Stan Ridgway Releases "Holiday in Dirt" DVD on New West on February 22

Video Counterpart to 2001 Album Enlists 14 Filmmakers;
Will Debut in Special Screening at Largo in Los Angeles, Sat. Feb. 26

Ridgway Also Signs on for SXSW and March Tour Dates

On the heels of his widely hailed 2004 CD, Snakebite - Blacktop Ballads and Fugitive Songs (redFLY Records), New West Records will release a DVD version of Stan Ridgway's 2002 album, Holiday In Dirt, on February 22. But it is not your run-of-the-mill music video counterpart.

Instead, the DVD of Holiday In Dirt is a compilation of 14 short films by 14 different filmmakers. The directors got total artistic freedom, but a budget of only $500 dollars. Each film uses a song from the album as its basis.

The filmmakers comprise a who's who of MTV video directors and art film provocateurs: Phil Harder (Incubus, Matchbox 20, Remy Zero), Rick Fuller (Wilco, Paul Westerberg, Barenaked Ladies), Steve Hanft, Carlos Grasso (Cracker, Oasis, L7, I.R.S. Records' Cutting Edge), Jim Ludtke (The Residents), Chuck Statler (Devo, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe), Katherine Gordon, Simon Blake, Dan Brown, Hernan Barangan, David Roth, Heidi Frier & Charles Bowe, and Dave Moe.

The project was produced by Chris Strouth and Rick Fuller.

"Most music videos these days really suck," says Ridgway. "Mostly because they're made to show just the band and the singer all the time. What happened to just making a cool interesting film with the music? When producers Chris Strouth and Rick Fuller came up with this idea, I said it will be. Hey! I could get my friends to make a film!

"These great directors were given only three instructions. Do whatever you want. Make it for 500 bucks. And I'm not in it! (But I AM in the inserts in between, guess I couldn't get outta that one!) You'll be surprised with what all these great folks came up with and I am extremely happy with the results! I gotta go write some songs now..."

In Los Angeles, Ridgway will debut the Holiday In Dirt DVD with a low-budget Hollywood premiere at Largo, 432 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles on Saturday, February 26. At 8 p.m., the DVD will roll, and at 9:30 p.m., Ridgway will perform. The red carpet will be star-studded.

The Los Angeles date kicks off a round of Southwest tour dates leading up to SXSW in Austin:

Sat., Feb. 26 -- LOS ANGELES -- Largo (DVD premiere & live show)
Wed., March 9 -- PHOENIX, AZ -- The Rhythm Room
Thurs., March 10 -- TUCSON, AZ -- Plush
Tues., March 15 -- AUSTIN, TX -- The Saxon Pub (South by South Lamar)
Official SXSW showcase to be announced.
Updates at http://www.stanridgway.com/tour/index.php