March 2009 Archives

One of the preeminent rock musicians of our time, Lenny Kravitz has transcended genre, style, race and class to ascertain a 20-year musical career that revels in the rich influences of '60s and '70s soul, rock and funk. To commemorate the 20th Anniversary of his incendiary, critically acclaimed 1989 debut, Let Love Rule, Kravitz and Virgin/EMI have collaborated to create an expanded 2CD and digital reissue to be released April 21 (April 20 internationally). Let Love Rule (20th Anniversary Edition) features the newly remastered original album, plus 18 bonus tracks, including 13 previously unreleased demos, rare B-sides, and live recordings.

20 years ago, Lenny Kravitz wrote, recorded and produced his iconic debut album, Let Love Rule, striking a chord around the world and propelling him to international stardom. The title song's signature line, "It's time to take a stand, Brothers and Sisters join hands" is a theme Kravitz feels is still relevant to this day, and he is harnessing this message of hope, taking it on tour with him throughout Europe.

This spring and summer, Kravitz will tour to 55 European cities on his "LLR 20 (09) Tour," starting on April 17 in Caen, France and ending July 19 in Stuttgart, Germany. Along the way, the tour will visit the UK, Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerland and several other European countries.

Lenny Kravitz is widely regarded as one of rock's most respected singer-songwriters. He's also a multi-talented instrumentalist, producer and arranger, which has resonated throughout eight studio albums, culminating into a timeless catalog.

He has won four consecutive Grammy Awards, setting a new record for the most wins in the "Best Male Rock Vocal Performance" category. Kravitz's appeal has also been recognized by his peers; his collaborative efforts are as varied as his own influences. Madonna, Slash, Aerosmith, Jay-Z, N.E.R.D., Mick Jagger, P. Diddy and Alicia Keys are just some of the legends who have sought to work with him.

For more information, please visit www.lennykravitz.com.

LENNY KRAVITZ: LET LOVE RULE (20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION) (2CD, Digital Album)

    Disc One: Let Love Rule + More
    1. Sittin' On Top Of The World
    2. Let Love Rule
    3. Freedom Train
    4. My Precious Love
    5. I Build This Garden For Us
    6. Fear
    7. Does Anybody Out There Even Care
    8. Mr. Cab Driver
    9. Rosemary
    10. Be
    11. Blues For Sister Someone
    12. Empty Hands
    13. Flower Child
    BONUS TRACKS
    14. Let Love Rule [basic rough mix - previously unreleased]
    15. Cold Turkey [B-side]
    16. Light Skin Girl From London [B-side]
    17. Fear [1987 demo - previously unreleased]
    18. Mr. Cab Driver [home demo - previously unreleased]
    19. Let Love Rule [home demo - previously unreleased]

    Disc Two: Let Love Rule Live!
    1-10 recorded live at THE PARADISE, Boston (March 28, 1990 for WBCN FM)
         1. Flower Child [previously unreleased]
         2. Blues For Sister Someone [B-side]
         3. Mr. Cab Driver [previously unreleased]
         4. Freedom Train [previously unreleased]
         5. Be [previously unreleased]
         6. My Precious Love [previously unreleased]
         7. Does Anybody Out There Even Care [previously unreleased]
         8. Let Love Rule [previously unreleased]
         9. Rosemary [previously unreleased]
         10. Fear [previously unreleased]
    11-12 recorded live at THE PARADISO, Amsterdam (December 20, 1989)
         11. My Flash On You [promo only release]
         12. If 6 Were 9 [promo only release]

