Press Releases - Page 131 of 175

April 4, 2021

A Perfect Vegas Sunday–Gäbi Coffee & Bakery, Charleston Antique Mall, & Lemongrass at ARIA

4/5/21
Rana + I had a perfect Vegas Sunday, starting off at the eclectic Gäbi Coffee & Bakery in Chinatown where the “honeydew latte” tasted as surreal + delicious as it sounded. Headed next to the fun + smart Charleston Antique Mall on Decatur Blvd…then moved on to dinner at the top-shelf + well-priced Lemongrass at ARIA (pad Thai, black pepper shrimp, sesame chicken). Friendly waiters in chic uniforms + dazzling lighting fixtures in an epic dining room (plus a gorgeous bar area) add to the experience. Walking around the eye candy-rich Aria lobby is always a treat, and we then got in extra steps next door at the massive, high-end The Shops at Crystals. Didn’t have to pay for parking once…thank you, Vegas!

April 1, 2021

RICHIE FURAY Tomorrow (4/2) Releases Double Live Album ‘50TH ANNIVERSARY RETURN TO THE TROUBADOUR’ VIA Streaming Platforms

DT: APRIL 1, 2021

FM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/ANDREA FAULK

RICHIE FURAY
TOMORROW (4/2) RELEASES DOUBLE LIVE ALBUM
‘50TH ANNIVERSARY RETURN TO THE TROUBADOUR’ VIA STREAMING PLATFORMS
THE PHYSICAL CD + DVD TO BE AVAILABLE APRIL 23

SHARES TWO VIDEOS FROM THE DVD THIS WEEK:
“A GOOD FEELIN’ TO KNOW” AND “ON THE WAY HOME”
TALKS ABOUT THE PROJECT IN NEW Q&A BELOW

RICHIE FURAY tomorrow (4/2) will release his much-anticipated double live album 50TH ANNIVERSARY RETURN TO THE TROUBADOUR via DSDK Productions, distributed by MRI Entertainment, via streaming platforms. Both the physical CD and the DVD of the concert film will be available April 23. Listen here to the album via streaming platforms starting tomorrow. A SPECIAL EDITION autographed CD and DVD are available for presale here.

This week, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee–one of the chief architects of the country rock genre as a member of Buffalo Springfield, Poco and the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band—premiered two live performances videos from the DVD: Poco’s “A Good Feelin’ To Know” (with Timothy B. Schmit joining on vocals) via Best Classic Bands and the Buffalo Springfield’s “On The Way Home” via Glide Magazine. FURAY has also shared a Q&A about the album below and here.

Recorded with The Richie Furay Band at the iconic Los Angeles venue in November 2018, the double album is comprised of two powerful sets: “Still DeLIVErin,’ which encompasses Buffalo Springfield songs, favored Poco tunes and some of FURAY’s finest solo work, and “DeLIVErin’ Again,” a front-to-back performance of Poco’s DeLIVErin’ plus their 1972 signature song “A Good Feelin’ To Know” with Timothy B. Schmit (who joined Poco in 1969 on vocals and bass) singing his parts. The audio for the CD and concert film was mixed and produced by multi-Grammy Award-winning audio engineer Ross Hogarth.

The premieres of “A Good Feelin’ To Know” (from Poco’s fifth album of the same name) and “On The Way Home” (the Neil Young song FURAY sang lead vocals on with Buffalo Springfield) follow other recently released videos from the DVD: “Kind Woman” (his self-penned song with Buffalo Springfield); “C’mon” (from Poco’s DeLIVErin’ album), premiered at Relix with a story hailing him as an “Americana Icon”; the Poco medley “Just in Case It Happens, Yes Indeed”/“Grand Junction”/“Consequently So Long” (from Poco’s DeLIVErin’ album), premiered via Ultimate Classic Rock; and “Let’s Dance Tonight” (from Poco’s sixth album Crazy Eyes) premiered via Americana Highways.

The Troubadour show in 2018 was truly a magical evening in many ways. The sold-out concert marked FURAY’s 50^th anniversary return to the venue where Poco (originally as Pogo) performed their very first shows in 1968. The evening was marked by Timothy B. Schmit joining FURAY on the Schmit-penned “Hear That Music” from DeLIVErin’ and the above-mentioned “A Good Feelin’ To Know.” Timothy also introduced FURAY onstage after reading a congratulatory note from Cameron Crowe (who intended being at the Troubadour in person but could not make it at the last minute). Timothy then introduced the esteemed artist and producer Peter Asher (Peter & Gordon), who presented FURAY with a commemorative award for his 50th anniversary return to the Troubadour. Also on hand at the show and backstage was Randy Meisner, Poco’s first bass player before Schmit replaced him.

