Maroon 5 to appear on MTV on Monday, June 25

Fans of Maroon 5 will want to check out this release that landed in my inbox...

Maroon 5 to appear live on MTV to exclusively premiere new music video 'One More Night' on Monday, June 25

“MTV FIRST: MAROON 5” Extends to Live 30-minute Q&A on MTV.com; Fans to Ask Questions Via Twitter

 

On the eve of their new album release, Overexposed, Grammy Award winning band, Maroon 5 will take MTV by storm on Monday, June 25, 2012 at 7:53 p.m. ET to exclusively premiere their new music video “One More Night” during “MTV First: Maroon 5.” Hosted by MTV News' James Montgomery, the band will appear live on-air to personally introduce the new music video and then stay on for an extended 30-minute live interview on MTV.com.

 

Fans can get in on the action immediately by submitting video or text questions via MTV.com or via Twitter (using @MTVNews / hash-tag #MTVFirst #AskMaroon5). Following the broadcast premiere, the music video for “One More Night” will go into immediate rotation on MTV Hits and mtvU, and debut in AMTV the following morning.

 

Recorded in Los Angeles, CA over the last year, Overexposed is a rich, pop-infused collection featuring 10 new tracks that will be released on Tuesday, June 26. Maroon 5 began writing and recording the album during their most recent world tour and the resulting collection is chock-full of undeniable, anthemic melodies. The album includes such stand out tracks as the emphatic single “Payphone” featuring Wiz Khalifa, the irresistible “One More Night” and the rythmic ballad “Beautiful Goodbye.” The album was executive produced by Max Martin with additional tracks produced by Benny Blanco and Ryan Tedder.

 

Capturing their first of three Grammy Awards as “Best New Artist” of 2005 and going on to sell more than 17 million albums worldwide, Maroon 5’s releases have gone gold and platinum in over 35 countries. The band won over fans and critics alike with the hybrid rock/R&B sound they introduced on their debut album, Songs About Jane and their double platinum album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long. In September 2010, the band released their third studio album, Hands All Over, which also recently went platinum. The collection featured two hit singles including the Hot AC smash “Misery” and the anthemic “Moves Like Jagger,” which climbed to the #1 spot on the Top 40 and Hot AC charts and also claimed the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Both singles received GRAMMY Award nominations in the category of "Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals," marking the group’s eighth GRAMMY nomination overall and 5th in that category.

 

In addition to his work with Maroon 5, band frontman Adam Levine joined the #1 NBC hit series The Voice as a coach in 2011. Debuting after Super Bowl XLVI, the second season of The Voice kicked off with a bang, scoring a total of 37.6 million viewers, making it the highest ratings for a non-sports related show on any network in 6 years.

Sights and Sounds: Muddy Waters and the Rolling Stones, Glen Campbell

News rarely gets more exciting than this. Word just in that a new DVD release will feature a legendary performance that teamed blues great Muddy Waters with the Rolling Stones. Read on...

Muddy Waters and the Rolling Stones 'Live at the Checkerboard Lounge Chicago 1981' set for release on July 10

Leave it to Eagle Rock Entertainment, the world’s leader in visual music, to come up with a rare gem of rock’n’roll and blues history. July 10 is the street date for the DVD and special two-disc DVD/CD package of Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones Live At The Checkerboard Lounge Chicago 1981. Additionally, this delectable slice of American History will also be released as a DVD/2LP vinyl set on September 11, 2012.

On November 22, 1981, the Rolling Stones were criss-crossing America on one of their mammoth tours when they had a night off in Chicago, Illinois. What to do? The decision was a no-brainer. Muddy Waters (1915-1983) was in town that night performing at his own juke-joint, The Checkerboard Lounge. It didn’t take long before The Master called up to the stage his students, vocalist Mick Jagger, guitarists Ron Wood and Keith Richards and piano player Ian Stewart. The four Stones wound up jamming with Muddy and his band to the absolute delight of the lucky patrons there that night and, man, they raised the roof.

It was all caught on camera and recorded for posterity.

Now, with the advantage of DTS Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Stereo, mixed and mastered by Bob Clearmountain, this 90-minute wang-dang-doodle has been lovingly preserved for the ages. Add Buddy Guy, Junior Wells (1934-1998), and other musicians into the equation and the sum of these parts is not only greater than the whole but worth salivating over. Heretofore only available as a bootleg, this is the complete package that will have musicologists buzzing.

TRACK LISTING:

DVD:

1) Sweet Little Angel

2) Flip Flop And Fly

3) Muddy Waters Introduction

4) You Don’t Have To Go

5) Country Boy

6) Baby Please Don’t Go

7) Hoochie Coochie Man

8) Long Distance Call

9) Mannish Boy

10) Got My Mojo Working

11) Next Time You See Me

12) One Eyed Woman

13) Baby Please Don’t Go (Instrumental)

14) Blow Wind Blow

15) Champagne & Reefer



CD:

1) Introduction Instrumental

2) You Don’t Have To Go

3) Baby Please Don’t’ Go

4) Hoochie Coochie Man

5) Long Distance Call

6) Mannish Boy

7) Got My Mojo Working

8) Next Time You See Me

9) One Eyed Woman

10) Blow Wind Blow

11) Champagne & Reefer


Visit Eagle Rock Entertainment's official Web site more more information.


Watch Glen Campbell's new music video for 'A Better Place'

Just wanted to share this great new music video for Glen Campbell's song "A Better Place." Look closely and you'll see Josh Homme make a special appearance in the video as well. You can watch the video over at Youtube by clicking here.



Glen Campbell is currently trekking across the US on the final leg of his "Goodbye Tour" which began last year in support of his great final album, Ghost on the Canvas. This Sunday, June 24, 2012, the "Goodbye Tour" will hit Los Angeles' historic Hollywood Bowl, an appropriate venue for a legend that looms as large as Campbell. One of my favorite bands Dawes will also perform. Check out upcoming tour dates at the link below:


http://glencampbellmusic.com/tour/

Rhett Miller rocks the Coach House

Photographs taken by Bob Steshetz. Visit his blog here.

Rhett Miller and the Serial Lady Killers never let up on Sunday night, June 17, 2012. The quartet's powerful performance at the Coach House was a celebration of more more than Miller's limitless gifts as a songwriter.


"I know you're all sitting down," Miller said when he took the stage. "We're going to rock you anyway."

