News From Vintage Guitar

Pixies to Appear on Fallon

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Pixies, currently in the final days of the U.S. leg of their "Doolittle Tour," and who will headline four sold-out shows at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom next week, have been confirmed to appear on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," next Tuesday, November 24. The show airs on NBC at 12:30 a.m. ET. The band will perform the song "Debaser" from their 1989 classic Doolittle, which, to celebrate its 20th anniversary, they are playing every night in concert, start to finish, including Doolittle-related B-sides. Fallon's musical guests typically perform a second song off-air that is streamed on latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/. Pixies fans will pick that song by tweeting song choice directly to Fallon-@jimmyfallon starting at 12 p.m. ET today and continuing until 6 p.m. Monday. Neither the band nor anyone from the show will know the second song until the votes are tallied late Monday.

Vintage-Guitar Show Slated to Coincide with Musikmesse

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The first International Vintage Show, an exhibition and sales forum for old and rare instruments and pop-music memorabilia, will be held during the Musikmesse, March 24-27 in Frankfurt, Germany. Much like shows in the U.S., its emphasis will be on buying and selling instruments, along with attractions including an exhibit of Eric Clapton's "Blackie" Stratocaster and Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Lenny" Stratocasster, both presented by Guitar Center Hollywood Vintage Collection. Also, an exhibition of music and circus memorabilia from the collection of Bernhard Paul, Director of the Roncalli Circus, will include many items never before seen by the public. The show opens March 24 with an appearance by Matthias Jabs, lead guitarist of the Scorpions, and will include many other musical performances. For more, go to internationalvintageshow.de.

Green Day Records New Version of "21 Guns"

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Green Day are in the studio this week recording a new version of their hit single "21 Guns" with the cast of "American Idiot" - the critically-acclaimed stage version of the band's 2004 album that has been playing at Berkeley Rep since early September. Singer/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong is producing the track. Green Day, which also includes bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool, are shooting a video for "21 Guns" with the American Idiot cast. "American Idiot" premiered at Berkeley Rep on September 4 and was extended through to November 15 due to record-breaking sales and unprecedented demand for seats. "American Idiot" brought Green Day's blockbuster album to life in a show staged by Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), who collaborated with Armstrong on the story. "21 Guns" is the second single from Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown. The digital version of the track has gone platinum, selling more than one million downloads, while the video won three 2009 MTV Video Music Awards in September, including "Best Rock Video." The band recently completed a sold out European tour and will next appear on the American Music Awards on November 22, followed by NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly. Read more at greenday.com.

Paper Zoo Tours with Daltrey

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Paper Zoo, the Los Angeles four-piece band with a "psychedelic sound rooted in classic rock" continue to gain new fans and critical praise on their first national tour opening for the legendary Roger Daltrey. On the road in support of their debut EP, the tour next hits New York City November 20 at the Nokia Theatre and wraps in Clearwater, FL, November 30. The heavily melodic and tantalizingly avant garde band is made up of Allister Izenberg, William Thomas Wesley II (bass), Monte Dyaami Najera (drums) and Martin Lopez (keys). It began a relationship with Damon Fox and multi-platinum singer/songwriter/producer and Custard label head Linda Perry via a chance encounter with Perry at a Guitar Center at the age of 13. The EP is a creation of rough demos recorded over the span of several visits to Linda's Kung Fu Gardens. The band has also released a new video for the self-titled track. Shot in Los Angeles in October, the video was directed by Adam Tillman-Young and can be viewed youtube.com. Learn more at myspace.com/wearepaperzoo.

Concord Releases Hayes, Charles in For Lovers Series

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Concord Music Group's For Lovers series will soon include CDs from Ray Charles and Isaac Hayes, featuring each artist's greatest love songs. Ray Charles' Sings for Lovers leads with "I Can't Stop Loving You," originally from Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, which spent five weeks at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100, album chart, plus the R&B and adult contemporary charts. It is joined by George Gershwin's "How Long Has This Been Going On?," "You Are My Sunshine," "Til There Was You," "Baby It's Cold Outside," "You Don't Know Me," "Love Is Here to Stay," "How Deep Is the Ocean," "Here We Go Again," "Stella By Starlight," "Gee, Baby Ain't I Good to You," "Ruby," "Come Live with Me," "Something," "A Song for You" and "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye." Isaac Hayes' Sings for Lovers features two duets with long-time songwriting partner David Porter ("Baby I'm-A Want You" and "Ain't That Loving You [For More Reasons Than One]," from Hayes' 1972 Wonderful album) along with "The Look of Love," "Wonderful," [They Long to Be] Close to You," "Someone Made You For Me," "Joy [Part 1]," "Make a Little Love to Me," "I Can Turn Around," "We've Got a Whole Lot of Love" and "Let's Don't Ever Blow Our Thing." Previously, Concord has issued For Lovers albums by Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Tony Bennett, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Bill Evans, Sarah Vaughan, Dave Brubeck, Rosemary Clooney, Wes Montgomery and Mel Tormé on such labels as Concord, Concord Jazz, Prestige and Riverside.

Wariner to Perform on "A Prairie Home Companion"

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Steve Wariner will be a guest on "A Prairie Home Companion" this Saturday, as it airs live from Minneapolis at 5 p.m. CST. The show is heard by more than four million listeners each week on some 600 public radio stations, and abroad on America One and the Armed Forces Networks in Europe and the Far East. Wariner will perform songs from his new release, Steve Wariner, c.g.p., My Tribute to Chet Atkins. Produced by Wariner, the collection of 11 songs honors the legendary guitarist and producer who was also his friend, mentor, producer and former employer. "Garrison Keillor loved both Chet and Leona so much, and Chet was a guest on the show several times," said Wariner. "It seems natural to do some of the music from this album, and I'm grateful for the opportunity. I'll be playing some of the guitars Chet gave me." Wariner's songwriting skills have earned him 16 BMI Country Awards and 11 BMI Million-Air Awards (for songs receiving over one million on-air plays). He has written hit songs recorded by Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Clint Black, and Bryan White. For more, to to stevewariner.com. "A Prairie Home Companion" is produced by Prairie Home Productions, and distributed nationwide by American Public Media.

Strait Adds Womack To Tour

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

George Strait has added award-wining and platinum recording artist Lee Ann Womack to his previously announced arena tour with Reba McEntire. The tour kicks off in early 2010 and continues through late spring. Womack has sold over 6 million albums, won two Grammys, numerous awards, and received notoriety for her 2005 album There's More Where That Came From. Her most recent album is Call Me Crazy. Strait holds the record for most number one singles - 57 to date - has sold more than 67 million records, and with 33 platinum/multi-platinum albums, has the most RIAA platinum certifications in country music, sitting third in all genres behind the Beatles and Elvis Presley. His most recent album, Twang, debuted at #1 on The Billboard 200 and the Top Country Albums chart. For more, visit georgestrait.com.

Zlozower to Sign Books at Mr. Musichead Gallery

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Known for having shot photos that grace hundreds of magazine and album covers, L.A.-based rock photographer Neil Zlozower's images have solidified the iconic visual images of many music idols. The most recognized rock photographer from the '70s and '80s, Zlozower traveled with Van Halen and Motley Crue and in their heyday. With a studio in the heart of Hollywood since the '70s, Zloz remains true to his L.A. roots. His newest release, Six-String Heroes (Chronicle Books), is a collection of live, candid, and studio shots of 150 of the greatest guitar players. The book is reviewed in the February issue of Vintage Guitar mag. On December 5, Zlozower will hold a book signing at Mr Musichead Gallery on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. The gallery will also display all of Zlozower's books and fine-art photographs of famous Zlozower images. Learn more at mrmusichead.com.

Fret12 Adds Leslie West Instructional DVD

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Fret12 has added an instructional DVD by Leslie West to its Sound and The Story series. The DVDs combine instruction with stories behind the songs and the riffs. West is the second guitar instructional release in the new series. The frontman and lead guitarist of hard Mountain, his career has included recording and playing with Billy Joel, Van Halen, The Who, Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix, and more. This is West's first guitar tutorial and includes more than three hours of footage, complete with the story and breakdown of his biggest hits, 14 exercises covering all aspects of the guitar, guest appearances by Zakk Wylde, Joe Satriani, Mark Tremonti, and more. The DVD comes with a signed letter from West.

Kulick Preps New Disc

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Bruce Kulick, former Kiss/current Grand Funk Railroad guitarist, is set to release his third solo LP, BK3. In the works for nearly six years and produced by Jeremy Rubolino, BK3 delivers explosive hard rock arrangements and addictive pop melodies that honor both Kulick's singular past and bright future. And then there's the jaw-dropping guest list, boasting members of Kiss, the Knack, Toto, Mötley Crüe and more. After getting his solo feet wet with 2001's Audio Dog and 2003's Transformer, Kulick - the often unheralded driving force on 12 years of classic Kiss records, from 1984's Animalize to 1992's Revenge - assembled his own rock 'n' roll dream team. The roster: KISS icon Gene Simmons and up-and-coming son Nick (each vocally appearing separately), longtime friend John Corabi (Mötley Crüe, Kulick's own Union), Knack mainman Doug Fieger, Toto axe authoritarian Steve Lukather, Edguy power metal stalwart Tobias Sammet and even current Kiss drummer Eric Singer. "Many albums lack cohesion with different vocalists, but I know that my guitar playing is the glue on BK3," Kulick says. "There was the clear goal of making absolutely the best record that I could put together. I feel like this is my Revenge." Kulick and his extensive collection of guitars will be featured in the April issue of Vintage Guitar mag. BK3 will be released February 16. For more, go to brucekulick.net.

Devo, Warner Bros. Release Ltd Ed

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Electro-art-rock iconoclasts DEVO celebrate their early recorded works from the Warner Bros. Records vaults with an expanded Ultra Devo-lux, Limited Edition four-disc set of their first and third groundbreaking albums: Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! and Freedom of Choice. Both have been re-mastered from the original analog recordings and housed in DEVO-lux packages with a plethora of audio and video bonus material including the Live at the Forum, London 2009 concert video. The package also includes an original 7-inch colored vinyl single of "Jocko Homo"/"Mongoloid," plus an original 18" x 30" foldout poster and 16-page booklet. Read more at clubdevo.com.

Never Shout Never Launches Acoustic Tour

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Christofer Drew, the 18-year-old singer/songwriter and guitarist who records under the name Never Shout Never, will hit the road in January for a solo acoustic tour in support of Never Shout Never's eight-song mini-album, entitled What Is Love? The album, produced by Butch Walker (Weezer, Katy Perry, Pete Yorn) and recorded in both Los Angeles and London at the world-famous Abbey Road Studio, will be released January 26. Drew will also perform a series of very special shows backed by a string quartet in December, including stops in Philadelphia, New York City, Foxboro, MA, and Hartford CT. He recently completed a headlining tour, culling tunes for his set from What Is Love?, as well as from the three EP's he released on his own Loveway Records: The Yippee EP, the Me & My Uke EP, and The Summer EP, which broke into the iTunes Top 10 Album chart in June. On December 8, Never Shout Never will release a new physical EP exclusively through clothing retailer Hot Topic, which features two songs from What Is Love? ("Jane Doe" and "What is Love?"), a live track ("Big City Dreams"), a b-side ("She's Got Style"), plus two music videos ("On the Brightside" and a live video of "Trouble"). Physical copies will be available for purchase exclusively at Hot Topic stores nationwide. Learn more at nevershoutnever.com.

Ringo Starr Declares Y Not!

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For the first time in one of popular music's most enduring and illustrious career, Ringo Starr has decided to take charge and help produce himself. The result is perhaps the most personal and impressive album of this rock legend's entire solo career. How on earth did Starr finally locate the absolutely perfect producer to work with him? "Well, I looked in the mirror," Ringo says with a smile. "And I was looking real groovy that day." Starr's decision to take a stronger role in the recording of his latest and greatest solo album was a significant and fortuitous one. "I didn't do it at the start," Starr says. "I was the least involved in the production of the Beatles records. And then with my solo records, I worked with some other great producers like Richard Perry, Arif Mardin, and Don Was. So it just seemed like that's the way that it goes. Then suddenly, it's another point in your life, and you say, `I'm going do this now.' So I'll be producing anything I make from now on. That's the good news. It's a confidence thing, I suppose. And Y Not is really another way of me saying, 'Yes, I can.'" The joyous result of Starr looking in the mirror is Y Not, a groovy and deeply felt song cycle that finds Ringo leading a smaller core group of old and new friends including longtime pal and recent brother-in-law Joe Walsh, Dave Stewart and longtime Roundheads member Steve Dudas on guitar, Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on keyboards, Don Was and Mike Bradford on bass. The album also features Starr's engineer and co-producer Bruce Sugar on keyboards, as well as some special guests like Joss Stone, Ben Harper and Richard Marx on vocals, Ann Marie Calhoun on violin and Tina Sugandh -- aka Tina The Tabla Girl - on tabla and chanting. Starr's songwriting collaborators on Y Not also include familiar and new names like Joe Walsh, Dave Stewart, Joss Stone, Glen Ballard, Richard Marx, Van Dyke Parks, Gary Wright and his former Roundhead band members, Gary Burr and Gary Nicholson. Yet no collaborator featured on Y Not is likely to receive as much attention as Starr's former band mate and longstanding mate Paul McCartney, who adds a characteristically brilliant bass part to the inspiring "Peace Dream" -- Starr's latest heartfelt plea for peace and love -- and even more notably provides his unmistakably fabulous vocals to "Walk With You," an exquisite new composition by Starr and Van Dyke Parks. "Walk With You" is a moving, even spiritual meditation about the lasting power of friendship, and McCartney's inspired participation on the track was a testament to McCartney's generosity of spirit and musical talent. "Paul was doing the Grammys, so he came over to the house and was playing bass on `Peace Dream'. So I played him this other track and Paul said, `Give me the headphones. Give me a pair of cans.' And he went to the mike and he just invented that part where he follows on my vocal. That was all Paul McCartney, and there could be nothing better. Paul's not in unison with me; he's not like harmonizing with me. He just makes it bigger and he makes it fuller. It makes the song like a conversation between us, and that was Paul's idea to do his part one beat behind me. That's why he's a gen-i-us." Indeed, there's a whole lot of genius on display throughout Y Not. Highpoints here include "Fill In The Blanks," the album's rocking opening track written, played and sung only by Starr and Walsh. Then there's "The Other Side Of Liverpool," a revealing autobiographical song that explores Starr's earliest and darkest days. "People believe I was born, was a Beatle and lived in a big house," Starr explains. "And where I come from was a very dark, damp, violent neighborhood. I wanted to write another little snapshot of my life, and I'm going to do this every album. It's better for me than doing it in a book. In two lines I can say what would take five pages. Like the song says, "The other side of Liverpool is cold and damp/Only way out of there/drums, guitar and amp." Starr was already particularly thrilled with one early review for the first album he produced that came from someone he helped produce too. "I just played it for my son Zak," Starr explains. "And Zak was so great. He said, "Dad, it's great. This rocks! You should have been doing this forever. It's nice coming from your boy, especially since he's a really good drummer." Listen for yourself. And hear Ringo Starr - also a really good drummer -- doing exactly what he should be doing today and forever.

Graham Nash Photo Book Set for Release

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

International legend Graham Nash captures the essence of his two favorite artforms-- music and photography--in this unique, energized collection of images. Spanning more than fifty years of music-making as seen through the eyes of 40 photographers, Taking Aim is Grahams personal take, through photography, on the evolution of rock n roll music. Where else do Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin share the page, preceded by Iggy Pop and Elton John, with an encore by Mudhoney in the mosh pit? Some personalities, like Bob Marley and Emmylou Harris, are represented in a single, iconic image. Others, like Johnny Cash and The Beatles, are documented by multiple photographers and throughout various stages in their lives and careers. Taking Aim is a stunning tribute to the music of our eraranging from the exuberant to the contemplative, from high art to raw spontaneitybrought together by one of rock n rolls foremost practitioners.

Mayer Slates "Live on Letterman" Concert Webcast

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

John Mayer will this Thursday perform for the "Live on Letterman" in a webcast concert from the Ed Sullivan Theater. It will follow the taping of Mayer's appearance on "The Late Show With David Letterman." Mayer will perform songs from his fourth studio album, Battle Studies, which dropped November 17, as well as some of his most well-known hits. Mayer's "Late Show" appearance will be broadcast that night.

Bon Jovi's The Circle Captures #1 Debut

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Bon Jovi caps the celebration of their 25th year on record with a second consecutive #1 debut, as their 11th studio album The Circle - released November 10 - sails into the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart on the strength of first week sales of 163,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "Coming after their #1 selling tour of last year, this #1 chart debut for Bon Jovi once again proves they have a loyal fan base that transcends every change in popular music," said Antonio 'L.A.' Reid, Chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group. "After two and a half decades of uninterrupted success, Bon Jovi continues to stay at the top of their game, with no signs of slowing down." The new album's success--which includes #1 chart debuts in Japan, Canada and Germany, and a #2 debut in the UK--is fueled by the band's current worldwide single, "We Weren't Born to Follow." Bon Jovi performed the song live at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on November 9th, at the gala 20th Anniversary commemoration of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The perform ance was underscored by their appearance on the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. "We Weren't Born to Follow" is currently sitting inside the Top 10 at Hot AC radio formats, and the video is in its 4th week on the VH1 Top 20 Countdown. Bon Jovi's appearance in Berlin capped two weeks of international promotion in advance of The Circle's arrival. On Veterans Day, NBC Television "Artists-In-Residence" Bon Jovi performed live at the Today Show's Rockefeller Plaza site. Two days later, Bon Jovi launched the opening of the new Best Buy store on Union Square in Manhattan. Upcoming live television performances include: Bravo's Inside The Actors Studio with James Lipton (Nov. 16); The Ellen DeGeneres Show (Nov. 23); NBC's The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (Nov. 20); a return to the Today Show (Nov. 25); Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (Dec. 9); and Saturday Night Live (Dec. 12). "We Weren't Born to Follow" was written and co-produced by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, and was produced by John Shanks, who worked with Bon Jovi on their last two albums: Have A Nice Day (2005), which featured the Grammy-winning single "Who Says You Can't Go Home"; and Lost Highway (2007), which debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts in the U.S. and around the world. Lean more at bonjovi.com.

Rock and Country Collide On Shurman's New Album

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

There's a powerful sweet spot at the juncture where rock'n'roll and country intersect, giving the music that results a double-whammy that can't be denied. The Austin-based band Shurman hits that bulls-eye dead on packing a powerful punch of rock crunch, soulful grooves and deeply-rooted country twang. The foursome's new album Still Waiting for the Sunset (Sustain/Universal Republic Records) is set for a January 26th release. Still Waiting for the Sunsett is a 12-song tour de force that blends the best of heartland rock with a deep grounding in the finest country traditions. It blasts off with the propulsive kick of the regular guy existentialism of "Is It True" and wraps up with the blistering twang and statement of musical purpose of "Three Chords." And in between one finds everything that a fan of real American music with a Southern accent holds dear: songs about life, love, people and places that speak to the human heart and soul with sincerity and conviction, and potent music that can lift the spirit as well as drown any sorrows. Or in short, it's the best elements of real rock'n'roll and true country united in a potent, persuasive and emotive set of songs, driven by the impassioned vocals of singer, songwriter and guitarist Aaron Beavers. Co-produced by Beavers and Danny White, Still Waiting for the Sunset was tracked at Nashville's 16 Tons Studios and Austin's Premium Recording. Joining the band on the sessions are such luminaries as steel guitar legend Al Perkins, Robert Reynolds, Susan Marshall on background vocals, and drummer Ken Coomer on percussion. At the heart of Shurman are the voice and songs and as well as faith in music and artistically ambitious tenacity of Beavers, who founded the band in Los Angeles in 2000. Since then Shurman have built a dedicated grassroots following over the course of two self-released EPs and a live platter plus what Amazon.com calls their "exuberant album-length debut," the aptly titled Jubilee on Vanguard Records in 2005, as well as some 200 road dates a year. Now with Still Waiting for the Sunset and a dream team of such killer players as bassist Mike Therieaux, lead guitarist Jesse Duke and drummer Nick Amoroso behind Beavers, the group stands ready to fulfill All Music Guide's prediction that its "songwriting and synchronicity will carve out a distinct place for the band on the contemporary music scene." Along the way Shurman has been declared "L.A.'s undisputed favorite" and CMT touted the group in a feature program. House of Blues tapped Shurman for its annual "One To Watch" program. Making music that melds "the energy of alternative rock with the sensibility of alternative country" (Tucson Weekly), Shurman has evoked comparisons to such monumental bands as Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd and even The Rolling Stones. As the Phoenix New Times declares, "I defy anyone not to love this band."

