New music: Simple Minds, Duran Duran, Dolph Chaney, Dokken

New returns from favorites Simple Minds, Duran Duran, Dolph Chaney and Dokken are available now.

Artist: Simple Minds

Title: New Gold Dream — Live From Paisley Abbey (BMG)
You might like if you enjoy: Simple Minds, U2
Tell me more: New Gold Dream — Live From Paisley Abbey captures the groundbreaking Scottish rock ensemble Simple Minds revisiting their beloved 1982 masterwork New Gold Dream on the occasion of its 40th birthday (the new live album was recorded in October 2022). The anthemic opener "Someone Somewhere In Summertime," soaring "Promised You A Miracle" and infectious "Glittering Prize" are instantly luring, while other tracks offer an additional invitation to hear Simple Minds' singular magic. The rhythmic "Color's Fly and Catherine Wheel," urgent "Big Sleep," enticing "New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)," sumptuous "Hunter and the Hunted" and intense "King Is White And In The Crowd" are also key to the compelling full-length performance. Singer Jim Kerr's signature vocals remain a wonder, while guitar great Charlie Burchill offers up a myriad of glorious textures that bolster the live recording (just listen to the wonderful "Promised You A Miracle"). The band's other members — drummer Charisse Osei, bassist Ged Grimes, keyboardist Berenice Scott and acoustic guitarist Gordy Goudie — collectively add artful firepower to the track listing. Forty-five into their glorious run Simple Minds remains an important force in modern rock. Recorded late last year, the programme is part of Sky Arts’ ‘Greatest Albums live’ series, which captures iconic artists playing classic albums from their illustrious careers. 
New Gold Dream – Live from Paisley Abbey offers music lovers the chance to buy the audio of this special one-off performance, either as a digital download, audio CD or a limited edition red transparent marble vinyl LP housed in a gatefold sleeve. Information: SimpleMinds.com. 

Artist: Duran Duran

Title: Danse Macabre (BMG)
You might like if you enjoy: Roxy Music, Duran Duran, Danny Elfman
Tell me more: Duran Duran's Halloween-themed album Danse Macabre may immerse itself in the dark and spooky trappings of the holiday but is thankfully not bound but them. Indeed, Danse Macabre is a decidedly fun listen that finds the pioneering British quartet — singer Simon Le Bon, bassist John Taylor, drummer Roger Taylor and keyboardist Nick Rhodes — offering up a winning mix of brand new originals, creatively reworked covers of songs by Talking Heads, The Rolling Stones, Billie Eilish and The Specials and even new versions of past Duran Duran classics. What's more, the concept album includes a celebrated parade of musical guests including producer/guitarist/composer Nile Rodgers, Måneskin singer Victoria De Angelis and former Duran Duran members Andy Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo. Among the terrific cuts on Danse Macabre are the unsettling opener "Nightboat," a shimmering bass-heavy grooving version of Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer" featuring guest vocals from De Angelis, the gothic dance title track, instantly-accessible funk foray "Black Moonlight," playful "Ghost Town," a fiery run through Siouxsie and the Banshees' "Spellbound" and a propulsive take on The Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black." The 13-track album closes with the luxuriously beautiful "Confession In The Afterlife." Danse Macabre is out now via Tape Modern for BMG with artwork featuring images adapted from a collection of authentic vintage séance photos sourced by Nick Rhodes at auction.  It is available on Black 2LP and CD, with a limited-edition Translucent Galaxy 2LP. The album is also available on high res Blu-ray audio. Information: duranduran.com. 

Artist: Dolph Chaney

Title: Mug (Big Stir Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Matthew Sweet, Cheap Trick, Psychic Rain, Guided By Voices
Tell me more: Chicago-based great Dolph Chaney follows up his wonderful 2021 breakout album This Is Dolph Chaney with the equally stellar 2023 studio title Mug. Chaney's sharp songwriting, affecting lead vocals and an inspired sound that spans the 13-track disc are genuinely palpable. The rollicking opener "Nice" is the first of a slew of marvelous songs that will thrill fans of classic rock and power pop. The lovely Baroque pop gem "Cool in the Sunshine," rollicking single "Mr. Eli," rootsy "Love Around You," heartfelt "Good Luck With All That," ambitious "Undone," introspective rocker "Critic (The Mirror)" and irresistible closer "The First Time Back" display Chaney's expert touch across the musical universe. With hooks and melodies aplenty that are the equal of his literate and thoughtful song craft, Mug is a fantastic album worthy of discovery. Information: bigstirrecords.com. 

