Music News Net

BUGGLES To Reunite For Charity Event

 

MUSIC NEWS- New Wave band The Buggles are reuniting for one-night  on September 28, 2010, co-founder Trevor Horn has announced.  "The Buggles - along with some very special guest artists - will perform live on stage for one night only," a posting on his website reads.  The concert has the original line-up performing their debut album The Age of Plastic in full "at a special and intimate West London venue".

The group is best known for their 1979 number onetune,  Video Killed The Radio Star (video of which kicked off the MTV network two years later).   The Buggles only released two albums before they split in 1981, and they never went on tour.  Horn and Downes joined prog rockers YES for one release and tour

ASIA Summer 2010 "OMEGA" USA Tour

 MUSIC NEWS-  ASIA recently kicked off its fifth North American tour since their 2006 reformation.  This years summer run to promote its OMEGA release (out on Frontier Records) will hit 29 cities and will wrap up on September 8th at The Moore Theatre, in Seattle, WA. The shows feature an all-new lighting, and an exciting mix of ASIA standards and hits, as well as selections from OMEGA, the band's new studio disc.

ASIA members Steve Howe (guitars), drummer/percussionist Carl Palmer,  John Wetton (bass / vocals) and Geoff Downes (keyboards).   Howe and Palmer have had a busy summer with other projects; a successful reunion last month in the UK of the classic prog rock legend, EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER at the H M F, and the YES/ Frampton tour.

MoogFest Adds Sigur Ros' Jonsi, Big Boi and Caribou

MUSIC NEWS - Sigur Ros' Jonsi, Big Boi and Caribou have been confirmed for the October 29 thru 31 MoogFest booked for Asheville, NC.  The festival will celebrate the life and legacy of Robert Moog, the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.

The full artist line-up will be announced on August 10, adding to a list that already has Massive Attack, MGMT and Thievery Corporation on the bill.

Dr Moog designed and creating the first commercial analogue synthesizer, and produced a range of electronic instruments, which have been used by artists such.In addition to the music a number of workshops, panel discussions, visual art exhibitions and film screenings will also take place as part of the festival.

Tickets for Moogfest will go on sale this Friday (July 30), for more information visit Moogfest.com.

Music Legend, Dr Robert Moog, to Be Honored at MoogFest 2010

MUSIC NEWS- MNN's excited to bring you confirmation of MoogFest 2010, the first ever music/tech festival to honor the work of Dr Rober Arthur Moog, the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.  The event will be produced by the noted gang at AC Entertainment (of Bonnaroo fame) and will run on Halloween weekend, October 29 thru 31 in the doctor's hometown of Asheville, SC (also where his company, Moog Music is headquartered)

The final artist lineup for MoogFest 2010 is still being finalize, but we're told that MGMT, Thievery Corporation and Massive Attack have already signed on, and we hope some classic, prog rockers will make the event.  There will also be panel discussions and product displays.  Knoxville based AC Entertaiment is expecting over 25 acts will perform at several venues in downtown Asheville; the Civic Center Arena, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium and the Orange Peel nightclub.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer "Pictures..." Film Gets 40th Anniv DVD Release

MUSIC NEWS- The classic ELP Pictures at an Exhibition film gets an update and makes it on dvd this July 27 (just days after their UK High Voltage Fest reunion) via Eagle Rock Entertainment with the release of Emerson, Lake & Palmer¹s Pictures At An Exhibition: Special Edition DVD (no word on a Blu ray version). The concert film, which had been out on  VHS and DVD will get a special 40-year anniversary package for this version.

Originally released in theatres back in 1973, Pictures At An Exhibition captures the English prog rock power trio performing at the Lyceum in London in December of 1970. Filmed at the height of their popularity, this concert film is a snapshot in time, blending thepassion and integrity of the music along with seventies psychedelic special effects.

