HOLLYWOOD (April 19, 2008) - Marc Rizzo is one of the new breed of young guitarists in contemporary bands and has built a substantial following through his years of touring and recording with IL Nino, Soulfly and now breaking Metal History with shredding for Metal Icons Max & Iggor Cavalera in Cavalera Conspiracy.
Rizzo has stepped out with solo projects that reveal a phenomenal command of the guitar. Both solo albums unveil Rizzo to be a master iabetes is a real problem and we need to whoop its ass!!! Please give to this fundraiser.
- John “JD” Deservio (Black Label Society/ Cycle of Pain)
"This will be a lot like being in the Big Brother house because everyone is nuts. The minor ways it will differ is that this kind of nuts is mentally stable, emotionally stable, nobody will cry, I might get laid, nobody will be lying to me, backstabbing me, throwing me under the bus, making up false arrest records about me and I don't expect that I will have to pour a drink on anyone's head there.... but ya never know..."
- Evel Dick Donato (Big Brother 8 winner, and R.A.D. host)
“Darrin Buchanan’s a crusader with heart fighting the good fight”
- Gil Moore - Triumph
HOLLYWOOD (April 23, 2008) – May 1st tickets for the Rock Against Diabetes go on sale. This is no ordinary event as only 180 people get to see the event in –person and the rest of the world can purchase tickets to watch it via the internet broadcast. The money raised will go to the R.A.D. beneficiaries: BC Children's Hospital & the University Of Toronto - Faculty of Medicine. Both of whom founder Darrin Buchanan found to be great support for diabetes. Buchanan recently lost his leg to Type II Diabetes and is on the path to fight the disease by educating all people for a worldwide solution.
In order to reach a larger audience, and put on a memorable show, it was decided to partner with Deep Rock Drive to beam this “first of its kind” musical and charity event to a worldwide audience in HD broadband internet. Tickets will be available when you sign up for a free account at www.deeprockdrive.com. There will be a limited amount of VIP tickets to view the show live at the sound stages of Deep Rock Drive. Tickets will be $9.99 for the entire day of broadcast and each ticket buyer can invite 5 friends free to watch.
Auctions are being held on www.rockagainstdiabetes.org including a date with Evel Dick Donato. The auction includes a trip to LA, with flight, hotel and limo, a date TO THE BIG BROTHER FINALE WITH DICK AND JANELLE, an AWESOME Minarik Inferno guitar and more!! Everyone knows there are no tickets for the Finale! The proceeds of the auction will go 100% to funding the wicked online concert in Vegas August 23rd, and help R.A.D. with its initiative to create a fully interactive, worldwide online diabetic nutritional resource.
The concert line-up is still being dialed in. The Metal Main stage will be announced shortly - the Rock Stage has the following artists: Cliff Morrison & The Lizard Sun Band (son of Jim Morrison), Y&T, Eric Martin (Mr. Big), and LA Guns w/ Tracii Guns. More bands announced as finalized. lmost as a tribute and a celebratory appreciation of their roots, ska-punk all stars LESS THAN JAKE (LTJ) have named their album GNV FLA after their hometown of Gainesville, Florida. Set for release on June 24, 2008, this release marks the debut of their first new material on their new self-owned and controlled indie label Sleep It Off Records. Just last month, the label re-released four of the band's early titles with expanded DVD content - Pezcore; Goodbye, Blue & White; Losers, Kings and Things We Don't Understand and the DVD The People's History of Less Than Jake.
GNV FLA
Track Listing
1. City Of Gainesville
2. The State Of Florida
3. Does the Lion City Still Roar?
4. Summon Monsters
5. Abandon Ship
6. Handshake Meets Pokerface
7. Settling Son
8. Malachi Richter's Liquor's Quicker
9. Golden Age Of My Negative Ways
10. The Space They Can't Touch
11. Conviction Notice
12. This One's Gonna Leave A Bruise
13. The Life Of The Party Has Left The Building
14. Devil In My DNA
Embarking on a whole new journey as independent artists in control of their own destiny, LTJ have decided to revisit their roots not only in spirit (and album title) but also in their music. A return to form that could be called the “traditional” Less Than Jake sound, complete with their trademark bouncy ska grooves and horns galore, GNV FLA comes full circle with the band’s beginnings, when they were scrapping up money from gigs to augment their Pez collections. Recorded at Atlas Studios in Chicago and produced by Matt Allison (Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, The Falcon), this album is a surefire testament that, once again, proves why LTJ have one of the most durable and faithful fanbases that stretch from the top of Canada to the bottom of South America that span both sides of the globe.
