Paul Stanley Reveals Track Listing For New Solo Album

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has revealed a few more details about his upcoming solo album. For one thing, it will be released this October through Universal Music. Secondly, it will be called Live To Win. This is Paul's second solo album if you include his KISS solo album, Paul Stanley, which was released in 1978. His band on this new record includes former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, former Marilyn Manson guitarist John 5 and session drummer Vincent Indrizzo. A tour is planned to support the album, but the touring band has not been announced. Paul did a solo tour of small clubs back in 1989 while KISS was on a break.

The track listing for Live To Win is as follows:

01. Live To Win [3:10]
02. Wake Up Screaming [3:04]
03. Lift [4:03]
04. Every Time I See You Around [3:30]
05. Bulletproof [3:03]
06. All About You [3:18]
07. Second To None [3:39]
08. It's Not Me [3:22]
09. Loving You Without You [3:19]
10. Where Angels Dare [3:23]



Tag: Paul Stanley

Matador Will Release Expanded Edition of Pavement's 'Wowee Zowee'

It's about freakin' time! Matador Records has announced that it will be re-issuing Pavement's 1995 album Wowee Zowee. Matador had been re-releasing each of the Pavement albums to coincide with its 10 year anniversary, but nothing happened when Wowee became 10 years old.

The re-issues for both Slanted and Enchanted and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain were incredible collections. Both featured an entire second disc of bonus material -- much of it previously unavailable in any format. But when 2005 ended without any mention of a re-issue for Wowee, I assumed Matador had cancelled the project.

To many Pavement fans, Wowee Zowee is an unsung classic. It was written off at the time of its initial release as being too weird. It may have been too weird for much of the mainstream audience that had discovered Pavement the year before, but it was not for older fans. The album was a commercial disappointment at the time, and led many critics to begin writing Pavement's eulogy.

Pavement made two more albums before officially breaking up in 1999. At this time, Matador has not released a track listing or a release date for the expanded Wowee. In case you don't have the original, here is one of the many great tracks from the album.

Pavement - Father To a Sister of Thought.mp3

Tag: Pavement

New Bright Eyes Collection Out October 24

(Trip Wire) Bright Eyes will be releasing a special rarities album on October 24 called Noise Floor, via Saddle Creek. The album will include singles, scraps from the cutting room floor, covers, collaborations and one-offs that were recorded from 1998-2005. Check out the awesome track listing below.


Noise Floor CD:
01. "Mirrors and Fevers (Don't Be Frightened of Turning The Page EP- 2000)"
02. "I Will Be Grateful for this Day (Sub Pop Singles Club - 2001) "
03. "Trees Get Wheeled Away (Lost & Found, Volume 1 - 2003) "
04. "Drunk Kid Catholic (3 Hit Songs From Bright Eyes - UK single - 2003) "
05. "Spent on Rainy Days (Home series on Post Parlo Records - 2002) "
06. "The Vanishing Act (Too Much Of A Good Thing 7" - 1999) "
07. "Soon You Will Be Leaving Your Man (Motion Sickness 7" - 2000) "
08. "Blue Angels Air Show (DIW cover mount 7" - 2002) "
09. "Weather Reports (Unreleased 7" with M.Ward) "
10. "Seashell Tale (Unreleased 7" with M.Ward) "
11. "Bad Blood (Album Leaf 7" split - 2001) "
12. "Amy in the White Coat (vinyl only b-side No Beginning To The Story EP - 2002) "
13. "Devil Town (The Late Great Daniel Johnston - 2004) "
14. "I've Been Eating (for You) (3 New Hit Songs From Bright Eyes - UK single - 2001) "
15. "Happy Birthday To Me (Feb. 15) (3 New Hit Songs From Bright Eyes - UK single - 2001) "
16. "Motion Sickness (7" - 2000)"

Additional Noise Floor Tracks (VINYL ONLY)
17. "Act Of Contrition (Second Thoughts compilation - 2000) "
18. "Hungry For A Holiday (Album Leaf 7" - 2001) "
19. "When The Curious Girl Realizes She Is Under Glass Again (Sub Pop singles club - 2001) "
20. "Entry Way Song (Amos House Vol 2 - 2002) "
21. "It's Cool, We Can Still Be Friends (Transmission One: Tea At The Palaz of Hoon - 2000)

Tag: Bright Eyes

Oh No. Not Another Gene Simmons TV Show

After my cringe-filled experience watching just one episode of Gene Simmons Rock School, I swore off viewing anything Mr. Simmons did that was not KISS-related. That show was pretty much the worst thing I have ever seen. I would rather be subjected to days of Oprah than minutes of Rock School.

