News Update For Week Ending 3-30
Flyleaf Goes Platinum
Flyleaf's self-titled debut album has been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of one million copies. Currently their third single, “All Around Me” is their highest-charting song to date, crossing over at Top 40 radio. With over 25 million plays on MySpace and 300,000 spins to date, Texas- bred Flyleaf has already spawned two powerful singles, “I’m So Sick,” and “Fully Alive” both of which were played on major market active rock radio, modern rock radio, MTV 2, Fuse and Yahoo Music. After headlining their own two- month Justice & Mercy Tour, harvesting a multitude of new fans on the 2007 Family Values Tour, and opening for Korn on their European tour this past winter- the band is now gearing up to co-headline their cross country, multi-city tour with Seether- kicking off April 8th in Denver. Entertainment Weekly recently paid credit to the band’s relentless touring while Rolling Stone raves Flyleaf “marries dark wounded lyrics with snarling, metallic guitars and machinelike drums.” Flyleaf will be traveling to Rwanda with World Vision this March to experience first hand the work being done to address the current HIV/AIDS epidemic, in addition to World Vision’s plans to provide aid in the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide. Upon their return to the US, Flyleaf will be the flagship artist for World Vision's "Use Your Voice" campaign. With the band's partnership, the campaign will raise awareness and funding for programs that transform the lives of orphans and children in Africa who have been impacted by HIV/AIDS. Flyleaf, vocalist/lyricist Lacey Mosley, guitarists Sameer Bhattacharya and Jared Hartmann, bassist Pat Seals, and drummer James Culpepper- have been playing together since 2002. Their debut album was produced by Howard Benson, (Papa Roach, My Chemical Romance, POD and The All-American Rejects.) Flyleaf released a CD/DVD special edition on 10/30 which includes the original album, five acoustic tracks, exclusive acoustic DVD footage and all music videos.
Tour Dates:
4/8 Denver, CO Fillmore Ballroom
4/09 Casper, WY Casper Events Center
4/10 Salt Lake City, UT Great Saltair
4/11 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort Theatre
4/13 Medford, OR Main 1 Arts Center
4/14 Seattle, WA Showbox Sodo
4/16 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
4/18 Los Angeles, CA Wiltern Theater
4/19 San Diego, CA Concerts In The Park
4/20 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
4/22 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theater
4/23 Las Cruces, NM Pan American Center @ NMSU
4/29 Lake Buena Vista, FL House of Blues
4/30 N. Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues
5/5 Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle
5/6 Louisville, KY Coyotes
5/8 Philadelphia, CA Electric Factory
5/9 Baltimore, MD Pier Six Pavilion
5/11 Worcester, MA Palladium
5/13 Sayerville, NJ Starland Ballroom
5/14 New York, NY Nokia Theatre
5/18 Columbus, OH Rock on the Range
5/20 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
*More dates to be announced soon
Creation Festival: The Tour
Creation Festival, the nation’s largest Christian music festival and the premier name in Christian music events, is pleased to announce that it is expanding its brand once again to launch Creation Festival: The Tour. Kicking off in October, the “mini Creation on wheels” will allow fans across the country to experience a taste of the annual 4-day events held in June and July in one night of music, teaching and fun. Headlining this one-of-a-kind event is BEC Recordings band, Kutless, with special guests, Thousand Foot Krutch and Pillar. The line up is rounded out by female-fronted rockers, Fireflight, as the opening band and Integrity’s Worth Dying For providing a time of praise and worship. KJ-52 will also perform and serve as MC for the night. World-renowned speaker, Bob Lenz, will share the gospel each night, with Pastor Harry Thomas, Creation Festival director and co-founder and Teen Mania’s founder, Ron Luce, also joining the tour on select dates. A special Tooth & Nail Records “pre-show” will kick off the event, featuring performances by Run Kid Run, Esterlyn and Children 18:3. “We are excited to be a part of this ground-breaking tour,” exclaims Jon Micah Sumrall, frontman for Kutless. “It has been an amazing experience to play Creation – a festival we attended with our youth group when we were in high school – and now, to be invited to headline Creation Festival: The Tour, we could not be more honored! We are looking forward to heading out on the road and impacting lives together with the Creation folks and the other bands.” As well as providing an exciting evening of great music, Creation Festival: The Tour is also very ministry oriented, with a local community outreach planned for each date. While the type of outreach will vary by date and may include activities such as clothing drops and food drives, every city will take part in having a direct positive impact on their community. For up to the minute information about Creation Festival: The Tour, please visit creationfesttour.com
New Kingston Falls Album
Facedown Records is proud to announce the release of the new album from Kingston Falls: Armada On Mercury. The new album is "a way of taking our listeners somewhere else with the music," according to vocalist Nate Dale. Kingston Falls is eager to debut their new sound with the release of this album. Catch up with the band on tour (dates below) or go to the Kingston Falls myspace to learn more: myspace.com/kingstonfalls Check out the video for 'freakin' eXtreme' here:
facedownrecords.com/video_kf1.html
Tour Dates:
Mar 18 - Lafayette, IN @ The Venue
Mar 20 - Rockford, IL @ The Wire
Mar 21 - Dewey, IL @ The Shed
Mar 22 - Goshen, IN @ The Post
Mar 23 - Springfield, IL @ The Black Sheep Cafe
Mar 24 - Hannibal, MO @ The Crux
Mar 25 - Oklahoma City, OK @ The Factory
Mar 27 - Bullhead City, AZ @ Bullhead Rec Center
Mar 29 - Pomona, CA @ The Glasshouse Facedown Fest
April 2 - April 24 W/ Remove The Veil & The Messenger
April 2 - Bakersfield, CA @ The Dome
April 3 - Canoga Park, CA @ The Cobalt Cafe
April 4 - Fresno, CA @ The Exit
April 5 - Modesto, CA @ The Rock
April 6 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The 418 Project
April 7 - Klamath Falls, OR @ Klamath Falls VFW
April 8 - Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
April 9 - Spokane, WA @ The Slaughterhouse
April 10 - Lewiston, ID @ The Lewiston Community Center
April 11 - Gillette, WY @ The RockPile
April 13 - Hutchinson, KS @ Mcgraws
April 14 - Okmulgee, OK @ The Aim Music Venue
April 15 - Tulsa, OK @ The Pinkeye
April 16 - Fayetteville, AR @ The Music Hall
April 17 - Tupelo, MS @ The Link Center
April 18 - Marietta, GA @ Swayze's
April 19 - Pensacola, FL @ The Red Door
April 20 - Cocoa, FL @ The Anvil
April 21 - Tampa, FL @ The Transitions Art Gallery
April 22 - Jacksonville, FL @ The Pit
April 24 - Cleveland, GA @ The Pivot
April 25 - Bernie, MO @ The Venue
April 26 - Shawnee, OK @ The Fusion Affect Venue
April 29 - Seminole, TX @ The Tower Youth Venue
May 3 - Claremore, OK @ The Tree
May 9 - Fargo, ND @ The Red Raven
May 10 - Chaska, MN @ The River Alliance Church
May 11 - Buffalo, MN @ The Vault
May 13 - GrandRapids, MN @ The Groundfloor
May 14 - Minot, ND @ The Red Carpet
May 16 - Dickinson, ND @ Club 316
May 23 - Richmond, IN @ The Outlet
May 24 - Brighton, MI @ Meijer Skate Park
June 27 - Chaska, MN @ The River Alliance Church
July 3 - Bushnell, IL@ Cornerstone Music Festival
July 17- Wilmar, MN @ The Sunshine Festival
Aug 9 - Terre Haute, IN @ Lit Fest
Aug 16 - Saint Louis, MO @ Lit Fest
Redflecks Update
