On the latest episode of MUSIC WORTH BUYING, Robert Kinsler champions the Jayhawks' Back Roads and Abandoned Motels while TJR celebrates the release of ZZ Top singer-guitarist Billy F Gibbons' latest solo effort The Big Bad Blues:
Monday, November 26, 2018
Sunday, November 25, 2018
A discussion of The Beatles / White Album Super Deluxe Edition Blu-ray 5.1 Surround Sound Mix
On the latest episode of MUSIC WORTH BUYING co-hosts TJR and Robert Kinsler discuss The Beatles / White Album 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe edition's Blu-ray 5.1 Surround Sound mix:
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Record Store Day Black Friday coming November 23, 2018
With tomorrow (Thursday, Nov. 22) being Thanksgiving, that can only mean Record Store Day Black Friday arrives on Nov. 23. Here is a quick overview of some exciting releases coming this Friday!
VARÈSE SARABANDE RECORDS ANNOUNCES THE BLACK FRIDAY RELEASES:
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas – Paul Williams
Popeye: The Harry Nilsson Demos – Harry Nilsson
Odessey & Oracle – The Zombies (Picture Disc)
Fritz the Cat – Various Artists (Picture Disc)
Varèse Sarabande Records proudly announces the Black Friday releases. These limited edition masterpieces are available this Black Friday through independent retailers.
To open the most joyous time of the year, EMMET OTTER’S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS makes its world premiere release on vinyl! First debuting on HBO way back in 1977, EMMET OTTER’S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS is a beloved Jim Henson TV special featuring the magnificent music of Paul Williams (“Rainbow Connection” - THE MUPPET MOVIE, "Evergreen" - A STAR IS BORN). This much sought after soundtrack is finally available on vinyl this Friday. More info: https://found.ee/EmmetOtterBFRSD.
POPEYE: THE HARRY NILSSON DEMOS highlights Harry Nilsson's key contributions as a singer and not just a songwriter. So grab your corncob pipe and a can of spinach to enjoy this incredible new collection that includes new artwork and music. While the 1980 movie received mixed reviews, the soundtrack received mostly positive reviews and has endured. More info: https://found.ee/PopeyeDemosBFRSD.
ODESSEY & ORACLE by the Zombies is the first ever picture disc release of Rolling Stone’s #100 album on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. This English rock band is a four-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame finalist and one of the most acclaimed bands of the 1960’s. Find the “Time of the Season,” "Care of Cell 44," "Beechwood Park" and other groovy tunes on this classic album. More info: https://found.ee/OdesseyBFRSD.
Make sure the little ones are to bed, because it’s about to get frisky. FRITZ THE CAT is the soundtrack to the 1972 X-rated animated film, directed by Ralph Bakshi. There are blues, funk and rock and roll songs including the film's score performed by Ray Shanklin and Ed Bogas. More info: https://found.ee/FritzBFRSD.
These vinyl titles are just the latest from the world’s most renowned soundtrack record label, Varèse Sarabande. Find these and many more limited edition gems at Varèse Sarabande now.
UMe CELEBRATES RECORD STORE DAY BLACK FRIDAY 2018 WITH EXCLUSIVE LIMITED EDITION VINYL RELEASES SPANNING GIANTS OF ROCK, POP, REGGAE, JAZZ AND BEYOND
EXCITING BOUNTY OF RARITIES, VINYL DEBUTS AND SPECIAL EDITIONS FROM BOB MARLEY, CHRIS CORNELL, ELLA FITZGERALD, FRANK ZAPPA, GUNS N’ ROSES, SUBLIME, U2 AND MORE
UMe is celebrating 2018's Black Friday Record Store Day (November 23) with 10 must-have, limited edition vinyl releases from some of the biggest artists spanning the worlds of rock, reggae, jazz andbeyond. This year’s bounty of releases ranges from several vinyl debuts, unique color vinyl pressings, one-of-a-kind picture discs, and specially designed packaging, which in the case of the 45th anniversary edition of Bob Marley and The Wailers’Catch A Fire resembles a flip-top lighter while Sublime’s Greatest Hits is presented as an oversized matchbook.
Fans of both U2 and Arcade Fire will want to snatch up the double A-side of U2’s classic “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” from the Batman Forever soundtrack. The 12-inch LP features a new remaster of the original song on one side, and a remix by St Francis Hotel featuring vocalists Gavin Friday and Arcade Fire’s Régine Chassagne on the other.Chris Cornell’s incredible legacy is honored with a 7-inch of the recently unearthed track “When Bad Does Good” found in Cornell’s archive of recordings, pressed on black and white marble vinyl and backed with a live version of Temple of the Dog’s “Stargazer.” Following on the heels of Record Store Day’s wildly popular colored vinyl edition of Ella Fitzgerald’sElla At Zardi’s, a completely unreleased live performance captured just 10 days before, will be released as Ella At TheShrine: Prelude To Zardi’s on translucent yellow vinyl.
