Gay For Johnny Depp are out the closet and over here.

More than just a novelty band with a memorable name, the New York quartet’s debut album ‘The Politics Of Cruelty’ has been getting rave write-up's in NME, Q, Uncut, The Guardian, Rock Sound, DrownedInSound, Arena, Men Only, Big Cheese, 3:AM, Terrorizer, Artrocker, ShortList, Guitar World, New Noise, Contact Music, Subba-Cultcha and multiple plays on Radio 1.

It signals the death of hardcore as a macho-dominated genre and the re-birth of something far more special.

And now Gay For Johnny Depp are painting the night pink and brown in the following towns:

January / February 2008
Fri Jan 25 Northampton The Racehorse
Sat Jan 26 Leeds Royal Park Cellars
Sun Jan 27 Nottingham Rock City
Mon Jan 28 Luton University
Tue Jan 29 Bournemouth iBar
Wed Jan 30 Bristol The Louisiana
Thur Jan 31 Exeter The Cavern
Fri Feb 1 Brighton The Barfly
Sat Feb 2 London The Barfly

Support comes from Hearts Under Fire and The Computers.

Expected: nudity, sexual frisson, big melodies, crowd participation, crowd procreation.

Get sexy.

Buy The Politics Of Cruelty from Captains, Cargo, Amazon or HMV. You can also download it from most download platforms.

More info: www.gayforjohnnydepp.com / www.captainsof.com

How are your moves coming along…?

In-the-know Premiership players, Beyonce and, erm, SpongeBob SquarePants all have one thing in common – they know how to do the ‘Crank That’ Dance. The infectious dance has spawned numerous remixes and encouraged a staggering 16 million people to view the ‘How to Crank That – Instructional video’ on YouTube. The man behind this furore is Soulja Boy Tell’em and his hot debut single ‘Crank That (Soulja Boy)’.

Soulja Boy Tell’em is the hottest rapper in the States. His debut single ‘Crank That (Soulja Boy)’ has been #1 for seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Airplay, Digital and Ringtone charts. That’s quite an achievement for a 17 year old who has only been signed to Interscope Records for a year.

The track ‘Crank That (Soulja Boy)’ is ready to make its mark on this side of the Atlantic, when it is released on December 10th through Collipark Music/Interscope Records. The track is also be digitally available from November 5th exclusively on iTunes. The single includes a remix from Travis Barker (Blink 182/+44).

Part of Soulja Boy Tell’em’s magic is what he brings to the scene as an entertainer. With his personalized Soulja Boy Sunglasses and unique dance routines, he’s putting the fun back into hip hop. Along with putting his own shows and songs together plus producing all his own music, Soulja Boy Tell’em is a rare breed.

Not surprisingly, www.souljaboytellem.com has become the most viewed artist site on the web. It’s quite fitting then that his debut album should be called ‘souljaboytellem.com’, which is released on November 19th.

Upload your own Crank That and be in with the chance of dancing with Soulja Boy Tell’em when he hits the UK in 2008: http://www.youtube.com/crankthatuk

From the beginning, THE BLACK CROWES have done things their own way. And it’s good to know that some things don’t change.

WARPAINT—the band’s first album of all-new studio material in seven years, due out March 4th worldwide—will be independently released on the band’s own newly formed Silver Arrow Records and distributed through Pinnacle. It’s their first studio release since the acclaimed LIONS album in 2001 (on V2).

Produced and mixed by Paul Stacey at Allaire Studios, Woodstock, NY, the album features 11 songs, all of which were written by CHRIS and RICH ROBINSON, except “God’s Got It” by the Reverend Charlie Jackson. The album builds compellingly on the band’s trademark adventurous brew of rock, blues, country, soul and gospel.

WARPAINT marks the recording debut of two new band members—guitarist Luther Dickinson and keyboardist Adam MacDougall--who join CHRIS and RICH and drummer Steve Gorman and bassist Sven Pipien. Dickinson, of North Mississippi Allstars, officially steps in to replace producer/guitarist Paul Stacey, whose position with the band was always intended to be temporary. THE BLACK CROWES are deeply appreciative that Stacey committed his genuine talent and time to the band and their performances for most of 2007.

