Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Sweet Relief Musicians Seeks Donors for Singer / Songwriter Victoria Williams' Medical Expenses

Victoria Williams is a well-known artist who has played all around the world on stages ranging from New York's Beacon Theater to The Bottom Line, to the Folies Bergere with Randy Newman in Paris, and from festival stages to country dive-bars both as a solo artist and with her band The Loose Band and later the Harmony Ridge Creek-Dippers. She has worked with Lou Reed, Peter Case, Neil Young, Gus VanSant, D.A. Pennebaker, Mark Olson, Pearl Jam, Maria McKee, Rickie Lee Jones and many other music and film luminaries.
 
Williams is also well known to the Sweet Relief family. In 1993, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Because she didn't have health insurance at the time, a great group of musicians got together and made the album Sweet Relief: A Benefit for Victoria Williams, to raise funds for her medical costs. With the money remaining, Williams created the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund for the benefit of other musicians.
 
She has made 14 records herself, as well as on many other artists recordings. She has starred in motion pictures and documentaries, and has charmed and entertained music lovers wherever she has gone for almost four decades.  Her list of collaborators and associates is a treasure-trove of some of the world's finest artists and filmmakers.
 
Williams has dedicated her life to sharing her love of music and her particular brand of storytelling with anyone who has ears to hear. She has played countless fund-raising events over the years for the benefit others.
 
In mid-December 2015, She had a seizure and injured her back and fractured her shoulder. With rest, appropriate medical care, and physical therapy, she is expected to fully recover. Her medical insurance will not be covering these costs. Also, the amount of time her healing requires is going to keep her from working for a while. Any time off for a working musician is a financial hardship and the longer it takes, the larger the bills.
 
She will also be requiring paid assistance around the house while she convalesces. With proper help, it shouldn't be long before she is able to pick up her banjo or Stratocaster again.
 
To help Victoria Williams, you can send donations to http://sweetrelief.org/program/victoria-williams-fund/

 

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

The Cars To Drive Home Remastered Albums This Spring

In 1978, the Cars hit the Top 40 their very first single, "Just What I Needed." That streak continued over the next 10 years, as the Cars revisited the Top 40 a dozen more times with radio hits "Let's Go" and "Shake It Up" along with iconic videos like "Magic" and "You Might Think," which won MTV's first-ever "Video Of The Year" award in 1984. 

The five original members - Ric Ocasek, the late Benjamin Orr, Greg Hawkes, Elliot Easton and David Robinson - recorded six studio albums together - all of them with Elektra Records - and have sold more than 23 million albums in the U.S. alone.

To honor The Cars' vast musical legacy,.Rhino will release two new collections this spring. The first is a boxed set featuring all six of the band's Elektra studio albums. The second is a single-disc, career-spanning collection curated by the Cars that combines the group's best songs along with a trio of rare and unreleased alternate versions.

The Elektra Years 1978-1987 includes six studio albums, each one presented in a replica sleeve with original artwork. Ric Ocasek oversaw digital remastering for the set, while drummer David Robinson - who helped create The Cars' iconic album covers through the years - served as art director. The six-disc collection will be available March 11 on CD and digitally. On Tuesday June 7, a limited edition vinyl version of the boxed set will be available with each 180-gram LP pressed on a different color vinyl.

The extensive set retraces the band's musical journey in the studio and includes: The Cars (1978), Candy-O (1979), Panorama (1980), Shake It Up (1981), Heartbeat City, (1984) and Door To Door (1987). Among the 60 tracks are the band's biggest hits, such as "My Best Friend's Girl," "Good Times Roll," "You Are The Girl," and "Drive."

Moving In Stereo: The Best Of The Cars will be available on May 6 on CD and as a double-LP set on 180-gram vinyl. The collection is produced by the band, with all surviving members contributing to song selection. Ocasek also supervised digital remastering of all the audio with Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound.

The collection features the band's big hits along with a rare, single mix for "I'm Not The One," as well as a live version of "Everything You Say," and a new mix by producer Philippe Zdar of "Sad Song," a track from the band's last album, 2011's Move Like This.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Brian Wilson Announces 2016 'Pet Sounds' 50th Anniversary Tour

Beach Boys founding member Brian Wilson has announced a 2016 world tour to celebrate and perform the iconic album Pet Sounds for a final time, in honor of its 50th anniversary. Originally released on May 16, 1966, Pet Sounds is universally hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time. With more than 70 dates being confirmed, and several previously announced dates selling out in record time, Wilson and his band will be joined by former Beach Boys bandmates Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin when they kick off the tour this Spring. 

Concert stops include dates in Australia, Japan, United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, and Portugal followed by a full U.S. tour later this summer and fall. Fans can expect a live performance of Pet Sounds in its entirety, as well as top hits and fan favorites spanning his 54-year career with the Beach Boys and as a solo artist.

Ticket presales begin January 27 with the official onsale January 29 in most markets. Additional dates and special events to be announced. For up-to-date information, please visit www.BrianWilson.com.

In 1965, with the Beach Boys out on tour, Wilson began session work on some of the most deeply personal recordings of his career. Inspired by the Beatles album, Rubber Soul, he challenged himself to create an immaculate musical masterpiece. A vast departure from the bands' then commercial sound, the resulting "concept album" Pet Sounds achieved great critical success helping usher in a new musical landscape and hit the Top 10 in the US while topping the charts in the UK.

"It's really been a trip to sit here and think about releasing Pet Sounds 50 years ago," says Wilson. "I love performing this album with my band and look forward to playing it for fans all across the world."

