John Lennon Reissues Take On ‘Rock,’ Acoustic’

Capitol is prepping the release of a new John Lennon compilation of acoustic recordings and an expanded, remixed and remastered version of his 1975 covers album, “Rock’n’Roll.” Both are due Nov. 2 and were supervised by the artist’s widow, Yoko Ono.

The 17-track “Acoustic” collects favorites from the former Beatle’s solo career, including “Working Class Hero” and “Watching the Wheels,” as well as live acoustic renditions of the “Sometime in New York” songs “Luck of the Irish” and “John Sinclair,” and his peace anthem “Imagine.”

Seven of the acoustic cuts will be officially released here for the first time: “Well Well Well,” “God,” “My Mummy’s Dead,” “Cold Turkey,” “What You Got,” “Dear Yoko” and “Real Love.”

“Rock’n’Roll,” Lennon’s homage to the artists and songs that inspired him as a teenager, emerges with four bonus tracks. Added are the same versions of Rosalie Hamlin’s “Angel Baby” and Phil Spector’s “To Know Her Is To Love Her” that were included on the posthumous 1986 Lennon release “Menlove Avenue.” Although that collection also included Lennon’s run through “Since My Baby Left Me,” an alternate version appears here.

Rounding out the new inclusions is a reprise of Lloyd Price’s “Just Because,” which boasts a different ending than the original “Rock’n’Roll” version, in the form of a Christmas message to his former bandmates Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, Ono and the people of Great Britain.

The rest of “Rock’n’Roll” is made up of the remixed and remastered versions of Lennon’s faithful interpretations of such classics as Gene Vincent’s “Be Bop a Lula,” Fats Domino’s “Ain’t That a Shame” and Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue.” Four tracks stem from aborted 1973 sessions with Spector, while the balance was produced by Lennon himself.

In addition to the bonus tracks, the reissued title’s booklet offers a new selection of black and white photographs.

Here is the “Acoustic” track list:

“Love”
“Working Class Hero”
“Well Well Well”
“Look at Me”
“God”
“My Mummy’s Dead”
“Cold Turkey”
“I’m a Man”
“Luck of the Irish” (live)
“John Sinclair” (live)
“Woman is the N*gger of the World”
“What You Got”
“Watching the Wheels”
“Dear Yoko”
“Real Love”
“Imagine” (live)
“It’s Real”

Here is the “Rock’n’Roll” track list:

“Be Bop a Lula”
“Stand By Me”
“Rip It Up/Ready Teddy” (medley)
“You Can’t Catch Me”
“Ain’t That a Shame”
“Do You Wanna Dance?”
“Sweet Little Sixteen”
“Slippin’ and Slidin'”
“Peggy Sue”
“Bring It on Home/Send Me Some Loving” (medley)
“Boney Moronie”
“Ya Ya”
“Just Because”
“Angel Baby” (bonus cut; from “Menlove Avenue”)
“To Know Her is to Love Her” (bonus cut; from “Menlove Avenue”)
“Since My Baby Left Me” (bonus cut; alternate version of “Menlove Avenue” track)
“Just Because (Reprise)” (bonus cut)

Source billboard.com.

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PJ Harvey Begins U.S. Tour

U.K. rock act PJ Harvey has begun lining up dates for a fall North American tour, beginning Oct. 1 in Minneapolis. Ten shows are set, with more to be added. Tickets for some shows begin going on sale today (Sept. 9); visit the Polly Jean Harvey-led band’s official Web site for full details.

The group is touring in support of its latest Island album, “Uh Huh Her,” which debuted in June at No. 29 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 102,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The set was recently among the nominees for the 2004 Shortlist Music Prize, which will be handed out Nov. 10 in Los Angeles.

