Yes, I'm back folks!
With snow in so many places now welcome to Winter eh?!
It seems most of the updates I really have for come from artists with their Christmas newsletters or general messages, to us rock fans.
Anyway, no chance to get to the site yesterday, apologies for that, so that means for now I'm playing catch up right now, so here we go!
Frontiers Records announces the new North American distributor
Frontiers Records is proud to announce the signing of a new Distribution Agreement for its label products with EMI Music Distribution in North America.
The new Agreement will be effective from January 1st 2011 and marks a “huge step forward in the label’s expansion strategy” – as stated by Frontiers President, Serafino Perugino.
EMI Music will distribute physical product from Frontiers Records in the United States of America and Canada. Plans are already underway to expand the territorial areas of partnership.
"We are happy that Frontiers Records have chosen us to partner with to release some of the greatest rock bands of all time - on their label you will find greats such as Whitesnake, Asia and Yes” said EMI’s Executive VP / General Manager Mike Harris. “True classic rock artists that have sold millions of records worldwide. We look forward to a very rewarding relationship and know we will see true success in 2011."
Frontiers has recently announced the new partnership with Derek Shulman and 2Plus Music Entertainment who will oversee the label development and marketing over the North American market in conjunction with the EMI team in New York. Shulman said: “Our friends at EMI are all real music enthusiasts and we are looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship with them. The North American Frontiers team is gearing up for the first quarter release, which includes new music from Mr. Big, Nelson and Whitesnake”.
The first releases which will be distributed with the new set up in January 2011 will be the recent YOSO debut “Elements”, the ALLEN LANDE hit album “The Showdown”, along with NELSON’s recent comeback “Lightning Strikes Twice” and MR. BIG forthcoming “What If…”. The first quarter release plan shall be officially announced shortly.
Pictured L to R: Mike Harris, Serafino Perugino, Derek Shulman, Mario de Riso, Sid McCain at EMI's Head Office - NY
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce ....
John Waite - Rough and Tumble
Released on January 21st, 2011
Three decades have passed since a restless, wild-eyed teenager from northwest England first packed his bags for London to pursue his passion for music, and though he has enjoyed formidably staying power, chart-topping records and sold-out concerts around the world, John Waite’s hunger has never diminished – it has simply become something much more complex.
The turn of the page to 2011 finds the ever-evolving British singer/songwriter preparing the release of “Rough and Tumble”, John Waite’s anticipated new studio album recorded partly in Nashville and recently wrapped up in Los Angeles with the members of his touring band.
Waite says. “As much as the live album released last may was a defining moment and as much as I enjoyed playing those songs, I consider this album as a new beginning.” Waite is referring specifically to the sweet pocket of creativity he enjoyed with Matchbox 20 lead guitarist/songwriter Kyle Cook.
The two wrote plenty of fresh new music for “Rough and Tumble”.
“It’s pretty much extraordinary,” Waite says of the material he created with Cook, who he met through a mutual friend. “It’s not like what people would expect from me. It’s a step to the left. There’s a rock imprint on the music and a melodic presence, but it’s just shifted gears. It has an identity and a philosophy of its own, which is really fresh for me.”
The collaboration has proved to be nothing short of phenomenal, and songs like “Evil” (a thumping rocker-meets-dance-club tour de force), “Better Off Gone” (a hook-laced better-off-on-the-open-road anthem), “Love’s Goin’ Out of Style” and the magic ballad “If You Ever Get Lonely”. “I’m not saying it’s high art, but genuinely speaking, it’s fantastic for me,” Waite says, reflecting on his new music. “I certainly am interested in spending the rest of my life doing something creative rather than just living in the past”. This eclectic collection of brand new music, Waite’s first studio album since 2007’s “Downtown…Journey of Heart”, is set for a January 2011 release in Europe on Frontiers Records.
