Thursday, September 4, 2014

Exclusive premiere of Richie Kotzen's new video, War Paint - Music Radar

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Kotzen looks back on his rich musical career with a two-CD/DVD set

Exclusive premiere of Richie Kotzen's new video, War Paint

The Essential Richie Kotzen two-CD/DVD set out now

"It was a challenge to make a studio recording sound like a live band with only one musician playing all the instruments," says singer-songwriter and guitarist (and, in this case, one-man band) Richie Kotzen of his bruising new song War Paint. In its sun-baked, desert-set music video, premiering here today, he also plays dual roles, appearing as both himself and a mysterious, rapidly aging, pickaxe-wielding doppelganger.

War Paint is one of two brand-new cuts on his just-released career-spanning set, The Essential Richie Kotzen. On the upbeat, dreamy rocker Walk With Me, the multi-instrumentalist, usually heralded for his virtuosic guitar skills, sets down his six-string and goes retro-spacey with a Theremin. "There was a specific sound I was hearing in the song," Kotzen says. "I realized it was a Theremin, so I bought one. I spent a couple of weeks learning it. I used that where the lead guitar would normally go. It was a really rewarding departure for me."

Signed at the age of 19 and originally pegged to be one of the leading sorcerers of shred guitar, Kotzen quickly distinguished himself as that and much more: a gutsy, bluesy vocalist with a knack for writing hook-heavy, soul-laced rock. Along with the two new cuts, The Essential Richie Kotzen features tracks from the guitarist's 18 solo albums as well acoustic performances, bootleg material and a DVD of music videos and bonus goodies. "I've really changed and grown as an artist and as a person," Kotzen says. "I hand-selected songs so newcomers can get into my music and learn who I am as a recording artist."

Having recently finished a world tour with his band The Winery Dogs (which also includes bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Mike Portnoy), Kotzen is embarking on a lengthy solo run of dates throughout Europe, the UK, Mexico and South America, beginning September 5.

You can purchase The Essential Richie Kotzen at iTunes and Amazon.

Richie Kotzen returns to Mexico and Chile - The Essential 2014 Tour - Video Promo

Richie Kotzen Mexico / Chile Tour 2014
October 2nd Necro Club, D.F., Mexico
October 3rd Rock Son, Izcali, Mexico
October 5th Café Iguana, Monterey, Mexico

October 9th - Teatro Nescafe, De las Artes, Chile
October 11th - Ovo Night Club Enjoy, Vina Del Mar, Chile

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RICHIE KOTZEN: Video For New Song 'War Paint' - Blabbermouth

RICHIE KOTZEN: Video For New Song 'War Paint'

September 4, 2014 2 Comments

The official video for "War Paint" can be seen below.

Kotzen personally curated "The Essential Richie Kotzen" from his 18 solo albums in order to give listeners the most comprehensive, cohesive and concise introduction to his extensive body of work. "I've really changed and grown as an artist and as a person," he says. "I hand-selected songs so newcomers can get into my music and learn who I am as a recording artist."

"War Paint" builds from an opening bluesy riff into a bombastic chorus punctuated byKotzen's gravelly delivery and impeccable lead playing. He explains, "It was a challenge to make a studio recording sound like a live band with only one musician playing all the instruments. I think I accomplished that on this track." At the same time, "Walk With Me" sees Kotzen evolving once more and incorporating a Theremin, an antique electronic instrument, into an emotive and engaging anthem. "There was a specific sound I was hearing in the song," he reveals. "I realized it was a Theremin, so I bought one. I spent a couple of weeks learning it. I used that where the lead guitar would normally go. It was a really rewarding departure for me."

With his guitar styles ranging from rock, blues, jazz and fusion to pop and soul, Richie Kotzen has built a remarkably diverse 20-year career as a guitarist, singer and songwriter. During that span, Kotzen toured with his trio extensively outside the United States, building a loyal fan base and selling out shows throughout Europe, Latin America, and Japan. In 1996, Fender guitars honored him with not one, but two signature model guitars. His signature model Telecaster is available worldwide and continues to be a top seller for the brand. In 2006, Kotzen received one of his biggest personal honors whenTHE ROLLING STONES chose him to open up a string of Japanese shows, placing him in front of some of his biggest crowds to date. He has not only built an incredibly successful solo career, but has also found himself writing, recording and playing live with a variety of different artists, including jazz legends Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. He currently plays guitar and fronts the band THE WINERY DOGS with bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Mike Portnoy (the band's self-titled debut album debuted at #27 on The Billboard 200 chart).

