Month: May 2024

Eric Slick is a madman, and I mean that as the highest form of praise I can fathom. From his interview answers alone, you can glean the overall atmosphere of his latest solo record, New Age Rage. The Dr. Dog drummer, songwriter, and producer has indulged his most preposterous impulses to create an album steeped in psych-rock, ‘80s stadium pop, and delirious disco.

But even amid the unabashed bonkers-ness and bananas-ness of it all, there’s a scintillating glint of earnestness there. Across its 10 tracks, Slick explores the pitfalls of perfectionism, the comforts of time spent with the people you love, and the perils of people-pleasing. It’s all coated in a neon glaze of funky grooves and luxe synthesizers. Welcome to the new age rage, everyone.

Following the record’s release in late April, Eric Slick sat down with Uproxx to talk about Sarah Sherman, Pizza Hut, and getting the Dr. Dog logo tattooed on his leg in our latest Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Zesty, roasty, Flavortown, profane.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

I’d like to think that people will still be listening to it and that they’ll hear the joy in it. I truly love making music more than anything in the world. Sadly, what’s more likely is that people will be listening to Enron Sluck – an AI repo-baby who only sings about salsa filled diapers and the Illuminati. Can’t really beat a pyramid scheme.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

Mark Mothersbaugh. DEVO altered my brain in a way that I’ve never fully recovered from and I’m fine with that. I also went to see his art exhibit Myopia 3 times in two different cities. Plus, y’know, Pee Wee’s Playhouse. The list goes on.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life and what was it?

I had an all timer meal in Ferrera, Italy with Kevin Morby. It was a seared branzino. Second place goes to the vegan cheesesteak (with rutabaga cheese whiz?!) at Wiz Kidz. Natalie watched me cry.

Tell us about the best concert you’ve ever attended.

Dirty Projectors at First Unitarian Church with Vieux Farka Toure and Skeletons. Everything felt possible. Iggy Pop once said that great performances feel like flight and I think everyone at the show was flying.

What song never fails to make you emotional?

“Pure Imagination” from the Willy Wonka Soundtrack. There’s something about that melody/chord progression that burrows into my subcutaneous layer. I guess what I’m saying is if you’re sick in the head, you can put on that song to make me cry on command. That’s not very nice.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

“Is removing the back row of seats from a rental van illegal?”

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

Oof. Let’s just say it was at the house of a super fan. The night was already going horribly. I was so exhausted. The front of house engineer yelled at me for accidentally putting my amp down on one of his precious XLR cables. After I was done, I cried on a dumpster outside of the venue and then walked a few miles to emotionally eat a Pan Pizza from – you guessed it – Pizza Hut. Not even a good Pizza Hut, it was like a Pizza Hut kiosk in a strip mall. Anyway, I was not aware of the super fandom until I got to the house. They were playing my music on the stereo as I entered the house. I made my band leave after 3 hours of non-sleep because we needed an “oil change”.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform and what’s the city you hope to perform in for the first time?

I absolutely love playing shows in Chicago. There’s something really special about the attentiveness/rowdiness of the crowd. I’d love to perform anywhere in Japan or South America, specifically Brazil. I have a deep love for Brazilian music and I think they might get what I’m doing.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Don’t buy a pack of cigarettes the day you turn 18 just because you think it’s what you’re supposed to do. I tried smoking for one month and my friend Rachel saw me smoke a cigarette and she said, “Are you trying to smoke?” And then I realized that I am one of the few people who looks extremely uncool doing just about anything. One time I was growing a beard and my barber said “Are you trying to grow a beard?”. It devastated me.

What’s one of your hidden talents?

My Bill Callahan impersonation. I guess that’s not so hidden. I am really good at ice skating.

If you had a million dollars to donate to charity, what cause would you support and why?

I would donate to Creative Growth in Oakland. I watched a short PBS documentary about their program and I sobbed uncontrollably the whole time. They’re a non profit that showcases artworks from people with developmental disabilities. The work that they’re doing astounds me.

What are your thoughts about AI and the future of music?

