TOUR DATES:

10/06: Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA/n/n/n/n/n/n/n/n

10/09: Raymond James Center - Tampa, FL

10/12: Dallas Cowboys New Stadium - Arlington, TX

10/14: Reliant Stadium - Houston, TX

10/18: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium - Norman, OK

10/20: University of Phoenix Stadium - Glendale, AZ

10/23: Sam Boyd Stadium - Las Vegas, NV

10/25: Rose Bowl - Los Angeles, CA

10/28: BC Place Stadium - Vancouver, BC

BIO: (from allmusic.com)

Through a combination of zealous righteousness and post-punk experimentalism, U2 became one of the most popular rock & roll bands of the /'80s. They were rock & roll crusaders during an era of synthesized pop and heavy metal, equally known for their sweeping sound as for their grandiose statements about politics and religion. The Edge provided the group with a signature sound by creating sweeping sonic landscapes with his heavily processed, echoed guitars. Though the Edge/'s style wasn/'t conventional, the rhythm section of Larry Mullen, Jr. and Adam Clayton played the songs as driving hard rock, giving the band a forceful, powerful edge that was designed for arenas. And their lead singer, Bono, was a frontman with a knack of grand gestures that played better in stadiums than small clubs. It/'s no accident that footage of Bono parading with a white flag with /"Sunday Bloody Sunday/" blaring in the background became the defining moment of U2/'s early career -- there rarely was a band that believed so deeply in rock/'s potential for revolution as U2, and there rarely was a band that didn/'t care if they appeared foolish in the process.

During the course of the early /'80s, the group quickly built up a dedicated following through constant touring and a string of acclaimed records. By 1987, the band/'s following had grown large enough to propel them to the level of international superstardom with the release of The Joshua Tree. Unlike many of their contemporaries, U2 were able to sustain such popularity in the /'90s by reinventing themselves as a postmodern, self-consciously ironic, dance-inflected pop/rock act, owing equally to the experimentalism of late-/'70s Bowie and /'90s electronic dance and techno. By performing such a successful reinvention, the band confirmed its status as one of the most popular bands in rock history, in addition to earning additional critical respect.

With its textured guitars, U2/'s sound was undeniably indebted to post-punk, so it/'s slightly ironic that the band formed in 1976, before punk had even reached their hometown of Dublin, Ireland. Larry Mullen, Jr. (born October 31, 1961; drums), posted a notice on a high-school bulletin board asking for fellow musicians to form a band. Bono (born Paul Hewson, May 10, 1960; vocals), the Edge (born David Evans, August 8, 1961; guitar, keyboards, vocals), Adam Clayton (born March 13, 1960; bass), and Dick Evans responded to the ad, and the teenagers banded together as Beatles and Stones cover band called the Feedback. They then changed their name to the Hype in 1977. Shortly afterward, Dick Evans left the band to form the Virgin Prunes, and the group changed names once again, this time adopting the moniker of U2.

U2/'s first big break arrived in 1978, during the members/' final year of high school, when they won a talent contest sponsored by Guinness. By the end of the year, the Stranglers/' manager, Paul McGuinness, had seen the band play and offered to manage them. Even with a powerful manager in their corner, the band had trouble making much headway, and they failed an audition with CBS Records at the end of the year. In the fall of 1979, U2 released their debut EP, U2 Three. The EP was available only in Ireland, where it topped the national charts. Shortly afterward, they began to play in England, but they failed to gain much attention away from home.

U2 scored one more chart-topping single, /"Another Day,/" in early 1980 before Island Records offered the group a contract. Later that year, the band/'s full-length debut, Boy, was released. Produced by Steve Lillywhite, the record/'s sweeping, atmospheric but edgy sound was unlike most of its post-punk contemporaries, and the band earned further attention for its public embrace of Christianity; only Clayton was not a practicing Christian. Through constant touring, including opening gigs for Talking Heads, U2 was able to take Boy into the American Top 70 in early 1981. October, also produced by Lillywhite, followed in the fall, and it became their British breakthrough, reaching number 11 on the charts. By early 1983, Boy/'s /"I Will Follow/" and October/'s /"Gloria/" had become staples on MTV, which, along with their touring, gave the group a formidable cult following in the U.S.

Released in the spring of 1983, the Lillywhite-produced War became U2/'s breakthrough release, entering the U.K. charts at number one and elevating them into arenas in the United States, where the album peaked at number 12. War had a stronger political message than its predecessors, as evidenced by the international hits /"Sunday Bloody Sunday/" and /"New Year/'s Day./" During the supporting tour, the band filmed its concert at Colorado/'s Red Rocks Amphitheater, releasing the show as an EP and video titled Under a Blood Red Sky. The EP entered in the U.K. charts at number two, becoming the most successful live recording in British history. U2 had become one of the most popular bands in the world, and their righteous political stance soon became replicated by many other bands, providing the impetus for the Band Aid and Live Aid projects in 1984 and 1985, respectively.

For the follow-up to War, U2 entered the studios with co-producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, who helped give the resulting album an experimental, atmospheric tone. Released in the fall of 1984, The Unforgettable Fire replicated the chart status of War, entering the U.K. charts at number one and reaching number 12 in the U.S. The album also generated the group/'s first Top 40 hit in America with /"(Pride) In the Name of Love,/" a tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. U2 supported the album with a successful international tour, highlighted by a show-stealing performance at Live Aid. Following the tour, the band released the live EP Wide Awake in America in 1985.

While U2 had become one of the most successful rock bands of the /'80s, they didn/'t truly become superstars until the spring 1987 release of The Joshua Tree. Greeted with enthusiastic reviews, many of which proclaimed the album a masterpiece, The Joshua Tree became the band/'s first American number one hit and their third straight album to enter the U.K. charts at number one; in England, it set a record by going platinum within 28 hours. Generating the U.S. number one hits /"With or Without You/" and /"I Still Haven/'t Found What I/'m Looking For,/" The Joshua Tree and the group/'s supporting tour became the biggest success story of 1987, earning U2 the cover of respected publications like Time magazine. U2 decided to film a documentary about their American tour, recording new material along the way. The project became Rattle & Hum, a film that was supported by a double-album soundtrack that was divided between live tracks and new material. While the album Rattle & Hum was a hit, the record and film received the weakest reviews of U2/'s career, with many critics taking issue with the group/'s fascination with American roots music like blues, soul, country, and folk. Following the release of Rattle & Hum, the band took an extended hiatus.

U2 reconvened in Berlin in 1990 to record a new album with Eno and Lanois. While the sessions for the album were difficult, the resulting record, Achtung Baby, represented a successful reinvention of the band/'s trademark sound. Where they had been inspired by post-punk in the early career and American music during their mid-career, U2 delved into electronic and dance music with Achtung Baby. Inspired equally by late-/'70s Bowie and the Madchester scene in the U.K., Achtung Baby was sonically more eclectic and adventurous than U2/'s earlier work, and it didn/'t alienate their core audience. The album debuted at number one throughout the world and spawned Top Ten hits with /"Mysterious Ways/" and /"One./"

Early in 1992, the group launched an elaborate tour to support Achtung Baby. Dubbed Zoo TV, the tour was an innovative blend of multimedia electronics, featuring a stage filled with televisions, suspended cars, and cellular phones. Bono devised an alter ego called the Fly, which was a knowing send-up of rock stardom. Even under the ironic guise of the Fly and Zoo TV, it was evident that U2 were looser and more fun than ever before, even though they had not abandoned their trademark righteous political anger. Following the completion of the American Zoo TV tour in late 1992 and preceding the launch of the tour/'s European leg, U2 entered the studio to complete an EP of new material that soon became the full-length Zooropa. Released in the summer of 1993 to coincide with the tour of the same name, Zooropa demonstrated a heavier techno and dance influence than Achtung Baby and received strong reviews. Nevertheless, the album stalled at sales of two million and failed to generate a big hit single. During the subsequent Zooropa tour, the Fly metamorphosed into the demonic MacPhisto, which dominated the remainder of the tour. Upon the completion of the Zooropa tour in late 1993, the band took another extended break.

During 1995, U2 re-emerged with /"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me,/" a glam rock theme to Batman Forever that was produced by Nellee Hooper (Björk, Soul II Soul). Later that year, they recorded the collaborative album Original Soundtracks, Vol. 1 with Brian Eno, releasing the record under the name the Passengers late in 1995. It was greeted with a muted reception, both critically and commercially. Many hardcore U2 fans (including drummer Larry Mullen, Jr.) were unhappy with the Passengers project, and U2 promised their next album, to be released in the fall of 1996, would be a rock & roll record.

The album took longer to complete than usual, ultimately being pushed back to the spring of 1997. During its delay, a few tracks, including the forthcoming first single /"Discotheque,/" were leaked, and it became clear that the new album was going to be heavily influenced by techno, dance, and electronic music. When it was finally released, Pop did indeed bear a heavier dance influence, but it was greeted with strong initial sales and a few positive reviews. Demand for the album lessened in the following months, however, and Pop ultimately became the band/'s least popular album in over a decade. In late 1998, the group returned with Best of 1980-1990, the first in a series of hits collections issued in conjunction with a reported 50 million dollar agreement with Polygram. Included in the comprehensive track list was a remixed version of /"Sweetest Thing,/" originally released as B-side in 1987, which charted well in multiple countries.

Three years after the mediocre response to Pop, U2 teamed up with Eno and Lanois once again to release All That You Can/'t Leave Behind in fall 2000. The album was heralded as a return to form, melding the band/'s classic sound with contemporary trends. It topped charts around the world, reached number three in America, earned Grammy Awards for the singles /"Beautiful Day/" and /"Walk On,/" and became the band/'s biggest-selling record in years. (The Elevation tour that followed also brought U2 a hefty paycheck.) Steve Lillywhite, producer of the early-/'80s landmarks Boy, October, and War, returned to the helm for U2/'s next record, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Released in November 2004, it hit the top of the Billboard charts and quickly gained platinum status. The album also garnered eight Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Rock Album of the Year, and Song of the Year (for /"Sometimes You Can/'t Make It on Your Own,/" which Bono had written for his father). U2 were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in early 2005 and launched an international tour soon after, selling out arena venues in the U.S. and outdoor stadium shows abroad. The Vertigo Tour became the highest-grossing tour of 2005; by the time the entire tour concluded in late 2006, its gross of $389 million had made it the second most successful tour ever.

U2 returned to the drawing board in 2006 by partnering with veteran rock producer Rick Rubin. Two songs from those sessions appeared on the compilation U218 Singles, but the remaining material was ultimately scrapped. The band then turned to longtime friends Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Steve Lillywhite, all of whom helped shape the sound of U2/'s 12th studio effort. Entitled No Line on the Horizon, the album was originally slated to appear in October 2008, although the release date was ultimately pushed back to March 2009.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

LAST FM

Follow MeVIO Music on Twitter.

MeVIO Music has a blog. Go there for news, videos, and special offers.

MEVIO OFFER:

Find a great pair of shoes at eastbay.com. Use the promo code AFTOUR20 and save 20% off any order of $75 or more.

If you like that offer, there are many more offers available. Just go to offers.mevio.com.
 

TOUR DATES:
/n/n

10/07:Oshawa, ON

/n/n

10/09: Uniondale, NY -Nassau Coliseum

10/10: New York, NY - Madison Square Garden

10/12: Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center

10/13: Washington, DC

10/16: Hampton, VA - Hampton Coliseum

10/22: Bank Atlantic Center - Fort Lauderdale, FL

10/24: Birmingham, AL - Birmingham Jefferson Arena

10/25: Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena

10/26: Nashville, TN

10/29: Little Rock, AR - Verizon Arena

10/31: New Orleans, LA - Voodoo Experience - New Orleans City Park

11/06: Chicago, IL - United Center

11/07: Minneapolis, MN

11/09: Winnipeg, MB

11/10: Saskatoon, SK

11/12: Calgary, AB

11/14: Vancouver, BC

11/15: Seattle WA

11/17: Portland OR

11/19: Sacramento CA

11/21: Fresno CA

11/22: Oakland CA

11/24: Anaheim CA

11/25: Los Angeles CA

11/27: San Diego CA

11/28: Las Vegas NV

12/01: Glendale AZ

12/02: El Paso TX - Don Haskins Center

12/04: Austin TX

12/05: Houston TX

12/06: Dallas TX

BIO: (from allmusic.com)

