BLUES PILLS – Official Music Video On “No Hope Left For Me” Released!

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Blues Pills, Chubby Checker, Cory Berry, Cream, Debut Album, Don Alsterberg, Dorian Sorriaux, Elin Larsson, Grand Magus, Graveyard, Gypsy, Hammer Of Doom, High Class Woman, Horisont, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Kaleidobolt, Marijke Koger-Dunham, No Hope Left For Me, Roadburn, Rock Am Ring, Rock Hard Festival, Rock Hard Megazine, Rock im Park, Rock Revelation Tour 2014, Solstafir, Streetclip.TV, The Beatles, The Vintage Caravan, TuRock Essen, Voyage, Zack Anderson

Multinational breakthrough-band of the year, BLUES PILLS have released the official music video for the current single, ‘No Hope Left For Me’. The clip was shot by renowned director Patric Ullaeus (WITHIN TEMTPATION, EUROPE and many more.

In other news, the band has been confirmed to play Rock am Ring and Rock im Park 2015. Once again the band has accomplished something incredible with just their debut out: The four-piece, fronted by charismatic vocalist Elin Larsson will appear live at the two biggest and most important German festivals, taking place from June 05 to June 06 at Meding airport at Vulkaneifel as well was Nuremberg Zeppelinfeld.

The great coronation of a fairytale like story – entering the German charts at position #4, remaining in the charts for eight long weeks, playing a largely sold out tour and being praised by both fans and critics is what paved the bands daily life for the past months.

Tomorrow the foursome will kick of the French leg of their ongoing tour. All dates listed below:

FRANCE TOUR
BLUES PILLS
presented by MyRock
06.11.2014 F – Strasbourg, La Laiterie
07.11.2014 F – La Roche sur Yon, Le Fuzz Yon
08.11.2014 F – Paris, Le Point FMR

UK TOUR
BLUES PILLS
10.11.2014 UK – Bristol, The Fleece
11.11.2014 UK – Birmingham, The Oobleck
12.11.2014 UK – Manchester, Star And Garter
14.11.2014 UK – Milton Keynes, Crauford Arms
16.11.2014 UK – Glasgow, Audio
18.11.2014 UK – The Dome, London

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BLUES PILLS Homepage

BLUES PILLS on Facebook

 

BLUES PILLS – Presenting Home-Made Video For Home-Made Music

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Alexander Örn Númason, Óskar Logi Ágústsson, Blues Pills, Chubby Checker, Cory Berry, Cream, Debut Album, Don Alsterber, Don Alsterberg, Dorian Sorriaux, Elin Larsson, Grand Magus, Graveyard, Guðjón Reynisson, Gypsy, Hammer Of Doom, He-Man, High Class Woman, Horisont, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Kaleidobolt, Marijke Koger-Dunham, Mikael Akerfeldt, Roadburn, Rock Hard Festival, Rock Hard Megazine, Rock Revelation Tour 2014, Solstafir, Streetclip.TV, The Beatles, The Vintage Caravan, TuRock Essen, Voyage, Zack Anderson

After entering the German Media Control Charts on a most overwhelming #4, BLUES PILLS have released a new video for their album track ‘Gypsy’ (A CHUBBY CHECKER Cover) as a way of thanking their fans.

Stated the band on their Facebook page: “We made a home-made music video to the song ‘Gypsy’ from our debut album. We wanted to give something back to the fans as a “thank you” for all the amazing support! We shot it one night on tour, in our hotel room in Frankfurt. Hope you dig it!”

Furthermore BLUES PILLS have just recently sold out the Hamburg show of their upcoming headlining run in October. The show has now been booked to a bigger venue, called Uebel & Gefaehrlich. More shows on this tour will be sold out soon!!! Be quick!

