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DEAR JERRY:I enjoyed your column on the weirdness of the Christmas charts. It reminds me of how little I understand the trade publications creating separate surveys for essentially the same records found on the Top 100, 200, or more if they needed extra slots.
If a soul or country record sells well enough, it will take its place on the catch-all Top Hits chart anyway. Thousands of examples of this exist. How did this come about?
I read somewhere that George Michael was the first white artist to have a No. 1 album on the black music charts, with his “Faith” LP.
I don't even regard George as a blue-eyed soul singer, a term commonly used to describe soul-sounding whites, like the Righteous Brothers; Hall & Oates; Elvis; and Tom Jones.
Didn't any of these artists score that high in the soul music field? —Jim O'Donnel, Branson, Mo.
DEAR JIM: I agree that so many different national charts can be confusing, though the one aspect you might be overlooking is they were not created for the general public. Locally-produced surveys by radio stations in every area of the country did a good job of meeting that need.
In their early years, the Billboard and Cash Box charts primarily provided coin machine operators with the tunes getting the most plays around the country.
Be it a restaurant, bar, or amusement park, each location has its own demographic. The music must match the tastes of the patrons in order to generate the coveted metallic waterfall, meaning that machine is earning its keep.
This is where the weekly trades proved absolutely essential.
Even the name Cash Box comes from the cash boxes in jukes, and other coin operated machines.
Until the end of 1960, Billboard's masthead read “The World's Foremost Amusement Weekly.” Many phases of the entertainment world were covered then, but none as much as coin-operated machines.
For that industry, as well as record distributors, rack jobbers, retailers, and radio stations, having separate charts made it much easier to stock or play the style of music most appropriate for the location or format. Finding Kitty Wells and Mary Wells on the same juke would mean someone made a mistake.
All records looked alike, and many were by unfamiliar names. The charts meant not having to audition hundreds of records each week.
Then, with their first issue of 1961, Billboard's revised masthead reflected the dynamic shift toward music and records: “BILLBOARD MUSIC WEEK - Music - Phonograph Merchandising - Radio-TV Programming - Coin Machine Operating.”
In January 1965, the modified masthead read “Billboard, The International Music News Weekly: Radio-TV Programming - Phono-Tape Merchandising - Coin Machine Operating.”
Subsequent issues continued to reflect the changing times and formats, sans amusements: (July 1966) International Music-Record Newsweekly”; (June 1969) “International Music-Record-Tape Newsweekly”; (July 1980) “Radio Programming Music/Record International Newsweekly”; (Oct. 1981) “International Newsweekly of Music & Home Entertainment”; (June 1992) “International Newsweekly of Music, Video and Home Entertainment”; and (April 2004) “International Authority on Music, Video and Digital Entertainment.”
In April 2005, they dropped all sub-heads and used just “Billboard.”
Now, with CD sales dropping big time and vinyl and downloading on the rise, it will be interesting to see the direction taken by the coin machine industry.
Regardless, as long as radio — over the air as well as internet-based — sticks with specific formats, there will likely be a demand for separate charts to lend a hand.
None of the blue-eyed soul stars you mention topped the R&B/Soul/Black LP chart, though all did appear elsewhere on those charts, either with albums or singles.
George Michael is the first solo artist to do so, but whether he is the first overall depends on how you view “Saturday Night Fever.”
Technically, this soundtrack is a various artists compilation; however, it is widely regarded as a Bee Gees LP, and usually filed as such.
Since the black music chart ranked “Saturday Night Fever” at No. 1 for six weeks in early 1978, the Bee Gees, Brits like Michael, can stake a claim to being the first Caucasians atop that survey.
IZ ZAT SO? Here is a quirky twist to George Michael's soul success with “Faith,” the album and the single.
The Gold Record award-winning single, George's biggest hit and the lead track on the “Faith" album, never appeared among the Hot Black Singles.
Another tune from the “Faith” album did, however. Michael's “One More Try” held the No. 1 position on both the black singles and albums, at the same time.
