Sunday, October 4, 2009

Music News & Notes

Blake Lewis LP

American Idol Season 6 runner up Blake Lewis' second album, Heartbreak on Vinyl, will be released on October 6th, 2009 from Tommy Boy Entertainment and the singer will be holding a record release party for the effort at the Roxy in West Hollywood next Thursday night.

For his official album release party, Lewis will perform tracks with his full band from his forthcoming Heartbreak on Vinyl. The event is open to the public with tickets available through Ticketmaster.

Lewis made a name for himself as the unconventional and charming beat boxer who was selected as first runner up on season six of American Idol in 2007. His cover of Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name," was the biggest selling download of the season on iTunes with over 190,000 downloads. His debut album Audio Day Dream hit the Billboard album charts at #10 and has since sold over 350,000 units to date. He created a unique persona for himself as not only a singer-songwriter, but DJ and beatboxer, drawing fans of all ages to his shows, which vary between musical performances and DJ sets.

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Rick Wakeman's The Six Wives Of Henry VIII Set for CD, DVD and BluRay Release

On October 13, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release The Six Wives Of Henry VIII on DVD and Blu-ray via Eagle Vision and CD through Eagle Records. This eagerly anticipated release for Rick Wakeman fans is his first solo release on Blu-ray.

Rick Wakeman's The Six Wives Of Henry VIII is one of the landmark albums of the seventies, a critical and commercial success that has sold in excess of 15 million copies worldwide.

In May 2009, Wakeman finally achieved his long held dream of performing the entire album live at Hampton Court Palace. It was the first time the whole album had ever been performed in concert and included the Henry VIII track "Defender Of The Faith," that had to be cut from the original album for space reasons, plus new opening and closing pieces. The two spectacular sell out concerts were a never to be repeated event, which give those not able to attend the ability to experience this epic performance.

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New John Mayer Album Details

John Mayer's Battle Studies will be released on November 17th, 2009 on Columbia Records. The seven-time Grammy Award winner's fourth studio album was co-produced by John Mayer and Steve Jordan and debuts three years after his critically acclaimed 2006 album, Continuum.

Incorporating the warmth, melodies and simplicity of 70's and 80's California rock/pop, Battle Studies is a confessional, relaxed and liberated album recorded in a private home in California where Mayer lived and worked over the course of six months before wrapping at the famed Capitol Studios in Los Angeles.

The album's first single, "Who Says" challenges conventional standards of what one can accomplish or undertake - despite society's constraints. Battle Studies also showcases universal themes on "Heartbreak Warfare," "Assassin," and "War of My Life," while flexing guitar chops on "Rock Song," and a reinterpretation of "Crossroads." The famously collaborative guitar player also invited one of music's brightest new talents, Taylor Swift, to appear on "Half of My Heart."

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RUSH - Complete Working Men Details Revealed

Anthem Entertainment has announced the release of Working Men, the first 'best of' live performance compilation from renowned rock trio Rush. Due in stores and online November 17th, the collection will be released on DVD in partnership with Rounder and on CD via Atlantic Records outside of Canada.

Culled from Anthem Entertainment and Zö Vision's three other Rush DVD releases - Rush in Rio, R30 & Snakes & Arrows Live - Working Men features live recordings of the band's greatest hits as well as one previously unreleased track , "One Little Victory" (see attached track listing).

Rush - Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart - is without question one of the most inventive and compelling groups in rock history, equally famed for both its virtuoso musicianship and provocative songwriting. Just last year, a career-chronicling Rolling Stone feature praised the band for its continuing artistic vitality, noting that "It's true that Rush doesn't mean today what it did in '76 or even '96. It may mean more." The sentiment was echoed in subsequent pieces published earlier this year in Entertainment Weekly and Spin. Rush's enduring pop culture relevance is perhaps best evidenced by a pair of high profile appearances - a rare national television performance and interview on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report in 2008 (the band's first TV appearance since 1975), and a pivotal role in the storyline of the hit comedy, I Love You, Man. Released this past spring, the band also made a memorable cameo in the film, which starred Paul Rudd and Jason Segal.

