Deep Purple Releases ‘Portable Door’, First Song And Video From Upcoming New Album ‘=1’

Deep Purple, following the announcement of their new studio album =1, have released the first single, "Portable Door." Produced by the Berlin-based agency Mutter & Vater and directed by Leo Feimer, the video for "Portable Door" showcases Deep Purple against the backdrop of the new album artwork, capturing the band in their essence as they share a stage and perform together. Check it out below.

The enigmatic album title =1 encapsulates the band’s philosophy of unity amidst complexity, promising an album that resonates deeply with their five decades spanning hard rock legacy. Produced once again by iconic Bob Ezrin, =1 captures the purest classic Deep Purple sound, without relying on nostalgia.

In a recent interview regarding the sonic direction of their upcoming album, guitarist Simon McBride shared insights, saying: “The new album will reflect what the five of us create in the rehearsal room. Many of the songs, like ‘Portable Door,’ were written in the first sessions and literally came together in 5 or 10 minutes. It all was so easy and natural.”

Singer Ian Gillan, highlighting the organic nature of Deep Purple’s song writing, added: “Throughout Deep Purple’s history, our best songs have always been those that were written in no time at all. We’ve played what felt good and developed songs as we have always done.”

In celebration of the new album, Deep Purple will perform more than 60 concerts worldwide this year during their =1 MORE TIME tour.

=1 MORE TIME TOUR DATES:

Aug. 14 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live

Aug. 15 – Tampa, FL @ Seminole Hard Rock Event Center

Aug. 17 – The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Aug. 18 – Durant, OK @ Choctaw Casino – Grand Theater

Aug. 19 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena

Aug. 21 – Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center

Aug. 22 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

Aug. 23 – Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre

Aug. 25 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage

Aug. 27 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre

Aug. 28 – Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion

Aug. 30 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

Aug. 31 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center

Sept. 1 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

Sept. 3 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater

Sept. 4 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Broadview Stage at SPAC

Sept. 6 – Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Sept. 7 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live

Sept. 8 – Scranton, PA @ The Pavilion at Montage Mountain

Tickets are available at deeppurple.com.

The Hollywood Stars Announce 'Starstruck,' Their First Album Of New Material Since 1977

The Hollywood Stars have shared details of Starstruck, the Los Angeles band's first album of new material in over four decades. Starstruck will be released on CD and as a download by Rum Bar Records on June 14, and supported by a headlining concert at The Viper Room the next night (for tickets, visit The Viper Room. 

A vinyl LP arrives September 1 on Sioux Records. 

Originally assembled by rock ‘n’ roll svengali Kim Fowley in 1973, The Hollywood Stars recorded three albums during the 1970s, although only one was released during that decade. The self-titled The Hollywood Stars surfaced on Arista Records in 1977, and the band toured the U.S. with label mates The Kinks. Forty years later, the long-shelved remaining pair of LPs finally saw the light of day, with Shine Like a Radio: The Great Lost 1974 Album debuting in 2013, and Sound City in 2019. 

Although The Hollywood Stars had split by 1978, two of their early original recordings went on to find major success with other artists of the era — “Escape” appeared on Alice Cooper’s platinum-certified Welcome to My Nightmare (1975) while “King of the Night Time World” was included on a pair of multi platinum-selling albums by Kiss, Destroyer (1976) and Kiss Alive II (1977).

After decades of inactivity, The Hollywood Stars reformed with several original members to perform at a benefit concert in Los Angeles in 2018. The night was a success, and the decision was made to carry on. The last five years have been spent playing shows in support of their Sound City album, culminating in a 50th anniversary concert in Tarzana, California in December 2023. A four-song digital EP of new material, Still Around, was also released last year.

The lineup of the band responsible for the new Starstruck album is vocalist Scott Phares and drummer Terry Rae (founding members in 1973), bassist Michael Rummans (joined in 1976), and guitarists Jeff Jourard and George Keller (recruited in 2023). Jourard was an early member of The Motels and co-wrote that band’s second single, “Total Control,” with Martha Davis. He also played guitar on 1976’s Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Keller has played sessions with Tina Turner and George Cromarty and played alongside Rummans in the LA garage rock band, The Sloths. 

