Banner Pilot releases track listing, artwork for upcoming album, 'Heart Beats Pacific'

Minneapolis punk rockers Banner Pilot is set to release its third full-length, Heart Beats Pacific, via Fat Wreck Chords October 25. It'll be available on both CD and LP.

Track Listing:
1. Alchemy
2. Forty Degrees
3. Red Line
4. Spanish Reds
5. Eraser
6. Expat
7. Isolani
8. Calling Station
9. Western Terminal
10. Intervention
11. Division Street

Blink-182 release artwork, announce track listing for 'Neighborhoods'

OK, the artwork's been out for a little while now, but yesterday, the track listing to Blink-182's upcoming album, Neighborhoods was released. Fans can pre-order the album on vinyl, CD and deluxe CD, the latter of which includes three bonus tracks: "Kaleidoscope," "Fighting the Gravity" and "Heart's All Gone." Not sure about the pressing info. or vinyl color(s) for all you fellow collector nerds out there. I've heard "Up All Night," which I wasn't impressed with at all, but "Heart's All Gone" sounded like old-school Blink, and I've come to the conclusion that if this album is going to have any redeeming qualities, it will be because of Mark Hoppus. Listen to "Up All Night" here.



Track Listing:
Ghost on the Dance Floor
A La Mode
This Is Home
Snake Charmer
MH 4.18.2011
Even If She Falls
You Too
Up All Night
After Midnight
Natives
Deluxe CD Bonus Tracks:
Kaleidoscope
Fighting the Gravity
Heart's All Gone

New Green Day songs leaked on YouTube, plus lyrics/live audio to new song, 'Amy'

So Green Day played a secret show Thursday, August 11 at the Tiki Bar in Oakland, CA. From what I hear, there was a no camera, no phone policy, but someone broke that rule and recorded a few brand new Green Day tunes. The quality is kind of shitty, but I'm assuming that's because whoever was recording was trying to be sneaky.

This first one is called "Amy," and while the band never said it was about Amy Winehouse, I could see how the lyrics and title could imply it being about the late musician.

"Amy"


Lyrics:
"Is your heart singing out of tune
Are your eyes just singing the blues
Dirty records from another time
Some blood stains on your shoes
No one really knows about your soul
And I barely even know your name
Burning rhythms and posting lies
For a bunch of fools drown in shame
Amy don’t you go
I want you around
Singin’ woah please don’t go
Do you wanna be a friend of mine?
Did you tattoo a lucky charm
To keep you out of harms way?
Warding off all evil signs
But it never really kept you safe
You’re too young for the golden age
Cause the record bin’s been replaced
27 gone without a trace
And you walked away from your drink
Is your heart singing out of tune
Are you eyes just singing the blues?
Dirty records from another time
Some blood stains on your shoes
May I have this last dance
By chance if we should meet?
Can you write me a lullaby?
So we can sing you to sleep"

Here are two other new (live) Green Day songs, and an Ozzy Osbourne cover.

"Last Gang In Town"


"Sweet 16"


"Goodbye To Romance" (Ozzy Osbourne)


The set list from that night is as follows:

Set List:
1. Nuclear Family (played rwice)
2. Stay The Night
3. Too Young To Die
4. Oh Love
5. Carpe Diem
6. Crushing Bastards
7. Little Boy Named Train
8. Trouble Maker
9. Sweet 16
10. Wow, That’s Loud
11. 8th Avenue Serenade
12. Ashley
13. Gabriella
14. Wild One
15. It’s Fuck Time (Foxboro Hot Tubs)
16. Stray Heart
17. Last Gang In Town (New song, not a Clash cover)

Encore
18. Amy
19. Goodbye to Romance (Ozzy Osbourne cover)
20. Welcome To Paradise
21. Burnout
22. Murder City
23. J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva)
24. Only Of You
25. Hitchin’ a Ride
26. St. Jimmy
27. Minority

Dinosaur Jr. releases lost track from 1988

In late 1988 or early 1989, when Dinosaur Jr. entered the Fort Apache studio to record a Neil Young cover for the The Bridge: A Tribute to Neil Young album, they recorded not one, but two tracks: "Lotta Love," which was used, and "I've Been Waiting For You." The latter was never released, but Lou Barlow recently posted the MP3 on his website.

