Often credited with blowing open the doors of hardcore and defining emo, Dischord Records has been at the forefront of independent underground music since Fugazi frontman Ian McKaye helped found it almost 25 years ago. Most of Dischord's releases have remained in print for discerning music fans to rediscover decade after decade, but now nearly every release from the fiercely independent label is available for direct download from the label's Web site.

Not only that, but most of the catalogs of Dischord’s sub-imprints—Northern Liberties, Peterbilt, and the ever-growing Fugazi Live Series—are also available as high quality MP3 downloads. So you can finally listen to most every release from the seminal and groundbreaking Washington, DC label on your iPod.

Dischord first made hardcore history at the dawn of the ’80s with releases from Void, S.O.A. (with a young Henry Rollins), Scream (with a pre-Nirvana Dave Grohl), and Minor Threat. Later―after what’s now referred to as “Revolution Summer”―Rites of Spring, Shudder to Think, the Make Up, and Fugazi defined the next phase of underground rock. More recently, the label headed in yet another experimental direction with the Q And Not U, Bluetip, Lungfish, and Daniel A.I.U. Higgs. —Aaron Lefkove

To celebrate, here is our essential Dischord mixtape:

1. “Filler” – Minor Threat
2. “Deadhead” – Teen Idles
3. “Change Places” – Void
4. “Lie, Cheat, & Steal” – Government Issue
5. “Returning The Screw” – Fugazi
6. “Rat Patrol” – The Untouchables
7. “Blue is Beautiful” – The Make-Up
8. “Freezerburn” – Jawbox
9. “Circles” – Dag Nasty
10. “Hooray For Humans” – The Q And Not U
11. “All Cherished Things” – Daniel A.I.U. Higgs
12. “Salad Days” – Minor Threat

Columbia Records has announced that AC/DC's hotly anticipated new album will be sold exclusively in the U.S. via Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and the band's website. Produced by Brendan O'Brien, the 15-track Black Ice will be available at those retail outlets beginning October 20. The label is promising "multiple activities for fans" in the weeks leading up to the release. The CD will carry a special price tag of $11.88, and online purchases via http://www.acdc.com will incur no shipping or handling charges. A world tour is scheduled to start in late October. —Russell Hall

Remembrances continue to pour in for Jerry Wexler, the pioneering producer and record executive who helped build Atlantic Records into an R&B powerhouse. Wexler, who died on Friday at age 91 of congenital heart disease, played a monumental role in the careers of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and other soul greats. He was also instrumental in furthering the careers of the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin in the early '70s.

"He loved black music, R&B music and rhythm and blues was his foundation," soul legend Solomon Burke told the Associated Press. "He had a feeling for it, he had the knack to keep it going in his heart and recognize the talent that he felt was real. Jerry Wexler didn't change the sound of America, he put the sound to the public. He opened the doors and windows to the radio stations ... and made everybody listen."

Wexler joined Atlantic Records in 1951, and went on to produce or co-produce such seminal hits as "Respect," "Chain of Fools," "I've Got a Woman," and "Son of a Preacher Man." In the mid '60s he helped push the Stax-Volt imprint into the mainstream, and played a vital role in the development of the Muscle Shoals sound, which subsequently become a mainstay of Southern rock.

In 1987 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "No one really knew how to make a record when I started," he said, in a profile on the Rock Hall website. "You simply went into the studio, turned on the mike and said 'play.'"

In a statement to the Associated Press, Jim Henke, vice president and the chief curator for the Rock Hall, hailed Wexler as someone who "played a major role in bringing black music to the masses."

"Beyond that," Henke continued, "he really developed the role of the record producer. Jerry did a lot more than just turn on a tape recorder. He left his stamp on a lot of great music."

Wexler is survived by his wife, novelist Jean Arnold, and his children Paul and Lisa.—Russell Hall

Say the words "Rolling Stones" and "coma" in the same sentence, and most people would likely presume that Keith Richards had at last succumbed to his legendary past excesses. Happily, however, Richards is fine, and so is a British man who in fact may owe his life to the Stones. As reported by World Entertainment News, longtime fan Sam Carter recently slipped into a coma after contracting severe anemia. Doctors gave the retired baker just a 30 percent chance of survival, but nonetheless advised his wife to strap some headphones onto her husband's head and play his favorite song. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," the very first single Carter bought as a teenager in 1965, did the trick.

