Showing posts with label Garage Rock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garage Rock. Show all posts

4/24/2023

The New MICHAEL VINCENT Album ELECTRIC FOX Delivers an Exciting Infusion of Positively Electric Energy!

San Francisco, CAMICHAEL VINCENT is a well-known SF Bay Area singer/songwriter and recording artist who performs with his backing band U No Who in clubs, bistros, and concert venues across the country; and occasionally as a solo artist in more intimate settings with his trusty lead guitarist Scott Warren. Available worldwide on May 26, 2023, the new MICHAEL VINCENT album ELECTRIC FOX showcases an exciting new direction in Michael’s writing style that displays a range of genres from Power Pop to Alternative to Blues to Americana/Roots music, and even edgier Garage Rock influences while always maintaining that signature MICHAEL VINCENT feel.

In addition to featuring some exhilarating new material like the single “Together,” a frenetic and fast-and-furious depiction of a couple trying to make it against all odds, the new MICHAEL VINCENT album ELECTRIC FOX is also a compilation of personal and audience favorites from the last 10 years, including a redux of three songs previously recorded on an earlier Americana/Roots project that have now been updated with an exciting infusion of positively electric energy! The first four tracks of ELECTRIC FOX were produced by Keith Greeninger at his Wind River Recording Studio in Santa Cruz, CA (Keith also co-wrote the lyrics for the surf rock track “Last Summer”)!

MICHAEL VINCENT and U NO WHO will be performing at Barterra Winery in Half Moon Bay, CA, on Saturday, May 27 in celebration of the ELECTRIC FOX album release on Angel Blossom Records, Michael’s own Bay Area independent label that he and his wife Janet Klein Hollingshead formed over the last few years to cultivate a hand-picked collection of talented local artists.

U No Who is comprised of guitarist Scott Warren (NYC’s White Collar Crime); bassist and backup vocalist Dave Mendoza (Lydia Pence & Cold Blood, Gismo, Mick Gilette, Ronnie Beck); and percussionist Anthony Fulgar (Santana, The Tellez Band, Pete Escovedo). With influences from across the spectrum including New Order, The Strokes, Nada Surf, Fruit Bats, Snow Patrol, Malo, Azteca, and Jaco Pastorius, the band came together in 2018 to perform live with MICHAEL VINCENT. Michael’s influences are originally from the Folk-Rock era of the singer/songwriters of the ’70s, along with these day’s more contemporary influences. All the guys – Scott, Dave, and Anthony – bring a whole set of flavors to their performances, from Blues to Classic to Pop to Progressive Rock to Latin, and even Jazz-Fusion.

MICHAEL VINCENT began writing and performing in his early 20s and has released seven solo albums since his debut Lines and Wonders in 1993. He’s made music in some of San Francisco’s more notable music haunts and has recorded with nationally known artists such as Mark Karan (The Other Ones, Rat Dog, Phil Lesh and Friends), who was featured on the MICHAEL VINCENT album Radio (2007).

Other previous MICHAEL VINCENT releases include Upside Down (2012) Jump! (2016), The Longest Time (2018), and For the Record (2020); and he has opened for phenomenal artists such as Jeff Pehrson (Further, Box Set, The Fall Risk) and the stellar Ruth Gerson (who herself toured with Dave Matthews).

Michael’s songwriting and performance philosophy is change it up! “You don’t listen to one kind of music; I don’t listen to just one kind of music,” he observes, “So why in the world would I only want to make just one kind of music?” Find out what he means on May 26 with the new MICHAEL VINCENT album ELECTRIC FOX!

To order or stream ELECTRIC FOX please visit: https://lnk.to/MichaelVincentElectricFox

For more information about MICHAEL VINCENT please visit: www.michaelvincentmusic.com

For press and interview inquiries please contact Billy James of Glass Onyon PR: (828) 350-8158 or glassonyonpr@gmail.com

For digital marketing please contact Jerome Forney of Independent Distribution Collective: jerome@independentdistro.com

10/01/2020

Garage Rock Revivalists FUZZTONES Celebrate Their 40 Year Anniversary With A Heartfelt Love Letter To Their Home City On New Album!


