Trail of Dead Trumpet Triumphant Return to Stage
03/17/2008 -- by merlin
  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Mercurial Texas talents ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead returned victoriously to the South by Southwest stage this past Friday at La Zona Rosa, conquering the crowd with a stunning performance befitting the band's five-star live reputation.
Critical acclaim for the stalwart Austin musicians and their on record performances had seemed to plunge drearily back to Earth in recent times, but with their high and mighty re-introduction to the assembled music media at La Zona Rosa on Friday afternoon, Trail of Dead look poised to once again push toward the critical heavens. "It came together a lot quicker than we were expecting," buzzed band captain Conrad Keely. "The performance went above and beyond anything we were expecting." Recalling the band's performance the night before at Threadgill's in Austin, Keely admitted some positive signs had begun to coalesce before their featured La Zona Rosa performance. "We played four songs opening for Roky Erickson on Thursday and it felt like things were coming together. Even some of our friends and family who turned up for the show told us it was great. I mean, compared to the other bands there [Erickson, Thurston Moore, the Black Angels] we sounded terrible, but for us it was a marked improvement."
Co-captain Jason Reece hopes the band will be able to continue this impressive form into their short string of European dates starting in May. "Yeah, of course we'd love to keep it going. Straight through recording [the new record] and into the next tour. We'll keep the creative juices flowing and see where that takes us. Ride our luck. Strike while the iron's hot. Get while the going's good. Pick your idiom." Reece also feels confident Trail of Dead are now fully capable of coping with any ill-effects from extended periods away from the music. "Everyone loves to get away and start fresh, shake things up, you know? Even the smallest changes can make a difference."
"Sometimes it's just nice to play sober in the afternoon."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Ready for New Beginning at South by Southwest
03/10/2008 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) -- Perennial indie-rock fair-haired boys ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead are looking to re-introduce themselves to the music industry this weekend with their appearance during Austin's high-profile South by Southwest music festival.
Hometown heroes Trail of Dead will close the Village Voice media party at La Zona Rosa on Friday afternoon alongside the Black Keys and the Cribs, a role which co-frontman Jason Reece feels the band will relish. "It's a perfect fit for us as we've always been more of a one-off party band than a touring band. Besides, the best way to shake off the rust after a lay-off is just to get out there and play." Friday's hour-long set at the 1,200 capacity La Zona Rosa marks Trail of Dead's first show since late November and the band's first South by Southwest appearance since their acrimonious spilt with long-time label Interscope Records. "This is our first real SXSW showcase in a long, long time," admitted a customarily animated Reece. "Turn back the clocks ten years and we're right back where we started. We don't have a label, so we're in the shop window. I guess it's like the first date after a long, unsuccessful marriage and divorce. You're excited, enthusiastic, and genuinely awkward. In the end you're just happy to be back in the game."
With his band in the midst of writing and recording sessions for their sixth full-length album, Reece feels now may be a perfect time to test the waters and try their new material in front of a live audience. "Hopefully we'll be able to play a few new songs for the crowd. I think it was something we didn't do enough with the last [few] albums. We never got feedback from the fans, from people who could give us an honest opinion and point us in the right direction," lamented Reece. "This time we've been trying to go about the whole process in a different manner. Writing, recording, touring, everything. If it all goes well at this show, we have some new material for the upcoming tour dates, if not, we're off in less than an hour."
A complete listing of the upcoming tour dates is available here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD to Personally Document Recording Process for Film
02/25/2008 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Veteran documentary centerpieces ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead will once again be dissected under the on-screen microscope, this time shooting themselves in an introspective piece focusing on the recording of their new album.
Trail of Dead half-frontman Jason Reece compared the reasoning behind doing the documentary themselves to skydivers packing their own parachutes before jumping out of a plane. "If we do it ourselves and it doesn't work out, then there's no one else to blame," explained Reece. "If we let someone else handle it and they mess up, you inevitably open a Pandora's box of guilt, blame, and civil lawsuits." A full-length Trail of Dead documentary had long been seen as a possibility for the band after their last semi-documentary, included with 2005's release "Worlds Apart", met with almost universal fan approval. "We definitely got it right with the Worlds Apart DVD," said other half-frontman Conrad Keely. "It took into consideration years and years of [video] tapes and didn't really go all the way, but everyone loved it. They loved the idea. That's why we're going ahead with this."
"We want to give everyone an insight into what goes on behind the scenes," continued Reece in agreement. "Not just the typical studio recording documentary drivel, who stood where, who played what, how'd this come about. There's so much more to it than that. Metallica had their 'Monster' documentary which was turned into a feature film or something. That's what we want to do. We want to show the constant struggle for perfection, the sleepless nights, the internal strife within the band and, indeed, within ourselves. It's not at all like people would think. There are no parties, no fans to propel us forward, just bare bones heart and soul."
"I think this film will prove culturally significant for Austin in the long run," suggested Reece. "We want to portray life here in the proper light. Did you see the Real World Austin? It sucked."
Previews of the upcoming film can be seen on YouTube.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Begin Recording "So Divided" Epilogue in Austin
02/11/2008 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Prolific freelance virtuosos ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead gathered together from across the country last week Monday in their historical home of Austin, Texas to begin recording the newest chapter in the band's wide-ranging decade-long catalog.
Despite its raw status, Trail of Dead's sixth studio album promises to mark a turning point in the band's career, being the first recording with their new-look line up, and, perhaps most importantly, the first away from their long-time benefactors, Interscope Records. Regardless of these seeming instabilities, Trail of Dead co-frontman Conrad Keely feels the band will pick up right where they left off with 2006's "So Divided". "To be perfectly honest, I don't look at this album as a follow-up so much as I do an epilogue," declared Keely. "We never really finished the last one. It didn't feel complete after we were done mastering. It felt like a mystery novel that lacked a solution. I think a lot of people, our fans, friends, critics, when they first heard it, felt the same way. We're looking forward as if the last album was just the first side of this record, and the new album, when it's finished, will be side two. Trust me, you'll understand what we were trying to do with the first one when you hear the conclusion."
Given their present label-free status, Trail of Dead find themselves in the unaccustomed situation of recording on their own terms without a pre-arranged timeframe. "Do I think it will be a problem?" asked co-frontman Jason Reece. "I don't think so. Things are a lot more flexible now than they ever were before. We don't have deadlines, we don't have a budget, everything is being done on our own time with our own money. Of course we're setting goals for ourselves, but it's not as if they're all set in stone. We're looking to the European tour at the start of May as our first goal. Should we finish [the entire record] by then, fine, if we don't, we don't have anyone pushing us off the cliff before we've packed our parachute."
"I look at it this way," continued Reece. "The White Album took, what, two weeks to record? Three months for us should be no problem."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Tour Select European Nations in May, Ignore Others
02/04/2008 -- by merlin
 LONDON, England (AP) -- High-flying favorites ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead announced a string of European tour dates early Monday morning to follow their much anticipated May 17th appearance at the All Tomorrows Parties festival in Somerset, England.
The short mini-tour, which concentrates mostly on central Europe, has been welcomed with open arms by several countries, but has met with fierce vocal disapproval in other areas of the continent, many loyal fans feeling disenfranchised and ignored by the band they've helped support for years. "I think it's disgraceful," said Sven Gustafsson, a long-time Swedish fan from Malmo. "Absolutely disgraceful. How could they possibly ignore all of Scandinavia? An area, I might add, which has supported them through thick and thin, bought the over-priced major label records, and kept going to the shows even though they haven't put out anything good in years. We've gone through a lot in the hope they'd recognize our efforts and reward us with a show or two. I feel used and abandoned." Reaction, even in parts of England, was similar. "It hurts," lamented an unnamed fan from the North East. "One hit record in central Europe and all of a sudden Trail of Dead can't play anywhere the fans don't speak German. It really does feel like we won those two World Wars for nothing."
Trail of Dead booking agent Emma Banks said she fully understood the fans' reaction and urged patience in their quest for show equality. "Everyone needs to understand that booking shows is not a personal matter. The band holds no grudge against fans in certain countries. If they had their way, they'd play in every city in every country in Europe. Unfortunately there comes a point where management has to step in and draw a line in the sand. At this moment in time, there are some places that are more financially viable for the band than others. It's as simple as that."
"If these fans are so desperate for a [Trail of Dead] show, then by all means, contact my office and make us an offer we can't refuse."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Independent Labels Battle for Unattached Trail of Dead
01/21/2008 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (AP) -- A slew of independent record labels have been fighting day in and day out for the signature of recently re-indiefied rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, as they look to snap up the detached veterans to a recording contract before the competition.
The ferocious bidding war between the independent labels started almost immediately after Trail of Dead walked away from their contract with major label Interscope Records. Trail of Dead manager Asif Ahmed recently told reporters he received no less than six inquiries from interested labels within the first half hour of the initial press release announcing the breakup. "They started calling right away," revealed Ahmed. "Everyone [in the band] was initially caught a little off guard. We certainly weren't expecting such an immediate response." Ahmed also revealed several official offers had been tabled for the band to consider. "We have had more than a few offers from indies, but nothing is final yet. The guys want to make sure they take the time to carefully read and consider everything before making a decision. At this point, there's no need to rush it. A lucrative contract may seem enticing at first glance, but when you read the fine print it could turn out to be just as bad as the one we had."
Freelance music journalist Stewart Black feels the bidding war can only help Trail of Dead's chances for success. "I've seen it before, time and time again. Bidding wars can help bands get the most out of their contracts," said Black. "Concessions labels were unwilling to make before will once again be in play if there's competition and they're pushing to move themselves to the front of the queue." Regardless of the money involved, Black thinks some labels are in a better position than others. "I don't think they'll sign for another major. Interscope ruined the chances of that. Matador, Merge, Sub Pop, my sources say they've all made offers for the band. Who knows which will come out on top. Merge Records is obviously a front runner because of the mutual bit of history they have together. Of course Trail of Dead could shock us all with the next album and pull a Radiohead."
"In the end, whatever they decide, I can't see how they'd be any worse off than they were before. The only way to go is up."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Issue Official Statement to Confirm Band Name
01/14/2008 -- by merlin
 LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Usage savvy art rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead moved to quash speculation of a possible name change early Monday morning by issuing a statement to confirm the true origin, nature, and identity of their verbose band moniker.
"First of all, we would like to set the record straight," read the statement issued through Trail of Dead's lawyers, Goldring, Hertz and Lichtenstein. "Neither the ellipsis nor the 'And You Will Know Us by the' has been removed or edited out of the official band name. Around the time the last album was released, rumors began to circulate suggesting the band had dropped these two accompaniments and were going to continue forward as just 'Trail of Dead'. These unfounded rumors also alluded to the possibility Interscope Records may have forced the decision upon the unwilling band in order to assist with promotion and marketing. This gossip, in its various forms, has continued as an assumed truth. We categorically deny any such changes were ever made, nor were they ever considered. Kevin, Conrad, and Jason each feel a deep emotional attachment to the ellipsis and the first seven words of their performance alias and would never even consider such a thoughtless consolidation."
Trail of Dead frontman Conrad Keely delved into greater historical depth in a conference call to reporters shortly after the statement was released. "Obviously the full name is very important to us and it has been for a long time," said Keely. "When Jason [Reece] and I first started playing together in '94, we didn't have a name. Before one of those first shows, right outside the venue actually, there was a hideous car wreck and three people who were coming to see us play got killed. It was there and then, staring at the carnage we had helped create, we decided to name the band as we did. We wanted to have a permanent reminder of the death and destruction, however unintentional, our music had caused. Each dot in the ellipses has meaning. Each word is important. It's a brand we branded ourselves with. Like a big, bold line of scarlet letters across the chest."
"So you see it's a memorial to those people we lost. We couldn't change it. Anyone who tells you otherwise is stepping on graves."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Hostilities Ignite Between Opposing Jason Reece Factions
01/07/2008 -- by merlin
 HILO, Hawaii (AP) -- The internet was alight with electronic antagonism early Friday morning when angry members of the Anti-Jason Reece Club exchanged heated words and simulated jabs with a group of Jason Reece supporters on several active internet forums and message boards.
Jason Reece Love, as the pro-Reece group refers to itself, operates out of bases in several US states with the specific aim to supplant the Anti-Reece Club at the forefront of the multifaceted Jason Reece internet revolution and return the spotlight to Reece's wide-ranging list of personal accomplishments. "Jason enjoys broad support across the board here in Hawai'i," said Frederich Kep'okalani, High Chief of the Jason Reece Love Hawaiian chapter. "He's a native son and we're proud of what he has accomplished. These people, these haters, they have no idea what Jason brings to the table day in and day out. His energy, his positive fervor, his uncanny ability to light a fire deep inside the darkest realms of your soul, these are things to be admired and appreciated, not scorned and spit upon. Jason is exactly the type of person we need in today's primarily arid society of hopelessness. A transcendent ray of light in an otherwise endless sea of emotional black holes and murky dispositions."
Love member Joseph Emerson of Bedford, Massachusetts, who was himself involved in the recent internet action taken against the Anti-Jason Reece Club, says Kep'okalani hit the proverbial nail right on the head. "Eccentric allegory aside, Freddie knows what he's talking about," asserted Emerson. "We need more people like Jason around. These Anti-Reece fools wish they could be half the man he is. I doubt they've ever sat down and listened to his songs or taken time to read his lyrics. Truth be told, 'Heart in the Hand of the Matter' saved my life. Only a true poet could pen something like that, to write a song that really saves people. I mean, how could it not speak to you? I wish they would open their eyes and see it."
Emerson feels his pro-Reece argument comes down to a simple question of fellowship. "Why hate when you can love?"
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Reece Takes Existential High Road in '07 Year-End Review
12/31/2007 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Charismatic songwriter/utility instrumentalist Jason Reece of Texas art advocates ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead has once again spoken out, this time giving an insight into his thoughts of the past year and his goals for the year to come.
"I can't ever remember a year like this," crowed a buoyant Reece from behind the counter at Austin's Beauty Bar, of which he is a much adored part-owner. Speaking to the small crowd of gathered reporters and morning bar patrons, Reece tried his best to explain his turbulent 2007. "This one was even crazier than last. It all started well enough. There were high hopes for [So] Divided in the US at the beginning, but they never panned out. We had to concentrate on Europe and we were over there like three different times or something for months and months at a time. All the while our tour budget was shrinking because Interscope hated giving us money. I'm actually surprised they didn't make us walk from country to country between gigs and FedEx our equipment to the next venue. I guess that was the last straw, so we left [the label]. Of course immediately afterwards we got stuck opening for a fake band with fake fans only interested in cartoon metal. I can safely say the Adult Swim tour was the second worst tour experience we've ever had, just behind opening for Audioslave."
"With all that's happened over this year and last, I haven't really had time to stop and take a look around," lamented Reece. "Lawsuits, tours, the whole Interscope ordeal, it's all been so draining. As a collective entity it's taken a lot out of the group and everyone is looking forward to a fresh start in 2008." As with any New Year's rebirth, Reece certainly has his resolution. "I've been reading a lot since the tour ended [in November]. Going over, reviewing some of the works of my favorite writers, Nietzsche, Baudelaire, Willie Nelson, they've each helped me come up with one resolution for the new year I think myself and the band can more than live up to."
"Less empty living, more rock 'n' roll."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Iovine Takes Blame for Trail of Dead Mistakes, Regrets
12/19/2007 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (AP) -- Interscope Records supremo Jimmy Iovine has taken the unprecedented step of apologizing to music fans, critics, and the industry as a whole for the recent acrimonious break-up between his label and the band he signed himself, indie favorites ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead.
Iovine took time out of his normally unengaging schedule to personally deliver a statement of apology which he hopes will begin to bury the many hard feelings felt by the band's fanbase, born out of nearly seven full years of indifference, thoughtlessness, and neglect. "First and foremost I would like to apologize to the band, Trail of Dead, who went above and beyond any and every initial expectation I had for them," read Iovine. "They were one of the few bands I negotiated with myself. I signed them to a long-term contract because I always knew what they had to offer on record and on tour. Back then [in 2001] they were the future of rock 'n' roll and I still believe they can be, even if it is with a minor-league label. I'll admit we made a few small mistakes with their handling, release dates, tour planning, press, marketing, and radio promotion, but I always thought they'd break through with us eventually."
"When I received the call from their management telling me they had decided to leave I was gutted," continued a remorseful Iovine. "One hundred and ten percent. I didn't leave my Manhattan townhouse for almost a day. It affected me that much. I'm not at all an unfeeling person as some make me out to be. Of course there are many things I regret about the past few years, not least of which is how we treated their fans. They gave the band their complete and utter support and we didn't even come close to doing the same. For this, and a few other things, I am forever sorry. I wish Trail of Dead all the best in their newest endeavors and should they ever wish to come back to Interscope, I'll be more than happy to possibly consider it."
Iovine didn't answer questions following his statement, refusing to say whether he would issue an apology to Trent Reznor, Josh Homme, 50 Cent, or other present and former unsettled Interscope artists.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Acclaimed Filmmaker Plots Anti-Reece Club Documentary
12/14/2007 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (AP) -- Renowned director Ondi Timoner looks set to delve into a dark, disconcerting world with her new film chronicling the Anti-Jason Reece Club, a sensational internet movement devoted to ridding the world of high-profile musician and proprietor Jason Reece.
Timoner, perhaps best known for her 2004 award-winning documentary DiG! contrasting the volatile careers of the Dandy Warhols and the Brian Jonestown Massacre, revealed her plans for the assuredly controversial film during a recent promotional interview. "I first heard about the Anti-Reece Club early last year when a friend brought it to my attention," recalled Timoner. "I was immediately fascinated by the sheer scope of their hatred for him. How could such a relatively unknown band create such a fanatical fervor of malcontent and hatred? They hate his music, they hate his art, they hate the fact he even exists and they feel it's their inherent duty to make sure the world knows he's no good, almost to the point of complete and utter self-sacrifice. How could we arrive in this position? What could possibly make the [club's] members feel this way? It's something completely unheard of in the world of music and it needs to be investigated in depth. That's exactly what I plan on doing with this film."
Founded in late 2005, the Anti-Jason Reece Club boasts an estimated worldwide membership of over 10,000 with a further 300 "ultras" who attend Trail of Dead shows for the sole purpose of tormenting Reece. "I think this [club] may have, in fact, been the sole reason behind Interscope's unwillingness to promote the band," hypothesized Timoner, referring to Trail of Dead's tumultuous relationship with their former record label. "There's no doubt they were put-off by the mere existence of the club and I'm sure they feared greater exposure of the band would only further swell the club's rank and file membership as well as their ambitions."
"I fully feel something like this deserves the spotlight, regardless of the potential repercussions."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Guitarist Arrested, Released in Western New York
12/12/2007 -- by merlin
 BUFFALO, New York (AP) -- Lead guitarist Kevin Allen of prominent indie-rock folk heroes ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead was arrested late Friday evening after a verbal dispute with several border patrol agents at a busy border crossing on the outskirts of Buffalo.
According to sources familiar with the case, Allen was returning home from visiting friends in the Toronto area when he was stopped for a routine identification check at a Buffalo border crossing. Witnesses confirmed it was Allen who initiated the dispute after border patrol agents refused to let him through the checkpoint. Allen exited his car and proceeded to continue the argument, several times placing his hand on his car to recover his balance, before pleading his case to two lanes of oncoming traffic, unintentionally rendering the crossing closed for several minutes. It was then that border patrol agents took the groggy Allen into custody. Police say he was released the following morning on his own recognizance after agents decided he no longer posed any danger.
Buffalo border patrol spokesman Roger Peterson called the incident "unremarkable", conceding alcohol-fueled misunderstandings like these are somewhat commonplace along the border. "Things like this happen all the time," Peterson admitted. "It's almost routine at times. We simply don't have the resources to prosecute everyone who comes across the border. Because if we were following the letter of the law, that's who we'd be prosecuting. Everyone who crossed the border. Illegals without documentation, drug-smugglers, terrorists, or drunks. Who would you go after? Over the years we've learned to be open-minded dealing with those who may have been at the bottle a bit too much before getting behind the wheel. Letting them sleep it off in a holding cell is far more cost-effective."
"After all, this isn't the big city. Up here you can either drink, sleep, or play hockey. We won't let you do two of the three at once."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Receive Offer to Open for My Bloody Valentine
11/21/2007 -- by merlin
 LONDON, England (AP) -- According to several sources close to shoegazing pioneer Kevin Shields, Texas-based glamour rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead will be given the first opportunity to open for My Bloody Valentine on their upcoming reunion tour.
Shields, a keen admirer of the ever-evolving Austin quintet, is thought to have met and discussed the possibility of combining forces during Trail of Dead's tour stop in London this past August. The My Bloody Valentine frontman has never been one to shy away from vocally declaring his love for the band, referring to them in a 2005 interview as "the cutting edge of alternative rock's artistic blade." Shields said he was comprehensively blown away by their onstage presence and lamented the fact he hadn't found them sooner. "I hadn't heard of Trail of Dead until I saw them play with Mogwai a few years back. Everything about that show knocked me off my feet. I had already worked with Mogwai several times and from that moment on I knew I had to find a way to involve myself with these guys, whether as a performer, producer, engineer, or simply as a regular fan."
Trail of Dead bit part frontman Jason Reece expressed his delight upon receiving the news of the My Bloody Valentine reunion at a recent show in Madison, Wisconsin, but seemed unaware of any plans to open for the seminal alternative band. "Well it's certainly news to me," laughed Reece. "You'd have to talk to Conrad [Keely] about that one. We've met up with Kevin [Shields] a few times at festivals and he's been to a couple of our shows. Kevin is a great guy and a musical genius. I'm thrilled to hear he's getting My Bloody Valentine back together. I only wish we had [all] been born a few years sooner so we could have had the opportunity to play a few shows with them the first time around. This time, you never know."
When pressed for comment, a spokesman for My Bloody Valentine would neither confirm nor deny these newest reports.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
BT Reveal Results of DMA Ballot Stuffing Criminal Inquiry
11/14/2007 -- by merlin
 LONDON, England (BBC) -- Digital Music Awards sponsors BT have revealed the long-awaited results of an expensive month-long inquiry into alleged ballot-stuffing during this year's People's Choice Award open voting, announcing that no formal criminal charges will be filed.
