Kiss rocking the nation with live DVD

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Make-up clad rock icons Kiss will on December 13 release a double-disc concert DVD, "Rock the Nation Live!," which aims to distinguish itself from countless Kiss videos on the market with an abundance of rare songs and special features.

Taped in summer 2004 in Washington, D.C., and Virginia Beach, the Image Entertainment release features core members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons flanked by guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer.

"We were playing a lot of songs that Kiss hadn't played in years, or haven't played at all," Thayer told Billboard.com. "One day, Doc McGhee, the manager, came into the dressing room, and said, 'We really need to film and record this show, because it's so good. It's probably the best Kiss performance I've seen.' So we said, 'OK.' That was the spark that got the whole thing going."

"Rock the Nation Live!" boasts the "Kiss Powervision/Select-A-Kiss" option to hone in on an individual member as well as candid behind-the-scenes vignettes.

"At any moment, a viewer can choose what they want to see, and use different camera angles," Stanley said. "So if you happen to have the good taste to see me, you can watch pretty much solely that. It's really your mix and your version of the show. I don't think we can forget that the band is really in peak form, and that's really shown on this DVD."

Stanley said he was thrilled to air out such Kiss oldies as "Christine Sixteen," "She" and "Parasite" during the tour.

"To be able to go out and play every and any Kiss song was very freeing," he enthuses. "We reached a point where a lot of the tours after the reunion tour were virtually the same set list, and it wasn't because we didn't want to play other songs. Once Tommy and Eric came in, on any given night, we could change the show, and really dig deep into our catalog. A band that's been together this long not only should be able to play 'Rock and Roll All Nite' and 'Love Gun,' but (also) 'Two Timer' or 'Got To Choose."'

Still, fans continue to await a vault-clearing visual release, a project that Stanley said is closer to reality than ever before.

"Yesterday was the beginning of planning really the ultimate Kiss experience," he said. "That Scorsese/Dylan piece ('No Direction Home: Bob Dylan') was eye opening, at least to me, in terms of how you can be immersed in a time capsule, and not only see the music and be part of the crowd, but also get a sense of who Dylan was then. There are times when I'm much more interested in actual footage of somebody in the moment than somebody reminiscing 20 or 30 years later. It's fascinating to see where somebody was at, and what their mindset was in the midst of storm, as opposed to looking back on it. That set a really high bar, and I think that is more likely our approach at this point."

For now, it is unknown when Kiss may return to the road. "There's definitely talk," Stanley said. "I had a hip replacement a year ago, and that unfortunately didn't go as well as it should have, and they did it again, and that also didn't go as well as it should have. So the recovery from that has been longer, although about six weeks ago we did a corporate show for 15,000 people, in Columbus, Ohio. The band is as good and ready to go as ever. The difference is that I have to make sure that I can commit 100% of my energy for a tour, and not just a show."

Coldplay gearing up for 2006 tour

NEW YORK (Billboard) - British rock band Coldplay will return to North America for a spring 2006 tour, beginning January 25 in Vancouver.

Set to run through early April, the trek is gradually being unveiled on the Web site http://www.talkthetour.com, where a new show is confirmed for every 33,000 hits. About half of the 26 shows have been announced to date.

Fans who register with the site will have the opportunity to win a phone call from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, front row seats to a show and tickets to the 2006 Grammys, which take place in Los Angeles.

The tour comes in support of Coldplay's third Capitol album, "X&Y," which debuted in May at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 2.3 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The band proved a major draw in North America this summer, grossing more than $23 million from 34 shows reported to Billboard Boxscore, including 16 sell-outs.

Hi folks.

I've not posted before but I'm a long-time satriani fan, my first concert seing the 'Flying in a Blue Dream' tour at Leeds, UK (Colosseum?) and pretty much all the tours since over here.

I was just wondering if there had been any discussion about the current situation with Sony/BMG using rootkit technology for audio CD copy protection? Or about copy protection in particular, for that matter.

Has Joe said anything on the subject? I realise that artists sometimes have no control on how their material is distributed, but there seems to be a lot of ill will being generated towards the bands whose material is released this way.

For those who haven't seen the details of the current fiasco, have a look here :

here and more

it's a bit technical, but well worth a read.

As for myself, I have made the conscious decision to vote with my money and not to buy any copy protected goods. I will also be avoiding Sony hardware. I just hope that future Satriani releases are not affected as I will miss his virtuouso performances.

-- Andrew

LRayZor

As for the Sony issues - the protection is on the new G3 CD - it was a pain to have the songs downloaded into my computer so that I could get them onto my iPod.

You had to use the Sony software, download the songs, burn to a new CD, then import the new CD into iTunes to transfer the songs into the iPod.

Stevee T, hey bro, your CD arrived this morning. Thanks loads for that, it's brilliant. I've been listening to it in the car this morning while I was out and about, and am now home and listening again.

It's really great stuff dude....it's nice to hear something so honest and free-thinking....it all sounds like it's you being creative rather than you being idly technical.

