Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival '18: Utilizing social media

photo: Bruce Herwig

Now that the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival is in full swing, check out some stories that I did on it for Redlands Magazine...

In recent years, Redlands Bowl Performing Arts has expanded its social media presence leading up to and during the summer music festival in Southern California.

Multiple posts provide charity fundraiser info, honor volunteers and make cast announcements. Artists provide up-close-and-personal snapshots for fans.

These Instagram takeovers “give our audience a chance to get a backstage peek of the Bowl season through the eyes of the performers, said Courtney Camp, RBPA Marketing/Communications/Young Artists Concerto Competition Coordinator. Cast members from “Oklahoma” and “Tarzan” have shown “different glimpses of backstage, from getting ready to what they do during the time before they go on stage.”

Camp recalled one takeover highlight was having world-renowned opera soprano Angel Blue interview Young Artists finalists last year.

“The takeovers give people the opportunity to get to know the performers better, as well as engage more online through their posts.” She tries to have one per day during the run of the musicals and other shows.

Connect on Instagram and Twitter: @redlandsbowl

redlandsbowl.org

Trashcan Sinatras concert review - Los Angeles

photo: Mort Shuman

Last Wednesday, Trashcan Sinatras played the penultimate show of their North American Tour at the Regent Theater in Downtown Los Angeles.

This jaunt featured the Scottish alt-pop band's most popular albums (1990's Cake; 1993's I've Seen Everything), performed front to back, with a smattering of other favorites. Lead singer Frank Reader, rhythm guitarist John Douglas and lead guitarist Paul Livingston were all seated. 

The excellent concert had the vibe of an old "MTV Unplugged" episode as Reader and Douglas told stories about many of the songs, including how the group formed in the late '80s in Irvine and later moved to Kilmarnock when they had a private recording studio.

Because of the magnificent albums' dense and frequently atmospheric sound, hearing the tunes in unadorned fashion allowed fans to take in more of Reader's stream-of-consciousness lyrics. On a personal level, Cake is one of my all-time favorite albums from the 1990s and I always thought it deserved far more attention than it received, even with alt-rock radio powerhouse KROQ/106.7 FM supporting the singles "Only Tongue Can Tell" and "Obscurity Knocks" and the videos on MTV's "120 Minutes."

In LA, they didn't dive right into the first and second CDs. Instead, Reader said the guys needed to "warm up a bit." So they opened with gentle reverie of "Got Carried Away," off 2004's Weightlifting and then continued with two upbeat selections from the same release: "All the Dark Horses" and "Freetime." What came next was a pleasant surprise: "How Can I Apply," from the 1996 import-only effort A Happy Pocket. 

Once TCS began the Cake tunes, fans sang along loudly to "Obscurity Knocks" and "Maybe I Should Drive" as Reader delivered them with intensity. Besides those standouts, "Circling the Circumference" and "Only Tongue Can Tell" also came across strongly in the stripped-down format. At the halfway mark in the original LP running order, Douglas quipped, "this is where you turn the vinyl over."  

Following an intermission, the musicians played "Hayfever" and "Bloodrush" with as much fervor as the recorded versions. Reader got a couple brief respites from singing when Livingston and Douglas took rare vocal spotlights on "The Perfect Reminder" and "Iceberg" respectively. The highlight of this portion was "One at a Time," where the mild-mannered Livingston rocked out a bit on electric guitar. 

Instead of leaving the stage for an encore, TCS stayed put and did "All Night," a buoyant song from the most recent studio album Wild Pendulum and the title track to Weightlifting. By the end, longtime enthusiasts were treated to a mesmerizing evening.  

