Sights and sounds: AC/DC, The Who, John Mellencamp, Nickelback

There is plenty of news as it relates to high-profile new and forthcoming releases, so let's get started…

AC/DC 'Rock or Bust' Available December 2, 2014

TURNER SPORTS TO PREMIERE NEW TRACK 'PLAY BALL' AS PART OF 2014 MLB ON TBS POSTSEASON CAMPAIGN

Columbia Records proudly announces the release of Rock or Bust, the highly anticipated new studio album from AC/DC, available December 2, 2014. Rock or Bust is the band's first studio album in six years and features 11 new tracks.  Rock or Bust follows the immensely successful 'Black Ice' album, which debuted at #1 in 31 countries upon its release in 2008 and has gone on to sell nearly 8 million copies worldwide.  'Rock or Bust' was recorded in Spring 2014 at Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, BC and finds AC/DC once again working with producer Brendan O'Brien and mixer Mike Fraser.  

Starting September 27, Turner Sports will provide fans a sneak peek of the new track 'Play Ball' as part of the 2014 Major League Baseball Postseason campaign.  The content will run for several weeks across TBS, the exclusive home to this year's American League Postseason coverage, as well as leading media brands within the Turner portfolio.

'Rock or Bust' is the first AC/DC album in the band's 41 year history without founding member Malcolm Young on the recordings.  Earlier this year AC/DC released a statement explaining that due to illness, Malcolm would be taking a break from the band.  Unfortunately, due to the nature of Malcolm's condition, he will not be returning to the band.  AC/DC will undertake a world tour in support of 'Rock or Bust' in 2015.  Stevie Young, nephew of founding members Angus and Malcolm Young, plays rhythm guitar on 'Rock or Bust' and will accompany the band on tour. 

THE WHO WHO HITS 50!

The Definitive Hits Collection Featuring the Brand New Track “Be Lucky”

2CD Compilation Released October 27

There is no more significant a milestone in Rock Music than the 50th Anniversary. Alongside The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, THE WHO complete the holy trinity of British Rock bands that have the honor of celebrating that landmark. Through the decades, THE WHO redefined rock music as we know it and their influence continues in all areas of popular culture to this day.

WHO HITS 50! is the definitive collection of the band’s greatest tracks from their very first recordings as The High Numbers right up to the present day with the brand new track “BE LUCKY.”

A classic Who rocker, “BE LUCKY” is THE WHO’s first new material in eight years. The track was produced by Dave Eringa best known for his work with the Manic Street Preachers and Wilko Johnson + Roger Daltrey.

Recorded at the end of the summer at British Grove and Yellowfish Studios, “BE LUCKY” features long time Who live players Zak Starkey (drums) and Pino Palladino (bass), with the keyboards being provided by ex Style Council and Dexys sideman Mick Talbot. In keeping with their ongoing support for Teenage Cancer charities, the band have donated their royalties from the song to Teen Cancer America, a charity founded in 2011 by Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend.

WHO HITS 50! is being released October 27, 2014, on Geffen/Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) to coincide with the band’s 50th anniversary tour of the same name, which starts in Dublin on November 26.

The Who - Who Hits 50!

Disc 1

Zoot Suit – (as The High Numbers)
I Can’t Explain
Anyway Anyhow Anywhere
My Generation
Substitute
The Kids Are Alright
I’m A Boy
Happy Jack
Boris The Spider
Pictures Of Lily
The Last Time
I Can See For Miles
Call Me Lightning
Dogs
Magic Bus
Pinball Wizard
I’m Free
The Seeker
Summertime Blues (live)
See Me, Feel Me
Won’t Get Fooled Again (single edit)
Let’s See Action
Bargain
Behind Blue Eyes

Disc 2

Baba O’ Riley
Join Together
Relay
5:15
Love Reign O’er Me
Postcard
Squeeze Box
Slip Kid
Who Are You
Trick Of The Light
You Better You Bet
Don’t Let The Coat
Athena
Eminence Front
It’s Hard
Real Good Looking Boy
It’s Not Enough
Be Lucky (new song)

AXS TV To Broadcast John Mellencamp Live From His Recording Studio In Bloomington, Indiana

'iHEARTRADIO ICONS LIVE: JOHN MELLENCAMP' AIRS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 AT 9 P.M. ET/6 P.M. PT

AXS TV, cable's premier destination for music entertainment, proudly presents an intimate live performance by John Mellencamp. The Voice of the Heartland will feature a mix of songs from his newly released album, Plain Spoken and classic songs on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The one-hour event titled "iHeartRadio Icons Live: John Mellencamp," will be broadcast live from his recording studio in Bloomington, Indiana.  It also comes on the heels of his performance earlier this month at Farm Aid 2014, another AXS TV broadcast production, where he performed songs from Plain Spoken and several of his classic hits in the much lauded set.

