Ask Dale Watson if he can spare any change and you just might get lucky. Such was the case for one fan, April 22 at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix when Watson and his Lone Stars took to the stage for a typical marathon performance. Watson is the cowboy with no cowboy hat. His boots, plain black with no frills, have the high gloss of paten leather. You won’t find him wearing one of those god-awful, garish “cowboy” shirts so popular on the Nashville scene. Nope, Watson prefers a simple shirt with his signature black leather vest and thigh length top-coat. And then there is the guitar. A Fender Telecaster to be exact with some modifications. Coins are glued all around the body and on this night in Phoenix, one fell off and was offered to an unsuspecting audience member, “Hey buddy, spare a buck?” Hailing from the great state of Texas, where everything is larger including the performances, Watson and the band started the show a bit on the early side, hitting their first song at the 8:05 pm mark. To the unknowing fan, one could assume that they were in for a typical hour or so set, leaving the bar ‘round 9:30 or so and safely in bed by ten. Wow, these country music fans are a bunch of fuddy-duddies right? Not so fast my man, Watson and his gang shut the place down, and for the most part, the audience hung in there with them. Steeped in country music history as well as more than ten albums of his own, Watson maintains a library of songs at his immediate disposal ensuring each night is a bit different, each show a bit unique, and when the calls from the audience come, he and the band are ready. Throughout the evening, audience members called out their favorite Watson tune and the band obliged. At one point, Watson had to stop and put the requests in order as they flew at him fast and furious; the audience had caught a groove. That's not to say Watson didn't have some idea's of his own as he featured several tracks from his recent Cradle to the Grave and a couple times told the audience he would play their request after he did "this" song. Often, there’s a disconnect between the artist’s recorded material and the live performance. Not so here. Watson’s golden baritone rumbled out of his microphone as clear as any recording and the band of Gene Kurtz on bass, Don Don Pawlak on pedal steel guitar, Don Raby on the fiddle and Herb Belofsky on drums backed their band leader with an intensity and tightness that only comes from many years together in the back of the tour van. Watson and the band continue crossing the country through April then heading back to their home base of Texas for a month-long series of dates around the state. From there, a smattering of shows throughout the summer culminates in August with an appearance at Seattle’s fast rising arts and music festival, Bumbershot, Aug. 31. Watson’s shows don’t have the raucous feel of a Hank III show nor do they have the punk rock attitude that runs through many of the roots country acts on the road today. What they do have is a man with a golden voice singing honest songs about a place we all know about in such a way, with an open dance floor, you can slide your arm around the small of your darlin’s back, pull ‘em in close and tight and do a slow dance across time. Do yourself a favor, head over to Watson’s website and find a date near you.

I have a vivid memory of when I first heard Flotsam and Jetsam. It was spring of 1993. A group of friends went down to the riverfront following the senior prom to continue the party. While we were goofing around there in the late (early?) hours, a friend’s car had this music blasting from it. I asked him who it was; it sounded pretty good. Turned out to be Flotsam and Jetsam’s Cuatro, more specifically, it was the song “Swatting at Flies.” I would not go so far as to say it floored me, but it definitely had a good sound and stood out from much of what I was listening to. (I was stillon a grunge kick at the time). A couple of days later I picked up the cassette, and to date it remains the only Flotsam and Jetsam music I have ever heard. Why? I don’t know, perhaps that will change one day. Anyway, Metal Mind Productions is releasing a limited edition remaster with bonus materials in a digipak casing. It is limited to 2000 copies, so make sure you get it quick. Listening to Cuatro now, for the first time in many years, I am instantly reminded of how good this album is, not to mention my expanded experience likely helps me appreciate it more now than I ever did then. With the passage of time, now fifteen years removed from that initial listen, I must say that this album has aged well. It is a shame that they never achieved the stature of some of their metal brethren of the era, as this album displays excellent musicianship, strong songwriting, and a sound that can appeal to the