News Update Week Ending 09-14

Brian "Head" Welch Starts Promo Tour
Former Korn guitarist BRIAN “HEAD” WELCH is launching a promo tour to celebrate the release of his debut solo album, SAVE ME FROM MYSELF, due out September 9 on Driven Music Group (distribution by Ryko/Warner Music Group), the label he co-founded with music execs Greg Shanaberger and Mark Nawara. The first single, “Flush,” is currently spinning on radio stations nationwide, including XM and Sirius, and it’s currently available for purchase exclusively on iTunes. At each stop along the tour route, Head will be signing copies of the album, as well as his autobiographies, Save Me From Myself, which landed on the New York Times “Best Seller” list (non-fiction) and has sold over 70,000 copies since its release, and Washed By Blood. The latter is an edited paperback version of Save Me From Myself aimed at a younger audience and doesn’t contain the profanity and gory details of the original version. A paperback of the original Save Me From Myself is also available now. The album was produced by Head, who recorded the music off and on for the past two years in Phoenix, Arizona. It features renowned musicians Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, David Bowie) and Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails), and was mixed by Ralph Patlan and Bob Clearmountain. It’s a testimony of Head’s life as he battled with drug addiction and leaving Korn, and finding spirituality. It will leave no doubt in everyone’s mind that Head, as a founding member of Korn, has not lost his passion for the heavy sound that originally helped make his former band famous. SAVE ME FROM MYSELF will remind listeners of Head’s dominant influence in the nu-metal sound that projected Korn to the top of the music charts for over a decade. It can only be described as a heavy metal epic, with a positive message.
For more info on album and the promo, visit:
brianheadwelch.net
myspace.com/brianheadwelch

Copeland Announce US Headlining Tour
Florida indie rockers Copeland have announced a US headlining tour to kick off in Carrboro, NC on October 21st, 2008 spanning the country from the east to west coast. Lovedrug, Lydia and Lights will support. The tour coincides with the band's latest release You Are My Sunshine which hits stores on October 14th via Tooth and Nail Records. Copeland is already generating a huge buzz online with the upcoming release of You Are My Sunshine and their elaborate viral campaign to announce the album. Beginning with a confused thread on Absolute Punk and a breakthrough story on MTV.com, news about Copeland has spread like wildfire to sites such as VH1, Absolute Punk, Buzznet, Buzzgrinder and the blogging community. You Are My Sunshine is a rich playground of sound unfolding into layers of angelic tenor, driving guitars, experimental backdrops and rousing lyrics (some of which can be found in an elaborate maze the band has recently confused web goers with). The production team of Aaron Sprinkle (Eisley, Anberlin, Pedro the Lion), Copeland vocalist Aaron Marsh, and mixer Michael Brauer (Coldplay, John Mayer, My Morning Jacket) joined forces with Tooth and Nail and the result is a brilliant 11-song collection. With songs like the guitar-driven "What Do I Know" and the ethereal tinges of "Good Morning Fire Eater," You Are My Sunshine bursts with that bright hook Copeland has been longing for since they set out to make music eight years ago. The gossamer epic beauty of "Not So Tough Found Out," one of the many standouts featuring the dramatic vocal delivery of Wisconsin-bred songstress Rae Cassidy Klagstad, nicely culminates Copeland's desire in keeping the message of the album an individual matter. Originally formed in 2000, Copeland released their label debut Beneath Medicine Tree via The Militia Group in 2003, and In Motion in 2005. In 2006, the band signed with Columbia Records to release Eat, Sleep, Repeat and followed up with Dressed Up & In Line, a 2007 album of B-sides and rarities. You Are My Sunshine will be released on October 14th, 2008 via Tooth and Nail.
For more for info, check out:
myspace.com/copeland
thecopelandsite.com

MxPx Release New Single
Veteran punk-rockers MxPx continue promoting their eighth full-length studio album, Secret Weapon, with the release of their third single, "Contention". Buzznet.com is posting the video for the new single here. In conjunction with the video debut, the band has also teamed up with POLLSTAR.COM by offering the single as a free download for a two-week period, through an exclusive embedded link within the bands tour feature available here. MxPx is currently on the road with Lagwagon as part of their co-headlining tour within Canada and the U.S. through October. The band have just announced a follow-up stop in Los Angeles with Rancid and several new headlining dates before heading back home to Washington to complete the finishing touches on their upcoming covers album. Their latest album, Secret Weapon, received a nomination for "Rock Album of the Year" at this year's 39th GMA Dove Awards, and is currently out on Tooth & Nail Records, along with The Ultimate Collection compilation.
For more info on MxPx:
mxpx.com