Keaggy Releases Christmas Disc

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Singer/songwriter, guitarist and Grammy-nominated Gospel Music Hall of Famer Phil Keaggy is releasing Welcome Inn: A Phil Keaggy Christmas, via philkeaggy.com and other digital outlets. Welcome Inn includes Keaggy-penned tunes include the beautiful "Village Bells," in which he reflects on his childhood, and "Best Christmas Morn," which reveals the real meaning of Christmas. "All Through the Night" is Keaggy's take on an old Welsh Christmas tune, and the instrumental "Shades of Red & Green" interweaves snippets of Keaggy's favorite Christmas carols. New songs and old favorites sit side by side on the project. Keaggy wrote "Father" 30 years ago and wrote the music of "For the 12th Night" at a writer's retreat last summer, setting to music a poem by Walter Wangerin, Jr. And, the album is a family affair, with Keaggy's son Ian and daughter Olivia on guest vocals along with Nina Landis. Produced and engineered by Keaggy and mastered by Richard Dodd, the album was recorded in Keaggy's studio. "This is a recording I've desired to make for a long time," says Keaggy. "My hope is that those who listen to Welcome Inn will sense the joy of this and every Christmas." Visit philkeaggy.com.

VG "Appears" in "Hi and Lois" - Again!

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For the second time in just more than two years, Vintage Guitar magazine has made a cameo "appearance" in the King Features Syndicate comic strip "Hi and Lois." The strip was created by Mort Walker and Dik Browne in 1954 and today appears in more than 1,100 newspapers around the world in 37 countries and is translated into 10 languages. Today, writers Brian and Greg Walker and artist Chance Browne are the brains behind the strip. Mort's and Dik's sons not only inspired "Hi and Lois," but developed into talented cartoonists themselves growing up next to their fathers' drawing boards. They now have eight children among them who animate the new "Hi and Lois." VG also appeared in Hi's hands on July 22, 2007.

Lawrence Releases Les Paul Legacy Vol. II

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The music world lost one of its last true renaissance men when Les Paul passed away at the age of 94. Les was an electronics visionary, a chart-topping singer and guitarist along with wife, Mary Ford. Last year, Hal Leonard Books published the first volume of Robb Lawrence's chronicle, The Early Years of the Les Paul Legacy. The Modern Era of The Les Paul Legacy: 1968-2009 is the second in this two-volume set. Lawrence picks up where he left off in the first volume, offering full-color photos, interviews with players such as Slash and Warren Haynes, as well as the Gibson designers and luthiers who have made the Les Paul guitar one of the world's most versatile and enduring musical icons. Lawrence began his association with Paul in 1972. Learn more at halleonard.com.

Brazilian Guitarist Nato Lima Passes

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Brazilian guitarist Nato Limo of Los Indios Tabajaras passed away November 15, 2009 after battling stomach cancer. He was 91. Lima was the surviving member of the guitar duo Los Indios Tabajaras, and was responsible for drawing worldwide popularity to the South American style of classical acoustic guitar playing. Best known for their 1964 single "Always In My Heart," the 1962 hit "Maria Elena," and "Amapola," Lima and his brother, Antenor, recorded more than 70 albums and earned respect as world-class instrumentalists. They recorded extensively in Nashville, with Chet Atkins and the late country music giant Don Gibson. Lima's wife, Michiko, is also battling cancer.

Herring To Release New Album

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Collin Herring is set to release his fourth album, Ocho, on November 17. Herring and his band play a series of shows to introduce the album, starting with an in-store at Austin's Waterloo Records & Video. Herring aims to engage audience attention with the twang of his vocals, the mix of contemporary and traditional in electric and steel guitars, lyrics that lament love with modern insight rather than tears, and wry twists that add texture and mystery. "I wanted it to sound like I'm just sitting in my living room," says Herring about OCHO. "I wanted something haunting and organic. It's not country. It's not rock 'n' roll. It's just Collin Herring. It's music the way I wrote it." Herring's first three albums earned awards and comparison to a number of other indie genre-benders including Alejandro Escovedo and Drive-By Truckers. For more, go to collinherring.com.

Gibson Introduces Angus Young SGs

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For more than 35 years, AC/DC has represented the archetypal "big rock" guitar sound, setting the standards for countless bands to follow. In particular, Angus Young's incendiary lead tone and mammoth rhythm crunch have inspired wave after wave of rock guitar heroes, and he has done it all on a Gibson SG Standard. The SG replaced the underappreciated Les Paul Standard in 1961, and while the Les Paul would surface later in the decade as a rock and blues classic, the new SG (originally named Les Paul/SG) was an instant hit in its own right. Its simple yet inspired ingredients of thin, all-mahogany body and neck and two Gibson humbucking pickups gave it a snappy attack with a muscular punch, and its slim, fast neck yielded unprecedented playability. Now the Gibson Custom Shop offers its reproduction of one of the world's most renowned SGs in the form of the Angus Young SG, a Limited Edition that captures the tone, look, and feel of this rare specimen among a classic breed, but which updates this legendary guitar with custom modifications requested by Angus himself. Angus Young acquired his 1968 SG Standard in 1970, and has used it on all major AC/DC recordings and many tours since the band's inception in 1973. Young's '68 SG is known to be a superb example of this model, with an unusually slim neck, pickups that blend just the right proportions of power and sweetness, and a resonant, vocal tone that represents the best of the SG formula. Listen closely to any classic AC/DC tune, and the tone is huge, but not filthy or fizzy. Angus's '68 SG achieves a stunning clarity and definition right within its bone-crushing thump and grind. With utmost attention to detail, the Angus Young SG seeks to achieve that tone, aided by a pair of custom-spec Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates humbucking pickups. And with 50 guitars out of the total run of 250 aged in-house by Gibson and signed by Angus himself, this outstanding Custom Shop reproduction also nails the look of this legendary guitar, with upgraded modifications at Angus's request, including an ebony fingerboard with "lightning bolt" inlays (a further 200 guitars will receive the VOS treatment). The Custom Shop Angus Young SG will also be sold with a custom Certificate of Authenticity, a Gibson Custom Shop hardshell case, and a full range of owner's manuals and instruction sheets. For more, visit gibson.com.

Frehley Set to Jam at Whiskey A-Go-Go

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ace Frehley will join this Sunday's Battle Of The Bands for Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp's showcase finale. Frehley will jam with the campers as they battle it out to be the top campers of 2009! Frehley will also be a headlining guest counselor November 18 for the five-day camp that follows this Sunday's showcase. Read more at rockcamp.com.

Christie's Goes Country

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Christie's is pleased to offer The Country Music Sale featuring property from the Estate of Hank Thompson, the first sale dedicated to the creation, history, and evolution of Country Music. The foundation of the sale is property from the estate of Texas Swing Band leader, song writer and country performer Hank Thompson (highlights illustrated above). This sale also includes important property from the classic and marquee names in Country Music, including musical instruments, stage outfits, and hand-written lyrics from American artists such as Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Waylon Jennings, Hank Snow, Hank Williams, Conway Twitty, Bill Monroe, Buddy Holly, Johnny and June Carter Cash, Luther Perkins, and John Hartford. "The property in this inaugural sale tells a story of Country Music through the objects owned and used by the performers. This is a rare opportunity for Country Music fans to acquire some of the finest instruments, costumes and memorabilia from legendary artists," said Kerry Keane and Cathy Elkies, Christie's Head Specialists for the sale. Leading the sale is Buddy Holly's Gibson J-45 guitar, circa 1942-43, used during his performing years, possibly even during his performances with Elvis Presley or Bill Haley in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas. Distinctively personalized, Holly hand-tooled the leather cover and strap himself as a tribute to Elvis Presley, whom he first met in January 1955. The collection features additional important instruments, including an iconic Waylon Jennings Fender electric guitar, circa 1950 with a custom-made white and black, hand tooled leather cover and a matching leather strap bearing the name Waylon; a C.F. Martin D-18 guitar, 1947, owned by Hank Williams, one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the 20th century; Hank Thompson's Gibson J-200 guitar, 1948, with a later neck by Paul A. Bigsby; and Johnny Cash's black Fender Malibu guitar, circa 1965, famous in Cash's performance history in the late 1960's and early 1970s. he elaborate hand embroidery and rhinestone glitter of Nudie Cohen's stage wear became standard for the Western musician and was quickly embraced by Eastern Country performers by 1950. The clean lines and colorful sparkle of a Nudie suit became the standard issue wear regularly seen on many artists, such as Roy Rogers's white lace-up stage shirt with rhinestones and blue leather tassels, Hank Snow's red stage jacket and pants featuring a grape brocade, and Hank Thompson's gray stage jacket and pants with electric blue brocade. Equally important is one of Johnny Cash's black stage outfits designed by Manuel, detailed with gold button-up embellishments and red piping and a pair of black leather, fringed, knee high stage boots. Other highlights include Bill Monroe's face-plate to his 1923 F-5 "Lloyd Loar" mandolin; a portfolio by photographer Jim McGuire of twelve silver gelatin portrait photographs of country stars from Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings to Dolly Parton; and a group of five Elvis Presley original Sun 78 RPM records. For more, go to christies.com.

Timothy B. Schmit Adds West Coast Concerts

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Eagles' Timothy B. Schmit has added West Coast concerts to showcase songs from new solo album Expando, his first in eight years. Fans in Portland, Seattle, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Diego have the chance to see Timothy and his band in club settings perform new songs from Expando as well as classic hits and fan favorites. Expando was recorded entirely at Timothy's home studio near Los Angeles with musicians hand-picked by Timothy, including Keb' Mo', Graham Nash, Kid Rock, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, The Band's Garth Hudson, Van Dyke Parks, Dwight Yoakam, The Heartbreakers' Benmont Tench, and Timothy's son, Ben. Hank Linderman Schmit is one America's most prolific musicians, with a solo recording career that has produced four albums prior to Expando. He has appeared on other artists' recordings including Steely Dan, Vince Gill, Dan Fogelberg, Clint Black, Crosby Stills & Nash, Bob Seger, Jimmy Buffett, Ringo Starr, Elton John, and Warren Zevon, as well as his contributions to Poco and the Eagles. Schmit has won three Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Eagles. For more, visit timothybschmit.com.

Ponderosa Stomp Announces a Change of Seasons

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

After eight years of critically acclaimed shows during April/May, the Ponderosa Stomp Foundation announces a change of seasons! As a non-profit organization celebrating American roots music, the Stomp has had unprecedented growth in recent years; in addition to the concerts in New Orleans, Austin and New York, their small staff has launched a packed music conference, a developing archive of oral histories, monthly 'After Hours' shows at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and 'Unsung Heroes', an exhibition celebrating Louisiana's role in the development of rock n' roll, on display at the Louisiana State Museum's Cabildo in the French Quarter. We are also thrilled to announce the recent release of the Ponderosa Stomp short film. The Ponderosa Stomp was founded to showcase and honor the world's most authentic performers of rockabilly, R&B, jazz, blues, garage, soul, funk, and swamp pop. The film focuses on Classie Ballou, Lil' Buck Sinegal and Roy Head, integral Stomp performers. These three exemplary artists enjoyed early success, but found themselves toiling in obscurity later in life. When music fan Brian Gourley attended the Stomp, he was transfixed by the music and amazed that such a small group was able to bring so much music and cultural information to the fore on a shoestring. After offering to executive produce a film, he began fund-raising and working with acclaimed director Jeff Nichols (Shotgun Stories won the Grand Jury Prize at the Austin Film Festival) and the Butler Bros production team. Gourley explains, "The film presented itself at the right time; it let me pour my love of music into a project that I thought would help give props to its roots. Without roots, there are no trees." After seeing this moving film, it is easy to see the importance of the Stomp's mission and the impact of its work. Continuing to recognize influential artists like Ballou, Sinegal and Head and hundreds of others and documenting their stories is a fundamental part of the Foundation's mission. Plans to expand an oral history archive are moving forward and the "Secret History of Rock n' Roll" is currently on exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum. As this year has proven, we are an organization who never likes to be idle. As such, yet another exciting change for the coming year - we will hold the 9th Annual Stomp concert on a weekend in the Fall for 2010. Citing the gorgeous autumn weather, moving all events to a weekend instead of mid-week for locals who aren't vacationing and cost economies for out of town fans, Stomp staffers, led by Ira Padnos, will be able to take the Stomp to its full potential. Look for more news on an exact date and locale shortly! The Stomp is launching a fall fundraising drive to build upon these recent successes and to continue to expand their unique and vital work. Cultural preservation efforts require the technical skill, time and expertise of their small, committed staff to be successful. Even a lean machine like the Stomp needs additional resources to continue to turn the mission into action. "We are on a crusade to convert the masses of music fans and vinyl junkies to the gospel of the Ponderosa Stomp. We hope a visit to www.ponderosastomp.org will create a disturbance in your mind and that you will get up off your thing and get involved with the Stomp," explained Padnos.

Jimmie Bratcher Releases Man! It's Christmas

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Rev. Jimmie Bratcher, releases his Christmas CD, Man! It's Christmas, today on Ain't Skeert Tunes. Produced by Rev. Jimmie Bratcher, Man! It's Christmas hits the ground running with a jubilant classic jazz rendition of the Bratcher-penned title track, which expresses the joy of the season while referencing just about every holiday symbol there is. A smokin' jazz funk version of "What Child Is This" follows, leading into a down-home dobro-driven country blues arrangement of "Go Tell It On The Mountain." Patriotic Christmas song "1941," another original Bratcher tune, recalls the WWII events of December 1941 and expresses appreciation for those who have served our country and laid down their lives for our freedom. Backing Bratcher on the project are some world-class players, including Rick Yord (Suzy Bogguss, Lee Roy Parnell) on bass, Daron Tapscott (Joe Diffie) on fiddle and Kansas City's Brandon Draper on drums and percussion. Bratcher is joined by Lester Estelle, Jr. (Pillar) on drums and Craig Kew (Proto-Kaw with Kerry Livgren) on bass on the live bonus DVD. Produced by Isaac Alongi ("Love, Marriage & Stinking Thinking"), the DVD gives the audience a front-row view of this lively holiday jam session. Pastor, evangelist, author, singer, songwriter and guitarist, "The Rev" preaches in churches every Sunday, but on Saturday nights you'll find him sharing his amazing testimony and blistering guitar licks onstage in blues clubs and at music festivals, prisons and even biker rallies. Bratcher's brand of the blues has been embraced by the Christian market and the mainstream blues industry alike, allowing him to perform at both Christian music festivals such as Creation East, Creation West Coast and Rock the Light, and at blues festivals such as Blues on the Hill, Simply the Blues Festival and Boxcar Full of Blues. He has appeared at venues along with Christian artists including Mercy Me, newsboys and Third Day, and with blues greats including Grammy and NARAS Lifetime Achievement Award winner David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Blues Music Award winners Zac Harmon and Otis Taylor, and Livin' Blues Gold Award winner Hubert Sumlin, one of Rolling Stone Magazine's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." Learn more at jimmiebratcher.com.

Wariner Follows Release of Atkins Tribute

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Steve Wariner will support Tuesday's release of his tribute to Chet Atkins with a slew of media appearances. Steve Wariner, c.g.p., My Tribute to Chet Atkins, produced by Wariner, is a collection of 11 songs in which he honors the legendary guitarist and producer who was also his friend, mentor, producer and former employer. The album is available on Wariner's own SelecTone Records, distributed by Allegro Media Group. On Tuesday, November 10, Wariner will visit with 50 top country radio stations during Premiere Radio's CMA Awards remotes. His interview with host Suzanne Alexander on GAC Nights will air on Wednesday, November 11, at 8 p.m., with re-airings at 12 midnight and on Thursday, November 12, at 12 noon (all times eastern). A portion of that interview will air on GAC's On the Streets on Tuesday, November 10. On Friday, November 13, Steve will sign copies of the CD at Opry Originals, the Opry store in downtown Nashville, from 5:30-6:30 p.m., prior to his Opry at the Ryman appearance. Steve recently sat down with Kix Brooks, host of American Country Countdown, to record an interview for ACC's "Still in Tune" feature, which will air during the weekend of November 14-15. Steve also recorded an interview with Marcia Campbell for the Dave Nemo show on Road Dog Trucking (Sirius 147, XM 171) that will air on Saturday, November 14, at 10:00 a.m. eastern. Steve will be featured in the November 23 issue of Country Weekly, on stands November 16. He will be Eddie Stubbs' in-studio guest on 650 AM WSM November 16. He will also appear on Ralph Emery Live on RFD on Monday, November 23, at 7 p.m. eastern.

Messina To Perform at Harvest Hands Benefit

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Multi-platinum country singer-songwriter Jo Dee Messina has confirmed plans for a special holiday concert December 5 in Nashville. The performance--complete with the Brentwood United Methodist Church youth choir--will take place at the church with all proceeds going to Harvest Hands Community Development Corporation (CDC), a non-profit, faith-based organization in Nashville. Free tickets to the show will be distributed in advance. "Harvest Hands is truly an amazing organization," said Messina. "It is currently taking the inner city of Nashville and is changing it one life at a time with educating, kindness and love. To go down and actually see how they are making a difference, has touched me. This show is for them." Messina will perform an array of songs from her Christmas album A Joyful Noise, other holiday classics and music from her next album, including the upcoming single "That's God." For more, go to jodeemessina.com.

Fear Factory Confirms U.S. Tour Dates

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Candlelight Records today confirms February 9 as the American release date for Mechanize, the seventh studio album from Fear Factory. Mechanize features the highly reported reconciliation of vocalist Burton C. Bell with original guitarist Dino Cazares along with bassist Byron Stroud and journeyman drummer Gene Hoglan (Dethklok, Strapping Young Lad). The anticipated album also welcomes back keyboardist/producer Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly). Mechanize is a full-fisted blast of passion and innovation that sounds like the missing link between 1995's groundbreaking Demanufacture and 1998's more texturally nuanced Obsolete. Songs like "Industrial Discipline" and "Powershifter" are crushing and colossal, melding fast and precise rhythms with vocals that pinwheel from raw and scathing to hauntingly melodic while "Fear Campaign," which features harrowing spoken word passages, quickly segues into a showcase of punishing beats, rapid-fire riffs and ghostly keyboards. For the first time in years, the band's industrial roots glimmer through its street-lethal metal, thanks in part to Fulber, who worked on Fear Factory's popular industrial remix albums Fear is the Mindkiller and Remanufacture. "I didn't want any of the soundscapes to sound natural," says Bell. "I wanted them to be really mechanical because I wanted that aspect of Fear Factory to really shine again. I feel it kind of got dulled over and that's the aspect that I really enjoyed a lot about Fear Factory. I was a huge fan of industrial music and still am. And you don't hear much of that anymore these days." While Mechanize is instantly reminiscent of Fear Factory's most potent moments of discovery, it's hardly a stroll down the old assembly line. Through a combination of technological advancements and experience, Fear Factory have evolved like a computer virus, constantly reconfiguring itself to maximize its destructive impact. As work began on the album in early April, Bell, who resides in Pennsylvania, admitted he initially expected the years apart would leave him feeling awkward or uncomfortable. However, when Cazares picked him up at the airport his apprehensions melted like a block of ice on a hot electric motor. "After being with him a couple hours and talking to him everything was cool," Bell says. Three months later the duo had a fresh batch of new songs written and more importantly a renewed confidence in their union. "Our creative juices were really flowing the whole time," says Cazares about the entire creative process. "All of a sudden we'd look at the clock and go, 'Holy shit, it's already 2:30 or 3:00 am.' We just lost track of time because we were all bouncing ideas off each other really productively. We were adding touches right up until the final second to make the record as fresh as it could be." In the early '90s, many years before Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall started combining strangled growls with catchy vocal melodies, and Static-X and Rammstein began blending pounding staccato riffs and jackhammer beats with electronic samples, Los Angeles future-thinkers Fear Factory were reinventing both death metal and industrial rock with an arsenal of sonic styles. The band, with Bell and Cazares at its core, landed a record deal based on a self-financed recording they made with producer Ross Robinson (Slayer). They immediately entered the studio to record their first proper album, Soul of a New Machine. Released in 1992, the album nearly transformed death metal overnight with its blend of throat-abrading screams and melodic vocals, and sci-fi lyrics about a machine that was invented to control and contain mankind. "A lot of people didn't get it and really ridiculed us," Cazares recalls. "Because of the different vocals some people were like, 'whoah, this is cool, this is different.' And then other people went, 'he's singing melodically? That shouldn't be on a fuckin' death metal record.' It took a while for more people to catch on to that style of singing, and now it's everywhere." Fear Factory would release four critically acclaimed albums and two industrial remix EPs, selling well over a million albums in the process. In early 2002, following a grueling tour with Machine Head, the band imploded due to personal differences and sheer over-exertion. A revamped group, moving forward without Cazares, would go on release two more records over the next few years. As time passed, the chance of a reunion between Bell and Cazares seemed less likely. Then in April, 2008, a full six years after they had last spoken, Bell, who at that time was touring with Ministry, ran into Cazares while in Los Angeles and the two reopened the lines of communication. "It just didn't feel complete," says Bell. "I realized that Dino and I were a real integral part of Fear Factory and we needed each other to make it work. Without the both of us it just lost that intensity." In the six years that have passed since the original Fear Factory splintered, lots of transformation has taken place. Bell has formed the gothic rock band Ascension Of The Watchers, and Cazares has put out two Divine Heresy discs and toured extensively. Stroud and Hoglan have recorded and toured with Strapping Young Lad, Zimmers Hole and Dethklok. For Bell, the myriad of projects have only provided creative ideas and inspiration for Fear Factory. He notes, "in this day and age you gotta keep busy. You can't just rely on one band; something we've all learned from time and years of experience. Not only is it good to support yourself, but it also keeps you going creatively." "This is definitely a different chapter for us and I think it's the best thing we've ever done," Cazares adds. "Obviously, Burton and I have grown up and we've pretty much perfected what we do. More importantly, we've discovered why we so were good together in the first place. Our combination just works. All the ingredients and the elements that we had in the past, combined with what we've learned since being apart feels like putting on a new glove that still feels as good as an old glove."