From the opening notes of "Lost Without You" - one of many superb songs off his newly-issued album The Dreamer featured this night - Miller was aided and abetted by lead guitarist Tommy Borscheid, bassist Greg Beshers and mighty drummer Angela Webster as they hefted those songs on their collective backs. It's no wonder that Miller was totally drenched by the end of the 90-minute set.

Whether playing new songs or classic Old 97's material, Miller was able to bring an infectious energy to the songs with the full ensemble bringing equal shares of straightforward rock 'n' roll attitude and skilled musicianship to the mix. The versions heard in San Juan Capistrano rarely mirrored the studio recordings. "Sleepwalkin'" was offered up more upbeat than on the new album, and the soaring use of a slide by Borscheid was the perfect counterpoint to Miller's amped-up vocals on the song.

Fans of Miller's previous solo releases were treated to some of his finest material off those discs. The confessional "I Need to Know Where I Stand" off his self-titled 2009 album boasted a rollicking indie rock approach, while "Help Me, Suzanne" off 2006's The Believer showcased Miller's skills as crafting melodic power pop complete with strong vocal harmonies from Beshers and Borscheid.

And while getting to watch the troupe rock was loads of fun, Miller mixed things up. He performed a two-song acoustic set. Having released his The Interpreter Live at Largo covers album last year, he featured a solo performance of "California Stars" (the original was featured on Mermaid Avenue with Wilco and Billy Bragg) and a reworked version of the classic Old 97's song "Timebomb." Both put the focus on his wonderful vocals and emotional delivery of a song.

"Question" benefitted from Borscheid's textured guitar stylings. Heather Robb (a member of the opening band the Spring Standards) provided some beautiful lead and harmony vocals on several songs, notably on the stunning country rock-flavored "Fireflies."

Darting back and forth between his solo work and Old 97's stuff proved to be effortless for Miller and company. The Old 97's' rocking "Dance With Me" and "Four Leaf Clover" were both handled with the necessary firepower to impress.

Of the two openers on the bill, New York's the Spring Standards (seen on right) was the obvious standout. A terrific young group  armed with material ranging from authentic Americana to 1980s New Wave pop, the ensemble boasted three great lead singers (Heather Robb, James Cleare, James Smith) who also harmonized with style. Highlights included the traditional sounding country of "Crushing Pennies," jazz-tinged "Sharks" and infectious pop of "Nightmare."
 
The Spring Standards can be seen on Conan on TBS at 11 p.m. (10 p.m. central) tonight, Monday, June 18, 2012.

Donavon Frankenreiter brings breezy sounds to extended Coach House stand

My review was originally posted in Soundcheck on The Orange County Register site on Saturday, June 16, 2012. Special thanks to Bob Steshetz for the use of his photo taken at the show.

Summer may not officially arrive for a few more days, but don’t tell that to the 500 or so family members, friends and fans of singer-songwriter Donavon Frankenreiter who packed into the Coach House Friday night (June 15, 2012).

Given his mix here of surf grooves, folk and ’70s rock via a fast-paced, 90-minute set of mostly original material, it was easy to imagine Frankenreiter and his sharp five-man band playing the same set at Doheny or Huntington Beach on a perfect day under a summer sun.

The longtime O.C.-based artist, who now primarily lives in Hawaii, has increasingly been able to craft shows in tune with his audience. He set things in motion with laid-back soft-rock like the inviting ukulele-anchored “Free,” a song that captures the noted surfer’s free-spirited musical blend and positive lyrical themes. Subsequent offerings such as “Glow,” “West Coast Fool” and “Shine” also reflected that casual style without forfeiting tight melodies or polished songcraft.

Over the course of a 20-song set, Frankenreiter gathered steam while bringing more range and depth to his pieces, many of them pulled from his latest album, Start Livin’. “You” surprised with its Appalachia-style folk sound, well-suited to the singer’s warm baritone vocals. The strains of soul, pop and rock amid “The Way It Is” tangled together into another standout moment.

Frankenreiter’s stuff may get branded as soft, yet that wasn’t always the case at this first of two shows at his old San Juan Capistrano haunt, a place oft-frequented by Sunchild, the local band that first brought him attention. Several times during this set he kicked things up a notch with more hard-hitting blues-rock, while a heavy version of the song “That’s Too Bad (Byron Jam),” from his album Move by Yourself, added a dynamic shot near the end of the show.

Even when playing acoustic material, Frankenreiter is no folkie. More than a decade into his successful solo career, he has become a genuine musical artist who has far outdistanced the tired stories of being merely a professional surfer who happens to sing and play guitar. Coming out for his encore, he walked on stage alone and delivered a mighty version of Tom Petty’s “American Girl.” With the audience singing along at key points, he continued to find power in each line, as slowly the other members of his band joined in and the song took on unexpected hints of modern Americana.

The performance almost came full circle after that, as Frankenreiter delivered “It Don’t Matter,” another gentle tune with an infectious singalong chorus. This time he asked for a volunteer, and young Mission Viejo resident Mika Honda got on stage to add some crowd-pleasing vocals for an extended rendition.

“Thank you so much for such a beautiful night,” Frankenreiter said before exiting.

Opening was singer-songwriter Kevin Miso, who shares a similar love of the Jack Johnson-esque surf/folk/rock sound. His impressive ability to play a variety of instruments, often during the same song, came in the service of potent originals such as “Home” and “Smile.” The highlight was “Finally,” an R&B ballad featuring wonderful vocals and piano play.

Donavon Frankenreiter plays the Coach House again tonight, June 16, and also just added another date at the venue on June 22. Tickets are $26. Call 949-496-8930 for more information.

The Dreamer: Catching up with Rhett Miller

This story was originally posted on the Soundcheck blog on The Orange County Register Web site on June 11, 2012. Miller performs at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Sunday night, June 17.

Rhett Miller detours away from Old 97′s once more

Last week, Rhett Miller, who has fronted alt-country rockers Old 97’s since the mid-’90s, released The Dreamer, his fifth solo studio effort but his first-ever self-produced album. The 13-track disc is actually something of a radical departure for the transplanted Texan, who lives in New York these days. Whereas previous outings were more rock- and pop-oriented – a deliberate shift from his main group’s distinct Americana approach – his latest effort fuses all of Miller’s far-flung loves together with those impeccable instincts for roots music.

