In an age of on-demand everything, it’s hard to remember that not so long ago, you couldn’t buy a Ramones T-shirt at your local big box chain store. (more…)

William Fields started having visions of alien spirits when he was seven years old and living in a house with his mother and grandparents in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. (more…)

Independent record label Young God Records has signed acoustic folk-bluegrass band Fire On Fire, some members of which were previously incarnated as noisy art-punk project Cerberus Shoal. The five-piece group makes its debut with a five-song EP only available online or on tour. (more…)

To hell with hyperbole! It isn’t a stretch to cite gifted genre amalgamators Estradasphere as a model of near perfection in both technical proficiency and compositional excellence. (more…)

Bob Colacello, one of the most creative biographical writers of his time, has released a collection of his photographs from his time as the editor of Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine (1971-1983). (more…)

Experimental singer/songwriter Jarboe (shown left) and Justin K. Broadrick, founding member of ambient/noise-rock act Jesu, have joined forces as J2. The duo has an album set for Spring 2008 on The End Records. (more…)

My Bloody Valentine frontman Kevin Shields has confirmed his influential band’s reunion and forthcoming album. The critically acclaimed group also announced 2008 UK tour dates — for which tickets went on sale today and already sold out in London, Manchester, and Glasgow — with All Tomorrow’s Parties. (more…)

Schubas Tavern in Chicago is hosting its annual pop fest, Tomorrow Never Knows, for the fourth time. Running from January 16-20, the festival includes afro-beat eight-piece NOMO, acoustic songwriter John Vanderslice, prog-pop musician Bobby Conn, and indie rockers The Walkmen, Cloud Clout, Illinois, and White Rabbits. (more…)

Comic book writer/artist Jeffrey Brown’s latest work, Incredible Change-Bots, is a comedic, romantic, action-packed tale of a war-torn planet full of robots that can turn into vehicles. An homage to Transformers, the book chronicles two groups of robots — the good Awesomebots and the evil Fantasticons — and their battles after their arrival on Earth. (more…)

Esteemed comedy troupe The Second City has announced its sixth-annual 24-hour benefit event, “The Second City That Never Sleeps: Letters to Santa,” which gives presents to needy children and families in Chicago for the holidays. The event takes place on December 4 at 7:00 PM and lasts for 24 hours. (more…)