Skillet News
As their “AWAKE & ALIVE” tour packs houses across the U.S., Atlantic/Ardent/INO rockers SKILLET’s 2006 release, “COMATOSE,” has been certified GOLD by the RIAA, while their latest effort, “AWAKE,” which debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at No. 2, has surpassed 200,000 units in just 12 weeks. Likewise, “AWAKE” remains a top-ten charting Christian project, best-selling CD overall on Billboard’s Top 200, a top 30 best-seller on iTunes® Rock album chart, and boasts the No. 2 and No. 8 top Christian digital singles with “Monster” and “Hero” respectively. Along with album sales, mainstream Active Rock radio and video channels like MTV2 and FUSE are also propelling SKILLET. Active Rock radio has given Skillet a top 10 single with “Monster,” hitting No. 9 with a bullet on BDS this week and No. 10 with a bullet at MediaBase. MTV2: As their music video for “Monster” recently moved into MTV2’s ELITE 8, the band also hosted the network’s Rock the Deuce show and talked about their favorite videos and more. Rock the Deuce calls itself “the heaviest rock show in American history.” Check out clip from the show here. “Monster” i s a hit on both Fuse’s Number One Rock Countdown show and Viewers Choice. As their “Awake & Alive” Tour rolls across the U.S., the band has rocked sold out and capacity crowds in Chicago, Tulsa, Columbus, Boston, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, Boise, Denver, Minneapolis, Des Moines and more. Skillet recently announced they will be touring with SHINEDOWN and PUDDLE OF MUDD in January and February 2010. HOT TOPIC stores nationwide will be carrying Skillet merchandise in time for the holiday season. Along with NBC’s use of “Hero” for Sunday Night Football and NFL Weekend Kickoff promos, an exclusive video performance of “Monster” opening each week’s ACC College Football games with Raycom Sports, and WWE’s use of the song for NBC’s nationally televised 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania special and WWE’s new “Smackdown vs. Raw 2010” video, FOX recently picked up “Hero” to open the third game of the World Series. In addition, the popular soap opera “One Life To Live” has been using “Awake & Alive” in promos for the month of November.
For more information about upcoming tours, visit:
skillet.com
DAVID CROWDER BAND Wraps Up Tour
As the DAVID CROWDER*BAND’s headlining 32-city, multi-sellout fall tour comes to a close this month, they continue to receive praise for their innovative show and music. Of their packed show at New York City’s Terminal 5 on Friday, November 13, the New York Times wrote: “David Crowder*Band has been releasing albums for more than a decade and is among the most thoughtful, progressive and exciting acts in contemporary Christian music… They played tough, grinding rock (“You Are My Joy”) and pop-punk (“Foreverandever Etc.”). They covered Hank Williams’s “I Saw the Light”… Songs from its new album, Church Music (sixstepsrecords/Sparrow), were danceable and optimistic: they could have been by the Killers. Throughout, Mr. Crowder, his thicket of hair shooting out radially from his head, was affable. (Jon Caramanica, 11/17/09)”. Read the article here. Touring in support of CHURCH MUSIC–their latest album that debuted at #11 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart earlier this fall–the band has released a new video for album track “How He Loves.” The track features backing vocals by the DuPree sisters from Eisley. The video was shot in slow motion and in a single take at the band’s amazing recording studio, the Dr. Pepper Studio. Located in the converted barn behind Crowder’s house in Waco, TX, the studio got its name as the house was previously owned by Wade Morrison, creator of the Dr. Pepper soft drink and, according to local lore says, is where Morrison’s horse Pepper the horse lived. DAVID CROWDER*BAND’s previous four studio albums have sold over one million copies combined and they have sold out numerous large clubs across the country including New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom, The Wiltern in Los Angeles and The Fillmore in San Francisco. With CHURCH MUSIC, their popularity continues to rise. Known for their mix of ambient and infectious electro-rock, the 17 compelling tracks on CHURCH MUSIC may not be what you expect sonically when you think of one of Christian music’s leading bands. The album includes a unique cover of hard rock act Flyleaf’s hit “All Around Me” and, in addition to the Dupree sisters, features backing vocals by Flyleaf lead singer Lacey Mosely.
