Stand Up Distributed in South Africa

Dave Matthews Band's forthcoming album, Stand Up, will be distributed in South Africa, according to a press release issued by reprint label/distributor Just Music. The band has long been unknown outside of the United States, in part because RCA's extra-U.S. promotional efforts have been so pathetic. When the band renewed their contract with RCA, they secured all rights to their music outside of North America. They've followed up on the promise of making a name for themselves globally known with their recent mini-tour of Australia -- becoming known in South Africa, Dave Matthews home country, is perhaps the most obvious next step. Stand Up may reflect not just a step forward in the band's musical style, but also in their approach to the business of music. Stand Up is scheduled for release in South Africa on May 16. Just Music's press release is reproduced below. Our thanks to Celeste Tison for the news.

Just Music is Proud to Announce the Signing of the new Dave Matthews Band Album 'Stand Up'

The Dave Matthews Band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia, in early 1991, when vocalist/guitarist Dave Matthews decided to put some songs he had written on tape. Instead of simply recording himself with a guitar, he opted to bring in some instrumental help to give his musical ideas more depth. Dave found assistance in drummer Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore, who were both accomplished jazz musicians in the local Charlottesville music scene. Based on the recommendation of distinguished local jazz guru John D'earth, 16-year-old musical prodigy Stefan Lessard came on board to play bass. Completing the band was keyboard player Peter Griesar, who left the band after a couple of years, as well as the talented and classically trained violinist, Boyd Tinsley.

The first official gig for the newly conceived Dave Matthews Band was May 11, 1991, at a private rooftop party in Charlottesville. Its first public show was at the city's 1991 Earth Day Festival. Local weekly gigs soon followed, and within a little time, word of the band's contagious new sound spread like wildfire throughout the region. Clubs started to fill up, tours began to cover more territory, and the fan base grew at an incredible rate.

On November 9, 1993, DMB released its first album, Remember Two Things, on its Bama Rags label. The album debuted on College charts as the highest independent entry, and went on to be certified gold by the RIAA -- a significant accomplishment for an independent album. Meanwhile, the band kept touring and its fan base continued to grow. By allowing fans to tape shows for their personal use, DMB created a highly interactive community that continues in spirit today.

During the first part of 1994, Dave Matthews Band recorded its RCA debut, Under The Table and Dreaming. By the fall of 1995, when the band returned to the studio to record its next album, Under The Table and Dreaming had been certified four times platinum by the RIAA. Crash, Dave Matthews Band's second album for RCA, was released on April 30, 1996, and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. The band continued with a steady schedule of touring throughout 1997. DMB, though elevated to the level of national pop stardom, continued to do things precisely as it had from day one: organically, with a grass roots mentality.

On October 28, 1997, Bama Rags/RCA label released an official double-disc live Dave Matthews Band album, entitled Live at Red Rocks 8-15-95. Without any marketing or promotion, Live at Red Rocks debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart and was instantly certified platinum. The album provided fans with a high quality and reasonably priced alternative to the over-priced, ill produced, and illegal live DMB CDs that were beginning to flood the bootleg black-market. The overwhelming success of Live at Red Rocks, combined with the band's tremendous touring achievements, proved that Dave Matthews Band had grown from a grass roots phenomenon to one of the hottest bands in America.

On April 28, 1998, RCA released Dave Matthews Band's third studio album, Before These Crowded Streets. The critically acclaimed recording debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart; it was the band's strongest debut to date.

On January 19, 1999, Bama Rags/RCA released Live at Luther College: An Acoustic Performance by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds. Tim Reynolds was a guest guitarist on all of the Dave Matthews Band albums, and toured with the band as a guest musician. Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds toured as an acoustic duo during the winters of '96, '97, and '99. Live at Luther College debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and has since been certified platinum by the RIAA . As with Live at Red Rocks, the success of this second live album was based solely on word-of-mouth buzz.

The third installment in this ongoing live album series, Listener Supported, was released by Bama Rags/RCA on November 23, 1999. The album was recorded live at New Jersey's Continental Airlines Arena in September 1999, and a video of the performance, also titled Listener Supported, was released at the same time. The double-disc album was quickly certified double platinum, and the video has sold over a million copies as well.

