Ed Hale Makes Magnet Magazine a Mixtape

Ed Hale takes a solemn note upon the release of his band’s latest All Your Heroes Become Villains

It’s tricky for a musician who started as young as Ed Hale to be seen as anything other than the 17-year-old “Eddie Darling.” But impressively, Hale has made a name for himself with his various outings over the years, the most recent being Ed Hale And The Transcendence, which just released All Your Heroes Become Villains (Dying Van Gogh). With this band, Hale has pioneered the idea of “planetary music”: a combination of modern-rock aesthetics and world-music sounds. In his own solo career, his output is still deeply personal, but it focuses more on the acoustic instead of his sonorous and genre-spanning songs with the Transcendence. Also an activist, writer and businessman, Hale is a man with many talents, all of which influence his inspired sound. Hale made this awesome mix tape below for MAGNET.

“Solaris” (download):
Audio Player00:0000:00

Lou Reed “Street Hassle”
I placed this first because out of all the songs that have ever been recorded in modern pop/rock history, it still stands as one of the most unique and innovative of all time. I still listen to it and just don’t get how Lou managed to pull it off. Three separate parts all tied together, but not like a concept album or anything. To me as an artist, innovating is still really important. And that’s why I dig Lou so much. He’s always reaching for something new. Video

Laurie Anderson “O Superman”
First time I heard this song I was in college. I couldn’t understand what I was hearing. Running both her electric violin and voice through numerous harmonizers to create a sound that we had never heard before. But, that’s not enough. She wasn’t just innovating. This song also happens to be beautiful. We have to give her props for how far she’s pushed the envelope for us all. Video

Phoenix United
I know I’m cheating a little here because this is an album rather than just a song, but United is one of those records that’s like a “treasured little secret” among people who know it. They recorded this album back in 1999, long before the ’80s New Wave Revival got kicking here in the States. Because of that, Phoenix remained an unknown band for years because they were so far ahead of the curve. But for people who love super-catchy West Coast breezy pop, buy this albumVideo

The Strokes “Someday”
The Strokes released their now-classic Is This It album in 2001. I started turning on to the Strokes like everybody else, and they just grabbed me. Now I can’t imagine a world without them. This whole first album is filled with awesome songs. The distorted vocals, the melodic guitar lines, the bouncy pop rhythms, the fuck-it-all attitude. They’re just very appealing, and this song is one of my favorites on the album. Video

T.Rex “Spaceball Ricochet”
There are 100 songs that I could list that Marc Bolan wrote that are great. He nailed one of the sexiest male rock singer voices of all time, and nowhere did he do it better than on his two biggest selling albums, The Sliderand Electric Warrior. I discovered Bolan when I was a kid, but all of his work had a huge influence on me. He had already passed away, but then later on I learned that he was also a huge influence on David Bowie and Bono and a lot of other people, so it all makes sense in the big picture. Video

Fleet Foxes “Helplessness Blues”
This may seem the “politically correct” choice of the moment, because everyone in the world is currently talking about Fleet Foxes right now, but there’s a reason for that. Like every other song on this list, “Helplessness Blues” is one of those songs that from the very first moment that you hear it, you find yourself asking, “Who the hell is this?!” More than anything, that’s what we’re all aiming at as artists. They recorded this album less than a mile from my house in Washington state, and they deserve as much “ink” as they can get. Video

David Bowie “Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise)”
These three songs are all tied together on Bowie’s Diamond Dogs album. Bowie is a huge influence on me as an artist, and Diamond Dogs was Bowie’s best Ziggy album as far as I’m concerned. It was also his darkest. Anyone who likes anything from Bowie should buy this album. Diamond Dogswas full-on concept, from the artwork to the way all the songs were tied together lyrically and musically. Without that album, I don’t think we’d be doing this mix tape. There’d be no All Your Heroes Become VillainsVideo

Caetano Veloso And Gilberto Gil “Desde De Que Samba E Samba”
This is a very hip, laid-back bossa-nova song by Caetano and Gilberto. The reason I chose this one for you is because of the profound effect this song and this album had on me as a musician. I was living in Brazil for the summer, studying the language of Portuguese and learning how to play bossa-nova guitar. Brazilian people live through their music, and the samba is their life. It pulses through their veins. It’s not just “a dance” or a style of music. It’s a whole culture. If you dig the song, try to find someone to translate the lyrics for you. They are very moving and intelligent. Caetano is a God. Video

Bruce Springsteen “Backstreets”
I still remember sitting on the floor of my bedroom with this album in my hand, Born To Run, and listening to this particular song over and over again. I chose this song for you all because of its seething passion. The way he hits those high notes in the chorus. This song is so damn real and sincere and passionate and emotional. Bruce was just letting it all hang out emotionally in this tune; he killed it. In the process, he became “The Boss,” and I think it’s a well deserved title. Video

Bob Dylan “It’s Alright Ma I’m Only Bleeding”
How the hell do you choose just one Dylan song for a mix tape? Well, obviously, you’re gonna want to buy the whole Blood On The Tracks album. But where’s that one nugget of brilliance? It’s this one, man. Grab the lyrics, put the needle down and listen to it. The falling chords beneath the melody are deceptively simple and yet eerie as all hell. Foreboding. And then there are the lyrics. This idea that “he not busy being born is busy dying”—that’s Bob. He said that. That’s why he’s Bob Dylan. Video

Posted in Magnet Magazine

Ed Hale Releases New Single “Heal World”

Ed Hale new single “Heal World”

Though most of the world is in a deep lockdown holed up inside their homes for almost a year due to the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic, Ed Hale and his merry bandmates managed to record , mix, produce and release a new one-off single, the uplifting and appropriately titled “Heal World”.

Hale, who was in lockdown in New York City at the time said the song came to him rather quickly. He then recorded a demo of the song on his phone and sent it off to his bandmates who were spread out all over the U.S. in various different states and cities. Longtime Hale collaborator and Transcendence lead guitarist Fernando Perdomo immediately called Hale and said “We should record this. We have to record this! And we can do it all remotely!”

So the project began. And indeed all 6 members of the band contributed to the song just as they always do, only separately, with each member recording their individual parts by themselves at their home studios. “

“Basically Fernando took my original demo of the song that I had recorded into the voice recorder on my phone, imported it into ProTools, added a click track, and sent it out to the rest of the band. And then everybody just recorded on top of that track at their own house or wherever they happen to be now during this lockdown…” Hale said. “We never set foot in the studio together even once. But you really can’t tell.”

All the usual Transcendence members are on the track doing what they do best. Hale played rhythm guitar and sang lead vocals. Bill Sommer played drums and percussion. Roger Houdaille played bass guitar. Perdomo added lead guitar, organ, various keyboards and percussion. Matthew Sabatella and Karen Feldner both added their usual stacks of harmony and background vocals that have become a trademark of the Transcendence sound.

The song was then sent to Jim Orso in Brooklyn to mix, with Houdaille producing the song and also releasing it on his uber hip Think Like A Key record label.

“The Heal World Project started out as a simple idea, with Ed coming to us and saying “hey let’s talk and argue less and instead write and record an uplifting song that will bring some joy hopefulness light healing and inspiration to as many people around the world as possible during a hard time.” That song turned out to be “Heal World””, said a Think Like A Key rep.

Fans can download or stream the song from all the usual apps like Apple Music or Spotify.

Fans can also watch the official music video for the song “Heal World”, produced by Iver Thue on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=J7hVWb-IrUo&feature=share
“Heal World” music video by Ed Hale

After Tomorrow


Track #10 from the 2011 Ed Hale and the Transcendence album All Your Heroes Become Villains, the anthemic “After Tomorrow” is the climax of the album, a suicide letter and soundtrack to the lead character’s journey to the beyond after death. A dirge-like heavy Brit-rock foundation punctuated by a lone echoing trumpet played by Emiliano Torres.

