10.31.05 (AP) Ten hours, 28 minutes. That was the sum of the music recorded and released by THE BEATLES before breaking up, a volume of work that changed lives, careers and the course of music history. Eight years, 2,792 pages. That was the effort author Bob Spitz put into telling their story, although editors whittled his manuscript down to 856 pages (minus the end notes). "The Beatles: The Biography," available November 1st, is a compulsively readable history that brings the same exhaustive level of scholarship to the Fab Four that Robert Caro brought to Robert Moses and Lyndon Johnson. "The Beatles' story is all of our stories," says Spitz, 55, a manager for Bruce Springsteen and others before turning to writing. "It is about how the youth culture emerged, the drug culture emerged, how politics rose to the fore as a universal debate. It's about rebellion, it's about the growth of the British entertainment system, the growth of the Rock 'N' Roll entertainment system." "The Beatles changed music forever. They took rock 'n' roll from a medium that was about cars and girls and gave it context, interesting chord changes and true musicianship." Get the idea he's passionate about the subject? Spitz lived it, writing six days a week for six years, spending six months in Liverpool and retracing THE BEATLES' steps. He could practically smell the stale cigarette smoke from the old clubs, and even ordered the band's favorite scotch and Coke drinks just to taste what they had tasted. It almost makes up for the school yard beating that a teenage Spitz suffered for suggesting that THE BEATLES were no-talent bums who wouldn't last; he was an avid Bob Dylan fan at the time. He feels differently now. But his love and respect for THE BEATLES doesn't blind him as a writer; he draws a complete portrait of brilliant musicians who were human after all. Several initial reviews have been positive, and his publisher's first printing of nearly 200,000 copies is considered a positive sign of the biography's potential. The New York Times' Janet Maslin called it a "consolidating and newly illuminating work. For the right reader, that combination is irresistible." "As with all great history writing, Spitz both captures a moment in time and humanizes his subjects," wrote Publishers Weekly. "While some will blanch at the unsettling dark sides of THE BEATLES, most will come to appreciate the band even more for knowing the incredible personal odysseys they endured." Spitz's biography is one of four BEATLES-related books in the stores this Fall, including one each by both of John Lennon's wives. "I get a new Beatles book submitted almost every month, and sales are varied," said Kim Corradini, a buyer for Barnes & Noble Booksellers. "Books that offer something new - new revelations, new photos, an insider's view - do much better than those that are just rehashings." The project was daunting for more reasons than just the effort it entailed. There have been more Beatles books published than there are... [full story]

10.25.05 (MusicPortal.com) 'Jenny Wren,' the second single to be taken from PAUL MCCARTNEY's new album, "Chaos And Creation In The Backyard," will be released on November 21st. Fast becoming a live favorite on McCartneys 37-date sell-out "US" tour of North America and Canada, 'Jenny Wren' is classic PAUL MCCARTNEY. The press have described 'Jenny Wren' as "his most poignant and affecting song in years" and "endearing and unexpectedly affecting." 'Jenny Wren' is both a soulful and mournful song with a simple and incredibly effective arrangement. It's difficult not to be moved by the heart-tugging melody. It's an acoustic track in the style of much-loved PAUL MCCARTNEY songs such as ;Mother Nature's Son,' 'Calico Sky' and 'Blackbird.' In fact, McCartney describes the track as "daughter of blackbird." "I was in Los Angeles and I was in one of those moods. I wanted to go and play my guitar in the great outdoors. So I went into a spot in one of the canyons there, lovely nature spot, getting away from all the traffic and sat down and started playing. It's just that kind of genre that I love and I just had a lot of fun, wrote the basis of it there outdoors in the canyon, lovely day, went back home that night to where we were staying and sat around while dinner was getting made and made it up. But it's funny, actually, I was talking to someone about how much I love Dickens. And this person said 'Ah, Jenny Wren, our mutual friend,' which is this character in the Dickens book 'Our Mutual Friend.' She is this really cool little girl who's sort of magical who sees the good in things, and I think subconsciously that reminded me that's where I got it from. But to me it was just something to do with 'Blackbird.' A wren is one of my favourite birds -- a little English bird, the smallest English bird -- and I always feel very privileged to see a wren. So it's a combination of all of that." In a Rock 'N' Roll first, 'Jenny Wren' also features a duduk solo. The duduk, an Armenian wind instrument, is one of the oldest wind instruments in the world. "Chaos And Creation In The Backyard" was released in mid-September to much positive critical acclaim. Upon its release, it went straight into the Top 10 of the album charts in over 14 different countries across the world, including the UK and the U.S. It's PAUL MCCARTNEY's 20th studio album since leaving THE BEATLES, and was produced by Nigel Godrich. A return to the basics for McCartney, "Chaos And Creation In The Backyard" successfully fuses his undeniable songwriting talents with his excellent musicianship. In fact, he is credited with playing the majority of the instruments on the album, which is somewhat reminiscent of "McCartney" (1970), on which he was credited with playing all the instruments. McCartney plays the drums, guitar, bass, keyboards, as well as many less traditional instruments such as the block flute, harmonium and flugelhorn on "Chaos And Creation In The Backyard."

