Steve Morse, Andy Timmons, Frank Gambale & more appear on new CD

The Emmy Award winning composer/guitarist Brian Tarquin’s accomplishments include establishing himself as a top rate TV composer/recording artist, owner of Jungle Room Studios, owner of BHP Records and can now add philanthropist to the long and ever growing list. The Manhattan native has brought together a group of artists that read like the who’s-who of the guitar world on his latest project, Fretworks, that is wonderfully crafted group of songs inspired by those who lost their lives on 9-11. Written and produced by Brian, Fretworks includes new material from artists such as Steve Morse, Billy Sheehan, Frank Gambale, Andy Timmons, Will Ray, as well as rare and exclusive material from Steve Vai, Santana & Tommy Bolin. Track list and the liner notes were written by Hal Lindes of Dire Straits. A portion of the profits from this release will benefit the Friends of Firefighters 9-11 Foundation.

About Brian: Brian is a 5 time Emmy nominee and two time winner for his work as a composer and guitarist. Brian’s work has been included on chart topping records and compilations including 4 solo albums, Ghost Dance, Last Kiss Goodbye, Soft Touch, and High Life, selling over 130,000 records in his career. In 2006, Tarquin opened his own boutique record label called BHP MUSIC, specializing in instrumental guitar music. BHP MUSC 2007 releases included, Tarquin producing and compiling the acclaimed guitar compilation, Guitar Masters, Vol.1 which featured guitar legends: Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, Zakk Wylde, Stanley Clarke, Billy Sheehan and many others. The compilation received rave reviews from the editor-in-chief of Guitar Player Magazine and Vintage Guitar Magazine, who both graciously contributed the Liner Notes for the compilation.

For more information, visit briantarquin.com

Track Listing:

1. Blue Wind - Billy Sheehan
2. Spanish Harlem - Frank Gambale
3. Towers - Steve Morse
4. Constantinople - Will Ray
5. 86th Street - Randy Coven
6. Solidarity - Max Middleton
7. Dionysus - Randy Coven
8. Manhattan - Andy Timmons
9. Black Rose - Brian Tarquin
10. Aphrodite - Hal Lindes
11. Jungle Room Boogie - Max Middleton
12. Tears - Rob Balducci
13. Yorkville - Chuck Loeb
14. Westside Highway - James Ryan
15. Triumphant We Stand - Steve Booke
16. Funk Me Tender - Randy Coven/Steve Vai
17. Jam In I - Santana
18. Homeward Strut - Tommy Bolin

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Hendrix's Woodstock Guitar Strap to be Auctioned

A Jimi Hendrix original guitar strap used at the Woodstock Music and Art Festival in 1969 will be put up for sale on December 11, 2008, one of the 500+ items that will be available at auction by Profiles in History. The guitar strap is expected to sell for $25,000-$35,000.
Worldwide bidding for the entire auction begins at 12:00 pm (pst). Bids can be placed either in person, via mail, phone, fax or live on the internet via eBay Live Auctions or LiveAuctioneers.com.
This patterned Ace guitar strap was used by Hendrix at Woodstock as well as the Hollywood Bowl in 1967 and other performances. The strap originally came from David Vega, lead guitarist of the San Francisco funk band, Graham Central Station. Vega had been given the guitar strap from a sound technician who worked at Woodstock. Numerous photographs were taken of Hendrix using this guitar strap, including his milestone performance closing the final day at Woodstock which would become the most talked about rock festival in history and a pivotal moment for an entire generation. The strap is housed in a custom frame with a reissue Woodstock Music and Art Festival poster.

news source of www.guitarworld.com

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Slipknot Announce U.S. Headlining Tour, with Coheed and Cambria, Trivium Supporting

Masked metallers Slipknot announced today their first U.S. headline tour in support of their new album All Hope Is Gone. The tour, which kicks off on January 23rd in St. Paul, MN, will hit 33 cities across the country, and include an stop at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a first for the band. Coheed and Cambria and labelmates Trivium round out the bill.

Frontman Corey Taylor had this to say about the upcoming tour, “2009 is the 10 year anniversary of the world’s first taste of this band. To celebrate we are coming back out with a killer tour, a couple great bands and the same ferocity with which we attack life. We want all of our maggots to come and celebrate with us, because if it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have been here for 10 years. Get ready for chaos!”

