12/6/09

MP3 Mondays on MOTORCITYBLOG

MP3 Mondays on MOTORCITYBLOG
Photo by Paul Hitz

take a look / listen





LENNON TEAMS WITH BIRCH AND MEAGHER TO LAUNCH

ARTIST-FOCUSED MUSIC SERVICES COMPANY, theREVOLUTION


“Lucy,” Co-Written by Julian Lennon and Singer / Songwriter James Scott Cook
Debuts December 15, Portion of Proceeds to Benefit Lupus Charities

Listen to new song “Lucy”

http://www.billboard.com/#/news/song-debut-julian-lennon-s-lucy-1004050354.story

Interview with Julian Lennon

http://www.spinner.com/2009/11/27/julian-lennon-lucy/



image001 by navdo.,

AUSTIN, TX – You say you want theRevolution? Well, you know, we all want to change the music world... Tapping the reach of the Internet and a power-shifting business model, musician Julian Lennon and digital pioneers Michael Birch and Todd Meagher officially announce the launch of theRevolution LLC, a full-service, artist-focused, music services company.

In the vanguard of theRevolution is the single “Lucy,” co-written by Lennon and James Scott Cook, to be released on a four-track EP on December 15. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to two charities focused on lupus, an autoimmune disease afflicting Cook’s Grandmother Lucy, as well as Lennon’s late childhood friend Lucy Vodden, a watercolor painting of whom led John Lennon to write “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”

With the mission of “Turning the music business into the musician’s business,” theRevolution (www.theRevolution.com) serves as the funding vehicle which endeavors to partner with both emerging and established artists to give them control as well as ownership of their creative output and to help build their fan bases and, ultimately, their brands. Under its singularly structured, transparent 50/50 “artist partnership” model, the artist forms a company and theRevolution funds it, with musical artists owning equity in their own companies.

Through its subsidiary the Artists Alliance and its affiliates, theRevolution provides artists an a la carte menu of integrated services, among them: business/legal affairs; product design, manufacturing and retail/direct distribution; online transactional management; tour/event logistics, sponsor outreach; marketing, promotions and branding; and music publishing/licensing.

“Julian and I have been friends for over 20 years and have partnered on several businesses together, as I have with Michael. Our combined understanding of technology and the music industry, our love of innovation, and our ability to capitalize our own company make this new partnership ideal,” explains Texas-based Todd Meagher, a former songwriter for Warner Chappell Music who, as an internet entrepreneur, successfully founded and sold such entities as Credit.com. In 2002 Meagher created the industry’s first 50/50, artist-owned model, going on to launch MyStore.com with Michael Birch and Lennon in 2006, in the early days when MySpace did not allow direct sales. As an outgrowth of both businesses, Meagher approached Lennon with the idea of a full-service, artist-focused music services company, and Lennon agreed not only to be a partner, but to be its first artist after a nearly ten-year hiatus from the music industry.

“I think the digital age of music has allowed independent artists to be heard, where maybe they would have not been before due to record labels’ pigeonholing of music, musicians and style,” explains Lennon. “theRevolution puts artists into business for themselves. It came about because I personally couldn’t see a way forward, given the state of the music industry, and wanted to start something new – a new model – which will hopefully continue to grow and be accepted, appreciated and become successful.”

That hopefulness is shared by Birch, the media community/Internet marketing guru who co-founded BirthdayAlarm.com,Ringo.com and the social networking site Bebo, which AOL bought for $850 million. An advisor to myriad companies, this past summer Birch helped launch PROfounders Capital, a UK investment fund for entrepreneurs. “Many artists are quite good at promoting themselves, but you need other elements to build a proper business and brand,” says Birch. The model of theRevolution is to fully align its interests with those of artists (i.e., one party doesn’t make money unless the other does) and, for artists used to turning over the lion share of the revenues from their music to traditional labels, says Birch, the key is education. “We need to build our reputation as a true partner and prove our dedication to building long-term careers.”