Emery Announces Tour With Hawthorne Heights
Seattle Sonic rockers, Emery have announced they will be joining Hawthorne Heights on their upcoming fall tour. Also on the tour is The Color Fred, Tickle Me Pink and The Mile After. This is not the first time Emery has toured with Hawthorne as vocalist/bassist Toby Morrell states “We’ve known those dudes forever. Even though they are quite successful, they are real people who want to put on a great show for their fans and treat everyone with dignity and respect.” Emery have recorded a new EP titled While Broken Hearts Prevail to be released this October. The EP includes new material as well as material that has been in the band’s repertoire but never recorded. Morrell talks of the impetus for the EP “We had two years between our last two albums and we thought that was too long of a time so we want to put out music every year. We worked so hard on our last album and put so much time that when we wrote this we just made it fun and easy and the songs reflect that.” Judging from the new song they put up on their
myspace titled The Smile, The Face it is some of their most energetic and hard charging music ever. Among the eight songs is an older song It Always Depends which is one of the first songs the band wrote but never recorded. Morrell relates “We wrote that song back in 2001 as we were moving from South Carolina to Seattle. We took three cars and used walkie talkies to communicate. We wrote the riffs over the walkie talkies.” Following the organic theme of the songwriting the band rented a beach house to record in and guitar player Matt Carter produced it. “When we recorded drums we put all these mattresses against the wall and I was nervous that we would get kicked out but this old hippie couple was next door who ran their own radio station and they thought it was cool.” Emery has been a band since 2000 forming in Charleston, SC. Their local scene was pretty quiet at that time so the band decided to move to Seattle, WA. That move soon paid off as record labels came calling within a year. Emery decided to sign with Tooth & Nail Records and released their label debut with The Weak’s End in 2004. They released their second full-length The Question in 2006 and followed it with I’m Only A Man in 2007.

The Devil Wears Prada Announces Tour With Underoath
The Devil Wears Prada have just announced they will be joining Underoath, Saosin and P.O.S. on a fall tour. The tour will start in October and go through November featuring dates across the U.S. The Devil Wears Prada have just wrapped up a busy summer on the Warped Tour and recently announced their signing with Ferret Music. The group’s full-length Plagues will be re-issued via Rise Records on Oct 28th.
Tour Dates:
10/15 Buena Vista, FL
10/16 Atlanta, GA
10/18 Charlotte, NC
10/19 Richmond, VA
10/21 Baltimore, MD
10/22 Philadelphia, PA
10/23 Hartford, CT
10/24 Worcester, MA
10/25 Sayreville, NJ
10/26 New York, NY
10/28 Rochester, NY
10/29 Cheswick, PA
10/30 Cincinnatti, OH
10/31 Royal Oak, MI
11/1 Chicago, IL
11/2 Sauget, IL
11/4 Milwaukee, WI
11/5 St. Paul, MN
11/6 Kansas City, MO
11/7 Denver, CO
11/8 Salt Lake City, UT
11/10 Seattle, WA
11/11 Portland, OR
11/13 San Francisco, CA
11/15 Irvine, CA
11/16 San Diego, CA
11/18 Las Vegas, NV
11/19 Tempe, AZ
11/20 Albuquerque, NM
11/21 San Antonio, TX
11/23 Houston, TX
11/25 Tampa, FL

