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INO RECORDS AND DEREK WEBB SILENT NO MORE WITH RELEASE OF STOCKHOLM SYNDROME ON SEPT. 1 After nearly two months of silence, and several months of delay Derek Webb and INO Records are announcing the release of his newest album Stockholm Syndrome set to street Sept. 1, 2009. Over two years in the making, Webb co-produced Stockholm Syndrome with former Caedmon’s Call bandmate Josh Moore (Watermark, Bethany Dillon, Bun-B, Slim Thug). Stockholm Syndrome delivers everything listeners have come to expect from Derek Webb: killer pop hooks and lyrics as thought provoking as they are emotionally revealing. Sonically, however, this record is a radical departure for Webb, who has left his acoustic, folk/rock roots behind for a sound he describes as “intentionally inorganic.” Together, Webb and Moore have succeeded in creating a dense, richly absorbing sonic vernacular that pays homage to an entire century of music. From 1920’s jazz to 1950’s doo-wop, from disco and dance music to old-school R&B, Webb uses this album as a means of exploring deep issues through the central metaphor of Stockholm Syndrome, illuminating the ways in which a society can fall in love with an oppressive culture and become enslaved by it. That sound is palpable in every track from the strut of “Black Eye” and “Cobra Con” to the electropop of “Jena & Jimmy” and Webb’s ironic Fred Phelps-inspired love song, “Freddie, Please.” “Instead of writing a dozen songs and then trying to figure out the best way to record them, Josh and I spent a year collecting sounds we loved – beats, loops, odd bits of programming – then weaving those elements into tracks that moved us and made us feel something,” comments Webb. “Only then did we even begin to think about song structures and melodies and lyrics. It was the total reverse of my usual process and by far the most fun I’ve ever had making a record.” Due to what some are calling the provocative content and nature of the record, Webb has the most pre-release awareness of his career. Nearly 5,000 people regularly followed details of Webb’s release of Stockholm Syndrome daily as he leaked information via websites, twitter feeds, independent blogs, google searches and more. In that time Google recorded over 7,100 google searches and 1,200 independent blogs reporting on all or some aspect of Webb and Stockholm Syndrome. Webb was also among the top 70 google searches (internet wide) the first day information was released through his website. As part of the campaign, Webb also engaged 20 cities in the U.S. such as Orlando, Nashville, Dallas, Los Angeles and more on a scavenger hunt for “artifacts,” USB drives that contained new music. 1,500 people participated per day in finding the pieces of music in these U.S. cities. Webb also plans to tour this fall in all 20 markets where the scavenger hunt took place on the ‘Black Eye’ release tour. The search drew to a climactic close on Fri. Jul. 3 as Webb hosted a “secret” event for over 300 fans at The Rutledge in Nashville, Tenn. to watch a sneak peek of a documentary about Stockholm Syndrome and to participate in a Q&A with Webb and Moore. Supporters came from as far as Seattle, WA, Lincoln, NE and Austin, TX. 18 lucky fans who solved the final puzzle, which actually continued into the venue that night, found themselves whisked away to Webb’s home studio after the Rutledge show for an intimate listening party with Webb and Moore and exclusive, pre-release copies of Stockholm Syndrome. Webb and his free distribution tactics will be among the topics that author and editor Chris Anderson discuss in his upcoming book Free: The Future of a Radical Price, released on Jul. 7 from Hyperion. A former member of the Houston, Texas-based Caedmon's Call, singer/songwriter Derek Webb has seen career sales approaching one million records, 10 Dove Award nominations, a Billboard Music Video Award nod and six No.1 radio hits. Webb’s innovative music marketing and distribution strategies have received national news coverage in USA Today and the LA Times. # # # www.derekwebb.com 12/05/2007DEREK WEBB TOPS 2007’s “BEST OF” ALBUM LIST FOR PASTE MAGAZINE AND CHRISTIANITY TODAY.COM INO/Columbia Record’s innovative singer/songwriter Derek Webb has once again received high honors for his critically acclaimed release The Ringing Bell. The project was No. 27 out of 100 on Paste Magazine’s top albums of the year list, and then ChristianityToday.com editors considered Webb’s latest their No. 11 favorite album of the year, his fourth consecutive year on their list. This week XM Satellite Loft Sessions will run an exclusive interview/performance series with Derek Webb. This will be one full hour of Webb telling stories and playing different songs from projects past and present. The Loft Sessions is where XM invites their favorite artists up to the “loft” and asks them to create their ideal intimate musical session. This spring Webb will hit the highway with friends and fellow musicians Caedmon’s Call on a nationwide tour beginning in February and running through the end of April (more details on tour TBA). In addition, Webb’s latest Americana radio single “Name” was recently featured on ABC’S hit drama series “Grey’s Anatomy”. Be sure to tune in during the December 20th episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” to listen for Caedmon’s Call (featuring Derek Webb) song “Ten Thousand Angels” (check your local listings for more details). 