    PRODUCED BY LENNY KRAVITZ

LENNY KRAVITZ: "LLR 20 (09) Tour" - Europe 2009

    DATE                      COUNTRY, CITY         VENUE
    APR    FRI       17       FRANCE, CAEN          ZENITH
           SUN       19       BELGIUM, ANTWERP      SPORTPALAIS
           MON       20       FRANCE, DIJON         ZENITH
           WED       22       FRANCE, REIMS         PARC EXPO
           THU       23       FRANCE, LIMOGES       ZENITH
           SAT       25       FRANCE, GRENOBLE      PALAIS DES SPORTS
           SUN       26       FRANCE, MARSEILLE     DOME
           TUE       28       FRANCE, MONTPELLIER   ZENITH
           WED       29       FRANCE, PAU           ZENITH
    MAY    SAT       2        SPAIN, VALENCIA       BURJASOT UNIVERSITY SITE
           SUN       3        SPAIN, CORDOBA        CITY FOOTBALL FIELD
           TUE       5        PORTUGAL, LISBON      ATLANTICO PAVILION
           FRI       8        SPAIN, MADRID         LA CAJA MAGICA
           SAT       9        SPAIN, ZARAGOZA       PABELLON PRINCIPE FELIPE
           MON       11       FRANCE, NICE          NIKAIA
           WED       13       FRANCE, TOLOUSE       ZENITH
           THU       14       FRANCE, BORDEUX       PATINOIRE
           SAT       16       FRANCE, NANTES        ZENITH
           SUN       17       FRANCE, NANTES        ZENITH
           TUE       19       FRANCE, RENNES        MUSIKHALL
           WED       20       FRANCE, PARIS         BERCY
           FRI       22       FRANCE, TOURS         GRAND HALL
           SUN       24       FRANCE, AMNEVILLE     GALAXIE
           MON       25       FRANCE, STRASBOURG    ZENITH
           WED       27       FRANCE, LYON          HALLE TONY GARNIER
           THU       28       FRANCE, CLERMONT FD   ZENITH
           SAT       30       SWITZERLAND, GENEVA   ARENA
           SUN       31       SWITZERLAND, ZURICH   HALLENSTADION
    JUNE   WED       3        ITALY, TORINO         PARCO DELLA CERTOSA REALE
           FRI       5        ITALY, ROME           PALALOTTOMATICA
           SAT       6        ITALY, BRESCIA        PIAZZA LOGGIA
           MON       8        SLOVENIA, LJUBLJANA   HALA TIVOLI
           TUE       9        BOSNIA, BANJA LUKA    CITY STADIUM
           FRI       12       AUSTRIA, INNSBRUCK    OLYMPIAHALLE
           SAT       13       AUSTRIA, VIENNA       STADHALLE
           MON       15       HUNGARY, DEBRECEN     PHOENIX HALL
           WED       17       CZECH REP, BRNO       VELODROM
           FRI       19       SLOVAKIA, KOSICE      STEEL ARENA
           SAT       20       POLAND, CRACOW        MEADOW
           WED       24       UK, NEWCASTLE         ACADEMY
           THU       25       UK, GLASGOW           ACADEMY
           SAT       27       UK, WOLVERHAMPTON     WOLVES CIVIC
           SUN       28       UK, MANCHESTER        ACADEMY
           TUE       30       UK, SOUTHAMPTON       GUILDHALL
    JULY   WED       1        UK, LONDON            BRIXTON ACADEMY
           SAT       4        HOLLAND, AMSTERDAM    WESTERPARK
           SUN       5        FRANCE, ARRAS         MAIN SQUARE FESTIVAL
           THU       9        FRANCE, CARCASONNE    FESTIVAL VENUE
           SAT       11       ITALY, LUCCA          PIAZZA NAPOLEONE
           MON       13       MONACO                SPORTING CLUB
           WED       15       FRANCE, SIX FOURS     VOIX DU GAOU FESTIVAL
           FRI       17       FRANCE, CARHAIX       VIEILLES CHARRUES FESTIVAL
           SUN       19       GERMANY, STUTTGART    JAZZOPEN FESTIV
Source: Virgin/EMI

Superstar Andrea Bocelli will embark on a U.S. tour this June, in support of his acclaimed Decca/Sugar disc, Incanto. Incanto is a romantic tour-de-force, featuring Bocelli's glorious sound in perfect complement to the rich and sonorous tradition of classic Italian love songs. The tour kicks off on June 5th in San Jose, California and continues a limited engagement across major venues in the U.S., including the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and Madison Square Garden in New York City.

In keeping with the emotional sentiment that the Incanto album and tour represent, Shutterfly, Inc. recently hosted an Andrea Bocelli photo contest that highlighted fans' unique stories. Participants were able to upload their pictures to the contest site that portrayed the romance Andrea's music inspires to compete for a variety of prizes. The recently announced Grand Prize winner will be flown to the Bocelli concert in New York City, and David's Bridal, the nation's most trusted bridal and special occasion retailer, and Men's Wearhouse are the brand partners who will be providing the lucky winners with their attire for the evening. Additional winners will receive Bocelli CDs and the opportunity to create their own custom, leather bound, Shutterfly photo books. To view the winning submissions, visit http://andreabocelli.shutterfly.com/winners.

