Sunday, January 4, 2009
Works of Art
On the subject of album cover art, I have picked a few more of my favorites to show you. These are in no particular order, but all are definately in my top 50 album covers of all time.
Crystal Viper Reveals New Album Details And Art
As you know, I love album cover art and this cover caught my eye right away.
Polish female fronted metal band Crystal Viper has announced that their new album "Metal Nation" was mixed and mastered by the Grammy nominated Andy La Rocque (King Diamon), at the Sonic Train Studios (Hammerfall, Evergrey etc.). The album features special guests Frank Knight (X-Wild), Manni Schmidt (Grave Digger) and Lars Ramcke (Stormwarrior).
The cover art was painted by Chris Moyen (Beherit, Blasphemy, Trivium). "Metal Nation" will be released in February of 2009.
SOURCE: http://www.metalunderground.com/
Polish female fronted metal band Crystal Viper has announced that their new album "Metal Nation" was mixed and mastered by the Grammy nominated Andy La Rocque (King Diamon), at the Sonic Train Studios (Hammerfall, Evergrey etc.). The album features special guests Frank Knight (X-Wild), Manni Schmidt (Grave Digger) and Lars Ramcke (Stormwarrior).
The cover art was painted by Chris Moyen (Beherit, Blasphemy, Trivium). "Metal Nation" will be released in February of 2009.
SOURCE: http://www.metalunderground.com/
This Date In Music History-January 4
Birthdays:
Michael Stipe-R.E.M.(1960)
Cait O'Riordan-The Pogues (1965)
Bernard Sumner-Joy Division (1956)
Jazz guitarist John McLaughlin (1942)
They Are Missed:
Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy died of heart failure and pneumonia in 1986 after being in a coma for eight days following a drug overdose.
The late Arthur Conley ("Sweet Soul Music") was born in 1946.
The body of 1970s teen idol Barry Cowsill was discovered in a New Orleans morgue in 2006. The Cowsills bassist, who performed on the family act's hits like "Hair," is believed to have died when Hurricane Katrina struck the city in 2005.
History:
In 1970, George Harrison recorded the second guitar solo for "Let It Be." It's the last Beatles recording session to feature Harrison, Paul McCartney and George Martin, as well as the last recording session of the Beatles as a band. (The final date that all four of The Beatles were in the studio together was August 20, 1969).
In 1954, a young truck driver named Elvis Presley paid $4 to record a ten-inch acetate demo at the Memphis Recording Service, an open-to-the-public business run by Sam Phillips. The two songs Presley recorded, "Casual Love Affair" and "I'll Never Stand in Your Way", impressed Phillips enough that he had Elvis record his first professional sides for Sun Records the following August.
The first pop music chart based on national sales was published by "Billboard" magazine in 1936.
In 1964, Bobby Vinton's "There! I've Said It Again" became the last US number one record before the so called British Invasion. Between Bill Haley's "Rock Around The Clock" in July, 1955 and Vinton's hit, only five non-American artists could manage a US chart topper.
In 1950, two years after Columbia Records introduced the 33 1/3 RPM long-playing vinyl record, RCA announced that they will also start using the same format.
Marty Robbins' cross over hit "El Paso" topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961 and would later become the first Country song to win a Grammy Award. The disc held the record for the longest #1 song up to this date, at 5 minutes and 19 seconds in length.
Former Beatles roadie Mal Evans was shot dead by police at his Los Angeles apartment in 1976. His girlfriend called police when she found Evans upset with a rifle in his hand; he pointed the gun at the police who opened fire.
Elton John started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1975 with his version of The Beatles “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.” John Lennon played guitar on this non-LP single under the pseudonym Dr. Winston O’Boogie.
Tragedy struck The Who in 1970, when a gang of teens attacked Keith Moon's Bentley limo. His chauffeur, Neil Boland got out to try to protect the car, but left it in gear, and it started moving. Moon, who had no driver's license, jumped behind the wheel. Unfortunately, the chauffeur, who was being beaten, had fallen under the car and as Keith gunned the engine, Neil was run over and killed. Though the inquest absolved Moon of blame, Neil's family didn't, and neither did Moon himself, but he was haunted by the incident for the rest of his life.
In 1968, the University of California, Los Angeles announced that students taking music degrees would have to study the music of The Rolling Stones saying they had made such an important contribution to modern music.
The Sex Pistols shocked passengers and airline staff at Heathrow Airport in 1977, when they spat and vomited boarding a plane to Amsterdam. Makes sense to me.
