The Minus 5 posts musical tribute to Michael Nesmith

 

Michael Nesmith was a fine young man
Took up a guitar in big Texan hands
Rode into town for the picture show
Heard about a gig on the radio...

So begins The Minus 5’s 9-minute tribute to Michael Nesmith, and our first taste of the “forever forthcoming Minus 5 album,” according to band member Scott McCaughey:

My pal Bucks Burnett wrote an epic poem called "Michael Nesmith".  I didn't really understand it but I like things that I don't understand - so I made it a lot longer and put in a lot of my own mystical feelings about the man.  Then I strummed it and sang it - that was the easy part.  I've loved Nez since the Monkees days, and have been a big fan of his solo work.  I am thrilled that he is embarking on a rare U.S. solo tour starting now (March 21, 2013), and thought it'd be cool to pay tribute by putting this song up into the ether.  Don't be afraid.  It's a small taste of the forever forthcoming Minus 5 album.  Go see Michael Nesmith if he comes to your town!  I know I will.

 

Don’t miss the lyric video in the media player below, featuring the iconic green wool cap. The song isn't available for purchase just yet, but you can find other music and merchandise from The Minus 5 HERE at the Yep Roc Store.

Moody Blues' 'Timeless Flight' box set coming in June

A extensive new reissue set from Universal Music Enterprises is primed to offer the most comprehensive look ever into the musical history and legacy of The Moody Blues, with outtakes, new mixes, full concerts and a 120-page booklet to go with all the seminal group’s most beloved recordings.


The Moody Blues last revisited their classic albums in 2008, but that reissue project simply can't match up with the sheer dimension of this one: Timeless Flight: The Voyage Continues, set for release on June 3, 2013 will include 11 audio CDs, six DVDs and a host of additional memorabilia including a replica concert poster.

Three of the DVDs will feature 5.1 surround sound mixes of Moody Blues albums released between 1967-72 — including Days of Future Passed (which featured both "Nights in White Satin" and "Tuesday Afternoon"); On the Threshold of a Dream (the band’s first U.K. chart-topper); To Our Children’s Children’s Children (a No. 2 hit in the band’s native England); A Question of Balance (which went Top 5 in both America and the U.K.); Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (home to "The Story in Your Eyes"); and Seventh Sojourn (which included the hit "I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)"). Justin Hayward, who just released his first solo album since 1996 (Spirits of The Western Sky), oversaw the remastering.

The remaining trio of DVDs will focus on rare television appearances by the group, promo clips and a previously unreleased film of a 1970 concert in Paris.


For more information on Timeless Flight, visit the box set’s official Web site.

Huey Lewis & The News celebrate 30th Anniversary of 'Sports'

Huey Lewis & The News, Photo Credit: Marina Chavez

HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS CELEBRATE THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF 'SPORTS' WITH REMASTERED DELUXE EDITION (OUT 5/14) AND NATIONAL TOUR, AS ALBUM NEARS RIAA DIAMOND CERTIFICATION


BAND TO PERFORM ON "DANCING WITH THE STARS" (APRIL 2) AND "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!" (MAY 15)

Huey Lewis and The News' 1983 Sports album spawned four Top 10 hit singles (and another that cracked the Top 20), iconic music videos, and sold almost 10 million copies. To celebrate the blockbuster album's 30th anniversary, Lewis has personally overseen an expanded commemorative edition, to be released May 14 by Capitol/UMe.

Digitally remastered for CD and standard and high definition digital audio, 'Sports (30th Anniversary Edition)' pairs each of the original album's nine songs with choice live versions on a second disc, many of which have never before been released.

The special edition includes an expanded booklet with photos and memorabilia from the band's archive and new liner notes by music journalist and author Gary Graff.

Says Huey, "We've always been very proud of the record and it's going to be a blast to play it all live!"

Sports is on the cusp of RIAA Diamond Award sales certification with U.S. sales approaching 10 million copies. Self-produced by the band, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and ranked No. 2 on Billboard's year-end sales chart for 1984, second only to Michael Jackson's 'Thriller.' Lewis created indelible music videos for each of the four Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits on 'Sports' - "If This Is It," the Gold-certified "I Want A New Drug," "Heart And Soul," and "The Heart Of Rock & Roll," which won the year's GRAMMY Award for Best Long-Form Music Video - as well as the Top 20 single, "Walking On A Thin Line."

