BADFINGER RELEASES NEW LP OF COLLABORATIONS WITH MUSIC ICONS

Classic Rock Icons BADFINGER Release Full-Length Album Of Collabs Featuring Veteran Stars Of Rock, Blues & Pop!

Includes performances by Matthew Sweet, Todd Rundgren, Rick Wakeman, The Legendary Pink Dots, Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, Rick Springfield, Sonny Landreth and more!

Los Angeles, CA - You’ve grooved to Matthew Sweet’s “Baby Blue,” played air piano along with Rick Wakeman on “Come And Get It,” and swooned hearing Rick Springfield’s voice on “Love Is Gonna Come At Last” - but now the wait is finally over as the full-length collaboration between Joey Molland’s Badfinger and a stellar line-up of special guest superstars is finally released! No Matter What - Revisiting The Hits gathers an immense amount of talent on one album - in addition to the aforementioned, guests include Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson, blues legend Sonny Landreth, eclectic art rockers The Legendary Pink Dots and many more - who offer their unique twists on some of Badfinger’s biggest, most era-defining hits from the Paul McCartney-penned “Come And Get It” to “Day After Day,” to the monster ballad “Without You.” The latter was originally released by Badfinger in 1970 but became a global phenomenon when Harry Nilsson recorded a version in 1971, and then it conquered the airwaves again in 1994 courtesy of Mariah Carey’s bombastic version, and now Rock Hall Of Fame nominee and producer/songwriter/guitarist extraordinaire Todd Rundgren offers a passionate rendering of the song that is by itself worth the price of admission to this great collection.

No Matter What - Revisiting The Hits will be available on both digipak CD and in superb-looking tri-color (red, white & blue) vinyl!

Order the album: https://orcd.co/badfinger_no_matter_what

TRACKLIST:
1. No Matter What feat. Mark Stein (Vanilla Fudge)
2. Come And Get It feat. Rick Wakeman
3. I Don’t Mind feat. Carl Giammarese (The Buckinghams)
4. Day After Day feat. Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Terry Reid & Manchester String Quartet
5. Love Is Gonna Come At Last feat. Rick Springfield
6. Baby Blue feat. Matthew Sweet
7. Midnight Caller feat. The Legendary Pink Dots
8. Suitcase feat. Sonny Landreth
9. Sweet Tuesday Morning feat. Albert Lee
10. Without You feat. Todd Rundgren

YES AND KING CRIMSON MEMBERS RELEASE NEW LP!

YES and KING CRIMSON Members Collaborate on the New Album by Peter Banks and David Cross – Crossover is OUT NOW!

David Cross was a member of King Crimson during the 1970s and the late Peter Banks was the original guitarist in YES.

The guitar and violin parts for this NEW STUDIO ALBUM were recorded on the 10th of August 2010 in an afternoon of improvisation.

Of the release, David Cross said “The response from the guest musicians was truly wonderful in the way that they gave their time and talent to this project and I would like to thank them on behalf of Pete and myself. They were asked to ‘interpret the music as freely and creatively as you wish’ and they have turned in incredibly skilled and inspiring performances which were not easy given the improvised nature of the starting material and the spontaneity of the structures.”

The resultant album was produced by Tony Lowe and David Cross and the guest appearances were recorded during 2018 and 2019 and Crossover features:

Crossover

Pat Mastelotto
Tony Kaye
Billy Sherwood
Randy Raine-Reusch
Andy Jackson
Oliver Wakeman
Jay Schellen
Jeremy Stacey
Geoff Downes

David Cross added: “When I recall the original recording session with Pete I remember his fresh almost naïve approach, his positive energy and his constant and restless search for something new. It was a joy to know Pete Banks and an honour and a privilege to play with him: I think he would be pleased with the way our album turned out.”

This is the last new album of material from the late Peter Banks, who passed away in 2013, and had wanted to see this material released.

ROBBIE GENNET NEW RELEASES: LP GLEAMS AND SINGLE THE CAMERA'S ON

top photo by Cyn Lowery @ Cynister Photography

Los Angeles, CA: At first listen, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Robbie Gennet’s music sounds so original and different from the norm that it’s almost jarring. After all, most new music is “borrowed” from artists that inspire the songwriter, and is easily classified in a specific musical genre.

Not so in Gennet’s case. Perhaps “multi-dimensional, progressive, piano-driven pop/rock” best describes it. Or, to compare his sound to well-known artists, think Father John Misty, Arcade Fire, Rush and the Killers, with Elton John-esque piano and even a string section throughout.

