Friday, August 28, 2015

HockeyTalkter Records "Takes Off"


Back in December, Mike McCready found his own record label named after his son's name for a helicopter, Hockey Talkter.  He identified the focus to be on vinyl and digital singles.

Earlier this week, the website went live and is promising that a single by Mike's former Shadow and Rockfords bandmate(s) is on the way.  Keep your eyes peeled for One Wish, by Danny Newcomb & the Sugarmakers, with a b-side called Sundays.

For now, you can stream some singles that were previously unavailable in digital format.  Mike's collaboration with Brandi Carlile, Free Ride; Tonight the Lights Go Out by Mike's high school band, Shadow; River of Deceit by Mad Season; and a few others.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

One-of-a-Kind Skatedeck for Charity


Tony Hawk has partnered with Pearl Jam and several other musicians to create one-of-a-kind skateboards that will raise money for building new skate parks.
Professional skateboarder [...] Tony Hawk has partnered up with Ben Harper to create Boards + Bands, a fundraising initiative for Hawk’s eponymous foundation. Hawk hit up some of his skater buds, including Ryan Sheckler, Chad Ortiz and Nyjah Huston, to donate one of their boards and then pick one of their favorite songs. Harper then approached those musicians with one simple instruction: “Please write the lyrics to this skater’s favorite song on his skateboard, and we’ll use it to create more skateparks for kids.”
Pearl Jam (or more specifically, Jeff Ament) decorated a board used by Doug Saladino, which is currently going for half it's estimated value of $5000. If you'd like a shot at owning this board and supporting a great charity, you can bid here.

Friday, August 7, 2015

Mike McCready Honoring Iggy Pop and the Stooges This Month


KEXP is hosting a first-time-ever concert on the roof of Pike Place Market in Seattle on August 23rd.  It features Mike McCready, and it's free.  If you can get there, you'd be a fool to miss out.

Music fans will soon be able to enjoy year-round, exclusive live performances both inside and outdoors at KEXP’s New Home at Seattle Center—but it’s still under construction. As a nod to the extraordinary shows to come, KEXP is hosting a one-of-a-kind FREE concert at another local attraction, Pike Place Market, on Sunday, August 23 at 7:00PM.

RAW POWER KEXP features four Seattle music legends—Mike McCready (Pearl Jam, Mad Season), Duff McKagan (Guns n’ Roses, Velvet Revolver), Barrett Martin (Screaming Trees, Tuatara), and Mark Arm (Mudhoney)—performing songs of punk pioneers The Stooges on the Market rooftop.

This show marks the first time anyone has performed on the roof of Pike Place Market. RAW POWER will play directly underneath the iconic “Public Market Center” sign and clock where Pike Street and Pike Place meet. This concert is FREE and open to the public.
Donate to KEXP's efforts to build a new headquarters, and you can win VIP tickets which include an intimate pre-show dinner and VIP after party with the RAW POWER musicians and a select group of KEXP Groundbreakers and DJs, up to $1,000 in travel expenses and a signed, limited-edition event poster.