Joy Division’s Grandkids: Ceremony: A New Order Tribute & Reissues From The Other Two

By Emily Carney

Tony Wilson, the pretentious but well-meaning head of Factory Records (lovingly and hilariously immortalized by Steve Coogan in the 2002 film 24 Hour Party People) may be no more, but it goes without saying that his legend still exists—and how could it not? This is the man who made possible such bands as Joy Division and the Happy Mondays (who were good in their heyday, really). Since his death, the bassist for the now-defunct New Order, Peter Hook, has sort of appointed himself as the ambassador of Manchester’s musical history.
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Hypernova, Through The Chaos

By Matt Demers

I’m not going to lie: I volunteered to review Hypernova because of their name. I mean, as a nerd, the word “nova” has certain. . . gravitas towards it, be it for the physics reference or one of the few words to pull off the “badass v” consonant.

But I was pleasantly surprised by their new album, Through The Chaos; there were no songs that I vehemently hated on the album. This is a bit of a feat for me, as when I listen to most records there seems to be one or two tracks that stick out like sore thumbs. In the best case, they serve as annoying distractions and at worst, they can derail an entire album. An album that is cohesive as an album (thematically or otherwise) definitely wins points in my mind.
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Review: Hot Tub Time Machine

By Laura L.

The moment I saw the commercials for the new movie Hot Tub Time Machine starring Rob Corddry, John Cusack, and. . . two other guys, my friends and I jumped at the chance to see it. Not because it looked to be a fine piece of cinema, but as fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000, we love making fun of craptastic movies. For the record, we have all also been to public showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a movie I cannot watch on my own because, let’s face it, it’s not that great on its own. [Blasphemy!—Ed.]
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Our March/April 2010 Issue Is Out Now

March/April 2010 Issue

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Issue 015—Staff Picks: Female Movie Characters, Funniest Evil Mad Scientists; Popcast: Tuneage And Telly; Interview with Filmmaker Yony Leyser (William Burroughs); Q&As with Author Myrlin Hermes and Hiro Hayashi of POLYSICS; Features: Movies That Should Be Remade, Leading Men; Reviews of Yoko Ono/The Plastic Ono Band, JSBX, Shutter Island, The T.A.M.I. Show, Blank Generation, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Béla Fleck, The Man From Another Place, The Dudes, Everybody Was In The French Resistance. . . Now!, I Found All The Parts

The Producers vs. The Product

Adding his voice to the multitudes of musicians clamoring to be heard, Duran Duran’s John Taylor proposed that the Internet is stifling creativity during a speech he gave at UCLA’s 40th Anniversary Of The Internet Symposium.
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Five Faves: Female Movie Characters

By Less Lee Moore

Not the Ultimate Top Five perhaps, but the five I return to over and over.
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Top Five Funniest Evil Mad Scientists

By Lisa Anderson

The Evil Mad Scientist is a familiar figure in popular culture, and is found most often in science fiction, horror, or superhero tales. Evil Mad Scientists are not to be confused with their more benevolent counterparts, like Emmett Brown of Back to the Future. While the Evil Mad Scientist can be a figure of great terror, when this archetype is used for comic effect the results can be hilarious. Following are five of the best examples.
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Tuneage And Telly: When Music & TV Collide!

By Mandy Mullins and Jaime Sparrowhawk

Nothing like syndicated sound and vision on the small screen!

TV careers certainly haven’t killed radio stars; they often spawn them, and vice-versa. Myriad meldings of tune and telly set the scene for pop-preoccupied music mavens Mandy and Jaime, whose latest dispatch promises to be their longest, most eclectic and giddily madcap yet. Do not adjust your sets!

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TITLE?? Q&A With Hiro Hayashi Of POLYSICS

By Matt Keeley

As I mentioned a few weeks ago on the Popshifter Blog, POLYSICS are the best band in the universe.

Their DEVO-inspired, frenetic sound not only made them huge in their native Japan, but also a cult band with ever-increasing presence around the world. After their sold-out concert in Bukodan, which was their last show with Kayo, keyboardist and co-vocalist, their guitarist Hiro Hayashi agreed to do an email interview with Popshifter about his musical influences and the future of POLYSICS.
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William S. Burroughs, A Man Within: Interview With Filmmaker Yony Leyser

Interviewed by Kaye Telle

“Back in 2005, when I was 21 years old, I got my hands on a nice video camera and decided to make a documentary about William S. Burroughs. When I started making a documentary about William S. Burroughs, I had no idea it would turn into THE documentary about him.”
—Filmmaker Yony Leyser

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