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News

Lol Tolhurst x Budgie x Jacknife Lee Share “We Got to Move” (Feat. Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock)

Los Angeles Due Out Nov 3 via Play It Again Sam; Fred Armisen is Also in the Song’s Video

Oct 18, 2023

Lol Tolhurst (formerly of The Cure), Budgie (formerly of Siouxsie and the Banshees), and producer/musician Jacknife Lee have all teamed up to release a debut album together, Los Angeles, on Nov 3 via Play It Again Sam. Now they have shared another song from it, “We Got to Move,” which features guest vocals from Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock. It was shared via a music video also featuring Fred Armisen. More

Under the Radar Announces My Favorite Movie Issue Starring Sharon Van Etten and Ezra Furman

Issue 70 Also Features Jason Schwartzman and Kevin Morby Discussing Rushmore, Plus Interviews with Death Cab for Cutie, Maya Hawke, Alvvays, Trent Reznor, Danny Elfman, Sufjan Stevens, Wil Wheaton, Fred Armisen, Johnny Marr, and John Lithgow

Nov 18, 2022

Under the Radar is excited to announce the full details of our new print issue, the My Favorite Movie Issue, in which musicians and actors tell us about their all-time favorite movies. Issue 70 features Sharon Van Etten and Ezra Furman on the two covers. It also features an in-depth joint interview between singer/songwriter Kevin Morby and actor/musician Jason Schwartzman about Rushmore, Morby’s favorite film (which Schwartzman starred in). More

Aug 25, 2021

After a near 11-year long hiatus, The Fiery Furnaces returned last year with the new single “Down at the So and So on Somewhere.” Now they have announced some new live dates and digitally shared the song “The Fortune Teller’s Revenge,” which was originally the B-side of “Down at the So and So on Somewhere” when it was released on a 7-inch last year by Third Man. More

Watch Bob Odenkirk, David Cross, Bryan Cranston, + More cover “Weird Al” Yankovic’s “Eat It”

Parody Video Also Features Fred Armisen, Sarah Silverman, Al Franken, Patton Oswalt, Jack Black, and Others

May 14, 2020

A boat load of comedians have covered “Weird Al” Yankovic’s “Eat It” (which itself is a parody of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”). They include Bob Odenkirk, David Cross, Bryan Cranston, Fred Armisen, Sarah Silverman, Al Franken, Patton Oswalt, Jack Black, and Yankovic himself. More

Coldplay Share New Song and Performed on “SNL” (Plus Fred Armisen/Carrie Brownstein Video)

Listen to “Everyday Life” and Watch Them Perform it and “Orphans” on Saturday Night Live

Nov 04, 2019

Coldplay are releasing a new album, Everyday Life, on November 22 via Parlophone/Atlantic. On Friday and this weekend there was a flurry of Coldplay activity: they shared an amusing fake press conference with Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein playing all the journalists, shared the album’s title track “Everyday Life,” and also performed it and “Orphans” on Saturday Night Live. More

Under the Radar Announces My Favorite Album Issue with Angel Olsen and Sleater-Kinney Covers

Issue 66 Features Musicians and Actors on Their All-Time Favorite Albums, including Tegan and Sara, Wilco, Weyes Blood, Sigur Rós, Fred Armisen, Topher Grace, Jay Baruchel, Low, and more

Sep 27, 2019

Under the Radar is excited to announce the My Favorite Album Issue, our new print issue in which we speak to musicians and actors about their all-time favorite album. The issue features Angel Olsen and Sleater-Kinney on the two covers and is available to buy directly from us here, as well as being distributed in stores nationwide (on newsstands, in such stores as Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million, and elsewhere). More

The Flaming Lips Share New Video for “Giant Baby” Featuring Fred Armisen

King’s Mouth: Music and Songs Out Now via Warner Records

Aug 30, 2019

The Flaming Lips released a new album, King’s Mouth: Music and Songs, back in April for Record Store Day (followed by a wider release in July). Now they have shared a video for the album’s “Giant Baby.” It starts with comedian/musician Fred Armisen introducing the band, as if they are performing on a TV show. More

100 Artists Sign Guitar for Planned Parenthood - Michael Stipe, Florence Welch, Feist, and More

Plus Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Mac DeMarco, Lady Gaga, Arctic Monkey's Alex Turner, Jim James, Matt Berninger, Perfume Genius, and Others

Apr 17, 2017

Over 100 artists have signed an acoustic guitar for Planned Parenthood and for $10 you can buy a drawing ticket to enter to win the guitar. More

Watch Fred Armisen and Bill Hader’s Talking Heads Spoof Band Perform in “Documentary Now!” Clip

This Wednesday's Episode Parodies Stop Making Sense, Talking Heads' Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth React

Oct 10, 2016

This week’s episode of Documentary Now,! Fred Armisen and Bill Hader‘s excellent faux documentary show on IFC, spoofs Talking Heads and their 1984 concert documentary Stop Making Sense. More

Sep 14, 2016

Fred Armisen and Bill Hader‘s excellent faux documentary show on IFC, Documentary Now!, is coming back for a second season, which premieres tonight at 10 PM Eastern with a political campaign themed episode entitled “The Bunker.” More

Watch Highlights of “SNL” Finale: Courtney Barnett, Fred Armisen, and The Lonely Island

Plus Carrie Brownstein, Paul Simon, and That Dead Poets Society Sketch

May 23, 2016

Saturday night saw the season finale to Saturday Night Live. Former cast member Fred Armisen was the guest host and Australian singer/songwriter/guitarist Courtney Barnett was the musical guest. Below are some highlights of the episode. More