RICHIE FURAY Q&A:
‘50TH ANNIVERSARY RETURN TO THE TROUBADOUR’:
“Still DeLIVErin’” and “DeLIVErin’ Again”

For your new double album + DVD, which comprises two different sets, you went back to the Troubadour in Los Angeles to record it. The club was the important launch pad for Poco in 1968. Can you tell us a little a bit about those early gigs? It’s said that a lot of musical luminaries of the time were on hand for those shows.

RICHIE FURAY: When Buffalo Springfield broke up, there was a definite interest in what the members were going to do. Stephen Stills was off with Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield and the “Super Sessions” album, and Neil Young was being Neil, pursuing his solo career, while Dewey Martin and Bruce Palmer looked to what the future would hold for them. At the same time Jimmy Messina and I were planning our next move in putting together another group that would be a rock and roll band with country influences. Once we had the line-up complete (George Grantham, Randy Meisner and Rusty Young), we began working at the Troubadour, using it for rehearsals in the afternoon and performing there at night. It was at the Troubadour where the interest in the Los Angeles music circle really took hold as people (local musicians) were hearing the sound we were creating as being something fresh and new, and yes, it attracted many who liked the music and sound we helped give birth to–as the attendance night after night continued to grow to full Troubadour capacity. It was an exciting time; L.A. and the Laurel Canyon community afforded us the privilege of creating a new sound that would continue on and become popular for years as other groups began to use what we were doing as their template. I don’t remember all who came to see us but there were many.

(Editor’s note: members of the Byrds, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Flying Burrito Brothers including Gram Parsons, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, J.D. Souther, Ricky Nelson, John Stewart and future members of the Eagles [Glenn Frey, Don Henley and Bernie Leadon, not to mention Randy Meisner onstage as an early member of Poco.] Also, in addition to Ricky Nelson, Ozzie and Harriet were in attendance in a booth at the venue as well as The Smothers Brothers.)

What was it like to perform the Deliverin’ album in its entirety at the Troubadour?

FURAY: This was actually something that I never thought could happen. My manager David Stone had been trying to persuade me for a couple of years to perform the Poco Deliverin’ album in its entirety, and I had always responded that it’ll never happen. I had been doing a few of the songs in my live performances for some time, but the thought of actually trying to capture the moment and excitement of doing all of those songs “live” was going to be a challenge. I do believe that my group, at that time, was the only “representation” of Poco that could attempt it and I believe the final product speaks for itself–it was a challenge, and we met the challenge. Having Timothy B. Schmit join us for one of his songs was an extra added bonus and having him return for the encore.

Did performing the Deliverin’ album give you a new perspective on it—and on any songs from it?

FURAY: It’s interesting; I don’t know exactly what I was going through at the time of the original recording, what was taking place in my life, but many of the songs that I had not been doing currently, certainly did resonate with me (50 years later) in relation to life situations I was going through when we recorded it.

Deliverin’ was a distinctive live album in that it included new Poco originals not included on previous albums (“I Guess You Made It,” “C’mon,” “A Man Like Me,” “Hear That Music,” “Hard Luck”). The album was also highlighted by medleys of Poco songs, one of which included your song from the Buffalo Springfield (“Child’s Claim To Fame”). The album also features another one of your songs from the Buffalo Springfield, “Kind Woman,” which many regard as the definitive version of the classic song. What are your thoughts on the original album?

FURAY: There were a lot of non-studio songs on the Deliverin’ album. In fact, the first three songs that opened the set had not been on earlier albums. We were not afraid to play songs people hadn’t heard because we knew they would connect and we could “deliver” them; we were confident to rely on our musicianship, songwriting and “live” performance skills to capture the hearts of the Poco fans who have actually become somewhat of a “cult following” In the set we would weave older songs in the set such as my Buffalo Springfield songs, knowing they were significant to our identity. Most of the other songs came from Poco’s first album, Pickin’ Up The Pieces.