Gene is at it again, however, with a new "reality" series about his family life called The Osbournes. Oh wait, sorry, that has already been done. This show is called Gene Simmons Family Jewels, and it will air on A&E. Simmons, his "wife" Shannon Tweed (they are not married but have been together for 22 years) and their two kids star in the new show. I am not optimistic about the show being any good.

The Osbournes was such a success because Ozzy is such an unpredictable guy. His craziness follows him offstage; and the contrast between that and his rather middle-of-the-road home life made for interesting TV. Gene Simmons is not unpredictable. He is totally predictable. If there is a camera around, Gene is trying to get in front of it and gratify his enormous ego. He could have the hottest wife and the coolest kids, but this show will sink under the weight of all that bluster from Gene.

As much as I might criticize the show, I'm sure I will watch it. A&E has released the summaries from the first few episodes. Here they are:

The A&E Network has released a sneak peek for GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS.

Dad is Gene Simmons - the legendary, tongue wagging demon of KISS. Mom is Shannon Tweed -- former Playmate Of The Year, actress and model. And their kids, Nick and Sophie, are, well...surprisingly charming, well-behaved teenagers dealing with the trials and tribulations of adolescence, even though Mom and Dad are like no one else′s parents.

Gene and Shannon have been happily UNmarried for 22 years and have no plans of getting married any time soon. Gene is a rock star, and a multi-media magnate. He is also the kind of dad who brings Gatorade to his daughter′s soccer games and stands in the front row of his son′s rock band when they play gigs.

HAPPILY UNMARRIED
Monday, August 7, 2006 at 10PM/9C
Shannon Tweed hates surprises. Gene Simmons loves them. On his way out of town to attend the Grand Opening of the Hooter′s Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, he asks Nick and Tracy Tweed (Shannon′s sister) to plan a surprise birthday party for Shannon on his behalf. While in Vegas, he gets roped into attending the wedding of a male fan and his fiancé, and even gives the bride away. When Shannon inadvertently finds out that Gene was not only planning a surprise party for her AND that he attended someone else′s wedding, she decides to turn the tables on him, and give him a little surprise of his own - an ambush wedding! When "Mr. Happily Unmarried" for 23 years shows up to what he thinks is Shannon′s surprise birthday party, he gets the biggest surprise of his life.

NEXT GENERATION ROCK STAR
Monday, August 7, 2006 at 10:30PM/9:30C
If your dad′s Gene Simmons and you want to go into the music business, some career counseling is to be expected. But when Nick starts a band of his own, Gene transforms from a proud father into an overbearing manager. From the band′s name to the clothes Nick wears, Gene won′t leave his son alone and he even prematurely books Nick′s first gig, unaware that his son′s band quit. Nick struggles to step out from his father′s shadow and to perform in front of a packed house at The Key Club on the World Famous Sunset Strip. Meanwhile Shannon sneaks 13 yea-old Sophie into LA Fashion Week, and witnesses every hot stud at the event flirting with her little girl.

THE DEMON LIVES
Monday, August 14, 2006 at 10:00PM/9:30C
When Gene pulls up to a studio lot for a guest appearance on an Adam Sandler produced sitcom pilot, he isn′t let in because the guards don′t know who he is. That event sparks a concern within The Demon that no one knows who he is anymore, and that maybe he′s lost his edge. At home, Shannon′s concerned because Nick and Sophie are too busy thus forcing her to face the empty nest syndrome, so she visits a fertility specialist. Having his identity concerns put to rest, Gene boasts to his family that KISS will be honored in Las Vegas for a TV special. Excitement builds ahead of the performance, as the Demon must prepare to go back on stage. Trying out new make-up, fire-breathing lessons on the front lawn, and fitting Gene for his signature Demon concert wardrobe are just the beginning. Just as he is walking out the door to Vegas, Shannon confronts Gene, having decided she wants to have another baby. She locks Gene in the bathroom until he delivers what she needs, giving a new meaning to the question - which came first, the chicken or the egg?

