Monday, June 6, 2011

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

Pat Metheny Covers Beatles and Other Legends on New CD

Michael Wright

Grammy-winning guitarist Pat Metheny will release a new album of covers on June 14. The album, titled What’s It All About, comprises the jazz great’s personal interpretations of 10 classic songs, including tracks by The Beatles, Burt Bacharach, Simon & Garfunkel, The Carpenters and more.

Guitar fans will find special interest in Metheny’s sonic choices. He recorded most of the record using an acoustic baritone guitar, with a few notable exceptions. The surf classic, “Pipeline,” is played on an acoustic six-string, and The Beatles’ “And I Love Her” was recorded with a nylon six-string.

Read the rest at Gibson.com




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great to see them back together!

Go-Go's Prove They've Still Got the Beat, Cover the Stones in New York

by Kenneth Partridge

The Go-Go's are as quintessentially Californian as the Beach Boys and X, fellow L.A. bands they reference in equal measure, but the pioneering female rockers also have some personal history in New York City, where they performed Friday night.

"Thirty years ago, five ragamuffin punk-rock girls came to your city and made 'Beauty and the Beat,'" guitarist Charlotte Caffey told fans at a packed Irving Plaza, referring to the 1981 debut album the group is celebrating with this latest tour.

Read the rest at spinner.com

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Radiohead to release a series of limited 12" vinyl records

Radiohead are scheduled to release a collection of limited edition 12" vinyl records as of next month. It will include remixes of tracks from their current album ‘The King Of Limbs’, this summer on XL/Ticker Tape.

The first release will be a remix of Little By Little by Caribou, and Lotus Flower by Jacques Greene (releases July 4th).

The 12” will be available at selected independent record stores, and from www.radiohead.com

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Osbournes keep rewriting history, says original bassist

Daisley reveals he has stacks of unheard Randy Rhoads material, but won’t let Ozzy and Sharon cheat him over it

Original Ozzy Osbourne bassist Bob Daisley has a hoard of unheard recordings featuring tragic guitarist Randy Rhoads – but he refuses to allow the Osbournes to badger him into a cut-price deal for releasing them.

Daisley accuses the celebrity couple of “rewriting history” and cites the example of his own removal from re-releases of the first two Ozzy solo albums.

Read the rest of this interesting saga at rocknewsdesk.com

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Eddie Vedder Talks New Pearl Jam Album, Ukulele

Bryan Wawzenek

Eddie Vedder said that Pearl Jam are hard at work on their new studio album, which will be the band’s tenth. The sessions come in the midst of Pearl Jam’s 20th anniversary year as a group, which is being commemorated in re-issues, a Wisconsin festival this summer and an upcoming Cameron Crowe-directed documentary. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Vedder talked about his band and his new ukulele album.

“I just wanted it to be the one sound,” the singer said about his new album, Ukulele Songs.

Read the rest at Gibson.com


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burningshed.com has this news, i'm grabbing my copy!

Autopsy - Acts of the Unspeakable (Vinyl preorder)


Californian gore metallers Autopsy burst onto the scene in 1988 with almost immediate infamy. Frontman Chris Reifert was already a well known force on the underground through his time as drummer with Florida's highly respected metal combo, Death. After playing drums on the band's debut album, the much acclaimed 'Scream Bloody Gore', Chris moved back west to the more open climate of San Francisco and together with Danny Coralles & Eric Cutler formed Autopsy. The partnership kicked off in April 1989 with their debut album 'Severed Survival', a brutal explosion of heavy riffs, tight drumming and a screaming vocal, rounded off with concepts of death, disease and diabolica. A successful European tour with label mates and rising stars 'Paradise Lost' saw the band solidify their ever-growing army of devotees.

Their third album, the highly controversial 'Acts Of The Unspeakable' surfaced in Oct '92 to widespread delight and fury. The press and fans adored the album, with artwork & lyrics loosely mirroring concepts similar to Hieronymous Bosch. The authorities didn't quite see things in the same way as copies of the album & T-Shirts (based on album artwork) were seized the world over. This only added to the reputation of the band with 'Acts' being lauded as the definitive Autopsy album.