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 teenaged 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. 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 11of 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 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.

In 2015, Wilson released his latest solo album No Pier Pressure and was the subject of the critically acclaimed, award-winning biopic Love & Mercy. Directed by Bill Pohlad, starring John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti, 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. The culmination of these projects produced Wilson's first Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song (Motion Picture) for his song "One Kind Of Love" featured in the film.

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 2016 World Tour Schedule

March 26 - Civic Theatre - Auckland, Australia          
March 28 -  Bluesfest - Byron Bay, Australia      
March 29 -  Sydney Opera House - Sydney, Australia - SOLD OUT
March 31 -  Sydney Opera House - Sydney, Australia
April 3  -  Palais Theatre - Melbourne, Australia      
April 5  -  Adelaide Entertainment Centre - Adelaide, Australia          
April 7  -   Riverside Theatre - Perth, Australia              
April 12 - Tokyo International Forum - Tokyo, Japan                    
April 13 - Tokyo International Forum - Tokyo, Japan            
April 15 - Orix Theater - Osaka, Japan                    
April 30 - Levitation Festival - Austin, TX                          
May 15 - Collston Hall - Bristol, UK                        
May 17 - Symphony Hall - Birmingham, UK                
May 18 - St. Davids Hall - Cardiff, UK                        
May 20 - Palladium - London, UK                      
May 21 - Palladium - London, UK
May 24 - 02 Apollo - Manchester, UK                
May 26 - Usher Hall - Edinburgh, UK                  
May 27 - Royal Concert Hall - Glasgow, UK                      
May 29 - Sage Gateshead - Newcastle, UK                  
May 31 - Philharmonic Hall - Liverpool, UK                    
June 1 -  Royal Concert Hall - Nottingham, UK                
June 4 -  Primavera Festival - Barcelona Spain              

BRIAN WILSON PRESENTS PET SOUNDS 50th ANNIVERSARY U.S. TOUR:

June 14 - Flynn Center for the Perf. Arts - Burlington, VT - SOLD OUT
June 15 - Merrill Auditorium - Portland, ME  - SOLD OUT
June 17 - Symphony Hall w/Boston Pops Orch. - Boston, MA                          
June 18 - Symphony Hall w/Boston Pops Orch. - Boston, MA    
June 19 - Tanglewood - Koussevitzky Music - Lenox, MA                            
July 1 -  Hard Rock Casino - Las Vegas, NV                    
July 9 -   Celebrity Theatre - Phoenix, AZ                        
July 15 -  Horseshoe Casino - Elizabeth, IN                        
July 17 -  Horseshoe Casino - Council Bluffs, IA                  
July 20 -  Muriel Kauffman Theatre - Kansas City, MO                
July 21 -  Family Arena - St. Charles, MO                  
July 22 -  Horseshoe Casino - Tunica, MS                          
July 23 -  Horseshoe Casino *(featuring Blondie Chaplin) - Bossier City, LA
September 13 -  Mahaffey Theatre - St. Petersburg, FL              
September 14 - Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Hollywood, FL
September 17 - Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN                    
September 19 - Blumenthal PAC - Charlotte, NC                      
September 20 - The Music Center at Strathmore - Washington, DC                  
September 21 - Count Basie Theatre - Red Bank, NJ                      
September 23 -  Tower Theater - Philadelphia, PA                
September 25 -  State Theatre - Easton, PA                        
September 27 - Toyota Presents at Oakdale - Wallingford, CT                  
September 28 -  Univ. at Buffalo - Center for the Arts - Buffalo, NY
September 30 - Fox Theatre - Detroit, MI                          
October 2 - Orpheum Theatre - Minneapolis, MN                  
October 4 - Paramount Theatre - Denver, CO                          
October 7 - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall - Portland OR                        
October 8 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA
October 10 - Humboldt State Univ.- Van Duzer Theatre - Arcata, CA
October 13 - Masonic - San Francisco, CA            
October 14 - Harrah's Casino - Lake Tahoe, CA                  

Official website: brianwilson.com
Twitter: twitter.com/brianwilsonlive
Facebook: facebook.com/officialbrianwilson

Friday, January 22, 2016

Graham Nash Honored with “Music for Life” Award at 2016 NAMM Show

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) honors Graham Nash with its “Music for Life” award for his 40-years of legendary musical contributions that continue to shape our culture. 

On Thursday, January 21, NAMM’s President and CEO Joe Lamond presented Nash with the “Music for Life” award during the NAMM Show’s opening Breakfast of Champions. 

That night, Nash headlined the NAMM Nissan Grand Plaza Stage with a performance at the close of the NAMM Show’s opening day.

"The fact is that when music is a part of the school program students are less likely to join a gang, less likely to get into trouble, feel better about themselves and get better grades,” Nash said. “So let's keep music in schools."

The “Music for Life” award is NAMM’s highest honor recognizing individuals and organizations that demonstrate, support and exemplify NAMM’s vision that the joy of making music is a precious element of daily living for everyone. Previous recipients have included musicians Stevie Wonder, Yoko Ono, Henry and Felice Mancini, Smokey Robinson and others, as well as Members of Congress, governors and business leaders.

Graham Nash is a Grammy-winning, two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee with Crosby, Stills, and Nash and with the Hollies and was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame twice. Among his many accolades, he is a New York Times bestselling author, internationally renowned photographer and visual artist, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth.

