Friday, February 18, 2011

Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings Announce the First Wide Release of Bob Dylan in Concert - Brandeis University 1963 on Digital, CD & Vinyl Formats

AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2011

Recently Uncovered Recordings Document Rare Early Dylan Performance at Brandeis University Folk Festival on May 10, 1963

Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings announce the first stand-alone release of Bob Dylan In Concert - Brandeis University 1963, available on digital, CD and vinyl formats everywhere on Tuesday, April 12, 2011.

Pre-sale information for Bob Dylan In Concert - Brandeis University 1963 may be found via BobDylan.com  (the artist's official website) and Facebook.

A previously unknown live recording of a 21-year-old Bob Dylan taped at the Brandeis First Annual Folk Festival in Waltham, Massachusetts on May 10, 1963, Bob Dylan In Concert - Brandeis University 1963 captures the rollicking wit, deadpan delivery and driving intensity of the young artist's on-stage persona in an assortment of end-of-the-world songs -- none of them commercially available at the time -- performed in front of an appreciative audience two weeks prior to the release of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (May 27, 1963).

The Bob Dylan In Concert - Brandeis University 1963 concert tape was discovered recently in the archives of the noted music writer and Rolling Stone co-founder Ralph Gleason, where it sat on a shelf for more than forty years. "It had been forgotten, until it was found last year in the clearing of the house after my mother died," said Toby Gleason, Ralph's son. "It's a seven inch reel-to-reel that sounds like it was taped from the mixing disc."

Drawn from two sets that spring night at the Brandeis Folk Festival, tracks on Bob Dylan In Concert - Brandeis University 1963 include "Honey, Just Allow Me On More Chance" (incomplete), "Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues," "Ballad Of Hollis Brown," "Masters of War," "Talkin' World War III Blues," "Bob Dylan's Dream," and "Talkin' Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues."

Previously available as a limited time offer, Bob Dylan In Concert - Brandeis University 1963 is being reissued in response to overwhelming popular demand for a wide release. The new Columbia/Legacy edition features liner notes penned exclusively for this release by noted Bob Dylan scholar Michael Gray, author of The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia and the three-volume Song & Dance Man: The Art of Bob Dylan, provided an explication of the album's seven songs and historical/cultural context for the performances.

"It's a small miracle this recording exists," Gray writes in his essay. "Clearly a professional recording ... (t)he Bob Dylan performance it captured, from way back when Kennedy was President and the Beatles hadn't yet reached America, wasn't even on fans' radar ... It reveals him not at any Big Moment but giving a performance like his folk club sets of the period: repertoire from an ordinary working day ... Dylan has leapt a creative canyon with this material ... This is the last live performance we have of Bob Dylan before he becomes a star..."

SOURCE Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings

Legendary Bluesman Robert Johnson's 100th Birthday on May 8, 2011, Inspires Two Centennial Sets

- ROBERT JOHNSON: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL MASTERS - CENTENNIAL EDITION BOX SET

- ROBERT JOHNSON: THE CENTENNIAL COLLECTION double-CD set

Legacy Recordings – May 8, 2011, marks the 100th birthday of Mississippi Delta bluesman Robert Johnson, who, according to legend, sold his soul down at the crossroads of Highway 61 and Highway 49 in a midnight bargain that has haunted the music world for three-quarters of a century. The 'deal' brought forth Johnson's incandescent guitar technique and a run of 10-inch 78 rpm singles for the Vocalion, Oriole, Conqueror and Perfect labels recorded in San Antonio in 1936 and Dallas in 1937. Those songs have become a cornerstone of Columbia Records' identity, and will be celebrated on two CENTENNIAL releases from Columbia/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.


Over the years, Johnson's influence has resounded in the music of Muddy Waters ("32-20 Blues"), Elmore James ("I Believe I'll Dust My Broom"), Junior Parker ("Sweet Home Chicago"), John Hammond Jr. ("Milk Cow's Calf Blues"), the Rolling Stones ("Love In Vain," "Stop Breakin' Down Blues"), John Mayall ("Ramblin' On My Mind"), Cream ("From Four Until Late"), Eric Clapton ("Cross Road Blues"), Johnny Winter ("When You Got a Good Friend"), Paul Butterfield and Bonnie Raitt ("Walkin' Blues"), Fleetwood Mac and ZZ Top ("Hellhound On My Trail"), Led Zeppelin ("Traveling Riverside Blues"), Keb' Mo' ("Preachin' Blues"), Cassandra Wilson ("Come On In My Kitchen"), and countless others. It is by far the most empowering body of work in American history to emerge from one solitary blues figure.

