I am starting a new feature: Ask "Mr. Music." Now in its 23rd year of syndication (1986-2008), Jerry Osborne's weekly Q&A feature will now be a weekly feature here. Be sure to stop by Jerry's site (www.jerryosborne.com) for more Mr. Music archives, record price guides, anything Elvis, buy & sell collectibles, record appraisals and much more. I thank Jerry for allowing the reprints.
FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 26, 2009
DEAR JERRY: I have picked up quite a few things from you about the music industry during the vinyl era.
Still, there is one phase of the recording business that intrigues me: the wisdom of B-sides.
Many artists seemed to routinely release two prime sides, essentially giving consumers two hits for the price of one.
Immediately coming to mind in this regard are: Elvis; Beatles; Rick Nelson; Beach Boys; Connie Francis; Brenda Lee, and Everly Brothers.
Conversely, some folks, most notably Phil Spector, put dreadful instrumentals with senseless titles on the B-side so all of the attention by radio stations and juke box players would go to the A-side.
How drastically different is the payoff between a double-sided hit and a single-sided one, assuming equal unit sales?
—Andrew Davidson, Oakland City, Ind.
DEAR ANDREW: First let's review the two primary types of rights involved: mechanical and performance.
Mechanical rights allow for recording and distribution (without visual images) of music on a record, compact disc, or tape. Mechanical rights or a mechanical license must be obtained in order to lawfully make and distribute records, CDs and tapes.
Without even asking first, one can choose to record their own rendition of previously published and copyrighted works, as long as licensing is eventually arranged. This easy-to-get license provides for compensation to the copyright holder(s).
Performance rights, also known as public performance rights, provide for a performance in a place open to the public or at any place where a substantial number of persons outside of a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances are gathered.
Now, who better to enlighten us on B-side wisdom than my friend Connie Francis, one of the stars you mention.
Here is what this delightfully congenial superstar, whose 62 nationally charted titles include 15 double-sided hits, says:
“In the days of two-sided singles, it could be a bit of a guessing game.
“When they were sure one side was going to be a big hit, most everyone would put a song on the B-side which they published. This is because of the mechanical rights.
“You see, it can't be proven either way whether a music store customer bought the record for the A-side, the B-side, or both. Some people actually bought hit singles more for the tune on the B-side.
“To allow for this, the B-side publishers and songwriters got as much money as those responsible for the A-side, except when it comes to performance rights, which belong to the individual publisher, writer, artist, and whatever. Nearly everyone did it this way.
“My father would argue with me about this practice. He would say: “You're not a publisher. You've got to give the juke box operators two good songs, and forget publishing. You are a singer!”
“A couple of times when I didn't listen to him, I was wrong.
“I always tried to give the people two good songs, but at times we ended up with a B-side that wouldn't have been my preference. It was used simply because we published it.
“One example is “Plenty Good Lovin,'” the B-side of “You're Gonna Miss Me.” Though I co-wrote it with Howard Greenfield, I thought it was a lousy song. But we put it on the record because we published it.”
IZ ZAT SO? As for the other artists mentioned in today's question, here are the number of double-sided U.S. hits (Billboard and Cash Box) for each: Elvis (53); Beatles (27); Rick Nelson (22); Brenda Lee (16); Everly Brothers (13); and Beach Boys (6).
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Carlisle man's passion for the Beatles
Is it a shrine, a museum or an obsessive’s playroom? David Young isn’t afraid to square up to how his collection might seem to someone at first glance.
Asked if he’s got an illness he shrugs: “Aye, probably.
“It’s not an interest, no, no, it’s a passion,” he says thoughtfully and deliberately.
This passion is housed in a fair-sized room off the kitchen of the neatly-kept home in north Carlisle.
It just happens to be stuffed with books, pictures, files, Toby mugs, glasses, trade cards, clocks, jigsaws, a dress, shopping bags, dolls, puppets, toys, guitars, posters, videos, cassettes... oh and records.
All of it featuring John, Paul, George and Ringo.
In amongst it all, there’s a filing cabinet, a glass display cabinet, a sinister-looking portmanteau chest, shelves, a desk with drawers and a music centre.
David also has copies of John Lennon’s Rickenbacker guitar and Paul McCartney’s Hofner bass.
All together, it is probably worth thousands of pounds, though that isn’t why he has spent all his life amassing it all.
David, 50, works for a glass company, he’s not rich, just comfortable, but he has been collecting since he was five.
Though he was too young to appreciate the full effect the Fab Four were having on music, fashion, society and teenagers across the land, he can remember his parents playing The Beatles’ 45s at home and the first piece of his collection.
“We were on a family holiday in Blackpool and my dad won a promotional photograph of the four Beatles in a darts competition.
“I liked the group because of the music my mum and dad were playing so I asked if I could have the picture.
“I collected the vinyl through the years and I thought this other stuff, the collectable stuff, is good so I collected that as well.
“When I got married 25 years ago, we got our first house in Denton Holme and there was a spare bedroom and I put my collection in there and it became a bit more serious.”
David’s favourite Beatles track is I’ll Get You, the B-side of She Loves You from 1963. “It is a track you never hear of, but it’s really brilliant with really good harmonies.”
Their best album, he reckons, is Revolver. He estimates he has more than 1,000 Beatles or Beatles-related records.
David only collects discs that have been pressed in the UK. Too many different versions were pressed in the US for him to hope to keep up.
Despite restricting himself, he still has to collect every version of the same record that has been produced.
So he will buy the stereo and mono version of a record, one that has a different sleeve, or if the label is different – even if it is marked: ‘Factory sample, not for resale’.
“It is like having the same photo, but taken from a different angle,” he explains.
He hands me two 45s of Strawberry Fields Forever and challenges me to notice the difference. After seven minutes of scanning, squinting and holding up to the light, I make a wild guess that the difference is the centre of the record.
“Yes!” says David, “some have a solid centre, some have a push-out centre!”
He has visited Liverpool to go on the Beatles tour, visit the museum, the Cavern, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields... though he has never met one of his heroes.
“I’ve been to see Paul McCartney in concert twice, in Birmingham and Glasgow, but I was too young to actually see them in concert.”
Although he loves the thrill of finding something out of the blue in a shop or at a collectors fair or car boot sale, David also dips into eBay to buy.
Although the one-stop-shop can make things easier, it spoils the fun of finding something unexpected, out of the blue – the sheer serendipity.
“Part of the joy of collecting is going out and finding something by chance. It does not have to be something that is worth megabucks, I get a thrill just finding something that I like.
“I can go six months without buying anything, it is just a question of being in the right place at the right time.
“The stuff is there, it is just affording it.
“EBay makes it easier, but it is easier for more people, so the prices go higher.”
All new vinyl (he loves vinyl) has to be played, graded for condition and filed.
Discs include the labels Parlophone, EMI and Apple as well as Ringo’s own record company Ring O and George Harrison’s Dark Horse.
He’s been collecting seriously for 30 years or so. As the years go by, the items become more valuable and David admits he couldn’t possibly afford such a collection if he was to start from scratch now.
Asked for his most valuable item and David points to the wall at the framed 1965 gold disc awarded for a million sales of the classic single We Can Work It Out/Day Tripper.
It was recently valued at £3,000.
Valuable, but not his most valued item – that honour goes to a frame which contains autographs, bill posters and ticket stubs from the two occasions time the Fab Four have appeared in Carlisle.
He appreciates the local connection – so much that the frame even includes a letter of thanks from the Chief Constable at the time to PC 111 who helped control the crowds during the second visit of The Beatles in 1964.
The collection veers off into the bizarre, with a lightbulb that includes a guitar and John Lennon’s name as its filament, a ‘genuine Beatle wig’ (who’s hair is it then – John Paul, George or Ringo’s?) and a Beatles blanket.
There’s a display box of foil-wrapped, unopened trading cards with bubble gum, the sort you might see on the counter of a newsagents.
David couldn’t be sure of getting all the cards in the collection by buying a handful, dozen, or a score of the packs, so he bought the lot... “I’m a completist, I don’t just need a pack, I have to get them all.
“I hardly ever play their music,” he admits.
“But when I want a fix, I will play the first album, then play them all, all the way through.”
His collection includes a big flat videodisc from 1982 – remember them?
It is an illness. It’s called Beatlemania.
David’s quest for something new and different hasn’t diminished over the years.
As I leave, he points out that there’s a collectors fair being staged in a village hall the following day.
“I’ll wander over and have a look around...”
SOURCE: http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
Rock & Roll Tidbits
Wango tango! When a female reporter inquired why ted Nugent didn’t wear tuxedos on his album covers, his reply was, “Why did you decide not to douche yourself with molten lava?”
When Vernon Presley re-married on July 3rd, 1960, Elvis did not attend the ceremony.
Elton John wrote his US number one hit, "Philadelphia Freedom" after watching Billie Jean King play a tennis match with her World Tennis League team, the Philadelphia Freedoms.
It was in 1972 when John Denver dropped some acid and drove around on a motorcycle. Then he penned the hit song, “Rocky Mountain High.” Denver explained: “What a far out experience that was.”
Denver also thought that saying “far out” was really, well for the lack of a better term, far out. “The first time I appeared as guest host of the Tonight Show, I must have said ‘far out’ fifty times. I would say ‘far out’ without even thinking, it was like a nervous tic…” Far out.
After John Denver saw a Rolling Stones concert in Long Beach, California, the soft rock troubadour confessed, “I didn’t get Mick Jagger or his onstage gyrations. It just didn’t compute to me.” Maybe he needed more of that ‘Rocky Mountain’ high to appreciate it.
In 1951, when Brenda Lee was only 6 years old, she auditioned for a local Atlanta television show called TV Ranch. An hour and a half after singing "Hey, Good Lookin'" for the producer, she appeared on the program.
