Mega Millions jackpot increases to $640 million
MARGERY A. BECK, Associated Press
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Lottery ticket lines swelled Friday as players drawn by a record $640 million Mega Millions jackpot cast aside concerns about odds to take a chance at becoming an overnight millionaire.
From Arizona, where a café worker reported selling $2,600 worth of tickets to one buyer, to Wisconsin, where a retired soldier doubled his regular weekly ticket spending to $55, people have been willing to test their luck for a shot at instantaneous wealth.
"I feel like a fool throwing that kind of money away," said Jesse Carter, whose two tickets purchased Friday at a Milwaukee grocery store brought his spending to $55 for the drawing. "But it's a chance you take in life, with anything you do."
Read the rest (and your odds of winning) HERE
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ran into this story about a man and a record label:
Four Men With Beards: Rescuing Classic Out-of-Print Releases From the Archives
By Sam Lefebvre
Categories: Label Sampler
Filippo Salvadori of 4 Men With Beards
Many local labels are offering obscure reissues and innovative new releases on all conceivable formats. Label Sampler will profile a different Bay Area record company every other week.
Name: 4 Men With Beards
Owner: Filippo Salvadori
Founded: 2001
Headquarters: San Rafael
Creation story: 4 Men With Beards is a vinyl-only reissue imprint under the banner of Runt Distribution, which Salvadori founded in Italy in the mid-90's. Runt -- named not for its size nor Salvadori's ambitions, but rather the Todd Rundgren LP of the same title -- is the parent company of DBK Works and Water and Plain Recordings, amongst others. But we chose to focus on 4 Men With Beards, which Salvadori established in 2001 with the sole intent of reissuing of favorite LPs that were often stagnating intolerably in the archives of major labels.
Read the rest at blogs.sfweekly.com
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intriguing album cover art.......
Banda de la Muerte Album Cover Art & Limited Edition Vinyl
Banda de la Muerte has recently released its second album called 'Pulso de una Mente Maldita.' The record will also be released as a limited edition of 500 12” black vinyl copies and will be available for fans in Europe and North America via Clear Spot on April 20th and in South America via Zonda Records in May. =============
i never liked clowns......
U.D.O.: 'Celebrator' Cover Artwork Unveiled
U.D.O., the German metal band led by former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider, will release a "rare-tracks" album with some very special gems for the fans. Entitled "Celebrator", the effort will be made available on May 4 via AFM Records. The full track listing will be announced next week. Read the rest at out friends at Blabbermouth
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FEAR FACTORY Reveal Album Art And Track Listing
Bell notes, “the protagonist (The Industrialist) is the incarnation of all industries in the form of an automaton. The mechanical, technological, and scientific advances through the industrial age led to the creation of The Industrialist. In the story, the automaton becomes sentient as it collects memories with each passing day. Through observation and learning, it gains the will to exist. What was meant to help man, will eventually be man’s demise.”
Read the rest and see the tracklist at thegauntlet.com
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amazing interview from classicrockmagazine.com about album cover art and the artist.....
Derek Riggs: Iron Maiden Album Cover Artist Interviewed
gbarton
“I never got very much feedback from Iron Maiden about what was going on. I just spent my time at home painting pictures.” Come inside for an interview with the legendary Derek Riggs, the artist behind Maiden’s The Number Of The Beast album cover artwork – and a whole lot more besides.Generally when it came to artwork for Iron Maiden, were you given free reign to do what you wanted, or did the band give you any sort of steer?
I have ideas that work the way I see them; they have a song. Usually I just got the song title and some idea of what it was about, I very seldom got any lyrics, usually lyrics are not very helpful anyway. The pictures and the songs have to come together in some way, so the pictures have to be slanted so that they fit in with the song title. Sometimes that means changing it a lot, sometimes surprisingly little.
Read the interview at classicrockmagazine.com
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Louis Armstrong's Final Recorded Trumpet Performance To Be Released to Public for First Time
WASHINGTON, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- What if your favorite musician could return from the great beyond and play one last set that would, for a moment, make his music live again? And what if the music were new – something you have never heard before? It would be a moment to savor.
Well for those of you who are waiting for Elvis or John Lennon to return, you might have to keep waiting. But for those of you who long to hear the music of the greatest trumpeter of all time, Louis Armstrong, just one more time your dreams may be answered. And you should come to the National Press Club on April 27 for what is sure to be a memorable and historic occasion. On that day there will be a news conference followed by a panel discussion followed by a reception. Details will be released as the date gets closer.
Officials from the National Press Club, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and the Louis Armstrong Foundation will announce their agreement to release a recording made on January 29, 1971 in the Ballroom of the National Press Club. The live recording is one of the last times Armstrong played his trumpet in public and is believed to be his last recorded trumpet performance. The recording was made into a limited edition record with only 300 copies most of which have vanished into attics. For several years a determined group of Press Club members have been working with their partners at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings to bring the music to the public. Now, with the help of the Louis Armstrong Foundation, the moment has arrived.
