Friday, July 20, 2012

miggs RECORDS NEW ALBUM, ‘15TH & HOPE,’ WITH LEGENDARY PRODUCER PHIL RAMONE; SET FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 25 ON ELM CITY MUSIC; TOUR WITH STEPHEN KELLOGG AND THE SIXERS STARTS OCTOBER 17



Tampa, FL band miggs will be release their fifth album, 15TH & HOPE, on September 25 via the Elm City Music label (EMI distribution).  The album’s first single, “Stars,” will be released to AAA radio stations nationwide later this month and a video for the song will be released soon.  In the meantime, a lyric video has been created for the album’s lead track, “Pretty,” which can be seen here:  http://bit.ly/MRK7p5.  A three-week tour, along with Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, will commence on October 17 in Seattle at Tractor Tavern.  

When it came time to record their new album, miggs--Don Miggs (lead vocals/lead guitar), Michael Lombardo (bass), Walker Adams (drums), John Luzzi (guitar)--turned to legendary producer Phil Ramone (Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Carly Simon, Frank Sinatra). 

As singer/guitarist Don Miggs commented, “It’s hard to speak about Phil Ramone without first reminding people what the name means:  Phil Ramone has 15 Grammy® Awards and about three dozen nominations.  He has a Lifetime Grammy award.  He is a last remaining icon in an industry quick to announce and quicker to denounce ‘genius,’ and we are the closest thing he’s done to a ‘Rock’ band since Billy Joel.  Our experience with Phil was better than I imagined it could be.  15TH & HOPE doesn’t sound anything like a ‘Phil Ramone’ record.  It sounds like a better miggs record and that’s the secret to being Phil.  He inspired me throughout the whole recording process by sharing his amazing behind-the-scenes stories about experiences with many influential artists across the span of his career.  With no pressure felt at all, he very easily managed to extract the best out of each of us.  I did things I didn't think I was capable of.  The overall feeling in the studio felt like family.  I looked forward to every session.  It all went by so quickly.  I am so honored to have worked with him.” 

It was an equally memorable and cherished experience for Phil Ramone himself.  “When I stepped into the studio I was rewarded with a great musical experience,” he says.  “Don Miggs, the player, the vocalist and writer brings a lot of heart to the table.  The band matches that with energy and great attitude.  I am excited for people to experience this collection of miggs songs with thought-provoking lyrics and his subtle guitar brilliance.”

A label executive had once described miggs as “Heartland American Rock ‘n Roll in the tradition of Tom Petty, Matchbox Twenty, Greg Kihn, et al.”  So what does that mean?  As Don Miggs will tell you:

“East coast, life, Rolling Stones, guitars, girls, local shows, euphoria, four-man band, death, heartbreak, no money, school, marriage, record deal, tour, tour, tour, ten minutes of fame, no more record deal, four band members down to one, U2, West coast, car and a trunk, three band members, tour, tour, tour, record deal offers, add a guitarist, lose a drummer, divorce, no money, school, lose a drummer, work, girlfriends, tour, little bit of money, van and trailer, national tours, record deal, marriage, become a three piece, have kids, lose a drummer, bus and no trailer, national tours, play in front of 10,000 people, play in front of 10 people, find the perfect drummer, add the right guitarist, same bass player, same singer, more drive, more ambition, better at the craft, ready for our close-up, hungrier for your attention --- the list can go on and on and it does – end result – we are HERE.   Our collective experiences all led to writing and recording the best work miggs has ever produced, thanks in part to Phil F-ING Ramone and Jim Scott – we can’t get to here without where we’ve come from.  We embrace it.  We are a band on the corner of a new crossroads, 15TH AND HOPE.”

miggs’ previous album, WIDE AWAKE, spawned the Hot AC hit “Girls & Boys,” which lead to tours with Maroon 5, Ed Kowalczyk from LIVE, Plain White T’s, Thriving Ivory, Green River Ordinance and Parachute.  miggs’ music has been heard in movies, TV shows and video games such as “The O.C.,” A&E’s documentary “Kurt Cobain” and the series “Gene Simmons Family Jewels,” MTV’s “Five Questions: Nick Jonas” and “Bromance with Brody Jenner,” Disney’s “Fallen,” and the Buena Vista video game “Spectrobes.”  Don even wrote the song for the Florida tourism campaign, “Share A Little Sunshine.”

Check out miggs on tour at the following stops:

DATE               CITY                             VENUE

With Stephen Kellogg and The Sixers:

Wed 10/17            Seattle, WA                          Tractor Tavern
Thu 10/18              Portland, OR                         Mississippi Studios
Fri 10/19                                San Francisco, CA              Café DuNord
Sat 10/20               Hermosa Beach, CA           Saint Rocke
Sun 10/21             Denver, CO                           Bluebird
Tue 10/23              St Louis, MO                         Old Rock House
Wed 10/24            Nashville, TN                        Exit/In
Thu 10/25              Birmingham, AL                  Workplay Theatre
Fri 10/26                                Orlando, FL                           Social
Sat 10/27               Atlanta, GA                            Smith’s Olde Bar
Sun 10/28             Carrboro, NC                        Cat’s Cradle
Tue 10/30              Pittsburgh, PA                      Rex Theater
Wed 10/31            Rochester, NY                      Waterstreet Music Hall
Thu 11/1                                Burlington, VT                      Higher Ground
Fri 11/2                  Boston, MA                           Paradise Rock Club
Sat 11/3                 Washington, DC                  Howard Theatre
Sun 11/4                Cleveland, OH                     House of Blues
Tue 11/6                                Ann Arbor, MI                       Blind Pig
Wed 11/7               Milwaukee, WI                      Shank Hall
Thu 11/8                                Chicago, IL                           Park West
Fri 11/9                  Madison, WI                          High Noon Saloon
Sat 11/10               Minneapolis, MN                 Fine Line Café

No comments: