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Thursday, March 29, 2018

Bruce Springsteen: The Album Collection Vol. 2 arrives in May

On May 18, Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings will release 'Bruce Springsteen: The Album Collection Vol. 2, 1987-1996,' a limited-edition, numbered boxed set comprised of material recorded and released by Springsteen for Columbia Records during that period.

The long out-of-print LPs are available remastered for the first time on vinyl. In addition to Springsteen's four studio albums from the era, the boxed set includes a special 12” of 1988’s live EP ‘Chimes of Freedom,’ Springsteen’s 1993 two-LP ‘MTV Plugged’ special, and the first-ever vinyl release of the 1996 ‘Blood Brothers’ EP for a total of 10 discs.

All of this material comes in recreations of the original packaging, accompanied by a 60-page book featuring rarely seen photos, memorabilia and original press clippings from the period.

For 'The Album Collection Vol. 2,' remastered albums from acclaimed engineer Bob Ludwig and Springsteen's longtime engineer Toby Scott have been pressed on vinyl for the first time. The albums were transferred from the original analogue masters using the Plangent Process playback system. 1987’s ‘Tunnel of Love’ and 1992’s ‘Human Touch’ have also been expanded across two LPs to maximize audio quality.

All four of Bruce Springsteen's studio albums from this period were certified gold, platinum or multiplatinum by the RIAA, with three reaching the Top 5 of the Billboard 200. The ‘Vol. 2’ collection follows the 2014 release of 'Bruce Springsteen: The Album Collection Vol. 1, 1973-1984,’ which included newly remastered editions of the first seven Bruce Springsteen studio albums.

Albums included:
‘Tunnel of Love’ (1987)* (2 LP)
‘Human Touch’ (1992)* (2 LP)
‘Lucky Town’ (1992) (1 LP)
‘In Concert / MTV Plugged’ (1993) (2 LP)
‘The Ghost of Tom Joad’ (1995) (1 LP)

* expanded across two LPs to maximize audio quality

12” EPs included:
‘Chimes of Freedom’ (1988) (1 EP)
‘Blood Brothers’ (1996)** (1 EP)
** first-ever vinyl release

'Bruce Springsteen: The Album Collection Vol. 2, 1987-1996' will be available for pre-order on March 30.

For more info click here: 
brucespringsteen.net

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

An interview with Grant-Lee Phillips

photo: Denise Siegel
Grant-Lee Phillips first came to national prominence as the leader of Grant Lee Buffalo, a critically-acclaimed Los Angeles alt-rock trio that released four albums in the 1990s and was best known for the songs “Mockingbirds” and “Truly Truly.”

Since then, Phillips has put out eight eclectic studio efforts. The latest one on Yep Roc Records, Widdershins (definition: to proceed counterclockwise or in a wrong direction), touches on where America is heading these days. Yet the Stockton, Calif. native still has faith in our ability to overcome steep obstacles as the past has shown.

I caught up with the singer/guitarist from his home in Nashville while preparing to hit the road this month.

Are you anxious to get your fans’ reaction to the new material?
Grant-Lee Phillips: I am looking forward to it. This particular batch of songs is a very natural one to play. I didn’t fret over any of them in terms of the writing and that’s probably the key to it all. They sort of wrote themselves and play themselves. I just hang on for dear life.

When I saw you’d be co-headlining shows with Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses this month, I immediately thought of the Exile Follies Tour you did with her and X’s John Doe in 2002. I caught your freewheeling Troubadour gig together in West Hollywood. Have you shared a stage with Kristin since then?
Grant-Lee Phillips: That’s the last time I toured with Kristen for any length of time. It should be interesting. We’re each going to do a full set.

Widdershins is quite a compelling and thought-provoking album, where you often tap into the anxiety much of the country has been feeling over the past couple years. What prompted you to delve into that national malaise on some songs?
Grant-Lee Phillips: I think it’s the need to document; the need to express. Writing songs is my way of staying sane - or my version of being sane. I suppose it’s a human thing: to want to connect and resolve conflict. It’s probably why a lot of us turn to social media: that desire to connect. Unfortunately, it usually goes awry at some point. When I go onto Facebook these days, it’s like sticking your face into a furnace and rarely productive. But I do understand that need to pull together, especially in these [times], where the sense of anxiety is so palpable. We’ve all been on the edge of our seats for so long now.