All Night in America, the TCS' first official live CD+DVD, recording during last year's career-spanning acoustic tour stop in Los Angeles, is available through www.pledgemusic.com

Upcoming full band tour dates:

July 20 Newscastle, England - Newcastle City Hall
July 21 Edinburgh, Scotland - Edinburgh Castle
July 22 Manchester, England - Manchester Apollo
July 23 Birmingham, England - Birmingham Symphony Hall
July 25 Nottingham, England - Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
July 26 London England - London Apollo
July 28 Glasgow, Scotland - Barrowlands
July 29 Glasgow, Scotland - Barrowlands

*all supporting Del Amitri

Death Cab for Cutie news

Atlantic Records

Death Cab for Cutie will release ninth studio album “Thank You for Today” on Aug. 17 via Atlantic. It is available for pre-order now at all DSPs and streaming services HERE. All digital pre-orders are joined by an instant grat download of the first single, “Gold Rush,” available now.

“Gold Rush” also comes accompanied by an official music video (watch here), directed by Alex Southam (alt-J, Mumford & Sons). Death Cab for Cutie recently made their debut performance of “Gold Rush” on CBS’ The Late Show.

“Thank You for Today” was produced and mixed by Rich Costey (Fiona Apple, Franz Ferdinand, Muse), who also produced the band’s last album, the Grammy nominated “Kintsugi.”

The new album sees longtime bandmates Ben Gibbard, Nick Harmer, and Jason McGerr joined in the studio by new members Dave Depper and Zac Rae. Depper and Rae have both been part of Death Cab’s touring band since 2015.

Death Cab for Cutie will celebrate their new album with a fall tour. The dates run September-October (see below). One dollar from each ticket purchased through the band’s website will go towards The Aurora Commons – a Seattle based non-profit organization which offers a safe space for unhoused neighbors to rest, prepare a meal, connect to resources, and collectively create a healthy and vibrant community.

The lyric video for “Gold Rush” – the first single - features a visual shot by Death Cab for Cutie bassist Nick Harmer.

Says Gibbard of the inspiration for the track: “I’ve had this realization only recently that so many of my memories are tied to my geography. And when that geography changes, it’s as if you’re not only coming to terms with the passage of time, but it’s as if you’re losing those people and that time in your life all over again. Cities are in constant flux, and I’m not claiming victimhood in this, but the speed at which Seattle is changing, and people of color and creative communities are being pushed out, is alarming.” 

Track Listing:

1. I Dreamt We Spoke Again
2. Summer Years
3. Gold Rush
4. Your Hurricane
5. When We Drive
6. Autumn Love
7. Northern Lights
8. You Moved Away
9. Near/Far
10. 60 & Punk

World Tour dates:

AUGUST 

2 Salt Lake City, UT Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre ~ *SOLD OUT*
3 Boise, ID Summerfield at Memorial Stadium ~
4-5 Missoula, MT Travelers’ Rest
11 San Diego, CA 91X X-Fest 2018
12 Long Beach, CA ALT 98.7 Summer Camp 2018

SEPTEMBER
21 Las Vegas, NV Life is Beautiful Music & Art Festival
24 Eugene, OR Hult Center for the Performing Arts *
25 Portland, OR Keller Auditorium *
27 Berkeley, CA The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley †
29 Phoenix, AZ The Van Buren * *SOLD OUT*

OCTOBER
1 Dallas, TX Bomb Factory *
2 Kansas City, MO Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland *
3 Madison, WI The Sylvee *
5 St. Paul, MN Palace Theatre *
7 Chicago, IL Auditorium Theater *
9 Upper Darby, PA Tower Theater * *SOLD OUT*
10 Upper Darby, PA Tower Theater *
12 Brooklyn, NY Kings Theatre *
13 Brooklyn, NY Kings Theatre *
14 Boston, MA Boch Center Wang Theatre *
15 Boston, MA Boch Center Wang Theatre *
17 Washington DC The Anthem *
18 Charlottesville, VA Sprint Pavilion *
19 Atlanta, GA Coca Cola Roxy Theater *
20 St. Augustine, FL St. Augustine Amphitheatre *
22 Miami, FL The Fillmore Miami Beach *
23 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live *

NOVEMBER
10 Santiago, CH Fauna Primavera
11 Buenos Aires, AR Personal Fest 2018
15 São Paulo, BR Popload Festival
18 Mexico City, MX Corona Capital

