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Grammy® Award winning guitarist Steve Vai struck gold twice recently as his latest concert film, “Live In Minneapolis: Where The Wild Things Are,” went Gold in both the USA and Canada.

“After 30 years in this business it’s very rewarding to see that your contribution is still being recognized. Thanks to the fans … really!” said Vai.

In addition, “Now We Run” from the live DVD, is nominated for a Grammy® Award for Best Rock Instrumental.

“Live In Minneapolis: Where The Wild Things Are” is available on double DVD, Blu-ray and a single CD. Later this year, Favored Nations will release “Where The Other Wild Things Are,” a 10 track CD of songs from the concert that did not make the first CD.

2010 marks Steve Vai’s 30th Anniversary in the music business. Vai first stepped into the spotlight in 1980 as a touring member of the legendary Frank Zappa’s touring band.

In January, Vai will enter the studio to record his next solo album for Favored Nations and later this year, he will embark on a World Tour that will take him through all of 2011.

Source: Favored Nations

Golden Globe(R) and Multiple Primetime Emmy(R) Nominated Motion Picture Starring Kurt Russell, Shelley Winters, Season Hubley, Bing Russell, Pat Hingle, Robert Gray, Joe Mantegna and Ed Begley Jr. THE ACCLAIMED BIOPIC FINALLY COMES TO DVD FROM SHOUT! FACTORY

Few figures in popular culture have endured in our collective consciousness as has multi-Grammy® Award-winning artist Elvis Presley. Crowned as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Presley’s revolutionary rockabilly music and captivating performances were as much a part of his legend as his uninhibited hip swivels, blue suede shoes, his charm and good looks. There have been motion pictures, television specials and books chronicling the roller-coaster life of Elvis Presley, and one of the most successful of these properties came in the acclaimed 1979 film ELVIS, starring Golden Globe nominee Kurt Russell in the title role, directed by John Carpenter. This highly regarded production captures the essence of The King at a time when his many fans were still mourning his passing. Hailed by audiences as one of the most powerful and moving biographical films, ELVIS garnered a Golden Globe nomination and multiple Emmy® nominations, including one for Kurt Russell as Outstanding Lead Actor for his incandescent performance as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. The film also marked Carpenter and Russell’s first collaboration in what would become a legendary pairing.

Timed closely to coincide with the 75th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s birth, Shout! Factory, in association with dick clark Productions, present ELVIS on DVD for the first time March 2, 2010. This collectible DVD features the main presentation of the movie restored from the original film elements as it was meant to be seen, as well as an array of bonus features including: “Bringing A Legend To Life,” a featurette with archival interviews of Kurt Russell and John Carpenter (1979); commentary by “The Voice Of Elvis,” Ronnie McDowell, and author Edie Hand; rare clips and captivating photo gallery. Even 33 years after his passing, Presley continues to burn a powerful image of rock stardom and still conquers new legions of fans through his indelible mark in worldwide pop culture. Available for the first time in the home entertainment marketplace, this long-awaited DVD debut of the film ELVIS is priced to own at $19.97.

Directed by John Carpenter, the biopic of Elvis Presley stars Kurt Russell and features the voice of ’70s country music hitmaker Ronnie McDowell re-creating Presley’s signature vocals. Tracing Presley’s life from his impoverished childhood to his meteoric rise to stardom to his triumphant return to Las Vegas, this film boasts an all-star ensemble including Academy Award® winner Shelley Winters (A Place In The Sun) as Elvis’ mother Gladys; Season Hubley (All My Children) as his wife Priscilla; Kurt Russell’s real-life father Bing Russell (The Magnificent Seven) as Elvis’s father Vernon Presley; Pat Hingle (Batman) as Colonel Tom Parker; Robert Gray (Murder She Wrote) as Red West; Golden Globe nominee Joe Mantegna (Searching for Bobby Fischer) as Memphis mafia member Joe Esposito; and Golden Globe nominee Ed Begley Jr. (St. Elsewhere) as D.J. Fontana.