Were you ever inspired by the late 1960s/early ‘70s protest movement, which spawned incisive songs like Crosby Stills Nash & Young’s “Ohio?”
Grant-Lee Phillips: Most certainly. “Ohio” - what a lasting song! It is so particular in terms of its inspiration and depicting that horrible moment at Kent State. It also feels so timeless. I think that kind of song works best when it taps into humanity and the part of us that really bristles at the idea of injustice.

It’s easy to ghettoize the protest song as being outside the emotional spectrum of popular music, which so typically deals with raw emotions. How can you not be emotionally affected by a song like “Ohio?” I think one of the greatest songs of all time is Nick Lowe’s “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love and Understanding.” You don’t really have to know much of the back story, but it taps into all these ideas.

With lyrical references to Marie Antoinette, Italian philosopher/mathematician Giordano Bruno and Cassandra, the prophet from Greek mythology on Widdershins, I had to brush up on my knowledge of past centuries. Are you a history buff?
Grant-Lee Phillips: I wouldn’t call myself a history buff or buff at all. I need to do my historical crunches, in fact. I am fascinated with history and I always have been. I am utilizing some of these names, like caricatures in shorthand. The songs that I tend to feature these names in are satirical pieces in some ways. That’s not to say that they aren’t with their bite.

If I toss in Marie Antoinette, I assume that the listener has some sense of what she represents. ‘The disparity of the classes’ is how I would define Marie Antoinette. A disdain for the lower classes and those below her station. Her aloof ignorance, which led to her downfall. I think there’s plenty of that to go around [now]. It’s a colorful way of talking about a big subject with one fell swoop.

When you put out The Narrows album in ’16, you’d said recurring themes in the lyrics arose organically. Considering the subtle political touchstones on new songs like dreamy first single “Totally You, Gunslinger” and rallying cry “Liberation,” I assume it was just the opposite for Widdershins. Am I correct?
Grant-Lee Phillips: I wrote these songs in a very concentrated period - November and December 2016, going into 2017. Most everything was written there in the holiday season. One of my greatest holiday records yet. Minus the jingle bells! [laughs]

It was written at the height of the election season and inauguration. This whole new turning of the page. That had a lot to do with it. I think when I work quickly like that, themes naturally present themselves. I’d been chipping away much slower at a whole batch of songs I’m still sitting on. It probably would have been a logical step forward from The Narrows - reflective, mid-temp songs, delivered intimately. That’s where I thought I was going, then something happened. The world fell off its axis or at least it felt like it. I had to respond with a song or two or three. That’s how I ended up writing this album.

The tense “Unruly Mobs,” where you sing about pitchforks, torches and having masks on was written before the Charlottesville protest last summer then?
Grant-Lee Phillips: Yeah, it was.

photo: Denise Siegel
While it might be obvious who or what the subject matter refers to in many of the songs, you don’t take a heavy-handed approach. Instead of pointing fingers, you relay situations to historical episodes and sing that things can get better. Was that the goal?
Grant-Lee Phillips: I feel as though all of us are going to draw our own conclusions. Every one of us - me included - we’re each afflicted with our own blind spot. I don’t see life through your eyes or the next person’s. All I can do is offer up this bit of entertainment and it’s something to chew on, you know? It gets stuck in your teeth.

Drummer Jerry Roe and bassist Lex Price, who played on The Narrows, returned to the studio with you. Was there a particularly good rapport last time around?
Grant-Lee Phillips: Definitely. After we recorded that [first] album, we did a few shows here in Nashville. It was so natural that I felt this was worth revisiting. I wasn’t certain that would come together because of their schedules.

I’m sure. Those guys have some impressive studio credits. I saw that Jerry has played on recent efforts by Rodney Crowell, Lee Ann Womack and Granger Smith, while Lex is heard on albums by Miranda Lambert, Indigo Girls, Crowell and others.
Grant-Lee Phillips: They’re highly expressive musicians. We just connect really well on a soulful level. I love playing with them. They’re capable of following me through any twist and turn. They always come up with good suggestions. If I say, ‘I’m going to try this on a different instrument,’ there’s a level of trust in one another that goes a long way, because we had to work quick. Once in the studio, we had about three days and I had to know it was working within the first three hours or so.

It’s basically just the three of you on the entire album?
Grant-Lee Phillips: With The Narrows, I had a guest or two outside the trio, but with this one, it’s just us. I took it home and added a few overdubs. It was a super great team.

