Untitled Shirley Manson solo album

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Album
Untitled Shirley Manson solo album
Untitled Shirley Manson solo album cover
Studio album by Shirley Manson
Released tbc
Recorded March 2006 – Sept 2007
London, United Kingdom
Los Angeles, California
New York City, New York
Length --:--
Label Universal Music Group (tbc)
Producer Greg Kurstin, Butch Vig

Shirley Manson [title to be confirmed] is the debut solo album release from Garbage vocalist Shirley Manson, and is due for release in the first half of 2008 following the 2007 release of Garbage's greatest hits retrospective Absolute Garbage and prior to the band regrouping to begin work on its fifth album. [1] Much of the work on the album has taken place in Manson's Los Angeles base during Garbage's self-imposed year and a half long hiatus period. [2]

Manson has collaborated with a number of people on the project including fellow Scottish songwriter Paul Buchanan, US rock musicians Jack White, Billy Corgan [3] and Beck, [4] producer and keyboardist Greg Kurstin [5] and James Bond soundtrack composer David Arnold. [6] Garbage drummer and former Nirvana/Smashing Pumpkins producer Butch Vig is also co-writing and producing for her album. [7]

Manson's album has been delayed due to an "impasse" between herself and her record company over the direction of her music. Manson however is hopeful her record will see a release in 2008.[8]

Contents

[edit] Album

The first indication that Manson had begun any solo work was on December 2, 2005 when David Arnold's own website announced that Arnold had songwriting sessions booked with Manson "in the near future".[9] By March 1, 2006, the site revealed that Arnold had completed writing and producing with Manson for "her new upcoming project".[6] Arnold later confirmed that they had written and recorded a song together.[10] This was the first time Manson and Arnold had worked together since Garbage had worked on the title theme to The World Is Not Enough in 1999.[10] Billboard confirmed on March 14 that Manson had begun work on a solo album, adding that she had "no timetable" for completing the project.[11] On July 2, in a Sunday Times interview, Manson revealed that she had focused on writing for her album, and had asked Paul Buchanan to collaborate with her.[12] Buchanan later revealed that White Stripes frontman Jack White, Billy Corgan and Beck were also working on Manson's album. Buchanan was initially worried how his own writing would stand alongside theirs; Manson told him "Don't worry, I want you to do what you do".[3]

Buchanan described the sound Manson was after for her album: "She wants the album to be quite dark and moody".[4] After meeting Buchanan for the first time in July, [12] Manson recorded their work at his own Glasgow home studio in December.[3] (Buchanan: "I wrote the song and the melody and sent it over to her and she put together the lyrics. I'm not sure what she's decided to call it.")[13]

Billboard reported on January 8, 2007, that Butch Vig had written a couple of songs with Manson - who had by this time had collaborated with up to eight people on her record ("Just to see what the chemistry is like" revealed Vig)[14] In July, Drum Media revealed that Butch Vig was producing Manson's album, following his production commitments on The Subways forthcoming album.[7] On March 31, producer Greg Kurstin revealed that he was set to work with Manson,[5] and by November, Kurstin had registered sixteen songs with ASCAP and EMI Music Publishing,[15] although entries for all of the songs, with the exception of "So Shines A Good Deed",[16] were removed from ASCAP's website after various media reported it.

"I had a lot of material, but unfortunately I played it for my record label and they thought it was very 'noir', which I took as a huge compliment until I got home and realised they didn't mean it as a compliment at all. I'm 41. I'm a woman, I'm not a kid any more. I'm not interested in getting up in a short skirt and singing a pop song. Unfortunately, record labels feel that's what they need in order to have success."
Shirley Manson

Manson was scheduled to finish recording the album in September 2007.[17] Manson played her material to her record company who did not approve of the direction her solo material had taken.[18] Manson told journalists in April 2008 that "We're at an impasse. I think, maybe, they have a different idea of the kind of career I should have to the one that I want", adding "I've had a really successful career. I don't really need to do anything for money and I certainly have no intention of doing that. I just want to live a creative life and sing songs that have some meaning for me personally."[8]

Manson remains very proud of the solo music she's written, and she's hopeful it will see a release in the future. Manson has been working with other artists on musical collaborations while her album is on the back burner.[8]

[edit] Tracks written

  • "Don't Want Anyone Hurt"
  • "Don't Want To Pretend"
  • "Gone Upside"
  • "Hot Shit"
  • "Kid Ourselves"
  • "Lighten Up"
  • "Little Dough"
  • "No Regrets"
  • "Pissholes"
  • "Pure Genius"
  • "So Shines A Good Deed"
  • "Spooky"
  • "Stop"
  • "Sweet Old World"
  • "The Desert"
  • "To Be King"

Above songs credited to Kurstin / Manson and published by EMI April Music Inc. and Kurstin Music. [19]

[edit] Other concurrent solo work

On November 15, 2006, Jane's Addiction co-founder and recent touring bassist for Garbage, Eric Avery wrote on his blog that Manson had asked him to perform with her on a John Lennon cover version for the Amnesty International Instant Karma charity compilation, [20] however a scheduling misunderstanding left them short of time and unable to record the song. [21] Manson and Avery eventually co-wrote and recorded a ballad duet, "Maybe", for Avery's own 2008 album Help Wanted. [22] Avery describes his duet with Manson as "a beauty-and-beast pairing akin to the Serge Gainsbourg phenomenon "Je t'aime... moi non plus"" [23]

