Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Music News & Notes

Tom Petty Superhighway Tour & The Live Anthology

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers have launched The Superhighway Tour, a first of its kind online-only music experience that delivers 24 of the 48 tracks from the forthcoming Live Anthology as high-quality digital downloads and on-demand streams in advance of the Live Anthology's release. "Ticketholders" will receive an insider's view of those 24 tracks, through archived memorabilia reproduced on the site, new band commentary, classic reviews, and curated content from the Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers vaults. Fans will also be able to share their photos and stories from their favorite Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers shows. Then on the album's November 24 release, ticketholders will receive the remaining 24 tracks on The Live Anthology, thereby completing the digital album.

Access to the Superhighway Tour will be available to fans that purchase "tickets" from Ticketmaster.com or through the Superhighway Tour box office. Tickets for the entire 8-week Superhighway Tour are on sale now through Ticketmaster.com and TomPettySuperHighwayTour.com. The price of a Superhighway Tour ticket includes all 48 The Live Anthology digital tracks plus the 8-week online experience for $24.98 without any additional service fees. Downloads will be available in 256kbps MP3 or FLAC formats - fan's choice.

A FREE PREVIEW of the SuperHighway Tour is now available at www.tompettysuperhighwaytour.com and includes a FREE DOWNLOAD of a track from the 1981 run of shows at Los Angeles' Forum.

In other news:

The week of November 22nd Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and Reprise Records will release The Live Anthology, a multiple-disc set of recordings drawn from thirty years of live performances. The collection brings together material from 1978-2007 culled from hundreds of hours of live concert recordings covering every era of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' tours and represents the best tracks as chosen by producers Tom Petty, Mike Campbell and Ryan Ulyate.

The release of The Live Anthology comes on the heels of two sold out tours, the Grammy winning documentary Runnin' Down A Dream (directed by Peter Bogdanovich), and a headline performance at the Super Bowl XLII halftime show. Now, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - one of rock and roll's greatest touring bands - will mark their unparalleled string of success with the release of this landmark collection of live recordings that is unlike anything previously available - the band's story told through the music alone.

The producers made no fixes or overdubs, letting the newly mixed original recordings showcase the invention, spontaneity, craft, and the musicianship that has made Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers among the most celebrated live performers of their time. Along with powerful interpretations of their own classic hits and originals, The Live Anthology features the band tackling some of their best-loved cover material, from classics to obscure beauties to unexpected adaptations. The theme from Goldfinger, the Zombies' "I Want You Back Again," the Grateful Dead's "Friend of the Devil," early Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well," Booker T. and the MGs' "Green Onions," James Brown's "Good, Good Lovin'" and many more. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers travel wide, paying their musical debts through song and showing just how confidently the band moves across genres and over time.

The Live Anthology will come in multiple configurations featuring artwork and packing by renowned contemporary artist Shepard Fairey (www.studionumberone.com, www.obeygiant.com). Included in the multiple configurations are, a 5CD collector's deluxe box set available only at Best Buy that will include a first-of-its-kind audio-only Blu-ray disc, a four CD set of 48 tracks, a 48 track digital album, a seven LP vinyl box set of 51 tracks and the entirely unique Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Superhighway Tour (www.tompettysuperhighwaytour.com). The collector's deluxe package will be in Best Buy stores on November 22nd. All other configurations will be in stores and available online on November 24th.

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Thrice Announce "Beggars" Vinyl Release

Thrice announces that the vinyl edition of their latest studio album, "Beggars" (Vagrant), will be available beginning December 15, 2009. The limited edition pressing of 2000 numbered pieces will include a full album download card and an autographed 24-page booklet with exclusive liner notes written by the band. The vinyl will be available in a variety of colors, each limited to 500 copies or fewer.

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THE JOE PERRY PROJECT: More Tour Dates Announced

AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry's solo band, dubbed THE JOE PERRY PROJECT, has scheduled the following dates:

Nov. 10 - The Fillmore at Irving Plaza - New York, NY
Nov. 11 - Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ
Nov. 13 - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom - Hampton Beach, NH
Nov. 14 - House of Blues - Boston, MA
Nov. 15 - Northern Lights - Clifton Park, NY
Nov. 18 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL
Nov. 19 - The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor - Windsor, ON
Nov. 21 - Fantasy Springs Resort Casino - Indio, CA
Nov. 23 - House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
Nov. 24 - House of Blues (Sunset Strip) - West Hollywood, CA
Nov. 25 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA
Nov. 27 - Mesa Arts Center - Mesa, AZ
Nov. 28 - House of Blues - Las Vegas, NV
Dec. 02 - House of Blues - Orlando, FL
Dec. 09 - Toads Place - New Haven, CT
Dec. 11 - The Chance Theater - Poughkeepsie, NY

Perry's fifth solo album, "Have Guitar, Will Travel", was released on October 6 via Roman Records. The hard driving, ten-song, in your face, collection features Perry's trademark rock and blues ferocity, as well as the CD's first single, the blazing "We've Got A Long Way To Go". Recorded this past spring at the BoneYard, Perry's state-of-the-art home studio, where AEROSMITH's "Honkin' On Bobo" and "Just Push Play" were recorded, "Have Guitar, Will Travel" is entirely written and produced by Perry.

