General Public vinyl album reissues coming in August

General Public will be releasing their debut album ‘All the Rage’ and their second studio album ‘Hand to Mouth’ on black vinyl for the first time since their initial releases on August 4 via BMG.

After the break-up of The bEAT in 1983 Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger decided to continue working together in a new venture. They joined up with keyboardist Mickey Billingham (Dexys Midnight Runners), bassist Horace Panther (The Specials) and drummer Stoker (Dexys Midnight Runners) to form General Public.

General Public’s All the Rage originally released in 1984, spent 39 weeks on the US Billboard 200. The album features their debut single ‘General Public’ and the hit single ‘Tenderness’, which appeared in the John Hughes films Sixteen Candles (1984) and Weird Science (1985). Mick Jones (The Clash) also played guitar on a number of the songs.

General Public’s second album Hand to Mouth was originally released in 1986 and peaked at #83 in the Billboard 200 chart.

Ranking Roger sadly passed away at his home in Birmingham on 26 March 2019.

Dave Wakeling continues touring to this day as both The bEAT and General Public. The bEAT featuring Dave Wakeling are currently on their 20 date Skavival UK Tour 2023. General Public will be on the road in the U.S. in August 2023 on the Lost 80’s Live Tour.

To pre-order ‘All the Rage’ and ‘Hand to Mouth’ go here.

TRACK LISTING:

All The Rage

Side A

Hot You’re Cool
Tenderness
Anxious
Never You Done That
Burning Bright

Side B

As a Matter of Fact
Are You Leading Me On?
Day-To-Day
Where’s The Line?
General Public

Hand To Mouth

Side A

Come Again
Faults And All
Forward As One
Murder
Cheque In the Post

Side B

Too Much of Nothing
Loving Without the Fun
In Conversation
Never All There
Cry On Your Own Shoulder

Matthew Sweet, Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Steve Stevens contribute to new Beatle tribute album

Abbey Road Reimagined, a tribute to the Beatles' classic album, will be out Aug. 18 through Cleopatra Records. Matthew Sweet, Jellyfish’s Roger Joseph Manning Jr., British guitarist Snowy White (Roger Waters), Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens, GnR cohort Ron Bumblefoot Thal, Paul Shafer, Arthur Brown and other contribute. 

Sweet sings, plays guitar and even adds a little bass to a new version of “Polythene Pam.” The fourth segment of the album’s Side B medley, “Pam” has Sweet on vocals and guitars. Assisting in the track’s creation is Jason Berk on acoustic guitar, and Fernando Perdomo who does Hammond organ.

Stream/download the single: 

https://orcd.co/matthewsweet_polythenepam

Order the CD/Vinyl: 

https://cleorecs.com/store/?s=Abbey+Road+Reimagined&post_type=product

Pre-save the digital: https://orcd.co/abbeyroadreimagined

TRACK LIST:

1. Come Together – Durga McBroom (Pink Floyd), Jackie Lomax (Apple Records Artist) & Snowy White (Pink Floyd)
2. Something – Charles Jones (Vulfpeck) & Sonny Landreth
3. Maxwell’s Silver Hammer – Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfish)
4. Oh! Darling – Eric Dover (Jellyfish) & Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge)
5. Octopus’s Garden – Matt Axton & Brian Auger (Rod Stewart)
6. I Want You (She’s So Heavy) – Arthur Brown & Steve Stevens (Billy Idol)
7. Here Comes The Sun – Ron Bumblefoot Thal (Guns N’ Roses)
8. Because – Rebecca Pidgeon & Patrick Moraz (The Moody Blues)
9. You Never Give Me Your Money – Graham Bonnet (Rainbow) & Rick Wakeman (Yes)
10. Sun King – James Booth & The Return, Albert Lee & Geoff Downes (Yes)
11. Mean Mr. Mustard – Jack Russell (Great White)
12. Polythene Pam – Matthew Sweet
13. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window – Adam Gaynor (Matchbox 20) & Paul Shaffer
14. Golden Slumbers – Terry Reid
15. Carry That Weight – Gregg Bissonette
16. The End – Frank Dimino (Angel) & Steve Hillage (Gong)
17. Her Majesty – Gary Wilson

Cowboy Junkies' 1996 album 'Lay it Down' will get first vinyl release in August

Lay it Down, the sixth studio album from Cowboy Junkies, will be released on black vinyl for the first time on August 4 via Real Gone Music.

Produced by John Keane (R.E.M., Indigo Girls), it was the first to consist or all original material. Lay it Down went gold in the band's native Canada. “A Common Disaster” also was a top 20 hit at U.S. modern rock radio.

The "Angel Mine" music video, featuring comedienne/actress Janeane Garofalo was was filmed at LA's El Rey Theatre. "Hold on to Me" was used in the soundtrack of the 1998 film Homegrown. 

Track listing:

A1. Something More Besides You
A2. A Common Disaster
A3. Lay It Down
A4. Hold On to Me
A5. Come Calling (His Song)
A6. Just Want to See
A7. Lonely Sinking Feeling

B1. Angel Mine
B2. Bea’s Song (River Song Trilogy: Part II)
B3. Musical Key
B4. Speaking Confidentially
B5. Come Calling (Her Song)
B6. Now I Know

311's debut 'Music' to get expanded reissue in September

311 have announced an expanded and remastered re-issue of their debut album Music, due out September 29, to celebrate the album’s 30th anniversary. 

Originally released in February 1993, Music features singles “Freak Out,” “Do You Right” (peaked at #27 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart), “Visit,” “My Stoney Baby” (featured in 2008’s Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay), and “Feels So Good.” The album was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1999 and peaked at #37 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.

Released through Volcano Entertainment/Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, there will be two expanded vinyl versions of Music – featuring the fourteen original album tracks plus four bonus tracks of pre-production demos from 1992 made available on vinyl for the first time ever – are ready to pre-order now at https://311.lnk.to/music-30 and https://store.311.com

Fans can pre-save the 30th Anniversary Edition of Music now at https://311.lnk.to/music-30

“Hard to believe it’s been 30 years since our first studio record,” says drummer Chad Sexton. “We have decided to release a 30th Anniversary edition vinyl which includes extra tracks never released on vinyl before. These are pre-production album tracks that date back to 1992. A Pearl is the gemstone to celebrate 30-year anniversaries and in line with this concept we are introducing a Pearlized version of the album cover. We hope you enjoy this old classic as much as we did making this record.”