Haste The Day Posts New Song From Upcoming Album
Haste the Day have released a new song Haunting on their myspace. The tune is from their forthcoming album Dreamer, which is due out October 14th. The band has also announced dates for the Solid State Tour also featuring Norma Jean.
Tour Dates:
10/3 Knoxville, TN
10/4 Nashville, TN
10/5 Sauget, IL
10/7 Oklahoma City, OK
10/8 Dallas, TX
10/9 Houston, TX
10/10 San Antonio, TX
10/11 Odessa, TX
10/12 Albuquerque, NM
10/14 Tucson, AZ
10/15 San Diego, CA
10/16 Pomona, CA
10/17 Ventura, CA
10/18 Santa Cruz, CA
10/19 Reno, NV
10/21 Portland, OR
10/22 Seattle, WA
10/23 Spokane, WA
10/24 Boise, ID
10/25 Salt Lake City, UT
10/26 Englewood, CO
10/28 Des Moines, IA
10/29 St Paul, MN
10/30 Chicago, IL
10/31 Louisville, KY
11/1 Pontiac, MI
11/2 Cleveland, OH
11/4 Buffalo, NY
11/5 Pittsburgh, PA
11/6 Lancaster, PA
11/7 Syracuse, NY
11/8 Sayreville, NJ
11/9 Hartford, CT
11/11 Baltimore, MD
11/12 Norfolk, VA
11/14 Charleston, SC
11/15 Atlanta, GA
For more info on Haste The Day:
myspace.com/hastetheday

Newsboys Release Live CD/DVD
International pop/rock phenomenon newsboys captures the best of its explosive sell-out “GO” tour on the new CD/DVD project newsboys live: Houston We Are Go, releasing Sept. 30 on Inpop Records. Filmed and recorded in Houston during the third leg of the “GO” tour this past spring, newsboys live: Houston We Are Go takes the band’s wildly successful tour and commits it to tape. “We felt on every level, this was our strongest tour to date, and we wanted to capture it,” says band member Jeff Frankenstein (keyboards). The band credits the fans with making the tour exceptional. “The newsboys fan base is so diverse, from 3 to 93, different ethnic, economic, denominational and religious backgrounds. We have been fortunate to have the opportunity to grow up with our audience. From the times we played high school auditoriums in the ’80s to arenas in 2008. Every night they turned out in droves and we had a great time,” he says. Inpop President Dale Bray agrees, “The newsboys ‘GO’ tour was a true music spectacular, featuring production values never seen before in Christian music. The song list was a complete history of the band’s depth of number 1 songs along with the energy and showmanship we have grown to expect from this world class band. Capturing this performance in both audio and visual formats was a must.” The 95-city groundbreaking “GO” tour ran from Spring 2007-Spring 2008 and boasted sold out shows on all three legs. With an average audience of 3000, setting a record in Houston, TX where 8800 attended, the tour grossed seven million dollars, giving evidence that newsboys continues to innovate its live show and offer fans an entertainment experience that changes lives. This live CD/DVD showcases hits from both the current release GO (“I Am Free,” “Wherever We Go,” “Something Beautiful”), as well as classic newsboys tunes including “Shine,” “Breakfast,” “He Reigns” and “It Is You,” all from gold-selling albums. With five gold albums, sales exceeding six million units, more than 20 No.1 radio hits, and a mantle of Dove Awards as well as Grammy nominations, newsboys has achieved phenomenal success in its near two decades together. Known for its amazing live performances and groundbreaking tours, the band continues to sellout festivals and concerts worldwide, satisfying diehard fans and winning new ones in the process. newsboys fourteenth record, GO, debuted at No. 51 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.
Check out here for more info:
newsboys.com

