As I continue my writings for the 'All Indie- All The Time' Internet Radio Station www.ilike2rock.net, DJ Tom turned me on to a fantastic new band. Their music is special, not only in the way it is being created, but there is certainly a aura of musical magic going on. Read on:
Project-43
Worldwide Talent United
by Robert Benson
Can a heavy metal rock group release a CD without having ever being in the same room together or to have never met face to face? Amazingly, it is being done; and quite remarkably. Project-43 is one of the first “Internet” groups to record, mix, produce and engineer a CD from three different countries and five locations around the world.
Meet Project-43, five exceptionally talented musicians from different parts of the globe. After band mates Charlie Wardick (who hails from the state of Arizona, USA) and Steve M. Mann (from Wisconsin, USA) hooked up on Usenet in the alt.guitar newsgroup, they knew that they had happened upon something special.
Using this framework, the two enlisted other musicians to join in their cyberspace journey. When Antti Heikkinen (Finland) was added on vocals, things began to gel. The group then added Scotland’s Scott Wallace to play drums and the NYC guitar virtuoso Christopher Bell-Boudreaux to complete the quintet.
Their debut CD “Silence The Quiet” was released and met with rave reviews. But it is their follow up CD called “Ticket To Infinity” that proves that this is not a novelty act and that creating intoxicating heavy metal music in this unique process can not only be done, but accomplished with awe inspiring adventure.
Logistics make it difficult to all get together, but that is not an obstacle. As Steve explains:
“We have really progressed on this new CD; it shows our growth and improvement as a group. One person may come up with an idea for a song, then the others download this ‘model’ and start to add their parts and the mixing process begins. We don’t have some of the personality issues or conflicts that other bands have; our process is very accommodating to growth and helps us move forward. We feel we are on the cutting edge of recording and marketing and like to feel that we are moving forward in the right direction; kind of a modern spin as well as a new model of music creativity.”
After a listen to their new CD, one can hear elements of some of the band member’s influences, such as the Scorpions, Judas Priest, Queensryche or even a heavy set from Foreigner. But what Project-43 does so eloquently is meld these aforementioned groups, classic rock qualities, and heavy guitars and move them progressively into the new millennium.
The cut, “Bye Bye” has a classic blend of eerie lyrical content blended perfectly with instrumental mastery, fast guitar licks and the powerhouse pipes of lead singer Antti Heikkinen. “Secrets Never To Be Told” would be right at home on any classic rock album by Uriah Heep, complete with rich vocals, heavy rock guitars and a rapid-fire lead that adds a unique harmony to the lead vocals.
The cut “In Exile” could remind some if Alice In Chains unplugged, with smart lyrics and crisp acoustics, with tasty contributions from all five musicians. “Silence The Quiet” is full of classic Scorpions-like riffology, with complex instrumental structures and superlative vocals and I could see it bolting to the top of the heavy metal charts.
Their whole CD is full of energized music, heavy guitars and bass lines and expert musicianship. Comparing Project-43 to other bands may be a compliment, but it is their unique methods of making emotionally charged rock and roll that makes them genre defining and captures the essence of their collective musicianship.
Could Project-43 be called musical experimentalists? If so, the group has definitely laid the groundwork for others to attempt to make music in this intuitive manner. But I doubt that any group can match the hard-edged, slashing guitar riffs and seminal melodic invention that Project-43 has already mastered. Cyber group, novelty act? Not a chance- their songs are a musical collective of hard, heavy rock that will soon take the music world to a whole different level.
Visit the band:
www.ilike2rock.net/members/128/
www.project-43.com
Monday, May 5, 2008
This Date In Music History- May 5
In 1962, The Shirelles were presented with a gold record for "Soldier Boy", a song that was recorded in one take and originally intended as an album filler. It was the second million seller for them, following their first number one hit, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow". The girls would later find the US Top 10 again with "Dedicated to the One I Love", "Mama Said", "Baby It's You" and "Foolish Little Girl".
Buffalo Springfield performed their final concert in Long Beach, California in 1968.
The late Johnnie Taylor ("Jody's Got Your Girl And Gone") was born in 1937.
Michael Murphey ("Wildfire") turns 70.
In 1986, Cleveland was named as the site for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame Museum.
Carnegie Hall opened its doors for its first public performance in 1891.
Today in 1979, the song "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.
At Tampa Stadium in Florida in 1973, 56,800 Led Zeppelin fans see Led Zeppelin. The band grosses $309,000. At the time the show set a record for the largest paying crowd at an American rock concert.
The Rev. Gary Davis, who taught Ry Cooder to play guitar and can count Bob Dylan among his disciples, died in Hammonton, NJ in 1972. Although considered a legendary guitarist, he spent most of his time preaching and playing on Harlem, N.Y., street corners.
Scott McKenzie released the come-one, come-all hippie anthem, "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" in 1967.
Ian McCulloch, the singer we always thought was Echo in Echo & the Bunnymen, was born in Liverpool, England in 1959. Echo was actually the nickname for the drum machine.
In 1956, Elvis Presley's album, simply titled "Elvis," became the first rock record to top the albums chart.
The First Lady of Country Music, Tammy Wynette, was born Virginia Wynette Pugh in Itawamba County, Mississippi in 1942.
Philosopher of Soul Johnnie Taylor was born in Crawfordsville, Ark in 1938. He became Sam Cooke's successor in the Soul Stirrers and went to No. 1 in 1976 with "Disco Lady," the first single to be certified platinum.
If you like the blues, then you'll be pleased to learn that today is Blind Willie McTell's birthday. The blues guitar genius is born in Thomson, Georgia in 1901.
Legendary songwriter and early Rock ‘n’ Roll linchpin Otis Blackwell died in 2002. Blackwell’s creations include Elvis hits “Don’t Be Cruel” and “All Shook Up” and Jerry Lee’s blazing “Great Balls of Fire.”
The Billboard, a magazine for the music and entertainment industries, began weekly publication after six years as a monthly in 1900. By midyear it was calling itself "The Official Organ of the Great Out-Door Amusement World."
Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" was released in the US in 1969, where it will reach #2.
The one thousandth edition of Britain's music show, Top of the Pops was broadcasted on BBC-TV in 1983.
Buffalo Springfield performed their final concert in Long Beach, California in 1968.
The late Johnnie Taylor ("Jody's Got Your Girl And Gone") was born in 1937.
Michael Murphey ("Wildfire") turns 70.
In 1986, Cleveland was named as the site for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame Museum.
Carnegie Hall opened its doors for its first public performance in 1891.
Today in 1979, the song "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.
At Tampa Stadium in Florida in 1973, 56,800 Led Zeppelin fans see Led Zeppelin. The band grosses $309,000. At the time the show set a record for the largest paying crowd at an American rock concert.
The Rev. Gary Davis, who taught Ry Cooder to play guitar and can count Bob Dylan among his disciples, died in Hammonton, NJ in 1972. Although considered a legendary guitarist, he spent most of his time preaching and playing on Harlem, N.Y., street corners.
Scott McKenzie released the come-one, come-all hippie anthem, "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" in 1967.
Ian McCulloch, the singer we always thought was Echo in Echo & the Bunnymen, was born in Liverpool, England in 1959. Echo was actually the nickname for the drum machine.
In 1956, Elvis Presley's album, simply titled "Elvis," became the first rock record to top the albums chart.
The First Lady of Country Music, Tammy Wynette, was born Virginia Wynette Pugh in Itawamba County, Mississippi in 1942.
Philosopher of Soul Johnnie Taylor was born in Crawfordsville, Ark in 1938. He became Sam Cooke's successor in the Soul Stirrers and went to No. 1 in 1976 with "Disco Lady," the first single to be certified platinum.
If you like the blues, then you'll be pleased to learn that today is Blind Willie McTell's birthday. The blues guitar genius is born in Thomson, Georgia in 1901.
Legendary songwriter and early Rock ‘n’ Roll linchpin Otis Blackwell died in 2002. Blackwell’s creations include Elvis hits “Don’t Be Cruel” and “All Shook Up” and Jerry Lee’s blazing “Great Balls of Fire.”