Among the many other highlights is a collectible picture disc of Frank Zappa’s 1968 album We’re Only In It For The Money featuring the rare mono mix, a 7-inch of Gun N’ Roses “Shadow Of Your Love” on red vinyl, Sheryl Crow’sdebut album Tuesday Night Music on vinyl for the first time in the U.S., looking especially cool on blue wax. Stay Awake: Various Interpretations Of Music From Vintage Disney Films, the 1988 compilation featuring artists like Ringo Starr, James Taylor, Tom Waits, Michael Stipe, The Replacements, Bonnie Raitt, Was (Not Was), Sun Ra and His Arkestra, Suzanne Vega, Sinead O’Connor, Harry Nilsson, Aaron Neville, NRBQ and many more putting their spin on songs from classic Disney films will be released as a double LP for the first time for greater fidelity. Rounding out the releases,Unwritten Law’s two Christmas songs, “Unwritten Christmas” featuring fellow pop-punkers Sum 41 and their take on“Please Come Home For Christmas,” are being released together as a 7-inch on black vinyl in time for the holidays.
All the special releases will be available at Record Store Day-participating record stores on Friday, November 23. Visit RecordStoreDay.com for more details and to find your local shops. Get more specifics on some of the releases below.
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS – CATCH A FIRE
FORMAT: LP
QUANTITY: 3000
To mark the 45th Anniversary of Bob Marley & The Wailer’s Catch A Fire, the legendary album, featuring such beloved songs as “Concrete Jungle,” “Stop That Train,” “Stir It Up” and “Kinky Reggae” is being released in a replica of the original flip-top lighter jacket. The LP is pressed on smoke vinyl.
FRANK ZAPPA – WE’RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY
FORMAT: 12” PICTURE DISC
QUANTITY: 4000
Commemorating its 50th anniversary, the rare mono mix of Frank Zappa’s album We’re Only In It For The Money has been pressed on vinyl for the first time since 1968 as a collectible picture disc. Mastered by Bernie Grundman in 2018 and housed in packaging as originally intended, each LP will feature one of four versions of unseen art from Zappa’s Vault, which will be a surprise until opened. A fifth version will be available outside of the U.S.
GUNS N’ ROSES – SHADOW OF YOUR LOVE
FORMAT: 7” VINYL
QUANTITY: 7000
Previously only available in Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite for Destruction Locked ‘N’ Loaded box set, this 7-inch includes the recently unearthed “Shadow Of Your Love” backed with “Move To The City (1988 Acoustic Version),” pressed on red vinyl exclusively for Record Store Day Black Friday.
U2 – HOLD ME THRILL ME KISS ME KILL ME
FORMAT: 12” VINYL
QUANTITY: 7000
Originally released as a single from the Batman Forever film soundtrack album, U2’s “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” reached #1 in Ireland, #2 in the UK and #1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts in the US in 1995. The song has been remixed by St Francis Hotel for 2018’s eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE tour and featuresGavin Friday and Arcade Fire’s Régine Chassagne on vocals. The double-A-sided 12-inch single features this new version – The Gotham Experience Remix – alongside a new remaster of the original song.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Late-2018 discs among the year's best
While 2018 will soon be over, a number of must-hear albums have just been released and are well worth exploring.
Artist: Andrew McMahon
Title: Upside Down Flowers (Fantasy)
You might like if you enjoy: Andrew McMahon, Jack's Mannequin, Roger Joseph Manning Jr.
Tell me more: One of the most insightful and talented artists of his generation, Andrew McMahon has scored success fronting Something Corporate, Jack's Mannequin and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. On his newly-issued solo LP Upside Down Flowers, McMahon uses his uncanny ability to examine and exhume the world around him and put it all into song. The disc's opening tracks find the singer-songwriter-pianist revisiting his past, from his family's move from Ohio to Southern California ("Ohio") to his formative teenage years in Orange County breaking through with his indie rock troupe Something Corporate (courtesy of the wistful "Teenage Rockstars"). McMahon has the ability to create songs that are both literate and musically enthralling as evidenced by the evocative "Monday Flowers," chamber pop of "This Wild Ride," melodic rocker "Goodnight, Rock and Roll," the introspective "House in the Trees" and Beatlesque "Penelope." McMahon embarks on his highly-anticipated "Upside Down Flowers" North American tour on January 23, 2019. Information: AndrewMcMahon.com.
Artist: Paul Kelly
Title: Nature (Cooking Vinyl)
You might like if you enjoy: Neil Finn, Bruce Cockburn, John Hiatt
Tell me more: Paul Kelly's new LP combines poetry from five literary masters (Dylan Thomas, Walt Whitman, Sylvia Plath, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Phillip Larkin) as well as his own prose with a shared theme reflecting the disc's title Nature. The songcraft is as glorious as the verse with a diverse soundscape encompassing folk rock (the propulsive "With the One I Love"), Celtic-tinged folk ("And Death Shall Have No Dominion," "A Bastard Like Me"), baroque pop ("The River Song") and Americana ("Little Wolf," "Morning Storm," "The Trees"). The lush neo-classical "Bound to Follow (Aisling Song)" features soprano Kate Miller-Heidke and further captures the exhilarating spirit of this special project that simultaneously and magically celebrates the power of poetry, song and the natural world. Information: PaulKelly.com.au.