A sobering look at the realities of Gainesville in particular but with a universal eye to the everyman living in every small city in the US in these down economic times, GNV FLA by no means is a depressing record, but instead a hopeful and positive one. By pointing the microscope on folks like single mothers , drug dealers, and other common city characters, LTJ celebrates their lives and pays tribute to those who are often forgotten. musician with deep musical roots in metal, classical and flamenco guitar. Rizzo’s raw energy combined with the talent of a new-generation shred-master is a much needed breath of fresh air to the instrumental rock genre.
Get ready for a one-of-a-kind experience: an exquisite blend of structural intricacy, fantasy and madness, an intriguing mixture of classical music and progressive rock presented by the Swedish Pär Lindh Project on their first DVD release!
“Pär Lindh Project in Concert – Live in Poland” DVD presents the footage from the band’s outstanding performance at Wyspiański Theater in Poland, which proves the band’s virtuosity as well as cleverness in devising remarkably intelligent compositions. Apart from the show the DVD also includes an interview with Pär Lindh, photo gallery, biography, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and more!
“Pär Lindh Project in Concert – Live in Poland” DVD will also be available in a special DVD+CD limited swing case edition with a CD with audio material recorded at the show!
On the 19th May 2008 (Europe) / 8th July 2008 (USA) Metal Mind Metal Mind will release a remastered version of the 1994 album by Horde – a Christian black metal project of Australian musician Jayson Sherlock, formerly of Mortification and Paramaecium.
“Hellig Usvart” pioneered the previously unheard genre of "Christian black metal” (sometimes referred to as "HUBM" for "Holy UnBlack Metal"). The album is parody of the Norwegian satanic black metal scene as it twists common black metal phrases into a Christian ideal. The message of the album is generally the destruction and rejection of Satan, in favor of God. The album was unavailable for a long time and since its initial release sought by many! New digipak edition includes 3 bonus tracks recorded live during Horde’s one and only ever live show (Oslo, 2006)! Limited to numerated 2000 copies, digitally remastered using 24-Bit process on golden disc.
Tracklist:
1. A Church Bell Tolls Amidst The Frozen Nordic Winds
2. Blasphemous Abomination Of The Satanic Pentagram
3. Behold, The Rising Of The Scarlet Moon
4. Thine Hour Hast Come
5. Release And Clothe The Virgin Sacrifice
6. Drink From The Chalice of Blood
7. Silence The Blasphemous Chanting
8. Invert The Inverted Cross
9. An Abandoned Grave Bathes Softly In The Falling Moonlight
10. Crush The Bloodied Horns Of The Goat
11. Weak, Feeble, Dying, Antichrist
12. The Day Of Total Armageddon Holocaust
Bonus tracks:
13. Behold, The Rising Of The Scarlet Moon (live)
14. Thine Hour Hast Come (live)
15. The Day Of Total Armageddon Holocaust (live)
The history of Horde:
From 1992 to 1996 over 50 arsons destroy Christian churches in Norway. 1991 vocalist Dead commits suicide with a shotgun. 1992, Faust stabs man to death with a hunting knife. 1993, Euronymous murdered by Varg, Varg is then sentenced to 21years in prison. 1994, The Ancient - Almighty One moves Anonymous to try and make a difference - to shine a light in the darkness - Horde is born. 6 months of writing music and lyrics in 1994 and Hellig Usvart is taking shape. 5 days in the studio, 3 recording and 2 mixing. Drums recorded first, with no guide tracks, no click track. Just the music in the head of Anonymous. Then comes guitars and bass, then keyboards for effect and finally, vocals. Nuclear Blast records shows much interest in the project, and the rest is history. The black metal world is appalled at the release of Hellig Usvart. So much so, that the death threats begin. But alas, to no avail. 12 years on, Anonymous is offered the chance to perform live in Oslo, the capital of Norway, the home of black metal, an opportunity too good to miss. The plans begin for a live recording and in 2006, Horde performs it's one and only ever live show, 'Alive in Oslo'. Under a cloak of black, Anonymous and three of Norways finest musicians (along with a very special guest for one song on vocals) performed ten of the twelve songs from Hellig Usvart. The show is then released in 2007 on cd and dvd on Veridon Music.
And so, as quickly as Anonymous appeared, having completed his quest, he dissappeared. Never to be seen or heard from again. Was Horde a joke? No. An attack against so called evil black metal musicians? No. Horde existed to simply to offer the extreme metal world an alternative. The truth. A light to consume the darkness.
After weeks of speculation, Live Nation has put together a killer package that is bound to go down as the heavy metal event of 2008 - Judas Priest, Heaven and Hell, Motorhead and Testament will be touring together for the first time.
Dubbed ‘The Metal Masters Tour,’ the fifteen-date U.S. trek kicks off August 6th at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, New Jersey. Tickets go on sale to the public beginning this weekend at www.livenation.com.
