Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Led Zeppelin Premiere New 'Trampled Under Foot' Interactive Video

Led Zeppelin have teamed with media and technology company Interlude production company PRETTYBIRD to produce a groundbreaking interactive video to the previously unreleased rough mix of "Trampled Under Foot," which goes by the early working title "Brandy & Coke." Conceived and directed by Hal Kirkland, the video can be viewed now at http://www.ledzeppelin.com/video.

Through this immersive music video, Led Zeppelin fans will be able to see beyond the façade of one of rock's most iconic album covers, Physical Graffiti , and step inside the building through each of the 16 featured windows. Until now, no fan has had so many ways to explore and see a music video come alive. By selecting one of the featured 16 windows, the audience can enter into the room and will discover events that pay homage to the window illustrations on the original artwork. Featuring archival footage, such as the band's full Earl's Court performance of the song, original animation and more, Interlude technology allows viewers to follow and interact with characters from room to room without disrupting the flow of the song.

"Brandy & Coke" ("Trampled Under Foot" - Initial Rough Mix) is featured on the newly released deluxe edition of Led Zeppelin's legendary album Physical Graffiti , which is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Brian May Says Freddie Mercury Film News Was A 'Joke'

Sorry, Freddie Mercury devotees: the long-rumored biopic of the Queen frontman starring Sacha Baron Cohen is still shelved, despite persistent recent rumors.

On Thursday, reports surfaced that the Borat comedian Baron Cohen had rejoined the film after Queen manager Jim Beach spoke at the Artist & Management Awards in London. "You have probably followed the saga of the famous Queen-Freddie Mercury biopic which has been developing in Hollywood for the last seven years," Beach was quoted. "An important breakthrough is that we have now managed to persuade Sacha Baron Cohen to write, produce and direct this movie, and he has also agreed to star."

Baron Cohen was initially linked to the project, not least for his striking physical similarity to the flamboyant Mercury, but the actor left the project in July 2013, citing "creative differences." The actor had expressed interest in portraying Mercury, who died of AIDS in 1991, around the time of Queen's iconic Live Aid benefit concert in 1985, with a narrative grittiness that was rumored to displease other participants.

However, Baron Cohen's return is not as imminent as Beach implied, says a source who would know: Queen guitarist Brian May, who posted a clarification on his blog yesterday.

"[Beach] said that, in response to enquiries about the progress on the Freddie feature film, that Sacha Baron Cohen had been re-engaged to write, produce, and direct the film, as well as starring in all four major roles!" wrote the musician/astrophysicist May. "I’m afraid some folks might have taken it seriously."

And another rumor bites the dust.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Joe Satriani And Steve Vai To Host “A Benefit for Cliff III”

Guitarists Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have announced plans for a third benefit concert in support of music industry veteran and good friend, Cliff Cultreri.

“A Benefit for Cliff III” will take place on Friday, June 12th at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles.  This event will feature performances by Satriani and Vai, as well as special guests, Animals As Leaders.

Satriani and Vai, along with other artists, will also be donating various items to be auctioned at the event.  Among these items will be autographed guitars as well as a chance to join Satriani’s “G4 Camp” taking place June 28 – July 2  in Cambria, CA and a package to attend Vai’s camp, “Vai Academy 2015 - All About The Guitar” in Vail, CO, August 2-6 as well.

Cliff Cultreri is the A&R executive who ‘discovered’ Satriani and Vai, as well as many other popular recording artists, while working at Relativity Records and Koch Entertainment. Cultreri is suffering from a host of Auto-Immune and Connective-Tissue disorders that are simultaneously attacking his immune system, a 1 in 100 million occurrence that causes severe pain and physical debilitations.  During his years in the industry, Cultreri has served as A&R for a number of top names including Allan Holdsworth, Billy Sheehan & Talas, Peter Frampton, Megadeth, Corrosion Of Conformity, Exodus, Anthrax, Death, Venom, Slash's Snakepit, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, Modern English, Gene Loves Jezebel, Fat Joe, Common, Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony, 3-6 Mafia, KRS1, Beatnuts, C Murder, Kurupt, Soulja Slim, RZA, and many others in all genres of music.

In 2006, Satriani and Vai joined forces for the first Cultreri benefit show and in 2011, came together again for the second show. Through both benefits, the duo have raised money and brought attention to the devastation this disease takes on both the patient and their family.

Satriani and Vai hope to raise even more funds with this year’s benefit to help Cultreri and his family’s financial needs.

"I'm looking forward to sharing the stage with my good friends Steve Vai and Animals as Leaders for a night of unforgettable music,” said Satriani.

Vai added, “It’s a great privilege to take to the stage with my friends Joe and Tosin (of Animals As Leaders) in support of our dear buddy Cliff.  It’s a great cause and will be a magical evening of guitar extravaganza."

Reserved tickets start at $45 and are on sale now through ticketmaster.com.  A limited number of VIP packages, including a meet and greet with Satriani and Vai, are also available.

Doors will be at 7 pm with the show set to begin at 8 pm.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Rob Halford Signs With Sony For Rights To Solo Recordings

Sony Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings, SME's catalog division, have signed a worldwide rights deal to with the Metal God, Rob Halford. 

Frontman of the legendary heavy metal band Judas Priest, Rob Halford brought his iconic charisma and influential vocal style to a variety of side projects since 1992, notably his bands Fight, 2wo and Halford.

The new Sony/Legacy agreement with Rob Halford will include individual album catalog titles and audio-visual releases. Upcoming Rob Halford anthology titles will include an Essential and Playlist collection with plans for a definitive Complete Albums Box.

Halford rocketed to fame as the lead singer for the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band Judas Priest.  One of the genre's most powerful, distinctive and influential vocalists, Halford set the standard for generations of metal singers.

After leaving Judas Priest in 1992, Halford formed the band Fight and, between 1993 and 1995, recorded two albums, War of Words and A Small Deadly Space, and an EP, Mutations, with the band.

Following Fight, Halford moved into the realm of industrial metal with his Two project.

In 2000, he launched the straight-ahead no-nonsense pure metal ensemble Halford.

The Sony/Legacy release agreement includes virtually all of Rob Halford's work with Fight, Two and Halford from 1992 onward.

Coming on March 31, Columbia/Legacy Recordings will release The Essential Rob Halford.

Rob Halford Catalog includes:

Fight

Albums
War of Words
Mutations
A Small Deadly Space
K5 – The “War of Words” Demos

Audio/Visual
War of Words: The Film
Live in Phoenix

Two

Voyeurs

Halford
Metal God Essentials: Volume 1
Resurrection
Live Insurrection
Crucible
Live at Rock in Rio 3 (album and audio/visual)
Live in Anaheim (album and audio/visual)
Winter Songs
Made of Metal
Live at Saitama Super Arena (album and audio/visual)
Live in London
Live 2010 North & South America Tour (album and audio/visual)
Metal God Essentials: Volume 2

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Deep Purple Returning To North America This Summer

In an unexpected surprise, Deep Purple have announced a North America summer tour for 2015.  

