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‘PERMANENT DAMAGE: MEMOIRS OF AN OUTRAGEOUS GIRL’ To Be Celebrated With Thursday, June 17 Event At Stories Books And Café Featuring Co-Author Q&A And Live Music Performances

DATE: JUNE 7, 2021

FROM: MARCEE RONDAN/MITCH SCHNEIDER

 

THE NEW BOOK ‘PERMANENT DAMAGE:
MEMOIRS OF AN OUTRAGEOUS GIRL’
BY MERCY FONTENOT WITH LYNDSEY PARKER
TO BE CELEBRATED IN
LOS ANGELES
JUNE 17 EVENT AT STORIES BOOKS AND CAFÉ
TO FEATURE A CONVERSATION AND Q&A BETWEEN
CO-AUTHOR LYNDSEY PARKER
AND PAMELA DES BARRES,
PLUS A STARCRAWLER LIVE PERFORMANCE,
AND A DJ SET FROM MILES TACKETT

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Lyndsey Parker–co-author of the forthcoming autobiography of the late Miss Mercy, Permanent Damage: Memoirs of An Outrageous Girl (Rare Bird Books)–will celebrate the book’s release with a June 17 in-person event at Stories Books and Cafe in Los Angeles. Set to take place from 7:00-9:00 PM, this very special evening will feature a conversation and Q&A with Parker and Pamela Des Barres (who not only wrote the book’s afterword, but was a longtime friend of Fontenot’s), a Starcrawler live performance and a DJ set from Miles Tackett.

Due out June 9, 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.” Pre-order the book here.

Miss Mercy’s work in the GTOs, the Frank Zappa-produced all-female band, launched her into the pages of Rolling Stone in 1969. Her adventures saw her jumping out of a cake at Alice Cooper’s first record release party, while high on PCP, and had her travel to Memphis where she met Al Green and got a job working for the Bar-Kays. Along the way, she married and then divorced Shuggie Otis, before transitioning to punk rock and working with the Rockats and Gears. This is her story as she lived and saw it.

In a 6/2/21 feature in The Guardian, writer Jim Farber called Permanent Damage: Memoirs of An Outrageous Girl a “raucous new book” that details “the incredible, outrageous life of Miss Mercy.” He adds that “the book reads like a romp, aided by Mercy’s keen sense of the absurd and flair for black humor.”

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).

Previous press releases about Permanent Damage: Memoirs of An Outrageous Girl are here.

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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LOVE BY NUMB3RS Release Evocative New Single “Red Sun” Today

DATE: JUNE 4, 2021

FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MARCEE RONDAN

LOVE BY NUMB3RS
FROM PORTLAND, MAINE
TODAY RELEASE EVOCATIVE NEW SINGLE “RED SUN”
LISTEN TO THE SONG
HERE

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Coming off their late 2020 indie debut album Parachute, Portland, Maine trio LOVE BY NUMB3RS have today (June 4) shared “Red Sun,” the first single from a planned upcoming album. Listen here to the mysterious and evocative song, in which the characters undergo a transformative spiritual experience as they travel through the Southwestern United States. Stay tuned for a desert-themed video for the song in the next few weeks.

Written by the band, the song underlines the many charms of the band–co-vocalists DAN CONNOR and ANNA LOMBARD and multi-instrumentalist JON ROODS–who chart a course through eloquent alternative, dusty blues, graceful folk, and rootsy rock.

The concept of “Red Sun,” explains ANNA, “started as a demo with just Dan on acoustic guitar with a chorus singing ‘See you when we reach the shore, we’ll meet up in Vegas at Bellagio.’ He had this idea to create a song about being a refugee and making it through the water to America–and landing in Vegas, the city of Second Chances.” She adds: “The characters in the song left everything they knew to make a better life…packed minimally with maybe a picture or two and a wad of dollar bills.”

This past March LOVE BY NUMB3RS released the single/video for Western Sonfrom Parachute. It was premiered at Glide Magazine which noted that the band “bring a sultry and twangy Nashville sound from the northeastern continental 48s. The band offers a timeless polished sound that brings the earthy smoky overtones of Linda Ronstadt, Gillian Welch, and Grace Potter.” PARACHUTE turned the page for a new chapter of three longtime friends and collaborators. After 15 years of friendship, countless memories, two albums and a 100-plus shows in the band Gypsy Tailwind, the trio thread together an unforgettable journey.