Judas Priest will be supporting their epic concept album, ‘Nostradamus,’ arriving June 17th via Epic Records, which tells the tale of the renowned 16th century prophet. A few tracks from ‘Nostradamus’ will make their in-concert debut on ‘The Metal Masters Tour,’ but the majority of Priest’s set list will include some of metal’s all-time classics, as well as fan favorites that span the quintet’s entire career. Without a doubt, this will be one of Priest’s most powerful sets ever.
As a ‘sneak peak treat’ to fans starved for a musical taster, the first cut off the new album will make its world premiere debut as exclusive free MP3 download starting today exclusively at www.livenation.com/judaspriest.
Heaven & Hell will be supporting the release of ‘The Rules Of Hell,’ a five-CD boxed set available July 22nd from Rhino Records, which features re-mastered versions of all four Dio-era Black Sabbath albums (‘Heaven and Hell,’ ‘Mob Rules,’ ‘Live Evil’ and ‘Dehumanizer’) in a deluxe package with new liner notes.
Perennial road rats Motorhead will be offering a blistering barnstormer of a set spanning more than three decades of molar-rattling biker metal. A new studio album - the 20th of their storied career - is currently being recorded at their old pal Dave Grohl’s studio with an August release date targeted. Frontman Lemmy, named by the U.K.’s Guardian newspaper as “the nation’s greatest living Englishman,” blairs out, "Here it comes everybody, the test of your Metalness in 2008 and the years to come! Come one come all and be abused!"
Rounding out the line-up will be legendary thrash metal titans Testament, whose new album, ‘The Formation of Damnation,’ (April 29th) displays Testament as the quintessential modern heavy metal band, whose experience and accumulated skill allows them to attack with reserves of anger, energy and finesse that make them more powerful than ever. Lead singer Chuck Billy says, “Uniting these bands is the heavy metal event of generations. We are so proud to be a part of it.”
Although all four bands may represent different subgenres of heavy metal, all four have one thing in common – they have stuck to their stylistic guns through thick and thin, and have remained true to the metal form.
And soon, band and fan will be united as one on ‘The Metal Masters Tour.’
“As ever, we look forward to screaming out loud with our metal maniac fans when we hit the road,” enthuses Priest singer, Rob Halford. “Thank you once again for your devotion and support. The Priest is back!”
This tour will be limited to fifteen very special engagements, and Citi cardmembers will have pre-sale access to tickets through Citi's Private Pass® Program, available to all Citi cardmembers at www.privatepass.citi.com.
Metal maniacs seeking the ultimate concert experience can access unique VIP ticket and fan experience packages that offer premium seats, meet & greets, pre-concert parties and more brought to you by the band's official websites,
www.judaspriest.com and www.heavenandhelllive.com.
VIP packages for the first events will be on sale by 10 a.m eastern time on Friday, April 25th. Also, not all VIP packages are the same, so be sure to pick the right one that suits you best.
Weezer one of the biggest and most influential bands of the last decade will for the third time in its six-album history release a self-titled album. The new album will hit streets on June 24 through DGC/Interscope Records. To distinguish it from the other eponymous albums its being referred by people as "The Red Album" There are now no more primary colors to describe eponymous Weezer albums having exhausted blue and green previously (to learn more about primary colors go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_color). Comprised of sessions produced by Rick Rubin, Jacknife Lee and the band itself, the album is adventurous and undeniable Weezer pop-rock. The first single, the quirky and catchy "Pork and Beans," was recorded under the watch of the Irishman Lee and will soon be a Weezer classic. The song which will be available to buy digitally on April 22, is already at Modern Rock Radio and a video will be available in early May.
Great albums are culminations of the past with an eye to the future, and the Red Album has parts "Blue Album," "Pinkerton," and forges new territory with all four members taking turns singing lead. The "Red Album" is the rarest of modern music combinations: being both immediate and having the quality of growing better upon each subsequent listen. Weezer's last album, Make Believe spurred the band's highest charting Top 40 single (#2) in "Beverly Hills," and had two #1 Modern Rock hits with "Beverly Hills" and "Perfect Situation. That album sold platinum in U.S.
Pittsburgh’s most loved sons, The Modey Lemon, rip through 3 years of silence with their new record, Season Of Sweets. With one foot in the sci-fi darkness of their last record THE CURIOUS CITY, one foot in their past garage angst-ridden wreckage and one foot in the Krautrock brilliance of the German Frontier (three feet?) Season Of Sweets is a fuzzed out, driving masterpiece with catchy hooks beaten to death by guitar/synth mayhem and the anchor of Paul Quattrone’s drums of passion. As primitive as it is futuristic, Modey Lemon is recreating the present, molecule by molecule, every second of every breath. The Trio from Pittsburgh returns with another helping of sugary sweetness that rots your teeth and leaves you wanting more. Recorded during the dead of winter in Pittsburgh, PA, at the Brass Factory and mixed and recorded by Jason Kirker, member and principal noisemaker.