Not even the Bee Gees matched this strangely paradoxical feat.
Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column. Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368 E-mail: jpo@olympus.net Visit his Web site: www.jerryosborne.com .
All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.
Copyright 2010 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
I am sure this list will be updated, but here is what is coming in just 51 days!
A Rekords Rekords Record - 10" picture disc compilation, featuring tracks by Queens Of The Stone Age. Alain Johannes, Mini Mansions and Desert Sessions.
AC/DC - Shoot To Thrill/War Machine 7"
Beth Ditto - "tbc" CD
Bibio/Clark - Split 12"
Big Audio Dynamite - Ltd. numbered 7"
Black Angels - "Another Nice Pair" Red Vinyl
Blitzen Trapper - Maybe Baby b/w I Don't Know What 7"
Busdriver - 7" limited to 50
Charles Douglas - The Lives of Charles Douglas limited vinyl
Clinic - "Ladies Night" limited 10" single
Cults - 7" etched vinyl
Deep Purple - 7" single "Hush" "Speed King"
Deerhoof/Xiu Xiu - split 7" colored vinyl
Deftones - Covers vinyl LP
Derek & The Dominos - 7" single
Doriella Du Fontaine (Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Miles And Lightnin' Rod) - 7" single
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - tbc quadruple vinyl release
Eric Clapton - "Unplugged" vinyl LP
Franz Ferdinand - Covers EP 12"
Foster The People - "Pumped Up Kicks" 10" vinyl
Glassjaw - "Worship & Tribute" Vinyl LP
Green Day/Husker Du - "Don't Know If You Are Lonely" split 7"
Jimi Hendrix - "Fire" 7" red vinyl & Ltd 3 track CD
Lone Pigeon - 28 secret tracks Ltd vinyl pressing
Lower Dens - 7"
Mastadon - "Live at the Aragon" vinyl LP
Mastadon/ZZ Top - "Just Got Paid" split 7"
Midlake/Will Self - 12" single
Of Montreal - The Past Is A Grotesque Animal 12" single
Owen - "O, Evelyn" 7" single
Ozzy Osbourne - Flying High Again / I Don't Know (live) 7"
Panda Bear - "Tomboy" exclusive clear vinyl with t-shirt
Pearl Jam - Immortality/Rearviewmirror 7"
Peter Tosh - Legalise It/Equal Rights colored 7"
Phish - "Two Soundchecks" 7-inch live
Primal Scream - Triple vinyl seet
R.E.M. - "Three" 3x 7" collection
Red Hot Chili Peppers/ The Ramones - "Havana Affair" split 7"
Regina Spektor - "Four From Far" - 7"
Rival Schools - "Wring It Out" 7"
Rolling Stones - "Brown Sugar/Bitch/Let It Rock" 7" vinyl replica
Rush - "BU2B" 7"
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - "Broom" colored vinyl
Sons & Daughters - Listen To Crime/Just Relax 7"
Spark - "Revolving" 7"
Syd Barrett - "An Introduction To Syd Barrett" double vinyl
The Clash - "The Magnificent Seven" 7" heavyweight red vinyl & 4 trk CD
The Flaming Lips - "Heady Nuggs" The First 5 Warner Bros Albums Vinyl Boxset
The Go! Team - "Apollo Throwdown/Voice Yr Choice" 12" single
The Joy Formidable - "Whirring" 7"
The Kills - "Satellite" special dub 10"
The Wombats - "Anti D" 7"
Toddla T - "Cherry Picking" 12" red vinyl single
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers" LP
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "You're Gonna Get It" LP
Toro Y Moi / Cloud Nothings - "I Will Talk To You/For No Reason" 7"
Vaccines - "Live From London" CD
Villagers - "Villagers live at the Workman's Club Dublin, 16th September 2010" vinyl LP
Vivian Girls - "I Heard You Say" colored 7" single
WHEN I WAS 12 - 7-inch (300 limited edition pieces of random color)
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A feel good story- hail vinyl!
