Sonic Syndicate We Rule The Night
This is one band that passed us by, then they went away and got a new singer and have re-invented themselves ready for the next decade ahead. Watching the new visual clip for ‘Burn This City’ and listening to their brand new album it’s obvious that they are now ready to step up a gear or two and really play with the bigger boys toys…
After having multiple chart entries all over Europe with their latest album “Love And Other Disasters” Sonic Syndicate directly attacked the world supporting NIGHTWISH on their US tour, IN FLAMES throughout Europe followed by a co-headlining tour with Swedish fellas and labelmates DEATHSTARS and more. After an intense year of touring the band received news that singer Roland Johansson is calling it quits in late April. Without delay, the band and management contacted Bandit Rock Radio “Stockholm” to announce the news and team up for what has become something more then they could ever have hoped for.
SONIC SYNDICATE have just announced a tour of the UK as part of their first full European headlining tour. Bassist Karin checked in to tell us: “AFTER AN AMAZING summer of festivals playing along side some of my all time favorite bands, the time has arrived! It’s just one month away until we unleash our forth full length album “ We Rule The Night “ and begin our very first headlining tour across Europe which includes 15 dates in the good ole’ United Kingdom.
“We’ve all been waiting patiently to release this album for quite a while now and we just can’t wait any longer to add the new songs to the setlist. This album is a big accomplishment for all of us in Sonic Syndicate and to have the chance to get back out on tour and share this with our legion of fans ” the sonic family “is just going to be a great experience, party and a memory that will last with us for ever. “See you guys soon!” // Karin xxxooo
Catch Sonic Syndicate at the following shows:
November 2010
24 SOUTHAMPTON JOINERS 0870 264 3333
25 EXETER CAVERN 01392 495370
26 HASTINGS THE CRYPT 01424 451 111
27 SOUTHEND-ON-SEA CHINNERY’S 01702 467305
28 BIRMINGHAM ACADEMY 3 0844 477 2000
30 NEWCASTLE ACADEMY 2 0844 477 2000
December:
01 GLASGOW CATHOUSE 0871 230 7131
02 MIDDLESBROUGH THE CROWN 0870 264 3333
03 MANCHESTER ROADHOUSE 0871 230 5595
04 LEEDS COCKPIT [3] 0113 2454650
06 SHEFFIELD CORPORATION 0114 2760262
07 BRISTOL ACADEMY 2 0844 477 2000
08 LEICESTER SUMO 0115 9129000
09 NORWICH ARTS CENTRE 01603 660352
10 LONDON UNDERWORLD 020 7482 1932
A diamond in the rough, a soul mate, a kick ass fucking singer that has so much hunger and talent to take the band to places they could never reach before. Thousands of submissions, countless auditions, hours of horror and an amazing partnership with Bandit Rock, Sonic Syndicate would like to introduce to you their new singer, Mr Nathan J Biggs (Born 1986. Shrewsbury, UK). Now, almost 1 year later, the band is about to release their third album on Nuclear Blast, “We Rule The Night”.
“We Rule the Night is a result of everything that Sonic Syndicate has been and has become. When Nathan joined the band in 2009 a fire ignited and everything just felt truly natural for the first time in many ways. We’re having more fun then ever, the music started flowing like water and We Rule the Night is the most exciting album we’ve recorded to date!”
The CD was recorded at Bohus Sound studios in Kungälv, Sweden and was mixed at Paramount Studios in North Hollywood, California by producer Toby Wright, who has previously worked with KORN, SLAYER, MÖTLEY CRÜE, KISS, FEAR FACTORY, IN FLAMES, STONE SOUR and OZZY OSBOURNE, among others.
The cover artwork for “We Rule The Night” was created by Gustavo Savez of Abstrata Art. Commented the band: “We asked Gustavo to create a bright cover that was also very dark to fit with the title of out new album. After countless hours of frustration and adjustments, an e-mail arrived with what has now become the brightest yet darkest cover we could possibly hope for.”
“Its safe to say that since the ‘Burn This City’ EP came out we upped the game and added even more dynamite to our stage show. The energy levels we had on our last tour in 2009 where just breath taking and all this energy followed us into the studio and was injected into the new album!”
“We think it’s safe to say we took the positive aspects from the previous releases and built on it by incorporating some new aspects that we’ve never tried before. We Rule The Night definitely has the ability to sooth the soul and blow your brains out which you’ll find out as you slide your way through the tracks so “ Turn It Up “, start the Revolution and join us on our campaign to show the world that We Rule The Night!”
SONIC SYNDICATE’s “Burn This City” video was shot with director Patric Ullaeus (DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL) of Revolver Film Company.