Photo by Heather Durgin

Pictured (L to R): JON ROODS, ANNA LOMBARD, DAN CONNOR

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GRAND FUNK RAILROAD Annnounce 2021 “Some Kind Of Wonderful Tour” Dates Starting July 2

 DT: JUNE 3, 2021

FM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/ANDREA FAULK
SRO PR

 

GRAND FUNK RAILROAD
ANNNOUNCE 2021 “SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL TOUR” DATES
STARTING JULY 2
IN FAYETTEVILLE, GA

‘When we take the stage for the first time in over 15 months and hear the crowd and applause, I’m sure I will be thinking ‘Thank God!’”—DON BREWER

Grand Funk Railroad (Pictured L-R: Bruce Kulick (guitar), Mel Schacher (bass guitar), Max Carl (vocals), Don Brewer (drummer), Tim Cashion (keyboardist))
Photo credit: Allen Clark

“You cannot talk about rock in the 1970s without talking about Grand Funk Railroad!”
–David Fricke, Rolling Stone Magazine

GRAND FUNK RAILROAD–the legendary rock & roll powerhouse—are gearing up to return to the road in 2021 starting July 2 in Fayetteville, GA, with another 29 shows to follow this year. View the dates here and read a Q&A below with original founding member Don Brewer (vocals and drums, writer and singer of the multi-million selling hit, “We’re An American Band”). Watch the tour trailer here.

After playing to millions of fans on the band’s tours from 1996 to 2019, GRAND FUNK will continue to reach both new and long-time fans on the “Some Kind Of Wonderful Tour,” named in honor of their 1975 Billboard pop smash. Originating from Flint, Michigan in 1969, this top-selling American rock group of the 70’s is “Comin’ To Your Town To Help You Party It Down.” Notably, this year marks the 50th anniversary of when the group’s show at New York’s Shea Stadium sold out faster than the Beatles.

Known as “The American Band,” the high-energy five-piece group GRAND FUNK RAILROAD includes original founding members Don Brewer (vocals and drums, writer and singer of the multi-million selling hit, “We’re An American Band”) and bassist Mel Schacher, “The God of Thunder.” Joining Don and Mel are true “All Stars.” Singer Max Carl is a rock veteran from 38 Special. Max penned and sang 38’s biggest hit “Second Chance” and was co-founder of California’s legendary Jack Mack and the Heart Attack. Don refers to Max as “the best blue-eyed soul singer on the planet.” Lead guitarist Bruce Kulick is best known for his 12 years with KISS and has credits with Michael Bolton, Meatloaf and Billy Squier. (KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were influenced early on by Grand Funk.) Keyboardist Tim Cashion has a master’s degree in music from the University of Miami. Affectionately called “Dr. Tim,” his credits include stints with Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band and English soul man Robert Palmer.

Grand Funk laid the groundwork for such bands as Foreigner, Journey, Van Halen and Bon Jovi with its signature hard driving sound, soulful vocals, muscular instrumentation and forceful pop melodies. The fact that Grand Funk’s legacy still reigns over the Classic Rock landscape 50 years after is a testament to the group’s influence and staying power. Mega-hits “We’re An American Band,” “I’m Your Captain/Closer to Home,” “Locomotion,” and “Some Kind Of Wonderful” still receive continuous airplay on Classic Rock radio. “We’re An American Band” has received notoriety in recent years being used in movie soundtracks and in television/radio advertising. The huge hit was featured in a General Motors national TV ad campaign and in Disney’s animated feature film The Country Bears. “We’re An American Band” was featured in the Cuba Gooding Jr. film Radio, and in the swash buckler Sahara starring Matthew McConaughey.

Internationally acclaimed Grand Funk has toured the world, selling out in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and South America. A 1971 performance at New York’s Shea Stadium sold out faster than the Beatles. The group’s widespread appeal is also evident in its prestigious recording achievements. Over their career, Grand Funk has had 19 charted singles, 8 Top 40 hits and two Number One singles (“We’re An American Band” and “Locomotion,” both selling more than one million each). The group has now accumulated 13 gold and 10 platinum records with record sales exceeding 25 million copies sold worldwide. The most recent gold CD award was presented to the band for their greatest hits package Grand Funk Railroad the Collectors Series.

The multi-talented band carries on the tradition of Grand Funk hits and creates a new chapter in the legacy of Grand Funk Railroad. GFR drew 25,000 people to their Molson Canal Series Concert outside Buffalo, 20,000 in Albany, New York, and 20,000 fans to downtown Orlando, Florida. EMI/Capitol (Universal Music) released a new Grand Funk Greatest Hits package that includes a bonus DVD of rare concert footage. Grand Funk Railroad’s 2019 “50 Years Of Funk Tour” was a huge success and now, with the group’s 2021 “Some Kind Of Wonderful Tour,” seasoned Grand Funk lovers and contemporary rock fans discovering the group for the first time will be able to celebrate 50 Years of Funk with Grand Funk Railroad.

Q&A with DON BREWER

What a great message you posted to fans on the band’s website: “After a long 15 months off due to Covid, the guys are excited to be back on stage playing across the USA. Kicking off in Fayetteville, GA July 2, with another 29 shows to follow this year.” Can you talk about your excitement of returning to the road? And when was the last time you had such a long break from the road?