Rooted in the campy theatrics of Alice Cooper and the sleazy hard rock of glam rockers the New York Dolls, Kiss became a favorite of American teenagers in the /'70s. Most kids were infatuated with the look of Kiss, not their music. Decked out in outrageously flamboyant costumes and makeup, the band fashioned a captivating stage show featuring dry ice, smoke bombs, elaborate lighting, blood spitting, and fire breathing that captured the imaginations of thousands of kids. But Kiss/' music shouldn/'t be dismissed -- it was a commercially potent mix of anthemic, fist-pounding hard rock driven by sleek hooks and ballads powered by loud guitars, cloying melodies, and sweeping strings. It was a sound that laid the groundwork for both arena rock and the pop-metal that dominated rock in the late /'80s. Kiss was the brainchild of Gene Simmons (bass, vocals) and Paul Stanley (rhythm guitar, vocals), former members of the New York-based hard rock band Wicked Lester; the duo brought in drummer Peter Criss through his ad in Rolling Stone and guitarist Ace Frehley responded to an advertisement in The Village Voice. Even at their first Manhattan concert in 1973, the group/'s approach was quite theatrical; Flipside producer Bill Aucoin offered the band a management deal after the show. Two weeks later, the band was signed to Neil Bogart/'s fledgling record label, Casablanca. Kiss released their self-titled debut in February of 1974; it peaked at number 87 on the U.S. charts. By April of 1975, the group had released three albums and had toured America constantly, building up a sizable fan base. Culled from those numerous concerts, Alive! (released in the fall of 1975) made the band rock & roll superstars; it climbed into the Top Ten and its accompanying single, /"Rock /'N/' Roll All Nite,/" made it to number 12. Their follow-up, Destroyer, was released in March of 1976 and became the group/'s first platinum album; it also featured their first Top Ten single, Peter Criss/' power ballad /"Beth./" A 1977 Gallup poll named Kiss the most popular band in America. Kiss mania was in full swing and thousands of pieces of merchandise hit the marketplace. The group had two comic books released by Marvel, pinball machines, makeup and masks, board games, and a live-action TV movie, Kiss Meet the Phantom of the Park. The group was never seen in public without wearing their makeup and their popularity was growing by leaps and bounds; the membership of the Kiss Army, the band/'s fan club, was now in the six figures. Even such enormous popularity had its limits, and the band reached them in 1978, when all four members released solo albums on the same day in October. Simmons/' record was the most successful, reaching number 22 on the charts, yet all of them made it into the Top 50. Dynasty, released in 1979, continued their streak of platinum albums, yet it was their last recorded with the original lineup -- Criss left in 1980. Kiss Unmasked, released in the summer of 1980, was recorded with session drummer Anton Fig; Criss/' permanent replacement, Eric Carr, joined the band in time for their 1980 world tour. Kiss Unmasked was their first record since Destroyer to fail to go platinum, and 1981/'s Music From the Elder, their first album recorded with Carr, didn/'t even go gold -- it couldn/'t even climb past number 75 on the charts. Ace Frehley left the band after its release; he was replaced by Vinnie Vincent in 1982. Vincent/'s first album with the group, 1982/'s Creatures of the Night, fared better than Music From the Elder, yet it couldn/'t make it past number 45 on the charts. Sensing it was time for a change, Kiss dispensed with their makeup for 1983/'s Lick It Up. The publicity worked, as the album became their first platinum record in four years. Animalize, released the following year, was just as successful, and the group had recaptured their niche. Vincent left after Animalize and was replaced by Mark St. John; St. John was soon taken ill with Reiter/'s Syndrome and left the band. Bruce Kulick became Kiss/' new lead guitarist in 1984. For the rest of the decade, Kiss turned out a series of best-selling albums, culminating in the early 1990 hit ballad /"Forever,/" which was their biggest single since /"Beth./" Kiss was scheduled to record a new album with their old producer, Bob Ezrin, in 1990 when Eric Carr became severely ill with cancer; he died in November of 1991 at the age of 41. Kiss replaced him with Eric Singer and recorded Revenge (1992), their first album since 1989; it was a Top Ten hit and went gold. Kiss followed it with the release of Alive III the following year; it performed respectably, but not up to the standards of their two previous live records. In 1996, the original lineup of Kiss -- featuring Simmons, Stanley, Frehley, and Criss -- reunited to perform an international tour, complete with their notorious makeup and special effects. The tour was one of the most successful of 1996, and in 1998 the reunited group issued Psycho Circus. While the ensuing tour in support of Psycho Circus was a success, sales of Kiss/' reunion album weren/'t as stellar as anticipated. Reminiscent of the band/'s late-/'70s unfocused period, few tracks on Psycho Circus featured all four members playing together (most tracks were supplemented with session musicians), as the band seemed more interested in flooding the marketplace with merchandise yet again instead of making the music their top priority. With rumors running rampant that the Psycho Circus Tour would be their last, the quartet announced in the spring of 2000 that they would be launching a U.S. farewell tour in the summer, which became one of the year/'s top concert draws. But on the eve of a Japanese and Australian tour in early 2001, Peter Criss suddenly left the band once again, supposedly discontent with his salary. Taking his place was previous Kiss drummer Eric Singer, who in a controversial move among some longtime fans, donned Criss/' cat-man makeup (since Simmons and Stanley own both Frehley and Criss/' makeup designs, there was no threat of a lawsuit) as the farewell tour continued. With the band scheduled to call it a day supposedly by late 2001, a mammoth career-encompassing box set was set for later in the year, while the summer saw perhaps the most over-the-top piece of Kiss merchandise yet -- the /"Kiss Kasket./" The group was relatively quiet through the rest of the year, but 2002 started with a bang as Gene Simmons turned in an entertaining and controversial interview on NPR where he criticized the organization and berated host Terry Gross with sexual comments and condescending answers. He was promoting his autobiography at the time, which also caused dissent in the Kiss camp because of the inflammatory remarks made towards Ace Frehley. Frehley was quite angry at the situation, leading to his no-showing of an American Bandstand anniversary show. His place was taken by a wig-wearing Tommy Thayer, but no one was fooled and the band looked especially awful while pretending to play their instruments during the pre-recorded track. The appearance was an embarrassment for the group and for their fans, but Simmons was quick to dismiss the performance as another in a long series of money-oriented decisions.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

LAST FM

Keep connected with MeVIO Music on Twitter.

For the latest news, videos, and special offers, go to the MeVIO Music Blog.

MEVIO OFFER:

Find a great pair of shoes at eastbay.com. Use the promo code AFTOUR15 and save 15% off any order.

If you like that offer, there are many more offers available. Just go to offers.mevio.com.
 

TOUR DATES:

10/01
Phoenix, AZ
US Airways Center   

10/03
Las Vegas, NV
MGM Grand Garden Arena   

10/06
Louisville, KY
Freedom Hall   

10/08
Kansas City, MO
Sprint Center   

10/10
Des Moines, IA
Wells Fargo Arena   

10/14
Milwaukee, WI
Bradley Center

10/16
Washington, DC
Verizon Center   

10/18
Buffalo, NY
HSBC Arena   

10/21
Philadelphia, PA
Wachovia Spectrum   

10/23
Atlanta, GA
Philips Arena   

10/25
Greensboro, NC
Greensboro Coliseum   

10/28
New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Arena   

10/30
Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville Veterans
Memorial Arena   

11/02
Dallas, TX
American Airlines Center   

11/04
Oklahoma City, OK
The Ford Center   

11/06
Austin, TX
Frank Erwin Center   

11/08
Houston, TX
Toyota Center   

11/12
Mexico City, MX
Foro Sol   

11/19
Orlando, FL
Amway Arena   

11/21
Hato Rey, PR
Coliseo de Puerto Rico

BIO: (from allmusic.com)

AC/DC/'s mammoth power chord roar became one of the most influential hard rock sounds of the /'70s. In its own way, it was a reaction against the pompous art rock and lumbering arena rock of the early /'70s. AC/DC/'s rock was minimalist — no matter how huge and bludgeoning the guitar chords were, there was a clear sense of space and restraint. Combined with Bon Scott/'s larynx-shredding vocals, the band spawned countless imitators over the next two decades. AC/DC were formed in 1973 in Australia by guitarist Malcolm Young after his band, the Velvet Underground, collapsed (Young/'s band has no relation to the seminal American group). With his younger brother Angus as lead guitarist, the band played some gigs around Sydney. Angus was only 15 years old at the time and his sister suggested that he should wear his school uniform on-stage; the look became the band/'s visual trademark. While still in Sydney, the original lineup featuring singer Dave Evans cut a single called /"Can I Sit Next to You,/" with ex-Easybeats Harry Vanda and George Young (Malcolm and Angus/' older brother) producing.

The band moved to Melbourne the following year, where drummer Phil Rudd (formerly of the Coloured Balls) and bassist Mark Evans joined the band. The band/'s chauffeur, Bon Scott, became the lead vocalist when singer Dave Evans refused to go on-stage. Previously, Scott had been vocalist for the Australian prog rock bands Fraternity and the Valentines. More importantly, he helped cement the group/'s image as brutes — he had several convictions on minor criminal offenses and was rejected by the Australian Army for being /"socially maladjusted./" And AC/DC were socially maladjusted. Throughout their career they favored crude double entendres and violent imagery, all spiked with a mischievous sense of fun.

The group released two albums — High Voltage and TNT — in Australia in 1974 and 1975. Material from the two records comprised the 1976 release High Voltage in the U.S. and U.K.; the group also toured both countries. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap followed at the end of the year. Mark Evans left the band at the beginning of 1977, with Cliff Williams taking his place. In the fall of 1977, AC/DC released Let There Be Rock, which became their first album to chart in the U.S. Powerage, released in spring of 1978, expanded their audience even further, thanks in no small part to their dynamic live shows (which were captured on 1978/'s live If You Want Blood You/'ve Got It). What really broke the doors down for the band was the following year/'s Highway to Hell, which hit number 17 in the U.S. and number eight in the U.K., becoming the group/'s first million-seller.

AC/DC/'s train was derailed when Bon Scott died on February 20, 1980. The official coroner/'s report stated he had /"drunk himself to death./" In March, the band replaced Scott with Brian Johnson. The following month, the band recorded Back in Black, which would prove to be its biggest album, selling over ten million copies in the U.S. alone. For the next few years, the band was one of the largest rock bands in the world, with For Those About to Rock We Salute You topping the charts in the U.S. In 1982, Rudd left the band; he was replaced by Simon Wright.

After 1983/'s Flick of the Switch, AC/DC/'s commercial standing began to slip; they were able to reverse their slide with 1990/'s The Razor/'s Edge, which spawned the hit /"Thunderstruck./" While not the commercial powerhouse they were during the late /'70s and early /'80s, the /'90s saw them maintain their status as a top international concert draw. In the fall of 1995, their 16th album, Ballbreaker, was released. Produced by Rick Rubin, the album received some of the most positive reviews of AC/DC/'s career. Ballbreaker entered the American charts at number four and sold over a million copies in its first six months of release. Stiff Upper Lip followed in early 2000 with similar results. The group signed a multi-album deal with Sony the following year that resulted in a slew of reissues and DVDs. The band returned to the studio in 2008 for Black Ice, an all-new collection of songs that was followed by the group/'s first world tour since 2001.

Follow MeVIO Music on Twitter.

Go to the MeVIO Music Blog for news, videos, and special offers.

MEVIO OFFER:

If you like AC/DC, then check out emusic.com/meviomusic and find more great hard rock and heavy metal. You/'ll get a 14 day free trial with 35 free songs. If you cancel within 14 days, the mp3s are yours to keep.

If you like that offer, there are many more offers available. Just go to offers.mevio.com.
 

Tour Dates:

(more dates TBD. Check www.joeperry.com to see dates as they are added.)

10/6/09 - The Viper Room - West Hollywood, Ca.

11/21/09 - Fantasy Springs Resort Casino - Indio, Ca.

BIO:

The/nJoe Perry Project was essentially Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry’s solo/nproject, which Perry started working on shortly before his departure/nfrom Aerosmith in 1979. Perry signed a record deal almost immediately/nafter his exit from the band with Aerosmith’s label, Columbia Records,/nwho were disappointed with the chaos in the Aerosmith camp and hoping/nto maneuver Perry back into Aerosmith.
The original band line-up/nconsisted of Perry, singer Ralph Morman, bassist David Hull and drummer/nRonnie Stewart. This line-up recorded The Project’s 1980 debut album,/nLet the Music Do the Talking, which was produced by long-time Aerosmith/nproducer Jack Douglas. The album was fairly well received and sold a/nrespectable 250,000 copies in the US.
During the tour in support of/nthe album, Morman was fired and replaced by Joey Mala, who lasted until/nthe end of the tour, when he in turn was replaced by singer and rhythm/nguitarist Charlie Farren. This line-up recorded one album, I’ve Got the/nRock’n’Rolls Again, which was released to little attention in 1981./nColumbia’s reluctance to promote the album combined with Perry’s/ncontinuing drug problems led to Perry’s firing the entire band in 1982.
/nEquipped with a new record label (MCA Records) and three new band/nmembers in singer Cowboy Mach Bell, bassist Danny Hargrove and drummer/nJoe Pet, the band released Once a Rocker, Always a Rocker in 1983. The/nalbum met the same fate as its predecessor, selling a meager 40,000/ncopies without any promotion whatsoever. Despite the poor sales, The/nProject went out on a final tour in support of the album, adding then/nex-Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford to the line-up. The following/nyear, both Perry and Whitford would rejoin Aerosmith for a very/nsuccessful reunion, at which point The Project had been disbanded.
/nA compilation album, The Best of the Joe Perry Project, was released by/nan Australian Indie Record label in 1999. 

Discography

• Let the Music Do the Talking (1980)
• I/'ve Got the Rock/'n/'Rolls Again (1981)
• Once a Rocker, Always a Rocker (1983)
• The Music Still Does the Talking: The Best of the Joe Perry Project (1999)

LAST FM

WIKIPEDIA

Follow MeVIO Music on Twitter.

Go to the MeVIO Music Blog for news, videos, and special offers.

MEVIO OFFER:

The next time you need to rent a car, go to budget.com/meviomusic. You/'ll get 10% off any order or $30 off any weekly order. Get to clicking now.

If you like that offer, there are many more offers available. Just go to offers.mevio.com.
 

