Blogging For Dollars

Yes, the title is true, and no it is not "bowling for dollars." At www.payperpost.com a person can actually make money submitting content on their blog. Now, how does this work?

First, visit the site, sign up and create a profile. Simple. Then take a gander at the opportunites that are presented-people who are looking for a specific topic to be "blogged" about. This works two ways, the blogger gets paid a specified dollar amount for blogging about the "bloggees" (yes that is a word, I just made it up!) particular topic; one that is presented as unique opportunities posed to the blogger. Like I said, simple!

These opportunities for the "pay for post blogger" are unlimited (yes, you have to make a name for yourself) and the blogger just reserves the right to do a particular "job." And, these opportunitiess are posted for the bloggers at www.payperpost.com seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. This creates an almost unlimited resource for all bloggers to earn extra cash as they blog about just about any category and subject available!

The post is then reviewed by the "powers that be" at Pay Per Post and, viola, if approved, you get paid directly to your PayPal account! Why they even add twenty dollars to your account for your first post, happily touting and promoting the Pay Per Post methods of working at home (unless you sneak it in at work-shhhh) and getting paid to write about a particular topic you enjoy anyway! Of course, there are limits (word of mouth ethics) So sign up today, they are anxiously awaiting new recruits!

The money you earn can be used for anything your heart desires- you can't get better than that. How about saving for that expensive holiday called Christmas? Buy your loved ones what they desire....life is good!

Joel Whitburn-Billboard Genius

Today I had the pleasure of browsing around Joel Whitburn's web site http://www.recordresearch.com/and found it very enjoyable.



For those of you who do not know who Joel is, he is the most widely recognized authoritative historian on charted music and Joel’s own record collection remains unrivaled the world over and includes every charted Hot 100 and pop single (back to 1936), every charted pop album (back to 1945), and every video to chart since Billboard began its video charts in 1979. Joel also owns one of the world’s largest picture sleeve collections, many of which he displays in the series of books (Top 40 Hits, Top 40 Albums, Top 40 Country Hits) he writes for Billboard’s book division. To date, Record Research has published over 100 books, over 40 of which are currently in the catalog.


I also "toured" the album photo page and have posted a small sample of the intriguing and interesting album cover photos he has on display.


In the market for the latest Billboard reference books? Go to Joel's site and grab these "music bibles" for your reading pleasure. Visit:
www.recordresearch.com/

Vinyl Collective

My vinyl friend Virgil over at www.vinylcollective is running a contest for people to win test pressings from some of the bands that he promotes (Victory Records / Vinyl Collective Test Pressing Contest). Drop over for a visit!

http://www.vinylcollective.com

"Film" on vinyl question

From time to time I receive emails with questions about vinyl and/or the value of a particular record. But, I want to share an interesting question and certainly the source where the gentleman got the best answer:

I have a question regarding record cleaning. I have several 1980's 45's that have been well taken care of for many years, kept in picture sleeves, in plastic and stored in good plastic corrugated cartons. They have not been played and have been stored for years. I noticed this morning that some of the records are still shiny and new looking, while some others are now "cloudy" and dull looking on the vinyl. The vinyl in not shiny anymore... I cannot see my reflection in the runoff groove. They seem to have a film haze on them

Any idea why this is? I can't find any info online about this issue.

Thank you,
Dan
Seekonk, MA

My answer was to first rule out "smoke", and Dan said it is from a non-smoking household. Then I thought it may be from sunlight (the ultraviolet rays) sounds like ultraviolet light has caused the discoloration. But, the record had not been exposed to the sun. So, my next reply was that the ink had somehow "bled" through to the vinyl record. But Dan found the answer at www.vinyltourist.com and sent me the reply they sent him:

Hi Dan...

It might be a transfer from the inner sleeve. Is the
paper sleeve lined with plastic? Some of them are.

If not, it's also possible that in a relatively
unventilated environment, like inside the clear, outer
package in the second photo, a chemical reaction can
occur between the plastic packaging and the records.
Does the material that the "U2 Pac" is made of have a
distinct, plastic-like odor? If so, then it's made out
of polyethylene and not archival. If it's odorless,
then it's polypropylene, chemically inert, and not
harmful.

Is the seal on the "Pac" relatively tight? Do any of
your other records, aside from this set, have this
problem? If yes to the former and no to the latter
(and the plastic smells), then the condition was
probably caused by off-gassing from the plastic
package. With no place for the gas on the inside to
go, it caused a chemical reaction. Unfortunately,
there's no way to reverse this process.

As a collectible, you should save the original "Pac,"
remove the records and all inserts, and store them
separately. You may be able to find replacement 45's
that are unblemished (and missing the original
packaging) for a good price. Keep the plastic in a
separate storage envelope, away from light, since
exposure to light will cause it to become yellow over
time. Don't throw the plastic away, because if you
ever want to resell it, then it's important to have
all of the original pieces.

Hope that helps!

