Can Vinyl Last Forever?

Tips On The Care Of Vinyl Records

Written By Robert Benson


Ahhh, the sweet sound of a vinyl record playing your favorite music. Some say that there is no better way to listen to their music. Yes, vinyl records have made a triumphant return to the music arena, with sales over the last few years on a steady increase.

However, opponents of the format may point to the delicate nature of vinyl, records do require due diligence and upkeep in order to keep them sounding their best. But if you maintain a vigilant ritual, vinyl records can last many decades, so the records that you own right now can conceivably be passed down through generations of music lovers. And the bonus for properly maintaining your records is enjoying a crisp, clear playback each time you spin your turntable.

Let’s explore some relatively easy ways to properly care and maintain vinyl records so they can be listened to and enjoyed and also to help preserve their resale value for years to come:

Never touch the grooves

When handling records, treat them with loving care, hold them with two hands around the outer edges of the record; never allowing your fingers to touch the grooves. A simple method to alleviate this potential problem area would be to invest in some disposable plastic gloves, like the ones used in food preparation. Then, one can easily manipulate the record playing process and take the fear out of handling records.

Know the enemies of vinyl

The environment in which your records are stored is very important to a long shelf life. If you want a long shelf life for your prized recordings, keep the records away from dirt, dust, smoke, fingerprints, and oils from human skin as well as faulty phonograph needles. Never stack your records on top of each other, albums should be stored vertically. Avoid storing them too tight as it can lead to ring wear on the cover or sleeve and cause unnecessary stress to the record's materials, surface and label, often resulting in warps and contact damage. Additionally, the records should be stored in a low humidity setting with a temperature between 60 and 70 degrees if possible. Obviously, it is imperative to keep your treasured vinyl away form heat sources such as sunlight, heater vents and even lighting. Avoid dusty environments and if possible store the records in a relatively airtight container such as a cabinet with doors or sealable boxes or bins.

Protecting your records and LP jackets

There are different opinions on this, but it is recommended by most to remove the original wrapping from the manufacturer, the dreaded shrink wrap, as this may shrink over time; eventually warping the jacket or possibly the record. A note of caution, however, some of the stickers or promotional information on this shrink wrap may actually make the album more valuable if left on; so use discretion when removing the shrink wrap. It is recommended to replace this wrapping with a high density polyethylene outer protective sleeve.


There are several vendors where one can buy these protective outer sleeves, but one that offers many different options for record collectors is a well-respected vendor www.bagsunlimited.com. Bags Unlimited has been in the collection protection business since 1975 and are the #1 choice of collectors for storage, display and shipping products for their collectibles.


BagsUnlimted.com stocks record bags made out of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester (Mylar). All three of these materials have passed the Photo Activity Test (P.A.T.) certifying that they are safe for long-term storage and protect them from dust, dirt, finger oils, and other airborne pollutants.

“We carry multiple types of poly sleeves, varying in thickness and record jacket sleeves that come with a re-sealable flap, depending on the collector's choice,” explained David Street of BagsUnlimited.com. “We also stock 2 mil and 4 mil sleeves that are manufactured of archival polyester (Mylar), an inert material of the highest clarity. Mylar is extremely clear, inert, 100% acid-free and considered to be the most archival of all protective sleeves. Polyester will not discolor, damage or adhere to items placed inside it. This material has passed the Photo Activity Test and Polyester is used worldwide in museums, libraries and archives. Our polyester material has been approved by the Library of Congress for archival storage.”

It is also very important to have clean, acid free inner sleeves to protect your records with paper sleeves being the most practical. Some recordings were issued with inner sleeves that have acidity issues, which over time, could damage the vinyl records that they hold. Additionally, some sleeves may be viewed as collectible, so it’s best to save them as part of the album package.

"We are the manufacturers of our paper sleeves and therefore have control over the sizes and materials used. Being the manufacturers also insures that the sizes are true, the holes are centered, and the seams are well-glued,” stressed Street. “Investing in quality sleeves for your records is one of the most important care tips for long lasting vinyl.”

Storing your records in boxes can also add to the preservation process in many ways according to Street:

“Bags Unlimited boxes are the Standard of the Industry. Storing your records in our boxes keeps them in an environment that will protect the corners, edges, and flat surfaces. It also keeps them away from ultraviolet light, dust and other airborne pollutants that can destroy or damage them,” Street stated. “Our boxes are super strong, properly sized and stackable. They come with 3" deep sturdy covers and die-cut handles that can be in the open position for carrying or closed position for storing.

Cleaning and maintaining vinyl records

The most important aspect of owning and playing vinyl records is to keep the records clean. Due to the chemical nature of vinyl, they attract dust and dirt. This is caused by vinyl's tendency to build up static electrical charges which attract small particles of dust which land in the grooves. These particles will cause "pops" and "clicks" as the record plays.

The cleaning of records should be performed before and after playing. This will ensure the best possible playback, and also prepares the record for "dust free" storage. It's highly recommended that a record collector have on hand some sort of carbon fiber brush (there are many varieties of brushes available). Carbon fibers are used to help disrupt static buildup while brushing relies on the vibration of the almost microscopic carbon fibers to clean the grooves and remove dust and dirt. It's recommended that the turntable be running while brushing rather than holding the record in your hands because this will result in a smoother, more consistent cleaning motion.

Some people get so intensely careful about cleaning their vinyl records, they often forget about keeping the needle clean. Since the needle is constantly tracking in the groove of the records, it attracts large amounts of dirt and dust particles and must be cleaned. When not properly maintained, the needle may not vibrate fully and may not rest in the bottom of the record groove; resulting in decreased sound quality and other audio problems. Needle maintenance supplies are easily obtained, for instance, the aforementioned BagsUnlimited.com sells an inexpensive "Stylus Care System" which includes a special cleaning fluid and a dense nylon brush to maintain a clean needle.