09/14
Portland, OR
Rose Garden

09/16
Tacoma, WA
Tacoma Dome

09/18
Oakland, CA
Oracle Arena

09/20
San Jose, CA
HP Pavilion at San Jose

09/22
Los Angeles, CA
STAPLES Center

09/23
Anaheim, CA
Honda Center

09/25
Glendale, AZ
jobing.com Arena

09/26
Las Vegas, NV
Thomas & Mack Center

09/29
Salt Lake City, UT
Energy Solutions Arena

10/02
Omaha, NE
Qwest Center

10/03
Kansas City, MO
Sprint Center

10/04
St. Louis, MO
Scottrade Center

10/06
Auburn Hills, MI
The Palace of Auburn Hills

10/07
Columbus, OH
Nationwide Arena

10/09
Des Moines, IA
Wells Fargo Arena

10/10
Milwaukee, WI
Bradley Center

10/12
Tulsa, OK
BOK Center

10/15
San Antonio, TX
AT&T Center

10/18
Dallas, TX
American Airlines Center

10/20
New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Arena

10/21
Memphis, TN
FedExForum

10/23
Birmingham, AL
BJCC Arena

10/24
N. Little Rock, AR
ALLTEL Arena

10/27
Chicago, IL
United Center

10/29
Minneapolis, MN
Target Center

10/31
Louisville, KY
Freedom Hall


BIO: (from allmusic.com)

Young Miley Cyrus became an overnight sensation in 2006 as the star of the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana, but fortunately her family has had some experience with that sort of thing -- her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, went from obscurity to stardom in a few short months when the song "Achy Breaky Heart" hit the charts in 1992. The success of "Achy Breaky Heart" was hardly the only memorable event for Billy Ray that year -- on November 23, 1992, he and his wife welcomed their daughter Destiny Hope Cyrus into the world. Destiny's cheerful disposition as a child earned her the nickname Smiley, which stuck when it was shortened to Miley. Miley's career as a professional actress began in 2003, when she appeared in an episode of the television series Doc, which starred her father; the same year, she landed a small role in the Tim Burton film Big Fish.

Miley developed an interest in music early on, writing songs and learning to sing while still a preteen, and in 2005 she landed a role that allowed her to put her skills in acting and music to work. Miley was cast in the title role of Hannah Montana, in which she played a teenage girl leading a double life -- by day, she's Miley Stewart, an ordinary kid dealing with school, her friends, her siblings, and all the other foibles of life for a 14-year-old, while at night she dons a wig and becomes Hannah Montana, a multi-platinum pop star whose career is guided by her dad, Robby Stewart, a successful songwriter. However, Miley's friends don't know she's also Hannah, and keeping this a secret is no simple matter. Debuting in March 2006, Hannah Montana became an immediate success with young viewers, and in October, a soundtrack CD was released, featuring Miley singing eight songs from the show along with five related tracks, including a duet between Miley and her father, Billy Ray, on "I Learned from You."

That fall, Miley hit the road, wowing audiences as the opening act for another Disney-spawned pop act, the Cheetah Girls, and in March 2007, the Hannah Montana album was reissued in a special edition featuring a bonus DVD, not long after the show's theme song, "The Best of Both Worlds," was released as a single. A second Hannah Montana album, Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus, was released in summer 2007. That fall, Cyrus embarked on the Best of Both Worlds tour, which stretched into early 2008 and was edited into The Best of Both Worlds Concert film, which was released that spring. By then Cyrus was busy recording her first full-fledged album as herself, Breakout, as well as shooting Hannah Montana: The Movie, which was slated for release in 2009. Breakout arrived in summer 2008.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

TWITTER

MEVIO Music is on Twitter. Go follow now.

For the latest news, videos, and special offers, go to the MEVIO Music Blog.

MEVIO OFFER:

Get yourself a great new pair of shoes by going to Foot Locker. Use the promo code "AFTOURFL" at check out and save 15% off your order.

If you like that offer, there are many more offers available. Just go to offers.mevio.com. 

Tour Dates:

09/24
Pittsburgh, PA
Altar Bar

09/25
Pontiac, MI
Clutch Cargos

09/26
Columbus, OH
Newport Music Hall

09/27
Grand Rapids, MI
Intersection

09/28
Chicago, IL
House Of Blues

09/29
St. Louis, MO
Pops

09/30
Milwaukee, WI
The Rave

10/02
Minneapolis, MN
Station 4

10/03
Omaha, NE
Sokol Auditorium

10/04
Denver, CO
Gothic

10/06
Salt Lake City, UT
In The Venue

10/07
Boise, ID
Knitting Factory

10/08
Seattle, WA
El Corazon

10/09
Portland, OR
Wonder

10/10
Chico, CA
Senator Theatre

10/11
San Francisco, CA
Regency Ballroom

10/13
Bakersfield, CA
The Dome

10/14
Los Angeles, CA
Avalon

10/15
Pomona, CA
Glasshouse

10/16
San Diego, CA
House Of Blues

10/17
Tucson, AZ
Rialto

10/18
Phoenix, AZ
The Marquee

10/20
San Antonio, TX
White Rabbit

10/21
Dallas, TX
The Door

10/22
Houston, TX
Warehouse

10/24
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Culture Room

10/25
Jacksonville, FL
Freebird

10/27
Orlando, FL
House Of Blues

10/28
Atlanta, GA
Masquerade

10/29
Nashville, TN
Rocketown

10/30
Charlotte, NC
Amos

10/31
Norfolk, VA
The Norva

MayDay Parade 

BIO:  (from allmusic.com)

Mayday Parade resulted from the merger of two popular Tallahassee local bands, Kid Named Chicago and Defining Moment, which helped the newly minted melodic rock unit amass a quick buzz around its hometown scene upon forming in the mid-2000s. The sextet was comprised of vocalist Derek Sanders, vocalist/guitarist Jason Lancaster, bassist/vocalist Jeremy Lenzo, drummer Jake Bundrick, and guitarists Alex Garcia and Brooks Betts. Playing some dates on the 2005 Warped Tour, along with random shows alongside bands like Armor for Sleep, the Rocket Summer, the Starting Line, and Emery, the band hooked up with Fearless Records in August 2006, releasing its debut EP, Tales Told by Dead Friends, three months later. Lancaster left Mayday Parade in March 2007.

FEARLESS RECORDS

MYSPACE

The Academy Is...

BIO: (from allmusic.com) 

Formerly in rival bands on the Chicago local scene, guitarist Mike Carden and vocalist William Beckett came together in 2002 to mark the beginning of emo-pop outfit the Academy Is... (originally named "the Academy"). Naming influences from U2 to Weezer to Pink Floyd, the duo added bassist Adam Siska (Beckett's classmate from high school), along with a second guitarist and drummer, to record 2004's The Academy EP for hometown label LLR Recordings. As luck would have it, fellow Chicagoan Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy) heard the release and brought the band to the attention of his current label, which resulted in an offer from Gainesville's Fueled by Ramen. Six months after Carden and Beckett set to work writing their full-length debut, the band headed to Florida to record.

A few lineup changes arrived in 2004, as guitarist/vocalist Tom Conrad and drummer Andy Mrotek climbed aboard as permanent members of the group. Relentless touring with the likes of Fall Out Boy, Something Corporate, Midtown, and Armor for Sleep steadily built a devoted audience around the country before the band's well-received label debut, Almost Here, arrived in February 2005. Gigs continued at a frantic pace in support on the album, and the Academy Is... released the six-song acoustic EP From the Carpet exclusively on iTunes in early 2006. The digital release contained three new songs (including a cover of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero") and acoustic versions of tracks from Almost Here.

Following a summer spent on the road with the Warped Tour, the guys parted ways with Conrad in the fall of 2006 (replaced by guitarist Michael Guy Chislett) and began writing new material back in Chicago. The Academy Is... eventually entered a California studio with famed producer Butch Walker (All-American Rejects, Hot Hot Heat) to record what would become their sophomore effort, Santi, which ultimately arrived in early April 2007. Fast Times at Barrington High, a reference to the school that Beckett and Siska attended as teenagers (as well as a nod to the '80s film Fast Times at Ridgemont High), arrived the following year.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

Set Your Goals

BIO: (from allmusic.com) 

Bringing to mind an amalgamation of bands like Lifetime, CIV, New Found Glory, the Movielife, and early Saves the Day, the Bay Area's Set Your Goals straddles the line between pop-punk and hardcore. They burst onto the scene with a 2005 self-titled EP on Straight on Records. Comprised of vocalists Jordan Brown and Matt Wilson, guitarist Dave Yoha, bassist Joe Saucedo, and drummer Michael Ambrose, the guys later rechristened their eponymous EP Reset for an April 2006 reissue on Eulogy that included a bonus track and enhanced video footage. They followed up three months later with their infectious debut full-length, Mutiny!, which blended rousing melodic hardcore with insightful, positive lyrics and ample pirate references. Becoming an official six-piece with the addition of guitarist Audelio Flores, Jr., Set Your Goals hit the road in support, playing several dates with Gorilla Biscuits and Comeback Kid before spending fall alongside Less Than Jake, the Loved Ones, and Catch 22.

LAST FM

MYSPACE

The Secret Handshake

BIO: (from allmusic.com) 

The Secret Handshake is the musical project of self-taught musician Luis Dubuc, who began performing under the name in the early 2000s. Dubuc first got his start playing in a couple of bands with his friends, most notably spending time as the drummer for metallic hardcore unit Thirty Called Arson, who released the album You're Only a Rebel from the Waist Down through Pluto Records in 2003. Inspired by artists like Michael Jackson and Daft Punk, he eventually began writing and recording some songs on the side in his Dallas-based bedroom with just a laptop and Wurlitzer to assist him. By November 2004, Dubuc had self-released his first full-length album, entitled Antarctica. Less than a year later, he followed up with the EP This Is Bigger Than You and I, which was issued through Doll House Recordings. Momentum began building around his quirky electro laptop pop/rock, at times resembling Hellogoodbye's antics and resonating with emo kids looking for a good time. Another EP, Summer of '98 (as in the summer before he started high school), was released in early 2007 through New York's Triple Crown Records, anchored by the vocoder-heavy title track. Dubuc worked closely with his friend Cory Kilduff (from the Rise) on the album, which also contained remixes by acts like the Dillinger Escape Plan and Spank Rock's Ronnie Darko. The Secret Handshake, whose live show includes a full band, spent fall 2007 on the road with Jonezetta.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

You Me At Six

BIO: (from allmusic.com) 

Often abbreviated YMA6 or YM@6, You Me at Six are a pop/rock outfit that formed in Surrey, England, in 2005. They quickly released an EP at the time, entitled We Know What It's Like to Be Alone, but it would be their subsequent live work and recorded output after signing with Slam Dunk in 2007 that would earn the band quite a bit of success, including a nomination from Kerrang! for Best British Band in 2008. With a more "screamo" sound as their foundation, You Me at Six slowly built a buzz around themselves in 2006-2007, playing larger and larger venues and attracting the attention of the aforementioned Slam Dunk. Soon after the deal was done, YMA6 released their first album, Take Off Your Colours, in late 2008. The album would go on to crack the Top 25 on the U.K. album charts, and earn the band an opening slot for Fall Out Boy on that band's U.K. tour.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

MEVIO Music is on Twitter. Go follow now.

MEVIO Music has a blog. Go there for news, videos, and special offers.

MEVIO OFFER:

Find a great pair of shoes at Eastbay. Use the promo code "AFTOUR15" at checkout, and save 15% off any order.

Tour Dates:

08/08

Calgary, Alberta

Virgin Festival Alberta 2009

08/11

London, UK

Shepherd’s Bush Empire

08/13

Rotterdam, NL

The Ahoy

08/15

Berlin, DE

Wuhlheide

08/17

Manchester. UK

MEN Arena

08/18

London, UK

O2 Arena

08/21

Toronto, Ontario

Molson Ampitheater

08/23-24

Chicago, Illinois

United Center

08/28

San Francisco, California

Outside Lands Festival

09/21-22

Seattle, Washington

Key Arena

09/30

Universal City, Ca.

Gibson Ampitheater

10/01

Universal City, Ca.

Gibson Ampitheater

10/04

Austin, Texas

Austin City Limits

10/06-07

Universal City, Ca.

Gibson Ampitheater

10/09

San Diego, Ca.

Viejas Arena

10/28

Philadelphia, Pa.

Spectrum

10/30

Philadelphia, Pa.

Spectrum

BIO: (from allmusic.com)

Pearl Jam rose from the ashes of Mother Love Bone to become the most popular American rock & roll band of the '90s. After vocalist Andrew Wood overdosed on heroin in 1990, guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament assembled a new band, bringing in Mike McCready on lead guitar and recording a demo with Soundgarden's Matt Cameron on drums. Thanks to future Pearl Jam drummer Jack Irons, the demo found its way to a 25-year-old San Diego surfer named Eddie Vedder, who overdubbed vocals and original lyrics and was subsequently invited to join the band (then christened Mookie Blaylock after the NBA player). Dave Krusen was hired as the full-time drummer shortly thereafter, completing the original lineup. Renaming themselves Pearl Jam, the band recorded their debut album, Ten, in the beginning of 1991, although it wasn't released until August; in the meantime, the majority of the band appeared on the Andrew Wood tribute project Temple of the Dog. Krusen left the band shortly after the release of Ten; he was replaced by Dave Abbruzzese.

Ten didn't begin selling in significant numbers until early 1992, after Nirvana made mainstream rock radio receptive to alternative rock acts. Soon, Pearl Jam outsold Nirvana, which wasn't surprising -- Pearl Jam fused the riff-heavy stadium rock of the '70s with the grit and anger of '80s post-punk, without ever neglecting hooks and choruses; "Jeremy," "Evenflow," and "Alive" fit perfectly onto album rock radio stations looking for new blood. Pearl Jam's audience continued to grow during 1992, thanks to a series of radio and MTV hits, as well as successful appearances on the second Lollapalooza tour and the Singles soundtrack (Stone Gossard also embarked on a side project called Brad, which released the album Shame in early 1993).

Despite their status as rock & roll superstars, the band refused to succumb to the accepted conventions of the music industry. The group refused to release any videos or singles from their second album, 1993's Vs. Nevertheless, it was another multi-platinum success, debuting at number one and selling nearly a million copies in its first week of release. On their spring 1994 American tour, the band decided not to play the conventional stadiums, choosing to play smaller arenas, including several shows on college campuses. Pearl Jam canceled their 1994 summer tour, claiming they could not keep ticket prices below 20 dollars because Ticketmaster was pressuring promoters to charge a higher price. The band took Ticketmaster to the Justice Department for unfair business practices; while fighting Ticketmaster, they recorded a new album during the spring and summer of 1994. After the record was completed, the group fired Dave Abbruzzese, replacing him with former Red Hot Chili Peppers and Eleven drummer Jack Irons.