The last 2 years have been very interesting for the band. After signing with Mute, recording in the UK and playing the granddaddy of all venues, The Fillmore, opening for Dinosaur Jr., the band took some time away to regroup and work on new material. The result is SEASON OF SWEETS.
Driven by drummer extraordinaire Paul Quattrone, the songs twist and turn through the imagery and dark rock that has made Modey Lemon famous. Jason Kirker (engineer and band member) uses an array of keyboards, Moog's and an assortment of other instruments to create the band’s massive sound. But the heart of this album is the energy and mysticism singer Phil Boyd leads you on - a truly brilliant creation, with a ton of heart and soul.
April 21, 2008 -- There are a lot of reasons to celebrate the July 1 release of Night Ranger’s HOLE IN THE SUN, notably that it marks the band’s first studio album in a decade and commemorates the pioneering hard rock outfit’s 25th anniversary as a band. The best reason, as has been the case throughout Night Ranger’s heralded career, is to celebrate the music itself.
“People will hear this record and recognize our dual blazing guitars and vocals, and big choruses and melodic verses, because that’s definitely how you can describe this album,” explains singer/bassist Jack Blades of the self-produced new release, the band’s eighth studio album, and first for VH1 Classic Records. “It’s new Night Ranger, but in a lot of ways it’s classic Night Ranger.”
Guitars grind and swirl through the unrelenting opener “Tell Your Vision,” delivering a progressively-fueled crush that sets the tone for the eleven new tracks that follow, from Keagy’s Jim Morrison-like soft parade of vocals atop the blinding guitars of “Drama Queen” and the blitzing melodic charge of “You’re Gonna Hear From Me,” through the enduring depths of the piano-driven power ballad “There is Life,” and back again. HOLE IN THE SUN rings with the vibrancy of vintage Night Ranger, yet echoes with a modern relevance that endures throughout the album.
“We wanted to sound new, but still keep our roots,” says Keagy of the new release. “We grew up in the ‘70s, when pop music was really starting to thrive. Sometimes it drove you crazy because the songs were so poppy that you couldn’t get them out of your head, but they were still amazing songs. We wanted to portray some of that on this album.”
While there is definitely a pop glisten to HOLE IN THE SUN, there’s also a heavy dynamic that plants the band firmly in the millennium. “Brad brought in a lot of great ideas, some more modern-sounding things, but we were still able to keep that melodic sense in the songs. We wanted a lot of songs like ‘Drama Queen,’ great, gritty songs that reestablish our roots in hard rock,” continues Keagy.
Night Ranger—original members bassist/vocalist Jack Blades, drummer/vocalist Kelly Keagy and guitarist Brad Gillis along with guitarist Joel Hoekstra and keyboardist Christian Cullen—will be on the road throughout 2008, including a stop in Pryor, OK on Friday, July 11 to perform as part of Rocklahoma. They’ll also be doing various shows with Styx & Boston, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner and Cinderella & Warrant.
The band has been touring all over the world the past few months, including a stop at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to perform for the men and women stationed there. For Night Ranger, it was a life changing experience.
As Keagy described, “There could not have been a more proud moment in my career then when we stepped foot on Guantanamo Bay to play for the troops there. We all had mixed emotions about going and we didn’t really know what they do there. Well we certainly found out, but the world should know that the people that are being held should be there because they are (I believe) the most dangerous people on this Earth. We heard the facts in a briefing given by one of the highest ranking officers on the base. It was amazing! To the men and women that work so very hard to keep us safe from the kinds of things that happened on 911, I salute you.”
“Going to Guantanamo Bay Cuba to play for the troops is right up there as one of the wildest things Night Ranger has ever done,” Blades continues. “We’ve been all over the world, but never have we sung “You Can Still Rock In America” in a Communist country with armed Cubans watching us in guard towers just a few clicks away. Everyone was so appreciative of us being there, and seeing them rock out was the greatest. We were given a tour of the detention facilities, got the REAL story first-hand and went face-to-face with the detainees (nice stare-down moment that I shall not soon forget). Saw it all and it made us even more appreciative for what our soldiers, sailors, marines and airman are doing to keep us safe. They’re doing their part, so we’ll keep doing our part. Rock in America baby!”