Apparently Madonna’s pet Chihuahua “Chiquita” was suffering a bout of doggy depression over the attention that was given to Madonna’s new baby, Lourdes. So the ‘material girl’ sent the sad pooch to a canine shrink. I guess the $7,500 choker from Tiffany’s just wasn’t enough to cheer up the little yapper.
Before Michael Jackson made love to his wife Debbie Rowe, the gloved one would dress up as Peter Pan and dance around the room. Another time he wore a horse’s head and galloped around on a broom stick. “It made him feel romantic,” explained Debbie. Uh, okay…and why doesn’t that surprise anyone?
The Queen song, “Radio Gaga” was actually inspired by band member Roger Taylor’s son who had heard a song on the radio and called it “Radio Ka-Ka.”
When the record producer for the Spice Girls hired a voice and singing coach to train the girls, his first impression: “My God, there’s a lot of work to be done here!”
In the early fifties, Neil Sedaka teamed up with some high school friends to form a vocal group. They had a local hit in New York, but then parted ways. The group later went on to record as The Tokens and in 1962, scored a Billboard number one smash with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain got very close early on in their relationship. “We bonded over pharmaceuticals,” detailed Love. “I had Vicodin extra-strength…and he had hycomine cough syrup.”
In a Vanity Fair interview in 1992, Love said “If there ever is a time that a person should be on drugs, it’s when they’re pregnant, because it sucks.”
At a Pink Floyd concert in 1980 for the concept album “The Wall,” fireworks ignited the stage curtains. Pieces of burning fabric rained down on the audience, who cheered mightily; they thought it was part of the show.
In 1961 Ricky Nelson's father, Ozzie Nelson, filmed a video for the hit "Travelin Man,” featuring pictures of places mentioned in the song. This film is often called the world's first rock video. This is disputed however by Jay Perry Richardson, the son of J.P. Richardson, better known as The Big Bopper, claiming that his father made a video in 1958 for "Chantilly Lace" and actually coined the term 'music video' in 1959.
When Vernon Presley re-married on July 3rd, 1960, Elvis did not attend the ceremony.
Elton John wrote his US number one hit, "Philadelphia Freedom" after watching Billie Jean King play a tennis match with her World Tennis League team, the Philadelphia Freedoms.
It was in 1972 when John Denver dropped some acid and drove around on a motorcycle. Then he penned the hit song, “Rocky Mountain High.” Denver explained: “What a far out experience that was.”
Denver also thought that saying “far out” was really, well for the lack of a better term, far out. “The first time I appeared as guest host of the Tonight Show, I must have said ‘far out’ fifty times. I would say ‘far out’ without even thinking, it was like a nervous tic…” Far out.
After John Denver saw a Rolling Stones concert in Long Beach, California, the soft rock troubadour confessed, “I didn’t get Mick Jagger or his onstage gyrations. It just didn’t compute to me.” Maybe he needed more of that ‘Rocky Mountain’ high to appreciate it.
In 1951, when Brenda Lee was only 6 years old, she auditioned for a local Atlanta television show called TV Ranch. An hour and a half after singing "Hey, Good Lookin'" for the producer, she appeared on the program.
Apparently Madonna’s pet Chihuahua “Chiquita” was suffering a bout of doggy depression over the attention that was given to Madonna’s new baby, Lourdes. So the ‘material girl’ sent the sad pooch to a canine shrink. I guess the $7,500 choker from Tiffany’s just wasn’t enough to cheer up the little yapper.
Before Michael Jackson made love to his wife Debbie Rowe, the gloved one would dress up as Peter Pan and dance around the room. Another time he wore a horse’s head and galloped around on a broom stick. “It made him feel romantic,” explained Debbie. Uh, okay…and why doesn’t that surprise anyone?
The Queen song, “Radio Gaga” was actually inspired by band member Roger Taylor’s son who had heard a song on the radio and called it “Radio Ka-Ka.”
When the record producer for the Spice Girls hired a voice and singing coach to train the girls, his first impression: “My God, there’s a lot of work to be done here!”
In the early fifties, Neil Sedaka teamed up with some high school friends to form a vocal group. They had a local hit in New York, but then parted ways. The group later went on to record as The Tokens and in 1962, scored a Billboard number one smash with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain got very close early on in their relationship. “We bonded over pharmaceuticals,” detailed Love. “I had Vicodin extra-strength…and he had hycomine cough syrup.”
In a Vanity Fair interview in 1992, Love said “If there ever is a time that a person should be on drugs, it’s when they’re pregnant, because it sucks.”
At a Pink Floyd concert in 1980 for the concept album “The Wall,” fireworks ignited the stage curtains. Pieces of burning fabric rained down on the audience, who cheered mightily; they thought it was part of the show.
In 1961 Ricky Nelson's father, Ozzie Nelson, filmed a video for the hit "Travelin Man,” featuring pictures of places mentioned in the song. This film is often called the world's first rock video. This is disputed however by Jay Perry Richardson, the son of J.P. Richardson, better known as The Big Bopper, claiming that his father made a video in 1958 for "Chantilly Lace" and actually coined the term 'music video' in 1959.
Album Cover Art
I found this cover kind of cool, seems a bit odd.
Andrew Bird
Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist and lyricist Andrew Bird picked up his first violin at the age of 4. Actually, it was a Cracker Jack box with a ruler taped to it, and the first of his many Suzuki music lessons involved simply bowing to the teacher and going home. He spent his formative years soaking up classical repertoire completely by ear so when it came time for a restless teen-ager to make the jump to Hungarian Gypsy music, early jazz, country blues, south Indian etc., it wasn't such a giant leap. It's fitting that now, though classically trained, he has instead opted to play his violin in a most unconventional manner, accompanying himself on glockenspiel and guitar, adding singing and whistling to the equation, and becoming a pop songwriter in the process.
Over 100,000 sales of 2007’s Armchair Apocrypha, hundreds of shows including a Chicago homecoming for over 15,000 fans at Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion, and dozens of critical accolades and year-end best lists later…
Andrew Bird’s Noble Beast was released January 20, 2009 on Fat Possum Records.
Andrew Bird
Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist and lyricist Andrew Bird picked up his first violin at the age of 4. Actually, it was a Cracker Jack box with a ruler taped to it, and the first of his many Suzuki music lessons involved simply bowing to the teacher and going home. He spent his formative years soaking up classical repertoire completely by ear so when it came time for a restless teen-ager to make the jump to Hungarian Gypsy music, early jazz, country blues, south Indian etc., it wasn't such a giant leap. It's fitting that now, though classically trained, he has instead opted to play his violin in a most unconventional manner, accompanying himself on glockenspiel and guitar, adding singing and whistling to the equation, and becoming a pop songwriter in the process.
Over 100,000 sales of 2007’s Armchair Apocrypha, hundreds of shows including a Chicago homecoming for over 15,000 fans at Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion, and dozens of critical accolades and year-end best lists later…
Andrew Bird’s Noble Beast was released January 20, 2009 on Fat Possum Records.
Music News & Notes
Eddie Van Halen Hopeful For New Music, Tour
It's been about nine months since Van Halen wrapped up its first tour since 1984 with original lead singer David Lee Roth. Legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen is hopeful there will be future activity for the rock and rollers.
Van Halen related to Spinner.com that after he and girlfriend Janie Liszewski get married in June and his son Wolfgang graduates from high school, he plans to discuss recording new music, which he says he has "tons of."
"If Dave's up for singing ... then do another tour, and just see where it takes us," Van Halen stated. "Actually, next week or the week after Wolfie, Alex and I are gonna start jamming. Maybe we'll give Dave a call and see what he's up to. He's off, always doing his own thing, and he checks in every now and then to see how we're doing."
Van Halen has not released a new studio album since 1997's "Balance," and hasn't recorded with the original lead singer since tracking two new songs with him for a 1996 "Greatest Hits" album.
==============================
Cyrus, Swift Teaming Up At Grammys
It's reported that teen superstars Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift will be performing together at the 51st Grammy Awards this Sunday (Feb. 8) in Los Angeles.
Also added to the lineup are Estelle and Kanye West, Adele, Chris Brown, Sugarland and a Four Tops tribute featuring surviving member Duke Fakir with Jamie Foxx and Ne-Yo. In addition, Sheryl Crow, Craig Ferguson, Al Green, Jay Mohr, Queen Latifah and T-Pain will present awards.
The Grammys will also boast performances from U2, Kid Rock, Rihanna, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Jennifer Hudson, Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne, Paul McCartney (with Dave Grohl on drums), Katy Perry, Radiohead, T.I. and Justin Timberlake, Carrie Underwood, and the quartet of Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, T.I. and Kanye West.
==============================
Pop Diva Streisand Recording New Music
Barbra Streisand is recording a new album with Diana Krall producing. She commented to the Associated Press, "I'm trying to convince her to sing with me, but she's resisting it. She plays the piano for me on several songs, but it's not over yet. I'm still working on her to try to do a duet with me. ... We have to find the right song."
==============================
Initial Lineup Set for Bonnaroo Festival
The 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has announced the initial list of performers for the annual show in Manchester, Tennessee, set for June 11 to 14. Tickets go on sale this Saturday morning at 12 PM EST.
The two big artists that have been recently announced are Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band and the reunited Phish who will play two shows. Beyond that, it's everything from jam bands to R&B to straight out rock and roll.
