AVENUE OF ALLIES PRESENTS ITS NEXT RELEASE, THE BRAND NEW STATE COWS ALBUM: Avenue Of Allies presents its next release, the brand new album The Second One by the amazing Swedish Westcoast band State Cows is due out on May 24.
“The Second One” with its stellar song writing, the perfect arrangements, the great harmony vocals and the impressive list of guest musicians is the perfect addition to the CD collection of everyone looking for the classic Westcoast sound along the lines of Airplay, Pages, Steely Dan, Marc Jordan, Michael McDonald, David Roberts, Toto and Chicago. For the recordings of “The Second One”, Daniel Andersson and Stefan Olofsson invited an amazing cast of musicians, Bill Champlin, Jay Graydon, Michael Landau, Ian Bairnson, Peter Friestedt and Sven Larsson are among the featured session cats on this highly anticipated trip back in time.”
When Daniel Andersson and Stefan Olofsson released the self titled State Cows' debut album (Avenue 1008 0016) in 2010, the feedback from the fans and the media alike was nothing short of phenomenal. The reviewers wrote, “Westcoast music at its best“, “a future classic among Westcoast fans”, “by far the best release in the Westcoast genre in recent years”, “an absolute must for anyone who is seeking a contemporary Westcoast outfit”, “they totally nailed the classic Westcoast sound but they have a unique style all their own”. And one of the true icons of the genre, Jay Graydon, who contributed a guitar solo to the song “New York Town”, said: “These guys have surely taken West Coast Pop to another level adding the freshness of youth. Great songs, arrangements and performances!“ Accolades galore, raising the expectations for the follow-up to a very high level and with their sophomore album aptly titled “The Second One” the Swedes have definitely managed to live up to their reputation as one of the best Westcoast bands since the glory days of the genre ended almost 30 years ago.
For the recordings of “The Second One”, Daniel and Stefan invited most of the musicians who already conduced to the success of the first album again. Jay Graydon returns for a guitar solo on upbeat “In The City”, but he is not the only one of the former L.A. session cats who makes an appearance, Michael Landau plays the guitar solo on “This Time” and you can listen to Bill Champlin's vocals on “Finally Fair and Balanced” with the typical arrangement you expect when you hear Bill's voice. Ian Bairnson of Alan Parsons Project / Keats fame played a guitar solo on “I Got Myself Together”, while the local Swedish guitar talents, Peter Friestedt and Sven Larsson paid a courtesy visit for a guitar solo on “Mister White” and “Hard Goodbye” respectively.
“The Second One” with its stellar song writing, the perfect arrangements, the great harmony vocals and the impressive list of guest musicians is the perfect addition to the CD collection of everyone looking for the classic Westcoast sound along the lines of Airplay, Pages, Steely Dan, Marc Jordan, Michael McDonald, David Roberts, Toto and Chicago.
All songs written, produced and arranged by Stefan Olofsson and Daniel Andersson. Recorded at White Cherry Hill Studios. Mixed by Stefan Olofsson. Mastered by Stefan Olofsson. Horn arrangement on “In the City” by Per Bejstam. Flugelhorn solo on “Mister White” arranged by Hans Hjortek.
State Cows are: Daniel Andersson: vocals, guitars; Stefan Olofsson: keyboards, synth bass.
Guest musicians: Bill Champlin: vocals on “Finally Fair and Balanced”; Michael Landau: guitar solo on “This Time”; Jay Graydon: guitar solo on “In The City”; Peter Friestedt: guitar solo on “Mister White”; Sven Larsson: guitar solo on “Hard Goodbye”; Ian Bairnson: guitar solo on “I Got Myself Together”; Peter Holmqvist: guitar solo on “Scofflaws”; Göran Turborn: guitar solo on “California Gold”; Samuel Muntlin: EWI solo on “Nineteen Eighty-One”; Pär Wretling: flugelhorn solo on “Mister White”, flugelhorn on “California Gold”; Per Bejstam: trumpets, flugelhorn on “In The City”; Peter Olofsson: drums; Lars-Erik Dahle: bass; Mikael Emsing: percussion; Marcuz Granberg, Christian Thomsen: backing vocals.
WebLinks: www.statecows.com / www.facebook.com/statecows.
xx
In further news, Avenue Of Allies will start a new section for releases called New Venture Music. Everything will be handled like for any other Avenue Of Allies release, but for internal reasons we decided to establish this new brand for signings of bands delivering us a finished album, rather than our own projects on which we will continue to work on with Avenue Of Allies, and the high quality re-issues of the Avenue Archives series.
Our partner for the promotion activities of New Venture Music is Germusica (www.germusica.com). The first two releases on New Venture Music are due in mid-June 2013, they are the debut album by the Spanish Melodic Rock / AOR act Indicco and the third album by Italian Hard Rockers Markonee.ť
THE WINERY DOGS FEATURING ROCK VETERANS SIGN WITH LOUD & PROUD RECORDS: The Winery Dogs, the power trio featuring rock veterans Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Avenged Sevenfold), Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big) and Richie Kotzen (Mr. Big, Poison), have signed with Loud & Proud Records. The Winery Dogs' self-titled debut album will be released in North America on July 23. The Winery Dogs was self-produced and mixed by Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Stone Sour, Steel Panther). It features a classic rock/power trio sound which seamlessly melds the immense talents of the three veteran rockers.
The band has already released two videos from the new album, “Elevate” and Desire, the latter of which recently premiered on Ulitmateclassicrock.com. Both videos can now be seen on their official YouTube page.
Of The Winery Dogs' signing, Mike Portnoy commented, “I am so excited about The Winery Dogs and am proud and honored to be working with two of the greatest musicians on the planet! Richie Kotzen is such an unbelievable talent, as a vocalist, guitarist and songwriter. I think The Winery Dogs will finally get him the attention and recognition that he so richly deserves. And what can be said of Billy Sheehan that hasn't been said already? He is one the true pioneers of the instrument and a legend. I am looking forward to working with the great staff of Loud & Proud Records, some of whom I worked very closely with during their time at Roadrunner and my time with Dream Theater. I look forward to continuing that relationship with The Winery Dogs!”
Loud & Proud Owner & President Tom Lipsky added, “The debut by The Winery Dogs absolutely rocks and we are very excited that Loud & Proud is their label partner. This body of work showcases not only their renowned skills as musicians and vocalists, but also the depth of their talent as songwriters. Billy, Mike and Richie delivered some of the best performances of their illustrious careers and I am confident this album will be recognized as one of the truly great rock albums of the year."
Touted as one of the best guitar players in the world, Richie Kotzen also possesses a voice on par with some of the greatest rock/soul singers and is highly regarded as a gifted songwriter. With guitar styles ranging from rock, blues, jazz and fusion to pop and soul, Kotzen has built a remarkably diverse 20-year career as a guitarist, singer and songwriter. A prolific songwriter, Richie has written several songs that have gone on to become hit singles around the world and he continues to appear in countless books, magazines and websites, being acknowledged as one of the top guitarists in the world. Mike Portnoy is one of the founding members of Dream Theater, with whom he played drums for 25 years, selling more than 10 million copies worldwide. Portnoy's long list of awards include 26 Modern Drummer magazine Reader's Poll Awards, including Hall of Fame Inductee in 2004, MVP of the Year in 2010, Best Progressive Rock Drummer (for the magazine's record of 12 years in a row), Best Clinician (twice), Best Educational Video/DVD and Best Recorded Performance of the Year (seven times) while in Dream Theater and Avenged Sevenfold. He also holds the distinction being the second youngest drummer ever inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame (at age 37) and is currently the youngest in the magazine's Hall of Fame. DRUM! Magazine named him Drummer Of The Year for the last two years in a row (2011 & 2012), and he won the Revolver Golden Gods Award for "Drummer Of The Year" in 2011.
