LONDON, UK (Top40 Charts/ Demon Digital) - Demon
Digital is proud to announce the acquisition of the licence to issue the complete
Average White Band catalogue of albums released from 1973 to 1982.
Eleven classic albums will be available digitally for the first time in the UK from Monday 27th April, 2009.
As well as being available individually, Demon Digital will be issuing all eleven albums in four deluxe digital sets, which have all been overseen by Average White Band's Alan Gorrie, Hamish Stuart and Onnie McIntyre. The fully annotated special digital booklets will feature memorabilia from their own personal collections, including brand new interviews.
In addition to the eleven original albums being released Demon Digital will also be releasing a digital only Best Of Album 'Let's Go Round Again' and a special 5 track digital EP. The four deluxe digital (and deluxe 2CD sets).
Show Your Hand + How Sweet Can You Get + Average White Band [Digital: VEXEDSD2030 / 2CD: EDSD 2030]
Cut The Cake + Soul Searching + Benny & Us [Digital: VEXEDSD2031 / 2CD: EDSD 2031]
Person To Person + Warmer Communications [Digital: VEXEDSD2032 / 2CD: EDSD 2032]
Feel No Fret + Volume VIII + Shine + Cupid's In Fashion [Digital: VEXEDSD2033 / 2CD: EDSD 2033]
Playing their own brand of soul, Scotland's Average White Band rocketed to fame and fortune in late 1974 with their absolute classic eponymous second album, usually known as the 'White Album', and the accompanying single 'Pick Up The Pieces', an instantly recognizable and perennial classic, and a staple of 'gold' radio stations around the world. Both the album and single reached No. 1 on the US pop charts - in the UK, both reached No. 6.
Full Digital Catalogue available from 27th April 2009 from all download stores iTunes, eMusic, Amazon, 7 Digital and mobile.
The Individual single albums available (only digitally)
Show Your Hand (1973)
Average White Band (1974)
Cut The Cake (1975)
Soul Searching (1976)
Person To Person (1976)
Benny and Us (1977)
Warmer Communications (1978)
Feel No Fret (1979)
Volume VIII (1980)
Shine (1980)
Cupid's In Fashion (1982)
Average White Band - Top Facts
� All AWB's original members knew each other on the Scottish music scene in the late 60s, but only came together as a band in London in late 1971.
� The band's lucky break came when they were picked as the support act at Eric Clapton's legendary comeback concert at The Rainbow in 1973.
� MCA released their first album 'Show Your Hand', but rejected the follow-up album. Atlantic Records' co-founder Jerry Wexler heard the songs, signed the band, and legendary producer Arif Mardin re-recorded virtually the entire album in New York.
� The resultant album 'Average White Band' (aka 'The White Album') reached No 1 on both the US Pop and R&B charts, in late 1974. 'Pick Up The Pieces' reached No 1 in the US Pop chart and No 5 on the R&B chart. In the UK the album and single both reached No 6.
� 'Pick Up The Pieces' was originally the B-Side of the single but the US DJ reaction to the track quickly saw it being given A-side status.
� Band founder, bassist and co-lead vocalist Alan Gorrie came up with the original idea for the band's instantly recognisable and distinctive logo.
� Average White Band is the 15th most sampled band of all time. Their songs have been sampled on over 100 Hip Hop and R&B songs.
� The band was named after a phrase spoken by a diplomat friend who would refer to the habits of the 'average white man' abroad.
� AWB scored seven Top 40 US singles, eight Top 40 US albums and fourteen R&B chart singles and were nominated for three Grammy Awards. They also had four Top 40 UK singles and five Top 40 UK albums.
� Over 40 AWB songs have been featured on movies and TV shows.
� The band, featuring Alan Gorrie and guitarist Onnie McIntyre, still play concerts around the world and will be touring in the UK in Autumn 2009.
� Guitarist and co-lead vocalist Hamish Stuart was not only a member of Paul McCartney's touring and recording band through the early 90s, but was also a member of Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band in 2006 and 2008.
� Hamish also owns and runs a gastropub in Kent, and plays frequent concerts in London.
� Chaka Khan (for whom Hamish Stuart wrote the No 1 hit 'What'cha Gonna Do For Me'), Luther Vandross, and the Brecker Brothers have all sung or played on the AWB albums.
� Of the eleven original albums DMG is releasing exclusively on digital on 27th April, in the US 'Soul Searching' went Platinum (1 million+ sales), another three achieved Gold status (500,000+), and one went Silver.