Vitalogy, the band's third album, appeared at the end of 1994. For the first two weeks, the album was only available as a limited vinyl release, but the record charted in the Top 60. Once Vitalogy was available on CD and cassette, the album shot to the top of the charts and quickly went multi-platinum. Pearl Jam continued to battle Ticketmaster in 1995, but the Justice Department eventually ruled in favor of the ticket agency. In early 1995, the band recorded an album with Neil Young. Meanwhile, Vedder toured with his wife Beth's experimental band Hovercraft in the spring of 1994 as Stone Gossard founded an independent record company; Mad Season, Mike McCready's side project with Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, released their first album, Above, in the spring of 1995. Comprised entirely of Neil Young songs, Mirror Ball appeared in the summer under Young's name; although the individual members of the band were credited, the name Pearl Jam did not appear on the cover due to legal complications. Pearl Jam released a single culled from the sessions, titled Merkinball and featuring the songs "I Got Id" and "Long Road," in the fall of 1995.

In late summer of 1996, Pearl Jam released their fourth album, No Code. Although the album was greeted with fairly positive reviews and debuted at number one, its weird amalgam of rock, worldbeat, and experimentalism dissatisfied a large portion of their fan base, and it quickly fell down the charts. The record's performance was also hurt by Pearl Jam's inability to launch a full-scale tour, due both to their battle with Ticketmaster and a reluctance to spend months on the road. The band spent most of 1997 out of the spotlight, working on new material; Gossard also released a second album with his side project Brad, titled Interiors. By the end of the year, Pearl Jam had completed a new, harder-rocking record entitled Yield. The album was greeted with enthusiastic reviews upon its February 1998 release, but its commercial fortunes weren't quite as clear cut. While their sizable cult embraced the album, sending it to number two its first week of release, Yield quickly slipped down the charts. Pearl Jam supported the record with a full-scale arena tour in the summer of 1998, issuing the concert LP Live on Two Legs at the end of the year; Jack Irons did not participate due to poor health, and was replaced by ex-Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron.

In 1999, Pearl Jam scored an unlikely pop radio smash with their cover of the J. Frank Wilson oldie "Last Kiss," originally released as the seventh in a series of fan club-only singles that had also featured several incongruous covers in the past. Demand from fans and radio programmers resulted in the nationwide release of "Last Kiss," and it eventually became the band's highest-charting pop hit to date, peaking at number two and going gold. The group returned in 2000 with the Tchad Blake-produced Binaural. In order to circumvent bootleggers, their subsequent European and American tours were recorded in full and released in an unprecedented series of double-CD sets, each of the 72 volumes featuring a complete concert. 2002 saw the release of Riot Act, a muscular -- and critically lauded -- collection of new songs that found the group dabbling in experimental art rock. Two anthologies arrived in 2003 and 2004, Lost Dogs: Rarities and B Sides and Rearviewmirror: Greatest Hits 1991-2003. They were followed in 2006 by the eponymous (and all-new) Pearl Jam, a number two hit on the album charts.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

LAST FM

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter.

Go to the MEVIO Music Blog for news, videos, and special offers. Go there and check out Pearl Jam's new single, "The Fixer."

MEVIO OFFER:

Get some new kicks over at Eastbay. Use the promo code AFTOUR15 to save 15% off any order.

Tour Dates:

08/14

EL PASO, TX

CHIC'S BAR AND BILLIARDS

08/15

ALBUQUERQUE, NM

LAUNCHPAD

08/16

TUCSON, AZ

CLUB CONGRESS

08/18

VICTORVILLE, CA

KARMA

08/19

ANAHEIM, CA

CHAIN REACTION

08/21

SANTA BARBARA, CA

VELVET JONES

08/23

STOCKTON, CA

EMPIRE THEATRE

08/25

SEATTLE, WA

CHOP SUEY

08/26

PORTLAND, OR

HAWTHORNE THEATRE

08/27

ORANGEVALE, CA

THE BOARDWALK

09/08

SALT LAKE CITY, UT

KILBY COURT

09/09

BOULDER, CO

CLUB 156

09/11

DETROIT, MI

THE SHELTER

09/12

GRAND RAPIDS, MI

THE INTERSECTION

09/13

ROCHESTER, NY

WATER STREET MUSIC HALL

09/16

ALLSTON, MA

GREAT SCOTT

09/17

NEW YORK, NY

THE MERCURY LOUNGE

09/18

VIENNA, VA

JAMMIN' JAVA

09/20

ATLANTA, GA

THE DRUNKEN UNICORN

09/22

NASHVILLE, TN

ROCKETOWN

09/23

ST LOUIS, MO

THE FIREBIRD

09/24

CHICAGO, IL

SCHUBA'S TAVERN

09/25

MINNEAPOLIS, MN

TRIPLE ROCK SOCIAL CLUB

BIO: (from allmusic.com)

A group of quirky, fun-loving emo rockers from California, Hellogoodbye seem to take as much influence from modern pop-punk as they do from the original Nintendo sound bleeps that held children captive in the late '80s. Formed by high school friends in 2002, the group's playful brand of indie power pop is infused with sugary sweetness, catchy dance beats, and enough energy to tire a group of five-year-olds. Hellogoodbye, named after a quote from Saved by the Bell's Screech Powers, is composed of vocalist/guitarist Forrest Kline, bassist Marcus Cole, keyboardist Jesse Kurvink, and drummer Chris Profeta. First releasing their self-titled EP for free download on their label's website, the physical album hit stores with an additional track in November 2004 on Drive Thru (where Kline used to intern). The move worked to the band's advantage and their music quickly spread; the single "Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn" made minor waves on MTV and garnered the band a pretty notable following for having only a handful of songs to their name. Extensive touring commenced, joining up for gigs (which often included water guns, confetti, and costumes) with bands like the Format and the All-American Rejects. The music video/live DVD OMG HGB DVD ROTFL appeared in the fall of 2005, and by the year's end, the band had won the on-air MTV Dew Circuit Breakout contest, beating Over It and Tub Ring in the end. Early 2006 was spent playing sold-out nationwide dates as openers for the Academy Is... before hooking up with Motion City Soundtrack and Straylight Run in the spring for the MTVU Campus Invasion Tour. A spot on May's Bamboozle festival preceded a summer spent on the Warped Tour. All this activity ultimately led up to the release of their highly anticipated full-length Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!, which finally hit stores that August.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

LAST FM

MEVIO Music is on Twitter. You should follow.

For the latest news, videos, and special offers, go to the MEVIO Music Blog.

MEVIO OFFER:

Go to Foot Locker to find great shoes, and use the promo code AFTOURFL at check out and get 15% off any order.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

08/01

MARYSVILLE, CA

SLEEP TRAIN AMPHITHEATRE

08/02

LOS ANGELES, CA

GIBSON AMPHITHEATRE

08/04

SAN DIEGO, CA

SDSU OPEN AIR THEATRE

08/05

COSTA MESA, CA

PACIFIC AMPHITHEATRE

08/07

PHOENIX, AZ

DODGE THEATRE

08/08

LAS VEGAS, NV

THOMAS & MACK CENTER

08/10

ALBUQUERQUE, NM

SANDIA CASINO

08/11

MORRISON, CO

RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE

08/13

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX

NOKIA LIVE THEATER

08/15

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL

ST AUGUSTINE AMPHITHEATRE

08/16

TAMPA, FL

ST. PETE TIMES FORUM

08/17

HOLLYWOOD, FL

SEMINOLE HARD ROCK ARENA

08/19

ESTERO, FL

GERMAIN ARENA

 08/20

ALPHARETTA, GA

VERIZON WIRELESS AMPHITHEATRE AT ENCORE PARK

08/22

COLUMBIA, MD

MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION

08/23

GILFORD NH

MEADOWBROOK US CELLULAR PAVILION

Judas Priest

BIO: (from allmusic.com)

Judas Priest was one of the most influential heavy metal bands of the '70s, spearheading the New Wave of British Heavy Metal late in the decade. Decked out in leather and chains, the band fused the gothic doom of Black Sabbath with the riffs and speed of Led Zeppelin, as well as adding a vicious two-lead guitar attack; in doing so, they set the pace for much popular heavy metal from 1975 until 1985, as well as laying the groundwork for the speed and death metal of the '80s. Formed in Birmingham, England, in 1970, the group's core members were guitarist K.K. Downing and bassist Ian Hill. Joined by Alan Atkins and drummer John Ellis, the band played their first concert in 1971. Atkins' previous band was called Judas Priest, yet the members decided it was the best name for the new group. The band played numerous shows throughout 1971; during the year, Ellis was replaced by Alan Moore; by the end of the year, Chris Campbell replaced Moore. After a solid year of touring the U.K., Atkins and Campbell left the band in 1973 and were replaced by vocalist Rob Halford and drummer John Hinch. They continued touring, including a visit to Germany and the Netherlands in 1974; by the time the tour was completed, they had secured a record contract with Gull, an independent U.K. label. Before recording their debut album, Rocka Rolla, Judas Priest added guitarist Glenn Tipton. They released the record in September of 1974 to almost no attention. The following year, they gave a well-received performance at the Reading Festival and Hinch departed the band; he was replaced by Alan Moore. Later that year, the group released Sad Wings of Destiny, which earned some positive reviews. However, the lack of sales was putting the band in a dire financial situation, which was remedied by an international contract with CBS Records. Sin After Sin (1977) was the first album released under that contract; it was recorded with Simon Phillips, who replaced Moore. The record received positive reviews and the band departed for their first American tour, with Les Binks on drums. When they returned to England, Judas Priest recorded 1978's Stained Class, the record that established them as an international force in metal. Along with 1979's Hell Bent for Leather (Killing Machine in the U.K.), Stained Class began the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. A significant number of bands adopted Priest's leather-clad image and hard, driving sound, making their music harder, faster, and louder. After releasing Hell Bent for Leather, the band recorded the live album Unleashed in the East (1979) in Japan; it became their first platinum album in America. Les Binks left the band in 1979; he was replaced by former Trapeze drummer Dave Holland. Their next album, 1980's British Steel, entered the British charts at number three, launched the hit singles "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight," and was their second American platinum record; Point of Entry, released the following year, was nearly as successful.

At the beginning of the '80s, Judas Priest was a top concert attraction around the world, in addition to being a best-selling recording artist. Featuring the hit single "You've Got Another Thing Comin'," Screaming for Vengeance (1982) marked the height of their popularity, peaking at number 17 in America and selling over a million copies. Two years later, Defenders of the Faith nearly matched its predecessor's performance, yet metal tastes were beginning to change, as Metallica and other speed/thrash metal groups started to grow in popularity. That shift was evident on 1986's Turbo, where Judas Priest seemed out of touch with current trends; nevertheless, the record sold over a million copies in America on the basis of name recognition alone. However, 1987's Priest...Live! was their first album since Stained Class not to go gold. Ram It Down (1988) was a return to raw metal and returned the group to gold status. Dave Holland left after this record and was replaced by Scott Travis for 1990's Painkiller. Like Ram It Down, Painkiller didn't make an impact outside the band's diehard fans, yet the group was still a popular concert act. In the early '90s, Rob Halford began his own thrash band, Fight, and soon left Judas Priest. In 1996, following a solo album by Glenn Tipton, the band rebounded with a new young singer, Tim "Ripper" Owens, (formerly a member of a Priest tribute band and of Winter's Bane). They spent the next year recording Jugulator amongst much self-perpetuated hype concerning Priest's return to their roots. The album debuted at number 82 on the Billboard album charts upon its release in late 1997. Halford had by then disbanded Fight following a decrease in interest and signed with Trent Reznor's Nothing label with a new project, Two. In the meantime, the remaining members of Judas Priest forged on with '98 Live Meltdown, a live set recorded during their inaugural tour with Ripper on the mic. Around the same time, a movie was readying production that was to be based on Ripper's rags-to-riches story of how he got to front his all-time favorite band. Although Priest was originally supposed to be involved with the film, they ultimately pulled out, but production went on anyway without the band's blessing (the movie, Rock Star, was eventually released in the summer of 2001, starring Mark Wahlberg in the lead role). Rob Halford in the meantime disbanded Two after just a single album, 1997's Voyeurs, and returned back to his metal roots with a quintet titled simply...Halford. The group issued their debut in 2000, Resurrection, following it with a worldwide tour that saw the new group open up Iron Maiden's Brave New World U.S. tour, and issuing a live set one year later (which included a healthy helping of Priest classics) -- Live Insurrection. In 2001 the Ripper-led Priest issued a new album, Demolition, and Priest's entire back catalog for Columbia was reissued with remastered sound and bonus tracks. In 2003 the band--including Halford--collaborated on the liner notes and song selections for their mammoth career-encompassing box Metalogy, a collaboration that brought Halford back into the fold. Owens split from the group amicably in 2003, allowing the newly reunited heavy metal legends to plan their global live concert tour in 2004, with their sixteenth studio album, Angel of Retribution, to be released the following year.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

LAST FM

Whitesnake

BIO: (from allmusic.com)

After recording two solo albums, former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale formed Whitesnake around 1977. In the glut of hard rock and heavy metal bands of the late '70s, their first albums got somewhat lost in the shuffle, although they were fairly popular in Europe and Japan. During 1982, Coverdale took some time off, so he could take care of his sick daughter. When he re-emerged with a new version of Whitesnake in 1984, the band sounded revitalized and energetic. Slide It In may have relied on Led Zeppelin's and Deep Purple's old tricks, but the band had a knack for writing hooks; the record became their first platinum album. Three years later, Whitesnake released an eponymous album (titled 1987 in Europe) that was even better. Portions of the album were blatantly derivative -- "Still of the Night" was a dead ringer for early Zeppelin -- but the group could write powerful, heavy rockers like "Here I Go Again" that were driven as much by melody as riffs, as well as hit power ballads like "Is This Love." Whitesnake was an enormous international success, selling over six million copies in the U.S. alone.

