The Arc Angels Return
...AND OTHER NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
FORMED BY DOUBLE Trouble members Chris “Whipper” Layton and Tommy Shannon in the aftermath of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s untimely passing, with Doyle Bramhall II and Charlie Sexton enlisted for vocals and guitars, Arc Angels were originally active for a handful of years in the early Nineties before reuniting briefly in 2009. Back in January, the blues-rockers took to the stage once again for three homecoming shows in Texas with new bassist Eric Holden in tow, performing original tracks such as “Living in a Dream,” “Too Many Ways to Fall” and “Sent by Angels,” alongside their own renditions of works by Jimi Hendrix and Charlie Patton. For the third and final performance at Austin’s Moody Theater, they were joined by Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson for Otis Redding and Beatles covers, as well as Gary Clark Jr., who hit the stage for a mesmerizing version of “Killing Floor.” Bramhall II, who has also played for Eric Clapton, Elton John and Sheryl Crow, mainly stuck with a red ES-335 for the sets while Sexton switched between a black Tele with a neck humbucker, a black Rickenbacker 330, a black Trini Lopez — and a Les Paul, which stood out with more of an Iced Tea Burst. So far, the group’s highly acclaimed self-titled debut, released in 1992 via Geffen, remains their only studio recording to date — which begs the question, could new music be on the way after 30 years? Watch this space!
YOUR OWN MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
JOHN LENNON ONCE famously remarked that his group was “born in Liverpool but grew up in Hamburg.” The Beatles: Fab Four Cities (ACC Art Books), a new book from authors David Bedford, Richard Porter and Susan Ryan, takes that concept further, explaining how the quartet then “reached maturity in London and immortality in New York.” Charting the rise of the Fab Four across four key cities through the course of their game-changing career, almost like a travel guide for super-fans, the paperback features rare and never-beforeseen photos, maps of iconic locations and local trivia to shed new light on the most influential rock in music history. For more info, head to beatlesfab4cities.com.
LONG LIVE THE ATOMIC PUNK!
THE NEW BOOK from Steve Rosen, titled Tonechaser – Understanding Edward: My 26-Year Journey with Edward Van Halen, sees him chronicling his friendship with the much-missed guitar virtuoso. The pair met as far back as 1977 and were in close contact through the years, working together on various GW cover stories as well as seeing each other socially, jamming and “getting high and drunk.” With more than 400 pages giving a front-row seat into the life of the man behind the music, as well as neverseen-before shots from renowned music photographer Neil Zlozower, it’s a deep dive through Eddie’s life from someone with the rare privilege of actually having known him. To buy the hardback, U.S. residents should send $35 plus $12 shipping ($47) and their address to PayPal account scrosen@sbcglobal.net.
WEDDING BAND
WHILE IT’S TRUE you can find the Fender logo on all sorts of things these days, from bar stools to Christmas sweaters and Lego sets, few could have predicted the guitar giants partnering up with Manly Brands for a new line of wedding rings. Using guitarspecific woods like mahogany, maple and ebony and taking inspiration from the vaults of Fender history — with offerings such as The Sonic and The 1954 nodding to models like the Ocean Turquoise-finished American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster and Black Player Stratocaster respectively — the new collection is available from manlybands.com, ranging from $495 to $850. — Amit Sharma