Music News & Notes

R. Kelly's 'Untitled' Album Finally Gets a Release Date

After several delays, the long-anticipated new album from R. Kelly finally has a release date. 'Untitled' will be available December 1 and will include the singles 'Number One' featuring Keri Hilson, released in July, and 'Religious," which dropped about two weeks ago.

Initially, the R&B artist planned to release an album titled '12 Play, 4th Quarter' in 2008, but when the set leaked, he scrapped the project, re-recorded some of the songs and assembled his next release under a new and non-descriptive name.

Breaking away from his traditional routine, Chicago-based Kelly recorded some of the 'Untitled' material in Atlanta. He has traditionally recorded solely in the Windy City. He also joined forces with a group of rising producers that Infinity, Lil Ronnie and Chris Henderson.

'Untitled' will be Kelly's 10th studio album. It follows 2007's 'Double-Up,' which topped The Billboard 200 upon its release to become his fifth No. 1 set on the album chart.

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Susan Boyle beats U2, Coldplay to set Amazon record

There's a new record holder for the largest CD pre-order ever on Amazon.com's Music Store -- and she beat the likes of Norah Jones, U2, Bruce Springsteen and Coldplay.

It's Susan Boyle.

She's the woman who wowed the world on the TV show "Britain's Got Talent."

Her album, "I Dreamed A Dream," doesn't come out until November 23rd, but Amazon says the response for pre-orders is "unprecedented."

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Michael Buble beats out 'New Moon' soundtrack on The Billboard 200

Michael Buble's "Crazy Love" tops The Billboard 200 for a second week in a row, beating out the much-anticipated "Twilight Saga: New Moon" soundtrack, released Friday, 203,000 to 115,000. Granted, this was the jazz singer's first full week of sales, and "New Moon" (at No. 2) was only on shelves for three days -- with pre-sales included -- as it was released early on Friday.

Still, it's a triumph for Buble, as this marks his second-best sales week.

Jay-Z's "Blueprint 3" climbs up 5-3 despite a 15% sales slip to 55,000. Barbra Streisand's "Love Is the Answer" sits at No. 4 (49,000, -34%), Miley Cyrus' "The Time of Our Lives" ascends 8-5 (40,000, -15%) and Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." bounds up 23-6 (40,000, +56%). After an appearance on "Oprah" and the release of a new music video ("Fifteen"), Taylor Swift and her "Fearless" zoom up 17-7 (33,000, +7%).

The Flaming Lips score their best chart position ever, though it's not their best sales week. "Embryonic" debuts at No. 8 with 32,000. Their last album, "At War with the Mystics," began at No. 11 but with 48,000 in 2006.

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Rogers Tires Of His Own Song

How many times can you listen to Kenny Rogers' The Gambler in a row? An even bigger question is, how many times can Kenny Rogers SING The Gambler in a row? The answer to the second question is evidently twelve because that's how many times he sang the song the other night at the request of hedge-fund manager Raj Rajaratnam who paid $4 million for a private performance by the singer. Rajaratnam requested the song over and over until, after an even dozen performances, Rogers refused to do it again. For $4 million he should have sang it until the customer became ill.

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Rihanna's 'Russian Roulette' Arrives, New Album Is Called 'Rated R'


Rihanna's brand new single "Russian Roulette" which is written by Ne-Yo has arrived. The track is confirmed to be the first single from the Barbadian songstress' upcoming studio album "Rated R" which is due for November 23 U.S. release.

A music video in companion to the song has been filmed last week in New York City. It is directed by Anthony Mandler and is expected to be debuted on ABC during the network's primetime hours. Unfortunately, no specified premiere date is mentioned. Here is the R-Rated cover art that is gaining attention in the music circles.

A cover art for the single has also been put forward. The artwork features Rihanna being topless and tied up in barbed wires. Wearing an eye patch, she looks fiercely to the camera with slightly-opened mouth. Her right hand is holding a chain hanging from the ceiling. Cool....

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Eels Unveil New Album Cover Art


Eels have unveiled the cover art for their forthcoming album, ‘End Times‘.

The band also released the tracklisting for the album, due out January 19.

The album art was illustrated by Adrian Tomine.

Box Sets From A Very Special Christmas, Buddy Holly, Hendrix, Motown, Rolling Stones, U2, and Klaus Voormann Plus a Rarity From Nirvana Arrive for the

Box Sets From A Very Special Christmas, Buddy Holly, Hendrix, Motown, Rolling Stones, U2, and Klaus Voormann Plus a Rarity From Nirvana Arrive for the Holidays

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Historic Jimi Hendrix concerts... a legendary performance from Nirvana... U2's remastered The Unforgettable Fire... every recording by Buddy Holly... a new generation of talent on A Very Special Christmas, every Motown #1 hit... nearly every Rolling Stones album since 1971... and a collection from famed sideman Klaus Voormann. With new box sets and albums from UMe, holiday gift-giving has never sounded so good.


A Very Special Christmas:

Selling one million copies in its first year, the premier album, A Very Special Christmas, released in 1987, and the subsequent albums in the series, have generated more than $l00 million for Special Olympics, the most ever raised by a benefit recording series. Set for release on November 23, A Very Special Christmas - Volume 7 (A&M/UMe), incorporates a new generation of superstar talent; Colbie Caillat, Carter Twins, Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens, Sean Kingston, Leighton Meester, Kellie Pickler, Ashley Tisdale, Carrie Underwood, as well as many others, add to the latest edition of the acclaimed album series featuring original recordings of new and traditional Christmas songs which each artist selected especially for this album.


Buddy Holly:

He had a brief three-year professional recording career, but Buddy Holly left the music world a vast recorded legacy of 203 tracks--all of them on the limited edition six-CD Hip-O Select box set Not Fade Away/The Complete Studio Recordings And More.

The tracks range from his earliest recordings to demos with Bob Montgomery; from his earliest recordings with The Crickets to his first studio recordings for Decca in Nashville; from the Coral and Brunswick recordings and hits that made him famous to his heralded apartment tapes. There are six previously unreleased tracks plus another 11 previously unreleased in the U.S. All of the original, locatable undubbed recordings and all 57 overdubbed versions recorded after the "day the music died" are here. Many are hard-to-find or make their CD debuts.


Jimi Hendrix:

Two box sets from Dagger Records (Experience Hendrix through Geffen/UMe), offered exclusively through Amazon.com, are each presented with exclusive reproductions of Hendrix memorabilia, including a poster, postcard set replicating classic Hendrix concert posters, set of badges reminiscent of the era, Hendrix iPod Skin, PikCARD with four guitar picks adorned with Hendrix artwork from the concert posters and more.