The Billboard, a magazine for the music and entertainment industries, began weekly publication after six years as a monthly in 1900. By midyear it was calling itself "The Official Organ of the Great Out-Door Amusement World."
Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" was released in the US in 1969, where it will reach #2.
The one thousandth edition of Britain's music show, Top of the Pops was broadcasted on BBC-TV in 1983.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Which are better, vinyl records or CDs?
I read a very interesting take about the vinyl vs. CD debate and thought I would share it. You may find this article here:
http://denver.yourhub.com/Westminster/Stories/Creative-Writing/Short-Stories/Story~464609.aspx
http://denver.yourhub.com/Westminster/Stories/Creative-Writing/Short-Stories/Story~464609.aspx
Saturday, May 3, 2008
This Date In Music History- May 3
Alan Freed had trouble on his hands when a brawl breaks out following a Big Beat Show at the Boston Arena in 1958. Several of the estimated 5,000 teens in attendance are injured and Freed will later be charged with incitement of a riot and destruction of property.
In 1964, Gerry & the Pacemakers made their US television debut on the Ed Sullivan Show.
1965- The Beatles were kept busy filming scenes for their forthcoming film Help! on Salisbury Plain with the British Army's Third Tank Division.
The Beach Boys began a 17 date tour of the US with a show in New York in 1968. The second half of the concert featured the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who lectured the audience on "spiritual regeneration." The reaction was so negative, more than half of the remaining tour dates were cancelled.
In 1972, guitarist Les Harvey of the Scottish / English soul band Stone the Crows, was electrocuted by a shorted microphone wire during a concert attended by 12-thousand people in Swansea, Wales. He died in a local hospital three hours later.
Paul McCartney made his first concert appearance in America in almost ten years in 1976, as Wings commence their Wings over America tour in Fort Worth, Texas.
FM, a film about the struggles of a radio station, debuted in Los Angeles in 1978. The soundtrack features Steely Dan, Steve Miller, the Eagles, Neil Young, Billy Joel and Warren Zevon. More people would buy the soundtrack than bothered to see the film.
The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, was born in a one-room shack near Barnwell, South Carolina in 1933. The Soul legend's style, sound and stage presentation had a major impact on Rock. He was also influential in the development of Funk, Hip-Hop and Rap.
In 1971 Grand Funk Railroad, having been dismissed by the press as untalented riff mongers, held a New York press conference. They invite 150 journalists. Six show up. It’s the first press conference in history that doesn’t run out of booze.
In 1980, Bob Seger’s album, "Against The Wind," began a six week run at the top of the U.S. album chart. The record stays on the chart for 110 weeks.
Bing Crosby was born in Tacoma, Washington in 1903
We cannot explain him, only celebrate him. Engelbert Humperdinck was born Arnold George Dorsey in Madras, India in 1936.
Frankie Valli, who scored a bundle of hits with the Four Seasons, was born Francis Castelluccio in Newark, N.J. in 1937
In 1969, Canadian police busted Jimi Hendrix for narcotics possession at Toronto International Airport. He was later released after posting $10,000 bail.
One Hit Wonder Mary Hopkin had a memorable smash with "Those Were the Days," then found herself singing backup vocalist on David Bowie's Low! She was born today in Pontardawe, Wales in 1950.
Pete Seeger ("Little Boxes" and member of the Weavers) turns 89.
In 1972, Bruce Springsteen auditioned for Columbia Records A&R man John Hammond at his office in New York. He signed with the label a month later.
In 1964, Gerry & the Pacemakers made their US television debut on the Ed Sullivan Show.
1965- The Beatles were kept busy filming scenes for their forthcoming film Help! on Salisbury Plain with the British Army's Third Tank Division.
The Beach Boys began a 17 date tour of the US with a show in New York in 1968. The second half of the concert featured the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who lectured the audience on "spiritual regeneration." The reaction was so negative, more than half of the remaining tour dates were cancelled.
In 1972, guitarist Les Harvey of the Scottish / English soul band Stone the Crows, was electrocuted by a shorted microphone wire during a concert attended by 12-thousand people in Swansea, Wales. He died in a local hospital three hours later.
Paul McCartney made his first concert appearance in America in almost ten years in 1976, as Wings commence their Wings over America tour in Fort Worth, Texas.
FM, a film about the struggles of a radio station, debuted in Los Angeles in 1978. The soundtrack features Steely Dan, Steve Miller, the Eagles, Neil Young, Billy Joel and Warren Zevon. More people would buy the soundtrack than bothered to see the film.
The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, was born in a one-room shack near Barnwell, South Carolina in 1933. The Soul legend's style, sound and stage presentation had a major impact on Rock. He was also influential in the development of Funk, Hip-Hop and Rap.
In 1971 Grand Funk Railroad, having been dismissed by the press as untalented riff mongers, held a New York press conference. They invite 150 journalists. Six show up. It’s the first press conference in history that doesn’t run out of booze.
In 1980, Bob Seger’s album, "Against The Wind," began a six week run at the top of the U.S. album chart. The record stays on the chart for 110 weeks.
Bing Crosby was born in Tacoma, Washington in 1903
We cannot explain him, only celebrate him. Engelbert Humperdinck was born Arnold George Dorsey in Madras, India in 1936.
Frankie Valli, who scored a bundle of hits with the Four Seasons, was born Francis Castelluccio in Newark, N.J. in 1937
In 1969, Canadian police busted Jimi Hendrix for narcotics possession at Toronto International Airport. He was later released after posting $10,000 bail.
One Hit Wonder Mary Hopkin had a memorable smash with "Those Were the Days," then found herself singing backup vocalist on David Bowie's Low! She was born today in Pontardawe, Wales in 1950.
Pete Seeger ("Little Boxes" and member of the Weavers) turns 89.
In 1972, Bruce Springsteen auditioned for Columbia Records A&R man John Hammond at his office in New York. He signed with the label a month later.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Rare Limited Edition Vinyl
LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT - Debut Album To Be Reissued As Rare Limited Edition VinylPosted on Friday, May 02, 2008 at 14:50:15 EST
http://www.bravewords.com/
Magna Carta Records will be releasing LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT on double LP Gate-fold 180 gram Vinyl. The release date is June 10th 2008. This will be an instant collector's item for fan's of both LTE and DREAM THEATER...there will only be 1000 copies of this album released worldwide.
LTE is the meeting of art rock minds from four different headspaces, Dream Theater's guitarist John Petrucci, drummer Mike Portnoy and keyboardist Jordan Rudess, and the monster organic bass lines from Tony Levin, (KING CRIMSON, PETER GABRIEL, BOZZIO LEVIN STEVENS).
More details:
Limited Edition of 1,000
Double Vinyl Pressing (1st Disc on Green Vinyl; 2nd disc on Purple Vinyl)
180 gram Colored Vinyl
Gatefold Package with never before seen artwork and photos
http://www.bravewords.com/
Magna Carta Records will be releasing LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT on double LP Gate-fold 180 gram Vinyl. The release date is June 10th 2008. This will be an instant collector's item for fan's of both LTE and DREAM THEATER...there will only be 1000 copies of this album released worldwide.
LTE is the meeting of art rock minds from four different headspaces, Dream Theater's guitarist John Petrucci, drummer Mike Portnoy and keyboardist Jordan Rudess, and the monster organic bass lines from Tony Levin, (KING CRIMSON, PETER GABRIEL, BOZZIO LEVIN STEVENS).
More details:
Limited Edition of 1,000
Double Vinyl Pressing (1st Disc on Green Vinyl; 2nd disc on Purple Vinyl)
180 gram Colored Vinyl
Gatefold Package with never before seen artwork and photos
Thursday, May 1, 2008
This Date In Music History- May 1
Chuck Berry signed with Chess Records in 1955, landing a contract on the strength of his songwriting. Label head Leonard Chess was particularly impressed with Berry's version of an old country & western song, "Ida Red," which he's rewritten as "Maybellene."
Sun releases John Cash's "I Walk the Line" in 1956.
In 1956, Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes" became Sun's first Certified million-seller.
