Holding the Music in Your Hands ®
Okay, a new photo of a musician or rock/pop artist is not normally an event, but since it’s Kate Bush we thought we’d share this one with you. The first publicity photo to immerge since 2005.
It is of course to promote her forthcoming album Director’s Cut, due to be released in May. We first told you about this here. Click on the image to view a larger version.
We have some more information regarding the next two albums in The McCartney Archive series.
The website maccablog.com (who accurately predicted the Band on the Run release details) are now reporting that McCartney and McCartney II will be released on 6 June 2011 in the following formats:
Continue reading “Paul McCartney / McCartney and McCartney II coming on June 6th”
Big Thing is probably one of Duran Duran’s best albums. It’s a great length for a start – 10 tracks (if you exclude the two ‘interludes’ which are only half-minute musical doodles). But what’s really good about it is that despite signs that their star was on the wane (Skin Trade and Meet El Presidente from the Notorious album had not performed well in the charts) Duran Duran (or should that be Duranduran for this era..) still had lots of confidence in their own abilities. Yes, they could write catchy pop records when they wanted to, and yes, if they wanted to do slow arty album tracks they could do that too.
It’s probably fair to say that this was the last Duran Duran album where they weren’t under pressure to have a ‘come back’ record or prove anything. Notorious the album had performed solidly if not spectacularly, but for Notorious the single it was business as usual. The band’s eighth transatlantic top ten hit.
Big Thing was originally released in October 1988. The first single I Don’t Want Your Love was yet another massive hit in the US, reaching no.4 in the Hot 100 (although surprisingly only reaching no. 14 in the UK). A furious groove of a record with programmed bass and drums and a very catchy chorus, it was classic Duran Duran. The follow-up All She Wants Is was quite an unusual track. A dancey, clubby record, it’s performance reversed the achievements of I don’t Want Your Love by hitting the top ten in the UK while stalling at 22 in the US. Do You Believe in Shame, the final single was a lovely track, but not what the public wanted from Duran Duran, or at least certainly not as a single, and it disappeared quickly having flirted will only the lower reaches of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.
ZTT and Salvo continue with their impressive run of re-issues (the elemental series) with another Art of Noise release. ‘Into Battle with the Art of Noise. Following the broader appeal of Influence (which collected hits and rarities) this release seems to be one for the connoiseur, featuring the original Into Battle EP (which originally run for only 25 minutes) and a whole lot more.
Before the debut album (Who’s Afraid of?) The Art of Noise, they had actually created a whole other unreleased album entitled Worship. This album was more experimental in sound that Who’s Afraid and the master tapes have been left gathering dust.
A-ha, who split up last year after 25 years in the music business, are due to release a their final concert next month in a variety of formats.
Ending on a High Note: The Final Concert was recorded in Oslo on 4th December 201 and will be available on BluRay, DVD, CD and and Deluxe Edition (2CD/DVD combo).
Tracklisting is as follows
Deluxe Edition
CD 1:
1. The Sun Always Shines On TV
2. Move to Memphis
3. The Blood That Moves the Body
4. Scoundrel Days
5. The Swing Of Things
6. Forever Not Yours
7. Stay on These Roads
08. Manhattan Skyline
09. Hunting High and Low
10. We’re Looking for the Whales
Continue reading “a-ha Ending On A High Note / The Final Concert / CD/DVD/BluRay”
Fans of Howard Jones will have to wait a little longer than anticipated to get their hands on the new 12″ Album / Dream into Action box set which is available for pre-order exclusively from Howard’s website. Shipping is now estimated for early April after an error in the manufacturing process of one of the discs. All the problem discs are being re-pressed which is the reason for the delay. More news when we have it.
By 1973 Paul McCartney had already released four post-Beatle albums. McCartney, his first solo album had actually preceded The Beatle’s Let It Be. This ensured it sold well, but Fab-fans who had enjoyed the aural sophistication of Abbey Road – released only 6 months earlier – were left somewhat bemused by Paul’s sketchy mix of instrumentals and quaint low key acoustic ditties. Follow-ups RAM, Wings Wild Life, and Red Rose Speedway failed to capture the public’s imagination despite some solid hits. The critics were also waiting – and wondering – if Paul would ever wow them again.
So by the summer of 1973 Paul could have be forgiven for thinking he had a point to prove. With flights booked to Lagos, Paul would seek inspiration away from home. When Henry McCullough and and Denny Seiwell bailed out of the band only days before they were due to leave, Wings were reduced to three members, Paul, Linda and Denny Laine. This was going to be a tricky one.
Continue reading “Paul McCartney & Wings / Band on the Run / 2CD+DVD”
Kate Bush releases an new album Director’s Cut on May 16 on her own label Fish People, in conjunction with EMI.
Directors Cut will revisit a selection of tracks from her albums The Sensual World (1989) and The Red Shoes (1993). She has re-recorded some elements whilst keeping the best musical performances of each song.
A new version of Deeper Understanding (originally from The Sensual World) will be released as a single in April.
Kate is currently working on new material although no release date has been set for this.
Director’s Cut will be released in the following formats:
Digital Album, Standard CD in a case-bound book, Deluxe CD (three disc package, including Director’s Cut, The Sensual World and re-mastered The Red Shoes) in a case-bound book and two-disc vinyl.
Other digital and vinyl formats will be made available on katebush.com. Details will be published shortly.