On April 24, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the nonprofit record label of the national museum, will release "Satchmo at the National Press Club: Red Beans and Rice-ly Yours" on CD and digital download via www.folkways.si.edu and retailers including iTunes and Amazon as well as the streaming services. The album release is part of the Smithsonian Institution's celebration of the 11th annual Jazz Appreciation Month.
Armstrong agreed to perform at the 1971 inaugural party of incoming National Press Club President Vernon Louviere who was a Washington correspondent but a native of Louisiana. At the time he was booked, Mr. Armstrong's health was poor. He had not played trumpet for much of 1970 and his shows were mostly 10 minutes of singing. So the Press Club crowd expected to hear Louis sing a couple of songs. But Armstrong packed his horn when he traveled to Washington. He was feeling better and ready to play.
January 29, 1971 was a gala evening at the Press Club. The master of ceremonies for the event was the British Journalist David Frost. The crowd of journalists, dressed in black tie, had a real sense that they were about to witness history. Louis responded to the crowd's enthusiasm with more than 30 minutes of spirited singing, scat and to everyone's great surprise, trumpet. His trumpet was only to be recorded two other times: during a taped television show with David Frost; and on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson before a studio audience. It is believed that neither was turned into a recording offered to the public.
SOURCE National Press Club
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CINDERELLA Announce Tour Dates
Philadelphia-based rockers CINDERELLA have announced a few live dates for this summer:
June
21 - House of Blues - Cleveland, OH
22 - River Roar - Bay City, MI
26 - Bergen PAC - Englewood, NJ
27 - Turning Stone - Verona, NY
29 - Hampton Beach Casino - Hampton, NH
July
1 - Penns Peak - Jim Thorpe, PA
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Alice Cooper Archive Burglary
Alice Cooper is asking his fans to help find priceless items of memorabilia which were stolen from his this past Tuesday. "The storage facility in Los Angeles which houses the Alice Cooper Archives was broken into on March 27, along with three other storage units. A police report has been filed... With multiple units broken into, we don't believe Alice's Archives was specifically targeted."
"If anyone sees anything suspicious or hears anything about these stolen items - especially on the internet or in Los Angeles - please let us know...
"The jacket in question is in fact the John Richmond jacket, better known as the one worn in Wayne's World. It's one of a kind, and is unmistakable. If you see anyone selling it, please write to us immediately!"
i say catch the idiots!
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from our friends at vinylcollective.com
Isis – The Red Sea Vinyl Repress
Comes complete with the 1999 RED SEA ep tracks on side one and 4 tracks from a 1998 demo as the B-side. LIMITED Record Store Day REPRESS ON translucent RED or White/Black VINYL!
Order your copy at ShopRadioCast
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this from our friends at burningshed.com
Rush - ABC 1974 (double vinyl preorder)
A recording taken from a WMMS radio broadcast of a Rush performance in Cleveland in 1974.Recorded during the first ever Rush tour of the US in 1974, the tour was also the first with the band's enigmatic drummer/lyricist, Neal Peart.
ABC 1974 is a 180gm double black vinyl release, with gatefold packaging, featuring tracks from the band's debut and the then unreleased Fly By Night, as well as three previously unavailable pieces (Fancy Dancer, Garden Road and a cover of Larry Williams' Bad Boy).
A fascinating glimpse into the early work of a Progressive institution.
Pre-order now for 16th April release date
Side 1:
1. Finding My Way
2. The Best I Can
3. Need Some Love
4. In The End
Side 2:
5. Fancy Dancer
6. In The Mood
7. Bad Boy
8. Here Again
Side 3:
9. Working Man
10. Drum Solo
11. What Youre Doing
Side 4:
12. Garden Road
13. Anthem
14. Beneath, Between & Behind
15. Fly By Night
Preorder from the BurningShed
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and in music history for march 30th:
In 1957, Buddy Knox became the first artist in the Rock 'n' Roll era to write his own number one hit when "Party Doll" topped the Billboard chart. Buddy would go on to place four more songs in the Top 40 between 1957 and 1961.
In 1958, Little Richard had his final US Top 10 hit with "Good Golly Miss Molly". The song was from his last recording sessions for Specialty Records, after which he recorded a series of Gospel songs.In 1962, the Russian newspaper Pravda warns communist youths about the dangers of dancing the Twist.
In 1963, 16 year-old Lesley Gore records her breakthrough hit, "It's My Party". Producer Quincy Jones hurried Gore into the studio when he found out that Phil Spector was going to cut the song with The Crystals. The single would reach #1 in the US and #9 in the UK.
Also in 1963, the Chiffons enjoy the first of their five Billboard Top 40 hits when "He's So Fine" climbs to #1. In the UK, it reached #16.
In 1967, during an appearance by Jimi Hendrix on 'Top Of The Pops', a technician put on the backing track of Alan Price's 'Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear', to which Hendrix responded 'I don't know the words to this one man.'
