THE SCORPIONS ARE TO RETURN TO THE U.S. NEXT SUMMER!
HAVING JUST WRAPPED A TRIUMPHANT NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
GROUP TO HIT MEXICO AND SOUTH AMERICA SEPTEMBER 4
BEFORE RETURNING TO EUROPE AS PART OF THEIR MASSIVE WORLD TOUR
“Scorpions numbers are solid in a summer where consistency is treasured.” - Ray Waddell, Billboard (8/21/10)
For those who have not yet been stung by the mighty SCORPIONS’ latest concert tour, “The Best Is Yet To Come.”
Although the band recently wrapped a triumphant 38-show tour of North America in Chicago at the (sold out in advance) Rosemont Theatre, they are now booking more U.S. shows next summer since their overseas tour commitments had prevented them from adding more U.S. shows this year. The group will hit cities they did not get a chance to perform in. The SCORPIONS are now on a brief break and will resume their “GET YOUR STING AND BLACKOUT WORLD TOUR 2010” tour September 4 in Mexico and South America before heading back to Europe with dates confirmed through November 27 in their German homeland.
The farewell tour by the iconic band--KLAUS MEINE (vocals), MATTHIAS JABS (lead guitar), RUDOLF SCHENKER (guitar), JAMES KOTTAK (drums) and PAWEL MACIWODA (bass)--is in support of their latest album STING IN THE TAIL (Universal Music Enterprises). It entered the U.S. chart at #23, marking the band’s highest chart debut in over 20 years. The SCORPIONS’ tour--in celebration of 40-plus years in music--has been a massive success in a soft touring economy, with the group filling many of the arenas they performed at in the United States and Canada.
In a recent interview (8/21/10) with Billboard’s Ray Waddell, lead singer KLAUS MEINE said, “What can I say? It’s a celebration…We feel we owe it to our fans and ourselves to keep this energy level. What we pull off every night on this tour, we want to keep it that way to the very last show. We don’t want to see ourselves rocking like a hurricane when it’s not a hurricane anymore.” Of the touring climate right now, Waddell said, “Scorpions numbers are solid in a summer where consistency is treasured.”
MEINE adds that it “feels great to do this final curtain thing on our own terms and not to wait until this whole thing breaks apart. To see these emotional reactions every night means a lot.” Critical accolades have also been pouring in:
Here’s what writer Bobby Reed said of the Chicago Sun-Times said:
"They came, they rocked us like a hurricane, and they said goodbye. Saturday night at the Rosemont Theater, hard-rock icons the Scorpions performed in the United States for perhaps the last time… The excellent show at the Rosemont Theatre was the final date on the U.S. leg of the tour. The two-hour concert was peppered with ballads (‘Still Loving You’) and hooky melodies (‘Bad Boys Running Wild’), two elements that helped make the Scorpions one of the most successful hard rock acts ever to emerge from Europe….Meine possesses a siren-like voice that can soar above all the heavy guitar riffs, as on the last encore, ‘Rock You Like a Hurricane.’ Meine supplemented the band's biggest hit, the 1991 ballad ‘Wind of Change,’ with his famous whistling motif. The band played three songs from its recent studio album, the glossy, credible Sting in the Tail. The live version of the uptempo ‘Raised on Rock’ was a fist-pumper spiked by a talk box on some springy guitar riffs (8/23/10).”
Of the band's show in Colorado, Candace Horgan of the Denver Post said:
“Despite their ages (vocalist Klaus Meine and Schenker both turn 62 this year, Jabs will turn 55), Scorpions still have plenty of energy. Meine’s voice soars high on everything from classic power ballads to Scorpions’ best known anthems, and Schenker stalked the stage like the demented loon he played in the video for ‘No One Like You’ (8/19/10).”
In New Orleans, Alison Fensterstock of the Times-Picayune wrote:
“When the headliners, the Scorpions, took the stage at about 9:30 p.m., happy pandemonium reigned. The German monsters of rock, formed the mid-60’s, transformed the midsize theater into an arena with mountains of LED-screen risers and huge video displays featuring pixilated shots of the band and crowd…The Scorpions have had a lot of practice, and they’re masters of spectacle (7/20/10).”