Says Gillis of the band’s current tour plans: “We started with our classic backline with the American flag and the Night Ranger logo, and then we built it all up from there – bigger lights, bigger sound, bigger everything! We’ve got the ramps, the vintage t-shirts, the old-school Night Ranger antics, and it’s going to be nothing but fun.”
Night Ranger has left an indelible mark on the music world thanks to a number of best-selling albums—starting with their 1982 DAWN PATROL debut--that sold more than 16 million copies worldwide. The band’s popularity has been fueled by an impressive string of instantly recognizable hit singles and signature album tracks, including “Sister Christian,” “(You Can Still) Rock In America,” “When You Close Your Eyes,” “Sentimental Street,” “Goodbye” and “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me.” Harnessing the frenetic drive of heavy metal to hook-laden rock songs, throwing in a stunning twin lead guitar team, and melodious, radio-friendly power ballads, Night Ranger inspired new descriptive phrases such as “melodic metal” and “metal power pop.”
“Music is constantly evolving and changing, and people need to keep evolving in life, spirit, soul and everything, or you might as well pack it in,” notes Blades. “That’s why I’m so proud of Night Ranger, and that’s why we will continue to evolve. With this new album, we’re just going to roll with it, have a blast doing it, and keep playing as long as it’s fun, and as long as people want to come out and hear us play. There are still a lot of people out there that want to get up and sing, ‘motorin’…’ and ‘Don’t Tell Me You Love Me,’ ‘You Can Still Rock in America,’ the list goes on and on…”
After unveiling their unstoppable EP “Any Way You Choose to Give It”, The Black Ghosts are preparing to release their highly-anticipated debut full-length "The Black Ghosts”on IAMSOUND July 8, 2008, which features the electro-pop groove and first single, “Repetition” and the ghetto-gothic ‘Anyway You Chose To Give It’. Advance music will be sent out shortly and in the meantime if you cannot wait to hear this ghostly beauty, please email us and we will expedite you a copy. This is definitely one not to miss for all those summer preview issues! We reckon that The Black Ghosts will surely make many year end top critics polls and be your favorite summer long player.
The past year has seen The Black Ghosts’ ethereal Electronic Soul building them a formidable reputation with the quiet confidence that befits the duo’s enigmatic style. With the cold, steely riffs and floor-smashing beats of the much admired Theo Keating AKA Touché, ably augmented by erstwhile Simian vocalist Simon Lord, The Black Ghosts’ have begun to reveal their unique, electro-noir spirit through a brace of limited addition white-labels and their strikingly original DJ sets, that see Simon unfettering his spine-chilling vocals and shadowy tales. Theo & Simon have compiled and mixed ‘The Black Ghosts Mixtape’ out on Southern Fried Records in the UK and recently honored in the UK with the titles of electro mix of the month by MixMag and mix of the month by DJ Mag. With their special touch these bangin’ tracks are brought to life and give a glimpse into the incomparable dance-floor wrecking sets that take place only when The Black Ghosts are up on the decks. *Limited copies are avail, hit us up for yours!
And for the real deal, do yourself a favor and check out The Black Ghosts at one of these fine establishments in your hood!
Lionsgate Pictures is proud to announce the digital-only release of the Weeds Season Three Soundtrack on June 3, 2008. Featuring luminaries such as Randy Newman, actor Kevin Nealon and Ween, as well as indie rock tastemakers such as Beirut, Oh No! Oh My!, Page France and Illinois, the Weeds Season Three Soundtrack is a showcase of some of the genre's most promising talent and displays artistry only a pop culture vehicle such as Weeds is able to herald. After the June 3 digital-only release, SHO.com will have the CD for sale exclusively. Shortly thereafter there will be a wide retail release.
Beginning strong with the ever-famous "Little Boxes" theme song sung by singer/songwriter Randy Newman, the soundtrack begins to bloom further with "Chariot," Page France's elegant narrative clouded with romantic imagery of fairy tale proportions. Including tracks from The Dresden Dolls, State Radio, and even elder statesmen Ween, the 'Weeds' Season Three soundtrack is just as eccentric and uplifting as the show itself. Additional surprises to the proceedings include: Kevin Nealon, who plays the show's egocentric CPA Doug Wilson, lending his vocal chops to a quick banjo-driven ditty entitled "Just Like the Superdome," as well as the playful show staple "Buttmachine" by That 1 Guy, a track made famous by Kevin Nealon's dance scene from Season Three.
Corresponding with the release of the soundtrack, Lionsgate will also be issuing a DVD package of 'Season Three' on June 3. Leading up to Showtime's 'Season Four' premiere on June 16, the DVD and soundtrack of 'Weeds' Season Three will be two more additions to the cultural stronghold this daring show has come to represent, and will tie fans over before the hilarity ensues once again.
