Thursday, August 04, 2011

Sights and Sounds: U2, Deep Purple, Steve Miller, Chris Pierce

'Achtung' No Longer a Baby


Achtung Baby celebrates 20 years this November

Achtung Baby was originally released in November 1991 and was, as Bono said at the time, 'the sound of four men chopping down The Joshua Tree'. The album was a new direction for U2 - led by The Fly, Achtung Baby went on to have four other singles, 'Mysterious Ways', 'One', 'Even Better Than The Real Thing' and 'Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses'.

At 20 years old, Achtung Baby is all grown up, and to celebrate an anniversary edition is due this October. The archives have unearthed unreleased songs and treasures from the original recording sessions. There's five different versions featuring a raft of songs, videos, remixes, b-sides and documentary footage - a full album of demo and early versions of the full tracklisting has also been revealed.

Deluxe formats will include 'From the Sky Down', a documentary from Academy Award winning Davis Guggenheim in which U2 return to Hansa Studio in Berlin to discuss Achtung Baby.

Due for release on October 31st, the five physical editions include vinyl, CD, DVD and digital options will also be available.

Click here to see the full details and pre-order your copy.



EAGLE DIGS DEEP INTO DEEP PURPLE WITH FOUR LIVE DOUBLE-DISCS ON AUGUST 16, 2011


Scandinavian Nights, In Concert 1970-1972, Live in London and MK III: The Final Concerts

Eagle Rock Entertainment is proud to announce the August 16, 2011 release of four double-discs of the deepest of Deep Purple’s onstage action: Scandinavian Nights, In Concert 1970-1972, Live In London and MK III: The Final Concerts. [MSRP $13.98]


Scandinavian Nights, from 1970, features the most classic of Purple lineups, lead guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, keyboardist Jon Lord, vocalist Ian Gillan, drummer Ian Paice and bassist Roger Glover. Recorded for Swedish radio while on tour in support of their groundbreaking In Rock album, the band, a well-oiled machine of epic proportions, rips through elongated versions of “Speed King,” “Into The Fire,” “Child In Time,” “Wring That Neck,” a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black” (as a Paice drum solo), “Mandrake Root” and “Black Night.”

The same lineup In Concert 1970-1972 recorded two shows for the BBC. The 1970 gig is four songs stretched out to almost 50 minutes in true DP style like no other band ever -- “Speed King,” “Child In Time,” “Wring That Neck” and “Mandrake Root.” In the ’72 concert, they performed every song off their classic Machinehead album (except “Pictures Of Home”) including a 21-minute version of “Space Truckin’.

This is the first time Live In London has been released in the United States on CD. Complete with new frontman David Coverdale and new bassist Glenn Hughes (essentially giving the band two lead singers), the band were back home in London in 1974 performing in support of the Burn album. The band, indeed, burned through the title track, “Might Just Take Your Life,” “Lay Down Stay Down,” “Mistreated,” “Smoke On The Water” and, on Disc #2, “You Fool No One” and “Space Truckin’.”


A year later, with no idea its lead guitarist and co-founding member Ritchie Blackmore had already decided to leave the band, Deep Purple, with Coverdale and Hughes now solidly entrenched and performing magnificently, embarked on a European tour in support of Stormbringer. MK III The Final Concerts excitingly documents Blackmore’s swan song with the band on “Burn,” “Stormbringer,” “Gypsy,” “Lady Double Dealer,” “Mistreated,” “Smoke On The Water,” “You Fool No One,” “Space Truckin’,” “Going Down/Highway Star,” and alternate versions of “Mistreated” and “You Fool No One.”

For more information on Eagle Rock, visit http://www.eagle-rock.com/


Steve Miller to play Rock Symphony at the Fender Center on Sept. 17, 2011



Steve Miller TLC Amphitheatre - 365 N Main Street - Corona, CA 92880

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Cynthia Fox of radio stateion 95.5 KLOS to host


"Roll Over Beethoven!" Classic Rock meets Classical Music when Steve Miller joins the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra for the premiere of ROCK SYMPHONY at the Steve Miller Amphitheatre at the Fender Center in Corona on Saturday September 17, 2011. The stage was named in Miller's honor for his decade of dedicated work on behalf of the Fender Center's KIDS ROCK FREE music education program.



Steve Miller will perform some of his greatest hits including "The Joker," "Fly Like an Eagle," "Abracadabra," and "Hey Yea," off his critically acclaimed blues album BINGO arranged like never before by Conductor, Rune Bergmann with jubilant participation by the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra and Fender Center's KRF® rock band, the Fender Benders. For special treats, audiences will enjoy the music and interaction of Violin virtuoso David Coucheron and concert pianist Julie Coucheron.