ED HALE AND THE TRANSCENDENCE FRONTMAN INTERVIEWED IN ABSOLUTE PUNK

AbsolutePunk.net Interviews Ed Hale and The Transcendence Frontman Ed Hale   

03.27.12 Interviewed by: Linda Ferreira
3. What bands are you influenced by?
I think each guy in the band has a different set of influences. So I can only speak for myself. But one thing I will say is that almost all of us are pretty much into anything. We’re IN the music business, you know. So there’s no real style or genre that we don’t come into contact with. I mean, right now, while we’re doing all this promotion for my latest single “Scene in San Francisco” which has jumped into the Billboard Top 30, our keyboard player Jon Rose is out on tour with Julia Iglesias in South America. Crazy. But you know, that’s the biz. All our work right now is centered around promotion, meet and greets, record signings, interviews, photo shoots, so the guys in the band have time to do other things. And this is a great gig for Jon. No way he could take it, sincerely do a great job, or even get the job, unless he was into a wide variety of styles of music. Dig?
Me, I’m into anything and everything. I really NEED music. For my health and sanity. To make me feel good. Like it’s part of my soul or something. I did this photo shoot yesterday that was very elaborate. A lot of makeup and styling and people on deck. And in order to get into it, we had to have music going in the background. They asked me what I wanted to put on. They were using Pandora, which is an incredible tool. One of the coolest things to come out of this new age. And we’re in this photography studio filled with people of all different ages and backgrounds and at one point someone put on contemporary rap. But I just wasn’t feeling it. It totally ruined the vibe of the shoot for me. Plastic, put on, contrived, commercial for the sake of being commercial, all posing and bragging and nothing substantial underneath. This is what it felt like at least. In the room.
But I had to be “on”, right, totally ON… for the camera. So I went for the pure shit, the stuff that created me and who I am. Lou Reed, David Bowie, T Rex, Donovan, Hendrix, The Beatles, Zeppelin, Lennon, Wings, The Stones, Bob Dylan. Even the Dandy Warhols or The Pixies, The Replacements, Radiohead, U2, Muse. At its heart, this is where my music is coming from at i’s core. Plus a few thousand others I suppose.
4. If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
The Rolling Stones in the 70s. For obvious reasons. Never has been and never will be another “world’s greatest rock band” quite like the Stones in the 70s. Way before all the bullshit started in the music business. Crafting songs like pottery to fit a specific genre using computers. Narrow-casting to please niche-niche markets based on polls and statistics. This kind of thing has ruined music as we know it today. We’ve got people like Adele or Katy Perry at the top of the charts who use three to ten people to help write a freaking song. And another five to produce it. That’s become the norm now. Everyone pandering to everyone else in an attempt to please a very small imaginary group of music listeners who are scrambling away from regular radio in hordes for that exact reason. They’re out there looking for something REAL and SINCERE and AUTHENTIC and the radio and record exec guys just don’t see it. Albums like DARK SIDE OF THE MOON were made with a small band of four guys and a producer and a few engineers. And that’s it. Real artists who could write great songs, looks be damned. Yeah, I’d love to tour with Pink Floyd if they ever got back together with Roger. For sure. I’d do anything with Paul (McCartney) just because he is still alive and, like many, I feel like I owe him a great deal for who I am today.
5. Best food to eat on tour?
I live on Sprite, coffee and protein shakes man. Among other things. I may not be the best role model for that kind of question.
To read the full interview Click Here