“It looks like Sonic Syndicate will follow the footsteps of Nightwish, AC/DC, Iron Maiden and few others… It’s difficult to imagine that they would go wrong with their new singer Nathan J Biggs!” SOUNDI Finland
“With the new singer Nathan J. Biggs, Sonic Syndicate redefined their own style and these new songs are the catchiest they ever wrote. ‘We Rule The Night’ is definitely the record that will bring Sonic Syndicate to the next level.” ROCK ONE France
1. Beauty And The Freak 2. Revolution, Baby 3. Turn It Up 4. My Own Life 5. Burn This City 6. Black And Blue 7. Miles Apart 8. Plans Are For People 9. Leave Me Alone 10.Break Of Day 11. We Rule The Night
Final July ‘10 Album Reviews
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers MOJO
The band’s first studio album in eight years and after a career spanning over thirty years (with over 60 million album sales), still delivering the goods. Ponder on this young upstarts: the band’s sold-out 2008 tour was the biggest of their career and came right after the band’s acclaimed Super Bowl XLII half-time performance with a worldwide audience of almost a billion people. MOJO for most part is an album that uses country rock, blues, reggae and roots to convey for the most part a series of slower, reflective songs. Petty has also pushed the instruments further up front in what seems to be an album of one-take studio tracks that come very close to sounding live. ‘Jefferson Jericho Blues’ opens the collection on a lighter, faster note with guitars filling empty vocal spaces left by and sounding very up-front. A slower ‘First Flash Of Freedom’ opens with a superb extended guitar intro before Petty’s vocal arrives in a song with a surprising level of pop sensibility. There’s a strong melody and really great instrumental interludes in one of the albums standout tracks. ‘Running Man’s Bible’ is dominated by a powerful rhythm with great vocal, Hammond and guitar moments completing a good package. This album takes a few listens to fully appreciate its quality and, despite the fact that there are no ‘killer tracks’, it is strongly recommended.
Standouts: Jefferson Jericho Blues, First Flash Of Freedom, The Trip To Pirate’s Cove, No Reason To Cry, I Should Have Known It, Good Enough.
4/5
John Grant QUEEN OF DENMARK
John Grant is the former lead singer with The Czars. QUEEN OF DENMARK is Grants solo debut made with Midlake who encouraged the singer to record the album. “I basically gave up on music” after a frustrating period with The Czars who garnered great reviews (especially from UK critics) but few sales. Midlake bassist Paul Alexander said, “We first heard The Czars on our first trip to London. John’s voice was the first thing I noticed but we didn’t go crazy over him until we saw him live, and then we got him to support us on the Van Occupanther tour in the US. At the end, we said he had to come to Denton and make an album.”
And it’s a good and distinctive one full of wonderful melodies like opener ‘TC And Honeybear’, which gets the album off to a great start. ‘I Wanna Go TO Marz’ is a track highly influenced by Midlake and featuring the most beautiful piano passages and multi-layered vocals, in addition to another powerhouse melody. Track after track hits the emotional mark culminating in the utterly gorgeous and anthemic ‘Queen Of Denmark.’ Grants baritone voice is a major part of the attraction here, but the song-writing is nothing less than superb with instrumental arrangements and production adding to the album’s emotional depth and ambience. Superb!
Standouts: TC And Honeybear, I Wanna Go To Marz, Where Dreams Go To Die, Its Easier, Outer Space, Caramel, Queen Of Denmark.
4.5/5
Luke Jackson AND THEN SOME…
Jackson moved from London to Toronto in 1997 with his guitar and eight-track full of songs. He then set about finding a Swedish musician Magnus Bojeson whose former band Beagle was one of Jackson’s favourites. The two musicians finally met culminating in this recording made in a Swedish studio with the help of a couple of Bojeson’s band-mates. It’s an album with strong pop sensibilities starting with its opener, ‘Come Tomorrow’, a joyous, optimistic song about surviving difficult times. ‘This Life’ is darker and stripped-down with a magical string arrangement (courtesy of London-based Robert Kirby) and another powerful melody. Many of the songs here are contemplative, reflecting the writer’s life and career experiences (‘Trouble’, ‘Goodbye London’, ‘All I Can Do’, ‘The Fear’). However, darkness is always balanced by light so even the saddest songs reflect hope. There’s a great diversity of pace and mood - the slow, acoustic contemplation of ‘A Little Voice’ followed immediately by rocky, faster ‘Half A World Away - with lyrics that are nothing less than meaningful and poetic, and a voice that is youthful and expressive. This is a lovely album.
Standouts: This Life, Trouble, Goodbye London, A Little Voice, All I Can Do, The Fear.
4/5
Orphan Boy PASSION, PAIN & LOYALTY
This British indie rock trio formed back in 2005 and released its debut album, SHOP LOCAL’ in 2008. Opening the new album, ‘Letter For Annie’, has a wonderful, extended keyboard intro (that reminds me of Prince’s PURPLE RAIN) before launching into far-flung vocals, powerful melody, good lyrics, and a song that builds to an epic scale… Keyboards feature again (this time distant and rhythmic) on ‘Popsong’, one of the more ordinary songs on the album. ‘Harbour Lights’, ‘Remember’ and ‘Some Frontier’ are more distinctive, but things improve dramatically at half-way stage. ‘1989′ and ‘Anderson Shelter Blues’ raise the bar with the introduction of piano and wonderful harmonica intro on the latter, more powerful melodies and contemplative vibe. It’s a mixed bag but with more winners than losers, and worthy of a buy recommendation.
Standouts: Letter From Annie, 1989, Anderson Shelter Blues, The Promise, A180 Song.