“It’s funny: Up until now,” he said in a recent phone chat, “I’ve been so concerned with delineating the difference between the two careers – the solo career and the band career – and I just kind of (feel) like the fans get it now. They know I do solo records and the band does our records.”

Miller noted that because the last Old 97’s albums – two volumes of The Grand Theatre, issued in 2010 and 2011 – had taken the Dallas-spawned outfit into garage-rock territory, he had the implicit freedom to do something dramatically different with The Dreamer.

“The band (Old 97’s) sounds so set and so far away from this idea that I had, of acoustic guitars and pedal steel and female harmonies, that while it could be classified at rootsy, I felt it was very different and nobody was going to get confused where one stopped and the other started.”

Early on, Miller, who has released a number of acclaimed albums both with Old 97’s and on his own, made the decision to produce The Dreamer himself, heading into Dreamland Studios in West Hurley, N.Y., in September 2011 to start work on it. Among the clear standouts this time is “As Close as I Came to Being Right,” a beautiful country duet he co-penned with legendary singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash.

“That was a big part of the beginnings of this record for me, was writing that song with her and realizing this is what I want the record to be like,” he explained. “We’d been introduced through mutual friends and kind of through Twitter, and got to know each other in the Twitterverse, which is kind of hilarious.”

Miller was soon delighted when he learned that Cash was open to collaborating: “So she sent me a verse – a short set of lyrics – and I took it and wrote a chorus and another verse, middle break, and sent it back to her the next day. And we had so much fun working on it and we got to record it, and it sounded so natural.

“The guitar player (Rich Hinman) when we made the demo for the song wound up being the pedal steel player on my whole record. I remember that session (and thinking): ‘This is what I want the record to be like.’ This real natural-sounding thing, lots of female vocals, a lot of nice guitar, pedal steel guitar. Something that’s organic and feels not like easy listening, but feels good.”

In addition to the aforementioned Cash and Hinman, other well-utilized players on The Dreamer include indie vocalists like Rachael Yamagata and Heather Robb (of NYC’s the Spring Standard), as well as keyboardist Joe McGinty (Nada Surf), veteran percussionist Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel, Hall & Oates) and Miller’s longtime touring band the Serial Lady Killers, featuring lead guitarist Tommy Borscheid, bassist Greg Beshers and drummer Angela Webster.

Few contemporary songwriters are capable of penning lyrics as wry and smart as Miller’s. He surrounds those tales in resonant arrangements and delivers each with potent firepower. The Dreamer is no exception, packed with inspired rockers (“Out of Love”), majestic ’60s Western-tinged stuff (“This Summer Lie”), traditional country fare (“Love Grows”) and piano-anchored folk-rock (“I’ll Try To”).

“I love to rock; I love a great guitar tone,” Miller said when praised for his almost uncanny ability to couple winning melodies with involving lyrics. “If a song has crummy lyrics, it’s a no-go for me.”

Rhett Miller and the Serial Lady Killers play June 16 at Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach, $20, and June 17 at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, $15-$18. For the former: 310-372-0035. For the latter: 949-496-8930.

Peter Gabriel Secret World Live set to arrive on July 24th

Anyone who questions whether Peter Gabriel ranks as one of modern rock's most influential voices has not caught recent tours featuring Elbow, Radiohead and Other Lives. The upcoming release offers the perfect chance to rediscover Gabriel's enduring artistry.

Eagle Rock Entertainment to release Peter Gabriel Secret World Live on DVD, Blu-ray and digital video on July 24, 2012

Eagle Rock Entertainment is proud to announce the July 24 simultaneous release on DVD and Blu-ray of Secret World Live from Peter Gabriel.  This version has been fully restored and remastered from the original film and features many of Peter Gabriel’s hits including “Steam”, “Sledgehammer”, “Don’t Give Up”, “In Your Eyes”, “Digging In The Dirt”, “Shaking The Tree” and “Solsbury Hill”. 

 

Secret World Live is a Grammy Award winning film and this new version allows the original film to be seen and heard in the best possible quality on DVD / Blu-ray. Filmed in Modena, Italy across two nights in November 1993 as part of Peter Gabriel’s acclaimed “Secret World Live” tour in support of the “Us” album, the show is elaborately presented and choreographed with two stages joined by a narrow moving walkway.  The line-up for this show featured Peter Gabriel (vocals, keyboards); Manu Katche (drums); Tony Levin (bass, vocals);David Rhodes (guitar, vocals); Jean Claude Naimro (keyboards, vocals); Paula Cole (vocals); Shankar(violin, vocals); Levon Minassian (doudouk) with guests Papa Wemba and Molokai.

 

A slew of great Bonus Features are also included.  “Red Rain” was not included in the original film, this is now included as an extra for the first time.  This version also offers Timelapse film of the complex stage set up, plus a featurette on the making of the Secret World Live film, including interviews and behind the scenes footage.  Additionally, there’s a newly restored photomontage slideshow to the remixed “Quiet” version of “Steam” and, finally, “The Rhythm Of The Heat” orchestral version from the New Blood: Live In London show.

 

Peter Gabriel is a renowned live performer whose onstage charisma and distinctive voice combine to draw his audience into the onstage world he has created and rarely has this been better captured than on Secret World Live.

TRACK LISTING:

1) Come Talk To Me  

2) Steam  

3) Across The River  

4) Slow Marimbas  

5) Shaking The Tree  

6) Blood Of Eden  

7) San Jacinto  

8) Kiss That Frog  

9) Washing Of The Water  

10) Solsbury Hill  

11) Digging In The Dirt  

12) Sledgehammer  

13) Secret World  

14) Don’t Give Up  

15) In Your Eyes

Inbox Update: Ringo Starr's art to tour alongside his All Starr U.S. dates

With Ringo Starr's tour with his All Starr Band set to begin this week with dates in Niagara Falls, I thought there was no time better than now to share this timely item...

EXHIBITION OF RINGO STARR’S ART TO TOUR ALONGSIDE HIS UPCOMING 13th ALL STARR US TOUR THIS SUMMER



GALLERIES ON THE ART TOUR INCLUDE: LISS GALLERY IN TORONTO I BREWSTER IN PHILADELPHIA POP INTERNATIONAL GALLERIES IN NEW YORK CITY WITH EXHIBITS AT ADDITIONAL GALLERIES AND THE HARD ROCK CAFÉ IN SELECT CITIES TO BE ANNOUNCED

Ringo Starr is hitting the road this summer with his 13th All Starr Band, including Steve Lukather (Toto), Richard Page (Mr. Mister), Mark Rivera, Gregg Rolie (Santana) Todd Rundgren, and Gregg Bissonette. In addition, a collection of his art, composed by Starr electronically will make companion stops at galleries in select cities, launching alongside the Fallsview Casino at Liss Gallery of Toronto. He will also be returning to Soho’s Pop International Galleries in New York City, which is the gallery that held the first ever exhibition of his work on June 19, 2005.