Tickets and VIP Packages are on sale now in select markets with more dates going on sale in the coming days.

In 2014, VintageRock.com caught two of the band's shows in the States -- a free show in Las Vegas and a stop in at the Orange County Fairgrounds.

The band marks its return to Orange County on August 12.

Details and links to tickets can be found at http://www.deeppurple.com/current-tour-dates.

Here are the dates scheduled so far:

7/14/15 Lewiston, NJ
7/22/15 Englewood, NJ
7/24/15 Lynn, MA
7/25/15 Port Chester, NY
7/30/15 Mashantucket, CT
8/2/15 Nashville, TN
8/4/15 Sterling Heights, MI
8/5/15 Columbus, OH
8/7/15 Sioux City, IA
8/12/15 Costa Mesa, CA
8/14/15 Laughlin, NV
8/15/15 Indio, CA

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Outside Lands Announces 2015 Lineup

Another Planet Entertainment, Superfly and Starr Hill, in a partnership with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, have announced an outstanding lineup for the eighth annual Outside Lands Festival. 

After four consecutive sold-out years, the world's only gourmet music festival that Rolling Stone hailed as "one of America's best," and the Huffington Post called "a well-rounded cultural event," will once again take place in San Francisco's historic Golden Gate Park August 7 - 9, 2015.

While the Eager Beaver on sale had the fastest sell-out in the history of the festival, a limited number of 3-Day General Admission and VIP regular tickets go on sale this Thursday, March 26th at 10am PDT via SFOutsideLands.com. A significant portion of every ticket sold will directly benefit San Francisco's Recreation and Park Department. The festival has given more than $10 million to the department since its inception.

Now in its eighth installment, Outside Lands has absolutely solidified its reputation as one of the most well-known and revered festivals in the world. The media across the country has been universally praising the event since its inception in 2008, covering the festival's evolution from setting the standard in the region to its current position as a renowned national powerhouse that all artists consider one of the most important performances in any given year.

As with all the great Outside Lands lineups of the past seven years, the 2015 edition is brilliantly diverse by design. From legends like Elton John and D'Angelo, to current massive hit makers such as Mumford & Sons, The Black Keys, Sam Smith and Kendrick Lamar, to indie darlings Wilco, Tame Impala and St. Vincent, to newcomers on the rise like Lake Street Dive, Mac DeMarco, George Ezra, Glass Animals, James Bay, Sky Ferreria, Leon Bridges, Shakey Graves, Benjamin Booker and Natalie Prass, to electronic luminaries Axwell & Ingrosso, Porter Robinson, Hot Chip, Caribou, ODESZA, RL Grime, DJ Mustard, Green Velvet & Claude VonStroke: Get Real, Django Django and Dan Deacon, to hip hop rising stars G-Eazy and SZA, Outside Lands has developed into a hub of infinite music exploration. As Mother Jones magazine once exclaimed, "Outside Lands is as much about showcasing up-and-coming bands - and their colorful fans, of course - as it is about the stars."

As the world's only gourmet rock festival, Outside Lands has been a pioneer in the food-music movement since its 2008 inception. Each year, to the delight of ticket-holders, producers enhance the festival's stellar culinary offerings. There are now a total of six unique experiences to be discovered, all of which fully celebrate Northern California's rich food and drink culture. These experiences include A Taste of the Bay Area, Wine Lands, Beer Lands, Choco Lands, Cheese Lands and the 2014 hit addition, GastroMagic, which is a fully programmed stage devoted to fantastical culinary entertainment. The Outside Lands 2015 food and drink lineup will be announced in the coming months.

The confirmed Outside Lands 2015 lineup is below:

Elton John
Mumford & Sons
The Black Keys
Sam Smith
Kendrick Lamar
Wilco
Axwell & Ingrosso
Tame Impala
D'Angelo and The Vanguard
St. Vincent
Porter Robinson
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
Billy Idol
G-Eazy
Hot Chip
Slightly Stoopid
Caribou
Milky Chance
Chet Faker
The Devil Makes Three
Nate Ruess
ODESZA
First Aid Kit
Toro Y Moi
RL Grime
Lake Street Dive
Mac DeMarco
George Ezra
Lindsey Stirling
Iration
Angus & Julia Stone
DJ Mustard
St. Paul and The Broken Bones
Glass Animals
Laura Marling
James Bay
Green Velvet & Claude VonStroke: Get Real
Django Django
Classixx
Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
Sky Ferreria
Leon Bridges
Robert DeLong
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
SZA
Allah-Las
Shakey Graves
Dan Deacon
Benjamin Booker
Misterwives
Langhorne Slim & The Law
Ryn Weaver
Broods
Hurray for the Riff Raff
Giraffage
GIVERS
Alvvays
Twin Peaks
The Family Crest
The Revivalists
METZ
Strand of Oaks
Speedy Ortiz
Fantastic Negrito
DMA's
Natalie Prass
Alex Bleeker & The Freaks
The Sam Chase
Devon Baldwin
The Tropics

More artists, restaurants, wineries will be announced in the coming weeks; check out www.sfoutsidelands.com for updates and more information.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Jimi Hendrix Park To Be Developed In Seattle

Seattle is one step closer to building a long-planned park dedicated to native son Jimi Hendrix. Organizers announced on Thursday that the city is working with ERRG, Inc. to build the 2.5-acre Jimi Hendrix Park, located in Seattle's Central District, adjacent to the Northwest African American Museum. Construction is expected to begin in April, with phase one projected to open this fall.

The park, which is four years in the making, went from idea to reality thanks to non-profit groups Jimi Hendrix Park Foundation and the Friends of Jimi Hendrix Park, who since 2012 have raised more than $1.4 million to finance the project.

"It is our hope that for generations, [the park] will exist as more than an attraction or point of interest, but a place of homage to one of Seattle's own," said Janie Hendrix, the rocker's sister and director of the Jimi Hendrix Park Foundation. "The landscaping, the artistic design, and the ambience all mimic the vibe of the persona of Jimi, whom this park honors."

Phase one of the park -- dubbed "Little Wing" -- will include an entrance at 25th and Massachusetts, a pathway with a timeline of the artist's life and career, rain infiltration gardens and a central plaza for performances, among other features. Phase two, which is still in the fundraising stages, will add the park's centerpiece, a so-called "shadow wave wall" depicting silhouette images of Hendrix.

Major park donors so far include Hard Rock International, KISW 99.9 FM, Nisqually Indian Tribe and Fender Musical Instruments Co.

Born in Seattle, Hendrix rose to fame in the late 1960s with his innovative blues-rock guitar playing, explosive live performances and classic songs including "Purple Haze," "Foxy Lady" and the Dylan cover "All Along the Watchtower." He died in London on Sept. 18 1970 at age 27.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Ian McLagan Remembered At Austin Music Awards

There were lots of winners at the 33rd annual Austin Music Awards on Wednesday night. But it was a loss that resonated most deeply during the ceremony.

