I AM FUEL, YOU ARE FRIENDS

...we've got the means to make amends. I am lost, I'm no guide, but I'm by your side. (Pearl Jam, Leash)

Thursday, April 27, 2006

So what has Pete Yorn been up to lately?

I am so excited about this post. There are some 24 great songs in this post. You can jump to them, but let's chat a bit first. A while back I posted a set that Pete Yorn did in 2001 at the Roxy in L.A. In the comments, fellow blogger Jesus posed the question "is this yorn fella going to release something new soon?" That stuck in my mind as a quest, and I love quests, so off I went and here's what I found. ("We're on a mission from God.")

You may remember Pete Yorn from when he burst onto the scene in 2001 as a 26-year-old drummer-turned-singer/songwriter whose album Musicforthemorningafter was a gold seller, based in part on the strength of singles like "Life on a Chain" and "Strange Condition." I personally love the completely creative and refreshing percussive layer behind the entire album. When I listen to it, that's one of the things that stands out for me, and now I know why (because he was a drummer first).

In fact, he is such a stellar drummer that the Channel 4 News Team from the movie Anchorman tapped him (in a fabulously large moustache) to play bongos in their music video for "Afternoon Delight." Excellent.

Following Musicforthemorningafter, Yorn released Day I Forgot in 2003 and the excellent Live From New Jersey double disc in 2004. Since then, he's been busy working on a new album with an unspecified release date, although some say this summer is a possibility. Yorn has been touring with the guys from Minibar as his backing band, and recently did a fantastically small benefit show for tsunami relief for a $5 cover (plus tips!) at O'Brien's bar in Santa Monica which raised $13,000. And while exact dates are still unconfirmed, Minibar's website says they expect to be touring with Pete starting in July. Yorn's also been keeping busy working with the Dixie Chicks (really?) on songwriting for their upcoming new album Taking The Long Way, which will be released next month.

Check out some of his unreleased/new/cover stuff you may not have heard that he's been crankin out:

NEW SONGS
These three songs were posted over the last couple months on Pete's MySpace (streaming), but are taken down now. These are likely candidates for release on the new album, whenever that may be.

If you visit his MySpace page, appreciate how his music genre is listed as "crunk":

"Old Boy" (new song, MySpace)

"For Us" (new song, MySpace)

"When She's Mine" (new song, MySpace)

(Thanks a million to Kraig for the first two tracks - I was posting all over God's green earth looking for someone who had them, and he found me with just the two I was looking for. He's just started a new blog, title also based on a Pearl Jam lyric, and so far his track record of featured music is stellar. Check him out: A Spacious Hole In The Ground)


Pete offered Nancy Sinatra three of his songs to choose from to record for her 2004 eponymous album. She chose "Don't Mean Nothin'" - here is her version (which is so clearly Yorn-ey):

"Don't Mean Nothin'" - Nancy Sinatra


Then hear how it sounds with Pete performing his song, this version from a live set on WOXY last summer, along with two other new ones he played:

"Don't Mean Nothin'" - Pete Yorn live on WOXY

"Broken Bottle" (new song, live on WOXY)

"Lions" (new song, live on WOXY) - coming soon!

Thanks on these ones to Kevin from So Much Silence who helped me immensely with the audio ripping. He is a music master of live radio shows, check out who he's had on his blog lately. It's all good.


OTHER YORN SONGS, new or unreleased or rare:

"Baby, I'm Gone" (unreleased, live) - sound quality is not the best on this one, but I really like the melody & drive of this song. I hope a nice clean studio version is on his new album because this rocks.

"Knew Enough To Know Nothing At All" (musicforthemorningafter vinyl)

"Seventeen" (Day I Forgot import)

"Hunter Green" (released on Trampoline Records Greatest Hits Volume I, 2005)

"Rooftop" (unreleased) - recommended!

"Model American" (unreleased)

"Farmer vs. River" (unreleased)

"You Never Knew" (unreleased)


COVER ME
And then, ahhh, the covers. You all know how much I love the covers and Pete apparently does too. Let's browse:

"China Girl" (Iggy Pop then Bowie cover, musicforthemorningafter bonus disc)

"Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" (from the Just Like Heaven OST, 2005)

"New York City Serenade" (Light Of Day: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen) - check the stirring harmonica

"Chimes of Freedom" (live at the Axis Of Justice benefit concert with Serj Tankian & Tom Morello)

"Splendid Isolation" (Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon)

"Suspicious Minds" (two versions, the "Dawn Version" (love this) and the "Dusk Version." Total side note, but the dusk/dawn dichotomy reminds me of some of my favorite Michelangelo sculptures that I once did a huge presentation on in situ and is one of the things I am most proud of.)


Other Soundtrack Contributions:

"Ever Fallen in Love" (from the Shrek 2 OST, 2004)

"Undercover" (from the Spiderman OST, 2002)

"Red Right Hand" (from the Hellboy OST)


Now have at it:

DOWNLOAD YOURSELF A PETE YORN BONANZA IN ZIP

Oh, and I knew there was another reason I loved him: He was a Communication major like me. Oh yeah, go Comm majors! There's one that made something of himself.

