Saturday, August 6, 2011

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

Deerhoof Collaboratives with Jeff Tweedy & The Raccoonists on Single Series

'Behold A Raccoon In The Darkness,' is the fourth installment of Deerhoof’s collaborative 7” series in which guest vocalists perform over an instrumental track from the band’s latest album, 'Deerhoof vs. Evil.' The A side is "Behold" and we can hear the immediately identifiable sounds of Jeff Tweedy, with harmonies by his son Spencer.

The Side B features "Own It," an original song by The Raccoonists, a group comprised of Tweedy and his two sons, Spencer and Sam.

The record is due out on October 11 via Polyvinyl Records. It is strictly limited to 2000 copies on clear pink vinyl and it is available for pre-order now.

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pollstar.com has a very cool interview with popovic, well worth checking out!

The Very ‘Unconditional’ Ana Popovic

The Serbian guitarist/singer talks about her new album, writing music and her passion for the blues.

Born in Belgrade, Ana Popovic’s affinity for the blues came via her parents’ record collection. Inspired by singers Tina Turner, Nina Simone and Koko Taylor as well as guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Guy, Popovic formed her first band while still a teenager.

Scheduled for an August 16 release on Electogroove Records, her latest album, Unconditional, was recorded in New Orleans and was helmed by Grammy-winning producer John Porter.

Popovic recently talked with Pollstar about Unconditional as well as how she approaches writing her music and why parents should never discourage their children’s musical aspirations.

Read the interview at pollstar.com

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nice write up from the UK on the passing of an icon:

Alex Steinweiss

Alex Steinweiss, who died on July 17 aged 94, invented the modern album sleeve, revolutionising the appearance of what was then known as the “long-playing microgroove” record and paving the way for some of the most famous images in modern popular culture

Some album covers — such as The Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper and Nirvana’s Nevermind — are now almost as celebrated as the music they contain. But before Steinweiss, discs were entombed in plain paper packaging.

It was in 1939 that Steinweiss, who designed posters promoting Columbia Records’ new releases, rebelled against such stupefying dullness. . “They were so drab, so unattractive,” he recalled of the covers.

Read the rest of the story at telegraph.co.uk

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it is the world we live in (this from down under), we can and will continue to clutch our beloved vinyl while the music landscape changes around us...again....

Music's new frontier

Andrew Harris

Aa a solo artist and founding member of alternative rock band Throwing Muses, US singer and songwriter Kristin Hersh has been trying out new sounds for three decades. Recently, however, she has been exploring a different musical frontier - this one at the contested border where music and technology meet.

Hersh's latest release, Crooked, is available as an application for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch and includes lyrics and an essay for each song, as well as exclusive interactive content, video extras and a forum where fans can interact with her through text and live web chats.

''Since the app release we've sold more apps than album downloads,'' says Hersh. ''Although numbers are still coming in, we've sold a couple of thousand already''. She estimates that to date the app has accounted for about 20 per cent of digital content sold.

Hersh may be at the vanguard of a new musical movement.

Read more at smh.com.au

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in the age where music is free and anyone can be heard by millions, here's another way that bands of today get their music out:

Farm Boy Music Announces New Music Releases Available For Phone App

Farm Boy Music Group had announced that it is now using a webapp service for the promotion of new songs recorded at the company's studio in Flintstone, GA

For Immediate Release

Farm Boy Music Group, a music production facility in the North Georgia mountains near Chattanooga, Tn is always striving to be on the cutting edge of technology and their latest addition to their arsenal is proof. They have recently began using a web based phone app service to handle releases and promotion of new material as it is being released from their studio.

"In today's world, music is being released at an amazing rate," says Gary R. Farmer, CEO of the Farm Boy Music Group. "We are like most everyone else out there. New material promotion for the independant artist is always a tough thing to do with so many avenues for promotion. Do I use Twitter, Myspace, Digital Rodeo, Linkedin, or what? We are using a service that allows direct submission to all of those plus gives an artist an app for promotion direct to their fans and as they make changes to their app it will automatically send the updates to the app and ultimately the fans and buying public."

The service is at the website www.songpier.com  and available to anyone looking to self promote their music. "The app allows linking through to personal artist websites, video promotion, song promotion, mechandise sales, pictures, as well as much more. In essence, the app can become your own personal press kit because it allows you to daily blogging or press releases direct to the ones that have the app bookmarked to their smartphone".

Farm Boy Music Group is a music service that caters to the singer/songwriter community and independant artist. For information visit them on the web at: www.farmboymusicgroup.com

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Yellowcard Reisssues On Vinyl Up For Pre-Order

Yellowcard have recently announced the vinyl release of four of their albums on vinyl including: 'Lights and Sounds,' 'The Underdog,' 'Paper Walls' and 'Ocean Avenue.' Pre orders have been launched with a Septemeber 13th release date. Pre-Order at shopradiocast.com

In addition to these brand new vinyl releases you can get a copy of Yellowcards 2011 release, 'When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes' on a purple LP limited to only 300 copies.