Look, Enron Sluck is going to top the charts. I don’t make the rules.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location it would be held.

Björk, Robert Wyatt, BOREDOMS, P-Funk, and Sun Ra Arkestra. It would be in Philadelphia.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on social media?

I love Sarah Sherman because she’s fucking hilarious but clearly a visionary. I don’t think we have a chance at survival if we lose our sense of humor.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

Jesus Christ, you are gonna make me tell this story? I was having a rough year in 2015. I thought it would be a good idea to get the Dr. Dog logo tattooed on my leg. I was super anti-tattoo my entire life, like I’m some goddamn body purity weirdo, I thought it would be good to challenge my stubbornness and get a tat. The entire band was gonna come with me and potentially get the band logo tat as well. We played a sold out show at Stubbs in Austin and I ran offstage to go do the deed. No one from the band came with me to the parlor. The crew guys felt bad and started showing up one by one to hold my hand as I wriggled in pain. The Black Sabbath song “Fairies Wear Boots” played in the background while I was getting inked and it ended as soon as my tattoo was finished. I didn’t show anyone for 2 years and usually kept it hidden – until one Christmas my mom shrieked at me and said, “WHAT THE F*CK IS THAT?” and pointed at my leg. I was wearing sleep shorts and forgot to cover the tattoo.

What is your pre-show ritual?

Transcendental meditation for 20 mins and then usually some kind of caffeine.

Who was your first celebrity crush?

I know I’m not supposed to say Jessica Rabbit.

You have a month off and the resources to take a dream vacation. Where are you going and who is coming with you?

Natalie (duh) and we are going to freakin’ Japan bay-bee.

What is your biggest fear?

To be late for something important, especially during my album cycle.

New Age Rage is out now via Slick Records. Find more information here.

Camila Cabello’s upcoming album C, XOXO is now just a month away, as it’s set to drop at the end of June. As Cabello reveals in a new Billboard interview, the project should please Drake fans.

Cabello revealed that she and Drake were spotted in those much-discussed vacation photos because they were finishing a track together. She also divulged that she first reached out to Drake via Instagram DMs, saying, “He’s the f*cking GOAT, so it felt like shooting for the stars. I showed him the album when I felt comfortable enough and he really liked it. [The feature] came out of a non-transactional place. He had this idea of a song called ‘Hot Uptown,’ and it just felt like I was in the city. I was in Miami.”

Billboard describes the song as a “flirtatious, Caribbean-infused track.” It turns out the song isn’t only Drake’s appearance on the album, as he sings on the near-two-minute interlude “Uuugly” that immediately follows. Calvin Harris says the track was Drake’s idea, saying, “He wanted to do one more thing for the album.”

Cabello added, “Why does he have his own song? Because selfishly, I just want to hear Drake on my own album [laughs]. I love that for me — it’s like that rebellious mood. Who says I can’t do that? It’s Drake talking his sh*t.”

C, XOXO is out 6/28 via Geffen/Interscope. Find more information here.

How is the Hacks season finale already upon the world? This means that less than a week remains before Harry Styles will be waiting for a Season 4 announcement, and I promise that you will also be wanting to know what goes down next after this week’s episode, which is my runner-up fave of this batch after the forest-hike-gone-wrong episode.

Soon, Hannah Einbinder will be filming a standup special for Max, and Jean Smart will be making a romcom with Andy Samberg, and we will have to rely on little nuggets of information that drop to inform us of more comedic chemistry on the horizon.

When Does ‘Hacks’ Season 3, Episode 9 Come Out?

The season finale will stream on Thursday, May 30 at 3:00am EST/12:00am PST.

In Episode 9, “Bulletproof,” the description is as follows: “As Deborah works to perfect her second run at hosting, Ava receives a dream offer, and Jimmy and Kayla seek to grow their company.”

Oh, this gets chaotic. Still, this season has been a marvelous ride including the supporting characters portrayed by Kaitlin Olsen, Megan Stalter, Paul Downs, and Lorenza Izzo. In particular, Olsen has had the most impact upon Deborah’s suit of armor that she has wielded throughout her character out of necessity. That’s been heavy stuff, but fortunately, Hacks manages to keep the vibe light.