Michael Stipe-R.E.M.(1960)
Cait O'Riordan-The Pogues (1965)
Bernard Sumner-Joy Division (1956)
Jazz guitarist John McLaughlin (1942)
They Are Missed:
Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy died of heart failure and pneumonia in 1986 after being in a coma for eight days following a drug overdose.
The late Arthur Conley ("Sweet Soul Music") was born in 1946.
The body of 1970s teen idol Barry Cowsill was discovered in a New Orleans morgue in 2006. The Cowsills bassist, who performed on the family act's hits like "Hair," is believed to have died when Hurricane Katrina struck the city in 2005.
History:
In 1970, George Harrison recorded the second guitar solo for "Let It Be." It's the last Beatles recording session to feature Harrison, Paul McCartney and George Martin, as well as the last recording session of the Beatles as a band. (The final date that all four of The Beatles were in the studio together was August 20, 1969).
In 1954, a young truck driver named Elvis Presley paid $4 to record a ten-inch acetate demo at the Memphis Recording Service, an open-to-the-public business run by Sam Phillips. The two songs Presley recorded, "Casual Love Affair" and "I'll Never Stand in Your Way", impressed Phillips enough that he had Elvis record his first professional sides for Sun Records the following August.
The first pop music chart based on national sales was published by "Billboard" magazine in 1936.
In 1964, Bobby Vinton's "There! I've Said It Again" became the last US number one record before the so called British Invasion. Between Bill Haley's "Rock Around The Clock" in July, 1955 and Vinton's hit, only five non-American artists could manage a US chart topper.
In 1950, two years after Columbia Records introduced the 33 1/3 RPM long-playing vinyl record, RCA announced that they will also start using the same format.
Marty Robbins' cross over hit "El Paso" topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961 and would later become the first Country song to win a Grammy Award. The disc held the record for the longest #1 song up to this date, at 5 minutes and 19 seconds in length.
Former Beatles roadie Mal Evans was shot dead by police at his Los Angeles apartment in 1976. His girlfriend called police when she found Evans upset with a rifle in his hand; he pointed the gun at the police who opened fire.
Elton John started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1975 with his version of The Beatles “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.” John Lennon played guitar on this non-LP single under the pseudonym Dr. Winston O’Boogie.
Tragedy struck The Who in 1970, when a gang of teens attacked Keith Moon's Bentley limo. His chauffeur, Neil Boland got out to try to protect the car, but left it in gear, and it started moving. Moon, who had no driver's license, jumped behind the wheel. Unfortunately, the chauffeur, who was being beaten, had fallen under the car and as Keith gunned the engine, Neil was run over and killed. Though the inquest absolved Moon of blame, Neil's family didn't, and neither did Moon himself, but he was haunted by the incident for the rest of his life.
In 1968, the University of California, Los Angeles announced that students taking music degrees would have to study the music of The Rolling Stones saying they had made such an important contribution to modern music.
The Sex Pistols shocked passengers and airline staff at Heathrow Airport in 1977, when they spat and vomited boarding a plane to Amsterdam. Makes sense to me.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Record Ranch Promotion
I received this note from the owner of www.therecordranch.com
"I wanted to let you know it's time to turn things up at The Record Ranch. As of today, we're doing 3 months totally free for sellers (including final value fees). In addition to that, we'll be fine-tuning the search a bit in the next couple of weeks."
What we offer:
Sellers
•Free listings and stores! Three free images per listing too. You only pay final value fees and any listing extras.
•Options! No stringent requirements on shipping and payment methods.
•A bulk uploader to save you time. Just export your current inventory to a CSV file, then use our uploader to get your stock into The Record Ranch.
•An extensive category structure geared more towards serious fans/collectors.
•Completed auctions that stay on the site for a looong time.
Buyers
•The Record Ranch is strictly music-related and actively moderated. Find exactly what you're looking for then buy with confidence!
•Categories that match what you collect. Collect free jazz vinyl? There's a category for that. Collect blues 8-tracks? There's a category for that too.
•Auctions at The Record Ranch are snipe-proof. If a bid is placed in the last minute, the auction's ending time is extended.
•Not finding what you're looking for? Post what you're looking for on The Want List.
•Prefer to pay by a method other than PayPal? Go right ahead!
FREE listings?? Can't beat that, start selling or buying some vinyl today!!