3.5/5
K. Anderson THE OVERTHINKER
I really wanted to love this album… Its songs are very introspective, well-written with good lyrics. Anderson’s voice is youthful and intimate while production is very good. So what’s missing? What’s wrong? For me the album only comes alive at halfway point with ‘Same Kind Of Grim’ with its strong finger-picked guitar and melody - something this album generally lacks. ‘Boy In Pearls’ is a quirky tune driven by dominating percussive sounds. ‘Don’t Waste Your Arrows’ is an intimate, conversational song which suddenly explodes in the choruses. It also possesses an original, haunting instrumental sound and emotional vibe. ‘T-Shirt Collection’ is the most desperate song here with its pleading, emotionally-changed vocal and subtle harmonies, and moves intensely with its honesty and openness. But perhaps this album is too introspective, too uncomfortable, too personal…
Standouts: Same Kind Of Grim, Don’t Waste Your Arrows, T-Shirt Collection.
3/5
Bulldog Bash: 12-15 August
BULLDOG BASH / AUGUST 12/13/14/15 2010
***Nashville Pussy, Blaze Bayley, The Groundhogs, Breed 77, The Hamsters, Hells Bells, The Brothers Grimm, Wrathchild, Gentlemen Of Distorted Sound, Imicus, Gypsey Pistoleros, The Glitterati, Godsized & Loads More Live Bands @ The Bulldog 24***
“The Bulldog Bash is in a league of its own, easily ranking among the best festivals in the world, if not actually taking that crown and sticking a nitrous kit on it to see how fast it will go.” Nick Ruskell, Kerrang!
A whole host of rock and metal bands have been confirmed to play live on two stages at the 24th annual Bulldog Bash, which takes place August 12th,13th 14th, & 15th at the festival’s usual site at Shakespeare County Raceway, Long Marston, near Stratford On Avon, Warwickshire. Entertainment in the massive Main Stage Marquee kicks off on Thursday August 12th at 5.15pm, and at midday on Friday August 13th on the huge brand new outdoor Area 81 Rock Club Stage.
The Bulldog Bash is widely acknowledged as the safest live music festival in Britain – but it is much, much more than just a gig; The Bulldog Bash is the best biker event in Europe. A huge variety of non-musical attractions includes jet-force cars and rocket propelled bikes hurtling down the drag strip, huge custom bike and car exhibitions, an awesome dance tent, a topless bike (& anything else) wash, Ken Fox’s world famous ‘Wall Of Death’ show, wrestling bouts, a veritable village of stalls selling all kinds of biking and alternative lifestyle kit and loads of ludicrous white-knuckle rides. There really is more to do than you can shake a stick at!
The organisers are also pleased to announce a fantastic new format for the Bulldog Bash, following a multi-million pound investment in new roads, improved drainage and general on-site infrastructure. Additionally, organisers have welcomed moves to end the massive stop and search operation and a major reduction of the police presence at the event. The assistant chief constable of Warwickshire, Bill Holland, has told local people that there will be no road closures or road blocks this year and that people going to the show would no longer be funnelled into a lay-by near the site to be searched.
A spokesman for the bash said “We welcome a return to sensible policing. The huge operations over the last two years have cost Warwickshire taxpayers a million pounds, resulted in just a handful of arrests and have caused chaos for showgoers and villagers. They also discouraged bash visitors from going out into the local area and boosting the economy. Local people considered – and we agreed – that these operations were unnecessary. We welcome a return to the type of policing that worked well for the first twenty years of the show. We look forward to working closely with the local police as we have done every year to ensure another safe and successful bash.”
THE FULL MAIN STAGE LINE-UP:-
THURSDAY AUGUST 12TH
5.15.- 6.00pm AYNT SKYNYRD; ‘THE UK tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd’, the definitive US Southern Rock band. (www.myspace.com/ayntskynyrd
6.20-7.20pm THE MODS; ‘The Best 60’s tribute band in the world’. (www.themodsband.com
7.50 – 8.50pm NASHVILLE PUSSY; Atlanta, Georgia, based band who mix Boogie Rock, Southern Metal, Punk and Psychobilly. Formed in 1996, in 1999 they won a Grammy nomination in the category ‘Best Metal Performance’ for their single ‘Fried Chicken And Coffee’. The group’s fifth studio album, ‘From Hell To Texas, released in February 2009 on SPV Records, was awarded 9/10 in Powerplay Magazine, who raved “This is the band’s crowning glory and should not be missed. It is Nashville Pussy encapsulated: rockin’, earthy and raw but with real heart and soul.” (www.nashvillepussy.com
9.15 – 11.00pm HELLS BELLS; lethal AC/DC tribute rockers who always bring the house down. (www.hellsbells.info
FRIDAY AUGUST 13TH