At a time when America was caught up in the Vietnam War, Poco’s rocking country music and high harmonies eased the existential anxiety and lit up a lot of music fans. ‘Deliverin’ not only powerfully captures that feeling and the bond you had with your fans, but really underlined that Poco was one of rock’s best live acts. What do you remember about audiences and the shows from that time?

FURAY: Poco never had any trouble getting people on their feet at our concerts. The people were ready to leave the cares of the world behind for a couple of hours at our concerts. There was really a lot of “audience participation,” a connection we had with our audiences; it was something I believe many looked forward to if they had seen us previously as we would interact with them and they with us and it made for a special evening–one that even today people comment about. I think that’s what made the original recording an important “memory milestone” in so many people’s lives today.

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Tracklisting Page in ‘50th Anniversary Return To The Troubadour’

Track listing for 50TH ANNIVERSARY RETURN TO THE TROUBADOUR CD + DVD

CD1: “Still DeLIVErin’”
On The Way Home
Let’s Dance Tonight
We Were The Dreamers
Don’t Let It Pass By
Go and Say Goodbye
Wake Up My Soul
Hard Country
Wind of Change
Anyway Bye Bye
Someday

CD2: “DeLIVErin’ Again”
I Guess You Made It
C’mon
Hear That Music (with Timothy B. Schmit)
Kind Woman
Hard Luck
Child’s Claim To Fame
Pickin’ Up The Pieces
You Better Think Twice
A Man Like Me
Just in Case It Happens, Yes Indeed
Grand Junction
Consequently So Long
Encore: A Good Feelin’ To Know (with Timothy B. Schmit)

Richie Furay Band:
Richie Furay: guitars, vocals
Jesse Furay Lynch, tambourine and vocals
Scott Sellen, guitars, banjo and vocals
Jack Jeckot, keyboards, harmonica, guitar and vocals
Aaron Sellen, bass guitar and vocals
Alan Lemke, drums

Plus:
Dave Pearlman, pedal steel guitar and dobro
Timothy B. Schmit, vocals

Pictured, Richie Furay and his daughter Jesse Furay Lynch
Photo Credit: Howard Zryb


50th Anniversary Return To The Troubadour’ Front Cover Art	‘50th Anniversary Return To The Troubadour’ Back Cover Art

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

SRO Press Releases + Assets
http://sropr.com/portfolio/richie-furay/

March 31, 2021

Montreal rock outfit THE DAMN TRUTH New Album ‘Now or Nowhere’ out May 7, Reveal Debut Single “This Is Who We Are Now”

DT: MARCH 31, 2021

FM: KELLY WALSH, SRO PR

MONTREAL ROCK OUTFIT
THE DAMN TRUTH
ANNOUNCE THIRD ALBUM
‘NOW OR NOWHERE’
RECORDED BY LEGENDARY PRODUCER BOB ROCK
DUE MAY 7
VIA SPECTRA MUSIQUE / SONY MUSIC

REVEAL DEBUT SINGLE
“THIS IS WHO WE ARE NOW”

LISTEN HERE

Photo Credit: Martin Brisson
Lineup (l-r): Dave Traina (drums, vocals), PY Lettelier (bass guitar, vocals), Lee-la Baum (lead vocals, guitar), Tom Shemer (lead guitar, vocals)

“I realize that people see us as a hard-rock band. We are, but we’re also, deep-down, rock ‘n’ roll hippies. All those things about being self-reliant, and community, and peace and love. Well, that’s us. That’s who we are.”
-Lee-la Baum (THE DAMN TRUTH singer/guitarist)

Montreal rock quartet THE DAMN TRUTH are excited to announce their third full-length album NOW OR NOWHERE is scheduled for release on May 7 via SPECTRA MUSIQUE / SONY MUSIC. With six tracks recorded by the Grammy Award-winning legendary producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, Tragically Hip) at Bryan Adams’ The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, NOW OR NOWHERE is a definitive statement about the band, about the times and how everyone navigates life, love and everything else in a world gone seemingly upside down and sideways. Pre-order’s are available now at this location: https://orcd.co/nowornowhere.

The album’s soulful debut single, “This Is Who We Are Now,” was written on the road during their recent U.S. tour and is streaming now across all digital platforms HERE. Watch a video visualizer below or streaming on YouTube HERE.