Sports was also an international success, with Top 40 chart peaks in several countries, including the UK, Canada, Germany, Sweden, New Zealand, and Norway.

Huey Lewis and The News will perform a hit from 'Sports' on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" on Tuesday, April 2 and "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Wednesday, May 15. Additional TV appearances will be announced soon.

In May, the band will launch the "Sports 30th Anniversary Tour" across North America, performing the album in its entirety. The dates below have been confirmed, with more U.S. and international dates to be announced soon.

Huey Lewis and The News: Sports (30th Anniversary Edition)
CD1 - REMASTERED ORIGINAL ALBUM

1. The Heart Of Rock & Roll

2. Heart And Soul

3. Bad Is Bad

4. I Want A New Drug

5. Walking On A Thin Line

6. Finally Found A Home

7. If This Is It

8. You Crack Me Up

9. Honky Tonk Blues



CD2 - LIVE VERSIONS

1. The Heart Of Rock & Roll

2. Heart And Soul

3. Bad Is Bad

4. I Want A New Drug

5. Walking On A Thin Line

6. Finally Found A Home

7. If This Is It

8. You Crack Me Up

9. Honky Tonk Blues



Huey Lewis and The News: "Sports 30th Anniversary Tour"


5.10 - State Theatre - New Brunswick, NJ

5.11 - Tarrytown Music Hall - Tarrytown, NY

5.13 - Irving Plaza - New York City, NY

5.16 - Chumash Casino - Santa Ynez, CA

5.17 - Morongo Casino Resort & Spa - Cabazon, CA

5.18 - Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino - Chandler, AZ

5.31 - Four Winds Casino Resort - New Buffalo, MI

6.1 - Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort - Mt. Pleasant, MI

6.2 - Kewadin Casino - Sault Ste. Marie, MI

6.4 - Freedom Hill Amphitheatre - Sterling Heights, MI

6.6 - Grand Casino Mille Lacs - Onamia, MN

6.7 - Crystal Grand Music Theatre - Wisconsin Dells, WI

6.8 - Hoosier Park Racing & Casino - Anderson, IN

6.9 - Horseshoe Cincinnati - Cincinnati, OH

6.11 - The Carson Center - Paducah, KY

6.13 - Dallas, TX

6.14 - Quapaw, OK

6.15 - Oklahoma City, OK

6.20 - The Midland - Kansas City, MO

6.22 - St. Louis, MO

6.26 - CA Mid-State Fair - Paso Robles, CA

7.6 - Oregon Zoo Amphitheatre - Portland, OR

7.7 - Seattle, WA

7.11 - San Diego, CA

7.13 - Lincoln, CA

7.22 - Layton, UT

7.23 - Sandy, UT

8.13 - Wolf Trap/The Filene Center - Vienna, VA

8.15 - Brooklyn, NY

8.16 - Atlantic City, NJ

8.17 - Long Island, NY

8.18 - Westhampton, NY

8.21 - Sun Valley Pavilion - Sun Valley, ID

8.23 - The Fred - Peachtree City, GA

8.24 - Ashland, KY

8.25 - Schermerhorn Symphony Center - Nashville, TN

8.26 - Tennessee Theatre - Knoxville, TN

2013 Stagecoach Country Music Festival coming to AXS TV

STAGECOACH AND AXS TV PARTNER FOR FIRST LIVE BROADCAST OF THE PREMIER COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL

Dwight Yoakam, Trace Adkins, Jeff Bridges & The Abiders, Rodney Atkins and more will be part of the 3-day live music event coverage

(Los Angeles, CA – March 26, 2013) – AXS TV will broadcast the Stagecoach Country Music Festival LIVE from the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA throughout the 3-day event.  This exclusive broadcast partnership marks the first time country music fans will be able to watch the premier music festival live across the country. The seventh annual Stagecoach Festival will take place Friday April 26 thru Sunday April 28, 2013.