thrash metal fan as well as the average radio listener. Cuatro definitely has a broad range of potential appeal. If you appreciate metal give this album a listen, you will not be disappointed. It is far from brutal and it is nowhere near the heaviest music you will ever hear, but looking for that here would be missing the point. Don’t get me wrong, there are some great head banging riffs to be found, just don’t expect Slayer. Flotsam and Jetsam is more like a cross-breed of thrash and power metal, containing the riffs but also containing a healthy dose of melody behind cleanly sung vocals. It is a sound that is as unique as it is comforting. It is a welcoming sound that invites you and keeps you hooked until the last note fades. It is difficult to boil down the best tracks, so many of them a really good. Seriously, the first five tracks are fantastic. Those first rate cuts are followed by a bit of a lull, although those songs are also quite good, before the quality amps back up for a strong finish. While this album is no different than any other in the existence of a lull, it is not something to be concerned about, as it is hard to remain at the level of the first five all the way through.page 1 | 2

The Guatemalan Handshake, starring Will Oldham, due on DVD Photo by Matt Jordan Surprise! Bonnie "Prince" Billy will release a brand new album next month on Drag City. Okay, so it’s not quite a zero-lead-time shocker on the order of Radiohead/Nine Inch Nails/The Raconteurs, but this being April 24, May is lurking just around the corner. We don’t have a set release date yet, however, or a tracklist. But we do know that the album is called Lie Down in the Light and it features a song called "So Everyone", a demo version of which can be heard below. Light is technically the proper follow-up to 2006’s The Letting Go, though bountiful Billy has snuck out a few discs since then, including live album Wilding in the West, demos collection Wai Notes, and covers extravaganza Ask Forgiveness. And April may be nearly out the door, but before it goes, we’ll get a DVD release of The Guatemalan Handshake. The Todd Rohal-directed 2007 feature-length film stars Will Oldham as a "human doormat" gone missing, with all sorts of hilarity ensuing. The DVD descends April 29 via Benten Films, and Will even pops up in some of the bonus behind-the-scenes footage. Finally, Bonnie "Prince" and his retinue will make diplomatic visits to Scandinavia, Germany, and Eastern Europe this summer. Bonnie "Prince" Billy: 06-16 Rimini, Italy - Strade Bleu Festival 06-18 Skopje, Macedonia - MNT 06-20 Belgrade, Serbia - Student Cultural Center 06-21 Zagreb, Croatia - Teatar ITD 06-22 Vienna, Austria - WUK Kulturzentrum 06-23 Prague, Czech Republic - Lucerna Music Bar 06-25 Helsinki, Finland - Tavastia 06-26 Tampere, Finland - Klubi 06-29 Oslo, Norway - Rockefeller 07-01 Dresden, Germany - Alter-Schlacthof 07-02 Berlin, Germany - Schiller Theater 07-04 Rudolstadt, Germany - Rudolstadt Festival 07-06 Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival 07-08 Copenhagen, Denmark - Tivoli Theatre

Run Level Zero hit the music scene running back in 2001 with their debut album, Symbol of Submission. By 2002, the band had been heralded as 'Best Newcomer of the Year' at the Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards. Four years after their last album, 2004's Walk The Psycho[Path], RLZ is back to give us Arctic Noise. Those nostalgic for industrial music’s heyday are going to love Arctic Noise. This album could have stood shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Tactical Neural Implant and Front By Front. But those days are behind us, and Run Level Zero has created a new standard. Arctic Noise has set itself up to be the yardstick that all industrial/EBM to follow will have to measure itself against. This is a tighter and more focused album than earlier efforts. Where RLZ may have once stood on uncertain ground, they now stand confidently. The opening track, “Black Cinder” takes a hold of you and gives you a good shake. By the third track “Hitting Ground”, it becomes apparent that the music isn’t going to loosen it’s grip on you anytime soon. It’s hard to sit still during this album. The energy seeps into you and seems to take control of your body, compelling you to move with the insistent beats. Contrasting that is “Lies Told,” which is slower than the previous tracks, but somehow more powerful because of it. Too often it happens that the music is sacrificed to emphasize the lyrics, or the other way around. Neither is compromised here. And the expert use of samples highlight the album in just the right spots. Run Level Zero has hit the nail squarely on the head. Beginning to end, Arctic Noise might be the industrial masterpiece of the year. For more information, visit Run Level Zero's official website. 

