For Immediate Release
Rock Legends “The RAZ Band” Releases
New Album Featuring Badfinger's Joey Molland and Drum Legend Joe
Vitale!
Los Angeles - The RAZ Band have been
toiling in the rock and roll vineyard for longer than you might think.
Dedicated to the coolest place to ever grow up, the release of Madison Park
introduces The RAZ Band to a wider mainstream audience and is their
breakout album. Band leader Michael Raz Rescigno says: “I'm excited to get our
newest album, 'Madison Park' out. It's a diverse collection of music
from the last few years of our lives. With the tremendous production of band
members Joey Molland and Joe Vitale, we are looking forward to sharing
our music with the world.”
The album is dedicated to the New Jersey
town where Raz and his musical partner Hutch grew up. Raz recalls, “Madison
Park was a great place to grow up and we have many happy memories from that time
of our lives. With that in mind we created an album that when someone hears
it for the first time, the music already feels familiar. Songs that make you
smile. Music that you'll want to listen to over and over.”
This is the first Raz album created with
music legends Joey Molland (Badfinger) & Joe Vitale (Joe Walsh/Crosby,
Stills & Nash/The Eagles) as full band members. While they've been
recording together for years, this is the first album that was planned to be
a RAZ Band album and not a RAZ album, hence, “The RAZ Band”.
The catalyst that led to the Madison Park
album was a RAZ show at The Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood. Their guest
performers were Joey Molland,(Badfinger), Gary Duncan,(Quicksilver Messenger
Service) & Carla Olson, (The Textones). Raz recalls, “Whenever Joey
Molland came to LA we would record RAZ songs. This time we recorded Joey's
great song, 'Love Me Do' from the amazing Badfinger album 'No Dice'. To add to
the fun, Gary Duncan was able to join us for this recording
session.
”When Joe Vitale came back to LA,
RAZ went into the studio to record. “We recorded a new song that we wrote,
'$1.50 For Your Love'. After cutting the back tracks with scratch vocals,
Vitale said, 'This song is a hit song, and let me tell you, I know what a hit
song is'. And of course he does, he co-wrote 'Rocky Mountain Way' with Joe
Walsh.
“A couple days later we went back into
the studio with Vitale and recorded another one of our favorite songs, 'Shoot
'Em Up'. This is from Joe Vitale's great album, 'Roller Coaster
Weekend'.
“Fast forward a couple of years and we
recorded many other songs I had been writing, including a very cool new
version of 'Time Marches On' from the album ,'The Best of Los Angeles 1987'. We
recorded some oldies that Hutch & I loved as kids. We recorded twenty five
songs in all. 'Madison Park' shows many sides of the RAZ musical spectrum and it
was made with lots of love and laughs and aha moments.”
“I met the Raz almost 40 years ago and
he's been knocking me out ever since, the truth is in the songs, I don't think
he ever had an idea outside of that idea, so I started playing on his sessions
like a lot of other people, we've done gigs separate and together for all those
years and here we are with our first record deal, thanks Gonzo, hello world,
will anything ever be the same? sure it will, 'cept you'll have the RAZ band to
make sure.” - Joey Molland
“Raz came to some of the Joe Walsh
shows and my solo shows I did as far back as the early 70's....we've been
friends ever since...both personally and musically! We've recorded a ton of
GREAT Raz originals and yes...miracles can happen....in this century....A RECORD
DEAL! Well, being a couple of devoted Beatles' fans, we have a similar sense of
'song'....the RAZ catalogue is massive, current and rockin'! They are ALL fun
grooves and great lyrics!! It's GREAT to introduce the RAZ band to the world!” -
J Vitale
The RAZ Band features Michael Raz Rescigno on vocals &
guitar, Jeff Hutch Hutchinson on drums & vocals, Jim Manzo on bass
and vocals, Joey Molland on guitar & vocals, and Joe Vitale on drums, keyboards &
vocals.
