Preorders To Begin March 30 for Multiple Configurations Including Extremely Limited Deluxe 4 LP 180HQ Vinyl Box Set
Hollywood Bowl Headline Show Confirmed for September 24

New York, NY – March 16, 2009 – On March 30, Beastie Boys’ third album Check Your Head will be the next B Boys classic to receive the remastered expanded reissue treatment by Beastie Boys and Capitol/EMI, with pre-orders beginning at beastieboys.com for multiple configurations ranging from a high quality DRM-free digital download of the album (including its numerous and classic b-sides and bonus tracks) to an ultra-deluxe 4 LP 180HQ vinyl version packaged in a fabric-wrapped hardcover coffee table book case and limited to 2000 copies. The retail release date of all physical editions other than the 4xLP version will be April 7, with the ultra deluxe following close behind.

The Check Your Head reissue news coincides with the announcement today that Beastie Boys will headline the Hollywood Bowl on September 24. Following on a confirmed appearance at this summer’s Bonnaroo festival and ongoing speculation regarding the band’s appearances at various summer festivals, the Hollywood Bowl show is both the first headline show in the run-up to a new Beastie Boys album due later this year, as well as the first time Beastie Boys have ever headlined the hallowed L.A. venue.

For ticket info visit: www.beastieboys.com.

Originally released in April 1992, Check Your Head was a milestone for Beastie Boys on multiple levels: It was the first B Boys album to be produced in its entirety by Mario Caldato Jr. and to feature keyboard player Keyboard Money Mark, as well as the first to be recorded at the band’s own G-Son studios in Atwater Village, CA. Most significantly, however, Check Your Head marked the return of live instrumentation to the forefront and backbone of the Beastie Boys sound, with the bulk of the album featuring Mike D on drums, Adrock on guitar and MCA on bass for the first time since the band’s early 1980s hardcore punk recordings.

On the strength of now-classic singles and videos “So What’cha Want,” “Pass The Mic,” “Gratitude” and “Jimmy James”–all of which are included in their original 12″ vinyl incarnations in the ultra deluxe version–Check Your Head stormed the U.S. Top 10, ultimately returning Beastie Boys to hard-touring, platinum-selling status, and setting the band up for the pop cultural dominance it would achieve in the decade to come.

The full list of Check Your Head reissue configurations is as follows:

* Digital Download (album and b-sides)
– Deluxe Digital Option (also includes videos and video commentary)
* Deluxe, limited collector’s vinyl + Digital Download
* Standard double vinyl + Digital Download
* Ecopack double CD + Digital Download
* Shirt combos:
– Deluxe Digital + shirt:
– Standard Vinyl + shirt:
– CD + shirt:
– Deluxe, limited collector’s vinyl + shirt

For further information, go to www.beastieboys.com

Multiple World Records Likely To Be Set By April 19 One-Off at The New Joint at the Hard Rock

Paul McCartney’s one night stand April 19 at Las Vegas’ New Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has already set a world record, moving all 4000 tickets in a mere seven seconds–a rate of nearly 600 seats a second.

According to promoters Concerts West/AEG Live, the show may well set additional records, including the record for the planet’s biggest “love-in” for Valentine couples: Tickets were deliberately put on sale on February 14th so that lovers could express their feelings with the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift surprise.

“Although Guinness World Records cites numerous records relating to Valentine’s Day, nobody has managed a Valentine’s party this big before – so we’ll be claiming that”, said a spokesman for Concerts West/AEG Live. “And there is another Guinness record it would be cool to break there too – the world record for the most couples hugging simultaneously is 1,451, set in Taiwan in 2007.”

The new $60 million Joint is double the size of the famous Vegas rock venue that became a must-play gig since first opening in 1995.

The astonishing demand for the Macca love-in which will inaugurate The New Joint is evidenced too by sky-high prices getting asked by scalpers – the respected fansite Beatles Examiner reports one pair of top-line seats are on sale at $9,999.

