WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Michael Des Barres new album cover art

Regular readers will know that for the last week or so, Michael Des Barres and I have been keeping up an ongoing dialogue about his forthcoming album, various groovy chunks of mid 60s rock'n'soul and my wife's home made cake.

Here, for the first time anywhere as far as I am aware, is the cover art for the eagerly awaited new album.

I spent much of the afternoon writing the release sheet for it (or to be more honest, sitting in my favourite armchair with the Orange cat and dictating it), and once it has been approved by the Cheesefinder General then I shall share it with you guys.

In the meantime, here is another chance to hear 'Painkiller', the song wot is going to be the first single. A little bird tells me that they are filming the video for it soon, so I will do my best to pinch you a few stills...

MICHAEL DES BARRES - An exclusive sneak look at the next album

I have always liked Michael des Barres. Back in the mid 1980s when I was still a student and dating the girl who was to become my first wife, I heard a band called The Power Station. Alison (my first wife-to-be) was a massive fan of Duran Duran and so being as OCD as I am, I bought loads of Duran Duran rarities and spin-off records for her. One of them was the aforementioned debit LP from The Power Station. Its vocals were by Robert Palmer, a dude whom I always admired, and I was disappointed when I discovered that he didn't want to play live and so left the band after the first album but before they had started touring.

One day we were reading the music press and my future ex-wife said: "Oooh, they've replaced Robert Palmer with some bloke called Michael des Barres".

"Who the hell is he?" I grunted bad temperedly, but I checked him out and soon became a fan. Over the years I have got hold of stuff that he did with his previous bands, Silverhead and Detective. I also got mildly OCD about Led Zeppelin at around that time and as Detective had been signed to Swansong this was an added bonus. Over the years I have heard various bits and bobs that Lord des Barres (yes, he is a member of the British peerage) has done, and I have always been impressed.

This morning I woke up feeling dreadful. Bipolar and diabetes are not a good mix, and I have not been a well man for years, but this morning I was feeling particularly yucky. My sprits were lifted, however, by an email from the big cheese himslf. It contained an MP3 of a new song by des Barres, and a picture.

"This is jolly good" I typed back. "Tell me more".

"Well, its a sneak preview of a track from the forthcoming album 'Carnaby Street' which we are putting out in the late summer or fall" he replied.

I remonstrated him for not using the Queen's English. "It is autumn, dear boy", I wrote, but asked whether I could post the aforementioned sneak preview onto the blog.

"Go for it" he replied.

So I did.

MICHAEL DES BARRES UPDATE

OK, this is all rather complicated. It began this morning with an email from le grande fromage himself. Rob sent me a sneak preview of Michael Des Marres' new album, and boy is it good, but before we get to that, let me take you back to February via a story on Michael's website...

The Michael Des Barres Band played a special showcase gig at The Alley Rehearsal Studio in North Hollywood on February 3rd.

In attendance was Rob Ayling from UK-based label Gonzo Multimedia. The label is hoping to release the band's debut album sometime later this year, as stated in a news story on Gonzo Multimedia's:

"Michael Des Barres recently played a special showcase for Gonzo MD Rob Ayling in front of a specially invited audience at Little Feat's rehearsal facillity in North Hollywood. Michael performed new songs which will form the basis of a new studio album which will be released later in 2012. Rob Ayling was also discussing with Michael the possibility of other archive projects with Michael which are also looking to see the light of day later in 2012 and into 2013."

"I am so happy to be allied with this inventive and honest company... We are going to have so much fun together...and so are you!!", Michael wrote in a comment on Facebook.

A selection of photos from the showcase can be seen on photographer Heather Harris' blog.

Michael's episode of the FOX TV-show The Finder, originally scheduled to air in March, will now air on April 22nd instead.

FOX has decided to have a one-month break in the first season, and will also move the show from Thursdays to Fridays. The remaining episodes of season one start airing on April 6th.

More in the next posting...