Ian McLagan, the former Small Faces and Faces keyboardist and an adopted Texan who died on Dec. 3 at the age of 69, was celebrated with an hour-long tribute that closed the event, with a few words and plenty of music from an all-star group of musicians -- including Steven Van Zandt, Patty Griffin and Alejandro Escovedo -- whose affection for McLagan was palpable throughout their performances.

McLagan was, in fact, already a winner when the tribute began; he'd been named best keyboardist in the Austin Chronicle's music poll; it was accepted by his son Lee McLagan, who'd flown over from England and received a standing ovation from the crowd.

"My dad would be thrilled to be there," the younger McLagan -- whose South By Southwest badge identified his home as Manor, Texas, where his father resided -- said as he cradled the plaque. "He loved this place with all his heart. I hope he gave you a good time, 'cause you gave him a home.

Afterwards, McLagan said the experience was "overwhelming, if I'm honest. Really overwhelming."

The same could be said of the show-ending tribute, which began with clips from a documentary about McLagen that fillmaker Wes Orshoski ("Lemmy") was in the midst of making at the time of the keyboardist's death and plans to finish.

Members of McLagen's Bump Band and the Charlie Sexton-led house band then joined forces for "Sha La La" and "Glad And Sorry" before Austin singer Tameca Jones raised the roof in delivering Rod Stewart's arrangement of the Temptations' "(I Know) I'm Losing You."

Video messages from McLagen's Faces bandmate Ron Wood and onetime employer Bonnie Raitt were shown, and Escovedo joined the group to duet with Sexton on the Kinks' "I'm Not Like Anybody Else" while Griffin stepped in for the gentler "Never Say Never."

Van Zandt then joined the fray, with Jones returning, for a roaring take of the Small Faces' "Tin Soldier" and a room-shaking rendition of the Faces' "Stay With Me." An extended "Ooh La La" finale gave McLagen -- who was the subject of an SXSW panel discussion earlier in the day  -- an emotional but feel-good send-off.

"It felt like Mac should be there," Griffin said afterwards. "He was so loved here. It's hard to say goodbye."

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Doobie Brothers, Gregg Allman Announce Summer Tour

Even though The Allman Brothers Band called it a career back in October, Gregg Allman hasn't slowed down in 2015. He recently started a lengthy Spring Tour and has extended his touring schedule into the summer with the addition of many dates including seven co-headlining appearances with fellow rock legends The Doobie Brothers.

Gregg Allman's solo band - which features guitarist Scott Sharrard, Peter Levin on keys, drummer Steve Potts, percussionist Marc Quinones, Ron Johnson on bass and horn players Jay Collins, Art Edmaiston and Marc Franklin - will team with The Doobie Brothers for six shows at amphitheaters and a date at an Atlantic City casino. The newly-announced dates with The Doobies includes visits to Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in Boston; CMAC in Canandaigua, New York; Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook in Gilford, New Hampshire; PNC Bank Center in Holmdel, New Jersey; Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City; Koka Booth Amphitheater in Cary, North Carolina and SPAC in Saratoga Springs, New York.

"We’ve played shows with Gregg and The Allman Brothers over the years, starting in 1974," The Doobie Brothers’ Tom Johnston recalled in a press release. "It’s always been something I’ve looked forward to and enjoyed for the high energy and soulful experience that it is!"

Patrick Simmons agreed, “Gregg Allman is a national treasure, and it’s such a pleasure to be doing shows with one of our oldest friends. Not only is Gregg one of the finest musicians you could ever hope to hear, he is also one of the nicest people I know. His music, as well as ours, was born out of that great blues tradition, so I think this show is going to be a treat for you blues freaks! We’re so looking forward to these gigs, and I know there’s bound to be some jammin’ going on at some point.”

“I’ve loved The Doobie Brothers since I can remember,” said Gregg Allman. “Those guys can play! And I love their songs"

Tickets for the Gregg Allman/Doobie Brothers shows go on sale this Friday, March 20 at 10 a.m. ET. at all the usual outlets.

Check out recent VintageRock.com interviews with the Doobie Brothers and Gregg Allman below.






Tuesday, March 17, 2015

U2 Pay Tribute To Irish DJ Tony Fenton, Perform Together For First Time Since Bono's Bike Accident

U2 performed on Monday for the first time since singer Bono's serious bike accident in November left him uncertain if he will ever play guitar again.

The band tribute to beloved Irish DJ Tony Fenton, who passed away on March 11 after a long-running battle with prostate cancer.

Wearing a protective bandage on his arm, which he broke in six places, Bono sang "Ordinary Love" from the altar of the Church of the Sacred Heart in Donnybrook, Dublinm with his bandmates -- The Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton.

Fenton was a supporter of U2 from their early days and he had specifically chosen all the music for his own funeral, including the band's Oscar-nominated song from the film Mandela.

After the band finished to huge applause, celebrant Fr Kealy quipped, "Tony would have given you the nod of respect," according to the Irish Independent.

And the Irish Times reported that Fenton's fellow Today FM broadcaster Mario Rosenstock said in his speech: "I don't think anybody else in the world could have organised the biggest band in the world to play at his funeral."

Fulfilling his wishes: Fenton prepared the list of music he wanted for his funeral, including having his friends U2 sing "Ordinary Love."

In a moving tribute to the repected DJ, on Monday, radio stations across Ireland came together to simultaneously play one of Fenton's favorite tracks: "I Say A Little Prayer" by Aretha Franklin.

Monday, March 16, 2015

All-Star Tribute Concert Celebrating Jack Bruce To Be Held In London

‘Sunshine of Your Love,’ a tribute concert to the late Jack Bruce, will be held on Saturday october 24 24 at The Roundhouse in London. Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, March 18 and will be available from www.gigsandtours.com. The concert will benefit Bruce’s favorite charity, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH), 

Guest artists confirmed so far for the concert include Ginger Baker, Joss Stone, Phil Manzanera, Ian Anderson, Vernon Reid, Mark King, Liam Bailey, Fiona Bevan and Jack Bruce’s Big Blues Band. Further additions and special guests yet to be announced.

“Jack Bruce was one of my biggest heroes when I was growing up – a consummate musician, composer and all round rock genius with a killer voice and one of the most creative and versatile musical minds of his generation,"said Nitin Sawhney, who has been hired as the concert's musical director. "Being asked to musically direct this show celebrating his life and work is a great honor and privilege and I look forward to working with an amazing line up of contemporary artists and rock legends.”

Jack Bruce was a music colossus with a restless musical spirit. His 50-year career saw him work with a wide range of collaborators, across many genres. He was respected by all for his inventiveness and instrumental dexterity. He composed some of the greatest songs of the 20th Century including "White Room," "Sunshine Of Your Love," and "Theme For An Imaginary Western."