Artist: Glen Campbell
Title: Sings For The King (Capitol/UMe)
You might like if you enjoy: Glen Campbell, Elvis Presley
Tell me more: Fans of both Elvis Presley and Glen Campbell will be in amazed after hearing the astounding new collection Sings For The King. From 1964 to 1968 – an especially productive time for Campbell highlighted by his touring duties with the Beach Boys, high-profile studio work as lead guitarist with the Wrecking Crew and a burgeoning solo career – Campbell was recruited to record songs for Elvis Presley. Now more than a half century after Campbell made these recordings, 18 of the rescued tracks have been released as Sings For The King (available on audio CD, vinyl and digitally). A dozen of the songs on the disc would ultimately be recorded by Presley, but these versions feature Campbell and he uses his voice to showcase how they would sound if sung by Presley (who did ultimately record his own versions of a dozen of the songs heard on the set). Beginning with the gospel-flavored "We Call On Him" where the voices of Presley and Campbell are both featured to clearly demonstrate how closely the Rhinestone Cowboy could mirror the King of Rock and Roll's tone, the collection offers a great mix of strong material. There are rousing rockers ("Spinout," "Magic Fire" and "Anyone Can Play"), Southern soul ("All I Needed Was The Rain"), and tender ballads ("Cross My Heart And Hope To Die," "There Is So Much World To See"). One of the most interesting songs is "I Got Love" which begins with Campbell sounding like himself against a sparse guitar backdrop before the song picks up and his voice adopts Presley's signature styling. The collection concludes with the lovely "Restless," a ballad never covered by Presley; how wonderful to hear the song sung by Campbell as he conjures up the legacy of both artists. Information: GlenCampbell.com.
Artist: Dennis Roger Reed with Don Reed
Title: Before It Was Before (Plastic Meltdown Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Mumford & Sons, Bob Dylan
Tell me more: With an artistic spirit directed at the strength of a song rather than its specific genre, singer-songwriter Dennis Roger Reed and his brother Don Reed have crafted a freewheeling album (Before It Was Before) mixing up originals and covers spanning country-western, folk, western swing, blues and even a bit of bluegrass. There is an intimacy and warmth across the 21-track collection with ballads and uptempo cuts exuding an inviting touch. The driving "I Had to Ride," affecting "Reconciliation," and country ballad "Up Until Now" all wonderful Reed-penned originals. Among the joyful covers is a countrified take on Bob Dylan's uptempo "If Not For You," a reflective reworking of Michael Hall's "River of Love" an artful reading of the traditional instrumental "Corrina Corrina" and a country rock version of Randy Meisner's "Hearts on Fire." Information: DennisRogerReed.com.
Robert Kinsler
Title: Upside Down Flowers (Fantasy)
You might like if you enjoy: Andrew McMahon, Jack's Mannequin, Roger Joseph Manning Jr.
Tell me more: One of the most insightful and talented artists of his generation, Andrew McMahon has scored success fronting Something Corporate, Jack's Mannequin and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. On his newly-issued solo LP Upside Down Flowers, McMahon uses his uncanny ability to examine and exhume the world around him and put it all into song. The disc's opening tracks find the singer-songwriter-pianist revisiting his past, from his family's move from Ohio to Southern California ("Ohio") to his formative teenage years in Orange County breaking through with his indie rock troupe Something Corporate (courtesy of the wistful "Teenage Rockstars"). McMahon has the ability to create songs that are both literate and musically enthralling as evidenced by the evocative "Monday Flowers," chamber pop of "This Wild Ride," melodic rocker "Goodnight, Rock and Roll," the introspective "House in the Trees" and Beatlesque "Penelope." McMahon embarks on his highly-anticipated "Upside Down Flowers" North American tour on January 23, 2019. Information: AndrewMcMahon.com.
Title: Nature (Cooking Vinyl)
You might like if you enjoy: Neil Finn, Bruce Cockburn, John Hiatt
Tell me more: Paul Kelly's new LP combines poetry from five literary masters (Dylan Thomas, Walt Whitman, Sylvia Plath, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Phillip Larkin) as well as his own prose with a shared theme reflecting the disc's title Nature. The songcraft is as glorious as the verse with a diverse soundscape encompassing folk rock (the propulsive "With the One I Love"), Celtic-tinged folk ("And Death Shall Have No Dominion," "A Bastard Like Me"), baroque pop ("The River Song") and Americana ("Little Wolf," "Morning Storm," "The Trees"). The lush neo-classical "Bound to Follow (Aisling Song)" features soprano Kate Miller-Heidke and further captures the exhilarating spirit of this special project that simultaneously and magically celebrates the power of poetry, song and the natural world. Information: PaulKelly.com.au.
