Archive: 2003

The Family Way, Paul McCartney’s first try at film music, has been rereleased by the Montreal-based XXI-21 Records label. McCartney scored the British film in late 1966, while the Beatles were on break between the Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band albums.
The original version of the album was only 24 minutes long, with McCartney’s music performed mostly by the Claudel String Quartet. The new edition features the McCartney soundtrack along with two additional treatments of the music performed by the George Martin Orchestra and Carl Aubut.
Source launch.com.

Atari Inc. said it had sold more than 1 million copies of “Enter the Matrix” one week after the computer and video game hit shelves in the United States and Europe.
The game was released May 15, the same day as the movie it is tied to, “The Matrix Reloaded.” The game includes additional footage and is one of the most expensive ever made.
In early May, the company said it expected to sell 4 million units of the game for a total of $160 million in revenue. Infogrames had total sales of $770 million for the year ended in June and does about 65 percent of its sales in the United States. Atari sales expectations, if reached, would put “Enter the Matrix” on track to be one of the best-selling games of all time.
Source yahoo.com.

Thirty-seven years after aborting his most ambitious project midway through recording, former Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson plans to resurrect the long-lost “Smile” album in U.K. concerts next year.
Wilson has set four dates at London’s Royal Festival Hall for February 2004 as well as five additional shows throughout the U.K. the following month.
“Smile” was intended to be the follow-up to the Beach Boys’ best-known album, 1966’s “Pet Sounds” (Capitol). Later that year, the symphonic hit single “Good Vibrations” gave listeners an idea of the direction Wilson was planning to take the music. The artist had extensive plans for the album, and was working with lyricist Van Dyke Parks on a number of tracks.
In December 1966, Wilson delivered to Capitol a tentative track list for the album, but in early summer 1967, with recording sessions already having lasted far longer than for any previous Beach Boys album, the group scrapped “Smile.” A separate album, “Smiley Smile,” was hastily assembled and featured “Good Vibrations,” a handful of intended “Smile” cuts, and newly written material.
Sourcecnn.com.

Blues Traveler has firmed up plans for a U.S. tour to carry the group through summer. Beginning May 31 at Pensacola, Florida’s SpringFest, Blues Traveler hits large venues and several festivals in June, July, and August. The 16-date outing wraps up August 31 at The Beach in Las Vegas. The stretch will include the band’s traditional Independence Day stop at Denver’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with performances on both July 3 and 4.
In addition, Blues Traveler has been in the studio this year working on a new album, tentatively named Truth Be Told. Although expected around July, they have not set a specific release date.
Source musictoday.com.

Elvis Costello, Pete Yorn, Billy Bragg, Dan Bern and Patty Griffin are among more than thirty artists contributing tracks to a two-CD Bruce Springsteen tribute album that will benefit two charities.
Sal Trepat, who publishes the Spanish Springsteen magazine Point Blank, and Bob Benjamin, organizer of the annual Light of Day fundraising concerts for the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, organized the project. Benjamin, who manages Springsteen’s friend Grushecky, learned he had the disease seven years ago. His foundation and the Kristen Ann Carr Fund will split all proceeds from sales of the double disc. Carr, who died ten years ago of sarcoma (a form of cancer), was the daughter of Springsteen’s co-manager, Barbara Carr.
Source RollingStone.com.

The film, tentatively titled “Bob Dylan Anthology Project,” planned for release in 2005, will chronicle Dylan’s 1963 breakthrough and the cultural and political influence of his music, Scorsese and his producing partners said Tuesday.
“I’ve admired and enjoyed his many musical transformations,” Scorsese said in a statement. “For me, there is no other musical artist who weaves his influences so densely to create something so personal and unique.”
The documentary is in the tradition of “The Last Waltz,” Scorsese’s 1978 concert film about The Band, which also featured Dylan. The Dylan film is expected to feature live concert performances, studio recording sessions and a rare interview with the singer-songwriter.
Source cnn.com.

