photos by Paul Birman

Audi of America today announced that it will advertise during Super Bowl XLIV, the brand's third consecutive time in the Super Bowl. The spot will highlight the Audi A3 TDI, recently named by Green Car Journal as the 2010 "Green Car of the Year" and will have a fun, tongue-in-cheek environmental theme. Rock legends Cheap Trick will reinterpret one of their classic pieces as the soundtrack to the commercial.

Returning to the Super Bowl after a nearly 20-year hiatus, the 2008 Audi spot delivered a parody of the movie "The Godfather" and signaled that the brand was ready to challenge the perceived luxury leaders. The 2009 effort featured actor Jason Statham in a series of high-speed chase scenes involving recent luxury models, sending the dual message that some things are best left in the past and luxury is evolving, with Audi at the forefront. This year, Audi will demonstrate its leadership position within the luxury segment with a brand spot that delivers the message that being environmentally conscious might not be easy, but the Audi A3 TDI clean diesel is now a proven environmental solution. [press release]

Not counting a 'Best of', Cheap Trick's latest release is a live CD & DVD from a show where they performed the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band track for track with "the New York Philharmonic orchestra, an Indian music ensemble and an array of several very special guests". It was released in 2009 just a couple of months after they also put out a new album of their own material (called "The Latest").

Monday night (1/25), Cheap Trick played a show at The Fillmore at Irving Plaza here in NYC (they also played a private/taped shows at St Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn the night after that). More pictures from Irving along with the setlist and all future tour dates (they have a gig coming in Atlantic City soon), below...

Continue reading "Cheap Trick played Irving Plaza (pics, setlist), rewrote song for Superbowl commercial, performed Sgt Pepper, tour dates"

DOWNLOAD: Daniel Johnston - Freedom (new MP3)

Daniel Johnston & Jason Falkner

"With the October 6, 2009 release of his latest - and possibly greatest - work, Is And Always Was, Daniel Johnston adds another chapter to his artistic legend.

Is And Always Was is a decided step away from the lo-fi homemade recordings for which Johnston is famous. "Everyone needs to take their demos and go back to the studio," says Daniel.

On this album, Daniel allied with the musician and producer Jason Falkner, who is known for his own stellar solo career as well as his work with Beck, Air, and Paul McCartney. With Jason manning the boards, "Is And Always Was" was a project that aimed to take the rock and roll symphonies in Daniel's prolific musical brain and deliver fully-realized and professionally-produced recorded songs. "He possesses that rare individuality that makes the listener wonder where this music comes from," Falkner says of Daniel Johnston. "It was challenging to make our minds work together but I really found myself immersed in his musical world. It's a unique place to live, that's for sure!""

That snippet of a press release is official confirmation of the new Daniel Johnston album that I mentioned on Thursday. Further proof is the MP3 above, and the cover art and tracklist below...

Continue reading "Daniel Johnston Is And Always Was (new MP3, tracklist, art)"