MTV Buzzworthy Blog › Phish

Radiohead: Bonnaroo headliners, kings of our hearts

It's almost our favorite time of year: summer festival season, which -- if you rock as hard and as incessantly as we do -- stretches from SXSW in March all the way until L.A.'s FYF in September. Right in the middle's our favorite four-day Southern blow-out, the epic Bonnaroo Festival, which just dropped its 2012 lineup. Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phish and the Beach Boys reunion (!!!) are at the top of the bill, and beyond that, it basically looks like the Grammys on a farm: Bon Iver, Skrillex, Foster the People, The Civil Wars -- yup, they're all on the list.

Beyond headliners like Radiohead, here are a few of the 2012 Bonnarroo bands we'll be camping out/freaking out for.

Read more about the Bonnaroo lineup after the jump.
Read more...

Related Content Follow Buzzworthy On Twitter

Tags Bon Iver, Bonnaroo, Foster The People, Phish, Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, skrillex, The Beach Boys, The Civil Wars

One listen and you're hooked.

That's how I'd describe what I like to call a "gateway song." You know the type. It's the tune that you form an immediate attachment to and obsession with after only one encounter. It's the one you feel powerless around. The one you can't get out of your head. You want to know more about it. You NEED to know more about it. You will stop at nothing until you're completely dependent upon it and your life will never be the same again.

OK, deep breath. Gateway songs aren't supposed to be scary or debilitating. They won't lead you to the door of Dr. Drew's "Sober House." What they will do is open your mind to a whole new musical existence, and how can that be a bad thing?

So grab a couple bags of Cheetos, turn on the black light and get comfortable because you're about to drop in on the heightened euphoric perception of Dashboard Confessional, The Clash, Whiskeytown and Phish.

Finally, if you'd like to keep up with all my musings, please visit my website and follow me on Twitter (@redpatterndress).

1.) Dashboard Confessional's "The Best Deceptions": After I graduated college, I took an internship at Alternative Press magazine and it wasn't long before I began my real education -- in music, that is. One fall day, while I was editing pages, I came across a frontman who was compared to one of my all-time favorite singers, Elliott Smith. I was immediately intrigued, and when I noticed his group was playing in Cleveland that very weekend, I was sold. The moment I stepped inside the Beachland Ballroom and heard Chris Carrabba belt out the poignant and heartbreaking words of "The Best Deceptions," I was a smitten kitten. From there, I blazed through all the bands on Vagrant Records -- like The Get Up Kids, The Anniversary, Alkaline Trio, etc. -- and then it was on to other like-minded peeps like Promise Ring and Sunny Day Real Estate. What can I say? You're never to old to RSVP to the emo party.

Listen to "The Best Deceptions"

2.) The Clash's "Train In Vain": I'm not sure exactly when I fell in love with The Clash. It was either the first time I heard "Train In Vain" or the first time I set my eyes on the band's iconic album cover for London Calling. There was just something about the band that was exciting, dangerous and utterly invigorating. While my friends were busy rocking out to Bush and Everclear, I would hole myself in my room and listen to "Train In Vain" over and over and over again. Looking back now, I realize that this is one of the "least" punk Clash songs, but I don't care because it made me want to know more about the music and the movement. Plus, without it, I would've never discovered bands like Rancid, The Distillers, Against Me! and more. So anyone who wants to challenge my cred can piss off! (How punk is that?)

Listen to "Train In Vain"

3.) Whiskeytown's "Don't Be Sad": Before Ryan Adams was milling around "New York, New York," the alt-country crooner called Whiskeytown his home. The band was together for six years and put out three amazing albums, including Pneumonia, which was released after the group had already disbanded. On a whim, I picked this LP up at a used record store in my college town and was immediately intoxicated by Adams' heart-wrenching lyrics and twangy instrumentation. From there, I fell down a rabbit-hole of Americana, which was lined with acts like Wilco, The Old 97s and Lucero. Also, if you can find it, you've got to check out Adams' duet with ex-Whiskeytown bandmate Caitlin Carey. The song's called "The Battle" and it'll break your heart in a million pieces.

Listen to "Don't Be Sad"

4.) Phish's "You Enjoy Myself": I'm not ashamed to say that I lost nearly five years of my life to hemp necklaces, patchwork pants, drum circles and 20-minute guitar solos. Yes, for much of my late teens and early 20s, I was a jam band fan. (Please, try to withhold your laughter -- and judgment.) I blame it on my friend Cristen's older brother, Greg, who took me to my first Phish show when I was a junior in high school. At the time, I couldn't understand why people were still wearing tie dye, how they had the energy to spin in circles for two hours straight, and where that funny cigarette smell was coming from? But then I heard "You Enjoy Myself" and everything started to make sense -- everything except what the hell they're singing about. (I mean YOU try and translate "washa uffize drive me to firenze" and I'll name my first-born child Fishman.) Everything after that is a blur of patchouli, parking lots and Maxell XL II tapes filled with bootleg concerts from The Grateful Dead, The Big Wu and moe. (OK, you can officially stop laughing now.)