Robbie Gennet is proud to announce his upcoming 7-song album of all original songs, Gleams, set for a May 24 release. Having previously been a sideman on keyboards, vocals, guitar and bass for other artists, including Fuel, Lisa Marie Presley, Nick Lachey, Everclear and many others, he’s excited to release Gleams, his own latest original musical creation.
.
Prior to the release of Gleams, the first video from the album is “The Camera’s On” which comes out on April 27. “The Camera’s On” is a frenetic, multi-layered piece of music that reflects the constant state of surveillance we all live in now, while also connecting with the recent anti-patriarchy #metoo movement. “There are cameras in most public spaces, and we are increasingly captured on video,” he explains. “There’s the concept of Big Brother watching us, which I wanted to touch on by showing that through our collective cameras, we are the Bigger Brother watching back. As the lyrics state: ‘Watch what you watch-they see what you see. Don’t leave a trace if you want to be faceless in the crowd when you’re not allowed anonymity.’”

“I was also compelled to tie-in an anti-patriarchy theme in this video,” he continues. “I feel very strongly about women rising up and gaining an equal seat at the table, which requires the patriarchy to unwillingly lose its long-held privilege. As the video started forming in my mind, I saw my initial ‘Reservoir Dogs-meets-Eyes Wide Shut’ plotline through the eyes of a female main character. I knew this video was meant to be built upon the theme of a woman turning the tables on a man and in the end, assuming total power over him.”

In addition to writing all the songs, Gennet plays most of the instruments on the album. “I’ve always played piano on my previous recordings, but playing bass this time has given me the freedom to map out more adventuresome parts. I also played drums on the demos to give Ryan Brown (Dweezil Zappa) a fairly explicit roadmap. Of course, he added his own dazzling touches!” Gennet also specializes in vintage keyboards (Rhodes, Clavinet, Wurlitzer, Minimoog) and has experience playing Hammond organ. He is also a longtime music journalist and video host with Keyboard magazine, teaches music (at Musicians Institute and privately), and is the author of The Key of One (Alfred) book/DVD, his own notation-free approach to learning music as a language.

ROBBIE GENNET ON AMAZON

Growing up, Gennet idolized Elton John and Billy Joel. “Elton and Billy Joel were the pinnacles of piano playing singer/songwriters to me. Having no classical training and minimal exposure to classical or jazz music, I was more interested in rock and blues piano, so I gravitated in that direction. Also, one of my seminal influences when I was a kid was the soundtrack to the movie Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band starring the Bee Gees and Peter Frampton. It was my introduction to the songwriting of the Beatles, as we didn't have any of their records in the house at the time.””

“This new music and sound is one of the most exciting things I have done musically,” he concludes. “By adding live strings and stacked vocals to my piano trio arrangements, I branched away from the guitar-frosted music of my past into more cultured and rich arrangements. Coupled with more complex chord progressions, lyrics and melodies, these songs have broken new ground in my catalogue. It’s much harder for me to find references to tag this music with because of its individuality, which to me is something of a victory artistically. I don’t want to align my music with what’s on the radio or is currently enjoying its15 minutes of coolness. I am focused on timelessness, and being true to my vision.“

Stay tuned for more news…additional new musical releases are planned, as well as live show dates in select cities…

*NEW* CHUCK BERRY'S 28 GREATEST HITS ON DELUXE VINYL!!

Chuck Berry

In the firmament of rock 'n' roll's first-generation creators, no artist looms larger than Chuck Berry. In a consistently innovative recording career that spanned more than 60 years, the iconic singer-songwriter-guitarist, who passed away on March 18, 2017, laid much of the groundwork for modern rock 'n' roll, while creating some of rock's most distinctive and enduring anthems, from “Johnny B. Goode” to “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Rock and Roll Music” to “Reelin and Rockin’,” and many more.

Geffen/UMe are paying tribute to the immortal spirit of Chuck Berry with the ultimate vinyl version of his landmark greatest hits compilation, The Great Twenty-Eight, with The Great Twenty-Eight: Super Deluxe Edition.

Chuck Berry and Fats Domino were celebrated at the 60th Grammys last week...

The five-disc vinyl box set housed in a textured box, complements the original two-LP, 28-song compilation with an additional LP, More Great Chuck Berry, containing 14 more hits, rarities and B-sides missing from the original, as well as a rare live album, Oh Yeah!