Rumors circulated immediately after voting ended in early October that serial overachievers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead were under investigation by event organizers when their names were conspicuously absent from the People's Choice Award final results. While failing to go so far as to confirm the identity of the guilty party or parties, BT spokesman Ali Fleischman indicated highly-localized voting fraud had ravaged their last two contests. "We experienced similar problems during last year's competition with individuals acting discernibly on behalf of these same entrants," Fleishman said. "The entrants denied all involvement and knowledge of the scheme, but it is clear to us now they were fully aware of the illegal activities perpetrated in their name. Fortunately we were able to catch them before all votes were tallied. As of now we will not be seeking any criminal injunctions. We hope those involved will take this as a stern, decisive warning and not a slap on the wrist."
Several months ago, Trail of Dead multi-instrumentalist Jason Reece spoke of the DMA voting competition, encouraging his fans to come up with a similar result to last year where they successfully overachieved to a fantastic 13th place. "Our fans are a bunch of highly motivated individuals and they gave us a result which we feel was fully deserved," Reece said at the time. "This year we're hoping for more of the same." His cryptic off-hand remarks came attached with a curious disclaimer, perhaps foreshadowing this week's revelations. "Regardless of what has been said, we have never been involved in any ballot stuffing, espionage, or wiretapping."
Calls to Trail of Dead management seeking comment and clarification remained unreturned as of press time.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Crestfallen by Media Claims of Radiohead Innovation
11/07/2007 -- by merlin
 LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Rightful digital rock vanguards ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have expressed their disappointment at the media's coverage of Radiohead's recent pioneering digital album release, insisting they broke the proverbial cyber mold with last year's internet-only pre-release "So Divided".
Radiohead sent allegorical shockwaves through already waning major label coffers last month when they announced their newest album "In Rainbows" would be released exclusively as a digital download, allowing fans worldwide to set their own price for the highly-anticipated album. The move by Radiohead came eleven months after Trail of Dead, to much less fanfare and acclaim, prematurely leaked their own album directly to their fans, several months before its scheduled release date. Trail of Dead frontman and file sharing proponent Conrad Keely lamented the obvious flaws involved with the media's overzealous reporting last month. "I really don't get it," Keely said. "We did almost exactly the same thing, except we didn't make a penny. Had [the media] done any research whatsoever, they would have found we put our last album out there to our fans while we were still under contract. I love Radiohead, but they really have the media by the balls. Everything they do is apple-polished over and over again."
"I'm not bitter or angry," Keely continued. "A little disappointed, maybe. The whole purpose of signing [with Interscope] was to gain more exposure and visibility. Apparently sticking it to the major labels first by leaking something we didn't fully own wasn't enough to warrant any response from the media. I mean, I would have liked to receive some of the credit since it's blatantly obvious Radiohead got the idea from us. The whole situation is getting worse now that they've started asking me in interviews what I think about this 'bold statement to the music industry'. Of course I think it's a great idea. I thought it was way back when we did it first last year."
"Now, since we have no label, if we release our next album the same way we did last time, everyone will think we copied Radiohead."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Follow Trent Reznor's Advice, Drop Interscope
10/31/2007 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (AP) -- Following in the footsteps of former undervalued label-mates Nine Inch Nails, oft-overlooked rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have left their label of six years, Interscope Records.
The bold move for freedom, which had long since been foreshadowed and pushed for by die-hard fans jaded by Interscope's lack of effort, sophistication, and seeming characteristic inability to properly promote and handle a rock band, will give the band the freedom they desire and the ability to find a label more suited to their needs. Trail of Dead frontman Conrad Keely tried to explain the 'drop' as best he could in a statement posted to the band's official website. "Ever since label head Jimmy Iovine started dating the lead singer guy of the Pussycat Dolls it became impossible to get him on the phone, so that was a first bad sign. Then their idea of marketing became keeping it a secret that we'd released a record." Keely continued by lamenting the major label business as a whole. "The industry is in a strange place these days, and the only way they can make money is to sell urban pop music. Which is what I thought we were writing, but apparently I was wrong."
Keely said he was encouraged by former label-mate Trent Reznor, who announced earlier this month his multi-platinum band Nine Inch Nails would not be returning to Interscope after several years and two albums of despondency, to cut and run with dignity. "Trent called me up a few weeks ago after he heard we had become disillusioned with life [on Interscope]. He reassured me there was life left in the industry, just none left where we were. To be honest the thought of leaving had crossed my mind several hundred times in recent years, but I think the Nine Inch Nails decision and Trent's phone call really sealed the deal for me."
"Hopefully the other bands [on the label] will follow our lead. I mean, Interscope has already killed TV on the Radio and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. There aren't many bands on the roster left to ruin."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Renew Relationship with Adult Swim, Metal Bands
10/22/2007 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (AP) -- Cataclysmic band-name pioneers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead will embark on a massive 25-date tour of North America with animated virtual death metallurgists Dethklok in support of Adult Swim and the rising virtual metal genre.
The darkly-billed "free" tour crisscrosses the United States, visiting over a dozen college campuses in less than a month. "It's something we've wanted to do for a while," said backup frontman/drummer Jason Reece. "We've been so bogged down by our label with conventional album promotion, this is the first real opportunity we've had to think outside the box." Reece, himself a part-time proprietor of sludge metal, knew his band had to jump at the opportunity when it was offered. "We received the offer [for the tour] when we were in Europe, so it was a bit touch-and-go for a while. Despite the short notice and almost quixotic disorganization of the Adult Swim people, we knew we had to do it. No one was expecting us to do anything like this and we're all about abnormality and blowing peoples' minds."
Despite critical leeriness, primary Trail of Dead frontman Conrad Keely insists the tour will be an unconditional success, citing past tours with similar metal bands as successful endeavors. "We toured with the Sword in 2005 and no one complained too much. I don't want to take credit for the conceptual idea, but it did propel the Sword forward quite dramatically." Keely continued, hoping this time roles might be reversed. "Usually bands become huge after they've opened for us; Interpol, Snow Patrol, Explosions in the Sky, Secret Machines, take your pick. I think this is the first time we've had a much bigger band opening. I'm not sure how these things work, but isn't the law of averages supposed to catch up sometime?"
Trail of Dead's second doom metal tour continues throughout the fall, ending with a special performance at New York's famous Bowery Ballroom. A full listing of dates is available here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Surprise Steadfast Norse Fans with October Fly-in
09/26/2007 -- by merlin
 TRONDHEIM, Norway (AP) -- High-flying shock rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have rewarded their legions of fans in Norway by announcing a special one-off show on October 14th in recognition of the country's unwavering support and amorous hospitality.
The atypical micro-tour will take place in Trondheim at the Storsalen Studentersamfundet, an event, pending support bands, looking increasingly likely to become the longest show billing on record. Trail of Dead semi-frontman and piano aesthete Conrad Keely explained why his band chose Norway over several other equally deserving European nations. "It was the heritage, really," said Keely, himself an ardent supporter of mythology and ancient war-seeking cultures. "Wherever you set foot in Norway, there it is. Staring you straight in the eye. Statues, longboats, fjords, little gremlins in hats. I wouldn't necessarily compare and contrast all Norwegians against Vikings, but the lineage is obvious. Everyone agreed we had to go back. What a great society to immerse yourself in. I can see why Erik the Red was so distraught when he was exiled. "
Co-frontman Jason Reece was equal in his praise. "It isn't as if the other countries in Europe have treated us so badly, it's just that Norway has always been so amazing." He cites an Oya Festival stop in Oslo from their most recent European tour as a prime example. "The weather wasn't the greatest, we started late, our sound was bad, most songs seemed out of tune, Donny our tech had to fill in for Danny on bass, Aaron [Ford] was still learning the songs, Conrad's voice had seen better days, and we were all hung-over. Still, the crowd stuck by us for the whole hour."
Reece admits he wouldn't be against future old continent fly-ins to honor loyal acts of fandom. "If we can get Interscope to pay for it, I could see us doing this every couple months."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Jason Reece Reflects on Recent Epochal European Tour
09/24/2007 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Eccentric ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead multi-tasking bit part-frontman Jason Reece took time out of his busy schedule recently to give select reporters and insight into his band's recent run of dates in Europe.
"It was eye-opening, that's for sure," said a candid Reece of the 25-date tour. "We met a lot of people we hadn't met before and experienced a lot of things we'd never experienced before." Reece elaborated by explaining that despite a shaky start to the tour, he feels the band bonded and improved gradually during every show. "With Danny [Wood] and Doni [Schroader] not there it was difficult to adjust to everything at first. The group decided as a whole to play more of Conrad's songs this tour because we had gone back to the two drummer setup for our first show in New York. I was relegated back to drumming duties for the most part. The opening few shows I had trouble sitting in one place for the whole hour, so Conrad went over to keyboards and I started playing guitar on songs I had never played guitar before. Now I can see why he hates playing drums so much. What a waste of perfectly good charisma."
Speaking of the bands somewhat unexpected popularity surge in Germany, Reece remained enthusiastic. "The reception we received in Germany was fantastic. We haven't experienced anything remotely like that anywhere in the world in years. Every club show [we played] was packed, completely sold out, and every festival we played we drew massive crowds and had amazing support. I even think 'Worlds Apart' went gold there recently or something crazy. Who would have thought that opening for [a band like] Audioslave could open so many doors."
When asked whether or not Trail of Dead would continue to prefer tours in Europe over tours in the United States, Reece was openly forthright. "I don't see why not. Wouldn't you? I'm married now so I have to take advantage of exciting opportunities while I still can."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Enter DMA 2007 Despite Organizer Misgivings
08/20/2007 -- by merlin
 LONDON, England (BBC) -- Internet savvy rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have once again thrown their hat into the ring for the People's Choice Award at the 2007 BT Digital Music Awards, despite continuing accusations of cyber intimidation and ballot stuffing that marred their 13th place finish last year.
Primary competition sponsors BT were reportedly deeply unnerved upon receiving the news Trail of Dead had once more entered their prestigious internet music website voting competition, going so far as to officially request competition officials withdraw the band's entry. In spite of abiding bad press and threats from their primary sponsor, senior competition officials were unwilling to hastily rush to judgment, preferring instead to wait it out. "Obviously we're skeptical of their motives," remarked contest supervisor and internet voting security expert Roger Dorn. "When results are so skewed in favor of contestants with relatively miniscule fanbases, it's hard not to become suspicious. Last year was a prime example. This year, however, we feel we are infinitely more well prepared to handle any claims of foul play that may come our way. Of course unless we have some hard factual evidence backing up a few of these claims, in the end, there's nothing we can do but go forward with the voting and congratulate them if they place well."
Co-frontman and business entrepreneur Jason Reece brushed aside the accusations, saying Trail of Dead were only in the competition for their fans. "Everything we do is for them and this is no different," said a brusque Reece. "Our fans are a bunch of highly motivated individuals and they gave us a result which we feel was fully deserved. This year we're hoping for more of the same. Regardless of what has been said, we have never been involved in any ballot stuffing, espionage, or wiretapping. There was no hush money fueled cover up last year. Anyone who says Interscope [Records] paid large sums of money to keep these hackers quiet clearly isn't aware that when it comes to us, Interscope aren't the least bit interested."
To vote for Trail of Dead in the People's Choice Award click here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Drummer Ford Snubbed Seat on Board for Career in Music
08/13/2007 -- by merlin
 DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- Newly cultivated
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead dual-percussionist Aaron Ford revealed this past Friday he turned a blind eye to his calling as a sixth-generation member of Detroit's royal automotive dynasty to further his fledgling career in music.
Up until now Ford had been reluctant to confirm any details of his well-to-do background because of lingering resentment from various members of his family. "I suppose I can confirm it now seeing as I am five thousand miles away from any family members still holding a grudge," said a candid Ford speaking from Trail of Dead's recent tour stop in Oslo, Norway. "My parents have been [and still are to this day] big players in the whole Detroit auto scene. I grew up around the 10-4 corporate executive type lifestyle, but even from a young age I could never envision myself becoming involved with it when I grew up. Unlike most Fords these days, constantly laying people off in order to widen my own pockets didn't quite fit into my plans. When I turned eighteen an uncle offered me a non-executive seat on the Ford board and I turned him down. Simple as that."
"Music has always been my true love," continued Ford. "It was always a part of my life. Bouncing tires, drumming on hoods and dashboards, rhythm came somewhat easily for me from the beginning. When I got older I used it more and more as an excuse to get out of the family smog. Drum lessons instead of bridge with my parents, concerts instead of banquet dinners, afterparties instead of violent union meetings. At eighteen I reached a crossroads and made my decision. Instead of becoming a corporate stiff I chose to buy a [drum] kit and live in a van."
"I guess I just prefer driving Hondas."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Kick-off European Tour in New York City
08/06/2007 -- by merlin
 BROOKLYN, New York (AP) -- Continental hopping rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead kicked off their European tour this past Thursday in America with a show at Brooklyn's historic Luna Lounge, their first with newly hired replacement drummer Aaron Ford.
Thursday's show marked Trail of Dead's first public performance in nearly six months, and the first on American soil in nearly a year. Frontman Conrad Keely branded the show as "moderately successful" and hailed the first performance of their contentious single "Naked Sun" as a step forward for the band. "Yeah, I'm happy with how things turned out. Probably because we made it through 'Naked Sun' without having to start over," Keely remarked. "It took a good month of rehearsing before the show to get it right. Hopefully we'll be able to keep playing it this tour and into the future. Lately we've only been playing older songs because they're better, but I think the success of this single performance might make me consider throwing a few more of the newer songs into the setlist. It will be a lot easier to do that now since we've gone back to the two drummer setup. It keeps everyone involved and prevents nihilistic type complacency from setting in between songs."
Ford, a one-off touring replacement for regular second-string percussionist Doni Schroader, was also pleased with his debut despite feeling somewhat out of place. "I felt somewhat out of place," Ford told a group of interested reporters after the show. "I think [the guys] held off on their drinking because I was around. I'm not entirely sure because obviously I'm new, but I've seen them several times and each time they seemed [like they were] completely hammered. Then again, it is only the first show. Maybe they pace themselves. Maybe they just need time to warm up."
Trail of Dead's European tour continues throughout August and into the early days of September. An itinerary can be found here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Interscope to Re-Issue Albums Ahead of Trail of Dead VI
07/30/2007 -- by merlin
 SANTA MONICA, California (AP) -- Interscope Records revealed their plans this past Friday to re-release five albums from recording artists ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead ahead of an anticipated sixth album release in early 2008.
Each of the five albums, only three of which were released under the band's current recording contract with Interscope Records, will receive new titles and new packaging. The track listing and songs themselves will remain unchanged from their original versions. Interscope spokesman Thomas Kraft spoke to the media about the subtle subconscious promotional reasoning behind the unorthodox move. "We're trying to concoct a storm in the media and indeed in the general music-going public that will hopefully create a tidal wave of sales for the new old records. Each record has individual traits particular to successful mainstream sales. So as to make things easier for the public, we're going to call the first album 'Trail of Dead', the second 'Trail of Dead II', so on and so forth and release [the albums] in sequential order over a five week period." Interscope are hoping to release the string of albums this fall, coincidently mirroring the release timeframe for a greatest hits compilation from original numerical album pioneers Led Zeppelin.
Busy Trail of Dead frontman Conrad Keely recently announced the band's own intentions to begin their sixth album immediately after they return from their late summer tour of Europe. "Plans are currently underway for us to begin work on our next record upon returning from tour," said Keely. "Everyone is fully excited to begin work. We were throwing around various names for the record, but were reminded by the label that our contract states that the label has the option to choose the title of our next record, and Interscope informs me they have decided to call it 'Trail of Dead VI'. I for one am thankful, because I hate choosing titles for records."
A drawn-out club tour of North America is also planned for the fall of 2007 to support the re-release series.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Announce Late Summer Return to European Festivals
07/16/2007 -- by merlin
 BOLOGNA, Italy (AP) -- Texas international favorites ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have announced a slew of European dates for late summer, marking the return as the band's largest festival stint in more than five years.
Initiated in part because of their recent run of success in Germany, this summer's jaunt will see the Texas band play several small club shows in addition to their string of festival appearances. They have announced a total of twenty-three planned shows in fourteen countries which weave their way back and forth through Europe, starting with an August 5th festival date in Portugal. The dates will represent Trail of Dead's second straight appearance in Europe after their last tour finished in Athens this past March. Despite wide-spread joviality after the tour announcement last week, a small percentage of Europeans remain unimpressed by the band's efforts. In an open letter to Trail of Dead members, one paltry Italian journalist wrote of his frustrations, claming their abeyance and lack of promotion have ruined them in his country. "I love this band, and I know how they are, but I am surprised they haven't imploded. In Germany they might be a band on the rise, [here in Italy] though, they are becoming nothing. They are the [least] organized band ever."
Band frontman and leading lyricist Conrad Keely responded to the allegations of complacency in a post on the band's official website. "I just finished reading a story about how we are the most disorganized band ever," wrote Keely. "I like that distinction, even though it's crazy. Not that I'm surprised [an Italian] would be so excitable. I mean, I saw the World Cup. The guys there are way more emotional than the women. I've heard that some even consider Rome to be the San Francisco of the old continent."
A full Trail of Dead tour itinerary is available here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Members Barred from Austin July 4th Festivities
07/02/2007 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- For the second time in under a year, members of the popular rock group ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have been detained by police in connection with illicit July 4th celebrations, according to various reports emerging from of the Texas state capital.
At a small press conference for anxious local media Sunday afternoon, acting Chief of Police Cathy Ellison refused to confirm the names or transgressions of any recently apprehended suspects. "Do to the sensitivity of this issue and out of respect for the rights of those in custody, I will not reveal the names of anyone involved. Having said that, I can confirm that two middle-aged Caucasian men with histories of July 4th disturbances were removed from the vicinity of City Hall at six o'clock this morning by a pair of officers on a routine patrol. The officers observed the two men in question loitering around newly gated areas for about ten minutes before confronting them. The two men resisted and were eventually pinned to the ground and arrested. We have ruled out terrorism as a possible motive. At this time, that is all the information we are making available to the public. All of the city's July 4th celebrations will proceed as scheduled."
Interscope spokesman Randy Michaels confirmed that a pair of Trail of Dead members were detained on Sunday, but was unable to reveal their identities or the extent of the charges filed against them. "I can tell you members of the band become involved with police this morning in Austin. We haven't been given any further details of the incident." Michaels was, however, able to reveal the fate of the two judicially indentured musicians. "They are each under house arrest until Thursday morning. That's all I can say for now. Unfortunately they won't be taking part in any of Austin's official July 4th activities, which, if I can be frank here for a moment, is probably for their immediate benefit in light of past exploits."
Last year, an unconfirmed number of Trail of Dead members were arrested after they ignited several American flags at a low-key July 4th party in downtown Austin.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Jason Reece Says Trail of Dead Are Bigger Than Hasselhoff
05/16/2007 -- by merlin
 BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- Texas media mogul and alternative rock elder Jason Reece has claimed his band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead are now more popular than David Hasselhoff in the multi-talented entertainer's adopted home of Germany, despite having failed to chart in any Germanic-speaking country.
Trail of Dead's recent unlikely surge in popularity along the Rhine has been nothing short of miraculous and in sharp contrast to their comparatively waning support elsewhere in the world. Although his comments were met with broad waves of criticism from the German press, Reece has fervently refused to back down and feels his band's unconventional rise to stardom has solid potential to last. "Of course we're taking everything with a grain of salt, but how can we not be optimistic?" Reece said during a recent talk radio phone-in interview. "As much of a disaster as it was in every other European country, I think touring with Audioslave [in the summer of 2005] opened [a lot of] doors for us in Germany. We were exposed to a massive audience who seem to latch onto whatever English lyricized rock music they can get their hands on. We're going to work hard to make sure we stay on top for many years to come. Hopefully [we'll be able to] redefine German pop music."
Helga Mueller, chief spokeswoman for David Hasselhoff, brushed aside the comments as typical American promotional rhetoric. "Acts come and go these days, but the great ones will stand the test of time. You can't base your popularity on your last album or the past six months. David has proven time and time again that he is the benchmark for all artisanship in and out of the German market. I doubt his popularity will ever be surpassed in my lifetime. Who are these guys to say they have had an impact on German culture like David has? He is and will always be German music."
Hasselhoff has had a total of nine top fifty albums and nine top fifty singles in his nearly two decade musical career.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Plan to Tour Europe Throughout August
05/14/2007 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Texas nu-indie virtuosos ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have announced plans for a limited festival tour of Europe in August, ditching their jaded North American fanbase in favor of a second consecutive junket through the old continent.
Controversial band member and entrepreneur Jason Reece, speaking to fans via Trail of Dead's official message board, said the tour had nothing to do with the band's uncanny distaste for aloof North American audiences, but was based entirely on collective sales from their last full-length album, November's "So Divided". "I just got the dates for a month of touring in Europe," read Reece's post. "We will be playing Germany (a bunch of dates), Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland, Italy, London, Holland, Belgium, and Portugal. This tour starts in August. There are a lot of festival dates and a few club shows, so when it becomes set in stone the dates will be posted. Sorry to all our North American friends. We still love you, but our label wouldn't let us tour in the States because of the record selling so poorly and the backlash from the 'Naked Sun' video. Maybe next album."
Reece's band mate Conrad Keely, however, explained the decision to tour Europe ahead of North America was far less complicated than that. "It wasn't a difficult decision at all, really," asserted the frontman at an Interscope-sponsored media luncheon on Saturday. "We called up our booking agent, [each of us] gave a few countries we wanted to visit, and voila, a new tour." Keely continued to contradict his energetic band mate later when he claimed the band had made a conscious personal and professional decision to skip North America. "If you had to choose between pristine mountains, medieval cathedrals, and angelic women, or corn fields, Wal-Marts, and methed-up lepers, which would you pick?"
An official list of the August dates has yet to be announced.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Conrad Keely Insists His Band Will Continue Indefinitely
04/25/2007 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (AP) -- Idolized Irish wordsmith Conrad Keely has ferociously struck back at detractors after proclaiming his band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead will never willingly break up, despite a flurry of speculative media excogitation to the contrary.
