Tis the season…well, almost. As usual, we can expect to be inundated with entertainment industry professionals looking to pretty up their tax forms with some end-of-the-year charity work, but at least it’s all for a good cause, right? Hard Rock is getting a jump on the impending holiday season with their Serve2 compilation, available for download on iTunes. The net proceeds of which will go to Artists Against Hunger and Poverty, an artist-directed special program of World Hunger Year.

Not only is it for a good cause, but the compilation is pretty solid (and at 25 tracks, pretty damn hefty), featuring previously unreleased and live cuts from old school heavyweights like Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, but also newer and more vital acts like The Hold Steady. Even New Found Glory and Andrew W.K. managed to sneak on there. You can sample a live rendition of “Baby It’s a Fact” by Hellogoodbye (available on Serve2) here mp3 (or download it at Synthesis.net). Full track listing after the jump.

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At first listen, Every Time I Die may not seem like much of a “literary” band. And while they’re certainly no Decemberists (some would say “thankfully they’re no Decemberists…“), singer Keith Buckley’s brain is a bit more interesting than your average hard rock/party all night vocalist.
Synthesis newbie Mike Kieran chatted with Buckley a few weeks ago, and during the interview they touched upon the subject of readin’ and writin’.

Have you read any good books lately?
I read this book God is Not Great, which I know a lot of people will not want to read just by the title, but it’s an amazing book about history and the hypocrisies that have evolved with it, and the argument of science versus religion.

Are there any other books that you’ve read that have really had a powerful message?
The biography of Andy Kaufman. His bio Lost in the Funhouse kinda changed the way that I look at public perception of characters; individuals that are in that situation where people either look up to or admire or hate them. That guy was in complete control of everything that he encountered. Everything. His personality, and the way that he understood his relationship with people was really inspiring. It’s really admirable to know there are people out there who are fucking insanely genius, that can do that. And it kinda made me jealous. I wish I had that ability to just understand exactly what and why people are saying about me and why they thought that. He had a million or so personalities, and he made every one of them entertaining.

Are you doing any kind of writing right now that doesn’t have to do with the band?
Yeah, in AP I review an ‘80s movie every month. It’s kinda hard on tour; I’m just reading instead of writing. But reading is the prep work for writing eventually, so when I get home is when I sit down and start writing stuff.

Which brings us to AP…no, not the news wire service, but the pop-punk magazine that is taking great strides to combat illiteracy by offering…free(ish) subscriptions to their informative magazine.

From the press release:

“Alternative Press and Every Time I Die have joined forces to help promote reading by offering fans free issues of the magazine. Right now, when fans buy this month’s Alternative Press magazine - featuring Every Time I Die on the cover - at Barnes and Noble, they can send in their receipt and receive a FREE six-month subscription to the mag!”

Just take a moment and savor the idea of how the Alternative Press promotes literacy.

I thought our boys over at AP just promoted questionable fashion choices, nauseating page design and cookie monster vocals.
But what am I talking about, at least they’re at Barnes and Noble….

Be sure to check out next month’s Synthesis Digital featuring an interview with Every Time I Die’s Keith Buckley.

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