Month: June 2010

<em>Electric City<em> is the 7th solo release from guitar virtuoso Mike Campese. The 14 song, over 76 minute Cd is filled with some of the most blistering guitar work Mike has ever recorded. The CD kicks off with a bang with the tune "Eleventh Degree" featuring some intense melodic shredding and jazzy harmonies. Just when you thought you heard some crazy guitar playing, Campese takes it up another notch with "Shred Machine", which is just pure non stop shredding done very tastefully. This is defiantly Mike Campese’s most heaviest CD to date, with the down tuned song "Heavy Thing" and the in your face progressive vocal tune"LandShark". Mike Campese really shows off his versatility with the indian inspired tunes like"Cruisin Across the Mojave" and "Camelryde". Like each Mike Campese CD there is something for everyone, Campese does some pretty intense over the top guitar work, especially on the demonic arpeggio blistering tune "Over The Top", which Paganini fans would love and the face melting tune "Napali Coast". Mike does sing on a few tracks on this disc like on the epic tune "Kauai Blue", which is loaded with lush harmonies. Mike can really shred but he has a strong sense of melody that he is known for which can be heard on his catchy ballad "Closer To The Sun" that has some beautiful haunting melodies. Campese even gets a little funky on the tunes "Butterfingers" and "Punk Ass", featuring some hip sassy melodies. The Mike Campese fans are going to love this CD and it should bring him over the top.

As one of the most successful rock bands in the world with over 100 million records sold, the Scorpions announced this year that they will leave it ALL on the stage after 40+ years of entertaining fans worldwide. The band is currently out on their "GET YOUR STING AND BLACKOUT" farewell world tour and will hit the states Friday, June 18 to kick off the North American leg in Holmdel, NJ.

The German rockers will be bring their heavy, full-on, electrically charged energy to major cities across the U.S. including Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Atlanta, Miami, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Denver and many more as they celebrate the success of their latest and final album <em>Sting in the Tail</em>. Special guests on the tour will include Vince Neil, Cinderella, Great White, Dokken, Ratt and Tesla supporting along the way. The full tour itinerary is below.

Released March 23 via Universal Music Enterprises, <em>Sting in the Tail</em> entered the <em>Billboard</em> Top 200 charts at #23, marking the band’s highest chart debut in over 20 years. In their home country of Germany the album has reached Gold status. "Raised on Rock"–the album’s anthemic first single–claimed the #1 spot at classic rock radio for weeks and adds to their remarkable list of hits including "Rock You Like A Hurricane," "Wind of Change" and "No One Like You." The band’s next single "Sting in the Tail"–going to radio June 21–is all about attitude. Lead singer KLAUS MEINE wails "I’m driving out of town, just follow my heart/I think I’m gonna be a rock ‘n’ roll star/The girls would go mad, I’d give ’em all I can give/If I had a cheap guitar and one dirty riff."

Thus far the Scorpions–MEINE (vocals), MATTHIAS JABS (lead guitar), RUDOLF SCHENKER (guitar), JAMES KOTTAK (drums) and PAWEL MACIWODA (bass)–have taken the "Get Your Sting and Blackout" farewell world tour to Germany, Switzerland and France and received rave reviews. Of the in-progress European tour, the German daily paper <em>Bild</em> said, "Farewell Scorpions-you were sensational!…Why do they want to call it quits? The Scorpions rocked the sold-out arena…there were elaborate video animations, fantastic light effects and a perfect sound–it was a show of superlatives!" Munich’s paper TZ said, "It was very emotional early on: 45 minutes after the Scorpions took the stage in the fully sold out Olympia Halle and sang their opener ‘Sting in the Tail’ from their final, hit album, the five musicians approach the forestage, while the crowd renders homage. The band then begins to play a marvelous acoustic version of their Nineties ballad ‘Send me an Angel.’ It seems as if the fans do not want to stop applauding -pure emotions…A brilliant, two-hour long, rock show. The musicians illustrate why they rank among the most successful German bands in the world: they are a momentum on stage." Frankfurt, Germany’s <em>Frankfurtonline</em> said of Meine’s voice: "It still sounds just as young and fresh and easy-going as it did from day one: powerful and flexible."

In other exciting news, the rockers were honored at the World Music Awards at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club on May 18th, in presence of Prince Albert II of Monaco. Back in 1992 and again in 1994, the band proudly accepted the award for "Best International Selling Artist from Germany." This time, the Scorpions were awarded with the World Music "Rock Legend Award" for their outstanding contribution to rock music. The show aired in over 160 countries around the world to more than 100 million viewers. And earlier this year the group were honored in Los Angeles at Guitar Center’s "Rock Walk," where they were inducted alongside other artists who have made a significant impact and lasting contribution to the growth and evolution of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Blues and R&amp;B.

MEINE continues to thank their loyal fans and invite them out to the biggest party of the year. "We are so incredibly happy about the fantastic feedback we have been receiving from around the world on <em>Sting in the Tail</em>. We can’t wait to see our fans soon!" See more at the-scorpions.com.