Ringo began composing art on his computer in the late 90’s while on tour. “I love modern media, it is the way I do my art,” Starr said. “This year has been great. I designed something for Knot Violence: Imagine World Peace, and to support another great charity, WaterAid, I did a design for Timberland boots, and opened up this year’s Chelsea Garden show. And now we are doing Peace signs and as always, all my proceeds go to support the Lotus Foundation, the charity Barbara and I set up.”

Ringo also did an original design for the Hard Rock Signature Series T Shirt, which benefitted both the Lotus Foundation and Make A Wish. The Hard Rock have been very supportive and will feature select images of his work in their café’s during the tour, including the new series of Peace Signs, all depicted in his bright and colorful palette. The Peace signs are a fitting image for Ringo, who will celebrate his birthday with the now traditional moment of “Peace & Love”. This July 7 will see Starr with a crowd outside the Hard Rock in Nashville, Tennessee, encouraging everyone everywhere to join by saying, thinking or doing Peace & Love at Noon, your time. As Ringo said, all of his proceeds will go to benefit the Lotus US Foundation Charity. The objectives of the Foundation are to fund, support, participate in and promote charitable projects aimed at advancing social welfare in diverse areas including, but not limited to: substance abuse, cerebral palsy, brain tumors, cancer, battered women and their children, the homeless and animals in need.



More information is available at http://www.ringostarr.com/, http://www.ringostarrart.com/ and http://www.artcelebs.com/.

About ArtCelebs:


Neal Glaser of ArtCelebs first became aware of Ringo’s artwork in 1995 when he saw the Discover card which featured one of Ringo’s paintings. He was impressed by the “Abstract Face” which he found original and fun, and they have been in collaboration since. Celebrity Art is a company devoted to presenting the finest artwork available by the most "celebrated artists" of our time. A truly eclectic collection of fine art, Celebrity Art is known as a publishing, exhibiting and auction gallery. Celebrity Art is a company that is exciting and unique and recently CNN, Reuters, The New York Daily News, Investors Business Daily and Good Morning New York have all interviewed Mr. Glaser about his company.

Inbox Update: Americana fest, John Fogerty, Shoes, Doheny Days

There is a little bit of everything in today's roundup of recent media releases that have caught my eye. What follows are highlights from my overloaded inbox. Enjoy everybody!


Americana Summer Celebration at Blackberry Farm

The Americana Music Association has partnered with Blackberry Farm on a few events taking place in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. The weekend of July 20-22 will mark the association's third fundraising effort.

Featured performers at the special event include Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal, John Oates and Jim Lauderdale.

To reserve your place in this event, call 1-800-557-8864 or email reservations@blackberryfarm.com for accommodation reservations and event participation pricing and confirmation.

Information: http://www.blackberryfarm.com/

John Fogerty brings his epic song "Proud Mary" home to New Orleans in a new version with Jennifer Hudson

John Fogerty's latest recording of his classic "Proud Mary" featuring Jennifer Hudson will be featured on Wrote A Song For Everyone, set for release on Oct. 9, 2012. The release features newly-recorded classics from his timeless catalog as well as brand new songs performed alongside many of Fogerty's musical ancestors.

"Proud Mary" is just one of Fogerty’s classic songs from his vast canon of hits that will be included on ‘Wrote a Song for Everyone’ along with some brand new songs. The array of music’s hottest artists to acclaimed new bands include: Foo Fighters, Kid Rock, Bob Seger, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, My Morning Jacket, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert and Dawes. Wrote a Song for Everyone will be released on Vanguard Records October 9, 2012. See below for complete tracklisting.


John Fogerty is a true American treasure, one of popular music’s all-time greatest singers, guitar players, and songwriters. As leader of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fogerty forged a distinctive, groundbreaking sound all his own, equal parts swamp boogie, blues, country, pop, rockabilly, R&B, and Southern fried rock ‘n’ roll, all united by his uniquely evocative lyrical perspective.

Fogerty recently announced his first ever ‘Cross Canadian Revival Tour’ which begins September 7 in St. John’s, Newfoundland through September 29th in Victoria, BC.

A U.S. tour will follow.

JOHN FOGERTY: WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE



Vanguard Records / October 9, 2012

Jennifer Hudson: Proud Mary

Kid Rock: Born on the Bayou

Foo Fighters: Fortunate Son

My Morning Jacket: Long as I Can See the Light

Alan Jackson: Have You Ever Seen the Rain

Bob Seger: Who'll Stop the Rain

Brad Paisley: Hot Rod Heart

Miranda Lambert: Wrote a Song for Everyone

Keith Urban: Almost Saturday Night

Dawes: Someday Never Comes


Information: http://www.johnfogerty.com/


Shoes set to return with 'Ignition' on Aug. 14, 2012

Shoes, the rock band originally from Zion, Illinois, has been recording Shoes music since 1974. John Murphy, Gary Klebe and Jeff Murphy, the core members of the Shoes band, along with drummer, John Richardson, are preparing to release the Shoes Ignition album due out August 14, 2012.

Ignition switches on with 15 fresh, vital tracks from Shoes’ three founding members and songwriters: bassist-vocalist John Murphy, guitarist-vocalist Jeff Murphy, and guitarist-vocalist Gary Klebe, plus longtime stage drummer John Richardson. Self-produced and released on the band’s own Black Vinyl Records, Ignition not only carries on Shoes’ cult-heroic tradition of edibly tuneful, harmony-honeycombed guitar pop; it ventures intriguingly beyond those comfortable (though undeniably rewarding) borders as well. Altogether the work of seasoned, mature musicians whose singular trajectory as 100-percent self-taught, self-created recording artists has been outside-the-box since it began, Ignition showcases Shoes at their technical and artistic peak.



