INDIE NEWS BEAT 
October 6, 2005 Edition
* Onlinegigs Sponsors International Songwriting Competition
* Warren Zevon Tribute CD Features Jordan Zevon On Previously Unreleased Track
* UNSIGNED Music Magazine Unveils The UNSIGNED Podcast
* Acoustic Songbird Goes Live
* John Brodeur Unveils New Solo EP: Nothing is Permanent
* Alice Despard CD Out On Wampus Multimedia
* Trio Loses Guitarist, Releases Debut Album For Free Download
* PBJ Records Artist Liz Primeaux Performs In Austin, TX Event Raises $200,000
* Loss Of Female Rocker, Lyn Ze Bond-Ultimate Female Lead Guitarist
* Big3 Opens Doors In Nashville
* Digital Jazz Record Label Continues To Grow
Onlinegigs Sponsors International Songwriting Competition
Onlinegigs to be a major sponsor of one of the largest and most prestigious songwriting competitions in the world, every participant recieves a free Onlinegigs subscription. The International Songwriting Competition offers entrants a chance to win over $100,000 in cash and prizes, including an Overall Grand Prize package of $10,000 (US) in cash and $20,000 in merchandise. All songwriters, bands and solo artists are invited to submit their original songs.
The judges for the 2005 competition include top music industry professionals and high-profile recording artists such as: Tom Waits; Loretta Lynn; Sonny Rollins; Steve Vai; John Scofield; Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse); Jeff Stinco (Simple Plan); Joss Stone; LeAnn Rimes; Benji Madden (Good Charlotte); Macy Gray; MercyMe; The Donnas; Monte Lipman (President, Universal Records); Keith Wozencroft (President, Capitol Music UK) and many more.
ISC provides the perfect opportunity for bands, artists, and songwriters looking to gain increased exposure in the music industry and have their songs heard by some of the most influential members of the music industry. "We've always been impressed with the talented songwriters who participate in the ISC. This is a great A&R source to find new artists." - Monte Lipman (President, Universal Records)
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Warren Zevon Tribute CD Features Jordan Zevon On Previously Unreleased Track
Jordan Zevon, son of songwriter Warren Zevon, teams with singer Simone Stevens on the new tribute CD, 'Hurry Home Early: the Songs of Warren Zevon,' to recreate a previously unheard entry in the Zevon canon. "Warm Rain" is a tuneful slice of post-summer-of-love California pop.
"This is a song my dad wrote in the late '60s that I discovered in a box of reel-to-reel tapes that were sitting in a storage bin," says Jordan Zevon. "I've had the sheet music for years, but never heard the song until a few months ago and it's one of my favorites. He re-recorded it several years later as 'Steady Rain,' but that was also never released. This version is a combination of the two. It has the tempo and feel, as well as the bridge, from 'Steady Rain,' but the lyrics and instrumentation of 'Warm Rain.'"
Executive produced by Mark Doyon, 'Hurry Home Early' is the third artist retrospective from Wampus Multimedia, who released 'If I Were a Richman: a Tribute to the Music of Jonathan Richman' in 2001 and 'After Hours: a Tribute to the Music of Lou Reed' in 2003.
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UNSIGNED Music Magazine Unveils The UNSIGNED Podcast
UNSIGNED Music Magazine, the largest magazine dedicated to indie music, and known for its' in depth interviews, reviews, and commentaries about indie artists, has added a new vehicle to help indie musicians gain even more exposure - the UNSIGNED Music Magazine Podcast.
The podcast is designed to be a monthly accompaniment to the magazine's full features. The podcast will feature the main interviews of the current month along with music from each artist, company news, and contest announcements.
"We designed the podcast as a vehicle to supplement the magazine", said Kenneth Hamlett, Editor and Publisher of UNSIGNED, "we wanted to keep the program short, but give podcast subscribers enough information about each artist to encourage them to read their interview in the magazine and more importantly, to buy the artists' material where it is available."
The podcast is being produced by Somar Productions, a new Atlanta based Pro Tools production facility. "We were very excited to provide a quality podcast for such a high quality magazine", declared Ule Ramos, head producer for Somar Productions. "We chose Somar Productions to create our podcast because they have the creative talent to bring our vision to fruition", said Ken Hamlett.
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Acoustic Songbird is a new website, portal for Acoustic, Performing Women Songwriters. It is the home base for Acoustic Songbird, which features spotlight reviews, new releases, voluntary free members database, and many other features.