“It’s going to be a night like Vegas has never seen before”, said the spokesman, “Paul will leave The Joint smoking”.

Tom Morello and Boots Riley’s Street Sweeper To Support
Onsales Begin March 13th

Nine Inch Nails and the original Jane’s Addiction lineup will embark on a May/June co-headlining tour that will see these seminal artists sharing a stage for the first time since the historic debut of the Lollapalooza festival in 1991. The genesis of the upcoming tour came about in late 2008 after NIN’s Trent Reznor was tapped to produce Jane’s first recordings since reforming.

The NIN/JA tour will feature a streamlined NIN with Reznor on vocals, guitars, keys, Robin Finck on guitars and keys, Justin Meldal-Johnsen on bass and keys, and newest NIN member IIan Rubin on drums and keys. NIN’s stripped down configuration for the upcoming dates was inspired by a pair of club shows toward the end of last year’s wildly ambitious Lights In The Sky tour. Leaving the massive production in the trucks for those two nights freed up the band for spontaneous performances including several seldom-aired NIN classics and inspired NIN to take a similarly unencumbered and unpredictable approach to the May/June dates, which include previously announced NIN appearances at the Sasquatch and Bonnaroo festivals.

For the first time in seventeen years, the original lineup of Jane’s Addiction will tour – vocalist Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Eric Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins. The possibility of reforming first took shape in April 2008 when the musicians performed and accepted the Godlike Genius Award bestowed on them by N.M.E. Magazine at their US Awards ceremony. The band then tested the waters with small, secret shows around the Los Angeles area and the tremendous excitement from the shows lead to their decision to tour again.

The “full circle” nature of the co-headlining tour has not been lost on the artists, with Reznor recently blogging…

“Towards the beginning of my career in Nine Inch Nails, our biggest break came in the form of an invitation to perform a series of shows with Jane’s Addiction. These performances essentially created and defined the term “alternative” rock in the US, created an ongoing festival franchise that is still thriving (Lollapalooza), set the stage for Nirvana to shift popular taste a few months later, and were really fucking FUN to play and attend – truly the best times I’ve had. The shows were epic. So epic, they propelled NIN to the “next level” (whatever that means), but caused Jane’s to implode. The band broke up at the end of that tour.”

Jane’s guitarist Dave Navarro responded in kind, paying homage to the recent collaboration with the Nine Inch Nails frontman and revealing enthusiasm for the upcoming shows.

“Since our reformation, we have been spending a lot of time with Trent in the rehearsal studio and in the recording studio, working on new stuff, addressing some old stuff and more importantly, creating a friendship and working relationship,” Navarro explains. “It’s rare that touring partners have an opportunity to spend so much time together creatively before a tour. Regardless of the collaborative outcome, our time with Trent has brought forth a new focus and sense of purpose that we plan to share with you on a nightly basis.”

Support for all NIN/JA dates will be Street Sweeper, a collaboration between Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine/The Nightwatchman and Boots Riley of The Coup.

Tickets go on sale beginning March 13th, visit NIN.com, JanesAddiction.com and LiveNation.com for additional ticket and tour information.

Dates and venues for the NIN/JA tour are listed below. On sale dates will be announced shortly.