Album Cover Art- 2008
Here are some of the best covers
Metallica - Death Magnetic
The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul
Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
Metallica - Death Magnetic
The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul
Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
Best Album Cover Art for 2008
2008 has been a fantastice year for vinyl and going hand-in-hand with the vinyl revival are some great album covers. Here are some of my favorite album covers from 2008:
Sigur Ros -- Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
Girl Talk
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia
The Notwist - The Devil, You + Me
Black Mountain- In The Future
Kate Nash - Made of Bricks
Tony Rich - Exist
Sigur Ros -- Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
Girl Talk
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia
The Notwist - The Devil, You + Me
Black Mountain- In The Future
Kate Nash - Made of Bricks
Tony Rich - Exist
Music News & Notes
Prince Planning Three Albums This Year
Prince is planning to release three new albums in 2009 without the assistance of a record label, according to an interview with the Los Angeles Times. A "major retailer" is in talks with the artist to release the music physically, while a new Prince Web site will sell it in digital form.
One album is a return to the artist's classic sound. The tentatively titled MPLSOUND was recorded at his Paisley Park studio and is an "electro-flavored solo effort" that includes a lot of experimenting with effects using Pro Tools.
The second is tied with the tracks premiered a couple of weeks ago on an L.A. radio station. Lotus Flower features Prince the guitarist with a great variety of styles from hard rock to funk.
--------------------------------------------------
Robert Plant Voted Greatest Voice in Rock
Britain's Daily Mail has published the results of a poll organized by the digital radio station Planet Rock to determine the Greatest Voices in Rock. Voting was done by the station DJ's & listeners along with musicians, critics and other experts.
Leading the way is Robert Plant followed by Freddie Mercury and Paul Rodgers. As might be expected when the poll is performed by a classic rock station with input from the public, the list leans heavily towards classic rock artists-to the detriment of some of the early great voices of the rock era.
The top ten vocalists in the poll:
1-Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
2-Freddie Mercury (Queen)
3-Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company, Queen)
4-Ian Gillian (Deep Purple)
5-Roger Daltrey (Who)
6-David Coverdale (Whitesnake)
7-Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses)
8-Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
9-Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones)
10-Bon Scott (AC/DC)
--------------------------------------------------
Official Cover of Kelly Clarkson's Single 'My Life Would Suck Without You'
Kelly Clarkson has released a cover art for her upcoming brand new song entitled "My Life Would Suck Without You". She is pictured wearing red dress and holding a red heart-shaped lollipop in her left hand.
Kelly Clarkson plans to release "My Life Would Suck Without You" on January 19. After dropping the Max Martin and Dr. Luke-penned track, she will follow up her 2007 record "My December" with fourth major studio effort.
The yet-titled album takes nearly a year to come after her previous album because recording sessions for the LP were abandoned as she went on "2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour" with Reba McEntire, according to E! Online. Now that the roadshow has been wrapped up, she rushes to get the album done and will drop it on March 17.
http://www.aceshowbiz.com
--------------------------------------------------
Hawkwind's 40th Anniversary
Hawkwind will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their very first show on Saturday August 29 at the Porchester Halls in London's Notting Hill Gate. They played another Notting Hill Venue on August 29, 1969 to kick off their career.
--------------------------------------------------
Status Quo - UK's Hardest Working Band
Britain's Performing Rights Society (PRS) have declared Status Quo as the hardest working band in the U.K. for 2008, outdistancing Take That, the Kaiser Chiefs, the Sugarbabes and the Spice Girls. In 35 performance, they performed before over 300,000 people.
For smaller concert venues, Gerry & the Pacemakers took the award by playing the most shows in 2008. David Essex was second.
--------------------------------------------------
Allman Brothers Return
The Allman Brothers, who have been playing a residency at the Beacon Theater in New York almost every year since 1989 (175 dates so far), have announced they will be returning to the venue after skipping 2008. Last year's shows were canceled while Gregg Allman recovered from Hepatitis C.
The shows will kick-off their 2009 touring season in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the band. The current lineup includes Gregg Allman on vocals and keyboards, Butch Trucks, Mark Quinones and Jaimoe on drums and other percussion, Warren Haynes on vocals, lead and slide guitar, Derek Trucks on lead and slide guitar, and Oteil Burbridge on bass.
--------------------------------------------------
The Grateful Dead Returning To The Road
Spurred on by two reunions at benefits for President-elect Barack Obama, the surviving members of the Grateful Dead will embark on their first tour in five years this spring.
The Dead will hit the road beginning April 12 in Greensboro, N.C., and will play 16"evening with" shows in 19 cities through May 10 in San Francisco. Tickets begin going on sale Jan. 13.