Title: Sings For The King (Capitol/UMe)
You might like if you enjoy: Glen Campbell, Elvis Presley
Tell me more: Fans of both Elvis Presley and Glen Campbell will be in amazed after hearing the astounding new collection Sings For The King. From 1964 to 1968 – an especially productive time for Campbell highlighted by his touring duties with the Beach Boys, high-profile studio work as lead guitarist with the Wrecking Crew and a burgeoning solo career – Campbell was recruited to record songs for Elvis Presley. Now more than a half century after Campbell made these recordings, 18 of the rescued tracks have been released as Sings For The King (available on audio CD, vinyl and digitally). A dozen of the songs on the disc would ultimately be recorded by Presley, but these versions feature Campbell and he uses his voice to showcase how they would sound if sung by Presley (who did ultimately record his own versions of a dozen of the songs heard on the set). Beginning with the gospel-flavored "We Call On Him" where the voices of Presley and Campbell are both featured to clearly demonstrate how closely the Rhinestone Cowboy could mirror the King of Rock and Roll's tone, the collection offers a great mix of strong material. There are rousing rockers ("Spinout," "Magic Fire" and "Anyone Can Play"), Southern soul ("All I Needed Was The Rain"), and tender ballads ("Cross My Heart And Hope To Die," "There Is So Much World To See"). One of the most interesting songs is "I Got Love" which begins with Campbell sounding like himself against a sparse guitar backdrop before the song picks up and his voice adopts Presley's signature styling. The collection concludes with the lovely "Restless," a ballad never covered by Presley; how wonderful to hear the song sung by Campbell as he conjures up the legacy of both artists. Information: GlenCampbell.com.
Title: Before It Was Before (Plastic Meltdown Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Mumford & Sons, Bob Dylan
Tell me more: With an artistic spirit directed at the strength of a song rather than its specific genre, singer-songwriter Dennis Roger Reed and his brother Don Reed have crafted a freewheeling album (Before It Was Before) mixing up originals and covers spanning country-western, folk, western swing, blues and even a bit of bluegrass. There is an intimacy and warmth across the 21-track collection with ballads and uptempo cuts exuding an inviting touch. The driving "I Had to Ride," affecting "Reconciliation," and country ballad "Up Until Now" all wonderful Reed-penned originals. Among the joyful covers is a countrified take on Bob Dylan's uptempo "If Not For You," a reflective reworking of Michael Hall's "River of Love" an artful reading of the traditional instrumental "Corrina Corrina" and a country rock version of Randy Meisner's "Hearts on Fire." Information: DennisRogerReed.com.
Robert Kinsler
Monday, November 19, 2018
Dale Watson set to release new LP 'Call Me Lucky'
Breaking news that genre-defying aritst Dale Watson has announced a new album is on the way...
Track Listing:
1. Call Me Lucky
2. The Dumb Song
3. Johnny And June
4. Tupelo Mississippi And A '57 Fairline
5. Haul Off And Do It
6. Restless
7. David Buckskimper
8. Inside View
9. You Weren't Supposed To Feel This Good
10. Mama's Smile
11. Who Needs This Man
KIND WORDS
“Watson infuses every track with unashamedly blue-collar, grass roots honesty.” – American Songwriter
"He’s spent the past two decades proving there are still powerful tales to be told from the honky-tonk pulpit, and he's brought that message to the faithful.” – The Nashville Scene
“I’m one of Dale’s biggest fans.” – Willie Nelson
“His objective importance lies in his priceless role as devoted counter to insipid pop-country.” – No Depression
TOUR DATES
Dale Watson announces new album 'Call Me Lucky'
Johnny Cash’s former drummer W.S. Holland plays on first offering from Watson’s new album due out February 15, 2019 on Red House Records
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| Dale Watson |
Over the last three decades, Dale Watson has been labeled as everything from alt-country to Ameripolitan. But the most humble description may come from the title of his newest album, CALL ME LUCKY, out February 15 on Red House/Ameripolitan Records. Rolling Stone is premiering a new track from the album, "The Dumb Song," which "mixes a devilish charm with a touch of smarm as he rattles off the bad habits he won’t quit, from drinking and smoking to eating Southern fried chicken." Recorded at historic Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis, TN, the track channels early Johnny Cash and even features Carl Perkins and Cash's former drummer, W.C. Holland, to nail the vintage sound (that's Holland shouting "Yes!" at the end of the song).
LISTEN TO THE DUMB SONG AT ROLLING STONE
A fixture of the Austin, Texas, music scene for years, Watson recorded all but one song on CALL ME LUCKY in Memphis. The album features some of Memphis’ finest as well as Dale’s longtime band, His Lone Stars, and includes a horn section on some of the tracks. In early 2018, he bought a house there and now divides his downtime equally between Texas and Tennessee. He also sold the bars he owned in Texas and purchased the fabled Memphis nightclub Hernando’s Hideaway in an effort to provide a hospitable place for touring musicians to perform.
Throughout CALL ME LUCKY, Watson’s songwriting is so descriptive that you can almost see him cruising into Memphis as he sings “Tupelo Mississippi and a ‘57 Fairlane,” a throwback tune backed by a Memphis-style horn section. Meanwhile, a Hank Williams influence seeps into “Haul Off and Do It,” which is already a favorite in Watson’s live shows. And like the music from his musical heroes, many of the new songs clock in at roughly three minutes long – sometimes less.
“I’ve always been a fan of keeping songs short,” Watson confirms. “Long ago, I went to a library and checked out Tom T. Hall’s How I Write Songs. And in there, he said it’s not about keeping the songs short, it’s keeping the point. Make your point and get out. That’s always been my way of writing. There are some songs I’ve written that go on a bit more like a story, but I guess it’s probably my ADD that I don’t drag it out too much.”
