Continuing to offer you gifts of musical Holiday cheer, BIG STIR RECORDS makes your season complete with our HOLIDAY MAXI SINGLE – eight wassail-worthy tracks to be released together on December 6 and available for preorder now at www.bigstirrecords.com/big-stir-digital-singles for the special price of $4! They're all new or rare tunes from some of the true luminaries of the global pop rock scene, some of them gracing the label with their presents (sorry) for the very first time: ANTON BARBEAU, THE BOBBLEHEADS, DOLPH CHANEY, KAI DANZBERG & SCOTT McPHERSON, THE DECIBELS, THE FORTY NINETEENS, ALISON FAITH LEVY (with KARLA KANE), and KIMBERLEY REW & LEE CAVE-BERRY are all here to help you deck the halls, light the menorah, and ring in the new year from up and down the coast of Big Stir's native California to Germany, the UK, Illinois and beyond! Here's a look at what they've wrapped up for you, with a peek forward to 2020 as the bow on top.

ANTON BARBEAU (Berlin/Sacramento) is back with “Xmas Song”, its straightforward title doing little to disguise the slightly psychedelic sound of pure Antmusik. Look for a full-length release from Anton along with his backing bands KENNY and THRUST early next year on BSR!

THE BOBBLEHEADS, perhaps San Francisco's very finest pure guitar pop band, are longtime friends of Big Stir and perennial favorites on our live concert series, but “Groovy Time of Year” marks the first time we've been able to release on of their tunes on the label – and groovy it is, with a video to go with it, so keep your eyes peeled!

DOLPH CHANEY gets to the core of the tough stuff that inevitably accompanies the trappings of the holidays with “Christmas”, a brand new rendition of a true heartbreaker from his deep back catalog (and a deep favorite of Rex at BSR). Dolph's also hard at work finishing up his first full-length LP in years... watch for it in 2020!

BSR's own KAI DANZBERG (Hanover, Germany) wraps up his own very busy and successful year by teaming up with SCOTT McPHERSON for “The Day Before Christmas”. It's Kai's second year contributing an exclusive Christmas track to the Big Stir Singles Series... making it a holiday tradition everyone can celebrate! Having won the hearts of listeners and critics alike with an album and an EP on Big Stir this year, Danzberg is unstoppable with another record in the works for the new year.

Sacramento-area favorites THE DECIBELS bring some sheer guitar-driven joy to the Yuletide party with their first release on the label – it wouldn't do to spoil the surprise of what the do with “Angels We Have Heard On High”, but if you shake the box and listen carefully you might hear a hint of a re-imagined garage rock classic rattling around inside!

THE FORTY NINETEENS have made a ton of noise as one of California's best rock bands, and frequent guests on Big Stir's live stage in recent years, with the airplay and accolades to prove it. “It's Christmas Time Again” rocks like crazy. It's the band's first official release on BSR but it won't be their last... keep your ears open for a brand new single in February and more to come after that!

It's a true joy to have ALISON FAITH LEVY contribute “All I Want For Chanukah Is A Ukulele”, and especially to have her joined on the tune by our friend KARLA KANE (The Corner Laughers, Agony Aunts) to brighten up the Festival of Lights! Alison is a renowned children's music performer whose band THE SIPPY CUPS were favorites of BSR's Rex Broome's kids in their younger days (and was a member of THE LOUD FAMILY, deep favorites of Rex himself). Alison's at work on music-based educational programs as well as new tunes for kids and grown-ups alike in the Bay Area – take a look at her website to see what she has in the works!

Lastly and amazingly we're delighted to present “All I Want Is You For Christmas” from the legendary KIMBERLEY REW and LEE CAVE-BERRY. The guitar architect of THE SOFT BOYS' sound alongside ROBYN HITCHCOCK and the leader of KATRINA & THE WAVES with the songwriting credits for “Walking On Sunshine” and “Going Down To Liverpool” (as recorded by THE BANGLES) on his resumé, Kim and his wife, bassist and singer Lee, have released a string of excellent records in recent years... last year's Enjoy The Rest Of Your Day is among their finest and an excellent starting point. It would be an understatement to say that we're thrilled to include Kim and Lee on this holiday maxi single... may it brighten your winter as it has ours!

Expected release: December 6, 2019

The Big Stir Records Holiday Onslaught (sure, let's call it that!) continues with a new Christmas-themed single from ATHANOR, on loan from our friends at KOOL KAT MUSIK! “I Remember You On Christmas” b/w “Approximately Eternity” are out Friday, December 6 and available for pre-order at www.bigstirrecords.com/big-stir-digital-singles now! Both tracks are unique to this release, with the A-side appearing here in a different version from the recent release A Kool Kat Kristmas Vol. 3 (co-released by KKM and our partners at Futureman Records) and “Eternity” being a completely new, never-before heard tune!