Earth, Wind & Fire are giving fans a show to remember — even if it’s not on the 21st night of September. The legendary band has joined Lionel Richie on the Sing A Song All Night Tour. The tour kicked off last week in Knoxville, Tennessee and is set to continue through June 16, when it will wrap in Pittsburgh.

Both Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire have extensive catalogs, and both acts are delivering all the hits. In Earth, Wind & Fire’s setlist, they’ve included all of the fan favorites, like “Shining Star” and “September,” according to setlist.fm. The set also includes a couple of covers, on which the band offers their otherworldly touch.

Given the setlist, as well as fans’ responses to both acts’ sets, Earth, Wind & Fire’s portion of the tour looks to be exciting, promising, and nostalgia-inducing.

You can see the full setlist below.

Earth, Wind & Fire’s Sing A Song All Night Long Tour Setlist

1. “Shining Star”
2. “Let Your Feelings Show”
3. “Serpentine Fire”
4. Verdine White bass solo
5. “Sing A Song”
6. “Got To Get You Into My Life” (The Beatles cover)
7. “Devotion”
8. “After The Love Has Gone” (David Foster cover)
9. “Reasons”
10. “That’s The Way Of The World”
11. “Fantasy”
12. “Boogie Wonderland”
13. “Let’s Groove”
14. “September”

This week I released a new book about Bruce Springsteen. It’s called There Was Nothing You Could Do: Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In The U.S.A.” And The End Of The Heartland. As you can ascertain from the title, it focuses on Bruce’s seventh studio album, which came out 40 years ago next month. For those who don’t know: Born In The U.S.A. is one of the most popular rock albums of the past several decades. It has sold an estimated 30 million copies worldwide and spawned seven Top 10 singles, including all-time classics like “Dancing In The Dark,” “I’m On Fire,” “Glory Days,” “My Hometown” and, of course, the title track.

But the book also covers the entirety of Bruce’s career, particularly how the albums that came out before Born In The U.S.A. set the stage for that multi-platinum phenomenon, and how his professional path afterward was shaped by reacting to the album’s massive success. Beyond that, there’s also a broader exploration about how American culture and music have changed since 1984. (Because — spoiler alert! — it has changed a lot.) CCR, the Vietnam War, the films of Paul Schrader, Elvis and Dylan, Ronald Reagan, Appetite For Destruction, 9/11, the Obama administration — connections to these events, people and institutions (and more!) are made in the book.

As you can tell, There Was Nothing Could Do covers a wide range of Springsteen-related topics. But it doesn’t cover every Springsteen-related topic. I tried to cover all of them, but my editor wouldn’t let me. You will overload the readers with Springsteen-related topics, he warned.

One topic my book does not cover is this: The songs on Born In The U.S.A., ranked in order from least favorite to favorite. So why don’t we do that right now?

12. “Cover Me”

There are no bad songs on Born In The U.S.A. When more than half of a record goes on to dominate the charts — and there are deep cuts that could have been hits had they been released as singles — you know you’re dealing with a studio LP that doubles as a de facto greatest hits album.

Having said all of that: “Cover Me” is the song I skipped the most across the approximately 4,592 spins of Born In The U.S.A. I enjoyed while writing this book. It’s a good pop tune — it was the second single, peaking at No. 7 — and the guitar solos are tasty. But this is the least famous hit from Born In The U.S.A. for a reason.

(Also — this is something I get into in the book — there is the matter of the literally dozens of songs that Bruce wrote and recorded for Born In The U.S.A. that didn’t make the album. I’m talking about “My Love Will Not Let You Down.” I’m talking about “This Hard Land.” I’m talking about “Shut Out The Light.” I’m talking about “Janey, Don’t You Lose Heart.” I’m glad “Cover Me” made it because I love Born In The U.S.A. as it is. But it is not as good as those songs.)

