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  EMILY ZEMLER  

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Is Green Day ready to make a new album? Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has revealed that the band has begun working on new songs.
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In a series of tweets this morning, Armstrong said, “Ok here’s the scoop. GD has been jamming new songs everyday. There’s a ton of new songs. The direction is fresh and hi energy. Feels great.” He added, “I don’t want to give away too much but just know that me mike tre and Jason are collaborating and having the best time playing music. And that’s not bullshit!!”
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  JONAH BAYER  

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Panic! At The Disco frontman Brendon Urie is a pretty hardcore dude. He proved it on Sunday night at a show in Pompano Beach, Florida, when he broke his ankle attempting to climb onstage after interacting with the crowd, yet still managed to finish the show without crying or complaining. (Sadly we don’t think we could say the same if this ever happened to us).
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Once back onstage, Urie took off his boot and sock to in order to show the crowd his injury, saying, “there’s like a softball in my ankle.” He went on to poke fun at his injury, saying, it’s like “my grandma’s goiter,” yet still managed to go straight into an impassioned version of “That Green Gentleman” and continue the set without further interruptions. You can view video of those moments here.
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  EMILY ZEMLER  

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Sony has reportedly signed hip-hop newcomer Kreayshawn for a reported $1 million. The Oakland rapper has been gaining attention for a few months now and caught the eye of numerous major labels with the release of her video for “Gucci Gucci.”
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Kreayshawn is part of the White Girl Mob crew along with her sister V-Nasty and DJ Lil Debbie and released a mixtape earlier this year called Kittys X Choppas. She previously shot music videos for local rappers, including Lil B.
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The rapper recently did an interview with Complex, in which she discussed her pending Sony deal. Although reports say she signed, Kreayshawn has yet to officially confirm the news herself. “Nothing is finalized yet,” she told Complex. “But we’ve definitely been taking a whole bunch of meetings for the past week. We took meetings with every label. They’re not the only people we met with,” she said of Sony. “We’ll make an announcement when everybody is ready, but right now, that’s basically just a rushed ahead rumor. It’s not that exciting. Whatever we end up choosing, it’s going to be a well-thought out decision.”
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Photo courtesy of James Bailey/KEXP
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Text By: Mikela Floyd
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When a festival enters its fourth day, it becomes more of an endurance test than anything else. Have you gotten enough sleep and paced yourself adequately to ensure that you’ll enjoy the last day to its full potential? For most people, the answer is probably not, but alas, the soldiers of Sasquatch! powered through.
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We made our way to the grounds at about 1, ready to catch a set from the awesome alt-country pioneers Old 97’s, who always put on an awesome live show. This semi-early set was no exception, as Rhett Miller, Murray Hammond and crew put on an epic and highly energetic performance, which included songs from their latest effort, The Grand Theatre, Vol 1, as well as classic tracks like “Timebomb” and “Stoned.” A perfect start to what was sure to be a long final day.
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Following another self-imposed break (hey, these recaps don’t write themselves, you guys…) we headed out to catch an awesome acoustic set from The Decemberists, sponsored by the awesome folks at Red Laser. We caught the last song from buzz band Foster the People (more on them later,) and the crowd was definitely digging their track “Pumped Up Kicks.” After a LENGTHY sound check, Colin Meloy, Jenny Conlee (currently battling breast cancer) and Chris Funk took the stage for a short-but-sweet acoustic set, which included three tracks from their newest album, The King Is Dead.
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After a pleasant taste of folk from The Decemberists, we were ready to get a little funky, with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. We made our way to the front of the stage (the only place to catch a Sharon show, in this writer’s opinion) and were utterly awestruck with the performance. Sharon pours it on, in a big way, every time she puts the mic up to her lips. In addition to soulfully belting it out, Mrs. Jones can shake it. Big time. She even did her own dance move montage, showcasing her expertise with “The Jerk,” “The Swim,” and many more. A highlight for the crowd was when she pulled a young Canadian hipster onstage to serenade him, neon sweatshirt and all. Many would blush at the opportunity, but young Patrick really embraced the opportunity to showcase his dance moves. He had pretty good moves for a white guy!
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  EMILY ZEMLER  

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Hip-hop legend Gil Scott-Heron died on Friday, May 27, 2011 in New York City. The poet and musician, aged 62, passed away at St. Luke’s Hospital after becoming sick when he returned from a European trip.
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Scott-Heron, known as the Godfather of Rap, inspired numerous artists, including Public Enemy and Kanye West. He released 15 albums in 31 years, 10 of which were with longtime collaborator Brian Jackson, and published five books of poetry and fiction. Scott-Heron was known for his politically-charged music and spoken word pieces, such as well-known piece “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.”
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The musician, who was born in Chicago and lived in New York City for most of his life, struggled with drug addiction for many years. He served two years in prison in 2001 for cocaine possession and returned to jail in 2006 for a parole violation. According to New York Magazine, who interviewed the artist about his supposed comeback in 2008, Scott-Heron was also HIV-positive.
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