AXS TV’s exclusive broadcast of Stagecoach, brought to you by StubHub, the Official Broadcast Partner, will encompass 6 hours of live continuous coverage each day, featuring live performances, interviews and behind the scenes moments.

Commander Cody, Dwight Yoakam, Jeff Bridges & The Abiders, Justin Townes Earle, Lonestar, Nick 13, Rodney Atkins, Tanya Tucker and Trace Adkins are confirmed performers appearing as part of AXS TV’s live coverage. Additional participating artists and content details for the 3-day live broadcast will be announced throughout April.

Fans can keep up-to-date with AXS TV’s Stagecoach announcements, news and live coverage by following @AXSTV on Twitter and Instagram and using hashtag #axsStagecoach; and by becoming an AXS TV Concerts friend on Facebook at www.facebook.com/axstvconcerts.

"AXS TV is proud to be the first broadcast home of Stagecoach Country Music Festival. Country music fans have always turned to AXS TV as their choice to bring them their favorite artists live," said Mark Cuban, AXS TV Founder and Chairman.  "For three days of continuous LIVE coverage, AXS TV will not just be music's network; we will be Country Music's Network."

AXS TV, the premier destination for live music events on television, has proven a must see network for country music fans. The live broadcast of Carrie Underwood’s “Blow Away Tour” had fans trending nationally and worldwide on twitter; the upcoming Saturday, April 6^th special broadcast from ACM Weekend of OutNumber Hunger Live featuring The Band Perry, Brantley Gilbert, Florida Georgia Line, and more; plus one-of-a-kind live performances and interviews on the network’s nightly music show AXSLive from country music’s finest including The Mavericks, Ashley Monroe, Martina McBride, Kristian Bush, Dierks Bentley, Hunter Hayes, Jason Aldean and many many more.

Sights and Sounds: Sigur Rós, Simple Minds, Depeche Mode

Lots of big news, so best to get right to it!

Sigur Rós

Sigur Rós to release new album on June 17 (June 18 in North America)

Sigur Rós will release its new album kveikur worldwide on June 17, 2013 (and June 18 here in North America). The self-produced album features nine tracks and is the Icelandic group's first as a trio.

Sigur Rós kicked off its North American Tour on Sunday night (March 24) in Washington, D.C. and performs in Boston tonight. The group, who has delivered some of the most powerful concerts this writer (and music fan!) has ever seen, will be performing a number of times in Southern California next month including twice at Coachella (Saturdays, April 13 and 20) in Indio, and at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Friday, April 19.

You can pre-order kveikur at www.sigur-ros.co.uk/kveikur. However, the band is reminding fans that the pre-order of a deluxe edition of kveikur is yet to come.

As noted on the band's Web site, the tour features an 11-member band so the group's lush and symphonic textures will surely sound terrific in concert.

For more information, and to see all of Sigur Rós' upcoming tour dates, visit the group's official Web site at http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/tour/

Simple Minds aptly-titled retrospective 'Celebrate' due April 16

Check out writer George A. Paul's post on his Music Minded blog about the forthcoming release of Simple Mind's Celebrate, set for release on Tuesday, April 16.

We can hope that with the upcoming release of Celebrate (which includes several new tracks, "Blood Diamonds" and "Broken Glass Park") that the legendary British outfit will get out on tour this summer.

Brian Hazard

Depeche Mode review

Listeners would be hard pressed to find any bigger fan of Depeche Mode than Color Theory's Brian Hazard. Now Brian has written a lengthy and thoughtful review on Depeche Mode's new album Delta Machine that is required reading for fans of either group. Click here to read Brian's excellent review on the Color Theory site...

Inbox Update: Lady Antebellum, Celtic Thunder, Great White (not)

Happy Monday everybody. I am still riding high on The Mavericks' amazing performance at The Coach House on Saturday night. Truly an incredible show all the way around. If you have not caught my review of the show, read it here. Read on for some timely items pulled from my inbox...