Live in Detroit, available on vinyl for the first time. The collection also include a newly created bonus ten-inch EP Berry Christmas, featuring four holiday-themed classics on "Rudolph-Red" vinyl, with one song on vinyl for the first time as well. A limited edition version on “Chess Blue” vinyl, limited to 500 copies, is available exclusively via UDiscoverMusic.com. Order The Great Twenty-Eight: Super Deluxe Edition now: https://lnk.to/Great28SDE

Berry's recordings for Chicago's seminal Chess label have been extensively anthologized in the CD era. But for many Berry devotees, the two-LP vinyl collection The Great Twenty-Eight remains both a sentimental favorite and a definitive document of Berry's musical genius. It's no wonder that The Great Twenty-Eight was ranked number 21 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time," the highest-ranking hits compilation on that list. For those interested in the original 28-track edition of The Great Twenty-Eight, it is now back in print in its original two-LP format for the first time since its initial release in 1982. Order The Great Twenty-Eight here: https://UMe.lnk.to/Great282LP

The Great Twenty-Eight: Super Deluxe Edition also includes a handsome 12" x 12" book featuring a special introductory essay by Keith Richards, a new essay by best-selling author and SiriusXM host Alan Light, complementing Michael Lydon's liner notes from the original version of The Great Twenty-Eight, and reminiscences from DJ Lee Alan, plus complete U.S. single, album and EP discographies. The text is enhanced by reproductions of Berry's original LP cover art and rarely-seen photographs.

TODD RUNDGREN SPANS GENERATIONS & GENRES: WHITE KNIGHT OUT MAY 12

TODD RUNDGREN SPANS GENERATIONS AND GENRES ON ‘WHITE KNIGHT’ OUT MAY 12 ON CLEOPATRA RECORDS

ALBUM FEATURES GUESTS ROBYN, TRENT REZNOR, DAM FUNK, DARYL HALL, DONALD FAGEN, JOE WALSH, BETTYE LAVETTE, JOE SATRIANI + MORE

Los Angeles – Todd Rundgren – the iconic songwriter, recording artist, producer and innovator – will release his newest album ‘White Knight’ on May 12 via Cleopatra Records. The 15-track collection features a dynamic range of original songs and deft studio work by Rundgren, with an incredible array of guests to match, including Dam Funk, Donald Fagen, Daryl Hall, Bettye Lavette, Robyn, Joe Satriani, Joe Walsh, and others. Recently Pitchfork unveiled album track “That Could Have Been Me” featuring Robyn.

Above: Todd Rundgren photo by Lynn Goldsmith; Robyn photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Governors Ball

The songs on ‘White Knight,’ all Rundgren originals or co-writes with some of the album guests, range from hip-hop flecked funk and dystopian synth rock to soaring ballads and crisp power pop. Album opener “Come” swirls with oscillating rhythms and sweeping layers of synths.

More squiggling synths drive the feature with Daryl Hall, “Chance For Us,” giving way to a rich sax solo and a punchy, squelching bass line. Robyn soars on the pop anthem “That Could Have Been Me,” while Todd and Donald Fagen harmonize on the timely political jab “Tin Foil Hat.” “‘Cause the man in the tin foil hat / is sitting on the throne tonight / it kinda feels like a coup e’tat / but its gonna be great, tremendous, amazing and all that.”



“It’s easy to get used to playing to your own audience, even if you are absorbing and experimenting with new ideas. I wanted to collaborate not just for the musical possibilities, but also to play for new audiences and expose my fans to the range of artists I enjoy working with.” – Todd Rundgren

PRE-ORDER LINK: 

White Knight

Todd Rundgren will tour throughout 2017 with headlining dates kicking off in late April. Tour dates below with more to be announced shortly.

TRACK LIST – Digital/CD version:
1. Come
2. Got Your Back featuring KK Watson w/Dam Funk
3. Chance For Us featuring Daryl Hall w/Bobby Strickland
4. Fiction
5. Beginning (Of The End) featuring John Boutte
6. Tin Foil Hat featuring Donald Fagen
7. Look At Me feat. Michael Holman
8. Lets Do This with Moe Berg
9. Sleep with Joe Walsh
10. That Could Have Been Me featuring Robyn
11. Deaf Ears with Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
12. Naked & Afraid feat. Bettye LaVette
13. Buy My T
14. Wouldn’t You Like To Know feat. Rebop Rundgren
15. This Is Not A Drill featuring Joe Satriani with Prairie Prince, Kasim Sulton