Keely called tabloid speculation claiming his band were on the last of their nine lives and planned on packing it in sometime before Christmas "entirely queer". Never one to shy from overly bold statements, Keely also alleged Trail of Dead were "very well settled" with their quirky major label, Interscope Records. "We're not breaking up any time soon, if that's what you've been wondering," Keely recently told an unnamed interviewer. "Let me just put that out there so every other question in this interview won't be some scrambled version of that first one. Whoever told you we were probably can't tell their ass from their elbow. It simply won't happen. Not now, not in ten years, not after we've gone well past our shelf-life, never. Understood? Why the hell would we? As far as I'm concerned we haven't even hit our stride. We all feel like we still have our best music ahead of us."
"In fact, as of sometime in the next couple of months, we're back in the studio working on our sixth album. I've written several dozen songs in the few weeks since we finished the tour which could find their way onto the new album. We're also looking to get back to Europe in time for a few of the bigger late summer festivals. Nothing's fully set in stone, but we're well on our way again with full support from our label. Those in the media who'd like to see us break-up just to say 'I told you so' will have to wait. They can have my guitar when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Kevin Allen Makes Easter Pilgrimage, Returns Awakened
04/16/2007 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Lead guitarist Kevin Allen of pro-Satan band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead made a surprise trip to Jerusalem over the Easter holiday, returning to his native Texas feeling cleansed and spiritually awakened.
Allen, a self-proclaimed self-practicing Wiccan, made the solo trans-oceanic journey on a whim after his first set of Easter vacation plans in Tijuana fell apart. Friends say he returned home from his weekend in the spiritual capital anew, amorous and glowing. "He's not the same man, man," claimed outspoken band mate Jason Reece. "It's almost night and day. He came back as if a gigantic weight had been lifted off his shoulders and he was finally free. The chain-smoking, the incessant drinking, the perpetual womanizing-- he hasn't done anything like that since he got back." While Reece remains aware of the difficulties surrounding such a massive personality overhaul, he hopes his friend will be able to carry his newfound influx of goodwill well into the future. "It's good to see [Kevin] back on the right track. If it's only temporary, so be it, but hopefully he'll be able to keep his old habits well and truly buried."
Clinical psychologist Frank Murphy says cases like these, while rare, are not entirely unheard-of among touring musicians. "In my time I've seen many musicians manifest these same attributes after a long stint on the road followed immediately by a long layoff," explains Murphy. "Bob Dylan, Dave Mustaine, Little Richard-- they all had spiritual awakenings while on the road, some of them several times over, and became new men. Certain aspects of the touring life can take their toll on musicians and leave them searching for more. Spirituality has the ability to step up and fill the void."
"Unfortunately once reborn these musicians generally stop the creativity-laden debauchery and we lose the music."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Carlos D Again Refutes Claims He Plans to Leave Interpol
04/13/2007 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (AP) -- Interpol bassist and heat-packer Carlos Dengler today refuted press claims that he intends to leave the band before the release of their next album for multi-based rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead.
The shock swap was first reported several weeks ago after Dengler made an unusual trip to Austin for the South by Southwest Music Festival and is said to involve current Trail of Dead bassist Danny Wood going the other way in an incentive-laden package worth up to $2,000,000. Dengler, however, has vehemently denied these claims during several public appearances since South by Southwest and again made his commitment to Interpol known through his publicist Harris Ostrum. "Carlos is still perfectly happy with Interpol and he has no immediate plans of leaving the band. [Interpol] have just finalized the terms of their first major label record deal. Why would he choose to leave after such a massive achievement? It is true that Carlos has in the past said he would like to be in a more progressive band somewhere down the line, but he has made it clear to me he intends to live up to terms of his new contract." Despite his incessant claims to the contrary, many feel Dengler's loyalty to the band which propelled his meteoric rise to stardom remains considerably suspect.
Several hours after the preternatural press conference arranged by his spokesman, disc jockey Dengler was spotted browsing through a New York Barnes and Noble alongside Trail of Dead frontman Conrad Keely, a move which Keely has admittedly used in the past for scouting prospective band members. However unlikely it may seem, the indie rock bassist coup still remains wholly logical for both Trail of Dead and Interpol with the newly New York-based Wood expressing a desire to become involved with a more commercially viable band from his adopted home city and Dengler's brazenly obvious craving for progressive rock.
Interpol's as-of-yet untitled third album and major label debut will be released on June 5th, 2007 through Capitol Records.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Re-hash the Past with Apple, Ditch Samsung
04/02/2007 -- by merlin
 LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Computer savvy rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead made a surprise visit to Los Angeles this past weekend to play a private show for Apple Inc. and a selection of iTunes employees, casually celebrating the company's 31st anniversary.
Apple's secret corporate show comes immediately on the heels of recent news confirming the unexpected termination of Trail of Dead's lucrative three-year promotional contract with Samsung. The band are taking a sense of closure and optimism from their newly rekindled relationship with Apple. "We never felt comfortable with Samsung [as our choice of media companies]," said frontman Conrad Keely speaking after his set. "Our original deal was setup in part by our management company and label without our knowledge or prior consent. [Samsung] offered us a phenomenal amount of money to use a couple of our newer songs in a few of their television advertisements, so we went along with it, not thinking much at the time. Of course little did we know that we'd sacrifice everything we held dear just for some extra dosh. It's as if we were going back on our principals, you know? Leaving a company that had been so good to us over the years for a company who only wanted our songs. I mean, Apple never knew us personally, but it sure felt like they did."
Other Trail of Dead members echoed Keely's feelings of unintentional betrayal. "I can't tell you how many times I wanted to trade in my crappy Samsung players for an iPod or some liquor," laments drummer Jason Reece. "They [Samsung] threw free equipment at us and we wound-up throwing it back at them. Last week, after we got back from our European tour, I got my MacBook out of hock in Austin thanks to a few people I knew at the Apple store and a couple people [from the show tonight] are taking me out to get a new iPod. It's a great feeling, I tell you. Absolute and utter atonement."
"We're not getting any sort of money from this whole Apple deal, but it sure does feel like we're reclaiming our souls."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Interscope Deny Divided's Derelict Status, Insist Otherwise
03/12/2007 -- by merlin
 SANTA MONICA, California (AP) -- Interscope Records have denied claims that they will be releasing no further singles off "So Divided", the newest release from ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, despite confirmed reports linking the band with a conflicting position.
When asked about Trail of Dead's bizarre decision to pursue forgoing the release of "So Divided" singles in favor of a more future-oriented approach at a recent press conference, Interscope spokesman Ray Jackson seemed unaware of the cross-continental verbal quandary, but firmly assured the media any such idea would be alacritously brushed aside. "I am not aware of that [sort of] decree being approved let alone discussed with anyone here at Interscope. I'll be happy to look into the issue for anyone who's interested, but that doesn't sound like anything anyone in [Trail of Dead] would openly admit to without our prior consultation. Promotional channels are still in motion and sales are steady. There is absolutely no indication that 'So Divided' has run its course and we are extremely hopeful that the album will be certified platinum by the end of the year."
Offbeat Swedish-American freelance music journalist Anders Svensson finds fault with Interscope's profit-based initiative and feels "So Divided" isn't album meant for commercial singles. "There isn't a viable single on that whole record," he explains. "'Eight Days of Hell' might have gotten some play in the 1960s, but come on, this is the 21st century. The golden musical age of grandiose mediocrity, somebody's girlfriend, and eyeliner autoeroticism." Svensson continued, "Regardless, I greatly admire what [they have] done. They've made Interscope come out on the defensive, forcing the game to be played in their half. It's an album meant to be listened to from start to finish and [the band] know that. Not many modern day musicians in their position have the fortitude to put their art before their next fix."
"It really wouldn't surprise me at all if these guys owned the label in three years time or if one of them were in the Senate."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead to Forgo Releasing "So Divided" Singles, B-Sides
03/05/2007 -- by merlin
 ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) -- At a show yesterday in Zurich, Texas folk heroes ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead announced to an awe-struck crowd that they will not be releasing any singles from their album "So Divided", choosing instead to concentrate on future tour dates and their next full-length record.
Frontman Conrad Keely made the shock declaration before starting "Stand in Silence", the only song the band have been playing from "So Divided". "This [will be] the last time you're going to hear anything from our [current] record played [in Switzerland]," witnesses report Keely as saying. "No more singles, no b-sides. We're going to start recording again after our tour is over." Immediately after the show, band member Jason Reece made a move to further explain his co-frontman's announcement and reassure worried fans. "There's no reason to be alarmed, man. We're only doing what we think is the best move for our present situation," said Reece. "Everything is cool with our label. They had no problem with our decision. This tour has been amazing so far-- the fans, the bands, everyone. We have so many ideas floating around right now we felt it was the right time to take those ideas back to [the studio in] Austin and get to work. Why wait if you have ideas flowing like Parisian wine?"
Reece continued by explaining the band's pestiferous plight in regards to B-sides in general. "The truth is we haven't ever written a B-side. You gotta understand that it's extremely difficult to craft enough songs to fill a whole record, let alone write even more songs to serve as add-ons for singles. Why can't we just recycle the songs that didn't make the album cut? Simply because that isn't how we make records. We write the album as one piece of music and then break each portion into an individual track. We'd release the whole album as one track if we could. Do you think anyone would look at the Mona Lisa if it were broken up into bits and pieces? Of course not."
Trail of Dead have eight more shows left on their European tour before returning home to the United States.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
European Festivals Plan to Avoid Future ToD Bookings
02/28/2007 -- by merlin
 BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- Several promoters for major music festivals in Europe have vocally declared their intention not to book former festival favorites ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead after the band's distaste for the European-based galas was revealed in an uncanny off-the-record assault during a recent interview.
The scathing verbal decapitation was made by energetic drummer/guitarist Jason Reece in comments he was assured would be off the record by his German interviewer. His remarks were recorded and later posted on the internet. "[Your festivals are] all the same. It doesn't make any difference if they're in Britain, Germany, or Moldova," Reece said in part. "Our experience with festivals in America, Australia, and Asia has been much more positive. They're not as watered down and are far less frequent. Here you get the same bands playing each and every festival all summer long. That might be okay if the bands were original and pushing boundaries, but they're not. Most of the new acts are totally mediocre and more concerned with things other than the music. They have to learn that once the buzz around your band wears off you have to start paying for [the other things] because organizers will quit handing it [all] over to you. Take it from me, I've been there. That rock star mentality of overindulgence is what brings your festivals down, man. At American festivals they treat us like indentured servants and that's how it should be."
Per Hansen, a spokesman for the Roskilde Festival in Denmark, couldn't understand Reece's comparison to other world festivals and brushed aside his supposed first-hand knowledge as a categorical fabrication. "You cannot even begin to compare European festivals to those in other parts of the world," Hansen explained. "The things he mentioned [in his interview] simply do not happen at our festivals. We would never tarnish ourselves in that way. Our festivals are long established with a proud history of treating all our acts with the same bitter distain and distrust we treat our patrons."
"The fact that most European festivals book a similar lineup of artists isn't because we're greedy, unoriginal, or overtly bigoted. Those traits are common in European society, not at our festivals."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Take Stock at Tour's Mid-Point, Reconsider Taboo Songs
02/26/2007 -- by merlin
 NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) -- Elder Texas melodic-rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead finished the UK-leg of their five week European tour last night in Nottingham and now set their sights on the mainland for two more weeks of shows until returning home mid-March.
Frontman and band decider Conrad Keely took time out of his extremely congested schedule to reflect on the band's return to Europe. "It's great to be back on this side of the Atlantic. I don't think we could have hoped for a better response," Keely says fondly. "Crowds still aren't moving around a lot during the shows, so I guess that disproves my theory that only Americans enjoy standing around looking stupid. It is true that I don't enjoy touring as much as I used to and I'd probably consider that one of the biggest reasons for my resentment. [Back when] we first started out, everyone moved around even if they didn't know the songs. They went to rock shows to get drunk, work up a sweat, and enjoy the music. Somewhere between then and now, people grew big fat pretentious legs and rooted themselves to the ground. What sense does it make to pay $15 to get into a show and then just stand there? I can't imagine anything more uneconomical."
Keely also took time to quash several tabloid reports that the band had been playing songs written by former member Neil Busch. "No, we haven't been playing [Neil's] songs. That's probably a rumor started in a pub-- drunkards trying to remember a setlist and conjuring up memories of random songs. In theory, however, it is something we could do now with Doni on drums and Kevin, Jason, and myself playing the three guitar parts. If it weren't for our lack of practice time before the tour, we could very well be playing one or two of the songs every night. Maybe if people pester us enough about it we'll give it a go. Right now though we can't be bothered."
When asked to dispel the myth regarding the band's reluctance to play songs off their newest effort "So Divided", Keely responded firmly. "No, that isn't a myth. We really don't like the songs."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Begin European Adventure Tonight in Birmingham
02/12/2007 -- by merlin
 BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) -- Texas rock standard-bearing stalwarts ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead make their long-awaited and highly anticipated return to European shores tonight in the West Midlands with a nearly sold out show at the Carling Academy in Birmingham.
The band has been a long-time international favorite with open-minded European crowds and the failure of their newest album "So Divided" to chart in any major European country seems unlikely to phase that standing among their legions of loyal fans. Part-time drummer and frontman Jason Reece spoke to the Birmingham Mail about the tour shortly after his arrival in the second city. "Yeah man, glad to be back. Even though everyone is totally jetlagged we're all excited about this tour. We didn't have much practice time before the tour seeing as half the band lives in New York, but I'm sure we'll get our regular tight sound back after a couple shows. We've got some great bands along with us this time [better than the last few tours], so it should make for a good solid show. I mean, I've never actually heard of any of them but Conrad tells me they're pretty good."
Reece casually laughed off suggestions that the highly publicized Anti-Jason Reece Club's threats of violence could plague the tour and drive away possible attendees. "I don't worry about [stuff] like that anymore. It doesn't bother me. They're just a bunch of crazy kids making threats. I don't think our fans would stay home because someone is out there making threats against their lives, especially seeing as it's our first time back in two years. A little violence never scared me off a rock show. Besides, I'm not afraid to give my life for something I believe in. You've gotta die sometime, right?"
Trail of Dead's tour of Europe winds through the United Kingdom and mainland Europe during the months of February and March, ending with the band's first ever show in Athens, Greece on March 16th.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Jason Reece Seen Consorting with Matador Records Owner
02/05/2007 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead favorite Jason Reece has been seen publicly in recent weeks with several high-ranking Matador Records officials, adding further fuel to the raging fireball of speculation surrounding his band's tempestuous relationship with their current label, Interscope Records.
Matador Records part-owner Gerard Cosloy has made occasional high-profile appearances at Reece's Austin Beauty Bar since its opening less than a year ago-- the last coming on January 28th at one of Reece's personal DJ sets. Many have seen a logical correlation between the "friendly" visits and a move to the independent label, however Reece sternly refused to defame his current employers and brushed aside any speculation as just that while speaking to KGSR Radio Austin. "Man, all people do anymore is talk. Gerard is a friend of mine from way back. I asked him to come by and spin some records with me." Reece also tried to deflect attention away from several reported run-ins with Interscope by assuring his fans that the band's future was in good, opulent hands. "So what if our newest [record] hasn't been that successful? It doesn't mean we're going to jump ship and sign on to a smaller, more credible label. Everyone in the band is happy with Interscope and anyone who says otherwise doesn't see the checks that keep rolling in."
A slew of industry pundits have attacked Reece's claims of label serenity, including Texas music journalist Paul Adams who has reported on Trail of Dead's progress for over ten years. "It doesn't add up," says Adams. "There's no way that either side is content with the present relationship. For me, it was a mistake for them to leave Merge [Records] when they did and it was probably an even bigger mistake for them to try and release their last three [records] on Interscope. Had those records been properly nurtured with the right combination of promotion and love, each could have been a commercial success. All three are incredible and it's a crying shame they have went unnoticed. Apart from starting their own label, moving to an independent might be the best move for Trail of Dead right now."
"I mean, look at what Matador did for [a band like] Interpol. They've turned a lowly Joy Division cover band into a moderately successful indie phenomenon. It's absolutely remarkable."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Distance Themselves from Dreadful "Naked Sun" Video
01/29/2007 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Interscope recording artists ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have taken the curious step of distancing themselves from the music video for their newest single "Naked Sun" citing non-approval and non-involvement, causing many fans to call into question the competency of the band's label.
The egregious video for "Naked Sun" features a pack of wild Hispanic children wandering through the desert, coming under attack by a group of trigger-shy pacifist hunters who eventually fall victim to the children's psycho-kinetic hand-spawned silly string powers, thus turning the hunters, almost expectedly, into psychedelic belly dancing jezebels. Video director Cat Solen, who has previously crafted videos of questionable constitution for Death Cab for Cutie and Bright Eyes, has remained mum over her newest apocryphal endeavor, but Trail of Dead drummer and frontman Jason Reece took to the airwaves shortly after the video's internet surfacing to wholeheartedly condemn its existence. "We never said yes to any of these ideas. I hate this video and the band hates this video. What more is there to say? If we need to break in to Interscope headquarters with all guns blazing and steal the original reel in order to prevent people from being thoroughly traumatized by this thing, then so be it."
In addition to praying for the video's eventual annihilation, Trail of Dead also hope it will avoid airplay on major music video networks and simply remain an internet monstrosity. "We haven't had much luck with videos since Source Tags [and Codes] and I suppose this is the turd-flavored icing on the cake," reads an unnamed band member's posting on the band's message board. "Hopefully we'll get to do another video this year where we're actually involved. If we had had a say in the video, the first thing we'd have done is make those pansy hunters pull their fucking triggers."
The festering abomination that is the video for "Naked Sun" can be seen on YouTube or through Yahoo! Videos.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Beck Admits Role in Album Delay, Takes Blame for Sales
01/26/2007 -- by merlin
 LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Responding to accusations against him by fans of the band ...Trail of Dead, international alternative recording superstar Beck Hansen has admitted to unintentionally taking part in a closed door meeting with Interscope executives set on pushing back Trail of Dead's "So Divided" release date.
Speaking exclusively to the Associated Press, Hansen, whose original given name was Bek Campbell, brought to light his involvement in the purported internal label conspiracy. "I felt the time was finally right for me to come clean. This wasn't something I wanted to do, it was something I honestly felt forced into [by the people above me at the label]. It's not my place to hold back the careers of struggling musicians, but many inside that room seemed extremely adamant about pushing back Trail of Dead's release date, pulling a great amount of resources that had been assigned to their album, and forcing my record even further into the spotlight. I went into [the meeting] thinking I was going to tell them how pleased I was with the promotional push for 'The Information' and walked out having helped doom an album to a life of dust collection at the front of some independent record store's bargain rack. Who would have thought a little meeting like that would have created such a fuss?"
Beck continued his personal crusade towards redemption and added a glowing endorsement of album he backhandedly helped stall. "As a man of principle [in the world of Scientology], I have to take some sort of responsibility for the sluggish sales of the album. I love their music and I love their new progressive sound. 'So Divided' caught my attention almost immediately. What they're doing for the rock movement in America shouldn't be overlooked. In a strange way, I feel their development as songwriters almost mirrors my own path, albeit on a much, much smaller and less successful scale."
"The Information" debuted at an impressive #7 on the Billboard charts in the first week of October while "So Divided" slumped to a disappointing #188 during its first week of release in November.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Coachella Snubs ToD in Favor of Alternate Austin Act
01/24/2007 -- by merlin
 INDIO, California (AP) -- Despite a vocal protest from the band and a subtle monetary coercion campaign from their label, Austin, Texas rock band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have not been included in the lineup for the three-day Coachella Festival to be held in late April.
Trail of Dead, who appeared at the scorching 2004 edition of the southern California festival, were left out in favor of friends and former tour mates Explosions in the Sky, who are also based out of Austin. "Of course we're fairly upset," said part-time frontman and Trail of Dead spokesperson Jason Reece. "There was nothing we could do about it in the end. I don't know [whether] they have something against us or they thought we sucked the last time we played, maybe they were upset about that golf cart I stole and then crashed, but this rejection feels very personal. We felt with this new record we had sent a clear signal that we were ready to come back and put on a show. I guess that's the music industry for you. One year you're on top of the world, then the next you mean absolutely nothing to your friends. Hopefully this year we'll get invited back to Lollapalooza or ACL [Austin City Limits Festival]. Now those are two real American rock 'n' roll festivals."
Coachella spokesman Justin White played down suggestions of a rift between his festival and the band, citing Coachella's rotational policy regarding the Austin music scene. "It's in keeping with our policy of having only one Austin-based band at the festival per year-- it's hardly personal. Explosions [in the Sky] will play this year, the Octopus Project played last year, Spoon played the year before that, and Trail of Dead were featured at the 2004 festival. We've found that the average independent music festival patron can only handle about an hour of Texas music per weekend. Subsequently, we feel we are not in a position to risk the health of so many select individuals."
Coachella takes place April 27-29 in Indio, California.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
British Anti-Reece Wing Plots Violence at UK Shows
01/19/2007 -- by merlin
 LONDON, England (BBC) -- A British wing of the powerful Anti-Jason Reece Club has promised a sustained outbreak of violence if ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead go through with their string of UK dates next month, prompting several unnamed venues to strongly reconsider booking the Texas major label vagabonds.
A venue owner from the south coast speaking to BBC News in anonymity said he had been contacted by several other venues to discuss the possibility of rescheduling, or canceling altogether, Trail of Dead's seemingly bedeviled February jolt through the United Kingdom and Ireland. "It is true that a few of us have been in contact to discuss our reservations over the upcoming tour. We haven't yet gone so far as to contact the band themselves, but I feel that time is quickly approaching. Of course it's a treat whenever Trail of Dead come across the Atlantic and there is obvious vast money making potential with these shows, the question, however, is if we want to risk the safety of our patrons and employees to cash in on this venture. When there's this much baggage attached to a band, as there is now with Trail of Dead, it's sometimes better to be cautious than to provoke a militant wing of their fanbase."