GRAMMY WINNING TRIO LADY ANTEBELLUM’S

ARENA-SIZED ROAD TRIP INSPIRES

FOURTH STUDIO ALBUM GOLDEN

For Seven-time GRAMMY winning trio Lady Antebellum, their upcoming fourth Capitol Records Nashville release GOLDEN out May 7 was figuratively – and literally – borne on the move.

 

The harmony-based trio and its sizeable fan base bonded heavily during the band’s headlining Own The Night World Tour– an over-sized road trip, if there ever was one. The shows themselves were inspirational. But so was the time offstage. Lady A made a point of experimenting and creating with its road band as the one-nighters and the miles of travel piled up. That behind-the-scenes interaction inspired much of the music on GOLDEN, an instantly infectious project in which Lady A discovered new edges for its already-successful foundation.

 

“We were just kind of in that live show mindset for this album,” said Lady A’s Dave Haywood. “We had that perspective of being on a tour and having seen what translates in an arena. We have a better idea what kind of songs are so relatable where it shakes everybody like, ‘Oh, my God, I’ve totally been there.’”

 

“Every band I love that’s been here for a long time has reinvented itself in some way,” added Charles Kelley. “There’s a balance to it. I get a little annoyed when people reinvent themselves too much because there’s a reason people fell in love with you in the first place, but I think it’s important not to regurgitate the same stuff over and over again.”

 

Lady Antebellum’s familiar, established blend remains firmly intact, but there’s a sense of renewal about it, too.  Lady A and veteran producer Paul Worley return as co-producers on GOLDEN, a reinvented version of Lady A that’s familiar but simultaneously unlike any of its predecessors. It’s an achievement that comes from the band’s journey, and from its willingness to risk. “Downtown,” GOLDEN’s funky lead single, first announced the new direction in January. The band gave it an energetic, playful performance with a noticeably cleaner production than the previous album. The recording uses fewer instruments – each of them framed distinctly in the sound – and Scott delivers the lead vocal with a full-on attitude that’s never been completely realized in previous recordings.

 

“We embraced risk,” noted Hillary Scott. “When you are pushing yourself to not go back to the same well, you’re gonna come up with something different, or you’ll find songs that are different. And that’s what happened on this album.”

 

In some ways, GOLDEN also reaffirms the very beginnings of Lady Antebellum. The project focuses on deft songwriting and fresh uses of their talents, which was at the heart of what drew them together in the first place. In the end, the mix of their road experiences, songwriting and challenging outside songs adds a brightness to the album that’s reflected in the GOLDEN title.

 

GOLDEN Track List:
1. Get To Me
2. Goodbye Town
3. Nothin' Like The First Time
4. Downtown
5. Better Off Now (That You're Gone)
6. It Ain't Pretty
7. Can't Stand The Rain
8. Golden
9. Long Teenage Goodbye
10. All For Love
11. Better Man
12. Generation Away