Wondering what Redflecks has been up to? Here ya go: "Much has already happened this year. Aside from throwing a fun EP release party of our recent cd The Shiny Part in Nashville, TN, we've recently found the welcome from international opportunities and interesting stories. Here are some details on our where-abouts:We flew into Johannesburg, South Africa on March 11th, realizing the importance of a GPS system to keep us from getting lost. Our first live remix set was @ a club called Tokyo Star in Johannesburg. Since then, we've played Potchesftroom & Pretoria with Kid Of Doom, Havoc Vultures & Fire Through The Window. (great bands from South Africa). Today (3.18.08) we arrived in Durban, which is a lovely beach city. This will be some good "down" time before we play Splashy Fen, one of the larger music festivals in South Africa. We've also realized what bluebottles are...very scary jellyfish-like ocean creatures that are painful in between the toes. (cough) But, overall, we'ven been having a superb time and discovering alot of great food, good hang times and lovely scenery. Thanks to our helpful sponsors at Renault The Glen & Marshall Music, this tour was made much easier by being provided with a great vehicle and the gear we needed. This opportunity has already rolled into the preparation of more upcoming out-of-country tours. Details to come. If you haven't already found out, the new EP The Shiny Part is available via pay-pal, itunes & snowcap at: myspace.com/redflecks Please drop us a line. We have computer access every once in a while and would love to hear from you!"
Anemic U.S. Tour Dates Announced
U.S. tour dates announced. Canada and more dates in California will be announced soon.
6 June Grand Rapids, Michigan
7 June Detroit, Michigan
8 June Ft Wayne, Indiana
9 June Evansville, Indiana
10 June Louisville, Kentucky
11 June Cincinnati, Ohio
12 June Dayton, Ohio
13 June Columbus, Ohio
14 June Cleveland, Ohio
15 June Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
16 June Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
17 June Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
18 June D.C., Maryland
19 June Huntington, West Virginia
20 June Berea, Kentucky
21 June Roanoke, Virginia
22 June Virginia Beach, Virginia
24 June Thomasville, North Carolina
25 June Ashville, North Carolina
27 June Knoxville, Tennessee
28 June Nashville, Tennessee
29 June Louisville, Kentucky
5th July Cornerstone Festival, Bushnell, Illinois
New Demon Hunter Video
Watch The New Demon Hunter Video For "Carry Me Down!" Demon Hunter's new video for "Carry Me Down" is premiering online now over at MTV2's Headbangers Blog. Check it out now at headbangersblog.mtv.com
New Destroy The Runner Song Up Now
Destroy The Runner have put up a new song online called "Crumbs For The Murder." Head over to their myspace page to give it a listen. The song is off their upcoming album, I, Lucifer which is available in stores and online April 15th. If you can't wait 'til then (and want a Free T-shirt with your purchase) the album is up for pre-order over at Smartpunk while supplies last.
Listen To A New Song By The Famine
If you head over to The Famine's myspace page, you can listen to a new song called "Stitched In Plastic" to get your first taste of their upcoming album The Raven and The Reaping available in stores and online May 27th!
Somebody (Still) Cares
On Saturday, March 15, former president Bill Clinton led a rally at Tulane University to raise a volunteer army of young people. Several miles away, Doug Stringer of Somebody Cares America/International was leading a time of prayer and blessing over an already active army of youth volunteers from across the U.S., converged to bring New Orleans both practical and spiritual help. Now in week two of "Converge: Somebody Still Cares New Orleans," teens are helping with the opening of a new skate park in St. Bernard Parish and hosting a block party and barbecue dinner in the Ninth Ward—steak and ribs donated by Angel Food Ministries—among other support. Stringer issued the APB from New Orleans six months ago during a second-year assessment of Katrina relief work. "Crime was rising, kids were hanging out on streets, and people were battling depression and suicide," Stringer says. "Local pastors were waving red flags to the body of Christ at large." In response, Stringer called for Christian leaders from across the U.S. to see firsthand the lack of material, financial, and manpower. "Imagine the result," he urged, "if we, the church, seized the chance to rebuild what's called a 'sin city' on a godly foundation." On March 10, Mark Roye from BloodNFire/Somebody Cares San Antonio led the first teams into New Orleans as youth groups and work teams participated in projects alongside local ministries. By Friday, March 14, more young people arrived for the "Macedonia Gathering" weekend, along with prayer leaders, pastors, and others who came to pray for and commit to long-term rebuilding. The result: a burgeoning army of youth volunteers spreading out from the New Orleans Dream Center. Volunteers came from Houston, Pearland, Stafford, Clear Lake, and San Antonio in Texas; Haverhill, Mass.; Nashville, Tenn.; Monroe and Chickamauga in Georgia; Denver, Col.; and Baltimore, Md. Angel Food Ministries network was backed by 4,000 churches. Gideon Stanley is connected to prayer networks in India. Prayer networks in nine nations supported the outreach. "Tremendous need is tremendous opportunity," Stringer said. "I see the future of New Orleans coming back to life as an emerging generation of young people pour in their time and talents, as our former generation comes alongside to empower them and release them into their destinies. As long as there's a need, Somebody Cares America is here." Somebody Cares is the Houston-based outreach arm of Turning Point Ministries International, founded in 1981 by Doug Stringer to reach the down-and-out with food, material goods, and God's word. Somebody Cares is known for uniting pastors on behalf of cities—in models duplicated across the world. In 2005, Somebody Cares was a key player in relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina, helping distribute some $30 million of in-kind gifts and donations. Somebody Cares America helped hundreds of churches and ministries supply crisis and long-term relief on-site in New Orleans, Picayune, and Southeast Texas, while helping more than 250,000 evacuees in Houston and many more relocated to San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and Denver. For more information, contact Somebody Cares America at 713-621-1498 or learn more at somebodycares.org
Bread Of Stone Cares Too