Daisy Rock Girl Guitars continues to celebrate its 10-year anniversary with seven new guitar models and finishes, including the redesigned Rebel Rockit Supernova, the Rock Candy, the Rock Candy Xtreme, and the Atomic Green and Platinum Sparkle Rock Candy Classic electric guitars.

The Rebel Rockit Supernova has a 22-fret 24.75"maple neck and a fixed bridge. The sycamore body is five percent smaller than previous Supernovas and the rosewood fingerboard featuring dot inlays sports a 9.5" radius to facilitate easier rhythm and lead playing.

The Rock Candy guitar has a pair of Daisy Rock humbuckers controlled by a three-way selector and a master Tone control, Daisy custom tuners, and an adjustable tune-o-matic-style bridge with stop bar tailpiece.

The Rock Candy Xtreme has a mahogany body, 16" fretboard radius, Floyd-Rose-licensed vibrato, Daisy Custom tuners, EMG H4/A4 pickups, master Volume and Tone controls, and a three-way pickup selector. For more, visit daisyrock.com.

Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews Band, and Kid Rock have entered into agreements with Seven45 Studios to provide songs for Power Gig: Rise of the SixString, a new video game for which the guitar peripheral is a functioning six-string electric.

Power Gig: Rise of the SixString uses a real six-string guitar as controller. The guitar features Seven45’s proprietary technology that can distinguish and recognize gamers’ input all along the guitar, making the guitars as easy to pick up and play as any other band-game button controllers. They also include all the guts of an electric guitar so players can plug it into any standard amp. In addition to traditional beat-matching that will be familiar to fans of the band game genre, Power Gig also introduces the option to switch on chording, which presents the added challenge of playing the game using chords that require specific finger placement on the strings. As players progress through the game, becoming more comfortable with a genuine guitar and potentially choosing to play real power chords, they will find that the byproduct of playing the game is coming away from it with an understanding of real guitar fundamentals.

The game will be available for the PlayStation and Xbox 360 this October. Learn more at powergig.com.

Tim Sipprell, Edina, Minnesota, was the lucky winner in the Team Josie guitar raffle, held prior to Saturday’s American Cancer Society Relay for Life event in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Tim’s was one of 164 entries for the guitar, which was custom-built by Jason at Schroeder Guitars, Redding, California.

Team Josie, founded by the family of VG publisher Alan Greenwood, raised $12,000 this year for the Cancer Society, bringing its three-year total to more than $25,000. This was the first year the group raffled a guitar.

Los Lobos is on tour this summer in support of a brand new studio album. The new release, titled <em>Tin Can Trust</em> will hit streets on August 3, 2010. The band’s summer schedule brings them coast to coast, including a run of select shows with John Hiatt &amp; The Combo. A complete list of currently confirmed dates is included below.

With <em>Tin Can Trust</em>, Los Lobos’ first release for Shout! Factory and first collection of new original material in four years- the venerable quintet once again redefines itself and expands its scope, while never losing sight of where they come from. And, like so much of Los Lobos’ previous work, <em>Tin Can Trust</em> is an album that speaks to the time and place in which it was conceived; the album’s title can be traced back more than a century, but for the band, it’s apt for the rickety state in which so many of us find ourselves-and our world-today.

The 11 tracks on <em>Tin Can Trust</em> offer the perfect balance of Los Lobos’ parts: the band’s lineup has remained uninterrupted since 1984, when saxophonist/keyboardist Steve Berlin joined original members Louie P&eacute;rez (guitar, drums, vocals), David Hidalgo (guitar, violin, accordion, percussion, vocals), Cesar Rosas (guitar, vocals) and Conrad Lozano (bass, vocals), each of whom had been there since the beginning in 1973.

Seven songs on the album are distinguished and genius Hidalgo-P&eacute;rez collaborations, including the opening track "I’ll Burn It Down," which features a guest vocal harmony from blues-rocker Susan Tedeschi. Three others were written in whole or in part by Rosas – including the album’s two Spanish-language numbers: the cumbia "Yo Canto" and the norteño "Mujer Ingrata" – and display Los Lobos’ signature seamless infusion of Mexican folk songs into rock music. Also included in <em>Tin Can Trust</em> – a cover of the Grateful Dead’s "West L.A. Fadeaway" – offering a nod to the bands’ shared history that extends back into the 1980s when the Angelenos befriended and opened shows for their northern peers.

As with every new recording Los Lobos makes, <em>Tin Can Trust</em> moves Los Lobos into yet another new dimension while simultaneously sounding like no one else in the world but Los Lobos. Los Lobos’ unified vision and strong work ethic are evident throughout the self-produced album, but so is something even greater: "an intuitiveness," says Los Lobos songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Louie P&eacute;rez, "that happens only from being in a band for so long." As <em>Rolling Stone</em> once wrote, "This is what happens when five guys create a magical sound, then stick together for 30 years to see how far it can take them."

