'95 PELTIER BENEFIT FEATURES RAGE, BEASTIES, HELMET

Via Pitchfork, I saw that a new website has been set up to offer free downloads of a Leonard Peltier benefit album that was supposed to come out in 1995, but never did. Exiled In The Land Of The Free was supposed to come out on Columbia, didn't, and now a former employee of the label set up a site offering the album as a free download in hopes of bringing more attention to Peltier's cause.

The album features a live version of Rage Against The Machine's "Wake Up," Corrosion Of Conformity's "Land of the Free Disease," Helmet's "Just A Patsy," The Beastie Boys' "(R)evolution Time" and tracks by Josh Homme, Bad Religion, Quicksand and Mike Watt. Plus Zach de la Rocha backed by C.O.C. doing the Minutemen song "The Punchline."

THE JAM FOR RON ASHETON

It was a year ago that Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton died. A week from tomorrow, The Roxy in in L.A. will host a tribute concert to the man, which will feature his brother and bandmate, drummer Scott Asheton, Stooges touring bassist (and legend in his own right) Mike Watt and longtime Stooges sax player Steve Mackay, as well as Jane's Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. It is particularly fitting that members of Jane's and the Chili Peppers will be there, as neither bands would have existed without the influence of The Stooges.  Hopefully Iggy Pop will show up also. If you're in L.A., you can get info about tickets here.

MIKE WATT REMEMBERS RON ASHETON

I remember reading about The Stooges reuniting five years ago or so, and finding out that Mike Watt, formerly of The Minutemen, would be playing bass. I've never met the guy, but having read about him over the years, you just know he's a cool guy. At one point, I ended up on his email list - he used to just send out these long emails, kind of like blogs before there were blogs. Anyway, I was psyched for the guy when I found out he'd be playing for The Stooges, it's a band that his scene may not have existed without. He says that himself in this interview with The Los Angeles Times (which is where I got this photo from). Check it out. It's kind of his last thoughts on the recently departed Ron Asheton.