Below are the major acts and veteran artists playing the festival (no dates have been announced by act). For a full list, go to the Bonnaroo site. http://www.bonnaroo.com/artists.aspx
Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band
Phish (2 shows)
Beastie Boys
Nine Inch Nails
David Byrne
Wilco
Al Green
Snoop Dog
Elvis Costello (solo)
Erykah Badu
Gov't Mule
Merle Haggard
Bela Fleck & Toumani Diabate
Del McCoury Band
Alan Toussaint
Booker T and the DBTs
David Grisman Quintet
Lucinda Williams
Robert Earl Keen
Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3
==============================
Hold Steady Preps Documentary, Live Album
The Hold Steady is set to release their first live album and documentary DVD, "A Positive Rage," on April 7 via Vagrant.
The double-disc set will chronicle a 2007 Halloween show at Chicago's Metro and also includes a pair of previously unreleased tracks ("Spectres" and "40 Bucks") as well as three additional tracks culled from the limited edition version of the band's last release, 2008's "Stay Positive."
The documentary centers around the international tour in support of 2006's "Boys and Girls in America" and features band interviews and a wealth of behind-the-scenes footage.
==============================
Beastie Boys release remastered 'Paul's Boutique' album
Beastie Boys have made a remastered version of their 1989 album 'Paul's Boutique' available to buy as a download from their website.
You can get the new version now at Beastieboys.com.
As well as the music, fans who buy the album will receive 3D artwork as part of the download.
The remastered album, now 20 years old, will be released on CD and vinyl on February 10. Combination packs including a T-shirt and album artwork poster will also be available. See Beastieboys.com for more.
==============================
Viva La Beatles!
The man that banned Beatles music from the airwaves in Cuba has died. Jorge "Papito" Serguera removed all music by the Fab Four from radio and TV in the 1970's, although it is believed his action had been ordered by the government who viewed most modern music as a threat to the revolution. The Beatles can now be heard in Cuba again and a statue of John Lennon can be seen in Havana.
==============================
Lamb Of God Giveaway
In support of their new release "Wrath," due Feb. 24 from Epic, heavy metal rockers Lamb Of God are saluting hardcore fans with a huge promotional giveaway.
The first 100,000 copies of the album will come with a lottery ticket which fans can use to try and win one of 100 unique prizes.
Fans will compete by entering their lotto number on the band's Web site and correctly answering questions about Lamb Of God. The prizes include the band's personal instruments, a ticket voucher to see the band at any show, a chance to sing with the band onstage, and two tickets to see it perform this summer at a European music festival. Winners will get to pick which prize they want on a first-come-first-served basis.
"The band wanted to give back to its fans with something more interactive," says Epic VP of marketing Scott Greer, who thinks that a chance to have singer Randy Blythe cook barbecue at a fan's house for an afternoon will be the first prize to go. "These prizes are meaningful. We wanted to have an old-school 'event' mentality with this release, and I think what the band has done speaks for itself."
It's been about nine months since Van Halen wrapped up its first tour since 1984 with original lead singer David Lee Roth. Legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen is hopeful there will be future activity for the rock and rollers.
Van Halen related to Spinner.com that after he and girlfriend Janie Liszewski get married in June and his son Wolfgang graduates from high school, he plans to discuss recording new music, which he says he has "tons of."
"If Dave's up for singing ... then do another tour, and just see where it takes us," Van Halen stated. "Actually, next week or the week after Wolfie, Alex and I are gonna start jamming. Maybe we'll give Dave a call and see what he's up to. He's off, always doing his own thing, and he checks in every now and then to see how we're doing."
Van Halen has not released a new studio album since 1997's "Balance," and hasn't recorded with the original lead singer since tracking two new songs with him for a 1996 "Greatest Hits" album.
==============================
Cyrus, Swift Teaming Up At Grammys
It's reported that teen superstars Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift will be performing together at the 51st Grammy Awards this Sunday (Feb. 8) in Los Angeles.
Also added to the lineup are Estelle and Kanye West, Adele, Chris Brown, Sugarland and a Four Tops tribute featuring surviving member Duke Fakir with Jamie Foxx and Ne-Yo. In addition, Sheryl Crow, Craig Ferguson, Al Green, Jay Mohr, Queen Latifah and T-Pain will present awards.
The Grammys will also boast performances from U2, Kid Rock, Rihanna, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Jennifer Hudson, Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne, Paul McCartney (with Dave Grohl on drums), Katy Perry, Radiohead, T.I. and Justin Timberlake, Carrie Underwood, and the quartet of Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, T.I. and Kanye West.
==============================
Pop Diva Streisand Recording New Music
Barbra Streisand is recording a new album with Diana Krall producing. She commented to the Associated Press, "I'm trying to convince her to sing with me, but she's resisting it. She plays the piano for me on several songs, but it's not over yet. I'm still working on her to try to do a duet with me. ... We have to find the right song."
==============================
Initial Lineup Set for Bonnaroo Festival
The 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has announced the initial list of performers for the annual show in Manchester, Tennessee, set for June 11 to 14. Tickets go on sale this Saturday morning at 12 PM EST.
The two big artists that have been recently announced are Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band and the reunited Phish who will play two shows. Beyond that, it's everything from jam bands to R&B to straight out rock and roll.
Below are the major acts and veteran artists playing the festival (no dates have been announced by act). For a full list, go to the Bonnaroo site. http://www.bonnaroo.com/artists.aspx
Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band
Phish (2 shows)
Beastie Boys
Nine Inch Nails
David Byrne
Wilco
Al Green
Snoop Dog
Elvis Costello (solo)
Erykah Badu
Gov't Mule
Merle Haggard
Bela Fleck & Toumani Diabate
Del McCoury Band
Alan Toussaint
Booker T and the DBTs
David Grisman Quintet
Lucinda Williams
Robert Earl Keen
Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3
==============================
Hold Steady Preps Documentary, Live Album
The Hold Steady is set to release their first live album and documentary DVD, "A Positive Rage," on April 7 via Vagrant.
The double-disc set will chronicle a 2007 Halloween show at Chicago's Metro and also includes a pair of previously unreleased tracks ("Spectres" and "40 Bucks") as well as three additional tracks culled from the limited edition version of the band's last release, 2008's "Stay Positive."
The documentary centers around the international tour in support of 2006's "Boys and Girls in America" and features band interviews and a wealth of behind-the-scenes footage.
==============================
Beastie Boys release remastered 'Paul's Boutique' album
Beastie Boys have made a remastered version of their 1989 album 'Paul's Boutique' available to buy as a download from their website.
You can get the new version now at Beastieboys.com.
As well as the music, fans who buy the album will receive 3D artwork as part of the download.
The remastered album, now 20 years old, will be released on CD and vinyl on February 10. Combination packs including a T-shirt and album artwork poster will also be available. See Beastieboys.com for more.
==============================
Viva La Beatles!
The man that banned Beatles music from the airwaves in Cuba has died. Jorge "Papito" Serguera removed all music by the Fab Four from radio and TV in the 1970's, although it is believed his action had been ordered by the government who viewed most modern music as a threat to the revolution. The Beatles can now be heard in Cuba again and a statue of John Lennon can be seen in Havana.
==============================
Lamb Of God Giveaway
In support of their new release "Wrath," due Feb. 24 from Epic, heavy metal rockers Lamb Of God are saluting hardcore fans with a huge promotional giveaway.
The first 100,000 copies of the album will come with a lottery ticket which fans can use to try and win one of 100 unique prizes.
Fans will compete by entering their lotto number on the band's Web site and correctly answering questions about Lamb Of God. The prizes include the band's personal instruments, a ticket voucher to see the band at any show, a chance to sing with the band onstage, and two tickets to see it perform this summer at a European music festival. Winners will get to pick which prize they want on a first-come-first-served basis.
"The band wanted to give back to its fans with something more interactive," says Epic VP of marketing Scott Greer, who thinks that a chance to have singer Randy Blythe cook barbecue at a fan's house for an afternoon will be the first prize to go. "These prizes are meaningful. We wanted to have an old-school 'event' mentality with this release, and I think what the band has done speaks for itself."
This Date In Music History-February 4
Birthdays:
James Dunn-Stylistics (1950)
Natalie Imbruglia (1975)
Clint Black (1962)
Tim Booth- James (1960)
Phil Ehart- Kansas (1951)
Alice Cooper, (Vincent Furnier) (1948)
Born today in 1947, Margie and Mary Ann Ganser, vocalists for The Shangri-Las (Margie died of breast cancer on July 28, 1996).
Florence Larue- The 5th Dimension (1944)
They Are Missed:
In 1983, Karen Carpenter died of heart irregularities caused by anorexia nervosa.
The great jump-jive bandleader Louis Jordan died in Los Angeles in 1975 (age 62). His hilarious, fast-paced numbers were a precursor to R&B and rock 'n' roll.
Scottish singer Alex Harvey died of a heart attack in 1982.
Doris Kenner-Jackson of the Shirelles, died in 2000 (age 58).
Liberace died in 1987.
History:
Chuck Berry led an all-star band on "American Bandstand's 25th Anniversary Special" on ABC-TV in 1977.
In 1959, Frankie Avalon and Jimmy Clanton took over headlining the Winter Dance Party after the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the “Big Bopper.”
In 1989, a rock and roll oddity occurred when a group that no longer existed had the top tune on the Billboard chart. "When I'm With You" had been recorded in 1983 by a group called Sheriff, but they split up in 1985. The music director at a Las Vegas radio station began playing the song in late 1988 and the record soon surpassed its original #61 chart position.
Norah Jones scored her third UK #1 album in 2007 with “Not Too Late,” (also a #1 in US and over 20 other countries).
Working at Abbey Road studios in 1968, the Beatles recorded “Across the Universe.” John and Paul decided the song needed some falsetto harmonies, so they invited two girl fans into the studio to sing on the song. The two were Lizzie Bravo, a 16-year-old Brazilian living near Abbey Road and 17-year-old Londoner Gayleen Pease. It’s the only time the Beatles used their fans on record.