His last album, Silver Rails, was released in March 2014 and recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Roger Hodgson, Formerly Of Supertramp, Announces 2015 Breakfast In America World Tour

Roger Hodgson co-founded Supertramp in 1969 and was with them until 1983. During the 14 years that he was with the band, he wrote, sang, and arranged most of the enduring rock standards that made Supertramp a worldwide phenomenon.  His timeless classics - “Give a Little Bit,” “The Logical Song,” “Dreamer,” “Take the Long Way Home,” “Breakfast in America,” “School,” “Fool’s Overture,” “It’s Raining Again,” helped the band sell well over 60 million albums.

While many may not recognize the name Roger Hodgson, everyone recognizes his signature voice – one of the most distinctive voices in rock history. And the classic hit songs that he wrote and sang, often referred to as “Supertramp” songs, are actually Roger Hodgson songs.


In 2015, Hodgson continues to perform all these hits that he first recorded with Supertramp along with his other classics– “Sister Moonshine,” “Child of Vision,” “Hide in Your Shell,” “Even in the Quietest Moments,” and fan favorites from his solo albums – “Had a Dream,” “Only Because of You,” “Lovers in the Wind,” “In Jeopardy,” and “Along Came Mary.” 


Accompanied by a four-piece band, Hodgson’s 2015 ‘Breakfast in America’ tour will bring him to Germany, the U.K., Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Norway, France, Spain, Belgium, Holland, the U.S. and Canada.

Breakfast in America – 2015 World Tour Dates:
Jun 19 - Weinheim, Germany
Jun 20 - Hinwil, Switzerland
Jun 21 - Clam, Austria
Jun 24 - Munich, Germany
Jun 26 - Steinkjer, Norway
Jun 30 - Nantes, France
Jul 1 - Paris, France – SOLD OUT
Jul 3 - Murten, Switzerland
Jul 4 - Calw, Germany
Jul 7 - Valencia, Spain – Details soon
Jul 8 - Murcia, Spain
Jul 10 – Belgium - Details soon
Jul 11 - Heerlen, Holland
Jul 12 - Oxfordshire, England
Jul 15 - Veszprém, Hungary
Jul 17 - Brønnøysund, Norway
Jul 18 - Langesund, Norway
Jul 30 - Weissenburg in Bayern, Germany 
Jul 31 - Lauchheim, Germany
Aug 1 - Carcassonne, France
Aug 4 – Mallorca, Spain – Details soon
Aug 6 - Marbella, Spain 
Aug 8 - Peralada, Spain
Aug 29 - Merkers, Germany
Aug 30 - Hemer, Germany
Sep 1 - Cologne, Germany
Sep 2 - Amsterdam, Holland – SOLD OUT
Sep 4 - Siegen, Germany
Sep 5 - Lingen, Germany
Sep 7 - Berlin, Germany
Nov 20 & 21 – Rama, ON, Canada – Details in August
Nov 26 - Calgary, AB, Canada
Nov 28 - Vancouver, BC, Canada
Dec 3 - Montreal, QC, Canada
Dec 8 - Ottawa, ON, Canada
Dec 9 - Quebec, QC, Canada
Dec 11 - Moncton, NB, Canada
Dec 12 - Halifax, NS, Canada

2016
Apr 18 - Amsterdam, Holland
Apr 29 - London, England

For all tour details, visit http://www.RogerHodgson.com or https://www.Facebook.com/RogerHodgson.


Friday, March 13, 2015

Soft Machine & Gong Co-Founder Daevid Allen Dead At 77


British psychedelic legend Daevid Allen has died at age 77, according to the Guardian, which cites his son's Facebook page.

In February, Allen revealed doctors had given him six months to live due to cancer. In a statement, Allen said he was "not interested in endless surgical operations" and would not be seeking further treatment. "The time has come to stop resisting and denying and to surrender to the way it is," he wrote.

Allen co-founded the immensely influential psych-jazz band The Soft Machine (named after a William S. Burroughs book) in 1966, which produced the self-titled underground classic The Soft Machine in 1968. He also co-founded the British-French experimental band Gong in 1967.

The following is from Anne Leighton Media Music Services:

Daevid Allen was the kind of mercurial, inspiring individual whose free-thinking nature positively touched the lives of all who came into his orbit. When the Australian-born Allen first arrived in England in late 1960, he ended up as a lodger in the home of Robert Wyatt’s parents; the first Beatnik to be seen in the Kent countryside. Allen brought a glimpse of a different world and way of living to Wyatt and his friends, and later, as a founder-member of British psychedelic pioneers Soft Machine, added his unique vision to British rock music at the time.

It is as a founder-member of the sprawling collective Gong that Allen will be most closely associated; born out of the Paris Spring Commune of 1968, their debut album Camembert Electrique was memorably released in the UK in 1974 on the nascent Virgin Records label for the price of a vinyl single. Gong were never blessed with a stable line-up; Allen left the band in the mid-seventies, but reformed Gong in the early nineties. The latest Gong album – I See You – was released late in 2014, and was greeted with universally glowing reviews, a brilliant restatement of Allen and the band’s enduring musical and lyrical values.

Although Daevid Allen’s death at the age of 77 is a sad loss, his lasting legacy – an unapologetic desire to live, explore, entertain and inform through his remarkable body of work, outside of the world of the everyday – will live on.

See a February 27 video of Daevid performing a piece from Khalil Gibran's The Prophet in Bryon Bay, Australia where poets and artists gathered to help celebrate his life and work.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Aerosmith To Perform At Pro Football Hall Of Fame Inaugural Concert

The 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival will feature more legends than ever before. Aerosmith will perform at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s first-ever Concert for Legends on Friday, August 7 at 8 p.m. ET. The concert will pay tribute to the legends of the game on the eve of the Enshrinement for the Class of 2015.

“The Hall is thrilled to have legends of the music world honor the legends of the Game,” shared Hall of Fame President David Baker. “Aerosmith performing in the inaugural Concert for Legends will add even more excitement and energy to an Enshrinement Weekend that kicks off the NFL’s 96th season since its birth in Canton, and the launch to Super Bowl 50.”

Aerosmith, formed in Boston, are avid New England Patriots fans.

Says Joe Perry: “Having grown up since the age of 2, born in Lawrence, Ma., 45 minutes from Foxborough Stadium and seen the franchise grow has been an amazing experience. As Aerosmith began traveling the world and became our own Hall of Famers, seeing the Patriots under the brilliant guidance of the Kraft family, we would hear the news of our hometown team winning again as we were doing a show in a far flung corner of the world and we would swell with pride and think, ‘Ya those are our boys.’ The fact that American Football is worldwide news, shows the intensity of the game and the impact of how you play it. On behalf of Aerosmith we would like to congratulate all of you Hall of Famers, owners, the commissioner of NFL, and of course our hometown team the Patriots. To perform this show for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Hall of Famers is truly a great honor. You only get here by playing the game with all of your heart and soul. So we look forward to honoring all of you with a show that comes from the same place.”

Tom Hamilton adds: "When we started out, jocks did not hang out with long haired musicians longer than it took to beat them up.  Finally we have a meeting of the minds based on mutual respect. It’ll be a great honor to be there that night."

