2006

Months after solidifying yet another eclectic FloydFest line-up of Americana and world grooves, the restless folks at Across-the-Way Productions have given music fans one more reason to make the trek down the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. For the first time in its five-year history, FloydFest will host a Thursday night Soundcheck, bringing back festival favorites Railroad Earth to celebrate their own fifth birthday with their third FloydFest appearance in a row.

To celebrate this new joint venture, FloydFest has teamed up with Madison House Publicity and Sci Fidelity Records to offer a special promotion to all those most eager fans who get in line first to ride the train. Starting May 1st, the first 100 people who buy a weekend pass directly from the FloydFest office (540 745 FEST) will receive a free copy of Railroad Earth

Upstart rock act Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is eyeing a late fall/early winter release for its sophomore album. The quintet has tested many songs on the road and has finished writing the material for the as-yet-untitled set.

According to guitarist/keyboardist Lee Sargent, “It remains to be seen” if CYHSY will remain unsigned in the United States. As previously reported, the group bypassed labels and made an unusual deal with distributor ADA to handle its 2005 self-titled debut, which has sold 91,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.’

Source billboard.com.

DJ Shadow’s next as-yet-untitled studio album will be released this summer via Universal. Shadow’s last major-label release, 2002’s “The Private Press,” was issued via MCA, which has since been absorbed into the Universal Music Group. That set has sold 160,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

As previously reported, Shadow’s new album leans in more of a straight-ahead hip-hop direction than prior efforts and will feature guest appearances by rappers Keak Da Sneak, Turf Talk, Q-Tip and David Banner.

Shadow will return to live duty at May 25 benefit at Los Angeles’ Mayan Theatre, alongside Cut Chemist, Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, MC Supernatural, the Beat Junkies, Madlib, Money Mark and MF Doom.

Source billboard.com.

New Jersey-based rock quartet the Wrens is at work on its next studio album, which it hopes to release by the end of the year via Absolutely Kosher. Also in the work is a remastered edition of the 1997 EP “Abbott 1135,” due in the fall.

The as-yet-untitled new full-length will be the follow-up to 2003’s “Meadowlands,” which was the best-selling record in the Wrens’ 16 year history.

“Most bands that have gotten to that point in their career hurry up and put something out within those three years, like a split EP or side project stuff,” singer/guitarist Charles Bissell tells Billboard.com. “I guess it just takes us that long to do the next thing. We’ve used the time to tend to some personal stuff that we put off for many years.”

Source billboard.com.

Rock veteran John Fogerty will spend the summer playing amphitheatres across the U.S., with special guest Willie Nelson opening in most cities.
The two legends of American music will launch the cross-country tour July 22 in West Palm Beach, Fla., following the former Creedence Clearwater Revival leader’s 15-date European trek.
Fogerty and Nelson will hit outdoor venues in close to two dozen U.S. cities, with Fogerty giving a few solo concerts as well. An August 27 gig in Phoenix is their last date together, after which Fogerty will play one more show at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre September 2.
Fogerty hit North American amphitheatres last summer on a co-bill with John Mellencamp. In November, he visited Australia for a largely sold-out two-week tour.
After more than three decades, Fogerty recently reunited with CCR’s original label, Fantasy Records. The company released a career-spanning compilation, The Long Road Home: The Ultimate John Fogerty/Creedence Collection, in November.

Source pollstar.com.

Snoop Dogg was arrested last night at Heathrow Airport after a fracas broke out (April 26). Seven police officers were left with minor injuries after the disturbance – which invloved 30 people – happened in a business lounge at Terminal 1, the police have said.

Police explained that the group were told they could not board their flight and “became abusive and pushed officers.” The rapper, along with five other men, were held on suspicion of violent disorder and affray.

According to BBC News, one officer sustained a fractured hand, while the others mainly suffered cuts and bruises.

Source: nme

Walter Becker and Donald Fagen will be back onstage together this summer for Steely Dan’s first tour in nearly three years.
The jazz-rock band will hit amphitheatres across the U.S. for two months with Michael McDonald in the support slot. The blue-eyed soul crooner goes way back with Steely Dan – he got his first taste of fame as a backup singer for the group.
The 31-date tour kicks off July 8 at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, Ill. They’ll hit major markets across the country, finishing September 2 at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Mich.

Source: pollstar

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the first band confirmed for the eighth Voodoo Music Experience, Billboard.com can exclusively reveal. The event will be held Oct. 28-29 at a New Orleans venue to be announced.

Last year’s Voodoo Music Experience was the first major musical event held in the Crescent City in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and boasted performances by Nine Inch Nails, Queens Of The Stone Age, Tiesto, the Bravery, the New York Dolls and Secret Machines, among others. Read the full Billboard.com article