Remastered Neil Young Set for Release

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As part of its ongoing Archives reissue campaign with legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young, Reprise Records will release re-mastered versions of the first four of Young's classic solo albums, 1969's Neil Young and Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, 1970's After the Gold Rush, and 1972's Harvest. These very special reissues, which will be available on November 23rd, have each been re-mastered from the original analog master tapes by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering Studios in Hollywood, CA. The albums are being reissued on both vinyl and compact disc. The individual albums are being issued on 140 gram vinyl to retail. There is also a box set of the four albums pressed on audiophile 180 gram vinyl. Vinyl will be pressed at Pallas MFG/Germany-the world's premiere record-pressing plant. The box sets will be individually numbered in gold foil stamp and strictly limited to 3,000 units worldwide. Tom Biery, General Manager of Warner Bros. Records and vinyl enthusiast commented: "In all my years of working vinyl releases, I was shocked at just how incredible these Neil Young re-masters sound. There is no doubt in my mind that when listening to these recordings on the new, upgraded vinyl format, it will be as close as anyone will audibly come to actually being in the studio listening to the original master tapes. It now sounds as if you are in the room with Neil during the session." The four albums will also be released on 24 karat gold CDs, packaged in Gary Burden designed cardboard wallet packs. The four gold CD albums are housed in a numbered slip case, limited to 2,500 worldwide. All four titles have already been released to retail on standard CDs, housed in jewel boxes. On June 2nd, Reprise Records released Young's highly anticipated collection Archives Volume 1 1963-1972-the first of several in the Archives series of CD box sets that focus on the life of one of the most original artists of the rock era. This collection, which is also available on Blu-Ray and DVD, is currently in stores. Of Young's Archives series, the Chicago Sun-Times has written: "Not only is it absolutely amazing, it quite possibly is a model for the only kind of recorded product that independent and chain stores alike will still be selling in the post-CD future." Raved the Chicago Tribune: "The Archives appears to be nothing less than revolutionary in how it will present an artist's back catalog." The Archives Volume 1 1963-1972 covered Neil Young's recorded career up to and including his first four album releases. For more , visit neilyoung.com.

Gary Hoey Starts Annual "Ho! Ho! Hoey" Tour

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Ax-slinger Gary Hoey is the brains behind the annual HO! HO! HOEY ROCKIN HOLIDAY TOUR. Along with a series of Christmas CDs Gary Hoey's on-air station visits have become a staple at hundreds of radio stations nationwide. His live rock and roll Christmas show continues to grow new fans each year. This tour has become so trademark to Hoey that Hallmark's musical greeting cards features two Ho Ho Hoey classics. The HO HO HOEY TOUR is more than a Christmas Tour - Hoey has been raising funds for many charities along the way of his Holiday travels. Hoey has brought joy to charities such as the Connecticut Children's Hospital Metal Health Concerts (2006, 2007 & 2008) as well as auctioning himself off for private guitar lessons to support the New Hampshire Food Bank's "Lend A Helping Can" food drive four years in a row raising over $5,000 for families in need, Toys for Tots with the Marine Corps and his guitar auctions for the Boys & Girls Club in Visalia, CA for 2007 & 2008 has raised over $25,000. In 1993 Hoey launched his career and since built a collection of 16 albums and five (5) top 20 Billboard hits. It is no wonder Hoey is listed in the top 100 greatest guitar players of all time. Whether it's rock, blues, surf or Christmas, Hoey's command of each style makes his live show one of the most exciting on the circuit today. For more, go to garyhoey.com

Seal to Release Hits

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Grammy-winning vocalist and songwriter Seal will release a collection of his greatest songs on one CD, Hits, to be released December 8, 2009 on Warner Bros. Records. Fans can purchase a CD or CD/DVD package which includes the Seal 'Soul Live' dvd with nine amazing live performances from his worldwide hit album Soul. Seal Hits will span the artist's 20 year career and be comprised of sixteen of Seal's biggest hit songs, along with two brand new tracks. These two new recordings, produced by David Foster, extend the concept of Seal's hugely successful 2008 covers album, Soul, which has sold more than three million units worldwide and received international critical acclaim. Seal brings his unique and exquisite vocal style to "I Am Your Man" written by Ashford & Simpson, first recorded by Bobby Taylor, and the Sly and The Family Stone classic "Thank You." Seal is currently in the studio recording a new album of original material to be released in 2010. The London-born Seal first emerged from Britain's house music scene in the early '90s providing vocals and lyrics for techno artist Adamski's 1990 hit "Killer." The Top Ten debut single, "Crazy," followed and Seal would go on to earn critical acclaim and worldwide commercial success over five albums. Seal's prodigious vocal gifts - his soaring, husky baritone that has become a signature on such hits as "Prayer for the Dying," "Kiss From a Rose," and "Don't Cry" - amplify the emotion he brings to a song. To learn more, visit seal.com.

Kingston Trio, Front Porch County Band: Legendary American Originals

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Fifty years ago, in the autumn of 1959, American musical history was made. With the release of its fourth album, Here We Go Again, The Kingston Trio placed four albums in Billboard's Top 10 Album Chart --- a feat never attained before or the 40 years since, even by The Beatles. Now, The Front Porch Country Band has released their own fourth album, Here We Go Again, in quiet tribute to the trailblazing group who half a century ago accepted their very first Grammy Award for Country and Western Performance. This is not the first time The Front Porch Country Band has tipped their hats to their musical mentors. The band's first full-length album, Somebody Tonight, expresses the band's thanks to The Kingston Trio for their musical inspiration. As Bob Shane, a founding member of The Kingston Trio told Original American Country from his home in Phoenix, "we did three or four albums a year and toured 280 days a year ... nobody's ever heard of that since then. We didn't call ourselves folk singers We were just guys having a good time chasing chicks. They didn't have a folk-singing category the first year of the Grammy's ... they wanted to give us a Grammy for 'Tom Dooley" so they used us to help country music out. We won the first Grammy ever given for best country and western presentation that year." Shane recently came off the road after nearly a half century performing with The Kingston Trio. Yet the legendary American music treasure he founded more than 50 years ago continues touring nationwide. "We are saluting the creativity, energy and long-standing popularity of The Kingston Trio by titling our new album Here We Go Again, says Rick Buck, lead guitarist and one of the founding members of The Front Porch Country Band. "They're our musical inspiration." Here We Go Again showcases the soaring six-part harmonies and dazzling play of one of America's greatest guitar bands. Taken as a whole, the album is tour deforce --- a musical odyssey that never lets up with listeners hitching a musical ride from the northern Canadian border to the southern Mississippi delta. The music travels from the sun-drenched western Pacific to the eastern blue Atlantic, with stopovers in Alaska, Hawaii, Asia, and even Europe, along the way. The Front Porch Country Band was formed in 2001 and has previously released the following albums: Hot Rock Comes to the Country, America Standing Tall, Somebody Tonight and The World China Tour. The band includes six singer/songwriters who make their homes in Pennsylvania's scenic Susquehanna Valley. Band members include: - Rick Buck (Watsontown, Penn.)- Lead Guitars and Drums - Johnny Jolin (Watsontown, Penn.)- Lead Vocals and Guitars - Joseph Paul Hauserman (Williamsport, Penn.)- Vocals, Percussion and Keyboards - Kim Reichley (Lewisburg, Penn.) - Lead Vocals, Guitars and Bass - Alison Rupert (Hughesville, Penn.)- Lead Vocals and Guitars - Richard Rupert (Hughesville, Penn.) - Lead Guitars and Drums For more, go to frontporchcountryband.com.

"Rock to Roll" Charity Event Set for December 3

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The fourth annual "Rock to Roll" charity event spearheaded by SideOneDummy Co-Founder Joe Sib is happening this year at Slim's in San Francisco December 3. The event will directly benefit the non-profit organization UCP Wheels for Humanity. Headlining the event this year is NOFX. It is estimated that more than 100 million children and adults worldwide need wheelchairs and do not have them either due to lack of access, lack of money, or both. Their lack of mobility stems from accidents, birth defects, war injuries, debilitating diseases, aging, natural disasters and land mines. To address this need, UCP Wheels for Humanity begins with volunteers collecting over 230,000 pounds of discarded wheelchairs and wheelchair parts each year from around the U.S. Since a wheelchair in a developing country is an unimaginable luxury, Therapeutic seating specialists then deliver and individually fit the wheelchairs to disadvantaged children and adults free of charge. Since 1996, UCP Wheels for Humanity has helped over 44,000 children and adults living in the poorest of conditions, in developing countries such as Zimbabwe, Vietnam, Ukraine, Mexico, Mongolia, and many others. Last year, the concert at The Key Club in Hollywood raised $38,000 for UCP Wheels for Humanity. Combined Rock To Roll fund raising efforts have raised over $87,000 since the annual event began in 2006. The average wheelchair costs $150 to refurbish, which means Rock to Roll has directly improved the lives of roughly 580 individuals in need. This is the first year the event will take place in San Francisco. Tickets go on sale November 7. To volunteer, support, and learn more about UCP Wheels, go to ucpwfh.org

Douglas, Oates, O'Connell Prep "Jerry Christmas!" Tour

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Grammy-winning Dobro master Jerry Douglas will perform in select U.S. markets as he tours in support of his holiday album, Jerry Christmas!. Douglas will appear alongside guitarist John Oates and Grammy-nominated vocalist/actress Maura O'Connell. At the Foxboro Showcae, Aoife O'Donovan from Crooked Still will join the group, and Maura O'Connell will not perform that evening. The eloquent lyricism and dynamic virtuosity of Jerry Douglas, hailed by the New York Times as "the dobro's matchless contemporary master," is ideally suited to the creation of an Americana Christmas classic. And that's exactly what Jerry has produced: a spirited group of carols, traditional folk tunes, and modern seasonal songs. With a guest vocal by Maura O'Connell, Jerry Christmas! gets that warm, down-home holiday feeling just right from the first note to the last. "The thought of recording a Christmas project has been with me for some time, though I held the idea as a disquieting prospect. After all, these melodies have become established perennials due to the fact they are great songs; to do them disservice would be, to me, unforgivable," Douglas says. "I have tried being faithful to the original versions of these classics precisely because the melodies are so special. My instrument lends itself well, in an emotional sense, to performance of these treasures, allowing me to offer my interpretations of works I have heard sung by such definitive artists as Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and Burl Ives." On the album, fellow musicians Todd Parks, Guthrie Trapp, Luke Bulla, and Doug Belote have conveyed their own expressive spirits via their individual instruments, and Maura O'Connell has lent her alluring voice to a melancholy new song ("New Years Eve"), rounding out this unique serving of these time honored holiday treats. Douglas has garnered twelve Grammy Awards and numerous International Bluegrass Music Association awards, and holds the distinction of being named "Musician of the Year" by The Country Music Association (2002, 2005, 2007), The Academy of Country Music (11 times), and The Americana Music Association (2002, 2003). In 2004, the National Endowment for The Arts honored Douglas with a National Heritage Fellowship, acknowledging his artistic excellence and contribution to the nation's traditional arts, their highest such accolade. In 2008, Douglas was named "Artist-In-Residence" at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, TN. The four-part music series featured Douglas alongside some of today's biggest country music stars including Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks, Alison Krauss, Travis Tritt, Emmylou Harris, Earl Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Edgar Meyer, Guy Clark, Tony Rice, Lloyd Green, Jesse Winchester, and John Cowan. Douglas' musical brilliance has graced over 2,000 recordings by such distinguished artists as James Taylor, Paul Simon, Ray Charles, Lyle Lovett, Elvis Costello, Garth Brooks, Charlie Haden, Earl Scruggs, Phish, Emmylou Harris, Bill Frisell, The Chieftains, and the eight million-plus selling soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Since 1998, Douglas has been an inimitable member of Alison Krauss & Union Station, and over his career has been a featured player in such groundbreaking bands including The Country Gentlemen, J.D. Crowe & The New South, Boone Creek, and Strength in Numbers (of which both Sam Bush and Edgar Meyer were also members). While music aficionados have come to know the sound of Jerry Douglas from his stunning contributions to countless albums and concerts with other acclaimed artists, it is with his singular solo recording projects where he unabashedly unveils the elegance of his own songwriting and artistic virtuosity. See dates at jerrydouglas.com.

Danko Jones to Join GnR for Canadian Tour

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Danko Jones, who blew away the crowd with their salacious mix of punk and spoken word at the Viper Room in late September--return to Los Angeles December 9 for a show at The Troubadour. On December 3, they'll perform at the Hunnypot Radio & Chopperhead Magazine party at The Highlands in Hollywood; the show is free and open to the public. Next up in January, the group joins Guns N' Roses for a cross-country trek wrapping February 4. The powerful trio which SPIN magazine hailed as a "stunningly direct blues/hard rock/punk hybrid" (August 2009) are supporting the release of their new CD Never Too Loud, released September 8 via Bad Taste Records/Caroline. For the new album, the group - Danko Jones (lead vocals/guitars), John Calabrese (bass), Dan Cornelius (drums)--teamed with Grammy-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Foo Fighters, Coheed & Cambria, Stone Sour, Velvet Revolver). The band has been invited to perform the NHL post-game concert series for the Tampa Bay Lightning November 25 at the St. Pete Times Forum. The group's buzzed-about first single "Code of the Road" is featured on the Saw VI soundtrack (Trustkill Records). The song (about the endless ups and downs of touring) also can be heard in EA's new racing game Need for Speed: Nitro (available for Wii and Nintendo DS) as well as in commercials for the game in the U.K., France Austria and Switzerland. The video for "Code of the Road"-- featuring comedian Jim Florentine ("Crank Yankers," "That Metal Show") as the bus driver--is currently being shown daily in over 350 Harley-Davidson locations across the U.S. and at over 1000 sports clubs nationwide through ClubCom. Catch the raucous clip on FUSE TV's "On Demand" program The band will also appear in the forthcoming film Saxon Heavy Metal Thunder: The Movie, a documentary about British heavy metallers Saxon. The film includes appearances from Metallica's Lars Ulrich, Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister, Fast Eddie Clarke and others. Read more at dankojones.com.

George Strait Sets Tour Dates

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The "King of Country" is back! 17x CMA Entertainer of the Year nominee George Strait will kick off his arena tour early next year and this time, he's bringing along one very special lady - Reba McEntire. The superstar acts performed together for the first time in many years for a sold-out crowd at the Cowboy's Stadium inaugural event in Dallas. Selling out in less than an hour, fans and critics proclaimed the show one hot ticket! The concert was hailed by the Dallas Morning News as "an extravaganza" that "showcased Strait at the pinnacle of his musical game" and Ft. Worth Star Telegram wrote "Reba McEntire's performance was a breathtaking master's class in effortless brilliance." With 57 number one hits, 33 multi-platinum albums and countless sold-out shows year after year, Strait who holds the record for the most CMA wins and a record 17 CMA Entertainer of the Year nominations, is known for giving fans exactly what they want and expect. This year will be no exception. "I can't wait to get back out there and perform some of my new favorites from Twang along with hits the fans already love," says Strait. "And with my friend Reba, we will make it a really spectacular night." Strait's recent release Twang debuted at #1 on The Billboard 200 and the Top Country Albums chart. This is the fourth time in Strait's career that a new release has debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and the 13th time debuting at #1 on the Top Country Albums chart. It has become a critically acclaimed album and received rave reviews in USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, People, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Houston Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News, The Boston Globe, Billboard and many more. Strait co-wrote three songs on Twang including the debut single, "Living for the Night." The current single and title track of the album sits at #22 on Billboard and Mediabase/Country Aircheck chart. At last year's CMA Awards, George became the artist with the most CMA Awards in history with Album of the Year for Troubadour and Single of the Year for "I Saw God Today." He adds 4 nominations this year with nods for "Entertainer of the Year," "Male Vocalist of the Year," "Video of the Year" for "Troubadour" and "Vocal Event of the Year" for "Everything But Quits" with LeeAnn Womack. His platinum-selling Troubadour was named "Best Country Album" at the 51st Grammy Awards and in April, Strait was the fifth artist ever to receive the Academy of Country Music's Artist of the Decade honor. Strait has won 19 Academy of Country Music Awards including "Entertainer of the Year." With a career spanning more than 25 years, Strait has the most number one singles of any artist in history including Elvis (57 To Date). He has sold more than 67 million records and with 33 different platinum or multi-platinum albums has the most RIAA platinum certifications in country music and the third in all genres, behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley. One of the most successful female recording artists in history, Reba has sold over 55 million albums worldwide, earned 33 #1 singles and was recently recognized as the biggest female hit-maker in country music history by "Billboard," "Mediabase" and "Country Aircheck." She is the winner of 15 American Music Awards, 12 Academy of Country Music Awards, 9 People's Choice Awards, 7 Country Music Awards and 2 GRAMMY Awards. Reba's new album, Keep On Loving You, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart - her first solo studio album to do so. With 11 #1 albums, Reba holds the record as the female artist with the most #1 albums in the history of the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The superstar also recently scored her third consecutive Top 10 single of 2009, as her new song "Consider Me Gone" jumped into the Top 10 this week on both the Billboard Country Singles and the USA Today/ Country Aircheck Chart powered by Mediabase) charts.

Lost Fingers Announce Release Date

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Lost Fingers vupcoming debut album, Lost In The 80's, has the Canadian trio delivers a raucous rollercoaster of new memoires from hits that define the musical highpoints of the '80s - in a unique, original and simply unforgettable performance. The Lost Fingers captivate audiences everywhere they go with their witty and jazzed-up renditions of nostalgic hits by the likes of AC/DC, Stevie Wonder, Technotronic, Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, George Michael, Samantha Fox, and Céline Dion. After scoring a massive hit with the album in their native country and being crowned the undisputed new stars of the Montreal Jazz festival, The Lost Fingers new album will finally be available digitally beginning on November 10. Lost In The 80's has already achieved platinum+ status in Canada (over 130,000 units), and the band was nominated for two Juno Awards this year. They continue to charm and conquer territories beyond its borders with their tremendously fun live show. Taking their name from legendary gypsy-jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt who suffered from a horrific, accidental caravan fire that resulted in the loss of use of both the 3rd and 4th fingers of his left hand, The Lost Fingers perform these 80's songs in a style that would have fit in perfectly with the hot jazz bands of the 30's. Upon meeting at the Quebec Conservatory of Music in 1994, Byron Mikaloff and Christian Roberge, quickly became friends who would continue to collaborate on several music projects. After several years of playing as a musical duo, the two friends founded The Lost Fingers in 2004. In an attempt to further develop and continuously innovate, they summoned the young and talented Alex Morissette (bassist) in 2006 to "jazz up their swing." By exercising great musicianship along with a keen sense of humor, the trio unanimously decided to unite their unique voices to create an ingenious tribute to the 80's in the swinging gypsy style of 'jazz manouche'. On top of the digital release, fans will also be able to purchase ringtones for four tracks from the album: "Pump Up The Jam," "You Give Love A Bad Name," Billie Jean," and "Joe Le Taxi." The Lost Fingers are planning a full U.S. tour in support ofLost In The 80's for February 2010. Details to follow soon.

