Gunnar Nelson of NELSON will be a guest on ELLIOT IN THE MORNING on DC101 – WWDC FM radio Wednesday morning February 9 at 9amET in DC-VA-MD. Gunnar will talk with Elliot about the new NELSON CD album Lightning Strikes Twice which is being released in U.S. next week (February 15). To listen to ELLIOT IN THE MORNING live online log on to DC101 at http://www.dc101.com/mediaplayer/
Gunnar Nelson of NELSON on right (Brian Lowe Photography)
Check out the official NELSON rock player on the NelsonKicksAss.com homepage to listen to recent Gunnar Nelson radio appearances on 94X Long Island, NY and Maximum Threshold Radio.
Gunnar appeared this week to talk about the new NELSON CD album LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE which is being released in the U.S. Tuesday, February 15, 2011. 
Stay tuned for more exclusive NELSON rock news!
Gunnar Nelson will appear as a guest LIVE on Maximum Threshold Radio with Domonic Rini Saturday, February 5th at 8pmEST.
Log on to MaximumThreshold.net to hear Gunnar Nelson live talking about the new NELSON album LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE being released in the U.S. February 15th.
TWO NEW CATALOGUE TITLES ALSO AVAILABLE IN CELEBRATION OF 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF MULTI-PLATINUM DEBUT “AFTER THE RAIN”
NELSON twin lead front men Gunnar Nelson & Matthew Nelson (Photo: Brian Lowe)
(New York, NY) – Lovers of melodic songwriting and sweet sibling harmonies rejoice! On February 15th, the Frontiers Records label will release not only a brand new Nelson album, LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE, but also two rare classic catalogue offerings: BEFORE THE RAIN and PERFECT STORM – AFTER THE RAIN WORLD TOUR 1991 in North America. New album LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE finds twin rockers and frontmen Matthew and Gunnar Nelson seamlessly picking up where they left off with their multi-platinum debut AFTER THE RAIN. AFTER THE RAIN sold nearly 7 million albums worldwide and featured the #1 smash hit single, “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love And Affection.”
Gunnar Nelson commented, “This is by far the best Nelson record ever made. Ever. Was it worth its 20 years in the making? Check it out and decide for yourself – but I know for me on every level it was.” Matthew Nelson added, “We set out to make a brand new classic rock record – and the critics in Europe have assured us that our mission’s accomplished.”
Matthew and Gunnar Nelson
By Jennifer Maurer
Gunnar Nelson is the master of his own evolution. As one-half of the famous Nelson twins who formed The Band NELSON back in the late 1980′s, he has had some uphill battles to fight, both musically and personally – all within a business that has not always been kind. Despite the pitfalls, Gunnar and Matthew are back to solidify their brand with a new record aptly titled “Lightening Strikes Twice.” It’s the highly anticipated follow up to their multi-platinum 1990 debut “After the Rain” which garnered the #1 hit (“Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection” and the follow up single “After the Rain.”
The first track released from the new record, “All I Need Tonight”, is accompanied byThe Band‘s first video in years. Closing a twenty-year gap, Gunnar and Matthew have now decided that the conditions are ripe for a rock and roll take-over, proving once again that it’s hard to keep a good band down.
As NELSON prepares for re-entry into the mainstream rock and roll arena, Gunnar is on his own roll. Having served as the creative force for much of “Lightening Strikes Twice,” he is proud of where it’s at, and how The Band has evolved. He recently sat down for a conversation with PopStar to discuss the record’s release. In this exclusive interview, we go behind the music and the man himself, as he lends some unique insight into NELSON’s world.
Your new CD Lightening Strikes Twice has been 20 years in the making. How does it feel to finally grant your fans a continuation of the music they love, while introducing a new generation to your sound?
It’s a wonderful feeling in a couple of respects because this record was really made to address a personal craving I had to really make a statement to myself that the first record was not a fluke, that I always had that follow up record in me that could not only build on what After the Rain had done when we released it, but hopefully improve upon it given 20 more years of experience.
NELSON starring Matthew Nelson & Gunnar Nelson (Photo: Brian Lowe)
In 1990 Nelson introduced themselves to the music world via their debut album After The Rain with infectious harmonies, soaring melodies and of course a whole lotta hair. Now, over twenty years later the band returns with their latest album Lightning Strikes Twice which has been heralded as a return to that signature sound that we all fell in love with so long ago.
It’s been a long but fruitful road for Matthew and Gunnar Nelson and they’ve learned many lessons along the way but the one thing that has never wavered is their inherent passion to write and perform music – much like their father – the late, great, Ricky Nelson. Both accomplished songwriters and musicians, Lightning Strikes Twice was written and recorded entirely by Matthew and Gunnar, with a few guest musicians contributing along the way. In what they’ve considered unfinished business in many ways Nelson has channeled their full collective energies to produce some of their most dynamic songs to date.
We recently had a chance to chat with Gunnar Nelson who talked about the new album, the path they’ve traveled, and of course, their beloved family.
