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The Drums Announce West Coast Tour 
"Let's Go Surfing" Named In Rolling Stone's Hot List 

 

To Release Summertime EP On Holiday Records  
Look Out For Debut LP Early 2010 

the big test

Click Here To Read Pitchfork "Best New Music" Single Review For "I Felt Stupid"


Click Here To See "Let's Go Surfing" Make Spin Magazine Top 20 Summer Songs

Click Here To Watch "Let's Go Surfing" Video

Click Here To See Pitchfork Forkcast "Let's Go Surfing"


"They do a kind of surfy version of New Order, bright and clattery, a minimalist collision of the 1950s and the 1980s. The best thing about the beach is that it’s so giant and uncomplicated — a way of life broken down to water, sun and rocks in various states of distress" -- New York Times

"....the fall’s catchiest release" -- New York Magazine

"This Brooklyn combo combines the starry-eyed wonder of the Wilsons with the pout of the 80s New Romantics, generating the kind of buzz that’s going to make them regret having a name that’s impossible to Google.
Listen If: No matter what it’s like outside, the date on the calendar in your mind is always the middle of July" -- Rolling Stone

"New York's official Coolest New Band...this might be the most contagiously energetic NYC band of the past 10 years." -- NME


"Nobody knew what was in store; not the band and certainly not those in attendance. But the first-ever show by Florida's The Drums (Jonathan Pierce of Elkland and Jacob Graham of Horse Shoes) was arguably the highlight of the final day of NYC Popfest " -- Brooklyn Vegan

"The Drums are one of the most refreshing bands we've seen in quite a long time. They'll be HUGE...This band just knows how to write a song that shimmers and sparkles and jingles and jangles. It sounded like every song they played was a potential summer hit." -- Oh My Rockness

"From start to finish, they play a totally refreshing set that shed a bright joyful light over the entire room." - NY PRESS

"They are teen dreamers...their post-war optimism rides on the pink, paradise island surf" --RCRD LBL
 
 
“We only write about two feelings: one is the first day of summer when you and all of your friends are standing on the edge of a cliff watching the sun set and being overcome with all of your hopes and dreams at once. The other is when you're walking alone in the rain and realize you will be alone forever.”

Jonathan Pierce and Jacob Graham met at summer camp when they were children and have been best friends ever since. Soon after their initial meeting, they formed a persistent yet unprosperous electro pop band called Goat Explosion and toured extensively in North America during their teenage years. Around 2003, Jonathan and hometown friend (and master woodsman) Adam Kessler formed indie rock group Elkland, which was quickly signed by Columbia Records. In the years immediately following, Elkland garnered attention in clubs and on the indie music scene with their infectious debut single “Apart”. In the meantime, Jacob formed a band called Horse Shoes (Shelflife Records), specializing in melodically strong and sentimental love songs. Jonathan ultimately decided to take a few years off from writing music after becoming disillusioned with the music business and parted ways with Elkland in 2005. 

Jacob and Jonathan had long planned to start a new band together, and having tired of electronic music they agreed to shift the emphasis from synthesizers to guitars without ever having learned to play them. Their first co-written song, aptly named “Best Friend” was a strong indication of the direction and spirit of the band, and thus The Drums were born in late 2008 amidst an exciting and hopeful political climate. They self recorded and produced around fifteen songs while living in central florida and with big dreams and a batch of songs they believed in spent the beginning of 2009 saving money to move to New York City.

With their arrival in New York, The Drums added former Elkland guitarist Adam Kessler on second guitar and NYC born drummer Connor Hanwick (formerly of lo-fi teen pop duo Cape of No Hope) to the line up and set up a month long residency at a small club on the lower east side of Manhattan. Word of mouth quickly spread and by the end of June 2009, The Drums’concerts had become a weekly dance party attended religiously by the most critical music fans in New York City. 

The Drums began performing all over the city for the remainder of the summer, and so the party continued. With their "explosive live show" and a sound and image that are at once familiar and brand new, they were soon dubbed "New York's official coolest new band" by NME and began receiving national radio play in the UK as well as college radio in the US.

The Drums offer the unlikeliest of hybrids, and stage a clash in their songs between wildly opposing aesthetics and ideas, as though Sun Records and Factory Records had joined forces. Let's Go Surfing, their debut single, released on Moshi Moshi (who put out early records by Hot Chip, Florence and the Machine, Friendly Fires and Kate Nash), features New Order-style trebly, melodic bass, Ventures-esque guitar, and what many are calling “the most infectious whistling line since Peter, Bjorn and John.”