Legal representative Michael Reed of Universal Music Group called the hysteria created by the fringe group to be "absolutely absurd" and declared the tour would go ahead as planned, regardless of venue intervention. "It really is quite ludicrous that an entire country can be thrown head over heels when someone threatens to murder someone else. How would people go about living their lives if everyone stopped at the drop of the hat as soon as someone threatened a little violence? I don't know about you, but every Trail [of Dead] show I've ever been to has been violent in its own right without the involvement of a terrorist organization. Jason Reece may have to wear a disguise, they may have to play in parks and peoples' basements, but, I assure you, this tour is going to happen. It'll be fun."
Calls to Anti-Reece offices seeking comment went unreturned.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Pencil in European Dates, Keen on Fan Reconciliation
01/17/2007 -- by merlin
 LONDON, England (AP) -- Embattled Texas rock stars ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have announced a string of late winter dates for the United Kingdom and mainland Europe in an effort to sure up international support for their newest major label release "So Divided".
The dates, which begin peacefully on February 12th in the Trail of Dead stronghold of Birmingham and conclude with a March 13th show in Luxembourg, are bound to stir up controversy in many of the European nations as the band struggle to distance themselves from earlier statements of malcontent and disenchantment directed towards the continent and its people. Many outside observers have editorialized their doubts that the band can regain a foothold or even a share of the success they once enjoyed in Europe. "I can't see it happening within my lifetime," wrote experienced industry pundit Kelvin Shield. "They burned their bridges over here long ago and they'll be hard pressed to build up a base of support similar to the one they enjoyed at the peak of their fame some five years ago. In all honesty, how could they expect a continent that they have ignored for a good portion of that past five years to ever fully embrace them again?"
Speaking through a spokesman via satellite, Trail of Dead frontman and ever-present wordsmith Conrad Keely rebuffed suggestions that his band was forever doomed with the casual European music fan. "That's laughable," he said auspiciously, "and it's highly debatable that we've even lost any of our fanbase [in Europe]. What people don't seem to realize is that we've always been successful [in Europe], regardless of what the flavor-of-the-day tabloid blog has to say. We're going over there [to Europe] to get drunk, make bags of money selling out shows, and meet up with friends we haven't seen since our last hop across the pond [two years ago]. I can guarantee that at least two out of those three things will happen. I'll let you figure out which."
For a listing of ToD European dates, click here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Rare Trail of Dead Relic Fetches Massive eBay Holiday Bid
12/22/2006 -- by merlin
 LONDON, England (BBC) -- A vestige from an exceptionally rare line of music action figures is officially off the online holiday collectable market after an affluent Welsh suitor placed a winning bid of £42,617 anonymously through eBay UK.
The £42,617 ($83,677.51) item, a first edition run of action figures for Interscope Records recording artists ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, was meant only as a promotional tool in the wake of the successful run of Limp Bizkit action figures around the turn of the century. However according to experts, the set has evolved from a simple promotional tool into a worldwide phenomenon. "It's almost inconceivable to find the full set in this prime condition," noted English music memorabilia expositor Herbert Rose. "Nearly all of the first edition Trail of Dead action figures come only as single members. In over four years of searching on my own I had never come across an entire band set. It's no great surprise to me that it sold for the amount it did. If I had the money on hand, I certainly would have put in a substantial bid of my own, but I do find comfort in knowing that a complete original set does still exist."
Rose continued, giving a detailed and mostly unknown history of the figures. "The set took a sharp rise in both value and rarity when Neil [Busch] left the band in July of 2004. For some reason, nearly all of the full sets and their certificates of authenticity disappeared from the worldwide memorabilia market almost immediately. It was inexplicable, really. It seemed like someone, or some large corporate entity, didn't want the figures to be distributed as a four piece set anymore. That was when many collectors like myself decided to devote their lives to finding an original set. Several fakes and forgeries have appeared over the years, but nothing like this. When the full set came up on eBay last week, it was as if a huge weight had been lifted off the collective shoulders of the consolidated collectibles market."
"Whoever the winner and seller turn out to be, this appreciative enthusiast would very much like to shake their hands."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Tour with Blood Brothers Leaves Fanbases Divided
12/18/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The bitterly divided North American trek of emerging rock artists ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and the Blood Brothers came to a spiritless end last week, not nearly soon enough for fans of both bands who made it known early on that neither base of support could tolerate the other band.
Music journalist Fred Austere said the bands dug their own graves in booking the tour. "When I first heard that these two bands were touring together I couldn't believe it," Austere recalls. "As far as stereotypical fanbases go, you can't get much further apart than the bases for these two bands. You'll have to forgive the pun, but in reality, they really are worlds apart. On one hand you have a fanbase full of pseudo-intellectuals, snobby indie brats, and college frat kids. On the other you have a fanbase made up almost entirely of anorexic teenage girls and young males who look like anorexic teenage girls. It's an odd mix to throw together into a cauldron at the same time that's for sure. After the Blood Brothers set was over it was a pretty common sight to see all their fans leave, rendering most venues half-empty for Trail of Dead. Maybe the kids weren't mature enough for the outlandish Texas rock, maybe they were scared off by Trail of Dead's comparatively husky fans, or perhaps they all left because it was getting close to their curfew. Either way, it didn't work."
Long-time Trail of Dead fan Robert Blair reluctantly agreed with Austere's gloomy assessment of the tour. "Out of the seven times I've seen Trail of Dead, this tour had the worst crowd by far. I don't understand what the guys [in Trail of Dead] were thinking when they decided to co-headline with the Blood Brothers. Why would anyone pay $15 to leave before a show is over? Those stupid kids [who left early] wouldn't know good music if a sloshed Keith Moon rose up from the dead and tossed a kick drum at the back of their heads." Blair's biased observations weren't limited to fans of the band. "What's with those two guys and all that high-pitched yelling? I haven't heard little boys scream like that since my last sleepover at Neverland Ranch."
Several messages seeking comment on the apparent mutual fan hostility were left yesterday with the parents of the Blood Brothers' fanclub president, but remained unreturned at press time.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Mormon Inquisition Forces ToD Out of Salt Lake City Show
12/15/2006 -- by merlin
 SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) -- A Mormon council of elders based in Salt Lake City forcefully removed Texas Wiccans ...Trail of Dead from a scheduled bill at the Avalon Theatre yesterday evening, two weeks to the day after they forced Seattle-based band the Blood Brothers out of the same show for what the council called "perpetuation of heinous clatter befouling the doctrine of God."
The Mormon elders refused to give an official explanation behind the municipal religious intervention, however Salt Lake Bishop Randy Smith III of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said the ruling was a clear victory of good over the symphonic forces of evil. "Satan and his minions have once again been forced from our holy ground and pushed back to the dark desert realms where they belong. Admittedly, I know nothing of this group of wicked men and their so-called 'music', but with a name suggesting a drawn-out history of murder, decapitation, and death, we can all safely assume that our children have been saved from the malicious brainwashing that would have occurred had this gathering been allowed to proceed. No more than a fortnight ago we successful removed a group of shrieking Satanic blood cultists posing as brothers from this bill and now our righteous work has been completed. Never again will these wandering, soul-hungry thieves be allowed to corrupt the youth on our sacred soil."
Jack Crawford from the legal office at Trail of Dead's label Interscope Records found the decision to cancel the show bewildering. "It's all a bit daffy if you ask me," said Crawford, "and it's not just the canceled show. This has happened on several occasions with some of our darker Interscope acts, but to see it happen with one of our most melodic, non-gun-toting group of artists is completely off the wall. I feel sorry for all the Trail of Dead fans who live out there in that messed up place [Utah]. It looks like they'll never have the opportunity to see [Trail of Dead] play live again. Partially because their lunatic religious hierarchy won't allow it at any of their venues and partially because I'm reasonably sure the guys won't want to bother. It's a shame."
Trail of Dead's North American tour ends tonight with a show at the religiously unaffiliated Fox Theatre in Boulder, Colorado.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Refuse to Play New Songs Due to Artistic Clash
12/13/2006 -- by merlin
CALGARY, Canada (Billboard) -- Border-bouncing American musicians ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have decided to cease playing songs from their newly released album "So Divided", choosing instead to focus on material from their earlier, more bombastic albums.
"It's not as if it was a conscious decision [or anything]," said co-frontman and primary songwriter Conrad Keely after deciding on a setlist for the band's recent show in Calgary. "The new music just doesn't fit with the atmosphere created by the older songs in our catalog. I don't think anything we do from here on will ever light a fire under people like the older songs do when played live. That's why we have to keep playing what works. If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Keely also nixed complaints from new fans critical of the lack of "So Divided" material. "I appreciate the fact that they enjoy the new material, but it isn't their choice what we play in the end. Did all the stoners in the 1960s tell [Jimi] Hendrix what songs to shred? Of course not. We'll play our classic songs live, like we always have, and hopefully the new fans will like what they hear enough to buy the other records after the show."
Co-frontman and underutilized wordsmith Jason Reece categorically agreed, citing his lack of work on "So Divided" as reason enough for doing away with any new songs. "Of course we want to sell [copies] of the new album, but we also don't want to ruin the sweet magic of our show by playing unproven songs that clash with our long-time live staples. As I've said before, the essence of our gigs has always been to create a fusion of punk artisanship, sexual tension, and pure, unadulterated fury. I think eventually we could have the setlist narrowed down to songs only from our eponymous first album. Everyone tells me that's where all the real punk rock energy is anyway. Maybe Conrad and I will even go back to playing shows as a duet."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Abandon Apple Friendship for Samsung Advert
12/04/2006 -- by merlin
 LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- In a shock move set to break a decade-long personal friendship with Apple, computer literate rock staples ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have appeared in a commercial campaign for Samsung's newest challenger to iPod supremacy, the K5.
Regardless of whether or not the inclusion of Trail of Dead's song "Naked Sun" in Samsung's run of hopeful commercials was an intended smear of Apple, the international MP3 market leaders took it as such. "Honestly, we're still in shock," said Apple spokesperson Kay Walter from the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California. "With all we did for them on iTunes promoting their newest album, I can't believe that they would pick now to stab us in the back by crawling to one of our closest competitors. What sort of message does that send to other musicians in similar situations? What sort of message does that send to other loyal Apple users? What sort of message does that send to the children of the world who are looking to them for guidance in a world run by corporate greed? Sure we know that Samsung won't sell any of these worthless things, but it still hurts all the same!"
Samsung spokesman Yang Park spitefully disagreed. "Once again you see the ego of an unchallenged industry monopoly bearing its ugly, colorless teeth. It is for this very reason that we assume Trail of Dead felt the need to help us in our multi-national effort to chop down the Apple tree. Limb by limb, branch by branch, band by band, we're going to do whatever it takes. While some may view our tactics as greedy, self-indulgent, child-like, or dishonest, we feel that introducing our product to the world spearheaded by one of our challenger's most steadfast supporters can only serve to show people that we mean business. The K5 is, by nearly all accounts, going to be the wave of the future and we applaud anyone who wants to jump on our bandwagon early."
Calls to Trail of Dead seeking comment went unreturned.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
"So Divided" Debuts at #188, SoundScan Glitch Blamed
11/27/2006 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (AP) -- The highly anticipated new album "So Divided" from Texas rock band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead shocked observers this past week by debuting at #188 on the Billboard charts, scanning 6,000 units in its first weak of North American release.
Interscope spokesman Ron Jackson blamed the low chart debut entirely on Nielsen SoundScan "mainframe and auxiliary computer calculation possessing error", dismissing critics' suggestions that poor promotion, weak advertising, lack of radio support, no on-air television appearances, a non-defined single, and a six week premature internet leak were responsible for the underachieving first week sales. "That reasoning simply isn't the case," Jackson alleged. "No one loves Trail of Dead more than Interscope Records and it appears we were foiled by a computer glitch that capped the sales at 6,000. Our private numbers showed opening week sales to be well within the range of the top 20, which is in complete contradiction to the so-called 'official' Nielsen/Billboard numbers. Frankly, it doesn't add up. We did everything within our power to promote 'So Divided'."
When asked why his label's promised promotional push for the album never materialized, Jackson staunchly defended his company's intentions and tried to direct attention back on what he viewed as the primary villain. "Clearly we were not at fault for the lower than expected sales. I once again must focus all criticism on the inefficient system in which Billboard heavily relies on for its numbers. Computers cannot be trusted with such sensitive and vital information. This past week we made calls to both Billboard and the RIAA to suggest an inquiry be held researching Nielsen SoundScan's exceedingly biased and overused role within the music industry itself."
Interscope also plans to file an official inquiry on behalf of Trail of Dead labelmates +44 to ascertain whether foul play was to blame for the blink-182 side-project's disappointing tenth ranked debut.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Cancel Show in Houston to Help Feed Displaced
11/22/2006 -- by merlin
 NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AP) -- Star-crossed Texas-bred philanthropist rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead skipped out on a show in Houston recently, preferring instead to stay in New Orleans and help out at a pre-Thanksgiving soup kitchen set up by the Red Cross.
Contacted immediately after their show Monday night at the House of Blues by a member of the Red Cross who was looking for volunteers to help out at an understaffed luncheon the next day, the band felt an overwhelming sense of duty to try and assist their neighbors to the east. "It was the least we could do," said frontman Jason Reece before the luncheon. "I can't describe the feeling to you. There was a huge difference between seeing what happened last year through the eyes of national television media and then seeing it up close and personal. The desolation, the destruction-- peoples' lives have been totally upended. Like I said, it's extremely difficult to describe the feeling I got when I saw everything for myself."
"It's hard to believe fifteen months after such a tragedy that things could still be like this. There is still a lot to do, but seeing what the people at the Red Cross, all these volunteers, do on a daily basis down here is absolutely amazing. I truly hope everyone will go out and volunteer somewhere in their community. Regardless of what you wind up doing or who you wind up helping, you'll be doing everyone a huge favor by just being there."
Please contact the American Red Cross today to find a suitable way to donate your time and volunteer in your area.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Lack of Availability Creates Unrest, Forces Alternate Sales
11/20/2006 -- by merlin
 CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Mass shortages of the new record "So Divided" from Interscope aligned Texas rockstars ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead has sparked outrage among crestfallen CD shoppers and forced an unexpected wave of traffic upon the biggest online music retailers.
"I waited five hours in line only for them to come out and tell me that they were already sold out," said one disgruntled aficionado who was out of luck at his local Virgin Megastore. "It's not as if I was way at the end of the line. My tenth place in line didn't even manage to get me in [the store] before they started turning people away. I can understand them kicking out the hundred or so people behind me waiting for the album, but come on, I was right up front!" Another Chicago-based fan had a similar story. "I went to the independent music store down the street just to find they were already sold out. I asked behind the counter and they said they had only been sent five copies and wouldn't be getting anymore until next week. After going there I tried six different Best Buys in the greater Chicagoland area with none having it in stock. Some had sold out, some never even received their shipments! I've never had this much trouble buying an album before."
A spokesman for leading online music retailer iTunes rebuffed conspiracy theorist suggestions that his company had paid off Interscope to increase their sales of the album. "There's no conspiracy here in the least," asserted Apple spokesman Marvin Gatesmith. "I cannot speak for Interscope and why they didn't ship more CDs to old-fashioned retailers. All I can comment on is that, yes, our sales of this newest Trail of Dead album have been extremely high. This could be a clear-cut sign that the guard is changing in music retail. CDs will go the way of eight tracks and cassettes within a few years."
More traditional online retailers like Amazon.com report no shortages. "So Divided" is available from Amazon here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Release "So Divided" to Acclaim, Fanfare
11/17/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Texas avant-garde heroes ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead officially released their fifth full-length album, "So Divided", to the North American public on Tuesday, with several influential music pundits already hailing the effort as perhaps the most important rock album of the new millennium.
Long lines greeted fans outside Waterloo Records in the band's hometown of Austin, Texas. Many of the Trail of Dead devotees revealed they had been standing in line for hours-- some even camping out overnight for the opportunity to be the first to buy the new album. "I'm here to support the band and show them that they still have legions of fans out who love and support what they're doing," said a hard-nosed fan who had driven to Austin from nearby Round Rock. "All that malarkey about them losing their edge is just that, malarkey. Trail [of Dead] are the only modern band I can stand listening to anymore. Nothing else is even remotely on their level. They are out making refined music that challenges people to expand themselves beyond their normal musical boundaries, while everyone else is out there trying to sell records or get themselves credit they don't deserve. How is that not admirable?"
Similar scenes of steadfast support were visible all across the country. One unidentified music professor from the University of Wisconsin at Madison went so far as to say the record would eventually find its way into the history books. "Not for record sales, certainly," he lamented, "but absolutely for the profound affect it will have on the music industry as an entity. Twenty years from now, regardless of what the so-called 'leading' industry publications say, scholars like myself will be giving lectures on how this album paved the way for a new era of rock music in America. An era where musicians worry less about success and more about the music."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Plan DJing Gigs Despite Growing Safety Concerns
11/10/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Despite growing concerns over the safety of band members after a recent run-in with several disgruntled fans, Trail of Dead have defied practicality and common sense by scheduling a series of eclectic DJing afterparties to be held at all American Beauty Bar locations.
The officially sponsored afterparties spring to life tomorrow night with a late night jam at the New York Beauty Bar and continue sporadically until early December. Each of the six selected dates will feature DJ sets from Trail of Dead core members Jason Reece and Danny Wood, affectionately billed as "DJ FuckySuk vs. DJ danny(face)". DJ Wood set out to quash fears created by his DJing partner's recent scrap in urban Wisconsin with a short proclamation issued through the band's publicist. "While we wholeheartedly appreciate all the concern and sympathy sent our way over the past week, we feel you really needn't worry about us. Jason is a firecracker, I'm liable to be taller than anyone we come in contact with, and the rest of the guys are no slouches themselves. That's more than enough to hold our own."
Security expert John Webb urged the band to be cautious. "With what happened last week in Milwaukee, I'm very surprised that these boys would want to take a risk like this. I just hope that they'll be properly prepared. Where there's smoke there's usually fire and I'd make sure to keep security tight if I were DJing at one of these things. Even if they manage to screen out all the unwanted characters, they still need to keep in mind that they're at a bar and they'll be dealing with a lot of intoxicated people. Those who may seem charming and amiable sober can quickly turn Hyde after only a few margaritas, but if they can pull it off, hey, more power to them."
Scheduled afterparties: November 11th, New York Beauty Bar; November 22nd, Austin Beauty Bar; November 28th, Las Vegas Beauty Bar; November 29th, San Diego Beauty Bar; November 30th, Los Angeles Beauty Bar; December 5th, San Francisco Beauty Bar.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Jason Reece Flogs Antagonists in Bizarre Nightclub Scuffle
11/06/2006 -- by merlin
 MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (AP) -- ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead drummer and frontman Jason Reece tangled with several radical members of the Anti-Jason Reece Club early Friday morning outside a Milwaukee nightclub, only a few hours after his band had completed an enchanting headlining set across town.
The Anti-Reece members confronted Reece after his DJ set at the Hi Hat Garage in downtown Milwaukee, reportedly asking the Hawaiian-born musician for his wallet and demanding that he stop making music. When Reece maliciously declined and began walking away, four Anti-Reece associates jumped him from behind, forcing him to the sidewalk. According to a police report filed from the scene, Reece struggled free and ran back inside the bar with his group of adversaries in tow. Inside, Reece then used a turntable, bar stool, and several empty beer bottles to fend off the attackers. One eye witness described the fight as "completely lopsided" concluding that "those four [drunks] were lucky to escape with their lives". Another described it as David vs. Goliath with a bewildered Goliath "clearly not expecting David to be so rabid".
Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. called the punch-up one of the most bizarre cases he had ever encountered during his entire tenure in law enforcement. "You don't see something like this every day," Clarke told reporters during a press conference at the county courthouse. "Rarely, if ever, do you see a single person take out four attackers, let alone attackers who hold a towering height and weight advantage. I admire Mr. Reece for his fortitude and humility during this whole situation. One minute he's being attacked, the next he's dusting himself off, cracking jokes with police officers."
The four unnamed assailants will all be charged with first degree assault at a hearing Monday in Milwaukee. They are to be held without bail pending their release from Froedtert Memorial Hospital.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Kick off Colossal 42-date Tour in Denver
10/30/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Raunchy Texas-rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead kicked off their highly anticipated North American tour in support of their newest album "So Divided" this past Friday, playing to a packed house at Denver's historic Gothic Theatre.
Last night before the band's stop in St. Louis, semi-frontman and part-time drummer Jason Reece took the time to talk to several reporters about the tour so far. "It's been amazing, man. We were really excited to get back [out there] on the road after such a long hiatus. Even though we haven't started off playing many new songs, we're looking forward to seeing how people react to the new material. Touring is great for testing the water with stuff like that. It's also great for cleansing your soul," Reece noted satisfyingly. "Whatever cares you have in the world get put on hold for a while [when you're on tour]. That's something I personally needed very much after the legal troubles, label pressure, and fan backlash. My mind is clear, I'm fully charged, and I can't wait to see some friends I haven't seen in a long time."
Trail of Dead's nationwide tour, which major media publications have coined the "Trail of Blood Brothers and Sisters Celebration Tour 2006", continues tomorrow night with a special Halloween show at the House of Blues in Chicago. Along the way the band plans to play numerous intimate instore events, including a midnight performance at a New York Virgin Megastore on the eve of their album release. The road trip ends, not far from where it began, on December 15th at the Fox Theatre in Boulder, Colorado.
A full listing of dates can be found here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Interscope Preps Mammoth "Divided" Media Onslaught
10/27/2006 -- by merlin
 SANTA MONICA, California (AP) -- Hoping to head-off their critics and reduce breach of contract liability, Interscope Records announced plans on Thursday afternoon for a multi-national multimedia push in support of label strugglers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead's newest album "So Divided" beginning on November 1st and running through the end of the month.
The four-pronged commercial foray will be spearheaded by Interscope's New Media Department in hopes of successfully branching out into the previously underutilized realm of internet advertising. Traditional media outlets of television, print, and radio will all be used, to a lesser extent, under direct supervision of label co-founder and chairman Jimmy Iovine. Interscope spokesman Dusty Walsh explained Iovine's uncharacteristic role in the promotional push. "Mr. Iovine felt it best for him to become personally involved with the promotion of 'So Divided'. It shouldn't come as a major shock, because he has devoted a great deal of his time over the past five years to ensuring the commercial and critical success of Trail of Dead. He was aware of the fan discontent that had arisen from our promotion in the past. It bothered him greatly that people viewed our efforts as less than stellar, and that's something he's set out to rectify with this album."
