Deal of the week... 99-cent greatest hits EPs

If you've been in a Best Buy recently, you know they've made some mistakes in the last few years in regard to exclusive CDs. Guns 'n Roses' Chinese Democracy is the biggest example, but you can still find minimum 6 or 7 copies of Scott Weiland's Happy in Galoshes in any Best Buy as well.

For Black Friday 2008, Best Buy sold six-song EPs of greatest hits from Stone Temple Pilots, Counting Crows, Weezer, the Cars, Three Doors Down, and Linkin Park. They cost $5.99 and were placed in prominent positions for people to buy as stocking stuffers. The Weezer one contains "Buddy Holly" and "Say it Ain't So" (but nothing from Pinkerton), while the STP one has "Sex Type Thing," "Wicked Garden," "Big Empty," etc.  Not a terrible idea, and they probably sold quite a few to clueless parents who were just looking for something their kid would like.

The problem is, Best Buy manufactured waaaay more than they sold. And now, two and a half years later, their mistake is your gain. Happened to be in Best Buy yesterday, and I saw that all of the six-pack CDs are now on sale for 99 cents. And there were a lot: I counted roughly 30 STPs, 20 or so Weezers, 25 Three Doors Downs. I already own STP's greatest hits and the Blue Album, but I did pick up the Cars one. Chances are these things will be on blowout prices until they're gone, so if you're interested, swing by and pick one up.

This week in reunions... Remy Zero!

* Remy Zero, who broke up in 2003, reunited last year for a few scattered shows as a tribute to their drummer, who died of cystic fibrosis in January 2010. Now they've released a new single that's available as a free download here. Will there be a new album, or more shows? No plans as of yet. I wonder if they made so much money off the Smallville theme song that they still don't need day jobs?

* Not sure what the status of the Rage Against the Machine reunion is; they played a few dates in South America last fall, but have made no progress toward releasing any new music since their reformation in 2007. Tom Morello, meanwhile, spent last week in Wisconsin protesting with union leaders. Zack de la Rocha was not in attendance.

* Stone Temple Pilots are touring the US again. Antiquiet reviewed one of the first shows, in an Oklahoma casino.

* Chris Cornell tells Spin that Soundgarden starts recording their new album soon. Adam Kasper, who produced 1996's Down on the Upside as well as albums by the Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, and Pearl Jam, is producing.

This week in reunions... Blink-182! STP!

* In the week's most exciting news, Spacehog are back together and working on an album, their first since 2001. Track their progress here. I like Spacehog: 1998's "Mungo City" is very under-rated. And the lead singer used to be married to Liv Tyler.


* Blink-182 are working on an album, which may or may not be out before they play a run of European shows beginning in mid-June.

* Stone Temple Pilots, who have been back together for enough time that it may not really be a "reunion" anymore, may be putting out another album this year. Scott Weiland may be putting out a Christmas album this year, too. In the meantime, the band's touring Australia in March.

* That Oleander reunion album may be out by April. Maybe.

This week in reunions... Sublime! The Cranberries! No Doubt!

* Scott Weiland tells ArtistDirect that Stone Temple Pilots are working with between 10 and 18 songs for their next record, which could be out around Christmas. Meanwhile, Weiland kicked off his new clothing line with a solo set in LA last week, and STP are doing a handful of dates in October.

* Sublime are reuniting for Cypress Hill's Smokeout Festival in California in October. Not included in the reunion is lead singer / songwriter / guitarist Bradley Nowell, because he's, you know, dead.

* The Cranberries, who never officially broke up but hadn't played any shows or done any recording since 2003, will be touring the U.S. at the end of the year. Expect to hear new songs, old hits, and songs off lead singer Dolores O'Riordan's non-charting solo album (autographed copies still available here for only $9.99!). Generally, when the lead singer announces that the band's getting back together within a month of their solo album coming out, that's a sign the solo album didn't do too well.

* The Toadies reunion continues on. They toured the UK for the first time ever and are about to head back into the studio for a new album, to be released in 2010.

* According to this interview with Tony Kanal, the No Doubt reunion album might be awhile. Apparently, they wrote together but hadn't actually recorded anything before the giant summer tour. And by "wrote together," Kanal means that there are "seedlings" of songs but no actual songs written yet.

This week in reunions... Blur! STP! Phish!

* If, like me, you couldn't find enough change in your couch to get over to England for the Blur reunion, you can watch rehearsal footage from the comfort of your own computer desk.

* Stone Temple Pilots, who are back on the road for a bit this summer, are ready to record a reunion album, due in 2010, with Don Was, of Was(Not Was) fame, producing. Was produced some of the later Rolling Stones albums.

* This guy thinks maybe Phish should have stayed broken up.

This week in reunions... Toad the Wet Sprocket

* For the second year in a row, Toad the Wet Sprocket have reunited to do some summer dates. Just like last year, don't expect a new album. I contemplated going to see them here in Atlanta this Sunday, but tickets are $35, so... probably not.