Judy Collins ("Both Sides Now") is 69.
Rita Coolidge, who toured with Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen ensemble, and cut several duet discs with husband Kris Kristofferson, was born in Nashville in 1944.
If you've ever sung "God Bless America" a few octaves higher than you should, then you're imitating Kate Smith, one of the most popular singers of the '20s and '30s. She is born today in Greenville, Ala. in 1907.
Popular country artist Sonny James was born in Hackleburg, Ala. in 1929. His biggest pop hit was the 1957 No. 1 "Young Love."
Ray Parker, Jr. ("Ghostbusters" and lead singer of Raydio) turns 54.
The Kingston Trio formed in 1957.
Today in 1965, the song "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter" by Herman's Hermits topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.
In 1975, in one of their best-ever publicity stunts, the Rolling Stones announced their Tour of the Americas by playing "Brown Sugar" on the back of a flatbed truck driving down Manhattan's Fifth Avenue.
Bachman-Turner Overdrive, featuring former Guess Who guitarist Randy Bachman, released their first album in 1973. The LP would take six months to hit the charts and over a year before the hard rockin' single "Let it Ride" became a Top 25 hit.
Neil Young released 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere' in 1969.
Paul Simon released his self-titled solo debut album in 1972.
The Beatles made their final live appearance in the UK when they played a 15 minute set at the NME Poll Winners concert at Empire Pool, Wembley. Also appearing were The Spencer Davis Group, The Fortunes, Herman's Hermits, Roy Orbison, Cliff Richard, The Rolling Stones, The Seekers, The Small Faces, Dusty Springfield, The Walker Brothers, The Who and The Yardbirds. The Fab Four were not filmed because a financial agreement could not be reached. (The "Let It Be" rooftop set doesn't count)
R&B singer/songwriter Titus Turner was born in Atlanta in 1933. His compositions, such as "Leave My Kitten Alone," have been covered by artists including the Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Elvis Costello.
In 1967, Elvis Presley married Priscilla Beaulieu, who he met eight and a half years earlier during his tour of duty in Germany, at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. Although the marriage license was only $15, the wedding cake cost $3,500. Their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, was born exactly nine months later, on February 1, 1968.
Apple Corps, Ltd. begins operating in London in 1968. It is the Beatles' attempt to take control of their own creative and economic destiny. Later that month, John invites Yoko to his house in Weybridge. They make experimental tapes all night.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono exhibit their first official joint venture at the Arts Lab in London in 1968. Soon after, they plant acorns outside Coventry Cathedral as a conceptual "living arts sculpture."
Diana Ross leaves the Supremes in 1970 to go solo.
Police in California are called to a jewelry store after employees reported a suspicious person. He turned out to be Michael Jackson, who had donned a wig, fake moustache, false teeth and eyelashes to go shopping. Officers had him remove his disguise and show his identification. Let the weirdness begin.
Sun releases John Cash's "I Walk the Line" in 1956.
In 1956, Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes" became Sun's first Certified million-seller.
Judy Collins ("Both Sides Now") is 69.
Rita Coolidge, who toured with Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen ensemble, and cut several duet discs with husband Kris Kristofferson, was born in Nashville in 1944.
If you've ever sung "God Bless America" a few octaves higher than you should, then you're imitating Kate Smith, one of the most popular singers of the '20s and '30s. She is born today in Greenville, Ala. in 1907.
Popular country artist Sonny James was born in Hackleburg, Ala. in 1929. His biggest pop hit was the 1957 No. 1 "Young Love."
Ray Parker, Jr. ("Ghostbusters" and lead singer of Raydio) turns 54.
The Kingston Trio formed in 1957.
Today in 1965, the song "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter" by Herman's Hermits topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.
In 1975, in one of their best-ever publicity stunts, the Rolling Stones announced their Tour of the Americas by playing "Brown Sugar" on the back of a flatbed truck driving down Manhattan's Fifth Avenue.
Bachman-Turner Overdrive, featuring former Guess Who guitarist Randy Bachman, released their first album in 1973. The LP would take six months to hit the charts and over a year before the hard rockin' single "Let it Ride" became a Top 25 hit.
Neil Young released 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere' in 1969.
Paul Simon released his self-titled solo debut album in 1972.
The Beatles made their final live appearance in the UK when they played a 15 minute set at the NME Poll Winners concert at Empire Pool, Wembley. Also appearing were The Spencer Davis Group, The Fortunes, Herman's Hermits, Roy Orbison, Cliff Richard, The Rolling Stones, The Seekers, The Small Faces, Dusty Springfield, The Walker Brothers, The Who and The Yardbirds. The Fab Four were not filmed because a financial agreement could not be reached. (The "Let It Be" rooftop set doesn't count)
R&B singer/songwriter Titus Turner was born in Atlanta in 1933. His compositions, such as "Leave My Kitten Alone," have been covered by artists including the Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Elvis Costello.
In 1967, Elvis Presley married Priscilla Beaulieu, who he met eight and a half years earlier during his tour of duty in Germany, at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. Although the marriage license was only $15, the wedding cake cost $3,500. Their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, was born exactly nine months later, on February 1, 1968.
Apple Corps, Ltd. begins operating in London in 1968. It is the Beatles' attempt to take control of their own creative and economic destiny. Later that month, John invites Yoko to his house in Weybridge. They make experimental tapes all night.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono exhibit their first official joint venture at the Arts Lab in London in 1968. Soon after, they plant acorns outside Coventry Cathedral as a conceptual "living arts sculpture."
Diana Ross leaves the Supremes in 1970 to go solo.
Police in California are called to a jewelry store after employees reported a suspicious person. He turned out to be Michael Jackson, who had donned a wig, fake moustache, false teeth and eyelashes to go shopping. Officers had him remove his disguise and show his identification. Let the weirdness begin.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Dovecote's Di-Vinyl New Club
Apr 29, 2008
Story by: Michael Tedder
Dovecote Records recently opened one of the most exclusive music clubs around, and access is extremely limited. But to get in you don't need to know the right dress code or the door man, but it might help to bookmark their website and get a quicker modem speed. The New York-based label, home to artists such as Ed Harcourt and Mason Proper, recently launched their vinyl club with the release of a limited-edition two-song 7-inch from Cincinnati indie rockers Bad Veins, and has since put out releases by dance duo Blamma! Blamma! whom the label discovered through their MySpace page. The releases are sold directly, and exclusively, through Dovecote's site and limited to 500 copies.
"We love the format and want to keep it alive. For lots of these artists it makes sense," says Carter Matschullat, president and founder of Dovecote. "Blamma! Blamma! for example, create phatty-boom-batty dance tracks, but have yet to gain much exposure. A vinyl release is a credible introduction to their work and fans from around the world have been ordering their 12-inch. We've even been exporting to Japan and Europe from our small office. It's great fun."
Though the label also released the debut album by their own Mason Proper, There Is A Moth In Your Chest, on high-grade, 180-gram vinyl, one of the perks of their club is that it lets them work with artists outside of their usual roster.
"Vinyl rights are mostly ignored by labels so this club allows us to work with artists that may already be in the process of signing to other labels or haven't released anything on their own," Matschullat says, adding, "We produce limited quantities in hopes that once we run out, each release eventually becomes a rarity."
www.dovecoterecords.com
reprinted from: http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php?id=64547423
Story by: Michael Tedder
Dovecote Records recently opened one of the most exclusive music clubs around, and access is extremely limited. But to get in you don't need to know the right dress code or the door man, but it might help to bookmark their website and get a quicker modem speed. The New York-based label, home to artists such as Ed Harcourt and Mason Proper, recently launched their vinyl club with the release of a limited-edition two-song 7-inch from Cincinnati indie rockers Bad Veins, and has since put out releases by dance duo Blamma! Blamma! whom the label discovered through their MySpace page. The releases are sold directly, and exclusively, through Dovecote's site and limited to 500 copies.
