LOS ANGELES (UMe Records) -
Modern rock (Gin Blossoms), mainstream rock (Extreme) and pure country (Sammy Kershaw) are represented in the newest slate of releases in the groundbreaking UMe series 20TH CENTURY MASTERS/THE DVD COLLECTION, the video companion to 20TH CENTURY MASTERS/THE MILLENNIUM COLLECTION, the most successful single artist series of albums in history.
Each DVD compilation features five music videos digitally remastered in audio and video, with many making their U.S. DVD debuts.
Each DVD will be released August 3, 2004.
THE BEST OF GIN BLOSSOMS (A&M/UMe) revisits via music video one of the most extraordinary Modern Rock groups of the '90s. At first, 1992's NEW MISERABLE EXPERIENCE, the band's debut full-length album, struggled to find an audience. But the group's diligence paid off when "Hey Jealousy" went Top 10 Album Rock (#25 pop) nine months after the album's release. Also hitting from the album were "Found Out About You" (#25 pop/#5 AR/#1 Modern Rock) and "Until I Fall Away" (#21 pop/#40 AR/#13 MR), and NEW MISERABLE EXPERIENCE went quadruple platinum. The #11 pop hit "Til I Hear It From You," heard on the 1995 EMPIRE RECORDS soundtrack, is here in its international version. Gin Blossoms' follow-up, 1996's CONGRATULATIONS ... I'M SORRY, spawned "Follow You Down" (#9 pop/#6 AR/#8 MR), and a Grammy nomination.
THE BEST OF EXTREME (A&M/UMe) opens with the video for "Kid Ego," a jibe at self-important rock stars, which just cracked the Album Rock Top 40 from the self-titled 1989 debut album from the group led by singer Gary Cherone and guitar wizard Nuno Bettencourt. A concept album about the struggle for genuine love in a corrupt society, 1990's EXTREME II: PORNOGRAFFITTI was led by "Decadence Dance" and the horn-flavored "Get The Funk Out" (#34 AR). Then the acoustic ballad "More Than Words" hit radio, shot to #1 and was certified gold, sending the album to double platinum. Another single, the acoustic-based pop rocker "Hole Hearted," went to #4.
THE BEST OF SAMMY KERSHAW (Mercury Nashville/UMe) presents videos from one of Mercury's most popular and successful country artists of the '90s. Proudly flying the flag of pure country, Louisiana native Kershaw bucked the country pop trend and created his own honky tonk legacy. His 1991 platinum debut album, DON'T GO NEAR THE WATER, boasted the swaggering #3 "Cadillac Style."
That auspicious beginning was followed by 1993's platinum HAUNTED HEART and its Top 10 title track. 1994's gold FEELIN' GOOD TRAIN yielded a pair of #2s, "National Working Woman's Holiday" and his cover of the '70s hit "Third Rate Romance." 1997's platinum LABOR OF LOVE contributes the #2 "Love Of My Life."