Original Dead members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart will be augmented by keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and Allman Brothers Band/Gov't Mule guitarist Warren Haynes.
--------------------------------------------------
Beatles Are Second Biggest Selling Artists of the Last 17 Years
Back on May 25, 1991, Nielsen SoundScan started compiling actual sales figures for recordings sold in the U.S. for reporting to the industry and trade publications. Prior to that time, sales figures were established through inaccurate means, but Nielsen was able to set up an electronic network in major retailers that gave them actual data on a daily basis.
For year-end 2008, SoundScan has issued a list of the top selling artists of the "SoundScan Era", from May 25, 1991 to December 28, 2008. The top selling artist in the U.S. is Garth Brooks with over 68 million units sold, but it's the Beatles that come in second with just over 57 million units. That's pretty amazing for a group whose recording career ended in twenty years before the SoundScan Era even began.
Metallica is also on the verge of having the biggest selling album of the era, with their "Black Album" just a little over 150,000 units behind Shania Twain's Come On Over.
The top ten selling artists of the SoundScan era:
1) Garth Brooks - 68,143,000
2) Beatles - 57,088,000
3) Mariah Carey - 51,569,000
4) Metallica - 51,136,000
5) Celine Dion - 50,571,000
6) George Strait - 40,619,000
7) Tim McGraw - 37,591,000
8) Alan Jackson - 36,520,000
9) Pink Floyd - 36,520,000
10)Shania Twain - 33,707,000
The top ten selling albums of the SoundScan era:
1) Come On Over - Shania Twain - 15,473,000
2) Metallica - Metallica - 15,319,000
3) Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette - 14,607,000
4) Millenneum - Backstreet Boys - 12,104,000
5) Bodyguard - Soundtrack (Whitney Houston) - 11,805,000
6) Supernatural - Santana - 11,673,000
7) Human Clay - Creed - 11,525,000
8) 1 - Beatles - 11,345,000
9) No Strings Attached - N'Sync - 11,109,000
10) Falling Into You - Celine Dion - 10,777,000
SOURCE: http://winkscollectibles.blogspot.com
--------------------------------------------------
New Cover Art
California based thrashers Mantic Ritual, formerly known as Meltdown, have revealed the cover artwork for their upcoming album "Executioner."
Prince is planning to release three new albums in 2009 without the assistance of a record label, according to an interview with the Los Angeles Times. A "major retailer" is in talks with the artist to release the music physically, while a new Prince Web site will sell it in digital form.
One album is a return to the artist's classic sound. The tentatively titled MPLSOUND was recorded at his Paisley Park studio and is an "electro-flavored solo effort" that includes a lot of experimenting with effects using Pro Tools.
The second is tied with the tracks premiered a couple of weeks ago on an L.A. radio station. Lotus Flower features Prince the guitarist with a great variety of styles from hard rock to funk.
--------------------------------------------------
Robert Plant Voted Greatest Voice in Rock
Britain's Daily Mail has published the results of a poll organized by the digital radio station Planet Rock to determine the Greatest Voices in Rock. Voting was done by the station DJ's & listeners along with musicians, critics and other experts.
Leading the way is Robert Plant followed by Freddie Mercury and Paul Rodgers. As might be expected when the poll is performed by a classic rock station with input from the public, the list leans heavily towards classic rock artists-to the detriment of some of the early great voices of the rock era.
The top ten vocalists in the poll:
1-Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
2-Freddie Mercury (Queen)
3-Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company, Queen)
4-Ian Gillian (Deep Purple)
5-Roger Daltrey (Who)
6-David Coverdale (Whitesnake)
7-Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses)
8-Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
9-Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones)
10-Bon Scott (AC/DC)
--------------------------------------------------
Official Cover of Kelly Clarkson's Single 'My Life Would Suck Without You'
Kelly Clarkson has released a cover art for her upcoming brand new song entitled "My Life Would Suck Without You". She is pictured wearing red dress and holding a red heart-shaped lollipop in her left hand.
Kelly Clarkson plans to release "My Life Would Suck Without You" on January 19. After dropping the Max Martin and Dr. Luke-penned track, she will follow up her 2007 record "My December" with fourth major studio effort.
The yet-titled album takes nearly a year to come after her previous album because recording sessions for the LP were abandoned as she went on "2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour" with Reba McEntire, according to E! Online. Now that the roadshow has been wrapped up, she rushes to get the album done and will drop it on March 17.
http://www.aceshowbiz.com
--------------------------------------------------
Hawkwind's 40th Anniversary
Hawkwind will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their very first show on Saturday August 29 at the Porchester Halls in London's Notting Hill Gate. They played another Notting Hill Venue on August 29, 1969 to kick off their career.
