If you’re one of the 42 million people that have fallen in love with our recent Hotbox at the Levi’s/FADER Fort video series, it’s possible you’ve forgotten (or never knew) that we used to film bands letting loose in front of our fireplace, too. We did. And yes, have a website and a fireplace. In Manhattan. Lissie, recent Fat Possum signee and acquirer of our tender hearts, rambled on by last week before playing a Mercury Lounge show the very same night. She’s a little bit Loretta Lynn, a little bit Veronica Bennett, but mostly just really really good. Check out “I Don’t Know,” “Wedding Bells” and “Everywhere I Go” below, then scour your town, city or village for a copy of her new Why You Runnin’ EP.

For their punked-out new single “Cousins,” the men of Vampy Weeks shot an equally frenetic clip in a city alley. The Garth Jennings-directed clip is above, the single’s out digitally right now and on vinyl December 7th courtesy of XL. And oh yeah, not sure if you knew this, but their sophomore full-length, Contra, is out January 20th. Stay tuned until tomorrow for yet another update on the Road To The Next Vampire Weekend Record.

Recently reunited grunge godfathers Alice in Chains have been making a go at the Billboard charts in the past few weeks behind their new album Black Gives Way To Blue, the comeback effort entering at No. 5 when it dropped a few weeks back. Though they’re headbanging their way through Europe (check their Jools Holland appearance above) at the moment, they’ve just announced lengthy trek through North American venues in coming months. See a complete list of dates below.

11.20 Antwerp, Belgium @ Trix Zaal
11.21 Wiesbaden, Germany @ Schlachthof
11.23 Dortmund, Germany @ FZW
11.24 Prague, Czech Rep. @ Lucerna
11.25 Warsaw, Poland @ Stodola
11.27 Budapest, Hungary @ Petofi Csarnok
11.29 Vienna, Austria @ Gasometer
12.30 Munich, Germany @ Thearterfabrick
12.02 Milan, Italy @ Alcatraz
12.03 Fribourg, Switzerland @ Fri-Son
12.04 Paris, France @ Bataclan
12.06 Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
12.07 London, UK @ Brixton Academy
12.11 Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint (KXTE radio show)
02.12 Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre (KROQ Acoustic Xmas)
02.02 Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum Theatre
02.04 Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
02.06 Salem, OR @ Salem Armory
02.11 Oakland, CA @ Fox Theatre
02.17 Phoenix, AZ @ Dodge Theatre
02.19 Denver, CO @ Fillmore
02.21 Kansas City, MO @ Midland
02.22 St. Louis, MO @ Pageant
02.23 Louisville, KY @ Louisville Palace
02.25 Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
02.27 Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues
03.01 Nashville, TN @ Municipal Auditorium
03.02 Charlotte, NC @ Fillmore
03.03 Washington, DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
03.05 Richmond, VA @ The National
03.06 Mashantucket, CT @ Foxwoods
03.08 New York, NY @ Terminal 5
03.12 Atlantic, City, NJ @ Borgata
03.13 Philadelphia, PA @ Tower Theatre
03.14 Boston, MA @ Orpheum
03.16 Montreal, QC @ Metropolis
03.17 Toronto, ONT @ Sound Academy
03.19 Detroit, MI @ Fillmore State Theatre
03.20 Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom
03.21 St. Paul, MN @ Roy Wilkens Auditorium

You may remember reading about the Twitter-riffic dissolution of Jay Reatard’s band a few weeks back or even about the time he asked the Cola Freaks to join him shortly after that. Though we heard whispers about this in a bar late last week but were quickly distracted by a beer, Pitchfork reported yesterday that Wavves’ Nathan Williams has recently adopted a new backing band: bassist Stephen Pope and drummer Billy Hayes, formerly the rhythm section behind Reatard. Please note: these two are not to be confused with members of Reatard’s earlier band The Reatards. They are however, featured prominently in audiovisual evidence up top, a recent YouTube clip of the new three-piece shaking the stage at a recent show in Mexico City.

The vacancy in Williams’ lineup came as former drummer/wild man Zach Hill mangled his hand while playing drums recently. If you’ve ever seen dude hit a drum, that should make some sense. From his mouth to your brain:

so last week in los angeles at wavves practice i somehow mangled/broke/exploded my left hand while playing drums.it was immediately apparent that my injury was a little serious. after stopping practice i was unable to make a fist and my lacerations wouldnt stop bleeding. i visited a clinic and found i had two small fractures. one to the knuckles and one on my pointer finger plus some tweaked ligaments(unable to grip). this isnt a first for me but unfortunately the timing of its forced me to NOT be joining nate on the upcoming european wavves tour. bummer! the entire wavves tour will still go down as scheduled with some friends filling in and backing nate. they’re gonna handle it! hit up the shows! on the upside i should be straight in the hands within a few weeks and will be spending this period working on the new marnie stern album and finishing up my next solo release etc,etc,etc! PEACY P

Photo: Time Life Pictures/Time and Life Pictures/Getty Images

In an article for the Seattle Weekly titled “How I Met Dave Grohl, the Biggest Guy in Rock and Roll,” former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic waxes poetic about the musical prowess and undying dedication of his former bandmate, Dave Grohl.

Describing his first interaction with Grohl, Novoselic reminisces: “I remember going to the airport and picking this dude up. He was easygoing–just like some guy named Paul McCartney told the Times. He brought up his drum set–a yellow TAMA with a 26″ kick. The man understood John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and Dale Crover (the Melvins), and this kick proved it. We wasted no time and rehearsed the next day. I knew Dave was coming, so beforehand I’d found a rehearsal place in Tacoma’s north end.

“It was a productive session, but the next night Kurt and I just messed around at practice for some reason. We all left together, and I could feel that Dave was a little distressed. That shows his serious work ethic. Don’t get me wrong, Nirvana had a good work ethic, but perhaps Dave was feeling a little remorse at that moment for betting it all on these two guys from Washington.”

Those two guys, he goes on to explain, ultimately pulled through, and the group became the Nirvana that we know and still miss today. Novoselic concludes, “For me, the years 1990 to 1994 seem like 10 years. So much went on, and of course so much went wrong. But life went on after Nirvana. I love the Foo Fighters. Dave kept that work ethic and focus, and that’s why he’s the greatest rock musician in the world today.”