“Like almost everything good that The Damn Truth has ever produced, this song was born on the road and could be considered a 100% collaboration among the four of us,” lead guitarist/vocalist TOM SHEMER points out. “I’ll never forget the moment when I was driving to a gig in eastern Texas and PY was sitting in the passenger seat next to me. I told him, ‘Dude, press record on the voice memo,’ and I hummed, ‘This is who we are now’ into his phone. Months later, as the band laid down the track in the studio, Lee-la walked into the control room, grabbed the microphone and without writing anything down on paper, she did the take. That was it. Done.”

THE DAMN TRUTH – “This Is Who We Are Now” Visualizer Video

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the band was unable to complete the full recording of NOW OR NOWHERE with Bob Rock so the band enlisted a team of A-list engineers to help complete the album; Juno Award-winning producer Jean Massicotte (Patrick Watson) –who mixed “Everything Fades”–and Grammy Award-winning engineers Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton) and Nick DiDia (Bruce Springsteen, Rage Against The Machine) as well as Mike Plotnikoff (Van Halen, Cranberries, Three Days Grace).

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the recording process for NOW OR NOWHERE with the band’s current webisode series ‘A Week in The DAMN Life’ airing now on their YouTube channel. Watch episodes 1-4 and stay tuned for upcoming clips here: https://youtu.be/b-xeLktHguM.

THE DAMN TRUTH originated after LEE-LA and TOM first met—both in the nude–at a hippie festival near the Sea of Galilee in Israel. “Yeah, totally naked. Just Lee-La and her guitar,” TOM adds. “And we’ve been together ever since. No pretensions. Nothing to hide. Just love.” The ‘60s ethos of organic self-sufficiency is the lifeblood of THE DAMN TRUTH and the secret to a work ethic that has garnered them almost 2 million streams on Spotify, 60,000 followers on TikTok and over 2 million YouTube views.

The band has previously performed on stages and festivals in Europe and across North America, including opening on tours for ZZ Top, The Sheepdogs, Styx and Rival Sons and have sold out venues including the legendary Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles and the Corona Theatre in Montreal. The estate of Janis Joplin even shared their TikTok cover video of “Mercedes Benz” on its official Facebook page praising LEE-LA’s vocals stating, “Lordy, she’s got talent.” LEE-LA‘s intoxicating vocals also led to her being featured covering U2’s “Love Is Blindness” in a video ad for Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris perfume that went viral internationally, doubling their fan base overnight. Watch a full cover of the song which has nearly one million views to date HERE.

‘NOW OR NOWHERE’ TRACK LISTING

1. This Is Who We Are Now (4:06)
2. Tomorrow (4:27)
3. Only Love (2:46
4. Lonely (4:43)
5. Everything Fades (4:31)
6. The Fire (4:28)
7. Look Innocent (4:14)
8. Full On You (3:44)
9. Shot ‘Em (4:37)

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Songs 1,2,3,4,7, 8 – Produced by Bob Rock
Songs 5,6, 9 – Produced by The Damn Truth
Songs 1,2,4, 8 – Mixed by Vance Powell
Songs 3, 7 – Mixed by Nick Didia
Song 5 – Mixed by Jean Massicotte
Song 6 – Mixed by Mike Plotnikoff
Song 9 – Mixed by Dave Traina

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE DAMN TRUTH, PLEASE VISIT:
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | TIKTOK

###

For press opportunities, please contact:
SRO PR
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com

March 31, 2021

Rock & Roll Performance Troupe CHERRY BOMBS Present ‘Macabarét’ Livestream Cinematic Experience

DT: MARCH 31, 2021

FM: KELLY WALSH, SRO PR

ROCK AND ROLL PERFORMANCE TROUPE
THE CHERRY BOMBS
PRESENT
‘MACABARÉT’
–A CINEMATIC LIVESTREAM PRODUCTION–
STREAMING APRIL 23, 24 & 25

ANNOUNCE THIRD SEASON OF
‘GIRL GANG’
DOCUSERIES LAUNCHING TODAY, MARCH 31
VIA YOUTUBE AT 12:00 P.M. PT

CHERRY BOMBS bring an entire new way to experience rock and roll music by combining daredevil arts with feminine power. Their fearless and dynamic performances feature “jaw-dropping aerials, intense fire sequences and dialed-in choreography.” (Knotfest). Founded in 2013 by ALICIA TAYLOR, the troupe have performed at the largest motorcycle rallies such as Sturgis and Daytona, as well as opening for cross-country tours with Buckcherry and Stone Sour. With the halt of live events due to the pandemic, CHERRY BOMBS reimagined their live show into a unique cinematic experience billed as MACABARÉT.

