7/9/21
Last night my wife Rana Bendixen and I had the pleasure of being in the company of Ava Berman and Carlos Adley, owners of Fremont Country Club and Backstage Bar & Billiards, over dinner at the Chart House, which has a serious aquarium, inside the Golden Nugget Las Vegas. Ava and Carlos are absolute cultural visionaries who are pivotal to the revitalization of downtown Las Vegas and beyond.
DT: July 9, 2021
U.S. Press Contact: SRO PR
Mitch Schneider:
mschneider@sropr.com
Andrea Faulk:
afaulk@sropr.com
THE THE launch exclusive formats for new album The Comeback Special –available now to pre-order – and announce premiere screening of their new concert film on October 1st
Exclusive items available here: https://thethe.tmstor.es/
THE THE TODAY ANNOUNCE FUTHER DETAILS AND LAUNCH PRE-ORDER OF THE COMEBACK SPECIAL, DOCUMENTING THEIR TRIUMPHANT ROYAL ALBERT HALL CONCERT ON 5TH JUNE 2018.
What started as an unforgettable live experience, and one of the band’s first performances after 16 years, now turns into an extraordinary live album, film & book.
The Comeback Special is released on Friday, October 29 and will be available in multiple audio as well as video formats. “Sweet Bird Of Truth” is now also available as a single release on all streaming and download services: https://TheThe.lnk.to/SweetBirdOfTruth
The highlight of this multi-format release is an exquisitely designed 136-page art book, which tells the whole story behind The Comeback Special with hundreds of behind-the-scenes photos, film stills, contributions and stories, as well as 6 discs including exclusive audio content, plus director Tim Pope’s film of the concert on both Blu-ray and DVD.
The Art Book features:
In celebration of Tim Pope’s film of the concert, THE THE will hold a premiere of the film accompanied by a Q&A (with Matt Johnson, Tim Pope and special guests) on October 1st at the Troxy in London. Fans who have purchased an item via the official album shop will have exclusive access to the tickets before the general sale starts on July 8th, 10am BST.
As another highlight of the new release, THE THE have also launched a variety of new exclusive merch items and bundles on the official album webstore: https://thethe.tmstor.es/
The track listing of the live performance across all formats is as follows:
1. Global Eyes
2. Sweet Bird Of Truth
3. Flesh & Bones
4. Heartland
5. The Beat(en) Generation
6. Armageddon Days (are here again)
7. A Long Hard Lazy Apprenticeship
8. We Can’t Stop What’s Coming
9. Phantom Walls
10. Love Is Stronger Than Death
11. Dogs Of Lust
12. Helpline Operator
13. This Is The Night
14. This Is The Day
15. Soul Catcher
16. Bugle Boy
17. Beyond Love
18. Slow Emotion Replay
19. (Like a) Sun Rising Thru My Garden
20. Infected
21. I’ve Been Waiting For Tomorrow (all of my life)
22. True Happiness (this way lies)
23. Uncertain Smile
24. Lonely Planet
In addition to the beautifully designed 136-page Art Book, The Comeback Special will also be available as a Limited Edition 2CD mediabook, Triple LP, Limited Edition Triple LP (Crystal Clear), DVD mediabook, Blu-ray mediabook. All formats are available for pre-order now: https://TheThe.lnk.to/TheComebackSpecial
………………………….
The Royal Albert Hall concert was the first of a trio of London shows – the others taking place at Brixton Academy and the Troxy – all of which sold out within minutes of going on sale.
Performing live for the first time in 16 years with a headline appearance at Denmark’s Heartland Festival a few days before the Royal Albert Hall concert, the rejuvenated THE THE, which featured previous members James Eller on bass, DC Collard on keyboards and Earl Harvin on drums and new member Barrie Cadogan on guitar alongside Matt Johnson, would go on to play sold-out shows and make festival headline appearances across the globe throughout 2018.
