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February 20th, 2008
Preview a song from "Live At Workplay" here!

 

February 18th, 2008
New CD "Airstream" and new double DVD "Live At Workplay" Available Now!!
How's this for a double feature - first up, the new, stripped down album "Airstream." "Airstream" makes its distinctive musical and lyrical points with a range of contemporary styles, from folk balladry to acoustic soul and reggae. All could easily have inspired full-scale arrangements, but Wilcox chose to make a recording as intimate as his one-man shows - just his versatile baritone and agile guitar work.
“We decided to make this a voice-and-guitar record; even beautiful harmonies didn't make it to the mix,” David said. “The simple arrangements just worked best for this batch of songs.”

Then, the long-awaited "Live At Workplay" DVD. This is a 2 DVD set, with a full, unedited concert on Disc 1. Disc 2 is all bonus features, David talking about the stories behind the songs, some guitar how-to, a bit about how he gets his sound for all the gear heads out there and a very unique discussion of how he approaches songwriting - sort of a 'how-to' for aspiring songwriters, but its as much a 'why-to' as well.

So.. what are you waiting for - check them out here or just go straight to our store..

May 15th, 2007
Demand David Wilcox to play in your town!
We have recently discovered eventful.com, a cool website that lets performers gauge where they are most wanted. Click on the image to demand David Wilcox in your town!



February 14th, 2007
Downloadable "Vista" tour poster



Here's a poster you can download, print, and use to promote David Wilcox shows in your hometown.. click on the image or right here..

January 23rd, 2007
"Give to Receive" contest winners announced:

Here's the lucky winners -

Dave Sloop - Troutville VA 1st Prize - House Concert
Judi Sawyer - Austin TX 2nd Prize - Autographed Rainsong Guitar
Darren Garland - Cherry Hill NJ 3rd Prize - signed Memorabilia package.

April 24th, 2006:
New album "Vista" now available for immediate delivery on our new store..

Lookee, Lookee, we got a grown-up new store - state field drop-down menus and everything.. and our first big new CD on sale is "Vista," you can click right here and buy it..

 

April 21st, 2006:
New album "Vista" coming soon, extensive nationwide tour begins this Sunday in San Francisco.. hear two songs here:

For his new album, David Wilcox recruited a small band of friends and musical favorites and in so doing, created an album that moves along a solid groove and into a more animated place than his previous recordings. The album is set for release on this Spring on What Are Records? This is perhaps his most joyous, musically diverse and wide ranging in a career that includes 12 acclaimed albums and a rabidly faithful following. Wilcox wrote or co-wrote 14 of the 15 songs, with the exception being a cover taken from the album of his friend J.D. Martin Wayne Kirkpatrick.
The rhythm section features Craig Young (bass) and Ted Ray(drums). Wilcox, who is generally regarded a "guitarists' guitarist", also enlisted the help of guitarists Jared Tyler Duke Levine, cellist Stephanie Winters and for vocal support, his wife Nance Pettit, Jan Garrett, and Ginny Owens. The album was co-produced with Ben Wisch.

Meanwhile, Wilcox and Pettit along with their 13-year-old son, Nathan, are traveling the country in an Airstream Trailer pulled by their bio-diesel truck. We love the whole concept of not knowing what each day will bring," says Wilcox, "and not being sure where the path is leading, things being wide open. It's been real enlightening."

Click here to see the tracklist, and hear two songs from this album.


ALWAYS WORTH READING:
Bob Lefsetz of The Lefsetz Letter writes about David Wilcox's place in the Music Industry:

It's long, but it's worth it:

"They tell us online file-trading will kill not only the music business,but music ITSELF!! If people can't get paid for their material, there will be no INCENTIVE! Well, maybe if major label revenues continue to decline, EXECUTIVES will no longer wish to WORK in the business, for decreased salaries, but make no mistake...the musicians are going to continue to create. Because they HAVE to.

And they're going to get paid for their work TO BOOT!

Tonight I went to Pepperdine University to see David Wilcox. Now I'm not a big David Wilcox fan, but I AM friends with his manager, Tom Simonson. It's all about the friends, NEVER FORGET THAT! Ascending the highway into Pepperdine gave notice that I was leaving the war-infested world behind.

I had to relinquish my computer screen, with its constant updates. The vibe...it was DIFFERENT! OTHERWORLDLY! The parking attendants didn't sneer, and pray on the inside that I WASN'T on the list. It was so CIVILIZED!

But what I truly wasn't prepared for was the number of attendees. It was SOLD OUT!! Five hundred people at $32.50 a pop (oh, some of the tickets were sold to students for six bucks). And when the lights went down, and David strode out onstage, the APPLAUSE! These weren't CASUAL attendees, these were FANS!

I didn't get the memo...how did THEY! And David plays solo. Just him and his guitar. Telling intro stories. INTELLIGENT intro stories. It's not the glitz and glamour we associate with the music business today. That music business railing about its death.

THAT music business only wants something that can sell MILLIONS of copies. Which INHERENTLY means that it's lowest common denominator stuff, or OVERSOLD, or BOTH!!!

It's not like the labels USED to be this way. Look at Elektra. Jac Holzman started it to put out FOLK records. Because he loved the music, wanted to be part of the scene, wanted to get CLOSER!

Today's executives just want to get RICH! You can tell they're not interested in music, OTHERWISE, they'd all GO ONLINE TO KAZAA and see what it's all about. That's what made ME a believer in online music, USING IT!