As a founding member of Mr. Big, Billy Sheehan forged his place in hard rock history. Mr. Big's trademark virtuosic musicianship with stellar vocal harmonies and earned them numerous hit songs, including the ubiquitous "To Be With You,” which was a Billboard Hot 100 #1 single in 15 countries, propelling the band to major international success and record sales in the multi-millions. Sheehan was voted the "Best Rock Bass Player" 5 times in Guitar Player magazine's Readers Poll, earning him a spot in their “Gallery of Greats” along with Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Geddy Lee, Eddie Van Halen and more, and he has won several Reader's polls around the world. He won the prestigious Player magazine (Japan's #1 Music mag) Reader's Poll for Best Bass Player an unprecedented 14 consecutive times and Burrn! magazine's (Japan's #1 heavy metal mag) Readers' Poll five times. His hands and signature are preserved in cement on the Rockwalk at Guitar Center in Hollywood, CA.
Stay tuned for U.S. tour news, which will be announced in the coming weeks.
About Loud & Proud Records:
Loud & Proud Records was founded in 2007 by Tom Lipsky, and is currently in an exclusive distribution, marketing and label services agreement with RED Distribution, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. The label's mission is to provide a true and transparent partnership between artists and their record label. Loud & Proud aims to establish and proliferate a new business model which will appeal to both veteran and emerging artists of all levels and status. Labels under Lipsky's direction in the past (CMC International, Sanctuary) have been among the market leaders in the veteran artist space, delivering Gold and Platinum albums and DVDs for Neil Young, Lynyrd Skynyrd, KISS, The Allman Brothers Band, Widespread Panic, Iron Maiden, Styx, Megadeth, Bad Company, REO Speedwagon and more. In a previous joint-venture with Roadrunner Records, Loud & Proud was responsible for new albums by Rush, Rob Zombie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kiss, Lenny Kravitz, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, The Steve Miller Band, Collective Soul, Meat Loaf and Ratt. Loud & Proud Records is a registered trademark of Lipsky Music, LLC.
Track Listing: 01. Elevate 02. Desire 03. We Are One 04. I'm No Angel 05. The Other Side 06. You Saved Me 07. Not Hopeless 08. One More Time 09. Damaged 10. Six Feet Deeper 11. Criminal 12. The Dying 13. Regret.
NEWMAN RETURN WITH 10TH STUDIO ALBUM:
UK melodic rock band Newman will release their new album entitled Siren through AOR Heaven in July. Songs include the storming opener "Scar Of Love", the anthemic "Had Enough", and "Feel Her Again", a song which features Robert Säll (Work Of Art, W.E.T.) on guitar. Other album tracks include the uplifting "When It Comes To Love" co-written by Nick Workman (Vega, Kick) who also adds background vocals and the driving rhythm of "Some Kind Of Wonderful", one of two songs written by Steve Newman and Pete Newdeck (Tainted Nation, Eden's Curse).
Full track listing: 1. Scar Of Love 2. Had Enough 3. Arcadia 4. Another Bitch Of A Night 5. Feel Her Again 6. Some Kind Of Wonderful 7. Siren 8. When It Comes To Love 9. Crossfire 10. Waiting For The Day 11. The Foolish One 12. Don't Know Why.
More details to follow soon.
Newman will make their U.S. live debut at MelodicRockFest 3 - September 27-29 in Chicago, IL. www.melodicrockfest.com for tickets and details.
WebLinks: www.newmansound.com / www.aorheaven.com.
GLENN HUGHES WAS ASKED TO JOIN THE BABYS IN REUNION ATTEMPT:
Former Babys keyboardist/guitarist Michael Corby has added a series of sensational Facebook Blog posts to his page, dishing up previously unknown details behind an attempt to get The Babys back together in the mid-part of the last decade.
His first post - under the heading The Babys - Reunion Attempt 2003-2007; Corby posted the letter he originally wrote to singer John Waite, attempting to get a reunion rolling. Waite denied ever getting the letter: "For those who never saw the story regarding The Babys reunion attempt, details of which were posted in 2008 after John Waite refused to acknowledge that he had ever received the letter which follows a short introduction here. A few months ago John finally admitted ihe had received it but refused to open it. This was after lying about it over and over again. He now formally claimed, in his delusional mind, that he thought it was a letter from me trying to get free tickets to attend a Country Music concert with his ex-fiancée, Alison Krauss in London, England."
Post: www.facebook.com/notes/michael-corby/the-babys-reunion-attempt-2003-2007/494569077263973.
It gets better with Corby's second post, describing a plan he hatched to bring in Glenn Hughes to replace Waite, as the band expected the notoriously difficult singer to bail: "Now, there was a 'Plan B' to all this. It was a guy on standby in case Waite was still as idiotic and impossible to deal with as he was back in 78. So, enter one Glenn Hughes, an old acquaintance of mine. If Waite wasn't going to do it I fancied replacing him with a guy who can out-sing him a thousand times over and can play a bass like a god instead of like a complete 4th rate amateur, at best... and let's not delude ourselves here, I'm being generous to Waite. Musically speaking, he can barely play a note and has no real right to refer to himself as a musician. This, Plan B would give The Babys the finest rhythm section in the world. The heritage of an ex-Deep Purple player was also a great mix with the rest of us."
Full post (and worth a read): www.facebook.com/notes/michael-corby/the-final-reasons-for-the-babys-2003-2007-reunion-failure/494749673912580.
Trevor Bolder, the bass player who was one of the founding members of David Bowie's legendary backing band the Spiders From Mars, died Tuesday at the age of 62, after suffering from pancreatic cancer for several years. The English musician and record producer was also known for being a member of British rock group Uriah Heep, joining them in the late 1970s and playing with them throughout his career. He appeared on the band's most recent album, Into the Wild, in 2011, and was planning to join them for their performance at the Download Festival in June, reports NME.
The famed bassist underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer earlier this year, in which he had part of his pancreas removed. "They've cut out the bad bit. I've had a bit of chemo, got to have that, which I'm doing now, in case there's anything hanging about,” Bolder told Classic Rock magazine in February. Bolder played on several classic Bowie albums, including Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, and Aladdin Sane.
Uriah Heep issued the following statement about Bolder's death: "It is with great sadness that Uriah Heep announce the passing of our friend the amazing Trevor Bolder, who has passed away after his long fight with cancer. Trevor was an all time great, one of the outstanding musicians of his generation, and one of the finest and most influential bass players that Britain ever produced. His long time membership of Uriah Heep brought the band's music, and Trevor's virtuosity and enthusiasm, to hundreds of thousands of fans across the world. He joined the band in 1976 and, barring one short break, was a fixture until his ill health forced him to take a step back early this year."
Lead guitarist Mick Box said, "Trevor was a world class bass player, singer and songwriter, and more importantly a world class friend. He will be sadly missed by family, friends and rock fans all over the world. We are all numb to the core."
Bolder also played with Mick Ronson, Wishbone Ash, and the Cybernauts.
British journo Dave Ling posted earlier today in tribute of Trevor: "What truly awful news. At 7.30pm we lost Trevor Bolder, one of the most talented and likable guys in rock music. Heep's Mick Box says: "Trevor was a World Class bass player, singer & songwriter, and more importantly a World Class friend. He will be sadly missed by family, friends and rock fans all over the world. We are all numb to the core." RIP, Trevor 1950-2013."
SEBASTIAN BACH READY TO SING HIS FACE OFF:
From: www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/abc-orders-celebrity-competition-sing-448417 / The network home to Dancing With the Stars and Splash has picked up six episodes of Sing Your Face Off, a talent variety competition featuring five celebrities transformed to train as a legendary musical icon, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The series, based on Endemol Spain's Your Face Sounds Familiar, will feature celebrities -- who have yet to be cast -- taking on iconic musicians as they undergo hours of makeup, choreography and vocal coaching. Each episode will feature the complete physical transformation -- including the icon's walk, talk, mannerisms and more -- as the celebrities compete in front of judges and a studio audience. In addition to being tasked with a physical transformation, participating talent also will have to actually perform music from their assigned icon each week. Participating celebs will transform to play -- and sing -- multiple musical performers during the series. Details on prizes still are being worked out.