A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Mellencamp has touched the hearts and souls of music listeners and has influenced American Culture with his enduring songs. His 22nd album of original music, Plain Spoken is set to be one of the most distinguished records of Mellencamp's career.

The concert telecast joins AXS TV's eclectic fall concert line-up, which includes two days of live coverage from Zac Brown's Southern Ground Music & Food Festival on October 11 and 12 and the 15-week Tuesday night concert series "The Headliner Club Series Presented by Budweiser" at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

ABOUT AXS TV

Launched in July 2012 by visionary entrepreneur Mark Cuban, AXS TV is dedicated to providing the best in music programming and festivals, comedy performances, current events and mixed martial arts promotions. AXS TV is a partnership between Mark Cuban, AEG, Ryan Seacrest Media, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and CBS. The network is available in the United States via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite and telco providers. The network is also distributed in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. For more information, visit the website, www.axs.tv; go to the Facebook page here and follow the company on Twitter, @axstv; on Instagram;  Tumblr  and YouTube.

AXS TV's companion network, HDNET Movies, is a linear TV channel and VOD service that delivers the ultimate film watching experience -- uncut and uninterrupted -- in high definition. Launched in 2003, HDNET Movies programs a diverse slate of box-office hits spanning the 1950s to 2000s. The network is widely distributed by major cable, telco and satellite TV providers in the U.S. For further information, visit www.hdnetmovies.com. 

NICKELBACK to release 'No Fixed Address' on November 18, 2014

Globally celebrated, multi-platinum rock band NICKELBACK will unleash No Fixed Address, their eagerly awaited eighth full-length album and inaugural release for Republic Records on November 18, 2014.

Produced by NICKELBACK, the album’s stand out lead single “Edge Of A Revolution” is soaring up rock radio charts, becoming one of the band’s fastest rising singles. Fans can already purchase the first two singles “Edge Of A Revolution”and “What Are You Waiting For?”.

Listen to “What Are You Waiting For?” here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QQRfXn1W-s

Bolstered by thudding guitars and stadium-filling prowess that have been the hallmark of NICKELBACK’s sound, “Edge Of A Revolution” highlights the band’s songwriting and sonic evolution as it moves front and center on the anthemic track.  A “Top 5 Greatest Gainer” week after week, “Edge Of A Revolution” recently entered the Top 5 at Active Rock and is shaping up to be another rock radio hit. Upon release the song debuted at #1 on iTunes Rock Singles Chart and Top 25 on the iTunes All Genre Singles Chart. It also debuted at #13 on Billboard’s Hot Rock Songs chart, while claiming #1 on the Hard Rock Digital Songs chart.

The band’s music video debuted worldwide on Yahoo! Music. Helmed by iconic video director Wayne Isham [Metallica, Michael Jackson], the clip captures the song's lyrical call-to-arms with revolutionary energy. Watch it now!

Meanwhile, the second single from No Fixed Address, "What Are You Waiting For?" exploded at iTunes upon its release, quickly reaching #1 on iTunes Rock Singles Chart. The song is set to impact at Pop and Adult Contemporary Radio shortly. Following a long tradition of massive crossover hits from the band, it delivers an unforgettable hook and sing-a-long choruses seemingly built for arenas.

NICKELBACK take listeners to No Fixed Address on November 18.

Since first landing on the scene in 1996, NICKELBACK have cemented themselves as one of the most commercially viable and important acts of the past two decades.  The group’s worldwide sales exceed 50 million units, solidifying their status as the “eleventh best-selling music act” and second best-selling foreign act in the U.S. of the 21^st century—behind only The Beatles. Their inescapable and irresistible smash “How You Remind Me” remains Billboard’s “Top Rock Song of the Decade” and “Fourth Song of the Decade”. Amongst all of these accolades, they’ve been crowned Billboard’s “Top Rock Group of the Decade” as well. Along the way, they’ve received a staggering nine Grammy Award nominations, three American Music Awards, a World Music Award, a People’s Choice Award, 12 JUNO Awards and have been inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.

