WNEW | Where Rock Lives

WNEW Rock News: She & Him Hit the Road

The alliance known as She & Him that brings Hollywood to Portland (or perhaps vice versa) have declared this spring as time to hit the road for a headlining tour.

The duo of singer/songwriter M. Ward and singer/actress Zooey Deschanel have recently announced shows in Chicago (6/7) and Toronto (6/9), as well as appearances at Washington's Sasquatch! Festival on 5/31 and Milwaukee's Verge Music Festival on 6/5. They'll also be in Tennessee for a June 11th slot at Bonnaroo.

Following the successful blueprint used on their 2008 debut album, Volume 1, the pair will drop a second studio album, Volume Two, on March 23.

"It's been the most natural extension of our interests and abilities," Ward said in the band's bio. "Using the back and forth between voices and guitars is the main force of the music, and we both have a great love for using harmonies. I think the songs lend themselves to production styles that I love and that she loves. There's no need to change it now, so the process for Volume Two is exactly the same: Zooey writes, I produce, and we both bring our ideas to the studio."

"I think we both went for it a little bit more, so to speak," Deschanel added, noting one difference between the two records. "I definitely got more ambitious with my backing vocal arrangements. That's a real passion for me."

WNEW Rock News: Charlie Gillett, Writer & Disc Jockey, Dead at 68

Today the rock and roll world mourns the passing of one its greatest and most passionate champions, the writer and DJ, Charlie Gillett. From his Honky Tonk show in the 1970s to his seminal book on the birth of rock and roll called Sounds of the City, Gillett was singular in his influence on the music of the last 40 years.

Click here to read his biography in The Guardian.

Here's the now famous demo version of Sultans of Swing that Dire Straits took to Gillett for his feedback. He liked it so much he played it on the radio and lead the band to be signed a few months later.

WNEW Rock News: Lilith Fair Dates and Acts Announced

Organizers of this year's Lilith Tour have announced eight cities that are confirmed to be hosting this year's traveling music festival and exhibition.

Lilith HQ says that in addition the Calgary, which has already been pegged for a June 27th stop, shows are also confirmed for Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Toronto, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Atlanta and West Palm Beach.

Tix for all these shows except for Cleveland will be on sale March 27th. (Cleveland tix drop on April 3).

A long list of artists will be rotating in and out of various venues. Headliners include Indigo Girls, Jill Scott, Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, Martina McBride, Brandi Carlile, Colbie Caillat, Sheryl Crow, Sugarland and founder Sara McLachlin. Other acts that will be scene in certain venues include A Fine Frenzy, the Bangles, Cat Power, Corinne Bailey Rae, Emmylou Harris, Heart, Loretta Lynn, Norah Jones and Suzanne Vega.

Go here to get tickets when the time is right.

WNEW Rock News: King of Pop Sets Another Record

While albums sales sadly fell flat for Michael Jackson in the later years of his career, his estate will have a different experience.

The King of Pop's people have garnered the biggest recording deal in history, based on the value of future project from MJ's recording vault: a $200 million guaranteed contract with Sony Music Entertainment for 10 projects over seven years.

The deal includes a collection of unreleased music to be on the shelf by November, a DVD comp of his videos and a re-release of Jackson's 1979 effort, Off the Wall.

Including the 5 million-plus copies of This Is It, Jackson has sold 31 million albums since his death in June, only 30% of which have been in the US.

WNEW Rock News: Peter Graves Dead at 83.

We're sad to report that film and TV star Peter Graves died yesterday of a heart attack at age 83. According to his publicist, Graves collapsed upon returning from brunch with his wife and children. One of his daughters administered CPR, but was unable to save him.

Graves' TV career dates back the mid-'50s when he landed a spot on NBC's western drama Fury. He followed that with roles on Whiplash, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Dean Martin Show and Fantasy Island.