"I suddenly had a burst of energy and knew I had a lot more life left in me," Carter said, "and that's when I woke up—to the sound of the first song I ever bought. I would love to thank Mick (Jagger) and the rest of the Stones personally—I feel they really did help wake me from my coma."

No word on whether "Start Me Up" will be utilized in the future to awaken other comatose patients. —Russell Hall

Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy told an Albany, New York radio station that fans can likely expect the band’s seventh studio album in the spring of ’09.

“We’ll allow ourselves a little bit more leeway in terms of sculpting the sound in the studio and doing overdubs and using the studio as another instrument,” Tweedy told WAMC. “Last time around, it was more of a document.”

Last year’s Sky Blue Sky was an alt-country departure from Wilco’s previous work on the moody, effects-heavy Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is Born.

Tweedy told WAMC that he “kinda hate[s]” all of Wilco’s other albums, because “none of them are a statement that I would be comfortable making right now at this point in my life. They all served their purpose, and in that respect I’m proud of all of them.

"But as something that feels artistically in keeping with who I am today, I think that they are inevitably going to fall short of that as time goes on. I mean, they just don’t continue to mean the same things to me, and a new record is kind of where it’s at.” ―Ellen Mallernee

Virtual bluesman Von Johin, who is actually a real live musician based in Nashville, Tennessee, has scored a real world record deal and is set to release an album through the boutique indie label Reality Entertainment.

As reported by Wired's Listening Post blog earlier in the week: "Never before has a virtual character been signed to a worldwide recording contract," stated Warren Croyle, CEO of Reality Entertainment, the company that signed him. "Von Johin is legendary in the virtual community Second Life for his heart-pounding live shows."

Johin got his start in a dark and musky bar, playing a mix of tried-and-true crowd-pleasing cover songs and a handful of originals. Mostly he got by on tips from a few generous and loyal fans who would come out to the bar anytime he was playing. Except this bar—called the Blues Note Club—is a virtual bar that Johin owns on a Second Life island called "French Quarter."

When Johin learned that the owner of French Quarter was leaving Second Life, he decided to purchase the island so he wouldn't have to uproot his bar. After all, he has gigs scheduled from now until what seems like forever. It's a familiar story, except that it isn't. The shows Johin puts on are virtual. But the money he's now raking in is real and the worldwide audience of fans that he's cultivated is really listening.

With rising gas costs in the real world and the rigors of touring an ever-increasing burden, some musicians are turning to this new and relatively uncharted territory to try and carve out a niche in the business. Von Johin's record deal is a first of its kind and will surely be a trial by fire for both artist and label. What this monstrous paradigm shift means for the hundreds of thousands of other bedroom recorders has yet to be seen, but we will be following this one closely. And to think, Robert Johnson had to sell his own soul to the devil at that crossroads for this kind of fame! ―Aaron Lefkove

Check out this video of Von Johin banging out the old favorite "Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad":

Visit the Gibson Island on Second Life here!

A week and a half ago, Iggy Pop and the Stooges suffered the loss of a 15-foot truck full of musical instruments and gear. Stolen from an Embassy Suites hotel in Montreal, the truck contained bassist Mike Watt’s red 1963 Gibson EB-3, a Flying V, a drum set, two black road cases containing Marshall vintage amplifiers, several Marshall cabinets, and just about all the rest of their gear. Soon after, Watt posted photos of the stolen gear on a website.

Though the Stooges have yet to be reunited with their missing gear, an earnest fan has done his best to replace Watt's bass. According to an email from Watt dated Thursday, August 14: "A very kind cat named Andy drove up from Constableville, NY to our Toronto gig and gave me his 1965 Gibson EB-3. Most, most generous! Righteous brother Adam too gave me an old Gibson. I worked it in NYC Friday. So many truly nice people, big thanks from the heart of most grateful Watt."

If you have information about the Stooges' missing gear, contact the band's manager Eric Fischer at nycentral13@gmail.com. —Ellen Mallernee
 

Just a few months ago, national retailer Best Buy decided to add musical instruments and recording equipment to its already diverse line of products in a few test markets. The move proved so successful that this past weekend they opened their largest outlet to date at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minn.—one of the best-known shopping and entertainment destinations in the United States—complete with a section devoted exclusively to musical instruments and recording equipment.

