News From Vintage Guitar

Extreme to release Live DVD and CD

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

EXTREME is releasing their Take Us Alive live CD and DVD on Frontiers Records world-wide April 23r in Europe & May 4 In USA. In 2008, following a 13 year hiatus, the band returned to the stage for their 'Take Us Alive' world tour, which encompassed 75 cities and multiple continents in support of their new and groundbreaking record, Saudades de Rock. This recording captures EXTREME at the peak of their game with a renewed enthusiasm led by Gary Cherone's spellbinding stage performance and powerful vocals, Nuno Bettencourt's ferocious guitar, Pat Badger's flawless bass and Kevin Figueiredo's pounding drums not to mention the Extreme trademark, spot on, back up vocals. This brilliant performance was recorded on the last night of their tour at the House of Blues August 8, 2009 in EXTREME's hometown of Boston, MA . "We wanted to do something really special for our hometown fans that were there for us since the beginning... the club days," states Nuno. "It was the last night of the tour and we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than by bringing it back to where it all started... Boston." The concert showcases material from all 5 EXTREME albums and exhibits the bands broad stylistic abilities. Features include a blistering rendition of the Zeppelin-minded "Comfortably Dumb," the scorching "Play With Me," the funked-up "Cupid's Dead" as well as the anthemic "Get The Funk Out." Songs like their #1 hit "More Than Words" and the top 5 "Hole Hearted," highlight the crowds enthusiasm and loyal support their fan base has had for this beloved foursome. "As much as we enjoy recording, for me, I've always loved playing live for the fans," Cherone says. "We couldn't wait to get out there and play for our fans." The DVD will contain 4 unreleased bonus videos from their latest record Saudades de Rock. Videos include the songs "King of the Ladies", "Interface", "Run" and "Ghost." The videos were produced by Nuno Bettencourt. "This DVD/CD is a culmination of all the years we played together and the chemistry the four of us put out live," explains Bettencourt. Concert Track Listing Decadence Dance, Comfortably Dumb, Rest in Peace, It ('s a Monster), Star, Tell me Something I Don't Know, Medley - Kid Ego - Little Girls -Teachers Pet, Play With Me, Midnight Express, More Than Words, Ghost, Cupid's Dead, Take us Alive, Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee, Get the Funk Out, Am I Ever Gonna Change, Hole Hearted. See more at extreme-band.com.

Judas Priest Marks 30th Anniversary of British Steel

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In the summer and fall of 2009, while on tour throughout North America and Japan, Judas Priest celebrated the 30th anniversary of the album British Steel at each of their concert stops. Each night featured a complete performance of their breakthrough album - source of "Breaking The Law," "Living After Midnight," "Metal Gods," "Grinder," and more. Released in April 1980, British Steel became Priest's first RIAA platinum Top 40 album in the U.S., their first Top 10 studio album in the UK. Judas Priest is comprised of lead vocalist Rob Halford, dueling lead guitarists Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing, bassist Ian Hill, and (since 1989) drummer Scott Travis. Now British Steel's 30th anniversary moment officially arrives, commemorating one of the most influential albums in heavy metal, a record that fellow musicians and disciples credit for unleashing metal from its blues origins. BRITISH STEEL: LEGACY EDITION will be available through standard retail and digital outlets starting May 11, 2010, on Columbia/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT. BRITISH STEEL: LEGACY EDITION features the 2001 remaster of the original 36-minute, nine-song album (plus two bonus tracks). Also included is a DVD which combines a live 16-song concert filmed in August 2009 at the Seminole Hard Rock Arena in Hollywood, Florida (the album sequence plus seven more cuts), with a 30-minute "Making of British Steel" interview that includes all four original band members. There is no overstating Judas Priest's position at the very top of heavy metal's Mount Olympus, and the critical importance of their deep album catalog on Columbia Records in the U.S., from 1977's Sin After Sin to 1990's Painkiller. In 2004, Halford reunited with Judas Priest and the band returned to Sony Music Entertainment. The appropriately leather-bound and metal-spiked five-disc retrospective boxed set Metalogy was followed in 2005 by Angel of Retribution (#13 on the Billboard 200 albums chart) and in 2008 by Nostradamus (#11). In 2009, A Touch of Evil: Live recapped Judas Priest's world tours of the previous four years. One of its tracks, "Dissident Aggressor" earned Judas Priest their first Grammy Award this year, for Best Metal Performance. Indeed, Judas Priest is celebrated as progenitors of metal's defining sound. The upgraded version of Behind The Music - Judas Priest (Re-Mastered) continues in circulation on VH1, and the band's influence spreads far beyond the 30 million albums, singles and videos they have sold worldwide in their career. British Steel The long-term association (eight consecutive live and studio albums) between Judas Priest and producer Tom Allom includes this classic, their second LP together. It was recorded in four weeks at Tittenhurst Park, previously owned by John Lennon, and the home of Ringo Starr at the time. Radio airplay on AOR (album-oriented rock) stations for "Living After Midnight" and "Breaking the Law" (with its early promo video clip by Julien Temple) propelled the LP to #34 in Billboard and an 18-week stay on the chart. When the Judas Priest album catalog on Columbia was restored for the first time starting in 2001, the band members offered their own recollections (in lieu of a liner notes essay) on each individual CD. They recalled the clanging sounds of "trays of cutlery" and "billiard cues" heard in "Metal Gods," which became a concert favorite along with "The Rage." Of the bonus tracks, "Grinder" is a live version recorded in 1984; and "Red, White & Blue," written as a sing-along for the Turbo album sessions in 1985, never quite made the cut. "A little tongue in cheek," the 2001 notes declared, "it is also very patriotic and may bring a tear to your eye!" When British Steel was issued in 1980, a Columbia Records promotion involved a giveaway contest for a Harley-Davidson motorcycle (signed by the band members) that Rob had taken to riding onstage at shows each night. Three decades later, the 2009 tour resurrected the contest with another 'autographed' Harley. The British Steel 2009 Live Tour As planned, Judas Priest hit the stage running every night of their summer tour, crashing into "Rapid Fire," the opening track of British Steel, and reclaiming the other eight songs on the record in grand style. Of course, the concerts did not end there. The band tore through another program-length of songs from the four corners of their history, starting with "The Ripper," from their first Columbia LP, 1977's Sin After Sin. "Prophecy" dated from their most recent studio album of 2008, Nostradamus; "Hell Patrol" was from the Columbia album of 1990, Painkiller; "Victim Of Changes" is one of the staples from their 1976 album Sad Wings of Destiny; "Freewheel Burning" was one of the stellar tracks (along with "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll") that sent their 1984 album Defenders of the Faith to RIAA platinum; "Diamonds & Rust" is their jaw-dropping treatment of a Joan Baez song from Sin After Sin; and the show closed with "You've Got Another Thing Coming," Judas Priest's singular appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, from 1982's Screaming for Vengeance. Tom Allom and Judas Priest were reunited again (having worked together not so long ago on the audio for the DVD 'Rising In The East') for the live recordings that comprised 2009's A Touch of Evil. Allom is responsible for the stereo and 5.1 SurroundSound mixes of the live recording from the Seminole Hard Rock Arena concert that appears in this Legacy Edition. The DVD will include bonus content as well, "The Making Of British Steel," a 30-minute interview featuring the four original band members.

Peter Frampton and YES Tour this Summer

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Two of the most influential and ground-breaking artists of the 1970s-YES and Peter Frampton-are reuniting for a twenty-five city national co-headline summer tour, which kicks-off in early June and runs through the middle of July. The two performed stadium shows together in 1976, including a show to more than 100,000 at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. Tickets will go on sale for the June 16, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, NY show on March 5. For additional ticket information please visit: www.yesworld.com or www.frampton.com. The concerts will feature more than three hours of music from the Grammy Award winners, performances which are sure to include YES classics such as "I've Seen All Good People," "Starship Trooper," as well as Frampton hits "Show Me The Way," "Baby, I Love Your Way" and "Do You Feel Like We Do." One of history's greatest, legendary, progressive rock bands, YES will feature a lineup of guitarist Steve Howe, bassist Chris Squire, and drummer Alan White, as well as Oliver Wakeman (son of Rick Wakeman) on keyboards and lead singer Benoit David. Songs that have left an indelible mark on rock 'n' roll history and a concert spectacular that has become synonymous with YES, make this tour one that should not be missed. Frampton, who recently won a Grammy Award for his instrumental album Fingerprints, will be performing material from his forthcoming release Thank You Mr Churchill (April 27, A&M/New Door/UMe). Frampton's band will include Rob Arthur (keyboards, guitar and backing vocals) and John Regan (bass), as well as Adam Lester (guitar) and Dan Wojciechowski (drums). YES's performance will include the hugely successful and indelible catalogue of music from hit albums such as Drama, Fragile, Close to the Edge and 90125. Classics such as "Roundabout," a seminal hit which consistently appears on "the best songs of all-time" lists, and the group's #1 hit "Owner of a Lonely Heart" are sure to be featured for an evening of music not to be missed. One of the most popular concert attractions of all-time YES's remarkable career has served to re-define the boundaries of rock. As a dominant force for more than four decades, YES has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. Their symphonic use of sound and innovative musical styles has made each of the group's players virtuosos in their own right. Frampton remains one of the most celebrated artists and guitarists in rock history. Raised in London, Frampton taught himself to play guitar while still in single digits. He studied at the Bromley Technical School with classmate David Bowie (with whom he later recorded and toured). At 16, he was lead singer and guitarist for British teen band, the Herd. At 18, he co-founded one of the first super groups, seminal rock act Humble Pie. His fifth solo album, the electrifying Frampton Comes Alive! , is one of the top selling live records of all time. Frampton is so identified as the quintessential rocker, that he served as a consultant on Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous, Crowe's semi-autobiographical film about a teenage journalist covering the fictional rock band Stillwater. YES/PETER FRAMPTON TOUR DATES (MORE TO BE ADDED) June 16 Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT June 18 Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, NY June 19 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA June 20 Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Meadow Lands, PA June 23 Wolf Trap Foundation for Performing Arts, Vienna, VA July 4 Lake Forest Venue, Blue Ash, OH July 7 Sandia Casino, Albuquerque, NM July 9 Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA July 10 Harrah's Rincon-Open Sky Theater, Valley Center, CA

Foreigner, Styx Tour with Kansas

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Styx, Foreigner and special guests Kansas will hit the road this summer on the United In Rock tour, which kicks off in May. "I am very excited to be performing this summer with both Foreigner and Kansas on our United In Rock Tour. These three bands represent the more rocking side of the classic rock genre. With the countless great rock songs each band will be performing this is going to be a guitars-a-blazin' good time had by all. STYX is a band that one of our best known songs is about the blue collar man in the unemployment line and we totally identify with the average hard working people that are facing difficult economic times. We want to say thank you with affordable tickets for you and your family," said James "JY" Young of Styx. "Super line up, amazing songs, can't wait, let's rock," said Foreigner's Mick Jones. The three rock legends will team up for an evening full of some of the most memorable rock songs ever recorded, mining 30 years of hits on a tour that will take them to Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Atlanta, Virginia Beach, DC, New York, Boston, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Detroit and more cities to be announced. For additional information on the United In Rock tour, please visit LiveNation.com.

Anne McCue's Broken Promise Land Out May 18

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Anne McCue describes her new album, Broken Promise Land, due out on May 18, 2010 on Flying Machine Records Records, as "a bit dirty, a bit rockin', a bit swampy and a bit bluesy, with a touch of mysteriousness to it." What isn't mysterious is McCue's musical talent and range. She was voted the Roots Music Association's Folk Artist of the Year in 2008, performed in a Jimi Hendrix tribute at the 2007 International Guitar Festival and was included in the Four Decades of Folk Rock box set alongside the likes of Bob Dylan and Wilco. Heart's Nancy Wilson has described her as "my Aussie clone," while Americana icon Lucinda Williams had this to say: "Initially, her stunning voice hooked me in. Then I got inside the songs. The first chance I got, I went to see her perform . . . I was floored! The combination of her tomboyish beauty mixed with the precision and assertiveness with which she approached the guitar, her surrounding languid and earthy vocals created an intoxicating blend." The new, self-produced album is one that she has long wanted to make. Combining heartfelt songwriting with gritty guitar playing, the record harkens back to McCue's breakout Roll release, although she says that the new disc's sound is even more raw than its predecessor. While earlier albums covered a range of roots-rock styles, Broken Promise Land focuses on McCue's hard-charging "cosmic biker rock" sound. The new disc lets McCue showcase her rockin' ways and six-string virtuosity. The title track cuts loose with a blistering Hendrix-like bluesy guitar solo. The first single, "Don't Go To Texas (Without Me)," boasts the dirty guitar sound of late '60s English bands like the Yardbirds and the Rolling Stones, while "The Old Man Talkin'" exudes a slinky J.J. Cale vibe. The music's strong, visceral energy results from a strategy to record as much as possible live. "I didn't want to have a lot of layers. I wanted it to be pretty much what I can do on stage," McCue asserts. She sought to capture the vibe of the old Albert King albums that she loves, which were recorded in only a few days, and she included a brass section in the sessions. By recording to tape, McCue also created the textures and dimension that she admires in T-Bone Burnett's work. On Broken Promise Land, McCue utilized the veteran rhythm section of Bones Hillman (Midnight Oil) and drummer Ken Coomer (Uncle Tupelo/Wilco). "Bones and Ken are very developed as musicians," she says. "It's great to have that type of depth to the musicianship." This powerful trio demonstrates their musical breadth throughout this disc, whether it's building "The Lonely One" into a surging rock ballad, conjuring a spooky atmosphere in Amelia White's "Motorcycle Dream" or roaring through a cover of Rose Tattoo's "Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw." McCue's love for music was nurtured in Sydney, Australia, where she grew up in a house filled with music. Her father, while not a professional musician, played a variety of instruments and her mother sang in the church choir. All of her seven older siblings were heavily into music too, and sounds ranging from Billie Holiday to Led Zeppelin filled the McCue home. "Every type of music except hardcore blues," the blues-loving McCue admits, "so I definitely didn't get burned out on it as a child." Although McCue played guitar growing up, she wasn't encouraged to be a musician. A longtime film buff, she got a degree in film studies at Sydney's University of Technology. Her cinema studies are an influence. "To me, my songs are like short films," she reveals, "I try to be very visual and cinematic with my music and now I am making videos for the songs too." After college, McCue joined an all-female band, Girl Monstar, which was very popular in the Australian indie rock scene. She later became a part of the folk-rock trio Eden AKA that performed on the Lilith Fair tour and recorded a never-released album for Columbia Records. Her ill-fated Columbia experience landed her in America, where she set up shop in Los Angeles and became a vital part of the city's roots music scene. During her time in Southern California, she recorded two attention-grabbing albums - 2004's Roll and 2006's Koala Motel. Both releases accumulated a bevy of critical accolades. Entertainment WeeklyBillboard heralded her as "the virtual definition of 'triple threat.' A potent singer, thoughtful songwriter and tough guitarist." Austin Chronicle critic Jim Caligiuri noted that "these days, there are very few women working the same territory as McCue, who can combine tough and vulnerable. That she does it with poise and a self-deprecating sense of humor makes her an artist worth seeing again." A few years ago, McCue moved to Nashville, a place she finds quite fertile for making music. "There's more room to think, more creative space," she explains, "but there are so many great musicians that it really raises the bar and makes you want to get better." Last year, she self-produced a limited-distribution acoustic album, East of Electric, on which she played a variety of instruments. A terrific example of her folkier side, it stands as a quiet side-trip to the full-bodied rock ferocity that Broken Promise Land delivers. "This is the kind of music I love playing," says McCue talking enthusiastically about her Broken Promise Land songs. "There's nothing I could look more forward to than playing a whole set of bluesy, rocky, swampy music."

Steep Canyon Rangers Prep Tour with Steve Martin

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Once again Steve Martin has tapped the award-winning bluegrass group the Steep Canyon Rangers to tour with him in support of his Grammy®-winning Rounder Records release, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo. The Banjo Tour will begin on April 19th in Detroit and is expected to continue into October, with performances scheduled at the New Orleans JazzFest, MerleFest and Bonnaroo. "I am very excited to begin my banjo tour with the Steep Canyon Rangers," commented Martin. "It has been a long time dream of mine to travel around the country with a bunch of guys." Woody Platt of the Steep Canyon Rangers commented, "We had an incredible time touring with Steve in the fall. He's a consummate professional who thrills the crowd every night and is so gracious about introducing us and our music to new audiences." For their part, the Rangers also earned rave reviews while on tour with Martin in the fall, during which they had an opportunity to perform songs from their fourth studio album for Rebel Records, Deep in the Shade. The tour included performances at the 20th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Show, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, Carnegie Hall, the Ryman Auditorium, Royal Festival Hall in London, and other venues in cities including Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, Washington, Toronto, Chicago, Denver and Santa Fe. The Rangers also performed with Martin on The Late Show with David Letterman, The View, NPR's World Café, and the BBC's Later . . . with Jools Holland. Deep in the Shade, released in October 2009, was in the top 10 on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums chart for the month of October, attaining the band's highest Billboard chart position at #3. It was #2 on WNCW's top 50 CD's of 2009, #7 on Country Standard Time's list of the top 30 CD's of 2009, and top 10 on PopMatters' Best Bluegrass of 2009 list. Deep in the Shade was the #1 CD for the month of December in Bluegrass Music Profiles. "The Mountain's Gonna Sing" from Deep in the Shade was included in NPR Music's Best of 2009 series, in the Folk Alley top 10. Go to steepcanyon.com.

PRS Guitar, Motor Racing Network Offer "Move of the Race" Guitar

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As part of the PRS/GRAND-AM 2010 season-long partnership, PRS is providing a custom GRAND-AM electric guitar to the winning driver of each 2010 race. Additionally, Paul Reed Smith Guitars is pleased to team-up with Motor Racing Network to offer an additional guitar at three races this season. PRS President, Jack Higginbotham, will be on-site at Miami Homestead Speedway on March 6, V.I.R. on April 24, and Miller Motorsports Park on September 11 where the three "PRS/MRN Move of the Race Guitars" will be awarded by Eli Gold and Preston Root to one driver who makes a move (a strategy, pass, pit stop, etc.) that gets them onto the podium in each of these three races. PRS has also partnered with GRAND-AM, Pirelli tires and Mazda for this season's "Watch and Win" sweepstakes, which gives fans the opportunity to win a Chip Foose designed Dempsey Racing edition 2010 Mazda RX-8 R3 and a custom designed PRS SE Singlecut guitar with a matching theme. Dempsey Racing drivers will be on-hand when the grand prize is awarded to the lucky fan at the Miller Motorsports Park season finale. For more, visit www.lapsforlife.com

Hoodoo Gurus Purity of Essence Due May 11

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Hoodoo Gurus, known for high energy, hook-laden rock 'n' roll, have completed their ninth album, Purity of Essence, which will be released May 11, 2010 on their own label in the United States via Virtual Label/ADA. Formed in 1981, the band is described by AllMusic.com as "(channeling) their inspiration from the vast entirety of the American pop cultural landscape, drawing on such disparate sources as B-movies, bad sitcoms, and junk food - in tandem with the usual suspects like garage rock, power pop, and surf - to create a distinctly kitschy and catchy sound. . . .and if you don't like the Hoodoo Gurus, I suspect you don't like rock & roll very much." A jam session at a Sydney rehearsal studio earlier this year produced eight songs and set the template for their ninth studio record. All four band members were pole-axed by the lightning bolt moments that brought singer and songwriter Dave Faulkner's songs to life from his demos. Even the songwriter himself says there must have been some rock 'n' roll magic at work when "Crackin' Up," the album's first single, arrived almost fully formed in a dream. "It's only ever happened before once in my life where I have actually dreamed a song. I woke up and had the melody, all the chords and the title, walked out of my room and told the friends who were staying with me not to talk to me while I found my little cassette recorder and put the song down," Faulkner says. The serendipity continued when the frontman brought the song to the band. "During that day, there were so many songs and sounds coming out that we'd never done before," he observes. "They had the classic Gurus feel but it was different even though we weren't pushing ourselves to do something different. But on this particular magic day, it all happened. It was the most memorable day in the rehearsal room that the band has ever had." The resulting inspiration resulted in more good songs than they could reasonably fit onto one CD. But, as Faulkner says, "Dammit, let's just put 'em all on. The good news is that there is such a diversity of styles - from punk à la the Ramones to dare-I-say pretty songs and some guilty pleasures - that it doesn't get repetitive." Speaking of the Ramones, the Gurus reunited with old friend Ed Stasium (and former Ramones producer) to mix Purity of Essence. The album was co-produced by the band with Charles Fisher, producer of two classic Hoodoo Gurus albums, Mars Needs Guitars and Blue Cave. The album was mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound with the exception of "Crackin' Up," which was mastered by Don Bartley. The album cover is a large-scale painting by Doug Bartlett. Immediately upon completing the album, the Hoodoo Gurus set upon shooting a number of videos and "webisodes," including a "mockumentary" about the making of the album. These videos may be seen on YouTube, and the "Crackin' Up" video may be seen here. For two and a half decades the Hoodoo Gurus have consistently been one of the most inventive, lyrically smart and exciting rock 'n' roll bands Australia has ever produced. And they've done it with style, panache and a wicked sense of humor. Already a seasoned live outfit from endless Australian touring, the Gurus found themselves in 1983 signed to A&M Records in the U.S.; their first release, Stoneage Romeos, hit #1 on the American college radio charts. On the strength of this they embarked on the first of countless tours of the U.S. and many other countries. In fact the Gurus have toured internationally dozens of times, including repeated sell-outs at 10,000 capacity venues in Brazil. The band was consistently cited as one of the highlights at the 2007 SXSW Music Festival in Austin. The SXSW performances were part of an extended run of North America and Canadian dates that were greatly anticipated by a new generation of fans who thought they&rs quo;d never have the opportunity to see the much-mythologized Australian band perform live. The Hoodoo Gurus remain as relevant and impassioned about their distinctive brand of rock 'n' roll as at any time in their twenty-five year career. Faulkner will attend SXSW in Austin, Texas from March 17-21.

