Away Team

After 2 years of extensive international touring, guitar virtuoso, singer/ songwriter Richie Kotzen is back to unleash his new album 24 HOURS, releasing November 11 on Headroom-Inc.

24 HOURS reflects the guitar style’s that has defined his career as a virtuoso, while taking it to another level of playing. “I feel like I have reached a new level of soloing on the opening track 24 HOURS,” explains Kotzen. “I stopped using a guitar pick on electric a few years ago and my playing has evolved in a different way. Some of the solo lines I play on the song 24 HOURS, and others as well, are lines I would have never been able to play with a guitar pick. So I would say the solo’s on this CD are at a different level than previous recordings.”

24 HOURS is an absorbing collective blend of Kotzen’s musical influences and diversity. 24 hours takes you on an inspired, musical journey as the opening track sets the tone that falls stylistically somewhere between early Van Halen and Sly and the Family Stone. Kotzen also brought in his talented daughter, August Kotzen and friend Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, to complete the album. “My daughter, August is singing with me on a few songs and is playing electric piano on the song STOP ME,” states Kotzen. “My friend Jerry Cantrell is singing backgrounds on LOVE IS BLIND and does a very cool lead vocal ad-lib in the final chorus of the tune.”

24 HOURS is an album that has been in the works since Kotzen started playing guitar. The guitar virtuoso burst onto the heavy metal scene as a teenager with a lightning-fast guitar techniques. With his talents Kotzen has played with some of the best musicians; securing such major collaboration with the band Mr. Big and renowned jazz great Stanley Clarke as well as his own solo projects. “I have been lucky in the sense that I have been able to play with guys who I could learn from,” explains Kotzen. “The biggest musical lesson for me was playing in a band with Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. Obviously these guys are jazz musicians and I am not, but I learned so much from the time we recorded and toured together. My favorite rock bassist is Billy Sheehan and we were in Mr. Big together for 3 years which was awesome.”

24 HOURS was recorded and produced in Kotzen’s studio Headroom-Inc. 24 HOURS will be released on 11.11.11. Expect the first single, title track 24 HOURS to hit airwaves sometime soon.









For more RICHIE KOTZEN click here.

HOLLYWOOD, CA (February 23, 2011) MR. BIG is back with their highly anticipated new studio album entitled ” What If… ” out now on Frontiers Records.

“What If… ” is MR. BIG’s first all original album since the reunion of the four original members,  Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan and Pat Torpey back in early 2009. Sixteen years after the release of ” Hey Man ”, the new recording is set to bring back MR. BIG on the height of the current Hard Rock scene.

 Guitarist Paul Gilbert said: “This is the first MR. BIG album I have been a part of, since fourteen years and it was done in a snap. It was fun and we had really a  good time in making this one”. Continues Billy Sheehan “It’s so great to be back with Paul, Eric and Pat too. We wrote this record like we did in the old days for the first 2 records. Jamming together in the same room to write songs”. Pat Torpey adds ““Some of the recording process is different now from what we were used to in the old times. But I think this record really managed to capture the performances of the band, not of the individual musicians”.

 Eric Martin concludes: “I like to compare this to the first album, when we just got to know each other in a reharsal studio and cut it in 8 or 9 days. This is like chapter 2. We had so many years, so many records and so many things behind us. Now this feels like a beautiful brand new chapter starting for all of us”.

 ”What If… ” was produced by Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Rush, Iron Maiden)  and the release will be followed by a World Tour which will kick off in South America in March and will hit Europe in early summer.

 Formed in 1988, Mr. Big forged its place in hard rock history by combining trademark “shredding” musicianship with awesome vocal harmonies. The original line-up – vocalist Eric Martin, guitarist Paul Gilbert, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer Pat Torpey. Mr. Big produced numerous hit songs that ranged across a wide array of rock genres – be it ballads, heavy metal, or blues rock.