Stay tuned for more news from the SCORPIONS.
About the SCORPIONS: During their 40-year career, SCORPIONS have sold over 100 million albums, earning multiple gold and platinum albums, and received many awards, such as the World Music Award and several Echos--the German comparison to the Grammy. Their unmistakable hard rock sound has allowed the band to remain an influential and powerful force in rock music, and their song “Wind of Change” has become an anthem for the fall of the Iron Curtain. Their new and final album, STING IN THE TAIL, released March 23, 2010 via Universal Music Enterprises, entered the Billboard Top 200 charts at #23, marking the band’s highest chart debut in over 20 years. The album also landed at #6 on the Rock Albums chart. “Raised on Rock”--the album’s anthemic first single--reached the #1 spot at classic rock radio and adds to their remarkable list of hits including “Rock You Like A Hurricane,” “Wind of Change” and “No One Like You.” In 2010, the band were inducted into RockWalk at Guitar Center in Hollywood, CA, the only sidewalk gallery dedicated to honoring those artists who have made a significant impact and lasting contribution to the growth and evolution of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Blues, and R&B.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
‘X’ MARKS THE SPOT FOR NEW RELEASE FROM PROG ROCKERS SPOCK’S BEARD
NEW YORK – Acclaimed progressive rock band Spock’s Beard will release its tenth studio album, the aptly titled “X,” on September 28 via Mascot Records.
Over the past 17 years, Spock’s Beard has established itself as the crème de la crème of modern progressive rock. But Spock’s Beard is not simply a musician’s band; the group has also mastered the art of penning catchy, harmony-driven songs that will appeal to any fan of well-written pop songs.
The music of Spock’s Beard is a reflection of their varied influences, which include classical, pop, rock, jazz and jazz fusion, and R&B, while their intricate multi-part vocal harmonies and use of counterpoint add a whole other dimension.
Since Spock’s Beard began playing together in the early ‘90s, not only have musical phases come and gone, but a whole new model of recording and selling music has taken shape. There were a lot of “firsts” for the group on “X.”
“We were never all in the same room at the same time, from the song writing stage all the way through mixing and mastering,” said bassist Dave Meros. “We have never done that before. One might think that would work against us, but apparently it had a positive effect in this case.”
The quartet’s dedicated fanbase can take partial credit for “X.” After coming to the end of their previous record deal, Spock’s Beard opted to take a decidedly modern approach to financing a new record. The group raised funds for recording by taking pre-sale orders for “X.” A privately released Limited Edition version of “X” was first issued and the record has since been licensed for release in America through Mascot Records.
Early reviews of “X” have hailed the release as one of – if not THE – finest release from Spock’s Beard. But pressed to explain how “X” differs from previous albums, Meros takes a humble and humorous observation:
“From what the critics have been saying, we wrote good songs this time, as opposed to the last CD which was super lame in their opinion. So in retrospect, I guess writing good songs may have been a good idea. We do that on purpose you know…sometimes we decide to be good and other times we choose to be super lame. We could be good all the time if we wanted, but what fun would that be? People would just love us and buy our CDs by the millions and we'd make loads of money. Who wants that? BORING!”
Also ...
SPOCK’S BEARD MAKES RARE NORTH AMERICAN LIVE APPEARANCE
NEW YORK - Acclaimed progressive rock band Spock’s Beard will play its one and only American show at the Downey Civic Theater in Downey, Calif., on Sunday, September 12.
Despite being a world-renowned recording act and touring act, Spock’s Beard rarely plays in America due to prohibitive touring costs. Spock’s Beard is booked for a European tour during the last two weeks in September, which made this one-off show possible.
“Since we'll all be in LA at the same time doing rehearsals for the Europe tour anyway, we thought we'd try to book one LA date right before we left,” said Dave Meros, bassist for the band.