Walsh continued his explanation with a brief summary of exactly what the promotion would entail. "As mentioned in the press packet, there will be four major areas we're concentrating on. Internet, television, print, and radio. Each of these four areas will be drenched with spots and commercials advertising the new Trail of Dead album. News websites, Myspace, MTV, major radio stations-- they'll all be covered. The same promotional formula has worked very well in the past for nearly all of our other artists, and we feel that this effort should easily propel 'So Divided' into the Billboard top ten upon its release. Anything less and we'll be considerably disappointed."
"So Divided" will be released on November 14th.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Announce Special Acoustic Instore Performances
10/20/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- On the strength of their new album "So Divided" and a 40-date North American tour, Texas-based melodic maestros ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have announced a collection of free acoustic instore performances in an effort to bring a more stripped-down sound to their legions of fans nationwide.
The nine special dates were announced yesterday evening at a hastily arranged press conference in the band's hometown of Austin, Texas. Soft-spoken lead guitarist Kevin Allen explained the reasoning behind his band's recent grassroots promotional push. "It's something we felt we needed to do to reconnect with our fanbase after almost two years without a full blown tour. We did a very similar record store tour last time out in support of 'Worlds Apart' and by all accounts it was very positive. The stripped down sound is a great way to show a softer side to your fans. A way to let them know that we're not all about playing loud and breaking guitars. I personally enjoy acoustic shows much more than regular club gigs, because it's fun playing to a mostly sober audience while still being sober enough to observe their response."
Trail of Dead's acoustic performances are scattered throughout their North American tour, starting with an October 29th date in St. Louis and ending with a December 7th gathering at Easy Street in Seattle. Each stop will feature a short performance as well as a meet and greet and album booklet signing session with the band. The November 13th date at the Union Square Virgin Megastore in New York is a special midnight sale where fans will have the opportunity to hear songs off "So Divided", interact with the band, and then be one of the first in America to buy the new record.
For a full listing of tour dates, click here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
DMA Results Tainted by Austrian Hackers, BT Reveals
10/16/2006 -- by merlin
 LONDON, England (BBC) -- In news that could seemingly rock the very foundation of European online voting competitions, the BBC has learned that several Austrian hackers tampered with and inflated the vote totals for one or possibly more of the high-placing acts in the People's Choice category at the 2006 Digital Music Awards.
BT Group spokesman John Reisenberg confirmed the news this afternoon exclusively on BBC Radio 1. "Throughout the month of September, several computers that were traced back to areas in rural Austria hacked into our web server and changed the vote totals for various websites entered in our People's Choice category. Security experts here at BT and elsewhere have been unable to establish a clear motive behind the hackings or a link between any of the bands involved and the hackers." Reisenberg also explained that it is yet unknown whether or not the final results are still skewed in favor of the bands aided by the Austrian hackers. "We made every effort to try an clean up the results, but we cannot say for certain that the totals we came up with are a truly accurate representation of the actual vote counts."
"At this time we do, however, feel it prudent to reveal the bands and websites that had their results tampered with in order to clear the air. A handful of fan pages for the bands Radiohead and Linkin Park had their totals accessed and changed. These hackings represented a relatively small number of the intrusions we encountered in comparison to the size and popularity of the two bands. On 64 separate occasions, hackers edited data for a smaller band called 'Trail of Dead', who in our final tally finished placed 13th. Nearly all of the intrusions made a substantial increase in vote totals for this band."
"I must again remind everyone that we are not implicating any of the bands were knowingly involved with the hackers, but our investigation is still ongoing. We hope to conclude within a fortnight."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Thank Fans for Impressive People's Choice Showing
10/13/2006 -- by merlin
 LONDON, England (AP) -- Defying naysayers and common logic, fans of American rock band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead stepped up to the internet plate this past September and voted the Texas natives into an impressive 13th place spot at the 2006 BT Digital Music Awards.
"I think it's great," frontman Conrad Keely said to reporters at a recent press conference in New York for their upcoming album "So Divided". "We weren't expecting to place that high. It's really astonishing." Extremely astonishing, yes, in the sense that Trail of Dead's high finish caught a large portion of the British music community completely off guard. When they entered themselves in the awards voting early in September, many involved with the DMAs, including several of the bands that finished near the top last year, brushed aside the Austinites' suggestions that their fans would carry them home to a top-20 finish, saying Trail of Dead were 'too far out of the mainstream' and 'obviously quite nutty'. Little did the detractors know that in almost a month's time they would be eating their own words.
"As a band we had a hard time believing we'd finish any higher than we did last year," Keely continued. "[Last year] we finished 22nd in the voting and that was after we had asked our record label to step in and help us out. From what I was told, they had interns voting 24/7 in an effort to get us higher up the rankings. As far as I'm aware, though, nothing went on like that this time. I guess it just goes to show you that character conquers popularity any day of the week. Or maybe someone there at BT loves our site. Most might believe the latter, but who knows. Life is funny sometimes."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Leak Album Themselves Six Weeks Before Release
10/09/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Melodic rock darlings ...Trail of Dead shocked fans and non-fans alike this past Tuesday by leaking their newly finished album "So Divided" onto peer-to-peer file sharing networks six weeks before its November 14th release date. The move could signal the beginning of the end of their tumultuous half-decade relationship with Interscope Records.
Recent posturing by the Texas-based musicians may instigate a shift in the music industry and force major record labels to reconsider how they view the internet and illegal downloading. At least one industry insider feels a wave of band rebellions might sweep the entire industry off its feet within the next year. Internet pundit Timothy Vega made mention of the Trail of Dead leak in an interview with the AP. "Yes, certainly this is going to create a backlash. Smaller struggling bands may view this as an opportunity to escape the shackles of their major label contracts. They wouldn't necessarily have to make it known like Trail of Dead did that they leaked the album, however they could leak it in much the same way to create a buzz. Buzz is how you sell concert tickets and merchandise, because most internet users are fickle enough to latch onto whatever they think is trendy or popular that month just to have something to show off."
An Interscope Records spokesman had a different view and categorically condemned the premature leak, but declined to do any more than that citing private contractual stipulations that prevent the label from taking further action against the band. "Where are we going to go from here? All we can really do now is go after the people who have downloaded the album. They may think that they're safe because they didn't get it through one of the more well-known channels, well, let me give a wake-up call to all the illegal downloaders out there on the 'internet underground': We're coming for you. BitTorrent and Soulseek users beware. We know who you are."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Fans Upset Over Lack of Reece, Consider Renewing Petition
09/27/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Fans of ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead's Jason Reece are reportedly furious over the frontman/drummer's single song included on the band's newest album "So Divided" and may consider renewing a four month old petition against Interscope Records.
Staunch pro-Reece defenders petitioned Interscope Records in May of this year, calling for more Jason Reece songs on future Trail of Dead releases only to have their signatures brushed aside by the corporate juggernaut. In light of Reece's unflattering number of songs on "So Divided", several heavyweight captains of the pro-Reece movement have come forward and expressed their desire to see the cause renewed with greater fanfare. "All we need to do is push this thing further than we did before," explained Grand Wizard Jeff Thompson of the Texas Pro-Reece Order. "More signatures, more exposure, more guilt-ridden grandstanding and how can they ignore us? We don't really have much time to get this [petition] going, but maybe they'll consider delaying the record again to give Jason time to write more songs. I mean, to them [Interscope] what's another few months?"
The newly hitched Reece, while conscious of the plight that has besieged his supporters, cordially disagreed as to the importance of his more subdued songwriting role in the band. "It's not a big deal, man," he said to reporters recently outside Austin's Beauty Bar. "I've got a lot on my plate right now, so I don't really have time to write new songs. The time that isn't taken up by my legal commitments I put into running the bar. Priorities are important in life, man, and I'm starting to get mine sorted out. Sometimes it's good to just sit back and be a drummer every once and a while."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Iovine Speaks, Gives Trail of Dead Finalized Release Date
09/25/2006 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (AP) -- After what seemed like several years of limbo, Texas-based Interscope starlets ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead finally have a confirmed and finalized release date of November 14th for their anticipated fifth full-length album "So Divided".
Trail of Dead's bitter battle between Interscope Records and their fans created such a stir within the halls of the major label that founder and manager Jimmy Iovine felt inclined to become involved in an effort to settle the matter. Speaking exclusively to the Associated Press, Iovine commented on the band he personally signed to his label. "I've loved Trail [of Dead] for a very long time and I'm still in love with the band. It hurt everyone at the label to hear the disturbing reports circulating that we had some ulterior motive behind delaying their newest album. We had nothing but the best intentions for doing what we did, and while it's partially true that they may be dropped if the album does poorly, we have great faith that it won't. Everyone here at Interscope is going to put 100% effort into promoting the album and making sure it's a complete success, like we did with 'Worlds Apart'."
Iovine rebuked reports that Trail of Dead were considering leaving the label due to the recent run of poor press. "That is categorically false. It got blown way out of proportion. They're happy here and we couldn't be happier with them. It is true that I stepped in and got the release date finalized. Everyone [band management and label reps] needed to be calmly reminded that we were all on the same team working towards the goal of selling a lot of records. We ironed out whatever wrinkles we had and drank some piña coladas. Nothing as serious as the fabricated tabloid reports made it out to be. There's no doubt in my mind that this new album will win back Trail of Dead's old fans and maybe a couple new ones in the process. Double platinum for sure."
The officially confirmed tracklisting for "So Divided": "A Song of Fire and Wine", "Stand in Silence", "Wasted State of Mind", "Naked Sun", "Gold Heart Mountain Top Queen Directory", "So Divided", "Life", "Eight Day Hell", "Witches Web", "In the Realms of the Unreal", "Sunken Dreams".
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Anti-Reece Club Announces Support for Release Day Strike
09/20/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Joining with several other anti-Trail of Dead organizations, the highly visible Anti-Jason Reece Club announced on Tuesday afternoon that it will throw its full support behind an effort to boycott Trail of Dead's "So Divided" album scheduled for release later this fall.
The move is a further blow to Trail of Dead's fleeting hopes for a successful album launch and comes on the heels of Interscope Records' controversial decision to postpone the record's originally scheduled release date of October 3rd to a currently undecided date later in the year. Industry pundits took the opportunity to again attack the band and their label over what they view as another side-effect of an already fumbled promotional prelude. Many quick-triggered fans have recently written off Trail of Dead's new effort as a "bomb", grudgingly conceding that they feel the album will be the band's last. Camp Trail of Dead has remained steadfastly tight-lipped about the hurricane strength firestorm now surrounding them, even with a fiscal coup seemingly gaining steam within the ranks of their loyalist fan base. An Anti-Reece Club official had no such critical reservations:
"[Jason] Reece and his band of street musicians have made an album, one which they obviously feel is of great importance to society, and people are coming out in droves saying they won't be buying it when it's released. What sort of message would that send to a band who is looking for success to offset the tragedy that befell their last release? The end is approaching. Finally the world will be able to rid itself of this plague and we can return to a prosperous age, free of over-enthusiastic drum fills, misplaced punk guitar riffs, and poems that are screamed unnecessarily. We at the Anti-Reece Club urge all peaceful nations to join us in this holiest of causes."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Fans Angered by Delays, Plot Release Day Backlash
09/18/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A small group of extremist fans of Texas rock band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, upset by Interscope Records' decision to delay the band's newest album, have announced their intention not to buy the now infamous record when it finally makes its way onto store shelves sometime late this fall.
The fringe group of fans, calling themselves Trail of Dead Fans for an Interscope-less Community, could represent a symptom of a much larger problem facing Trail of Dead and their label despite their small numbers. Many fans from all across the globe have expressed disappointment after news of the delay broke last week. Several industry observers feel that Trail of Dead are in grave danger of losing the fans that helped bring them to where they are if the continue to allow Interscope to undermine their music. "Obviously they're walking a public relations tight-rope," said Steve Martins, a freelance commentator from San Diego. "'Worlds Apart' lost Trail of Dead a lot of their original fan base and sadly didn't replenish it in kind. If they keep stumbling down the path like they are, I don't see any way that they'll be able to survive."
Founder of the TODFFAI-LC James Rush seemed to echo the statements made by Martins in an email sent to members of his group, albeit far more negatively. "How many times will they allow themselves to be manhandled before they take steps to save their careers and their music?" asked Rush of the band. "We are not on strike because we hate [Trail of Dead], we are on strike because we can no longer stand to see them as they are. Interscope has dropped the ball again and again. Where will it end? When will it end? As of now, we can only see it playing out with the continuing complacency of the evil label and the untimely demise of our beloved band. Let us hope that our actions lead to an awakening and revitalization within their ranks."
When told of the brewing fan backlash, a spokesperson for both Interscope Records and Trail of Dead had no comment.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Interscope Respond to Criticism, Deny Involving Beck
09/13/2006 -- by merlin
 SANTA MONICA, California (Reuters) -- Responding to intense media scrutiny spawned in the wake of their decision to postpone the newest record from Texas vagabonds ...Trail of Dead, Interscope Records has vehemently defended their actions and rebuked claims they consulted international rock superstar Beck before making their controversial decision.
In a long-winded statement released through the press office of Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine, the California-based major label cautiously tried to tiptoe their way out of a self-inflicted media inquisition. "Here at Interscope [Records], we consult with all of our artists in regards to their album release dates, particularly when it involves temporarily or permanently delaying the release of a new album. We understand the great effort these artists put into their work and would in no way, shape, or form try to intentionally damage the potential success of their musical opuses. Bigger, more successful artists do not receive priority, regardless of their money-making potential for the label. We treat all our signed bands with the same level of honesty, compassion, and award-winning opportunism that one has come to expect from our multi-national media conglomerate."
"We are unaware as to how the report originally surfaced, but we can assure all those interested that Mr. Hansen had no say in the final decision that saw the delay of Trail of Dead's new album. It is true that his exciting and ground-breaking new album 'The Information' is due to be released on October 3rd, but that is no reason to make assumptions. Mr. Iovine had consultation with Trail of Dead's management, label marketing officials, and the band themselves before giving the final go-ahead to push back the release date. They came to a consensus that it would be best for all involved to delay the album and insure proper promotion. Reports to the contrary are speculative, false, and wholly against the internal ethics policies of the label."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Delay Newest Album, Continue "Worlds Apart" Parallels
09/11/2006 -- by merlin
 SANTA MONICA, California (AP) -- In a move sadly similar to 2004's "Worlds Apart"-gate, Interscope Records and stand-out act ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have reportedly decided jointly to delay the release of "So Divided" until October 24th.
The choice to delay Trail of Dead's newest effort by three weeks bears an eerie similarity to Interscope's shock decision of two years ago where they pushed back "Worlds Apart" by three months to prevent dusting the album under the rug promotion-wise-- an unfortunate event which they would later wind-up doing anyway. It it unknown what effect, if any, Trail of Dead's plan to take their newest album as an extension of their last had on the decision to delay the release. It is clear, however, that whatever the plan, "Worlds Apart" and "So Divided" seem to already be heading down similar paths. Interscope's newest foul-up has led several industry pundits to speculate that an end could be nearing for Trail of Dead's tumultuous five-year relationship with the poorly-run label.
Alt-rock columnist Robert Styles voiced his clear-cut opinion on the matter via his website. "It's hard to see any good coming out of both sides dragging this through the mud. Everyone needs to face facts here-- Trail of Dead isn't a major label type band and Interscope Records isn't a rock band type label. Interscope has lost money on everything Trail of Dead has released in the past and I can't see 'So Divided' breaking that trend. Trail of Dead would be much better served on a smaller, independent label where they could be cared for and promoted positively instead of being ignored and continuously pushed to the back burner. Or, you know, they could break-up. Time will tell at this point, but things certainly haven't started off on the right foot."
Both parties involved had no comment at press time.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Hold Out Hope for Eurovision 2007 Role
09/08/2006 -- by merlin
 HELSINKI, Finland (AP) -- Despite resounding vocal opposition from several high-ranking Eurovision Selection Committee members, American rock band
...Trail of Dead still hope they will be included in the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Finland.
In a recent interview with Helsinki-based newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, Trail of Dead frontman Conrad Keely again called for understanding and forgiveness from the selection committee and expressed hope that they would give his misunderstood band a second chance to prove their worth. "We want to be a part of that great music competition. It's something we've been saying for ages," Keely is quoted as saying. "For the past decade I've watched Eurovision from the sidelines and, as an Irishman who has been unable to actively participate, it's been tearing me apart. What a goodwill gesture it would be for the European community to include an American band in some incarnation. Whether that's as hosts, presenters, surprise musical acts, or camera and lighting crews, it doesn't really matter. We only want a fair chance to show that Americans can be pro-European too."
Even with their apparent admiration for the European continent, it is still unlikely that the Eurovision Selection Committee will choose to involve Trail of Dead in the 2007 event due to the band's prior slandering of the competition, committee, and host country. Trail of Dead insulted Finland and the ESC in front of several major news media outlets on a tour through Europe earlier this summer. The band claimed their comments were unintentional, in jest, and taken entirely out of context, however Finland's Foreign Minister rebuked those claims by calling the remarks disgraceful and unacceptable. The two sides have still failed to come to a consensus regarding the exact meaning behind the undeniably insensitive remarks.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Enter Themselves in Digital Music Awards
09/06/2006 -- by merlin
 LONDON, England (AP) -- Indie-rock darlings
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have made what some critics are considering a shock move by entering themselves in the mostly British Digital Music Awards People's Choice competition and announcing their intentions to win in a landslide.
"Of course we plan on winning," Trail of Dead frontman Conrad Keely said in a statement through the band's publicist. "What type of person enters themselves in something and then doesn't advocate winning? There's no doubt in my mind that we'll win. With the huge army of fans we have spread across the globe and those new fans who we're paying large sums of Interscope's money to fix the voting, it shouldn't really take that much of an effort. We entered ourselves each of the past two years in this competition and made vast improvements each time without promotional backing. We'll win easily this year. All doubters out there can take my word on that."
Taking a less egotistically confident stance, other Trail of Dead frontman Jason Reece defended the band's decision to push for a win in the mostly European competition despite being clearly not. "Well, Conrad is an Irish citizen, so if they get mad at us for being an American band we can hold that against them, but, you know, we do spend a lot of time over there. Either way, I think we are going to surprise a lot of people this year with our result. I have no doubt that our fans are going to raise everyone's eyebrows and bring us home some major bacon. We love them, man, and they'd never let us down."
To vote for Trail of Dead in the DMAs, click here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD View "So Divided" As An Extension of "Worlds Apart"
09/01/2006 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (Billboard) -- Texas rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead are looking forward to the release of their newly titled album "So Divided" with great hope that their long-time fans will look upon it with an open mind, more so than they did with Divided's critically unheralded predecessor, 2005's "Worlds Apart".
Speaking exclusively to Billboard from Universal Records' uptown office, Trail of Dead frontman Conrad Keely vented about the album, where they're going as a band, and how they might recover from such a disappointing effort. "I'm viewing this [release] as more of an extension to our last album [Worlds Apart] rather than a follow-up, per se," Keely says of the October 3rd release. "I even named it in kind. A lot of people thought that we did a poor job with 'Worlds Apart', well, maybe just a few pretentious farm equipment-wielders whom I won't mention, so I changed the name a little but tried to keep the aura and sound. It's a 'Worlds Apart' for those who hated 'Worlds Apart', I guess. It's certainly not the same album though. The similar title has nothing to do with the fact that we've run out of creative ideas for album titles. That isn't it at all."
"A lot of things went wrong with Worlds [Apart]," Keely gracefully continues without missing a beat. "First we lost Neil [Busch], then the record got delayed, it leaked four months early, and then a good portion of the press bribes never panned out. We also feel that promotion was grossly mishandled by a few of our associates, but we'd never tell them that to their face. These 'associates' said they didn't want to dust us under the rug and what did they wind up doing? They dusted us straight into the garbage instead. We're hoping a second go with this sound will be a charm, because if this one messes up too, we may have to go back to tracking vocals in a bathroom."
"So Divided" will be released October 3rd on Interscope Records.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Pro-Reece/Anti-Reece Scuffle Delays Third Hearing
08/30/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- In a bizarre twist of fate to an already outlandish legal contest, the third hearing of the Jason Reece vs. Anti-Reece Club case was called off after rival groups of supporters clashed outside the Austin courthouse Tuesday afternoon.
Both supporters and detractors of Jason Reece engaged in a war of words against each other before breaking through police barricades and descending into a primitive gladiatorial war of retribution with fists and oversized protest signs. Austin police managed to corral the instigators and contain the situation, but not before Tuesday's scheduled hearing had been called off. When told of the altercation outside, presiding Judge Stephen Yelenosky immediately placed the case on indefinite recess pending an unlikely reconciliation of the two sides. "This continues to be a nightmare," Yelenosky said to reporters gathered outside his chambers. "It keeps gradually getting worse. I'm not scheduling another hearing until I receive assurances from both sides that there will be no more hooliganism outside my courthouse. My position on this is written in stone and is not up for debate. That's all I'm saying on this matter."
With Jason Reece leaving on a pre-arranged tour of North America with his band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead at the end of October and no end to the unwavering hostility in sight, it is wholly unclear whether this case will go to trial before the end of the year. Legal experts, however, seem united in their prediction of a drawn-out continuation to the already uncommonly elongated litigation process, extending well into the new year.
It is unknown to what extent Reece's unwanted legal commitments will affect his band's future promotional and touring plans.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead to Score Soundtrack for "Hell on Wheels"
08/28/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Following in the line of Austin's favorite sons, Explosions in the Sky, Austin's unwanted stepchildren ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead are set to score the soundtrack for the Texas Rollergirl documentary "Hell on Wheels".
Unlike their Austin musical counterparts Explosions in the Sky who came up with the soundtrack for "Friday Night Lights" with little subject matter expertise, Trail of Dead have a long-standing relationship with the Texas roller derby scene. Their 2003 performance at a Rollergirl championship match may have been an unintentional, yet appreciated, application for the film. "It was a great experience playing that show for them," Trail of Dead frontman Jason Reece says. "We played for about an hour, met some great people, and established ourselves with them. This is absolutely huge for us. We've never been given the opportunity to take on something of this magnitude. When they asked us help them out, we jumped at the opportunity."
