Press Play features tracks from Panic! At The Disco, Chiodos, the Dillinger Escape Plan, and more. The magazine's staff chose live cuts, acoustic versions, remixes, and exclusives. A portion of proceeds benefits the Keep A Breast Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes breast-cancer education and prevention. Indie label Photo Finish Records will release the disc.
A.P. founder Mike Shea says future releases will include cuts from established bands, new tracks from underground groups, and nuggets. "We'll give our fans something that continues what A.P. is," says Shea. "New bands, things you've never heard of, things you never would have."
One future comp will feature exclusive in-studio performances taped in Cleveland for The AP Show, a weekly audio program hosted by Editor in Chief Jason Pettigrew and Music Editor Scott Heisel. The show was formerly produced for XM Radio, but is now a free weekly podcast, available at the iTunes store.
The magazine is also planning an overhaul of its website, but plans to stay rooted in print media. A.P. is planning a book division that will publish original material and collections from the magazine's archive. Shea says that books will vary, but the goal is to make them more educational than sensational.
"They'll be something useful, so at some point a fan will come up to me and say, 'That changed me,'" says Shea.
" Dropgun frontman Billy "Billerotic" Scott recently left the band and moved to Phoenix. But all that dry, sunny weather didn't agree with him, so he's returned and rejoined the group, who are writing frantically for an overdue third album. The band returns to action at Chuck's Steakhouse (456 East South Street, Akron) on Friday, September 21.
" Hip-hop godfather KRS-One will speak at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum on Monday, September 24, at 7 p.m. Admission is free with a reservation; contact [email protected] or call 216-515-8426.
" Who Killed Marilyn? will play two shows this weekend: Friday, September 21 at the Davenport (6287 Pearl Road, Parma Heights) and Saturday, September 22 at Rockstar Cleveland (2083 East 21st Street). The punk-emo band is working down to the wire to complete the V: The Candle Burns at Both Ends EP. They hope to have it ready for the shows.
Mainman Christopher Marinin says he has scrapped plans to release a remastered version of 2006's Escape the Scene, and he and the new WKM lineup will concentrate on original music. The new material, he says, "really captures what I wanted the band to sound like from the start. It's heavy rock and roll."
" Erase the Grey has reformed but has canceled the reunion show that was scheduled for Saturday, September 22. The industrial-tinged modern-rock band signed to Universal in 2002, released a single EP (27 Days), and broke up in 2003. Led by frontman Jon "Vegas" Sayre and original guitarist John Stepp, the group is recording a new album. Check out the new logo and song, "Closure," at www.myspace.com/erasethegrey.
" Read Scene's C-Notes blog daily at www.blogs.clevescene.com for online exclusives, including an interview with Obituary guitarist Trevor Peres.
