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Schenker May Never Tour US Again

Contact Music reports: Guitar legend MICHAEL SCHENKER has threatened to pull the plug on any future U.S. tours after scrapping a series of MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP dates due to customs and visa issues. 

The German rocker abruptly cancelled dates on his most recent American tour and has now posted a fiery message on his website, explaining his actions. 

He writes, "There never will be another tour in the U.S. unless particular people stop interfering.- he's not done

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A&E Go Private with Avril and More

PR reports: On Sunday, July 22 at 9:00AM ET/PT, A&E Network will premiere PRIVATE SESSIONS, a weekly one-hour performance and interview series hosted by Lynn Hoffman. Filmed in a small, intimate studio in New York City, the series will showcase exclusive performances and conversations with top names in entertainment with a focus on contemporary music ranging from rock �n' roll to pop to country. Each Sunday morning PRIVATE SESSIONS will explore the body of work of a single artist or group and feature current releases as well as career-building, influential or defining projects. 

The premiere episode of PRIVATE SESSIONS features pop princess Avril Lavigne, whose third album"The Best Damn Thing" debuted at number one on Billboard's Top 200 album chart. Avril chats with Lynn Hoffman and performs "Girlfriend," her new hit single which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, her first-ever hit "Complicated," and several other songs from her new album. - see who else is coming up

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Strata Looking for Memorable Deaths For The End of the World

PR reports: Machinima.com, the preeminent site serving the Machinima community, and Wind-up Records, one of the largest independent labels in the United States, have launched the "Game Over" contest with Strata. Players will be able to submit their "most memorable in-game death" displaying how their "virtual life ended." Participants will submit a story, music video, montage, "kill," or "raid" using their favorite video game, sharing why their "in-game death" is their most memorable one. 

Players will select one of four songs from the band's release STRATA PRESENTS THE END OF THE WORLD which hits stores on July 17, 2007. No other music may be used in the submission. Strata and Machinima.com will select ten machinima videos from all of the entries, which will then be posted for the worldwide community to vote on. Three winners will be selected from the ten finalists. The contest is open to any legal resident of the United States (and the District of Columbia) who is 18 years old and has Internet access. The four Strata songs available are "Cocaine (We're All Going to Hell)," "Stay Young," "Hot / Cold (Darling Don't)," and "Night Falls."- more on this story

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AusFest

PR reports: Australian natives Second Dan, Tamarama, and The Kin have signed up to headline AusFest, a live concert featuring the best of Down Under's indie rock scene on July 18th at The Delancey in Manhattan's Lower East Side. 

The idea for AusFest came from Sydney-based brewers Scott Garnet and Richard Adamson, who wanted to combine the U.S. launch of their premium craft beer brand, Barons of Australia, with their love of music. As part of the international DJ troupe Kalide, Adamson's talent for moving international beats became the driving force to give New York based Aussie bands a spotlight in the mainstream music scene.- more on this story

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Rilo Kiley Go Under the Blacklight

PR reports: Much anticipated since 2004's More Adventurous, Rilo Kiley will be releasing their fourth album, Under the Blacklight, on August 21st via Warner Bros. Records. 

For their major label debut, the band took on production duties themselves along with Jason Lader (Vietnam, The Like, Jay-Z) and Mike Elizondo (Dr. Dre, Fiona Apple), showing an eclectic new side of Rilo Kiley. - Take a listen to lead single "The Moneymaker".

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We Now Know Who To Blame for Disco

PR reports: Just 23 years old and hailing from Dumfries, Scotland, Calvin Harris made his debut album I Created Disco in his bedroom on a battered old Amiga computer. Now touring with a full band and an explosive live show, he sets his sights on the US with his debut release for Almost Gold Recordings on September 4th. 

"Acceptable In The 80s," Calvin's first single in both the UK and the US, sparkles with high gloss, glitz and glamour like a disco ball catching the light. Calvin Harris is making his mark on 2007 in style -- "Disco disappeared, didn't it? Everyone got sick of it. Now I'm reviving it, with space goggles, or something." 

