Category: Newswire

Guitar Center, Inc. today announced a management succession plan to be implemented during the fourth quarter of 2010. Under this plan, Greg Trojan, presently President and Chief Operating Officer, will assume the position of Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Trojan will also remain a member of Guitar Center’s Board of Directors. Marty Albertson, presently Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, will step down as Chief Executive Officer but will remain as non-executive Chairman of the Board.

"I am thrilled to take on the role of non-executive Chairman." said Albertson. "This will allow me to pursue many other interests and still contribute to Guitar Center in a strategic capacity."

"I asked Greg to join the Guitar Center team nearly three years ago as part of my effort to groom a successor for the CEO role, and my confidence in his ability to successfully lead the company was critical to my decision to change my role at this time. Further, Greg has a thorough knowledge of our culture, values and industry."

"I am excited to be assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer at this point in Guitar Center’s history," said Trojan. "With the company’s strong management team and with the investments we have made in both our infrastructure and our people, we are well positioned to grow online and through our brick and mortar network. Accordingly, we plan on resuming opening new Guitar Center retail stores in 2011."

After months of speculation, Whitesnake has announced its new bass player/singer is Michael Devin.

Devin has been playing with Lynch Mob, along with new Whitesnake drummer, BRIAN TICHY. This union completes the new Whitesnake line-up alongside guitarists Doug Aldrich, Reb Becch and keyboardist Timothy Drury for the new album in the works.

"It’s an honour to be welcomed into the Whitesnake family. I’m a big fan," said Devin. Whitesnake is notorious for exciting musicianship, David’s history is rich, and I’m very proud to be here."

The album is being recorded for release in early 2011. The band will be also returning to touring.

BIO Channel brings viewers inside the story of one man, his music and the world that embraced him with the two-hour documentary special "Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child," premiering this Thursday, August 26, at 9PM ET.

Over the course of just four years, Hendrix left an indelible stamp on the world, shaping not only popular music but popular culture as well. He remains the most innovative musician of his, or any other, era having virtually reshaped the vocabulary of the electric guitar for future generations. "Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child" is an autobiographical journey that reveals the man as never before, featuring the legendary musician’s own words to tell the story of his remarkable life.

Drawing upon interviews granted by Hendrix, coupled with letters, writings and recordings, "Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child" provides new insight into one of the most enduring icons of popular culture. The special is filled with never before seen photographs and film footage from the Hendrix family archive and features a soundtrack that includes such legendary Hendrix recordings as "Purple Haze," "Hey Joe," "Fire," "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" together with never before heard live performances. Funk legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Bootsy Collins of Parliament-Funkadelic renown, is featured as the voice of Jimi Hendrix.

Directed By Bob Smeaton and produced By Janie Hendrix and John McDermott. "Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child" is produced for BIO Channel by Experience Hendrix L.L.C. Executive producers for BIO Channel are Tom Moody and Peter Tarshis.

The Ponderosa Stomp music festival has been growing every year, giving birth to a music history conference and film series during the day before the concerts, then a record hop. This year’s Clandestine Celluloid film series moves to One Eyed Jacks, a few blocks from the Music History Conference being held in the Cabildo in Jackson Square. For film series producer Madeleine Molyneaux, Clandestine Celluloid, the second incarnation of the moving image component of the Ponderosa Stomp "will expose Stomp attendees to film subjects and archival footage that have, due to circumstances often beyond filmmaker or audience control, remained secret, silenced or submerged …until now." The two-day series, with filmmakers Les Blank, Bradley Beesley and others in attendance, includes the first ever public screening of "It’s What’s Happening, Baby!, a 1965 TV special hosted by the infamous East Coast DJ Murray the K, a sneak preview of the film-in-progress "Bayou Maharajah" about New Orleans piano legend James Booker, "Hot Pepper", the story of Clifton Chenier , and some extremely clandestine films that have been scarcely seen and hotly pursued by those who have heard the whispers. In addition to the film schedule below, the Stomp has just announced the schedule for the music history conference. For full details, go to
ponderosastomp.com.

The new new Vox AC4TVmini is based on the AC4 from the 1960s. An all-tube practice amp, it has been factory-modded with a premium transformer and select component.

This up-to-date Class A version retains the distinctive EL84 power tube of the original and features a 12AX7 preamp tube, plus an original Vox design 6.5" speaker. Adjusting the volume and tone settings can create a broad range of tones – from a sweet, clean sound to the distinctive VOX overdrive sound. Stylish, clean and classic, the AC4TVmini borrows its retro-chic "TV" front styling from the classic 1958 AC15. This vintage Vox design is still in use on today’s AC15HTV from the Vox Heritage Collection.

The attenuator switch allows the AC4TVmini’s output power to be set at four Watts, one Watt or even one-tenth of a Watt. This convenient and ear-saving feature allows the amp to create a real, musically satisfying distortion – even at the lowest power setting. An external speaker jack is also provided for connecting to the user’s favorite cabinet.

Guitar icon and three time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Eric Clapton announced today that he will release his 19th solo studio album on September 28, simply titled Clapton.

Co-produced by guitarist and long-time collaborator Doyle Bramhall II, the album features an all star cast of musical collaborations starting with the legendary JJ Cale, drummer Jim Keltner, bassist Willie Weeks, and keyboardist Walt Richmond-and the sessions later added guests including Steve Winwood, Wynton Marsalis, Sheryl Crow, Allen Toussaint, and Derek Trucks.

Clapton created a collection that touches on everything from century-old traditional brass bands to little-known country blues to brand-new originals. The result is both relaxed and revelatory, and unlike anything the guitarist has done in his legendary career.

“This album wasn’t what it was intended to be at all,” says Eric Clapton. “It’s actually better than it was meant to be because, in a way, I just let it happen. It’s an eclectic collection of songs that weren’t really on the map-and I like it so much because if it’s a surprise to the fans, that’s only because it’s a surprise to me, as well.”

For more , visit ericclapton.com.

Jagermeister, the brand known for decades of involvement with rock and metals bands, continues to own the concert circuit with the announcement of the 2010 Fall Jagermeister Music Tour, North America’s biggest thrash tour in 20 years with the 1991 original "Clash of the Titans" lineup – Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. The brand’s 17th Music Tour will bring three of the hardest hitting metal bands in the world to one stage and will feature complete performances of Slayer’s much lauded Seasons In The Abyss album from 1990, Megadeth’s landmark 1990 album Rust In Peace, and the return of Anthrax’s singer Joey Belladonna. The tour kicks off September 24 and will play 20 venues across the nation.

"I’ve been working with Jagermeister since 2004 to try to make the first Jagermeister Music Tour Trifecta happen," said guitarist Kerry King of Slayer. "I always have such a killer time on the Jagermeister Music Tour, and this time we’re coming through with Megadeth and Anthrax so you know everyone will be on the top of their game for these shows." Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine adds, "It is a rush to finally be a part of the Jagermeister Music Tour!"

"Slayer has been a long time friend and supporter of the brand," says Bill Henderson, Senior Vice President Marketing and Advertising at Sidney Frank Importing Company, Inc. "Jagermeister has been sponsoring them since 2001 and named them as headliner of both the 2003 and 2004 Fall Music Tours. It is great to work with them again and know that adding Megadeth and Anthrax to the program will make this a tour to remember."

After being apart for more than 20 years, and with many years of gentle prodding by rock aficionados, Randy Bachman and Fred Turner are finally back together.

The men at the heart of legendary band Bachman-Turner Overdrive (who have sold 30 million albums and earned 120 platinum, gold & silver discs worldwide) are set to release their self-titled studio album on September 7, through E1 Music in Canada and RBE Music/Fontana in the U.S. The album is stocked with anthemic new rock tracks – all penned by Randy Bachman and Fred Turner – that seamlessly fit alongside their classic hits "Takin’ Care of Business" and "You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet."

Bachman &amp; Turner were recently featured in <em>USA TODAY</em> for their remarkable return and new-found fitness (as well as their status among reunited 70’s/80’s acts.