Jimi Hendrix Experience Live 1968 Paris/Ottawa encompasses a pair of concerts, highlighted by performances of "Purple Haze," "The Wind Cries Mary" and "Little Wing" from the L'Olympia Theater in Paris and a "Hendrixized" version of the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" taped at Ottawa's Capitol Theater later that same year. Jimi Hendrix Experience Paris '67 is a custom-swirled, colored vinyl album documenting an earlier concert at L'Olympia and featuring performances of "Stone Free," "Hey Joe," "Wild Thing," etc.


Motown:

The 10-CD box set Motown: The Complete No. 1's (Motown/UMe) brings together every Motown No. 1 hit, from every U.S. and international chart and from every genre--a staggering 192 tracks--plus 10 bonus tracks whose cover versions were No. 1, for a otal of 202 No. 1 recordings.

Housed in a replica of the original Motown headquarters, "Hitsville U.S.A.," Motown: The Complete No. 1's spans generations of musical memories, beginning with 1961's R&B No. 1 "Shop Around" from The Miracles, and the label's first Pop No. 1, "Please Mr. Postman" from The Marvelettes. From The Supremes' five consecutive No. 1's, starting with "Where Did Our Love Go," to The Temptations' immortal "My Girl," this is the soundtrack to the sixties, seventies and beyond, concluding with 2000's "Bag Lady" from Erykah Badu. Heard too are Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Four Tops, Martha & the Vandellas, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Jackson 5, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Commodores, Rick James, Lionel Richie, Boyz II Men, and more.


Nirvana:

One of the most bootlegged concerts in the annals of rock-- Nirvana's August 30, 1992, headlining appearance at the U.K.'s Reading Festival--Nirvana Live At Reading (DGC/Geffen/UMe) will be issued in a limited edition DVD+CD Deluxe Edition in November. The footage and audio come in the original multi-track masters and are presented in 5.1 Surround Sound. Only two of the 25 performances on the DVD have ever been released before.

The concert ranked #1 in Kerrang's "100 Gigs That Shook The World" and "Nirvana's #1 Greatest Moment" by fans in an NME poll includes nearly the entire Nevermind tracklist, early performances of then-unrecorded songs ("All Apologies," "Dumb" and the first performance of "Tourette's") and live versions of songs later heard on Incesticide. The career-spanning set list also reaches back to the band's beginnings.


The Rolling Stones:

Thirteen of the 14 Rolling Stones albums since 1971 have been newly remastered and are available from UMe separately or in a limited edition collectible box set exclusively through Amazon.com (1972's Exile On Main St. will be remastered and released in early 2010). Included is a full-color poster of the band's Sticky Fingers classic promotional image re-created specially for this package.

The box brings together Sticky Fingers (1971, "Brown Sugar," "Wild Horses"); Goats Head Soup (1973, "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)," "Angie"); It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (1974, "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It)"); Black And Blue (1976, "Hot Stuff," "Miss You"); Some Girls (1978, "Beast Of Burden," "Shattered"); Emotional Rescue (1980, "She's So Cold"); Tattoo You (1981, "Start Me Up"); Undercover (1983, "Undercover Of The Night"); Dirty Work (1986, "Harlem Shuffle"); and Steel Wheels (1989, "Rock And A Hard Place") plus Voodoo Lounge (1994), Bridges To Babylon (1997) and A Bigger Bang (2005).


U2:

U2's fourth album, The Unforgettable Fire, has been remastered for the first time with direction from U2 guitarist, The Edge, and will be released by Island/UMe on October 27, 2009. This special edition marks 25 years since the album's original release in October 1984. Recorded at Slane Castle, Ireland, The Unforgettable Fire was the first U2 album to be produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and spawned the US top 10 hit - "Pride (In The Name Of Love)."

The limited edition super deluxe box set features bonus audio material, including two previously unheard tracks from the Slane Castle sessions: "Yoshino Blossom" and "Disappearing Act" (a track which the band recently completed), and a DVD including music videos, a documentary and unreleased live footage from the Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope Tour in 1986.


Klaus Voormann:

On A Sideman's Journey (UMe), famed musician Klaus Voormann, who played bass on solo albums for every Beatle as well as for Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Yoko Ono and others, is joined by musical friends in seven studio sessions in London, Memphis, Hamburg, Los Angeles and Munich. The limited edition two-disc box set, available exclusively through Amazon.com, includes three bonus audio tracks, a DVD documentary on the makin of the album, a hardbound book of photos (renowned graphic designer Voormann created the Beatles' Revolver cover) and more.

Featuring Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Yusuf (aka Cat Stevens), Dr. John, Bonnie Bramlett, Van Dyke Parks, Albert Lee, and others, A Sideman's Journey finds Voormann & Friends performing favorites such as "Blue Suede Shoes," "All Things Must Pass," "Mighty Quinn" and "Just Like A Woman."

SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises

Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

I am continuing our new feature: Ask "Mr. Music." Now in its 23rd year of syndication (1986-2008), Jerry Osborne's weekly Q&A feature will be a regular post every Wednesday from now on. 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 OCTOBER 19, 2009


DEAR JERRY: I found a cassette tape hand-labeled “Doo-Wop Collectors Classics,” which provides no information about any of the songs or artists.

Surprisingly, all but one of the 20 or so tunes are ones I am completely unfamiliar with, by anyone. The one I do know is “Just One Look,” a hit in the '60s by Doris Troy, the Hollies, and Linda Ronstadt.

Any chance you know the name of the group singing “Just One Look”?
—Mario Cassell, Corpus Christi, Texas


DEAR MARIO: It is a certainty. This is in fact the original May 1963 release of “Just One Look,” by Andy and the Marglows (Liberty 55570). Their record preceded Doris Troy's version by about two weeks.

This group recorded only four songs (issued on two singles), all of which are on a 25-track CD album that you seem to have on tape: “Doo-Wop Collectors Classics, Volume 6.”

Having recently been in contact with Lamont Russell on another matter, he is the perfect person to enlighten us on the brief recording history of Andy and the Marglows:

“I sang with Andy and the Marglows in 1963, when we recorded for Liberty Records.

“Other members of our group were Andy Huff, his brother Terry, and Mickey Freeman. We all lived in Washington D.C. at the time.

“The first single was “Just One Look,” backed with “Symphony,” on which I sang the lead. Background vocals are by Doris Troy and two other ladies whose names I don't recall.