Vinyl version:
1. Come
2. Got Your Back featuring KK Watson w/Dam Funk
3. Chance For Us featuring Daryl Hall w/Bobby Strickland
4. Fiction
5. Beginning (Of The End) featuring John Boutte
6. Tin Foil Hat featuring Donald Fagen
7. Lets Do This with Moe Berg
8. Sleep with Joe Walsh
9. That Could Have Been Me featuring Robyn
10. Deaf Ears with Trent Reznor
11. Buy My T
12. This Is Not A Drill featuring Joe Satriani with Prairie Prince, Kasim Sulton

TOUR DATES:
April 29 – St. Louis, MO – River City Casino and Hotel
May 2 – Burnsville, MN – Ames Center
May 3 – Waukegan, IL – Genesee Theater
May 5 – Columbus, OH – Express Live!
May 8 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
May 10 – North Tonawanda, NY – Riviera Theater
May 11 – Tarrytown, NY – Tarrytown Music Hall
May 13 – Kingston, NY – Ulster PAC
May 14 – East Greenwich, RI – Greenwich Odeum
May 17 – Salisbury, MA – Blue Ocean Music Hall
May 18 – Portland, ME – Aura
May 25 – Ft. Myers, FL – Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall
May 27 – St. Petersburg, FL – The Mahaffey Theater
June 10 – Syracuse, NY – OCC Campus 35th Syracuse Jazz Festival

For more information:
http://www.todd-rundgren.com/tr-tour.html
https://www.facebook.com/toddrundgren/

GONG EXPRESSO NEW LP RELEASE: DECADENCE

Gong Expresso Feat. Gong Alumni Francois Causse, Benoit Moerlen and Hansford Rowe To Release New Album “Decadence”

Montreal - Hansford Rowe's HRIII merges with Gong Expresso! Gong alumni Francois Causse, Benoit Moerlen and Hansford Rowe join HRIII guitarist Julien Sandiford for the recording of the new album by Gong Expresso titled “Decadence.”

Says Hansford, “ 'Decadence' is the title tune on the new Gong Expresso album. Here the word means 'falling away.' I hope this tune and all the music on the album somehow addresses this in an unadorned, direct way. When I play with these 3 musicians I am convinced there is something special happening. Benoit Moerlen (vibes, marimba) and Francois Causse (drums, perc) and I began playing together in early 1977 in PM's Gong and our rapport is of the kind only long term relationships can provide. On the other hand Julien who is 25 has been alive less time than I have been playing with the others. Yet our musical relationship feels infinitely long. We are recording in two cities, Paris and Montreal. Francois' studio in Paris is a tuned percussion church and Piccolo Studios in Montreal is owned by Denis Savage who is co-producing with the band. He is known for his work with Celine Dion.”

Featuring:
Francois Causse - drums, percussion
Julien Sandiford - guitar
Benoit Moerlen - vibes, marimba
Hansford Rowe - bass

PM's Gong was a major branch of the massive Gong tree. In the mid 1970's drummer Pierre Moerlen separated from Daevid Allen marking an end to the Flying Teapot period and a powerful jazz/rock unit was formed and signed to Virgin Records. Pierre's brother Benoit Moerlen, Hansford Rowe, Francois Causse, Allan Holdsworth were core members.

Many major guests joined them both on albums and touring. Mick Taylor, Mike Oldfield, and French violinist Didier Lockwood were key participants. Mike Oldfield occasionally used the PMG rhythm section for touring also calling on members for albums such as “Ommadawn”, “Incantations”, “Exposed” and “Platinum.” Pierre Moerlen sadly passed away on May 5th, 2005.

In concert Gong Expresso mines their huge repertoire and has exceptional guests joining them regularly. Along with finishing their new album, the band will be releasing a new video soon.

For more information: www.pledgemusic.com/projects/hr3
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GongExpresso/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDb7pRK9A-fBjZTbp3vbd_w

GRAND FUNK'S SHININ ON NOW IN 3D ART PACKAGE!

Audio Fidelity To Release Grand Funk's Shinin' On in Original 3-D Art Package on Limited Edition Hybrid SACD

Includes a BONUS pair of 3-D Glasses!

Camarillo, CA - Marshall Blonstein's Audio Fidelity will be releasing Grand Funk's widely popular classic rock album Shinin' On on limited edition hybrid SACD. Riding high off the success of their 1973 We're An American Band hit album and tour Grand Funk retained the extraordinary Todd Rundgren to produce Shinin' On, the band's eighth album.