By involving themselves with other ministries, Bread of Stone focuses on more than just music. Partnering with Christ In Action and Homes of Hope, the band in the month of March is helping families recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Knowing what it’s like living in an area having little, founding members, Ben and Bill Kristijanto are motivated by memories of having grown up in Indonesia. This month the band traveled back to St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana to help with the disaster relief efforts—a trip that marks the third such visit. “When St. Bernard Parish was a barren land in early 2006, BOS (Bread of Stone) came here to work but they did much more than physical labor. They gave us a spiritual uplifting by performing a free concert at Adullam Christian Fellowship's gutted building” say Cheryl Renz, St. Bernard Parish resident. “This month the guys are back to assist in the rebuilding process consisting of anything from gutting homes, hanging drywall, electrical work, painting etc...they’ve proven their not afraid of hard, dirty work.” The experience of seeing poverty in their childhood has had a lasting effect on the lives of the Kristijanto brothers. They remember life and their view of poverty while living in Indonesia in contrast to what they saw coming to the United States. "Being younger, we were kind of secluded from what was going on there," front man Ben said, "If you're that person (living in poverty), you don't know any better. We don't really have anything to compare it to over here.” Infused with a global vision and an energy that finds its source in their passion for bringing others closer to Jesus, Bread of Stone’s (BOS) rise as an up-and-coming Christian band based out of Sioux City, Iowa has been a steady climb. Formed by brothers Ben (vocals) and Bill Kristijanto (guitar) and later joined by friends Jeremi Hough (drums) and Tim Barnes (bass), they have answered the call to ministry through inspiring music. When asked about the significance of the name “Bread of Stone”, Bill states: “We as Christians are all merely stones who—in God’s hands—can be turned into bread to feed the hungry.” Since the release of their original self-produced album, Broken Vessels, BOS has been blessed with many incredible opportunities to expand their musical horizon. A major highlight of their vast touring experience was being a part of the Farewell Tour for the legendary group Petra. Other tour experience includes Stellar Kart, Phil Joel, DecembeRadio, and Casting Pearls. In addition to their extensive touring schedule they have had the experience of sharing the stage with artists such as Toby Mac, Jars of Clay, and Chris Tomlin. Bread of Stone’s current single “Letting Go” off their sophomore project of the same name is currently being serviced to Christian radio and is also the upcoming major industry promotion thru CRW. In April, Bread of Stone will tour with Building 429 and Remedy Drive on the Lifelight Tour, April 9th through April 19th. Concert date/markets include:
4/09 - Brookings, SD
4/10 - Ida Grove, IA
4/11 - Milbank, SD
4/12 - Aberdeen, SD
4/13 - Sturgis, SD
4/14 - Lincoln, NE
4/16 - Huron, SD
4/17 - Sioux Falls, SD
4/18 - Worthington, MN
4/19 - Stanton, MO
For more info about Bread of Stone, including tour dates, please visit breadofstone.com
Update From Kekal
Here is the latest from the band: "We are busy finishing the material for the upcoming album. You can read all the updates on our forum: opengraverecords.forummotion.com There will be a cover song on this album, and we chose an old song from a great Norwegian band, A-ha, which is one of our most favourite bands and one of the first bands we love during our childhood days back in the mid-80's. No, we will not cover their popular song "Take on Me" (as hundreds of bands already did that), but we will cover their darker song for sure, to fit the general atmosphere of the album. As most of you already know that we use "hybrid drums" for the drumtracks, but we never gave some further explanation about it. Now we are giving in-depth breakdown about what "hybrid drumming" is all about. All the details and photos are on our forum. We just posted one more live video ("Embrace The Dead" live, Sweden 2004) on Youtube. Check it out at youtube.com For all of you Facebook users, Kekal now has a page on Facebook, feel free to visit and to add Kekal as friends. facebook.com"
Compassionart Songwriters Record In Nashville
Compassionart songwriters, Paul Baloche, Steven Curtis Chapman, Andy Park, Martin Smith and Michael W. Smith continued to record songs last week that were written during a retreat in January. Meeting at Pentavarit Studio in Nashville, the studio hummed with activity as the songwriters were joined by guest vocalists tobyMac and Leeland Mooring, each putting down their signature vocals on tracks that were started at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London. Friends like Charlie Peacock and Eddie DeGarmo dropped by to spend time with the songwriters, as well as listen to the progression of the Compassionart songs. Guiding the tracks at the production helm for this recording session was Matt Bronleewe (Natalie Imbruglia, “Evan Almighty” [Soundtrack], dc Talk, “Heroes” star Hayden Panettiere) and Paul Moak (Mat Kearney, Shane & Shane, Derek Webb), and engineering was Andy Hunt (Jars of Clay, Good Charlotte, Buddy Guy). Nashville’s top daily paper, The Tennessean, broke the news Wednesday about the recording session and a meeting that Compassionart founder and Delirious? frontman Martin Smith was to have with record labels about jointly releasing the upcoming Compassionart album. Martin was quoted as saying, “This is a challenge for the industry, as I am talking to the labels now about how to put this album out together.” Following the meeting that included EMI CMG President and CEO Bill Hearn, Provident Music Group President and CEO Terry Hemmings and Integrity Media Chief Marketing Officer Daniel McGuffey, Martin was encouraged, saying, “There was a real spirit of wanting to work together.” The resulting Compassionart studio album is being planned for a late fall release. Compassionart, a charity based in Littlehampton, England and dedicated to seeing works of art generate income for the poorest of the poor, hosted a songwriter’s retreat in Scotland, UK. Working together toward a common goal involving no personal gain, the songwriters set out to write 10-12 songs and, by the end of the retreat, had completed 22 new songs. In addition to those recording this week, Compassionart songwriters include Stu Garrard (Delirious?), Israel Houghton, Tim Hughes, Graham Kendrick, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, and Darlene Zschech. Together the songwriters account for at least 42 million albums sold, 82 No. 1 songs, 10 GRAMMY Awards, 110 Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards, two American Music Awards, and 98 current CCLI Top 500 songs sung by millions in churches around the world. The first Compassionart song that will be released is “So Great,” recorded by Michael W. Smith, Christy Nockels and Israel Houghton and to be featured on the WOW Hits 1 release in April. In addition to the songwriters, the publishers, managers, copyright institutes and agents involved have all waived their rights and are donating their efforts on this project to Compassionart. The songs are to be given through Compassionart to the world not just to sing, but also to raise money for the relief of suffering around the planet. One half of the monies received over the songs’ lifetimes will go to the songwriters’ charity of choice, and the other 50% will go to a charitable project agreed upon by all the songwriters involved. For more information on Compassionart, go to compassionart.co.uk
Grave Robber Releases New Album
Grave Robber's debut, Be Afraid will release April 28th. After being invited to play C-stone 2008, they will be playing the last show of the festival at the Underground stage, after the mainstage concerts are over. Grave Robber wears masks, have cool names, and their music & stage show are filled with Christian symbolism. Ironically, this is gothic "horror punk/hard rock" with a message! For fans of Alice Cooper, The Misfits, Type-o-Negative, Danzig. Check out their myspace page at myspace.com/graverobberpunk
Rhythm Unveils Their New Name
On March 28th, 2008 Rhythm will unveil their new band name!! Come check out new songs from the band at Mokah in Deep Ellum, Dallas TX at 7:30pm. The band will be sharing the stage with Ryan Edgar, David Gentiles, and The Epic Press! All past and present Rhythm merch only $5. All ages are welcome to the show, and part of the door cost goes to the future of the band... so bring everybody. In other news, head over to their myspace to check out the live video they just put up, of the acoustic show at Gezellig!