BUY LINK:

“What Are You Waiting For?” http://smarturl.it/NickelbackWaitngDA

“Edge Of A Revolution” http://smarturl.it/NickelbackEdgeReviT

TRACK LISTING FOR NO FIXED ADDRESS:

1. Million Miles An Hour  

2. Revolution

3. What Are You Waiting For?

4. She Keeps Me Up

5. Make Me Believe Again 

6. Miss You

7. Get ‘Em Up

8. The Hammer’s Comin' Down 

9. Satellite

10. Sister Sin

11. She’s Got Me Runnin’ Round 

For all things NICKELBACK:

www.nickelback.com

http://www.facebook.com/Nickelback

http://twitter.com/nickelback

Instagram.com/nickelback

http://www.youtube.com/nickelbacktv

Inbox Update: Aimee Mann, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Third Day, Steven Curtis Chapman, ASIA

There is a little bit of everything in today's post, with most of it centered on upcoming releases. But I do want to note that today marks the release of Aimee Mann's long-awaited album Charmer (which you can listen to in its entirety at NPR Music today too) on her SuperEgo label. Aimee kicks off her tour in support of Charmer with a show at The Coach House here in Orange County, California on Thursday night, Sept. 27. You can visit her site at www.AimeeMann.com for more details.

And read on if you want to know what else is on the horizon for later this year...


Neil Young & Crazy Horse reveal cover art for 'Psychedelic Pill'

As previously noted in another post, Neil Young & Crazy Horse will release their second set of new recordings on Oct. 30, 2012, titled PSYCHEDELIC PILL. This is the band's second new album this year following the June 5, 2012 release of AMERICANA. PSYCHEDELIC PILL features all new original compositions and is their longest album set of recorded music in their long-celebrated history as a band, taking the listener further into new sonic terrain as its title suggests.


The original album artwork recently revealed has been revised and taken on a stronger, more direct image to reflect the commanding and expansive music heard on the two CD or three vinyl disc sets.

The double-CD is available for pre-order here. The triple-vinyl, which will be available on Nov. 23, is also available for pre-order here.

Once again, the track-listing for Psychedelic Pill is as follows:

Disc One:

1 Driftin' Back (27:36)

2 Psychedelic Pill (3:26)

3 Ramada Inn (16:49)

4 Born In Ontario (3:49)


Disc Two:

1 Twisted Road (3:28)

2 She's Always Dancing (8:33)

3 For The Love Of Man (4:13)

4 Walk Like A Giant (16:27)

Bonus Track:

5 Psychedelic Pill (Alternate Mix)



Third Day makes 'Miracle' happen on new album
Acclaimed Band Teams With Legendary Producer Brendan O’Brien For Nov. 6 Release

If you’re a band that’s sold millions of records, taken home multiple awards in every genre, toured the world to record numbers of audiences, graced the cover of Billboard magazine, been interviewed by “60 Minutes” and performed on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” where do you go next?

For the members of Third Day, it meant joining forces with a new creative partner: veteran producer Brendan O’Brien (Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Train, The Killers). Third Day, known for its riveting rock sound, looked toward a new voice to help drive band members to their best offering yet.

The band set up shop in its Atlanta-based recording studio, The Quarry, for sessions that spanned several months. Together, the band and producer began the focused creative process toward an evolution of sound. According to bassist Tai Anderson, “Brendan O’Brien brought an incredible element of quality control, and really challenged each member of the band to bring his “A game” to the studio each day.”

What was birthed was Miracle, a 12-track simmering brew of potent rock anthems infused with the substantive, life-affirming lyrics that have always been the bedrock of the Third Day’s music; it’s a place where faith, passion and good old fashioned rock ‘n roll swagger coalesce.

