Command' Indie Act Aims for Older Audiences with Grand Royal Set by ERIC AIESE Its Growing Fan Base

Artists & Music At.The.Drive.In Takes `Command' Indie Act Aims For Older Audiences With Grand Royal Set BY ERIC AIESE its growing fan base. The band's Web NEW YORKAfter six years of the site featured reports and pictures indie life, El Paso, Texas, quintet from the studio as "Relationship" was at.the.drive.in is gearing up for the being recorded. In addition, the site big time, as Grand Royal prepares to offers an audio tour diary from the issue the group's new set, "Relation- band-the band members have called ship Of Command." The promotion- in from the road, leaving phone mes- al effort behind "Relationship" is al- sages that are accessible online. ready well under way, in preparation Concert -goers are encouraged to On The Rise. Universal artist Gabrielle takes a break between promotional stops for the set's Sept. 12 release. ATTHE.DRIVE.IN take pictures at live shows and post in support of the recent U.S. release of her sterling disc "Rise." Boasting collabo- After opening for Rage Against them online. "Fans are doing the rations with Johnny Dollar and Richard Stannard, the set has already sold The Machine on several dates, the band's teenage fan core. "It's an marketing for us," says Welsh. In 600,000 copies in the artist's native U.K., where it was issued earlier this year. The band recently embarked on a six- intelligent record," she says. "A 15- return, the band rewards them. title track is currently gathering support at top 40 and AC radio stations. week U.S. club tour. It is headlining year -old can love it, but a 25-year -old (Continued on page 21) shows around the country, with fel- Radiohead fan will also enjoy it." low El Paso band Rhythm Of Black On July 18, Grand Royal released Lines opening on many dates, and the set's first single, "One Armed has sold out a number of venues. The Scissor," backed with "Pattern itinerary includes shows in Japan Against User" as a commercial 7 -inch A Book From Courtney Love; Another Album and nearly two weeks in Europe, and CD- single with a bonus track, with performances at the Reading "Incetardis." It was shipped to col- and Leeds festivals in the U.K. Addi- lege radio and specialty shows earli- from Aerosmith; A New Label For Hawkins tional stops will accommodate press er in the month, finding success. The and radio interviews. In October, the album was sent to college stations COURTNEY LOVE TELLS ALL: Courtney Love viewing an early cut of the movie. The tune, written by band hits the road again, joined by Aug. 16. Modern and mainstream has inked a deal to write a book about her first 10 Santana, K.C. Porter, J.B. Eckl, and Raul Rekow, fea- the Murder City Devils. rock outlets will receive the single years in the music business. To be published by Regan tures vocals by Raul Pacheco and Adsrubal Sierra. Kristen Welsh, director of mar- Sept. 8; it was released Aug. 7 in the Books in spring 2001, the tome will deal with the per- No word yet on if the song, produced by Porter, will be keting for Grand Royal, expects U.K. and has achieved respectable sonalities and issues that have been a part of her a single. The soundtrack comes out Sept. 26. "Relationship" to have a wider ap- sales, ascending the U.K. sales chart. career so far, says our source. peal than past releases, attracting At.the.drive.in has taken advan- In other Love news, the singer, as well as her band, STUFF: Atlas Entertainment, Gold -Miller Manage- older audiences in addition to the tage of the Internet to interact with Hole, has signed a new management deal with Left ment, Atlas -Third Rail Management, and Third Rail Bank Management. No new word on Love's ongoing Records will now collectively be known as Mosaic lawsuit with Geffen, other than "she's pursuing the law- Media Group. Atlas -Third Rail is best-known as the suit against Geffen vigorously," according to our source. management company for Alanis Morissette, Goo Members Of Trouble, King's N Goo Dolls, and Green Day. Additionally, the new com- BACK IN THE SADDLE: Aero- pany has received a major cash smith is in the studio shooting for investment from Capitol Com- Form Metal Blade's Supershine a March release of its next Co- munications CDPS, a French - lumbia album. The band, which al- Canadian company looking to BY CLAY MARSHALL vided its drum tracks. ways has drama during the re- make inroads in Hollywood. A LOS ANGELES -When guitarist After 20 years in King's X, Pin - cording process, originally went spokesman for the deal declined Bruce Franklin, co- founder of cele- nick admits the studio