L.O.T.I.O.N. Multi National Corporation have released a "best of" comp. It's called B.E.S.T. OF 2013-2024 and it includes tracks from all of the band's albums, as well as remixes and rare tracks. The CD/download is out now via Nasubi Heavy Manufacturing Concern. You can hear it below.
A few year sago, it was announced that Mickey Leigh was working on a Ramones/Joey Ramone biopic, starring Pete Davidson. Well, in January, Linda Ramone, wife of the late Johnny Ramone and 50% owner of RPI, the entity that controls Ramones intellectual property, filed a suit against Leigh in a Manhattan court. The basis of the suit is that Leigh is not legally permitted to release a Ramones biopic without Linda's involvement/permission. As part of the suit, Linda states: "Ms. Ramone objects to defendants’ attempt to create a Ramones film without her involvement — not to be obstinate, but rather based on defendants’ disregard for [Ramones] assets and their conduct and treatment of Ms. Ramone and her late husband.To permit defendants alone to tell the authoritative story of the Ramones would be an injustice to the band and its legacy.”
The suit also included related claims against Leigh's handling of RPI in general. It states that Leigh and David Frey, a director of the Ramones’ holding company, have effectively stopped RPI from moving forward due lack of communication. refusual to issue payments, and refusal to meet. The suit states: ""It is apparent from defendants’ continuing course of conduct that their main objective is to torment Ms. Ramone until she agrees to sell her interests. Regrettably, Defendants appear willing to allow the band’s legacy to decay, in order to benefit their own self-interest."
This matter resurfaced in the news this week as the opposing sides are filing pleadings with the court. Leigh posted a number of declarations from CJ Ramone, which, apparently, stated that Leigh was indeed reasonable for malfeasance in regards to RPI and that, according to CJ, Joey specifically left his share of Ramones rights to his mother, and not to Leigh, because he did not want his brother to have control over Ramones material. (It is unclear why Leigh would specifically want to repost material that is apparently against his self-interest).However, as of this norning, Leigh has deleted those posts.
Interestingly, this latest scuffle follows a 2022 sale of Joey Ramones publishing. In that sale, Leigh sold Joey band and solo publishing for $10 million to Primary Wave, a company that specifically purchases publishing from various artists and adds it into a portfolio of publishing assets.
Linda Ramone has not issued a public statement.We'll keep you updated.
Today we are thrilled to bring you the premiere of the new video by Winnipeg-based punk rockers Screaming At Traffic! The video is for their new song “Forsythia” and was host and edited by Travis Anema. Speaking about the song vocalist and guitarist Duncan Murta said,
”’Forsythia’ started out as a song about being locked indoors during the long winter months, and the self-imposed loneliness that comes with all of that. I was going to show it to the band when we came back from our March 2020 tour, but then lockdowns happened and the song took on a different meaning to me.
I hope someone gets the weird reference the title is making, in regards to the pandemic.”
”Forsythia” is off Screaming At Traffic’s upcoming album If you play these songs at a party, you’ll bum everyone out which will be out on May 4 and you can pre-order it right here. The band will be playing Turbo Haus as part of Pouzza Fest on May 17 in Montreal, Quebec. Watch the video below!
Hellcat Records has teamed up with Nascar Aloe for the next installment in their Hellcat Singles Club series. The song is called “Legacy of Terror” and was produced by Tim Armstrong. Nascar Aloe wrote the song and TJ Rivera mixed it. Nascar Aloe released SPEED earlier this year. Check out the song below.
![Ricky Rochelle [EP] - Cannibal Island Resort](https://static.punknews.org/images/covers/ricky-rochelle-cannibal-island-resort.jpg)
SPEED have announced that they will be releasing their debut full-length album. It is called ONLY ONE MODE and will be out on July 12 via Flatspot Records and Last Ride Records. The band has also released a video for their new song “REAL LIFE LOVE” which was directed by Jim Siow, Jack Rudder, and Thomas Elliott and is dedicated to the memory of Tahmid “Ladstreet” Nurullah. SPEED are currently ttouring North America with Knocked Loose and released their EP Gang Called Speed in 2022. Check out the video and tracklist below.
On April 29, New Brunswick’s Jon McKiel played at The Baby G in Toronto, Ontario. Louie Short opened the show. Jon McKiel will be releasing their new album Hex on May 3 and released Bobby Joe Hope in 2020. Our photographer Stephen McGill was there to catch the show. Check out his photos below.