The creator of iconic songs including “Our House” and “Teach Your Children” is a powerful voice for peace and social and environmental justice regularly lending his voice to philanthropic endeavors. The No Nukes/Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) concerts he organized in conjunction with fellow musicians Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt in 1979, remain seminal benefit events.

The Graham Nash: This Path Tonight Tour 2016 kicks off the week after his appearance at the NAMM Show. Nash’s upcoming studio album, This Path Tonight is set to release April 15, 2016.

The NAMM Show gathers more than 95,000 members of the music product industry from around the world to preview new music products from 5,000 brands across every category.

Learn more about the 2016 NAMM Show at www.namm.org/thenammshow/2016.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

NAMM 2016: Singer Keith St. John Remembers Ronnie Montrose With Tribute Show

When I was offered the opportunity to interview Ronnie Montrose in 2011, part of my research was listening back to the many records his magnificent guitar playing appeared on. Naturally, I started with the 1973 Montrose album, the group’s debut with Sammy Hagar, Bill Church and Denny Carmassi. That record is hailed as a major landmark, a template for tight, economic, hard rockin’ records from Van Halen, Iron Maiden and dozens of other heavy metal bands from in the 1980s. That’s only part of it.
After you comb through the early stuff with Van Morrison and the Edgar Winter Group (that’s Montrose playing guitar on “Frankenstein” and “Free Ride”), there's solo albums and Montrose’s other group Gamma. That’s a whole adventure unto itself.
In 1976, after Hagar and Church left (or fired, depending on who you ask) Montrose, and were summarily replaced by Bob James and Alan Fitzgerald, I saw the new lineup perform twice, both times opening for KISS. I picked up both the Warner Brothers Presents and Jump On It albums, and scrolled back to discover the debut and Paper Money.
After Montrose broke up, Ronnie Montrose issued his first official solo album, Open Fire, a giant leap forward from his previous work. I told Montrose I thought it was pioneering instrumental guitar album, and he modestly refuted me with, “Well, let’s not forget Jeff Beck’s Blow By Blow, which influenced me heavily.”
Montrose had a difficult time accepting credit and appreciation for his musical achievements. I suspect that played a role in his mental state when he took his own life on March 3, 2012. But the legacy is still there, and more and more people have refused to let go. In fact, the love and admiration for Ronnie Montrose is more alive than ever, thanks in large part to the excitement surrounding Keith St. John’s concert tribute to the guitarist, Ronnie Montrose Remembered.
The show is set to take place on Saturday January 23, 2016, at the Observatory Theatre in Santa Ana, California — just down the street from the annual NAMM Show that will be popping in Anaheim. St, John, who sang with Montrose for 13 years, will be joined by several A-List rock and roll luminaries, including Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Gilby Clarke (Guns N Roses), Tracii Guns (L.A.Guns), Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake), Derek St Holmes (Ted Nugent), Jeff Young (Megadeth), Jeff Scott Soto (T.S.O.), Troy Luccketta (Tesla), Jimmy Degrasso (Ozzy Osbourne/David Lee Roth), Mitch Perry (MSG, Lita Ford), Jimmy Paxson (Stevie Nicks) and many more.
As the singer told me, Ronnie Montrose Remembered presents a rare opportunity for a special cast of musicians to pay homage to Ronnie Montrose and his music. “We have a combination of guys who cut their teeth in the 70s, more of Ronnie’s contemporaries,” the singer explained. “And then we got guys more influenced by Ronnie who really did their stuff in the 80s.”
Montrose was previously honored at the 2012 concert Ronnie Montrose – A Celebration of His Life in Music, which featured members of Montrose and Gamma joined by Joe Satriani for a career-spanning set that was later released on DVD. St. John was there too, but Ronnie Montrose Remembered is really his baby.
The singer met up with the guitarist in 1998, and they worked closely together — writing, recording, rehearsing and playing live — through 2012. “I met Ronnie because he was sniffing around in LA looking for someone to write with it. Our good buddy (keyboardist) Ed Roth introduced us,” St. John fondly remembers. “When we met up, it was pretty much instant. Just the two of us in a room, hanging around with guitars, writing. The first year, that’s all we did.
“There were times we worked together, on and off. When he had that little cancer battle, it was a devastating to all of us. He was going to hang up guitar completely. But then it was a real positive shock to see him hit the ‘Go’ button again. That was a dramatic time.”
This is what makes Ronnie Montrose Remembered “very emotional and close to the heart” for St. John. “I think that’s one of the reasons it took me this much time to do a Los Angeles memorial tribute to Ronnie. His death had a little bit of mystery around it. He had been battling cancer, and as you know, unfortunately, he took his own life.
“There’s a lot of taboo around that, so I think a lot of us who were close to him — really close to him — sort of backed away from each other for a while. We were, at least for a year or two, on a break. Now that break is over. We’re all in a spot where we’re all coming together and there is nothing but positive vibes.”
The idea of a memorial for Ronie Montrose came about after St. John was approached by a promoter to put something together around the NAMM Show. “I thought for a second, ‘Hmmm…’ And then something in the back of my brain went, ‘Bingo…it’s time.’ Sure enough, I called Ronnie’s wife and a few other people, and we had a powwow and agreed to do it.”
When I asked the singer about details of the program, he was deliberately ambiguous. “The Who’s-Playing-What is, I think, the surprise,” I’m assured. “Suffice it to say, after we got the bulk of the players, at least the ones we announced early on, I was just looking at everybody live and looking at some old footage of us playing live, meaning the old Montrose playing, and trying to figure out who would best suited for what song.”
Clearly, for an event like this, cooperation is key, and St. John says that so far, everyone’s been fairly flexible and willing. “When somebody like Brad Whitford from Aerosmith calls up and says, ‘Hey man, what do you got in mind?’ And I say, ‘What do you think of this and this?” And it’s like, ‘Yeah, no problem.’ I thank my lucky stars every day that that’s the way it’s been.”
Many of the guitarists have expressed an interest in tackling obscure Gamma material — “tunes I don’t even know,” St. John laughed. “I’m like, ‘What record’s that on?’” While Gamma music remains to be seen or heard, there is little doubt the first Montrose album will get the most attention, though it’s still up in the air as whether any former members of Montrose will show up.
I asked St. John if calls had gone out to Hagar, Church, Carmassi, Bob James, Alan Fitzgerald, or, for that matter, Edgar Winter or Gamma singer Davey Pattison. “A few of those names you mentioned are on the fence,” St. John revealed coyly, adding, “I haven’t been able to get a hold of Bob James. He probably lives closer to the venue than anyone.”
With more names announced and interest sky-high, the singer is confident the roster will bear fruit for all in attendance. “There is a good chance of surprise guests,” he said. “At NAMM, everyone shows ups everywhere.”
In addition to the full spread of guitarists, bassists, drummers, and singers — St. John, Jeff Scott Soto and Derek St. Holmes are the only three vocalists announced at press time — the night will also include a presentation, produced in part with Guitar Player Magazine, of the Ronnie Montrose Rock The Nation Award, bestowed to one male musician and one female musician between the ages of 10 and 18 “who best exemplify the stellar drive and love of the guitar that Montrose tried to instill in children throughout his life.”
St. John said this is something Montrose would have relished. “It’s going to be one of those beautiful moments. One thing that man loved to do was discover undiscovered talent.”
If St. John has any say in the matter, the winners will most definitely get up and play afterwards. “I expect these kids to do a good job throwing down that night.”
Looking back, St. John had hopes that he and Montrose would release new music and carry on touring. There’s definitely some unfinished business on the singer’s part, and he doesn’t rule out the possibility of revisiting some of the work he and the guitarist did.
“There’s a lot of stuff lying around, that’s kind of untouched,” he said. “The energy was a little unapproachable for awhile surrounding Ronnie’s passing. But now, with this big event that’s growing like crazy, I think that now maybe some of us who were involved might come together after this event, and see what we have to put together.”
In the meantime, Ronnie Montrose Remembered is ready to bring back those classic Montrose songs for the participating musicians and an appreciative audience, alike. I can tell that I'm ready to “rock the nation’ and get on my “bad motor scooter and ride…”
- Shawn Perry