With his 20th full-length solo album on the horizon for 2015 as well as countless gigs,Richie Kotzen's legacy is only continuing to expand. "When you perform, record or write, you go to a different place," he concludes. "It's another world. I love hearing people react to the music and lyrics. That's the ultimate reward."

"The Essential Richie Kotzen" track listing:

CD1:

01. War Paint *
02. Walk With Me *
03. Love Is Blind
04. Go Faster
05. Fooled Again
06. OMG (What's Your Name?)
07. Help Me
08. Bad Situation
09. Lie To Me *
10. Fear
11. You Can't Save Me
12. Doing What The Devil Says To Do
13. Remember (reprise)

* previously unreleased *

CD2:

01. What Is (2014)
02. High (2014)
03. Change (2014)
04. Special (2014)
05. Paint It On (acoustic version)
06. Holding On (acoustic version)
07. Until You Suffer Some (Fire And Ice) (acoustic version)
08. The Road (acoustic version)
09. Regret (original demo version)
10. Damaged (original demo version)

DVD:

01. Walk With Me (2014)
02. Paying Dues (2009)
03. 24 Hours (2011)
04. Larger Than Life (2009)
05. Losing My Mind (2005)
06. Help Me (2012)
07. Chase It (2008)
08. Player (2011)
09. The Shadow (2011)
10. My Angel (2011)
11. I Would (2008)

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

“The Essential Richie Kotzen” released today, Sept 2nd, 2014. US Headlining tour starts November 1st in Annapolis, MD - Loud & Proud

September 2, 2014

Guitarist/singer/songwriter RICHIE KOTZEN released THE ESSENTIAL RICHIE KOTZEN today on Loud & Proud Records. To celebrate his newest project, he’s hitting the U.S. concert trail starting November 1 in Annapolis, MD at Rams Head Tavern. Before then, he’ll be spending September and most of October on a headlining tour which will take him through Europe and Mexico.

THE ESSENTIAL RICHIE KOTZEN is a two-CD and DVD career retrospective set that encompasses this iconic talent’s entire career of his most essential work: classic material; acoustic performances; bootleg material; and two brand new songs (“War Paint” and “Walk With Me”). The DVD features music videos, acoustic performances, and bootleg material. A new official video for “War Paint” will premiere on MusicRadar.com later this week. In the meantime, the video for “Walk With Me” (filmed entirely on KOTZEN’s iPhone) can be found on his official YouTube page.

Fans can check out exclusive full album streams of each disc on VH1 Classic/MTV.com and GuitarWorld.com.

KOTZEN personally curated THE ESSENTIAL RICHIE KOTZEN from his 18 solo albums in order to give listeners the most comprehensive, cohesive, and concise introduction to his extensive body of work. “I’ve really changed and grown as an artist and as a person,” he says. “I hand-selected songs so newcomers can get into my music and learn who I am as a recording artist.”

Rave reviews of THE ESSENTIAL RICHIE KOTZEN have already started to surface:

“KOTZEN is an artist with a centered musical philosophy anchored by soulful music and a perfectionist’s attention to craft… THE ESSENTIAL RICHIE KOTZEN is an excellent career retrospective by an underrated songwriter.” (Oscar Jordan, Vintage Guitar)

“The extensive combo perfectly captures his dynamic musicianship, his jaw-dropping guitar solos, and his tangy blend of rock, blues, and soul, and will encourage listeners to discover more of his work…” (Bear Frazer, Arena.com)

“RICHIE KOTZEN is one on the most ridiculous guitar players alive today…If you have only heard RICHIE in other bands (or have no clue who he is) then you really need to hook yourself up and give him his due. RICHIE has an incredibly soulful voice and did I mention his guitar solos are other worldly? Get the book of his musical life and discover some magic.” (Jason Lally, Realrockreport.com)

Check out RICHIE KOTZEN at any of the following stops, with more dates to be added in the coming weeks on all of his official websites

Sat 11/1 Annapolis, MD – Rams Head Tavern
Mon 11/3 Londonderry, NH – Tupelo Music Hall
Tue 11/4 Boston, MA – Wilbur Theater
Wed 11/5 New York, NY – B.B. King Blues Club & Grill
Fri 11/7 Poughkeepsie, NY – The Chance
Sat 11/8 Reading, PA – Building 24
Sun 11/9 New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place
Tue 11/11 Pittsburgh, PA – Altar Bar

The new album is available now!