Hands & Feet Project in Haiti Suffers Damage
The Hands & Feet Project, a children’s village in Jacmel, Haiti that was started by GRAMMY-winning band Audio Adrenaline in 2004, has suffered severe damage from the latest hurricane to hit the area. Following the destruction from hurricane Fay, hurricane Gustav buried the village in several feet of rock that came tumbling down the mountain during the storm. Although the overwhelming process of restoration has begun, tropical storm Hanna that hit this week again devastated the village and relegated the children and staff, 48 people in all, to live in one second-story room. “We are in need of much prayer and financial support right now,” says Drex Stuart, a lifetime missionary who has previously served in Haiti and heads up the Hands & Feet Project with his wife, Jo. “Thank God all of our children and staff are safe. However, we have had major damage to our property, even worse than when [tropical storm] Noel hit last November. “With our property completely buried in approximately four to five feet of mountain rock, we are doing the best we can to begin the clean-up process,” continues Drex. “Much of our supplies, food, clothes, diapers, formula, etc., have been destroyed and two of the houses where the kids lived were flooded with four feet of water and are currently unlivable. All 36 kids are living in the main house with the nannies.” After Gustav hit Haiti, Audio Adrenaline frontman Mark Stuart and his father, Drex, who happened to be on a break in the US, flew into Haiti with a civil engineer to assess the damage and come up with a plan to protect the village. Following the assessment, the cleanup process began, but after four days of clearing rock and piling them up to make an earthen dam that would eventually be a 12-15 foot high concrete retaining wall with re-enforced steel for protection, tropical storm Hanna came through this week and washed all the progress away. “Our property is about 50 feet wide, but we are also going to help our neighbors finish their walls, because otherwise ours will be ineffective,” says Joel Griffith, Hands & Feet project managing director based in Franklin, TN. “In total we will build a 200-foot retaining wall covering a Christian school that has 850 kids, the homes and property of five neighboring families representing 50 people and our property housing 36 orphans and 12 staff.” “We had major damage to two of our children's houses and we lost most of our property walls, the foundation for our new cafeteria/kitchen. With the retaining wall and purchasing a backhoe to keep it up, we are looking at an estimated immediate need of $100,000- $150,000,” continues Griffith. “Although at this time we cannot handle supplies because of shipping costs, we are asking for monetary donations through our website." As hurricanes Ike and Josephina threaten Haiti yet again, Mark Stuart also urges people to help: “Pray for Haiti, it’s a country that is often overlooked by the news channels when hurricanes happen because there are really no tourist areas. No reason to really pay attention, but it’s a place that really could use our help.”
For more information about this story, including photos, video storm footage, a video plea from Mark Stuart and to donate, go to:
handsandfeetproject.org

World Vision Makes Emergency Meeting Resources Available Online
The recent World Vision Emergency Meeting, resource materials and PowerPoint presentation is now available for viewing online. The meeting, attended by recording artists, managers, media, booking agents and representatives from The Gospel Music Association and major Christian label groups, addressed the causes and effects of the global food crisis and World Vision’s immediate and ongoing response to the escalating international crisis. David Scheiman, Director of Africa Integrated Programs for World Vision US, presented facts to describe the great need, explaining some of the root causes and effects of chronic hunger and malnutrition. Recording artists CeCe Winans and Margaret Becker both shared personal experiences, urging observers to action on behalf of World Vision and the millions affected daily by the global food crisis. World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by faith in Jesus Christ, World Vision serves alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people, serving all
people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.
The World Vision Emergency Meeting is currently available in its entirety at:
wvartists.org

DecembeRadio Makes Highest Debut With Second Album
GRAMMY-nominated and DOVE Award-winning rock band DecembeRadio’s highly anticipated sophomore release hit shelves last week, coming in at #3 on the CCM sales chart, making it the week’s highest CCM debut. The project, Satisfied (Slanted Records), landed at #116 on the Top 200 BILLBOARD chart as well, as the band’s first week sales nearly doubled that of their lauded debut. “This is certainly a high note for DecembeRadio,” stated Paul Sizelove, vice president of Slanted Records. “This band has hit the road hard continuously, and they take their musicianship very seriously. We are thrilled to see the responses they are getting and it’s gratifying to start out with a strong week at retail for an up-and-coming band.” DecembeRadio performed songs from Satisfied at the newly renovated Hard Rock Café in Atlanta, GA, the week prior to street date. The Atlanta location was fitting as the band recorded the new release in the city’s famed Southern Tracks studio. The event was aired locally by radio station J93.3, where listeners tuned in all day on August 20th for the chance to win one of the new Satisfied releases during “DecembeRadio Day” at the station. The band was featured on two segments of “Good Day Atlanta,” a popular show on Atlanta’s FOX affiliate, where they performed the title cut from the new release in addition to their DOVE-nominated hit “Drifter.” DecembeRadio appeared street week for the student body at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., where they will return for Winterfest 2008, a youth music festival and conference to be held later this year. The band played two songs from Satisfied at the convocation service for an excited group of students. After debuting some of the new release on a spring tour with Third Day, DecembeRadio hit several festivals this summer including last week’s Rock the Light event in Kansas City, Missouri, and experienced their first tour to Sweden and Norway alongside veterans Jars of Clay. In addition to their concert appearances, the group recently performed on “Every Day with Marcus and Lisa” (FamilyNet) and “Atlanta Live” with numerous on-air radio visits including WAY-FM’s “Total Axxess,” WONU (Bourbonnais, IL), WNAZ (Nashville, TN), KZKZ (Fort Smith, AR), WVFJ (Atlanta, GA) and KHZR (St. Louis, MO) among others. “The past few months have felt like a whirlwind,” stated band member Eric Miker. “It feels like we’ve ‘lived’ on the road and in the studio for months. This is an exciting time for us, and we’re just happy that our fans can now experience the new record for themselves. When you live with it the way we have, it feels good to finally let go on stage through the new songs and see people enjoy them firsthand. We are grateful for everyone’s support and we feel it everywhere we go.” “For Your Glory,” the first AC single from the project, is off to a rousing start with new adds this week. “Better Man,” the first rock single from the new release, is #4 on the rock New & Active chart; and “Believer,” already receiving glowing comments from program directors nationwide, has just gone for adds at CHR radio with numerous out-of-the-box adds.
For further information and tour schedules, visit:
decemberadio.com
myspace.com/decemberadio