Regards,
Joe

I hope this helps educate us on this discoloration issue and I want to thank Joe at www.vinyltourist.com for his excellent explanation. I sure learned something :)

Popular Music Used In Commercials

Stop The Insanity-Hire Someone To Write A Jingle!

Many years ago, in a far away place and time, companies wishing to promote their wares on television would hire songwriters to develop advertising jingles to promote whatever they were selling. But recently, in my mind, some companies have crossed the proverbial line, so to speak, by using classic Beatles’ music to pitch their products.

Am I the only one who is absolutely appalled by the superstore Target using the great Beatles’ classic hit entitled “Hello Goodbye” (although in the commercial they have changed it to “Hello Good Buy,” how clever) to hawk their wares? Couldn’t the corporate big wigs just hire Barry Manilow (who wrote the classic McDonalds’ jingle: “You deserve a break today”) to write a sappy jingle? Just when in my lifetime did the jingle writers become an extinct breed?

However, sadly, this trend has been used over and over again in recent years and there does not seem to be an end of it. Moreover, if I hear the Badfinger song “Come And Get It” (in the advertisement for GMC automobiles), I’ll scream!

When Michael Jackson allowed Nike to abuse the legendary hit by the Beatles’ “Revolution,” it seemed that the floodgates were opened and an advertisement bandwagon was born. But, I am not sure that these companies realize just how many people are offended by their blatant misuse of these classic rock and roll songs. In fact, I will purposely stay away from specific products that are, in my mind, abusing the classic hits from yesteryear.

But, apparently, these starving songwriters (or whoever owns the rights to the music) are being very well compensated for the right to use these classic songs for advertisement purposes. In fact Randy Bachman, formally of the Canadian group the Guess Who and later Bachman-Turner Overdrive, turned down a lucrative offer from a bathroom tissue company to use his song “Takin’ Care Of Business” (how clever) for a television commercial. He did, however, allow the song to be used for an Office Depot commercial, calling the partnership “a perfect marriage.” Bachman also declared, “you make more in one year with that commercial than you do in your entire lifetime of your band in the 70's with that song.” So I guess I can’t blame the artists, if I had written a song twenty years ago and someone offered me six figures for the right to use the song in a commercial, I will be honest, I wouldn’t hesitate to sign on the dotted line. But large corporations and specifically, marketing firms, are just being lazy and careless with our beloved music by bypassing the jingle writers and just plugging in a relevant classic song and that will get people to buy whatever product they are advertising. To me, it is just too convenient. I guess I am naive, but when did it all become about the money, not the music?

Sadly, this trend is catching on like wildfire, and nowadays you can read about many rock legends allowing their classic songs to be used for commercial purposes. Why we have Iggy Pop for Royal Caribbean, Bob Dylan promoting Victoria’s Secret products, Billy Preston teaming up with the Zombies for Fidelity Investments, Led Zeppelin pitching Cadillacs, Aerosmith for Buick, the O’Jays for Coors Beer, Deep Purple promoting Dodge, the Who allowing their music to be used in Cisco commercials, the flower power group the Association pitching Allstate Insurance, why we even have Helen Reddy’s classic anthem hit song “I Am Woman” being utilized in a Burger King commercial. The list goes on and on and when will the insanity end, and are these songs actually helping to sell the products they are endorsing?

It won’t be long before we hear he Donovan song “Mellow Yellow” actually promoting the soft drink called Mellow Yellow. Or how about the R.E.M. song called “Orange Crush” being used for, you guessed it, the soft drink called Orange Crush. While we’re at it, how about beating down some more Beatles’ classic hits such as “Ticket To Ride” for the highest bidding airline company, “She Loves You,” for the latest stinky men’s cologne or the song “I Feel Fine,” for an allergy medication? How about using Blondie’s hit single from 1980 entitled “Call Me” for an AT & T commercial? We could be hearing the classic Hollies’ tune entitled “Bus Stop” (plug in any major city bus line here) or “Angel Of The Morning” by Marrilee Rush for some feminine product or even “Baby I Love You” by the Ronettes for a diaper commercial. I have a few for the latest male enhancement product on the market, how about the Three Dog Night ditty called “Easy To Be Hard,” Bad Company’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” the 1976 hit by Heart entitled “Magic Man” or the Rolling Stones’ hit “Start Me Up?”

While we’re at it, how about the Rolling Stones’ song “Tumbin’ Dice” (plug in any Indian Casino), the Police hit called “Every Breath You Take” for a cold remedy, the iconic Elvis hit “Hound Dog” being used for a dog food commercial? How about the Who’s classic song called “I Can See For Miles” for Lens Crafter or the Mama’s and the Papa’s 60's hit “California Dreamin’” for any airline company?

We can take it several steps further with “I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You” by the Bee Gees for a telephone company, the Bobby Fuller hit entitled “I Fought The Law,” (plug in any lawyer’s name) or Don Henley’s hit song called “Dirty Laundry” for Tide laundry soap? One could also make a case for the Chicago single called “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” being used in a Timex commercial, the Doors’ classic song “Light My Fire” being utilized by Kingsford Charcoal or the 1972 Rod Stewart hit “You Wear It Well” for any clothing manufacturer.