--------------------------------------------------
Status Quo - UK's Hardest Working Band
Britain's Performing Rights Society (PRS) have declared Status Quo as the hardest working band in the U.K. for 2008, outdistancing Take That, the Kaiser Chiefs, the Sugarbabes and the Spice Girls. In 35 performance, they performed before over 300,000 people.
For smaller concert venues, Gerry & the Pacemakers took the award by playing the most shows in 2008. David Essex was second.
--------------------------------------------------
Allman Brothers Return
The Allman Brothers, who have been playing a residency at the Beacon Theater in New York almost every year since 1989 (175 dates so far), have announced they will be returning to the venue after skipping 2008. Last year's shows were canceled while Gregg Allman recovered from Hepatitis C.
The shows will kick-off their 2009 touring season in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the band. The current lineup includes Gregg Allman on vocals and keyboards, Butch Trucks, Mark Quinones and Jaimoe on drums and other percussion, Warren Haynes on vocals, lead and slide guitar, Derek Trucks on lead and slide guitar, and Oteil Burbridge on bass.
--------------------------------------------------
The Grateful Dead Returning To The Road
Spurred on by two reunions at benefits for President-elect Barack Obama, the surviving members of the Grateful Dead will embark on their first tour in five years this spring.
The Dead will hit the road beginning April 12 in Greensboro, N.C., and will play 16"evening with" shows in 19 cities through May 10 in San Francisco. Tickets begin going on sale Jan. 13.
Original Dead members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart will be augmented by keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and Allman Brothers Band/Gov't Mule guitarist Warren Haynes.
--------------------------------------------------
Beatles Are Second Biggest Selling Artists of the Last 17 Years
Back on May 25, 1991, Nielsen SoundScan started compiling actual sales figures for recordings sold in the U.S. for reporting to the industry and trade publications. Prior to that time, sales figures were established through inaccurate means, but Nielsen was able to set up an electronic network in major retailers that gave them actual data on a daily basis.
For year-end 2008, SoundScan has issued a list of the top selling artists of the "SoundScan Era", from May 25, 1991 to December 28, 2008. The top selling artist in the U.S. is Garth Brooks with over 68 million units sold, but it's the Beatles that come in second with just over 57 million units. That's pretty amazing for a group whose recording career ended in twenty years before the SoundScan Era even began.
Metallica is also on the verge of having the biggest selling album of the era, with their "Black Album" just a little over 150,000 units behind Shania Twain's Come On Over.
The top ten selling artists of the SoundScan era:
1) Garth Brooks - 68,143,000
2) Beatles - 57,088,000
3) Mariah Carey - 51,569,000
4) Metallica - 51,136,000
5) Celine Dion - 50,571,000
6) George Strait - 40,619,000
7) Tim McGraw - 37,591,000
8) Alan Jackson - 36,520,000
9) Pink Floyd - 36,520,000
10)Shania Twain - 33,707,000
The top ten selling albums of the SoundScan era:
1) Come On Over - Shania Twain - 15,473,000
2) Metallica - Metallica - 15,319,000
3) Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette - 14,607,000
4) Millenneum - Backstreet Boys - 12,104,000
5) Bodyguard - Soundtrack (Whitney Houston) - 11,805,000
6) Supernatural - Santana - 11,673,000
7) Human Clay - Creed - 11,525,000
8) 1 - Beatles - 11,345,000
9) No Strings Attached - N'Sync - 11,109,000
10) Falling Into You - Celine Dion - 10,777,000
SOURCE: http://winkscollectibles.blogspot.com
--------------------------------------------------
New Cover Art
California based thrashers Mantic Ritual, formerly known as Meltdown, have revealed the cover artwork for their upcoming album "Executioner."
Vinyl Gets Its Groove Back
Last year, about this time, Time Magazine ran an article about the return of vinyl. (Time Magazine article)
Well, here we are one year later and I have seen all sorts of articles about the resurgence of the vinyl record. Let's look at the facts:
In 2008, sales of vinyl albums increased a remarkable 89 percent. Vinyl still accounts for a tiny portion of the overall market but total vinyl sales are higher than they’ve been since SoundScan began tracking music sales in 1991.