"We love the format and want to keep it alive. For lots of these artists it makes sense," says Carter Matschullat, president and founder of Dovecote. "Blamma! Blamma! for example, create phatty-boom-batty dance tracks, but have yet to gain much exposure. A vinyl release is a credible introduction to their work and fans from around the world have been ordering their 12-inch. We've even been exporting to Japan and Europe from our small office. It's great fun."
Though the label also released the debut album by their own Mason Proper, There Is A Moth In Your Chest, on high-grade, 180-gram vinyl, one of the perks of their club is that it lets them work with artists outside of their usual roster.
"Vinyl rights are mostly ignored by labels so this club allows us to work with artists that may already be in the process of signing to other labels or haven't released anything on their own," Matschullat says, adding, "We produce limited quantities in hopes that once we run out, each release eventually becomes a rarity."
www.dovecoterecords.com
reprinted from: http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php?id=64547423
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Vinyl records making a comeback
I enjoyed this article about the 'vinyl comeback' and I thought I would share it:
By Steve Adams
Reprinted by permission from The Patriot Ledger http://www.patriotledger.com/
Eclipsed by CDs and later by online music downloads, the vinyl album is experiencing a bit of a renaissance.
Some music stores are expanding their album sections to take advantage of rising sales. They’re tapping demand from audiophiles who swear by an LP’s sonic qualities, and members of the iPod generation who are discovering the novelty of records and turntables.
Year-to-date sales of vinyl albums are up 35 percent at the Newbury Comics chain, which has 27 stores in five states. The chain’s stores have been expanding shelf space for LPs, said Duncan Browne, chief operating officer of the Boston-based company.
“We only recently started concentrating on the category as something we ought to pour some gas on the fire for,” Browne said.
Newbury Comics first reintroduced vinyl around 2000 with a focus on 12-inch dance tracks, but scaled back because of weak demand. But after an increase in vinyl sales in 2007, the stores have expanded their record sections in recent months.
Vinyl selections at Newbury Comics are predominantly recent alternative rock releases by groups such as the Shins and time-tested classics such as “Led Zeppelin III.”
New releases are more likely to contain extra materials such as photographs, liner notes and bonus tracks.
The Dropkick Murphys’ latest album, “The Meanest of Times,” is available on vinyl in a “deluxe” two-disc set that includes two bonus tracks and a CD. It sells for $19.99 at Newbury Comics.
Boston alternative rockers Mission of Burma recently reissued three 1980s albums with bonus tracks. Like many new releases and reissues, the album is printed on 180-gram vinyl, which is thicker than the normal 140-gram vinyl used for albums and less likely to warp.
Planet Records has sold new and used LPs since 1983 at its original store in Kenmore Square and its current location in Harvard Square. Owner John Damroth said vinyl loyalists generated sufficient demand even as CDs and MP3 downloads became mainstream alternatives.
In the past year, however, Damroth has noticed a new kind of clientele showing enthusiasm for records.
“The people who seem to be coming to it now are a combination of late high school and college age people who got hip to it through their parents, and up into the 30-year-olds and older doing it from an audiophile perspective,” Damroth said.
Customers in their late 30s and up are the most likely to spend up to $35 for deluxe albums because they came of age listening to vinyl and miss the experience, said Richie Parsons, manager of Newbury Comics’ Braintree store.
One customer sold his turntable and most of his album collection last year.
“Six months later, he came in and said, ‘Why did I do it? The records sound so much better,’” Parsons said.
CD sales still dwarf those of records, with 990,000 new albums sold last year compared with 449.2 million new CDs, according to market researcher Nielsen SoundScan. But album sales did notch a 15 percent gain over the previous year.
Joseph Levy, founder of the Vinyl Tourist Web site, has tracked an influx of new record stores in cities like Montreal that have large student populations. Levy, who lives in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., posts store reviews on the site about vinyl-friendly cities such as Cambridge, which has a cluster of stores selling new and used records along Massachusetts Avenue.
“It’s undergone a resurgence in the last six years, mainly because of a lot of kids are discovering their parents record collections,” Levy said. “Maybe it’s just the novelty of having an album with artwork you can actually see.”
Vinyl buffs swear by the sound quality produced by records, describing it as warmer and more natural than CDs and MP3s. While digital recordings are made by encoding recordings into thousands of bits and reassembling them, vinyl recordings reproduce sound in a continuous wave format similar to how the human ear processes sound.
“There’s a natural tonality of instruments and voice (that is) more lifelike than any other format,” said Josh Bizar, director of sales for Music Direct. “There’s a warmth in the mid-range, and the high end sounds more natural and lifelike. The bass sounds like it does at a live performance.”
Chicago-based Music Direct has staked its fate on the resurgence of vinyl. Through a Web site and a retail store, it sells nearly 4,000 record titles.
Most of the sales are in the rock new releases category, which attracts the attention of the 16- to 27-year-old audience.
“They’re the group of people that are just now coming into analog, and that’s the most interesting part of this resurgence,” Bizar said.
Music Direct also sells nearly 100 turntable models ranging from $99 to $24,000. The newest twist in turntable technology suggests that vinyl enthusiasts can make accommodations with the digital era. Some models now come with built-in USB ports enabling listeners can upload albums to their MP3 players.
Reprinted by permission from The Patriot Ledger http://www.patriotledger.com/
By Steve Adams
Reprinted by permission from The Patriot Ledger http://www.patriotledger.com/
Eclipsed by CDs and later by online music downloads, the vinyl album is experiencing a bit of a renaissance.
Some music stores are expanding their album sections to take advantage of rising sales. They’re tapping demand from audiophiles who swear by an LP’s sonic qualities, and members of the iPod generation who are discovering the novelty of records and turntables.
Year-to-date sales of vinyl albums are up 35 percent at the Newbury Comics chain, which has 27 stores in five states. The chain’s stores have been expanding shelf space for LPs, said Duncan Browne, chief operating officer of the Boston-based company.
“We only recently started concentrating on the category as something we ought to pour some gas on the fire for,” Browne said.
Newbury Comics first reintroduced vinyl around 2000 with a focus on 12-inch dance tracks, but scaled back because of weak demand. But after an increase in vinyl sales in 2007, the stores have expanded their record sections in recent months.
Vinyl selections at Newbury Comics are predominantly recent alternative rock releases by groups such as the Shins and time-tested classics such as “Led Zeppelin III.”
New releases are more likely to contain extra materials such as photographs, liner notes and bonus tracks.
The Dropkick Murphys’ latest album, “The Meanest of Times,” is available on vinyl in a “deluxe” two-disc set that includes two bonus tracks and a CD. It sells for $19.99 at Newbury Comics.
Boston alternative rockers Mission of Burma recently reissued three 1980s albums with bonus tracks. Like many new releases and reissues, the album is printed on 180-gram vinyl, which is thicker than the normal 140-gram vinyl used for albums and less likely to warp.
Planet Records has sold new and used LPs since 1983 at its original store in Kenmore Square and its current location in Harvard Square. Owner John Damroth said vinyl loyalists generated sufficient demand even as CDs and MP3 downloads became mainstream alternatives.
In the past year, however, Damroth has noticed a new kind of clientele showing enthusiasm for records.
“The people who seem to be coming to it now are a combination of late high school and college age people who got hip to it through their parents, and up into the 30-year-olds and older doing it from an audiophile perspective,” Damroth said.
Customers in their late 30s and up are the most likely to spend up to $35 for deluxe albums because they came of age listening to vinyl and miss the experience, said Richie Parsons, manager of Newbury Comics’ Braintree store.
One customer sold his turntable and most of his album collection last year.
“Six months later, he came in and said, ‘Why did I do it? The records sound so much better,’” Parsons said.
CD sales still dwarf those of records, with 990,000 new albums sold last year compared with 449.2 million new CDs, according to market researcher Nielsen SoundScan. But album sales did notch a 15 percent gain over the previous year.
Joseph Levy, founder of the Vinyl Tourist Web site, has tracked an influx of new record stores in cities like Montreal that have large student populations. Levy, who lives in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., posts store reviews on the site about vinyl-friendly cities such as Cambridge, which has a cluster of stores selling new and used records along Massachusetts Avenue.