CELTIC THUNDER ANNOUNCES “MYTHOLOGY’ TOUR DATES FOR FALL 2013

Verve records’ Celtic Thunder announced dates for their upcoming 62-city North American tour, which kicks off in Canada on September 7th at the Abbotsford Event Centre, Abbotsford, BC and which will also include the inaugural “Celtic Thunder Cruise.” The announcement arrives as the group completed a packed week of high profile TV and promotional events in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S.   Celtic Thunder will remain on the road through December 2nd, traveling coast to coast in the US and Canada.  Playing major venues such as the Sony Centre -Toronto (9/21), The Orpheum-Boston (10/1), Caesar’s Resort and Casino-Atlantic City (10/5), The Chicago Theatre-Chicago (10/18), The Fabulous Fox Theatres in Atlanta (11/16), Detroit (10/13), St Louis (10/26) and many more with the tour culminating in Seattle at the Paramount Theater (12/2).   Named Top World Music Artist twice by industry bible Billboard, Celtic Thunder's six male soloists Emmet Cahill, Keith Harkin, Ryan Kelly, George Donaldson, Neil Byrne and Colm Keegan perform both solo and ensemble numbers. They are known for performing an eclectic mix of songs, ranging from traditional Irish fare to international hits such as "The Boys are Back in Town" and "Sound of Silence", as well as original compositions by the musical director and composers “Voices” and “Hunter’s Moon”.   Celtic Thunder Producer and Creator Sharon Browne’s live shows are recognized for the use of dramatic effects via lighting and choreography, as well as a stage set resembling an ancient stone pathway drawn from Celtic lore. Mythology presents the perfect blend of entertainment, ideology and Gaelic spirituality, providing a modern twist on the old Celtic storytelling tradition.  In addition to the six main vocalists, the tour will also feature strings, guitars, percussion, whistles, pipes and more in the eight- piece Celtic Thunder band. The tour’s musical director is David Munro, who also plays keyboards in the show.   The world renowned Irish supergroup’s week-long series of high-profile media this past St. Patrick’s holiday week included performances on The Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda, The Better Show, FOX Entertainment News, Chicago’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade highlighted by an appearance on Chicago’s morning television show, Windy City Live.  Celtic Thunder performed live on Fox & Friends the morning of St. Patrick’s Day and was also interviewed on the NPR favorite show “Art of The Song Creativity Radio” earlier that week.   “MYTHOLOGY,” released February 19th of this year along with a companion DVD, is the 7th Celtic Thunder CD to debut at #1 on Billboard's World Music Chart and the group’s 5th consecutive release to debut at #1. Both CD and DVD continue to dominate the charts weeks after release. Filmed last year at Dublin’s Helix Theatre, “MYTHOLOGY” captures Celtic Thunder’s signature brand of emotive and dramatic traditional and contemporary music and is Celtic Thunder’s 10th full-length album and ninth concert DVD.   For information about the Mythology North American Tour 2013 please see www.celticthunder.com/tour For information on the inaugural Celtic Thunder Cruise please see www.celticthundercruise.com/2013 for full details and reservation information.   For more, please see www.celticthunder.ie

 

GREAT WHITE... APPARENTLY NOT

Great White is apparently on tour, but without lead singer Jack Russell! Fans of Russell's amazing blues style should make sure to only see the band if fronted by Russell. Read more here.

The Mavericks deliver an epic concert in San Juan Capistrano

My review was originally published on The Orange County Register site on Sunday, March 24, 2013. A special "thank you" to Kelly A. Swift for the use of her photos.

The Mavericks in action at The Coach House on March 23, 2013.

The Mavericks' highly-anticipated return to performing at last year's Stagecoach Festival in Indio after close to a decade away has turned into a dream come true for fans of the Grammy-winning Americana troupe.

Not only has the group released one of the first great albums of 2013 (In Time) but a rousing 130-minute set at the Coach House Saturday night (March 23, 2013), before a crowd that filled every corner of the venue, further confirmed the continuing excitement of the Mavericks' spirited comeback.

The 25-song set was flawless, with Mavericks lead singer Raul Malo leading the quintet (supported by an additional four "new Mavericks" on this tour) in a balance of sterling arrangements and exuberant music-making for fans who cheered, sang, clapped, danced and generally seemed to have the night of their lives.

Raul Malo at The Coach House.

From the kickoff selection, "Back in Your Arms Again," it was clear this nine-man ensemble would lock into a relentless groove and unleash the Mavericks' genre-busting blend of country, Tejano, rock, Latin soul and jazz. With a set pulled equally from In Time and their early successes (notably material from 1994's What a Crying Shame), Malo's emotive Roy Orbison-like tenor, glorious harmonies from about half the other players plus virtuoso solos helped move the set at a brisk pace all night.

During "Born to Be Blue," Malo's distinctive pipes soared while Michael Guerra added lush work on accordion. Whether the material turned toward tender ballads or up-tempo roots-rockers, the audience was fully tuned in, and much of the band smiled while trading solos and playfully exchanged looks with the crowd.

"We love this place. We love you guys," Malo said after a killer take on the band's '90s hit "What a Crying Shame" early in the set.



Yet even on less familiar stuff, notably "I've Got This Feeling," it was the Mavericks' wide-ranging arsenal that kept the momentum rolling. Such songs' haunting verses were sparse, with Malo's vocals moving masterfully into robust choruses, the band's dynamic in perfect sync.