10.25.05 (MusicPortal.com) Grammy-winning pianist/singer DIANA KRALL is set to release her first-ever full-length Christmas album. Entitled "Christmas Songs, Featuring The Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra," the new disc is due for release via Verve Records on November 1st. Co-produced by Krall with Tommy LiPuma, the album features the talents of renowned arranger and bassist John Clayton (Count Basie, Duke Ellington), guitarist Anthony Wilson (Chris Botti, Michael Buble), drummer Jeff Hamilton (Rosemary Clooney, Natalie Cole) and bassist Bob Hurst ("The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," "Saturday Night Live"). The Clayton/Hamilton Orchestra accompanies Krall for the seasonal standards 'Let It Snow,' 'I'll Be Home For Christmas,' 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town' and 'Jingle Bells, while legendary composer Johnny Mandel contributes a string arrangement to 'Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep.' Rounding out the album are previously released versions of 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' and 'Christmas Time Is Here' with a band that includes guitarist Russell Malone. Speaking on the beginning of the creation of "Christmas Songs" this past Summer: "There I was in a hotel room in London," DIANA KRALL recalls, "practicing 'Let It Snow' on a white upright, wondering if I had high enough range to sing 'just hear those sleigh bells ringing!' I'm sure somebody next door was going, 'I had this horrible nightmare: Diana Krall was singing Christmas songs at 3:00 in the morning in June!'" Only a few weeks later, the celebrated singer and pianist was again surprising anyone within earshot with a more melodic and happy sound. "In the middle of hot July in British Columbia, my Dad, my sister and I were in my car with the windows rolled down and we were all laughing! We were listening to the latest mix of 'Jingle Bells,' and had it cranked up! It just came out great." To say that the Canadian-born Krall is proud of "Christmas Songs," a dozen familiar tunes that gleefully wing the spirit of the season, is an understatement. "It was just the most joyful experience I've had," she says. "It's the first time with all confidence I've said, 'This is a great record.' Yes, it's a Christmas album, but I wanted to make this record in a style that the great singers that I admire used to make. I approached this record like I would any other jazz record. It had to swing!" "Christmas Songs" is indeed that -- a hip sleigh ride that jingles its Jazz credentials proudly, and revels in a wide range of the genre's greats such as Nat "King" Cole, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Rosemary Clooney. It's an album that benefits not only from Krall's swinging and singing, but her own production A-team, co-producer Tommy LiPuma and engineer Al Schmidt. "With Tommy and Al there's such a strong, family-like feeling -- they are family to me. This is our ninth studio album together. There was a lot of laughter, and there's always a lot of care in all that we do together." Krall also credits her long-standing bond with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton, who, with saxophonist Jeffrey Clayton, are celebrating twenty years co-leading the... [full story]
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10.24.05 (MusicPortal.com) Catapulted to public accolade and major label ranks through their independently shot video for the song 'I'm An Adult Now,' the enduring popularity of THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS now allows fans of the band to relive some of their career classics along with newly recorded material on the November 22nd release of "When We Ruled - The Best Of The Pursuit Of Happiness," slated to be available through EMI Music Canada. The creation of "When We Ruled" saw THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS reunite in the recording studio for the first time in eight years to rekindle some of that uncanny hookability on the new song 'Hey Mary Anne,' as well as a cover of the infamous Prince staple, 'When Doves Cry' (TPOH-style, of course). 'When Doves Cry' was serviced to radio on earlier this month by DMDS, and is corrently receiving major market play in Canada. "When We Ruled" also includes unreleased material, original versions and re-recorded versions of TPOH songs in its 21-song track listing, and serves to reflect on a career of albums and singles built on Indie ethics and DIY tenacity that have been cemented in Canada's psyche over the years, from 'She's So Young,' 'Hard To Laugh,' 'Cigarette Dangles,' as well as 'I'm An Adult Now.' With five full studio albums having flourished along the band's lifeline, "Love Junk, THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS' first release -- produced by Todd Rundgren and home to the track "I'm An Adult Now" -- originally went Platinum after its release in Canada. Extensive world tours and unforgettable band experiences followed, from heart-stopping studio ghosts to recording in the heart of the Los Angeles riots in 1992. THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS are now set to add a new chapter to their recorded library with "When We Ruled," and are slated to take to the Canadian roads in December for a national tour, with confirmed dates to be announced soon. "The overwhelming feeling we had towards anyone who bothered to show up to see us play or bought a record was gratitude, and that gratitude remains," says THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS vocalist/guitarist Moe Berg. "When We Ruled - The Best Of The Pursuit Of Happiness" Track Listing: 1. I'm An Adult Now (1988 version) • 2. When Doves Cry (new song) • 3. Hey Mary Anne (new song) • 4. She's So Young • 5. Killed By Love • 6. Hard To Laugh • 7. Two Girls In One • 8. New Language • 9. Ten Fingers • 10. Consciousness Raising As A Social Tool • 11. Down On Him • 12. Beautiful White • 13. Let My People Go (unreleased track from the "Love Junk" sessions) • 14. Take You With Me (unreleased track from "The Love Junk" sessions) • 15. Cigarette Dangles • 16. Pressing Lips • 17. Kalendar • 18. Young And In Love • 19. Gretzky Rocks • 20. She's The Devil • 21. I'm An Adult Now (original 1986 version)
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10.21.05 (MusicPortal.com) MCA Nashville Records is set to release a new 2-disc REBA McENTIRE collection entitled "Reba #1's" on November 22nd. From 'Can't Even Get the Blues' in 1982 to 'Somebody' in 2004, REBA McENTIRE has been delivering one #1 Country song after the other for many years, her name and voice being synonymous with modern Country music. McEntire now marks that career by turning in a 35-song compilation of her number one singles, plus two brand new recordings. "Reba #1's" is a celebration of a career that has included 33 #1 hits, 29 albums, multiple awards and countless shows and performances, the album a collection of the songs Country music fans have known and loved for over two decades now. As a mainstay on Country radio, Reba's music has become a soundtrack for the human experience. She has put words to heartache with songs like 'You Lie,' 'Somebody Should Leave' and 'Rumor Has It'; inspired with 'I'm A Survivor' and 'How Was I To Know'; and even broken hearts with 'The Greatest Man I Never Knew' and 'And Still.' And no one can deliver a Country love song like the REBA McENTIRE either, 'Somebody' and 'Forever Love' giving hope that love really does conquer all. The first new single from "Reba #1's," 'You're Gonna Be,' speaks of a mother's love for her child through all of the ups and downs that life brings, the soaring chorus a mix of advice, encouragement and inspiration. A second new song, 'Love Needs A Holiday,' is an upbeat tale of a married couple who just needs a break from the daily grind. Both songs teem with the passion and talent REBA McENTIRE fans know and love, and listeners will likely recognize a piece of themselves in the stories the new songs tell. That talent has also brought McEntire a slew of awards and honors, including 15 American Music Awards, 12 Academy Of Country Music awards, 7 Country Music Association awards and 2 Grammys. In a career that has now expanded beyond music, REBA McENTIRE is also a multiple award winner in the acting arena as well. Her critically acclaimed Broadway debut in 2001's "Annie Get Your Gun" was awarded both the Drama Desk and Outer Critics awards. Now, in its fifth season, her self-titled TV show, "Reba," reigns as the WB network's top-rated sitcom, and has landed McEntire a Golden Globe nomination and a People's Choice Award. REBA McENTIRE's ever-expanding talents have now grown to encompass a clothing line as well. "Reba," a woman's clothing collection of business and casual separates, entered the fashion place in the Spring of 2005 and is now sold via Dillard's as well as www.rebawear.com. Through her music, acting, and everything else she does, REBA McENTIRE's personality and talent have drawn in millions of fans. And while her career now stretches far beyond Country music, she's never forgotten her roots - she is a role model for those who have come behind her, inspiring them to take chances and refuse to accept limitations on what they can do. "Reba #1's" is a picture of longevity and consistency, and of music that inspires and reaches people where they are.