Track list:

SIDE A
1. Welcome
2. Freak Out
3. Visit
4. Paradise

SIDE B
1. Unity
2. Hydroponic
3. My Stoney Baby
4. Nix Hex

SIDE C
1. Raga Drop
2. Plain
3. Feels So Good
4. Do You Right
5. Fat Chance
6. Fuck The Bullshit

SIDE D
1. Welcome Pre-production Version ’92
2. Visit Pre-production Version ‘92
3. Feels so Good Pre-production Version ‘92
4. Paradise Pre-production Version ‘92

Tour Dates:

September 19 – Clive, IA – Horizon Events Center^
September 20 – Peoria, IL – Peoria Civic Center^
September 21 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life*
September 23 – Hammond, IN – Horseshoe Hammond^
September 24 – Prior Lake, MN – Mystic Lake Casino^
September 26 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory^
September 27 – Cedar Rapids, IA – McGrath Amphitheatre^
September 29 – La Vista, NE – The Astro Amphitheater^
September 30 – Wichita KS – WAVE^
October 1 – Kansas City, MO – Grinders KC^
October 4 – Grand Junction, CO – Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park^
October 5 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union
October 7 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock Festival*
October 8 – Highland, CA – Yaamava’ Theater at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino**
October 22 – Pomona, CA – In-N-Out Burger’s 75th Anniversary Festival: Rock 2 Freedom*

* Festival appearance
^ With AWOLNATION and Blame My Youth
** With AWOLNATION

Kristin Hersh travels to 'Clear Pond Road' on September album

Kristin Hersh's upcoming 12th solo album Clear Pond Road is set for release September 8, along with new single and visualizer “Dandelion,” watch HERE. Preorder the record HERE.

“Dandelion’s main image is climbing a fire escape up to my dressing room in an alley outside a club I was playing (I’ve never needed to invent metaphors; they’re everywhere),” Hersh recounts. “Anybody in love is always climbing to those eyes, you know? We’re voyeurs because we can’t ever know the beloved as completely as we want to.”

Clear Pond Road continues the juxtaposition of dark and light –dark sunshine, as Hersh puts it– that characterizes Hersh’s work with Throwing Muses but goes even further inward as it explores the intimacy and complexity that sits alongside Hersh’s fierce independence.

“Passion sounds less angry here, more grateful, I think.” Hersh reflects. “Sweeter, sadder, and somehow no less alive.”

Hersh wrote, performed, and produced Clear Pond Road at Stable Sound Studio. She incorporates strings and ambient field recordings on the album.

“Some records demand to be made,” says Hersh. “And you know this is the case when the songs function as systems in a body. I octavized an acoustic baritone as the skeleton, cellos are the lungs, a Nashville-strung Collings and glockenspiel were the fingertips feeling around in this weird-ass dark space, and drums are always your heart, of course… but the vocals are a strange narrator here. A narrator lost in the story, of all things, more like eyes.”

In addition, Hersh confirms an international tour in support of the record, including dates in the UK, Ireland, and Australia, with U.S. dates to come.

Hersh cofounded Throwing Muses in high school, and after earning a devoted following the group was the first American group to be signed to the beloved British label 4AD. Amidst international touring, releasing ten solo albums (multiple independently) and founding her own label, Hersh went on to form the power rock trio 50 Foot Wave and publish 3 books, including her acclaimed memoir, Rat Girl. Hersh was one of the first artists to break outside of the traditional label system, using a fan supported structure to fund her work.

TRACK LIST: 

1. Bewitched Reruns
2. Ms Haha
3. Dandelion
4. Constance Street
5. Thank You, Corner Blight
6. St. Valentine's Day Massacre
7. Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire
8. Eyeshine
9. Palmetto
10. Tunnels

Tim McGraw's new album in 'Standing Room Only' and drops in August

Country superstar Tim McGraw is set to release his highly-anticipated new album Standing Room Only on August 25 via Big Machine Records, with a new song “Hey Whiskey” available now HERE.

Standing Room Only will feature 13 brand new tracks and was produced by McGraw and his longtime producing partner Byron Gallimore. Pre-save the album now HERE. Fans can purchase a collectors bundle with their vinyl or CD, featuring a new t-shirt, collectible trading card and poster. For all details and tiers, visit store.timmcgraw.com.

The new album marks McGraw’s first new record since 2020’s Here On Earth, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart.

“As an artist, I always want to dig deeper and get better every time I make a new record – it’s a big part of what drives me, and I really believe this is one of the best projects we’ve made. I’ve been working on this album since 2020, and this collection of songs are some of the most emotional, thought-provoking, and life-affirming music I’ve ever recorded,” McGraw shares. “I’m excited to have ‘Hey Whiskey’ out so fans can start hearing more of what we’re working on – and maybe even more before August…”

The release of “Hey Whiskey” and its lyric video offers fans another glimpse into Standing Room Only, and follows the album’s first single and title track “Standing Room Only” – released in March – which is quickly climbing through the Top 20 on the Billboard and Mediabase radio charts. “Standing Room Only” also marks McGraw’s 92nd career entrance into the Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart.

Coming off the success of his Tour 2022 across sold out amphitheaters – fans can expect an announcement soon with details on how to see McGraw out on the road in 2024. 

Throughout his career, McGraw has amassed 68 Top 10s and holds the Mediabase record for the most weeks at No. 1 with all titles, totaling 73 weeks, and holds the record for second-most No.1 albums in the U.S. just behind George Strait.

Track List:

“Hold On To It” (Written by Ryan Larkins, Seth Mosley, Jimmy Yeary)
“Standing Room Only” (Written by Tommy Cecil, Patrick Murphy, Craig Wiseman)
“Paper Umbrellas” (Written by Monty Criswell, Drake Milligan)
“Remember Me Well” (Written by Heather Morgan, Jimmy Robbins)
“Hey Whiskey” (Written by Brad Hutsell, Joel Hutsell, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
“Her” (Written by Jason Gantt, Tim Nichols, Jimmy Yeary)
“Fool Me Again” (Written by Kameron Marlowe, Brad Warren, Brett Warren, Rob Williford)
“Small Town King” (Written by Jaren Johnston, Jenn Schott, Jeremy Stover)
“Beautiful Hurricane” (Written by Mike Lane, Tony Lane)
“Cowboy Junkie” (Written by Bill Luther, Lance Miller, Justin Weaver)
“Nashville CA/L.A. Tennessee (Featuring Lori McKenna)” (Written by Tim McGraw, Lori McKenna, Bob Minner)
“Some Songs Change Your World” (Written by Mark Irwin, Josh Kear, Lance Miller)
“Letter From Heaven” (Written by Chase McGill, Lori McKenna, Parker Welling)

Rolling Stones reissue news

The Rolling Stones' Forty Licks compilation is to be released digitally for the first time on July 26. Two days later, it will be available, again for the first time, in a lavish, limited edition four-disc, 180-gram black vinyl version, housed in a wide spined gatefold sleeve.

