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JAMES WILLIAMSON (IGGY & THE STOOGES) TEAMS UP WITH DENIZ TEK (RADIO BIRDMAN) ON NEW ACOUSTIC K.O. EP OUT MARCH 31ST
THE TWO PROTO-PUNK ICONS TURN IN FOUR ENGAGING ACOUSTIC REWORKINGS OF TRACKS FROM BOTH THE STOOGES’ RAW POWER AND IGGY POP & JAMES WILLIAMSON’S KILL CITY
Fans of The Stooges and Radio Birdman are in for a real treat this spring as guitarist James Williamson and singer/guitarist Deniz Tek have teamed up for a new spin on four classic Williamson compositions from the early/mid ’70s. The two proto-punk icons have unplugged their amps for drastic, yet no less gratifying reworkings of two numbers from Iggy & The Stooges’ seminal Raw Power album (“I Need Somebody” and “Penetration”) as well as two tracks from Pop & Williamson’s often-unsung masterpiece Kill City (“Night Theme” and “No Sense of Crime”). These songs were orginally composed by Pop & Williamson, with the exception of “Night Theme” which was penned by Williamson and Scott Thurston.
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Williamson explains hooking up with Tek and working with him on this effort, “I first met Deniz in 2011 when doing the Ron Asheton Tribute show at the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor. Deniz had been a good friend of the Ashetons (having come from Ann Arbor like them) and had been asked to play on some of the old Stooges tunes that night.”
“Later we stayed in touch during the times I would visit Australia on tour with the Stooges, and it also turned out that he visited the Big Island of Hawaii frequently, as do my wife and I. In fact, during one of our get togethers on the Big Island Deniz mentioned that we should record some acoustic songs together. Maybe do some of my old stuff. It was later that day, hiking in a remote area, that we came across some abandoned trucks. His wife, Anne, got her camera out and said ‘there’s your record cover!’”
Oddly, in a parallel development, a long time fan and incredible collector of Stooges memorabilia, Hakan Beckman, had suggested to James a couple of years earlier that “Night Theme” should be orchestrated. Further, he had developed a fantasy album cover called Acoustic K.O. James loved these ideas and now, with Tek, had the vehicle to realize them.
“That’s how it all started,” Williamson admits. “However, once we began recording, the project took on a life of its own. If this was to be called Acoustic K.O. it needed to be entirely acoustic. Michael Urbano broke out his old 1920s drum kit and Gregg Foreman used my old 1930s pump organ and a piano. Guitars, of course, were acoustic, and the only exception was the bass that Bob Glaub played – an old hollow body Kay since an upright just didn’t sound right for these songs. The horn section rounded everything out.”
“For ‘Night Theme’ I enlisted the help of Mark Culbertson, musician extraordinaire who had played contra-bass for me on the albums Ready to Die and Re-Licked, to do the arrangement. He did an extraordinary job! I was able to find an incredible group of players called The Awesome Orchestra from Berkeley, CA under the direction of David Moschler to realize Mark’s arrangement and I couldn’t be happier with the results.”
“It all came together once we layed down Deniz’s vocals while in Hawaii, and with the help of Petra Haden doing some backing vocals and violin, along with Annie Hardy (Giant Drag) doing the duet with Deniz on ‘No Sense Of Crime’ we had performances to be proud of.”
Deniz Tek and James Williamson’s Acoustic K.O. EP will be available March 31st on vinyl and digital (iTunes, Amazon, etc.) formats.
ACOUSTIC K.O. TRACKLISTING:
I Need Somebody
Penetration
Night Theme
No Sense Of Crime
FOR MORE INFO ON JAMES WILLIAMSON:
http://straightjameswilliamson.com
FOR MORE INFO ON DENIZ TEK:
http://www.deniztek.com
FOR MEDIA AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS:
Tony Bonyata
Pavement PR
p: 262.903.7775
e: tony[AT]pavementpr.com
https://pavementpr.com
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PREVIOUS 2016 PRESS RELEASE FOR JAMES WILLIAMSON & MAIA’S NEW SINGLE “SICKKK”
JAMES WILLIAMSON (IGGY & THE STOOGES) TEAMS UP WITH NEW TALENT MAIA ON NEW SINGLE “SICKKK” / “I MADE A MISTAKE” OUT NOV. 11, 2016 ON 7″ VINYL & DIGITAL FORMATS
GUITAR LEGEND TO DONATE HIS ICONIC “LEOPARD LADY” LES PAUL GUITAR (USED ON THE STOOGES’ RAW POWER LP AND EVERY ONE OF WILLIAMSON’S RECORDINGS SINCE) TO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME
This is James Williamson’s third and last single of the year. This time the guitar legend has teamed up with a talented 19 year-old singer/songwriter named Maia, who is currently attending Berklee College of Music in Boston for vocal music and composition.
