Music News & Notes

The Decade of Disturbed Begins!

BURBANK, Calif. - (Business Wire) The countdown to the Decade of Disturbed has begun at www.disturbed1.com!

In March 2010, the band will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the release of their quadruple-platinum-selling debut album The Sickness by reissuing it with exclusive b-sides and expanded artwork, as well as a first-time-ever vinyl edition. Also in March, Disturbed will relaunch their official website with a special section, accessible by a code included with The Sickness reissue, that will contain exclusive clips, updated weekly, of the band recording their upcoming new album, due for release from Reprise Records later this year. There will also be a special DOD section that will be available for everyone.

Released on March 7, 2000, The Sickness is Disturbed’s best-selling album to date, thanks to such hit singles as “Stupify,” “Voices,” and “Down With the Sickness,” which is the seventh most downloaded track of the ’90s according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Formed in Chicago in 1996, Disturbed have sold 11 million albums and six million digital tracks worldwide, and have scored eight No. 1 singles at Active Rock radio over the course of their career. Their latest album, the platinum self-produced Indestructible, debuted at Number One on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart in June 2008 and remained in the Top 10 for five weeks. Indestructible is the band’s third consecutive Number One album, following their platinum-sellers Believe (2002) and Ten Thousand Fists (2005), making Disturbed one of only six rock bands in history to score three consecutive Number One debuts with studio albums.

Disturbed is singer David Draiman, guitarist Dan Donegan, drummer Mike Wengren, and bassist John Moyer. For more on the band, including news about the “Decade of Disturbed,” please visit www.disturbed1.com.

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Roky Erickson to Release New Album with Okkervil River

Roky Erickson may not be a household name anymore, but his band ,the 13th Floor Elevators, are frequently cited as pioneers of the psychedelic rock movement. Since the group's breakup in 1969, however, Erickson has faced a variety of personal setbacks: he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and did time in a hospital for the criminally insane after being charged with marijuana possession.

On April 20, Erickson is set to return with True Love Cast Out All Evil, his first new album in 14 years. The collection, which will be released via Anti-, was produced by Will Sheff, whose group Okkervil River acted as Erickson's backing band on the disc. The band previously backed Erickson for his 2008 and 2009 appearances at SXSW.

The songs featured on the album were chosen by Sheff, who was given demos of 60 unreleased tracks from throughout Erickson's life. The songs that made the cut were written at various times over the past 40 years, including some that were penned during Erickson's time in the asylum.

In a statement, Sheff explained, "There were songs written during business setbacks, including the Elevators’ painful breakup, songs written by Roky while he was incarcerated at Rusk, and a great deal of songs that reminded me of the sense of optimism and romanticism that I think sustained Roky through his worst years."

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The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine Remake Gets Its Cast

Famed director Robert Zemeckis (The Polar Express, Beowulf) has been striving to lend his creative twist to the Beatles' legendary 1968 feature film, Yellow Submarine. Well, now he can, he has his cast.

British actors Cary Elwes, Dean Lennox Kelly, Peter Serafinowicz and Adam Campbell are at the front of the line for portraying the Fab Four, Billboard reports. So who is playing who? Elwes will reportedly portray George Harrison, Kelly will play John Lennon, Serafinowicz has Paul McCartney and Campbell will take on Ringo Starr. Also lending a hand in the Disney film is popular tribute band Fab 4, who will portray the performances of John, Paul, George and Ringo while the music itself will remain genuine Beatles.

Like its predecessor, the flick will remain animated, but in keeping with current practice, this time around it will be computer-animated. As with his latest film, A Christmas Carol, Zemeckis will shoot live actors and then transform them into computer-generated visions, otherwise known as 3D performance-capture technology.

No confirmation has been made on whether or not surviving Beatles McCartney and Starr will have some hand in the remake, though previous reports indicated that Zemeckis is courting both for the project.

Disney aspires to release the film in time for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

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CULT OF LUNA albums slated for vinyl release

CULT OF LUNA are set to have their first two albums released on vinyl LP for the first time ever.

Earache Records will be releasing Cult Of Luna's self-titled debut album and its follow-up, The Beyond, on January 25th on limited edition, double gatefold, coloured vinyl LP, marking the first time these album have ever been pressed on vinyl. The release is part of Earache's "First Time on Vinyl" campaign, plugging the gaps in the Earache catalogue previously unavailable on vinyl.

Cult Of Luna and The Beyond have been specially remastered for this release by producer Pelle Henricsson (Refused, Hell Is For Heroes) and include exclusive new artwork by Cult Of Luna guitarist Erik Olofsson. The debut, Cult Of Luna, includes three songs enhanced and extended specifically for this vinyl edition.

View the exclusive album art and vinyl colours here.

http://earacherecords.com/myspace/col_firsttimeonvinyl.jpg

Cult Of Luna guitarist Erik Olofsson comments: "We chose to re-design the sleeves in a refined Cult Of Luna aesthetic, still honoring the original pieces which are very important for us as well."

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IfIHadAHiFi to Return favor, Name EP After Nada Surf

Milwaukee Noise-Rock Band Returns Favor, Names New EP After Nada Surf

MILWAUKEE, WI – Wisconsin noise-rock ensemble IfIHadAHiFi, flattered by the recent decision by New York alternative band Nada Surf to reference them in the name of their upcoming covers album If I Had A Hi-Fi, have announced that they are working on an upcoming EP of new original material that they will title Nada Surf in return, continuing a proud tradition of mutual collaboration started by groups like U2, Negativland, REM and Green.

