It’s almost summer time again already. And you know what that means…well, besides swimming, lemonaid, and ice cream, there’s also the annual Vans Warped Tour. They just update their smart phone app. I’ve already got it on my iPhone and it’s vastly improved over last year’s. Here is what they say about it, download it soon:

“The Official 2012 Vans Warped Tour smart phone application is here to help you keep up-to-date with the Vans Warped Tour through news, tweets, Flickr, and YouTube as with listings of all the bands and shows that make up this summer’s tour

This application includes all of the Vans Warped Tour bands and shows and lets you know which bands are playing at each show. It also includes tips on how to have the must fun at the show with Vans Warped Tour 101.”

In other Vans Warped Tour related news, they recently announced something new this year:  instead of only buying tickets online, they have also made available physical tickets able to be purchased in person at Vans stores. Check out their site for more info.

Converse and Champs present “Hooked Up”, a contest featuring hip hop artists Chiddy Bang.

Enter to inspire Chiddy Bang’s next track by visiting Champ’s Facebook application and selecting words to create a customized phrase. If chosen, the grand prize winner will be flown to NYC to watch Chiddy Bang record the exclusive track at Converse Rubber Tracks. The final track will be available for free download via Champs’ Facebook page in July.

“Hooked Up” is in support of the Converse’s Chuck Taylor All Star Padded Collar shoe and apparel available exclusively at Champs locations nationwide this summer.

For rules and to enter the contest visit: champsandconverse.com/hookedup

Submissions will be accepted from May 9 – May 22.

I first learned of the Brooklyn duo Tanlines at this year’s SXSW in Austin. We went to a venue to watch A$AP Rocky, and unknown to us Tanlines were scheduled to perform first. Lucky for us, ignorance is bliss. The synthy, seductive sounds of the 2 piece we discovered quickly won us over. Their debut full length record Mixed Emotions was just released earlier this year, along with this amazing video “Brothers” below.  We featured another of their popular songs, “All Of Me”,  on a recent best of new music in 2012 podcast, and expect a lot of good things in the near future for this group.

Today we lost another great musician, Donna Summer. She had been battling cancer and finally succumbed to the disease today. Apparently she was also working on a new album. We’ll have to wait and see what surfaces.

Here are some links for more information on the news:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2012/05/17/obit-summer-donna.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-57436280-10391698/donna-summer-dead-at-63/

Interview by Mark Ambrose

(Warning – Explicit language used in this interview; listen at your own risk.)

Kill Devil Hill is a band from LA that is currently touring before their first self-titled record hits shelves on May 22nd SPV Records.  We got a chance to meet up with Rex Brown (bass), Vinnie Appice (drums), Dewey Bragg (vocals), & Mark Zavon (guitar) before their Dallas, TX show.  Both Rex & Vinnie have roots with bands like Pantera, Black Sabbath, and Dio; you know with that combination, your ears are just tingling waiting to hear their sound.  You can get a sneak peek and check out two of their songs from their upcoming album online;  both “Voodoo” and “Revenge” are awesome tracks and immediately had me hooked and wanting more.

Check them out Read more

Danny Brown takes us into the real Detroit in this Pitchfork.tv special. We follow Danny with his family, recording new music, performing at Dilla Day and much more. He has been on newsstands on the cover of The Fader’s spring style special and XXL’s Freshman issue.  The mc has also been featured on NBC’s Late Night With Carson Daly and “certified” by MTV2′s Sucker Free, with appearances at SXSX, Bonnaroo, and even showing up unscheduled at Coachella this year. He has also embarked on a sold-out spring tour of North America with Childish Gambino. The Detroit emerging star’s album XXX was named Best Rap Album of 2011 by Spin. Check out this mini 20 minute doc.

The 9th annual Rock The Bells hip-hop fest has released its 2012 lineup announcement. Originally beginning in 2004 in San Bernardino, this year it will consist of two-day events at NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, California (8/18-8/19), Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California (8/25-8/26) and PNC Bank Arts Center in Homdel, New Jersey (9/1-9/2). Scheduled to appear are:

Kid Cudi
Wiz Khalifa
Mac Miller
Missy Elliott and Timbaland
Method Man and Redman
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Yelawolf
Lupe Fiasco
Kendrick Lamar
Atmosphere
ASAP Rocky
Dipset
Ice Cube
Slick Rick
Dom Kennedy
Naughty By Nature
Big Daddy Kane
Immortal Technique
2 Chainz
Murs
Schoolboy Q
Prodigy

Hello all, it’s been a while since we did a themecast, so I figured we’d do two to get it right. The first person to name the common theme in volume four to all three of the songs played will win $5 Amazon cash via email!

Press play!

Hello all, it’s been a while since we did a themecast, so I figured we’d do two to get it right. The first one (volume three) should get us warmed up. The first person to name the common theme to all three of the songs played will win $5 Amazon cash via email!

Press play!

Probably the most talked about record of the year, comes to us from former White Stripes, The Raconteurs and Dead Weather front man, Jack White. Only for our Canadian users, We’ve got two CDs and one vinyl copy of the album that we can send over to three lucky winners.

Be sure to check out the video for Jack White’s new single, “Sixteen Saltines” here:

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