Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

Will The Real Wishbone Ash Please Stand Up

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:44:00 +0000

Founding member of the legendary classic rock band Wishbone Ash, Andy Powell, is setting the record straight about the recent controversy surrounding the ownership and usage of the group's name. A band fronted by another founding member, Martin Turner, is also being promoted as Wishbone Ash, creating confusion among fans and press.

“It’s local promoters taking advantage of the good work this band has been doing,” said Powell. Most recently, Martin Turner’s German shows have been promoted under the Wishbone Ash moniker, prompting Powell to seek legal recourse. “Myself and the band’s business partners—people who have worked for years to keep the band treading the boards and keeping the recorded catalog current—see it as a raiding party,” said Powell. “I am now taking legal action in respect of this infringement of my trade mark. It’s time to stop this nonsense.”

Powell, a guitar legend in his own right, and the only remaining founding member, has recorded and toured exclusively under the Wishbone Ash banner since 1969--more than 40 years. In the last 20 years alone, Wishbone Ash has released 15 CDs (including nine studio releases) and five DVDs. None of these has featured Martin Turner. The band’s most recent release, The Power of Eternity, has garnered rave reviews from the music press internationally.

During the band’s early history, the lineup changed several times, with founding members leaving and rejoining. When, in 1993, Powell became the sole remaining original member, there was no thought of calling it a day. Powell later registered the trade mark Wishbone Ash in 1998. He has maintained the mark since then, producing numerous DVDs and CDs of new material. In addition to being co-writer on the majority of the recorded works, he’s performed around 4,000 Ash shows worldwide.

"My mandate was to simply carry forward with the band," Powell said, "as has always been the case since 1974 when the first member to leave, Ted Turner, tendered his resignation. This continuity has overwhelmingly always been what the fans have wanted, and they proved that in the early 1990s by backing our recording and promotion of the album Illuminations. At no time did I consider the band dead; we'd been through worse”.

In recent years Martin Turner registered www.wishboneash.co.uk . He then tentatively resurfaced using the name 'Wishbone featuring Martin Turner' performing Wishbone Ash songs from the very early part of the band's career. All was fine for a year or so until the name of Martin Turner’s band was changed to Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash. His ".co.uk" website started pushing the Wishbone Ash aspect of the name firmly to the fore. Then, making matters worse, some Turner gigs were actually being promoted as ‘Wishbone Ash’ concerts. Fans who turned up expecting the long-running Powell-fronted band were disappointed and confused. Journalists who were unaware of the band’s history sometimes wrote about Turner’s band as if it actually were Wishbone Ash. Inevitably, this sparked claims of ‘passing off ’ from Wishbone Ash and its business partners.

"Over the years, band members had left in a piecemeal fashion to pursue solo careers and other ventures," said Powell. "Anyone who has followed the band knows that Martin Turner, for example, quit in 1980 and again in 1991 after a brief three-year reunion.” After leaving in '91 Martin produced a solo album. “His own website says that he'd 'moved on' from Wishbone Ash, using the name Martin Turner and calling the CD Walking the Reeperbahn,” said Powell. “This had nothing to do with Wishbone Ash and seemed to be a move on Martin Turner's part to distance himself from the band and take his career in another direction. His website actually at one point admitted that I was a continuous member of the one true band and that he was not."

Founded in England in 1969, Wishbone Ash has released more than 30 albums to date, and has been touted as one of the first dual-guitar rock bands. Rolling Stone magazine counted Ash guitarists Andy Powell and Ted Turner among the world’s top 20 best of all time. The group’s 1972 classic release, Argus, was voted Album Of The Year by readers of UK’s Melody Maker and NME. It was remixed and reissued in 2002 as a special 30th anniversary edition and consequently was the fastest selling reissue in MCA’s history. Powell’s name is synonymous with the Gibson Flying V. Over the years, he has been prominently featured in such notable publications as Guitar, Guitarist and, most recently, Vintage Guitar. He has also recorded with the likes of George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Stewart Copeland and Renaissance.

Wishbone Ash’s current line-up also features former Gringos Locos guitarist Jyrki “Muddy” Manninen, a five-year Ash veteran who brings a rootsy style to the band with his slide playing. Bassist Bob Skeat has been in Wishbone Ash for 12 years and has also in the past, worked with everyone from Colin Blunstone, Gilbert O’Sullivan and Chris Farlowe to Princess Stephanie of Monaco. Interestingly, he worked with Ash’s other 1970s guitar titan, Laurie Wisefield, in Brian May’s musical hit “We Will Rock You.” Drummer Joe Crabtree has worked with the likes of King Crimson's David Cross and Pendragon.

Wishbone Ash has embarked on an intensive tour plan taking the band 'round to next July in celebration of its 40th anniversary. The October tour of the UK began on the 2nd and ends the first week of November. Then in January 2010 the band hits the road again for the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia. Canada's blues prodigy, Jimmy Bowskill, will be opening for the band on this six-week tour. For a complete list of tour dates and venues, visit www.wishboneash.com/tourdates.

In addition, the band will revisit Warsaw and Poznan in Poland, along with the Czech Republic. A USA East Coast tour is in the final booking stages, planned for March 2010. Italy and Switzerland will also be visited this time around, just prior to the usual spring UK tour. A USA West Coast tour and a possible Far East visit are being discussed for June. The new DVD Wishbone Ash 40 - Live in London was released in Europe on Oct. 10. This 40th anniversary show from Shepherd's Bush Empire was produced by RCN TV, the same team who made the highly acclaimed Wishbone Ash Live in Hamburg DVD.

