Paradise Lost Lose Singer

"However to have survived in this business for so long has meant great sacrifice and I have had to move the goalposts over the years to help make things happen and try and survive through some pretty hard times. More and more is being taken away and it is getting harder and harder to make excuses for why I do this.
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Rick Rubin Inks The Avett Brothers

Sony reports: American/Columbia Records have signed The Avett Brothers, an extraordinary band from North Carolina who combine dozens of strands of musical DNA (Rock, Pop, Classic Country and more) into a completely unique form of American music.

Their first album for Columbia, produced by Rick Rubin, will be released in 2009. The Avett Brothers have nine previous independent releases under their belts, the most recent of which, The Second Gleam, came out in July.

The Avett Brothers are currently on tour through the beginning of November - more on this story

Elvis: Return to Tupelo

PR reports: A new documentary, Elvis: Return to Tupelo, produced by Michael Rose and narrated by Kris Kristofferson, traces the Elvis saga from his birth during the depths of the Depression, to his move to Memphis, to his formative high school years, through his early struggles to launch a music career and wraps up with his triumphant homecoming concert in 1956, on the same stage where he'd lost a talent contest eleven years earlier.

This 90-minute special will premiere on the bio Channel (A&E's spinoff of its long running Biography series) Thursday, September 11 at 9 PM EST and repeat again at 1 AM EST. The show will air again Sunday, September 21 at 1 PM EST.

Rose discovered this story while shooting a travel program on the Natchez Trace that took his crew through Tupelo. "While there we met local historian Roy Turner who introduced us to the fascinating and little known details of Presley's early years. Turner opened up a world that we didn't know existed," Rose said. - more on this story

Jonny Lang Live At Montreux DVD

Kayos reports: Eagle Eye Media will release the latest in its respected Montreux Jazz Festival DVD series on September 9 when the young blues prodigy Jonny Lang goes Live At Montreux 1999 in a blistering performance.

This first-ever Lang DVD runs 54 minutes and retails for $14.98. Its nine-song setlist traverses musical borders from the opener, the Sonny Boy Williamson classic "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" (popularized by Ten Years After in the '60s) to the Dr. John funky strut, "A Quitter Never Wins (And A Winner Never Quits)."

Live At Montreux was filmed when Lang was a mere 18 years old, the jagged soulful edge of a born soloist plainly evident. Influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, George Thorogood, Eric Clapton and T-Bone Walker, Lang combines them all here with a positively electric live performance, one of, if not the best, of his career. The material showcased is culled from his first two A&M albums, reflecting his consummate professionalism. Lang's most recent CD is Turnaround. He has sold over three million albums to date. - more on this story

Jobriath Reissued

PR reports: By 1973, the rock world had shed its hippie past in favor of a more theatrical universe of glam and glitter. David Bowie had given the world Ziggy Stardust, and Lou Reed had pushed the envelope of pop radio with his hit "Walk on the Wild Side." Mott the Hoople rose to the top with a glam anthem, "All the Young Dudes," and artists varied from T. Rex to the Faces had dressed up their acts. Was the world really primed for an openly gay glam-rock star? Promoter/manager Jerry Brandt seemed to think so, and proceeded to set the stage for the grand arrival of Jobriath. And although the promised grandeur never materialized, Jobriath did record two vastly underrated albums for Elektra Records — Jobriath and Creatures of the Street — both of which will be re-released on Collector' Choice on September 30.

Jobriath was actually Bruce Campbell, born in Philadelphia in 1946. He cut his onstage teeth as a cast member of the Broadway musical Hair, and was later member of a band called Pidgeon, described in the reissue notes as "an uneasy mix of California pop-rock and heavier psychedelia." It was only when he submitted a tape to Clive Davis' CBS Records in the early '70s that he got his big break, when promoter Jerry Brandt (best known for operating the Electric Circus and managing Carly Simon) happened to overhear Jobriath's music in the label's A&R corridors. When Brandt inquired as to CBS' intentions for Jobriath, he was told that "Clive thinks Jobriath is mad and unstructured and musically destructive to melody." Brandt had a very different take: "The images [the tape] was provoking in my imagination were enormous. I kept seeing a vast spectacle." - more on this story

Thievery Corporation Set Release

PR reports: Thievery Corporation are set to release their 5th studio album entitled Radio Retaliation on September 23rd on ESL Music. Consisting of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton who are also highly regarded for their production and DJ skills, Thievery Corporation are best known for fusing a vast array of cultural influences in their music and this record takes that to the next level with inspiration from sounds from Jamaica, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

The album was recorded in the band's hometown of Washington DC and the vibe is decidedly political which is no surprise given the high profile presidential campaign happening this year. A pre-release will be available on Itunes on September 9th which will feature an exclusive non album track entitled "Philosopher's Stone" available for the two weeks leading up to the CD hitting retail outlets. - more on this story

The Veronicas To Tour with Jonas Brothers

PR reports: The Veronicas are gearing up to release their sophomore album, Hook Me Up, in the US on August 26th

Also, Lisa and Jess recently announced that they're hitting the road with the Jonas Brothers for a select string of shows later this month

[The PR company claims] Hook Me Up represents a stylistic leap from the girls' 2006 debut The Secret Life Of… - more on this story

Magic Wands Road Plans

Press Here PR reports: Magic Wands (AKA Chris and Dexy Valentine) are still glowing from their recent mesmerizing Lollapalooza performance but refuse to rest on their laurels. Nope, instead they've thrown some shampoo, a change of clothes and few trinkets into a suitcase for their next musical jaunt across the US.

Joining Black Kids on their national tour, the Nashville- based duo will be wowing audiences with their lo-fi, brick-a-brak melodies.

For those in the Big Apple, you have the added opportunity of catching Magic Wands supporting The Kills on Oct 3rd. - more on this story

Idol Loser Wins Online

PR reports: Houston's Kelsie Chandler advanced into the second round of last year's American Idol competition before her bid to become the country's next superstar stalled after a fluky performance in the second round. Its a performance that has haunted her ever since.

But Chandler has found redemption thanks to a wave of online support for her demo recently submitted as part of the "Can You Sing Contest" hosted by Gotademo.com, an online launchpad for emerging talent.

Chandler, who finished first with Atlanta's Tina Shaw, was one of 48 artists representing six different cities who entered the competition. - more on this story

. The Pet Ghost Project - Cheer Up, It's Raining

Stivers has got a cannon of great musical influences logged inside his head that he pulls from to stitch together awesome eclectic albums such as this one. I'm thrilled to not be able to classify it. (4 stars) - Read the full The Pet Ghost Project - Cheer Up, It's Raining review

. The Sword - Gods of the Earth

Though the Sword has not yet worked all the kinks out of their relatively friendly stoner metal sound, they are trying new things and improvement appears a given in the ages to come. As such, Gods may not be heavenly but at the very least worth checking out. - Read the full The Sword - Gods of the Earth review

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