The album’s complete track listing is: “Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution,” “Walk Believer Walk,” “O, Josephine,” “Evergreen,” “We Who See The Deep,” “Locust Street,” “Movin’ On Down The Line,” “Wounded Bird,” “God’s Got It,” “There’s Gold In Them Hills,” and “Whoa Mule.”

CHRIS says the album’s title signifies “the revolution that could take place in all our souls.”

Meanwhile, for the first time in their 18-year career, THE BLACK CROWES will perform an album of theirs in its entirety. On a special run of “One Night Only” shows beginning on March 4th, fans will experience WARPAINT performed in its entirety, after which the band will play songs from their catalog and selected surprises. Dates TBA.

THE BLACK CROWES will begin their world tour March 24th by headlining the Byron Bay Festival in Australia. They’ll continue their down under trek—their first since 1991—through April 5 before playing special engagements in Tokyo, Amsterdam and London, and concluding with shows in Hamburg and Cologne, Germany (dates TBA).

THE BLACK CROWES have sold over 20 million albums and are known as one of rock’s best live acts. They have been called “The Most Rock n’ Roll Rock ‘n’ Roll Band In the World” and a “thoroughbred American rock ‘n’ freakin’ roll band”; their panoramic live shows feature alternating set lists and signature incendiary musical explorations. Catch up with the band at www.blackcrowes.com

LIVE DATES & SINGLE: DARK SKIES

RELEASE DATE: 14th January 2008
Label: Supervision

‘ Dirtier than a student’s weekend trip to Amsterdam…quite simply you just don’t get rock bands this good anymore.’ The Birder

The Electric City are set to release their new download single ‘Dark Skies’ on Supervision Records on 14th January 2008 and embark on another set of live dates across the country.

The band comprise:
Andy J Taylor –vocals/guitar
James Cantone – lead guitar
Dan Laithwaite – drums
Jonny Bullitt – bass

If there’s a place where the raw energy of rock meets the euphoria of the dancefloor it’s in The Electric City, the ever-evolving result of four friends with as much of a penchant for the blistering basslines of DFA 1979 as the elaborate synth rock of Muse, as Uncut succinctly put it when reviewing their gig at this year’s Brighton Great Escape:

The Electric City’s story began in the throes of Ibiza Rocks, where frontman and Ibiza-local Andy Taylor and his south London-based mate James Cantone found themselves inspired to write after seeing two musical vibes collide in an unprecedented explosion of genre-defying noise. Back in London, the two housemates quickly began looking for bandmates, who they found in bass player and Crouch End local Jonny Bullitt – “With a name like that we just had to have him,” according to James – and Oxford born drummer Dan Laithwaite. Songs gradually took shape, as Andy describes: “Every time we write a new track it goes slightly more electro or dirtier or a bit more of a stomper…it just happens by accident.” Now there’s a tangible buzz about this gang of four and their born-to-rock hunger to perform.

In fact that ethos is at the core of everything The Electric City do – it’s visible in the heaving mosh pits of kids at the front of every gig and the grinning trend-hunters clutching their pints and nodding nonchalantly at the back. It’s in the cheeky injoke of the name (after a bizarre experience in a Notting Hill pub where Andy was accosted by a celebrity chef) and the message of the songs (The Electric City is simply about living in a city and doing what…?). “We’re not in it to get rich, we’re doing it because we love it. No one in this band is committed to anything else except being in The Electric City.” And with the electrifying intensity of their live shows has got them noticed everywhere from the darkest corners of cyberspace (100,000 MySpace hits in six months!) to the playlists of XFM and support slots with “We Are Scientists”, “The Futureheads”, “Patrick Wolf” and in March 2007 rock legends “The Who”. Want to know what it’s really like in The Electric City…?

…Check them out on the road supporting yet another bunch of music greats: Orson. They’ll be playing:

1st Dec Anson Rooms Bristol
3rd Dec Wulfrun Hall Wolverhampton
5th Dec Waterfront Norwich
6th Dec Astoria London
7th Dec The Leadmill Sheffield
9th Dec University Manchester
10th Dec Metro University Leeds
11th Dec University Newcastle
13th Dec QMU Glasgow
14th Dec Academy Oxford

Debut Album ‘Fears In The Water’ out November 5 through Bodog Music

New Single ‘Fears In The Water’ out October 29

Bodog band THE VINCENT BLACK SHADOW are gearing up for a busy November with an upcoming support slot on Silverstein’s UK tour as well as the release of their debut album, Fears In The Water, out November 5.