Since releasing their self-titled debut album in 1974, Rush has achieved worldwide sales exceeding 35 million units, including such acclaimed works as 1976's 2112, 1981's Moving Pictures, 1996's Test For Echo, and 2002's Vapor Trails. The band's most recent studio collection, 2007's Snakes & Arrows, made a triumphant debut on the Billboard 200 upon its initial release, entering the chart in the #3 spot. The album's success marked Rush's highest chart debut since 1993, as well as the group's eleventh top ten album in the U.S.

Working Men tracklisting:

'Limelight'
'The Spirit Of Radio'
'2112'
'Freewill'
'Dreamline'
'Far Cry'
'Subdivisions'
'One Little Victory' (previously unreleased)
'Closer to the Heart'
'Tom Sawyer'
'Working Man'
'YYZ'

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Former INXS Singer Hospitalized For Heart Surgery Complications

Jon Stevens, former singer of INXS and Noiseworks is being held at a hospital after suffering complications following emergency open-heart surgery, according to his management company.

The Australian rocker's manager Simon Lucas said the operation was carried out in a Sydney hospital about three weeks ago and was deemed a success, or at least that's what they thought.

Unfortunately, 46-year-old Stevens' condition has deteriorated and his recovery has been hampered due to some post-operative complications, primarily fluid around the heart and infection. The singer was taken to the hospital after doctors reportedly found a blockage in one of the main arteries during a routine check-up.

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Robyn Hitchcock To Release Concert Film And Live Album

Robyn Hitchcock will release concert film and live album I Often Dream of Trains in New York on November 10, 2009 on Yep Roc Records.

I Often Dream of Trains in New York was filmed live at Symphony Space in New York City in the fall of 2008 during the U.S. leg of Hitchcock's highly anticipated I Often Dream of Trains Tour. Deftly shot by acclaimed director John Edginton (The Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett Story) and originally aired on the Sundance Channel, this concert film DVD and accompanying audio CD captures the cult songwriting icon recreating one of his most intimate and haunting albums in its entirety.

Robyn is joined by Trains tour mates Terry Edwards (vocals, keyboards, trumpet, soprano sax, guitar) and Tim Keegan (vocals, guitar) as well as guests Gaida Hinnawi (vocals) and Amir El Saffar (trumpet) from the Robyn-led band seen in Jonathan Demme's stunning film Rachel Getting Married. As its title suggests, I Often Dream of Trains is a glimpse into the phantasmagorical mind of the artist himself. And I Often Dream of Trains in New York captures him fantastically raw and singularly in-the-moment – in other words, quintessentially….Hitchcock.

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Queen: The Ultimate Illustrated History Coming Next Month

Voyageur Press has joined forces with renowned British rock journalist Phil Sutcliffe (Mojo, Los Angeles Times) for QUEEN: The Ultimate Illustrated History of the Crown Kings of Rock. This beautifully packaged book, a perfect balance of photos and text, arrives on Nov. 15, 2009, and retraces the history of this massively popular and influential group.

Brimming with more than 400 photographs and pieces of memorabilia — including concert programs, posters, domestic and foreign 45 singles, LPs, backstage passes, ticket stubs, and more — QUEEN: The Ultimate Illustrated History of the Crown Kings of Rock also includes a discography, and commentary from dozens of admiring musicians and performers. The result is the most complete and captivating portrait of this larger-than-life group, one that captures and celebrates as never before Queen — one of popular music's most successful recording artists of all time.

Fronted by the unforgettable Freddie Mercury, Queen almost single-handedly created the common phrase "arena rock," with mammoth tours, stage shows, costumes, and such classic anthems as "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Will Rock You," "We Are the Champions," "Another One Bites the Dust," "Under Pressure" (with David Bowie), and "Radio Gaga."

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The Greening Release Psychedelic New EP

The Greening, an experimental psychedelic power-pop band from Northern California, released their latest EP, (She's So) Electric, on September 29 (ZaiRecords).

Marking the follow-up to their 2003 debut EP, After Shoal Parlor, features four blisteringly catchy tunes and an encoded animated video for the single, "Sunday Afternoon," directed by renowned local artist/animator Danny Ochoa. It was recorded at a private studio in Marin, and was produced and mixed by guitarist/vocalist Will Loving.