Los Angeles, CA - The city of New York has been the epicenter of American music ever since Duke Ellington told composer Billy Strayhorn to take the “A” train from Brooklyn to Harlem in 1940. Sinatra, The Dolls, Run-DMC, The Ramones - the Big Apple looms large in the works of so many iconic musical artists, but none more so than garage rock legends The Fuzztones. Founded in New York by Rudi Protrudi in 1980, the group became a mainstay in the New York underground before relocating to Los Angeles shortly after the release of their first album, the now classic Lysergic Emanations. From there, they became a worldwide phenomenon with multiple studio albums, an uncountable number of live performances, and a throng of fans who follow the band with a cult-like devotion. But Protrudi & Co. never forgot from whence they came, and now celebrating an incredible 4 decades of rock n’ roll perversion, The Fuzztones have put together a new album of studio recordings that pays homage to their home city. Simply titled NYC, the album features the band’s special twist on classics by The Ramones, The Cramps, Dead Boys, The Heartbreakers, The Fugs, Mink DeVille, Patti Smith, NY Dolls and, of course, Sinatra’s “New York, New York,” which has been made available as a digital single on all platforms.

Stream the single: https://orcd.co/the_fuzztones_new_york_new_york

As Protrudi explains, “New York has always been at the core of the Fuzztones entity so what better way to celebrate 40 years of fuzz than a tribute to the music that drew us there?”

NYC will be available on both digipak CD and limited-edition colored vinyl starting October 16 via Cleopatra Records!

Order/Pre-save the album: https://orcd.co/the_fuzztones_nyc

Track List:
1. New York, New York
2. Flip Your Wig
3. New Kind Of Rock
4. 53rd & 3rd
5. Psilocybe
6. Skin Flowers
7. High Tension Wire
8. Babylon
9. Transmaniacon MC
10. The Man In Me
11. Let Me Dream
12. Microdot
13. Not Anymore
14. You Gotta Lose
15. Dancing Barefoot

Press inquiries:
Glass Onyon PR
Billy James
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com


CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
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6/01/2020

Iconic '60s American Garage Band THE LIMITS Release New Single "I WON'T TELL"


Los Angeles –THE LIMITS, who formed in the mid sixties in Allentown, Pennsylvania, have been called “the quintessential American Garage Band” by the late, legendary Alex Chilton. Recently two collections, GARAGE NUGGETS 65-68 (highlighting their earliest teen efforts) and the more sophisticated SONGS ABOUT GIRLS ('80s compilation) have been reissued on all digital musical platforms courtesy of a licensing arrangement with Garage Masters, a division of Cleopatra Records, Inc.

“I WON’T TELL,” penned by RICK LEVY, is the new single from THE LIMITS. Levy is currently manager and guitarist/vocalist with Memphis Music Hall of Fame legends, THE BOX TOPS, and said, “interviewers, fans, and some radio folk really heard something great in 'I WONT TELL,' so we decided to drop it as a single to test the waters…and THE LIMITS' popularity. Making a rare guest appearance is Stan Lynch (original member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) on drums.” Levy adds, “I played slide, as well as using the great Keith Richards open G guitar tuning to keep a melancholy vibe going throughout the song.” Levy's memoir, “HIGH IN THE MID 60s - How To Have A Fabulous Life in Music Without Being Famous,” (Crossroad Press) is available at amazon.com and www.ricklevy.com in print, digital, and audio formats.



To stream / purchase THE LIMITS “I WON'T TELL”:
https://orcd.co/the_limits_i_wont_tell

To purchase Rick Levy’s Memoir: https://www.amazon.com/High-Mid-60s-Fabulous-without-Famous/dp/194991464X

Listen to Garage Nuggets ’65-’68: https://orcd.co/the-limits-garage-nuggets
Listen to Songs About Girls: https://orcd.co/the-limits-songs-about-girls

Limits cover photo courtesy of zohre-nemati

Press inquiries: 
Glass Onyon PR
Billy James
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com


CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com
Facebook @Cleopatrarecords
https://www.facebook.com/CleopatraRecords/
Instagram @cleopatrarecords
https://www.instagram.com/cleopatrarecords/
Twitter @cleopatrarecord
https://twitter.com/cleopatrarecord
Youtube @Cleopatrarecords
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCopQ0616Fpfrq8Gt0N-0zOQ
Soundcloud @cleopatra-recs
https://soundcloud.com/cleopatra-recs
Dailymotion @Cleopatrarecords
https://www.dailymotion.com/CleopatraRecords
Vimeo @cleopatrarecords
https://vimeo.com/cleopatrarecords
Spotify  @cleopatra_recs
https://open.spotify.com/user/cleopatra_recs
Linkedin @cleopatra-records
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cleopatra-records

4/21/2020

Legendary 1960's Psychedelic Garage-Band The Chocolate Watchband Release New Video HOPE


The Chocolate Watchband, the 60's legendary psychedelic garage-band from the San Francisco Bay Area, has released a new video today free to the world. As all of us face new challenges that may force us to reckon with future waves of the Covid-19 virus, to survive this experience we need HOPE so that we will prevail.