I know it's kind of annoying when somebody type-casts your hard work so I don't want to cause offense with the following but: The whole lot has a real soundtrack vibe to it. If you were writing in the same way as you've done here, I reckon you could make an awesome soundtrack for a big movie. It'd have to be the right kind of movie....something epic or something really though-provoking.

I'd love to be able to send your CD to Peter Jackson for his consideration for the soundtrack to the Halo movie....that's exactly the sort of thing where I reckon it would fit nicely!

Oh and track 10, Jimi's Among Us, sounds like butterflies! :-]

The synth sounds and tones are all really cool - courtesy of the Triton I presume? - and you've not used them excessively. The synth and guitar parts/sounds compliment each other really well! Anyway, I'll stop before I sound like I'm kissing ass. Rock on dude, and cheers for putting the 'bonus tracks' on the end ;-)

Zinc Master That's really miserable news. :(

Sony has just lost Joe a sale. These companies really have no comprehension what they are doing. They complain about piracy and then drive their actual customers away with stupid things like this.

TBH I didn't expect much of Sony anyway, as they have a long history of pissing off their customers. You just have to look at the Everquest and Star Wars Galaxy online game communities problems.

LRayZor

Sony can be difficult at times - the rootkits - what a sneaky ploy.

Good Morning Satchland....... How Are You Guys?

Zen....... Thanks for the update. Sounds great. I'm sketching out an idea in Garageband based on your movement discription post a couple days ago. I'd like a shot at writing a movement. I don't want to expand on this to much untill I hear your's. Thanks again. I'm really excited about this.

962......I have the original Peavey Classic from the late 70's with a tweed finish. I love that amp. All tube 50 watt amp with two 12's with an open back. Great studio amp. I used this amp a lot when I played in a Southern Rock Band. My set was simple: "53" Les Paul Goldtop into an original Vox wah = original TS-808 = MXR Micro Chorus = original MXR Phase 100 into the Classic. What sweet sound. I even wore a Cowboy hat when I played.....but that's between us girls....LOL.....

Joe's DS-1 update......I was at tower records last night and Joe was on the front cover of a Guitar mag. I don't remember the name buy Joe's holding Chromeboy up next to his face. In the interview they showed pics of his set up and he deffinetly still uses a DS-1. The pic shows the pedal with DS-1 written on tape. From the previous post I don't know where this one is made.

Have A Great Day Everyone ! ! ! !

RoWashburn: I'm telling you this as a guy that is a Joe fan, but is generally opposed to buying signature gear. You'll like the JSX. I bought one because modern Marshalls couldn't get smooth enough, and don't sustain anymore like the old ones do. The JSX has I would say modded Marshall JCM800 tone on the Crunch channel....if you dial it in right you can make it very smooth and liquid, or crunchy and ACDC in tone. The clean channel is very similar to a fender twin with more chime to it...and the ultra channel can get super ridiculously saturated. I'm very happy with it...although I'm sure the Soldanos are killer in their own right, they're just super expensive. Email me, and I'll give you some settings to use if you go to try out the JSX. It uses active EQ on the drive channels, so it can be made to sound horrible if you set it up like you would expect to set up a Marshall or something classic like that.

Bom desculpe por escrever em portugues ... Gostaria de saber como faço para falar com o Satriani pois quero abrir um fan club oficial no brasil e gostaria muito que ele aprovasse isso.

Se puder me ajudar agradeço.

Part 1

Guitars and Rockets: Surprising Similarity Between

By Tony Phillips Science.NASA.gov posted: 08 November, 2005 7:00 am ET

When the space shuttle lifts off its pad at Kennedy Space Center, the roar is unbelievable. Even miles away onlookers grab their seats and hold on tight. Sound waves penetrate flesh and shake bones.

Recently, country music star Clint Black recorded a public service message for NASA. According to Black, those launches remind him of something: himself.

"Did you know my guitar is like a rocket?" he asks.

Show-business exaggeration? No. It's scientific fact. Black's guitar is like a rocket.

"They both resonate," explains aerospace engineer Rodney Rocha of NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston.

Credit: NASA

"When you pick up an acoustic guitar," Black demonstrates, "one of the first things you'll notice is the body is basically an air chamber. The shape of the chamber is designed to be 'in tune' with the sound from the strings." He plucks the E string and the body of the guitar vibrates, producing "sympathetic" E-frequencies of its own.

"We call this 'resonance' and it's a big part of what makes a great guitar," says Black.

Resonance may be great for guitars, but "it can be disastrous for a spacecraft," notes Rocha.

"When the shuttle lifts off, the main engines roar so loudly that a person standing near the pad would be killed—not by the heat of the exhaust, but by the sound of the engines," he says. The engines "strum" the spacecraft with incredible force. Rumbling sound waves penetrate the shuttle and its cargo, seeking, probing, shaking.

"We cannot let these sounds [find] and over-excite a sympathetic resonance," says Rocha. If they do ... the sound is amplified, vibrations increase. Bolts can become unscrewed, covers ripped off, joints loosened.

"It could really shake up your mission," laughs Black.