(Which in turn won the award for Best Award Name Ever.) "We made it and I'm really happy to be here," singer Perry Farrell said. The event was sponsored by British music magazine NME, which has been holding similar kudosfests in the U.K. since the 1950s. Video of the ceremony streamed live on MySpace last night. It was the first time Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Eric Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins had played a live gig together in 17 years. Jane's Addiction last played in December 2003, but Avery had refused to share a stage with the other three since 1991. Substitutes for him over the years have included Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Porno for Pyros' Martyn LeNoble. He was on the fence for awhile, but Avery finally decided about a week ago that he was up for the reunion, saying he liked the idea of honoring Jane's Addiction's past "instead of trying to recreate it." But as difficult as it may have been to let bygones be bygones after all that time, that singularly shaped NME Award—a clenched fist with an extended middle finger—made it all worthwhile. "I'm probably going to take this to my proctologist," joked Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, whose band won Best Album for their latest effort, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. Meanwhile, Jane's Addiction isn't the only once-lost group making beautiful music again. The pioneering hip-hop trio A Tribe Called Quest is planning a series of appearances on this summer's Rock the Bells tour, kicking off July 19 in Chicago. The group, which disbanded in 1998, will come on following founding member Q-Tip's solo performances in support of his upcoming new album, The Renaissance.

An accordion lay beneath a lone spotlight. Meanwhile, nine musicians stood onstage in solemn tribute, their backs turned from the audience as they looked up at a giant screen. To the soundtrack of “Blood Brothers” playing over the PA system, a video montage memorialized Danny Federici – founding member of the E Street Band – who’d died from cancer only six days earlier and whose funeral took place the day before. With the late musician’s usual station at the organ riser left vacant, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band commenced with “Backstreets,” its signature prelude – on this night – sounding ever like an elegy. “We swore we’d live forever,” Springsteen sang, wrenching in his delivery, as the song rumbled through its second refrain. Afterwards, Charles Giordano, who has stood in for Federici since his final full performance last November, gracefully took the stage to round out the band. As well, Patti Scialfa was on hand for the first time on this leg of the tour. His grief palpable, Springsteen summoned unwavering resolve and spirit to deliver a rock ‘n’ roll show for the ages. He revisited old haunts and old flames, nights on the neighborhood boardwalk, and souped-up cars that race in the streets. The ecstatic audience, which numbered over 16,000 strong, offered its collective empathy, condolence, and encouragement along the way. After barreling through the nostalgic rebellion of “No Surrender,” he dusted off “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy),” as pianist Roy Bittan played Federici’s iconic accordion part. “We better get this one right,” Springsteen said beforehand, smiling. “Someone’s watching.” He sustained the wistful mood with “Growin’ Up,” which he prefaced with the concession, “All right, one more fairy tale.” Wild and innocent sagas aside for a while, Springsteen tore into some of his darker, more intensive tracks, beginning with “Atlantic City,” its line that “Everything dies, baby, that’s a fact” feeling prescient under the circumstances. He yielded the focus on “Because The Night” to Nils Lofgren, who commandeered a blazing guitar solo. Not stopping between songs, Springsteen descended into “Darkness On The Edge Of Town” before the erotic throb of “She’s The One” raised the proverbial roof. In the midst of reminiscence and revival, Springsteen made room for some Magic in the night. “Is there anybody alive out there?” he howled as he ripped into “Radio Nowhere” with a vengeance and a shredding guitar. He plowed through “Gypsy Biker” with stark venom in his voice while, on “Long Walk Home,” he led the audience in echoing its poignant chorus. Harmonica at the ready, he ushered in “The Promised Land” – as Clarence Clemons consummately wailed on the saxophone – setting the pace for a solid conclusion to the main set. With his wife by his side, he played a particularly touching version of “Brilliant Disguise,” a song seldom performed yet beautifully done so here. And in one of the most thrilling selections of the show, he sang “Racing In The Street,” his voice weary yet resilient as the music ascended from a solo piano to a full-band arrangement. With “Badlands” and “Out In The Street,” both anthemic as always, the Boss brought the set to its vigorous climax. “Thanks for helpin’ us through,” he said appreciatively to the audience upon his and the band’s return to the stage. With everyone reconvened for the encore, they played a lively, bluegrass version of the inspirational chestnut, “I’ll Fly Away,” in special honor of Federici. To a seismic response from the crowd, Springsteen then directed the band to play “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),” which a fan had requested with a sign near the stage (that he later autographed and returned to its joyful owner). From there, he powered through “Born To Run” with the house lights on, rocking that classic like it was his latest smash. He kept the momentum going with “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” before shuffling into “American Land,” which brought this emotional and triumphant concert to a close in grand style. This, ladies and gentlemen, is how they send off a friend on E Street.