FOOD OR SEX?
Monday, August 14, 2006 at 10:30PM/9:30C
After Gene parties with a bunch of adult stars at the Adult Video Awards, he returns home to Shannon who notices he is putting on some girth. Shannon tricks him into going away to what he thinks is a romantic getaway. When they arrive, he learns that they have separate rooms, and his food intake is rationed. Gene wants two things - food and sex, but he can′t get either. Meanwhile, Shannon′s sister, crazy Aunt Tracy encourages the kids to run rampant. They tear through dad′s shrine-like KISS office, break out the whipped cream, and even try their hand at piercing Sophie′s naval.

DRIVING ME CRAZY
Monday, August 21, 2006 at 10:00PM/9:00C
Gene Simmons didn′t start driving until he was 35 years old and Nick is studying to get his driver′s license. An admittedly horrible driver himself, Gene faces off against Nick in a driving test challenge, with the threat of having to humiliate himself in the middle of Beverly Hills if he loses. As his daughter starts to date, a nervous Gene insists that Shannon take their daughter to a self-defense course. The driving test and the self-defense course both prove painful for Gene, who learns that father doesn′t always know best.

SEXERCISE!
Monday, August 28, 2006 at 10:30PM/9:30C
It′s Career Week for Sophie Tweed-Simmons and her assignment is to tag along with Gene to work. It′s a familiar assignment, but if your dad′s Gene Simmons, expect the unexpected. Shannon is not too pleased to discover that Gene has taken their 13 year-old daughter to auditions for a sexy new exercise video called "Sexercise." Shannon turns up the heat on the Demon and has Sophie talk with her dad about the birds and the bees. Sophie′s talk provokes the rock star who′s slept with 4600 women to prove that Gene Simmons and safe sex can be part of the same sentence, as he takes his shot at a Public Service Announcement, (PSA), for Planned Parenthood. No sooner than he finishes the PSA, he is challenged to wrestle a reject from the Sexercise auditions as she calls him a sexist pig. He accepts the challenge only to find out that when he gets to Miss KittyÕs night club it′s...lube wrestling.

UPCOMING EPISODES

GENE′S ADDICTION
Gene Simmons can′t stop working. He′s an addict in the truest sense of the word. From hunting down investors in Florida for his latest project to developing his newest product, the Gene Simmons tongue vibrator, the man doesn′t know when to say when. Shannon and the kids stage an intervention. They kidnap Gene′s appointment book and force him on a ski vacation that turns from bad to worse. In the end the family packs up and pulls out, ready to desert Gene in the mountains. Back home, Gene tries to make up for his performance on the vacation, but in the end it′s he who′s sleeping alone.

HORSIN′ AROUND
An emergency springs up when Gene is about to lose the Indy Racing League marketing account worth millions of dollars. He drops everything and even uses his celebrity to become Grand Marshall in front of hundreds of thousands of fans. Unfortunately for Gene, while he′s gone Shannon buys Sophie a horse for her good grades without really thinking it through. All hell breaks loose when Gene returns from his exhausting business trip and finds the horse is now living at his Beverly Hills mansion.

FAN...TASTIC
Playboy Radio welcomes Gene in studio and conducts a search for his biggest fan. The prize - a day with Gene to spend however they choose. Gene spends the morning getting dressed and ready to meet who he expects to be a beautiful female fan from the KISS Army. Gene pulls out all his cool clothes to get ready for his hot date, only to be stopped by Shannon who decides his clothes are corny and old fashion. When Gene arrives to meet the fan, his blonde bombshell turns out to be a 40 year-old, overweight, father of two who turns Gene′s day of fun into a living hell bombarding him with questions and taking him to miniature golf. Meanwhile back at home Shannon and the kids take the opportunity to raid Gene′s closet and literally burn 30 years of bad fashion in the back yard. Gene′s day only gets worse as Shannon invites Bob the fan to dinner at the house.

LOOSE CHANGE
Shannon and Tracy leave for a long overdue shopping spree in Beverly Hills. Meanwhile, Gene Simmons is despondent that he′s lost $20,000 on a cattle ranch investment. Meaning to cheer up his father, Nick inadvertently mentions that $20,000 is no big deal. This spurs Gene to teach Nick a lesson in the value of money and hard work. To Nick′s chagrin dad takes him on the road to a ranch unknown where Gene encounters an unexpectedly beautiful rancher, a bunk bed sleepover with his son, and ultimately has to roll up his sleeves and collect the semen of a bull to turn a failing business around. All in an effort to show his son not to take everything for granted.

