I’m hitting the road again this morning, but will hopefully have a little more time to check-in and update while I’m away. I had to share the press release information about this before I left today.

Legacy Recordings will release the first visual documentation of Jeff Buckley’s Grace world tour on June 2nd. While Buckley’s career was cut short by tragedy, his legacy lives in many of our hearts and will celebrated in this new release. If you’re not familiar with Jeff’s music, I’ve included two of the more “popular” tracks from his album Grace to hopefully inspire you to check this out.

PROJECT OVERVIEW:
Nearly fifteen years ago, the world was introduced to a young singer/songwriter from New York named Jeff Buckley. His debit album Grace became one of the most acclaimed and influential albums of his generation. To promote the album Jeff and his band embarked on a seemingly un-ending tour - taking them all over the globe from 1994 to 1996.

Because the album had no “hit single,” Jeff was constantly tinkering with his set lists - both on stage and on TV. He therefore performed almost every track from Grace at least once in his many appearances on local broadcasts around the globe. Now, for the first time, the very best of those performances have been tracked down and compiled into the definitive visual document of the Grace world tour.

HIGHLIGHTS:
* Celebrates the 15th Anniversary of the release of Grace (August 1994)
* The first visual document of the Grace world tour
* Includes TV performances from the US, Germany, Japan, England & France
* Features 9 previously unreleased live takes on the songs from Grace
* Also includes interviews with Jeff and “behind-the-scenes” footage of Jeff and the band.

AVAILABLE IN STORES & ONLINE JUNE 2nd - In two configurations:

1 - Standard CD + DVD

DVD: Grace Around The World featuring 9 unreleased performances + bonus features
CD companion that includes audio-only versions of the performances on the DVD

2 - Deluxe Version CD + 2 DVDs

DVD: Grace Around The World featuring 9 unreleased performances + bonus features
CD companion that includes audio-only versions of the performances on the DVD
Bonus DVD: Amazing Grace - the never-before-released one-hour long documentary about Jeff’s music as made by his fans.
Extended booklet with band interviews, unseen photos and memorabilia reproductions & fold out poster

MP3: Jeff Buckley - “Last Goodbye”
MP3: Jeff Buckley - “Hallelujah”

My friend Rodney Sparapani and I caught our first Iron Maiden show when the band toured in support of their Powerslave album. 24 years later, I had the pleasure of sending him on assignment for Rock Sellout to review the theatrical release of Iron Maiden: Flight 666 - The Film.

Spoilers alert! Spoilers … Just kidding. Nobody dies. The fact that nobody dies in IMF666TF is a miracle. IM goes on their Somewhere Back in Time tour for something like 25 shows in 45 days. Around the world to locations that you don’t normally think of as metal mania: India, Costa Rica, Alaska and New Jersey. The band is remarkably intact and looks … older. But, they haven’t missed a beat musically. For the younger audience, this is a must-see show. When else can you see a concert for the cost of a movie ticket? Thanks to D&E Entertainment and Marcus Theatres, I saw/heard the show in a Dolby Digital theater in New Berlin, Wisconsin. Press row was taped off with the best seats in the house (right after I sat down, the tape was ripped down and this area was invaded by head-bangers so I don’t know where the rest of the press sat).

And for the older audience… The SBIT tour is basically the World Slavery tour with a few additions. On the way to the show, we stopped at my old pub, circa 1991 (Chumley’s: 4 dudes there and 3 of them were texting; times have changed). So, I had a sense of deja vu when I got to the show. But, the World Slavery set time-warped me back to 1985 when I saw Maiden at the Outagamie County Fairgrounds in Seymour, Wisconsin from the front row with Kip. The stage set was not exactly the same, but it was extremely similar. I’d have to look at my photo album to find differences. For us (we look older too, sadly), this show is more than a must-see; see this show or die trying!

- Rodney Sparapani

MP3: Iron Maiden - “Aces High”

Click here to read my review of Iron Maiden at Allstate Arena - Rosemont, IL (from the Somewhere Back In Time Tour).

I posted an entry about Iron Maiden: Flight 666 - The Movie a month ago, so if you weren’t paying, click here for the gory details. The UK Premiere of the film will be held at the Odeon Kensington on Monday April 20th at 7pm. Members of the band and crew will be in attendance, along with rumors of a special guest who could very well be found lurking outside the cinema.

Those of you who aren’t lucky enough to attend the premiere will be able to see the film the following day (which has been appropriately titled Maiden Day). The film will be simultaneously launched on over 450 screens in 41 countries Worldwide. Flight 666 will be presented in the highest quality standard in cinemas today - 2K digital and 5.1 surround sound, distributed by Arts Alliance Media, in association with Phantom Music Management and EMI Records. Cool enough?