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Greg Lake Reissuing Two Solo Albums From Early 80s

Greg Lake, co-founder of both King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, is reissuing his two solo albums -- his first self-titled album (1981) and the follow-up Manoeuvres (1983) -- as a  double-CD set, which also includes four bonus tracks never featured on previous reissues, only on separate rarities albums.

The first album and its three bonus tracks feature all of the members of Toto with the exception of Bobby Kimball as Lake handles all lead vocals.

Both albums also feature Gary Moore on guitar.

The set, remastered in 2015 and approved by Lake, also includes a booklet with extensive liner notes.

Track Listing:

Disc One: Greg Lake
1. Nuclear Attack
2. Love You Too Much
3. It Hurts
4. Black And Blue
5. Retribution Drive
6. Long Goodbye
7. The Lie
8. Someone
9. Let Me Love You Once
10. For Those Who Dare

Bonus Tracks
11. You Really Got A Hold On Me
12. You’re Good With Your Love
13. Cold Side Of A Woman

Disc Two: Manoeuvres
1. Manoeuvres
2. Too Young To Love
3. Paralysed
4. A Woman Like You
5. I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love Tonight
6. It's You, You Gotta Believe
7. Famous Last Words
8. Slave To Love
9. Haunted
10. I Don't Know Why I Still Love You
Bonus Track
11. Hold Me

Friday, January 15, 2016

Heart, Joan Jett & Cheap Trick Touring Together This Summer

Three of rock music’s most iconic bands will hit the road together this summer on The Rock Hall Three For All Featuring Heart, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Cheap Trick. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will kick off on Thursday, July 14 at DTE Energy Music Theater in Clarkston, Mich. as the bands embark on a 30+ date trek across the United States with shows lined up in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Nashville and more.

Citi® cardmembers will have access to pre-sale tickets beginning Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 10 a.m. local time through Citi's Private Pass® Program. For complete pre-sale details, visit www.citiprivatepass.com. Fans with the Live Nation mobile app will have access to a password-free presale starting Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 10:00 a.m. at Ticketmaster-ticketed venues. The app is available via the App Store and Google Play. Tickets for the general public go on sale starting Jan. 22 at www.livenation.com.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Ann and Nancy Wilson first showed the world that women can rock when their band, Heart, stormed the charts in the ‘70’s with hits like “Crazy on You,” “Magic Man,” “Barracuda,” “Straight On,” and so many more. Not only did the Wilson sisters lead the band, they wrote the songs and played the instruments too, making them the first women in rock to do so. Heart continued topping the charts through the ‘80’s and ‘90’s with huge hits like “These Dreams,” “Alone,” “What About Love,” “If Looks Could Kill,” “Never,” and a string of other hits that showcased the sisters’ enormous talents as musicians, singers and songwriters. Along the way, music by Ann and Nancy Wilson and their band Heart sold more than 35 million albums, sold out arenas worldwide, and found their way into the soundtrack of American life through radio, motion pictures, television, and associations with branded sponsors. Powerful and exciting on stage, Heart performs their amazing show to many hundreds of thousands of fans annually.