With members of the band spread across the country, finding time to sit in the studio and record may be difficult. "Of course it's going to be hard," other frontman Conrad Keely says of the long road ahead. "I mean, it's hard enough to get us all in the same place to record a [full] album, let alone score an entire film. I've been considering our options as per long distance recording and brainstorming sessions-- telephones, satellites, the works. If that doesn't work, it may have to come down to me secluding myself in my apartment with a pen, paper, and violin, fiddling out melodies and epic crescendos."
More information on this groundbreaking film can be found here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Conrad Keely Presses Charges Against Stalker, Best Buy
08/25/2006 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (AP) -- Another member of Texas hardcore band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead has become involved in an ugly legal process after lead singer Conrad Keely filed suit against Best Buy and an unnamed female stalker in New York circuit court.
The charges come after an October 17th incident at a suburban New York Best Buy where Keely was uncomfortably confronted by an obsessive female fan. Keely's suit claims that his life was under grave threat and that Best Buy security did nothing to help prevent or control the situation. Trail of Dead legal representative John Chase spoke of the pending suit from his Los Angeles office. "This morning I filed suit on behalf of Mr. Keely against Best Buy Co., Inc and a 17 year-old female who will presently remain anonymous. At the moment, I am unable to discuss details of the pending case, but I can assure you that we had justified cause to push forward. We feel that when all is said and done, Mr. Keely will be vindicated and able put the past behind him to move forward with his blossoming career."
As Trail of Dead continue down their self-inflicted road to legal annihilation, legal pundits seem to be having a hard time comprehending how one small group of musicians can become involved in so many pending judicial cases. "It's rather unbelievable," wrote editor Daniel Bradshaw of the Dallas Morning News law column. "I have never seen anything like it before. One must wonder how they have time for all the appearances, what with still being an active band and all. Perhaps they're only doing it to receive extra coverage in the media. Conversely, they could have collectively fallen upon a rotten string of luck. Right now, no one can really say for sure."
A preliminary hearing for Keely's suit has yet to be scheduled.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Face Celtic Backlash Over Snow Patrol Comments
08/23/2006 -- by merlin
 DUNDEE, Scotland (BBC) -- A rude reception awaits punk rockers ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead should they ever return to Britain after the Texas-based band ridiculed Irish darlings Snow Patrol for their recent run of success in an interview published for the Glasgow Herald.
Members of Trail of Dead were united with members of fellow rock partners Mogwai, beloved in their own right, in slandering the Celtic band for the international acclaim they received after the release of their newest album "Eyes Open". "The buggers went pop," Mogwai frontman Stuart Braithwaite is quoted in the interview as saying. "They've given up [the] Guinness for fine wine and caviar. Bloody repulsive if you ask me." Trail of Dead figurehead Conrad Keely gave a similar line of bitter criticism. "They're on A&M [Records] and we're on Interscope. It's the same company more or less under Universal's control. Our bands sound exactly alike, so why aren't we rolling in the Benjamins like they are right now? Or 'Blairjamins' as I suppose they'd call them. Where's my success? Where's my money?"
Contrary to their usual form, Trail of Dead band members made themselves scarcely available for comment after the controversial interview ran. However, quiet guitarist Kevin Allen did creep out of the shadows long enough to try and make sense of his frontman's comments. "We have a feud with Snow Patrol? That's news to me. As far as I was aware, we all were really good friends. We've played shows with them in the past and they seemed nice, but then again I never really paid attention to that sort of stuff. Conrad has been getting drunk a lot with Stuart [Braithwaite] recently though [since he moved to New York]. Anything is possible really, so, I don't know. If you're looking for my honest opinion, I'm not going to give it to you."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
"Relative Ways" Covered Illegally, ToD Threaten Lawsuit
08/21/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) -- Texas band
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead are considering a lawsuit after it was uncovered that a recent trailer for the independent lowbrow movie "The OH in Ohio" illegally used a stripped down guitar melody from their song "Relative Ways".
Cyan Pictures, the company who distribute "The OH in Ohio" and put out the trailer, have denied any wrong doing or illegal musical plagiarism. Interscope Records legal spokesman John Chase saw it differently. "If you give a listen to the last third of the trailer in question you can clearly hear an undeniable similarity between the background music and Trail of Dead's 'Relative Ways' song. The fact that Cyan chose to rebuff suggestions to the contrary shows a lack of sophistication and development in their sonic aptitude. Interscope Records sent an official cease and desist letter to Cyan Pictures on Friday evening and we are now waiting for their response. If they chose to continue using the trailer in its current form, we will have no choice but to pursue legal action for either removal or compensation."
Trail of Dead themselves echoed the statement from their label. "We don't want to cause trouble or anything," band frontman Conrad Keely said in a press release, "but that riff they're playing is exactly the same-- apart from a little Hollywood idiocy mixed in. The guitar parts are too similar to ignore. Just because we're a small time band doesn't mean we can be run over like a bunch of stray nomad cats who wander the streets aimlessly. We may be nomads, but we're not entirely aimless. We have the aim to get compensated for our creativity and if we don't, well, watch out for these nomads."
The aforementioned movie trailer can be viewed here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Conrad Keely Confronts Stalker Inside New York Best Buy
08/18/2006 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (AP) -- ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead frontman Conrad Keely was involved in an unwanted confrontation Thursday afternoon with a female fan who had been following him at a suburban New York Best Buy.
According to eye witness reports, Keely pushed a rack of external hard drives onto the enraged fan and fled the scene. "This isn't anything new, really," a shaken Keely told reporters that caught up with him outside his New York apartment after the news broke. "I've had things like this happen to me before-- right now I have about six or seven serious stalkers. Most of them either know their limits or they're nineteen year old girls who worship me because of my word craftsmanship yet are too shy to talk to me in person, but today, for some reason, one of them overstepped the boundaries of common decency and got greeted in kind. I did what I had to do in order to get out of that situation."
Keely explained that he went to the suburban Best Buy to buy a power adapter for his newly acquired MacBook and was confronted by the female fan in question. When he refused her request for an autograph, the female followed him into the store. "All I wanted was a power adapter," he continued. "This [chick] was a real nut. As soon as I called security she tried to pass herself off as my girlfriend saying we were only having an argument. For some reason they believed her and walked away without doing anything to help. It was obvious to me then that I needed to take matters into my own hands. So, verily, I did. I pushed a large rack of hard drives down on top of her, didn't look back, and ran out [of the store]." Keely is currently undecided as to whether or not he will press charges against the deranged fan.
"I understand that I'm a big celebrity in New York or whatever, but sometimes I just want to buy my Mac accessories in peace."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Jason Reece Reflects on Painful Second Anti-Reece Hearing
08/16/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Involved parties assembled this past Thursday morning for the second hearing in the well-publicized trial of Jason Reece vs. the Anti-Jason Reece Club. In a sadly uneventful twist of fate, both parties seemed resigned to the fact this trial would stretch out indefinitely.
"I don't see either case going anywhere anytime soon," Court TV legal analyst Rikki Klieman hypothesized. "Both of the sides seemed almost disinterested [at this last hearing]. You have a plaintiff who now wants nothing to do with his case and a defense who won't throw away their case because they feel it's their moral duty to rid the world of the plaintiff. Judge Yelenosky says he won't let this fall apart before it goes to a full jury trial, but I don't know if he has that much power in him. The wheels are starting to fall off already and he looks completely powerless." Court TV cameras caught up with a distraught plaintiff Reece after the hearing. When asked how he was feeling, the musician's grief-stricken words spoke volumes:
"I'm a little hungry and my hands are cold and clammy. This [hearing] took the life right out of me. All this stuff-- I've had enough of the painful, unloving words flying in my direction. It's taking it's toll on my health." Reece, by all visible signs feeling under the weather, continued with a somber sense of pessimism. "I can't wait to start touring. It's the only time I'm ever really happy anymore. I get to spend time with close friends, meet up with people I haven't seen in a while, and live my life. Unfortunately, everything evil will be waiting for me when I get back. I can't hide from this anymore."
The next hearing in the Jason Reece vs. the Anti-Jason Reece Club legal proceedings is scheduled for August 29th.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Consider Leaking Album Themselves to Prevent Leak
08/14/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- In a move that has raised eyebrows across the music industry and angered label executives and members of the RIAA, Texas-based rock band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead issued a statement on Sunday morning announcing their intention to leak their new album.
"We have consciously decided to consider making an effort to prevent the illegal pre-release of our album," the statement from the band read in part. "We're not doing this to hurt our label, our fans, or anyone involved with [the making of] this album. We're doing this to help ourselves and the people involved with the gl0bal war on internet terror. If we leak it ourselves it can never be leaked illegally. Simply put, everyone will win in the end." The firm yet confusing statement of intention from the band caught nearly everyone at their label, Interscope Records, off guard. "I can't believe they would even consider doing such a thing," said Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine. "They've been loyal in the past, so it's crazy that they would choose to betray us. After all we haven't done for them. It's disappointing."
A spokesperson for the RIAA responded to the band's statement Sunday afternoon at a hastily assembled press conference. "We find this move by
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead to be very disturbing and entirely unwarranted. As most of you may or may not be aware, all Interscope artists are contractually obligated to uphold the principals, guidelines, and values of the Recording Industry Association of America. If the band chooses to go through with their promise to leak the newest Interscope album, we at the RIAA will have no choice but to file suit against them in our continuing worldwide effort to put an end to internet music piracy."
Calls to both Trail of Dead and Interscope Records seeking comment on the RIAA's precarious position went unreturned.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Danny Wood Pondered Leaving ToD, Joining Interpol
08/11/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Stunningly tall bassist Danny Wood of ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead admitted last week in a candid interview with the Austin-American Statesman that he once considered leaving his friends in Trail of Dead for a much more lucrative second bassist position with New York Joy Division-rockers Interpol.
"It might have happened, yes," Wood explained in the interview, "Not because of the music or anything, that never matters, but because of the money. I really felt that [at the time] I needed more financial security. Something that didn't leave me bouncing from pay check to pay check. A person can only handle living off the scraps of others for so long. My life had reached a turning point and Conrad, Jason, and Kevin refused to up my percentage. The band wasn't really taking off and Interpol was. I wanted to get my stuff together and I thought that moving to New York would do it for me. I needed a new band."
Danny first became friends with Interpol after a chance encounter with them at a German music festival. "We hit it off right from the start after I bought them all a few beers. I gave their manager a call and said I was looking for a change. They weren't really doing much of anything at that moment in time, but somehow I convinced them I was worth the investment. I was elated. Unfortunately, they thought it over for a few days, called me back, and said it was too much for them and they backed out. They knew I must have had them going while they were all drunk or something. I don't know."
Regardless, Wood still longs for the day when he doesn't have to worry about his finances. "It might be a while, but I'll get there someday. I have a star quality name and I'm tall. It's only a matter of time."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Bono Recommends ToD to Stones for Austin Opening Act
08/09/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- U2 frontman Bono admitted to reporters on Tuesday that he had been in contact with the Rolling Stones to recommended the rock legends take on Texas favorites ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead as an opening act for their October 22nd concert in Austin, Texas.
A long-time supporter of Trail of Dead and their music, Bono has made his admiration for the Austin-based rockers widely known in the past. His first interaction with the band was at a 2003 New York tribute show in his honor. Bono was said to be so impressed with their gleaming performance of one of his favorite songs, "Electric Co.", that he immediately went backstage to meet them. In recent times, he has made efforts to push the band directly into the limelight of the international mainstream. In May of 2006, he successfully persuaded the US Soccer Board of Directors to select Trail of Dead as US representatives for the World Cup final half-time show.
When asked specifically about Trail of Dead, Bono gave a ringing endorsement: "They are a great bunch of lads," he declared fondly. "I really couldn't think of any better Austin act to open for the Stones. Maybe Willie [Nelson], but it wouldn't sound right. This just fits so perfectly for both of the bands. Plus it's a meeting, or a melding possibly, of rock generations. The old guard pass the torch onto the young blood in their home town. Hollywood writers couldn't have scripted this more perfectly. That's what I told Mick and the boys this past Tuesday when I rang them. It's all in their court now."
The Rolling Stones' October 22nd show at Zilker Park will be the first Austin appearance in the band's lustrous 44 year history.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Conrad Keely Reflects on "Tragic" X Games Experience
08/07/2006 -- by merlin
 LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Non-skater rock band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead were given a rude and thuggish reception at the X Games' X Fest Music Festival on Friday afternoon, performing to one of the smallest and most uninterested crowds in the band's ten year history.
Shortly after their fish out of water performance outside the Home Depot Center Los Angeles, a clearly frustrated frontman Conrad Keely voiced his opinion to X Games reporters. "I can't remember the last time we played in front of 20 people," Keely vented. He couldn't explain how his indie-sounding band found it's way onto the bill of a clearly pop-punk festival. "Whoever came up with the bright idea for us to play this show should be immediately taken out into the great forests of northern California, forced down onto their knees, and shot in the back of the head. It's tragic. This whole thing is a farce. Our performance, the X Fest 'music festival', and the X Games themselves. I hate everything and everyone. Leave me alone."
Keely continued a half hour later to the same set of reporters after collecting himself. "I've never been involved with anything like this before. For the first time in my life, I can't figure out anything witty or intellectual to say. What can I say about this event that hasn't already been said by it's obvious awfulness? It was poorly organized and poorly promoted. We confirmed at the last minute after assurances the event would be a success, but it clearly wasn't. I don't know what to tell you. I'm going to go get drunk out of my mind and see a Peaches show tonight. Skateboarding sucks. Get a new job."
Calls to the band's publicist seeking further comment went unreturned. It is unclear whether or not the unfortunate X Games performance will adversely affect Trail of Dead's already in limbo tour plans.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Apologize to Mexican Fans, Reconsider Tour
08/04/2006 -- by merlin
 MÉRIDA, Yucatán (Telemundo) -- Texas rock band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead issued a statement of apology to their Mexican fans on Wednesday, calling for forgiveness, understanding, and patience while they contemplate their now uncertain North American touring plans.
Trail of Dead announced a slew of tour dates on Sunday evening to coincide with the long-awaited confirmation of their touring partners, the Blood Brothers, but all dates have since vanished from the band's official website. The Kork Agency, Trail of Dead's long-time booking agents, also removed the listing of dates from their website at what appeared to be the same time. A Kork spokesperson in Los Angeles refused to answer why the tour dates had been taken down, saying only that all future Trail of Dead shows remain "in the planning stages" and are "absolutely unconfirmed".
Through Interscope's office in Mérida, the band released this statement to their Mexican fans: "Hola, sons and daughters of Maya. We felt the need to converse with you in order to set the record straight. Collectively as a band, we love your culture, your rituals, and most of all, your people. In 2002, our allegiance to your cause was illustrated by our video 'Relative Ways' which paid homage to your great civilization of the Yucatan. We were there for days shooting that video and embraced every wondrous moment. In hindsight, maybe we didn't show our appreciation to you enough. All of us want to come back and play a few shows for you great souls of the Earth and, in time, we will. We're currently re-planning our upcoming tour in hopes of making you understand that you are a cherished part of North America."
"If you feel that in any way, shape, or form we have forgotten you, we are wholeheartedly sorry from the bottom of our wretched souls. Never again will we overlook our beloved brethren to the south."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Mexican Fans Heartbroken After North American Tour Snub
08/02/2006 -- by merlin
 MEXICO CITY, Mexico (Telemundo) -- Several hundred distraught fans of Texas rock band ...Trail of Dead took to the streets of Mexico City on Tuesday after the announcement of the band's North American tour which, for the fifteenth consecutive time, included no dates in Mexico.
"It's hard for us to accept," mumbled one agitated fan as he struggled to choke out the words. "We are part of North America too, you know. It's not as if our country is that dangerous a place. We have local militia and security guards the same as them." Another thickly-accented fan from the uncommonly tame gathering at Mexico City's famous Zócalo square couldn't understand why the band would ignore such an untapped international market. "Mexico is right across the Rio Grande from Texas. You can hop the wall and be back within a few weeks. It's really loco, man. I know me and a couple of my homies would die to see them play before they crash and burn. They [have] underestimated their growing fan base here. I can't explain how they could pass up so much free tequila."
A more rabid, hallucinogenic fan had a different take on Trail of Dead's reluctance to schedule shows. "They can't live up to the Mars Volta's live show," he theorized. "Plus they're greedy. That's all it is. Beer and blood thirsty American imperialists. They say they're big on Mayan rituals, that they support the Mayan culture, but what do they do? They turn their backs on the descendants of Maya when we're in desperate need of musical saviors. In time, the gods will have their way with these traitors. You just wait and see."
The band is yet to comment on the unrest brewing in Mexico.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Settle on the Blood Brothers, Plan Epic Trek
07/31/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- After several months of headaches, uncertainty, and unconfirmed plans, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have finally decided on the Blood Brothers as touring partners and scheduled scores of US and Canadian dates to coincide with the long-awaited affirmation.
The announcement garnered a collective sigh of relief from fans and media pundits alike, ending speculation and rumors that had cursed the halls and backrooms of musical circles all across North America. Even with the spectacular news of the new tour, a few hardcore fans have still found a reason to be upset. With the economy in such a tattered state, many groupies, or the "Trail of Deadheads" as they prefer to be called, who have followed Trail of Dead cross-country on all tours of the United States will now be unable to do so. Their reasons? Rising gasoline costs, inflated hotel prices, and general all-around fatigue due to the expansive length of the tour, one of ToD's longest on record. Most fair weather fans, or plain "deadheads" as most enjoy calling them, however, are elated that the band will finally re-grace American soil after a touring absence of nearly 18 months.
Trail of Dead's massive journey across North America will see them through 37 cities, 27 states and provinces, two countries, and countless bars, taverns, and saloons. Unlike past tours, the band will be touching both east and west coasts at the same time, citing the week-long hangovers that caused them to require breaks in between legs of their tours as "no longer a catastrophic issue".
A full listing of the US and Canadian dates is available here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Nordic Blunder Stifles Trail of Dead's Eurovision '07 Plans
07/28/2006 -- by merlin
 HELSINKI, Finland (AP) -- Trail of Dead's place as shoe-in presenters for next year's Eurovision music competition seems to be in limbo after the band unintentionally insulted the country of Finland on their recent festival romp through Europe.
While it is unknown exactly what derogatory slurs the band uttered, Finnish media is reporting that band members greeted them collectively at an Arvika Festival press brief in Sweden with the sentiments "good to see the [Swedes] let so many of you ... out of your cages", in reference to what the band assumed was Finland's still oppressive colonial relationship with Sweden. Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja called the remarks, in whatever form, "disgraceful" and "unacceptable" for "artisans trying to get on our good side". The minister continued, "Once again, you see the lack of education in worldly tact at American institutions wreaking havoc. We are no longer a domain of the Kingdom of Sweden and that should be obvious to everyone. Eurovision is a source of great national pride for the Finnish people, and we will not willingly put forth uneducated Americans as our voice to the world."
The minister's harsh words of criticism seem to doom Trail of Dead's dreams of presenting at the Eurovision 2007 competition in Helsinki. Regardless, the band issued this apology through a Universal spokeswoman: "Trail of Dead deeply regret insulting the lovely, pristine, and non-Swedish territory of Finland. On our last trip through Scandinavia, we severely underestimated the sensitivity of the Sweden/Finland nationalist rift. We in no way shape or form meant to offend anyone through our thoughtless words and actions, and we hope these unfortunate historical misunderstandings do not jeopardize our long-standing positive relationship with the country, its people, and the Eurovision 2007 selection committee."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Reece Lawyers Try Unsuccessfully to Throw Out Lawsuit
07/26/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Lawyers from Interscope Records representing Trail of Dead band member Jason Reece tried unsuccessfully on Monday to throw out a multi-million dollar lawsuit by the Anti-Jason Reece Club against the judicially stricken lyricist and drummer.
Left-leaning Judge Stephen Yelenosky of the Travis County 345th Judicial District Court rejected a motion for dismissal by Reece's lawyers citing "irrevocable insincerity", "obvious ulterior motives", and "unbridled idiocy" on the part of the Interscope law team. Yelenosky also refused to so much as acknowledge lead Reece lawyer Fred Martin's rebuttal to his ruling. "Do you even converse with your client, Mr. Martin?" Yelenosky is quoted in the court report as saying. "I'm finding it harder and harder to believe that you actually do. You certainly don't listen when he says something. He tells this court one thing and you then you inexplicably say the exact opposite. In my two years working here on this bench, I have never seen a more ill-equipped team of lawyers. I hope for your client's sake that you improve."
When told of the newest developments supposedly on his behalf at his home in Austin, Jason Reece responded matter-of-factly: "This [stuff] is all getting way out of hand. I wouldn't mind if it went away for good. Throw out the lawsuit, the lawyers, and get back to living my life. I'm really over it, man." Legal analyst Roger Anderson was also candid in his post-motion comments to the media outside the courthouse: "I can't see this ending positively for either side. Both are already showing signs of internal strife. It's impossible to think that anyone involved will come out with less than a black eye and a severed limb or two. Is JR the new OJ? We'll have to wait and see."
The next hearing date for the case is on August 10th.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Kevin Allen Inspired by Iron Maiden Frontman's Heroics
07/24/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Kevin Allen of Texas rock outfit ...Trail of Dead has been so inspired by Bruce Dickinson's heroic actions in Lebanon that he has found himself finally considering doing something he's always dreamed of: learning how to fly.
Upon hearing the news that Dickinson, long-time frontman of metal legends Iron Maiden and an accomplished commercial pilot, had evacuated two hundred British citizens desperate to flee war-torn Lebanon, the soft-spoken lead guitarist could no longer contain his sense of duty to the greater good. "I watch CNN constantly and it always pains me when I see people trouble," Allen remarked, "I've always wanted to help evacuate people from war zones or plague stricken areas. It was a dream of mine as a boy. While everyone else was off playing gods and generals, red rover, and spin the bottle or whatever, I was sitting quietly in my room planning strategic humanitarian evacuations. When I heard that was what Bruce was doing, I knew I had found my true calling. I figure if I'm going to follow in someone's footsteps, they might as well be his."