PRODUCED BY JOHN WAITE
* PRODUCED BY KYLE COOK, DAVID THOENER & JOHN WAITE
+ PRODUCED BY KYLE COOK & JOHN WAITE
MUSICIANS:
John Waite – Vocals
Luis Maldonado – Electric & Acoustic Guitar on “Rough & Tumble,” “Shadows Of Love,” “Skyward,” “Sweet Rhode Island Red,” “Mr. Wonderful”
Tim Hogan – Low End on “Rough & Tumble,” “Shadows Of Love,” “Skyward,” “Sweet Rhode Island Red,” “Mr. Wonderful,” “Further The Sky”
Billy Wilkes – Drums/Percussion on “Rough & Tumble,” “Shadows Of Love,” “Skyward,” “Sweet Rhode Island Red,” “Mr. Wonderful”
Kyle Cook – Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Programming & Harmony Vocals on “Evil,” “If You Ever Get Lonely,” “Love’s Goin’ Out of Style,” “Better Off Gone,” “Peace of Mind”; Keys on “Evil”; “If You Ever Get Lonely” & “Love’s Goin’ Out Of Style”
David Santos – Low End on “If You Ever Get Lonely,” “Love’s Goin’ Out of Style,” “Better Off Gone,” “Peace of Mind”
Mike Webb – Hammond B3 on “Shadows of Love,” “Skyward,” “Sweet Rhode Island Red,” “Further The Sky”
Fred Eltringham – Drums/Percussion on “If You Ever Get Lonely,” “Love’s Goin’ Out of Style,” “Better Off Gone,” “Peace of Mind”
Shane Fontayne – Electric & Acoustic Guitar on “Further The Sky,” Acoustic & Baritone Guitar on “Hanging Tree”
Rodger Carter – Drums/Percussion on “Further The Sky”
Bobby Keys – Saxophone on “Love’s Goin’ Out of Style”
Jennifer Paige – Background Vocals on “If You Ever Get Lonely” & “Better Off Gone”
Whitesnake Message for Christmas - The Holiday Season Is Upon Us!
So here's an update from David Coverdales Whitesnake camp.
As we come to the end of yet another action packed, fun-filled year together and prepare ourselves for the March release of our new studio album, some other highly anticipated bits and pieces and of course, our return to touring the World's stages so we can continue Preaching The Good Gospel Of The Snake 2011... once again with some fab new music and a couple of new, exceptional Whitesnake Warriors at our side, Michael Devin and Brian Tichy, whom Doug (Aldrich), Reb (Beach) and I are tres, tres, tres excited to introduce to you, I cannot help but reflect on how amazing our journey together has been thro so many years... and indeed, God Willing, will continue, with us going down so many roads together next year and the next, ad infinitum...
The company of Good Friends... Olde and New... the Much Loved and Celebrated Whitesnake Choir... ( I promise we have some splendid new anthems for you to singalongawhitesnake!!! )
So, it is, with the sound of festive Christmas carols, an occasional distant yodel, fueled no doubt by ample amounts of the good stuff, echoing thro my home at Lake Tahoe, I take this opportunity to sincerely wish You and Yours a wonderful, magical Christmas, from me and mine... and remember... do not get your nuts too close to the fire...
Christmas Love & LIGHT...
Your Obedient Serpent
David Coverdale
Dec 2010
Lake Tahoe
Rik Emmett December 2010 Newsletter
DECEMBER 2010
Best of the season to you, folks. Rik Emmett Newsletter time! ...
This is always a busy and stressful period of the year for everyone, so I won't drag this out, and I'll let you get back to your shopping / partying / caroling / humbugging / contemplations of peace and love, etc., asap.
Quickly: the P.R.O. 2010 tour wrapped up with a gig at Koerner Hall in Toronto, then a xmas charity show out in Ajax last week, and it all felt very fitting and fulfilling. There will be another run of dates in Quebec at the end of February and the beginning of March 2011 (and in particular a gig in Kingston, Feb. 28, that has a charity tie-in, so we'll be promoting that one with gusto over the next few months) - then we're out to Alberta at the very end of March ... So a chapter barely closes and another one begins ...
Same for the Troubs: Dave Dunlop and I had a lot of fun doing a very private affair in Burlington, Ontario last night, and we'd had a really successful run through Cambridge, Philly and New York the week before that, so we're full of ourselves and eager to try some new things together. But Dave and I will close out the year with an orchestra show in St. Catharines Ontario Dec. 3, where I'll play my "Guitar Heroes" set of classic electric rock with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra - which will finish the gigging year for me. (And not a moment too soon, considering the college term will be drawing to a close, with an avalanche of marking and grading to do ... )
Just in case you folks don't visit the website's Network forum, you might be interested to know that I've acquired two new electric guitars for my 'harem' - a beautiful used Gibson CS-356, which I've named 'Ruby', and a white Fender Stratocaster which I've imaginatively dubbed 'Becky'. My wife allows me these small affairs without jealousy, and seems glad that my obsession is not with, ohhhhhh, European sports cars that cost six figures. ;-)
I'm getting together with Mike (Levine) and Gil (Moore) to toast the season (it's a new tradition), and my wife and I are committed to some parties before Xmas. As is the custom we will be having our extended nuclear family over for Xmas Eve, and then a much more private and quiet Xmas Day, as our brood go off to spend THAT day with the families of their Significant Others. BTW - there seems to be a lot more efficiency to Xmas shopping nowadays, since the advent of email means the sharing of family Wish Lists occurs before the U.S. Thanksgiving weekend hits.