“Our manager drove us to Liberty Records in New York, a Los Angeles label with an office in N.Y. There, in the office of Ed Silver, our producer at Liberty, is where we first heard Doris Troy's “Just One Look” demo tape.

Though we begged Ed to let us record the song at the same tempo heard on Troy's demo, he kept saying that he needed it to be funky.

“Doris Troy, who also wrote “Just One Look,” wanted it recorded at Liberty the way it was on her demo, and not at the upbeat tempo that Ed had us using.

“Upon release in Detroit, one radio station selected our “funky” version as the Battle of Sounds best Rhythm and Blues Recording of the Month. Stations were playing our song like crazy, but only for about two weeks. That is when Doris Troy's version (Atlantic 2188) came out … and we were history.

“I think that if we had recorded “Just One Look” just as we heard it on the demo, there would have been no reason for Doris Troy to record the song herself. Her eventual release for Atlantic sounded just like her original demo.

“Though Doris Troy made the Top 10 with “Just One Look,” she never had another Top 100 hit.

“Our second and last single, “I'll Get By,” backed with “Superman Lover” (Liberty 55623), came out in October 1963.

“A dozen years later, the summer '75 chart hit, “The Lonely One” (Mainstream 5581) came out credited to Special Delivery Featuring Terry Huff. This outfit includes brothers Terry, Andy (half of Andy and the Marglows) and Jimmy Huff.”


DEAR JERRY: Like many teenage boys in the 1960s, I had a huge crush on Annette (Funicello).

Now, 45 years later, many have forgotten just how popular Annette was at the time.

This international superstar had hit records, popular TV shows, and major motion picture films, all going at the same time.

In one show I saw on television back then, Annette is cast as a dance hall girl in the old west. As such, she sings a song or two, much to the delight of a saloon full of rowdy cowboys.

Do you know these songs, and if they were on records. Also, what is the name of the movie?
—George E. Culley, Milwaukee


DEAR GEORGE: Let's begin with that made-for-television movie. It is “Golden Horseshoe Revue,” a Frontierland feature on Walt Disney's Sunday night series “Wonderful World of Color.” This episode aired on September 23, 1962.

At first Annette bores the local dudes with the Gay '90s-type ballad, “Hang a Lantern in Your Window.” As the cowboys get up to leave, Annette turns on the charm and sings the up-tempo “Mister Piano Man.” The men quickly return to their seats.

A single of “Mister Piano Man,” with a gorgeous photo sleeve picturing Annette festooned in her character's showgirl costume, (Buena Vista 405) came out in the summer of 1962.

I know of no issued recording of the 54-second “Hang a Lantern in Your Window.”


IZ ZAT SO? With a career that began in 1956, Annette became the Rock Era's first single-name star, years before Dion left the Belmonts, Cher sang apart from Sonny, and Donovan made every effort to “Catch the Wind.”


Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission

From Dublin to DC: Furnace MFG Completes Pressing of R.E.M.'s "Live at the Olympia" Vinyl Record Box Set

"Live at the Olympia" features 39 songs R.E.M recorded at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. In addition to the four LPs pressed by Furnace MFG, this limited-edition box set also includes two CDs and an hour-long DVD performance documentary of five nights of live rehearsals titled "This Is Not A Show."

Fairfax, VA (PRWEB) October 21, 2009 -- For five nights in July 2007, R.E.M. performed and recorded a series of working rehearsals at the famed Olympia Theater in Dublin, Ireland in front of passionate, capacity crowds. New material was tested at these working concerts, some of which would eventually end up on their album "Accelerate." Thirty-nine songs were selected to form the tracks included of the box set "Live at the Olympia."

The live rehearsals were filmed by Vincent Moon and turned into an hour-long performance documentary featuring live concert footage from all five nights of the rehearsals. The documentary is also airing in select venues for a one-night-only sneak preview screening to coincide with the release of the box set.

With our exclusive partnerships with world-class vinyl pressing plants and our experience in exacting and difficult assembly and configuration, more and more customers are turning to Furnace MFG for one of a kind projects.

Warner Bros selected Furnace MFG for this special project, and the records were pressed at Furnace's German partner - Pallas Group Worldwide. Pallas has a long history of extremely high-quality vinyl pressing and is considered the plant of choice for many audiophile record labels throughout the world.

The limited edition box set includes 4 LP records in gatefold sleeves, 2 CDs, a DVD, a 24" x 36" tour poster as well essay notes from Peter Buck on each of the 39 songs. All of these components are housed in a sturdy slipcase to protect and display the collection.

"Furnace MFG has a strong reputation for special edition, multiple component vinyl packaging," says Manish Naik, Furnace MFG's COO. "With our exclusive partnerships with world-class vinyl pressing plants and our experience in exacting and difficult assembly and configuration, more and more customers are turning to Furnace MFG for one of a kind projects."

R.E.M.'s "Live at the Olympia" limited edition box set will be released on October 27, 2009 and is available for pre-order at http://www.remdublin.com

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

About R.E.M.
www.remhq.com

Contact:
Manish Naik, COO
Furnace MFG
703-205-0007
www.furnacemfg.com
www.facebook.com/furnacemfg

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Music News & Notes

Cover art for new Dark Funeral album revealed

Swedish black metallers DARK FUNERAL have unveiled the artwork for their new album, Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus.

The album will be released on November 18th via Regain Records.

According to a band update: "The album will be released in a couple of different formats. One of the first officially confirmed information is that the very first editions will be a 2 Disc Limited Edition (containing 1 CD + 1 Live DVD). The bonus live DVD offers approx. 55 minutes of all previously unreleased material. Professionally filmed with six cameras during the band’s highly acclaimed 15th anniversary special show, which has been commended as a 'firestorm' during the P&L Festival in Sweden 2008, cannot be missed! The album will also include the brand new video for 'My Funeral'."

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The Mighty Mighty Bosstones


The Mighty Mighty Bosstones have revealed the cover art for their upcoming new album Pin Points and Gin Joints. You can get a new track, "Graffiti Worth Reading", for free through their store.

The album currently has no release date, but is expected out sometime later this year. The genre-defining band released Medium Rare in 2007 after a brief hiatus.

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Country Music Honored

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a resolution honoring country music for its contributions to America. Representative Cliff Sterns (R-FL) said:

"Country music traces its roots to the folk tradition of the British Isles and the Celts of central and western Europe; however, here in the United States, early immigrants, as well as African slaves, contributed to a new, distinct style of music that continued to develop through the 18th and 19th centuries. The history of country music is the history of our country.