At the same time, Stones fans will also have an opportunity to enjoy the reimagined Dolby Atmos® versions of the album’s 40 tracks – streaming where available. 

Pre-order now: https://therollingstones.lnk.to/40LicksPR

Forty Licks was initially released in September 2002 to celebrate the Stones' 40th anniversary and to mark the beginning of their massive Licks tour. This global spectacle, mounted on the breathtaking scale that only the Stones could muster, crossed the globe over the next 14 months, playing 117 shows and became the second highest-grossing tour in history up to that time.

The collection, which times out at over 2 and half hours, includes 20 (US) Top 10 singles of which 13 broke into the Top 5 and 7 going to #1.  

Track listing:

Record One:

Street Fighting Man

Gimme Shelter
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
The Last Time
Jumpin' Jack Flash
You Can't Always Get What You Want
19th Nervous Breakdown
Under My Thumb
Not Fade Away
Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?

Record Two:

Sympathy For The Devil
Mother's Little Helper
She's A Rainbow
Get Off Of My Cloud
Wild Horses
Ruby Tuesday
Paint It, Black
Honky Tonk Women
It's All Over Now
Let's Spend The Night Together

Record Three:

Start Me Up
Brown Sugar
Miss You
Beast Of Burden
Don't Stop
Happy
Angie
You Got Me Rocking
Shattered
Fool To Cry

Record Four:

Love Is Strong
Mixed Emotions
Key To Your Love
Anybody Seen My Baby?
Stealing My Heart
Tumbling Dice
Undercover Of The Night
Emotional Rescue
It's Only Rock 'N' Roll (But I Like It)
Losin' My Touch

Cut Worms joined by Lemon Twigs on upcoming eponymous album next month; touring this fall

Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Cut Worms (aka Max Clarke) presents two new singles — “I’ll Never Make It” b/w “Don’t Fade Out”— ahead of the release of Cut Worms, his new self-titled album out July 21 on Jagjaguwar. 

The singles see Clarke continue his exploration of “pop essentialism.” When writing Cut Worms’ material, Clarke challenged himself to cut any extraneous details, hanging onto the essentials of what makes a song stronger.

Album opener “Don’t Fade Out” — is one of two Cut Worms tracks recorded in Brooklyn by Brian and Michael D’Addario of the Lemon Twigs, who also play piano and bass, respectively, on it. The “I’ll Never Make It” video, sees Clarke crooning across a cloudy carnival — headphones in, worries out.

On July 7, Clarke will begin a residency at Union Pool in Brooklyn, NY. Across three already sold-out shows, he will be joined by comedian Joe Pera, album collaborators the Lemon Twigs, rising star Joanna Sternberg, and Adam Green. Later this fall, Clarke will embark on a North American headline tour, bringing his live set to various cities. Full dates are listed below and tickets are on sale now.

Watch Cut Worms’ “I’ll Never Make It” Video

Listen to “Don’t Fade Out”

On Cut Worms, Clarke leaves behind the legendary studio and sought after producers for a more homegrown approach, working with friends and collaborators. As opposed to recording the entire album in one chunk at one studio, Clarke varied his methods. Three of the songs were cut from start to finish in his shared rehearsal space; two others were recorded in Brooklyn by Brian and Michael D’Addorio of the Lemon Twigs, who also played piano and bass, respectively, on these two songs. Further basic tracking was done by Rick Spataro (of Florist) at his Hudson Valley studio, Onlyness Analog, with contributions from the long-standing Cut Worms live band: keyboardist John Andrews, bassist Keven Louis Lareau, and drummer Noah Bond.

Clarke went about overdubbing in his signature fashion, and found himself leaning toward arrangements that translate more easily to a live performance. The success of last year’s self-recorded single, “Dream Most Wild,” gave him the confidence to take on the roles of mixer and producer for the first time on a full-length release.

Pre-order Cut Worms

Watch “Ballad of the Texas King” Video

Tour Dates:

Fri. July 7 - Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool * [SOLD OUT]

Fri. July 14 - Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool ^ [SOLD OUT]
Fri. July 21 - Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool # [SOLD OUT]
Tue. Sept. 5 - Asbury Park, NJ @ Wonder Bar
Wed. Sept. 6 - Washington, DC @ Songbyrd Music House
Fri. Sept. 8 - Raleigh, NC @ Hopscotch Music Festival
Sat. Sept. 9 - Nashville, TN @ Blue Room at Third Man Records
Mon. Sept. 11 - Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre
Tue. Sept. 12 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
Wed. Sept. 13 - New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa
Fri. Sept. 15 - Dallas, TX @ Dada
Sat. Sept. 16 - Austin, TX @ The Ballroom
Mon. Sept. 18 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
Tue. Sept. 19 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah
Thu. Sept. 21 - Costa Mesa, CA @ The Wayfarer
Fri. Sept. 22 - Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Mon. Sept. 25 - Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s at The Crocodile
Tue. Sept. 26 - Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret
Wed. Sept. 27 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
Fri. Sept. 29 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
Sat. Sept. 30 - Denver, CO @ Globe Hall
Mon. Oct. 2 - Kansas City, MO @ recordBar
Tue. Oct. 3 - Saint Paul, MN @ Turf Club
Wed. Oct. 4 - Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music
Fri. Oct. 6 - Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
Sun. Oct. 8 - Ann Arbor, MI @ Bling Pig
Mon. Oct. 9 - Toronto, On @ Horseshoe Tavern

* w/ Joe Pera
^ w/ Joanna Sternberg + special appearance by Adam Green
# w/ Air Waves + special appearance by the Lemon Twigs

Paul Rodgers sets long-awaited solo album for September

Paul Rodgers, lead vocalist, main songwriter and founding member of legendary rock band Bad Company (not to mention Free, The Firm and a brief stint in Queen), has released his first single "Living It Up."

The song is the first from Rodgers' forthcoming LP Midnight Rose, slated for release on September 22 via Sun Records. This is Rodgers' first solo album of new music in nearly 25 years. Get "Living It Up" HERE.

The eight-track album is a collection of all new, original music completely written by Rodgers, with the exception of “Living It Up,” which was co-written by Rodgers and his band’s bassist Todd Ronning, and drummer Rick Fedyk.

The album was produced by Cynthia Rodgers and Bob Rock, and was recorded at Roper Recording and The Warehouse over the last 18 months. 

"My new album Midnight Rose grew from sparks of ideas I had," says Rodgers. "The sparks developed into a raging fire when the band and everyone involved brought their absolute 'A' game. I think it is my best album to date, I like it. I hope you do too."