For more information visit the official Wishbone Ash website: www.wishboneash.com

Aerosmith To Carry On Without Tyler?

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:30:00 +0000

FMQB is reporting that before Aerosmith's recent show at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Steven Tyler said he will spend 2010 working on solo projects. "I don’t know what I’m doing yet, but it’s definitely going to be something Steven Tyler: working on the brand of myself – Brand Tyler," he told Classic Rock magazine. He also cryptically stated, "Once the band hit the final note and I walk off stage – then I’ll tell you the whole story."

The magazine also said that off stage there appears to be some friction within the band, and that no one sees Tyler until they go on stage as his dressing room is located far away from the rest of the group. Aerosmith will reportedly meet over the next couple of weeks to discuss future plans, possibly without Tyler.

"I'm not sure how good that would look, it would largely depend on who we could get and who would want to do it. That’s big shoes to fill," guitarist Brad Whitford told Classic Rock, referring to the idea of the group performing with a different singer. "Nobody could replace Steven or imitate him – he's one of a kind. But if somebody was willing to do it and the chemistry was right, why not?"

Still Keeping The Blues Live & Loud : An Exclusive Interview With One Of Austin's Kings Of Tone, Blues Rock Guitar Legend Van Wilks

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:30:00 +0000

In a career spanning over three decades Austin, Texas based guitarist Van Wilks has forged a blazing blues rock path filled with some of the most impressive playing to be found in the genre.

Lauded as one of the city's master players by both critics, fans and fellow musicians such as Eric Johnson and Billy Gibbons, the consistency of his work has made him stand out in a scene overfilled with hot guitarists year after year. While hot in - the - moment young axeslingers come and go, Wilks has earned the vast respect not only for his longevity, but for his commitment to his craft. Always learning a trick or two from newer players, he's succeeded in keeping his music fresh and vital in a genre characterized and bound in many ways by tradition.

Beginning his recording career with the hard rocking critically acclaimed Mercury Records release 'Bombay Tears' in 1980, an album hailed by the English rock mag Kerrang! as "a masterpiece",Wilks soon found himself out on the road touring the world with ZZ Top (with whom he shared management with at the time), Heart, Point Blank and others, showcasing in a live setting the taste and raw power which has seen him top both reader's and critics' polls in Austin as best guitarist time and time again. Declared "a perfect cross between Jimi Hendrix and Van Halen" by the Austin-American Statesman, his incendiary live performances have left many an audience stunned throughout the globe.

When more than deserving rock n roll success eluded him, Wilks turned towards a more bluesy direction after a long recording hiatus with 1995's 'Soul of a Man'. Still inspired by the English guitarists such as Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page,blues greats Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy alongside Jimi Hendrix, it was welcomed by both fans and critics warmly.

1999's 'Koko's Hideway', (which included a duet with Eric Johnson) 2002's 'Texas Jukin' and 2005's 'Running From Ghosts' continued the streak, with critics expousing platitudes in abundance at his outstanding instrumental and songwriting skills, once again establishing him as a unique force to be reckoned with in the highly competitive blues scene. Recently voted by the Austin Chronicle as both Best Acoustic Guitarist and Best Electric Guitarist 2009, its a testament to his enduring presence and talent.

Now Wilks is back with his first ever live album, 'Live & Loud From Austin, Texas'. Packaged as a combination CD/DVD package, for the first time those who have never had the opportunity to witness this exceptionally talented guitarist in a live setting will have the chance to do so. Although admittedly a bit short at 45 minutes due to it being recorded during an opening slot for Robin Trower, it still manages to convey the excitement of seeing and hearing the scorching hot blues rock attack which has been his stock in trade for many a year.

Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to catch up with Van at his home in Austin, where the topics of discussion ranged from the new live album, his thoughts on European versus American audiences, Stevie Ray Vaughan, the music scene in Austin, touring with ZZ Top, his musical influences and much, much more. Read on as we have an exclusive conversation with one of Austin's true kings of blues tone, Mr. Van Wilks at this location.

"Without A Word" from 'Live & Loud From Austin Texas" :

Paul McCartney : "The Beatles Weren't That Good"

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:24:00 +0000

The UK's Sun is reporting Sir Paul McCartney admits The Beatles weren't much cop when they first formed.

Realizing they sounded average at best, Macca wasn't surprised in 1962 when record label Decca refused to sign the band - who went on to become the biggest of all time.

In an interview with Xfm's Ian Camfield he said: "We obviously weren't that good. We were formulating it all.

"You wouldn't have thought we were that great. You'd have turned us down if you were a record company. And they did - Decca turned us down!"

Soon after Decca snubbed the Fab Four, producer George Martin signed them to EMI's Parlophone label and the band - prior to sticksman Ringo Starr's arrival - went on to play a 48-night residency in a Hamburg, Germany, club.

It was during this formative era that they honed their sound and learned the art of wowing crowds.

Macca said: "When we first went to Hamburg, and there'd be no-one in the club.

"You'd see a couple of students, maybe a guy and his girlfriend, and they'd look in a bit tentatively, look up at the price of the beer, see it was too much and start walking out.

"So we'd go, 'Come on, everybody, get back in here! It's all happening!'

"So we'd learned to attract an audience. After a few weeks, we'd be really packing those clubs.