"Subgenres such as bluegrass, folk and gospel have combined the unique instrumentation of country with powerful vocals to create one-of-a-kind sounds. Today, the influence of American country music is worldwide, with large fan bases in Canada and Australia, as well."

Um, OK, but what about health care reform?

This Date In Music History-October 21

Birthdays:

Norman Wright - Dell-Vikings ("Come Go With Me") (1937)

Jimmy Beaumont - Skyliners (1940)

Manfred Mann (1941)

Steve Cropper - Booker T and the MG's (1941)

Elvin Bishop (1942)

Ron Elliott - Beau Brummels (1943)

Kathy Young ("A Thousand Stars") (1945)

Lee Loughnane - Chicago (1946)

Tetsu Yamauchi - Faces (1947)

John 'Rabbit' Bundrick - Free (1948)

Charlotte Caffey - Go-Go's (1953)

Eric Faulkner - Bay City Rollers (1954)

Steve Lukather - Toto (1957)

Julian Cope (1957)


They Are Missed:

Jazz giant Dizzy Gillespie was born today in Cheraw, SC in 1917 (died January 6, 1993).

Born today in 1946, Lux Interior (Erick Lee Purkhiser), singer and founding member of The Cramps. Died in Glendale, California on February 4, 2009.

Born on this day in 1952, Brent Mydland, The Grateful Dead. He was found dead on the floor of his home on July 26, 1990 (age 38) from a drug overdose.

Bill Black, Elvis Presley's bass player, (1954-57), died in 1965, four months after receiving surgery to remove a brain tumor (age 39). With guitarist Scotty Moore, and Elvis Presley on rhythm guitar, Black played on a number of the King's hits. After leaving Presley Black formed Bill Black's Combo.

Blind Melon lead singer Shannon Hoon died in 1995 of a cocaine/heroin overdose in New Orleans. He was 28.



In 2003, singer-songwriter Elliott Smith (real name Steven Paul Smith) was found dead of a self-inflicted stab wound to the chest. Smith was 34.

In 2006, singer, songwriter, and drummer Sandy West died. Founding member (with Joan Jett) of all girl group The Runaways, hailed by fans and critics alike to be one of the most groundbreaking drummers in rock and roll history.


History:

Today in 1957, the song "Jailhouse Rock" by Elvis Presley topped the charts and stayed there for 7 weeks.

In 1958, in what will be his last studio session, Buddy Holly recorded, "True Love Ways," "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," "Moondreams" and "Raining in my Heart" with the Crickets in New York.

Bob Dylan recorded his first album, "Bob Dylan," for Columbia Records in 1961. The album presents the 20-year old singer accompanied by his guitar and harmonica. The recording was done in a day and productions costs run $400. Filling out his income-tax form, Dylan gave his name as Blind Boy Grunt.

The Kingsmen appeared on "Shindig!" in 1965, performing "Louie Louie."

In 1965, wanting to improve on a previous recording session The Beatles started from scratch on a new song called "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," finishing recordings in three takes. They also began working on a new John Lennon song "Nowhere Man."

The Who, done up in pop-art costumes and equipped with smoke bombs, flash powder and other stage devices, appeared on British television's Ready Steady Go! in 1966. They played music from their rush released EP, "Ready Steady Who!" This included the "Batman Theme," "Barabara Ann," "Bucket T," "Circles" and "Disguises."

Today in 1967, the song "To Sir with Love" by Lulu topped the charts and stayed there for 5 weeks.

Nashville's top Country Music Awards in 1968 went to Jeannie C. Riley's "Harper Valley P.T.A." for best song and to "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison" for best album.

In 1972, seventeen years after writing and recording the first of his many rock & roll classics, Chuck Berry gets his first US #1 pop hit with "My Ding-a-Ling." It's a singalong novelty song derived from grade-school level private parts jokes. It is Chuck Berry’s most commercially successful single, bigger than “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Johnny B. Goode” or “Rock and Roll Music.” Amazing.

Also in 1972, Curtis Mayfield started a four-week run at #1 on the US album chart with soundtrack to "Superfly."

John Lennon began producing his "Rock 'n' Roll" album himself at the Record Plant Studios in 1974.

In 1976, Keith Moon played his last North American show with the Who as he and the band wrap-up an extensive year of touring at Toronto's Maple Leaf Garden.

Led Zeppelin's "The Song Remains The Same" movie debuts in New York in 1976.

"Road to Ruin," the Ramones’ fourth album, was released in 1978. It contains such anthems as “I Wanna Be Sedated” and “I Just Want to Have Something to Do.”

In 1997, Elton John's 'Candle In The Wind 97' was declared by the Guinness Book Of Records as the biggest selling single record of all time, with 31.8 million sales in less than 40 days and raising more than £20 million for charity.

In 2001, Concerts at Madison Square Garden and the RFK stadium in Washington were expected to raise millions in funds for the victims of the Sept 11th attacks. Stars who appeared included Michael Jackson, Tom Petty, Aerosmith, *NSYNC, P Diddy, James Brown, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, The Who and Elton John.

In 2003, Elton John signed a three-year, $50 million deal to perform 75 shows at Caesar`s Palace.

Neil Young's 20th annual Bridge School Benefit Concert gets underway in 2006. The two day event at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA, featured Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters and Nine Inch Nails' frontman Trent Reznor, who gave a rare acoustic set. Young joined Pearl Jam onstage and sits in on pump organ to play "Good Vibrations" with Brian Wilson. When the Dave Matthews Band covers Young’s "Cortez The Killer," Neil adds acoustic guitar. Proceeds go to the nonprofit learning organization for physically or verbally impaired children that Young's wife co-founded. This was the fifth year Pearl Jam performs at the Bridge School concerts.

In 2006, Alice In Chains are among more than 20 bands that perform in different cities across North America as part of MySpace.com's Rock For Darfur initiative to help the battle-torn region of Sudan. AIC play in Winston-Salem, NC, and a portion of profits benefit the Oxfam humanitarian organization.

New Music Releases - October 20, 2009

Lots of new music this week including Michael Jackson’s This Is It, Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3 is out on vinyl, some new Wolfmother, a 4-CD box set form Dolly Parton, two remastered Get Up Kids and Lou Reed releases, new music from Sufjan Stevens, Lyle Lovett, Kris Kristofferson, Gov't Mule and an interesting band I saw on Jooles Holland called Cage the Elephant, kind of the Hold Steady meet the Clash, I like the band for some reason. Also, everything you ever wanted to hear from Yo-Yo Ma: 30 Years Outside the Box (90-CD box set), and yes, I checked that, 90 CD's and many other great music releases.