The engines aren't the only source of sound. After liftoff, the rocket rips its way through the atmosphere en route to space. Rushing air creates strong aerodynamic noise, which rattles the ship. "You can hear this kind of noise by rolling down your car window while driving," Rocha says.

Even in space, the noises don't stop. Vibrations can ripple through a spaceship when it docks with another ship, or when it fires its maneuvering thrusters. With each bump or thrust, the rocket is strummed anew.

Part 2

When Black strums his guitar, the sound lasts a long time. "That's the sustain," he explains. Long-lasting vibrations are encouraged by the fabric of the guitar itself. "Notice how the guitar is made of lightweight, flexible wood—a material that likes to vibrate," points out Black.

Rockets are made of stiffer, heavier materials, that damp resonances and reduce sustain. But that's not the only trick spacecraft designers use. Sometimes they modify the shape of the rocket, adding supports or filling in empty spots. The purpose: to detune the rocket from itself.

Detuning rockets isn't easy because, as instruments, they're much more complicated than guitars.

Consider this: A guitar is constructed from dozens of parts: tuning knobs, clamps, the sides and faces of the air chamber and, typically, six strings. The strings produce six fundamental frequencies: 82 Hz, 110 Hz, 147 Hz, 196 Hz, 247 Hz, 330 Hz corresponding to the open notes of E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, and E4.

A typical rocket, on the other hand, is made of thousands of parts. The space shuttle famously contains more than a million components. All these pieces vibrating together produce a cacophony of frequencies ranging from subsonic waves that only an elephant could hear to high-pitched whines akin to fingers scratching a blackboard.

Which frequencies might do the most damage? What parts of the spacecraft are most vulnerable to resonance? And how do you de-tune this complicated instrument?

To answer these questions, NASA engineers have developed "sound studios" for spacecraft. "These are huge chambers where we take pieces of our rockets and expose them to loud noises." Really loud. "One of our 165 decibel acoustic horns at JSC can make as much noise as a space shuttle main engine," he says.

By observing the response of "test articles" to the sounds, engineers can discover resonances and make changes to squelch them. "The most vulnerable articles tend to have low mass and lots of surface area—like a guitar," he notes.

Acoustic testing has been a regular part of rocket design since the Apollo program four decades ago. "In those days," says Rocha, "NASA engineers blasted sections of Saturn rockets with loud sounds in special laboratories. And when the space shuttle came along we tested its components in the same way."

Now NASA is preparing to build a new spaceship, the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) to carry astronauts back to the Moon and on to Mars. "I'm sure the CEV will get its turn in a sound chamber, too," says Rocha.

aussiergman- Egg Boxes work as great sound proofing - went into a music shop once with it - the sounds were deafening inside but you couldn't hear a thing outside - I had to go in and out a few times to believe my ears

Hey T2J, just thought i'd share the press release for the new Sherrie Lea cd with y'all :o)

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

SHERRIE LEA FULL LENGTH ALBUM “SPELLBOUND” OUT NOW!!

Talented Canadian artist Sherrie Lea’s full-length album, “Spellbound” out today on Hi-Bias Records (Distributed by Warner Music Canada)

Sherrie is one of Canada’s top female vocalists, having been featured on the best selling compilations “Women In Song” alongside the likes of Sarah McLaughlan and Nelly Furtado. Her first single, a reworking of the Sade hit “No Ordinary Love”, was an international smash, and performed extremely well across Canada, garnering one thousand spins at CHUM FM and Z103.5 FM radio alone, as well as charting top ten in the club charts. On the strength of the single alone, Sherrie was offered an international signings in the UK, Scandinavia, Spain, France, and more. Her second single and title track “Spellbound” is currently charting as the #8 radio pick hit and is the #2 hot most added track at HOT AC radio.

“Spellbound” is an exhilarating musical ride, with dance floor and radio friendly sounds as the cornerstone. Exciting, upbeat, and deliciously sultry, Spellbound contains exclusive co-writes by Bryan Adams and Alanis Morissette as Sherrie Lea wraps her signature voice around undeniably catchy melodies, and lyrics that are simply, unforgettable. Produced by ace remixer/producer Nick Fiorucci (Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Laura Pausini, etc), “Spellbound” is an unquestionable groover that is bound to be a hit!

Please feel free to visit www.sherrielea.com for more artist information and a link to the video for “No Ordinary Love”.

For press inquiries, additional artist information, live appearances, etc. please contact info@hibias.ca

962..thank you for the positive review...it does my heart good. The butterfly sounds you described on "Jimi's Amoung Us" is 1 guitar, 1 take through an Eventide Eclipse Harmonizer ... very cool unit...

Thank you for taking the time to listen, and responding in detail...I've been thinking of shopping my tunes for soundtracks, or commercials within the next year or so once I've built a substancial catalog of work...time, time, time...tick, tock, tick, tock....

danny k...are you on the CD...congrats & cheers!

hey there Joe how are you today buddy? I am doing ok. A lot better than yesterday. Well except I went snowboarding yesterday. Have a great day. lots of love.

How is every one today?

have a great day!