What acclaimed, Oscar-nominated director does Peter Jackson have in his “pocketses”? It’s no longer a great riddle worthy of those “tricksy hobbitses,” with news Thursday (April 24) that “Hellboy” helmer Guillermo del Toro has signed on to direct two new features in J.R.R. Tolkien’s expansive legendarium: “The Hobbit” and a yet-untitled sequel that will take place during the 60 years between the end of that book and the beginning of “The Lord of the Rings.” The announcement, first reported in Variety, comes after months of negotiations between Del Toro, Jackson and New Line Cinema. For his part, Del Toro has seemed positively giddy over the prospect of stepping into Jackson’s shoes, telling MTV News this past weekend at New York Comic Con that he was eagerly awaiting an announcement so he could begin work on the adaptation. According to the trade magazine, Del Toro will move to New Zealand for the next four years, where he will film the two flicks back-to-back while working closely with Jackson and his Wingnut and WETA Digital production teams. He’ll no doubt also be joined by many more familiar faces. Over the past year, nearly all the actors from the original trilogy, including Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin and Elijah Wood, have told MTV News of their wish to return to Middle-earth for a “Fellowship of the Rings” prequel. More recently, Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf, expressed his wish to reprise the role on his personal blog. “The Hobbit” follows Bilbo Baggins in his quest to help a band of dwarves recapture a hoard of stolen treasure from the dragon Smaug. In the course of their many adventures, Bilbo stumbles upon the One Ring, a physical projection of the Lord Sauron’s evil and manages to steal it from the unsuspecting Gollum. The second film’s focus is anyone’s guess, as Tolkien himself wrote very little of the time between “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings,” save for some backstory in various appendices. It would most likely center on Aragorn, as he grows up among the elves, befriends Gandalf and begins his quest to protect the hobbits as a Ranger. It is not known at this time whether Ian Holm, who played Bilbo in “LOTR,” will return for these two sequels. Check out our picks for who should be in “The Hobbit,” and weigh in on whether Holm should return on the MTV Movies Blog. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Dierks Bentley’s Greatest Hits: Every Mile A Memory gives little doubt as to the contents. While not a comprehensive list by any means (some are left out, which any fan would recognize), several are easily recognized from concert and radio promotions. "What Was I Thinkin'" jumped out as one example. This fun loving tune of a guy losing all common sense in order to be involved with a girl is a delight to hear. With a nod to bluegrass, the notes bounce along so they can keep up with the lyrics. Perhaps the best known is "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)". This carefree tune tells of someone not bound by rules, but who makes his own during his travels through life. Even though this is also the shortest song, it's memorable. A strong beat awakens one's senses and lets one know something magical is about to happen. My only quibble is the backup singers - Dierks is so strong vocally that he drowns others out. Speaking of backup problems, "Trying to Stop Your Leaving" might have been better without any at all. This is one of the slower pieces, and so could have stood on voice and guitar alone. Saying goodbye when not really wanting to is hard enough without others joining in. "How Am I Doin'" takes the opposite approach. A guy receives a call from a girl who cheated on him. He couldn't be happier, since he gets a chance to say how great it is to not be encumbered any longer. This song reminded me of Toby Keith singing "How Do You Like Me Now?" in the bleachers to the girl who didn't look at him twice during school years. Oops! "Long Trip Alone" was a unique recording. Someone wants a companion to head through life with, and lets her know about it. For some reason, the first thing I thought of when listening was a person trying to be set free from an addiction. This makes the song much more poignant. Overall, this CD has something for everyone. Slow songs for those who could not envision life without romance. Faster tunes that will appeal to people who require a faster beat which sets their toes to tapping. As a special bonus, five songs are included from a live concert. Two songs are familiar to Bentley fans, while the other three are there simply for the enjoyment.