As recently as this year, John Mayer was nominated for a Grammy Award® for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance, for his cover of "Crossroads" on his Battle Studies album, Columbia, 2009. "Cross Road Blues," of course, gives Eric Clapton's annual Chicago music festival its title.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Robert Johnson's birth, Columbia/Legacy pays homage to his spirit with ROBERT JOHNSON: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL MASTERS - CENTENNIAL EDITION, a multi-faceted "box set" encompassing stand-alone vinyl, CD and DVD components. Its components include:

1) A hardbound vintage book, with sleeves housing the dozen 78rpm vinyl-disc replicas (now at 45 rpm) originally released by Johnson, including a lavish 10-inch-square booklet;

2) ROBERT JOHNSON: THE CENTENNIAL COLLECTION, a new double-CD which includes all 29 songs he recorded in 1936 and '37, for a combined total of 42 masters and alternate takes;

3) RARITIES FROM THE VAULTS, a double-CD comprising:

•CD One: Blues From The Victor Vault, a dozen rarely-collected 78s (i.e. 24 A-sides and B-sides) from the Victor archive by Frank Stokes, Tommy Johnson, Sleepy John Estes, Furry Lewis, Memphis Minnie, Blind Willie McTell, and others, recorded between 1928 and 1932; and
•CD Two: Also Playing…, 10 tracks featuring artists recorded during the same San Antonio and Dallas sessions as Robert Johnson, a musical hotpot ranging from folk and hillbilly, cowboy and Mexican to Texas Swing;

4) THE LIFE & MUSIC OF ROBERT JOHNSON: CAN'T YOU HEAR THE WIND HOWL?, a DVD of the critically-acclaimed 1997 documentary film, directed by Peter Meyer, hosted by Danny Glover, and featuring Keb' Mo' as Robert Johnson. The 76-minute film also includes interviews with Robert Cray, Johnny Shines, John Hammond, Honeyboy Edwards, Robert Lockwood Jr., Henry Townsend, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards.

The four components will ship together and are available exclusively at www.thecompleterobertjohnson.com in advance of their April 26th release. This package will not be available in stores.

The most unique component of ROBERT JOHNSON: THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL MASTERS - CENTENNIAL EDITION will be a 10x10-inch hardbound book that recreates the look and feel of Johnson's classic 78rpm vinyl singles. The book will be constructed in the style of vintage multi-sleeve albums of the 1930s and '40s, with each sleeve containing an actual vinyl replica disc. An additional sleeve will house a smaller book that includes a new 1,500-word essay written by Ted Gioia, Texas-based pianist and music historian, and the author of Delta Blues: The Life and Times of the Mississippi Masters Who Revolutionized American Music (2008); Work Songs (2006); and The History of Jazz (1997). Complete historic track annotation and discographic data is also featured.

Read more HERE

Vinyl Record News & Notes, Did You Know?

Hull Announce Special Vinyl Release

Hull is set to release their 'Viking Funeral' EP, initially self-released in 2005, on vinyl via Science of Silence Records this spring.

The limited edition wax version will come in 180 gram blood red/black swirl vinyl with the song on one side, a laser etched image on the other and a parchment insert with the detailed Viking Funeral saga as well as a sticker and digital download info all wrapped in a Viking Funeral poster and wax-stamped with the band's logo.

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The Bouncing Souls Record Store Day Special Release

The Bouncing Souls are scheduled to have a special release for fans on Record Store Day. NYC's Generation Records announced the release of The Bouncing Souls - Live At Generation Records.
The 12-inch vinyl LP showcases 11 tracks from the band's celebrated acoustic performance at the store on Record Store Day 2009.

It includes fan favorites like "Lamar Vannoy," "Quik Chek Girl," "Joe Lies," "Gasoline" and a special cover of Sick Of It All's "Good Lookin' Out."

Live At Generation Records will be released on Record Store Day 2011 (April 16th). The record is a one-time, limited edition pressing (only 1500 copies!) and will be exclusively distributed by the Independent Label Collective.