The Vancouver based quintet is comprised of Cassandra Ford (vocals) and brothers Robbie (guitar / vocals), Chris (bass / vocals) and Anthony Kirkham (drums). In 2000, Rob and Cassandra met while ordering the same obscure martini at a local hot spot. This spawned a friendship which then turned into music collaboration. With the addition of the other band members, THE VINCENT BLACK SHADOW was born having taken their name from a mysterious motorcycle in a Hunter S. Thompson book…

What makes THE VINCENT BLACK SHADOW stand out – besides Cassandra’s love of gaming and S&M – is quite possibly their individual musical tastes. The band cite Ennio Morricone, Angelo Badalamenti, Danny Elfman, Faith No More, No Doubt, Chris Isaak, Blondie, Danzig, Megadeth and Burt Bacharach as some of their musical influences.

THE VINCENT BLACK SHADOW signed to Bodog Music in 2006. The UK release of their first album is especially important to Cassandra who was born on this lovely side of the pond! The band’s debut is both unapologetic and unyielding. They’ll take you through a journey of highs (Metro) and lows (Don’t Go Soft) that will surely make you press play over and over again…

SILVERSTEIN NOVEMBER TOUR

Jethro Tull are to celebrate their 40th Anniversary as a band with a mammoth 29-date UK tour. Most performances of “An Evening With Jethro Tull” will feature a special guest, who fans will know and recognise, as Ian Anderson honours past band members, friends and local musicians. As well as performing a Tull song or two, guests might also perform one of their own songs.

Ian Anderson is taking this opportunity to thank Tull fans for their continued support over the past four decades by performing a bumper show which will provide a comprehensive trip through their history. Much of the show will focus on the first 3 albums – performing such early favourites as Serenade To A Cuckoo, My Sunday Feeling, Living In The Past, Bouree, A Song For Jeffrey and A new Day Yesterday. The band will also treat fans to some new songs, which are as yet unreleased as well as perennial favourites from their long career.

The band will consist of Ian Anderson on vocals, flute and acoustic guitar and Martin Barre, who joined at the end of 1968, on electric guitar. The rest of Jethro Tull are: Doane Perry on drums and percussion since 1984; David Goodier on bass and John O’Hara playing piano and accordion – who are amongst the 26 musicians who have been recording or touring members of Jethro Tull in the last 40 years.

EMI Records will be releasing product around the tour, which will be confirmed nearer to the dates.

Full details are:-

Date City Venue Ticket Price Box Office

Sun, April 6th Swindon Wyvern Theatre £25.50/£28.50 01793 524 481

Tues, April 8th Oxford New Theatre £25.50/£28.50 0844 847 1585

Weds, April 9th Salford Quays The Lowry £25.50/£28.50 0870 787 5790
Thurs, April 10th St Albans Arena £25.50/£28.50 01727 844 488