The film recently won the “24 BEATS PER SECOND” award for best music documentary at SXSW. Click here to find a theater near you (D&E Entertainment is the exclusive distributor in the U.S.).

MP3: Iron Maiden - “Number Of The Beast”

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band will release a documentary titled “One of My Kind” on April 15th. Fans will receive a behind-the-scenes journey of the past year and a half with the band. The documentary was made by Phil Schaffart (the band’s guitar-tech) and presented by Causecast. The 60-minute musical voyage includes: footage from Tepoztlán, Mexico, where they recorded their first album, Conor Oberst, their worldwide tour in 2008, and the making of Outer South in El Paso, TX.

You can stream “One of My Kind” or download it exclusively on Causecast.org, IFC.com, conoroberst.com, mergerecords.com, and wichita-recordings.com.

MP3: Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band - “Nikorette”

Anvil! The Story of Anvil follows Steve “Lips” Kudlow and Robb Reiner and their band, Anvil, which released one of the heaviest albums in metal history, 1982’s Metal on Metal. The extremely influential opus influenced a number of rock bands, including Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, who all went on to have successful careers and sell millions of records. Anvil, on the other hand, is far from a household name.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil contains an array of guest appearances from heavy metal icons, including Lemmy, Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, Slash, Anthrax’s Scott Ian, and Slayer’s Tom Araya, to name a few.

While I haven’t seen the film myself, the amount of positive press surrounding it has me excited for its release. Here’s a description from the press release that I think sums it up best: “The film is both entertaining and touching as it follows their last-ditch quest for the fame and fortune that has been so elusive to them. “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” is a timeless tale of survival and the unadulterated passion it takes to follow your dream, year after year.”

Opening in Theaters Across the Country:

APRIL 3:
AMC Yonge & Dundas / Toronto, ON

APRIL 10:
Angelica / New York City, NY
AMC Empire 25 / New York City, NY
Nuart / Los Angeles, CA

APRIL 17:
Edwards University Town Center 6 / Irvine, CA
Landmark Varsity / Seattle, WA
Landmark Kendall Square / Cambridge, MA

APRIL 24:
Landmark Shattuck Cinema / Berkeley, CA
Lumire Theater / San Francisco, CA
Opera Plaza / San Francisco, CA
Music Box Theater / Chicago, IL
Ritz at the Bourse / Philadelphia, PA
Tivoli Theater / St. Louis, MO
Main Art Theater / Detroit, MI
Cinema 21 / Portland, OR

MAY 1:
Ken Theater / San Diego, CA

MAY 22:
E Street Cinema / Washington, DC
The Charles Theater / Baltimore, MD
Midtown Art Cinema / Atlanta, GA
The Belcourt / Nashville, TN

MP3: Anvil - “Jackhammer”

While hearing “Stacy’s Mom” every 15 seconds a few summers ago probably left the same aftertaste in your mouth that it left in mine, that’s not what I’m here to discuss. I’ve always been a fan of music videos regardless of whether it’s a song, rockumentary, or concert video…my eyes enjoy being stimulated just as much as my ears do. Sadly, I don’t receive nearly as much news about the release of videos that I do for albums…guess I’d better share what’s received then, right?

Shout! Factory recently (March 3) released Fountains of Wayne’s first ever DVD. It’s titled No Better Place: Live In Chicago. The video features a career-defining set of the band’s hits including “Stacy’s Mom,” “Sink To The Bottom” and “Radiation Vibe.”

The show was originally filmed in October of 2005 in a widescreen format. It was recorded in 5.1 Surround to ensure a pleasurable home viewing experience. While I haven’t viewed the DVD myself, it’s the first news of its nature to hit my inbox in eons, so there you have it!

MP3: Fountains of Wayne - “Sink To The Bottom”
MP3: Fountains of Wayne - “Radiation Vibe”

If I was cool enough to have the ability to transport 50 years ahead in time and share what will be relevant musically, it doesn’t stretch my imagination too far to tell you that Iron Maiden will still be a house hold name.

I know that those of you who have never experienced the band live or taken the time to properly digest their discography will probably shake your heads and wonder if I found peyote in them there hills, but I’m completely serious. There aren’t many bands on the planet that can put on a show like Iron Maiden. There aren’t many with a fanbase as fanatical. And there sure as hell aren’t many as talented. If I were to sort through the hundreds of concerts I’ve attended over the years and sort them in order of importance and personal pleasure, I guarantee you the three times I saw Maiden would all definitely be in the top 10.

I could continue babbling, but you get where I’m coming from.

Iron Maiden: Flight 666 is a documentary film about the first leg of the band’s Somewhere Back In Time Tour. The documentary will be showing on March 18 as part of the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. Film-makers Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn will be making an appearance at the festival to introduce the film and take part in a Q & A session following the screening.

Public tickets are strictly first-come first-served and can only be bought from the cinema on the day. The address is The Paramount Theater, 713 Congress Avenue, Austin.

Flight 666 starts at 7pm with the doors opening to the public 30 minutes before, at 6.30pm. Click play below to view the film’s trailer.

MP3: Iron Maiden - “Prowler”

From the 49% Motherfucker, 51% Son Of A Bitch Department: Directors/producers Greg Olliver and Wes Orshoski will bring Lemmy Kilmister’s story to big screens in 2009. The documentary promises a closer look at Kilmister’s life than ever seen before. Included will be interviews with past and present members of the band plus a wide variety of peers/fans such as Alice Cooper, Slash, and the Clash’s Mick Jones. The movie is being shot on a combination of HD video and super 16 mm film.

For more information about the movie, click here.

Download: Motorhead - “Overkill”

More from the land of cut & paste: SANTA MONICA, CA - Zeroing in on one of the first bands to go beyond punk music with its dark and gloomy sound, the award winning biopic CONTROL and documentary JOY DIVISION rock onto DVD June 3rd and June 17th, respectively, from Genius Products and The Weinstein Company under The Miriam Collection. Both CONTROL and JOY DIVISION will be available for the suggested retail price of $28.95 and $22.95, respectively.

Winner of nine film festival awards, including three at the Cannes Film Festival*, CONTROL profiles Ian Curtis, the lead singer of the pioneering post-punk band Joy Division. Inspired by the energy of punk artists such as the Sex Pistols, the English rockers infiltrated the music scene in the late 70s with a distinct sound of their own. Following the tragic suicide of Curtis, the surviving members regrouped as New Order and went on to achieve great critical and commercial success. Directed by acclaimed music photographer Anton Corbijn and loosely based on Curtis’ wife’s book Touching From A Distance, CONTROL stars two-time Academy Award® nominee Samantha Morton (In America, Minority Report), Alexandra Maria Lara (Downfall) and relative newcomer Sam Riley (24 Hour Party People). Filmed in color and transferred to black-and-white for a surreal and edgy vibe, the film has been hailed as “the most acclaimed brit-pic of the year” (Variety) and “a handsome, lyrically moving drama” (The Times).

The retrospective documentary JOY DIVISION, directed by music-video veteran Grant Gee, chronicles the band’s progression, as well as social and external conditions that influenced them. Blending archival footage and revealing testimonies from band members and key musical players, JOY DIVISION gives an inside look at everything surrounding the rock scene of the 1970’s. Originally premiering at the Toronto Film Festival, JOY DIVISION covers the group’s early days as the band Warsaw, its post-punk glory as Joy Division, and the untimely death of its lead singer Curtis.

Inside scoop: Stay tuned for a chance to win a copy each DVD.

Punk’s Not Dead takes you into the sweaty underground clubs, backyard parties, recording studios, and yes, shopping malls and stadium shows where punk rock music and culture continue to thrive.

Featuring interviews, performances, and behind-the-scenes journeys with the bands, labels, fans, and press who keep punk alive, Punk’s Not Dead dares to juxtapose pop-punk’s music and lifestyle against the roots in the 70s and 80s, resulting in unexpected revelations. A DIY search for the soul of a subculture and a celebration of all things loud, fast, and spiked, Punk’s Not Dead shows punk is stronger and more relevant today than it’s ever been.

What the bands are saying…

Punk’s Not Dead is a movie about punk, for punks directed by a punk! Susan Dynner has well over 20 years of punk under her belt - how do I know? Well, she has been a friend of mine for over 20 years! - Karl Morris - Exploited, UK Subs, Billyclub

Susan Dynner is passionate about Punk Rock. She really wants to know how the bands in her film see themselves, and how they think they fit into the legacy of punk. The work she is doing is important…she is insightful, diligent, and most importantly a true fan of the music. Her film is the real deal. I can’t wait to see it finished. It will have a major impact on anyone who sees it. - Greg Kuehn - TSOL

Source: Punk’s Not Dead Myspace

Rock Sellout’s Not Dead Mix: The Germs - “Lexicon Devil”, X - “Los Angeles”, The Dickies - “You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)”, Dead Boys - “Sonic Reducer”, Television - “See No Evil”, Richard Hell & The Voidoids - “Blank Generation”, The Heartbreakers - “Chinese Rocks”, The Saints - “(I’m) Stranded”, Sex Pistols - “God Save The Queen (Demo)”, Wire - “12XU”.