Winter Jam 2008 Finishes Out With A Bang
The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular concluded its 34-city run with a bang and a near sold out crowd this past weekend at the Sommet Center in Nashville. The Winter Jam tour is Christian music's largest annual musical extravaganza and for this year’s 2008 tour they brought in more fans than ever before. Winter Jam had an impressive 16% increase in attendance from last year equaling out to a total of 311,836 screaming music fanatics coming to see MercyMe, Skillet, BarlowGirl, NewSong, American Idol's Mandisa and Connersvine. It was in Greensboro, NC where Winter Jam had its largest crowd in their history, bringing in 18,078 music maniacs from the nearby areas. Other large attraction cities were at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham, AL reeling in 16,364 and in Oklahoma City, OK at The Ford Center 15,471 fans came out to support their favorite artists. Winter Jam also had 53,256 people make decisions for Christ; that is a 39% increase from 2007. “This increase confirms that God is sovereignly building His Church and it validates that the Gospel we preach and sing about is ever relevant and amazingly life changing!” says Tony Nolan, Youth Speaker for The Winter Jam 2008 Tour Spectacular. Fans were not the only ones going home with a smile on their faces; thousands of children were given the hope of a loving family and a promising future because 4,331 fans became child sponsors through Holt International, a world leader in international adoption and child welfare. Since 1956, Holt International has placed over 40,000 orphaned and abandoned children with adoptive families in the United States. Each year Holt also reaches out to thousands of vulnerable children through programs that improve children’s health and that help at risk families to provide a stable nurturing home. Along with Holt, Wayne E. Bailey Produce Company, HearItFirst.com and Dave Ramsey’s “Generation Change” were all proud sponsors of Winter Jam 2008. Word Label Group hosted the Pre-Jam Party featuring pureNRG and Group 1 Crew, which took place before the main event and was co-sponsored by media giants Fox Faith and Word Label Group. The Real Encounter BMX/Skate Team followed the Pre-Jam Party with amazing stunts that brought the crowd to its feet every night! Averaging out to 9,171 concertgoers per night, Winter Jam 2008 follows the highly successful 2007 tour, which landed in Pollstar’s Top 10 Winter Tours surpassing artists like Nickelback, Red Hot Chili Peppers and John Mayer. Winter Jam '07 averaged over 8,000 people each night with select shows having more than 10,000 in attendance.
©2008 HM Magazine - All Rights Reserved
More news from last week:
Free Music From House Of Heroes
Powerpop rock band House Of Heroes is giving away three new songs free to fans as part of a digitally-aggressive campaign by label home Gotee Records with the full album The End Is Not The End available at iTunes.com in April for just $9.99. The site, freeHoH.com , allows fans to download three new House Of Heroes songs free of charge in return for providing five email addresses of other people who they think may enjoy the music as well. Those email addresses will only be used by the label to send the link to the House Of Heroes download site. “When you set out to make a record, you have certain hopes and expectations as far as how you expect the final product to turn out. I can honestly say that we exceeded every single one of those with this new music, “says lead vocalist/guitarist Tim Skipper. He adds, “It's an exciting time for music with the developments we have in technology, especially communication. We're ready to try something new! Hopefully this thing spreads very organically, with friends telling friends and so on.”House of Heroes has two major label releases to their credit including their 2005 self-titled debut and Say No More in 2006. Prior to signing a record deal with Mono VS Stereo/Gotee, the band released an indie project What You Want Is Now (2002) to much critical acclaim and a large grassroots following. On the tour front, House Of Heroes has opened up for the likes of Silverchair, Relient K, MxPx, and music legend Stryper, as well as full-blown tours with acts including Spoken, The Evan Anthem, Last Tuesday, Dropping Daylight, Love Arcade, and Kids In The Way. Plans for extensive touring this year include a recent headlining club tour in markets including St. Paul, Chicago, Columbus, NYC, Nashville, Atlanta, Orlando and more. The band is Columbus-Ohio natives Tim Skipper (guitar/lead vocals), A.J Babcock (bass/vocals), Colin Rigsby (drums/vocals), and Jared Rigsby (guitar/vocals). For more information on House Of Heroes, check out gotee.com or the official artist website at myspace.com/houseofheroes
Disciple Song On WWE'S Latest Album
INO Rockers Disciple’s new song “In The Middle of it Now” will be among the tracks featured on WWE: The Music Vol. 8. The song specially written for the record will hit stores on March 25th, and includes track from other rock artists such as Saliva, Axel and Airbourne. WWE: The Music Vol. 8 unleashes right in time for WWE's biggest bash of the year, WrestleMania® XXIV live on pay-per-view on Sunday, March 30 at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. WWE has sold more than six million CDs worldwide with five WWE Group album titles debuting in the US Top 10. WWE stars Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder will also be using the new rock anthem “In The Middle of it Now” as the duo’s theme song. “We were totally excited when we heard it because we wanted something different unlike anybody else on the show,” says Hawkins. “It definitely gave us a good kick start in the right direction.” Be sure to check out an interview with the star wrestling pair and Disciple lead vocalist Kevin Young in the latest WWE Superstar to Superstar feature. www.wwe.com The rock powerhouse group also raked in two Gospel Music Award nominations from their sophomore project Scars Remain. The album is nominated for “Rock/Contemporary Album” and their multi-format radio hit “After the World” is nominated for “Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song.” The 39th annual Gospel Music Awards will air live on Gospel Music Channel on April 23.