Williamson’s previous efforts this year included a collaboration with Petra Haden on “Blues Jumped The Rabbit” and “Last Kind Words” to benefit the Tazzy Animal Rescue Fund and a collaboration with Lisa Kekaula on “I Love My Tutu” and “Never Far From Where The Wild Things Are” to benefit Project Hawai’i which helps homeless children in Hawaii.
This third single will be the last record on which Williamson’s iconic “Leopard Lady” guitar will be played. This guitar has been used on every record Williamson has made – from his first album with The Stooges, Raw Power, to the present. He is donating both the Leopard Lady Les Paul Custom, as well as his Gibson B25N acoustic guitar to the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Museum for posterity. The latter acoustic is the guitar James wrote most of the music to Raw Power on and wrote and played on Kill City, which he recorded with Iggy Pop back in 1975.
Williamson says of his young collaborator, “I first came into contact with Maia through my engineer in Berkeley, Jason Carmer. He played me something she had written and sang and I was instantly intrigued. I had him ask her to come down to the studio the next day (Maia is from San Francisco) and I was blown away by her enthusiasm, talent and the nuance of her vocals. We decided that day to write and record these songs together and this is the result of that effort. We hope you like them as much as we do.”
James Williamson and Maia’s “Sickkk” / “I Made A Mistake” single will be available November 11th on 7-inch vinyl and digital formats. The donation of Williamson’s historical guitars will benefit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum (click here for more info on this nonprofit organization). Click here to order the digital single and here to pre-order the vinyl 45 single.
JAMES WILLIAMSON & MAIA (photo: Franklin Avery)
FOR MORE INFO ON JAMES WILLIAMSON:
http://straightjameswilliamson.com
FOR MORE INFO ON MAIA:
https://www.instagram.com/maiiaaaaaa
FOR MEDIA AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS:
Tony Bonyata
Pavement PR
p: 262.903.7775
e: tony@pavementpr.com
https://pavementpr.com
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PREVIOUS 2016 PRESS RELEASE FOR JAMES WILLIAMSON & PETRA HADEN’S NEW SINGLE “BLUES JUMPED THE RABBIT”
JAMES WILLIAMSON (IGGY AND THE STOOGES) & PETRA HADEN TEAM UP ON NEW BENEFIT SINGLE “BLUES JUMPED THE RABBIT” / “LAST KIND WORDS” | OUT AUGUST 19, 2016 ON 7″ VINYL AND DIGITAL FORMATS
Following his recent single with The Bellrays’ Lisa Kekaula, “I Love My Tutu,” The Stooges’ James Williamson has collaborated with singer, violinist and composer Petra Haden (That Dog, The Hayden Triplets, Foo Fighters, The Decemberists, Beck and others) for a new benefit single “Blues Jumped The Rabbit” backed with “Last Kind Words.” Both of these songs are traditional folk/blues compositions. The lyrics for the A-side can be traced back to Blind Lemon Jefferson’s 1926 recording “Rabbit Foot Blues” for Paramount Records, while the B-side was first recorded by blues enigma Geeshie Wiley back in 1930, also for Paramount.
Williamson explains the collaboration with Haden, “I first became aware of Petra by listening to her amazing acapella version of The Who Sell Out. She was phenomenal at imitating not only the vocals but all of the instruments as well.
Of course I knew of her dad Charlie Haden. He had played bass with two of my all time FAV RAVs Keith Jarrett and Carla Bley. And she also sings with Bill Frisell and others from time to time where her voice is practically another instrument.
I asked her to come in and do a demo with me in L.A. while working on the last Iggy and the Stooges record Ready to Die. I was hooked. Not only did she sing with perfect pitch, but she also played her violin with authority and tasteful music sensibilities.
I used her to great effect as a background singer thereafter on Ready to Die, my last solo album Re-Licked and “I Love My Tutu” single, but I have always wished that I could find the right songs to spotlight her as a lead vocalist.
Then along came these two traditional songs ‘Blues Jumped The Rabbit’ and ‘Last Kind Words.’
Thankfully Petra loved them as much as I did, so we went in and made this record. We both are really happy we did. We hope you’ll like it too.”
James Williamson and Petra Haden’s “Blues Jumped The Rabbit” / “Last Kind Words” single will be available on 7-inch vinyl and digital formats on August 19th. Proceeds from this record will benefit Tazzy Animal Rescue Fund (click here for more info).
