Members of Rancid, Operation Ivy & Jello Biafra's Guantanamo School of Medicine Form CHARGER & Release S/T EP (Pirates Press Records)

Christian Wagner from Emeryville, California-based Pirates Press Records has been sending us digital promos and EPK's for a year or so now, via email, but within the last few months, he's been sending us physical promos, as well: Lenny Lashley's Gang of One's All Are Welcome, Harrington Saints' 1,000 POUNDS OF Oi!, and most recently, CHARGER's debut self-titled EP AKA "S/T" EP. Oddly enough, CHARGER's S/T EP is the third Rancid-related release recently issued by Pirates Press; Landfill Crew's self-titled 2x7-inch EP features long-time Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong, The Old Firm Casuals' Holger Danske features Lars Frederiksen of both Rancid and Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards, and CHARGER features Matt Freeman (bass/vocals) of Rancid, as well as genre-shaping Operation Ivy. Just today, Friday, May 10th, Pirates Press are, somehow, releasing CHARGER's S/T EP, Harrington Saints' 1,000 POUNDS OF Oi!, and PROBLEM CHILD 7-inch from all-female Ramones tribute band, Ramoms. CHARGER is rounded out by guitarist Andrew "Drew" McGee and drummer/vocalist Jason Willer, who has, also, played with Jello Biafra's post-Dead Kennedys band, Jello Biafra's Guantanamo School of Medicine, and U.K. Subs.

"CHARGER is driven by a love for 70's Hard Rock, as much as it is the ever-presents "East Bay Sound" that has shaped these musicians' lives for decades," boasts Pirates Press Records' mailed-out one-sheet. It further details CHARGER's music is suitable for fans of Motörhead, Black Sabbath, Metallica, High On Fire, and Rancid, as well as Judas Priest, Dio, AC/DC, and Neurosis. Honestly, CHARGER's 7-track S/T EP sounds exactly as described: a bunch of seasoned Punk/Hardcore musicians playing sludgy 1970's-indebted Hard Rock/Heavy Metal music with a focus on guitar-heavy riffs. "CHARGER is the soundtrack to circle pits and bar fights, to long nights and even longer mornings, to unexplained bruises and epic hangovers (and headbang-overs,)" explains the whole vibe of their S/T EP pretty perfectly. Let's just say is, if you even remotely like Rancid, Operation Ivy, Punk/Hardcore, Heavy Metal, Motörhead, Black Sabbath, or Iron Maiden, chances are, you'll really dig CHARGER's S/T EP! CHARGER's self-titled EP is currently available to stream or purchase in either digital, CD, cassette, or 12-inch vinyl formats—as well as coffee, coffee mugs, T-shirts, scarves, beanies, patches, buttons, pins, etc. embellished with CHARGER's "Ram" logo—are currently available from Pirates Press Records or directly from the band. CHARGER are playing a Record Release Show next Friday, May 17th at Eli's Mile High Club with Black Cobra & WAR BISON.

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra

Liberty Bell Cracked In 1/2: Ween - "Freedom of '76" (Gene Ween's Final Send-Off)

Chocolate & Cheese (1994) was one of the first albums I bought with my own money. I was in some sort of BMG Music Club , where you'd buy 5 CD's and then get 10 for "FREE." It was all sent through mail order and you picked the titles from some special booklet. I'm almost positive that Chocolate & Cheese's side boob-baring album cover was what initially drew me in... mind you, I was 12-15 and the zany Ween logo/middle finger CD graphic really didn't hurt either. Honestly, I forget how I really felt about it @ the time, but a few years later, my older cousin Josh told me that Ween were this BIG college "jam band." CKY did some sort pf 93.3 radio takeover to promote their new album and played "Freedom of '76" late that night on air. Needless to say, I re-visited Chocolate & Cheese @ about 20-something this go 'round and I fucking loved it! Ween were really weird, yet talented... almost too talented. I can vaguel

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