The dates are as follows:

01/23/09- Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, MN
01/24/09- Sprint Center - Kansas City, MO
01/25/09- Mid America Center - Council Bluffs, IA
01/27/09- Alliant Energy Center Memorial Coliseum - Madison, WI
01/28/09- Wells Fargo Arena - Des Moines, IA
01/30/09- Allstate Arena - Rosemont, IL
01/31/09- The Palace of Auburn Hills - Auburn Hills, MI
02/02/09- Peoria Civic Center - Peoria, IL
02/03/09- Pepsi Coliseum - Indianapolis, IN
02/05/09- Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
02/06/09- Tsongas Arena - Lowell, MA
02/07/09- Susquehanna Bank Center - Camden, NJ
02/09/09- Greensboro Coliseum Complex - Greensboro, NC
02/10/09- Cricket Arena - Charlotte, NC
02/11/09- Bi-Lo Center - Greenville, SC
02/13/09- 1st Mariner Arena - Baltimore, MD
02/14/09- Rupp Arena - Lexington, KY
02/15/09- Sommet Center - Nashville, TN
02/17/09- Gwinnett Center - Duluth, GA
02/18/09- UCF Arena - Orlando, FL
02/19/09- Pensacola Civic Center - Pensacola, FL
02/21/09- Concrete Street Amphitheater - Corpus Christi, TX
02/22/09- Nokia Theatre - Grand Prairie, TX
02/23/09- BOK Center - Tulsa, OK
02/25/09- Verizon Wireless Theater – Houston, TX
02/26/09- Verizon Wireless Theater - Houston, TX
02/28/09- El Paso County Coliseum - El Paso, TX
03/01/09- Freeman Coliseum - San Antonio, TX
03/03/09- Denver Coliseum - Denver, CO
03/04/09- Tingley Coliseum - Albuquerque, NM
03/05/09- Jobing.com Arena - Glendale, AZ
03/07/09- The Forum - Inglewood, CA
03/08/09- Cox Arena - San Diego, CA
03/10/09- Citizens Business Bank Arena - Ontario, CA
03/11/09- ARCO Arena - Sacramento, CA

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Weezer Raids Vaults, Records Xmas Carols

On the heels of the release of the second volume of Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo's home recordings, the group is now taking a look back into its own vaults.

Cuomo tells Billboard he has "no idea" when the tentatively titled "Odds and Ends" will be released, but describes it as "just another fun project to do. They're great songs, but for some reason they didn't make the final cut for [a] record. They span a vast period of time from the very beginning of our career in the early '90s right up to the present day."

Meanwhile, Cuomo says Weezer may tour next spring with Oasis, and is hoping to enlist Spike Jonze to direct a video for the song "The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived" from its recent "The Red Album."

And while the next Weezer studio album appears to be a ways off, the group recently recorded six Christmas carols that will be downloadable for the iPhone game "Tap Tap Revenge," including "Oh Holy Night." Says Cuomo, "They're the classics."

In addition, Cuomo recently wrote a song with sibling pop duo Aly & AJ, although it's unclear when it may see the light of day. "It was such a blast to remember how teenagers approach songwriting," he says of the experience. "Their minds just work so fast and they have no fear and no ego."

Cuomo's "Alone II: The Home Recordings" was released earlier this week by DGC/Interscope. The first installment came out in December 2007.

For an extensive Q&A with Rivers Cuomo, visit Billboard.com on Monday.

news source of www.billboard.com

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T.I. Fends Off Beyonce, Remains Atop Hot 100

T.I. starts a fifth non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week with "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna, but Beyonce is nipping at his heels with two different songs. Her "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" rockets 28-2 after selling 204,000 digital downloads, while "If I Were a Boy" holds at No. 3.

On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, "Single Ladies" begins a second week at No. 1. As reported yesterday, Beyonce scored her third-straight No. 1 debut on The Billboard 200 with "I Am ... Sasha Fierce," which sold 482,000 copies.

T.I.'s other former No. 1, "Whatever You Like," slips 2-4. Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" is down 4-5, Kanye West's "Love Lockdown" rebounds 9-6 and Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" featuring Colby O'Donis powers 16-7 on a 60% digital uptick to 113,000.

Pink's "So What" drops 5-8, as Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent" improves 11-9 and Akon's "Right Now (Na Na Na)" falls 8-10 to round out the top tier.

The Fray's "You Found Me" is the week's top debut at No. 28 after selling 62,000 downloads. The track premiered last week during a promo clip for the hit ABC show "Lost"; it's from the Denver band's self-titled sophomore album for Epic, due Feb. 3.

On Hot Country Songs, Zac Brown Band's "Chicken Fried" rises 2-1 to give the band the first No. 1 hit of its career. Recently signed to Atlantic, the group debuted at No. 17 on The Billboard 200 yesterday with its album "The Foundation."AC/DC's "Rock'N'Roll Train" enjoys a second week atop Mainstream Rock with "The Day That Never Comes," while the Offspring's "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" is No. 1 on Modern Rock for a tenth.

news source of www.billboard.com

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