"It taught us that game of how to win over an audience.

"We learned loads of songs, so by the time we got back to England, we had quite a big repertoire."

The Doors' 'Live In New York' Box Set To See Release November 10th

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0000

Rhino and Bright Midnight Archives unleash four performances from The Doors' final tour with 'Live In New York'. The latest addition to the band's acclaimed series of archival concert releases, this six-disc collection contains all four of The Doors' performances - in their entirety - recorded in 1970 at the Felt Forum in New York City. The collection will be available November 10 at all retail outlets, including www.thedoors.com and www.rhino.com, for suggested list price of $89.98 for the physical boxed set. A digital version featuring select highlights from all four Felt Forum shows will also be available at all digital retail outlets for $9.99.

Recorded January 17 and 18, 1970 - just a few weeks before the release of Morrison Hotel - these concerts find Jim Morrison, John Densmore, Robby Krieger, and Ray Manzarek locked in tight as they deliver smoking takes on soon-to-be-classics from their forthcoming album, including 'Roadhouse Blues,' 'Peace Frog,' 'Ship Of Fools,' and 'Maggie M'Gill.' The shows also feature a number of driving blues covers, such as Bo Diddley's 'Who Do You Love,' Howlin' Wolf's 'Little Red Rooster,' and John Lee Hooker's 'Crawling King Snake.' 'Those were the bluesy songs we always used to do,' Krieger says.

'We probably hadn't done them in years, but we resurrected them for these shows.'

These shows represent The Doors' final New York City performances with Morrison, who passed away July 3, 1971.

Steve Miller, Zakk Wylde, Ace Frehley, Jennifer Batten Among Those Paying Tribute To Les Paul In Nashville

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:44:00 +0000

Gibson Guitar, the world’s premier musical instrument manufacturer and home of the cherished Les Paul guitar model along with the Gibson Foundation has announced a sell-out tribute show in honor of the late, great Les Paul at the historic Ryman Auditorium, former home to the Grand Ole Opry, in Nashville on Thursday, November 19, 2009.

Tickets, which were made available to the public on Monday, October 26th, were free and open to the many fans of Les Paul and Gibson Guitar. Les Paul, the innovator and inventor who passed away at 94 years old this past August was known throughout the world as the man who created multi-track recording and the father of the electric guitar. Many musicians pay homage to Les Paul and credit their careers and musicianship directly to him.

For fans that missed out on getting a ticket, Gibson will soon be releasing a special allotment of tickets to the general public on the website www.gibson.com/lespaultribute. Fans still interested in obtaining tickets to the show should go to this website regularly for information on this opportunity as well as links to various promotional and media opportunities to win tickets.

Les Paul’s son, Russ Paul, along with Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO, Henry Juszkiewicz and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum President Terry Stewart will emcee the 90 minute program which will begin at 8pm at the Ryman (doors open at 7pm CT). The Les Paul Trio, widely known for their Monday night performances with Les Paul at the Iridium in New York while Les was alive, will serve as house band and be joined on stage by musical great Steve Miller, also Les Paul’s godson. The evening will be a mix of Les Paul’s music and instrumentals and supported by chart-topping musical acts own memories of Les Paul and their own performances in tribute to the man, the music and the guitar.

Joining Steve Miller for the show will be rock’s elite including Ace Frehley, Zakk Wylde and Jennifer Batten. Joining them will be contemporary artist Josh Kelley and Nashville’s own country hit-makers Wynonna Judd, John Rich, Charlie Daniels, Emerson Drive, JD Souther and Steve Wariner. NY Jazz artist Sarah Partridge will perform a special rendition of Les’ own version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow while Anna Wilson will take the stage to perform her personal jazz remembrance.

Les Paul was an acclaimed guitar player, entertainer and inventor. One of the foremost influences on 20th century sound and responsible for the world’s most famous guitar, the Les Paul model, Les Paul’s prestigious career in music and invention spans from the 1930s to the present. Though he’s indisputably one of America’s most popular, influential, and accomplished electric guitarists, Les Paul is best known as an early innovator in the development of the solid body guitar. His groundbreaking design would become the template for Gibson’s best-selling electric, the Les Paul model, introduced in 1952. Today, countless musical legends still consider Paul’s iconic guitar unmatched in sound and prowess. Among Paul’s most enduring contributions are those in the technological realm, including ingenious developments in multi-track recording, guitar effects, and the mechanics of sound in general. Les Paul passed away this past August at the age of 94.

ELP To Headline Classic Rock’s High Voltage Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:41:00 +0000

Classic Rock Magazine is reporting that Emerson Lake And Palmer will headline the High Voltage Festival, the UK’s new flagship classic rock event, on Sunday, July 26, 2010.

The launch of the High Voltage Festival was announced by Classic Rock’s Editor In Chief, Scott Rowley, at the Classic Rock Roll Of Honour at London’s Park Lane Hotel this past Monday (November 2).

The High Voltage Festival is a joint venture between Classic Rock magazine and The Mean Fiddler organization.

According to ELP, fans can expect “cannons, pyrotechnics and a supreme production alongside the stunning musicianship and songs that made ELP the legends they truly are”.

Former Deep Purple, Black Sabbath Vocalist Glenn Hughes To Join Joe Bonamassa Onstage At House Of Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:19:00 +0000

The "Voice Of Rock", legendary vocalist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Trapeze, Black Sabbath) has been asked by hard rockin' blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa to join him live onstage on Thursday, November 12th to perform a couple of classic songs from Glenn's Trapeze and Deep
Purple days.