The previous record was in 2000, when 1.5 million LP albums were sold. More than two out of every three vinyl albums bought in 2008 were purchased at an independent music store, according to SoundScan. Vinyl record sales rose 14% between 2006 and 2007, from 858,000 to 990,000. In contrast, CD sales plummeted over the past three years, from 553.4 million in 2006 to 360.6 million in 2008. MP3 sales grew from 32.6 million to 65.8 million during the same time period, according to SoundScan.
Industry observers say vinyl record sales have skyrocketed because new buyers are discovering the value of owning albums, with their cover art, large liner notes and warm sound. Artists such as Madonna, U2 and R.E.M. have opted to release their latest albums in the vinyl format as well.
The top selling vinyl album in 2008 was Radiohead's In Rainbows, followed by the Beatles' Abbey Road, at 16,500 units. (side note: the Beatles placing second- didn't this band break up some 38 years (or more depending on who you ask), this is amazing and just shows what a truly legendary rock and roll group that they are and will be, way after we are all gone)
There is even quite a discussion going on at digg (digg discussion) with people raving about this phenomenon. Let's all hope it continues as vinyl continues its revival for years to come!!
Friday, January 2, 2009
This Date In Music History-January 2
Birthdays:
Chick Churchill - Ten Years After (1942)
Ricky Van Shelton - US country singer (1957)
They Are Missed:
45 year-old Randy California, who was best known as the leader of the rock band Spirit, died tragically in 1997 when he was gripped by an undertow while swimming on the coast of the Hawaiian island of Molokai. Before he died, he was able to save his 12 year-old son, Quinn.
Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1931.
Roger Miller ("Chug-A-Lug") was born in 1936.
In 1980, Larry Williams ("Bony Maronie") was found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Country superstar Tex Ritter died of a heart attack in Nashville in 1974.
Jazz cornetist Nat Adderley died in 2000.
David Lynch of The Platters died of cancer in 1981.
History:
Paul Simon's self-titled album was released in 1972, a year after the breakup of Simon and Garfunkel. It yielded two popular singles: "Mother and Child Reunion" (#4) and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard"(#22).
Petula Clark reached #1 in 1965 with "Downtown."
The Marcels reached #1 in 1961 with "Blue Moon.”
In 1959, "Bad Girl," by the Miracles, was the first single released on the Motown label. The name is a concentration of Motor Town, a reference to Detroit's status as the center of the auto industry.
Muddy Waters made his first recordings with Columbia Records in 1944. These recordings are not released.
The Beatles Story, yet another America-only collection of Fab Four releases, goes to # 7 in the American album charts in 1965. The Beatles are currently #1 in the singles charts with "I Feel Fine."
In efforts to defend himself from deportation, John Lennon and his lawyers were granted access to Department of Immigration files in 1975. The pop star wanted to find out if he's been barred from the U.S. because of drug use, or his remarks about President Richard Nixon.
In 1968, the entire shipment of John and Yoko's album 'Two Virgins' was seized by authorities in New Jersey due to the full frontal nude photograph of the couple on the cover. The album was eventually wrapped in plain brown paper in record stores.
Elvis Presley went to #1 on the US album chart in 1965 with the soundtrack from 'Roustabout,' Presley's eighth #1.
The trial of ex-Sex Pistol, Sid Vicious for the October 1978 murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen, opened in New York City in 1979. Vicious died of a heroin overdose, thereby not living to hear the verdict.
The George Harrison album 'All Things Must Pass' started a seven week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1971, making Harrison the first solo Beatle to score a US #1 album.
In 1964, the Rolling Stones performed “I Wanna Be Your Man” (written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney) on the first edition of the landmark British TV music show Top Of The Pops.
After refusing to sign an oath that says they have never been members of the Communist party, the American Folk group, the Weavers were removed from the line-up of NBC-TV's Jack Parr Show in 1962.
Chick Churchill - Ten Years After (1942)
Ricky Van Shelton - US country singer (1957)
They Are Missed:
45 year-old Randy California, who was best known as the leader of the rock band Spirit, died tragically in 1997 when he was gripped by an undertow while swimming on the coast of the Hawaiian island of Molokai. Before he died, he was able to save his 12 year-old son, Quinn.
Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1931.
Roger Miller ("Chug-A-Lug") was born in 1936.
In 1980, Larry Williams ("Bony Maronie") was found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Country superstar Tex Ritter died of a heart attack in Nashville in 1974.
Jazz cornetist Nat Adderley died in 2000.
David Lynch of The Platters died of cancer in 1981.