"I found the cassette of this stuff while home for the holidays...it hasn’t aged well, not the condition of the tape (sounds whooshy and chewed), not the performance of ‘I’ve Been Waiting For You’…it ain’t great, but it’s rare,” Barlow said.

Listen to it here.

Circle Takes The Square to release 'Decompositions: Volume I' in November

Photo courtesy of Secret Service Publicity

In April, we posted an entry on Circle Takes The Square when the band was in the studio recording its new album, Decompositions: Volume I.

Seven years after the release of its debut, As the Roots Undo, experimental cult rock band Circle Takes the Square has announced plans to release its second full-length album, Decompositions: Volume I, in November via their own Gatepost Recordings.

Recorded/mixed/mastered by Anthony Stubelek at Rockstudio in Brunswick, GA, Decompositions: Volume I is a collection of songs, comprised of three central musical narratives. Each composition maintains its own identity and story arc, while also playing an integral role in the overarching plot line that will unfold throughout the Decomposition series. Given the self-contained nature of each individual passage, CTTS will be unleashing the complete first chapter from Decompositions: Volume I, titled "Rites of Initiation" as a digital EP on August 23 here in advance of the full album’s release in November.

"Rites of Initiation" finds CTTS breaking into new territories, from the crushingly primitive to the technically transcendent, from stripped down metallic riffs to harmony embellished, eerie folk passages, all within a framework consistent with their trademark discordant and experimental approach to high-speed, outside-the-box punk/hardcore.

“We have spent vast amounts of time exploring every fractal peak and recursive valley in the landscape that these songs describe, and we are eager to provide our listeners with the opportunity to glimpse a portion of this realm, and to immerse themselves in the labyrinth of startling curves and staggering depths that we've been lost within for so long,” said co-vocalist/guitarist Drew Speziale.

“Rites of Initiation documents the ill-lit, inward-leading, forever-winding pathways that eventually take hold, on a search for the authentic in an increasingly artificial world. When the boundaries between thinking and knowing, dreaming and waking, living and dying all begin to blur, a terrifyingly primal vision begins to bleed through the fragile veil of consensus perception. To surrender to it, embracing the other side is our 'rite of passage.' We've crafted these songs in an attempt to sing that transition into being.”

"Rites of Initiation" is CTTS’ first recorded music since their debut album, As the Roots Undo, which was released in 2004, and gives fans a peak at what’s to come on the long awaited follow-up Decompositions: Volume I.

Stay tuned here for news and information regarding CTTS’ forthcoming, cryptic new album, Decompositions: Volume I.

Rites of Initiation Track Listing:

I. Enter By The Narrow Gates
II. Spirit Narrative
III. Way of Ever-Branching Paths
IV. The Ancestral Other Side

Happy 37th anniversary to The Ramones for playing its first show at CBGB

On this day in 1974, The Ramones played its first show at CBGB in Manhattan, NY. I've never seen The Ramones, but I have been to CBGB in 2005, before it closed its doors for good. It was sad to see it go even having never experienced what it was in its heyday. The Ramones will always be one of my favorite bands and one of the very few I will never see play live. Thirty-seven years ago today, The Ramones played this song for the first time at CBGB, and we're lucky that someone was in the audience filming. It's hard to believe "Judy Is a Punk" is that old of a song, but this is the first time of many The Ramones played it at CBGB:

Wolves Like Us to release 'Late Love' September 13

Oslo, Norway’s Wolves Like Us’ debut album, Late Love, is coming out on September 13.