Sound Emporium, where you recorded in Nashville, has a storied history. While tracking the new songs, could you somehow sense the vibe of all the legendary albums made there in the past?
Grant-Lee Phillips: Yeah. I was delighted to hear that the room I recorded this album in was where R.E.M. recorded Document, which is kind of a muscular album with a social thread as well. Maybe there’s something in that room that they left behind for the rest of us to endeavor. Some of that essence. Kenny Rogers also recorded "The Gambler" in that room too.

There are a few spots on the album where you really rock out on electric guitar. A fast-paced “The Wilderness,” the seething “A Great Acceleration” and frantic “Scared Stiff” are prime examples. Were you inspired to turn the volume up more when needed?
Grant-Lee Phillips: I think the anger in the songs warranted plugging in and turning up. I don’t get to do enough playing with a full band live. I’d like to do more of that. There was kind of a 50/50 thing going on as far as the electric guitar on The Narrows.

This time, I wanted to lean further into it and even explore the electric as being the real basic guitar that laid the foundation, as opposed to treating it as a flavor that enriched the performance. I haven’t done that enough. Jubilee was that kind of record with Grant Lee Buffalo [in 1998]. I’m not sure where I want to go next. I kind of want to make an even noisier record right now.

I read a recent interview where you referred to these songs as “my photos…guerilla style.” Since Widdershins was basically recorded live in the studio, did you try to avoid laboring over the process too much?
Grant-Lee Phillips: Yeah. I like to do the vocals and all of it at once. It just turns out better that way. It has more feeling, more urgency. From a budget standpoint, it’s the only way to go about it if you’re going to do it with a band; to do it quickly. I like that. I have really come to embrace these limitations that have occurred over time as [record company] budgets have gotten smaller. I like the idea that nobody is going to push back if I want to produce myself and make a record in three days.

Years ago, it was like ‘this record is really important, so we want to have somebody else come in and make the record for you. We want you take a lot of time and keep redoing things over and over again.’ It doesn’t necessarily make for the best art, you know? My favorite albums have a vibe; they have life on them. Whether it’s the Stones or [Van Morrison’s] Astral Weeks.

Your music fits nicely into the Americana realm. Do you feel a kinship with the other acts who tend to fall under that umbrella as well?
Grant-Lee Phillips: It’s pretty broad. There are people who are more traditional in their approach or instrumentation and those who are pushing it to a different place. I think it can even be broader. I like the musically liberal perspective of the Americana world. We can welcome so many types of intersecting music.

Switching gears, what was it like to reprise your role as the town troubadour on Netflix’s limited run series reboot “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” in 2016?
Grant-Lee Phillips: It was an amazing opportunity. It’s incredible enough that I was asked to be a part of that show [many] years ago. That lightning would strike twice in the same place with this reunion is a whole other thing. I didn’t expect that would happen. So many years had passed since the show wrapped in 2007. It felt like we were picking up where we left off when I showed up on the set for the reunion. It’s such a wonderful thing. I met some great people and have gone on to work with some of them afterwards.

Can you identify people at the concerts who probably discovered you first through the TV series?
Grant-Lee Phillips: I have met people who found out about my music through the show. I love the idea that it’s a shared experience so many mothers and daughters have had. They relate to the show, that led them to my stuff and now they come to my [concert] together. It’s incredible.

You’ve recorded and toured with one of my favorite musicians - Yep Roc label mate Robyn Hitchcock – several times over the past 20 years. You also tackled his “I Often Dream of Trains” on your 2006 CD of covers, Nineteeneighties. What do you enjoy most about collaborating with Robyn? Have any of his eccentricities rubbed off over you?
Grant-Lee Phillips: Yes, I have more polka dots in my wardrobe [laughs]. He’s a really unique spirit. A very dear friend and somebody who I was inspired by early on, well before we ever met. His [1984] record I Often Dream of Trains influenced me a great deal - hearing how you could create all this mood with nothing but your lyric, its imagery, one voice and your guitar. The stark quality of that album and the ability to go from some very penetrating ideas to humor, all at once, made a huge impression on me. His melodies are so incredible. I did some harmonies on [2017’s Robyn Hitchcock] when it was close to being wrapped. We both live in Nashville now, so we see each other frequently.

Grant-Lee Phillips – Remaining U.S. Tour Dates

March 29 The Chapel – San Francisco, CA*
March 31 McCabe’s Guitar Shop – Santa Monica, CA*
*co-headlining bill with Kristin Hersh

Peter Hook & The Light revisit Joy Division and New Order albums live in North America

photo: Steven Baker
Peter Hook & The Light return to North America, starting in late April, with a run of 30 shows performing Joy Division and New Order's legendary Factory Records compilation albums "Substance" live, sequentially and completely.