Joan Jett is an originator, an innovator, and a visionary. As the leader of the hard-rocking Blackhearts, with whom she has become a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, she's had eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top 40 singles, including the classics "Bad Reputation," "I Love Rock 'N' Roll," "I Hate Myself For Loving You," and "Crimson and Clover." She sits at the head of her own independent label, Blackheart Records. Jett has acted in movies and television, including 1987's “Light Of Day,” and in a Tony-nominated Broadway musical, “The Rocky Horror Show.” She has appeared on such acclaimed television shows as ”Oprah” (the last season) and ‘Law and Order.” Jett and the Blackhearts released their latest record, “Unvarnished,” last year and continue touring the globe to throngs of adoring fans. “Unvarnished” debuted in the Top 50 on the Billboard 200 chart.

With over 5,000 performances spanning four decades and 20 million records sold worldwide, Cheap Trick is undoubtedly one of the most influential classic rock groups of the past 50 years. The band was formed in 1974 and while it has evolved throughout the years, Cheap Trick has continued to reach mainstream and critical success. Hits such as “I Want You To Want Me,” “Dream Police,” and “Surrender” have cemented the group as one of America’s top rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time. Cheap Trick will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this April.

ROCK HALL THREE FOR ALL FEATURING HEART, JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS AND CHEAP TRICK

*All dates, cities and venues below subject to change.

Upcoming Tour Dates:
 
July 14 - DTE Energy Music Theatre - Clarkston, MI
July 16 - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - Maryland Heights, MO
July 17 - Klipsch Music Center - Noblesville, IN
July 19 - FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island - Chicago, IL
July 21 - First Niagara Pavilion - Burgettstown, PA
July 22 - Riverbend Music Center - Cincinnati, OH
July 24 - Xfinity Center - Mansfield, MA
July 25 - Toyota Presents Oakdale - Wallingford, CT
July 27 - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center - Darien Center, NY
July 28 - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater - Wantagh, NY
July 30 - Bethel Woods Center for the Arts - Bethel, NY
July 31 - BB&T Pavilion - Camden, NJ
Aug. 15 - Starlight Theatre - Kansas City, MO
Aug. 18 - Gexa Energy Pavilion - Dallas, TX
Aug. 19 - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion - Woodlands, TX
Aug. 21 - Ak-Chin Pavilion - Phoenix, AZ
Aug. 23 - The Forum - Los Angeles, CA
Aug. 24 - Shoreline Amphitheatre - Mountain View, CA
Aug. 26 - White River Amphitheatre - Auburn, WA
Aug. 27 - Sunlight Supply Amphitheater - Ridgefield, WA
Aug. 30 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO
Sept. 08 - Saratoga Performing Arts Center - Saratoga Springs, NY
Sept. 10 - PNC Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, NJ
Sept. 11 - Jiffy Lube Live - Bristow, VA
Sept. 13 - Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater - Virginia Beach, VA
Sept. 14 - Walnut Creek Amphitheatre - Raleigh, NC
Sept. 16 - PNC Music Pavilion - Charlotte, NC
Sept. 19 - Ascend Amphitheater - Nashville, TN
Sept. 20 - Oak Mountain Amphitheatre - Pelham, AL
Sept. 22 - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre - Tampa, FL
Sept. 23 - Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre - West Palm Beach, FL

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Yes Touring Europe In April & May

Yes has announced an extensive UK and European tour for April 2016. The band will be performing 1971’s Fragile and 1980’s Drama in their entirety, the latter for the very first time, plus other seminal tracks including "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and "Starship Trooper."  

"Most of the songs haven’t been performed in some 30 years," said Steve Howe. "Fragile and Drama mark two essential chapters of our career and we’re looking forward to share the whole journeys with our fans throughout Europe."

"Reliving those years will be very emotional, " adds drummer Alan White. "I know Chris would have loved to be here with us for this."

Yes lost bassist and co-founder Chris Squire last summer, a tragedy that left the prog world in mourning. His replacement, Billy Sherwood, found a big pair of shoes to fill, as Yes set out to honor his memory by keeping the band’s legacy alive. With Squire's blessing, they toured the US in 2014 with Toto to an enthusiastic reception.

Still as relevant today as they were in the 70s, Yes has maintained a loyal following while constantly attracting new crowds of music fans throughout 47 years of outstanding career. With Fragile and Drama representing two essential moments of the band’s history, it will be an opportunity for all to rediscover some undisputed gems of the genre.

For show dates and tickets, head over to http://yesworld.com.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Rival Sons' 'Black Coffee' Selected "Coolest Song In The World" As They Prepare For 2016 World Tour Supporting Black Sabbath

As Rival Sons gear up to support Black Sabbath on their worldwide final tour, the Long Beach, CA band's cover of Humble Pie's "Black Coffee" has been selected as the "Coolest Song in the World" on SiriusXM's "Little Steven's Underground Garage" for the week of January 11th.

It is also is featured as "Coolest Song In The World" on the terrestrial radio syndicated program "Little Steven's Underground Garage" carried in over 200 markets. "Black Coffee" is a highlight of the band's 2-Disc Tour Edition of their critically acclaimed 2014 album, Great Western Valkyrie; the expanded edition was released October 16, 2015 via Earache. Click here to stream "Black Coffee."