BREWER: “I can’t wait to get back on stage and perform for people. This has been torture for me and the rest of the guys. We have been touring nonstop with this band since 2000 and the band and crew are family. Not seeing everyone on a regular basis has been very difficult. We have not had a break like this since 1982.”

When the reality of the pandemic initially set in and you knew you and the band couldn’t tour, what was going through your mind?

BREWER: “When it finally sunk in that the pandemic was going to be long term, my thought was: Is this it? Is this the end? Very depressing. So I stayed in touch with the guys by text and email and started rehearsing daily just to stay optimistic.”

During your time away from the road, did it give you the opportunity to spend some time doing things you perhaps hadn’t done in awhile?

BREWER: “While stuck at home during the pandemic I found things to do around the house that had been neglected for years. After nine months I ran out of projects.”

What did you miss most about touring? Well, maybe not the plane rides…

BREWER: “I miss two things touring. Being on stage in front of the fans playing our music and being with all the guys in the band and crew. We are brothers.”

Looking ahead to your first show on the 2021 “Some Kind of Wonderful Tour,” what thoughts do you think will be running through your head when you take stage and hear the crowd applause?

BREWER: “When we take the stage for the first time in over 15 months and hear the crowd and applause, I’m sure I will be thinking “Thank God!”

2021 GRAND FUNK RAILROAD tour dates:
7.2 Fayetteville, GA @ Southern Ground Amphitheater
7.4 Harrisburg, NC @ Harrisburg 4th of July Celebration
7.10 Chippewa Falls, WI @ Northern Wisconsin State Fair
7.24 Walker, MN @ Moondance Jam
7.31 Marion, IL @ Marion Cultural and Civic Center
8.6 Waterloo, NY @ del Lago Resort & Casino
8.8 Webster, MA @ Indian Ranch
8.14 Mount Pleasant, MI @ Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort
8.27 Big Flats, NY @ Summer Stage at Tag’s
9.4 Portsmouth, OH @ TBA
9.5 Wauseon, OH @ Fulton County Fair
9.9 Cohasset, MA @ South Shore Music Circus
9.10 Hyannis, MA @ Cape Cod Melody Tent
9.17 Biloxi, MS @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi
9.18 Kansas City, MO @ Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City
9.24 French Lick, IN @ French Lick Resort
10.1 TBA
10.3 Dallas, TX @ TBA
10.8 Northfield, OH @ MGM Northfield Park
10.9 TBA
10.15 Las Vegas, NV @ TBA
10.22 Reno, NV @ Grand Sierra Resort
11.6 Florence, SC @ TBA
11.12 TBA
11.13 TBA
11.20 TBA
11.27 TBA
12.3 TBA

Grand Funk Railroad 2021 Tour Dates
https://www.grandfunkrailroad.com/tour.html

For more information on GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, visit:
WEBSITE | SPOTIFY

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For press inquiries regarding GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, contact:

SRO PR
Mitch Schneider // mschneider@sropr.com (National)
Andrea Faulk // afaulk@sropr.com (Tour)

 


STATE FAIR ENTERTAINMENT Announce An All-New Entertainment Experience Coming To Los Angeles This July And August

DATE: MAY 26, 2021

FROM: MARCEE RONDAN

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A NEW STATE FAIR FOR LOS ANGELES
STATE FAIR ENTERTAINMENT
IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE AN ALL-NEW ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE COMING TO LOS ANGELES
THIS JULY AND AUGUST

STATE FAIR SANTA ANITA PARK
IS SET FOR
JULY 29-AUGUST 22, 2021
THURSDAYS-SUNDAYS FROM 11:00 AM TO 10:00 PM
FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENT WILL INCLUDE RIDES, INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES, SHOPPING, FOOD AND MORE

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Look out Los Angeles, there’s a new STATE FAIR ANITA PARK set to debut this summer.

State Fair Entertainment is proud and excited to announce STATE FAIR SANTA ANITA PARK set over 16 days: July 29-August 22 (Thursdays-Sundays from 11:00 AM-10:00 PM). 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.

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“Our mission is to bring an affordable fair with world-class attractions and entertainment experiences to Los Angeles,” says Ron Severance, founder of State Fair Entertainment. “The 2021 State Fair will celebrate the variety of landscapes and cultures of Los Angeles. With the slogan of ‘Come Together,’ we are looking to produce an event that celebrates equality of all and our ability to come together to celebrate the diversity the city offers.”

“Our mission is to bring world-class fair experience and entertainment to Los Angeles, while leaving the smallest carbon footprint possible.” Ron explains. “We are dedicated to keeping our planet healthy so that we can pass it on to the next generations.”

Dedication to this cause begins with no single use beverage containers, plastic straws, or Styrofoam containers used at this event. Plans include 100% recyclable food and beverage containers or those made from 90% recycled material. Other concept projects include food stands with organic fresh meat and produce supplied by local farmers and ranchers, along with refillable water stations.

Early bird tickets are on sale now for a limited time. 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). STATE FAIR 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/

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AMERICA Share New Q&A As They Announce Their Return To The Road Starting This August

DATE: MAY 27, 2021

FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/ANDREA FAULK

AMERICA
SHARE NEW Q&A
AS THEY ANNOUNCE THEIR RETURN TO THE ROAD
STARTING THIS AUGUST

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Photo Credit: Henry Diltz
From left: Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell

The iconic multi-platinum-selling group AMERICA—co-founders GERRY BECKLEY and DEWEY BUNNELL—are excited to return to the road and will resume celebrating their 50th anniversary tour (see the extensive dates, starting this August, at https://www.venturahighway.com/). BECKLEY and BUNNELL share their thoughts in a new Q&A below about how their lives were affected when their tour was interrupted in March 2020 at the outset of the pandemic.

Last August, AMERICA released a lyric video for a newly recorded song, “Remembering,” which appeared on the August 28 release of their ultimate 8-disc anniversary box set HALF CENTURY (America Records). Watch the video here and listen to “Remembering” here. The song, written by BECKLEY, is classic AMERICA: harmony-rich rock, mixed with ringing guitars and pop smarts, with a compelling soul-searching lyric. “After 50 years together, this song is about the time spent looking back rather than looking forward…so much to be grateful for,” says BECKLEY, who produced and mixed the song with Jeff Larson. Watch the promotional film for the box set and read more about it here.

Also last year (November), AMERICA streamed their concert special “America–Live at the London Palladium” for the very first time. The concert, filmed in the fall of 2018 at the iconic London Palladium, had been commercially available as a DVD and CD. Watch the trailer here. In addition, May 2020 saw the release of the book America, the Band: An Authorized Biography by journalist Jude Warne (May, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers). She weaves original interviews with Beckley, Bunnell, and many others into a dynamic cultural history of America, the band, and America, the nation. Billy Bob Thornton wrote the foreword.

Q&A
with GERRY BECKLEY and DEWEY BUNNELL
(May 2021)

By the time AMERICA returns to touring this August, the band will have been off the road for a year and a half. Has this been the longest time the group has been away from the road?

Gerry: “I have never before in my professional life had this much time “off.” A year and a half. The word “off” is misleading because I’ve remained quite busy with writing and recording, something that usually takes a back seat to our hectic travel and performing schedule.”

Dewey: “Most definitely this time between shows is unprecedented! We are now in our 51st year as a performing band with barely ever more than a month break a few times a year for holidays and vacations”

Can you talk about your mindset during the pandemic and how it upended the touring/gypsy life you had become accustomed to?

Dewey: “I think for most people it helped not knowing actually how long the safety guidelines and work stoppage would be going into the shutdown. If we knew it was going to be 14 months, it may have been harder to endure. As each month passed, my mindset changed, slowly realizing it was going to be more of a marathon than simply a long-distance run. Thoughts and projections of when touring might resume seemed to change weekly and I missed the travel/performance life more each month.”

Gerry: “At my age (68), I’ve been very grateful to have the extended time to share with friends and family.”

During this time, have you done anything unexpected or new?

Gerry: “This break has given me time to explore my photography. I’m working toward another gallery exhibit here in Sydney, Australia.”

Dewey: “I spent more time with our horse for one thing, and I dabbled in a few artistic pursuits around the house, but it was actually ‘new and unexpected’ to have the opportunity to spend such a long period of time at home with my wife and pets every day for 14 months.”

Beyond the performances and band camaraderie, is there anything you missed about touring?

Dewey: There’s a certain rhythm and pattern to life that develops over decades on the road that I treat as a challenge. I’m a creature of habit, so airports and hotels and ground transport vehicles all have certain things in common that I respond to in a similar way each day that makes the experience more comfortable for me. I become more self-sustaining in many ways…doing laundry, carrying supplies and food items like a survivalist. The day is always focused on the evening show and it’s hard to beat the satisfaction I feel getting back to the room later in the evening after a successful show, leaving a happy audience headed home. Then it all starts again the following day.”

Gerry: “I’d say that missing my band and team has been the hardest part. We are all looking forward to feeling that energy from our fans and friends again.”

What do you think you will be thinking about when you take the stage for the first time in 2021?

Gerry: “I’m sure I’ll be thinking what a long strange trip it’s been.”

Dewey: “I’m prepared to be nervous because I have never really stopped having a bit of stage fright after all these years.”

With “Remembering” released in 2020 as a lyric video, might there be more new music on the horizon?