The classic third album of death metal from Autopsy on limited yellow vinyl with gatefold sleeve. Numbered to 2000 copies.

Preorder now for 20th June 2011 release date


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burningshed.com has this pre-order as well

Darkthrone - Goatlord (Vinyl preorder)

Darkthrone began in the late 80’s as a more thrash/death metal inspired act & progressed through technical death/doom metal experimentation to become legends of the black metal world & one of the original leading bands of the Norwegian scene.

‘Goatlord’ is the title of what was to originally be Darkthrone’s second album. The style followed very much in the vein of the debut, ‘Soulside Journey’, with a mid-paced melodic, yet technical death metal style. After the recording of the tracks in their completed demo form in 1991, however, Darkthrone’s focus shifted towards black metal & so the album was shelved, while work commenced on what was to be the Norwegian black metal milestone, ‘A Blaze in the Northern Sky’, which did actually incorporate some parts from the ‘Goatlord’ tracks.

‘Goatlord’ was only ever recorded instrumentally, & so it wasn’t until 1994 that Fenriz added vocals to the songs, with the album eventually seeing a release on the band’s then label, Moonfog Productions in 1996.

This edition of Goatlord features new artwork as selected by the band, & it is presented on limited heavyweight black vinyl.

Preorder now for 27th June 2011 release date


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and over at sundazed.com, i have my eyes on this prize, love the group from way back....


The Left Banke
Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina LP
LP (vinyl) | $18.98
LP 5375

Order it here


This title will ship to arrive to you on our street date of June 28th.

Long-awaited reissue of 1967 debut by baroque rock legends!

The work of the Left Banke has long been an elusive holy grail for vintage pop fanatics. The legendary “baroque rock” combo’s work ranks with the greatest American music of the 1960s, and remains beloved by discerning pop connoisseurs around the world. Out of print for decades and despite its longstanding unavailability, the Left Banke’s music has attained an ever-increasing level of prestige over the years, and continues to exercise a powerful mystique amongst the group’s legion of admirers.

The Left Banke’s 1967 debut album Walk Away Renée/Pretty Ballerina is widely regarded as one of the greatest debut albums of the ’60s, thanks to frontman Steve Martin’s evocative lead vocals, the haunting harmonies of band members Tom Finn and George Cameron, the ambitious songwriting of keyboardist Michael Brown, and exquisite, classically-influenced arrangements that were unlike anything else in popular music at the time. “Walk Away Renée,” released the previous year as the band’s first single, remains one of the era’s most recognizable (and most-covered) standards. In addition to “Walk Away Renée” and its followup hit “Pretty Ballerina,” the album also features such memorable numbers as “She May Call You Up Tonight,” “Barterers and Their Wives” and “Shadows Breaking Over My Head.”

The long-awaited reissue of this classic debut on CD and 180 gram vinyl LP has been sourced from the original stereo master tapes and includes the album’s original track listing. CD features unseen photos and new liner notes including illuminating interviews with band members.

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my friend, Gary Freiberg posted this, it's all about the preservation of our beloved vinyl!

Vinyl lasts

Save history, save your records

BY GARY J. FREIBERG

Did you ever groove to the Haydn Quartet singing “The Owl and the Pussycat” from 1901? Or how about the Original Dixieland Jazz Band’s 1917 recording of “Livery Stable Blues,” considered the first jazz recording ever released? Most likely you haven’t, but thanks to collaboration between UC Santa Barbara and its Encyclopedic Discography of Victor Records with the Library of Congress and Sony Music Entertainment, you now can hear these—and 10,000 other recordings from 1901 to 1950—on the National Jukebox created by the Library of Congress.

Launched on May 10, the National Jukebox has turn-of-the-20th-century music, speeches, instrumentals, vaudeville acts—all of them historical recordings long ago forgotten as formats and society changed. As Gene DeAnna, the head of the Library of Congress Recorded Sound Section, said, “The National Jukebox represents a strong step to return out-of-circulation recordings to public access.” These initial 10,000 historical recordings were provided from Sony Music Entertainment, who has, through acquisition and mergers, managed to get control of all the Victor Records rights. UC Santa Barbara is working with the Library of Congress by creating a searchable database for every recording in the National Jukebox.

According to UCSB’s David Seubert, curator, Performing Arts Collection at UCSB, the Library of Congress was essential to the National Jukebox becoming a reality as “they have the muscle” to get Sony to license this stream of audio history, gratis, no licensing fee. The recordings can be listened to, but can not be downloaded. Sony controls the commercial rights.

Even politicians relied on records to spread their message. The National Jukebox includes 1913 speeches by Woodrow Wilson and Teddy Roosevelt, who used Victor Records to disseminate his campaign message about the farmer and American business.

The work of UC Santa Barbara and the National Jukebox are a major step toward preserving our audio history but institutions cannot do it all. The primary source for the preservation of the audio history captured on the vinyl (or the earlier shellac) record is for people who own records to realize they are the custodians of their particular record archive. There are no two record collections that are the same. Every record collection contains recordings that have been out of print for years. If these recordings are to survive, they must be cared for by their owners: Preservation of audio history cannot be left to institutions. The public is the custodian of the world’s audio history; there is not a government agency that houses all recordings. The Library of Congress comes close, but they don’t have everything in their collection that you may have in yours.

Recently, there has been a lot of media attention to the resurgence of sales and popularity of the vinyl record. Record companies, who need more help than AIG ever got, see a renewed source of income as artists want to be hip, cutting edge, by releasing their newest recordings on vinyl. Surprisingly, it’s a younger generation, not Baby Boomers, who are driving sales. The vinyl record was dismissed as outdated by the generation that grew up with it, only to return a generation or so later to become the “newest” listening format.

But the issue of preserving our audio history is deeper than renewed popularity. There are still many people who look at a record collection and see only “old records” that should be dumped. The danger is we lose history, connections with voices from the past.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America, only five percent of analog recordings have been transferred to digital format. As reflected by UC Santa Barbara’s cataloging the 50 years of Victor Records, there are countless peripheral recordings, historical speeches, news broadcast of significant world events, fringe artists, and music available only on the non-digital format. To trash or not take care of an “old record” is destroying the audio history of generations past.

Is it important for future generations to hear the voices that record companies didn’t see profit in converting to a digital commercial product? If it is not, what’s next? Do we turn the books that have not been digitized for Kindle into fireplace logs? Do we toss old magazines, professional manuals, and any other printed materials because of the digital age? No, we do not. Destroying the audio history on vinyl records as a consequence of the iPod and computers makes as much sense as ridding ourselves of books because of Kindle.

So take care of your record collection. How else will future generations hear “Yummy, Yummy, I’ve Got Love in my Tummy” if you don’t?

For more information visit the jukebox

Gary J. Freiberg is the founder of Vinyl Record Day and author of the accepted Vinyl Record Stamp proposal. Vote for the Vinyl Record Stamp proposal HERE

Also check out Gary's famous album cover frames at www.rockartpictureshow.com

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this from our friends at soundstagedirect.com

Top Selling Vinyl at SoundStageDirect.com

1. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

2. My Morning Jacket - Circuital

3. Warren Haynes - Man In Motion

4. Paul Simon - So Beautiful Or So What

5. Pink Floyd - London 1966/1967 (White Vinyl)

6. Emerson Lake & Palmer - Emerson, Lake And Palmer

7. Cat Stevens - Tea For The Tillerman (200g)

Track List:
1. Where Do The Children Play?
2. Hard Headed Woman
3. Wild World
4. Sad Lisa
5. Miles From Nowhere
6. But I Might Die Tonight
7. Longer Boats
8. Into White
9. On The Road To Find Out
10. Father And Son
11. Tea For The Tillerman

This vinyl LP is available for PRE-ORDER

About Tea For The Tillerman (200g) by Cat Stevens:

When word got out that we were beginning a pressing plant, customers began to call with questions. And the most common and full-of-anticipation question was inevitably: What will be the first title that you press? Well, we couldn't possibly imagine hitting a bigger home run than to open Quality Record Pressings (QRP) with one of the all-time most classic audiophile records, Cat Stevens' Tea for the Tillerman from 1970.

There are so many things perfect about this release. First and foremost, it's a masterpiece of a record. It's that rare record that couples breathtaking sound with hit after hit after hit. In fact, to list the hits would be to list the entire song list. We couldn't pick a better vehicle for which to show off what we're so confident will be the highest quality records ever pressed.

But here's something else that's cool: We scored the absolute original analog masters, and the tapes were in impeccable condition. It took an unbelievable amount of digging and research - and luck - to get this project done to the standards of Analogue Productions. But, wow, was it ever worth it! The tapes were last used in December 1999 when Ted Jensen at Sterling, along with producer Paul Samwell-Smith, remastered the Cat Stevens catalog for CD.

In 1970, Lee Hulko at Sterling Sound cut Tea For The Tillerman for A&M Records in the U.S. and Island Records in the UK using a Telefunken M10 tape machine and a Neumann VMS 66 lathe with a Neumann SX68 cutterhead. Hulko started Sterling in 1968 and was its original mastering engineer. He's considered among the first engineers to advance mastering from just transferring music from tape to lacquer to an art where attention is paid to all the details that result in better sound. We actually found Hulko's original mastering notes from more than 40 years ago. It's incredible, but Sterling still has all of their notes filed away.

So, it was originally cut at Sterling - as were all of the early original Cat Stevens albums - and the tapes were last used at Sterling. How appropriate then that we should go back to Sterling for this monumental reissue. Using the original tapes, George Marino handled the mastering this time. He used an Ampex ATR-102 tape machine, another significant point of interest. While Ampex has long been revered for their sound, they had never made a preview version so that a mastering engineer could cut a lacquer from an Ampex machine. Mike Spitz at ATR Services made a unique preview modification for Sterling so that they could cut this record using an Ampex. Marino then used a Neumann VMS 80 lathe with a Neumann SX 74 cutterhead.

"I think we've gotten something quite a bit better than what was originally issued," Marino says. "I think this version is much more representative of what was on the tape. And that's not a criticism of what was originally done."

Marino points out that since the original issue, there have been advancements in cutting lathe technology that make the improvements of this reissue possible.

"You didn't have the same number of options that you have in the new Neumann electronics," Marino says. "With the new one, they give you more variations to work with. Let's say there's a nice kind of present sounding acoustic guitar on the left channel and then all of the sudden there's a drum peak with cymbal crashes and stuff and that stuff happens to be on the left channel. Being the vocal is down the center, you can drive the high frequency limiter from the right channel. So you can set a threshold on the right channel and grab the vocal without wiping out some of the musical peaks on the left channel. This is what I talk about when I say that we have technical advantages that they didn't have."

Marino also chose to use a wide-track stereo head for this project, which he said allows for better signal-to-noise than the normal stereo head.

And he also decided against using tube electronics, as would have been used originally, because he says that while the tubes allowed for more warmth, they also made the sound duller.

"You wind up wanting to put a little top-end EQ or something to get a little something back (when using tubes)," Marino explains of his decision.

Marino says that he is very pleased with the results.

"A great record. A classic," he says. "And those tapes were in excellent, excellent condition. Musically, I think we've got something that sounds richer and more natural. It sounds more correct. I had to do very, very little to the tape regarding EQ processing or anything."

To package this reissue, we've decided to do a facsimile of the original British Island gatefold jacket rather than the non-gatefold U.S. version. This British jacket also has a textured paper stock on the inside and is glossy on the outside. Additionally, we're using the original pink Island label.

So there you have it. Quality Record Pressings is off and pressing in a big, big way! Finally, we're ready to unveil the innovations in record pressing that we've been working on for more than a year. Among those innovations are the installations of microprocessors on the presses so that all of the presses functions are performed with absolute precision. For example, we've developed a dye with an imbedded temperature sensor that we can use to cycle the presses. Rather than having the presses close and open based on time - as it's been to date - these presses will close and open based on temperature, the far more accurate indicator of when the record is ready. We also have a plating department in Quality Record Pressings, run by the best plating man in the business, Gary Salstrom.

Still to come from Analogue Productions pressed at Quality Record Pressings will be the Cat Stevens classics Teaser and the Firecat and Catch Bull at Four.

Tea For The Tillerman is one of Cat Stevens' finest albums and a gem in the crown of early 1970s singer/songwriterdom. Stevens manages to have his cake and eat it too, simultaneously achieving pop accessibility and artistic relevance. The feel is decidedly gentle and spare. Apart from the occasional string section, Stevens is accompanied only by a three-piece band as he sings his introspective lyrics with appreciable favor.

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Medieval marketing: a winner for Kaiser Chiefs' return

By Stephen Jones

B-Unique/Fiction Records has torn up the rule book with the release of Kaiser Chiefs’ new album The Future Is Medieval, which combines a DIY element and rewards buyers.

Twenty new tracks have gone on sale on the band’s website which allows fans to compile their own bespoke album. It has also engineered a social networking mechanism that will allow fans to make money through distributing tracks online.

Fans are able to listen to 60 second clips of each song and choose 10 tracks for £7.50, select artwork from a choice of 20 covers and list tracks in whatever order they wish to create their own album.

Purchasers are then able to post links to the album online through their social media and if their friends buy it they will be reimbursed £1. A traditional 13-track release will follow in the coming weeks.

Fiction Records managing director Jim Chancellor claimed this was the world’s first viral release.

Read the rest of the article at musicweek.com

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Puddle Of Mudd to release covers album this August

Kansas City alt rockers Puddle of Mudd are to release their 15 track covers album this August 2nd. The band have been working on the record at The Bomb Shelter, which is a studio owned by Stone Temple Pilots drummer Eric Kretz.

The new covers album, entitled 're:(disc)overed' will feature The Rolling Stones 'Gimme Shelter' plus versions of Free's 'All Right Now', Bad Company's 'Shooting Star', Neil Youngs 'Old Man', Led Zeppelin's 'D'yer M'ker' and Elton John's 'Rocket Man.'

Lead guitarist Paul Phillips has explained to Billboard the reasoning behind the track selection:

"We chose a lot of things that were challenging," Phillip explains. "People hear Puddle's gonna do a covers album and they think it'll be Nirvana and the Ramones and Metallica and stuff like that. And that's something we wanted to do, but we wanted to stretch our legs, and it was a very challenging thing to have songs that have piano and these big, crazy arrangements and stuff. I mean, doing an Elton John song with piano and backup singers and stuff is not easy. It's easier to record a Puddle of Mudd song, but to tackle an arrangement like that is a lot more difficult to do, and that's what we wanted."

're:(disc)overed' is scheduled for an August 2nd release date

The track list:

"Gimme Shelter" (Rolling Stones)
"Old Man" (Neil Young)
"TNT" (AC/DC)
"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" (Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)
"The Joker" (Steve Miller Band)
"Everybody Wants You" (Billy Squier)
"Rocket Man" (Elton John)
"All Right Now" (Free)
"Shooting Star" (Bad Company)
"Funk 49" (James Gang)
"D'yer M'ker" (Led Zeppelin)

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Christ Agony Announces New Album "NocturN" Details


Christ Agony has posted the cover artwork online for the band's new album "NocturN," which can be viewed below. The art was handled by by Michal Grabowski of BlackTeamMedia. The track listing for the album is as follows:

1. Opus Sacrum / Reign Of Chaos
2. Frozen Path Unholy Fire
3. The Stigma Of Hell
4. Silent Gods Of Darkness
5. Demonicon Illuminati
6. Black Star Falling
7. Flames Of Several Suns
8. Opus Profanum / Fields Of Inferno

The premiere of the new album "NocturN" is currently set for Autumn 2011 through Mystic Production.