“When we found out that Nada Surf were naming their new record after us, we were really flattered and honored,” says HiFi drummer DrAwkward. “We honestly didn’t realize they were such big fans.”

“We were disappointed when they declined to name their 2003 release, Let Go, after us,” added bassist MrAlarm. “A friend had forwarded us an email from their mailing list that explained that they had decided against it because there was ‘a band from the Midwest who had the same idea for their name.’ Apparently over the years they became big fans of ours and decided to do it anyway. And hey, good for them! If there’s an established brand that screams ‘unit movers,’ it’s IfIHadAHiFi.”

In return, IfIHadAHiFi have announced that their new EP, which the band began tracking in December with local musician/engineer Thom Geibel (White Wrench Conservatory, Quinn Scharber and the…), will be titled Nada Surf. “I mean, it’s the least we can do to show our appreciation for the free exposure,” says guitarist Yale Delay. “The music scene’s all about community, you know? If Nada Surf is willing to plug us to their fans, the least we can do is let our fans know that there’s this great band out there called Nada Surf that they should check out.”

However, while the Nada Surf album seems to be built conceptually around the Milwaukee noise-rock group, keyboardist/guitarist/bassist Rev. Ever explains that the favor can’t be returned to quite that extent. “Judging from their tracklist, it looks like a smorgasbord of our influences. I mean, Kate Bush? The Moody Blues? Hell, Depeche Mode are the reason I picked up a guitar. Which I know is weird, since they’re mostly a keyboard band, but whatever. Unfortunately, it’s too late for us to change our tracklist, so none of our songs have anything to do with Nada Surf at all. Sorry guys!”

IfIHadAHiFi are shooting for a summer/fall 2010 release for the Nada Surf EP, to be released on vinyl and flash drive formats on Latest Flame Records, the home of their 2008 release Fame By Proxy (still lots of copies left! For the love of God, please buy one. Our label dude’s been questioning his judgment).

ABOUT IFIHADAHIFI

Self-described “bitter, pissy assholes who play loud, unlistenable cacophony with a dance beat,” IfIHadAHiFi formed in Wisconsin’s Fox Valley in 2000, relocating to Milwaukee in 2002 in order to “make it in the big city.” In a review for their 2001 release Ones and Zeroes, Pitchfork stated “they could stand to be an important band. Or at least a lot of fun.” (The author of the review has not been spotted on the website since.) One of Alternative Press’ “100 bands you need to hear in 2005,” The HiFi have shared the stage with such notables as Melt-Banana, Rocket From the Tombs, NoMeansNo, Poster Children, and most recently opened the Milwaukee show on the Jesus Lizard’s 2009 reunion tour. Women want to know them, and men want to know their secrets.

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Little Boots Set to Release Much-Anticipated Full-Length Album

British dance-pop sensation Little Boots will release her much-anticipated full-length album debut, "HANDS" in the U.S. and Canada March 2nd, 2010 on Elektra Records. "HANDS," which was released in June '09 in the UK, features the hit songs "Stuck on Repeat," "New In Town" and current single, "Remedy," which the NY Post recently praised as a "synth-pop gem" and named one of their "Top 209 songs of 2009." Beginning today, "HANDS" will be available for preorder as CD and limited edition vinyl at: http://store.elektra.com/collections/little-boots-us-webstore

Little Boots -- known to her family and friends as Victoria Hesketh -- is without question the most talked-about new UK pop star of 2009. She was named one of NME's Best New Artists of the year, won a BRITs Critic's Choice Award and BBC's distinguished "Sound of 2009" poll and is the first artist to have appeared on the Jools Holland show TWICE before an album release. Here in the U.S., Rolling Stone named Little Boots as one of their prestigious "Artists to Watch" and Nylon Magazine hailed, "Synth sensation Victoria Hesketh a.k.a. Little Boots is poised to reinvent pop one small dance step at a time."

The Blackpool-born performer first captured attention as a member of electro-indie combo Dead Disco. Opting to pursue a solo career as Little Boots, she assembled an arsenal of synths and began airing her developing work on YouTube for all to see. Earlier this year Little Boots' U.S.-only "ILLUMINATIONS" EP was released and served as an ideal introduction to her acclaimed brand of futuristic electro-pop. The five-track EP featured rare and exclusive tracks including the irrepressible anthem, "Stuck on Repeat" which started it all.

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Simon & Garfunkel Confirm Sole 2010 U.S. Gig at New Orleans Jazz Festival

Rolling Stone is reporting that Simon & Garfunkel have been added to the first weekend of this year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, marking the lone U.S. performance the legendary duo will make in 2010. The pair will perform on Saturday, April 24th, the second day of the festival, which runs until May 2nd.

“Over the years I’ve always enjoyed performing at Jazz Fest,” Paul Simon said in a statement. “Everyone connected with the Festival, and in particular Quint Davis [director of Jazz Fest], has created an atmosphere that is both musical and enjoyable. I am looking forward to the opportunity to perform with my old friend Art Garfunkel at this year’s Festival.”