RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS have released their new single “Poster Child”. The song is taken from the band’s upcoming album, “Unlimited Love”, which will arrive on April 1 via Warner.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS’s first new LP with guitarist John Frusciante since 2006’s “Stadium Arcadium” was once again produced by Rick Rubin who previously worked on “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” (1991), “Californication” (1999), “By The Way” (2002) and the aforementioned “Stadium Arcadium”.

The band stated about the new record: “Our only goal is to get lost in the music. We (John, Anthony, Chad and Flea) spent thousands of hours, collectively and individually, honing our craft and showing up for one another, to make the best album we could. Our antennae attuned to the divine cosmos, we were just so damn grateful for the opportunity to be in a room together, and, once again, try to get better. Days, weeks and months spent listening to each other, composing, jamming freely, and arranging the fruit of those jams with great care and purpose. The sounds, rhythms, vibrations, words and melodies had us enrapt.

“We yearn to shine a light in the world, to uplift, connect, and bring people together. Each of the songs on our new album ‘Unlimited Love’ is a facet of us, reflecting our view of the universe. This is our life’s mission. We work, focus, and prepare, so that when the biggest wave comes, we are ready to ride it. The ocean has gifted us a mighty wave and this record is the ride that is the sum of our lives. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy it.”

Frusciante said: “When we started writing material, we began by playing old songs by people like Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson, THE KINKS, THE NEW YORK DOLLS, Richard Barrett and others. Ever so gradually, we started bringing in new ideas, and turning jams into songs, and after a couple of months the new stuff was all we were playing. The feeling of effortless fun we had when we were playing songs by other people, stayed with us the whole time we were writing. For me, this record represents our love for, and faith in each other.”

On lead track “Black Summer”, ethereal guitar underlines introspective lyrics as the rhythm unlocks a hypnotic drum groove highlighted by evocative bass. It quietly inhales only to exhale with a massive refrain, “It’s been a long time since I made a new friend, waiting on another black summer to end,” before a guitar solo echoes to the heavens and back. For the music video, the group teamed up with acclaimed director Deborah Chow (Disney+’s “The Mandalorian”, “Obi-Wan Kenobi”). The result continues a tradition of captivating cinematic visuals — with a twist.

The interplay between the band borders on intergalactic once again — yet elevated to another stratosphere altogether. “Unlimited Love” represents the united spirit of four individual souls still fearlessly exploring the future of their eternal friendship and musical congregation.

“Here Ever After” follows a staccato bassline down a rhythmic wormhole as the hook promises, “She’s the kinda girl that make you wanna go faster now.” And whether it be wrangling wild horns and boisterous bass on “Aquatic Mouth Dance” or the poetic dreamscape of confessional ballad “Not The One”, the album twists and turns with gleeful unpredictability. On “Poster Child”, a funky riff spiked with wah pedal magic wobbles in tandem with the delivery as a blissful chorus takes hold. “The Great Apes” charges forward towards a primal clarion call. For nearly six minutes, “It’s Only Natural” slips in and out of hypnotic harmonies and magnetic grooves. The slinky funk of “She’s A Lover” bleeds into a chantable gang vocal and dancefloor-ready refrain, while “These Are The Ways” sees a soft melody give way to guitar and vocal catharsis.

“Whatchu Thinkin'” leans on head-nodding percussion as the vocals flutter with the tempo only for guitar to ignite the chorus. An analog synth choir colors the intro of “Bastards Of Light” while a heavenly crescendo elevates “White Braids & Pillow Chair” beyond the clouds. Hitting the highways, “One Way Traffic” revs up funk at an intersection of airy bass and drums. “Veronica” trades the band’s sunny Los Angeles for the South Side of Chicago and a near-cinematic story about the title character. Then, there’s “Let ‘Em Cry” where trumpet punctuates the momentum before peaking on an emotionally charged guitar solo. “The Heavy Wing” takes flight on a climactic burst of distortion and vocal conjurations. The ride culminates on “Tangelo”. Threaded together with delicate guitar and emotionally charged vocals, this otherworldly lullaby leaves off on a vibrant, vulnerable, and vital final note as it slips into the arms of feedback.

“Unlimited Love” track listing:

01. Black Summer
02. Here Ever After
03. Aquatic Mouth Dance
04. Not The One
05. Poster Child
06. The Great Apes
07. It’s Only Natural
08. She’s A Lover
09. These Are The Ways
10. Whatchu Thinkin’
11. Bastards Of Light
12. White Braids & Pillow Chair
13. One Way Traffic
14. Veronica
15. Let ‘Em Cry
16. The Heavy Wing
17. Tangelo

Last fall, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith told Rolling Stone that the four members of the band were “getting along great”, and were “really listening to each other in a new way”.