“It’s hard to express the joy I felt about entering the studio last year with this great band,” said Phares. “I left the original group in 1974, just months after completing our first album, so it’s been 50 years since I’ve worked on an album with The Hollywood Stars. Everyone contributed to the songwriting, including our two new members, and we came up with songs that stay true to our vision.” 

Recorded at Kitten Robots Studios, Starstruck was produced by the band, Loren Molinare (The Dogs, Slamdinistas), and Paul Roessler (The Screamers, 45 Grave). Each member of The Hollywood Stars contributed to the songwriting, with the album being split almost evenly between new and old compositions. “Bad, Bad Man” dates back the farthest, pre-dating even the first lineup of The Hollywood Stars. It is based on an idea by the group’s original main songwriter, Mark Anthony, and was recently finished by Phares. “Shortage of Love” was co-written in the early ‘70s by Phares and Fowley. Starstruck’s first single, the rousing glam singalong “Taxi Driver,” originally appeared on the 1977 debut album by Hero, a group for which Phares was the frontman after leaving The Hollywood Stars in 1974. Rummans contributes three tracks, including “Haunted” which first appeared on The Sloths’ 2015 album, Back from the Grave. “Total Control” is a remake that revisits Jourard’s days with The Motels. 

The Rolling Stones Kick Off 2024 Tour In Houston

 

The Rolling Stones kicked off their North America tour at a sold-out venue in Houston on Sunday night, with people traveling from various cities to watch one of the world's most enduring rock bands.

The show was the first of 16 performances, set across the U.S. and Canada through July. Fans flocked to the NRG Stadium in Houston in Rolling Stones T-shirts showcasing the band's iconic lips and tongue logo.

The band, formed more than six decades ago, opened with "Start Me Up" with Mick Jagger walking onto the stage in a shiny striped jacket, a gray sequined shirt and black jeans. People immediately started to dance along to the 1981 classic.

Jagger, who is 80, danced, skipped and ran across the stage while showcasing his vocal range.

"Hello Houston, it's good to be back in the lone star state," the singer said, adding that band visited NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston and making quips about Texas-based convenience store chain Buc-ee's.

He performed alongside Keith Richards, 80, and Ronnie Wood, 76, the surviving core of the band.

The band attracted people of all ages to the stadium, with a significant proportion of the audience over 60.

The 18 songs played over two hours included a mix of classics and three from the latest record Hackney Diamonds, the Stones' first album of original material since 2005 and the first recording since drummer Charlie Watts died in 2021.

Other songs they played included "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," and "Out of Time," all to massive applause.

Richards, whose songwriting partnership with Jagger is one of the most enduring and successful in rock, sang "Little T&A."

The Stones closed the show with "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." They head to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival for a special performance this week.

The String Cheese Incident Shares Song on Streaming Services

 

The String Cheese Incident is thrilled to share “Roll Around The Sun,” a nearly 10-minute, epic journey and exploration of rhythm and song. “Roll Around The Sun” was co-written by Jason Hann (SCI percussionist) and Brian Chapman (Zoo People) and features lead vocals by SCI’s electric mandolin player Michael Kang. The song itself is a musical voyage with twists and turns, much like any voyage, even life itself. “Many of us witnessed the recent solar eclipse, and I hope that “ Roll Around the Sun" can bring back some of those same feelings of awe and wonderment,” says Hann. 

“Roll Around The Sun” follows the release of “County Road Blues,” and “Windy Mountain” - special bonus tracks from 2023’s Lend Me A Hand. Check it out below:

SCI is known for its immersive live show experience that continually pushes into unexpected terrain. The Colorado-bred six-piece handles everything from bluegrass to dubstep to psychedelia with equal parts abandon and ingenuity—a feat that’s found them sharing stages with such wide-ranging artists as Lauryn Hill, Skrillex, James Brown, Billy Strings, Perry Farrell, Sheryl Crow, Zac Brown Band, and more. 