Watch the video:


To all you fans of the Watchband out there quarantined from friends and loved ones, for all of you out there still working and supporting our country, for all you doctors, nurses, health care providers, governors and mayors working together to protect their people, National Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical aid providers and volunteers, mental health providers, teachers teaching from home and leaders of faith, all you delivery truck drivers and store workers keeping food and necessities on the shelves, for all you Fed-X, UPS and postal workers delivering necessities to those confined to their homes and journalists who tell us the TRUTH, this song is dedicated to YOU!

And thank all of you for your continuing support of our latest release “This is My Voice” available now in vinyl, CD and down load at www.thechocolatewatchband.com

David-Timmy-Derek-Alec-Gary

For more information: www.thechocolatewatchband.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Legendary 1960's Psychedelic Garage-Band The Chocolate Watchband Release New Video HOPE


The Chocolate Watchband, the 60's legendary psychedelic garage-band from the San Francisco Bay Area, has released a new video today free to the world. As all of us face new challenges that may force us to reckon with future waves of the Covid-19 virus, to survive this experience we need HOPE so that we will prevail.

Watch the video:


To all you fans of the Watchband out there quarantined from friends and loved ones, for all of you out there still working and supporting our country, for all you doctors, nurses, health care providers, governors and mayors working together to protect their people, National Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical aid providers and volunteers, mental health providers, teachers teaching from home and leaders of faith, all you delivery truck drivers and store workers keeping food and necessities on the shelves, for all you Fed-X, UPS and postal workers delivering necessities to those confined to their homes and journalists who tell us the TRUTH, this song is dedicated to YOU!

And thank all of you for your continuing support of our latest release “This is My Voice” available now in vinyl, CD and down load at www.thechocolatewatchband.com

David-Timmy-Derek-Alec-Gary

For more information: www.thechocolatewatchband.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

4/15/2020

Quintessential American Garage Band THE LIMITS Continue To Find New Fans Under The Leadership Of Musician RICK LEVY!


Los Angeles, CA - Memphis rock icon Alex Chilton of Big Star & The Box Tops called The Limits “the quintessential American Garage band…both preposterous and sublime,” and said their version of “Suzie Q” was “the best I ever heard.”

Formed in Allentown PA in late 1964, The Limits were by 1965 playing all over the Lehigh Valley at frat parties, teen clubs, school dances and more. Chris, Rook, Beau Jones, Rick Levy, Irwing Goldberg and Jack Shaffer honed their skills with constant gigs and rehearsals. The collection Garage Nuggets ’65-’68 is a compilation of the early Limits recordings - live, in the studio, in rehearsal - capturing the band’s first attempts at songwriting while the collection Songs About Girls captures their later incarnation from 1979-1988. Both collections have been reissued on all digital music platforms courtesy of a licensing arrangement with Garage Masters, a division of Cleopatra Records, Inc.



Rick Levy, who spearheaded the band’s ‘80s revival, continues to keep The Limits torch burning bright with gigs and special engagements all over the US delighting fans with their authenticity and love of early pop and rock. Levy has also gone on to perform with and manage such artists as Jay & The Techniques, Herman’s Hermits, Tommy Roe, Freddy Cannon and currently performs with The Box Tops. Levy’s memoir High In The Mid ‘60s - How To Have A Fabulous Life In Music Without Being Famous is available on Amazon or at www.ricklevy.com.



