Music News That Matters: It All Started With A Big Bang...BANG!

Music News That Matters: It All Started With A Big Bang...BANG!: "BURBANK, Calif. (July 15, 2011) — TV’s #1 comedy — and newly minted Emmy® nominee for Outstanding Comedy Series — The Big Bang Theory (Th..."

It All Started With A Big Bang...BANG!

BURBANK, Calif. (July 15, 2011) — TV’s #1 comedy — and newly minted Emmy® nominee for Outstanding Comedy Series — The Big Bang Theory (Thursdays 8/7c on CBS, premiering September 22) and multi-platinum pop rock group the BARENAKED LADIES have teamed up on a special music video for the band’s full-length version of the hit series’ theme song. The video was shot on The Big Bang Theory set and gives fans an exclusive insider’s look at the hit sitcom, via never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage of the show’s table read, rehearsals and episode taping in front of a live studio audience. The band was joined in the video by the stars of the award-winning show: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar.

• Beginning today, the video can be seen at the following link:  www.thewb.com/shows/thebigbangtheory

• The collaboration on the music video continues the longstanding relationship between the band and the series that was established in 2007 when The Big Bang Theory creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady — who are fans of the band — asked Barenaked Ladies’ singer/guitarist Ed Robertson to pen a theme song for the series as a “sort of history of everything … in about 32 seconds.”

• The band later made a surprise appearance at The Big Bang Theory’s panel session at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2010, performing the song, complete with an audience sing-along.

• Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution will feature the video in its campaign to support the off-network launch of The Big Bang Theory in syndication this fall. The Big Bang Theory debuts in syndication September 18, simultaneously on TBS, the Fox Television Stations and broadcast stations across the country, and will air five nights a week.

• The music video and a special featurette, complete with interviews with the band, will be available on The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fourth Season Blu-ray™ and DVD release on September 13

• The audio recording will also be featured on the band’s upcoming greatest hits package STOP US IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE. The release of the two-CD package will feature never-before-heard rarities as well as some of the band’s best-known songs and will be followed by a U.S. tour this summer (see tour dates below).

• The announcement of the music video follows the announcement yesterday that The Big Bang Theory was nominated for five Primetime Emmy® Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for stars Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons.

• To connect with The Big Bang Theory online, become a fan of the show on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TheBigBangTheory or follow on Twitter @BigBang_CBS. Become a fan of the Barenaked Ladies on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/barenakedladies or follow them on Twiter @barenakedladies.

Tour dates for Barenaked Ladies are as follows:

Date                                        City                                                     Venue

July 16^th                                                         Chicago                                               St Pat’s Block Party

July 23^rd                                                         St Louis                                              Celebrate St Louis

July 29^th                                  Oswego, NY                                       Oswego Harborfest

July 30^th                                                         Readington, NJ                                   Festival of Ballooning

July 31^st                                                         Saratoga Springs, NY                         Saratoga PAC

Aug 13^th                                                         Hampton Beach, NH                          Hampton Beach Casino

Aug 14^th                                                         Long Island, NY                                 West Hampton Beach PAC

Aug 17^th                                                         Rochester, NY                                    Finger Lakes Casino

Aug 18^th                                                         Glen Allen, VA                                   Innsbrook After Hours

Aug 19^th                                  Fredricksburg, VA                              Celebrate Virginia Live

Aug 20^th                                  Webster, MA                                      Indian Ranch

Sept 16^th                                  Thousand Oaks, CA                            Fred Kavli Theater

Sept 17^th                                  Newport Beach, CA                            Taste Of Newport

Sept 18^th                                                        San Bernardino, CA                           California Theater PAC

Sept. 19^th                                                      Saratoga, CA                                      Mountain Winery

About The Big Bang Theory

From Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in associations with Warner Bros. Television, The Big Bang Theory stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar. Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady created the series and serve as executive producers with Steven Molaro.