GLOBE TROTTER
Gene Simmons is a man on fire. He′s got so much to do, but so little time. He needs to cover five cities in three nights and two days. As his private jet flies off filled with beauties he needs to check up on the first franchised KISS coffee shop in North Carolina, sign a marketing deal with cigarette boats in Miami for his Simmons-Abramson marketing, make a personal appearance at a nightclub in Chicago, and on his way to an investment meeting he gets waylaid by another beauty and winds up partying in New Orleans. All this, and he has to be home in time for Sophie′s championship volleyball tournament.

THE UN-ANNIVERSARY
Gene Simmons has a business meeting in New York to discuss putting a sexy spin on the classic hand car wash by turning it into Gene Simmons Bikini Car Wash, but he has forgotten something even more important - his 23 year UN-anniversary. Feeling homesick he flies Shannon and the kids with him to visit mom. A tour of Gene′s old pre-KISS stomping grounds leads to Grandma′s house for a touch of heart and nostalgia. Shannon, Sophie and Nick head back to LA and leave Gene to his business in New York. Upon his return to LA he encounters an unhappy Shannon, a family portrait from hell, and a car wash filled with Bikini clad babes.

BEHIND THE MAKEUP
Shannon wakes up not feeling too well, and Gene offers to drive her to the doctor. Once there, he learns that it isn′t their usual family doctor, but instead a plastic surgeon. When the surgeon suggests Gene Simmons might also consider a facelift, at first The Demon is reluctant. In typical Gene Simmons style, he secretly has a change of heart and does the Beverly Hills cosmetic surgeon circuit on his own. When Shannon finds out about the hypocrisy, she decides to schedule dual his & her facelifts, forcing Gene to go through with it. When it comes time to go under the knife, Shannon has news of her own from the fertility specialist leaving The Demon speechless, and his Playmate partner beaming - and everyone wondering if the pitter patter of little demon feet aren′t too far behind. As the first year series ends, we are left wondering what Gene Simmons′ new face will look like, and whether Shannon Tweed is pregnant.

Tag: Gene Simmons

R.I.P. Syd Barrett

Pink Floyd legend Syd Barrett dies
Reclusive star passes away aged 60

(NME.com) Pink Floyd legend Syd Barrett has died at his Cambridgeshire home.

The singer, 60, who suffered from an LSD-induced breakdown while at the peak of his career in the Sixties, died last Friday (July 7) from complications related to diabetes.

A statement from Pink Floyd said: "The band are naturally very upset and sad to learn of Syd Barrett's death.

"Syd was the guiding light of the early band line-up and leaves a legacy which continues to inspire."

His brother Alan confirmed his death earlier today (July 11), saying: "He died peacefully at home. There will be a private family funeral in the next few days."

'Syd' Barrett was born Roger Keith Barrett in Cambridge on January 6, 1946, the youngest of five children. A keen musician from an early age, he acquired the nickname which became his most prominent moniker aged 15, a reference to another Cambridge musician, also named Sid Barrett.

Barrett formed Pink Floyd along with Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Rick Wright in 1965, reputedly naming the band after two blues artists, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, who had a place in his record collection.

From R&B beginnings, the band developed a unique psychedelic style which sat well with the swinging London hipsters of the time. They quickly became the house band at the acclaimed UFO Club on Tottenham Court Road, which championed acts from the psychedelic underground.

The band recorded their first single 'Arnold Layne', written by Barrett, in January 1967. Produced by 60s scenester Joe Boyd, the recording proved enough for EMI to offer the group a recording contract.

After scoring a Top Ten hit with 'See Emily Play', again written by Barrett, the band released their debut LP 'The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn' in August 1967.

The record, on which Barrett wrote eight songs and co-wrote another two, was recorded at Abbey Road studios in London's St John's Wood, next door to where The Beatles were making 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'.

As well as composing many of the tunes, Barrett was renowned for his innovative guitar playing, experimenting with feedback and distortion and using props such as a Zippo Lighter to get a unique sound from his Fender Esquire.

