Everything But the Girl reunite for new album 'Fuse' in April

Scheduled for April 20, Fuse is the first new studio album from Everything But The Girl in 24 years.

It was written and produced by Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn over the spring-summer of 2021. The pair notched 11 top 40 UK hits from 1984-2001 and is best known in America for the 1995 #2 pop single "Missing," as well as dance chart toppers like "Wrong," "The Future of the Future," "Five Fathoms" and "Temperamental" into 2000.

They recorded the new effort in secret at home and in a small riverside studio outside Bath, England with friend and engineer Bruno Ellingham.

Early takes focused on ambient sound montages and improvised piano loops recorded by Ben on his iPhone at home during his enforced pandemic isolation - ideas which later blossomed into tracks such as "When You Mess Up" and "Interior Space."

As confidence grew, so did the pulse and rhythm of the album, culminating in the writing and programming of later songs, such as the new single "Nothing Left To Lose" and "Caution To The Wind." Shot through with alternating hope, desperation and vivid flashbacks, the album's lyrics - sometimes allusive, sometimes richly detailed - capture what it's like to start again.

Tracklist:

1. Nothing Left To Lose

2.Run A Red Light
3. Caution to the Wind
4. When You Mess Up
5. Time and Time Again
6. No One Knows We’re Dancing
7. Lost
8. Forever
9. Interior Space
10. Karaoke

For more info, see ebtg.com

Robyn Hitchcock to issue first instrumental album 'Life After Infinity' in April

Through a message to fans, Robyn Hitchcock unveiled details on his next album. Here it is...

"A very happy 2023 to you. To be, or to be even more: that is the question. Life itself slips through our fingers like a greased eel, so I personally resolve to do nothing beyond appreciating every moment that time puts on the plate in front of me. I hope you get to savour the best on your plate too. 

Paul Simon was right: this is the age of miracles, no matter how weird and double-edged some of those miracles may be. I think of David Crosby and the other legends who have passed on lately, and say to myself, "Fuck, yeah, man - get on with it, Hitchcock!"

And I will do exactly that, as soon as I’ve brewed this next cup of tea.

After talking about it for a long time, I've finally recorded my first collection of instrumental tracks. Music without words embedded in it becomes more like a picture: I close my eyes and I can see the shapes of what I’m listening to - or playing - as it writhes between my ears. I’ve been playing guitar instrumentals since 1969, but LIFE AFTER INFINITY is the first time I’ve recorded them as an album.

INFINITY was recorded in 2022 and in the early weeks of January with my friend and co-producer Charlie Francis in Cardiff. The album is available to pre-order on limited edition coloured vinyl, cd, cassette & download here and lands on April 23, 2023.

Meanwhile, I've got a healthy crop of tour dates coming up in the calendar. I'll be playing in the UK in February, Ireland and the USA in March, and Spain in April. For all the details, please visit the tour page on my website.

May your life be rich in momentum and deep in feeling in 2023.

Track listing: 

1. The Eyes in the Vase
2. Daphne, Skipping
3. Plesiosaurs in the Desert
4. Tubby Among the Nightingales
5. Gliding Above the Ruins
6. Come Here, Little Ghost 
7. Nasturtiums for Anita
8. Celestial Transgression 
9. Veronica's Chapel
10. The Sparkling Duck
11. Mr Ringerson's Picnic

Credits: 

All songs written and performed by Robyn Hitchcock
Bass and percussion by Charlie Francis
Recorded at Stwdio Penty in Cardiff, United Kingdom and Tubby Towers in London, United Kingdom
Produced by Robyn Hitchcock and Charlie Francis
Mixed by Charlie Francis
Mastered by Charlie Francis
Tiny Ghost Records 2023

Pre-order:

bandcamp.com

Music book news: 'AC/DC at 50'

AC/DC at 50, a hardbound coffee table book due out March 28 via Motorbooks/The Quarto Group, examines the history of the Australian rockers through the lens of 50 milestone events and an illustrated gatefold timeline.

The illustrated book from rock journalist Martin Popoff pays tribute to the band on the occasion of their 50th anniversary by curating and examining the 50 most significant milestones.

Popoff covers the band’s formation and the role played by the Angus and Malcolm Young’s older brother, George; songwriting, legendary antics, and tragic death of vocalist Bon Scott; tours; the debut of singer Brian Johnson on the band’s breakthrough, Back in Black; the band’s fallow 1980s and 1990s resurgence; later difficulties, such as Malcolm’s onset of dementia and passing; drummer Phil Rudd's legal issues and each of the studio albums from 1975’s High Voltage to 2020's Power Up. 

Every page is illustrated with concert and offstage photography, including gig posters, 7-inch picture sleeves, ticket stubs, and more.

Hardcover 192 pages, 300 photos ∙ $50 US, $65 CAN

ASIA "Live in Tokyo' 2007 to make vinyl debut; John Wetton book in works

Multi-platinum selling English rock supergroup ASIA will release ASIA ‘FANTASIA, LIVE IN TOKYO 2007’ for the first time on vinyl as a 3LP set through BMG Records on February 24.

Recorded on Asia’s 25th anniversary 2007 world tour, and featuring the reformed original lineup, it features a booklet with band photos and sleeve notes. Album artwork was done by Roger Dean, who handled all the ASIA original albums covers.

Pre-order here: ASIA- FANTASIA LIVE IN TOKYO 2007

Lead vocalist/bassist John Wetton, Steve Howe (guitars), Geoff Downes (keyboards) and drummer Carl Palmer perform songs from their globally successful 1982 debut album Asia,  second effort Alpha and a song each from bands the musicians have also been associated with: Video Killed The Radio Star (Buggles), Roundabout (YES), Fanfare For The Common Man (ELP) and The Court Of The Crimson King (King Crimson).