Keep me posted if you hear any new album/tour news, kids. And enjoy the unique new sounds of Mr. Yorn's recent musings.

Labels:

38 Comments:

At April 27, 2006 6:17 AM, Blogger c said...

awesome post! where did he go to college?
i loved "musicforthemorningafter" as well. like, LOVED/LOVE it. (was slightly disappointed by the next one). i never knew he was a drummer. i never had most of those b-sides. thanks!

 
At April 27, 2006 9:20 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

excellent post..I'm always yerning for yorn..

 
At April 27, 2006 9:32 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

That's cool - PY was also a Comm major. But it's cooler that he's a rockstar and not an aerospace worker.

 
At April 27, 2006 9:46 AM, Blogger Lizzy said...

nice one. I completely dig Pete.

 
At April 27, 2006 9:51 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lovely Springsteen cover. Tanx.

 
At April 27, 2006 12:12 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Heather what a beautiful post put together with love and skill, your stuff is nothing less than blogging as an art form. I'm a big fan of Pete's music and I've been lucky enough to interview him a couple of times when he's visited London (for the magazine Bucketfull of Brains.) The first time i had to go up to Columbia HQ and found pete looking jaded and tired after a long morning spent on the promotional roundabout. It didn't take long for him to realise that i was not just another disinterested jorno,(sent down from one of the mainstream mags in a taxi while reading the promo notes and skipping through his album for the first time on a walkman in preperation for a half baked inteview) but a real fan and music lover. Forget the half hour slot alloted to me. We were there nearly an hour and a half and what a really nice guy, (and a big music fan in his own right)he proved to be.
We talked about loads of things and his passion for making music shone like a beacon. Pete Yorn is one of the Largo crowd (Largo being the legendary L.A. venue) that includes Gus Black, Jude, Glen Phillips, Aimee Mann, Michael Penn and of course Jon Brion and i mention this because, if you dig Yorns music then each and everyone of these talented artists will, i'm sure be right up your street.
The second time I met up with Pete was in the more relaxed surroundings of a pub, a year or so later. Again we spent a couple of hours chatting away about various things. A few weeks before he had been really thrilled to play drums with Iggy Pop and the Stooges, for the first of their reformation gigs and was really proud that the bass player that is now in the band was a friend he had recommended. As we parted company i happened to mention this mini album by this guy Waz that i really dug, it was produced by R.Walt Vincent who did the same both of Pete's albums and is a beautiful melodic gem. I knew nothing about Waz and wondered if Pete could enlighten me further. Pete was chuffed to bits at this because as it turns out Waz is a close friend, in fact he plays guitar on the Roxy promo you posted before. So go check him out at wazmusic.com. Anyway sorry i waffled on a bit. once again thanks for the great post, i only had about half of the tracks so it was a real treat.
Mick Dillingham

 
At April 27, 2006 12:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love his live cover of the Smiths' "Panic" (Hang the DJ!) as well.

I saw pete in 02 at the Asbury Park Music Fest. In his long-sleeve ultra-white T shirt under the lights he kinda looked like a superhero.

 
At April 27, 2006 12:54 PM, Blogger Jenna said...

Heather you just made my day! Thanks so much for these.

 
At April 27, 2006 1:01 PM, Blogger craiye said...

Thanks for the link Heather!

I was so thrilled to find that you had that 3rd Pete Yorn song he posted on Myspace, I'm lovin' it.

You missed a couple of Yorn songs though, I think I've got the last of them posted on my blog. So now all of you can have every Pete Yorn song, ever.

Kraig

http://spacioushole.blogspot.com

 
At April 27, 2006 1:15 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks so much! I really enjoy Pete's music, and was actually wondering just the other day when he'd be coming out with new music. I can't wait to get final versions of some of these songs. Again, thanks for sharing!

 
At April 27, 2006 2:25 PM, Blogger Dance Hall Hips said...

you....are....amazing. between this and the Ray post, I am in heaven.
-Jon

 
At April 27, 2006 5:54 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Best post everrrr? Yesssss. And Pete Yorn went to Syracuse University, where I am currently attending. He came my freshman year, and was by far my favorite live event, because he gave everyone who bought tickets free passes to meet with him before and after the show. AMAZING.

 
At April 28, 2006 2:09 AM, Blogger Stu said...

Very nice post! And I love that yearbook picture of "Peter Yorn." That's absolutely wonderful!

 
At April 28, 2006 7:15 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ahhh, how much am I looking forward to enough online time this weekend to download these and the Ryan of a few posts back??

Pete Yorn is Edinburgh music for me. A friend sent me those two albums just before I moved there for a year, and I can't help but listen to "Strange Condition" and be reminded of what was one of the happiest times of my life.

 
At April 28, 2006 9:20 AM, Blogger Stephanie said...

Great Post - Pete went to Syracuse :)

Thanks for all the great new info.

 
At April 28, 2006 1:15 PM, Blogger wwjblog said...

THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!! pretty much all i need to do is upload whatever you post onto my ipod and im set for days. this and the ryan adams stuff has made my week so much better. you hear any of that new bruce springsteen yet? i love that too with my whole heart. thanks for all this great music heather!