Slik Helvetika Return

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The roaring sounds of vintage metal blended with modern rock are on display throughout Hafnium - the third release overall by the Pennsylvania-based outfit, Slik Helvetika, and their new video, for the lead-off single, "Wide." "..And now the science paper: Hf/Hafnium is within a periodic element group of science that has some unique characteristics regarding molecular structure, occasional radioactivity and sorts of morphing states," explains Slik Helvetika's singer/guitarist Mikhall Myers. "It's discovery, and the studies of it's properties challenged Albert Einstein and top scientists to start thinking in new directions about alternate universes and incorporating further theorization on life and death states, and continually questioning, "What is time?" The HAFNIUM concept also tied in with some overwhelming feelings I felt when I lost my father - [which is what the title track is about]. It seemed as though his energies were within me as much, or more than when he was alive, hence the mark we leave on time stays here strong even after we are gone. So, do we really go away at all, or are we still existing in each past moment individually and situations we created in this consciousness as we know it? Is that possibly what a ghost is? Do we really ever die or are we still existing in a different plane of consciousness and could this be what religion calls heaven? How's that for a heavy element?!" Myers also offered to discuss the background of their new ass- kicking video clip. "What is 'Wide' about? I was on some nutso sick adrenaline rush roller coaster, and I noticed most people were shitting their pants and had their eyes closed when it got to be too much, and I my eyes got wider open the crazier the ride got. Same is life. When you live on the edge there is a fine line between living at the max and capsizing. This song seemed to capture both the diabolical over the top energy as well as the whole catchy anthem motif. Shot at Mik's house, so he couldn't be late for the shoot!" While Myers is the group's undisputed leader, he is joined in the band by two other rock steady musicians, bassist Kjell Benner and drummer Mark [Truk] Bennett, both of which provide a killer rhythm section to Myers' red hot guitar work. Myers:"Hafnium really showcases the band with way more mature songwriting, and with more diversity - without sounding like a different band. It features different grooves, a broader selection of instrumentation, and more soul. The debut was a lot more like driving '80s metal melody and ripping guitars 24/7." And how does Myers feel Slik Helvetika fit in with the modern metal scene? "Slik Hel's music has that cool bottom-end groove and rhythm that a lot of the new metal features.but merges a lot of the melody from the '70s, '80s, and '90s that some people are starting to miss. We don't rap or cookie monster growl through all the verses and wait for the chorus for the hook...we're giving you melody and energy through the whole song." This is especially evident on such standout tracks as "Burnt" and "Heal Me," while Myers has a few personal favorites. "We have to really like the songs for them to be on the album to start with, so these are our favorite 10 out of 20. But if I have to pick some, "Money Tree," because it grabs you right away with hooks everywhere. It comes off a lot heavier and guttural when we play it live - it's about sex and if you are gonna be cheesy, this is the way to do it! "Hafnium" was a favorite right away - it is an epic song and gut wrenchingly emotional for me, since it's written about losing my father and it seems to translate to the listener as well. Also, fan reaction to "Reign" during the shows leads me to believe it is a favorite among listeners." And it shouldn't be long until fans can experience Slik Helvetika live on a concert stage, as their plan for world domination is to play "As many festivals, tours, and shows as we can get." With the release ofHafnium'Slik Helvetika gives this scientific structure a whole new meaning of heavy. Learn more at slikhelvetika.com

Guitar Hanger Launches

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Guitar Hanger gives you quick and easy access to your instrument while also protecting it from potential harm and theft. The Guitar Hanger allows you to store your instrument anywhere with a closet rod or hook, and by utilizing our non-mechanical locking yoke, The Guitar Hanger securely holds your guitar in place. It is the next step in easily storing and accessing your guitar. Learn more at theguitarhanger.com.

Kenny Rogers "Christmas & Hits" Tour Returns

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and that means music legend Kenny Rogers will once again be embarking on his highly acclaimed annual holiday tour, bringing his exceptional talent and signature sound to stages across America. The 2009 edition of the Kenny Rogers Christmas & Hits Tour featuring Rebecca Lynn Howard will launch on November 27th in Bossier City, LA at the Horseshoe Casino Riverdome. The 20-city tour will wrap two days before Christmas on December 23rd in Westbury, NY at The Capital One Bank Theatre at Westbury. Rogers' annual Christmas Tour has become tradition over the course of the artist's storied career. Always a highly anticipated treat for the whole family, the production will feature performances of heart warming traditional and original holiday songs from Rogers - many that can be found on his numerous holiday recordings - such as "Let It Snow" "White Christmas" and "O Holy Night" as only the Grammy Award-winning artist can deliver, with the help of local choirs and children chosen to be part of the production in each city. Rogers will also perform classics such as "The Gambler," "Lady," "Islands In The Stream," "Lucille," and "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town." "I've always loved this season," remarked Rogers. "I think because people in general, are truly different. Look around...they smile more, they're more gracious, and generally seem happier. It's funny how things in your life change as you get older - especially when you have children. All the things that seemed so important before, somehow no longer matter, and those that once felt so trivial, now are the only things that count. My house, for instance, has been decorated for the holidays since before Halloween, so to say my family is 'In The Spirit Of The Season' is a bit of an understatement! I promise you the holidays will never be the same for me. And so I say to you, have yourself a Merry, Merry Christmas and know that I wish for you, what I wish for myself - that you spend this and every holiday season with those you love the most." This year's Kenny Rogers Christmas & Hits Tour will be sponsored by World Vision, the Christian humanitarian organization that is working in nearly 100 countries to serve the poor and those in need. "We are honored to be sponsoring the Kenny Rogers Christmas & Hits Tour this season. It is a tremendous opportunity to be working closely with such a legendary artist as we join forces together to help children and their families around the world," says Jenny Lockwald, World Vision's Executive Director for Artist Associates & Sponsor Engagement. A beloved, universally-known icon of American entertainment, Kenny Rogers is a living legend with an extensive history of success, including 20 platinum, 26 gold records and a Diamond-certified Greatest Hits album that has sold more than 24 million copies worldwide. In the span of nearly five decades, Kenny Rogers has recorded 65 albums, which have sold more than 105 million units worldwide. Rogers is the only artist to chart a record in each of the last six decades and has three Grammy Awards, five Country Music Association Awards, 18 American Music Awards, eight Academy of Country Music Awards and 11 People's Choice Awards. He's also ranked #8 on the R.I.A.A.'s list of Top Selling Male Artists of all time. For the latest news and tour updates, visit kennyrogers.com.

Spector Launches Forte Line

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Spector's new Forte basses are handcrafted in New York and have; • Spector NS curved body style • Forte4: 34" scale, Forte5 35" scale • Graphite Reinforced 3pc Neck-Thru Rock Maple Neck, 24 Fret Pau Ferro Fingerboard, no fingerboard inlays. • Black Hardware: Spector locking bridge, Dunlop Dual Design strap buttons • Aguilar OBP-2 active tone controls • EMG active pickups (P/J Forte4, 40DC Forte5) • Master volume and pickup balance controls • Finish: Matte Black Stain Learn more at spectorbass.com.

Gilmour-Produced Unicorn Albums See The Light

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Pink Floyd fanatics rejoice with the first time release of two rare David-Gilmour-produced albums by UK country rock band Unicorn! The CDs Blue Pine Trees and Too Many Crooks will be released by premier reissue label Renaissance Records in conjunction with ItsAboutMusic.com on November 11th. When you think of 'country rock' band's like Firefall, Pure Praire League, Poco, Flying Burrito Bros probably come to mind first, but one band that could well be called the godfathers of the genre actually came from England. The meeting between Unicorn and Pink Floyd's renown guitarist is a curious one. Early in 1973 Unicorn played at the wedding reception for Transatlantic publicist Ricky Hopper. One of the guests was David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, who at the end of the evening got up and jammed with Unicorn on Neil Young's "Heart of Gold". Afterwards Gilmour told the band that he really liked Country Rock. A week later the Pink Floyd guitarist phoned the band to say that he had just installed a studio at his country retreat and asked if they wanted to demo some songs there. The band immediately accepted. A few days later they travelled up to Essex to Gilmour's estate. He showed them into the studio and said there was no need to bring any of their gear in from the van. Hanging on the walls was his collection of vintage Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker and Martin guitars and underneath them Fender amplifiers and a Premier drum kit. They recorded three songs and Dave added some Fender Pedal Steel Guitar which he had just brought on his last American tour and was learning to play. They were invited back on several occasions to record. "Unicorn were playing at the wedding reception of an old friend of mine, Rick Hopper," related David Gilmour, "when I first saw them and while I was impressed by their vocal harmonies, their tightness and the fact that it was the drummer that sang the lead vocals, it was the songs themselves that I liked the best. Ken Baker's songs, while firmly seated in the American country rock genre had a very original and unusual wry English feel in the stories he told. The one that really made me notice was 'Sleep Song', about a trip to the dentist. Not a common subject for the popular song. Largely on the strength of this I invited them to my tiny home studio in Essex to record some demos. This was the start of an association that was to cover two and a half albums over the next couple of years." Things started to happen from then on when Gilmour offered to put up the money to record an album of Unicorn songs. Unicorn soon signed with Pink Floyds manager Steve O'Rourke's EMKA organization, and Ricky Hopper who had introduced them to Dave became their tour manager. Ricky would later discover Kate Bush, then called Kathy Bush. Pete and Pat from Unicorn played on her first demo recordings at Gilmour's studio. Unicorn's first album was recorded in Olympic Studios in Barnes in London. David Gilmour was producing, by his own admission, for the first time. The performances would wind up as the album 'Blue Pine Trees' and parts of the second album Too Many Crooks. The album was mixed at George Martin's Air Studios in London. The engineer was John Middleton and the tape operators were the sons of Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers. Steve O'Rourke took about a week to secure a deal with Charisma Records in the UK, with Capitol Records in the US and EMI International for the rest of the world. In November 1974 Unicorn set off on their first US tour. At the time Capitol records tour manager, Alan Fry, told them that Blue Pine Trees was number one in the FM action charts (a chart based on the frequency of FM airplay). The first night Unicorn performed at the Whiskey a Go Go on Sunset Strip, where they played in front of what seemed to be the entire Capitol Records staff. Unicorn was the headline band that night and was supported by, a then little known, Patti Smith. On that first tour the band supported bands like Fleetwood Mac, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Climax Blues Band, Billy Joel, Linda Ronstadt and the Doobie Brothers. At the end of their first US tour Unicorn flew home via New York to return to play at the Marquee club in London with the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver with David Gilmour sitting in. The following year, 1975, was mainly spent recording the second album Too Many Crooks (Released in America as Unicorn 2). It was recorded in Air Studios at Oxford Circus with some additional tracks at Olympic at Barnes. This album included some of Unicorn's best studio performances. The most notable song was "No Way Out of Here" which was later recorded by Dave Gilmour for his first solo album. His version was the most played album track in the US for several weeks. "Listening to the best of their output from before, during and after my own involvement with the band," says Gilmour, "has reminded me of the many great songs and great moments in the studio that we shared all those years ago. It's been a long time coming, but it has been worth the wait." Unicorn - Blue Pine Trees, Too Many Crooks (prod. by David Gilmour), will be available from Amazon, iTunes and your local retailer on November 10th. Other titles scheduled for release by Renaissance Records include Graham Parker &The Rumour Live In San Francisco 1979, Network - s/t and Nightwork, Duke Jupiter White Knuckle Ride, Fran King My Sweet Elixir, City Boy It's Personal, Phoenix - s/t and In Full View (ex-Argent), Nick Gravenites Bluestar, and Roxy Music Manifesto Alive (live 1979).

Band of Heathens on "Austin City Limits" with Elvis Costello

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Band of Heathens, whose new album One Foot in the Ether the web 'zine AmericanaRoots.com ponders as "the best record of 2009," will appear on PBS' Austin City Limits on November 7 on a bill headlined by Elvis Costello. On the program, the band performs five songs: "Jackson Station," "L.A. County Blues," "Shine a Light," "Golden Calf" and "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone." Austin City Limits celebrates its 35th season this year and is the longest running music series in American TV history -- the show was recently named a landmark by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Other artists on tap this season include Kenny Chesney, Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam, Ben Harper, M. Ward, Asleep at the Wheel, Andrew Bird and Steve Earle. Although both the Band of Heathens and the producers of Austin City Limits are based in Austin, ACL executive producer Terry Lickona first saw the band while in Nashville for the 2008 Americana Music Festival and Conference. According to the Band of Heathens' Gordy Quist, "Playing the Austin City Limits show was the highlight of my career so far. To play the same iconic stage that I watched so many music legends play while I was growing up is staggering." Bandmate Ed Jurdi echoed, "The opportunity to perform on Austin City Limits on a stage where ghosts and contemporaries alike have poured their heart and soul into some of the greatest performances ever recorded, was a pure musical experience. The vibe and mojo of ACL is undeniable." With "tremendously gritty vocals and scything guitars" (Maverick Magazine), Austin's own Band of Heathens have created their own style of Americana music that is bringing them praise from across the nation. These purveyors of smart Southern/country rock are making their Austin City Limits debut. The band began to form in 2006, when the three principal songwriters, Colin Brooks, Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist, were sharing the bill every Wednesday night at Austin's Momo's club. Originally, each performed his own set. But in a short time they started sharing the stage equally and collaborating on each other's songs. Largely improvised and unrehearsed, the shows quickly gained in popularity. "We thought of it as a side project for a long time," Quist said. "Eventually, it got to a point where the chemistry was undeniable." The Band of Heathens' first CD and DVD releases were live recordings that captured the media's attention. "Not many acts can pull off having three frontmen and three songwriters, but each band member's talent and style meld together seamlessly," wrote Lone Star Music Magazine. In 2008, the band released their first studio recording. The self-titled CD is a "real treat to country rock and roots rock connoisseurs with its blend of rich vocals, ballad and upbeat sides, and rootsy rhythms propelled by good musicians" (Jupiter Index). Vintage Guitar Magazine wrote with equal parts southern rock, '50s R&B, and Louisiana swamp-rock with a punkish swagger, they conjure a post-modern roots rock." In September 2009, the band followed up its studio debut album with One Foot in the Ether. Of the new album, Maverick wrote, "I could carry on raving about every track on the album, but instead I will just highly recommend that you go out and buy this fantastic album. Also make sure you try and get to see these guys in concert as soon as you can." Added the Chicago Sun-Times, "What makes these Heathens so refreshingly different is the overall musicianship and seamless blending of alt-rockers, folk tales, gutbucket blues and heartland anthems." SonicBoomers puts it into perspective: "The historical line here stretches back to Buffalo Springfield, Little Feat, the Subdudes and a bunch of other amazing American combos, all sharing the common characteristic of mixing their roots with inspiration from the outer limits. Which, really, is the whole point: how to start from scratch and eventually get into the ether, even if it's one foot at a time." "This one will certainly stand the test of time," sums up AmericanaRoots.com, "and so will the Band of Heathens. Austin City Limits: "Great Music. No Limits." Now the longest-running music series in American television history, ACL showcases popular music legends and innovators from every genre. In addition to being honored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum as a rock and roll landmark, Austin City Limits is the only television program to ever receive the National Medal of Arts, the nation's highest award for artistic excellence. Broadcast in high-definition and 5.1-surround sound, the show is produced by KLRU-TV and airs on PBS stations nationwide.

Maroon 5 Kick Off Tour

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Maroon 5 is gearing up to kick off its nationwide college tou . The multi-city tour will launch at Murray State University in Kentucky and make eleven stops before wrapping in Kansas at the end of the month. Alternative rock band Guster will be making a special guest appearance on the tour Nov, 14th for the Bucknell University show. Maroon 5's college tour precludes the release of the group's new album, which is set for release in the spring of 2010. Earlier this summer the band announced that they have entered the studio with legendary producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange to record the follow-up to It Won't be Soon Before Long, their multi-platinum selling sophomore album. The quintessential pop-rock producer has produced blockbuster albums for acts like AC/DC, Def Leppard, Bryan Adams, The Cars, Shania Twain and Foreigner. "After spending the summer in the studio recording overseas, we are excited to be returning home and to the road this fall," said the band's frontman Adam Levine. "It's exciting for us to hit the stage again together and also get a chance to debut some of our new material that we've been recording for our fans." Capturing their first of 3 GRAMMY Awards as "Best New Artist" of 2005, and going on to sell more than fifteen million albums worldwide, Maroon 5 won over fans and critics alike with the hybrid rock/R&B sound they introduced on their debut album Songs About Jane. They followed up with the double platinum album, It Won't be Soon Before Long, that included hits like "Makes Me Wonder" and "If I Never See your Face Again." The band's releases have gone gold and platinum in over 35 countries around the world. Check out dates at maroon5.com.

Sugar Blue's Threshold Set for Release

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"We have chosen the title Threshold because the tunes open new musical territory for us," says bluesman Sugar Blue of his new album, due out January 26, 2010 on Beeble Music. The album follows the acclaimed 2007 album Code Blue, which hinted at a widening musical path. In addition to Sugar Blue on harmonica and vocals, Threshold features guitarist Rico McFarland (Albert King, Otis Clay, Syl Johnson, James Cotton, Lucky Peterson); guitarist Moto Makino (Los Lobos); Noel Neal, bass; James Knowles, drums; and Ilaria Lantieri, bass; with guests Bill Dickens, the "Buddha of Bass" (Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Janet Jackson, George Michael, Jerry Harrison) and percussionist Samuel Torres (Pancho Sanchez, Tito Puente, Chick Corea, Pete Escovedo). The album, produced by Sugar Blue, was recorded in both Chicago and Tokyo. The nine original songs were co-written by Blue with Lantieri and Makino and range from blues to rock, funk, jazz and ballads. "Stop the War" is a cry for peace punctuated by Dickens' bass line. "Cotton Tree" is an homage to living blues harmonica legend James Cotton, mentor to Sugar Blue as well as hundreds of harp players worldwide. "Noel News" celebrates the strength of the people of New Orleans. "Ramblin'" is a duet featuring Blue on both harmonica and Chromonica, a bass harp. The album also contains two covers: "Messin' With the Kid" by Junior Wells and "Trouble," the Lieber & Stoller-penned Elvis Presley hit. A spoken interview with Blue finishes the CD. The Grammy Award-winning harmonica virtuoso was born James Whiting in Harlem, New York. Influenced by artists as diverse as Lester Young and Bob Dylan, Blue began his career playing on the streets, and later recorded with Brownie McGhee, Roosevelt Sykes and Victoria Spivey. He relocated to France on the advice of expatriate Memphis Slim, and while there hooked up with the Rolling Stones. In Chicago, Blue worked with and learned from harmonica legends Big Walter Horton, Carey Bell, James Cotton and Junior Wells. He played in the Chicago Blues All-Stars with friend and mentor Willie Dixon and contributed to Dixon's Grammy-winning 1988 album Hidden Charms. He sat in with Fats Domino, Ray Charles and Jerry Lee Lewis for the Cinemax special Fats Domino and Friends. And he appeared onscreen and in the musical score of Alan Parker's acclaimed 1987 thriller Angel Heart, starring Robert De Niro. Best known for his signature riff on the Rolling Stones' "Miss You," Blue performed his own version of the song on his 1993 Alligator Records album Blue Blazes. As to how the name Sugar Blue came to be, "I needed a nickname and all the good ones were taken -- Muddy Waters, Blind Lemon, Sonny Boy," Blue explains. "One night a friend and I were leaving a Doc Watson concert when somebody threw out of the window a box full of old 78s. I picked one up and it said 'Sugar Blues' by Sidney Bechet. That's it! I thought it was perfect. So here I am." Sugar Blue incorporates what he has learned into his visionary and singular style, technically dazzling yet wholly soulful. He bends, shakes and spills flurries of notes with simultaneous precision and abandon. And he sings too. His distinctive throat tends to be overlooked -- a rich voice with a whisper of huskiness. Of the Threshold album, Blue says, "I believe that the greatest threshold of all is love because it is the fount from which all human life springs. Life echoes the sounds of our interactions: joy, sadness, heartache, passion, loneliness, intimacy, celebration or solemn occasion. We have tried to give voice to these feelings in this musical offering."

String Cheese Incident releases Trick or Treat

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The String Cheese Incident has slowed its schedule considerably in recent years, but fans get a chance to relive the group's legendary "Hulaween" shows on the forthcoming live release, Trick or Treat. The two-disc release - set to hit today on CD, vinyl, and digitally - is culled from several of these epic shows by The String Cheese Incident. An expanded 9-disc deluxe box set edition of Trick or Treat will also be available in limited quantity featuring the Michael Everett cover art poster sheet, plus all 7 mini-posters from the box set. Known to perform special concerts comprised heavily of cover tunes each Halloween, Trick or Treat offers selections from SCI performances recorded at Atlanta's Variety Playhouse (1998), Philadelphia's Electric Factory (1999), Portland's State Theatre (2000), New York City (2001), Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium (2002), Sin City's Cox Pavillion (2003), and Madison's Exhibition Center at Alliant Energy Center. The 9-disc limited edition box set of Trick or Treat includes seven complete sets - featuring must-hear renditions of Beatles ("Come Together"), Beastie Boys ("No Sleep Till Brooklyn"), Grateful Dead ("Shakedown Street"), KC & The Sunshine Band ("Get Down Tonight"), and Phish ("The Wedge") classics, among many others. The Trick or Treat deluxe box set also features signed & numbered original artwork from Michael Everett, special commemorative mini-posters from the Hulaween shows, personalized liner notes from the band, a photo booklet by famed rock photographer C. Taylor Crothers, and plenty of special surprises. Formed in Colorado during 1993, The String Cheese Incident has long been considered one of the leaders of the thriving "jam band" scene. Comprised of members Michael Kang (acoustic/electric mandolin, electric guitar, and violin), Michael Travis (drums and percussion), Bill Nershi (acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar, and electric slide guitar), Kyle Hollingsworth (piano, organ, Rhodes, and accordion), Keith Moseley (bass guitar), and Jason Hann (percussion, joined SCI in 2004), the group performed regularly between 1993-2007. And in the process, they built a large fanbase on the strength of their live show, as well as such classic releases as Outside Inside, Untying the Knot, and One Step Closer. In recent years, the band members have focused on solo projects, although The String Cheese Incident did reunite onstage this year for a show-stopping performance at the Rthbury Festival. Now, here's your chance to experience The String Cheese Incident in all their in-concert glory time and time again, with Trick or Treat. Learn more at stringcheeseincident.com.