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10.20.05 (MusicPortal.com) On November 8th, the biggest live event DVD project of its kind will be released. "Live 8" brings together performances from the amazing series of concerts which took place around the world on July 2nd, 2005. The 4-disc set contains three discs of live footage taken from the Live 8 shows staged in London and Philadelphia alongside key highlights from the seven other events staged across the world. Every artist who performed at London's Hyde Park and Philadelphia's Museum Of Art appear on the DVD, many of them with their full sets. "Live 8" opens with U2 and Paul McCartney's crowd-rousing rendition of 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,' and also features PINK FLOYD's historical reunion, a show-stopping Robbie Williams performance and an energetic set performed by Madonna. Younger artists such as SNOW PATROL, THE KILLERS and Joss Stone comfortably intertwine with Rock legends such as THE WHO and Sting. One-off duets come from Paul McCartney with George Michael, Stevie Wonder and Adam Levine from MAROON 5, Elton John with Pete Doherty and COLDPLAY performing with THE VERVE's Richard Ashcroft. Disc 3 closes as the London concert ended on July 2nd with the stars of Live 8 Hyde Park taking to the stage for the stunning 'Hey Jude' finale. Along the way, KAISER CHIEFS waved the flag for Britain in Philadelphia. Their vigorous performance there is captured alongside American superstars DESTINY'S CHILD, BON JOVI, BLACK EYED PEAS and Stevie Wonder. Also threaded through the UK and U.S. acts are performances from artists who appeared at the Live 8 concerts in the cities of Rome, Paris, Berlin, Toronto, Johannesburg and Moscow. Tracks from GREEN DAY, Brian Wilson and ROXY MUSIC in Berlin and Neil Young in Toronto are included along with PET SHOP BOYS in Moscow, Duran Duran in Rome, Vusi Mahlasela in Johannesburg and PLACEBO and MUSE in Paris. Disc 4 features exclusive extras including a never-before-seen backstage documentary filmed at Hyde Park, PINK FLOYD's Live 8 reunion rehearsal, more acts from Live 8's global concerts including McFly and Bjork in Tokyo, films by THE WHO and TRAVIS, and a contribution from Ricky Gervais. The "special features" section will include highlights from Edinburgh's "Final Push" concert at Murrayfield on July 6, which will include performances from James Brown, TRAVIS and THE PROCLAIMERS. "I hope this will be the biggest selling DVD of all time. It deserves to be. More importantly perhaps, it should be, for it will help us achieve our goal of changing the lives of the extreme poor for the better and making our generation the one that helped end the disgrace of poverty," Says Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof. EMI and the Live 8 organization have agreed that a generous royalty from sales of the "Live 8" DVD will go to the Band Aid Trust for the relief of hunger and poverty in Africa.
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10.17.05 (MusicPortal.com) Castle Music is slated to release a new live album by TODD RUNDGREN in North America on November 15th and in Europe on November 21st. Entitled "Best Of Todd Rundgren - Live," and digitally remastered by Rundgren himself earlier this year, the album includes 13 songs culled from TODD RUNDGREN's archives over a variety of different tours from 1979 to 2004. The album also includes two recent live tracks recorded during 2004's "Todd Rundgren And The Liars" tour. The latter two songs include 'Soul Brother,' originally released on 2003's critically acclaimed "Liars" album, and a stunning rendition of George Harrison's 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps.' Both songs will also be featured on the forthcoming "Todd Rundgren And The Liars - Live" long-form DVD released in the UK and the rest of Europe in early 2006. This is the first time Rundgren has personally hand-picked and digitally remastered songs from some of his most memorable live performances, and a must for all TODD RUNDGREN completists and a welcome introduction to new fans that are discovering his music for the very first time. "This is different from my earlier 'official' live albums in that the performances are from a variety of shows," Rundgren says. "Basically, it's a production conceit to make it sound like it's all from one show, but they're from various venues and time periods. We go back as far as the mid-80's and all the way up to the last year (2004) with The Liars. We started out with that concept so that the selection of material was tempered by that idea. It's sort of an unusual concept for a record...most of the time you just put out a whole live show. Here, some songs were recorded in small clubs while others were in a concert setting. The venues varied so much that it could be jarring going from one track to the next trying to adjust to the new acoustic space. To make it sound like a whole show we put audience response in between the cuts to make them all flow together. In choosing the material and placing it in a certain order, and even in giving it a little post equalization and texturization, I was going for something that sounded like a typical evening of live music." TODD RUNDGREN was born and raised in Philadelphia, and began playing guitar as a teenager, and went on to found and front THE NAZZ, the quintessential '60's cult group. In 1969, he left that band to pursue a solo career, recording his debut offering, the groundbreaking "Runt." But it was 1972's seminal "Something/Anything?" on which he played all the instruments, sang all the vocal parts, and acted as his own producer, that catapulted TODD RUNDGREN into the superstar limelight, prompting the press to unanimously dub him "Rock's New Wunderkind." It was followed by such landmark albums as "The Hermit Of Mink Hollow" and "A Wizard, A True Star," as well as such hit singles as 'I Saw The Light,' 'Hello It's Me,' 'Can We Still Be Friends,' and 'Bang The Drum.'

10.17.05 (MusicPortal.com) TRACY LAWRENCE's new album, "Then and Now: The Hits Collection," sees its release tomorrow, October 18th. Lawrence went back to the studio to re-record his greatest hits for the album, which also includes two brand new songs in 'Used To The Pain' and 'If I Don't Make It Back. TRACY LAWRENCE is one of the premiere voices of his generation, a sensitive singer who continues to stretch both as an artist and as a person. Lawrence's dedication to honesty and respect for tradition have enabled him to build one of the most respected careers in recent Country history. Lawrence has posted more No. 1 Billboard Country singles than greats like Glen Campbell, Keith Whitley, Ernest Tubb, Wynonna or Barbara Mandrell, to name just a few; more Top 5's than Shania Twain or Faith Hill, and more Top 10's than Ricky Skaggs, Charlie Rich, John Michael Montgomery or Dwight Yoakam. TRACY LAWRENCE hit the national spotlight in 1991. He was just 23, the product of a rough-and-tumble childhood in Foreman, Arkansas. A self-described "hellion" as a youngster, Lawrence found release in performing. He was playing at music jamborees at 15 and in honky-tonks at 17, learning, he says, "what it takes to keep them on the dance floor through four or five sets." He moved to Nashville in 1990 in a 10-year-old Toyota Corolla that had, he says, "about 250,000 miles on it, expired tags, no insurance, only three cylinders and a fan with a piece of wire around it to cool the car." He was a huge fan of Keith Whitley, Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard, and he idolized George Strait, complementing those influences with an appreciation for Southern Rock, which he knew held a special place in the hearts of his Honky-Tonk audiences. He was also taken by a Country tradition that was then finding its chief manifestation in Randy Travis. TRACY LAWRENCE adopted elements from all of the aforementioned sources, and his striking vocal instrument -- distinctively Country with a cutting edge -- earned him attention from the beginning. While working a series of side jobs, he entered singing contests around town, regularly winning first prize. A live appearance on a Kentucky radio station and a showcase at Nashville's famed Bluebird Cafe led to his 1991 signing to Atlantic Records. Lawrence's debut album, "Sticks And Stones (1991) boasted four Top 10 Country hits and launched him into the forefront of the decade's young talent. If that weren't enough, his second album, the double-platinum "Alibis" (1993), spawned four straight #1 smashes. "That got us past the sophomore jinx," Lawrence says with a grin. Yet another quartet of major hits rose from the platinum "I See It Now" (1994). TRACY LAWRENCE's next album, 1997's "The Coast Is Clear," preceded "Lessons Learned" (2000), which found the singer re-energized by his Country roots. Lawrence is also very active in charitable causes, and he is annually at the helm of two events that are especially meaningful to him: a homecoming concert in his hometown that funds the Tracy Lawrence Foundation, and a golf tournament in Texarkana, Texas, benefitting both his foundation and the local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
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10.14.05 (MusicPortal.com) ANASTACIA will be releasing "Pieces Of A Dream," her first-ever collection of greatest hits, on November 6th. The album will feature four brand new tracks, including the title track, plus a club megamix. Also hitting stores November 27th will be a special limited edition version of the album that will come with unique packaging and a bonus disc containing remixes of the vocalist's more popular tracks, include an exclusive ten-minute megamix of all her hits. Since 2000, ANASTACIA has sold in excess of 30 million albums worldwide, with an incredible 500,000+ sold in Australia alone. She has had five Top 10 ARIA hits as well, including the massive #1 hits 'I'm Outta Love' and 'Left Outside Alone.' Now, the vocal powerhouse is about to deliver all of her biggest hits on one killer album. And if that's not enough, "Pieces Of A Dream" will also feature four new songs in the title track (which, according to Music Network, "...explodes into a chorus that tugs on all the right heart-strings, delivered by her trademark gruff, soul-drenched vocals), as well as 'In Your Eyes,' 'I Belong To You' (performed with Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti) and 'Everything Burns,' a sensational duet with former EVANESCENCE guitarist Ben Moody that was also on the recent soundtrack to the movie "The Fantastic Four." "Pieces Of A Dream" Track Listing: 1. I'm Outta Love • 2. Not That Kind • 3. Cowboys & Kisses • 4. Made For Lovin' You • 5. Paid My Dues • 6. One Day In Your Life • 7. Why'd You Lie To Me • 8. You'll Never Be Alone • 9. Left Outside Alone • 10. Sick And Tired • 11. Welcome To My Truth • 12. Heavy On My Heart • 13. Everything Burns (Ben Moody featuring Anastacia) • 14. I Belong To You (featuring Eros Ramazzotti) • 15. Pieces Of A Dream • 16. In Your Eyes • 17. Club Megamix "Pieces Of A Dream" Bonus Disc Track Listing: 1. I'm Outta Love (Hex Hector Radio Edit) • 2. Left Outside Alone (M*A*S*H Radio Mix) • 3. Paid My Dues (The S-Man's Darkstar Mix) • 4. Sick And Tired (Jason Nevins Funkrock Remix Edit) • 5. Why'd You Lie To Me (Nu Soul DnB Mix) • 6. Love Is A Crime (Thunderpuss Mix) • 7. Not That Kind (Kerri Chandler Mix - Radio Edit) • 8. One Day In Your Life (Hex Hector/MacQuayle Mix) • 9. Left Outside Alone (Jason Nevins Global Club Edit) • 10. Not That Kind (Ric Wake Club Final) • 11. Love Is A Crime (Cotto's Doin' The Crime Mix) • 12. Boom (Thunderpuss Tribe-A-Pella Mix) • 13. One Day In Your Life (Almighty Mix) • 14. Sick And Tired (Electrochill Edit)
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10.14.05 (MusicPortal.com) BRYAN ADAMS is celebrates his 25th anniversary as a recording artist with his first two-disc collection, entitled "Anthology," due for release this Tuesday, October 18th from A&M/Chronicles/UMe Records. "Anthology," the biggest retrospective ever of BRYAN ADAMS' multi-platinum, Grammy and Oscar-winning career not only contains all of his greatest hits -- 19 of his 21 Top 40 songs -- but also includes two new recordings, most notably 'When You're Gone,' featuring none other than Pop culture idol Pamela Anderson. Adams and Anderson, both Canadian-born, first worked together on Adams' 1999 photography book, "Made In Canada," for which Anderson wore nothing but a flag. The book, which also featured photos of other influential Canadian women such as Linda Evangelista, k.d. lang and Shania Twain, benefitted the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Also contained here is the original version of the song 'When You're Gone,' which appeared on BRYAN ADAMS' 1998 album, "On A Day Like Today," and featured Melanie C from THE SPICE GIRLS. The 36-track "Anthology" spans Adams' entire career from 1980 to 2005, also boasting the new song, 'So Far So Good,' which not-so-coincidentally was the title of his first 1993 quintuple-platinum "greatest hits" album. In addition, the package includes photographs and an essay by renowned music critic Dave Marsh. A bonus in initial shipments is a limited edition DVD of a previously unreleased concert shot on Super 8 and 16mm film at the Pavilhao Atlantico in Lisbon and elsewhere in Portugal in February of 2005. Impressively, the #1 hits on "Anthology" are: '(Everything I Do) I Do It For You' (#1, triple platinum, Oscar and Grammy-winner from the 1991 movie, "Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves"), 'Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?' (#1, Oscar-nominated from the 1995 movie, "Don Juan DeMarco") and 'Heaven' (from 1984's"Reckless" album). The other Top 10s contained on "Anthology" are 'Can't Stop This Thing We Started' (gold, from 1991's "Waking Up The Neighbours" LP), 'All For Love' (platinum, performed with both Rod Stewart and Sting, from the 1993 movie, "The Three Musketeers"), 'Please Forgive Me' (from the "So Far So Good" album), 'Heat Of The Night' (from 1987's "Into The Fire"), 'Straight From The Heart' (from 1983's "Cuts Like A Knife") and 'Run To You' (also from the "Reckless" album). The other Top 40s here are 'Summer Of '69,' 'It's Only Love' (with Tina Turner), 'Let's Make A Night To Remember,' 'Cuts Like A Knife,' 'This Time,' 'Somebody,' 'One Night Love Affair,' 'Hearts On Fire,' 'There Will Never Be Another Tonight' and 'Thought I'd Died And Gone To Heaven.' From 'Remember,' culled from BRYAN ADAMS' self-titled 1980 debut, to a new millennium live duet with Bonnie Raitt ('Rock Steady'), the previous unreleased '18 Til I Die' from "Live In Lisbon 2005" and 'Open Road' from his latest album, 2004's "Room Service," "Anthology" presents the very best of one of the most popular Rock singer/songwriters of the last two decades.