Since I won't be bugging you again until the New Year, please allow me to wish you and your families the happiest of holidays, and I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you all again, so very much, for the support you've shown throughout 2010. It has been (astonishingly) one of the most successful years of my long & checkered career, rich with facets of a professional life (PRO, Troubs, band gigs, orchestra shows, teaching gigs .... website and indie label to run, endorsements, blogs ... ) that keeps me hopping, and my head filled with repertoire that confounds a 57 yr. old brain (I mean - how many different arrangements of "Lay It On The Line" can one human being attempt to hold in their memory?). But I'm not complaining or protesting - I am delighted by the challenge, and I can't help but get an anticipatory tingle that 2011 could prove to be even more fun, as "Marco" FINALLY makes it to the public (by the time you read this, a few tiny tasty Sneak Preview guitar pieces should be making themselves available through the social media sites and http://www.rikemmett.com/) and I have a few more tricks up my sleeve, so stay tuned.
Merry Christmas to all, and Happy New Year, all the way along The Network, and across the digital highways. May your holiday season be filled with good health, happiness, love, and the profound joy of good music.
Cheers, peace and love,
Rik
Rik will also be playing a few shows here and there with just one in December this year, then he'll be doing more starting in February 2011. Check his live show updates right here: www.rikemmett.com/shows/
Rik also included a very interesting question / answer piece in this months newsletter that I thought was well worth sharing, here you go - Sorry for perhaps making this much more lengthy for you folks to read, but if you're a trivia freak like me, I hope you'll love this too:
RIK EMMETT QUESTION OF THE MONTH
Each month, a new question (and answer from Rik) is selected from the questions that appear on the Network Members Messageboard at http://www.rikemmett.com/. There are usually 8 to 10 questions (or more) posted each month, with interesting, enlightening, and often humorous responses. Craig brings us this month's question:
Craig writes:
Hey Rik,
I've been listening to 'Just a Game' recently. It's the first time in a long time.
I forgot how much I love the song Just a Game. I think it was ahead of its time for a Triumph tune, and I think it easily could've been on the Thunder 7 album next to songs like Rock Out, Roll On, and Stranger in a Strange Land, and wouldn't have seemed out of place. Actually it would've been cool to hear it as the band's abilities, and recording technologies had progressed. Those types of songs were always my favorite Triumph tunes, because to me, I couldn't really put them in a category, because I think they were hybrids. Sure they were rock, but there was a lot of other stuff going on there that made them unconventional.
Now the questions. 1) I listened closely to the background vocals on those tunes, and couldn't really pick out your voice or Gil's voice on some of them. Did you guys hire backup singers for some of those tunes? 2) I wondered if you guys caught any flack because you were a Canadian band saying that you wanted American Girls? To me, and I'm sure 99.9% of the listeners, it was just a song, but there's always that .
1% that will make a stink.
Thanks!
Craig
-----------------
Rik's reply:
Yes - female bg singers. Elaine Overholt [went on to fame as the vocal coach for Richard Gere and Rene Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones in Chicago, and other Hollywood stuff], and Colina Phillips. They probably overdubbed their own harmonies on a few things, and probably doubled every part (although I might not have this exactly right, because this was back in the day of a 24 track 2 inch master).
No - no flack for American Girls from the pov of dissing the loveliness of homegrown beauty ... The only thing was, a song lyric like this was likely the kind of thing that made critics hate us for seeming shallow and contrived ... since we had bumped up on the Canadian radar for being an act that had made successful inroads into the U.S. market, and now here was a shallow kind of horny teenager song about chasing chicks --- but of course, Gil really liked the old school rock and roll songs of Chuck Berry, and the horny riffing of stuff like ZZ Top's Tush - and there's no denying that songs like, ohhh, the Beach Boys' California Girls, or the Beatles 'Back in the USSR' had created a category of rock and roll song that worked. This post of yours points up something about Triumph that made it both loved and hated, a kind of schizoid nature of the band, that probably contributed to its appeal, its loathing by critics, and to its eventual break-up.
Some people love diversity in their preferred musical acts. Some people have narrower visions of what constitutes 'good' music. If a solo artist has a wide range of musical ambition, it goes down easier with a critical community, because the single source automatically defines the range as personal, considered, weighed choices. But with bands, the chemistry changes. Critics generally want a band to adhere to some kind of shared 'team' ethic, and image, and fulfill their destiny within the confines of that 'market' demographic. Bands with a single front man / singer generally are better loved.
