Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Rock News for Wednesday 3rd March, 2010

Rock Sugar, out for World Domination? Pollstar thinks so ...
You know it's funny, I follow around various rock websites - Have done for years before I started doing this game myself. - to keep up with what's going on out there, especially when there's a rumour of something on the cards, you keep searching around on known sites for anything related.
Anyway, where was I going ...?
Andrew McNiece who runs http://www.melodicrock.com/ - Which ironically is often referred to as MR.com, Mister dot com, think about it! Nice one mate! - has this year lined up Melodicrock Fest 2 in Chicago, with some excellent players from the world of rock. Y&T, Winger, Jimi Jamison (Ex-Survivor), Pride Of Lions (Feat. Jim Peterik ex-Survivor, Ides of March, World Stage), Danger Danger, Terry Brock (Giant, Strangeways), Crown of Thorns, Kevin Chalfant (The Storm, The Vu, Journey), Eden's Curse, Farcry, Talon and many more including ... Rock Sugar. - http://www.melodicrockfest.com/

Now when Rock Sugar was mentioned and showed almost midway on the bill, I'm thinking, who?
On further investigation I realized that singer Jess Harnell, guitarist Chuck Duran and Alex Track (Drums) had all previously been together in the talented, yet underrated Loud and Clear band. Aha!
Incidentally, Jess Harnell has an incredible resume for being a voiceover specialist, I cannot believe how many cartoons, movies, etc that he has put his voice to! Check this out: http://www.freewebs.com/jessharnell/credits.htm

Now it seems, Rock Sugar are on a lot of people lips and just this week signed with major agency Paradigm, the powerhouse booking agency that includes acts from Aerosmith to Dave Matthews Band to Ricky Skaggs.
Sounds like big support is on the way!

Pollstar have plugged them twice in as many days and are saying the band could be set for world domination.
The only sad thing about the Pollstar deal, is they believe they are responsible for any success the band will now have?! What ....???!

Follow Rock Sugar here and check out their new album 'Reimaginator.'

Frontiers Records to release a new TESLA Electric Live Album !
“Alive in Europe!” RELEASES APRIL 23rd IN EUROPE
After 25 years, 12 albums, over 2,500 shows, over 16 million albums sold worldwide, Tesla is stronger than ever, on the heels of the release of one of the band’s most successful studio releases to date 'Forever More.'

Continuing the momentum, Tesla: Jeff Keith (vocals), Frank Hannon (guitars), Brian Wheat (bass), Troy Luccketta (drums) and Dave Rude (guitar) have toured Europe after the successful release of their latest studio opus Forever More on Frontiers Records.

As a testament to a very creative and productive chapter in the history of the band, Tesla release what can be considered a true “electric” live album recorded at various locations during the European shows in the summer of 2009.
'Alive In Europe!' is filled with sweltering live songs including all the band’s classics such as “Modern Day Cowboy”, “Signs”, "What You Give”, "Little Suzi" and songs from the latest release such as the single “I Wanna Live”, the album title track and more.
A sincere and truly live sounding album which closes a chapter in the band’s history and shows a vibrant band ready for the next step.

Track listing: Forever More; I Wanna Live; Modern Day Cowboy; Heaven’s Trail; What a Shame; Shine Away; Love Song; What You Give; The Way It Is; Breakin’ Free; Hang Tough; So What!; Signs; Lil’ Suzie; Into the Now.
Live soundbytes from the album can be heard here:

Weblinks:
www.myspace.com/frontiersrecords

Pat Travers new album 'Fidelis' now available as download only
Classic Canadian blues rocker, Pat Travers has just made his latest album, 'Fidelis' available through Amazon.
Including the impressive latest single, 'Ask Me Baby,' the new album, featuring 11 new songs is available for $8.99 here:
http://www.amazon.com/Fidelis/dp/B003ACA1IQ/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1267639061&sr=301-1

PT's current summer tour schedule is starting to ramp up with the following dates:
May 2010
Sat 05/15/10 Conesville, IA Circle Of Pride