Having toured the albums to great reactions from critics and fans alike in late 2016, the tour sees the band return to some of the venues which witnessed those acclaimed shows as well as adding new venues and cities. Some dates are already sold out. See below for full list.

Released in August 1987, New Order's Substance was originally conceived as a way for Factory Records boss Tony Wilson to play the New Order singles on the CD player of his new Jaguar car. Substance became the best selling New Order album ever upon its release, the double LP going on to sell 2 million copies in America alone.

Widely considered New Order's strongest album, Factory Records' 200th release featured the bands seminal 12" mixes of their singles as well as versions of ‘Confusion’ and Temptation re-recorded for the LP.

Running from "Ceremony" in 1981 up to "True Faith" in 1987 (again recorded especially for the album), the set takes in the high points of New Order's catalogue, including "Temptation", "Thieves Like Us", "The Perfect Kiss" and "Bizarre Love Triangle".

Released the following year in July 1988, Joy Division's Substance features all the singles which did not appear on the albums such as "Transmission", "Komakino", "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and "Atmosphere", as well as their b-sides, tracks from their EP "An Ideal For Living" and the Factory Records sampler.

Factory Records' 250th release, it begins with "Warsaw" and takes in the development of the band through "Digital" and "Dead Souls" to the band's final tracks. The collection demonstrates the same energy as a full length LP with several key B-sides added.

Peter Hook & The Light have toured Joy Division and New Order's albums extensively since debuting "Unknown Pleasures" back in 2010 with dates all across the world which have been very well received by critics and fans alike.

For videos and concert footage from The Light check youtube.com/peterhookandthelight

North American tour dates:

Thu 4/26/18 Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA
Fri 4/27/18 Brooklyn Steel , Brooklyn, NY
Sat 4/28/18 Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA - SOLD OUT
Mon 4/30/18 Fairmount Theatre, Montreal, QC - SOLD OUT
Tue 5/1/18 Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON - SOLD OUT
Thu 5/3/18 Royal Oak Music Hall, Royal Oak, MI
Fri 5/4/18 Metro, Chicago, IL- SOLD OUT
Sat 5/5/18 Majestic Theatre, Madison, WI
Mon 5/7/18 First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
Tue 5/8/18 Venue, Vancouver, BC
Thu 5/10/18 Neptune Theater, Seattle, WA
Fri 5/11/18 Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
Sat 5/12/18 Warfield, San Francisco, CA
Mon 5/14/18 Brooklyn Bowl, Las Vegas, NV
Tue 5/15/18 Metro Music Hall, Salt Lake City, UT
Thu 5/17/18 Van Buren, Phoenix, AZ
Fri 5/18/18 Wiltern Los Angeles, CA(Exclusive Unknown Pleasures/Closer Show)
Sat 5/19/18 House Of Blues, San Diego, CA
Mon 5/21/18 Ace Of Spades, Sacramento, CA
Tue 5/22/18 Granada, Dallas, TX
Wed 5/23/18 Mohawk, Austin, TX
Fri 5/25/18 Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
Sat 5/26/18 The Mill & Mine, Knoxville, TN
Sun 5/27/18 Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA
Tue 5/29/18 Exit / In, Nashville, TN
Wed 5/30/18 Paper Tiger, San Antonio, TX
Thu 5/31/18 Warehouse Live, Houston, TX
Sat 6/3/18 Respectable Live, West Park Beach, FL
Sun 6/3/18 Plaza Live, Orlando, FL
Mon 6/4/18 State Theater, St. Petersburg, FL
 

peterhookandthelight.live

Newly knighted Ringo Starr touring the world this summer and fall

photo: Scott Ritchie
Sir Ringo Starr has added U.S. tour dates to the 2018 All Starr Band’s itinerary. The band will be touring Europe this June and July and now confirm an additional 20 dates throughout North America in September.

The 2018 All Starr Band includes Colin Hay ("Who Can It be Now", "Land Down Under"), Steve Lukather ("Africa", "Hold The Line", "Roseanna"), Gregg Rolie ("Black Magic Woman", "Evil Ways") and new member Graham Gouldman of 10cc ("I’m Not In Love", "Things We Do For Love"). On percussion and sax is Warren Ham and on drums Gregg Bissonette.

Every Ringo and His All Starr Band show features each band member bringing to the set their most popular songs.