The album’s release coincides with that of a new book, definitive band chronicle Boys Don’t Lie: A History of Shoes by Mary E. Donnelly (New York college professor and managing editor of PurePopPress.com) with Moira McCormick. It recounts the critically-lionized group’s evolution from rudimentary mid-’70s experiments in cutting their own records at home, through a three-album 1980s tenure at major label Elektra Records, on to a ’90s incarnation as self-sufficient indie artists operating their own full-service label and studio businesses, before coming full-circle back to home recording in the new, post-digital-revolution millennium.

For more information on Shoes and the band's upcoming release Ignition, click here. Great news!



Doheny Days returns to Dana Point on Sept. 8 and 9, 2012

Doheny Days Music Festival returns to the whitewashed sandy beaches in Orange County on September 8 & 9 – the perfect end to a summer in SoCal!
Jane’s Addiction, The Flaming Lips & Jimmy Eat World will headline the festival. Joining the lineup are Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Rebelution, Delta Spirit, Beats Antique, Anuhea and many more! The festival will feature an eclectic mix of of music and more artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

Weekend Passes are on sale now via http://www.dohenydays.com/.

Here are some memories from the 2011 festival:

http://youtu.be/FdsnSPxA6a8


The World Famous KROQ will be giving away tix all summer long:

http://tinyurl.com/7ymqlkd



Ben Wener at The Orange County Register previewed the festival here:

http://tinyurl.com/7s2o548

Music Worth Buying: Beach House and Keane

This week on Music Worth Buying I champion the new album Strangeland by Keane and TJR talks about the newest bit of dream pop by Beach House titled Bloom.

Remembering Ray Bradbury

There are a handful of writers and thinkers who have influenced me over the years, and Ray Bradbury was among my favorites. Sadly, we have learned today that the world lost the literary giant. He was 91.

I first met Ray Bradbury in the 1980s and saw him speak a number of times over the years here in Southern California. He was a gifted writer, and equally inspiring when sharing stories with a large and genuinely-enthusiastic crowd. I'll never forget one of the first times I met him. I was working for the City of Huntington Beach and actually helping coordinate an event where he was the featured story. I saw a limo pull up outside the building where he was going to give the keynote address. We walked into the elevator together and it was two of us who rode it up a few floors.

He reached out and shook my hand. "Hello, I'm Ray Bradbury." I took his hand and likely delivered a somewhat less impressive introduction. I may have even muttered something about having got to meet him before. Ever gracious, he even allowed me to position my cassette recorder on the podium to record his talk.

I had been formally introduced to his wonderful works courtesy of Mrs. Miller, who taught a science fiction class that was my favorite class in the 7th grade. Even earlier in my life, while I was sick and at a treatment facility for sick children, one instructor had read a group of us kids his amazing short story "Frost and Fire."

The last time I saw him speak was at a Barnes and Noble store in Huntington Beach a few years ago. I'm glad my wife got to come to. Although Mr. Bradbury had obviously suffered a stroke, he still spoke with the fire and passion that drove him throughout his long life and signed books for everybody who waited in line.

Throughout my life, I read and was always inspired by Ray Bradbury's imagination and enjoyed the 1983 movie adaptation of his book "Something Wicked This Way Comes." But it are the author's amazing stories that filled "The Illustrated Man," "The Martian Chronicles," "R is for Rocket" and countless others volumes that I hope will continue to inspire readers for generations to come.

 

Neil Young & Crazy Horse set to tour

Ready for some rock 'n' roll? Neil Young & Crazy Horse have announced plans to tour. Read on...

NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE HIT THE ROAD THIS FALL FOR FIRST TOUR IN EIGHT YEARS





YOUNG, BILLY TALBOT, RALPH MOLINA, AND PONCHO SAMPEDRO LAUNCH FIRST CRAZY HORSE ALBUM IN NEARLY NINE YEARS AVAILABLE TODAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 5

Tickets on sale in select markets beginning June 8th at LiveNation.com




Special Ticket + CD Bundle Available to Ticket Buyers who purchase online






June 5, 2012 - (Burbank, CA) - Having already thrilled fans with the news that they will release AMERICANA, their first album in nine years, NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE have announced that they will hit the road this fall for their first tour together since 2004.



AMERICANA is rich a collection of classic American compositions, some dating back 200 years or more and each has its own unique history veiled with multiple meanings and relatable, lyrical significance as applicable today as they were in the America of yesteryear. Have a look at the following video links for a view into our past as evidence: Oh Susannah, Jesus' Chariot (She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain), Clementine.



Crazy Horse: Young, Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina, and Poncho Sampredo will hit the road to perform them for audiences across North America beginning October 1st and continuing on for two months. The tour will visit cities from coast to coast, including stops to the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Fans purchasing their concert tickets online will receive a copy of the brand new CD - AMERICANA, available in stores Tuesday, June 5 (today folks). Tickets for Neil Young & Crazy Horse will go on sale starting June 8, 2012 in select markets at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com. General admission floor tickets available in all markets with the exception of Los Angeles.




AMERICANA was produced by Neil and John Hanlon along with Mark Humphreys, and engineered by John Hanlon with John Hausmann and Jeff Pinn. It was recorded at Audio Casa Blanca by John Hanlon.








Neil Young & Crazy Horse's upcoming tour dates are as follows:




Aug 5 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphit.



Aug 6 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphit.



Aug 10-12 SF, CA Golden Gate Park/Outside Lands Fest.



(Actual day TBC)




Oct 3 Windsor, ONT WFCU Centre



Oct 5 Kingston, ONT K ROCK Centre



Oct 6 London, ONT John Labatt Centre



Oct 8 Cleveland, OH Wolstein Center



Oct 9 Pittsburgh, PA Petersen Events Center



Oct 11 Chicago, IL United Center



Oct 13 Austin, TX Zilker Park / Austin City Limits Fest.



Oct 14 Tulsa, OK Tulsa Convention Center Arena



Oct 17 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl




Nov 10 Seattle, WA Key Arena



Nov 11 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena



Nov 13 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome



Nov 14 Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Centre



Nov 16 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre



Nov 19 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre



Nov 23 Montreal, QC Bell Centre



Nov 24 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place



Nov 26 Boston, MA TD Garden



Nov 27 New York, NY Madison Square Garden



Nov 29 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center



Nov 30 Fairfax, VA Patriot Center



Dec 4 Bridgeport, CT Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard

Rhett Miller's 'The Dreamer' is available today

I got a chance to chat with singer-songwriter Rhett Miller last week, and my full-length concert preview on him will run in The Orange County Register in connection with his solo show at The Coach House later this month.