It all takes place at House Of Blues, Sunset Strip (Hollywood) in Los Angeles, as part of the "King of the Blues" Guitar Center contest finals. Tickets can be had through the Ticketmaster link below:

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0900432E038A9AB3?artistid=838397&majorcatid=10
001&minorcatid=4

Iggy Pop, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Ron Wood, Joe Bonamassa Amongst Those Scoring Classic Rock Roll Of Honour Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:49:00 +0000

The 2009 Classic Rock Roll Of Honour Awards were held last night (November 2nd) at London’s Park Lane Hotel. The star studded event saw Iggy Pop picking up awards alongside The Rolling Stones'' Ron Wood, late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, Cream's Ginger Baker and hard rockin' blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa.

Wood was awarded for his contribution to The Rolling Stones as well as The Jeff Beck Group and The Faces.

John Bonham was posthumously awarded the Tommy Vance Inspiration Award with his wife and daughter collecting the award.

Wood was handed his accolade by The Who's Pete Townshend. Guitarists Slash (Velvet Revolver, ex-Guns N' Roses) and Brian May of Queen also attended the awards.

Iron Maiden were declared Band Of The Year with AC/DC picking up Album Of The Year for Black Ice.

Guitarist Bonamassa, whose latest studio album 'The Ballad Of John Henry' was also up for Album Of The Year, was awarded Breakthrough Artist Of The Year.

Chickenfoot, the supergroup comprised of Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani were tapped as Best New Band.

The Spirit of Prog Award was handed to Dream Theater, with Mike Portnoy paying tribute to Radiohead and The Mars Volta in his speech.

Classic Songwriter went to Paul Rodgers, Aerosmith's Rocks was named Classic Album while Mott The Hoople scooped Comeback of the Year.

Photos from the event can be viewed here.

Band You Should Know : Hard Driving Blues Power Trio Devils Creek

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:02:00 +0000

Inspired by the classic guitar driven blues rock of the late 60's and 70's, UK power trio Devils Creek seem intent on keeping alive the time honored tradition first forged by greats such as Rory Gallagher, Alvin Lee and Ten Years After and Status Quo years ago.

Formed in 2006, led by guitarist/vocalist Guy Rosewall, featuring a crack rhythm section in bassist Tim Chapple and drummer Alan Ibbotson, their 2008 debut album 'Bullfrog Blues' combined a classic approach with an attack favored by heavy rock, particularly evident in the ultra heavy bass sound not normally heard in the genre.

Featuring a hard driving electric version of Rory Gallagher's "Seven Days" which would surely make the late great Irish guitarist proud, the entire offering is a solid testament to the enduring power and influence of blues inflected rock - especially the variety in which a wailing Fender Strat comes front and center.

Now in the middle of sessions for their second studio album, several tracks being already available for preview on the band's MySpace page it's quite clear based on the fresh evidence on display that these three aren't likely to stray from their vision any time in the foreseeable future.

Classic Jethro Tull 1978 Madison Square Garden Show Released On DVD/CD

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:15:00 +0000

Our good friends at antiMusic are reporting that Virgin/EMI has just released a classic Jethro Tull concert for the first time, in DVD/CD and digital audio collections. Filmed and recorded live in New York City on October 14, 1978, Jethro Tull: Live At Madison Square Garden 1978 features more than 90 minutes of music and video presented in 5.1 DTS and Dolby Surround.

Jethro Tull: Live At Madison Square Garden 1978, documented during Tull's "Heavy Horses" tour, includes stellar performances of many of the band's most popular songs, including "Aqualung," "Locomotive Breath," "Songs From The Wood," "Thick As A Brick," "Heavy Horses," and many more. This concert also marked the first time a rock act was beamed live from America on British television.

Jethro Tull has released 30 studio and live albums, selling more than 60 million copies since the band first performed at London's famous Marquee club. Tull's founder, the influential singer and flautist Ian Anderson, is touring 20 U.S. cities in October and November.

Jethro Tull: Live At Madison Square Garden 1978 (DVD/CD)
DVD
1. Sweet Dream
2. One Brown Mouse
3. Heavy Horses
4. Opening
5. Thick As A Brick
6. No Lullaby (including flute solo from God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen)
7. Songs From The Wood
8. Band Intro
9. Quatrain
10. Aqualung
11. Locomotive Breath (including Dambusters March)
12. Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll: Too Young To Die
13. My God/Cross Eyed Mary
14. Locomotive Breath (Encore) (including Dambusters March)
CD
1. Sweet Dream
2. One Brown Mouse
3. Heavy Horses
4. Thick As A Brick
5. No Lullaby (including flute solo from God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen)
6. Songs From The Wood
7. Quatrain
8. Aqualung
9. Locomotive Breath (including Dambusters March)
10. Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll: Too Young To Die
11. My God/Cross Eyed Mary

Jethro Tull: Live At Madison Square Garden 1978 (digital audio)
1. Sweet Dream
2. One Brown Mouse
3. Heavy Horses
4. Thick As A Brick
5. No Lullaby (including flute solo from God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen)
6. Songs From The Wood
7. Quatrain
8. Aqualung
9. Locomotive Breath (including Dambusters March)
10. Too Old To Rock 'N' Roll: Too Young To Die
11. My God/Cross Eyed Mary

Ian Anderson: confirmed U.S. tour dates

NOVEMBER
3 Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre
5 Anaheim, CA The Grove of Anaheim
6 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
7 San Luis Obispo, CA Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center - Harmon Hall
8 Modesto, CA Gallo Center for the Arts - Mary Stuart Rogers
9 San Francisco, CA The Warfield Theatre
10 Santa Rosa, CA Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
13 Portland, OR Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
14 Seattle, WA Moore Theatre
15 Spokane, WA Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox

Blues Harmonica Great Norton Buffalo Passes Away At 58

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:22:00 +0000

Blues and rock harmonica great Norton Buffalo, who spent the past 32 years as a member of The Steve Miller Band, has passed away October 30 at the age of 58 after a short bout with cancer.