For more information, visit:
davidcrowderband.com
Brian “Head” Welch Starts New Album
Earlier this year, HEAD announced that he had chosen his bandmates—Michael Valentine (bass); Scott Von Heldt (guitars); Ralph Patlan (guitars); Brian Ruedy (keyboards, programming) and Dan Johnson (drums). The band toured lightly in 2009; but is ready to hit the road full time in 2010. Currently, HEAD and his band are in Nashville recording HEAD’s next album with Grammy®-nominated producer Rob Graves (RED, Pillar). The album is targeted for completion February 2010, with a release shortly thereafter on his Driven Music Group label (with distribution through Ryko/Warner Music Group). Reached at the Nashville recording studio, HEAD commented about the WMEE deal: ”I’m really excited about my deal with William Morris Endeavor, and I’m honored to be on the roster of one of the largest and most storied agencies in existence. I would like to publicly thank Ember Rigsby Tanksley and her entire team at WMEE for their belief in what I am trying to do. I feel like this is the final piece in the puzzle that we have been working on to take us to the next level.” “The production on our new record is going awesome with Rob Graves,” he continues. “Our goal is to get the record completely mixed and mastered by the first part of February, and released immediately thereafter. My band is together, helping with the recording, and we will be ready for a full U.S. tour beginning early next year.” HEAD helped found the nu-metal band Korn. While with KoRn, HEAD received six Grammy® Award nominations, winning two, while selling over 30 million records worldwide. In early 2005, HEAD rocked the music world by announcing his resignation from KoRn. At the time, HEAD was committed to moving away from the crazy KoRn life to continue to care for his daughter, Jennea, as a single father. Additionally, HEAD committed his life to Christ with the goal of touching people’s lives and giving back to those most desperately in need. In 2007, HEAD penned a New York Times best-selling (non-fiction) autobiography, “Save Me From Myself” (Harper Collins). HEAD’s debut album, also entitled SAVE ME FROM MYSELF, was released on September 9, 2008 with Driven Music Group, through Ryko Distribution/Warner Music Group, Word Entertainment (Christian market), and Warner Music International (ADA Global—Canada). The album debuted at #13 on Billboard’s “Top Hard Rock Albums” chart, and continues to impact the market. The album has been described as a “heavy metal epic, with a positive message.”
For more information, go to:
brianheadwelch.net
Fireflight Announces New Album Date
Premiere rock band Fireflight continues to gain national exposure and acclaim, nominated for Artist of the Year at the 40th Annual Dove Awards, and performing at ESPN’s “Winter X Games 13,”after being named “Best of the Beat” through Taco Bell’s inaugural fan-voted “Feed the Beat” contest. Fireflight will release its third album, titled For Those Who Wait on Feb. 9, as the new single “Desperate” is currently impacting Christian radio. Fireflight debuted with 2006’s The Healing of Harms (Flicker Records), featuring two No. 1 rock singles, “You Decide” and “Waiting.” The band’s breakout sophomore album, Unbreakable, released in March 2008 and debuted at No. 10 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, following NBC’s launch of the title track in network TV promos for “Bionic Woman.” Along with receiving stellar 5-star reviews, Unbreakable delivered two No.1 rock singles with “The Hunger” and the title track, which held the top spot at Christian rock radio for 4 weeks. Fireflight’s music has received national attention as a favorite of TV networks like NBC, ABC and ESPN, including ESPN’s “Winter X Games” coverage,” on E! Entertainment’s “Style Network,” and in music-video reels at both American Eagle and Journey’s stores across the country. For more than nine years, Fireflight has remained tireless road warriors on the concert circuit averaging 140 shows a year. Fireflight is: Dawn Michele, lead vocals; Justin Cox, guitar; Glenn Drennen, guitar; Wendy Drennen, bass; and Phee Shorb, drums.
For more information, go to:
fireflightrock.com
Before There Was Rosalyn Video Posted
BEFORE THERE WAS ROSALYN recently released their Victory debut, The Furhrer: An Allegory of a History of Deception, on October 26th, 2009! The album tells the tail of a bold and emotional journey into the heart of a humanity left to its own devices. Check out the new music video for their powerful single, “The Warrior”, here.