However, here a reposting of the official media release on today's release of his excellent new album The Dreamer...listen to it courtesy of Paste Magazine and then go out and then support this wonderful artist by purchasing it too.


RHETT MILLER'S THE DREAMER OUT TODAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 5





VIDEO FOR "OUT OF LOVE" PREMIERES ON TEAMCOCO.COM; WATCH IT HERE




LISTEN TO FULL-ALBUM STREAM AT PASTE MAGAZINE HERE

Rhett Miller's new album, The Dreamer, is out today, June 5. The Dreamer was produced by Miller himself and is out on his very own Maximum Sunshine Records, distributed by The Orchard. The album features guest appearances by singers Rosanne Cash and Rachael Yamagata, as well as additional percussion by Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel). The band on the record is Miller's touring group, the Serial Lady Killers. The video for the first single, "Out of Love," premieres today on Conan O'Brien's website teamcoco.com. Watch it HERE. Paste Magazine is streaming the album in its entirety HERE.




The Dreamer is Miller's sixth solo record and represents the first time he has ever self-produced. In the past, Miller's solo efforts were dramatically different from his work with Old 97's. While the band's songs are often steeped in Americana and country, the solo records have always been decidedly more rock and pop affairs. Until now, as The Dreamer finds the Texas-bred, New York-based singer/songwriter marrying his two worlds like never before.


The NY Post raves in today's paper: "Rhett Miller is not only a gifted songwriter, he's also a man with a work ethic - The Dreamer is his fifth solo outing in a decade, and he's turned out an equal number of records with his longtime band the Old 97's during that stretch. That's a lot of songs being waxed, and it's all the more impressive given the strength and consistency of the catalog he's building. His winning streak continues on The Dreamer."


Miller and The Serial Lady Killers began a North American tour yesterday in Vienna, VA. The rest of the dates are below:


6/5 - Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe



6/6 - Pittsburgh, PA - Club Cafe



6/7 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's



6/8 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom



6/9 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall



6/15 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah



6/16 - Hermosa Beach, CA - Sainte Rocke



6/17 - San Juan Capistrano, CA - The Coach House



6/18 - Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour



6/19 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent



6/21 - Portland, OR - The Doug Fir



6/22 - Seattle, WA - Crocodile Cafe






http://www.rhettmiller.com/

James McCartney performs at the Coach House

My review was originally posted on The Orange County Register's Soundcheck blog on May 30, 2012. Special thanks to Bob Steshetz for the use of his fantastic photos.

Live review: James McCartney at the Coach House

There was an understandable curiosity that attracted many to James McCartney‘s first-ever Orange County performance Tuesday night at the Coach House. The good news is that the son of Sir Paul was up to the challenge, showcasing his freewheeling style and winning low-key personality across a rewarding 16-song set.




Decidedly reserved compared to his famous dad, there is no doubt McCartney shares the same enthusiasm for crafting songs that defy genre pigeonholing and thus demand serious listeners be prepared for a fascinating ride.



Backed by a strong four-man outfit, McCartney opened things with a slow blues-rock solo on electric guitar before the song “New York Times” kicked into high gear. It was the first of many times throughout the show that McCartney exhibited his top-tier talents on six strings, but ultimately it was his songs and far-reaching tenor (which draws no natural comparisons to Paul’s) that really impressed.



Between numbers he was personable and often gave straightforward details on the origins of specific tunes. His sly arrangements of them thankfully revealed much more. “I Only Want to Be Alone” unfolded with his stirring voice positioned amid an infectious drum beat and layers of guitars. Even more ambitious and affecting songcraft followed, particularly the huge soundscape that defined “Glisten” and the folk rock-to-symphonic surge unveiled in “My Friend.”



There were times where the experimental approach wasn’t needed: On the piano-anchored “Fallen Angel” and an emotive, largely faithful version of Neil Young’s “Old Man,” McCartney and company wisely used the power of the songs and instrumentation to carry the moment.



Fans eager to see where McCartney’s sound comes closest to mining his father’s may have heard a bit of Wings in the rollicking rocker “Spirit Guides.” But his overall feel is admittedly closer to sonic heroes like Robert Smith (note the neo-goth-rock of “Denial” and the haunting “Cherry Blossom Hailstorm”) and Radiohead (as on “Else and Else But Dead,” with McCartney’s use of shimmering guitar harmonics enriching the song).

The show ended with another surprise: Rather than indulge a rocking finale, McCartney came back for the encore to perform the poignant “Wings of a Lightest Weight,” a beautiful acoustic song he wrote for his late mother Linda that displays the tenderness and warmth that marks so many of his father’s finest material.




Setlist: James McCartney at the Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, May 29, 2012

Main set: New York Times / Moonstar / I Only Want to Be Alone / Glisten / The Sound of My Voice / My Friend / Fallen Angel / Spirit Guides / Denial / Mix / Erratic Pulses / Old Man (Neil Young cover) / Cherry Blossom Hailstorm / Angel / Else and Else But Dead

Encore: Wings of a Lightest Weight

Music Worth Buying: Tab Benoit and Vintage Trouble

On the latest episode of Music Worth Buying we celebrate singer-songwriter-guitarist Tab Benoit’s Medicine, and Vintage Trouble’s winning blend of soul and rhythm & blues on Bomb Shelter Sessions:

Inbox Update: Asia, Duran Duran, Color Theory

Any day I can announce new music from the original ASIA line-up (Steve Howe, Geoff Downes, Carl Palmer and John Wetton), as well as Duran Duran and Brian Hazard's wonderful Color Theory is a great one! Read on music friends...



ASIA set to celebrate its 30th anniversary with new studio album XXX; a deluxe box set edition of its 1982 debut album, two new DVD releases and a world tour set

ASIA will release their new studio album XXX (pronounced Triple X) on Frontiers Records on July 3rd. The new record, produced by Mike Paxman, is being hailed as ASIA's best album since its classic early 80s releases, and features original artwork by Roger Dean.