Fri-May-08 West Palm Beach, FL [Cruzan Amphitheatre]
Sat-May-09 Tampa, FL [Ford Amphitheatre]
Sun-May-10 Atlanta, GA [Lakewood Amphitheatre]
Thu-May-14 Albuquerque, NM [Journal Pavilion]
Fri-May-15 Phoenix, AZ [Cricket Wireless Pavilion]
Sat-May-16 Chula Vista, CA [Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre]
Mon-May-18 Las Vegas, NV [The Pearl]
Wed-May-20 Irvine, CA [Verizon Wireless Amphitheater]
Fri-May-22 Mountain View, CA [Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View]
Sun-May-24 George WA Sasquatch Festival [The Gorge Amphitheatre]
Tue-May-26 Englewood, CO [Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre]
Wed-May-27 Kansas City, MO [Starlight Theatre]
Fri-May-29 Chicago, IL [Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island] * NIN only
Sat-May-30 Noblesville, IN [Verizon Wireless Music Center Indianapolis]
Sun-May-31 Clarkston, MI [DTE Energy Music Theatre]
Tue-Jun-02 Toronto, ON [Molson Amphitheatre]
Wed-Jun-03 Darien Lake, NY [Darien Lake Performing Arts Center]
Fri-Jun-05 Camden, NJ [Susquehanna Bank Center]
Sat-Jun-06 Holmdel, NJ [PNC Bank Arts Center]
Sun-Jun-07 Wantagh, NY [Nikon at Jones Beach Theater]
Tue-Jun-09 Columbia, MD [Merriweather Post Pavilion]
Wed-Jun-10 Burgettstown, PA [Post-Gazette Pavilion]
Fri-Jun-12 Charlotte, NC [Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte]
Sat-Jun-13 Manchester TN – Bonnaroo * NIN only

MEDIA CONTACTS:
For Nine Inch Nails visit www.NIN.com or contact:
nasty little man
Steve Martin/Amy Grote
212 343-0740 / amy@nastylittleman.com

For Jane’s Addiction visit www.janesaddiction.com or contact:
Sunshine, Sachs & Associates
Ken Sunshine / Tiffany Shipp
212-691-2800 / shipp@sunshinesachs.com

For Street Sweeper visit www.streetsweepermusic.com or contact:
Gold Village Entertainment
Brady Brock
212.741.2400 / bradyb@goldve.com

DIGITAL ONLY LIVE ALBUM TO DOCUMENT CLARITY X 10 TOUR

“The songs on Clarity convey acute self-awareness along with flashes of grace and insolence: the album is a pitch-perfect teenage plaint, though the concert made a case for continuing relevance beyond graduation.” –THE NEW YORK TIMES

“Everyone was singing along, screaming, even…Jimmy Eat World’s music made them 19 all over again. And this time, they could actually enjoy it.” –THE VILLAGE VOICE

“The fits of yearning on “Crush” and slow-burning contemplation on “Sunday” felt as vital last night as they did ten years ago, or anytime in between. And on “For Me This Is Heaven,” when frontman Jim Adkins cooed the refrain, “Can you still feel the butterflies,” we still did, quite deeply.” –SPIN.COM

There may be only four shows left on JIMMY EAT WORLD’s CLARITY x 10 tour, but on April 7, anyone unable to get a ticket to one of the ten sold out shows will be able to experience CLARITY LIVE, a digital-only release available exclusively at JIMMYEATWORLD.COM. CLARITY LIVE will feature DRM-free MP3 and lossless format options, as well as a digital booklet featuring photos from the tour.

CLARITY x 10 was conceived as a series of ten one-time-only shows during which JIMMY EAT WORLD would commemorate the 10th anniversary of its 1999 masterpiece CLARITY by playing the record in its entirety each night. The ten shows began February 23-the 10th anniversary of Clarity’s actual release date-at Terminal 5 in New York and will conclude with a March 7 homecoming at the Marquee Theater in Tempe AZ.

Criminally overlooked upon its 1999 release, CLARITY has since amassed cult status as an overlooked masterpiece. The media ultimately came around to the record when it was reissued last year, with a 4.5 star BLENDER review hailing it as “masterful” and ALTERNATIVE PRESS calling it “one of the most beloved albums of the ’90s.” Ironically, it was CLARITY’s initial failure that put Jimmy Eat World on the path to its eventual mainstream success: Left to its own devices after being dropped by Capitol, the band built up a base via relentless touring which funded the recording of its platinum-plus 2001 breakthrough BLEED AMERICAN.