Obviously the turntable surface should be kept clean of dust and static. Most newer turntables come equipped with a rubber or antistatic felt surface. A great way to clean both the needle and the turntable area and also keep the carbon fiber brush clean is with condensed air in a can, which is available at any electronics retailer; just spray the area before and after playing your records for a continued dust free environment for your audio treasures. Taking this one step further, BagsUnlimted has in stock a unique antistatic solution, as Dave Street explains:

“We carry a portable antistatic, ionizing air gun to use with the condensed air dust remover and it will significantly boost the ability of canned air to remove dust from static-prone areas. This ionizing gun effectively neutralizes static charges in vinyl, plastics, glass, films, Mylar and other items that hold static charges by creating a flow of ions that neutralizes static charges and releases clinging dust. The gun easily snaps onto any type of nonflammable canned air,” explained Street.

There are many cleaning solutions that can be used to ‘wet’ wash a record and it really is a matter of personal preference as to which one to employ. In the old days, when record were made of shellac, they could be cleaned with a mild solution of regular soap and water (always use distilled water as tap water often contains too many contaminants) and this was the preferred way to maintain the old 78 rpm records. Never use the new cleaning solutions on 78’s because they are alcohol-based and can dissolve shellac recordings and will ruin these types of records.

Speaking with Dave Street again, they sell several kits of various sizes to help keep record clean.

“We recommend the 'Groovy Record Cleaning Kit' and each kit comes with micro bristled cleaning brush; cotton cleaning cloth, various sized bottles of GROOVY Cleaning Fluid which is Bags Unlimited's own Record Cleaning Fluid, and is specially formulated for its deep cleaning, antistatic, residue-free properties."

It's also recommend not storing the vinyl inside the record cover but instead slip the vinyl (protected by the inner sleeve) behind the cover with both protected by the outer sleeve, because storing the vinyl inside the cover may eventually create seam and/or spine splits. Over time the weight of the record could possibly cut through the binding.

The reward

This article was not written to exemplify how hard it is to maintain vinyl records; on the contrary, these are very simple tasks and often become mundane and second nature after time. But the reward is so great-the preservation of your prized collection and the coupdeville- the best possible sound reproduction that is humanly possible. With proper care and diligence, these historic audio treasures will last a lifetime or two, giving vinyl record owners many hours of listening bliss.


Copyright 2009 Robert Benson www.collectingvinylrecords.com

Classic Rock Videos

rolling stones miss you

Rock/Pop Tidbits

The song "Summertime Blues" was a US Top 40 hit in three different decades - in the fifties by Eddie Cochran (#8), the sixties by Blue Cheer (#14) and the seventies by The Who (#27).

The Mothers Of Invention are believed to have released the first double album with "Freak Out!" in early 1967.

In 1962, Gene Pitney recorded "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" for the movie of the same name, starring John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart. Although the song reached #4 on the Billboard singles chart, it was never included in the film.

When the Beatles made their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9th, 1964, producers received over 50,000 applications for the 728 seats in the TV studio.

Alan Gordon, the co-writer of The Turtles' hit "Happy Together" said that he wrote the melody to the song based on an open string pattern used by a bandmate to tune his guitar.

Jerry Lee Lewis' parents mortgaged their house in order to buy him a piano.

Johnny Preston's 1960 number one hit, "Running Bear" was written by J.P. Richardson, The Big Bopper.

The double entendre title of the Bellamy Brother's hit "If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me" was derived from a quote by Groucho Marx.

With some left over studio time on their hands, a group of musicians recorded an instrumental intended to be a throw-a-way album track. The song ended up on the flip side of a single release called "Train To Nowhere", which was virtually ignored by US radio stations. Finally, someone flipped the disc over and discovered "Tequila", which went to number one on both the Pop and R&B charts for The Champs.

Kenny Loggins joined The Electric Prunes during their final tour in 1969, two years after the band had scored a hit with "I Had Too Much Too Dream". When the tour was over, the band split up for good and Loggins went on to team up with Jim Messina in 1971 and later had several solo hits.



The distinct horse logo that appeared on most of Poco's albums was designed by Saturday Night Live star, Phil Hartman.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in the basement of Jane Asher's house. She was Paul's girlfriend, to whom he would later become engaged to, but never married.

One day while out riding with her dad, Stella McCartney stopped to stare at him. It had just come to her at that moment. She said, "You're Paul McCartney."

While the title of the song is often shown with a comma ("Louie, Louie"), writer Richard Berry told Esquire magazine in 1988 that the correct title of the song was "Louie Louie", with no comma.

When The Supremes' Mary Wilson was contacted for an interview by the television show Romance of The Rich and Famous, she moved some of her personal belongings into a friends' mansion and let on it was hers, instead of revealing her true residence, a tiny, two bedroom bungalow in Studio City, California.

Little Richard's recording career had just gotten off the ground when his father was murdered in the winter of 1952. To support his family, Richard took a job washing dishes at a Greyhound bus station in Macon, Georgia.

Reginald Kenneth Dwight changed his stage name to Elton John, taking his first name from Bluesology saxophonist Elton Dean and his last from bluesman, Long John Baldry.

When Decca Records first released "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley And His Comets in the Spring of 1954, most people had never heard of Rock And Roll and the company had a hard time describing the song. The label on the single called it a "Novelty Foxtrot."

On December 17th, 1977, David Ackroyd became the first record buyer to receive a Gold Disc when he purchased the one-millionth copy of "Mull Of Kintyre" by Wings.

This Date In Music History- August 28

Birthdays:

Clem Cattini - Tornadoes (1938)
Joseph Shabalala, founder of the popular world vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo (1941)
Ann "Honey" Lantree - Honeycombs (1943)
Daniel Seraphine - Chicago (1948)
Dave Hlubek - Molly Hatchet (1949)
Hugh Cornwell - Stranglers (1949)
Wayne Osmond - Osmonds (1951)
Shania Twain (1965)
Jack Black - Tenacious D (1969)
Max Collins - Eve 6 (1978)


They Are Missed:

Producer Guy Stevens died at the age of 38 in 1981, having overdosed on prescription drugs he was taking to reduce his alcohol dependency. Worked with Mott The Hoople, Free and The Clash. He was the president of the Chuck Berry Appreciation Society and it was Stevens who brought Berry to the UK for his first tour. He gave Procol Harum and Mott the Hoople their distinctive names.

Gilbert Moorer, lead singer of the Esquires ("Get On Up") died of throat cancer in 2008.


History:

Motown's Tamla Records released the Marvelettes first single, "Please Mr. Postman" in 1961. The song will be a million seller and the groups biggest hit, reaching the top of both the Billboard Pop and R&B charts.