“All of our records are just real good snapshots of where we’re at that time,” he said. “You can’t really go, ‘Oh, gee, I hope it’s as good as…’ Then you’re starting to have preconceived notions about what you want to write.

“Look, John hasn’t been in our group in 10 years. That’s a long time. So of course it’s going to sound different, but it’s going to sound like the four of us because we do have this special chemistry together. It sounds like RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, but it’s different and new, and to me that’s great.

“We really like it and we’re proud of it and it has to start there. If other people like it, great. If people compare it to this or [say] it doesn’t sound like that, we have no control over that. But yeah, we’re all really happy with the record.”

Regarding the return of Frusciante, Smith said: “He is so dedicated. He’s so into it. He’s working so hard. We’re all working hard, but he’s in there with all the overdubs and the magic that he brings.”

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS will embark on a world tour this summer. The North American leg will kick off in Denver, Colorado on July 23 at Empower Field at Mile High. It will conclude in Arlington, Texas on September 18 at Globe Life Field.

Frusciante originally joined RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS following the death of founding guitarist Hillel Slovak in 1988. This lineup recorded two highly successful albums that brought the group mainstream popularity: “Mother’s Milk” and “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”. Sadly, Frusciante fell into a deep heroin addiction that caused him to leave the band while touring to support “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”. Frusciante rejoined CHILI PEPPERS six years later, playing on 1999 album “Californication”, 2002’s “By The Way” and 2006’s “Stadium Arcadium” before quitting the band again in September 2009.

In October 2020, Frusciante told the Australian digital radio station Double J that playing with his RHCP bandmates Anthony Kiedis, Flea and Smith once again was like “returning to family. I’m extremely comfortable with those people. It was as if no time had gone by at all when we started playing, pretty much, with a couple of minor exceptions, like how Chad and I gradually got our communication together in a new way. Basically, we’re all just as comfortable with each other as we ever were, and it just felt like that right off the bat.”

Photo credit: Sandy Kim

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A collection that includes six and twelve-strings, baritones and basses, lap steels and left-handed options for hollow bodies.Gretsch announces today that its Electromatic Collection of electric guitars, basses, baritones and lap-steels is refreshed and refined with modern features for today’s players. The Electromatic’s Classic Hollow Bodies are available today, while the Collection’s Jet and Lap Steel models will launch March 30.​Electromatic Classic Hollow BodiesThese big, bold electric guitars bring the brand’s prized snap and roar to life. Whether you’re looking for the punch of a six-string or a shimmer of the twelve-string, the FT-5E Filter’Tron pickups will bring the vintage thunder over the booming deep tones that only a hollow-body can deliver. All models feature a stunning refined laminated maple body reinforced by trestle block bracing. A classic “C” shaped maple neck with laurel fingerboard gives the guitar a classic feel in the hand, and the Graph Tech NuBone nut and Adjusto-Matic bridge makes for impressive sustain. The Master Volume with treble bleed circuit keeps tone bright at high volumes. The Electromatic Classic Hollow Bodies are available in single or double-cutaways, with either a Bigsby B60 Vibrato or G-cutout Tailpiece. These Classic Hollow bodies are available in a variety of colors specific to each model, such as Orange Stain, Azure Metallic Airline Silver and Snowcrest White.​​Electromatic Jet BTThese models are perfect instruments for those looking for a next-step into the classic tone Gretsch is famed for. Their chambered mahogany body with a maple top produces a rich, present mid-range with the perfect combination of attack and resonance. A pair of Black Top Broad’Tron Pickups deliver the tone you’d desire from a Jet: capable of aggressive overdrive with the definition needed for pristine clean tone. The combination of individual pickup volume controls, master tone and master volume with treble bleed circuit provides global control over your pickup and tone settings. The Jet BT Single-Cut comes in a left-handed configuration finished in Jade Metallic and in a right-handed configuration finished in Jade Metallic, Bristol Fog or Midnight Sapphire.Electromatic Jet BaritoneThese guitars bring a tone all their own to the Electromatic series. If you’re looking for deep lows, thick mids and a vivid high end, the Jet Baritone delivers. Thanks to the excellent balance of its solid mahogany body, the mini-humbuckers drive subsonic tones while keeping each note beautifully distinct. Measuring in at 29.75”, the extended scale neck allows B to B tuning — use it to add color and texture in the studio or to double a lead onstage for a fiery live sound. The Electromatic Jet Baritone is available with a fixed v-stoptail tailpiece finished in Bristol Fog or Imperial Stain or with a Bigsby tailpiece available in Midnight Sapphire.Electromatic Junior Jet Bass II Short-ScaleThese bass guitars sport all the classic Gretsch appointments delivering massive, room-filling subsonic tones that boom out from the solid basswood body and versatile pickups. The Junior Jet Bass has a smooth and balanced tonality that’s easily delivered through the comfortable, easy-to-play short-scale maple neck (30.3”) with laurel fingerboard. Low-end color, smoothness and comfort make this a bass guitar worthy of the Electromatic name. Available in Imperial Stain, Bristol Fog and Shell pink.Electromatic Lap SteelThe Lap Steels produce one of the most unmistakable sounds out there: the rich electric Hawaiian guitar. Featuring a solid mahogany body and an intense tonal response that new and veteran players alike will appreciate. The single-coil pickup provides excellent note clarity, which sealed die-cast tuners keep locked-in. Available in the brand-new colors: Broadway Jade, Tahiti Red and Vintage White. Introducing the New Gretsch Electromatic Classic Hollow Body ModelsFor more information, visit www.gretschguitars.com.

