2006

Kindred spirits Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale will release their first original album collaboration, “The Road to Escondido,” Nov. 7 via Reprise. The 14-track set includes 11 Cale originals, one each penned by Clapton and John Mayer and a cover of the blues staple “Sporting Life Blues.”

Clapton has previously scored major hits with his covers of Cale’s “After Midnight” and “Cocaine.” The pair hatched the idea to collaborate after performing together at Clapton’s 2004 Crossroads guitar festival in Dallas.

“This was the realization of what may have been my last ambition — to work with the man who’s music has inspired me for as long as I can remember,” Clapton says.

In addition to writing “Hard to Thrill,” Mayer guests on guitar alongside Taj Mahal, Derek Trucks, Albert Lee and Doyle Bramhall II. The late Billy Preston contributed keyboards throughout the project; the disc is dedicated in his honor.

Here is the track list for “The Road to Escondido”:

“Danger”
“Heads in Georgia”
“Missing Person”
“When This War Is Over”
“Sporting Life Blues”
“Dead End Road”
“It’s Easy”
“Hard To Thrill”
“Anyway the Wind Blows”
“Three Little Girls”
“Don’t Cry Sister”
“Last Will and Testament”
“Who Am I Telling You”
“Ride the River”

Source billboard.com.

The Flaming Lips’ latest album, “At War With the Mystics,” has been expanded into a two-disc set due Oct. 24 via Warner Bros. The original album will be augmented with the outtakes “Why Does It End?,” “You’ve Got To Hold On,” “Your Face Can Tell the Future,” “The Gold in the Mountain of Our Madness,” “Time Travel?? Yes!!” and a cover of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Also featured are eight tracks from various live radio sessions, one of which is a blend of Sonic Youth’s “Unmade Bed” and Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter.”

The DVD disc of the new “Mystics” rounds up videos for “Mr. Ambulance Driver,” “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song” and “The W.A.N.D.,” plus frontman Wayne Coyne’s videotaped 2006 commencement address for his high school alma mater in Oklahoma City.

Source billboard.com.

Apple Computer Inc. said on Sept. 12 that its iTunes online music store would begin selling movies from Disney, Pixar, and Touchstone as the company makes its most aggressive move yet into the digital home.

Chief Executive Steve Jobs said newly released movies would initially cost $12.99 if pre-ordered or bought during the first week available. Library titles would cost $9.99, Jobs said at an event in San Francisco where the company also introduced new versions of its iPod digital music devices.

He said there are about 75 films now available for purchase on iTunes and that they would take about 30 minutes to download for those using a high-speed Internet connection.

The new iPods include one with the most capacity to date and sport video games such as Pac-Man and Tetris. Jobs said the new 80 gigabyte iPod would cost $349. The company also introduced a new, thinner iPod Nano available in five colors with 24 hours of battery life.

Source billboard.com.

25 years ago, in October of 1981, the Grateful Dead played at the Melkweg in Amsterdam, home of Jam in the ‘Dam, for the first and only time. It’s an event that venue owner Cor Schlosser remembers with fondness to this day. Cor still owns the venue, and is as much an Amsterdam musical fixture as his legendary venue, which has hosted a who’s who of rock n

Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and the Dave Matthews Band will perform alongside Neil Young at the 20th anniversary Bridge School Benefit, to be held Oct. 21-22 at Shoreline Amphitheatre outside San Francisco. The event benefits the Bridge School for children with severe speech and physical disabilities, which Young and his wife Pegi founded.

Students from the school can routinely be found taking in the concerts from the stage each year. Also on the upcoming bill are Brian Wilson, the Foo Fighters, Death Cab For Cutie and Devendra Banhart. Tickets go on sale Sunday (Sept. 17).

Source billboard.com.

As the sail date for Jam Cruise 5 nears, final bookings are being confirmed to this year’s artist lineup. The Disco Biscuits, the Stanton Moore Trio featuring Will Bernard and Robert Walter, and DJ Logic have been added to the bill. Also newly confirmed to be on board: Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars), JJ Grey (MOFRO), George Porter Jr. (The Meters), Patterson Hood (Drive By Truckers), Jeff Austin (Yonder Mountain String Band), Oteil Burbridge (The Allman Brothers), and Eric Krasno (Soulive). In the spontaneous spirit of Jam Cruise, cruisers can look forward to plenty of surprise collaborations and rare pairings, including a special set with JJ Grey and Luther Dickinson, and with Jeff Austin and Brendan Bayliss (Umphrey’s McGee).

These musicians join the already stellar lineup of bands: The Derek Trucks Band, Umphrey’s McGee, The Greyboy Allstars, Galactic, Burning Spear, Garage a Benevento, Zero (featuring Steve Kimock, Donna Godchaux, Jerry Joseph, Greg Anton, Liam Hanraham, Martin Fierro, John Morgan Kimock, and Melvin Seals), Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Railroad Earth, Deep Banana Blackout, Perpetual Groove, Tea Leaf Green, Los Amigos Invisibles, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, ALO, Hot Buttered Rum, New Mastersounds, Yonrico Scott Band, Scrapomatic, DJ Logic, DJ Le Spam, DJ Afro, and the lucky Sonicbids contest winners.

It’s not too late to turn in submissions for the Sonicbids contest. In their search to keep Jam Cruise loaded with hot new musical acts, Jam Cruise and Sonicbids have invited up-and-coming artists to submit their music for booking consideration. Six cabin slots have been reserved for contest artists, meaning the winners can be a full band up to 6 members or a band of 4 and a duo, or any other combination of six. Bands can enter now through November 7, 2006 at www.sonicbids.com/jamcruise . Jam Cruise judges will review applicants and narrow the pool down to a small number of finalists. The final voting will be open to the Jam Cruise passengers, on a date to be determined.

See jamcruise.com for more info.