"The song titles say it all," he explains. "My tunes aren't supposed to invoke deep thought within people; they're just to get you dancing. But musically it is for the brain - it's not music for stupid people. I take great pride in my productions. It's not knocked out in a few seconds."- Listen to "Acceptable in the 80s"

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Digital Indie Starbucks

PR reports: This summer, Starbucks Entertainment will distribute new digital EPs from emerging artists Rissi Palmer, Alice Russell and WinterKids exclusively on the iTunes store. The release of great new digital music furthers Starbucks commitment to foster musical discovery both through the selection of physical CDs available in Starbucks stores and digitally through the Starbucks Entertainment area on iTunes (www.itunes.com/Starbucks). - details about all 3 releases

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Doghouse Video Fest

PR reports: Everyone is out on the road this summer touring, so we here at Doghouse got together and thought, "What can we do for those kids who can't get to the shows"? How about a slue of brand new Doghouse Records Videos?

Beginning TODAY, Monday July 16, we will be hosting a "Music Video Release Party" on DOGHOUSERECORDS.COM featuring BRAND NEW VIDEOS from Paulson, Limbeck, Army of Me, Weatherbox, and Jet Lag Gemini. Every Monday through August 13 we will post a new video with exclusives (as available). 

Monday, July 16 Paulson Video: "Calling on You" *includes the "Making of" from band member / video director, Jesse Burton ON TOUR WITH HE IS LEGEND- Check that out right here and visit Doghouse in the weeks to come for more. 

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Raq invasion

PR reports: The rock-n-roll assault known as RAQ keeps steaming across the nation when they host the Lew-Au II in Newport, VT this upcoming weekend on July 21st and 22nd. RAQ's "home fest" also includes performances by Strangefolk, Al and the Transamericans, Tim Reynolds, DJ Logic, and many more. 

Following the Lew-Au, RAQ will be in New York City for a Rocks Off Concert Cruise on July 27th and Camp Barefoot II (Gore, VA) July 28th. August finds the band on the Champlain Boat Cruise in Burlington VT, and then flying out to Vancouver B.C.'s Bonfire Festival. 

RAQ's very productive summer wraps up with a run of southeastern tour dates including the Georgia Theatre (Athens GA), Blue Cats (Knoxville TN), Ashefest (Asheville NC), The Chameleon Club (Lancaster PA), and Phanfest (Mariaville NY). For more information on RAQ and complete tourdates, including the upcoming National Fall Tour schedule - click here

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Night At The Family Dog DVD

PR reports: On August 7 Eagle Vision releases Ralph J. Gleason Presents A Night At The Family Dog on DVD. The concert, held in September of 1970, featured the brightest three lights of the Bay Area, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead and Santana. Night At The Family Dog first aired on The National Educational Television Network in 1971.

Carlos Santana and his band were riding high on the wave of their classic 1969 self-titled debut. Their second album had yet to be released. Grateful Dead was already five albums strong. Their sixth, American Beauty, was on the brink of release. The band was at the height of its power, with keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan still alive. Jefferson Airplane was the headliner, at that time the biggest band in the land. Volunteers, their politically-charged sixth album, had yet to be released. - more on this story

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US Maps

PR reports: Currently on tour in the UK (including performances at the famed Leeds and Reading festivals), Maps will begin a US tour Saturday September 22nd with a headline appearance at KEXP's "John In The Morning At Night" benefit show in Seattle. UK up-and-comer Jamie T and indie favorite Vampire Weekend will support Maps at the benefit concert. 

During the tour Maps will also be performing live on KEXP's The Morning Show With John Richards (September 21st) and KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic (September 26th).- you want dates? we got em here

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Mods & Rockers Film Fest Salutes Stax

PR reports: The prestigious Mods & Rockers Film Festival presented annually by the American Cinematheque will honor the 50th anniversary of Stax Records with a five-film cinematic salute. The tribute will take place over the entire weekend of Saturday and Sunday July 21st and 22nd. Films being shown include legendary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker's 2003 "Only The Strong Survive" together with Pennebaker's "Shake! Otis At Monterey" - a film of Otis Redding's legendary performance at the 1967 festival. This screening will be attended by D.A. Pennebaker and Sam Moore of "Sam & Dave" � one of the stars featured in "Only The Strong Survive".

Saturday July 21st also sees the World Premiere of "Respect Yourself," a new two-hour documentary celebration of Stax Records that features a who's who of Stax artists � including a considerable amount of long-lost vintage footage � together with interviews with fervent Stax admirers such as Bono, Elvis Costello and Chuck D. On Sunday July 22nd the festival presents the American premiere of a newly-unearthed 1967 Norwegian TV special that captured the legendary "Stax Revue" of that year � the only known full-length visual record of that tour. Rounding off the Stax tribute will be the celebrated concert film shot in L.A. in 1972 "Wattstax".- all the details you could want can be found here

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