“To have something new to say and to say it in a different way is really exciting,” says lead vocalist Mac Powell. “It’s reinvigorated us as a band.” Indeed, Miracle finds the band exploring new sonic and lyrical territory.
In addition to the impactful songwriting listeners have come to expect from Third Day, they will encounter new sonic splashes -- layered guitars and harmonies, sing-along gang vocals, and so on – not heard from the band previously. The signature rock foundations remain; they’ve just been infused with a modern-day flair.


“We wanted [this record] to have a brightness, a grandness to it, and Mac can certainly do that,”

O’Brien says, “but we wanted to have a little different sound from the lead voice. I’m a huge fan of ’70s music that has great big background vocals. I thought this music lent itself to that, so Mac and I did most of that and it was fun.”

Miracle also features plenty of musical bombast, as the album’s opening track “Hit Me Like A Bomb” attests. Guitars that both growl and jangle, snares that blast in your ears and Powell’s signature from-the-gut vocal style highlight a song about impactful love destined to be a new live show favorite. “Kicking And Screaming” showcases the band’s versatility, underpinning the track with an up-tempo acoustic pop feel we’ve not heard from them often, but fits perfectly today.

The album’s title track was inspired by a conversation the band had with a couple in New Jersey after a concert. “Their son was in a really depressed place in life. He drove way into the woods and was going to commit suicide,” Powell recounts. “He was going to kill himself, but he turned on the radio and he heard ‘Cry Out To Jesus’ (from the band’s 2005 record Wherever You Are). It literally changed his heart and gave him encouragement to keep going. When you hear a story like that, it just blows you away.”

Powell took the essence of that story and penned the song, “I Need a Miracle,” the new project’s first single, out at radio now. “This is one of my top five favorite songs that I’ve ever written. There’s just something powerful about it. I’m really excited about this song getting out and encouraging people,” Powell says. “It’s about the power of music and how God can use it to speak to people’s hearts, minds and spirits. That’s why it’s so important.”

The songs on Miracle cover a rich musical and emotional landscape. “Your Love is Like a River” is a stirring worship anthem that is one of the band’s favorite new songs, while “You Are My Everything” is a gorgeous mid tempo love song that spotlights the warmth in Powell’s vocals. And on the opposite end of the vocal range spectrum, check out Powell’s use of falsetto on the choruses on “For The Rest Of My Life.” Yes, we said falsetto.

“As someone who is a natural baritone, I don’t sing falsetto very often. But sometimes as I’m writing these songs I hear in my head that is what the part should be. I talked to Brendan and he gave me the confidence to try it. This is just one example of how Brendan pushed me out of my comfort zone,” shares Powell.

“The Victory,” a bluesy Southern anthem featuring a fantastic “song-within-a-song” breakdown, also features a potent lyric carrying a theme at the heart of the album overall. “That song is about making a commitment,” says guitarist Mark Lee. “It’s about saying you’re going to see it through ‘til the end and I think that’s a big theme on this record.”

Miracle wraps up with a reinvention of “Morning Has Broken,” a vintage Methodist hymn that was a pop hit in the ’70s for Cat Stevens. The song gets a stunning new treatment here, anchored in Mark Lee, Tai Anderson and David Carr’s skilled musicianship and Powell’s earthy vocals. Scotty Wilbanks, a longtime member of Third Day’s road band, provides the eloquent keyboard intro.


The members of Third Day have been given a platform and it’s a responsibility they take seriously. Of course, they love to rock out and entertain, but most importantly they want to offer hope and encouragement. “If there is any overarching theme on the record, it’s about pressing on and holding on to faith in the midst of doubt,” says David Carr. “We have this unique opportunity once again to speak into people’s lives. We’re not here to give you all the answers. We’re here to say ‘Just hang on a little longer.”

“We have toured for so many years and feel like we owe any success we have to the fans that built Third Day. These songs are engaging musically and lyrically; we worked hard to stretch ourselves for the people who come to our shows and buy our music; we poured so much into this record because we wanted to bring our fans our very best. We are proud of Miracle and can’t wait for people to hear it.”