The Rolling Stones made their first appearance on the British TV show Ready Steady Go! in 1963.

Peter, Paul & Mary performed, "Blowin' In The Wind" in 1963 before Civil Rights marchers who had gathered in Washington to hear Martin Luther King Jr. speak.

In 1964, the Beatles played the first of two concerts at New York's Forest Hills Tennis Stadium. 15,000 attended each performance and show their affection by tossing jellybeans, the bands favorite candy, onto the stage. The fans screamed so loud, it's almost impossible to hear the music. It is also after this show that the Beatles met Bob Dylan, who reportedly introduced them to marijuana in a hotel.

The Beatles appeared on the cover of "LIFE" magazine in 1964.

The Beach Boys' "California Girls" peaks at #3 on the chart in 1965.

The Rolling Stones announced in 1965 that Allen Klein, who they met three days ago, will co-manage the group along with Andrew Long Oldham. At the same time, they sign a five year recording deal with Decca Records.

In 1966, nearing the end of their final tour of America, the Beatles performed one show at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California, before a crowd of 45,000. The Beatles' attempt to escape from the stadium in an armored truck was thwarted when the main gate was found to be locked, and The Beatles had to spend two hours in the back of the truck before they can leave the stadium.

In 1967, the Grateful Dead and Big Brother and the Holding Company play at the wake of a Hell's Angels member who was struck by a car in San Francisco.

In 1968, the Doors "Hello, I Love You" sold a million copies. The song, which did not have the sinister qualities of the first million seller, "Light My Fire," marked the groups move into more of a mainstream rock sound.



Working at Trident Studios, London, in 1968, the Beatles started recording a new John Lennon song "Dear Prudence." They built the song instrument by instrument, utilizing the 8-track equipment at Trident. John and George played guitars, while Paul plays drums to compensate for Ringo, who had quit The Beatles on August 22.

During a four-week engagement at The International Hotel in Las Vegas in 1970, a security guard at the hotel received a phone call in which he was told Elvis Presley would be shot during his last show. The person demanded $50,000 to reveal the name of the potential killer. Later that day a menu was found in Elvis’ mail at the hotel on which Elvis’ face was destroyed and a gun had been drawn pointing to his heart. The threats were taken very seriously. Elvis played his last show without any incident.

The Five Man Electrical Band's "Signs" peaked at #3 on the pop singles chart in 1971.



David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars made their debut at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1972. Bowie gives the performance while he was sick with the flu.

Bobby "Boris" Pickett's novelty tune, "Monster Mash" made the charts in 1973 for the third time. It was originally released and went to #1 in 1962. It hit the charts again in 1970 and remains a perennial halloween favorite.

Devo released their classic Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo LP in 1978.

Men At Work's "Business As Usual" entered the album charts in 1982. The LP will eventually hit #1, a position it will hold for 15 weeks.

Thin Lizzy played its farewell gig in Reading, England in 1983.

In 1984, the Jacksons' Victory Tour broke the record for concert ticket sales after they surpassed the 1.1 million mark in two months.

In 1986, the Eagles, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and Neil Young perform in a show that's billed as, "Get Tough On Toxics" in Long Beach, California to raise lobbying money for a law targeting polluters.

Charlie Daniels and several band members escaped injury in 1988 when their motor home burst into flames on the Ventura Freeway in Southern California.

Billy Joel started a three-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1993 with 'River Of Dreams.' Joel claimed most of the music came to him in his sleep, hence the title. The singers second wife, one time model Christie Brinkley, painted the album cover which was later voted worst album cover of the year.

In 2007, Pink Floyd's '67 debut album, "Pipers At The Gates of Dawn," was reissued to mark the LP's 40th anniversary. The three-disc package contains stereo and mono versions as well as B-sides, alternate takes and non-album singles "Arnold Layne," "See Emily Play" and "Apples And Oranges."

Beatles 09/09/09

Honestly, I am not a gamer and wouldn't know a x-box from a wi. But the Beatles Rock Band looks like an interesting piece of software and from what I have been reading, I doubt that they will be able to keep the store shelves stocked- everyone will want one. Here's a clip:

www.thebeatlesrockband.com

And to coincide with the release on September 9 - how clever 09/09/2009 (remember #9?), the band has another little thing going on:


The Beatles - The Complete Catalog Remastered

The Beatles broke up around 40 years ago, however, the Beatles are still one of the strongest forces in popular music and will be for many years to come. On September 9, 2009, the Beatles will once again amaze their fans and critics alike, with the much anticipated releases of The Beatles: Rock Band, and more importantly the digitally remastered catalog.

Each digitally remastered studio album features the original UK release track listing and artwork. In addition each album includes extended and updated liner notes, rare photos, and an embedded documentary on the making of the album.

All 14 albums will be available as one in a stereo box set, which also includes the documentaries on separate DVDs. Finally for the more serious collectors and audiophiles a 10-disc box set entitled The Beatles in Mono will also be released on September 9, 2009. This set includes the mono remasters of 10-studio albums. Limited copies were produced, and the set has already sold out until further notice on amazon.com.

Robert Levine, Executive Editor for Billboard: “Most bands, when they do a big project like this they pay for publicity. The Beatles got paid for Rock Band and then they are using that for publicity to re-release a catalog. It’s pretty amazing.” (CNN, April 7, 2009)

Music News & Notes

MEGADETH Mainman Talks About His Record Collection, Love Of Vinyl

Germany's Plattenladenwoche web site recently spoke to MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine about his record collection and love of vinyl. Watch the five-minute chat below.

MEGADETH's new album, "Endgame", is due on September 15 via Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at the band's brand new, self-built studio in San Marcos, California — Vic's Garage — which was named after the legendary and iconic Vic Rattlehead character.

"Endgame" was helmed by Mustaine and acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap (EXODUS, NEVERMORE, ARCH ENEMY, MACHINE HEAD). Sneap also manned the boards for 2007's "United Abominations".



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Death Cab For Cutie Lead Soundtrack For Twilight New Moon

Death Cab For Cutie have spoken about their contribution to the soundtrack for New Moon, the sequel to Twilight.

