Launched 40 years ago with the largely instrumental Tubular Bells (a 48-minute suite conceived by 19-year-old guitar prodigy Mike Oldfield that went on to sell 15 million copies), Virgin Records has staked its reputation on doing the unexpected. Since its early days the label has emphasised and supported the maverick, creative drive of its artists; whilst along the way, it has achieved global success in breaking some of the biggest and most influential acts of the past four decades.

Virgin and its artists have been at the forefront of almost every key musical movement of the past forty years. It was the underdog label that signed the Sex Pistols when they had been rejected by the rest of the music establishment and forged ahead to enjoy great critical acclaim in the post-punk era with the likes of Simple Minds, PiL, Magazine, Devo and XTC.

By the Eighties it was spearheading a colourful new wave of British pop acts, helping to steer Boy George's Culture Club and The Human League to the top of the charts. Then through London's Soul II Soul and Bristol's Massive Attack it helped to push DJ and sound system culture into the mainstream.

In the Nineties the label set a vibrant new benchmark for pop music with the rise of the Spice Girls, oversaw the birth of new, electronic dance genres with Daft Punk and The Chemical Brothers before changing the post-Britpop landscape with The Verve's, Urban Hymns.

The pace has barely slackened in recent years with Virgin signing the superstar DJs Swedish House Mafia, nurturing the huge talent of critically acclaimed female singer-songwriters Laura Marling and Emeli Sandé as well as launching the career of indie pop newcomers Bastille.

It’s this desire to think creatively, challenge conceptions and take risks that has established Virgin Records as one of the most innovative record companies of the past four decades.  Founder Richard Branson said,

“Virgin Records is where it all started for Virgin and 40 years later it's great to see we are still being innovative. This exciting series of events is the perfect way to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Virgin Records and the artists, from Mike Oldfield to Emeli Sandé, who continue to disrupt the status quo."

Taking place in the autumn and including artists past and present, the events to celebrate Virgin Records ‘40 years of disruptions’ will be supporting the charity, War Child. War Child protects children from the brutal effects of war and received the Special Recognition Award at this year’s BRIT Awards.

Events are as follows

1) Exhibition
The creative direction for the exhibition will be overseen by Adrian Shaughnessy, George Lee and the team at This Is Real Art. It will include photos (seen and unseen), seminal videos (including props) and memorabilia that capture the symbiotic collaborations between the cultural icons of the day. The location will be an exclusive venue in Mornington Crescent.
 
2) Book
A beautiful art book will be edited by leading music journalist Adrian Thrills. Adrian began his career editing the punk fanzine 48 Thrills before becoming one of the main feature writers for NME in the Eighties. He contributed fifty cover stories for the paper championing the 2-Tone movement and many of the post-punk, reggae and dance acts of the era; as well as writing the first ever cover story for iconic style magazine The Face featuring The Specials. The book will be designed by Adrian Shaughnessy.

3) Documentary  
A film produced by Leopard Films, one of the UK’s leading production companies, and directed by Paul Tilzey, the director of many award winning documentaries for BBC and Channel 4 including ‘The 70s’. Executive producer Todd Austin and Fiona Morris' projects include ‘Do it Yourself; The Story of Rough Trade’ (BBC Four) and ‘Imagine: Damon and Jamie’s Excellent Adventure’ (BBC One) respectively.
 
4) Events    
A series of live events. Virgin Records will be taking over legendary Camden venue KOKO in October. The shows will celebrate four decades of disruptions involving icons and luminaries from Virgin’s roster past and present.    
 
5) Compilations     

A compilation CD with 2 x Cd set; one disc with current Virgin artists covering Virgin classics, another disc with original Virgin classics. There will also be a series of Virgin 40 compilation CDs spanning the four decades.

