Adele reveals new song co-written with Tobias Jesso Jr.

Adele has unveiled a brand new song—titled ‘When We Were Young’—which was co-written with Canadian singer-songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr. The song is taken from Adele’s new album, 25, which is available from November 20.

Jesso’s music has been compared to singer-songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s such as Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson and Emitt Rhodes.

Commenting on teaming up with the 30-year-old Canadian, Adele said: “I loved Tobias Jesso Jr’s song ‘Hollywood’ and I reached out to him when I was working on 25. I say I reached out… I got my manager to contact his manager. I’m pretty behind on social networking culture, I’d have no idea how to do it. Also I didn’t want to ask and have him say, “Absolutely not, I think you’re shit.” At least if my manager asks, he can absorb the rejection and just never tell me. Anyway, he was well up for it.”

And here’s the stunning result of their collaboration…

Inspired by real events, “Gilbert’s Gift”  tells the story of Gilbert Shilling—a rock star back in the Swinging Sixties—who becomes a living lung donor to save the life of a dying boy he has never met.

“Gilbert’s Gift” is available from Amazon as a US paperback, UK paperback and as an eBook from Amazon’s Kindle Store. It is also available from Apple’s iTunes Store (Books/Fiction & Literature/Brian Will Oliver), Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store, and from KoboBooks.

You can read a FREE sample of “Gilbert’s Gift” HERE (USA) or HERE (UK).

The Beatles release newly-restored videos for ‘Penny Lane’ and ‘We Can Work It Out’

The Beatles’ updated and expanded version of their best-of collection, The Beatles 1, has just been released in a variety of formats.

The deluxe version (known as The Beatles 1+) includes a DVD or Blu-Ray of newly-restored videos for all of the songs featured on the original album.

According to Apple Corps, an 18-person team of film and video technicians and restoration artists spent months undertaking painstaking frame-by-frame cleaning, colour-grading, digital enhancement and new edits for the videos.

After the videos for ‘Revolution’ and ‘A Day in the Life’ were recently made available to the public for the first time, this week sees the release of the newly-restored videos for ‘Penny Lane’ and ‘We Can Work It Out’ …

Inspired by real events, “Gilbert’s Gift”  tells the story of Gilbert Shilling—a rock star back in the Swinging Sixties—who becomes a living lung donor to save the life of a dying boy he has never met.

“Gilbert’s Gift” is available from Amazon as a US paperback, UK paperback and as an eBook from Amazon’s Kindle Store. It is also available from Apple’s iTunes Store (Books/Fiction & Literature/Brian Will Oliver), Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store, and from KoboBooks.

You can read a FREE sample of “Gilbert’s Gift” HERE (USA) or HERE (UK).

The Who’s ‘Quadrophenia’ to be launched as a fully immersive cinematic experience

The movie classic Quadrophenia – based on The Who’s 1973 double-album rock opera – is set to become a fully immersive cinematic and theatrical experience which, the producers claim, will “plunge fans into the sights and sounds of 1964 and capture the spirit of the era”.

Many of the film’s key stars will be taking part in the event which will be staged at London’s Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith on 11 February 2016. Joining Phil Daniels – who played the central role of disaffected Mod teenager Jimmy Cooper – will be Toyah Wilcox, Trevor Laird, Garry Cooper and Daniel Peacock. The stars will add an extra dimension to the event by sharing their memories in a special Q&A.

As well as a screening of the 1979 film and the Q&A session, there will be staged re-enactments throughout the night of scenes from the film to conjure up the feel of the mid-60s era in which it is set. The all-important sounds of the day will be performed live by leading Who tribute act Who’s Who, and there will also be a display of Sixties memorabilia (including original Vespas and their real life Mod owners).

Director Franc Roddam’s film is seen as a classic tale of alienation, disillusionment and escapism, as well as an important document capturing an important part of British youth history and rebellion. Watching the movie has been a rite of passage for millions since its release and the Mod era has been a source of fascination for generations, with its fashions and music continuing to resonate today.

