Hugh Laurie, best known as the actor who plays the lead and title role in the drama 'House' is to release a blues album. Laurie, 51, has signed with Warner and is reportedly very excited at the prospect of hitting the studio with Joe Henry, musician and producer to the stars. Although this news could make some of us understandably fearful when we think of the results of actors moving into music in the past, we can take heart that Laurie has some previous – he guested on Meatloaf's latest album, 'Hang Cool Teddy Bear'...
John Fogerty's baseball bat shaped guitar 'Slugger' has been inducted in to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. A tribute to his 1985 comeback album 'Centrefield', on which Fogerty played all the instruments, the guitar is displayed with original artwork and three versions of the lyrics as well as an original CD and vinyl pressing of the recording. The guitar was made by luthier Phillip Kubicki.
Continuing the news on Activision's forthcoming release 'Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock', Prog Rock heroes Rush have been given pride of place. Their 20 minute opus '2112' tells the story of a man who discovers a lost guitar in a cave and sets about using it to bring peace to a war torn world. With reports that the next Guitar Hero release bears more than a passing resemblance to 'Brutal Legend', it sounds like the track is a good choice. With MTVs 'Rock Band' franchise promising to give the player real skills to take to a real instrument, it looks like Guitar Hero has the arcade side of guitar gaming covered.
Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody and REMs Peter Buck may seem like band mates, but the release of Tired Pony's debut album 'The Place We Ran From' proves otherwise. With Snow Patrol on a break and Peter Buck drafted in by a mutual friend the duo joined the rest of the band in a warehouse in Portland and wrote the album in no time. Each track was purportedly completed in two takes. Live performances began last week in London but will be going global and with another album pencilled in for release in early 2011, we'll see how the pony runs.
UK Member of Parliament for Cardiff West Kevin Brennan is supporting a National Busking Day to promote tolerance of street performers. Playing guitar and harmonica in a band with 3 other MPs of different political affiliations, he has played many charity concerts and the band will be releasing an album in support of Help for Heroes, a war veteran charity.
Blues guitarist and singer Phillip Walker has died at the age of 73. In addition to his solo work, Walker backed up Etta James, Lowell Fulson and Little Richard as well as many others. Learning from such giants as Lightnin' Hopkins and Lonnie Brooks, he moved to LA in 1959 and had a hit with "Hello My Darling." Walker died of heart failure on Thursday in Palm Springs.
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