Won't You Be My Neighboor(hoods)?

So much to talk about, so little time.  This week we have news about Dave Grohl, Vans Warped Tour, Underoath, Weezer, The Devil Wears Prada, the much anticipated album review of Blink 182's Neighborhoods, and of course a good dose of deflation toward pop music.

They say celebrities die in threes, and as the week unfolded this could be found to be true.  Almost anyone who knows how to read has heard about Steve Jobs, but did you know that former Weezer bassist, Mikey Walsh, also passed away on October 8th?  Walsh played with the band from 1998 - 2001.  The band has commented on their Twitter page regarding the loss.

Jackson - Black or White?

As long as we are talking about deaths... can I take a minute to reflect on Michael Jackson?  Oh wait, it's my blog, you have to listen to me... HA!  Leaving all speculation regarding his reputation outside of the music industry (i.e. various legal battles and love children that may or may not exist) he did contribute quite a bit to modern music.  My problem is this, when his death happened a year ago, the entire media world was stuck on him.  Other major news events were happening, but all you heard about was the "King of Pop".  Is it right to overshadow the rest of the world because one man dies?  Especially one who is quite possibly trying to become a woman?  I mean look at the photo... I guess it really DOESN'T matter if he's black or white!

In the quick headlines of the week...

Dave Grohl rocking out!

Dave Grohl recently filled in on drums for Cage The Elephant.  The group is currently on tour with the Foo Fighters, but suffered a the loss of their drummer, who was sent to the emergency room for a burst appendix on October 11th.

The Devil Wears Prada has entered the multimedia realm with the reNlease of their new mobile game entitled Zombie Slay.  The idea came from their E.P, called Zombie. The app can be purchased for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch at the Apple App Store.

Vans Warped Tour has also published the tour dates for the 2012 tour. Check them out here.

Underoath, who played a show with Come Back Kid, and The Chariot on October 13th at the Chameleon Club, recently released the video for their song Driftwood. You can view the video below.

Lastly, simply because I don't care about the band, and I don't see how this is possible, My Chemical Romance may have leaked information about a new album coming out in 2012.  I would love to know how they are going to record a new project without a drummer.  I realize that studio musicians are available, but shouldn't you be focusing on finding a drummer whose not a thief first?

Now the moment you've all been waiting for.... The Blink 182 review!

Plainly said, I am ADDICTED to this album! Neighborhoods has not left my CD player since I bought the record.  When I first laid ears on it, I was skeptical, but it grew on me and now I can't stop.  As a drummer, I have always counted Travis Barker as one of my main influences, but I was not prepared for the audio onslaught that he gave me in this album.  Barker came out of the box in a big way for this latest record!  That is not to discount anything that Tom and Mark have done either, the entire record is a fantastic fusion of the old and new.  They set out to make a record that has pieces of everything they've done in it, and they succeeded.  Borrowing from the influences of Boxcar Racer, Plus 44, Angels & Airwaves, and their own older style, the album is a cornucopia of the members history as musicians. Tracks such as Up All Night, Ghost on the Dance Floor, and Hearts All Gone will be stuck in your head for days on end.  If you have ever been a fan of Blink 182, you NEED to pick up this album!  As always, you can find it at any major chain, Amazon, and iTunes.

Underoath Video: