We were sitting around Matador World HQ the other day, talking about our favorite hardcore/punk/psychedelic/experimental band and their fans.  Fucked Up has some pretty hardcore ones (no pun intended), which makes sense; with a discography as epic as their live show, you too would tend to attract the fanatical types.  This got us to thinking: what do you get the Fucked Up fan who already has everything?  How about a custom made, one-of-a-kind copy of their new, only-available-at-fine-indie-retailers, Couple Tracks 7″ with YOU on the cover art?  If you win this contest, we will add your photo to the outlined area of the cover art above and ship this one of a kind record to your door.  Kinda cool, I know.

Though you’d be inclined to say we’re biased, we certainly cannot argue with J. Mascis’ listing Kurt Vile’s Childish Prodigy in his top picks for 2009. Following the kind plug, Dinosaur Jr. will be taking Kurt Vile & The Violators on tour this month:

• Fri-Jan-15 Milford, CT Daniel Street
• Sat-Jan-16 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
• Sun-Jan-17 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg
• Tue-Jan-19 Ithaca, NY Castaways

And don’t forget that Kurt is poised to hit the road with Fucked Up in February:

• Fri-Feb-12 Oberlin, OH The ‘Sco (Dionysus Disco) / Oberlin College
• Sat-Feb-13 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
• Sun-Feb-14 Bloomington, IN The Video Saloon
• Mon-Feb-15 Cincinnati, OH Southgate House
• Tue-Feb-16 Baltimore, MD Otto Bar
• Wed-Feb-17 Philadelphia, PA The Barbary
• Thu-Feb-18 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s
• Fri-Feb-19 Brooklyn, NY Europa
• Sat-Feb-20 Boston, MA Middle East
• Sun-Feb-21 Montreal, QUE La Sala Rossa
• Fri-Feb-26 Toronto, ONT Opera House

Finally, Kurt will be appearing in Philadelphia tomorrow, with the awesomely-returned Strapping Fieldhands

• Fri-Jan-08 Philadelphia, PA  Johnny Brenda’s

**photo culled from michael allen goldberg’s flickr

If all goes well, on iTunes you’ll be able to purchase Fucked Up’s star-studded cover of Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? All proceeds will go to benefit three organizations in Canada working to bring to end to the epidemic of missing and murdered native women.

UPDATE: it’s available! Go HERE

The song is a tongue-in-cheek take on the ’80s classic written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, and features vocals from Yo La Tengo, GZA, Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend), Bob Mould (Husker Du), Tegan & Sara, Andrew W.K., Kyp Malone (TV on the Radio), David Cross (comedian) and Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene).

Fucked Up’s frontman Damian Abraham, a.k.a. “Pink Eyes”, says “it’s hard to find a balance between the song being a fun, playful holiday classic and the reason we’re putting it out, to benefit organizations dealing with a deadly, serious issue.” Since 1980, there have been 520 known cases of missing or murdered Aboriginal women across Canada and many believe the true number to be significantly higher. If compared to the rest of the population their death and disappearance rate would be equivalent to over 18,000 Canadian women and girls missing or murdered. Approximately 50% of the murders and disappearances have occurred during or since 2000.

The three groups that will receive 100% of the proceeds from sales of this song are Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (Montreal), DTES Power of Women Group (Vancouver) and Sisters in Spirit (Ottawa).

The recording of this track was funded in full by a portion of the $20,000 award Fucked Up received for winning the Polaris Music Prize for their recent album, The Chemistry of Common Life.

‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ should be available from iTunes on Tuesday December 8, and will be released as a 7″ single with an unreleased Fucked Up song on the b-side in February 2010.

Fucked Up are also releasing a compilation of their many rare singles recorded between 2002 and 2009, Couple Tracks, accompanied by a two-song limited-edition 7″ and in stores on January 26.

Photo used without permission, taken from Christoph!’s photostream on Flickr

There’s a whole host of Yo La action to update you with this week. Tonight, the band will be speaking to Gideon Coe live on BBC 6 Music, show starting at 9pm.  You can listen live via DAB digital radio, or log onto Gideon’s 6Music page here for a live stream.  The band will be discussing Popular Songs, their career and playing some of their favourite tracks from their most loved artists.

And tomorrow, at 7pm, Yo La Tengo will be playing a rare instore show, Freewheeling style, at London’s Rough Trade East store.  It’s a free show, but you’ll only get in with a wristband.  WRISTBAND COLLECTION 1 HOUR PRIOR TO STAGE TIME, STRICTLY ONE PER PERSON.  So get down to the store early to guarantee entry.

Rough Trade East can be found :

‘Dray Walk’
Old Truman Brewery
91 Brick Lane
London
E1 6QL

The band will also be playing this weekend’s All Tomorrow’s Parties Nightmare Before Christmas festival at Butlins, Minehead.

Yo La Tengo : Friday 4th December, 8.30pm-9.45pm

As well as YLT, you can also catch Sonic Youth and Fucked Up down at ATP.  Check the ATP listings for everyone else playing.

Sonic Youth : Saturday 5th December, 8.45pm-10pm

Fucked Up : Saturday 5th December, 2.15am-3.15am

Here is the first MP3 from Fucked Up’s 25-song COUPLE TRACKS singles compilation, coming out January 26.

Neat Parts (192k mp3)

originally released as the B-side to the “Triumph Of Life” 7″ (Vice/Jade Tree, 2006)

Here is what the band has to say about the song in the extensive liner notes:

“Neat Parts contains an acoustic guitar. The only thing you can do with a guitar that’s more embarrassing than sitting in a studio with headphones on playing an acoustic guitar, is riding the subway with one strapped to your back so everyone knows you are going to band practice. Otherwise this is a snappy little bside. The title doesn’t mean anything, it just sounds cool. I think we might have seen it written on the wall at our practice space. The drum beat from this song and ‘Teenage Problems’ is taken from the Undertones song ‘My Perfect Cousin.’”

To confuse matters slightly, Fucked Up will be releasing a 7″ entitled “Couple Tracks” / “Holden” on the same day as the comp. These are two brand-new songs. Although the cover image will be identical to the album, the packaging is going to be a little bit unusual – we’ll get into that closer to release day.

There will be special ways to get the 7″ both from us (including if you’ve preordered already) and from select indie retailers, to be announced shortly. We’ll also have something to announce about getting your hands on some rare original 7″es collected on the comp. For now, your best bet is to preorder the album, currently with a 15% discount – more details coming soon: UPDATE – YOU CAN NOW PREORDER THE SINGLE AS A PREORDER BUNDLE WITH THE ALBUM, CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

Preorder the album (with full details on track listing).

Tons of shows coming up in Europe starting this week, and North America in February:

Wed 25 Nov 2009 – London, UK – Barfly
Thu 26 Nov 2009 – London, UK – Barfly
Fri 27 Nov 2009 – Brussels, Belgium – Le Botanique
Sat 28 Nov 2009 – Urecht, Holland – Ekko ‘Le Guess Who Festival’
Sun 29 Nov 2009 – Leipzig, Germany – Conne Island
Mon 30 Nov 2009 – Krakow, Poland – Drukarnia
Tue 01 Dec 2009 – Vienna, Austria – Arena
Wed 02 Dec 2009 – Graz, Austria – PPC
Thu 03 Dec 2009 – Dusseldorf, Germany – Rotkompot
Sat 05 Dec 2009 – Minehead, UK – All Tomorrows Parties
Tue 23 Feb 2010 – St. Catherines, ON – L3 Nightclub w/ Leatherface

(ADDENDUM : the following February dates with Kurt Vile have just been confirmed)