The cut "Meet Me On The Equinox" has been chosen as the lead single for the score, which will accompany the film's release in November. In an interview with MTV, Death Cab For Cutie's bassist Nick Harmer said the group had “no idea” the song would prove so popular with producers.

“It's been an exciting process, because we've been so removed from it,” he said. “We were in LA for a week and we went into the studio and wrote and recorded the song and submitted it. We didn't know where anything stood, and then we just got a call last week like, 'Guess what — your song has been chosen as the first single'."

Harmer added that it was a coincidence that the band's lyrical influences suited the vampire film, which stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, so well.

“Basically the Twilight series is about love, and that's a major theme for us,” he added. “So, it wasn't difficult for us at all."

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Marilyn Manson Concert Besieged By Christian Protesters

Christians came out in their droves to protest outside a Marilyn Manson concert in California on Tuesday night. Demonstrators gathered outside the recently re-opened Pomona Fox Theater in Los Angeles County waiving placards and chanting pro-Christian messages.

One of the protesters, 65-year-old Rod Warner, told the San Bernardino Sun: "The only thing I'm out here to accomplish is what the lord, Jesus Christ, through my belief, tells me to accomplish. And that's take his gospel to the lost.

"Every shirt you see here depicts nothing but death. They can say they're Christians if they want to, but the Lord says worship me with your heart not your mouth."

Funny, in 1985, I did a gig with KISS in the city of Hammond, Indiana. A friend of mine said he got us a gig with the band, they needed some extra roadies. So we went to the arena and helped unload the semi's, lots of work, but we did get to meet the band and hang out at the concert backstage. What an amazing show and something I will never forget. And the "God" people were there too, almost 25 years ago. Why do these people insist on protesting at concerts? I say get a life, go volunteer at an old folks home or do something constructive with your time. You have not changed anything and you never will.....Rock and roll will continue with or without your silly get togethers..

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Leona Lewis releases her highly anticipated new album Echo - November 16th

Leona Lewis has announced her second album entitled "ECHO" will be released on November 16th on Syco Music. Lewis took the music world by storm with the release of her 2007 debut album Spirit selling over 6 million copies worldwide - It earned four Brit Award nominations and three Grammy nominations, making it the best selling album of 2007 and 2008 in the UK and the US respectively.

Leona’s debut album Spirit entered the UK album chart at #1 and became Britain’s fastest-selling debut of all time selling over 1 million copies in the UK in its first 5 weeks. Spirit’s first single Bleeding Love claimed the #1 chart spot for seven weeks and became the best selling single of 2007 in the UK and of 2008 in the US and iTunes top selling single of 2008. A special edition of Spirit was re-released in November 2008 in Europe, including the song "Run". The album again went to number one in the UK Album Chart. Run was released as a download-only single in the UK, reaching #1 and becoming the UK's fastest-selling download-only single In the US Spirit debuted at #1 on the Billboard album chart, the first time in music history that any album by a British female artist has entered Billboard’s Top 200 album chart at #1, as well as the first time any British artist, male or female, has claimed the top spot with a debut album.

Album track listing and more information to be announced soon.

Leona’s debut single A Moment Like This was released on 20 December 2006 breaking a world record after it was downloaded 50,000 times in thirty minutes becoming the most downloaded song in 2006 and going on to sell over a million copies.

Visit www.leonalewismusic.com for news, updates and more.

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Jay-Z releases new song 'Venus vs. Mars'

With his album release date slowly approaching, tracks from Jay-Z’s album Blueprint 3 have been experiencing some serious 'leakage.'

A new track titled “Venus vs. Mars” from the rapper has been added into the leaked equation and it might be a track that the female demographic may find appealing.

The song plays on Jay-Z being the narrator to a “his and her” story. In the track, he elaborates on his possessions and what his prospective mystery "shorty" has to offer.

Jay-Z will not have to worry about promoting his album to his conservative audience because he has Bill O’Reilly and Rush Limbaugh doing it for free. In a verse from Jay’s song“Off That” that features Drake, the rapper takes a lyrical jab at Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh by rapping “Please tell Bill O'Reilly to fall back/ Tell Rush Limbaugh to get off my b---s/ It's 2010, not 1864."

In response to the mentions, O’Reilly rolled his eyes on his nightly Fox news program and compared Jay to Otis Redding (a black rhythm and blues soul singer that transformed his less than perfect experience in America into hit music). Rush did Jay one better; he played the song on the air during his radio show and responded to it by saying “I have been mentioned in a rap song by the rapper Jay-Z. As far as I know, I have never been mentioned in a rap song by anybody. It means I've made it. I'm now on a rap tune by the famous rapper Jay-Z."

Face it, the man is a professional pitchman, Jay-Z knows exactly what he is doing, his marketing skills have no peers, although Madonna is pretty good as well. Watch this album shoot right to the top.

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HATEBREED: New Album Artwork Unveiled

The cover artwork for the forthcoming self-titled album from Connecticut hardcore/metal masters HATEBREED can be viewed below. The LP is scheduled for release in North America on September 29 via E1 Music (formerly KOCH Records). The effort will be available on CD, digital download, vinyl and special edition with a bonus 65-minute DVD. The follow-up to 2006's "Supremacy" will be issued on Roadrunner in all other territories.

Commented HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta: "This is our fifth studio album and it's a monster! We've survived some pretty rough times and the music shows it. There was no reason to change the recipe that our fans know and love but we added a few brutal new ingredients and we're more than amped on the results. Violence is a given!"

Classic Rock Videos

The Rolling Stones - Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)

Rock/Pop Tidbits

Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde were a popular English duo during the British Invasion and scored two US Top Ten hits in 1964 with "Yesterday's Gone" and "A Summer Song". After the pair had gone their seperate ways, Stuart served as the musical director for the US television show The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

The Beach Boys concert contract states that any sell-outs must be reported to all industry related newspapers and magazines.

The break up of Simon and Garfunkel came about when Art refused to record Paul's song "Cuba Si, Nixon No" for their 1969 "Bridge Over Troubled Water" LP.

"Bye Bye Love" was turned down by Elvis Presley and thirty other artists before The Everly Brothers recorded it. Their version rose to #2 in the US and stayed on the charts for 22 weeks.