Guitarist Eddie Perez at The Coach House.

All night Malo and fellow guitarist Eddie Perez lent extra texture to highlights: "As Long as There's Loving Tonight," for instance, featured Perez on the first solo, with Malo showing off equally impressive fretwork on the next.

The long encore began with a solo turn from Malo, bolstered by his take on the 1995 single "Here Comes the Rain" and a magnificent version of the Spanish-language standard "Besame Mucho." The band rejoined him for a number of memorable tunes, including the sublime "Amsterdam Moon" and the rocking "Come Unto Me."

Things didn't wind down until nearly midnight, a ferocious performance of "All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down" leaving much of the audience dancing away in hopes that the night might never end. Let's hope this latest Mavericks resurgence is just getting started.

The Mavericks play again March 25 at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach (143 S. Cedros Ave.), March 26 at L.A.'s El Rey Theatre (5515 Wilshire Blvd.) and March 27 at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert (73000 Fred Waring Drive). The first is sold out. Tickets for L.A. are $30, for Palm Desert, $25-$35. Seth Walker opens all dates.

The Mavericks set list at the Coach House on Saturday, March 23, 2013

Main set: Back In Your Arms Again / Lies / Born To Be Blue / All Over Again / Pretend / There Goes My Heart / What A Crying Shame / (a bit of Seth Walker's "Days Like This") / I've Got This Feeling / O What A Thrill / Every Little Thing About You / Fall Apart / Dance In The Moonlight / As Long As There's Loving Tonight / Dance the Night Away 

Encore: Here Comes The Rain (Malo solo acoustic) / Welcome To My World (Malo solo acoustic) / Besame Mucho (Malo with accordion player Michael Guerra) / Amsterdam Moon / Something Stupid / Sway / I Said I love You / Guantanamera and Twist & Shout / Come Unto Me / All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down

Sights and Sounds: Def Leppard, The London Suede, Gary Clark Jr.

Here is the latest collection of notable releases plucked from my inbox...

“Hysteria 2013”

Released Digitally Tuesday March 19^th 2013

Def Leppard Start Their “VIVA Hysteria!” Exclusive Eleven Show Residency at The Joint Inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas on Friday 22^nd March 2013

On the August 3^rd 1987 British rock band Def Leppard released the album Hysteria. Already a major force in rock music, Hysteria catapulted the band into the stratosphere. The statistics for “Hysteria” are astounding. The album has sold in excess of 20 million copies and counting.  Due to the incredible success of previous albums Pyromania (released in 1983) and Hysteria Def Leppard are one of only five rock groups who can claim two separate original 10 million plus selling albums in the US.  The others are The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Van Halen. The Hysteria album also spawned 7 hit singles! Enormous hits such as “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, “Animal”, “Love Bites”, “Armageddon It” and “Rocket” are rock staples that still enjoy huge popularity today and have helped make Def Leppard Britain’s greatest ever arena rock band. The album remains Def Leppard’s best loved…

2013 sees Def Leppard release “Hysteria 2013” – a contemporary take on their classic album’s title track. Produced by Def Leppard and Ronan McHugh, the single was recorded in Joe’s Studio in Dublin, Eire.

Joe Elliott says “We wanted to do something special to coincide with the Las Vegas Viva! Hysteria residency, so we decided that to re-record the Album's title track would be the perfect way to bring together the live & the studio experience in a 2013 celebration of all things Hysteria.”

Fresh off their 2012 USA “Rock Of Ages” tour, Def Leppard has announced plans for an exclusive eleven show residency at The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. The band will be playing songs from across the whole spectrum of their career in addition to their iconic album “Hysteria” being played in full. Entitled VIVA Hysteria!, the spring 2013 residency will kick off on Friday, March 22 and run through Saturday, April 13. Show time is 8 p.m.

