Music News & Notes

Hey Folks, 09/09/09 Today is Beatles Day!

The fourth quarter of 2009 for the music and video game industries looks like it's shaping up to be all about the Beatles. And both could use some "Help!" The video game industry has high hopes The Beatles 'Rock Band' will pull it out of recession and there is no reason why it won't, as a new generation is now discovering the iconic rock band.

It's been 40 years! The band, which released its last full album of original music in 1970, is the focus of the simultaneous Wednesday release of "The Beatles: Rock Band" for the Rock Band video game franchise, as well as the digitally remastered box set of the Beatles 13-album discography by EMI. Analysts expect a spike in video game and CD sales, which have been declining through the year.

For audiophiles the release of the remastered CDs in mono and stereo will be the first re-release of the Beatles catalogue since 1987.

"It's probably the biggest catalogue remaster that has ever happened," said Paul Bromby, EMI's senior marketing manager heading the re-release for the London-based company.

Today, 09/09/09 is music history!



Now, there are unconfirmed rumors about the Beatles' music being available for digital downloading...just in time for Christmas I bet.

Pick Up Your Beatles The Beatles [Stereo Box Set] Here:


========================

ANVIL CHORUS' new album, "The Killing Sun", will be released on September 29 via Rockadrome Records.

Nearly three decades after the group's formation and a couple years after their recent reformation, this legendary underground band unleashes its full-length debut. Consisting solely of newly recorded material from ANVIL CHORUS' early '80s heyday, it's destined to be the classic album everyone has long expected from this magical group. Led by guitarist Thaen Rasmussen and vocalist/bassist Aaron Zimpel, the group's integrity is fully maintained and should please anyone who has followed the band through the years or owned any of their heavily circulated demo tapes. A 16-page color booklet with liner notes written by San Francisco metal legend Ron Quintana (KUSF radio, Metal Mania fanzine) and cover art by Mark Devito (MOTÖRHEAD), packed with lyrics, photos and memories, complete this magnificent and much-anticipated release.

Musicians featured on the recording include:

Aaron Zimpel - Vocals, Bass, Synthesizer
Thaen Ramussen - Guitar, Vocals
Joe Bennett - Drums
Phil Bennett - Keyboards, Piano, Hammond B3
Doug Piercy - Guitar ("Deadly Weapons", "Red Skies", "Man Made Machines", "Death of a Dream", "Tales", "Blade", "Once Again", "Such is Life")

Additional musicians:

Carlos Hernandez - Guitar (Death of a Dream)
Mark Bradley - Piano (Once Again)
Jon Simon - Keyboards (Once Again)

========================

POWERMAN New Release In October


POWERMAN 5000 has new music in the works and are hard at work on a new release for 2009. They have now revealed the cover art for the name album, which is titled ‘Somewhere On The Other Side of Nowhere.’ The album hits stores on October 6th, 2009.

In a recent interview Spider commented:

“We made this record with a clear vision and a purpose. We wanted to reclaim a sound we created and represent certain influences as only a band like Powerman 5000 can. While writing we would watch Godzilla or Ultraman films to ensure the sonics were on point. We knew that this record needed to sound like the footsteps of a giant robot!”

The album will be available on i tunes and all digital outlets as well as in CD format with a 12 page booklet.

==========================

Rammstein confirms artwork for upcoming single


The single, available exclusively via iTunes, is the first new music to come from the Berlin-based band in over four years. Having sold three million albums in the U.S. alone (and over 14 million worldwide), anticipation for the new album, whose title has been a closely guarded secret, is high with rumors running rampant worldwide as to the theme and contents of the new release. The album will be released in the U.S. via Universal Music Germany through a marketing and distribution deal with Vagrant Records on Oct. 20.






==========================

David Bowie Gets Spider Named After Him


Joining the ranks of Neil Young and Stephen Colbert, rock’n’roll legend David Bowie has had a newly discovered species of spider named after him.

According to a report from the Guardian, the new species of Malaysian spider has been discovered by spider genius Peter Jäger, who has apparently found 200 new kinds of spider in the last ten years.

Jäger says the purpose of naming the spider after the celebrity is to alert the world to its endangered status. "It is working against time," he said. "Along with the species, we are also quickly losing genetic resources that have evolved over more than 300 million years."