A fixture of the Austin, Texas, music scene for years, Watson recorded all but one song on CALL ME LUCKY in Memphis. The album features some of Memphis’ finest as well as Dale’s longtime band, His Lone Stars, and includes a horn section on some of the tracks. In early 2018, he bought a house there and now divides his downtime equally between Texas and Tennessee. He also sold the bars he owned in Texas and purchased the fabled Memphis nightclub Hernando’s Hideaway in an effort to provide a hospitable place for touring musicians to perform.
Throughout CALL ME LUCKY, Watson’s songwriting is so descriptive that you can almost see him cruising into Memphis as he sings “Tupelo Mississippi and a ‘57 Fairlane,” a throwback tune backed by a Memphis-style horn section. Meanwhile, a Hank Williams influence seeps into “Haul Off and Do It,” which is already a favorite in Watson’s live shows. And like the music from his musical heroes, many of the new songs clock in at roughly three minutes long – sometimes less.
“I’ve always been a fan of keeping songs short,” Watson confirms. “Long ago, I went to a library and checked out Tom T. Hall’s How I Write Songs. And in there, he said it’s not about keeping the songs short, it’s keeping the point. Make your point and get out. That’s always been my way of writing. There are some songs I’ve written that go on a bit more like a story, but I guess it’s probably my ADD that I don’t drag it out too much.”
On CALL ME LUCKY, Watson sings with fondness about his girlfriend, rockabilly singer Celine Lee, on “You Weren’t Supposed to Feel This Good,” while “Mama’s Smile” would have been perfectly suited for a young Elvis. Later, Watson’s electric guitar roars on “Who Needs This Man,” a clever number about finding a date through the personal ads. He concludes the album with “Run Away,” a country-tinged tune that echoes the records Johnny Cash made in Memphis in the 1950s.
Looking ahead, Watson will once again be a featured artist on the sold-out Outlaw Country Cruise joining Margo Price, Lucinda Williams and others. He’ll then gear up for the Sixth Annual Ameripolitan Music Awards in Memphis in February. Founded and operated by Watson, the ambitious event celebrates touring roots artists who write their own music – a winning formula that Watson has embodied for more than 30 years.
“I write a lot. It doesn’t mean I write good songs, but I do write a lot of songs. So I think as with anything, you keep at it and you get better at it. But as for writing just a simple country song, I can accept that I’m good at that,” Watson says. “I’m just really, really grateful to be able to do what I do for a living, for as long as I’ve been doing it.”
Look for Spring 2019 US tour dates and a UK tour in May to be announced soon.
Looking ahead, Watson will once again be a featured artist on the sold-out Outlaw Country Cruise joining Margo Price, Lucinda Williams and others. He’ll then gear up for the Sixth Annual Ameripolitan Music Awards in Memphis in February. Founded and operated by Watson, the ambitious event celebrates touring roots artists who write their own music – a winning formula that Watson has embodied for more than 30 years.
“I write a lot. It doesn’t mean I write good songs, but I do write a lot of songs. So I think as with anything, you keep at it and you get better at it. But as for writing just a simple country song, I can accept that I’m good at that,” Watson says. “I’m just really, really grateful to be able to do what I do for a living, for as long as I’ve been doing it.”
Look for Spring 2019 US tour dates and a UK tour in May to be announced soon.
For Dale’s full tour schedule, please visit www.dalewatson.com.
Track Listing:
1. Call Me Lucky
2. The Dumb Song
3. Johnny And June
4. Tupelo Mississippi And A '57 Fairline
5. Haul Off And Do It
6. Restless
7. David Buckskimper
8. Inside View
9. You Weren't Supposed To Feel This Good
10. Mama's Smile
11. Who Needs This Man
KIND WORDS
“Watson infuses every track with unashamedly blue-collar, grass roots honesty.” – American Songwriter
"He’s spent the past two decades proving there are still powerful tales to be told from the honky-tonk pulpit, and he's brought that message to the faithful.” – The Nashville Scene
“I’m one of Dale’s biggest fans.” – Willie Nelson
“His objective importance lies in his priceless role as devoted counter to insipid pop-country.” – No Depression
TOUR DATES
Nov 21 - Fredericksburg, TX - Luckenbach Dance Hall
Nov 22 - Austin, TX - Continental Club
Nov 24 - Austin, TX - Broken Spoke
Nov 30 - McKinney, TX - Hanks Bar and Grill
Dec 6 - Austin, TX - The Highball
Dec 11 - Las Vegas, NV - Gilley's Saloon at Treasure Hall
Dec 13 - Austin, TX - Palmer Events Center
Dec 14 - Austin, TX - Continental Club
Dec 15 - Dripping Springs, TX - Mercer Street Dance Hall
Dec 20 - Wimberly, TX - Wimberly Methodist Church
Dec 22 - Austin, TX - White Horse
Dec 28 - Houston, TX - Rockefellers
Dec 29 - Austin, TX - Broken Spoke
Dec 30 - Turkey, TX - Bob Wills Event Center
Dec 31 - Fort Worth, TX - Longhorn Saloon
Jan 3 - Austin, TX - The Highball
Jan 5 - Coupland, TX - Old Coupland Inn and Dancehall
Jan 10 - Austin, TX - The Highball
Jan 12 - Austin, TX - Broken Spoke
Jan 17 - Austin, TX - The Highball
Jan 18 - San Antonio, TX - Paper Tiger
Jan 19 - San Angelo, TX - Wells Fargo Pavilion
Jan 25 - Bartlett, TN - Bartlett Performing Arts & Conference Center
Jan 26 - Tampa, FL - Skipper's Smokehouse
Jan 27 - Tampa, FL - Norwegian Cruise Line