From the early days, through the meditation and experimentation, to John Lennon telling the others ‘I’m done’, this DVD collection catches it all.

The White Stripes have rolled out plans for a six-week North American summer tour, beginning June 13 in Mountain View, Calif. The Detroit duo has shows on tap through July 23 at New York’s Central Park SummerStage, with support to come from hometown rock act Whirlwind Heat. The Stripes are currently in Europe and will play Hamburg tonight (May 20). After the North American dates, the Stripes will play the U.K.’s Reading and Leeds festivals in late August.
For a full listing of dates visit Billboard.com.

Roxio has acquired online music service Pressplay from Universal Music Group (UMG) and Sony Music Entertainment and plans to revive it under the Napster name before March 2004. As previously reported, Roxio, a maker of CD burning software, acquired Napster’s assets late last year.
Should the new Napster service turn a profit, UMG and Sony are each eligible to receive up to $6.25 million. Additionally, UMG and Sony each will have a representative on Roxio’s board of directors.
The two major label groups have pumped an estimated $60 million into developing Pressplay since its bow in 2001. The venture has content licensing deals with all five major labels and a host of independents, as well as distribution agreements with Roxio, Yahoo!, and Microsoft.
Source Billboard.com.

Although nationally regarded for his keyboard work in the Trey Anastasio Band, Ray Paczkowski’s jazz trio Vorcza has recently released their debut release – Maximalist. Solidified in a traditional jazz foundation, the three members capture the music of the precise moment through rhythmic and harmonic explorations that involve shake your ass funk, mellow jazz and progressive instrumental improvisations.

According to a recent telephone interview, Jimmy Page has confirmed that there will be no Led Zeppelin reunion any time soon.
But he’d be open to the prospect — under certain conditions — and even then, he admits, it would be “a longshot.”
Various newspapers, magazines and Internet sites have reported since last summer that Page, singer Robert Plant and bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones might tour this summer.
Page, 59, told The Toronto Sun there’s no way a Led Zeppelin oldies tour will ever take place. “If there is anything I would really be scathing of, it would be a band — not mentioning any bands here — but a band that goes out promoting product that they did 30 years ago in a live capacity,” he said.
Source jamshowbiz.

Three albums by roots reggae elder Burning Spear have been digitally remastered and are set for reissue June 3 via Island/UME, as part of the label’s Reggae Classic Albums series. “Man in the Hills” and “Dry & Heavy” will be combined onto a single CD, while the artist’s definitive “Social Living” album will get a separate presentation complete with two extended-mix bonus tracks. Each of the discs will feature liner notes by reggae historian David Katz.
One of reggae’s brightest stars, Burning Spear broke through in 1975 with the widely acclaimed “Marcus Garvey” (Mango). It was followed by “Man in the Hills” (1976), “Dry & Heavy” (1977), and “Social Living” (1978).
Source Billboard.com.

Pearl Jam has quietly confirmed reports that it’s no longer on Epic Records. In the Q&A section of the latest Pearl Jam Rumour Pit, the band’s official online newsletter, the question “Have Pearl Jam left their record company yet?” is answered by a simple “Yes.” Neither the band’s management nor Epic–Pearl Jam’s home since its debut album in 1991–are making official comments on the matter.
Prior to the start of Pearl Jam’s North American tour, bassist Jeff Ament expressed the band’s dissatisfaction with Epic and its parent company, Sony Music. “Our record company’s in shambles right now, so we’re (chuckles), we’re gonna wait for the label to get their sh-t together before we put anything else out,” Ament said. “It might be the sort of thing where, 10 years or 12 years, it’s kind of run its course a little bit. I mean, the good thing is that we have nothing but time right now, so we can enjoy our free agency.”
Source Yahoo.com.