Winnipeg-based post-punks Fold Paper have released a video for their new song “Nothing To Report”. The video was directed by Julio Assis. The song appears to be a standalone single and is out now via Royal Mountain Records. Fold Paper released their single “Medical Jargon” in 2023. Check out the video below.
Jeff Rosenstock has announced the first of a “potentially infinite” amount of shows in Brooklyn, New York. The show will take place on August 21 at Warsaw. In the post announcing the show on Instagram, Jeff Rosenstock wrote in part,
”ALRIGHT WE ARE FINALLY COMING BACK TO BROOKLYN THIS SUMMER, PLAYING A POTENTIALLY INFINITE AMOUNT OF SHOWS AT OUR BELOVED WARSAW IN GREENPOINT. TIX ON SALE TOMORROW 12 PM. Look, I know our last few shows in the area have either been a bit pricey, at a venue no one likes traveling to, or sold out very very quickly. So we wanted to do something special in Brooklyn, something where everyone can go. Starting August 21st we're gonna play a bunch of shows at the Warsaw, a venue that has been home to a lot of special moments in my life. Here's how it's gonna work - tickets for 8/21 are on sale tomorrow at 12 PM. If that show sells out, we'll put up tickets for the next night, and so on and so forth until no one wants to see any more of us. We'll be playing around two hours every night, different set list every night, and hopefully by the end we'll have played everything anyone might want to hear. Stoked to spend some time in the ol' neighborhood, it's been too long. SEE Y'ALL IN THE GIGGLE PIT.”
Jeff Rosenstock will be touring Europe starting at the end of this month and released HELLMODE in 2023.
Dollyrots will release a new 7-inch this summer. It's out via Wicked Cool records, the label run by "Little Steven" Van Zandt . The band did not release and song titles, but the release is out in June.
Charly Bliss have announced that they will be releasing a new album. It is called Forever and will be out on August 16 via Lucky Number. The band has also released a video for their new song “Nineteen” which was directed by Henry Kaplan. Charly Bliss released Young Enough in 2019. Check out the video and tracklist below.
Handsome Dick Manitoba, formerly of The Dictators will tour Texas in May. He'll be with his solo band and the group will be doing Dictators tunes and solo cuts. Dick released Born in the Bronx in 2019.
A bunch of first and second wave punk bands are on a new Pink Floyd tribute record. Fear, Dead Boys, MDC, Eater, D.I., Queers, Angry Samoans, Vibrators, Jah Wobble, Skids, Anti-Nowhere League, Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Uk Subs, Chrome, and a bunch of other bands take a crack a Pink Floyd classics. It's called Punk Floyd: A Tribute To Pink Floyd and it's out Friday via Cleopatra.
Danbert Nobacon of Chumbawamba has released a new album. It's called Kochtopus's Garden—nNow That's What I Call Capitalism—the Musical . The album is set in the future and follows two songwriting bots that are on the run from "Dark Money Anon" who now controls the USA. You can hear the whole album below.
Loud Women Fest has announced its first wave lineup for this year. Baby Said, Bangzz, Berry Galazka, CHERYM, Bridget, Bugeye, Chole Hawes and the Holy Claws, Desert Sharks, Deuxes, I, Doris, Murder Club, Slut Magic, The Amniotics, Venior, Yacko, Zhariah, and Zoe Sky Jordan will be playing the festival. Loud Women Fest will take place at Rich Mix in London, UK on September 7.
In March Kitchener-based screamo band Basque released their excellent debut album Pain Without Hope of Healing. The seven tracks are filled to the brim with incredible riffs, mathy moments, wonderfully created noise, and heartfelt lyrics that are delivered with power, pain, and hope. It is astounding how much meaning and musicianship Basque are able to pack into eighteen minutes. Pain Without Hope of Healing is out everywhere now via No Funeral Records. Basque will be playing New Friends Fest in Toronto in August.
Punknews editor Em Moore caught up with bassist and vocalist Nicolas Couture to talk about the new album, Basque’s origin story, playing New Friends Fest, Nic Cage, and so much more. Read the interview below!
This interview between Em Moore and Nicolas Couture took place on April 16, 2024 over Zoom. This transcription documents their conversation and has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
On April 26, Minneapolis-based indie punks VIAL played the Hard Luck Bar in Toronto, Ontario. Boy Jr opened the show. VIAL released their album burnout earlier this year. Our photographer Stephen McGill was there to capture the show. Check out his photos below.