The Flamingos 1959 smash, "I Only Have Eyes For You" was first performed by actor Dick Powell in the 1934 movie, Dames.

Gramophone was a U.S. brand name that referred to a specific brand of sound reproducing machine in the late 1800s. The name fell out of use around 1901, though it has survived in its nickname form, Grammy, as the title of the Grammy Awards. The Grammy trophy itself is a small rendering of a gramophone.

The inclusion of "Louie Louie" in the John Belushi movie National Lampoon's Animal House, is in fact, historically incorrect. The film is set in 1962, one year prior to the Kingsmen's release.

When Little Richard (Penniman) was a teenager, he ran away from home and joined a medicine show. By the time he was 15, he was adopted by Ann and Johnny Johnson, a white family from Macon, Georgia.

On the recording session for Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone", future Blood, Sweat and Tears founder Al Kooper played organ and The Electric Flag's Mike Bloomfield played guitar.

The song title of the Beatles' "Penny Lane" is derived from the name of a street in the Beatle's hometown of Liverpool. Locally the term "Penny Lane" was the name given to Allerton Road and Smithdown Road and its busy shopping area and is named after James Penny, an 18th century slave trader.

After recording her first record, Oasis records made a spelling mistake on the label and Donna Sommer became Donna Summer for the rest of her career.

Songwriter Jimmy Webb got the inspiration to write The Fifth Dimension's hit "Up, Up and Away" from a hot air balloon that a friend flew on promotions for radio station KMEN.

The Dovells, who scored a number two hit in the U.S. in 1961 with "Bristol Stomp", also appeared as Chubby Checker's backing band on "Let's Twist Again" and accompanied Jean Hillery on the 1968 novelty tune, "Here Comes The Judge".

The Sir Douglas Quintet were playing in a club one night and noticed a couple dancing. Lead singer Doug Sahm said "She's a body mover!", which gave him an idea for a song. Back in those days you couldn't say "body mover" on a record, so he changed the lyrics to "She's About A Mover" and achieved a US Top 20 hit.

The blistering guitar lead in George Harrison's song, "Taxman" is the exact same guitar part heard at the ending fade of the song. It was copied and re-recorded onto the end.

Music News & Notes

Pete Townshend Working on New Who Material

Floss is set to hit the stage in 2011.

Yes, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey are still making music as the Who. Even though their 2006 comeback album Endless Wire was generally ignored and Daltrey is embarking on a solo tour this fall, Townshend has plans to work as the Who again.

According to a blog post on the band's official site, the guitarist and songwriter is currently putting together a musical called Floss that's apparently "in the style of Tommy and Quadrophenia" and "intended for outdoor performance, or arenas." Once a big thinker, always a big thinker.

He goes on to say Floss will premiere in 2011 (possibly in New York City) and some of the musical's songs will end up on the next Who album, due in 2010. Floss's plot revolves around a rock musician husband who "returns to music after a 15 year hiatus, and finds that what he composes evokes the ecologically rooted, apocalyptic mindset of his generation." Write what you know, I guess!

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Electric Tickle Machine Set Vinyl Release And Tour

Electric Tickle Machine's debut album, Blew It Again (out in October) relishes in the magic moments between cynicism and forgetfulness where surrender makes imperfection a blessing.

Recorded in 14 days in the winter of 2009 by Matt Boynton (Gang Gang Dance, Vietnam, Bat For Lashes), the record delivers hooky anthems bathed in organic layers of psychedelic fuzz. From the title track's conciliation of the confounding, to the spooky shuffle of "Bones," the sincere hand-clapper "Part Of Me" to the twangy, countrified "Fast Train," Blew It Again satisfies the most eclectic of musical cravings.

This new band's spacey brand of American garage-pop is as much an ode to curiosity and playfulness as it is a loving indictment of society caught in the throes of western medicine. This repeat listen will see a digital release in the fall with a limited edition vinyl format available on the band's upcoming US tour (which is one NOT to miss).

Over the course of the past year, Electric Tickle Machine has built a devout New York following on the merit of their explosive live shows -- prone to confetti, naked bodies and a sweaty mass of bouncing, singalong kids. With their first show filmed and championed by famed Warholian photog Nat Finklestein, a performance on BBC TV Wales and a KEXP in-studio performance garnering comparisons to The Velvet Underground and Brian Jonestown Massacre, the future looks bright for Electric Tickle Machine.

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Bob Dylan Confirms Plans To Release First Christmas Album

Bob Dylan is set to release his first Christmas album on October 13.

'Christmas In The Heart' features covers of popular festive numbers, including 'I'll Be Home For Christmas', 'Must Be Santa' and 'O Little Town of Bethlehem'.

All present and future proceeds from the release will go to the the charity Feeding America.

In a statement, Dylan said: “It's a tragedy that more than 35 million people in this country alone - 12 million of those children - often go to bed hungry and wake up each morning unsure of where their next meal is coming from.

“I join the good people of Feeding America in the hope that our efforts can bring some food security to people in need during this holiday season."

The final tracklisting for the album, which will be the singer-songwriter's second release of 2009, has yet to be confirmed.

=====================

Top Beatle Songs


Britain's Mojo Magazine have announced their picks for the 20 greatest songs by the Beatles. For this particular list, though, they didn't just rely on their editors and people around the office. They brought in a whole group of musicians to provide their opinions and a little commentary on each song (for the whole list go to the Mojo website).

Included in the expert panel are Ozzy Osbourne, Tom Petty, David Crosby, Phil Collins, Roger McGuinn, Jackie DeShannon, Bettye LaVette, Roy Harper, John Cale, Paul Weller, Neil Innes of the Bonzo Dog Band and the Ruttles, Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips, Chris Difford of Squeeze, Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks, Tori Amos, Tom Rowlands of the Chemical Brothers, Danger Mouse, Win Butler of Arcade Fire and Sufjan Stevens.

Here's Mojo's list:

1. A Day in the Life
2. Strawberry Fields Forever
3. Yesterday
4. Tomorrow Never Knows
5. Something
6. In My Life
7. Happiness is a Warm Gun
8. Penny Lane
9. She Loves You
10. A Hard Day's Night
11. Eleanor Rigby
12. Come Together
13. Hey Jude
14. I Want to Hold Your Hand
15. With a Little Help From My Friends
16. Revolution
17. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
18. Can't Buy Me Love
19. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
20. Rain

All lists are subjective, different songs mean different things to people. But I see some glaring omissions, where's "Let It Be"? No "Taxman" or "Get Back"? I am sure that you have some more that you think should be included, honestly, I would have trouble listing the 50 best Beatle songs :O) Check out their list and the artists comments here:

www.mojo4music.com

Vinyl records spin their way back into the mix

by Sean Hermann

Vinyl records have been around for just about seventy years now and while a number of people believe that it's a craze of the past, generations of music fanatics are now proving them wrong.

Music collectors of all ages are getting in on the new vinyl obsession, while many have stayed devoted to their beloved vinyl.

"I still have people buying vinyl like it was the only (music) medium, along with the next generation who are buying the new "indie" titles as well as the classics of generations past," said Tim Williams, owner of Any Frequency, a record store in Monticello.

Williams said that there have been a wide variety of buyers in his store during the comeback.

"I see male and female customers anywhere from 14 to 60 years old," he said.

So what makes vinyl so appealing to such a wide range of consumers?

Read The Rest Here:

www.prospectusnews.com

Songwriter Ellie Greenwich Dies

If you listened to music in the 1960’s you heard some of the songs that Ellie Greenwich wrote or co-wrote during her illustrious songwriting career and it reads among early rock’s elite. Songs such as "Chapel of Love," "Be My Baby," "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Leader of the Pack," just to name a few, are instantly recognizable and certainly stand the test of time. Sadly, on August 26, 2009, Greenwich died of a heart attack at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, New York City, where she had been admitted a few days earlier for treatment of pneumonia. She was 68 years old.

Greenwich was a native of Brooklyn and while she garnered her greatest success as a songwriter, Greenwich actually started out as a performer. She performed in talent shows as a child, and by the time she was a teen, she had her own group, called The Jivettes. Seeking an outlet for her singing, she began making demonstration tapes of other writers’ songs and in the early 1960s she was referred to as the "Demo Queen of New York."

While attending college, she met Jeff Barry, and shortly after graduation, began working for songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, where she got her big break. She had her first chart success with the Jay and the Americans song "This Is It," which she wrote with Doc Pomus and Tony Powers. In October 1962, Barry and Greenwich married, and shortly afterwards decided to write songs exclusively with each other.

Within a couple of years, the husband-and-wife songwriting team of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich would be among the most successful and prolific of Brill Building composers. Greenwich and Barry also recorded singles and an album under the name The Raindrops, with Greenwich providing all the female vocals through overdubbing, and Barry singing backgrounds in a bass voice; releasing songs such as "What a Guy" and "The Kind of Boy You Can't Forget." The couple also wrote and recorded "Hanky Panky," which became a hit for Tommy James & the Shondells and the following year, "Do Wah Diddy Diddy," which was taken to the #1 by Manfred Mann.

She had a rich musical partnership with the legendary Phil Spector, whose "wall of sound" technique helped to change pop music. With Spector, she wrote some of pop's most memorable songs, including "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "River Deep, Mountain High." Some of Greenwich’s finest compositions were supplied to Spector, including the Ronettes’ "Be My Baby" and "Baby, I Love You,”"Then He Kissed Me" and Darlene Love’s "(Today I Met) The Boy I’m Going To Marry." She also worked closely with the Red Bird label, owned by Leiber, Stoller, and George Goldner, providing such hits as the Dixie Cups’ "Chapel of Love" and "People Say" and the Shangri-Las’ "Leader of the Pack," (years later, Broadway would stage a Tony-nominated musical with the same name based on her life).

Even after the couple’s divorce, Barry and Greenwich continued to work together for much of 1966, partly due to Greenwich's discovery of a talented singer-songwriter named Neil Diamond. She and her ex-husband turned to publishing and production work in the mid-1960s and during these years Greenwich reigned as one of New York's top demo/session singers and vocal arrangers, working with artists ranging from Dusty Springfield and Lesley Gore to Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Darin and Frank Sinatra. One of her most exciting sessions was re-arranging the background vocals on Aretha Franklin's "Chain Of Fools" and working with Cissy Houston and the “Sweet Inspirations.” She did studio work for her ex-husband as well, singing backgrounds for Andy Kim and The Archies. It was during one of her many demo sessions, Greenwich met and "discovered" Neil Diamond and went on to co-produce all his early hits such as "Cherry, Cherry" and "Kentucky Woman," doing background vocals as well.

Changes in popular music led to a drop-off in productivity by the late 1960s, but she revived her career by focusing on radio and television commercials through her firm, Pineywood Productions. In the early 1970s, Greenwich wrote advertising material for Ford, Cheerios, Prince Albert Tobacco, and other companies. She also contributed vocals to jingles for the likes of Beechnut, Clairol, Coca-Cola, Noxzema, and Helena Rubenstein.

In recent years Greenwich has worked with Desmond Child, Nona Hendryx, Cyndi Lauper and Paul Shaffer, among others. In 1984, "Leader Of The Pack," a show about her life and music, opened at New York's The Bottom Line. The success of this show led to a 1985 Broadway run at the Ambassador Theater, where it swept up an extraordinary trio of honors: A Tony Award nomination for Best Musical, a Grammy nomination for Best Cast Album and The New York Music Award for Best Broadway Musical.

Greenwich’s songs have earned her over 25 gold and platinum records and sales in the tens of millions. Ellie Greenwich was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall Of Fame in 1991 and her music will be heard and appreciated for generations to come.

"Ellie Greenwich was one of the most important people in my career. She discovered me as a down-and-out songwriter and with her then-husband Jeff Barry co-produced all my early hits on Bang records," said Diamond in a statement. "She has remained a great friend and mentor over the years and will be missed greatly."

Crystals - Da Doo Ron Ron




The Ronettes - Be My Baby




Shangri Las - Leader of the Pack

Entire Green Day Discography Released on Vinyl: Furnace MFG Completes Pressings of All Green Day Releases on Vinyl Format

With the manufacture and release of "21st Century Breakdown", Furnace MFG completes a project to release every Green Day album on vinyl record. Furnace MFG continues to increase market share for vinyl record manufacturing based on audiophile quality vinyl production capabilities and fast turnaround times.