Track list:

Side A
1.Time Again
2. Wildest Dreams
3. One Step Closer

Side B
1. Roundabout
2. Without You

Side C
1. Cutting It Fine
2. Intersection Blues
3. Fanfare For The Common Man

Side D
1. The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
2. Don't Cry
3. In The Court Of The Crimson King
4. Here Comes The Feeling

Side E
1. Video Killed The Radio Star
2. The Heat Goes On
3. Only Time Will Tell

Side F
1. Sole Survivor
2. Ride Easy
3. Heat Of The Moment

In related news, Geoff Downes also announced this week that a book about John Wetton titled "An Extraordinary Life," is forthcoming via rocket88books.com. 

More than 70 people who knew and worked with John, from Family, King Crimson, Uriah Heep, Wishbone Ash, Roxy Music, U.K., Asia, the John Wetton solo band and beyond, pay tribute to him. Other contributors hail from the music industry. Scattered among the stories are personal and classic photos of John at work and play. 

Fans that sign up early can get a subscriber-only discount when pre-order begins; get their name printed in the book, get priority on the pre-order and be the first to get the book. 

For more info, go to johnwettonbook.com

Dave Matthews Band news

Coinciding with the launch of their U.S. summer tour (full list of dates below), Dave Matthews Band will release Walk Around The Moon – their 10th studio album and the follow-up to their chart-topping 2018 album, Come Tomorrow – on May 19.

Most of the album’s 12 original songs were recorded with producer Rob Evans, including the first single, “Madman’s Eyes.” John Alagia, served as executive producer of the album.

An online ticket presale for members of the DMB Warehouse Fan Association is underway now at www.warehouse.davematthewsband.com. Citi is the official card of the Dave Matthews Band 2023 tour. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Tuesday, February 14, at 10:00 AM local time until Thursday, February 16, at 10:00 PM local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on February 17 at 10 am local time. For the complete itinerary, see below or visit http://www.davematthewsband.com.

“Madman’s Eyes” has a video visualizer HERE. Dave Matthews Band gave the tune its live debut at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH in November 2021. The full album track listing is below. The pre-order for the physical album, featuring a limited-edition deluxe vinyl option, is exclusively available now at DaveMatthewsBand.com.

Dave Matthews’ ongoing partnership with The Nature Conservancy has resulted in three million trees being planted since 2020. This year’s continued partnership will bring the total to four million trees. Fans can join in this mission by adding an optional donation of $2 per ticket to plant a tree with The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign – a major forest restoration effort with the goal of planting a billion trees around the world by 2025. For additional details, visit www.dmbtrees.org. Once again, Dave Matthews Band will offset carbon emissions for band/fan travel with the assistance of REVERB, creating a climate positive tour. REVERB will also produce the tour’s annual eco-village.

Named as a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador in 2019, Dave Matthews Band has a long history of reducing their environmental footprint, going back to their first shows in 1991. The band has sold more than 25 million tickets since its inception, making them the second largest ticket-seller in history, and has sold a collective 38 million CDs and DVDs combined.

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES: 

Date – City/State/Province – Venue

5/9 – Mexico City, DF – Auditorio Nacional

5/11 – Monterrey, NL – Auditorio Pabellon M
5/13 – Guadalajara, JAL – Teatro Diana
5/19 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
5/20 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
5/23 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP
5/24 – Southaven, MS – BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove
5/26 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
5/27 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
5/30 – Wilmington, NC – Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park
5/31 – Wilmington, NC – Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park
6/2 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium
6/3 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium
6/9 – Forest Hills, NY – Forest Hills Stadium
6/10 – Hartford, CT – Xfinity Theatre
6/14 – Darien, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
6/16 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheatre
6/17 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
6/23 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
6/24 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
6/27 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
6/29 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheatre
6/30 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
7/1 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
7/7 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
7/8 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
7/11 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
7/12 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
7/14 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
7/15 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
7/18 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
7/19 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
7/21 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
7/22 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
7/25 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
7/26 – Orange Beach, AL – The Amphitheater at the Wharf
7/28 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
7/29 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
8/24 – Highland, CA – Yaamava’ Resort and Casino
8/25 – Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheatre
8/26 – Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheatre
8/29 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
9/1 – George, WA – Gorge Amphitheatre
9/2 – George, WA – Gorge Amphitheatre
9/3 – George, WA – Gorge Amphitheatre

Track Listing:

1. Walk Around The Moon
2. Madman’s Eyes
3. Looking For A Vein
4. The Ocean And The Butterfly
5. It Could Happen
6. Something To Tell My Baby
7. After Everything
8. All You Wanted Was Tomorrow
9. The Only Thing
10. Break Free
11. Monsters
12. Singing From The Windows

Marshall Crenshaw's eponymous 1983 debut effort gets expanded reissue treatment

Yep Roc Records marks the 40th anniversary of Marshall Crenshaw’s self-titled debut album with a bonus-filled reissue. Available February 17, the expanded CD anniversary edition includes the original album, seven bonus tracks, five of which are previously unreleased, including home demos, B-sides, alternate mixes and live recordings.

Featuring his breakthrough top 40 pop hit, "Someday, Someway,” the album has newly remastered audio by engineer Greg Calibi and liner notes by Crenshaw. The digital format features newly remastered audio (the double LP version of the album, released last fall on Record Store Day Black Friday, is sold-out). Marshall Crenshaw is available for pre-order today.

Hailed as one of the 100 best albums of the ‘80s by Rolling Stone, Marshall Crenshaw was recorded at The Record Plant in New York City, co-produced by Richard Gotterher (Blondie, the Go-Go's) and Marshall Crenshaw with engineers Thom Panunzio and Jim Ball. Following its release in April 1982 on Warner Bros. Records, Marshall Crenshaw spent six months on the Billboard chart, peaking at No. 50.

Track listing:

1. There She Goes Again
2. Someday, Someway
3. Girls. . .
4. I’ll Do Anything
5. Rockin’ Around in N.Y.C.
6. The Usual Thing
7. She Can’t Dance
8. Cynical Girl
9. Mary Anne
10. Soldier of Love
11. Not For Me
12. Brand New Lover

Bonus Tracks (Only available on CD):

13. Look at What I Almost Missed*
14. Something’s Gonna Happen^
15. Brand New Lover (alt.)^
16. (You’re My Favorite) Waste of Time*
17. Just Not For Me (aka Not For Me)*
18. Never Gonna Happen*
19. Maryanne*

*previously unreleased
^previously released

Nickel Creek reunite for 'Celebrants' album due in March

Grammy Award-winning trio, Nickel Creek—mandolinist Chris Thile, violinist Sara Watkins and guitarist Sean Watkins—will release Celebrants, their first new album in nine years, March 24 via Thirty Tigers (pre-order). Ahead of the release, the new song, “Strangers,” has debuted. Watch the band perform the song HERE.