Ringo has often called the All Starrs “the best 1-800-band in the land,” and of this coming tour he said, “There is no greater joy for me than playing great music with great musicians. Every night we get to play for all those loving people and it makes the hassle of touring worth it. It is a Peace & Love fest and I can’t wait to see you all out there this summer and fall.”


Last September, Ringo released his 19th studio album, Give More Love. Then in December, it was announced by Queen Elizabeth II that Ringo had been selected for knighthood for his music and charity work and would be included in her 2018 Honours list.

Throughout his career he has received nine Grammy Awards, and has twice been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- first as a Beatle and then as solo artist.

Tour dates:

 
Sept 1 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tulsa, OK
Sept 2 Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion, Rogers, AR
Sept 3 Starlight Theatre, Kansas City, MO
Sept 5 Iowa State Center, Ames, IA
Sept 7 Fox Theater, St. Louis, MO
Sept 8 TBA, Milwaukee, WI
Sept 9 Morris Performing Arts Center, South Bend, IN
Sept 11 Fraze Pavilion, Kettering, OH
Sept 13 Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY
Sept 14 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga, NY
Sept 15 The Toyota Oakdale Theater, Wallingford, CT*
Sept 17 Wang Theater, Boston, MA
Sept 19 Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, Pittsburgh, PA
Sept 21 Hard Rock Rocksino, Northfield Park, OH
Sept 22 The Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL
Sept 23 Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, St Paul, MN
Sept 25 Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO
Sept 27 Humphreys, San Diego, CA
Sept 28 City National Civic, San Jose, CA
Sept 29 Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA

As previously announced, in June Ringo and the 2018 All Starr Band will embark on a 21 date tour, that begins in Atlantic City, New Jersey and then goes immediately to Europe where the rest of the shows will be. The last time the All Starrs toured Europe was 2011.

Summer Tour Dates:

June 2 Borgata Casino Event Center, Atlantic City, NJ
June 6 L’Olympia, Paris, France
June 8 Holland Blues Festival, Grolloo, Netherlands
June 9 Flens Arena, Flensberg, Germany
June 10 StadPark, Hamburg, Germany
June 13 Kaisaniemi Park, Helsinki, Finland
June 15 Lunden, Horsens, Denmark
June 16 Tempodorm, Berlin, Germany
June 17 Stadhalle, Zwickau, Germany
June 19 Congress Hall, Prague, Czech Republic
June 20 Stadhalle, Vienna, Austria
June 23 Menorah Arena, Tel Aviv, Israel
June 26 St. Jordi Club, Barcelona, Spain
June 28 WiZink Center, Madrid, Spain
June 29 Coliseum, La Caruna, Spain
July 1 Bizkaia Arena BEC, Bilbao, Spain
July 4 Rockhal, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
July 6 Sporting Complex, Monte Carlo, Monaco
July 8 Piazza Napoleone, Lucca, Italy
July 9 Piazza Degli Scacchi, Marostica, Italy
July 11 Autorium Parco Della Musica, Cavea, Rome, Italy

RingoStarr.com

Garbage marks 20th anniversary of 'Version 2.0'

photo: Joseph Cultice
Garbage has announced the release of the 20th anniversary edition of their second album Version 2.0. Due for release on Stunvolume/PIAS on June 22, the package will feature the whole original album, as well as 10 B-sides from the era.

Pre-order the digital album HERE and visit Garbage.com for updates on standard and deluxe Vinyl formats. "Lick The Pavement" is the first offering from the reissue and is out now. Listen to the song HERE.

"Version 2:0 is in my opinion the quintessential garbage record," shared Garbage singer Shirley Manson. "We are all very grateful to the millions of people who took it to their hearts at the time it was released and to those who continue to love on it still".

Initially released in May 1998, Version 2.0 spawned fan-favorites such as "Push It", "I Think I'm Paranoid" and "Special". Shortly after its release, the Recording Industry Association of America honored the album with a platinum certification for exceeding 1 million units sold. Version 2.0 went on to sell over 4 million copies worldwide. The album was nominated for a total of four Grammy Awards, including Album Of The Year and Best Rock Album. The album's third single "Special" was further nominated the following year for Best Rock Song and for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group. The video for "Push It" was nominated for eight MTV Video Music Awards.

Speaking about the enduring legacy of the record, the band's drummer and co-producer Butch Vig explains:

"Version 2.0 is the sound of a band growing up, evolving, and more than anything, gaining confidence. When we started recording, we made a conscious decision to not re-invent ourselves, but rather take everything we learned from our debut album and filter it through the new digital technology we were grappling with. Sonically, the album has moments of razor sharp clarity and soft beauty. Indeed, it's possibly our best album."

