Music News & Notes

U2's THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE REMASTERED

U2's fourth album, The Unforgettable Fire, has been remastered and will be released by Mercury Records on 26th October.

This special edition marks 25 years since the album's original release in October 1984. Recorded at Slane Castle, Ireland, The Unforgettable Fire was the first U2 album to be produced by Brian Eno and Danny Lanois, and spawned two top 10 UK singles - 'Pride (In The Name Of Love)' and 'The Unforgettable Fire'.

Special formats of The Unforgettable Fire will also feature bonus audio material, including two previously unheard tracks from the Slane Castle sessions: 'Yoshino Blossom', and 'Disappearing Act' (a track which the band recently completed), and a DVD including music videos, a documentary and unreleased live footage from the Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope Tour in 1986.

The Unforgettable Fire has been remastered from the original audio tapes, with direction from The Edge and the album will be available in four formats:

* Limited Edition Box Set: containing 2 CDs (remastered album and bonus audio CD), a DVD with live footage, documentary and videos, a 56 page hardback book with liner notes by The Edge, Brian Eno, Danny Lanois, Bert Van de Kamp and Niall Stokes, and 5 photographic prints

* Deluxe Edition: containing 2 CDs, the remastered album, and the bonus audio CD which features B-sides and previously unreleased material, a 36 page booklet with liner notes by The Edge, Brian Eno, Danny Lanois and Bert Van de Kamp

* CD format: featuring the remastered album

* 12" vinyl format: 16 page booklet with liner notes by Brian Eno, Danny Lanois and Bert Van de Kamp

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Jawbox Reissue Set

Seminal DC post-punk band Jawbox will reissue their consummate release, For Your Own Special Sweetheart, on November 24th. The album, which was originally released on Atlantic Records in 1994, sees the band returning to their roots at the renowned Dischord Records as well as their own DeSoto label, which will work together to release this reissue. Jawbox was one of the cornerstones of the pivotal DIY punk label, in good company with bands such as Fugazi, Minor Threat, Rites of Spring and Shudder To Think.

With the help of Dischord and engineer Bob Weston (Pixies, Jawbox, and member of Shellac), For Your Own Special Sweetheart is meticulously remastered and will be re-released on both CD and vinyl. And, according to bass player, Kim Coletta, "it just sounds a whole lot better." The collection will include the entire original song line-up along with three additional tracks that appeared on the Savory +3 EP released by Atlantic in 1994. The vinyl version will include a coupon redeemable for free digital download of all songs including the bonus tracks.

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Devo Whips Up New Major Deal And Tour

Devo is headed back to the future thanks to new deal with Warner Bros. Records, the group's original major label, and a series of concerts celebrating a pair of older albums.

The company has announced a "unique, ground-breaking worldwide partnership" during which it will "internationally service all aspects of the band's career, including recorded music, touring, merchandising, web services, promotion, e-commerce, sponsorships, licensing and endorsements."

It begins with the November 3 release of deluxe editions of 1978's gold album "Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!" and 1980's platinum "Freedom of Choice" on both CD and limited-edition colored vinyl, as well as a seven-inch vinyl single featuring "Jocko Homo" and "Mongoloid."

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Buckcherry Set Album Release

Buckcherry will release their first live album, Live & Loud 2009, on September 29th. Buckcherry are giving their fans what they've never had before – a live album that combines their raw and explosive on-stage energy with their catalogue of smash rock staples. The album will be released on Eleven Seven Music with distribution through RED.

Live & Loud 2009 will feature the band's biggest hits like 'Sorry' (#2 on Billboard's Hot AC chart), 'Crazy Bitch' (#3, Mainstream Rock), 'Lit Up' (#1, Mainstream Rock), 'Ridin'' (#9, Mainstream Rock) and 'Everything' (#5, Active Rock). The new live album will also feature songs from Buckcherry's current release Black Butterfly (named Album of the Year for 2008 by Entertainment Weekly and Best Rock Album of 2008 by iTunes critics), including 'Talk To Me' which was recently the #1 most added track at active rock radio.

This fall, Buckcherry will tour with KISS on a trek being routed through www.eventful.com/KISS. The site allowed fans to vote at the website to "demand" what cities they want to see the tour hit. More than 8,000 cities and towns were represented on the fan-submitted list.

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Floyd To Rock Band or Guitar Hero?