11. “I’m Goin’ Down”

The second least-famous hit from the album. It’s still, obviously, an incredibly breezy and fun rocker culled from Side Two, one of the greatest album sides in Bruce’s entire canon. To call “I’m Goin’ Down” the weakest track on that half of the album is hardly a put-down.

10. “Working On The Highway”

The formula for Born In The U.S.A. originated with “Hungry Heart,” the hit from 1980’s The River. This formula, to put it simply, shall be known as “making sad songs sound happy.” (This was a departure from Bruce’s formula on 1978’s Darkness On The Edge Of Town, which was “making bleak and despairing songs sound bleak and despairing.”) For “Hungry Heart,” Bruce set a narrative about a deadbeat who decides on a whim to ditch his family to gooey ’50s-style pop-rock. And it worked — “Hungry Heart” landed in the Top 5.

Born In The U.S.A. consists almost entirely of similarly sunny-sounding downers, as typified by this happy-go-lucky rockabilly number about a working man who goes out, has a little too much fun, and winds up working on a chain gang after being jailed for statutory rape.

9. “No Surrender”

The lead-off track from Side Two. Bruce initially resisted putting it on the record because he thought the song’s sentiment — “we learned more from a three-minute record baby than we ever learned in school” is the nutgraf — was naïve and simple-minded. Bruce’s pal and consigliere Steven Van Zandt disagreed, arguing that the song’s romanticism and rock evangelism were essential for the record. Who was right?

They both were right.

8. “Darlington County”

In this song, Bruce (and his buddy Wayne) appear to solicit a sex worker in the second verse. (Perhaps that’s why it is grouped with “Working On The Highway” and “I’m On Fire” on Side One, aka the horny half of Born In The U.S.A.) Otherwise, it should be noted that Darlington County in real life is located about 650 miles from New York City, not 800 like the song claims.

7. “Glory Days”

People like to clown Bruce for saying “speedball” instead of “fastball,” but that’s because they don’t understand the level of verisimilitude that Bruce is going for. He is singing about a friend who is a baseball player, whereas Bruce — the narrator, a musician/songwriter/cool rockin’ daddy — is conveying in a sly, subtle way that he knows absolutely nothing about sports. (This is how I address the speedball/fastball controversy in the book, which comes up exactly once.)

6. “Dancing In The Dark”

Possibly the only Bruce Springsteen song that sounds better on record than it does live. And that’s because “Dancing In The Dark” is a perfect ’80s pop-rock recording. It’s lean, it hits hard, it’s very catchy, every musical element is in the right place, and it’s not-so-secretly filled with bile and self-hatred. Also, for an album without much Clarence Clemons, the outro to this song gives The Big Man his moment to shine.

5. “I’m On Fire”

For the non-Springsteen fan, this is the most popular track from Born In The U.S.A. It’s also the Bruce song that artists under the age of 40 are most likely to cover. It is not hard to figure out why. The songs on this album cover a range of topics: disillusionment over Vietnam, the value of friendship, the emptiness of nostalgia, the crumbling state of America’s small towns. “I’m On Fire” meanwhile is about desperately wanting to have sex with someone who may or may not want to have sex with you. And that is a subject that transcends eras.

4. “Downbound Train”

The sleeper of Born In The U.S.A. for me. Not the deepest song lyrically — the guy’s name is Joe, the girl says he’s gotta go, because they had it once and they don’t have it anymore — but musically the combination of guitars and synths is a foundational text for scores of rock bands that aspired Springsteen-esque heartland rock in the 21st century, from The Killers to Arcade Fire to The War On Drugs. (Also: I must mention Kurt Vile, who covered “Downbound Train” very well.)

3. “Bobby Jean”

There are more famous songs from Born In The U.S.A. But they don’t pack the same emotional punch. In the book, I make that case that “Bobby Jean” typifies Bruce’s mastery of love songs about men who platonically adore other men. “Backstreets” is the greatest example of this kind of song. The Born In The U.S.A. outtake “This Hard Land” is up there as well. But “Bobby Jean” is the finest “guy who loves his bro” anthem on the album. It’s also the most meta Springsteen track — he imagines Bobby Jean (aka Steven Van Zandt) hearing this very song on the radio and being deeply moved, just like the rest of us when this track comes on.