PRAISE FOR THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL CONCERT:
“Part comeback, part requiem, all extraordinary”
– James Hall, The Telegraph (UK)
“Johnson’s great achievement is to have made a body of work that is completely original, yet flows smoothly into the slipstream of accessible, socially conscious alternative rock.”
– Will Hodgkinson, The Times (UK)
“Johnson retains a gravel-voiced gravitas, and his band are taut and kinetic on barbed missiles such as ‘Armageddon Days (are here again)’… THE THE really shouldn’t leave it 16 years until their next tour.”
– Ian Gittins, The Guardian (UK)
“THE THE sound very much like a band revitalized… Johnson may not have sung publicly for years, but there’s little doubt he’s been practising his scales in private.”
– Jeremy Allen, The Independent (UK)
www.thethe.com www.ear-music.net
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK
DT: JULY 8, 2021
FM: MITCH SCHNEIDER, KELLY WALSH / SRO PR
FOLK SINGER/SONGWRITER & MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST
JEREMY SQUIRES
DEBUTS HAUNTING NEW SINGLE + MUSIC VIDEO
“DIMINISH”
TRACK FEATURED ON UPCOMING JULY 30th ALBUM
‘UNRAVEL’
VIA BLACKBIRD RECORD LABEL
Credit: Shelley Ann Squires
As dream-folk singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist JEREMY SQUIRES prepares to release his 11th studio album UNRAVEL—due out July 30 via the California-based Blackbird Record Label—he today (July 8) has unveiled the stirring video for new single “Diminish” which taps into his varied influences (including The Cure). Watch the atmospheric video featuring locations he frequents in his hometown of New Bern, North Carolina here. The single will be available tomorrow (July 9) at all streaming platforms.
“For me ‘Diminish’ represents change and finding beauty in unlikely places both literally and metaphorically,” shares SQUIRES.
He goes on to explain how the video came about and relates to the song, stating: “Photography is a passion for me, and I was photographing abandoned houses and structures around NC. While photographing I felt inspired to film these places. I found beauty and sadness in what some people might see as ugly or decrepit. Most of these places are hidden from plain view and I found peace and solace filming this video while some places I drive past every day, and I wanted them to be seen the way I see them… as hauntingly beautiful.”
Pre-save/add UNRAVEL across all digital platforms here:
https://smithmusic.ffm.to/jeremysquires_unravel.
CD’s and merch bundles will be offered exclusively via Bandcamp here: https://jeremysquires.bandcamp.com/merch.
Marking his most intimate and personal material to date, UNRAVEL’s 10 tracks merge distinctive songcraft with deeply felt vocals and musical performances that aim for the head and the heart. Written following the loss of his grandmother (who raised him), SQUIRES experiments with new instruments—writing his first-ever song on bass—and influences by building tracks with friends such as Erin Tate (ex-Minus The Bear) while somehow maintaining to effortlessly weave each track into a cohesive statement.
“When I listened back to this album, it seems like you can really see and feel what I was talking or singing about…it’s like a story,” he shares. “Lyrically it seems more in-depth. There’s something about this album that is more dreamy. I can see where it’s definitely different than anything that I’ve released.”
On the album’s artwork—illustrated by Kelley Wills/Brain Flower Designs—which can be seen featured below, SQUIRES explains, “For me swans are extremely significant as they are a symbol of grace, beauty and loyalty. Two swans (a pair) represent soulmates to me and the depth of a soul in general.”
UNRAVEL Track Listing
1. My Last Song
2. Fade (Watch)
3. Only In My Dreams (Watch)
4. Aurora
5. Unravel
6. Dream Walking
7. Burst
8. Crosses
9. Diminish (Watch)
10. Borderline
For more information on JEREMY SQUIRES, please visit:
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
SRO PR Assets: www.sropr.com/portfolio/jeremysquires
##
For press opportunities, please contact:
SRO PR
Mitch Schneider – mschneider@sropr.com
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com
DATE: JULY 7, 2021
FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/ANDREA FAULK, SRO PR
YES
TO RELEASE NEW STUDIO ALBUM ‘THE QUEST’
ON OCTOBER 1 VIA INSIDEOUTMUSIC
Album cover created by Roger Dean
YES, who are Steve Howe, Alan White, Geoff Downes, Jon Davison and Billy Sherwood, will release their new studio album THE QUEST on InsideOutMusic/Sony Music on October 1.