3.30 – 4.05pm KILLING MACHINE; the US metal band featuring ex members of Slayer, Testament, Stratovarius and Temple Of Brutality, who have just supported AC/DC in France. (www.myspace.com/killingmachineusa
4.30 – 5.05pm IMICUS; young Brit metallers who have just released their debut album, ‘Animal Factory’, on Transcend Records, and won loads of new fans when they rocked the Red Bull Stage at Download 2010. (www.myspace.com/imicus
5.30 – 6.15pm GENTLEMEN OF DISTORTED SOUND; London based sleaze rockers whose vocalist Gareth Nugent is third cousin of US rocker Ted Nugent. The band’s ‘swaggering, ballsy’ debut ‘Bone Idol EP, set for release on August 9th, has already been played on the XFM rock show and awarded 5/5 by getreadytorock.com. (www.myspace.com/gentlemenofdistortedsound�
6.45 – 7.30 BLAZE BAYLEY; former Iron Maiden and Wolfsbane vocalist whose band has released six successful and critically acclaimed heavy metal albums since his departure from Iron Maiden in 1999. Blaze Bayley’s sixth studio album, ‘Promise and Terror’, released in February 2010, is probably his best work to date. (www.blazebayley.net
8.00 – 9.00pm BREED 77; Gibraltar’s finest rockers, whose comelling fusion of their native mediterranean influences with contemporary rock and metal - ‘flamenco metal’ – has garnered much critical acclaim and won the band a Top 40 hit single, ‘The River’, in the UK. Formed in London at the tail-end of the last century, Breed 77’s brilliant 4th album, ‘Insects’, was released worldwide on Edel’s earMUSIC in May 2010. (www.breed77.com
9.30 – 11.00pm THE HAMSTERS; ‘Britain’s best blues rockers and the leading interpreters of the music of Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top’; “They’re Fabulous! One Of Britain’s Very Best Live Bands” – raved Bob Harris on BBC Radio 2 recently. (www.thehamsters.co.uk)
SATURDAY AUGUST 14th
3. 00 – 3.30PM Andy Sharrocks And The Smokin’ Jackets; Delicious UK Americana blues country music; ‘Good-time tunes and tales of women, whiskey, dogs and death’. (www.andysharrocks.com
3.50 – 4.30pm THE GROUNDHOGS; Iconic blues and progressive rock band which topped the UK album charts in the 1970’s with the likes of ‘Thank Christ For The Bomb’, ‘Split’, ‘Who Will Save The World’ & ‘Hogwash’. Tony ‘TS’ McPhee is the talent behind ‘The Groundhogs’, and his outstanding writing and phenomenal guitar skills have formed and pushed at the outskirts of British blues and rock for the last forty odd years. (www.thegroundhogs.co.uk
4.50 – 5.30 EMILY BREEZE; An intoxicating blend of Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, The Stooges & The Birthday Party, high fiving both the rockabilly dance floor and the lonesome campfire. Her debut album, ‘The Penny Arcade’, released in January 2010, was awarded 5/5 in Artrocker and rated 9/10 on americanauk.com. (www.myspace.com/emilybreeze
5.50 – 6.30 EDDIE MARTIN BAND; A master acoustic and electric guitarist, harmonica player, songwriter and powerful singer, Eddie Martin has been described as “the most remarkable blues man of his generation” by Blues in Britain. (www.eddiemartin.com
6.50 – 7.30PM JOHN E VISTIC; Compelling frontman, superb whisky-soaked vocals and fantastic blues-rock tunes. Having won the Rock Star 2009 competition, they were the first act to be confirmed for Glastonbury 2010. (www.vistic.co.uk
8.00 – 9.00pm GYPSY PISTOLEROS; Flamenco Sleaze-Punk Glam Rock ‘N’ Rollers from Birmingham who mix Spanish/Latin-flamenco styles up and smash them together with punk rock. Influences include early Motley Crue, some Guns N’ Roses, Hanoi Rocks, and a dash of Ramones. (www.myspace.com/gypsypistoleros
9.30 – 11.00pm THE BROTHERS GRIMM; This Legendary Blues Brothers tribute band will play their first gig for 11 years, having reformed especially for the Bulldog Bash 24.
THE FULL AREA 81 ROCK CLUB STAGE LINE UP:-
FRIDAY AUGUST 13TH
12.00 noon – MORDECAI (www.myspace.com/mordecaiuk
12.45pm – HELLBOUND (www.myspace.com/hellboundmusic
1.30pm – VOODOO JOHNSON (www.voodoojohnson.com
2.15pm – SNORTING DOGS (no website – cracking blues band
3.15PM – LEAVING EDEN (www.myspace.com/leavingedenband
4.15pm – HOLLYWOOD TEASE (www.myspace.com/hollywoodteaseuk
5.15pm – THE RAM RAID (www.myspace.com/theramraid
6.15 – 7.15pm – ATTICA (www.myspace.com/atticafreakshow
SATURDAY AUGUST 14TH
12 noon – AS THICK AS THIEVES (www.myspace.com/asthickasthievesthebanduk
12.45pm – VIRGINIA SLINT (www.myspace.com/virginiaslint
1.30pm – THE FUNKINSTEINS (www.myspace.com/funkinsteins
2.15pm – THE COUNCIL (www.myspace.com/councilband
3.15pm – RIOT NOISE (www.myspace.com/riotnoisemusic
4.15pm – WRATHCHILD (www.myspace.com/wrathchildonline
5.15pm – GODSIZED (www.myspace.com/godsized
6.15 – 7.15pm – THE GLITTERATI (www.myspace.com/theglitterati
FOR MUCH MORE INFO ON BANDS ON THE AREA 81 STAGE GO TO:-
www.bulldogbash.eu/area81-rock-club-5.html
Tickets, priced £55, including camping, will be available on the gate, with No Booking Fee added.
www.bulldogbash.eu
Sandy Denny: The Lost Song!