This is the second of three singles that James Williamson will be releasing this year. The first was with The Bellrays’ Lisa Kekaula for their single “I Love My Tutu” / “Never Far From Where The Wild Things Are” out now digitally through iTunes here and on 7-inch vinyl on August 12th through Amazon and finer record stores. Proceeds from this record will benefit Project Hawai’i, which helps homeless children in Hawaii.
More info on the third upcoming single collaboration to be announced soon.
FOR MORE INFO ON JAMES WILLIAMSON:
http://straightjameswilliamson.com
FOR MORE INFO ON PETRA HADEN:
http://www.petrahaden.com
FOR MEDIA AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS:
Tony Bonyata
Pavement PR
p: 262.903.7775
e: tony@pavementpr.com
https://pavementpr.com
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PREVIOUS 2016 PRESS RELEASE FOR JAMES WILLIAMSON & LISA KEKAULA’S NEW SINGLE “I LOVE MY TUTU”
JAMES WILLIAMSON (IGGY AND THE STOOGES) TO RELEASE NEW CHILDREN’S SINGLE “I LOVE MY TUTU” / “NEVER FAR FROM WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE” WITH THE BELLRAYS’ LISA KEKAULA ON JUNE 17TH!
SINGLE TO HELP BENEFIT HOMELESS CHILDREN IN HAWAII VIA PROJECT HAWAI’I
“I Love My Tutu” is a fun “JAWAIIAN” song about the relationship between grandchildren and their Grandmothers for people of all ages.
James Williamson says of the song, “I wrote ‘Tutu’ one day while playing ukulele for my own granddaughter and finished the lyrics with my wife over the weeks to follow. My family and I spend a fair amount of time on the Big Island of Hawaii and have a first hand understanding of the deep relationship that children have with their Tutu’s in Hawaii. I wanted to have Lisa Kekaula sing it not only because she is a fabulous talent, but also because she is part Hawaiian herself and, in fact, her niece and nephew (who live on Maui) are the kids singing backups at the end of the record.”
The B-side, “Never Far From Where The Wild Things Are,” is a decidedly more rocked-up number which was inspired by the book Where The Wild Things Are. “This track was originally written by my son Jamie,” Williamson revealed. “I liked it so much that I helped him massage the music and lyrics a little bit and think it came out great. It’s another fun track that should appeal to people of all ages, just like the book which inspired it.”
Proceeds from this record will benefit Project Hawai’i, which helps homeless children in Hawaii. For more info on Project Hawai’i go to: http://www.helpthehomelesskeiki.org
James Williamson & Lisa Kekaula’s “I Love My Tutu” / “Never Far From Where The Wild Things Are” single will be available June 17th on 7″ vinyl in finer record stores… INCLUDING vinyl on Amazon and Digital on iTunes. Digital Pre-release can be purchased here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-love-my-tutu-feat.-lisa/id1117751364?ls=1&app=itunes
This is the first of three singles that James Williamson will be releasing this year. More info on these two upcoming collaborations and release dates to be announced soon.
JAMES WILLIAMSON (photo: Pacific Dream Photography)
FOR MORE INFO ON JAMES WILLIAMSON:
http://straightjameswilliamson.com
FOR MORE INFO ON LISA KEKAULA & THE BELLRAYS:
https://www.facebook.com/IamLisaKekaula
FOR MEDIA AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS:
Tony Bonyata
Pavement PR
p: 262.903.7775
e: tony@pavementpr.com
https://pavementpr.com
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PREVIOUS 2014 PRESS RELEASE FOR JAMES WILLIAMSON’S NEW ALBUM “RE-LICKED”
THE STOOGES’ GUITAR LEGEND JAMES WILLIAMSON’S NEW SOLO ALBUM “RE-LICKED” OUT OCTOBER 29, 2014!
ALONG WITH THE LIVE TOURING VERSION OF THE STOOGES, JAMES IS JOINED ON “RE-LICKED” BY A NUMBER OF GREAT GUEST VOCALISTS RE-INTERPRETING LESSER-KNOWN STOOGES RARITIES
While on a break from touring this year, the members of the live touring version of The Stooges (James Williamson, Steve Mackay, Mike Watt & drummer Toby Dammit) got together and recorded songs that were originally penned by Iggy Pop and James Williamson in 1973/74 as the follow-up to their quintessential album Raw Power. While a number of these tracks have found their way onto inferior-sounding bootlegs and unofficial releases over the years, they were never properly recorded since the band didn’t have a record deal at the time.
Williamson always wanted to revisit these songs and has done so with a powerhouse lineup of musicians and singers who don’t disappoint on his forthcoming solo album entitled Re-Licked.
Re-Licked will feature many of these lesser-known Stooges rarities properly recorded and mixed for the first time. This 16-track collection includes songs as “I Gotta Right,” “Rubber Leg,” “She Creatures of the Hollywood Hills,” “Wild Love,” “Pinpoint Eyes” and many others, fronted by a wealth of talented vocalists such as Mark Lanegan, Alison Mosshart (The Kills, Dead Weather), The Orwell’s Mario Cuomo, Jello Biafra, The BellRays’ Lisa Kekaula, Ariel Pink, Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie, The Icarus Line’s Joe Cardamone, Carolyn Wonderland and others.
The vinyl & CD versions of this album will also feature a deluxe package including an in-depth 24-page booklet with liner notes & photos, as well as a fascinating ‘making-of’ Re-Licked documentary on DVD, giving the viewer a fly-on-the-wall experience of being in the studio with all of these great musicians. The mp3 version of the album will also include this deluxe package in digital format.
Re-Licked will be available worldwide Oct. 29, 2014 on CD, vinyl & digital formats worldwide via Leopard Lady Records.
RE-LICKED TRACK LISTING
01. Head On The Curve (w/ Jello Biafra)
02. Open Up And Bleed (w/ Carolyn Wonderland)
03. Scene Of The Crime (w/ Bobby Gillespie from
Primal Scream)
04. She Creatures Of The Hollywood Hills (w/ Ariel Pink)
05. Til The End Of The Night (w/ Alison Mosshart from
The Kills, Dead Weather)
06. I Gotta Right (w/ Lisa Kekaula from The BellRays)
07. Pinpoint Eyes (w/ Joe Cardamone from
The Icarus Line)
08. Wild Love (w/ Mark Lanegan & Alison Mosshart)
09. Rubber Leg (w/ Ron Young from Little Caesar)
10. I’m Sick Of You (w/ Mario Cuomo from The Orwells)
Bonus Tracks:
11. Gimme Some Skin (w/ Caroline Wonderland)
12. C*ck In My Pocket (w/ Nicke Andersson from
The Hellacopters)
13. Heavy Liquid (w/ Lisa Kekaula)
14. Wet My Bed (w/ The Richmond Sluts)
15. C*ck In My Pocket (w/ Gary Floyd from The Dicks)
16. Rubber Leg (w/ J.G. Thirlwell aka Clint Ruin, Foetus)
“An avalanche of raw riffs… and Williamson playing white-knuckled leads like he absolutely refuses to let the Stooges’ music go gentle into that good night.” – PREMIER GUITAR
JAMES WILLIAMSON (photo: Heather Harris)
FOR MORE INFO ON JAMES WILLIAMSON:
http://straightjameswilliamson.com
FOR MEDIA AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS:
Tony Bonyata
Pavement PR
p: 262.903.7775
e: tony@pavementpr.com
https://pavementpr.com
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PREVIOUS 2014 PRESS RELEASE FOR JAMES WILLIAMSON & CAROL WONDERLAND’S NEW SINGLE “OPEN UP AND BLEED”
While on a break from touring this year, the live touring version of The Stooges got together and recorded songs that were originally penned by Iggy Pop and James Williamson in 1973/74. These songs were never properly recorded since the band didn’t have a record deal at the time.
James Williamson always wanted to revisit these songs and has done so with a powerhouse lineup of singers who don’t disappoint on his forthcoming album entitled Re-Licked. “Open Up & Bleed”/”Gimme Some Skin” is the first single from Re-Licked, which will be out later this year. The Stooges’ James Williamson, Steve Mackay, Mike Watt & touring drummer Toby Dammit are joined on both tracks by Texas blues singer & guitarist Carolyn Wonderland, who adds her own forceful and soul-drenching takes on these two rarely heard gems.
Re-Licked will also feature other lesser-known Stooges tracks properly recorded and mixed for the first time. Songs such as “I Gotta Right,” “Rubber Legs,” “She Creatures of the Hollywood Hills,” “Wild Love” and others will be fronted by a wealth of talented vocalists such as Jello Biafra, Mark Lanegan, Ariel Pink, Lisa Kekuala (The BellRays) and others to be announced soon.
James Williamson & Carolyn Wonderland’s new limited vinyl single “Open Up & Bleed”/”Gimme Some Skin” will be available at independent record stores worldwide on Record Store Day, April 19th.
FOR MORE INFO ON JAMES WILLIAMSON:
http://straightjameswilliamson.com
FOR MORE INFO ON CAROLYN WONDERLAND:
https://www.facebook.com/wonderchicken
FOR MEDIA AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS:
Tony Bonyata
Pavement PR
p: 262.903.7775
e: tony@pavementpr.com
https://pavementpr.com