Swollen Members

A great week for all you hip-hop heads. Out now in stores are highly anticipated releases like the debut from Lupe Fiasco, DJ Shadow (only his 3rd proper album in 10 years), and a video game soundtrack produced by Dan The Automator featuring an all-star cast of MC’s.

Live in town, Shadow is playing 2 gigs with Quannum partner Lateef opening, Nike’s popular Run Hit Remix event at the Coliseum sports some blasts from hip-hop’s past, avant jazz-funk trio MMW gets nasty at the Fonda, trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack headline the Bowl following TV On The Radio, and Guns ‘n Roses headline KROQ’s Inland Invasion.

As far as sounds coming out of Crack Alley studios, check out Squeak E. Clean’s own Jack Catlin (aka DJ Knewjack) spinning Friday at Santa Monica’s newest bar Nocturnal along with Johnny Octane, whom some of you might recognize from our MDR loft parties (more on that later). And last week I forgot to mention the new record from Canadian hip-hop group Swollen Members, featuring the Squeak E. Clean-produced “Go To Sleep” with frequent vocal collaborator Barbie Hatch, set to be the second single. It’s an awesome track on a great album that also features Mix Master Mike (of Beastie Boys & Invisibl Skratch Piklz), Everlast, Ghostface (of Wu-Tang Clan), DJ Babu & Evidence (of Dilated Peoples), the Alchemist, Mr Vegas, and more!

Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys

I woke up Wednedsay morning feeling like the cold I had been distancing myself from for the past 2 weeks had crept back into my bed and made itself at home. I debated whether I should go out later that night. But then, I had tickets to The Black Keys sold out show at The Troubadour, one of my favorite live acts of the past few years.

I should have known once we snagged a free parking spot across from the club a minute before showtime that we were in for a miraculous night. One lick into Dan Auerbach & Patrick Carney’s fuzzy blues revival and I was cured. Blind men blinked as the house lights flashed. Crutches were flung into the air. A resurrected Jim Morrison offered to buy me a drink but I told him my ice water had already turned to PBR. I wanted to do 2 things as soon as the show got out: play some guitar and write Hijinks.

So if you missed their free show at Amoeba Tuesday or their gig at The Troubadour last night, grab a copy of their brand new album “Magic Potion”, one of your cool leper buddies, and head on down to the Avalon tonight. It just might save your life.

A bevy of veteran artists are in town this week, ranging from Willie Nelson, 311, Tool, and The English Beat. But the most rare and welcome stage appearances come from a pair of hip-hop icons: A Tribe Called Quest, one of the most popular groups of the 90’s who have put their beefs aside to begin touring again, and Rakim, the reclusive 80’s rapper whom many consider the greatest MC to ever grab a mic.