Fri, April 11th Brighton Dome £25.50/£28.50 01273 709 709

Sat, April 12th Cambridge Corn Exchange £25.50/£28.50 01223 357 851

Mon, April 14th Cardiff St David's Hall £25.50/£28.50 029 2087 8444

Tues, April 15th Salisbury City Hall £25.50/£28.50 01722 434 434

Weds, April 16th Bournemouth Pavilions £24.50/£27.50 0870 111 3000

Thurs, April 17th Basingstoke The Anvil £25.50/£28.50 01256 844 244

Fri, April 18th Bristol Colston Hall £25.50/£28.50 0117 922 3686

Sat, April 19th Folkestone Leas Cliff Hall £24.50/£27.50 01303 228 600

Weds, April 30th Dunfermline Carnegie Hall £25.50/£28.50 01383 602 302

Thurs, May 1st Edinburgh The Queens Hall £25.50/£28.50 0131 668 2019

Fri, May 2nd Glasgow Pavilion Theatre £24.50/£27.50 0141 332 1846

Sat, May 3rd Aberdeen Music Hall £24.50/£27.50 01224 641 122

Tues, May 6th Inverness Eden Court £24.50/£27.50 01463 234 234

Weds, May 7th Perth Concert Hall £24.50/£27.50 0845 612 6328

Thurs, May 8th Newcastle City Hall £25.50/£28.50 0191 261 2606

Fri, May 9th Carlisle Sands Hall £24.50/£27.50 01228 625 222

Sat, May 10th Sheffield City Hall £24.50/£27.50 0114 278 9789

Sun, May 11th York Grand Opera House £25.50/£28.50 0870 606 3595

Tues, May 13th Liverpool Philharmonic £25.50/£28.50 0151 709 3789

Weds, May 14th Llandudno Venue Cymru £23.50/£26.50 01492 872 000

Thurs, May 15th Blackburn King George's Hall £23.50/£26.50 01254 582 582

Fri, May 16th Peterborough Broadway £24.50/£27.50 01733 316 100

Sat, May 17th Ipswich Regent Theatre £25.50/£28.50 01473 433 100

Weds, May 28th London Royal Festival Hall £26.50/£29.50 0871 663 2500

Tickets are available from venue box offices or online from venue websites and maybe subject to a booking fee. There will be no support artist on this tour and Jethro Tull play for approx 2 hours with a 20 minute intermission. The show starts at 7.30pm unless otherwise stated on the tickets.

In their 40 years, Jethro Tull have sold over 60 million albums and have performed over 2,600 shows in more than 40 countries. There are several UK venues in which they have performed many times, including Bristol’s Colston Hall, The Manchester Apollo, Royal Albert Hall and the now-defunct Wembley Empire Hall. In their history, major US venues have included: 3 Madison Square Garden shows in 1975; shows at Red Rock, Jones Beach NY and the Boston Pavilion. Jethro Tull were the first band to play 5 consecutive performances at the LA Forum – a massive achievement for any British band!

It is evident that Anderson loves to tour, having played more than 130 shows in 2007. However, the band will slow down and perform a mere 80-90 shows in 2008. With the significant travel involved in touring, Anderson is acutely aware of climate change and says: “I have a personal carbon footprint equal to Al Gore’s – it’s large and I’m not happy about it but, like Al Gore, the upside is that I try to bring something with me on my travels to help awareness and in the last years have planted tens of thousands of trees as a personal carbon offset.” In his personal life, Ian tries to be as green as he can and takes trains, travelling economy, whenever possible and he uses a Toyota Prius which he call the Pious… because it makes him feel holier than thou! Not for the first time as, throughout the drug-fuelled 60’s and 70’s Ian never smoked pot, experimented with any drugs or complicated sex. However, he reserves the right to attempt a more orthodox Rock and Roll lifestyle in later life….

Another little known fact is that, in 1984, Jethro Tull turned up for an interview at the then brand new MTV studios in New York. As they had their instruments with them, Ian said, why didn’t they just play some live impromptu music, which they did. That day MTV Unplugged was born.

In recent years, Jethro Tull and their music have featured in several TV shows, from the Sopranos (where Tony Soprano sang a Tull song) to Saxondale, Friends and Ugly Betty, who featured a name check recently.

This 2-CD set also shows us why anyone listening to the breadth of his work knows that behind the laconic delivery lies a vision. 2PAC's uncanny ability enabled him to represent the disenfranchised he hoped to galvanize with his philosophy of T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E. (which stood for "The Hatred U Give Lil Infants F***s Everybody"). "I didn't create the thug life. I diagnosed it," Tupac stated.

Each album contains one previously unreleased recording and one new remix along with nine classic tracks. Each album is available in edited and explicit versions. The collections were assembled with the assistance of his mother, Afeni Shakur, who is also the executive producer of the albums. The CD set represents different key phases of 2PAC’s evolution and shows how his talent hit a high note right from the start and never wavered.