Feb 15 - Fredericksburg, TX - Luckenbach Dance Hall
Feb 16 - Austin, TX - Broken Spoke
Nov 22 - Austin, TX - Continental Club
Nov 24 - Austin, TX - Broken Spoke
Nov 30 - McKinney, TX - Hanks Bar and Grill
Dec 6 - Austin, TX - The Highball
Dec 11 - Las Vegas, NV - Gilley's Saloon at Treasure Hall
Dec 13 - Austin, TX - Palmer Events Center
Dec 14 - Austin, TX - Continental Club
Dec 15 - Dripping Springs, TX - Mercer Street Dance Hall
Dec 20 - Wimberly, TX - Wimberly Methodist Church
Dec 22 - Austin, TX - White Horse
Dec 28 - Houston, TX - Rockefellers
Dec 29 - Austin, TX - Broken Spoke
Dec 30 - Turkey, TX - Bob Wills Event Center
Dec 31 - Fort Worth, TX - Longhorn Saloon
Jan 3 - Austin, TX - The Highball
Jan 5 - Coupland, TX - Old Coupland Inn and Dancehall
Jan 10 - Austin, TX - The Highball
Jan 12 - Austin, TX - Broken Spoke
Jan 17 - Austin, TX - The Highball
Jan 18 - San Antonio, TX - Paper Tiger
Jan 19 - San Angelo, TX - Wells Fargo Pavilion
Jan 25 - Bartlett, TN - Bartlett Performing Arts & Conference Center
Jan 26 - Tampa, FL - Skipper's Smokehouse
Jan 27 - Tampa, FL - Norwegian Cruise Line
Feb 15 - Fredericksburg, TX - Luckenbach Dance Hall
Feb 16 - Austin, TX - Broken Spoke
America's Christmas album 'Holiday Harmony' available worldwide
Exciting news and in tune with the holiday season, America's classic Christmas LP 'Holiday Harmony' is once again available. Here is the official media release...
London - Remember the seventies, when the charts were filled with classic songs such as “A Horse With No Name”?
Now Gonzo Multimedia has released worldwide the Christmas album from the band who had that international hit, America, featuring ten familiar Christmas songs and three original songs. With Andrew Gold (another name from the seventies) as producer and multi-instrumentalist, fans of seventies pop music will enjoy this.
The set opens with “Winter Wonderland,” which even reminds us of their biggest hit with its arrangement. Other tracks here also provide reminders of their hits.
The year 2018 marks the 48th Anniversary of America. Founding members, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell (along with former band mate Dan Peek) met in high school in London in the late 1960s and quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of their signature song “A Horse With No Name.” America became a global household name and paved the way with an impressive string of hits following the success of their first #1 single. Forty plus years later, these friends are still making music together, touring the world and thrilling audiences with their timeless sound.
From their formative years, America has been a band capable of transcending borders with its uplifting music and positive message. Embracing a rainbow of divergent cultures, America's audiences continue to grow, comprising a loyal legion of first, second and third generation fans, all bearing testament to the group's enduring appeal. “I think that the ingredients of the America sound are the basic fundamentals that translate internationally,” explains Beckley. “The Italians are huge fans of dance music, but they also love a ballad - they're romantic at heart. It's the same in the Far East. A lot of times in these countries, we see people singing along, and they don't really know what the words mean. Music is truly the international language.”
If you enjoy America's seventies classic hits, you will love America's Holiday Harmony. As a Christmas album alone, it is undoubtedly one of the very best.
Tracks:
Winter Wonderland | Let It Snow | White Christmas | A Christmas to Remember | Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas | Sleigh Ride | Silver Bells | Christmas in California | It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas | Winter Holidays | Frosty the Snowman | Silent Night | The First Noel | A Holly Jolly Christmas (2010 Collector’s Edition Bonus Track)
Release Date: 9th November 2018
To purchase: http://www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/product_details/16132
America's official website: http://www.venturahighway.com/
Seventies hitmakers America's Christmas album “Holiday Harmony” Released Worldwide!
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| Dewey Bunnell, left, and Gerry Beckley of America at Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, CA on July 16, 2015. Photo: Kelly A. Swift |
Now Gonzo Multimedia has released worldwide the Christmas album from the band who had that international hit, America, featuring ten familiar Christmas songs and three original songs. With Andrew Gold (another name from the seventies) as producer and multi-instrumentalist, fans of seventies pop music will enjoy this.
The set opens with “Winter Wonderland,” which even reminds us of their biggest hit with its arrangement. Other tracks here also provide reminders of their hits.
The year 2018 marks the 48th Anniversary of America. Founding members, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell (along with former band mate Dan Peek) met in high school in London in the late 1960s and quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of their signature song “A Horse With No Name.” America became a global household name and paved the way with an impressive string of hits following the success of their first #1 single. Forty plus years later, these friends are still making music together, touring the world and thrilling audiences with their timeless sound.
