Monday, February 9, 2009

Classic Rock Videos

The Beatles - Yesterday

Rock & Roll Tidbits

Guitarist David Marks was once a member of the Beach Boys, playing on the first five albums. “I thought my new group, Dave and the Markmen would take right off,” sighed the guitarist three decades later. Ooops.

Ex-Boomtown Rats member Bob Geldof once lost his job at a photo-processing plant because he had smoked a few joints in the darkroom, ruining a batch of film.

Jim Morrison was a freak’s freak. In March of 1969, he was arrested for exposing himself during a Miami concert. The ‘flashing’ rocker eventually had to go to court with a long list of charges that included: profanity, indecent exposure, lewd behavior, and public drunkenness. While in court the prosecutor asked Morrison if he had exposed himself, to which Morrison replied: “I don’t remember. I was too drunk.” He was later found guilty of exposing himself but actually found not guilty of public drunkenness. Oh, our lovely legal system at work.

After the very public trail, a friend asked Morrison what compelled him to expose himself onstage. “I wanted to see what it looked like in the spotlight,” explained the Lizard King. I guess he remembered that part.

While out and about, Jim Morrison spotted one of his friend’s sister standing in a boutique. “Whooopppeee, look at those tits!” he hollered. An elderly lady thought that Morrison was yelling at her. The feisty senior proceeded to chase the stunned rocker around the store, hitting him with her purse.

For their tour to promote the “Rumours” album, Fleetwood Mac spent thousands of dollars on a giant inflatable penguin. They only used it once.

In 1997, Mick Fleetwood estimated that he had spent the staggering total of 8 million dollars on the drug of choice: Cocaine.

At an Alice Cooper concert, he was chopping and smashing a watermelon onstage and when someone handed him a crutch, he continued his onslaught. Then he threw the disgusting mess out into the audience, followed quickly by a mass of feathers. He thought ‘This group of dummies just sat there and took it.” It was later that the shock-rocker learned that the first five rows of the audience were filled with disabled fans, they couldn’t move.

Danny Bonaduce of Partridge Family fame was a hazard to his own health. While in Florida in 1990, he was arrested on a drug charge. In 1991, he was arrested for assaulting a transvestite prostitute in Phoenix, Arizona. Seems he had paid for his/her services and then tried to get a refund when he discovered the truth. He left the scene traveling over 125 miles per hour in a 25 miles per hour zone.

After Ringo Starr joined up with the Beatles, his band mates didn’t think too much of Starr’s mental abilities. “If anything goes wrong, we can all blame it on Ringo,” explained John Lennon. “That’s what he’s here for.”

While playing a gig in Buffalo, New York, the Allman Brothers Band showed up fifteen minutes late and the club owner refused to pay them. Roadie Twiggs Lyndon wasn’t amused so he stabbed the man three times with a fishing knife. The club owner died and Lyndon was arrested for first-degree murder. The band then continued their tour.

2009 Grammy Awards Shine Bright

With the ‘economic turndown,’ there are some spectacles that seem to be unfazed. Despite the obvious tough times for the music industry, the 51st annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angles came through with flying colors; with star after star shining brightly amid a bevy of live acts and newcomers.

In his welcoming speech, Neil Portnow, the President of the Awarding Organization, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, suggested that all in attendance have a good time and implored new President Obama to create a new cabinet position for the Secretary of the Arts.

AP – Alison Krauss, left and Robert Plant accept the award for album of the year at the 51st Annual Grammy


An unlikely pairing for former Led Zeppelin rocker Robert Plant and Nashville bluegrass sweetheart Alison Krauss stole the show, winning five Grammy wards; including “Album of the Year” for “Raising Sand.”

When Krauss accepted the award with Plant, she reminded everyone that, although the rocker is 60, “there’s never a dull moment.” Plant stated, “I’m bewildered. In the old days we would have called this selling out, but I think it’s a good way to spend a Sunday.”