Pre-save and order Midnight Rose album and special merchandise HERE. The album’s second single, “Take Love,” will be released July 28. Pre-save/add/order "Take Love" HERE.

Track Listing:

1. “Coming Home”

2. “Photo Shooter”
3. “Midnight Rose”
4. “Living It Up” (Rodgers, Ronning, Fedyk)
5. “Dance in the Sun”
6. “Take Love”
7. “Highway Robber”
8. “Melting”

The Fixx guitarist Jamie West-Oram to make solo album bow in August

photo: Christina Jansen

The FIXX’s acclaimed guitarist, Jamie West-Oram, is set to release his first-ever solo album: SKELETON KEY is due out on August 18 via BFD/The Orchard. The new effort comes hot on the heels of The FIXX’s critically-acclaimed EVERY FIVE SECONDS album, which was released last year.

Check out the first track from SKELETON KEY, “Knuckle Down” here. The funk-inspired instrumental showcases West-Oram’s diverse guitar chops and is inspired by the work of guitar great Leslie West (Mountain).

Of “Knuckle Down”, Jamie West-Oram commented, “The piece expresses the liberation we feel when we stop dithering and get things done. I wanted the album to have a powerful opener and ‘Knuckle Down’ was the one.”

SKELETON KEY is produced by Nick Jackson (The FIXX, Cy Curnin solo) at Spacehouse Studios and Jamie West-Oram and is mixed by Nick Jackson, also at Spacehouse Studios. The album is mastered by James Arter (Linkin Park, Muse) and features Jamie West-Oram on all instruments and vocals, save for drums, which are provided by Tom Ashcroft. Click here to access SKELETON KEY cover art; click here to pre-order the album. Please see below for the track listing.

Since the 1980s, the band has garnered three #1 hits, five more in the Top 5 and a dozen which reached the Top 10. With millions of albums sold worldwide, songs such as “One Thing Leads To Another,” “Red Skies” and “Saved By Zero” remain everyday staples on the playlists of the Rock, AAA and Alternative radio stations that continue to break new acts inspired by the era that The FIXX helped to define.

Track listing:

1. Knuckle Down
2. Claustrophobia
3. Cuckoos In The Nest
4. Endless Possession
5. Life Support
6. Collusion Blues
7. Split Me In Two
8. Sharp Edge 2
9. Forging The Key
10. Turning The Key

Teddy Thompson goes old school 'country'

Teddy Thompson's 'My Love of Country' album is due August 18. 

"Country music has been inescapable for me, a recurring theme," says Teddy Thompson. "At the age of 10 or 11, that's the first thing I heard where my ears pricked up and I'm like, 'Oh, this is music? I like this.'"

Back in 2007, he explored his roots with Up Front and Down Low, an album of Nashville golden era favorites. And now he's picked up the thread again. Thompson says, "The pandemic hit and all bets were off, and the question came up, 'What can we do musically just for fun?' I said, 'Let's do some country songs.'" Where the earlier record was made with what he calls "an off-the-cuff approach," his 2023 release, My Love of Country, goes much deeper.

"The goal was to do it in the way that country records I love - mostly from the '60s - were made," says Thompson. "Everything was mapped out, with charts and string parts in place. The musicians came in, and we cut the songs the way they did back then. We just blazed through them."

He tackles "A Picture of Me (Without You)," "Cryin' Time" and other songs of poetic despondence.

"Many of these songs I thought were a bit beyond me when I was younger, too big to tackle," Teddy says. "'A Picture of Me,' 'You Don't Know Me,' big ballads like that, which I think maybe take a little bit of maturity to do justice to. I was excited to sing those songs now, after knowing them for decades. I think at least I've earned the chance to try."

Helping Thompson realize his vision for My Love of Country was multi-instrumentalist/producer David Mansfield, whose resume includes touring with Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue, scoring Oscar-nominated films like The Apostle and years of high-profile session work with the likes of Johnny Cash, Lucinda Williams and Dwight Yoakam.

Mansfield and Thompson assembled a list of twenty titles, then whittled it down to eleven. There are well-known standards, old and new, such as Hank Cochran & Harland Howard's "I Fall to Pieces" (a signature hit for Patsy Cline in 1961), Randy Travis's 1989 western swing-flavored #1 "Is It Still Over?" and Cindy Walker's portrait of unrequited love "You Don't Know Me" (a hit for both Eddy Arnold and Ray Charles). Adding balance are lesser-known gems such as Dolly Parton's 1968 album track "Love and Learn," Don Everly's "Oh, What a Feeling" and "I'll Regret It All in the Morning," a finely-etched drinking song penned by Teddy's father, Richard.

"These are all songs that I've known and loved for years," Thompson says. "That's the real key, having them in your body for a long time, decades really. I didn't really have to think at all about how to sing them. I just honored the originals."

Recorded at Mansfield's studio Hobo Sound in Hoboken, NJ, the album balances elegant, wrap-around arrangements with one-take energy ("I've learned that I do my best in the first couple of takes," Thompson says). A star-studded group of harmony vocalists, including Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell and Aoife O'Donovan, added final touches.

The latest stop - and eighth album - in a career that has carried on the legacy of his parents, British folk-rock legends Richard and Linda Thompson, and found him collaborating with such artists as Rufus Wainwright, Rosanne Cash and Emmylou Harris, My Love of Country follows 2020's Heartbreaker Please. 

While Thompson looks forward to writing his next album of originals, he notes the undeniable connection to his latest covers project. "In my favorite eras of music, it was all about the song," he says. "Most of the country songs that I know and love were recorded by dozens and dozens of people. And it was all in the service of the song. I grew up with that being the most important thing. For this record, that was a huge part of it. I just want people to hear these songs."

Track listing: 

A Picture of Me (Without You)

I Don't Love You Anymore
Cryin' Time
I Fall to Pieces
I'll Regret It All in the Morning
Love and Learn
Satisfied Mind
Oh, What a Feeling
Is It Still Over
You Don't Know Me

Out today: 'Forwards' by The Alarm

photo courtesy Reybee PR

Look for my interview with Mike Peters here soon. Meanwhile, get the details on what's going on with the band...

“Even in the most simple phases of life when a door seems closed, or life impacts your direction of travel, I’m a believer that there is always a solution and always an option in any given situation - so I never try to get too excited by the highs of life or too downhearted by the lows,” says Mike Peters, vocalist/guitarist of THE ALARM, in a press release.

The single and video, “Another Way” is the fourth from Forwards, the new album, out now via Twenty First Century Recording Company.

Fortifying a new performance clip with powerful imagery of medical corridors and Peters curled in a ball on his hospital bed, the video footage for "Another Way" frames the determination mindset that brought him back from the brink. 