History:
Paul Simon's self-titled album was released in 1972, a year after the breakup of Simon and Garfunkel. It yielded two popular singles: "Mother and Child Reunion" (#4) and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard"(#22).
Petula Clark reached #1 in 1965 with "Downtown."
The Marcels reached #1 in 1961 with "Blue Moon.”
In 1959, "Bad Girl," by the Miracles, was the first single released on the Motown label. The name is a concentration of Motor Town, a reference to Detroit's status as the center of the auto industry.
Muddy Waters made his first recordings with Columbia Records in 1944. These recordings are not released.
The Beatles Story, yet another America-only collection of Fab Four releases, goes to # 7 in the American album charts in 1965. The Beatles are currently #1 in the singles charts with "I Feel Fine."
In efforts to defend himself from deportation, John Lennon and his lawyers were granted access to Department of Immigration files in 1975. The pop star wanted to find out if he's been barred from the U.S. because of drug use, or his remarks about President Richard Nixon.
In 1968, the entire shipment of John and Yoko's album 'Two Virgins' was seized by authorities in New Jersey due to the full frontal nude photograph of the couple on the cover. The album was eventually wrapped in plain brown paper in record stores.
Elvis Presley went to #1 on the US album chart in 1965 with the soundtrack from 'Roustabout,' Presley's eighth #1.
The trial of ex-Sex Pistol, Sid Vicious for the October 1978 murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen, opened in New York City in 1979. Vicious died of a heroin overdose, thereby not living to hear the verdict.
The George Harrison album 'All Things Must Pass' started a seven week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1971, making Harrison the first solo Beatle to score a US #1 album.
In 1964, the Rolling Stones performed “I Wanna Be Your Man” (written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney) on the first edition of the landmark British TV music show Top Of The Pops.
After refusing to sign an oath that says they have never been members of the Communist party, the American Folk group, the Weavers were removed from the line-up of NBC-TV's Jack Parr Show in 1962.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
'Big Bopper's' son auctioning Dad's casket
Rock 'n' roll's most macabre historical artifact will go on the block when the family of the late 1950s pop star J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson auctions his casket on eBay sometime in the next few weeks - almost 50 years after "the day the music died."
The Big Bopper's 16-gauge steel casket was exhumed last year from his original grave at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Beaumont, Texas, so it could be moved to a more visible location with a life-size statue and historic marker. The disinterment also offered forensic experts a chance - with his family's blessing - to examine the pop singer's unautopsied remains after his death in rock 'n' roll's first great tragedy.
On Feb. 3, 1959, Richardson died at age 28 in the crash of a small plane in a field near Clear Lake, Iowa, that also killed 1950s rock stars Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens and sent a shock wave around the world. The accident was immortalized as "the day the music died" in "American Pie," an early-1970s hit song by Don McLean.
Richardson was buried a few days later in his Beaumont hometown with great fanfare, including tributes from Elvis Presley and others.
Jay Richardson, the Bopper's son, plans to sell the empty casket on eBay to raise money for a musical show about his father and to keep the Bopper's memory alive. Born three months after the crash, Jay, who lives in Katy, Texas, never met his father in life - but saw him for the first time at his exhumation.
"Wouldn't it be wonderful to bring Dad back to life?" Jay, 49, said recently from Canada, where he was touring with a tribute act to his father, Holly and Valens.
"I have no personal use for the casket," he said. "When you get down to it, it is just a metal box. ... Even though it was Dad's resting place for 48 years, it's also a unique opportunity to learn more about the early years of rock 'n' roll."
The exhumed casket is in surprisingly good condition after 48 years in the muddy gumbo of Southeast Texas. It bears minor rust spots and a white lime stain showing where several inches of water once leaked into the surrounding vault, but there was no evidence water had ever seeped into the casket itself.
Inside, forensic examiners found the Big Bopper's well-preserved corpse, dressed in a black suit and a blue-and-gray striped tie. He wore socks, but no shoes. Most remarkably, his thick brown hair was still perfectly coiffed in his familiar, 1950s flat-top.
After the 2007 autopsy found he died of crash-related injuries, the Big Bopper was reburied in a sleek new casket donated by the Batesville Casket Co., which made the original. Since late last year, the old casket has been on public display at the Texas Musicians Museum in Hillsboro, Texas.
The Big Bopper died right as he was hitting the big time. The happy-go-lucky Texas DJ in a leopard-skin jacket would sell a million records but never see a dime from his greatest hit, "Chantilly Lace." He also wrote the George Jones hit, "White Lightning." Tom Kreason, the Texas Musicians Museum's founder, admits the casket is macabre but says it is a "priceless" artifact of a historic moment in music. He approached some auction houses about selling the casket, but "they all seemed confused," so he decided to reach for a wider audience on eBay. The Texas Musicians Museum will receive an undisclosed share of the sale, he said.