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10.13.05 (MusicPortal.com) TALKING HEADS' eight pioneering albums defied easy musical categorization, and now -- eleven years after David Byrne, Chris Franz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison's last release together -- Rhino Records has done physically what could not be done musically -- they've put TALKING HEADS in a box. The self-titled collection, features each of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees' studio albums remastered, expanded and released simultaneously on DualDisc. Packaged in a dramatic white plastic block with the song titles chiseled into it, "Talking Heads" is currently available at regular retail outlets and at www.rhino.com for a suggested price of $149.98. Co-produced by TALKING HEADS with Jerry Harrison personally overseeing the audio and DVD-A remixes, "Talking Heads" includes all of the band's studio albums: their 1977 debut, their Brian Eno and self-produced classics, and the band's 1998 swan song, the Steve Lillywhite-produced "Naked." Each DualDisc includes the original TALKING HEADS album in remastered stereo, plus rare bonus songs on the CD side. The DVD side of each disc contains the original album mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound, plus bonus audio and video content, lyrics and photos. In addition to the group's hits 'Burning Down The House,' 'Take Me To The River,' 'Road To Nowhere,' "Wild, Wild Life" and 'Once In A Lifetime,' this deluxe sonic upgrade includes an impressive collection of previously unavailable bonus songs and videos. Unreleased highlights include an acoustic version of 'Psycho Killer' mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound, a live 1976 video performance of 'I Feel It In My Heart' recorded at The Kitchen in New York, alternate mixes of 'The Big Country' and 'Life During Wartime,' early versions of 'And She Was' and 'Road To Nowhere,' plus a rare version of the song 'Papa Legba' featuring "Pops" Staples, several unfinished outtakes from the "Remain In Light" sessions, as well as most of TALKING HEADS' promotional music videos and German television performances from 1980 on Rockpop. Formed in the mid-'70s at the Rhode Island School Of Design, TALKING HEADS were art school students who made a name on the nascent New York City Punk scene at venues like CBGB's, before evolving into one of Pop music's more adventurous and influential bands. TALKING HEADS pioneered a polyrhythmic sound that borrowed from Rock, Funk, Punk, World Beat and Avant-Garde minimalism to create clever and catchy Experimental music that was also embraceable by radio audiences.
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10.12.05 (AP) When STEVIE WONDER returned to the studio after a 10-year hiatus to record "A Time To Love," he was doing more than getting back to work. He was getting back to the message that has formed the cornerstone of his legendary career. "Of all the needs that we have right now, more than anything we need a time for love," Wonder said recently, sitting in front of a mixing board in his Wonderland Studios, where the new album was recorded. The 15 tracks on "A Time To Love" touch on love in all its forms, from physical to unrequited to family affection to the way people treat strangers on the street. Sensing a lack of respect coming "from people in their relationships as well as our leaders in government," Wonder hopes his latest effort will give them all something to think about. "We need to have more respect for each other," Wonder says, leaning forward for emphasis. "Things have just gone really crazy, out of control... We're on a very weird kind of cycle." At the same time, he acknowledges he wouldn't mind seeing "A Time to Love" revive his critical and commercial acclaim. "I would be VERY happy!" he says, flashing that famous megawatt smile and cackling with delight. Wonder has recorded more than 30 Top 10 hits, won nearly two dozen Grammys, including one for lifetime achievement, and been inducted into both the Rock And Roll and Songwriters Halls Of Fame. But at 55, STEVIE WONDER hasn't had a hit record in more than a decade. He's gained plenty of weight, and most of the hair on top of his head has receded. Some critics have implied his creative powers also have receded since the 1970s, when he recorded four legendary albums: "Talking Book," "Innervisions," "Fulfillingness First Finale" and "Songs In The Key Of Life," the last of which included his classic single, 'Love In Need Of Love Today.' Not surprisingly, Wonder disagrees. "For however long it's been, I've just been doing life," he says of his hiatus. It's been a life filled with both joy and sorrow, which he also captures on the album. Self-taught on piano, harmonica and other instruments, Steveland Morris was just 12 when he first wowed national television audiences on shows like Dick Clark's "American Bandstand." He was "Little Stevie Wonder" back then, a name he says someone at Motown Records -- he can't remember exactly who - came up with. From his earliest days as a prodigy covering Bob Dylan's 'Blowin' In The Wind' through such songs of his own as 'You Are The Sunshine of My Life,' 'My Cherie Amour' and 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours,' Stevie Wonder's music has sought to uplift and inform as well as entertain. With his latest album, he's contributing the royalties from one of the songs, 'Shelter In The Rain,' to Hurricane Katrina relief. But Wonder says he actually wrote it to help deal with the deaths of his brother Larry Hardaway and his ex-wife, Syreeta Wright, with whom he had remained close friends after their divorce. "God gave me that song as a gift," he said, adding it seemed only right to pass the gift on to those whose lives were devastated by the storm. He had hoped to... [full story]