The band spent much of 2000 on tour, finishing as the top-grossing touring band in the U.S. In the fall, Dave Matthews joined legendary producer Glen Ballard in Los Angeles to fine-tune song arrangements for a new album, and the pair wound up co-writing 12 new songs in a matter of days. From this explosion of creative chemistry came the band's new album, Everyday, released February 27, 2001. Matthews played electric guitar for the first time, and Ballard helped the band focus and tighten their arrangements, resulting in the phenomenal success of Everyday, which has since gone triple platinum.

On August 21, Dave Matthews Band, The Videos 1994-2001, was released on DVD and VHS. For the first time, the entire collection of Dave Matthews Band videos (the first 12) was presented together, along with director commentary and behind the scenes footage. On October 23, 2001, the band released it's fourth live release, Live In Chicago, 12.19.98, featuring guest musicians such as Victor Wooten, Maceo Parker, and a full set with Tim Reynolds.

The band regrouped in January 2002 at Plant Studios where they had recorded their 3rd RCA release Before These Crowded Streets. The band revisited tracks they had previously written and recorded in 2000 and collaborated on a couple of new tunes that had debuted in recent months. The resultant creation, Busted Stuff, was made available July 16th, 2002. Busted Stuff is a landmark record for DMB; for the first time ever, this album is without any musical guests. Included on the album are road-tested fan favorites such as "Bartender", "Grey Street", "Where Are You Going", and "Grace Is Gone".

Dave Matthews Band released Live At Folsom Field, Boulder CO, the band's 5th live release overall. This double CD / DVD / VHS from the band's 7/11/01 performance, contains first ever live versions of songs from Everyday and Busted Stuff. The DVD utilizes footage taken from 22 cameras, is recorded in 5.1 surround sound, and presents the finest audio quality of any DMB live release to date. A short tour in several US cities in December of 2002 was highlighted by 2 sold out performances at Madison Square Garden. On 12/21 at MSG, to the surprise and delight of the audience, Dave Matthews Band was joined on stage by James Brown.

The band's 2003 summer tour culminated with a performance in front of an estimated crowd of in excess of 100,000 fans. The concert helped raise $2 Million for public education and the parks. In November 2003 The Central Park concert was released on DVD and CD. Summer/Fall 2003 also saw the release of the first solo projects from DMB with the release of Boyd's True Reflections and Dave's Some Devil. The first single off of Some Devil, entitled "Gravedigger," earned Dave a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.

Dave Matthews began a tour in December 2003 to promote his album Some Devil. Dubbed "Dave Matthews and Friends" tour, Dave's "Friends" included: Trey Anastasio, Brady Blade, Tony Hall, Ray Paczkowski and Tim Reynolds. Emmylou Harris and Spyboy were special guests on the tour. Spring of 04 found DMB at home in their VA studio rehearsing for the summer 04 tour and beginning to mold some new tunes for their forthcoming studio album. Days after the summer tour ended, DMB played in front of thousands of fans at a "Concert to Benefit Bay Area Charities" in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

Dave Matthews Band returned to the studio in the fall of 2004 and continued to shape their next album. Mark Batson, a well-known producer who met DMB in August after their LA show, was asked by DMB to come to VA and help produce the album.

In early 2005, Dave Matthews Band launched a website devoted to their new studio album. www.dmbnewstudioalbum.com

ALBUM RELEASE DATE IN SOUTH AFRICA: 16 MAY 2005

Tracklisting:

1. Dreamgirl

2. Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back)

3. Stand Up (For It)

4. American Baby Intro

5. American Baby

6. Smooth Rider

7. Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour Arrives)

8. Out of My Hands

9. Hello Again

10. Louisiana Bayou

11. Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd

12. You Might Die Trying

13. Steady As We Go

14. Hunger for the Great Light

Bonus CD (with initial orders only)

1. Joyride (taken from Stand Up sessions)

2. Trouble with You (taken from Stand Up sessions)

3. Recently (Live)

4. Crash Into Me (Live)

5. Hello Again (Live)

6. Sugar Will (Live)

7. Typical Situation (Live)

8. Mark and Carter Jam (take from the Stand Up sessions)