Fri-Feb-12 Oberlin, OH The ‘Sco (Dionysus Disco) / Oberlin College
Sat-Feb-13 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Sun-Feb-14 Bloomington, IN Video Saloon
Mon-Feb-15 Newport, KY Southgate House
Tue-Feb-16 Baltimore, MD Ottobar
Wed-Feb-17 Philadelphia, PA Barbary
Thu-Feb-18 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s
Fri-Feb-19 Brooklyn, NY Europa
Sat-Feb-20 Boston, MA Middle East Downstairs)

matadorrecords.com/fucked_up
lookingforgold.blogspot.com

On January 26 we will be releasing a double-CD and double-LP compilation of Fucked Up’s many, many hard-to-find uncollected 7″ and 12″ tracks. Entitled Couple Tracks, it contains 25 songs. (There are rumors that there may be a simultaneous 7″ single of the same name). Designed as a sequel to their earlier compilation, Epics In Minutes (Deranged, 2004), the cover photographs riff on the Beatles red and blue albums thang. Comes with complete illustrated discography of the contents, with extensive liner notes about each song. Double CD is only $11 $12 direct from us. Double Vinyl will be gatefold 120-gram with MP3 coupon, priced at only $18 direct from us. PREORDER here.

Couple Tracks spans an extraordinarily varied (and extraordinarily collectible) musical career that has mainly been documented on 7-inch vinyl singles released around the world on many labels in many countries. Chronologically, it ranges from the A-side of their first single, No Pasarán, a commentary on the Spanish Civil War released on Deranged in 2002, to the fast alternate take of No Epiphany, their latest 7″ on Matador from earlier this year.

Other notable tracks include:

• the definitive version of Generation and its two B-sides, Ban Violins and Magic Kingdom, released on Slasher – the introduction to the A-side comes from a Hamas recruitment CDR
• covers of songs by British twee -pop legends The Shop Assistants, Another Sunny Day and Dolly Mixture, from two 7″es self-released by the band and only given away at a single show in Toronto in 2006, plus the B-side of a Matador 7″ from mid-2008
• original, heavier versions of songs that later ended up on Hidden World, such as Triumph Of Life and Neat Parts, both from the 7″ originally released by Peter Bower Records in the UK
• Fixed Race, from the Spanish version of Dangerous Fumes, aka Humos Peligrosos, released in Spain on La Vida Es Un Mus in 2006
• Toronto FC, from the Hard Skin split 7″, only given away at a show in London in 2007
• the 12″ version of Last Man Standing, only available if you selected the correct set of interlocked grooves on the B-side of the Year Of The Dog 12″ released in 2006
• 5 unreleased tracks
• Plus much more – all beautifully remastered for your listening pleasure:

  DISC ONE – THE HARD STUFF

  1. No Pasarán (A-side of first 7″, Deranged, 2002)
  2. Neat Parts (7″ Version) (B-side of Triumph Of Life 7″, Peter Bower, 2006)
  3. Generation (7″ Version) (A-side of Generation 7″, Slasher, 2005)
  4. Ban Violins (B-side of Generation 7″, Slasher, 2005)
  5. Dangerous Fumes (A-side of Dangerous Fumes 7″, self-released, 2005)
  6. Triumph Of Life (7″ Version) (A-side of Triumph Of Life 7″, Peter Bower, 2006)
  7. Fixed Race (B-side of Humos Peligrosos 7″, La Vida Es Un Mus, 2006)
  8. Toronto FC (from Hard Skin split 7″, No Future, 2007)
  9. Black Hats (B-side of Year Of The Pig 12″, What’s Your Rupture?, 2006)
  10. David Christmas (A-side of David Christmas 7″, Hidden World, 2007)
  11. No Epiphany (Fast Version) (unreleased Chemistry Of Common Life outtake, intended for No Epiphany 7″, Matador, 2009)
  12. Crooked Head (Video Version) (unreleased edit of track from Chemistry Of Common Life, 2008)

