2010 has been filled with remarkable achievements for Australia’s most successful truly independent act and as the John Butler Trio continues their nationwide tour they have one more achievement to thank their fans for, the band’s fifth studio album ‘April Uprising’ has officially achieved platinum status.

The John Butler Trio released ‘April Uprising’ around the world simultaneously in 11 markets in April of this year. The album received the strongest and finest critical acclaim of any JBT album to date, and is the 3rd consecutive JBT album to debut at No. 1 on the Aria Charts. In the USA the band achieved their first ever debut in top 50 of the US Billboard charts (no. 36), and in France in the Top 30 (no. 23).

The John Butler Trio has travelled through many cities and countries taking their music to their global fans over the past 6 months. During their travels the band has played to their biggest crowds ever, headlining sold out shows at New York’s Summer stage in Central Park, Red Rocks Colorado and played many festival main stages in territories such as Brazil, Canada, Japan, Switzerland and France, just to name a few.

The band has also celebrated their most successful year on radio in Australia to date, with the album’s second single ‘Close To You’ being the most played Australian song this year and massive airplay results have been achieved for the album’s two other singles ‘One Way Road’ and the current single ‘Revolution’.

John Butler thanks his loyal fans for their continued support and commented on April Uprising’s platinum achievement today,

“What can I say to the best music fans in the world? Your support, love and absolute enthusiasm for our music is, to say the very least, humbling and an incredible honour to have. You all make dreams come true and I love the relationship we’ve built over time.  April Uprising going platinum in this day and age of downloading is testimony to a very special friendship and the amazing journey that we’re all on together. To all of you AND the amazing teams we work with to bring this music to the masses thank you , thank you , thank you all so very much !! You f***king ROCK!!!!!!!”

After a year in the making, the band has released their first documentary, ‘These Are The Days – The Making Of April Uprising’ which is out now on DVD. This film depicts an open, honest and rare look into the world and spirit of John Butler and the Trio as you have never seen them before.

World Cafe Broadcast – Interview & Performance

The World Cafe recently broadcast an interview and performance with John Butler via NPR. Check the link below to listen to the 25 minute interview and an alternative performance of ‘Close To You’.

ARCHIVE: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129151737

August 12, 2010

John Butler got his start in music by busking on the streets of Western Australia. His style escapes simple genre classification, and the guitarist’s music pits funky, spitfire lyricism against slide guitar and “open-tuning” riffs. Here in the States, his upbeat worldliness and passionate instrumental jams has set him alongside G. Love and Special Sauce and the Dave Matthews Band (he’s on Matthew’s label, ATO).

Recently, Butler was the subject of an episode in the Australian TV series called Who Do You Think You Are, which traced the musician’s ancestry. He found out that his great-great-grandfather fought in an uprising in Bulgaria called the “April Uprising,” and this discovery, amongst other April-related happenings, inspired the naming of the album.

“April Uprising became this metaphor for this huge musical revolution — spiritual, metaphysical, personal, musical revolution,” says Butler. “April Uprising kind of fit because everything seemed to have happened around April, in one century or the other.”

Butler also talks to guest host Tracey Tanenbaum about moving to Western Australia, hanging out with his small town’s indigenous population, and how he inherited his grandfather’s dobro.

LISTEN TO THE ARCHIVE: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129151737

For Australian and NZ fans,
JBT’s intimate Sydney show recorded in April at the iTunes store is out now on iTunes (oz/nz stores).
http://itunes.apple.com/au/album/itunes-live-from-sydney-ep/id382378792

The 5 track Ep features;

01// Johnny’s Gone
02// Better Than
03// Revolution
04// Zebra
05// One Way Road