Author Archives: David A. Cobb

For those interested, you can hear the new System of a Down song by clicking here.

Enjoy.

CNN has a great list of the best compilations. One of my favorites, Echo & The Bunnymen, tops the list. Click here for the list.

There’s a lot of good recommendations. Spend that Christmas dough!

The Cure
Three Imaginary Boys (Deluxe Edition) 2-CD set
Rhino Music

Since the early Eighties, completists have been paying top-dollar for imports, expanded singles collections, and colored vinyl. I own a poorly recorded 2-LP Faded Roots bootleg, and paid more than $20 for the then-import-only CD of Echo & The Bunnymen’s Songs To Learn & Sing back in the Eighties. With the advent of the World Wide Web, and the fact that that my childhood has become nostalgia and several of today’s bands are covering–and often ripping off–bands I loved as a teen, today it’s not terribly difficult to find unreleased songs and albums.

Lately, Rhino Music has been branching out from their early K-Tel-like compilations and TV theme collections. Their recent boxsets for Joy Division, Echo & The Bunnymen, and The Cure, not to mention the Seventies punk box set (No Thanks!) and this year’s Eighties alternative set (Left of the Dial) set new standards for compilations so it is really no wonder they chose to release an expanded edition of The Cure’s 1979 debut, Three Imaginary Boys.

By the time The Cure made any real dent in the U.S. music scene, they already had 10 years and almost as many albums under their belts. Their continued success–the band now plays amphitheater and stadium gigs–is a testament to Robert Smith’s ability to write heartfelt songs that are poppy enough for the mainstream and dark enough for the underground. It’s their odd combination of pop and gothic melodies that keeps the audiences coming back after all these years.

Originally available in the U.S. as an import, Three Imaginary Boys shows The Cure developing their sound during their youth. Compared to the band’s later work, the songs are innocent and raw. Most of the songs weigh in at under three minutes, and none is longer than four minutes–a vast contrast to the band’s more recent work, much of which hovers at six or more minutes.

This new expanded two-disc set includes the original album, remastered of course, and also includes a disc of The Cure’s rarities from the same period, including six previously unreleased songs. Highlights of the set include their live cover of Hendrix’s “Foxy Lady,” and their early classics like “Accuracy,” “Fire in Cairo,” and “Grinding Halt.” Included among the rarities are several demo versions (both home and studio, depending on the song) of “Boys Don’t Cry,” and “10:15 Saturday Night,” the non-album tracks “Jumping Someone Else’s Train” and “Boys Don’t Cry,” a few studio outtakes (including “Play With Me” and “Faded Smiles”), and early live versions of “Accuracy,” “10:15 Saturday Night,” and “Subway Song.”

The set contains a booklet with new liner notes written by Johnny Black and also includes previously unpublished photos from Smith’s personal collection (sans makeup). The concert photos of the band from their early days is an excellent addition to the set, but certainly more information and photographs could have been included. The music of Three Imaginary Boys is stellar, however, and that’s what really counts. Even 25 years later, the album hints at what The Cure was to become, and proves that their timeless music hasn’t lost its edge.

–David A. Cobb

Duffy Note: When one of the people running for president (Green candidate David Cobb) shares the same name as one of the writers to this site (Houston‘s David A. Cobb), we just had to send him ten questions to answer. This is not a political endorsement, this is only us capitalizing on a humorous situation. We will be asking other candidates (who do not share our names) to answer ten questions as well.

In this election year, I am sure you’re already sick to death of politics–I know I am. But with massive movements underway attempting to thwart the re-election of the current president by organizations like MoveOn and the participation of many respected musicians, it’s getting to be a pretty hard thing to ignore.

Normally I try to steer clear of all things political, but this time I couldn’t resist. By now, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the Green Party. You know–Ralph Nader, support for the environment, etc. You may have heard of this third-party candidate running for president in this year’s election. The man’s name: David Cobb.

See, I told you I couldn’t resist.

Green Party candidate David Cobb was recently in Houston. I was able to get him to answer a few questions for donewaiting via email.

Thanks to Blair Bobier, media coordinator for the Cobb campaign, for his assistance.

Ten Questions for Presidential Candidate David Cobb

HC: What did you think of the documentary Fahrenheit 9/11?

David Cobb: I thought it was a good film that documents how the working poor and people of color are exploited to bear the brunt of military service. If anyone thinks that foreign or military policy would be any different under a Kerry presidency, they’re wrong.

donewaiting: Pro-life or pro-choice?

DC: Choice.

donewaiting: If elected president, what would you do about the situation in Iraq?

DC: Get our troops out of there as quickly as they can be transported.

HC: What do you think should (or can) be done to “heal” the United States’ relationships with foreign countries?

donewaiting: We have to have an honest foreign policy which is based on human rights, human dignity and the protection of workers and the environment. We have to stop supporting corrupt, brutal dictatorships–both at home and abroad. Green foreign policy focuses on cooperation, respect and diplomacy. For a fraction of what we spend on misguided military adventures, we can support other nations with the technology to produce food and non-polluting renewable energy.

donewaiting: The Green Party is the electoral arm of the movement for social justice, nonviolence, ecological wisdom and grassroots democracy. Ten Key Values form the basis of the Green Party of the United States. Which of the key values do you consider most important to you?

