:: NEWS ARCHIVES ::
BIG FAT JAM INVITED TO ENTERTAIN US TROOPS IN MIDDLE EAST
Minneapolis-based Absolute recording artists, BIG FAT JAM, have been invited by the US Air Force to entertain American Troops who are being staged in Turkey in preparation for combat in Iraq. Artists and entertainers who have previously entertained at Incilik Air Force Base include Faith Hill, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, and George Clooney. BIG FAT JAM is the first Christian rock band to be invited to perform at the base.
Ograve;We just want to go and spread encouragement to the troopsOacute; says the band, Ograve;we want to show them how much they are appreciatedOacute;. The two-week tour will begin April 13th.
Also in conjunction with this trip, Absolute Records is releasing the band's patriotic tribute to our nation's war on terrorism, "Red, White, You" as a single. They will also be posting an MP3 of the single on their website, as well as a PSA from the band encouraging your listeners to pray for the troops and for our President and leaders.
Individuals, churches, and organizations are invited to participate in supporting this outreach. With each CD they purchase, a CD will be given to the troops free of charge. A gift tag with the purchaserOtilde;s name and address along with a short note of encouragement will be affixed to each CD.
For on-line purchasing, type quot;U.S. Troopsquot; in comment box on PayPal order form.
The bandOtilde;s debut album, Ograve;Welcome to WonderlandOacute; was released in October2002 and has received enthusiastic response from radio and the press. ChristianityToday.com included Welcome To Wonderland in their Top 12 Best Albums of 2002. Their debut single, Ograve;EverythingOacute;, reached the Top 20 on RROtilde;s Christian Rock chart. The band also appeared on last fallOtilde;s Scream Tour with Grits and Justifide.
Listen to quot;Red, White and Youquot;
Go to the Absolute Store to buy the CD.
To schedule an interview, please contact Rebecca at 615-591-4567
ABSOLUTE'S BIG FAT JAM MAKES BIG NOISE
NASHVILLE Absolute Recording Artists, Big Fat Jam, have embarked upon The Scream Tour with Grits, Justifide, and KJ52. The tour coincides with their release of the band's debut project, Welcome To Wonderland.
Big Fat Jam's brand of nouveau southern rock is rapidly winning fans both in concert and on radio. Their debut single, quot;Everythingquot;, is at #21 on the Ramp;R Christian Rock chart and is being played in over 60 markets.
The Scream Tour continues through the end of November. Big Fat Jam will continue to tour extensively in support of Welcome To Wonderland throughout 2003.
These 5 Down Heat Up
These 5 Down
are a busy bunch these days. They just began a fall tour that will take them into December and pick up again in 2003. The band will take a couple of weeks off from the road in September to go into the studio to begin work on their sophomore album.
Their self-titled debut yielded 3 straight #1 singles (including quot;Hymnquot;, which stayed at #1 for an amazing 17 weeks). The band's new project is scheduled for a 1st quarter 2003 release.
To Release Sophomore Project ldquo;Any Minute Nowquot;
Absolute Records teen power pop/melodic punk band SQUIRT are currently in the studio completing their new album,
Any Minute Now.nbsp; The project is the follow-up to their 1998 debut album,
Huge.
The triorsquo;s motto in making this record was ldquo;Older, Wiser, Faster...rdquo;, and it is reflected in the energy and maturity of
Any Minute Now.nbsp; ldquo;Wersquo;ve really taken our time on this one,rdquo; comments SQUIRT drummer Jordan Dickerson.nbsp; ldquo; We wrote all the songs ourselves this time around, and worked hard at creating our own sound.rdquo;nbsp; ldquo;The band came in with over 50 incredible songs that dramatically showcased their growth as musicians and lyricists,rdquo; says producer/Absolute president Dez Dickerson. ldquo; The guys were 11, 12, and 13 at the time the first record was completed.nbsp; We didnrsquo;t want to put pressure on them to write hits at such a tender age, so we wrote all but one of the songs for them on the first album.nbsp; This time, theyrsquo;ve blown me completely away.rdquo;nbsp;
SQUIRT recently introduced songs from the new album during their mainstage appearance at the Ichthus Festival, to a frenzied response.nbsp; The first single from
Any Minute Now
(the infectiously hook laden
Pressure, a song about the trials of peer pressure, and the antidote to be found in Christ), is currently being added at Rock radio.