For the first time in its near 30-year history, Slayer, the single most distinctive and radical thrash metal band ever, will see its ten American Recordings albums released as a limited-edition, high-end box set – <em>The Vinyl Conflict</em> (American Recordings/Sony Legacy). Ten albums on 11 discs, <em>The Vinyl Conflict</em> will feature the band’s entire Def/American Recordings catalogue: <em>Reign in Blood </em> (1986), <em>South of Heaveneasons </em> (1988), <em>Seasons In The Abyss </em> (1990), the double-record <em>Live Decade of Aggression </em> (1991), <em>Divine Intervention </em> (1994), <em>Undisputed Attitude </em> (1998), <em>God Hates Us All </em> (2001), <em>Christ Illusion </em> (2006), and <em>World Painted Blood </em> (2009). <em>The Vinyl Conflict </em>will be released on October 12, 2010; check Slayer’s website (www.slayer.net) or Amazon.com for pricing.

"Most longtime Slayer fans may not have these records at this point," said American Recordings’ Dino Paredes, "or their copies are completely beat-up, so to have the complete catalogue in this first-class presentation is terrific. For the newer fans, this is their opportunity to really get into this band the way that they could have if they were born 20 years earlier."

American/Sony Legacy invested a great amount of care into making <em>The Vinyl Conflict</em>, treating the albums the way they would treat a great jazz, classical, Bob Dylan or Miles Davis record, something that isn’t normally done for metal records. All ten albums have been re-mastered from the original analog flat master tapes and were pressed on the highest quality, 180-gram audiophile vinyl at RTI, the most respected pressing plant in the U.S. and among the best in the world. Lacquers were cut and re-cut several times to ensure the highest sound quality. The individual vinyl discs will come in a standard, clear inner sleeve to preserve the vinyl, are then housed in high-quality litho-wrapped jackets, and then boxed in a hardcover slipcase. Additionally, reproductions of the original LP inner sleeve artwork were converted to 12X12 inserts.

"The vinyl box is a real treat for fans, especially with today’s renewed and increased interest in vinyl," added Sony Legacy’s Adam Farber. "It’s been years and years since the Slayer vinyl has been in print – only the two most recent albums are currently available on vinyl, the rest have been out of print for years and very hard to find. These albums sound spectacular – they sound like you’ve never heard them before."

"Everything about <em>The Vinyl Conflict</em> – the look of it, the feel of it – it’s very strong, very powerful, very Slayer," added Paredes, "from the music to the dripping, bloody pentagram on the front of the box. It’s perfect."

The <em>Chicago Tribune</em>’s Greg Kot wrote that Slayer is "one of the great American rock bands of the last 30 years, forget about genre." Indeed, few bands come close to matching the intensity that Slayer – guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, vocalist/bassist Tom Araya, and drummer Dave Lombardo – bring to its live shows, having been named "Best Live Band" by numerous media outlets including <em>Revolver</em>, <em>SPIN</em>, and <em>Metal Hammer</em>. The band has received numerous nominations and awards, including four Grammy nods and two wins.

Slayer is co-headlining the first leg of the American Carnage Tour with Megadeth that kicked off August 11 and goes through September 4.

Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience will celebrate the life and music of his father, Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. The oncert dates – timed to take place just after the 30th anniversary of his Dad’s passing on September 25, 1980 – will launch October 8 in British Columbia. JBLZE will kick off in the U.S. October 19 in Minneapolis and continue through late November, reaching major North American cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Toronto, Montreal, Houston, Seattle, Vancouver and many others (see the initial dates listed below with more to be announced).

Bonham has teamed with Annerin Productions, the company behind "The Pink Floyd Experience" and "Rain, A Tribute to the Beatles." "I can’t wait," Bonham said. "I’m sure it will be an emotional night, especially the first time we do it in front of an audience, but it’s a commemoration of Dad’s life and my life with the music and the company of Led Zeppelin. And I’m really looking forward to doing it."

As Bonham and his band rock through Led Zeppelin’s catalog, a state-of-the-art sound system and light show will enhance their live performance onstage. Behind them, giant screens will display futuristic art and mood-setting historical video footage and photos. Learn more at jblze.com/.