THE BEST OF 2PAC – Part 1: Thug features the previously unreleased “Resist the Temptation” and a fresh mix of “Dear Mama,” featuring Anthony Hamilton, whose original Grammy-nominated version went Platinum and charted Top 10 Pop and #1 Rap. Also included are “Trapped” (2PAC’s debut single), the Grammy-nominated “California Love” (with Dr. Dre), the double Platinum, #1 Pop/#1 Rap, Grammy-nominated “How Do U Want It” with K-CI & JoJo, and Top 10 Rap “So Many Tears.” The remaining tracks are “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted,” “I Ain’t Mad At Cha,” “Hail Mary,” “Changes,” and “Unconditional Love.”

THE BEST OF 2PAC – Part 2: Life highlights the previously unreleased recording of “Dopefiend’s Diner” featuring 2PAC using a vocal sample of the melody line of “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega in addition to the acoustic remix of “Thugz Mansion” featuring all three verses by 2PAC. The album also brings together the Top 5 Rap “Brenda’s Got a Baby” and Gold, Top 15 Pop/#2 Rap “Keep Ya Head Up.” The tracklisting adds “Definition of a Thug Nigga,” “When I Get Free,” “Until the End of Time” (RP Remix), “Never Call You Bitch Again,” “They Don’t Give a Fuck About Us,” “Still Ballin” (Nitty Remix) and “Ghetto Gospel.”
2PAC has sold nearly 40 million albums in the U.S. alone, where he has claimed 11 Platinum-or-better awards. Eight of those are for posthumous releases.

1996’s The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory from 2PAC’s Makaveli alter ego hit #1 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop while going quadruple Platinum, a mark also reached by the following year’s R U Still Down? (Remember Me) which charted #2 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop. 1998’s Greatest Hits, #3 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop, is currently nine times Platinum. In 2000, Still I Rise scored #6 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop while going Platinum. The next year’s Until the End of Time, #1 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop, reached triple Platinum and 2002’s Better Dayz, #5 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop, double Platinum. 2004’s Loyal to the Game charted #1 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop and was certified Platinum. The soundtrack to Tupac: Resurrection that same year hit #2 Pop and #3 R&B/Hip-Hop and was also Platinum.

A portion of the profits of the albums will go to the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation (“TASF”).

THE BEST OF 2PAC - PART 1: Thug

1. So Many Tears
2. Trapped
3. California Love (Original Mix)
4. How Do U Want It
5. I Aint Mad At Cha
6. 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted
7. Hail Mary
8. Changes
9. Unconditional Love
10. Resist the Temptation (Previously Unreleased)
11. Dear Mama (featuring Anthony Hamilton - NEW MIX)

THE BEST OF 2PAC - PART 2: Life

1. Definition of a Thug Nigga
2. Brenda's Got a Baby
3. Keep Ya Head Up
4. When I Get Free
5. Until the End of Time (RP REMIX)
6. Never Call U Bitch Again
7. They Dont Give a Fuck About Us
8. Still Ballin (NITTY REMIX)
9. Ghetto Gospel
10. Dopefiend's Diner - (Previously Unreleased)
11. Thugz Mansion Acoustic Remix (NEW REMIX)

WOLVERHAMPTON, MANCHESTER & LONDON

Meet The EELS: Essential EELS Vol. 1, 1996-2006 spans the first decade of the EELS with 24 selections on CD and 12 promotional videos on DVD. The CD opens with four tracks from the band’s 1996 debut Beautiful Freak, two tracks from the Eels’ highly acclaimed second album 1998’s Electro-shock Blues follow plus a previously unreleased Jon Brion remix of “Climbing To The Moon.”

Four songs from 2000’s Daisies Of The Galaxy, which NME dubbed “a masterpiece in almost every way,” are represented on the Essentials album plus three tracks from 2001’s Souljacker, which Time Magazine crowned as one of the best albums of the year, was acclaimed overseas with NME calling it “downright brilliant” and the London’s Sunday Times named it Album Of The Year, writing that “the conventional wisdom that {the earlier album} Electro-shock Blues was E’s masterpiece will have to be reassessed: it was clearly just one of his masterpieces.”

2003’s live-in-the-studio Shootenanny! (awarded four stars by Rolling Stone) adds two fan favorites, while five songs from the highly acclaimed, and best charting album in the band’s history Blinking Lights and Other Revelations are included. Also on the Essentials album are the previously unreleased “Get Ur Freak On,” a live version of “Dirty Girl” from 2006’s With Strings: Live At Town Hall and “I Need Some Sleep” from the Shrek 2 soundtrack.