Airbourne Announce No Guts, No Glory

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Australian rockers Airbourne are pleased to announce No Guts, No Glory as the title of their second album for Roadrunner Records. The album is set for release on February 23, 2010. No Guts, No Glory was recorded in Chicago with noted producer Johnny K (Disturbed, 3 Doors Down, Staind). The band relocated from their shared home in Warrnambool and moved into K's spacious studio to record the album. Frontman Joel O'Keefe says, "Working with Johnny was great, he's one of the boys. We basically just set up all the gear, chucked a few mics around and went for it! Good times!" Brother and drummer Ryan confirms the precarious microphone placement, "With this album, we threw the mics all over the building, left the doors and windows open and pressed record!" Airbourne, known for their adrenalized, "work hard, play harder" style of rock, will embark on a two-month European tour in early February that will span two months and kick off with several UK dates. The band will commence US touring of major markets beginning in April. They will live on the road through the summer.

Grant Hart To Tour In Support Of "Hot Wax"

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Con D'or Records and MVD Audio are proud to announce the tour of Grant Hart in support of his latest release Hot Wax". '80s alternative rock has gone down in the history of music as one of the most fertile and influential musical movements ever - as judged by the amount of notable bands that would subsequently "follow the leaders." And one of the leading lights of the movement was unquestionably Hüsker Dü. After the group's split, drummer Grant Hart moved out front with guitar in hand, and also handled lead vocals on his solo releases. But Hart has spent the last few years working on Hot Wax". Joining Hart on the disc is a diverse cast of musicians from Godspeed You Black Emperor, Silver Mt. Zion, and Rank Strangers with the tracks being recorded in both Montreal and Minneapolis. Hart explains: "The song 'Narcissus, Narcissus' is my first attempt at combining ancient Greek mythology and American rock-a-billy. By merging those influences with an ice cream truck atmosphere I think I have found a style that defines this period of my career. 'You're the Reflection of the Moon on the Water' is one of the most organic rock and roll songs that I have ever written. It's style owes a lot to my devotion for Patti Smith. It was inspired by a comment made by a monk during the selection process to find the next Panchen Lhama, who said of one candidate, 'He is the reflection of the moon on the water but he is not the moon'." As a member of Hüsker Dü (which also included singer/guitarist Bod Mould and mustachioed bassist Greg Norton), Hart played on such all-time alt-rock classics as 1984's Zen Arcade and 1985's New Day Rising, while constantly criss-crossing the U.S. with legendary explosive live shows. Since Hüsker Dü's split in 1987, Hart has sporadically issued solo releases, and was also spotted as a member of the group Nova Mob. He has found a place and function in visual and dramatic art forms as well. Hot Wax" will be Grant's sixth solo release.

Lick Library Releases Zakk Wylde & Randy Rhoads The Solos

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lick Library's Learn to Play - The Solos format now includes Zakk Wylde and Randy Rhoads. The design of the Learn to Play The Solos DVDs includes a CD of professionally recorded guitar jam backing tracks at three different speeds, slow, medium and full tempo, performances of the solos at three speeds, plus expert tuition which breaks the solos down into easy to learn sections. Zakk Wylde is best known for being Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist, founder of Black Label Society and lead guitarist and vocalist with Pride & Glory. He's won practically every guitar magazine award there is and has inspired guitarists of all styles. On stage with Ozzy, Zakk is regarded is one of the few guitarists still flying the flag for seriously shredded solos and high-energy performances full of passion. Randy Rhoads featured on Ozzy Osbourne's first two solo albums which have sold over six million copies combined. Often cited as an influence by many contemporary heavy metal guitarists, Randy Rhoads was one of the few guitarists of his era to create his own signature style by being one of the first heavy metal guitarists to incorporate classical music into his playing. Although he only issued a pair of major-label albums during his lifetime, he immediately reached legendary status upon his tragic death in early 1982 Learn to Play Zakk Wylde, The Solos is taught by professional guitar tutor Andy James, who was once lucky enough to jam with Zakk and Ozzy. The tuition DVD details five solos from classic tracks featured on the No Rest for the Wicked and No More Tears albums. This professionally produced, multi camera shot, guitar lesson breaks each solo down into clearly explained bite sized chunks, and is full of tips and techniques to help you get your playing up to speed. Watch and listen to demonstrations of pinched harmonics, alternate and hybrid picking and that heavy vibrato so indicative of a true Zakk Wylde style of playing. Solos taught on this DVD come from "Miracle Man," "Devils Daughter," "Breaking all the Rules," "No More Tears," and "Mama I'm Coming Home." Learn to Play Randy Rhoads, The Solos is presented by Danny Dill former pupil of Joe Satriani and writer of many of the songs featured in "The Osbournes" TV show. Danny invites you to pick a track and grab a guitar as he takes you through note for note demonstrations of five characteristic Randy Rhoads solos at three different tempos. The DVD format gives you plenty of time to understand what Danny is showing you, and the chapter keys allow you to repeat each section as many times as you need to nail that guitar riff or lick. Solos included come from the tracks "Goodbye to Romance," "Crazy Train," "Over the Mountain," "Flying Again" and "Mr. Crowley," all of which have become metal standards and showcase Randy Rhoads full talent as a guitarist.

Six String Bliss Announces Release of "Scales of Horror"

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Press Release for October 27, 2009 Worldwide Launch - Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 Six String Bliss, the longest-running guitar-centric Podcast on the Internet announces the release of Scales of Horror, a collaborative effort by members of their listening community. This project differs from the past Six String Bliss Albums in that it is comprised entirely of original, Halloween themed music written and performed by various listeners. Scales of Horror will feature 10 songs performed by an international community of artists, with submissions coming from 5 countries. Each of these submissions is the work of members of the Six String Bliss listening community. This is the fourth such project produced by Six String Bliss, the first being 2007's A Blissful Christmas, which was followed up last Fall with Stay Tuned (a collection of TV Themes), then this Spring with Big Screen Bliss (a collection of songs featured prominently in movies). According to PT, co-host of the Podcast: "We weren't sure what to expect when we requested original tracks from our listeners. But what they delivered was beyond our expectations. This album is a true testament to the talent of this community, and I'm sure it will be freaking out trick or treaters worldwide for years to come!" All guitarists are welcome to join in the fun of the Six String Bliss Forum. Projects like this will continue to thrive so long as there is an active community to make these happen. So please come by, introduce yourself, and join in the next project! Podcast Episode 169 which will feature Scales of Horror will be up on the RSS Feed (http://sixstringbliss.libsyn.com/rss) and on iTunes at 11:00PM (CDT) Tuesday, October 27th, with the show notes added to the website soon thereafter at www.sixstringbliss.com. About Six String Bliss Six String Bliss is the longest-running guitar-centric Podcast on the Internet. Co-hosted by guitarists PT and Pipes, the weekly show caters to players of all ages and abilities, and features segments including Email of the Week, Guitarist of the Week, Guitar News and general discussion of all things relating to the guitar. Interviews have featured internationally renowned guitarists as well as luthiers, store owners, and manufacturers of pickups, effects, and recording software. The website includes an active international forum.

Ratt Releasing Infestation

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Legendary hard rock icons Ratt announced today that Infestation will be the title of their next album, due out in March 2010 via Loud & Proud/Roadrunner Records. Infestation0 is the band's first studio album since 1999. The band, consisting of longtime members Stephen Pearcy, Warren DeMartini and Bobby Blotzer, new guitarist Carlos Cavazo (formerly of Quiet Riot) and Robbie Crane on bass, worked with producer Elvis Baskette (Chevelle, Incubus, Limp Bizkit). This collaboration marks the very first time in their storied career that RATT have recorded outside of Los Angeles. The band lived together at Elvis' Virginia studio while recording Infestation. Ratt have enjoyed a rich, impressive and certainly long-lasting legacy through the years, having made their mark in the 1980s with 5 consecutive multi-platinum albums, including Out of the Cellar, Invasion of Your Privacy and Dancing Undercover. With 1984's mega-platinum debut Out of the Cellar celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the band is looking forward to starting a new chapter with new music to complement the impressive legacy they have established over two-plus decades. Ratt will embark on a world tour in 2010.

The Mother Hips Release Pacific Dust

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Mother Hips have flown under the radar as true indie music pioneers for almost two decades. With the release of their new album Pacific Dust (available October 27th on Camera Records), California's unsung psych-pop heroes tell their story. Hailed by critics for their "rootsy mix of 70s rock and power pop" (pitchfork.com) and for their unflinching ability to "sing it sweet and play it dirty" (New Yorker), on Pacific Dust The Hips' signature sound rings more genuine and relevant than ever before. The Hips - led by co-founders Tim Bluhm (vocals/guitar) and Greg Loiacono (guitar/vocals) - have been playing music for nearly 18 years, and in the process, have had the luxury of exploring and refining their craft. For the band's seventh full-length studio album, The Mother Hips have never been more primed to share their well-traveled tales - the long days and nights on the road, the gritty politics, the smart inward reflections and man, the music! - all delivered with a most appealing balance of Americana storytelling and their California-burnished rock. Pacific Dust's compositions about penning a song in your kitchen at 3:00 am (the thundering album opener "White Falcon Fuzz"), record company politics (garage-rock boogie "Third Floor Story"), and a father and son's relationship through music (on the ballad "Young Charles Ives") indeed tell the story of many American rock bands. But here's why it matters: The Mother Hips have survived, and in fact thrived, throughout the journey - and Pacific Dust, with its bittersweet melodies, poignant lyrics, and strong and gritty musicianship, is a perfect example of why. The Mother Hips owe most of their success to their large and loyal fanbase. Earlier releases such as Part-Timer Goes Full, Green Hills of Earth, and Red Tandy have become almost cult classics among indie music buffs, and the band's most recent 2007 album, Kiss the Crystal Flake, offered proof that the band still continues to attract new supporters. Over the years, the band has worked with and played alongside a slew of renowned/respected colleagues including super-producer Rick Rubin, Wilco, Johnny Cash, and many others. Today, armed with their newest release Pacific Dust, The Hips are poised to take their experience and talent to another level for this next leg of their already epic journey. The band will tour this fall in support of Pacific Dust. Learn more at motherhips.com.

Pixies Slate Doolittle Tour

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Pixies - Black Francis, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago and David Lovering - have put together an imaginative and stunning production for their "Doolittle Tour," that kicks off its U.S. leg on Wednesday, November 4 with three shows at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. The "Doolittle Tour" is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of the Pixies' classic 1989 album, Doolittle, with the band performing the album in its entirety plus its related B-sides. Myles Mangino, the Pixies long-time lighting designer, designed the production with designer Paul Normandale, and brought on filmmakers Judy Jacobs, Tom Winkler, Brent Felix, and Melinda Tupling to create 11 films especially for the tour. The films are projected onto a massive backdrop video screen to accompany 12 of the 21 songs that comprise the Pixies' "Doolittle" set. In addition, four huge, undulating, eyeball-like spheres are flown just below the lighting rig and become part of the concert's light show. As an example, visuals accompanying the song "Debaser" are from a compilation titled "Forbidden Images." The hauntingly beautiful black and white footage from the 1920s depicts the beginning of the women's rights moment, showing women's exuberant playfulness, femininity and sensuality. The footage, a little too progressive for that time period, was originally banned from theatres. For "Here Comes Your Man," a four-way split screen displays close up images of the band members dancing along to the song; "I Bleed" sees blood dripping down the screen in time to the music; "Hey" features hand-drawn animation of the song's lyrics by Hollywood animator Tom Winkler; clouds, black holes, and Mankind's arrogance destroying the Earth are the focus for "Monkey Gone to Heaven," while "La La Love You" is a humorous animated piece starring hearts with legs. Doolittle was the band's third album and includes classics such as "Debaser," "Wave of Mutilation," "Here Comes Your Man," "Hey," and "Gouge Away." The "Doolittle Tour" launched on September 30 in Dublin, Ireland, and played sold-out shows everywhere - Scotland, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, and to 20,000 fans over four nights in London. The "Doolittle Tour" has also received rave notices - five-star reviews in the [London] Times, the Guardian, and the Independent, which also said, "...no band has pulled off a one-album show as triumphantly as the Pixies did here with a 20th anniversary performance of their 1989 masterpiece Doolittle." The Boston-formed Pixies have been acclaimed as the most influential pioneering band of the late '80s alt/rock movement. Their five studio releases and six years together effectively blazed the path for groups like Nirvana, Radiohead, and Pearl Jam to rise to superstardom. They disbanded in 1993 and launched their reunion tour in April 2004 when virtually every, single date sold out within minutes and fans traveled hundreds of miles to attend a show. In post-Pixies years, Black Francis has enjoyed a successful solo career as Frank Black, Kim Deal went on to form the Platinum-selling band the Breeders, Joey Santiago started the band The Martinis and has carved a career as a music composer for film and TV, and David Lovering performs as a magician and continues to drum. The U.S. "Doolittle Tour" will be the band's first American trek since 2005. The "Doolittle Tour" will coincide with the release of the ultimate Pixies Collector's Set, Minotaur, which ships to purchasers in early November and will hit stores around the same time. To find out more, visit ainr.com.

Jo Dee Messina Preps New Album

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Multi-platinum country singer/songwriter Jo Dee Messina has been uniquely connecting with audiences on her ongoing national "Music Room Series Tour"--an intimate evening of music and conversation with fans--and has just announced she will release a new single, "That's God," in January 2010. It will set up her first album in five years - Unmistakable -over which time Jo Dee has married and had her first child, a 10-month-old son named Noah. Due in the spring, Unmistakable shows that Jo Dee has fully come into her own as a songwriter and producer--she co-produced the whole album--and isn't afraid to show her true colors. "With theUnmistakable album, it lets people see a different side of me than they have seen in the past," says JO DEE. "For example, I actually recorded straight forward love songs on this album, something I am definitely not known for." Jo Dee has been debuting "That's God"--which she wrote with Brent Rader--along the tour, earning a wildly enthusiastic audience response for its uplifting lyrics, which Jo Dee delivers in her signature soaring voice. "My heart is exploding with excitement. This song is truly what I want to say. I believe in it and its message." Since breaking onto the music scene in 1996,Jo Dee has scored nine #1 country singles, sold over five million records, received two Grammy nominations and received various CMA and ACM awards. Her many hits include "Heads Carolina, Tails California," "Bye Bye," "I'm Alright," "Stand Beside Me," "That's The Way" and "Bring On The Rain" (a duet with Tim McGraw). Jo Dee's next run of dates on the "Music Room Series Tour" wraps November 29 with three nights in Reno. On the road she has been building on her bond with fans as only she can. "The shows have been so much fun because they are totally interactive, from the show itself, to giving away tickets via Twitter prior to the show, to the internet broadcast following the show. It is truly all about the fans." Learn more at jodeemessina.com/.

Brodsky Announces Tour Dates

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Stephen Brodsky, the brains behind Pet Genius, the Stephen Brodsky in Stephen Brodsky's Octave Museum and lead of the groundbreaking metal core/space rock outfit Cave In, is (maybe) coming to a town near you! Please check the dates below to see if the aforementioned statement applies to you, believe me, its worth looking into! Stephen Brodsky's solo exploits are a slice of fried gold! One of the most under-recognized overachievers in contemporary indie music. For most, its an undertaking on first listen because one cannot contain this gentleman's creations in any sort of six sided receptacle, however a discerning listener immediately recognizes the mastery Stephen possesses over his craft.

Rob Zombie Offers Fan Package

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Rob Zombie has partnered with I Love All Access to provide "Ultimate Fan Packages" on his upcoming tour. Each includes: · One general admission ticket, with priority access · A meet & greet with Rob Zombie · A pre-show party · Exclusive Rob Zombie gift bag · Crowd-free merchandise shopping · Ultimate Fan souvenir laminate · Parking This will be Zombie's first headline tour since 2007 and will have other ghoulish delights in tow including openers Nekromantix and Captain Clegg & the Night Creatures last seen rocking Haddonfield and Michael Myers in Zombie's new film Halloween 2. "I am bouncing off the walls like a mental patient", says Zombie "That tells me it's time to take it to the stage and let the demons loose." For more, go to iloveallaccess.com.

Warner Bros. Attending WFMU Record Fair

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Warner Bros. Records will bring vinyl to the people this weekend by hosting a booth at the annual WFMU Record Fair at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th Street, in Manhattan "There is no better place to sell music directly to fans than at the annual WMFU show," says Warner Bros. Records General Manager Tom Biery, who oversees all of the company's vinyl releases. "As a vinyl freak, I have been going to the show for years and have always thought that having a WBR/Reprise booth to sell our records would be a ton of fun as well as a great learning experience." This weekend also kicks off Warner Bros. Records' relationship with vinyl-only indie label, Original Recording Group (ORG), which will be manning the WBR booth. At the show, Reprise Records will unveil, for the first time, legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young's first four catalog reissues, including the direct-to-fan 180-gram Limited Edition box set. Those titles, Neil Young, Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, After The Gold Rush, and Harvest, have been meticulously cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering from the original master tapes (under the direct supervision of Neil Young's team) and manufactured at the world's premiere record-pressing plant, Pallas MFG/Germany. This is the first-ever upgrade to these essential recordings on vinyl and is sure to delight both fans and audiophiles alike.

Kansas Offers New DVD

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Kansas delivers unforgettable live performances! Evidenced nowhere better than on their current DVD release, There's Know Place Like Home debuts at #5 on the Billboard DVD top sales chart. Featuring guest appearances by former members Kerry Livgren and Steve Morse, spectacular lighting, and songs previously not recorded with a symphony, this unique concert has been captured in High Definition video and Surround Sound audio. Released October 13th, TKPLH has already become the highest- charting Kansas DVD of all-time and the #1 selling DVD for RED distribution this week. The immediate success of There's Know Place Like Home, should come as no surprise, as uniting Kansas with the orchestra is a natural and richly fulfilling experience. The result is a must-own DVD of a performance filmed/recorded earlier this year at the Washburn University's White Concert Hall in their original hometown of Topeka, KS and released on co-producers Jeff Glixman and Jim Gentile's StarCity label. Says Glixman: "I have seen many, many KANSAS shows and this one was right at the very top. The DVD contains arguably the definitive versions of 'Icarus II', 'Hold On', 'Nobody's Home' and more, as well as Kerry Livgren and Steve Morse appearing together for the first time". Add to the mix simply magnificent renditions of such Kansas classics as "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind," and you have a can't-miss recipe that has resulted in what is unquestionably one of the finest in-concert rock DVD's of 2009. For more information, visit: www.starcityrecording.com www.kansasband.com

Masters of American Music Series Coming on DVD

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The award-winning Masters of American Music documentary series was the first produced about Jazz, and on October 27, Naxos will release the first DVD from the series, profiling Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, and Thelonioius Monk. Dispensing with critics and historians, the series focused on the musicians: dozens of them telling the story of Jazz in their own words. Often, music performances are allowed to play out, entertaining moments are illuminated, and the irrepressible nature of the music and its greatest innovators shines through. The series set a new standard for television music documentaries. The documentaries were broadcast in the 1980s and '90s; this is their first appearance on DVD. Masters of American Music is a co-production of Toby Byron/Multiprises in association with Beta Film, Munich and VideoArts Japan. Learn more at naxos.com.

Motley Crue Slate New Greatest Hits Disc

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Mötley Crüe have announced plans for an updated version of their Greatest Hits, a remix of "The Animal In Me" and the Grammy nominated "Saints of Los Angeles" from the hit album of the same name. After playing to a million rock fans around the world over the past year with the recently completed Crüe Fest 2, the Saints of Los Angeles 2009 arena tour, headlining tour dates around the globe, and last year's Crüe Fest (which was the most successful touring rock festival of the summer) and over 80 million albums sold, the world's most notorious rock band only knows how to do things huge. Mötley's latest album, Saints of Los Angeles, debuted at #1 on the Independent Album chart and was the top debut of the week on Billboard's Top 200 at #4. The title track was nominated for a Grammy in 2009 for Best Hard Rock Performance and was the first track ever to be released simultaneously on the popular video game Rock Band, which sold five-times the amount of traditional retailers in its first week. "Saints of Los Angeles" was also named the top rock song of 2008 by the iTunes' editorial board. The Crüe will offer a new version of their greatest hits in time for the 2009 holiday season and will include hits like "Dr. Feelgood," "Without You," "Smokin' In The Boys' Room," "Home Sweet Home," "Girls, Girls, Girls," "Kickstart My Heart," "Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)", "Don't Go Away Mad," "If I Die Tomorrow," "Saints of Los Angeles" and also a new remix of "The Animal In Me." The album will be released on November 17. For more, visit motley.com.