Track Listing:
01. Randy Newman - 'Little Boxes'
02. Page France - 'Chariot'
03. That 1 Guy - 'Buttmachine'
04. Beirut - 'Scenic World'
05. The Dresden Dolls - 'Girl Anachronism'
06. Ween - 'You F**ked Up'
07. Oh No! Oh My! - 'Walk in the Park'
08. Illinois - 'Nosebleed'
09. Great Lake Swimmers - 'Your Rocky Spine'
10. Mr. Smolin - 'The Earth Keeps Turning On'
11. Kevin Nealon - 'Just Like the Superdome'
12. State Radio - 'Keep Sake'
13. Eleni Mandell - 'Let's Drive Away'
GREG LASWELL'S song "What A Day" will be featured in the smash hit
GREY'S
ANATOMY this Thursday, April 24th for an episode entitled Where The Wild
Things Are. "What A Day" is one of the tracks from his recent Vanguard
Records EP entitled How The Day Sounds. His next full length album, Three
Flights From Alto Nido, is set to be released on July 8th. More information
on Three Flights From Alto Nido can be found at
www.vanguardrecords.com/publicity. Grey's Anatomy airs on ABC at 9pm
Eastern/8pm Central.
With his elegantly expressive piano technique, feathery acoustic guitar work
and hypnotic-like vocals, Greg has drawn comparisons to such reputable
songsmiths as Jeff Buckley, Coldplay, Ron Sexsmith and Radiohead. His
intense lyrics and sweeping melodies amplify to create an eloquent sound
that matches his hypnotic and haunting tenor. Early support for Three
Flights From Alto Nido comes from tastemakers such as KCRW's Morning Becomes
Eclectic, Indie 103 in Los Angeles and WXPN in Philadelphia. He has been
heard on NPR, the iTunes Indie Spotlight, Yahoo!'s Who's Next viewers choice
program, and Laswell's music has also been prominent on TV shows such as
Shark, Without A Trace, Smallville, One Tree Hill and MTV's The Hills.
Having just wrapped up the national portion of the Hotel Cafe Tour with such
artists as Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Cary Brothers and others, Greg
is currently performing overseas with the tour. In June, he kicks off a two
month tour supporting Ingrid, who is featured in her "The Way I Am" video.
“…richer than David Gray while every bit as mournful as Nick Drake”
- MSN
“Intensely beautiful”
- The Sun
“heaps of style and intelligence”
- NME
Brighton based British band, Passenger, have announced two U.S. shows this June:
Monday, June 9th Los Angeles, CA Hotel Cafe
Wednesday, June 11th New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Passenger are set to release their first EP, Night Vision Binoculars, digitally in the U.S. on June 24th this year. They will be following this up with their debut album release Wicked Man’s Rest later in the summer, giving American audiences a taste of their poignant tales told through strong melodies and thoughtful lyrics.
Passenger’s songs are like mini-movies and when you see the band perform live, songwriter and vocalist Mike Rosenberg becomes the star of each film. His sincere voice and knack for creating and inhabiting memorable characters is at the heart of Passenger’s unique sound.
Man behind the Monitor: J. Dakar
Concrete Loop / Write State of Mind
http://www.writestateofmind.net
http://www.concreteloop.com
Political/Commentary Contributor of Concrete Loop
He currently serves as political/commentary contributor for Concrete Loop, one of the most popular black entertainment blogs, offering social and political commentary with special emphasis on the 2008 presidential election.
Q: What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a blogger?
A: Traffic. Anyone can create a blog, but if no one is reading it or commenting on it, what's the point? For a while, I received very few hits and even fewer comments. It then hit me that I had begun writing for myself. I realized that I needed to appeal to my audience, and once I did that, I noticed an increase in both readers and comments.
Q: For aspiring bloggers, do you have any tips for growing their readers?
A: My only tip is that you should never give up. I've been blogging since 2001, had about twelve sites and endured, perhaps, at least three times that number of hiatuses from blogging. Fortunately, I have dedicated readers who commented on nearly everything I wrote (when I wrote), which really motivated me to continue writing. In doing so, I put myself out there more which really opened me up to new readers...and you never know who's reading what you're writing.
Q: How did you become affiliated with Concrete Loop?
A: Angel, Brian, Tianna and I frequented the 730 Forums (http://www.seventhirty.net/forums/) some time ago around 1999 or 2000, so I've known them all for quite some time. Once I began blogging, Angel read my work and continued to do so throughout the years. Last summer, she hit me up and asked if I'd be interested in writing for Concrete Loop. I, of course, said yes, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Q: As a political writer for Concrete Loop, do you feel that music ever transcends into your blogging in any way?