Highlights within the 50 CD tracks EELS Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased 1996-2006 are longtime concert favorite “Living Life” from the Daniel Johnston tribute album, the previously unreleased 2006 cover of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell On You” and other covers including James Carr’s “Dark End of The Street” and Prince’s “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” Useless Trinkets also includes a large handful of BBC performances, unique live versions of “Novocaine For The Soul” and “My Beloved Monster,” tracks from films--The End Of Violence, Holes, Levity and How The Grinch Stole Christmas and many previously unreleased tracks including the original collections title track which frontman Everett performs backed by a 28 piece orchestra. The DVD features six performances from the EELS' Lollapalooza 2006 performance, including a gospel rave-up take on “My Beloved Monster” and a high octane rumble through “Souljacker part I.”

Meet The EELS: Essential EELS Vol. 1, 1996-2006 and EELS Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased 1996-2006 prove why, following that 2006 Lollapalooza performance, Rolling Stone wrote: “EELS define coolness.”

www.eelstheband.com
www.ilovethatsong.com

For more information contact Adrian Read at Polydor
+44 (0)207 471 5390 or email: Adrian.Read@umusic.com

TRACKLISTINGS

MEET THE EELS: Essential EELS Vol. I, 1996-2006 (CD+DVD)

EELS VIDEO COLLECTION DVD:

*previously unreleased

EELS USELESS TRINKETS: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and
Unreleased 1996-2006 (2CD+DVD)

DISC 1:

Album number 2 ‘Scream Aim Fire’ to be released January 28th 2008

SALT ‘N’ PEPA GET TWANGOED / BRAN VAN GO BRUM
Phil Etheridge – vocals – Saunders – vocals – Stuart Hartland – guitars – Jon Watkin – bass – Matt Clinton - drums

If 2006 was all about promise for The Twang, 2007 has been all about delivery. Tipped by seemingly everyone at the start of the year, the five lads from Birmingham set about living up to such extravagant praise from the off whilst keeping their feet firmly on the ground. First stop was the recording of debut album, the gold certified ‘Love It When I Feel Like This’ in Wolverhampton with long term associate Gavin Monaghan eschewing the big studios to keep it real. Next stop was a hectic touring schedule that saw the bands fanbase explode and further saw the lads go to the people across the UK, a decision that has seen The Twang retain some of the most loyal and committed fans of the moment.

Then the promise was fulfilled, ‘Wide Awake’ and ‘Either Way’ becoming mainstays on radio,
NME covers but, more importantly to the band, a Top 3 album position and increasingly big shows remain the high points of the year for The Twang. The summer saw them slay T In The Park, Phil unsure as to whether the huge crowd were all watching his band until the hands went in the air from front to back on ‘Either Way’, a packed John Peel Tent at Glastonbury despite the lake in the middle of the audience, two packed NME / Radio One tents at Reading and Leeds respectively and continued sales for the debut album that the band had thought about since the day they formed.

As The Twang journey around the UK on their biggest tour yet and another sell out to add to the list the boys have re-imagined one of the stand out tracks from the live set and the album for a single release on November 26th. Built around a cheeky sample of the bassline for Salt n Pepa’s ‘Push It’ by Jon, ‘Push The Ghosts’ has been twisted a little to emphasise the dance floor nature of groove and come out as a sparkling floor filler for the winter months ahead. It seems even more appropriate given that this is a song about their ambitions for the band that it arrives to cap what has been for all five the best year of their lives. The single comes as a Double A with the band’s praised re-interpretation of Bran Van 3000’s ‘Drinking In LA’ for Radio One’s 40th birthday celebrations given a Midlands twist and a delicious lop sided groove. The formats also feature an unreleased acoustic version of ‘Push The Ghosts’ and new tracks ‘First Sight’ and ‘Put Your Faith’.

Meet The EELS: Essential EELS Vol. 1, 1996-2006 spans the first decade of the EELS with 24 selections on CD and 12 promotional videos on DVD. The CD opens with four tracks from the band’s 1996 debut Beautiful Freak, two tracks from the Eels’ highly acclaimed second album 1998’s Electro-shock Blues follow plus a previously unreleased Jon Brion remix of “Climbing To The Moon.”

Four songs from 2000’s Daisies Of The Galaxy, which NME dubbed “a masterpiece in almost every way,” are represented on the Essentials album plus three tracks from 2001’s Souljacker, which Time Magazine crowned as one of the best albums of the year, was acclaimed overseas with NME calling it “downright brilliant” and the London’s Sunday Times named it Album Of The Year, writing that “the conventional wisdom that {the earlier album} Electro-shock Blues was E’s masterpiece will have to be reassessed: it was clearly just one of his masterpieces.”

2003’s live-in-the-studio Shootenanny! (awarded four stars by Rolling Stone) adds two fan favorites, while five songs from the highly acclaimed, and best charting album in the band’s history Blinking Lights and Other Revelations are included. Also on the Essentials album are the previously unreleased “Get Ur Freak On,” a live version of “Dirty Girl” from 2006’s With Strings: Live At Town Hall and “I Need Some Sleep” from the Shrek 2 soundtrack.

Highlights within the 50 CD tracks EELS Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased 1996-2006 are longtime concert favorite “Living Life” from the Daniel Johnston tribute album, the previously unreleased 2006 cover of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell On You” and other covers including James Carr’s “Dark End of The Street” and Prince’s “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” Useless Trinkets also includes a large handful of BBC performances, unique live versions of “Novocaine For The Soul” and “My Beloved Monster,” tracks from films--The End Of Violence, Holes, Levity and How The Grinch Stole Christmas and many previously unreleased tracks including the original collections title track which frontman Everett performs backed by a 28 piece orchestra. The DVD features six performances from the EELS' Lollapalooza 2006 performance, including a gospel rave-up take on “My Beloved Monster” and a high octane rumble through “Souljacker part I.”

Meet The EELS: Essential EELS Vol. 1, 1996-2006 and EELS Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased 1996-2006 prove why, following that 2006 Lollapalooza performance, Rolling Stone wrote: “EELS define coolness.”

www.eelstheband.com
www.ilovethatsong.com

TRACKLISTINGS

MEET THE EELS: Essential EELS Vol. I, 1996-2006 (CD+DVD)

01 novocaine for the soul
02 susan's house
03 my beloved monster
04 your lucky day in hell
05 3 speed
06 last stop: this town
07 climbing to the moon (jon brion remix)*
08 flyswatter
09 i like birds
10 mr. E's beautiful blues
11 it's a motherfucker
12 souljacker part 1
13 that's not really funny
14 fresh feeling
15 get ur freak on*
16 saturday morning
17 love of the loveless
18 dirty girl (live at town hall)
19 i need some sleep
20 hey man (now you're really living)

21 i'm going to stop pretending
that i didn't break your heart
22 trouble with dreams
23 railroad man
24 losing streak

EELS VIDEO COLLECTION DVD:
01 novocaine for the soul
02 susan's house
03 rags to rags
04 your lucky day in hell
05 last stop: this town
06 cancer for the cure
07 flyswatter
08 souljacker part I
09 saturday morning
10 hey man (now you're really living)
11 trouble with dreams
12 dirty girl (live at town hall)

*previously unreleased

EELS USELESS TRINKETS: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and
Unreleased 1996-2006 (2CD+DVD)

DISC 1:
01 novocaine for the soul (live from hell)
02 fucker
03 my beloved monster (live from tennessee)
04 dog's life
05 susan's apartment
06 manchester girl (BBC)
07 flower (BBC)
08 my beloved mad monster party (BBC)
09 animal
10 stepmother
11 everything's gonna be cool this christmas
12 your lucky day in hell
(michael simpson remix)*
13 altar boy
14 novocaine for the soul
(moog cookbook remix)
15 if i was your girlfriend (live)*
16 bad news
17 funeral parlor
18 hospital food (BBC)
19 open the door (BBC)
20 birdgirl on a cell phone
21 vice president fruitley
22 my beloved monstrosity
23 dark end of the street (live)*
24 the cheater's guide to your heart (live)*
25 useless trinkets*