Triumph was a band that had Rik and Gil - two very different musicians/writers. But it was also a band that had the largest degree of its success based on being a live touring rock and roll machine with a big show. And while it went into the studio and recorded 'Rik' songs like Just a Game, or Suitcase Blues it also went out on to concert stages and blasted riff rock songs like American Girls, which worked great out on tour. Critics hated the diversity - to them, it made us seem shallow and contrived. For us, for about a decade, it was simply the nature of our particular beast. Once the record company began to insist on getting pop product that had hit singles, whatever organic balance we had within the act got damaged beyond repair.
Cheers,
Cheers,
r.
=============================
Rik has answered many more questions in addition to the one posted above. To submit a question to Rik on the messageboard, please visit http://www.rikemmett.com/ for additional information on joining the Network.
Two New Books by author Greg Prato...
MTV Ruled The World: The Early Years Of Music Video
and
The Eric Carr Story
As the author of such books as, 'Grunge is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music,' 'Touched By Magic: The Tommy Bolin Story,' and 'A Devil on One Shoulder and an Angel on the Other: The Story of Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon,' Greg Prato has two new titles that are now available for purchase.
The first, 'MTV Ruled the World: The Early Years of Music Video,' is the first-ever book to focus solely on the channel's important building-block years, specifically from the MTV's launch to when its original group of VJs left the channel. Comprised of over 70 all-new interviews ("Weird Al" Yankovic, Daryl Hall, John Oates, Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Rob Halford, Stewart Copeland, Rick Springfield, Jerry Casale, Geddy Lee, Ann Wilson, Chuck D, Alan Hunter, Nina Blackwood, etc.), the book is not only an eye-opening account of the early years of MTV and the stories behind its biggest videos, but also of the music industry, important music developments/events, and the "Big '80s" in general.
The second, 'The Eric Carr Story,' is the first-ever book to tell the life story of Kiss drummer Eric Carr. Comprised of all-new interviews, the book also doubles as a study of 1980's era Kiss. You'll find insight into all of Kiss' albums that featured Carr (from producers Bob Ezrin, Michael James Jackson, and Ron Nevison), as well as those closest to him (sister Loretta Caravello, girlfriend Carrie Stevens, Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick), and music-related friends (Eddie Trunk, Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy, Anthrax's Charlie Benante). Also included is one of the last-ever interviews conducted with Kiss' original manager, Bill Aucoin, and for the first time ever, Kiss fans will be able to learn what the real story line to Kiss' controversial release '(Music From) The Elder' was all about (thanks to an explanation from Ezrin).
With both the 30 year anniversary of MTV's launch (August 1, 1981) and the 20 year anniversary of Eric Carr's passing (November 24, 1991) approaching in 2011, what better way to celebrate both subjects than with all-new books? Both books are set up in an "oral history" format (in other words, you're getting the story straight from the source) and are chock-full of rarely seen (or in many cases, never-before-seen) photographs.
The MTV book is 427 pages long and priced at $24.99 (ISBN # 978-0-578-07197-8), while the Eric Carr book is 256 pages long and priced at $19.99 (ISBN # 978-0-578-07424-5). Both books will make perfect gifts this holiday season for rock music fans worldwide. For ordering information and to view samples from each book before purchasing, visit the following links...
Rainbow's Down To Earth album to be reissued as two disc set
UK rock magazine, Classic Rock is claiming that the first Rainbow album released after Ronnie James Dio left the band, 'Down to Earth' which featured Graham Bonnet, Cozy Powell(RIP), Roger Glover, Don Airey and of course, Ritchie Blackmore, is to be reissued as a two disc set.
Not 100% sure where they have their information from, as I did a search through the Deep Purple sites and Rainbow locations too, including Mr. Blackmore's site and see no mention of it?
Even Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk aren't really forthcoming on information either, although Amazon.co.uk does reflect a 'Down to Earth' Deluxe edition, released in 2010 but that is a Japanese import, with no more information on it except that it is two discs and it's a Japanese import ...
Anyway, Classic Rock claim that the two disc tracklisting will contain different versions of the songs on the original album, two b-sides tracks from singles and two previously unreleased tracks - One of which has two versions?