Sandy has been called Britain’s finest female singer-songwriter by Mojo and Uncut and is considered a true founder of the British folk rock movement. Her composition, “Who Knows Where The Time Goes?” has been covered by numerous artists as diverse as Judy Collins, Nina Simone and Cat Power and is now regarded as a classic. As well as her solo material and work with Fairport Convention, she is also noted for her duet with Robert Plant on the song “The Battle Of Evermore” from Led Zepellin’s IV. She remains to this day the only guest vocalist on a Led Zeppelin album.
Universal Music is putting together a strictly limited edition 19 CD box set. 11 of the CDs feature Sandy’s studio recordings with Alex Campbell, Johnny Silvo, Fotheringay, Strawbs, Fairport Convention and solo with additional content; outtakes, demos and live recordings. There are 8 CDs of bonus material; unreleased songs, demos, unreleased BBC recordings, alternate takes, live recordings, acoustic versions, and rare radio interviews. This set includes the legendarily ‘long lost’ Lord Bateman, pencilled in for her first solo album, The North Star Grassman and The Ravens.
The set is lavishly packed and features all new artwork. It comes with a 72 page 11″ square hardback book containing over 100 rare and mostly unseen photographs, Sandy’s handwritten lyrics (many of which are unrecorded songs) and fascinating memorabilia. Each CD is housed in an individual gatefold digipak sleeve. The box also contains reproductions of: a beautiful original Island press pack, an exceptionally rare A3 promo colour poster for Northstar Grassman and The Ravens, a set of Postcards, the receipt for the purchase of her first piano and one of Sandy’s handwritten notebooks.
The boxset will be limited to only 3000 copies worldwide. A second edition, limited to 100 sets, is available only from the Island 50 web store. It comes with a framed print of the artwork, signed by the artist and individually addressed to each purchaser. The complete track details have not been announced as the Island archive is still being searched. Discoveries will be announced on Lost Tunes’ Twitter page; http://twitter.com/losttunesdotcom
You can pre-order the boxset from this address:
http://island50.sandbag.uk.com/Store/DII-5658-5-sandy+denny++limited+edition+box+set.html
During the gathering of material for the boxset, an unidentified recording has been brought to light. From a reel of Sandy’s home recordings sent to Universal by her estate, there is a recording of Sandy singing an unknown folk song. Can you identify the track? If people recognise the lyrics they are asked to email Universal at infoumc@umusic.com
These are the lyrics that can be made out:
“I saw a dark star against the black sky
Of a night thirteen hundred years long
It cast shrouding shadows upon the desert
of the dark moons that formed in her eyes
On the vowel of her rack the sun never smiled
And the noon of the day was in shadow
And the sky left its beard on the black barren earth
And the … was … in …
On a shrine of black flowers Ethusel lay dead
as he had for thirteen centuries
At his feet five crows stood and watched to his keep
And the whisper of time sighed around the hills
Pannasowna has tried fair winged [weird] for it stead
though the sky’s in search of the star
and the serpent entwined about the stag’s head
tried to reach out and poison her hair.
O no, Pannasowna, you will not go far
Ethusel [Methusa] has only one hour
and if you do not reach him before it is over
then rada falls into the ocean. [then the world falls into the sea].
Pannasowna took her form and she stabbed [pierced] the serpent’s eye
and he fell through the clouds to the land. [sea]
As she rode on and on full of laden stones
With horizons of life in her unsung [till she came to …]
It was then that the daylight became the dark night
[and] she recalled [remembered] what the farmer [sermon] had said:
When the night becomes black and no sound can be heard,
You have come to the land of … [Fardinarel]
And she found the dark star hanging low in the sky
and she gathered it up in her arms
and she rode to the shrine where Ethusel lay dead [and she rode to the place that was so …]
and she placed the dark star on her …
And the star became bright and it shone on the land
and the shrouds of darkness were gone
and Ethusa was standing before Pannazorna
and the light came to bear in her hair.”
Goo Goo Dolls: The Rest Of Us!
Goo Goo Dolls are back with their first studio album in four years. The Grammy-nominated band will release their ninth studio album, “SOMETHING FOR THE REST OF US”, on August 30th 2010. The album features the band’s first single, “Home”, which will be released on August 23rd.
The album was produced by Tim Palmer (U2, Pearl Jam, David Bowie) with additional production by Butch Vig (Green Day, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, etc.) John Fields (Paul Westerberg, Jimmy Eat World) and Goo Goo Dolls.
The result showcases more of the well-crafted songs and timeless lyrics that have been such an integral part of the Goo Goo Dolls’ continuing success. Written and recorded over the past couple of years, “SOMETHING FOR THE REST OF US” delivers another dose of emotionally charged, well-crafted rock songs such as “Sweetest Lie,” “One Night,” and “Soldier.”