Buy New Music Here!


1990s - Cookies (reissue)
60 Watt Kid - We Come From the Bright Side
7 Worlds Collide - The Sun Came Out (vinyl)
Akron/Family - River (vinyl)
Alasdair Roberts - The Wyrd Meme EP (vinyl)
Alec Ounsworth - Mo Beauty
Andrew Bird - The Swimming Hour (2-LP vinyl reissue)
Atlas Sound - Logos (vinyl)
Audra Mae - Haunt
Bats - Don’t You Rise
Bauhaus - In the Flat Field (remastered with bonus CD)
Bauhaus - Mask (remastered with bonus CD)
Beak> - Beak>
Bear in Heaven - Beast Rest Forth Mouth
Black Heart Procession - Six (vinyl)
Bloody Beetroots - “Awesome [ft. Cool Kids]” 12?
Bomshel - Fight Like a Girl
Cage the Elephant - Cage the Elephant
Cartel - Cycles
Chad Price - Smile Sweet Face
Chll Pll - Aggressively Humble (vinyl)
Clare & the Reasons - Arrow
Cococoma - Things Are Not All Right
Converge - Axe to Fall
Dark Meat - Truce Opium (vinyl)
Dead Man's Bones - Dead Man's Bones (vinyl)
Del Lords - Lovers Who Wander (remastered with bonus tracks)
DJ Tiësto - Kaleidoscope
Do Make Say Think - Other Truths (vinyl)
Dolly Parton - Dolly (4-CD box set)
Doveman - The Conformist
Editors - In This Light & On This Evening
Efterklang - Performing Parades CD/DVD
El Perro Del Mar - Love Is Not Pop (vinyl)
Electric Six - Kill
Elvis Perkins in Dearland - The Doomsday EP (vinyl)
Espers - III
Excepter - Black Beach (vinyl)
Failures' Union - In What Way
Fall - Vol. 2 - Rebellious Jukebox
Falty DL - Bravery EP
Fela Kuti - The Best of the Black President (2-CDs & DVD)
Finn Riggins - Vs. Wilderness
Flight of the Conchords - I Told You I Was Freaky (vinyl)
Florence and the Machine - Lungs
Former Ghosts - Fleurs
Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport
Garage A Trois - Power Patriot
Get Back Guinozzi! - Carpet Madness
Get Up Kids - Four Minute Mile (remastered)
Get Up Kids - Red Letter Day/Woodson (remastered)
Glass Ghost - Idol Omen
Gov't Mule - By A Thread
Heavy Trash - Midnight Soul Serenade (vinyl)
Hem - Twelfth Night (soundtrack)
Irmin Schmidt - Filmmusik Anthology
Islands - Vapours (vinyl)
Jane Wiedlin - Jane Wiedlin (reissue)
Jay Farrar and Benjamin Gibbard - One Fast Move or I’m Gone: Music from Kerouac’s Big Sur
Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3 (vinyl)
Jello Biafra - The Audacity of Hype
Jesu - Opiate Sun (vinyl)
Jon & Roy - Another Noon
Jonsi & Alex - Riceboy Sleeps (2-LP vinyl)
Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young
Kate Baldwin - Let's See What Happens
King Crimson - Red (remastered with bonus DVD)
Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependance (vinyl)
Kris Kristofferson - Closer To The Bone (vinyl)
Kutless - It Is Well
Leonard Cohen - Live At The Isle of Wight (CD & DVD) (Blu-ray DVD) (2-LP vinyl)
Lissy Trullie - Self-Taught Learner (vinyl)
Little Dragon - Machine Dreams (vinyl)
Loreena McKennitt - A Mediterranean Odyssey
Lou Reed - Legendary Hearts (remastered)
Lou Reed - New Sensations (remastered)
Lyle Lovett - Natural Forces
Madonna - Celebration (remixes) (vinyl)
Majeure - Timespan 2xLP
Maps - Turning the Mind
Michael Jackson - Michael Jackson: The Remix Suite (vinyl)
Michael Jackson - This Is It
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Summer of Fear
Mother Hips - Pacific Dust (vinyl)
Mountains - Etching
Naam - Naam
Nancy Elizabeth - Wrought Iron
Nouvelle Vague - 3 (vinyl)
Old Canes - Feral Harmonic (vinyl)
Old Lights - Every Night Begins the Same
OOIOO - Armonico Hewa (vinyl)
Parenthetical Girls - The Scottish Play
Parlour Steps - The Hidden Names
Paul Bowles - Baptism Of Solitude (reissue)
Pelican - What We All Come to Need
Peter Bradley Adams - Traces
Pixies - Minotaur (Limited Edition) (5xCD/5xLP/6xDVD/6xBlu-ray/2xBK box set)
Placebo - Ashtray Heart
Pontiak - Sea Voids EP
Pylon - Chomp (remastered with bonus tracks)
Radio Slave - Fabric 48
Rain Machine - Rain Machine (vinyl)
Rammstein - Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da
Reaganomics - Get Lost, Stay Lost
Richard Youngs - Under Stellar Stream
Richmond Fontaine - Winnemucca
RJD2 - 2002-2010 (4-LP vinyl box set)
Robert Francis - Before Nightfall
Roots - How I Got Over
Rosanne Cash - The List (vinyl)
Russian Circles - Geneva
Sam Bush - Circles Around Me
Shackleton - Three EPs
Shrinebuilder - Shrinebuilder (vinyl)
Silver Starling - Silver Starling
Slits - Trapped Animal
Snow Patrol - Late Night Tales
Soil - Picture Perfect
Spiral Stairs - The Real Free
Star F**king Hipsters - Never Rest in Peace (vinyl)
String Cheese Incident - Trick or Treat: Best of the String Cheese Incident
Sufjan Stevens - The BQE (vinyl)
System And Station - I'm Here To Kill [EP]
Terri Clark - The Long Way Home
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - Fruit
Themselves - CrownsDown
This Time Next Year - Road Maps & Heart Attacks
Tickley Feather - Hors d'Oeuvres (vinyl)
Tim McGraw - Southern Voice
Train - Save Me San Francisco
Tropa Macaca - Sensação do Princípio
U.S.E - Loveworld
Various Artists - 5 - 5 Years of Hyperdub
Various Artists - A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector (reissue)
Various Artists - A Tribute to The Mississippi Sheiks - Things About Comin' My Way
Various Artists - Black Dynamite OST
Various Artists - Dillanthology, Vol. 3
Various Artists - Gastonia Gallop: Cotton Mill Songs & Hillbilly Blues - Piedmont Textile Workers On Record: Gaston County, North Carolina, 1927-1931
Various Artists - Saw 6 (soundtrack)
Various Artists - Three Score & Ten - A Voice To The People (7-CD box set)
Various Artists - Twilight - New Moon Soundtrack
Various Artists - Yo Gabba Gabba: Music Is Awesome
Veils - Nux Vomica (reissue)
Via Tania - Moon Sweet Moon
Weird Al Yankovic - The Essential Weird Al Yankovic
White Denim - Fits (vinyl)
White Mice - Ganjahovahdose
White Rainbow - New Clouds
Wolfmother - New Moon Rising: The Remixes
Young Marble Giants - Live At The Hurrah (vinyl)
Yo-Yo Ma - Yo-Yo Ma: 30 Years Outside the Box (90-CD box set)

Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales-Week Ending 10/17/2009

1. LP - Minor Threat "Out Of Step" test pressing silkscreened - $5,899.99

2. LP - Leonid Kogan "Beethoven Violin Concerto" Columbia SAX 2386 UK Pressing - $4,610.00

3. LP - David Bowie "Ziggy Stardust" Acetate - $4,001.00

4. LP - Georges Enesco Bach Sonatas Continental - $3,300.00

5. LP - Devy Erlih "Bach Sonatas and Partitas for solo Violin" ADES France - $3,281.56

As always, a special thank you to Norm at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com for this great data. Stop in and listen to their unique radio show Accidental Nostalgia with Norm & Jane On Radio Dentata - 60 minutes of rare records and nugatory narration. Every Tuesday 4PM PT/7PM ET, Sunday 9AM PT/12PM ET & Monday 12AM PT/3AM ET

Music News & Notes

Abigail Williams deluxe reissue set for release

Candlelight Records today confirms two limited edition versions of Abigail Williams' popular debut album, "In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns." Set for release January 12, the special formats will kick off the band's first tour of 2010, their fifth in support of the album. The deluxe edition will feature a bonus disc containing five previously unavailable tracks plus the band's video for the song "Into the Ashes." Limited to 1000 copies, the vinyl pressing has been a request of fans since the album's late-2008 release.

Discussing the deluxe edition, vocalist/guitarist Sorceron reveals, "the first song, 'I Am (God)' is a new song that signifies the first collaboration between new keyboard player Alana and myself. 'In Death Comes the Great Silence' reveals a new direction that the band has been working towards over the last year while 'Infernal Divide' is another new song that once again redefines that Abigail Williams sound. This track was recorded quite raw and has a strong black metal influence. 'Waiting for the Rain' is a somber interlude we have been using a bit during live shows and the last track is the demo version of 'Floods.' I felt it was important to include this track because it captures the vibe of the song better than the album track; perhaps due to the work of original drummer Zack Gibson."

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

Official Cover Art for John Mayer's 'Battle Studies'


John Mayer posts the cover art of his November 17 release 'Battle Studies' on Twitter.

An artwork which is set to be featured on the front cover of John Mayer's upcoming fourth studio album "Battle Studies" has been put forward on the singer's Twitter account. The picture shows a close-up look at him wearing dark-colored coat.

Previously, John stated about his interest to shoot the cover art while the album is still on the recording process. "I'd even like to have album artwork concepts while we're still recording. Why wait? Why not blow the album cover up to 8'x8' and record with it hung up on the wall?," he said.

"Battle Studies" is slated to come out across United States on November 17. Led by single "Who Says", the effort is described as "observations and a little bit of advice on relationships ... kind of like a heartbreak handbook". The album's release day will be marked by John's performance at Beacon Theatre in New York City.

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

a-ha Call It Quits, Announcing Final World Tour

Reuniting in 1998 after 4 years in hiatus, a-ha confirm that they will split after finishing one last world tour in 2010. "As a consequence, a-ha will not be releasing any further albums in the future," it was announced on the band's official website.

"We've literally lived the ultimate boy's adventure tale, through a longer, more rewarding career than anyone could hope for," they said in a statement. "Doing this now will give us a chance to get more involved in other meaningful aspects of life, be it humanitarian work, politics, or whatever else - and of course through new constellations in the field of art and music."

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

CAKE Goes Solar for New Album

CAKE, already regarded as one of the most principled, enduring, self-reliant and best-selling artists in post-alternative rock, are currently working on recording their sixth studio album, with an eco-twist: the new project is being written, rehearsed and recorded entirely with solar power. During the recording process, CAKE is sharing the results with their fans via a set of free ring tones--each based on a song from the upcoming album--released via the band’s mailing list.

CAKE teamed with Borrego Solar to convert their entire Sacramento recording studio into solar power. Their decision to record the new album entirely with solar power was made for both artistic and environmental reasons:

“It just seemed like the right thing to do,” says McCREA. “I believe in science, and science is telling us that we need to make adjustments. Living in California, it seemed like a waste not to take advantage of all the free electricity.” DIFIORE added; “We work in the spirit of cooperation, and when there is something like solar energy above your head, there is a little bit more levity added.”

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

NEW YORK DOLLS' Steve Conte Releases New Solo Effort

New York Dolls' guitarist, Steve Conte, will be releasing a solo album timed with the New York Dolls' upcoming UK tour, which kicks off on December 2nd at the Cambridge Junction. The new album's "Steve Conte and the Crazy Truth" will be out on the Varese Sarabande label October 20 (November 30th in the UK) and features a guest appearance from Dolls' vocalist David Johansen on harmonica. Also on board, Catherine Russell (David Bowie), Nicki Richards (Madonna) on backing vocals, plus Danny Ray (Sylvain Sylvain, Johnny Thunder), Kiku Collins (Beyonce), Tom Timko (Stevie Wonder) on horns.

Says producer Steve Lillywhite (U2, Rolling Stones), "There is very little genuine rock and roll out there at the moment, but Steve Conte has hit the nail on the head with this one."

Steve Conte joined the New York Dolls when Morrissey reunited the band at Meltdown Festival back in 2004 and Steve's continued play guitar on the New York Dolls' studio albums, "One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This (2006) and the Todd Rundgren recently produced "'Cause I Sez So" (2009).

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

Elvis Presley's hair sells for $15,000

Elvis Presley's trimmed hair has sold for $15,000 at an auction of items related to the star.

The clump of hair, believed to have been shorn when the singer entered the US army in 1958, went under the hammer in Chicago.

Other items sold included a set of handkerchiefs used in live shows by Presley, which sold for $732 and one of his shirts, which went for $52,000, according to BBC News.