KA-CHUNK!! Records: Vinyl record store opens in Annapolis
Carly Herrlinger / Annapolis Music Examiner.
Ever since watching High Fidelity for the first time, I’ve dreamed of there being a local record store in my town where I could browse through non-mainstream bands and artists on sweet, sweet vinyl and receive recommendations from an owner who knew as much - and was as passionate about - music as his customers. Now there is. Matt Mona opened KA-CHUNK!! Records on Dec. 15 in downtown Annapolis. In a world run by Apple, what makes a store that primarily sells vinyl worth checking out?
“Vinyl gives you a sense of permanence and appreciation for the artists involved,” said Mona. “Plus, if it’s an older piece of vinyl, I like the sense of history it gives you instead of some CD they just knocked off two months ago.”
an interesting comparison, record stores vs the disappearing bookstores. But, I think (and there are many other opinions to read at the site) they will be here (both the bookstore and the record store) long after a new medium is being pushed in either industry. Read on, and form your own opinion:
Do Record Stores Point the Way of the Future for Bookstores?
Now that Borders is in bankruptcy and at least 200 stores closing, some people have asked me what I think is going to happen to brick and mortar bookstores in the future. Do they have a future? Will they survive?
There's one comparison I keep coming back to: record stores.
When you consider that the digital revolution happened in music a little over a decade ago, it's interesting to see what has happened to record stores since the rise of the mp3. Basically: carnage on a massive scale. A huge number of stores closed, especially national chains. First it was Tower Records, then Virgin Megastores (here in the US), and now, well, Borders.
and in Illinois, vinyl is the right way to listen to music, read on:
Viva Vinyl: Record sales on the rise
Derek Barichello
Stigarne Holmberg cannot keep a Led Zeppelin record on his shelf for long.
The proprietor of The Veranda, a vintage store located at 221 E. Main St. in Streator, is a beneficiary of a vinyl resurgence.
From polka to The Beatles, his downtown store boasts more than 5,000 vintage records — vinyl relics once destined to collect dust.
While the majority of his business is from collectors looking for that rare Elvis Presley 45, he is getting more customers in their 20s and 30s dusting off covers of classic rock albums they used to listen to on compact disc.
Phish will once again spend another summer on the road, as the veteran jam band has announced the initial 18 dates for its 2011 tour on their website yesterday.
In addition to the tour, Phish has also announced that it will release "Two Soundchecks," a 7-inch live vinyl record, in conjunction with Record Store Day on Apr. 16.
Here are Phish's 2011 summer tour dates:
May 27: Bethel, N.Y. (Bethel Woods Center for the Arts)
May 28: Bethel, N.Y. (Bethel Woods Center for the Arts)
May 29: Bethel, N.Y. (Bethel Woods Center for the Arts)
May 31: Holmdel, N.J. (PNC Bank Arts Center)
Jun. 1: Holmdel, N.J. (PNC Bank Arts Center)
Jun. 3: Clarkston, Mich. (DTE Energy Music Theater)
Jun. 4: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (Blossom Music Center)
Jun. 5: Cincinnati, Ohio (Riverbend Music Center)
Jun. 7: Mansfield, Mass. (Comcast Center)
Jun. 8: Darien Center, N.Y. (Darien Lake PAC)
Jun. 10: Camden, N.J. (Susquehanna Bank Center)
Jun. 11: Columbia, Md. (Merriweather Post Pavilion)
Jun. 12: Columbia, Md. (Merriweather Post Pavilion)
Jun. 14: Alpharetta, Ga. (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre @ Encore Park)
Jun. 15: Alpharetta, Ga. (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre @ Encore Park)
Jun. 17: Charlotte, N.C. (Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre)
Jun. 18: Raleigh, N.C. (Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion)
Jun. 19: Portsmorth, Va. (Ntelos Wireless Pavilion)
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Deep Purple Plan Record Store Day Retro Release
Deep Purple are marking the 2011 occasion by releasing a "retro" single containing "Hush" — recorded for Chris Grant’s "Tasty Pop Sundae" in early 1969 — and "Speed King," recorded for Stuart Henry’s "Noise At Nine" in October of that same year.