ABB Will Appear on Fallon March 9

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Allman Brothers Band will perform on NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" next Tuesday, March 9. The performance comes just two days before the launch of their annual New York City residency which takes place this year at the United Palace Theatre with 13 shows, March 11 through March 27.

Otis Taylor Clovis People Available May 11

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Otis Taylor digs the past. Whether it's the songs he wrote a decade ago, or ancient civilizations that lived more than 10,000 years ago, he's drawn to stories from another time, and he's compelled to retell them in a way that's relevant in the modern day. On Clovis People, set for release May 11, 2010, on Telarc International, a division of Concord Music Group, Taylor writes his own history. It's the ideal project for the architect of a sparse and hypnotic style that has come to be known as "trance blues." Taylor has spent his career crafting songs that are wide open to interpretation - thematically as well as structurally. "I give people a starting point, and then they can take it where they want to take it," he explains. "That's true for the people playing my music as well as the people listening to it. That's how art should be. A person looking at a painting should be able to interpret it in whatever way he wants. The more words you put into a song, the less freedom the listener has to decide what it means." The album title is inspired by a recent scientific discovery very close to Taylor's home in Boulder, Colorado. Barely 100 yards from the edge of his property, archeologists dug up a cache of tools and other implements belonging to a civilization known as the Clovis people, who walked the earth briefly about 13,000 years ago and then mysteriously disappeared. "That's amazing to me," says Taylor. "There have only been four or five sites like this found all over the country. That means these people probably walked on my property. My music only goes back about ten years, but there's something about reaching back to an earlier time and revisiting the stories of the past from a new perspective that I find compelling." Helping to shape that new perspective is a crew of players who lend a variety of shades and voices to the mix. Among them is guitarist Gary Moore, a guest musician on two of Taylor's previous recordings (Definition of a Circle in 2007 and Pentatonic Wars and Love Songs in 2009), who moves in and out of the tracks with a hard riff here, a subtle accent there, and just the right atmospherics wherever he appears. Also on hand for nine of the twelve tracks is pedal steel guitarist Chuck Campbell - a member of the Campbell Brothers, the African-American gospel group that has developed a sound commonly known as "sacred steel." In addition, Clovis People features cornetist Ron Miles and bassist Cassie Taylor (Otis' 22-year-old daughter). The set gets under way with the haunting "Rain So Hard," a bluesy number that employs an intriguing mix of pedal steel, cornet and theremin as the backdrop to Taylor's unsettling lyrics about a hard rain turning to snow and falling on a scene of betrayal and deceit. "Little Willy" and "Lee and Arnez" are two previously unreleased songs. The former is a fictional tale of a school shooting - a song Taylor wrote in 1990s, but then shelved in the aftermath of the Columbine shooting of 1999. "Lee and Arnez" tells the story of a couple that Taylor remembers from the neighborhood where he grew up. "They were my parents' best friends, and they had a boxer dog that I really loved," says Taylor. "This would have been the 1950s, which were still a difficult time for black people, but I have great memories of this couple and their beautiful dog." "It's Done Happened Again" is built on an urgent rhythm that plays like a frantic heartbeat. "The song is about that moment when someone who got his heart broken hears about someone else who got his heart broken," says Taylor. "It's that moment when pain and empathy converge, and you say, 'Oh yeah, I know where he's coming from.'" "Harry Turn the Music Up" recalls Taylor's memories of the Denver Folklore Center, a place he frequented when he was a boy in the early '60s. "The song follows a groove that's deep in the pocket, and it's really powerful," says Taylor. "The Denver Folklore Center was a place where nobody cared if you were black or white, skinny or fat. It was a place where everyone was accepted." "Babies Don't Lie" rides on a single chord and speaks to the profound vulnerability of innocents. But somewhere underneath the simple and recurring lyrical line is the question of how and when dark forces take hold and turn some innocents into monsters. "Think I Won't" is a showdown-flavored track that captures the moment when a mother confronts a drug dealer in a schoolyard. "There are some badass moms out there," says Taylor. "Sometimes people don't realize how tough black women can be. It's a matriarchal culture, and there are some moms who'll kick your ass in a half-second if you threaten their children." Indeed, some instincts are eternal, whether the frame of reference is 2010, 1950 or some time before recorded history. Clovis People is in some respects a vehicle for Taylor - an archeologist of a different kind - to re-examine some of the truths he's uncovered in his own era and preserve them for listeners in some future time. "I went back to my musical past with these songs - all the way back to my first album," says Taylor. "I like finding different ways to retell the old stories. They continue to mean something - to me, to the people who hear them, to the musicians who play with me - many years after I first told them."

Fang Island Announces U.S. Dates

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Just days after Fang Island purchased a new van to transport the Brooklyn anthemic guitar quintet on a slew of U.S. tour dates starting this month, the vehicle was stolen. However, undeterred the eternally-optimistic band will continue with all upcoming tour dates and is attempting to raise funds for a replacement via its online merch outlet and "pay what you want" digital store. The band whose sound is described as "everyone high-fiving everyone" may want to add, "...except thieves." Fang Island supports The Chinese Stars on dates surrounding both bands' SXSW performances. Then, again hit the road supporting Red Sparowes in April. Please see complete tour dates below. Fang Island's finger-tapping guitar lines, chanted vocals, triumphant harmonies and overall perky songs hearken to the sort of "Total Music" of Jay Reatard, Ponytail, Kraftwerk, Marnie Stern, Thin Lizzy, et al. But, perhaps more so, its songs are like the music in your head at that moment when everything feels just right: that first kiss, that high score on the video game, buying your first small nation in cash... you know, good stuff. Fang Island began, oddly enough, as an art school project while the band members were attending the prodigious Rhode Island School of Design (also the foundation for Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Les Savvy Fav, Six Finger Satellite, Lightning Bolt and some band called the Talking Heads.) According to guitarist Jason Bartell, the goal was to "make music for people who like music." That is, music without irony that harnesses its uplifting qualities. Just like a classic rock song or classical symphony can stir us emotionally, Fang Island exists to unlock that spirit. Fang Island is guitarist Jason Bartell, bassist Michael Jacober, guitarist Chris Georges, guitarist Nicholas Andrew Sadler, and drummer Marc St. Sauveur. They all share collective group vocal harmonies and the occasional hand claps. While Sadler is also known for his role in the debauched rock band Daughters, it is only his fretboard skill that translates between the two groups. http://fangisland.com

Carl Verheyen Band Announces European Dates

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Guitar virtuoso Carl Verheyen (Supertramp), will return to Europe March 3 with his band, prolific bassist Dave Marotta (Colbie Caillot, Gino Vannelli, Phil Collins) and master drummer and percussionist Walfredo Reyes, Jr. (Santana, Steve Winwood, Johnny Hallyday). This is a follow-up to their very successful spring 2009 European and UK tour. The Carl Verheyen Band's tenth album, the highly-acclaimed Trading 8s, features special guest soloists Joe Bonamassa, Robben Ford, Steve Morse, Scott Henderson, Albert Lee and Rick Vito "trading 8s" with Verheyen. The project was released on Cranktone Entertainment, his own label. Future plans are to tour the UK and select North American markets this autumn, and possibly Japan for the first time, in addition to Verheyen's numerous worldwide clinic and workshop appearances. Learn more at carlverheyen.com.

Grascals The Famous Lefty Flynn's Due March 30

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Grascals, one of bluegrass music's most highly awarded and acclaimed bands, will release their brand new CD, The Famous Lefty Flynn's, on Rounder Records March 30, just a few days before the band hits the road as a part of Hank Williams Jr.'s Rowdy Friends Tour, an opportunity that will showcase bluegrass music to tens of thousands of music fans. As a guest on the CD, Williams also joins the band for a quintessential country/bluegrass version of "I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome," written by his dad, Hank Williams, and the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe. Known for their seamless harmonies, soaring trios and stellar instrumental talents, The Grascals rose to critical acclaim in 2005 when they won Emerging Artist of the Year at the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards. This was only the beginning as they catapulted to the top of their genre, being named 2006 and 2007 Entertainers of the Year the following two years. The Boston Globe said, "DJs rhapsodize about The Grascals as though they were the second coming of Bill Monroe. The hype machine is at full throttle, but the Grascals justify every scrap of it... astonishing instrumentalists." This Grammy nominated, Dove nominated group takes another stride forward on this, their 4th album. Vocally, the trio of Terry Eldredge, Jamie Johnsonand Terry Smith are tighter than ever, cutting loose on driving solo vocals and soaring trios with equal fire and passion. The Grascals have never sounded sharper as an instrumental unit, with mandolin ace Danny Roberts, fiddler Jeremy Abshire and new banjo player Kristin Scott Benson leading the charge. As a result, The Famous Lefty Flynn's features cutting-edge modern bluegrass delivered with a deep knowledge of and admiration for the work of the music's founding fathers. Timely yet timeless, The Grascals make music that is entirely relevant to the here and now, yet immersed in traditional values of soul and musicianship. It's a unique sound that has earned two of their previous releases, The Grascals (2005) and Long List of Heartaches (2006) Grammy® nominations for Best Bluegrass Album. The Famous Lefty Flynn's kicks off with start-to-finish three-part harmonies featured in a rousing cover of "Last Train to Clarksville." The energy doesn't let up as Terry Eldredge takes the lead in the infectious, fast-paced "Son of a Sawmill Man" - a straight-ahead bluegrass tune with room for solos by Kristin Scott Benson (banjo), Danny Roberts (mandolin), and Jeremy Abshire (fiddle). The ballad "Satan and Grandma" follows, a powerful testimony to the strength of a righteous grandmother conveyed with perfect emotion by Jamie Johnson. The life-affirming "Everytime" features Terry Eldridge, and reminds us of new possibilities and adventures that could be just ahead. Like an old-time folk song, "Out Comes the Sun" paints a mysterious, foreboding picture of a lover. Terry Eldredge, with the help of a bass interlude by Terry Smith, sets just the right chilling mood with this one. The instrumental "Blue Rock Slide" keeps that old-time bluegrass spirit front and center - in a more upbeat way - with solos and instrumental interplay in abundance. The title track, written by Jamie Johnson and Morry Trent, is a story song, an outlaw's tale, delivered convincingly by Terry Eldridge. Another Grascals original, "My Baby's Waiting on the Other Side" (Johnson, Smith, Roberts) with Jamie Johnson singing lead, is a barn-burner, fueled by precise three-part harmony and solos on fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin. Steve Earle's "My Old Friend the Blues" follows with its easy-going irony. The bluesy spirit continues with the two Terrys joining Jamie for the choruses of the wistful but sprightly "Up This Hill and Down." To close out the album, Jamie Johnson sings lead in the uplifting "Give Me Jesus."

Clapton Invites Vince Gill Onstage in Nashville

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Fans who came out for a great night of music weren't the only ones smiling Saturday night when surprise guest Vince Gill appeared onstage at the Eric Clapton concert at Nashville's Sommet Center. Both gentlemen guitarists traded licks and plenty of grins during the show's acoustic set. Clapton introduced his "very good friend, Mr. Vince Gill!" to the stage to play on four songs including the Bessie Smith blues standard "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," as well as his own "Running on Faith" and the 80's hit, "I've Got a Rock and Roll Heart." Clapton generously gave Gill plenty of solo time on all of these songs, including the 1992 monster hit acoustic version of "Layla," to Gill, who gracefully stepped up to the task of playing with his guitar hero and la id out perfectly executed leads that pleased both the crowd and his host, who signaled his approval with nods and wide smiles. Gill returned to the stage at the end of the night for a final, fiery solo statement on the show's encore, the Robert Johnson/Cream classic, "Crossroads." Gill is working on his next studio release and will appear with Clapton and nearly 30 other guitarists including Jeff Beck, Sheryl Crow and Buddy Guy at Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival June 26 at Chicago's Toyota Park (www.crossroadsgutarfestival.com). Clapton's current American concert tour continues through March 13.

T.C. Electronic Intros Polytune

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The TC Electronic PolyTune tunes all strings simultaneously! Simply strum - PolyTune will tell you which strings need tuning - tune up and you're ready to rock! PolyTune has an amazing chromatic tuner, as well, with +/- 0.5-cent accuracy and recognizes when one or more strings is being tuned. With an ambient light sensor, it matches the intensity of the LEDs to its surroundings. True-bypass makes sure that PolyTune preserves the integrity of your precious tone. It allows signal to flow when the pedal is bypassed and for silent tuning once engaged. The PolyTune chassis is housed a diecast aluminum box, with heavy-duty footswitch and 108-LED display. Learn more at tcelectronic.com.

Renowned Bassist Tom "T-Bone" Wolk Passes

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Renowned bassist Tom "T-Bone" Wolk, a long-time member of Daryl Hall and John Oates' band and the house band on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," died of a heart attack February 27. He was 58. Wolk worked with Hall & Oates beginning in the early 1980s recording the bass lines and appearing alongside guitarist G.E. Smith in the videos for many hit songs. The two also played in the "SNL" band from 1986 to 1992, and gave classic-instrument aficionados a reason to tune in as they were consistently highlighted leading the band while the show went to commercial breaks. Born in Yonkers, N.Y., Wolk was yet another in the wave of babyboomers who, after seeing the Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964, asked his parents for a guitar and began to play. He later attended art school, then began performing with Billy Vera and Lonnie Mack. His career ultimately included recording and performing with Elvis Costello, Billy Joel, Carly Simon, Jewel, former New York Yankees centerfielder Bernie Williams, and others. He also made his mark as a songwriter, including penning "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," which was recorded by Cyndi Lauper and was one of the biggest hit singles of the '80s.

Jeff Healey's Last Call Out April 6

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

tony Plain Records announces an April 6 release date in the U.S. and Canada for Jeff Healey's final jazz studio album, Last Call, which showcases the beloved legendary musician performing the music that was his true passion in life: the classic jazz, swing and pop sounds of the 1920s-1940s. Released with the participation and support of Jeff Healey's widow, Cristie, Last Call is a 14-track collection on which Healey plays multi-tracked guitar parts, trumpet and sings. On several of the songs, he's accompanied by Ross Wooldridge on piano and clarinet and Drew Jurecka on violin. Concurrent with this CD in Canada , Stony Plain will also release, Beautiful Noise, a concert DVD featuring Jeff Healey and The Jazz Wizards, his regular jazz performance band, originally recorded for the Toronto-based TV show, "A Beautiful Noise," in January, 2006. In the U.S. , the Beautiful Noise DVD will be released on March 23 and distributed by MVD Entertainment Group. Last Call was Jeff's last jazz/swing recording before his death in March, 2008 of cancer. Mess of Blues, an album of his fan-favorite blues and roots songs released shortly after he passed away, won the Blues Award for "Best Rock/Blues Release" in 2009; and the Songs from the Road live CD, released in September of 2009, won the "Recording of the Year" at the 2010 Maple Blues Awards. Last Call was recorded and mixed by long-time Healey friend and bandmate, Alec Fraser, and the package includes extensive liner notes by Colin Bray. The album features swing guitar instrumentals first recorded by Lonnie Johnson, Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti, to interpretations of songs originally done by Fats Waller, Sidney Bechet and Hoagy Carmichael. The material ranges from such standards as "Deep Purple," "Pennies from Heaven" and "Autumn in New York," to more obscure songs from the past, including "I'm Holding My Honey's Hand" and "You Can't Pull the Wool Over My Eyes." Jeff Healey even covers some tunes originally heard during the golden age of cinema, including "Hong Kong Blues" and the haunting them from the motion picture, "Laura." The new CD also includes a bonus video of "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" that is playable on most computers, recorded live at Healey's Roadhouse in Toronto on July 21, 2007.

Bamajam Adds to 2010 Lineup

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The 3rd Annual Verizon Wireless BamaJam Music & Arts Festival has announced additional performers to the ever-growing star-studded lineup. 2010 Grammy award winning Zac Brown Band [pictured], multi-platinum hit-makers Travis Tritt andTrain, Nashville Star winnerChris Young, RFD-TV host and Grand Ole Opry member Marty Stuart & his fabulous Superlatives, ACM award winner Rodney Atkins, and American Idol alum Danny Gokey join the dozens of fellow Grammy award-winning, platinum selling artists in Country, Rock, Bluegrass and Alternative music, all at one one-of-a-kind jam packed 3-day festival taking place, June 3-5 in Enterprise, Alabama. More than 40 entertainers are set to appear on Verizon BamaJam's four stages during the 3-day extravaganza. To date, organizers had announced superstars Jake Owen, Miranda Lambert, LoCash Cowboys, Dierks Bentley, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Colt Ford and Blackberry Smoke, along with country newcomers Matt Kennon and Houston County. Multi-award winning entertainer Kenny Chesney will headline the 3rd annual event, offering a rare opportunity to catch Chesney in one of just 10 appearances he'll make in 2010! The one and only Hank Williams, Jr. will also appear at BamaJam in what will be his only Alabama appearance in 2010! Are you ready for some BamaJam?! For more, go to bamajamfestival.com

Paul Curreri Releases California April 27

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Tin Angel Records announces an April 27 U.S. release date for California, the new CD from singer/songwriter/guitarist Paul Curreri. Raised in Richmond, Virginia, Paul Curreri now makes his home in Charlottesville, along with singer/songwriter guitarist Devon Sproule. The two were married in May of 2005. California is Curreri's first album in three years, the result of having to take off over 15 months when major throat surgery took him off the road and out of the recording studio. Prior to his surgery, Curreri had released four studio CDs and one live album in a span of five years. A noted producer, he's also helmed a number of albums in the last few years. At 13 tracks, California covers a lot of sonic ground. From the opening track's pounding piano drive, to the near uncomfortable honesty and simplicity of "I Can Never Return," Curreri fastballs a lot of sticky ideas at the wall. There's a fully improvised, fully belted, and fully unintelligible blues bash. Another number, "Off the Street, Onto The Road," opens with a phone conversation between Scott Joplin and Joseph Lamb. On the only track to feature a guest, Devon Sproule shows up for a gorgeous duet take on Michael Hurley's "Wildegeeses." Curreri even throat-sings at the tail of "I Can Hear The Future Calling." It's a damn blast, and as life-affirming as a Bob Marley album. "Oh man, here and there, all this forced time off whirl-winded me. I wasn't sure if I was a musician or a soccer mom or a bed bug," he admits. "But sometimes... it almost felt like a blessing. I realized certain junk isn't permanently within me, that there's peace to be found relatively close by, that some degree of - I don't know - grace is attainable, even if it kinda comes and goes." With a deeply rooted guitar style - seemingly flecked by Rev. Gary Davis, Bill Frisell, Ali Farka Touré, and Marc Ribot - Paul was Invited to travel to Kenya last September to participate in a collaboration between Western and African musicians. Now firmly back on the road again, he also guested on guitar for Sproule's tour last fall and followed that with his own UK dates. When asked how he managed to create such a forward-leaning, positive album while dealing with what many would regard as a career and personal crisis, he replies. "Well," we all live with hardship and crisis. But maybe it's the price paid for being surrounded by and involving oneself with only what feels authentic and important. I get to play music, even if - yeah - on occasion it's just at home. But I sometimes wonder if fishing for more doesn't rip something from someone who - for better or worse - wants or needs it more deeply." Visit www.paulcurreri.com.

Petty & The Heartbreakers Announce Album, Tour

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers have announced a 2010 North American tour and the upcoming release of Mojo, their first studio album in eight years, set for release on Reprise Records this spring. The tour will take the band through a mix of top arenas and amphitheaters beginning May 6 in Raleigh, NC. Special guest artists on the tour will include a mix of appearances by My Morning Jacket, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Joe Cocker, ZZ Top, and Drive-By Truckers. Tickets go on sale March 8. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, their first year of eligibility, and in recent years have continued to build on their already legendary success. The band's sold-out 2008 tour was the biggest of their career and came right after the band's acclaimed Super Bowl XLII halftime performance with a worldwide audience of nearly a billion people. The 2009 release of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers' career spanning Live Anthology garnered glowing reviews including a rave four and a half stars from Rolling Stone. The 2007 release of the Peter Bogdanovich-directed documentary Runnin' Down A Dream earned a Grammy award and established the Heartbreakers' story. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers released their debut album in 1976. They have since sold more than 60 million records. Between the Heartbreakers' recordings and his solo work, Tom Petty has received 18 Grammy nominations and been honored with lifetime achievement awards including Billboard's Century Award, MTV's Video Vanguard Award, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Tom Petty, with the Heartbreakers at his side, has become a rock and roll icon lauded by fellow musicians and music lovers worldwide. Petty's Sirius/XM radio show, "Tom Petty's Buried Treasure," is one of the most beloved and popular shows on satellite radio. It features Tom Petty spinning favorite tunes from his extensive private music collection. For more, visit tompetty.com.

Loar Intros Three Archtops

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Loar Design Workshop has added three guitars to its archtop line. The LH-650 is now available in a black nitrocellulose lacquer finish, as well as solid-top versions of the LH-600 and the LH-650 cutaway with pickup. Modeled after American designs from the early 20th century, The Loar's archtop guitars are hand-assembled from carefully selected woods. Even the solid-top versions receive the same attention-to-detail and care in assembly as their all-solid counterparts. For archtop players who want instruments that offer more value than anything else on the market, the new Loar guitars are worthy of careful examination. The Loar's Archtop Cutaway in black (LH-650-BK) is an all-solid guitar with a top that is hand-graduated spruce, and the back and sides are hand-carved from solid maple. The hand-rubbed black nitrocellulose finish gives it a slick understated look, the perfect companion for some suave jazzbox-style playing. The Kent Armstrong floating pickup amplifies the sweet natural tone of the hand-carved spruce top, while the Florentine cutaway allows unrestricted access to the upper frets, making the LH-650-BK stylishly perfect for either soloing or accompaniment. The solid-top versions (LH-300, LH-350) give players affordable access to the classic archtop sound, but without the sacrifice required to get a true vintage model. Made to the same specs as the LH-600 and 650, with the same hand-carved spruce top, we've kept the price low by building them with laminated maple back and sides. The mahogany neck with vintage V-profile is capped with a bound rosewood fretboard. The compensated ebony bridge keeps these guitars perfectly intonated, while the Gotoh open-geared tuners keep them in perfect tune. The hand-rubbed vintage sunburst body is finished with an extra-thin coat of polyurethane. For more, visit theloar.com.