Of the song, Thile shares, “This song is an exploration of the ostensibly rewarding but often awkward, even excruciating act of catching up with an old friend. Can the connection be reforged? Should it be?”

Their fifth studio album was recorded at Nashville’s RCA Studio A, produced by Eric Valentine (Queens of the Stone Age, Grace Potter, Weezer) and features Mike Elizondo on bass.

Of the project, the band reflects, “This is a record about embracing the friction inherent in real human connection. We begin the record yearning for and pursuing harmonious connection. We end the record having realized that truly harmonious connection can only be achieved through the dissonance that we’ve spent our entire adult lives trying to avoid.”

The band will perform three sold-out shows at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium this spring on April 27, 28 and 29. Additional tour dates will be announced soon.

After meeting as young children and subsequently earning the respect of the bluegrass circuit for a decade, the trio signed with Sugar Hill Records, in 2000 and quickly broke through with their Grammy-nominated, Alison Krauss-produced self-titled LP. Since that effort, the trio has released three more studio albums to date: 2002’s This Side, which won Best Contemporary Folk Album at the 45th Grammy Awards, 2005’s Why Should the Fire Die? and 2014’s A Dotted Line.

Each member of Nickel Creek has also taken part in many outside projects over the years. Thile is a 2012 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and served as the host of the American radio variety show Live from Here (formerly A Prairie Home Companion) from 2016 to 2020. He has also released collaborative albums with Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Brad Mehldau and Stuart Duncan as well as six studio albums with his Grammy-winning band, Punch Brothers.

Sean Watkins is a co-founder of Watkins Family Hour alongside Sara, who has released three albums and maintains a long-running collaborative show in Los Angeles. Sean has also released a string of solo albums, while Sara’s extracurricular projects include the aforementioned Watkins Family Hour, as well as the Grammy-winning roots trio, I’m With Her, which she co-founded alongside Aoife O’Donovan and Sarah Jarosz. Sara has released four studio albums and has contributed fiddle to recordings by artists like Phoebe Bridgers, the Killers and John Mayer.

TRACK LIST:

1. Celebrants

2. Strangers
3. Water Under the Bridge, Part 1
4. The Meadow
5. Thinnest Wall
6. Going Out…
7. Holding Pattern
8. Where the Long Line Leads
9. Goddamned Saint
10. Stone’s Throw
11. Goddamned Saint, Reprise
12. From the Beach
13. To The Airport
14. …Despite the Weather
15. Hollywood Ending
16. New Blood
17. Water Under the Bridge, Part 2
18. Failure Isn’t Forever

TOUR DATES:

January 27 /// London, U.K. /// Union Chapel* (SOLD OUT)
January 28 /// London, U.K. /// Union Chapel* (SOLD OUT)
January 29 /// Glasgow, U.K. /// City Halls,
Celtic Connections* (SOLD OUT)
April 27 /// Nashville, TN /// Ryman Auditorium (SOLD OUT)
April 28 /// Nashville, TN /// Ryman Auditorium (SOLD OUT)
April 29 /// Nashville, TN /// Ryman Auditorium (SOLD OUT)
June 4 /// Lexington, KY /// Railbird Festival (SOLD OUT)
June 15-18 /// Telluride, CO /// Telluride Bluegrass Festival (SOLD OUT)
September 1 /// London, U.K. /// Barbican Centre (on-sale 1/27)

Josh Ritter reads between the 'Spectral Lines' in April

“I think it’s important for us to share some of our most basic and common experiences with each other, however we can. That’s what we really, really need right now. I know we have common experiences, and it’s important to telegraph those back because they don’t have to be lonely experiences.” —Josh Ritter

Singer, songwriter, musician, artist and best-selling author Josh Ritter will release new album, Spectral Lines, April 28 via Thirty Tigers (pre-order here). In advance of the release, two album tracks debuted: “Sawgrass” and “For Your Soul.” Watch a video for both songs, created by flatspot and filmed in Alaska and Brooklyn, HERE.

Produced by Ritter’s longtime collaborator Sam Kassirer (Lake Street Dive, Langhorne Slim), Spectral Lines is dedicated to the memory of Ritter's mother. 

Ritter has released 10 studio albums including 2019’s acclaimed, Fever Breaks. In addition to his work as a musician, Ritter is also a national best-selling author, having released two novels to date: 2011’s Bright’s Passage and 2021’s The Great Glorious Goddamn of It All, for which the film rights have recently been optioned for development. Stephen King wrote in The New York Times Book Review that Bright’s Passage “shines with a compressed lyricism that recalls Ray Bradbury in his prime…This is the work of a gifted novelist.”

In celebration of the new record, Ritter and his band, the Royal City Band, will return to the road this spring (see routing below). He will also perform a series of solo acoustic shows in March. Tickets for the spring dates go on sale January 27 at 10:00AM local time. Full details can be found at www.joshritter.com.