 
At April 29, 2006 1:21 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for the Pete Yorn awesomeness.

I'm quite a big fan and yes, musicforthemorningafter is a beautiful album.

Definitely one of the best pop albums I've ever heard in life.

Drummers rule.

That is all for now.

Rock on miss.

 
At April 29, 2006 7:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for all that Pete goodness! Totally made my weekend.

 
At May 01, 2006 5:24 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Enjoying your blog immensely -- especially this PY stuff! Thanks so much. Well done. :-)

 
At May 04, 2006 10:42 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

can't give enough props on the PY collection!

 
At May 05, 2006 3:44 PM, Blogger Rich said...

great post! Wowzers!

 
At May 09, 2006 7:19 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great Post! Awesome awesome awesome. I'm a big fan and collect some of his live stuff. If you're interested, drop me a line: antelope030674@yahoo.com. I have a collection of b-sides and live shows from 2005 and 2001.

 
At May 10, 2006 8:46 PM, Blogger philm400 said...

Interesting to read your post on Pete. I was lucky to have a nice NY Times assignment to take photos of him at Jones Beach Theater opening for REM. This was 2003 on a very cold October night (last show of the season). This was my introduction to Pete's music and I thought he was a great talent. I've posted a photo from the show on my site and should post a few more of him warming up back stage. Thanks for this post and the link to his site! http://philm25.blogspot.com/

 
At May 17, 2006 10:17 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hust love your site, it's awesome! Know any personal things about Pete, like kids, girlfriends/boyfriends, stuff like that?

 
At June 10, 2006 1:13 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Outstanding! I'll be driving up to Austin at the end of June to see Pete on his acoustic tour, and now I have something to listen to on the way up. Thanks!

 
At June 20, 2006 12:53 AM, Blogger Robert Cass said...

Thanks for the odds 'n' sods! I bought "musicforthemorningafter" last year after first hearing "Strange Condition" in 2003. (It was first heard on the "Me, Myself & Irene" soundtrack in 2000, right? By the by, the Farrelly Brothers have really good taste in pop music.) Loved the song, loved the album. Then I checked out "Day I Forgot" from the library last fall after having read in '03 that it wasn't that great. Well, I disagree. "Day" has a bunch of stellar songs, so now I'm anticipating "Nightcrawler," or whatever it'll be called, this August.

 
At June 22, 2006 12:31 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

you made my day, i feel like a kid in a candy store with all these songs downloaded now (f*&# limewire) or i feel like i've found the hidden treasure. anyway, this makes me so happy. by any chance anyone know if there's a cover of "never my love" that he did surfing on the net? if not it's ok it will be on the westerns ep =)

 
At June 22, 2006 8:26 AM, Blogger heather said...

thanks, chumpster! I had fun assembling it. And no, I never, never did find a cover of Never My Love although it was one I looked for mightily because I'll bet that sounds fantastic. Ah, well, in a few weeks I can buy the Westerns EP at the Denver show!

 
At August 27, 2006 11:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

You don't know how long I've been looking for Pete's unreleased songs. Thank you SOOOO much!

 
At November 25, 2006 4:08 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

hey Get blog!
Went and saw Pete play last month in Melbourne Australia....It was his first tour out here and it rocked!!!! Spoke to Malcom the drummer (who is from the rockin' band Minibar) and he invited Myself and a friend to see him play at the dixi chicks concert!!!! He was AMAZING!!!! the best musician....and a hottie at that!!! x candice

 
At January 14, 2007 8:58 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Help support Pete!!!!!!

http://peteyornteam.com/CDA5240F87574D8387EBDE8FEC733210/tracklink.asp?guid=6A7BF05CEFEC4AACB77BD548D1A880DD"

click there and vote for him to be #1 in the countdown!!!!

 
At February 09, 2007 11:33 PM, Blogger crichar3 said...

Comm Majors Rock!

Chris in Madison ('81 UWSP)

 
At February 24, 2007 10:18 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

How can I listen to these Pete Yorn b-sides? It asks for a username and password. I'm lost - can you help?

Fellow Comm Major

 
At February 24, 2007 10:21 AM, Blogger heather said...

All you fine Comm majors -
I'd have to re-up the links. Maybe later today. They're old ones that won't work -- I don't have EZArchive anymore...

 
At October 12, 2008 12:08 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Any chance of these coming back?

I have many, but I couldn't find the live "Don't Mean Nothin" and "Broken Bottle". Also need "Knew Enough To Know Nothing At All", "Rooftop", "Model American", "Farmer vs. River", You Never Knew", and "China Girl".

Thanks!
-Another comm major

 
At April 10, 2009 8:13 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Any chance at least the zip file could be uploaded again? I've been scouring the net all night for Yorn rarities and this is a treasure trove!

 
At June 02, 2009 1:32 PM, Blogger Doug G said...

Hi Heather! I missed out on this post. Any chance of re-uploading the ZIP file with these Pete Yorn gems?

 
At September 25, 2009 9:18 PM, Blogger heather said...

OK - I reupped most of these!
http://fuelfriendsmp3.com/listenup/Yorn%20rare.zip

Enjoy!

 

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