Spock’s Beard will release its tenth album, “X,” on September 28 on Music Theories Recordings, a subsidiary of Mascot Records. “X” has received rave reviews and will be the focus of the live show. “We'll be doing the whole ‘X’ CD plus some selected oldies to round out the set,” Meros said.
Tickets are available at
http://www.calprog.com/ Credit card and
PayPal are accepted. The cost is $55 for a reserved seat.
Mascot Records is an independent record company based in The Netherlands that specializes in guitar music, from metal to instrumental guitar, hard rock, prog rock and (guitar) fusion.
BBC - 'Rock anthems vanishing from chart'
Folk band Mumford & Sons have been one of the year's few successful guitar groups The number of rock hits appearing in the UK singles chart has shrunk this year, according to figures from the Official Charts Company.
Sales of rock singles have dropped by almost 18% in the first eight months of 2010, compared with last year.
Urban single sales are up 33%, with pop rising 30% in the same period.
Music Week magazine said just five of the 100 best-selling singles of the year so far were classed as rock, led by Journey's Don't Stop Believin'.
That song was first released in 1981 and has recently enjoyed renewed popularity after being covered on the TV show Glee.
“It's very difficult to get a bona fide rock hit these days, even by some of the biggest bands” said James Curran - Absolute Radio
The only other hits in the top 100 list to be classed as rock by the OCC were two tracks by singer-songwriter Florence and the Machine, one by folk band Mumford And Sons and one by dance act Pendulum.
To read the full story:
LEMMY KILMISTER CONFIRMED FOR:
MARKY RAMONE’S BENEFIT CONCERT OF RAMONES MUSIC WITH ALL-STAR BAND
BILLY SHEEHAN, MICHALE GRAVES, JEFF DUNCAN, MARKO DESANTIS & ANDY HILFIGER
Friday, October 8th - In Hollywood, CA @ Musicians Institute
HOLLYWOOD, CA (September 7, 2010) – Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead) has confirmed to play along with Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, David Lee Roth), Michael Graves (The Misfits), Jeff Duncan (Armored Saint), Marko DeSantis (Sugarcult), Andy Hilfiger (bassologist/Fashion Guru) and Marky Ramone himself for a full concert of The Ramones.
You will hear the music that defined many generations and inspired many bands. Marky’s set list is comprised of 31 historical Ramones songs such as SEDATED, K.K.K., PSYCHOTHERAPY, BLITZKREIG BOP, PINHEAD and more!
The legendary Rock Hall of Fame drummer for The Ramones is performing a special all-star fund-raising concert on Friday, October 8, 2010 at 8pm in the MI Concert Hall. Doors open at 7:30pm. The concert is in benefit for the newly-created Marky Ramone Drum Scholarship for Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA. “I am much honored to be chosen as an artist for the scholarship program. Music for kids is very important to have,” explains Marky. 100% of the event proceeds will fund the newly-created Marky Ramone Drum Scholarship at MI.
ONLINE ADVANCE SALE: General Admission seats (festival seating) are $30, VIP seating is $45 (guaranteed first 3 rows), $99 VIP Backstage (First 3 rows seating guaranteed Backstage Pass
After-Show Meet & Greet
Special Marky Ramone Gift bag).
WALK-UP (day of show): General Admission seats (festival seating) are $35, VIP seating is $50 (guaranteed first 3 rows), VIP Backstage not available.
Musicians Institute Concert Hall
1655 N. McCadden Place
Hollywood, CA 90028
Marky Ramone is a member of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame, and is best known for the 15 years he spent drumming for The Ramones. The Ramones formed in 1974, and are often cited as the first punk-rock group. Marky is the only living member of the longest running Ramones line-up – which featured Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, and Marky. He has performed over 1700 shows and more than 15 album releases during his tenure (starting in 1978) as a member of The Ramones.