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The Black Keys Set For North American Tour
With their recent awards including "Best Rock Performance by a Duo" and "Best Alternative Music Album", you're likely to see a fantastic show!
Black Keys tour dates:
06/10 - The Lawn, White River State Park - Indianapolis, IN
06/27 - Canada, Deer Lake Park - Vancouver
06/28 - Stampede Corral - Calgary
06/29 - Rexall Place -Edmonton, Alberta
06/30 - TCU Place - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
07/02 - MTS Centre - Winnipeg, Manitoba
07/03 - Roy Wilkins Auditorium - Minneapolis, MN
07/05 - Stir Cove Amphitheatre - Council Bluffs, IA
07/07 - Molson Amphitheatre - Toronto, Ontario
07/10 - Quebec City Summer Festival - Quebec City, Quebec
07/11 - Bell Centre - Montreal, Quebec
07/12 - John Labatt Centre - London, Ontario
07/13 - Artpark - Buffalo, NY
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Yellowcard to release "One For The Kids" on Vinyl
Yellowcard will be issuing a vinyl version of their 2001 Lobster Records album 'One For the Kids.' The album was the band's third, but the first to feature current vocalist/guitarist Ryan Key. You will be able to pre-order the record here on March 22.
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ZOMES Announce New Album On THRILL JOCKEY!
Zomes is the solo guise of Asa Osborne, guitarist of the legendary band Lungfish, and Earth Grid is his second album and first release on Thrill Jockey Records. Zomes distills the ideas and towering cyclical melodies of Lungfish to their essence. Distorted keyboard melodies tumble one over the other held together by simple tape-looped drum beats that result in blissed out space drones slowly unfurling into infinity. Zomes will be touring in the US this April with The Skull Defekts, and in Europe with Kogumaza in May. A record of live improvisations and a new studio album are forthcoming.
Primordial Reveals New Album, "Redemption At The Puritan's Hand" Tracklisting And Artwork
Irish black metal outfit Primordial has revealed the front cover artwork for the band's forthcoming new studio album, "Redemption At The Puritan's Hand." The record will be released in Europe on April 23rd and on April 26th in North America through Metal Blade Records.
I like the cover art...
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The Monkees in the UK promoting their tour and remembering the past:
The Monkees - The One Show 21/02/11
Like em or not, they were very relevant for a short period in the 60's. And yes, I am old enough to remember their shows, they were on Saturdays, right after the roadrunner cartoons. And, they were BIG at the time It's sad now, there was a lot of sniping between them over the years, I still think there s some tension, however, I would hope that goes away after they get on stage to sing....
Notable achievements:
Had the top-charting American single of 1967 ("I'm a Believer"). (Billboard number-one for seven weeks) with "Daydream Believer" tied for third.
Gave the Jimi Hendrix Experience their first US concert appearances as an opening act in July 1967. It should be noted that Jimi Hendrix's heavy psychedelic guitar and sexual overtones did not go over well with the teenage girl audience, During one of the shows, Hendrix gave the audience the finger and quit the tour.
Introduced Tim Buckley to a national audience, via his appearance in the series finale, "Mijacogeo, Or – The Frodis Caper".
Gene Roddenberry was inspired to introduce the character of Chekov in his Star Trek TV series in response to the popularity of Davy Jones, complete with hairstyle and appearance mimicking that of Jones
The Monkees are one of the first artists achieving number-one hits in the United States and United Kingdom simultaneously.
More of The Monkees spent 70 weeks on the Billboard charts, becoming the 12th biggest selling album of all time (Billboard.com).
Four number-one albums in a one-year span.
During the time when the Beatles were recording Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the Monkees were touring England; the Beatles hosted a party for them. The meeting partially inspired the line in the Monkees' tune "Randy Scouse Git," written by Dolenz, which read, "the four kings of EMI are sitting stately on the floor." Nesmith attended the "A Day in the Life" sessions at Abbey Road Studios; he can be seen in the Beatles' home movies, including one scene where he is conversing with John Lennon (who called him Monkee Man, and would go on to call the group the "Marx Brothers of Rock").