Quadrophenia reflected the real-life situation of the day as partisan teenagers in fish-tails and leathers sought excitement through large scale scuffles when Mods and Rockers clashed at British seaside resorts.

Rolling Stone magazine has ranked the two-hour film as one of the top ten rock and roll movies of all time. The soundtrack featured many of The Who’s songs from the original Quadrophenia album, including tracks such as ‘5.15’.

Tickets for the immersive live performance are available from 9am on Friday 6 November at http://www.eventimapollo.com and http://www.axs.com. Standard ticket prices range from £30 to £43. VIP tickets £69.50.

Here’s The Who’s video for ‘5.15’ …

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Inspired by real events, “Gilbert’s Gift”  tells the story of Gilbert Shilling—a rock star back in the Swinging Sixties—who becomes a living lung donor to save the life of a dying boy he has never met.

“Gilbert’s Gift” is available from Amazon as a US paperback, UK paperback and as an eBook from Amazon’s Kindle Store. It is also available from Apple’s iTunes Store (Books/Fiction & Literature/Brian Will Oliver), Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store, and from KoboBooks.

You can read a FREE sample of “Gilbert’s Gift” HERE (USA) or HERE (UK).

The Beatles reveal previously unseen 1968 promo video for ‘Revolution’

Photo: Apple Corps.

Apple Corps is set to release an updated version of the Beatles’ White Album on November 6 along with a DVD of performances of the songs from the original album.

The DVD will include a previously unseen promotional video of the John Lennon song ‘Revolution’ which was the B-side of ‘Hey Jude’, released in August 1968 (you can watch the video below).

‘Revolution’ was inspired by the many political protests in early 1968. Two versions of the song were recorded: a hard rock version (the one heard on the B-side of ‘Hey Jude’) and a slower, bluesy arrangement (titled ‘Revolution 1′) for the Beatles’ self-titled double album, commonly known as the ‘White Album’.

Although the single version was issued first, it was recorded several weeks after ‘Revolution 1’ as a re-make and was specifically intended for release as a single. A third connected piece, written by Lennon, is the experimental track ‘Revolution 9’, which evolved from an unused, spoken-word portion of ‘Revolution 1’. It also appears on the White Album.

Producer George Martin said the record was able to get its distinctive distorted sound by plugging the amps directly into the Abbey Road recording desk and pushing the volume into the red. “We got into distortion on that, which we had a lot of complaints from the technical people about,” said Martin. “But that was the idea. It was John’s song and the idea was to push it right to the limit. Well, we went to the limit and beyond.”

Filming for promotional clips of ‘Hey Jude’ and ‘Revolution’ took place on September 4, 1968 at Twickenham Film Studios in England, under the direction of Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Two finished clips of ‘Revolution’ were produced, with only lighting differences and other minor variations. The Beatles sang the vocals live over the pre-recorded instrumental track from the single version.

Here’s the previously unseen video of ‘Revolution’ …

Inspired by real events, “Gilbert’s Gift”  tells the story of Gilbert Shilling—a rock star back in the Swinging Sixties—who becomes a living lung donor to save the life of a dying boy he has never met.

“Gilbert’s Gift” is available from Amazon as a US paperback, UK paperback and as an eBook from Amazon’s Kindle Store. It is also available from Apple’s iTunes Store (Books/Fiction & Literature/Brian Will Oliver), Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store, and from KoboBooks.

You can read a FREE sample of “Gilbert’s Gift” HERE (USA) or HERE (UK).

The Kinks launch double CD featuring original versions of songs from hit musical ‘Sunny Afternoon’

Union Square Music has launched a new double-CD compilation which features the original versions of the Kinks classics performed in the award-winning stage musical Sunny Afternoon. All the tracks were specially selected by The Kinks’ Ray Davies. 