JANUARY
24 Dublin, IE Olympia Theatre
25 Manchester, UK Albert Hall
26 Glasgow, UK O2 Academy Glasgow
28 Nottingham, UK Rock City
29 Leeds, UK O2 Academy Leeds
30 Bristol, UK O2 Academy Bristol

FEBRUARY
1 London, UK Eventim Apollo
2 Paris, FR Le Trianon
3 Antwerp, BEL De Roma
5 Utrecht, NL Tivoli / Vredenburg Grote Zaal
6 Cologne, GER Live Music Hall
7 Berlin, GER Astra
9 Hamburg, GER Grosse Freiheit
10 Copenhagen, DK Vega
11 Stockholm, SE Cirkus
12 Oslo, NO Sentrum Scene

~ w/ Pedro the Lion
* w/ Charly Bliss
† w/ Cold War Kids

ADDITIONAL DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED

deathcabforcutie.com

Rarities box set from The Clash's Joe Strummer among Sept. releases

photo: Lucinda Tait

Ignition Records will put out Joe Strummer 001, the first compilation to span Joe Strummer's career outside of his recordings with The Clash on Sept. 28. It includes fan favorites from his recordings with the 101ers and The Mescaleros, all of his solo albums, soundtrack work and an album of unreleased songs.

"London Is Burning" - an alternative/early version of "Burnin' Street" from Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros' final album Streetcore – is available now – https://JoeStrummer.lnk.to/LIBt

Pre order now - https://JoeStrummer.lnk.to/001 - on the following formats:

Limited edition Deluxe Box set: Quadruple heavyweight Vinyl, 7" vinyl single, cassette, A4 Book, enamel badge, art print, screen print, lyrics and sticker sheet (IGN53BOX).
Limited edition Deluxe Double CD in A4 Book (IGNCD53X).
Double CD in slipcase (IGNCD53).
Quadruple heavyweight Vinyl in slipcase (IGNLP53X).
Digital download.

All of the formats include tracks that have never appeared anywhere before as well as new remasters. Exclusive to all formats is an album of unreleased material including an early demo of "This Is England" entitled "CzechoslovakSong/Where Is England," a solo demo of "Letsagetabitarockin" recorded in Elgin Avenue in 1975, outtakes from Sid & Nancy featuring Mick Jones and unreleased songs "Rose Of Erin," the biographical and mythical recording "The Cool Impossible" and "London Is Burning," one of the last songs Joe recorded.

After The Clash and Mescaleros' member's death in December 2002, it was discovered that Joe had been quite an archivist of his own work, having barns full of writings and tapes stored in his back garden. There are now over 20,000 items in the Joe Strummer Archive. The archiving of this material and compiling of Joe Strummer 001 was overseen by Joe's widow Luce and Robert Gordon McHarg III.

All tracks were restored and mastered by Grammy Award winner Peter J. Moore at the E. Room in Toronto Canada. On going through cassettes and recording tapes it was discovered that Joe was rather frugal and keen on hiding tracks. On cassettes he would leave 20 minutes between songs. On the 1" 8 track recordings it was discovered there were hidden tracks superimposed onto each other. For example tracks 1-4 were taken by one song and tracks 5-8 by two other songs which were thought when played back to be caused by tape denigration until the tapes went to Peter J Moore who was able to separate one song from another.

The box set has the same content as the CD set and is pressed on audiophile quality 180g vinyl. The box set's accompanying book also included in the Deluxe CD features rarely seen and previously unpublished memorabilia from Joe's personal collection as well as historical press reviews and technical notes about the albums. The cover of all formats is taken from Joe's 1990 Californian driving license.

The artwork was curated by Robert Gordon McHarg III who previously worked on the Clash Sound System box set with Paul Simonon, the John Cooper Clarke compilation Anthologia and curated the Black Market Clash Exhibition.

Gordon says, "The idea behind the book is that it's an A4 notebook done as if Joe had designed it himself, telling his story. Hopefully it is an insight into his workings and includes handwritten lyrics with personal notes and scribbles."