Pixies Announce Support Acts for U.S. Tour

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the release of their classic 1989 album Doolittle, the Pixies - Black Francis, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago and David Lovering - will kick off the 21-date U.S. leg of their "Doolittle Tour" on Wednesday, November 4 at the Hollywood Palladium. Today, the band announces the support acts for the tour. Opening for the Pixies over the course of the "Doolittle Tour" will be Bad Lieutenant, the new project from New Order/Joy Division's Bernard Sumner; the Los Angeles experimental art rock duo No Age; Brooklyn-based music project Black Gold; TV on the Radio/Kyp Malone's solo project Rain Machine; garage punk musician Jay Reatard; and Denmark's flamboyant Mew. (Full schedule below.) In addition, a third and final Chicago show has been added to the American trek. The Pixies will now open their Chicago run on Thursday, November 19 at the Aragon Ballroom with Bad Lieutenant supporting. The "Doolittle Tour" launched on September 30 in Ireland, and has played sold-out shows everywhere - Scotland, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, and to 20,000 fans over four nights in London. The "Doolittle Tour" has also received rave notices - five-star reviews in the [London] Times, the Guardian, and the Independent, which also said, "...no band has pulled off a one-album show as triumphantly as the Pixies did here with a 20th anniversary performance of their 1989 masterpiece Doolittle." On this tour, the Pixies will perform all of the songs from Doolittle and its related B-sides, "Weird at My School, "Dancing the Manta Ray," and "Bailey's Walk" among them. Doolittle, the band's third album and the first to chart on Billboard's album charts, includes classics such as "Debaser," "Wave of Mutilation," "Here Comes Your Man," "Hey," and "Gouge Away." "We wanted to do something special for Doolittle's 20th anniversary, said Black Francis, "and we thought this was a good opportunity to play all of the songs from that album, something we don't normally do at a regular gig." The "Doolittle Tour" will coincide with the release of the ultimate Pixies Collector's Set, Minotaur, which ships in early November.

Tegan And Sara Slate U.S. Tour

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Canadian pop-rockers Tegan and Sara have announced that they will launch their first extensive tour of the U.S. in nearly two years in February 2010. The tour kicks off February 12th in Northampton, MA, and criss-crosses the country before finishing up on April 6th in Salt Lake City, UT. The ticket pre-sale begins this Wednesday, October 14th, at 10 a.m. The password for all pre-sales is "Sainthood." Tickets will go on sale to the public on Friday, October 16th, at 10 a.m. Twin sisters Tegan and Sara Quin are hitting the road in support of their eagerly awaited sixth studio album SAINTHOOD, which is due from Sire/Vapor Records on October 27. SAINTHOOD was produced by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla (who also produced 2007's critically applauded THE CON) and Howard Redekopp (who produced 2004's groundbreaking effort SO JEALOUS) and mixed by Grammy Award winner Dave Sardy (Oasis, Primal Scream, Marilyn Manson). Tegan and Sara began recording SAINTHOOD in May at the legendary Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, CA, where Tom Petty, Nirvana, and Fleetwood Mac have all recorded. They finished laying down tracks at Seattle's Two Sticks Audio, owned by Death Cab drummer Jason McGerr. "Hell," the first digital single from SAINTHOOD, is now available for purchase from all digital service providers and is currently streaming live on the band's website www.teganandsara.com. It is the band's first new song released to fans since July 2007. Fans who pre-order SAINTHOOD on iTunes will receive the track as a free digital download. An iTunes exclusive deluxe version of the album will feature two bonus tracks: "Wrists" and "Light Up." As previously mentioned, a triumvirate of books entitled ON, IN, AT, will be released in conjunction with the release of SAINTHOOD. The three-book set, which chronicles different time periods from the past year in the lives of Tegan and Sara, will be available through teganandsara.com. These books are a Must Have item for fans and have been beautifully photographed, annotated and packaged. Check the site for additional details. To celebrate the release of SAINTHOOD, Tegan and Sara will perform four very special shows: October 25th and 26th at Los Angeles' Orpheum Theater, and October 30th and 31st at New York City's Town Hall. The band will also appear on NBC's The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien on November 2nd. Tegan and Sara's 2010 U.S. tour dates are as follows: Feb 12 Northampton, MA Calvin Theatre Feb 13 Boston, MA The Orpheum Feb 16 Philadelphia, PA Tower Theatre (Upper Darby) Feb 17 Washington, DC Warner Theatre Feb 18 Richmond, VA The National Feb 20 Tampa, FL Tampa Theatre Feb 21 Miami, FL Sunset Cove Feb 23 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse Feb 24 New Orleans, LA Tipitina's Feb 25 Dallas, TX Palladium Feb 26 Austin, TX Bass Concert Hall Feb 27 Houston, TX The Warehouse Mar 02 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues Mar 03 San Diego, CA Copley Symphony Hall Mar 05 San Francisco, CA Fox Theater Mar 06 San Francisco, CA Fox Theater Mar 24 Minneapolis, MN The Orpheum Mar 25 Milwaukee, WI The Riverside Mar 26 Chicago IL The Aragon Mar 27 Detroit, MI Royal Oak Theatre Mar 28 Cleveland, OH Lakewood Civic Mar 30 Columbus, OH Promo West Pavilion Apr 02 St. Louis, MO The Pageant Apr 03 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theatre Apr 04 Denver, CO The Ogden Apr 06 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue For info, tour dates, merch, personal blogs and much more, visit: www.teganandsara.com

NXT Launches Double Bass

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Steinberger's new NXT series Double Bass is crafted in the Czech Republic by the makers of the renowned CR Series. Its solid maple body and neck, with graduated ebony fingerboard, deliver a rich, full tone that rings true for every note. Asymmetrical fingerboard relief facilitates an even 'growl' from the higher strings and a clear, powerful lower register. The adjustable bridge and truss rod allow for low, fast action, or for higher string settings that encourage the traditional acoustic player to 'dig in' with gusto. Pizzicato and arco techniques have almost unlimited expressive potential, thanks to the Polar Pickup System. A convenient switch allows selection of the traditional arco mode for percussive attack and dynamic bowed response, or pizzicato mode for a smooth, sustained tone. Equipped with single volume and tone controls, the passive electronics deliver unlimited overhead for the ultimate sound without cumbersome batteries. NS Electric Strings and most traditional acoustic strings fit all NS Double Basses, allowing the player to select from a wide range, each with a unique sound a feel. A wide array of interchangeable support systems make the NXT Double Bass adaptable to virtually any situation. The NXT bass brings world-class design and craftsmanship to a surprisingly affordable price range. With a visual appearance as striking as its sound, the roadworthy NXT is an exciting and reliable partner for the most demanding performance career.

Blue Cheer Founder Dickie Peterson Passes

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dickie Peterson, bassist and frontman for Blue Cheer, died October 12 in Germany, after a bout with liver cancer. He was 61. Named for a strain of acid, Peterson and Blue Cheer were influenced by Cream and Jimi Hendrix and released their first album, Vincebus Eruptum, in 1968. Their music - now sometimes referred to as "proto metal," stood in stark contrast to much of the pervasive music of the late '60s. They scored a hit when their rendition of Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" and later were the first band listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as "Loudest Band in the World," a title later held by Deep Purple and The Who. Blue Cheer disbanded in 1972, and Peterson re-formed the group 1984. In 2007 it released What Doesn't Kill You ... and continued to tour.

3RD Power Introduces HLH100 Amp

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

3RD Power Amplification Systems has introduced its first product, a truly unique professional guitar amp system. The HLH100 Series system combines patent-applied-for technologies in both its tube amplifier and triangular 3x12 speaker cabinet to produce the ultimate medium-to-high gain guitar rig. The HLH100 features hand-wired circuitry from amp to cabinet and is made in the USA. This unique, large-format rig was designed for serious guitarists by 3RD Power president and pro audio industry veteran Jamie Scott. "In the 25 years I've been playing, I've spent a lot my free time working on my guitar rig," he states. "The goal was create a tour-ready rig that can produce a 'fader-up' guitar sound with killer overdrive tone at any volume level, while eliminating the standing waves and phase smear inherent in traditional speaker cabinet design." To achieve the sound he was looking for, Scott perfected the DirecDRIV tube preamp section, which produces a sweet-sounding overdrive that transmits every nuance from guitar to cabinet, at any volume. An innovative Smooth/Bold voicing switch gives the player a choice of tonalities between a classic late-60s sound (Smooth) and an assertive, more lyrical tube quality (Bold). The HD100 amp is hand-wired point to point and produces a classic 100 watts of power designed for use in combination with the HLH 312 cabinet. The physical design of the HLH 312 speaker cabinet, while visually striking, has very specific sonic benefits. With no parallel walls, many of the audio artifacts inherent in more traditional cabinet designs have been eliminated. The shape also allows closer spacing of the speaker cones, creating a distinctive, point-source sound that retains coherency across the entire sound stage. Like the system's HD100 amp head, the 312 cabinet is the brainchild of 3RD Power founder Jamie Scott, who has been playing professionally since the age of 16. "I first sketched the original physical design over 20 years back," he recalls. "In doing patent research for the HLH100 System, I was amazed to learn that no one else had come up with the idea. Because as a guitarist, let me tell you, the sound is amazing!" Each HLH 312 cabinet features three Celestion® Vintage 30 speakers, wired in parallel for exceptional transient response and rich, dynamic sound, from tight, extended lows to sweet, articulate mids and highs. By stacking three cabinets together, guitarists can achieve a wet/dry/wet structure in roughly the same space as two conventional 4x12 cabinets. This architecture creates an amazingly consistent sound throughout the performance area, eliminating the comb-filtering lobes and harsh, "beamy" sound of conventional rigs to achieve an amazingly cohesive soundstage. At its heart, 3RD Power Amplification is a showcase for Jamie Scott's lifelong search for the ultimate guitar rig. "When you get three 312 cabinets together with the HD100 head in that wet/dry/wet configuration, the sound is amazing!" he enthuses. "The harmonically rich and responsive overdrive, the 3D soundstage created with no hotspots or dead spots... It's something that every serious player has to experience." For full information, including video demos, visit 3rdpoweramps.com.

Verheyen Slates West Coast Dates

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Carl Verheyen is embarking on a limited run of tour dates on the West Coast. The 24-year guitar veteran of multi-platinum band Supertramp is showcasing his abilities on a limited run of West Coast shows. The Carl Verheyen Band is a highly-regarded group of top players including bassist Dave Marotta and drummer Walfredo Reyes, Jr. The sound created by these master musicians blends rock, blues, jazz and country seamlessly. The Carl Verheyen Band is touring in support of Trading 8s, Verheyen's tenth studio album to date. See a list of dates at carlverheyen.com.

Cavo Tours with Daughtry, ToDM

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Fresh off national tours with Cruefest, Shinedown, and Sick Puppies, hot, up-and-coming rock band Cavo will hit the road with Daughtry and Theory of a Deadman beginning October 19th. The extensive arena tour will criss-cross through the U.S. through December 20th. The St. Louis quartet are touring in support of their major-label debut album Bright Nights Dark Days, which was released by Reprise Records on August 11th. The album, which was produced by David Bendeth (Breaking Benjamin, Paramore, All Time Low), debuted at No. 48 on the Billboard album chart and has spawned the rock radio hit "Champagne," which climbed to No. 1 on both the BDS/Billboard Active Rock and Mainstream Rock charts, making Cavo the first new artist to hit the top spot on the Mainstream chart since Trapt did it in 2003. The second single from Bright Nights Dark Days, "Crash," is impacting rock radio now and has been added at more than 60 Alternative, Active, and Mainstream Rock stations across the country. It was the only song that debuted on last week's Active Rock chart. Cavo is singer Casey Walker, guitarist Chris Hobbs, drummer Chad La Roy, and bassist Brian Smith. See more at cavomusic.com.

PAPER ZOO Kick Off National Tour With Roger Daltrey; Release Debut EP on Custard

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Los Angeles' Paper Zoo will release its self-titled EP via Custard this fall. The set will be released in conjunction with their first national tour which kicked off this past Saturday in Vancouver. The band will open for rock legend Roger Daltrey as part of his first headlining solo tour since 1985. Led by guitarist/lead singer Allister Izenberg, Paper Zoo play with an approach that reflects eclectic tastes and surprisingly deep roots - from Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Queen to contemporary and even esoteric influences - that drive them to create a language all their own. After a chance meeting with multi-platinum singer/songwriter/producer and Custard label head Linda Perry at a Guitar Center at the age of 13, Paper Zoo - then a power trio - started working to develop their sound with longtime Perry collaborator and Bigelf frontman Damon Fox. Their debut EP comes nearly six years and one new band member since that Guitar Center meeting. Produced by Damon and mixed by Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures), the EP is a creation of rough demos recorded over the span of several visits to Linda's Kung Fu Gardens. "I've been developing these kids since that day at Guitar Center. Every time I think about these guys or do anything with them, I get extremely excited. When I listen to their music, I feel like I go on a journey; they are so refreshing to me. They truly are the new generation," says Perry. Paper Zoo is Allister, William Thomas Wesley II (bass), Monte Dyaami Najera (drums) and Martin Lopez (keys). Allister's soft spot for the heavy and the psychedelic emerges through his guitar stylings, while Billy's bass is supportive and lyrical and propelling it all is Monte's fluid feel for his drums. The latest addition to the Paper Zoo is keyboardist Martin Lopez who is universally adept at the organ, piano mellotron and synthesizer. Learn more at wearepaperzoo.com.

Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School of Medicine Set Tour Dates

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Though many of Jello Biafra's "collaborations" (Lard, No WTO Combo, Tumor Circus, & records with Melvins, DOA, Nomeansno, & Mojo Nixon) would have been called solo albums by other artists, this is his first full-time working band since Dead Kennedys, and it shows. Also on board are Ralph Spight (Victims Family, Freak Accident, Hellworms) Jon Weiss (Sharkbait, Horsey), Billy Gould (Faith No More), & Kimo Ball (Freak Accident, Carneyball Johnson, Mol Triffid, Griddle). In the twenty or so years since his brainchild Dead Kennedys officially disbanded, Jello Biafra has made a career of spoken word gigs interspersed with musical collaborations with some of the most compelling figures in underground music. Recording projects and touring with the likes of Melvins, No Means No, DOA, Mojo Nixon and Lard (with Ministry's Al Jorgensen) among others have kept his "hardcore as political weapon" message sharp, but the lack of his own band made these collaborations usually short-lived and left Biafra with a ton of songs that had never seen the light of day. Inspired by The Stooges gig on Iggy Pop's 60th birthday gig in San Francisco, Biafra laid plans for his own 50th birthday party and finally decided it was time to start a band of his own. After cramming rehearsal for a month the four piece band called themselves Jello Biafra and the Axis Of Merry Evildoers! The band, which featured Jello, Billy Gould, Ralph Spight, & Jon Weiss, took the stage in a sold-out 2-night stand at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall. Flush from that exhilarating triumph, the band did 9 months of rehearsal & writing, and added ace guitarist Kimo Ball. This led to the recording of "The Audacity of Hype." Now christened Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School of Medicine, the band's record was produced by Biafra and engineered by Hip Hop producer and long time Jello co-conspirator Matt Kelley (Hieroglyphics, The Coup, Digital Underground, Victims Family, Tumor Circus) at Prairie Sun Recording in Cotati, CA and San Francisco's Hyde Street Studios. The band's twin guitar attack retains some of the space-punk overtones and spy-music-on-meth chaos of Dead Kennedys while adding a healthy dose of Detroit style proto-punk, flavored with Weiss' industrial excursions into metal percussion. Topically, the album explores how our forced Iraqnophobia and Homeland Insecurity continues to feed lawlessness at the top ("The Terror Of Tiny Town") vs. a runaway police state and class war towards the bottom ("Three Strikes," "Electronic Plantation" (originally done by the No WTO Combo, Jello's one-off collaboration with Krist Novelselic (Nirvana) & Kim Thayil (Soundgarden). "Clean As A Thistle" becomes more timely every day as "Family Values" blowhards from Sanford to Berlusconi get caught in sinful trysts, while album closer "I Won't Give Up" offers an age of Obama anthem on how change comes from agitation from below, not from glamour and sound bites from the top. Thirty years on, Jello Biafra has made an album that solidifies and expands his uncompromising vision and updates it for the new century, with a powerhouse band that promises to be a terrifying live machine, currently with Ron Nichols (Grinch, Hammers of Misfortune, Fracas) filling the bass position upon Billy Gould's return to Faith No More.

Keb' Mo' releases indie album

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Grammy Award winning bluesy singer/songwriter Keb' Mo' will embark on a 31-date American tour while releasing his first indie album, Live & Mo', October 20. A blend of songs handpicked by Keb' Mo' for the premiere release on his own label, Yolabelle International, the CD includes six live performances harvested from pinnacle moments on the road and four new studio recordings, including the anthemic "A Brand New America," an inspirational band version of "Victims of Comfort," the deep funky groove of "Government Cheese" and the back-porch blues of "Hole in the Bucket." Live & Mo' will be available through Keb' Mo's web site. The tour opens October 14 and covers such major cities as Toronto, New York, Boston, Washington, Albany, Philadelphia, Chicago, Milwaukee, Denver, Ann Arbor, Salt Lake City, Oakland and Portland, OR. All dates find Keb' Mo' and his Band as the headliner with the exception of the November 21 Oakland date, which is a co-headline with Solomon Burke. (A full list of dates follows.) While the tour proceeds, Keb' Mo's single from the Playing For Change CD, "Better Man," is impacting Triple A radio. Keb' is also the voice-over talent and has donated a song - an acoustic version of "A Brand New America" - to the NAACP produced Census 2010 informational video to be distributed virally this Fall. As evidenced by these tracks, Keb's songs about hope and bringing out the best in humanity are resonating on many levels and in various media. Keb' Mo's web site now features a newly designed merchandise store called Mo' Stuff, which is stocked with a unique line of clothing and lifestyle items, a detailed discography featuring streaming music of his entire catalog, and a special section detailing his favorite guitars as well as his personal commentary on them. Keb' Mo's music is a contemporary link to the seminal Delta blues tradition that traveled up the Mississippi River and across the expanse of America - informing all of its musical roots - before evolving into a universally celebrated art form. Born Kevin Moore in South Los Angeles to parents originally from the Deep South, he adopted his better-known stage name when he was a young player who became inspired by the force of this essential African-American legacy. In the tradition of bluesmen before him, from Muddy Waters, also known as McKinley Morganfield, and Taj Mahal, who began his days as Henry St. Clair Fredericks, Moore became known as Keb' Mo'. His acclaimed self-titled 1994 debut album introduced that now famous appellation to the world, and his latest, Live & Mo' represents another musical experience to be savored. Learn more at kebmo.com.