Third Day will be back on the road in support of Miracle with a headlining tour starting in spring 2013, followed by appearances at major festivals that summer. Visit the band's Web site at www.ThirdDay.com for more details on the album and upcoming tour.
Miracle

1. Hit Me Like A Bomb

2. Kicking and Screaming

3. Your Love Is Like A River

4. I Need A Miracle

5. You Are My Everything

6. For The Rest Of My Life

7. I Want To Believe In You

8. The Victory

9. Take Me Back

10. Forever Yours

11. Time's Running Out On Me

12. Morning Has Broken



Steven Curtis Chapman to release 'Joy' on Oct. 16, 2012

Legendary Christian music artist Steven Curtis Chapman will release a brand new Christmas project, Joy, on Oct. 16. Joy will showcase seven new, original Christmas songs penned by Chapman and six classics. The lead single, “Christmas Time Again,” goes for radio adds on Nov. 16.


A collaborative effort with friend and producer Brent Milligan, this is Chapman’s third career

Christmas record following The Music of Christmas (1995, RIAA certified Gold), Christmas is All in the Heart (2003, a Hallmark limited, sold-out run of 400,000) and All I Really Want for Christmas (2005, RIAA certified Gold).

This Christmas CD, however, is particularly meaningful to Chapman: “Many know that the last few years have been a difficult journey for my family and me following the loss of our daughter Maria,” says Chapman. “So many have prayed for us and encouraged us, and having the opportunity to write, record and share this new music really feels like the beginning of a new season...a season of joy.”

“Even as hard as things have been, it’s like the sweet is starting to outweigh the bitter for us more and more,” Chapman explains. “Christmas is becoming a less hard thing for us each year. It’s not that it’s easier to get through because we are forgetting. It’s like we can remember now without it just being so painful and the memories can be sweet.”

Among the album’s 13 tracks are six new songs including first single “Christmas Time Again,” “Christmas in Kentucky,” inspired by Chapman’s home state, and “Christmas Kiss,” written for his wife Mary Beth. Recording Joy also gave Chapman a chance to record some of his longtime favorites like “Joy to the World,” “We Three Kings,” “What Child Is This?” and “Christmas Time Is Here,” from the animated classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” A complete track listing is as follows:

1. Joy To The World
2. Christmas Time Again
3. Christmas In Kentucky
4. Do You Hear What I Hear?
5. Christmas Kiss
6. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
7. Christmas Time Is Here
8. What Child Is This?
9. In The Bleak Midwinter
10. Christmas Card
11. We Three Kings
12. I Am Joseph (God Is With Us)
13. Happy New Year

*sequence subject to change

  ASIA celebrated at upcoming events  

Finally, ASIA will appear at a special event at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum as part of its "Legends" series on Oct. 9, 2012. The rock quartet will also be featured via a special performance from the Regency Theater in San Francisco distributed via AXS TV on Nov. 7.
Information: www.originalasia.com.

Sights and Sounds: Doheny Blues Festival, Los Lobos, Third Day, Audio Fidelity reissues

Doheny Blues Festival update

Happy Friday everybody. I hope to see many of out at the Doheny Blues Festival in Dana Point this weekend. The weather outlook is great (70s during the day) lineup is really exciting this year, with the legendary Gregg Allman and better-all-the-time Steve Miller Band each set to headline a date at the fest. Here is a link to my in-depth preview story about the festival that ran in The Orange County Register's print edition today.

Speaking on the blues and roots music, check out my most recent Kinslerscope columns in the Desert Star Weekly to get my takes on a wide range of new music including releases from Joan Osborne, Cash Box Kings, Tab Benoit, The Jayhawks and more!

And now on some notable news items pulled from my inbox...



Los Lobos Kiko Live to be released on CD, DVD and Blu-ray

Kiko 20th Anniversary Edition to be released on CD on Aug. 21, 2012

Los Lobos is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their seminal album Kiko with the August 21 release of Kiko 20th Anniversary Edition on CD, and Kiko Live on CD, DVD and a 2-disc Blu-ray/CD set from Shout! Factory. The Kiko 20th Anniversary Edition features bonus material including demo versions of album tracks and live recordings, and new liner notes written by Los Angeles journalist and longtime friend of the band, Luis Torres. Kiko Live captures their February 24, 2006, performance at the House Of Blues in San Diego , CA , where the band performed the critically acclaimed release in its entirety, during a string of shows devoted to the album. Never before released or broadcast, Kiko Live also contains interviews with the band and others involved in the making of the studio album.