The live acts were an eclectic mix of musical genres, sure to appease all in attendance as well as the millions of starry-eyed television viewers. Some of the notable performances included:


The young pairing of Taylor Swift (19) and Miley Cyrus(16), who sang a duet of Swift’s song “Fifteen”

66 year-old Sir Paul McCartney belting out an old Beatle classic with 40 year-old drummer Dave Grohl on the drums

Soul legend Stevie Wonder teaming up with the Jonas Brothers

A ‘rap pack’ teaming of Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Kayne West, T.I. and a very pregnant M.I.A. in a performance of T.I’s “Swagger Like Us”

Guitar geeks John Mayer and Keith Urban sitting in with Blues legend B.B. King

U2 kicking the event off with their new single “Get On Your Boots”

Rock legend Neil Diamond serenading the crowd with his classic song “Sweet Caroline”

Radiohead performing with the USC marching band

Jay-Z teaming up with Coldplay

A Four Tops tribute

Lil Wayne and Allen Toussaint paying tribute to New Orleans

A teary-eyed performance from Jennifer Hudson of “You Pulled Me Through”


The Grammy Awards tapped into the Internet with official updates on both Twitter and Facebook. There was also an improvisational collaboration to fill in for Rihanna and Chris Brown who were both nominated and scheduled to perform, but were absent after LA Police confirmed that Brown (who is dating Rihanna) is the subject of an investigation into felony domestic violence battery from the night before. So Al Green teamed up with Justin Timberlake, Boyz II Men and Keith urban to perform Green’s iconic soul number “Let’s Stay Together.”

Instead of focusing on the negative, the Recording Academy focused on what the night is all about, the music, the musicians, recording artists and producers and the immeasurable passion that is put forth by all.

Here is a condensed list of the winners:

Album of the Year – “Raising Sand” - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - T Bone Burnett, producer, Mike Piersante, engineer/mixer, Gavin Lurssen, mastering engineer

Record of the Year – “Please Read The Letter” - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

Song of the Year – “Viva La Vida” - Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters

Best New Artist - Adele

Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals – “Rich Woman” - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical - Rick Rubin (Death Magnetic, Home Before Dark, Mercy, Seeing Things, Weezer)

Best Rock Song – “Girls In Their Summer Clothes” - Bruce Springsteen, songwriter

Best Rock Instrumental Performance – “Peaches En Regalia” - Zappa Plays Zappa Featuring Steve Vai & Napoleon Murphy Brock

Best Metal Performance – “My Apocalypse” - Metallica

Best Pop Instrumental Album – “Jingle All The Way” - Béla Fleck & The Flecktones

Best Pop Instrumental Performance – “I Dreamed There Was No War” - Eagles

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance – “You've Got The Love I Need” - Al Green Featuring Anthony Hamilton

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals – “Stay With Me (By The Sea)” - Al Green Featuring John Legend

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album – “Still Unforgettable” - Natalie Cole

Best Country Album – “Troubadour” - George Strait

Best Bluegrass Album – “Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass: Tribute To 1946 and 1947” - Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder

Best Country Instrumental Performance – “Cluster Pluck” - Brad Paisley, James Burton, Vince Gill, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals – “Killing The Blues” - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Best Reggae Album – “Jah Is Real” - Burning Spear

Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album – “Raising Sand” - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Best Traditional Folk Album – “At 89” - Pete Seeger

Best Traditional Blues Album –“One Kind Favor” - B.B. King

Best Contemporary Blues Album – “City That Care Forgot” - Dr. John And The Lower 911

Best Long Form Music Video – “Runnin' Down A Dream” - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Peter Bogdanovich, video director; Skot Bright video producer

Best Traditional Gospel Album – “Down In New Orleans” - Blind Boys Of Alabama

Best comedy Album – “It's Bad For Ya” - George Carlin

Best Polka Album – “Let The Whole World Sing” - Jimmy Sturr And His Orchestra

Best Recording Package – “Death Magnetic “(Metallica) - Bruce Duckworth, Sarah Moffat & David Turner, art directors

For a complete list of winners visit: www.grammy.com.

Music News & Notes

New Sugarland Release

Sugarland has begun writing new material for their new release, and so far, the sound will be a bit different than what fans have come to expect from the country duo. "We've written like six songs and none of them are country songs yet," said guitarist Kristian Bush.

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Snoop Dogg News

Snoop Dogg is said to be eyeing a September release for his next album, "Malice in Wonderland." The rapper told Billboard that longtime collaborator Dr. Dre will also be working on the project. Snoop added that his fans should "keep your eyes and ears open for Snoop Dogg. I'm coming to a hood near you." Snoop's new MTV show, "Dogg After Dark," premieres Feb. 17.