For more information on Before There Was Rosalyn, go here:
myspace.com/beforetherewasrosalyn
Eric Clayton Of Saviour Machine Releases Book
These are the first ever, non musical, published writings of Eric Clayton! This is a Limited, FIRST EDITION work from one of the most “controversial” and reclusive artists of our time! Only 500 copies of this edition will ever exist! EACH of the 500 copies will be hand numbered and signed by the author, himself! By his own admission: “The most personal, intimate and revealing words I’ve ever written!” Nearly 200 pages, including 24, full page illustrations of Eric’s favorite paintings, drawings and sketches from artists, friends and SM fans around the world! WARNING: Some of the content in this publication could easily be considered “explicit” and may not be appropriate or recommended for younger readers! Excerpts and Segments from Eric’s Collective Journals are NOW available for preview, exclusively here.
For more complete/comprehensive information about the book, “Eric Clayton / The Collective Journals / 1997 – 2009? visit:
saviourmachine.com
Seabird On Grey’s Anatomy
Cincinnati pop-rock band Seabird’s “Joy to the World” was featured on 11/19’s episode of the ABC award-winning series, “Grey’s Anatomy.” The spotlight is timely for Seabird, who heads out next month on a national promotional tour in support of its Dec. 15 release, Rocks Into Rivers. The song is included on Seabird’s The Silent Night EP, currently available on iTunes. The EP will be available at all digital music outlets beginning Nov. 24. Opening Dec. 2 in Columbus, Ohio, Seabird will celebrate the debut of its new record with live performances in 12 cities including major markets Chicago, St. Louis and Detroit. Special guest The Civil Wars (featuring Joy Williams and John Paul White) will join the band on select dates. Additionally, Seabird will make promotional stops at Fearless Radio (Chicago), RadioU (Columbus, Ohio) and YES FM (Toledo, Ohio) among other national media outlets. The band will host a CD release concert for fans in its hometown on Dec. 12, wrapping up the tour in Nashville Dec. 14. Tickets are on sale now, visit www.seabirdmusic.com for additional information. A complete tour itinerary follows this release. A follow up to Seabird’s 2008 critically acclaimed label debut, ‘Til We See The Shore, Rocks Into Rivers features top-notch production by Paul Moak (Mat Kearney, Sixpence None The Richer) and Matt Hales from Aqualung. The band split its time between Ocean Studios in Los Angeles and The Smoakstack in Nashville, honing what brothers Aaron and Ryan Morgan are calling their most exciting project to date. The album’s first CHR/AC single, “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful,” is now available at iTunes and other digital music outlets. Currently, Seabird is wrapping a 30-city stint on David Crowder Band’s fall tour. Cincinnati-based Seabird comprises brothers Aaron (vocals/keys) and Ryan (guitar) Morgan as well as Preston Lane (drums) and Brandon Weaver (bass). The band signed with Credential Recordings in late 2007 and released its debut label project,‘Til We See The Shore, June 24, 2008. A collaborative effort with producers Jacquire King (Modest Mouse, Kings Of Leon, Tom Waits, Switchfoot) and Allen Salmon (Mute Math, This Beautiful Republic), the album received phenomenal national publicity, featured on episodes of “Numb3rs,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and promos for ABC’s 12-time Emmy-nominated series, “Pushing Daisies.” The band was also recognized by its hometown as “Artist of the Year” at the 2008 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards and toured with artists including Barcelona, Meese, and Jars of Clay throughout the spring and summer of 2009.
For more information on Seabird, visit:
seabirdmusic.com
Tour Dates:
12-2 – Columbus, OH
12-3 – Akron, OH
12-4 – Cedarville, OH/
12-5 – Franklin, IN
12-6 – St. Louis, MO
12-8 – Chicago, IL
12-9 – Toledo, OH
12-10 – Grand Rapids, MI
12-11 – Orion, MI
12-12 – Newport, KY
12-13 – Lexington, KY
12-14 – Nashville, TN
Soundmass announce New Album By Grave Forsaken
Soundmass is pleased to announce that Grave Forsaken’s 4th album (and 2nd release with Soundmass) is due to hit in early 2010. Titled “Fight to the Death”, this release will see these Western Australians nailing their most intense thrash album to date, truly capturing the spirit of the Bay Area scene that they’re inspired by. This will be their first album with new member and 2nd guitarist Simon Hoggett (Scourged Flesh), with producer Daniel Holmes (Templar, Scourged Flesh, 618) yet again behind the desk. Keep an eye on the Grave Forsaken website for more updates on “Fight to the Death:.