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Princeton Announce 7" And Drop Single As Free MP3
Hit City USA has announced Princeton's "To The Alps" limited edition vinyl 7" available physically and digitally on March 29. To celebrate the release LA's pop multi-instrumentalists are making the record's title track available for free download. In anticipation of "To The Alps," Princeton are heading to New York from February 24-26 for select live performances.
Legendary British hard rockers URIAH HEEP will release a new live album, "Official Bootleg Volume Three - Live In Kawasaki Japan 2010", on March 29 via Phantom.
The track listing for the CD is posted at Blabbernet.com
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Songwriters Hall of Fame To Induct Six New Members Including Russell & Toussaint
The Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced their inductees for 2011. Making the cut are John Bettis, Garth Brooks, Leon Russell, Billy Steinberg & Tom Kelly and Allen Toussaint.
"We are inspired by the striking caliber and range of the 2011 Songwriters Hall of Fame class," said SHOF Chairman, Jimmy Webb. “John, Garth, Leon, Billy, Tom, and Allen each represent a unique breed of artist, warmly respected by their peers and revered by all lovers of song. As songwriters, their work has forever enriched our world’s music."
When opossums are playing opossum, they are not "playing." They actually pass out from sheer terror.
Walt Disney named Mickey Mouse after Mickey Rooney, whose mother he dated for some time.
Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.
There is a town in Texas called 'Ding Dong.'
There is about 200 times more gold in the world’s oceans, than has been mined in our entire history.
The term "devil's advocate" comes from the Roman Catholic church. When deciding if someone should be sainted, a devil's advocate is always appointed to give an alternative view.
The screwdriver was invented before the screw.
The original copy of the Declaration of Independence is lost. The copy in Washington D.C. is what is referred to as a holograph. That is a term for a handmade copy of a document and is not the same as a laser produced hologram.
The Pentagon, in Arlington, Virginia, has twice as many bathrooms as is necessary. When it was built in the 1940s, the state of Virginia still had segregation laws requiring separate toilet facilities for blacks and whites.
and in music history today:
In 1963, Ruby and the Romantics' "Our Day Will Come" enters the Billboard charts. It will hit #1 on both the Pop and R&B list in March and will be the group's biggest hit.
Also in 1963, the Chiffons' "He's So Fine" enters the Hot 100. The song had been rejected by ten different record companies before Laurie Records decided to take a chance on it. By the end of March, it will top both the Billboard Pop and R&B charts and reach #16 in the UK.
In 1964, the Beatles appear on The Ed Sullivan Show for the third consecutive week. The taped segment showed The Fab Four performing "Twist and Shout", "Please Please Me" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand". Sullivan tells his audience that the group are "fine professional singers."
In 1970, The Doors' LP "Morrison Hotel" became the group's fifth album in a row to go Gold. Even though it contained no hit singles, the disc climbed to #4 on the Hot 200 chart and #12 in the UK.
Also in 1970 - The first annual Juno Awards, Canada's version of the Grammys, was held in Toronto. The awards had existed since 1964 under the name The RPM Gold Leaf Awards, which were established by Walt Grealis, editor and publisher of RPM Magazine.
Columbia Records released Billy Joel's "Piano Man" in 1974.
In 1978, At the 20th annual Grammy awards The Eagles win Record of the Year for "Hotel California" and Best Arrangement for Voices for "New Kid in Town". Fleetwood Mac win Album of the Year for "Rumors". Song of the Year was tied between "Love Theme from A Star is Born" by Paul Williams and Barbra Streisand and Joe Brooks' "You Light Up My Life." Yes, it was that bad people....
In 1980, Queen had Billboard's top tune with "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", a song that Freddie Mercury later revealed, came to him while he was taking a bath. Too much info for me Freddie...