About Barenaked Ladies

Over the course of the past twenty-one years, the Barenaked Ladies have racked up eight Juno Awards and multiple Grammy nominations, sold more than 14 million albums worldwide, written a plethora of hit singles (including “One Week,” “Pinch Me” and “If I Had $1000000”) and amassed an international fanbase whose members number in the millions. They recently performed at both the Glastonbury Festival &; Hard Rock Calling in the UK. They’re currently planning a brand-new studio album for release in 2012. www.barenakedladies.com

Mono Release of Roy Orbison Monument Singles Coming April 5 from Legacy

Legacy Recordings, is celebrating the 75th birthday (April 23, 1936) of Roy Orbison with the  release of Roy Orbison: The Monument Singles Collection, a 2 CD/1 DVD set, available April 5.
The anthology includes all the A&B sides recorded by Orbison for the groundbreaking Monument label during a creative burst spanning 1960-1964.  The mono mixes have been restored for the first time since their original 7-inc vinyl releases. Roy Orbison - The Monument A-Sides will also be available on a single CD.
 A small independent record label enjoying modest successes in the late 1950s, Monument Records grew to become a major force in American rock and roll, country, jazz and rhythm & blues, thanks greatly to its biggest star, Roy Orbison.  Other artists on the label have included Kris Kristofferson, Boots Randolph, Dolly Parton, Ray Stevens, Tony Joe White, Charlie McCoy, Willie Nelson and others.
 The 75th birthday commemorative release of also includes the first-ever DVD release of Orbison performing nine songs from "The Monument Concert 1965," including the official video for "Oh Pretty Woman," digitally restored. The set also includes liner notes by Roy Orbison Jr. featuring new interviews with Fred Foster, Joe Melson, Bob Moore and others.
The songs on the collection are true classics and include Top Ten and #1 hits - "Uptown,"  "Only The Lonely (Know How I Feel)," "Running Scared'," "Crying,"  "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)," ""In Dreams," "It's Over" and of course "Oh, Pretty Woman," plus many more.


Roy Orbison: The Monument Singles Collection

Disc One: The A-Sides

1.      Uptown
2.      Only The Lonely
3.      Blue Angel
4.      I'm Hurtin'
5.      Running Scared
6.      Lana
7.      Crying
8.      Let The Good Times Roll
9.      Blue Bayou
10.  Dream Baby
11.  The Crowd
12.  Working For The Man
13.  In Dreams
14.  Falling
15.  It's Over
16.  Oh, Pretty Woman
17.  Goodnight

Bonus Tracks:

18.  Pretty Paper
19.  (Say) You're My Girl
20.  Paper Boy

Disc Two: The B-Sides

1.      Pretty One
2.      Here Comes That Song Again
3.      Today's Teardrops
4.      I Can't Stop Loving You
5.      Love Hurts
6.      Summer Song
7.      Candy Man
8.      Mean Woman Blues
9.      The Actress
10.  Mama
11.  Leah
12.  Shahdaroba
13.  Distant Drums
14.  Indian Wedding
15.  Yo Te Amo Maria
16.  Only With You

Bonus Tracks:

17.  Beautiful Dreamer
18.  Sleepy Hollow
19.  With The Bug

The Monument Concert - DVD

1. Only the Lonely
2. Running Scared
3. Crying
4. What'd I Say
5. Dream Baby
6. Mean Woman Blues
7. It's Over
8. Oh, Pretty Woman
9. Goodnight

Bad Religion, Rise Against Team for Tour in April and May

Two generations of political punk rockers, Bad Religion and Rise Against, will join together for tours dates in April and May. 
Bad Religion has been celebrating three decades of distinctive, scorching sounds and last fall, released its critically acclaimed latest album The Dissent of Man featuring radio hits "The Devil In Stitches" and "Cyanide." 
Rise Against will release its new album, Endgame, in March. The pairing is an excellent one, both band's fueled by anger and dissent, but tempering songs with surging melodies and racing tempos.