Don Brewer, Mark Farner, Mel Schacher and Craig Frost took the band to another level. The songs are tight, the vocals are excellent and the group is in top form. Shinin' On is pure Grand Funk and considered a favorite among many fans and critics.

Shinin' On's best songs are the tracks that became the hit single releases: the SACD opens with the dynamic title track augmented by Craig Frost's keyboard work and pumped-up behind Don Brewer’s aggressive vocals the track infuses its hard-driving, spacey rock groove with some surprisingly ethereal vocal harmonies. The cover of the Carole King and Gerry Goffin penned “The Loco-Motion” turned this dance classic on its ear with a stomping beat and a screeching guitar lead from Mark Farner that shot the chuggin' pop remake straight to #1 on the Billboard singles chart and helped drive gigantic album sales.

Closing-out the album is Grand Funk's amped-up blues rocker “Little Johnny Hooker” which features Farner's powerful and driving guitar work.

The original album was packaged in a cosmic 3-D sleeve that had a pair of 3-D glasses embedded in the front cover to best appreciate the dramatic art work. Each Audio Fidelity Shinin' On SACD slip case will include a pair of 3-D glasses so the brilliant art work can be viewed as originally intended.

Another legendary hard-rocking album from Mark, Don, Mel and Craig – Grand Funk! So pump up the volume, break out those classic 3-D glasses and keep on shinin' on!

TRACKS

Shinin' On

To Get Back In

The Loco-Motion

Carry Me Through

Please Me

Mr. Pretty Boy

Gettin' Over You

Little Johnny Hooker

Produced by Todd Rundgren

Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio

SACD Authoring: Stephen Marsh at Marsh Mastering


Release date: January 27, 2017

Grand Funk Railroad's official website: http://grandfunkrailroad.com/

Mark Farner's official website: http://www.markfarner.com/

ERIC CLAPTON'S ALL STAR JOURNEYMAN LP

Eric Clapton's 'Journeyman' Album Feat. George Harrison, Chaka Khan, Daryl Hall, Robert Cray, Phil Collins and others Now Available On Hybrid SACD

“...one of the greatest rock/blues guitarists on the planet!”

Camarillo, CA - Much to the elation of Eric Clapton fans across the globe, Marshall Blonstein's Audio Fidelity has released Clapton's 'Journeyman' album as a limited numbered edition Hybrid SACD! Eric Clapton is a true legend. 'Journeyman' reached #16 on the Billboard album chart and became Clapton's first solo studio album to go double platinum. Like any of his best albums, there is no grandstanding to be found on 'Journeyman'...it's simply a laid-back and thoroughly engaging display of his virtuosity. The album was heralded as a return to form for Clapton, much of it has an electronic sound, mostly influenced by the 1980s rock scene, but it also includes blues songs like “Before You Accuse Me,” “Running on Faith,” and “Hard Times.”

“At the center of it all is Clapton's guitar work...stinging blues and soaring pop.”

There is an all-star assembly of guests: Dire Straits keyboardist Alan Clark, George Harrison, Chaka Khan, Daryl Hall, Robert Cray, Cecil and Linda Womack, Phil Collins and Gary Burton. Among the highlights are several cuts that feature slide-versus-slowhand guitar dueling with Cray. George Harrison is particularly impressive on his little masterpiece “Run So Far,” playing guitar and singing harmony vocals.

A couple of tracks rank among Clapton's best from any decade.The strongest commercial single is “Bad Love,” which won the 1990 Best Male Rock Vocal Performance Grammy Award, and reached the No. 1 position on the Album Rock Chart. “Pretending” is a firm mid-tempo rocker that also reached the No. 1 position on the Album Rock Chart and and includes one of his most assured vocal performances ever.

Clapton sounds more convincing than he had since the early '70s. Not only is his guitar playing muscular and forceful, his singing is soulful and gritty - he seems to have struck the perfect balance between the fiery blues of his youth with the pop flavorings of his later years.

TRACKS:

Pretending

Anything for Your Love

Bad Love

Running on Faith

Hard Times

Hound Dog

No Alibis

Run So Far

Old Love

Breaking Point

Lead Me On

Before You Accuse Me

Produced By Jill Dell'Abate & Russ Titelman

Mastered by Steve Hoffman

at Stephen Marsh Mastering