Here's the tracklisting, courtesy of http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/
CD 1
1. All Night Long
2. Eyes Of The World
3. No Time To Lose
4. Makin’ Love
5. Since You Been Gone
6. Love’s No Friend
7. Danger Zone
8. Lost In Hollywood
9. Bad Girl (seven inch single B-side)
10. Weiss Heim (seven inch single B-side)
CD2
1. All Night Long (instrumental outtake)
2. Eyes Of The World (instrumental outtake)
3. Spark Don’t Mean A Fire
4. Makin’ Love (instrumental outtake)
5. Since You Been Gone (instrumental outtake)
6. Ain’t A Lot Of Love In The Heart Of Me
7. Danger Zone (instrumental outtake)
8. Lost In Hollywood (instrumental outtake)
9. Bad Girls (instrumental outtake)
10. Ain’t A Lot Of Love In The Heart
11. Eyes Of The World (instrumental outtake – take two)
12. All Night Long (Cozy Powell mix)
For confirmation of this information at Classic Rock magazine go here:
Bryan Adams announces more 'Bare Bones' tour dates
Canadian groover from Vancouver, Bryan Adams has announced a bunch of new acoustic 'Bare Bones' gig in conjunctions with his album release of the same name.
Dates currently confirmed, starting tonight Sat. December 4th in Jackson, Michigan are as follows:
December 2010
Sat 12/04/10 Jackson, MI Potter Center
Sun 12/05/10 Saginaw, MI Temple Theatre
Mon 12/06/10 Grand Rapids, MI DeVos Performance Hall
Tue 12/07/10 Green Bay, WI Weidner Center For The Perf. Arts
Mon 12/13/10 Damascus, Syria Congress Hall
Tue 12/14/10 Beirut, Lebanon TBA
Thu 12/16/10 Doha, Qatar Cultural Center
Fri 12/17/10 Dubai, United Arab Emirates World Trade Center
Sat 12/18/10 Muscat, Oman Muscat Hotel International
January 2011Thu 01/13/11 London, United Kingdom HMV Hammersmith Apollo - Appearing at "A Concert For Killing Cancer" with The Who
Sun 01/23/11 Trenton, NJ Patriots Theater At War Memorial
Mon 01/24/11 Troy, NY Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Tue 01/25/11 Ithaca, NY State Theatre
Wed 01/26/11 Lancaster, PA American Music Theatre
Thu 01/27/11 New York, NY Beacon Theatre
Fri 01/28/11 New York, NY Beacon Theatre
Sat 01/29/11 Baltimore, MD Hippodrome Theatre / France-Merrick Perf. Arts Ctr.
February 2011Fri 02/11/11 Pune, India Amanora Township at Magarpatta
Sat 02/12/11 Mumbai, India Johnny Walker One Tree Music Fest
Sun 02/13/11 Bangalore, India Palace Grounds
Tue 02/15/11 Delhi, India NSIC
Wed 02/16/11 Hyderabad, India HiTec Complex
March 2011Fri 03/11/11 North Bethesda, MD Music Center At Strathmore
Sun 03/13/11 Easton, PA State Theatre Center For The Arts
Tue 03/15/11 Bolivia, NC Odell Williamson Auditorium
Wed 03/16/11 Savannah, GA Lucas Theatre
Thu 03/17/11 Greenville, SC Peace Center Concert Hall
Fri 03/18/11 Atlanta, GA Symphony Hall - Woodruff Arts Ctr.
June 2011
Sun 06/12/11 Berlin, Germany Spandau Zitadelle
Fri 06/17/11 Monchengladbach, Germany Hockey Park
Sat 06/18/11 Oberursel, Germany Hessentag
Wed 06/22/11 Cork, Ireland Docklands
Thu 06/23/11 Dublin, Ireland The O2 Dublin
Fri 06/24/11 Belfast, United Kingdom Odyssey Arena
July 2011Fri 07/08/11 Bad Mergentheim, Germany Schlosshof
Thu 07/14/11 Klam, Austria Castle Clam
Fri 07/15/11 Dornbirn, Austria Messehalle
Sun 07/17/11 Munich, Germany Olympiapark - Appearing at "Tollwood"
Date information from: www.pollstar.com/resultsArtist.aspx?ID=72982&SortBy=Date
Official artist website: http://www.bryanadams.com/
Chickenfoot Holiday treat!
Yes, check this out, can you say that you've seen this before?! I doubt it!
Chickenfoot performing the Jimi Hendrix classic, 'Foxy Lady' live!
This from the guys in the band:
"This was a great year and we were just feeling thankful for all of you fans and thought we'd share this as a holiday gift. It's an outtake from the Live In Cabo webcast and is a really smoking version of this tune!
Have a great holiday season and we'll see you from the studio in the 2011!"