From their formative years, America has been a band capable of transcending borders with its uplifting music and positive message. Embracing a rainbow of divergent cultures, America's audiences continue to grow, comprising a loyal legion of first, second and third generation fans, all bearing testament to the group's enduring appeal. “I think that the ingredients of the America sound are the basic fundamentals that translate internationally,” explains Beckley. “The Italians are huge fans of dance music, but they also love a ballad - they're romantic at heart. It's the same in the Far East. A lot of times in these countries, we see people singing along, and they don't really know what the words mean. Music is truly the international language.”
If you enjoy America's seventies classic hits, you will love America's Holiday Harmony. As a Christmas album alone, it is undoubtedly one of the very best.
Tracks:
Winter Wonderland | Let It Snow | White Christmas | A Christmas to Remember | Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas | Sleigh Ride | Silver Bells | Christmas in California | It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas | Winter Holidays | Frosty the Snowman | Silent Night | The First Noel | A Holly Jolly Christmas (2010 Collector’s Edition Bonus Track)
Release Date: 9th November 2018
To purchase: http://www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/product_details/16132
America's official website: http://www.venturahighway.com/
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Sights and Sounds: The Rolling Stones, Mark Knopfler, Buddy Guy
Just because it's Saturday doesn't mean there isn't cool music news to share...
Rolling Stones' 'Beggars Banquet (50TH Anniversary Edition) available on Super Audio CD on Dec. 7 from ABKCO Records
Additionally, Guy discusses his dedication to preserving the blues, and the importance of keeping it alive for future generations; sheds light on the creative process behind his latest album, The Blues Is Alive And Well, featuring Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, among others; explains why the “Chicago Blues” should really be called “The Southern Blues;” describes making his very first guitar out of a screen door and a can of lighter fluid; and recalls performing at the White House, where he sang with President Obama and was given the National Medal Of Arts by President Bush. The son of sharecroppers, Guy humbly and humorously muses, “It’s a long way from the outhouse to the White House!”
Rolling Stones' 'Beggars Banquet (50TH Anniversary Edition) available on Super Audio CD on Dec. 7 from ABKCO Records
On December 7, ABKCO Records will release The Rolling Stones' Beggars Banquet (50th Anniversary Edition) on limited edition hybrid Super Audio CD. In comes on the heels of the November 16 domestic release of Beggars Banquet (50th Anniversary Edition) on limited-edition vinyl, CD and digital formats.
The SACD package itself is designed to look like a miniaturized replica of the 12” gatefold double-vinyl edition, sized to be a convenient 7” gatefold, and contain 2 hybrid SACDs, a flexi disc and expanded packaging elements exclusive to this edition. This bespoke packaging is manufactured in Japan and is of the highest quality to match the SACD audio. Special elements of the package include: replica packshots of two Japanese 7” single picture sleeves (“Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Street Fighting Man”) and both versions of the Beggars Banquet sleeve art are included. This SACD set is a Japanese release, which will be imported into North America in a limited quantity.
Recorded between March and July of 1968 at Olympic Sound Studios in London, mixed at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, Beggars Banquet was the first Stones album produced by Jimmy Miller, and marks the start of what is considered their most prolific album era. Beggars Banquet has a special place in the history of the band, as it is the final album completed with the original lineup of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Billy Wyman and Charlie Watts. During the year of release, Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone declared it “the best record they have yet done” and “an achievement of significance in both lyrics and music.”
Each of these hybrid layered discs includes the entire musical content in both Super Audio CD (SACD) as well as standard CD, providing for complete backward and forward hardware compatibility. The discs will play flawlessly on any SACD compatible or standard CD player. In an SACD player, the laser pick-up automatically reads the SACD layer in Direct Strem Digital (DSD) format, while a standard CD player’s laser pick-up will automatically read through the SACD layer to the CD layer in Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) format. Recently remastered by eleven-time Grammy winner Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering Studios, the SACD audio is the exact product of his work, with no loss of fidelity whatsoever.
The flexi disc captures a telephone interview between Mick Jagger and a representative of King Records in Tokyo, the distributor of London Records in Japan. The rare artifact’s title translated to “Hello, This Is Mick Jagger!” LONDON to TOKYO April 17, 1968” has been resotred and reissued on flexi disc with a picture sleeve lovingly restored to look just like the original. The flexi is included in the 50th Anniversary Limited Edition SACD package (as well as vinyl package) worldwide, making it available for the first time outside Japan. A mirthful moment in the exchange captured over the telephone, halfway around the world, while the band was busy recording the yet-unnamed album Beggars Banquet in Olympic Studios, Jagger was asked “What do you think is the future direction of your music?” And with no hesitation, he responded “Sideways.”
The original intended album cover art for Beggars Banquet was initially rejected both by London Records, the band’s U.S. label as well as Decca, their UK label. The Michael Vosse photograph of a vandalized restroom wall (Jagger and Richards provided the graffiti, the restroom was inside a Porsche dealership) was deemed offensive, possibly because the top of an open toilet is captured in the shot. The replacement cover was simply the band name and album title written in the style of a wedding invitation, and remained that way for several years before the intended bathroom photo art finally gained its rightful place on the cover. Beggars Banquet (50th Anniversary Edition) pays tribute to both, as the package will be housed with the Vosse image, with an overwrap of the “inoffensive” wedding RSVP invitation art.