It’s just a matter of time before we hear the Tom Jones’ song “What’s New Pussycat” in a cat food commercial. Or how about the Raspberries hit “Go All The Way” used for a Trojan commercial? And don’t get me started on sleeping aids like “Sweet Dreams” by the Eurythmics or “Last Night I Didn’t Get To Sleep At All” by the Fifth Dimension, the Robert John ditty, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” or the Everly Brothers number one hit from 1958 entitled “All I Have To Do Is Dream.” How about the Eagles’ classic hit entitled “Take It To The Limit” being used to pitch a major credit card? And any local funeral home would be pleased to use the Queen ditty called “Another One Bites The Dust” or “When I Die” by Blood, Sweat & Tears or God forbid, “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan. And now that you got me started, how would the hit song by Olivia Newton-John called “Have You Ever Been Mellow” or the Elton John hit called, “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues,” the Chicago hit “Make Me Smile,” or better yet, “Do You Feel Like We Do” by Peter Frampton, being used for the latest and greatest antidepressant to hit the market? One could use the Johnny Nash tune called “I Can See Clearly Now” for any eyeglass maker or “One Headlight,” by the Wallflowers in an Auto Zone commercial. Aren’t you surprised that the hit song by Sammy Johns entitled “Chevy Van” hasn’t been used for a Chevy commercial…..maybe it is the line “and we made love in my Chevy van” that is holding them back.

We could get real creative and utilize the Beach Boys’ hit “California Girls” for the tourism council of California or the Lynyrd Skynyrd hit “Sweet Home Alabama” to promote tourism in that southern state. How about the hit by the B-52’s called “Rock Lobster” for, you guessed it, they could change the words up a bit and call it “Red Lobster!” And we must include more airline companies in this mess, like “Jet” by Paul McCartney, “Jet Airliner” by Steve Miller, Eddie Money’s “Two Tickets To Paradise” or the worst one yet to come, the John Denver penned “Leaving On A Jet Plane” that was sung by Peter, Paul & Mary. And one more just for fun, the Neil Diamond classic “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” utilized for an FTD commercial?

The list seems endless and we may hear some of the aforementioned music paired up with their respective products. Some may seem downright silly, but after all, it is all about the money, not the music.



Author Robert Benson writes about rock/pop music, vinyl record collecting and operates http://www.collectingvinylrecords.com, where you can pick up a copy of his ebook called
"The Fascinating Hobby Of Vinyl Record Collecting."
Contact Robert at robert@collectingvinylrecords.com


Copyright 2007 Robert Benson

Watch the Led Zeppelin commercial for Cadillac:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDe23UM6kjY

Joe Calderone- Sheer Emotional Rock and Roll

Joe Calderone


The debut CD of singer/songwriter Joe Calderone offers the listener straightforward lyrics blended with sensible melodies to not only capture the listener’s ear, but the raw emotions we have all felt at one time or another.

The CD, “It Took A While,” offers supreme cuts such as “Get Back Into Business,” an approachable folk-tune accompanied by a melody of backing guitars that blend in perfectly with the everyman lyrics. Not only do you hear the wonderful music, you can feel the heartfelt sincerity in his singing. Another song, “The Days Of Loving You,” offers even more sincerity with poignant lyrics, as he laments about the emotional aspects of loving-in a Luka Bloom-like delivery. This is a remarkable and beautiful love song. The gentle rocker “The Bang Song,” is kind of a lyrically corny, catchy tune with smooth keyboards that Calderone glides through effortlessly and you cannot help to wait for the chorus so you can sing along.

Yes, “It Took A While,” the self-written, self-produced CD from this award winning artist has been well worth the wait, especially for those who have seen him play regularly in various clubs in the New York Metropolitan area. Let’s hope that more music from this amazing singer/songwriter and smooth rock balladeer doesn’t take as long to be heard as his debut CD.

For more information, visit: http://www.joe-calderone.com

John Freemont-exciting troubadour

John Fremont


Singer/songwriter John Fremont Ashton brings an abundance of musical experience to his repertoire. A veteran of many prolific rock bands for the last twenty years, it seems 2006-7 is his year to shine even brighter than ever with his new CD “Timeline.”

The song “Devil’s Dune” is a socially conscious melodic tune, as Fremont skillfully transcends the emotions of a young soldier yearning for home in a war that he has no business being involved in. His deeply personal message in this song is sensationally accompanied by inspired saxophone, earnest guitar and keyboard work, bringing the crushing reality of war home in a masterpiece of sound.

Another song on the CD, “Jericho’s Wall,” talks to the soul of everyman (or women) and is adeptly melodic with engaging lyrics and a classical-guitar folk sound that builds momentum to the climatic edgy chorus.

Fremont John has several distinguished releases and with socially conscious music, blended with John’s definitive voice and inventive folk-pop, the world will be hearing more musical splendor from this articulate singer and songwriter.

Pick up a copy of Fremont John’s masterful CD “Timeline” on the group’s website http://www.FremontJohn.com and enjoy this immensely talented troubadour.

