​Garbage is giving away their latest single "Blood For Poppies" on their website today! That's straight on the heels of Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson's appearance on Chelsea Lately last night (they have the same makeup artist).

According to Manson, the band went on hiatus because "We just got a bit despondent about the way the music business had gone, and our record company, we felt, were sort of greedy and all they cared about was money. And that wasn't why we wanted to be in a band in the first place." More >>

Round One: Fight! (Just Kidding)

​ More >>

​UPDATE: if you go to dropnye.com and click buy tickets, you can enter OCWEEEKLY to get $5 off each ticket right now! Original post, Dec. 28, 8:54 a.m.: Don't have New Year's Eve plans yet? That's OK, because we're giving away three pairs of tickets to the Drop NYE at The Grove of Anaheim. Happening this Saturday with Bart B More, R3hab, Nicky Romero and more, it's an 18 and over event, and there will be four stages of music.

The catch? You have to enter the contest today only.

All you have to do to win tickets is leave us a message on Heard Mentality's Twitter (@ocweeklymusic) and/or Facebook with your name and email address! Winners will be notified later today.

I
More >>

​We get a lot of free music here at the Heard Mentality offices on a regular basis, but this holiday season, record labels want us the share and gift that music with impunity. Which is great, because if you're anything like me, you're a sucker for good Christmas songs but don't always know how to seek them out. Here are five great new ones that are going to be on permanent rotation--from the funny country music duo Joey+Rory, a free song from the Spinto Band, alt-rock band Diamond's cover of "Christmastime is Here,"  electro-pop quartet Body Language's "Holiday" to Seattle songwriter Shelby Earl's sweet "This Christmas is for Us."
More >>

Andrew Youssef/OC Weekly

Robert Smith of the Cure

​Tomorrow, Sunday Best is releasing The Cure: Bestival Live 2011, a live recording of the iconic band's career-spanning two-and-a-half-hour set at this year's Bestival.

The double album will include 32 Cure classics, including "The Lovecats," "The Caterpillar," "Close to Me," "Friday I'm In Love," "Lullaby," "The Hungry Ghost," "The End of the World," "Just Like Heaven," "Grinding Halt," "Jumping Someone Else's Train" and "Boys Don't Cry." All profits from the sale of this album will go to the Isle of Wight Youth Trust.

Robert Smith says:

"We had such a great time in the Isle of Wight at Bestival that we wanted to release this show as a way of thanking fans and islanders alike. Bestival is the best!"

More >>

​Cypress Hill's Eric Bobo and Chilean DJ/Producer Latin Bitman have joined musical forces to form Ritmo Machine. The seed of the collaboration was sown earlier this year when Cypress Hill performed in South America as part of the Lollapalooza tour. After getting connected, Bitman and Bobo set out to record an album together in Argentina. The resulting Welcome to the Ritmo Machine, released last month, is a Latin funk meets hip-hop sonic revelation.More >>

​In need of some Audio Therapy? The earthStonez will see you now. The Los Angeles and Las Vegas-based underground collective of female hip-hop musicians, have finally released their anticipated full-length album. The multiracial group, which once rolled six deep but has since reconfigured to four core members - Fawksie 1, Youthinazia, Asa Lianess, and T.I.W.A.E.I.S. - offered the following update to its faithful followers on Facebook: More >>

​

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is bringing in Grammy Award-winning band Ozomatli to its Arts Plaza for a free concert on October 2 at 5 p.m. As part of Pacific Standard Time (a collaboration of cultural organizations throughout Southern California), Ozomatli's concert pays tribute to the diversity of the Southern California music scene. It's also Segerstrom Center's 25th anniversary weekend.

More >>

​ More >>

​

Here are a few things you need to know about the inaugural "Walk the Dog Day" event on Saturday hosted by OC Weekly and Newcastle Brown Ale.

1. DRINK ALL THE BEER YOU CAN: Newcastle Brown Ale (affectionately called the "Dog" in the UK because "walking the dog" is a British drinking excuse) will be served in unlimited amounts.

2. FOR FREE: It is a free event (with a required minimum $1 donation to benefit the Los Angeles Art Association (www.laaa.org), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide opportunities, resources, and services for emerging Los Angeles artists of all media).

3. ON SATURDAY: It happens on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 2nd Floor (126 Main St., Huntington Beach).

4. WHILE LISTENING TO THE SILENT COMEDY. Awesome band, of course.

5. BY EMAILING US: How do you get invited to Walk the Dog Day? Simple. Get on the mailing list by emailing walkthedogday@gmail.com and cross your fingers that your name gets selected. 

More >>