Buffalo had been diagnosed with lung cancer in September, when after a concert he complained of feeling ill. He was diagnosed with stage 4 Adenocarcinoma of the lower right lobe. The next day. he found out that it had spread to his brain.

Born September 28, 1951 in Oakland, California, he earned perhaps his greatest success as a member of the Steve Miller Band, a position he held for over two decades beginning in the mid-1970s; as a session player, Buffalo also lent his harmonica skills to records from performers including the Doobie Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Cash and Elvin Bishop. He issued his solo debut, Lovin’ in the Valley of the Moon, on Capitol in 1977, followed a year later by Desert Horizon.

After spending the 1980s primarily as a sideman, Buffalo teamed with blues slide guitarist Roy Rogers in 1991 for R&B, which earned a Grammy nomination for the track “Song for Jessica”; the duo’s follow-up, Travellin’ Tracks, appeared a year later. Additionally, Buffalo led his own band, the Knockouts.

The Black Crowes To Get Cabin Fever In November

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:59:00 +0000

The UK's Classic Rock station Planet Rock is reporting The Black Crowes are to release a brand new DVD entitled Cabin Fever on November 23.

Cabin Fever is a behind the scenes/performance film capturing the band’s remarkable recording sessions for their current album, Before The Frost…Until The Freeze.

The brand new studio album was recorded as live in front of a tiny studio audience at Levon Helms’ studio near Woodstock earlier this year.

The DVD will show the between song banter with the audience, behind the scenes rehearsals and interviews.

Here’s the trailer:

The Faces To Reunite With Rod Stewart in 2010?

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:50:00 +0000

Rod Stewart has given the strongest indication yet that The Faces are set to reform.

The band who played a Royal Albert Hall show last week, did so without their original frontman Rod Stewart with Bad Company's Paul Rodgers taking on vocal duties.

"[They had] a reunion a without me because I'm promoting this album ['Soulbook']," Stewart told CNN . "Hopefully, I'll get me old job back. It's on the cards. I'll do it eventually." He added.

The band have previously stated they were set to reform but seemingly Stewart's and Wood's involvement with their own careers has stopped it from happening.

TheFaces split up in 1975 after guitarist Ronnie Wood began playing with The Rolling Stones.

Clapton Pulls Out Of Rock Hall Concert After Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:31:00 +0000

Eric Clapton has pulled out of this week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert in New York after undergoing gallstone surgery.

Kristen Foster, a publicist for the guitarist, said Tuesday that Clapton was doing well and recuperating with his family in England.

The hall says Jeff Beck will replace the 64-year-old guitarist for Friday night's show at Madison Square Garden.

Clapton was to perform as part of a two-night celebration in honor of the hall's 25th anniversary. Beck now joins U2, Aretha Franklin and Metallica for the final night.

The Thursday lineup includes Crosby, Stills and Nash; Stevie Wonder; and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. HBO will air the concerts Nov. 29.

Clapton's Web site says he remains committed to his 2010 concert schedule.

Book Reveals David Bowie Used Witchcraft To Beat Cocaine Paranoia

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:47:00 +0000

A white witch helped cure David Bowie of his crippling drug-fueled paranoia, according to a revealing new book about the rock star.

Writer Mark Spitz spent years talking to Bowie, as well as the rocker's family and friends, in a bid to explode myths about the Let's Dance legend in his new tome, "Bowie."

And Spitz reveals how the rocker called on magic to help him get through a terrifying part of his life.

In the book, Spitz writes, "While planning the follow-up to "Young Americans" (album), Bowie would sit in the house with a pile of high-quality cocaine atop the glass coffee table, a sketch pad and a stack of books. Psychic Self Defense was his favorite. Its author describes the book as a 'safeguard for protecting yourself against paranormal malevolence.' Using this and more arcane books on witchcraft, white magic and its malevolent counterpart, black magic, as rough guides to his own rapidly fragmenting psyche, Bowie began drawing protective pentagrams on every surface."

Bowie told the author, "I'd stay up for weeks. Even people like Keith Richards were floored by it. And there were pieces of me all over the floor. I paid with the worst manic depression of my life. My psyche went through the roof, it just fractured into pieces. I was hallucinating 24 hours a day."

Spitz adds, "Increasingly Bowie was convinced there were witches after his semen. They were intent on using it to make a child to sacrifice to the devil, essentially the plot to Roman Polanski's 1968 supernatural classic Rosemary's Baby."

A friend hooked Bowie up with New York-based white witch Walli Elmlark.

The author adds, "Elmlark quickly and successfully exorcised the pool. Angie (Bowie), who was living there at the time, noted that it started to bubble and smoke, and that it only rained outside David's window while the rest of the L.A. sky was clear. Elmlark wrote a series of spells and incantations out for Bowie as he continued to wrestle with the forces of darkness."

