MICHAEL DES BARRES New Album 'The Key to the Universe' Out Today

FOD Records celebrates today's April 7 release of THE KEY TO THE UNIVERSE, the new full-length album by MICHAEL DES BARRES. For the British singer/songwriter/musician, actor and host on SiriusXM's nationally syndicated "Little Steven's Underground Garage," it's a return to down and dirty rock music with heavy guitars and unflinching lyrics about life lived to the fullest. The album's first release will be the two-song single with the Linda Perry-penned "Can't Get You Off My Mind" and "I Want Love To Punch Me In The Face," co-written by DES BARRES.

When asked about why he identified with Perry's song "Can't Get You Off My Mind," DES BARRES said: "Most of my life has been lived obsessively, excessively and at a pace that kept me moving towards a moving target. When that arrow came to rest I no longer was obsessed. My aim has changed somewhat. Passion and honesty mean everything to me. Linda Perry is authentic-she is the real thing. That much sought after virtue that is so lacking in today's culture. Simply put, she writes great songs. 'Can't Get You Off My Mind' is a great song about obsessive love. So to come full circle emotionally, has been very rewarding and I know it will hit a nerve in anyone that has a heart."

Crunchy guitars and engagingly blunt lyrics also highlight "I Want Love To Punch Me In The Face." "I believe that the majority of people find relationships almost impossible and the result of that is going into a love coma," says DES BARRES. "We fall asleep because we find it so difficult to connect. Connectivity is everything today. In order to do that, you need an identity. You need to know who you are and the phrase 'I want love to punch me in the face' is a metaphor for true love to wake you up out of your slumber and find that perfect soul mate. So let's get in the ring and start punching!"

DES BARRES describes THE KEY TO THE UNIVERSE as "very loud, very raw and it's gonna rock like f***." Produced by Robert Rose (who's worked on albums by Julian Lennon, Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols and DES BARRES 1986 album Somebody Up There Likes Me), and recorded at Forum Music Village in Rome, THE KEY TO THE UNIVERSE features DES BARRES firing on all cylinders and lighting up the rock world as only he can. The album once more reunites DES BARRES with Nigel Harrison--former bassist of Blondie and Silverhead--on bass and guitar in addition to showcasing the talents of Clive Deamer (Portishead, Robert Plant) on drums and the ace Dani Robinson on guitar.

Track listing for THE KEY TO THE UNIVERSE:

1. Can't Get You Off My Mind
2. Room Full Of Angels
3. I Want Love To Punch Me In The Face
4. Maybe Means Nothing
5. Burning In Water
6. It's Just a Dream
7. Yesterday's Casanova
8. Black Sheep
9. Liberty Train
10. Supernatural Lovers

About MICHAEL DES BARRES:
The Hove, Sussex-born MICHAEL DES BARRES' first foray into film was in 1967 being cast alongside Sidney Poitier for the film To Sir With Love in which he played an East End pupil who always wore dark sunglasses. After further acting success was found in The Dirtiest Show In Town, DES BARRES officially abandoned acting in 1972 and fulfilled a long-held dream to form Silverhead. In 1974 DES BARRES disbanded the group after two well-received albums and subsequent tours of the USA, Europe and Japan and moved to Los Angeles (with 200 dollars and a hairdryer) where he was met at the airport by a girl who would turn out to be the future Pamela Des Barres. Pamela was dating Jimmy Page at the time but the two soon fell in love and DES BARRES managed to remain friends with Page who subsequently signed MICHAEL's new band Detective to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label. By the time 1978 came along, MICHAEL had radically altered his view on rock music after witnessing an extraordinary Sex Pistols' gig in San Francisco and split Detective up to later sign a solo deal with Dreamland Records in 1980. In 1982, DES BARRES fronted Chequered Past which featured Steve Jones (Sex Pistols), Clem Burke and Nigel Harrison (Blondie) and Tony Sales (David Bowie's Tin Machine) who released their self-titled album on EMI Records in 1984. DES BARRES co-wrote and recorded "Obsession" in 1983 which was covered by Animotion two years later, becoming a multi-million- selling worldwide hit. He also replaced Robert Palmer in Duran Duran spinoff band, Power Station who performed at 1985's Live Aid. The late 80's saw DES BARRES head back into acting with roles starring opposite Clint Eastwood in Pink Cadillac and he continued to take lead film roles in Midnight Cabaret, Under Siege, Poison Ivy, The New Seduction and Sugar Town along with playing the master assassin and master of disguise Murdoc in TV series "MacGyver." DES BARRES' more recent forays into the public arena have seen him return to his true love-rock music-and included stints with The Usual Suspects (featuring Steve Jones and Mick Rossi), Down Boy (featuring Paul McCartney's guitarist Brian Ray) and a ten-piece soul band called Michael Des Barres and Free Love Foundation. In 2012, DES BARRES self-released two albums: a studio record called Carnaby Street and a live album called Hot n Sticky Live, recorded at Los Angeles' Viper Room.

For more information, visit:
michaeldesbarres.com/
facebook.com/MDesBarres
twitter.com/mdesbarres

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