The forthcoming Bocelli tour will showcase new repertoire from the album and older favorites - a golden opportunity to experience the singer performing timeless Neapolitan classics in a spectacular concert setting. Now at the height of an incredible career that unfolded a decade ago, the Incanto tour is a personal tribute to the great musical traditions of his homeland and an homage to the great tenors he admires. "These songs have been part of my life since I was a child," says Bocelli, "pop singers as well as operatic tenors have measured themselves against this repertoire." Highlights of the tour will include, "Because", "Mamma", "Granada" and "Funiculi Funicula" among many others.

An iconic figure in music who has sold over 60 million albums to date, Bocelli continues to defy categorization, age barriers and labels of all kinds. In concert or on the opera stage, he has worked with everyone from Christina Aguilera and Bono to the great Luciano Pavarotti. His memorable television appearances including his duet with Josh Groban at The Grammy Awards, mentoring contestants on American Idol, and the Official Ceremonies of past Olympic Games on NBC to nave a few, have propelled Andrea Bocelli to a global household name. The complete tour itinerary is as follows:

    June 6      HP Pavilion                   San Jose, CA
    June 7      Hollywood Bowl                Los Angeles, CA
    June 12     AllState Arena                Chicago, IL
    June 13     American Airlines Center      Dallas, TX
    June 18     Madison Square Garden         New York, NY
    June 20     Wachovia Center               Philadelphia, PA

For more information, go to www.andreabocelli.com

SOURCE Decca Label Group

Their first gig together was at Woodstock in front of half a million people. Now, four decades into their creative partnership, Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) continue their journey with a 2009 tour of North America and Europe, beginning with a concert in St.Louis, MO on Wednesday, June 3. The tour's initial North American leg--which will include dates in the U.S. and Canada--wraps at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston, MA on June 14 (a second North American leg, running August through September, will be announced in the coming weeks).

The tour picks up internationally on June 27 in the U.K., when CSN plays the sold-out 2009 Glastonbury Festival. Other U.K. stops include July 1, when CSN takes the venerable stage at London's Royal Albert Hall, and then performs shows in: Cork, Ireland (6/29); Manchester, England (7/10) and Edinburgh, Scotland (7/11). The trio's summer European itinerary will also touch down on the Continent for four dates, with highlights including the Museum Plaza in Bonn, Germany (7/1) and The Olympia in Paris, France (7/4).

In between the late spring North American and early summer European segments of its 2009 road trip, CSN will be inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame on June 18 in New York City. The honor--which follows their 1997 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame--recognizes David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash as a threesome, and as individual solo artists. It also acknowledges the groundbreaking music each created with landmark bands prior to forming CSN: The Byrds (Crosby), Buffalo Springfield (Stills) and The Hollies (Nash)--this remarkable convergence of rock 'n roll pedigrees led to CSN becoming known as music's first "supergroup" when they formed in Los Angeles in 1969.

The tour's launch also coincides with Rhino Records' June 2 release of CROSBY, STILLS & NASH DEMOS, a single-disc collection of early versions of destined-to-be-classic songs later heard on the group's studio albums and solo titles. The set opens with a January 1969 recording of "Marrakesh Express," reaches as far back as '68 with the Stephen Stills solo track "My Love Is A Gentle Thing," and features other rarities including seminal takes on "Almost Cut My Hair," "Chicago" and "Long Time Gone." Looking ahead, CSN is currently in the studio, working on a new album with ten-time GRAMMY(R)-winning producer Rick Rubin.

A cornerstone of rock 'n roll, CSN's music first became embedded into our pop culture consciousness with the group's legendary, self-titled 1969 debut LP, now one of Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." The album introduced signature hits including "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," "Marrakesh Express," "Guinnevere" and "Wooden Ships," and earned CSN a GRAMMY(R) for Best New Artist. 1970's Deja Vu--another "500 Greatest"--came next, the first album from the group's four-man line-up with Neil Young, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSN&Y).

Ever since--throughout changing times and various configurations--David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash have continued to tour and record music together, delivering songs conveying emotional truths and social activism in equal measure. Forty years on from their first live set at Max Yasgur's farm, they are still "three together."