In 1972, in a memo to Attorney General John Mitchell, South Carolina, Sen. Strom Thurmond suggested that John Lennon be deported.
In 1965, the Righteous Brothers were at #1 on the US singles chart with “You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling.”
James Brown and The Famous Flames recorded "Please, Please, Please" at King Studios in Cincinnati in 1956. The single became a Billboard #5 R&B hit, selling over a million copies, but nine subsequent releases would fail to live up to the success of their debut. It would take over two years for the group to return to the charts with the #1 R&B hit, "Try Me.”
One of the best selling albums of all time, Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors" was released in 1977. The LP spent 31 weeks at the top of the US album chart on the strength of the singles, "Go Your Own Way,” "Dreams,” "Don't Stop" and "You Make Loving Fun,” all of which hit the top 10.
With movie theater promos showing John Travolta's character, Tony Manero walking down the street to the beat of The Bee Gees "Stayin' Alive,” the tune shot to the top of the Billboard Pop chart in 1978.
James Dunn-Stylistics (1950)
Natalie Imbruglia (1975)
Clint Black (1962)
Tim Booth- James (1960)
Phil Ehart- Kansas (1951)
Alice Cooper, (Vincent Furnier) (1948)
Born today in 1947, Margie and Mary Ann Ganser, vocalists for The Shangri-Las (Margie died of breast cancer on July 28, 1996).
Florence Larue- The 5th Dimension (1944)
They Are Missed:
In 1983, Karen Carpenter died of heart irregularities caused by anorexia nervosa.
The great jump-jive bandleader Louis Jordan died in Los Angeles in 1975 (age 62). His hilarious, fast-paced numbers were a precursor to R&B and rock 'n' roll.
Scottish singer Alex Harvey died of a heart attack in 1982.
Doris Kenner-Jackson of the Shirelles, died in 2000 (age 58).
Liberace died in 1987.
History:
Chuck Berry led an all-star band on "American Bandstand's 25th Anniversary Special" on ABC-TV in 1977.
In 1959, Frankie Avalon and Jimmy Clanton took over headlining the Winter Dance Party after the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the “Big Bopper.”
In 1989, a rock and roll oddity occurred when a group that no longer existed had the top tune on the Billboard chart. "When I'm With You" had been recorded in 1983 by a group called Sheriff, but they split up in 1985. The music director at a Las Vegas radio station began playing the song in late 1988 and the record soon surpassed its original #61 chart position.
Norah Jones scored her third UK #1 album in 2007 with “Not Too Late,” (also a #1 in US and over 20 other countries).
Working at Abbey Road studios in 1968, the Beatles recorded “Across the Universe.” John and Paul decided the song needed some falsetto harmonies, so they invited two girl fans into the studio to sing on the song. The two were Lizzie Bravo, a 16-year-old Brazilian living near Abbey Road and 17-year-old Londoner Gayleen Pease. It’s the only time the Beatles used their fans on record.
In 1972, in a memo to Attorney General John Mitchell, South Carolina, Sen. Strom Thurmond suggested that John Lennon be deported.
In 1965, the Righteous Brothers were at #1 on the US singles chart with “You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling.”
James Brown and The Famous Flames recorded "Please, Please, Please" at King Studios in Cincinnati in 1956. The single became a Billboard #5 R&B hit, selling over a million copies, but nine subsequent releases would fail to live up to the success of their debut. It would take over two years for the group to return to the charts with the #1 R&B hit, "Try Me.”
One of the best selling albums of all time, Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors" was released in 1977. The LP spent 31 weeks at the top of the US album chart on the strength of the singles, "Go Your Own Way,” "Dreams,” "Don't Stop" and "You Make Loving Fun,” all of which hit the top 10.
With movie theater promos showing John Travolta's character, Tony Manero walking down the street to the beat of The Bee Gees "Stayin' Alive,” the tune shot to the top of the Billboard Pop chart in 1978.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Silent Beatles film fails to sell
A film of the Beatles in Scotland in 1964 is auctioned in Berkshire
A silent two-and-a-half minute film of the Beatles has failed to sell at auction in Berkshire.
The rare footage was shot in 1964 during the band’s tour of Scotland and was expected to fetch up to £12,000.
But the lot, which was up for sale at Cameo Auctioneers in Midgham, failed to reach its reserve of £4,800.
The 8mm colour film features clips of the band and their entourage at the Four Seasons Hotel in St Fillans on the banks of Loch Earn.
The Beatles stayed there for two nights in October to play a show in Dundee after travelling from Edinburgh.
‘Shocked and stunned’
They had just topped the charts with A Hard Day’s Night, and I Feel Fine was to follow a few weeks later.
Cameo Auctioneers said the film was thought to be the only surviving footage of the band’s stay at the venue.
Auctioneer Jon King said: “We are all shocked and stunned. We have no idea why the film did not sell.
“We have always sold things like this in the past and they have sold really well.
“For some reason today we did not get the interest we expected, despite the fact that this is a really unique and unusual piece.”
The footage had the highest guide price of any of the lots to go under at the sale.
It was to be sold with copyright as part of an auction which also saw vinyl records, autographs and original artwork up for sale.
Source: BBC
A silent two-and-a-half minute film of the Beatles has failed to sell at auction in Berkshire.
The rare footage was shot in 1964 during the band’s tour of Scotland and was expected to fetch up to £12,000.
But the lot, which was up for sale at Cameo Auctioneers in Midgham, failed to reach its reserve of £4,800.
The 8mm colour film features clips of the band and their entourage at the Four Seasons Hotel in St Fillans on the banks of Loch Earn.
The Beatles stayed there for two nights in October to play a show in Dundee after travelling from Edinburgh.
‘Shocked and stunned’
They had just topped the charts with A Hard Day’s Night, and I Feel Fine was to follow a few weeks later.
Cameo Auctioneers said the film was thought to be the only surviving footage of the band’s stay at the venue.
Auctioneer Jon King said: “We are all shocked and stunned. We have no idea why the film did not sell.
“We have always sold things like this in the past and they have sold really well.
“For some reason today we did not get the interest we expected, despite the fact that this is a really unique and unusual piece.”
The footage had the highest guide price of any of the lots to go under at the sale.
It was to be sold with copyright as part of an auction which also saw vinyl records, autographs and original artwork up for sale.
Source: BBC
Cyberguides Keeps The Record Collector Up-To-Date
Using the technology available today, vinyl record authority Jerry Osborne has created a new service called CYBERGUIDES, ensuring that anyone who signs up for the service will never have to use an out dated record price guide again.
Now, as a record collector, I am ecstatic about this service. Sure, I will still have the published guides in book form, they are portable and great to read and look at.
But, when I want the most up to date record prices that are available, I just go to my computer and the Jerry Osborne Cyberguides, which is updated on a weekly basis. You see, each day, Osborne Enterprise revises, corrects and updates the database and every weekend Cyberguides is delivered via email to your home. You then have the most up-to-date record price guide on the planet!
This from the Osborne website (Jerry Osborne.com):
Now in its seventh year, CYBERGUIDES is the landmark service from Jerry Osborne that means never again using an out-of-date price and reference guide.
For over 30 years we have published the guides in book form, and we still do — especially for those who want the information portable, to tote wherever they go.
Still, most printed guides can be outdated to some extent before the ink is dry. This is because the market is constantly changing and, to keep pace, we revise, correct, and update our database daily!
In the printed format, you would not know of these many changes until the next edition — which may be one or more years depending on the title.
Each week, CYBERGUIDES subscribers, automatically receive all of these books:
1. ROCKIN' RECORDS BUYER'S - SELLERS REFERENCE BOOK & PRICE GUIDE
2. MOVIE/TV SOUNDTRACKS & ORIGINAL CASTS REFERENCE BOOK & PRICE GUIDE
3. VARIOUS ARTISTS COMPILATION ALBUMS PRICE GUIDE
Also includes an important FOURTH book: COMPOSER, CONDUCTOR, AND CAST INDEX (FOR MOVIE/TV SOUNDTRACKS & ORIGINAL CASTS).
It is important to understand that you receive all four books in their entirety — from A to Z. It is NOT just the latest revisions and additions. They are the complete editions!
CYBERGUIDES is delivered directly by e-mail EVERY WEEKEND! Come Monday morning, you will have the absolute most current record guide data on earth.
Because of CYBERGUIDES we now receive far more updates and feedback from buyers and sellers. Since the information provided by readers becomes part of the database and in worldwide distribution in just days, our advisors contribute more than ever before.
CYBERGUIDES is VERY affordable — only $5.00 per month. That boils down to just $1.20 a week! All this updated information for so very little makes this deal downright essential.
Order Cyberguides with either of two easy ways:
1. Sign up using PayPal at the Osborne site. Cyberguides
2. Contact our office by e-mail or phone:
Direct: (360) 385-1200 • Toll-Free: (800) 246-3255.
Visit Jerry Osborne's great site for more information, online appraisals, Mr. Music, the Elvis Presley Collectors Guide, Osborne Collectibles and much more!Jerry Osborne.com
Rock & Roll Tidbits
In 1980, Texas rockers ZZ Top wrote to NASA and formally requested that they be booked as the lounge act on the space shuttle. NASA actually responded saying that the band’s request would, “receive all due consideration.” Unfortunately, the band did not get the gig.
A popular fad of the 50's, the jukebox used to be known as 'the nickel in the slot machine'. The first of these were created when a coin operated slot was added to an Edison phonograph in San Francisco in 1889. In its first six months of service, the Nickel-in-the-Slot earned over $1000.