Here's an exclusive though - one of the "celebrities" for Season 1 is none other than Sebastian Bach! And here is the man in action during rehearsals:
PHIL VINCENT GETS HIS FACE TO IT:
News from Phil Vincent: "Greetings to my friends in the music community, Well, here we are, 16 years and 28 releases later (14 solo albums and 14 from my bands Tragik, Legion, D'Ercole, Presense & Circular Logik) and I'm still introducing myself! For those of you not familiar with my work please go to: philvincent.com or www.philvincentbands.com to check out my entire discography. Face It is the most recent representation of my work as a songwriter, vocalist and musician. I play all the instruments on this release and have written all the songs. This is truly a solo album. No loops, no drum machines, no sequencers, just a human being playing musical instruments. I hope you enjoy listening to the material as much as I enjoyed making it.
As I reflect back on my 16 year career, I see one thing hasn't changed……my passion for creating music. I'm not doing this for the money and if I total up all the money I've spent trying to create, promote and produce my music, I would be a wealthy man today. J But I have no regrets. I'm healthy, have a great family, have friends that I treat like family and still get excited about music. I listen to a lot of music, old and new, and I'm still amazed by how powerful it is. I try to incorporate all my influences in everything I write. From the Beatles to Foreigner to Judas Priest to Queen to Pantera to Dokken to the Backstreet Boys to Winger, I wear my heart on my sleeve and I hope you find something in this CD that appeals to you and makes you feel the way I have felt. Like the first time I heard Boston's debut album, or “Fragile” by Yes, or “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath……you get the picture. And make no mistake…… I'm in no way making any kind of comparisons with “Face It” to those masterpieces but my intent when creating new music is always to move the listener, in any way I can.
If you like “Face It”, please direct your readers/listeners to visit philvincent.com, www.philvincentbands.com, www.cdbaby.com, iTunes, and all the other digital outlets so they may listen to samples and purchase this double CD. Oh, I forgot to mention there is a second CD “Solar Flare”, last year's digital only release now on CD included in the package. 2 Cds for a one CD price. My way of saying “Thank You” for allowing me the opportunity to do this for 16 years.
So crank it up loud and immerse yourself in the music. I hope it moves you."
Take Care and Keep Rockin', Phil Vincent.
COMING UP FROM SPV GERMANY:
Some updated release news from SPV Records in Germany:
September 23: Running Wild “tba” – new studio album "Adrian" will be back!!!!; Lita Ford “tba” – new live album; Hirax “Immortal Legacy” – new studio album.
October 28: Vengeance "tba" - new studio album; Mad Max "tba" - new studio album.
Coming in 2014: New studio albums from Axel Rudi Pell, Magnum, Lita Ford and Freedom Call.
VIDEO RELEASE -"FOR THE LAST IN LINE" - A TRIBUTE TO RONNIE JAMES DIO:
A reminder of the Dio tribute song from Fatal Smile:
Today May 16 it´s three years ago Ronnie James Dio sadly passed away... A true rock'n roll hero was taken from us as he - as so many others do - lost his battle against the most fierce enemy mankind has met so far: cancer!
This is a day of mourning, for us who loved him and his music, his fans and most of all those close to him. We´re really happy that we had a chance to support Dio on his Scandinavian tour in 2008 and to meet him in person. He will be remembered as the kind-hearted and most gentle soul we´ve had the honour to tour and share the stage with...
We strongly believe that Ronnie will be remembered forever, by generations to come. He will never be forgotten. Anyone as influential and unique becomes a legacy. We will surely do our best to keep this legacy alive, to honour it and the great man behind it.
Fatal Smile a video for the song that we wrote in great sorrow after we got word from Dio´s management of his passing on May 16, 2010. A song that means so much to us. It is a song filled with respect and love, and the first ballad in Fatal Smile history. The song is called "For the last in line" and is taken from our latest album "21st Century Freaks".
Lyrically it focuses on the fact that Dio´s fight for cancer must go on, that we must pull together to keep the fight alive until it's won, and that Ronnie can rest assure that we will never give up no matter how many heroes are made and lost. This is the most important fight humanity has before him, and it is a shame that so much is spent on destroying one another and so little in the fight of survival. Let Ronnie be a reminder of that. A never ever forgotten reminder!
He would surely have wanted to be a part of the victory to come! So let´s all get together and help us to fight cancer by donating to the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund - diocancerfund.org.
Enjoy the video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vY5D43WQJw.
And never ever forget - Ronnie James Dio - R.I.P.
KINK'S LEGEND DAVE DAVIES TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM 'I WILL BE ME' JUNE 4:
Los Angeles, CA - The man who forever changed the sound of rock 'n' roll when he invented distortion, Kink's legend Dave Davies, has recorded a brand new solo album of all original material! To be released on Cleopatra Records on June 4, 'I Will Be Me' features guest appearances by The Jayhawks, Anti-Flag, award winning UK blues guitarist Oli Brown, Chris Spedding, US stoner rock band Dead Meadow, Aussie rockers The Art, Geri X and others! In support of Dave's new album release, a special engagement of Live performances in New York and Los Angeles are scheduled for the end of May to mid-June! Dave Davies founded the Kinks in the early 1960s and forever changed music after he sliced up the speaker cone of a little green amp and created a revolutionary, distorted guitar tone and frenetic solo on the song "You Really Got Me". Musicologist Joe Harrington described the Kinks influence: " 'You Really Got Me', 'All Day And All Of The Night' ... were predecessors of the whole three-chord genre ... The Kinks did a lot to help turn rock n roll into rock." In 1998, writer Bill Crowley wrote, "As lead guitarist and founder of The Kinks, Dave Davies is one of the most unpredictable and original forces in rock, without whom guitar-rock styles including heavy metal and punk would have been inconceivable. A member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Dave's massive guitar sounds have inspired bands from Van Halen to Green Day."
Dave's new album 'I Will Be Me' is a return to his ground-breaking guitar sound and innovative songwriting. His classically English voice shows off a new depth but still hits his famous high notes in this collection. The hard rocking track "Livin' In The Past", takes a look at obsession with all things retro but, ever the Mod, Dave surprises with the lyric, "No matter what they do or say, the future's here to stay!" He takes a look back with "Little Green Amp", a playful, punk homage to days when his jagged, blues driven sound wave ripped ahead of the British Invasion through stereos the world over. "Cote du Rhone (I Will Be Me)", an uncensored look at ugliness in the world today, is as angry and biting as any song in Dave's repertoire with an innovative yet heavy slide guitar tone. Soothing lyrics and sounds of Jonathan Lea's sitar playing on "Healing Boy" show Dave's sensitive side. In a recent radio interview he said, "Rock music is a positive force for good." This hopeful and optimistic vision manifests and bridges themes personal, social and universal in 'I Will Be Me'.
To pre-order Dave Davies – 'I Will Be Me' CD: www.amazon.com/Dave-Davies-Will-Be-Me/dp/B00CA9VQBQ/ref=sr_1_17?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1366047104&sr=1-17&keywords=dave+davies.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
TWO CLASSIC ROBERT HART ALBUMS REMASTERED AND DUE IN JUNE: Escape Music is pleased to announce the release of a Robert Hart double album retrospective. The vocalist for Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Bad Company and The Distance), Robert Hart's two acclaimed solo albums are – Cries and Whispers and Robert Hart. Both albums are now to be released as a two CD Set – plus *2 bonus tracks fully re-mastered will be released in Europe June 21.
Track List: Cries and Whispers: White Lies And Promises / Heart / Dear Mary / Such An Easy Revolution / Cries And Whispers / This Has Got To Be Love / A Little Love Is Overdue / Mankind / High On Love / One To One / She's On The List / Heart-Arty Olive Mix / *Your Hurt As Much As Love Someone (bonus track).