June 2010
Wed 06/02/10 Hemet, CA Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre - Appearing at "Ramona Festival"
Thu 06/03/10 Modesto, CA The Fat Cat Music House And Lounge
Fri 06/04/10 Salinas, CA Banker's Casino
Sat 06/05/10 Long Beach, CA New Vault 350
Sat 06/12/10 Kissimmee, FL TBA
July 2010
Sat 07/17/10 Sturgis, SD TBA
Sat 07/24/10 Birkenfeld, OR SE Portland A.B.A.T.E. Of Oregon
Sat 07/31/10 Plymouth, MA Plymouth Memorial Hall
September 2010
Sat 09/18/10 Tomahawk, WI Nokomis Town Park

Jeff Healey and the Jazz Wizards Concert DVD, "Beautiful Noise", to be released on March 23, 2010
New Studio Album "Last Call" due April 6, 2010
EDMONTON, AB - Stony Plain Records announces an April 6 release date in the U.S. and Canada for Jeff Healey's final jazz studio album, 'Last Call,' which showcases the beloved legendary musician performing the music that was his true passion in life: the classic jazz, swing and pop sounds of the 1920s-1940s.

Released with the participation and support of Jeff Healey's widow, Cristie, Last Call is a 14-track collection on which Healey plays multi-tracked guitar parts, trumpet and sings. On several of the songs, he's accompanied by Ross Wooldridge on piano and clarinet and Drew Jurecka on violin.

Concurrent with this CD in Canada, Stony Plain will also release, 'Beautiful Noise,' a concert DVD featuring Jeff Healey and The Jazz Wizards, his regular jazz performance band, originally recorded for the Toronto-based TV show, "A Beautiful Noise," in January, 2006. In the U.S., the Beautiful Noise DVD will be released on March 23 and distributed by MVD Entertainment Group.

Last Call was Jeff's last jazz/swing recording before his death in March, 2008 of cancer. 'Mess of Blues,' an album of his fan-favorite blues and roots songs released shortly after he passed away, won the Blues Award for "Best Rock/Blues Release" in 2009; and the 'Songs from the Road' live CD,released in September of 2009, won the "Recording of the Year" at the 2010 Maple Blues Awards.

Last Call was recorded and mixed by long-time Healey friend and bandmate, Alec Fraser, and the package includes extensive liner notes by Colin Bray. The album features swing guitar instrumentals first recorded by Lonnie Johnson, Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti, to interpretations of songs originally done by Fats Waller, Sidney Bechet and Hoagy Carmichael. The material ranges from such standards as "Deep Purple," "Pennies from Heaven" and "Autumn in New York," to more obscure songs from the past, including "I'm Holding My Honey's Hand" and "You Can't Pull the Wool Over My Eyes."

Jeff Healey even covers some tunes originally heard during the golden age of cinema, including "Hong Kong Blues" and the haunting them from the motion picture, "Laura."

The new CD also includes a bonus video of "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" that is playable on most computers, recorded live at Healey's Roadhouse in Toronto on July 21, 2007.

The Beautiful Noise concert DVD features 11 tracks with the Jazz Wizards complete six-piece lineup, none of which are included on Last Call, plus an additional interview and musical footage. Beautiful Noise was directed by Daniel K. Berman and produced by Daniel K. Berman and Paul McNulty.

Survivor announce first set of 2010 North American Tour Dates

After a break for a while and also a long time without a new album, Survivor have announced their first set of tour dates starting in May 2010.
No word on a new album yet, although Frankie Sullivan has been involved with helping out other artists, such as Chicago blues musician John Juul, playing on 2 tracks on his new CD.
Check out John Juul site here: http://www.johnjuul.com/

Anyway, to those first Survivor tour dates:
May 2010
5/29/10 - Voyageur Park, DePere, WI United States
June 2010
6/19/10 - Orpheum Theatre, Galesburg, IL United States
July 2010
7/9/10 - Thunder Mountain Rockfest, Sawyer, ND United States
7/17/10 - Bechtold Park, Cincinnati, OH United States
August 2010
8/14/10 - New Lenox Commons, New Lenox, IL United States
September 2010
9/3/10 - Monterey County Fair, Monterey, CA United States
9/5/10 - Busch Gardens, Tampa, FL United States
Keep up with Survivor here:

No comments:

Post a Comment