Before they recorded their follow-up, 1989's Slip of the Tongue, Coverdale again assembled a completely new version of the band, featuring guitar virtuoso Steve Vai. Although the record went platinum, it was a considerable disappointment after the across-the-board success of Whitesnake. Coverdale put Whitesnake on hiatus after that album. In 1993, he released a collaboration with former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page that was surprisingly lackluster. The following year, Whitesnake issued a greatest-hits album in the U.S. and Canada -- focusing solely on material from their final three albums (as well as containing a few unreleased tracks).

In 1997, Coverdale resurrected Whitesnake (guitarist Adrian Vandenberg was the only remaining member of the group's latter-day lineup), issuing Restless Heart the same year. Surprisingly, the album wasn't even issued in the United States. On the ensuing tour, Coverdale and Vandenberg performed an "unplugged" show in Japan that was recorded and issued the following year under the title Starkers in Tokyo. By the late '90s, however, Coverdale once again put Whitesnake on hold, as he concentrated on recording his first solo album in nearly 22 years. Coverdale's Into the Light was issued in September 2000, featuring journeyman guitarist Earl Slick. After a lengthy hiatus that saw the release of countless "greatest-hits" and "live" collections, the band returned in 2008 with the impressive Good to Be Bad.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

LAST FM

MEVIO Music is on Twitter. Go follow now.

Also go check out the MEVIO Music Blog. Get the latest news and information, as well as special offers.

MEVIO OFFER:

Go to eMusic.com and get a 14-Day free trial, along with 35 free MP3s.

Click here to get more information.

Tour Dates:

07/12
PHOENIX, AZ
Dodge Theater

07/14
LOUISVILLE, KY
Six Flags
Kentucky Kingdom

07/15
PACIFIC, MO
Six Flags St. Louis

07/16
GURNEE, IL
Six Flags

07/17
MARNE, MI
Berlin Fair Raceway

07/20
JACKSON, NJ
Six Flags
Great Adventure

07/30
SAN ANTONIO, TX
Six Flags Fiesta

07/31
ARLINGTON/DALLAS, TX
Six Flags Over Texas

08/01
BATON ROUGE, LA
Dixie Landin/'
Theme Park

BIO: (from jessemac.com)

“The record is called Departure for a number of reasons,” says Jesse McCartney, whose multi-platinum 2004 debut album Beautiful Soul launched his career as an international singing star. “There have been departures in my career, in my personal life. I’ve learned a lot since doing my first couple of records. I think I’ve landed in the most comfortable place I’ve ever been musically as the style of music, my vocals and the lyrical content of the songs on this album. I co-wrote several songs on the new album, and learned a lot from the producers I worked with. In the process of writing for my own project, I wound up writing “Bleeding Love” with Ryan Tedder for Leona Lewis. Departure has a little more of mature sound than what my fans previously heard from me but this is the road that I’m on right now and it’s the road that I believe they’ll join with me!”

With star writers and hit making producers such as Sean Garrett (Usher, Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Gwen Stefani, Pussycat Dolls, Chris Brown), Tricky & The-Dream (Rihanna, Mariah Carey), J.R. Rotem (Britney Spears, Sean Kingston, 50 Cent, Rihanna) and The Clutch (Omarion, Timbaland, Ciara, Bobby Valentino), Departure has an edgier pop/urban sound than Beautiful Soul and Jesse’s sophomore album, 2006’s Right Where You Want Me reflecting Jesse’s growth as a songwriter and young man. “When it was time to do my third album, I wanted people to see another side of me. I wanted the record to have a little retro hint sonically but with a my own contemporary feel - I listened to the music of Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince a lot before we started the album. I knew I had to present myself in a fresh way so I was open to other people’s ideas and suggestions, especially since I was working with such great writers and producers.”
As the co-writer of many of the album’s songs, Jesse chose to share the experiences he’s had since Beautiful Soul made him a household name throughout the U.S. and in a dozen or more countries, from Italy to Japan. “I recorded my first solo album when I was 16. A lot has happened since then and this new album reflects my experiences growing up over the past couple of years and various stages of family and personal relationships. I bought my first home. I’ve been fortunate enough to tour all over the world which meant being away from my family and friends for very lengthy times. I’ve experienced all the ups and downs of relationships people my age go through. That’s why I think fans who’ve grown up with me will relate to the songs on Departure, many of which do have an autobiographical feel.”

A prime example, the standout cut “It’s Over” which Jesse says “represents the reality when you know a relationship is not going to continue.” The edgy jam “How Do You Sleep?” was inspired by a conversation Jesse had with writer/producer Sean Garrett during sessions with the hitmaker in Atlanta about “moving on from your first true love.”

On a completely different tip, “Into Ya” – another collaboration with Garrett – is “a sexy, intimate, sensual, romantic kind of song.” In contrast, the hard and funky track “Freaky” (produced by Madd Scientist) shows Jesse in a whole other light, a dance-flavored uptempo cut that Jesse laughs is “about whatever you think it’s about!” “Rock You” which features a performance by Sean Garrett, a cut that Jesse says was “a stretch for me. I heard the track and I was like, ‘that’s fire!’ I can’t wait to perform it live. I hope when my fans see how much I embrace this different side of me musically, their ears will adjust!”
The album’s first single, the instantly memorable pop/R&B-flavored “Leavin’” (produced by Tricky and The-Dream, the team behind Rihanna’s 2008 Grammy award winning hit “Umbrella”) is one of the few songs on Departure that is not autobiographical, Jesse says, while “My Baby” (produced by J.R. Rotem) comes directly from one of Jesse’s relationships: “I wrote that about the ‘puppy love’ stage I went through when I first got together with an ex-girlfriend. Wherever we went, whatever we did, all eyes were on her – she was that girl! It was cool, I didn’t worry about it because I knew at the end of the evening, she was mine. She knew how much I cared about her….we were just super tight.”

Produced by New York-producer Eric Hudson (who Jesse describes as “a young Quincy Jones”), “Told You So” is a mid-tempo cut that Jesse says is “more about situations that my friends have told me they’ve been in after a relationship is over. You know, when I’m sitting around with the guys, we talk about things we’ve been through. Same thing with “Runnin,’” which is something guys go through sometimes when a girl gets really intense and tries to push a relationship to the next level. Guys get scared, you know! Our guard comes up…we’re scared of maybe getting our hearts broken.”

With his third Hollywood Records album, upstate New York-born Jesse McCartney is building on a foundation that began when he first started performing at local community musicals at the age of seven, making his Broadway debut in “The King and I” when he was ten and later appearing with The Who/'s Roger Daltrey in “A Christmas Carol.” In 1997, Jesse joined kid group Sugar Beats as a vocalist, earning a Grammy nomination for “Best Children/'s Album” for their 1998 release How Sweet It Is. He then joined the band Dream Street where, at the age of twelve, he was presented with his first platinum album.

At sixteen, Jesse launched his solo career, creating songs for his first record while performing on dozens of soundtracks. Released in 2004, Jesse’s debut album Beautiful Soul sold over 1.5 million copies, while the first single of the same name burned up the U.S. charts while topping the charts in Australia, Italy, the Phillippines and Taiwan, making /"Jesse Mac/" a household name in the teen world. Of his global appeal, Jesse notes, “It’s been surreal, going to countries where people know me, know my parents’ names, even know my pet’s name! I’ve loved all the places I’ve been but one of my favorites is Italy because it’s a very romantic country. And Japan is so futuristic. Traveling worldwide has definitely been a life changing learning experience. It’s interesting to learn about other cultures and meet people from different places.” Jesse performed to sold out crowds in Europe in 2005.
Jesse also racked up a number of awards and nominations including an American Music Award nomination for “Best New Artist,” an MTV Award nomination for “Best Pop Video” and three Teen Choice Awards, including “Choice Male Artist,” “Breakout Artist” and “Crossover Artist.”
Being on the road for eight straight months gave Jesse the impetus for his second album, Right Where You Want Me, released in 2006 which drew from Jesse/'s life-long love of R&B artists like Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and Lauryn Hill while expressing a more rock-flavored side of his musicality. It was, he says, “a step forward from Beautiful Soul, to show some growth and maturity/" and working with guitarist and musical director Dory Lobel, he co-wrote all but one of the songs on the album.
Expanding his professional horizons, Jesse appeared on the hit television show “Summerland” and in the filmed his first feature, “Keith.” In 2007, he was heard as the voice of Theodore in the box office smash, “Alvin & The Chipmunks,” an experience he says he thoroughly enjoyed. While working in the studio for his new album Departure, Jesse wound up writing songs for other artists: “Bleeding Love,” a powerhouse ballad co-written with Ryan Tedder (of the group OneRepublic) was picked by music industry veteran Clive Davis as a single for singer Leona Lewis, winner of Britain’s “X Factor” (the U.K. equivalent of “American Idol”), becoming one of 2007’s biggest hits in Britain. “It was very intense for me as a songwriter to have Clive pick one of my songs and then to have it be such a huge success. It has certainly encouraged me to write more for other artists.”

While establishing himself as a successful songwriter is certainly in Jesse’s future plans, his current focus is his latest album. “I spent over a year on Departure and I’m thrilled with how it turned out,” says Jesse, a self-confessed sports fan who enjoys football, baseball, snow-skiing and water-skiing when he’s not working. With songs like the infectious “Make Up” (“a song about natural beauty”), produced by Kwame; the upbeat “Relapse,” the story of a man hooked by a ‘hard-to-get’ woman (based, Jesse says with a smile, “on a personal experience when I was young and naïve!”); and the beautiful ballad, “Not Your Enemy,” a big production track that demonstrates Jesse’s vocal power and strength, Departure reveals Jesse has arrived with new confidence and maturity.
Jesse reflects, “The last five years have been a whirlwind: I feel like I’ve dealt with it well because I’ve had so much support, especially from my family with whom I’m very close. I can never take credit for all that’s happened in my career because I couldn’t have done it on my own - my fans all over the world have been so loyal over the years. Departure represents a new start for me, a new sound and this is a part of me the fans haven’t been exposed to yet… This music really is my passion and I’m ready to get out there and share it!”

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

LAST FM

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter.

For more music news and information, check out the MEVIO Music Blog.

Tour Dates:

07/09
Charlotte, NC
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

07/11
Tampa, FL
Ford Amphitheatre

07/13
Sunrise, FL
BankAtlantic Center

07/15
Atlanta, GA
Lakewood Amphitheatre

07/17
Houston, TX
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

07/19
Dallas, TX
Superpages.com Amphitheatre

07/25
Las Vegas, NV
MGM Grand Garden Arena

07/27
Phoenix, AZ
Cricket Wireless Pavilion

07/30
Tulsa, OK
BOK Center

08/01
Denver, CO
Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre

08/05
Sturgis, SD
Buffalo Chip - Sturgis Bike Week

08/07
Winnipeg, MB
Canad Inns Stadium

08/09
Regina, SK, Canada
Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field

08/11
Edmonton, AB
Commonwealth Stadium

08/13
Calgary, AB
McMahon Stadium

08/15
Vancouver, BC
BC Place

08/18
Seattle, WA
White River Amphitheatre

08/19
Concord, CA
Sleep Train Pavilion

08/21
Los Angeles, CA
Staples Center

08/23
Irvine, CA
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

08/28
Chicago, IL
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

08/30
Indianapolis, IN
Verizon Wireless Music Center

09/01
Kansas City, MO
Sprint Center

09/03
Toronto, ONT
Air Canada Centre

09/05
Kanata, ONT
Scotiabank Place

09/08
St. Paul, MN
XCel Energy Center

09/10
Cleveland, OH
Blossom Music Center

09/12
Holmdel, NJ
PNC Bank Arts Center

09/14
New York, NY
Madison Square Garden

09/16
Detroit, MI
Palace of Auburn Hills

Aerosmith:

BIO: (from allmusic.com)

Aerosmith was one of the most popular hard rock bands of the '70s, setting the style and sound of hard rock and heavy metal for the next two decades with their raunchy, bluesy swagger. The Boston-based quintet found the middle ground between the menace of the Rolling Stones and the campy, sleazy flamboyance of the New York Dolls, developing a lean, dirty riff-oriented boogie that was loose and swinging and as hard as a diamond.

In the meantime, they developed a prototype for power ballads with "Dream On," a piano ballad that was orchestrated with strings and distorted guitars. Aerosmith's ability to pull off both ballads and rock & roll made them extremely popular during the mid-'70s, when they had a string of gold and platinum albums. By the early '80s, the group's audience had declined as the band fell prey to drug and alcohol abuse. However, their career was far from over — in the late '80s, Aerosmith pulled off one of the most remarkable comebacks in rock history, returning to the top of the charts with a group of albums that equalled, if not surpassed, the popularity of their '70s albums.

In 1970, the first incarnation of Aerosmith formed when vocalist Steven Tyler met guitarist Joe Perry while working at a Sunapee, NH, ice cream parlor. Tyler, who originally was a drummer, and Perry decided to form a power trio with bassist Tom Hamilton. The group soon expanded to a quartet, adding a second guitarist called Ray Tabano; he was quickly replaced by Brad Whitford, a former member of Earth Inc. With the addition of drummer Joey Kramer, Tyler became the full-time lead singer by the end of year. Aerosmith relocated to Boston at the end of 1970.

After playing clubs in the Massachusetts and New York areas for two years, the group landed a record contract with Columbia Records in 1972. Aerosmith's self-titled debut album was released in the fall of 1973, climbing to number 166. "Dream On" was released as the first single and it was a minor hit, reaching number 59. For the next year, the band built a fan base by touring America, supporting groups as diverse as the Kinks, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Sha Na Na, and Mott the Hoople. The performance of Get Your Wings (1974), the group's second album and the first produced by Jack Douglas, benefited from their constant touring, spending a total of 86 weeks on the chart.