Download a
FREE Pre-Release MP3
HERE.
The group (guitarist
Chris Fewell, 16, bassist
Matt Smith, 16, and drummer
Jordan Dickerson, 14) received extensive press and media coverage with the release of their debut set,
Huge.nbsp; Featured in such publications as Billboard, 16, BB, CCM, Release, HM, 7Ball, and many others, as well as on numerous television and video shows, the band has garnered fans worldwide in both the Christian and secular markets.nbsp; The bandrsquo;s Squirtrocker fan club has members in 14 countries.
Any Minute Now
is scheduled for release July 3rd through Pavilion Music Distribution.
Two CBA Veterans Form Pavilion Music Distribution
January 20, 2001
Could 2001 be the Year of the Independent?nbsp; Two industry vets are banking
on it - Absolute Records president/founder Dez Dickerson and Rugged Records president/founder Michael Betts. Dickerson and Betts believe Pavilion Music Distribution will represent a fresh approach to independent distribution, and the interaction between retailers and labels.
Dickerson comments, quot;Our combined label experience gives us an intimate understanding of the challenges independent labels face and what they desire in a relationship with third party distributors. Pavilion will provide a place of focus and innovation for independent labels in a time when there's a scarcity of distribution choices. We plan to bring vitality to this niche as an experienced Christian-owned company in the CBA marketplace.quot;
For the company's launch, Pavilion will exclusively handle the founders' two labels, Absolute Records and Rugged Records, with plans to gradually expand according to quality rather than volume. Though Pavilion will be a new distribution company, the artists distributed through Pavilion already have either successful retail stories or considerable momentum as currently breaking buzz bands. These artists include Bride, Disciple, Wyrick, Squirt, These 5 Down, Spark, Metropolis, and Gretchen among others.
Betts remarks, quot;The plight of the independent is understood here at Pavilion, and we believe the road to success is paved with an unwavering commitment to meeting the needs of the retailer.nbsp; Pavilion will be known as the distributor willing to go that extra mile, even if it's uphill on a snow day.quot;
Pavilion Sales Manager Warren Morrison adds, quot;Relationships with the accounts and providing timely, professional customer service are the keys for any sales staff. We will be where we say we are going to be and do what we say we are going to do. We want to fulfill whatever needs the retailer might have.quot;
Pavilion's dedication to customer service and efficiency is enhanced by their exclusive fulfillment partnership with Central South Christian Distribution. Central South, a 30-year-old company that built its niche as a full line distributor of all genres of music, has one of the largest selections of titles in the industry, and serves as a one-stop for most every major Christian distributor including Chordant,nbsp; Word, Provident, Pamplin, and Diamante.nbsp; Their attention to detail and customer service parallels the vision of Pavilion in offering retailers and labels the type of service they expect and deserve.
Regarding the union, Central South Executive Sales Manager Judy Copeland remarks, quot;Even though we carry all genres of music from major and independent companies, we are known for our focus on the independent labels and artists.nbsp; There is a demand for the product in the marketplace, and logistically retailers want to consolidate as much of their business as possible. We can help them do that! I'm excited about the potential of the partnership between Pavilion and Central South. With the ever-changing status of the industry, this is a good opportunity for retailers and the industry as a whole to have new options for distribution and fulfillment.quot;
Jamie Warden, Central South's National Accounts Manager, adds, quot;This is a great business opportunity for both companies to grow into new areas and help create a new standard for independent artists, labels and distribution. That being said, we will also be able to better meet the needs of our accounts by offering a larger variety of quality product.quot;
For more information about Pavilion Distribution or sales and ordering information, please contact: Warren Morrison, Pavilion Music Distribution (615) 846-6012