TRACK LIST:

1. Sawgrass

2. Honey I Do
3. Horse No Rider
4. For Your Soul
5. Black Crown
6. Strong Swimmer
7. Whatever Burns Will Burn
8. Any Way They Come
9. In Fields
10. Someday

TOUR DATES:

March 2 /// Grand Rapids, MI /// St. Cecilia Music Center*
March 3 /// Cleveland, OH /// Music Box*
March 4 /// Buffalo, NY /// Asbury Hall*
March 5 /// Albany, NY /// The Egg*
May 5 /// Woodstock, NY /// Levon Helm Studios+
May 6 /// Reading, PA /// Miller Center for the Arts+
May 7 /// Norfolk, VA /// Arts Festival+
May 8 /// Charlottesville, VA /// Jefferson Theater+
May 10 /// Munhall, PA /// Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead+
May 12 /// Chicago, IL /// Thalia Hall+
May 13 /// Nashville, TN /// Ryman Auditorium+
May 14 /// Atlanta, GA /// Variety Theater+
May 16 /// Durham, NC /// Carolina Theatre+
May 17 /// Washington, DC /// Lincoln Theatre+
May 18 /// Glenside, PA /// Keswick Theatre+
May 19 /// Boston, MA /// House of Blues+
May 20 /// New York, NY /// Beacon Theatre+
June 1 /// Park City, UT /// Egyptian Theatre*
June 2 /// Park City, UT /// Egyptian Theatre*
June 3 /// Park City, UT /// Egyptian Theatre*
June 4 /// Park City, UT /// Egyptian Theatre*

*Josh Ritter solo acoustic
+Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band

Cruel World Festival 2023 lineup announced

This just in...

Last year, I reviewed Cruel World (see elsewhere on this blog) and while that lineup was great, the 2023 edition might be even better. I've interviewed seven acts on the bill. 

Here are the details from the press release:

Goldenvoice has announced the return of Cruel World Festival on Saturday, May 20 at Brookside at The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California featuring performances by Siouxsie, Iggy Pop, Billy Idol, Love and Rockets, Adam Ant, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Human League, etc.

This year marks Siouxsie's first North American performance in 15 years. The English singer last released her solo, debut album, Mantaray, in September 2007. Notably, Iggy Pop, the writer of “The Passenger” famously covered by Siouxsie and the Banshees, will also be performing. Furthermore, Love and Rockets are making a return to the stage as the band last performed together in 2008.

Register now for access to passes starting Friday, January 27, 2023 at 12 PM PT on cruelworldfest.com. Payment plan available at only $49.99 down.

The GA+ pass includes a dedicated entry lane, quick merchandise access and GA+ lounge. There are also VIP and Clubhouse options. With the Clubhouse at Brookside pass, fans have access to a centrally located, indoor air-conditioned space with wide views of the festival grounds. This pass also grants exclusive access to an intimate upfront guest viewing area at both stages. Explore all pass types on our website.

For more information on the festival, lineup, and pass options, go to CruelWorldFest.com.

Here is the full lineup in alphabetical order:

ABC
Adam Ant
Animotion
Aurat
Billy Idol
Boy Harsher
Echo & The Bunnymen
Ela Minus
Gang of Four
Gary Numan
Glass Spells
GVLLOW
The Human League
Iggy Pop
Love and Rockets
Modern English
Molchat Doma
Riki
Siouxsie
The Motels
The Soft Moon
The Vapors
Twin Tribes
Urban Heat

Peter Case Emphasizes Piano Work on 'Doctor Moan' Album Due in March

“I try to take things I love and use them in a new way,” said triple Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Peter Case of his 16th solo album Doctor Moan. Case brings his considerable songwriting ability to an 11-song collection, largely performed on piano, including his first solo recorded instrumental.

Released by Sunset Blvd Records on March 31, Case’s piano-based songs are emotionally, sonically and stylistically rich.

“I grew up on 1950s and ‘60s rock & roll, jazz, classical and folk,” said Case. He has memories of an older sister’s rock ‘n’ roll piano playing reverberating through his childhood home.

“I learned how to play blues as a kid, street singing in San Francisco and then was part of the punk rock movement. It’s all still in there; it’s my musical DNA.”

In addition to Case on piano, harmonica, mellotron and guitar, the record features Jonny Flaugher (Lady Blackbird, Pokey LaFarge) on electric and acoustic bass, and Chris Joyner (Rickie Lee Jones, Ben Harper) on B-3 organ.

As a lifelong touring artist, Case, like so many others during the pandemic, found himself with a wide open schedule. The piano in his living room beckoned him to play it until the songs began to reveal themselves.  “It was great to be able to write and complete an album without interruption,” he explained. “I didn’t have to jump up in the middle of things and go off on the road. I can’t remember another example of when I’ve been able to just complete a whole record like that.” The album was recorded and mixed by Ryan McCaffrey at The Sun Machine in Novato, California. The studio’s centerpiece for Case was its restored 1905 Steinway piano.

“My recent albums are designed to take you on a musical journey,” said Case. His 2021 album, The Midnight Broadcast, was inspired by a late night car ride, “Looking at the headlights while this incredible radio show played in the dark.”

Case grew up in Hamburg, New York in a house filled with music: Elvis, the Everly Brothers, Ray Charles and, later, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. He wrote his first song at age eleven and by 16 he left home to begin his voyage of musical discovery, an odyssey chronicled in the 2022 documentary feature film, A Million Miles Away.

As a founding member of the early punk era trio The Nerves, in 1977 Case toured the nation sharing bills with the Ramones, Mink DeVille, Pere Ubu, and Devo. The Nerves seven-inch single “Hanging on the Telephone,” was covered by Blondie.  In 1979, Case formed the Plimsouls, a record-breaking live act in California, recording albums for Planet/Elektra and Geffen. Their independent single, “A Million Miles Away,” entered the Billboard charts and remains a garage rock standard, performed by bands around the world. The band performed in the cult classic film Valley Girl and the Nerves and Plimsouls timeless teenage rock ‘n’ roll continues to appeal to fans of each new generation.

As he disbanded the Plimsouls, Case rediscovered his musical roots on his self-titled solo debut, produced by T Bone Burnett. The New York Times declared Peter Case the best album of 1986. It earned a five-star Rolling Stone review and a Grammy nomination. As one of the first songwriters of his generation to turn from rock music toward an acoustic sound, Case also helped usher in what became known as Americana music.

Case has released acclaimed albums, like The Man With The Blue Postmodern Fragmented Neo- Traditionalist Guitar, featuring Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner and David Hidalgo; his definitive folk blues collection Peter Case Sings Like Hell; the recently reissued and Grammy-nominated Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John (featuring Richard Thompson) and HWY 62 (with Ben Harper). American Songwriter called HWY 62 “An absolute joy from start to finish. A beautifully conceived, executed and lovingly crafted chain of songs from Peter Case, a guy who has been crafting great songs for decades now…”

Since moving back to San Francisco, Case began attending the St. John Coltrane African Orthodox Church, dedicated to the music of Coltrane and racial, social, and economic justice.