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this from our friends at www.vinylcollective.com

Here are the Top 10 albums sold at ShopRadioCast for the week of May 31 – June 6, 2011:

1. Ruiner / Attica Attica Under the Influence Volume 14 7″
2. Big D and The Kids Table – For The Damned, The Dumb and The Delirious 2XLP (Exclusive)
3. Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground – Introducing
4. White Wives – Happeners
5. The Menzingers – A Lesson In The Abuse Of Information Technology LP
6. Against Me! – Russian Spies 7″
7. Alkaline Trio – Damnesia
8. Portugal The Man – Waiter: You Vultures! LP
9. Ramones – Leave Home LP
10. Fireworks – Gospel

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USA


Albums:
1. Lady Gaga :Born This Way
2. Brad Paisley :The Is Country Music
3. Adele :21
4. Soundtrack :Glee The Music Season Two
5. Various :Maybach Music Group Presents
6. Various :Now 38
7. NKOTBSB :NKOTBSB
8. Foster The People :Torches
9. Jason Aldean :My Kinda Party
10. Mumford and Sons :Sigh No More


Singles:
1. Adele :Rolling In The Deep
2. Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer :Give Me Everything
3. Katy Perry feat. Kanye West :E.T.
4. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull :On The Floor
5. Black Eyed Peas :Just Can't Get Enough
6. Bruno Mars :The Lazy Song
7. Britney Spears :Till The World Ends
8. Lady Gaga :The Edge Of Glory
9. LMFAO :Party Rock Anthem
10. DJ Khaled feat. Drake, Riss Ross & Lil Wayne :I'm On One



UK


Albums:
1. Adele :21
2. Kate Bush :Director's Cut
3. Adele :19
4. Hugh Laurie :Let Them Talk
5. Bruno Mars :Doo-Wops & Holligans
6. Friendly Fires :Pala
7. Chase & Status :No More Idols
8. Jessie J. :Who You Are
9. Foo Fighters :Wasting Light
10. Caro Emerald :Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor



Singles:
1. Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer :Give Me Everything
2. Bruno Mars :The Lazy Song
3. Aloe Blacc :I Need A Dollar
4. LMFAO :Party Rock Anthem
5. Alexandra Stan :Mr Saxobeat
6. Chris Brown feat. Benny Benassi :Beautiful People
7. Snoop Dogg Vs. David Guetta :Sweat
8. The Saturdays :Notorious
9. Lady Gaga :Judas
10. Swedish House Mafia :Save The World


Europe



Albums:
1. Take That :Progress
2. Rihanna :Loud
3. Bruce Springsteen :The Promise
4. Shakira :Sale El Sol
5. Pink :Greatest Hits ... So Far
6. Bon Jovi :Greatest Hits
7. James Blunt :Some Kind Of Trouble
8. Susan Boyle :The Gift
9. Kings Of Leon :Come Around Sundown
10. JLS :Outta This World



Singles:
1. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull :On The Floor
2. Rihanna :S&M
3. Adele :Rolling In the Deep
4. Lady Gaga :Born This Way
5. Black Eyed Peas :Just Can't Get Enough
6. Jessie J. feat. B.o.B. :Price Tag
7. Katy Perry :E.T.
8. Snoop Dogg Vs. David Guetta :Sweat
9. LMFAO :Party Rock Anthem
10. Bruno Mars :Grenade

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and in music history for today:

In 1960, Bing Crosby was presented with a Platinum disc to commemorate his 200 millionth record sold. The sales figures were a combined total of 2,600 recorded singles and 125 albums. Crosby's global lifetime sales on 179 labels in 28 countries totaled 400 million records. 

