NASHVILLE |FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/LATHUM NELSON
LYNYRD SKYNYRD
NEW ALBUM ‘VICIOUS CYCLE’ DEBUTS AT #30
AS THE BAND TURNS 30
My hair’s turnin’ white, my neck’s always been red, my collar’s still blue
We’ve always been here tryin’ to sing the truth to you
Guess you could say we’ve always been red, white and blue
–“Red White and Blue,” LYNYRD SKYNYRD
LYNYRD SKYNYRD’s 30th anniversary—already highlighted by their biggest radio hit in 25 years, “Red White and Blue”—has now been marked by the #30 Billboard album chart debut of VICIOUS CYCLE (Sanctuary), their first new studio album in four years.
The band received this exciting news while rehearsing this week in Nashville for their forthcoming Jim Beam-sponsored worldwide tour. The group, who just completed a successful string of in-store autograph appearances at a few select Wal-Mart stores, jets off to U.K./Europe for a co-headlining tour of major venues with Deep Purple (June 13-June 29). LYNYRD SKYNYRD will launch their overseas itinerary with a special free show for American troops June 12 at Rhein Main Air Base in Frankfurt, Germany. Highlighting the set list will be “Red White and Blue,” a soaringly melodic patriotic tribute to the blue collar ethics that have immortalized LYNYRD SKYNYRD.
Meanwhile, U.S. fans–who recently heard members of LYNYRD SKYNYRD interviewed on national live radio shows Rockline (May 21) and Off The Record (May 27)–will get to experience the group live when they kick off their stateside trek July 5 in Hyannis, MA before co-headlining the “Party Of A Lifetime” Tour with Sammy Hagar, starting July 19 in Wisconsin.
LYNYRD SKYNYRD’s set list will include their many classics and songs from VICIOUS CYCLE. The album is distinguished by the three-headed guitar firepower of GARY ROSSINGTON, RICKEY MEDLOCKE and HUGHIE THOMASSON, the emotive vocals of JOHNNY VAN ZANT and the panoramic keyboard work of BILLY POWELL. Founding member ROSSINGTON was given the green light to tour from his cardiologist after a successful open heart operation in late February.
In a three-star New York Post review of VICIOUS CYCLE (May 27, 2003), Dan Aquilante wrote: “Skynyrd is back and this band of good ‘ol boys is ripping it up on a disc that extols the three B’s: beer, babes and bikes. Skynyrd’s version of the American dream is set to Gary Rossington’s Southern rock guitar slides…For an over-the-top highlight, wait out the 14 tracks for the bonus—a remake of the band’s ’76 hit ‘Gimme Back My Bullets’ featuring vocals by Kid Rock.”
For more information on LYNYRD SKYNYRD, VICIOUS CYCLE and the Jim Beam-sponsored worldwide tour, visit lynyrdskynyrd.com.
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