In 1966, a record company actually hired Frank Zappa and his band, The Mother’s of Invention, to cut a record with Burt Ward, who portrayed Robin on the TV series Batman. The result was a single appropriately called, “Boy wonder, I Love You.”
One night in 1968, while Gary U.S. Bonds was playing at a club in New Jersey, he thought he'd give a local kid a break and invite him up onstage to do a number. That kid turned out to be rock superstar Bruce Springsteen.
Prior to becoming rock and rolls most notorious lip synchers, Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli tried their hand at modeling. Alas, they were not tall enough, so they switched to ‘singing,’ well, sort of.
Elvis Presley's 1958, number one smash, "I Beg Of You" took 34 takes to get it right.
As a youth, Billy Joel once contemplated suicide. “I went into the closet and said, ‘I’m gonna fill myself.’ There was chlorine bleach and I said, ‘Nah, that’s gonna taste bad.’ So I took the furniture polish Pledge- all I ended up doing was farting furniture polish.”
While we are on the subject (farts that is), it’s reported that comedian Sandra Bernhard was once romantically involved with Madonna, although the affair probably had more to do with publicity than passion. The ‘couple’ had a very public breakup with Bernhard stating: “Every time Madonna farts, the press picks up on it. They want to see how it smells. I hate to break the news, but it smells like everybody else’s farts.”
At the Argentina/Brazil border in 1981, while Queen traveled through Latin America on their “Gluttons for Punishment” tour, a customs official suffered a heart attack when he saw Queen’s equipment- all 110 tons of it.
At the end of a 1992 tour, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett lowered his pants and mooned a TV camera shouting, “that’s what I think of the Guns N’ Roses tour!”
In 1970, Jeff Christie offered his composition "Yellow River" to the Tremeloes. They recorded it to release as a single, but when they changed their minds, they allowed Jeff's own band to use the backing track themselves. The result was a UK number one hit in May 1970 and subsequently #23 in the US.
When Angus Young of AC/DC first started performing he wasn’t quite sure what to wear onstage. He tried a gorilla suit, then a Zorro outfit, when his sister suggested that he don an Australian schoolboy’s outfit- and a rock start was born!
Rod Stewart was always known as a ladies man. But his girlfriend Britt Ekland had a very stern warning for the loose lover: “If you screw another woman while you’re with me, I’ll chop your balls off.” We can only presume that the overly friendly Rod was on his best behavior while with Ekland.
It was rough going in the beginning for Axl Rose. In fact, in 1985, Axl and his band mates rented a small apartment in Los Angles. To cook dinner, the resourceful rockers had to set fire to a set of drum sticks and proceeded to roast hamburgers over the improvised flames.
Before joining the Monkees, Davy Jones was both a stage actor and a racehorse jockey.
Joey Dee, who had a US number one hit in January, 1962 with "Peppermint Twist" was surrounded by future recording stars at various stages of his life. He attended Passaic Highschool in New Jersey at the same time as the Shirelles. A female trio that was part of his act at the Peppermint Lounge went on to become The Ronettes. When he opened his own club, his backup band included Felix Cavaliere, Gene Cornish, and Eddie Brigati, who would form the Young Rascals. After Joey sold the club and went on the road, his guitar player was Jimi Hendrix.
After his short fifteen minutes of fame, former Partridge family actor Danny Bonaduce landed a gig as a DJ. So he had the call letters and the name of the station tattooed on his rear end. His thinking? He was under the impression that it would help him keep his job- it didn’t work.
A popular fad of the 50's, the jukebox used to be known as 'the nickel in the slot machine'. The first of these were created when a coin operated slot was added to an Edison phonograph in San Francisco in 1889. In its first six months of service, the Nickel-in-the-Slot earned over $1000.
In 1966, a record company actually hired Frank Zappa and his band, The Mother’s of Invention, to cut a record with Burt Ward, who portrayed Robin on the TV series Batman. The result was a single appropriately called, “Boy wonder, I Love You.”
One night in 1968, while Gary U.S. Bonds was playing at a club in New Jersey, he thought he'd give a local kid a break and invite him up onstage to do a number. That kid turned out to be rock superstar Bruce Springsteen.
Prior to becoming rock and rolls most notorious lip synchers, Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli tried their hand at modeling. Alas, they were not tall enough, so they switched to ‘singing,’ well, sort of.
Elvis Presley's 1958, number one smash, "I Beg Of You" took 34 takes to get it right.
As a youth, Billy Joel once contemplated suicide. “I went into the closet and said, ‘I’m gonna fill myself.’ There was chlorine bleach and I said, ‘Nah, that’s gonna taste bad.’ So I took the furniture polish Pledge- all I ended up doing was farting furniture polish.”
While we are on the subject (farts that is), it’s reported that comedian Sandra Bernhard was once romantically involved with Madonna, although the affair probably had more to do with publicity than passion. The ‘couple’ had a very public breakup with Bernhard stating: “Every time Madonna farts, the press picks up on it. They want to see how it smells. I hate to break the news, but it smells like everybody else’s farts.”
At the Argentina/Brazil border in 1981, while Queen traveled through Latin America on their “Gluttons for Punishment” tour, a customs official suffered a heart attack when he saw Queen’s equipment- all 110 tons of it.
At the end of a 1992 tour, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett lowered his pants and mooned a TV camera shouting, “that’s what I think of the Guns N’ Roses tour!”
In 1970, Jeff Christie offered his composition "Yellow River" to the Tremeloes. They recorded it to release as a single, but when they changed their minds, they allowed Jeff's own band to use the backing track themselves. The result was a UK number one hit in May 1970 and subsequently #23 in the US.
When Angus Young of AC/DC first started performing he wasn’t quite sure what to wear onstage. He tried a gorilla suit, then a Zorro outfit, when his sister suggested that he don an Australian schoolboy’s outfit- and a rock start was born!
Rod Stewart was always known as a ladies man. But his girlfriend Britt Ekland had a very stern warning for the loose lover: “If you screw another woman while you’re with me, I’ll chop your balls off.” We can only presume that the overly friendly Rod was on his best behavior while with Ekland.
It was rough going in the beginning for Axl Rose. In fact, in 1985, Axl and his band mates rented a small apartment in Los Angles. To cook dinner, the resourceful rockers had to set fire to a set of drum sticks and proceeded to roast hamburgers over the improvised flames.
Before joining the Monkees, Davy Jones was both a stage actor and a racehorse jockey.
Joey Dee, who had a US number one hit in January, 1962 with "Peppermint Twist" was surrounded by future recording stars at various stages of his life. He attended Passaic Highschool in New Jersey at the same time as the Shirelles. A female trio that was part of his act at the Peppermint Lounge went on to become The Ronettes. When he opened his own club, his backup band included Felix Cavaliere, Gene Cornish, and Eddie Brigati, who would form the Young Rascals. After Joey sold the club and went on the road, his guitar player was Jimi Hendrix.
After his short fifteen minutes of fame, former Partridge family actor Danny Bonaduce landed a gig as a DJ. So he had the call letters and the name of the station tattooed on his rear end. His thinking? He was under the impression that it would help him keep his job- it didn’t work.
Music News & Notes
Jennifer Hudson Super Bowl lip-synching explained
Show's producer says 'it was the right way to do it'
The producer of Jennifer Hudson’s performance at Sunday night’s Super Bowl has an explaination as to why the Oscar-winner lip-synched instead of singing live.
The singer, who recently suffered the tragic loss of three members of her family in a triple-shooting, sang the national anthem at the opening of the game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and producer Ricky Minor says miming was the “right way to do it.”
"This was such an important performance, because it's the first time everyone has seen Jennifer," Minor said. "But she's in such a great place, with such great spirits, and time can heal her wounds. She's on fire right now and totally grounded."
"That's the right way to do it," he said. “There's too many variables to go live. I would never recommend any artist go live, because the slightest glitch would devastate the performance."
Minor also said that she got many calls and messages directly after the performance, including a text message from actor Jamie Foxx which said “Amazing. It brought tears to my eyes."
=============================
Flamin' Groovies Reunite
Flamin' Groovies principals Cyril Jordan and Roy Loney have decided to reunite for the first time since 1971, at the eighth Ponderosa Stomp festival, to be held April 28-29 at New Orleans' House of Blues.
The Flamin' Groovies formed in San Francisco in 1965 and set a template for the power pop movement with their 1969 debut, "Supersnazz," and the 1970 follow-up, "Flamingo."
Loney left the Flamin' Groovies after the album "Teenage Head," and the Groovies were largely dormant until 1976, when Chris Wilson replaced Loney. That year's album "Shake Some Action" spawned a cult classic single of the same name, and was the group's only release to ever reach the Billboard 200 (No. 142).
=============================
Record Store Day 2
With the rest of the economy joining the music business in a perilous free fall, independent record stores are getting hit hard right now. But help is on the way in the form of the second annual Record Store Day, which will be celebrated April 18 at independent record stores around the country. And, as an incentive to get customers back into the shops, Matador is releasing several great limited edition vinyl specials.
There's a 7" with Sonic Youth covering Beck's "Pay No Mind" on the A-side and Beck doing SY's "Green Light on the flip, a previously unreleased LP of a 1997 Pavement gig from Cologne, Germany and another 7" with Jay Reatard's "Hang Them All" on the top and Sonic Youth's "No Garage" on bottom.
Only 2,500 copies of each record will be available at participating Record Store Day spots.
Matador Record Store Day Limited Edition Vinyl:
Pavement: Live in Germany [Cologne, 1997]
Pay No Mind 7"
A1: Sonic Youth: "Pay No Mind" (Beck cover)
B1: Beck: "Green Light" (Sonic Youth cover)
Hang Them All 7"
A1: Jay Reatard: "Hang Them All"
B1: Sonic Youth: "No Garage"
=============================
Cursive set release date for "Mama, I'm Swollen"
Cursive have announced the details and release date for their forthcoming album. The record is titled Mama, I'm Swollen and is due out March 10, 2009.