Listen to Garage Nuggets ’65-’68: https://orcd.co/the-limits-garage-nuggets
Listen to Songs About Girls: https://orcd.co/the-limits-songs-about-girls
Purchase Rick Levy’s memoir: https://www.amazon.com/High-Mid-60s-Fabulous-without-Famous/dp/194991464X

Press inquiries: 
Glass Onyon PR
Billy James
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com


CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com
Facebook @Cleopatrarecords
https://www.facebook.com/CleopatraRecords/
Instagram @cleopatrarecords
https://www.instagram.com/cleopatrarecords/
Twitter @cleopatrarecord
https://twitter.com/cleopatrarecord
Youtube @Cleopatrarecords
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCopQ0616Fpfrq8Gt0N-0zOQ
Soundcloud @cleopatra-recs
https://soundcloud.com/cleopatra-recs
Dailymotion @Cleopatrarecords
https://www.dailymotion.com/CleopatraRecords
Vimeo @cleopatrarecords
https://vimeo.com/cleopatrarecords
Spotify  @cleopatra_recs
https://open.spotify.com/user/cleopatra_recs
Linkedin @cleopatra-records
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12/17/2017

Featured Stream: Debut Recording From Hevvi Synthia

Check out this new stream from a rock band called HEVVISYNTHIA. It is a solid debut and lot of fun turn up and rock out too!

I hope to see more music from the band. 

Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck 

8/13/2015

Track Video Feature: The Electric Prunes-Blue Sky / Red Dress

Nobody does it like The Electric Prunes! If its been a while since you heard some vintage Garage/Psych Rock then I suggest you tune in and turn on the video.

Listen to the legendary Electric Prunes do a track of their recent releaes WaS.

Are you ready for some Prunetwang?

Let's rock!

Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaelck-5/5 STARS


http://www.electricprunes.net/ 

More..A Lot More About This Great Band! And This Is Only One Decade..

1965

In the San Fernando Valley, just north of Los Angeles, James Lowe, Mark Tulin and Ken Williams meet and decide to form a band.  The decision is made to concentrate on recording rather than learning cover songs in order to play parties and dances.  Dedicated to their goal from the start, their first drummer, Steve Acoff, is fired for deciding to go surfing instead of attending a rehearsal.  James introduces the band to Mike Weakley, a neighbor from Kansas who brings a real Rhythm and Blues feel on the drums.  A keyboard player, Dick Hargraves, is brought in and Mark switches to playing the bass.  This band becomes "The Sanctions".

1966

"The Sanctions" evolve into "Jim and The Lords".  Dick Hargraves gives way to James Spagnola, who quick earns the nickname "Weasel".  The band now consists of  Ken and Weasel on guitars, Mark on bass, James on vocals and harmonica, and Mike on drums.  They play a few local clubs but remain focused on recording.  An audiophile friend of James, Russ Bottomley, has a home studio and it is here they record what will much later be released as "The Sanctions/Jim and The Lords" (Heartbeat Records).  The music is rough but shows their roots in blues, rock and surf.

The band is rehearsing in Mark's garage when his father invites Barbara Harris, who is standing outside, in to listen.  She likes what she hears and arranges for the band to play the birthday party for a friend (who would turn out to be the husband of one of the women who wrote "Too Much To Dream", Annette Tucker).  It is at this party they meet Dave Hassinger, at the time an RCA staff engineer who works with The Rolling Stones when they came to Los Angeles.

Dave tells the band that before he would consider recording with them he wants them to go home and learn to play Beatles songs like The Beatles, Rolling Stones songs like The Rolling Stones, Byrds songs like The Byrds...This way when they are in the studio they have reference points and will understand how to get certain sounds.  After a few months of intensive rehearsal they all get back together and the decision is made to go into the studio and record a single.  The 45 had "Ain't It Hard" (featuring James Lowe's only recording turn on bass) as an A-side and "Little Olive" as the B-side.  With this record the band got a one release deal with Reprise records, but they needed a different name.

Insert your favorite how they got their name story here.  Grapes...jokes...Mick Jagger...Flying pie plates...Whatever.

When the time comes to sign a recording contract Mike Weakley refuses to sign and quits the band.  Preston Ritter comes on as the band's drummer.

"Ain't It Hard" does absolutely nothing and Warner Brothers drops the band.  Dave gives the band several songs to work up for the next session.  Among the songs is the demo for what sounded like a country ballad, "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)".  Dave liked the title and told the group to make it into something they could record.  Another bout of sessions are scheduled, this time at Leon Russell's house on Skyhill Drive.  The recordings included "Luvin'", "Hideaway", and a cover of a Hollies song,  "Way of My Own".

Reprise resigns the band and makes Dave Hassinger a staff producer.  "Too Much To Dream", which the record company calls "the weird one", backed by a Lowe/Tulin song,  "Luvin" on the B-side, starts making some noise in the Pacific Northwest late in 1966.  If it holds on through the holiday season they might have something.