Response to the CLARITY x 10 tour has been overwhelmingly positive from the get-go, not only from the media that has embraced the record a decade later but from the fans themselves. In keeping with the direct-to-fan relationship that sustained Jimmy Eat World in the wake of CLARITY’s 1999 release, the band allowed fans access to pre-tour rehearsals via a live stream at Ustream.tv. The band/fan dialogue has continued through the tour with band members actively using Twitter to provide updates from the road (see photos at http://twitpic.com/photos/jimmyeatworld ) and fans’ “tweets” about specific shows appearing on the band’s CLARITY website at http://tour.jimmyeatworld.com/

RADIO CITY, TOWER THEATER AND MORE ON SALE THIS WEEKEND

“Mesmerizing…The records are great, but watching him do it live is something every music fan ought to check out.”–SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

“We’ve been to a lot of concerts in our lifetime and there have been some pretty epic shows for sure, but it’s not often that we’re completely blown away by a single performer. Well, Andrew Bird’s performance Monday night at the Moore Theatre left us completely in awe. It’s that simple really. We literally found our mouths hanging open after nearly every song.”–SEATTLEST

“At one point he had his guitar slung behind his back, his violin and bow in one hand and a glockenspiel mallet in the other as he whistled into a microphone. He has a sweet, warbling, perfectly in-tune whistle – like a Walt Disney bluebird – that he floats through the rest of his musical constructions, sometimes in unison with the glockenspiel for an otherworldly effect.”–NEW YORK TIMES

In a profile of Andrew Bird coinciding with last month’s release of Noble Beast, VANITY FAIR remarked that his sold out Carnegie Hall show would likely be the “last chance to catch this Bird up close.”

VF has already been proven correct: Having sold nearly every ticket on his current spring tour, Bird has announced the first of a series of summer dates in the U.S. in which popular demand will see him stepping up to headline the likes of Radio City Music Hall, the Tower Theater in Philadelphia, Boston’s Bank of America Pavilion and Atlanta’s Cobb Energy Center. General on sale is March 7 for Atlanta, Philadelphia and Boston, and March 6 for New York. See below for the full list of dates.

Confirmed dates prior to the headline engagements include a one-off with the Decemberists June 8 at Washington DC’s Merriweather Post Pavilion and an appearance at this year’s Bonnaroo festival. General on sale for the DC show is March 6. Bird’s current U.S. tour concludes April 11 at Minneapolis’ State Theater, preceded by a two-night stand at Chicago’s Civic Opera House April 9 and 10.

Further dates will be announced as they are confirmed.

Released January 20 on Fat Possum Records, Noble Beast debuted at #12 on the U.S. album chart, selling over 25,000 units in its opening week. The debut was the highest of the week for an independent label release and second overall. Noble Beast was also that week’s highest selling record in Bird’s hometown of Chicago.

For further information, contact Steve Martin or Laura Eldeiry at nasty little man
t 212 343 0740 e laura@nastylittleman.com

ANDREW BIRD SUMMER 2009

06/08/09- Washington DC – Merriweather Post Pavilion * Supporting Decemberists

06/11-14/09 – TBD – Manchester TN – Bonnaroo

06/15/09 – Atlanta, GA – Cobb Energy Center

06/17/09 – Philadephia, PA – Tower Theatre

06/18/09 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall

06/19/09 – Boston, MA – Bank of America Pavilion

NEW ALBUM NEARING COMPLETION, OUT LATER THIS YEAR
First AFI Live Show of 2009 Confirmed

Davey Havok, Jade Puget, Hunter Burgan and Adam Carson, collectively known as AFI, will be releasing their eight studio album, CRASH LOVE, later this year on Interscope Records.

The band and producer Joe McGrath were recently joined at Los Angeles’ Conway Studios by the winners of the recent Begin Transmission contest, in which the band members personally went through thousands of fan-made video submissions and chose a handful of entrants to contribute backing vocals to the new album.

The members of AFI also chose Honorable Mentions from the Begin Transmission contestants, each of whom received a handmade Valentine’s Day card by the member of AFI who chose him or her.

AFI will play its first live show of 2009 June 20 at Edgefest in Toronto. Tickets go on sale Saturday, February 28.