Aerosmith's third record, 1975's Toys in the Attic, was their breakthrough album both commercially and artistically. By the time it was recorded, the band's sound had developed into a sleek, hard-driving hard rock powered by simple, almost brutal, blues-based riffs. Many critics at the time labeled the group as punk rockers, and it's easy to see why — instead of adhering to the world-music pretensions of Led Zeppelin or the prolonged gloomy mysticism of Black Sabbath, Aerosmith stripped heavy metal to its basic core, spitting out spare riffs that not only rocked, but rolled. Steven Tyler's lyrics were filled with double entendres and clever jokes, and the entire band had a streetwise charisma that separated them from the heavy, lumbering arena rockers of the era. Toys in the Attic captured the essence of the newly invigorated Aerosmith. "Sweet Emotion," the first single from Toys in the Attic, broke into the Top 40 in the summer of 1975, with the album reaching number 11 shortly afterward. Its success prompted the re-release of the power ballad "Dream On," which shot into the Top Ten in early 1976. Both Aerosmith and Get Your Wings climbed back up the charts in the wake of Toys in the Attic. "Walk This Way," the final single from Toys in the Attic, was released around the time of the group's new 1976 album, Rocks. Although it didn't feature a Top Ten hit like "Walk This Way," Rocks went platinum quickly, peaking at number three.

In early 1977, Aerosmith took a break and prepared material for their fifth album. Released late in 1977, Draw the Line was another hit, climbing to number 11 on the U.S. charts, but it showed signs of exhaustion. In addition to another tour in 1978, the band appeared in the movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, performing "Come Together," which eventually became a number 23 hit. Live! Bootleg appeared late in 1978 and became another success, reaching number 13. Aerosmith recorded Night in the Ruts in 1979, releasing the record at the end of the year. By the time of its release, Joe Perry had left the band to form the Joe Perry Project. Night in the Ruts performed respectably, climbing to number 14 and going gold, yet it was the least successful Aerosmith record to date. Brad Whitford left the group in early 1980, forming the Whitsford-St. Holmes Band with former Ted Nugent guitarist Derek St. Holmes.

As Aerosmith regrouped with new guitarists Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay, the band released Aerosmith's Greatest Hits in late 1980; the record would eventually sell over six million copies. The new lineup of Aerosmith released Rock in a Hard Place in 1982. Peaking at number 32, it failed to match the performance of Night in the Ruts. Perry and Whitford returned to the band in 1984 and the group began a reunion tour dubbed Back in the Saddle. Early in the tour, Tyler collapsed on-stage, offering proof that the band hadn't conquered their notorious drug and alcohol addictions. The following year, Aerosmith released Done with Mirrors, the original lineup's first record since 1979 and their first for Geffen Records. Although it didn't perform as well as Rock in a Hard Place, the album showed that the band was revitalized.

After the release of Done with Mirrors, Tyler and Perry completed rehabilitation programs. In 1986, the pair appeared on Run-D.M.C.'s cover of "Walk This Way," along with appearing in the video. "Walk This Way" became a hit, reaching number four and receiving saturation airplay on MTV. "Walk This Way" set the stage for the band's full-scale comeback effort, the Bruce Fairbairn-produced Permanent Vacation (1987). Tyler and Perry collaborated with professional hard rock songwriters like Holly Knight and Desmond Child, resulting in the hits "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)," "Rag Doll," and "Angel." Permanent Vacation peaked at number 11 and sold over three million copies.

Pump, released in 1989, continued the band's winning streak, reaching number five, selling over four million copies, and spawning the Top Ten singles "Love in an Elevator," "Janie's Got a Gun," and "What It Takes." Aerosmith released Get a Grip in 1993. Like Permanent Vacation and Pump, Get a Grip was produced by Bruce Fairbairn and featured significant contributions by professional songwriters. The album was as successful as the band's previous two records, featuring the hit singles "Livin' on the Edge," "Cryin'," and "Amazing." In 1994, Aerosmith released Big Ones, a compilation of hits from their Geffen years that fulfilled their contract with the label; it went double platinum shortly after its release.

While Aerosmith was at the height of their revitalized popularity in the early '90s, the group signed a lucrative multi-million dollar contract with Columbia Records, even though they still owed Geffen two albums. It wasn't until 1995 that the band was able to begin working on their first record under the new contract — nearly five years after the contract was signed. The making of Aerosmith albums usually had been difficult affairs, but the recording of Nine Lives was plagued with bad luck. The band went through a number of producers and songwriters before settling on Kevin Shirley in 1996. More damaging, however, was the dismissal of the band's manager, Tim Collins, who'd been responsible for bringing the band back from the brink of addiction. Upon his firing, Collins insinuated that Steven Tyler was using hard drugs again, an allegation that Aerosmith adamantly denied.

Under such circumstances, recording became quite difficult, and when Nine Lives finally appeared in the spring of 1997, it was greeted with great anticipation, yet the initial reviews were mixed and even though album debuted at number one, it quickly fell down the charts. The live A Little South of Sanity followed in 1998. Three years later, Aerosmith strutted their stuff on the Super Bowl halftime special on CBS with the likes of Mary J. Blige, Nelly, *N Sync, and Britney Spears, just prior to issuing their heart-stomping Just Push Play in March 2001. Next up for the band was a blues album, Honkin' on Bobo, released in 2004, along with two live album/DVDs, You Gotta Move and Rockin' the Joint. Another greatest-hits collection, Devil's Got a New Disguise: The Very Best of Aerosmith arrived in 2006.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

LAST FM

ZZ Top:

BIO: (from allmusic.com)

This sturdy American blues-rock trio from Texas consists of Billy Gibbons (guitar), Dusty Hill (bass), and Frank Beard (drums). They were formed in 1970 in and around Houston from rival bands the Moving Sidewalks (Gibbons) and American Blues (Hill and Beard). Their first two albums reflected the strong blues roots and Texas humor of the band. Their third album (Tres Hombres) gained them national attention with the hit "La Grange," a signature riff tune to this day, based on John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillen." Their success continued unabated throughout the '70s, culminating with the year-and-a-half-long Worldwide Texas Tour.

Exhausted from the overwhelming workload, they took a three-year break, then switched labels and returned to form with Deguello and El Loco, both harbingers of what was to come. By their next album, Eliminator, and its worldwide smash follow-up, Afterburner, they had successfully harnessed the potential of synthesizers to their patented grungy blues groove, giving their material a more contemporary edge while retaining their patented Texas style. Now sporting long beards, golf hats, and boiler suits, they met the emerging video age head-on, reducing their "message" to simple iconography. Becoming even more popular in the long run, they moved with the times while simultaneously bucking every trend that crossed their path. As genuine roots musicians, they have few peers; Gibbons is one of America's finest blues guitarists working in the arena rock idiom -- both influenced by the originators of the form and British blues-rock guitarists like Peter Green -- while Hill and Beard provide the ultimate rhythm section support.

The only rock & roll group that's out there with its original members still aboard after three decades (an anniversary celebrated on 1999's XXX), ZZ Top play music that is always instantly recognizable, eminently powerful, profoundly soulful, and 100-percent American in derivation. They have continued to support the blues through various means, perhaps most visibly when they were given a piece of wood from Muddy Waters' shack in Clarksdale, MS. The group members had it made into a guitar, dubbed the "Muddywood," then sent it out on tour to raise money for the Delta Blues Museum. ZZ Top's support and link to the blues remains as rock solid as the music they play. A concert CD and DVD, Live from Texas, recorded in Dallas in 2007 and featuring a still vital band, were both released in 2008.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

LAST FM

Here is a special offer from MEVIO. If you are looking for some new shoes, go to footlocker.com. Use the Promo code AFTOUR3 at checkout and get 15% off your order.

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter.

To see who else is on tour, check out the Who's On Tour page at MEVIO.

BIO: (from: mintconditionmusic.com)

Modern, infectious soul grooves fringed with Latin and jazz, buoyed by fiery dashes of rock and funk; when musicians create —as well as sustain—that level of quality for nearly two decades, they are more than an average group or band….they become, in fact, Mint Condition.

After five successful studio albums, over a dozen hit singles, multiple world tours and collaborations with some of the biggest stars in the genre (Alicia Keys, Jill Scott, Janet Jackson, Charlie Wilson of the Gap Band and Maurice White of Earth, Wind &Fire, to name a few), Mint Condition is a rarity in today’s R&B, their generation’s lone example of ‘old school’ bands that now serve as templates for many of their peers. And it’s their classic, yet contemporary approach, combined with Stokley’s agile and emotive tenor, which fuels their sixth studio CD and the second release from their independent label (Cagedbird Entertainment), eLife. The recurring theme: filtering the challenges of family and relationships through the murky cosmos of the internet. According to their bass guitarist, Rick Kinchen, those are issues that nearly everyone’s encountered before. “People text-message, use MySpace and e-mail, so it’s about having relationships in the context of our world today. Everybody’s said ‘in a minute’ to their kid, stayed on the computer and watched it turn into three and four hours later. ”

In fact, the perpetual balancing act is what inspired eLife’s opening track, “Baby Boy Baby Girl” (featuring Anthony Hamilton). Although the celebratory song hits home for the musician, Rick says that its message is a universal one. “You’ll go through all kinds of relationships, but your kids are the only ones who will be there in the end. I didn’t want the song to be only about me though, so I included other situations that I’ve watched my friends go through as well.”

Other songs expressing such struggles include the wistfully edgy “Wish I Could Love You,” the angst-filled “Somethin’,”, featuring Little Brother’s Phonte, and the CD’s most intriguing cut, “Why Do We Try,” showcased by a haunting backdrop of sparse beats and eerie scratches by none other than A Tribe Called Quest’s “sound provider,” Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Its sound is quite a departure for the band and illustrates their willingness to stretch their artistic boundaries.

“It’s very straightforward, with a futuristic Euro sound,” says lead vocalist Stokley Williams. “You will or won’t embrace the song, depending on your mindset.”

And it’s that sort of ingenuity keeping MC alive and thriving in the music biz. Every member of the band, including keyboardists Lawrence El and Keri Lewis, guitarist O’Dell and keyboardist/saxophonist Jeffrey, came of age in the Twin Cities (St. Paul &Minneapolis) and were inspired by Prince’s electrifying hybrid of funk, soul and pop (now known as “The Minneapolis Sound,”). The young men knew of one another peripherally, but the collaborations didn’t fall into place until they united under Central High School’s performing arts program; O’Dell and Stokley, who had a steel drum class together, absorbed the musicians after practicing sessions in Stokley’s home basement. “There was a performing arts class that we were all in,” says Lawrence of that fertile period. “A lot of singers around town would hire musicians and we ended up playing in gigs together as the backing band. It happened so often that eventually, we decided to just do it all ourselves.”

After the band’s line-up was finalized, it was a gig they played at the now-famous First Avenue club in 1989 that caught the attention of The Time’s former members turned super-producers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who had just launched their own label, Perspective Records (a subsidiary of A&M). To this day, the band credits the duo for encouraging, as well as respecting, their creative input and autonomy in the studio.

“We were lucky because we had Jimmy and Terry behind us in our careers,” says O’Dell. “They came from a band and understood what we were trying to do. If we had signed up with another label, we wouldn’t have lasted long enough to even make a hit.”

The band’s first single, “Are You Free,” generated some buzz, but it wasn’t until Washington D.C.’s WHUR-FM (Howard University’s famed college radio station) broke the follow-up ballad, 1991’s “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)” that the band experienced their first runaway smash. “Breakin’” peaked at number three on Billboard’s R&B chart and number six in Pop’s top ten, remaining on the charts for 34 weeks. After that, two other stellar albums—From the Mint Factory and Definition of a Band— and a chain of hit singles followed, including “Forever In Your Eyes,” “U Send Me Swingin,” “Someone to Love,” So Fine,” “You Don’t Have to Hurt No More” and “What Kind of Man Would I Be.”

Even when the Perspective label folded and the band moved to Elektra, their fourth CD, Life’s Aquarium, spawned the Billboard R&B top five hit, “If You Love Me.” The band also ensured its longevity by building a reputation for energetic and engaging live performances.

And if the sudden implosion of record labels weren’t enough of a change, another one loomed on the horizon; in 2001, two years after…Aquarium’s release, Keri Lewis departed from the band to produce and tour with his future wife, Toni Braxton; according to his band mates, the split was an amicable one. “We talk on the phone at least once a month and we run into him every now and then. We’re even talking about him joining us on stage for a few dates this summer,” says O’Dell. And in the years that followed, the band, now departed from Elektra, decided to follow Prince’s iconic example and start their own label; its first release under the Cagedbird Records imprint (distributed by Image Entertainment), 2005’s Livin’ the Luxury Brown, debuted at number one on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart and gave the band yet another R&B hit, “I’m Ready.”

The CD eLife, like the band itself, is irresistibly eclectic; it positions Mint Condition as a five-man oasis in R&B’s parched landscape and reinforces their relevance amongst the old and the new school. “We can straddle the fence in both worlds,” Stokley says. “You can’t get the full experience on CD, nor can you get it all by just watching us perform live. Stay tuned to what we’re doing, because our goal is to entertain and inspire. It’s about forward movement.”

Written by Melody Charles

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

AOL MUSIC

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter.

Find out more upcoming tour dates at ontour.mevio.com.

TOUR DATES:

6/25
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Blossom Music Center

06/26
Darien Center, New York
Darien Lake Performing Arts Center

06/28
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Toyota Pavilion

06/30
Mansfield, Massachusetts
Comcast Center

07/01
Holmdel, New Jersey
PNC Bank Arts Center

07/03
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Performing Arts Center

07/04
Toronto, Ontario
Molson Amphitheatre

07/07
Hartford, Connecticut
Meadows Music Theatre

07/08
Wantagh, New York
Nikon at Jones Beach Theater

07/10
Burgettstown, Pennsylvania
Post-Gazette Pavilion

07/11
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

07/12
Bristow, Virginia
Nissan Pavilion

07/15
Cincinnati, Ohio
Riverbend Music Center

07/17
Tinley Park, Illinois
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

07/18
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Marcus Amphitheater

07/20
Maryland Heights, Missouri
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

07/21
Kansas City, Missouri
Sprint Center

07/23
Noblesville, Indiana
Verizon Wireless Music Center

07/24
Clarkston, Michigan
DTE Energy Music Theatre

08/07
Raleigh, North Carolina
Time Warner Pavilion

08/08
Charlotte, North Carolina
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

08/10
Nashville, Tennessee
Sommet Center

08/11
Birmingham, Alabama
Verizon Wireless Music Center

08/13
West Palm Beach, Florida
Cruzan Amphitheatre

08/14
Tampa, Florida
Ford Amphitheatre

08/15
Atlanta, Georgia
Lakewood Amphitheatre

08/18
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans Arena

08/19
Houston, Texas
C. Woods Mitchell Pavilion

08/21
Dallas, Texas
Superpages.com Center

08/22
Tulsa, Oklahoma
BOK Center

08/24
Englewood, Colorado
Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

08/25
Salt Lake City, Utah
USANA Amphitheatre

08/28
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Journal Pavilion

08/29
Phoenix, Arizona
Cricket Wireless Pavilion

08/30
Irvine, CA
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

BIO: (from cheaptrick.com)

CHEAP TRICK may be one of the most covered bands of all time. Since the 70s they’ve been blending elements of pop, punk and even metal in a way that is instantly catchy and recognizable. With timeless classics such as “I Want You to Want Me,” “Surrender,” and the late 80s lighter-waving favorite, “The Flame,” CHEAP TRICK are a musical institution. They released Rockford (named for the band’s hometown) on their own imprint in June 2006. Anyone familiar with Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report will note that CHEAP TRICK wrote and performed the theme song. With more than 5,000 performances, 20 million records sold, 29 movie soundtracks and 40 gold and platinum recording awards, the band was honored in October 2007 by the Chicago Chapter of NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences) for their contributions to the music industry. CHEAP TRICK are currently featured in the latest John Varvatos ad campaign.

Get their new release "The Latest" at Amazon.

Also find many of their classic releases on iTunes and Amazon.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

LAST FM

WIKIPEDIA

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter.

To find more upcoming tour dates, check out Who's On Tour.

BIO: (from chickenfoot.us)

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

FACEBOOK

LAST FM

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter.

Find more tour dates to lots of upcoming shows at Who's On Tour.

Tour Dates:

07/01
Chicago, IL
Taste of Chicago

07/05
Toronto, ON
Molson Amphitheatre

07/12
Columbia, MD
Merriweather Post Pavilion

07/18
Mansfield, MA
Comcast Center (Great Woods)

07/19
Wantagh, NY
Nikon at Jones Beach Theater

08/01
Burnaby, BC
Deer Lake Park

08/09
Mountain View, CA
Shoreline Amphitheatre @ Mountain View

BIO: (from common-music.com )

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter .

Get more tour dates for upcoming shows at Who's On Tour .

Tour Dates:

06/26
Pomona, CA
Pomona Fairplex

06/27
San Francisco, CA
Pier 30/32

06/28
Ventura, CA
Seaside Park

06/30
Phoenix, AZ
Cricket Pavilion

07/01
Las Cruces, NM
NMSU Practice Field

07/02
San Antonio, TX
AT&T Center

07/03
Houston, TX
The Showgrounds @ Sam Houston Race Park

07/05
Dallas, TX
Superpages.com Center

07/07
Noblesville, IN
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

07/08
Burgettstown, PA
Post Gazette Pavilion

07/09
Cleveland, OH
Time Warner Cable Amphitheatre

07/10
Toronto, Ontario
Arrow Hall

07/11
Montreal, Quebec
Parc Jean Drapeau

07/12
Hartford, CT
New England Dodge Music Center

07/14
Columbia, MD
Merriweather Post Pavilion

07/15
Scranton, PA
Toyota Pavilion

07/16
Darien Center, NY
Darien Lake Performing Arts Center

07/17
Camden, NJ
Susquehanna Bank Center

07/18
Uniondale, NY
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

07/19
Oceanport, NJ
Monmouth Park Racetrack

07/21
Mansfield, MA
Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts

07/22
Virginia Beach, VA
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

07/23
Charlotte, NC
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

07/24
Orlando, FL
Central Florida Fairgrounds

07/25
Miami, FL
Cruzan Amphitheatre

07/26
Tampa, FL
Vinoy Park

07/28
Atlanta, GA
Lakewood Amphitheatre

07/29
Cincinnati, OH
Riverbend Music Center

07/30
Milwaukee, WI
Marcus Amphitheatre

07/31
Detroit, MI
Comerica Park

08/01
Tinley Park, IL
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

08/02
Minneapolis, MN
Canterbury Park

08/03
Maryland Heights, MO
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

08/04
Bonner Springs, KS
Sandstone Amphitheatre

08/07
Nampa, ID
Idaho Center Amphitheatre

08/08
Salt Lake City, UT
Utah State Fairgrounds

08/09
Denver, CO
Invesco Field

08/12
Calgary, Alberta
Race City Speedway

08/14
Vancouver, British Columbia
Thunderbird Stadium

08/15
George, WA
Gorge Amphitheatre

08/16
Portland, OR
Washington County Fairgrounds

08/19
Fresno, CA
Save Mart Center

08/20
Mountain View, CA
Shoreline Amphitheatre

08/21
Marysville, CA
Sleep Train Amphitheatre

08/22
Chula Vista, CA
Cricket Amphitheatre

08/23
Carson, CA
Home Depot Center

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

WIKIPEDIA

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter.

TOUR DATES:Poison/Def Leppard/Cheap Trick

06/23
Camden, NJ
Susquehanna Bank Center

06/25
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Blossom Music Center

06/26
Darien Center, NY
Darien Lake Performing
Arts Center

06/28
Scranton, PA
Toyota Pavilion
at Montage Mountain

06/30
Mansfield, MA
Comcast Center

07/01
Holmdel, NJ
PNC Bank Arts Center

07/03
Saratoga Springs, NY
Saratoga Performing
Arts Center

07/04
Toronto, Ontario
The Molson Amphitheatre

07/07
Hartford, CT
New England Dodge
Music Center

07/08
Wantagh, NY
Nikon at
Jones Beach Theater

07/10
Burgettstown, PA
Post-Gazette Pavilion

07/11
Virginia Beach, VA
Verizon Wireless
Virginia Beach Amphitheater

07/12
Bristow, VA
Nissan Pavilion
at Stone Ridge

07/15
Cincinnati, OH
Riverbend Music Center

07/17
Tinley Park, IL
First Midwest
Bank Amphitheatre

07/18
Milwaukee, WI
Marcus Amphitheater

07/20
Maryland Heights, MO
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

07/21
Kansas City, MO
Sprint Center

07/23
Noblesville, IN
Verizon Wireless
Music Center

07/24
Clarkston, MI
DTE Energy
Music Theatre

08/07
Raleigh, NC
Time Warner Cable
Music Pavilion

08/08
Charlotte, NC
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

08/10
Nashville, TN
Sommet Center

08/11
Pelham, AL
Verizon Wireless
Center Birmingham

08/13
West Palm Beach, FL
Cruzan Amphitheatre

08/14
Tampa, FL
Ford Amphitheatre
 at State Fairgrounds

08/15
Atlanta, GA
Lakewood Amphitheatre

08/18
New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Arena

08/19
The Woodlands, TX
The Cynthia Woods
Mitchell Pavilion

08/21
Dallas, TX
Superpages.com Center

08/22
Tulsa, OK
BOK Center

08/24
Englewood, CO
Fiddler's Green
Amphitheatre

08/25
Salt Lake City, UT
Usana Amphitheatre

08/28
Albuquerque, NM
Journal Pavilion

08/29
Phoenix, AZ
Cricket Wireless Pavilion

08/30
Irvine, CA
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

09/02
Mountain View, CA
Shoreline Amphitheatre

09/03
Wheatland, CA
Sleep Train Amphitheatre

09/05
Las Vegas, NV
MGM Grand Garden Arena

09/06
Devore, CA
San Manuel Amphitheater

ABOUT THE TOUR: (from rollingstone.com )

Mid-’80s rock radio is going to come alive in the nation’s amphitheatres this summer as Def Leppard , Cheap Trick and Poison join forces for a full summer tour. “We’re going out with three bands, which limits the amount of time we can play to about 90 minutes. When you do your greatest hits and some new material or extra stuff you might throw in, you have got to push and shove and clamp down,” Def Leppard’s Joe Elliot told Billboard.com . To avoid the expected concert industry slump this summer he adds, “We’ve taken the path of least resistance, we’ve put a bill together that we think is attractive.”

The tour has something for all rock fans, from Poison’s hair-metal antics to Cheap Trick’s classic power pop to Def Leppard’s….. well, what exactly was Def Leppard anyway? When Rolling Stone talked with Elliot back in 2006, he was quick to confront the popular belief that the band was “hair-metal” or “heavy metal.” “We may have once accidentally… had one picture taken that let the hair dresser run riot with the hair spray,” Elliot said. “But generally speaking, we were a long-haired band. If we’re hair metal, so are Led Zeppelin. Warrant and Ratt were hair metal, we’re not. We were always better than that. If you came from the L.A. metal strip thing, Motley Crue, Ratt, Poison, Warrant, whatever. And we get lumped in with that, I don’t get it.” So what genre would Elliott consider the band to be? “We belong in the same kind of category as Van Halen are. It’s just rock.” It’s interesting that a band trying to distance themselves from hair-metal would tour with a band synonymous with Aqua-Net, but desperate economic times call for desperate measures.

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter .

For more of the latest tour dates on the artist you love, check out WHO'S ON TOUR .

Tour Dates:

06/18
Manchester, UK
The Ruby Lounge

06/19
London, UK
The Barfly (Camden)

06/20
Leeds, UK
The Cockpit
[wPeople in Planes]

06/21
Cannock, UK
The Uxbridge
[wPeople in Planes]

06/22
York, UK
Fibbers
[wPeople in Planes]

06/24
Liverpool, UK
The Barfly
[wPeople in Planes]

07/10
OKC, OK
Diamond Ballroom

07/11
Albuquerque, NM
Launch Pad

07/15
Scottsdale, AZ
Martini Ranch

07/16
San Diego, CA
House of Blues

07/17
Los Angeles, CA
El Rey

07/18
Las Vegas, NV
Wasted Space (Hard Rock Hotel)

07/19
San Francisco, CA
Slims

09/26
Albany, NY
Edgefest

10/04
Austin, TX
ACL festival

Bio:   (from thetoadies.com )

Todd Lewis (Vocals, Guitar)
Mark Reznicek (Drums)
Clark Vogeler (Guitar)

“There’s a certain uneasiness to the Toadies,” says Vaden Todd Lewis, succinctly and accurately describing his band—quite a trick. The Texas band is, at its core, just a raw, commanding rock band. Imagine an ebony sphere with a corona that radiates impossibly darker, and a brilliant circular sliver of light around that. It’s nebulous, but strangely distinct—and, shall we say incorrect. Or, as Lewis says, “wrong.”

“Things are done a little askew [in the Toadies],” he says, searching for the right words. “There’s just something wrong with it that’s just really cool… and unique in a slightly uncomfortable way.”

This sick, twisted essence was first exemplified on the band’s 1994 debut, Rubberneck (Interscope). An intense, swirling vortex of guitar rock built around Lewis’s “wrong” songs and abstract lyrics—like the smash single “Possum Kingdom,” subject to as much speculation as what’s in the Pulp Fiction briefcase, it rocketed to platinum status on the strength of that and two other singles, “Tyler” and “Away.”

Perhaps in keeping with the uneasy vibe, that success didn’t translate to label support when the Toadies submitted their second album, Feeler. Perhaps aptly, things in general just went wrong. “We got approval for a record,” says Lewis, “and somewhere in the process of handing over the masters to get mixed, it got unapproved. So we went back to the drawing board.”

Eventually some of the Feeler tracks made it onto Hell Below/Stars Above—a sophomore offering that came seven years after Rubberneck. “It was a very weird, trying time,” says Lewis, who didn’t see the next blow—the sudden departure of bassist Lisa Umbarger—coming. “We went out on tour, and immediately the band split up,” he laughs sardonically. “We kinda shot ourselves in the foot.” They released a live album, Best of Toadies: Live from Paradise, and it was over.

Coming out of the Toadies, Lewis, guitarist Clark Vogeler and drummer Mark Reznicek were disillusioned. Vogeler went to work as a film editor, Rez hooked up with the country-western band Eleven Hundred Springs. Lewis initially thought, “Fuck this whole business. I’m gettin’ out. I just wanted to do anything else.”

Toadies fans, though accepting, stuck with them, often inquiring as to the band’s activities. Says Lewis, “People just asked me “So, what are you doin’ now?” Although he’d been “foolin’ around” with Rev. Horton Heat drummer Taz Bentley, he answered, “I don’t know. Nothin’. This, that and the other. Workin’ around the house, workin’ in the garage, just toolin’ around.” Soon it occurred to him that music was all he wanted to do. “I’m a musician. That’s what I do, and I’m not happy not doing it.” Eventually Lewis and Bentley formed the Burden Brothers in 2002 and released a slew of EPs, two albums and a DVD while touring profusely.