The band notes that due to the extremely short turnaround between today and the release, vinyl will not be ready for a simultaneous release on March 10th. The band is promising "180 gram vinyl and cool deluxe packaging." The album was also described like this:
Mama, I'm Swollen finds Kasher at his literate, lyrical best, where references to both Poe (“Going To Hell”) and Pinocchio (“Donkeys”) are intertwined seamlessly within his own tales of characters grappling with the moral quandary of being human, adult, and playing a role in ‘civilized’ society. Musically, Cursive is as smart and sophisticated as ever, the songs’ rousing, cerebral content complemented by moments alternately hushed and exhilarating (the cathartic “From The Hips,” the noisily melodic romp “I Couldn’t Love You”), eerily moody and jaunty (the almost prayer-like “Let Me Up,” “Mama, I’m Swollen”) – moments that often occur within the very same song.
From the charging bass lines of album opener “In The Now” to the quiet first chords of confessional closer “What Have I Done?”, Mama, I'm Swollen is a natural progression that remains distinctively Cursive: a fluid amalgamation of the band’s sound past, present, and future – a band that both your punk kid sister and English lit grad student best friend can call their own.
Show's producer says 'it was the right way to do it'
The producer of Jennifer Hudson’s performance at Sunday night’s Super Bowl has an explaination as to why the Oscar-winner lip-synched instead of singing live.
The singer, who recently suffered the tragic loss of three members of her family in a triple-shooting, sang the national anthem at the opening of the game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and producer Ricky Minor says miming was the “right way to do it.”
"This was such an important performance, because it's the first time everyone has seen Jennifer," Minor said. "But she's in such a great place, with such great spirits, and time can heal her wounds. She's on fire right now and totally grounded."
"That's the right way to do it," he said. “There's too many variables to go live. I would never recommend any artist go live, because the slightest glitch would devastate the performance."
Minor also said that she got many calls and messages directly after the performance, including a text message from actor Jamie Foxx which said “Amazing. It brought tears to my eyes."
=============================
Flamin' Groovies Reunite
Flamin' Groovies principals Cyril Jordan and Roy Loney have decided to reunite for the first time since 1971, at the eighth Ponderosa Stomp festival, to be held April 28-29 at New Orleans' House of Blues.
The Flamin' Groovies formed in San Francisco in 1965 and set a template for the power pop movement with their 1969 debut, "Supersnazz," and the 1970 follow-up, "Flamingo."
Loney left the Flamin' Groovies after the album "Teenage Head," and the Groovies were largely dormant until 1976, when Chris Wilson replaced Loney. That year's album "Shake Some Action" spawned a cult classic single of the same name, and was the group's only release to ever reach the Billboard 200 (No. 142).
=============================
Record Store Day 2
With the rest of the economy joining the music business in a perilous free fall, independent record stores are getting hit hard right now. But help is on the way in the form of the second annual Record Store Day, which will be celebrated April 18 at independent record stores around the country. And, as an incentive to get customers back into the shops, Matador is releasing several great limited edition vinyl specials.
There's a 7" with Sonic Youth covering Beck's "Pay No Mind" on the A-side and Beck doing SY's "Green Light on the flip, a previously unreleased LP of a 1997 Pavement gig from Cologne, Germany and another 7" with Jay Reatard's "Hang Them All" on the top and Sonic Youth's "No Garage" on bottom.
Only 2,500 copies of each record will be available at participating Record Store Day spots.
Matador Record Store Day Limited Edition Vinyl:
Pavement: Live in Germany [Cologne, 1997]
Pay No Mind 7"
A1: Sonic Youth: "Pay No Mind" (Beck cover)
B1: Beck: "Green Light" (Sonic Youth cover)
Hang Them All 7"
A1: Jay Reatard: "Hang Them All"
B1: Sonic Youth: "No Garage"
=============================
Cursive set release date for "Mama, I'm Swollen"
Cursive have announced the details and release date for their forthcoming album. The record is titled Mama, I'm Swollen and is due out March 10, 2009.
The band notes that due to the extremely short turnaround between today and the release, vinyl will not be ready for a simultaneous release on March 10th. The band is promising "180 gram vinyl and cool deluxe packaging." The album was also described like this:
Mama, I'm Swollen finds Kasher at his literate, lyrical best, where references to both Poe (“Going To Hell”) and Pinocchio (“Donkeys”) are intertwined seamlessly within his own tales of characters grappling with the moral quandary of being human, adult, and playing a role in ‘civilized’ society. Musically, Cursive is as smart and sophisticated as ever, the songs’ rousing, cerebral content complemented by moments alternately hushed and exhilarating (the cathartic “From The Hips,” the noisily melodic romp “I Couldn’t Love You”), eerily moody and jaunty (the almost prayer-like “Let Me Up,” “Mama, I’m Swollen”) – moments that often occur within the very same song.
From the charging bass lines of album opener “In The Now” to the quiet first chords of confessional closer “What Have I Done?”, Mama, I'm Swollen is a natural progression that remains distinctively Cursive: a fluid amalgamation of the band’s sound past, present, and future – a band that both your punk kid sister and English lit grad student best friend can call their own.
Album Cover Art
Another interesting cover, I love the concept.
High Strangenes-by Houseguest
Houseguest is a band from Akron, Ohio. Houseguest plays music in the Neo-Mannerist fashion. The members of Houseguest are BFFs, and total bad boys! They like to hang out at the mall, drink Dr. Pepper, eat at Chipotle, and shop at Hollister! They also like to take their Hollister shirts off when they get excited, which makes the girls flip out! Houseguest has a bad-ass record out on Audio Eagle/Fat Possum Records, and is working on a new one for Spring 2008. Keep a lookout for these cuties!
“Houseguest is Akron, Ohio’s band du jour. Deservedly so. But what adds weight to the hope that they will get over that local hump is their journey so far. In their five years together they have already lost a close friend, busted up the band and reformed, and grabbed a Northeast Ohio super-group label of sorts for their roster’s pedigree.
“Now, they have overcome the novelty of their live show reputation (where the band and half the audience often seem to end up on stage and in various stages of undress) and released their first full-length release on the Audio Eagle label, founded by old friend and Black Key Patrick Carney. And while the abandon of their stage presence is something to behold, what they are capable of committing in the studio is staggeringly beautiful, skewed pop. 8 out of 10.”
-Adam Besenyodi, Pop Matters.com
High Strangenes-by Houseguest
Houseguest is a band from Akron, Ohio. Houseguest plays music in the Neo-Mannerist fashion. The members of Houseguest are BFFs, and total bad boys! They like to hang out at the mall, drink Dr. Pepper, eat at Chipotle, and shop at Hollister! They also like to take their Hollister shirts off when they get excited, which makes the girls flip out! Houseguest has a bad-ass record out on Audio Eagle/Fat Possum Records, and is working on a new one for Spring 2008. Keep a lookout for these cuties!
“Houseguest is Akron, Ohio’s band du jour. Deservedly so. But what adds weight to the hope that they will get over that local hump is their journey so far. In their five years together they have already lost a close friend, busted up the band and reformed, and grabbed a Northeast Ohio super-group label of sorts for their roster’s pedigree.
“Now, they have overcome the novelty of their live show reputation (where the band and half the audience often seem to end up on stage and in various stages of undress) and released their first full-length release on the Audio Eagle label, founded by old friend and Black Key Patrick Carney. And while the abandon of their stage presence is something to behold, what they are capable of committing in the studio is staggeringly beautiful, skewed pop. 8 out of 10.”
-Adam Besenyodi, Pop Matters.com
Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales
Week Ending 01/31/2009
1. 12" - U2 "Out Of Control" #407/1000 - $3,381.00 - Start: $1000.00 - Bids: 18
2. 45 - Salt & Pepper "Man Of My Word" / "Linda" Heatwave - $3,310.00 - Start: $6.95 - Bids: 31
3. 45 - Elvis Presley "self titled" EP RCA SPD-23 - $3,151.00 - Start: $19.99 - Bids: 16
4. 45 - The Harp Tones "A Sunday Kink Of Love" / "I'll Never Tell" Bruce - $2,552,89 - Start: $9.99 - Bids: 14
5. 78 - Perry & His Stomp Band "Ash Can Stomp" / "Muddy Water" Black Patti - 2,500.00 - Start: $999.99 - Bids: 3
#1 on the list this week is U2's original 12" record, commonly known as "Out Of Control" or just "Three", selling for close to $3.4k. This is the numbered copy that the band themselves sold at a swap meet in Ireland. Next, a Northern Soul 45 by Salt & Pepper on Heatwave records sells for a little over $3.3k.
The RCA give-away 45 EP set from Elvis makes the list for the second time this year, bidding more than halfway over $3.1k for the #3 spot. This copy, described in what would be VG condition, sells for more than $1k less than the Near Mint copy of two weeks ago.
A Doo-Wop 45 makes the #4 spot, "A Sunday Kind Of Love" on Bruce closing at well over $2.5k. And last, a hillbilly 78 from Perry and his Stomp Band, one of five known copies, sells for exactly $2.5k.
As always, I want to thank Norm over at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com/ for this great data.