The UK public liked what they heard - the LP made the UK Top Ten and the band started to attract a devoted following. However, Barrett was becoming increasingly unhinged, which coincided with regular consumption of LSD.

The star started to behave erratically at gigs, most memorably at a show in San Francisco when he put hair gel on his head until it slowly melted over his face thanks to the heat from the stage lights.

Towards the end of 1967, friend of the band David Gilmour was asked to join as second guitarist to compensate for Barrett's behaviour. It got so bad that on the way to a gig in Southampton in January 1968, Pink Floyd elected not to pick him up.

When Pink Floyd's second album 'A Saucerful Of Secrets' was released in 1968, it contained only one Barrett composition, 'Jugband Blues'. His official departure was announced in March 1968.

Following this, Barrett holed himself up in his flat in London's Earls Court, resurfacing in 1970 to release two solo albums, 'The Madcap Laughs' and 'Barrett'. Among the people helping him out on these records were Gilmour and Waters. Gilmour also backed Barrett at his one concert during this period, in June 1970 at London Olympia.

In 1972 Barrett resurfaced in a band called Stars, but he quit after one gig at Cambridge Corn Exchange. In 1974, his old manager Peter Jenner managed to get Barrett to return to Abbey Road in hope of recording another album. When this also proved fruitless, Barrett sold the rights to his solo albums back to the record label and returned to Cambridge to live with his mother. He never returned to the music industry, and lived in the same house until his death. He was said to be fond of painting, writing and gardening.

Pink Floyd of course, went on to achieve massive worldwide fame, and 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond', from the 1975 album 'Wish You Were Here', was a tribute to him. Sensationally, Barrett made a brief visit to the studio when the track was being recorded, having put on weight and shaved his hair. The rest of the band have since confessed their distress at seeing him in such a dishevelled state.

Tag: Syd Barrett

Luna's Tell Me Do You Miss Me: Another Side of the Music Business

I took the opportunity last night to watch the new documentary on one of my favorite bands, Luna. The DVD, Tell Me Do You Miss Me,was just released last week along with a new greatest hits CD, The Best of Luna. While the CD is intended to be either a celebration of the band's career or an introduction to an artist too many people missed out on, the documentary is definitely for those who already consider themselves to be serious Luna fans. The film is no celebration, either. It is quite depressing.

It's not only depressing because it is about the end of the band, it is depressing because of the way it ended. Luna went out with a whimper, not a bang. For a band as excellent as Luna, with a career lasting more than 12 years, it shouldn't have ended this way -- in virtual obscurity. I say virtual obscurity, as opposed to total obscurity, because Luna did have their small cult of fans around the world. I was among them. I consider Luna's 1995 CD Penthouse to be one of the best rock CDs of all time.

Director Matthew Buzzell followed Luna around the world on its final tour (2004-2005), but did not limit his filming to the concert stage. He was given a high level of access to the band member's personal lives -- including lots of time backstage, on various planes, and inside the band's tour van. The band members obviously have an intimate connection, but there are some serious tensions that show up between them in some of the film's best moments. My favorite was an argument between band leader Dean Wareham and lead guitarist Sean Eden. The fight was about something stupid, but it revealed some longstanding issues the two seem to have had.

Dean Wareham gets dressed before the final Luna show.

For my money, I would have liked more concert footage in the film. There is some bonus material included on the disc, but it only includes four complete songs. That is just not enough. But the wealth of interviews and other personal stuff made me really like this DVD. There are no wild and crazy groupie moments, or insane, drunken antics, just four talented musicians coming to grips with the end of an era in their lives.

Wareham and bassist Britta Phillips became a couple at some point after she joined the band in 2001. The two live together in New York, and still make music together. In one of the interview segments, Wareham reveals that he wanted to break up Luna in 2000 when original bassist Justin Harwood left the band. But his "interest" in Britta kept the band going for a few more years.

It's too bad that Luna's music isn't universally known, or that they weren't doing a "farewell" tour of stadiums across the country. Things didn't work out that way for them. But anyone who likes Velvet Underground-inspired guitar pop should have some Luna CDs in their collection. Once you become a fan, pick up this DVD. You'll appreciate it much more.

To see a trailer of the film, go to the band's website.

Tag: Luna