Upon its initial release, the band's fourth LP Great Western Valkyrie stormed onto the charts around the world. The new two-disc Tour Edition includes a limited edition CD with a bonus disc featuring six unmissable bonus tracks.

Rival Sons -- Jay Buchanan (vocals), Scott Holiday (guitar), Michael Miley (drums) and Dave Beste (bass) -- will hit the road with Black Sabbath as the main support on their 2016 "The End" tour beginning January 20 in Omaha, NE.

In addition to supporting Black Sabbath, who handpicked the band for the opening slot, Rival Sons will also perform select headlining shows throughout 2016 (see full tour itinerary below).

Rivals Sons will play the following cities through February:

1/20 - Century Link Center - Omaha, NE
1/21 - Badlands - Sioux Falls, SD
1/22 - United Center - Chicago, IL
1/23 - The Sett (University of Wisconsin) - Madison, WI
1/25 - Target Center - Minneapolis, MN
1/27 - MTS Centre - Winnipeg MN
1/28 - O'Brians Events Centre - Saskatoon, SK
1/30 - Rexall Centre - Edmonton, AB
2/1 - Scotiabank Saddledome - Calgary, AB
2/3 - Rogers Arena - Vancouver, BC
2/4 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR
2/5 - Knitting Factory Concert House - Spokane, WA
2/6 - Tacoma Dome - Tacoma, WA
2/8 - The Regency Ballroom - San Francisco, CA
2/9 - SAP Pavilion - San Jose, CA
2/11 - The Forum - Los Angeles, CA
2/12 - The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA
2/13 - Mandalay Bay Events Center - Las Vegas, NV
2/15 - Pepsi Center - Denver, CO
2/17 - Sprint Center - Kansas City, MO
2/18 - Cannery Ballroom - Nashville, TN
2/19 - The Palace of Auburn Hills - Detroit, MI
2/21 - First Ontario Centre - Hamilton, ON
2/23 - Bell Centre - Montreal, QC
2/24 - Asylum - Portland, ME
2/25 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
2/27 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY

For tickets and more info, go to http://www.rivalsons.com/tour/.

Monday, January 11, 2016

David Bowie Dies at 69


From the New York Times

David Bowie, the infinitely changeable, fiercely forward-looking songwriter who taught generations of musicians about the power of drama, images and personas, died on Sunday, two days after his 69th birthday.

His death was confirmed by his publicist, Steve Martin, on Monday morning. No other details were provided.

Mr. Bowie had been treated for cancer for the last 18 months, according to a statement on his social-media accounts. “David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family,” a post on his Facebook page read.

His last album, Blackstar, a collaboration with a jazz quartet that was typically enigmatic and exploratory, was released on Friday — his birthday. He was to be honored with a concert at Carnegie Hall on March 31 featuring the Roots, Cyndi Lauper and the Mountain Goats.

He had also collaborated on an Off Broadway musical, “Lazarus,” which was a surreal sequel to his definitive 1976 film role, “The Man Who Fell to Earth.”

Mr. Bowie wrote songs, above all, about being an outsider: an alien, a misfit, a sexual adventurer, a faraway astronaut. His music was always a mutable blend: rock, cabaret, jazz and what he called “plastic soul,” but it was suffused with genuine soul. He also captured the drama and longing of everyday life, enough to give him No. 1 pop hits like “Let’s Dance.”

In concerts and videos, Mr. Bowie’s costumes and imagery traversed styles, eras and continents, from German Expressionism to commedia dell’arte to Japanese kimonos to space suits. He set an example, and a challenge, for every arena spectacle in his wake.

If he had an anthem, it was “Changes,” from his 1971 album Hunky Dory, which proclaimed:

“Turn and face the strange / Ch-ch-changes / Oh look out now you rock and rollers / Pretty soon now you’re gonna get older.”

Mr. Bowie earned admiration and emulation across the musical spectrum — from rockers, balladeers, punks, hip-hop acts, creators of pop spectacles and even classical composers like Philip Glass, who based two symphonies on Mr. Bowie’s albums Low and Heroes.

Mr. Bowie’s constantly morphing persona was a touchstone for performers like Madonna and Lady Gaga; his determination to stay contemporary introduced his fans to Philadelphia funk, Japanese fashion, German electronica and drum-and-bass dance music.

Nirvana chose to sing “The Man Who Sold the World,” the title song of Mr. Bowie’s 1970 album, in its brief set for the 1993 “MTV Unplugged in New York.” “Under Pressure,” a collaboration with the glam-rock group Queen, supplied a bass line for the 1990 Vanilla Ice hit “Ice Ice Baby.”

Yet throughout Mr. Bowie’s metamorphoses, he was always recognizable. His voice was widely imitated but always his own; his message was that there was always empathy beyond difference.

Angst and apocalypse, media and paranoia, distance and yearning were among Mr. Bowie’s lifelong themes. So was a penchant for transgression coupled with a determination to push cult tastes toward the mainstream.

Mr. Bowie produced albums and wrote songs for some of his idols — Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Mott the Hoople — that gave them pop hits without causing them to abandon their individuality. And he collaborated with musicians like Brian Eno in the Berlin years and, in his final recordings, with the jazz musicians Maria Schneider and Donny McCaslin, introducing them to many new listeners.

Mr. Bowie was a person of relentless reinvention. He emerged in the late 1960s with the voice of a rock belter but with the sensibility of a cabaret singer, steeped in the dynamics of stage musicals. He was Major Tom, the lost astronaut in his career-making 1969 hit “Space Oddity.”

He was Ziggy Stardust, the otherworldly pop star at the center of his 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars.