  DISC TWO – THE FUN STUFF

  1. I Hate Summer (B-side of Crooked Head 7″, Matador, 2008)
  2. Teenage Problems (B-side of Dangerous Fumes 7″, self-released, 2005)
  3. Carried Out To Sea (unreleased demo version of song from Hidden World, 2006)
  4. Looking Back (B-side of Shop Assistants 7″, self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
  5. Anorak City (Another Sunny Day cover, B-side of Year Of The Pig UK edit 7″, Matador, 2008)
  6. I Don’t Want To Be Friends With You (A-side of Shop Assistants 7″, self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
  7. Mustaa Lunta (B-side of Year Of The Pig Japanese edit 7″, Matdaor, 2008)
  8. Dream Come True (B-side of Dolly Mixture 7″, self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
  9. Magic Kingdom (B-side of Generation 7″, Slasher, 2005)
  10. Magic Word (Daytrotter Version) (unreleased version of Chemistry Of Common Life song from Daytrotter Session, 2008)
  11. Last Man Standing (Year Of The Dog Version) (from Year Of The Dog 12″, Blocks Recording Club, 2006)
  12. He’s So Frisky (A-side of Dolly Mixture 7″, self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
  13. David Comes To Life (Daytrotter Version) (unreleased version of Hidden World song from Daytrotter Session, 2008)

If you get Couple Tracks together with Epics In Minutes, then you will still have only a portion of the incredible Fucked Up singles output, but definitely the cream of the crop.

Fucked Up play the annual Fucked Up Festival in Toronto on Halloween weekend.

Then they come down to Brooklyn for a very special event – they will play the entirety of The Chemistry Of Common Life at the Masonic Temple in Fort Greene, with all the supporting instruments and parts from the album. Andrew W.K., The Vivian Girls and Katie Stelmanis will join them onstage, along with other performers to be announced. Katie Stelmanis and Titus Andronicus will be opening. Get your tickets HERE.

Hot off the recent Polaris win Fucked Up bring you Fucked Up Weekend 2009.

[IMAGE REMOVED AT METRIC'S REQUEST]

October 26, 29, 30 & 31

Advance tickets available at Hits and Misses, Soundscapes, and Rotate This.
Outside of Toronto contact fufest09@gmail.com for ticket orders.

FUCKED UP WEEKEND 2009

Monday October 26
LOVVERS (UK)
VICIOUS CYCLE
SCHOOL JERKS
FIRST BASE
Fest Pre-Party at
The Garrison
1197 Dundas St. W.
9pm, $8 advance

Thursday October 29
THE BITTERS
METZ
MELIGROVE BAND
FRANCE HAS THE BOMB (IL)
LITTLE GIRLS
Sneaky Dee’s
431 College St.
9pm, $8 advance

Friday October 30
CRO-MAGS jam (NY)
FUCKED UP
MIND ERASER (MA)
RIVAL MOB (MA)
WASTE MANAGEMENT (MA)
FREE SPIRIT (MA)
RAH
BURNING LOVE
Kathedral – ALL AGES
651 Queen St. W.
7pm, $22.50 advance

Friday October 30
RED MASS (MTL)
TEEN ANGER
THE BANG BANGS
PRIMITIVE HANDS (MTL)
Sneaky Dee’s
431 College St.
9pm, $8 advance

Friday Afterparty
MOLESTED YOUTH
MATURE SITUATIONS
CAREER SUICIDE
Rancho Relaxo
300 College St.
1am, $5

Saturday October 31
FUCKED UP
IRON LUNG (WA)
D.S.B. (Japan)
BRUTAL KNIGHTS
FORCE FED (PA)
NOMOS (NY)
Sneaky Dee’s
431 College St.
7pm, $18.50 advance

Saturday Afterparty
MAD MEN
OMEGAS (MTL)
URBAN BLIGHT
Rancho Relaxo
300 College St.
1am, $5

From City Sonic, directed by Anita Doron.  Hey, while we’re on the subject of terrific record stores, Austin’s Sound On Sound is closing it’s doors on Monday, October 12.  Sure, they do that every night, but this time they’ll not open ‘em again.   As such, there’s a rather big clearance sale going on and if you’re in the area, say for the Austin Record Convention this weekend, you’re well advised to bring your money.  (google map)