Joe - Mule : Hard Rockin' Blues Guitarist Joe Bonamassa Joins Gov't Mule In Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:14:00 +0000

Last night, October 24th at the Riviera Theater in Chicago, Illinois, hard rockin' blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa joined Warren Haynes and Gov't Mule onstage during their second set, trading licks for a spellbinding version of "Sco-Mule" and tearing it up on a cover of the Albert King classic "Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home."

The guitarist, whose brand new DVD 'Live From The Royal Albert Hall' (released October 6th) debuted at #6 on Billboard's DVD Chart, was in Chicago for his own sold out show at the Vic Theater. Gov't Mule's new studio album 'By A Thread' is due out this week, October 27th via Evil Teen Records.

Record Dealer Turns Up Ultra-Rare 'Sgt. Pepper' Album

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:38:00 +0000

There was something odd about the copy of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band LP John Tefteller was staring at.

The faces were different. Where John, Paul, George and Ringo were supposed to be, others had taken their place.

“At first look, I thought, ‘Okay, this is a standard Sgt. Pepper LP, but — hey, wait a minute, it’s still sealed. It’s not opened,’” relates Tefteller, owner of John Tefteller’s World’s Rarest Records. “And then as I look at it closely, I go, ‘Whoa, whoa. Wait a minute. There’s no Beatles on here. Who are all these people?’ ”

Those people worked for Capitol Records, and Tefteller was about to find out this particular Sgt. Pepper album was no ordinary Beatles record. In fact, it may be one of the rarest Fab Four LPs of all time, and at this writing, he is negotiating its sale to noted Beatles collector Stan “The Beatleman” Panenka.

According to Tefteller, while traveling earlier this year he received a call from a woman whose deceased husband was a Capitol Records executive who worked for the company in Los Angeles.

“He had a collection of mainly jazz and easy-listening LPs,” says Tefteller. “And I don’t normally go out to look at something like that because I’m not really into either of those categories, but I just thought, ‘Well, all right. Capitol Records? Maybe there’s something else in there.’ ”

So he made an appointment to see the records. The woman did say there was a bit of rock ’n’ roll in the collection, and “… as I’m going through the LPs, she says something about, ‘Well, there’s a Sgt. Pepper album in there,’” says Tefteller. “I’m like, yeah, okay. And I just figured, normal Sgt. Pepper album, no big deal, whatever. It’s cute to see one, but they’re not particularly rare unless they’re like factory-sealed in mono, or something. Or factory-sealed original stereo. They could have some value. Just in general I figured all these LPs look like they’re open and used. This is going to be just a standard Sgt. Pepper LP.”

But that was not the case. When Tefteller asked about the record, she replied, “This was one that was given to my husband. The other people on this cover are all Capitol Records executives.”

Tefteller admitted he’d never heard of this before, and he initially dismissed it. “I didn’t know what it was,” he says. “I thought, well, maybe it’s some kind of fake or repro, but it didn’t look like a fake and it didn’t look like a repro. So I just thought, ‘This is unique.’ So based on finding that in the collection, I bought the collection, ’cause she wanted to sell everything.”

When Tefteller got the records, including that strange version of Sgt. Pepper, home, he called Panenka to find out what he had. Panenka told him what he knew about it and said that there had been a couple like it that sold 20 or 30 years ago.

“None of these have turned up in the last 10 years or so,” says Tefteller. “And from what I understand, doing some further investigation, those copies were fairly well-used, whereas this one is factory-sealed in the original shrink and still in perfect condition.”

Tefteller and Panenka believe that only about 100 copies were ever made of this Sgt. Pepper rarity.

“We’re only speculating on that,” says Tefteller. ‘And the reason I say it’s a speculation and a guess is: One, there have only been three or four at most that have turned up over the last 30 years. That would lead you to think that there were very, very few of them made in the first place. Two, just in order to have one copy available to each of the people who are pictured on this front cover — and I would guess they would have more than one copy available to them, perhaps as many as two or three — you would be looking at a press run of around 100. In knowing what I know about how records are manufactured and the process that it takes to do that, it doesn’t make any sense for a record company, even one as large as Capitol, to go through all the trouble of making up a special cover, printing those covers and then factory sealing them and all that unless you’re going to do a minimum of a hundred.”

Since there is nothing really to compare it to at the present time, determining a value for this find is difficult. “I don’t even want to think about putting a specific dollar value on it,” says Tefteller.

Australian Prime Minister Unaware of Jimi Hendrix's Existence

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:07:00 +0000

Weeks before he was due to appear on the cover of the Australian Rolling Stone, the country's prime minister has been exposed as a rock 'n' roll ignoramus. A newspaper columnist writes that he once asked politician Kevin Rudd what he thought of Jimi Hendrix.

"Who's he?" replied Rudd.

During his 2007 campaign, Rudd was asked about his rock 'n' roll heroes. After mentioning Simon and Garfunkel, he went with Vivaldi. "I am a big fan of baroque," he said.

Rochester Retro Rockers The Chesterfield Kings To Release Live Album In November

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:59:00 +0000

Retro Rockers The Chesterfield Kings' 'live onstage...if you want it', a new live performance on CD, DVD, and vinyl will be released November 24th on Stevie Van Zandt's Wicked Cool Records.