Recording King's New Madison RK-R35

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Recording King Madison RK-R35 has a three-ply steam-bent maple rim, maple resonator, maple neck with adjustable two-way truss rod, and a rosewood fretboard. It also has 24-hook brass tension hoop, planetary tuners, geared fifth peg, and dual coordinator rods. Go to recordingking.com.

Axl Fireax, Jackknife Now in Black Matte Finishes

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

AXL is proud to release both of these models in an all-new, ultra-stylish Black Matte finish. The matte-finish Jacknife guitar has an alder body and two EMG-designed Alnico P-90 pickups. The thin maple neck is excellent for lightning-fast runs, and the string-through-body design gives the guitar great sustain. The comfortable rosewood fretboard is finished with Abalone dot position markers. The Fireax with matte finish is also built from alder and has two EMG-designed Alnico humbuckers and an EMG-designed single-coil pickup. The bridge is a classic floating tremolo design, perfect for whammy bar dive-bombs, but still keeps the Fireax in perfect tune. The ultra-thin maple neck is finished with a rosewood fretboard and exclusive Arrowhead fretboard inlay. Both guitars have black hardware, black truss rod covers and an Axl Skull headstock plate logo. The matte-finish Jacknife has a stylish brushed aluminum pickguard that really sets off the finish. Both of these guitars look and sound amazing. See them at axlguitars.com.

Jonny Lang Releases First Live Album

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

While still in his teens in the mid 1990s, Jonny Lang exploded onto the national scene with a combination of highly developed blues guitar chops and a powerful voice that rivaled some musicians more than twice his age. And that was just the beginning. Fifteen years and a half-dozen studio albums later, he has evolved into a seasoned musician and a road-savvy showman capable of delivering powerful live performances on his home soil and just about every other continent on the globe. On April 20 Concord Records captures that passion and energy with the release of Live at the Ryman, Lang's first record since 2006's Turn Around, which earned him a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album. Recorded at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in the summer of 2008, Live at the Ryman, Lang's first-ever live recording, offers a compelling glimpse of a young guitarist at the height of his creative powers, yet still open to exploring the depth and range of the blues and its relationship to R&B, soul, rock, gospel, funk and so may other emotionally riveting forms of music. Backed by the five-man crew of guitarist/vocalist Sonny Thompson, keyboardist Tommy Barbarella, bassist Jim Anton, drummer Barry Alexander and percussionist/vocalist Jason Eskridge, Lang burns through a dozen songs first heard on studio albums dating back to 1997. This time, though, the songs heat up in the kind of pressure-cooker setting that can only take shape in the vibrant Nashville club scene. The Ryman says Lang, is "one of those magical places where you just can't help but be inspired. I think a lot of that magic and inspiration makes it way onto this recording. It's a collection of some of the best songs from our studio recordings - only more energized, thanks to a great group of musicians and a very receptive live audience." The set opens with the triple punch of "One Person At a Time," "Bump in the Road" and "Turn Around" - songs that reflect Lang's ever-evolving spiritual side. "In my own life, music has been such a powerful force, and I know that's the case for a lot of people," he says. "I've seen how music can give people the strength to change. After years of witnessing that, it's become more of a focus for me to write songs that really count." Later, Lang and company churn their way through "A Quitter Never Wins," a song by veteran bluesman Tinsley Ellis that's been a consistent entry in Lang's live show for many years. The set reaches its coda with "Breakin' Me," a melancholy ballad that segues into a burning rendition of "Lie To Me" - Lang's very first hit in 1997, and a song that continues to define him as a lead figure in the blues for a new century. In many respects, Live at the Ryman is the record that Lang wanted to make all along - one that paints a vivid picture of a performer and a band who understand the significance of the blues as not only an art form unto itself, but as the wellspring for every meaningful and enduring form of music to follow. "I've wanted to do a live record for a long time, because I feel like our band is strongest in the live setting," says Lang. "I think this record is a good representation of our live show, and an accurate reference for people who haven't seen us yet. Hopefully it will be an inspiration for them to come out and see us." You can catch Jonny beginning in early March on the fourth edition of the upcoming Experience Hendrix Tour, featuring an all-star line up of music greats paying homage to the music and legacy of Jimi Hendrix including Jonny along with Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and others.

Sublime Announce Spring Tour

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Founding members of Sublime, drummer Bud Gaugh and bass player Eric Wilson have announced after 14-years they will officially take to the stage once again; with new frontman, singer/guitarist Rome. Dubbed Sublime with Rome, the group will reintroduce themselves and Sublime's music to fans across the country with an exclusive six-date intimate theater tour beginning 4/20/10 in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Palladium. "To go back out on the road and play this music again is a gift. We want to celebrate the music and share the experience for not only our fans, but also for ourselves. It's been 14-years and is long overdue," said Gaugh. Stated Wilson, "Many of our songs have never been performed live, most notably our self-titled release. Songs such as 'April 26, 1992,' 'Under My Voodoo,' 'Burritos' and even 'What I Got' will all get their proper stage debuts." "This tour will be full of surprises," said Gaugh. "Sublime has never used a set list. We will be performing songs off every album and will mix it up from show to show, never delivering the same set twice. We've also been working on some new material and have put together a couple of songs with Rome. We're excited to introduce them, and Rome, to all our fans." Rome, a 21-year-old northern California native, was introduced to Gaugh and Wilson in 2008. Last year, a handful of jam sessions led to an impromptu show at a small club in Nevada flooring a packed-house crowd. The trio later performed a one-off at the Smokeout Festival last fall and was a surprise special guest at the infamous KROQ Acoustic Christmas show, before officially announcing themselves as Sublime with Rome. Portions of the proceeds from the shows will go to benefit an addiction recovery program currently being developed to financially assist underprivileged teens and adolescents, in honor of Sublime's fallen singer/songwriter Bradley Nowell, who succumbed to his own addiction when he passed away in May 1996. "Sublime has so many fans and attracts new fans every year who were never able to see Sublime perform live after Bradley passed away," said Troy Nowell-Holmes. "One of the inspirations for forming 'Sublime with Rome' was to bring Brad's spirit in his music back to the fans and to give the new fans a glimpse of what it was like to see Sublime live." One of the most notable and successful ska-punk bands of all time, Sublime has sold over 17 million albums worldwide with the group's music remaining in constant radio rotation across the country. Influential Los Angeles rock radio station KROQ has listed Sublime as the #3 act in their annual "biggest bands" list for the last six years in a row with the single "Date Rape" ranking as the all-time most requested song at the station. To this day, the group's multi-platinum landmark debut album "40oz. to Freedom," lo-fi follow up "Robbin' the Hood," and multi-platinum self-titled major label debut (a virtual greatest hits set in itself) are all widely regarded as music collection staples. Formed in Long Beach in 1988, Sublime's final performance was in the spring of 1996. Visit SublimeWithRome.com for details.

Smoke Fairies Release EP

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Female London-based duo Smoke Fairies are releasing Ghosts late this Spring. This is limited edition 10" vinyl album compiling their first two singles and an EP. Their unique interweaving of ethereal vocal harmonizing and swampland guitars draws inspiration from sources as seemingly contradictory as the rolling hills of the pair's native Sussex and the foothills of the Appalachian mountains; the smoky jazz cafes of New Orleans to the sunny meadows of the English countryside. try to pigeonhole the Smoke Fairies? You might as well try to capture a storm in a whisky bottle. This music wells up from deep in their souls, sometimes dark, sometimes delicate and unmistakably shaped by a distinctly British sensibilities and filled with a delicious tension -- at once warm and haunting; soothing and unsettling. Following in the footsteps of artists like the Velvet Underground, Led Zeppelin (on their respective third albums), and Jefferson Airplane they've overhauled their musical roots and brought something new to the world. "Frozen Heart," for instance, is a paean to love whose influences span five decades and all manner of traditional genres, putting all those the pieces together in a strikingly fresh and original way. Smoke Fairies formed in secondary school in Chichester when Katherine and Jessica started putting vocal harmonies together, then guitar parts and let their imaginations run free! Soon songs started coming, at first just "stupid songs about dead pets, life and where we lived.... " then later their writing became braver and colder with a unique character and soul. Within a few years, those same songs started to carry them around the globe. First, they headed to New Orleans and slid easily into the city's laid back, music saturated vibe. They mixed with the wandering street musicians that filled the French Quarter and spent long days and nights at The Neutral Ground, a coffee shop where customers quickly become family. "It was like walking into somebody's house. There was music playing every night," says Katherine. "It was our second home. You could always go down there and see somebody you knew." Their next stop was Vancouver, where they fell in and out of bands, played shows in dives across town, and kept writing songs - songs that glint in the sun and catch your eye. "A lot of the narratives involve leaving something behind," explains Jessica. When the Smoke Fairies finally returned to the UK, they soon found themselves touring strange and grand theatres around the country in support of artists such as Bryan Ferry and Richard Hawley. Learn more at smokefairies.com.

Deftones Release New Album

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

One of the most respected and enduring forces in modern rock music, Deftones are proud to announce the release of their long -awaited new album entitled Diamond Eyes, scheduled for release May 18, 2010. The Grammy Award-winning, Platinum-certified band's 6th full-length, was produced and mixed by Nick Raskulinecz (Alice in Chains, Coheed & Cambria, Foo Fighters), and recorded and engineered by Paul "Fig" Figueroa (Alice in Chains, Bad Religion). As expected,Diamond Eyes is a powerful combination of muscular impact and expansive and atmospheric clarity that propelsDeftones through their ever-evolving new sonic terrain. Check them out at deftones.com.

Kilpatrick Audio Intros Striptease Guitar Effects Controller

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Effects manufacturer Kilpatrick Audio has announced the Striptease™ controller designed specifically for guitar and bass. Similar to ribbon controllers found on many synthesizers, Striptease™ enables the fast and accurate sonic control that only fingers can provide. The Striptease™ features a 100mm touch-sensitive strip that can be attached to a variety of positions on the instrument and is compatible with specially designed pedals from Kilpatrick Audio. All Kilpatrick Audio stomp boxes feature a tandem of two or more effects that are hand-tuned for maximum cooperation and interaction. The Striptease will be included with compatible effects products from Kilpatrick Audio. The first model, a modulating kill switch effect will be available in March 2010. See more at kilpatrickaudio.com.

Public Image Limited Slates Tour

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Since returning in December 2009 for seven monumental concerts in the United Kingdom-their first shows in 17 years-PUBLIC IMAGE LTD (PiL) now continue into 2010 with a headlining North American tour starting Saturday, April 17 in San Francisco. After fronting the Sex Pistols, John Lydon formed Public Image Ltd in 1978. With their experimental sound fusing Rock, Dance, Folk, Ballet, Pop and Dub, PiL are regarded as producing some of the most diverse music of the 70s and 80s. As a band, the music and vision constantly evolved like no other, culminating in an incredible live experience. The North American tour will be preceded by a special performance at the COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL on Friday, April 16 (opening day of the three-day event) in Indio, CA. It marks their first show in the United States in 18 years. Cited as one of the most innovative and influential bands in music history, PiL return to a country where they enjoyed a special relationship throughout their career for what are set to be stunning shows. The North American dates will be followed by a series of high-profile summer European Festival appearances. John Lydon (vocals), Lu Edmonds (guitar), Bruce Smith (drums) and Scott Firth (bass) earned critical and public acclaim for their concerts in December 2009, with many British media outlets championing them as the shows of the year. John Lydon: "I sound like a bag of kittens thrown down the staircase." 2010 sees the 30th anniversary of the band's first U.S. tour and also their U.S TV debut on "American Bandstand," where singer John Lydon invited the audience onstage to dance with the band! Host Dick Clark famously introduced their appearance as "a memorable moment in rock n roll, something special and interesting." With a wide and varied back catalogue spanning three decades, Public Image Ltd will be showcasing the unique sounds of tracks such as "Public Image," "This Is Not A Love Song," "Rise," and "Disappointed," with many further surprises in store. Lu Edmonds: Multi instrumentalist and former guitarist in The Damned Lu joined PiL in 1986 recording and playing on the album Happy? and co-writing the album 9 adding yet another dimension to the PiL sound. Lu is also associated with a variety of eclectic and acoustic bands including The Mekons and Siberian band Yat-Kha. Bruce Smith: Former drummer in The Pop Group and The Slits became percussionist for PiL also in 1986 playing and recording on the albums Happy? and 9. Seen as a drumming virtuoso, Bruce Smith brought his unique style into the fold. Bruce has also played with the likes of Björk and Terence Trent D'Arby. Scott Firth: A bass player/multi instrumentalist that has collaborated and played with a variety of top musicians and bands including Steve Winwood, John Martyn, Elvis Costello and The Spice Girls. Scott's arrival into the band in 2009 resulted in John Lydon declaring him "Genius at work!" See more at pilofficial.com

South Memphis String Band Slates Tour

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Luther Dickinson, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Jimbo Mathus, collectively known as South Memphis String Band, have set a series of dates in March and April in support of Home Sweet Home. The band is comprised of North Mississippi Allstars and Black Crowes veteran Luther Dickinson, Grammy-winning blues/rock powerhouse Alvin Youngblood Hart and Jimbo Mathus of Squirrel Nut Zippers renown. The band's tour will take them from their native Hill Country of Mississippi to audiences in such major markets as Memphis, New York, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, plus such trend-setting towns as Oxford, Ann Arbor, Lexington, Asheville, Raleigh, not forgetting Glenville, PA and Carrolton, MS. The troika of roots-imbued musical pros coalesced through a shared vision and consuming passion for the music of their forebears, most notably the Mississippi Sheiks, Memphis Jug Band, Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers and other practitioners of pre-blues era roots sounds. Home Sweet Home showcases their passion for the tradition underscored by the name. South Memphis is that rough-and-tumble area of the Bluff City extending from downtown to the Mississippi border and beyond. It's where Stax Records as well as hundreds of churches thrived. The sacred and profane, holy rolling and dice rolling, were cheek by jowl in old South Memphis and its modern day namesake reflects that ecumenicism quite brilliantly. For Luther, Alvin and Jimbo, South Memphis is more of a musical state of mind than a specific geographical location setting the stage for the band's down-home style performances on their forthcoming tour. Mathus explained, "Luther, Youngblood Hart and myself have been musical co-conspirators for over a decade. It is only fitting that we should come together with acoustic instruments and perform Mississippi music."

Rolling Stones Rare and Unseen on DVD

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Rolling Stones Rare and Unseen is the second title in a DVD collection that takes an inside look at the audacity of the band that took R&B and made it into mainstream rock - The Rolling Stones. From small-time band to megastar rockers, The Stoneshad a major impact in the music world, playing and recording for five decades. This DVD is a collection of rare footage including newsreels and photographs from private collections. Included is footage of: - Mick Jagger on "World in Action" talks about responsibility and the law - Keith Richards at the Berlin Film Festival - Charlie Watts in a rare sound bite or two - Bill Wyman talks tours and life - Rare footage of Brian Jones 1964 - Rare and Unseen footage of each of the band talking - Local TV reports, restored - Tours and nostalgia - Interview footage from Belfast The DVD will be available April 20.

Demeter Launches COM-2 Compulator Pro

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Demeter Amplification has introduced the COM-2 Compulator Pro. It has adjustable gain boost and controls for Attack and Release, so a player can adjust how quickly or slowly the compression effect both turns on and off. It can also fine-tune compressed tone to mimic almost any type of compressor. Learn more at demeteramps.com.

Neil Young Filming Trunk Show

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Neil Young Trunk Show - a concert film starring Neil Young - will be released on Blu-Ray and DVD by Reprise Records later this year. The film is the second in director Jonathan Demme's planned trilogy about the legendary rocker. Demme also directed the 2006 Young documentary Heart of Gold. Following that film's premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Rolling Stone called it "an unconscious, raw, in-the-moment concert movie that respects the immediacy of creativity and the creator." Shot on hand-held HDCam, HDV, and Super-8mm cameras, Neil Young Trunk Show features scenes from two shows that Young performed at the historic Tower Theater in Upper Darby, PA, on his 2007 Chrome Dreams II theater tour. Fans are treated to acoustic and electric tracks that span his entire songbook, including rarely performed songs like "Mexico," "Kansas," and "The Sultan," the classics "Cinnamon Girl," "Cowgirl in the Sand," and "After the Gold Rush," and more recent work including "The Believer," and an astonishing 20 minute version of "No Hidden Path." The film also features some offstage and behind-the-scenes footage. Demme's film credits include the Oscar-winning dramas Philadelphia and Silence of the Lambs, and the more recent Rachel Getting Married. Theatrical screenings of Neil Young Trunk Show will be held across the country for one week beginning on March 19th. Beginning Mar 19: New York, NY - Sunshine Cinema Los Angeles, CA - Nuart Theatre Cambridge, MA - Kendall Square Cinema Detroit, MI - Maple Art Theatre Philadelphia, PA - Ritz Seattle, WA - Landmark Theaters San Francisco, CA - Landmark Theaters Berkeley, CA - Landmark Theaters Chicago, IL - Music Box Theatre Washington, DC - E Street Cinema Denver,CO - Chez Artiste Beginning Mar 26: Portland, OR - Cinema 21 Minneapolis, MN - Landmark Cinema

Uriah Heep, Gamma Ray Release Albums

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

DisManic Distribution and Knife Fight Media team up to present two new releases from earMUSIC, the international rock and pop label from the entertainment group, Edel. Out in North America for the first time on March 16th will be Gamma Ray's To The Metal! and Uriah Heep's Celebration. Thomas Ziegler, Managing Director of DisManic Distribution, says, "I am very excited to start a new venture with old friends! I have had the pleasure of working with Gunter Ford and his staff at Knife Fight Media during the last 6 years on a number of SPV releases, and Max Vaccaro from Edel is doing a terrific job signing true metal and rock legends to earMusic. Our synergetic team work will make Gamma Ray, Uriah Heep and future albums released under this new deal a great success!" Max Vaccaro, Director of earMUSIC adds, "After only one year, our label earMUSIC became a true force for rock music in Europe thanks to the success of artists like Chickenfoot, Foreigner, Deep Purple and many others. We're very excited about the US release of the new Uriah Heep Greatest Hits album Celebration and Gamma Ray's new album To The Metal! in collaboration with DisManic and Knife Fight Media; we're sure that these titles will be only the first of a long series of successes in the USA for our label". Gamma Ray puts out the clarion call to metal heads across the globe with their 10th studio album To The Metal! By far one of the strongest offerings from Gamma Ray in their storied history, To The Metal! proves there is no band better when it comes to classic Heavy Metal. Helloween fans will be delighted to know that vocalist Michael Kiske will team again with Kai Hansen to sing a song together on this album. Iconic '70's UK rock band Uriah Heep mark their 40th Anniversary with a collection of their classics and two new track offerings in Celebration! Along with twelve beautifully re-recorded and mastered classics, Celebration has two original tracks and features a special edition containing a 45-minute bonus DVD documenting their outstanding live show at the legendary Sweden Rock Festival 2009. Both Gamma Ray and Uriah Heep have North American tour plans in 2010.

Nighthawks Get Wammies on with Three Award Nominations

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
The Nighthawks, one of the nation's premier roots music bands of the past four decades, have garnered three nominations for the 24th Annual "Wammies" Music Awards celebration, to be presented on February 28 by The Washington Area Music Association at the State Theatre. The DC-based Nighthawks have been nominated for three awards in the "Blues/Traditional R&B" category for band of the year and recording of the year for their American Landscape album released in 2009; plus the band's guitarist, Paul Bell, has been nominated for best instrumentalist. The Nighthawks were enshrined in the Association's Hall of Fame back in 1989. American Landscape has become one of the band's most critically acclaimed and best- selling albums. In addition to universal praise from the press and multi-format radio play, the CD was ranked #20 on the top blues albums of 2009 based on airplay charts compiled by Living Blues magazine The band released its latest album, Last Train to Bluesville, on February 9, with distribution by Rip Bang Records. Recorded live and acoustic at the Sirius/XM Satellite Radio studios in Washington, the new album features down-home versions of 10 blues classics from such artists as Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Slim Harpo, Chuck Berry, Sonny Boy Williamson and James Brown, among others. Capturing the intimate feeling of a back-porch setting, Last Train to Bluesville bristles with all the energy of a live gig and the world-class performances that fans from around the world have come to expect from The Nighthawks. The band's current lineup features Mark Wenner on harp and vocals, Paul Bell on guitar and vocals, Johnny Castle on bass and vocals and Mark Stutso on drums and vocals. Stutso replaced long-time member Pete Ragusa, whose work on Last Train to Bluesville represents his last recording with the group. The set list for the new CD includes versions of a number of songs that have become "standards" in a Nighthawks set, as well as several that fans may not have heard in some time. For more, go to www.thenighthawks.com.

Tommy James Reissues Coming April 20

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Goldmine magazine called Tommy James "the most productive rock 'n' roll singles artist of his era" in its review of the critically hailed 40 Years: The Complete Singles Collection (1966-2006) 2-CD set, released in 2008 by Collectors' Choice Music. Mojo added, "James should be ranked among the most undervalued workmen in the American rock quarry." Add to the fact that James has just released his autobiography with a title that tells it all - Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James & The Shondells (which Rolling Stone gave 3 ½ out of four stars)- and it's evident the time is ideal to reflect on a career filled with what the Austin Chronicle called "definitive U.S. pop." On April 20, 2010, Collectors' Choice Music, which released the 40 Years retrospective, will begin to reissue the individual Roulette Records albums by Tommy James & the Shondells and Tommy James solo. The first batch contains I Think We're Alone Now, Gettin' Together and Travelin' by the band, and James' own My Head, My Bed and My Red Guitar from 1972, recorded in Nashville with many of the city's notable players. Ed Osborne once again annotated the reissues, featuring extensive interview material from the Niles, Michigan native who is very candid about working with Roulette owner and convicted mobster Morris Levy. The band had a remarkable run on the charts with singles like "Hanky Panky," "Say I Am (What I Am)," "It's Only Love," "I Think We're Alone Now," "Mirage," "I Like the Way," "Gettin' Together," "Out of the Blue," "Get Out Now," "Mony Mony," "Somebody Cares," "Do Something to Me," "Crimson & Clover," "Sweet Cherry Wine," "Crystal Blue Persuasion," "Ball of Fire," "She" and "Gotta Get Back to You" among others. • Tommy James & the Shondells - I Think We're Alone Now: This 1967 album marked the group's move from a singles band to a more album-oriented outfit, with new producers (Ritchie Cordell and Bo Gentry), a new arranger (Jimmy "Wiz" Wisner, who's worked with artists ranging from Barbra Streisand to Iggy Pop) and a new studio (New York's Allegro Sound). Unlike its predecessors - Hanky Panky and It's Only Love, which consisted of the smash hits plus songs culled from Morris Levy's publishing catalogs - this album benefitted from better song selection and the better technology of Allegro Sound. The centerpiece was the single "I Think We're Alone Now," brought to James as a ballad by Cordell and Gentry, but converted to a mid-tempo rocker by James and Wisner utilizing an "eighth note pegging" technique. Recorded on Christmas Eve 1966, i t was on the radio by January. The hit was followed up by "Mirage," with cellos intermingling with guitars, and "I Like the Way," punctuated with a horn riff. Also included on this release are covers of the Rivieras' "California Sun" and the Isley Brothers' "Shout." • Tommy James & the Shondells - Gettin' Together: This album, released in later 1967, cemented the creative process that began on I Think We're Alone Now. The title track had been earmarked for Gene Pitney to record, but James heard it, knew it was a hit, and "pitched a fit" to Morris Levy, who eventually granted permission for James to record it. Cordell and Gentry sped up the vocal track and the song raced up the charts. Although utilizing the same producers and studio, the album was a progression over its predecessor. "I Want to Be Around You," "So Deep with You," "Real Girl" and "World Down on Your Knees" are examples of late '60s "sunshine pop," comparable to the Mamas & Papas, the 5th Dimension or the Association. Cordell and Gentry remain the key song sources, but by now the band would write as a band. Today, James counts G ettin' Together as one of his favorite albums: "What really made me happy with the guys in the studio is that they were like actors in a play . . . Everybody had a great sense of proportion . . . [and] everybody would contribute something. I still enjoy listening to it today." • Tommy James & the Shondells - Travelin': Travelin' followed the Shondells' 1969 releases Crimson & Clover and Cellophane Symphony. It was created entirely by the band, from songwriting to playing to producing and arranging. The final album under the Tommy James & the Shondells name, this 1970 release is also considered by many fans to be their best. It's their edgiest effort, recorded with very few technical effects ("gritty and grainy, just like dust in your mouth and sand in your boots," says James). The grit theme was even carried over into the artwork in which renowned American West painter Ron lesser, a protégé of Norman Rockwell, painted a portrait of the guys in a stagecoach being chased by Morris Levy. Apart from the Shondells, James' main writing partner was Michigan confrere Bob King. From this association came highlights "Gotta Get back," "Moses & Me," "Red Rover" and "Talkin' & Signifyin'." James says, "If we had stayed together as a group, it would have been very, very interesting [to hear] the music we would have come up with." • Tommy James - My Head, My Bed & My Red Guitar: James' second solo album was a total departure from his earlier work. Recorded in Nashville, it featured the Music City's "A team." By this time, the Byrds and Bob Dylan had embraced country music. But for someone with a pop track record, recording the Nashville way was an uncommonly bold move. Produced by James with Bob King and Pete Drake, musicians included Scotty Moore (also the engineer) and D.J. Fontana from Elvis Presley's band, Drake on pedal steel, King on bass, Hargus "Pig" Robbins on keyboards, Buddy Spicher on fiddle and Charlie McCoy on harmonica. "I was real keen on the idea of putting myself in different situations [where] I've got to sink or swim," says James. "These players were unbelievable . . . I was impressed by their musical ability and lack of ego." Interestingly, Rolling Stone f inally acknowledged James' work with this album. "[They] gave us the best write-up I ever had on any project," he says. During the session, Scotty Moore received a phone call from Presley, who said he'd drive to Nashville to take James and Moore out for steak. The visit never materialized. But James did end up with a credible country debut.

Gibson and Epiphone Sponsor Lennon Educational Bus

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Brian Rothschild, Executive Director of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, is pleased to announce the addition of Gibson and Epiphone Guitars to its prestigious list of sponsors. The announcement underscores the company's support for the valuable mission of the Bus to bring access to songwriting, music making and the digital arts to students across the country. "We are very happy to be working with Gibson an d Epiphone and are proud to have their legendary and innovative instruments available for the students who record on the Bus at our stops at schools, concert tours and organizations across the country. Because of Gibson's involvement, young people will be further inspired to play music and write songs using these finely crafted guitars," said Rothschild. The guitars that will be featured on the Bus include select Gibson and Epiphone electric and acoustic models, such as Gibson USA's new Dusk Tiger, Gibson Acoustic's John Lennon J-160E Peace model, and Epiphone's John Lennon "Revolution" Casino. "To be onboard as the exclusive guitar sponsor of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus and to be working with such a fantastic organization who shares the same ideals and philosophies as we do, means a great deal to us," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. "Our long withstanding friendship with Yoko Ono and continued commitment to preserving John's legacy is an important factor in our continued support of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus." Gibson Guitar and Epiphone will also provide prizes for radio and internet promotions in conjunction with the Bus' upcoming tours, including The Black Eyed Peas, Tribeca Film Festival and at various Gibson Showrooms across the U.S. As the official guitar sponsor of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, Gibson and Epiphone will provide Grand Prize winners with their very own Gibson or Epiphone guitar. The Lennon Contest is open to amateurs and professionals who submit their original songs in any of the Contest's 12 categories. Gibson and Epiphone will also support other initiatives throughout the year including press conferences at several of their U.S. based entertainment relations showrooms, content for websites and overall social media promotional programs. The company also expects to join forces with the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus to celebrate what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday this October. For more, go to gibson.com and epiphone.com.

Peter Gabriel Releases Scratch My Back

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
eter Gabriel will release his Scratch My Back March 2 via EMI. The album is the first part of a series of song exchanges in which Gabriel and other leading artists reinterpret each other's songs. EMI Music will also be releasing the album via its Virgin label outside the US on February 15. "We've had a long association with Peter Gabriel throughout his career at EMI and we are very excited to be releasing this amazing album in the US market," Dominic Pandiscia, SVP and GM of EMI Label Services and Caroline Distribution. "We're honored to work with an artist who has proven time and again that he is a musical innovator and a massively creative force." In addition, EMI Label Services will make an exclusive 7" AA vinyl release available at independent retailers to celebrate Record Store Day in the US on April 17th. The 7" features Peter Gabriel's "The Book of Love" and "Not One of Us"; a track written by Gabriel and performed by Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields. Full Moon Club Double A Singles announced for February, March & April. To coincide with the arrival of every full moon in 2010, each month a digital double A-side single will be unleashed, neatly pairing one of the songs from Scratch My Back with the reciprocal Gabriel track recorded by that particular songwriter. "I have always been fascinated with the craft and the process of putting together a good song. I always wanted to do an album of other people's songs, but rather than do a traditional cover record I though it would be much more interesting to have a song exchange project in which I would ask some of my favourite writers if they would swap songs " - Peter Gabriel The Boy In The Bubble / Biko - February 28 While Peter empties Paul Simon's original of all its elasticity and bounce, exposing its heart-melting lyrics, the New Yorker returns the favour by refreshing Peter's tribute to the late anti-apartheid activist, opting to be backed by the rolling sound of a 12-string guitar. While Biko might be an obvious choice for the Graceland guy, his distinctive voice - simultaneously commanding yet youthful - is the perfect messenger for a song calling for empathy and justice. Flume / Come Talk To Me - March 30 A double A-side to savour, as Peter's epic take on Bon Iver's Flume is paired with the enigmatically monikered Wisconsin singer-songwriter's interpretation of "Come Talk To Me" from 1992's Us. They're both astonishing, the latter initially wearing the light shades of bluegrass and calypso before building into something akin to gospel as it supplies seven minutes of deep spirituality. The Power Of The Heart / Solsbury Hill - April 28 On which both interpreters stay true to the open-eared principles of Scratch My Back. Peter's take on Lou Reed's "The Power Of The Heart" offers up a characteristically open vocal performance, while Lou defiantly applies the snarling, street-savvy sound of New York City to that iconic West Country protuberance. "It's crazy," explains Peter's engineer Richard Chappell, "as bold a cover as I've ever heard." The first full moon of 2010 has already released the project's first double A-side - the pairing of Peter's euphoric take on The Magnetic Fields' The Book Of Love and the reciprocal retread given by Stephin Merritt's indie-pop collective to Not One Of Us. Real World takes the theme of artist collaboration to next level with the Real World Remixed Contest Peter Gabriel's "Not One Of Us" is the first release available through Real World Remixed, an initiative that chimes perfectly with Scratch My Back's themes of exchange and collaboration. This allows remixers to reassemble and re-interpret some of Peter Gabriel's core repertoire in whatever shape or form their imaginations allow. Having downloaded sample packs, remixers employ the technology and techniques of their choice and are then invited to upload their creations on the Real World Remixed site to be evaluated by fellow members. "Peter is always up for hearing other peoples' ways of doing music," explains Richard Chappell, "it's what keeps him going. He's never precious about keeping it going in one way. He enjoys chaos and gets off on how one person's idea can trigger another's - a kind of musical pass-the-parcel." Over the course of 2010, four of Peter's songs will be made available through Real World Remixed. The best remix of each track, as judged by Peter, will have the honour of then being commercially released - and to the remixer, a share of the royalties. Full details at www.realworldremixed.com About Peter Gabriel: Peter Gabriel first came to international prominence with the success of Genesis, a band that he co-founded while still at school. Since leaving Genesis in 1975, his recording career has included seven studio albums, film soundtracks for 'Birdy', 'The Last Temptation of Christ' and 'Rabbit Proof Fence' as well as live and compilation albums. His wider musical career has included multiple Grammy Awards and the creation of the now global WOMAD festival. Peter Gabriel co-founded the human rights organization Witness.org in 1989 and in 2007 the Elders.org was launched by Nelson Mandela, which was founded by Peter Gabriel and Sir Richard Branson. In 2006, Peter Gabriel was awarded the prestigious Man of Peace title by The Nobel Peace Laureates. He has also engaged in a wide variety of tech-based businesses throughout a variety of creative industries. For more information please visit www.petergabriel.com.

Music Go Round Emphasizes Music Education

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
As the effects of the recession continue to spread, schools across the country are being forced to trim budgets and discretionary spending. For many, this means programming such as athletics and fine art instruction, once considered fundamental to a child's education, must be cut back. But, in recognition of Music in Our Schools Month, which is taking place this March, one company is reminding people of the importance of keeping music in the school curriculum. According to Tim Kletti, brand director for Music Go Round, music allows children to express their ideas and ideals. Kletti notes that research conducted by The National Association for Music Education shows that skills learned through the discipline of music transfer to study skills, communication skills, and cognitive skills, all of which are the basis for achieving life-long success. "Children should be encouraged to convey their thoughts in a manner that is comfortable for them," said Kletti, whose Music Go Round stores buy, sell and trade quality used and new musical gear and instruments. "Music allows them to identify themselves and better associate with their peers. It is crucial to creating a healthy learning environment." Kletti adds that including music as part of the school curriculum gives children of all ages and backgrounds access to the art. "Musical instruction is not something that should be considered a luxury, Kletti says. "Students actually cannot afford to go without exposure to instruments and harmony." At Music Go Round stores, children can receive music lessons that can complement the instruction they are receiving in school. Instructors at the store specialize in piano, guitar, bass and drum training, while some additional disciplines may be available. Costs vary by instructor, but they generally range from $20 to $30 per half-hour lesson. Lessons are open to adults as well, so parents can choose to brush up on an old favorite instrument or experiment with a new one for the first time. "Our lessons are an affordable way for people to enhance their understanding and appreciation of music," added Kletti. "We consider our products, services and expertise to be an asset to the musical curriculum of all types of schools." Music Go Round is part of a chain of the country's leading music instrument dealers. According to Kletti, the stores cater directly to hobbyists, part-time musicians, players as well as beginner musicians. For more, visit musicgoround.com.

ABB To Stream NYC Shows Live

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND have announced the return of the subscription website MOOGIS.COM where fans can get live streams of their annual New York City residency this March at the United Palace Theatre (formerly known as the 175th Street Theatre). Fans of the band who aren't able to attend any of their upcoming 13 shows beginning March 11 and wrapping March 27--or those who want to re-live the experience later--will be able to experience all the concerts from the comfort of their own home via MOOGIS which debuted last year. MOOGIS is the brainchild of Allman Brothers Band founding member and drummer BUTCH TRUCKS who had been working on the site for five years before its launch ("moogis" was what his infant son said when he wanted "music"). Numerous state-of-the-art video cameras will be positioned throughout the venue, as well as in the dressing rooms and the lobby, capturing the whole concert experience for Moogis subscribers. For a subscription price that's less than the cost of a front-row ticket, Moogis gives fans the chance see both live and archived webcasts of the Allman Brothers Band shows in addition to other exclusive content (both video and audio) dating back to 2000 and be a part of a social network of like-minded music fans. The site launched in March 2009 when it aired the entire ABB 40th Anniversary Beacon Theatre run of 15 sold-out shows in near-HD quality without a hitch and plans to expand their services to feature artists from other genres in 2010. For the first time since 1989, the Allman Brothers are moving the show uptown to the United Palace Theatre due to a scheduling conflict at the Beacon Theatre. As always, expect the band--GREGG ALLMAN (vocals and keyboards), BUTCH TRUCKS (drums and tympani), JAIMOE (drums), WARREN HAYNES (vocals, lead and slide guitar), DEREK TRUCKS (slide and lead guitar), OTEIL BURBRIDGE (bass) and MARC QUINONES (congas and percussion)-to be joined by a wide variety of special guest musicians. In 2009, the group kicked off their 40th anniversary tour with 15 shows at the Beacon Theatre and welcomed a wide variety of special guest musicians. Paying homage to the group's late co-founder Duane Allman, the band were joined onstage by the likes of Eric Clapton (two nights), Grateful Dead co-founders Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, members of Phish and Widespread Panic as well as Bruce Hornsby, Sheryl Crow, Boz Scaggs, Buddy Guy, Robert Randolph, Levon Helm, Johnny Winter, Susan Tedeschi, Chuck Leavell, the Asbury Jukes horn section, Bruce Willis, Kid Rock and others. As David Sprague of Daily Variety noted in his review, "The Allman Brothers' annual March run at Gotham's Beacon Theater has become something of a harbinger of spring, bringing with it a palpable sense of renewal...that sweet interlude soon gave way to a surprisingly fierce, intriguingly dark batch of standards that underscored the fact that the earliest version of the ensemble was called the Allman Brothers Blues Band for a very good reason (3/10/09)." For more information, go to www.allmanbrothersband.com and www.moogis.com

When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors Opens April 9

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Rhino Entertainment announced today that, following a prestigious festival run, When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors will receive a theatrical release in select markets on Friday, April 9. The crowd-pleasing documentary has been featured at the Sundance, Berlin, Deauville and San Sebastian Film Festivals and most recently played to sold-out shows at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. Produced by Wolf Films/Strange Pictures, in association with Rhino Entertainment, and released by Abramorama, the 90-minute film is the first feature documentary about The Doors. "They say if you remember the '60s you weren't there," said producer Dick Wolf. "I can state definitively that one of the things I do remember is buying THE DOORS first album the day it came out and then listening to it about ten or twelve times in a row. Both sides. Every song. I've been a fan ever since. This movie is the story of the band but it is also an insight into a moment in time that will never be repeated." When You're Strange uncovers historic and previously unseen footage of the illustrious rock quartet and provides new insight into the revolutionary impact of its music and legacy. Directed by award-winning writer/director Tom DiCillo and narrated by Johnny Depp, the film is a riveting account of the band's history. Said Depp, "Watching the hypnotic, hitherto unreleased footage of Jim, John, Ray and Robby, I felt like I experienced it all through their eyes. As a rock n' roll documentary, or any kind of documentary for that matter, it simply doesn't get any better than this. What an honor to have been involved. I am as proud of this as anything I have ever done." The film reveals an intimate perspective on the creative chemistry between drummer John Densmore, guitarist Robby Krieger, keyboardist Ray Manzarek and singer Jim Morrison -- four brilliant artists who made The Doors one of America's most iconic and influential rock bands. Using footage shot between the band's 1965 formation and Morrison's 1971 death, When You're Strange follows the band from the corridors of UCLA's film school, where Manzarek and Morrison met, to the stages of sold-out arenas. Shortly before the film's theatrical release, its soundtrack will be available March 30 and features 13-songs chronicling The Doors' six landmark albums with studio versions of classic tracks mixed with legendary live cuts including performances from The Ed Sullivan Show and The Isle Of Wight Festival. The film is produced by Wolf Films/Strange Pictures, in association with Rhino Entertainment, and released by Abramorama. Additional credits for When You're Strange include producers Dick Wolf, John Beug, Jeff Jampol, and Peter Jankowski. The film is written and directed by Tom DiCillo ("Johnny Suede," "Living in Oblivion") and narrated by Johnny Depp.

Richard Delvy Passes Away

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Richard Delvy, drummer for the Belairs when they they recorded the hit surf-rock instrumental "Mr. Moto" passed away February 6 after a prolonged sickness. He was 67. Born in Connecticut, Delvy moved to California at age 20, looking to work as music promoter/musician. He joined the Bel-Airs before forming the Challengers and producing its 1963 album, Surfbeat, which solidified surf music as a genre. On the business side, Delvy secured the rights to the Surfaris' hit "Wipe Out," which hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963 and reached No. 16 in re-release three years later. The song resurfaced as a hit in 1987, by rappers Fat Boys. Delvy owned copyright on dozens of other songs, including "Mr. Moto" and "Chick-a-Boom (Don't Ya Jes' Love It)," which was a top 10 hit in 1971. In the late '60s, he produced albums by the Chambers Brothers and the Outsiders and composed minor-movie themes and television cartoon series including "The Archies," "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids," and "The Groovy Ghoulies." Delvy later served in executive roles at a handful of record labels and owned a music publishing company.

Doug Fieger Passes

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Doug Fieger, guitarist, singer/songwriter, and leader of the rock band The Knack, has died. Fieger battled cancer for six years before succumbing at his a home near Los Angeles yesterday. He was 57. After forming the band in 1978, Fieger co-wrote and sang lead vocals on The Knack's 1979 hit "My Sharona." Inspired by a long-time girlfriend, the song held the number one spot on the Billboard pop chart for six weeks in an era dominated by disco. Fieger and band were never able to better the song's success, but he continued touring with The Knack. Fieger and his guitars were profiled in the January '08 issue of VG. The feature is posted at vintageguitar.com/features/artists/details.asp?AID=3088.

Rockabilly Legend Dale Hawkins Passes Away

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Delmar Allen "Dale" Hawkins, a rockabilly pioneer who wrote "Oh! Suzy-Q," died February 15 after suffering with colon cancer. He was 73. Hawkins, a native of Louisiana, recorded his first hit in the KWKH radio in downtown Shreveport in 1956 with guitarist James Burton, who was 15 at the time, and went on to perform with Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, John Denver and Jerry Lee Lewis, among others. Burton wrote the guitar lick for "Suzie Q," while Hawkins penned the lyrics. Hawkins also recorded more than 40 songs on the Chess label, and after appearing on the CBS show "Big Beat" in the late '50s, he served as guest host the show. The show eventually evolved into the "Dale Hawkins Show." Hawkins later worked as a producer and had several hit singles to his credit. In the mid '80s he moved to Arkansas and became a social worker/counselor, while still playing the occasional live gig. A veteran of the Korean War, Hawkins is in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

Frontiers to release Giant's Comeback Album

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Powerhouse Rock quartet GIANT has reformed to release their long awaited album PROMISE LAND on Frontiers Records March 9th, 2010. GIANT consists of founding members David Huff on drums and bassist Mike Brignardello, along with singer extraordinaire Terry Brock (Strangeways, Seventh Key) and John Roth (Winger) on guitars. PROMISE LAND was mixed by Ben Fowler (Van Zandt, Cher, Meat Loaf) and mastered by Joe Palmaccio (3 Grammy Awards won). Originally formed by brothers Dann and David Huff, together with the experienced Jazz-Rock keyboardist Alan Pasqua and Nashville session bass player Mike Brignardello, GIANT would soon become, with the release of their debut album Last of The Runaways (A&M Records, 1989), one of the most respected trademark bands of the Melodic Hard Rock scene. Following countless live performances, the band recorded the follow-up Time to Burn (Epic, 1991), an album still regarded as a main source of influence for many Melodic and Hard Rock bands nowadays. For more, go to www.frontiers.it.