Saving Grace Pre-Order
Harvest Earth Records have launched pre orders for the Saving Grace album entitled Behind Enemy Lines. You can get just the CD for $9.99 or the CD + HE Records shirt for only $15.99. All Pre orders ship the first week of April, and the album hits stores April 22nd. Go to the Harvest Earth website to pre order harvestearth.com or their myspace page:
myspace.com/harvestearthrecords
Warped Tour Pre-Sale
We're happy to announce that the pre-sale for Warped Tour 2008 has started. In addition to giving you the peace of mind of knowing you won't miss the best show of the summer; a pre-sale ticket comes at a discounted price and qualifies you for exclusive bonuses like an exclusive Warped Tour t-shirt. Be sure you're online and ready to get your ticket. Don't forget to tell your friends - there are a limited number of pre-sale tickets per market and they go fast! Other incentives: Pre-Sale tickets are discounted up to 33%. Every ticket purchased comes with a FREE Warped Tour 2008 Compilation disc featuring bands from this year's tour. (shipping and handling charges included in the ticket charge) 1 ticket purchaser will win a flyaway trip to the Warped Tour kick-off party April 11th in West Hollywood. Includes airfare, hotel, ground transportation, and tickets to the show for you and a friend. 1 ticket buyer per show will win backstage access to the famous after-show BBQ! Go here to get your tickets!
Cinder Road On Tour With Red
Cinder Road is hitting the road with Red! "Should've Known Better" is the 2nd single released to radio from their debut CD Super Human. Tour dates:
03.18.08 Reggie’s Rock Club Chicago, IL
03.19.08 Pop’s Sauget, IL
03.21.08 Nutty’s North Sioux Falls, SD
03.22.08 Sokol Underground Omaha, NE
03.24.08 The Conservatory Oklahoma City, OK
03.25.08 Ridgles Theater Fort Worth, TX
03.26.08 Juanita’s Little Rock, AR
03.27.08 Rocketown Nashville, TN
03.29.08 WRIF New York NY Chesterfield, MI
03.30.08 The Valarium Knoxville, TN
04.3.08 Jack Rabbits Jacksonville, FL
04.4.08 The Masquerade Atlanta, GA
Check 'em out at cinderroadmusic.com
Impending Doom
"Not since the release of Zao's "Where Blood And Fire Bring Rest" has there been an extreme Christian metal album that has shaken the community to its core like this album has." --deadnoise.com Impending Doom are touring in support of their debut album Nailed. Dead. Risen. which has been hailed as "devastatingly dark and crushing metal." In addition to their tour dates with Dead To Fall, Arsonists Get All The Girls, Stick To Your Guns and Winds of Plague, Impending Doom will also be making stops at the first night of Facedown Fest, The New England Metal and Hardcore Fest and July 3rd on the Underground Stage at the Cornerstone Festival.
Synnove Releases First Full-Length Album
South Australia metallers, Synnove release their long awaited, first full-length album. You can expect music that has moved away from the symphonic/gothic influences of their debut self-titled EP to a more aggressive twin-guitar black metal sound, with plenty of melodic doses of doom and death along the way. The Whore and the Bride is a musical dialogue between brutality and beauty, dissonance and harmony, groove and chaos, with a life affirming message that there is something beyond the darkness. This 50 minute epic is recommended for fans of Emperor, My Dying Bride and Bathory. Make sure you also check out their revamped MySpace site: myspace.com/synnovemetal
Martyrs Shrine Release Debut Album
Australian band Martyrs Shrine are ready to release their debut album. Although this name might be new to the scene, it is the creation of Michael Carlisle and Mike Forsberg, both former members of the legendary Mortification. Martyrs Shrine’s self-titled debut, a 50 minute culmination of years of song-writing plus their love for extreme metal in its truest form, features a unique blend of death/thrash metal. If you liked Mick and Mike's previous work with Mortification, you will love this album. The lads have gone back to their roots and recorded an old-school death metal album with modern production - just real instruments with real playing and great mixing. With Mick’s distinctive signature guitar sound and Mike’s unique death vocals, this is recommended for fans of early Mortification, Bolt Thrower and Napalm Death.
Soundmass Signs Dei Elithaeon
Soundmass is extremely pleased to announce the signing of brand new Australian band Dei Elithaeon. Residing in Victoria, this talented group play a fine blend of thrash, death and progressive metal. Their debut album will be released mid 2008 but in the meantime you can check out a couple of “works in progress” on their MySpace site, where they will also be updating recordings and blogging their efforts as the album progresses: myspace.com/deielithaeon
Greeley Estates Post Video
Post hardcore heroes Greeley Estates will premiere the video for “Blue Morning” on myspace.com/greeleyestates. “Blue Morning” is the first single from the group’s their third full-length studio album Go West Young Man, Let The Evil Go East, due out May 6th via Science. The clip was directed by Daniel Chesnut/Hurley Entertainment (Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Misery Signals) and features vivid images which capture the intensity of the group’s live performance intercut with stop motion shots of machine gears, metals and other rustic debris. Upholding its noble reputation as a raw, roaring wrecking machine on prominent stages like Taste of Chaos and Vans Warped Tour, the Phoenix-based foursome worked diligently to make Go West Young Man… more exhilarating than anything they have ever crafted. The disc was produced by Cory Spotts (BlessTheFall, Job for a Cowboy) and is a testament to Greeley Estates' crowning moments: their raw and captivating live performances. Look for Greeley Estates--vocalist Ryan Zimmerman, drummer Brian Champ, guitarists Alex Torres and Brandon Hackenson--on the Vans Warped Tour all summer long on the Hurley main stage.