Say it ain't so. Despite how some musicians feel about music 'n' rhythm games, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason isn't entirely ruling it out for his band. With The Beatles: Rock Band having just released, the BBC asked him if we could be seeing a Pink Floyd Rock Band or Guitar Hero game, to which he replied, "I think we'd consider it."

While he isn't a big supporter of the genre (he thinks it deters kids from learning real instruments, just like other celebs do), he did add, "Everyone's looking at new ways of selling the music because the business of selling records has almost disappeared."

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Trumpeter Chris Tedesco Releases New Jazz CD

Los Angeles Trumpeter Chris Tedesco has officially released his new Jazz Big Band and Studio Orchestra CD entitled Living the Dream.

Eight big band tracks along with two, thirty piece orchestra tracks along, four of those with vocals by Tony Galla. The CD reminds one of visions of 1962 Capitol Reocrds with Sinatra and Basie live in the studio.

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OBITUARY: ‘Left To Die’ EP Released On Limited-Edition Hand-Splattered Bloody Vinyl

Night Of The Vinyl Dead Records has released a limited-edition vinyl version of OBITUARY’s “Left To Die” EP. Only 500 hand-numbered copies were made available on hand-splattered bloody vinyl, including an insert.

“Left to Die” contains four songs: two new originals (“Forces Realign”and “Left To Die”), a 2008 studio recording of “Slowly We Rot”, and a cover of “Dethroned Emperor” by CELTIC FROST.

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PARADISE LOST: Entire New Album Available For Streaming

"Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us", the new album from British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST, is being streamed in its entirety on the band's MySpace page. The CD will be released via Century Media Records on the following dates:

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy: September 25
Spain, Portugal: September 29
Sweden, Finland, Hungary: September 30
Rest Of Europe: September 28
USA: October 6

The limited formats of this landmark gothic metal opus will include two orchestral versions of the album tracks "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" and "Last Regret", which were recorded by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra in July 2008.

The limited-edition deluxe two-CD includes special packaging (DVD-sized Mediabook with O-Card in a special leather look) and a bonus track, "Cardinal Zero", on Disc 1 plus a separate bonus CD featuring the "Lost In Prague" tracks. All vinyl lovers will be delighted to hear that the album is going to be available as limited edition gatefold LP, including the bonus track "Cardinal Zero", the orchestra mixes on a separate bonus 7" EP, the entire album on CD (in a blank sleeve), and an exclusive poster.

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Joe Perry Gives Steven Tyler Silent Treatment Over Canceled Aerosmith Tour

Fans aren’t the only ones frustrated over the cancellation of Aerosmith’s summer trek. In an interview with the AP, guitarist Joe Perry expressed extreme disappointment that the band was unable to see the tour to its end—so much so that Perry hasn’t spoken to lead singer Steven Tyler in over a month.

“The tour was building up to be a great tour, and I was pretty [upset], you know,” Perry told the AP. “I haven’t talked to him in over five weeks. I don’t know what’s going on with him. I hear he’s getting better, but I don’t know I really don’t know what’s going on with him.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers had to cancele their trek with ZZ Top after Steven Tyler fell off the stage during a concert in South Dakota on August 5th, suffering a broken shoulder and requiring 20 stitches to the back of his head. Tyler’s fall was one of several health-related pitfalls that found Aerosmith postponing dates and using substitute members.

In a candid interview, Perry said the incident - and Tyler's other recent problems - proved the band needed to examine their current status.

"All I know is he's got to get his act together,” Perry said.

“I mean, he and I haven't written a song together alone in the same room in over ten years, so there's been some changes in paradigm of what Aerosmith is.”

Maybe they needed a break in the action and Tyler is recovering from his missed dance step. Time, my friends, give it time.

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Ozzy Honored

Ozzy Osbourne will receive the Legend of Live Award at the Billboard Touring Awards on November 5 in New York. The award is given to those who have made a significant and lasting contribution to live music and the touring business.

Ray Waddell of Billboard said "Ozzy has altered the course of rock music and live performance through his work with Black Sabbath and as a hugely popular solo artist, and his continued commitment to playing live makes him the perfect choice for the Billboard Legend Of Live award. There is no doubt that Ozzy's impact on live music, including pioneering the multi-act rock festival touring with Ozzfest, will be felt for many years to come, and his efforts continue to shape the touring landscape in this century."