Stax Number Ones Collects Label's Hits

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Stax Records is where Southern soul became a global force in music. The label, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, gave rise to a number of stars - many hailing from its Southeast Memphis neighborhood. During the '60s and into the '70s, Stax studio was a wellspring of hit records that topped both the R&B and pop charts. On March 30, 2010, Stax Records - now operating within Concord Music Group - will release Stax Number Ones, a compilation of 15 chart-topping hits by Stax' best-known artists. Included in Stax Number Ones are Booker T. & the MGs' "Green Onions," Sam & Dave's "Hold On! I'm Comin'" and "Soul Man," Eddie Floyd's "Knock on Wood," Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," Johnnie Taylor's "Who's Making Love," "I Believe in You (You Believe in Me)" and "Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone," Rufus Thomas' "(Do The) Push & Pull [Part 1]," Jean Knight's "Mr. Big Stuff," Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft," The Dramatics' "In the Rain," The Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There" and "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)" and Shirley Brown's "Woman to Woman." Stax Records has placed more than 175 hit songs on Billboard's Hot 100 pop charts as well as a staggering 250 hits on the R&B charts. Stax Number Ones represents all 15 songs that hit #1 on either chart from the label's golden era. It is a perfect sampling of classic Stax.

Isbin Gathers Historic Grammy Win

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Sharon Isbin is the first guitarist in 43 years to receive a second classical Grammy Award. She received her first Grammy in 2001 in the same category, for Dreams of a World. Isbin was also the only classical artist to perform in the 52nd Annual Awards. She performed a solo by Venezuelan composer Antonio Lauro, and was then joined by a band of bluegrass nominees for a rousing rendition of "Sitting on Top of the World." After receiving her award from the legendary Roberta Flack, she said in her acceptance speech: "I would like to thank Joan Baez and Mark O'Connor for their beautiful performances on this recording, Alex Miller and Larry Hamby of Sony, my producer David Frost, engineers Tim Martyn and Dann Thompson, the composers and arrangers who wrote such inspiring music, Richard Nordlof, Jay Hoffman, Mark Alpert, and my parents. This is a great honor not only for me, but for the guitar..." As of today, Isbin's Journey to the New World is in its 46th consecutive week on the Billboard Top Classical Crossover chart. Alongside Sting, Yo-Yo Ma, Domingo, Il Divo and Bocelli, she is featured in three Billboard Year End Charts highlighting the bestsellers of 2009: Top Classical Artists, Top Classical Crossover Albums, and Top Classical Albums. In November, she performed at the White House at the invitation of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their Classical Music Event. Isbin is a bestselling artist in three Billboard year-end charts: Top Classical Artists of 2009 Top Classical Crossover Albums of 2009 Top Classical Albums of 2009 Learn more at sharonisbin.com.

Knopfler Slates Tour

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Singer/songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler will hit the road for a North American tour in support of his current solo album, Get Lucky, this spring. The tour - during which Knopfler will also dip into his back catalog - begins April 8th in Seattle and criss-crosses the continent before finishing in Albany, NY, May 9. Get Lucky is the Dire Straits' lead singer and songwriter's sixth studio album and follow-up to 2007's Kill To Get Crimson, which Rolling Stone heralded as "a gem" and USA Today described as "yet another unpretentious showcase for his unmistakable gifts as a musician, tunesmith and storyteller." In its four-star "instant classic" review, USA Today called Get Lucky "a beauty, full of ripe, haunting melodies and gently vital, folky arrangements that showcase his robust and lyrical guitar work," while the New York Times noted that it "radiates wariness and maturity as well as poise." The album was recorded at Knopfler's award-winning British Grove Studios in West London, and co-produced with longtime collaborators engineer Chuck Ainlay and keyboardist Guy Fletcher. It also features Richard Bennett, Danny Cummings, John McCusker, Matt Rollings, and Glenn Worf. A multiple Grammy award winner for work with Dire Straits, Knopfler combined his wry lyrics with his guitar prowess to create such major hits as "Money For Nothing," "Sultans Of Swing," "Romeo and Juliet" and "Walk of Life." He has produced records for Bob Dylan and Randy Newman as well as scoring several films including Cal, Local Hero, Princess Bride and A Shot at Glory. For complete tour dates, go to markknopfler.com.

Vox Intros AGA70 Acoustic Amp

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Vox's new AGA70 is a two-channel acoustic-guitar amp with Normal and Tube Pre channels, with a 12AU7 dual-triode tube. Each channel is equipped with a ¼" and XLR input with selectable phantom power. An additional Lo-Z / Hi-Z switch on each input accommodates a variety of signal levels. Working in harmony with the traditional Bass, Middle, and Treble EQ controls, the amp's Color knob allows the overall tone to be quickly shifted to enhance the EQ settings, dialing in a diverse range of acoustic sounds from warm and fat to clean and chimey. A full complement of effects is available on each channel. The Chorus effect is selectable via a switch or footswitch, and the Reverb can be added to either channel using the Reverb knob. The Anti-Feedback control minimizes acoustic feedback, allowing the AGA70 to be used as an effective stage monitor as well. Equipped with a DI output (balanced XLR), the AGA70 offers a convenient way to send the sound to a PA without a direct box. This output is also ideal for recording, using the AGA70 as a tube-driven preamplifier. Stereo line inputs can accept the signal from a keyboard or other musical instrument. An MP3 player (or other audio source) can be connected to the AUX input for jam sessions. The tuner output is always active - even when the main output is muted - for silent tuning between songs and sets. The optional VFS2 provides footswitch control of the Effect bypass or All-Mute functions, offering great flexibility during a live performance. The AGA70 has a 6.5" speaker and ported cabinet, with an output of 70 watts. For more, go to voxamps.com/us.

Camp Dweezilla Kicks Off in June

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Dweezil Zappa's Camp Dweezil is a four-day/five-night music camp designed to expand the horizons of amateur and professional musicians. This musical exploration and development camp will occur in the heart of the "Forever Wild" Catskill Forest Preserve in Big Indian, New York at the Full Moon Resort from June 20-25. Dweezilla will include master classes taught by Dweezil Zappa, Joe Travers, Pete Griffin, Scheila Gonzales, Jamie Klime and Billy Hulting. Private performances, intimate jam sessions, campfires, film screenings, and of course, the study of Frank Zappa's brilliant approach to music, his career, and legacy. Use your time at Dweezilla to get advice from the masters, perfect your sound, learn about life on the road, master improvisation, and much more! "I decided to create a diverse music boot camp for people of all skill levels hoping to increase their musical prowess," said Zappa. "It would make me very happy if I could help a fellow musician take their skills to the next level." Learn more at dweezilzappaworld.com.

Clapton Announces Crossroads Festival 2010

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Often credited as being one of the all time greatest guitarists and known amongst his peers as one of the all time greatest collaborators, the ultimate Eric Clapton collaboration will take place June 26, when Clapton gathers the past, present, and future of guitar music onto one stage. Since its inception, Clapton's vision for the Crossroads Guitar Festival has been to create an event where his friends and contemporaries can have fun and perform together for the benefit of a good cause. This year's Festival will feature a full day of musical performances with once-in-a-lifetime guitar collaborations. Known as pioneers in their field, the roster of artists spans old and new, from The Allman Brothers Band to B.B. King to John Mayer. The audience can expect unrivaled entertainment, brilliant guitar work, surprise guests and impromptu jams that are the hallmarks of these performers. The first Crossroads Guitar Festival, in 2004 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, was an unprecedented collection of guitar icons from blues, rock, and contemporary music. The sold-out show was chronicled in a two-disc DVD that has since gone on to become one of the world's top-selling music DVDs, recently achieving the 8x platinum mark in the United States alone. The Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007 was the second such concert by Clapton and was also staged at Toyota Park in July of 2007 and was filmed for a second DVD that met similar acclaim and achieved multi-platinum status. "The Crossroads Festival is the realization of a dream for me, to gather a group of amazingly talented musicians to perform on one stage," said Clapton. "The Crossroads performers are all musicians I admire and respect." Confirmed artists include: Albert Lee Allman Brothers Band BB King Bert Jansch Buddy Guy David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos Doyle Bramhall II Earl Klugh Eric Clapton Gary Clark Jr. Hubert Sumlin James Burton Jeff Beck Jimmie Vaughan Joao Gilberto Joe Bonamassa John Mayer Keb Mo Pino Daniele Robert Cray Robert Randolph Sheryl Crow Sonny Landreth Steve Winwood Vince Gill ZZ Top For more, go to crossroadsguitarfestival.com.

Jeff Beck Wins Fifth Grammy, Announces June U.S. Dates

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Jeff Beck has announced the second leg of the worldwide tour promoting his first album in seven years, Emotion & Commotion. The first leg of the U.S. tour will begin on April 16 in San Francisco and head through the world famous New Orleans Jazz Festival on May 1, while the newly-added second U.S. leg starts on June 3 in Boston and hits Atlanta, New Jersey, Detroit, and Indianapolis. Continuing the wave of critical success in the early months of this year, Beck was just awarded a 2010 Grammy for his take on The Beatles "A Day in the Life." In addition, Beck and his band, accompanied by Irish rockabilly sensation Imelda May, performed Les Paul's "How High the Moon" on the show in a stirring and memorable tribute to the late, great, guitar virtuoso. Shortly after Sunday's Grammy performance at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Beck said, "I've often sung his praises to the press, but to actually get to play in tribute to him... it's such an honor." Prior to the official kick-off of the Emotion & Commotion tour, Beck will unite with fellow Hall of Fame guitarist, Eric Clapton, in February for a series of exclusive shows in London, New York City, Toronto, and Montreal. Both famed guitarists are former members of the Hall of Fame Yardbirds. Accompanying Beck at these special engagements, as well as the World Tour, will be a brand new touring band, including the Grammy award winning producer and songwriter Narada Michael Walden on drums, Rhonda Smith on bass, and Jason Rebello on keyboards.

John Mayer to play Rock in Rio-Lisbon

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
John Mayer will make his Portuguese debut and Xutos & Pontapés, the greatest Portuguese rock band of all time and one of the most voted names during Rock in Rio-Lisboa 2010 band survey, will return. John Mayer will come to Rock in Rio-Lisbon 2010 to present the best songs from his career and, especially, Battle Studies. Xutos & Pontapés will be present on the World Stage of the largest music and entertainment event of the world for the fourth time, to once again delight an audience made up of various generations that don't want to lose their concert in the "City of Rock". After celebrating their 30th anniversary, touring across Portugal and having an audience of more than 40,000 people at their last concert, the Rock in Rio-Lisbon organisation positively answered to the public's request which placed them among the most desired bands to be part of the list of artists for the 2010 edition. About Rock in Rio Rock in Rio is the largest music and entertainment event of the world, receiving already in its 7 editions in Brasil, Portugal and Spain, more than 4.6 million people. Using music as an universal language that brings people from all over the world together, Rock in Rio is a communication vehicle of emotions and causes. One of the event's focuses is the Social Project. Launched in 2001, in Rio de Janeiro, "For a Better World" project was born to get people's attention to social causes and make them improve their daily behaviors. In seven editions of the event, thousands of people in Brasil, Portugal, Spain and in many other countries benefited by the donations that resulted from ticket sales and campaigns developed by its partners, which makes a total of 2.5 million euros. In the last two editions in 2008, in Lisbon and Madrid, the largest event of music and entertainment of the world has chosen climate changes as main theme of its Social Project, for a Better World. In the 2010 edition, the main theme is Sustainability, launching as first initiative the Rock in Rio Solar School Contest. Learn more at rockinrio-lisboa.sapo.pt.

Traveling Wilburys Book

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
The Traveling Wilburys was not a carefully planned band, not formed from deep premeditation. Rather, the band was created in a casual blending of genuine friends one ordinary afternoon, which turned out to be anything but ordinary. Genesis Publications proudly celebrates this supergroup of friends featuring George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Roy Orbison with the release of the extraordinary, limited edition book The Traveling Wilburys. This 144 page, hand-bound collectible book features unseen photographs, Polaroids, drawings, log book entries and handwritten lyrics. "George said to me, 'We should have a group, me and you.' I said, 'Great, who would we have in it?' He said, 'Well, I'll have Bob Dylan.' I said, 'Can we have Roy Orbison?' We thought Tom Petty would be a great member of the group too; luckily so did Tom." Jeff Lynne, from his foreword to the book. The photographs, many by the Wilburys themselves, plus handwritten, often unfinished lyric sheets run throughout the book. Song arrangements, notes and sketches, many of which are hand-pasted onto and between the pages as individual reproductions, are also included in the publication. This unique book has been many years in the making. The result is an inside look at how five of the greatest singers, songwriters, musicians and friends joined together in a series of kitchens and living rooms to write two albums of unforgettable songs. "It really had very little to do with combining a bunch of famous people, it was a bunch of friends that just happened to be really good at making music." Tom Petty The Traveling Wilburys is a fine-bound book published in a numbered, limited edition of 3,000 copies, each hand-signed by Jeff Lynne and presented in a cloth-bound slipcase. Each book is accompanied with a uniquely numbered lithograph of the lyrics to "Handle With Care," handwritten by George Harrison and available exclusively with the book.

Dropkick Murphys Confirm Vans Warped Tour Dates

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Dropkick Murphys have signed on to play the final seven dates of this summer's Vans Warped Tour, starting with the August 7 show at the Utah State Fairgrounds in Salt Lake City, UT and ending at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro, OR on August 15. Meanwhile, Dropkick Murphys are currently on the road in Europe in advance of the March 16 release of their live CD/DVD Live on Lansdown, Boston, MA on the band's own Born & Bred Records (ILG). Headlining U.S. dates kick off February 24 in Montclair, NJ, concluding with the band's annual run of hometown shows at Boston's House of Blues St. Patrick's Day week (March 12-17). Learn more at dropkickmurphys.com/news.

Coco Montoya CD Slated for March 9

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Ruf Records announces a March 9 release date for I Want It All Back, the new release from acclaimed blues guitarist, Coco Montoya, distributed in the U.S. by the Allegro Corporation. Produced by Keb' Mo' and Jeff Paris, I Want It All Back showcases Montoya in his most innovative setting thus far, tapping into his roots of blues, soul, rock, rhythm and blues and doo wop, while showcasing a soulful, passionate vocal sound that will serve as a revelation to those who only know him for his guitar prowess. "People know where I'm at with the guitar, but here the vocals are being concentrated on," said Coco about the new album. "There will certainly be guitar, but the focus has been on song structure and my vocals. I think it's healthy to take chances. It's being able to humble myself and take direction and guidance. As co-producers, Keb' and Jeff have been working extensively with my vocals. I'm very proud of the performance they're getting outta me." The producers assembled a cast of stellar musicians to back Montoya on I Want It All Back, including a core all-star rhythm section of Reggie McBride (Keb' Mo, Stevie Wonder, B.B. King) on bass and Stephen Ferrone (Average White Band, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty) on drums, with Keb' Mo' adding rhythm guitar and Jeff Paris playing keyboards. Rod Piazza on harmonica and "Miss Honey" Alexander on piano are special guests on a torrid cover of the Buster Brown classic, "Fannie Mae." Other song highlights of the new CD include the Motown sound of "Forever" (originally done by the Marvelettes) and The One Who Really Loves You" (Mary Wells' hit); the soulful "Cry Lonely," and "As Close As I Have Come," both co-written by award-winning songwriter Gary Nicholson; a modern take on Jackson Browne's "Somebody's Baby;" and a funky cover of The Penguins' doo-wop classic, "Hey Senorita." Born and raised in Southern California, Montoya grew up listening to a wide variety of music. His first blues apprenticeship came when he joined the band of blues legend Albert Collins as his drummer. After picking up the guitar, Montoya soaked up all the intensity, emotion and soul he could from playing with a blues master such as Collins. He later spent an extensive stint with another mentor, the great John Mayall, with whom he recorded three albums, before leaving to go solo. Montoya released three critically acclaimed albums with Blind Pig Records in the '90s and was voted Best New Artist by the Blues Foundation in 1996. In 2000, he signed with Alligator Records, releasing three more albums that continued to build his reputation as one of the most exciting contemporary blues guitarists in the world. For more, visit cocomontoya.com.

Wariner Wins Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Award-winning recording artist, songwriter and guitarist Steve Wariner won the Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance with "Producer's Medley" from Steve Wariner, c.g.p., My Tribute to Chet Atkins at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. Produced by Wariner, the album honors the legendary guitarist and producer who was also his friend, mentor, producer and former employer. The abbreviation "c.g.p." stands for "Certified Guitar Player," a title that Atkins himself bestowed on only four guitar pickers: Tommy Emmanuel, John Knowles, the late Jerry Reed, and Wariner. "Producer's Medley" features classic songs by artists Atkins produced, including "And I Love You So" by Perry Como; "Welcome to My World" by Jim Reeves; "The Three Bells" by The Browns; "I Can't Stop Loving You" by Don Gibson; "Java" by Al Hirt; "Let It Be Me" by the Everly Brothers; "End of the World" by Skeeter Davis; and "When You're Hot You're Hot" by Jerry Reed. "I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the great Chet Atkins," said Wariner, as he accepted the award from presenters Colbie Caillat and Mick Fleetwood. "Receiving this award means so much to me because it recognizes and honors Chet's genius. There is only one godfather of guitar, Mr. Chet Atkins. I'm so thankful to his daughter, Merle, to the late Leona Atkins and their entire family for their support and their blessing of this project." This is the fourth Grammy Award Wariner has received, and his first as a solo performer and producer. He won in 1992 for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, and in 2000 and 2009 for Best Country Instrumental Performance. Steve Wariner, c.g.p., My Tribute to Chet Atkins was released on Wariner's own SelecTone Records and is distributed by Allegro Media Group. It was engineered, mixed and mastered by Randy Gardner. Every player on the album had worked with or was very close to Atkins. Wariner arranged the tracks on My Tribute to Chet Atkins as a rough timeline of Atkins' life, taking the listener on a journey through the wide range of material he recorded-from his early days playing the mountain music of his native Luttrell, Tennessee, to swing, rockabilly, pop, folk and jazz. Wariner included his versions of some of the songs that Atkins recorded or performed--"Back Home Again in Indiana," "John Henry," "Blue Angel" and "Producer's Medley"-but the bulk of the album consists of original songs Steve wrote in the various styles that Atkins made famous. While Wariner grew up listening to Atkins' music, it wasn't until he was 18 years old and playing bass in Dottie West's band that he met his musical idol during a tour of Europe that included several RCA artists. Atkins produced Wariner's first records at RCA Studio B, after guitarist Paul Yandell heard Wariner during a recording session for his then-boss, Bob Luman, and took a tape to Atkins. Following Luman's death, Atkins hired Wariner to play bass in his band. When Wariner scored his first top-10 hit with "Your Memory," Atkins promptly "fired" him, saying that he needed to embark on his own solo career. During his career Wariner has charted over 30 top-10 singles, including 14 #1 hits. In 1998 he won the Country Music Association's Single and Song of the Year awards for his #1 hit, "Holes in the Floor of Heaven," which was also the Academy of Country Music's Song of the Year in 1999. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1996. As a songwriter he has earned 16 BMI Country Awards and 15 BMI Million-Air Awards (for songs receiving over one million on-air plays).

Slayer, Megadeth Announce Rescheduled American Dates

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Slayer and Megadeth are thrilled to announce the new, confirmed routing for the American Carnage North American Tour, which will commence with the rescheduled Canadian Carnage East dates in Quebec City on Friday, July 23. Slayer will then head to Europe for a run of festival dates, returning to kick off the American Carnage leg in Albany, NY on August 11. American Carnage will play 26 dates across the United States and Eastern Canada up to the Labor Day weekend, ending in Portland, OR on September 4. Testament will be Special Guest on all shows. Tickets purchased for the American Carnage shows when they first went on sale late last year will be honored for these rescheduled dates. Due to venue availability and other conflicts, the shows originally scheduled in El Paso, Houston, Nashville, Duluth, and Louisville cannot be rescheduled at this time, and ticket holders may obtain refunds at point of purchase. However, new cities have been added to the American Carnage itinerary, with dates now scheduled in Cleveland, Kansas City, San Diego, and Sacramento. Complete information can be found at slayer.net, megadeth.com, and testamentlegiions.com.

GC Offers Chance to Write, Record with Slash

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Continuing its support of aspiring artists, Guitar Center, the world's largest musical instrument retailer, today announced Guitar Center Presents Your Next Record with Slash a first-of-its-kind, unsigned band competition that provides emerging artists the chance to win the ultimate career-altering opportunity: record a 3-song EP with legendary producer, Mike Clink (Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, Megadeth) and have Slash write, record and perform on the winning artists' single. Starting today, through April 30th, 2010 bands across the United States are invited to submit their music at YourNextRecord.com (www.yournextrecord.com) for a chance to win the aforementioned prize package, which also includes: A management development deal with "The Collective" (Linkin Park, Slash, Avenged Sevenfold), distribution of winning artists' music through Tunecore, a $10,000 Guitar Center Shopping Spree, endorsement deals from Ernie Ball Music Man, and an opening slot on Slash's Monster Energy Bash. "The formula that used to work for discovering new artists has been decimated and the opportunities for really talented bands to be heard is extremely limited," said Slash. "That's why it's so important to me and Guitar Center to provide a situation where new talent can be discovered. This is an incredibly interesting way to find and help launch a really great band that hasn't been able to get their foot in the door otherwise. Guitar Center is also a primary partner of Ernie Ball's Shred with Slash promotion which offers musicians the chance to win over $50,000 in prizes, including a private master class with Slash, upon finding one of five custom, limited edition Slash guitar picks in select packs of Ernie Ball electric guitar strings sold exclusively at Guitar Center between February 1st and April 30th. Picks and corresponding prizes are as follows: Gold Pick: (20 winners) A private 2-hour Master Class with Slash Silver Pick: (10 winners): A custom Ernie Ball Music Man guitar or bass of winner's choice Red Pick: (20 winners): A $500 Guitar Center shopping spree Black Pick: (100 winners) Signed copy of Slash's new solo album White Pick: (1,000 winners) Free pack of Ernie Ball electric guitar strings The opportunity coincides with what will be Slash's first true solo album. Slash announced today his CD will release in April. The album features an all-star roster of guest musicians including Ian Astbury, Chris Cornell, Rocco DeLuca, Fergie, Dave Grohl, Myles Kennedy, Kid Rock, Lemmy Kilmeister, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Duff McKagan, M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold, Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, and Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother. learn more at YourNextRecord.com.