Containing 11 songs, 8 on the main CD with 3 extra tracks on a bonus CD, THE QUEST will also be available on Vinyl and 5.1 Blu-ray and CD deluxe editions, all on the day of release. The track listing is below.
“It is simply an honour for me to have the opportunity to bring together the band members in the development of a well-refined set of songs that capture the band’s true potential,” said Steve Howe, who produced the album. He added, “Much of the music was written in late 2019 with the rest in 2020. We commissioned several orchestrations to augment and enhance the overall sound of these fresh new recordings, hoping that our emphasis on melody, coupled with some expansive instrumental solo breaks, keeps up the momentum for our listeners.” Additional percussion was provided by guest Jay Schellen who supplements YES’ live performances.
Label Manager Thomas Waber said, “I am delighted to welcome YES to the label and am looking forward to seeing the reaction of the band’s fans to the new album. Being a long-time fan myself, I am really excited by the new material. Steve Howe managed to capture many of the important elements that we all love about YES!”
THE QUEST – 2CD Digipak track listing:
CD1:
01. The Ice Bridge 7.01
02. Dare To Know 6.00
03. Minus The Man 5.35
04. Leave Well Alone 8.06
05. The Western Edge 4.26
06. Future Memories 5.08
07. Music To My Ears 4.41
08. A Living Island 6.52
CD2:
01. Sister Sleeping Soul 4.51
02. Mystery Tour 3.33
03. Damaged World 5.20
Formats are:
Limited Edition Deluxe 2LP & 2CD plus Blu-ray Box-set
Limited Edition 2CD & Blu-ray Artbook
Gatefold 2LP & 2CD plus LP and booklet
2CD Digipak
Digital Album
Pre-order begins July 23
YES Story
For half a century YES have been the definitive band of the progressive music genre, the band by which all others are judged. Their ground-breaking albums of the 70s set the standard for the genre and influenced countless others who followed in their wake.
The current line-up of YES was completed in 2015 when Billy Sherwood replaced founder member Chris Squire, at Squire’s insistence, as he bravely fought a losing battle with leukaemia. Since then, YES have concentrated on touring with their Album Series tours, each featuring a classic YES album in its entirety. During this period YES have released three live albums Topographic Drama – Live Across America (2017), Yes Live 50 (2019) and The Royal Affair Tour: Live in Las Vegas (2020).
The music of YES has endured over the years and has been handed down through generations of music lovers.
YES Online:
http://yesworld.com/
https://www.facebook.com/yestheband/
https://twitter.com/yesofficial
https://www.instagram.com/yesofficial/
https://www.youtube.com/user/yesofficial
INSIDEOUTMUSIC Online:
www.insideoutmusic.com
www.youtube.com/InsideOutMusicTV
www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic
www.twitter.com/insideouteu
For press inquiries regarding YES, contact:
SRO PR:
Mitch Schneider // mschneider@sropr.com
Andrea Faulk // afaulk@sropr.com
###
DATE: JULY 2, 2021
FROM: MARCEE RONDAN
STATE FAIR ENTERTAINMENT
ANNOUNCES INITIAL TALENT LINE-UP FOR
THE FAIR AT SANTA ANITA PARK:
ALL-NEW ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE
COMING TO LOS ANGELES
THIS SUMMER
State Fair Entertainment, organizers for THE FAIR AT SANTA ANITA PARK, are pleased to announce the initial talent line-up for the new summer fair for Los Angeles. Set to debut this summer over 16 days–July 29-August 22 (Thursdays-Sundays from 11:00 AM-10:00 PM)–the THE FAIR AT SANTA ANITA PARK musical line-up will encompass a wide range of tastes, reflecting the diversity of Los Angeles, from some top tribute bands to leading Latin music performers.