“The hours spent playing there with the ensemble greatly increased my strength as a piano player,” he said.

“These times are more difficult than ever,” said Case. “I make music for the purpose of providing warmth and companionship in a difficult world.” 

Ian Hunter Assembles All-Star Lineup for 'Defiance' album

Veteran rocker Ian Hunter of Mott the Hoople fame has announced his album, DEFIANCE PART 1, arriving via Sun Records on April 21. Pre-orders are available now HERE.

Hunter is joined by Jeff Beck, Johnny Depp, Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), Todd Rundgren, Slash (Guns N’ Roses), Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Waddy Wachtel (Stevie Nicks, Keith Richards), Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), Dane Clark (John Mellencamp), Dean DeLeo, Robert De Leo & Eric Kretz (Stone Temple Pilots) and others. 

First single “Bed Of Roses,” featuring guitarist Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac) and drums by Ringo Starr, is available at all DSPs and streaming services. An official music video for “Bed Of Roses” can be viewed on YouTube.\

“It was a fluke,” Ian Hunter says. “This was not planned. Really, I’m serious. I really couldn’t believe some of them. I mean, it’s amazing what’s happened. It’s been such a buzz.”

The album first came together in early 2020 with the dawn of the pandemic era. Hunter took the lockdown as a creative opportunity, writing a series of new songs which he tracked in his Connecticut basement alongside his longtime collaborator, guitarist/producer/multi-instrumentalist Andy York (John Mellencamp). 

Working with little more than a computer, guitar, V5 piano, and “a very small keyboard,” Hunter and York created a collection of bare bones demos but with quarantine rules still in effect, were unable to flesh them out further. 

Manager Mike Kobayashi and renowned rock ‘n’ roll photographer Ross Halfin suggested reaching out to some of Hunter’s fellow legends who might perhaps use some of their own lockdown to contribute a track or two. To Hunter’s delight, the project quickly escalated, with various stars suddenly involved. 

With time on their hands due the pandemic, his fellow musicians took the demos and stems that Hunter and York put together in his basement and added unforeseen power and creativity through their own trademark talents.

“Everybody’s sitting around,” says Hunter. “It’s Covid. Nobody’s going anywhere. We started sending them out. Slash started doing something. Robert Trujillo from Metallica. Ringo Starr, Mike Campbell. Joe Elliott is on a few tracks. Johnny Depp said ‘Jeff Beck’s with me and we’d like to do a couple of songs.’ I know Todd Rundgren, I toured with Todd way back, he’s done an amazing job. Billy Gibbons...It’s never ending. I mean, every day we’d get a phone call, this guy wants to do it, that guy wants to do it. It was like, I can’t believe this.”

Having spent the better part of two years on the project, Hunter isn’t done yet. As its title promises, DEFIANCE PART 1 will be followed by the arrival of DEFIANCE PART 2. The second chapter will feature an equally stunning range of special guests while projecting an entirely different thematic approach and songwriting aesthetic.

“There are a lot of reasons for calling this album DEFIANCE,” says Ian Hunter. “It’s like, people my age shouldn’t be making records, blah, blah, blah. But we’ve still got a bit left.”

TRACK CREDITS:

1. Defiance

Dane Clark: Drums
Robert Trujillo: Bass
Slash: Electric, Rhythm and Lead Guitars
Dennis Dibrizzi: Background Vocal
Andy York: Background Vocal
Ian Hunter: Electric Guitar

2. Bed Of Roses
Ringo Starr: Drums
Tony Shanahan: Bass
Mike Campbell: Acoustic and Electric Rhythm Guitars, Slide Guitar, Mandolin
Andy Burton: Organ
Rich Pagano: Tambourine
Andy York: Background Vocals
Ian Hunter: Piano

3. No Hard Feelings
Dane Clark: Drums and Percussion
Johnny Depp: Acoustic and Electric Rhythm Guitars, Slide Guitar, Background Vocals
Jeff Beck: Lead Guitar
Andy York: Electric Guitar, Bass
Ian Hunter: Piano

4. Pavlov’s Dog
Eric Kretz: Drums
Dean DeLeo: Electric Rhythm and Lead Guitars, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar
Robert DeLeo: Bass
Dennis Dibrizzi: Background Vocal
Andy York: Background Vocal, Maracas
Ian Hunter: Piano

5. Don’t Tread On Me
Rich Pagano: Drums, Congas, Percussion
Todd Rundgren: Rhythm and Lead Electric Guitars, Background Vocals
Andy Burton: Organ
Andy York: Bass
Ian Hunter: Piano

6. Guernica
Dane Clark: Drums and Percussion
Mike Campbell: Electric Rhythm and Lead Guitars
Joe Elliott: Background Vocals
Andy Burton: Harmonium
Andy York: Bass, Baritone Guitar, Background Vocal
Ian Hunter: Piano

7. I Hate Hate
Dane Clark: Drums
Andy Burton: Keyboards
Dennis Dibrizzi: Background Vocals
Andy York: Baritone Guitar, Tambourine, Background Vocals
Ian Hunter: Piano

8. Angel
Taylor Hawkins: Drums, Electric Guitars, Electric Piano, Background Vocals
Duff McKagan: Bass
Brad Whitford: Slide Guitar
Waddy Wachtel: 12-String Acoustic Guitar, Lead Electric Guitars
Ian Hunter: Piano

9. Kiss N’Make Up
Taylor Hawkins: Drums
Billy Bob Thornton: Percussion, Lead and Backup Vocals
Billy F Gibbons: Electric, Rhythm and Lead Guitars
J.D. Andrew: Bass
James Mastro: Electric Guitar
Rich Pagano: Congas
Andy Burton: Keyboards, Vibes

