UNDER CONSTRUCTION

We're trying to make Music and Bremertonians a much better place.

Stay tuned.

SOOIE

I've broken my silence here at Music and B's to tell everyone that Van Halen is suing the Baltimore Orioles. Or does this belong at Sports and B's...hell, I don't know.

CREED 1997-2004

MTV News

Creed has broken up. Their first album, "My Own Prison", was solid. But after "My Own Prison", they just turned to s***. Too bad, so sad.

However, I hope guitarist Mark Tremonti keeps making music. It's too bad that he's had to put up with the almighty Scott Stapp. Now, he doesn't have to worry about Stapp.

First post here in almost 4 months. Damn.

BURST

For all the billions of reasons I've had over the last couple years to hate Wes Scantlin and Puddle of Mudd, I at least have one reason to like Wes now. Flip this!

SONG FOR THE DEAD

MTV News Update on QOTSA

An update on the Queens of the Stone Age situation...

Bassist Nick Oliveri HAS LEFT QOTSA

Former Screaming Trees members Van Conner and Barrett Martin HAVE NOT joined QOTSA

But former Screaming Trees lead singer Mark Lanegan HAS LEFT QOTSA

What the hell is going on here??? What a shocking situation this is turning out to be.

IN THE FADE

Nick Oliveri has left Queens of the Stone Age

Queens of the Stone Age have always had a revolving door of members, but at the heart of the band was always the partnership of singer/guitarist Josh Homme and bassist Nick Oliveri. Not anymore.

At a time when the band's lineup seemed more stable than it had been in years, Oliveri has unexpectedly left the band, breaking off a musical relationship with Homme that goes back to their days playing together in Kyuss in the early '90s.

"A number of incidents occurring over the last 18 months have led to the decision that the two can no longer maintain a working partnership in the band," read a terse statement from the band's management. On Queens of the Stone Age's Web site, Screaming Trees member Van Conner is now listed as the group's bassist.

There has been speculation that something dramatic happened while the band was in Australia on the Big Day Out tour, but Ipecac Records co-owner Greg Werckman, whose label has released projects by both Homme and Oliveri, said he talked to Homme on Friday, following the completion of the tour, and had no idea there was any bitterness between any of the Queens bandmembers.

What a shocker.

I'm absolutely shocked here, I really am. Nick Oliveri was a key cog of Queens of the Stone Age. While I'm a fan of Van Conner dating back to the Screaming Trees days, the loss of Oliveri is a big blow to QOTSA.

Oliveri and Josh Homme were a great 1-2 punch. I really didn't see this coming. Hell, I don't think a lot of people did.

In other QOTSA news, Barrett Martin, another ex-Screaming Trees member, has joined the band.

It should be very interesting to see how the new QOTSA record sounds, when it does come out sometime this year.

In the meantime, crank the hell out of "Millionaire"...

FIRST GREAT ALBUM OF 2004

There are times in a band's life when they just reach "that level".

Folks, Incubus has reached "that level". It took the departure of founding bassist Dirk Lance and the addition of bassist Ben Kenney for that to happen, but it has happened.

The first two Incubus major label albums, "Make Yourself" and "Morning View", were solid pieces of work. But "A Crow Left of the Murder" just blows them away.

It doesn't hurt matters when the first single is a kickass track such as "Megalomaniac". What a way to introduce Kenney to a new audience. As I said here a few weeks ago, I think Kenney will be just fine in Incubus.

As good as "Megalomaniac" is, it's not the best track on the album. Not even close.

"A Crow Left of the Murder", the title track, is solid. Very fast paced.

"Talk Show On Mute", future single written all over it. It's even better on the DVD that comes with the CD. The DVD features the band playing "Talk Show On Mute" at the Bridge School benefit concert at Shoreline Amphitheater in the Bay Area earlier this fall. Very good stuff.

"Sick Sad Little World", the longest track on the album (6:23). If Incubus has this track as a single, don't edit it. It deserves the total 6:23, not a 4 minute edited version.

"Southern Girl", what an ironic song for me. What's the irony, you ask? Well, I'm a Washington native now living in Arkansas. Incubus are from Southern California and recorded "Southern Girl" in Atlanta. I've told David this, and I'll tell all of you the same thing. If there's one thing I'd like to find while I'm down here in the South, it's a Southern girl. The Southern accent just gets me every fricking time...it's such a beautiful thing.

What makes "A Crow Left of the Murder" successful is that the band has grown up. A band's true level of success isn't really defined until after they have released 2 albums. Brandon Boyd has reached a new level on this album. He's always been a good singer, but I was amazed by his abilities on "A Crow Left of the Murder".

And in most cases, a record is only as good as its producer. Brendan O'Brien, who's responsible for the great Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots albums, produced "A Crow Left of the Murder". We can only hope Incubus sticks with O'Brien in the future.

So what are you waiting for? Go get "A Crow Left of the Murder".