 
Bad Religion (W/ Rise Against) Tour Dates:
Apr. 05 - The Joint - Las Vegas, NV

Apr. 07 - Long Beach Arena - Long Beach, CA

Apr. 08 - RIMAC Arena - La Jolla, CA

Apr. 09 - Bill Graham Civic Auditorium - San Francisco, CA

Apr. 11 - Rose Garden Arena - Portland, OR

Apr. 12 - WaMu Theater - Seattle, WA

Apr. 14 - The Great Saltair - Magna, UT

Apr. 15 - Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO

Apr. 19 - Stubb's - Austin, TX

Apr. 20 - Concrete Street Amphitheater - Corpus Christi, TX

Apr. 22 - St. Augustine Amphitheatre - St. Augustine, FL

Apr. 23 - Sunset Cove Amphitheater - Boca Raton, FL

Apr. 25 - House of Blues - Myrtle Beach, SC

Apr. 26 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C.

Apr. 27 - Rams Head Live - Baltimore, MD

Apr. 29 - House of Blues - Boston, MA

May 02 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA

May 03 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA

May 05 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY

May 06 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY

May 07 - Nautica Pavilion - Cleveland, OH 

May 08 - Assembly Hall - Champaign, IL

May 10 - Pops - Sauget, IL

May 11 - Midland Theatre - Kansas City, MO

May 13 - Aragon Ballroom - Chicago, IL



www.badreligion.com 

www.epitaph.com

Klaxons Announce U.S. Tour Dates

The Klaxons, who raised a fine ruckus with their 2007 Mercury award-winning album Myths of the Near Future, recently released the follow up, Surfing the Void, and have announced a Spring U.S. tour that will include appearances at the Ultra Music Festival and Coachella 2011.
The London band features Jamie Reynolds on bass and vocals,
James Righton keyboards and vocals, Simon Taylor-Davies - on guitars and Steffan Halperin on drums.

Klaxons Tour Dates:

Mar 25 - Orlando, FL - The Social
Mar 26 - Miami, FL - Ultra Music Festival
Mar 28 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
Mar 29 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
Mar 30 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
Apr 1 - Columbus, OH - The Basement
Apr 2 - Chicago, IL - Metro
Apr 3 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon
Apr 5 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge
Apr 6 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
Apr 8 - Vancouver, BC - Venue
Apr 9 - Seattle, WA - Chop Suey
Apr 10 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
Apr 12 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Apr 15 - Indio, CA - Coachella Festival

Concord Jazz Classics from Ella/Oscar, Monk, Tjader/Getz and Blakey Coming March 15

Concord Music Group continues its Original Jazz Classics Remasters series with the reissue of four new titles on March 15, 2011:  Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers - Ugetsu; Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson - Ella and Oscar; Thelonious Monk - Monk’s Music;

and Cal Tjader / Stan Getz - Sextet.

Originally launched in March 2010, and enhanced by 24-bit remastering by Joe Tarantino, the series showcases some of the most pivotal recordings of the past several decades the most influential and creative artists in jazz history

Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers' Ugetsu was recorded live at Birdland in New York City in June 1963 for Riverside. The set features trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist Cedar Walton and bassist Reggie Workman.  The CD ends with four bonus tracks, including a previously unreleased cover of George Shearing’s 1949 bop classic, "Conception."
The delightful Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson collaboration,  Ella and Oscar was recorded in May 1975 for Pablo and produced by jazz impresario Norman Granz, who’d founded the label just a couple years earlier. The album is a series of duets that also features bassist Ray Brown on four of the original nine tracks. Brown also appears on two of the four previously unreleased bonus tracks included in the reissue.
Thelonious Monk's Monk’s Music was recorded in New York in June 1957 for Riverside, with musicians that include trumpeter Ray Copeland, alto saxophonist Gigi Gryce, tenor saxophonists John Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins, bassist Wilbur Ware, and drummer Art Blakey. Downbeat named the record one of the top five albums of 1958.
Cal Tjader/ Stan Getz Sextet was recorded for Fantasy at the Marines Memorial Auditorium in San Francisco in February 1958. Bandleaders Tjader and Getz are backed by pianist Vince Guaraldi, guitarist Eddie Duran, bassist Scott LaFaro, and drummer Billy Higgins. There no bonus tracks because no alternate takes or outtakes have been found in the Fantasy/Concord vaults.