CD AND VINYL Track listing (with vinyl side breaks)
SIDE 1
"Letsagetabitarockin"
1975 101ers from Elgin Avenue Breakdown
"Keys To Your Heart"
1976 101ers from Elgin Avenue Breakdown (Version 2)
"Love Kills"
1986 Joe Strummer from Sid And Nancy OST
"Tennesse Rain"
1987 Joe Strummer from Walker OST
"Trash City"
1988 Joe Strummer & Latino Rockabilly War from Permanent Record OST
"15th Brigade"
1989 Joe Strummer B.side of Island Hopping

SIDE 2
"Ride Your Donkey"
1989 Joe Strummer from Earthquake Weather
"Burning Lights"
1990 Joe Strummer from I Hired A Contract Killer OST
"Afro-Cuban Be-Bop"
1990 The Astro-Physicans from I Hired a Contract Killer OST
"Sand Paper Blues"
1995 Radar from 'Sandpaper Blues' Exhibition
"Generations"
1997 Electric Dog House from Generations 1 (A Punk Look At Human Rights)

SIDE 3
"It's A Rockin' World"
1998 Joe Strummer from South Park OST
"Yalla Yalla"
1999 Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros from Rock Art & The X-Ray Style
"X-Ray Style"
1999 Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros from Rock Art & The X-Ray Style
"Johnny Appleseed"
2001 Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros from Global A Go-Go

SIDE 4
"Minstrel Boy"
2001 Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros from Black Hawk Down OST
"Redemption Song"
2002 Joe Strummer with Johnny Cash from Johnny Cash: Unearthed
"Over The Border"
2002 Joe Strummer with Jimmy Cliff from Fantastic Plastic People
"Coma Girl"
2003 Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros from Street Core
"Silver & Gold"
2003 Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros from Street Core

SIDE 5
"Letsagetabitarockin"
1975 Previously Unreleased Cassette Tape Demo. Recorded at 101 Elgin Avenue. Joe Strummer: Vocals & Guitar. Julian Yewdall says, "In September 1975, I finally got Joe to type up his lyrics, along with a rough recording. I then posted these back to myself, and deposited the sealed envelope in my bank's vault, as this was the easiest way I knew of legally protecting his copyright. Over 30 years later and long after I had closed the account, I came across the forgotten bank receipt amongst some old letters, and on returning to the bank, was amazed and delighted when they handed me back the envelope free of charge."
"Czechoslovak Song/Where Is England"
1983 Previously Unreleased 1/2 Inch Tape Master Demo dated August.
Early version of "This Is England"
Joe Strummer: Vocals & Guitar. Paul Simonon: Bass. Pete Howard: Drums.
"Pouring Rain"
1984 Previously Unreleased 1 inch 8-track Demo Recorded July 1984.
Joe Strummer: Vocals & Guitar. Paul Simonon: Bass. Pete Howard: Drums.
Mixed by Peter J. Moore 2018
"Blues On The River"
1984 July. Previously Unreleased. 1 Inch 8 Track Tape Demo.
Joe Strummer: Vocals & Guitar. Drum Machine.
Mixed by Peter J. Moore 2018
"Crying on 23rd"
1985 with The Sooth Sayers. Previously Unreleased. 1/4 Inch Tape. Produced by Joe Strummer. Outtake from the Alex Cox filmSid & Nancy. Joe Strummer: Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Bass. Mick Jones: Guitar. Chris Musto: Drums, Percussion.
"2 Bullets"
1985 with Pearl Harbour. Previously Unreleased. 1/4 Inch Tape. Produced by Joe Strummer. Outtake from Sid & Nancy.Pearl Harbour: Vocals. Joe Strummer: Rhythm Guitar, Bass. Mick Jones: Guitar. Chris Musto: Drums. B.J. Cole: Pedal Steel Guitar.
N.B. Both songs were recorded in Kentish Town and are the first recordings of Joe and Mick since Combat Rock.

