Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

norm and jane chime in today after a couple of weeks layoff (vacation? hope they had fun!)

Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales ~ Week Ending 09/10/2011

A lesson in $10k worth of difference this week. The top two spots go to essentially the same record - except for one key difference. Both are the stereo pressings from stampers 1R / 1G with the Dick James credits. The #1 "Please Please Me" was a Mint- copy, visually and audibly flawless according to the seller. The #2 "Please Please Me", again according to the seller, played flawlessly but had several visual scratches. Those scratches cost the seller over $10k.

Nice to see some Northern Soul 45's making the list this week.


1. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone UK STEREO black & gold label matrix 1R/1G Dick James credits - $18,692.52

2. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone UK STEREO black & gold label 1R / 1G Dick James credits - $7,947.50

3. 45 - Esther Grant "Get The Most Out Of Love" / "Take Me Now Or Leave Me Be" Wilstone 001 - $5,500.00

4. LP - Helene Smith "Sings Sweet Soul" Deep City - $3,465.11

5. 45 - Tommy and the Derby's "Goin' Back To Houston" / "Standin' In My Way" Kool - $2,816.60



Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales ~ Week Ending 09/03/2011

It doesn't turn up much at #1. This week an beautifully clean Beatles Butcher cover got the top spot. The rest of this week's list consists of all fairly oddball pressings. The John English III 45 has shown up for sale only one other time, and the Baby Face Leroy 78 shows up on many want lists, but this is the only know copy to appear in seven years.


1. LP - The Beatles "Yesterday And Today" Butcher 2nd State Stereo - $7,947.50

2. 78 - Baby Face Leroy Trio "Rollin' and Tumblin' Part 1" / "Rollin' and Tumblin' Part 2" Parkway - $3,051.56

3. LP - Ernest Ansermet, Royal Opera House Orch "Royal Ballet Gala Performances" RCA Living Stereo LDS-6065 1S - $3,050.00

4. LP - The Crystals "Twist Uptown" Philles - $2,600.00

5. 45 - John English III and the Heathens "I Need You Near" / "Some People" Sabra - $1,750.00

More on this week's Top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 5:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.

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U2′s ‘Achtung Baby’ to Get Full Album Cover Version Treatment From Jack White, Patti Smith and Others

U2‘s iconic album ‘Achtung Baby’ turns 20 years old this November, and Bono has revealed how the band will celebrate. At a recent press conference for the band’s ‘From the Sky Down’ documentary, the lead singer listed a handful of the artists who have re-recorded tracks from the 1991 album for a covers project.

“Jack White does ‘Love Is Blindness,’ Depeche Mode do ‘So Cruel,’ Patti Smith did ‘Until the End of the World,’ Damien Rice does ‘One,’” Bono said about the project which is being commissioned by the British Magazine Q. “It just goes on. And it’s strange, because when I hear the album, when U2 do it, all I hear is what’s wrong with it. But when I heard all these artists doing it, I thought, ‘It’s really good.’”

Read the rest at ultimateclassicrock.com

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Michael Schenker Announces New Album and Tour With Uli Jon Roth and Leslie West

Michael Schenker will release "Temple of Rock" on October 11 on CD, digital formats, and vinyl. He will also be touring with Uli Jon Roth and Leslie West on the 3 Guitar Heroes tour.

One of the biggest treats on the new album is his collaboration with the former Scorpions drummer, Herman "the German" Rarebell, as well as his beloved brother Rudolf. And yet the list is even longer with Doogie White (former member of the Rainbows), Super drummer Carmine Appice and Elliott Tichy. However the one name missing in 2011 is Gary Barden.

Michael Voss, the new vocalist, is more than "just" a replacement. The experienced producer and singer showed just what he is capable of during the last MSG tour.

Schenker says: "The Temple of Rock is within me where I create since I was introduced to the amazing invention of the distorted Guitar which is for me the most enjoyable and the best possible way to express myself. The Rock Guitar Sound that I fell in love with, mostly expressed as Lead break, is what I have nurtured and treasured all of my life. Combined with the infinite spring from within and the amazing musicians around me I keep expressing an ongoing development of my Art (Being). With Temple of Rock I am entering a new stage of my life, a new level of existence enjoying life more than ever, reaping the joy of all sorts of developments from the past."

Read more and get the tour dates at antimusic.com

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Judas Priest To Release Special Compilation Album, "The Chosen Few"

British heavy metal titans Judas Priest have recently announced that they will be releasing a new compilation album on October 11th via Legacy/Sony called 'The Chosen Few.' What seperates this record apart from other compilation albums is that all the songs were chosen by some of the biggest names in hard rock and heavy metal, including the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Motorhead frontman, Lemmy and Metallica members Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield amongst others.