“Another Way” follows "Whatever," “Next,” and the title track, which also serves as the album opener. Forwards is available on both CD and Vinyl with the LP release featuring two different record sleeves and colored vinyl configurations. A vintage green and white star white vinyl edition (Mike’s healing color combo), is being made available to outlets everywhere along with a unique Metallic Green vinyl limited edition available exclusively to independent record stores only.

Forwards is also out on all digital formats including Hi-Res and Dolby Atmos editions.

Described by Bono of U2 as “the second greatest rock and roll band in the world”, Mike Peters has been the driving force behind The Alarm for over forty creative years of new music making and dedication to presenting the band’s classic songs in ways both imaginative and inventive.

Track Listing:

1. Forwards

2. The Returning
3. Another Way
4. Love and Forgiveness
5. Next
6. Whatever
7. Transition
8. Love Disappearing
9. New Standards
10. X

U.S Dates:

Jun 22 Rough Trade In-Store New York, NY
Jun 23 Gramercy Theater New York, NY
Jun 24 Gramercy Theater New York, NY

Rick Springfield news

Rick Springfield has released two new singles, She Walks With the Angels and Automatic. The songs preview a studio album of all new material entitled Automatic, out August 4.

It is described by Springfield, as 20 new songs stylistically somewhere between “Working Class Dog” and “Tao.” Sonically, the album sees Springfield returning to his first love of guitar-based power pop and keyboards, while lyrically featuring his favored subjects of love, sex and death.

“My goal was solid three- minute tunes with the biggest hooks I could come up with.” The album is available for preorder. Automatic was written and produced by Springfield and features himself playing all guitars and keyboards. The album was engineered by and dedicated to Springfield’s friend and soundman for over 25 years, Matty Spindel who passed away late last year. Springfield notes, “His loss is something that will be felt by me, my band and the entire touring family for a long, long time.”

Springfield says, “I’m releasing TWO singles because there are no rules anymore and I’m pretty sure ONE DJ will play them. ME, on my SiriusXM show Working Class DJ. Nepotism at its finest. Thank you very much."

Regarding the single, Automatic, Springfield comments, “’Automatic’ is one song I dreamed. I woke up at 3am one morning and just wrote it down as it had been playing in my head. Don’t ask me what it means I'm not entirely sure.”

He continues with She Walks With the Angels: “Matty Spindel, soundman extraordinaire and friend for 25 years passed away a few weeks before I wrote this song for him. I used the feminine because he was very in touch with that side of himself. There are secret references 
all thru the song that are ‘very Matty’.”

Springfield will make his third appearance on TalkShopLive on June 20 at 8 p.m. ET where autographed versions of the album will be available for pre-order. Viewers can watch here: ttps://talkshop.live/watch/UrkSW3OioB1l

Expect Springfield to play these songs on his 26 -city “I Want My ‘80s Tour” this summer which kicks off August 4 with rotating special guests The Hooters, Paul Young, Tommy Tutone, (and joined by John Waite and The Tubes on selected cities.)

Tour Dates:

4-Aug Youngstown, OH Foundation Ampitheatre*
5-Aug Indianapolis, IN TCU Amp at White River Park*
6-Aug Sterling Heights, MI Amp at Freedom Hill*
9-Aug Niagara Falls, ONT Fallsview Casino*
11-Aug Grantville, PA Hollywood Casino Outdoors*
12-Aug Atlantic City, NJ Hard Rock Live at Estess Arena*
13-Aug Lynn, MA Memorial Auditorium*
19-Aug Lake Charles, LA L'Auberge Casino*
20-Aug Ft. Worth, TX Dickie's Arena*
22-Aug Lubbock, TX Cook's Garage Stage*
23-Aug Oklahoma City, OK Zoo Ampitheatre*
25-Aug New Haven, KY Log Still Distillery Amph**
26-Aug Bay City, MI Wenonah Park Shell**
27-Aug Decatur, IL Devon Lakeshore Amphitheatre**
29-Aug Maryland Heights, MO St. Louis Music Park*
30-Aug Omaha, NE The Astro*
31-Aug Aurora, IL RiverEdge Park Pavilion*
6-Sep Redmond, WA Marymoor Park***
7-Sep Bend, OR Hayden Homes Amp***
8-Sep Airway Heights, WA No. Quest Casino***
10-Sep Redding, CA Civic Auditorium+
12-Sep Saratoga, CA Mountain Winery Amp***
13-Sep Los Angeles, CA YouTube Theatre***
14-Sep Bakersfield, CA Mechanics Bank Theater and Convention Center***
16-Sep Murphys, CA Ironstone Amp++

17-Sep Fresno, CA Warnors Theatre***

Rick Springfield, The Hooters, Paul Young, Tommy Tutone
**Rick Springfield, Paul Young, Tommy Tutone
***Rick Springfield, The Hooters, Tommy Tutone
+Rick Springfield, The Hooters, The Tubes, Tommy Tutone
++Rick Springfield, The Hooters, John Waite, Tommy Tutone

Dexys (formerly Dexys Midnight Runners) set to return with first studio album in a decade next month

Veteran English pop-rock band Dexys (formerly Dexys Midnight Runners) are best known in America for their Brit Award-winning hit "Come On Eileen." It reached #1 in 8 countries and became the best-selling single in the UK and US in 1982.

Now the band is releasing the first new record of original material in over a decade, The Feminine Divine, due July 28 via 100% Records.

To introduce the record, they recently shared its first two singles, "I'm Going To Get Free" and "The Feminine Divine." In continuation of the album rollout, Dexys shared the record's third single "Coming Home." Written in the early ‘90s, it is declaration of frontman Kevin Rowland’s return to his true self.

Speaking on the track, Rowland wrote: "'Coming Home' is about rising up out of a slump. In the album narrative, the protagonist has passed through some very dark times but he is now enjoying positivity and peace. He’s embracing a new-found connectedness: to the universe, to other people, and to his true self."

Led by musician Kevin Rowland, Dexys is regarded as one of the more prominent British bands to arise in the 80s, with over 1B streams worldwide, 4.5M monthly listeners on Spotify, 49k subscribers on YouTube, and 71K followers on Facebook.

The debut album Searching For The Young Soul Rebels is widely considered one of the best albums of all time (by outlets such as BBC, The Guardian, The Quietus, and Uncut), and their subsequent album Too-Rye-Ay is multi-platinum in the UK and Australia and charted in the top 20 in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. Their music has appeared on the soundtracks of countless TV shows and films including High Fidelity (TV), The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, Jane The Virgin, What We Do In The Shadows, Preachers, Superstore, Firefly Lane, and Get Him To The Greek.