BUY AT AMAZON
BUY AT AMAZON MP3
BUY AT iTUNES

Tags: Album, essential richie kotzen, essentials, record, Release, Richie Kotzen, Tour

RICHIE KOTZEN Interviewed On Brazil's 'Wikimetal' (Audio)

September 1, 2014 2 Comments

Brazil's Wikimetal podcast recently conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen (THE WINERY DOGS, MR. BIG, POISON). You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below.

When Richie Kotzen plays his guitar, you know it's him. The guitar virtuoso, singer and songwriter possesses an inimitable style that's both instantly recognizable and immediately striking. This unique style courses through "The Essential Richie Kotzen", a career retrospective collection set for release September 2 on Loud & Proud Records. It encompasses this iconic talent's entire career of his most essential work and includes two CDs of classic material, acoustic performances, bootleg material and two brand new songs ("War Paint" and "Walk With Me"), and a DVD of music videos, acoustic performances and bootleg material. A three-song sampler, including the two new songs along with "Lie To Me", is being serviced to rock radio stations later this month.

Kotzen personally curated "The Essential Richie Kotzen" from his 18 solo albums in order to give listeners the most comprehensive, cohesive and concise introduction to his extensive body of work. "I've really changed and grown as an artist and as a person," he says. "I hand-selected songs so newcomers can get into my music and learn who I am as a recording artist."

"War Paint" builds from an opening bluesy riff into a bombastic chorus punctuated byKotzen's gravelly delivery and impeccable lead playing. He explains, "It was a challenge to make a studio recording sound like a live band with only one musician playing all the instruments. I think I accomplished that on this track." At the same time, "Walk With Me" sees Kotzen evolving once more and incorporating a Theremin, an antique electronic instrument, into an emotive and engaging anthem. "There was a specific sound I was hearing in the song," he reveals. "I realized it was a Theremin, so I bought one. I spent a couple of weeks learning it. I used that where the lead guitar would normally go. It was a really rewarding departure for me."

With his guitar styles ranging from rock, blues, jazz and fusion to pop and soul, Richie Kotzen has built a remarkably diverse 20-year career as a guitarist, singer and songwriter. During that span, Kotzen toured with his trio extensively outside the United States, building a loyal fan base and selling out shows throughout Europe, Latin America, and Japan. In 1996, Fender guitars honored him with not one, but two signature model guitars. His signature model Telecaster is available worldwide and continues to be a top seller for the brand. In 2006, Kotzen received one of his biggest personal honors whenTHE ROLLING STONES chose him to open up a string of Japanese shows, placing him in front of some of his biggest crowds to date. He has not only built an incredibly successful solo career, but has also found himself writing, recording and playing live with a variety of different artists, including jazz legends Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. He currently plays guitar and fronts the band THE WINERY DOGS with bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Mike Portnoy (the band's self-titled debut album debuted at #27 on The Billboard 200 chart).

With his 20th full-length solo album on the horizon for 2015 as well as countless gigs,Richie Kotzen's legacy is only continuing to expand. "When you perform, record or write, you go to a different place," he concludes. "It's another world. I love hearing people react to the music and lyrics. That's the ultimate reward."

"The Essential Richie Kotzen" track listing:

CD1:

01. War Paint *
02. Walk With Me *
03. Love Is Blind
04. Go Faster
05. Fooled Again
06. OMG (What's Your Name?)
07. Help Me
08. Bad Situation
09. Lie To Me *
10. Fear
11. You Can't Save Me
12. Doing What The Devil Says To Do
13. Remember (reprise)

* previously unreleased *

CD2: