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Fishbone Continues the Funk on New Album, Announces Tour
Los Angeles legend Fishbone is set to start a club tour to support its new album "Fishbone & the Familyhood Nextperience Presents the Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx" (Hollywood Records), to be released on March 21st.
The tour's first leg begins on March 24th in Santa Ana, Calif., and ends with an April 14th show at L.A.'s Universal Amphitheater with No Doubt and the Suicide Machines. Other dates find the group headlining in Texas, Arkansas and Kansas.
''Fishbone & the Familyhood Nextperience...'' is Fishbone's ninth album, the first since 1998's ''Chim Chim's Badass Revenge.'' Contributing to the record's eclectic blend of funk, ska and rock are No Doubt's Gwen Stefani, Parliament Funkadelic's George Clinton, Rick James, Perry Farrell, Donny Osmond and the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, Chad Smith and John Frusciante.
''I think it's great,'' new drummer John Steward said of the album. ''I think it's going to open up a lot of new ears towards Fishbone. I think it might even open up a few ears that have been closed to Fishbone. It's a little more radio-friendly, something that I think everybody would be able to appreciate. I think it'll do well for them--uh, I mean us. I still refer to [Fishbone] as 'them.' Can't get too cocky.''
In the 20-year span of the band's career, the humble Steward is Fishbone's second drummer. In 1998 he was called by bassist Norwood Fisher to audition, after longtime drummer Fish left the group. The tour promises to give longtime fans a taste of the old and the new--which means the set lists will give Steward quite a workout.
''Norwood changes the set list every night,'' Steward said. ''When you've got stuff from 'Chim Chim's Badass Revenge,' 'Ugly,' a little jam in between there and then go into 'Skankin to the Beat'--that's the type of set where you have to pace yourself. You might want to go off and blow off some steam on this one part of the song you really dig, but you know that you're going to be spent to go into the next song. And that is not allowed in the band.''
Before the start of the tour, band members Norwood Fisher and Angelo Moore will participate in an online chat on the Dr. Drew.com Web show (www.drdrew.com) on March 13 at 7:30 p.m. PST. The group will also chat and play two songs on the Wherehouse Lounge (www.wherehouse.com) on March 16 at 6 p.m. PST.
March
21 - Los Angeles, CA - Tower Records on Sunset
24 - Santa Ana, CA - The Galaxy
26 - Tucson, AZ - The Rialto
27 - Albuquerque, NM - Launch Pad
28 - El Paso, TX - E-9 Nightclub
31 - St. Louis, MO - The Firehouse
April
1 - Springfield, MO - Juke Joint
2 - Omaha, NE - Ranch Bowl
3 - Fayetteville, AR - Dave's On Dickson
4 - Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck
5 - Boulder, CO - The Fox Theatre
6 - Jacksonhole, WY - Side Winders
7 - Pocatello, ID - The Rock
8 - Seattle, WA - The Fenix
10 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
12 - San Jose, CA - The Usual
14 - Los Angeles, CA - Universal Amphitheater (with No Doubt)