NEW TRANSCENDENCE SONG “SOLARIS” FEATURED ON CMJ FREEPLAY COMPILATION

Those editors at the College Music Journal (CMJ) sure have good taste! The November installment of the CMJ monthly mixtape is ready! As always it features the hottest tracks by the most cutting-edge artists before their albums are released to the public and is available as a free download for anyone who works at college or Triple A radio. This month’s CMJ FreePlay features the brand new Ed Hale and The Transcendence song “Solaris” from their long-awaited new album All Your Heroes Become Villains.
Here’s the full Tracklist:
01. Cubic Zirconia – Take Me High 
02. Thee Oh Sees – Carrion Crawler 
03. Summer Camp – Better Off Without You 
04. Tycho – Hours 
05. Sepalcure – See Me Feel Me 
06. Ed Hale And The Transcendence – Solaris 
07. Caithlin De Marrais – Hot Day 
08. Russian Circles – Mladek 
09. Glass Rifle – Foebic 
10. Andrew Bird – Hospital 
11. Zambri – Heather 
12. Zun Zun Egui – Fandango Fresh 
13. DRC Music – Hallo (featuring Tout Puissant and Nelly Liyemge) 
14. King Midas Sound – One Ting Dabrye Rework 
15. Robin Bacior – Ohio 
16. Ritmo Machine – Welcome To The Ritmo Machine
17. Trentemøller – Neverglade (Trentemøller Remix)
Thank you for a great CMJ 2011! Relive the memories with our CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival recap.

NEW TRANSCENDENCE SONG “SOLARIS” FEATURED ON CMJ FREEPLAY COMPILATION

Those editors at the College Music Journal (CMJ) sure have good taste! The November installment of the CMJ monthly mixtape is ready! As always it features the hottest tracks by the most cutting-edge artists before their albums are released to the public and is available as a free download for anyone who works at college or Triple A radio. This month’s CMJ FreePlay features the brand new Ed Hale and The Transcendence song “Solaris” from their long-awaited new album All Your Heroes Become Villains.
Here’s the full Tracklist:
01. Cubic Zirconia – Take Me High 
02. Thee Oh Sees – Carrion Crawler 
03. Summer Camp – Better Off Without You 
04. Tycho – Hours 
05. Sepalcure – See Me Feel Me 
06. Ed Hale And The Transcendence – Solaris 
07. Caithlin De Marrais – Hot Day 
08. Russian Circles – Mladek 
09. Glass Rifle – Foebic 
10. Andrew Bird – Hospital 
11. Zambri – Heather 
12. Zun Zun Egui – Fandango Fresh 
13. DRC Music – Hallo (featuring Tout Puissant and Nelly Liyemge) 
14. King Midas Sound – One Ting Dabrye Rework 
15. Robin Bacior – Ohio 
16. Ritmo Machine – Welcome To The Ritmo Machine
17. Trentemøller – Neverglade (Trentemøller Remix)
Thank you for a great CMJ 2011! Relive the memories with our CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival recap.

New album comes with a new name – Ed Hale and The Transcendence

New album comes with a new name – Ed Hale and The Transcendence

In anticipation of the brand new album, “All Your Heroes Become Villains,” the alternative rock band Transcendence has officially changed their name to Ed Hale and The Transcendence.
The name change took effect in their back catalog on retailers such as iTunesAmazon & across social media websites. One of the main reasons for this change is to help new fans of the prolific singer-songwriter Ed Hale connect with his body of work recorded by the group.
Some time has passed since the last Transcendence album, “Nothing Is Cohesive” was marked as one of the important breakthrough CDs of 2005 by tastemakers Hellfire. It was during this interim that Ed Hale’s passion for activism took him across the continents to help people, building houses in places like Colombia and Ghana. He also got married, wrote a book, starred in the Transcendent Television series, traveled to Iran as an ambassador, founded the Dying Van Gogh record label and somehow managed time to launch his solo career with the charming, acoustic “Ballad On Third Avenue” album and the hit single “I Walk Alone.” Other band members went on to form successful indie acts too, namely Ex Norwegian and Dreaming In Stereo. Now, the group Ed Hale and The Transcendence is back in action with a new album and fresh name.
Download an mp3 from the upcoming album “All Your Heroes Become Villains,” to be released September 20th on Dying Van Gogh Records.