J P Corwyn- Fresh Modern Rock

J P Corwyn


On their first full-length disc, J P Corwyn and company explode onto the modern rock scene with a refreshing, inventive and a unique sound that will have the rock and roll world standing up to hear more.

With an articulate, passionate and engaging voice, J P’s instrument is thrust upon the listener without destroying the song structure and flows cohesively from one verse to the next. The rootsy honest and sincerity cannot only be heard in this voice, it can be felt. That is all any musician can hope for.

But J P Corwyn does not rest with just that attribute, instead the Washington DC-based rock and roll band led by front man J P Corwyn, bring an intoxicating music pallette into the mix, sung and played from the heart. The cut, “Dire” is a very accessible tune, with Pearl Jam like qualities and an unbridled acoustic guitar layered beneath the smooth rocking riffs and chords, to create their own distinctive stamp and a sound that they can call their own.

The songs on this release ooze with stalwart musicianship that not only should be played on today’s FM modern rock radio, but should be dominating the airwaves. Kudos to this consistently inventive and meat-and-potatoes rock and roll band....let’s hope that this is just the beginning of a long-lasting relationship.

Historic and Controversial Album Covers-part Three

In our last of a three-part series about album cover art, let’s again examine a few controversial album covers.

It seems that a major retailer in the U.S. wields a lot of power and influence. When “John Cougar Mellencamp” released his 1996 album called “Mr. Happy Go Lucky,” a picture on the cover of Jesus and the devil had to be changed. Since it did not affect the music and he did not design the cover, Mellencamp obliged and changed the cover to appease the previously named major retailer. mellencamp

Rapper “Ice-T” joined the foray with his critically acclaimed 1991 album release called “Death Certificate.” It seems an album cover showing “Uncle Sam” on a mortuary slab as well as Ice-T’s violent lyrics, prompted one state (Oregon) to enforce a statewide ban on displaying the rapper’s image in retail stores.ice-t


Alternative rockers’ “Jane’s Addiction” singer Perry Farrell caused quite a stir in 1991 as well. When he submitted his original artwork for the band’s sophomore album, “Ritual de lo Habitual,” to his record label (Warner Brothers), they were not pleased. They released it and the sparks flew, and under corporate pressure, the group relented and replaced Farrell’s artwork with a plain white cover and text from the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing freedom of speech. jane’s addiction


In 1997, “Aerosmith” released their new album titled “Nine Lives” which featured a dancing figure with a cat’s head. The artwork, taken from Hindu imagery, aroused the anger of some Hindus and the band and record company apologized, and then changed the artwork. aerosmith


Alternative grunge giants, “Nirvana” raised the ire of two retail giants (Wal Mart and K Mart) in 1993 with their album cover art and a song on their album “In Utero.” The back cover of the release was changed to read “Waif Me,” instead of the real title of the song “Rape Me.” Despite the band’s insistence that the lyrics for the song were, in fact anti-rape, these aforementioned retail giants insisted on the wording change. The retail giants also refused to stock the album because of its artwork (which featured an anatomical figure and model fetuses), so a “doctored” version of the back cover was made for them. nirvana


The band “Beautiful South” released an album in 1989 called “Welcome To The Beautiful South,” and the original release pictured an image of a woman with a gun in her mouth and a picture of a man who was smoking a cigarette. This album cover was banned by the retailer Woolworth’s because, in their reasoning, it might cause people to start smoking. The album cover was replaced by pictures of a rabbit and a teddy bear. beautiful south


Smoking also got the band the “Arctic Monkeys” in trouble with the “censors” in 2006, because of the cover for their release “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.” The cover sleeve depicting a friend of the band smoking a cigarette was criticized by the NHS in Scotland. They claimed that the band was “reinforcing the idea that smoking is OK,” a charge that the band disputed. In fact, the image on the CD itself is a shot of a full ashtray and the band’s product manger declared, “You can see from the image smoking is not doing him the world of good.”arctic monkeys


In a sad tale of irony, the band “Lynyrd Skynrd” had their album called “Street Survivors” (1977) pulled by executives after three band members were tragically killed in a plane crash. You see, the first album cover featured a picture of the band surrounded by flames. The album was released a week before the plane crash that killed singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and back up vocalist Cassie Gaines. The cover was quickly pulled and the replacement cover, a picture of the band without the flames, was quickly introduced. CD reissues have restored the original cover. lynyrd skynrd

With an increase in the sales of vinyl record albums and a renewed interest in album cover art, we should, and can expect more censorship, controversial album cover art as well as legendary album cover art to again become part of rock and roll lore.

Historic and Controversial Album Covers-part two

Here is part two of the album cover art series:

In part one of our article series (one of three) about famous album cover art, we discussed a couple of iconic Beatle album covers and some controversial album covers by other artists. Let’s continue our discussion with part two of our series.