Still as scorching hot on guitar as he is preternaturally cool in his persona, "Have Guitar, Will Travel" is a departure for Perry in that the CD was conceived as a band recording. From start to finish it took only forty-seven days to complete. "Making this record in such a short period of time gave us a chance to capture an energy and flow that was very different from the last record," said Perry. "The way the players came together at a time when I had the music and lyrics in my head ready to go was pure synchronicity. The last record rocked, but this one rocks and then some. I'm really proud of it."

"We've Got A Long Way To Go", the CDs first single, showcases the voice of a young German singer known as Hagen, found completely by chance on YouTube by Joe's wife Billie. "I first called him from Cleveland when I went to perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame jam with Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Ron Wood, Flea and METALLICA," said Perry. "It took several minutes to convince him that it wasn't a prank call, but a true invitation to audition to sing on the CD." Hagen mans the microphone for five tracks, while Perry sings lead on four. The remaining tenth song is an instrumental entitled "Wooden Ships".



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QUEEN Drummer Talks About Possible Collaboration With ADAM LAMBERT

In a November 6 interview on the "BBC Breakfast" show, QUEEN drummer Roger Taylor talked about the possibility of a future collaboration with "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert. "We did play in the finale of 'American Idol' with the two final guys, one of whom is . . . Adam," he said. "He didn't actually win, he only got 49 million votes, I think, but he is one of the most phenomenal singers and I think at some point in the future we’d love to — Brian [May, guitar] and I — would like to do something with him maybe. It may happen — we might do something with him in the future. He is phenomenally talented. He has one of the greatest voices I've ever heard."

According to ContactMusic.com, Lambert dismissed rumors he will front QUEEN as he wants to carve out a career in his own right. He said, "They've never actually offered me anything. They expressed interest in working together, but just said they'd like to have a meaningful conversation, and that's it. It could have meant they wanted me to come to dinner with them, it could have meant they wanted to talk about the meaning of life.

"I don't know if joining the band permanently is in the cards for me right now. They're legends; I'm just the new kid on the block."

May told Rolling Stone magazine about Lambert, "There wasn't really a quiet moment to talk, but (Roger Taylor, QUEEN drummer) and I are definitely hoping to have a meaningful conversation with him at some point. It's not like we, as QUEEN, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn't that easy. But I'd certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there."

Gene Simmons, who along with KISS performed with Lambert on their 1975 classic "Rock And Roll All Nite" was less impressed by Lambert, saying, "Respectfully, I don't think Adam is a rock singer. He sounds much more convincing singing ballads and Broadway shows. His voice doesn't seem to have a 'rock quality.' But, I'm sure he's going to do just fine."

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U2's Spider-Man Musical Still Expected To Open In 2010

The musical adaption of Spider-Man, which includes music by U2, is still expected to open in 2010 despite funding fears. Producers and financial supporters met on Friday and are understood to have secured full financial backing for the project.

The big-budget production had been due to open next February at the Hilton Theater in New York City. But work on the musical was halted earlier this year in order to control cash flow issues, reports Variety.

It is now thought that the musical won't open until at least next April. Meanwhile, Reeve Carney, star of forthcoming movie The Tempest, has been cast as lead character Peter Parker. He joins a cast which already includes Alan Cumming and Evan Rachel Wood.

Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark includes lyrics and music written by U2 singer Bono and guitarist The Edge.

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Blackheart Records Xmas compilation, "A Blackheart Christmas"


A Blackheart Christmas is now available to pre-order on vinyl (and available now on CD and MP3) from Joan Jett's Blackheart Records. This includes tracks by Cute Lepers, Girl In A Coma, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Thommy Price featuring Nefertiti Bones, Kenny Laguna, The Dollyrots, and The Vacancies.

1. Blue Christmas - Girl In A Coma
2. The Elf Song - The Vacancies
3. Santa Baby - The Dollyrots
4. Little Drummer Boy - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
5. Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You - The Cute Lepers
6. Father Christmas - The Vacancies
7. I'll Be Home For Christmas - Girl In A Coma
8. Winter Wonderland - Thommy Price, feat. Neferitti Jones
9. Home For Christmas - Kenny Laguna
10. All I Ever Want (Under the Christmas Tree) - The Cute Lepers
11. Silent Night - The Blackhearts featuring special guests

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