Virgin Records four decades of artists include: Mike Oldfield, Sex Pistols, Neneh Cherry, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, N.E.R.D, The Human League, Public Image Ltd., Spice Girls, George Michael, The Rolling Stones, Culture Club, Massive Attack, Swedish House Mafia, Kelis, The Kooks, KT Tunstall, Bastille, Heaven 17, The Verve, Genesis, Iggy Pop, Tangerine Dream, Lenny Kravitz, MeatLoaf, Simple Minds, Laura Marling, Phil Collins, Professor Green, The Smashing Pumpkins, Janet Jackson, XTC, UB40, Malcolm McLaren, Emeli Sandé, Soul II Soul, Air, Peter Gabriel, Inner City, David Guetta, Daft Punk, Everything But The Girl, The Chemical Brothers.

http://www.virgin40.com/

ANNOUNCE NOVEMBER UK TOUR

“THE CONVERSATION”

BRAND NEW ALBUM RELEASED MAY 20TH 2013 

Monday 13th May - In their 25th anniversary year TEXAS release their brand new studio album ‘The Conversation’ through [PIAS] Recordings on May 20th 2013. Following the album release, Texaswill return in November with a full UK tour including a headline London show at Hammersmith Apollo and a string of dates around the country.  

Texas’s eighth album, ‘The Conversation’ is their first in eight years and is the latest in a career that has seen the band sell over 30 million albums worldwide with a succession of multi-platinum albums ‘White on Blonde’, ‘The Hush’ and ‘Greatest Hits’. This overdue return in 2013 clearly redefines and confidently re-introduces the band afresh with tracks written and produced by singer/guitarist Sharleen Spiteri and bassist Johnny McElhone and featuring collaborations with singer-songwriter Richard Hawley and Bernard Butler. 

‘The Conversation’ is an album splitting its seams with the joy of a long-proven pop force creating a collection of songs rich enough in melody and emotion to deserve filing beside the best of the band’s previous million-selling hits. The album was recorded in Glasgow, London and at Richard Hawley’s studio in Sheffield where the seven tracks he worked on went on to form the backbone of ‘The Conversation’: a perfect marriage of Hawley’s 50s rock’n’roll frills and the timeless Texas magnetism to cast-iron melodies. 

Full Texas UK November tour dates:

Saturday 9th November York, Barbican

Sunday 10th November Inverness, Leisure Centre

Monday 11th November Manchester, Bridgewater Hall

Wednesday 13th November Bristol, Colston Hall

Thursday 14th November London, Hammersmith Apollo

Friday 15th November Plymouth, Pavilions

Sunday 17th November Oxford, Apollo

Monday 18h November Birmingham, Symphony Hall

Tuesday 19th November Southend, Cliffs Pavilion

Thursday 21st November Brighton, Dome

Friday 22nd November Portsmouth, Guildhall

Sunday 24th November Ipswich, Regent Theatre

Monday 25th November Cambridge, Corn Exchange

Tuesday 26th November Sheffield, City Hall

Thursday 28th November Glasgow, O2 Academy

Friday 29th November Edinburgh, Usher Hall

 http://www.texas.uk.com 

For further information please contact:

William Rice (National) – william@purplepr.com  / Anna Meacham or Tom Mehrtens (Online) – anna.meacham@purplepr.com or tom@purplepr.com  / Jemma Litchfield (Regional) –jemma@purplepr.com  or call 0207 434 7090 

Texas tickets go on-sale 9am on Friday 17th May priced at £37.00 / £48.50 regionally and £37.00 / £50.00 in London (subject to booking fee) and are available from www.livenation.co.uk,www.ticketmaster.co.uk, www.kililive.com and www.gigsandtours.com    

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About Live Nation Entertainment:

Live Nation Entertainment is the world’s leading live entertainment and ecommerce company, comprised of four market leaders: Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Artist Nation and Live Nation Network. Ticketmaster.com is the global event ticketing leader and one of the world’s top five ecommerce sites, with a database of over 119 million fans who visit our sites. Live Nation Concerts produces over 22,000 shows annually for more than 2,300 artists globally. Artist Nation is the world’s top artist management company, representing over 200 artists. These businesses power Live Nation Network, the leading provider of entertainment marketing solutions, enabling nearly 800 advertisers to tap into the 250 million consumers Live Nation delivers annually through its live event and digital platforms. For additional information, visit www.livenation.com/investors.

Best known for conquering Ibiza with its infamous boat parties and a knack for fuelling free-spirited clubbing, Pukka Up is one of few brands to reach such an important milestone in the ever changing world of electronic music.  2013 has been dubbed Pukka Up X and the glamorous party brand has some monumental celebrations up its sleeve.