Aerosmith has many Gold Jackets (living Hall of Famers) who are big fans of the band. Class of 2008 Gold Jacket and former Patriots linebacker Andre Tippett will be on hand for the Concert for Legends alongside an expected 100 or more Hall of Famers and countless other NFL legends.

“Spending my whole career in New England, I was very fortunate to have opportunity to get to know Steven, Joe, Brad, Tom and Joey,” noted Tippett. “I can tell you that the New England Patriots locker room, in my day, was playing Aerosmith songs like ‘Toys in the Attic,’ ‘Sweet Emotion,’ ‘Livin on the Edge’ and ‘Walk This Way.’ And today, I can honestly tell you that those same songs fill the locker room of the Super Bowl champions.”

Concert for Legends tickets go on sale Saturday, March 21 at 10:00 a.m. EDT and may purchased on ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-745-3000, or at ticketmaster retail outlets. Tickets prices: $35, $69, $99, $150 and $225.

The 2015 NFL/Hall of Fame Game between the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers is already sold out. Fans can still purchase enshrinement tickets or ticket packages that include Enshrinement, Game, & Concert tickets. Ticket packages are available online at ProFootballHOF.com/tickets or by calling 1-844-4HOFTIX.

​For more information, visit:

AEROSMITH:
www.aerosmith.com
www.aeroforceone.com
www.facebook.com/aerosmith
https://twitter.com/#!/Aerosmith
www.youtube.com/theofficialaerosmith

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Record Store Day Releases Announced

Exclusive releases for Record Store Day were announced at Brooklyn’s Rough Trade, with Annie Clark, Todd Barry, and the B-52s’ Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson appearing on a panel.

Foo Fighters, Johnny Cash, Paul McCartney, U2, Brian Wilson and Bruce Springsteen are among the artists with notable releases coming out on April 18th.

Foo Fighters are putting out Songs From the Laundry Room, a 10-inch containing four tracks, including demos of "Big Me" and "Alone + Easy Target," a cover of Kim Wilde's peppy new-wave hit "Kids in America" and the previously unreleased "Empty Handed."

Paul McCartney is putting out a re-pressing of The Family Way: Original Soundtrack Recording, his long-out-of-print 1967 George Martin–produced score to the Hayley Mills film.

U2 have made a Songs of Innocence Deluxe double-LP, which features a white, die-cut gatefold cover.

Brian Wilson is putting out a seven-inch of the No Pier Pressure songs "The Right Time" and "Sail Away," songs that feature appearances by fellow former Beach Boys members Al Jardine, David Marks and Blondie Chaplin (in varying configurations).

Bruce Springsteen is putting out limited-edition reissues of seven of his classic albums, including Born in the U.S.A., Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town and Nebraska.

other notable releases include a mono edition of Strange Days from the Doors. Bob Dylan is reissuing The Basement Tapes in stereo and mono vinyl editions (signed and numbered by the Band's Garth Hudson). Jerry Garcia's 1974 solo album Garcia (Compliments) will come out on translucent green vinyl. And Willie Nelson's 1998 album Teatro will become a double-LP.

Gregg Allman is putting out a self-titled 10-inch picture disc, and David Bowie has a "Changes" picture-disc seven-inch.

Some artists are putting out rare live recordings on vinyl. Jimi Hendrix's performances of "Purple Haze" and "Freedom" at the 1970 Atlanta Pop Festival will be on a seven-inch.

Robert Plant has put together a three-song live EP, More Roar, recorded last year.

A 1968 Sly and the Family Stone concert will be available on green and red vinyl.

The Stooges' 1970 Have Some Fun: Live at Ungano's will come out on black-and-white splattered vinyl.

A box set of the Grateful Dead's Nassau Coliseum shows in 1990 will come out on five LPs.

Finally, Metallica's No Life 'til Leather demo cassette and the Violent Femmes' Happy New Year, which features their "Love Love Love Love Love" will both be available.

Although it's not listed on Record Store Day's website, Jack White is also planning on reissuing Elvis Presley's 1953 "My Happiness" acetate, for which he paid $300,000 at auction.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Digital May Dominate Music Consumption, But Majority Of Vinyl Buyers Are 35 & Under

In an era where digital dominates music consumption, 72 percent of vinyl buyers are 35 and under as fans flock to the format's "comforting pops and clicks."

At Amoeba Music, the hangar-size rock 'n' roll Mecca on Los Angeles' Sunset Boulevard, something ­surprising happened just before Christmas in 2013. After a few years of ­moderate growth, vinyl records started flying off the shelves in serious quantities for the first time since CDs took over in the late 1980s. Powered by Daft Punk's Random Access Memories and ­classic rock reissues, LP sales "exploded" that November, ­according to Amoeba GM Rik Sanchez. "It's just continued since -- it's substantial, a really heavy spike," he says. "Having a record in your hand is just way cooler than having a file in your iPod."

It's not just Amoeba -- the stats paint a vivid picture of vinyl's resurgence nationwide. Nationally, sales are higher than at any time since 1990, according to Nielsen Music and RIAA data. The best-selling vinyl LP of 2014, Jack White's Lazaretto, moved 87,000 copies, according to Nielsen Music, nearly doubling Daft Punk's 49,000 in 2013. In the same period, total sales soared 51 percent to 9.2 million. (Vinyl now comprises 6 percent of total physical album sales; indie rock and classic rock LPs are by far the format's best-sellers.) Across the country, at shops from Waterloo Records in Austin to Ear X-tacy in Louisville, Ky., vinyl sections have grown to take over most of the floorspace. Even major chain retailers like Target, Urban Outfitters and Whole Foods, which sells a curated selection of discs ranging from The College Dropout to Amnesiac at select stores, have gotten into the act.

So why, in an age defined by seamless, maximum-convenience experiences like Spotify and iTunes, is a technology that requires users to manually flip a disc over every 20 minutes luring fans back? And just who is driving the progress? Surprisingly, the market skews young. "Early on it was guys like me, the bald-spot-and-ponytail crowd," says Record Store Day co-founder Michael Kurtz of the event, which spearheaded the current boom when it launched in 2008. "Now it has evolved to where the majority of people who come are under the age of 28." Even though fans 35 and under make up 44 percent of the overall music marketplace, according to The NPD Group, they account for 72 percent of vinyl sales, according to MusicWatch. (There's a reason Urban Outfitters stocks all that vinyl.)

As for the appeal, there are at least as many reasons as there are fans. But after speaking to industry experts -- from label heads and major artists to retailers and mastering engineers -- three main trends emerge. There's the desire to listen to music in a more focused way, as opposed to something you put on in the background. There's a craving to collect something physical and tangible at a time when most culture lives as data in the cloud or on a hard drive. And there's the perception that music sounds better (or at least warmer) on vinyl.