X Japan Signs with EMI in North America, Album due in Summer

X Japan, considered the most the most successful rock band in Japanese history, has signed an exclusive three-year manufacturing and distribution agreement with EMI Label Services to handle the band's releases in North America.  

The first release will be the track "Jade" on March 15, followed by the band's as yet untitled American debut set for a late Summer 2011 release.
X Japan is band leader/producer/songwriter/drums and pianist Yoshiki, vocalist  Toshi, guitarist Pata, Sugizo on guitar and violin, and bassist Heath. The group is in the studio finishing up the album, the band's first new studio album since 1996 and fifth overall.  Half of the songs will be drawn from some of the band's Gold and Platinum Japanese singles; the other half are brand-new songs, and an estimated 95% of the lyrics are being sung in English.

"Some of the songs on this new album were originally written with Japanese lyrics," Yoshiki said. "So translating them into English has been challenging.  For some reason, English needs more words, so I ended up re-writing many of the lyrics but kept the same message."
Most of the album has been recorded in Los Angeles at Yoshiki's own studio.  It's the same studio where Metallica recorded its classic "Black" album, and artists from Van Halen to Michael Jackson to KISS also recorded in the facility before Yoshiki bought it and turned it into a private studio.  Yoshiki, who lives in Los Angeles, traveled to Japan a handful of times to record with the rest of the band there.  In addition, some of the album has been recorded live over the Internet, with Yoshiki in L.A. and the band's other members at their studio in Japan.
"X Japan's music is everything from fast, super-heavy rock to ballads with classical piano - all of those elements are what makes X Japan's music," he said.   "We don't play just one kind of music - we want to take people on a journey."
The X Japan-EMI agreement follows the band's U.S. concert debut last August at Lollapalooza, and first-ever North American tour that wrapped up on October 10 with a sold out show at New York's Roseland Ballroom.  Many of the new album's tracks were introduced to western fans when they were performed on the tour, including "Rusty Nail," "Kurenai," "I.V.," "Born To Be Free," "Endless Rain," and the album's first single, "Jade."
In Japan, X Japan has sold more than 30-million units and filled the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome a record-setting 18 times. 
Check out song teasers from the new album at www.xjapanmusic.com.

Drive-By Truckers Return Feb. 15 with new album, 'Go-Go Boots' and Documentary on DVD

One of America's best band, Drive-By Truckers will release their elventh record, Go-Go Boots, February 15 on ATO Records.  The album was produced by their longtime producer, David Barbe (Deerhunter, Bettye LaVette, Sugar). The band will also release their documentary The Secret to a Happy Ending on DVD. 


Go-Go Boots will be issued on CD, in a Deluxe Edition and and viny as well as digital availability. The albu draws on the the band's country and soul roots and is a contrast to their more boisterous previous release.
"We recorded nearly 40 songs last year and into this year and fairly early on divided it into two separate albums," said DBT co-founder Patterson Hood. "The Big To-Do, released first, was the more straight forward 'Rock' album. Go-Go Boots is what I sometimes - semi-jokingly - refer to as our country, soul, and murder ballad album. Those elements definitely play into it, but it's a little more open ended than that."
The Secret to a Happy Ending is a chronicle of the band, which grew up with Southern Rock and also the soul music made in Muscle Shoals, Alabama by black and white musicians while the civil rights movement was in full throttle.  It’s also about leaving home. taking a punk tact to making a new kind of Southern rock, literate and meaningful, while also embracing musicianship and songcraft. FilmBuff will be releasing the movie on iTunes and across other digital platforms.

Drive-By Truckers; Photo by Danny Clinch

Additionally, DBT will show their appreciation for vinyl and independent record stores by releasing a special 10” 45 with “Thanksgiving Filter” and “Used To Be A Cop” on Record Store Day, November 26th. Both songs will be on Go-Go Boots and the release will be a limited pressing of only 2,500 copies and will feature a special sleeve designed by Wes Freed as well as a download card.
The band also will be releasing a series of Go-Go Boots "episodes" directed by Patterson Hood and Jason Thrasher.  As a preview, “Used To Be a Cop” can be viewed here,
The Drive-By Truckers are Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Shonna Tucker, Brad Morgan, John Neff and Jay Gonzalez.