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10.10.05 (AP) When ELVIS COSTELLO was asked three years ago by Denmark's Royal Theater to write an opera about Hans Christian Andersen, his first thought was, "Why didn't they choose a Danish composer?" "Then I recalled that Andersen belongs to the world," Costello said. On Saturday, his work "The Secret Arias" - based on Andersen's unrequited yearning for Swedish soprano Jenny Lind - debuted at Copenhagen's new waterfront opera house, with Costello himself playing two lead roles. The opera is being performed in connection with the 2005 bicentennial of the Danish fairy tale writer's birth. Renowned for his children's classics such as "The Little Mermaid," "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Red Shoes," he died in 1875. For the musical chameleon Costello, it marks yet another expansion of his artistic range. After emerging from Britain's early New Wave scene, he has dabbled in everything from orchestral symphonies to harmonious Pop. He has recorded with Swedish soprano Anne Sofie Von Otter and the Brodsky Quartet, but this is the first time he has written an opera. His story tells a three-way drama between Andersen, Lind - nicknamed the "Swedish Nightingale" - and her American impresario, P.T. Barnum, who brought Lind to New York for her first U.S. concert tour in 1850. "The songs tell a story that I have imagined existing between the lines of Andersen's biography and some of his most famous tales," Costello told reporters this week. "They speak of a misfit's love for an unattainable woman and a struggle between a huckster and someone who composes music in secret." It's widely believed that Andersen wrote his tale "The Nightingale" with Lind - who lived from 1820-1887 - in mind. Last week, Costello had been rehearsing with Swedish soprano Gisela Stille at the new opera house, which opened earlier this year. Costello plays both Andersen and Barnum, while Stille portray Lind. The duo will also perform this week in Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest city in the western part of the Scandinavian country. Next season, the Copenhagen Opera will stage a longer version of "The Secret Arias" with other performers. Costello says his work, is basically a traditional opera, but with some exceptions. "We don't have a symphonic orchestra," he said. Instead, four musicians accompanied Costello and Stille at the opera's main stage, which can seat as many as 1,700 people. Costello said he was inspired by Andersen's way of expression, adding that "many translations of (Andersen's) works miss the really good elements - the macabre, the weird and the social critique." Many of Andersen's fairy tales are rather gruesome. In "The Little Mermaid," one of his best known stories, the mermaid becomes mute after a witch cuts off her tongue in exchange for legs to replace her fish tail. In "The Two Baronesses," Andersen writes about marital infidelity and life in a brothel - something he personally experienced when living in Copenhagen. "The Traveling Companion," published in 1835 as part of a fairy tale collection for children, is about death. Kasper Holten, the Royal Theater's 32-year-old opera director, said asking Costello to write an opera was a way to bring a broader repertoire to the $406 million opera house, instead of merely focusing on the big classics.
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10.10.05 (MusicPortal.com) Australian Pop/Rockers THE LOVETONES' new album, "Meditations," will be released next Tuesday, October 18th via New York-based Tee Pee Records. Led by vocalist/guitarist Matthew J Tow, THE LOVETONES encompass the very best of Psychedelic Rock from yesteryear with modern-day, guitar-driven Pop. Tow first gained attention through Australian Psychedelic band DROP CITY. Hailing from Sydney's inner city, DROP CITY's combination of Pop melodies and lush Psychedelic textures saw the trio gain a reputation in Australia throughout the nineties as kings of the acid-soaked soliloquy. DROP CITY achieved considerable success while they were together, releasing five albums and touring all over the world with like-minded artists such as STEREOLAB, HOODOO GURUS, LUNA, YOU AM I, THE POSIES, PLUSH and THE STONE ROSES. DROP CITY chose to end alongside the millennium. In 2000, Matthew J Tow took time off from music and travelled through the U.S. and the UK, when he hooked up with long-time friend Anton Newcombe from THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE and began writing new songs. Tow then returned to Australia with the idea of starting a new group. The sound in his head resembled the pioneering spirit of latter-period BEATLES and David Bowie, the Psychedelia of artists such as SOFT MACHINE and THE ZOMBIES, and the classic heartfelt Pop of THE WATERBOYS and ELLIOTT SMITH. Enter THE LOVETONES, who released their debut album, "Be What You Want," in 2002 to positive acclaim. During 2002, the band received constant national airplay in Australia and toured there extensively, eventually scoring the coveted support slot for Morrissey on the Sydney leg of his first-ever solo Australian tour. In early 2003, Anton Newcombe released the "Be What You Want" album in the U.S. on his imprint The Committee To Keep Music Evil through Bomp! Records. Tow went to the U.S. in March 2003 as guest rhythm guitarist for THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE's 25-date tour of the U.S. April of 2003 was spent holed up in L.A.'s Figment Studios with THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE. By the time THE LOVETONES reconvened in LA in early May, Tow had contributed two of his own tracks to the BJM album "...And This Is Our Music," which was also released later that year through Tee Pee Records. A palpable buzz began to surround THE LOVETONES in certain U.S. music circles by the time they had completed the May 2003 tour of the U.S. with THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE. THE LOVETONES soon joined the likes of THE WARLOCKS, BJM and CLINIC with a 7" release on the Limited Addition label. UK-based Fire Records then invited The Lovetones to contribute a track to the remarkable James Joyce "Chamber Music" project alongside such acts as MERCURY REV, SONIC YOUTH, Mike Watt and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck. 2004 saw the release of THE LOVETONES' "Stars" EP in Australia through Chatterbox Records that coincided with a BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE/LOVETONES tour of Australia in May. The remainder of 2004 and early 2005 was spent recording the new "Meditations" album.