The Rolling Stones make our list for their 1968 album called “Beggars Banquet.” It was the first cover not to feature a band photograph; instead the Stones’ decided to use a picture of an unsightly, filthy bathroom with graffiti-laced walls. The record label in the U.K. (Decca) and the U.S. label, London Records, both balked at the cover (it was considered to be in poor taste) and a bitter three-month legal battle began. The Rolling Stones lost the battle and the album was replaced with an elegant formal party invitation (but the cover was restored for CD pressings in the mid 80's). rolling stones

Naughty “bathroom behavior” album cover first surfaced in 1966, when the “Mama’s & the Papa’s” released their LP called “If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears.” The cover, a picture of the “flower power” quartet squeezed into an old bathtub next to a toilet, apparently received so many complaints that the record company (Dunhill) was compelled to rush out a replacement cover, with graphics that promoted the group’s hit singles blocking the offending toilet. They even went so far as to issue yet another cover, this time removing the toilet completely. mama's & the papa's

Middle fingers have always been taboo on album covers and the outrage began in 1957 when Capitol Records released an album by the doo wop group the “Five Keys.” An innocent cover, it pictured the vocal group posing together in snazzy suits. But it seems that lead singer Rudy West’s forefinger was imagined by some to be a specific part of the male anatomy. So a decision was made for subsequent issues to have the finger in question airbrushed out. five keys

“Moby Grape’s” self-titled release in 1967, also had a finger of prominence displayed incorrectly, but the album cover was quickly airbrushed by Columbia Records. moby grape


A misplaced(?) finger/thumb caused another uproar in 1971 when Warner Brothers released “Alice Cooper’s” new album called “Love It To Death.” His “gesture” was not taken too well and was censored, the middle finger being airbrushed away. In fact, four different versions of the front cover exist, apparently in the picture his thumb could possibly be mistaken for a specific part of the male anatomy. alice cooper


“David Bowie’s” cover art featuring a half-dog, half-Bowie figure (painted by Guy Peellaert) for his 1974 album called “Diamond Dogs,” caused quite a stir. Apparently, the record company (RCA) did not like the fact that the “Bowie-dog” was anatomically correct and had the offending appendage airbrushed out on subsequent releases. david bowie

Apparently, pulling bubble gum off of a woman’s exposed breast is a major crime, or at the very least, a reason to reissue an album cover. Or so, that is what the German heavy metal band the “Scorpions” found out in 1979 with their album release called “Loverdrive.” The album cover features a man and a woman sitting in the backseat of a car, with the man removing the scandalous bubble gum from her breast. It was subsequently reissued with a black cover with a blue scorpion on it (thankfully the scorpion was fully-clothed). The band had another album (“Virgin Killer”) cover nixed because of a nude cover of a young girl. scorpions

In 1994, scandal found the rock group called the “Black Crowes,” because their album cover “Amorica” showed pubic hair from a Hustler magazine photograph. The close-up of a woman’s “mid-section” in a bikini, apparently exhibits too much hair and made the public uncomfortable. Pressured by powerful conservative retail chains, the record company (Universal) had to reissue an alternative cover, just a bikini over a black background (sans the offending hair). black crowes

In our third part of our series about controversial album cover art, we will again turn our focus to offensive album covers.

Historic and Controversial Album Covers-part one

I have just written a three part article series about historic and controversial album covers. Here is part one (all three are also posted on my web site www.collectingvinylrecords.com)

As you know, album cover art is just that....art. Many famous artists have been commissioned by rock bands to design their album cover art. I will be writing more about that (and include some of the most famous artists), but first, please enjoy the first part of my three part series about historical and controversial album covers.

Historic and Controversial Album Covers
part one



When CD’s were first introduced in the early 80's, they were the “next best thing” in the music world. Certainly an upgrade from cassette tapes, CD’s conveniently packed the music and artwork into a neat, small package. But one of the major flaws is the lack of cover art you get with a CD, especially when you compare it to the vibrant, lifelike album cover art you get with vinyl records.

In this three part series about album cover art, we will explore some of the most legendary album covers of all time, look at some of the most controversial album covers as well as gauge the impact that major retailers have on cover art. Let’s start with a band that broke the ground for many of their other fellow musicians.

One of the pioneering bands to take advantage of album cover art and its power of marketability were, of course, one of the most famous groups of all time, the “Beatles.” From such famous album covers as “Yesterday and Today” (1966), “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967) and even including the simplicity of the “White Album”, the Beatles certainly took full advantage of the allure of a great album cover (it didn’t hurt that the music is legendary).


In fact, their album “Yesterday and Today” (also known as the “butcher album”) is highly collectible and, if you have an original, highly priced and is one of the holy grails of record collecting. Although Capitol Records recalled the album, many were released as promotional material to DJ’s and critics. Only then did the uproar ensue. You see, the Beatles were tired of Capitol Records chopping up their albums and repackaging them (the songs on this particular release are album cuts from previous Beatles’ albums including “Help!” and “Revolver”), so they posed with decapitated baby dolls, slabs of meat and fake blood as kind of a quasi protest, not ever thinking it would go out to the public. Capitol Records quickly intervened and recalled thousands of record albums and pasted over the “butcher cover” with what is now known as the “trunk cover” (just a picture of the fab four with a large trunk).