Go-Go Boots track listing:

1. I Do Believe
2. Go-Go Boots
3. Dancin’ Ricky
4. Cartoon Gold
5. Ray’s Automatic Weapon
6. Everybody Needs Love
7. Assholes
8. The Weakest Man
9. Used To Be A Cop
10. The Fireplace Poker
11. Where’s Eddie
12. The Thanksgiving Filter
13. Pulaski
14. Mercy Buckets

For the band's upcoming tour dates, visit the DBT shows page.

http://www.drivebytruckers.com/

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit Announce Spring Tour; Album 'Here We Rest' Due April 12

Singer-guitarist Jason Isbell and his band 400 Unit have announced dates for their 2011 Spring Tour in support of their upcoming new album Here We Rest, set for release on April 12 on Lightning Rod Records. The U.S. trek will run March 12 through April 23 including a performance at South By Southwest in Austin, TX on March 17th.

Here We Rest is the second studio album from the band and Isbell’s third. The group's 2009 self-titled debut received much acclaim. The band also released Live at Twist and Shout in 2008.
An Alabama native Isbell previously played with the Drive-By Truckers. 400 Unit  features keyboardist Derry deBorja, guitarist Browan Lollar, drummer Chad Gamble and bassist Jimbo Hart.

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit 2011 Spring Tour Dates

March 12 – Destin, FL – Harbor Docks
March 15 – Baton Rouge, LA – Manship Theater Studio
March 17 – Austin, TX - SXSW
March 18 – San Antonio, TX – Sam’s Burger Joint
March 19 – Alexandria, LA – Spirits Food & Friends
April 8 – Florence, AL – Shoals Theater
April 9 – Birmingham, AL – Zydeco
*April 13 – Greeneville, SC – The Handlebar
April 14 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
*April 15 – Louisville, KY – Headliners
*April 19 – Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theater
*April 20 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater
*April 21 – Philadelphia, PA – World Café Live
*April 22 – New York City, NY – Bowery Ballroom
*April 23 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall

* Co-headlining bill with Hayes Carll

http://www.jasonisbell.com

Band of Heathens Return with New Album 'Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster’s Son' March 29.

Austin's fine Band of Heathens return March 29 with its third studio album and fifth release overall, Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster’s Son, Produced by George Reiff (Chris Robinson, Courtyard Hounds, Ray Wylie Hubbard), the new release follows an Austin City Limits (PBS) appearance, festival performances and #1 Americana record,  The band returns to the road in March through April.

Heathens Ed Jurdi, Gordy Quist and Colin Brooks formed the band in 2006 after each songwriter had established residency gigs on the same night of the week at Momo’s, a club on Austin’s famous Sixth Street. Bassist Seth Whitney came on board immediately, followed drummer John Chipman in 2007 as the band began to spend more time on the road.
The group's debut Band of Heathens was release in 2008, followed by One Foot in the Ether toward the end of 2009. Both hit the top of the Americana chart and stayed there for months. The Heathens were honored as Best New Band at the Austin Music Awards and nominated as Best Duo or Group by the Americana Music Awards. The band also issued the great concert set Live at Antone's in 2008 as a CD/DVD.

Band of Heathens Tour Dates:

Thurs., March 3  ANN ARBOR, MI
Fri., March 4  CHAMPAIGN, IL
Sat., March 5  ST LOUIS, MO
Fri., March  11  SAN ANTONIO, TX
Sat., March 12  DALLAS, TX  
Tues., March 15  AUSTIN, TX (SXSW)
Sat., March 19  HOUSTON, TX
Tues., March 29   DENVER, CO
Wed., March 30   ASPEN, CO
Thurs., March 31   PARK CITY, UT
Fri., April 1  BOISE, ID
Sat., April 9  SANTA CRUZ, CA
Sun., April 10  SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Mon., April 11  FOLSOM, CA
Tues., April 12   BAKERSFIELD, CA
Wed., April 13   LOS ANGELES, CA
Thurs., April 14  PHOENIX, AZ
Sun., April 17  DRIFTWOOD, TX