BREAKING BENJAMIN NEW MUSIC REPORT REVIEWED: BECK, CAVE IN, LUNA, TERRANOVA, PEACHES, BLACK DICE... Issue 783 • October 7, 2002 • www.cmj.com SPOTLIGHT PLUS MORE! Last Chance To Pre-Register For CMJ Music Marathon RYKODISC’SRYKODISC’S Big $ Savings! See Page 21! PLATINUMPLATINUM STATION PROFILE WDET/DETROIT EXPOSED! ANNIVERSARYANNIVERSARY LOUD ROCK Rykodisc's George Howard and Trevor Jones HELLBENT FOR PLEATHER! CMJ RETAIL DISTURBED DEBUTS AT NO. 1 CHARTS: SLEATER-KINNEY STILL NO.1, HOT WATER MUSIC MOST ADDED 1. Obvious Things 2. Sunshine 3. All Along 4. Maybe We Wont Die 5. Good Thing You're Young 6. Easy Target 7. Strange Situation 8. World Without You 9. Not a Sinner 10. Prefers Fall Be A SEX JUNKIE! See Lava Baby as they headline “The Passion Tour” 10/8 – James Madison University, Hightown Pavilion 10/10 – Duke University, George’s Garage 10/11 – UNC-Chapel Hill, Pantana Bob’s 10/13 – University of Virginia, Starr Hill 10/18 – University of Georgia, The Last Call 10/19 – Georgia Tech University, The Library Bar & Grill Check out www.lavababy.com for more dates… Powderfinger 1-800-356-1155 [email protected] Roger Schrader 1-877-740-4620 www.pilot-radio.com [email protected] 10/7/2002 Issue 783 • Vol 73 • No. 4 FEATURES 8 Rykodisc Turns 20 One of America’s largest and most successful independent record companies, Rykodisc has made its living by anticipating change, staying one step ahead of the competition and, of course, signing the best talent available. With a catalogue that includes albums from such artists as Frank Zappa, Nick Drake, Morphine, Sugar, Chuck E. Weiss and Josh Rouse, it’s obvious that the people at Ryko know what they’re doing. On the verge of the label’s 20th anniversary, CMJ spoke with Rykodisc President George Howard and Promotion Coordinator Trevor Jones, who talk about their experiences at the label and how they stay ahead of the game. DEPARTMENTS 4 The Week Young Lad enters the studio; James Murphy Little Big Man goes Carbon Neutral; 2002 lays down guitar solos for Malevolent Creation; Panasonic Mercury Music Prize upset; List of and Audioslave takes shape, all in this week’s contenders for Shortlist Prize gets shorter; Loud Rock. Bridge School benefit concert performers announced; New releases from Boards Of 28 Artist Spotlight Canada, Audioslave, Cranberries, John Breaking Benjamin brings the heavy-hitting 8 Coltrane, Tori Amos and more! riff-rock on its debut, Saturate, that easily holds its own on rock radio. CMJ spoke with 6 Essential/Reviews the group’s guitarist/singer/songwriter Ben Beck lands this week’s Essential slot. Also Burnley about the new record, touring and reviewed: Black Dice, Cave In, Luna, Peaches, their fans’ shoe fetishes. Pilot Radio, Bill Ricchini and Terranova. 29 Upcoming 12 CMJ Radio 200 Sleater-Kinney remains One Beat ahead at No. 1. 31 Get A Job 16 Core Radio 75 32 Caught In The Act Sleater-Kinney at No. 1 here too. Visits from Glassjaw, the Beu Sisters and Aimee Mann, office hijinks at Elektra, the 18 Triple A Syndicate in action and an excited Missy Coldplay rushes into No. 1. Elliott make up this week’s visual feast. 4 12 Specialty Charts 33 Retail Expanded Jazz, RPM, Hip-Hop, Ñ Alternative Cope talks about learning on the street; Sonic and New World charts. Boom co-owner, Nabil Ayers, speaks out; Disturbed takes No. 1; Taproot, Ivy, The 23 Station Profile Streets and M. Ward all get points; kingcurtis Wayne State University’s WDET brings Detroit profiles Switched On CDs. a progressive mix of modern music “the old fashioned way.” 41 Airplay 24 Loud Rock Disturbed, Porcupine Tree, Darkane, downthe- 62 Top 200 Adds & Going sun and Isis reviewed; WSFX’s Ken “Mad For Adds Squirrel” McCann profiled; Black Label Hot Water Music is No. 1 most added with Society drains a venue of its beer; Strapping 167 adds. Cover photo by John Soares CMJ New Music Report (ISSN 0890 0795) is published weekly, except for one week in January, by The CMJ Network, Inc. with offices at 151 W. 25th St., 12th Fl.; New York, NY 10001. Subscription rates are $345.00 per year; 2 years, $575.00. Subscription offices: 151 W. 25th St., 12th Fl.; New York, NY 10001. Tel 917.606.1908. Outside U.S. and Canada 917.606.1908. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. CMJ New Music Report is copyright ©2002 by The CMJ Network, Inc. all rights reserved; nothing may be reproduced without written consent of publisher. Unless indicated otherwise, all letters sent to CMJ are eligible for publication and copyright purposes, and are subject to CMJ’s right to edit and comment editorially. Unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork are wel- 24 come; please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope to facilitate return. Postmaster: send address changes to CMJ New Music Report, 151 W. 25th St., 12th Fl.; New York, NY 10001 3 CMJ OCTOBER 7, 2002 THE WEEK Compiled and written by Louis Miller • [email protected] and Doug Levy • [email protected] INDUSTRY NEWS Carbon Neutral is very impor- ty, rather than sales or main- Music Choice, the largest tant to us and we want to stream visibility, has since been provider of commercial-free dig- encourage all the artists that we mirrored in the U.S. by the cre- NEW MUSIC REPORT ital music via cable and satellite, work with to follow suit with ation of the Shortlist Prize, EDITORIAL filed a Petition for Rulemaking their CDs and tours,” stated Editor-In-Chief with the Copyright Office on Marty Diamond, president of Mike Boyle September 16, requesting an Little Big Man. The production Managing Editor amendment to current rate-set- and distribution of a CD creates Kevin Boyce 105 tons of carbon dioxide and Associate Editors costs less that $0.02 per CD to Louis Miller offset. For more information on Doug Levy becoming Carbon Neutral, visit Loud Rock Editor www.futureforests.com.• Cecilia Amy Sciarretto Carter has been named Head Of Retail Mark Cope Executive Director of the Retail Editor ting laws that would allow a Rhythm and Blues Foundation, Gerry Hart greater opportunity for partici- an organization that promotes which is also awarded to an Associate Retail Editor pation by all affected parties. the recognition, financial sup- artist based on creative merit. Curtis Hawkins The petition argued that the port, educational outreach and Favorites for the Mercury Prize Assistant Retail Editor Library of Congress’s process of historic and cultural preserva- this year included Doves, the Christopher R. Weingarten setting rates is so complicated tion of R&B music. She can be Coral and the Streets, while Contributing Editors and expensive that it severely reached at 323.965.1990. • performances at the award cere- Brad Filicky Justin Kleinfeld limits many of the smaller enti- McGathy Promotions has hired mony came from Doves, Ms. Web Producer/Contributing Ed. ties from participating, even Nathan Dewey to join its College Dynamite, and fellow nominees Steve Ciabattoni though they are affected by the Promotions Department. He can Roots Manuva and Gemma Intern decision. “The current situation be reached at dewey@mcgath- Hayes. Past winners include PJ Greg Winter allows a few copyright owners ypromotions. com or Harvey, Badly Drawn Boy, and licenses to manipulate the 212.924.7776. Nathan will be Pulp, Gomez and Portishead.A CUSTOMER SERVICE process, unfairly imposing barri- replacing Kate Zawistowski,who U.S. release date for Ms. Manager ers and raising costs to rival has moved to another depart- Dynamite’s winning album, A Sean Caesar Coordinator firms,” stated David Del ment within the company. Little Deeper, has not yet been Brett McNamara Beccaro, President and CEO of set. • Meanwhile, the final list of Music Choice. “Only when rates LABEL NEWS contenders for the 2002 ART are set in a fair and transparent Hollywood Records has down- Shortlist Prize in the U.S. has Art Director manner, with the opportunity sized their staff; about 20 of its been announced. The nomi- Drew Goren for full participation by all 100 employees were laid off on nees, who are not restricted by Associate Art Director affected parties, will consumers September 17. Please reach out nationality like the Mercury Graham Brice and competitors alike be reas- to J.J. Quest, Christy Anderson, Prize, are Aphex Twin, the sured of their fairness and suit- Megan Slater and Melissa Avalanches, Björk, Cee-Lo, DJ PUBLISHING ability.” • Little Big Man Langer, as they look for their Shadow, Doves, the Flaming Publisher Booking, a New York-based next opportunity. • TKO Lips, the Hives, N.E.R.D. and Robert K. Haber boutique booking agency, has Records has announced the Zero 7. The Shortlist Prize Chief Operating Officer become the industry’s first to go signing of Los Angeles’ Stitches. recipient will be announced at a Jay B. Ziskrout Carbon Neutral, an environ- The band will release an album ceremony at the Los Angeles VP Marketing and Business mental movement led by Future in CD format for the first time Knitting Factory on Oct. 29. • Development Forests that seeks to counteract in its history. Its last record was The 16th annual Bridge School Neil McGinness VP Music Sales global warming by planting 1995’s vinyl-only 8x12. benefit concerts have been David Ross enough trees to soak up the announced and, as usual, fea- Account Executives same amount of carbon dioxide MUSIC NEWS ture an eclectic line up of Jon Rayvid produced by the company’s daily In a bit of an upset, the 2002 artists. The school, founded by Peter Weinstock activities.