Greenville's free alternative weekly

By Sean Rayford

The Athens-based Kindercore Records once steamed through the indie rock scene bringing us releases from bands like Of Montreal, Maserati and Dressy Bessy. Spin Magazine named the label the year’s “Indie Label to Watch” in 2000. Three years later Kindercore disappeared and it seemed as though the label was squashed in a poor business deal. On Monday, June 2 the label’s Web site announced, “We’re not dead, we were just resting.”

Formed in 1996 by Dan Geller (I Am the World Trade Center) and Ryan Lewis, the company was responsible for over 70 releases in seven years. The record label now returns to life as an “independent media label,” incorporating bands, comic book artists, analysts, T-shirt designers and humorists. To mark the rebirth of Kindercore, the label has organized a party at the Caledonia Lounge in Athens Aug. 18. The event will include the new roster, DJs, an art show, and some “surprises from the past.”

FIRST BLACK CROSSLPIN FOUR YEARS

Busting out from the influences of ‘90s D.C. hardcore, the Louisville dudes from Black Cross will be releasing a new record, Severance Pays, following their long hiatus.

The record will be available on Auxiliary Records (founded by the Patterson brothers) and is currently available for pre-order at www.shirtkiller.com NEWWEEZERRECORDINTHEWORKS It has been over two years since Weezer released Make Believe, but head honcho Rivers Cuomo recently announced some progress on new material from the band.

“Weezer is just polishing up a batch of songs for a recording session that is going to start at the beginning of July. This will be the final recording session for our 6th album, which we aim to put out in the first half of 2008. We hope you are all having good times,” he said. We’ll be having good times if you don’t write more songs like “Beverly Hills” and “We Are All on Drugs.”

LAST LOCK& KEY SHOW IN COLUMBIA “Mike Vera once said, ‘Sometimes you just gotta eat shit.’Everyday since then I’ve learned the [with] Movers and Shakers will be our last tour” reads the latest blog from Boston’s Lock & Key.

The Deep Elm band recently announced their farewell tour followed by a final studio album. The band’s last appearance in Columbia will be Friday, July 6 at the New Brookland Tavern to tickle the fancies of Hot Water Music fans and eventually strippers at Platinum Plus.

GALLOWS NOW THE LOUDEST BAND Kiss your “loudest band on the planet record” goodbye, Manowar. The guys in Gallows recently topped your 129.5 decibel record measuring in at 132.5 decibels on June 8 in Birmingham, Alabama.

The world record for noise produced by a guitar and bass stack was achieved using 12 heads (six Laney GH100Land six TT100H) running through 12 cabs (Laney TT412S). In case you were wondering, standing next to a jet engine results in a a decibel level of about 140.

TIMBALAND: TOO COOL Mega producer Timbaland has recently been talking from his throne of stardom about his plans for an early retirement because he is just too good for planet Earth. “Music is boring right now. I’m too innovative for the world. I’ve been doing it so long, I’m about to throw in the towel,” he told the U.K.-based Gigwise.

The producer best known for his work with Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z and Missy Elliott explained that once he mentors an up-and-coming producer to take over his position he will “decrown” himself. Pick me, dude!

PRINCE: FREE FOR WANKERS

On Sunday, July 1 subscribers of the British newspaper, The Mail were treated with a free copy of Prince’s new record Planet Earth. This really pissed off Sony BMG who has now decided to refuse to distribute the record in the U.K. The artist’s decision also perturbed English retailers.

“The Artist formerly known as Prince should know that with behavior like this, he will soon be The Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores,” said Paul Quirk co-chairman of the U.K.’s Entertainment Retailers Association in a recent keynote speech at the London Calling conference.