Seeing a great opportunity to expand its customer base, Gibson has partnered with the retail giant to include a full line of guitars and products from Gibson Custom, Gibson USA, Gibson Acoustics, and Epiphone in Best Buy locations that sell musical instruments. And the move isn’t limited to just the Minneapolis area—also home to Best Buy’s corporate headquarters. The company is already selling musical instruments and recording equipment, including Gibson guitars and products, in 13 other locations, and plan on outfitting an additional 75-85 stores with the company's "store within a store" concept. They also plan on offering group and individual guitar lessons at each location.

“The introduction of musical instruments is a natural progression for Best Buy,” explained Steve Hehir, senior vice president of musical instruments for Best Buy. “Consumers have always looked to us as a resource for music in a variety of formats. Now they’ll be able to rely on us for help with musical performance and creating too.” 

The Best Buy grand opening in Minneapolis will also be the home of the company's new Best Buy Rotunda at Mall of America, which will host a variety of entertainment ranging from musical performances and celebrity appearances to game launches. An entire lineup of world-class performers, celebrities, and special events greeted shoppers this past weekend at the Best Buy Rotunda, including New Kids on the Block, NBA basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and a Best Buy Madden NFL Tailgate Party to introduce the new Best Buy ’08 Madden Challenge. The grand opening continues through next weekend, with an appearance by former Minnesota Twin baseball legend Harmon Killibrew and current centerfielder Carlos Gomez. Both will be signing autographs and taking pictures at the Best Buy Rotunda on August 17.

“We are excited to bring the latest in technology and services to this popular venue,” said Brian J. Dunn, president and COO of Best Buy, referring to the Mall of America store. “Our new 45,000-square foot store gives us a prominent presence within the mall, which is only a short distance from our U.S.-based headquarters. We also look forward to hosting a number of special events at the Mall that will provide our customers with amazing and inspiring entertainment experiences.”

For more information on which Best Buy locations sell Gibson and Epiphone products, click here. —Gabriel J. Hernandez

Billboard.com reports that multi-platinum rock band Daughtry are releasing a reissue of their enormously popular self-titled debut on Saturday, September 9. This time around, Daughtry will feature a cover of Foreigner’s hit “Feels Like the First Time” and acoustic versions of Daughtry’s own “Home,” “Feels Like Tonight,” “What About Now,” and “It’s Not Over.” The original disc, which hit stores in November ’06, has sold a staggering 4.2 million copies in the United States.

During an interview with Gibson this past winter, frontman Chris Daughtry said he’d begun work on new material for the band’s follow-up album. In July he took to their website to report on further progress, saying, “Some amazing songs have been written over the past 6-7 weeks. Between me, the guys, and some great writers we’ve been working with, I think we have some GREAT stuff! It’s been an awesome process. We wrote songs together as a band which was really cool. We also wrote with some guys that really contributed to what we do and helped us along with our process.”

Daughtry are currently on a U.S. tour that includes upcoming performances at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.—Ellen Mallernee

Isaac Hayes, the soulful, baritone-voiced singer, keyboardist, and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2002) who gained international fame with his No. 1 megahit “Theme From Shaft,” died at his home in Memphis, Tenn., over the weekend. The cause of his death was not immediately reported.

Hayes, who was 65, was found unconscious Sunday near a treadmill by a family member and rushed to Baptist East Hospital in Memphis where he was pronounced dead, according to the Shelby County Sheriff’s office.

Hayes’ “Theme From Shaft” was the lead song from the 1971 movie Shaft, which starred Richard Roundtree. The song took home the Academy Award for best song, and won two Grammy Awards for best song and score. His career was somewhat resurrected in 1997 when he became the voice of South Park’s Chef, a role he continued until he left the show in 2006. 

His first album, 1969’s Hot Buttered Soul, made Hayes a star, and he continued making music while also making a name for himself in Hollywood as an actor. He played numerous roles over the years in both movies and television, including his recurring role as Gandy Fitch on The Rockford Files, and the Duke in 1981’s cult classic Escape From New York.

Hayes was reportedly about to begin work on an album of new material for Stax, the legendary record label he helped build. He was born in Covington, Tenn., in 1942, and was raised by his maternal grandparents after his mother died and his father took off when he was barely two years old.

Check back later Tuesday for a more in-depth retrospective of this great artist.—Gabriel J. Hernandez