Monday, November 30, 2009

Music News & Notes

Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records Holiday Album Available on Vinyl for First Time

The holidays are right around the corner and Blackheart Records, Joan Jett’s record label, will be celebrating with their holiday album A Blackheart Christmas available on vinyl for the very first time. The album features holiday standards from Girl in a Coma, The Dollyrots and original tunes from Seattle punks The Cute Lepers and veteran Blackheart band The Vacancies. A modern take on “Silent Night” closes out the 11-track offering recorded with Joan Jett on vocals and guitar.

Girl in a Coma, The Dollyrots, The Vacancies and The Cute Lepers are all featured artists on Jett’s Blackheart Records, a company she started over 25 years ago, making her the first woman to start her own rock label.

Track Listing:

1. Blue Christmas – Girl in a Coma
2. The Elf Song – The Vacancies (original)
3. Santa Baby – The Dollyrots
4. Little Drummer Boy – Joan Jett and 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 featuring Nefertiti Bones
9. Home For Christmas – Kenny Laguna
10. All I Ever Want (Under The Christmas Tree) – The Cute Lepers (original)
11. Silent Night – The Blackhearts and special guests

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Tetrafusion Artwork Revelaed

TETRAFUSION, the Louisiana-based progressive metal quartet, have unveiled the artwork and track listing for their sophomore effort entitled Altered State.

Altered State track listing:
1. Collage of the Present
2. Monologue
3. Last Chance
4. The Deserter
5. Altered State (instrumental)
6. Shadows
7. Tears of the Past

The album artwork can be viewed below:



Altered State is the follow-up to TETRAFUSION’s self-financed, full-length debut, Absolute Zero. The debut was released to critical acclaim, and was also declared as “one of the best instrumental releases of 2009” by Ultimate-Guitar.Com. Altered State will be the band's first time to feature vocals in their work; duties taken by keyboardist/vocalist Gary Tubbs. Stay tuned at the group's MySpace page to receive future updates and news as the release approaches next year. The album is scheduled for an early 2010 release.

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MENTORS' 'You Axed For It!' Reissued On Vinyl With Two Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks

Out for the first time on vinyl in nearly 25 years, the MENTORS' "You Axed For It!" is ready to shock and gross the world all over again. Stool Sample Records has created an exact replica of the 1985 classic and has pressed a very limited edition of 500 on vivid pink "beef curtain" vinyl. Included in the package is a bonus 7" with two never-before-heard tracks from the infamous trio, including "Animal", a song written about a particular roadie who was notorious for showing up late to gigs.

The MENTORS' lyrics are often credited for the creation of the voluntary, RIAA-administered, parental advisory label "Parental Advisory - Explicit Lyrics" label we've all become so accustomed to seeing. With such classic rockers as "Herpes 2", "Free Fix" and "Clap Queen", who can blame Tipper Gore for her outrage?

Stuart Leonard Sample launched Stool Sample in late 2008 with bands just like the MENTORS in mind; that is, classic bands worthy of re-circulation and re-introduction and with a fan base tired of paying top dollar on eBay for these extremely rare records. Stool Sample is also releasing a picture sleeve 7" containing two songs recorded in Steve Broy's (Dr. Heathen Scumbag) basement in Seattle, Washington in 1977, long before the band was ever signed in Los Angeles.

Both the album and the 7" have a release date of December 15.

For more information, visit http://www.stoolsamplerecords.com/.

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JUDAS PRIEST: Classic Albums To Be Re-Released On Vinyl

Back On Black, which specializes in vinyl editions of classic metal albums and is dedicated to providing top-quality releases for record collectors and metal fans worldwide, has announced that 2010 will see the release of the original classic JUDAS PRIEST albums on vinyl. All albums will be 180gm heavyweight vinyl and packaged in deluxe gatefold sleeves. The first 1,000 copies of each title will come in limited-edition colored vinyl. All editions will contain bonus tracks as per the Sony remastered issues.

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This Is It Slated For Jan 26 Release

Sony Pictures has announced a January 26 release date for the DVD version of Michael Jackson's This is It. The date was moved back to give theaters additional time to show the film and to tie it in with the Grammy Awards.

The DVD version will have an hour of extra footage while the Blu-Ray will have 1-1/2 hours extra along with a Smooth Criminal film that was to show prior to Jackson's performances and a making of for the short film. Both will have two making-of pieces on the full film and shorts on costumes, dancer auditions and Jackson himself.

Marc Rashba, VP of marketing for Sony, said "We're thrilled with the date that we ended up with, where it's at an opportune time in the market. The Grammys follow right after the release date (on Jan. 31). There will be a lot of Grammy areas in stores, and we can play into that."

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Dead Game

Discovery Bay Games and Debbie Gold have published Grateful Dead-opoly, an officially licensed version of Monopoly but, instead of buying streets, you purchase Dead albums. The playing pieces include the bands bus and a drum while the "Chance" cards reference different things that happened in the band's history. More information is available at http://www.gratefuldeadopoly.com/.

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