Here are PJ Harvey’s tour dates:

Sept. 9: Cambridge, England (Corn Exchange)
Sept. 11: Birmingham, England (Carling Birmingham Academy)
Sept. 12: Bristol, England (Carling Bristol Academy)
Sept. 14: Brighton, England (the Dome)
Sept. 15: London (Carling Apollo Hammersmith)
Oct. 1: Minneapolis (First Avenue)
Oct. 2: Chicago (Riviera)
Oct. 3: Indianapolis (Vogue)
Oct. 6: New York (Hammerstein Ballroom)
Oct. 9: Boston (Avalon)
Oct. 10: Philadelphia (Electric Factory)
Oct. 11: Providence, R.I. (Lupo’s)
Oct. 13: Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)
Oct. 14: Detroit (State Theatre)
Oct. 15: Toronto (Phoenix)

Source billboard.com.

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Rich Robinson Touring Behind “Paper”

Black Crowe’s guitarist Rich Robinson will be touring for a month this fall in support of his solo debut – Paper. Tour Dates are below.

9/16/04
Poughkeepsie, NY –

The Chance
9/17/04

Providence, RI –
The Call

9/18/04
Portland, ME –
The Big Easy

9/19/04
Hartford, CT –
Webster Theatre

9/21/04
Asbury Park, NJ –
The Stone Pony

9/22/04
New York City –
Hiro Ballroom @ The Maritime Hotel

9/24/04
Philladelphia, PA –
NXNW

9/25/04
Vienna, VA –
Jammin Java

9/26/04
Baltimore, MD –
The Funk Box

9/28/04
Detroit, MI –
The Magic Bag

9/29/04
Cincinnati, OH –
20th Century Theatre

9/30/04
Bloomington, IN –
Uncle Festers

10/02/04
Rockford, IL –
Kryptonite

10/03/04
Chicago, IL –
The Double Door

10/04/04
Milwuakee, WI –
Shank Hall

10/05/04
Minneapolis, MN –
Ascot Room @ The Quest

10/08/04
Urbana, IL –
Canopy Theatre

10/13/04
Cleveland, OH –
Agora Theatre and Ballroom

10/15/04
Buffalo, NY –
Nietzsche’s

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Pixies To Play Boston Area For First Time Since ’91

The Pixies have added several additional dates to their extensive fall tour schedule, including the first shows near its one-time Boston homebase since November 1991. New dates include Oct. 22 in Phoenix, Oct. 23 in Irvine, Calif., Oct. 24 in Santa Barbara, Calif., and Nov. 22 in Dayton, Ohio.

The band will then return to the Boston area for shows Nov. 30 in Amherst and Dec. 1 in Lowell. The web site PixiesMusic.com is offering pre-sale ticket opportunities beginning tomorrow (Sept. 8); tickets go on sale to the general public on Saturday.

The fall tour began over the weekend in Bend, Ore., and proceeds to Vancouver tonight. The group has also recorded a cover of Warren Zevon’s “Ain’t That Pretty at All” for the tribute album “Enjoy Every Sandwich,” due Oct. 19 via Artemis.

As for the possibility of a new Pixies studio album, the jury remains out. “I’m not saying we won’t record, but I don’t know if making an LP for a record company is the way to go, [considering] the way things are right now,” guitarist vocalist Frank Black told Billboard.com recently. “We’ve talked about that heavily. What can we do to keep recording and making music but not make an album, and see what opportunities come our way? It takes the pressure off of us to make our ‘next grand statement’ to the world.”

In related news, spinART will on Oct. 12 release the double-disc Black set “Frank Black Francis,” which sports early Pixies demos plus new versions of the band’s songs recorded with Two Pale Boys.

Source billboard.com.

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Roger Waters Posts Anti-War Tracks Online

Veteran rock artist Roger Waters is releasing a pair of new songs today (Sept. 7) via online download outlets. According to the former Pink Floyd leader, work on “To Kill the Child” and “Leaving Beirut” began “immediately after the invasion of Iraq.

“It seems apposite to throw them out there on the Net, before the [U.S. presidential] election,” the Cambridge, England-born artist says. “Historically, there have always been people within the artistic community who have spoken out about things they believe in and they should continue to do so. I shall certainly continue to do so, whether it has any effect or not, because I feel I have a responsibility to myself to do that.”