 Their hits included “To Be With You” (Billboard Hot 100 number one single in 15 countries for weeks, in 1991, propelling the band the band to huge international success and record sales in the multi-millions), “Wild World”, “Green-Tinted sixties Mind”, “Just Take My Heart”, and a host of heavy metal songs that were played mostly during their live performances: “Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy”, “Addicted to that Rush”, “Colorado Bulldog”, and “Take Cover”.

 “What If…” will be released in a special edition CD + DVD in digipak, regular CD, vinyl and digital download and in a limited edition luxury box including the CD, DVD, LP and exclusive memorabilia.

 “What If…” tracklisting includes: Undertow; American Beauty; Stranger In My Life; Nobody Takes the Blame; Still Ain’t Enough for Me; Once Upon a Time; As Far As I Can See; All The Way Up; I Won’t Get In My Way; Around The World; I Get The Feeling; Unforgiven (exclusive bonus track for Europe / North America – not on vinyl edition).

 The DVD will include the videoclips of “Undertow” and “All the Way Up” plus a documentary “Making of” the album including interviews and exclusive behind the scenes features of the four members.

 For more information go to www.mrbigsite.com

On March 28th, Eagle Rock’s Armoury Records is releasing the truly unique SIN-atra album. This is another mind and genre-bending triumph from the team that brought you We Wish You A Metal Xmas and, put simply, is the world of heavy metal’s tribute to the genius of FRANK SINATRA.

Featuring a great line-up of artists, SIN-atra offers a set of totally original versions of classic Frank Sinatra songs. The album features twelve songs made famous by Ol’ Blue Eyes which are given a radical and individual new treatment from some of the finest voices in rock including members of ANTHRAX, TWISTED SISTER, DEEP PURPLE, QUEENSRŸCHE, MR BIG, WARRANT and CHEAP TRICK with the backing of a superb band led by guitarist Bob Kulick (KISS/MEAT LOAF).

Tracklisting:
New York, New York (Devin Townsend)
I’ve Got You Under My Skin (Glenn Hughes)
Summerwind (Geoff Tate)
It Was A Very Good Year (Dee Snider)
Witchcraft (Tim “Ripper” Owens)
Fly Me To The Moon (Robin Zander)
Lady Is A Tramp (Eric Martin)
I’ve Got The World On A String (Dug Pinnick)
Love And Marriage (Elias Soriano)
Strangers In The Night (Joey Belladonna)
High Hopes (Franky Perez)
That’s Life (Jani Lane)

These classics are re-imagined musically by the SIN-atra house band which features Bob Kulick (guitar); Brett Chassen (drums); Billy Sheehan (bass); Doug Katsaros (keyboards and orchestrations); Richie Kotzen (lead guitar on That’s Life). The songs are known to everyone but you’ve never heard them quite like this before!

To pre-order your SIN-ATRA click here.

MR. BIG is back to announce their highly anticipated new studio album entitled What If… on February 8, 2011 on Frontiers Records.

What If… is MR. BIG’s first all original album since the reunion of the four original members, Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan and Pat Torpey back in early 2009. Sixteen years after the release of Hey Man, the new recording is set to bring back MR. BIG on the height of the current Hard Rock scene.

Guitarist Paul Gilbert said: “This is the first MR. BIG album I have been a part of, since fourteen years and it was done in a snap. It was fun and we had really a good time in making this one”. Continues Billy Sheehan “It’s so great to be back with Paul, Eric and Pat too. We wrote this record like we did in the old days for the first 2 records. Jamming together in the same room to write songs”. Pat Torpey adds ““Some of the recording process is different now from what we were used to in the old times. But I think this record really managed to capture the performances of the band, not of the individual musicians”.

Eric Martin concludes: “I like to compare this to the first album, when we just got to know each other in a reharsal studio and cut it in 8 or 9 days. This is like chapter 2. We had so many years, so many records and so many things behind us. Now this feels like a beautiful brand new chapter starting for all of us”.