1. 12" - U2 "Out Of Control" #407/1000 - $3,381.00 - Start: $1000.00 - Bids: 18
2. 45 - Salt & Pepper "Man Of My Word" / "Linda" Heatwave - $3,310.00 - Start: $6.95 - Bids: 31
3. 45 - Elvis Presley "self titled" EP RCA SPD-23 - $3,151.00 - Start: $19.99 - Bids: 16
4. 45 - The Harp Tones "A Sunday Kink Of Love" / "I'll Never Tell" Bruce - $2,552,89 - Start: $9.99 - Bids: 14
5. 78 - Perry & His Stomp Band "Ash Can Stomp" / "Muddy Water" Black Patti - 2,500.00 - Start: $999.99 - Bids: 3
#1 on the list this week is U2's original 12" record, commonly known as "Out Of Control" or just "Three", selling for close to $3.4k. This is the numbered copy that the band themselves sold at a swap meet in Ireland. Next, a Northern Soul 45 by Salt & Pepper on Heatwave records sells for a little over $3.3k.
The RCA give-away 45 EP set from Elvis makes the list for the second time this year, bidding more than halfway over $3.1k for the #3 spot. This copy, described in what would be VG condition, sells for more than $1k less than the Near Mint copy of two weeks ago.
A Doo-Wop 45 makes the #4 spot, "A Sunday Kind Of Love" on Bruce closing at well over $2.5k. And last, a hillbilly 78 from Perry and his Stomp Band, one of five known copies, sells for exactly $2.5k.
As always, I want to thank Norm over at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com/ for this great data.
Audiophile Audition Review
I want to thank John over at http://www.audaud.com/index.php for the exclusive rights to reprint this great review!
AUDIOPHILE AUDITION focuses on recordings of interest to audiophiles and collectors, with an accent on surround sound for music, and on all hi-res disc formats. Over 100SACD, DVD Video/Audio and standard CD reviews are published during each month, and our archives go back to January 2001.
Goldring NS1000 Active Noise Reduction Headphones
They really do their job, but phones without the noise reduction circuitry can produce better sound for less money.
Goldring NS1000 Active
Noise Reduction Headphones
$300
Distributed in the United States by Music Hall
http://www.musichallaudio.com/
516-487-3663 (voice)
516-773-3891 (fax)
Description
Dynamic closed-ear headphones with active noise reduction that operate on a single AAA battery; detachable 1.8m QED cord; .25” adapter; double-prong airplane adapter and hard travel case; 40 hour battery life; .5 pound with cable; >21 dB noise reduction; rated 15Hz – 23kHz bandwidth; THD <.3% (1mW @ 1 kHz); Max input power 260mW; 330 ohm impedance; 2-year warranty.
Associated Equipment
Marantz CC4001 CD Changer, Marantz SR5002 Surround Receiver, Apple iPod Nano (portable), Lexar Digital Music Player (portable), Bose Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones (also $300) and Grado SR80 ($95) headphones for comparison.
The Basics
The manual with the headphones is two pages long—pictures of what comes with the package, how to replace the battery, how to plug in the cord, how to turn them on, and a small section on troubleshooting should you need it. One of the nice things about the Goldring headphones (in comparison to many others) is that the cord only attaches to one side meaning a lot less chance of getting it caught in something. When the noise reduction is on a small blue light on the side is illuminated. Changing the battery is cool—you just twist on the headphone face and it opens up to reveal the hidden battery. The fact that the battery is AAA means you can replace it without too much trouble (seeing as there is no charging function).
I found out quickly that the headphones didn’t sound all that good when they weren’t turned on. Apparently the specifications also change when they are not in active mode. Impedance goes from 330 down to 100 ohms and rated SPL is reduced from 101 dB with 1mW to 93 dB. At first I thought there was something wrong, but then I realized that turning on the noise cancellation improved the sound dramatically (and I conducted all the further listening tests with the ANR on).
Even with the headphones unplugged and turned off they manage to form a tight seal over the ear that blocked a lot of extraneous noise. The pads are a soft vinyl and not felt like some other headsets although they were comfortable.
Listening Tests (vs. Bose)
My first listening was with the song “Bailamos” by Enrique Iglesias. The NS1000 had good high frequency response and air, bass wasn’t overbearing or muddy and the music was balanced and clean. The Bose headphones are physically much lighter with smaller pads (as opposed to cups), so they didn’t fit as tightly on the head. They are also more efficient, so it was necessary to readjust the volume during the tests. Though they were easier to drive there was almost too much bass and a slight muffling of the sound. I asked a friend to listen after me and without trying to influence him find out which ones he liked. At the end of the listening tests he agreed that the Goldrings sounded better.
With Nina Simone’s “My Baby Don’t Care For Me” I was more impressed with the Bose headphones than I thought I’d be. My friend described the sound of the Bose as cloudy. They tended to warm up the voice with a resulting tradeoff in resolution. My guess is they would be a good match for those listening to a lot of spoken voice (like books on tape, conferences, etc). The NS1000s had more definition, but weren’t nearly as airy as you’d get from electrostats or open ear headphones. Still, they are a good set of ‘phones.'
Listening Tests (vs. Grado SR80s)
I wanted to find out how competitive the NS1000s would be with a wired set of headphones lacking any kind of noise cancellation with music. The Grado set is almost the opposite of the Goldring in that they are open ear so not only is outside sound audible, but the sound from the headphones is audible to others. Many believe this is still the best sounding design. If you haven’t heard the difference, then it is essential before deciding on a set for straight listening. The closed ear sets sound much more “closed-in” and typically have more bass output, while the open ear designs usually sound lighter, more spacious, open and airy.
I listened to music from both the Lexar and the iPod to compare the sound of these two headphones from artists like Madonna, Bruce Cockburn, Knarls Barkley, and Bob James. I had the volume all the way up on the Lexar and it wasn’t loud, but loud enough with the Goldrings. This device doesn’t have a lot of output, but worked with the NS1000s well enough. The equivalent volume on the Nano was about 2/3 up. I could turn it up so that the music was quite loud and still not at the loudest setting on the device. From these tests I would say that the NS1000s will work fine with portable devices (and should work fine with laptops, portable DVD players and other devices).
On the Marantz CD player I listened to track 4 and 6 from Shieffeld’s My Disc. The Goldrings have a richer sound and punchier bass while the Grado’s have more highs and air, but sounded more natural. On guitar and acoustic instruments the Grado’s sounded more realistic, while the Goldrings pushed the voice a little giving me the feeling they would be better with spoken word and dialogue.
These two sets sounded different, but weren’t out of each other’s league yet the Goldring NS1000 are three times the price. If noise cancellation is merely a novelty, then it would be worth investigating less expensive headphones (even from Goldring—like the DR150 at half the price), before paying the extra expense for noise cancellation. Whether the style is open, closed, on or over the ear, there is something available that should give comparable performance for less or better performance for the same price as the NS1000s.
I didn’t compare any earbud designs (in the ear), because even the most expensive ones I’ve heard don’t sound competitive and there is a tendency for the listener to turn these up rather loud and risk hearing damage. [Right - as audiophiles we should all Boycott Buds!...Ed.]
Listening Test (with Dolby Headphone)
I was curious to try out the Dolby Headphone output on the Marantz receiver as I’d never tried this before. I used a couple of chapters from Gladiator - especially chapter four. Turning this feature on and off I can say that listening with Dolby engaged was a more enjoyable experience. I didn’t try the feature with music because my experience is that favorable sound from simulating surround with two-channel music is very listener and recording dependent.
Airplane Listening and Extraneous Noise Tests
I wasn’t sure when I was going to be able to try the headset on a plane, so I did some experiments with noise in a typical home environment. I used track one from The Kinks’ Live To The Bone set playing in the background and turned the cancelling switch on and off (with no music playing through the headphones). As noted before, just by putting the headset on there is a reduction in external sound. With the noise cancelling engaged midrange and bass was reduced and external high frequency output was reduced. The Bose set I had did not block as much sound because the physical connection between the headset and the ears was not as tight as with the Goldrings.
I finally got to try out the headset on a flight to and from Utah. I used the headphones for about two hours in each direction. Even with no music the advantages of the noise cancellation were immediate. I turned the set on and off and heard the lower frequency rumble and high frequency hiss caused by the plane drop down in level tremendously. With the music playing (from the on-plane radio) I could hardly hear anything around me. The fact that the NS1000s come with an adapter was awesome. Unfortunately pilot announcements interrupt the radio, so it would have been nice to have some sort of external player to use. The noise reduction offered by the NS1000 helped calm me down and made it much easier to fall asleep (as I’m not the most relaxed flier). On the flight over for some reason the jazz station was only coming out in mono—I wished there was some sort of mono switch on the headset, but I haven’t seen this feature on other sets either. The bulkiness of the headphones made wedging me up against the window with a pillow not the most comfortable, but it was a tradeoff between good isolation and size of the ear piece.
Comfort
In my years of selling headphones I discovered that headphone comfort is somewhat subjective. Some people like the feel of different materials on the ear, some like in-the-ear phones, some like over-the-ear (as opposed to on the ear), and different shapes and sizes feel more or less comfortable from one person to the next. Of the three sets I tried I’d rate the Goldring in the middle in terms of comfort for me. The Bose was lighter weight and didn’t push as hard up against the ear; unfortunately they also sounded the worst. I would recommend trying any headphone set before committing to it. Headphones are a lot like sweaters in that, once you find one you like, you’ll keep it for a long time. I would have preferred the felt pad like that used in the Goldring DR150 or many of the Sennheiser headphones, but perhaps there is a sound reason (pun intended) why Goldring chose to use the other material. In any case, try it before you buy it!
Conclusion
Having had a positive experience at least 15 years ago listening to headphones with noise cancellation, I was curious to hear what could be done these days with technological improvements moving at a rapid pace in hearing aids, computers, room correction, etc. When it came to the noise cancellation aspect of the NS1000 headphones I was very impressed. In the place where it was most important (on the plane), they were a winner. As for use as normal headphones they worked very well, but couldn’t offer the same price/performance ratio as a typical wired headset (even from Goldring). So, if noise cancellation is not important, I would look elsewhere. They did offer an improvement in dialogue (voice) intelligibility, so if this is an issue, then they will be a good match. For portable use the cord length is more than enough, but in a home environment a longer cord (or extension) might be a good investment.