How much could a used celebrity casket bring on the open market? A handful of memorabilia dealers shied away from guessing, largely because a used celebrity casket has never been offered for sale.
"Certainly there'll be some distaste, but I think this is a piece of history that is very special," Kreason said. "Even if it doesn't sell, we've made a point about the historical value of J.P. Richardson. No matter what happens, he wins, historically."
SOURCE: http://www.sfgate.com
The Big Bopper's 16-gauge steel casket was exhumed last year from his original grave at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Beaumont, Texas, so it could be moved to a more visible location with a life-size statue and historic marker. The disinterment also offered forensic experts a chance - with his family's blessing - to examine the pop singer's unautopsied remains after his death in rock 'n' roll's first great tragedy.
On Feb. 3, 1959, Richardson died at age 28 in the crash of a small plane in a field near Clear Lake, Iowa, that also killed 1950s rock stars Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens and sent a shock wave around the world. The accident was immortalized as "the day the music died" in "American Pie," an early-1970s hit song by Don McLean.
Richardson was buried a few days later in his Beaumont hometown with great fanfare, including tributes from Elvis Presley and others.
Jay Richardson, the Bopper's son, plans to sell the empty casket on eBay to raise money for a musical show about his father and to keep the Bopper's memory alive. Born three months after the crash, Jay, who lives in Katy, Texas, never met his father in life - but saw him for the first time at his exhumation.
"Wouldn't it be wonderful to bring Dad back to life?" Jay, 49, said recently from Canada, where he was touring with a tribute act to his father, Holly and Valens.
"I have no personal use for the casket," he said. "When you get down to it, it is just a metal box. ... Even though it was Dad's resting place for 48 years, it's also a unique opportunity to learn more about the early years of rock 'n' roll."
The exhumed casket is in surprisingly good condition after 48 years in the muddy gumbo of Southeast Texas. It bears minor rust spots and a white lime stain showing where several inches of water once leaked into the surrounding vault, but there was no evidence water had ever seeped into the casket itself.
Inside, forensic examiners found the Big Bopper's well-preserved corpse, dressed in a black suit and a blue-and-gray striped tie. He wore socks, but no shoes. Most remarkably, his thick brown hair was still perfectly coiffed in his familiar, 1950s flat-top.
After the 2007 autopsy found he died of crash-related injuries, the Big Bopper was reburied in a sleek new casket donated by the Batesville Casket Co., which made the original. Since late last year, the old casket has been on public display at the Texas Musicians Museum in Hillsboro, Texas.
The Big Bopper died right as he was hitting the big time. The happy-go-lucky Texas DJ in a leopard-skin jacket would sell a million records but never see a dime from his greatest hit, "Chantilly Lace." He also wrote the George Jones hit, "White Lightning." Tom Kreason, the Texas Musicians Museum's founder, admits the casket is macabre but says it is a "priceless" artifact of a historic moment in music. He approached some auction houses about selling the casket, but "they all seemed confused," so he decided to reach for a wider audience on eBay. The Texas Musicians Museum will receive an undisclosed share of the sale, he said.
How much could a used celebrity casket bring on the open market? A handful of memorabilia dealers shied away from guessing, largely because a used celebrity casket has never been offered for sale.
"Certainly there'll be some distaste, but I think this is a piece of history that is very special," Kreason said. "Even if it doesn't sell, we've made a point about the historical value of J.P. Richardson. No matter what happens, he wins, historically."
SOURCE: http://www.sfgate.com
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Beatles Winner For Favorite Album Cover Art
The results of a poll on this blog reveal that the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper" album cover art was voted as the best (with 60 votes in). Second place also belonged to the legendary group for the album cover art for the LP "Revolver." Rounding out the top three were the Rolling Stones with "Sticky Fingers." Here are the results:
Nirvana-Nevermind 1 (1%)
Beatles- Revolver 10 (16%)
Beatles- Sgt. Pepper 18 (30%)
Yes- Yessongs 6 (10%)
Uriah Heep- Magicians Birthday 5 (8%)
Janis Joplin- Cheap Thrills 3 (5%)
Led Zeppelin- House of the Holy 7 (11%)
Clash- London Calling 5 (8%)
Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon 7 (11%)
Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers 9 (15%)
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