"Hey Kate!" advanced to the Fame Games Q-Show 193 on Wednesday (8/20/2008). We've made it to the on-air showcases... and it's a big deal because "Hey Kate!" is being heard by a truly massive international audience!

To view and hear the current Q-Show Area, go here: http://www.meermusic.com/content/charts/qresults.asp?ed=193&sub=2

Q-show songs have just over one week to move up to the next level.

If it's review average places it among the top 12 contenders it will advance to the SemiFinal Show on next Thursday.

Please click here to vote for "Hey Kate!". The advancement of a song through the Fame Games ranks depends on the degree of unanimity between reviewers and the amount of popular support.

Please VOTE & LISTEN to the show!

Fame Games (http://www.meermusic.com/content/charts/fgmain.asp) is an On Air / Online Weekly International Music Competition show focused solely on the best undiscovered Indie music from around the world. This is neither a "talk show" nor an "all-music" show. It's not pop and it's not rock and it's not hip-hop or R&B - it's nothing that can easily be predicted.

It's broadcast terrestrially in the South of Spain to one of the largest expatriate, English-speaking communities in the world, and has an audience in excess of 2.5 million listeners - and growing; now faster than ever, since teaming up with ABC Radio Networks (http://www.abcradionetworks.com). With an average monthly listenership of around 350,000, it's becoming the music filter of choice for listeners and professionals worldwide and an A&R vehicle for potentially interested labels.



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Great news! "Hey Kate!" has advanced to the Fame Games Q-Show 193, scheduled for Wednesday on 8/20/2008. We've made it to the on-air showcases... and it's a big deal because suddenly, "Hey Kate!" is being heard by a truly massive international audience!

To see the current Q-Show Area, go here: http://www.meermusic.com/content/charts/qresults.asp

Once a song makes it to the Q-Show, it can never go back to any of the previous Elimination Areas.

Q-show songs have just over one week to move up to the next level.

If it's review average places it among the top 12 contenders it will advance to the SemiFinal Show on next Thursday.

Please vote for "Hey Kate!" The advancement of a song through the Fame Games ranks depends on the degree of unanimity between reviewers and the amount of popular support.

Make sure you LISTEN to the show!

Fame Games (http://www.meermusic.com/content/charts/fgmain.asp) is an On Air / Online Weekly International Music Competition show focused solely on the best undiscovered Indie music from around the world. This is neither a "talk show" nor an "all-music" show. It's not pop and it's not rock and it's not hip-hop or R&B - it's nothing that can easily be predicted.

It's broadcast terrestrially in the South of Spain to one of the largest expatriate, English-speaking communities in the world, and has an audience in excess of 2.5 million listeners - and growing; now faster than ever, since teaming up with ABC Radio Networks (http://www.abcradionetworks.com). With an average monthly listenership of around 350,000, it's becoming the music filter of choice for listeners and professionals worldwide and an A&R vehicle for potentially interested labels.

For the second straight week our Podsafe songs are dominating the charts over at the Podsafe Music Network (PMN).

The PMN by design gives bands and artists exposure by being a one stop shop for podcasts. There are a few podcasts designed to help the casual listener get to hear what are the more popular songs on the PMN, to get their feet wet in the waters of vast music landscape without too much hassle. One of these is "Top of the Podsafes", a weekly podcast based on the most played songs on podcasts.

Our current Podsafe tracks (Hey Kate!, Tuesday's Fine, and I Want You Back) have been hanging around the top spots, and here's where they rank:

Week ending August 16, 2008:

#1 Greetings From The Gutter by Dave Stewart & His Rock Fabulous Orchestra

#2 Tuesday's Fine by The Fire Apes

#3 I Want You Back by The Fire Apes

#4 Last One Standing by Chris Mendoza

#5 Lily Was Here by Dave Stewart & His Rock Fabulous Orchestra

#6 Alive by Boy at Heart

#7 Going Far Away by Trixie and the Merch Girls

#8 Forgive Me Now by IreneB (subbed Mi Realidad)