Manson has also collaborated with Gavin Rossdale for his solo album WANDERlust, singing vocals on the track "This Trouble I'm In"[24], and worked on a duet with Debbie Harry[25], which has not been finished.[26]

In November, a Scottish community schools project funded by South Lanarkshire Council, "Generation X", and organised by former Skids founder Richard Jobson and producer Brian Docherty in support of British Army victims of the Iraq war, invited Manson and a number of local artists to visit schools and hold music workshops with pupils, explaining to them what inspired their tracks and how they were written. Manson performed a version of Garbage's single "When I Grow Up" for release on the project's planned album. [27]

[edit] Record label

Although it is Manson's first record as a solo recording musician, technically it is her second solo album; her pre-Garbage band Angelfish's self-titled album was released under a solo contract to her record label Radioactive Records, signed in February 1993, prior to the label's sale to Universal Music Group. Manson was signed as a solo artist fronting her former band Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie's side-project group Angelfish to circumvent the former act's existing deal with MCA Records. [28] That contract obligated Manson to deliver at least one album and, at the sole option of Radioactive, up to six additional albums. [29] It is expected that her album will be released through Radioactive or another Universal label such as Island Records, [30] as Manson is still under contract to Radioactive to deliver a second album, despite the label having never demanded a second Angelfish album, their sole album Angelfish having sold only 10,000 copies. [31] A July 2001 lawsuit between Universal Music Group and Garbage regarding Manson's recording status was settled out of court, with Radioactive retaining exclusive worldwide rights to record and sell Manson's performances. The agreement allowed Manson to continue to record with Garbage, but did not free her from her 1993 contract. [30]

A recent article on Manson's album stated that Manson was now recording for Warner Music, Garbage's record label, this has not been confirmed by Manson or Warner Music.[18] That Manson's appearance on Gavin Rossdales album WANDERlust is credited to Geffen Records suggests that her Radioactive contract is now owned by Geffen, a Universal Music Group label.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Garbage Eyeing Mid-2008 To Start New Album". Billboard.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  2. ^ "No Place Like Home For Shirley". Heritage. Scotsman.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
  3. ^ a b c "Shirley's All-Stars: Singer signs A-List pals for solo CD". SundayMail.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  4. ^ a b "Shirley Singing The Blue". DailyRecord.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
  5. ^ a b "In A Sunshine State". TimesOnline.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  6. ^ a b "01/03/2006: Latest News. DavidArnold.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  7. ^ a b "The End of Chapter One". Garbage. Proboards60.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  8. ^ a b c "On The Edge of Her Seat". Scotsman newspaper. Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
  9. ^ "02/12/2005: Latest News. DavidArnold.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-29.
  10. ^ a b "David Arnold on his work with Shirley". GarbageDiscoBox.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  11. ^ "Garbage's Shirley Manson Flying Solo". Billboard.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  12. ^ a b "Not So Stupid Girl". TimesOnline.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  13. ^ Daily Record SHIRLEY SINGING THE BLUE; Nile's Paul Buchanan pens track for Manson's comeback solo album (November 16, 2006)
  14. ^ "Garbage, Raitt Lead Benefit For Veteran Drummer". Billboard.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  15. ^ "Garbage singer's solo album details leaked". NME.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-30.
  16. ^ "SO SHINES A GOOD DEED (Title Code: 494986577)". ASCAP.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-18.
  17. ^ Butch Vig, as quoted to Triple J radio, July 2007
  18. ^ a b "Shirley Manson album release at 'impasse' over new direction". DailyRecord.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
  19. ^ "Shirley Manson search results". EMIMusicpub.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-08.
  20. ^ "Jesus...". EricAvery.Blogspot.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  21. ^ "FYI Lennon cover song...". EricAvery.Blogspot.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  22. ^ "Dick Cheney is at it again...". EricAvery.Blogspot.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  23. ^ "Eric Avery Help Wanted CD (Press release)". DangerbirdRecords.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-30.
  24. ^ "Gavin Rossdale is a Wanderlust-ing Man". JustJared.buzznet.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-12.
  25. ^ "Keeping Her Tide High". National Post. Retrieved on 2007-10-24.
  26. ^ "Debbie Harry interview". SuicideGirls.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-14.
  27. ^ "Punk Legend's YouTube salute". Sunday Mail. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  28. ^ Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie "Hammer And Tongs" album sleeve-notes (2005 re-issue)
  29. ^ 153 F.Supp.2d 462 RADIOACTIVE, J.V., Plaintiff, v. Shirley MANSON, Defendant. No. 01 Civ.1948(SAS). United States District Court, S.D. New York. (July 29, 2001)
  30. ^ a b "Garbage, UK. Labels Settle Suit". Billboard.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-27.
  31. ^ "Garbage sues Universal Music". Jam. Canoe.Ca. Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
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Discography · B-sides · Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie · Angelfish · The World Is Not Enough · Shirley Manson's solo album