With his songwriting, singer John Rzeznik confronts some of the issues that have become part of many people’s everyday lives: “I wanted some of the material on this album to address the disillusionment of the difficult period we live in; I wanted to give a voice to the emotional uncertainty that accompanies hard times. “So many people are struggling to keep it together through tough economic conditions and two wars that seem to have no end in sight. The ones who bear the brunt of these burdens are everyday people. That’s who I want to speak to.”
“SOMETHING FOR THE REST OF US” is the follow up to 2006’s Let Love In, which marked the Goo Goo Dolls’ 20th anniversary as a band. The album spawned several Top 10 singles, including “Better Days,” “Stay With You,” and the title track, which gave them their record-breaking twelfth Top 10 hit. Their thirteenth, “Before It’s Too Late,” appeared on the blockbuster Transformers soundtrack. Goo Goo Dolls have racked up four Grammy nominations and sold more than 10 million albums. Rzeznik has also been the recipient of the Hal David Starlight Songwriter Award.
Goo Goo Dolls have already taken to the road in the USA on a tour that lasts until August 29th.
The track-listing for “SOMETHING FOR THE REST OF US” is as follows:
“Sweetest Lie”
“As I Am”
“Home”
“Notbroken”
“One Night”
“Nothing Is Real”
“Now I Hear”
“Still Your Song”
“Something For The Rest Of Us”
“Say You’re Free”
“Hey Ya”
“Soldier”
Opeth: Albert Hall: Live DVD
As part of the ongoing celebration of their 20th anniversary this year, Sweden’s OPETH are releasing audio and video from the band’s recent performance at the Royal Albert Hall. ‘In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall’ is set for release on 20th September.
Twenty years and nine records into their legendary career, Opeth’s “Evolution XX: An Opeth Anthology” tour brought the Swedish prog titans to six of the world’s most unique venues, and now, with the release of In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, into the homes of their fans. The performance at the Royal Albert Hall (recorded on 5th April 2010) includes two sets, the first consisting of the band performing 2000’s now-classic, breakthrough epic, ‘Blackwater Park’ in its entirety, and the second, a chronologically arranged selection of material from Opeth’s extensive catalogue, totaling almost three hours of music. The front cover artwork concept pays tribute to Deep Purple´s ‘Concerto for Group and Orchestra’, underlining the band’s longstanding love for their prog-rock roots.
Thinking back to the concert, frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt said; “Opeth had a magical night playing the Royal Albert Hall. It was a dream come true, and now afterwards, it still feels like a dream. We got it all on film, and this, our third live recording and DVD might be my personal favourite. One couldn’t help to think of all the fantastic artists that played there over the years. Looking back at this night of celebration brings me fond memories of our 20th anniversary—this package is the delayed birthday present. Enjoy!”
The release will be available as two very special configurations: a limited edition vinyl box set, which includes:
· Double-DVD set of Opeth’s performance at the legendary Royal Albert Hall, in its entirety, including bonus features.
· A set of four 180-gram LP’s of the concert’s live audio in its entirety. The vinyl is housed in black poly lined inner sleeves which are packaged as 2 double gatefold set with exclusive artwork. Vinyl only available in this box set.
· Exclusive, numbered lithograph with artwork designed by Mikael Åkerfeldt and longtime Opeth designer, Travis Smith.
· 20-page, LP sized booklet printed on coated paper stock that chronicles the night’s events in photos.
· Expanded, exclusive artwork and more.
Alternatively, a 5-disc set that consists of 2-DVD and 3 CD’s. The set not only includes the legendary evening captured on video, but the concert’s live audio in its entirety as well.
Track listing is as follows:
Set 1
· THE LEPER AFFINITY
· BLEAK
· HARVEST
· THE DRAPERY FALLS
· DIRGE FOR NOVEMBER
· THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT
· PATTERNS IN THE IVY
· BLACKWATER PARK
Set 2
· FOREST OF OCTOBER
· ADVENT
· APRIL ETHEREAL
· THE MOOR
· WREATH
· HOPE LEAVES
· HARLEQUIN FOREST
· THE LOTUS EATER
In other news, OPETH headlined the Bloodstock Festival on Friday 13th August at Catton Hall, Derbyshire (www.bloodstock.uk.com).
Echo Lake: Stranded: ‘Ultra Theme’
British Rockers Pen Wrestler’s Entrance Music
UK rockers Echo Lake are very proud to announce that they are currently in the studio working on recording their track ‘Stranded’ for a very special reason. It is to be used by British Wrestler ‘Ultra’ Marc Massa as his very own ring entrance music.
The band, who recently enjoyed time at the top of the play.com pre-order chart after the release of their debut ‘Sink’ ep (beating off the likes of the Glee cast and Kylie Minogue no less), have been holed up in Unit Studios in sleepy Hertfordshire this week creating their heaviest work to date. It will surprise fans, who can download the track for free from the end of this month, to hear the band embrace the heavier side of their repertoire.