CROSBY, STILLS & NASH TOUR DATES

    NORTH AMERICA
    JUNE
    3              Chaifetz Arena                 St. Louis, MO
    4              Charter One Pavilion           Chicago, IL
    6              Meadowbrook                    Detroit, MI
    7              Zoo Amphitheatre               Toledo, OH
    12             Doubleday Field                Cooperstown, NY
    13             Foxwoods                       Mashantucket, CT
    14             Bank of America Pavilion       Boston, MA

    EUROPE
    JUNE
    27             Glastonbury Festival           Glastonbury, England
    29             Marquee                        Cork, Ireland
    JULY
    1              Royal Albert Hall              London, England
    3              Museum Plaza                   Bonn, Germany
    4              The Olympia                    Paris, France
    6              Heineken Music Hall            Amsterdam, Holland
    7              Forest National                Brussels, Belgium
    10             Manchester EN Arena            Manchester, England
    11             Edinburgh Castle               Edinburgh, Scotland

 

SOURCE Crosby, Stills & Nash

The quintessential modern rock band Pearl Jam is making radio history this week as "Brother," a previously unreleased track recorded more than 18 years ago, rockets into the #1 slot on the BDS/R&R Modern Rock Chart a mere four weeks after entering the chart.

With the #1 success of "Brother," Pearl Jam joins the Beatles ("Free As A Bird") and Elvis Presley ("A Little Less Conversation") as one of the select few bands or artists to ever hit #1 with a track recorded decades prior.

Recorded in 1991 during the sessions that produced Ten, the band's classic breakout debut album, "Brother" is Pearl Jam's fourth #1 Modern Rock single, joining the ranks of "Daughter," "Who You Are," and "Worldwide Suicide." A fifth Pearl Jam single, "Last Kiss," peaked at #2 on the Modern Rock Chart.

In addition to its #1 Modern Rock status, "Brother" is bulleting up the charts on a variety of rock radio formats including BDS Alternative (#1), BDS Active (#7), Mediabase Alternative (#2), Mediabase Active (#8), Mediabase Mainstream (#3) and Mediabase Classic Rock (#20), garnering a total listening audience to-date of some 53.38 million listeners.

Pearl Jam's "Brother" is available for the first time as a bonus cut on the upcoming reissue of Ten on Epic/Legacy Recordings.

On Tuesday, March 24, Legacy will release four special edition packages of Ten, each of them featuring two versions of the album: the remastered version of the original album PLUS an accompanying remixed version done by the band's long-time producer, Brendan O'Brien (Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC, Audioslave).

The new editions will include:

Legacy Edition (a 2-disc set in a mini-LP style slipcase featuring six bonus tracks: "Brother," "Just A Girl," "State of Love and Trust," "Breath and a Scream," "2,000 Mile Blues" and "Evil Little Goat");

Deluxe Edition (a 2-disc set plus the long-awaited first-ever release of Pearl Jam's mythic 1992 MTV Unplugged concert including never-before-seen bonus performance of "Oceans" with a 5.1 Surround Sound audio remix);

Vinyl Collection (two 12" LPs of the original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl including the new Brendan O'Brien remix);

Super Deluxe Edition (a 2-disc set plus DVD, 4 LPs including 1992's "Live at Magnuson Park" mixed by Brendan O'Brien, a cassette replica of the legendary "Momma-Son" demos of "Alive," "Once" and "Footsteps" and an Eddie Vedder-style composition notebook filled with replica personal notes, images and mementos from the collections of Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament, a vellum envelope with replicated era specific ephemera from Pearl Jam's early work and a two-sided print commemorating the Drop in the Park concert).

SOURCE Legacy Recordings

4TH ALBUM, ALL I EVER WANTED, DEBUTS AT #1 ON THE BILLBOARD TOP 200

#1 ON THE DIGITAL ALBUM CHART

 

Superstar Kelly Clarkson's 4th album All I Ever Wanted (19 Recordings / RCA Records) debuts at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 with 254,671 albums sold and #1 on the Digital Album Chart. This marks Kelly's first #1 album since her debut in 2002 and all four of Kelly's albums have debuted in the Top 3.

Clarkson's hit single "My Life Would Suck Without You" has already sold over 1 million units in the U.S. alone and dominated the Billboard Hot 100 chart coming in at #1 for two weeks in a row. Earlier this month the song catapulted from the #97 position to the #1 spot on the Hot 100 chart, breaking the previous record. The single's jump also marked the largest leap to #1 in the chart's 50-year history. Kelly previously held the #1 spot on the Hot 100 in 2002 with "A Moment Like This," which went from #52 to #1 and held that position for 2 weeks.

In her career to date, Clarkson has sold 20 million albums worldwide. She is the recipient of 2 Grammy Awards, 2 American Music Awards, 2 MTV Awards and 11 Billboard Awards.

Source: RCA Records