Lights and Sounds

Originally released in 2006, Lights & Sounds debuted at #5 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, selling over 90,000 copies first week. Album features single, "Lights & Sounds" which peaked at #4 on Billboard Hot Modern Rock tracks. This is the first time the album has ever been released on vinyl. Yellowcard recently released their album, When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes, debuting at #19 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. After a sold out tour with All Time Low, they will be headlining in the fall and continuing to build the fan base that has kept them at the forefront of the pop punk scene.

Track Listing

Three Flights Up
Lights & Sounds
Down On My Head
Sure Thing Falling
City Of Devils
Rough Landing Holly
Two Weeks From Twenty
Waiting Game
Martin Sheek Or JFK
Space Travel
Grey
Words Hands Hearts
How I Go
Holly Wood Died


The Underdog

Released in 2002, The Underdog was released as a limited EP and is extremely rare. These 5 songs illustrate an important transition between older Yellowcard releases and the Ocean Avenue era. This is the first time the album has ever been released on vinyl with updated cover art. Yellowcard recently released their album, When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes, debuting at #19 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. After a sold out tour with All Time Low, they will be headlining in the fall and continuing to build the fan base that has kept them at the forefront of the pop punk scene.


Track Listing
Underdog
Avondale
Finish Line
Powder
Rocket


Paper Walls

Released in 2007, Paper Walls debuted at #13 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. The release features the single "Light Up The Sky". This is the first time the album has ever been released on vinyl. Yellowcard recently released their album, When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes, debuting at #19 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. After a sold out tour with All Time Low, they will be headlining in the fall and continuing to build the fan base that has kept them at the forefront of the pop punk scene.



Track Listing

The Takedown
Fighting
Shrink The World
Keeper
Light Up The Sky
Shadows And Regrets
Five Becomes Four
Afraid
Date Line (I Am Gone)
Dear Bobbie
You And Me And One Spotlight
Cut Me, Mick
Paper Walls


Ocean Avenue

Southern California punk heroes Yellowcard are a young quintet which has created an enormous national grass-roots fan base from tireless touring and hundreds and hundreds of passionate live shows.

Ocean Avenue was produced by Neal Avron and mixed by Lorde-Alge. The 13 song album offers a passionate brand of anthemic and melodic punk, but with a twist - complementing the standard band set up with the furious violin playing of Sean Mackin.


Track Listing

Way Away
Breathing
Ocean Avenue
Empty Apartment
Life Of A Salesman
Only One
Miles Apart
Twentythree
View From Heaven
Inside Out
Believe
One Year, Six Months
Back Home

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and in music history for August 6th:

In 1955, Elvis Presley's first number one record was released. The song was called "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" and when it hit the top of the US Country charts several months later, it stayed there for 5 weeks.

In 1960, Chubby Checker appeared on US television show American Bandstand and performed “The Twist.” The song went to #1 on the US chart and again 18 months later in 1962. It is the only song to go to the top of the charts on two separate occasions.



In 1970, the 10th National Jazz, Blues and Pop four day Festival was held at Plumpton Racecourse in Sussex, England. Featuring, Family, Groundhogs, Cat Stevens, Deep Purple, Fat Mattress, Yes, Caravan, The Strawbs, Black Sabbath, Wild Angles, Wishbone Ash and Daddy Longlegs.

Also in 1970, the Concert for Peace was held in Shea Stadium, New York, with Paul Simon, Johnny Winter, Poco, Janis Joplin and Steppenwolf. The concert date coincided with the 25th anniversary of dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.

In 1973, 23 year-old Stevie Wonder is seriously injured when the rented car he is riding in slams into the back of a small logging truck on I-85 near Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He suffers multiple head injuries and will remain in a coma for four days.

In 1981, Stevie Nicks released her first solo album Bella Donna which contained four top 40 US hits. “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” (with Tom Petty), “Leather and Lace,”(with Don Henley), “Edge of Seventeen” and “After the Glitter Fades.”

The movie version of Pink Floyd's The Wall opened in 1982.


In 1988, Appetite For Destruction, Guns N' Roses debut album went to #1 in the U.S., after spending 57 weeks on the chart and selling over 5 million copies.  Singles from the album, “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Paradise City’”were all U.S. Top 10 hits.

In 1994, Domenico Modugno, the Italian singer whose recording of "Volare" topped the North American charts in 1958, died of a heart attack near his home on the island of Lampedusa. He was 66.

In 2000, it was announced that Ice-T would play a detective on the TV series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In 2004, Rick James was found dead at his Los Angeles home. Known as “The King of Punk-Funk,” James scored the 1981 U.S. #3 album Street Songs and 1981 U.S. #16 single “Super Freak part 1.” In the late ‘60s James worked as a songwriter and producer for Motown, working with Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Addicted to cocaine, he once admitted to spending $7,000 a week on drugs for five years.

celebrating birthdays today include (among others) Mike Ellott (Foundations) (82), Mark DuFresne (Confederate Railroad) (58) and Pat MacDonald (Timbuk3) (59)

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