For more info on Marky Ramone or the concert:
THE CRINGE
ROCKS INTO THE FALL WITH NEW TOUR DATES
September 7, 2010 – It’s been a busy summer for New York rock combo THE CRINGE —singer/songwriter/guitarist John Cusimano, lead guitarist James Rotondi (ex-Air, Mr. Bungle), bassist Jonny Matias (ex-Crash Moderns) and drummer Shawn Pelton (“Saturday Night Live” Band, Bruce Springsteen) — and their activity is only accelerating heading into the Fall. Since the June 8 release of their third album, PLAY THING, the band has kept busy on the road, online and in the media.
Kicking off the campaign for PLAY THING with a much buzzed about SXSW gig, at which they were joined on stage by Blues Traveler’s John Popper, the band has embarked on a rigorous touring schedule which sees them headlining clubs like New York’s Highline Ballroom and supporting well-known acts such as Blues Traveler, Sponge, The Alarm, Bob Schneider, The Gracious Few (ex Live and Candlebox members) and Antigone Rising.
“Rock ‘n’ Roll is all about getting out on stage and delivering,” says John Cusimano, “and I’m psyched that we’ve been able to bring our music out to our fans and make new ones by playing with an assortment of fantastic, musically diverse artists.”
Other highlights from the summer have been:
· Appearances on TV and radio, such as New York’s PIX11 Morning show and “Out of the Box with Jonathan Clarke” on Q104.3
· Guitarist Roto’s blog post in support of Independent Record stores getting picked up nationwide via MTV.COM
· Production of a music video for “Weary Me” shot by fans at New York’s Highline Ballroom.
· “Where It Hurts” featured on ESPN.COM
· Recording of a 5 song, live EP to be released later this year
Reviews for the new record have also been coming in steadily:
· “The Cringe plays highly polished melodic hard rock… PLAY THING presents a band seemingly ready for a breakthrough” — Allmusic.com
· “…excellent mesh of power-pop and garage-rock.” — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
· “…their best work to date…The Cringe come with a power rock sound that includes elements of punk, pop and hard rock. There are revved up moments of angst and aggression that are aimed at our society and its beliefs & principles…They bring you socially conscious music to really listen close to and hear the truth.” – Skopemag.com
· “…..tightly arranged radio-friendly alternative rock” — MusicEmissions.com
· “…solid song-writing and musicianship that produces solid pop rock” --- Blogcritics.org
Recorded with longtime engineer Steve Hardy (Vertical Horizon, The Upwelling), and with input from legendary producer Steve Lillywhite (U2, XTC), PLAY THING showcases some of the band’s heaviest, headiest moments to date, including the prog-infused “Poison,” the art-thrash excursion “Where It Hurts,” and the album’s first single, “No Control,” with its whiff of Soundgarden psychedelia and early Pumpkins snarl. Containing some of Cusimano’s most mature songcraft to date—the cautionary tale “Give and Take” is a case in point—the album is the result of a painstaking writing process and a rigorous recording ethic, a creative collision of analog purists and digital renegades, both committed to creating the strongest possible album.
Fans can check out THE CRINGE at any of the following stops:
DATE CITY VENUE
Fri 9/10 Philadelphia, PA Tin Angel (acoustic w/Antigone Rising)
Wed 9/15 Brooklyn,, NY Europa Club
Th 9/16 Foxboro, MA Showcase Live (w/The Alarm)
Fri 9/17 Portland, ME Port City Music Hall (w/Bob Schneider)
Sat 9/18 Boston, MA Harper’s Ferry (w/Bob Schneider)
Th 10/14 Springfield, MO Gillioz Theater (w/Blues Traveler)
Fr 10/15 Kansas City, MO Harrah’s (w/Blues Traveler)
Sat 10/16 Napervile., IL Pfeiffer Hall (w/Blues Traveler)
Tu 10/19 New York, NY Village Underground (CMJ Showcase)
Tu 11/2 Salisbury, MA Blue Ocean (w/Blues Traveler)
We 11/3 New York, NY Irving Plaza (w/The Gracious Few)
Fri 11/5 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bowl (w/Blues Traveler)
Sat 11/6 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bowl (w/Blues Traveler)
Tu 11/9 New York, NY Santos Party House
Fri 11/19 Hoboken, NJ Lovesexy