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A processor for guitar and bass with intuitive color touch display and advanced BOSS tone technologies.Fusing advanced BOSS tone technologies into a modern hardware design, the GX-100 delivers premium sound and ultra-intuitive operation with a vivid color touch display. It features 23 AIRD amplifiers and over 150 effects derived from the flagship GT-1000, up to 15 simultaneous effect blocks, and deep real-time command via onboard footswitches, an expression pedal, and external control support.The GX-100 features eight custom footswitches and an expression pedal with toe switch that can be assigned to control nearly any parameter. Switching into Manual mode provides direct stompbox-like control, and players can go even further with external control via footswitches, an expression pedal, or MIDI. There’s also a jack to remotely switch amplifier channels with memory selection or an assigned footswitch. In addition to stage use, the GX-100 works as a USB audio interface for recording and performing with a computer. There’s also a headphones jack for quiet practice, plus an onboard looper for jamming, developing sounds and ideas, and performing. Using BOSS Tone Studio for macOS and Windows, players can tweak every GX-100 parameter, save sounds, and organize Live Sets for different gigs from a computer. And with the optional Bluetooth® Audio MIDI Dual Adaptor, it’s possible to wirelessly connect with a mobile device to adjust settings on-the-gig from the BOSS Tone Studio app and stream backing music through the GX-100. BOSS GX-100 Guitar Effects Processor with Color Touch DisplayThe BOSS GX-100 Guitar Effects Processor is currently available in the U.S. for $599.99. To learn more about the GX-100 Guitar Effects Processor, visit www.boss.info.

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Seattle’s modern black metal quintet, Izthmi, invoke all the best parts of “progressive,” without the flutes.
The post Full Album Premiere: Izthmi – ‘Leaving This World, Leaving it All Behind’ appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

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In memory of RUSH drummer Neil Peart, with the support of his family, Modern Drummer has announced Maxx Rinkus as the first recipient of the annual “Neil Peart Spirit Of Drumming Scholarship”.

The scholarship, originally announced at the 2020 Modern Drummer Festival by Peart’s wife Carrie Nutall-Peart, provides the recipient with 52 weeks of free drum lessons from world-class drum instructor Dom Famularo, along with a one-year subscription to Modern Drummer All Access, plus a selection of classic RUSH album releases from Universal Music Enterprises.

In the video below, Maxx is presented with the scholarship by Nuttall-Peart, Modern Drummer CEO David Frangioni, educator Dom Famularo and Dennis Wolfe of Universal Music.

Said Carrie: “Education was a big thing for Neil — he did his educational videos — and I know that this particular award, out of a lot of other things, would mean such a great deal to him because he truly believed in passing on his knowledge and helping young people learn. It warms my heart and touches me because I know that he would love the fact that we’re doing this.”

Peart died on January 7, 2020 in Santa Monica, California after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.

RUSH announced Peart’s passing three days later, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.

RUSH’s final show took place at the Forum in Los Angeles on August 1, 2015. Peart indicated at the time that he wanted to retire while he was still able to play well, along with a desire to spend more time at home with his young daughter.

Peart joined RUSH in 1974. He was considered one of the best rock drummers of all time, alongside John Bonham of LED ZEPPELIN; Keith Moon of THE WHO; and Ginger Baker of CREAM. Peart was also RUSH’s primary lyricist, drawing inspiration from everything from sci-fi to Ayn Rand.

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