The opening weekend’s music selections will include tributes to Led Zeppelin (Led Zepagain) on July 29; Kenny Chesney (Barefoot Nation Band) and George Michael (George Michael Reborn) on July 30; and Guns N’ Roses (GNR Tribute) and the Rolling Stones (Jumpin Jack Flash) on July 31.
Ana Barbara
In addition, each Sunday of the fair will pay homage to Los Angeles’ large Hispanic population by celebrating its culture with music and other offerings. Already confirmed Latin acts include Los Rieleros del Norte, Ana Barbara, Mariachi Las Divas and Como la Flor Band: A “Selena Tribute” act. For the most up-to-date information on THE FAIR AT SANTA ANITA PARK’s entertainment offerings, please click here.
Beyond the music, onsite activities will include something for fans of all ages: fair rides and games, local and national entertainment, a social media stage, adult beverage sampling, vendor booths, and a designated kids area. Additional details on THE FAIR AT SANTA ANITA PARK’s offerings will be announced in the coming days.
GA ticket prices begin at $10.00 (entry only) with daily unlimited ride packages priced from $40.00 (after purchase of entry), to season passes from $250.00 for a single and $500 for a family of four (**Season passes include unlimited rides and games). THE FAIR AT SANTA ANITA PARK will operate as a ticketless event and will promote covid-friendly digital ticketing and a digital currency system. Contactless payment (through mobile apps or pre-loaded onto the event’s RFID wristband) throughout the park provides added safety. Onsite parking (GA and preferred) will be available and must be purchased in advance. For the most up-to-date information, please go to www.https://statefairent.com/
###
DT: JULY 1, 2020
FM: KELLY WALSH, SRO PR
BROOKLYN ALTERNATIVE ROCK GROUP
THE AMATORY MURDER
TODAY RELEASE REMIX VERSION OF NEW ALBUM
‘CYBERNETIC ENHANCEMENTS: SINGULARITY COMPLEX REMIXED’
ANNOUNCE NYC RECORD RELEASE SHOW ON FRIDAY, JULY 16
Brooklyn, NY-based alternative rock outfit THE AMATORY MURDER today (7/1) have released a remix album of their third full length album SINGULARITY COMPLEX released in October 2020. The remixes were recorded by various djs and artists that are friends of the band while being mastered by Xris SMack! at Mindswerve Studios.
Stream/download it now via Bandcamp here: https://theamatorymurder.bandcamp.com/album/cybernetic-enhancements-singularity-complex-remixed
CYBERNETIC ENHANCEMENTS: SINGULARITY COMPLEX Track Listing:
1. Peace Before Disruption (Xian Murder ‘Remnants’ Mix)
2. Room 208, Part 1 (Anthony Augusta Remix)
3. The Illusion Of Time (Panic Lift Remix)
4. Master (Amazin’ A Remix)
5. My Love (Steve Woodzell ‘Still Waiting’ Remix)
6. Cruelty and A Second Death (Xris SMack! Mindswerve ‘Manipulation’ Mix)
7. Room 208, Part 2 (DJ Elbow ‘Never Done’ Remix)
8. Part Of Everything (feat. Tash Cox) (Xris SMack! Mindswerve Remix)
9. Are We The Machines? (feat. Anthony Vincent) (Derek Ortiz ‘Set The Charge’ Remix)
Formed by Christian Peppas (a.k.a. Xian Murder) on vocals, guitars and synth, THE AMATORY MURDER, is rounded out by drummer Scott Genovese, guitarist Christian “The Governor” Buckley, and bassist Binx Noir. The band employ a variety of foundational textures to create an ethereal landscape, grungy punk sensibilities, and pop beat arrangements with heavy guitars, catchy hooks and melodic lyrics. They have previously toured alongside a range of artists including Stabbing Westward, Julien-K, Combichrist, The Dreaming, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult and the Red Paintings.