* Not sure if this qualifies as a reunion, given that all three bands have kept going for the last decade in varying combinations (most with just the lead singer remaining as an original member), but Seven Mary Three, Sponge, and Days of the New are doing a package tour this summer, mostly in casinos and small clubs. I've got some Seven Mary Three content I've been meaning to put up; I'll try to do that soon.

* Stone Temple Pilots are back at it this summer, for a couple of weeks at least; they're touring the northeastern US and Canada from July 7-18. Meanwhile, Scott Weiland's doing some West Coast solo shows this month.

* Oh, and LFO are back together, but right now it's just for one show in New York. And I don't care what you think, this song was pretty good:

This week in reunions... BLINK-182

* Earlier this week, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker claimed to be both doing solo albums, but then they appeared on stage at the Grammys just now with Tom and announced that they're back. A visit to Blink-182.com reveals that a summer 2009 tour is in the works.*

* Stone Temple Pilots are once again dormant, while Scott Weiland supports his solo album and clothing line.

**And speaking of the Grammys, how awesome was Dave Grohl drumming with Paul McCartney?

This week in reunions...

* There are two new songs from the reunited Mighty Mighty Bosstones up on their Myspace page. One is a cover of the Broadway chestnut "Impossible Dream." Seriously.

* Blur's Damon Albarn tells the Guardian that he's been hanging out with estranged guitarist Graham Coxon, and that we might see a Blur reunion at some point. Also, apparently the drummer from Blur ran for city council in London (and lost).

* Stone Temple Pilots have written some new material, but they're not likely to be recording it anytime soon, Scott Weiland tells Spin. A lawsuit filed by Atlantic Records trying to ensure any new STP is released by them is to blame. Meanwhile, the band has scheduled two more dates on the reunion tour: a New Year's Eve show in LA, and a New Year's Day show in Vegas.

This week in reunions

*Swedish pop combo Ace of Base are working on a new album. I knew a kid in junior high who thought he was hilarious when he would sing the chorus of "All that She Wants" as "A-all that she wants / is another baby / so she can get more welfare." I think maybe his dad listened to a lot of Rush Limbaugh in the car.

*As previously mentioned, James (the Manchester band that bridged the gap between Stone Roses and Oasis) are back. There's a nice interview with Tim Booth here. James are touring arenas in the UK in December; no word on American dates (little known fact: Third Eye Blind's first big tour was opening up for James in 1997... impress your friends with that one).

*As Stone Temple Pilots' reunion tour winds down, Scott Weiland's second solo album has been pushed back to November, and a supporting tour has been pushed back to early 2009. If you want to hear the first single, "Paralysis," go here.

This week in solo albums...

* Spin.com has a stream of "Paralysis," the first single off Scott Weiland's second solo album, Happy in Galoshes, out Nov. 25.

* Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace has an album influenced by spoken-word poetry, The Hunters Lullaby, out now. It's self-produced, recorded on vintage equipment, and doesn't sound much like OLP at all. Our Lady Peace should have a new album out soon, according to this article. A new song was premiered at a festival in (you guessed it) Canada this summer.

* Matt Scannell of Vertical Horizon has put out a limited-release album with '80s shlockmeister Richard Marx. Vertical Horizon are expected to put out a new album later this year.

* Mark Kano of Athenaeum is still working on a solo album, his first recorded output since 2001 (we previously reported on this here). No word on release date yet.

* John Hampson of Nine Days (now an English teacher), is also working on a solo album. It might be out by the end of the year.

This week in reunions...

*Undeterred by half-empty amphitheatres, long-winded, rambling stage patter, and loogies thrown at bass players, Stone Temple Pilots have tacked on some late October dates to their reunion tour, including three shows in Mexico.

* This is completely unconfirmed, but Tonic may be getting back together. At least, that's what some dude who went to a private concert put on by Emerson Hart says. If it does happen, it would probably be 2009 or 2010.

* Alice in Chains plan to go into the studio in October with new lead singer William DuVall to record their first album in 12 years. Then again, they were supposed to be recording back in February, so I'll believe it when I hear it.

* And... Phish got back together. But just to play for a buddy's wedding.

This week in reunions... the return of Ben Folds Five!

* The big news this week is that Ben Folds Five are getting back together! But it's just for one show, Sept. 18 in Chapel Hill, N.C., and if you wanted to hear "Song for the Dumped," tough: they're only playing their final album, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, in its entirety. I once saw Folds perform "Army" with a college marching band. That was pretty awesome. Anyway, if you can't make it to Chapel Hill, the whole thing is going to be broadcast online sometime in October.

* This week's candidate for the Velvet Revolver job is... Lenny Kravitz! At least so says a British tabloid. Idolator's got the truthiness quotient of this story to be less than 40 percent, so...

* And... Lenny denies it.

* Weirdly enough, the non-Gwen Stefani members of No Doubt are reuniting to back up Scott Weiland on his new solo album, which comes out in November. Despite numerous reports of shambling shenanigans on the STP reunion tour, Weiland plans his own solo tour to promote the new album, and Dean DeLeo says STP is working on a new album as well.