High school sophomore Greg Herriges and junior Rick Vittenson met on the steps of the Highland Park, Illinois Recreation Center and bonded over the newly-released Beatles’ album “Help!”. Both were already avid rock mavens, with roots back to Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Dion and the Belmonts, Sam Cooke, and the Beach Boys.

Rick Vittenson got his first guitar at the age of 10. Watching the sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, he became mesmerized by James Burton playing behind Ricky Nelson and decided that he wanted to learn how to play guitar like Mr. Burton himself. Having spent a year of lessons strumming chords to traditional folk songs, he asked his teachers to teach him some of Burton’s licks. But none of them played, knew or liked rock ‘n’ roll, so Rick went about teaching himself.

Greg Herriges was an avid fan of Dion. But when he saw John Lennon on February 9, 1964 on The Ed Sullivan Show, he was transfixed. He promptly washed the Alberto VO5 out of his pompadour and began growing his hair. He also bought a Rickenbacker guitar and began writing songs. Within three months of meeting, Greg asked Rick to become a member of his group, the 4-to-Go. Eventually, the band broke up, as groups usually do, and they each joined other bands.

Greg finished school out of state, and Rick went to college at the University of Oklahoma, where he became good friends with Cargoe songwriter/keyboardist Bill Phillips and future Dwight Twilley and Phil Seymour bassist Bingo Sloan. In April 1969, Rick interviewed Jimi Hendrix, who was playing in Dallas, Texas. Many of his photographs from that interview and performance have appeared in various Hendrix CDs and documentaries.

In the early ‘70s, Greg returned to Illinois for work as a teacher. He also started meticulously building a home studio. With a Teac 3340 4-track tape player, a Panasonic 2-track machine, and an improvised sound board, he began writing songs and producing professional quality home demos. Greg’s townhouse on the North Shore of Chicago became a stopping-off point of many musicians of the era.

Having learned how to play piano by listening to McCartney songs, Rick had formed a new band called Brevity with Mark Breyer (get it? BREyer VITtenson?). Mark later became the singer/songwriter for cult favorites Skooshny and Son of Skooshny, and drummer David Winogrond is presently with Youth Chairs. They recorded an album’s worth of material (six with high school friend and classmate Jack Burchall of The Del-Vetts on bass) but were unable to find a label who would release their music. During this time, Rick and Mark interviewed, among others, Ray Davies and Marc Bolan.

In 1973, after time spent away from performing, Greg called on his old friend Rick, and Athanor was born. Three mellow-heavy singles were issued between 1973 and 1975 that are now highly sought-after by music fans. One of those songs, “Inner Space” was mixed by Jeff Peters, who became the front-of-house engineer for The Beach Boys in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Athanor was a difficult sell in a world that loves to pigeonhole. They were rock ‘n’ roll. They were ‘70s singer/songwriters. They were psychedelic. They were folk-rock. They sang ballads. But through it all, they were always POP…a collision of Beatlesque harmony vocals, Rickenbacker & Guild 12-string guitars, occasional fuzz-wah leads, Fender Rhodes, and studio effects. Dejected, they disbanded.

Over the next two decades, they focused on their careers. But they never abandoned their love for music. Rick became a publishing lawyer and helped Dave Marsh and E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg to get books published. He later worked for the American Bar Association, where he became lead guitarist of their house band, Malpractice. Rick also learned how to play harmonica and mandolin.

Greg was an English professor at William Rainey Harper College, where he taught a Beatles class and a Rock and Roll class. Sometimes Greg would bring in local Chicago musicians. He played with Jimy Rogers of the legendary Chicago band The Mauds and Jim Sohns of The Shadows of Knight. Greg interviewed numerous authors, including the ever-elusive and reclusive J.D. Salinger! He brought in Kurt Vonnegut, Jay McInerney, and T.C. Boyle to read to his classes! Greg is the author of several novels, short stories, and articles including Player: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Dream, a history of Chicago garage bands. His novels include The Winter Dance Party Murders, an alternative history of Buddy Holly’s life and career, with a cast of characters including Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Ritchie Valens, Sam Cooke, Bobby Darin, Del Shannon, Brian Jones, and John Lennon.In October of 1976, one of Greg’s oldest dreams came true when he was asked by Dion to join him onstage to sing “Teenager in Love” at Chicago’s Ivanhoe Theater.