The Beatles also have one of the greatest album covers of all time (it was selected by Rolling Stone Magazine as the best) and the group won a Grammy Award (for Best Album Cover) in 1968 for the legendary album cover for “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Created and designed by Jan Haworth and Peter Blake, the cover features the group posing with a collage of famous singers, composers, comedians and other worldly figures including Lenny Bruce (comic), Edgar Allen Poe (writer), W.C. Fields (comic), Fred Astaire (actor), Bob Dylan (musician), Marlon Brando (actor), Marilyn Monroe (actress) and Karl Marx (philosopher/socialist), among many others.Beatles


But there were a few people that were originally intended for the front cover, but were excluded, for a variety of reasons. For instance, Jesus Christ was omitted because the album was released just a few months after John Lennon had declared that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. Adolf Hitler was removed at the insistence of Parlophone Records. EMI requested that the image of Mahatma Ghandi be removed fearing his presence on the cover would offend the Indian Market. Legendary actress Mae West initially refused, but relented after the Beatles sent her a personal letter. Additionally, an image of Leo Gorcey was omitted because he had requested a fee for the use of his likeness. (For a complete list of exactly who is on the cover, please visit: http://math.mercyhurst.edu/~griff/sgtpepper/people.html)

Moreover, these two Beatles’ albums exemplify the power of a great album cover (and in the Beatles case, great music). The albums also bring to the forefront the power that record companies have and the restraints that they can utilize to control the overall album cover package. With this in mind, let’s explore some banned and controversial album covers.

One of the most notorious and controversial albums of all time is “Two Virgins,” which was released in 1968 by “John Lennon and Yoko Ono.” On the front cover was a full frontal picture of both, completely nude, and on the back was a nude picture from the behind. Paul McCartney had tried to convince Lennon not to release the cover because of the controversy it would certainly create. In some jurisdictions, the albums were impounded as obscenity and distributors were forced to sell the release in plain brown wrap wrappers. Incidentally, even with this provocative and disturbing cover, the album was not a best seller, as it lacked significant content (it was full of bird noises, tape loops, misplayed organ snippets and other assorted sound effects).
Two Virgins

In that same year, “Jimi Hendrix” released “Electric Ladyland,” which featured him with a harem of naked women. The album created massive controversy and was ultimately banned in the U.S. But, it seems that the re-done artwork for the U.K. version did not arrive in time, so Jimi and the girls are available in the U.K. version. The cover was not banned in Europe and import copies of the album have always been the most sought after imported record in the U.S. The album was reissued in the U.S. with a picture of Jimi’s face (minus his ladies of course).Hendrix

In 1969, the super group “Blind Faith” (members Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Steve Winwood) released their lone album together, appropriately entitled, “Blind Faith.” What wasn’t appropriate was photographer Bob Seidemann’s picture of a topless pre-pubescent girl holding a silver space ship. The album was then reissued with an alternate cover which showed a photograph of the band. According to Seidemann, her fee for the picture was a “young horse” which was purchased for her by Blind Faith’s band manager Robert Stigwood.blind faith

In part two of our series, we will again explore some famous and controversial album cover art.

Iwori-a perfect blend of classic and progressive rock

IWORI



Hailing from Richmond, California, is the constantly inventive rock and roll band called IWORI (IWORI- (ee-war-ee is a Nigerian word which loosely translated means, the fire at the center of the Earth). The band’s CD, entitled “Abandon All Plans,” is an innovative and refreshing mix of sounds influenced by iconic music artists such as Led Zeppelin, Santana, Leslie West, Hendrix, Wishbone Ash, Neil Young and Thin Lizzy, among many others.

What IWORI does so elegantly, is to take all these influences and meld them together to create a distinct sound of their own. With crunching guitars, unbridled rock riffs, inventive bass lines, stellar keyboards, poignant lyrics and stalwart drumming, IWORI creates an intoxicating palette of sound that is progressive as well as classic.

IWORI was conceived in 2006 by singer/song writer and guitarist Micah Charlot, whose vision is to write rock songs with a classic feel and meaningful lyrics. Charlot adroitly integrates into his music his ongoing love for African based rhythms as well as his deep admiration of the guitar tones of the golden era of rock and roll. Charlot is a San Francisco Bay Area native and has been exposed to and played an eclectic array of musical styles throughout his career. He has also studied guitar with Joe Satriani, spent many years studying and performing Afro Cuban percussion with great artists such as Changuito of Cuba, Mingo Lewis of Santana and Al Di Meola and has performed many styles of music, from punk and heavy metal to reggae.

One of the singles, the dynamic cut “Sirens,” may remind some of Grand Funk Railroad, yet to others, it may sound like vintage Traffic, but that is the beauty of their music. The song flows seamlessly into a seductive rocker, filled with imaginative guitar licks, echoing organ riffs, snappy drum work and it exudes phenomenal creativity. Another song, the Hendrix-like guitar work of “River Song,” is a march-like progression oozing with deft bass lines and passionate lyrics that all lead to an intense refrain.