IN-DEPTH DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
– “Bringing A Legend To Life” Featurette With Archival Interviews Of Kurt Russell And John Carpenter (1979)
– Commentary By “The Voice Of Elvis” Ronnie McDowell And Author Edie Hand
– Rare Clips From American Bandstand
– Photo Gallery

Source: Shout! Factory

The Film Will Also Participate in The Mirage’s 20th Anniversary Bash, Slash & Friends, on Friday, Oct. 2

ROCK PROPHECIES, presented by the Samsung Memoir(TM), is the feature-length chronicle of conflicted photographer Robert M. Knight, on a quest to find both himself and the world’s next great guitar player. The film will have a FREE screening at the Terry Fator Theatre at The Mirage (3400 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109) on Saturday, October 3rd. Doors open at 1pm and the Screening starts at 2pm, followed by a Q+A with Robert Knight and director John Chester. Tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis at The Mirage Box Office.

Robert Knight is one of the most prolific rock photographers in history. ROCK PROPHECIES explores his amazing career and follows him on his quest to help the bands of today become the Rock legends of tomorrow, whether promoting Northern Irish band The Answer before anybody has heard of them, or convincing Aussie band Sick Puppies to sell everything and move to the United States. When Robert stumbles upon Tyler Bryant – a 16-year old guitar phenom from Texas – he’s convinced he may have found the next Stevie Ray Vaughan. Robert risks his reputation and career and takes a chance on Tyler. The two then set off on an unbelievable journey to take their own shot at making history.

ROCK PROPHECIES has been drawing major awards since making its festival debut in March at the 2009 AFI Dallas Film Festival where it won the Audience Award for Best Feature Documentary and Dallas’ WFAA-TV film critic Gary Cogill called it “a remarkable film.” It also took home the Best Doc Audience Award at the 2009 Nashville Film Festival. In June, the film was honored with the prestigious Audience Award for Documentary Vision from the 2009 Maui Film Festival. IndieWIRE’s Harriette Yahr, reporting from Maui, said, “This doc has all the elements of great filmmaking: a compelling subject, a terrifically-crafted story, a superlative look, a killer soundtrack, and loads of heart.” The film also had the recent honor of participating in IDA’s 13th Annual DocuWeeks in LA and NYC which qualifies documentary films for Oscar consideration.

Despite boasting footage of some of the best guitarists in the business, ROCK PROPHECIES is not a concert film. “It’s a true story about having a dream, and how to fulfill that dream,” Knight says. “For that matter, it’s the story of fulfilling other peoples’ dreams, too.” While building relationships with established guitar royalty, Knight has always managed to keep his finger on the cultural pulse, leaping at the opportunity to photograph and promote emerging talent such as blues-rock star Joe Bonamassa, and rising bands Sick Puppies, The Answer and Panic At The Disco.

A film by John Chester and produced by Tim Kaiser, ROCK PROPHECIES was shot in multiple locations across the U.S. and England and features interviews and performances from Jeff Beck, ZZ Top, Carlos Santana, Slash, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, and Steve Vai, among others. Kaiser has proclaimed Knight to be the “the Forrest Gump of Rock ‘n Roll” for his ability to capture history in the making, namely the last photo ever taken of Stevie Ray Vaughan and some of the earliest of Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. And in the words of Chester, Knight’s “ability to zero in on the legends of tomorrow is more than a little eerie. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t filmed it myself.”

ROCK PROPHECIES will also introduce the world to another way to capture historic Rock moments with the Samsung Memoir(TM) – a full touch-screen mobile phone designed to look and feel like a point-and-shoot digital camera. The Memoir, available exclusively from T-Mobile, has a built-in 8-megapixel camera and premium multimedia features, placing it among the highest quality imaging phones available in the U.S. The Memoir’s ability to capture and share quality photographs, and Robert Knight’s talent of capturing historical rock n’ roll moments make the tie-in with the film a natural fit.

Source: www.rockprophecies.com