Listen to "You Enjoy Myself"

Related Content Follow Buzzworthy On Twitter

Tags Alkaline Trio, Bush, Chris Carrabba, Dashboard Confessional, Everclear, Lucero, Phish, Promise Ring, Ryan Adams, Soundtrack Of My Life, Sunny Day Real Estate, The Anniversary, The Clash, The Old 97s, the-get-up-kids, Whiskeytown, Wilco

+ Oh holy GOD yes that IS Joe Jonas drip-drying by the pool, after having jumped in fully clothed. Yes. It. Is. (Buzzworthy)

+ It's Friday and we're lookin' great, feelin' great. That's why we're sharing this instrumental version of Britney Spears' next single "Radar," courtesy of someone who seems pretty good at tickling the ivories. (BritneySpears.com)

+ And on that note, don't bother putting that extra mole sauce on your chimichanga, kids. The JoBros have cancelled all their Mexican concert dates due to that pesky piggy flu that keeps rootin' around. (Us Magazine)

+ Buxom country music sweetheart/legend Dolly Parton wants to lend a "set" of helping hands to "perk up" Jessica Simpson's "sagging" career. (Celebitchy)

+ Barenaked Ladies have launched their own Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor, much like predecessors Phish and Jerry Garcia. And if ex-lead singer Steven Page had his way, he would have named it "It's All Been Done" -- and then frantically called his dealer. (The Canadian Press)

+ OMG we just got our frosted hair and fire engine-red lipstick in a twist -- Blondie and Pat Benetar going on a U.S. tour this summer?  WHAT?! (The Tripwire)

+ And speaking of uh-mayzing summer tours, Blink-182, Weezer, AND Fall Out Boy are getting together and traipsing cross-country from July to October.  Word on the street is that All-American Rejects may join in the fun, too.  WEEEE! (MTV News)

+ If this rumor is true that Ashlee Simpson is preggo again... we just. cant. (The Blemish)

Tags All-American-Rejects, Ashlee Simpson, Barenaked Ladies, Blink-182, Blondie, Britney Spears, Dolly Parton, Fall Out Boy, Jerry Garcia, Jessica Simpson, Joe Jonas, Jonas Brothers, Pat Benetar, Phish, Steven Page, Weezer

Tons of shaggy kids and embarrassing old people are trucking their smelly hair and vans out to Hampton Coliseum in Virginia to hock veggie burritos and huff patchouli at the Phish reunion this weekend. Are you going? If mellow Cali crooner Brett Dennen weren't all tied up touring the Midwest with Little Ones, he'd probably be all over it. His hippieness -- a sweet-smiling babyface with a pile of hair like a Conan Halloween wig -- has done duets with such Bonnaroo regulars and jam-circuit giants as Jack Johnson, Femi Kuti, Lucinda Williams and even Mike Gordon of Phish. How, Brett Dennen? HOW?!

Well, I guess because he's really good. Back in '04, he dropped a groovy little sparkler called "Desert Sunrise," and that basically took over the Los Angeles airwaves. Since then he's released three albums, none of which has made him a millionaire, but all of which have won him a very dedicated following. Give his aforementioned Femi Kuti duet, "Make You Crazy" a whirl below, and join the cult of Brett! Mandy Moore did. (OMG. Shoes.)

Tags Bonnaroo, Brett Dennen, Femi Kuti, Jack Johnson, Little Ones, Lucinda Williams, Mandy Moore, Phish, The Buzz On

+ Forget about boxers or briefs. Now, thanks to Usher, guys may soon have another option! "I might be launching a lingerie line for men and woman," Usher revealed. Guess that's one way of breaking down the gender lines. (Hollyscoop)

+ The long-awaited new album from Guns N' Roses was never meant to happen. Which totally explains the oxymoronic title: Chinese Democracy. (MTV)

+ Class is officially in session! Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers is pulling a Billy Madison and going back to school to brush up on the fundamentals of music structure. (NME)

+ Not all of Kim Osorio's old friends are thrilled about her new tell-all. Her former colleagues from Source magazine say Osorio used her position as editor-in-chief to bed rappers like Nas and 50 Cent. (SOHH)

+ Why Kelly Osbourne needs a one-on-one sesh with celebrity sexpert (and Sex...with Mom and Dad host Dr. Drew. (Dlisted)

+ Clear your schedules and grab your lighters -- Phish is making beautiful music together for the first time in over four years! (Rolling Stone)

+ New reports say Janet Jackson was released from the hospital within two hours of her arrival. The singer is now said to be "recuperating," although her reps are still keeping everything hush-hush. (Billboard)

+ T.I. doesn't need reinforcements -- but he's not gonna turn away Jay-Z when the Jigga man drops by to help him work on his "Swagger." (MTV)

+ And speaking of Jay-Z, ever wanted to walk a mile in his shoes? Well, now you can! The rapper new "signature boots" are now available at an online store near you. (The Hip Hop Chronicle)

Tags 50 Cent, Dr. Drew, Guns N' Roses, Janet Jackson, Jay-Z, Kelly Osbourne, Nas, Phish, Red Hot Chili Peppers, T.I., Usher

+ Although tabloid talking heads continue to cite irrefutable evidence of a Madonna/A-Rod affair (She's attended baseball games! They've occasionally been in the same room!) the Material Girl denies that she's been rounding the bases with the Yankees' slugger. Or having any marital problems whatsoever. (The Today Show via Red Lasso)

+ 50 Cent totally underplays the projected success of his next solo album. (MTV)

+ Usually, when people say they put his own sweat, blood in tears into their work, they're being metaphorical. But not Pete Doherty! (NME)

+ And speaking of crazy, it's official: Amy Winehouse's North London flat is as dirty as her unwashed beehive. (Rolling Stone)

+ Phish sort-of reunites, much to the delight of their Birkenstock-wearing, hashish-smoking, Visine-dropping fans. And their kids. (Billboard)

+ Meanwhile, Jay-Z says he's be willing to work with...anyone. "Even Oasis." Which is sort of like saying he's as likely to collaborate with Noel Gallagher as he is with Celine Dion. (MTV)

+ Perez celebrated his independence with a body-pos video in which he dances to the Jonas Brothers. (Perez Hilton)

Tags 50 Cent, Amy Winehouse, Buzz Bites, Celebrity, Jay-Z, Jonas Brothers, Madonna, Music, News, Oasis, Pete Doherty, Phish