Steve Earle's Townes Garners Grammy Win

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Steve Earle was honored by the Recording Academy with a Grammy Award for his album, Townes (New West Records) in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category during their 52nd annual ceremony last night in Los Angeles. This honor marks Earle's third consecutive Grammy Award win (2004's The Revolution Starts...Now and 2008's Washington Square Serenade were both awarded the Grammy in the same category as well). Speaking about Townes, Earle stated, "This may be one of the best records I've ever made. hat hurts a singer-songwriter's feelings. Then again, it's some consolation that I cherry picked through the career of one of the best songwriters that ever lived." Townes, a 15-song set, is comprised of songs written by Earle's friend and mentor, the late singer-songwriter, Townes Van Zandt. The album debuted at number 19 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, the highest Top 200 debut in his career. Townes also debuted at #6 on the Billboard Country Chart. It garnered worldwide critical acclaim. Of the songs, Rolling Stone stated that Earle "...delivers them with the ease of breathing..." and in Best Life magazine, Anthony DeCurtis said the album is "beautiful and scarifying." Townes features guest appearances by Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine/Street Sweeper Social Club/The Nightwatchman), Earle's wife, singer-songwriter Allison Moorer, and his son, Justin Townes Earle. For more, visit SteveEarle.com.

Schecter Intros Raiden Basses

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Schecter Guitars debuts the Raiden Special & Raiden Elite Basses for the feature driven, price conscious player. Showcased at winter NAMM, the Raidens are the newest edition to the brood of basses coming out of Schecter. With 34" scale, six-bolt necks, these babies pack a serious punch and gorgeous tops. The Raiden Special has a basswood body and quilted maple top that will certainly give the beginning player a whole lot to show off. With the 24 X Jumbo fret Rosewood board and Maple neck, the coil tappable Schecter Super Rock pickup will keep you busy in bands of many different styles. The beautiful quilted maple top will garner your first set of groupies right out of the gate. For the more discerning performer, the multi laminate Maple & Walnut neck Raiden Elite 4- or 5-strings bring heat to the fire with its EMGHZ pickups designed for the aggressive sounds of today's generation. Adding fuel to it is the EMG Active two-band EQ w/ selectable frequencies, giving you the ability to shape and define your sound perfectly. A Master Blend improves on the versatility paired with its Master Volume. Both basses are equipped with Schecter's top-load or string-thru-body bridge; allowing for the tension required of drop-tuned players. Black Chrome hardware courtesy of Schecter and crème dot inlays round out the selections. For more info, please visit schecterguitars.com

Professor Louie Preps New CD

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Woodstock Records and MVD Audio are proud to announce the CD release of Professor Louie & The Crowmatix - Whispering Pines on March 9, 2010. Many fans of the Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame group The Band, are familiar with the name Professor Louie & The Crowmatix, but not all fans are familiar with the group's authentic and original blend of roots, rock, country, and blues. As The Band's fan base continues to grow and as younger generations continue to discover them -- Professor Louie is producer, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Aaron Louis Hurwitz, who worked with The Band in a number of significant capacities in the second half of the '80's and throughout the '90's. Professor Louie is the name that Rick Danko bestowed on Hurwitz when they were performing together as a duo and the moniker stuck. Members of The Crowmatix also have a history of recording and performing with The Band and Dylan. Whispering Pines is Professor Louie & The Crowmatix seventh studio CD, whose title song is a beautiful rendition of (and touching homage to) The Band classic "Whispering Pines". This version is simply stunning and at times sounds like a lost track from the Beach Boys' classic Pet Sounds album, with its lush production values, layers and textures and has been gaining notoriety on youtube. The CD features 10 songs from The Crowmatix' vast repertoire, including covers of two other Band classics, "The Weight" and "Ain't No More Cane". The big finish is the stunning International award winning original song "Melody of Peace" performed with The Prague Radio Symphony and Kuhn Choir and recorded in the Czech Republic with orchestral arrangement by Crowmatix members Burke, Miss Marie and Professor Louie. Whispering Pines has Professor Louie handling the lion's share of the vocals as well as keyboards and accordion, Miss Marie singing and playing percussion, famed drummer Gary Burke, bassist Frank Campbell and guitarist Josh Colow rounding out the Woodstock band. These days, Professor Louie & the Crowmatix are busy both in the studio and on the road, performing over 100 shows a year building a following throughout the US, Canada and abroad.

Green Day Wins Grammy For Best Rock Album

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Reprise Records' Green Day won a 2010 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album" for their 2009 album 21st Century Breakdown. The band accepted the award during last night's ceremony held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They also performed the album's two-time Grammy-nominated platinum single "21 Guns" live with the Broadway cast of the stage musical American Idiot, which opens in New York City on April 20th. This is the fourth Grammy win for Green Day. The band has previously won in the "Best Rock Album" category for their blockbuster 2004 album American Idiot, as well as in the "Record of the Year" category for the American Idiot single, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," and in the "Best Alternative Music Performance" category for their Diamond-certified 1993 album Dookie. Last year, Green Day, which is singer-guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool, won three 2009 MTV Video Music Awards for "21 Guns" ("Best Rock Video," "Best Cinematography," and "Best Direction"), an MTV Europe Music Award for "Best Rock," and an American Music Award for "Favorite Alternative Rock Music Artist."

Jakob Dylan Releases Women and Country

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Jakob Dylan will release his sophomore solo album, Women and Country, on Columbia Records on April 6. Soulful yet striking and ripe with sublime beauty, Women and Country is the follow up to the artist's 2008 critically acclaimed debut, Seeing Things. This new collection finds him reuniting with acclaimed Grammy and Golden Globe winning producer T Bone Burnett (Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Crazy Heart), who produced the Wallflowers' 1996 breakthrough album Bringing Down the Horse. On the release, Jakob is also joined by Neko Case and Kelly Hogan, who provide back-up vocals to 8 of the album's 11 tracks. "I'm so happy to be collaborating with Jakob at this exciting and vital time in his life as an artist," said T Bone Burnett. "I think this new album is an important work from a great musician." Recorded in Los Angeles, CA, Women and Country is the full realization of a journey Jakob Dylan began on his previous solo releaseSeeing Things, which hearkens back to the timeless artistry of American roots music and country blues masters. Seeing Thingsgarnered significant critical praise for Dylan including The Los Angeles Times who called him "a gifted storyteller" and USA Today who said the release was "an evocative acoustic album that reveals the poetic grace of his lyrics and the maturity and moving power of his voice." On Women and Country Jakob reaches new majestic heights with his voice and song-writing that are as distinct as. This, coupled with T Bone Burnett's haunting production and the stirringly rich vocals by Neko Case and Kelly Hogan, creates a powerful and melancholic experience for the listener. Backing Dylan up on the album's 11 songs are T Bone Burnett's s acclaimed group of musicians including Dennis Crouch (bass), Jay Bellerose (drums), David Mansfield (fiddle & mandolin), Marc Ribot (guitar), Keefus Ciancia (keyboards), Greg Leisz (pedal steel), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Ira Nepus (trombone) and George Bohanon (horns). Standout tracks include the opener"Nothin' But the Whole Wide World," which sets the tone of the album, the pensive ballad "Down on Our Own Shield,""Everybody's Hurting," which showcases Jakob and Neko's moving harmonies and "Truth for a Truth" that features great guitar work from Marc Ribot. Track Listing for Jakob Dylan's new album Women and Country is as follows: 1. Nothing But The Whole Wide World 2. Down On Our Shield 3. Lend A Hand 4. We Don't Live Here Anymore 5. Everybody's Hurting 6. Yonder Come the Blues 7. Holy Rollers for Love 8. Truth For A Truth 9. They've Trapped US Boys 10. Smile When You Call Me That 11. Standing Eight Count For more, go towww.jakobdylan.com.

Ziggy Marley Presents Dancehall Originators, Vol. 1

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Multiple Grammy winning artist Ziggy Marley, and Tuff Gong Worldwide present Dancehall Originators Vol 1, the first in a new series of dancehall reggae albums designed to pay homage to the groundbreaking original artists that paved the way for dancehall artists today. The album, which will be released on February 2nd, features tracks by Chaka Demus, Yellow Man and Buju Banton, among others (track list below). In 1992, producer/songwriter Phillip Smart, founder of Long Island's HC&F Studios, created the scorching "Hot This Year" riddim, whose bouncy keyboard riffs and resounding bass were considered groundbreaking at the time. From its initial release, "Hot This Year" inspired numerous other artists, including Shaggy, Yellow Man, Buju Banton, and Chaka Demus, to use it as a basis for their own songs. It also inspired the durable and popular song "Hot This Year" by the late DJ Dirtsman, which crossed over into other radio formats. "There weren't that many reggae records that crossed over to R&B radio at the time, and Dirtsman's song went from reggae radio shows to getting airplay in regular rotation on New York stations," recalls Phillip Smart. "So that put it in a different format and the song became a favorite in clubs that didn't play a lot of reggae." Because it so deftly illustrates such an important era of dancehall reggae history, Dancehall Originators is a must-have for any knowledgeable dancehall devotee, as well as more recent reggae converts. The Tuff Gong label was founded in 1965 by Bob Marley, with the vision of producing, distributing and promoting his music free from the constraints of corporate label politics. In a time decades before artist-owned record labels were commonplace, the legendary Bob Marley's vision was characteristically well ahead of its time. Now, nearly a half-century later, his dream is being realized.

Jeff Beck Announces U.S. Tour Dates, New Band Lineup

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Jeff Beck, has announced plans for a worldwide tour beginning in Seoul, South Korea on March 20th before heading onwards to Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and the United States. The two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee will be showcasing songs from his latest studio album, Emotion & Commotion, his first in seven years. The first leg of the U.S. tour will begin on April 16 in San Francisco and wrap up at the world famous New Orleans Jazz Festival on May 1st, with more dates for the second U.S. leg to be announced soon. Beck will unite with Eric Clapton in February for a series of exclusive shows in London, New York City, Toronto, and Montreal. The guitarists - both former members of the Yardbirds - will each play separately before taking the stage to perform together. Accompanying Beck at these special engagements, as well as the World Tour, will be a brand new touring band, including the Grammy award winning producer and songwriter, Narada Michael Walden on drums, Rhonda Smith on bass and Jason Rebello on keyboards. Walden has collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Tom Jones. He was also featured on and composed four tracks for Beck's classic 1976 album Wired. The compelling Smith has played bass for Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and Prince, while keyboardist Rebello has performed previously with Beck, as well as Sting and Chaka Khan. "I'm thrilled to be working with Narada Michael Walden, he's an inspiration to me," Beck said. "I've been lucky enough to have been working with Jason since 2006 and Rhonda came highly recommended by Narada; I was blown away when I heard her play." For Beck, the new album and tour follow in the wake of a triumphant 2009 - his most successful year ever. Among the many highlights were a sold-out world tour; his second induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; the release of the platinum-selling Performing This Week... Live At Ronnie Scott's, which earned a Grammy nomination for his breath-taking live performance of "A Day In The Life"; and magnificent performances with his band at the 25th Anniversary Concert of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden. Jeff Beck Tour Dates (with Eric Clapton) February 13 London O2 Arena 14 London O2 Arena 18 New York City Madison Square Garden 19 New York City Madison Square Garden 21 Toronto Air Canada Center 22 Montreal Bell Centre Jeff Beck's Emotion & Commotion Tour (First Leg of U.S. Tour): April 16 San Francisco Nob Hill Masonic Centre 17 Los Angeles Nokia Theatre LA Live 18 Temecula Pechanga Resort & Casino 19 San Diego 4th & B 24 Houston Verizon Wireless Theatre 25 Dallas Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie 27 Tulsa Brady Theatre 28 Kansas City Starlight Theatre 29 St. Louis Fox Theatre 30 Memphis Beale Street Music Festival May 1 New Orleans Jazz Festival (Gentilly Stage)

Axl Badwater Pro Gets Upgraded Features

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
The AXL Badwater Pro is our response to requests for a Badwater guitar with upgraded professional components and hardware. Built with a resonant ash body, then hand-distressed like all Badwater models, we've added a patented Trem-King bridge that allows string bending both up and down so players have ultimate expressive control over their playing. The satin finished maple neck makes this guitar feel already worn in, and the 3 single coil EMG-designed Alnico pickups give guitarists the chance to dial in a variety of tones. Quality Grover tuners help to keep the Badwater Pro perfectly in tune after tremolo dive-bombs. The AXL Badwater Pro gives players pro features and one-of-a-kind style in a guitar that demands attention. The Badwater Pro is the newest addition to the popular AXL Badwater Series guitars. For more on AXL guitars, visit axlguitars.com.

GITC Supporters Find A Way To Fill A Need In South Florida

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
At the same time music education programs at schools throughout the United States are being reduced due to economic cut-backs, community support has allowed significant growth of Guitars In The Classroom's (GITC) innovative music integration programs at many locations around the country. One geographic area that has seen an unprecedented expansion of GITC fund-raising and instructional activity has been the state of Florida, where a high number of ELL (English Language Learners) and at-risk students has created a need for programs like GITC that increase students' positive feelings about school as well as their academic success. The recent increase of grass roots support throughout Florida has allowed GITC to establish new music integration programs that will bring the benefits of music participation to students in Jacksonville, Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. Awareness and funding in these cities is being generated by local advocates and activists who are choosing to make a difference in their communities by helping Guitars in the Classroom provide crucial training to teachers. Jessica Padron, a 24-year old resident of Miami and the founder of the south Florida online music magazine, Grunge Kat, worked day and night for weeks to launch the first of several awareness and fund-raising events for GITC. Dedicating her energies to securing, planning, promoting and staffing a music performance booth at the recent Miami Music Festival, Jessica was able to raise enough money to launch GITC's first teacher training program in Miami. Partnering with Jessica was Florida-based Luna Guitars and Yvonne deVilliers, who donated a beautiful, limited-edition, Henna Oasis Cedar acoustic guitar for silent auction. "I created Grunge Kat Magazine to support the advancement of local musicians and also to raise awareness of the importance of education through music because I believe music is a key component in a child's healthy development both socially and mentally," says Jessica. "As an organization that combines music and education, GITC gave Grunge Kat an opportunity to support music integration and contribute to giving teachers the tools they need to introduce education through music to their students. I am extremely grateful to Jessica Baron and the entire GITC organization and look forward to our next event." In another generous and astoundingly profound effort to support GITC, South Florida residents Al and Colleen Glass reached out to the organization after their adult son Alex passed away tragically in September, 2009. Honoring his passion for music and guitar, and the difference the instrument made in their son's life, the Glasses have contributed to GITC and asked all of Alex's friends and loved ones to do likewise. Through this concerted effort the family has raised enough funds to support GITC programs in multiple locations while also creating a living legacy for Alex and assuring that his five-year old son Connor, along with thousands of other youngsters, will share his father's love of music every day through GITC's classroom music programs. Guitars In The Classroom is a non-profit organization that provides innovative musical training for classroom teachers so all students can experience the joy and essential benefits of making music. Its programs deliver ongoing instruction, access to instruments, and educational materials that weave music across the academic curriculum in sustainable, grassroots programs, nationwide. Go to guitarsintheclassoom.org.

Tech 21 Adds 3 New Guitar Pedals to SansAmp Character Series

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Tech 21 has expanded their SansAmp Character Series with the addition of 3 new pedals: Oxford, Leeds and U.S. Steel. The Oxford's tones range from '70s London glam to modern stoner rock. The Leeds spans from the '60s classic UK rock to '70s prog rock. U.S. Steel delivers tones from '90s Valhalla to the aughts Nu-metal chunk. Following the same design formula as the existing Blonde, British, California, Liverpool and VT Bass pedals, each of the continuously-variable Character controls sweeps through an entire tonal range of possibilities. By simply twisting a few knobs, you can build the most sought-after tones and hot rod your own. From rare vintage classics to roaring modern icons, every variation is delivered in the distinctive voicing of that amp style. Being genuine SansAmps, each Character Series pedal can be used as a stand-alone pre-amp to drive a power amp, a studio mixer, or a PA system, or used as a stompbox with an amp. Other features include built-in, defeatable speaker simulation, which is individually tuned to match each of the speaker/cabinet configurations associated with each type of amplifier; 3-band active EQ, Drive and Level controls; and 100% analog circuitry. Each are operable with 9V battery or DC power supply. Learn more at tech21nyc.com.

Tech 21 Introduces Red Ripper Fuzz for Bass

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Tech21's Red Ripper distortion has active three-band EQ, Level and Drive controls, a Low Pass Filter, buffered bypass and silent-switching.Go to tech21nyc.com.

Allman Brothers Band Adds Five Shows in NYC

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Five shows have been added to the ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND's annual New York City residency: March 22, 23, 25, 26, and 27. This year, the iconic Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group will call the 3200-capacity United Palace Theatre (formerly known as the 175th Street Theatre) their springtime home beginning March 11 for a 13-show run. Tickets for the new dates go on sale to American Express cardholders Friday, January 29 through Friday, February 5 and to the general public Saturday, February 6. For the first time since 1989, the Brothers will move the show uptown to this new venue due to a scheduling conflict at the Beacon Theatre. But as always, expect the band--GREGG ALLMAN (vocals and keyboards), BUTCH TRUCKS (drums and tympani), JAIMOE (drums), WARREN HAYNES (vocals, lead and slide guitar), DEREK TRUCKS (slide and lead guitar), OTEIL BURBRIDGEMARC QUINONES (congas and percussion)--to welcome a wide variety of special guest musicians to join them. (bass) and Aside from this spring residency, the ABB will only make a few other live appearances this year to allow various members to work on their other projects. These performances will be at some high-profile festivals including their fifth appearance at the Wanee Festival (April 16 & 17, which the band hosts), followed a week later at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (weekend of April 23-25). For more go to allmanbrothersband.com.

New Wave of English Folk Crossing into America

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Looking for a New England, an exciting and provocative assemblage of Britain's most critically acclaimed new wave of English folk artists, will be arriving on America's shore for two special performances in March. All of the featured acts are on the vanguard of the emerging scene and performers such as Jim Moray, the The Daily Telegraph calls "the greatest leap forward in folk for 30 years', are helping to take British folk mainstream. Other performers include Olivia Chaney, Jackie Oates, Trembling Bells and Gadarene. The first Stateside appearance of Looking for a New England will be in New York March 16, then travel to Austin, where they'll be joined by The Unthanks, as part of the annual South By Southwest Music Conference and perform March 19. Looking for a New England will also host the SXSW panel Where Goes English Folk? March 18. Chaired by writer and broadcaster Will Hodgkinson and including Moray and Trembling Bells. More info to be announced. The tour is produced by British Underground, a publicly funded music development agency which has been sponsoring SXSW showcases since 2002, introducing American audiences to artists such as Amy Winehouse, Jamie Cullum, KT Tunstall, Elbow, Gabriel Prokofiev, Sway, and many more. Inspired by the British music magazine, fRoots' "Looking for a New England" cd compilation, British Underground are working with Arts Council England, Sound and Music, English Folk Dance and Song Society, fRoots, Mojo Magazine and Ballad of Britain to produce a state of the art showcasing campaign taking the new generation of young, free-thinking and bold folk artists to the rest of the world. As the crest of the current English folk revival continues to rise, last year was an exciting time for English folk music and it was decided to take a sampling of these original young performers to the world's premier musical showcase event of it's kind.

Seasick Steve Joins Springsteen for Best International Male Nominee at Brit Awards

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Seasick Steve received his second ever Brit Award nomination Monday night in London, UK for Best International Male Solo Artist. He finds himself in amazing A-list company with Bruce Springsteen, Eminem, Jay-Z, and Michael Buble being the other four nominees in the category. The Brit Awards will take place on February 16 at Earls Court in London. Ryko will be releasing Seasick Steve's latest album: Man From Another Time on March 30, 2010 here in the U.S. The tale of Seasick Steve is that of an anomaly in modern recorded music - signed in his 60's, the US-born musician came to see a platinum-selling album in the UK, become the oldest Brit Award nominee in history and the winner of Mojo's Best Breakthrough Act. Seasick Steve's "sudden" career rise started in 2006 after a UK television appearance on Jools Holland's 'Annual Hootenanny' BBC TV show. His electrifying performance immediately propelled him into the UK public's consciousness. As his star rose, crowds flocked to his live events worldwide, including in a sold-out performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and appearances such at festivals such as: UK Reading, Leeds, Glastonbury (UK), Coachella, All Points West (U.S.) and Fuji Rock Festival (Japan). "Every time I walk out in front of these thousands of people, I think 'Goddamn, how can someone who's not young, and didn't used to be famous already have all this success out of the blue?" Seasick Steve remarked. "My belief is I've come at the right time. People are tired of everythin' bein' so fancy. I guess they kinda like hearin' me with an acoustic guitar stompin' on a box." Born in Oakland, CA, Seasick Steve ran away from home at age of 13. He spent his adolescence living rough, grabbing work where an underage labourer could find it. By 16, he was busking and starting to become the musician that close to fifty years later immerged as Seasick Steve. Through this journey, his feet took him through Europe, back to the U.S., and then ultimately back overseas. While living in the Pacific-Northwest, he opened a small studio in Olympia producing albums for acts as diverse as Bikini Kill and Modest Mouse, and found some success in the Washington music scene. In 2001, at the insistence of his wife, he returned to Oslo with his three sons (he has five children). In 2003, he recorded his first album under the moniker Seasick Steve, titled Cheap; which began to establish a foothold in the UK for him. With momentum in hand, devastation struck when in 2004 he suffered a heart attack. While home and finding a way of life he could sustain post-heart attack, his wife pressed him to start recording on his 4-track. Those sessions would become the 2006 release, Dog House Music; which was independently released on the Bronzerat label (200,000+ copies sold). His follow up album, I Started Out With Nothin' And I Still Got Most Of It Left, found Seasick Steve landing his first platinum album and critical success overseas.