Featuring former members of Norwegian acts Amulet, JR Ewing, Infidels Forever and Silver, Wolves Like Us exploded onto the European rock scene with its debut album. The band combines elements of rock, punk, hardcore and metal into a flurry of intense sound while maintaining infectious rhythmic grooves and memorable choruses. The album features 10 tracks like “Deathless,” “Sin After Sin,” “My Enemy” (Afghan Whigs cover) and “Burns Like a Paper Rose,” which is streaming today on Noisecreep.com.

Check 'em out on Facebook and MySpace.

Bridge & Tunnel touring Australia, unleash new track

Photo courtesy of Southern Lovin'

Bridge & Tunnel recently announced the dates for its first Australian tour (see below). To help promote the tour, the band allowed Australian punk site Bombshellzine to leak a track from their upcoming sophomore album titled Rebuilding Year.

Click here to listen to “Synchronized Swimming.”

Rebuilding Year was recorded and produced by J. Robbins (Against Me!, Small Brown Bike, Jawbreaker) and will be released on 9/20/11 via No Idea Records on LP/CD.

The album follows their 2010 10'' EP, Indoor Voices and their 2008 debut album, East/West.

Bridge & Tunnel will also be performing at THE FEST 10 this year. Expect extensive touring following the release of Rebuilding Year.

BRIDGE & TUNNEL - Australian Tour Sept. 2011:

with PAPER ARMS

9/9 - Brisbane @ SUN DISTORTION

9/10 - Brisbane @ THE ORIENT

9/11 - Sydney @ THE SANDO HOTEL

9/14 - Perth @ THE CIVIC DEN

9/15 - Adeline @ CROWN & ANCHOR

9/17 - Melbourne @ EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB - "Poison City Weekender Fest"

Alkaline Trio cover "Movin' Right Along" for Muppets movie

So allegedly, there's an Alkaline Trio tribute album in the works, but the band's been busy recording its own tribute - for the upcoming Muppets movie. The song, originally sung by Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear, now features Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano trading off vocals, and will be featured on The Green Album, set to be released August 23.

Track Listing:
1. OK GO - "Muppet Show Theme"
2. Weezer and Hayley Williams – "Rainbow Connection"
3. The Fray – "Mahna Mahna"
4. Alkaline Trio - "Moving Right Along"
5. My Morning Jacket – "Our World"
6. Amy Lee – "Halfway Down the Stairs"
7. Sondre Lerche – "Mr. Bassman"
8. The Airborne Toxic Event – "Wishing Song"
9. Atreyu's Brandon Saller and Good Charlotte's Billy Martin – "Night Life"
10. Andrew Bird – "Bein’ Green"
11. Matt Nathanson – "I Hope That Something Better Comes Along"
12. Rachael Yamagata – "I’m Going to Go Back There Someday"

MTV sets October 27 for Beavis and Butthead premiere

On July 21, MTV released a clip of some new Beavis and Butthead material. I admit it gave me a stiffy and since then, I've been scouring the Internet with probably like...uh...a hundred other people looking for an official premiere date. October 27th at 9 p.m. (central time) is when you should turn on MTV. I never thought I'd encourage anyone to turn on MTV, but it's gonna be cool (I said "butt"). Till then, it's like...you gotta take care of your own Woody Woodpecker. Here's what I'm going to be doing the night of October 27th:

Go to 7-11. Get the big burrito. Get a Big Gulp. Get some nachos. Get some beer. Go find a TV. Watch Beavis and Butthead and fill the 14-year void that's been in my chest since it left the air. This is gonna be cool.

Get More: Beavis and Butt-Head, MTV Shows

Rival Sons make TV debut and announce tour with Evanescence

L.A.’s rock revivalists Rival Sons made their explosive television debut on Lopez Tonight Tuesday night where they electrified the audience with a raucous rendition of their new single/title track, “Pressure and Time,” and an incendiary performance of “Burn Down Los Angeles” from their new album, leading host George Lopez to exclaim “that’s how you rock ‘n’ roll, like that!”