In a lot of ways headphones are just small speakers and every speaker is a compromise in one way or another, so personal preference will always come into play. Not only for comfort is an audition important, but to make sure that the NS1000 headphones offer the type of sound that the purchaser will like. In my estimation, they offer a fine value in a headphone that can be utilized with both portable and home equipment and block out external sound.
-- Brian Bloom
AUDIOPHILE AUDITION focuses on recordings of interest to audiophiles and collectors, with an accent on surround sound for music, and on all hi-res disc formats. Over 100SACD, DVD Video/Audio and standard CD reviews are published during each month, and our archives go back to January 2001.
Goldring NS1000 Active Noise Reduction Headphones
They really do their job, but phones without the noise reduction circuitry can produce better sound for less money.
Goldring NS1000 Active
Noise Reduction Headphones
$300
Distributed in the United States by Music Hall
http://www.musichallaudio.com/
516-487-3663 (voice)
516-773-3891 (fax)
Description
Dynamic closed-ear headphones with active noise reduction that operate on a single AAA battery; detachable 1.8m QED cord; .25” adapter; double-prong airplane adapter and hard travel case; 40 hour battery life; .5 pound with cable; >21 dB noise reduction; rated 15Hz – 23kHz bandwidth; THD <.3% (1mW @ 1 kHz); Max input power 260mW; 330 ohm impedance; 2-year warranty.
Associated Equipment
Marantz CC4001 CD Changer, Marantz SR5002 Surround Receiver, Apple iPod Nano (portable), Lexar Digital Music Player (portable), Bose Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones (also $300) and Grado SR80 ($95) headphones for comparison.
The Basics
The manual with the headphones is two pages long—pictures of what comes with the package, how to replace the battery, how to plug in the cord, how to turn them on, and a small section on troubleshooting should you need it. One of the nice things about the Goldring headphones (in comparison to many others) is that the cord only attaches to one side meaning a lot less chance of getting it caught in something. When the noise reduction is on a small blue light on the side is illuminated. Changing the battery is cool—you just twist on the headphone face and it opens up to reveal the hidden battery. The fact that the battery is AAA means you can replace it without too much trouble (seeing as there is no charging function).
I found out quickly that the headphones didn’t sound all that good when they weren’t turned on. Apparently the specifications also change when they are not in active mode. Impedance goes from 330 down to 100 ohms and rated SPL is reduced from 101 dB with 1mW to 93 dB. At first I thought there was something wrong, but then I realized that turning on the noise cancellation improved the sound dramatically (and I conducted all the further listening tests with the ANR on).
Even with the headphones unplugged and turned off they manage to form a tight seal over the ear that blocked a lot of extraneous noise. The pads are a soft vinyl and not felt like some other headsets although they were comfortable.
Listening Tests (vs. Bose)
My first listening was with the song “Bailamos” by Enrique Iglesias. The NS1000 had good high frequency response and air, bass wasn’t overbearing or muddy and the music was balanced and clean. The Bose headphones are physically much lighter with smaller pads (as opposed to cups), so they didn’t fit as tightly on the head. They are also more efficient, so it was necessary to readjust the volume during the tests. Though they were easier to drive there was almost too much bass and a slight muffling of the sound. I asked a friend to listen after me and without trying to influence him find out which ones he liked. At the end of the listening tests he agreed that the Goldrings sounded better.
With Nina Simone’s “My Baby Don’t Care For Me” I was more impressed with the Bose headphones than I thought I’d be. My friend described the sound of the Bose as cloudy. They tended to warm up the voice with a resulting tradeoff in resolution. My guess is they would be a good match for those listening to a lot of spoken voice (like books on tape, conferences, etc). The NS1000s had more definition, but weren’t nearly as airy as you’d get from electrostats or open ear headphones. Still, they are a good set of ‘phones.'
Listening Tests (vs. Grado SR80s)
I wanted to find out how competitive the NS1000s would be with a wired set of headphones lacking any kind of noise cancellation with music. The Grado set is almost the opposite of the Goldring in that they are open ear so not only is outside sound audible, but the sound from the headphones is audible to others. Many believe this is still the best sounding design. If you haven’t heard the difference, then it is essential before deciding on a set for straight listening. The closed ear sets sound much more “closed-in” and typically have more bass output, while the open ear designs usually sound lighter, more spacious, open and airy.
I listened to music from both the Lexar and the iPod to compare the sound of these two headphones from artists like Madonna, Bruce Cockburn, Knarls Barkley, and Bob James. I had the volume all the way up on the Lexar and it wasn’t loud, but loud enough with the Goldrings. This device doesn’t have a lot of output, but worked with the NS1000s well enough. The equivalent volume on the Nano was about 2/3 up. I could turn it up so that the music was quite loud and still not at the loudest setting on the device. From these tests I would say that the NS1000s will work fine with portable devices (and should work fine with laptops, portable DVD players and other devices).
On the Marantz CD player I listened to track 4 and 6 from Shieffeld’s My Disc. The Goldrings have a richer sound and punchier bass while the Grado’s have more highs and air, but sounded more natural. On guitar and acoustic instruments the Grado’s sounded more realistic, while the Goldrings pushed the voice a little giving me the feeling they would be better with spoken word and dialogue.
These two sets sounded different, but weren’t out of each other’s league yet the Goldring NS1000 are three times the price. If noise cancellation is merely a novelty, then it would be worth investigating less expensive headphones (even from Goldring—like the DR150 at half the price), before paying the extra expense for noise cancellation. Whether the style is open, closed, on or over the ear, there is something available that should give comparable performance for less or better performance for the same price as the NS1000s.
I didn’t compare any earbud designs (in the ear), because even the most expensive ones I’ve heard don’t sound competitive and there is a tendency for the listener to turn these up rather loud and risk hearing damage. [Right - as audiophiles we should all Boycott Buds!...Ed.]
Listening Test (with Dolby Headphone)
I was curious to try out the Dolby Headphone output on the Marantz receiver as I’d never tried this before. I used a couple of chapters from Gladiator - especially chapter four. Turning this feature on and off I can say that listening with Dolby engaged was a more enjoyable experience. I didn’t try the feature with music because my experience is that favorable sound from simulating surround with two-channel music is very listener and recording dependent.
Airplane Listening and Extraneous Noise Tests
I wasn’t sure when I was going to be able to try the headset on a plane, so I did some experiments with noise in a typical home environment. I used track one from The Kinks’ Live To The Bone set playing in the background and turned the cancelling switch on and off (with no music playing through the headphones). As noted before, just by putting the headset on there is a reduction in external sound. With the noise cancelling engaged midrange and bass was reduced and external high frequency output was reduced. The Bose set I had did not block as much sound because the physical connection between the headset and the ears was not as tight as with the Goldrings.
I finally got to try out the headset on a flight to and from Utah. I used the headphones for about two hours in each direction. Even with no music the advantages of the noise cancellation were immediate. I turned the set on and off and heard the lower frequency rumble and high frequency hiss caused by the plane drop down in level tremendously. With the music playing (from the on-plane radio) I could hardly hear anything around me. The fact that the NS1000s come with an adapter was awesome. Unfortunately pilot announcements interrupt the radio, so it would have been nice to have some sort of external player to use. The noise reduction offered by the NS1000 helped calm me down and made it much easier to fall asleep (as I’m not the most relaxed flier). On the flight over for some reason the jazz station was only coming out in mono—I wished there was some sort of mono switch on the headset, but I haven’t seen this feature on other sets either. The bulkiness of the headphones made wedging me up against the window with a pillow not the most comfortable, but it was a tradeoff between good isolation and size of the ear piece.
Comfort
In my years of selling headphones I discovered that headphone comfort is somewhat subjective. Some people like the feel of different materials on the ear, some like in-the-ear phones, some like over-the-ear (as opposed to on the ear), and different shapes and sizes feel more or less comfortable from one person to the next. Of the three sets I tried I’d rate the Goldring in the middle in terms of comfort for me. The Bose was lighter weight and didn’t push as hard up against the ear; unfortunately they also sounded the worst. I would recommend trying any headphone set before committing to it. Headphones are a lot like sweaters in that, once you find one you like, you’ll keep it for a long time. I would have preferred the felt pad like that used in the Goldring DR150 or many of the Sennheiser headphones, but perhaps there is a sound reason (pun intended) why Goldring chose to use the other material. In any case, try it before you buy it!
Conclusion
Having had a positive experience at least 15 years ago listening to headphones with noise cancellation, I was curious to hear what could be done these days with technological improvements moving at a rapid pace in hearing aids, computers, room correction, etc. When it came to the noise cancellation aspect of the NS1000 headphones I was very impressed. In the place where it was most important (on the plane), they were a winner. As for use as normal headphones they worked very well, but couldn’t offer the same price/performance ratio as a typical wired headset (even from Goldring). So, if noise cancellation is not important, I would look elsewhere. They did offer an improvement in dialogue (voice) intelligibility, so if this is an issue, then they will be a good match. For portable use the cord length is more than enough, but in a home environment a longer cord (or extension) might be a good investment.
In a lot of ways headphones are just small speakers and every speaker is a compromise in one way or another, so personal preference will always come into play. Not only for comfort is an audition important, but to make sure that the NS1000 headphones offer the type of sound that the purchaser will like. In my estimation, they offer a fine value in a headphone that can be utilized with both portable and home equipment and block out external sound.
-- Brian Bloom
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