Haste The Day Makes Taco Bell’s List
Taco Bell has announced 100 bands that made the 2009 Feed the Beat™ lineup, which included Solid State Records’ Haste the Day. Celebrating its fourth year, Feed the Beat provides free food and marketing support to America’s up-and-coming rock acts. This year, in addition to Haste the Day, touring bands from across the nation, including The All-American Rejects, Boys Like Girls, Forever The Sickest Kids, We The Kings, Atreyu, Owl City and more, will receive $500 in Taco Bell Bucks for free Fourthmeal, the late night meal between dinner and breakfast. More than just free food, bands also receive important marketing support for their music. Haste the Day is giving back to their community by donating a portion of their Taco Bell Bucks to a local Indiana non-profit, Wheeler Mission Ministries. With their Taco Bell® Bucks in hand, Haste the Day is hitting the road starting on Friday with the Napalm & Noise Tour beginning in Illinois (dates/markets below) with All That Remains, The Devil Wars Prada and Story of the Year. Haste the Day is available for interviews and tour reviews are available upon request and approval. Contact: Lori Mahon for media inquires. For more information and tour locations visit the band’s MySpace and Twitter. About Feed the Beat™Music fans will be able to discover each Feed the Beat band on Taco Bell’s Virtual Music Festival Web site (www.feedthebeat.com) which showcases their music and exclusive content created for the site. Feed the Beat bands were chosen by a panel of judges based on performance and musicianship, originality and material selection, and overall appeal and personality. Bands also had the opportunity to express their passion for Taco Bell and share stories about eating Fourthmeal while touring.
11/20 – Elgin, IL
11/21 – Grand Rapids, MI
11/22 – Louisville, KY
11/23 – Rochester, NY
11/24 – Buffalo, NY
11/25 – Cincinnati, OH
11/27 – Columbus, OH
11/28 – Indianapolis, IN
11/29 – Des Moines, IA
11/30 – Omaha, NE
12/4 – Ennepetal, Germany
12/9 – Anaheim, CA
12/10 – Ventura, CA
12/11 – San Diego, CA
12/12 – Tucson, AZ
12/13 – El Paso, TX
12/15 – Austin, TX
12/16 – Corpus Christi, TX
12/18 – Nashville, TN
12/19 – Raleigh, NC
12/20 – Norfolk, VA
12/21 – Allentown, PA
Flyleaf Hits Billboard 200 At #8
Memento Mori, the new album from A&M/Octone recording group FLYLEAF, debuts at No. 8 on The Billboard 200, selling 56, 400 copies in its first week of release according to Nielsen SoundScan. Recorded with Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, The All-American Rejects), who also produced the band’s self-titled Platinum debut, Memento Mori is a compelling blend of bold guitars and soaring melodies, anchored by the honest lyrics and transcendent vocals of lead singer, Lacey. The album’s first single, “Again,” was Amazon.com’s “Free Song of the Day” on Saturday and is already number 15 (with bullet) at Active Rock radio and number 20 (with bullet) at Modern Rock. The accompanying video can be seen on MTV2 and FUSE. “Again” was one of the songs FLYLEAF performed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in late October, on the eve of the launch of an intimate club tour of the U.S. Anticipation for Memento Mori has been building for months, as FLYLEAF kept fans in the loop via Facebook and Twitter and a series of webisodes. In August, the band announced the launch of “Road To Memento Mori.” Partnering with Eventful.com and independent retailers, the group asked fans to decide which nine U.S. cities listening events should be held in. Event attendees were treated to seven tracks from the forthcoming album – and a surprise acoustic performance by FLYLEAF. With the support of Amazon.com, Best Buy, Hot Topic/Shockhound, the iTunes Music Store, Rhapsody, Target, Verizon, Walmart.com, recordstore.com, independent retail and CBA retailers across the country, FLYLEAF was able to offer fans numerous album versions, pre-order options and exclusive content, contributing tremendously to Memento Mori’s out-of-the-box success. MySpace Music featured FLYLEAF on “Album Premiere,” “the Feed” and “Artist Playlist” in the week leading up to Memento Mori’s street date. Last week, Yahoo! Music gave the video for “Beautiful Bride” an exclusive, 24-hour premiere and FUSE aired an interview with the band on “The Daily Noise.” FLYLEAF is Lacey (lead vocals), Sameer Bhattacharya (guitar), Jared Hartman (guitar), Pat Seals (bass) and James Culpepper (drums). Based in Belton, Texas, the quintet has been touring nearly non-stop since the September 2005 release of its self-titled debut album, which spent 133 weeks on The Billboard 200 and contained the hits “I’m So Sick,” “Fully Alive” and the RIAA Gold smash “All Around Me.”