1967

The record continues to grow in popularity and by January they have a full-fledged national hit record;except in New York City, which thought it too strange ("Too Much To Dream" is now recognized as possibly the first psychedelic hit record).  The band hustles back into the studio to record their first album at American Recording in North Hollywood.  It is at American, along with engineers Richie Podolor and Bill Cooper, that the band will do the remainder of their recording in the 1960s.

The band hits the road.  Their first tour is of the Pacific Northwest and it is in Spokane where they first hear their song on the radio.  Their second tour takes them through the South.  Their tour itineraries include performing with acts such as The Beach Boys, Cream, Luvin' Spoonful, Steppenwolf, Jefferson Airplane, and Buffalo Springfield. Throughout the year they remain constantly on the road, only taking time off to record their second album "Underground".

"Get Me To The World On Time" is released and becomes their second hit record.  This time the record is a bigger success on the east coast than on the west coast.

It is during the "Underground" sessions that relations with Dave Hassinger hit rock bottom. The  band and their producer do not agree on the direction to take.  Dave wants to turn out a hit, another "Too Much To Dream"(The best example of such an ill-conceived attempt is "Dr. Do-Good" with Dave Hassinger's "vocal" at the very end). The band wants to take their music even further outside, more experimental (this includes using as many experimental instruments as possible including the short-lived Vox Organ/Guitar).

During the recording of "Underground" Preston Ritter leaves the group and is replaced with the return of Mike Weakley, now known as Quint.    Later on in the year Weasel gets sick and is replaced by Mike Gannon on guitar.

"Underground", when released, is met with resounding indifference.   However, the band, continues to maintain a grueling tour/recording schedule. Before leaving for a European tour the band undertakes what will be their last studio recording sessions for over thirty years when they perform "Mass In F Minor".  Written and arranged by Dave Axelrod, this project marks the beginning of the end for the band.  After recording one track it is decided by everyone but the band that the complete group, with Mark being the only one to read music, is taking too long to learn the songs; studio musicians are brought in to replace Ken and Weasel.  Only Mark and Quint play on the remainder of the sessions.  James, sometimes backed by a Canadian group, "The Collectors", does all the vocals.

The band, now consisting of James, Mark, Quint, Ken and Mike Gannon (replacing Weasel who gets too sick to tour), take off on a tour of Europe. This includes a tour of Europe, where in Stockholm they are recorded by Swedish Public Radio.  These recordings will later be released on Heartbeat Records as "Stockholm 67" and remain the only live recordings of the band from that period.  For the tour a European single is released containing "Never Had It Better" (always a part of the band's live shows) and "Everybody Knows You're Not In Love".   These two songs will not appear anywhere else until 2002 and the release of the compilation CD "Lost Dreams" on Birdman Records.

While still in France Quint decides to quit the band and stay in Europe.  Upon returning to the U.S. Quint is replaced by Joe Dooley, who tours with the band but never appears on any of their 1960's recording.

1968 


"Mass in F Minor" garners some national attention, including an article in Time Magazine, but sales are disappointing. The band continues to tour until finally with virtually no existing relationship between the band and their manager or producer, tensions within the group come to a boil.  Following a few weeks of arguing while on the road, James quits the group.

The Electric Prunes, without James Lowe, attempt one more tour.  The band now consists of Ken, Mark, Jeromy Stuart (keyboards/vocals), and Kenny Loggins (guitar/vocals).  This tour is a disaster for audience and performers.  The band has no drummer and incapable of playing any of the hit records.   Upon their return to Los Angeles the remaining members of the band quit.

The original members of the band, the ones responsible for their sound and records, will not play again for over thirty years.

 

12/19/2007

Red Plastic Buddha-Sunflower Sessions Review

Artist: Red Plastic Buddha
Title: Sunflower Sessions
Genre: Garage Rock-Psychedelic
Label: Spade Kitty Records
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How could you not become immediately intrigued with a name like Red Plastic Buddha? The cover is like psychedelic 60s period poster artwork
and the music falls right in line. When you look at the fact there are
only six tracks, your first thought is it must be an EP, wrong! We are
reaching back to another time when a full album of songs was right
around 30 minutes in length or just under. Sunflower Sessions is 3:38 over
that previously taboo industry threshold...READ MORE...