SIDE 6
"When Pigs Fly"
1993 from When Pigs Fly.
Joe Strummer: Vocals & Guitar. Danny Thompson: Bass. Tommy McManamon: Electric Rhythm, Licks Guitar, Spanish Guitar.Terry Williams: Drums. James MacNally: Flute, Piano, Bodhran. Lee Goodall: Saxophone. Steve Warbeck: Accordion. Stuart Gordon: Violin.
"Pouring Rain"
1993 from When Pigs Fly
Joe Strummer: Vocals & Guitar. Danny Thompson: Bass. Terry Williams: Drums. Steve Barbeck: Accordion.
"Rose Of Erin"
1993 from When Pigs Fly
Joe Strummer: Vocals & Guitar. Danny Thompson: Bass. Terry Williams: Drums. Steve Warbeck: Accordion. Tommy McManamon: Fuzz Electric Guitar, Rhythm & Slide Guitars James MacNally: Whistle, Piano
Previously Unreleased. From the Sara Driver film When Pigs Fly
Transferred from Cassette Tape. Produced by Joe Strummer
Recorded 1993 at Rockfield Studios.
"The Cool Impossible"
1993 JS Demo
Previously Unreleased. Recorded 1993 at Rockfield Studios. 2 Inch Tape Multitrack. Produced by Kosmo Vinyl. Mixed by Peter J. Moore 2018
Joe Strummer: Vocals & Guitar. Danny Thompson: Bass. Aaron Ahmun: Drums. Tommy McManamon: Guitars. James MacNally: Piano.
"London Is Burning"
2002 The Mescaleros
Previously Unreleased. Recorded 2002. The last song to be discovered for Joe Strummer 001. Reworked into "Burning Streets" on Streetcore. Originally titled "Fire Fighting Street" and written for Joe's show at Acton Town Hall for the Fire Brigade Union on November 15th 2002. Produced by Joe Strummer, Martin Slattery & Scott Shields. Joe Strummer: Vocals & Guitar. Scott Shields: Drums, Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, Synth, BVs. Martin Slattery: Electric Guitar, Chamberlain Strings, Tambourine, BVs.

SIDE 7
"US North" (12" SINGLE)
1986 JS/Jones from Candy Mountain
Previously Unreleased. Recorded 1986. 1/2 Inch Tape Master. Produced by Mick Jones. Unused song from the Robert Frank and Rudy Wurlitzer film Candy Mountain . Joe Strummer: Vocals, Guitar. Mick Jones: Vocals, Guitars, Bass. Greg Roberts: Drums. Dan Donovan: Keyboards. Felippe Gonzales: Bongos. Xavier Solano: Agogo. Strings played by The Radio Futura Philharmonic Orchestra, Madrid
The Box Set will contain all of the above plus:
"This is England" (7" SINGLE)
1984 July Demo
Previously Unreleased.1 Inch 8 Track Tape Demo.
Joe Strummer: Vocals & Guitar, Paul Simonon: Bass, Pete Howard: Drums.
Mixed by Peter J. Moore 2018
"Before We Go Forward"
1984 July Demo
Previously Unreleased. 1 Inch 8 Track Tape Demo.
Joe Strummer: Vocals & Guitar, Paul Simonon: Bass, Pete Howard: Drums.
Mixed by Peter J. Moore 2018

CASSETTE
"U.S. North Basement Demo"
Unreleased. Recorded 1986. Discovered in Joe's cast cupboard.
Joe Strummer & Mick Jones: Vocals, Guitar, Drum Machine

The album is available to pre order now https://JoeStrummer.lnk.to/001

Tom Odell heads to 'Jubilee Road'

Tom Odell's third studio album Jubilee Road is set for release on Oct. 12 on RCA Records.

Although the album title may be a fictional street name, the release documents real life stories of the time Tom spent living in a house in East London with his then girlfriend.

While only 27 years old, Jubilee Road may well be a career-defining record for Odell, which sees the multi-talented young artist writing, singing, playing piano and self-producing the songs.