Interviewed by: Roger Scales / TheyWillRockYou.com
Lightning Strikes Twice (due out on February 15th) really is more than just a comeback album for Nelson it’s a return to the sound that fans of your first album came to know and enjoy about the band – big multi level harmonies, tight musicianship and over the top fist pumping high energy arena rock. Being with Frontiers Records must be a match made in heaven?
Yes it is, I really think they are getting serious about the direction they want to go in. They just hired Derek Shulman a guy who signed Bon Jovi, the Dan Reed Network, and Cinderella among others back in his Mercury Records days. I think the thing you are seeing is that it’s not quite so un-hip to be a creature from the 80’s. Bands are starting to get more support than they got over the past 10 years. I think if Frontiers plays their cards right, if they truly support their bands like they can I think the label can actually really thrive here in the States and actually have some good success. We have been working steadily recently with Scrap Metal, Ricky Nelson Remembered and some other various solo projects but it wasn’t until Serafino (Perugino-President of Frontiers Records) called me up and told me I’m going to give you all the support that you will need and encouragement to get back to basics and to the mindset and style of songwriting that made After The Rain the great record that it was.
NELSON featuring Gunnar & Matthew Nelson (Photo: Brian Lowe)
New NELSON concert tour dates posted under SHOWS section of website including upcoming February NELSON show at Hard Rock Live in Biloxi!
Check back weekly for more NELSON concert dates coming soon!
MIAMI, FL (January 12, 2011) – Multi-platinum recording artist Gunnar Nelson, one of the twin sons of rock legend Rick Nelson, issued a statement this morning on behalf of the entire Rick Nelson family regarding the death of their uncle David Nelson, a TV pioneer best known for starring alongside his real life family – parents Ozzie and Harriet Nelson and younger brother Ricky Nelson on “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet”.
“On behalf of the Rick Nelson family- Matthew, Tracy, Sam, and myself, I would like to extend our collective and heartfelt sympathies to our Uncle David’s wife Yvonne, Sons John, Danny, Eric, James, daughter Teri, and all the grandchildren. We will all miss Uncle Dave’s laughter and evolved sense of humor. I’m sure that Grandpa Ozzie, Grandma Harriet, and our Pop Rick were all waiting for him to welcome him Home when his time came.
NELSON Announces U.S. Release Date for New Album
Marks After the Rain 20th Anniversary with Critically Acclaimed Sequel Release
LOS ANGELES, CA (January 11, 2011) – Multi-platinum recording artists NELSON led by twin lead front men Matthew & Gunnar Nelson announced the U.S. release date of their new original album Lightning Strikes Twice, a seamless sequel to After the Rain their classic multi-platinum debut album as they celebrate the 20th Anniversary milestone of the phenomenal record and its #1 Billboard hit “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection”. EMI / Frontiers Records USA / Stone Canyon Records will release the new NELSON album sequel Lightning Strikes Twice in the U.S. on February 15, 2011.
To coincide with the new release and 20th Anniversary of After the Rain, EMI / Frontiers Records USA / Stone Canyon Records will also release twin (2) NELSON catalog albums: Before the Rain the demo collection of songs that secured their recording deal with Geffen Records in 1990 and Perfect Storm – After the Rain World Tour 1991 live concert album. The North American release of the twin rare NELSON albums on February 15, 2011, will be a complement to the release of NELSON’s brand new original album sequel Lightning Strikes Twice.
Photo: Brian Lowe Photography
“LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE is the creative masterpiece NELSON has waited over 20 years to unveil,” enthuses Gunnar Nelson. “It’s given us the opportunity to resolve some unfinished business musically and artistically. American fans have waited long enough. We’re thrilled the U.S. release is finally here.”
“The forecast for 2011 is incredible with releasing three NELSON albums,” adds Matthew Nelson. “We are thrilled to be releasing our new original NELSON album LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE in the United States. Plus, NELSON fans should enjoy the journey through the time capsule provided by these rare collectible albums – BEFORE THE RAIN and PERFECT STORM.”
Twenty years after the release of “After The Rain”, the Nelson brothers returned with a stunning album; “Lightning Strikes Twice” is the true follow up to that amazing debut. So when it was announced that they would headline Firefest 2010 (their first ever UK show) we were eager to set up this interview. Here is what Matthew and Gunnar had to say
Interview: Kostas Rigas
Rockpages.gr: You’ve got a new album out. Would you like to talk to us about it?
Gunnar Nelson: We’re really excited about it! It’s our first real album in twenty years! We were asked to make a real follow-up record to our first album which is called “After The Rain”. We were unable to make that record in 1992 because Nirvana showed up and the whole music landscape changed…not only for the world but in our record label too.
When we released “After The Rain” we went on tour for two years and when we came back all the guys in the record label that we worked with were all fired and there were 19 year old kids from Seattle working for the label. And the whole agenda changed. We weren’t allowed to make a record back then. They kept putting us in a studio for four or five years just wasting our time and watching our fan base go away. And there was nothing we could do because we were signed to a record contract. It took us five years to get out of that contract and then we founded our own record label Stone Canyon. And then we were approached by Frontiers Records, about 18 months ago, and they told us: Let’s imagine it is 1992. We’ll give you a port to make a real follow up to “After The Rain”. Can you do it? We actually thought it was a fun challenge and we’re really pleased with the album