, podcasts, profiles, radio stations, upcoming concerts, and official merchandise. Spotify's official guide suggests that users can search for a song by typing in at least three words from its lyrics. Songs with those lyrics will appear in the search results with a "lyrics match" label. You can read more about different ways to search here.
The Used announce new album ‘Toxic Positivity’ and new single “People Are Vomit”. The album is set to drop on May 19th via Big Noise.
Chad Tepper release new track “Rockstar Dreams Like Tommy Lee”
Real Friends share music video for new song “The Damage Is Done” and drop EP There’s Nothing Worse Than Too Late
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