After the Alice in Chains tour announcement I surfed on over to AliceinChains.com and noticed the band is giving away a “Looking in View,” the first single from their forthcoming album “Black Gives Way to Blue.” Sure, it’s bound to be controversial since it’s the first cut the band has released in the post-Layne Staley era. But it that menacing riff hooked me right away; vintage chains with William DuVall holding his own.

Listen to a sample here

The good news: Alice in Chains today. The bad: There’s no Seattle date. Yet. But you know it’s coming. Here’s what just arrived in my inbox:

Alice in Chains tour dates

July 18: Detroit, MI (Comerica Park, with Kid Rock)

Aug. 1: Dublin, Ireland (Marlay Park)

Aug. 2: Stevenage, England (Knebworth House – Sonisphere)

Aug. 4: London, England (Scala)

Aug. 6: Cologne, Germany (Essigfabrik)

Aug. 8: Berlin, Germany (Columbia Club)

Aug. 10: Hamburg, Germany (Grunspan)

Aug. 12: Amsterdam, Netherlands (Melkweg)

Aug. 22: Pomona,

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So I chatted up Tim Wilson, whose dad is none other than the Ventures’ Don Wilson, before Saturday night’s Dick Dale show. We get to talkin’ and he tells me about a sweet interview his sis, Staci Lyne Wilson, scored recently – none other than Jimmy Page and Jack White. (Yeah, I could make that happen.)

In this clip, those three and film director Davis Guggenheim talk about the forthcoming flick, "It Might Get Loud," which also features some named the Edge or something. Check it out.

Steve Gaydich over at Rocket Records just called to alert me to a pretty killer bill he’s got coming up on July 19. He’s got Stone Axe, a new band featuring Mos Generator’s Tony Reed, with Zook and the Plastards.

Listen to some cuts from the forthcoming Zook album that I leaked here, and check out Rocket Records’ MySpace page here.

For those who missed Dick Dale’s amazing guitar clinic Saturday night at Hell’s Kitchen, here’s the finale. (Two guesses on what song he finished with before you click on the video. Just think “Pulp Fiction.” You know, the song Black Eyed Peas ruined.)

And just for kicks and giggles, I shot some footage of Tacoma’s favorite garage-punk outfit, Girl Trouble, too; if for no other reason, so you could check out singer K.P. Kendall’s sexy dance moves. Woot! This clip features the solid one-two punch of “Bring on the

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Before I write anything else about the Jonas Brothers’ headlining set at the Tacoma Dome Sunday night, I have to give a big shout out to "South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. They made my experience at the T-Dome far more bearable than expected, and at times pretty humorous.

I don’t mean to hate on the Jo Bros. They seem like nice enough lads. But I’m the wrong gender and about two decades too old to get it. Their confectionary, Disney-sanctioned pop makes my eyes glaze over faster than melatonin, and many of the parental guardian types on site at the T-Dome Sunday feel the same way by the looks of things.

But tweeners fiend for the Jo Bros in a way that can’t be cured without a trip to the ol’ Schick Shadel (or, like, turning 16 and discovering emo.) And being reminded just how crazed those hormone-addled fans get at the mere mention of Nick, Kevin or Joe, and just how little the "South Park" guys had to exaggerate for their Jonas Brothers episode, was heeee-larious!

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Cinematic is the first word that sprang to mind when I first listened to Los Angeles psych-rock band Spindrift’s latest album, "The West." Cinematic, as the album title suggests, in a way that recalls Ennio Morricone and spaghetti westerns.

Spindrift will headline Bob’s Java Jive tonight. So recently I caught up with band member Henry Evans to chat about his band’s six-shooter psychedelia and "The Legend of God’s Gun," the indie western that Spindrift actually shot. That’s the trailer above. Click here to

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By now, you probably know that Michael Jackson has died. Here’s a local reaction story I’m working on for tomorrow’s paper.

Puget Sound’s music fans and local media reacted to the death of pop trailblazer Michael Jackson Thursday afternoon.

News that the 50-year-old performer had gone into cardiac arrest spread virally, with many receiving the news from Twitter or text message.

Others tuned into local music stations KUBE-FM (93.3) and KBKS-FM (Kiss, 106.1), which kept the King of Pop’s hits in heavy rotation. And over on KPTK-AM (1090), even Seattle pundit Ron Reagan shifted from talk of universal health care to take calls about the pop star’s demise.

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Several sources, including the Los Angeles Times, are reporting that King of Pop has died of an apparent heart attack. He was 50.

Not sure how much further Renton’s David Johnson will make it after confessing his love for Hasselhoff (a good gimmick) on last night’s “America’s Got Talent” episode. But here’s a clip for anyone who missed it.

Hey, just caught a glimpse of Fuschia Foxxx, the woman on the cover of the new Ventures/Wailers album, “Two Car Garage.” Then what happens when I look away for just a sec? My girlfriend exclaims, “Hey! Your big #@@ head was just on TV!” (I’m beginning to think my ol’ lady is kind of abusive.) See if you

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