"This is a collection of songs chosen by our friends and respected peers," Priest frontman Rob Halford told Rolling Stone. "So we hope all the metal maniacs out there will rock out to the tunes enjoyed by metal legends."

Tracklist:

1. Diamonds And Rust (1977) - chosen by Joe Elliott (Def Leppard)
2. Dissident Aggressor (1977) - chosen by Steve Vai
3. Exciter (1978) - chosen by Accept
4. Beyond The Realms Of Death (1978) - chosen by Lars Ulrich (Metallica)
5. Delivering The Goods (1979) - chosen by Kerry King (Slayer)
6. The Green Manalishi (with the Two-Pronged Crown) (1979) - chosen by David Coverdale Whitesnake) & Randy Blythe (Lamb Of God)
7. The Ripper (1979) - chosen by Ozzy Osbourne
8. Victim Of Changes (1979) - chosen by James Hetfield (Metallica)
9. Breaking The Law (1980) - chosen by Lemmy (Motorhead)
10. Rapid Fire (1980) - chosen by Vinnie Paul (Pantera, Hellyeah)
11. Grinder (1980) - chosen by Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society)
12. Living After Midnight (1980) - chosen by Alice Cooper & Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath)
13. Screaming For Vengeance (1982) - chosen by Slash (Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver)
14. You’ve Got Another Thing Coming (1982) - chosen by Klaus Meine (Scorpions) & Corey Taylor (Slipknot)
15. The Sentinel (1984) - chosen by Chris Jericho (Fozzy)
16. Turbo Lover (1986) - chosen by Jonathan Davis (Korn)
17. Painkiller (1990) - chosen by Joe Satriani

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Ry Cooder's New Album Now Available on Vinyl

Ry Cooder's new album, Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down, which was released late last month on CD and digitally, is out today as a double-vinyl set, which includes two audiophile-quality, 140-gram vinyl discs plus a CD of the complete album. Nonesuch Store orders also include high-quality, 320 kbps MP3s of the album at checkout.

The CD release of Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down two weeks back was met with great critical acclaim from around the world, including five-star reviews from Uncut, the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian, the Independent, the Observer, and more!

Order your copy HERE



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'Sinatra: Best of the Best'

NEW COLLECTION BRINGS THE CHAIRMAN'S ICONIC RECORDINGS WITH CAPITOL AND REPRISE TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

Single-Disc Features 23 Sinatra All-Time Favorites; Deluxe 2-CD Adds Out-of-Print Concert Recording

Available November 1

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time, Frank Sinatra's greatest recordings for Capitol Records and his own Reprise Records have been gathered for one stellar collection. Sinatra: Best of the Best will be released in single-disc and deluxe 2CD packages on November 1 (October 31 internationally), with insightful track notes written by Frank Sinatra Jr. On the same date, both configurations will also be available for download purchase from all major digital service providers.

Best of the Best's chronological tracklist leads with 1953's "I've Got The World On A String," followed by 12 other classic tracks Sinatra recorded for Capitol between 1953 and 1960, including "Young At Heart," "You Make Me Feel So Young," "All The Way," and "Come Fly With Me," as well as the Sinatra recording that is the theme of "Married With Children," "Love And Marriage." 10 of Sinatra's best Reprise recordings, released between 1962 and 1980, are also featured, including "Night And Day," "The Way You Look Tonight," "Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)," "Strangers In The Night," "My Way," and "Theme From New York, New York." Best of the Best's 2CD version adds a previously out-of-print and sought-after Seattle concert recording, and is packaged in a lift-top box with an expanded booklet and 6 postcards.

At Capitol Records, Frank Sinatra pioneered his landmark 'concept' albums. Working with arrangers such as Nelson Riddle, Billy May and Gordon Jenkins and singing the songs of Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, and Rodgers and Hart, to name a few, set Sinatra's recordings apart from those of all other vocalists of the 20th century and quite possibly all time.

In 1960, Frank Sinatra realized a dream when he founded Reprise Records. Sinatra was one of the first to recognize the value of artists owning their master recordings. The new label gave him the artistic and business freedom he longed for in his recording career.

At Reprise, Sinatra collaborated with new arrangers such as Johnny Mandel, Don Costa, and Quincy Jones, as well making albums with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Antonio Carlos Jobim.

During his years of recording for Capitol and Reprise, Sinatra was also making concert appearances around the world and starring in hit movies, including From Here To Eternity, Pal Joey, High Society, and The Manchurian Candidate.

Sinatra loved and found comfort in recording music, once saying "I adore making records. I'd rather do that than almost anything else. You can never do anything in life quite on your own - you don't live on your own little island. Making a record is as near as you can get to it - although, of course, the arranger and the orchestra play an enormous part. But once you're on that record singing, it's you and you alone."