Women signing up for the members database can send along their name, genre' website link and a link to a music file such as mp3 if they desire.
Our premier feature will be the Songbird Series of Performances beginning in the spring of 2006 with our Base of Operations being Southern Ohio, and the Mid-West region.
Women who have added their info. to our database will get first notice of opportunites and events. We focus our attention on national artists and independent artists alike and welcome stories and contributions, in both areas. The aim of Acoustic Songbird is to bring new attention to the female songwriter, who armed with her instrument, desire and a heaping serving intestinal fortitude, taps into the hearts and minds of the folks who appreciate what she brings to the table.
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John Brodeur Unveils New Solo EP: Nothing is Permanent
Songwriter John Brodeur is set to release his first collection of solo recordings in nearly five years. The six-song Nothing is Permanent EP (due Nov. 1 on Mr. Duck Records) was recorded entirely in Brodeur's Albany, NY apartment. The music revisits the eclectic pop restlessness of Brodeur's debut (Tiger Pop) and the Mix Tape EP (his 2003 recording with the Suggestions), while showing off a firmer grasp on both the subtleties of the craft and the larger-than-life possibilities of recording. Many of the album's tracks were cut in single, uninterrupted takes, to capture the urgency of live performance (as best as possible on a digital multi-track machine) and align the tracks with the real-time motion of the outside world (listen closely for the panting of two greyhounds, neighborhood chatter, and the occasional siren's wail). The results are both grand and intimate, infused with Brodeur's try-anything-once energy and a sure songwriting voice.
"These recordings represent a new beginning of sorts," says Brodeur. "[The album is] a return to the try anything' mindset that made Tiger Pop interesting. And I'm DIYing it, bitches. Except for all the fancy stuff."
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Alice Despard CD Out On Wampus Multimedia
Wampus Multimedia announces the release of 'Vessel,' the new CD from Washington, D.C.-based singer-guitarist Alice Despard.
Despard's songs are like New York City rock 'n' roll played on an old Harmony acoustic guitar -- like Patti Smith interpreting the work of Neil Young. Despard fuses her intuitive, poetic observations with a warm mysticism, producing sparse, intellectually muscular songs that resemble nothing so much as four-minute pop hymns. Blending the stark realism of the Velvet Underground with the oblique optimism of early R.E.M., they play as fresh and original while touching some of the most significant bases in modern rock.
Add to this mix the influences of Van Morrison, the Beatles, Mission of Burma, East River Pipe, Vic Chesnutt, and the Sea and Cake, and you find you're listening to a songwriter as distinctive as any in alternative pop. Swinging between poles of urban angst and alt-country pastoralism, Despard fuses the external and the internal, the physical and the spiritual. From her formative years leading the group Hyaa! to a solo career spanning four albums, she has carved out a unique vantage point. With each record, her perspective resonates more deeply.
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Trio Loses Guitarist, Releases Debut Album For Free Download
On Friday, melodic, post-prog metal trio Ruby Bullet released their debut album "Nothing Left to Bleed on". The album is available for free download through www.rubybullet.com.
PBJ Records Artist Liz Primeaux Performs In Austin, TX Event Raises $200,000
PBJ Records/Wacaramusic artist Liz Primeaux performed Saturday September 24th in Austin TX for a packed house. With the threat of hurricane Rita and many people from Houston-Galveston-Corpus Christi in attendance the concert helped to raise $200,000 for the St. John Neumann church.
The church sponsors many different charities, including Habitat For Humanity, for which the PBJ Records/Wacaramusic house band "Just Play" performed at the 25th Anniversary event which was televised and featured Austin mayor Will Wynn and Senator Lloyd Doggett, and Mobile Loaves and Fishes which feeds the homeless of Austin daily.
Also on the bill was PBJ Records artist James "Redman" Warren, who performs totally spontaneous songs with acoustic guitar. Redman continually amazed the audience by improvising songs about members of the audience!
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Loss Of Female Rocker, Lyn Ze Bond-Ultimate Female Lead Guitarist
Lynn Hardison, known as Lyn Ze Bond, was taken from the music world on Thursday, Aug 11, 2005 after suffering a massive stroke the Sunday before. She was only 47. Lyn Ze Bond was the leader and founder of "ZE BOND ROCKS-The most unique Female Rock band ever". She was a very talented and dedicated Lead Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter & Surfer. She established her band in the late 80's in Carolina Beach and performed in NC, Canada & NY.