Robert Hart: Heart And Soul / Angel / Ridin' On The Wind / I Don't Want To Be Here When You're Gone / Boys On The Corner / Fooled Around And Fell In Love / Someone To Watch Over Me / Better Than The Rest / Running Man / A Little Love Is Overdue / * Faster Than The Speed Of Love (bonus track).
The 2CD set will be packaged in a deluxe digipack along with full booklet and lyrics to every song.
Robert Hart is a British Rock Vocalist and songwriter. His career has seen him play with the likes of The Distance, Bad Company and Company of Snakes, as well as the Jones Gang and more recently Manfred Mann's Earth Band. His recording styles have varied and he can range from West Coast to Blues Rock to Hard Rock, such is his ability.
In 1989 Robert recorded a solo album "Cries and Whispers" which can be described as prime time AOR and has been a highly sought after recording ever since. The Album was originally released on Atlantic Records with Stewart Levine at the production desk.
Three years later Robert was the first recording artist to be signed by Hollywood Records which was owned by Disney and had the pleasure of working with the great Russ Ballard. The resulting album "Robert Hart" charted in more than 18 countries and it was a great AOR Rock Album that got him noticed by Bad Company's Mick Ralphs who then asked him to front Bad Company following the departures of Paul Rodgers and Brian Howe. In 1995 Robert Co-wrote the album "Company of Strangers" and he has since become a household name in Rock Circles.
These two albums in one package are a dream comes true for all fans of hard Rock and AOR, and it "essential" list should be placed on the "as soon as possible!
At the moment Robert Hart is working with Jim Kirkpatrick (FM guitarist) on a new project name Diesel and is due to be released in autumn 2013.
WebLinks: www.Escape-Music.com.
MELODICROCK.COM & ROCK SOLDIERS PRESENTS PAUL LAINE DOWNUNDER IN DECEMBER: Paul Laine will be heading to Australia in December 2013 and will be playing two live shows backed by Oz rockers The Radio Sun. This will be Paul's first ever live dates in Australia and he will be playing a selection of songs from his solo work, Danger Danger and Shugaazer catalogue. Paul Laine & The Radio Sun will play in Melbourne, Australia on Tuesday December 3 at The Cherry Bar and in Sydney, Australia on Thursday December 5 at The Valve Bar & Venue. A night not to be missed by fans of AOR/heavy rock! Tickets are $20 AUD plus $5 AUD for registered mail delivery (total $25 AUD) and can currently be purchased through Paypal at: powerpopski@hotmail.com.
AS ABOVE, SO BELOW - THE UNAUTHORIZED YNGWIE BIOGRAPHY:
The long awaited As Above, So Below - The Unauthorized Yngwie Biography by Sweden's legendary rock journalist Anders Tengner was released world wide in English on May 8 on the Kindle platform. The book was a smashing success in Sweden and received praise. "Impossible to put down" and "The best rock bio in a decade" according to Swedish media. The foreword is written by Joe Lynn Turner and among the interviewed are Graham Bonnet, Ron Keel, Jeff Scott Soto, family members, ex-wives and girlfriends, managers and other musicians like Eric Singer from Kiss. This is the most revealing look ever into the controversial life of the King of Shreds. The book includes over 60 never-before-seen pictures.
Readers say:
”A lot better than the official one!” - Andy Gavin
”This book gives a lot more details about his life.” - William Philips
”Very good! I like how someone who wasn't even there every minute (Anders) managed to put together this awesome way to give us a glimpse of how it all started” - Behshad Kowassarie
”I feel like a door has been opened to Yngwie the man, his inner-child, his failings and success and the reasons why all hell broke loose” - Steve N. Mavronis
”The Amber chapters are an eye opener.” - Alex Kaalund
”Don't let the unauthorized tag lead you to believe this is some kind of gutter journalism.” - Reader review on amazon.com
”I feel ALOT closer to Yngwie after reading about his young life and teen pranks” - Beverly Bonneau
”Enjoyed the book thoroughly. It was quite addictive. I don't know that we'll see characters quite like these again!” - Chris A. Brooks
”Fabulous book! I've just finished reading it, and feel compelled to start again. I think it's infinitely more interesting than Yng's book. Very well written and thorough...loved it!” - Suzanne Marie
The English version is not available in print, only as an ebook. Here's a link to order: www.amazon.com.
Follow us at Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheYngwieBio.
RICK DERRINGER DOCO HITS KICKSTARTER:
Gary Mayes, Wayne Johnston, and Doug Kovach in Dallas, TX have been working on a Rick Derringer documentary for the last 3-4 years and have had the opportunity to interview a number of legendary names in the music industry. The project is 100% endorsed by Rick and is in the final stages of production. They have reached out to the classic rock community through a kickstarter campaign to help bring this documentary to fruition. Please visit: www.kickstarter.com/projects/992140502/rick-derringer-all-american-boy-still-alive-and-we to view a preview and maybe pledge a donation. Every little bit makes a difference and there are some cool perks at different price levels. So be a part of Rock and Roll history in bringing Rick Derringer's life story to the World!
THE FIRST EVER SOLO ALBUM OF SAVATAGE MASTERMIND JON OLIVA:
More than thirty years after the start of his career with Savatage, and successive projects/bands like Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Jon Oliva's Pain, now legendary songwriter and performer Jon Oliva releases his first ever solo album, titled Raise The Curtain. On June 21st (USA: July 2nd) the master's new piece of work will be available as CD Digipak (first edition) and 2-vinyl (gatefold, limited to 800 copies worldwide). The album will be released simply under the banner Oliva and you can expect a mixture of Jon Oliva's early influences and the material he wrote and recorded throughout his whole artistic career.
Tracklisting: 01. Raise The Curtain 02. Soul Chaser 03. Ten Years 04. Father Time 05. I Know 06. Big Brother 07. Armageddon 08. Soldier 09. Stalker 10. The Witch 11. Can't Get Away 12. The Truth (Bonus Track).
STATION OFFERS MELODIC METAL FOR THE MASSES:
With a seemingly renewed appreciation of classic melodic metal sounds throughout the world (Sirius' Hair Nation, 'That Metal Show,' etc.), New York City-based rockers Station couldn't have picked a better time to issue their EP, Wired, and launch their latest tour, which will focus primarily on the east coast. Comprised of members Patrick Kearney – vocals, Chris Lane - guitar, Mike Anderson – bass, and Brian Karl - drums, Station iss looking to record a full album worth of anthemic rockers. And as evidenced by such tunes as "Everything" and "Don't Take Heaven Away from Me," such an album would be a rocking good time. "I think we offer songs not heard in today's rock scene. Our songs range from upbeat to powerful and stay anthemic the whole way through. We incorporate our emphasis on musicianship into the performance. Essentially, I feel Station is a rock band in the classic sense (like they were forever until the late 90s modern day came around)," explains Lane. "Our music has a pop quality to our brand of hard rock not seen since bands like Guns N' Roses. We offer anthemic songs that everyone can relate to and sing along with. We believe it's rock music you can feel. It's what comes out of us and is very honest."
And the group already has producer Michael Wagner on their side (who has worked with everyone from Dokken to Metallica over the years). As Kearney adds, "We contacted Michael about working together since he is one of our favorite producer's based on his past work. He responded to us within 15 minutes that he would love to work together. Michael is an all-around fun and really good-natured person, not to mention an incredible talent. He made recording (which could be 15 hour days) a fun and rewarding experience the whole time. He has true passion for music and loves what he does. Nobody would ever know he's sold something like 95 million albums by talking to him, very humble and down to earth. He also flew up to NY in March to come to our EP release party; which was amazing."
In addition to their union with Wagner, Station has been invited to perform at this year's Rocklahoma Festival. "We are really looking forward to the festival and honored to be playing alongside some of our heroes, including GNR, Alice in Chains, Cheap Trick. Rocklahoma is a big step for us and having been invited to play is extremely exciting."