To celebrate its 25-year anniversary, UK dance monthly Mixmag brought the “25 biggest names in electronic music” together for a truly iconic cover shoot. The staggering cast includes Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim, Basement Jaxx, LCD Soundsystem, The Prodigy, Moby, Mylo, Richie Hawtin, Roisin Murphy, Dizzee Rascal, Paul van Dyk, Goldie, Sven Vath, Felix Da Housecat, Erick Morillo, Sasha, Faithless, Underworld and more. �?Surely they’ve all been Photoshopped in,’ we hear you say. Well, the video below tells another story: Mixmag actually got all these people in the same room. It’s enough to make even the most casual dance fan a little hot under the collar. And, instead of an almighty clash of egos, it actually looks like they had some fun. It’s got to be said, though: “the 25 biggest names in electronic music” aren’t looking so fresh-faced anymore. Mixmag’s 25th birthday issue is out now – featuring the star-studded fold-out cover in all its glossy glory. Now check out what went down at the cover shoot. Here Australia’s new favourite party Trojan Sven Vath talks up his long career in dance music. Underworld’s Karl Hyde reflects on the �?then’ and the �?now’. The Prodigy on early house records and never wanting to come down. RSS del.ici.ous Digg Facebook

Well known as the guitarist of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, Tom Morello also performs solo as The Nightwatchman, a folk music act reminiscent of and influenced by artists such as Woody Guthrie and early Bob Dylan. For two weeks in seven cities the “Justice Tour” will have Morello participating in a day of local social activism. The focus of each stop will be homelessness (Los Angeles); addiction recovery (New York), safe, secure, and affordable housing (New Orleans); a living wage (Asheville); peace and veterans care (Washington, DC); affordable healthcare (Boston); and labor organizing (Chicago). The local organizations partnering with the tour are People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), Road Recovery, Sweet Home New Orleans and Amnesty International, Just Economics, Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), HealthCare-Now, and Service Employees International Union (SEIU). To help draw attention to his work, Morello and assorted friends are performing concerts in each city at the cost of $10, except for the New York date. Proceeds from each show benefit the local social justice partner. The Los Angeles show had an amazing line-up that sounds unbelievable to me even though I witnessed it. The three-hour show was very relaxed as the artists causally walked on and off stage and many delivered stunning performances in the small confines of the legendary Troubadour club. Morello as The Nightwatchman played “Flesh Takes The Day” on acoustic guitar, “St. Isabel” on drum and harmonica, and followed up his much-talked-about recent performances of “Ghost of Tom Joad” with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band the week before in Anaheim with an acoustic rendition. He then brought out the house band for Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son.” The first musical guest to join Morello on stage was drummer Stewart Copeland. They played two Police tracks with Carl Restivo on vocals. They started with “So Lonely,” which not only drove the crowd wild, but also Perry Farrell who hopped on stage to join in the chorus. After “Message In A Bottle,” the stage was given to individual performers. Pete Yorn played a couple songs, Jerry Cantrell played one, and Wayne Kramer played two silly songs, closing with a jazzy number about writer Charles Bukowski. Larger line-ups began to fill the stage. State Radio, an up-and-coming band with a rock/reggae sound, played three songs. Guitar whiz Steve Vai took the stage with the house band and played two brilliant instrumentals. Cantrell and Flea watched from the sidelines and were equally in awe of the sounds Vai made as was the audience. When musicians are impressed, you know you witnessed something spectacular. Farrell, his wife Ety, and Restivo are the remaining members of Satellite Party. They performed over recorded material, including weird-sounding dance versions of Jane’s Addiction’s “Been Caught Stealing” and “Stop” that only became recognizable from the lyrics. While I hesitate finding fault with anyone who gives their time to charity, the songs didn't sound good, made even more evident when Dave Navarro, Flea, and Travis Barker joined Farrell for Jane’s “Mountian Song. ” The crowd went nuts for the classic Jane’s sound, and even Farrell seemed more inspired performing in front of it.  They set the music bar very high.page 1 | 2