My Children My Bride On Tour
Solid State’s heaviest new metal slingers My Children My Bride have announced a big tour for the Spring. The band will be heading out with Unearth and Bury Your Dead at the end of March for a several week run that promises to be most brutal, tells guitarist Robert Bloomfield. “We’ve been pretty DIY before 2007, and this is such a huge tour, so we are pretty stoked about it. We’re all big fans of Unearth, and I’ve seen Bury Your Dead a ton of times. We’ve looked up to both of them for such a long time, that it’s an honor to go out on tour with them.” The tour is in support the band’s debut album Unbreakable (mixed by Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage and producer of Underoath, As I Lay Dying and Unearth), which came just out last week on Solid State, and has already sold over 2,000 copies. On the album, the band shoves off conventions and balance between vicious hardcore breakdowns and stunning metal riffs. Hardcore fans get elated, confrontational gang vocal breakdowns and extreme metal-heads get tight, technical guitar riffs without all the non-essential guitar lead show-offiness. The band is currently touring with For the Fallen Dreams and In Fear and Faith, and having a great time, tells Robert, “the reaction to the new stuff is great, and we can tell that kids really like it, especially the song ‘Headshot!’ I mean, we run through our set pretty quickly, and we know that kids love our older stuff, but when we play ‘Headshot!’ the volume just deafens.” At one show recently, the band had literally torn the house down! “This tour is mostly in Texas, and we always play in Wichita Falls. There is this venue there that when we play, the ceiling always gets ripped down, literally. The second time we played there, kids was hanging from the ceiling fans, so no wonder it all goes down!” My Children My Bride will be filming their first music video for the album when they return from the tour with Unearth, and then will head to their first ever Bamboozle to share the stage with a diverse range of bands, many of whom they are fans of or friends with. Over the past few years, the band has shared the stage with a wide variety of touring partners, from the likes of All Time Low, The Warriors, Walls of Jericho, The Chariot, Animosity, As Cities Burn, Arsonists Get All The Girls, Oh, Sleeper, and Catherine. MCMB formed in 2004, and is made up of Robert, vocalist Matt Hasting, guitarist Kyle Ray, drummer Brian Hood, and bassist Joe Lengson. The band, whose average age hovers around the legal limit, makes it their mission to stay on the road at least 10 months out of the year since their formation. “We did well over 200 shows last year” claims Hood of the unrelenting tour ethic “and we've done about 10 or 15 tours. We just love meeting new people and making friends. Playing in front of kids that care about our music and what we have to say is something we've dreamed about since we were wee young lads. So finally being able to do that is indescribable.” See tour dates below, and check myspace.com/mcmb for updates.
Indelible Creative Group Releases Top 20 Indie 2008
Indelible Creative Group, in association with Indieheaven.com, is announcing the release of Top 20 Indie 2008. The album compiles 20 of the most talented emerging artists from Indieheaven.com’s stable of independent Christian artists on one CD that releases on March 18, 2008. Artists and songs for the album were selected from members of Indieheaven.com by a panel of music industry experts from Indelible Creative Group and Indieheaven.com based on song quality, artist exposure and web traffic among other criteria. "We've been looking for the right partner to help our Indieheaven.com members accomplish their mission,” comments Keith Mohr, Indieheaven.com president. “Joining with Indelible Creative Group to bring independent artists to the world is a real God thing. We look forward to the future with Chris Thomason and his team at Indelible." In addition to the artists culled from IndieHeaven.com, the album also features new music from “GMA in the Rockies” talent competition winners, Crystal Stark (2006) and Rachel Hurt (2007). Chris Thomason, Indelible Creative Group president and founder, developed the concept for the project. “In the world of independent music there are very few places you can go to get ‘real world’ information and practical advice to facilitate artistry and ministry,” says Thomason. “Indieheaven.com has proven to be that place, and we are excited to partner with them to create a product that brings greater awareness to independent artists.” Top 20 Indie 2008 will also support Mission of Mercy’s Swaziland Mercy Center project in Africa. The Mercy Center serves orphans from pre-school through age 18 in the world’s highest known area of HIV/AIDS. Mission of Mercy is a Christian-based humanitarian organization helping to meet the physical and spiritual needs of children in poverty-stricken areas of the world. Through their programs, children receive food, education, medical aid and an opportunity to become contributing members and leaders of their communities. Mission of Mercy is active in 21 nations around the world. "We are so pleased to be partnering with Indelible Creative Group on Top 20 Indie 2008,” says Mission of Mercy vice-president of development, Rick Mitchell. “Their heart for children living in poverty is evident. We look forward to raising awareness and helping the needs of the children we serve through this CD project." Information on the album, IndieHeaven.com, Mission of Mercy, and how to submit music for future projects can all be found at top20indie.com , which will serve as the online home for the brand. The site will include features on each of the artists, song samples and links back to their Indieheaven.com profiles. Later in the year Indelible Creative Group has plans for two more releases in the series including: Top 20 Indie Worship 2008 and Top 20 Indie Rock 2008. Word Distribution will handle sales for the albums priced at $9.99 in the CBA market with WEA servicing digital outlets, including iTunes, in the general market.
Hello Kelly Releases Full-Length Album
Canadian-based pop/rock band Hello Kelly announced they will release their highly anticipated full-length album on April 15th through 7 Spin Music. The self-titled album, which was produced by Adam Smith, follows the highly successful Green Things Grow EP, which was released in March 2007. Whether they're blasting through an upbeat riff-rock power tune or moving gently through one of their stirring ballads, Hello Kelly will put a smile on your face and keep it there. From the vibrant and colorful guitar-work, to the tingling synth leads that never get old, these Canadian rockers have constructed a sound that is teeming with fresh melodies, creative arrangements and lyrical confidence. No strangers to the road, Hello Kelly has been touring throughout Canada and the U.S. for the past three and a half years, sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in Christian music – Superchick, Rebecca St. James, John Reuben, Kids In The Way and Starfield, just to name a few. Over that time the band has played shows from Alberta to Nova Scotia as well as in the U.S. In addition, the band has seen great radio support with three songs from their previous EP The Modern Day Fades Away, which was released in 2006, reaching #1 at Christian radio in Canada. Hello Kelly has sold over 15,000 combined copies of their two EPs independently as well as through Canadian Christian retail. Francois Goudreault Jr., Hello Kelly’s lead singer/guitarist and songwriter, says this about Hello Kelly’s goal: "I remember when rock and roll was something that people talked about. I remember my parents filling my ears with Van Halen, The Scorpions, and Triumph - when conversations around the barbeque were about an artist's latest guitar effect, not an artist's latest clothing line. I want people to remember Hello Kelly like that." The band’s name brings about the question of ‘who is Kelly’? Goudreault explains, “Kelly is the reason Hello Kelly is on the road. Kelly is anybody who listens. Kelly is that listener who doesn't know who he or she is. Hello Kelly exists to encourage Kelly to build their dreams. Kelly is that listener who doesn't know what he or she believes. Hello Kelly exists to challenge Kelly to define their own beliefs.” For more information on Hello Kelly, please visit hellokellyonline.com or myspace.com/hellokelly