He was the self-destructive Thin White Duke and the minimalist but heartfelt voice of the three albums he recorded in Berlin in the ’70s.

The arrival of MTV in the 1980s was the perfect complement to Mr. Bowie’s sense of theatricality and fashion. “Ashes to Ashes,” the “Space Oddity” sequel that revealed, “We know Major Tom’s a junkie,” and “Let’s Dance,” which offered, “Put on your red shoes and dance the blues,” gave him worldwide popularity.

Mr. Bowie was his generation’s standard-bearer for rock as theater: something constructed and inflated yet sincere in its artifice, saying more than naturalism could. With a voice that dipped down to baritone and leapt into falsetto, he was complexly androgynous, an explorer of human impulses that could not be quantified.

He also pushed the limits of “Fashion” and “Fame,” writing songs with those titles and also thinking deeply about the possibilities and strictures of pop renown.

Mr. Bowie was married for more than 20 years to the international model Iman, with whom he had a daughter, Alexandria Zahra Jones.

In a post on Twitter, Duncan Jones, the musician’s son from an earlier marriage, with Angela Bowie, said: “Very sorry and sad to say it’s true. I’ll be offline for a while. Love to all.”


David Robert Jones was born in London on Jan. 8, 1947, where as a youth he soaked up rock ’n’ roll. He took up the saxophone in the 1960s and started leading bands as a teenager, singing the blues in a succession of unsuccessful groups and singles. He suffered a blow in a teenage brawl that caused his left pupil to be permanently dilated.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Joe Satriani Announces 'Surfing to Shockwave' Tour Contest

As the New Year kicks off, Joe Satriani is gearing up to launch his career retrospective “Surfing to Shockwave” Tour on February 25th in Seattle, WA. The 48-date tour will be celebrating “30 Years of Mind-Bending Guitar Daredevilry” -- a phrase coined in a June 2014 career-defining retrospective feature in Rolling Stone.  

Satriani will spotlight music from his first solo album, Not of this Earth through his latest release and 15th solo album, Shockwave Supernova. Then there's the exclusive “Surfing to Shockwave” Tour Contest!

During the toru, fans will have the opportunity to buy a raffle ticket at the show they attend (only those attending the show can purchase a ticket and it is one entry per person).  The Grand Prize is a JS Surfing 20th Anniversary guitar plus two roundtrip airline tickets to San Francisco, where they will meet Satriani and get the guitar autographed.

Additional prizes include a signed Chrome Dome Joe Satriani 14-CD set and an autographed Shockwave Supernova vinyl album.  The proceeds from this contest benefit Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit organization that provides new musical instruments and lessons for teachers to help expand music education in underserved public schools across the country.

Released last summer, Shockwave Supernova scored SATRIANI his highest chart debut at #19 on Billboard’s Top 200 Current Albums Chart.  In addition, the album also debuted at # 3 on the Billboard Rock Chart and ranks as the highest charting all-instrumental rock album on Billboard’s Top 200 in the SoundScan era.

For two decades, the guitar virtuoso has traveled the world, playing to sold-out crowds as both a headliner and as founder of the all-star “G3” guitar extravaganza.  Satriani’s studio and live recordings have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide to date and of his many solo albums, two have gone platinum and four others went gold, with 15 Grammy nominations between them.  His side project, Chickenfoot, featuring former Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar, former bassist Michael Anthony, and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith achieved certified gold status with their debut album and their second studio album debuted at #9.

Satriani’s touring band remains Marco Minnemann on drums, Bryan Beller on bass and Mike Keneally on keys & guitar.

Tickets and exclusive Joe Satriani meet & greet and VIP packages are available now, for details please visit http://www.satriani.com.

“Surfing to Shockwave” Tour Itinerary:

February 25 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA
February 26 - Historic Elsinore Theatre - Salem, OR
February 27 - Grand Sierra Theatre - Reno, NV
February 28 - Fox Theater - Oakland, CA
March 1 - Balboa Theatre - San Diego, CA
March 2 - Fox Tucson Theatre - Tuscon, AZ *
March 3 - Fox Performing Arts Center - Riverside, CA
March 4 - Pearl Concert Theater @ Palms Casino - Las Vegas, NV
March 5 - Talking Stick Resort Ballroom - Scottsdale, AZ
March 7 - Historic Paramount Theatre - Denver, CO
March 8 - Abraham Chavez Theatre - El Paso, TX
March 9 - The Majestic Theatre - Dallas, TX
March 10 - House of Blues - Houston, TX
March 11 - Laurie Auditorium - San Antonio, TX
March 12 - Orpheum Theater - New Orleans, LA
March 14 - Iron City - Birmingham, AL
March 15 - Saenger Theatre - Pensacola, FL
March 16 - Parker Playhouse - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
March 17 - Ruth Eckerd Hall - Clearwater, FL
March 18 - Hard Rock Live - Orlando, FL
March 19 - Florida Theatre - Jacksonville, FL
March 21 - Carolina Theatre - Durham, NC
March 22 - Knight Theater - Charlotte, NC
March 23 - Symphony Hall - Atlanta, GA **
March 24 - The National - Richmond, VA
March 25 - Sandler Center - Virginia Beach, VA
March 26 - Orpheum Theatre - Boston, MA
March 29 - College Street Music Hall - New Haven, CT
March 30 - Capitol Theatre - Port Chester, NY
March 31 - The Vets - Providence, RI
April 1 - Tilles Center - Brookville, LI
April 2 - Lincoln Theatre - Washington, DC
April 4 - Count Basie Theatre - Red Bank, NJ
April 6 - Keswick Theatre - Glenside, PA
April 7 - Hampton Beach Casino - Hampton Beach, NH *
April 8 - Danforth Music Hall - Toronto, Ontario
April 9 - UAB Center for the Arts - Buffalo, NY
April 10 - Hard Rock - Cleveland, OH
April 12 - Carnegie Music Hall - Pittsburgh, PA
April 13 - Fillmore Detroit - Detroit, MI
April 14 - Pabst Theatre - Milwaukee, WI
April 15 - Chicago Theatre - Chicago, IL
April 16 - Fitzgerald Theatre - St. Paul, MN
April 17 - Fargo Theatre - Fargo, ND *
April 19 - Conexus Arts Centre - Regina, SK *
April 21 - Grey Eagle Event Centre - Calgary, AB
April 22 - River Creek Casino - Enoch, AB
April 24 - Hard Rock Casino Vancouver - Vancouver, BC