In 1967, Cindy Birdsong, formerly of Patti LaBelle's Bluebelles, was asked to fill in for Florence Ballard of The Supremes after Ballard missed a number of shows in New Orleans, Los Angeles and Montreal. Birdsong became a permanent member a few months later.
In 1967, the photo session took place at Chelsea Manor studios in London with Michael Cooper for the cover of The Beatles 'Sgt Pepper's' album. After the shoot The Beatles resumed work at Abbey Road studios on ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’ adding guitars, bass, tambourine, and backing vocals. The session began at 11:00 pm and ends at 7:30 am. In 1969, after having two giant hits with "The Letter" (#1) and "Cry Like A Baby" (#2), The Box Tops' "Sweet Cream Ladies" tops out at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100. They would reach #18 later in the year with "Soul Deep", their final Top 40 entry.
In 1970, Led Zeppelin stoped a show in Pittsburgh, saying they won't continue until the police stop harassing the audience.
In 1971, six months after his death, Jimi Hendrix's album, 'The Cry of Love' is certified Gold.
In 1974, nine weeks after entering the Hot 100, John Denver's "Sunshine On My Shoulders" goes to #1. John would later say that he wrote the song on a day that it was pouring rain.
In 1985, Phil Collins started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "One More Night", his second US chart topper. The song reached #4 in the UK.
In 1989, Gladys Knight performs without the Pips for the first time since grammar school at a show at Bally's in Las Vegas.
In 1992, the soundtrack to 'Wayne's World' was the number 1 album in the US. It featured the return to the charts of Queen's, "Bohemian Rhapsody", actually making the song a bigger hit the second time around. Tracks by Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Alice Cooper, as well as a new version of "Dream Weaver" from Gary Wright, were also included on the LP. In 1991, Gloria Estefan started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Coming Out Of The Dark," a #25 hit in the UK.
Also in 1991, the Eurythmics started a nine-week run at #1 on the UK album chart with their 'Greatest Hits' LP.
In 1992, R.E.M. started recording sessions for their 'Automatic For The People' album at Bearsville Studios, Woodstock, New York. In 1994, Pink Floyd played their first concert in more than five years, opening a North American tour before more than 55,000 fans in Miami.
In 1996, The Beatles had the #1 album on the UK chart with "Anthology 2".
In 1999, Kiss cancels three shows in Russia due to growing anti-American sentiments due to the bombing of Yugoslavia.
In 2000, Castle music was sold to the Sanctuary Music group for £40 million. Castle owned the rights to all The Kinks back catalogue.
In 2004, Timi Yuro passed away at the age of 62. She began singing in her family's restaurant when she was a child and signed with Liberty Records when she turned 18. During the next five years, Timi reached the US charts nine times, including "Hurt", which climbed to #4 in the US in 1961, as well as "Make The World Go Away" and "What's A Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You)". She was troubled by throat problems throughout her career and retired from performing in the 1970s. In 1981, "Hurt" resurfaced in the Netherlands and went to #1, prompting Timi to return to the stage where she played to sold out audiences across Europe. In 2002 she was diagnosed with throat cancer and an inoperable brain tumor. She died in her sleep at her Las Vegas home.
Vinyl Art by Daniel Edlen
In 2004, at a restaurant near Lake Tahoe, the jazz trio house band was shocked when Paul McCartney stepped onstage to join them for a rendition of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore."In 2007, a man was arrested after trying to force his way into Paul McCartney's mansion, screaming: "I must get to him." The man, driving at high speeds, burst through security patrols and drove across fields and gardens until he was finally halted by trees and a fence just yards from Sir Paul's six-bedroom home at Peasmarsh. The man fled as teams of police arrived, but gave himself up after a three-mile chase. He was later detained under the Mental Health Act and did not face any criminal charges.
In 2010, sixteen-year-old Justin Bieber's "My World 2.0" debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, making him the youngest solo male artist to reach the top of the chart since 1963 when 13-year-old Stevie Wonder was at #1 with his album, "Little Stevie Wonder/The 12 Year Old Genius."
In 2011, the Australian band Men at Work lost a Federal Court appeal of a ruling which found their 1983 hit single "Down Under" was partly copied from a Folk song called "Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree". The decision cleared the way for copyright owners Larrikin Music to claim millions of dollars in unpaid royalties from "Down Under" writers Colin Hay and Ron Strykert.
birthdays today include (among others): Graeme Edge (Moody Blues) (71), Eric Clapton (67), James "Jim Dandy" Mangrum (Black Oak Arkansas) (64), Dave Ball (Procol Harum) (62), David Ball (Soft Cell) (53), MC Hammer (born Stanley Burrell) (50), Tracy Chapman (48), Joey Castillo (Queens of the Stone Age) (46), Celine Dion (44), Mark McClelland (Snow Patrol) (36) and Norah Jones (33)