A Decade of Dance is a retrospective collection of the most memorable tracks from the Pukka Up dance floors from 2003 to the present. Across two discs, a total of 24 classic tunes are featured, capturing the sonic essence of the boat and club events, compiled and mixed by the ever reliable, Pukka Up residents.

Regulars will spot the classics that resurface time and again at Pukka Up’s resident homes, from Space Ibiza to Pacha London, such as the Colorless cover of It’s Love (Trippin), Mark Knight & Funkagenda Man With The Red Face and Love & Oxygen by Pukka Up resident Mark Robinson in his Str8jackets guise alongside star vocalist Sam Obernik.

Boat track memories include Erick Morillo’s crowd pleaser Live Your Life and Joey Negro Make A Move On Me, whilst club memories run deep with Deniz Koyu’s, Tung!, typically representing Pukka Up’s electronic, uplifting sound.

These tracks and more will be heard around the world on 27th April as Pukka Up stages its biggest party ever, with a total of 10 events in 10 countries, all on the same night. This mammoth party will travel time zones across the globe with the events touching down at venues as far as Austria to America, and Thailand to Poland, and of course in Pukka Up’s birthplace, the UK.

The London leg of 27.04.13 takes place at Pukka Up’s spiritual home, Pacha, with a pre party on the River Thames aboard the incredible, three-tiered, 600 capacity Dixie Queen paddle steamer.

A Decade of Dance can be purchased as a digital download or as a special edition physical copy, complete with stylish black artwork and booklet exploring the unique history of Pukka Up.

Here’s to another 10 successful years – The Future Is Hot, The Future Is Pukka Up.

For media enquiries contact Sliding Doors Publicity: Nicola Freitas or James Hamilton – 020 8585 0404

Pukka Up X – A Decade of Dance. Executive Producer Mark Robinson

BUY NOW 

Boat Disc

Harry Choo Choo ft. Robert Owens - I Go Back

Fish Go Deep - The Cure & The Cause (Dennis Ferrer Rmx)

Mark Knight & Funkagenda - Man with the Red Face

ATFC - Bad Habit

Joey Negro - Make a Move on Me

Soul Central ft. Kathy Brown - Strings of Life (Stronger on my Own)

Herd & Fitz ft. Abigail Bailey - Just Can’t Get Enough

Bob Sinclar ft Steve Edwards - World Hold On

Blaze ft Barbara Tucker - Most Precious Love (Dennis Ferrer Rmx)

Sam Walker & Teej ft. Victoria - Lifted (Double Cream Rmx)

Erick Morillo & Eddie Thoneick ft Shawnee Taylor - Live Your Life

Club Disc

Dirty South ft. Rudy - Let it Go

Spoon Harris & Obernik - Baditude

The Freaks - The Creeps (Vandalism Rmx)

Starkillers & Nadia Ali -Pressure (Alesso Rmx)

Avicii & Sebastien Drums - My Feelings For You

Fedde Le Grand - So Much Love

SHM & Laidback Luke ft Deborah Cox - Leave The World Behind

Colorless ft Emma - Its Love (Trippin) (Ted Nilsson Rmx)

Tim Berg - Seek Bromance (Avicii Arena Mix)

TV Rock ft Rudy - In The Air (Axwell Rmx)

Mark Knight & D Ramirez V Underworld - Downpipe

The Str8jackets & Sam Obernik - Love & Oxygen (DubVision Rmx)

Deniz Koyu - Tung!

Links

www.pukkauprecords.com

www.pukkaup.com

www.facebook.com/pukkaupfanpage

www.twitter.com/pukka_up

Having engineered on Dizzee Rascal’s Mercury Prize winning album, Boy In Da Corner, remixed for Reverend And The Makers, and signed over 100 records to down-tempo compilations, Leigh Devlin’s career goes back some years. Living Life In Phases is an electronic album exuding a colourful mix of influences and a wealth of experience from a 30 year musical history.