“It’s undergone a resurgence in the last six years, mainly because of a lot of kids are discovering their parents record collections,” Levy said. “Maybe it’s just the novelty of having an album with artwork you can actually see.”
Vinyl buffs swear by the sound quality produced by records, describing it as warmer and more natural than CDs and MP3s. While digital recordings are made by encoding recordings into thousands of bits and reassembling them, vinyl recordings reproduce sound in a continuous wave format similar to how the human ear processes sound.
“There’s a natural tonality of instruments and voice (that is) more lifelike than any other format,” said Josh Bizar, director of sales for Music Direct. “There’s a warmth in the mid-range, and the high end sounds more natural and lifelike. The bass sounds like it does at a live performance.”
Chicago-based Music Direct has staked its fate on the resurgence of vinyl. Through a Web site and a retail store, it sells nearly 4,000 record titles.
Most of the sales are in the rock new releases category, which attracts the attention of the 16- to 27-year-old audience.
“They’re the group of people that are just now coming into analog, and that’s the most interesting part of this resurgence,” Bizar said.
Music Direct also sells nearly 100 turntable models ranging from $99 to $24,000. The newest twist in turntable technology suggests that vinyl enthusiasts can make accommodations with the digital era. Some models now come with built-in USB ports enabling listeners can upload albums to their MP3 players.
Reprinted by permission from The Patriot Ledger http://www.patriotledger.com/
This Date In Music History- April 29
In 1966, Bob Dylan, backed by the Hawks (better known as The Band), performed in Stockholm, Sweden. Six more weeks of dates follow across Europe in what will come to be regarded as one of rock’s most historic tours.
Tommy James ("Hanky Panky") is 61.
April Stevens ("Deep Purple" with brother Nino Tempo) turns 72.
Carl Gardner of the Coasters ("Yakety Yak") is 80.
Beach Boy Brian Wilson's daughter, Carnie (of Wilson Phillips) was born in 1968.
Composer Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was born in 1899.
In 2003, ancient metal band Great White played their first gig since a fire at one of their Rhode Island shows killed 100 people. The concert is to establish a scholarship fund for the son of Great White guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire.
Mick Ronson, genius guitarist and arranger for Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust phase, died of cancer in England in 1993. He also played on albums by Bob Dylan, Ian Hunter, Morrissey, and even John Mellencamp's "Jack and Diane."
After suffering the indignity of having an album rejected by their label in 1975, the Bee Gees released their career renaissance Main Course, featuring the disco hits "Jive Talkin'" and "Nights on Broadway."
Skiffle hero Lonnie Donegan was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1931. His biggest American hit was the 1956 No. 8 "Rock Island Line."
Songwriter and poet Rod McKuen was born in Oakland, CA in 1933. His more than 900 songs include Terry Jacks' 1974 No. 1 "Seasons in the Sun."
1980 - Black Sabbath began their first tour with Ronnie James Dio as singer.
In 1967,Aretha Franklin releases her interpretation of the Otis Redding song "Respect."
Otis Rush, one of the most intense and inventive guitarists of the post-War Chicago blues renaissance, was born in Philadelphia, Miss in 1934. Aerosmith, Eric Clapton, and Fleetwood Mac have covered his songs.
In 1970, George Harrison announced The Beatles will eventually reunite. He’s wrong about that one. George also discusses his plans for his first post-Beatles solo album, “All Things Must Pass.”
1976
Having already appeared on both the covers of Time and Newsweek, Bruce Springsteen jumps the fence at Graceland in an attempt to meet Elvis. Security guards catch him. Springsteen tells them who he is but the guards are unimpressed and escort “The Boss” off the premises without ever meeting “The King,” who wasn’t home at the time anyway.
In 1960, with the payola scandal still in the news, Dick Clark relinquished the rights to music publishing that he owned. The value of those rights, Clark indicated later, amounted to about $80 million.
In 1963, 19 year old Andrew Loog Oldham signed a contract with The Rolling Stones, becoming their manager. Oldham had seen the band in concert the previous day at the Crawdaddy Club in London.
Cindy Birdsong makes her stage debut with The Supremes at The Hollywood Bowl in 1967, replacing the increasingly unreliable Florence Ballard.
In 1972, New York Mayor John Lindsay intervened in the immigration proceedings against John Lennon. Lindsay called attempts by the US government to deport Lennon "a grave injustice in light of Lennon's unique contributions to music and art." Lennon was granted permanent resident status in the US in 1976.
Tommy James ("Hanky Panky") is 61.
April Stevens ("Deep Purple" with brother Nino Tempo) turns 72.
Carl Gardner of the Coasters ("Yakety Yak") is 80.
Beach Boy Brian Wilson's daughter, Carnie (of Wilson Phillips) was born in 1968.
Composer Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was born in 1899.
In 2003, ancient metal band Great White played their first gig since a fire at one of their Rhode Island shows killed 100 people. The concert is to establish a scholarship fund for the son of Great White guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire.
Mick Ronson, genius guitarist and arranger for Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust phase, died of cancer in England in 1993. He also played on albums by Bob Dylan, Ian Hunter, Morrissey, and even John Mellencamp's "Jack and Diane."
After suffering the indignity of having an album rejected by their label in 1975, the Bee Gees released their career renaissance Main Course, featuring the disco hits "Jive Talkin'" and "Nights on Broadway."
Skiffle hero Lonnie Donegan was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1931. His biggest American hit was the 1956 No. 8 "Rock Island Line."
Songwriter and poet Rod McKuen was born in Oakland, CA in 1933. His more than 900 songs include Terry Jacks' 1974 No. 1 "Seasons in the Sun."
1980 - Black Sabbath began their first tour with Ronnie James Dio as singer.
In 1967,Aretha Franklin releases her interpretation of the Otis Redding song "Respect."
Otis Rush, one of the most intense and inventive guitarists of the post-War Chicago blues renaissance, was born in Philadelphia, Miss in 1934. Aerosmith, Eric Clapton, and Fleetwood Mac have covered his songs.
In 1970, George Harrison announced The Beatles will eventually reunite. He’s wrong about that one. George also discusses his plans for his first post-Beatles solo album, “All Things Must Pass.”
1976
Having already appeared on both the covers of Time and Newsweek, Bruce Springsteen jumps the fence at Graceland in an attempt to meet Elvis. Security guards catch him. Springsteen tells them who he is but the guards are unimpressed and escort “The Boss” off the premises without ever meeting “The King,” who wasn’t home at the time anyway.
In 1960, with the payola scandal still in the news, Dick Clark relinquished the rights to music publishing that he owned. The value of those rights, Clark indicated later, amounted to about $80 million.
In 1963, 19 year old Andrew Loog Oldham signed a contract with The Rolling Stones, becoming their manager. Oldham had seen the band in concert the previous day at the Crawdaddy Club in London.
Cindy Birdsong makes her stage debut with The Supremes at The Hollywood Bowl in 1967, replacing the increasingly unreliable Florence Ballard.
In 1972, New York Mayor John Lindsay intervened in the immigration proceedings against John Lennon. Lindsay called attempts by the US government to deport Lennon "a grave injustice in light of Lennon's unique contributions to music and art." Lennon was granted permanent resident status in the US in 1976.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Top 5 eBay Sales Vinyl Records
Week Ending 04/26/2008
1) LP - Bob Dylan "John Wesley Harding" Red Vinyl LP - $10,655.55
2) LP - The Bachs "Out of the Bachs" Private Press LP - $8,450.00
3) 12" - Madonna "Like A Virgin" alternative jacket hand crafted by Basquiat $8,100.00
4) LP - The Savages "Black Scorpio" INDIA Psych - $3,200.00
5) 45 - Nirvana "Love Buzz" Sub Pop - $2,950.00
1) LP - Bob Dylan "John Wesley Harding" Red Vinyl LP - $10,655.55
2) LP - The Bachs "Out of the Bachs" Private Press LP - $8,450.00
3) 12" - Madonna "Like A Virgin" alternative jacket hand crafted by Basquiat $8,100.00
4) LP - The Savages "Black Scorpio" INDIA Psych - $3,200.00
5) 45 - Nirvana "Love Buzz" Sub Pop - $2,950.00
RIAA Admits Vinyl Sales Are Climbing
(Updated)
By Eliot Van Buskirk April 28, 2008
Source: http://blog.wired.com
When I asked RIAA spokesman Jonathan Lamy last October whether the association was seeing a spike in vinyl record sales, he confounded my expectation. "Our numbers, at least, don't really point to a resurgence," he said.