Rival Sons announced plans to tour the U.S. this fall with Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum rock act Evanescence and The Pretty Reckless. The tour will begin October 11 in Oakland and culminate on November 1 in New York.

Rival Sons' continued success can be directly attributed to their music. Their blues-influenced rock riffs and singer Jay Buchanan’s impeccable vocal range harness the true power of pure rock ‘n’ roll that’s rarely found in music today. Word of mouth has spread from Los Angeles to London and beyond.

Rival Sons Tour Dates (w/Evanescence & The Pretty Reckless):

Oct 10 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theatre

Oct 11 – Los Angeles, CA – Palladium

Oct 14 – Phoenix, AZ – Comerica Theatre

Oct 18 – San Antonio, TX – Sunken Gardens

Oct 19 – Dallas, TX – Palladium

Oct 21 – Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom

Oct 22 – Chicago, IL – Congress Theatre

Oct 24 – Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre

Oct 25 – Toronto, ON – The Sound Academy

Oct 27 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis

Oct 28 – Worcester, MA – Palladium

Oct 30 – Atlantic City, NJ – House of Blues

Nov 1 – New York, NY – Terminal 5

For More Information:
www.rivalsons.com

www.myspace.com/rivalsons

www.facebook.com/rivalsons

www.twitter.com/rivalsons

Insubordination Fest 2011

Wednesday, August 10th is the Insub '11 pre-show, hosted by Pat Termite of the Beatnik Termites. Sponsors for this year's fest are National Bohemian, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Insubordination Records, Interpunk, Knock Knock Records and Nuthin' Zine.

Insub 2011 Pre-Game:

Motorettes

Mallstars

Degenerettes

Flamingo Nosebleed

Braceface

Singleton

Lexington Arrows

Mandroids

Event Info:

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

Doors 5 p.m.

$8

Tickets: http://www.missiontix.com

The Sidebar Tavern

218 E. Lexington St.
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
(410) 659-4130

Insub Fest Pre-Show Party:

Connie Dungs 12-12:30 a.m.
Young Hasslehoffs 11:10-11:40 p.m.
Max Levine 10:20-10:50 p.m.
Direct Hit 9:40-10 p.m.
Dead Mechanical 9-9:20 p.m.
Army Coach 8:20-8:40 p.m.
Barecat 7:40-8 p.m.
Shutouts 7-7:20 p.m.
Doors 6-7 p.m.

Event Info:

Thursday, August 11th, 2010

6 PM

$13

Tickets: http://www.missiontix.com

The Ottobar

2549 North Howard Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4506
(410) 662-0069

Insubordination Fest Day 1:

Danny Vapid and the Cheats 12:20 a.m.

Mikey Erg 11:15-12 a.m.
Kurt Baker 10:20-10:55 p.m.
Dopamines 9:30-10 p.m.
Jetty Boys 8:40-9:10 p.m.
Mixtapes 8-8:20 p.m.
Be My Doppleganger 7:20-7:40 p.m.
Firecrackers 6:40-7:00 p.m.
Marshmallows 6-6:20 p.m.
Doors 5 p.m.

Event Info:

Friday, August 12th, 2011

Doors at 5 p.m.

Cost: $27.50

Tickets: www.missiontix.com

The Ottobar

2549 N. Howard Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21218

Insubordination Fest Day 2:

Chixdiggit 12:40-1:30 a.m.
Copyrights 11:40-12:20 a.m.
Kepi 10:40-11:20 p.m.
Dear Landlord 9:50-10:20 p.m.
Beatnik Termites 9-9:30 p.m.
Emily's Army 8:10-8:40 p.m.
Potatomen 7:20-7:50 p.m.
House Boat 6:40-7 p.m.
Iron Chic 6-6:20 p.m.
Fatal Flaw 5:20-5:40 p.m.
New Creases 4:40-5 p.m.
Murderburgers 4-4:20 p.m.
Karmellas Game 3:20-3:40 p.m.
Sun Puddles 2:40-3 p.m.
Quarantines 2-2:20 p.m.
Doors 1 p.m.