Produced exclusively by AEG Live, VIVA Hysteria!, will feature an elaborate set design created only for Def Leppard’s Las Vegas residency and will include an encore performance highlighting other classic material from throughout the band’s career. Known for legendary big-scale arena shows, Def Leppard will bring their over-the-top production to The Joint offering an up-close-and-personal experience like never before. With the furthest seat only 155 feet from the intimate venue’s stage, VIVA Hysteria! is unlike any show the band has ever done or will ever do again.

Having sold over 100 million albums worldwide since their debut release in 1980 and proved themselves one of rock music’s hardest working and consistently powerful live bands (playing to over 50 million fans in the last 15 years alone), Def Leppard’s “Hysteria Re-Recorded” is a single not to miss.

RELEASE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED ‘BLOODSPORTS’ ALBUM TODAY IN NORTH AMERICA

 

STREAM THE ALBUM FOR A LIMITED TIME VIA NPR.COM

 

DOWNLOAD ‘BLOODSPORTS’ NOW ON iTUNES OR AMAZON
AVAILABLE IN ALL GOOD STORES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA

 

  

WATCH/SHARE:
 ‘It Starts And Ends With You’ hereThe London Suede BBC Maida Vale Live Music Session here

‘Bloodsports’ Track-listing:
Barriers

Snowblind

It Starts And Ends With You

Sabotage

For The Strangers

Hit Me

Sometimes I Feel I'll Float Away

What Are You Not Telling me?

Always

Faultlines

 

Brit-pop legends The London Suede (also known as Suede) released their highly anticipated album ‘Bloodsports’ today in North America. Their sixth studio album and first in over a decade has already received international critical appraise from the media and die-hard Suede fans alike. Front-man and founding member Brett Anderson says of the album “It was possibly the hardest thing we've ever made but certainly the most satisfying. It's ten furious songs, for me, have reclaimed from ourselves what Suede was always about; drama, melody and noise.”

 

‘Bloodsports’ is now available in all good record stores across North America and available for download on iTunes and Amazon.

GARY CLARK JR. SWEEPS ANNUAL AUSTIN MUSIC AWARDS AT SXSW SINGER-SONGWRITER AND GUITARIST COLLECTS UNPRECEDENTED EIGHT AWARDS, INCLUDING BAND, MUSICIAN, AND ALBUM OF THE YEAR CLARK LIVE ON THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO MARCH 20th AND THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN ON APRIL 9th   Photo Credit: Gary Miller

March 19, 2013 - Burbank, CA - Austin native Gary Clark Jr. swept the 31st annual Austin Music Awards last Wednesday evening, collecting an unprecedented sweep of eight awards, including such top honors as Band of the Year, Musician of the Year, and Male Vocalist of the Year, as well as Album of the Year for his critically acclaimed Top 10 Warner Bros. Records debut Blak and Blu. The event, held at the Austin Music Hall, symbolizes the start of the SXSW Music Conference and shines a spotlight on the city and the Texas musicians who have influenced music around the world. 2012 - 2013 Austin Music Awards for Gary Clark Jr.: Band Of The Year Musician Of The Year Song Of The Year - "Ain't Messin Round" (from Blak and Blu) Album Of the Year - Blak and Blu Electric Guitarist Of The Year Songwriter Of The Year Blues/Soul/Funk Artist Of The Year Male Vocalist Of The Year Clark will light up TV screens across the nation this Wednesday, March 20th, when he and his band return to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and again on Late Show w/ David Letterman onTuesday April 9th. Clark has recently returned from a triumphant European and Australian tour and is gearing up to join his good friend Eric Clapton for the latter's annual Crossroads Guitar Festival, which will take place at New York City's fabled Madison Square Garden April 12th and 13th. Please visit http://www.garyclarkjr.com/ for all of Clark's upcoming tour dates, which include several U.S. festivals in May and June. More news to be revealed soon. http://www.garyclarkjr.com/  http://www.facebook.com/GaryClarkJr  http://twitter.com/#!/garyclarkjr  http://www.youtube.com/user/garyclarkjr

Rod Stewart to release aptly-titled 'Time' on May 7

Fans of Rod Stewart have reason to celebrate, with the legendary rocker set to issue his first album of original and self-penned material in two decades...