The first single taken from the highly anticipated new album is entitled "Face On The Bridge", released worldwide on May 14th. The videoclip for the new track can be seen below:




Official ASIA Web site: http://www.originalasia.com/



A Diamond In The Mind, featuring Duran Duran live in concert, set for release on DVD, Blu-ray and CD; recorded At Manchester’s MEN Arena

Following the phenomenal success of their recent All You Need Is Now UK arena tour, and the announcement that they will be representing England as one of the headliners at the BT London Live Opening Ceremony Concert in Hyde Park, to celebrate the London 2012 games, iconic British rock band, Duran Duran, are shortly set to release A Diamond In The Mind - a stunning recording of one of the band’s recent live concert performances on DVD, Blu-ray and CD.

Slated to hit stores on Tuesday, July 10, 2012, through Eagle Vision and Eagle Records, A Diamond In The Mind was filmed and recorded at Manchester’s MEN Arena in December of last year, where the band garnered some of the finest reviews of their career.


Shot in high definition by long-time Duran collaborator, director Gavin Elder, the recording of the show will be simultaneously released on multiple formats: standard DVD, Blu-ray, CD, and the triple-pack Deluxe Edition, containing all three formats (Blu-ray, DVD & CD – MSRP $TBA) in an 8 panel digipack with bonus features, and an expanded 20 page booklet, all inside a foil blocked slip-case. The DVD, Blu-Ray and Deluxe Edition releases also feature interviews with the band, alongside behind-the-scenes footage of the 2011 tour, and bonus tracks ”Come Undone” and “Is There Something I Should Know.”


The band’s first live release in almost a decade, A Diamond In The Mind bristles with classic hits alongside new tracks taken from their critically acclaimed album All You Need Is Now which was produced by Grammy award winner Mark Ronson and hit the #1 spot on Download Charts in 15 countries (including the UK).


Known for their epic productions, amazing visuals, ground-breaking stage sets and iconic style, this is only the second time in ten years that the band have recorded one of their concerts in glorious high definition sound and vision, giving fans a rare and unique opportunity to relive the experience.


Talking from Brazil, where the band are currently on the South American leg of their world tour, keyboardist, Nick Rhodes said “We wanted to create a dynamic, interactive show, combining new technology with edgy design. The brief for our lighting designer was 'Pixel Punk'. This manifested itself in the convergence of hi-tech screens with a powerful, asymmetrical lighting rig. The primary aim was to re-invent our songs visually and introduce material from the new album as a unique sensory experience. With this in mind, the screens were populated by science fiction, supermodels, anime, psychedelic patterns and graphic design. Four massive mechanical arms were programmed to swoop down over the stage, firing beams of light, like the aliens in War of the Worlds. And the audience was integrated with the show, as live cameras were turned on them, projecting their images behind the band. Hanging high above the stage, four giant heads presented another dimension to the production, as they came alive as band members, skulls, robots and a girl transforming into a leopard.


The show is a journey. It was already our movie, but the challenge loomed to translate this into a film that tells the same story for those who were not there on the night. In this case we used many cameras, to ensure no detail escaped. We deployed both slow motion, animation and various stylized film grades, which give the performance a dreamlike quality in places; but most of all, I think A Diamond in the Mind truly captures the widescreen energy and vibrancy of what really transpired that night, when Duran Duran played live in Manchester.”

Adding to this, lead singer Simon Le Bon said; “The 2011 UK tour was particularly significant for all of us on a number of levels. In the early part of the year, I lost my voice and we were forced to cancel several months of touring, including all of our British dates. It was a really difficult time for us as a band as we had a new album out that we were just breaking in and loving playing live. When I blew my voice out in Cannes, at the film festival in mid-May, we weren’t sure when we would be able to resume and the summer wait was long and full of anxiety – especially for me. The UK shows which were finally rescheduled for December, proved to be some of the best we’ve ever done – so the year that had been rather a roller-coaster, ended on a really high note.”


Duran Duran have become one of the most iconic British bands of the last three decades. Widely recognized as THE band that defined the MTV Video generation, Duran Duran single-handedly transformed music videos from a gimmicky marketing tool into one of the music industry’s most valued assets. Fusing pop music with art, fashion and technology, exotic locations, beautiful girls and stunning special effects, they took the visual imperatives of the New Romantic movement to another level.


Today with over 80 million records sold, 30 UK Top 30 hits and 18 American hit singles, they are an unstoppable force, with no fewer than six prestigious ‘Lifetime Achievement Awards’ under their belt in the last few years from MTV VMA’s, the BRITS’s, the IVOR NOVELLOS, Q Magazine, the Spanish Ondas, and GQ Magazine.

DVD, Blu-ray, and Deluxe Edition Track Listing:

1.) Return To Now

2) Before The Rain

3) Planet Earth

4) View To A Kill

5) All You Need Is Now

6) Blame The Machines

7) Safe (In The Heat Of The Moment)

8) The Reflex

9) Man Who Stole A Leopard

10) Girl Panic!

11) White Lines

12) Careless Memories

13) Ordinary World

14) Notorious

15) Hungry Like The Wolf

16) (Reach Up For The) Sunrise

17) Wild Boys/Relax

18) Rio

19) A Diamond In The Mind

Bonus tracks:

Come Undone

Is There Something I Should Know?




CD Track Listing:

1) Before The Rain

2) Planet Earth

3) View To A Kill

4) All You Need Is Now

5) Come Undone

6) Blame The Machines

7) The Reflex

8) Girl Panic!

9) Ordinary World

10) Notorious

11) Hungry Like The Wolf

12) (Reach Up For The) Sunrise

13) Wild Boys

14) Rio


Eagle Rock Entertainment is the largest producer and distributor of music programming for DVD, Blu-Ray, TV, Audio and Digital Media in the world. Eagle works directly alongside talent to produce top quality, High Definition and 3D programs, both concerts and documentaries, including The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, Queen, The Doors, Jeff Beck, U2, Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney and Ozzy Osbourne. Eagle is a Grammy Award winning company and has received over 30 multi-platinum, over 50 platinum and over 90 gold discs, worldwide. Eagle Rock Entertainment has offices in London, New York, Toronto, Paris and Hamburg.

 
New Color Theory collection set for release on June 12, 2012
 
Here is the email I received this morning from Color Theory:
 

I'm proud to present my first collection of original material in nearly two years. Adjustments Pt. 1 contains five new songs and five remixes of those songs. I can't wait for you to hear it! Special thanks to Dave Pasciuto for the amazing original cover designs.



The 10-track EP will be released on June 12, but you can pre-order it now for $6.99. Better yet, pre-order all three Adjustments EPs to get them one week before their release dates, plus exclusive progress reports and demo snippets by email along the way.


