Music News & Notes

Paul McCartney confirmed for IOW

The Isle of Wight Festival is extremely proud to announce that the legendary Paul McCartney will be headlining the Main Stage on Sunday 13 June bringing this year’s festival, which takes place from 11-13 June, to a spectacular close.

Renowned the world over, Paul McCartney awoke a generation giving a fresh sound to rock n’ roll, changing the face of music forever, first with The Beatles and then as a critically acclaimed solo artist. Across a career that has spanned over 30 years, he’s penned some of the most famous tracks ever written, including 'Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’, 'Live and Let Die’ and 'I Saw Her Standing There’, meaning this year’s festival-goers will be in for something truly special as this living legend performs a rousing set.

Paul McCartney says: 'I always remember hearing such great things about this festival and it has such a sense of history with the likes of Jimi Hendrix playing there the first time round. This will be my first show on the Isle of Wight and I’m looking forward to a rollicking night of rock n’ roll'.

Paul’s live shows have reached a new legendary status in recent years garnering unprecedented reviews from fans and critics alike wherever he goes. He’s pushed boundaries, performed to millions and made global news with monumental shows including performances in Red Square, Russia, outside the Coliseum in Rome, performing live to a NASA space station and the largest outdoor show ever in the Ukraine.

The UK got a recent taste for Paul’s live show last Christmas when he bought his 2009 'Good Evening Europe’ tour to a climatic and memorable finale at London’s 02 Arena, his only UK show of 2009. Reviews for the show were phenomenal and prove that Paul McCartney is a live experience that no one should miss.

This special show at the Isle of Wight Festival is part of Paul’s all new 'Up And Coming’ tour which starts in the US in March and comes to the UK and Ireland in June.

In addition to Paul McCartney, other world-class artists performing on Sunday’s Main Stage include Pink, Editors, Spandau Ballet and Friendly Fires. Across the course of the weekend over 45 acts will take to the stage including Jay-Z, Blondie, The Strokes, Florence + The Machine, Biffy Clyro, Crowded House, Paloma Faith, Mr. Hudson, Orbital, La Roux, Marina and the Diamonds and many more.

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U2 top earners poll of 2009

U2 have been named at the highest earning band of 2009, according to Billboard’s annual poll.

Even though the Irish band’s latest release 'No Line On The Horizon’ had disappointing sales, Bono and the boys have still grossed more cash in US last year than any others.

The magazine claim that even though the 360° Tour is one of the most expensive ever U2 still made $109 million, which works out at approximately £71 million.

In second place was Bruce Springsteen with $58 million (£38m) and Madonna third with $48 million. Rockers ACDC came in fourth with $43 million dollars, followed by the Princess of Pop, Britney Spears, who earned $38 million dollars.

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Library Tosses Rare Vinyl Record Collection

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library decided to toss out its collection of vinyl record albums, some of which we found are worth a lot of money.

The old records are being sold for just a dollar apiece, but a music enthusiast got his hands on some albums that could be worth well over a thousand times as much.




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SOUNDGARDEN: Debut SUBPOP Single To Be Reissued For 'Record Store Day'

A limited-edition, orange-vinyl seven-inch reissue of SOUNDGARDEN's debut SubPop single, "Hunted Down" and the B-side "Nothing To Say", will be available at select independent record stores on "Record Store Day" (April 17).

"Record Store Day" celebrates the continued existence of independent record stores, mostly through live in-store appearances, performances and special limited-edition releases that will only be sold through participating stores on the day itself, which is April 17 this year.

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New Jeff Healey Studio Album and Live DVD Set For Release

Stony Plain Records announces an April 6 release date in the U.S. and Canada for Jeff Healey's final jazz studio album, Last Call, which showcases the beloved legendary musician performing the music that was his true passion in life: the classic jazz, swing and pop sounds of the 1920s-1940s.

Released with the participation and support of Jeff Healey's widow, Cristie, Last Call is a 14-track collection on which Healey plays multi-tracked guitar parts, trumpet and sings. On several of the songs, he's accompanied by Ross Wooldridge on piano and clarinet and Drew Jurecka on violin.

Hi Res Cover ArtConcurrent with this CD in Canada, Stony Plain will also release, Beautiful Noise, a concert DVD featuring Jeff Healey and The Jazz Wizards, his regular jazz performance band, originally recorded for the Toronto-based TV show, "A Beautiful Noise," in January, 2006. In the U.S., the Beautiful Noise DVDwill be released on March 23 and distributed by MVD Entertainment Group.

Last Call was Jeff's last jazz/swing recording before his death in March, 2008 of cancer. Mess of Blues, an album of his fan-favorite blues and roots songs released shortly after he passed away, won the Blues Award for "Best Rock/Blues Release" in 2009; and the Songs from the Road live CD,released in September of 2009, won the "Recording of the Year" at the 2010 Maple Blues Awards.

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EVANESCENCE To Enter Studio This Week

EVANESCENCE frontwoman Amy Lee has confirmed that the band will enter the studio this week with Grammy Award-winning producer Steve Lillywhite (U2, THE ROLLING STONES, PETER GABRIEL, CHRIS CORNELL) to begin recording its third album for a late fall 2010 release.

"I can't explain how excited I am to make this record," said Lee. "Over the past year and a half, these songs have become the center of my life, and I can't wait to hear what they grow into in the studio. I think our sound is evolving into something that will surprise people, in a very good way. I feel, as always, that growth can be an incredible, limitless thing if you let it. I never want to make the same album twice."