ROD STEWART’S TIME SET FOR RELEASE ON MAY 7, 2013 IN THE UNITED STATES & CANADA

TIME, Stewart’s Landmark Return To Songwriting After Nearly Two Decades, Features 11 Original Tracks He’s Written and Produced

Worldwide Pre-orders Begin March 19 via iTunes & Amazon, In Stores May 7 on Capitol Records in the United States & Canada

LOS ANGELES -- March, 19 2013 -- Rod Stewart has completed his first album of new material in almost 20 years.  The landmark new album, titled Time marks Stewart’s long-awaited return to his songwriting roots and features 12 tracks, 11 of which he wrote and produced.  “Time” will be released May 7 by Capitol Records and will be available for worldwide pre-order on iTunes (Click here) and Amazon beginning today (Click here).  The iTunes pre-order will also include a deluxe edition with 3 bonus songs including “Legless,” another original Stewart track.

In anticipation, early this morning Capitol Records released an exclusive video featuring portions of seven original new songs set to a montage of never-before-seen videos filmed throughout the making of the album. The video can be viewed at www.rodstewart.com orwww.youtube.com/watch?v=dSn8OzBKthQ.

During an early preview of seven tracks, Billboard proclaimed, “Stewart rocks again.” “Lushly produced with an abundance of tempo and an overall guitar-based core sound, his inimitable warm vocals sound as strong as ever.”

Stewart’s first single, “She Makes Me Happy” premieres on U.S. radio this morning and will available for download at all digital retailers beginning at midnight PDT on March 19.  The iTunes pre-order for Time will launch simultaneously. Fans who pre-order the album on iTunes will instantly receive a download of "She Makes Me Happy.”  In addition, due to the overwhelming anticipation surrounding Stewart’s new album, on April 8^th the second track, “Finest Woman,” will also make its U.S. radio premiere.

Time is a landmark release in Stewart's career, born from a burst of inspiration from which he rediscovered his voice as a songwriter and rekindled his gift for writing the honest, nerve-touching narratives that have been the cornerstone to the first three decades of his career.  Since 1991, Stewart, the lyricist and melodist behind such staples as “Tonight’s The Night,” “You Wear It Well,” “You’re In My Heart,” “The Killing of Georgie” and the indelible “Maggie May,” had simply lost his songwriting muse. But, beginning in 2011, during the period he began working on what would become his internationally best-selling autobiography, Rod, it returned. 

Said Stewart, “Something about that process of reviewing my life for the book reconnected me and that was it: I was away. Suddenly ideas for lyrics were piling up in my head.  Next thing I knew, I had a song called ‘It’s Over’ about divorce and separation. And now I was getting up in the middle of the night and scrambling for a pen to write things down, which has never happened to me. I finished seven or eight songs very quickly and I still wasn’t done and it became apparent that I would eventually have a whole album of material to record, which had never happened before.”

“TIME” tracklisting

01 She Makes Me Happy

02 Can't Stop Me Now

03 It's Over

04 Brighton Beach

05 Beautiful Morning

06 Live The Life

07 Finest Woman

08 Time

09 Picture In A Frame

10 Sexual Religion

11 Make Love To Me Tonight

12 Pure Love

“TIME” iTunes Deluxe Edition (Bonus Tracks)

01 Love Has No Pride

02 Corina Corina

03 Legless

Rod Stewart is a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a Grammy Living Legend®, and in 2007 he was bestowed the prestigious CBE (Commander of the British Empire). He has released 27 studio albums and garnered an estimated 150 million in album sales worldwide.  Later this year, Stewart is scheduled kick off his “Live The Life” tour in Europe beginning June 1, followed by his return this July to his residency, “Rod Stewart: The Hits” at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, before resuming the North American leg of his “Live The Life” tour with Steve Winwood beginning October 17. Click here for tour dates and to purchase tickets.

For Rod Stewart photos and press materials, please visit www.emimusicpublicity.net

Pre-order TIME in the iTunes store: http://smarturl.it/PreOrderTime

Amazon: http://smarturl.it/PreOrderTimeAMZN

View the video at www.rodstewart.com or www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSn8OzBKthQ.