(Columbia) Inspired by Cee Lo's viral smash cover of their "No One's Gonna Love You," Band of Horses have teamed with the University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band for their own unique take on "Georgia," the recently leaked track from Cee Lo's forthcoming Lady Killer album. Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses recalls the genesis of the "Georgia" single: "This began as a very random idea I had on my dad's patio after we watched our beloved Georgia Bulldog football team get robbed of a win at the hands of the referees and LSU last year. I knew I wanted to pay homage to my favorite team in song but didn't have any idea how to begin. Once I heard Cee Lo's 'Georgia,' I was immediately smitten and figured that's as good as any tribute to any state I've ever heard. It wasn't until I heard his cover of our song though that it occurred to me: Duh, we should return the favor. Incorporating the Redcoat marching band was just the icing on the cake! This song is so nostalgic to me as my parents grew up in Atlanta and have so many family members in the great state of Georgia. It's always been a second home of sorts. We've played some great shows there as well, including our run of annual New Years Eve shows in Atlanta from 2007-2009."
Having just premiered "Georgia" on the University of Georgia station WUOG, Band of Horses are now releasing the song as a double A-side 7-inch with Cee Lo's rendition of "No One's Gonna Love You," available now at Bandofhorses.com/Georgia.
Bandofhorses.com/Georgia is offering an exclusive preorder bundle including the Band of Horses/Cee Lo 7-inch, a limited edition T-shirt featuring "Georgia"-specific artwork and the digital single of "Georgia." The T-shirt and 7-inch can be purchased separately, and the 7 inch purchase comes with an instant grat download of both tracks.
On another Georgia-related note, Band of Horses current U.S tour will wind down October 30 at Atlanta's Fox Theater. The tour, which has featured landmark gigs including a sold out Sept. 25 headline stand at Los Angeles' Greek Theater and a standout first ever appearance at Farm Aid that moved the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel to comment "Band of Horses shifted into blistering passages of noisy beauty that, against the prettiness, illuminated the music like sudden meteor storms blazing through a cloudless sky. The crowd certainly ooh-ed and aah-ed like starry-night spectators."
The tour's finale' will be preceded by an Oct. 29 homecoming gala at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center in Charleston SC, a portion of proceeds from which--as well as from the Oct. 28 date at Asheville NC's Thomas Wolfe Auditorium--will benefit local chapters of the Leukemia and Lymphoma society and the Charleston Waterkeeper, whose mission is to preserve and protect the integrity of Charleston's waterways by defending them from pollution and contamination.
BAND OF HORSES
NORTH AMERICA 2010
With Brad and Besnard Lakes
October 12th Tulsa, OK Cain's Ballroom
October 13th St. Louis, MO The Pageant
October 14th Kansas City, MO Uptown Theater
With Besnard Lakes
October 16th Knoxville, TN Tennessee Theater
October 17th Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room
October 19th Chicago, IL The Riviera Theater
With Jenny and Johnny and Besnard Lakes
October 21st Toronto, ON Sound Academy
October 22nd Detroit, MI Fillmore
With Jenny and Johnny and Uncle Mountain
October 28th Asheville, NC Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
With Jenny and Johnny and Josh Roberts & The Hinges
October 29th Charleston, SC North Charleston Performing Arts Center
With Jenny and Johnny and Bryan Cates
October 30th Atlanta, GA The Fox Theater