On December 15, the company will mark its first release with the four-song EP Lucy, featuring the same-named title track written by James Scott Cook and Julian Lennon. Produced by Todd Meagher, the lead single “Lucy” is Lennon’s first single in close to a decade.

Lennon initially planned only to sing background vocals on the song, but before its completion he learned that his childhood friend Lucy Vodden had passed away after a long battle with lupus. With some lyric changes the decision was made for the song to be a duet between Lennon and Cook. By remarkable coincidence, Cook told Lennon that Lucy was also the name of his 92-year-old grandmother who has been living with lupus for years. Seeking to honor the memory of both women, a portion of the proceeds from the single will be donated to two charities, St. Thomas’ Lupus Trust (www.lupus.org.uk) and the Lupus Foundation of America (www.lupus.org).

The EP – inside of which buyers will discover a fold-out copy of Julian Lennon’s original watercolor drawing of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” – features two versions of “Lucy,” the studio track and an acoustic version. There’s also Lennon’s slow and sentimental song “Beautiful,” which will appear on his full-length album Everything Changes, to be released in 2010, and Cook’s song “Sober,” which will be on his own eponymous album next year. RED Distribution (a division of Sony Music Entertainment) is providing manufacturing, retail distribution and radio promotion for the EP, and the title track will initially be available for download online exclusively at iTunes until the first of the year, which will also make a donation to the lupus charities. VH1, YouTube, MySpace Music and Yahoo Music have all agreed to support the video release.

Julian Lennon first came to the public’s attention as a musical artist with his 1984 debut album Valotte, which produced two Top Ten singles, “Valotte” and “Too Late for Goodbyes.” The album led to a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. Along with his sophomore effort, The Secret Value of Daydreaming (Atlantic),” his subsequent albums include Mr. Jordan,Help Yourself and the independently produced Photograph Smile— his most critically acclaimed album to date. In recent years, Lennon has focused on photography and other endeavors, also producing the eight-time internationally award-winning documentary WhaleDreamers.




** MIGHTY TIGER Signs With Paper Garden Records! Western Theater Album Out March 9, 2010! **

"There's obviously something Sufjan Stevens-y about Mighty Tiger: the voices raised in chorus, the ornate instrumentation, the bold fearlessness of taking masculine vocals up to the higher, soprano end of the scale. Some of their songs sound as though they could fit into the soundtrack of a Wes Anderson movie with no problem at all. But there's an edge to their music, a willingness to actually rock, that has pushed Mighty Tiger up on my playlist: They're proof that you can make sensitive, thoughtful music and not sound like a namby-pamby, weak-kneed wuss." - The Stranger

Check out Mighty Tiger’s “33 1/3” mp3 here


DJ Food Returns Once Again!
"The Shape Of Things That Hum - EP" out 14th December on Ninja Tune
DJ Food aka Strictly Kev - one of Ninja Tune's true veterans and powerhouses - returns with the next installment from his forthcoming, long-awaited album, "Stolen Moments." And while the personnel of "DJ Food" has changed over the years, as has the musical vision, the name is always a guarantee of the utmost quality.

"Sentinel (Shadow Guard)" is the first ever studio collaboration between Kev and longtime DJ partner and Solid Steel producer DK. A track of contrasts - harp, acoustic guitar and ringing electronics versus filthy bass, heavy drums and rattling percussion. All held together by Ninja labelmate King Cannibal working the mixing desk, the results are driving and sinuous, but subtle, too. "Extract from Stolen Moments too" is a further peep at the creepy piano theme which will be visited and revisited across Food's forthcoming EPs and woven throughout the album that will follow. "Brother John" is a tribute to the great John Rydgren, now sadly deceased, a pastor from the Lutheran church who subtly blended the word of God with the music of the day back in the 60s and 70s via his radio shows. This is classic Food - a seamless blending of vocal samples and musical goodness. "GIANT is voiceless cover version of the closing track from the classic "Soul Mining" album by The The. Literally years in the making and still not finished, The The's main man Matt Johnson has given it his blessing and will be providing a new take on the original vocal for the album next year. "Sentinel (Lunar Defence)" We end where we came in - kind of - a completely different take on the opening track transforms it into a brooding guitar-led theme that delves into dark afro-percussion without warning - beautiful and unsettling in equal measure.