As co-founder of the legendary Kenwood Studios in Sheffield where the likes of Dizzee Rascal, Fila Brazilia and Groove Armada all recorded, Leigh Devlin is a master engineer at the sound desk. His technical wizardry saw him run Sheffield practice studio Bok Studios where the likes of Roots Manuva and Phil Oakley (Human League) were regulars, to tutoring at the Sheffield College of Music alongside fellow heavyweights, Simon Stafford and Sarah Jay, who’ve worked with Joe Strummer and Massive Attack respectively.

It’s this musical background that inspired Living Life In Phases, the second studio album from MinusBlue and the result of a three year hiatus travelling Europe. In comparison to its 2009 self-titled predecessor, Life In Stages drifts from MinusBlue’s previous chilled out sounds into a stripped back affair of lush eighties and nineties influenced sounds with simple drums and synths and airy production.

Leigh said, “I wanted to move away from being tarred with the 'chillout' brush. I wanted to make a poppy/Balearic/electronic sound that was a bit of a look back through my musical background. That's why there is an 80s and 90s feel to some of the tracks. I had got to the point with the previous album, and working on other peoples music down the years, that I needed a break from writing and producing, hence the trip around Europe. I also needed something to write about, and life kind of gives you that, if you let it. I had plenty to write about by the time I started again. That's why the album is called Living Life In Phases”.

The first single to be released from the album, Don’t Give Love Away, was an international hit, played on rotation on the likes of Kiss FM Australia, Billboard USA and multiple stations across Europe.

Living Life In Phases was built from the ground up to be a live project and, along with the band’s talented singer songwriters, will be toured later this year in the UK and Ibiza.

Vocalists on the album include Justin Lewis who, with his critically acclaimed Justin Lewis Orchestra, performed at Glastonbury and signed to Beastie Boys label, Grand Royale; plus Grammy Award winning guest vocalist Keithen Carter who’s written with everyone from Chaka Khan to Philip Bailey (Earth Wind & Fire).

Fans of the Human League, Joy Division, Warp Records and Orbital are bound to enjoy this album. It’s a rich tapestry of musical influences and a rare opportunity to hear an LP reflecting so many years of experience. Leigh Devlin’s ongoing love for music shines throughout.

- ENDS –

For media enquiries contact Sliding Doors Publicity: Nicola Freitas or James Hamilton – T: 020 8585 0404

Living Life In Stages - Track List

1. Don’t Give Your Love Away - Vocals Justin Lewis

2. Stone Cold - Vocals Tom Sanderson

3. Watching The Sky - Vocals Emma Saville

4. You’re Not Alone - Vocals Alex Michailidis

5. Breath - Vocals Emma Saville

6. Too Far To Speak - Vocals Alex Michailidis

7. Speak In Words - Vocals Tom Sanderson

8. Trying To Connect - Vocals Justin Lewis

9. Love Is Gone Away - Vocals Keithen Carter

10. Be Kind To Yourself

Links

www.minusblue.co.uk

www.facebook.com/MinusBluemusic

www.seamlessrecordings.com

NEW YORK, Jan. 4, 2011  -- Nashville, Tennessee quintet A Thousand Horses set out on tour this January in support of their self-titled EP out now on DCG/Interscope/Vanhowes Records.  The band will support Truth & Salvage Co. on the ten city tour commencing on January 12th in Charleston, SC. A Thousand Horses also performs on the 2011 Simple Man cruise -- the ultimate southern rock & rebel party on the open seas, sailing from Tampa to Grand CaymanJanuary 20-24th on the Carnival Inspiration along with Lynryd Skynyrd, Blackberry Smoke and Black Stone Cherry among others.

Recorded in six days in Silver Lake, CA with producer Dave Cobb at his home-built 1974 Studios, the band was determined to capture their music in a live setting, straight to tape, with everyone in the same room. The result is a five-track introduction to the band's unabashed brand of riff-driven rock and roll.  

"We tracked it all live. Some of the songs on it are from just first or second takes," says singer Michael Hobby. "We used vintage gear. We used things that we like.  That's what we wanted to make: a live, raw, real record and when people come to see us play, they'll find out that we didn't give 'em something that we can't deliver."

Comprised of lead singer Hobby, the band's lineup is rounded out by Bill Satcher (lead guitar), Graham Deloach (bass backing vocal), Zach Brown (guitar, backing vocal), and Shane Lenzen (drums).

Lead single, title track, and band namesake "A Thousand Horses" also features Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson.

A Thousand Horses EP is out now.

http://www.athousandhorses.com/

http://www.myspace.com/athousandhorses

Tour dates supporting Truth & Salvage Co.:

1/12/11

Charleston, SC

The Pour House

1/13/11

Asheville, NC

Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall

1/14/11

Washington, D.C.

The Red Palace

1/15/11

New York, NY

The Studio at Webster Hall

1/16/11

Philadelphia, PA

World Cafe Live

1/20/11

Tampa, FL

Simple Man Cruise

1/22/11

Tampa, FL

Simple Man Cruise

1/24/11

Tampa, FL

Simple Man Cruise

1/26//11

Jacksonville, FL

Jack Rabbits

1/27/11

Atlanta, GA

Smith's Olde Bar

1/28/11

Birmingham, AL

WorkPlay Theater

1/29/11

Nashville, TN

12th & Porter

1/30/11

Memphis, TN

Newby's

Tickets are $55, $65 and $75 each.  For tickets, visit www.Spotlight29.com or call Star Tickets (800) 585-3737.  Tickets are also available for purchase at Spotlight's Club 29 Monday-Wednesday 10am-8pm, the Spotlight 29 Gift Shop Thursday-Sunday10am-8pm, and the Spotlight Showroom Box Office 1:30pm-9:30pm on the day of the show.

The Black Crowes are comprised of Chris Robinson (vocals), Rich Robinson (guitars), Steve Gorman (drums), Sven Pipien (bass), Paul Stacey (guitars) and Rob Clores (keyboards).  

From the beginning, when they roared out of the gate with their multi-platinum debut album Shake Your Moneymaker in 1990, The Black Crowes have played by their own rules. They've gone against the grain and formed an intimate connection with their audience, while maintaining their independence and creative freedom from standard industry practices. Their follow-up album,The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, reached the top of the Billboard 200 in 1992.

They performed over 2000 shows between 1990 and 2001, and their gigs became legendary for set lists that changed every night and signature incendiary musical explorations. The Black Crowes are one of the few contemporary bands who've shared the stage with Jimmy Page, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, AC/DC, The Who, Neil Young, The Grateful Dead and many other legendary artists.

The Black Crowes have a long list of hits including "Jealous Again," "She Talks To Angels," "Hard to Handle," "Twice As Hard" and "Remedy."

About Spotlight 29 Casino:

Spotlight 29 Casino is conveniently located off I-10, just minutes from Palm Springs, featuring 2,000 slot machines, including the most penny machines in the Coachella Valley.  There is a complete lineup of the most popular table games with flat screen televisions throughout and always a $5 table. The casino offers a wide variety of entertainment options; a 2,200 seat showroom for headline entertainment, the Blue Bar with live entertainment and an array of dining choices including JEM Steakhouse and the all-you-can-eat buffet at Cafe Capitata.  Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, the fun never stops at Spotlight 29!  Spotlight 29 Casino is a business venture of the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians. www.Spotlight29.com, 760-775-5566.

Recorded in six days in Silver Lake, CA with producer Dave Cobb at his home-built 1974 Studios, the band was determined to capture their music in a live setting, straight to tape, with everyone in the same room. The result is a five-track introduction to the band's unabashed brand of riff-driven rock and roll.  

"We tracked it all live. Some of the songs on it are from just first or second takes," says singer Michael Hobby. "We used vintage gear. We used things that we like.  That's what we wanted to make: a live, raw, real record and when people come to see us play, they'll find out that we didn't give 'em something that we can't deliver."

Comprised of lead singer Hobby, the band's lineup is rounded out by Bill Satcher (lead guitar), Graham Deloach (bass backing vocal), Zach Brown (guitar, backing vocal), and Shane Lenzen (drums).  Lead single, title track, and band namesake "A Thousand Horses" also features Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson.

A Thousand Horses will soon announce upcoming tour dates and plans to record their full-length debut album after road testing new material all over North America.

A Thousand Horses  EP is out now. Tour dates to soon follow!

http://www.athousandhorses.com/

http://www.myspace.com/athousandhorses

SOURCE Interscope Records