YES / PETER FRAMPTON Tour Suffers Tent Collapse in Oklahoma

MUSIC NEWS- The YES / PETER FRAMPTON concert in Concho, OK booked for July 6 was cancelled and will be re-scheduled at the Lucky Star Casino after a gust of wind caused the event’s tent to collapse, and resulting in injuries to six people.  The accident and resulting equipment damage forced the cancellation of the performers'  concert tonight (July 7) in Albuquerque, NM.  The 70s classic rockers have been on a summer co-headlining tour of the USA since June, with a final show on July 15 (tour news, here)

KOCO-TV News reported that two people were taken to a local hospital.  Grammy winner Frampton, who was not in the tent at the of the incident which occured hours before the show, has posted on his Facebook page that a local stage hand has a broken leg,  Steve Howe's (YES) guitar tech injured his arm and “Tiffany”, who handles merch for Yes, suffered injury to her ribs.

Original YES member, bassist Chris Squire said; “Nothing as tremendous as this disaster has ever happened in YES’ forty-two year career,”. “Most importantly, my thoughts go out to any of the crew that were injured. We’d like to thank our fans for their continued support and we will be up and running in Los Angeles on Friday.”

(photo courtesy P Frampton)

GARY NUMAN Announces Pleasure Principle 2010 Tour of North America

MUSIC NEWS- GARY NUMAN, to celebrate the recent re-issue and 30th anniversary of his classic album The Pleasure Principle,  has announced an autumn North America tour as part of the Pleasure Principle 2010 Tour.  Mr Numan will perform the PP album in its entirety at each show.  The shows will feature material spanning across NUMAN’s career,  including tracks from his forthcoming album plinter which he's currently working on in the U.K.

NUMAN last toured North America in 2006 in support of his Jagged album and was booked to appear at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival this past April, but was forced to cancel due to the volcanic eruptions in Iceland that blocked air traffic.  For his 2010 fall tour starting in mid-October, you'll be able to catch him in 15 markets including  Orlando, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Boston, Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

EL&P's New "A Time and A Place" 4 CD Set Announced

MUSIC NEWS - As Greg Lake and Keith Emerson wrap up their "Unplugged" tour, Shout! Factory today announced an amazing 4-CD box that celebrates progressive rock's most prolific supergroup, Emerson Lake & Palmer (out July 27).  Called, A Time And A Place, it will be the definitive ELP bootleg collection, bringing together 4 CDs of prime unreleased material from 1970 to 1998. These fully authorized, remastered live performances were taken from the best-possible soundboard Emerson Lake & Palmer recordings (discs 1 through 3) and audience tapes (disc 4). The set will also include a collectible poster and liner notes by Jim Allen.

A Time And A Place brings together a select group of shows that were captured before worldwide audiences during the band's career. From the group's raw and unrestrained sound of the early '70s, their
re-arrangements of compositions by internationally renowned composers, to their timeless conceptual pieces such as "Tarkus," "Karn Evil 9" and "Pirates," ELP have always been a groundbreaking band that pushed hard against musical boundaries.

ROGER WATERS Message to NYC and L.A. This Weekend...

MUSIC NEWS - If you come across a Dwight D Eisenhower (34th USA President, WWII 5 star general) quote this weekend while in NYC or L.A., don't be alarmed.  It's just Pink Floyd's ROGER WATERS call to arms to a new generation of fans, to not sit idly by and believe what is being told to them, but to constantly question, and find the answers they seek by breaking down walls.

The quote;

“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.”  --Dwight D. Eisenhower

SMASHING PUMPKINS Need You, If You Play Keyboards or Bass

MUSIC NEWS - More departures (and openings) at THE SMASHING PUMPKINS, now that bassist Ginger Pooley has left the band to raise her new baby with her husband.  BILLY CORGAN  ha announced that he's searching for a new bassist in the same way he picked their new drummer Mike Byrne last year: via an open audition process (see details below).   CORGAN also says that auditions will be held (again, see below) for a new keyboardist who is a fan of, and can play in the prog-rock style of--Jon Lord and Rick Wakeman (great choices, Billy).  

Until a new bassist is named, Mark Tulin of The Electric Prunes, with whom BILLY toured last year in Spirits In The Sky, will sitl in on an interim basis. Look for The Pumpkins to announce a world tour soon, with USA dates.

PETER FRAMPTON and YES to Tour Together This Summer

MUSIC NEWS - A classic rock double bill to die for; two of the most influential and ground-breaking artists of the 1970s, YES and Peter Frampton, have announced a twenty-five city USA co-headline summer 2010 tour!  The run will kick-off in early June and goes through the middle of July.  The two had performed stadium shows together in 1976, including a show to more than 100,000 rock fans at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, PA.