We hate to be the bearers of bad tidings, but there are difficult decisions for Food lovers to make. The 12" single once again comes with an A2 poster cover of exclusive artwork by 2000AD artist Henry Flint with colours and design by Openmind aka Strictly Kev. On the other hand, the download comes with three bonus tracks, the "All Covered In Darkness" Mr P remiix suite. Ex-DJ Food veteran and sometime Cinematic Orchestra member PC (Patrick Carpenter aka Mr P) returns from a musical hiatus to deliver not one but three versions of "All Covered In Darkness." A favourite from the last Food EP, it features the dulcet tones of Ken Nordine and harmonies from The Dragons. He twists it from 4/4 to 6/8 time and back again, making it his own across an epic 13 minutes.

Maybe get both...?!

DJ Food cover

Tracklist:
1. Sentinel (Shadow Guard) DJ Food & DK
2. extract from Stolen Moments too
3. Brother John
4. GIANT (instrumental)
5. Sentinel (Lunar Defence)
6. All Covered In Darkness (Mr P remix)
7. All Covered In Darkness (Mr P remix in3)
8. All Covered In Darkness (Mr P beats remix)


5 Track 12" vinyl with poster cover

Side A
1. Sentinel (Shadow Guard) DJ Food & DK
130 bpm 6.32
2. extract from Stolen Moments too
86 bpm 3.47
3. Brother John
86 bpm 2.53

Time: 13.12

Side B
1. GIANT (instrumental)
108 bpm 8.10
2. Sentinel (Lunar Defence)
97.5 bpm 5.55


myspace.com/strictlykev
www.ninjatune.net


THE WHIGS
"IN THE DARK"
ATO Records and The Whigs are very excited to announce the release of the band’s new album,
IN THE DARK. Set for a March 2, 2010 release, IN THE DARK is an explosive collection of intense
and tuneful songs that have been developed through years of non-stop touring and two critically
acclaimed albums – Give ‘Em All A Big Fat Lip and Mission Control. Both an accessible album and
one that captures the band’s on-stage passion (something that has become synonymous with the
band’s live show), IN THE DARK reveals another layer in the band’s songwriting and highlights
what fans and critics have fallen in love with, including Jon Pareles of The New York Times who
praised the band for their “two-chord guitar and drums furor worthy of The Who.”
Eager to give fans new music, the Athens, GA three piece is now offering 2 new songs –
“In The Dark” and “Hundred / Million” - for free download. In addition, the band is
currently on a North American headlining tour premiering new songs. Tour dates below.
From the driving guitars and crushing drums of “So Lonely” to the hypnotic and playful “Black Lotus,”
from the reckless blitz and thuggish bass lines of “Someone’s Daughter,” to the anthemic “Kill Me
Carolyne,” IN THE DARK is the work of a band moving forward creatively while remaining
true to their roots.
Track-listing to be announced shortly.

TOUR DATES:
December 1 - Emo’s - Austin, Texas
December 2 - The Loft - Dallas, Texas
December 4 - The Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, Georgia
December 5 - Rhythm & Brews - Chattanooga, Tennessee
December 8 - Visulite - Charlotte, North Carolina
December 10 - Black Cat - Washington, DC, Washington DC
December 11 - The Fillmore @ Irving Plaza - New York, New York
December 12 - North Star - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
December 14 - Local 506 - Chapel Hill, North Carolina
December 15 - Pour House - Charleston, South Carolina
With The Features (from December 1st – December 15th)
With The Dead Trees (from October 28th – November 21st)
With Mean Creek (October 28th and December 5th – 15th)
More On The Whigs:

on