Also among the 200 lots, all of which were originally collected by late fan Gary Pepper, were wedding photos of Presley's marriage – these were auctioned for $6,000.

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

Billy Corgan to give away new Smashing Pumpkings songs for free

The 44 tracks which make up 'Teargarden By Kaleidyscope' will released one by one

Billy Corgan has announced that he will be releasing the next Smashing Pumpkins LP, 'Teargarden by Kaleidyscope', a track at a time.

The collection of 44 songs will be given away for free, with the first song being made available around the end of October.

The songs will eventually be physically released but this will not be in album form, but in the shape of 11 EPs of four songs each.

"I want no limitations on what I can, and will do," said Corgan by way of explanation. "I think the size and shape of the traditional album is just morphing into something much more in the moment. Four songs at a time will mean I can give my heart over to the music fully without giving away my now happy life."

Corgan has not revealed the titles of any of the tracks on the album, but has revealed that "the first four songs are speaking a new language to me, rooted in the psychedelic music I love but still sounding quite modern and like the Pumpkins I long to hear".

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

Buddy Holly - Not Fade Away: The Complete Studio Recordings And More

Release Date: October 30, 2009 (Through Hip-O site only)

Hip-O Select has done it again. They have assembled 203 tracks from the career of Buddy Holly into their new 6-CD set, providing every one of the tracks he recorded in the studio and a few extras. The music ranges from the earliest tracks he recorded between the ages of 12 and 15 through his work on Decca, Coral and Brunswick and his apartment tapes. Six of the tracks are from an August 1955 session and have never been released. An additional eleven have never been on any album in the U.S.

Also in the package is a yearbook size 80-page book with rare recording, session-by-session recording information and liner notes by Billy Altman and Bill Dahl.

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

The Prodigy To Release Three-Disc Version Of 'Invaders Must Die'

The Prodigy have announced full details of a three-disc special-edition version of their latest album 'Invaders Must Die'.

Released on November 9th, the two CDs feature the original album plus live tracks, rarities and a plethora of remixes from the likes of Josh Homme, Benga, Chase & Status, Herve and Bang Gang.

The accompanying DVD is a mix of official promo videos and live footage from the Braintree outfit's sprawling world tour. As well as all this you get a 48-page booklet.

This Date In Music History-October 19

Birthdays:

George McCrae (1944)
Jeannie C Riley (1945)
Patrick Simmons - Doobie Brothers (1945)
Keith Reid - Procol Harum (1946)
Wilbert Hart - Delfonics (1947)
Nino DeFranco - DeFranco Family (1956)
Karl Wallinger - Waterboys (1957)
Dan Woodgate - Madness (1960)
Texan soul singer Jennifer Holliday (1960)
Todd Park Mohr - Big Head Todd and the Monsters (1965)
Michel, Pras - The Fugees (1972)
Pete Loeffler - Chevelle (1976)


They Are Missed:

Moses Asch, founder of the Folkways record label, died in 1986 (age 80). The legendary label released records by Woody Guthrie, John Cage, and even the Fugs.

Blues great Son House (real name Eddie James House, Jr.) died in Detroit, MI in 1988.

Born today in 1944, Peter Tosh, guitar, vocals, The Wailers. Tosh was murdered by burglars at his home on September 11, 1987.

Alan Murphy, guitarist with Level 42, died of pneumonia related to aids in 1989. Murphy also worked with Kate Bush, Go West and Mike & the Mechanics.

African-American jazz trumpeter Don Cherry died of liver failure in 1995 (age 58). Developed the genre of world fusion music, incorporating influences of Middle Eastern, traditional African, and Indian music into his playing. Is the stepfather to singer’s musicians Neneh Cherry and Eagle-Eye Cherry.

Guitarist Glen Buxton died from pneumonia in 1997 (age 49). Member of the Alice Cooper Band, he co-wrote their hits "School's Out" and "Elected."


History:

A sixteen-year-old Ritchie Valens made his performing debut in 1957 with a nine-piece group called the Silhouettes.

Brenda Lee cuts the seasonal standard “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” in 1958. It failed to chart upon its initial release but does make the charts as a re-release in three subsequent Decembers: 1960 (#14), 1961 (#50) and 1962 (#59).

The Beatles recorded "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" in 1963.

The Yardbirds arrived in New York for their first US tour in 1966, with Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page on lead guitars. Two days later, Beck left the tour and the band, and went on to form a new group with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood.

Tamla-Motown released Smokey Robinson & the Miracles "I Second That Emotion" in 1967. The record climbs to #4 on the pop chart and #1 on the R&B, making it their biggest hit since "Shop Around" in 1960.

In 1967, the Beatles finished guitar and vocal parts for their next single "Hello Goodbye" at Abbey Road studio’s London.

In 1968, at the invitation of Small Faces singer/guitarist Steve Marriott, singer/guitarist Peter Frampton of the Herd joins the Small Faces during a performance in London. This sets the stage for Humble Pie, the group Marriott and Frampton leave their respective groups to form.

Led Zeppelin II was released in 1969.

David Bowie released "Pin Ups" in 1973, a collection of mid-Sixties song covers. Posing next to Bowie on the cover is model Twiggy.

Bachman Turner Overdrive went to #1 on the US album chart in 1974 with "Not Fragile."

Billy Preston went to #1 in 1974 with "Nothing From Nothing," the singers second and last #1.



Damn the Torpedoes, the long-awaited third album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, was released in 1979. A rock and roll milestone, it yields two hit singles – “Don’t Do Me Like That” (#10) and “Refugee” (#15) – and the classic-rock tracks “Here Comes My Girl” and “Even the Losers.”

Prince's second album "Prince" was released in 1979.

A-Ha went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1985 with "Take On Me," making them the first Norwegian group to score a US #1.

Pearl Jam released their second album Vs. in 1993, it topped the chart the following week.

Nirvana were at #1 on the US album chart in 1995 with "The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah."

Ludacris was at #1 on the US album chart in 2003 with "Chicken and Beer’ the rappers first US #1.

“Words & Music: John Mellenccamp’s Greatest Hits” was released in 2004. The set covers Mellencamp’s career from 1979 - 2004, with two new songs, "Walk Tall" and "Thank You" (both produced by Mellencamp and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds).

In 2004, Artemis Records issued a tribute to the late Warren Zevon, "Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon." The album features Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Don Henley and The Pixies. "Studebaker" is performed by Zevon`s son, Jordan and Jakob Dylan.