The band will kick off their cross-country tour on May 16 in Charlottesville, VA and will be making stops at some of the best amphitheaters nationwide including their annual three-night stand at Colorado’s iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

The String Cheese Incident on Tour 

May 16 @ Ting Pavilion | Charlottesville, VA

May 17 @ Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena | Atlantic City, NJ

May 18 @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway | Boston, MA

May 19 @ State Theatre | Portland, ME

May 21 @ Stage AE | Pittsburgh, PA

May 23-24 @ Solshine Reverie | Chillicothe, IL

May 25-26 @ CaveJam at The Caverns | Pelham, TN

June 8 @ Beech Mountain Summer Concert Series | Beech Mountain, NC

June 21-22 @ Electric Forest | Rothbury, MI

June 26 @ Red Butte Garden | Salt Lake City, UT

June 27 - 28 @ Snow King Mountain | Jackson, WY

June 29-30 @ KettleHouse Amphitheater | Bonner, MT

July 12-14 @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO

July 25-27 @ McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheatre | Troutdale, OR

July 28 @ Remlinger Farms | Carnation, WA

Aug 2-4 @ Locomotion Festival | Felton, CA

Sept 12-15 @ Bender Jamboree | Las Vegas, NV

All news and up-to-date information can be found at stringcheeseincident.com.  

Guitarist Richie Sambora Sharing New Song, First Of Four To Be Released Weekly

Guitarist Ritchie Sambora is sharing a new song called “I Pray,” the first of four brand-new tracks to be released weekly through May on all digital platforms. Produced with Sambora’s longtime collaborator,  Bob Rock (Bon Jovi, Metallica), “I Pray” will be followed next month by “Livin’ Alone” (May 3), “Songs That Wrote My Life” (May 10), and “Believe (In Miracles)” (May 17). 

The guitarist – who recently joined Dolly Parton on the title track to her album, Rockstar – will celebrate his new music and body of work on tour, with complete details to be announced soon. 

Sambora said, “I’m at that point in my life where I am truly happy and a big part of that joy comes from writing songs and making music. There’s a tremendous freedom with these songs because I don't have to think about charting #1 or what’s happening on the radio but I still put the same craftsmanship, care and love into it as I did with Slippery When Wet or New Jersey and I hope they bring a similar happiness to those that choose to listen and push play on streaming services."

Sambora will be seen in Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, a four-part, all-access docuseries chronicling the life and times of Bon Jovi, which airs exclusively via Hulu in the United States and on Disney+ around the world. A four-decade rock ‘n’ roll odyssey, the series follows the group’s history through 40 years of personal videos, unreleased early demos, original lyrics, and never-before-seen photos that chronicle their journey from Jersey Shore clubs to the world's stages. Check out the official trailer below.

Deep Purple Set To Release New Album, '=1'

Deep Purple will be releasing a new album on July 19th called =1. The first single will be unveiled on April 30th at midnight, a taster for the full 13 tracks of pioneering and rip-roaring rock 'n' roll. 

This is the band’s first album with guitarist Simon McBride, who replaced longtime member Steve Morse, who left due to personal circumstances. McBride has been playing with Deep Purple since 2022..

But Deep Purple is more than just their members and =1 embodies the essence and attitude of their 1970s incarnation possibly more than any other album in recent memory. With Bob Ezrin once again producing, the record evokes the pioneering band’s classic sound, without relying on nostalgia.

The enigmatic title =1 symbolises the idea that in a world growing ever more complex, everything eventually simplifies down to a single, unified essence. Everything equals one.

Its full meaning will be revealed in the coming weeks, with the artwork also playing its part. Fans have already been speculating after mysterious equations and depictions of multiverses appeared in London, Paris, and Berlin in recent days.

With three consecutive No.1 albums in their back pocket, this is Deep Purple at their pinnacle. Now WHAT?! (2013), inFinite (2017), and Whoosh! (2020) have sold over one million copies worldwide, making Deep Purple one of the most successful rock bands currently active. 

