Cars Tribute CD Now Available

A tribute to one of our all-time favorite bands, The Cars. Long overdue, this 21 track tribute showcases versions of Cars faves from Jon Auer(the Posies), Jason Falkner, Butch Walker, Owsley, Bleu, Gigolo Aunts(featuring Kid Lightning), Doug Powell, Damone, The Argument, Chris Von Sneidern, Action Action, Dum Dog Run(Rick Altizer), The Millions, Spiraling, The Bravery, sparkle*jets uk, The Andersons!, JohnnyMonaco, The Daybirds and The Cautions.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this CD will be donated to the American Cancer Society, In memory of Ben Orr.

Jon contributrs the track ‘Misfit Kid’. Click here to visit Not Lame’s site for the album to purchase it and hear Jon’s cover. (Not in stores yet; the album will end up there in the new year.)

JONAUER.com is launched!

From Jon, as posted by Michelle to the dear23 list:

Hey there, y’all…

I wanted to let you know that WWW.JONAUER.COM is up and running as of today!

Feel free to check it out and tell all your friends that the seemingly

impossible has finally happened.

Let there be light! Pigs do fly and hell definitely can freeze over…

And but of course me and mine wish all of you and yours a very happy holiday

season as well…

Cheers,

Jon

jon/posies shows in the next week

Posted by Barbara Mitchell to the dear23 list:

hi there –

just wanted to remind y’all that jon’s playing this friday, november 19 at

the sunset tavern with cantona. it’s an early happy hour show – starts at 7

pm.

if you’re curious what the new posies album is going to sound like, then

don’t miss the shows at neumo’s (tuesday, november 23) and hell’s kitchen

(wednesday, november 24) because there are new songs on the set list…

ken’s album is out worldwide now; jon’s is *this* close to being done.

ken’s european dates are on his site; in the process of booking a solo tour of

australia, new zealand, korea and japan next april. details as soon as i have

them.

looks like the new posies album will be out next summer due to ken’s r.e.m.

commitments. they’ll start touring immediately thereafter.

stay tuned…

Jon to perform at No Vote Left Behind benefit

Pearl Jam among bands to play at fundraising concert

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

No Vote Left Behind, a political action committee that aims to raise money for the Kerry-Edwards campaign, and others, has announced a Sept. 23-26 festival/fundraiser, in Seattle.

Pearl Jam, Queensryche, David Cross, Mudhoney, John Doe, Grant-Lee Phillips, Pansy Division Jon Auer (of the Posies), Kinski, El Vez and others will perform at the Crocodile, Showbox, Sunset Tavern, Tractor Tavern, Neumo’s, Graceland and the Comet Tavern, among others. The complete line-up, with specific times and dates, will be announced after Labor Day. Tickets go on sale Sept. 10.

No Vote Left Behind is a Seattle-based organization with roots in the Seattle music community. Because tickets are a political donation, federal regulations require buyers to be 18 years old and registered U.S. citizens.

(Seattle Times)

New classes teach lyrical approach to penning songs

By Joanna Horowitz

Seattle Times staff reporter

There is a giant board on the north side of the Songcraft room, one of Experience Music Project’s newest exhibits. Words haphazardly cover the surface like a blown-up version of the magnetic poetry seen on dorm-room fridges all over the country.

The mission here: Make lyrics from the jumble. Visitors have left snapshots of songs, “I got a light in a deep well/it’s about to deny me of longer soul” or “Rock away the tears.”

If these are the start of a great new song, who knows, but what’s good or bad is subjective, said Jon Auer, former frontman of The Posies. Auer, along with Seattle musicians Sean Nelson of Harvey Danger and Christy McWilson from country-rock band The Picketts, will teach part of a six-month EMP/University of Washington songwriting-certificate program, which starts in October.

Anyone who can play an instrument well enough to record a song, UW student or not, can apply for the program.

“There’s really no one correct way to do anything,” Auer said. “All I can really hope is they’ll find something in there that is of use to them.”

(continue reading)

Shatner album released October 5th, plus another review

This time Shatner has teamed up with Ben Folds (Ben Folds Five) for what he states are “…thoughts and experiences of mine that very few people have heard before.” He adds, “I wanted to share them with my loved ones.”

Recorded in Folds’ Nashville studio, Has Been features eleven tracks with select songs featuring Folds (also on piano), Henry Rollins on “I Can’t Get Behind That,” Aimee Mann, Brad Paisley, and Lemon Jelly. The band includes guitarist Jon Auer (The Posies), bassist Sebastian Steinberg (Soul Coughing), and drummer Matt Chamberlain (Tori Amos, Fiona Apple).

Click here for a tracklisting and more info.

Another Soft Commands review – ‘Stringfellow Avoids Soft Rock Stigma’