Event Info:

Saturday, August 13th, 2011

Doors at 1 p.m.

Cost: $38.50

Tickets: www.missiontix.com

The Ottobar

2549 N. Howard Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21218

(410) 662-0069

'The Thorns of Life' by House Boat

By Jason Duarte
Traffic Street Records
8/13/2011
Rating: 4/5 (you guys didn't get a 5 because there is only one Ace song. Bitches.)

House Boat is definitely the best "Hey,-there's-these-leftover-Steinways-tunes,-what-should-we-do-with-them" band of the decade. This band scooped up not only pre-existing, disgruntled-by-their-demise Steinways fans, but Ergs! fans, Off With Their Heads fans and a couple of Rivethead fans. These tricky bastards covered the east coast AND the Midwest fanbase just by being like, "Hey, we're a band. No, a supergroup."
So they had success and (HIV-)positive feedback with their first album, The Delaware Octopus. Upon announcing a second album, fans all over the world (or at least the east coast and Midwestern USA) thought, "Shit, album number two. This is where they're gonna sell out. I bet it's gonna sound a lot like 'Load' by Metallica. I bet Mikey Erg's gonna get contact lenses. I bet Grath's gonna start auto-tuning his vocals. I bet they're gonna sign to Fat Wreck and they're gonna put people like Sam North and Adam Ali on the street. We'd better sell all our House Boat shit before it comes out so it looks like we never were a part of this band's fanbase."
BUT THEY WERE WRONG! They really were. Mikey still owns his glasses and I don't think Grath's vocals are that auto-tuned.
As over-produced and with as many synthesizers and lasers as The Thorns of Life has, it's a great record, with one exception: there's one fucking Ace song (remember that foreshadowing under the album art? You knew this criticism was coming, House Boat). I was told that it was going to be less of a Steinways band and more of a House Boat band, so I expected more Ace and Mikey Erg lead vocals. They do some great backups though. Guess I'll just have to wait for Ace's solo album, so I can have something to mack on my girlfriend with. Whatever. Hurry up.
In all seriousness, AIDS. No, this is a great pop punk record. It's everything that's a step up from The Delaware Octopus but with the same amount of power chords. That's hard to do, right? Best song: "Now We Are 31." Dude, this shit even ends with a fucking acoustic ballad by Grath called, "Bug Out." It's a good, hopefully-optimistic song about missing a girl and waiting around for her. I imagine him playing it at shows and everyone puts their arms around each other and sways around and sings along. About 3/5 into the song, drums come in and there's some electric guitar feedback beefing up Grath's ballad. It's just feedback though, it doesn't go, "DUNNNNNNN" at any point, like you expect it to. Whatever. Get this album cause it's fun and good and stuff and I'm not gonna talk about any of the songs other than the ballad. I'm not gonna mention the album art and it's similarity to Screeching Weasel's Television City Dream cover or the fact that the album title is the name of a defunct band fronted by Jawbreaker singer, Blake Schwarzenbach.

The Vindictives offer pay what you want for entire discography

Chicago snotty punk legends The Vindictives launched a website in which fans (or those new to the band) can pay what they want to download the band's discography or any part(s) of it. The website features The Many Moods of The Vindictives (the band's collection album), Partytime For Assholes (the band's covers album), Leave Home (the band's Ramones cover album), Hypno-Punko™, Original Masters (1990-1992) (featuring Ben Weasel on guitar and backup vocals), Curious Oddities and Bare Essentials, Muzak For Robots and Unplugged. Check it out here and have yourself a party. With a bunch of assholes.

