(Los Angeles) World Gone Crazy, the first new album by The Doobie Brothers in 10 years on HOR Records, soared into the upper reaches of the sales charts in its very first week of release. It hit the Top 10 of Billboard’s Independent Albums chart, debuting at #8, as well as #14 on the Top Internet Albums chart. It also debuted in the Top 40 of the Billboard 200 at #39 and at #31 on the Top Digital Albums chart.
At the same time, critics are hailing the return to record by the legendary rock’n’roll group who boast 40 million albums sold over their nearly four decade career. The New York Post declared World Gone Crazy as its pick for the Grammy Award for “Album of the Year,” hailing it as “a smokin’ mix of roadhouse boogies, classic rock and country.” The Newark Star-Ledger featured the lead single “Nobody” as its “Song of the Day,” dubbing it “excellent.”
The Fort Smith Times Record noted how at a recent show “new songs from the just-released World Gone Crazy CD… all were given the cheers and whistles usually associated with a group’s most-beloved cuts.”
The new album features the singing, songwriting and guitar playing of the band’s founding frontmen Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston as well as longtime members John McFee (on guitars, violin, mandolin and banjo) and Michael Hossack (drums and percussion), plus guest appearances by former Doobie Brother Michael McDonald and the legendaryWillie Nelson. It was co-produced by Ted Templeman, who worked with the Doobies on their string of classic records from the band’s 1971 debut through such million-selling albums as Toulouse Street (double platinum), The Captain & Me, What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (double platinum), Takin’ It to the Streets, Minute by Minute (triple platinum) and One Step Closer plus the 10 million selling Best of The Doobies.
The first single from World Gone Crazy is a rerecorded version of the group’s 1971 debut single “Nobody,” which jumped into the Top 30 of the Triple A radio chart its first week out. VH1 Classic added the video of the song, making it one of the few new songs the channel has aired, joining clips by Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi to enjoy that rare stature. The Doobies also recently appeared on VH1 Classic’s “Rock Nights.” And the band’s 1973 Top 15 hit single “China Grove” is featured in the Rock Band 3 video game released the same day as the new album.
The Doobie Brothers celebrate the release of World Gone Crazy with a three-week European tour followed by U.S. dates in November. The response to the new album and their live shows prove, as the Allentown Morning Call notes, “these guys can still rock.”
The Doobie Brothers on tour:
10/14 Milan, Italy Alcatraz
10/15 Zurich, Switzerland Hallenstadion
10/16 Paris, France Bercy
10/18 Brussels, Belgium Vorst Nationaal
10/19 Enschiede, Netherlands Colosseum Enschiede
10/21 Copenhagen, Denmark Forum Copenhagen
10/22 Gothenburg, Sweden Scandanavium
10/23 Oslo, Norway Oslo Spektrum
10/25 Vielje, Denmark Vielje Theatre
10/26 Dusseldorf, Germany Stahlwerk
10/29 London, England Hammersmith Apollo
10/30 Bristol, England Colston Hall
10/31 Wolverhampton, England Wolverhampton Civic Hall
11/1 Manchester, England Manchester Apollo
11/3 Dublin, Ireland Grand Canal Theatre
11/11 Naples, EL Philharmonic Center for the Arts
11/12 St. Petersburg, FL Vinoy Waterfront Park
11/14 North Charleston, SC North Chalreston Coliseum
11/13 West Palm Beach, FL Kravis Center/Dreyfoos Hall
11/16 Huntington, WV Keith Albee Performing Arts Center
11/17 Shippensburg, PA H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center
11/18 Bridgeport, CT The Klein
11/19 Westbury, NY NYCB Theatre at Westbury
3/4/11 Bossier City, LA Horseshoe
3/5/11 Biloxi, MS Hard Rock
3/9/11 Fort Pierce, FL Sunrise Theatre
3/10/11 Plant City, FL Florida Strawberry Festival