experience in the studio with hotter -than -hot to say how much money Capitol brated underground doom rockers with Franklin was a change of pace. producer Matt Serletic, who pro- BEAT. has invested in Mosaic, only that Trouble, needed a singer for his new "I'm used to a certain way of doing duced the group's smash "I Don't the company has "earmarked Supershine project, he says he had things -a certain way of thinking Want To Miss A Thing" from by Melind a Newman several hundred million dollars one person in mind: King's X bass - without words," he says. "I had to "Armageddon." But Aerosmith's for the entertainment industry." ist/vocalist Doug Pinnick. back up and let [Bruce] breathe - Steven Tyler and Joe Perry ulti- Sue Sawyer, VP of media rela- "I always loved Doug as a singer, and to try to understand where he mately decided to produce the album themselves with tions for Hollywood Records for the past 61/2 years, is but it took a while before I finally was coming from. He works hard, songwriters /producers Mark Hudson and Marti leaving her post within the next few weeks. Sources asked him," Franklin says, noting and he's concerned with things that Frederiksen, both of whom have worked with the say she will have a continuing role at the label. Nego- he was unsure of I don't notice." band over the years. tiations with her replacement are ongoing, with a name Pinnick's avail- Franklin, who "They already have nine or 10 songs done. They'll be to be announced shortly. ability. says a Trouble recording more in September or October and then mix Tim Rosta, who has served as executive director of However, once reunion is "not in November and December," says the band's A &R LifeBeat, the music industry AIDS organization, for Pinnick complet- in the immediate exec, John Kalodner. "They didn't ever get out of pre- the past eight years, will leave the company Sept. 9 ed work on his future," knows production with Matt. It just didn't evolve into them for a new post at MTV The nonprofit is conducting a group's "Please Pinnick's busy working together. However, if something right came search for a new executive director. Come Home .. schedule will up, they'd work with him again. He's great. The guys New age pianist Danny Wright has switched to Mr. Bulbous" rule out a full just already had a vision for a whole work of art that Sausalito, Calif. -based Real Music and will release his (released in Supershine tour. they wanted to do with Marti and Mark." Serletic's label debut, "Soulmates," in January. He previously March), as well SUPERSHINE Still, he "would representative declined to comment by press time. recorded for Moulin D'Or Records. as his upcoming love to do some Poundhound solo effort, he eagerly shows," he says. A FRESH START: Sophie B. Hawkins and Colum- BACK TO THE FUTURE: Rhino Entertainment embraced the Supershine project, Mike Faley, president of Metal bia Records have amicably parted ways, with Hawkins has partnered with PBS station WQED Pittsburgh to writing lyrics, basslines, and vocal Blade, praises side projects as a retaining the masters to her 1999 label release, "Tim- develop, produce, and distribute TV series and spe- melodies. The eponymous result will "great place to keep creative juices bre." Hawkins, who is already in talks with a number cials about doo -wop music. The label and station paired be issued by Metal Blade on Sept. 12. flowing," and says Supershine's par- of labels, has also got an album of new material ready together this past year to create "Doo Wop 50," a spe- Supershine's 12 -track set, which ticipants knew the quality of the pro- to go. Although her relationship with Columbia had cial that highlighted Rhino's first doo -wop boxed sets; includes a cover of Grand Funk Rail- ject would be scrutinized. "They some rough spots, Hawkins says she leaves the label a third boxed set of doo -wop music was released Aug. road's "Shinin' On," could easily be know it's going to be compared, and with plenty of fond memories. "I have grown as an 1. The programs under the new arrangement will described as a marriage of King's X you don't want to disappoint," Faley artist and a person so much in the last 10 years with include a 13- episode doo -wop series, as well as a live and Trouble, with Pinnick's soulful says. "It's got to stand on par with [Columbia parent] Sony, and I have never been more performance program that pairs original doo -wop vocals layered atop Franklin's crisp, any [member's] project, and by rais- productive and excited about my future." Columbia groups with contemporary performers.

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