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Good Charlotte Album

Good Charlotte's Benji Madden has told Billboard that the group will be aiming for a fall release for its next Epic album. Expect "more straightforward rock, maybe taking it back to our first or second record," he said. Madden is especially stoked and excited about the song "Love Ain't Easy," which he promised is "really catchy. We love the catchy hooks."

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Young Jeezy Confident

Young Jeezy told Billboard he's working on his next album but was not revealing the specifics. "I'll have some features but I kinda want to hold that up for a minure," he said. Jeezy also stated that he's not worried about the continual sales decline for hip-hop because he's "an entrepreneur," citing endorsement deals with Belvedere vodka and Adidas.

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Happy Eagles

The Eagles have been continuing to tour long and hard in support of their 2007 smash release "Long Road Out of Eden," which has sold more than 3.2 million copies so far. "I thought it would do fairly well, but it did extremely well," group member Timothy B. Schmit said.

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J. Geils Band Doing Single Reunion Show

It's reported that the J. Geils Band is reuniting, but for one show only. They will help open the new "House of Blues" in Boston on February 19. Peter Wolf, Magic Dick, Seth Justman, Danny Klein and Jay Geils have not played together regularly since 1985, only a handfull of benefits, and have not played one of those in ten years.

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Dancing With Belinda

Dancing With the Stars is welcoming Belinda Carlisle to the popular TV show. The ex-Go Go's singer has been announced as one of the contestants for the new season of the ABC program, which kicks of March 9. Also competing are fellow musician's Jewel and Lil' Kim, in addition to Chuck Wicks, David Alan Greer, Nancy O'Dell, Lawrence Taylor, Shawn Johnson, Gilles Marini, Steve-O, Denise Richards and Steve Wozniak.

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Ailing UFO Member Taking Time Off

Pete Way, founding member and bassist for UFO, Pete Way will be taking some time off from the band due to illness (liver damage). It's reported that the rockers will use a temporary replacement for the recording of their new album, expected later in the year.

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New Green Day Release

Green Day forthcoming album, called 21st Century Breakdown according their official Website, is set to be released in May.

Warner Music confirmed the title and is now accepting pre-orders for the album at the early-bird price of $11.99. According to AP magazine, the new LP will feature 16 songs spread across three Acts: Heroes and Cons, Charlatans and Saints and Horseshoes and Handgrenades.

Among the reported song titles include the title track, “Viva La Gloria,” “Know Your Enemy” and “March of the Dogs.” It's also been revealed that Butch Vig would produce the album. Vig is noted for helming Nirvana’s Nevermind and the Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream.

The album will be the band’s first since 2004’s highly-acclaimed "American Idiot," which went on to win Best Rock Album at the 2005 Grammys, while “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” won Record of the Year at the 2006 event.

Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales

Week Ending 02/07/2009

1. 45rpm - Joy Divison "An Ideal For Living" Enigma Original - $3,383.00


2. LP - The Beatles "Yesterday And Today" Butcher 1st State - $2,500.00 - Start: 2,500.00 - Bids: BIN

3. LP - Thelonious Monk "with Sonny Rollins and Frank Foster" Prestige - $2,350.00 - Start: $9.99 - Bids: 46

4. LP - Thad Jones "The Magnificent" Blue Note 1527 Lexington Ave - $2,280.00 - Start: $19.99 - Bids: 26

5. 78rpm - Tommy Johnson "Big Road Blues" / "Cool Drink Of Water" - $2,185.00 - Start: $9.99 - Bids: 18

The original Joy Division 7" EP on their own Enigma label gets the #1 spot this week, bidding up to almost 3.4k. This is most this record has sold for on eBay, and the value has been skyrocketing since 2006.

Next, a first state Butcher's cover sells for $2.5k on a Buy-It-Now. In the #3 spot, an original Thelonius Monk LP on Prestige, with cover design by Andy Warhol, closes for halfway over $2.3k. Another jazz LP takes the #4 spot, this one an original on Blue Note, bids up close to $2.3k.

And last, another 78 makes the list this week, a Tommy Johnson record on Victor sells for almost $2.2k.

As always, I want to thank Norm over at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this great data!