2. “Born In The U.S.A.”

The thesis track. The song most known for how millions of people don’t get it. The one that Bruce himself has mixed feelings about. A savage howl of righteous rage. A multi-course emotional banquet. One of the most morally complex and fascinating tunes that Bruce has ever written. A classic. And yet … there is one song on Born In The U.S.A. that I like more.

1. “My Hometown”

The 12th track on the record, but No. 1 in my heart. The title of my book derives from this song. It comes in the verse where Bruce talks about racial strife that rocked his high school in the 1960s. (The song is based on a true story about a shooting that occurred in Bruce’s hometown of Freehold.) “My Hometown” is the critical bookend track that connects with “Born In The U.S.A.” as the start of the record and makes the album feel like a cohesive statement about the state of the country, no matter the songs about unrequited lust and depressive trains that pop up in the middle. It also bookends my own experience with the album. I heard Born In The U.S.A. for the first time in my dad’s car in the summer of 1984. Forty years later, I often play it in my own car while driving my kids around. My love for this album has not changed. What’s changed is everything else.

After 40-plus years, Pat Sajak’s time as the host of Wheel of Fortune is winding down — and things are getting weird.

It began with one of the great fails in the game show’s long history. You probably know the clip, but just in case, do yourself a favor and watch a solve so bad (and dirty) that it made another contestant gasp, “WHAT?!”

That’s not all. On Monday, contestants Luidgi, Rufus, and Cynthia needed to complete a phrase. When the board read, “_ _ N ‘ _ LO _ K AW _ _,” Rufus guessed “DON’T LOOK AWAY,” and his opponents “celebrated with him for making the guess,” according to the New York Post. One problem:

“No, No, No, No, No,” Sajak yelled at the contestants who were busy giving fist bumps to each other and the timer trickled down to the incorrect buzzer. “No, it’s not correct,” the longtime presenter exclaimed, but it was too late as the full answer was shown on the board.

The correct answer: “CAN’T LOOK AWAY.” Oops.

And finally, we have Brian:

People are taking Pat’s exit very seriously. Especially Vanna White. “I feel happy for him. I can’t imagine doing the show without him after 41 years,” she recently told TV Insider. “I sum it up as [like] reading a good book. It always has to end. This has been the best book I’ve ever read.”

Pat Sajak’s final episode of Wheel airs on Friday, June 7.

Primavera Sound Barcelona 2024 kicks off today, May 29. If you find yourself enjoying the festivities in Spain or just want to know what’s going on, here’s what to know about who plays when and where.

Primavera Sound Barcelona 2024 Set Times For Wednesday, May 29

The first day all takes place at Parc Del Fòrum, featuring Ratboys at 7:35 (all times p.m. unless otherwise noted and local), Stella Maris at 8:45, and Phoenix at 9:50.

Primavera Sound Barcelona 2024 Set Times For Thursday, May 30

The festival’s second day includes Freddie Gibbs and Madlib at 8 at Estrella Damm, Vampire Weekend at 10:15 at Estrella Damm, Deftones at 11:55 at Amazon Music, Pulp at midnight at Santander, and Justice at 1:45 a.m. at Estrella Dawn.

Primavera Sound Barcelona 2024 Set Times For Friday, May 31

Leading Friday are Ethel Cain at 6:20 at Santander, Omar Apollo at 7:20 at Estrella Damm, Yo La Tengo at 7:50 at Amazon Music, Troye Sivan at 9:45 at Estrella Damm, Clipse at 10 at Amazon Music, The National at 11:30 at Santander, and Disclosure at 1:45 a.m. at Estrella Damm.

