The Witzard

Craig Finn (CREDIT: D. James Goodwin) Craig Finn has announced the release of his eagerly-awaited new album. The Hold Steady frontman's fifth solo LP, A Legacy of Rentals, arrives on CD and digital download, via Positive Jams/Thirty Tigers this May. The album will be available in several formats, including CD, standard vinyl, and limited-edition white vinyl (online orders only.) Both physical pre-orders and digital pre-Saves are available now. A Legacy of Rentals was largely written during the heaviness of 2020, in the shadow of The Pandemic and the George Floyd murder that tragically occurred in Finn's hometown of Minneapolis. Recorded in May 2021 with Finn's long-time collaborators, producer Josh Kaufman and engineer D. James Goodwin, A Legacy of Rentals is heralded by the first song, "Messing with The Settings," available today on all digital streaming platforms. An exclusive album trailer, also, titled A Legacy of Rentails, is available now, as well. ...

The Hold Steady (CREDIT: Adam Parshall) It would be a little hard-pressed and slightly reach to call The Hold Steady a Punk/Hardcore band,but they definitely seem to be a crew of former Punks/presently Punk-adjacent musicians. The Hold Steady's current 6-piece line-up consists of lead vocalist/guitarist Craig Finn, drummer Bobby Drake, pianist/keyboardist Franz Nicolay, bass guitarist Galen Polivka, lead guitarist Tad Kubler, and rhythm guitarist Steve Selvidge. Finn is seemingly a fan, mutual admirer, and supporter of Titus Andronicus , Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem,) Against Me!/Laura Jane Grace, and Jeff & Laura AKA Jeff Rosenstock & Laura Stevenson (Bomb The Music Industry!) Plus, last year, Craig Finn released "It's Never Been A Fair Fight" as a solo single, which appeared to be a direct response to his feelings towards the state of the Punk/Hardcore scene at the time. Bobby Drake spent time playing with Arm, who are described on Discogs as b...

I guess, at this point in my life, on the verge of 32, I would deem myself an "aging Punk" (I know, it's an extremely un-Punk thing to do!) but I feel, as though, before labeling someone else an "aging Punk," I should, at least, own up to my own dwindling status in the community/sub-culture. I've been listening to Punk/Hardcore music for about 17 years now; so, that would mean I first discovered the genres around 15-16, which sounds about right. I guess, if my memory serves me correctly, I discovered a bunch of formative 80's punk bands like Black Flag, Fugazi, Minor Threat, The Misfits, Samhain, Bad Religion, etc. through listening to Pop Punk bands, such as blink-182, Sum 41, and Green Day, during the early 2000's. I've always felt a special attachment to the worlds of Punk/Hardcore—attending amany sweaty shows dimly-lit shows long before I was even old enough to drink!—and oddly enough, the older I get, the more of an attachment I feel toward...

No Faith / No Future / No Problem by Titus Andronicus / Craig Finn It almost seems as though New Jersey 's own pride and joy Titus Andronicus have been on a Bob Dylan 's Never Ending Tour -evocative cross-country jaunt in support of their critically-acclaimed Punk Rock Opera , The Most Lamentable Tragedy , onto which they've just added some sprawling 42 additional dates through May 30th with The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn and La Sera ; "with the hotly anticipated "No Faith / No Future / No Problem" American Tour kicking off in just one week, peerless rock band Titus Andronicus and luminous singer-songwriter Craig Finn are ready to take their friendship to the next level," reads a recently published post to Titus Andronicus' own web-headquarters. "It is in that spirit of love and sharing that they make available today, for streaming and free download , a digital split single of mutual covers, celebrating the imminent tour and the two...