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Jackson Browne, Alice Cooper, Crosby & Nash, more to Play Benefit for Arizona Shooting Victims

A long list of artists will be at the Tuscon Convention Center on Thursday, March 10 to participate in a fundraiser for the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona and the newly established Fund for Civility, Respect, and Understanding.

Read more: VintageVinylNews.com

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Boris to Release Two Albums on the Same Day

This spring, Japanese fuzz-rock overlords Boris will pull a Guns N' Roses/Springsteen/Bright Eyes and release two albums on the same day. Outside of Japan, Sargent House will release the new albums Heavy Rocks and Attention Please on April 26.

Read more at Pitchfork.com

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as a longtime fan of, I am excited to pass this along (from our friends at Vintage Vinyl News)

Preview: 40 Odd Years - Loudon Wainwright III (4-CDs/1-DVD)

Artist: Loudon Wainwright III
Title: 40 Odd Years
Release Date: May 3, 2011
Label: Shout! Factory
Format(s): 4-CDs/1-DVD

The career of Loudon Wainwright III will be celebrated by Shout! Factory on May 3 with the release of 40 Odd Years. The 4-CD/1-DVD set features songs from throughout Wainwright's career from his first album to 2009's High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project.

Read more: VintageVinylNews.com



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Michael Jackson Estate Earns $310m Since Star's Death

It's being reported that the estate of Michael Jackson has earned $310million since the singer's death in June. The figure, which includes album sales, the concert film This Is It and other merchandise, was revealed in court papers.

The estate's administrators have used $159milllion to pay the singer's debts, which stood at more than $400million when he died, reports Reuters.

"Although there remain unresolved creditor claims, pending litigation and additional challenging business, tax and legal issues, and the estate is not yet in a condition to be closed, the executors have made substantial progress in reducing the estate's debt," the documents state.

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The Pretty Things S.F. SORROW Limited Edition Colored Vinyl LP

Breathe the perfumed air of PRETTY THINGS psychedelia! The Pretties’ landmark longplayer, S.F. SORROW is NOW AVAILABLE on a limited run of cool, green-clear vinyl, with original U.K. artwork

ORDER YOUR COPY HERE











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Did You Know?

more stuff everybody should know...

A species of earthworm in Australia grows up to 10 feet in length.

Ancient Egyptians shaved off their eyebrows to mourn the deaths of their cats.

Brazil got its name from the nut, not the other way around.

Clans of long ago that wanted to get rid of their unwanted people without killing them use to burn their houses down -- hence the statement "to get fired."

Clark Gable used to shower more than 4 times a day.

Evian (the bottled water) spelled backwards is "naive."

Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt.

In the 40's, the Bich pen was changed to Bic for fear that Americans would pronounce it 'Bitch.'

and in music history today:

The Beatles recorded "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" in 1965.

The Buckinghams reached number 1 in the U.S. in 1967 with "Kind of a Drag."



Also in 1967, Petula Clark's version of the Charlie Chaplin penned "This Is My Song" tops the UK chart for the first of a two week stay. After singing the song in French, German and Italian, Petula reluctantly recorded the song in English, even though she thought the lyrics were corny and old fashioned. The tune would go on to be a Top Ten hit in America, Canada, Ireland, Australia, Holland, Belgium and Norway.

In 1968, Pink Floyd members fired Syd Barrett from the band and permanently replaced him with David Gilmour. Roger Waters later wrote and dedicated the song "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" to the increasingly unstable Barrett, who checked into a psychiatric hospital before going into seclusion.

Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band made their New York debut in 1971.

In 1974, Yes sold out the first of two nights at Madison Square Garden without any advertising. Fans learned of the show from listings at ticket outlets.

Bon Jovi hit number 1 on the U.S. Singles chart in 1987 with "Livin' on a Prayer."

Guitarist Bob Stinson from The Replacements died from a drug overdose in 1995, his body was found in his Uptown, Minneapolis apartment.

In 2003, singer Johnny Paycheck died at the age of 64. He had been in a nursing home, suffering from emphysema and asthma. During his career, Paycheck recorded 70 albums and had more than two dozen hit singles, the biggest of which was the working man's anthem, "Take This Job and Shove It".



In 2006 - In Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, the Rolling Stones gave a free concert before a crowd of over 1 million people at Copacabana Beach.

In 2010, Gordon Lightfoot was headed to the dentist when he heard on the radio that he was dead. "It seems like a bit of a hoax or something," the 71-year-old singer said. "I was quite surprised to hear it myself."