Fairfax, VA (PRWEB) August 26, 2009 -- 19 years ago, Green Day released their debut album entitled "1039/Smooth" on punk upstart label Lookout Records. Since then, they have undeniably become one of the most successful rock bands of our time. Nine albums later, the band released "21st Century Breakdown" to wide critical acclaim.

In anticipation of this latest release and the accompanying concert tour, Warner Brothers/Reprise decided to re-issue all previous Green Day releases on vinyl -including the band's vast collection of 7" singles. Warner/Reprise selected Furnace MFG to manufacture, assemble, and prep each title for retail-ready distribution.

Furnace was especially proud to work on two additional limited edition, direct-to-consumer, multi-disc sets during this process. The first was a comprehensive custom box set including all 21 of Green Day's 7" singles. The second was a multi-record set of "21st Century Breakdown", which broke out each of the three acts of this "punk rock opera" onto its own 10" record. This set was packaged in a hardbound cover containing a 60 page book and the complete retail CD.

"Working on this series has been especially exciting for me," relates Furnace MFG President, Eric Astor. "The first time I saw Green Day was in 1990. They played in a friend's living room in Tempe, Arizona and they completely blew us away! I've been a huge fan ever since". He adds, "It's a great feeling to know the same DIY work ethic that has made Green Day a huge success in the music business is also the reason why Furnace MFG is still standing strong today, after 13 years in business."

About Furnace MFG: In business since 1996, Furnace MFG is a recognized leader in CD and DVD duplication, replication, and vinyl record manufacturing and packaging.
http://www.furnacemfg.com/vinyl

About Green Day http://www.greenday.com

# # #


Buy Green Day Vinyl Records Here

Classic Rock Videos

ROLLING STONES LIVE IN RIO 1995 - Start me up

Rock/Pop Tidbits

Sam and Dave were a Soul singing duo who scored a half dozen hits on the US pop and R&B charts in the mid 1960s, including "Hold On, I'm Comin'". The two didn't get along very well and seldom spoke to each other off stage. Sam Moore said he lost all respect for his partner Dave Prater after Prater shot his own wife during a 1968 domsestic dispute, an incident for which he was never prosecuted.

There have been over 30 different members of The Drifters and two entirely seperate sets of singers known by that name. The first group of Drifters had a couple of hits on the R&B chart in the mid-fifties, but after Clyde McPhatter left in 1956, the remaining members had a falling out with their manager and were all fired. A new version of the Drifters featured Ben E. King on "There Goes My Baby", "This Magic Moment" and "Save The Last Dance For Me" before he quit. Rudy Lewis replaced King as lead vocalist for "Some Kind Of Wonderful", "Up On The Roof" and "On Broadway", but he suffered a fatal heart attack in 1964. Johnny Moore, from the original set of Drifters then re-joined to sing "Under The Boardwalk", as well as a series of moderate British hits.

Even though the members of the three piece band called America are all from the US, they actually met and formed the group while they were living in the UK.

Diana Ross has recorded 18 US number one songs, but has never won a Grammy Award.

Lesley Gore was given the first chance to record "A Groovy Kind of Love", but her then-producer Shelby Singleton did not want her to record a song with the word "groovy" in it. The Mindbenders seized the opportunity and took the song to #2 on the Billboard charts.

Gladys Knight's "Pips" were named after her manager / cousin James "Pip" Patten. Later on, Gladys said it stood for "Perfection In Performance."

Several meanings for The Rolling Stones' hit "Brown Sugar" have been suggested over the years, including Mick Jagger's alleged affair with a black woman, African slaves being raped by their white masters and the perils of being addicted to Brown Heroin. It has even been rumored that Jagger wrote the song as "Black Pussy" before commercializing it to "Brown Sugar".

With less than ten minutes of studio time left, The Marcels recorded a doo-wop version of a song called "Blue Moon", written in 1934 by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. The result was a US number one hit in April, 1961.

The yardstick for every aspiring young drummer in the sixties was an instrumental called "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris. The record has sold millions and has become a classic rock standard, yet was put together as a b-side filler in about 15 minutes and recorded in just two takes.

Elvis Presley's former home, Graceland is the second most-visited house in America after the White House.

The original title of KISS' 1976 hit "Beth" was "Beck", a nickname given to songwriter Stan Penridge's girlfriend Becky. Penridge was the guitar player in a band that Peter Criss was in before he joined KISS. Additional lyrics were added by Criss and producer Bob Ezrin and resulted in a #7 Billboard hit.

William Ashton, who used the stage name Billy J. Kramer and scored hits with "Bad To Me" and "Little Children" during the British Invasion, took the last part of his name at random from a telephone directory. At the suggestion of John Lennon, Billy added a middle initial to give his name more appeal and used "J" in memory of John's mother, Julia and for his newly born son, Julian.

When The Guess Who performed at the White House in 1970, First Lady Pat Nixon, undoubtedly breifed as to the scathing anti-US sentiment of the band's hit "American Woman", asked that the band delete the song from their show.



Franki Valli's 1975 number one hit "My Eyes Adored You" was originally titled "Blue Eyes In Georgia", but was altered by Valli when he recorded it.

After "Good Lovin'" became Billboard's number one song in April, 1966, organist Felix Cavaliere admitted, "We weren't too pleased with our performance. It was a shock to us when it went to the top of the charts."

On the Mamas and Papas 1966 album "If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears", the group's name was spelled with an apostrophe before the "s" - The Mama's and Papa's. Subsequent albums opted for grammatical correctness and the apostrophes were dropped.

According to songwriter Burt Bacharach, his first choice of artist to record "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" was Ray Stevens. Fortunately for BJ Thomas, Stevens didn't like the song and passed on the opportunity.

Music News & Notes

Jerry Lee Lewis releases country single, "Mean Old Man"

Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him number 24 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. The singer, songwriter, and outstanding pianist, Jerry Lee Lewis has turned back to his roots of country.

The first single, "Mean Old Man," was released for digital download today on Shangri-La Music. Here's the kicker, Lewis recorded the song with Kris Kristofferson. Kristofferson is a songwriting genius.