The Greening's mission statement is to push pop music to new frontiers through their blend of accessible experimentation. Combining memorable hooks, strong melodies and cascading vocal harmonies, the band craft instantly memorable songs. However, the radio friendly nature of the songwriting disguises its underlying complexity. Surprise bridges and unexpected arrangements/time signatures unite to enhance the compositions in an integrated fashion. -

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Railway Classics Reissued

Railway was one of the most promising German heavy metal groups in the 80's – their first three albums released at that time became true classics of the genre. Although their career had its ups and downs, the band finally managed to reunite in its original line-up in 2006, much to their fans' satisfaction.

And now, thanks to these exclusive re-releases of "Railway", "Railway II" and "Climax" you can once again relive Railway's history and witness some of their finest moments in the music industry.

These exclusive re-issues of Railway's classic albums: "Railway", "Railway II" and "Climax" - are a great addition to any heavy metal collection, and a perfect opportunity to meet one of the most amazing German heavy metal bands of all time! They will be released by Metal Mind Productions on 2nd November in Europe and 12th January 2010 in USA (via MVD).

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AC/DC Singer Addresses Health Issue

AC/DC were forced to postpone several dates on their current world tour because frontman Brian Johnson "recently underwent a medical procedure and at the advice of his doctor is taking some time to rest." Some rumors floating around speculated that he was having throat problems but on Wednesday the man himself posted an update on the official AC/DC website to fill fans in on what is going on.

Here is what he had to say: "It's an inside job that forced me to reschedule those upcoming 6 shows! Inside being the operative word here. My insides were giving me lots of trouble, ulcers and such. They were really uncomfortable and painful, which required me to seek immediate medical attention.

"The doctor's looked me over, poked, scanned and prodded all possible areas. In the end they gave me a clean bill of health, but insisted that I take a bit of time to recuperate and rest up. We've been touring non stop since this time last year and have a lot more touring to do. Thanks for all of the get well wishes and I hope to see you all again very soon."

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ZZ Top Double Down Live

On October 20, Eagle Rock Entertainment, through its wholly-owned Eagle Vision subsidiary, will release ZZ Top's Double Down Live, the first historic concert performance ever to be approved for release by the band. Clocking in at just under two hours, this double dose disc delivers twenty-eight years of hard rock, blues, and boogie – ZZ Top Style!

Disc one, filmed in 1980, is dubbed "DEFINITELY THEN" and is packed with 22 early ZZ Top classics from their Tres Hombres and Fandango! albums, including: "La Grange," "Tush," "Cheap Sunglasses," "Tube Snake Boogie," and more, many of which remain in their live set to this day. This concert was captured at the Grugahalle in Essen, Germany for the Rockpalast TV series. The concert took place hot on the heels of the release, 30 years ago, of their classic Deguello album (it features 9 of the 10 songs from it). The show found ZZ Top in the era prior to the band's discovery of sequencers and synthesizers and epitomized the down 'n' dirty take no prisoners attitude of "that lil' ol' band from Texas" nickname. To this day, this disc is a true best of ZZ Top in the seventies.

Disc two, subtitled "ALMOST NOW," was shot during their European tour in 2008, includes 11 performances, interview clips, and backstage footage to create the ultimate ZZ Top on the road movie.

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Sevendust Working On New Album

Sevendust have begun work on their next album and offered an update to fans about where they are at in the process and who is involved. Here is what they had to say: " We've been writing and recording demos with Corey Lowery engineering, which have been amazingly productive and creative, over the past few months. We wanna thank Corey for making a very cool atmosphere for us and helping us achieve the material we needed. We look forward to continuing work with Corey in the future.

We've have hired on Johnny K(Disturbed, Staind) to produce the next Sevendust record. We've enjoyed his work over the years and believe he is the guy for the job. This record is VERY important and we have some of the best songs going into this process than we ever have. We read your comments on here and we believe you will not be disappointed. We still have a ways to go but we hope to have it out by spring next year.

We will be up in the Chicago area for the rest of the year working on it and are ready to peel faces off with this thing. It's a very creative time for the band and being back to the original line up will reinstall the elements that made us what we are. Thank you for your support and cannot wait to put this record out.