The Feminine Divine is Dexys’ fifth album of original material produced once again by Pete Schwier, along with acclaimed session musician and producer Toby Chapman. After taking some time out to refocus his energy, Kevin Rowland came back to music with a fresh perspective and new-found positivity. A personal, if not strictly autobiographical, record portraying a man whose views have evolved over time. Not just on women, but the whole concept of masculinity he had been raised with: an education and an un-learning that is traced across the arc of The Feminine Divine with dizzying effect.

LISTEN & SHARE: Dexys - "Coming Home"
Stream / YouTube

LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Dexys - "The Feminine Divine"
Stream / YouTube

LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Dexys - "I'm Going To Get Free"
Stream / YouTube

To support their new LP, Dexys recently announced a full UK and European tour for September / October. They've now added a special run of in-stores signings and performances where Kevin Rowland and Mike Timothy will perform tracks from the new album plus some old favourites.

Track listing:

01. The One That Loves You
02. It's Alright Kevin (Manhood 2023)
03. I'm Going To Get Free
04. Coming Home
05. The Feminine Divine
06. My Goddess Is
07. Goddess Rules
08. My Submission
09. Dance With Me

Long awaited album from Sigur Rós out Friday

On June 16, Sigur Rós will release their first new studio album in 10 years. Titled ÁTTA, the 10-track release is available digitally first, with physical formats to follow on Sept. 1. “Blóðberg” is on DSPs now. Stream HERE

There's a revised formation of the line up. Multi-instrumentalist Kjartan Sveinsson is back in the fold – having left the band in 2012 – to join frontman Jónsi and bassist Georg Holm.

With just the three friends in a room, letting the mood speak to them, they found themselves “just wanting to have minimal drums and for the music to be really sparse, floaty and beautiful,” explains Jónsi. “We’re getting older and more cynical so I just wanted to move us so that we felt something!”

Sveinsson agrees: “We wanted to allow ourselves to be a bit dramatic and go far with these arrangements. The world needs that right now. It’s hard to describe, but for me everything is always open to interpretation. People can think and feel how they want.”

Recorded across multiple continents – in the band’s Sundlaugin studio in Iceland, the legendary Abbey Road in the UK and a number of studios in the US - ÁTTA leans heavily towards the orchestral, and touches on everything that has helped Sigur Rós move close to 10 million albums. 

ÁTTA prominently features the London Contemporary Orchestra conducted by Robert Ames, alongside brass performed by longtime Icelandic collaborators Brassgat í bala. It is mixed and co-produced by another frequent collaborator Paul Corley, alongside the band.

In a post-pandemic world torn apart by war, economic turmoil, culture wars, and brutally divisive discourse, ÁTTA feels like a balming and unifying bond. “It’s what the music asked for and spoke for itself,” reveals Hólm.

“This record sounds like a Sigur Rós album, but it’s more introverted than before. It’s very expansive with this sound of strings, but it looks within more than outside.”

For Jónsi too, both Sigur Rós and ÁTTA exist purely in the moment – reflecting the times when we might need them most.

“When we do this, we always talk about each album as if it might be the last,” he adds. “We’re always thinking about climate change, doom-scrolling and going to hell. The world felt a bit bleak making this album, but maybe there is hope. When there is darkness, there is light.”

Sigur Rós will celebrate ÁTTA with a limited run of very special dates, performing with a 41-piece orchestra for the first time across Europe and North America; all shows sold out in record time. The tour kicks off at Meltdown Festival in the UK on the day of album release, where the band will perform with the London Contemporary Orchestra, who also accompany them on their following European tour dates. They will be accompanied by the Wordless Music Orchestra in North America. All orchestral dates will be conducted by Rob Ames.

Track listing:

1. Glóð
2. Blóðberg
3. Skel
4. Klettur
5. Mór
6. Andrá
7. Gold
8. Ylur
9. Fall
10. 8

Bombay Bicycle Club enlists Damon Albarn, Holly Humberstone, Nilüfer Yanya for October album

This sounds like a mini Coachella sampler, as I've seen BBC and its album guests at the festival in recent years...

British guitar band Bombay Bicycle Club return with their sixth studio album, My Big Day, due for release on October 20 via AWAL.

The album was produced by vocalist/guitarist Jack Steadman at The Church Studios in North London and the band’s own studio. It features guest vocalists Damon Albarn, Nilüfer Yanya, Holly Humberstone and others. 

The album’s title track has an accompanying video directed by Jon Higgs from Everything Everything and Kit Monteith (a long-time friend of the band, who plays percussion for Foals when not directing music videos). Look out for international versions of the video, translated and with local graphics, launching on June 21.

Listen to the single, “My Big Day,” HERE and watch the video HERE.

Jack sits on both sides of the glass for the duration of the record, having previously produced their fourth album So Long, See You Tomorrow, and co-production with John Congleton for 2020’s Everything Else Has Gone Wrong. Additional production comes from Paul Epworth (Adele) on the track Heaven and Ben Allen who co-produces Turn The World On—the band previously worked with Allen on their hit single Shuffle back in 2011.

The record was mixed by Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, MGMT, HAIM).

Album pre-order HERE.

Track listing:

Just A Little More Time
I Want To Be Your Only Pet
Sleepless (featuring Jay Som)
My Big Day
Turn The World On
Meditate (featuring Nilüfer Yanya)
Rural Radio Predicts The Rapture
Heaven (featuring Damon Albarn)
Tekken 2
Diving (feature Holly Humberstone)
Onward

Happy Pride Month! LGBTQ entertainment news on Adam Lambert, Rufus Wainwright, Tove Lo, Trixie Mattel, Vincint, 'Sublime' film, more

ADAM LAMBERT teamed up with producer Sigala to release his latest single “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” via BMG (Listen HERE and watch the visualizer HERE). The single, the official song of London Pride, is a cover of the 1978 classic disco party anthem by LGBTQ+ pioneer Sylvester about celebrating self, freedom and uniting everyone.

On June 23, Lambert will perform the song live on Good Morning America and on July 1, he will headline London Pride.

Recently earning his fifth top 10 on Billboard’s Album Sales Chart with High Drama (BMG), Lambert’s latest solo album showcases songs ranging from the old to the new including Duran Duran's "Ordinary World," Bonnie Tyler-via-Jim Steinman's “Holding Out For A Hero” and more. 

Sigala recently collaborated with James Arthur, David Guetta and Sam Ryder. Sigala has notched eight UK Top 10 singles, seven global Platinum singles, nine global Gold singles, seven million UK sales, 22 million worldwide sales, 4 billion audio streams and over one billion video views. 