After Edmund Celebrates Debut With The King
Slanted Records' new buzz band After Edmund, a modern pop/rock outfit from LaGrange, Georgia, celebrated the release of their debut album in true rock & roll style - at the home of the King of Rock & Roll himself, Elvis Presley. The band headed to Memphis for a VIP tour of Graceland and the various exhibits that pay tribute to the musical legend. While there, the group was invited to Elvis Radio (Sirius Channel 13) to guest dj for 30 minutes on the popular satellite radio network heard by millions of Elvis fans worldwide. While in Memphis, After Edmund also made an appearance on WREG-TV's Live at 9 (CBS affiliate), which airs live from the historic Peabody Place. The band performed songs from the debut album before a live audience. The band has also been confirmed for upcoming appearances on The Harvest Show, Club 36, Gospel Music Channel's weekly series The Kitchen Sink and Live From Studio B, a 30-minute live concert series taped before a studio audience. Hello debuted at #20 on the iTunes Christian Album chart, and the band’s CHR single, “Like a Dream,” has been the #1 New and Active song for two weeks in a row on the R&R CHR chart. After Edmund’s rock single, “Fighting for Your Heart,” which remains in the Top 30 on the rock chart, was recently featured on CCM Magazine’s new music sampler. Named after the Edmund character in C.S. Lewis’ best-selling book series The Chronicles of Narnia, After Edmund has been making a name for themselves in the Atlanta region and beyond since 2001. With a wide range of influences, the band draws regular comparisons to such acts as Wilco, Keane and Foo Fighters, though their introspective lyrics tend to offer a more vertical slant. “We grew up listening to all kinds of music—classical and classic rock to jazz and experimental stuff," notes bassist Matt McFadden. "We’re kind of a melting pot, a unique fingerprint for Christian music, combining so many of our individual musical influences into one sound." And those elements are exactly what attracted Slanted Records, the pop/rock/alternative indie label under the Spring Hill Music Group umbrella, which also recently launched the Grammy-nominated act DecembeRadio. The two bands share the same producer Scotty Wilbanks (Third Day, Overflow, Echoing Angels), who introduced After Edmund to the highly interested staff while recording demos for the band. "Most of the guys play at least two to three different instruments," explains Wilbanks. "It's pretty cool when the drummer can pick up a guitar and start playing jazz standards and the lead guitar player goes over to the piano and starts playing some Joplin. The guys do a high-energy live show, and I wanted to do my best to capture that vibe in the studio... there's no programming on this record. Everything was played live in the studio by the band, kind of 'old school' for today's way of making records." “If Adam has an idea for a bass part, he’ll just go up and show me,” adds McFadden. “If our guitarist Ben has an idea for piano, he’ll go show Yates. Mitch, our lead singer and guitarist, actually notated piano parts for the song ‘Like a Dream’ in the middle of the night so he wouldn’t forget them and then came into the studio the next morning to show us that part.” While the band is known for their highly-energetic performances and classically-trained members, it's the very heart of the band and their desire for true outreach and ministry that is catching audiences by surprise. "Our ministry continues off stage since we enjoy talking to people and hearing what’s on their mind,” says drummer Adam Stanley. “Being a musician, life is really uncertain, but we’ve never missed a meal! We’ll be happy to share that, plus a lot of people are looking for someone outside their families to help them feel validated. Just being a listening ear does wonders for their self-esteems, which is an important part in finding the Truth. Sure we’re all sinners; but on the flipside, we’re beautiful in God’s eyes and people have to realize how much He loves them.” After Edmund spent the fall of 2007 on the Shoutfest Tour, performing for crowds as large as 20,000 people alongside such artists as Jars of Clay, Jeremy Camp, Pillar, Superchick, Bebo Norman, The Afters and others. They've continued to tour through the winter in support of their debut album, including a string of dates with the popular rock group Seventh Day Slumber. For more information on After Edmund: afteredmund.com
Meredith Andrews Releases The Invitation On 4/29
Heralded by Billboard Magazine as of one 2008’s “Faces to Watch,” new female vocalist and worship leader, Meredith Andrews, is set to release her debut project, The Invitation, for Word Records on April 29. The project is produced by Jason Ingram and Rusty Varenkamp, and features a set of eleven songs either written or co-written by Andrews. “I’m thrilled to be a part of the Word Records family,” said Andrews. “But honestly, I wasn’t really looking for a record deal. It just fell in my lap. I’m so humbled by it all. It’s obvious that it’s the Lord’s hand and not my own.” The Invitation showcases powerful vocals accentuated by beautiful piano melodies. The inspiration behind the title is to encourage listeners by sharing that, “God is extending an invitation to you, to you personally, calling you by name,” said Andrews. “He knows where you’ve been and He knows your background. He knows your family situation. He knows the things you struggle with, but He’s inviting you to come in and to meet with Him and to know Him.” The project features the soaring ballad and first radio single, “You’re Not Alone,” already making a strong impact at radio. An extensive marketing campaign will accompany The Invitation’s release, including appearances at the Cre:ate Worship Leader Conference as well as the Saddleback Worship Conference. As worship leader at Chicago’s 12,000-member Harvest Bible Church, Meredith Andrews has already performed in front of tens of thousands across the country. She has shared the stage with well-known artists such as Jeremy Camp and Building 429, and is set to tour with 2007’s “New Artist of the Year,” Aaron Shust, along with Brandon Heath on the 30-city “Whispered and Shouted” tour this spring. For more information about Meredith Andrews and The Invitation, visit meredithandrews.com or myspace.com/meredithandrewsband
The Wedding Was Robbed
On (or about) Wednesday, March 5th, in Haltom City/Fort Worth, TX, The Wedding had their brand new (1 month old), Silver, Haulmark, 7 x 14 foot trailer stolen from the apartment complex they have been staying at while writing new music. They had taken all the necessary precautions for ensuring this would not happen (i.e. having multiple locks and keeping it in a gated area) while practicing, but someone still managed to take it. Thankfully, God is always looking out for them and their equipment was not in the trailer at the time of the theft. However, they are left with a lot of gear and no way to take it on their upcoming tours/shows or back home to Arkansas. The Wedding is sincerely asking that any supporter of the band would donate whatever they feel led to, toward the purchase of a new trailer by simply going to their myspace page (myspace.com/thewedding) and clicking the paypal button and following the directions. Unfortunately, things like this happen, and it takes the band and the supporters together to make it through. The Wedding will not let this slow them down. They will be gettin rowdy in a city near you soon!
Hawk Nelson Video Debut
Hawk Nelson's Music Video for "Friend Like That" debuts. Leading up to the highly anticipated Hawk Nelson third studio release on April 1st, "Hawk Nelson Is My Friend," the music video for the single "Friend Like That" debuts on Amazon.com this week. To check out the video click here.
Preview The Entire Starfield Album
The new record from Starfield, I Will Go, releases on March 25th, but you can hear the entire album now! Visit www.hearitfirst.com to listen, and watch the new "I Will Go" video trailer while you are there!