Steve Miller Rock Symphony is a call of Giving to Help KIDS ROCK FREE®


This exclusive VIP fundraising event is dedicated to raising money for the now 1,000 child waitlist for KRF® and celebrates its 800 children who received free & low-cost music lessons as a result of the fundraising efforts since 2009 and further bring awareness to the Fender Center Museum's Kids Rock Free® National Educational Program.

The event is even more special because the rock symphony arrangement by Mr. Rune Bergmann is a tribute to Steve Miller and a gift to the Kids Rock Free music education program from John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Mentor, Jens Moe and his lovely wife, Karin.


This black tie/leather optional event will be unlike any other as Fender Center takes its concert content and educational quality to the next level. The event will feature all access to the museum exhibits, a silent and live art auction.

General admission prices: Grandstand $35; Preferred Lawn GA are $50 - $100;
Plus Limited Exclusive VIP seated sponsorships available


For more information, visit www.FenderCenter.org




Chris Pierce's 'I Can Hear You' set for release on Oct. 11, 2011

Record release parties set for New York City's Rockwood Music Hall on Sept. 18 and Hollywood's Hotel Café on Oct. 11, 2011


I Can Hear You, the new album from Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Chris Pierce, will be released on October 11, 2011. The record follows Walking on the Earth, which was named one of the Top 10 albums of 2008 by Nic Harcourt, formerly of KCRW, and 2009's Chris Pierce Live at the Hotel Café. Pierce, who has opened for such artists as Seal, B.B. King, Al Green, Toots and the Maytals, and Colbie Caillat, will perform at record release parties on both coasts. He'll play Rockwood Music Hall in New York City on September 18th and Hotel Café in Hollywood, CA on October 11.


"Pierce, whose work has been compared to that of musical elder tribesmen Van Morrison, Jimmy Cliff, Bill Withers and Otis Redding - engages his audiences with his rich vocals and heartfelt tunes," said LATimes.com, which included Pierce on its list of "homegrown artists you ought to know."



Co-produced with GRAMMY® award winner Seth Atkins Horan, who has worked on each of Pierce's previous releases, most of the album's 10 tracks were captured live on the first take, underscoring the raw emotion of the material.


"This album is for the strugglers, the invisible people - those who make light out of the darkest of times even when it seems like no one is listening," says Pierce, who penned five songs himself and four with long-time collaborator Marvin Etzioni. A poignant version of Bill Withers' "Hope She'll Be Happier," featuring simply vocals and piano,completes the collection.

I Can Hear You is a bracingly honest examination of the challenges we face in these times - and a testament to the indomitable power of the human spirit. From the anthemic album opener and focus track "Looking for the Spark" to the rousing closer "Invisible People," it celebrates our capacity for renewal. Musically, the album showcases Pierce's tremendous musical dexterity as he effortlessly shifts from R&B (the title track, a heartbreaking plea for a second chance at love), to soul ("Too Heavy"), pop ("Looking for the Spark") and jazz ("Play with Me" and "Let Yourself Smile").


"Soul music is deeply rooted in so many American musical styles - gospel, work songs, blues, rock 'n' roll, rhythm & blues," says Pierce. "But to me, it's speaking from your gut, speaking your truths. That's what soul music is to me."


Pierce recorded I Can Hear You in three Los Angeles studios, bringing in some of his favorite musicians, including guitarist Doug Pettibone (Lucinda Williams, Tracy Chapman), keyboardist Deron Johnson (Miles Davis, Seal), bassist David Piltch (Aaron Neville, Madeleine Peyroux) and drummer Tamir Barzilay (Shabak Samech, Moshav), among others. You can get a preview of the new songs at:

http://vimeo.com/26896657

Although Chris developed otosclerosis,a rare hearing disorder that led to the loss of hearing in one ear at age 15, a journey he addresses in "Thunder or the Rain," music continued to be his passion. He was awarded the prestigious Ella Fitzgerald scholarship for jazz studies at USC when he was 18. Shortly thereafter, he introduced himself to one of his idols, Jon Butcher, who invited Pierce to tour with him as a background vocalist, an engagement that would lead to other gigs for chart-topping acts such as Sonia Dada. Impressed by his performance at a small Hollywood party, Seal invited him to open on a string of worldwide tours, launching his career to a new level. His music has been heard in the film Soul Men and on Music From and Inspired by Crash and been licensed by Banana Republic and such shows as "Brothers and Sisters," "Eli Stone," "In Plain Sight" and "Army Wives." He has also ventured into winemaking, with his recently released Ledbetter Dry Creek Valley Syrah eliciting rave reviews from food and wine industries.


The track listing for I Can Hear You is as follows:



1. Looking for the Spark

2. Too Heavy

3. Let Yourself Smile

4. I Can Hear You

5. Play with Me

6. Meet Me in the Vineyard

7. Thunder or the Rain

8. The Return of Eternal Love

9. Hope She'll Be Happier

10. Invisible People

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