The Los Angeles Times premiered a performance clip of “Kiko and the Lavendar Moon” from Kiko Live on Wednesday, May 16 http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2012/05/los-lobos-kiko-20th-anniversary-live-video.html.


Released in 1992, Kiko was embraced by fans and hailed by critics as the band’s defining moment, the album that put Los Lobos back on the innovation track. The album, wrote All Music Guide, “demonstrated the breadth of their sonic ambitions.” Kiko was produced by Mitchell Froom, who received a Grammy nomination for Producer of the Year for his work on the album, and who had previously collaborated with the band on La Bamba. Dubbed “the album of the year” by the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, and one of “The Essential Recordings of the ‘90s” by Rolling Stone, Los Lobos also took home an MTV Music Video Award for Breakthrough Video for “Kiko and the Lavender Moon” in 1993.


Prior to Kiko, Los Lobos had been “segregating our influences, treating them parochially,” as Steve Berlin puts it: a rockabilly tune here, a Tex-Mex there, some folk, a bit of country, an R&B tune, plenty of classic rock. This time, they decided to take all of those myriad influences out of their separate boxes, toss them into the air and let them fall where they might. “Whatever our unconscious minds’ response was to the stimuli, that was what we wanted. We let our imagination take over and didn’t try to control it.”

They began recording new original Hidalgo-Pérez compositions such as “Two Janes,” “Peace,” “Arizona Skies,” “Short Side of Nothing” and “Rio de Tenampa,” self-producing and following their instincts sound-wise. Comments the band’s Cesar Rosas, “With that album we didn’t want to be tied down to all the conventional ways of recording, so we started experimenting and making up sounds.”


To date the beloved band from East L.A. has recorded 18 albums, including their most recent studio album, 2010’s Tin Can Trust. They’ve won multiple Grammy Awards, and continue to tour regularly. Born out of the desire to have a community-conscious event celebrating food, culture and music in their hometown, Los Lobos recently held the 1st Annual Los Lobos Cinco de Mayo Festival at Los Angeles’ iconic Greek Theatre. The festival featured performances by preeminent LA bands X and Mariachi El Bronx, among others, with special guests Neko Case, Alejandro Escovedo, Dave Alvin, Phil Alvin, and Flaco Jiménez joining Los Lobos on stage.

Next year Los Lobos will celebrate 40 years together, a monumental achievement in a world where bands come and go in the blink of an eye. A rare example of longevity in a volatile music world that stresses style over substance, Los Lobos’ lineup has remained uninterrupted since 1984, when Berlin joined original members Louie Pérez, David Hidalgo, Cesar Rosas, and Conrad Lozano, each of whom had been there since the beginning in 1973.


“This is what happens when five guys create a magical sound, then stick together for 30 years to see how far it can take them,” wrote Rolling Stone, and indeed, Los Lobos is a band that continually reboots itself and expands its scope with each passing year, while never losing sight of where they came from.


“There’s this thing that still happens, this musical thing,” says Pérez. “But if you took everything away, even the music, you’d still end up with four guys who were friends and hung out and grew up in the same neighborhood. And you can’t take that friendship away from us.”


More information at http://www.loslobos.org/



Third Day at work on its next studio project

New album being produced by legendary Brendan O'Brien

Veteran rock band Third Day has been spending a generous part of 2012 immersed in the recording of its next studio album. The forthcoming project, Third Day’s 17th career offering, is being recorded within the walls of its own state-of-the art studio, The Quarry, in Atlanta, Ga. Third Day is working with veteran rock producer Brendan O’Brien.


O’Brien is well known for his work with Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Audioslave and The Fray, among others. A former vice president of Epic Records, O’Brien has won two GRAMMY Awards including 2010’s producer of the year, Non-Classical award. In addition, O’Brien has production credits on 14 albums that have topped the Billboard 200 sales chart.


“When we were getting together as a band to talk about starting work on this project, we did an exercise where each member named his top five albums of all time. Brendan O’Brien had at least one record on all of our lists,” offers bassist, Tai Anderson.


Mac Powell, the band’s front man, shares, “Our time with Brendan has been nothing less than an amazing experience. He is one of my favorite producers. Having made so many great records with so many amazing artists through the years, I consider it such an honor to be working with him. Brendan has definitely stretched me as a songwriter and vocalist more than any other producer ever has.”