"We originally set out to start a band that sounded like The Wake," say The Drums, referring to the quintessential doleful mid-80s Factory band. And then, nailing their aesthetic, they add: "[But] there's an instant gratification in straightforward music. That's why we love the 1950s. It was the beginning of basic pop music. They did it from scratch and pulled these amazing, timeless melodies out of thin air."

It’s a combination that may not seem logical, but when you hear it you'll know you need it, you've gotta have it and it's what you've always been looking for. 



West Coast Tour Dates 

Thurs 12 November - SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Popscene, 3330 Ritch
 Sun 15 November - SAN DIEGO, CA - The Loft 
 Mon 16 November - LA, CA - Spaceland FREE SHOW
 Thurs 19 November - Santa Barbara, CA - Stroke UCSB FREE SHOW

Band Members


Jonathan Pierce - The Singin'
Jacob Graham - The Stringin'
Adam Kessler - The Twangin'
Connor Hanwick - The Bangin'
 

www.myspace.com/thedrumsforever

www.wearethedrums.com
 

UMPHREY’S MCGEE RELEASES A “B-SIDES” DOUBLE DISC SET
TITLED THE BOTTOM HALF
ON APRIL 3, 2007.

LOOK FOR THE BAND ON TOUR THIS SPRING.

On April 3, 2007 Umphrey’s McGee releases a double disc B-Sides album – a spontaneous and intriguing follow-up to their highly touted spring 2006 studio release Safety In Numbers. Titled The Bottom Half, disc one features ten songs that did not make it onto Safety In Numbers, while disc two offers outtakes, alternative versions of songs, a cappella recordings, and other bits from the band’s 2005 studio sessions. As with Safety In Numbers, famed album artist Storm Thorgerson has designed the artwork for The Bottom Half.

Safety In Numbers attracted mountains of attention for Chicago’s rising stars during 2006. The highly anticipated album charted on Billboard’s Top 200 and on the coveted “Heatseekers” chart, and received a “4 Star” review in Blender magazine. Also in 2006, Umphrey’s McGee sold out shows in theaters coast to coast, appeared at Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, and made their late night TV debut on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live. In addition, Guitar Player Magazine recently featured the band’s guitarists – Jake Cinninger and Brendan Bayliss – on their list of “Best Unsung Guitar Heroes.”

The current list of confirmed tour dates is as follows:

February 21 Culture Room Ft. Lauderdale FL
February 22 State Theatre St. Petersburg FL
February 23 The Music Farm Charleston SC
February 24 Amos' South End Charlotte NC
February 25 Legend's Music Hall Boone NC
February 27 The NorVa  Norfolk VA
February 28 Georgia Theater Athens GA
March 01 The Orange Peel Asheville NC
March 02 Bijou Theatre Knoxville TN
March 05-06 Fox Theatre Boulder CO
March 14 Canopy Club Urbana IL
March 15 The Orbit Room Grand Rapids MI
March 16 Clutch Cargos Pontiac MI
March 17 Morris Performing Arts Center South Bend IN
March 22 Orpheum Theatre Madison WI
March 23-24 First Avenue Minneapolis MN
April 03 Iowa Memorial Union Ballroom Iowa City IA
April 04 The Blue Note Columbia MO
April 05 The Pageant St. Louis MO
April 06-07 Egyptian Room - Murat Centre Indianapolis IN
April 11 Calvin Theatre Northampton MA
April 12 Avalon Theatre Boston MA
April 13 Nokia Theatre Time Square New York NY
April 14 9:30 Club Washington D.C.
April 15 Water Street Music Hall Rochester NY
April 17 The Opera House Toronto Ontario
April 18 Penn's Peak Jim Thorpe PA
April 19 The Town Ballroom Buffalo NY
April 20 Newport Music Hall Columbia OH
April 21 TBA - Green Apple Music Festival Chicago IL
May 02-03 The Workplay SoundStage Birmingham AL
May 04 House Of Blues New Orleans LA
May 05 Granada Theatre Dallas  TX
May 25-27 Summer Camp Chillicothe IL
June 02 Mountain Jam Festival Hunter NY
July 18-21 10,000 Lakes Festival Detroit Lakes MN

More dates to be announced.

It has been a quick rise for Chicago’s Umphrey’s McGee. Their virtuoso playing and edgy songcraft recently compelled RollingStone to choose Umphrey’s “a band to watch” in their annual Hot Issue. Relix magazine put them on the cover of their December 2004 issue and the prestigious Chicago Music Awards bestowed upon Umphrey’s McGee the coveted Best Rock Entertainer of the Year award. Booked coast to coast by the Monterey Peninsula Booking Agency, the band recently sold out three nights at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom, two nights at Irving Plaza, San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium, and the list goes on.

www.umphreys.com.