After naming a litany of corporations in one verse of “To Kill the Child,” Waters sings, “Our standard of living, could this be a reason / That we would choose to kill the child.” In the next verse, a list of religious texts and foods is followed by the refrain, “Is it dogma, doughnuts, ridicule faith / Fear of the dark, or shame or disgrace / That we would choose to kill the child.”

In the whispered verses of “Leaving Beirut,” the song’s narrator recounts the generosity of a desert stranger and his family. In the soaring choruses, Waters berates President Bush for spearheading a war, singing, “Oh George! Oh George! That Texas education must have f***ed you up when you were very small.”

Later in the song, U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair is the target: “Not in my name, Tony, you great war leader you / Terror is still terror, whosoever gets to frame the rules.”

Waters co-produced the new cuts with longtime compatriot Nick Griffiths, who also engineered the tracks. Joining him in the studio were guitarist Andy Fairweather-Low, drummer Graham Broad and vocalists Katie Kissoon, PP Arnold and Carol Kenyon. In addition to vocals, Waters contributes guitar, bass and keyboards to the songs.

“To Kill The Child” and “Leaving Beirut” have been available for streaming on Waters’ official Web site, since Friday. Beginning today, they are on sale at through iTunes, SonyConnect, Napster, Walmart.com and other digital stores.

It has been more than a decade since Waters’ last solo album of original material, 1992’s Columbia set “Amused To Death.” In 2002, he contributed a demo of “Flickering Flame” and a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” to the internationally released compilation of his post-Floyd career, “Flickering Flame: The Solo Years, Vol. 1.”

Source billboard.com.

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New York Dolls Debut Live CD

The New York Dolls will release their first-ever live album, Morrissey Presents: The Return of the New York Dolls — Live From Royal Festival Hall, 2004, on September 28th. The CD and accompanying DVD were recorded at the band’s June show at the London venue as part of the Meltdown Festival.

Rabid Dolls fan, and this year’s Meltdown curator, Morrissey urged the legendary Seventies glam rockers to reunite after twenty-four years apart, and his Attack Records will release the album.

“It was just a moment of weakness that I said yes,” says singer David Johansen. “And I’m glad I did.”

The CD will consist exclusively of Dolls songs, while the DVD will feature such covers as Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart,” the Shangri-Las’ “Out in the Streets” and Memphis Minnie’s “In My Girlish Days.”

Sadly, The Return of the New York Dolls will be the last appearance on record by bassist Arthur “Killer” Kane, who passed away unexpectedly from leukemia on July 13th. “He was such a genius guy — really loving, and he had this intelligence that was indescribable,” Johansen says. “I was really looking forward to spending more time with him.”

Lone surviving members Johansen and guitarist Syl Sylvain may even bring the Dolls back into the studio. “I’m feeling that we’ll try and bang out a record this winter,” Johansen says, “and then hit all the festivals next summer.”

Source rollingstone.com.

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McCartney, Chili Peppers, Sonic Youth, Ben Harper To Play Bridge School Show

Paul McCartney, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tony Bennett, Sonic Youth, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Los Lonely Boys and Tegan & Sara will join event founder Neil Young on the bill for the 18th annual Bridge School Benefit. The shows will be held Oct. 23-24 at Shoreline Amphitheatre outside San Francisco.

Performing as part of Bridge School’s traditional acoustic format will be unfamiliar to a number of the artists, particularly McCartney. The former Beatle will be offering what is believed to be his first acoustic set since a 1991 taping for “MTV Unplugged,” which was later released on CD.

Harper will be making his second Bridge appearance. His guest turn on Pearl Jam’s “Indifference” at the 2001 event was released on a holiday single for members of the band’s Ten Club fan organization.

The Peppers, Tegan & Sara and Sonic Youth will also each be making their second Bridge School visits, while Bennett and Los Lonely Boys will be making their event debut.