As far as what the future holds in store for Station, the quartet have some big plans in store. "The band is looking to record a full length album and bring our music to everyone who will listen, all around the world. The next few months will see us performing around the country."
Confirmed Station Tour Dates [with more to be announced]:
5/23: Acoustic performance at ROK, Pryor, OK
5/26: Performance at ROK, Pryor, OK
6/15: The Room, Brookfield, CT
6/29: Arlene's Grocery, New York, NY
7/13: Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT
7/19: The Huntington Manor Fireman's Festival, Huntington, NY
8/6: Performance at Musikfest, Bethlehem, PA
For more information, visit: www.stationband.com / www.facebook.com/stationnyc / www.twitter.com/stationnyc.
JACK RUSSELL TO BE FEATURED IN UPCOMING DOCUMENTARY ABOUT NASHVILLE: Jack Russell may not be the first musician that comes to mind when you think of Nashville, but the city of Nashville holds a special place in his heart, which is why he is one of the featured artists in the upcoming Music City USAť, a documentary by Chris McDaniel. This film is about the resiliency of this legendary town, and the musicians that call it home, have been inspired there and the incredible spirit of Nashville- Music City. The film features musicians from all genres, country, reggae, rock, etc. and the antagonist in the film is the Nashville flood. Also featured in this inspirational movie are Naomi Judd, Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, Charlie Daniels and MANY MORE. Jack talks about the healing powers of music, which have played such a huge part in his life, his recovery and his recent comeback to once again command the stage he was born to be on.
This will be a must see for any musician, and anyone ever touched by or inspired by music. For more information go to: www.musiccitymovie.com.
ECLIPSE LIVE IN SPAIN: MetalSymphony.com has uploaded some photos from Eclipse concert May 18, 2013 at Sala Rockitchen in Madrid, Spain. Also available are pictures of support act Strangers. Check them out at this location: www.metalsymphony.com/?p=13219#gp.
Eclipse's setlist was as follows: After The End Of The World, Hometown Calling, To Mend A Broken Heart, Wild One, Battlegrounds, A Bitter Taste, Guitar solo, Bleed And Scream, Ain't Dead Yet, S.O.S, Unbreakable, Hard Time Loving You, Drum solo, The Unspoken Heroes, About to Break, Wake Me Up -- Under the gun, One love, Breaking My Heart Again.
American fans can finally witness the band live in the USA at MelodicRockFest 3 - September 27-29 as part of W.E.T. and with their own set. Tickets available now at: www.melodicrockfest.com.
KROKUS - "DIRTY DYNAMITE" GOES PLATINUM:
From the Krokus Newsletter: "Right before the first concert of our sold out "Closer Contact Doeg Tour" our record label Sony Music presented us with gold and platinum record awards. Swiss boulevard paper "Blick" reports in today's edition: For almost 40 years they have been in the charts with every one of their releases. During the presentation the band's founder, producer and bassist Chris Von Rohr points out: "We worked extremely hard on this album and gave it our all. Bottom line, it was worth it". And vocalist Marc Storace adds: "It's an incredible feeling after so many decades to still be on top of the Swiss music scene".
During the bands long spanning career they have sold over 14 million albums worldwide. All concerts of their current tour are sold out. Chris Von Rohr adds: "We would like to thank all of our fans from the bottom of our hearts for their continuous support over the years. We never had so much fun as a band with this album than any other and we will rock (for you) till the very end".
Meet Our New Drummer Flavio Mezzodi
For Flavio Mezzodi a childhood dream has come true. "At age 10 I wanted nothing more than playing in a rock band and play all over the world", he states. "And now that dream has become reality". The drummer from Solothurn, where Krokus is from, is officially the new drummer of the band. Bassist and producer Chris Von Rohr says it best: "The precision and groove of his drum work is exactly what our band needed. We are extremely happy that we found him." Three years ago Freddy Steady left the band that had sold over 14 million albums worldwide, establishing Krokus as the most successful Swiss rock band ever. The new platinum awarded CD Dirty Dynamite was recorded with a session drummer. Adds Marc "The Voice" Storace: "Now we are complete again."
Flavio learned his drum skills at the Dante Agostini Drum School in Paris. He also teaches at numerous schools drumming, whenever he is not touring with Krokus. He played professionally with Swiss acts Stefanie Heinzmann and the band Fox. Mezzodi grew up listening to Krokus. One of the first records he ever heard was the band's 1980 "Metal Rendez-Vous" release.
Over the almost four decade's time, the band's drumming job has been often vacant. Freddy Steady left the band multiple times. The other Swiss drummer, Dani Crivelli, tragically passed about three weeks ago. Marc Storace further explains: "Flavio is a great human being and musically fits perfectly into our line-up. With him on drums, we will rock with even more power."
Sold Out Shows - In support of our Platinum CD Dirty Dynamite we kicked off 5 sold out concerts in Zurich (2) and the band's hometown of Solothurn (3). It was a magic experience for us to connect with you, the fans. Zurich and Solothurn, You rocked!!
OUTLOUD SINGER CHANDLER MOGEL NEEDS YOUR HELP TO WIN "BEST UNSIGNED ARTIST OF THE MONTH": Chandler Mogel has been nominated for "Best Unsigned Artist of the Month" in the popular Australian publication Starcentral Magazine. But he needs your help! If you'd like to see Chandler win and receive a big feature in the magazine next month, please vote by clicking on the link below, scrolling down to the bottom and clicking on Chandler's name where it says "Vote". There's no registering or signup required - you simply click and vote and that's it. And you can vote once per day so multiple votes are welcomed!
Contest ends May 23rd, 2013. Click here to vote now!
A NEW BAND FOR GLYDER'S BAT KINANE: Maggy Simpson is the brainchild of Bat Kinane and Shane Counter. Having known each other for over 10 years, and sharing a passion for high quality original Rock music, this is the first major work the pair will release. There have been a few collaborations in the past: Shane wrote some music for Bat's first solo album, 'A Lifetime to Kill', and they put together a small library of production pieces in 2009, as The Random Event Factory. However, this is the first time they have been able to commit to something truly substantial over an extended period. With initial discussions taking place in June 2012, the final work steadily came together over a 10 month period, culminating in a mid-2013 release.
Guitarist, Singer & Songwriter Bat rose to prominence as leader of Classic Rock merchants, Glyder. A number of Bat's musical contributions here started as demos for Glyder albums. Shane has released several Instrumental Progressive Rock albums, and also has a keen ear for the more direct melodic requirements of Production Music. The album also features Davy Ryan (ex-Glyder) on drums throughout. Renowned for his precision, reliability and versatility, Davy is a top class session player working regularly in both the live arena and studio settings.
Today, we are delighted to announce the first public airing of the opening track from the album 'Lab Rat and Lobster'. Here are a few words to explain more about the song called 'High Time to Die': soundcloud.com/maggysimpson/01-high-time-to-die.
Bat: 'This song is about the old cliché of a drink, drugs and rock n' roll lifestyle: If you want to get high, you must be prepared to die. It's often true that the best career move any rock star can make is to die.'
Shane: 'Rage Against the Machine-inspired riff seeks belting chorus with monster sludge riff to form a meaningful relationship! Based on a song Bat wrote about the 'value' of artists once they have passed away, we played around with this one a lot to get the right tempo and key, slowing it down and making it progressively heavier. In the end we made fullest use of a 7-string tuning, taking a C# riff and re-rooting it 14 semi-tones down to a low B. The music is at times dirty and sleazy, and at other times it is buoyant and aggressive (this is Rock 'n' Roll, after all!). The outro section features a sick sounding Whammy lead, harmonised with both 1 and 2-octave shifts.'
A YouTube clip has been also released for the track "Gun Fun" A Song about our obsession with guns and how they make up so much of we watch as entertainment on TV every day, www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDkEfiBK0_0.
