Billboard Bits: Pretenders, Folk Implosion, Bon Jovi

9/11/2002

News on Pretenders, Folk Implosion, Bon Jovi

The Pretenders have ended a career-long association with Warner-affiliated labels by inking a new deal with Artemis. The Chrissie Hynde-led band's label debut, "Loose Screw," is due Nov. 19 and will be preceded by first single "Complex Person." The track can be sampled from Artemis' official Web site. Hynde and company also cover All Seeing I's U.K. dance hit "Walk Like a Panther," originally sung by Pulp's Jarvis Cocker.

"Loose Screw" was produced and mixed by the team of Jonathan Quarmby and Kevin Bacon (Finley Quaye, Del Amitri). It's the band's first album since 1999's "Viva el Amor," which debuted at No. 158 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 100,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.

As previously reported, the Pretenders are opening a handful of shows for the Rolling Stones this month. A North American headlining tour is expected to kick off next year. The group also covers "Something To Believe In" for the Ramones tribute album "We're a Happy Family," due Nov. 12 from DV8/Columbia.

-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

Indie rock mainstay Lou Barlow has reactivated his Folk Implosion project, and will release a new, as-yet-untitled album early next year. The set will be the act's first since 1999's "One Part Lullaby" (Interscope), and its debut for the iMUSIC label. Barlow is working with Folk Implosion drummer Russell Pollard (who is a member of another of Barlow's successful projects, Sebadoh) and guitarist Imaad Wasif.

Also collaborating on the set are producers Aaron Espinoza (Grandaddy), Mickey Petralia (Beck, Eels), and Wally Gagel, who engineered Folk Implosion's 1997 release "Dare To Be Surprised" (Communion). Not involved is John Davis, who formed Folk Implosion with Barlow, but exited the fold shortly after the release of "One Part Lullaby."

In other news, Barlow recently released an album yet another project, Sentridoh. Issued in April, the low-fi outfit's "Free Sentridoh Songs From Loobiecore" on the Loobiecore label will be supported with a Barlow solo acoustic club tour kicking off Oct. 8 in Visalia, Calif. According to a statement, fans can expect to Barlow to perform Folk Implosion, Sebadoh, and Sentridoh songs, both solo and with help from other musicians performing at each date. The 38-date tour is set to wrap with a pair of Nov. 19-20 shows in Los Angeles.

-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.

Bon Jovi's concert Wednesday (Sept. 18) at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London will be transmitted live via satellite to 11 UCI cinemas across the U.K. It is understood to be the first such initiative in Europe. Tickets for the screenings will be free, available only via contests on local radio and other media. The Shepherd's Bush show -- Bon Jovi's first European club gig in 10 years -- sold out in just eight minutes.

As previously reported, the group's new Island album, "Bounce," is due Sept. 23 in the U.K. on Mercury and Oct. 8 in North America. A world tour is set to kick off later this fall.

-- Lars Brandle, London