All in all, the CD “Abandon All Plans” is a masterpiece of striking, well articulated music filled with disciplined and engaging rock and roll that will have an overpowering impact, as Iwori captures the essence of musical passion.


Visit the band and support them at http://www.ilike2rock.net/bands/i/iwori.html

Basic Rock Outfit-a powerful debut release

A new band review from one of the Internet's best independent radio stations www.ilike2rock.net

Basic Rock Outfit

When famed producer Sylvia Massy Shivy (Tool, Dishwalla, Johnny Cash) called on the band “Basic Rock Outfit” to deliver a project that is “retro and really classic,” the veteran Florida rockers, Jeremy Thomas (Vocalist, Songwriter, Guitarist), Jason Alfano (Drummer), Jason Gaines (Bass) and Joe Sanders (Guitar) took her to heart.

With the debut CD from the band called “Thank You for the Pain,” the band proves that they belong with rock’s elite. Using vintage equipment, their sound is captured in a collection of well-articulated power rock, with fresh melodies and refined acoustics.

With the four expert musicians that make up the band and using the years of musical experience loving the music that they play, it is impossible to not only hear the passion in which they play, but to actually feel it as well.

“Every song has a life of its own,” explains Jeremy, the main song writer of the band. “I had so many co-writers on this CD and it makes it really special to give so many different people in my life credit for helping make this project a reality.”

And the cumulative reality of all these “helping hands” is exemplified by the stories in the songs, stories of love, passion, loss and rebuilding, stories of the life we all live and the journeys we all take.

Listening to the cut “Alabama,” with its melodic, sweet haziness and heartfelt lyrics of a love that didn’t last, is so brilliantly articulated that you can feel the hurt. It becomes an intrinsic part of the musical experience. The band changes gears on the start and stop rocker, “Shell,” with its infectious tempo, addictive hooks and energetic refrain, the song is burning up Internet radio and belongs (and would be right at home) on any rock station in the land.

While staying well within the wheelhouse of guitar pop, the band exhibits impressive range, from the driving rocker "Alive" to the broodingly and bluesy "Broken Man" to the ballad "Flowers & Champagne," with its sublime ascent to crescendo. Thomas' singing masterfully brings the best out in each song, on the full-throated belting (with just the right dash of rasp) on the title track and other up-tempo numbers. From beginning to end, "Thank You for the Pain" delivers music that is at once modern and classic. Simply put, Basic Rock Outfit's sound will never go out of fashion. Believe it: Its Basic Rock Outfit's time.

Visit and support the band at http://www.ilike2rock.net/bands/b/basic_rock_outfit.html

I found this very interesting and I thought I would pass it along. It is an explanation of how a record works (or plays)

Visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUjbIC93mb0

Album Cover Art

In 1939, Alex Steinweiss was employed at Columbia Records as the first art director for the company and decided to spruce up and repackage vinyl records. We all know the result, album cover art has become an important part of music and pop culture. Many prominent artists have been commissioned to add their expertise and ideas for album covers. (Prior to Steinweiss’s creative influences, records were generally stored in plain, undecorated packaging).


For collectors, album cover art can sometimes be as valuable as the vinyl record it holds. For instance, one of the most famous album covers of all time, the Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” cover was one of the most inventive at the time and included cut out inserts and lyrics. The price one would pay for a copy of this album is influenced by whether or not it has the original contents and they are intact. There are many album covers that included posters of the band as well and other “perks” for the buyer and all these elements factor into the resale price and collectiblity.


There have been many dynamic and world-famous album covers. Consider the Beatles’ album “Yesterday...and Today” (1966), also called the “butcher block album” because the Beatles were pictured on the front cover wearing white butcher coats surrounded by bloody meat and cut up dolls. The album was quickly pulled by Capitol Records after the company received numerous complaints from reviewers and DJ’s. The company recalled the issue and ordered a new cover but did not want to waste the several hundred thousand that had already been printed. Capitol then hired part-time helpers to remove that photo from the cover and paste on the new photo for the cover. But, it seems that there were many lazy employees and to save time, they just pasted the new cover on top of the old cover and the one that was supposed to be removed. The result is three different versions of that particular album and a collector’s dream, the different versions of the album are worth several thousand dollars (prices vary-check a record price guide to ascertain exactly what album you may have to get the exact price).


Album cover art has also spawned numerous web sites in which to view famous covers and designs, readers’ favorites and top ten lists. One such site, www.superseventies.com offers a comprehensive look at some of the most famous covers from the 1970's including the Sex Pistols “Never Mind The Bollocks,” the Eagles “Hotel California,” Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon” and the Rolling Stones’ “Sticky Fingers” among others. Additionally, www.superseventies.com offers their reader’s favorite seventies album covers (more than 300) with detailed descriptions and reviews of each specific release. This is a great way to spend a rainy day, as you discover some of the best album cover art of the 70's.