For Michael Carney, the Grammy-winning album designer who works with such acts as The Black Keys (drummer Patrick Carney is his brother), 12-inch LPs are the ideal package for an album. With their full-scale artwork and ability to include inserts like posters, CDs and download cards, the LPs are tailored for the band's most hardcore fans. The sleeve for Turn Blue, for instance, has "tipped-on" artwork -- the cover image is printed on the ideal paper and then glued to the cardboard package -- required by the custom-color ink Carney used in his Op Art-inspired design. "Those kinds of subtle details might not be obvious, but the customer picks up on it," he says. "There's this move toward the more boutique or bespoke. I mean, people like talking about what kind of Japanese looms their jeans are made on now."

That idea doesn't just apply to the package -- it also describes the discs themselves, with their delicate grooves painstakingly etched for maximum fidelity. According to Shawn Britton, chief engineer of Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, vinyl comes closer to capturing the sound of master recordings than CDs (and especially sub-CD-quality digital formats like the 256kbps AAC files iTunes sells). MFSL specializes in audiophile-grade reissues of classic LPs -- lately new versions of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue and Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde. "In the studio, we can listen to the same recording on different formats, and I can A/B quickly between them," he says. "What I've found is the higher the resolution, the less fatiguing. If I work on a CD, eventually I have to go outside and listen to the trees for a while. But with vinyl, I can work much longer and not fatigue." (Vinyl's main limitation, according to Britton, is trouble with reproducing certain low-frequency sounds.)

"There's a nostalgic feeling to the whole thing," adds Tower Records founder Russ Solomon. "There's something comforting about the clicks and pops."

During the last few years, as the wave has gained momentum, demand has grown to where it exceeds supply. There are just 16 pressing plants in the United States, ranging from Rainbo Records in Canoga Park, Calif., which produces some 7 million records a year, to smaller operations like Nashville's United, which specializes in trick-colored or scented vinyl increasingly demanded by clients including Jack White's Third Man Records. For the best-selling Lazaretto, White went all out -- among the LP's many Easter eggs are two tracks hidden under the center labels and holograms etched into the disc. "Someone told me when I had my upholstery shop, 'If you just do what you love, people will come and find you,' " White tells Billboard. "That attitude has transferred over to Third Man."

Increasing production isn't simple, though: The equipment used to press records has been out of production for decades, with many of the old machines sold for scrap. As a result, labels looking to get an LP to market have to plan far ahead, booking time at a domestic plant as much as six months in advance or going overseas to factories in the Czech Republic or Holland. It's enough of a bottleneck that at least one indie label, Fat Possum, and some partners opened their own plant -- Memphis Record Pressing -- and are working on cranking out 7,000 units a day. "We're just trying to get it where it plays good, and it looks good, and it's on time," says Fat Possum founder Matthew Johnson. "That alone is a handful."

Anyone wanting to predict whether vinyl is a passing fad or an enduring format could do worse than looking at turntable sales. Crosley, which makes popular entry-level gear (selling, according to the company, "multiple millions" of units a year), has seen record-player sales spike 32 percent from 2013 to 2014 -- the fifth straight year of double-digit growth.

It's a key metric, because fans who invest in the gear tend to buy records. "Once a music fan adopts vinyl, we find that they buy two to three times as many albums as they used to," says Record Store Day's Kurtz. In another sign of vinyl's continued vitality, Record Store Day's organizers get multiple emails weekly from newly opened shops wanting to participate -- and the event has grown into a global phenomenon, with 1,436 outlets participating in 2014, up from 994 in 2010. A virtual cottage industry of books (Amanda Petrusich's 2014 Do Not Sell at Any Price), websites (Analog Planet) and exhibits ("Mingering Mike's Supersonic Greatest Hits," currently at the Smithsonian American Art Museum) lets fans dive deeper into the culture of the format. DJs who helped keep vinyl plants alive through 12-inch singles in the slow days have rediscovered the format, with "vinyl-only" stages popping up at major festivals like New York's Electric Zoo. All of these things are good news for a vinyl superfan like White. "We want kids of this generation and the next generation to lay on the living room floor and look through the liner notes while they're listening to the record," he says. "That's all we can hope for."

Monday, March 9, 2015

Brian Wilson Announces 'No Pier Pressure' Tour

Brian Wilson will hit the road this summer with his band, touring to more than 15 U.S. cities.  Wilson will perform songs from his forthcoming Capitol album, No Pier Pressure, as well as top hits and fan favorites spanning his 50-year career with The Beach Boys and as a solo artist. Rodriguez, star of the Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugarman, will open the concerts with a special set.  Brian will also be joined by former bandmates Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin.  

For his 11th solo studio album, No Pier Pressure, Wilson has returned to Capitol Records, his original label home with The Beach Boys.  Available now for preorder, the album will be released April 7 in standard 13-track and deluxe 16-track editions, each in CD and digital formats, as well as a 16-track 2LP edition on 180-gram vinyl. No Pier Pressure's digital preorder provides an instant download of its lead track, "The Right Time," featuring vocals by Wilson and Al Jardine, and guitar by David Marks.

In theaters June 5, Roadside Attractions' Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy presents an unconventional portrait of the music legend. Set against the era-defining catalog of the music, the film intimately examines the personal voyage and ultimate salvation of the icon whose success came at extraordinary personal cost. Directed by Bill Pohlad, starring John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti.  Love & Mercy's U.S. film festival premiere is confirmed for March 15 at SXSW Film.

Brian Wilson is one of popular music's most deeply revered figures, a legendary writer, producer, arranger and performer of some of the most cherished music in pop music history. For more than half a century, fans have marveled at the sheer beauty of the music that springs forth from his imagination into glorious song. Wilson brings this ingenious vision to his own compositions, as well as to those for which he has collaborated, weaving a lush, vibrant tapestry of intricately nuanced vocal harmonies and instrumental arrangements for himself, his bandmates and others.

Wilson began his career as a founding member of The Beach Boys, who signed with Capitol Records in July 1962 and released their first album, Surfin' Safari, that same year. The band's initial surf-rock focus was soon broadened to include other themes, and 1966's Pet Sounds is universally hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time.  Wilson's innovative vocal and instrumental arrangements for major hits including "I Get Around," "California Girls," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "God Only Knows," and the No. 1 smash "Good Vibrations" made The Beach Boys America's preeminent band of the 1960s.

Wilson has also achieved great solo success with 10of his own albums released to date, including his acclaimed 2004 completion of an album he first began recording in the '60s, Brian Wilson Presents... SMiLE.  The album earned Wilson his first GRAMMY® for a recording, which
was followed by his second GRAMMY® win for producing The Beach Boys' acclaimed 2011 release, The SMiLE Sessions. With his own band, Wilson has performed major, sold-out SMiLE and Pet Sounds tours in recent years, and with The Beach Boys, he celebrated the iconic band's 50th anniversary in 2012 with a major international tour and acclaimed studio album, That's Why God Made The Radio.

Brian Wilson is a Kennedy Center Honors recipient, a Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, and a U.K. Music Hall of Fame inductee.  As a member of The Beach Boys, Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and honored with The Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.