The musical Sunny Afternoon – named after The Kinks’ 1966 hit – uses songs by the band to tell the story of Ray Davies’s early life as well as the rise of the band he founded with his brother Dave in 1964. The musical has won four Olivier Awards.

Titled Sunny Afternoon – The Very Best of The Kinks, the new compilation contains nine of The Kinks’ UK Top Five hit singles, including three Number Ones. It features tracks such as ‘You Really Got Me’, ‘Waterloo Sunset’, ‘Sunny Afternoon’, and ‘Lola’. It also includes Kinks interviews and session tracks from the BBC’s archives.

The Kinks’ influence is now seen across a wide range of rock acts, such as The Who, Bruce Springsteen, The Jam, The Pretenders, Tom Petty, XTC and Elvis Costello – all of whom have paid homage to The Kinks at some point in covers or accolades.

The Who’s Pete Townshend was particularly influenced by the group’s sound: “Dave Davies was a real innovator and Ray was a gobsmacking genius,” he once remarked. “I desperately hope they work together again.”

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Inspired by real events, “Gilbert’s Gift” tells the story of Gilbert Shilling—a rock star back in the Swinging Sixties—who becomes a living lung donor to save the life of a dying boy he has never met.

“Gilbert’s Gift” is available from Amazon as a US paperback, UK paperback and as an eBook from Amazon’s Kindle Store. It is also available from Apple’s iTunes Store (Books/Fiction & Literature/Brian Will Oliver), Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store, and from KoboBooks.

You can read a FREE sample of “Gilbert’s Gift” HERE (USA) or HERE (UK).

Les Paul centenary marked with Gibson Les Paul Award at Q Magazine Awards

With this year marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of guitar legend Les Paul, guitar manufacturer Gibson is partnering with Q Magazine to present the Gibson Les Paul Award as part of this year’s Q Awards, which take place on October 19 in London.

The iconic Gibson Les Paul guitar is one of the most famous instruments in rock history and the Gibson Les Paul Award is presented to specially recognise guitar playing and innovation.

Les Paul is named as one of Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of all time. His innovative talents extended into his playing style – including licks, trills, chording sequences, fretting techniques and timing – which set him apart from his contemporaries and continue to inspire many guitarists today.

During his career he received 36 Gold records, eleven No.1 hits and several Grammy awards, among many other accolades. He was also a pioneer in the development of multi-track recording, over-dubbing and numerous other recording techniques.

Henry Juszkiewicz, Gibson CEO and chairman said: “We’re delighted to be partnering again with Bauer Media and Q Magazine as a supporter of this year’s Q Awards. The Gibson Les Paul Award, salutes innovation, artistry and inspiration in guitar playing and holds even greater prestige in 2015, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Les Paul.”

(Photo: Thomas Faivre-Duboz)

“Gilbert’s Gift” is available from Amazon as a US paperback, UK paperback and as an eBook from Amazon’s Kindle Store. It is also available from Apple’s iTunes Store (Books/Fiction & Literature/Brian Will Oliver), Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store, and from KoboBooks.

You can read a FREE sample of “Gilbert’s Gift” HERE (USA) or HERE (UK).

Paul McCartney talks about writing songs with Michael Jackson

To pave the way for a remixed, deluxe edition of his classic album Pipes of Peace, Paul McCartney has released a remix of his 1983 hit with Michael Jackson, ‘Say, Say, Say’, which was originally produced by George Martin. The song became Jackson’s seventh Top 10 hit in a year.

In the video below, McCartney talks to Manic Street Preachers’ frontman James Dean Bradfield about what it was like to write songs such as ‘Say, Say, Say’ with Michael Jackson.

McCartney reveals that the song was written quickly, with Jackson and himself face-to-face around a piano in the former Beatle’s London office.

“It came very easily because I was excited to be writing with him and he was excited to write with me,” said McCartney. “We just popped off each other.”

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“Gilbert’s Gift” is available from Amazon as a US paperback, UK paperback and as an eBook from Amazon’s Kindle Store. It is also available from Apple’s iTunes Store (Books/Fiction & Literature/Brian Will Oliver), Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store, and from KoboBooks.