The concerts will feature more than three hours of music from the Grammy Award winners.   One of rock history’s greatest progressive rock bands, YES, who just wrapped up a February USA tour, continues to feature the lineup of guitarist Steve Howe (pictured at left and also on tour with the original Asia ), bassist & founding member Chris Squire, and drummer Alan White, as well as Oliver Wakeman (son of keyboard legend Rick Wakeman) on keyboards and lead singer Benoit David.  Original band member and lead singer, Jon Anderson has still not returned to the line up and has been touring on his own of late.

MUSE Release Official Music Video For "Resistance"

MUSIC NEWS - English alternative rockers Muse have released their official music video for their chart topping single "Resistance" (check it out here). The video gives you a taste of their energetic and extravagant live performances for which they are known. The single comes from the band's fifth studio album titled, The Resistance, which has topped the charts in 19 countries and reached number three on the American album chart thanks to the lead single "Uprising." The best selling CD fuses a number of musical genres, including progressive rock, classical music, and electronica.

Keith Emerson and Greg Lake Two-gether for North American "Unplugged" Tour

MUSIC NEWS - Progessive rock legends, Keith Emerson and Greg Lake have announced plans for an intimate North American tour as a prelude to the July reunion of ELP in the UK ! The two man show with keyboard legend Keith Emerson and voice and guitars of Greg Lake is being called an “unplugged” night of music with them performing ELP, King Crimson, The Nice and solo career tunes.

The show is completely new, as the two have never performed together, and likely to be a special evening as they're performing in personal setting.  Audiences will be treated to an emotional perspective and a rare and personal insight into the music the two rock idols love during an evening the audience won’t forget, in a setting far different from the theatrics of Emerson Lake and Palmer in their stadium show heyday (though we hope some keyboards get knocked over !).

UPDATE 4/3/10 -  The tour's Thursday (April 1st) in Cleveland, OH has been cancelled as have the weekend shows in Pennsylvania and Connecticut.  Emerson posted the follow message on his site; "The production we had hoped to put on was lacking in its musical and technical preparations... I could not appear in front of an audience with high-expectations unprepared..."    The tour is now scheduled to start on April 5 in Annapolis, MD.

GENTLE GIANT Albums Get CD Release

MUSIC NEWS- This month, January 26, 2010, Gentle Giant gets the re-release on three CDs: In A Glass House (originally released 1973), Free Hand (1975) and The Power & The Glory (1974) on their own Alucard label (via EMI Music's Label Services unit and Caroline Distribution). Next month, on February 9,  Interview, Playing the Fool: the Official Live will be released followed on February 23 with the release of  The Missing Piece and Giant for a Day on CD formats.   The band plans vinyl releases of their catalog later this year.   MNN can't wait for a new DVD from the group, GG at Winchester College, which is the first show that Gentle Giant ever performed; it includes songs never released on any commercial release. In addition box sets and live recordings are also being planned.    

All seven of the albums are remastered from the original 1/4 inch tapes through Hi-Resolution (24 bit 96k) transfer that the band recorded at UK's Abbey Road Studios in the 1970s, with band member Ray Shulman in charge of the new remaster process.

No GENESIS Reunion at "Hall of Fame" Event Says Gabriel

MUSIC NEWS - Now that the pop music, one-time prog rockers Genesis are going to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame this March, there's been considerable hope (MNN included) that Peter Gabriel would be part of the festivities and perform with his old band (for the first time in almost 30 years).  Unfortunately, he's said that no reunion will happen (with him) and that he might not be able to attend the ceremony!

He recently told Rolling Stone: "As far as I know, I'm definitely not going to sing. I learned at our last reunion (in 1982) that you can't just get up there. You have to rehearse".  Rehearsals for his upcoming European solo tour will conflict with the "Hall" ceremony, making any rehearsals for a reunion performance impossible.  In fact, just getting to the awards festivities in NYC will be difficult for him. He said: "I'm trying to find a way to do it. It's not easy. If I can work it out, I'll go".