In 1960, the Silver Beetles and Gerry and the Pacemakers appear together at the Grosvenor Ballroom in Liscard, Wallasey, England. They are billed as "jive and rock specialists."

Roy Orbison's "Only the Lonely" was released in the US in 1960.

In 1962, after an unsuccessful audition for Decca Records, The Beatles perform for producer George Martin at EMI Records in London. Martin was later quoted as saying "they were pretty awful. I understand why other record companies turned them down", but signed them to a contract the following month. John, Paul, George and Pete Best were each paid £7.10 ($12.07) for the session.

In 1964, the Dixie Cups became the first American group to top the Billboard chart in 1964 when "Chapel of Love" went to number one. Up until then, the year had been dominated by The Beatles and US solo performers. The song reached #22 in the UK.

In 1968, the Rolling Stones added new words to Sympathy for the Devil about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.

CSN&Y's "Teach Your Children" was released in 1970.



In 1971, John Lennon and Yoko Ono appeared on stage for the first time since 1969 when they join Frank Zappa for a show at the Fillmore East.

David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars" was released in 1972.

In 1973, Barry White was awarded a Gold record for "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby". It was the first of his five, US number one, million-sellers.

In 1982, Stevie Wonder, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Tom Petty, Linda Ronstadt, Dan Fogelberg and Crosby, Stills and Nash perform at the We Have A Dream anti-nuclear concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

In 1987, Kim Wilde took the Holland-Dozier-Holland classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On" to the top of the Billboard Pop chart. It was the third time that the song made it into the Top Ten, following the original version by The Supremes in 1966 and a remake by Vanilla Fudge in 1968.

In 1990, Jim Hodder, drummer with Steely Dan on their hits "Do It Again" and "Reelin in the Years", drowned in his swimming pool at his Point Arena, California home. He was 42.

Pink Floyd released its two-CD live album, 'Pulse' in 1995.

In 2000, Alice Cooper caused a stir when a song from his album, "Brutal Planet" contained a tune called "Wicked Young Man". The track describes an adolescent with "a pocket full of bullets and a blueprint of the school", clearly a reference to the April 29, 1999 shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.

In 2001, twenty of Elton John's automobiles sold at auction for $2.75 million. Elton said he, 'doesn't have time to drive them anymore'. The most expensive was a '93 Jaguar that sold for over $330,000.

In 2002, Robbin Crosby, guitarist for the L.A. group Ratt, who reached the Top 40 twice with "Round And Round" (#12 in 1984) and "Lay It Down" (#40 in 1985), died after a long illness, two months prior to his 43rd birthday.

In 2003, Dave Rowberry, the keyboardist who joined The Animals in May of 1965 and played on several major hits, including "We've Gotta Get Out of This Place", "It's My Life" and "Don't Bring Me Down", passed away of an apparent heart attack, one month shy of his 63rd birthday.

Also in 2003, a judge in London, England ruled that Rap lyrics should be treated as a foreign language after admitting that he was unsure of the meaning of 'shizzle my nizzle' and 'mish mish man'. The court battle was over a copyright issue between the Ant'ill Mob and the Heartless Crew, who had used the lyrics on a remix.

In 2006, Billy Preston, the keyboardist who had a series of hit singles in the 1970s, including "Will It Go 'Round In Circles" and "Nothing From Nothing", passed away at the age of 59. Billy was the only backing musician to ever be credited on a Beatles single when his name appeared on "Get Back".



In 2010, Marvin Isley, bass player for the legendary funk band The Isley Brothers, died of undisclosed causes at the age of 56. After he joined the group in 1973, the band continued to chart throughout the '70s with hit songs like "Who's That Lady", "Fight the Power" and "Between the Sheets".

birthdays today include Gary "U.S." Bonds (72), James Shaffer, guitarist, Korn (1970), Matthew “Uncle Kracker” Shafer (1974) and  Carl Barat, vocalist, The Libertines (1978), just to name a few


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