"Jason [Reece] and I were on his radio talk show a while back and he struck me as a wonderful human being. I mean, I was a huge Iron Maiden fan even before I had met him. 'The Trooper' is easily one of the best songs ever written. Meeting him [Dickinson] in person just affirmed the impression I got from his lyrics. The way he spoke, how he carried himself, and how he didn't care about how he dressed. He wore shorts in the studio and the fact that everyone was laughing at him behind his back didn't seem to bother him one bit. He is a truly great man. To be half the man he is would see my life fulfilled."
Fortunately for Allen, that opportunity may present itself after his life in Trail of Dead ends. "I wouldn't mind going into commercial aviation or something aid-oriented in the Air Force. I'd like to keep things open for the future.
We'll have to see how my flight training goes first."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Seek Counseling for Shaky Touring Plans
07/21/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (Billboard) -- Unstable rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead recently sought counseling from friends, label interns, music psychologists, and even fans, admitting they had no idea how to go forward with the tour in support of their still untitled fifth album.
Speaking in a state of anonymity off the record, frontman Conrad Keely explained their plight. "We're having problems figuring out who to tour with. In all honesty, we could tour with one of over a hundred bands right now. It's our choice and it's up in the air." The Trail of Dead superstar, known for choosing safe, local bands to tour with, also revealed that band mate Jason Reece asked fans around the Austin area for their opinion, and even went so far as to make a posting on the band's message board asking for help. "Jason asked some people on the message board whether or not we should tour with the Blood Brothers. Everyone was appalled. They said they hated the Blood Brothers and that it would be a terrible tour. Their reaction really threw us for a loop. We thought we had it mostly finalized, and then we got that reaction from our fans. How are we supposed to deal with that?"
Keely, clearly feeling the pressure to live up to the high expectations of their bombastic live shows, seemed resigned to disappointing the fans. "I wouldn't mind taking a break from touring all together, and possibly starting a family, somewhere far away like Australia or Venus. That's how lost I am right now. Who knows if we'll even have a tour this year in support of the album. I'm considering canceling the winter dates. We might just wait until the dust has settled from all the mediocre album reviews, in say, maybe six years."
Voice of reason and long-time ToD booking agent Christian Bernhardt added a few words after Keely: "For now they're touring with the Blood Brothers. Tomorrow, for all we know, it could be the Darkness."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Jason Reece Celebrates Birthday, Hopes for Bright Future
07/19/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (MTV) -- Trail of Dead percussionist extraordinaire Jason Reece has admittedly had a rough go of things this past week. He's made an appearance in court for two pending lawsuits, toured Europe, and celebrated a forlorn birthday.
Sadly, the recent onslaught of trying events seem to have taken their toll on the habitually high-spirited twenty or thirty-something. While not widely known for his pity panhandling, a weary Reece spoke exclusively on his inability to comfortably handle situations and his state of mind. "It's been hard," he explains, "Harder than other years I've had in the past. Have I wanted to go on a killing spree or something to take the load off? Sure. With the lawsuits, the new record, the mixing, the mastering, the touring, the bar, [expletive] I've had a lot on my plate. [Expletive] it though. Yeah of course I've been stressed, but I'm hoping this birthday will be a turning point for me. I know it will. That's something I'm going to make sure of. It's either that or prison."
"You can't always keep living life in the fast lane like I have been for as long as I can remember," Reece continued, "Someday I want to slow down. Once this is all past me. Get out of the business. Move back to Hawaii. Go surfing, skateboard, and drink mojitos on the beach. All I can do is hope and dream for that day to come. Most [expletive] is out of my control. Out of my reach, you know. The lawsuits? Who cares. What's done is done. [Expletive] happens. I'm doing my best with the rest and that's all I can really do."
"Hope springs eternal, man. It's my new motto."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Marginalized, Pulled From "Snakes" Soundtrack
07/17/2006 -- by merlin
 LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Popular underground progressive band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have been scandalously dropped from the upcoming soundtrack to the blockbuster "Snakes on a Plane" to make room for several younger, mainstream-friendly pop-punk acts.
According to reports, Trail of Dead were ready to have the lead single and first track on the soundtrack, having finished mastering this past Tuesday evening in Los Angeles. Universal Records, of which Trail of Dead are signed, were set to release the album worldwide until a sudden backtrack by New Line Cinema executives placed Decaydance Records, owned by pop-punk kingpin Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, in charge of the album and the decision making process behind choosing included bands. With Universal no longer pulling the strings, Trail of Dead were viewed as expendable and, accordingly, Decaydance yanked them in favor of their own signings.
Conspiracy theories regarding this musical Watergate abound, with scores speculating that Samuel L. Jackson himself may have been involved in the label double-cross as a modern day John N. Mitchell. One theory speaks of a secret meeting between Jackson, New Line Cinema executives, and Pete Wentz where the assembled group discussed possible ways to out Trail of Dead as the featured act and replace them with rising Decaydance starlings Panic! At the Disco and The Academy Is. Last month in the New Yorker, Jackson, a well-known proprietor of cookie-cutter pop-punk bands openly criticized Universal for choosing Trail of Dead as the headline act for the soundtrack.
While there has been no official word as of yet, it is expected that Universal will pursue legal action against New Line Cinema, Samuel L. Jackson, and Pete Wentz on behalf of their cheated C-list artists.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Arrive in Europe to Jeers, Snide Protests
07/14/2006 -- by merlin
 FELDKIRCH, Austria (AP) -- ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead tried to arrive quietly in Austria on Wednesday, but were rudely greeted by a large number of protesters and a few jeering fans still upset by the band's decision not to play several shows on the continent this past May.
"We were taken aback by the protests," said Universal Records security analyst Roger McNeil, "We weren't expecting there to be as many as there were. Originally the plan was to get the band off the plane and into their secure hotel without being noticed by the crowds, but that plan didn't come to fruition as we had hoped. The protesters knew exactly which plane the band would be on and they were there in force. In my twenty some years of doing security for musical acts, I've never seen fans more well informed as to the details of a band's arrival plans-- not even for A Flock of Seagulls. I wouldn't necessarily call them [the protesters] all stalkers or crazed groupies, but they're not really that far off. It was a scary situation."
While mostly peaceful, the protests at the airport and on the way to the hotel were vocal and well organized. Many of the protesters held up signs, sang in harmony, and played loudly in drum lines formed parallel to the streets. The protesters were wholly united slinging their insults towards the bus where the band looked on cautiously, obviously unnerved and fearing for their safety. Fortunately, Trail of Dead encountered no such protests on their way to the Poolbar Festival in Feldkirch, and after enduring several minutes of ethnic slurs and flying debris, experienced no problems while on stage.
The band's tour of Europe continues until Sunday where they finish off their short, controversial stint with a performance at the Dour Festival in Belgium. They plan to head home immediately afterwards.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Update: Jason Reece vs. Anti-Reece Club First Hearing
07/12/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Jason Reece and the founding members of the Anti-Jason Reece Club met face to face for the first time this past Monday at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin for a preliminary hearing in their widely publicized and unorthodox double lawsuit.
Reece, accompanied by his promised team of seven high-priced lawyers from Interscope Records, seemed cool and collected as the suits from both parties were read during the first part of the hearing. However when Reece had the opportunity to speak on his own behalf, he was clearly unable to keep his cool. Shouting and screaming at the judge and across the courtroom to the hate group that has caused him such emotional distress over the past few months, he indicated that he would be prepared for years of legal activities and, perhaps, a premeditated trip to the Supreme Court of the United States in order to have the Anti-Reece Club shut down for good.
When allowed to speak for the first time, the Anti-Reece Club showed that their effort to postpone the first hearing in order to fully prepare was entirely in vain. No one member of the club's membership or counsel was able to string a complete sentence together without swearing and snarling in Reece's general direction. After nearly four hours of emotional, rage-filled bickering and several threats to put both parties in contempt of court by Judge Stephen Yelenosky, neither side had seemed to have bettered their standing.
Judge Yelenosky set the next hearing date for August 10th and sternly warned all parties to better control their emotions in the future. Both sides refused press comment as they left the courthouse.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Hilary Hahn Has Trail of Dead Fallout, Demands Removal
07/10/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Female classical music virtuoso Hilary Hahn has had a falling out with members of popular rock band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and shockingly asked to have a track on which she is featured, "To Russia My Homeland", taken off all future pressings of the band's "Worlds Apart" album.
Hahn's falling out with the band comes as a total surprise to fans and critics alike who are left to wonder how a match seemingly made in heaven could go awry. There were no signs of tension when Hahn joined Trail of Dead on stage at their one off performance in Moscow this past April. After only one run through during the waning minutes of the band's soundcheck, Hahn and company ran gloriously through the first ever live performance of "Homeland" to loud cheers from an enthusiastic audience who seemed to take the song's title to heart. It is still unclear exactly when Hahn and the band had their falling out after their short-lived triumphant excursion to the former Soviet Union.
A spokeswoman speaking on behalf of Hahn and her business associates tried to shed some light on the unfortunate situation: "It isn't anything personal. It's just business. The two styles of music clash far too much and Hilary felt it was in her best interest to have her amazing work removed from an album of such noise. She never really wanted to be on the album in the first place, but they [Trail of Dead] pressured her into it. It's been a year and a half of sheer agony for her and we're only looking for some closure."
These new developments seem to quell long-standing rumors that Hahn and and poet Conrad Keely were engaged to be married. Publicists for both, however, remained tight-lipped and refused to comment on the state of the relationship between the two visionaries.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Carlos D Pondered Leaving Interpol, Joining Trail of Dead
07/07/2006 -- by merlin
 NEW YORK, New York (Billboard) -- Gun-sling toting bassist and part-time DJ Carlos Dengler of Interpol admitted last week in a candid interview with MTV that he once considered leaving his long-time friends in Interpol for a more lucrative second bassist position with Texas outfit ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead.
"It could have happened, yes," Dengler explained in the exclusive interview, "Not because of the money, but because of how I felt I was progressing as a musician. [At the time] I felt like I needed something more musical. Something that didn't sound exactly like a modern day, well-produced Joy Division rip-off. A person can only go so far playing in a band like that. My life had reached a turning point and Paul, Dan, and Sam wanted to go one way with the music and I wanted to go another. My DJing was taking off at the time and so was the band, but things were changing. I wanted to concentrate on being an artist rather than reproducing the same basic sounds over and over again. I needed a challenge. I needed to join a more progressive art rock band."
Carlos D first became friends with the maestros in Trail of Dead when Interpol opened a slew of shows for the Texans in New York City. "They had always been acquaintances. I gave Conrad [Keely] a call and said I was looking for a change. They were adding members left and right, apparently to get several new layers to their sound, and he offered me the job right there on the phone. I was stunned. I thought it over for a day or two, called him back, and said it was too much. I knew I wouldn't be able to handle so much artsy musical fusion at that time, so I decided that I would stay in Interpol."
Regardless, Dengler still appreciates Keely's compassion and understanding. "Conrad said the offer would be on the table as long as Trail were around, so who knows what my future might hold."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Members Celebrate July 4th, Accidentally Ignite Flags
07/05/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Several members of Austin's most popular rock band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead were arrested late last night in connection with a string of flag burning rampages around the Austin metropolitan area.
Names of the band members are being withheld by the Austin Police Department due to ongoing investigations, but it is believed that as many as three may have been arrested and detained without bail. Witnesses say the band, apparently under the influence of several types of alcohol, rode around the city in a white pick-up truck tearing down flags off houses and lighting them on fire. Senator John Cornyn of Texas, a proponent of the recent bill in the Senate to outlaw flag-burning via the Constitution, called the unconfirmed criminal actions in his home state a "complete disgrace" and "entirely un-Texan". A Trail of Dead spokesperson had a different view of how events transpired:
"Members of the band were at a party downtown. Yes, various amounts of alcohol and American flags were involved. Flags were flying around the party, which is to be expected at a fourth of July party, and unfortunately during the course of the party some of the band members spilled their drinks on said flags. Sadly, they also at one point mistakenly lit the flags with their lighters. After these regrettable mistakes, a few flags succumbed to the flames and were completely destroyed. It was a total accident that has been blown way out of proportion by law enforcement. They [the band members involved] now know not to drink and smoke around American flags."
Calls to band members and band management to confirm either version of events went unreturned by press time.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Play Show as Three-Piece for First Time Since 1996
07/03/2006 -- by merlin
 HOLLYWOOD, California (Billboard) -- In a move that has stunned fans and could offer a glimpse into their often clouded future, Trail of Dead played a show as a three-piece for the first time in a decade at Safari Sam's in Hollywood this past Thursday.
Trail's June 27th gathering showcased much of their older material, furthering media speculation that the band could be dumping several of their members in an attempt to get a more "stripped-down" sound to their music. Long-time male groupie Cliff Gardner attended the show and gave his opinion on the speculation. "Absolutely it's a possibility," he conjectures, "They looked comfortable up there on stage with just the original three. I've been to all of their shows and I'd say it was easily one of the best. Even though they don't move around, at all really, they certainly could with all that extra space. It gives them options. They also didn't look as if they had been drinking as much. Maybe they're turning a new leaf and concentrating on the musicianship."
While the latter part of Gardner's rant seems highly unlikely due to alcoholic endorsements the band is currently contractually obligated to uphold, word from the Trail of Dead camp is that there's a "distinct" possibility that band members could be dropped from the lineup. However camp ToD also says that the move would be a cost-cutting measure rather than a change to the music, with the band trying to cut costs and save badly needed money.
Last Thursday's setlist in order: "Richter Scale Madness", "Gargoyle Waiting", "Ounce of Prevention", "Totally Natural", "Aged Dolls", "A Perfect Teenhood", "Another Morning Stoner", "Will You Smile Again?".
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Tour Europe on Short Notice, Plan to Visit Museums
06/30/2006 -- by merlin
 SANTA MONICA, California (Billboard) -- Backtracking on earlier assertions that they never wanted to play a show on the old continent again, Texas hooligan band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have announced a short string of European festival appearances for July.
The untimely jolt across the pond will see the band play four shows in quick succession, spanning the lush untarnished forests of European Union members Austria, Germany, Sweden, and Belgium. Band maestro Conrad Keely explained the reasoning behind their change of heart. "It's all about the museums. Have you ever seen them? I could wallow there for days." Keely, a steadfast admirer of museum art, said that their trip to Austria in April of this year only furthered his desire to return. He also says that he regrets their passionate falling out with the continent and hopes that this mini-tour will return a sense of normalcy to their relationship, which has been for the most part very positive through the years.
"We adore Europe," he glows, "Not just because of all the museums, but because of the people. They're very loving and cultured. How could someone not love them? I only hope that they forgive us for trespasses we may or may not have made against them in the recent past. I know they will. At least, I think so. We only scheduled four dates and announced it late on purpose. In reality, we could have played more festivals and promoted it heavily, but, you know, if there's still animosity between us and some of the larger European types we want to stand some chance of survival. Danny is tall and all, but he can't protect the whole band. We'll test the water for future reference."
A list of the upcoming European dates can be found here.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Dr. Dre Helps With Final Album Mixing, Release Date Set
06/28/2006 -- by merlin
 LOS ANGELES, California (Billboard) -- After several months of bickering, delays, and label politicking, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have finally set a release date for their third full-length album with Interscope Records: October 6th, 2006.
The newly finalized release date comes exactly four months to the day after the originally planned date of June 6th. It is apparent that the band themselves pushed the label to set a release date for sometime in the fall, with the label stubbornly trying to hold out indefinitely. Popular band member Jason Reece commented on the release date and the final mixing sessions from his cramped hotel room in Compton, California. "October 6th. A day of kings. We plan to get the new music out to the kids on that day. Interscope finally caved and let us release the album. The mixes are going well. Rawwwk it, homes."
Reece, obviously taking in the local LA county culture, also revealed that esteemed rapper and producer Dr. Dre has been helping the band out with the final mixes of their album. "We've had Dre with us in the studio for the past week or so," Reece explains, "He's been giving us new beats to lay over the drum tracks. They sound louder and thicker. It's really working out well. He's been the shizz for so long, we just felt we needed him to give us that last something to make the record a hit. I've been calling him forever [since they signed with Interscope] and he finally cracked and said he'd work with us. I'm hoping he helps me out with my rap projects in the future. Fo' sho'."
Trail of Dead's last album, Worlds Apart, was scheduled to be released in fall 2004, but was delayed until January of 2005 due to label improprieties. The band is hoping the label doesn't interfere again.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Sick of Dreary Austin, Disperse Nationwide
06/26/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (Billboard) -- In a seeming betrayal of the city that has given them so much love over the the past decade, hotshot rockers Trail of Dead have decided it's time to take a break from the fast-paced drinking and clubbing life of Austin, Texas and change their base of operations.
Each band member is said to have decided out of their own accord to leave their "beloved" town in search of greener pastures elsewhere in the United States, leaving the band, as an entity, without a home city. Two members are believed to have went east, but the new locations of the others have yet to be made public. Half-frontman half-drummer Jason Reece is rumored to be considering a temporary stay in Austin with important business and legal commitments looming on his calendar. With members spread out across the country, it is yet to be seen whether or not this will affect band morale, unannounced and apparently unimportant future touring plans, or the completion of their still as-of-yet untitled new album.
All band members declined to be interviewed about their former stomping ground, but a friend of a close band relative gave his opinion on the municipal double-cross. "I heard they were just sick of the people. They got tired of all the cowboy hat-wearing hicks who had taken over the high-class steakhouses in town. Jason's cousin also told me that some of the guys were down because they ran out of new bars to go to. That part I can understand though. Going to the same crappy bars over and over again and seeing the same low-grade groupies must really put a dampener on a person's good times."
The members of Trail of Dead have surprisingly all come together, at least for a while, in a small cramped studio in Los Angeles to mix the final version of their mildly anticipated third Interscope full-length. Unfortunately, the very release of the album appears to be in limbo.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
USA Ousted From World Cup, German ToD Fans Furious
06/23/2006 -- by merlin
 BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- Angry German fans of eclectic-rock band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead protested outside the US embassy in Berlin after the United States national team crashed out of the 2006 Fifa World Cup in embarrassing fashion with a 2-1 loss to Ghana yesterday in Nuremberg.
The rabid fans, distraught by the fact that Trail of Dead won't be performing at the World Cup final halftime show now that the United States has been eliminated (see here), chanted anti-American slogans, desecrated American flags, and burned effigies of underachieving US head coach Bruce Arena. Protester Sebastien Häbler could barley put his frustration into words. "It's sickening. We get one opportunity to see them play, and what happens? The United States fumbles it up. We aren't as lucky as the Americans. They get to see Trail of Dead how many times a year? Seventy? Eighty? They come to Germany, what, once a decade? They [the US] need to learn that to be part of the world they have to give as well as receive. Selfish bastards."
US captain Claudio Reyna, who was injured during the match and had to be substituted, expressed his disappointment and regret to reporters after the match. "How does one describe something like this? If I had to sum up our effort in one word, that word would have to be disappointing. Disappointing for us, disappointing to our fans, and disappointing to all the people who expected to see that great band play at halftime. I'm Trail of Dead's biggest fan and I'm the first to admit that if I were in the position of the German fans, I'd be livid too. I'm extremely embarrassed and distraught. I might retire because of this." In fact, Reyna did formally announce his retirement from international soccer competition shortly after his comments to the press.
A spokesperson for Trail of Dead said the band was very disappointed by the uncharacteristic performance, and that they would "no longer follow US soccer in any way shape or form" and even "ponder pursuing legal action" against the defeated players and "daftie" head coach.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
First Hearing for Reece vs. Anti-Reece Club Delayed
06/21/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The first scheduled court hearing in the highly publicized case of emotionally fragile Trail of Dead half-time frontman Jason Reece vs. the infamous Anti-Jason Reece Club has been delayed indefinitely, according to a Travis County Superior District Court spokesperson.
The two sides, who were set to meet face to face for the first time at the hearing, both requested the court delay so they could solidify their cases. Cool-headed Judge Stephen Yelenosky of the 345th Judicial Civil District Court was forced to grudgingly reschedule the hearing (for Monday, July 10th), but made his objections known. "It's sad to see that neither of the two sides are ready for the hearing. I'm of the inclination to dismiss all suits. If they don't make it to this next hearing I've scheduled, that's what I'm going to do. With all the media attention focused on this case that isn't something people will want to see. Regardless of who's involved and regardless of the public backlash, I'm going to do what I have to do."
An Anti-Reece spokesman refused to take the Judge's threats seriously. "He's all talk and no action. Just like Jason Reece. They think they're energetic and virile, but when you back them into a corner they wilt like a poorly watered flower. We got out of the hearing because we want to make sure we're prepared to present the best case possible-- not because we're scared. Reece is scared. He doesn't have a case against us and that was shown today. All you have to do is look at him to see it. I mean, who wears checkered shoes anymore?"
While Jason Reece refused full comment, he did indicate that he planned to attend the hearing in just under a month alongside a "full team of high-priced Interscope lawyers" with "hearts of rage and fists of fury".
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead University Closes Its Doors Permanently
06/19/2006 -- by merlin
 BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- A week after announcing its finances were in ruin, Trail of Dead University in Berlin has been forced to permanently suspend academic operations. News of the premature closing comes as a major disappointment to students, staff, and musicians across the globe.
Dean of Financial Affairs at Trail of Dead University Adolf Friedrich has called the entire situation surrounding the closing a "disgrace" and has characterized Trail of Dead's frontman Conrad Keely as a "money-grubbing arschgesicht", saying Keely had several opportunities to keep the struggling musical institute afloat. "It really is disgraceful," Friedrich fumes, "We were working tirelessly long hours without thanks or overtime pay, while he was off traveling the world, guzzling wine, and drawing gargoyles. He always walked away to go and talk to someone else when I tried to ask him in person to help us out. I emailed him three times this past week and all three emails went unreplied. A man with his money could do so much good, but he chooses to do ill. He doesn't care about a thing."