Speaking about the album Tom says:

“I wrote this album in a house on a quiet terraced street in East London. The lyrics are inspired by the lives of the friends I made whilst living there. I recorded most the songs in the living room of the house and if I listen back closely, I can still hear the sound of the old man’s television shows coming through the walls from next door, the kids from the house opposite playing football in the street below and the sound of my girlfriend’s footsteps on the wooden floorboards above. I don’t live there anymore, my life has changed somewhat, but I will always remember the time fondly and I hope you enjoy listening to the album as much as I did making it”.

Track listing:

1. Jubilee Road
2. If You Wanna Love Somebody
3. Son Of An Only Child
4. You’re Going To Break My Heart Tonight
5. China Dolls
6. Queen Of Diamonds
7. Half As Good As You
8. Go Tell Her Now
9. Don’t Belong In Hollywood
10. Wedding Day

Tom recently performed first single “If You Wanna Love Somebody” on The Graham Norton Show airing on BBC 1. It is the first new material released since Odell’s 2016 second album Wrong Crowd, which debuted at #2 on the UK album chart.

Watch the video directed by Sophie Littman HERE

Tom announced dates of his forthcoming headlining fall North American, U.K. and European tour. Find full itinerary below.

Backstory: Odell’s debut album, 2013’s million selling, #1 UK debut Long Way Down, featured his breakthrough single “Another Love” and was equally met with tremendous critical acclaim, earning him the highly prestigious Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year in 2014 and the Brits Critics’ Choice Award in 2013 at the age of 22. His singles “Another Love” and “Real Love” both hit the UK Top 10, with the latter, a cover of a track by The Beatles - used for the UK John Lewis’ Christmas TV 2014 ad campaign. Odell has amassed an impressive 1.8 million album sales and 10 million single sales worldwide.

World tour dates:

September
Tuesday 11 Los Angeles, CA Moroccan Lounge
Wednesday 12 San Francisco, CA Café Du Nord
Friday 14 Portland, OR The Old Church
Saturday 15 Seattle, WA Columbia City Theatre
Monday 17 Brooklyn, NY Rough Trade
Wednesday 19 Toronto, ON The Rivoli

October
Friday 12 Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow
Saturday 13 The Telegraph Building
Sunday 14 Olympia Theatre, Dublin
Tuesday 16 02 Academy, Leeds
Wednesday 17 City Hall, Newcastle
Thursday 18 Usher Hall, Edinburgh
Friday 19 02 Apollo, Manchester
Sunday 21 02 Academy, Birmingham
Tuesday 23 Eventim Apollo, London
Thursday 25 Brighton Centre, Brighton
Friday 26 02 Guildhall, Southampton
Sunday 28 Le Bataclan, Paris
Monday 29 Salle de la Madeleine, Belgium
Tuesday 30 Capitol, Hannover

November

Thursday 1 Mehr! Theatre, Hamburg
Friday 2 Columbiahalle, Berlin
Sunday 4 Bratislaba, Slovakia
Tuesday 6 Halle 622, Zurich
Wednesday 7 Haus Auensee, Leipzig
Thursday 8 AFAS Live, Amsterdam
Saturday 10 Berns, Stockholm
Sunday 11 Store VEGA, Copenhagen
Tuesday 13 Palladium, Koln
Wednesday 14 Bierhuebeli, Switzerland
Friday 16 Gasometer, Vienna
Saturday 17 Live Club, Milan
Monday 19 BARTS, Barcelona
Tuesday 20 Sala La Riviera, Madrid

Pre-Order Jubilee Road: http://smarturl.it/JubileeRoad
Buy/Stream “If You Wanna Love Somebody”: http://smarturl.it/TomIYWLS
Official Video: http://smarturl.it/TomIYWLSVid

Neil Diamond's 'Hot August Night Ill' arrives in August

I remember really wanting to attend this LA show and I'm glad I'll finally get a chance to hear what it was like...

Capitol/UMe will release of Neil Diamond's Hot August Night Ill, a live concert DVD/CD Blu-Ray multi-disc set, on Aug. 17. It chronicles his return to the legendary Greek Theatre in Los Angeles in August 2012. The evening was Diamond's 40th anniversary celebration of the original multi-platinum-selling Hot August Night collection that was recorded at the very same venue in 1972.