Amber Pacific Signs To Victory Records
Victory Records is proud to introduce the newest addition to the Victory Records family, AMBER PACIFIC from Federal Way, WA. Their emotional blend of powerful, “pop-punk rock” is a fitting addition to our diverse roster. As an established band, with two full length albums and two EPs already under their belt, they have sold 175,000 records to date. The band is eagerly preparing to head into the studio to record their Victory Records’ debut which will be released in early 2010. Guitarist Will Nutter had this to say about the recent signing, “We’re excited and really looking forward to accomplishing great things with Victory!”
For a taste of what’s to come, visit:
myspace.com/amberpacific
Phil Keaggy Releases Christmas CD
Singer/songwriter, guitarist and Grammy-nominated Gospel Music Hall of Famer Phil Keaggy deftly communicates the essence of the Christmas season on Welcome Inn: A Phil Keaggy Christmas, his latest independent release. The CD is available now on philkeaggy.com and is coming soon to iTunes, Amazon.com and other digital distribution outlets. With Welcome Inn, Keaggy has crafted a project that is at once both intimate and accessible, with brand-new songs that feel like Christmas standards. Keaggy-penned tunes include the beautiful “Village Bells,” in which he reflects on his Ohio hometown childhood, and “Best Christmas Morn,” which reveals the real meaning of Christmas as the birth of Christ instead of the presents under the tree. “All Through the Night” is Keaggy’s take on an old Welsh Christmas tune, and the instrumental “Shades of Red & Green” interweaves snippets of Keaggy’s favorite Christmas carols. New songs and old favorites sit side by side on the project. Keaggy wrote “Father” 30 years ago at fellow recording artist Paul Clark’s house. He wrote the music of “For the 12th Night” at a Texas writer’s retreat this past summer, setting to music a poem that author and National Book Award winner Walter Wangerin, Jr. (The Book of the Dun Cow) had presented to the elite gathering on the previous evening. The album is a family affair, with Keaggy’s son Ian and daughter Olivia featured on guest vocals, along with West Coast vocalist Nina Landis. Produced & engineered by Keaggy himself and mastered by Grammy winner Richard Dodd (Dixie Chicks, George Harrison, Big & Rich), the entire project was recorded in Keaggy’s studio. “This is a very special recording to me, one I’ve desired to make for a long time, and now it’s here,” says Keaggy. “My hope is that those who listen to Welcome Inn will sense the joy of this and every Christmas.” One of the world’s most beloved musicians, Phil Keaggy has enjoyed immense success over the course of his career. Having first entered the music scene as the co-founder and guitarist for ’70s power group Glass Harp, Keaggy has since released close to 50 albums and has made appearances on countless others. Widely recognized for his phenomenal guitar playing as well as his vocal and songwriting prowess, he has received numerous accolades and awards for his music, including seven Dove Awards and a Grammy nomination. Keaggy was inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2007, and was named one of the Top 10 best rock singers in Christian music history by GospelMusicChannel.com in 2009. He has been named one of the “25 Most Underrated Guitarists” by Rolling Stone Magazine alongside Prince, The Beatles’ lead guitarist George Harrison, Kurt Cobain, Neil Young and Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham. Keaggy continues to sell out concerts all over the US with his ever-changing style, ranging from rock ‘n’ roll to fully orchestrated instrumental compositions.
©2009 HM Magazine All Rights Reserved
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