Keely, a well-known non-replier of emails, gave a different view of how things happened. "I tried to send them money," he says, "In fact, I sent them like $26 just the other day. You'd have to ask the US postal service where that wound up." In early 2001, Trail of Dead signed a lucrative ten album contract with Interscope Records in which Keely stipulated he was to receive a weekly monetary allotment for alcohol, paint, and assorted green plant vegetation. It is said that he, out of all the band members, receives the highest amount in payment from the label. "I'm a really busy guy with all my art and stuff, so I can't look after all my money all the time. I take it as it comes in. Sure it's sad that we lost something like that, but what can you do?"
"It may have had our name on it," Keely continued, "but that wasn't our university. It's the corporations, man. They're bringing down all the art institutes. Someone should do something to stop them. Maybe you should call Bono and let him know about this. Do you want his number?"
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD to Record Single for Snakes on a Plane Soundtrack
06/16/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (Billboard) -- Monetarily challenged rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead are set to record a song for the massively anticipated reptilian aviation-thriller "Snakes on a Plane". It is widely rumored that the song, when finished, will be immediately released as the lead single from the movie's soundtrack.
Popular wordsmith and part-time Trail of Dead frontman Conrad Keely took time out of his busy round the clock schedule to report that the lyrics for the untitled song are done and dusted, with only the musical arrangement yet to be finalized. "Things are going surprisingly well," Keely reveals, "Everything has worked out perfectly, because we've been in the recording studio for a few months working on our new album. At least I think it's only been a few months." In fact, Trail of Dead has lived in their homemade and tax-deductible studio for well over eight months, but Keely continued on his train of thought. "A couple of the movie's producers brought the idea to me and I jumped at the opportunity. The song itself is a change for us, sorta Arabic, but sometimes change is good. It's where we want to go as a band. I'd go so far as to say it's the best song I've ever written. Maybe even one of the best songs ever written, period."
Recording sessions for the musical portion of the song began last week and will continue until the 22nd of June. Band members, however, have been scattered across the country dealing with side projects, movie deals, lawsuits, and unplanned parenthood. Regardless, the frontman has pushed forward as he often does. "I've done a lot of the recording myself. So far I've laid down some drum and flute tracks and tomorrow I'm working with Mike [McCarthy] on some epic guitar and viola fills. I don't really know where the rest of the guys are, come to think of it, but I'm sure they'll show up eventually. This is how we record. What's normal for us might not be normal for normal people." Keely stubbornly refused to neither confirm nor deny any plans to release the song as a single citing "contractual obligations" and "aloofness".
Thankfully for fans the band is looking into the future with a positive attitude. "If people think our new album sucks, they can always fall back and buy the soundtrack or sit through the movie. Either way we're in."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead University in Midst of Financial Ruin
06/12/2006 -- by merlin
KÖLN, Germany (AP) -- Internationally accredited musical internship school Trail of Dead University is very near to closing its doors permanently due to large financial difficulties, according to records released earlier today by the German National Post-Secondary Education Bureau.
ToDU's financial records for the last quarter of 2005, made public early this morning in Köln (Cologne), showed a massive loss of capital, dwindling private contributions, and an unnaturally large foreign debt. The popular music institute based in Germany has had a rough go of things since its eye-opening founding in late 2004, being propped up several times by German governmental subsidies. A lower-ranking Dean of Academic Affairs recently admitted in a Berlin newspaper that if the financial downfall of the university were to continue exponentially like it had since it opened its doors, he saw no way the school could stay afloat for another year. International investors have been reluctant to invest in the university, citing low enrollment, wasted scholarships, shrinking profit margins, and heavy drinking and hooliganism by the professors and controlling staff.
Part-time Irish-American professor Conrad Keely found it hard to believe that his academic dream could be in such a deep hole: "It's shocking really. I mean, we never invested much of our own money in it and we didn't really have classes per se, but we thought it was going well. The students we had seemed to be enjoying themselves. I did find it a bit strange though when I found out that most of them listed their major as 'alcoholism'." Keely did not say whether or not he would pump in money from his massive accumulated fortune to keep the university's doors open. Further developments regarding the fiery collapse of the institute will be posted as they develop.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Fans Protest Against Anti-Reece Club, File Class Action
06/09/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Fans of Texas rock legend Jason Reece have filed a class action lawsuit against the Anti-Jason Reece Club in response to the group's continuing vocal opposition to the artist's work. Several thousand staunch Reece supporters also took to the streets of Austin in the largest organized protest against sonic hate.
The day-long protests, while mostly peaceful and unremarkable, clearly demonstrated the volatility that exists between Reece's detractors and his supporters. From his perch atop the owner's VIP lounge at Austin's Beauty Bar, Jason Reece expressed to reporters the great appreciation he has for his fans: "I have the most amazing fans in the world. Whatever I do they support me. They support me with Trail, they support me with my electro side projects, they support my DJing, they support my rapping, and when my Slayer cover band finally gets off the ground they'll support that too. It's one big happy family." When asked whether he was concerned by the fact that some of the protesters demonstrating had openly admitted to having never heard of him, Reece responded: "We all share the love, man. Let's go get crunk and shizz."
Anti-Jason Reece Club members countered late in the evening with a posting on their website: "Recent protests in support of Jason Reece do not represent an already established worldly consensus.
Media coverage has obviously been skewed and the opinion held by the majority of musical appreciators has been ignored entirely. Regardless of what happened today, we are confident that when all is said and done, justice will prevail and this conjurer of vile music will finally be made to pay for his abominations."
A hearing has been scheduled on Monday June 26th in Travis County District Court to hear all three pending lawsuits involving Reece.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Snubs Canadian Tour, Lambasts Seal Hunt
06/07/2006 -- by merlin
 OTTAWA, Canada (AP) -- Trail of Dead has reportedly declined a lucrative offer to tour in Canada this summer citing "irreconcilable differences" with the country itself, its new government, and its expansive lowbrow seal hunting industry. The band also made it very clear that they have no intention to ever tour in Canada again.
Frontman Conrad Keely gave a detailed explanation of their decision in an interview with Canadian faux-MTV MuchMusic: "We thought it was the fashionable thing to do. I mean, yeah, of course it's the right thing to do, but we wanted to be clumped in with people like Morrissey and [Paul] McCartney. Taking advantage of a sad event and using it for free promotion was right up our alley. Besides, we've always hated Canada. Hockey a real sport? Come on. Touring sucks there. No one comes to our shows because they're all out hunting baby seals. It's time to show them who runs this joint. We're never setting foot in that country again. Forgive the pun, but it'll only happen over my bludgeoned carcass."
Trail of Dead's newly discovered PETA-ism closely echoes the stance taken earlier this year by iconic animal-rights activist Steven Patrick Morrissey when he announced his refusal to tour Canada in response to the gruesome annual event. Canada's seal hunt, considered the nation's second sporting pastime, takes place countrywide early each year and, on average, results in the heinous death of more than three million baby harp seals.
Canadian fans were unavailable for comment at press time due to prior seal clubbing commitments. A government official, speaking in generalized assumptions, said they would be outraged eventually.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Danny Wood to Play Danny Wood in New Kids Retrospective
06/05/2006 -- by merlin
 LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Strikingly tall Trail of Dead bassist Danny Wood has been tapped by Lifetime Television Networks to play Danny Wood in an upcoming TV-movie based on the trials and tribulations of troubled teen-pop sensation New Kids on the Block.
The movie, set during a two decade span of the 80s and 90s, will tell the true story of the boy band's meteoric rise to fame, its time spent in the spotlight, their own catastrophic self-annihilation, and the resulting aftermath of depression, sex, and drugs. A Lifetime spokeswoman explained their reasoning behind doing the retrospective: "We've always been interested in doing a New Kids on the Block project, but we were never given the funds. As soon as we secured an increased budget, we knew this is what we had to do. It's for the good of society to finally put an end to speculation and explain exactly how everything happened. We [at Lifetime] are pouring millions into this, most of our budget actually, and there's no doubt in our mind that it's going to cause quite a stir with fans and the media. It'll be a hit."
Danny Wood (the elder) said he was very excited to have Danny Wood (the younger) playing him in the movie and was looking forward to their first encounter. Danny (younger) echoed Wood's (elder's) sentiments. "I'm extremely excited. I can't wait to start shooting. I know for a fact that doing this movie will change my life. I grew up listening to New Kids on the Block, so I'm loving every minute of this." Wood (young) also gave solace to fans worried that the movie might affect his ability to tour with Trail of Dead. "A lot of the footage is going to be taped while I'm on tour with Trail. I'll have to dress a bit colorful for a while, but it will totally be worth it in the end.
When asked about the rather large height differential between himself and the original New Kid, Wood responded smoothly: "It's not a problem. Television takes away about a foot and a half so we should be okay."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Interscope Delays Album Release Again, Cites Power Grab
06/02/2006 -- by merlin
 SANTA MONICA, California (Reuters) -- Interscope Records has once again delayed the release of a Trail of Dead album, this time citing "control issues" and an uncanny "attempted power grab" by the band. The as-of-yet untitled album, originally due to be released unexpectedly on June 6th, has now been shelved indefinitely.
The shocking developments once again call into question Trail of Dead's visibly shaky relationship with the label that first garnered them international success. Interscope executives delayed the release of 2005's "Worlds Apart" by two months to lower competition levels for other Interscope artists, saying that if the Trail of Dead album were to be released at the same time as the other albums "no one would want to waste their money on that all that other junk." Trail of Dead instead self-released "Worlds Apart" as a single and immediately saw it shoot to #2 on the US Hot 100 singles chart. The self-released single caused Interscope executives to further delay "Worlds Apart" two more months in protest over the band's inability to follow written contract stipulations.
A spokesperson for Trail of Dead said the band was "very disappointed" by the label's decision to delay the new album and that they only wanted to "get the music out there as soon as possible" for the fans. This fact was reiterated in an email yesterday from Conrad Keely to supporters where he said "We weren't fully finished with the album, but we figured why tinker with it any further. To our dismay, that idea was quickly trampled. Sometimes things like this happen in the music industry." Keely then apologized to fans and blamed the entire situation on Interscope's emotional futility and frigid executives.
Representatives from Interscope refused comment on the record about the record, but assured us in a state of anonymity that the label hadn't lost control over the band, even though the band had made an effort to "illegally and immorally" re-write their own contracts and take over the label.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Trail of Dead Counting on Presenting at Eurovision '07
05/31/2006 -- by merlin
 HELSINKI, Finland (AP) -- Fresh off their ambiguous performance at a soggy Sasquatch! Festival and a short-lived Memorial Day respite, Trail of Dead are back grabbing headlines after declaring their firm intention to be chief presenters at the 2007 Eurovision song competition.
Because of their inability to be included in the songwriting finals due to continental restrictions and a rejected citizenship bid in the United Kingdom, Trail of Dead felt they needed to find a new and creative way to leech promotion from the huge free media event. The band's frontman Conrad Keely spoke of their plans: "The ball is already rolling. We've been making calls, pulling strings, and we're the odds on favorites to be presenters. We're gods in Finland, so I can't see anything stopping us."
Keely, an Irish citizen by birth, also mentioned he had been approached by the RIECC (Republic of Ireland Eurovision Competition Committee) for 2007, but was uninterested in representing his native land. "Yeah, they approached me about helping them out. I said no. I wrote a song for Eurovision 2002 and had it rejected. I guess they didn't really appreciate my 'gratuitous' lyrical use of the f-bomb. If I can't enter a Trail song, which is something we've already had rejected, I'm not going to f--king strip myself down for that f--king country. They can f--k off and scrape the bottom of someone else's barrel."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Anti-Reece Club Counter-sues Jason Reece For Defamation
05/26/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The Anti-Jason Reece Club has filed a counter-suit for defamation in response to a recent lawsuit filed by Jason Reece against the club, according to the Travis Country District Court website. The counter-suit, pending on the Travis Country docket, will likely be heard at the same time as the original lawsuit filed by Reece. No court dates have yet been set.
The Anti-Jason Reece Club offered this statement as an explanation for the counter-suit: "Jason Reece has once again proven why he needs to be stopped. On Monday the 22nd, we received notification that the swine had his attorneys file a lawsuit against us. This development only perpetuates the notion that Reece is afraid to confront anyone who may disagree with his stance on matters of worldly importance, music, or himself and his actions. The ego, the arrogance, the audacity-- all valid reasons why we felt this stain on the fabric of society needed to be law-machined away. By taking his financial security, his mansion, and, in the end, his dignity, he will undoubtedly be forced to retire from the music industry and return to planet Earth. We have only this to say to Mr. Reece-- see you in court."
The pair of lawsuits are certainly the first of their kind in United States judicial history. Never before has an artisan sued a hate group of his or her art, only to in return have that hate group counter-sue the artisan for the content of his or her art and the manner in which he or she goes about making it. It is unknown how any of the Travis County district judges will handle a case like this, let alone a case with such an explosive magnitude of emotions.
A spokesperson for Jason Reece had no comment.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Sasquatch! Fest Goes Ahead Anyway, Flips Off Naysayers
05/24/2006 -- by merlin
 GEORGE, Washington (Reuters) -- Despite growing objections by left-wing festival-goer advocacy groups, the board in charge of running the annual Sasquatch! Festival has decided to go ahead as originally planned. Concerns had been raised by "awareness" groups over Texas-bred ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and their Who-stolen schtick of destroying all musical and sound equipment on stage.
The pro-lameness groups have said that having Trail of Dead play on the main stage creates an extremely dangerous environment for a large amount of festival-goers. They feel that the band should be censored, relegated to a smaller stage (in hopes of lessening bodily risk), or dropped from the bill entirely. Festival officials have tossed the idea aside in a fit of self-righteousness: "Who are these groups to tell us who we can and cannot book? We are entirely aware of the risk Trail of Dead poses to our visitors. We were aware of that when we booked them. If someone gets killed because they happened to jump in front of a flying kick drum, that's their own problem. Our lawyers and insurance people are top notch. It's our festival. We can do whatever we want." Advocacy groups have yet to respond to the statement or issue a well-balanced mud fling in the direction of the uncompromisable officials.
Regardless of who's bickering and complaining, Trail of Dead takes their schtick to the main stage of the Sasquatch! Festival on Friday the 26th-- breaking things before Finland-based His Infernal Majesty and after Australian-bred cock-rockers Wolfmother. Tickets, surprisingly, are still available.
In unrelated sentiments, we here at trailofdead.org would like to send out special happy birthday wishes to our buddy Kevin Allen who turned 21 yesterday. His solid, fanciful guitar playing and trademark on stage chain-smoking has been the backbone of Trail of Dead for many years and hopefully many more years to come. Have fun drinking legally, Kevin!
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Jason Reece Sues Anti-Reece Club For Emotional Distress
05/22/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Jason Reece has sued the Anti-Jason Reece Club according to Travis County District Court papers filed on Saturday evening. The professional drum-breaker and guitar shredder is asking for thousands of dollars in restitution stemming from emotional and physical distress caused by the ever-growing hate group.
According to court papers, the frivolous lawsuit was filed by Reece's attorney on behalf of Reece himself in an attempt to put an end to the constant slurs of abuse flung at the Trail of Dead frontman. The papers also list other reasons for the suit as "countless hours of high-end psychiatric counseling and reassurance", "lost wages incurred while crying solitarily in his room listening to the Cure", and "physical self-abuse caused by lack of assumed self-worth".
The multi-national Anti-Jason Reece Club was founded in mid-November of 2005 to "put and end to the rosy picture of Jason Reece painted by the media". It has members in at least eight first world countries, mostly from areas where Trail of Dead has toured extensively, with offices and smaller cult chapters in many more developing nations. It's founder, unlike it's spotlighted base of supporters, has been shrouded in secrecy and still remains unknown.
Calls to both involved parties went unreturned. Further details of this lawsuit will be reported when and if they become available.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD to Play World Cup Final Halftime Show, Thank Bono
05/19/2006 -- by merlin
 BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- Confirmation came in yesterday that Trail of Dead are Team USA's pick to play the halftime show of the World Cup final should the United States team make it all the way to the finals. Each country participating in the world's most glorious soccer competition is allowed one choice of musical act or dance ensemble to grace the pitch in the event their team makes it to the final round.
It was long rumored that Trail of Dead would be the pick to represent the United States musically, but their spot as front-runner was solidified early last week when long time Dead-head, soccer enthusiast, and label-mate Bono met with ranking Team USA officials. With Team Ireland bowing out during the European group qualifying stage and his own hopes of performing in the first such halftime show dashed, Bono began pulling strings and calling in favors in order to get his favorite American musical act on the bill. Bono, a devout supporter of both Team Ireland and Team USA in recent years, has been a vocal fan of Trail of Dead since they played a rousing cover of "Electric Co." at a February 2003 tribute
show in his esteemed honor.
A Team USA final appearance and a halftime extravaganza show fit perfectly into Trail of Dead's as-of-yet unconfirmed summer European arena and festival tour, with Trail's Euro booking agent saying they "might have a day or two free" around the date of the World Cup final. Camp Trail of Dead is yet to fully comment on their selection as musical ambassadors to the world, but an Interscope-based publicist gave assurances they would "thank Bono presently" and are "absolutely flattered" they were chosen over Kanye West.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Petition For More Jason Reece Songs on New Album Denied
05/17/2006 -- by merlin
 SANTA MONICA, California (Reuters) -- Interscope Records has rejected a petition by fans, music journalists, and Ian MacKaye to include more songs featuring Jason Reece on the upcoming Trail of Dead album. A statement was released on Tuesday by Interscope's manager and co-founder Jimmy Iovine in which he shunned the idea in favor of a slower, less angsty approach.
The statement read in part: "Here at Interscope, we feel that Trail of Dead needs to continue along the path they started off on with 'Worlds Apart'. While we love Jason Reece and value his input and ideas, we feel that Rites of Spring influenced vocals and hardcore-shredding guitar riffs do nothing for our bottom line. Real punk doesn't sell anymore. We're Interscope. Not Dischord Records. Jason will get a small allotment of songs, but nothing more. Thank you for your support and understanding."
The statement by Iovine has many industry insiders and punk observationists worried that Trail of Dead will soon lose all Jason Reece-fronted songs from their catalog. The Interscope czar has mentioned in several recent interviews that he's a fan of Conrad Keely's slower, more enchanting songwriting style and wouldn't mind seeing Reece's songs cut entirely from all future setlists and releases. Iovine is rumored to have put forth the idea of re-releasing Trail of Dead's most successful album "Source Tags and Codes" as an EP with Reece's three songs excluded in hopes of garnering sales to the middle-aged. This idea was summarily rejected by Interscope's board for being "rather excessive".
The outspoken Reece has yet to comment on these newest developments, but many feel he is destined to go solo after the release of the new album with lucrative contracts from Rock-a-Fella and Def Jam still on the table.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
Conrad Keely Berates Relaunch, Talks Global Warming
05/15/2006 -- by merlin
 AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Half-time Trail of Dead frontman Conrad Keely has angrily berated the return of fansite trailofdead.org in recent comments at an Austin Beauty Bar appearance. Several sources are reported to have heard him badmouth the return of the popular fansite, with strong words like "merlin", "worthless", and "bugger" popping up. Several sources also report that he may have been "severely intoxicated" at the time.
While no recording exists of the candid conversation had with apparently most of the Beauty Bar patrons, many there have been able to describe bits and pieces of sentences exchanged with Keely as he made his rounds about the bar. A frustrated Keely may have even broken down at times-- obviously cracking under the stress that a return of the fansite puts on the band. Keely has in the past mentioned that it's been hard for the band's music to live up to the "awesomeness" of their most popular fansite.
During the night Keely is also said to have went off on a tangent about global warming. "Listen, you know, hey," he is quoted as saying, "they [the government] aren't ever going to do anything about it. You know. Listen, we've got to save the world. Otherwise Classic Arts Showcase will be taken off the air." The rant makes sense, with Keely strongly coming out in support of Classic Arts Showcase and the Kyoto Protocol last January.
Several calls to Keely's cell phone seeking comment or clarification on his remarks remained unreturned by press time.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Miffs European Fanbase, Schedules Shows, Cancels
05/12/2006 -- by merlin
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Trail of Dead have angered European fans recently by leaking plans of playing several festival dates, then sharply denying any involvement in the leak or plans to tour Europe before the new album is released. News broke a week ago that the mysterious band of Texans were planning to play a few of the smaller European festivals in preparation for a much more important tour of the United States.
On the record, a secretary at Trail of Dead's massive European booking agency refused to confirm that the dates were leaked on purpose. Off the record, however, she did confirm the fact that several of the dates had been canceled in order to create "a massive media hysteria" and "get the Euros all worked up". Calls back to the secretary have been unsuccessful, with the last being answered by a superior saying the secretary "no longer works here".
Regardless of whether or not this was deliberately planned by the booking agency or the band themselves, it is obvious that this has only made the unlucky European public more desperate to see the band of hooligans. As previously reported, Trail of Dead's popularity in Europe sky rocketed when they opened a slew of dates for Audioslave in the summer of 2005, with that tour sending "Worlds Apart" platinum six times over.
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News
ToD Site Returns in Fever, Receives Blessing From Pope
05/10/2006 -- by merlin
MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- The popular ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead fansite trailofdead.org returned to temporary operation on Wednesday after nearly a full year of hiatus. In a press release sent to the AP, trailofdead.org founder and operating chairman 'merlin' (we are unsure if that is his actual name) explained the reasoning behind the return: "I thought the other site sucked. So did most of the world. You wouldn't believe how many threatening letters I received regarding .org. It was a mess. People were rioting outside my castle. Very sad that I had to have them all shot."
 His Most Serene Highness the Pope of Mope Steven Patrick Morrissey came out early this morning in support of the move by his fellow overly-emoriffic artisan. "I'm glad it's back. I used to read it [trailofdead.org] daily and when it went on hiatus, a part of me, something that wasn't already dead, black, and tormented, died along with it. Merlin has my full support and blessing. He's quite the charming man."
Several world leaders have also applauded the move. Frizzy haired Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi called the unexpected move "promising". Former UK Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy, a normal supporter of the left-leaning fansite, was unable to be roused from his drunken stupor for comment. When asked about the new developments at an afternoon press conference, President Bush made an upward jerking motion with his hand and wryly smiled-- then asked to be excused.
More developments are expected from trailofdead.org in the near future with founder merlin saying they are "certainly possible possibly."
>> Breaking Trail of Dead News |
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