Clocking in at over 2 hours and 20 minutes in length, Hot August Night Ill will be released in multiple audio/video configurations, including 2CD, 2CD + 1DVD, and 2CD + 1Blu-ray, as well as digital and download options. The multi-disc set's accompanying video content contains rare behind-the scenes footage with both the band and the crew, showcasing the undeniably palpable energy surrounding Diamond's return to this most historic venue.

Released in December 1972, the original Hot August Night - the title of which was culled from the opening line to one of Diamond's most celebrated tracks, 1969's "Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show" - captures a magical performance on the evening of one of his ten sold-out shows at the Greek that August.

Preorder Neil Diamond’s Hot August Night III here: https://neildiamond.lnk.to/HAN3

Neil Diamond HOT AUGUST NIGHT III [2CD, 2CD+1DVD, 2CD+1BD, Digital Download]

Disc 1

1. OVERTURE
2. SOOLAIMON
3. BEAUTIFUL NOISE
4. FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS
5. LOVE ON THE ROCKS
6. HELLO AGAIN
7. SEPTEMBER MORN
8. PLAY ME
9. SHILO
10. RED, RED WINE
11. YOU GOT TO ME
12. GIRL, YOU’LL BE A WOMAN SOON
13. THANK THE LORD FOR THE NIGHT TIME
14. CHERRY, CHERRY
15. KENTUCKY WOMAN
16. SOLITARY MAN
17. GLORY ROAD
18. CHELSEA MORNING
19. I’M A BELIEVER
20. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSE
21. CRACKLIN’ ROSIE

Disc 2

1. AND THE GRASS WON’T PAY NO MIND
2. PRETTY AMAZING GRACE
3. WE
4. STONES
5. YOU DON’T BRING ME FLOWERS
6. HOLLY HOLY
7. MORNINGSIDE
8. CRUNCHY GRANOLA SUITE
9. SWEET CAROLINE
10. SWEET CAROLINE – REPRISE
11. I AM…I SAID
12. WALK OFF
13. AMERICA
14. BROTHER LOVE’S TRAVELLING SALVATION SHOW
15. I’VE BEEN THIS WAY BEFORE

The Band’s 'Music from Big Pink' marks 50 years with deluxe reissue

On July 1, 1968, The Band’s debut album Music from Big Pink arrived and eventually became a seminal release of the era. Now, Capitol/UMe will put out newly remixed and expanded 50th Anniversary Edition packages Aug. 31. They include a Super Deluxe CD/Blu-ray/2LP/7-inch vinyl box set with a hardbound book; 1CD, digital, 180-gram 2LP black vinyl, and limited edition 180-gram 2LP pink vinyl packages.

All the Anniversary Edition configurations feature a new stereo mix for the album, produced by Bob Clearmountain from the original four-track analog masters, achieving a striking clarity and incorporating some previously unreleased chatter from the studio sessions. The 50th Anniversary Edition’s CD, digital, and box set configurations also include five outtakes and alternate recordings from the ‘Big Pink’ sessions and a previously unreleased a cappella version of “I Shall Be Released.”

Exclusively for the box set, Clearmountain has also produced a new 5.1 surround mix for the album and the bonus tracks, presented on Blu-ray with the new stereo mix in high resolution audio (96kHz/24bit). All the new audio mixes have been mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering.

The box set also includes an exclusive reproduction of The Band’s 1968 7-inch vinyl single for “The Weight” / “I Shall Be Released” in their new stereo mixes and a hardbound book with a new essay by noted music journalist David Fricke and classic photos by Elliott Landy. For the album’s new vinyl editions, Chris Bellman cut the vinyl lacquers for the album’s new stereo mix at 45rpm at Bernie Grundman Mastering, expanding the album’s vinyl footprint from one LP to two. The black and pink vinyl LPs were pressed at GZ Vinyl / Precision.