Tina Sinatra recalls the ambience that was present in the studio while her father recorded saying, "I remember his command, it was palpable, you could feel the energy in the room. It was like this vacuum of power, all eyes were always on him. It was very similar to seeing him on stage."

Frank Sinatra Jr. fondly remembers his father's legendary sessions for Capitol and Reprise, saying "There was a tremendous level of excitement-air of expectation-every time he recorded. Everyone knew they were making the best records around. How could they miss? They had the best singer, best arrangers, best musicians, best engineers, and the best studios in town."

Nancy Sinatra Jr. recalls the excitement of her father's recording sessions at Capitol, saying, "I came to sessions whenever I could. We would go to dinner at the Villa Capri and then we would drive to Capitol. Attending record sessions at Capitol was like going to a concert today-it was the hottest ticket that you could get your hands on; it was fantastic. It was great for him to have a small audience in the room and everything was live. The orchestra was in the room and everybody as a result of that did their best. There was magic in those studios and that building."

Frank Sinatra is one of the world's most recognizable, admired and influential artists of all time, with a vast catalogue of music that is a soundtrack for our lives. Long acclaimed as the world's greatest performer of popular music, he is the artist who set the standard for all others to follow. More than a singer, he was an actor, recording artist, nightclub and concert star, radio and television personality and, on occasion, producer, director and conductor. Besides recording nearly 1,500 songs, he starred in some 60 motion pictures.

A beloved entertainer for six decades, Sinatra earned three Oscars, three Golden Globes (including the Cecil B. DeMille Award), ten personal Grammys (and a total of 20 for his albums), an Emmy, a Peabody and the Kennedy Center Honors Award. A generous charitable contributor, he was honored with the prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In addition, Sinatra was awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor and the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress' highest civilian award.

Frank Sinatra has been called the most popular entertainer of the 20th century. His popularity and legions of fans around the world span all ages and demographic groups.

www.sinatra.com

Sinatra: Best of the Best (CD; digital)

1. I've Got The World On A String
2. My Funny Valentine
3. Young At Heart
4. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
5. Love And Marriage
6. You Make Me Feel So Young
7. I've Got You Under My Skin
8. The Lady Is A Tramp
9. Witchcraft
10. All The Way
11. Come Fly With Me
12. Angel Eyes
13. Nice 'N' Easy
14. Night And Day
15. The Way You Look Tonight
16. My Kind Of Town
17. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
18. It Was A Very Good Year
19. Strangers In The Night
20. Summer Wind
21. That's Life
22. My Way
23. Theme From New York, New York

Sinatra: Best of the Best (2CD; digital)

CD1: same as above

CD2 – IN CONCERT Live In Seattle (out-of-print)

1. Introduction/You Make Me Feel So Young
2. It Happened In Monterey
3. At Long Last Love
4. I Get A Kick Out Of You
5. Just One Of Those Things
6. A Foggy Day
7. The Lady Is A Tramp
8. They Can't Take That Away From Me
9. I Won't Dance
10. Sinatra Dialogue
11. When Your Lover Has Gone
12. Violets For Your Furs
13. My Funny Valentine
14. Glad To Be Unhappy
15. One For My Baby
16. The Tender Trap
17. Hey Jealous Lover
18. I've Got You Under My Skin
19. Oh! Look At Me Now

SOURCE Capitol/Reprise

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The Estate of Tupac Shakur and Universal Music Enterprises Mark the 15th Anniversary of 2Pac's Passing

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 13, 1996, the rapper, poet and social justice activist Tupac Shakur passed away, having sustained injuries from a brutal and shocking drive-by attack. Tupac was best-known for his influential music which, even 15 years after his death, is considered among the greatest rap music in history.

The Shakur Estate and Universal Music Enterprises are welcoming all fans of 2Pac and rap music to remember the life of a great man whose works and spirit have touched the world. From September 13, through September 18, 2pac.com, the official site of the Shakur Estate, will be featuring articles about 2Pac's work, a video about his life and, of course, the music that has touched so many.

It was Tupac's greatest wish to inspire minds and spark the ideas that would change the world. It is the greatest privilege of 2pac.com and Universal Music Enterprises to keep his music and message available to all.

About 2pac.com:

www.2pac.com  is the official site for Tupac Amaru Shakur, and his estate. 2pac.com represents the Shakur estate's commitment to Tupac's work and to his fans as well as the firm belief that Tupac's music is not only relevant today, but carries with it important messages of social justice and global change. 2pac.com is owned by Amaru Entertainment and managed by DECOSTA Marketing.

SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises

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British artist Richard Hamilton, the 'Father of Pop Art,' dies at age 89

By: Jill Lawless, The Associated Press

LONDON - British Pop Art pioneer Richard Hamilton, who depicted Tony Blair as a cowboy and designed a Beatles album cover, has died. He was 89.

The Gagosian Gallery, which represents Hamilton, said the artist died early Tuesday at an undisclosed location in Britain. It did not give the cause of death.

The gallery said that with his death, "the art world has lost one of its leading figures." It said Hamilton's influence on younger artists was "immeasurable."

Hamilton was often called the "Father of Pop Art" — Britain's answer to Andy Warhol — and was credited with coining the name for a movement marked by its ironic and iconic use of commercial and pop-culture imagery.

Read the rest at winnipegfreepress.com

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and in music history for today:

In 1955, Little Richard entered J&M Studios in New Orleans for a two day recording session. Things were not going well and during a break, Richard and his producer, Bumps Blackwell, went to the Dew Drop Inn. With few people there and an old upright piano, Richard started playing like crazy, singing loud, lewd and hamming it up. Blackwell was stunned... why couldn't he record this? They went back to J&M with only fifteen minutes left in the session and "Tutti Fruiti, good booty" became "Tutti Fruiti, aw-rootie". The song managed to make it into the US Top 20 early the following year, but a cover by Pat Boone over shadowed Richard's version on the Pop chart.



In 1958, "To Know Him Is To Love Him" by the Teddy Bears cracks the Billboard Top 40. The song was written and arranged by 18 year old Phil Spector, who took the song's title from the inscription on his father's tombstone. The record would be number one by the end of the year.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission banned payola in 1960.

Also in 1960, a campaign was started in the U.K. to ban the American hit it “Tell Laura I Love Her” by Ray Peterson. The song was being denounced in the press as likely to inspire a teen-age “glorious death cult.” The story told of a lovesick youngster who drives in a stock car race to win the hand of his sweetheart. He crashes and just before dying, groans out the words of the title.

In 1963, Graham Nash fell out of The Hollies’ van after a gig in Scotland. Nash checked to see if the door was locked, it wasn’t and he fell out as it travelled at 40 mph. ooops.....

The single "Yesterday/Act Naturally" was released in the US by the Beatles in 1965.

In 1967, the Beatles formed an electronics company called Fiftyshapes, Ltd. appointing John Alexis Mardas (Magic Alex) to be the company’s director. Alex claimed he could build a 72-track tape machine, instead of the 4-track at Abbey Road (this never materialized). One of his more outrageous plans was to replace the acoustic baffles around Ringo Starr’s drums with an invisible sonic force field. George Harrison later said that employing Mardas was “the biggest disaster of all time.”

In 1969, John and Yoko flew to Canada with the Plastic Ono Band to perform at the Rock and Roll Revival Show in Toronto, Canada. The band members Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann and drummer Alan White were put together so late that they had to rehearse on the plane from England. Also making an appearance at the concert were Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, Bo Diddley, The Doors and Alice Cooper. Lennon later released his performance as the Live Peace in Toronto 1969 album. It was the first live album by any member of The Beatles separately or together. It peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified a gold album by the RIAA.

In 1976, Peter Frampton's fourth solo album, "Frampton", goes Gold. It's his commercial breakthrough LP containing the hits "Show Me the Way" and "Baby I Love Your Way".

ABBA kicked of their first North American tour in Edmonton, Alberta in 1979.

'Sports' by Huey Lewis and the News was released in 1983.

In 1985, "We Are The World" wins Best Group Video and the Viewer's Choice at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York. Don Henley's "The Boys Of Summer" video is graced with four trophies, including Best Video. Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire" gets the nod for Best Male Video and Tina Turner wins Best Female Video for "What's Love Got To Do With It".

In 1991, Geffen Records threw a party to launch Nirvana’s single “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The band ended up being thrown out of their own party after starting a food fight.

Also in 1991, Alice Cooper sold his new album 'Hey Stoopid' in New York's Times Square for 99 cents.

In 1996, Tupac Shakur died six days after being shot four times in a drive-by shooting.

In 2005, the home where Jimi Hendrix grew up in Seattle was saved from demolition after a new location was agreed at the last minute. The James Marshall Hendrix Foundation and the City of Seattle agreed to renovate the building into a community centee opposite the cemetery where the guitarist was buried in 1970.

In 2005, Paul McCartney released his 20th post-Beatles album, "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard". The reviews were far more favorable than for many of his other efforts

celebrating birthdays today (among others) are Peter Cetera (67), Dave Mustaine (Metallica, Megadeth) (50), Zak Starkey (Who, Oasis) (46) & David Clayton-Thomas (Blood, Sweat & Tears) (70)