BLUES PILLS
THE VINTAGE CARAVAN
presented by METAL HAMMER, ECLIPSED, ROCKS, VISIONS, METALNEWS.DE, BLAST!, NOIZELETTER, MUSIX & ROCK IT!
02.10.2014 DE – Leipzig, Moritzbastei
03.10.2014 CH – Pratteln, Up In Smoke Festival
04.10.2014 DE – Nürnberg, Rockfabrik
06.10.2014 AT – Vienna, Arena
07.10.2014 AT – Innsbruck, Weekender
08.10.2014 DE – Ludwigsburg, Rockfabrik
10.10.2014 BE – Antwerp, Desertfest
11.10.2014 DE – Kaiserslautern, Kammgarn International Blues Festival
13.10.2014 NL – Nijmegen, Doornroosje
14.10.2014 DE – Essen, Turock
15.10.2014 DE – Hamburg, Headcrash
17.10.2014 DE – München, Keep it Low Festival
18.10.2014 DE – Berlin, Bi Nuu
19.10.2014 DE – Frankfurt, das Bett

FRANCE TOUR
BLUES PILLS
presented by MyRock
06.11.2014 F – Strasbourg, La Laiterie
07.11.2014 F – La Roche sur Yon, Le Fuzz Yon
08.11.2014 F – Paris, Le Point FMR

UK TOUR
BLUES PILLS
10.11.2014 UK – Bristol, The Fleece
11.11.2014 UK – Birmingham, The Oobleck
12.11.2014 UK – Manchester, Star And Garter
14.11.2014 UK – Milton Keynes, Crauford Arms
16.11.2014 UK – Glasgow, Audio
18.11.2014 UK – The Dome, London

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BLUES PILLS Homepage

BLUES PILLS on Facebook

 

BLUES PILLS – Announce European Headlining Tour!

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Alexander Örn Númason, Óskar Logi Ágústsson, Blues Pills, Chubby Checker, Cory Berry, Cream, Debut Album, Don Alsterber, Don Alsterberg, Dorian Sorriaux, Elin Larsson, Grand Magus, Graveyard, Guðjón Reynisson, Gypsy, Hammer Of Doom, He-Man, High Class Woman, Horisont, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Marijke Koger-Dunham, Mikael Akerfeldt, Roadburn, Rock Hard Festival, Rock Hard Megazine, Rock Revelation Tour 2014, Solstafir, Streetclip.TV, The Beatles, The Vintage Caravan, TuRock Essen, Voyage, Zack Anderson

Up and coming multicultural Blues Rockers BLUES PILLS announced their upcoming European headlining tour in support of the band’s forthcoming self-titled debut album. The quartet will be supported by Icelandic label mates THE VINTAGE CARAVAN. Produced by renowned Don Alsterberg (GRAVEYARD, HORISONT), »Blues Pills« is set to be released July 25, 2014.

The album is already being praised by pretty much every rock magazine out there and described as “the debut album of the year” (Boris Kaiser/ROCK HARD).

TOURDATES
02.10.2014 DE – Leipzig, Moritzbastei
03.10.2014 CH – Pratteln, Up In Smoke Festival
04.10.2014 DE – Nürnberg, Rockfabrik
06.10.2014 AT – Vienna, Arena
07.10.2014 AT – Innsbruck, Weekender
08.10.2014 DE – Ludwigsburg, Rockfabrik
10.10.2014 BE – Antwerp, Desertfest
11.10.2014 DE – Kaiserslautern, Kammgarn International Blues Festival
13.10.2014 NL – Nijmegen, Doornroosje
14.10.2014 DE – Essen, Turock
15.10.2014 DE – Hamburg, Headcrash
17.10.2014 DE – München, Keep it Low Festival
18.10.2014 DE – Berlin, Bi Nuu
19.10.2014 DE – Frankfurt, das Bett

The first limited edition of »Blues Pills« will also include a special bonus DVD which will feature the band’s entire gig at 2013’s installment of renowned German “Hammer Of Doom” festival as well as a video interview with Streetclip.TV – see tracklist below.

DVD (Live @ Hammer Of Doom 2013):
01. Bliss
02. Dig In
03. Devil Man
04. Little Sun
05. Mind Exit
06. Astralplane
07. Black Smoke
+ Video interview with Streetclip.TV
The ten tracks of »Blues Pills« will also feature a cover version of the CHUBBY CHECKER classic ‘Gypsy’.