However, he's best known for his portrayal of IMF leader James Phelps on the spy series Mission: Impossible, which ran for seven seasons on CBS-TV and had the world's best theme song:

WNEW Rock News: Shorty Drops New Disc This Spring

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WNEW Rock News: This Spring Will Be a Swell Season

Famed for creating the soundtrack to the movie Once, Irish songwriter Glen Hansard and Czech pianist Marketa Irglova have been recording together for a number of years hence under the name the Swell Season.

Their recent dates in the US have largely sold out on the strength of their new album, Strict Joy. Once they finish some Australian dates in March and April, they'll resume their US tour this May, dropping in on dates that cover mostly the Midwest and East Coast. May dates will start with a date at the State Theater in Kalamazoo on May 15th and end with a May 30 appearance at the Cleveland House of Blues.

Also on this tour will be a concert at the Hollywood Bowl on July 18th.

Find tour dates here after checking out this live performance at Portland's KINK radio performance lounge.

WNEW Rock News: More Bonnaroo Acts Announced

That big fat festival of music that has come to mean the beginning of summer -- Bonnaroo -- has announced additions to this year's rosters.

'Roo faves Ween, Umphrey’s McGee, John Butler Trio and the Gossip have announced they'll be at this year's fest down in Tennessee. Previously announced bands include Dave Matthews Band, Kings Of Leon, Jay Z, Damien Marley, Dropkick Murphys, the Melvins and Dr. Dog.

The 2010 festival will be held on June 10, 11, 12 and 13.

Let's go with this gem today on the video player...

WNEW Rock News: Simple Minds' Kerr to Roll Solo

Word from the music wire is that Simple Minds singer Jim Kerr is working on his very first solo album.

Working under the name Lostboy! AKA, Kerr says the project is inspired by his desire to connect with music from his teens. According to his publicist, Kerr will perform solo to support the release in May in Glasgow, where he and his first band, Johnny and the Self Abusers, started playing over 30 years ago.

Kerr also says he's planning to include some tunes from the first Simple Minds album, Life in a Day, as part of his show.

WNEW Rock News: Ryan Bingham Scoops Up Oscar

The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart) by Ryan Bingham and T-Bone Burnett was named best original song last night at the Academy Awards while Michael Giacchino won for best original score for Up.

It was the debut win for both Bingham and Burnett, who had been previously nominated along with Elvis Costello in 2004 for Scarlet Tide from Cold Mountain.

During his acceptance speech, the bonafide glamor boy Bingham, who won a Golden Globe for the same song earlier this year, ratcheted up his hunk-factor by thanking his wife, whom he said he loved "more than rainbows."

WNEW Rock News: The Neil Young Trunk Show

The Neil Young Trunk Show — a new concert film starring Neil Young — will see release later this year on both Blu-Ray and DVD. It's the second in a scheduled trilogy by famed director Jonathan Demme's, who also directed the 2006 Young documentary Heart of Gold.  

Using hand-held HD and film cameras, the movie features segments from two shows Young did at the Tower Theater in Pennsylvania during his 2007 Chrome Dreams II theater tour. 

The sets will include both acoustic and electric cuts, including performances of Mexico and The Sultan, classic cuts like Cinnamon Girl, Cowgirl in the Sand and After the Gold Rush as well as some of his more recent work. 

The Neil Young Truck Show will also feature some offstage and behind-the-scenes footage.

WNEW Rock News: New Old Stones Songs on the Way

Long considered the best album in their repertoire, the Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street will see a re-release this spring, complete with previously-unheard tracks. 

When the Stone's label, Universal Music, asked Mick and Keef to listen back to the album for the rehash, the Glimmer Twins found four tracks in the archives that had long been forgotten. 

According to an interview in Rolling Stone, Mick said, "I went back in the archives and dug out a load of things. I added some percussion and some vocals. Keith put guitar on one or two." Richards adds, "I really wanted to leave them pretty much as they were. I didn't want to interfere with the Bible, you know. They still had that great basement sound." 

The new songs are called Plundered My Soul, Dancing in the Light, Following the River, and Pass the Win, according rumors around the internet. 

They will appear on the renewed Exile on Main Street, which was originally released in 1972, along with six other bonus tracks. Release date is planned for May 18th.