Also, Lambert’s limited-edition ORLY nail polish collection officially launched on ORLYbeauty.com. The Adam Lambert x ORLY: High Drama set is a bold and vibrant collection inspired by the solo album High Drama. Each shade was curated by Lambert and brings a different element to center stage. The colors range from a striking apple green; a black and silver glitter; gold, plum, and silver metallics; and lastly, a custom navy duo chrome shimmer Lambert first conceptualized and created at ORLY Color Labs in West Hollywood. Individual polishes retail for $10.50 and the six-piece collection retails for $63. Proceeds from the collection will benefit Stand With Trans, a non-profit organization providing critical support for trans youth and families.

The chart-topping Lambert has just been at the Cannes Film Festival to celebrate the premiere of Mad About The Boy - The Noël Coward Story, as he recorded the theme song for the feature documentary produced by Unigram. Additionally at Cannes, Lambert put on a powerful performance of “Ordinary World” from High Drama and Queen’s “Who Wants To Live Forever” at the 2023 amfAR Gala Cannes.

courtesy Big Hassle PR

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT's new album Folkocracy is out now at all DSPs and streaming services HERE. The star-studded collection of folk music reinventions arrives via BMG in a range of formats including digital download, CD, and vinyl.

"Folk music always has a menacing quality,” Wainwright explains. “It’s a genre that plays with both the light and the dark and the battle between those two. Unlike disco or most pop music, where you’re trying to create a whole new world that’s about escapism or crafting a fantasy land, folk music is rooted in the real, and therefore it’s timeless. It doesn’t belong to any particular era.”

LISTEN TO FOLKOCRACY

The new video The Mamas and The Papas song “Twelve-Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming To The Canyon) (Feat. Susanna Hoffs, Chris Stills & Sheryl Crow)” was directed by Glass Battles and can be viewed HERE.

Folkocracy sees Wainwright joined by friends, family members, and other special guest artists including Brandi Carlile, John Legend, David Byrne, Sheryl Crow, Nicole Scherzinger, Chaka Khan, Andrew Bird, ANOHNI, Susanna Hoffs, Van Dyke Parks, Madison Cunningham and more.

Produced by longtime collaborator Mitchell Froom (Paul McCartney, Crowded House), the album includes first single, “Down in the Willow Garden (feat. Brandi Carlile).” It is accompanied by an official music video streaming now at YouTube HERE. Singles also include “Heading Home (feat. John Legend),” a rendition of the Peggy Seeger folk standard, and “Harvest (feat. Andrew Bird & Chris Stills),” a reinterpretation of the Neil Young classic.

This August will see Wainwright embark on a worldwide Folkocracy Tour while also marking both the 25th anniversary of his landmark debut album, 1998’s Rufus Wainwright, and the 20th anniversary of 2003’s award-winning Want One (and its 2004 companion, Want Two) with a series of orchestral shows featuring symphonic arrangements by Sally Herbert (Woodkid, Florence + the Machine) and Max Moston (Antony and the Johnsons). 

A full slate of North American, EU, and UK dates will be announced soon. For complete details and remaining ticket availability, please visit rufuswainwright.com/tour. 

“The older I get, the more I appreciate how valuable my folk knowledge is, to have had it ingrained in me as a child,” Wainwright says. “I’m from a bona fide folkocracy who mixed extensively with other folkocracies such as the Seegers and the Thompsons. I spun off into opera and pop. Now I’m back where it all began.”

Tour Dates:

JUNE

21 – Cleveland Heights, OH – Cain Park **
23 – Philadelphia, PA – Kimmel Cultural Campus **
24 – Vienna, VA – Out & About Festival **
25 – Red Bank, NJ – Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center **
27 – Ridgefield, CT – Ridgefield Playhouse **
29 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center **
30 – Portsmouth, NH – The Music Hall **

JULY
1 – Bar Harbor, ME – Criterion Theater **
7 – Winnipeg, MB – Winnipeg Folk Festival **
9 – Mariposa, ON – Mariposa Folk Festival **
13 – Montauk, NY – Montauk Point Lighthouse †
16 – Beacon, NY – Towne Crier Café **
22 – Dublin, Ireland – National Concert Hall **
24 – Barcelona, Spain – Teatre Grec **
25 – Madrid, Spain – Teatro Real **
27 – Ciutadella de Menorca, Spain – Festival Pedra Viva **
29 – Cambridge, UK – Cambridge Folk Festival 2023 **

AUGUST
11 – Chicago, IL – Ravinia Festival ***

SEPTEMBER
5 – London, UK – Royal Albert Hall ***
19 – Nashville, TN – Schermerhorn Symphony Center ***

† 50 Isn’t the End: A 50th Birthday Concert with Rufus Wainwright & Friends
** Folkocracy Tour w/Six-Piece Backing Band
*** Want Symphonic Series

FOLKOCRACY TRACK LISTING

1. Alone (Feat. Madison Cunningham)

2. Heading for Home (Feat. John Legend)
3. Twelve-Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming To The Canyon) (Feat. Susanna Hoffs, Chris Stills & Sheryl Crow)
4. Down in the Willow Garden (Feat. Brandi Carlile)
5. Shenandoah
6. Nacht und Träume
7. Harvest (Feat. Andrew Bird & Chris Stills)
8. Going to a Town (Feat. ANOHNI)
9. High on a Rocky Ledge (Feat. David Byrne)
10. Kaulana Na Pua (Feat. Nicole Scherzinger)
11. Hush Little Baby (Feat. Martha Wainwright & Lucy Wainwright Roche)
12. Black Gold (Feat. Van Dyke Parks)
13. Cotton Eyed Joe (Feat. Chaka Khan)
14. Arthur McBridge
15. Wild Mountain Thyme (Feat. Anna McGarrigle, Chaim Tannenbaum, Lily Lanken, Lucy Wainwright Roche, & Martha Wainwright)

TRIXIE MATTEL's new single, a cover of RuPaul’s “Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous” will have its net revenue earned from the accompanying YouTube video during June donated to the Drag Isn’t Dangerous fund. In addition to the radio edit, the EP also includes the instrumental, acapella, and extended mix tracks. Listen HERE and video HERE. “This is my all time favorite Ru song!,” said Trixie. “Been playing it in my DJ sets for years and I always wished it had a rebuild to modernize it. So here I am b****.”

The well-known drag performer recently performed at the Stagecoach Festival, was nominated for two GLAAD Media Awards as well as two Critics Choice Awards, unveiled the Trixie and Katya Live livestream via Veeps, graced the cover of Los Angeles Magazine, and released multi-million-viewed video content via her YouTube channel featuring the likes of Orville Peck, Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field. The track comes in advance of her upcoming Solid Pink Disco DJ set at NYC’s Pier 17 on June 22, her return to serve as a judge on the second season of Paramount+’s “Queen Of The Universe”, and her upcoming performance at Outside Lands Music Festival this August.