‘We’ve had [Stranded] knocking around for a while now and were desperate for a reason to record it’, muses multi-instrumentalist Joseph Henley. ‘We’ve been playing it live for a few months and it always seems to take people by surprise, so we were super psyched and very proud to be asked by ‘Ultra’ Marc Massa if he could use it as his ring entrance music. We’ll be playing him into the ring at the upcoming TAW ‘Meltdown’ event in Hitchin Friday (23rd July) and we’ll be giving the track away completely free as a download from our website at the end of this month. It’s basically the coolest thing that’s ever happened to us.’
Those of you who are lucky enough to live in the area can buy tickets for ‘Meltdown’ at www.totalactionwrestling.com. ‘Stranded’ will be available to download from www.echolake.co.uk at the end of this month
SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD
SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK) FROM UNIVERSAL MUSIC ON August 23rd UNIVERSAL PICTURES’ ACTION-COMEDY TO OPEN WIDE AUGUST 25th NEW MUSIC FROM BECK, METRIC, BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE, PLUS TRACKS BY FRANK BLACK, BEACHWOOD SPARKS, T. REX AND THE ROLLING STONES
Universal Music will release the soundtrack to Universal Pictures’ Scott Pilgrim vs. the World on August 23rd. The album’s release will be followed on August 25th by the film’s highly anticipated nationwide theatrical debut. The soundtrack is an audio manifestation of the exploits seen in the action-comedy directed by genre-smashing filmmaker Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) and starring Michael Cera (Juno, Superbad).
Nigel Godrich, the celebrated producer who has worked on albums by Radiohead, Beck, Paul McCartney, Travis and many others, composed Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’s original score, which is being readied for digital release. Additionally, Godrich serves as executive producer on the soundtrack.
About the movie:
Meet charming and jobless Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera). A bass guitarist for totally average garage band Sex Bob-Omb, the 22-year-old has just met the girl of his dreams…literally. The only catch to winning Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is battling her seven evil exes that are coming to kill him. Wright tells the amazing story of one romantic slacker’s quest to power up with love in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
Scott Pilgrim has never had a problem getting a girlfriend. It’s getting rid of them that proves difficult. From the girl who kicked his heart’s ass—and now is back in town—to the teenage distraction he’s trying to shake when Ramona rollerblades into his world, love hasn’t been easy. He soon discovers his new crush has the most unusual baggage of all: a nefarious league of exes controls her love life and will do whatever it takes to eliminate him as a suitor.
As Scott gets closer to Ramona, he must face an increasingly vicious rogues’ gallery from her past—from infamous skateboarders to vegan rock stars and fearsomely identical twins. And if Scott Pilgrim hopes to win his true love, he must vanquish them all before it really is game over. www.scottpilgrimthemovie.com
About the soundtrack:
Edgar Wright noted, “Music is such an integral part of the Scott Pilgrim books that myself and Nigel have been working on the soundtrack for nearly two years. This collection of songs represents an amazing span of artists. Some inspired Bryan Lee O’Malley in the creation of the comic, some ‘soundtracked’ our lives while making the movie and most excitingly, some of our favourite artists contributed new songs that are performed in the movie. It was a thrill to work with Beck, Metric and Broken Social Scene on the original soundtrack and I think you will enjoy the loud fruits of this collaboration.”
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) includes a number of original songs composed by alternative/modern rock kingpin Beck. They are performed in the film by Sex Bob-Omb, the group featuring Scott Pilgrim (Cera) on bass, Stephen Stills (Mark Webber) on lead vocals and guitar and Kim Pine (Alison Pill) on drums. Cast members perform the band’s vocals, with multi-platinum and Grammy® Award winner Beck providing instrumentation - a unique collaboration unprecedented in the annals of soundtrack albums. Beck’s Sex Bob- Omb songs, including the grunge-infused “Garbage Truck” and the alternative-themed “Summertime,” are woven seamlessly into the film. Both the film and album feature four Sex Bob-Omb tracks, as well as “Ramona,” a Beck (only) song featured here in both acoustic and lush orchestral arrangements.
The soundtrack album also features “Black Sheep,” a previously unreleased track by Canadian synth rock heroes Metric. Other Scott Pilgrim soundtrack components include “Anthems For A Seventeen Year-Old-Girl,” plus two previously unreleased audio outtakes from the film by Broken Social Scene, the Canadian indie rock collective in an 11-piece incarnation. Additional highlights include “By Your Side” from Beachwood Sparks, the cosmic California-based country-pop group and “Sleazy Bed Track,” a 1998 single from Brit-pop rockers The Bluetones. Blood Red Shoes, a post-punk duo from Brighton, England, contributes “It’s Getting Boring by the Sea”; Black Lips, the Atlanta-based “flower punk” band and Pixies member Frank Black’s recording of “I Heard Ramona Sing.”
Classic recordings from Marc Bolan & T. Rex (“Teenage Dream”) and The Rolling Stones (“Under My Thumb”) are also part of the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World collection. Of special note is the inclusion of Plumtree’s 1997, vinyl only release “Scott Pilgrim,” which was the original inspiration for O’Malley to create the series. Programmer Brian LeBarton’s interpretation of Beck’s “Threshold-8 bit” offers a quirky video game ambiance to the soundtrack.
