Modest Mouse has announced today the release of the highly anticipated Heath Ledger directed video for ‘King Rat.’ The animated video will make its debut exclusively on MySpace Music starting August 4th, the same day the new Modest Mouse EP which includes the ‘King Rat' track, No One’s First, And You’re Next is released.

In January of 2007, while visiting his homeland of Australia, Heath Ledger presented Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse with an idea to direct a video for their yet-to-be-released song ‘King Rat’.  Heath’s vision, brave and unapologetic in its nature, would marry his love of bold and original music with his impassioned stance against the illegal commercial whale hunts taking place of the coast of Australia each year. Always one to operate from his heart and take a stand for what he cared deeply about, Heath's intention was to raise awareness on modern whaling practices through a potent visual piece without having to say a word. It was his way to let the story, in its candid reversal, speak for itself.

The video was fully conceived down to the last detail but unfinished when Heath passed away in January of 2008. In the interest of fully realizing Heath’s final work as a visual artist, THE MASSES (a film and music company which Heath was a partner in) finished the video in his honor, with the support and advocacy of Isaac Brock.

Proceeds from iTunes video downloads in the first month of release will go toward Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization organization committed to ending the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world's oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species. Sea Shepherd uses direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas.  We encourage you to visit their site in you are compelled to make a larger donation or volunteer your time. http://www.seashepherd.org/

The King Rat video was directed by Heath Ledger, co-directed and illustrated by Daniel Auber with lead animation by Norris Houk, animation by Jade Taglioli and produced by Sara Cline of THE MASSES.

www.modestmouse.com

myspace.com/modestmouse

www.wearethemasses.com

www.seashepherd.org

In support of the photoblog and my work with Modest Mouse we have created the first LTD publication of Pat Graham Modest Mouse photography. RAEN Optics and Pat Graham present the first ever Modest Mouse photozine/book, featuring many unreleased photos from the Pat Graham/Modest Mouse archive.

This zine also features captions and hand written stories from Isaac and Pat.  A limited run of 1000 will be only available to purchase at the venues on Modest Mouse's Feb-March 2009 tour. An additional 200 copies are being sold online by RAEN.

These are very limited and will sell out so act fast.

Thu 26-Feb Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater


Tickets that were purchased for the Albuquerque
Convention Center will be honored at Sunshine. Doors now at 7pm show at
8pm.

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1E004253CA5D8F1B?artistid=781346&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=60

Modest Mouse has added more dates to their upcoming tour with special guest Mimicking Birds. For full info head to the tour section of www.modestmousemusic.com.

Dates:

Fri Feb 20 Eugene, OR - McDonald Theatre - SOLD OUT
Sat Feb 21 Chico, CA - Senator Theatre
Sun Feb 22 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
Mon Feb 23 Visalia, CA - The Fox Theatre - SOLD OUT
Tue Feb 24 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium
Wed Feb 25 Tempe, AZ - The Marquee - SOLD OUT
Thu Feb 26 Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theatre
Sat Feb 28 Boulder, CO - Balch Fieldhouse
Mon Mar 2 Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
Tue Mar 3 Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
Wed Mar 4 Austin, TX - Stubb's - SOLD OUT
Fri Mar 6 - Oxford, MS - The Lyric Oxford - SOLD OUT
Sat Mar 7 Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle
Sun Mar 8 Fort Lauderdale, FL - Revolution
Mon Mar 9 Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
Tue Mar 10 Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
Wed Mar 11 Raleigh, NC - Disco Rodeo
Thu Mar 12 Baltimore, MD - Ram's Head Live
Fri Mar 13 Washington DC - 9:30 Club *with Kinky - SOLD OUT
Sat Mar 14 Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
Sun Mar 15 New York, NY - Terminal 5 - SOLD OUT

on the cover:

http://www.stopsmilingonline.com/story_detail.php?id=935

link to buy the issue:

http://www.stopsmilingstore.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=49

Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse) Top 5 Albums:

 Tom Waits – Rain Dogs

 My Bloody Valentine – Loveless

 Treepeople – Guilt Regret Embarrassment

 Bob Dylan – Blood On The Tracks

 Cat Power – Moon Pix

 

Johnny Marr (Modest Mouse) Top 5 Songs:

 Iggy & The Stooges – Gimme Danger

 FAUST – Lurcher

 The Beatles – I Am The Walrus

 Buzzcocks – Are Everything

 Patti Smith Group – Horses

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW FOR THE FOLLOWING SHOWS

31-Oct

Spokane, WA Big Easy Concert Hall
GET TIX

2-Nov

Calgary, AB MacEwan Ballroom
GET TIX

3-Nov

Edmonton, AB Edmonton Events Center
GET TIX

5-Nov

Saskatoon, SK Odeon Event Centre
GET TIX

6-Nov

Regina, SK Conexus Arts Centre
GET TIX

7-Nov

Winnipeg, MB Burton Cummings Theatre
GET TIX

9-Nov

Des Moines, IA Val Air Ballroom
GET TIX

10-Nov

Madison, WI Orpheum Theatre - Madison
GET TIX

11-Nov

Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom
GET TIX

12-Nov

Indianapolis, IN Murat Egyptian Room
GET TIX

14-Nov

St. Louis, MO Pageant
GET TIX

15-Nov

Columbia, MO Blue Note
GET TIX

16-Nov

Norman, OK Lloyd Noble Center
GET TIX

17-Nov

Albuquerque, NM Kiva Auditorium
GET TIX

30-Nov

Kalamazoo, MI State Theatre
GET TIX

1-Dec

Detroit, MI Masonic Temple Theatre
GET TIX

2-Dec

Chicago, IL Congress Theater
GET TIX

3-Dec

Minneapolis, MN The Orpheum Theater
GET TIX

10-Dec

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San Diego, CA SOMA
GET TIX

11-Dec

Tucson, AZ Rialto Theater
GET TIX

12-Dec

El Paso, TX Abraham Chavez Theatre
GET TIX

15-Dec

New Orleans, LA House of Blues
GET TIX

Silent Pictures
by Pat Graham

Pat Graham has been a photographer for nineteen years. His work has centered around musicians and has been used on dozens of albums. He spent years on the road with bands, especially Modest Mouse. Capturing all aspects of being a musician (playing music, and living the life). His debut book covers this ground and more. Pat's photos have appeared in every major music publication in Europe and the U.S. His work is part of the permanent collection in the Experience Music Project museum in Seattle and the Arlington Cultural Affairs in Virginia. He currently lives in London,England where he continues taking pictues and running 96 Gillespie, the gallery he co-founded with his wife Melanie Standage

Modest Mouse, Ted Leo, Bikini Kill, Fugazi, and The Shins are just some of the subjects in Pat Graham's visually stunning first book. Many of these photographs shaped the iconography of '90s underground rock.

For more:
http://www.akashicbooks.com/patgrahamalive.htm

Book Events:
Wed., September 19, 7pm
The Sunset Tavern
5433 Ballard Ave.
Seattle, WA
*With musical accompaniment from Eric Judy (Modest Mouse). Presented by University Bookstore.

Thurs., September 20, 7pm
Book Soup
8818 Sunset Blvd.
W. Hollywood, CA

Fri., September 21, 7pm
Barnes & Noble
4 Astor Place
New York, NY

Sun., September 23, 6pm
Olsson's, Dupont Circle
1307 19th St. NW
Washington, DC
*With Ian Svenonius (Nation of Ulysses, Make-Up, Weird War)

12-Sep Los Angeles, CA Jimmy Kimmel
GET TICKETS

14-Sep Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
w/ Matt Costa
GET TICKETS

15-Sep Las Vegas, NV The Joint
w/Matt Costa
GET TICKETS

16-Sep San Francisco, CA Treasure Island Music Festival
GET TICKETS

See Modest Mouse on the Jimmy Kimmel show Wednesday, September 12th! The band will perform "We've Got Everything" as the main song and "Education" over the end credits. It is an outdoor performance.