Indeed, the '05 to '06 numbers showed a decline in vinyl sales, but the association's new numbers confirm what we were driving at: vinyl records made a major comeback last year.
According to the RIAA's recently-released 2007 sales report, the American music industry sold 36.6 percent more Extended Play (EP) and Long Play (LP) records than it had in the previous year, increasing vinyl sales revenue by 46.2 percent. CD unit sales, on the other hand, declined 11.7 percent with revenue dropping 20.5 percent during the same period.
I gathered plenty of evidence for this story, and all of it pointed to a vinyl resurgence, which is why the RIAA's response didn't seem to make much sense at the time. Now, it's clear that its numbers just hadn't caught up to the trend. With this report, the vinyl resurgence has been officially acknowledged by the RIAA.
By Eliot Van Buskirk April 28, 2008
Source: http://blog.wired.com
When I asked RIAA spokesman Jonathan Lamy last October whether the association was seeing a spike in vinyl record sales, he confounded my expectation. "Our numbers, at least, don't really point to a resurgence," he said.
Indeed, the '05 to '06 numbers showed a decline in vinyl sales, but the association's new numbers confirm what we were driving at: vinyl records made a major comeback last year.
According to the RIAA's recently-released 2007 sales report, the American music industry sold 36.6 percent more Extended Play (EP) and Long Play (LP) records than it had in the previous year, increasing vinyl sales revenue by 46.2 percent. CD unit sales, on the other hand, declined 11.7 percent with revenue dropping 20.5 percent during the same period.
I gathered plenty of evidence for this story, and all of it pointed to a vinyl resurgence, which is why the RIAA's response didn't seem to make much sense at the time. Now, it's clear that its numbers just hadn't caught up to the trend. With this report, the vinyl resurgence has been officially acknowledged by the RIAA.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
This Date In Music History- April 27
Casey Kasem ("American Top 40") and voice of Scooby Doo's Shaggy is 76.
Al Hirt ("Java") died of liver disease in 1999.
In 1976, David Bowie was detained on a train trip from Russia to Poland for having Nazi books (research for a project).
Nearly three years to the day after it opened, New York's Studio 54 disco closed in 1980.
At 15 years, 1 month and 13 days old, Little Peggy March became the youngest female singer to have a #1 record in the US when "I Will Follow Him" reached the top of the Billboard chart in 1963. Her producers stuck the "Little" to her stage name despite her strenuous objections.
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards suffered a brain hemorrhage after falling out of a palm tree on the island of Fiji in 2006. The Richards’ family were on vacation. Doctors say the rock warhorse will need an operation to drain his skull. Maybe it knocked some sense into him…or not.
Iggy Pop reunited with the Stooges for the first time in decades in 2003, on the closing night of California's Coachella Festival. Other performers include the White Stripes, the Hives, Primal Scream, Blur, Hot Hot Heat, the Libertines and Queens of the Stone Age.
Here’s a surprise- During Pink Floyd's five-night stand at the Los Angeles Arena in 1975, 511 audience members are busted for smoking marijuana.
Joe Cocker made his debut appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969.
In 1969, John Lennon's book In His Own Write was published in the U.S. Newsweek , who declared that the Beatles singer/guitarist is "an unlikely heir to the English tradition of literary nonsense."
Sheena Easton was born in Scotland in 1959. She shocked the world by turning from that nice girl who sang "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" to a Prince protegee who invited you inside her "Sugar Walls."
Ace Frehley was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1952. And his name isn't really Ace, it's Paul.
Ann Peebles, one of America's finest soul singers and the voice behind "I Can't Stand the Rain," was born in St. Louis in 1947.
Also in 1947, Badfinger's tragic songwriter Peter Ham was born in Swansea, Wales.
Cuba Gooding, lead singer with the Main Ingredient and dad of Cuba Gooding Jr., was born in New York in 1944.
The Fillmore club reopened in San Francisco in 1994.
Singer Kate Pierson (The B-52's) was born in Weehawken, NJ in 1948.
Members of Cheap Trick and the Allman Brothers Band initiate a class-action suit against Sony BMG in 2006, claiming that the music company hasn't paid them what’s due from digital-download sales. The action also includes ring tone sales. Cheap Trick and the Allmans ask for more than $25 million in damages.
Al Hirt ("Java") died of liver disease in 1999.
In 1976, David Bowie was detained on a train trip from Russia to Poland for having Nazi books (research for a project).
Nearly three years to the day after it opened, New York's Studio 54 disco closed in 1980.
At 15 years, 1 month and 13 days old, Little Peggy March became the youngest female singer to have a #1 record in the US when "I Will Follow Him" reached the top of the Billboard chart in 1963. Her producers stuck the "Little" to her stage name despite her strenuous objections.
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards suffered a brain hemorrhage after falling out of a palm tree on the island of Fiji in 2006. The Richards’ family were on vacation. Doctors say the rock warhorse will need an operation to drain his skull. Maybe it knocked some sense into him…or not.
Iggy Pop reunited with the Stooges for the first time in decades in 2003, on the closing night of California's Coachella Festival. Other performers include the White Stripes, the Hives, Primal Scream, Blur, Hot Hot Heat, the Libertines and Queens of the Stone Age.
Here’s a surprise- During Pink Floyd's five-night stand at the Los Angeles Arena in 1975, 511 audience members are busted for smoking marijuana.
Joe Cocker made his debut appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969.
In 1969, John Lennon's book In His Own Write was published in the U.S. Newsweek , who declared that the Beatles singer/guitarist is "an unlikely heir to the English tradition of literary nonsense."
Sheena Easton was born in Scotland in 1959. She shocked the world by turning from that nice girl who sang "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" to a Prince protegee who invited you inside her "Sugar Walls."
Ace Frehley was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1952. And his name isn't really Ace, it's Paul.
Ann Peebles, one of America's finest soul singers and the voice behind "I Can't Stand the Rain," was born in St. Louis in 1947.
Also in 1947, Badfinger's tragic songwriter Peter Ham was born in Swansea, Wales.
Cuba Gooding, lead singer with the Main Ingredient and dad of Cuba Gooding Jr., was born in New York in 1944.
The Fillmore club reopened in San Francisco in 1994.
Singer Kate Pierson (The B-52's) was born in Weehawken, NJ in 1948.
Members of Cheap Trick and the Allman Brothers Band initiate a class-action suit against Sony BMG in 2006, claiming that the music company hasn't paid them what’s due from digital-download sales. The action also includes ring tone sales. Cheap Trick and the Allmans ask for more than $25 million in damages.
Friday, April 25, 2008
This Date In Music History- April 25
Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA ("SOS") turns 63.
The late Jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, Va. in 1913. Her incredible interpretative ability makes her one of the most influential singers in America.
Songwriter Jerry Leiber (wrote "Hound Dog", "Stand By Me", "Charlie Brown" "Yakety Yak" and "Jailhouse Rock" and many other tunes with his partner, Mike Stoller) is 75.
Bobby "Boris" Pickett ("Monster Mash") died of leukemia in 2007.
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s bassist, Stu Cook, was born “down on the corner” in Stanton, CA. in 1945.
In 1999, "Joe DiMaggio Day" is held at New York's Yankee Stadium and Paul Simon sang "Mrs. Robinson" in his honor.
The Ramones' movie, "Rock & Roll High School" opened in 1979.
Blues guitarist Albert King was born in Indianola, Miss in 1923. Guitarists like Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan have spent their lives searching for his unique expressive tone.
In 1964, the Beatles have an amazing 14 singles on the American chart.
Also in 1964, in England, Peter & Gordon take the Lennon/McCartney song "World Without Love" to the top of the singles chart, where it knocks off the Beatles' own "Can't Buy Me Love."