CRASH LOVE follows up two consecutive platinum AFI albums, 2006’s DECEMBERUNDERGROUND and 2003’s SING THE SORROW. AFI’s discography also
includes the full lengths THE ART OF DROWNING (2000), BLACK SAILS IN THE SUNSET (1999), SHUT YOUR MOUTH & OPEN YOUR EYES (1997), VERY PROUD OF YA (1996) and ANSWER THAT AND STAY FASHIONABLE (1995).

3-PACK FEATURING CLARITY’S “LUCKY DENVER MINT” ADDED TO ROCK BAND MUSIC STORE

Jimmy Eat World’s Clarity x 10 tour- a series of 10 one-time-only shows during which the band will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Clarity album by playing the record in its entirety- has completely sold out in advance. The ten shows begin February 23–the 10th anniversary of Clarity’s original release date–at Terminal 5 in New York and conclude with a March 7 homecoming at the Marquee Theater in Tempe AZ.

The kick-off of the Clarity x 10 tour will coincide with Jimmy Eat World’s second appearance in the Rock Band music store: a 3-pack including “Lucky Denver Mint” from Clarity, as well as the title track from 2004’s Futures and “Sweetness” from the 2001’s Bleed American. Previously, Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” was featured on the Rock Band 2 soundtrack. For more information on the Rock Band Music Store and Rock Band 2, please visit www.rockband.com.

Virtually ignored upon its 1999 release, Clarity has since amassed cult status as an overlooked masterpiece. The media ultimately came around to the record when it was reissued last year, with a 4.5 star BLENDER review hailing it as “masterful” and ALTERNATIVE PRESS calling it “one of the most beloved albums of the ’90s.” Ironically, it was Clarity’s initial failure that put Jimmy Eat World on the path to their eventual success: Left to its own devices after being dropped by Capitol, the band built up a base via relentless touring which funded the recording of their platinum-plus 2001 breakthrough Bleed American.

For further information, contact Steve Martin or Amy Grote at nasty little man 212-343-0740/amy@nastylittleman.com

SOLO ALBUM TO BE RELEASED IN ELEVEN CONFIGURATIONS PRICED FROM $7 TO $75,000
PHYSICAL RELEASE APRIL 14
Digital Pre-Release Exclusively at joshfreese.com Beginning March 24

Known the world over for his work with a multitude of artists including Nine Inch Nails, Devo, A Perfect Circle, Sting and the Vandals, journeyman drummer Josh Freese now unveils his latest full length solo effort Since 1972, in stores April 14 and available digitally at joshfreese.com from March 24.

Josh Freese has been playing drums professionally since his debut with a Disneyland Top 40 band at the age of 12. His recording and touring credits include work with the Vandals, Devo, A Perfect Circle, Guns N’ Roses, Sting, the Replacements and a host of others. Most recently, he left Nine Inch Nails following the completion of the band’s Lights In The Sky Over North America tour.

Since 1972, like his 2000 album The Notorious One Man Orgy, features Freese singing and playing more or less everything: vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass and of course drums.

Unlike previous solo Freese records, Since 1972 is available in a total of eleven configurations, ranging from a basic $7 digital download that also includes three videos to a $75,000 limited edition of 1 that includes one of Freese’s drum kits, a flying trapeze lesson and Freese either joining the purchaser’s band or becoming his or her personal assistant for one month.

A full list of configurations is detailed below. For further information, contact Steve Martin or Amy Grote at nasty little man t 212 343 0740 e amy@nastylittleman.com

JOSH FREESE: SINCE 1972
$7
-Digital Download of “Since 1972″ (including 3 videos)

$15
-CD/DVD Double Disc Set
-Digital Download

$50
-CD/DVD Double Disc Set
-T-shirt
-”Thank You” phone call from Josh for buying Since 1972. You can tell him what you like about the record that you purchased, or what you thought sucked. Ask whatever you want, like “Is Maynard really THAT weird?” or “Which on of Sting’s mansions has the comfiest beds?” or “Are Devo really Suburban Robots that monitor reality or just a bunch of Dads from Ohio?” or “Why don’t the Vandals play more stuff off the first record?” It’s your 5 minutes to yack it up. Talk about whatever you want.

