South By Southwest Showcases Announced; R.E.M., My Morning Jacket Lead the Way

The South By Southwest line-up is in, and it is predictably massive. Among the marquee names playing the Austin arts festival are R.E.M., My Morning Jacket, N.E.R.D., Ice Cube, the Raveonettesand Kevin Shields (sans My Bloody Valentine). The four day event will also showcase a bunch of Rolling Stone favorites (Kate Walsh, Black Mountain, Bodies of Water, Holy Fuck, Santogold, MGMT, Ingrid Michaelson. White Denim) and a couple of our Best Bands on Myspace winners (Airborne Toxic Event, the Voom Blooms.) There are also twenty bands that begin with the word "Black," a group from Uzbekistan (Navruz), a band named after Wayne's World's Tia Carrera and eighties pop group Was (Not Was). Rock Daily will be on the scene from March 12-16, reporting on the best shows, best parties and pictures from the festival.

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Song Stories

“Is It True”

Brenda Lee | 1964

As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."

More Song Stories entries »

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