Garbage will be playing a series of live dates in support of the Version 2.0 reissue, which will see them perform the classic album in full, as well as a number of B-sides from the reissue. A complete list of upcoming live dates can be found below. Additional shows are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Shirley Manson recently won the NME's prestigious 'Icon' award at their Brixton Academy ceremony in February. A suitably fitting tribute to one of rock's great pioneers and provocateurs, the award serves as further indication of the impact Garbage have already left in the alternative rock landscape and on the mainstream.

Version 2.0 Tracklist:
 

1. Temptation Waits
2. I Think I'm Paranoid
3. When I Grow Up
4. Medication
5. Special
6. Hammering in My Head
7. Push It
8. The Trick Is to Keep Breathing
9. Dumb
10. Sleep Together
11. Wicked Ways
12. You Look So Fine

B-Sides:
 

1. Can't Seem To Make You Mine
2. 13x Forever
3. Deadwood
4. Get Busy With The Fizzy
5. Soldier Through This
6. Thirteen
7. Lick The Pavement
8. Medication (Acoustic)
9. Tornado
10. Afterglow

European Live Dates:
 

09/04/2018 - Edinburgh, United Kingdom - Edinburgh Festival Theatre
09/05/2018 - Glasgow, United Kingdom - Barrowlands
09/07/2018 - Bristol, United Kingdom - St. Phillips Gate Arena
09/08/2018 - Birmingham, United Kingdom - Digbeth Arena
09/09/2018 - Manchester, United Kingdom - Academy 1 Manchester
09/11/2018 - Nottingham, United Kingdom - Rock City
09/12/2018 - Newcastle, United Kingdom - Northumbria SU Institute
09/14/2018 - London, United Kingdom - O2 Academy Brixton
09/15/2018 - London, United Kingdom - O2 Academy Brixton

Paul McCartney career reissue campaign continues in May

On May 18, Paul McCartney will release four 2018 edition catalogue reissues via MPL/Capitol: NEW, Chaos And Creation In The Backyard, Wings Greatest and Thrillington. All four titles will be issued in affordable single CD digipak and 180gram black vinyl single LP formats—and will be made available for the first time in limited edition 180gram color vinyl pressings. All vinyl LPs will include a download card.

Released in '13, NEW was executive produced by Giles Martin and featured production by Mark Ronson, Ethan Johns and Paul Epworth, NEW entered the U.S. chart at #3. The title track, “Queenie Eye” and “Save Us” became staples of the McCartney live show over the course of the Out There and One On One world tours. NEW’s 2018 edition will feature the first vinyl pressing of the album since its 2013 release, including a limited edition pink vinyl 180gram vinyl LP with download card and 12x12” insert.

Released in 2005, Chaos And Creation In The Backyard was produced by Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Beck). It featured the singles “Fine Line” and the Grammy-winning “Jenny Wren” and debuted at #6 on the Billboard chart. It remained on the charts for nearly half a year, while Paul mounted the ‘US’ Tour. In 2007, “Jenny Wren” won the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, while the album was nominated in three other categories including Album of the Year. The 2018 edition of Chaos And Creation… will make the album available on vinyl for the first time since its initial run and will include a limited edition gold vinyl 180gram vinyl LP with download card and 12x12” insert.

Originally released in 1978, Wings Greatest was the first ever compilation of Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles hits, featuring four classics that had previously been unavailable on any McCartney album: "Another Day," "Junior's Farm," "Hi, Hi, Hi" and "Mull of Kintyre.” The penultimate Wings album release, Wings Greatest was a worldwide hit. As part of its 2018 edition reissue, Wings Greatest will be available as a limited edition blue vinyl 180gram vinyl LP with download card and 20”x30” poster.

Recorded in 1971 but not released until 1977, Thrillington remains one of the most enigmatic entries in the storied McCartney discography. Credited to the pseudonym Percy “Thrills” Thrillington, a fictitious socialite whose activities were chronicled in UK newspaper ads, Thrillington was actually a fully reimagined instrumental lounge/jazz version of Paul and Linda McCartney’s RAM.


With Thrillington’s 2018 edition, Percy is given a new lease on life with this collector’s item available on vinyl for the first time since the 1977 first pressings that fetch hefty sums on the collectors’ market, plus a limited edition red/black marbled 180gram vinyl LP with download card.

Midge Ure, Paul Young team up for summer jaunt

Grammy and Brit Award-winning musician Midge Ure (pictured right) returns to North America this summer on a co-headline tour with fellow Brit, Paul Young.