10. This Is What I’m Here For
Taylor Hawkins: Drums
Waddy Wachtel: Electric Rhythm and Lead Guitars
Joe Elliott: Background Vocals
Paul Page: Bass
Andy Burton: Organ
Andy York: Baritone Guitar
Ian Hunter: Piano

11. I Hate Hate (Alternate Version)
Dane Clark: Drums
Jeff Tweedy: Electric Guitars and Bass
Andy Burton: Keyboard
Dennis Dibrizzi: Background Vocal
Andy Burton: Organ
Andy York: Tambourine and Background Vocal
Ian Hunter: Piano

All Songs Written By Ian Hunter
Produced By Andy York and Ian Hunter
Mixed By James Frazee

Pink Floyd Super Deluxe Box Set to Mark 50th Anniversary of ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’

Warner Music [Sony Music outside Europe] has announced the upcoming release of Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ as a deluxe box set to celebrate 50 years since the release of one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Newly remastered, the box set will be released on March 24.

‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ is the eighth studio album by Pink Floyd, originally released in the US on March 1st and then in the UK on March 16, 1973. The new material was recorded in 1972 and 1973 at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London. The iconic sleeve, which depicts a prism spectrum, was designed by Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis and drawn by George Hardie. ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ has sold over 50 million copies worldwide.

The new deluxe box set includes CD and gatefold vinyl of the new 2023 remastered studio album and Blu-Ray + DVD audio featuring the original 5.1 mix and remastered stereo versions. The set also includes additional new Blu-ray disc of Atmos mix plus CD and LP of ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon - Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974’. For full details see listing below.

Simultaneously, on March 24, the CD and first ever vinyl issue of Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon - Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974’ will be released independently. It was originally recorded in November 1974 as part of the band’s winter tour and this is the first time it will be available as a stand-alone album, with artwork featuring an original 1973 line-drawn cover by George Hardie.

The book Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon: 50th Anniversary will also be published separately by Thames & Hudson on March 24, 2023 to coincide with the box set release. Curated by photographer Jill Furmanovsky and art directed by Hipgnosis co-founder Aubrey Powell, this LP-sized volume showcases rare and previously unseen photographs taken during The Dark Side Of The Moon tours of 1972-1975 and was created with the involvement of the band members.

The 50th Anniversary release will also be celebrated as Pink Floyd invite a new generation of animators to enter a competition to create music videos for any of the 10 songs on the iconic 1973 album. Pink Floyd has a rich history of collaborating with animators from the beginnings of the band (Ian Emes, Gerald Scarfe, etc.), and in some cases the visuals that accompany the songs have become synonymous with the music itself. The 50th Anniversary will be no exception. The band would like to give all animators an opportunity to present a fresh take on these timeless aural works. Animators can enter up to 10 videos, one per song on the album. A winner will be selected from a panel of experts which will include Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, Aubrey 'Po' Powell (Pink Floyd's creative director) and the BFI (British Film Institute). The deadline for submissions is November 30th 2023. To enter and for more information go to https://www.pinkfloyd.com/competition/

On February 27th 1973, EMI Records held a press conference for the debut presentation of Pink Floyd’s new album ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ at the London Planetarium. Although, the Planetarium dome could only show an array of stars, constellations and images of the cosmos whilst the music played, it was an unprecedented success. Fifty years on, in recognition of the iconic album and with the help of huge strides in technology, an official full dome experience with visuals of the solar system and beyond and played out to 42 minutes of ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’, will be released in Planetariums around the world in March. Contact your local Planetarium for any screening details.

The show itself will be divided between the 10 tracks off the album, in chronological order, each having a different theme; some futuristically looking forward and some a retro acknowledgment to Pink Floyd’s visual history, all relating to a time and space experience, embracing up to the minute technology that only a Planetarium can offer. It promises to be immersive; an all-encompassing surround sound and visual treat that will transcend reality and take you way beyond the realms of 2D experience.

Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ 50th Anniversary release is available to pre-order here

Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon: 50th Anniversary Book available here and here

Animation Competition here

BOX SET INCLUDES:

CD1 – THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

Remastered 2023 by James Guthrie in gatefold sleeve with 12-page booklet

CD2 – THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

LIVE AT WEMBLEY EMPIRE POOL, LONDON, 1974

Mixed by Andy Jackson in gatefold sleeve with 12-page booklet

LP1 – THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

Remastered original studio album in gatefold, with original posters and stickers

LP2 – THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

LIVE AT WEMBLEY EMPIRE POOL, LONDON, 1974 in gatefold, with 2 posters

BLU-RAY 1 (AUDIO)

Original album 5.1 and high-resolution remastered stereo mixes, in dedicated wallet:

1. 5.1 Surround Mix – 24bit/96kHz Uncompressed
2. Stereo Mix – 24bit/192kHz Uncompressed

3. 5.1 Surround Mix – dts-HD MA

4. Stereo Mix – dts-HD MA

BLU-RAY 2 (AUDIO)

Original album Atmos and high-resolution remastered stereo mixes, in dedicated wallet:

1. Dolby Atmos Mix
2. Stereo Mix – 24-bit/192kHz Uncompressed
3. Stereo Mix – dts-HD MA

DVD (AUDIO)

Original album 5.1 and remastered stereo mixes, in dedicated wallet:
1. 5.1 Surround Mix – Dolby Digital @448 kbps
2. 5.1 Surround Mix – Dolby Digital @640 kbps
3. Stereo Mix (LPCM) – 24-bit/48 kHz Uncompressed

160-PAGE THAMES & HUDSON HARDBACK BOOK with rare black and white photographs from the 1972 – 1975 tours of the UK and the USA taken by Jill Furmanovsky, Peter Christopherson, Aubrey Powell, Storm Thorgerson

76-PAGE MUSIC BOOK of original album

MEMORABILIA:

REPLICAS OF 2×7” SINGLES in Harvest bags:
7" Single 1 Money/Any Colour You Like
7" Single 2 Us And Them/Time

REPLICA OF EMI PAMPHLET AND INVITE TO THE PREVIEW OF THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON AT THE LONDON PLANETARIUM

Noel Gallagher news

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds' album Council Skies is scheduled for June 2 through Sour Mash Records and available to pre-order now. The album will be available on CD, LP, HD Digital, 3LP and 2CD Deluxe limited-edition formats featuring remixes by The Cure’s Robert Smith, and Pet Shop Boys.

The band has also released the new single and music video "Easy Now." The video stars Milly Alcock, who recently starred as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in HBO's Golden Globe winning House of the Dragon. “Easy Now” was directed by multiple UK Music Video Awards winner, Colin Solal Cardo. Watch here.

Gallagher's fourth solo studio album was recorded at his own Lone Star Sound Recording Studios in London, with the album’s orchestrated strings recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Produced by Noel with long-time collaborator Paul Stacey, the album also features performances from Johnny Marr on three tracks, including recently released single “Pretty Boy.” Council Skies takes its title from a book by revered northern illustrator and friend of Noel, artist Pete McKee. 

Speaking of the album, Noel says: “It’s going back to the beginning. Daydreaming, looking up at the sky and wondering about what life could be … that’s as true to me now as it was in the early ‘90s. When I was growing up in poverty and unemployment, music took me out of that,” he says. “Top of the Pops on TV transformed your Thursday night into this fantasy world, and that’s what I think music should be. I want my music to be elevating and transforming in some way.”

The artwork, shot by renowned Manchester photographer Kevin Cummins, sees Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ live equipment setup placed on the original centre spot of what was Maine Road Football Stadium, with this year marking 100 years since the ground was opened as the former home of Noel’s beloved Manchester City FC.

Throughout the accompanying album artwork, Cummins captures locations poignant to Noel’s formative years - culminating with a striking image of Manchester’s Piccadilly train station, marking the moment Noel left his home city for London. This visual representation perfectly encapsulates the themes, journey and emotional heart of Council Skies.

June 2021 saw the release of Back The Way We Came: Vol 1 (2011-2021) – a Best Of album marking a decade of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. This Gold certified album was the bands’ 4th consecutive UK Number 1 and the 12th UK Number 1 album across Noel’s career.

Last summer Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds headlined a host of outdoor live shows culminating in a career-spanning performance at Glastonbury's Pyramid stage to one of the weekend’s biggest crowds. UK live dates for this summer have recently been announced – details below - with more headline shows to follow before the end of the year.

Track list:

I'm Not Giving Up Tonight
Pretty Boy
Dead To The World
Open The Door, See What You Find
Trying To Find A World That's Been And Gone
Easy Now
Council Skies
There She Blows!
Love Is A Rich Man
Think Of A Number
Bonus Track – We’re Gonna Get There In The End

Deluxe Album Track list:

Disc 1:

I'm Not Giving Up Tonight
Pretty Boy
Dead To The World
Open The Door, See What You Find
Trying To Find A World That's Been And Gone
Easy Now
Council Skies
There She Blows!
Love Is A Rich Man
Think Of A Number

Disc 2:

Don’t Stop…
We’re Gonna Get There In The End
Mind Games
Pretty Boy (Instrumental)
Dead To The World (Instrumental)
Council Skies (Instrumental)
Think Of A Number (Instrumental)
I’m Not Giving Up Tonight (David Holmes Remix)
Think Of A Number (Pet Shop Boys Magic Eye 12” Remix)
Pretty Boy (Robert Smith Remix)
Council Skies (The Reflex Revision)
Flying On The Ground (Radio 2 Session, 08.09.21)
You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere (Radio 2 Session, 08.09.21)
Live Forever (Radio 2 Session, 08.09.21)

2023 UK Headline Shows:

21 July, Buckinghamshire, PennFest

28 July, London, Crystal Palace Bowl
05 August, Saffron Waldon, Essex, Audley End
19 August, Monmouthshire, Caldicot Castle
20 August, Sedgefield, Country Durham, Hardwick Festival
26 August, Manchester, Wythenshawe Park

Tickets available now here

Scotland's Skerryvore readies 'Tempus' album

Skerryvore's upcoming album ‘Tempus’ is due via Cooking Vinyl on April 28. 

The Scottish Celtic/pop octet, which has performed in Redlands, Calif. twice in recent years, has shared first official single ‘Everything You Need.’ Listen HERE. Watch the video HERE. 

It was written by lead singer Alec Dalglish, produced by Dalglish and the group’s bagpiper/whistle player Scott Wood, and mastered by Grammy Award winner Howie Weinberg (U2, Nirvana, PJ Harvey).

Dalglish says, “The song is about how life can throw the unexpected at you but that it’s important to trust that you’ll end up on the right path eventually and that sometimes things happen for reasons that may at first be unknown.”

‘Everything You Need’ is the latest song to preview the ‘Tempus’ album after a new version of the Radio 2 playlisted ‘You & I’ and the instrumental ‘Vancouver Island.’

Of the band's first new studio album in 4 1/2 years, the singer adds, "We wanted to get the production bigger, more fully formed. We wanted to make music on a much bigger scale, to reach a lot more people. But in doing that, we also had to write and record songs that are still what make Skerryvore what we are."

‘Tempus’ is available to pre-order/pre-save HERE, with ‘Everything You Need’, ‘You & I’ and ‘Vancouver Island’ all provided as instant downloads. Physical formats include a signed limited edition transparent violet vinyl with a Japanese OBI wrap, which is exclusive from Assai Records; plus a limited edition transparent blue vinyl with a signed print as well as eight cassettes formats, each of which feature a different band member on the cover, along with their signature. Both of these are available from Skerryvore’s official store.

One of Skerryvore’s final shows of 2022 was Hoolie in the Hydro, a huge 8,000 capacity celebration of Scottish roots music. Their upcoming U.S. Tour will kick off April 1 in Green Lake, WI. Tickets for the shows, listed below, are available here. Expect further live announcements to follow soon.