Devo to Perform at Winter Olympics

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Devo, one of post modern rock's most visionary and influential bands, have been invited to perform live at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver on Feb 22, 2010. This performance will conclude a Victory Ceremony and will be broadcast live on NBC Networks. It's your duty as citizens of the earth to tune in, watch, listen and learn. This exclusive appearance comes in anticipation of the band's first studio album in nearly 20 years. With an estimated 3 billion worldwide television viewers, this is probably Devo's biggest single event audience and one of many future opportunities to expose their music, knowledge and message to the world. Devo will perform old favorites as well as future favorites from the upcoming album. The announcement of Devo completes the lineup of 15 top North American headline acts for the Whistler Victory Ceremonies, which also includes Feist, Usher, Our Lady Peace, and The Fray. Each act will perform for one night from February 13 to 27 during the Games at Whistler Medals Plaza. For more information on the lineup, visit www.vancouver2010.com. This news follows the announcement last year that Devo have signed a unique, ground-breaking worldwide partnership with their original label home Warner Bros. Records that exhibits the band's long-time commitment to innovation in all aspects of their career. > > And now, the fine print: Formed in Akron, OH in 1974 as a multi-media experiment, DEVO caught the attention of such pop music luminaries as Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Neil Young, as well as an equally curious and loyal fan base whose support led to a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records. The label released the Brian Eno-produced Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! in 1978 and suddenly the world, for all intents and purposes, was now both round and flat. Duty Now for the Future followed in 1979. In 1980, DEVO released its commercial breakthrough album Freedom of Choice, which featured the timeless Top 20 hit "Whip It." Rounder and flatter than ever, New Traditionalists came next in 1981, 1982's Oh, No! It's Devo, and 1984's Shout, its last album for Warner Bros. Records. After releasing 1988's Total Devo and 1990's Smooth Noodle Maps on Enigma Records, the band went on hiatus. Now original members Gerald Casale, Bob Casale, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Bob Mothersbaugh are joined by drummer Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails, Weezer, Guns N' Roses) and are currently activating massive scale maneuvers to be unveiled at the appropriate time and place. De-evolution 2010 will include the release of new musical adventures and recordings (featuring an eclectic cast of producers and collaborators), international festival appearances, and a proper tour of North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, and South America.

Gibson's James "Hutch" Hutchins Passes

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
One of Gibson Guitar's most accomplished and dedicated luthiers, James "Hutch" Hutchins, who spent 45 years at Gibson, passed away from an undisclosed illness surrounded by his family last evening. "Hutch" as many of his Gibson friends called him, had a a career that's spanned two states, three changes of ownership, and thousands of priceless Gibson guitars. Hutch began his career in the original Kalamazoo, Michigan plant, making a name for himself there before transferring to Nashville in 1983. He had worked every job from maintenance to pattern making with an unflinching attention to detail and an abiding pride in the Gibson name. "Hutch" chose the Gibson family as his own often defining the company's legacy, heritage and tradition by the many guitars and people he touched on a daily basis. He was 72. Many a times while he walked the Gibson plant floors he would tell his fellow workers of his clear recollection of the day he was hired by Gibson on March 25, 1963. While working as a cab driver in Kalamazoo, Hutch stopped by Checker Cab to pick up his paycheck one afternoon, and spotted the Gibson smokestack billowing across the way. He said to his wife 'I wonder what they do," and the rest soon became history. Though he didn't play guitar Hutch was a well-trained machinist. His first interview for employment at Gibson was with Julius Bellson and Ted McCarty., two of Gibson's most legendary executives, known for heading the company during the years that Gibson produced the Les Paul, ES-335, Flying V, Explorer, and the humbucker. On his first day at Gibson in 1963, Hutch was assigned a work station nine benches down from "the senior guy at the front of the line, who had been there over 39 years." He couldn't have imagined then that his own longevity at the company would eventually surpass his boss'. Hutch often recalled the close-knit Gibson team that connected inside of work and out-on bowling teams, canoeing trips, and get-togethers that still exists today. Musical members of the staff even formed a couple bands, among them the venerable Green Valley Boys, fronted by Ron Allers, who worked for Gibson for 26 years. During a part of Hutch's tenure, Gibson was owned by the Chicago Musical Instrument Company, which acquired Gibson in early 1944. At the time there were nearly 1,000 employees stationed in several large plants in Kalamazoo but out of the 1,000 no one stood out more than "Hutch." His longtime dedication would have him working double shifts, six days a week and always with a smile. Blessed with the esteem of McCarty and Bellson, Hutch became the plant's liaison for legendary artists who wanted custom guitars. He was integral to designing the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman, becoming friends with Atkins in the process. "Chet, I'll build you whatever you want. You tell me what you want, and we'll go from there'," said Hutch recently. "I think that was the part that really hooked Chet on coming to Gibson-that we were willing to do whatever he wanted, much like we tried to do everyday." Disenchanted after a partnership with Gretsch, Atkins met with Hutch over many a lingering lunch to determine the specs for the great Gibson signature model. During his tenure at Kalamazoo, Hutch saw the Atkins guitars through from design into their production in 1982. Over the years, Hutch also worked closely with archtop jazz giants like Howard Roberts, Johnny Smith, Wes Montgomery, and Herb Ellis to name a few. In the meantime, CMI merged with Ecuadorian brewery ECI to form Norlin in 1969. Gibson's new ownership signaled the beginning of a dark period in company history. "Norlin didn't put anything in, just took everything out," Hutch once said. "All they were after was money." As the production naturally slowed, Hutch's commitment to the company went unrattled. Over the years Hutch would spread the word of Gibson's newfound dedication and commitment to quality when it was purchased in 1986 from Norlin by now Gibson CEO and Chairman Henry Juszkiewicz, Gibson President Dave Berryman, and Gary Zebrowski. Juszkiewicz rolled up his sleeves, and through hard work and determination, was able to restore the company to a position of unrivaled prominence in the industry. "Hutch was a remarkable man, with a talent all his own, said Henry Juszkiewicz, CEO and Chairman of Gibson Guitar. "His light will shine forever through every corner, every hall and with every team member of the company. His legacy will live on." Hutch was quoted in an interview a few years back as stating "Henry put every penny right back into it. This company didn't grow by not putting a lot back in. Fortunately, when Henry bought Gibson he believed in the company and what it was going to take, which was the best people and the best wood. He said to me, 'What do you need?,' and I said, 'Well, we need help,' and Henry said, 'Get 'em, and hire the best you can, So I did." Hutch's dedication and newfound leadership in management from the new owners fostered a rebuilt Gibson with a highly skilled team and ramped up its production numbers. "Hutch" took great pride in showing anyone who would listen the carving instruments that were dated back to the turn of century yet still used to create some of the world's best guitars. He took great pride in the product and his Gibson family. He never let the word "family" go away in anything he did. Hutch retired March 31, 2008. "Hutch" loved to hunt and fish and spend time with his three grown sons, all of whom live in the Nashville area. He is survived by his wife Gail, sons Kim and Todd and grandsons Aaron and Jaimie. Many of Gibson team members and people across the industry agree that his contribution to the Gibson Guitar company was so incredible that it will take years to truly indentify all the ways he influenced it. One can only imagine the depth of meaning in a recent quote Hutchins himself stated: "You've got to have pride. If you don't have pride in what you're doing, it's not going to come out at the end of the line. Ain't nobody ever gonna knock this name off," he said, tapping the headstock of a nearby Custom Shop Les Paul. "I don't know how much longer I'll be around, but I know Gibson, and I know that's a name that can't be beat."

Scorpions Slate Final Album/Tour

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
After the release of their new album, Sting in the Tail (set for release March 23) and a planned three-year tour across five continents, the Scorpions will be ending their career. "While we were working on our album these past few months, we could literally feel how powerful and creative our work was - and how much fun we were still having, in the process," said Klaus Meine. "We want to end the Scorpion's extraordinary career on a high note. We are extremely gracious for the fact that we still have the same passion for music we've always had since the beginning." "So at some point," added guitarist Matthias Jabs, "it came to us to end our career with this exceptional album." Rudolf Schenker stated, "The three year tour through five continents is meant to be a huge blowout, where we can party with our fans and say good-bye." "When I started out, I had a lot of wishes," Schenker noted. "It's crazy, I achieved more than I ever even dreamed of." During their 40-year career, Scorpion sold more than 100 million albums and received many awards, such as the World Music Award and several Echos--the German comparison to the Grammy. Today they still play sold-out venues around the world. Not long ago, 152,000 South Americans came to 15 band's concerts between Rio de Janeiro and Mexico City. Their song "Wind of Change" has become an anthem for the fall of the Iron Curtain. The tour will launch in Germany, then hit North America and continue worldwide until 2012. Learn more at the-scorpions.com.

Burriss Amps Intros Dirty Red

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Burriss Amps' new Dirty Red is a Class A/medium-to-high-gain amp with an an EH EZ81 rectifier, two J/J EL84s, and three Mullard 12AX7s. With full EQ, a footswitchable effects loop (pedal optional), Master Volume, multi-tap outputs, and a universal power supply. It measures 11.5" x 6.75" x 7.13" and weighs 12.7 pounds. "For the rock and roller, Dirty Red delivers the intensity, the tone and the gain their looking for in a cool looking package they can afford and can easily carry from gig to gig. You can crank Dirty Red up for a show or dial it down to get that nasty sound even if you're practicing in an apartment," says Bob Burriss. The optional Power Loop footpedal provides control over the effects loop and front-of-stage power to drive multiple pedals. See more at burrissamps.com.

Megadeth Announce Tour Dates

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
The mighty Megadeth will join forces with Testament and Exodus for a month-long jaunt that will find these thrash titans crisscrossing the nation on the 'Rust in Peace' 20th anniversary tour. These will be incredibly special shows that will delight Megadeth fans, as the band will be playing their landmark, genre-defining album, 1990's Rust in Peace, in its entirety, in addition to other Megadeth set list favorites. Megadeth's latest, Endgame, was released in September and received some of the highest critical accolades of the band's career. The band performed on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon and was nominated for yet another Grammy - the eight nomination of their storied career- for "Head Crusher." Megadeth also enjoyed heaps of praise in the press, from outlets as varied as New York to Revolver to VH1's "That Metal Show" to PopMatters. With Endgame, Megadeth have once again ascended to the top of the metal world. The tour will kick off on March 1 and run through the end of that month.

Reggae Legend Lynn Taitt Dies

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Lynn Taitt, the Jamaican guitarist widely credited with creating the "rocksteady" bassline, died January 20 in Canada after a battle with cancer. He was 70. Born Nerlynn Taitt, in Trinidad, before taking up the guitar at age 14, he got his start playing in steel drum bands. Later, he would play with major ska and early reggae groups like the Skatalites and the Sheikhs. In the mid '60s he founded his own group, Lynn Taitt and the Comets. Though known for his guitar playing in the rocksteady genre, Tait helped globalize reggae, particularly for popularizing the music in Canada. Taitt remained active as a musician in Montreal, recording with The Kingpins ("Let's Go To Work" CD 1999) as well as performing with the Montreal Ska All Stars and at the Montreal International Jazz Festival with The Jets in 2002 and the Fabulous LoLo sings Rocksteady in '06. Taitt was the subject of the 2006 documentary Lynn Taitt: Rocksteady, directed by Generoso Fierro

Mr. Musichead Gallery to Host Marley Exhibit

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
L.A.'s Mr. Musichead Gallery will host an exhibit of Bob Marley imagery on Saturday, February 6, featuring the work of renowned photographers and contemporary artists. Marley is one of the world's most prolific and powerful musical visionaries of the 20th century. A prophet whose message transcended all categories and classes, his music remains timeless and truly universal in both its melodies and its messages. A truly fascinating man that was taken from the world too soon, his legacy after death remains as influential as it was during his life, if not greater. It is with great pride that Mr. Musichead Gallery presents the first annual visual tribute to this hero on what would have been his 65th birthday. Gallery director and exhibit curator Sam Milgrom has gathered classic and rare photographs and artworks from around the world. This exhibit will also include iconic album cover images, original paintings, mixed media, wood stain, mosaic tile and rare concert posters. Notable photographers include Adrian Boot, Dennis Morris, Lynn Goldsmith, Lee Jaffee John Rowlands, Arthur Gorson, Leni Sinclair, and Ian Dickson. Artists include Cedella Marley, Michael Reinhardt, Gary Houston, Chico Munson, Leah Devorah, Jim Doody, Scott Rockland, and Neil Ratnavira. Mr Musichead Gallery features album cover art, poster art, fine art, and photography. For more, go to mrmusichead.com.

Rod Stewart Lost Album Available

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
If ONCE IN A BLUE MOON hasn't exactly been the Holy Grail for the Rod Stewart faithful, it's only because they didn't know what they were missing - until now. Recorded in the summer of 1992 with producer Trevor Horn, this unique collection of covers captures Stewart at his interpretive best - his magnificent voice yearning, pleading and shouting in all its gravelly glory through a superb selection of songs. ONCE IN A BLUE MOON - THE LOST ALBUM is available now exclusively from www.rhino.com. Reminiscent of the year when it was originally slated for release, the CD comes packaged in a vintage long box. While each of the album's 10 songs were previously released in various countries in different mixes, six have never been available in the U.S. in any form until now. To celebrate the long-overdue release of this lost classic, the CD contains two hidden tracks - both unreleased - recorded during the album's sessions. Together, they form an exciting whole that places BLUE MOON squarely in the upper reaches of Stewart's classic catalog. Stewart opens album with a majestic reading - complete with soaring orchestration - of The Rolling Stones' 1967 #1 smash "Ruby Tuesday" before shifting into a driving interpretation of the Bob Dylan b-side, "The Groom's Still Waiting At The Altar." The collection also features the singer's take on the 1983 Stevie Nicks' classic (co-written by Prince) "Stand Back." It's worth noting that a trio of tracks on BLUE MOON - "Windy Town," "The Downtown Lights" and "This" - eventually appeared as key songs on Stewart's 1995 album A Spanner In The Works. Prior to the album's scheduled release in late 1992, an edited version of Stewart singing the Tom Waits favorite "Tom Traubert's Blues" was released in the U.K., peaking at #6 on the British Singles chart. The reason ONCE IN A BLUE MOON was abandoned remains a mystery, but one factor could be that Stewart recorded his Unplugged...And Seated in early 1993. Released just three months later, the album sold three million copies in the U.S. alone. Whatever the reason for its disappearance, fans can celebrate that the album is here at last.

Big John Bates and the Voodoo Dollz Spring Tour

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Feb 25th to April 18th and spanning North America, the punk-blues of Big John Bates & the Voodoo Dollz stretch the shadows out of the alleys and onto the stage for their first tour of 2010. Ten years in the making, this world-renowned group unveils their latest show featuring songs from their newest album Bangtown (Rookie Records); where nighttime ladies hold their gaslight séances and Erte meets Alice Cooper. Death is no excuse for missing the deadly combination of neo-burlesque fusions with retina-burning numbers! Led by the guitar-wielding barker Big John Bates ("Alongside the Reverend Horton Heat as a voodoo guitarist to watch" -Total Guitar (UK), this musical harmonium is coming to grind you in their gears. With percussive hitman JT Brander on the skins, murderous bass from Katie Kerosine and eight months of touring behind them in 2009, musical mayhem is a guarantee! And featuring burlesque showgirls Little Miss Risk and Lola Lockheart, the butterflies in your stomach will be knives. And, as an added bonus, medicine man the Reverend Deadeye will be joining them across the continental divide of the USA - putting the "cult" back into "culture". Shoot a Jager and get ready for the clockwork dance party to begin! Check bigjohnbates.com

Lonestar Debuts Party Heard Around the World

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
The New Year of 2010 launches with the promise of the much-anticipated return to the charts of a true country music super-group - Lonestar -whose career path to date has been marked by countless multi-platinum milestones. The band is releasing their first studio album in four years-cause enough for celebration to the universe of country/pop cross-over fans who have long embraced them. And the news gets better. Party Heard Around The World, their 10thalbum, is a total 'hands on' creative effort, produced by the band with eight of the ten tracks written by the foursome. Noted lead guitarist and original member Michael Britt said in a recent interview: "We feel that this album is a complete reflection of the group, circa 2010. It's personal and powerful music that reflects the core values of Lonestar through lyrics, performance and production." Lonestar's commitment to open the new decade with a new chapter of music will have the full label support of Saguaro Road Records and be the subject of a major multi-phase national retail/radio/media/marketing campaign set to roll-out in advance of the April 27 street date. Known both for their strong country roots as well as their multi-genre crossover appeal that's led to a history of success on the pop/rock charts, Lonestar has only their own career records to break. To date, the band has RIAA certified sales in excess of 10 million album units since their national launch in 1995. The Texas bred band has had an impressive list of hit singles on the country charts, including ten #1's as well as nine Top 40 songs on the pop charts. Signature songs in the mid-90's included early #1 hits such as "No News," and "Come Cryin' To Me." Their 1999 album release, Lonely Grill, produced Lonestar's biggest crossover smash to date, the ballad "Amazed," which spent eight weeks at the #1 spot on the country charts as well as reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The dual win made them the first country act since Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton's "Islands In the Stream" in 1983 to accomplish this career milestone. Three more singles from the band ("Smile," "What About Now," and "Tell Her") followed to #1 as the Lonely Grill album was certified multi-platinum. Lonestar dealt listeners a follow-up platinum hand with the release of their I'm Already There album (2001) with the title track lead-off single spending six weeks at #1 as the album was on the way to platinum certification. In addition to garnering music accolades, Lonestar has been oft- lauded for their continuous outreach in the arena of humanitarian goodwill. The band was recognized by The Academy of Country Music with the coveted Home Depot Humanitarian Award in 2003 for their continued commitment to help build the dreams of those in need-this in recognition to the group's single handed dedication to the building of a playground for children in tornado ravaged Jackson, Tennessee. America's military forces have been a major focus for concert and fund raising efforts by the band as has St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, to mention only a few of their ongoing humanitarian interests. Lonestar consists of original members Dean Sams, Keech Rainwater, and Michael Britt, as well as lead vocalist Cody Collins who joined the group in 2007. Party Heard Around The World is set to make a legion of new fans, as well as re-connect Lonestar to a universe of dedicated fans for whom their latest studio project has been eagerly awaited. Tour dates in support of the new album release are expected to be announced within the next few weeks. About Saguaro Road Records and Direct Holdings: Saguaro Road is an imprint launched by Direct Holdings Americas Inc, the company that markets and sells audio and video entertainment products under the Time Life brand, using it under license from Time Warner Inc. The label focuses on artists that have a uniquely American roots oriented sound and has recently released albums from Patty Loveless, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Tanya Tucker, Joan Osborne and Edwin McCain. Time Life and the Time Life logo are registered trademarks of Time Warner Inc. and affiliated companies, used under license by Direct Holdings Americas Inc., which is not affiliated with Time Warner Inc. or Time Inc. Headquartered in Fairfax VA, Direct Holdings Americas Inc.'s history began in 1961 as a direct marketing division of Time Incorporated specializing in music and books. The business has been operated as a separate company since the mid-1970s when it relocated to Virginia, and has since grown to become one of the world's largest direct marketers of audio and video products throughout North America, Europe and Australia. The Company has set the standard in the direct response industry by pioneering direct marketing techniques and building one of the most trusted and recognized brands in commerce. The Company now also sells its products through major traditional and non-traditional retailers around the world as well as via the Internet. The Company was sold in 2003 to private investors. Saguaro Road Records is a trademark of Direct Holdings Americas Inc.

Korn, Rob Zombie Headline Mayhem Fest

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL featuring KORN and ROB ZOMBIE will kick off Saturday, July 10 in San Bernardino, CA and will roll through 24 cities in the U.S. and Canada between early July and late August (a full itinerary will be announced in the coming weeks). Mayhem presale tickets go on sale April 2 and tickets go on sale to the general public on April 16th at LiveNation.com. Check www.mayhemfest.com for more info. The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL has become the summer's hottest ticket by giving fans the opportunity to experience a thrilling mix of hard music's most influential artists and exciting young voices. This summer's lineup turns up the heat with a main stage lineup that sees KORN and ROB ZOMBIE joined by LAMB OF GOD and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. The JAGERMEISTER stage will feature HATEBREED, CHIMAIRA, SHADOWS FALL, WINDS OF PLAGUE and the JAGERMEISTER Battle of The Bands Winner. The second stage will spotlight ATREYU, NORMA JEAN, IN THIS MOMENT and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD. Visit mayhemfest.com.

Power Chord Academy Announces 2010 Locations

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Power Chord Academy, the nation's leading summer camp for amateur and pre-professional musician training, is excited to announce new locations for Summer 2010! Brand-new destinations are launching in Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Houston, and St. Louis, in addition to established session locations in New York, Chicago, Boston, San Diego, Miami, Seattle, Denver, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington DC! Summer 2010 marks the 12th year of our original program, and promises to be our biggest, most exciting summer ever with expanded facilities, renowned recording and video production, amazing mystery guests, and Power Chord Academy's world-class staff! Since its inception in 1999, Power Chord Academy has witnessed an exponential growth directly attributable to the intrinsic value of its acclaimed curriculum, where dedicated musicians ages 12-18 are put through the most inspirational, educational, and intensive weeks of their young careers. PCA attendees experience a week of virtual rock stardom! At Power Chord Academy, music and creativity are larger than life. Students professionally record a CD single with an established producer, shoot an MTV-caliber music video with a renowned director, and perform several huge concerts for awestruck friends and family. Students also receive guidance, inspiration, technical pointers, and exclusive performances from some of today's most prominent and influential bands and industry executives. This is truly a dream experience for teen musicians. For complete info, go to powerchordacademy.com.