Brian Wilson's No Pier Pressure Tour with special guest, Rodriguez

JUNE
18 - The Mountain Winery - Saratoga, CA              
19 - Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay - San Diego, CA            
20 - The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA                                      
23 - Frank Erwin Center - Austin, TX                  
24 - Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie - Dallas, TX                  
26 - Fox Theatre - Atlanta, GA                    
27 - Carl Black Chevy Woods Amphitheater - Nashville, TN                                  
29 - The Mann Center for the Performing Arts - Philadelphia, PA          
30 - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater - Wantagh, NY              

JULY
1 - PNC Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, NJ              
2 - Blue Hills Bank Pavilion - Boston, MA                        
4 - Sony Center - Toronto, ON (Brian Wilson and band only / Rodriguez will not appear)        
5 - Fox Theatre - Detroit, MI                  
6 - Ravinia Festival - Chicago, IL                                      
8 - 1STBANK Center - Denver, CO                        
10 - Chelsea Theater at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas  - Las Vegas, NV            
12 - Benaroya Hall - S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium - Seattle, WA                  

Friday, March 6, 2015

'The Wrecking Crew' Comes To Theaters & VOD Friday, March 13

The Wrecking Crew, from Magnolia Pictures, the acclaimed documentary nearly two decades in the making is finally set to hit the big screen with it's theatrical release on Friday, March 13. The film will also be available video-on-demand the same day.

A documentary film produced and directed by Denny Tedesco, son of legendary late Wrecking Crew guitarist Tommy Tedesco, the film tells the story of the unsung musicians that provided the backbeat, the bottom and the swinging melody that drove many of the number one hits of the 1960s.

Nearly two decades in the making, Denny spent years interviewing producers, engineers, and the musicians themselves to reveal the warmth and humor that allowed their collective talents to turn a simple chord chart into an international phenomenon and give a unique signature to recordings that are now part of the soundtrack of our lives.


What the Funk Brothers did for Motown...The Wrecking Crew did, only bigger, for the West Coast Sound. Six years in a row in the 1960's and early 1970's, the Grammy for "Record of the Year" went to Wrecking Crew recordings. And now, The Wrecking Crew tells the story in pictures and that oh, so glorious sound. The favorite songs of a generation are all here, presented by the people who made them for you. It didn't matter if it was Nat "King" Cole, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, the Monkees, the Byrds or the Beach Boys, these dedicated musicians brought the flair and musicianship that made the American "west coast sound" a dominant cultural force around the world. The film is a fun and moving tribute from Denny to his father and to the music, the times and to the secret star-making machine known only as "The Wrecking Crew."

They played around the world in the festival circuit with over a dozen awards and rave reviews and other accolades. The film was released into the festival circuit in 2008 and garnered a dozen awards in over 50 festivals around the world. The film includes wonderful interviews with Brian Wilson, Cher, Nancy Sinatra, Herb Alpert, Glen Campbell, Micky Dolenz, Roger McGuinn, Gary Lewis, as well as Crew members themselves -- Hal Blaine (drums), Tommy Tedesco (guitar), Carol Kaye (bass), Al Casey (guitar), Earl Palmer (drums), Plas Johnson (saxophone), Joe Osborn (bass), Don Randi (keyboard).

 A few songs by The Wrecking Crew:

"Be My Baby" - The Ronettes
 "California Girls" - The Beach Boys
 "Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Simon & Garfunkel
 "Strangers in the Night" - Frank Sinatra
 "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" - The Righteous Brothers
 "Viva Las Vegas" - Elvis Presley
 "Monday Monday" - The Mamas & the Papas
 "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" - Glen Campbell
 "C'mon Get Happy" - The Partridge Family
 "Close To You" - The Carpenters
 "Da Doo Ron Ron" - The Crystals
 "God Only Knows" - The Beach Boys
 "I've Got You Babe" - Sonny and Cher
 "Johnny Angel" - Shelly Fabre
 "Pink Panther" - Henry Mancini
 "Return to Sender" - Elvis Presley
 "River Deep, Mountain High" - Ike & Tina Turner
 "Suicide is Painless" - MASH theme song

For more information, clips, outtakes, photos, and screening locations please visit: www.WreckingCrewFilm.com

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Buddy Holly Crash Probe May Be Reopened

The National Transportation Safety Board may be taking a closer look into the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly. On February 3, 1959, a plane carrying Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "Big Bobber" Richardson crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa, killing everyone on board. The Civil Aeronautics Board ruled the accident occurred due to errors on the part of pilot Roger Petersen. 

However, the NTSB may decide to re-examine the crash after a petition by L.J. Coon, who describes himself as a retired pilot and a former FAA test proctor. Coon believes a new investigation could "save lives" he told the Des Moines Reigster via email and vindicate Petersen.

"I believe that the NTSB will review pilot Peterson's diagnostic actions in the aircraft during this 3.5-minute flight and realize the heroic efforts that took place," he said in his email.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Yes Releasing Two Live Collections From 1972

Yes was firing on all cylinders in the fall of 1972. The prog-rock pioneers' fifth studio album Close To The Edge was a smash success as audiences around the world packed arenas to see the legendary group perform. The band captured the magic of that tour on its first live album, Yessongs. Released in 1973, the triple-LP sold over a million copies and blew minds with Roger Dean's iconic artwork. 

The band recently discovered recordings of seven complete concerts from the weeks leading up to the shows heard on Yessongs. The latest audio technology was used to restore the reel-to-reel recordings and bring out incredible sonic detail, creating an open, immediate sound that drops listeners right into the front row.

Rhino has assembled three new releases featuring previously unreleased music included on these newly discovered tapes. Progeny: Highlights From Seventy-Two includes 90 minutes of live recordings selected from various shows. Available on two CDs or three LPs, the music flows like a typical setlist from the tour as it spotlights standout performances from different cities. The set will be available May 19.

Progeny: Seven Shows From Seventy-Two is a 14-disc set that holds every note from all seven shows, recorded in the fall of 1972 as the band's tour jumped from Canada to North Carolina, and then Georgia and Tennessee, before their last stop in New York at Nassau Coliseum on November 20. This comprehensive set comes in a cigarette-style flip top box with new artwork by Dean and will be available on the same day.

This was Yes' first tour with drummer Alan White, who's been with the band ever since. He replaced Bill Bruford, who recorded Close To The Edge before leaving to join King Crimson. White only had three days to learn the band's live show before his first night on stage with Jon Anderson (vocals), Steve Howe (guitar), Chris Squire (bass) and Rick Wakeman (keyboards).

Recorded three months into the tour, these powerful performances attest to how quickly the new line-up came together musically as they navigate hits like "Roundabout," and complex pieces like "And You and I." Even though the setlist didn't vary much from night to night, the individual performances are strikingly different.