What If… was produced by Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Rush, Iron Maiden) and the release will be followed by a World Tour which will kick off in South America in March and will hit Europe in early summer.

Formed in 1988, Mr. Big forged its place in hard rock history by combining trademark “shredding” musicianship with awesome vocal harmonies. The original line-up – vocalist Eric Martin, guitarist Paul Gilbert, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer Pat Torpey. Mr. Big produced numerous hit songs that ranged across a wide array of rock genres – be it ballads, heavy metal, or blues rock.

Their hits included “To Be With You” (Billboard Hot 100 number one single in 15 countries for weeks, in 1991, propelling the band the band to huge international success and record sales in the multi-millions), “Wild World“, “Green-Tinted sixties Mind“, “Just Take My Heart“, and a host of heavy metal songs that were played mostly during their live performances: “Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy“, “Addicted to that Rush“, “Colorado Bulldog“, and “Take Cover“.

“What If…” will be released in a special edition CD + DVD in digipak, regular CD, vinyl and digital download and in a limited edition luxury box including the CD, DVD, LP and exclusive memorabilia.

The DVD will include the videoclips of “Undertow” and “All the Way Up” plus a documentary “Making of” the album including interviews and exclusive behind the scenes features of the four members.









For more Mr. Big click here.

Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead) has confirmed to play along with Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, David Lee Roth), Michael Graves (The Misfits), Jeff Duncan (Armored Saint), Marko DeSantis (Sugarcult), Andy Hilfiger (bassologist/Fashion Guru) and Marky Ramone himself for a full concert of The Ramones. You will hear the music that defined many generations and inspired many bands. Marky’s set list is comprised of 31 historical Ramones songs such as SEDATED, K.K.K., PSYCHOTHERAPY, BLITZKREIG BOP, PINHEAD and more!

The legendary Rock Hall of Fame drummer for The Ramones is performing a special all-star fund-raising concert on Friday, October 8, 2010 at 8pm in the MI Concert Hall. Doors open at 7:30pm. The concert is in benefit for the newly-created Marky Ramone Drum Scholarship for Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA. “I am much honored to be chosen as an artist for the scholarship program. Music for kids is very important to have,” explains Marky. 100% of the event proceeds will fund the newly-created Marky Ramone Drum Scholarship at MI.

ONLINE ADVANCE SALE: General Admission seats (festival seating) are $30, VIP seating is $45 (guaranteed first 3 rows), $99 VIP Backstage (First 3 rows seating guaranteed | Backstage Pass | After-Show Meet & Greet | Special Marky Ramone Gift bag).

For more information click here.

Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, David Lee Roth), Mr. Big, Michael Graves (The Misfits), Jeff Duncan (Armored Saint), Marko DeSantis (Sugarcult) and Andy Hilfiger (bassologist/Fashion Guru) are the first fully confirmed artists to join Marky Ramone while he slams out a full concert of The Ramones. You will hear the music that defined many generations and inspired many bands. Marky’s set list is comprised of 31 historical Ramones songs such as SEDATED, K.K.K., PSYCHOTHERAPY, BLITZKREIG BOP, PINHEAD and more!

The legendary Rock Hall of Fame drummer for The Ramones is performing a special all-star fund-raising concert on Friday, October 8, 2010 at 8pm in the MI Concert Hall. Doors open at 7:30pm. The concert is in benefit for the newly-created Marky Ramone Drum Scholarship for Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA. “I am very honored to be chosen as an artist for the scholarship program. Music for kids is very important to have,” explains Marky. 100% of the event proceeds will fund the newly-created Marky Ramone Drum Scholarship at MI.

ONLINE ADVANCE SALE: General Admission seats (festival seating) are $30, VIP seating is $45 (guaranteed first 3 rows), $99 VIP Backstage (First 3 rows seating guaranteed | Backstage Pass | After-Show Meet & Greet | Special Marky Ramone Gift bag).

Click here To Buy MARKY RAMONE Concert Tickets.