The band will celebrate CYBERNETIC ENHANCEMENTS: SINGULARITY COMPLEX’s release with a special record release show on Friday, July 16 at the monthly Stimulate event at Lucky 13 Saloon in Brooklyn. Advance tickets are on sale now at https://stimulate-me.com/.
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
###
For press opportunities, please contact:
SRO PR
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com
585-765-5162
6/30/21
Walking around the newly opened Resorts World last night, it was terrific to feel the unique spirit of Los Angeles, all under one roof. There’s Fred Segal, Wally’s, Craig’s Vegan Ice Cream, the soon-to-open Mulberry Street Pizzeria and L.A. chef Ray Garcia’s Viva, where his creative Mexican cuisine delivered on all counts including those transcendent chorizo and potato taquitos.
6/30/21
Walking around the newly opened Resorts World last night, it was terrific to feel the unique spirit of Los Angeles, all under one roof. There’s Fred Segal, Wally’s, Craig’s Vegan Ice Cream, the soon-to-open Mulberry Street Pizzeria and L.A. chef Ray Garcia’s Viva, where his creative Mexican cuisine delivered on all counts including those transcendent chorizo and potato taquitos.
DATE: JUNE 30, 2021
FROM: MARCEE RONDAN
BLUE RIDGE ROCK FESTIVAL 2021:
FULL LINE-UP ANNOUNCED FOR
SEPTEMBER 9–12 FESTIVAL
AT THEIR RECENTLY PURCHASED
BLUE RIDGE AMPHITHEATER
TO FEATURE HEADLINERS
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ROB ZOMBIE,
SHINEDOWN, BREAKING BENJAMIN, LIMP BIZKIT
AND MORE THAN 180 ACTS
WEEKEND-LONG FESTIVAL,
PRODUCED BY
VIRGINIA-BASED
PURPOSE DRIVEN EVENTS,
TO BE HOSTED BY
STEVE-O: DELIVERING STUNTS, COMEDY, AND EMCEE DUTIES FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER AT A ROCK FESTIVAL
AND SPECIAL GUEST LOU BRUTUS
SINGLE DAY TICKETS START AT $65
AND WEEKEND PASSES ARE AVAILABLE FROM $165
ALL ARE ON SALE NOW AT
BLUE RIDGE ROCK FESTIVAL
To mark the fourth outing of the Blue Ridge Rock Festival, PURPOSE DRIVEN EVENTS has amassed a line-up of 180+ bands for the September 9–12 event at Blue Ridge Amphitheater, a long-awaited large-scale concert venue in Southwest Virginia. The excitement for the event is already building in the media and from the line-up:
●”This is the best lineup I’ve ever seen since Woodstock 99.”
–Rock Feed
●”A can’t miss summer-stop”
–Loudwire
●”A New Era has begun…
–Brent Smith (lead singer of Shinedown)
The 2021 line-up includes headliners Five Finger Death Punch, Rob Zombie, Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, Limp Bizkit and more than 180 bands who will appear on six stages over four days. The weekend-long event will also include additional onsite activities and activations. Special features include Club Experience–a first-ever, one-of-a-kind soundproofed club at a rock festival. Headliners for this special club include headliner Ludacris, T-Pain, and Lil Jon. Also on tap: the Hellzapoppin Circus Sideshow Revue, a vaudeville freak show of wonder by Hellzapoppin’s Ringleader and Producer, Mr. Bryce “The Govna” Graves. In addition, excitingly, the festival will be hosted by Steve-O: delivering stunts, comedy, and emcee duties for the first time ever at a rock festival; and special guest Lou Brutus.