Recorded in the band's hometown of Rochester, New York, as part of a special public television project, 'live onstage...if you want it' includes both electric and acoustic tracks, as well as a cover of Merle Haggard's "Sing Me Back Home." The album will be available in two packages: CD/DVD digipak, as well as a deluxe LP/CD/DVD (LP with an enclosed full-color CD/DVD.

The Chesterfield Kings - bona fide leaders of the modern Garage Rock movement - draw influences from a variety of genres and styles, including British Invasion, Punk Rock, Blues, and Rockabilly, creating a unique brand of reverb-soaked Rock and Roll that is truly their own.

The Byrds' Roger McGuinn Tried to Sway Metallica on Downloads

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:44:00 +0000

Spinner Canada is reporting that Metallica might not have faced a well-publicized fan backlash had the band listened to former Byrds frontman Roger McGuinn. When Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich was set to testify before Congress against file sharing back in 2000, McGuinn tells Spinner that he tried to convince Ulrich that downloads were the future.

"I talked to Lars, but he didn't seem to get it," says McGuinn, who presented Congress with counter testimony immediately after Metallica. "He was still firmly on the side of the record companies, thinking that people were ripping him off. My attitude was like, 'Hey -- it's the new radio.' You guys ought to be glad when people exploit your stuff and get it around because that means they're going to come to your concerts and buy your merchandise, and you'll make a lot more money that way."

Though 58 at the time -- and a product of the '60s -- McGuinn was ahead of the curve on downloads. Five years earlier, he had launched the Folk Den, a site where he offered free music. To this day, McGuinn still records one traditional folk song a month and offers it there as a free download.

If it seems odd that a 67-year-old would support new technology so much, consider that McGuinn has always been a pioneer. He is responsible the "jingle-jangle" guitar sound and his old band, the Byrds, are credited with kick-starting both psychedelic and country rock. Yet, his stance on downloads had more to do with record labels than technology.

"I'd say 90 percent of artists on record labels don't get money from record companies," says McGuinn, who once worked as a songwriter for $35 a week. "They get it from performances and other things."

McGuinn is disappointed that record labels have more recently gone after YouTube for copyright infringement.

"It's a new radio. It's a new MTV. It's a new media," he says, noting that YouTube provides valuable exposure for music. "To put it down is to shoot yourself in the foot."

While has always supported using technology to advance music, the man who gave us 'Eight Miles High,' 'Turn! Turn! Turn!' and 'Mr. Spaceman' doesn't see any musical value in the 'Rock Band' video games.

"'Rock Band' is not musicianship," he says. "'Rock Band' is hand-eye coordination ... it might be good for timing for a drummer or something, but you're not playing music with that."

Prog Rock Legends Gentle Giant To Digitally Release Seven Classic Albums November 3

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:38:00 +0000

On November 3rd 2009 Gentle Giant will be digitally releasing seven of their best-known albums and tracks in digital form for the very first time via their own Alucard label through EMI Music's Label Services unit.

This progressive rock band, which was active from 1970 through 1980, was made up of multi-instrumentalists, and lived to expand the frontiers of contemporary popular music at the risk of becoming very unpopular." The group's dozen albums combine a range of musical styles-jazz, pop, classical, British soul, rock, blues, medieval, pop, blues, Gentle Giant's legacy has become influential to a range of artists from the arena rock, jam band, virtuoso players, and chamber pop genres.

In a Glass House, The Power & The Glory, Freehand, Interview, Playing The Fool-The Official Live, The Missing Piece and Giant For a Day will become available through all digital channels.

The digital releases will also include previously unheard bonus tracks and artwork.

The band has chosen favorite live versions of songs from each album and some obscure radio sessions. Two of the bonus tracks “Intro 74” and “Intro 76” have been partially re-recorded, embellished and remixed by Kerry Minnear of the group.

Ritchie Blackmore: "I Get Very Bored And Distracted Very Easily"

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:55:00 +0000

Fender.com recently conducted an interview with guitar legend Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow, Blackmore's Night). A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

Fender.com: As a founding member of Deep Purple and Rainbow, it's very interesting that you have also become so successful in a totally different genre. When did you first feel an inclination towards Renaissance-inspired music?

Ritchie Blackmore: I felt an inclination towards Renaissance inspired music ever since I heard the song "Greensleeves" when I was 11 years old. And then again in 1972 when I heard David Munrow & Early Music Consort of London. I would always listen to this music at home or in the hotels on the road. I was fascinated by the sound of woodwind music from that era.

Fender.com: Blackmore's Night's debut album, "Shadow of the Moon", became a gold record, while the latest album, "Secret Voyage", debuted at #1 on the Billboard New Age charts, spending four weeks at that position and 41 weeks in the top ten. Although you've said you aren't a fan of being in the studio, you have certainly had tremendous success with your recordings. What creative approach do you take when making albums?

Ritchie Blackmore: The creative approach starts with a vague melody and vague chord progression, which I put down on a small hand recorder. The next step is Candice [Night, Ritchie's wife and Blackmore's Night's singer] humming a melody and we both decide whether there is any potential with the idea. If there is, Candice will go write the lyrics and we put that down on the recorder as well. I never make demos. Then when our producer is in town, he comes to the house and stays with us. We have a small studio downstairs. It's really a tavern turned into a studio. We record it in the house. I like to be spontaneous in the studio. I usually don't have too much worked out before I play.

