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News From 2003
Dec 4, 2003
Special Two CDs from VoL - Directly from Bill Mallonee
Vigilantes of Love Need to Bleed EP and Audible Sigh CD
Both CDs for $12, with free shipping!
Order in time for Christmas. Pay with PayPal or send check or money order to: VOL, P.O. Box 48094, Athens, GA 30604-8094.
Dec 3, 2003
Bill Signs with Fundamental Records in UK / February Tour
Bill Mallonee signs with the newly re-formed Fundamental Recording Company in the UK. A label with a rich history, experienced staff and successful European marketing, both artist and label are excited about the relationship. The first release, Locket Full of Moonlight will not only feature the U.S. indie released songs, but also six bonus songs from earlier recording sessions that fit quite nicely into the record's vibe and were never released commercially.
With the label providing retail distribution through Shellshocked, tour support and promotion by Tony K (Depeche Mode, the Smiths, New Order), this represents the best opportunity Bill has had to promote and play his music over in Europe. Check tour dates on the site.
Dec 1, 2003
New December Shows
Be on the lookout at the tour page for new shows - Sedalia, MO and Chicago venues confirmed. Cincinnati is on the horizon! Check all dates on the tour page for more info.
Sep 4, 2003
Magnet's Glowing Review of Bill Mallonee
"After 13 years and 13 albums, Athens, Ga., songwriter Bill Mallonee is, to his fans, the Vigilantes of Love. But his solo debut clearly signals a new chapter, one marked by more elaborate arrangements and exquisite songcraft than the Vigilantes' rootsier Americana-driven fare. This collection of brainy pop flirts with (but never drowns in) the Beatles and Beach Boys; "Two Become One" even channels both icons at once, aglow with Pet Sounds vocal nuances and lush production technique while keeping one eye trained on the bouncing power-pop ball. Like Todd Rundgren, Mallonee always puts an indelible stamp on his material. Witness blue-hued jangler "That Little Something," one of the most piercing heartbreak tunes since the Gin Blossoms' classic "Found Out About You." Sings Mallonee, "It could've been the way/ Words fell off her tongue/ It could've been the way/ Her heart keeps moving on/ To a different beat/ She's long gone," and his trademark vocal quaver trembles just a tiny bit more than usual from the memory of her walking away one last time. Yet in the pulsebeat rhythm, soaring backing vocals and bruised McGuinn/Buck/Groovies guitar chords resides an exhilarating catharsis. The greatest sad songs can bring you to your knees, of course, but they also exist to pick you up. Here, Mallonee has left behind a perfumed letter for the ages." -Fred Mills, Magnet Magazine
Aug 21, 2003
Magnet Magazine and Perfumed Letter
Not only does the latest issue of Magnet include a sampler CD that has Bill's "Life on Other Planets" as the second cut, but it also includes a rave review of Perfumed Letter, saying, "This collection of brainy pop flirts with (but never drowns in) the Beatles and Beach Boys." Thanks to the many fans who worked together to attain second-cut status on the sampler CD. On a side note, if someone who has this CD could send me a scan of it for the music section of this site, I would greatly appreciate it!
Aug 15, 2003
Soon-To-Be Collector's Item
Bill only has a few copies of the Need To Bleed EP remaining. For details on how to procure a copy, see the news tidbit from July 8.
Aug 14, 2003
The Rise of Perfumed Letter
This week Perfumed Letter made it to number 16 on the list of top added records at college radio. "Extraordinary Girl" is the cut being pushed. Stay tuned for more on the Letter's progress.
Jul 30, 2003
New Bill Mallonee CD Pre-Order and Early Delivery
Bill Mallonee's new national release, Perfumed Letter is now available via www.pastemusic.com and it's only $12.95. If you order now, you'll actually recieve it early. The national release date is August 26th! Go check it out. Also, check out the concerts page for more information regarding new band shows this fall. Sign up on the contact page for news about Bill and band, plus some other great info that is going to occur this fall!