Track listing:

1. Eye of the Storm

2. You & I 
3. Everything You Need 
4. Vancouver Island 
5. Another World
6. Emergence
7. Your Love
8. Good Times Never Die
9. Legends of the Sun
10. Together Again
11. Gun Fhios
12. The Beasts of Bone Lake

U.S. Shows:

April

1 – Thrasher Opera House – Green Lake, WI

4 – Shank Hall – Milwaukee, WI
12 – Soiled Dove Underground – Denver, CO
14 – Washington Center for the Perf. Arts – Olympia, WA
15 – Admiral Theare – Bremerton, WA
16 – McMenamins Mission Theater – Portland, OR
17 – Tower Theatre – Bend, OR
19 – Gallo Center for the Arts – Modesto, CA
21 – Jewett Auditorium – Caldwell, ID
22 – The Colonial Theater – Idaho Falls, ID

Out now: Michael McDermott's 'St. Paul's Boulevard' album and Scars from Another Life book

I'm still catching up with some 2022 album releases that for one reason or another, I didn't get around to reviewing or giving a proper, concentrated listen. Michael McDermott's latest, St. Paul's Boulevard (Pauper Sky Records), is among them. What a stunner! 

The earthy folk/rock effort is one of my favorites from '22. It is frequently reminiscent of solo efforts by Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and Willie Nile, not to mention younger artists such as Jesse Malin and The War on Drugs. I would highly recommend fans of those acts purchase a copy. 

Check out the video to "Our Little Secret": https://youtu.be/YB3yytKz3rY

 

Read more info about the recent music by the Chicago-based singer/songwriter, who started his career in the early 1990s... 

St. Paul’s Boulevard is a concept album of sorts, introducing characters lost and found, rich and poor, young and old, and many who are struggling to survive on a fictional street that could exist anywhere.

It was co-produced by McDermott and Steven Gillis, who also plays drums. Matt Thompson handled acoustic and electric bass; Grant Tye, guitars; Heather Lynne Horton, violin/vocals; and Vijay Tellis-Nayak, piano and organ. 

Additional musicians on St. Paul’s Boulevard include Will Kimbrough (a producer of Rodney Crowell, Todd Snider) on guitars, banjo, and mandolin; John Deaderick on piano, organ, and keyboards; Danny Mitchell on piano and keyboards; and David Grissom (John Mellencamp) on guitars. McDermott also played guitars and piano. On the track “Marlowe,” he pays tribute to Raymond Chandler's Phillip Marlowe character. 

“Everyone has their own St. Paul's Boulevard, the place where we left pieces of our

hearts, our innocence, where we suffered heartbreak, came to learn about shame,
where we struggled to find our place in this world,” says McDermott. “It’s a place where we struggled to nurture love and light in a darkened world. It’s where some of us were permanently arrested in our development and our social and emotional intelligence.”

After more than a dozen studio albums, the heartland rocker continues to make music on his own terms. St. Paul’s Boulevard is both personal and universal. McDermott has lived these songs, that place, and those shattered hopes.

“Those days are now just a wash of dreams of characters, of drunken and drug-fueled nights wandering all over town looking for an angry fix driven by love, lust, longing, or connection,” he says. “I lost a lot of people on St. Paul's Boulevard. Many never made it out, but I'm lucky to have. It's a place that brings out our best and our worst in equal measure. It's the landscape where the doggedness of the spirit rises above the grim realities that surround us.”

In other McDermott news...

Last fall, the musician won the prestigious Tenco Award for career songwriting, an honor that recognizes artists who have made a significant contribution to songwriting in Italy and abroad. The award, established in 1974, pays homage to the late singer-songwriter Luigi Tenco and celebrates exceptional and impactful songwriting on an international level.

Previously, the Tenco Award has gone to Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits, Sting, Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, Randy Newman, David Crosby and others.

“There are a few times when my life felt like a waking dream,” says an elated McDermott, “when I saw my wife Heather as I stepped out of an elevator in Chicago, when I held my daughter Rain in my arms for the first time, when I read what Stephen King had written about me for the liner notes of my album, and now when I heard that I won the Tenco Award. To have my name placed alongside the hallowed company of Tenco, Waits, Mitchell, and Cohen is just so humbling. To me, this is the honor of an eternity.”

McDermott also released a 2022 memoir, Scars from Another Life, available through his website, michael-mcdermott.com. Find dates for his current book tour there. 

David Bowie’s 'Aladdin Sane' will get special 50th anniversary vinyl reissue in April

April 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the release of David Bowie’s ALADDIN SANE, which was released only ten months after his breakthrough album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

On April 14, one week before its Golden Jubilee, ALADDIN SANE will be issued as a limited edition 50th anniversary half-speed mastered LP and a picture disc LP pressed from the same master.

The album was preceded by two singles, “The Jean Genie” and “Drive-In Saturday,” peaking in the U.K. singles chart at #2 and #3, respectively and was the first time he topped the U.K. album charts. It also marked Bowie’s debut on the U.S. charts reaching the top 20 album chart, where an edited version of “Time” was released as a single.

The cover of ALADDIN SANE has become one of the most striking and memorable images in Rock ‘N’ Roll history and was rumored to be the most expensive to produce up to that point. The cover photograph was taken by Brian Duffy, who would also shoot the sleeves for 1979’s Lodger and 1980’s Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) and features Bowie with the iconic red and blue lightning bolt make-up. 

This new pressing of ALADDIN SANE was cut on a customized late Neumann VMS80 lathe with fully recapped electronics from 192kHz restored masters of the original master tapes, with no additional processing on transfer. The half-speed was cut by John Webber at AIR Studios.

Bowie described ALADDIN SANE as “Ziggy Goes to Washington: Ziggy under the influence of America.” The album was to be Ziggy Stardust's last stand, and the persona was laid to rest three months after the album's release in July 1973 at the infamous final show with the Spiders from Mars at London’s Hammersmith Odeon.

TRACK LISTING:

SIDE ONE
Watch That Man – 4:30
Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?) – 5:06
Drive-In Saturday – 4:33
Panic In Detroit – 4:25
Cracked Actor – 3:01

SIDE TWO
Time – 5.15
The Prettiest Star – 3:31
Let’s Spend The Night Together – 3:10
The Jean Genie – 4:07
Lady Grinning Soul – 3:45