#9 Lonely (Blueboy Club Mix by SlimGirlFat

#10 SUMMERTIME by Brother Love


For the week ending August 11, 2008

#1 Last One Standing by Chris Mendoza

#2 Hey Kate! by The Fire Apes

#3 Forgive Me Now by IreneB

#4 Louella by Marcia Ball

#5 Greetings From The Gutter by Dave Stewart & His Rock Fabulous Orchestra

#6 Tuesday's Fine by The Fire Apes

#7 All That I Know by Collective Soul

#8 Ones and 0s by Geoff Smith

#9 Green Toads by Kellys Lot

#10 Alive by Boy at Heart


Songs featured on this episode: Tuesday's Fine - The Fire Apes



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After having listened to this disc at least 20 times since it's release; I can simply say it gets better w/ every play. This record catches Springfield stepping outside the box and at his best in 20 years. This collection has two "Springfield Radio Ready" tracks,("Victoria's Secret" & "I'll Miss That Someday") while the majority of the tracks explore different sounds and textures he hasn't explored before.

What's different? This time he is writing w/ his longtime touring bass player; Matt Maisonette who also shares production credit with Springfield on the album.

The songs explore a more mature side of Springfield dressed in very modern landscape. The song "Oblivious" is inspired by the death of Maisonette's mother and "Saint Sahara" is a touching ode written for a young fan who's battle with cancer took her life last year. These songs have a very reflective mood and also great chorus' with rock in' guitars and big vocals. Springfield voice has worn well with time. He is still able to sing his ass off!

"Mr. PC" rocks as hard as any recent Green Day-Wheezier track and is convincing. The chorus is so catchy & Foo Futures; it has you beating on the steering wheel at the red light and singing the infectious chorus "on & on & on you go". It rocks hard & has you hitting repeat after 1 play.

"She" is one of the best pop rock songs I've heard since the 2007 release of Jason Faulkner's "I'm O.K.,You're O.K." This song hints to Beatles arrangements and undertones of Jellyfish. The songs don't sound like Springfield but they are. At 58; Springfield shows just how relevant he still is after nearly 40 years in the business.

"Victoria's Secret"; the first single; is reminiscent of the "Jessie's Girl" riff but stands on it's own with a powerful chorus that has you singing "VS" in shower after subjected to it's irresistible power chorus. Like most singles, this is by no means the best the set has to offer. Songs like "One Passenger" and "I'll Miss That Someday" are deep reflective songs about the journeys of love and life. Springfield doesn't seem to be angry anymore. He seems to have a sense of hope for the future. All songs are passionately driven, executed with loud guitars, big drums, bass and incredibly arranged vocals and harmonies.

There isn't a bad track in the bunch. Buy with confidence! You might find yourself revisiting 'Working Class Dog" and reminding ourselves just how great of a writer and 'ROCKER" he is. I would recommend 'Venus In Overdrive" to all Fire Ape fans or any one who likes catchy loud pop rock!

P.S. Real men listen to Rick Springfield!!!

Frank Royster/Fire Apes



Rick Springfield - What's Victoria's Secret?


Rick Springfield - Venus In Overdrive

Hey Kate! is climbing the charts and we just thought a quick recap was in order as we enter August.

It's currently featured on Mike Cameo's "Indies' Top 10" for month of July. Mike brings you the latest music, news and information from the Independent Music world and features music from the best Indie charts from around the world. "Hey Kate!" comes in at #2 on IndieCharts.com.

Songs featured on this episode: Hey Kate! - The Fire Apes



Hey Kate! is also moving up the charts on myTracks.com, a music service that features new and up and coming artists.

It finished the month of June holding at #2 on the Top 10 downloads, only being outdone by Kate Voegele!... and finished July at #5 in the Top 5 Songs of the Day and Songs of the Month charts.

myTracks.com is a unique online music download service dedicated to giving music fans a new MTV-esque media channel and online community to discover and connect with the best new artists of today. Think of it as "MP3" TV, minus the TV.

They've helped launch a number of major artists... including The Fray, Jack Johnson, OAR, Dispatch, String Cheese Incident, and CREED... so this could be a great sign of things to come.

Hey Kate! continues to be a podcast favorite over at the Podsafe Music Network where it's at #7 on their Top 10 Most Listened and #8 on their Top 10 Highest Rated.