Stay tuned to www.loslobos.org for up-to-minute information.

One of rock’s most beloved and enduring bands, Goo Goo Dolls, have announced that they will release their ninth studio album, <em>Something for the Rest of Us</em>, on August 31st, 2010. The album features the band’s new single, "Home", which is already being embraced at radio. In advance of the album’s release, "Home" will become available on the iTunes Store and all other digital retailers starting on June 8th.

The album was produced by Tim Palmer (U2, Pearl Jam, David Bowie) with additional production by Butch Vig (Green Day, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, etc.) John Fields (Paul Westerberg, Jimmy Eat World) and the Goo Goo Dolls.

The result showcases more of the well-crafted songs and timeless lyrics that have been such an integral part of the Goo Goo Dolls’ continuing success. Written and recorded over the past couple of years, <em>Something for the Rest of Us</em> delivers another dose of emotionally-charged, well-crafted rock songs such as "Sweetest Lie," "One Night," and "Soldier." With his songwriting, Rzeznik confronts some of the issues that have become part of many people’s everyday lives:.

"I wanted some of the material on this album to address the disillusionment of the difficult period we live in; I wanted to give a voice to the emotional uncertainty that accompanies hard times. "So many people are struggling to keep it together through tough economic conditions and two wars that seem to have no end in sight. The ones who bear the brunt of these burdens are everyday people. That’s who I want to speak to."

<em>Something for the Rest of Us</em> is the follow up to 2006’s <em>Let Love In</em>, which marked the Goo Goo Dolls’ 20th anniversary as a band. The album spawned several Top 10 singles, including "Better Days," "Stay With You," and the title track, which gave them their record-breaking twelfth Top 10 hit. Their thirteenth, "Before It’s Too Late," appeared on the blockbuster <em>Transformers</em> soundtrack. Goo Goo Dolls have racked up four Grammy nominations and sold more than 10 million albums. Rzeznik has also been the recipient of the Hal David Starlight Songwriter Award. See more, including a track list and tour dates, at googoodolls.com.

Marvin Isley, bassist for the R&amp;B/funk-infused group the Isley Brothers, died June 6 in Chicago. He was 56.

Isley joined his older brothers in the group in the early 1970s, and started working on <em>3+3</em>, the group’s first gold album. His playing helped usher in a funkier side of the group, with well-known staples such as "Fight the Power," "That Lady" and "For the Love of You."

Marvin split from the Isley Brothers for a brief time, forming the Isley-Jasper-Isley trio, which scored a hit with "Caravan of Love" in 1985. The Isley Brothers were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and Marvin retired in ’97 due to complications stemming from diabetes.

Influenced by the 1960s Verythin, Höfner’s new Verythins combine ’60s style with modern playability. Specs include all-nickel German hardware, Höfner Diamond mini humbucking pickups, ebony fingerboards, clay-dot inlays, spruce tops, flame maple back and sides, and a spruce center block.

Three models will be available. The Verythin Special has two pickups, individual Volume and Tone controls with master volume, and a three-way pickup selector. It’s available in Antique brown sunburst or dark cherry finish. The Verythin Custom three pickups controlled by Höfner’s Blend System wiring, master volume with two tone controls, and three-way pick-up selector. It is available in Antique brown sunburst finish. And the Verythin Single Cutaway has two pickups, individual Volume and Tone controls, and a Bigsby vibrato. It’s available in Light blue or black finish. Learn more at hofner.com.

Karan Andrea, President of Soul House Sound, announces the debut of her instructional DVD <em>Guitar Player Wanted: Vocals a Plus</em>. The DVD contains a 110-minute instructional DVD, a 79-minute vocal training CD, and a booklet summary of the materials.

Guitarists can finally have a voice of their own with instruction geared specifically for their needs – for the first time. This DVD links a guitar player’s musical skills with his or her undeveloped singing voice. The instruction is a straightforward, concrete, step-by-step method. Players realize that being able to sing adds enormous marketability to any musical career, but the availability of quality vocal instruction is heavily geared toward lead or back-up singers… Until now.

<em>Guitar Player Wanted</em> invites even the most resistant guitarist to sing. Karan Andrea makes fundamental vocal skills interesting and accessible as she breaks down the misperception of singing as "some sort of mystical gift." Instead, Karan gives you a way to learn to use this "fretless instrument" with confidence. The instruction is a no-nonsense focus on what a guitarist (or any other musician) needs to learn. This approach will allow any individual to learn privately, at his or her own pace.

The CD included in this package contains three sets of vocal exercises that everyone – from the absolute beginner, to more experienced singers – can use to develop their own "muscle memory" and improve tone, intonation and range. Also featured in this package is a booklet containing a quick reference summary of the information presented in the DVD.

Watch the DVD trailer at SoulHouseSound.com.