* new dates not previously announced

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

John Fogerty Cruises Into Venetian Las Vegas Residency

On Tuesday, John Fogerty arrived in grand style at The Venetian Las Vegas for his eight-show residency, Fortunate Son in Concert, opening Friday, Jan. 8.

In true rock ‘n’ roll fashion, Fogerty led 50 Harley-Davidson motorcycles down the Strip to the entrance of the resort. Greeted by onlookers and fans, the legendary musician was then officially welcomed to the property by Pete Boyd, senior vice president of operations for The Venetian, The Palazzo and Sands Expo and John Nelson, senior vice president of AEG Live Las Vegas before performing an acoustic version of his classic hit “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.”
“I’m looking forward to playing some rock ‘n’ roll here in Las Vegas,” remarked Fogerty.

Produced by AEG Live, Fortunate Son in Concert will celebrate the music and culture of the 1960s, with a special focus on the year 1969. Paired with exclusive footage and personal stories, fans will enjoy performances of iconic Creedence Clearwater Revival classics as well as Fogerty’s solo hits including “Fortunate Son,” “Centerfield,” “Down on the Corner,” “Bad Moon Rising” and many more. Performances will take place Jan. 8, 9, 13, 15, 16, 20, 22 and 23.

Tickets are on sale now at any Venetian or Palazzo Box Office, online at www.venetian.com/JohnFogerty or by calling (702) 414-9000 or (866) 641-7469.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Axl Rose, Slash & Duff McKagan Reunite Classic Guns N' Roses Lineup For Coachella

Guns N’ Roses has finally confirmed the rumor that founding members Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan will regroup to play the Coachella Music & Arts Festival in April.

For months, critics and audiences alike have generated immense excitement and speculation over the possible regrouping of the iconic lineup. The April performances will mark the first time since 1993 the three have shared the stage.

The reunion announcement was supposed to be accompanied with an appearance by Axl Rose on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but the singer canceled. Kimmel mocked Rose's famously mercurial ways on his show last night.

“Axl Rose was supposed to be here tomorrow, but he will not be here tomorrow for reasons known only to Axl Rose,” Kimmel said. “Or maybe he will be here, and he’s just trying to keep us guessing. I don’t know.” 

While there hasn’t been an official statement from anyone on the inside as to whether the band will include Slash and McKagan, after the Coachella lineup was announced, the guitarist and bassist shared the same image — the Guns N’ Roses “bullet” logo superimposed on a desert scene that’s featured on the Coachella poster — on social media at roughly the same time.

Speculation on an extensive Guns N' Roses stadium tour following the two performances at Coachella remains to be confirmed.

Monday, January 4, 2016

Elvis Costello's 'Detour Live At Liverpool Philharmonic Hall' Coming To DVD, Blu-ray February 12

The DVD and Blu-ray of Detour Live At Liverpool Philharmonic Hall by Elvis Costello will be released on February 12. This concert film includes classics like “Watching The Detectives,” “Accidents Will Happen,” “A Good Year For The Roses,” “Shipbuilding,” “Alison,” “I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down,” “Peace Love And Understanding” and many more.

The cameras were rolling when Elvis Costello brought his solo show “Detour" to the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Combining classic songs performed with guitar or at the piano with reminiscences of his family, life and career, the show is by turns touching, humorous, thoughtful and uplifting.

The set also features recent songs such as “Church Underground,” and “Jimmie Standing In The Rain” alongside much loved tracks from across his career and cover versions, all given a new twist in their solo renditions.

Joining Costello on several tracks are Rebecca and Megan Lovell of Larkin Poe on several of the tracks.

As bonus tracks the DVD includes “Love Field,” “Either Side Of The Same Town,” “Brilliant Mistake,” and “Ascension Day.”

Detour Live At Liverpool Philharmonic Hall captures a sublime musical talent.

TRACK LISTING
1) Intro
2) Red Shoes
3) Watch Your Step
4) Accidents Will Happen
5) Church Underground
6) ’45
7) Shipbuilding
8) I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down
9) Walkin’ My Baby Back Home
10) Ghost Train
11) When I Was Cruel No.2
12) Watching The Detectives
13) If I Had A Hammer
14) Pads, Paws And Claws
15) That’s Not The Part Of Him Your Leaving
16) Down On The Bottom
17) Blame It On Cain  
18) Alison
19) A Good Year For The Roses
20) Side By Side
21) Jimmie Standing In The Rain
22) Peace, Love And Understanding
23) Golden Tom – Silver Judas (credits)

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...