Downloadable Rock Band Tracks
To celebrate the artistic passion of the annual South by Southwest Festival (SXSW), Harmonix and MTV Games are offering a special Rock Band™ SXSW DLC Pack. The SXSW DLC Pack features three hot tracks including “Crushcrushcrush” by the pop-punk quintet Paramore. Each track for a limited time price of $0.99 per track. In addition to the 58 songs that come packaged with Rock Band, Harmonix and MTV have been offering a robust calendar of new downloadable content every week including packs, full albums and individual tracks to satiate the desire for constantly refreshed Rock Band content. The weekly content has delivered not only mega-star and classic rock acts to Rock Band, this new distribution method for music has seen fans and gamers also embracing developing artists. Rock Band allows online play and features that expand the boundaries of music gaming. Rock Band downloadable content is playable and integrated into setlists in all game modes including: Solo Tour, Band World Tour, head-to-head competition either locally or online, and from any Quickplay mode. In order to play downloadable content for head-to-head matches or multiplayer online, all players must own the same downloadable track. Downloadable content for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft will be available for purchase via Xbox LIVE Marketplace using Microsoft Points and is downloaded directly to Xbox 360's built in hard drive. Downloadable content for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system’s version of Rock Band will be available for purchase on the PLAYSTATION®Store through the free PLAYSTATION Network and is downloaded directly to PLAYSTATION 3 system's built in hard drive. For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit rockband.com and harmonixmusic.com
Solomon Burke Releases New Album
This June will see the release of Solomon Burke’s highly personal new album, Like A Fire. Burke has had a long illustrious career which includes a Grammy award and an induction into the Rock and Roll hall of fame. His influence as an artist has long reached across generations, as is evident here on this soulful new project featuring songs written specifically for the album by an all-star team of songwriters, including Eric Clapton, Ben Harper, Jesse Harris, and Keb’ Mo’. The songs on Like A Fire are based on Burke’s reflections on life, and his concern for the state of the world. A spare, honest and emotionally raw album, Like A Fire was produced by Grammy-winning master drummer Steve Jordan, who has worked with Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer and countless other greats, and who also wrote three tracks for the album. When a song receives the honor of being performed by Burke, the King of Rock and Soul, it is bestowed a rare and beautiful power. On Like A Fire Burke gives his unparalleled treatment to a new batch of songs that cover a wide range of emotions. “Songs take a message directly to your heart,” says Solomon Burke. “When you can’t speak for yourself, sometimes a song can say something in three minutes that you’ve been trying to say all your life.” Like A Fire features a top-notch band that includes studio legends Danny Kortchmar and Dean Parks on guitars and Larry Taylor on bass. The stripped-down ensemble seamlessly navigates the album’s different moods, from the wry, loose “Ain’t That Something” written by Jordan, to the one cover on the project, the American Standard and romantic album closer “If I Give My Heart To You,” which was a hit for Doris Day in 1954. Eric Clapton shows his respect for Solomon Burke by contributing not just one, but two songs to Like A Fire. Clapton penned the album’s contemplative title track, which finds Burke waxing philosophical and looking for answers, and shares writing credit with Burke on the heartfelt “Thank You,” which comes complete with an old-school recited breakdown. Ben Harper’s urgent “A Minute To Rest And A Second To Pray” deals with facing life’s hardships with faith, in the vein of Curtis Mayfield's great 1970s urban political songs. Keb’ Mo’ wrote and lends vocals to the poignant “We Don’t Need It,” an emotional tale about the breadwinner of a family finding the courage to tell them he can’t afford to buy them the things they want, only to be met with love and understanding. Jesse Harris, who wrote the Norah Jones smash hit “Don’t Know Why,” contributed two country-tinged songs, the buoyant ode to a relationship that can weather the opinions of outsiders that is “You And Me,” and “What Makes Me Think I Was Right,” about hurting and forgiving in a relationship. “These song writers have been listening to their moms and dads and their grandparents, and to the old songs,” says Burke. “And they’re combining their messages with the truth, with reality and with the times we live in.” Like A Fire serves as proof that one of American music’s towering icons remains a vital, inimitable force. “I’m on a journey, and that journey is music,” says Solomon Burke. “I want to give all I can to as many people as I can for as long as I can.”Solomon Burke will be touring the U.S. and Europe in 2008 to support Like A Fire, including stops at the Bonnaroo and Telluride Festivals in June, and a performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on August 13. Like A Fire is Burke’s third recording for Shout! Factory, following 2006’s Nashville, which featured the Grammy-nominated track "Tomorrow Is Forever" with Dolly Parton, and 2005’s Grammy-nominated Make Do With What You Got.
©2008 HM Magazine - All Rights Reserved
More news from last week:
P.O.D. Announces Hard Rock Cafe Tour
The lineup that sent P.O.D. to multiple platinum success with “The Fundamental Elements of Southtown” and “Satellite” (featuring “Youth of a Nation,” “Alive,” “Boom,” and "Satellite") is back with their INO/Columbia Records debut, “When Angels and Serpents Dance” on April 8, 2008. Prior to the release, the band will take part in Hard Rock Café's month long charity drive for Musicians on Call and perform at various Hard Rock Café's throughout the country. On Tuesday, March 18 there will be an album listening event at Hard Rock locations in Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Orlando, Philadelphia and San Francisco. These listening parties will have a voluntary $5 donation to the Musicians on Call charity and a register to win drawing for various P.O.D. items. Beginning March 25, P.O.D. will criss-cross the country to perform live in 8 markets at various Hard Rock Café venues including a special hometown show on April 7 in San Diego the night before the CD is released in-stores. The Hard Rock shows will give P.O.D. fans a chance to be up close with the band in the intimate setting of the Hard Rock Café venues. The San Diego show will be broadcast live over the internet on ALL ACCESS Warrior Pass. This will allow fans to have access to exclusive footage, witness the hometown performance and a chance to interact with the band and other fans. P.O.D. will also be special guests on Rockline Radio show on Monday April, 7 before the Hard Rock performance that same evening.
Hard Rock Café Club shows:
March
25 Hollywood, CA @ Universal Studios
27 Orlando, FL - THQ Superslam Raw vs Smackdown
at House of Blues. (Not part of Hard Rock tour)
28 Miami, FL - 401 Biscayne Blvd.
29 Washington DC - 999 E. Street N.W.
31 Chicago, IL - 63 W. Ontario
April
1 St. Louis, MO - 450 St. Louis Union Station
2 Denver, CO - 500 16th Street Mall
3 Phoenix, AZ - 3 South 2nd Street
7 San Diego, CA - 801 4th Avenue
“As far as P.O.D. goes it’s always for the moment,” Sonny says. “I just kind of go through it and whatever the song brings out in us that’s it. There’s a lot of passion on this record.” Indeed, “When Angels and Serpents Dance” is the sound of a rejuvenated band: passionate, aggressive and with a message for our times.
Crave Book Turns Into Movie/DVD
Lionsgate is releasing a cool new DVD called Crave, which is a visual mini-movie adaptation based upon the book Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus (which HM editor DVP spent most of 2007 "reviewing" in his blog).
CRAVE is a collection of "short story" vignettes that mirrow the dramatic
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