The 2021 BLUE RIDGE ROCK FESTIVAL line-up (in alphabetical order) is as follows (as of 6-30-21):
10 Years, A Day To Remember, Adelitas Way, All Good Things, All That Remains, Another Day Dawns, Anthrax (40th Anniversary), Asking Alexandria, Atreyu, August Burns Red, Avatar, Ayron Jones, Bad Omens, Badflower, Beartooth, Black Label Society, Body Count (feat. Ice-T), Brand Of Sacrifice, Breaking Benjamin (only festival performance of 2021), Burden Of The Sky, Bush, Chelsea Grin, Chevelle, Clutch, Corrosion of Conformity, Crown The Empire, Currents, Cypress Hill (30th Anniversary), D.R.U.G.S. (first show in nearly a decade), Drowning Pool, Escape The Fate, Falling In Reverse, Fame on Fire, Fever 333, Fire From The Gods, Fit For A King, Five Finger Death Punch, Fozzy, From Ashes To New, The Ghost Inside (rare comeback show), Gojira, Halestorm, Hatebreed, The Hu, Ice Nine Kills, Ill Niño, In Flames, Islander, I Prevail (only show of 2021), Jelly Roll, Killswitch Engage, Knocked Loose, Lamb of God, Lil Jon, Light The Torch, Limp Bizkit, Ludacris, Mastodon, Megadeth, Miss May I, Motionless In White, Nonpoint, P.O.D. (performing their multi-platinum album “Satellite” in its entirety for its 20th anniversary), Papa Roach (playing “Infest” in its entirety + greatest hits), Philip Anselmo & The Illegals (Performing Pantera’s Greatest Hits), Pop Evil, Rev Run (Run-DMC), Rise Against, Rob Zombie, Sabaton, Saul, Seether, Sevendust, Shinedown, Skillet (full pyrotechnic performance), Slaves, Spiritbox (United States debut), Spite, Stitched Up Heart, Tallah, Tech N9ne, Testament, Texas Hippie Coalition, Theory of a Deadman, Trivium, T-Pain, Underoath, Wage War, We Came As Romans and many more local and regional acts.
BLUE RIDGE ROCK FESTIVAL will be held at Blue Ridge Amphitheater, a 35,000-capacity outdoor festival site (just off Route 29 on the Chatham-Danville line). The venue will be convenient for fans from neighboring cities including Lynchburg, Roanoke, Danville, and Greensboro. 2021 sponsors include Monster Energy Drink; LitBar; Good Life Alternatives, LLC; Danville Toyota; Mortus Viventi; MAKO Medical; Thunder Road Harley Davidson; URW Credit Union; and ZYN.
Tickets for BLUE RIDGE ROCK FESTIVAL start at just $65 with single day, weekend passes are available from $165 and single-day parking is priced at $20. Other amenities include on site camping (RV or car), hotel and tickets packages, onsite parking and locker rentals. Military and first responder discounts are also available. Additional details including all ticketing info can be found here. Follow on social media Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
“What is taking place with Blue Ridge Rock Festival this year is truly humbling, and very special,” says PURPOSE DRIVEN EVENTS’ Chief Executive Officer JONATHAN SLYE. “The entire event is centered around a mission that resonates in a profound way with the fans. We are working around the clock to constantly innovate, listen to our fans, and fight for our passionate community. The rapid, organic growth of Blue Ridge from 3,500 attendees on our first weekend, to an already near sell-out of 150,000 this year is a true testament to that.”