DC: They are all interconnected. The worldwide Green movement is based on the four pillars of peace, social and racial justice, genuine democracy and environmental protection.

donewaiting: Are you a member of “Skull & Bones”? The Masons? Would you join such an organization if given an opportunity? Why or why not?

DC: I am not a member of nor do I believe in secret societies designed to rule secretly.

donewaiting: Your website states you think that “every person in the United States must have complete and timely access to health care and medicine.” How you propose to accomplish this?

DC: Single payer health care is the answer. It is how Canada and European countries provide health care to each one of their citizens at a fraction of the cost of the broken American system. Single payer cuts out the role of the price-gouging insurance companies in providing health care.

donewaiting: You come from a religious upbringing and have a background in law. How do you (or do you) separate these from your political views?

DC: I am not what you would call a religious person but my spiritual beliefs do play a role in my political views in terms of respect for all people and the planet on which we depend for our survival. As a lawyer, I know that the legal system is designed to protect the property rights of the wealthy elite instead of protecting the human rights of all our citizens. We need a movement to challenge this corporate takeover of our legal and poltical systems.

donewaiting: If you do not win the election, which candidate would you rather see in power–George W. Bush or John Kerry?

DC: The people have the power. As far as the Oval Office occupant goes, John Kerry is a corporatist and a militarist. But as bad as he is, Bush is worse.

donewaiting: What is your campaign song? Your favorite Texas musician?

“Fortunate Son” by CCR. Joe Ely.

Special thanks to presidential candidate David Cobb for taking the time to answer these questions for donewaiting. For more information on his campaign, click here.

Note: donewaiting.com does not endorse any political candidate. Additionally, we’ll be asking the other presidential candidates to answer ten questions.

Courtney Love won’t have to worry about paying her attorneys for all of her legal troubles.

Courtesy of Billboard.com:

Although a label spokesperson declined to confirm specifics, Universal Music Enterprises will release a three-CD boxed set from Nirvana in November. Limited editions of the project will include a DVD, which boasts footage of the Kurt Cobain-led band playing at a 1987 house party. (full story)

DUFFY SAYS: More details here.

You should be.

Click here to read more information on this great band out of San Francisco.

This just in:

“This is Robert from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

As of 5 days ago it’s official, we are free free free from Virgin Records. We’ve been fighting to get out of our record contract for the last 6 months and are sorry we couldn’t tell anyone about this but it was a very delicate thing that we didn’t ever want to become ugly. There are many reasons we wanted to leave Virgin but instead of going into that, and digging up the past, we’d rather just look forward.

We’re going back to basics, when things felt right and we did things more ourselves. This is actually the greatest day in our bands somewhat short history. We have many plans for what we’re going to do next and how and who with we’re gonna release our records.

The only thing that there is not to celebrate right now is that our 3rd single “In Like The Rose” could possibly fall between the cracks in all of this. We’re trying to get help from outside promoters to get the single out there but it’s hard.

The support you give us now though is what we really need. Just calling up your radio station or whatever in the city you live in and asking to play the song is a big deal. I know it sounds like a pitch or whatever but the song means more to us than anything and we want it to be heard.

I guess I don’t know what else to say right now. We’re almost half way through this U.S. tour with The Rapture and it’s going really well. Oh, and as a lot of people know being off a major record label can be crippling to tours and band’s can lose all tour support and funding. But we never had tour support anyway and we’ve always found ways to get by, so we’ll see you soon.”

Wow. Pretty cool in my opinion.

From Billboard.com:

The Pixies will make every show from their upcoming 15-date North American tour available for sale immediately after the performance, Billboard.com can reveal. The group will be touring with a recording truck from DiscLive that will press a limited run of 1,000 CDs per show (2,000 for the May 1 performance at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif.). The double-CD sets will sell for $25 at the venue or $22 if they’re pre-ordered through DiscLive’s Web site. (full story)

I am not sure this is more important than Warrant breaking up, but I wanted to post this before I forget it. Resonance Magazine online has an interesting article/interview with Thom Yorke.

View it here.

Former indie babe Liz Phair is the source of much talk lately concerning her new album and the accompanying image change.

Like it or not, Phair is getting much more promotion than it seems like she’s received in the past. Chances are it’ll die away soon. But for now, she is touring in support of her new album (the one with the sexy pose and the guitar on the front). Yeah, that one.

Both Billboard and Rolling Stone have articles about Phair on their websites today, and now, so does Donewaiting.

Sondre Lerche and Jason Mraz are opening all shows except the last two concerts in Chicago (zzzzz). Phair is also playing on the Jimmy Kimmel show and at Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park as a part of Aquafina’s On the Bricks summer concert series, which will feature Hootie & the Blowfish, Tonic, and the Clarks.

Who?

Anyway, the new album’s first single, “Why Can’t I?,” was co-produced and co-written with the Matrix (who made Avril Lavigne’s career) and is No. 20 on Billboard’s Adult Top 40 chart this week.

Phair told Billboard: “This album represents me trying to get the voice of an authentic woman where young girls will hear it. I feel very frustrated with music and women and their role. I hope to God I can take my name at the end of this and make my own little recordings, but nobody made me do anything. If you hate this, point at me.”

I am sure many fingers are cranked in her direction.

More discussion can be found here. Enjoy.

Now Playing: Mogwai: Happy Songs for Happy People (you need to own this one)