Friday, May 17, 2013
INTRODUCING THE THREE LIONS: Three Lions is a new project featuring the very cool trio of Vinny Burns, Greg Morgan and Nigel Bailey. More news to follow, but they have made their way to Facebook (www.facebook.com/threelionsuk) with the following introduction:
"3 Lions is the sensational eponymously titled debut album from this new British 3 piece rock band. The band consists of Vinny Burns (Dare, Ten, Asia) on guitar, Greg Morgan (Dare, Ten) on drums and introduces Nigel Bailey on vocals and bass guitar. 3 Lions features 12 brand new tracks, written by the band and also collaborations with Alessandro Del Vecchio on 2 songs. Recorded at The Viper Room, Coil Tap Studios in the UK and Ivory Tears Studio in Milan, this album combines massive guitar riffs and great hooks alongside driving rhythms and powerful, yet emotional vocals. The album was produced by Alessandro at Ivory Tears Studio in Milan.
The band was formed when Vinny, Greg and Nigel were introduced by Serafino and Alessandro at Firefest in October 2012. The guys hit it off straight away and immediately set about writing new material for the album. The first single, Trouble In A Red Dress, captures the energy of the band and is a classic foot stomping rock song with an infectious groove, soaring guitars and a chorus you have to sing along with. The video was shot on location in Milan and shows the band performing on stage, where they belong. The album is made up of songs that were written without an agenda. "We set out to write good songs, the only criteria was that all of us liked them" said Nigel, "Working with Vinny and Greg has been a blast and we were all determined to make the best album possible and are immensely proud of the songs that have made it onto the final record".
From the eastern influenced Kathmandu, to the driving power of Hellfire Highway and Twisted Soul, to the heartfelt ballads Made For One Another and Don't Let Me Fall. This album delivers passionate performances from the guys. Vinny's trademark guitar work is, as you would expect, filled with emotion and feel. "I wanted to start with a blank canvas for the guitars" says Vinny. "This album allowed me to show a different side to my playing whilst retaining the familiar sound and feel fans of Dare and Ten will recognise". "Working with Vinny again has been great fun and Nigel brings something new to the table" said Greg. "This is definitely a record made by a band, not just a studio project, and that really comes across in the songs. We had an instant connection as musicians but also as people and we cannot wait to get out and perform these songs live soon". 3 Lions is scheduled for release on the Frontiers label later this year. Hear The Roar!!!
NEW GRAND DESIGN SINGLE AND VIDEO:
For all of you 80s fanatics! Swedish melodic rockers Grand Design has today released the new digital single/video Baby It's You, a re-vamped and Grand Designerized cover of Candian band Promises 1978 hit. The video is the first release featuring the new line-up and the song also features a special guest. Since Grand Design is all about the 80s, Swedish singer Susie Päivärinta of the popular Swedish 80s pop-duo Lili & Susie does an stellar guest appearance, hitting some pretty high notes in this old classic.
The single can be purchased from iTunes, www.cdbaby.com, Rhapsody, Amazon etc. and the video is up on YouTube, to be see here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc_jhCLbHHw.
Grand Design was formed in 2006 by vocalist/producer Pelle Saether, and the band's first 1st album “Time Elevation” was release by AOR Heaven in October 2009. The album featured guest spots from guitarists Janne Stark and Tommy Denander. The release gained massive success and was awarded 'best album' and 'best song' by BeRockRadio and received numerous top 10 positions for “best album 2009”. Several concerts, including the prestigious FireFest in Nottingham, UK proved that Grand Design also deliver live. Pelle Saether comments: ”Since we all love Def Leppard, it will always be an influence we use to spice things up.”
Two years later, it was time for Grand Design's second album – “Idolizer”. Pelle says: “We knew we had found a formula to make an 80's rock record work in the 21st century – so why change it?” With new anthems like “Get On With Action”, “OughtoGraph” and “Your Love's A Runaway”, “Idolizer” followed up the fans expectations. Grand Design again proved that the songs and sound of 80's rock belong in your players and on the big stages.
In 2012 the line-up saw singer Pelle Saether and guitarist Dennis Vestman, now flanked by guitarist Janne Stark (Constancia, Overdrive etc), bassist Mats Vassfjord (Chris Laney Band, Scaar) and drummer Peter Hermansson (Talisman, John Norum, 220 Volt).
Early 2013 the band has finished two new songs, featuring guest singer Susie Päivärinta (of Lili & Susie) and a video of the song “Baby It's You” will be unearthed. The band also welcomes new drummer Magnus Ulfstedt (Eclipse, Jimi Jamison, Talisman, Lion's Share etc) as Peter is devoting his time to the re-united 220 Volt. Magnus makes his debut on the band's new video.
WebLinks: www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/3594093.
THE INFINITE STAIRCASE DEBUT MUSIC VIDEO FOR 'THE PRIDE':
The Official Music Video for The Prideť Featuring Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, ex- Ozzy Osbourne), Kevin Martin (Candlebox, The Gracious Few), Morgan Rose (Sevendust, Call Me No One), John JDť DeServio (Black Label Society, Cycle Of Pain) & The Infinite Staircase, the song written and recorded for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, is now streaming at this location: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Htf9cW6jAuo&feature=share&list=PL-18UXAop4N9vpjihk9re3Zak1tK0H26j.
The video was directed by Ralph E. Savercool lll, a musician/filmmaker from Middletown, New Jersey who briefly filled in as The Infinite Staircase's drummer following The Black Label Bash Tour in 2009. He has built up a name for himself over the years playing in local and regional acts such as Whole In One, Room 237, Stone Playground & The Rear View. He also has a predominant movie review column at www.facebook.com/SavesSceneReview
For more information on Ralph go to: www.facebook.com/Ralph.savercooliii or www.YouTube.com/rsavercool.
While the video for The Prideť will be available for download soon, an online store, theinfinitestaircase.bigcartel.com has been launched in the mean time where you can purchase a limited edition CD single that features the song, the music video and two special previews of the forthcoming new releases by The Infinite Staircase including demo clips of their new Ep with Morgan Rose as well as clips of their covers EP with John JDť DeServio.
Among other items being offered, you can also purchase a limited amount of drum heads used by Morgan Rose in the studio and signed by Rose and brothers Lenny & Jeff Cerzosie. All proceeds from sales of items pertaining to The Pride are being donated to the Carl Vincent Bini Memorial Foundation.
The Prideť was released digitally on February 5th, 2013 via Vanity Music Group with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the Carl Vincent Bini Memorial Foundation.
The song was recorded at Architekt Music, the state of the art recording facility in Butler, New Jersey where Sevendust recently tracked Black Out The Sun and The Infinite Staircase continue to record their new album with Morgan Rose. It was mixed by house engineer Mike Ferretti (Sevendust, Call Me No One) and mastered by Alan Douches (Fleetwood Mac, Yes) at West West Side Music in New Windsor, New York.
The Prideť spent 6 weeks on America's Music Charts Mainstream Rock Radio Top 40 with it's highest ranking being #27.
The Infinite Staircase plans to release their follow-up single, Just To Meet You Thereť, in June. The song features, in addition to Rose on drums, Sean Memphisť Hennesy of Candlebox and The Gracious Few on guitar and Cycle Of Pain's Troy Cromwell on Keyboards.
The Carl V. Bini Memorial Fund was founded in honor of Firefighter Carl V. Bini, a member of the FDNY tragically taken during 9/11. The fund's mission is to memorialize the heroism of its fallen hero by providing aid to those who so desperately need it now and in the future.
WebLinks: www.theinfinitestaircase.com / www.facebook.com/TheInfiniteStaircase.
MRX UPDATED: MRX has been updated with some fabulous Westwood 1 Live Superstar Concerts from:
- Pat Benetar - WW1 1989
- Steel Breeze - WW1 1982
- Tom Petty - WW1 1987
- Huey Lewis & The News - WW1 1986
And also featured is the full uncut Japanese TV Broadcast video of Mr. BigLive From The Living Room! Join MRX Now.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
HOUSE OF LORDS SINGER JAMES CHRISTIAN TO RELEASE THIRD SOLO ALBUM IN JULY: Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of James Christian third solo album entitled Lay It All On Me on July 5 in Europe and July 9 in North America.