TOVE LO has a new track, ‘I like u,’ out now. Listen HERE. Watch HERE. Speaking about the track, Tove Lo says, “I wanted to make another dance song that sonically felt like a nod to 90’s and Y2K dance music. I wrote this song with Timfromthehouse, we worked on it for months in between tours to figure the perfect arrangement. It’s not the usual pop structure but it’s perfect for this song, I think. Lyrically I’m telling the story of my thoughts the first time I saw the love of my life. They’re not clean but at least I never said any of them out loud.”

The Swedish singer, best known for the Top 10 pop hit "Habits" from 2013, will be donating a portion of her streaming proceeds from ‘I like u’ to The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention org for LGBTQ young people. For more information please visit www.thetrevorproject.org.

‘I like u’ follows the release of ‘DIRT FEMME (Stripped)’, a new 7-track EP featuring tracks from her fifth studio album, DIRT FEMME, plus a new version of her latest release, ‘Borderline.’ Listen to ‘Dirt Femme (Stripped)’ HERE.

North American Tour Dates:

09/05 – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN 
09/06 – The Salt Shed – Chicago, IL 
09/08 – Royal Oak Music Theatre – Royal Oak, MI 
09/10 – The Rooftop at Pier 17 – New York, NY 
09/12 – Roadrunner – Boston, MA
09/14 – The Anthem – Washington, DC 
09/15 – The Atlantis – Washington, DC 
09/17 – Music Midtown Festival – Atlanta, GA
10/07 – Austin City Limits – Austin, TX
10/14 – Austin City Limits – Austin, TX 

LA-based tribute band GAYC/DC's new song and video “HOLD YOUR HEAD UP” is a cover of the 1972 Top Five hit by English rock band Argent. GAYC/DC is an all-gay band who pays tribute to AC/DC. They shift the song about a battered woman into a song of LGBTQIA+ and anti-bullying empowerment.

“This is a message of power - taking it back and standing up with your chin up. Getting stabbed, beat up, humiliated, jumped, ostracized ... many tried to 'beat the gay' out of me - you know what? It didn't stick,” says guitarist Steve McKnight.

courtesy Reybee PR

This cover’s origin was born of tragedy, not from within GayC/DC’s realm but from producer Timothy Eaton (En Vogue, The Allman Brothers). “Seven months ago at midnight on a Sunday night, I received a call from a photographer friend, Ward Boult, who suggested that I contact the band GayC/DC, as he felt that I might be a perfect fit to produce them,” recalls Eaton.

“[Boult] ended the call by telling me he loved me and I returned the warm salutation. A mere few hours later, I got a call from a Nashville detective who informed me that Ward had killed himself and, in fact, I was the last call on his phone.” The message that was said to Eaton didn’t fall on deaf ears, and, in fact, became a mission. In order to pay proper respects to his late friend, Eaton contacted GayC/DC.

“We met through a tragic experience but once Timothy saw one of our shows, he was smitten and asked us for a meeting,” explains vocalist Christopher Freeman. “He proposed an idea that he had to create a music video around the old Argent hit from the early '70s, ‘Hold Your Head Up,’ but putting it in a new context: a video about bullying. All of that would promote a nonprofit of the same name that would help to fund efforts to combat bullying and violence in the LGBTQIA+ community, like Inside Out Youth Services in Colorado Springs.”

The powerful accompanying video, directed by celebrated photographer Robert Sebree, is an age old tale of high school bullying. But instead of the standard trope of the nerd bashing, the camera is turned to a harrowing tale of transphobia within high school hallways. Watch: https://youtu.be/AYFpko7BCL8

“This song, like the very moving accompanying video, is a journey,” explains drummer Brian Welch, “and like what our current climate is for the LGBTQIA+ community, the scary part passes and Hope swells again. We’ve been down this road before, and we know that love will always win.”

Adds Eaton, “Much like Haley’s Comet or a Blood Moon, an artistic force of nature such as this band seldom manifests itself in the music industry anymore, fearlessly cutting a path through all the amateur artists and their congestion. The band recorded a riveting song and video entitled which is a clarion call to young and old to do just that, be brave in the face of adversity and prejudice.”

VINCINT has unveiled his new single "Take Me Home." Following earlier single, "Romance," the artist says “‘Take Me Home’ is the continuation of the best night of your life; it's the moment in the night when you’ve let go of reality taken the shot you shouldn’t have and start dreaming of a life with the person you’ve been dancing with for 10 minutes; it’s blind romanticism smothered in glitter and psychosis." Vincint's second studio album is set to be announced later this year. "Take Me Home" is available on all major streaming platforms. 

LISTEN TO "TAKE ME HOME"

WATCH THE OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

2023 PRIDE PERFORMANCES

JUNE

17 - Louisville, KY - Kentuckiana Pride Festival
20 - New York, NY - Garden Party

And in LGBTQ film news:

Cinephobia Releasing has announced its inaugural release. After an acclaimed run on the global queer film festival circuit, SUBLIME will be available across North America starting June 20 on DVD, Cable and Digital VOD, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and Vudu.

Filmed in Argentina, Sublime marks the feature length debut of writer/director Mariano Biasin and lead actor Martín Miller, in a portrayal of first love alongside co-lead Teo Inama Chiabrando.

Sublime made its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, kicking off a worldwide screening tour, includes BFI Flare, Outfest, Rainbow Reel Tokyo and AFI Latin American Film Festival. The film took home the Sebastiane Latino Award at the San Sebastian International Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize in the Ibero-American Competition at the Seattle International Film Festival.

Synopsis: Shy 16-year-old Manuel (Martín Miller) comes alive when he, his best friend Felipe (Teo Inama Chiabrando) and other buddies form a garage rock band. The two boys, friends since childhood, have a close, easy relationship made even more intense with the band and their music making. Strains develop for Manuel when his best mate starts dating a girl. Manuel also begins to date a female classmate, yet all the while suppressing his nascent sexual feelings for Felipe. Confused, and fearful that his feelings are not mutual, he retreats into himself, eventually lashing out which forces him to confront his feelings head on.

Sublime: 100 minutes

Argentina / Spanish w/ English Subtitles

The DVD of Sublime (SRP $19.99) will come with a number of exclusive bonus features. These include:

• Interview with Mariano Biaisin

• Audio Commentary with Mariano Biaisin & Martín Miller

• Stills & Behind-the-Scenes Photo Reel

• 3 Music Videos

• The Making of Sublime Featurette

• Cinephobia Releasing Trailers: Amor Bandido, Fireworks, The Latent Image, Lie with Me