MACABARÉT is a next-step evolution of the CHERRY BOMBS’ high-octane show which combines the group’s daring skillsets with a visually stunning and sonically intense storyline captured on film and backed by a soundtrack featuring staple rock tracks from the genre’s most prominent artists. Filmed at various locations in Nevada by cinematographer Nathan Mowery (Kind Punk Film), ‘MACABARÉT’ follows the story of an out-of-luck man entangled in a delicious web of torment and retribution. When he finds himself stranded in the middle of nowhere, he makes his way to the unassuming White Dog Saloon, hoping for help. What he finds there is a taste of his own medicine. Watch the trailer streaming below or HERE.

“Macabarét was certainly a labor of love–starting with the legend of the goddess Pele, of which I learned about while living in Hawaii,” shares ALICIA TAYLOR. “I found her to be wonderfully intriguing and inspiring, and I wanted to pay homage in a modern way with a story that combines horror and fantasy told through the visual art that Cherry Bombs is known for. The story expands to take place in the White Dog Saloon, a casual looking watering hole in the middle of the desert, where unbeknownst to its visitors, karma serves an ice-cold dish of comeuppance.”

“This show was meant to be debuted on our very first headlining run, scheduled for spring 2020–however, as well all know, COVID hit and that washed everything away,” TAYLOR further explains. “In order to adapt, I decided to have Nathan Mowery of Kind Punk Film tape an ‘extended trailer’ of the show, to tease what I thought would be an inevitable tour later that year. Alas, that tour did not happen either, so we switched gears again once we realized the pandemic was going to last much longer than anticipated. I decided to film the entire production in full-length cinematic format–as if it were a movie–from start to finish. I handpicked the locations, we brought in lighting, staged the scenes to fit the script– everything filmed in a way to take the viewer through the story as they were experiencing it for themselves. I wanted this virtual show to feel immersive, bringing the viewer inside and through the White Dog Saloon.”

CHERRY BOMBS ‘Macabaret’ Extended Trailer

Experience the MACABARÉT show in the comfort of your own home during one of its upcoming livestream showings on April 23, 24 & 25 at 12:00 PM (PT) / 3:00 P.M. (ET) and 6:00 P.M. (PT) / 9:00 P.M. (ET) exclusively via VEEPS. Tickets are on-sale now at www.cherrybombs.veeps.com.

In advance of the MACABARÉT streams, CHERRY BOMBS will launch Season 3 of their docuseries ‘Girl Gang’ which will allow viewers to see a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into a CHERRY BOMBS production. The four-part web series will air weekly via CHERRY BOMBS YouTube channel at 12:00 P.M. starting on Wednesday, March 31. Subscribe now at https://www.youtube.com/c/CherryBombs.

CHERRY BOMBS will return to stages with their explosive performance this May as direct support for Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour) on a month-long jaunt across the country from May 18 to June 19. Tickets and further information about the COVID safety compliant shows can be found HERE.

Photo Credit: Radiant Inc.

FOLLOW CHERRY BOMBS ONLINE:
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

###

For press inquiries and/or review opportunities for CHERRY BOMBS, please contact:

SRO PR
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com

March 30, 2021

Autobiography Of Miss Mercy, ‘Permanent Damage: Memoirs Of An Outrageous Girl,’ Mercy Fontenot With Lyndsey Parker, Out June 9, 2021

DATE: MARCH 30, 2021

FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MARCEE RONDAN

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MISS MERCY,
COFOUNDER OF FRANK ZAPPA’S GTOS,
SET FOR POSTHUMOUS RELEASE
‘PERMANENT DAMAGE: MEMOIRS OF AN OUTRAGEOUS GIRL’
MERCY FONTENOT WITH LYNDSEY PARKER
AFTERWORD BY PAMELA DES BARRES
OUT JUNE 9, 2021

“I’m the Mae West of 1968.”

“There were definitely better known personalities than Mercy Fontenot in her time, but she was no less of a thrilling iconoclast for it. Long before unorthodox women like Cosey Fanni Tutti or Courtney Love there was Mercy Fontenot. Her relatively unknown story, told here in her own words, is chock-full of delightful pop culture references and peppered with cameos from some of music’s most beloved stars, but the story that sticks with you long after the telling is done is that of Mercy herself. Rock ‘n’ roll rebel until the end. What a gal.”