The first leg of the 'Soundtrack of your Life' Tour will hit Texas, the Midwest and Northeast with more to be announced including a second leg hitting the west coast in August.

Midge Ure will be performing Ultravox, Visage and solo material as well as playing songs from his highly acclaimed album Fragile, released in 2014. Listen here via Billboard Magazine. There are a handful of solo acoustic dates for Midge but the rest of the tour is very much plugged in, featuring Ure on electric guitar and synthesizer recalling the groundbreaking, innovative sound he is known for.

Ure also recently released an album of orchestrated versions of Ultravox hits and Midge Ure classics including ‘Vienna’, ‘Dancing with Tears in My Eyes’, and ‘If I Was’ via BMG last December.

Paul Young will be performing songs from his chart topping catalogue spanning 4 decades including the smash hits "Come Back & Stay" "Every Time You Go Away." and, "What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted" as well as tracks from his latest album Good Times, released in 2016.

Tour Dates:

May 29 - Austin, TX - 3Ten (Midge Solo Acoustic)
May 30 - Denton, TX - Dan's Silverleaf (Midge Solo Acoustic)
May 31 - New Orleans, LA - The Parish @ HoB (Midge Solo Acoustic)
June 1 - Atlanta, GA - City Winery (Midge Solo Acoustic)
June 2 - Bordentown, NJ - Randy Now's Man Cave (Midge Solo Acoustic)
June 5 - Bethesda, MD - Bethesda Blues & Jazz
June 6 - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theatre
June 7 - Huntington, NY - Paramount
June 8 - New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
June 10 - Pawling, NY - Daryl’s House (Paul Young Only)
June 12 - Toronto - The Phoenix
June 14 - Detroit, MI Magic Bag
June 16 - Chicago - B House Live
June 17 - Milwaukee - Shank Hall
June 19 - Cleveland, OH - Music Box
June 21 - Cincinnati, OH - Live @ Ludlow Garage 


(More TBA)

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks ready 'Sparkle Hard,' North American tour

Matador Records
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks’ new album Sparkle Hard will be released on May 18 through Matador Records and can be pre-ordered HERE. The band will tour North America this summer and the full list of tour dates can be found below.

In February, the band shared its single “Middle America.” As a follow up, the band shared another taste of the new album with the song, “Shiggy.”

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks have been together 17 years and delivered six albums. The seventh record involved some “navel gazing,” according to singer, songwriter, and guitarist Malkmus (
the former leader of Pavement). The band also includes Mike Clark (keyboards), Joanna Bolme (bass) and Jake Morris (drums).

Malkmus started writing Sparkle Hard in 2015. He’d upgraded his home-recording equipment and bought some electronic drums and had been working on the Netflix series Flaked (he penned the incidental music and the end theme song).


Demos were done in one day in April of 2017 and then in May, The Jicks started recording at a new studio in Portland called Halfling, which is managed by multi-instrumentalist Chris Funk of The Decemberists, who produced the album. Ex-Sonic Youth bassist
Kim Gordon guests on vocals. 

Track listing:

1. Cast Off
2. Future Suite
3. Solid Silk
4. Bike Lane
5. Middle America
6. Rattler
7. Shiggy
8. Kite
9. Brethren
10. Refute (ft. Kim Gordon)
11. Difficulties / Let Them Eat Vowels

Tour Dates:
 

6/1/18 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club SOLD OUT
6/2/18 - Milwaukee, WI - The Back Room at Colectivo SOLD OUT
6/3/18 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
6/5/18 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups SOLD OUT
6/6/18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theater
6/7/18 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
6/8/18 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
6/9/18 - Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace SOLD OUT
6/11/18 - Montreal, QC - Theatre Fairmount
6/12/18 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair SOLD OUT
6/14/18 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg SOLD OUT
6/15/18 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg SOLD OUT
6/16/18 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
6/17/18 - Washington, DC - Black Cat
6/19/18 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
6/20/18 - Athens, GA - The Georgia Theatre
6/21/18 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge
6/22/18 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar
6/23/18 - Cincinnati, OH - The Woodward Theater
7/17/18 - Petaluma, CA - Mystic Theatre
7/18/18 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's
7/22/18 - Phoenix, AZ - The Crescent Ballroom
7/23/18 - Albuquerque NM - Launchpad
7/25/18 - Austin, TX - The Mohawk
7/26/18 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
7/27/18 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater
7/28/18 - Tulsa, OK - The Vanguard
7/29/18 - Kansas City, MO - Record Bar
7/31/18 - Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
8/1/18 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
8/3/18 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre
8/4/18 - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
8/5/18 - Portland, OR - Star Theater

stephenmalkmus.com

Panic! At The Disco update

photo: Jimmy Fontaine
Grammy-nominated Panic! At The Disco's sixth studio album, Pray For The Wicked, will be released on June 22 via Fueled By Ramen/DCD2 Records. The album, produced by Jake Sinclair, is available for pre-order now HERE with new single "Say Amen (Saturday Night)" and "(Fuck A) Silver Lining".

