Jack Irons Drafts Pearl Jam Pals For Solo Debut

http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000550563

Former Pearl Jam/Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons gets a lift from a host of his ex-bandmates on his solo debut, "Attention Dimension," due in August. Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder takes the mic on a cover of Pink Floyd's "Shine On, You Crazy Diamond," featuring Primus' Les Claypool on bass. Chili Peppers bassist Flea guests on "Suluhiana" and "Water Song," the latter boasting Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard on guitar. Irons left Pearl Jam for health reasons in early 1998, following the release of the album "Yield" and an Australian tour. "I had to dedicate myself to living a life that would promote healing and a right way of life for me and my family," he says. "The music on these recordings [is] what was creatively inspired along the way. I could not tour at that point but I still needed to create."

"Making this music was a way for me to work through all the changes and growing I had to do to become healthy again," he continues. "This music also helped me reconnect with some old friends and former bandmates, who I am very happy and thankful to say have performed as guest artists." Irons is abetted throughout "Attention Dimension" by his Eleven colleague Alain Johannes, who plays an array of instruments on seven tracks. Eleven's Natasha Shneider offers vocals on "Hearing It Doubled," while Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament augments the groove on "Dunes." The cut "Breaking Sea" includes a sample of Spectrasonics' "Heart of Africa." Irons joined Pearl Jam for two songs during an all-star concert last October in Santa Barbara, Calif. It was just the second time he had played with the group since he left. Here is the track list for "Attention Dimension":

"Jackie Groove" featuring Alain Johannes
"Suluhiana" featuring Flea, Johannes
"Ocean's Light"
"Hearing It Doubled" featuring Johannes, Natasha Shneider
"Shine On, You Crazy Diamond" featuring Eddie Vedder, Les Claypool, Johanne, Shneider
"Underwater Circus Music"
"Dunes" featuring Jeff Ament, Johannes
"Come Running" featuring Johannes
"Water Song" featuring Flea, Stone Gossard
"Breaking Sea" featuring Johannes
"Aquaman's Electric Band" featuring Johannes"

Message From Kucinich - Platform Persistence Produces Results

One month from today we are going to be in Boston for the Democratic National Convention. I am so excited because from all over the country people are getting ready to converge on Boston for a week of rallies and workshops and a discussion about the direction of this country and what we can do to put America back on the right path. Now for your part. We need your help--helping us to organize for a minority report on the platform. We're going to be making an effort to have the Democrats stand for taking a new direction in Iraq, a new direction in health care with universal single payer not-for-profit health care http://www.kucinich.us/issues/#key01 and to take a stand for including the Department of Peace http://www.kucinich.us/issues/departmentpeace.php in the platform.

When you see what happened in Texas http://www.kucinich.us/messages/062204-dennis.php last week where the Texas State Democratic Party put in the Party platform the Department of Peace, you see the potential we have for this powerful issue that will change the direction of this country. This campaign has kept its promise. I promised you right from the beginning that I would carry the campaign all the way through to the convention. We have a month to go right now, so help me keep my promise, and help us advance a minority plank in the platform that will enable us to let America know that we can take steps toward peace, we can take steps toward having health care for all. Thank you so much. I'm in Washington [DC] right now (I'm going back to Capitol Hill), but I just want to let you know that with a month to go we're still going strong. Keep us strong right to the conclusion at the convention. Thank you! Thank you so much for everything. My enthusiasm always remains very high because of your participation.