06/29/2007 Derek Webb Speaks Out And Is Heard INO/Columbia Recording artist Derek Webb has spoken out on his latest critically-acclaimed CD, “The Ringing Bell,” and many are not only hearing him, but applauding him. Of late, mainstream publications PASTE, USA TODAY and The WASHINGTON TIMES have given Webb’s message a platform through their publications, among many others. USA Today music editor Ken Barnes called Derek Webb a "Christian maverick" singer-songwriter (that seems to be the standard description) who has a knack for power-pop choruses that rival Brendan Benson or any current practitioner you might want to cite”, and pop critic Elysa Gardner included Derek’s song “Name” in her recent ‘Playlist,’ calling it “a Beatlesque cut from The Ringing Bell finds the Christian pop maverick lending a sharper rock edge to his blend of compassion and witty skepticism.” (USA Today Blog) PASTE magazine recently made Derek Webb their lead review in their June issue, granting a rare 5 stars, saying “The Ringing Bell is a perfectly concise pop statement from an artist whose auspicious moment is right now. Easily one of the year’s best records.” In addition, Derek’s photo encompassed their table of contents page, with his name was featured on the cover, and his song “I Wanna Marry You All Over Again” was included on The PASTE Sampler 32. THE WASHINGTON TIMES recently sat down for a Q&A with Webb when he was in D.C., discussing the role his music plays in social justice and titling the article “Radical Truth Teller”: WashingtonTimes.com SOJOURNERS: Recently, more than 600 church leaders and anti-poverty activists from 29 states gathered in Washington, D.C., for Pentecost 2007, the largest annual mobilization of progressive evangelicals devoted to raising the national conscience and mobilizing on behalf of the nation’s poor. Webb performed at the event’s Justice Revival. Also a part of Pentecost 2007 were the top three Democratic presidential candidates (Sen. Hillary Clinton, former Senator John Edwards, and Sen. Barack Obama) discussed faith, values and poverty in FAITH Guiding Our Votes “One particularly moving moment in Derek's performance was when he played as images of the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina were shown,” remarked Robin Fillmore, PhD Conference Director Sojourners/Call to Renewal. “ It was a powerful combination to hear Derek's call for justice in the face as we saw images of broken buildings and broken spirits on the Gulf Coast.” These activists represent a national constituency of progressive Christians who want to translate their faith into action through political advocacy on issues like immigration reform, health care for children, food stamps, and other compassion issues. “With our eyes focused on the 2008 elections, we will speak out, organize and advocate in support of lawmakers who are committed to lifting the needy and giving hope to the poor,” said Rev. Jim Wallis, bestselling author of God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It, and a founder of Sojourners/Call to Renewal, the sponsor of Pentecost 2007. Sojourners/Call to Renewal is a Christian ministry whose mission is to articulate the biblical call to social justice, inspiring hope and building a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church, and the world. Visit www.sojo.net, www.RedLetterChristians.org, and www.GodsPolitics.com. 05/08/2007 DEREK WEBB BECKONS PEACE WITH THE RINGING BELL Leading the Christian music industry with radical new ideas, INO singer/songwriter Derek Webb again turns heads with his fourth solo project, The Ringing Bell, released May 1. As the title suggests, The Ringing Bell, is a collection that sounds clearly through the noise of the day, beckoning some, and warning others. It’s a call to meaningful conversations and it’s a great time. It injects songs into the cultural bloodstream that will move listeners to reflection and action while moving their feet. “I felt like there was more to say about the subject [peace], “ says Webb. I wanted to get further into the nuances of it. This is too important of a moment historically to not say more about the idea of peace. It’s right in my face at all times if I claim to be at all concerned with anything that Jesus ever said.” As Webb’s album became available to the public last week, the innovative songwriter is once again giving his fans a way to experience his music (and more) via electronic communication. After giving away over 80,000 free download of his Mockingbird album online last fall, Webb recently launched, The Ringing Bell.com, a place where fans and friends can go to hear some of the songs from the project, or place an order receiving the album and a bonus book. The book is a 96-page limited edition graphic novel, featuring complete lyrics and original artwork inspired by the record. Reviews have been pouring in praising Webb’s latest effort, including publications such as; Paste Magazine, HM Magazine, CCM, Relevant, Christian Music Today, and many more. Here is a taste of what the media is saying: “At just 30 minutes, The Ringing Bell is extremely short. But who cares when Webb continues to quickly churn out substantial songwriting? He’s become this generation’s Dylan and Keith Green combined.” --Christian Music Today “The Ringing Bell is a perfectly concise pop statement from an artist whose auspicious moment is right now.” --Paste Magazine “The Ringing Bell is fresh, candid and just good, old-school rock & roll. Webb’s pushed boundaries before, but this time, he just might have pushed his way into the must-have summer playlist of new fans, old fans and any Beatles’ fan on the planet.” --CCM No stranger to controversy, Derek releases his inner John Lennon and strips away our false conceptions about real world Christianity. --CBN.Com “The Ringing Bell is another stellar record in the career of one of the best things Christian music has going for it. –jesusfreakhideout.com Easily Webb’s most musically accessible album, The Ringing Bell may mirror his past albums in modest sales, as many of Jesus’ followers have a hard time swallowing the truth about our own failings. Don’t make that mistake. This album is essential listening. --Christian Musician To check out the latest news on Webb, go to www.derekwebb.com DEREK WEBB PREPARES TO RELEASE THE RINGING BELL IN