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Rock News: Music's high and low notes

By JOHN SWENSON, United Press International
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TIP'S AT 25

Many of the top musicians in New Orleans turned out over the past two weekends for a celebration of the venerable club Tipitina's 25th anniversary. The 10-day event was capped off with two nights of monster jamming from the Radiators, the Big Easy's longest-running rock band, which coincidentally was celebrating its silver jubilee as well.

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For the first set on Saturday night, the Rads played the songs from "Work Done On Premises," the group's first album, in order. By the end of the run the group had been joined by trombonist Mark Mullins, former group member Glenn "Kul" Sears on vocals and Theresa Andersson on violin, playing a vast range of material from their own originals to Neil Diamond's "Solitary Man" and the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black."

Perhaps the highlight of the event was the "Founder's Ball," a wild jam session with Cyril and Ivan Neville, Robert Randolph, George Porter Jr., Stanton Moore and the Dirty Dozen Horns. The most dramatic success was the "Horns and Hatchets" show that matched top local brass bands with the relentless chants of the Mardi Gras Indians.

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RORY GALLAGHER REMEMBERED

A new album of previously unreleased acoustic performances by Irish guitar legend Rory Gallagher is scheduled for a March 4 release on BMG Heritage. Although Gallgher is best known for his exciting electric guitar work, the material here reflects his interest in folk and acoustics music as well. The record also features guest appearances from Bela Fleck, Martin Carthy, Bert Jansch and Lonnie Donegan. Gallagher always intended to make an acoustic record but never managed to finish the project before his death in 1995. His brother Donal put this project together in Rory's memory.

Keenly aware of his brother's folk tastes, Donal set about shaping the album he considered Rory would want to have made. The record soon evolved into a virtual tribute to Rory from the folk world, with contributions and collaborations from Carthy, Jansch, Ronnie Drew and The Dubliners, Juan Martin, Bela Fleck, Roland Van Campenhout, Maire Ni Chatasaigh and Chris Newman, and Rory's early influence Lonnie Donegan. The diverse line-up underscores the eclectic collection of material, ranging from flamenco to Irish traditional to skiffle and American folk and blues.


BROTHERS PAST WAKE UP

Fresh off its January residency at the Knitting Factory in New York City, Brothers Past is planning a yearlong U.S. tour in support of "A Wonderful Day." The title track of the Philadelphia quartet's debut has drawn raves from critics all over the country. After selling out the first two nights of the Knitting Factory residency, Brothers Past wrapped up its run at The Knit by moving its hypnotic stage show out of The Old Office into the main room for Saturday's grand finale.

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Influenced as much by Pink Floyd and the Beatles as Radiohead and Stereolab, "A Wonderful Day" is a concept album that surveys the paranoia, uncertainty and frustration of insomnia. Ultimately, hope and triumph prevail against a muti-textured sonic backdrop that takes the listener across the digital divide into the darkness of night.

"It's about the uncertainties of what happens when you can't sleep and your mind starts racing," said guitarist Tom Hamilton. "The album is saying that tomorrow is always different. It's something for the listener to relate to -- to be able to say, 'I've felt like that, and this guy is OK'."


MESSAGE FROM MARR

Former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr and his new band, the Healers, have a new album ready for a Feb. 4 release, "Boomslang" (iMUSIC).

NME, the United Kingdom's most-read weekly music magazine, named The Smiths the "Most Influential Band in British History." While The Smiths might have influenced music on the whole, Marr's distinctive style has influenced enough guitarists to land him resolutely in the Guitar Hero category. Radiohead, Blur, Oasis, Suede, The Pixies, Elliot Smith, and The Stone Roses are among those who've gone on the record with their collective respect for Marr and his abilities. Marr was named as one of the all-time greatest guitarists in a 2001 list that included Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. The Healers feature Ringo's son Zak Starkey, recently with The Who, on drums, and Alonsa Bevan (Kula Shaker) on bass.

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HELLO KITTY

British pop trio Atomic Kitten has confirmed a carton series based on them was in the offing. Group member Nastasha Hamilton said the group has been approached by a company, and has already seen some drawings.

"It's all very exciting. It's going to be fun," she said. But she added the project still was at a very early stage and she couldn't provide more details.

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