Progeny: Highlights From Seventy-Two
Track Listing
Disc One
1. Opening (Excerpt From "Firebird Suite")
2. "Siberian Khatru"
3. "I've Seen All Good People"
     a. "Your Move"
     b. "All Good People"
4. "Heart Of The Sunrise"
5. "Clap/Mood For A Day"
6. "And You And I"
     a. "Cord Of Life"
     b. "Eclipse"
     c. "The Preacher The Teacher"
     d. "Apocalypse"

Disc Two
1. "Close To The Edge"
     a. "The Solid Time Of Change"
     b. "Total Mass Retain"
     c. "I Get Up I Get Down"
     d. "Seasons Of Man"
2. Excerpts From "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII"
3. "Roundabout"
4.  "Yours Is No Disgrace"

Progeny: Seven Shows From Seventy-Two
Show listing:
October 31, 1972 - Toronto, Canada
November 1, 1972 - Ottawa, Canada
November 11, 1972 - Durham, NC
November 12, 1972 - Greensboro, NC
November 14, 1972 - Athens, GA
November 15, 1972 - Knoxville, TN
November 20, 1972  - Uniondale, NY

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

John Lodge Of The Moody Blues Releasing Solo Album

Esoteric Antenna, a label of the Cherry Red Records Group, is releasing 10,000 Light Years Ago, the new studio album by Moody Blues singer and bassist John Lodge on May 5 in the U.S. and in Canada (with distribution via MVD Entertainment);  and on May 4 in the UK.  The title track, “10,000 Light Years Ago,” will be released digitally on April 14. 10,000 Light Years Ago is Lodge’s second solo album. His first solo album, Natural Avenue, was released in 1977, and was recently reissued on CD and vinyl by Esoteric Recordings.  

A member of the Moody Blues since 1966, Lodge has written such hit songs for the band such as “Peak Hour,” “Ride My See Saw,” “The Eyes of a Child,” “Isn’t Life Strange,” “I’m Just a Singer (in a Rock & Roll Band),” “Steppin’ in a Slide Zone,” “Gemini Dream” (with Justin Hayward), and many more.

10,000 Light Years Ago also reunites Lodge with special guest contributions from former Moody Blues members - flutist Ray Thomas and keyboardist/mellotron player Mike Pinder on the song “Simply Magic.” Guitarist Chris Spedding also appears on the album, among others.  The new collection was recorded at various locations and completed at The Mix Factory studios in Florida.

From the opening song “In My Mind,” to the biographical “Those Days in Birmingham,” the more reflective “Simply Magic” and “Lose Your Love”;  to the rock influenced “Crazy,” the jazz–tinged “Love Passed Me By” and the powerful “Get Me Out of Here,” Lodge paints a variety of moods on a fine musical canvas.

Lodge comments; “Back in the 60s, when the dreams of a ‘new generation’ were being born, The Moody Blues wrote a stage show which became the album Days Of Future Passed.  The theme encompassed the past, present and future experiences of our lives. When Days Of Future Passed was successful, I knew that our decision to stick to our principles by writing and recording music we felt driven to create, was the right one. Upon reflection, I suppose that in my work with the Moody Blues, and in my solo work, I have continued to stick to that principle.”

Lodge adds, “I think that this theme has continued in the music of the Moody Blues and in my music, and it’s a musical record of our generation travelling through life. With 10,000 Light Years Ago, I have continued this theme of constant evolution, as everything in the future remains in reach, and although the past is behind us, it once was our future.”

For nealy 50 years, the Moody Blues have been one of the most enduring and consistent groups in the world. Their remarkable music has enthralled generations of fans since the 1960’s, and their recorded legacy contains some of the most important and ground breaking work in the history of popular music, having generated more than 70 million sales throughout the world. During the course of their illustrious career the band has earned 18 platinum discs and has won numerous awards, including the NARM Number One World Group Award of 1972, the Playboy Vocal Group of the Year Award, the Golden Ticket Award (for the sale of 100,000 tickets at Madison Square Gardens), as well as ASCAP and Performance Awards, the Ivor Novello Statue (in 1984 for an Outstanding Contribution to British Music), and an enviable place in rock history.

Lodge reflects; “With a guitar, a blank piece of paper and a pen, the musical horizon has always been there. I go wherever the songs take me.”

John Lodge will be on the Timeless Flight – Polydor Years tour as a member of the Moody Blues in April and May in the U.S.;  and in June in the UK.

10,000 Light Years Ago track listing is as follows:

In My Mind
Those Days in Birmingham
Simply Magic
Get Me Out of Here
Love Passed Me By
Crazy
Lose Your Love
10,000 Light Years Ago

Monday, March 2, 2015

More Dates Added To John Fogerty's '1969' Tour

John Fogerty’s highly-anticipated world-wide “1969” tour is pleased to announce additional U.S. dates.  Beginning May 2nd with a special appearance at the Beale Street Music Festival, the tour will continue to the east coast with stops in North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina before heading south to Florida with shows in St. Augustine, Tampa and W. Palm Beach.  Fogerty’s “1969” continues throughout May, June and July with a previously announced show at the iconic Hollywood Bowl, scheduled for July 15th. Additional summer dates will be announced shortly, with the U.S. portion of the “1969” tour set to conclude in August. 

The “1969” World Tour began last November with a cross-country trek of Canada.  Seventeen shows in all, many of which sold out, and the crowds were screaming for more.  Fogerty’s “1969” Tour was named one of the Top 20 Global Concert Tours of 2014 by Pollstar. Praise for Fogerty’s delivery, as well as for his exceptionally talented band, came from the Hamilton Spectator, stating:  “… this band that Fogerty is fronting now is probably better than that little four-piece garage band known as Creedence Clearwater Revival.”

Fogerty’s music, his lyrics and his voice, resounded through an amazing and never-duplicated release of three separate albums with Creedence Clearwater Revival (Bayou Country, Green River, and Willy and the Poor Boys). In that year – 1969 - Fogerty gave the nation, even the world, an emotional and intellectual marker forever burned within our collective psyche. Now, in his 69th year, Fogerty is calling us back, to re-invigorate those ties that bind us, with his upcoming “1969” World Tour.

Fogerty has also been hard at work on his first autobiography, which is now set for release this fall.

Check John Fogerty’s website for breaking news, new content and tour information:
http://www.johnfogerty.com/

“1969” World Tour Itinerary:

May 2 - Beale Street Music Festival – Tom Lee Park - Memphis, TN
May 3 - Carl Black Chevy Woods Amphitheater - Whites Creek, TN
May 5 - The Red Hat Amphitheater - Raleigh, NC
May 6 - The Uptown Amphitheatre at The Music Factory - Charlotte, NC
May 9 - The Arena at Gwinnett Center - Duluth, GA
May 12 - Bell Auditorium - Augusta, GA
May 13 - Charter Amphitheater - Simpsonville, SC
May 15 - St. Augustine Amphitheatre - St. Augustine, FL
May 16 - Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre - Tampa, FL
May 17 - Coral Sky Amphitheatre - W. Palm Beach, FL
June 30 - Wolf Trap for the Performing Arts - Vienna, VA
July 15 - Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, CA

Jeff Lynne's ELO Announces 2024 North American Fall Tour

  Jeff Lynne’s ELO is set to embark on the band’s final tour dubbed “The Over and Out Tour.” The 27-date trek, produced by Live Nation, will...