In 1974, Rolling Stone reported that concerts by Yes and Gregg Allman, were hit by streakers, no doubt inspired by Ray Stevens' No. 1 hit "The Streak." In a related story The Beach Boys are streaked by members of their own road crew, during a concert in 1974.
In 1977, Elvis Presley made his last-known recordings during a live concert at the Saginaw (Mich.) Civic Center. The tracks will turn up on the posthumous album Moody Blue.
In 1990, the Fender Stratocaster on which Jimi Hendrix played "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock sold at a London auction for $295,000.
The Beatles recorded "All You Need Is Love" during a British TV broadcast in 1967. Marianne Faithfull sang in the chorus.
1955- John Walker, the British delegate on the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs announced that there is a "definite connection between increased marijuana smoking and that form of entertainment known as bebop and rebop."
On this date in 1968, a survey by the Confederation of British Industry showed that listening on the job to Radio 1, the major Pop and Rock station of the BBC, made workers less productive. (maybe they were listening to bebop!)
Elvis Presley's first release since leaving the US Army, "Stuck On You" topped the Billboard chart in 1964. The record had been so highly anticipated, it sold over one million copies before it was even recorded. It reached #3 in the UK.
The Eagles performed their first reunion concert in 1994. Though having previously said it would never happen, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Don Felder and Timothy B. Schmitt, play for an invited audience at Warner Burbank (CA) Studios. The concert was taped and shown on MTV later in the year.
Bruce Springsteen's "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" was released in 2006. The album features 13 tracks associated with Folk singer Pete Seeger.
The late Jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, Va. in 1913. Her incredible interpretative ability makes her one of the most influential singers in America.
Songwriter Jerry Leiber (wrote "Hound Dog", "Stand By Me", "Charlie Brown" "Yakety Yak" and "Jailhouse Rock" and many other tunes with his partner, Mike Stoller) is 75.
Bobby "Boris" Pickett ("Monster Mash") died of leukemia in 2007.
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s bassist, Stu Cook, was born “down on the corner” in Stanton, CA. in 1945.
In 1999, "Joe DiMaggio Day" is held at New York's Yankee Stadium and Paul Simon sang "Mrs. Robinson" in his honor.
The Ramones' movie, "Rock & Roll High School" opened in 1979.
Blues guitarist Albert King was born in Indianola, Miss in 1923. Guitarists like Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan have spent their lives searching for his unique expressive tone.
In 1964, the Beatles have an amazing 14 singles on the American chart.
Also in 1964, in England, Peter & Gordon take the Lennon/McCartney song "World Without Love" to the top of the singles chart, where it knocks off the Beatles' own "Can't Buy Me Love."
In 1974, Rolling Stone reported that concerts by Yes and Gregg Allman, were hit by streakers, no doubt inspired by Ray Stevens' No. 1 hit "The Streak." In a related story The Beach Boys are streaked by members of their own road crew, during a concert in 1974.
In 1977, Elvis Presley made his last-known recordings during a live concert at the Saginaw (Mich.) Civic Center. The tracks will turn up on the posthumous album Moody Blue.
In 1990, the Fender Stratocaster on which Jimi Hendrix played "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock sold at a London auction for $295,000.
The Beatles recorded "All You Need Is Love" during a British TV broadcast in 1967. Marianne Faithfull sang in the chorus.
1955- John Walker, the British delegate on the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs announced that there is a "definite connection between increased marijuana smoking and that form of entertainment known as bebop and rebop."
On this date in 1968, a survey by the Confederation of British Industry showed that listening on the job to Radio 1, the major Pop and Rock station of the BBC, made workers less productive. (maybe they were listening to bebop!)
Elvis Presley's first release since leaving the US Army, "Stuck On You" topped the Billboard chart in 1964. The record had been so highly anticipated, it sold over one million copies before it was even recorded. It reached #3 in the UK.
The Eagles performed their first reunion concert in 1994. Though having previously said it would never happen, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Don Felder and Timothy B. Schmitt, play for an invited audience at Warner Burbank (CA) Studios. The concert was taped and shown on MTV later in the year.
Bruce Springsteen's "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" was released in 2006. The album features 13 tracks associated with Folk singer Pete Seeger.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
This Date In Music History- April 23
In 1949, "Tell Me So," by the Orioles, entered the R&B chart. It will be their second #1 hit in less than a year.
'Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie Together in Concert,' a live collaboration between two generations of folk-music legends, was released in 1975. It will be followed by another, 'Precious Friends,' in 1982.
The late Roy Orbison ("Oh, Pretty Woman") was born in 1936. His haunting voice has graced some of the most extraordinary songs of the rock era, including the 1961 No. 1 "Running Scared."
The late Ray Peterson ("Tell Laura I Love Her") was born in 1935.
Peter Ham of Badfinger ("Baby Blue") committed suicide in London in 1975. He wrote the classic song "Without You" with 'finger bassist Tom Evans. Evans also took his life after becoming frustrated with his career.
Cass Elliot collapses before a scheduled performance on NBC-TV's "Tonight Show", 1974
In 1956, Elvis Presley, accompanied by Bill Black and Scotty Moore, made his Las Vegas debut at the New Frontier Hotel when he opened for the Freddie Martin Orchestra and comedian Shecky Greene. Despite having "Heartbreak Hotel" at the top of the charts, Elvis was not well-received by the middle-aged audience. Management of the Frontier was so unimpressed, they gave Elvis his walking papers after one week of a two-week engagement. Presley wouldn't play Las Vegas again for almost 13 years.
Jan & Dean recorded their No. 1 "Surf City" in 1963. Brian Wilson appears on backing vocals.
Bruce Springsteen defends the beleaguered Dixie Chicks in 2003, who suffered a backlash after criticizing George W. Bush. In a statement, he declared, "To me, they're terrific American artists expressing American values by using their American right to free speech. For them to be banished wholesale from radio stations, and even entire radio networks, for speaking out is un-American."
Harold Arlen died at age 81 in 1986. The pianist wrote pop standards like "Get Happy," and "Stormy Weather" with lyricist Ted Koehler. He also penned the song "Over the Rainbow."
A song called "My Bonnie" by Tony Sheridan and The Beatles was released in America on the Decca label in 1962. It was the first commercial release anywhere in the world to carry The Beatles name. John Lennon would later say "It's just Tony Sheridan singing with us banging in the background. They're flogging it, but I wish they'd just shut up! It's terrible! It could be anybody." The mono 45 failed to chart on Billboard or Cashbox.
In 1960, in Caversham, England, a very young John Lennon and Paul McCartney performed together as the Nerk Twins.
In 1995, the Sunday Times of London reported that a Liverpool man, Peter Hodgson, had found a tape in his attic containing 16 of The Beatles' earliest recordings made in 1959. The session included "Hello Little Girl", a Lennon-McCartney composition that the Beatles never recorded commercially and Ray Charles' "Hallelujah, I Love Her So". The tape had been made on a reel-to-reel recorder that Hodgson's father had lent to Paul McCartney.
'Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie Together in Concert,' a live collaboration between two generations of folk-music legends, was released in 1975. It will be followed by another, 'Precious Friends,' in 1982.
The late Roy Orbison ("Oh, Pretty Woman") was born in 1936. His haunting voice has graced some of the most extraordinary songs of the rock era, including the 1961 No. 1 "Running Scared."
The late Ray Peterson ("Tell Laura I Love Her") was born in 1935.
Peter Ham of Badfinger ("Baby Blue") committed suicide in London in 1975. He wrote the classic song "Without You" with 'finger bassist Tom Evans. Evans also took his life after becoming frustrated with his career.
Cass Elliot collapses before a scheduled performance on NBC-TV's "Tonight Show", 1974
In 1956, Elvis Presley, accompanied by Bill Black and Scotty Moore, made his Las Vegas debut at the New Frontier Hotel when he opened for the Freddie Martin Orchestra and comedian Shecky Greene. Despite having "Heartbreak Hotel" at the top of the charts, Elvis was not well-received by the middle-aged audience. Management of the Frontier was so unimpressed, they gave Elvis his walking papers after one week of a two-week engagement. Presley wouldn't play Las Vegas again for almost 13 years.