The new project follows a stellar 2011 for Third Day, which included being the first Christian artist ever to receive ASCAP’s coveted Vanguard Award, as well as wrapping up its highly successful spring/fall “Make Your Move Tour” which saw numerous sell-out performances.

Additional information on Third Day’s latest record is forthcoming. In the meantime, fans can catch the band on select concert performances throughout the summer, where it intends to begin previewing select tracks from the new recording. For a current list of tour dates, visit: http://www.thirdday.com/.


Photo above features Third Day recording at The Quarry

Photo credit: Peter Doyle



Audio Fidelity rocks the 1950s, 70s and 80s with new reissues from Elvis Presley, Jeff Beck and Jane's Addiction

Jailhouse Rock EP and Jeff Beck Group get 12-inch vinyl treatment; Nothing's Shocking goes Gold

Marshall Blonstein, president of Audio Fidelity, has announced May 22, 2012 as the release date for the reissue of a trio of legendary rock recordings. Elvis Presley's 1957 JAILHOUSE ROCK EP and Jeff Beck's 1972 album THE JEFF BECK GROUP will be issued in 12-inch vinyl editions, and Jane's Addiction's 1988 debut, NOTHING'S SHOCKING, will arrive as a numbered, limited edition 24-Karat Gold CD. All will be sold through online and brick-and-mortar retailers alike.

The King of Rock and Roll gets the royal treatment with a dual-speed reissue of his JAILHOUSE ROCK EP, which features performances of five songs from his second feature film of the same name. Side One of the disc offers the tunes at 33 1/3 rpm while Side Two plays them at 45 rpm. The selections include three Leiber-Stoller classics-the title track (Presley's ninth No. 1 single in just over a year), the ballad "I Want to Be Free" and the full-tilt rocker "(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care"-as well as "Don't Leave Me Now" and "Young and Beautiful," both penned by veteran Presley scribe Aaron Schroeder ("Big Hunk O' Love," "It's Now Or Never"). Issued in November of 1957, the 45 rpm EP hit No. 1 on Billboard's EP chart and ultimately sold more than five million copies; the title-track single held the survey's top slot for seven weeks and entered the U.K. charts at No. 1.

Among the many artists who've covered "Jailhouse Rock" was Jeff Beck (on his second solo set, Beck-Ola). THE JEFF BECK GROUP was the fourth and last album by the band, which then found the super-guitarist supported by vocalist Bobby Tench, drummer Cozy Powell, bassist Clive Chapman and keyboardist Max Middleton. Recorded in Memphis with Booker T. & the MG's guitarist Steve Cropper producing, THE JEFF BECK GROUP enjoyed extensive FM airplay and a 26-week stay on the Billboard chart. Beck's considerable talent and imagination are prominently displayed on a wide array of material, from Bob Dylan's "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" and Stevie Wonder's "I Gotta Have a Song" to Carl Perkins' rockabilly classic "Glad All Over" and a blazing cover of bluesman Freddy King's "Going Down." Beck himself penned the opening "Ice Cream Cakes," "Sugar Cane" (with Steve Cropper), "Highways" and the soulful instrumental "Definitely Maybe." THE JEFF BECK GROUP will be issued as part of Audio Fidelity's "nicely priced" vinyl Target Series.

Los Angeles' Jane's Addiction made one of the more formidable debuts of the 1980s with NOTHING'S SHOCKING. The group, comprised of vocalist Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Eric Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins, generated combustible-and eventually widely popular-mix of punk-rock energy and arena-rock ambition on this 1988 album, which boasted the alternative-rock hit "Jane Says" (No. 6 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart). Produced by Dave Jerden, who had engineered albums by the Rolling Stones, Talking Heads and others, NOTHING'S SHOCKING also features two additional singles, the Zeppelin-esque "Ocean Size" and the more raucous and metallic "Mountain Song." The latter, like the album's front cover design, engendered controversy upon release, with MTV refusing to air the song's video clip as it contained nudity. The expansive, psychedelic "Summertime Rolls" and the swinging jazz interlude "Thank You Boys" revealed additional dimensions to the band, many that would be explored in subsequent albums like NOTHING'S SHOCKING's successor, RITUAL DE LO HABITUAL, and 2003's STRAYS.

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