A new stereo mix of “The Weight” is available for streaming and for immediate download with digital album preorder. Preorder Music from Big Pink (50th Anniversary Edition): https://TheBand.lnk.to/BigPink50

Watch a brief trailer video for Music from Big Pink (50th Anniversary Edition): https://youtu.be/rPxNzHKAJCw

Some history: Before naming themselves The Band, the group’s members shared an extensive collaborative history. Between 1960 and 1962, then-teenaged multi-instrumentalists Levon Helm (drums, vocals, mandolin), Robbie Robertson (guitar, piano, vocals), Rick Danko (bass, vocals, fiddle), Richard Manuel (keyboards, vocals, drums), and Garth Hudson (keyboards, horns) first performed and recorded together as members of Ronnie Hawkins’ backing band, the Hawks. In late 1963, the Hawks struck out on their own and became Levon & the Hawks, playing and recording under this name in 1964 and 1965.

In 1965, Robertson met with Bob Dylan in New York, just as Dylan was seeking an electric guitarist for his touring band. All the former Hawks backed Dylan on the road from October 1965 through 1966 as he incensed audiences in the U.S., Australia and Europe, performing electric sets. Disheartened by the vocally disdainful ‘folkie purist’ audience response to their first plugged-in performances with Dylan, Helm left the group in November 1965.

After the 1966 tour concluded, Robertson, Danko, Manuel, and Hudson woodshedded for the next year at the ‘Big Pink’ house in West Saugerties, New York, often in the company of Dylan, who lived in nearby Woodstock. Helm re-joined them in October 1967 and The Band was born, as the group wrote new music and prepared to record their first full-length album.Robbie Robertson recalls, “The harmonies started to blossom. The thing just kept growing.” ‘Big Pink’ was a refuge, a creative lair for The Band and for Dylan, who recorded sessions there that were soon bootlegged as “The Basement Tapes.”

For Music from Big Pink’s recording sessions, The Band traveled to New York’s A&R Recording and Los Angeles’ iconic Capitol Studios, with some additional session work done at Gold Star Studios in LA. David Fricke sets the scene in his essay for the new box set’s book: “The album was made just as The Band wrote and played the songs in that house – in a circle, as if in ceremony…”

“We had all of that gathering – the woodshedding and paying our dues, all of that dripping into the music,” Robertson explains. “This didn’t sound like anything we had done with Ronnie Hawkins, what we had done as Levon and the Hawks, or what we played on the Dylan tour. This was a music that – hopefully – lived in a time and space that you couldn’t quite put your finger on.”

In his 1993 memoir, titled This Wheel’s On Fire, Levon Helm wrote, “We wanted Music from Big Pink to sound like nothing anyone else was doing. This was our music, honed in isolation from the radio and contemporary trends.”

While Music from Big Pink achieved moderate success upon release, peaking at No. 30 on the Billboard 200 chart, it is recognized as one of the most important albums in popular music history.

In 1989, The Band was inducted into Canada’s Juno Hall of Fame and five years later they were accorded the same honor by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2008, The Band was honored with The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

THE BAND: Music from Big Pink (50th Anniversary Edition)

CD; Digital

2018 stereo mix (included in the box set and available individually)

1. Tears Of Rage
2. To Kingdom Come
3. In A Station
4. Caledonia Mission
5. The Weight
6. We Can Talk
7. Long Black Veil
8. Chest Fever
9. Lonesome Suzie
10. This Wheel’s On Fire
11. I Shall Be Released

Bonus Tracks:

12. Yazoo Street Scandal (Outtake)
13. Tears Of Rage (Alternate Take)
14. Long Distance Operator (Outtake)
15. Lonesome Suzie (Alternate Take)
16. Key To The Highway (Outtake)
17. I Shall Be Released (A Cappella)

BLU-RAY

Tracklist above in new 5.1 surround mix + 96kHz/24bit high resolution stereo (exclusive to the box set)

2LP VINYL

180g black vinyl (included in the box set and available individually); ltd. edition 180g pink vinyl (available individually)

“The Weight”

Reproduced 1968 7-inch single (exclusive to the box set)

A. The Weight
B. I Shall Be Released