Artist: Dokken

Title: Heaven Comes Down (Silver Lining Music)
You might like if you enjoy: Dokken, Rainbow, Queensryche

Tell me more: Dokken's long-awaited return Heaven Comes Down fully delivers on the melodic hard rock stylings that elevated the band to fame in the mid 1980s. Led by singer-songwriter Don Dokken, the band's formidable lineup also includes guitarist Jon Levin, bassist Chris McCarvill and drummer BJ Zampa. Heaven Comes Down is Dokken's 13th album and was produced by Bill Palmer and Dokken; it is also the band's first new studio album since 2012's Broken Bones. The album includes a slew of straight-forward rockers including the strong opener "Fugitive," which is particularly strong with its wistful sonic atmospherics and virtuoso lead work from Levin. Other winning cuts on the disc include the heavy "Is It Me Or You?," sweeping "Just Like A Rose" (the latter enhanced by shining vocal harmonies), affecting rock ballad "I'll Never Give Up," evocative "I Remember" and autobiographical acoustic-flavored disc closer "Santa Fe." Heaven Comes Down is available via CD digital, 12-inch vinyl (black and color variants), digital formats and special direct-to-consumer (D2C) products and bundles. Dokken is currently on tour in support of the new album. Information: dokken.net. 

Robert Kinsler

Sights and Sounds: NAMM, Grateful Dead, Off Center Festival

Happy Friday everybody. With NAMM less than a week away, I'm already in overdrive preparing to cover the music industry event from every angle. Hope you'll be checking back here to see my posts and video reports with TJR as well...

Speaking of NAMM, Select A Head  will be giving away a logo drum display to one lucky winner during each day at the upcoming 2015 Winter NAMM Show. 

The winner can pick from the displays on-hand at their booth at NAMM (#2857) or via the website, www.selectahead.com. Participants must enter the drawing at the NAMM show, but do not have to be present to win.

Select-a-Head^® has developed logo drum displays for Beasto Blanco, Korn, Queensryche, Stryper, Within Reason, World Gone, Rockstar UPROAR, Gemini Syndrome, Iron Maiden plus radio stations including KISW Rock, University of Oregon Ducks, University of Washington and many more.  

Ray Luzier of Korn recently quoted Select a Head as "This is one of the ultimate souvenirs that you could own by your favorite band. It looks so bad ass hangin' in my studio, like a kick drum's literally busting out of the wall!! My friends all trip out when they come over & rant over it. Sticks, picks & photos are cool, but get yourself a Select A Head, truly a unique display & support of your fav band!!

Billboard exclusively reports that Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio will join the four living original members of The Grateful Dead for three 50th-anniversary shows July 3-5 at Soldier Field in Chicago. 

The Dead's last performance with Jerry Garcia, who died in August 1995, was at the same 55,000-seat capacity venue on July 9, 1995.

The sense of closure is no ­accident: These shows are likely to be the finale for the "core four," as the ­surviving members are now known: Bob Weir, 67; Phil Lesh, 74; Mickey Hart, 71; and Bill Kreutzmann, 68. 

"These will be the last shows with the four of us together," Weir tells Billboard.

Full article: http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6443522/grateful-dead-reunion-shows-trey-anastasio-chicago-anniversary

For more event information, visit: Dead50.net

Segerstom Center For The Arts Presents The 4^th Annual Off Center Festival

Incredible line up of musical performances, theater productions and events set to begin January 21
 

The Costa Mesa Conference and Visitor Bureau is proud to announce the return of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ Off Center Festival. The annual event, now in its fourth year, kicks off January 21 and will feature an array of musical and theatrical performances, as well as plenty of food, mixing and mingling.

This year, the festival will include two Parties-on-the-Plaza (POP) on Saturday, January 24 and Friday, January 30. Both are free and open to the public. Film crews and photographers are also invited to attend. The first POP will feature Orange County rocker Nick Waterhouse. The second POP will feature the funk fusion music of Jungle Fire and afro-disco sounds of Orgone. During the events, visitors will also have the opportunity to experience some of Costa Mesa’s premiere food truck companies such as Waff ‘N Roll, Mustache Mike’s, Adobo Express and The Burnt Truck.