Waylon Jennings' RCA Years Reissued

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Waylon Jennings is the recognized father of the Outlaw movement of country, a rebel against the Nashville establishment whose recordings blended honky-tonk, rock 'n' roll and folk in a way virtually nobody else was doing at the time. Collectors' Choice has chosen six of Jennings' many RCA long-players from 1966-'70 and will release them as three twofer CDs: Folk Country/Waylon Sings Ol' Harlan, Love of the Common People/Hangin' On and Waylon/Singer of Sad Songs. The CDs will hit the streets on November 24, 2009. Grammy Award-winning annotator/historian Colin Escott wrote the liner notes. In the 1950s, Jennings was a Lubbock DJ and fledgling singer whose first record was produced by Buddy Holly (Jennings briefly played bass for Holly, and gave up his airplane seat to the Big Bopper before the ill-fated flight that took the lives of the Bopper, Holly and Richie Valens). In 1963 Jennings, then living in Phoenix, signed to A&M for one LP that went nowhere, and was advised by Bobby Bare, for whom he'd co-written a hit, that Nashville was the place to be. So when RCA Nashville A&R head/producer Chet Atkins invited Jennings to sign, he jumped at the chance: "I started out for Nashville in a yellow Cadillac with a yellow-haired woman." As Escott reminds us in the liner notes for Folk Country/Waylon Sings Ol' Harlan, "Waylon, remembered by many these days as a grizzled cowboy stoner, was young once. Most artists dismiss their old work, but Waylon thought he was as good as he could be during every phase of his long career, and the evidence bears him out." The two albums, coupled onto one CD, document the 1966-67 period as Jennings found his way in Nashville. Folk Country, Jennings' RCA debut, was so called as Atkins wanted to attract some of the folk hootenanny crowd, but the record was mainstream country all the way -- most of the songs written by Harlan Howard, "among the most gifted and prolific writers in country music history," as Escott notes. From the album came Jennings' first hit, "That's the Chance I'll Have to Take." One year, two LPs and a movie later (Nashville Rebel, 1966), Jennings returned to the studio for his fourth RCA album, Waylon Sings Ol' Harlan, cut in '66 and released in '67. Included were Howard songs "Busted," "Tiger By the Tail," "She Called Me Baby," "Foolin' Around" and "In This Very Same Room." The second CD combines Love of the Common People (1967) and Hangin' On (1968). Early in his career, Jennings released three LPs a year featuring old songs, then-current songs that moved him, and his most recent hits. Included on Love of the Common People were the title track, Lennon/McCartney's "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away," Mel Tillis' "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town" (three years before it was a hit for Kenny Rogers & the First Edition) and "Young Widow Brown," later recorded by Frankie Miller. In the fall of 1967, Harlan Howard's "The Chokin' Kind" became Jennings' biggest hit, peaking at #8 on the country charts. It appeared on Hangin' On, and later became a #1 soul hit for Joe Simon. Also on Hangin' On: "Lock, Stock and Teardrops," "Hangin' On" and "The Crowd." Atkins, says Escott, "didn't care too much about albums. Singles were his business." And so after accumulating enough recorded material from Jennings, thrice yearly Atkins would pull songs for an LP. Hangin' On came out of several sessions between February and September 1967. And this got Jennings thinking about the meaning of albums. Jennings grew weary of the "Nashville way." As Escott points out, "It was an assembly line and after five years, Jennings was beginning to resent it. He wanted less quantity and more quality. He wanted albums to be personal statements, not assemblages of songs from different sessions. And he wanted to work with his road band, not session men. Rock singers had achieved that level of autonomy but country musicians were still locked into Nashville's old ways." Collectors' Choice's third CD twofer includes two 1970 LPs, when the tides were starting to turn. It was a big year for the artist as six of his songs appeared in the Mike Jagger movie Ned Kelly, A&M Records released a compilation of his early recordings, and RCA released a greatest hits collection. He also produced an album by his wife, Jessi Colter. And Chet Atkins, long Jennings' producer, was withdrawing from production to refocus on playing. Jennings was assigned a new producer, Danny Davis, and the transition didn't go well. "I would go into the studio and do tracks," Jennings wrote, and when I came back, I wouldn't recognize the same song." And there were other grievances. Yet their first collaboration, Waylon, turned out well and bore a #3 hit, a cover of Chuck Berry's "Brown Eyed Handsome Man." Also included were Mickey Newberry's stoner anthem "Thirty-third of August" and "All of Me Belongs to You," as well as a re-record of "Yellow Haired Woman." Jennings shares CD space with Singer of Sad Songs, produced by the late Lee Hazelwood not in Nashville but rather Los Angeles. Sidemen included Randy Meisner (Poco), and future New Riders of the Purple Sage members Allen Kemp and Patrick Shanahan. Material ranged from Hazelwood's "She Comes Running" to Chris Kenner's R&B hit "Sick and Tired," plus songs by Tim Harden, Tom Rush and the Louvin Brothers. The transition to Outlaw was now complete. Singer of Sad Songs was an artistic success -- likely ahead of its time -- but commercially it failed. Escott writes, "Within couple years, however, Waylon Jennings would be making albums that are even now considered unapproachable classics . . . Waylon was in search of something and he was beginning to discover what it was. We'd all find out soon enough."

Sam Hinton dies at 92; folk songwriter and singer

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hinton was one of the founders of the folk-song movement that began in the 1930s. Sam Hinton folk singer, songwriter, naturalist and San Diego civic treasure who delighted school children and folk-festival audiences for decades, died Thursday at an assisted living facility in Albany in Northern California where, in failing health, he had moved two years ago. He was 92. The cause of death was a series of old-age ailments including congestive heart failure, said his daughter, Leanne. Sam Hinton was born March 21, 1917, in Tulsa, Okla. In Oklahoma and later in Texas, he developed a lifelong passion for two things: reptiles (particularly snakes) and folk music. Hinton was preceded in death by his wife, Leslie Forster, a violinist and singer, in 2005. Besides his daughter, Leanne of Berkeley, Hinton is survived by his son, Matthew of Trinidad, Calif.; two grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. A memorial service is planned for San Diego.

Keane Slates Hopes and Fears Deluxe Addition

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Keane's Hopes and Fears sold more than 5.8 million copies worldwide after its release in 2004, and landed a top 10 spot on the Billboard 200. The album was also voted one of the "Best British Albums" ever in a Q Magazine/HMV poll, the first of two Keane albums to feature in the Top 20*. Over the course of ten years as an unsigned band, Keane had written what was to become one of the classic albums of our time, and one of the last multi-million selling albums of this generation. It marked a triumph for the three boys from Battle in East Sussex, but it was a success not without controversy. As a debut record, it stood alone in its originality. The absence of any guitars, a powerful, almost operatic vocal delivery, and a wall of melodic sound made solely from pianos, keyboards and a set of drums. The emotion of the record gave a voice to millions. The landscape at the time was awash with new bands from across the Atlantic, and it took Keane and 'Hopes And Fears' to bring all the attention back to British talent. The song writing talent of Rice-Oxley, now world renowned, reaped an Ivor Novello in 2004 for Best Composer of the Year. Yet despite having written a record that united so many different people from all walks of life across the globe, its sudden phenomenal success almost tore the lifelong friends apart. For with its undisputed accolades, it quickly changed the band's lives and threatened not only their long-standing friendships, but the career of Keane as well. Having fought against the grain for a decade around the country's backroom bars in the back of a van, this sudden shot to fame for Keane transformed the very dynamics that had reaped them these rewards in the first place. This sweetest of victories could have turned remarkably bitter, but it created an edge and strength of resolution that had pulled Keane through from day one, and has subsequently set the tone for their future releases and successes ever since. In addition to the original tracklisting this deluxe album showcases previously un-released and rare material including early demo 'Into The Light', recordings from the band's earliest Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley radio sessions, the timeless b-side and fans favourite, 'Snowed Under' (from 'Somewhere Only We Know'), and their debut self released singles. Learn more at keanemusic.com.

Taking Back Sunday Preps Live Release

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Taking Back Sunday has today released Live From Bamboozle '09 , available exclusively on iTunes. The Live From Bamboozle '09 album captures the band playing to a crowd of over 30K fans at the 2009 Bamboozle Festival, which took place in Rutherford, New Jersey on May 3rd. This is the first time songs from all four of the band's albums are together on one release. The New York quintet is renowned for their electric live performances. The Kansas City Star praised the band's charisma, continuing "a rapt audience ate it up like kettle corn on a hot day," while the Cleveland Scene declared "Anyone who's ever liked Taking Back Sunday should see the band live, just to be amazed by (front man Adam) Lazzara's stage presence." Fresh from a hugely successful run with Blink-182 this summer, Taking Back Sunday will be supporting Live From Bamboozle '09 with a US co-headlining tour with The All-American Rejects. The string of dates kicks off November 3rd in East Lansing and runs through December 6th in Miami, FL. Taking Back Sunday's fourth studio album New Again was the third consecutive Taking Back Sunday album to debut in the top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart. Warner Bros Records released the album on June 2nd and the band celebrated with a performance of their Top 10 Modern Rock hit "Sink Into Me" on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Produced by David Kahne, New Again has earned effusive critical praise. Rolling Stone/ declared the track "Sink Into Me," "the first song by an emo-pop band that the Foo Fighters wish they'd written: Catchy, lusty and sleekly propulsive." The band premiered their new single "Where My Mouth Is" on MTV's It's On With Alexa Chung in August. The song goes to radio this month. Visit takingbacksunday.com.

Sheryl Crow's Tuesday Night Music Club Gets Deluxe Treatment

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The debut album that launched Sheryl Crow into rock music consciousness has been expanded both musically and visually for the 2CD/1DVD Tuesday Night Music Club - Deluxe Edition (A&M/UMe), released November 17, 2009. Along with the original 1993 album, the package adds a second CD containing B-sides, rarities and out-takes, as well as a bonus DVD featuring the album's videos ("Leaving Las Vegas," "All I Wanna Do," "Strong Enough," "Can't Cry Anymore," "Run, Baby, Run" and "What I Can Do For You," plus a rare alternate version of "All I Wanna Do" directed by Roman Coppola) and a newly produced documentary comprised of on-the-road, backstage, soundcheck and live footage from the original album tour. Highlighting the bonus CD for Tuesday Night Music Club- Deluxe Edition are four previously unreleased recordings from 1995 that were intended for the follow-up album--"Coffee Shop," "Killer Life," "Essential Trip Of Hereness" and "You Want More" --each only now mixed by original Tuesday Night Music Club producer Bill Bottrell. In addition, Bottrell remixed the album's "I Shall Believe" specifically for this Deluxe Edition. The bonus CD also includes a trio of U.K. single B-sides ("Reach Around Jerk," an alternate "The Na-Na Song" titled "Volvo Cowgirl 99" and a cover of Eric Carmen's "All By Myself"), a tribute album cover of Led Zeppelin's "D'yer Mak'er," and "On The Outside," a contribution to an X-Files soundtrack album. Tuesday Night Music Club has proved to be a landmark achievement even beyond propelling Crow's own formidable career by inspiring and influencing countless female singer-songwriters, perhaps even saving that genre from extinction in the grungy days of the early '90s. Certified seven times platinum and charting at #3, the album spawned five Grammy® nominations and three wins: Best New Artist and a pair for "All I Wanna Do," including Record of the Year. Three songs reached the Pop Top 40--the gold "All I Wanna Do" (#2), "Strong Enough" (#5) and "Can't Cry Anymore." "Leaving Las Vegas" cracked the Modern Rock Top 10. "Somehow amidst the dance divas of MTV and the dark angst of Seattle grunge," writes her manager, Scooter Weintraub, in the liner notes, "Sheryl's salty voice, twangy Telecaster, frayed Levis, red curls and bent upper lip scratched their way into the musical culture." In 1999, she was ranked among VH1's "100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll." Since Tuesday Night Music Club, Crow has released five studio albums (each charting Top 10, four of them platinum-plus), a triple-platinum greatest hits collection, and more. She has also been nominated for 27 more Grammys, winning six more. Her most recent nomination was for her most recent album, 2008's Detours, which reunited her with producer Bottrell and returned her to the spirit ofTuesday Night Music Club.

Our Lady Peace Fall Tour Starts October 19

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Our Lady Peace, with Raine Maida (vocalist), Duncan Coutts (bass), Jeremy Taggart (drums), Steve Mazur (guitar), will be kicking off a U.S. headlining tour starting October 19 in Solana Beach, CA to promote their seventh studio album, Burn, Burn, which was released July 21 via Coalition Entertainment (Records) through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group. While the trek is set to conclude October 31, more dates are being added throughout the rest of the year. The album, which debuted at #41 on the Billboard "Top 200 Albums" chart, has already produced a hit single with "All You Did Was Save My Life," thanks to heavy rotation at four different formats: Alternative, Top 40, Triple A and Active. The video stars fellow Canadian, Shenae Grimes, of "90210" and "Degrassi: The Next Generation" fame. "The End Is Where We Begin" is the second single is now being serviced to radio and has recently been added to stations nationwide including KDGE/Dallas, KTBZ/Houston, WKRK/Cleveland, KRBZ/Kansas City, WPBZ/West Palm Beach and WGRD/Grand Rapids. A video for the song will make its premiere in the next couple of weeks. Primarily self-produced in lead singer Raine Maida's Los Angeles home studio, Burn, Burn marks the longest period between studio albums for Our Lady Peace. It also signifies a sonic and philosophical rebirth. The band now enjoys a creative and professional freedom that they haven't experienced since the release of their now classic debut. "I think about the way we made Naveed, Maida recalls. "We were just starting, we knew nothing about the business and we had no expectations. It was four guys in a room just trusting their instincts. We went back to that. 'Liberating' doesn't really even sum it up." Burn, Burn is a triumphant return to what Maida terms "a proper, mature rock album," steeped in the kind of raw intensity that drove their early material. Blinding rays of anthemic light make way to the tender poise and precision of a band that was looking for a way out and found a satisfying new way in. See more at ourladypeace.net.

Rob Zombie to Release Hellbilly Deluxe 2

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The album that all have been waiting for, HELLBILLY DELUXE 2 on Geffen Records will hit the street November 17th at a store near you! The first single WHAT? takes over the airwaves in the next week unleashing the monster Zombie has created. This latest masterpiece is the follow-up of his super smash triple platinum HELLBILLY DELUXE in 1998. In support of this release Zombie will blasts off on tour in Phoenix, AZ on October 29th, Las Vegas, NV on the 30th, and a very special Halloween event on the 31st in Hollywood, CA hosted by Uncle Seymour Coffins also seen recently in HALLOWEEN 2. Zombie will be accompanied by his longtime band mates -guitarist John 5, bassist Piggy D, and drummer Tommy Clufetos. This is the first headline tour since 2007 and will have other ghoulish delights in tow including openers Nekromantix and Captain Clegg & the Night Creatures last seen rocking Haddonfield and Michael Myers in Zombie's new film HALLOWEEN 2. The tour will usher in Zombie's forthcoming album HELLBILLY DELUXE 2 - Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls and the Systematic Dehumanization of Cool (Geffen), a companion to 1998 original. "I am bouncing off the walls like a mental patient", says Zombie "That tells me it's time to take it to the stage and let the demons loose." For more, go to robzombie.com.

Mike Doughty releases Sad Man Happy Man

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Mike Doughty's mostly-acoustic Sad Man Happy Man is a deliberate return to everything people love about Mike Doughty, he makes albums that simmer with verbal wit, and Sad Man Happy Man is no exception with its songs about everything from relationship bust-ups (Doughty was going through one while he was recording it) to his astute observations about the American economy. Musically,Sad Man Happy Man finds Doughty returning to his acoustic roots thanks to its stripped-down arrangements that feature Doughty backing himself on guitar. He also did all the drum programming, as well as played keyboards and what he calls the "weird noise stuff," while his long-time touring partner Andrew "Scrap" Livingston handles bass duties. Recorded at New York's Kampo Studios, the album was co-produced by Doughty and engineer Pat Dillett (They Might Be Giants, David Byrne, Arto Lindsay), with the exception of album's first single "Doubly Gratified," which was produced by David Kahne, who helmed Soul Coughing's 1996 album Irresistible Bliss, as well as albums by Paul McCartney, Sugar Ray, and Tony Bennett. Doughty is also writing a memoir and looking forward to a tour with his friend Scrap and releasingSad Man Happy Man. "Basically I'm trying to make stuff I want to listen to," he says of the album. "And I mean that in a literal sense, not like, "Were I a listener, I would like this," but rather something I can listen to on the subway on headphones and really dig. This is my life, this is what I do. That sounds matter-of-fact, but I really do look at it as a sort of calling - and being an artist at its best is selfless. I'm working for the language, I'm working for the music, I'm working for the songs. I'm a happier guy when I'm conscious of that." Learn more at mikedoughty.com/.

Blind Boys Of Alabama Release Duets

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the Blind Boys of Alabama head into their seventh decade of belting out impeccable harmonies it's only fitting for them to release Duets, a special anthology featuring 14 unique collaborations. The CD, due out October 27th on Saguaro Road Records, includes classics from other artists' Grammy-winning CDs plus four brand new tracks. The first single off of Duets, "Perfect Peace," is now available on itunes and features Jamaican reggae legend Toots Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals. Said Toots, "I grew up musically in the church and it was great working with the Blind Boys and capturing the spiritual vibe I love." Unlike some of their old-time gospel music brethren, the Blind Boys eagerly embrace the popular music world, bringing gospel music to mainstream audiences. As a result the group has formed fast friendships with an impressive array of musicians - venerable colleagues and youthful protégés alike - who span a wealth of genres. Many artists have asked the Blind Boys to guest on their projects and their new release documents these rich, eclectic and cohesive interactions. Duets ranges from rock to reggae, country to contemporary Christian, and blues to ballads, all unified by the Blind Boys' deep, soulful harmonizing. Duets features three previously unreleased tracks - with Lou Reed, John Hammond and Toots Hibbert - as well as a new song with Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles which will be simultaneously released on his forthcoming CD. Also included is the audio version of a tune with Marva Wright which, until now, was only available on video on the Blind Boys' Live In New Orleans DVD. The album also includes performances with Ben Harper, Randy Travis, Bonnie Raitt, Solomon Burke, Susan Tedeschi, Jars of Clay, Charlie Musselwhite, Asleep At The Wheel, and Dan Zanes. Of the nine previously-released tracks on Duets, seven have appeared on Grammy-nominated or Grammy-winning albums. The diverse group of artists that make up Duets reflects the expansive appeal of the group as well as the sweeping reverence for their talent. The Blind Boys of Alabama are recognized worldwide as living legends of gospel music. Celebrated by both the Grammys and The National Endowment for the Arts with Lifetime Achievement Awards, inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and winners of five Grammy® Awards, they have attained the highest levels of recognition in a career that spans over 60 years and shows no signs of diminishing. Longevity and major awards aside, The Blind Boys have earned praise for their remarkable interpretations of everything from traditional gospel favorites to contemporary spiritual material by acclaimed songwriters such as Curtis Mayfield, Prince and Tom Waits. Their performances have been experienced by millions on "The Tonight Show," "Late Night with David Letterman," the Grammy® Awards telecast, "60 Minutes," and on their own holiday PBS Special. The Blind Boys' live shows are roof- raising musical events that appeal to audiences of all cultures, as evidenced by an international itinerary that has taken them to almost every continent. In 2007, they released the Grammy winning album, Down in New Orleans, their first for Saguaro Road Records, which was followed in 2008 by a companion DVD, Live in New Orleans. For more, go to www.blindboys.com

Umphrey's McGee Releases of East Star All-Stars Remix

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Available digitally at Itunes and elsewhere beginning October 6, Umphrey's McGee releases a dub remix of "Turn & Run" - remixed by Michael G. of the famed reggae collective, East Star All-Stars (Lonely Hearts World Tour 2009, Dub Side of the Moon, Radiodread). "Turn & Run" originally appeared on Umphrey's McGee's latest studio album, Mantis. Look for Umphrey's McGee on tour Legendary on the live music circuit, Chicago-based Umphrey's McGee has perfected the art of progressive improvisation. With swirling guitar textures, multi-faceted arrangements and their signature blend of power and finesse, the sextet brings jamming to a new level. During the summer of 2007, Umphrey's McGee came home to Chicago to record a special live performance for the award-winning PBS music series Soundstage at WTTW's Grainger Studio. UMPHREY'S McGEE - LIVE features over two hours of dazzling music presented in High-Definition and mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound, plus two bonus tracks (including "Made to Measure" off their most recent studio album Mantis). A visual showcase of the band's spontaneity and innovative prowess, UMPHREY'S McGEE - LIVE, is a must-own for all music enthusiasts and progressive rock fans, and is available now in stores and online. www.umphreys.com

Kiss Marks 35 Years, Releases Disc

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Kiss kicked off their 39-city, Kiss /Alive 35 tour of North America on the heels of Sonic Boom, their first studio album in 11 years. Frontman Paul Stanley produced the new album, which marks a return to their signature 70s sound. The three-piece set includes Sonic Boom, a second, exclusive CD of the famous Kiss hits and a live DVD from their recent show in Argentina. Sonic Boom releases exclusively on October 6 through Walmart and Sam's Club. Kiss is also hitting the road with its Alive 35 tour that started in Detroit's Cobo Hall, the historic venue where the band recorded its landmark Alive album in 1975. This is their first major tour in five years. For more, visit kissonline.com.

Zakk Wylde Slates Hellfire Halloween Bash

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Gibson, Epiphone, and Monster Cable have partnered to celebrate the launch of two new signature model guitars and headphones with a special event in New York on Halloween. Zakk Wylde, guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder Black Label Society, is set to perform at a free concert event at the Hard Rock Café New York in Times Square beginning at 8pm. The event will feature a major nationwide promotional radio campaign, special online contesting and viral marketing and a first-hand look at the special line of the signature Zakk Wylde Gibson USA guitar and Epiphone Graveyard Disciple. The event is also co-sponsored by Dunlop Pedals. Learn more at For more information please visit blsnation.com and/or blacklabelsociety.com.

PRS Intros 30 amp

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Described as an English sound with an American twist, PRS Guitars' new 30 is the first 30-watt cathode-biased guitar amp in a series of lower wattage amps that started with the Sweet 16 model earlier this year. The PRS 30 model features a quartet of EL84 tubes with a control layout similar to the Dallas model PRS amp. See more at prsguitars.com.

PRS Intros Carlos Santana SE One Abraxas

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In celebration of Carlos Santana's long history with PRS Guitars, the limited-run Carlos Santana Abraxas SE is named in honor of Santana's acclaimed second album, Abraxas which mixed Latin influences and rock themes. It is considered by many to be Santana's pivotal work. The guitar features a whitewash finish with a graphic from Abraxas, and a peace sign at the 12th fret. Abraxas SE models have a mahogany body, mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, single soapbar pickup in the bridge position, and volume control only.

PRS Debuts Starla X

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Paul Reed Smith Guitars is pleased to debut the Starla X, the newest model in the Mira/Starla series. The Starla X's retro inspired design and appointments appeal to players in search of instruments with 241/2" scale length, PRS craftsmanship and build-quality but with unique aesthetics and tone. Features include Singlecut, flat obeche body with arm carve, 22-fret sipo wide fat neck, rosewood fretboard, pearloid dot inlays, traditional 2-piece stoptail bridge, vintage style tuners, volume & tone control, and a three-way blade switch. Mira X Treble and Bass pickups are standard with optional soapbar pickups. Available colors include Vintage Cherry, Black and Sepia Burst as well as new colors such as Cardinal Red, Grandma Hannon Pink, Lime Green, Orange Zest, and Powder Blue. Learn more at prsguitars.com.