In 1983, music got better - A collection of former studio musicians who call themselves Toto win Album Of The Year for "Toto IV" and Record Of The Year for "Rosanna", at the 25th Grammy Awards. Willie Nelson's "Always On My Mind" wins Song Of The Year and Marvin Gaye takes home his first two statues when "Sexual Healing" is named Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Instrumental Performance.
In 1994, US Senator Carol Moseley-Braun presided over a Judiciary Juvenile Justice Subcommittee hearing in Washington, DC, where the issue of the day was Rap recording lyrics. Dionne Warwick called it "pornography" while others say it is merely poetry. No one called it music. Amen to that...
In 1998, nine people were killed and more than 40 injured when a truck veered out of control during the annual carnival in Port-au-Prince. The Haitian band Ram was performing on the truck. None of the band members were hurt.
Eminem's first album, "The Slim Shady LP", was released in 1999.
At the Grammy Awards in 2000, Santana ties Michael Jackson's record of eight Grammys in one night, including ones for Album of the Year and Record of the Year for "Supernatural". The single "Smooth" wins Song of the Year. Sting wins Best Pop Album for "Brand New Day", Phil Collins wins Best Soundtrack for "Tarzan" and Jimi Hendrix wins his first Grammy for Best Long Form Music Video for "Band of Gypsys - Live at Fillmore East". Elton John is honored with the Living Legend Award.
In 2003, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel sang together for the first time in ten years as they receive a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Ravi Shankar's daughter Nora Jones was five-for-five at the Grammy Awards, as she took honors for Album of the Year, Record of the Year (for "Don't Know Why"), Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female (also for "Don't Know Why"). Shankar is the man who taught Beatle George Harrison to play the sitar.
Also in 2003, Howie Epstein, who played bass for Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers for 20 years and 12 albums, died at the age of 47.
And in 2010, just a week after EMI Records announced that the iconic Abbey Road Studios was for sale, the British culture ministry stepped in to declare the recording facility a historic site. The building "acts as a modern day monument to the history of recorded sound and music," English Heritage chief executive Simon Thurley said in a statement. With its new designation, changes can still be made to the villa's interior, but "care must be taken to ensure that any alterations with respect to its character and interest are fully considered," the government said.
Birthday wishes to Michael Wilton of Queensryche (1962 and )Brad Whitford of Aerosmith (1952)
I actually saw them around this time on a bill with J Geils Band, Rush and someone else, who we never could remember. It was one of those nights....
Austin, TX – Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame inductee Gregg Rolie, co-founder of two multi-platinum super groups, Santana and Journey, and the voice of such timeless classics as “Black Magic Woman” and 'Evil Ways', has released new solo EP, 'Five Days'. A personal and intimate reworking of Santana and Journey classics as well as Gregg's own compositions through solo voice and piano, 'Five Days' was recorded in the living room of his Central Texas home on the piano given to him by his father in the early days of Santana. “It's from my house to yours,” says Gregg, whose new EP includes the songs “Black Magic Woman”, “Anytime”, “Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore”, “If I Went Home”, “Trouble In Mind” and “Cool Little Mama”.
Gregg Rolie makes his first-ever solo appearance, Saturday March 5th at 9:00 pm on the grand piano in the lobby bar of The Four Seasons Hotel in Austin. This special performance is in celebration of his new solo EP, “Five Days”. Gregg, along with his special guest, blues guitarist Alan Haynes, will be playing selections from the new EP along with many old favorites. He’ll share stores from his 40-plus year career and answer questions from the audience during the show. Afterwards, Gregg will be on hand for pictures and autographs. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public.
Gregg Rolie is responsible for co-founding two phenomenally popular, multi-platinum super groups - Santana and Journey. In 1998, the world class keyboardist/vocalist/producer was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame as part of the original Santana band. Formed in San Francisco in 1969, the multi-cultural ensemble produced three groundbreaking hit albums which yeilded several FM staples. You've heard Gregg's voice and keyboards on such classic Santana hits as "Black Magic Woman", "Evil Ways", "No One To Depend On", "Everybody's Everything" and "Oye Como Va". "There's one unique ability of the band," Gregg told music critic Ben Fong-Torres, "and that was that it created music that there is no name for... Santana's music is such a jell of different material that there just is no name for it."