Jody Klein, ABKCO’s CEO, commented: “Music plays a key role in the narrative for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. We are proud and excited to be a part of this film and the collaborative efforts of Edgar, Beck and Nigel.”
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) track listing:
We Are Sex Bob-Omb – Sex Bob-Omb
Scott Pilgrim - Plumtree
I Heard Ramona Sing - Frank Black
By Your Side - Beachwood Sparks
O Katrina! - Black Lips
I’m So Sad, So Very, Very Sad – Crash and the Boys
We Hate You Please Die - Crash and the Boys
Garbage Truck – Sex Bob-Omb
Teenage Dream - T. Rex
Sleazy Bed Track - The Bluetones
It’s Getting Boring By The Sea - Blood Red Shoes
Black Sheep - Metric
Threshold – Sex Bob-Omb
Anthems For A Seventeen Year-Old Girl - Broken Social Scene
Under My Thumb - The Rolling Stones
Ramona (Acoustic) - Beck
Ramona - Beck
Summertime – Sex Bob-Omb
Threshold 8 bit - Brian LeBarton
Midgar: Mini Album / Tour
Multi-instrumentalist and all around seasoned musician (session drums for Fightstar, live appearances on MTV, Guitar, keys and programming for Radio One Live sessions) Andy Wilson-Taylor’s vision of a darker and more melodic band, one which draws its sound from a more classical influence, led to the birth of Midgar; the name itself an homage to one of his favorite composers.
Putting a band together to release the Debut EP ‘Of The Ancients’ (produced by Jason Wilcock: Fightstar, Reuben, YMA6), Midgar hit on the current line-up (Andy Wilson - Taylor, Mike Wiles, Matt Jarman and Oli Wiseman) at the end of 2009 before embarking on their first full tour of the UK.
Hailing from their hometown of Aldershot, Midgar have promoted themselves up and down the country with a strong sense of what they are looking to achieve, doing so on their own terms and winning fans at every new show, leading to support slots with bands such as Deaf Havana, Lower Than Atlantis, Canterbury and Fei Comodo.
At the end of 2009, during their first tour, they were personally invited by DJ Alex Baker to record a live version of their song “Vincent’s Masquerade” for Kerrang! Radio, having been getting weekly plays to an incredible response on his unsigned show.
Midgar are now building on this momentum, continuing to tour throughout 2010 in preparation for the release of their new, self produced mini-album “Lead Your Children To The Sky”, which is sure to show just how quickly they are evolving in to what has to be a band to watch for the new decade…
RoadRunner: Revoker: Brand New!
ROADRUNNER WELCOME WELSH UPSTARTS REVOKER TO THE FOLD
Roadrunner Records are delighted to announce the signing of boisterous Welsh metal quartet REVOKER. Hailing from the depths of Rhymney Valley, the band will soon start work on their debut album with Skindred’s Benji Webbe for a 2011 release.
For a vote of confidence in the band’s bright future, look no further than Monte Conner, Roadrunner’s Snr VP A&R. Conner enthuses, ““Revoker are one of the most ass-kicking unsigned bands I have heard in a long time and I am beyond proud to welcome them to the Roadrunner family. Believe it or not, in my entire career at Roadrunner, they are the first UK band I have signed.”
Although Revoker officially formed in Spring 2006, frontman/guitarist Jamie Mathias and guitarist Chris Green have been playing in bands together since they became teenagers. The band’s engaging 19-year old mouthpiece Jamie comments, “Getting signed to Roadrunner is amazing and almost surreal. I’ve grown up listening to bands like Megadeth, Slipknot, Machine Head, and Slash. So to be a part of the same label as them is nuts! I think Roadrunner is the perfect home for Revoker!” Chris echoes his thoughts: “It’s fucking mindblowing! If I could have picked any label then this would be it. I think this is the perfect label for us to be joining with. It’s amazing to be part of such a mammoth roster with bands we’ve looked up to for years ourselves.” “If there’s one label any metal band dream of signing to, it’s Roadrunner!” finishes Shane Phillips (bass). “And I’m really excited to start working with them!” The group is rounded out by Jack Pritchard on the drums.
With the UK’s Hammerfest and Download Festival already under their belt, not to mention praise-inducing support slots with Skindred and Soulfly, expect to see a lot more of these formidable youngsters as they take on the world!
Says Skindred’s Benji, “It was not just the music that drew me to Revoker - although they blew me away - it was their ‘fuck everything’ attitude of ‘we got it and we’re going to give it to you like it or not.’ From watching them live for the very first time and then going on to help them sculpt their songs, I knew it would only take a push in the right direction to make them explode from their sleepy Welsh hamlet onto the worldwide metal stage – and now with the help of Roadrunner they’re about to do just that.”
Revoker are managed by Blood Company/Good Fight Entertainment (Atreyu, Bleeding Through, Chiodos, Children Of Bodom, Every Time I Die) and booked by ITB.
For more information, check out the band’s MySpace at: http://www.myspace.com/revokeruk
|
|
Shakenstir Photo Supplement |
DPK: Digital Press Kit |
The Swell Season |
|
|