Dewey: “I imagine there will always be some project on the back burner.”

Gerry: “There is always something on the horizon in our evolving schedule. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some new music in our future.”

AMERICA at the London Palladium; Photo credit: Christie Goodwin

For more information on AMERICA, visit:
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

SRO Press Releases + Assets:
http://sropr.com/portfolio/america/

For press inquiries regarding AMERICA, contact:

SRO PR
Mitch Schneider (national): mschneider@sropr.com
Andrea Faulk (tour): afaulk@sropr.com

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‘PERMANENT DAMAGE: MEMOIRS OF AN OUTRAGEOUS GIRL’ (Mercy Fontenot With Lyndsey Parker) Celebrated With June 3 Grammy Museum® Event

DATE: MAY 27, 2021

FROM: MARCEE RONDAN/MITCH SCHNEIDER

AUTHOR LYNDSEY PARKER, ALICE COOPER,
ARROW DE WILDE OF STARCRAWLER AND PAMELA DES BARRES
TO CELEBRATE THE JUNE 9 RELEASE OF
‘PERMANENT DAMAGE:
MEMOIRS OF AN OUTRAGEOUS GIRL’
MERCY FONTENOT WITH LYNDSEY PARKER
WITH JUNE 3 GRAMMY MUSEUM® EVENT

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In advance of the June 9 release of Permanent Damage: Memoirs of An Outrageous Girl, co-author Lyndsey Parker, Alice Cooper, singer Arrow de Wilde of Starcrawler and Pamela Des Barres with moderator Lina Lecaro will discuss the book at a GRAMMY MUSEUM® digital event available beginning June 3. The Permanent Damage event is as part of COLLECTION:live, the GRAMMY MUSEUM®’s new official online streaming service. More details can be found here about the event and read more here about key takeaways from the book.

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.” Pre-order the book here.

Miss Mercy’s work in the GTOs, the Frank Zappa-produced all-female band, launched her into the pages of Rolling Stone in 1969. Her adventures saw her jumping out of a cake at Alice Cooper’s first record release party, while high on PCP, and had her travel to Memphis where she met Al Green and got a job working for the Bar-Kays. Along the way, she married and then divorced Shuggie Otis, before transitioning to punk rock and working with the Rockats and Gears. This is her story as she lived and saw it.

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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JOE PERRY Contributes Music To ‘City Of Lies’ Film

DATE: MAY 26, 2021

FROM: MARCEE RONDAN/MITCH SCHNEIDER

JOE PERRY
CONTRIBUTES MUSIC TO
‘CITY OF LIES’ FILM OUT JUNE 8 ON BLU-RAY AND DVD
AFTER INITIALLY BEING RELEASED IN THEATERS
AND VOD EARLIER THIS YEAR

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Alberto Bof and Joe Perry

Legendary AEROSMITH guitarist and songwriter JOE PERRY has contributed five songs to the Brad Furman-directed City of Lies film. Released earlier this year in theaters and VOD and starring PERRY’s Hollywood Vampires bandmate Johnny Depp, City of Lies is due out on Blu-ray and DVD June 8.

Based on the book LAbyrinth by Randall Sullivan and adapted by Christian Contreras, City of Lies (Saban Films) is a dramatic crime thriller that follows the investigation into the infamous murder of iconic rap artist Notorious B.I.G. Depp stars as determined LAPD detective Russell Poole (who spends nearly 20 years trying to solve the murder) with Forest Whitaker as Jack Jackson (a journalist who teams up with Poole in search of the elusive truth). Together they explore why the case remains cold–and why a secretive division of the LAPD is seemingly set on keeping it that way.

While the film was in production, PERRY–who was staying at Johnny Depp’s house working on his last solo album Sweetzerland Manifesto (2018, Roman Records)–was invited by Depp to view some clips from the movie.

“There was always something going on at Johnny’s place, so it wasn’t unusual for him to give me a call to come down and join in,” says JOE. “We watched some clips and talked about some of the scenes that they needed some music for, and Brad Furman[director, music producer], Alberto Bof [one of the key musicians also working on the soundtrack], Johnny and I started talking about ideas on what I could add. I never had a chance to work with someone as classically trained and as talented as Alberto on a one to one basis, so it was definitely an exciting experience for me, aside from the fact it was for one of Johnny’s movies. As we worked our way through each piece of music, Alberto and I played in a style that was definitely not in my everyday wheelhouse and it ended up that we worked on and off together over the next two or three weeks on bits and pieces of the soundtrack.”

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Brad Furman, Joe Perry, Alberto Bof

PERRY’s contributions took about three weeks to complete, but once his work was done, he got an urgent call from Furman. PERRY recalls:

“I was finished with that project and I was on my way home from the airport after a month on the road with Aerosmith. I was about 10 minutes from my house, I hadn’t seen Billie [PERRY’s wife] in over a month, and I was anxious to get home. I noticed a phone call came up on my phone from an LA area code, I happened to pick it up and it was Brad. He said ‘I’m glad I got a hold

of you. I have an emergency.’ As it turns out they wanted me to contribute more music to the film. Brad had called me to fix one cue I worked on and said the score was elevated and inspired by my work he wanted me to add more guitar to other cues. I said ‘sure, I can maybe get into a studio this weekend.’ I told him I was on my way home and he said, ‘you don’t understand, I need it now.’ I didn’t know where a studio was in my area, and he said he would call me back in five minutes. Five minutes later, he called back and said ‘I found a studio, it’s 10 minutes from where you are and it will be open for us in an hour.’ So I got home, gave Billie a hug and kiss, explained to her what was going on, dropped off my stuff and grabbed my guitar, drove over to the studio and I was recording within an hour. A few minutes turned into a few hours as Brad described to me the scenes where they needed additional music. This was a pretty flipped-out recording session, considering he was in London, I was in Florida. In my whole career, I’ve never had to switch gears so fast on a project as important as this.”

“Working with Alberto was an amazing experience and we actually recorded quite a bit of us jamming and a lot of what we did is actually what ended up in the film. We found ourselves being inspired by the film clips and with Brad, Johnny, Alberto and myself, it was the kind of creative musical experience you just dream of.”

“Working with Joe on this film is a pinnacle experience in my music career,” says Alberto Bof. “He is one of the pillars of rock music and I still remember being in awe while listening to his sound so close during our recording sessions. Coming up with ideas with such a complete musician was a flawless experience and his countribution and taste have been fundamental in the direction and making of the soundtrack.”

“Working with Joe on ‘City Of Lies’ was a dream,” Brad Furman says. “As a child one of my favorite tracks was Aerosmith’s ‘Dream On.’ I would wait by the juke box in the canteen and use all my saved coins to play it over and over. I monopolized the jukebox. Never did I imagine I’d be working side by side with Joe Perry, one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time. On each session and cue note I gave him (and yes I was nervous) Joe humbly and artistically took his gifts and kept uplifting and inspiring our score. He always wanted another take as he never stopped striving for greatness. The bond and synchronicity Joe and Alberto Bof shared was magical and took my breath away. They danced together as if they had been doing it for years. As a result, I watched our movie and score be transformed in unimaginable ways. The notes of their musicianship rang through all the rooms of Johnny Depp’s studio creating a palpable feeling that held you captive…I was spellbound.”

PERRY’s “City of Lies” contributions include:

“11th and Albany” by Joe Perry and Alberto Bof (Score)

“Big Come Up” by Alberto Bof, Hal Linton, Joe Perry, Roman Perry, Mike Zonshine (song)

“Lucidity” by Joe Perry and Alberto Bof (score)

“DMack’s Ambitionz” by Moghul Veyron & Joe Perry (score)

● “Party Is Over” by Alberto Bof, Joe Perry (score)

“Kick in the Door (Remix)” by The Notorious B.I.G. , remixed by Brad Furman and Alberto Bof, featuring Joe Perry and Colin Smith (additional vocals) (song)

For more information, visit:

joeperry.com

http://facebook.com/OfficialJoePerry

twitter.com/joeperry

https://www.instagram.com/joeperryofficial/

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Mainstream Rock Titans POP EVIL Announce Headlining 2021 U.S. Tour ‘The Versatile Tour’

DT: MAY 25, 2021

FM: KELLY WALSH

POP EVIL
ANNOUNCE HEADLINING U.S. TOUR
‘THE VERSATILE TOUR’
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS  ZERO 9:36, BRKN LOVE & LIKE MACHINES

GENERAL PUBLIC TICKETS ON-SALE
THURSDAY, MAY 27 @ 10:00 A.M. LOCAL TIME

PRE-SALES BEGIN TUESDAY, MAY 25


Mainstream rock titans POP EVIL are excited to announce their return to the stage as they reveal dates for their headlining tour this fall in support of their new album VERSATILE out now via Entertainment One (eOne). The ‘Versatile’ tour will kick off on July 14 with an outdoor show in Lake County, IL and run across the U.S. until September 23 including stops at several of the major rock festivals– Aftershock, Inkcarceration Fest, etc.—as well as supporting rock legends Shinedown.

The ‘Versatile’ tour will include special guests ZERO 9:36, BRKN LOVE and LIKE MACHINES (on specific dates). Pre-sale tickets will start Tuesday, May 25 at 1:00 P.M. with password ‘Survivor2021’. The public on-sale will start at Thursday, May 27 at 10:00 AM local time. Further details can be found at www.popevil.com.

