Y&T: 'Unearthed Vol. 1' To Receive European Release, Possible DVD On The Way

Y&T's collection of previously unreleased material, "UnEarthed Vol. 1", will be released in Europe in April through the U.K.-based label Dream Catcher Records. As previously reported, the disc contains songs that were demoed for various albums over the years (some as far back as 1974) but never made it to the finished product — including a track with unfinished lyrics that the band have re-recorded specially for this collection. "UnEarthed Vol. 2" is tentatively expected to be released later this year.

In other news, Y&T frontman is currently sifting through video footage shot last December during the weekend of sold-out shows celebrating his 50th birthday with his fans for a possible DVD. According to Meniketti's official newsletter, "those in attendance [at the shows] were treated to Dave's kick-ass solo band MENIKETTI, who wowed the crowd with songs from Dave's two solo CDs, a killer video that [Dave's] wife Jill produced where pals who couldn't make the bash wished Dave a happy 50th birthday including QUEENSRŸCHE, TWISTED SISTER, Don Dokken, Cherie Curie (THE RUNAWAYS),BUDGIE, race car driver Ron Capps, several producers/engineers and DJs, plus guitar tech Allen Craft created his own little segment while working on the G3 tour where he captured birthday greetings to Dave from Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Tony MacAlpine, Billy Sheehan, and John Petrucci [DREAM THEATER] who said his wife once named her band after a Y&T song ('Mean Streak'),a special tribute where Dave was roasted by Y&T's own Phil Kennemore and John Nymann who took the stage with friends Dave Notary (from many Bay Area bands including VITAL SIGNS — the band that made their break with a catchy little tune on the 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure' soundtrack — Notary was the lead singer),Gary Cambra (THE TUBES) on guitar/keys/vocals, and pal Gino Finley (producer/songwriter/guitar player) on guitar, Jimmy DeGrasso joined the MENIKETTI band and then launched into a few more tunes with John and Phil and Dave (and played tunes from one of Dave's favorite Y&T albums — 'Musically Incorrect'),and to top it all off the original Y&T (yes, Phil, Leonard, and Joey) joined Dave onstage and whipped the crowd into even more of frenzy with several Y&T songs.

"When all was said and done, Dave Meniketti had been onstage each night from 9:00pm to 12:30pm — that's THREE-and-a-half hours! A fabulous time was had by all."

Y&T — Meniketti, Phil Kennemore, Leonard Haze, John Nymann — will play the following dates in April:

Apr. 07 - Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues
Apr. 08 - Anaheim, CA House of Blues
Apr. 16 - Madrid, SPA @ Macumba
Apr. 17 - Barcelona, SPA @ Bikini Club
Apr. 18 - Helmond, NETH @ Rockpodium Plato
Apr. 20 - Antwerp, BEL @ Hof ter Lo Town Antwerp