The upcoming CD will be the first country CD from Lewis since the 1970s.

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Allen Thompson Releases New Album

Singer-songwriter Allen Thompson announces the release of his third CD 26 Years on August 25, 2009. Born and raised in Virginia and recently transplanted to Nashville, Allen Thompson's 26 Years is a reflection in ten original songs.

Like many a fine songwriter before him, Thompson has lived a lifetime of experiences in his short time here. With family tragedy of Southern Gothic proportion, Thompson was exposed to addiction and mental illness from a young age, ultimately losing both his maternal grandfather and his mother to the diseases. The heartbreak and uncertainty that haunted him throughout his youth permeate the writing on this album. 26 Years is Thompson's coming of age. "Writing and recording these songs allowed me to come to terms with the end of my childhood and the beginning of the rest of my life," Allen explains in his liner notes.

Thompson has not gone unnoticed. Relix magazine named Allen the Jam Off Competition Winner in their Sept/Oct 2008 issue and he has shared the studio with Bonnie Bramlett, Jack Pearson, Harry Stinson, Jimmy Nalls, and Dave Pomeroy to name a few. Check out Allen Thompson as he takes his 26 Years on the road. The new album will be available online and in select stores on August 25th with several new songs streaming at http://www.myspace.com/allenthompsonmusic

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Aerosmith's Steven Tyler Denies Drunken Stage Fall

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler spoke with Rolling Stone to clear up some of the reports that surfaced last week, including a Boston Herald report based on band "insiders" who claimed that Tyler was drunk during his recent fall of the stage and that has created problems within the band. He tells Rolling Stone that he was "As sober as you can be" while discussing the fall. Here are a couple of excerpts from that exchange:

What happened that night?:

I don't really know. There was a torrential downpour and the guys [at the campground] said, "Look, it's still slippery." I watched myself on YouTube, and it could have been my knee buckling or any ankle. The last thing I remember before I hit the ground was people grabbing for me, but they couldn't reach me because of the barricade. At any other Aerosmith show I probably would've been caught and thrown back onto the stage — naked and without jewelry [laughs]. I stood up and couldn't raise my arm and knew I'd broken something.

Care to comment on that clip [on a tabloid site] of you in a liquor store?:

Oh, Jesus Christ. A good friend of mine and Joe's — the brother of the guy who works on my house, my housekeeper — passed away. I was at the funeral. And after the funeral, they're Italian and had a feast at the house, a wake, and I stopped at the liquor store and paid for the booze. I did not buy any for myself. It was never proven that I did. Some kid whipped out a phone and took a picture. Anything to sell papers. It was for the wake. I would do it over and over a million times.

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KISS Announce North American Tour


As they celebrate 35 years of rockin', KISS today announced the dates of the KISS ALIVE 35 North American tour. The tour kicks off with a rapidly-selling, special multiple-show engagement in Detroit Rock City beginning September 25th, where KISS will be playing the classic album that started it all: KISS ALIVE! The tour leg will then hit more than 40 additional cities before concluding in December.

This incredible show will feature a new stage set, pyro effects that only the "hottest band in the world" could deliver, and all new costumes. Fans will be treated to a 2½ hour set of some of rock's greatest hits, including "Rock and Roll All Nite," "I Was Made for Lovin' You," "Detroit Rock City," "God Gave Rock & Roll to You" and "Shout It Out Loud," as well as songs from the band's new album SONIC BOOM. Buckcherry will be main support on all of the KISS ALIVE 35 North American dates.

Said Gene Simmons, "For 35 years, KISS raised the bar for what a rock concert should really be. This year is no different - all new, all killer... all KISS! The master's class in rock is in session! KISS rules. Oh yeah!"

"Bigger IS better!" said Paul Stanley. "SONIC BOOM is our future and KISS Alive is our proud past. On this tour you get KISS Alive plus a slew of other classics and soon to be classics. New stage, new battle gear and a pyro arsenal that will again show everyone that there is only one KISS!"

After completing their biggest tour ever of South America, selling out stadiums once again in Europe, and leaving fans clamoring for more in Australia, KISS is excited to give North America its due. KISS ALIVE 35 North America marks the first leg of the world's first fan-routed tour -- more than 10,000 individual cities across Canada and the U.S. mounted their own unique campaigns to bring KISS to their towns.

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Yellow Sub Re-Do?

Nothing is sacred in Hollywood and they will remake anything. Case in point:

Robert Zemeckis is in negotiations to direct a remake of "Yellow Submarine" for Disney.

"Submarine" was a 1968 animated feature based on music by the Beatles. It was produced by United Artists and King Features Syndicate.

Disney had no comment on the dealmaking, which is in the thick of trying to acquire the rights to the music to the film, which included the title track as well as classics such as "Eleanor Rigby," "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," "When I'm Sixty-Four" and "With a Little Help From My Friends."

Like all Zemeckis productions, "Submarine" would be done in performance capture and would also be a digital 3D endeavor.

The movie, a hit when it was released, is about a soldier called Old Fred who meets up with the Beatles and travels in a yellow submersible to Pepperland. Among the group's encounters are the Blue Meanies, music-hating creatures.

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The Black Crows - new CD and Free 2nd Album

THE BLACK CROWES will release their new studio CD, Before the Frost... on 31st August 2009.

A second album, titled …Until The Freeze, will be given away for free exclusively through a unique download code which is included in Before The Frost… as a “thank you” to their fans for two decades of continued support.

Before the Frost..., and its corresponding free album …Until The Freeze, were recorded over a series of five nights at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY. Although both are studio albums, all the new material was performed and recorded in front of an intimate audience of the band’s fans, making them a part of The Black Crowes musical history.

The innovative technique of inviting fans into the studio to become part of the process during recording is a rare experience.

Before the Frost... features eleven new and previously unreleased Black Crowes songs including Good Morning Captain, I Ain’t Hiding, Been a Long Time (Waiting on Love), and other original songs that will serve to spotlight the bands ability to make emotional connections through their music. The free album …Until The Freeze is a nine-song collection featuring eight new original Black Crowes songs plus a cover version of the Stephen Stills classic So Many Times.

A limited edition vinyl release of Before The Frost…Until The Freeze, featuring all 20 tracks, will also be available on 31st August 2009.