Features
Odds & Ends: Childish Gambino, Craig Finn & Billy Corgan
Donald Glover has rescheduled select North American spring shows, The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn is releasing his own beer, and Billy Corgan discusses the idea of being a judge on “American Idol” or “X Factor.”
The Corgan Factor
Forget Britney Spears and her rumored $10 million (or $20 million!) “X Factor” contract demands. Billy Corgan says he’d be willing to take a seat at the judges’ table on a reality singing show if he was asked.
“I’d love it,” the Smashing Pumpkins frontman told Spinner.
Photo: Scott Legato / RockStarProPhotography.com
The Fillmore, Detroit, Mich.
“I don’t have a problem with ‘Idol’ or ‘X Factor,’ I have a problem with when those things are not given the proper contextual hue,” he said. “If there’s an ‘American Idol’ there should be a proper alternative counterbalance – if there was hair metal, there was grunge, know what I mean?
“Laptop Rock is not the adequate response for ‘American Idol’ – and everybody knows it.”
When Corgan says “laptop rock” he’s not referring to artists who create music on their laptops or acts who perform on stage with laptops. Spinner writes that Corgan is actually talking about modern rock music “due to its ability to blend into the background while one works.”
Click here for Spinner’s story.
Hold That Beer Steady
Craig Finn now has his very own beer thanks to an East London company called Signature Brew.
The company works with artists to launch special microbrews by going through intensive testing sessions, “picking out the tastes and textures that encompass a beer fitting with their music and approach to playing” and then creating the beer with an independent craft brewer in the U.K.
The Clear Heart beer is named after The Hold Steady frontman’s debut solo album, Clear Heart Full Eyes. The beverage is described as “a melody of bitterness and citrus notes, the fresh hops and malted barley are in harmony within this golden brew. A clear and hearty taste with an easy finish.”
Signature Brew is taking pre-orders for Clear Heart. A four-pack is priced at £10.00 and an 8-pack is £15.00. For now, orders are limited to European fans. According to Signature Brew’s Twitter, the company is talking to American importers “at the moment.”
For more information visit SignatureBrew.co.uk.
Rescheduled Dates For Childish Gambino
Actor/writer/comedian/musician Donald Glover, who raps under the stage name Childish Gambino, has been forced to put his spring tour on hold because of an injury suffered on stage last weekend.
“This past Saturday I fractured my foot on stage in Tampa during a performance and was rushed to the emergency room,” Glover wrote on his blog iamdonald.com.
“The doctors say that if I stay off of my foot for a couple weeks and wear this boot, there’s a good chance they can avoid surgery and start performing again soon.
“I’m really upset by the timing of this. CAMP tour will go on, but dates will be postponed. … All tickets will be honored for whatever date they’re moved to. In some cases there will be more tickets available because the venues will be bigger, if that’s any sort of silver lining.
“I apologize for this and I hope to see all you guys very soon.”
The rescheduled dates are as follows:
March 16 in Atlanta, Ga., – rescheduled to June 10
March 17 in Charlotte, N.C. – rescheduled to July 27
March 19 in Asheville, N.C. – rescheduled to July 28
March 20 in Richmond, Va. – rescheduled to July 29
March 21 in Sayreville, N.J. – rescheduled to June 26
March 24 in Toronto, Ontario – rescheduled to July 31
March 25 in Montreal, Quebec – rescheduled to August 1
March 27 in Detroit, Mich. – rescheduled to August 3
March 29 in Minneapolis, Minn. – rescheduled to May 10
March 30 in Chicago, Ill. – rescheduled to May 9
April 2 in Iowa City, Iowa, – rescheduled to April 16
April 3 in Kansas City, Mo. – rescheduled to July 25
Charlotte’s venue has been change to the Time Warner Cable Uptown Amphitheatre. Toronto’s venue is changed to Echo Beach @ Ontario Place. On-sale dates for Charlotte and Toronto will be announced soon.
For more information visit iamdonald.com and childishgambino.com