About PURPOSE DRIVEN EVENTS
PURPOSE DRIVEN EVENTS is the new umbrella organization for events led by Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Slye. The name of the entity falls in line with their mission to provide a purpose behind each event produced that goes far beyond just music. With their headquarters in small town Virginia, and originating from a decade of very humble beginnings, the group continues to expand its footprint and is developing into one of the fastest rising promoters in the industry. The company and Slye are best known for producing the annual Blue Ridge Rock Festival, a locally developed event founded in Central Virginia and known as “The Fan Driven Rock Experience.” Following the event’s breakout year in 2019, Blue Ridge became a full-time operation heading into last year. Though the top eleven acts were never announced for the 2020 iteration, the festival was forced to postpone due to the pandemic. While live events have largely disappeared over the last year, Purpose Driven Events has expanded significantly in that time. The company now has a full staff successfully recruiting over a dozen major players in the music business from across the country, to join their team locally to maximize results. Beyond the recent acquisition of the Blue Ridge Amphitheater, PURPOSE DRIVEN EVENTS also includes ownership of six festivals, their recently acquired 1,700 capacity concert hall, The Ridge, opening in late 2021.
###
DATE: JUNE 29, 2021
FROM: MARCEE RONDAN/MITCH SCHNEIDER
AUTHOR LYNDSEY PARKER
SET FOR
JUNE 30
WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL MUSIC NETWORK
ONLINE CHAT WITH
WiMN FOUNDER LAURA B. WHITMORE
INTERVIEW WRAPS UP MONTH-LONG PROMOTION FOR
CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED BOOK
‘PERMANENT DAMAGE:
MEMOIRS OF AN OUTRAGEOUS GIRL’
MERCY FONTENOT WITH LYNDSEY PARKER
Author Lyndsey Parker will wrap up a month of promotion for the newly released book Permanent Damage: Memoirs of An Outrageous Girl (Rare Bird Books), which she co-wrote with late GTOs member Mercy “Miss Mercy” Fontenot, by participating in a June 30 online chat with Women’s International Music Network Founder Laura B. Whitmore. WiMN Founder Whitmore will talk with Parker–Music Editor at Yahoo Entertainment, and Host of ‘Volume West’ at SiriusXM Volume–about the book. Catch the live video interview here on Wednesday, June 30 at 5:00 PM (PT)/8:00 PM (ET) on the Parade.com Facebook page and the Women’s International Music Network Facebook page.
The WiMN event follows a Grammy Museum digital conversation with Alice Cooper, singer Arrow de Wilde of Starcrawler, Pamela Des Barres and moderator Lina Lecaro who discussed the book as part of COLLECTION:live, the Grammy Museum®’s new official online streaming service. Next came a SiriusXM Volume roundtable on release day with Parker, Pamela Des Barres, Michael Des Barres and Ahmet Zappa, which is available for replay on the SiriusXM app. And finally, a June 17 in-person celebration at Stories Books and Café in Los Angeles. The very special evening featured a conversation and Q&A with Parker and Pamela Des Barres (who not only wrote the book’s afterword, but was a GTOs bandmate and longtime friend of Fontenot’s), an acoustic Starcrawler live performance and a DJ set from Miles Tackett.
Lyndsey Parker and Pamela Des Barres
Photo credit: Bobbie Beeman
Starcrawler
Photo credit: Stories Cafe
Permanent Damage: Memoirs of An Outrageous Girl shows us the world of the 1960s and 1970s music scene through Mercy Fontenot’s eyes, as well as the fallout of that era–experiencing homelessness before sobering up and putting her life back together. Written just prior to her death in 2020 with veteran music journalist Lyndsey Parker, Miss Mercy’s journey is a can’t miss for anyone who was there and can’t remember, or just wishes they’d been there.
Mercy Fontenot was a Zelig who grew up in the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury scene, where she crossed paths with Charles Manson, went to the first Acid Test, and was friends with Jimi Hendrix (she was later in his movie Rainbow Bridge). She predicted the Altamont disaster when reading the Rolling Stones’ tarot cards at a party and left San Francisco for the climes of Los Angeles in 1967 when the Haight “lost its magic.” Buy the book here.
Here’s some critical praise for the book:
“Great writing; wild stories, but very dark…But through all of it Mercy emerged undaunted.”