Dec 07, 2015

Fred Armisen and Bill Hader have a fake classic 1970s soft rock band, Blue Jean Committee. They were the subject of the season finale of Armisen and Hader’s new faux documentary show on IFC, Documentary Now! Last month they also released an actual seven-song EP, Catalina Breeze, via Drag City. More

Nov 13, 2015

Fred Armisen and Bill Hader have a fake classic 1970s soft rock band, Blue Jean Committee. They were the subject of the season finale of Armisen and Hader’s new faux documentary show on IFC, Documentary Now! But next Friday (November 20) they are also releasing an actual seven song Catalina Breeze EP via Drag City. More

Oct 21, 2015

Blur played Los Angeles’ iconic Hollywood Bowl last night for their rendition of “Parklife,” the title track to their 1994 Britpop masterpiece, they brought out a special guest Damon Albarn simply referred to as “Fred.” Of course it was none other than Portlandiastar/co-creator (and ex-Saturday Night Live cast member) Fred Armisen. More

Fred Armisen and Bill Hader’s Fake Band Blue Jean Committee to Release EP and Played “Seth Meyers”

Catalina Breeze EP Due Out November 20 via Drag City, Documentary Now! Premieres Tomorrow

Aug 19, 2015

Fred Armisen and Bill Hader have a fake classic 1970s soft rock band, Blue Jean Committee. They will be the subject of the season finale of Armisen and Hader’s new faux documentary show on IFC, Documentary Now! More

Watch: Jenny Lewis – “She’s Not Me” Video with Fred Armisen, Feist, and Vanessa Bayer

Lewis Spoofs Her Formal Child Actor Days, Video Also Features Zosia Mamet and Leo Fitzpatrick

May 27, 2015

Jenny Lewis’ fantastic new video for “She’s Not Me” does an amazing job sending up Lewis’ previous life as a child actor and she’s got some great guest stars in on the joke, including Fred Armisen, Feist, Saturday Night Live‘s Vanessa Bayer, Girls’ Zosia Mamet, and Leo Fitzpatrick (Kids, Bully, Storytelling). More

Fred Armisen Wants Your Number

Will Interrupt Your Daily Routine With A Phone Call

Jul 23, 2014

In a new ad campaign with Heineken, Portlandia’s Fred Armisen recently called a pay phone in New York City. If someone had enough guts to actually pick up the phone and follow his instructions to “go across the street,” they literally walked right onstage in a comedy club. Most of the time, however, he was ignored. More

Under the Radar’s New Issue Features Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein of Portlandia on the Cover

Also Features Interviews with Charli XCX, Dum Dum Girls, Elbow, EMA, Sharon Jones, Liars, Metronomy, The New Pornographers, Panda Bear, Real Estate, Norman Reedus of The Walking Dead vs. J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., St. Vincent, Warpaint, and more

Feb 21, 2014

Under the Radar is excited to announce the full details of the February/March 2014 issue, which is on newsstands now and will be out until late April/early May. It features Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein of Portlandia on the cover as well as interviews with Charli XCX, Dum Dum Girls, Elbow, EMA, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Liars, Metronomy, The New Pornographers, Panda Bear, Real Estate, Norman Reedus of The Walking Dead vs. J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., St. Vincent, Warpaint, Wild Beasts, and much more. More

Feb 11, 2014

Next week Jimmy Fallon will officially take over as the host of The Tonight Show, with his friend and former SNL alum Seth Meyers taking command of Late Night. More

Jul 09, 2013

Demonstrating that even tough rock bands have a sense of humor Queens of the Stone Age have enlisted comedian Fred Armisen for a very real infomercial announcing the release of their Billboard-topping album ...Like Clockwork in the form of an 8-GB flash drive. More

Jan 23, 2013

IFC’s hilarious hipster-driven sketch comedy, Portlandia, starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, has featured plenty of indie music stars over its first two seasons, (The Decemberists, Isaac Brock, St. Vincent, Joanna Newsom, just to name a few) and that tradition continues with the show’s third season. This week’s episode features Dinosaur Jr.‘s J Mascis and members of Dirty Projectors in a battle of the gentle bands. More

Feb 16, 2011

Colin Meloy (The Decemberists), James Mercer (The Shins/Broken Bells), and Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney/Corin Tucker) stopped by the not-quite so real world of Portlandia—a sketch show written by Saturday Night Live’sFred Armisen and Sleater-Kinney/Wild Flag’s Carrie Brownstein. More



Interviews

Jul 13, 2021

Fred Armisen remembers the candy man. Or, rather, Armisen remembers, “The Candy Man,” sung and performed in 1972 by the great Sammy Davis Jr. More

My Favorite Album: Fred Armisen on Paul and Linda McCartney’s “RAM”

“I like that Paul McCartney was just a couple years out of leaving The Beatles and he wasn’t trying to recreate that.”

Jun 22, 2020

Former Saturday Night Live and Portlandia star Fred Armisen is a big fan of Paul McCartney’s career trajectory, especially the singer’s 1971 album RAM, which featured his wife Linda. More

May 02, 2014

Portland is the place where young people go to retire—that’s arguably the most widely quoted line from season one of Portlandia. But if that’s true, Carrie Brownstein and Stephen Malkmus must be the old-soul exceptions, as both relocated there when they were in their prime early retirement years and have continued working at more or less the same prolific pace. More

Apr 30, 2014

For someone so accomplished, Fred Armisen gives the impression that he hasn’t thought all that much about why he has become one of the most ubiquitous comedic writers and actors of his generation. More


Reviews

Sep 27, 2016

Helen Mirren is back! The second season (or as Mirren tells us at the beginning of each episode, “Season 51”) of Bill Hader and Fred Armisen’s mockumentary satire series for IFC, Documentary Now! comes highly anticipated. More