Jul 8, 2003
Need To Bleed Archive EP
We still have a fair number of Bill Mallonee's first installment of archival material, the EP Need To Bleed remaining! This limited run, 8-song EP featuring previously-unreleased VoL demos and solo material (circa the Audible Sigh sessions) is now avaliable at this site for $8.50. This includes S&H. You may order up to five copies per person.
Unreleased tracks include:
- Audible Sigh
- Always the Same Medicine
- Your Part of the Story (solo acoustic/studio)
- Moonlight Dripping
Please send check or money orders to: VOL, P.O. Box 48094, Athens, GA, 30604-8094. Thanks to one and all for supporting this music!
Jun 27, 2003
New Archive EP/CD Out Next Week!
New Bill Mallonee Archives EP/CD Announcement...
Bill Mallonee & Vigilantes Of Love, Need To Bleed
Lo-Fidelity Records/Meat Market (www.lo-fidelity.com
SO VERY ROCK AND ROLL
"For the last few years, I've been encouraged by family and close friends (Jeffrey Kotthoff of Lo-Fidelity Records and Joe Kirk of Paste Records being the primary encouragers) to engage in the strange, navel-gazing work of archiving unreleased songs and alternate takes of previously-released tunes...
In a way it's sort of engaging... you'd be surprised at how many songs I'd actually forgotten that I'd written... So much so that when one finds one of the rare jewels and feels they "stand up," "ring true," and even inspire, then one wants to share them with everyone... That's what started to happen as I listened down to the "lost" tunes I've done over the years... The only criteria was to be able to say at the end of a track: "Well, now that felt pretty good! Do you think other's would like it?"
That's more or less what's happening here with the release of the limited edition archival EP, Need To Bleed. It's a collection of 8 songs (four are previously unreleased) we felt we wanted the 20th anniversary of Cornerstone to hear. So we're starting off with 1,000 copies to be sold at Cornerstone this year... $7 a CD. If we have some left over Jeffrey will sell them over at his label's site, www.lo-fidelity.com and I'll sell mine on the road... If by chance there are needs for more we'll see about making that happen... Needless to say, I'm very proud of this initial collection. I hope to continue to release these archival works on a regular basis... Visit Lo-Fidelity for the complete track-list and to view the cover art for the EP.
In the end, my work with that much-missed entity known as VoL, was always about a heart on the sleeve abandon... and a lot of word of mouth from folks like yourselves who were always there with goodwill and encouragement... Consider this a way to give something back... You'll recognize the themes of despair, desperation, hope... and redemption from Something bigger than yourselves through out this work... As far as VoL went, we found it was never very safe to be transparent, but I'm glad we never figured out how to tow the line and play it safe as far as the dictates of commercial success go... Of course approaching the "biz" like that meant that at some point it was bound to hit the wall, fall off the tight rope and burst into flames...(sigh)
Oh sure, that's grandiose and overly romanticized!...
But it really was about the music that kept us going...
So we bought it and lived it for all it was worth...
In the end it was all so very rock and roll.
bill mallonee
Jun 12, 2003
West Coast Tour End of July
Great dates and great shows continue low-to-the-ground: Los Angeles, CA; San Fran, CA; Sacramento, CA; Crescent City, CA; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; Orcas Island, WA; Anchorage, AK; Issaquah, WA. Amazing shows, some with bigtime surprises - all going to be unique.
May 27, 2003
Tiny Silver Hearts
Ending speculation that the "Vigilantes of Love" name would return, it was announed today that Bill Mallonee's partially-new backing band will be called the Tiny Silver Hearts.
May 22, 2003
Old Becomes New
Bill has again confirmed that we can expect a final VoL compilation of some sort. This project will likely include recordings of "Breathe," "Tapping Out The Signal," "You've Got The Devil Left To Pay," "Northern Soul" and "Get In Get Out." No timeline at this point. Bill has also made it clear that there are recordings of his pre-VoL work with Cone Ponies, Own Little World, Bed of Roses and Matching Fibers, and that he hopes to release a project compiling about 20 songs from these groups. Again, stay tuned!