A: I listen to music while I write...well, while I do most things, actually. I love music: I wake up listening to music; I go about my day listening to music; I fall asleep listening to music and then I do it all over again the next day. Suffice it to say, yes, music does transcend into my blogging.
Q: Do you feel that Concrete Loop has increased your readers at Write State of Mind?
A: Absolutely! I have an audience at Concrete Loop that appreciates my work regarding social and political commentary and visit Write State of Mind for a more personal look at J. Dakar. I analyzed my site statistics recently and discovered nearly 42 percent of my incoming traffic comes from Concrete Loop.
Q: What can we expect from your upcoming site, JDakar.com?
A: When it launches in May, JDakar.com will be my personal site where I share my thoughts on the things I love most like books, film and music in addition to my take on news stories and a few pieces on activism so we can all do good and do well (DGADW). Unlike Write State of Mind, which focuses primarily on my writing with rather lengthy posts, JDakar.com will feature much shorter ones published throughout the day.
Briefly wanted to follow up on the mention we made in the latest newsletter to confirm
that Zune is working with The Weinstein Company and Peter Saville on a design for
a limited edition Zune digital media player to commemorate the release of "Joy
Division The Documentary." The critically acclaimed film, which will be preloaded
on the custom player, chronicles the story of the seminal post-punk band via first-hand
accounts from the surviving band members and those who worked closely with them
during their brief, but highly influential existence. The exclusive device will
be available for purchase and Microsoft and ourselves will provide additional details
on this collaboration in the near future. "Joy Division: The Documentary"
is set for a June 10 release via Genius Entertainment.
Conor Oberst is set to release a solo album on August 4th on Merge Records.
This recording was made in Tepoztlán, Morelos, México during the months of January and February 2008. In Tepoztlán, a place known for Aztec Magic and Extra-Terrestrial Sightings, a temporary studio was created in a mountain villa called Valle Místico at the outskirts of town. It was produced by Conor Oberst with much help from engineer and long time associate Andy LeMaster. A special band was assembled for the recording, known amongst themselves and to friends as The Mystic Valley Band. It was there at Valle Místico that Conor and the band lived and worked for that time in near perfect harmony, often unaware of the hour or the day. The result is his first solo album in thirteen years, following Water (1993), Here’s To Special Treatment (1994) and Soundtrack To My Movie (1995). In that time he has recorded and preformed in many bands and musical projects including Commander Venus, Park Ave., Desaparecidos, and most notably Bright Eyes, his main musical vehicle for the past decade.
Conor Oberst will be touring this album throughout the summer and has already announced an appearance at September’s Austin City Limits festival.
Track List in full:
1. Cape Cañaveral 7. Eagle On A Pole
2. Sausalito 8. Moab
3. Get-Well-Cards 9. NYC – Gone, Gone
4. Lenders In The Temple 10. Valle Místico (Ruben's Song)
5. Danny Callahan 11. Souled Out!!!
6. I Don’t Want To Die (In The Hospital) 12. Milk Thistle
Q: What do Killing Joke, KLF, Primal Scream and The Cult all have in common?
A: In some way all of the above have been intertwined or have sporned from one of the UK's most groundbreaking and soul affirming ambient house music duos of our time. Pioneers who paved the way throughout some of the 1980's and much of the 1990's during a time when hallucinogenics and free love were the foundations for the nightclub and music loving masses. Innovative artists such as The Orb provided the concrete and a soundtrack that solidified an entire culture and generation who embraced a time when ecstacy was still good and the beats just kept on coming.
The Orb's music speaks the language of the psyche and of the soul. Various "psychedelic soldiers" of our time have been given their comeuppance in recent years. Many new acts have quite rightly tipped their hats in the form of their sonic creations, toward those who have inspired them during the birth and boom of rave and electronic music.
The Dream simply encapsulates The Orb's original quest to pay homage to their personal musical obsessions since they first put a needle to vinyl. While exploring new sonic territories, they have created the perfect album to accompany ones life, whether it be on the couch as day breaks or on the beach as the beats break. The Dream guarantees the listener a soothing but sometimes pounding journey, leaving you rejuvenated, re-inspired and realizing the universe isn't so ugly nor lack luster after all.
The Orb hadn't gone away nor are they making a come back. Both Alex Paterson and fellow founding member and musical partner simply known as Youth, have been collaborating frequently in London again and are now ready to release another spellbinding album. Created purely upon the need to work together. Much like many recent "comebacks" from bands who have kept us waiting for nearly a decade, the theory that when there is a demand, one must instantly supply isn't a theory many take too seriously. For the wait on something to grow organically and to reappear when the time is right is far more beneficial to the creator and his audience. Simply reaffirming the ideals that artists such as The Orb can take as much time as they choose, particularly when the results are like their 2008 release, the epic and "retro-fresh" album The Dream.
The Dream was created without pressure from record companies or the studio. As with previous albums, the basic Orbs nucleus includes guest singers and players on the scene, including System 7's Steve Hillage, who goes back to the earliest recordings, Battersea toaster-singer Eric Walker aka “The Corporal” and vocalists Aki Omori [the Japanese singer who appeared on 2001's Cydonia], singer Andy Caine from the W.A.U.! days, and renowned soulstress of course, Juliet Roberts who, according to Alex, is “the cherry on the cream on the gateau on the bed of Smarties.”
After spending some time exploring their own individual creative endeavors that consequently gained them further critical acclaim, it didn’t take them long to realize that they are a stronger force when together. Alex starting popping round for old times sake and inevitably, this turned into throwing musical ideas around again. What the pair soon discovered that, although trends and technology have changed immeasurably, the bond between them was still as strong as ever, along with the thrill of throwing together disparate elements and drawing from mutual inspirations to forge something startling and, indefinably, The Orb.
That certain Je ne sais quoi that very few musicians can say they've experienced throughout their lives and careers. A unique and magical quality that defines the innovators from the imitators. This was a factor to strong for them to ignore once they reunited again in Youths London based studio.
Alex and Youth didn't set out with master plan to reinvent nor trade in their much loved and listened to sound for a newer revamped and dare we say, hipper sound many are drawn to today. Their goal, or Dream if you will, was to simply collaborate together and do what they do best when in the studio as a team. The Dream is a perfect tribute to a time that many hold dear in their memories, a time that some would call their own personal "60's", where the dance floor was their Woodstock and the DJ was someone’s Dylan. An era and a sound that had an impact on an entire generation. The Dream is destined to take one straight back to that uber-comfy chill out lounge, late night/early morning come down state, transporting one to a pleasant, more trippier and somewhat star-tinted, galactic and gurn friendly place. A place not to be forgotten for many.
This release provides a return to the original spirit, which spawned the first two classic albums, The Orb's Adventures In The Ultraworld and U.F. Orb. Working with former Dreadzone studio-wiz Tim Bran and a handful of prestigious musical guests, Alex and Youth created another fine piece of work, staying true to what they know best, and that's being The Orb.
Back to the Future
The Orb has been a long and surreal trip, starting in the 80's when Alex and Youth went to school together, however it soon turned out that they were learning more about drink, drugs and punk instead of arithmetic and grammar like most kids. A mutual and magnificent meeting of the minds took place and from there on out, Alex and Youth continued to hang.
When Youth achieved notoriety as bassist in apocalyptic post-punk band Killing Joke, Alex was the roadie, howling the Sex Pistols’ “Bodies” or Stooges' “No Fun” during encores. By the mid-80s, Alex moved in with Youth at the Coach House on Wandsworth Common. For years, Alex and Youth had been enthralled and inspired by tapes of New York's groundbreaking radio stations KISS FM, WBLS, and WKTU. From these tapes the lads would mash up and edit the tracks into wild, extended soundclash masterworks which predated sampling and the aural anarchy of acid house.
It was in Alex's tiny bedroom that the foundations were laid for many-a-groundbreaking and gurn provoking acid house tunes to come. By this time, "old mucker" Jimmy Cauty (KLF), who'd been in Youth's post-Joke band Brilliant, was on board and joined Alex in a string of marathon DJ sets in the chill out room at London's earliest acid house clubs like Land Of Oz and Trancentral.
Alex and Youth started the W.A.U.! record label and 1989 saw The Orb's Kiss EP released in the UK: Not long after Jimmy departed to join KLF and Alex went on to sign with Big Life and worked with, among others, engineer Kris 'Thrash' Weston and Youth on the first Orb album.
By this time, Youth was busy on a string of other projects which included building his Butterfly studio and Dragonfly record company, both ambitious projects which later ran aground. Meanwhile, Alex was dealing with his new chart-rider status and soon signed to Island Records. He then spent the 90s willfully steering The Orb into whichever strange waters he felt like taking it, sometimes with dark and twisted consequences.
Skipping forward a few years to 2006, Youth started building another studio at the end of his garden, across Wandsworth Common from the old Coach House: The Dreaming Cave [maybe referencing the transcendental Aboriginal dream state which inspired Kate Bush on The Dreaming]. During that period, Youth also produced albums including Primal Scream's Riot City Blues and, most recently, the return of The Cult. What was still so undeniable and impossible to ignore however, was the compelling force the lads felt to reconnect in a studio to start breathing new life into what they worked and cared so much about for so long. The Dream was born and The Orb is with us, once again.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 23 April 2008 22:08 (seventeen years ago)