Saw the Sahara Hotnights in SF last night. A pretty good show, even if the crowd didn't get that worked up. It seems like people just don't know the album well enough yet. The band sounded pretty raw and energetic and I went home happy. An interesting item of note: They had advance copies of a Jetset Records domestic U.S. release of their first album "C'mon Let's Pretend" for sale. I'm not sure of the actual release date for stores, but I highly recommend it and actually prefer it a bit over the newer one.

The new Hanoi Rocks album "Twelve Shots On The Rocks" will be released in Finland on November 28, December 2 in the rest of the Scandinavia, and December 4 in Japan.

Speaking of comebacks, Grave's new album "Back From The Grave" is set to come out January 28, 2003 on Century Media with European and North American tours to follow.

The Great Deceiver is already planning their next CD. The tentative title is "Terror Incognito" and they plan to enter the studio early next year. Expect a late spring or early summer release from Peaceville Records.

It seems that my earlier news about a domestic release for the Caesars Palace album "Cherry Kicks" was slightly off. The album to be released in the U.S. and U.K. will actually contain tracks from all 3 of their albums. The first single will be “Fun & Games" from "Cherry Kicks", to be followed by a U.K. tour with t(I)NC and Danko Jones in December (as stated here before). I fully expect this band to get huge - remember you heard it here first.

In case you haven't already heard, The Cardigans are hard a work on a new album after various members took solo outings, such as Nina's A-Camp and Magnus' Righteous Boy. The end result should be out by the end of the year with a tour to follow, naturally.

Carnal Forge is busy in the studio working on their fourth album.

P3 Swedish Radio has announced a new music prize for Swedish music. Winners will be decided by journalists as well as listeners. Categories include best female artist, male artist, group, pop, rock/metal and hiphop/soul. The event will take place on February 6, 2003 in conjunction with P3 Popstad in Växjö.

Reviews of the current TSOOL tour are starting to come in. Check em out: MTV.com / Boston Globe

Speaking of TSOOL, here's the article I mentioned yesterday that talks a bit about plans for the next album.

New music to your right. And hey, I even got those Sahara Hotnights mp3s up. An it's a trap! exclusive? It just may be!

No news to report today. You know something I don't? Let me know.

Hederos and Hellberg have decided to give it up. Here's the statement from their label Silence:

The great duo who started out as a cover project now call it a day. They don't have the time to combine all the projects they're involved in. An EP will be released in december and they'll play two gigs in Stockholm and Gothenburg. They'll also play one evening in Paris December 19.

Here's an article with more info, but it's in Swedish.

Founding member and bassplayer Nathias Lindh of Bombshell Rocks has left the band. Official statement at the band's website.

Kristofer Åström is the band of the week over at www.visions.de, homesite of German music magazine Visions.

Satyricon put up the final report from their recent Scandinavian tour. Check it.

I recorded today's Sahara Hotnights radio broadcast from Boston. Expect mp3s later this week.

Check out the Sahara Hotnights on WMBR in Boston during the program the Late Risers Club. The show airs Monday, October 28th between 10am and Noon Eastern Time. 88.1 FM for locals, www.wmbr.org for everyone else.

Sahara Hotnights are #3 on the CMJ Top 200 and the Flaming Sideburns have the CMJ album of the day. Check it out at www.cmj.com.