Beggars Banquet (50th Anniversary Edition) Super Audio CD tracklist
SACD Disc 1 (original album, stereo mix)
1) Sympathy For the Devil
2) No Expectations
3) Dear Doctor
4) Parachute Woman
5) Jigsaw Puzzle
6) Street Fighting Man
7) Prodigal Son
8) Stray Cat Blues
9) Factory Girl
10)Salt of the Earth
SACD Disc 2
1) Sympathy For the Devil (mono mix)
2) Hello, This is Mick Jagger! LONDON to TOKYO April 17, 1968 (interview)
Flexi Disc
1) Hello, This is Mick Jagger! LONDON to TOKYO April 17, 1968 (interview)
Blues icon Buddy Guy coming to Dan Rather's 'The Big Interview' on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018
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| Buddy Guy performing at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA earlier this year. Photo: Bob Steshetz |
Acclaimed blues legend Buddy Guy joins Dan Rather at his Buddy Guy’s Legends blues club in Chicago, in an all-new episode of The Big Interview on Tuesday, November 20 at 9 p.m. Eastern Time (6 p.m. Pacific Time).
In this exclusive first-look, the master of the six-string fondly remembers the first song he learned how to play on the guitar while growing up on the Mississippi River—and how excited he was to share this newfound gift with everyone he could. “John Lee Hooker had just come out with ‘Boogie Chillen’, which I think was one of his biggest records,” Guy begins. “I don’t know what happened, but I was lyin’ out there on the grass on that levee, and my fingers got locked, and I heard me sound like I had found that ‘Boogie Chillen’… I walked to everybody I knew—and in the country, that was a long ways—and I said, ‘Look what I found! Look what I found!’” The song continues to hold a special place in Guy’s heart to this day, as he charmingly concludes, “If somebody asks me, I still play it!” Watch it here.
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| Dan Rather, left, with bluesman Buddy Guy. |
To see more of this insightful episode, tune in to The Big Interview on Tuesday, November 20 at 9pE/6pP, only on AXS TV.
Mark Knopfler's 'Down The Road Wherever' out now
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| Photo credit Derek Hudson |
Singer-songwriter/guitar great Mark Knopfler's new album Down The Road Wherever was released on British Grove Records via Blue Note on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018.
Recorded by Knopfler at British Grove—his West London studio—Down The Road Wherever features 14 new songs inspired by a wide range of subjects, including Knopfler’s early days in Deptford with Dire Straits, a stray soccer fan lost in a strange town, the compulsion of a musician hitching home through the snow and a man out of time in his local greasy spoon diner.
Knopfler recently premiered the album tracks “Back On The Dance Floor” and “Good On You Son,” plus the video for “Good On You Son” can be streamed/shared at https://markknopfler.lnk.to/GoodOnYouSonVideo.
In celebration of the forthcoming album, Knopfler is set for an extensive North American tour kicking off on August 16, 2019 at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT. See below for a complete list of dates; tickets for most North American shows are available for purchase now at http://tour.markknopfler.com/ and each ticket comes with a copy of Down the Road Wherever. Fans are urged to buy tickets from Knopfler’s website rather than resellers as the tickets’ authenticity and price can’t be guaranteed. Check http://markknopfler.com for the best way to buy tickets and for all details of safe fan-to-fan resale sites.
On tour Knopfler will perform with an expanded ten-piece band, most of whom have been working with him for more than two decades: Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Richard Bennett (guitar), Jim Cox (piano), Mike McGoldrick (whistle and flute), John McCusker (fiddle and cittern), Glenn Worf (bass), Danny Cummings (percussion) and Ian Thomas (drums). New additions include Graeme Blevins (saxophone) and Tom Walsh (trumpet).
‘My songs are made to be performed live,’ notes Knopfler. ‘I love the whole process of writing them alone and then recording them with the band, but ultimately the best part is playing them to an audience live. I enjoy the whole circus, travelling from town to town and interacting with this group of players is a total pleasure. I’m really looking forward to it.’
Knopfler has previously released eight solo albums, as well as Neck And Neck with guitar great Chet Atkins and All The Roadrunning with Emmylou Harris. He has also created film soundtracks for Local Hero, The Princess Bride and Cal. In addition to producing his own records, Knopfler has also produced albums for Bob Dylan and Randy Newman, amongst others. Knopfler was made an Order of the British Empire in 1999 and was given the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ivor Novellos in 2012.
Down The Road Wherever is available via digital download, CD, double vinyl, deluxe CD with three bonus tracks and a lavish box set that includes the album on both vinyl and deluxe CD and an additional 12” vinyl EP with 4 bonus tracks, a 12” print of the artwork and a 12” guitar tablature of ‘Back On The Dance Floor.’.
DOWN THE ROAD WHEREVER
1. Trapper Man
2. Back On The Dance Floor
3. Nobody’s Child
4. Just A Boy Away From Home
5. When You Leave
6. Good On You Son
7. My Bacon Roll
8. Nobody Does That
9. Drovers’ Road*
10. One Song At A Time
11. Floating Away
12. Slow Learner
13. Heavy Up
14. Rear View Mirror*
15. Every Heart In The Room*
16. Matchstick Man
*Deluxe Edition CD bonus tracks
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