Primavera Sound Barcelona 2024 Set Times For Saturday, June 1

Closing things out are Militarie Gun at 6:50 at Pull&Bear, 070 Shake at 7:45 at Estrella Damm, PJ Harvey at 8:45 at Santander, Dorian Electra at 9:55 at Amazon Music, Mitski at 10:15 at Estrella Damm, Bikini Kill at 11 at Pull&Bear, SZA at midnight at Santander, Romy at 12:05 a.m. at Amazon Music, Róisín Murphy at 1:#0 a.m. at Estrella Damm, and Charli XCX at 2:30 at Amazon Music.

Find the full list of set times here.

(WARNING: Spoilers for The Chi season 6 will be found below.)

We’re arriving at the halfway point in The Chi season six, part two. Last week’s episode, “Saints & Sinners,” tied Victor’s pending murder case to Rob’s past as the latter’s father returns to his life for the first time in years. Papa receives an exciting news that could possibly change his life in more ways than one. Jake and Jemma’s relationship is on shaky ground while Bakari looks to improve his with Lynae, among other things. Emmett was also introduced to new brother, but the way his father Darnell goes about it frustrates Emmett in more ways than one. That’s what happened last week, here’s what you can expect this week on The Chi.

h2>When Will The Chi Season 6, Episode 12 Come Out?

The twelfth episode of The Chi season six, titled “City Of Gold,” will arrive on May 31. The episode will be available on Friday, 5/31 on the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME app starting at midnight EST/PST. The episode will later air on the SHOWTIME TV channel on May 12 at 9 pm ET/PT. A synopsis for “City Of Gold” can be found below:

Emmett looks to a new partnership as a solution to all his problems; Victor is haunted by his past mistakes; Papa makes a big decision; devastating news sends Kiesha reeling.

‘The Chi’ season 6, part 2 is now streaming on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. Seasons 1-5 as well as season 6, part 1 are available now to stream on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME

Lionel Richie is keeping the concert festivities going all night long…all night! Last week, the R&B legend kicked of his Sing A Song All Night Long Tour, which features special guests Earth, Wind & Fire.

Of course, Richie’s catalog boasts several hits, including many of his solo songs, as well as his songs from his days as a member of The Commodores. Over the course of the tour, Richie has performed some of his iconic duets, and during one of which, the audience joins singing the second portion, as noted on setlist.fm.

The Sing A Song All Night Long Tour continues through June 16, where it will wrap in Pittsburgh.

You can see the full setlist below.

Lionel Richie’s Sing A Song All Night Long Tour Setlist

1. “Hello”
2. “Running With The Night”
3. “Easy / My Love”
4. “Penny Lover”
5. “Stuck On You”
6. “Sail On” (Commodores song)
7. “You Are”
8. “Dancing On The Ceiling”
9. “Three Times A Lady” (Commodores song)
10. “Fancy Dancer / Sweet Love / Lady (You Bring Me Up)” (Commodores song)
11. “Just To Be Close To You” (Commodores song)
12. “Zoom” (Commodores song)
13. “Endless Love” (Diana Ross & Lionel Richie cover) (Audience sang Diana Ross’s verses)
14. “Brick House / Fire”
15. “Still” (Commodores song)
16. “Say You, Say Me”
17. “We Are The World”
18. “All Night Long (All Night)”

The Moana 2 trailer is here. You’re welcome.

The sequel to 2016’s Moana, the most streamed kids movie ever takes place three years after the events of that film and follows Moana, once again voiced by Auliʻi Cravalho, as she goes on an “expansive journey in search of people beyond the shores of Motunui.” She’s joined by Maui (The Rock) and “a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers” on an “adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.” As long as it means parents don’t have to listen to “How Far I’ll Go” for the 85,207th time, they’ll take any adventure they can get.

You can watch the trailer for Moana 2 (which was originally going to come out on Disney+ before someone — probably an angry Donald Duck — realized that was a very stupid idea) above.

The Rock teased his return as Maui on Instagram. “So much fun becoming Maui again – a character that changed my life in many ways – including the character of Maui being inspired by my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia,” he wrote. “The Polynesian cultural significance of the role and our story has touched families around the world and has easily become one of my truest honors to bring to life and share. New characters, new journeys, new music.”

Moana 2, which is directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, opens in theaters on November 27.