Departing after the pioneering jazz fusion offering 'Caravansarai' in 1972, both band members Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon went on to form quintessential 1980s hit-makers Journey. After co-writing and producing the band's first 7 albums, along with constant touring, Gregg decided to leave Journey once the hugely successful 1981 live double LP 'Captured' was issued. During the '80s Rolie wrote, produced and played on the Santana albums 'Shango' and 'Freedom', and released his debut, self-titled 1985 solo album and its 1987 follow-up 'Gringo', before co-founding the all-new Journey-esque rock group The Storm at the tail end of the decade. The Storm released two albums: ‘92’s eponymous disc that yielded the #13 Billboard Hot 100 hit “I’ve Got A Lot To Learn About Love” and ‘96’s 'Eye Of the Storm'. That same year, Rolie, along with five other original Santana members, formed Abraxas Pool, a spirited collaboration that resulted in the 1997 critically acclaimed album of the same name.
Thirty-five years after Gregg and Carlos met in San Francisco, 2001 marked the release of Rolie's third solo album 'Roots'. The first-ever release on Bay-Area based Tower Records' new proprietary label 33rd Street, 'Roots' finds Gregg revisiting the incredible brew of sounds he helped conjure up in the late 60's. Rolie calls Roots' twelve original selections "Latin rock plus"; the instrumentation is Latin percussion, with organ, guitar, horns, and lots of great solo work and songwriting", adding that "I really wanted to go all the way back to my Santana roots".
Formed in 2006, the Gregg Rolie Band consists of Adrian Areas (son of original Santana percussionist Jose Chepito Areas) on Timbales, drummer Ron Wikso (who was also in The Storm), Rocket Ritchotte on guitars, internationally acclaimed bassist Gary Brown, percussionist Elliot “Toby” Borrero and former Jean Luc Ponty keyboardist Wally Minko. Last year, Gregg caused a flurry of excitement amongst the music press with the release of his latest CD 'Rain Dance". This live CD captures Gregg and his all-star band performing at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in 2007. The music press and fans alike have been raving about the new CD and have even compared Rolie's band to that of the original Santana group, in which Rolie was a founding member.
Bantic Will Release Punk Duo Slutever’s “Pretend To Be Nice” 7-inch On March 29th
Bantic To Release Pop-inspired Quartet When I Was 12’s Eponymous 7-inch On Record Store Day, April 16th
Drexel University’s Bantic Media announces the signing of two of Philadelphia’s most exciting new acts - the Riot Grrrl inspired duo SLUTEVER, and the 60’s pop-inspired quartet WHEN I WAS 12.
Bantic Media is a music marketing company run by the students within Drexel University’s Music Industry Program, part of the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. The artist services company is overseen by music industry veteran Darren Walters who’s applied a DIY approach to music since 1991 when he co-founded Jade Tree (Jets to Brazil, The Promise Ring, Lifetime, Pedro the Lion, Cap’n Jazz).
The garage brat punk of SLUTEVER relishes in the scene of grunge-ridden sleaze. SLUTEVER grabbed Riot Grrrl spirit by the neck and rose from the ashes of boy, angst and fast food. Rachel Gagliardi and Nicole Snyder, currently students in the music industry program and childhood friends, combined raw and real lessons learned as teenagers and recorded their debut EP Sorry I’m Not Sorry in a hot bathroom. Sorry I’m Not Sorry immediately gained local attention from prominent Philadelphia music publications. Philadelphia’s City Paper hailed the band as, “scuzzbutt punk” adding, “it’s drummy, buzzy, nasal, noisy and provocative, exactly like it should be.”