$250 (limited edition of 25)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download.
-T-shirt
-Signed Drum Head and Drumsticks.
-Go on a lunch date with Josh to PF Changs or The Cheesecake Factory (whatever you’re into.)

$500 (limited edition of 15)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download
-T-shirt
-Signed Cymbal and sticks
-Meet Josh in Venice, CA and go floating together in a Sensory deprivation tank (filmed and posted on youtube)
-Dinner at Sizzler (get your $8.99 Steak and “all you can eat” Shrimp on)

$1,000 (limited edition of 10)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download.
-T-shirt
-Signed Cymbal, Drum head and Drumsticks.
-Josh washes your car OR does your laundry….or you can wash his car.
-Have dinner with Josh aboard the “Queen Mary” in Long Beach, CA
-Get drunk and cut each other’s hair in the parking lot of the Long Beach courthouse (filmed and posted on youtube of course)

$2,500 (limited edition of 5)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download.
-Get a private drum lesson with Josh or for all you non-drummers have him give you a back and foot massage (couples welcome)
-Pick any 1 member of the Vandals or DEVO (subject to availability) to accompany you and Josh to either the Hollywood Wax Museum or the lunch buffet at the “Spearmint Rhino”
-Signed DW snare drum.
-Take 3 items of your choice out of his closet (first come, first serve)
-Change diapers and make bottles with him for an afternoon (after hitting the strip club)

$5,000 (limited edition of 3)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download.
-T-shirt
-Josh writes about a song about you and make available on iTunes.
-Co-direct a video with him for the song about you and throw it up on the youtubes.
-Josh gives you and a friend a private tour of Disneyland
-Get drunk together. If you don’t drink we can go to my Dads place and hang out under the “Tuba tree”
-Stone from Pearl Jam will send you a letter telling you about his favorite song on “Since 1972″

$10,000 (limited edition of 1)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download
-T-shirt
-Signed DW snare drum from A Perfect Circle’s 2003 tour.
-Josh gives you a private drum lesson OR his and hers foot/back massage (couples welcome, discreet parking)
-Twiggy from Manson’s band and Josh take you and a guest to Roscoe’s Chicken n’ Waffle in Long Beach for dinner.
-Josh takes you and guest to “Club 33″ (the super-duper exclusive and private restaurant at Disneyland located above the Pirates Of The Caribbean) and then hit a couple rides afterwards (preferably the Tiki Room, Haunted Mansion and The Tower Of Terror)
-At the end of the day at Disneyland drive away in Josh’s Volvo station wagon. It’s all yours….take it. Just drop him off on your way home though please.

$20,000 (limited edition of 1)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download.
-T-shirt
-A signed drum from the 2008 Nine Inch Nails tour.
-Maynard James Keenan, Mark from Devo and Josh take you miniature golfing and then drop you off on the side of the freeway (all filmed and posted on youtube)
-Josh gives you a tour of Long Beach. See his first apartment, the coffee shop on 2nd St where his buddy paid Dave Grohl $40 to rip up tile just weeks before joining “Nirvana.” See the old Vandals rehearsal spot, the liquor store he got busted using a Fake I.D. at when he was 17 (it was Dave from the Vandals old ID). Go check out Snoop Dogg’s high- school. For an extra 50 bucks see where Tom and Adrian from No Doubt live. For another $25 he’ll show ya where Eric from NOFX and Brooks from Bad Religion get their hair cut.
-Spend the night aboard the Queen Mary and take the “Ghosts And Legends” tour. (separate rooms…no spooning.)
-Josh writes 2 songs about you and it’s made available on iTUnes and appears on his next record (you can sing back up on em, clap, play the drums, triangle, whatever….)
-Drum lesson OR foot and back massage (once again…couples welcome and discreet parking available)
-Pick any 3 items out of Josh’s closet.

