Morning Music Notes – Tom, You’ll Be A Woman Soon

Front Man of Against Me! Wants to Be a Front Woman – Tom Gabel is Transgender

It takes enormous balls to admit to wanting a sex change in the entertainment industry, but that’s just what Against Me!’s Tom Gabel has – or had – as Tom is transgender and wants to become Laura Jane Grace (via Pitchfork). Tom revealed this news in an exclusive interview with Rolling Stone. Tom will alter her body through treatments and hormones. If you re-read the lyrics to the Against Me! song, The Ocean, they totally take on a new meaning with this news:

“And if I could have chosen,/ I would have been born a woman,/ My mother once told me she would have named me Laura,/ I’d grow up to be strong and beautiful like her.”

Tom has said that he isn’t attracted to men, and will remain married to his wife Heather, with whom he has a 2 year old girl. “For me, the most terrifying thing about this was how she would accept the news,” Gabel told Rolling Stone. “But she’s been super-amazing and understanding.”

This also brings about an interesting change of direction for future Against Me! songs, and perhaps a rift in the fanbase, depending how their new direction goes. Pitchfork also points us towards an unreleased track that was performed live on March 19, with Gabel singing Transgender Dysphoria Blues. Check it out below.

Nothing to See Here, Just a Couple of Dolphins Who O.D’ed on Heroin

I think this will be the last time that Connyland Zoo in Switzerland allows its grounds to be used for a rave. A pair of dolphins, Shadow and Chelmers (oh – don’t tell me their names, now I feel attached!), ingested Buprenorphine, which is a drug often used to wean addicts off junk. It is assumed that the pair were given the drug by people at the rave. According to marine biologist George Constanza Cornelis van Elk, “dolphins are conscious breathers, which means they actively decide when to come to the surface to breathe,” and that taking an opiate “causes this part of the brain to switch off.” So basically, they died a slow, painful death. Pretty much no parts of this story are good. Now how did the ravers have access to animals?

Ill Timing – Beastie Boys Sued for Illegal Sample

A lawsuit against the Beastie Boys was filed on May 3, the day before MCA passed away. Record label TufAmerica claims that the song Shadrach has an unlicensed vocal sample of Say What by Trouble Funk, while Car Thief uses bits of Drop the Bomb, also by Trouble Funk (via Gigwise). I’m not sure why these lawsuits are coming around over 20 years after the fact – did they seriously just notice this now?

“I was very sorry to hear of Adam Yauch’s untimely passing, and can assure you that the unfortunate timing of the filing of TufAmerica’s complaint had nothing to do with his health,” said the record label’s lawyer Kelly Talcott in an interview with website E! News Today. “On behalf of myself and TufAmerica, I offer our condolences to Adam’s family, friends, and fans.”

Skrillex, Diplo, and Grimes to Take Train Across Canada for Full Flex Express Tour

Taking inspiration from the 1970 Festival Express Tour (which featured The Band, Janis Joplin, and the Grateful Dead), Skrillex, Diplo, Grimes and others are creating a 2012 version. The 3 artists, along with Pretty Lights, KOAN Sound, and Tokimonsta, will head across our great land’s non-so-great railway system for the Full Flex Express tour (via Consequence of Sound).

Check out the full tour dates below.

Full Flex Express 2012 Tour Dates
07/13 – Toronto, ON @ Fort York
07/14 – Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Blues Fest (Grimes doesn’t play here)
07/15 – Montreal, QC @ Parc Jean Drapeau
07/18 – Winnipeg, MB @ Shaw Park
07/20 – Edmonton, AB @ Kinsmen Park
07/22 – Vancouver, BC @ PNE Coliseum

Jimmy Fallon Ropes in Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake, Eddie Vedder, Others for His Album

As shown numerous times on his late night show, Jimmy Fallon has some singing chops on him. Whether it’s doing History of Rap tributes with Justin Timberlake, or channelling Eddie Vedder for a Jeremy Lin parody, the funny man can sing. Jimmy Fallon is going to put this to the test for all to hear, when he releases his comedy album Blow Your Pants Off (via Yahoo).

Joining Jimmy Fallon on the album will be Paul McCartney, Eddie Vedder, Justin Timberlake, Bruce Springsteen, Stephen Colbert, Brian Williams (NBC News anchor), Dave Matthews, and Big & Rich (a country act that I’ve never heard of). The album is out on June 12, and features some material that has previously been on the show. Check out the full tracklisting below.

Tracklisting for Jimmy Fallon – Blow Your Pants Off

1. Neil Young Sings “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”
2. History of Rap (feat. Justin Timberlake)
3. Tebowie
4. Scrambled Eggs (feat. Paul McCartney)
5. The Doors Sing “Reading Rainbow”
6. Balls In Your Mouth (feat. Eddie Vedder)
7. My Upstairs Neighbors Are Having Sex (And Listening To The Black Eyed Peas)
8. Bob Dylan Sings “Charles in Charge”
9. Walk of Shame (feat. Dave Matthews)
10. Slow Jam The News (feat. Brian Williams)
11. New French Girlfriend
12. Cougar Huntin’ (feat. Big & Rich)
13. You Spit When You Talk
14. Friday (feat. Stephen Colbert)
15. Neil Young Sings “Whip My Hair” (feat. Bruce Springsteen)