2005

Blues singer, songwriter and guitarist “Little” Milton Campbell, whose gritty vocals and songwriting recalled B.B. King’s rough-edged style, died today (Aug. 4) from a stroke, his record company said.

The 71-year-old Grammy-nominated guitarist and singer known for writing and recording the blues anthem “The Blues Is Alright” never awoke from a coma following a stroke he suffered on July 27 in Memphis, said Valarie Kashimura of The Malaco Music Group.

Born to sharecropping farmers near the Mississippi Delta town of Inverness — his father, “Big” Milton Campbell, was a local blues musician — “Little” Milton picked up a guitar at age 12 and recorded his first hit for Sam Phillips’ Sun Records at age 18.

Discovered by blues-rock pioneer Ike Turner, Campbell went on to score dozens of rhythm and blues hits and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1988.

Though acclaimed in blues circles, Campbell never achieved the fame of King and some other American bluesmen. Nevertheless, his nearly constant touring took him all over the world.

After signing with Bobbin Records in East St. Louis, Illinois, Campbell recorded “I’m a Lonely Man” and “That Will Never Do.” A long association with Chicago’s Chess Records produced the 1965 hit “We’re Gonna Make It,” which coincided with the civil rights movement. Other hits included “Baby I Love You,” “If Walls Could Talk,” “Feel So Bad,” “Who’s Cheating Who?” and “Grits Ain’t Groceries.”

“Annie Mae’s Cafe” and “Little Bluebird” were hits he recorded with Memphis’ Stax Records, which he joined in 1971 before the label’s demise.

Source billboard.com.

You can expect more horns and more Canadians on Broken Social Scene’s highly anticipated new album, which was originally dubbed “Windsurfing Nation” but will now be a self-titled affair. The set is due Oct. 4 via the group’s own Toronto-based label Arts & Crafts.

It’s the follow-up to 2002’s breakthrough “You Forgot It in People,” which has sold more than 77,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The set also won a Juno Award for best alternative album.

Despite Broken Social Scene’s success, no one is quite sure just how many people make up the group. Fellow Arts & Crafts labelmates like Apostle Of Hustle’s Andrew Whitemen, Stars members Amy Milan and Evan Cranley and songstress Leslie Feist are revolving members. The new self-titled effort also features rapper K-OS, the Weakerthans’ Jason Tate and the Dears’ Murray Lightburn.

To read more visit billboard.com.

The Pixies’ triumphant 2004 reunion tour will be chronicled on a DVD due Oct. 4 via Rhino. The bulk of “Pixies Sell Out” is drawn from a July 3, 2004, show in Belfort, France, featuring such favorites as “Gigantic,” “Bone Machine,” “Monkey Gone to Heaven” and “Here Comes Your Man.”

Sixteen additional songs will be included as bonus tracks, including “Caribou,” “Gigantic” and “Into the White” from the Pixies’ 2004 appearance at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. Other cuts were shot at such festivals as Austin City Limits, Fuji Rock, Voodoo, Move and T in the Park.

The Pixies have continued to draw big box-office numbers during their 2005 tour, which plays Albany, N.Y., tonight (Aug. 4) and will find the group playing its first full-length acoustic set Saturday at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island.

Afterward, 12 international dates are on tap, beginning Aug. 17 in Porto, Portugal. As previously reported, the Pixies will then join Beck, Oasis and the Killers at the inaugural Across the Pond Festival, which will be held Oct. 1-2 simultaneously at Brooklyn’s Key Span Park and Staten Island

Here is the track list for “Pixies Sell Out”:

“Bone Machine”
“Wave of Mutilation”
“In Heaven”
“Something Against You”
“River Euphrates”
“U-Mass”
“Bone Machine”
“Cactus”
“Ed Is Dead”
“I Bleed”
“Monkey Gone to Heaven”
“Hey”
“Levitate Me”
“Subbacultcha”
“Dead”
“Gouge Away”
“Velouria”
“Mr. Grieves”
“Crackity Jones”
“Broken Face”
“Isla De Encanta”
“Tame”
“Here Comes Your Man”
“The Holiday Song”
“Where Is My Mind?”
“Vamos”
“Wave of Mutilation”
“Gigantic”

Bonus performances:

“Caribou” (Coachella)
“Here Comes Your Man” (Move)
“Debaser” (T in the Park)
“Gigantic” (Coachella)
“U-Mass” (Lowell, Mass.)
“Crackity Jones” (Fuji Rock)
“Nimrod’s Son” (Fuji Rock)
“The Holiday Song” (Fuji Rock)
“Subbacultcha” (Austin, Texas)
“Vamos” (Austin, Texas)
“No. 13 Baby” (Lowell, Mass.)
“Planet of Sound” (Voodoo Music Experience)
“Is She Weird?” (Lowell, Mass.)
“Into the White” (Coachella)
“Where Is My Mind?” (Move)
“Monkey Gone to Heaven” (Move)

Source billboard.com .

After much speculation, Vegoose organizers announce their Las Vegas Halloween festival extravaganza, VEGOOSE, which will take place Saturday and Sunday, October 29 and 30, at Sam Boyd Stadium and on the surrounding grounds.

Among the artists scheduled to perform are:

Dave Matthews & Friends
Jack Johnson
Widespread Panic
Phil Lesh & Friends w/ special guest Ryan Adams
The Meters (Art Neville, Zigaboo Modeliste, George Porter, Jr., Leo Nocentelli)
Trey Anastasio
The Flaming Lips
The String Cheese Incident
Primus
Ween
The Shins
moe.
Spoon
Gov’t Mule
Digable Planets
North Mississippi Allstars
Michael Franti & Spearhead
The Decemberists
Atmosphere
Blackalicious
The Magic Numbers
Lyrics Born

More Artists To Be Announced Soon!