MAY; USA TODAY TALKS WITH WEBB ABOUT FAITH, POLITICS & MORE NASHVILLE, TN.March 29, 2007.Beloved singer/songwriter and well-known controversialist, INO Recording artist Derek Webb is releasing his fourth solo studio project, The Ringing Bell, on May 1. With guaranteed confrontational and challenging lyrics, Webb provides his audience with a deep theological approach to today's issues with great music. "I do not do things in moderation," Webb admits. "I think The Ringing Bell is a record about peace on the whole.be it literally, conceptually, personally, nationally, or even spiritually." "I felt like there was more to say about the subject," he says. "This is too important of a moment historically to not say more about the idea of peace. It's right in my face at all times if I claim to be at all concerned with anything that Jesus ever said." The Ringing Bell, as the title suggests, is a collection that sounds clearly through the noise of the day, beckoning some, and warning others. It's a call to meaningful conversations and it's a great time. It injects songs into the cultural bloodstream that will move listeners to reflection and action while moving their feet. Webb hopes this record is a bit of a surprise. "Inadvertently I feel like I have somehow mysteriously made my most commercial record," Webb laughs. "It's definitely my most accessible one. I feel like it brings together the best elements of what people have liked about my music up to this point." Fresh on the heels of wrapping up the project, Webb was recently featured in the March 26th edition of USA Today, along with singer Rickie Lee Jones, in a two-column spread regarding the twisted ties of politics and religion. In the article, Webb comments, "I hope to tell people what I really see when I look at the world.it's the only medium I have, and it's as good a place as any to start." To view this article in it's entirety, go to http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/jones-webb.htm?csp=34. For more information regarding Derek Webb log onto www.derekwebb.com
INO Records’ critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Derek Webb is announcing a new way to own his brilliantly-reviewed and controversial album, Mockingbird: he is giving it away! Starting September 1st Webb will launch www.freederekwebb.com a place where anyone can go online and not just hear, but actually download, keep, and share Mockingbird completely for free!
"Derek has always been an innovator and forward thinker in his life, songwriting and musical endeavors, and this FREE DEREK WEBB campaign is an example of such creativity,? commented INO Records’ President Jeff Moseley. “We fully support Derek and this brave idea and are looking forward to watching fans react to his efforts."
Mockingbird tackles many sensitive issues including poverty, war, and the basic ethics by which we live and deal with others in a raw way that has made some people uncomfortable. But that’s okay with Webb. “I’m not trying to push buttons or make people upset,? he says. “I’m just trying to be as honest as I can. Even if people don’t agree, I hope they’ll listen. I’ve found music has been an exceptional means by which to get this potentially difficult conversation going, and this is certainly an important moment for dialogue amongst people who disagree about how to best love and take care of people, to get into the nuances of the issues. We hope this bold campaign will provide a jumping off point for conversations about all of these issues, and communicate my commitment to playing my part in starting them.? For more on Webb and these issues, check out the recent cover story of Relevant magazine at
www.relevantmagazine.com.
Adds Webb about the inspiration for the campaign, “One of the things that excites me most about the future of our business is how easy it is becoming to deliver music to people who want to hear it,? remarked Webb. “I heard a story once about Keith Green caring so much that people were able to hear and engage with his music that he gave it away for free, which was a very difficult and expensive thing to do at that time. It's actually never been as simple as it is today to connect music with music fans, and I want people to have a chance to listen to Mockingbird and engage in the conversation.?
Since Mockingbird’s release last December, Webb has had a wade array of people applauding his effort: “Webb climbs another level in the pantheon of Christian music…his songwriting cuts to the quick an demands a response that may not be easy. Webb is a reluctant prophet whose message is not a comfortable one but painfully necessary.?
--Relevant Magazine
“Derek Webb has crafted one of the most relevant and theologically informed records to emerge from Jesusland in recent memory. On Mockingbird, Webb reorients CCM from the standard, glib praisefare to charged religious protest. With lines like "peace by way of war is like purity by way of fornication," Webb proclaims an altogether radicalorthodoxy. Though earthy, brooding songwriting, the Nashvegas resident hints at other nonconformist, spiritually minded troubadours like Joseph Arthur and Sufjan Stevens. Amidst a national landscape of increasing religious herd mentality, the stern shepherding of Webb's protest songs is both welcome and needed. – PASTE magazine
“I love Derek Webb's CD, Mockingbird - everything about it…. It's rich and tasteful from beginning to end. A lot of us have been waiting for a "someday" and "someone" - when a committed Christian musician would start to lead in the areas of social justice and peace and break ranks with the domesticated muzak that so often passes for "Christian music." Derek is exactly the kind of artist we've been waiting for.? -- Brian McLaren, author/activist (anewkindofchristian.com)
For more information, log onto
www.derekwebb.com or
www.freederekwebb.com
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