PRS Marks 25 Years with Ltd Dragon, Acoustics

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The PRS Dragon is one the most coveted PRS models ever developed. In celebration of the model and in honor of PRS Guitars' upcoming 25th anniversary, a 25th Anniversary Dragon model featuring a new dragon fretboard with exotic multi-material inlay will be available later this year. The headstock will feature a green ripple abalone Modern Eagle with a black composite shadow veneer. Appointment highlights include 24 frets, 24.5" scale length, rosewood neck and fingerboard, carved flame-maple Private Stock top and African striped mahogany back wood. The guitar will feature the new 59/09 Treble and Bass pickups and a PRS vibrato. The body shape and electronics for the 25th Anniversary Dragon are modeled after one of Paul Smith's early guitars which was most recently featured on the Howard Leese Private Stock guitar released in 2009. Dragon models painted by artist Jeff Beasley are planned as part of this exclusive run. The company is also offering a limited run of 25th Anniversary Acoustics with AAAA spruce tops, Madagascar rosewood backs and sides, Brazilian fingerboard and bridge, 25th anniversary bird spanning between the 11th and 13th fret, mammoth ivory, rare curly mahogany neck, and a proprietary pickup system. Check them out at prsguitars.com.

PRS Offers Limited McCarty SC, DC 245

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
PRS Guitars is honoring its legendary mentor with the new limited production Ted McCarty SC and DC 245 models. Made in the spirit of the original PRS Sunburst Series, the two models feature a short 241/2" scale, special bound fretboard, original PRS birds, Santana headstock shape with curly maple veneer and 1957/2008 pickups or optional Soapbar pickups. Visit an authorized PRS dealer for more details.

Santana, Guy Perform at PRS Experience

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Signature Club members and other VIP Experience PRS 2009 guests were treated to a special surprise at Paul Reed Smith Guitars' headquarters in Stevensville, Maryland. Carlos Santana and Buddy Guy performed to an intimate crowd of 800 who were completely unaware that either of these guitar legends would be part of the show. The secret performance served as the official kick-off for the annual two-day open house that PRS Guitars held on September 25 and 26, 2009. More than 1,700 people from around the world turned out for the main event that featured clinics, seminars, factory tours, archive guitar presentations, demonstrations by PRS craftsmen and performances by more than a dozen PRS artists. Guests also learned the basics on staining and carving guitar tops during interactive displays. A long list of models were announced as being discontinued as well, including the Custom 22 and the current paisley amp covering, which will change from year-to-year. "Now is the time in our careers as luthiers, musicians and craftsman to really shine. We could be just weathering the economic storm, but our collective passion at PRS Guitars is driving us to make the best musical instruments possible every single day. We want to create our best so you can have our best," said Paul Reed Smith. With that message in mind, PRS has also announced several new instruments. New electric and acoustic guitar models were introduced along with two new amp models and the new 25th Anniversary line of PRS guitars. A limited number of 25th Anniversary model PRS guitars will be in stores this fall preceding the official celebration in 2010. Santana and Guy shared the stage playing three of these brand new PRS instruments - Santana on the newly released 25th Anniversary Santana model and the limited edition Carlos Santana SE One Abraxas model and Guy on a brand new PRS 305 model. Also shown were models featuring newly developed 57/08 Narrow Field pickups, explained by Paul to "sound nothing like any other pickup available today." Guy and Santana also shared the stage with The PRS Band including Paul Smith, Gary Grainger on bass, Greg Grainger on drums, Mike Ault on guitar, Derek St. Holmes on vocals as well as other special musical guests. Celtic acoustic guitar virtuoso Tony McManus commenced the night's performances. Dweezil Zappa performed as Zappa Plays Zappa on Friday night with earlier performances by John Wesley and Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree, and Aussie Rockers Electric Mary. Following his Friday performance, Dweezil was invited to visit the recently opened Private Stock wood library inside of PRS's new facilitywhere he selected special wood and materials to be used in his own Private Stock PRS guitar. The lineup Saturday night included Nicky Moroch (David Sanborn), Howard Leese (Heart), Jim McCarty (Cactus), Johnny Hiland, Nick Catanese (Black Label Society) Mike Scott (Justin Timberlake), Bugs Henderson, David Grissom, Simon McBride, Howard Leese and Bernie Marsden of White Snake. The event, in its third year, is free to guitar aficionados with an invitation from an authorized PRS dealer.

Ace Frehley Guests At Hollywood Rock Fantasy Camp

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
With back-to-school season in full swing, Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp is giving music fans the opportunity to learn from some of the most influential artists in the industry. Multi-Platinum, GRAMMY® award winning rock icon Meat Loaf will headline the November 2009 sessions. One of the most distinctive vocalists in rock history, Meat Loaf has sold over 70 million albums in a career spanning four decades. Bat Out Of Hell - the first album in his legendary trilogy - has alone sold more than 40 million copies, stayed on the charts for over nine years and routinely sells upwards of 200,000 copies annually. Meat Loaf, who has been recording a new album with producer Rob Cavallo (Dave Matthews Band, Green Day), will share some of his wisdom with those attending Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp. So is the singer nervous about teaching? He told us. "Oh no, I'm not nervous. I've been doing this 42 years, I know what I'm doing. If I went to fantasy law school or fantasy science school, yeah, I'd be in trouble." Jon Anderson, lead vocalist for Yes, and lead guitarist Ace Frehley, a founding member of KISS, are two of the very special guest stars slated to appear at the November sessions and many of the camp's favorite counselors will be returning, including Rami Jaffee (Foo Fighters), Mark Hudson (producer/songwriter, Aerosmith), Elliot Easton (The Cars), Kenny Aronoff (John Fogerty), Danny Seraphine (Chicago), Bruce Kulick (KISS), Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne), Share Ross (Vixen) and Teddy Andreadis (Guns 'n' Roses). Ron Nevison, producer/engineer for The Who, The Rolling Stones and Lynyrd Skynyrd, will be a guest. "Although I can't mention him by name, I'm ecstatic to announce that we've secured a legendary guitarist from one of rock's most renowned bands to come and jam with the campers this November - and perform live with them at the Whisky A Go Go on closing night," says David Fishof, Producer, Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp. Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp is offering several options designed to suit a wide range of budgets and schedules - from a three-day camp (November 12-15) and a five-day camp (November 17-22) to the special "Rock Legend" package, which will encompass both camps plus the Rock 'n' Roll Golf Experience. Fans can also sign up for the golf tournament only and campers may bring a spouse with the reasonably priced "Groupie Package." Financing is available. See below for a recap of new packages that make Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp more affordable than ever. The camp's spring 2009 session with special guests Steven Tyler, Duff McKagan, Todd Rundgren and numerous other rock stars sold out, so campers are encouraged to sign up early. Since 1997, Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp has been giving individuals - regardless of their musical ability - a once-a-lifetime opportunity to live like a rock star and jam with their idols. From the opening night party at the Gibson Showroom in Beverly Hills, intensive rehearsals with rock star counselors and jams, master classes and Q&A's with rock legends to recording an original song at the historic Capitol Studios with legendary engineer/producer Eddie Kramer (Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix) and rocking the Sunset Strip's Whisky A Go Go in a sold-out, closing night performance - it's a dream come true for any music fan. Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp has been covered by the "Today" show, "Good Morning America," USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Travel & Leisure and was even featured in an episode of "The Simpsons." The first 2010 sessions are also on sale. Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp will return to Hollywood, CA over Presidents Day weekend (with a choice of February 10-15 or February 12-15) followed by a session at Abbey Road Studios in London, England May 25th - 31st. To register for any of the sessions or to learn more, visit http://www.rockcamp.com or call 1-888-762-BAND. For more, visit: rockcamp.com/.

Slipknot Set for Fangoria Halloween Party

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Fangoria Entertainment, publisher of the worlds best-selling horror magazine and industry leader of all things horror since 1979, is proud to announce the FANGORIA TRINITY OF TERRORS---a brand new multi-media horror event presented in association with 5B Artist Management and sponsored by Hot Topic, Vegas.com and Coffin Case. The extravaganza fittingly takes place Halloween weekend, beginning Friday, October 30th and running through Sunday evening, November 1st at the beautiful Palms Casino Resort, home of Las Vegas' premier musical venue, the Pearl Concert Theater. This unparalleled event will feature celebrity appearances, as well as signings, screenings, vendors, exhibitors, panel discussions, special FX make-up applications, video gaming, tattooing, collectibles, special VIP parties and much more. This all builds up to the special Halloween night performance in the Pearl Concert Theater by multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning alternative metal masters, SLIPKNOT. Perhaps the most electrifying and dangerous band on the planet, they promise a truly unforgettable performance on Halloween night. Guests appearing at the event include such titans as Roger Corman (DEATH RACE 2000, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM), Malcolm McDowell(A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, ROB ZOMBIES HALLOWEEN), George A. Romero (NIGHT/DAWN/DAY OF THE DEAD), John Waters (PINK FLAMINGOS, SEED OF CHUCKY), Fairuza Balk (THE CRAFT, AMERICAN HISTORY X), Jeffrey Combs (RE-ANIMATOR, THE FRIGHTENERS), Ken Foree (DAWN OF THE DEAD, THE DEVILS REJECTS)Tony Todd (CANDYMAN, THE CROW), Dee Wallace (THE HOWLING, CUJO) and many many more. As to the panel discussions and film screenings, this isn't your typical convention "panel room viewing"--panels and film screenings will be presented in the beautiful Brenden Theatres auditoriums, featuring state- of-the-art projection and sound. Brenden has 14 auditoriums at the Palms, equipped with IMAX, 3D and more. They are also the home of the renowned CineVegas Film Festival. Over a dozen new films will be screened, including Ti Wests latest terrifying frightfest THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, the critically acclaimed documentary NIGHTMARES IN RED, WHITE AND BLUE and the world premiere of DARK HOUSE, starring Jeffrey Combs. Tickets are available online at the events official website http://www.trinityofterrors.com and through Vegas.com, as well as all its service locations throughout the Las Vegas area.

Petty, Heartbreakers to Release Live Anthology

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and Reprise Records will release The Live Anthology, a multiple-disc set of recordings drawn from 30 years of live performances. The collection brings together material from 1978-2007 culled from hundreds of hours of live concert recordings covering every era of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' tours and represents the best tracks as chosen by producers Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, and Ryan Ulyate. The Live Anthology will come in multiple configurations including a five-CD collector's deluxe box set available only at Best Buy that will include a first-of-its-kind audio-only Blu-ray disc. The collector's deluxe package will be in Best Buy stores on November 22. All other configurations will be in stores and available online November 24. The Live Anthology comes on the heels of two tours, the Grammy winning documentary Runnin' Down A Dream (directed by Peter Bogdanovich), and a headline performance at the Super Bowl XLII halftime show. Now, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - one of rock and roll's greatest touring bands - will mark their unparalleled string of successes with the release of this landmark collection of live recordings that is unlike anything previously available-the band's story told through the music alone. The producers made no fixes or overdubs, letting the newly-mixed original recordings showcase the invention, spontaneity, craft, and the musicianship that has made Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers among the most celebrated live performers of their time. Along with powerful interpretations of their own classic hits and originals, The Live Anthology features the band tackling some of their best-loved cover material, from classics to obscure beauties to unexpected adaptations. The theme from Goldfinger, the Zombies' "I Want You Back Again," the Grateful Dead's "Friend of the Devil," early Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well," Booker T. and the MGs' "Green Onions," James Brown's "Good, Good Lovin'" and many more. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers travel wide, paying their musical debts through song and showing just how confidently the band moves across genres and over time. The Live Anthology will be available in five configurations featuring artwork and packaging by contemporary artist Shepard Fairey.

IBMA Fan Fest Celebrates Bluegrass Music

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
-Bluegrass music's premier indoor festival is just around the corner! Bluegrass fans will want to reserve their tickets as soon as possible for IBMA's Bluegrass Fan Fest, scheduled for October 2-4 at the Nashville Convention Center. The star-studded finale of World of Bluegrass Week (Sept. 28 - Oct. 4) will present the talents of more than 60 acts on three stages. Fan Fest sponsors include Special Design Health Care, Martha White, Martin Guitars, Pinecastle Records, Knee Deep in Bluegrass, WSM-AM 650 and The Tennessean. In addition to the exciting music and opportunities to interact with artists face-to-face after they perform, Fan Fest attendees will enjoy visiting a bluegrass music-themed exhibit hall with more than 100 booths, taking part in a number of special promotions and giveaways, and of course jamming with musicians of all ages and levels of expertise. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit the Bluegrass Trust Fund, established to help bluegrass professionals during times of emergency need, as well as support IBMA's educational and marketing efforts during the rest of the year. All artists appearing at Fan Fest donate their time and talents for the cause. Performing artists include Dailey & Vincent, The Del McCoury Band, The Grascals, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Dale Ann Bradley, Cherryholmes, A Carter Family Tribute, and many more. For more, visit ibma.org.

David Crowder Band Releasing Church Music

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As their new album hits stores today, electronic rock group the David Crowder Band are storming the internet and making their mark early on the charts. The 17 tracks on Church Music may not be what you expect sonically when you think of one of Christian music's leading bands. The album even includes a unique cover of hard rock act Flyleaf's hit "All Around Me," and features Flyleaf lead singer Lacey Mosely and the Dupree sisters from Eisley singing background vocals on various tracks. The six-piece, known for their mix of ambient and infectious electro-rock, kicked off their nationwide tour with a sold-out show last night in their hometown of Waco, TX. On Thursday, September 24 they'll hit the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles for a sold-out show before jumping back on the road in October for intimate shows across the U.S. On November 13, they'll headline Terminal 5 in New York City. Learn more at davidcrowderband.com.

Jet, Papa Roach to Co-Headline Tour

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Rock bands Papa Roach and Jet will usher in Winter 2009 with a co-headlining tour of the U.S. The affordable and eclectic rock show with a festival feel starts off in late October through the end of November and offers four bands for less than forty dollars. Fans will be treated to no less than fourteen hits in one night, which will include radio smashes like Papa Roach's "Last Resort," "Forever," "Scars," "Lifeline" (which remained at #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart for 9 weeks) and Jet's "Are You Gonna Be My Girl," "Cold Hard Bitch," "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is" and their latest, "She's A Genius." Tickets to the first two announced dates go on sale Friday (September 25) for the show in St. Paul, MN at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium on November 5, and Saturday (September 26) for the show in Denver, at the Ogden Theatre on October 26. Known for their electrifying live shows, Papa Roach have been touring nonstop behind their new album and fifth studio recording, Metamorphosis, which debuted at #8 on the Billboard Album Chart earlier this year. Fresh from the road alongside fellow powerhouse Nickelback, frontman Jacoby Shaddix says, "Playing shows every night is what we're built for. We make a club feel like an arena and we make an arena feel like a club." Indeed Hit Parader raves, "Papa Roach's live energy is like a pack of wild horses - unbridled and uncontainable." Just returning from traveling twice around the world to set up their new album, Shaka Rock, Jet are primed for their first major U.S. tour to promote the record. The new album closes the gap between the raw roots of Get Born and the grace and melody of Shine On which together went on to make Jet an international band of style and substance. After four million albums sold worldwide and four Top Ten Modern Rock and Rock hits, the authentic Aussie rockers have returned to form with an album that parallels their smash, Get Born. "We have been going non-stop to bring this album to our fans and we just want to keep going. It's just so good to be out on the road playing our new music. The band expects to 'tour our asses off' for at least the next 18 months," said Jet's drummer Chris Cester. A complete list of tour dates and on-sale's will be announced shortly. For more, go to paparoach.com and JETtheband.com/.

DePedro Hits the Road with Federico Aubele

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
DePedro a name chosen because it sounded kind of Mediterranean, kind of Spanish is the musical project of singer and guitarist Jairo Zavala. His first solo album, DePedro (National Geographic Music), is the culmination of years of writing and playing songs for others, including Amparanoia, Vacazul, Los Coronas and Calexico. Zavala grew up in Madrid listening to both the pre-WWII songs his grandparents used to play and the music his Peruvian father brought back from his travels to Latin America and Africa, as well the rock from the 70s and 80s that was popular in Spain. He credits these various influences for helping to shape his own style of guitar playing, one that pulled from blues, folk, flamenco, Afrobeat, Latin, and rock. Federico Aubele was born and raised in Buenos Aires. He moved to Berlin in 2001 during the height of Argentina's economic and political crisis. Later moving to Barcelona before returning to Buenos Aires. While in Berlin Aubele signed with ESL Music (Thievery Corporation) and made his debut in 2003 with three double-sided 10" vinyl EPs. His first full-length album, Gran Hotel Buenos Aires, hit in 2004. Followed by Panamericana in 2007. Aubele's music blends a variety of styles: Jamaican dub/reggae, American ambient and hip-hop and Argentine tango. But the spirit of bolero, especially the rough-and-ready, heartfelt ballads of the 1940s, forms the backbone of his newest album Amatoria, harkening back to his childhood in Buenos Aires.

Wariner to be Inducted to Thumbpickers HoF

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Grammy-winning guitarist, recording artist and songwriter Steve Wariner will receive another accolade when he is inducted into the National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame during the organization's 12th annual induction ceremony. The induction will take place September 25 at the Merle Travis Music Center in Powderly, Kentucky. In addition, Wariner's current homage to Chet Atkins, Steve Wariner, c.g.p., My Tribute to Chet Atkins, has been named Thumbpicking Recording of the Year. "I've been a thumbpicker since my dad taught me when I was young," said Wariner. "In my later years I was lucky enough to play with Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed and Paul Yandell. Receiving this honor is because of them. It's an incredible honor for me to join the esteemed ranks of the Thumbpickers Hall of Fame." Other inductees this year include Richard Smith and Chip Young. Members of the National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame include Wariner's friend and mentor Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Jerry Reed, Paul Yandell, Doc Watson, Grandpa Jones, John Knowles, John Hartford, and Joe Maphis, among others. Muhlenberg County is considered the birthplace of thumbpicking, also called fingerpicking, a style of guitar playing in which the thumb maintains a steady rhythm by alternating bass patterns on the lower three strings, while the other fingers play melody and fill-in notes on the high strings. Learn more at ntphf.com.

REO Speedwagon Set to Release, Not So Silent Night...

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
REO Speedwagon will release a new Christmas album, Not So Silent Night...Christmas With REO Speedwagon, October 27 on Sony Legacy. Produced by Joe Vannelli, along with associate producer and lead singer Kevin Cronin, the album will feature 13 Christmas classics with an REO musical twist. "We are really excited to bring something brand new for our fans to enjoy with their families, just in time for the holidays," said Cronin. "We are as proud and passionate about this project as we have been about any album we have ever made. We hope this music is as much fun for fans to listen to as it has been for us to create. The holiday spirit is alive in the REO family, and we wish the same for yours." After being inspired to create an album unlike anything they have before, original members, Kevin Cronin, Bruce Hall, and Neal Doughty, and 20-year REO veterans Dave Amato and Bryan Hitt, were excited to put together the band's first Christmas album. They gave these classics the full REO production treatment, providing a unique spin for the yuletide season. By choosing 13 songs that range from the most traditional carols to some more obscure songs, this album reflects the REO Speedwagon holiday spirit. Not So Silent Night is poised to be a very special Christmas album that will bring generations within families together to rock the holiday nights away. In the spirit of the holidays, REO Speedwagon will be donating all artist royalties from "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" to the John Lennon Foundation. Tracklist: The First Noel Winter Wonderland Silent Night Deck the Halls Little Drummer Boy The White Snows of Winter Angels We Have Heard on High Happy Xmas (War is Over) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Blue Christmas I'll Be Home for Christmas Children Go Where I Send Thee Joy to the World

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The Mother Hips Release Pacific Dust

Pixies Slate Doolittle Tour

Jo Dee Messina Preps New Album

Brodsky Announces Tour Dates

Rob Zombie Offers Fan Package

Warner Bros. Attending WFMU Record Fair

Kansas Offers New DVD

Masters of American Music Series Coming on DVD

Motley Crue Slate New Greatest Hits Disc

Pixies Announce Support Acts for U.S. Tour

Tegan And Sara Slate U.S. Tour

NXT Launches Double Bass

Blue Cheer Founder Dickie Peterson Passes

3RD Power Introduces HLH100 Amp

Verheyen Slates West Coast Dates

Cavo Tours with Daughtry, ToDM

PAPER ZOO Kick Off National Tour With Roger Daltrey; Release Debut EP on Custard

Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School of Medicine Set Tour Dates

Keb' Mo' releases indie album

Waylon Jennings' RCA Years Reissued

Sam Hinton dies at 92; folk songwriter and singer

Keane Slates Hopes and Fears Deluxe Addition

Taking Back Sunday Preps Live Release

Sheryl Crow's Tuesday Night Music Club Gets Deluxe Treatment

Our Lady Peace Fall Tour Starts October 19