New From Backbeat & Hal Leonard: Gibson's Fabulous Flat-Top Guitars and The Hofner Guitar: A History

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Backbeat and Hal Leonard have released new, expanded editions of two of its titles. Gibson's Fabulous Flat-Top Guitars By Eldon Whitford, David Vinopal & Dan Erlewine Foreword By Steve Earle Second Edition The Gibson Flat-Top is more than just an acoustic guitar. Its birth and evolution is entangled with close to 90 years of political, social, and musical history. Manufactured in Bozeman, MT, far away from the heat and humidity of the factories that produce the company's electric guitars, each flat-top is assembled by hand from the finest wood and mounted with top-of-the-line hardware. It is the standard by which all other acoustic guitars are measured, and if you doubt that just ask one of the many legends who brandish one. Over the years that list has included Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Emmylou Harris, The Everly Brothers, Gram Parsons, Doc Watson, Gene Autry, Roy Smeck, and hundreds of others. Even in genres that have themselves undergone massive change and upheaval, the renowned Gibson Flat-Top remains a cornerstone. Authors Dan Erlewine, Eldon Whitford, and David Vinopal are more than mere fans of the flat-top. Through their professional roles consulting with the luthiers in Bozeman who craft these guitars, they have gained immense knowledge about the instrument. Illustrated with over 200 B&W photos throughout, plus two 16-page color inserts, this book takes the reader through the development of the Gibson Flat-Top from its introduction in 1926 to the plethora of variations and custom jobs that the guitar has seen over its lifetime. This revised edition includes numerous reference charts showing which styles were produced where and when, as well as detailed serial number info, body and series type specs, basic repair instructions, and endless historical trivia. The Hofner Guitar: A History Expanded Edition By Gordon Giltrap and Neville Marten Hofner guitars occupy a special place in the hearts of discerning music fans and vintage guitar connoisseurs. These German-built instruments are immediately recognizable by their rectangular control panels, deep-amber wood grains, and intricate headstock inlays. During the 1960's many instruments found their way into UK guitar shops and subsequently ended up in the hands of quite a few British Invasion stars. The Hofner brand finally landed in the general consciousness via the model most closely associated with the company, the violin-shaped 500/1 bass, recognizable the world over as Paul McCartney's instrument of choice. Beyond the "Beatle Bass" Hofner produced a number of unique instruments. The beautiful archtops are favored in jazz picking circles. In the late 1960's the company launched designs inspired by (but by no means carbon copies of) the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul and ES-335. Today these guitars, some of which were only produced for a very short time, have garnered a following of their own equal to, and in some cases greater than, their better-known cousins. Hal Leonard Books is proud to bring back this long out-of-print and highly sought-after book in a new, updated edition. With the revised edition of The Hofner Guitar: A History, authors Gordon Giltrap and Neville Marten present the most complete and in-depth resource available on these revered guitars. The book tells the entire Hofner story from the early 1960's through the present day. Included are exclusive interviews and memories of Hofner instruments from Ritchie Blackmore, David Gilmour, Justin Hayward, Roy Wood, Midge Ure, Albert Lee, and many others as well as a wealth of information on body, pickup, and headstock types, electronics configurations, and dating and pricing guidelines. The book is illustrated throughout with beautiful full-color photos of rare Hofner instruments and reproductions of rarely seen early advertisements and other ephemera.

65Amps Intros Tupelo model

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
65amps Tupelo is rooted in the same design as its brother, the 65amps Lil Elvis, but based on a 6V6 power section. The Tupelo's circuitry and custom transformers create a platform that reveals the true character of the power tubes to a surprising level. The 6V6 power section produces an outstanding example of American circuitry from the late '50s through the mid '60s while at the same time removing all the bad behaviors of those old amps. The Tupelo is a must for players whose ears are tuned to American circuits and sounds. The Tupelo delivers 20 watt output and has an astonishing vocabulary, touch sensitivity, and harmonic richness. Its lush, soulful clean tone easily rolls over into harmonically complex distortion, offering the best of both worlds to players of all music genres. Loaded with 65amps' proprietary Master Voltage power technology, which keeps the entire vocabulary, authority, and response down to two or three watts, the Tupelo sounds and feels right at any volume, from bedroom to coffee house to small clubs. The Tupelo particularly shines as a tonally and harmonically flexible studio amp. The Tupelo also has a passive FX Loop, two speaker outs, and 65amps' unique bias tremolo. Find out more at 65amps.com.

Founder of McCabe's Guitar Shop Passes

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Gerald McCabe, founder of the landmark Santa Monica MI store McCabe's Guitar Shop, recently passed away at age 82. McCabe, born Jan. 30, 1927, and though he intended the store to focus on furniture design and restoration, his focus changed after he began to repair damaged guitars. The store recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.

SNL's Christine Ohlman Releases CD

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Christine Ohlman, a.k.a. "The Beehive Queen," whose "day job" is that of the flashy, gritty long-time featured vocalist with the Saturday Night Live Band, has completed her first new album in five years, The Deep End, to be released by the Horizon Music Group through Selct-O-Hits on April 6, 2010. Having won the respect of many fellow artists over the years, Ohlman recruited a stellar group of them to contribute to the new CD, including Marshall Crenshaw, Dion DiMucci and Ian Hunter as duet partners, as well as an all-star list of accompanists: G.E. Smith, Eric "Roscoe" Ambel from the Del-Lords, NRBQ veteran Big Al Anderson, Catherine Russell, the Asbury Juke Horns (Chris Anderson and Neal Pawley) and more. Working in a swampy, guitar-driven style of contemporary rock/R&B, Ohlman and The Deep End co-producer Andy York (John Mellencamp) crafted 15 songs of life and love tempered by loss. It is Ohlman's first album of new work since 2004; her recording hiatus followed the deaths of both long-time producer and mate Doc Cavalier and guitarist and founding member of Ohlman's Rebel Montez band, Eric Fletcher. (The band presently includes Michael Colbath, bass; Cliff Goodwin, guitar; and Larry Donahue, drums.) A Connecticut native and resident, Ohlman played with G.E. Smith in the Scratch Band in the 1970s, leading to her long association with Saturday Night Live. Her stint in fabled Studio 8H of Rockefeller Center includes the Sinead O'Connor and Ashley Simpson meltdowns (she was present for both) and the current season's hilarious "Swine Fever" commercial parody, featuring a magnificently beehived Ohlman in full Dolly Parton regalia.

Frampton Preps Thank You Mr Churchill

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Following his Grammy-winning instrumental album, Fingerprints, Peter Frampton returns with his most personal collection to date, Thank You Mr Churchill (A&M/New Door/UMe) April 27. The 11-song set, co-produced and co-engineered by Frampton, is highlighted by the two-part, 8-minute instrumental, "Suite: Liberté." "This album is very autobiographical," Frampton says. "It starts with my birth, which I thank Mr. Churchill for bringing my father back from the second World War." Recorded at his home studio in Cincinnati, Churchill is deeply intimate, weaving tales of loss, love and redemption and the lessons learned along the way. Churchill also includes Frampton's reflective take on troubling world events, including the Wall Street bailout ("Restraint") and even the tragic case of Megumi Yokota, a Japanese girl kidnapped more than 30 years ago by South Korea ("Asleep At The Wheel"). Frampton wrote all tracks on Churchill, penning many with longtime collaborator Gordon Kennedy. His co-producer/co-engineer, Chris Kimsey, was the engineer on Frampton's first solo record, 1972's Wind of Change. It marked the first time the two, who reunited via Facebook, have worked together in 30 years. Co-engineer Don Gunn (Death Cab For Cutie) also contributes to Churchill. Guests include Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron, who also played on Fingerprints, and the legendary Funk Brothers, who appear on Frampton's Motown homage, "Invisible Man."

Mr. Musichead Gallery to Feature Photos by Blakesberg

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Mr Musichead Gallery, Los Angeles, will host an exhibit and book signing for rock photographer Jay Blakesberg on Thursday, March 4. Blakesberg is a San Francisco-based photographer and video director whose work appears regularly in many magazines, including Rolling Stone and Guitar Player. Over the last 30 years his photographic rock and roll journey has seen him work with many legendary artists including The Grateful Dead, Carlos Santana, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Radiohead, Phish, Dave Matthews and John Lee Hooker to name just a few. He has published several volumes of his work that includes books on The Grateful Dead, Primus, and The Flaming Lips. Recently, he directed live concert video for The Flaming Lips, REM, Spearhead, Gov't Mule, Jackie Greene, Widespread Panic, and The Allman Bros. His most recent book is 'Traveling on a High Frequency' which is a 30-year retrospective of his music photography. The event is a Los Angeles premiere exhibit and will feature over 40 images of recognizable faces from the past and present musical landscape. The range of artists featured includes Nirvana, Willie Nelson, Jerry Garcia, Pearl Jam, Widespread Panic, U2, Joni Mitchell, Phish, Dave Matthews, ZZ Top and many more. Copies of his latest release, 'Traveling on a High Frequency' will also be available for signing. Opened in 1998, Mr Musichead Gallery is L.A.'s first gallery devoted to featuring a vast and unique collection of album cover art, poster art, fine art and photography that chronicles rock 'n' roll's rich heritage. Gallery events have included notable book signings with Neil Zlozower and Barney Hoskyns; exhibits featuring the Art of Jerry Garcia, a Hendrix album cover photography show with Karl Ferris, and The Album Cover Art of Storm Thorgerson, and fine art exhibits with Incubus' Brandon Boyd and British Illustration legend Alan Aldridge. In 2010, the gallery was chosen as the premiere music related art gallery for MusiCares Person of the Year Awards honoring Neil Young, charitably donating thousands of dollars of artwork for their silent auction at the event. Owner and founder Sam Milgrom established himself in Detroit as a cutting edge, influential music retailer and live concert venue owner who has now set his sights specifically on the L.A. music/art scene. He has curated photographic exhibits of Bob Gruen, Barrie Wentzell, and Henry Diltz. Check for further details at mrmusichead.com.

Grammy Museum to Host "Mississippi Night"

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
The State of Mississippi's continuing "Birthplace of America's Music" campaign gets a big boost next week with Mississippi Night at the Grammy Museum® in Los Angeles. The evening of Thursday, January 28 is a preamble to Sunday's Grammy Award ceremonies, and will be highlighted by a program featuring performances from some of the state's brightest musical lights, a reflection of the great diversity of Mississippi music. Earlier in the day, Mississippians will take part in an educational program for the benefit of visiting Los Angeles high school students. For the past three years, Mississippi has presented performance galas, hosted by Governor Haley Barbour, that have underscored the fact that Mississippi artists have been disproportionately represented among Grammy nominees and winners spread out over a wide variety of categories. This year's Mississippi Celebrates Its Grammy Legacy gala will take place May 27 at Biloxi's Hard Rock Casino. Peavey Electronics, based in Meridian, MS and The Mississippi Development Authority, have sponsored those events and are, similarly, supporting next week's Grammy Museum program. The artists participating in Mississippi Night at the Grammy Museum underscore the broad spectrum of Mississippi's musical legacy. Learn more at msgrammy.com.

Peavey Announces ReValver MK III.V Software

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Peavey proudly announces the next version of its acclaimed ReValver amplifier modeling software, ReValver MK III.V, which debuts nine new amplifier and effects models. Developed by veteran tube-amp maker Peavey Electronics, ReValver is a revolutionary amplifier modeling software that captures the true characteristics of vacuum tubes while allowing users unprecedented control over their tonality and gain structures. Peavey ReValver MK III.V will feature the debut of the Peavey 3120, Peavey Masterpiece, Peavey Sensation, Budda SuperdriveII, and Budda Superdrive V Series amplifier models. New effects models in ReValver MK III.V are the classic Peavey VCL-2 tube compressor and the Budda Budwah expression pedal. All of the amp and effects models and deep editing popularized by ReValver MK III are also available in MK III.V. Learn more at peavey.com.

Luther Allison's Songs from the Road Due Feb. 9

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Ruf Records announces a February 9 release date for Luther Allison's Songs from the Road, a live two disc CD/DVD that documents a magical night of blues music from the legendary guitarist/singer, recorded at the Montreal Jazz Festival by Canadian Television on July 4, 1997. Distributed in the U.S. by the Allegro Corporation, the new release will retail for a special low price, essentially getting both the CD and DVD for the price of one. Songs from the Road was filmed just four days before Luther Allison was diagnosed with the terminal cancer which took his life one month later; thus, this document represents his last live recorded performance. The CD includes 80 minutes of the 90-minute set he performed that night, while the DVD features the 56-minute video version that was aired originally on Canadian TV. The CD includes 11 Luther Allison standout songs, including "Cherry Red Wine," his 1996 award-winning Song of the Year, "Serious," "Will It Ever Change," "Move from the Hood," and "It Hurts Me Too." The DVD also includes bonus footage of an interview with Allison, as well as a documentary on his life. For a man with only one month to live, Luther Allison showcases an amazing performance on Songs from the Road, with blistering guitar runs, passionate singing and amazing showmanship, demonstrating why to this day he is still one of the most beloved bluesmen of all time. Melding blues and gospel, with rock and soul, Luther Allison's music transcended boundaries - musical, sociological, and geographical - with an appeal that endeared him to audiences all over the world. The CD captures all the raw energy that made his shows so special; and the beautifully filmed DVD brings the audience right up on stage with the legend, as the beads of sweat drip from his head and collect on his guitar, right before your eyes.

Umphrey's McGee on Rock Band Network

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Umphrey's McGee will be among the first group of bands to offer songs at the just-launched (beta testing period) Rock Band Network. The much buzzed-about video game platform works with Xbox video game systems to allow bands to Xbox users, and to offer fans a way dig into their favorite band's music in ways they have never been able to before. Umphrey's McGee has been working with former Harmonix Music Systems employee - and now "Rock Band" freelancer - Andrew Buch. An alumn of Berklee College of Music, Buch has author several Umphrey's McGee songs for the new program, including "1348" and "Miss Tinkles Overture." These songs and others will be made available within the next few months - when the first wave of the Rock Band Network releases are scheduled to hit upon the release of the new Xbox 360 system. Buch, whose video/music "claims-to-fame" include the underground release of his mind-numbingly difficult "Trippolette" in the original Guitar Hero, has worked on several games in the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises, making him a likely choice to prepare the music of Umphrey's McGee for the game. Additional work by Buch can be found at http://www.andrewbuch.com, including video footage of both Umphrey's McGee's music and the Rock Band Network re-release of "Trippolette." Umphrey's McGee's participation in the Rock Band network is one of many ways this band continues to prove themselves truly a band of the 21st century. The band's innovative, interactive Stew Art Series (S2) has been hailed as a ground-breaking fan experience.Hosted as individual events before that evening's already scheduled show, Umphrey's Stew Art Series is a crowd-sourced improvisation experiment, in which all the music performed by the group on stage are entirely directed by S2 audience members. Check out this S2 video from the inaugural S2 event in Milwaukee: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYJn64XRGXU. Look for Umphrey's McGee on tour now. For more information on Umphrey's McGee and on Rock Band Network, please visit: www.umphreys.com

New School Spring Events

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
This spring, The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, a legendary conservatory within a renowned university setting, will present collaborations among prominent New School Jazz faculty joined by eminent players from the jazz community, alumni, and students. These spring events promise to showcase new talent emerging on the jazz scene today. The New School Jazz performance series has moved to a new home at the Fat Cat on Christopher Street. Beginning in February on the first Monday of each month and ending with two performances in May, a host of dynamic jazz performances will take place, ranging from the classic to the iconoclastic, featuring Junior Mance with his students from The New School on April 5. This semester, the school's annual series featuring faculty and alumni, Jazz Presents, will include Charli Persip Supersound on Thursday, March 10, and Droid on Thursday, April 8 For more, visit jazz.newschool.edu.

Peavey Premieres 6534+ Amp

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
The Peavey 6534+ Head is a two-channel, 120-watt amplifier designed with EL34 power tubes to give this American legend a British flavor. The extreme high gain and legendary tone of the 6505 Series is here in excess, but with a special new design to minimize the noise that high-gain tube amps generate. In addition, the amp's Rhythm channel is voiced to clean up nicely while still retaining its raw saturation. Six select 12AX7 preamp tubes provide the tonal foundation for the 6534+. Both the Lead and Rhythm channels feature independent three-band EQ, pre and post gain controls and Peavey's patented Resonance and Presence controls, which provide low-end enhancement and high-end boost, respectively. The Rhythm channel also includes a bright switch and footswitchable Crunch boost. Additional features include footswitchable effects loop and preamp output. The Peavey 6505 artist roster includes Machine Head, Trivium, Bullet For My Valentine, The Devil Wears Prada, Black Tide, Evergrey, All That Remains, Story of the Year, Bleeding Through, Job For A Cowboy, Black Stone Cherry, In Flames, The Black Dahlia Murder, Daath, Divine Heresy, The Red Chord, Bury Your Dead, Demon Hunter and many more. The Peavey 6534+ Head will be available from authorized Peavey retailers in Q1 2010. Features: * 120 watts RMS into 16, 8 or 4 ohms * Six 12AX7 preamp tubes and four EL34 power amp tubes * Footswitchable Lead/Rhythm channel select * Three-band EQ on each channel * Resonance and Presence controls on each channel * Pre Gain and Post Gain on each channel * Footswitchable Crunch boost on Rhythm channel * Bright switch on Rhythm channel * Preamp output * Effects loop * Bias test point * Footswitch included * Made in the U.S.A.

Swell Launches V.2 Series Pedals

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Swell Pedal Co announces the launching of its new V.2 Series for 2010. Besides an easier to read new look all drive models now feature a bass cut switch (boost on bass models), three-position Push/Level switch and a Remote Boost Jack (another Swell first). In addition, all models have been re-voiced to be even more amp-like. See them at swellpedals.com.

Hofner Offers Jazz Guitar Series

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
Höfner has released two hollowbody guitars in its German Jazz Guitar Range. The HCT-J17-N and HCT-J17-SB are made in Hofner's Chinese workshop, with setup in Germany. They have single-cut 17" bodies, spruce tops with flame-maple back and sides, floating humbucker with Volume and Tone controls, and accent touches including ebony pickguard, tailpiece and bridge. Both are available in natural or sunburst finish. The HCT-J17 is a non-cutaway cello-style guitar with a 17" body, spruce top with flame-maple back and sides, a Höfner humbucking pickup mounted on the top with Volume and Tone controls, tortoiseshell scratchplate, and Höfner Lyre tailpiece. It is available in sunburst finish. The HCT-J17 is a 17" single-cut jazz guitar with two Höfner humbucking pickups. Individual Volume and Tone controls with three-way switch, spruce top with flame-maple back and sides, tortoiseshell pickguard, and Höfner Lyre tailpiece. It's available in sunburst, transluscent red or cherry sunburst. Learn more at hofner.com.

Jeff Beck Releasing New Studio Album

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT
For his first studio album in seven years, Grammy-winning guitarist Jeff Beck returns with an eclectic mix of tracks that find the guitar virtuoso accompanied by a handpicked cast of talented musicians, as well as several songs accompanied by a 64-piece orchestra. Rhino unleashes the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's restless genius with Emotion & Commotion. The album will be available on Atco Records, an imprint of Rhino Entertainment, on April 13. Beck recorded Emotion & Commotion late last year at Sarm Studios in London with award-winning producers Steve Lipson and Trevor Horn. To create the album's diverse sound, Beck used a number of musicians, including appearances by frequent collaborators Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Jason Rebello (keyboards), and Tal Wilkenfeld (bass). The album also includes contributions from a trio of singers: Imelda May ("Lilac Wine"), Olivia Safe ("Elegy For Dunkirk"), and Grammy-winner Joss Stone ("I Put A Spell On You" and "There's No Other Me"). To complement the innovative tones he coaxes from his guitar, Beck recorded with a 64-piece orchestra on songs that range from Puccini's immortal aria "Nessun Dorma" and "Elegy For Dunkirk" from the film Atonement to "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" from The Wizard Of Oz and Jeff Buckley's interpretation of "Corpus Christi Carol." Beck says the idea of pairing his guitar with an orchestra evolved from the version of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5 he recorded a few years ago. "It turned out amazingly well, but I didn't want to commit to an entire album of classical music. What appealed to me instead was the idea of bringing together these seemingly contradictory sounds on different kinds of nonclassical music." In addition to the orchestral pieces,Emotion & Commotion showcases a number of original compositions. For "Hammerhead," Beck fires the rocker's opening salvo through his wah pedal before falling into a deep groove carved out by the rhythm section and horn arrangement. At the opposite end of the sonic spectrum, the airy arrangement that elevates "Never Alone" provides a wide-angle soundscape for Beck's imagination to freely explore the high-flying melody. Before launching a world tour to support Emotion & Commotion, Beck will unite with Eric Clapton in February for a series of exclusive shows in London, New York City, Toronto, and Montreal. The guitarists-both former members of the Yardbirds-will play separately before taking the stage to perform together. After the shows with Clapton, Beck will play South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, and Japan before returning to America for the U.S. leg of the tour starting mid-April and including an appearance at the New Orleans Jazz Festival on May 1. For Beck, the new album and tour follows in the wake of a triumphant 2009-his most successful year ever. Among the many highlights were a sold-out world tour; his second induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; the release of the platinum-selling Performing This Week... Live At Ronnie Scott's, which earned a Grammy nomination for "A Day In The Life"; and magnificent performances with his band at the 25th Anniversary Concert of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden.

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