Why should you pre-order?

1. 30% off. The price will go up to $9.99 on the release date.

2. Access. It should hit iTunes on the release date (for $9.99), but it can take 4-6 months to show up on Spotify.

3. Support. Buying direct from me helps me the most, and allows me to keep making music. Bandcamp takes 10%, versus 30% from iTunes and 100% (give or take a penny) from Spotify.

Hear the new songs and pre-order here. Thanks for being a fan!

Brian
COLOR THEORY


electronic indie piano pop

http://colortheory.com/

Sights and Sounds: Recent album reviews, Paul McCartney, Scissor Sisters, the Black Keys

I hope everybody had a nice holiday weekend. I enjoyed an amazing victory by the Angels over the Yankees last night! The Bronx Bombers were impressive, but the Anaheim Angels prevailed (that's about as much sports talk you will ever get here...)

Here are a few things to check out to set the week off right.

You can read my roundup of a number of roots, blues and Americana releases on Music Worth Buying here, including the latest albums from the Tedeschi Trucks Band and Sonny Landreth.

A media release that caught my eye over the weekend announced that Paul McCartney is making his directorial debut courtesy of a short black and white film of his song "My Valentine" that will be shown before all theatrical showings of the forthcoming The Intouchables. The release reads, in part: "The three minute short film, which came to fruition following an original idea by Stella McCartney, stars Academy Award© winner Natalie Portman (BLACK SWAN, BEAUTIFUL GIRLS) and Golden Globe© winner Johnny Depp (FINDING NEVERLAND, CHOCOLAT). Portman, who was exclusively dressed by Stella McCartney for the film, and Depp translate the lyrics of the song through sign language throughout the film each with their own distinct interpretations, and Depp adds soul midway through the film with a guitar solo, which was recorded live."

You can also view the video below:





The Scissor Sisters' Magic Hour is out today on Casablanca Records. The new album is the follow-up to 2010's Night Work, which debuted at number 1 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums Chart. For more info on the band, including their upcoming U.S. tour, visit http://www.scissorsisters.com/




Finally, MTV today announced that the Black Keys will perform at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards.

The duo is set to perform their single "Gold On the Ceiling" from El Camino at the show, set to air live on Sunday, June 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. For more info, visit http://www.mtv.com/.

James McCartney coming to Orange County on May 29

James McCartney set to headline at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Tuesday, May 29

Because the Beatles remain the single most significant force in the history of popular music, it’s no wonder that all things related to the Fab Four continue to fascinate music fans more than four decades after the quartet called it quits.

One of the most intriguing things about that is the reaction when children of John, Paul, George and Ringo perform. The world has long heard from the offspring of Lennon (half-brothers Julian and Sean), Harrison (whose son Dhani records as Thenewno2) and Starr (Zak Starkey, who has drummed for the Who since 1996).

Now comes the steady rise of James McCartney. The only son of Paul and Linda, he had previously been featured on solo albums from his parents (his dad’s 2001 disc Driving Rain, his late mom’s 1998 effort Wide Prairie). But his ambitious two-disc set The Complete EP Collection (from Engine Company Records) marks a proper introduction for the 34-year-old singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in London.

Pulling together previously digital-only effortsAvailable Light (2010) and Close At Hand(2011), plus five new songs, the combined EP package is an exciting, wide-ranging effort the spans rousing power-pop, experimental material in the tradition of Radiohead, even authentic ’50s rockabilly, yet it all somehow works as a cohesive set. While his music rarely mirrors that of the Beatles — a smart move toward establishing a separate identity — James nonetheless has the same adventuresome spirit still recognized as key to his forebears’ magical imprint.

We caught up with McCartney last week, shortly before his first-ever appearance in Orange County, California, May 29 at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, followed by a May 31 gig at the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood.

Robert Kinsler: I love your songs — you mix melodic pop-rock, indie, expressive ballads, experimental rock. Could you talk a bit about the diverse approach you take to songwriting, and how that connects with the lyrics or emotions of a specific song?

James McCartney: It’s whatever comes naturally at first, but it’s usually music first, then lyrics. I try different approaches, though, because sometimes you can find something for a song in a way you wouldn’t have thought. Even by singing nonsense words over a melody until things begin to take shape. But in the end it’s about having as much emotion as possible for me, musically and lyrically. Heartfelt and true, cathartic. Natural.

Even a driving romantic song like “Angel” begins very upbeat, then takes a great turn with a confessional undertone (“I have faced some hard times in my life”). How did that one come together? How much do your producers (including his father) help you get what you’re after?

Well, basically, I was writing about meeting my true love, and trying to prove my love to her. I wrote that song sitting at the top of my stairs in my flat in North London. I wanted to try to write a really good pop song that also had some depth to it, too. On the recording front, (producer) David Kahne and my dad were both really helpful in being able to bounce ideas off of, and helping me to realize the vision I had for each song.

Your version of Neil Young’s “Old Man” is particularly interesting, especially its haunting ending. How did you decide to revisit that song?

I was in Tucson, Ariz., actually. There was this night I stayed up all night and learned the song, just playing it over and over again. Tuscon is a special place for me because of my mum, and I was thinking of her that night. (Linda passed away in Tucson, where the McCartneys had a ranch, in April 1998.) It’s a great song, and this particular version just sort of came out of me. So we recorded it for the first EP, Available Light.

Your range runs from the ’50s (the bonus track “Your True Love”) to modern day (see “Glisten” and “Denial”). What were some of your biggest influences growing up?

Well, let’s see … I have so many influences, really. And it’s true, they do vary … from Kurt Cobain to Woodie Guthrie. Radiohead, PJ Harvey, the Cure, Jimi Hendrix, Hank Williams — great singers and guitar players, all in different ways.

I know your U.S. tour just started, but are you enjoying it? And how was it performing on American television programs like Late Show with David Letterman and The Rachael Ray Show. I loved your expressive guitar playing on “Wings of a Lightest Weight” on the latter.

Oh, thanks … I’m enjoying it so much. I love America. I want to continue doing it — it’s so great to be able to connect with the fans in each city we go to. It’s a great experience, and I have a great group of guys in the band. Yeah, I loved doing television … both Letterman and the Rachael Ray show. Great fun.

James McCartney plays May 29 at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, 33157 Camino Capistrano. Tickets are $15. Also see him May 31 at the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, 9009 W. Sunset Blvd., $12.