Best known as House of Lords singer, James Christian built for himself during the years a reputation as a fine songwriter and producer in his own right. His first solo album Rude Awakening was originally released in 1994 and is, to this day, regarded as a musical delight for any lover of first class Melodic Rock.
After the return of House of Lords in the early 00's, Christian released another classy album entitled Meet The Man in 2004, which featured the songwriting of several AOR luminaries such as Stan Bush, Judithe Randall (Mark Free, FM) and his then House of Lords bandmates Chuck Wright and Lanny Cordola.
Now - another 9 years later - Christian steps back with a brand new solo release Lay It All On Me, which he recorded and produced in his own studios in Florida during the second part of 2012 and early '13. This long wait for has been worth every drop of sweat and tears spilled these past years since Christian superb vocals can really offer the listener a rewarding experience.
James Christian says: “I recorded this solo album during one of the toughest periods of my life. I really tried hard not to let it influence every song as it just did not seem like the right thing to do. I was stirred with many emotions about mortality, but I knew I could get through it. Some of the songs touch upon my fears and other songs touched upon hope and faith. I made sure to throw in a few tongue and check songs to lighten the load. I have a few favorites, such as the title track “Lay It All On Me” which were pretty much the words I used when I found out that I had cancer. But the song itself is not about the Big “C”, but about trial and tribulations in life itself. I also love the two ballads, “Believe In Me” and “Let It Shine”. Both have a quality to them that will surely stand the test of time. Different from “House Of Lords” but very much ME. Then there is “A Day In The Sun” a bit more modern sounding… but what message. And my favorite of the rockers is “Sacred Heart” written by James Christian, Jimi Bell and Jeff Kent. I loved working on this album!”
With songwriting contributions from Tommy Denander, Chris Pelcer, Jimi Bell and Jeff Kent, “Lay It All On Me” is a strong personal statement from James Christian: a mature artist, songwriter, producer and performer who meets his fans with another beautifully crafted melodic rock release. Grab yourself a copy of this album and make sure you add this gem to your collection!
Lay It All On Me tracklisting includes: Lay It All On Me; Sacred Heart; Day In The Sun; Believe In Me; You're So Bad; Don't Come Near Me; Let It Shine; She's All the Rage; Sincerely Yours; Shot in the Dark; Welcome to Your Future.
You can sample some of the album tracks following this link: youtu.be/_MMVSsEETcY.
Musicians on “Lay It All on Me” include: James Christian: Lead Vocals, Background Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar; Robin Beck, Background Vocals; Jeff Kent: Keyboards; BJ Zampa, David Sherman: Drums; Jorge Salas, Jimi Bell, Shelby Stewart: Guitars. Produced By James Christian.
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SAFFIRE: NEW TRACK "PARALYZED" POSTED ONLINE:
The Swedish melodic metal band Saffire have uploaded the track "Paralyzed" on YouTube - youtu.be/1GzEKfqMR_s. The track comes off their debut album From Ashes To Fire that will be released in Europe and North America on May 17 through Inner Wound Recordings. (Showcase launched today). Saffire are inspired by the 70's and 80's rock and metal bands like Rainbow, Dio, Whitesnake, Van Halen and Black Sabbath. The sound of Saffire can be described as a mix of those bands with a progressive twist, something that makes them stand out in the scene.
The debut album "From Ashes To Fire" was mixed by Fredrik Nordstrom & Henrik Udd at Studio Fredman [At The Gates, In Flames, Hammerfall] and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios [Symphony X, Opeth, Kreator]. Needless to say, the production on From Ashes To Fireť is excellent. The artwork for the album was created by Anders Faustader at A Trailermade Production [H.E.A.T., Hardcore Superstar, The Poodles].
Victor Olssons intelligent songwriting and impressive guitar playing together with the bands excellent musicianship and the powerful and emotional vocals from Tobias Jansson, Saffire is a dangerous five piece with an exciting future ahead of them.
Saffire online: www.facebook.com/saffiresweden / www.saffire.se.
A new Examiner.com interview with Judas Priest's Rob Halford and Richie Faulkner, has the duo sounding off on their new DVD as well as meeting Bob Dylan, the peak of metal, cameos in animation, struggles with addiction, the infamous Madison Square Garden ban, the passing of Jeff Hanneman of Slayer, and more! exm.nr/10GlOyA.
Go "Back to Fabrizio's" via the real Marty Mcfly house circa 2013 to the next Faithsedge studio report. Lead guitarist Alex De Rosso (Dokken), keysman Eric Ragno (Fergie Fredrickson) and singer Giancarlo Floridia take you behind the scenes for the new Faithsedge video at "OC Recording" . Also a trip to Nashville to drummer Tony Morra's (Van Zant) studio "The Downtown Batterie" along with Tim Gaines of Stryper's B day party! www.faithsedgemusic.com / www.youtube.com/watch?v=e86j8n-ieDc.
L.A.-based bassist Kevin Chown (Tarja Turunen, Bombastic Meatbats) has posted a promotional video for the title track off his "Light The Way" EP, which was released digitally on May 8. The clip, filmed and edited by Dalen Muster, can be viewed at this location: youtu.be/jLyNyUPlvhg. "We Light The Way" features the talents of female lead vocalist Angel Travis, with additional vocals from Chown, as well as contributions from guitarist Jeff Kollman (Bombastic Meatbats, Cosmosquad, Glenn Hughes), drummer Jono Brown, and Marian Tomas Griffin on backing vocals.
SHOWCASE UPDATED:
Two new CD Showcases online today - one for the excellent new Lost Weekend album Evermore (AOR Heaven, out June 21) and one for the debut Saffire release (Inner Wound, out now). Check both out now.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
PAT TRAVERS RETURNS TO HARD ROCK WITH CAN DO OUT IN JULY ON FRONTIERS: Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of Pat Travers Band brand new original album Can Do due out for release on July 5 in Europe and July 9 in North America.
Toronto born Pat Travers has delivered one tasty release after another in his over 37 years career in music. From the powerhouse, rockin' 70's sound of such albums as Heat in the Street and Makin' Magic, to the classy melodic eighties rock before a blues period in the nineties, Pat has always kept a high standard for his musical output. “When I was contacted by Frontiers to record a new original studio album they asked me if I could create some music reminiscent of my earlier albums that were done in the U.K. and South Florida in the late '70's early '80's.” says Pat. “What made those records different was that I was allowed the luxury of spending some time in the studio without any outside influences and that's when I could get really creative. Frontiers Records let me have the time I needed to work on the songs and production. Also the beginning of 2012 was a particularly creative period for me and I believe I have written some of my best material ever for 'Can Do'".
Since the second decade of the Millennium dawned, Pat and his Band show no sign of letting up. The proof of the future are safe in the eight hands of Mr. Travers, second guitarist Kirk McKim, Bassist Rodney O'Quinn and longtime sticksman, Sandy Gennaro. “We had a fantastic collaboration and I felt very comfortable when tracking the new music. I really feel that the sound and production and also the quality of the songs and performances make this what I think my fans are going to call “A classic PT record” says Pat.
This Pat Travers Band is also one seriously tight rockin' unit, and live, they always deliver. From the streets of Toronto, to the streets of London, to the streets of the WORLD, now, here to kick your ass… The Pat Travers Band!!
Can Do includes the following songs: Can Do; Stand Up / Give It Up; Diamond Girl; As Long As I'm With You; Long Time Gone; Wanted (That Was Then / This Is Now); Armed And Dangerous; Here Comes The Rain Again; Keep Calm & Carry On; Dust & Bone; Waitin' On The End Of Time; Red Neck Boogie.