When a fan can get unreleased songs from his favorite artist, he's in HEAVEN! But this is what the major labels want to KILL!

And the business wasn't different only in the late fifties and sixties. No, in the seventies TOO! AFTER the Beatles. AFTER the big time! I went to see James Taylor solo at Harvard in the spring of '70. Three nights after seeing "Woodstock". Positively MESMERIZING! Amazing the sound, the INTIMACY one man and his guitar can create. Hell, maybe that's the explanation of the success of Jack Johnson and John Mayer.

Unfortunately, the hype attendant to these two artists is not commensurate with their TALENT! Oh, they've got something. But it doesn't bring Carolina into my mind. Doesn't TOUCH me the way that James, or Jackson Browne or Joni Mitchell did. The MACHINE is just as important as the TALENT today.

But I'm not a believer in the machine.

And no one else is either.

But there's David Wilcox. And other neo-folkies. And bands too. Who've taken things into their own hands. Rather than waiting for major labels to pick them up and send them on a rocket ride, they're minding their OWN business. WITHOUT tour support.

Sure, Wilcox was once on a major label, but the String Cheese Incident never was. And never WILL be according to their manager.

What can a major label do but FUCK IT UP!!

Oh, they can pay the act MORE MONEY!

But how much money does one person NEED!

And, the label might give a big sum up front, but how about next year...You'll never recoup. And they only want a new album every two or three years, which feeds their BUSINESS cycle, but does it feed the act's ARTISTIC cycle??

And after getting a standing ovation, that five hundred bought sixty CDs. Oh, they would have bought more, but that's all that were available, a shipping snafu having held up the rest. At fifteen bucks a POP! No one blinked. They wanted the souvenir. As a badge of honor, as a badge of IDENTITY! One of the secrets of life is not EVERYBODY wants the same stuff.

Kind of contrary to the majors' philosophy, don't you think? Selling just a few titles in TONNAGE amounts. And while the merch table was emptying, Mr. Wilcox hung amongst the attendees. Signing CDs, talking, posing for photos. BONDING with the people, making them FANS for life. There were no security guards, no WALL between the act and audience. Fans could REVEL in David's ability to play the guitar and sing...but that was HIS gift, just like they had THEIRS, however invisible to the public at large.

David Wilcox's concert numbers are holding steady. Despite the recession. Absent major label hype. Maybe it's because, as he said, the concertgoers could have attended a movie instead, but that movie will be the same tomorrow. Each of his concerts is unique, a one time event. Can you say the same about the choreographed, on tape productions touring arenas today? People can watch them as SPECTACLE, they just can't BOND with them. They're DEAD, like movies. Not ALIVE like music. And when did it become all about the record ANYWAY! The record used to just be a component, not the sole item. Just ONE of the products the artist sold. Tell this to J. Lo. Then again, J. Lo isn't an artist. And doesn't have the hard core fan base a true artist has.

And thinking about all the foregoing, and the mood it put me in, reflecting on life, how I was rescued from the war for a few hours, how I was a member of a secret society, I had to hear a song that reflected my mood...."

Copyright 2003 Robert Scott Lefsetz
You can (and should) read more of The Lefsetz Letter at Celebrity Access

 

01.03.02
David Wilcox's new CD "Into The Mystery" available now exclusively through WhatAreRecords.com, in stores February 25th, 2003.

Yes, it's actually here, in our hands. Shipping starts today. The complete track listing for this album is available on our David Wilcox discography page.

There's also an exclusive preview of the song "Out Of The Question" available on that page.

Here's the cover:

You can purchase the album by clicking here

 

05.24.02
David Wilcox interview at musician.com
David talks about...well, everything. It's a good one, see for yourself. Enjoy!

05.14.02
David Wilcox concerts selling out across the country,
live songs & stories earning fantastic reviews
Just a friendly reminder - if David's coming to your town, and you don't have tickets yet, you might want to hurry, as nearly every show on his current tour has been a complete sell out.

If you need further convincing, check out these recent raves from writers across the country for the new album, live songs & stories:

"[David Wilcox] has a rare ability to mix metaphor and melody in ways that are moving without being maudlin. [In live songs & stories] fans will appreciate the new arrangements of old favorites and the spoken intros, and newcomers will get a taste of a talent that deserves far wider recognition."
- The Associated Press

"...[T]he telling live songs & stories shows he's nothing if not up-close and personal. While Wilcox stresses repeatedly that he is only a messenger for the music, his wit and wisdom radiate throughout this set, creating a warm glow that informs and embraces each offering."
- Goldmine Magazine

"More than merely a souvenir of his live performances, live songs & stories captures the essence of a live David Wilcox show."
- Vintage Guitar Magazine

"Ultra-cool with a dash of laid-back soul, Wilcox delivers his songs so methodically and crisply that you'll find yourself hanging on every word, every note, and the infinite breath in between. "
- Rochester City Newspaper

04.05.02
Allmusic.com gives "live songs & stories" 4 stars!
In a glowing review, Allmusic.com states that David's new live album "...leaves the listener not only with a glimmer of insight into the performer's mindset, but also with an undeniable hope and kinder worldview." To read the complete review, click here.

02.26.02
What Are Records? is proud to announce the signing of David Wilcox to our label. His debut W.A.R.? release, live songs & stories, is due in record stores on April 9th. David will be supporting this release with a full national tour this spring, you can get the tourdates here. Also, be sure to sign up on our mailing list, and visit this site frequently for your chance to hear and buy this album before the official street date.

 

 

 

 

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