Throughout the Off Center Festival, audiences will have the chance to experience a variety of performances. A selection of featured artists and companies include: Mehr Theater Group’s Timeloss, Agrupación Señor Serrano’s Brickman Brando Bubble Room, Marga Gomez performing Lovebirds and Amy O’Neal in her Opposing Forces. Following performances, audiences and actors will have the opportunity to socialize over cocktails and enjoy a number of casual dining offerings created just for the Off Center Festival.

Tickets for the Off Center Festival are $25, except for Scott Bradlee & Postmodern Jukebox in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, which are $25, $35 and $45. For more information on the Off Center Festival, a complete list of shows and locations please visit www.scfta.org/offcenter.

Follow and join in on the conversation of all the latest happenings at the Off Center Festival on social media with the hashtag #OffCenterFest.

Queensryche Starring Geoff Tate to Auction Stage Backdrop for Fan Bryan Stow

There is not often a lot to celebrate when turning on the news nowadays. Here is a great story worth sharing courtesy of a media release that landed in my inbox...

QUEENSRYCHE STARRING GEOFF TATE TO AUCTION OFF

QUEENSRYCHE STAGE BACKDROP FEATURED ON SEVERAL TOURS

WITH PROCEEDS GOING TO DEVOUT FAN, BRYAN STOW

 

GEOFF TATE TO ALSO DONATE PROCEEDS OF SONG,

"FACING MY DEMONS," TO STOW, WHO CONTINUES TO MAKE

PROGRESS AFTER BEATING AT DODGER STADIUM IN 2011

 

 

Geoff Tate / Photo credit: Mick McDonald

On opening day of the baseball season in 2011, San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow was beaten in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium by two individuals, who are currently serving a sentence for their actions.

 

Stow, a proud father of two and a paramedic, sustained severe injuries to his brain and was placed into a medically-induced coma after the incident.

 

It would be months before he would go outside and, ultimately, more than two years before he would go home.

 

Shortly after the occurrence, while Stow was in the hospital, Queensryche became aware that he was one of their biggest fans, sporting a sizable tattoo of the Queensryche logo on his left arm.

 

At the request of a friend, the band made a surprise visit to Bryan in the hospital that September, which ended up being an experience that both will never forget.

 

"We were incredibly inspired by his love for life, his love for his family and his love for our music," states original Queensryche lead singer, Geoff Tate.

 

With a week remaining in their Farewell tour, Geoff's version of Queensryche (which will continue on as Operation: Mindcrime after the tour ends) will be auctioning off the Queensryche stage backdrop that has been featured on several tours. "It's truly a special part of our musical history and we'd like to raise some much-needed funds for Bryan so he can continue his progress."

 

The auction will begin at 3:00pm PDT on Sunday, August 31, the day after the very last performance of Queensryche Starring Geoff Tate - The Farewell Tour, and will end at 3:00pm PDT the following Sunday, September 7, 2014. "We're honored and thankful to have fans like Bryan in our life and would like to present him with a check just prior to Thanksgiving. Every little bit helps at this point and we hope to continue our efforts for Bryan and his family down the road."

 

Come Sunday, fans desiring to bid can enter "Queenryche Stage Backdrop" on eBay or go to the direct link at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261574477081.

 

In addition to the money raised from the auction of the backdrop, Geoff will, personally, be donating his proceeds from a song titled, "Facing My Demons," that he sings with The Voodoos, who are currently out on tour with him. The song can be downloaded athttps://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/facing-my-demons-single/id788709857.

 

Earlier this month, Bryan came out for the Queensryche Starring Geoff Tate performance in Morgan Hill, California and, more recently, made a clubhouse visit with his son to the San Francisco Giants clubhouse on Sunday, August 17, where he was guided by longtime third base coach Tim Flannery and Giants relief pitcher Jeremy Affeldt.

 

Flannery, a musician himself, has performed a series of Northern California concerts over the past three years to raise money for Bryan, and plans to continue his efforts as well.

 

To all music fans... to all sports fans... to all those who just want to do some good...

 

Get out there and bid!

 

For specific information about Bryan and his progress, please see www.support4bryanstow.com.