As for Young, the shows will cap a brief run of performances that comprises a Sept. 15 show in Berkeley, Calif., the Sept. 17 Clean Air benefit in Duncan, British Columbia, and the annual Farm Aid benefit on Sept. 18 outside Seattle.

Tickets for this year’s Bridge School go on sale Sunday (Sept. 12) via Ticketmaster.

Source billboard.com.

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Franz Ferdinand Snares Mercury Prize For U.K Album Of The Year

Scottish alternative rock act Franz Ferdinand has won the 2004 Nationwide Mercury Prize with its eponymous debut album. The annual music-industry award, recognizing the U.K. or Irish album of the year, was presented last night (Sept. 7) at the Grosvenor House hotel in Central London.

“We didn’t expect to win this,” said lead vocalist Alex Kapranos upon accepting the honor. “The bands [nominated] this year reflect a trend in the U.K. toward fantastic music.”

Franz Ferdinand and U.K. garage act the Streets had been 3/1 joint favorites to win the award, according to bookmaker William Hill.

The winner was chosen from a shortlist of 12 albums by a 11-strong panel comprising media representatives and artists, headed by author Simon Frith. The shortlist was announced July 20, having been selected from a pool of 180 nominated albums.

The prize ceremony was broadcast live nationally by Top 40 station BBC Radio 1 and on digital TV channel BBC 4. The award was established as the Mercury Music Prize in 1992 by labels body the British Phonographic Industry and the British Association of Record Dealers. It is sponsored by the Nationwide Building Society.

The full shortlist was: Basement Jaxx, “Kish Kash”; Belle & Sebastian, “Dear Catastrophe Waitress” (Rough Trade); Franz Ferdinand “Franz Ferdinand” (Domino); Jamelia, “Thank You”; Keane, “Hopes and Fears” (Island); Snow Patrol, “Final Straw” (Fiction); The Streets, “A Grand Don’t Come for Free” (Locked On/679); Joss Stone, “The Soul Sessions” (Relentless); Ty, “Upwards” (Big Dada); Amy Winehouse, “Frank” (Island); Robert Wyatt, “Cuckooland”; the Zutons, “Who Killed … The Zutons” (Deltasonic).

Source billboard.com.

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Tell Us The Truth Tour Spawns CD/DVD – Feat: Billy Bragg & Steve Earle

Highlights from last year’s Tell Us the Truth tour, which featured Steve Earle, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, Billy Bragg and Tom Morello, will be released on CD (Oct. 5) and DVD (Oct. 19) via Artemis. The sets dovetail with the Nov. 2 release of the similarly themed CD/DVD “Axis of Justice: Concert Series Volume 1,” which also features Morello alongside System Of A Down’s Serj Tankian and members of Tool and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

“Tell Us the Truth: The Live Concert Recording” features solo performances by Morello (as the Nightwatchman), Jill Sobule, Mills, Earle, Bragg, the Coup’s Boots Riley and Lester Chambers. The ensemble joins together for covers of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” and the Chambers Brothers’ “Time Has Come Today.”

In addition to select concert clips and a soundcheck, the “Tell Us the Truth” DVD boasts footage from the Conference on Media Reform, a free-trade protest in Miami and a press conference.

The tour sprung out of the artists’ demand for greater accountability from mass media coverage of elections and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Here is the “Tell Us the Truth” CD track list:

“People Get Ready,” Ensemble
“Five Long Years,” Lester Chambers
“Every Day I Have the Blues,” Lester Chambers
“California’s Dark,” the Nightwatchman
“You’d Better Not Kill in Texas,” Jill Sobule
“War Correspondent,” Jill Sobule
“Ohio,” Mike Mills
“The Mountain,” Steve Earle
“Christmas in Washington,” Steve Earle
“Underdog,” Boots Riley
“Five Million Ways To Kill a CEO,” Boots Riley
“The Price of Oil,” Billy Bragg
“Great Leap Forward,” Billy Bragg
“People Get Ready Medley,” Ensemble
“Time Has Come Today,” Ensemble

Source billboard.com.

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