★★★★ –Sylvie Simmons, MOJO, 2021
“The book reads like a romp, aided by Mercy’s keen sense of the absurd and flair for black humor…”
–Jim Farber, THE GUARDIAN, June 2021
“Lyndsey Parker’s excellent book Permanent Damage: Memoirs of an Outrageous Girl, written with and about GTO Miss Mercy Fontenot, is receiving heaps of well-deserved praise and attention.”
–Brett Callwood, LA WEEKLY, June 2021
“Permanent Damage: Memoirs of an Outrageous Girl is the posthumously published memoir of Mercy Fontenot…the memoir is, in two words, wild and weird…Fearless, shameless and regret-less, Miss Mercy’s tone in the book is casual, alarmingly so when she’s speaking about the most traumatic events: rapes, homelessness, the suicides of her parents, her drug use.”
–Lily Moayeri, ROCK AND ROLL GLOBE, June 2021
“Mercy, Mercy, She: A Famous Groupie’s Wild Child Story…The stories came fast and furious, as Mercy recounts her encounters with acts like those mentioned above along with Gene Simmons of KISS, Arthur Lee of Love, Shuggie Otis, Jobriath, Ike Turner, Gram Parsons, and Janis Joplin. Then there’s the book’s Marquee Batshit Crazy Story: Chuck Berry.”
–Bob Ruggiero, HOUSTON PRESS, May 2021
“Whoa! With what sometimes feels like a minor miracle, Miss Mercy’s life story careens from delight to disaster and back so many times there is a considerable chance of whiplash during the reading…With writer Lyndsey Parker’s above and beyond assistance, everything from tragedy, treachery, heartbreak and happiness come through in day-glo colors. In the end, Miss Mercy stands upright as a true survivor, except for the fact that she died not long before the book’s completion. But what is surely a small miracle, the memoir was finished and now permanently stands as a cautionary tale for those who get too close to the flame, or don’t have working brakes in how they live their life. And while there is no way to capture the three-dimensional swing of Miss Mercy’s daily travels in black & white, PERMANENT DAMAGE and its evocative prose and complete honesty comes close enough to the bonfire to catch afire. What a trip.”
–Bill Bentley, AMERICANA HIGHWAYS, June 2021
“Permanent Damage: Memoirs Of An Outrageous Girl…is full of stories, the ultimate tale of sex, drugs, rock & roll, rape, violence, homelessness, fun, parties, lovers, and independence…From page one, you are enveloped by Mercy’s straightforward, honest personality and you don’t feel like you’re simply reading another musical soap opera. She hooks you immediately and you laugh with her at her goofyness, drop your mouth to the floor when she casually mentions that her second husband beat her so bad he had broken all the bones in the side of her face, and envy her hangs with Robert Plant and Jimi Hendrix. The words flow like she’s right there telling them to you herself and the 208 pages fly by in no time.”
–Leslie Michele Derrough, GLIDE MAGAZINE, June 2021
About Lyndsey Parker:
Lyndsey Parker is the music editor at Yahoo Entertainment and host of the daily SiriusXM Volume show Volume West. Considered an expert in music and pop culture, Parker is an Online Journalism Award nominee and has written for Elle, MOJO, Rolling Stone, NME, and Guitar. She has appeared as a commentator for the ABC special The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story, AXS TV’s The Top Ten Revealed, and the documentary I Want My MTV, as well as for VH1’s Behind the Music, CNN, MTV, The Insider, and Good Day L.A.. She is the author of Careless Memories of Strange Behavior: My Notorious Life as a Duran Duran Fan (one of the first e-books published as part of Rhino Records’ all-digital music book series, which went to #1 on the iTunes Music Books chart).
AVAILABLE IN HARDCOVER and E-BOOK
BIOGRAPHY/ AUTOBIOGRAPHY/ MUSIC
9781644281826 | US $27.00 | 6 x 9 in. | 320 pp.
RARE BIRD BOOKS, A BARNACLE BOOK
DISTRIBUTED WOLRDWIDE BY PUBLISHERS GROUP WEST
RAREBIRDLIT.COM
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