Album cover design is an art form and allows the musicians greater control over the content and another important avenue in which to express themselves. In my humble opinion (and I share this opinion with countless others), with the advent of the CD, the music buying public lost a national treasure, album cover art. It is part of pop culture and recorded music in general. Sure, Cd’s offer you a “stripped down” version of the original cover art, but it certainly pales in comparison to the real thing. I am sure Mr. Steinweiss would totally agree with me.


As I stated previously, many famous artists have been commissioned to design and produce album covers. For example, the Rolling Stones and pop artist Andy Warhol are famous for the cover art on the Stones’ album “Sticky Fingers.” As the story goes, at a party in 1969, Andy Warhol casually mentioned to Mick Jagger that it would be amusing to have a real zipper on an album cover. A year later, Jagger proposed the idea for “Sticky Fingers.” But, there was a flaw in the shipping process, the zipper would press onto the album stacked on top of it, causing damage to the vinyl record. The solution? The zipper had to be pulled down before the album was shipped, then it would only dent the album covers. However, they never figured out how to keep the zipper from scratching the other album covers. Additionally, some department stores refused to display the album, feeling it was risque and not family oriented because of the model’s snug jeans and the zipper display. But this album is historic because it broke new ground and also saw the debut of the now famous Stones logo: a caricature of Jagger’s lips and tongue.


If you are a Janis Joplin fan, then you would probably know that the famed cartoonist Robert Crumb designed the cover for Joplin’s album “Cheap Thrills.” This revered, yet misunderstood artist, drew the cover as a favor to Joplin, who he befriended in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood where they both resided. He was paid $600 for his work by Columbia Records, which later sold the artwork. Crumb was asked to do a cover for the Rolling Stones, but refused because he did not like their music. Crumb is also the artist for the “Keep On Truckin’” poster and “Fritz The Cat,” and has more than seventy covers to his credit.


The Internet is full of sites related to album cover art and is just too numerous to list. There are sites devoted to fan favorites, the weird and unusual, particular decades and so on. Many users have turned to ebay to find lost art treasures from their childhood. But I want to share a website and album cover artwork finder that is not only convenient, but a must have for any art lover.


I recently spoke with Richard Nicol, the program designer and owner of “Album Cover Finder.” (www.albumcoverfinder.com) The program has been available for more than two years and is a godsend for anyone interested in album cover art. “Album Cover Finder” allows the user to not only find specific searches for interesting album cover art, but also allows the user to download selected songs from the release. I asked Richard about his fascination with album cover art.


“I’ve always been interested and loved album cover art and wanted to create a database where the users could not only look at album cover art, but experience it as well. The program allows the user to browse through the cover art of a particular band and also lets the user to download particular songs through iTunes as well. The main feature is convenience, you can utilize iTunes and not only get more of an experience for the music, but the great artwork involved with the music and artists.”


But, “Album Cover Finder” is more than just iTunes and album cover art. The program allows users to look at different art work from different countries as well. Some of the art work involved in a US release may be different from that of a UK release or German release, only adding to the experience. The program also allows users to review artist biographies, read reviews of a particular release and add the artwork to their iTunes library and an iPod. “Album Cover Finder” also allows users to find additional cover art from a particular artist or band, copy the artwork to a clipboard and has artist videos and applicable tour information. “Album Cover Finder” is a fully functional way to search for album artwork and includes free updates for registered users and is available at www.albumcoverfinder.com.


Now, I have only had the program about a week, but I have to admit spending literally half a day looking at historic artwork and listening to the songs associated with the acts. This software gets a hardy “thumbs-up” and is a “must have,” affordable program for album cover art connoisseurs and anyone with a fascination with art and music.


Needless to say, there can be a lot more written about album cover art and the impact it has had upon music and pop culture and cannot be summarized in an article. There are countless books, (I actually own one that talks about and illustrates naked vinyl and the images used to try and sell albums!) That detail album covers and the impact upon pop culture and music. I have a short list below for you to explore:


www.albumcovers.net

www.annexus.homestead.com

www.zubeworld.com

www.superseventies.com

www.popcultmag.com/oddglimpses/albumcovers/albumsdefault.html


Additionally, there are so many web sites and blogs associated with album cover art, they are to numerous to list. Why there are even web sites devoted to preserving this treasured art and frame it for display. Do you know what album cover is the favorite of all time?


I spoke with Gary Freiberg, owner and operator of www.rockartpictureshow.com, a site famous for it's framing of album cover art. We also spoke about the “Sgt. Pepper” cover and Gary related to me that the album “broke new ground and challenged the industry.” Gary and I talked about album cover art and the influences it has had on our culture. He also told me of a recent poll conducted by www.vinylrecordday.org that voted the “Sgt. Pepper” album cover the favorite album cover of all time.


Gary is world renowned for his work in the album cover art industry with his patented record album frame and his work has been cited and used by the Smithsonian, Home & Garden TV, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and thousands of satisfied Internet customers. And if you are interested in getting your great album art framed, you may visit www.rockartpictureshow.com and tell Gary you heard about him from Robert at www.collectingvinylrecords.com