The giant, yellow, hairy spider has been named Heteropoda davidbowie, and yes, that’s him pictured up at the top.

No word yet on whether the spider is from Mars.

==========================

New Album cover art for "Haulin Ass" by Thunderhorse


ThunderHorse was formed by San Jose natives Pete Rice and Justin Estep. Pete and Justin met in high school back in 1992 and played together in the ska/punk band The Janitors Against Apartheid. After the Janitors broke up, they both pursued a career in electronic music and occasionally teamed up to bang out tracks. Frustrated with the lack of a rock/metal scene in San Jose, they returned to their instruments of choice in 2000. Both created names for themselves in the local music scene by playing in bands such as: American Avenue, Highcyde, A Life in Vain and If Time Fails.

As fate had it, they both ended up at the same practice facility and started collaborating in February of 2007. Always having been fascinated with medieval times they decided to make that the band's theme and settled on the name ThunderHorse. Missing that final component of low-end they found Manell "Ian" Menor in July of 2007 on craigslist. Ian's thunderous bass playing compliments Justin's loud, machine like drumming. Together, they round out the ThunderHorse sound.

Gary “80” Velasco, the newest member of ThunderHorse will be adding to the stampede, bringing back that duel guitar sound we all know and love. The combination of Pete’s crunchy rhythm and Gary’s triumphant leads bring the thunder to the horse. Taking from all their musical influences ThunderHorse has managed to invent a style of their own, creating a style of metal that will stand out in any crowd. Ian and Pete will also be sharing vocal duties now at shows. Stay tuned for studio versions in the near future!

========================

Bad Religion Reissues Coming (very limited releases)

Epitaph Records has represessed three of Bad Religion's classic early albums. The records include "How Could Hell Be Any Worse?", "Suffer" and "No Control".

Each album is limited to 300 copies and available directly through Epitaph's merch store.

"How Could Hell Be Any Worse?" includes the 1st EP, "Back To The Known" and songs from the "Public Service" Comp, similar to the 2004 CD remastered version, while "Suffer" and "No Control" are repressed on orange and green vinyls respectively

========================

Jay-Z Rush Releases 'The Blueprint 3', Announces Huge Tour
In the US...

Jay-Z has rush released his new album 'The Blueprint 3' after it leaked online.

The rapper's latest effort was due out on September 11 to coincide with the eighth anniversary of the original 'Blueprint'.

But as a result of the album's leak earlier this month, fans can now purchase the album from today (September 8).

Meanwhile, Jay-Z has also announced details of a huge US tour, which will begin in Philadelphia on October 9.

========================

Houston On Top

Whitney Houston's "I Look To You" is expected to top the pop charts this week, according to Billboard analysts.

The diva is on pace to sell over 200,000 copies this week of her new album… her first in seven years. She's competing with a new EP from Miley Cyrus, "The Time Of Our Lives" – a Wal-Mart exclusive initially set for release this week, but that dropped last Friday instead, selling 62,000 copies to enter the Billboard 200 at No. 3 on the current chart. Whitney's last album, 2002's "Just Whitney," entered the charts at No. 9 with 205,000 copies sold, on par with her expected numbers for "I Look To You."

========================

I'll Drink To That

American Songwriter magazine has published their editor's list of the all-time ten best drinking songs.

Drinking songs have been around since almost the beginning of time, at least in the annals of handed down folk music. They have been sung at parties, on sailing ships and at most other big occasions, especially where everyone knows the words and everyone can join in. Today, drinking songs have a very firm base in country, folk and blues music; however, the people at American Songwriter have not chosen any blues songs and only one from the folk genre. Maybe they drank too much and have forgotten some of the oldies (what about "In Heaven There Is No Beer or 99 Bottles of Beer on The Wall?) Can anyone think of any more that belong on the list?

1. Tequila - Champs
2. There's a Tear in My Beer - Hank Williams
3. Whiskey River - Willie Nelson
4. Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett
5. Gin and Juice - Snoop Dog
6. Brass Monkey - Beastie Boys
7. Whiskey in the Jar - Traditional
8. Red Red Wine - UB40, Neil Diamond
9. Chug-a-Lug - Roger Miller
10.The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me) (An Evening With Pete King) - Tom Waits