These musicians have played on RAZ's
albums, at RAZ shows or Raz has been a part of projects with them: Joey
Molland (Badfinger), Joe Vitale ,(Joe Walsh, C,S,N & Y, Frampton, Eagles),
Gary Duncan,(Quicksilver Messenger Service), Gilby Clarke (Guns & Roses),
Stu Cook (Creedence Clearwater Revival/Revisited), Randy Castillo (Ozzy), Marc
Droubey (Survivor), Rick Bozzo (Meatloaf, The Frost, Sabu), Carla Olson (The
Textones, Mick Taylor, Gene Clark). Preston Epps (Bongo Rock, Bongos, bongos,
bongos), Steve Gunner (Belinda Carlisle, Creedence Clearwater Revisted), Mark
Healy (Joey Molland's Badfinger), Randy Anderson (Joey Molland's Badfinger), Joe
Vitale Jr (solo artist), Gordon Copeley (Lita Ford Band), Ed Cassidy (Spirit),
Buddy Miles, Billy Cox (Hendrix), Barry Goldberg & Harvey
Mandel.
RAZ has opened for Badfinger, Missing
Persons, Berlin, Marky Ramone, Bill Ward, Iron Butterfly and others. Raz
co-wrote songs with Bobby Hayden that appear in the 2015 bio movie,
“The Life, Blood & Rhythm of Randy Castillo”.
Raz was musical director for the
Universal Wrestling Federation professional wrestling league, and wrote theme
songs for the wrestlers and music for the TV show.
What people have said about
RAZ:
“Put RAZ on MTV & they would be
immediately elevated to the rock-star position & would be on every FM
station.” - Airton Diniz Roadie Crew Magazine
“If you are looking for some good rock
and roll, I suggest you check out RAZ. These guys play really good, Real rock
music.” - Mark Rasmussen, No Cover Magazine
“Jerseyan Raz Goes West, gets Fans.” -
Paul Bubny, The East Coast Rocker
“…from the depths of New Joisey, it's
street-wise rocker RAZ!” - L.A. WEEKLY
“Nasty fun with rocking RAZ!” - Tom R
Miller, Los Angeles Herald Examiner
“Punk That Goes Pop, RAZ rocks, with a
nod to the Beatles and Creedence Clearwater Revival.” - James E. Fowler, Los
Angeles Times
“Let me tell ya, some good stuff here. I
really enjoy RAZ!” - Kelly Cox, KLOX 95.5 FM L.A.
“RAZ is a band with unique artistic
vision that has something to say!” - Tramp X-Press College Radio
Consultant
“No Explanation could describe
them!...They Rock, They Roll, They Rule!!” - Greg Calkins, Full Blast
Studios
“The influence of Badfinger can also be
seen on Rescigno's musical style: Bright and catchy Pop as pure as it comes.” -
Jay Lustig, The East Coast Rocker
“RAZ is moving up the charts…A RAZ is a
RAZ is a RAZ!” - Variety Magazine
“It's been said that Los Angeles is the
musical capital of the world-no arguments here. Well if you have any doubts,
check out 'The Best of Los Angeles 1987, Produced by Michael Raz Rescigno'” -
Kevin Coogan, Cashbox Magazine
In early 2016 Gonzo MultiMedia will be
releasing “The Best of RAZ”. Followed by the release of “Razfinger” in the
spring. The RAZ Band with Joey Molland & Joe Vitale are planning to perform
in England and elsewhere in 2016 and record a live CD and DVD.
In closing Raz has this to impart, “Live
your life. If you truly believe it, you can accomplish whatever it is that
you want to accomplish. Only you can stop you. Have fun, time marches on, so
enjoy it. Even when it's hard to do, look for something uplifting, something
positive. Try to be giving. Like John Lennon said, 'All You Need Is
Love'.”
Tracks:
$1.50 For Your Love 4:44
What Love Can Do 3:10
The Road of Love 3:43
Say Ya Love Me 3:01
Time Marches On 2:58
You're My Love 3:15
Searching Forever 3:41
You're The Magic 3:38
The Paths That We Take 5:19
Start Your Engines 3:27
You Don't Know A Thing 2:32
Barbara Operator 4:50
High School Reunion 2:40
Love Me Do 3:00
Shoot Em Up 3:25
When Dogs Fly South 5:13
For more information:
RAZ Facebook:
Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH:
828-350-8158,
glassonyonpr@gmail.com
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