$75,000 (limited edition of 1)
-Signed CD/DVD and digital download
-T-shirt
-Go on tour with Josh for a few days.
-Have Josh write, record and release a 5 song EP about you and your life story.
-Take home any of his drumsets (only one but you can choose which one.)
-Take shrooms and cruise Hollywood in Danny from TOOL’s Lamborgini OR play quarters and then hop on the Ouija board for a while.
-Josh will join your band for a month…play shows, record, party with groupies, etc….
-If you don’t have a band he’ll be your personal assistant for a month (4 day work weeks, 10 am to 4 pm)
-Take a limo down to Tijuana and he’ll show you how it’s done (what that means exactly we can’t legally get into here)
-If you don’t live in Southern California (but are a US resident) he’ll come to you and be your personal assistant/cabana boy for 2 weeks.
-Take a flying trapeze lesson with Josh and Robin from NIN, go back to Robins place afterwards and his wife will make you raw lasagna.

Awards Presented Feb. 11 in NYC For Best Producers Of Short Content On Twitter

AFI bass player Hunter Burgan swept the vote in the music category of the 2008 Shorty Awards, an awards ceremony held last night in New York City honoring the best producers of content of 140 characters or less on Twitter.

The 2008 Shorty Awards were streamed 7:30 p.m. EST on Feb. 11 at http://shortyawards.com/ and were hosted by CNN anchor Rick Sanchez with special appearances from Shaquille O’Neal and MC Hammer.

Upon receiving his award, Hunter offered the following 140-character-or-less acceptance speech:
“Thanks 2 everyone who nominated/voted for me; my friends, fans & followers; readers of tranquilmammoth.com ; & especially all the @AFI fans.”

Adam Varga, COO of Shorty Awards creators Sawhorse Media, commented, “Hunter’s Twitter feed is filled with updates about his life and his band–it’s an open dialog with his fans and followers. Hunter is a perfect example of what The Shorty Awards highlight: people who use Twitter create engaging micro-content.”

AFI is presently in the final stages of completing its eighth studio album with producer Joe McGrath in Los Angeles, expected out later this year. AFI recently held a contest at http://begintransmission.afireinside.net that drew 850 fans to audition for the opportunity to perform on the forthcoming record. The resultant fan video submissions earned over 100,000 votes and over thousands of comments, with all tweets being displayed at http://begintransmission.afireinside.net/transmitter.

REMASTERED AL GREEN CLASSICS GREATEST HITS, I”M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU AND LET”S STAY TOGETHER TO BE FIRST THREE RELEASES UNDER HI/FAT POSSUM BANNER

“Some of the most visionary soul music of the Seventies”–Rolling Stone

Oxford, Mississippi based Fat Possum Records (Andrew Bird, Heartless Bastards, Wavves) has confirmed an exclusive license on the Hi Records catalogue. The first three releases under the Hi/Fat Possum deal, remastered versions of Al Green”s timeless Greatest Hits, I”m Still In Love With You and Let”s Stay Together, will be in stores March 31.

Al Green has long been hailed as the first great soul singer of the 1970s. Green”s Hi Records output in the early “70s melded his singing, often considered the last nbso online casino reviews great Southern soul voice, with immaculate productions crafted by Green and producer Willie Mitchell. This distinctive sound not only propelled Al Green to his status as the most popular and influential soul vocalist of the period, it helped make “Let”s Stay Together,” “Take Me To The River,” “Love and Happiness” and numerous other tracks from Green”s Hi catalogue classics for decades and generations to come.

Other Hi releases soon to be reissued under the Hi/Fat Possum exclusive license will include additional early “70s Green classics Gets Next To You, The Belle Album and Livin” For You, as well as albums by Ann Peebles, Otis Clay, Syl Johnson, Willie Mitchell and O.V. Wright.