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10.07.05 (MusicPortal.com) Columbia Records is readying the release of "To Love Again," a new album of Pop and Jazz standards from acclaimed trumpeter CHRIS BOTTI and nine superstar guest vocalists. "To Love Again," the successor to Botti's gold album "When I Fall In Love," will be released on Tuesday, October 18th. CHRIS BOTTI is also currently in the midst of a U.S. tour in support of the new album, which is slated to wrap up in mid-December. "To Love Again," which is being released as both a traditional CD and as a DualDisc, showcases Botti's inimitable velvet tone and sublime trumpet phrasings on 13 newly recorded standards featuring nine stand-out vocal performances by some of the best singers in modern Pop, Jazz, and Rock. Joining CHRIS BOTTI on "To Love Again" are guest vocalists Sting ('What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?'), Paula Cole ('My One And Only Love'), Michael Buble ('Let There Be Love'), Jill Scott ('Good Morning Heartache'), Paul Buchanan ('Are You Lonesome Tonight?'), Gladys Knight ('Lover Man'), Renee Olstead ('Pennies From Heaven'), Rosa Passos ('Here Comes That Rainy Day') and even AEROSMITH's Steven Tyler (on Charlie Chaplin's 'Smile'). Rounding out "To Love Again" are the instrumental tracks 'What's New?,' 'I'll Be Seeing You,' 'Embraceable You' and 'To Love Again.' As on his last album, CHRIS BOTTI is joined once again by the London Session Orchestra, who provide lush tonal coloration to the album's arrangements. The DualDisc edition of "To Love Again" features an exclusive short film entitled "Live From Studio A," which was shot at the famed Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, California. Botti and his quartet jam as the cameras roll, and the result is four songs that yield twenty three minutes of gorgeous-sounding music. Two of the four songs performed in "Live From Studio A," 'Flamenco Sketches' (featuring guest saxophonist David Sanborn) and 'Milestones,' do not appear on the audio CD at all. "To Love Again" follows the extraordinary success of CHRIS BOTTI's groundbreaking last album, "When I Fall In Love," which has sold more than 500,000 copies to date. Released on September 28th, 2004, "When I Fall In Love" tapped into the record-buying public's desire for classic romantic Jazz sounds, quickly hitting the #1 slot on both the Traditional Jazz albums sales chart and the Top Jazz overall album sales chart. Shortly after the album's release, "When I Fall In Love" jumped an astounding 109 spots -- from #146 (week ending 11/14) to #37 (week ending 11/21) on the Billboard Top 200 -- the biggest single week's sales leap of any traditional Jazz album recorded by an instrumental artist to be released in the SoundScan era. CHRIS BOTTI's association with Sting -- who sang with Botti on both 'To Love Again' and 'When I Fall In Love' on his previous album -- dates back to 1999, when the trumpeter joined the Sting's band as a featured soloist on the "Brand New Day" tour, which lasted two-and-a-half years.
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10.05.05 (MusicPortal.com) Fantasy Records is set to release the first-ever career retrospective of JOHN FOGERTY on November 1st, entitled "The Long Road Home: The Ultimate John Fogerty/Creedence Collection." After more than three decades Fogerty, one of the most important and influential songwriters in modern times, has returned to Fantasy Records. Fogerty's infamous relationship with the label, now part of the Concord Music Group, led him to suffer through years of bitter disputes and lawsuits, making this announcement perhaps one of the most unlikely and unexpected reunions in music industry history. As lead singer and songwriter for the immensely influential CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL, JOHN FOGERTY scored nine Top 10 singles from 1969-72 (the band even out-sold THE BEATLES in 1969), released a slew of seminal hits that would become great American anthems synonymous with a generation, including 'Fortunate Son,' 'Proud Mary,' 'Bad Moon Rising,' 'Born On The Bayou,' and 'Who'll Stop the Rain.' Fogerty's chart-topping solo recordings have also sold millions of copies worldwide, while his live performances have always received high acclaim for their energy and sincerity. JOHN FOGERTY has been inducted into both The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall Of Fame. "The Long Road Home: The Ultimate John Fogerty/Creedence Collection," an aptly titled disc that honors the icon's musical journey from his early career to today features, for the first time ever, all of the songwriter's most poignant and enduring hits. Included are seminal tracks from the CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL catalog, along with some of the best of his solo work, including 'Centerfield,' 'Deja Vu (All Over Again),' and 'Hot Rod Heart' from the Grammy Award winning album "Blue Moon Swamp." Also on the disc are four new tracks recorded live by JOHN FOGERTY during his 2005 tour of the United States: 'Hey Tonight,' 'Bootleg,' 'Keep On Chooglin',' and a blistering rendition of CCR's 'Fortunate Son.' The Concord Music Group and Fantasy have great admiration for Fogerty's extraordinary talents and have embraced their relationship with him - working on several new releases including a live DVD taped this past September 15th at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles for an early 2006 release. Other projects are presently in the early stages of development. "I'm very happy to be back in touch with a part of myself," says JOHN FOGERTY of the return home to Fantasy Records. "It's surreal. For 35 years, I never thought I'd be reunited with the music I wrote during the Creedence Clearwater Revival years. I'm happy to say that the new Fantasy is very enthusiastic about my body of work, and all the people there have been delightful. They are honoring my songs that hold an important place in the history of American music. And, they are honoring me."
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10.04.05 (MusicPortal.com) THE MAGIC NUMBERS' self-titled debut album see its release in the United States today, and the group are already off to a nice start with a Mercury Prize nomination, Platinum certification in the UK, an NME cover story, and a spot in Rolling Stone's recent "10 Artists To Watch" feature, which described the album as "Two sets of siblings, one set of killer power pop tunes." Now comes news that THE MAGIC NUMBERS will open 12 shows on BRIGHT EYES' upcoming North American tour, and that they'll make their U.S. television debut on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" on November 30th. The band will also headline a series of U.S. club dates at the end of this month. The catchy sound of THE MAGIC NUMBERS revolves around the talented songwriting and of vocalist/guitarist Romeo Stodart. Born and raised in Trinidad (where his mother had her own Opera show on TV), the family moved to New York when he was teenager and later moved again to Ealing in London. There he met drummer Sean Gannon and started making music. Consequently, these days the two can be found sitting in the soundproofed front room of the family's terraced house surrounded by instruments, prolifically penning songs still yet to be recorded by the band. To complete the core band line-up, they added Stodart's equally talented sister Michele on bass and vocals, while Gannon's sister Angela takes care of percussion, melodica and third vocals. Drawing inspiration from many sources including singer/songwriters, 60's harmony groups, Epic Rock and individual mavericks such as David Axelrod, THE MAGIC NUMBERS have crafted a