NEW ALBUM COMES WITH A NEW NAME – ED HALE AND THE TRANSCENDENCE

In anticipation of the brand new album, “All Your Heroes Become Villains,” the alternative rock band Transcendence has officially changed their name to Ed Hale and The Transcendence.
The name change took effect in their back catalog on retailers such as iTunesAmazon & across social media websites. One of the main reasons for this change is to help new fans of the prolific singer-songwriter Ed Hale connect with his body of work recorded by the group.
Some time has passed since the last Transcendence album, “Nothing Is Cohesive” was marked as one of the important breakthrough CDs of 2005 by tastemakers Hellfire. It was during this interim that Ed Hale’s passion for activism took him across the continents to help people, building houses in places like Colombia and Ghana. He also got married, wrote a book, starred in the Transcendent Television series, traveled to Iran as an ambassador, founded the Dying Van Gogh record label and somehow managed time to launch his solo career with the charming, acoustic “Ballad On Third Avenue” album and the hit single “I Walk Alone.” Other band members went on to form successful indie acts too, namely Ex Norwegian and Dreaming In Stereo. Now, the group Ed Hale and The Transcendence is back in action with a new album and fresh name.
Download an mp3 from the upcoming album “All Your Heroes Become Villains,” to be released September 20th on Dying Van Gogh Records.

New Ed Hale Album ALL YOUR HEROES BECOME VILLAINS Released

Ed_Hale_ All_Your_Heroes_Become_Villains_CD_Cover

With each and every Ed Hale and the Transcendence album, one is never quite sure what to expect. During the nine years since their genre-defying breakout debut Rise and Shine, Ed Hale and the Transcendence have been musical shape-shifters, willing to assume whatever form and go in whatever direction their music demands. On their latest release, their fourth album, entitled All Your Heroes Become Villains, they harness the best of their previous efforts and multiply it by a gazillion. It was the result of a long, grueling recording process, appropriate for an album as equally accessible as it is complex and eclectic. Haunting melodies, rock-God guitar riffs, rhythmic adventurousness, bold sonic experimentation, inspired songwriting and Ed Hale’s impassioned vocals create a highly memorable experience for the listener that could easily be called a concept album. Each song seems integral to the work as a whole. All Your Heroes Become Villains comes off like an instant classic – stylistically and lyrically unified and thematic and by far their most ambitious work to date. This masterpiece is dark and heavy, and yet every bit the catchy ear candy that fans of the band have come to expect. Hale sings of hope, victory, loss, suffering and blind idealism on a personal and global level in his signature tortured baritone while the band weaves together their trademark post-modern rock meets Brit pop creating an aural soundscape that is truly unforgettable. Features the hit singles “Blind Eye,” “Waiting for Godot,” and “Solaris.”

ORDER:

STREAM ALL YOUR HEROES BECOME VILLAINS BY ED HALE & THE TRANSCENDENCE:

CREDITS:

Transcendence is: Ed Hale: lead vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, percussion Roger Houdaille: bass guitar, background vocals Fernando Perdomo: guitars, electric sitar, mellotron, percussion, background vocals Allan Gabay: piano and keyboards Ricardo Mazzi: drums, percussion Karen Feldner: background vocals Additional Musicians Kamran Aghaiepour: keyboards and remixing Zach Ziskin: additional lead and rhythm guitar Leor Manellis: additional drums Matthew Sabatella: background harmony vocals Dee Dee Wilde: lead vocals on All Your Heroes Become Villains — Main Theme Emiliano Torres: trumpet Alex Zapata: trombone Produced by: Ed Hale and Fred Freeman Co-production and remixing by: Kamran Aghaiepour Songs Arranged by: Transcendence Lead Engineer: Joe Syring Assistant Engineer: Rudi Meeuwen Recorded at Criteria Hit Factory Studios, Miami, FL and Dungeon Recording Studios, Miami, FL Mixed by: Fred Freeman and Ed Hale Mastered by: Zach Ziskin All Your Heroes Become Villains album cover painting by: Gina Rowland CD packaging artwork by: Gina Rowland and Susie Aminian CD packaging layout by: Susie Aminian and Roger Houdaille Photography by: Jill Kahn and Ron Roman Photo editing and touch-up by: Flavia Molinari A&R by: Dying Van Gogh Records All selections published by Transcendent Music Publishing (ASCAP), Baby Joon Music (BMI), Think Like A Key (SESAC). © 2011 Dying Van Gogh Records, a division of Transcendent Media Group Inc.