=1 will be released on July 19th via earMUSIC as Ltd. CD+DVD (Digipak), CD (Jewelcase),  double LP gatefold (black, 180g), Ltd. Purple double LP gatefold (180g), Ltd. Crystal Clear double LP (180g) and Ltd. box set (CD+DVD Digipak, double LP black Gatefold, 3x exclusive 10” vinyl editions featuring live recordings from Deep Purple’s 2022 tour, exclusive collector’s T-shirt, 2x exclusive guitar picks, 1x exclusive art print, 1x exclusive lanyard, and the chance to win a Golden Ticket giving access to all shows on the Deep Purple =1 MORE TIME tour. All LPs include a 12-page vinyl-sized booklet.

The bonus DVD features the hour-long documentary Access All Areas joining Dee Purple backstage on tour and providing an exclusive look behind the scenes.

Further exclusive items are available via the official album store: Ltd. double LP picture disc, Ltd. cassette, strictly limited canvas signed by all band members – limited to 50 items only and various other merchandise items.

=1 MORE TIME TOUR DATES:

Aug. 14 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live

Aug. 15 – Tampa, FL @ Seminole Hard Rock Event Center

Aug. 17 – The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Aug. 18 – Durant, OK @ Choctaw Casino – Grand Theater

Aug. 19 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena

Aug. 21 – Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center

Aug. 22 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

Aug. 23 – Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre

Aug. 25 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage

Aug. 27 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre

Aug. 28 – Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion

Aug. 30 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

Aug. 31 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center

Sept. 1 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

Sept. 3 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater

Sept. 4 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Broadview Stage at SPAC

Sept. 6 – Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Sept. 7 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live

Sept. 8 – Scranton, PA @ The Pavilion at Montage Mountain

Tickets are available at deeppurple.com.

David Gilmour Announces New Album

David Gilmour has announced a new album Luck and Strange for release on September 6 on Sony Music. The first track from the album, "The Piper’s Call," will be released today (April 25), with a world exclusive first play on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show.

Luck and Strange was recorded over five months in Brighton and London and is Gilmour’s first album of new material in nine years. The record was produced by Gilmour and Charlie Andrew, best known for his work with ALT-J and Marika Hackman. 

Of this new working relationship, the guitarist says, “We invited Charlie to the house, so he came and listened to some demos, and said things like, 'Well, why does there have to be a guitar solo there?' and 'Do they all fade out? Can’t some of them just end?'. He has a wonderful lack of knowledge or respect for this past of mine. He’s very direct and not in any way overawed, and I love that. That is just so good for me because the last thing you want is people just deferring to you.”

The majority of the album’s lyrics have been composed by Polly Samson, Gilmour’s co-writer and collaborator for the past 30 years. Samson says of the lyrical themes covered on Luck and Strange.

“It’s written from the point of view of being older; mortality is the constant.” Gilmour elaborates, “We spent a load of time during and after lockdown talking about and thinking about those kind of things.” Samson has also found the experience of working with Charlie Andrew liberating, “He wants to know what the songs are about, he wants everyone who’s playing on them to have the ideas that are in the lyric informing their playing. I have particularly loved it for that reason.”

The album features eight new tracks along with a beautiful reworking of The Montgolfier Brothers’ "Between Two Points" and has artwork and photography by the renowned artist Anton Corbijn.

Musicians contributing to the record include Guy Pratt and Tom Herbert on bass, Adam Betts, Steve Gadd and Steve DiStanislao on drums, Rob Gentry and Roger Eno on keyboards with string and choral arrangements by Will Gardner. The title track also features the late Pink Floyd keyboard player Richard Wright, recorded in 2007 at a jam in a barn at David’s house.

Some contributions emerged from the live streams that Gilmour and family performed to a global audience during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021; Romany Gilmour sings, plays the harp and appears on lead vocals on "Between Two Points." Gabriel Gilmour also sings backing vocals.

The album’s cover image, photographed and designed by Anton Corbijn, is inspired by a lyric written by Charlie Gilmour for the album’s final song, "Scattered." Of working with his family on Luck and Strange, David says, “Polly and I have been writing together for over 30 years and the Von Trapped live streams showed the great blend of Romany’s voice and harp-playing and that led us into a feeling of discarding some of the past that I’d felt bound to and that I could throw those rules out and do whatever I felt like doing, and that has been such a joy.”

For more information, visit davidgilmour.com.