It is possible to sample tracks off the new album following this link on Youtube: youtu.be/6ythIHBvrKg.
USA dates have been announced and a full European tour is also in the works for the fall of 2013.
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ROBIN BECK COMPLETES NEW STUDIO ALBUM FOR AUGUST:
American rock singer Robin Beck will release her new album Underneath on HMMR Records through Cargo Records on August 12 in the UK and August 15 in the rest of Europe. Release dates for the U.S. to be announced. The cover artwork for the CD can be seen below. To read a track-by-track breakdown of the album and to hear audio samples visit Robinbeckrocks.com.
Tracklisting for Underneath is as follows: 01. Wrecking Ball 02. Ain't That Just Like Love 03. Sprain 04. Underneath 05. Catfight 06. Check Your Attitude 07. Burnin Me Down 08. Perfect Storm 09. Ya Can't Fight Love 10. I Swear The Nights 11. Follow You. “Never underestimate what she can do… Robin is full of surprises and this album will have you begging for mercy. Passionate, intelligent and nothing short of brilliant, she's back!“
For her latest album, Underneath Beck took a chance and allowed some new writers to submit material. When she heard their work, she was blown away. “It felt so right” she marvels, “I just had to have these songs for myself!”
So, in addition to Robin and her boys Tommy Denander and James Christian writing team, along with Jimi Bell, she now has Glen Burtnik, Barry Jay and Fiona. “Underneath” includes songs co-written by Germany's Crush Boys (Daniel Volpe and Thomas Lipp, known for their work with Dutch teen idol Jeronimo and German girl group Monrose), Swedish Eurovision 2013 winners Linnea Deb and Joy Deb (Robin Stjernberg), Charlie Mason (Miley Cyrus), Mark Smith (Cinema Bizarre), Christian Rabb and Frida Molander (Nina Zilli) and more. Plus, with husband James Christian (lead singer of House of Lords) again producing the album (and dueting on “Burning Me Down” — and daughter Liv, herself a star in the making, on backing vocals — “It's a family affair” says Beck. “We just happen to be a family whose foundation is solid rock!”
WebLinks: www.robinbeckrocks.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Robin-Beck/262002007207158.
ADRIANGALE WIND UP THEIR SUCKERPUNCH:
A great little studio update from the lads in Adriangale. First - this from guitarist/producer Vic Rivera: "Finished tracking Jamie's vocals for the new AG tonight - 4 straight days of putting in 10-12 hours of work has yielded some pretty great results from an amazing singer (and even more amazing human being). Special thanks to John Kivel for all of his assistance in and out of the studio (and for being a pretty swell dude himself) and, of course, to Debby for tolerating all of us."
And from label boss John Kivel: "DONE! Next up mixing stage! Now, I want to take a moment to say something about this past week. Jamie Rowe and Vic Rivera have gone above and beyond in the studio. Productivity was on 11 around the clock, with good vibes and fun times to match. I'm amazed out the powerhouse team these two have become. Now let me just say something here. I promise and guarantee, I will swear to this and stand by every word. I am not ashamed and I am proud beyond words. To state publicly, that Adriangale is about to release their BEST album to date hands down. If you "Liked" AG before, then you are going to "LOVE!" them now more than ever!" Ring The Bell....throw a Right....Everyone gets SUCKER PUNCH!Sept 28th at MelodicRockFest III: www.melodicrockfest.com for tickets and event information.
NEW VIDEOS TO VIEW:
Two new videos to check out - the first an "interesting" teaser for Frontiers recording artist State Of Salazar. The second is Swedish metal act Denied, featuring vocalist Johan Fahlberg from Jaded Heart - their official video for the track "Dead Messiah" from the new album "Let Them Burn".
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DOCKER CALLS TIME ON GUILD RELEASES:
This came through last night from Douglas Docker, the man in the middle of the epic Docker's Guild progressive rock concept album. It makes for an interesting read, which after I posted on Facebook, continued on with an informative discussion with Douglas. The statement is below and the Facebook comments are at: www.facebook.com/MelodicRockAU.
"Announcement: effective immediately, the Docker's Guild project is suspended until further notice. It doesn't mean it's canceled, but I can't justify keeping spending money with no returns. I have a hole of €50,000 between the first album and the Darwin's Tears viideo that just won't come back, and it makes no sense for me to have my wife work 40 hours a week to pay my bills. I need to focus on earning money and I can't do that while I spend my days managing and promoting Docker's Guild with no results.
We've had almost no support or coverage from the press, very little from the label, no support from most of the special guests (truly bizarre as it would have been good promo for them as well...), the "fans" have sucked us dry with piracy. To move on we need to pay to go on tour, pay to go on the radio, pay the press to get simple news out, pay for the merch, pay for the promo, pay the band, pay to record, pay for everything. This mafia has to stop and until WE get paid to lift a finger everything will grind to a halt. I refuse to be part of this game and watch this industry cannibalize itself. It's high time to put the music and its creators at the center again instead of the parasites. Because without US there is no press, no labels, no downloads, no tours, nothing!
A HUGE thank you to all the real fans that have been supporting the project by buying the CD, the merch, advertising and promoting us. YOU guys are great! I MIGHT open a crowd funding at some point to see if the next album can be financed that way. In the meantime, enjoy Season 1. I'm very proud of it and will try my best to make the next one even better. Horns up!"
NEW "OLD' BONFIRE LIVE RECORDINGS DUE: LZ Records will release a new live Bonfire record May 31 titled Live In Wacken. Sometimes you just need a little bit of luck. Because of a funny coincidence the long lost original recordings from Bonfire's appearance at the Wacken Open Air have been discovered. This almost historical piece of music has been sonically updated and will now be released officially. The German rock legend is releasing the album as a teaser before it's new studio record - planned for the end of the year. Of course, there have been some Bonfire-live records in the past, but on Live In Wacken you can really find different versions of the band's anthems like "SDI“, "Champion“ or "Ready 4 dy 4 Reaction“ as well as the song "Wake Up“. An anthem the band hasn't performed live for quite a long time.
Besides that "Live In Wacken“ offers exclusive bonus tracks. Live versions of the songs "Bells Of Freedom“, "Let Me Be Your ur Water“ and "Black Night“ from the acclaimed rock opera "The Räuber“ (previously unreleased on CD), the exclusive studio track "Thank You“ and an exciting new version of the ballad "Hold Me Now“ from the last Bonfire-studio album "Branded“.
"Live In Wacken“ has been mastered by Maor Appelbaum (Yngwie Malmsteen, Rob Halford, Queensryche) and will be released on the 31st of May 2013 on LZ Records/Sony Music.
Track list: 1. Intro/Wake Up (Live), 2. Never Mind (Live), 3. Sweet Obsession (Live), 4. In Zaire (Live), 5. The Stroke (Live), 6. Sword And Stone (Live), 7. SDI (Live), 8. Drum Solo (Live), 9. American Nights (Live), 10. Ready 4 Reaction (Live), 11. Obsessive Prelude (Live), 12. Champion (Live), 13. The Räuber/Bells Of Freedom (Live), 14. Let Me Be Your Water (Live), 15. Black Night (Live), 16. Thank You (Previously Unreleased), 17. Hold Me Now (Extended Mix 2013).
Bonfire are: Claus Lessmann - vocals, guitar; Hans Ziller - lead guitars; Chris Limburg - rhythm guitars; Uwe Köhler - bass; Harry Reischmann - drums. (Rhythm guitars (tracks 1-7, 9, 10, 12): Chris Lausmann; Drums (tracks 1-10, 12-16): Jürgen Wiehler)
The Live Tracks recorded @ Wacken (1-11) @ Ingolstadt (12-14) Mixed by Hans Ziller for LZ Records (tracks 1-12). Mastered by Maor Appelbaum Mastering, California/USA,. Produced by Lessmann/Ziller for LZ Records.
WebLinks: www.bonfire.de / www.facebook.com/BONFIREofficial.
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