Music will begin each day at noon and continue until around 10:30 p.m. in the evening.

VEGOOSE will draw inspiration from its Las Vegas location and, of course, the spirit of Halloween to create a unique and unforgettable festival experience. There will be interactive attractions, performance artists, and art installations ­ including elements of the Las Vegas entertainment and performance community. Don’t forget to bring your costume!

Tickets for the two-day festival at Sam Boyd Stadium will go on sale Saturday, August 13 at 10AM PST through this website.

In addition to the events at the stadium, Vegoose will be augmented by a series of special late night performances from October 28-31 at select venues throughout Las Vegas, including the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel, the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, the Orleans Arena and other venues. These shows will be ticketed separately. The line up and details for these shows will be announced at a later date. Ticket availability for these shows will be limited. Those who have purchased tickets to Vegoose will be given the first opportunity to purchase tickets to late night shows in a special pre-sale. Details will be made available at the same time as the shows are announced.

See Vegoose.com for more info

Galactic is proud to announce a special pair of shows to mark its tenth anniversary. The band will play at the famed Tipitina’s in New Orleans on Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10 with a host of special guests. A longtime staple of the vibrant New Orleans music scene, Galactic is thrilled to return to its de facto home base venue to celebrate a decade of good times and great music. “We’ve all grown up together and learned so much,” says bassist Robert Mercurio. “We’re not only best friends, we’re like family.”

As part of the two special anniversary performances, several members of Galactic’s extended New Orleans “family” will join them on stage. Former band member Theryl “Houseman” deClouet will sing with the band, along with frequent collaborator Tricia “Sista Teedy” Boutte, adding soulful vocals to Galactic’s instrumental power. New Orleans piano-funk wizard Jon Cleary will sit in, and Big Chief Bo Dollis will bring a team of Mardi Gras Indians for a traditional street beat jam. Other guests slated to appear include Cyril Neville, George Porter Jr. (of the original Meters), saxman Tim Green, drummer Johnny Vidacovich (of Astral Project,), piano virtuoso Henry Butler, Theresa Andersson, and members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. DJ Quicky Mart will open both shows to warm up the crowd for the dance party of a decade.

Friday, September 9, 2005

Tenth Anniversary Celebration with special guests Theryl “The Houseman” deClouet; Cyril Neville; Big Chief Bo Dollis and the Wild Magnolias; Sista Teedy; Theresa Andersson; Tim Green; Know One; DJ Quicky Mart.

Tipitina’s Uptown
New Orleans, LA.
Tickets $20
On Sale Now
Doors 9 pm / Show 10
This is an 18+ show.

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Tenth Anniversary Celebration with special guests Theryl “The Houseman” deClouet; George Porter Jr; Jon Cleary; Kevin Harris, Roger Lewis, and Efrem Townes of the Dirty Dozen; Sista Teedy, Johnny Vidacovich; DJ Quicky Mart.

Tipitina’s Uptown
New Orleans, LA
Tickets $20
On Sale Now
Doors 9 pm / Show 10
This is an 18+ show.

Tickets are available at tipitinas.com

Rolling Stones fans will get a little heavy metal with their classic rock during the group’s Nov. 13 and 15 shows at San Francisco’s SBC Park. Metallica has been drafted as the opening act for those performances, joining the ranks of previously announced support bands as Pearl Jam, Maroon 5, John Mayer Trio, Beck and the Black Eyed Peas.

“These two shows are about nothing more than having fun and playing music — nothing to sell, nothing to promote, nothing to talk about, no f***in’ agenda at all,” Metallica writes on its official Web site. “Simply put, this is the reason we started a band 25 or so years ago, and we are psyched and appreciative of this awesome opportunity to get cracking again.”

Source billboard.com.

Neil Young will be joined at his upcoming stand at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium by Emmylou Harris, Wayne Jackson of the Memphis Horns, the Fisk University Jubilee Singers and Carl Gorodetsky and the Nashville String Machine. As previously reported, the Aug. 18-19 shows will be taped for a concert film by director Jonathan Demme.

Sources say the shows are expected to encompass a complete performance of Young’s new album, “Prairie Wind,” due Sept. 27 via Reprise. As on the record, the artist will be backed at the Ryman by keyboardist Spooner Oldham, pedal steel guitarist Ben Keith, drummer Chad Cromwell, percussionist Karl Himmel and bassist Rick Rosas.

A small amount of tickets will likely be available to the general public closer to the date of the event. Paramount Pictures will release the film in theaters and on DVD, but no schedule has yet been announced.

At deadline, the only other shows on Young’s schedule are a Sept. 18 appearance at Farm Aid outside Chicago and Oct. 29-30 at his annual Bridge School Benefit outside San Francisco. However, sources say the artist is mulling a handful of other dates in the fall.

Source billboard.cpm.

As tipped here in April, singer/songwriter Nellie McKay will return in the fall with her sophomore album. Due Oct. 18 via Columbia, “Pretty Little Head” will feature 23 new songs, including collaborations with k.d. lang (“We Had It Right”) and Cyndi Lauper (“Beecharmer”).

Other tracks set for inclusion are “The Big One,” “Columbia Is Bleeding” and “Cupacake,” which is said to be about the gay marriage controversy.

“Pretty Little Head” is the follow-up to McKay’s 2003 double-disc debut album, “Get Away From Me.” That set peaked at No. 7 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart and has sold 103,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

In related news, McKay will star as Polly Peachum in a new Broadway version of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht’s “The Threepenny Opera,” which will open next April. The translation was provided by Wallace Shawn; Alan Cumming and Edie Falco.

Source billboard.com.