Seabird's Rescue Featured In Pushing Daisies
Credential recording artist Seabird’s hit song “Rescue” has been selected by ABC to promote its new season of 12-time Emmy-nominated series, “Pushing Daisies.” Likewise, the song’s music video is holding steady this week at No. 1 on TVU’s “Most Wanted.” ABC has already begun promoting its new season of “Pushing Daisies,” to premier in October. The spots will run now through the season debut. The promo can be viewed here. “Rescue” is also finding favor with music audiences, as the song’s video has captured the No. 1 spot for two consecutive weeks on TVU, a nationwide, 24/7 music video television network.
For more info on Seabird, check out:
seabirdmusic.com
myspace.com/seabird

Apostles of Comedy Tours Starts In November
A live tour featuring the four stars of Apostles of Comedy: The Movie will begin on November 10 in Northern California and make stops in over 15 cities before Thanksgiving. Produced in conjunction with one of America's most sought-after tour production companies, MaxxLive and sponsored by World Vision, the international Christian humanitarian and relief organization, the nationwide tour will feature all four "Apostles" co-stars Jeff Allen, Brad Stine, Anthony Griffith and Ron Pearson. The four critically-acclaimed comedians will share the stage as they did in the upcoming film, set for release via First Look Studios. Venues for the tour will include large churches as well as theaters and auditoriums. Stops will include Phoenix, Tulsa's Maybee Center, Dallas' Nokia Theatre, Houston, Orlando, Chattanooga and Knoxville, TN, among others. All four comedians have honed their comedy in the most secular of entertainment venues, yet because of their personal beliefs, have kept their comedy clean and free of crude themes. "This will be a night the whole family will enjoy together" says John Huie of Creative Aritists Agency. "Laughter has no genre or denomination." Everyone involved in the tour hopes this will be the tip of the iceberg for comedy tours in the Christian market. "This film and the tour have been a dream of mine," says Jeff Allen, recipient of the prestigious Grady Nutt Humor Award and frequently seen on Gaither videos. "With both the movie and the tour, we wanted to produce something that was counter-culture; something that would not only be funny, but move people emotionally. These guys are very diverse in their styles and backgrounds, but our Christian faith binds us together." Allen also believes the tour can serve as an effective outreach for churches. "Comedy, unlike music or other outreach events, appeals to all ages," he says. "I regularly see three generations of families sitting together in our shows. It's easy for people to find un-churched friends and take them to a comedy show, and we hope that will happen in every city." Allen has appeared on Showtime, Comedy Central, VH1, as well as starred in a sitcom pilot on PAX-TV for Castle Rock Television entitled "Happy Wife, Happy Life." He is also author of the book My Life as a Bystander. Brad Stine, known for his edgy social commentary, has been featured on CNN, Fox News, New Yorker Magazine, as well as Promise Keeper events. Emmy-Award winner Anthony Griffith is a newcomer to the CBA market although he has been a Christian all his life. Making his living in comedy clubs and appearances on television sitcoms and drama specials, Griffith has been a frequent guest on The Tonight Show as well as HBO, Comedy Central, and The Bernie Mac Show. Ron Pearson is long-time friends with Griffith (Anthony is godfather to Ron's daughter), and like Griffith, has made a name for himself appearing on various television sitcoms such as Malcolm & Eddie, The Drew Carey Show, That 70s Show, The George Lopez Show, among others.
For a sneak preview of the DVD and complete tour details, visit:
ApostlesOfComedy.com

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