Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Music News & Notes

Wilco Kicks Off Tour in Miami; "Kicking Television" Vinyl Box Set Due Out April 17

Wilco begins its 16-concert run of Eastern US cities at The Filmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater last tonight. The concerts are presented as An Evening with Wilco and will feature extended, varied sets exploring material from each of the sextet’s seven studio albums. The tour will run through April 11 and includes concerts in Clearwater, Savannah, Atlanta, Durham, Richmond, Bethesda, Montclair, Providence, Boston, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, and features Wilco’s first concert appearances in the cities of Scranton, Pennsylvania; Concord, New Hampshire; and Hartford, Connecticut. Not long afterward, the band heads out for a two-week tour of Japan, New Zealand, and Australia.

With all of these live shows ahead, now is a fitting time to revisit Wilco's 2005 live album Kicking Television, which was recorded live at Chicago's Vic Theatre from May 4 to 7 of that year. Nonesuch will release a special LP box set of the album, pressed on four discs of audiophile-quality, 180-gram vinyl on April 17, just in time for national Record Store Day. The Kicking Television LP box set features the original album's 23 tracks plus eight previously unreleased bonus tracks, and a fold-out commemorative poster modeled after the Chicago skyline. Pre-order your copy now in the Nonesuch Store.http://www.nonesuch.com/albums/kicking-television-live-in-chicago-lp-box-set

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Springsteen Joining In On Record Store Day

Bruce Springsteen is releasing a special vinyl 45 for Record Store Day on April 17. In this case, it will be a 10" (vs. a 7") vinyl single with Wrecking Ball (Live at Giants Stadium) and The Ghost of Tom Joad (Live Version featuring Tom Morello).

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ATP Recordings Record Store Day EP

British independent label ATP Recordings are to release a new EP as part of 'Record Store Day'. Amongst the groups paying their respects to dingy vinyl dens this year are Canadian hardcore types Fucked Up, with British label ATP Recordings amongst the latest to confirm a special release.

A forthcoming EP will feature the best music released on the label, run by the organisers of All Tomorrows Parties. If you've been to Minehead you'll know what to expect - expertly put together, eclectic and often challenging the label's output matches the line up of the famed event.

The new EP will be limited to just 1000 copies, the ten inch vinyl release will feature a number of unreleased tracks. Amongst the artists confirmed for the EP are American group APSE, whose new album became a ClashMusic stereo staple.

Joining the psych-rockers on the compilation are the likes of Built To Spill, Sleepy Sun, Fursaxa and more.

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Culture Club 30th Anniversary

Boy George is looking to reform Culture Club next year for the 30th anniversary of their first forming. While the group split in 1986, they've reformed on and off since, notably in 1998 to record some new music and in 2002 for the 20th anniversary of their first album.

Boy George said "I think we could do a one-off gig or maybe a small tour. It's our 30th anniversary next year so we may do something. Last time we re-formed, there was a point to it. We'll see. It's all about my mood at the time."

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Linn Records To Release New William Orbit Electronic Album on 180 Gram Vinyl and HD Download

Known more for audiophile grade classical, jazz and world music, Linn Records just announced the release of their first Electronica album, 'My Oracle Lives Uptown', by the artist, producer and DJ, William Orbit. This release represents an exciting new partnership between Linn, the world's most lauded record player manufacturer, and William Orbit, a pioneer in the Electronica genre. When mastering 'My Oracle Lives Uptown' at Abbey Road, William was aware that his full vision for the record might never be heard by the listening public. The original Studio Masters would remain just that: archives in the vaults of the famous studios. His fans would have to be content with the standard CD quality version.

But why would anyone want to listen to it at studio levels of quality? "Many people don't feel the need, 'til they hear it!" tweeted prolific micro-blogger Orbit, eager to let the world hear the Studio Masters in all their glory, but with no sign of an outlet.

Serendipity would have it that Linn were listening, and dropped him a line offering their support. William, who happens to have one of Linn's LP12 turntables amongst his vast collection of audio equipment, was not only excited to have his record available at Studio Master quality, but also trusted Linn with it's release on high quality double 180g vinyl.

William Orbit has been in high demand as a producer and remixer for well over a decade, most famously working with Madonna on her 1998 album Ray Of Light, as well as U2, Blur, Britney Spears, Sugababes, Pink and scores of other artists.

The record and download are available from Linn Record's Website.

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Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bret Michaels and .38 Special Summer Tour

Another big summer package tour was announced earlier yesterday featuring Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bret Michaels and .38 Special. The tour starts off on June 10 at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida with announced dates running through July 11 in Pittsburgh. Skynyrd is on the road promoting its God and Guns CD from last fall and Michael's has just released the single Nothing to Lose featuring Mylie Cyrus.

"The band and I have been friends with Bret for years and are looking forward to finally getting to tour with him," Johnny Van Zandt said. "It's going to be a kick-ass show complete with new music plus all the fan favorites. Skynyrd will definitely be pulling for Bret to become the next Celebrity Apprentice!"

Michaels added "There is no doubt that Lynyrd Skynyrd is one of my all time favorite rock and roll bands. I have been friends with them a long time, so I am honored that Skynyrd has asked me to join them on their tour this summer. I will have a chance to play all the Poison greatest hits, plus all the new solo hits including Nothing to Lose, songs from Rock of Love, Celebrity Apprentice and the new solo CD Custom Built.

The dates announced so far:

•6/10 - West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre
•6/13 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
•6/17 - Birmingham, AL - Verizon Wireless Music Center
•6/18 - Raleigh, NC - Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
•6/19 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
•6/20 - Virginia Beach, VA - Virginia Beach Amphitheater
•6/24 - Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
•6/25 - Chicago, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre (Skynyrd & Michaels ONLY)
•6/26 - St. Louis, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
•6/27 - Indianapolis, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center
•7/01 - Boston, MA - Comcast Center
•7/02 - Holmdel, NJ - P.N.C Bank Arts Centre
•7/03 - Buffalo, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
•7/08 - Cleveland - Blossom Music Center
•7/09 - Washington, DC - Jiffy Lube Live
•7/10 - Hartford, CT - Comcast Theatre
•7/11 - Pittsburgh, PA - First Niagara Pavilion

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Music to their ears

A resurgent consumer interest in vinyl records and corporate demand for audio materials sound good to a former punk rocker-turned-entrepreneur

Washington Business Journal - by Timothy Burn Associate Editor

Eric Astor had mixed feelings when his customer base began to shift, as struggling punk rock bands were replaced with corporate clients and later Warner Bros. Records.

As a band member and fixture of the Arizona punk scene of the mid-1980s, Astor demonstrated the can-do spirit of entrepreneurs — and punk rockers — helping fledgling bands get their songs onto vinyl records, packaged and distributed to record stores.

Working with young, off-the-grid musicians to distribute their creative efforts was a labor of love. That work produced little in the way of profit but a great deal in valuable knowledge about the inner mechanics of music manufacturing and distribution.

“Indie musicians are very creative. They are very demanding, picky, and they don’t want to pay money,” Astor says. “Business clients are cut and dry. They need it by a certain date, and they are prepared to pay to get what they want.”

Read the rest here: http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2010/03/22/smallb1.html?b=1269230400

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