"After being away in New York for months doing Kinky Boots, I just wanted to hang out at home when I got back to LA. I was so revved up that I asked some friends to come over to my home studio to help me write about all the incredible things I've experienced the last couple of years," said Brendon Urie, Panic! At The Disco frontman. "Pray For The Wicked is my 'thank you' to our fans and the most fun I've ever had making album."

Panic! At The Disco also put out an accompanying music video for "Say Amen (Saturday Night)" directed by longtime collaborator Daniel "Cloud" Campos and Spencer Susser. The video is part of a trilogy that acts as the prequel to "This Is Gospel" and "Emperor's New Clothes, also directed by Cloud. P!ATD just performed the song on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."

Watch the music video for "Say Amen (Saturday Night)" now HERE.

The release of the album will be celebrated by a U.S. arena tour this summer. Fans who pre-order Pray for the Wicked via Panic's webstore before March 29 at 9pm ET will receive a unique presale code for first access to tickets. Pre-sale tickets will be available beginning March 30 at 9:30am local time and general tickets will be available to the public beginning March 30 at 12:00 p.m. local time at PanicAtTheDisco.com.The complete list of upcoming dates for the Pray For The Wicked Tour can be found below.

Pray For The Wicked follows Panic! At The Disco's critically acclaimed fifth album, Death Of A Bachelor, which was released in 2016, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards. The RIAA platinum selling release was the highest selling rock album and fourth-highest selling album released in 2016, according to Nielsen Soundscan.

That album has also spawned RIAA certified gold tracks "Hallelujah," "LA Devotee," "Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time" and platinum "Victorious," "Death Of A Bachelor," and "Emperor's New Clothes." Most recently, frontman Brendon Urie starred as Charlie Price in the Tony-winning Broadway hit Kinky Boots.

Track listing:

1. (Fuck A) Silver Lining
2. Say Amen (Saturday Night)
3. Hey Look Ma, I Made It
4. High Hopes
5. Roaring 20s
6. Dancing's Not A Crime
7. One Of The Drunks
8. The Overpass
9. King Of The Clouds
10. Old Fashioned
11. Dying In LA


Tour dates:

7/11/2018
Minneapolis, MN
Target Center

7/13/2018
Indianapolis, IN
Bankers Life Fieldhouse

7/14/2018
Detroit, MI
Little Caesars Arena

7/15/2018
Columbus, OH
Nationwide Arena

7/17/2018
Chicago, IL
United Center

7/18/2018
Pittsburgh, PA
PPG Paints Arena

7/20/2018
Uniondale, NY
NYCB Live: Nassau Coliseum

7/21/2018
Baltimore, MD
Royal Farms Arena

7/22/2018
Toronto, ON
Air Canada Centre

7/24/2018
New York, NY
Madison Square Garden

7/25/2018
Boston, MA
TD Garden

7/27/2018
Philadelphia, PA
Wells Fargo Center

7/28/2018
Raleigh, NC
PNC Arena

7/29/2018
Duluth, GA
Infinite Energy Center

7/31/2018
Sunrise, FL
BB&T Center

8/1/2018
Tampa, FL
Amalie Arena

8/3/2018
Houston, TX
Toyota Center

8/4/2018
Dallas, TX
American Airlines Center

8/5/2018
Tulsa, OK
BOK Center

8/7/2018
Denver, CO
Pepsi Center

8/8/2018
Salt Lake City, UT
Vivint Smart Home Arena

8/10/2018
Seattle, WA
KeyArena

8/11/2018
Vancouver, BC
Rogers Arena

8/12/2018
Portland, OR
Moda Center

8/14/2018
San Jose, CA
SAP Center

8/15/2018
Los Angeles, CA
STAPLES Center

8/17/2018
Glendale, AZ
Gila River Arena

8/18/2018
Las Vegas, NV
T-Mobile Arena