May 18, 2003
A Short-Lived Solo Career?
Today Bill takes a break from touring to practice with his new band. He has reportedly hired a drummer and keyboard player from the Athens area. The name of this new band is yet to be released. Stay tuned...
Apr 26, 2003
New Release Coming this Summer!
The new national release, Perfume Letter, will be released on August 5th, 2003 on the new Paste Music label. The album will feature eleven amazing cuts plus one bonus song. Two of the songs were mixed by Paul Wilkinson from the UK and are standout tracks. More info on this release shortly.
Apr 25, 2003
Bill and Buddy in the UK
Bill is now in the UK just starting his brief tour opening for Buddy Miller. And the news is that Bill and Buddy will be playing a few songs together... a bootlegger's dream.
Apr 25, 2003
Bill and Rolling Stone
Bill's upcoming release, Perfume Letter, was announced today on Rolling Stone's web site.
Apr 6, 2003
Early VoL Projects To Be Reissued
Bill has stated that since he now owns the first three Vigilantes of Love projects (Jugular, Driving The Nails, Killing Floor), he hopes to release them on Meat Market Records (Bill's own label) in the next year or two. And look for a possible new release featuring songs that Bill included in his set lists during the early years when these albums were originally released.
Apr 3, 2003
Tons of Shows on Low-To-The-Ground Tour
Check out all the dates on the April-May "Low-To-The-Ground" Tour! Bill is traveling up and down the east coast and midwest playing some very intimate solo shows, sometimes bringing Jake along for the ride. There are not many dates left, but just a few... wait, wait! Because of popular demand we have now opened more dates for booking! May 28th to June 8th, Bill will be taking shows from the MidSouth to Lower Midwest (Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma). Hurry and get your date set down. Contact Tim White for more information.
In the middle of it all, Bill jaunts over to the UK from April 23 to May 5th for some shows with Buddy Miller and others. Check it all out and show some love with your tender support and attendance! Keep indie art alive!
Mar 25, 2003
Bill to Tour with Buddy Miller in UK
Yes, it's true. Buddy Miller will be touring in the UK from April 26th to April 30th. Bill will be opening for Buddy, and then continuing with some solo shows as well as possibly playing with other artists until May 5th. Check out the upcoming play dates via the concerts section of the web page. Bill is excited about going over and playing with Buddy. Here's hoping that they collaborate together and play "Water When the Well Is Dry" from Buddy's new CD. Hal Horowitz from AMG states about that song: "Miller teams up with Vigilantes of Love frontman Bill Mallonee for "Water When the Well Is Dry," a crackling country-rocker and one of the most powerful and catchy tunes he has recorded." We're willing to bet this tour will provide some of the most powerful and catchy tunes ever played live.
Mar 7, 2003
DVD in Limbo
The VoL DVD is still going to happen... but it's still not here. Not in the states, not in the UK. Thanks to all who are excited about this project and have contacted us about the status. It is "in the works" and you'll find the latest news right here... as soon as there is news to to be told.
Mar 1, 2003
Listen to Bill and Jake's Valentine's Day Interview
Jeff Raspe of WBJB-FM (Lincroft, NJ) interviewed Bill Mallonee, Jake Bradley and Will Kimbrough on Valentine's Day. Listen now. You will need Windows Media Player.
Feb 15, 2003
Info from Rob Davis/Coaster Website Integrated into Parting Shot
Many of you have been fans of the Vigilantes of Love long before this Parting Shot web site was created. You remember and loved the VoL site created and maintained by Rob Davis, which was up and running for the last half of the 90's and into 2000. Rob has granted Parting Shot permission to integrate the info from his site into this site. Check out the news, links and interviews page to see what has already been added. This "new" info goes back as far as 1994. Of most interest are the lengthy 1995 and 1996 VoL-List interviews conducted by Joe Kirk. Look for more info to be integrated over the coming month. And a special thank you to Rob Davis for all the work he has done in the past and for allowing it to surface once again.