“It’s a song everyone in the band liked and we used to play it on our soundcheck. Slowly it worked itself into our set list, and now it’s going to be on our debut album as well. Back in the days lots of bands covered each other to honor the other artist, and they did it with their own touch on it. Some examples are, JIMI HENDRIX ‘All Along the Watchtower’, JANIS JOPLIN ‘Tell Mama’, ‘Summertime’ and ‘Ball and Chain’, or JOE COCKER ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’, everyone was doing it with the right reason. For us, we want to honor CHUBBY CHECKER and also bring it back to life by doing the cover version the BLUES PILLS way. Hopefully people like both versions and, yeah, it’s just a killer tune.“ – BLUES PILLS

»Blues Pills« Tracklist:
01. High Class Woman
02. Ain’t No Change
03. Jupiter
04. Black Smoke
05. River
06. No Hope Left For Me
07. Devil Man
08. Astralplane
09. Gypsy (CHUBBY CHECKER cover)
10. Little Sun

The cover art (as seen in the tour poster) was created by legendary artist Marijke Koger-Dunham (THE BEATLES, CREAM).

Commented the band: „The artwork is by the incredible artist Marijke Koger-Dunham. She painted it sometime in the late 60ies, and because we were looking for some 60ies inspired artwork, we thought “what could be better?” For us, it is a representation of the balance of life, as shown in all the symbolism of natural dualities such as darkness and light, sun and moon, life and death, etc. It shows how opposite forces are interconnected and compliment each other to form a whole. Besides that, it just looks absolutely amazing!“

The band will be playing the following open air events this summer:

27.06.2014 NO Steinkjerfestivalen, Steinkjer
04.07.2014 NO Skanevik Blues Festival, Skanevik
10.07.2014 CH Montreaux Jazz Festival, Montreaux
11.07.2014 AT Clamrock, Klam
12.07.2014 AT Lovely Days Festival, Wiesen
17.07.2014 LT Devilstone Festival, Vilnius
24.07.2014 CH Blue Balls Festival, Luzern
25.07.2014 IT Totem Psychfest, Rome
26.07.2014 DE Wilwerath Rock City, Wilwerath
28.07.2014 UK St. Pancras Old Church, London
31.07.2014 DE Burg Herzberg Festival, Breitenbach am Herzberg
01.08.2014 DE Krach am Bach, Beelen
02.08.2014 DE Labertal Festival, Schierling
07.08.2014 NO Oya Festivalen, Oya
09.08.2014 SE Getaway Rock Festival, Gävle
14.08.2014 DE Summer Breeze, Dinkelsbühl
16.08.2014 PT Sonic Blast, Moledo Do Minho
22.08.2014 CH Open Air Gränichen, Gränichen
23.08.2014 NO Parken Festival, Bodo

More to be announced soon!

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BLUES PILLS Homepage

BLUES PILLS on Facebook

 

FANNY – The Godmothers Of Chick Rock

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Addie Clement, Alice de Buhr, Arista Records, Arlene Quatro, BBC Radio 1, Billboard Single Charts, Brie Berry, Butter Boy, California Girls, Casablanca Records, Charity Ball, David Bowie, Deep Purple, Fanny, Fanny Hill, George Harrison, Harry Nilsson, Jean Millington, Joe Cocker, June Millington, Kim Fowley, L.A. All-Stars, Mother’s Pride, Musicians’ Referral Service, Nancy Quatro, Nickey Barclay, Patti Quatro, Reprise Records, Richard Perry, Ringo Starr, Rock And Roll Survivors, Rod Stewart, Rodney Bingenheimer, Suzi Quatro, The Kinks, The Pleasure Seekers, The Rolling Stones, The Runaways, The Svelts, The Who, Todd Rundgren, Whisky-a-Go-Go, Wild Honey

June Millington, born April 14, 1948 and her sister Jean Millington, born May 25, 1950, both in Manila, Philippines started making music in their childhood years, playing a rather traditional island instrument: the ukulele. The two are most renowned for founding Fany, one of the very first all-female Rockbands to be signed by a major record label, but this part of Rock history was still several steps away. Upon moving to Sacramento, California in 1961 they got touch with the contemporary folk sounds. Music is what kept their spirit high, being surrounded by strangers in a strange country. Thus they began performing as an acoustic duo in High School.

