Jethro Tull Celebrates Aqualung’s 40th Anniversary With A North American Tour

In celebration of the park bench, dribbly-nosed voyeur’s 40th Anniversary, Ian Anderson returns to the USA with his band Jethro Tull, starting June 8 in Denver, CO and ending on the 27 in Chicago, IL. 

The group features longtime members Ian Anderson (flute, vocals, acoustic guitar) and Martin Barre (guitars), Doane Perry (drums), as well as David Goodier (bass) and pianist John O’Hara.The latter two joined in 2006 after working with Ian on some of his solo projects.

The group will be performing the Aqualung album in its entirety plus a range of their other favorites from the lat 42 years.Critics dubbed AQUALUNG “a concept album,” particularly for Ian’s critical, skeptical views of organized religion, mostly on side B (“My God,”  “Hymn 43”). Anderson has disputed - almost resented - the assessment seeing the record as “just a bunch of songs.” This led the band to give the critics a full-blown concept album with the following studio release THICK AS A BRICK which topped the Billboard charts in 1972.

On AQUALUNG, the group explores the struggles of the less fortunate in our society (e.g., “Aqualung,”  “Cross-Eyed Mary,” “Up to Me”).Teenage angst and formal education difficulties (e.g., “Wind Up”) are explored, and Ian returns to his parental themes with “Cheap Day Return,” a tune encompassing Anderson’s feelings while traveling North on the train to visit his sick father. “Locomotive Breath”  touches on the issues of globalization, population expansion and runaway economics. Sound familiar?

Formed in 1968, Jethro Tull released its first album THIS WAS late in that year and followed up in 1969 with STAND UP. In the 1970s, the group was one of the most successful live performing acts on the world stage, rivaling Zeppelin, Elton John and even the Rolling Stones. Surprising, really, fora group whose more sophisticated and evolved stylistic extravagance was far from the Pop and Rock norm of that era.

With now some 30-odd albums to their credit and sales totaling more than 50 million, the apparently un-commercial Tull continues to perform over a 100 concerts per year with its rich variety and depth of expression,  wherever fans, young and old, want to hear Rock, Folk, Jazz and Classical-inspired music.Music for boys in long trousers and girls with brains.

In 2011, Tull will tour in Australia, Ireland, and Germany.And Ian will perform solo shows in Germany, Spain, Cyprus,  Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Panama, Mexico, Czech Republic,  the UK, Sweden, Denmark and Finland finishing with his customary charity Christmas concerts at three UK cathedrals.

In 2006, Ian was awarded a Doctorate in Literature from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, the Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement in Music and, in the New Years Honours List 2008, an MBE for services to music.In 2012, he expects to be awarded the Smithsonian Medal of Honor for smelling OK for someone his age and having ears still in proportion to the rest of his head. His bladder remains elastic and his prostate the size of a pinhead.

June 8:  Red Rock Amphitheater, Morrison, CO
June 10: Comerica Theatre, Phoenix,  AZ
June 11: The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
June 12: TBA, Valley Center, CA
June 13: The Grove, Anaheim, CA
June 14: TBA, Saratoga,  CA
June 16: Cuthbert Amphitheater, Eugene, OR
June 17: McMenamins Edgefield Concerts On The Lawn, Troutdale, OR
June 18: TBA, Woodinville,  WA
June 19: Centre for the Performing Arts, Vancouver, BC
June 21:  Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton, AB
June 22: Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary, AB
June 23: Casino Regina, Regina, SK
June 25: Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
June 26: Chicago Theatre, Chicago,  IL
June 27: Rosemont Theatre, Rosemont,  IL

New Jag Panzer video for Burn streaming now on NoiseCreep

Yesterday, JAG PANZER unleashed their new album The Scourge of the Light on SPV/Steamhammer. This album is a true return to form for the power metallers from Colorado. The band recently shot a video for their song “Burn.” Starting today, people can see an exclusive premiere of the video on Noisecreep. 

CLICK HERE to see the video

For the original band members, Harry Conklin (vocals), Mark Briody (guitar), and John Tetley (bass), JAG PANZER has always been something they held close to their hearts. Tetley explains, “We’ve known each other from our earliest childhood and have never lost sight of the idea that this band is based on. I don’t exactly want to use the term ‘spiritual,’ but the three of us are connected with this very special relationship. You could say that our lives are inseparably linked with the history of JAG PANZER.” This heartfelt passion has always been apparent in their songs; however, the American band has never sounded as impressive, mature, and accomplished as they do on their latest album The Scourge of the Light. The album will be out on 28 February 2011 in Europe, 25 February 2011 in Germany, and on 8 March 2011 in the US.

There are a number of reasons why JAG PANZER has accomplished so much on their current album. Without a doubt, the band’s two main songwriters, guitarists Mark Briody and Christian Lasegue, have never been in better form. Every one of their extremely dynamic riffs sounds haunting; every melody cuts their listeners to the core. It may sound like a contradiction, but since guitarist Chris Broderick, who was a band member between 1997 and 2007, left to join Megadeth, JAG PANZER has returned to their old roots. Tetley states, “There can be no question that Chris Broderick is an amazing guitarist, and we were really happy for him that he has this chance with Megadeth. But, we feel that thanks to Christian Lasegue, JAG PANZER’s classic, clearly more melodic power metal style has returned and that the fans will definitely be happy about this.” Tetley may well be right since JAG PANZER’s most recent studio recording Casting the Stones (2004) was criticized, especially in Europe, for its noticeably harsher direction. Tetley said, “We knew that Christian was the best man for the job, after all he was a band member for three years in the mid-1980s.” However, there are other reasons why The Scourge of the Light sounds so impressive. Despite their limited production budget, JAG PANZER spared no expense or effort to give their ten, fantastic new songs a driving force for their trademark sound. For this reason, they asked Jim Morris to mix the recordings at his legendary Morrisound Studios in Florida, and they sent the result to New York’s renowned Sterling Sound for mastering. The result is a real ear catcher, without any ifs and buts: “I feel The Scourge of the Light is the best-sounding album in the history of JAG PANZER,” Tetley said. He rightly expresses his pride in the product of his group’s labors. 

LINE-UP:
Harry Conklin - vocals
Mark Briody - guitars
Chris Lasegue - guitars
John Tetley - bass
Rikard Stjernquist - drums

Vicious Metal Chair Beating Postpones Tour The Jim Rose Circus Tour

from Magnum PR:

It is with our deepest regrets to report the news that Jim Rose of Jim Rose Circus received a brutal beating with a metal chair, wielded by WWE wrestler Kizarny, at the Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana this past weekend.  “His already fragile neck has been injured even further” reported doctors who have advised Jim to take the month off.  The Jim Rose Circus Tour will be postponed until later this year.  The Doctors say he should be healed and hopefully back on tour in September.

We will update you with new dates when they arrive.

(The Tour was to stop in Madison, WI on Sunday, August 23rd)

Michael Jackson Dies at 50 of Cardiac Arrest

TMZ is reporting that singer Michael Jackson was taken to a hospital in Los Angeles for cardiac arrest and later died.

Read the Entire article and updates plus exclusive pic

U.S. Court Overturns Record Fine for 2004 Superbowl ‘Wardrobe Malfunction’ with Janet Jackson