Feb 9, 2003
Bill and Co. Take Nashville by Storm
From Feb. 7th to Feb. 9th Bill Mallonee and the company of Jake Bradley, Kenny Hutson, Julie Miller, and Beth Spransy took the International Folk Alliance by storm. Bill and the band came into town on Feb. 7th straight from a show in Indianapolis, IN at Birdy's. After a couple of showcases with just Bill, Jake and Beatle Bob dancing, Bill invited former VoLer and current Nashville session man, Kenny Hutson, as well as the fun and amazing Julie Miller to play at a couple of other showcases, in addition to violinist and vocalist, Beth Spransy from Ticklepenny Corner. Imagine a packed small room with Bill, Jake, Kenny, Julie and Beth singing "Resplendant" at the top of their lungs and blowing everybody away. With Beth's violin, Kenny's mandolin and Julie's CAN (a small plastic garbage can from the bathroom), it was an amazing set. This was repeated sans Julie - who lost her favorite hat, sadly - later on that night. While the crowds were small - only because the rooms were too - the reception was warm. Other highlights included a Paste Music party on Friday where some mean billiards were played in addition to the consumption of many chicken wings. Those at the party included, Bill, Jake, Noah and Beth of Ticklepenny Corner, Mike Roe of the Lost Dogs, Amy Speace, Wildwood staff, Paste staff, Susan Enan (UK artist), Martyn Joseph (UK artist), Mr. JM Johnson (Bill's UK mgmnt), John Austin, the guys from Ashworth, Grassy Hill entertainment, among others. On Saturday night, most of the group went to Legends and listened to honky tonk. When it got too late, we all stormed into JJ's Market (which was closed, but we know the owner!) on Broadway - make sure you check it out. Kenny & Jake led us all in various Johnny Cash, Dwight Yoakam and other country hits, while we discussed favorite film lists we mentally had attained over the years. Kenny and Tim, Bill's manager had their own personal "Ghostbusters" dialogues going, which everyone got sick of. All in all, it was a ton of fun and the power of community was in the air while we worked, played and listened! On with the current tour!
Feb 4, 2003
More Bill Shows on This Tour
Check out some of the new shows on the concerts page. The current tour is going well with good crowds enjoying both Bill and Will's music. There will be some photos of the shows on site shortly.
Jan 25, 2003
Birmingham and Memphis Shows Cancelled
Between a venue shutting down and Super Bowl Sunday, the first two dates of the tour have been cancelled. Our apologies to fans who were looking forward to seeing Bill & Co. However, we're committed to getting back there as soon as possible and have begun negotiating that right now. Disgruntled fans may go now and sit in a comfortable chair with headphones, CD player and Locket Full of Moonlight playing full blast!
Jan 6, 2003
New (Old) Interviews and New Concert Dates with Will Kimbrough
Read the new (old) interviews with Paste Magazine and HM Magazine this last fall. Don't forget to check the newest and best playdates for January and February. Get ready for a new national release this spring! We're all full of surprises, folks!
Jan 5, 2003
Mellencamp a No Go
Management did their best to get Bill to open for John Mellencamp's summer tour and were almost successful, but in the end, they went with a labelmate... not an uncommon move.
Jan 3, 2003
New Bill Shows with Will Kimbrough
You'll never believe the mystery line-up Bill is bringing along on this pre-national release tour! It looks to be a great tour! On some of the open dates, Bill is willing to play some places and house concerts in between. Contact Tim White if you have any ideas, but hurry. Those couple of slots go fast.
Jan 1, 2003
Bill to Showcase at Folk Alliance
Bill will be showcasing a number of times at the biggest folk conference, the International Folk Alliance (www.folk.org). It's being held in Nashville this year, so there is sure to be a lot of great exposure for Bill. If you're a fan of all types of music, you might want to attend yourself. It's well worth it, even to come on a day pass. Folk music is the umbrella of singer-songwriter, blues, rock, and other genres. And you'll see all those at the FA conference, where it's still about the music.
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