Jean & June performing with their acoustic bass and guitar

Having put aside acoustic instruments, their first band prior to Fanny was called The Svelts, featuring drummer Brie Berry, who temporary left but would later join Fanny. In 1968 by guitarist Addie Clement (former member of the California Girls) and drummer Alice de Buhr, who had moved from Mason City, Iowa to California at the age of seventeen in search of the proverbial fame and fortune. The four girls toured around the west in a pimped bus, mainly playing cover versions. Later on in 1968 Addie and Alice pursued their own vision and formed the all-girl band Wild Honey. Without anyone have seen OR heard them, Wild Honey got signed to WB subsidiary Reprise Records. In search for a keyboarder, Wild Honey had to face quite a struggle, as in the late 60s most girls would prefer the piano or church-organ over a Rockband – finally at the backstage area of the Whisky-a-Go-Go, June came in touch with Kim Fowley. He had an artist agent called Musicians’ Referral Service. A sort of agency that helps people finding each other. He helped Nickey Barclay find the musicians of Wild Honey, as he would later do for his most famous find The Runaways.

The Svelts

Over several lineup shifts and changes, Wild Honey had June on guitar and Nickey rejoined after touring with the Joe Cocker Band, pretty much on advice of Mr. Cocker himself. The release of the first album was imminent and arouse the question of a new name – by the four musicians themselves, by their producer Richard Perry, by their label and by their management, the Blue peacock Company. Everyone agreed upon it ought to be a woman’s name, something short, memorable and at once feminine and bold. After considering a series of suggestions the band settled on the name Fanny, and the rest was history.

Fanny Reprise Promo

Admired and promoted by fellow musicians and so-to-speak scene makers like George Harrison, David Bowie, Deep Purple, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, Rodney Bingenheimer and Kim Fowley – even before their self titled debut was published – the media wasn’t too much interested in Fanny, accusing them for trying too hard. By now they had become one of the favourite bands to play at Whisky-a-Go-Go – they were booked there so often that it was effectively a residency for them. Despite all criticism, Fanny would stand their ground and pave way for many all-girl groups to come in the cause of history. Finally with their second output, 1971’s ‘Charity Ball’ was well-received by both critics and the public, it’s title track hit the singles charts in the US, peaking at number 40 on the Billboard singles charts in November, and Fanny toured extensively to support the breakthrough.

FANNY playing at Whiskey-a-Go-Go

1972 and 1973 saw the publication of Fanny albums three – ‘Fanny Hill’ – and four – ‘Mother’s Pride’, produced by Todd Rundgren – working their way to become a respected live act and kicking doors open for female musicians, Fanny was no longer laughed at. They even passed the rock-cred “test of fire” by having one of their singles, Young and Dumb, banned by BBC Radio 1 (and by being banned from playing live at the Albert Hall – for being “too provocative”!). Living up to the expectations of being both women and rock musicians took its toll and Fanny and caused a temporary brake-up, resulting in both Alice and June. Alice was replaced by Brie Berry, former drummer of The Svelts while June’s shoes were filled by none other than Patti Quatro, best known as a member of The Pleasure Seekers with her sisters Suzi, Nancy and Arlene. This new line-up recorded the final Fanny album with the meaningful title ‘Rock And Roll Survivors’, published via Casablanca Records. The single ‘Butter Boy’ entered the Billboard singles charts in February, 1975 at number 29 – but by than Fanny had disbanded. A final effort in the spring of that very year found sisters June and Jean together again, accompanied by June’s friend Patti Macheta on percussion and vocals and Wendy Haas, wife of Martin Mull and an old friend of the original Fanny band members, on keyboards and vocals.

At the end of their career, Fanny discontinued the use of the band name and referred to themselves as the L.A. All-Stars. Refusing to act as Fanny again, the band even turned down a possible deal with Arista Records in early 1976.

Inspired by:

Fanny Rock

June Millington

Metal Maidens