Fender.com: You and Candice are often inspired by your castle visits, and have mentioned that you usually take the time to learn about the folklore of the local European communities that you visit. What's one of the strangest tales you have come across?

Ritchie Blackmore: Schloss Waldeck. It's a castle that we visit and sometimes play at that has a witches museum. It goes back to the 1300s. One night we did an interview in the dungeon and heard all sorts of paranormal sounds and screams; people walking with chains attached. We later found out the castle was made into a prison and many people were in chains while there.

Fender.com: "Secret Voyage" has been reviewed as an album that takes its listeners on a "musical quest — a voyage through time and space." The single "Locked Within the Crystal Ball" does that with a traditional melody written by King Alfonso X of Castile serving as the seed for your final arrangement and composition. Candice has called this the "Blackmore-izer." Can you describe this creative process in more detail?

Ritchie Blackmore: It just naturally unfolds. It makes the job much easier when you already have a melody that exists to work on. Sometimes it works adding modern instruments. Sometimes it doesn't. I think it worked on "Crystal Ball".

Fender.com: You also revisit the Rainbow classic "Rainbow Eyes" on the album. That was known as one of the softer Rainbow songs, described as somewhat ethereal. Did it lend itself well to a Blackmore's Night song, and how did you determine the re-arrangement?

Ritchie Blackmore: Anything that is melodic lends itself to be included in this band. Originally it was very acoustic and this time around we added the electric guitar to give it a different dimension.

Fender.com: Your guitar intro to Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" is widely considered as one of the most famous rock 'n' roll riffs ever. The lyrics of the song were inspired by the experiences the band had when a fire broke out at the Montreux Casino concert hall in Montreux, Switzerland, but how did you come up with the famous riff?

Ritchie Blackmore : Ian Paice (Deep Purple drummer) and I often used to jam, just the two of us. It was a natural riff to play at the time. It was the first thing that came into my head during that jam.

Fender.com: It's been said that you never play the same set when you tour or play a song the same way twice. Is this improvisational style a desire to stay unique, a continual search for perfectionism, or do you just get bored easy with being repetitive?

Ritchie Blackmore : The last one. I get very bored and distracted very easily. I can never remember set pieces, set lines or set anything. I would never be able to be an actor.

Fender.com: Is it true that when your father bought you your first guitar at age 11 it was on the condition that he was going to have someone teach it to you properly or smash you across the head with it?

Ritchie Blackmore: Yes, that is true. He did say that. I think he was used to me, again, getting bored very easily and that it was a passing phase — that I wouldn't carry on playing the instrument. I initially wanted to be a trumpet player, but they were too expensive. Then a drummer, but they were too expensive. So my dad bought me a guitar. It was cheaper. I wanted to be Eddie Calvert; he was a trumpet player, when I was 8.

Fender.com: Could you talk about your evolution as a guitar player, from those early classical lessons to Deep Purple and Rainbow bassist and producer Roger Glover helping you to recognize that while playing with speed can look flashy, that slowing down and holding a note is also a true art?

Ritchie Blackmore: I realized when I first started playing the guitar I wanted to be very fast. Then I realized, when that wore off, that playing slower and with more feeling and emoting was much harder. It took me a few years to get used to playing slowly. Now I find it harder to play fast.

To read the entire interview go to this location.

Ryan McGarvey Provides A Starry Night For Lubbock

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:09:00 +0000

This past weekend, legendary rock photographer Robert M. Knight held a screening of the critically acclaimed documentary chronicling his four decade plus career 'Rock Prophecies' at the fifth annual Flatland Film Festival In Lubbock Texas.

Performing after the screening was up and coming blues rock guitarist Ryan McGarvey (who recently sat in with Joe Bonamassa this past August at the Mile High Blues Festival in Denver, Colorado) who provided a solo acoustic set for the multitude gathered for the event. Here's a brief taste in the form of "Starry Night" live in Lubbock, Texas October 17th, 2009 :(photo by Robert M. Knight)

Guns N' Roses Confirm Canadian Tour Dates

noreply@blogger.com (Nightwatcher) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:49:00 +0000

Planet Rock is reporting the much rumored, oft delayed and seemingly unlikely Guns N Roses live dates have finally been confirmed.

The band will play thirteen dates in Canada as part of a wider Chinese Democracy World Tour.

The shows kick off early in 2010 in Winnipeg and dates have been set for the rest of January and early February.

Judging by the fact that the dates have been announced as part of a “World Tour” it would suggest that the band will announcing more dates in the very near future.

According to the press release for the tour, the band will be made up of Axl Rose, Frank Ferrer, Tommy Stinson, Richard Fortus, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Dizzy Reed, and Chris Pitman plus new guitarist DJ Ashba, who joined earlier this year. They will apparently start rehearsals in LA very shortly.

Chinese Democracy was released in November 2008, fifteen years after GNR’s previous studio album. They last toured in 2006.

Here are the Canadian tour dates:

January
13 - Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre
16 - Calgary, AB - Pengrowth Saddledome
17 - Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place
19 - Saskatoon, SK - Credit Union Centre
20 - Regina, SK - Brandt Centre
24 - Hamilton, ON - Copps Coliseum
25 - London, ON - John Labatt Centre
27 - Montreal, PQ - Bell Centre
28 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre
31 - Ottawa, ON - Scotiabank Place

February
1 - Quebec City, PQ - Colisee Pepsi
3 - Moncton, NB - Moncton Coliseum
4 - Halifax, NS - Metro Centre