Meanwhile, “Possum Kingdom” never left the airwaves, enjoying constant rotation at major modern rock stations. Fans clamored for a Toadies reunion. “The band never went all the way away;” says Lewis. They regrouped in 2006 for a couple of sold-out shows around St. Patrick’s Day, and again the next year for the same thing. In August 2007, when personnel changes with the Burden Brothers resulted in that band going on hiatus, Lewis began writing.

“I was pissed off again and wanted to keep goin’,” he says. “I didn’t know what I was writing, right out of the gate, but… it was just coming out very “Toadies.”

Lewis called Rez and Vogeler and asked if they were interested in making another record. They were—and the Toadies officially reconvened, signing with Kirtland and recording No Deliverance with David Castell (Burden Brothers, Blue October) at Fort Worth Sound in Fort Worth and Music Lane in Austin. Lewis says the band has gone for a “bare knuckle” sound, amping up the psychotic stomp heard on Rubberneck and Hell Below… on the grinding, relentless title track as well as the seething, death-of-a-romance gem “So Long Lovey Eyes” and the towering, sludgy “Man of Stone.” The upshot is a taut, exhilarating listen that is quintessentially Toadies.

Lewis is stoked on “the freshness of this new record. Getting back into this, back into the feel of the Toadies, is cool. Lewis, Rez, Vogeler and new bass player Doni Blair (Hagfish, Only Crime) are optimistic that their indie incarnation will succeed, thanks to the support of their devout fans—and equally supportive label. “The music industry has changed so much,” says Vogeler. “A band like us can be on an independent label and still get the music out to the people who want to hear it.”

The Toadies are now free to pursue success on their own merit and muscle. And things are starting off nicely: On August 2, The Toadies will play Lollapalooza and, following the album’s release, they’ll embark on a nationwide tour offering old fans and those to come—as he recently told SPIN, “Balls. A ton of balls.”

“Getting back to the bare knuckles element of the Toadies,” continues Lewis, “is what I really enjoy, after being away from it for so long.” Vogeler and Rez concur. “I’m here and still doin’ it,” furthers Vogeler, “because the music’s good.” And Rez proclaims in his thick Texas drawl, “The Toadies are back in business.”

And suddenly, everything wrong is right.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

LAST FM

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter .

Find when great music is heading to a town near you at MEVIO Music .

Tour Dates:

6/6
Oakland, CA
Paramount Theatre

6/11
Columbus, OH
Palace Theatre

6/12
Detroit, MI
Opera House

6/13
Chicago, IL
Arie Crown Theater

6/16
Newark, NJ
New Jersey Performing
Arts Center

6/18
New York, NY
WaMu Theatre @
Madison Square Garden

6/19
Washington, DC
DAR Constitution Hall

6/21
Baltimore, MD
Pier Six Pavilion

6/25
Atlanta, GA
Fox Theatre

6/26
Augusta, GA
Bell Auditorium

6/27
Birmingham, AL
BJCC Concert Hall

6/28
Charlotte, NC
Ovens Auditorium
 

BIO:

MUSIQ SOULCHILD, raised (mostly) in PHILADELPHIA, PA., a soulstar who has developed a sound uniquely his own, by fusing together the essence of "Soul Music" with "Funk" rules and "Hip Hop" swagger, all while making his mark on the charts with his first hit single entitled "JUST FRIENDS (SUNNY)" from his platinum DEF SOUL release "AIJUSWANASEING" (I just want to sing). And made us ponder the meaning of true affection with his second hit simply entitled "LOVE"

Following up with his sophomore album "JUSLISEN," also platinum, debuting at number 1 on the BILLBOARD TOP 200 CHARTS there was no doubt that this wasn't just another here today, gone tomorrow artist. Instead, he merely made plans to be around for the long haul. And with hit songs like "HALFCRAZY" and "DONTCHANGE" he was well on his way, and with a good start.

Staying in the game with his third release "SOULSTAR" featuring hit tunes such as "FORTHENIGHT" and "WHOKNOWS" its clear that "MUSIQ" is not only an artist of substance, but also consistency. He's been nominated by many respected institutions of the music industry including MTV, THE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS, NAACP, and with three albums to date has had 4 consectutive GRAMMY nominations! MUSIQ has received awards from BILLBOARD, BET, ASCAP, BMI and SOUL TRAIN and has been featured on TV & print ads along with having his music featured with major corporations such as McDONALDS, NIKE, COCA COLA, LEVIS and THE GAP. He's toured the country extensively, and is also internationally renowned for not just bringing great music, but also a great show.

Now, in his new home as an ATLANTIC RECORDS recording artist, his fourth album "LUVANMUSIQ" debut on the Billboard Top 200 Charts at 1! In 2007 "LUVANMUSIQ" has sold over 500,000 copies going GOLD and has been nominated for 3 Grammy's! The biggest single off of the album "TEACHME" was number one for 15 weeks on Billboards Urban A.C Chart.

While making plans to venture into and break new creative ground, who knows, might not be too long before you see this soulstar in a theatre near you.

In 2008 Musiq released a Christmas EP in October sponsored by TARGET. The 5th album "ONMYRADIO" is available now.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

FACEBOOK

LAST FM

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter.

Find more music to getcha groove on at MEVIO Music.

BIO:

The Sounds are a Swedish rock group featuring the coed talents of vocalist Maja Ivarsson, keyboardist Jesper Anderberg, bassist Johan Bengtsson, drummer Fredrik Nilsson, and guitarist Felix Rodriguez. The new wave throwbacks -- whose poppy, synthesizer-heavy music is unapologetically indebted to Blondie and Missing Persons -- formed in the late '90s and recorded Living in America in Stockholm and Nilsson's Helsingborg apartment. The album hit number four the week after its Swedish release, and was picked up for U.S. release in May 2003 through New Line. Dying to Say This to You followed three years later, featuring a polished blend of anthemic, '80s-inspired rock and sex-craved new wave that widened the band's audience abroad. Touring obligations kept the Sounds busy until October 2007, at which time they returned to the studio with producer Mark Saunders (who had recently worked with the Sounds' touring mates in Shiny Toy Guns). Recording sessions for the band's third studio effort, Crossing the Rubicon, took place in Sweden, Los Angeles, and New York, and the resulting album was readied for release in May 2009. ~ Andy Kellman & Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide

They consist of

• Maja Ivarsson (vocals)
• Felix Rodriguez (guitar)
• Johan Bengtsson (bass)
• Jesper Anderberg (keyboards)
• Fredrik Nillson (drums)

The band has released three albums to date:

• Living in America
• Dying to Say This to You
• Crossing The Rubicon.

OFFICIAL SITE

MYSPACE

LAST FM

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter.

Find out info on more great artists at MEVIO Music.

Tour Dates:  Queensrÿche

06/03/
Agoura Hills, CA
Canyon Club

06/04
San Francisco, CA
Fillmore

06/05
Kelseyville, CA
Konocti

06/06
Eugene, OR
McDonald Theater

06/15
Munich, GER
Metropolis Music Hall

06/16
Stuttgart, GER
Longhorn

06/17
Berlin, GER
Hukley’s

06/18
Saarbrucken, GER
Garage

06/19
Hannover, GER
Capitol

06/21
Clisson, FR
Hellfest

06/22
Dusseldorf, GER
Stahlwerk

06/23
Langquaid, GER
Gate

06/24
Pratteln, CH
Z7

06/26
Zaragoza, ES
Metalway Festival

06/27
Milan, IT
Gods of Metal Festival

06/28
Bucharest, RO
Arcul de Triumf Stadium

06/29
Sofia, BG
Akademik Stadium

07/09
Zoetermeer, NL
De Boederij

07/11
Bruksallen, SE
Rockweekend Festival

07/12
Weert, NL
Bospop Festival

07/24
Clifton Park, NY
Northern Lights

07/27
Toronto, ON
Phoenix Concert Theatre

07/28
Montreal, QC
Club Soda

07/29
Hampton Beach, NY
Hampton Beach
Casino & Ballroom

07/30
Boston, MA
House of Blues

07/31
Lockport, NY
Molson Canal Concert Series

08/01
Columbia, MD
Merriweather State Fair

BIO:

lthough they were initially grouped with the legions of pop-metal bands that dominated the American heavy metal scene of the '80s, Queensrÿche were one of the most distinctive bands of the era. Where their contemporaries built on the legacy of Van Halen, Aerosmith, and Kiss, Queensrÿche constructed a progressive form of heavy metal that drew equally from the guitar pyrotechnics of post-Van Halen metal and '70s art rock, most notably Pink Floyd and Queen. After releasing a handful of ignored albums, the band began to break into the mainstream with the acclaimed 1988 album Operation: Mindcrime. Its follow-up, Empire, was the group's biggest success, selling over two million copies due to the hit single "Silent Lucidity." Queensrÿche never sustained that widespread popularity -- like most late-'80s metal bands, their audience disappeared after the emergence of grunge. Nevertheless, they retained a large cult following well into the ensuing decades.

Guitarists Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton formed Queensrÿche in 1981 in the Seattle, WA, suburb of Bellevue. Both guitarists had been playing in heavy metal cover bands and had decided to form a group that would play original material. The duo recruited high school friends Geoff Tate (vocals) and bassist Eddie Jackson (bass), as well as drummer Scott Rockenfield. Instead of hitting the club circuit, the group rehearsed for two years, eventually recording and releasing a four-song demo tape. The cassette came to the attention of local record store owners Kim and Diana Harris, who offered to manage Queensrÿche. With the help of the Harrises, the tape circulated throughout the Northwest. In May of 1983, Queensrÿche released the EP Queen of the Reich on their own record label, 206 Records. Queen of the Reich sold 20,000 copies and, in the process, earned the band major-label attention. By the end of the year, the band signed to EMI, which released an expanded version of the EP as the Queensrÿche LP later in the year; the record peaked at number 81.

At this stage, Queensrÿche sounded closer to British metal bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Over the next few years, the group continued to refine its sound, opening for hard rock acts as diverse as Bon Jovi and Metallica. Their next two albums -- 1984's The Warning and 1986's Rage for Order -- sold respectably, with the latter reaching number 47 on the U.S. charts. Rage for Order also demonstrated a flowering of progressive rock influences, an idea that would reach its fruition with 1988's Operation: Mindcrime. Boasting orchestral arrangements from Michael Kamen, the album was Queensrÿche's most ambitious and focused effort to date, earning both positive reviews and strong sales. Operation: Mindcrime stayed on the American charts for a year, selling over a million copies during its run.

Queensrÿche returned in the fall of 1990 with the equally ambitious Empire. The album proved to be their commercial high watermark, peaking at number seven on the U.S. charts and going double platinum in America; in the U.K., the album also cracked the Top Ten. Empire's success was instigated by the stately art rock ballad "Silent Lucidity," which received heavy airplay from MTV and album rock radio. All the exposure eventually sent "Silent Lucidity" to number five on the U.S. singles charts. Following the long Empire tour -- which included a spot on the 1991 Monsters of Rock tour -- Queensrÿche released the live Operation: LIVEcrime in the fall of 1991. Recorded on the Operation: Mindcrime tour, the album replicated the group's live performance of the rock opera that comprised their 1988 artistic breakthrough; the package also included a video and a thick book.

In the three years following the release of Operation: LIVEcrime, the band rested and leisurely worked on the follow-up to Empire. Occasionally, they contributed a song to a soundtrack, such as "Real World" for Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1993 movie Last Action Hero. Queensrÿche finally delivered their sixth studio album, Promised Land, in 1994. Though the heavy metal audience had changed drastically since Empire, with many fair-weather metal fans switching their allegiance to grunge and alternative rock, the group retained a strong following, as evidenced by Promised Land debuting at number three on the U.S. charts. Promised Land would eventually go platinum and spawn two album rock hits, "I Am I" and "Bridge."

With 1997's Hear in the New Frontier, Queensrÿche stripped back their sound to the bare bones, leaving behind the prog rock influences that made them distinctive. Although the album debuted at 19, it received mixed reviews and quickly fell down the charts, leading shortly thereafter to founding guitarist Chris DeGarmo's exit from the band. (DeGarmo would soon resurface as part of former Alice in Chains' guitarist Jerry Cantrell's touring band.) Q2k followed in 1999, as new guitarist Kelly Gray took DeGarmo's place. Queensrÿche's first best-of set, Greatest Hits, was released in 2000; the band supported the CD with an opening slot on one of the year's hottest metal concert tickets -- Iron Maiden's Brave New World reunion tour, which also included former Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford.

In 2001, the band issued a double CD/DVD package titled Live Evolution. Meanwhile, former member DeGarmo began gearing up to form a new band, which was purported to include former Alice in Chains drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Inez; although he appeared on Jerry Cantrell's Degradation Trip in 2002, no solo material materialized. DeGarmo then rejoined forces with Queensrÿche for a brief spell, appearing on the band's subsequent album, 2003's Tribe, but never officially joining the lineup. Three years later, Queensrÿche (sans DeGarmo, who had become a professional charter pilot) released Operation: Mindcrime II, the long-awaited sequel to their 1988 conceptual smash. 2007 saw the dual release of Sign of the Times: The Best of Queensrÿche and Take Cover, the latter of which featured cover versions of songs by U2, Buffalo Springfield, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. During the following two years, Geoff Tate launched a series of one-on-one interviews with various military vets; he then funneled what he'd learned into the band's next project, a concept album about war named American Soldier. Produced by Jason Slater (who had also helmed Operation: Mindcrime II), the album was released in March 2009. Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Greg Prato, All Music Guide

Current Lineup

• Geoff Tate – vocals (1981 - present)
• Michael Wilton – guitar (1981 - present)
• Mike Stone – guitar, vocals (2003 - present)
• Eddie Jackson – bass guitar, vocals (1981 - present)
• Scott Rockenfield – drums (1981 - present)

Former members

• Chris DeGarmo – guitar (1981 - 1997)
• Kelly Gray – guitar (1998 - 2001)

Follow MEVIO Music on Twitter .

For more great music and information, go to MEVIO Music .