Listen to the last two Riverdales songs ever

Ben Weasel posted two unreleased Riverdales tracks from the Tarantula sessions. The tracks, "When In Rome" and "Dead End House," will be released as singles by Ben if Facebook users "like" each one 250 times. The count is at more than 150 "likes" for each song. There's a site I found that converts YouTube videos to MP3s. The Riverdales are broken up, after Ben Weasel's band left him after his violent onstage meltdown at SXSW earlier this year.

Alkaline Trio/Smoking Popes/River City Extension at Metro, Chicago 8/2/2011

All photos by Jason Duarte for Squid Pro Quo

Last night was the second of a two-night Metro stint Alkaline Trio played with the Smoking Popes with River City Extension. I walked in before the Smoking Popes took the set. The day was really hot. Paul McCartney's voice didn't fill Clark Street. The Metro was sticky. Just standing there encouraged sweating and discomfort. It was all worth it. So here's the beef.

Smoking Popes Set List:
Before I'm Gone
Rubella
Waiting Around
If You Don't Care
No More Smiles
Gotta Know Right Now
How Dangerous
Let's Hear It For Love
Writing a Letter
Megan
Brand New Hairstyle
I Know You Love Me
Not That Kind of Girlfriend

Alkaline Trio Set List:
Armageddon
In Vein
Private Eye
Snake Oil Tanker
Blue Carolina
Cooking Wine
Hating Every Minute
Old School Reasons
All On Black
I Lied My Face Off
Trouble Breathing
Calling All Skeletons
San Francisco
This Could Be Love
I Remember a Rooftop [Dan acoustic]
Clavicle [Matt acoustic, full band]
You've Got So Far To Go [Dan acoustic]
Blue In the Face [Matt acoustic]
Olde English [Matt acoustic, full band]
I Held Her In My Arms [Violent Femmes cover/with the Smoking Popes]
Encore:
Crawl
97

Blink-182 releases first piece of album artwork for 'Neighborhoods'

Apparently, Blink-182 is releasing its album artwork piece by piece, to tease its fans. It's pretty easy to figure out that there are going to be rooftops that spell "Blink 182" and I'm willing to bet somewhere on the cover, it'll say Neighborhoods. SURPRISE! I'm actually hoping the rest of the album reveals this:

Alkaline Trio/Smoking Popes/River City Extension at Metro, Chicago 8/1/2011

Let me just start out by saying that this show last night was awesome, though it was the biggest pain in the ass to get to and here's why: Paul McCartney. Right across the street, Sir Paul was playing Wrigley Field, and traffic and parking were both nightmares. Even though we walked two miles each way to avoid parking fees, it was worth it. We walked in just as the Popes played through a couple songs, and they were great as usual. I love seeing them headline though, because they are so much more into it and relaxed and into doing their own jamming. A year or so ago, I saw them at some old church-turned-venue in Naperville and Josh did a sweet acoustic solo rendition of Duvall's "Racine."
Anyway, the Smoking Popes were great as always; Neil Hennessy's stellar drum performance, Matt Caterer's choice of T-shirts, Eli Caterer's sweet lead guitar noodling and Josh's voice, always on target. Check out some photos Amy Meyer contributed to Squid Pro Quo. Thanks, Amy!














All photos by Amy Meyer for Squid Pro Quo

Alkaline Trio came on and played about a 90 minute set, half of what Paul McCartney was playing across the street (I heard that guy went for three hours straight. Stamina!).
Matt Skiba came out sporting a Cubs hat, which looked brand new. A little bit into their set, some random kid wandered up on stage with a Sox hat, and Skiba took off his Cubs hat, put the Sox hat on (to which the audience roared with applause), then when the kid was about to get escorted off stage, he took the Sox hat off and put his Cubs hat back on. More applause. It was a mixed audience and somehow, that kid managed to find his way back on stage a couple more times, and he stage-dove off before security could escort him. Skiba told him, "You've got balls, kid." He couldn't have been older than 9. So Alkaline Trio just released Damnesia, and so part of their set was broken up and stripped down to fit the Damnesia thing, so this is how it went:

Alkaline Trio Set List:
Cringe
In Vein
Private Eye
Nose Over Tail
Goodbye Forever
Another Innocent Girl
Old School Reasons
Mr. Chainsaw
Maybe I'll Catch Fire
Blue Carolina
Mercy Me
San Francisco
This Could Be Love
[Damnesia banter]
If You Had a Bad Time [Dan solo acoustic]
Clavicle [Matt Skiba acoustic with Dan's electric bass and Derek on drums]
You've Got So Far To Go [Dan acoustic]
Blue In the Face [Matt acoustic]
Olde English 800 [Skiba said he wrote this jingle 13 years ago]
I Held Her In My Arms [Violent Femmes cover/Hennessy on drums, Skiba on vocals, Eli on lead guitar, Dan on bass, Matt and Josh on backup vocals, Derek on acoustic guitar]
[Encore]
My Friend Peter
Crawl
97


















All photos by Amy Meyer for Squid Pro Quo

Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) and Tim McIlrath (Rise Against) embark on 'The Justice Tour' to benefit The Nation Institute

Tom Morello and Tim McIlrath of Rise Against have joined forces for The Justice Tour. The tour will bring them to Madison, WI, Cleveland, OH and Flint, MI this September with all profits benefiting The Nation Institute. This month, Morello released the EP, Union Town, with all profits benefiting the America Votes Labor Unity Fund via SaveWorkers.org. The release consists of pro-union songs and was inspired by Morello’s performance in Madison, WI in February of this year in protest to an anti-union bill put forward by Governor Scott Walker. Tom Morello stated, "This year’s Justice Tour aims to support independent media which is battling the mountain of disinformation and propaganda foisted on the public by right wing media barons. We will also return to the union battlegrounds of the Midwest to help steel the backbone of workers under siege." Tim McIlrath added, “Playing with Tom on the steps of the Capitol building in Madison last February was an inspiring experience. I can’t wait to join him again for such an important cause. Media has become a battleground, and we're out to even the odds.”

Tom Morello is the Grammy-winning guitarist and founding member of Rage Against the Machine whose third solo album, World Wide Rebel Songs will be released on August 30^th. It is the 14^th studio album of Tom Morello’s influential career. With Serj Tankian of System of a Down, Morello formed Axis of Justice, an organization whose purpose is to bring together musicians, music fans, and grassroots political organizations to fight for social justice.

Tim McIlrath is the lead singer of Rise Against, a band that has recorded together for 12 years. McIlrath and Rise Against are well known for lending their voice to causes as well as their close relationship to their fans. Past songs with a bent toward social activism have included "Ready to Fall" in support of PETA, "Hero of War", written in response to the military action in Iraq and most recently “Make It Stop (September’s Children)” in connection with the It Gets Better Project. In 2011, the band released its 6^th album, Endgame.

A nonprofit media center, The Nation Institute was established to extend the reach of progressive ideas and strengthen the independent press in the United States. It's dynamic range of programs include a bestselling book publishing imprint, Nation Books; an award-winning Investigative Fund, which supports groundbreaking investigative journalism; the widely read and syndicated website TomDispatch; the internship program at The Nation magazine; and Journalism Fellowships that fund up to 15 high-profile, convention challenging reporters every year. Work produced by The Nation Institute has sparked Congressional hearings, new legislation, FBI investigations and the resignation of government officials, has changed the debate and has a regular impact on the most urgent social and political issues of our day. Much more on the Institute's work can be found at www.nationinstitute.org.

The Justice Tour:

September 5^th - Madison, WI The Barrymore Theatre (All Ages)
September 6^th - Cleveland, OH Grog Shop (All Ages)
September 7^th - Flint, MI The Machine Shop (18+)