We're less than a year out from the release of the album, and I'm delighted to report that Let All The Children Boogie has generated $15,000 in donations for the It Gets Better Project. Reviews have been great, and the album will be on the ballot for consideration for Best Children's Album in the Grammy awards -- if you're a voter, we sure hope you'll consider it.
You can stream it on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Prime, etc. -- but we hope you'll buy a copy (digital or physical).
We've been thrilled with the reviews so far! Just a sampling:
- Cover Me Songs: "Those looking to put together an album of well-known pop songs aimed at children would be well served to use Let All the Children Boogie as their guiding template. Not only are these versions that can be enjoyed by the entire family, but they also complement the originals in a way few similarly-themed collections have managed thus far. Let All the Children Boogie is a must for Bowie fans of all ages."
- Albumism: "Tribute albums can often be unimaginative, note-for-note reworkings of songs that hardly reflect the aura of the artist being honored. Luckily, this is not the case with Let All The Children Boogie. Mixing familiar Bowie tracks with some of his lesser known works like “V–2 Schneider” (Lloyd Miller & Dean Jones) and “Kooks” (Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players) was an absolutely brilliant touch that will please Bowie-philes like myself to no end. If you want to introduce your kids to Bowie’s music while keeping yourself entertained, Let All The Children Boogie is a great place to start."
- GeekDad: "Never thought of Bowie’s music as particularly kid-friendly or good fodder for kids music? Think again. This compilation is great." "The world is a darker, less interesting place without him in it, but this CD shines a light into the darkness and makes us all smile at the legacy he left… and want to dance."
- Cool Mom Picks: "If the impromptu dance party my girls and I broke into at the dinner table last weekend is any indication, Spare The Rock Record’s soon to be released album Let All The Children Boogie: A Tribute To David Bowie is going to be a huge hit with families."
- Life of Dad: "This Bowie tribute CD is the ideal entry point for introducing young people to “The Man Who Sold The World” (performed here by the remarkable Sonia de los Santos and Elena Moon Park), “Let’s Dance”, “Changes”, “Ziggy Stardust” and so many more Bowie classics, and even better, all the proceeds will benefit the It Gets Better Project."
- Society of Rock: "Anything that makes children want to get up and dance and quite frankly, be the only ones in their kindergarten classes who know the words to “Space Oddity” is alright by us; don’t worry though adults, this cover is cool enough for those without children to still appreciate wholeheartedly, and after giving it a few spins, we’re sure you’ll wind up liking it as much as we do!"
- Eat the Marshmallow: "So get ready to let your children boogie to songs created by an icon who embodied pushing artistic, cultural, and musical boundaries. What better way to spend the holidays!"
We were also featured on AV Club (premiering Rhett Miller's version of Ziggy Stardust), Ultimate Classic Rock (with Gustafer Yellowgold and The Pop Ups' Space Oddity), and Paste premiered Ted Leo's Heroes!
We had so much fun at Lincoln Center -- and the line went around the block! Thanks for everyone who came out, and thanks to Matthew Mayers for this great video!
We're getting closer and closer to our release date (11/18), and some great things are already happening. Let's go bullet-point-style:
- The Next Family -- a site dedicated to the modern family, defined broadly -- has this great writeup about not just the record but also about why it's so important to support groups like the It Gets Better Project.
- Lincoln Center -- you know about them, that little place in New York -- will be hosting our CD release party on Saturday, October 29, as part of their Halloween festivities. And yes, we'll have a limited number of copies for you to buy! Check out details here.
- Paste Magazine has the exclusive premiere of Ted Leo's Heroes -- check it out here -- with coverage also from Spin and Consequence of Sound.
- The record will be available from all the usual national sources, but also at brick & mortar record stores all over the country, including Waterloo here in Austin, Turn It Up! in the Pioneer Valley, and the Alliance of Independent Media Stores shops nationwide, where it will be featured in December and January at listening stations.
- And tracks are starting to pop up on radio all over the country. Request it on your local radio station! If they don't have the record, put them in touch with me (show@sparetherock.com).
More news soon!
Spare the Rock Records is thrilled to announce the release concert for Let All The Children Boogie: A Tribute to David Bowie at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on October 29, 2016. Presented by the LC Kids program, the concert will include performances by many artists featured on the upcoming all-ages album dedicated to the music and artistry of David Bowie (out on 11/18). Talent at the concert will include Elizabeth Mitchell & You are My Flower, Rachel Loshak, Dean Jones & Lloyd Miller, Robert Burke Warren & Tracy Bonham and Sonia De Los Santos & Elena Moon Park. The concert will be part of Lincoln Center’s annual LC Kids Trick or Treat, a festive Halloween celebration for families which also includes trick-or-treating around the cultural campus, a parade to live music and a haunted scavenger hunt.
Let All The Children Boogie: A Tribute to David Bowie features new interpretations of Bowie's work from a diverse group of artists with the mission of sharing his legacy and messages with a new generation. David Bowie proved that there are no rules about who you should or could be in this world. His musical and artistic approach defined creative freedom providing a shining example of the infinite possibilities out there. Join us in celebrating Bowie’s catalog and life’s work while introducing him to today’s kids.
Let All The Children Boogie will benefit the It Gets Better Project and its mission to communicate to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth around the world that it gets better, and to create and inspire the changes needed to make it better for them. In short, It Gets Better works towards a world where all the children can boogie freely.
LC Kids Presents: Let All The Children Boogie: A Tribute to David Bowie
Saturday, October 29, 2016
12:30-1:30
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center
FREE
More at family.lincolncenter.org
Let All The Children Boogie will be released nationally, physical and digital, on November 18, 2016, available via Sony Red and all the usual retailers. Pre-order it now! Austin fans, Waterloo Records will carry it.
We'll have a NYC-area release show in late October -- details on that to come!
