50th Anniversary – Skin Back Alley

Scorpions announce epic 50th anniversary world tour

18/12/2014 by skinbackalley, posted in News

Legendary German rock band Scorpions have announced that they are to embark to an extensive world tour to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

Making the announcement via their Facebook page the band said: “The SCORPIONS invite you to a extensive 50th-Anniversary-World-Tour, beginning in spring 2015 well into the year 2016 to celebrate with their fans from all over the world unforgettable Rock’n‘Roll-Parties.”

Current confirmed dates include:

2015
May 08th: Pardubice, Czech Republic – ČEZ Aréna
May 09th: Lodz, Poland – Atlas Arena
Jun 20th: Clisson, France – Hellfest
Jun 21st: Dessel, Belgium – Graspop
Jul 18th: Sion, Switzerland – Plaine de Tourbillon
Jul 19th: Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, France – Guitare En Scene
Jul 25th: Maidstone, United Kingdom – Mote Park (Ramblin’ Man Fair)
Aug 15th: Eckernförde, Germany – Rock am Strand
Aug 21st: Coburg, Germany – Schlossplatz
Nov 28th: Zürich Switzerland – Hallenstadion

2016
Mar 14th: Stuttgart, Germany – Schleyer-Halle
Mar 16th: München, Germany – Olympiahalle
Mar 18th: Dortmund, Germany – Westfalenhalle
Mar 19th: Mannheim, Germany – SAP Arena
Mar 21st: Hamburg, Germany – O2 World
Mar 23rd: Berlin, Germany – O2 World
Mar 24th: Leipzig, Germany – Arena
Mar 26th: Frankfurt, Germany – Festhalle

Many more dates are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Johnny Cash tribute album details revealed

15/07/2014 by skinbackalley, posted in News

Johnny Cash’s 1964 album, Bitter Tears: Ballads Of The American Indian, has been re-recorded by a slew of contemporary musicians to mark it’s 50th anniversary.

Artists including Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Kris Kristofferson and Emmylou Harris are all involved, reworking songs that were originally intended to highlight the mistreatment of Native Americans at the hands of settlers.

The new version of the album, titled Look Again To The Wind: Johnny Cash’s Bitter Tears Revisited, will be released by Sony Music Masterworks on the 19th of August.

“Prior to Bitter Tears, the conversation about Native American rights had not really been had,” says Joe Henry, Look Again’s producer. “At a very significant moment in his trajectory, Johnny Cash was willing to draw a line and insist that this be considered a human rights issue, alongside the civil rights issue that was coming to fruition in 1964. But he also felt that the record had never been heard, so there’s a real sense that we’re being asked to carry it forward.”

The full tracklisting for the album is as follows:

“As Long As The Grass Shall Grow” (Gillian Welch & David Rawlings)
“Apache Tears” (Emmylou Harris w/the Milk Carton Kids)
“Custer” (Steve Earle w/the Milk Carton Kids)
“The Talking Leaves” (Nancy Blake w/Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings)
“The Ballad Of Ira Hayes” (Kris Kristofferson w/Gillian Welch and David Rawlings)
“Drums” (Norman Blake w/Nancy Blake, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings)
“Apache Tears (Reprise)” (Gillian Welch and David Rawlings)
“White Girl” (Milk Carton Kids)
“The Vanishing Race” (Rhiannon Giddens)
“As Long As The Grass Shall Grow (Reprise)” (Nancy Blake, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings)
“Look Again To The Wind” (Bill Miller)

Kinks reunion still a possibility confirms Ray Davies

09/06/2014 by skinbackalley, posted in News

Photo: Rex Features

A reunion of The Kinks is still very much a possibility according to Ray Davies.

Speaking in yesterday’s The Sunday Times (8th of June), Davies revealed: “I met Dave only last week to talk about getting back together again.”

“We’ve also spoken a few times on the phone and emailed. He’s been composing his own songs, but I’d really like to write with him again.”

“We both agree we don’t want to do old stuff or tour with past hits,” continued Davies. “It’s got to be something new.”

Speaking in the February edition of Uncut magazine, Ray Davies had previously discussed the possibility of Kinks shows in 2014 to mark the 50th anniversary of the group. “It’s as close as it’s ever been to happening,” he said then.

“I said to Ray I thought that it’d be a great shame if we don’t try and do something,” said guitarist Dave Davies. “I don’t think our love has diminished. I think the stage-play has played itself out a bit, the pretence and the acting. I think it’s time reality took over, and started directing the last years of… whatever it is. It’s like Cain and Abel.”

Though Davies added: “I don’t want to see the legacy of The Kinks soured by two miserable old men doing it for the money.”

Watch this space!

Woodstock set for 50th anniversary festival?

07/06/2014 by skinbackalley, posted in News

Woodstock founder Michael Lang has said that he is considering organising a 50th anniversary festival for 2019.

Speaking to Rolling Stone and denying that there will be a 45th anniversary event his year, Lang said: “I think we’re certainly done until the 50th. We’re starting to think about it now.” He also revealed that several sites are currently being considered in North America.

The original festival took place in Bethel, New York in 1969, and featured career defining sets from the likes of The Who and Jimi Hendrix. Several anniversary events have been held since, most recently in 1994 and then 1999. The 1999 festival became infamous as a result of rioting during sets from Limp Bizkit and then Red Hot Chili Peppers, with New York State Troopers having to be called in to quell the violence.

Lang has previously said that he doesn’t think the organisational failures of previous anniversary events will affect any new festival: “When people think [of Woodstock] they don’t think ’99 or ’94. They think [of] the ’69 event. I think [1999] has its ramifications, but I don’t think it did any real damage in that sense.”

The 1994 event saw the site turned into a mudbath due to adverse weather conditions. During Green Day’s set the band famously started a mud fight with the crowd leading to a stage invasion which saw security mistaking the band’s Mike Dirnt for a fan and tackling him onstage, leading him to seek emergency dental treatment.

The Beach Boys reform for 50th Anniversary

22/07/201022/07/2010 by skinbackalley, posted in News

Al Jardine, guitarist and founding member of The Beach Boys, has announced to Rolling Stone that the band are to reform for a 50th anniversary show.

“We’re definitely doing at least one show, you heard it first,” Jardine said. “It’s a big deal. I don’t know where it will be yet, but it’ll probably be free.”

Confirming that the reformation would include Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Bruce Johnston and possibly even David Marks, Jardine noted that he would love to take the band on an extensive tour.

“I want to see a 100-date anniversary tour. I want to go all around the world, but if this is the way it has to be, then so be it. We’re going to have to rehearse one hell of a show. My point is, if we’re going to rehearse and make this such a wonderful show, we should take it on the road.”