In 2013, Greg received an email from a music journalist in France asking if he was the Greg who had been in Athanor. He said he had heard the song “Urizen” on CD and wanted to know if he had original vinyl to sell. Greg’s response was, “What CD?” It turns out that track from the ‘70s had been pirated and appeared on a compilation CD and that Athanor had a European following.
Greg bought the CD, which had a booklet stating, “Athanor was in fact the work of a duo, Gary Gand and Greg Herriges . . .” In fact, Gary was a friend of theirs who had never played with Athanor.

In 2013 and 2014, two LPs of material from their ‘70s period (“Flashback” and “Inside Out: The Demos 1973-1977”) were released on the Guerssen Records label out of Spain. Both received rave reviews. Those albums included two new songs recorded in 1981 and 2006.

Buoyed by the success of these two LPs, Greg and Rick spent three years recording an album of all new original songs for their Kool Kat Musik label debut, “Hills of the Universe”. For this album, they invited seasoned Chicago-area rock instrumentalists to contribute - Jeff Murphy (Shoes), Chris Drehobl (former drummer for The Mauds), Quent Lang (former saxophone and flute player for The Mauds), guitar virtuoso Harry Reinhart (Midnight, Traffic Jam and Skip Towne, and The Greyhounds), John Belpedio (bass player for Almost Joe and Mid-Life Crisis), and Brian Cremins (of Pet Theories). Recording engineer John Towner helped them achieve the full sound they were looking for, and he even added synthesized strings on a few tracks.

”I Remember You on Christmas”/”Approximately Eternity” is their latest double A-sided single. Gathering Chris, Quent, Harry, and John B. (who are now members of Athanor’s touring band), they recorded at Gretsch (yes, that Gretsch) Recording Studios, with John Towner once again working as their George Martin to get just the right sound.

“For the alternate version of the A-side and a lot more pop rock Christmas merriment, check out the Kool Kat Music/Futureman release A Kool Kat Kristmas Vol. 3 at www.futuremanrecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-kool-kat-kristmas-vol-3

Expected release: December 6, 2019

It's that time of year again, and Big Stir is here with a holiday surprise: a brand new exclusive Christmas double A-side single from THE BROTHERS STEVE! Worthy of a title of its own, Christmas Magic! is out on – yep – Black Friday, November 29 and is available for pre-order at www.bigstirrecords.com/big-stir-digital-singles now... and it wraps up not one but two totally new tunes from TBS, “I Love The Christmastime” and “Listen Up! It's Christmastime” in one heartwarming package. Let's let the Bros themselves explain:

“And! Tidings of great joy! Christmas will be magic again! Just in time for the holidays, The Brothers Steve explode with a double-barrel yule log of Christmas cheer and seasonal mirth with two instant holiday classics--'I Love the Christmastime' and 'Listen Up! It's Christmastime'. A pair of ear candy cane from us to you this holiday season.”

In case you somehow missed the sudden appearance of THE BROTHERS STEVE and their deserved dominance of the pop rock scene in 2019, here's a quick recap: singer-guitarist Jeff Whalen (fresh off his rapturously-received 2018 solo album 10 More Rock Super Hits) reconvened with drummer Steve Coulter and bassist Jeff Solomon, his bandmates from the beloved and much-missed TSAR, brought in the enigmatic Os Tyler (vocals) and Dylan Champion (guitar), and TBS was born. The new band burst onto the scene with a digital single on Big Stir Records followed by their initially vinyl-only debut album #1. The album's audacious mix of rock energy and bubblegum hooks took the pop world by storm.

By the time #1 was issued on CD by Supermegabot later in the year, TBS had already racked up a fistful of rave reviews (having preemptive Album of the Year honors bestowed upon by more than one noted journalist) as well as airplay and prominent chart placements on a number of respected indie radio outlets. Suddenly they were everywhere: the band debuted their dazzling live act at a pair of explosive LA gigs, the members were in print with essays from Whalen, Champion and Coulter providing highlights in the new book Go All The Way: A Literary Appreciation of Power Pop (co-edited by Coulter, no less), while Coulter and Whalen somehow found time to form a side group, The GoAllTheWays (also including Rex Broome of The Armoires) in conjunction with the book's publication, notching up another best-selling Big Stir Digital Single in the process.

This special holiday release wraps up The Brothers Steves' flurry of 2019 activity in appropriately festive style (and kicks of a three-week run of seasonal singles releases for BSR). We're sure these are modern classics you'll be returning to for years to come! See www.thebrotherssteve.com for more about the band and keep checking back on the Big Stir Singles Series for more seasonal cheer throughout the holiday season... and thank you, friends!