“This really is just as exciting as releasing our new album,” collectively shared POP EVIL. “Like many other musicians, we haven’t played a live show in over a year. We can’t wait to get back out there and play in front of our fans. We are thrilled to have hot and upcoming artists like ZERO 9:36, BRKN LOVE and LIKE MACHINES out with us. See you this summer!!!”

POP EVIL 2021 TOUR DATES

July 14 – Lake County, IL @ Blarney Island – WIIL Summer Series

July 16 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Upheaval Festival

July 17 – Caddott, WI @ Cadott Festival

July 18 – Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s #

July 20 – Minot, ND @ The Original #

July 21 – Billings, MT @ Pub Station #

July 23 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot #

July 24 – Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa Theater #

July 25 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Marquee #

July 27 – Lubbock, TX @ Jakes Sport Café #

July 29 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live #

July 30 – Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Live #

July 31 – Kansas City, MO @ Truman Theater #

August 1 – Sauget, IL @ Pops #

August 3 – Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theater #

August 4 – Bloomington, IL @ The Castle #

August 5 – Ft. Wayne, IN @ Pierres #

August 6 – Mt. Pleasant, MI @ Soaring Eagle Casino &

August 7 – Louisville, KY @ Waterfront Park &

August 8 – Evansville, IN @ Marina Point ^

August 10 – Kettering, OH @ Fraze Pavilion &

August 11 – Camdenton, MO @ Ozark Amp &

August 13 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee

August 14 – Sioux City, IA @ Hard Rock Battery Park &

August 15 – Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater #

August 18 – Fargo, ND @ Sanctuary Events Center #

August 20 – Joliet, IL @ The Forge #

August 21 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl #

August 23 – Savannah, GA @ Victory North #

August 24 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel #

August 25 – Jasonville, NC @ Hooligans #

August 27 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Elevation 27 #

August 28 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls #

September 1 – Syracuse, NY @ Westcott Theater *

September 8 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall #

September 9 – Flint, MI @ Machine Shop #

September 10 – Harrisburg, PA @ XL Live #

September 11 – Mansfield, OH @ Inkcarceration Fest

September 12 – Danville, VA @ Blue Ridge Rockfest

September 15 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live #

September 16 – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom #

September 17 – Portland, ME @ Aura *

September 18 – Hampton Beach, NH @ Wally’s *

September 21 – Huntsville, Al @ Mars Music Hall – Von Braun Center*

September 22 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theater *

September 23 – Destin, FL @ Club LA *

September 24 – Orlando, FL @ Central FL Fairgrounds – Rebel Rock Fest

October 8 – Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock Festival

# with ZERO 9:36 & BRKN LOVE
* with BRKN LOVE & LIKE MACHINES
^ with ZERO 9:36
& with SHINEDOWN

If rock is dead, then POP EVIL is definitive proof of the afterlife. The Michigan-formed blue-collar band have created an unpredictable album, as its name suggests, which presents their most ambitious rebirth yet. Featuring the #1 mainstream rock hit single “Breathe Again”—their sixth #1 single to date—alongside heavyweight tracks “Set Me Free,” “Let The Chaos Reign,” and Top 10 single “Work,” VERSATILE is filled with fist-pumping anthems and timeless power ballads. Stream/download VERSATILE now at https://www.popevil-versatile.com.

Beyond the success story told by the charts, the 1 million units of “total activity” across their catalog, and the over 600 million streams of their songs on major platforms, POP EVIL’s greatest strength is the diverse group of people captivated by the band’s relatable storytelling and undeniable catchiness. These are fans earned, city by city, on tours with a modern rock playlist’s worth of genre titans.

For more information on POP EVIL, please visit:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

SRO PR ASSETS: www.sropr.com/portfolio/pop-evil

###

For press opportunities or advance album review requests, please contact:
SRO PR
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com

eOne
Bill Meis – BMeis@entonegroup.com
Alec Cakebread – alec@ngage.com

Management
info@gngmgmt.com


Folk Artist/Multi-Instrumentalist JEREMY SQUIRES Announces New Album ‘Unravel’ Out 7/30

DT: MAY 24, 2021

FM: MITCH SCHNEIDER, KELLY WALSH / SRO PR

FOLK ARTIST/MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST
JEREMY SQUIRES
ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM
‘UNRAVEL’
OUT JULY 30 VIA BLACKBIRD RECORD LABEL

SHARES INTIMATE MUSIC VIDEO/SINGLE
“ONLY IN MY DREAMS”
FILMED ACROSS HOMETOWN OF RURAL NORTH CAROLINA

UNRAVEL Cover Artwork by Kelley Wills (Brainflower Designs)

Adventurous folk singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist JEREMY SQUIRES will release his 11th full-length album UNRAVEL on July 30 via Blackbird Record Label. It was written following the loss of his grandmother (who raised him) and two tracks were recorded in her home as a way of saying goodbye, making this 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.