—Shirley Manson, Garbage

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.”

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.

Written just prior to her death in 2020 with veteran music journalist Lyndsey Parker, Permanent Damage: Memoirs of An Outrageous Girl shows us the world of the 1960s and 1970s music scene through Mercy’s eyes, as well as the fallout of that era–experiencing homelessness before sobering up and putting her life back together. 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.

“Miss Mercy was dripping in sarcasm. She was a very funny and lovely lady. She may have been the voice of reason for the GTOs… but I doubt it.”— Alice Cooper

“Miss Mercy spun herself through the most magical days of the ‘60s and into the arms of punk. She was a that one-of-a-kind character none of us will ever forget.”— Exene Cervenka, X

“I am thrilled to know this book is finally out there and we can know firsthand what it was like to live in Miss Mercy’s towering platform shoes. I love rock ‘n’ roll, and Lyndsey Parker has the most encyclopedic knowledge of all music; I can’t think of a better person to bring Mercy’s story to life.”— Margaret Cho

“Miss Mercy was a one-off iconoclast, style- and taste-wise. She looked, lived, and loved uniquely and was a trailblazer for women in rock ‘n’ roll.”— Siobhan Fahey, Bananarama and Shakespears Sister

“Mercy was one of the most inspirational and magical people I ever got the chance to meet and work with. She had endless stories to tell and the coolest style, like a badass gypsy pirate witch. She embodied that old spirit of Hollywood that we never get to see anymore. Mercy was and will always be a legend.”— Arrow de Wilde, Starcrawler

“Lyndsey and Mercy had many things in common, the most important of which was commitment. Both committed to the music and the musicians that made it. Mercy had secrets and stories and reveals them here to someone who understands. An imperative read for anyone with a rock ‘n’ roll soul.”— Michael Des Barres

Mercy Fontenot ran away to Haight-Ashbury at sixteen in 1965. In 1967, citing that the Haight was getting boring, and she couldn’t stay a hippie forever, Fontenot moved to Los Angeles, where she met Frank Zappa and Pamela Des Barres and fell in with the GTOs, an all-female band whose album Permanent Damage was released in 1969. The two songs she wrote for the band were eventually recorded by Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, and Lowell George.

In the late-70s she reinvented herself, doing punk hair and styling for bands like the Rockats and Gears and then influencing the roots-rock scene. After falling on hard times, she finally got sober and wrote her story. Permanent Damage is her memoir, published posthumously in 2021 (June 9) via Rare Bird Books.

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

March 30, 2021

Portland, Maine’s LOVE BY NUMB3RS Share New Video For “Western Son”

DATE: MARCH 29. 2021

FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MARCEE RONDAN

LOVE BY NUMB3RS
FROM PORTLAND, MAINE
SHARE NEW VIDEO
FOR “WESTERN SON”
FROM THEIR DEBUT ALBUM ‘PARACHUTE’

BAND CHARTS A COURSE THROUGH ALTERNATIVE, DUSTY BLUES, GRACEFUL FOLK, AND ROOTSY ROCK

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

Photo by Heather Durgin

LOVE BY NUMB3RS—the Portland, Maine-based trio who chart a course through eloquent alternative, dusty blues, graceful folk, and rootsy rock—have shared the video for “Western Son,” a highlight of their indie full-length debut album PARACHUTE. Watch the video here. 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.”

LOVE BY NUMB3RS consists of co-vocalists DAN CONNOR and ANNA LOMBARD and multi-instrumentalist JON ROODS, the latter two of whom directed the beautifully striking “Western Son” video. It was shot along the coastal and woodsy roads of the group’s home state of Maine. See the Q&A below with ANNA LOMBARD about the making of the video.

“Western Son captivates with its delicate groove, haunting sound and ANNA’s immense vocal range. In ANNA’s words, the song “Lyrically, it’s setting the scene for what life ‘would have’ or ‘could have’ been like for the son I never had…”

PARACHUTE turns the page on the next 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.

Here’s a Q&A with ANNA LOMBARD about “Western Son”:

Q: Where was the video shot?

ANNA: “The majority of the video was shot in Cape Elizabeth out at Ram Island Farm, an area of Cape where I spent a lot of time as a kid. This includes the drone footage of the winding road, the views of coastal Maine, the bridge over the river…as well as the scenes of me driving the VW. The headshots were filmed in our living room, and the clip of our guitarist Josh (who is a Chief Mate and steers a tugboat) was shot in N.Y. Harbor on a classic ocean-going tugboat–112′ long with locomotive engines–on his way back from assisting a container ship through a bridge around a turn. He was sitting on the aft deck, near the tow winch, when he cut his scene. The scenes with the boy were on my brother’s farm right off the road where the initial drone footage of the car was filmed. His sons built this little wooded amphitheatre that they named EVERGLOW, and we wanted Harry to be a little carefree boy discovering that special spot.”

Q: Any good anecdotes happen during the filming?

ANNA: “Jon had to sit in the back of Dan’s SUV with the hatch door open while filming the VW car shots and almost fell out about 12 times. Jon had Macgyver’d a camera rig for the scene of all three of us in the bug and placed it on the hood. It was a four-foot piece of one by three with a makeshift camera mount glued and taped to it, strapped onto the car via a ratchet strap, and center on a towel so the car didn’t get scratched. The rig fell apart right as we finished the last cut for that scene and pulled into the driveway, thank God.”

Q: What was the inspiration for the song?

ANNA: “For me, this song is about the son none of us ever had. We have four healthy, beautiful daughters (two each) but neither of us ever had boys! Personally, having girls was so foreign to me, as I grew up the youngest and only girl with all older brothers. Navigating through raising girls seemed so daunting to me, as I consider myself to be a bit of a tomboy. It was kind of like, ‘OK..how the hell am I going to do this?’ Lyrically, we tried setting the scene for what it ‘would have’ or ‘could have’ been… So, it’s kind of this dreamed up idea of having a boy. There are lyrics like ’there’s a church up on the hill, above a town you could’ve known so well’; and the church on the hill in the video is a 200+ year old church in the town I grew up in, where one of my aunts was married and adjacent to a cemetery where many family members of mine over the years have been laid to rest. How would life be different if I had been a mother, or if Dan had been a father to sons? What lessons would they have taught us? Perhaps the lessons I needed to learn only happened from becoming a mother of two girls instead…learning to break the cycle of familial toxicity and be to them what I needed when I was younger. For Dan, the original skeleton of the song was about being married to someone, having a son, and then going through a divorce and losing custody as the mother heads west and he never sees the boy again (not autobiographical FYI).

Q: For the video, what were you looking to visually achieve?

ANNA: “Beautiful landscapes, something that felt fun, easy to watch, and felt good. Our last video was so heavy…both Jon and I felt as though this was something that maybe could make people smile as they are watching. We wanted to give some visual components to the lyrics in a literal sense but also portraying innocence…something easily relatable to the viewer and with a pure, unadulterated playful vibe.”

Q: The car in the video is one that seems to reflect a carefree attitude from another era. Why was the car chosen for the “road trip?”

ANNA: “We chose the car because it belongs to our friend and exec producer Alex. Easy decision. We just wanted an old car to drive around the town and shoot scenes. I think given the fact that this song sounds a little old school, we wanted to have a car that matched that era of music. It is a 1979 beetle, mint condition. So fun to drive, I almost took off forever in it.”

Q: As the video closes, we see the character triumphantly holding a sword as almost a sign if victory. Why did you choose to end the clip that way?

ANNA: “The boy in the end of the video is my nephew–we were going for this fictitious character as I mentioned above, but Harry is this wild, carefree, adventurous and fearless little boy…so we decided that he should resemble a cross between Max from Where The Wild Things Are [book and film] and maybe a character from the classic CS Lewis Chronicles of Narnia [book and film]. A little boy finding a sword and checking out this magical little amphitheatre, where he found himself free to explore without being under the thumb of a parent or rules of any kind. I think the sword as a sign of victory at the end was meant to just convey that no matter what, the fictional character ends up being, even if I wasn’t blessed with a boy. Maybe he’s there in your heart, maybe you know that it wasn’t meant to be. Maybe it’s the point where one of us realizes that our journeys as parents were exactly as they were meant to be and so it allows this fictional character to kind of go on existing in this magical, made up, ethereal and peaceful way.”