On March 29 SLUTEVER returns with a new 7-inch Pretend to Be Nice – a breakthrough record with progressing instrumentation and their usual blisteringly catchy melodies. Featuring two B-Sides recorded from the Sorry I’m Not Sorry bathroom sessions, Pretend to Be Nice is a documentation of growth and maturity for Gagliardi and Snyder sonically, with the same quirky teenage anxiety. Pretend to Be Nice is available both digitally and on vinyl now, with a limited edition of 100 copies of the 7-inch available as red colored vinyl with a screen printed cover and bonus screen printed poster at http://www.banticmedia.com/.
“Working with Darren has been rad because he’s worked with so many bands that we love and respect,” said SLUTEVER’s Rachel Gagliardi. “We admire that Jade Tree has consistently embodied the DIY and punk attitude, and that they work with artists they genuinely appreciate.”
Nicole Snyder added, "We would have never been able to afford to put out this record ourselves, and we’re stoked that Bantic has provided us with not only the resources, but also an amazing team of students who have been working hard to get this release out.”
STREAM WHEN I WAS 12 “TREE TRUNK OF MY HEART” BY WHEN I WAS 12 (with embed code)
WHEN I WAS 12 began as a small project of revolving members from suburban New Jersey. But it wasn’t until they became an established quartet and relocated to Philadelphia did things really begin to gel for front woman Adrianne Gold (guitar/vocals), Daniel Houwen (bass/guitar), Carolyn Haynes (glockenspiel/saxophone/vocals) and Ryan Heupler (drums). After Adrianne and Carolyn both became students in Drexel’s Music Industry Program, they began working in earnest on their music and outreach.
With a bit of early 60s pop and a lot of love-related teenage angst, WHEN I WAS 12 writes songs that stay in the head and heart forever. At times it feels like things might fall apart, but that's the appeal. They hold it together by the heartstrings while breaking yours.
WHEN I WAS 12’s eponymous debut EP is a fully realized Drexel University project, student Eric Sanderson recorded the songs on campus in one of Drexel’s five professional recording studios. It was then mixed by Clark Connor, and mastered by Maniac Mansion’s Ryan Schwabe. The resulting 7-inch will be released on April 16, at Record Store Day (http://www.recordstoreday.com/). Bantic Media will release 300 limited edition pieces of random colored 7-inch vinyl with full color custom sleeves designed by the band and friends. Fifty copies of the colored 7-inch will be available with a t-shirt.
Digital downloads and pre-orders for both SLUTEVER and WHEN I WAS 12 are available now at http://www.banticmedia.com/
Slutever Pretend To Be Nice
Side A:
RIP Maple
I Can Dream the Rest Away
Side B:
So Prone
No Offense
When I Was 12 S/T
Side A:
Tree Trunk of My Heart
I Hate Books by Jack Kerouac
Side B:
So Sorry
Bedroom Sighs
SLUTEVER SPRING TOUR DATES:
2/26 - The Rotunda - Philadelphia, PA: AMP it Up! East Coast All-ages Music Summit w/ SGNLS & guest speaker Ian MacKaye
2/26 - The Ox - Philadelphia, PA: Two Piece Fest IV
3/12 –The Ox – Philadelphia, PA: w/ Joey Steele and the Attitude Adjusters, Oldstuff, Bucketflush, Dry Feet, Let Me Crazy
3/18 – Cheer Up Charlies – Austin TX: SXSW Showcase
3/19 - Broken Neck - Austin TX: SXSW Showcase
3/22 – Marion House - Auburn, AL: w/ Colleen Green (CA)
3/24 – TBD - Greensboro, NC: w/Fucking Dyke Bitches
4/1 – The Ox – Philadelphia, PA: Pretend to Be Nice record release show w/ The Eeries, Jeff The Brotherhood, Dry Feet
4/16 – TBD – Brooklyn, NY: Pretend to Be Nice record release show
WHEN I WAS 12 TOUR DATES:
2/25 – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA: w/ REVOLVER
2/26 – The Fire – Philadelphia, PA: w/ Laura Stevenson and the Cans