GRAMMY-WINNING BAND OK GO’S LATEST VIDEO,

“DO WHAT YOU WANT,”

RECEIVES MTV MULTI-CHANNEL PREMIERE ROLLOUT

ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15th

 

OK Go Kicks Off Tour With Snow Patrol February 26th

Feb. 14, 2007

Here it goes again!  On the heels of their outlandishly successful “treadmill” video for the hit single “Here It Goes Again” which snagged a Grammy award  (Best Short Form Music Video) after logging upwards of 15 million online viewings, OK Go is back with another high-energy, visually captivating and innovative video that exhorts fans to “Do What You Want.”  To kick it off, viewers can tune in for the MTV multi-channel premiere rollout of “Do What You Want” tomorrow, February 15th on MTV’s “TRL,” MTV.com, and all day premieres on MTV Hits and mtvU.

Directed by lead singer Damian Kulash, the video for “Do What You Want” features the band’s trademark paisley wallpaper as a backdrop and the intrepid foursome attired in similarly-patterned suits, carrying on with the panache that has characterized each of their videos to date.  

OK Go will join Snow Patrol for an extensive North American tour commencing February 26th in Portland, OR and concluding April 10th in Edmonton, ALB.   OK Go will then be on tour with The Fray starting in June.

 

 

Jack Daniel's Presents 2004 U.S. Tour of Ranchera Music's Greatest Living Idol, Vicente Fernandez

'El Rey' (The King) is joined by renowned Mexican diva, Ana Gabriel, in select cities

LYNCHBURG, Tenn., Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, maker of the nation's finest distilled spirits since 1866, proudly announced today its sixth year of participation as the national sponsor of Mexico's King of Ranchera music, Vicente Fernandez, during his upcoming 2004 U.S. tour this fall.

"It is an honor for Jack Daniel's to be a part of Vicente Fernandez's tour and the cultural heritage he represents," said Dave Stang, National Sponsorship Director for Jack Daniel's. "Vicente is an exceptional, unique talent and Jack Daniel's is proud to be part of another one of Vicente's first class concert tours. You don't come across people like Vicente often and we at Jack Daniel's appreciate the fact that this fabulous entertainer would have us as a partner again this year."

2004 U.S. Tour

Enthusiastic mariachi aficionados in 13 U.S. cities will enjoy Fernandez as he pairs up with one of Mexico's top female entertainers, the dynamic singer songwriter Ana Gabriel, in select markets. For more information on the tour, log on to www.JackDaniels.com

Oct. 15: Dallas, TX/American Airlines Center
Oct. 16: San Antonio, TX/Freeman Coliseum
Oct. 17: Houston, TX/Toyota Center
Oct. 23: New York, NY/Madison Square Garden Theatre
Oct. 24: Chicago, IL/Allstate Arena
Nov. 4-7: Los Angeles, CA/Universal Amphitheatre
Nov. 12: El Paso, TX/University of Texas -- El Paso
Nov. 13: McAllen, TX/Dodge Arena
Nov. 19: San Juan, Puerto Rico/Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot
Nov. 20: Miami, FL/American Airlines Arena
Nov. 21: Washington, D.C./DC Armory
Nov. 26: San Jose, CA/HP Pavilion at San Jose
Nov. 27: Las Vegas, NV/Mandalay Bay
Dates subject to change

Adding to the excitement and a vast tradition of community service, Jack Daniel's also unveiled its plans to launch a one-of-a-kind community service campaign with "El Rey," benefiting Latinos across the country. Full details on this special campaign will be announced in the coming weeks.

About Vicente Fernandez

El Charro de Huentitan, Jalisco's most famous son, Vicente Fernandez, has served as Mexico's worldwide ambassador of traditional Ranchera music for the last three decades. With an extraordinary career that spans music and film, his undeniable talent and tenacity have produced 63 albums, a multitude of hit singles, and dozens of feature films. Over the years, Fernandez has garnered national and international acclaim including a coveted 2004 Latin Grammy Award, numerous Grammy nominations, induction into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame and a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame. But among his Ranchera music fans of all ages, his accomplishments are summed up in his nickname: "El Rey" (The King).

About Jack Daniel's

Officially registered with the U.S. government in 1866, the Jack Daniel's Distillery, Lem Motlow, proprietor, is the oldest registered distillery in the United States and is in the National Register of Historic Places. Based in Lynchburg (pop. 361), Tennessee, the Jack Daniel's Distillery is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey; Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey and Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails.

PITBULL SIGNS WITH TVT RECORDS

Miami Cuban MC To Release New Album Next Summer

New York, NY ­ One of the Miami's most prominent rhyme-spitters Pitbull has signed a long-term deal with TVT Records. The Cuban-American MC was touted by The Source Magazine's Unsigned Hype column (Nov 03) - "let it be known that Pitbull is as viscous as the pedigree he's named after." The emcee will be hard at work in the studio to bang out his TVT debut tentatively untitled
scheduled for a May 2008 release.