sound which comes from everywhere, yet is uniquely theirs. Since their Fall 2003 club debut, they've opened for the likes of U2, SAINT ETIENNE, TRAVIS, DOVES, and numerous other artists. Tour Dates: 10/30 Las Vegas, NV [Sam Boyd Stadium - Vegoose Festival] • 11/01 West Hollywood, CA [Troubadour] • 11/03 San Francisco, CA [Popscene @ 330 Ritch] • 11/05 Portland, OR [Doug Fir Lounge] • 11/06 Vancouver, BC [Richard's On Richards Cabaret] • 11/07 Seattle, WA [Crocodile Cafe] • 11/11 Minneapolis, MN [Ascot Room @ The Quest] • 11/12 Chicago, IL [Schubas Tavern] • 11/14 Nashville, TN [Ryman Auditorium] • 11/15 Louisville, KY [W.L. Lyons Brown Theatre] • 11/16 Athens, GA [Georgia Theatre] • 11/17 Asheville, NC [Thomas Wolfe Auditorium] • 11/18 Washington, DC [DAR Constitution Hall] • 11/19 Philadelphia, PA [Academy Of Music] • 11/20 Portland, ME [Merrill Auditorium At City Hall] • 11/21 Buffalo, NY [Center For The Arts - SUNY Buffalo] • 11/22 Worcester, MA [The Palladium] • 11/23 Concord, NH [Capitol Center For The Arts] • 11/25 Jersey City, NJ [Loews Theatre] • 11/26 Jersey City, NJ [Loews Theatre] • 11/28 New York, NY [Bowery Ballroom] • 11/29 Boston, MA [Great Scott] • 12/01 Toronto, ONT [Lee's Palace]
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10.03.05 (MusicPortal.com) October 24th will be a red-letter day for fans of CLIFF RICHARD, when DemonVision will release three live DVDs from one of the UK's most enduring singers. "The 40th Anniversary Concert," "The Countdown Concert," and "Live In The Park" form part of "The Cliff Richard Collection." "The 40th Anniversary Concert" was filmed at London's Royal Albert Hall in September of 1998, giving CLIFF RICHARD the opportunity to say a personal "thank you" to his fans for their support over his 40 years in the music business. Many of his hits are featured here, including 'Devil Woman,' 'From A Distance' and 'Peace In Our Time.' "The Countdown Concert" sees Richard teaming up with special guests Hank Marvin and Russell Watson to celebrate the dawn of the new millennium. Filmed at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, UK, the concert features such favorites as 'The Millennium Prayer' and 'Mistletoe And Wine,' as well as an exclusive Elvis Presley medley. "Live In The Park" was filmed in London's Hyde Park during one of three "Route Of Kings" concerts in July of 1999, the midsummer extravaganza being one of the ultimate event for CLIFF RICHARD fans, showcasing him moving through the glittering array of hits that have made him a music icon for many decades now. Having celebrated his 46th anniversary in the music industry last year, CLIFF RICHARD is indisputably Britain's all-time greatest hitmaker. No other UK band or solo artist has even come close to equalling his 121 single hits, or can claim to have occupied a place in our charts for the equivalent of over 20 years. There was merely no other contender for Channel 4's recent accolade of "The Ultimate Pop Star" in the UK. It was early in 1958 that Harry Rodger Webb became CLIFF RICHARD and fronted a band first called THE DRIFTERS. After discovering there was a famous U.S. Soul group with the same name, THE DRIFTERS became THE SHADOWS, and the rest is history. Richard's first single, 'Move It,' which reached No. 2 on the British charts and has remained an all-time classic there, is credited with being the UK's first authentic and inspirational Rock 'N' Roll track. Tired of American Pop heroes, the British music fans wanted one of their own, and CLIFF RICHARD was the answer. "Cliff And Elvis Battle It Out In The Charts" was a memorable headline in the New Musical Express in the 60s and 70s, and a whole generation grew up giving their allegiance to one or the other. Highlights of Richard's subsequent career are too numerous to mention, with successful films, musicals, concert tours and television shows having all contributed to the his legend. Fifty-two No. 1 hits worldwide, 58 hit albums and 30 video hits in the UK are remarkable and unassailable statistics, which are often overlooked by commentators on musical taste and culture. Now approaching his 65th birthday, CLIFF RICHARD's appeal remains as magnetic as ever, with his sights fixed on achieving his first No. 1 hit in the 21st century - a feat that would yield No. 1 records in each of a staggering six decades for the singer.
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10.03.05 (MusicPortal.com) Columbia Records is set to release the BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN "Born To Run 30th Anniversary Edition" box set on November 15th. Personally supervised by Springsteen and long-time manager Jon Landau, the box set includes "Hammersmith Odeon, London '75," an astonishing film of BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND's legendary 1975 concert at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, the new film "Wings For Wheels: The Making of Born To Run," the classic album in remastered CD form and a 48-page booklet of previously unpublished photographs. With its two DVDs, the package offers approximately four hours of previously unseen footage. "I believe that the combination of the great 1975 concert footage, the brilliant documentary of the making of the album and the dazzling remastering of 'Born to Run' add up to a nearly perfect storm of Bruce's music," says Jon Landau. Spanning roughly two hours and ten minutes, the November 18, 1975 concert at London's Hammersmith Odeon finds an epic performance of sixteen BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND classics, including 'Thunder Road,' 'Tenth Avenue Freeze Out,' 'Jungleland,' and 'Born To Run,' as well as such other favorites such as 'Kitty's Back' and 'Rosalita.' The multiple-camera film of the complete concert is in its entirety and its original sequence, as newly edited by Emmy award winner Thom Zimny. Zimny's production team painstakingly cleaned the original negatives and digitally restored the footage, ultimately presenting this indispensable concert in vibrant color and detail. Producer Bob Clearmountain then remastered and remixed the DVD in both stereo and 5.1 surround sound. Zimny has worked with Springsteen on several projects, including editing the Emmy-winning "Live In New York," the quadruple-platinum certified, Emmy-nominated "Live In Barcelona" and the "VH1 Storytellers" films. Clearmountain has also often collaborated with BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN over the last twenty- five years, most notably on 'Born In The USA.' "Wings For Wheels: The Making Of Born To Run" chronicles the definitive story of the creation of 'Born To Run,' boasting archival film never shown publicly, including substantial footage of of the recording of the album and other footage shot between 1973 and 1975. In addition, "Wings For Wheels" incorporates newly filmed interviews, including several with former members who played on the album, as well as the production team. "Wings For Wheels: The Making Of Born To Run" ends with stunning bonus footage of three songs recorded live at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theater in 1973: 'Spirit In The Night,' 'Wild Billy's Circus Story' and 'Thundercrack.' "Born To Run" has sold nearly nine million units worldwide, and is often recognized by many international polls as one of the greatest Rock 'N' Roll albums of all time. Of "Born To Run," which was originally released on August 25th, 1975, Rolling Stone wrote: "It is a magnificent album that pays off on every bet ever placed on him, and it should crack his future wide open."
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[Pop News: September 2005]
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