Jan & Dean recorded their No. 1 "Surf City" in 1963. Brian Wilson appears on backing vocals.
Bruce Springsteen defends the beleaguered Dixie Chicks in 2003, who suffered a backlash after criticizing George W. Bush. In a statement, he declared, "To me, they're terrific American artists expressing American values by using their American right to free speech. For them to be banished wholesale from radio stations, and even entire radio networks, for speaking out is un-American."
Harold Arlen died at age 81 in 1986. The pianist wrote pop standards like "Get Happy," and "Stormy Weather" with lyricist Ted Koehler. He also penned the song "Over the Rainbow."
A song called "My Bonnie" by Tony Sheridan and The Beatles was released in America on the Decca label in 1962. It was the first commercial release anywhere in the world to carry The Beatles name. John Lennon would later say "It's just Tony Sheridan singing with us banging in the background. They're flogging it, but I wish they'd just shut up! It's terrible! It could be anybody." The mono 45 failed to chart on Billboard or Cashbox.
In 1960, in Caversham, England, a very young John Lennon and Paul McCartney performed together as the Nerk Twins.
In 1995, the Sunday Times of London reported that a Liverpool man, Peter Hodgson, had found a tape in his attic containing 16 of The Beatles' earliest recordings made in 1959. The session included "Hello Little Girl", a Lennon-McCartney composition that the Beatles never recorded commercially and Ray Charles' "Hallelujah, I Love Her So". The tape had been made on a reel-to-reel recorder that Hodgson's father had lent to Paul McCartney.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Back to basics: A visit to vinyl
By Jim Downing, Musician and Writer
Sunday, 20 April 2008
Reprinted by permission from http://www.tulsatoday.com/
The counter-revolution has been on for some time now, as I’m shopping for a new cartridge for my turntable.
I’m not much of a casual music listener anymore; I don’t have an iPod and don’t particularly want one. I didn’t even use my Walkman very often. When I listen to something, I pay attention, and I want good sound.
You may disbelieve, but nothing sounds as good as a vinyl record. That’s not an opinion; it’s a fact. That’s why some records were cut direct-to-disk, bypassing analog tape with 1/8” track widths. By comparison, a cassette is just a little wider with four tracks on it, and those awful 8-track tapes had one-fourth of that track width.
Audio quality has gone steadily downhill since the ‘70s. Studios used tube amps until the manufacturers sold them a bill of goods that transistors were the way to go. The studios then bought tube pre-amps to regain some of the lost quality. With CDs, they lopped off the highs and lows and were able to get more than twice the time on one disk. MP3s subtract even more signal. We may be headed toward the tinny AM pocket radios of the fifties; why not – who cares?
On the other hand, you have the car stereos with grossly disproportionate low frequencies that amount to scrotal massage – nothing at all like music is supposed to sound.
Donald Fagen made the first digitally recorded hit album 25 years ago. He complained then about the dullness of the sound and digital’s deafness to nuance and dynamics. The good part is that there is no extraneous noise from tape hiss or a speck of dust in a groove.
The four-track that the Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ was recorded on was bigger than your dishwasher. They tediously spliced different tapes together with a razor blade and tape. Now you can put a decent four-track in a briefcase. That certainly makes it a lot easier to record a gig.
Digital recording has made many amazing things possible. One unit has so much RAM that you can record 256 tracks for 40 hours before dumping to a hard drive. There is even software that composes music. You can cut out one measure of a guitar lick and paste it into another spot. This would be like cutting windows in tapes: nearly impossible. You can alter the sounds into digital samples of other instruments, turn a wobbly drummer into a human clock and even make a tone-deaf banshee sing on pitch. In short, bad musicians can be made to sound almost talented. Is this a good idea?
These capabilities are wonderful and can be very useful. But a perfectionist can also get bogged down in the details and literally tweeze something to death, not to mention spend far too much time in the studio reinventing the wheel.
Artists and engineers are rebelling. One Los Angeles mixing engineer even wrote a hilarious book about a crappy band with a ridiculous budget that he was recording for a major label. He could make a bad band sound good even without using all the tricks he could have used, but why? It was an epiphany for him; he now produces music he actually cares about.
Some of the biggest names in music are returning to the old method: rehearse the songs and then go in and record them live, maybe overdubbing only the solos and vocal harmonies. After all, some of the biggest sounding records ever made were recorded on one track. The first Beatles tracks are just what they sounded like in the studio. Creativity, talent and passion cannot be synthesized and never will be.
A factory in Nashville still produces vinyl recordsMixing is an art in itself now, and good mixers command high salaries. That’s just the way it’s done. But, as one said, “We can give you all kinds of haircuts, but it won’t matter if you’re just ugly.”
I’m looking for a stereo tube amp, maybe even a Heathkit, to go with these nice Bozak speakers.
Sunday, 20 April 2008
Reprinted by permission from http://www.tulsatoday.com/
The counter-revolution has been on for some time now, as I’m shopping for a new cartridge for my turntable.
I’m not much of a casual music listener anymore; I don’t have an iPod and don’t particularly want one. I didn’t even use my Walkman very often. When I listen to something, I pay attention, and I want good sound.
You may disbelieve, but nothing sounds as good as a vinyl record. That’s not an opinion; it’s a fact. That’s why some records were cut direct-to-disk, bypassing analog tape with 1/8” track widths. By comparison, a cassette is just a little wider with four tracks on it, and those awful 8-track tapes had one-fourth of that track width.
Audio quality has gone steadily downhill since the ‘70s. Studios used tube amps until the manufacturers sold them a bill of goods that transistors were the way to go. The studios then bought tube pre-amps to regain some of the lost quality. With CDs, they lopped off the highs and lows and were able to get more than twice the time on one disk. MP3s subtract even more signal. We may be headed toward the tinny AM pocket radios of the fifties; why not – who cares?
On the other hand, you have the car stereos with grossly disproportionate low frequencies that amount to scrotal massage – nothing at all like music is supposed to sound.
Donald Fagen made the first digitally recorded hit album 25 years ago. He complained then about the dullness of the sound and digital’s deafness to nuance and dynamics. The good part is that there is no extraneous noise from tape hiss or a speck of dust in a groove.
The four-track that the Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’ was recorded on was bigger than your dishwasher. They tediously spliced different tapes together with a razor blade and tape. Now you can put a decent four-track in a briefcase. That certainly makes it a lot easier to record a gig.
Digital recording has made many amazing things possible. One unit has so much RAM that you can record 256 tracks for 40 hours before dumping to a hard drive. There is even software that composes music. You can cut out one measure of a guitar lick and paste it into another spot. This would be like cutting windows in tapes: nearly impossible. You can alter the sounds into digital samples of other instruments, turn a wobbly drummer into a human clock and even make a tone-deaf banshee sing on pitch. In short, bad musicians can be made to sound almost talented. Is this a good idea?
These capabilities are wonderful and can be very useful. But a perfectionist can also get bogged down in the details and literally tweeze something to death, not to mention spend far too much time in the studio reinventing the wheel.
Artists and engineers are rebelling. One Los Angeles mixing engineer even wrote a hilarious book about a crappy band with a ridiculous budget that he was recording for a major label. He could make a bad band sound good even without using all the tricks he could have used, but why? It was an epiphany for him; he now produces music he actually cares about.
Some of the biggest names in music are returning to the old method: rehearse the songs and then go in and record them live, maybe overdubbing only the solos and vocal harmonies. After all, some of the biggest sounding records ever made were recorded on one track. The first Beatles tracks are just what they sounded like in the studio. Creativity, talent and passion cannot be synthesized and never will be.
A factory in Nashville still produces vinyl recordsMixing is an art in itself now, and good mixers command high salaries. That’s just the way it’s done. But, as one said, “We can give you all kinds of haircuts, but it won’t matter if you’re just ugly.”
I’m looking for a stereo tube amp, maybe even a Heathkit, to go with these nice Bozak speakers.
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