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 o |
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