You can read a FREE sample of “Gilbert’s Gift” HERE (USA) or HERE (UK). 

David Bowie confirms retirement from touring

David Bowie has confirmed that he has definitely retired from touring for good.

That’s according to Bowie’s longtime booking agent John Giddings, managing director of Solo Music Agency.

“David Bowie is one of the best artists I’ve ever worked with. But every time I see him now, before I even speak to him, he goes, ‘I’m not touring’ and I say, ‘I’m not asking’,” said Giddings during an interview at the recent International Festival Forum (IFF), a two-day event aimed at festivals and booking agents. Giddings promoted Bowie’s 1987 Glass Spider shows at Wembley Stadium. He also represents major artists such as Madonna and U2.

Giddings added: “David has decided to retire and, like Phil Collins, you can’t demand these people go out there again and again and again. I’m really pleased and proud that the last show he ever did in the UK was the 2004 Isle Of Wight Festival.”

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What would YOU give to save the life of a stranger’s child? That’s the emotive question posed by this heartwarming novel of selfless courage, a quest for forgiveness, and a Swinging Sixties first love that never grew old.

“Gilbert’s Gift” is available from Amazon as a US paperback, UK paperback and as an eBook from Amazon’s Kindle Store. It is also available from Apple’s iTunes Store (Books/Fiction & Literature/Brian Will Oliver), Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store, and from KoboBooks.

You can read a FREE sample of “Gilbert’s Gift” HERE (USA) or HERE (UK).

‘Lost’ Beatles recording found after 50 years

Photo: Johnnie Hamp

A recently re-discovered original recording of The Beatles singing ‘Some Other Guy’ at the legendary Cavern Club in 1962 is to go under the hammer as part of a Rock & Pop Memorabilia auction in Liverpool on 4 November 2015.

The old reel-to-reel tape had been languishing in a desk drawer for more than 50 years.

On 22 August 1962, The Beatles were filmed by a Granada Television crew at The Cavern, performing ‘Some Other Guy’ and ‘Kansas City’ for a TV programme called Know The North. However, the sound quality was so poor that it was unable to be broadcast.

When The Beatles came back to Liverpool after recording ‘Love Me Do’ at Abbey Road Studios in London, Granada TV sound engineer Gordon Butler returned to The Cavern with the band on 5 September 1962, with the intention of obtaining a better quality audio recording to dub over the original film footage. Butler took three microphones – two of which he placed on Lennon and McCartney.

The re-recording of ‘Some Other Guy’ reportedly sounded so good that the band’s manager Brian Epstein asked Butler to make five acetate copies which Epstein intended to use to promote the band.

Butler returned to Granada with the re-recorded tape and gave it to legendary TV producer Johnnie Hamp. But due to legal issues with other acts on the show, the programme was never screened and the tape remained in Hamp’s desk drawer for 50 years. He recently discovered it, and, with the help of Beatles historian Paul Wilde, listened to it on a reel-to-reel tape machine. He found the sound quality was still crystal clear five decades later.

The whereabouts of four of the ‘Some Other Guy’ acetates are unknown, but the fifth was sold at auction in 1993 for £16,000 to Apple Records, the label set up by The Beatles in 1968.

All proceeds from the sale of the tape will be donated to charity.

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What would YOU give to save the life of a stranger’s child? That’s the emotive question posed by this heartwarming novel of selfless courage, a quest for forgiveness, and a Swinging Sixties first love that never grew old.

“Gilbert’s Gift” is available from Amazon as a US paperback, UK paperback and as an eBook from Amazon’s Kindle Store. It is also available from Apple’s iTunes Store (Books/Fiction & Literature/Brian Will Oliver), Barnes & Noble’s Nook Store, and from KoboBooks.

You can read a FREE sample of “Gilbert’s Gift” HERE (USA) or HERE (UK).