The lineup for the Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, TN during June 16,17,18, continues to expand as a number of new bands have been added to the roster. Ironically last year, Norah Jones was one of the “smaller” acts announced near the date of the festival and has since gone on to a few Grammy Awards. The bands just recently added includes:
Joshua RedmanLiz PhairEkoostik HookahJosh Winkphonosycograph DJ DISKDJ Disk and the Filthy ApeHackensaw BoysMark FarinaBuddahead Josh KellyGavin DegrawIndecisionLouqueRebirth Brass Band
Source Bonnaroo.com.

The second leg of the Steely Dan

Blur has lined up their first handful of North American tour dates in more than four years. The 11-date outing, in support of the new album Think Tank, will include several radio festivals and the Field Day festival in Long Island, NY. The tour dates are as follows: 5/24, Washington, DC; 5/25, Mansfield, MA; 5/26, Camden, NJ; 6/8, Calverton, NY (Field Day); 6/11, Tempe, AZ; 6/12, Las Vegas; 6/15, San Diego; 6/17, San Francisco; 6/19, Portland, OR; 6/20, Seattle; 6/21, Vancouver.
SourceFMQB.com.

The MGM urban comedy “Soul Plane” has been cleared for takeoff, with rappers-turned-actors Snoop Dogg and Method Man on board to star for director Jessy Terrero.
Described as an urban version of the classic 1980 comedy “Airplane!,” the film is set to go into production in late June. Snoop Dogg will play a pilot, and Method Man will portray Muggsy, the airline owner’s best friend who is put in charge of the plane’s business class.
“Soul Plane” reunites Snoop Dogg and Terrero, who hails from the music video realm and directed the rapper’s “Tell It Like It Is” video. The two took a recent trip together to Brazil. Terrero also directed the Method Man video “Round and Round,” featured on the soundtrack to the 2001 comedy feature “How High,” starring Method Man and Redman.
Source Billboard.com.

Rock duo Ween has signed with Sanctuary Records, which will release the group’s new album, “Quebec,” on July 22. Guitarist Dean Ween (real name: Mickey Melchiondo) last month described the 16-track set as “heavy, dark, psychedelic, and musically intricate at times.”
Ween spent the bulk of its career recording for Elektra but parted ways with the label after the 2000 album “White Pepper.” In the interim, the duo has issued two live albums exclusively through its own Chocodog imprint.
Melchiondo says “a full-on world tour” in support of “Quebec” is in the works, including appearances at the Bonnaroo NE festival and the Austin City Limits festival. The group will also play May 24 in Asbury Park, N.J., and May 31 at the Adirondack Mountain Music Festival in Lyonsdale, N.Y. Drummer Claude Coleman is back on board after being sidelined for several months while recovering from a serious automobile accident.
Source Billboard.com.

In the mold of Elton John/Billy Joel, modern day piano warriors Ben Folds and Tori Amos will be touring together for a run of dates in a summer outing titled, “Lottapianos.” Eight dates are confirmed so far for July and August, and additional dates are expected. Headliner Amos–who has been touring relentlessly since the late-2000 release of her new album, Scarlet’s Walk–recently wrapped up two months of North American dates. Her current backing band includes longtime collaborators Jon Evans on bass .
Folds, the former leader of Bens Fold Live is touring in support of his live solo debut

Carlos Santana will donate all proceeds from his entire 2003 North American tour to Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA), which raises funds to fight AIDS. The tour kicks off June 11 in Atlanta and runs through a July 14 show in Los Angeles. Angelique Kidjo will open all dates.
While the non-profit group’s dedication is to “furthering democracy and equality in South Africa and civil rights in the U.S.,” in recent years, ANSA has focused on the AIDS crisis. Its ongoing projects include South African tours to promote prevention, treatment, and destigmatization, shipping medical supplies to clinics and hospitals, and funding local groups on the frontlines of the epidemic.
ANSA members will be on hand to provide information to fans at all dates on the Santana tour.
Source Billboard.com.