Through many changes in the band line-up & hard times, she never gave up her Dream to play and spread her music to the masses. In the 90's Lynn moved to Central Florida and continued with her music. Many band member changes later, in 2001 a new incarnation of the band evolved. This hard rock chic duo of Lyn Ze Bond and Drummer, Rachel Turner proved that Rock-n-Roll is about what's in your heart and soul. Do what you believe, no matter what. Their original music is described as Heavy Guitar Rock, catchy vocals, pounding drums and the sound of a full band. Their unique style has been compared to Nirvana meets Metallica with a Female edge and has been compared to Babes in Toyland and Girlschool.
Lynn's passion and energy for life and her music was the greatest I've ever seen. She bends strings on purpose, like no other female guitarist. ZE BOND ROCKS performed at many rock venues, biker rallies & festivals throughout the U.S. promoting their "Burnin' Hot!" CD of original music. Shows included The Sturgis Rally with 3 Doors Down in 2002, peforming in over 10 states on their 2003 Live & Loud Summer Tour which included Rivercade Rock in Sioux City, IA with Molly Hatchet & Foghat, River City Bike Fest in San Antonio with Warrant and Pat Travers and during the summer of 2004, they Rocked hard at shows in ENGLAND and AMSTERDAM.
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St. Petersburg, FL based multi-faceted music company Big3 Entertainment, LLC is opening an independent country music label here in Music City. Big3 Nashville is setting up shop with female flagship artist Joey Daniels, a singer/songwriter with a soulful powerhouse voice. Her debut release TAKE ME OFF THE MARKET will hit the streets on Sept. 13 and will be distributed by music giant EMI.
Big3 Entertainment LLC, the parent company which houses numerous music entities; Big3 Records LLC, Big3 Nashville, Okie Dokie Management LLC, WE Productions, and Mojo Rizin Publishing LLC, is a versatile music company with an impressive team of experienced and hands-on industry pros, headed by Chairman and CEO Bill Edwards, President Maryann Pascal, General Manager David Leach, and Senior Vice President of Production and Nashville Operations Will Byrd.
Owner and CEO Bill Edwards is not only a very savvy business man who built Mortgage Investors Corporation (MIC) into a multi-billion dollar company since he purchased it in 1994 on a shoestring budget, but he is also an accomplished musician. Edwards enlisted top-of-the line professionals to help run his music empire. Edwards' passion for music and an instinct on how to make things happen has allowed this five-year-old independent record label, Big3 Records, to acquire some of the best artists and executives the music industry has to offer. Big3 Records was named Best Independent Record Label of 2003 at the 13th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards. With a roster including Pop-star Jon Secada, Rock legends Cheap Trick, and the popular Christian Rock group Stryper, among others, the small label is making quite a name for itself. Plans are for the sister label, Big3 Nashville, to follow suit. Debut artist Joey Daniels recently made an impressive debut at this year's Country Music Association's Music Festival with a performance at Nashville's River Front stage where she played to thousands. Her debut single "Swinging Door" has been recently released and is garnering fast attention from radio programmers across the country. Big3 Nashville will announce more signings in the near future.
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Digital Jazz Record Label Continues To Grow
Digital jazz record label, Blue Canoe Records releases two cd's from it's ever growing catalog of diverse jazz artists. Traditional jazz drummer, author and educator Phillip Smith's "jazz consortium" and Curtis Mayfield alumni, Buzz Amato's smooth jazz cd titled, "a collection" were released on September 13th, 2005. Drummer Phillip Smithıs CD, "jazz consortium" is a swinging mix of traditional jazz standards while famed R&B producer Buzz Amato's debut CD, "a collection" is a smooth selection of original composition's that span nearly two decades in the making.
Established in 2003, Blue Canoe Records was the first independent digital jazz record label to become an "all digital label or e-label" and it's unique business model helps to promote their artists without limiting their artists rights, vision or music. Furthermore, Blue Canoe Records embraces all jazz music such as traditional jazz, smooth jazz, contemporary jazz, jam band, progressive, fusion, avant-garde or instrumental music that fits under the umbrella of jazz. Both Phillip Smith and Buzz Amato's jazz recordings achieve this diversity.
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Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © Tag It 2005 - Republished with Permission