This week in reunions...

* Stone Temple Pilots' reunion-tour juggernaut rolls on, performing for only 4,000 in Phoenix, with Weiland rambling and shambling again (this time, backwards into the drumset).

* Joan "What if God was one of us" Osborne is reuniting with pop music, after forays into soul, country, Christmas music, R&B, and poor-selling collaborations with Los Lobos. And she's also reuniting with the producers and writers who helped make Relish a platinum album. She's doing some touring in September and October; read all about it here.

* James are back together. The band has done short reunion tours of the UK several times, but they'll be coming to the US for the first time in a long time, and they have a new album, their first since 2001. James was the first concert I ever saw, at Six Flags Over Texas in the spring of 1994. Texas opened up. Good show. Here's "Laid."

This week in reunions...

* Chester Bennington of Linkin Park swears he is not replacing Scott Weiland in Velvet Revolver. Steve Isaacs of Panic Channel, the band that half of Jane's Addiction is in now, says he's not taking the gig, either.

* Meanwhile, the DeLeo brothers basically admit they're doing the STP reunion for the cash, while Weiland spits loogies behind (or perhaps between?) them.

* The reunited Toadies have added a bunch of new dates, beginning August 21 and ending September 26, all west of the Mississippi.

* The Smashing Pumpkins are still operating at half-original-member capacity (James Iha and D'Arcy are quite out of the picture), but that's not stopping them from re-releasing their debut album Gish in a box-set format and planning a Gish tour sometime in 2009, and doing a 20th anniversary tour this year. The only date announced so far for the "20th anniversary tour" is a casino in Hammond, IN on August 9.

This week in reunions...

* According to the New York Times, Stone Temple Pilots' current tour isn't going so well. Idolator (via shock-radio hosts Opie and Anthony) says that one of the DeLeo brothers engaged in a screaming match with Weiland's closed bus door, then attempted to have Weiland's assistant fired. The tour (maybe) goes through the end of August.

* The reunited Verve are offering a free single, "Mover," on their website until July 7. Their reunion album, entitled Forth, comes out August 19. The first single, "Love Is Noise," can be heard on their Myspace page. And it's tons better than Richard Ashcroft's execrable solo slop.

* Marky Mark says he's not getting back together with the Funky Bunch. This is not stopping members of the Funky Bunch from sitting by their phones, just in case.

* Limp Bizkit may be ripe for a comeback, given that Chris Martin of Coldplay recently declared himself a fan. But that's probably not going to happen, given that Fred Durst is acting (did you see him on the House season finale?) and directing Ice Cube movies and Wes Borland is putting out covers albums with his new band Black Light Burns (hear them do "Hungry Like the Wolf"!)

More reunions: STP, Filter

Following in the recent lead of the Smashing Pumpkins, two more '90s acts have announced activity for 2008, joining the comebacks of the Counting Crows and R.E.M. (see below).

According to multiple reports, Stone Temple Pilots are getting back together for a summer tour. So far, only one date has been announced, May 17 at a festival in Columbus, Ohio, but you would have to assume they'll play multiple summer festivals, just like Rage Against the Machine did last year. No word on what this means for Velvet Revolver, Scott Weiland's supergroup with half of Guns 'N Roses; they're supposed to be touring Australia this week, though at last report Weiland was back in rehab. From what I've heard, both album sales for the band's last record Libertad and ticket sales for the supporting tour were weak, so who knows. Slash is saying publicly that recording on Velvet Revolver's third album could begin in April prior to the STP reunion.

What does seem more concrete is that the other STP-related supergroup, Army of Anyone, is pretty much dead, because the DeLeo brothers are back with STP, and singer Richard Patrick says he's getting Filter back together for their first album since 2002's weak-selling The Amalgamut, which failed to go gold (Filter's first two albums both went platinum). Filter are also playing the same festival in Columbus.

All this, of course, got me thinking about Talk Show, the band formed during a prior Weiland rehab stint that was STP with a new lead singer (who sounded oddly like Liam Gallagher). I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Talk Show open up for Aerosmith in the OKC in December of 1997, and they were pretty good. But, their album didn't sell, Weiland's solo album didn't sell either, and Stone Temple Pilots got back together for two more records (not as good as the first three, in my opinion) and a greatest hits set, before breaking up again in 2003.

Here's Talk Show's one hit, "Hello Hello:"

Since '03, the DeLeo brothers have produced an Alien Ant Farm album (which flopped), and formed Army of Anyone, whose single album did not chart. Drummer Eric Kretz has not done anything since STP broke up (according to AllMusic), and sadly neither has Dave Coutts, the lead singer of Talk Show. He's really the Gary Cherone in this whole mess, isn't he?

Considering that both Velvet Revolver and Army of Anyone have been doing STP songs live, there's clearly still a market for the band. Whether or not any new music is forthcoming has not yet been revealed.