"The timing was just right with TVT. The label has its finger on the pulse of the South movement and I wanted to be apart of that," said Pitbull. "TVT was also good situation because it¹s has system that I know all the players
from my affiliation with Lil Jon."

"Pitbull is one of those rare artist whose character and presence is felt not only on a record but throughout an entire community," remarked TVT Records President, Steve Gottlieb. "To cement his position as the next star to come
out of the South he will be featured on the first single from the CRUNK & DISORDERLY compilation."

Pitbull will be featured on "That's Nasty" featuring labelmate Lil Jon and Lil Scrappy from the TVT Records compilation, CRUNK & DISORDERLY which features T.I., David Banner, Ying Yang Twins, Bone Crusher and many more.

The compilation will be in-stores December 9, 2003. He will finish recording his untitled album at The Diaz Bros. studios in Miami.

About TVT Records:
Headquartered in New York City, TVT Records is Billboard and Soundscan's #1 independent record company of 2003 and the #1 independent label for urban music. The label holds the current #1 independent rap album with "Kings of
Crunk" from Lil' Jon & The East Side Boyz which is still in the Top 10 on Billboard's Top Rap Albums chart in its 17th week of release.

TVT's other notable urban projects include Snoop Dogg's Tha Eastsidaz -- whose two albums have scored gold and platinum certifications, and who will drop a third TVT disc late nextyear -- and the reforming of Ja Rule's original group CMC (Cash Murda Click) whose new album "Est. Since Œ93" will also hit in 2004.

Upcoming urban releases for 2004 include dynamic hip-hop/soul songstress Teedra Moses, Crunk R&B vocalist Oobie and Lil' Jon-protégé Chyna Whyte, a female rap slayer with vicious rhymes and incredible lyrical dexterity.

Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz PART II - CD/DVD November 25, 2003
Various Artists CRUNK AND DISORDERLY December 9, 2003
Ying Yang Twins ME & MY BROTHER IN-Stores NOW!!!
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz KINGS OF CRUNK Certified Platinum!
Oobie OOBAYBI May 2008
Teedra Moses COMPLEX SIMPLICITY May 2008
Tha Eastsidaz May 2008
Chyna Whyte BAD BLOOD 2004
Pitbull Untitled 2004

A RIAA PLATINUM JEWEL FOR THE KINGS OF CRUNK,
LIL JON & THE EAST SIDE BOYZ

New York, NY ­ After 45 weeks, KINGS OF CRUNK, the BME/TVT Records sophomore album from Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz has been certified platinum by the RIAA for U.S. sales in excess of 1 million units. The album is a recent #19
hit on the Billboard 200 and a #10 on Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

The album¹s third single, "Get Low" which features labelmates Ying Yang Twins, is igniting radio across the country. The single has remained in the Top 10 on Billboard¹s Hot 100 for over 5 weeks now! It also has propelled album sales for KINGS OF CRUNK on The Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums since the track hit radio in early April. The video for Get Low is enjoying Top 10 Most Played" status at MTV. Get Low is the first Top 10
single in the history of TVT Records.

To celebrate the platinum status for KINGS OF CRUNK the group will release two "Get Low" remixes: one which, features Elephant Man and multi-platinum J Records emcee Busta Rhymes which injects a reggae flavor to the crunk
classic track, the other remix is a merengue rendition featuring Miami Latin rapper, Cuban Pitball.

The remarkable KINGS OF CRUNK, which features Jadakiss, Mystikal, 8Ball, Krayzie Bone, Pastor Troy and E-40, among others, has taken crunk music from a regional sensation to a national phenomenon. The album stands as an artistic advancement of a group who was already at the top of its game.

In other Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz news, the group has been featured in RollingStones "New Faces" section Vibe Magazines "Soundcheck" section for October. Lil Jon is producing tracks for Jay-Z, Youngbloodz, T-Boz, Ludacris, Ol Dirty Bastard aka Dirt McGirt., Mobb Deep, Jermaine Dupri, Nelly, Ying Yang Twins and he graces the September cover of The Source Magazine.

KINGS OF CRUNK is currently the number one selling independent album from powerhouse label, TVT Records. Expected to hit stores later this year are kings of the club circuits Ying Yang Twins, Snoop Doggs Tha Eastsidaz and
the first R&B Crunk artist, Oobie. Upcoming urban releases for 2004 include dynamic hip-hop/soul songstress Teedra Moses and Lil Jon-protégé Chyna Whyte, a female rap slayer with vicious rhymes and incredible lyrical dexterity.

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