SQUIRES has shared its haunting and evocative debut single “Only In My Dreams”—released across digital platforms last Friday, May 21–with a music video that provides an introspective look at SQUIRES’ daily life filmed at various locations around his hometown of rural North Carolina. Watch the video below or on VEVO HERE. Stream “Only In My Dreams” here: https://smithmusic.ffm.to/jeremysquires_onlyinmydreams

“‘Only In My Dreams’ is an escape from reality but at the same time is a recollection of a specific moment in my life that I tried to portray in vivid detail,” SQUIRES says. “I wanted to bring the listener into that moment and share how different feelings can manifest and I wanted to expand on that.”

““I do a lot of driving through rural North Carolina,” he explains. “I always have my cameras and my phone on me and I get inspired by colors, country scenery, textures, the water, the sky, etc. The imagery in this video is of places that I frequent in my hometown, in surrounding counties and in my own backyard. I wanted to capture the dreamlike aspect of these beautiful places and I feel that it flowed with the song.”

Music and family has always been central to SQUIRES’ story from the start. When he was 11, his grandmother bought him an acoustic guitar in an antique store. He played and toured with punk bands as a young adult, until his son was born in 2001. His songwriting began to blossom–as heard on his first two albums originally released in 2012 (A Place to Hide and In the Dark) which he remastered and released during the pandemic. His music reflects his experiences of being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and PTSD and the trauma he’s endured throughout his life including losing his mother to opioid addiction and passing on his mental health issues to his son.

“My granny was the foundation of our family, and because my mom, my dad and my grandparents have all passed away, she was the last thing I had really,” reveals SQUIRES. “When she passed away, I felt like things were unraveling, but unraveling isn’t just a negative thing. It could be something unraveling into something beautiful, like a different story is about to start, or another chapter. For me I felt like things were going to fall apart, and then everything was OK in the end.”

On UNRAVEL, 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.”

UNRAVEL Track Listing
1.  My Last Song
2. Fade
3. Only In My Dreams
4. Aurora
5. Unravel
6. Dream Walking
7. Burst
8. Crosses
9. Diminish
10. Borderline

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.

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


Rap/Rock Outfit REDDSTAR Release Debut Single/Music Video “STFU”

DATE: MAY 24, 2021

FROM: KELLY WALSH, SRO PR

RAP/ROCK OUTFIT
REDDSTAR
REVEAL DEBUT SINGLE/MUSIC VIDEO
“STFU”
OUT NOW VIA BLOOD BLAST DISTRIBUTION

BAND ANNOUNCED AS SUPPORT FOR AUGUST TOUR WITH RA

WATCH HERE

Newly formed outfit REDDSTAR introduce themselves with energetic and catchy mainstream rock anthems blended with rap undertones on their debut single “STFU,” recorded by Sahaj Ticotin (RA, Motley Crue, Starset). The single will be featured on their debut EP due out later this year. The band premiered its music video via V13 last week along with announcing an upcoming support slot with Ticotin’s band RA this August (dates listed below).The “STFU” was filmed at MixOne Soundstage while being directed remotely by Brian Cox (Bring Me The Horizon, Hollywood Undead) who was stuck at home in London due to the pandemic.

Drummer Mikey Lopez (ex-9Electric) details their experience making the video stating, “Filming the video for STFU was a great experience. Due to covid travel restrictions, our director, Brian Cox, had to lead us via Zoom from his home in London. Being told ‘try it again…with more sexy face’ through a laptop is just as cool as it sounds!”

“In a world where everyone’s so opinionated, people just need to learn how to shut the f*ck up sometimes,” declares vocalist Daemien Drake. “This is our reminder.”

Stream “STFU” now via Blood Blast Distribution across all digital streaming platforms here: https://backl.ink/146082183

Rounded out by bassist Erik Tisinger and drummer Russell Ray, REDDSTAR was formed in January of 2020 just before the pandemic hit. Refusing to be deterred by the halt of the industry, the band, who are located across three states (California, New Jersey and Florida), travelled to Fort Wayne, IN in late May to record their debut EP with Ticotin. Whatever obstacle stands in their way, whether location, time, or even a global pandemic, REDDSTAR have put their collective heads down and relentlessly powered through it. For many, 2020 was understandably a bad year but for REDDSTAR it was about rebirth and triumphing in the face of adversity.

REDDSTAR TOUR DATES

8/20 – Madison, WI @ The Annex
8/21 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Pierre’s
8/22 – Joliet, IL @ The Forge
8/24 – Des Moines, IA @ Lefty’s
8/25 – Racine, WI @ Route 20
8/26 – Columbus, OH @ King of Clubs
(w/ RA & Awake At Last)

For more information on REDDSTAR, please visit them online at:
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK

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