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BON JOVI - Cover Art For New Album Revealed


The cover art for BON JOVI's forthcoming album The Circle, due out November 10th, can be viewed on the left (click to enlarge). The tracklist of the album is as follows:

'We Weren't Born To Follow'
'When We Were Beautiful'
'Work For The Working Man'
'Superman Tonight'
'Bullet'
'Thorn In My Side'
'Live Before You Die'
'Broken Promiseland'
'Love's The Only Rule'
'Fast Cars'
'Happy Now'
'Learn To Love'

More details will be revealed soon.

As previously reported, prior to the release the band will issue the new single, 'We Weren't Born To Follow'. Further details on both the new album and single will be released soon. Stay tuned for updates.

Talking to RollingStone.com's Greg Prato, Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora recently stated: “It’s back to rock & roll for us, man. Jon and I had a wonderful time making it. Very proud of it - just getting down to mixing it right now. We hit a very prolific period in our songwriting.”

Sambora reveals the band was considering churning out a greatest hits album, but reports, “We started having so much fun making this record, that we decided we would do a studio album first. It sounds fresh - I think we reinvented ourselves again.”

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“First Lady of Guitar” Liona Boyd releases new album

Canada’s brilliant and beautiful classical guitar virtuoso Liona Boyd at long last has a new release entitled Liona Boyd Sings Songs of Love.

It’s the 5 time Juno award winner’s first release since 2005's Romanza, and showcases her abilities as a singer - songwriter along with her guitar prowess.

Released in Canada by Universal Music, “Songs of Love” contains 17 songs interpreted by herself and duo partner, Croatian born guitarist - vocalist, Srdjan Gjivoje. The pair sing in harmony throughout the record while accompanying themselves on the guitar.

With one exception, all tracks were co-written by Boyd.

The CD also features 3 special guests who including American flamenco guitarist Esteban, the late Oliver Schroer on violin, Doug Emery on piano and Christopher Glansthorpe on cello.

"Songs of Love " was released in Canada on Sept 22/09 and will be available internationally through Amazon on Oct 6. as well as through her official website.

www.classicalguitar.com

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Rolling Stones - Get Your Ya-Ya's Out (40th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set)


ABCKO, the company that owns all of the early Stones material, will release a 40th Anniversary Box Set on November 17 that brings the entire concert experience to a new level. The 3-CDs include the original 10-song album with remastered sound, a second CD of the five remaining tracks from the shows that were not included on the original release and a third disc with the opening performances of B.B. King and Ike and Tina Turner. The fourth disc, a DVD, includes the 28-minute film of the same name by the Maysles Brothers (Gimme Shelter) which includes backstage and photo shoot footage along with a few performances.

Get Your Ya-Ya's Out, released in 1970, was the first official live album for the Rolling Stones (Got Live If You Want It was considered a contractual obligation). Recorded on November 27 and 28, 1969 at New York's Madison Square Garden, the album captured a portion of the Stone's first tour in three years. Even though it is known that at least half of the lead vocals were re-dubbed in the studio, the album is still considered one of the great live LPs.

Finally, the basic set includes a 56-page book is included which features rare photos, essays and the original Rolling Stone review of the record, a postcard size replica of the original concert poster and a voucher to download I'm Free for Guitar Hero 5. A deluxe version of the release also has three vinyl picture discs and a full-size replica poster.

The full track list for all four discs is after the cut.

•Disc 1 (Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out (remastered))
•Jumpin’ Jack Flash
•Carol
•Stray Cat Blues
•Love In Vain
•Midnight Rambler
•Sympathy For The Devil
•Live With Me
•Little Queenie
•Honky Tonk Women
•Street Fighting Man
•Disc 2 (Unreleased Rolling Stones tracks)
•Prodigal Son
•You Gotta Move
•Under My Thumb
•I’m Free
•(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
•Disc 3 (Opening Acts)
•B.B. King
•Everyday I Have The Blues
•How Blue Can You Get
•That’s Wrong Little Mama
•Why I Sing The Blues
•Please Accept My Love
•Ike and Tina Turner
•Gimme Some Loving
•Sweet Soul Music
•Son Of A Preacher Man
•Proud Mary
•I’ve Been Loving You Too Long
•Come Together
•Land Of 1000 Dances
•DVD (Maysles Brothers’ Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out)
•Prodigal Son
•You Gotta Move
•Under My Thumb
•I’m Free
•(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction

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