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March 26, 2021

KATE CLARK Today Releases Single “Wonderwall”—Listen To The Striking Cover Of The Oasis Classic

DT: MARCH 26, 2021

FM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/LYNDIE WENNER
SRO PR (NASHVILLE, LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS)

KATE CLARK
TODAY RELEASES SINGLE
“WONDERWALL”
LISTEN TO THE EMERGING COUNTRY ARTIST’S
STRIKING COVER OF THE OASIS CLASSIC HERE
AND WATCH THE VISUALIZER HERE

“For some, covering such a famous song could seem daunting or challenging, but ‘Wonderwall’ was anything but that for me–it was the best therapy one could find,” says emerging country artist KATE CLARK about her striking cover of Oasis’ classic 1995 song “Wonderwall.” Today (3/26), the Nashville-based/Austin-raised singer/songwriter has released it as the follow-up to “No Halo,” her debut single that arrived last month. Listen to “Wonderwall” here and watch the visualizer here.

“Wonderwall,” like “No Halo,” was produced by David Lyndon Huff, who did the same honors for the Doobie Brothers’ multi-artist tribute album Southbound, that featured Zac Brown Band and Vince Gill, and who’s the younger brother of renowned Nashville producer Dann Huff.

“As a songwriter, I feel like I’m always searching for words and melody that help me feel whatever it is I’m dealing with or going through in my personal life,” says KATE. “Lyrics have the power of being almost a release valve when they’re so perfectly matched to a melody. An infamous 3am wakeup call led me to listening to ‘Wonderwall’ on my nightly journey down a rabbit hole. Tornadoes had just decimated Nashville, a half block away from my first place I lived when I moved to town. The pandemic was closing in on changing the world for who knows how long, and I was a new mom to a beautiful baby boy. I found myself retreating into my mind and having long conversations with myself trying to find a way, any way, to slow down my world. I had heard ‘Wonderwall’ before when I was younger and I wasn’t in a safe, creative environment to really be able to feel it the way I do now. To me, ‘Wonderwall’ carries so many different meanings. A friend, a lover, yourself, perhaps your younger self–all hopeful options to potentially reach out and save you from whatever it is you need saving from. But, are we ever really saved? I see ‘Wonderwall’ almost as a frame that outlines life’s major lessons. Love, hope, seeking truth, and the inevitable let down.”

Elaborating on that night she listened to “Wonderwall,” KATE says, “The calm I’d craved all day poured over the house and the candles were lit. Another thunderstorm had passed, my son was tucked in with his crew of stuffed animals, Just myself and a microphone–and I was alive. No one is ever going to hand you what you need most. For me the ‘Wonderwall’ is knowing your true self, and the true nature of humankind.”

Last month’s single “No Halo” announced the arrival of an artist who’s been gifted with an expressive, elastic voice matched with her sharp yet vulnerable sense of songwriting. Listen to the song here and watch the lyric video here. With KATE’s introspective lyrics about maintaining a strong self-identity in the face of life’s obstacles and a melodically bright, uplifting chorus, the song is “a melting pot of old-school and new-school,” says KATE. With “No Halo,” KATE aims straight for the heart with lyrics such as “It ain’t easy/ Nothing’s ever fair/You, me and God know/You can still be good with no halo.”

KATE plans to keep the excitement building throughout 2021; the singer and songwriter will release a series of singles via her label Kate Clark Music distributed by BMD (Brooklyn Music Distribution), a song per month, alternating between original tracks and striking reinterpretations of songs that have inspired her.

Kate Clark
Photo credit: Josh Kranich
Bio here

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For press inquiries, contact SRO PR:

Mitch Schneider, mschneider@sropr.com
Lyndie Wenner, lwenner@sropr.com

March 25, 2021

One Year of Living in Las Vegas

3/25/21

Celebrated nearly one year of living in Las Vegas last night by going out on the town and supporting businesses…with my wife Rana supplying the abundant polka dots. Started with an early dinner at the fairly new Main St. Provisions in the The Las Vegas Arts District before heading to the Delirious Comedy Club at the nearby Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino where it was a real treat to be in the audience for the first time in over a year. The restaurant’s throwback cool ambience, and its imaginative take on modern American comfort food was soulful and tasty. We had the shrimp + rice grits, the charcoal oven burger with apple smoked walnut cheddar + demi sauce, and the braised greens in an “oat milk white wine broth, crispy shallot and pumpkin oil” (say what?). Over at the club, there was a bigger crowd than I thought there would be—around 75 people, with socially distanced seating…folks laughing while masked…hardly easy I imagine for the three excellent comics (separated by 12 or so feet from the front row) who couldn’t see the facial expressions of those they were entertaining.

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