Music News & Notes

Pavement Announce More Shows

The band heads to New Zealand and Australia in March.

As of right now, Auckland, New Zealand will be the first city to host the reunited Pavement when the indie gods tour the world next year. The band touches down in Auckland on March 1 before embarking on a six-date trek through Australia that includes a headlining slot at the Golden Plains Festival.

Pavement are also set to play next year's All Tomorrow's Parties festival in May along with a four-night NYC stint in September.

Dates below:

03-01 Auckland, New Zealand - Town Hall
03-04 Sydney, Australia - Enmore Theatre
03-06 Meredith, Australia - Supernatural Amphitheatre (Golden Plains Festival)
03-07 Adelaide, Australia - Thebarton Theatre
03-08 Perth, Australia - Metro City
03-10 Brisbane, Australia - Tivoli
03-12 Melbourne, Australia - Palace Theatre
05-16 Minehead, England - All Tomorrow's Parties
09-21 New York, NY - Central Park Summerstage
09-22 New York, NY - Central Park Summerstage
09-23 New York, NY - Central Park Summerstage
09-24 New York, NY - Central Park Summerstage

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

Andrew Bird Deluxe Vinyl Reissue

Originally released in 2001, the third and final album from Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire, The Swimming Hour, will be available October 20th on vinyl for the first time as a Deluxe 2x Vinyl LP set (Gatefold Jacket / 45rpm / 140 Gram vinyl).

Newly remastered under the watchful eyes of Bird himself, this significant album was produced by Mike Napolitano (Blind Melon, the Neville Brothers, and the Squirrel Nut Zippers) and is the last recording to feature Bird's backing band, Bowl of Fire, consisting of Kevin O'Donnell (drums and percussion), Nora O'Connor (backing vocals), Colin Bunn (guitar), and Josh Hirsh (bass). The Swimming Hour is considered a precursor to Bird's subsequent solo records.

As a special addition to this vinyl package, the original CD album art has been reinterpreted by artist Jay Ryan, turning the photograph on the original cover into a pop art illustration. Ryan is the founder of the Skokie-based screenprint poster workshop, The Bird Machine, Inc.

Bird describes the album as, "when the everyday becomes incredulous to you". He relates this as a feeling he experienced in 2000 when walking through a roughed-up neighborhood in his hometown of Chicago. Bird was thinking of the direction of his next album when "everything got really strange-feeling …everything became really slow". Andrew Bird had entered a state of mind he refers to as the "swimming hour".

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

Garth Brooks Coming Out of Retirement

Garth Brooks is coming out of retirement and he announced a deal with Wynn at The Encore Theater in Las Vegas that will find the chart topping star performing concerts at the venue beginning on December 11, 2009.

Here is the official announcement: The Chairman of the Board and CEO of Wynn Resorts describes the first time he saw Brooks perform for friends: "Everything about Garth's performances--his artistry, the range of his voice and connection with his audience--is something that I haven't seen since the Rat Pack. In show business, for a single performer to lift an entire audience emotionally to the point where they pray it doesn't end, is an extraordinary and unique thing that only a few gifted people can do. But that is what I experienced when I saw Garth on stage, alone with his guitar, doing a history of his personal journey in music. I watched a man create instant love in real time, right before my eyes. Now we have the privilege at Wynn and Encore in Las Vegas to share this extraordinary, intimate experience with everyone," says Wynn.

"Steve Wynn has done what I thought was impossible. He has given me a chance to sing again for the people, while at the same time never missing a day with my children," says Brooks. "I am naturally nervous, but it feels good to be out from under the low ceiling of 'retirement' I put on myself."

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

Flaming Lips to Cover Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon

Track-by-track reinterpretation features Henry Rollins and Peaches.

According to an L.A. Times report, the Flaming Lips are set to follow-up their life- (and death)-affirming LP Embryonic with a full-album redo of Pink Floyd's gazillion-selling 1973 psych-rock classic Dark Side of the Moon.

The Lips version of Dark Side is a collaboration with the band Stardeath and White Dwarfs (which includes Wayne Coyne's nephew Dennis Coyne as a member), and features guest spots from Henry Rollins and Peaches. It will most probably be an iTunes-only release.

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

ROB ZOMBIE: New Album Pushed Back To 2010

Rob Zombie's fourth solo studio album, "Hellbilly Deluxe 2: Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls and the Systematic Dehumanization of Cool", has been pushed back to " an undetermined 2010 date" from the previously announced November 17 (via Geffen Records). No reason was given for the delay.

"Hellbilly Deluxe" was the name of Zombie's first and most successful solo outing, issued back in 1998.

"The plan was always to make this kind of like the sequel to 'Hellbilly Deluxe', but I didn't want to force it," Zombie recently told AOL's Noisecreep. "I always figure records dictate their own journey. You might say, 'Oh, we're going to write the heaviest thing ever.' But you get in there and, you know, you might write things that aren't heavy that are great, so you kind of go with it. But this one seems like a great follow-up to that record."

"The record's really varied, just like the first one," Zombie says of the new CD. "There are huge, epic songs with 100-piece orchestras. And then there's something like 'What,' which is just the four of us in a garage literally playing live together and making a big noise."

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

SCORPIONS Working On 12 New Songs

Veteran German hard rockers SCORPIONS recently spent time in the studio with Swedish producers Mikael "Nord" Andersson and Martin Hansen (the team behind THE RASMUS' "Dead Letters" CD) recording their new album for an early 2010 release.

"We are working on 12 songs at the moment," guitarist Mathias Jabs tells Scorps News. "Great stuff. Definitely 'Scorpionized' in sound and attitude. More towards the early Eighties."

Although SCORPIONS' new CD is tentatively due in Europe in March, a U.S. release date has yet to be pinned down. "Azoff Management [which represents SCORPIONS] is currently working on the [record] deal," Jabs says. "Simultaneous release is up to the record companies."

He adds, "The weak dollar has been a reason to delay the U.S. release in order to avoid bad imports in the 'rest' of the world, for all non-American bands in recent years."

Vinyl Collective Restocks

BON IVER “Blood Bank” LP
BON IVER “For Emma, Forever Ago” LP
BY THE END OF TONIGHT “A Tribute to Tigers” LP
BY THE END OF TONIGHT/ TERA MELOS “Complex Full of Phantoms” LP
DAMIEN JURADO “Caught In The Trees” LP
ENVY “Abyssal” LP
ENVY “All The Footprints You’ve Ever Left” LP
ENVY “Compiled Fragments 1997-2003? LP
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY ìAll Of A Suddenî dbl LP
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY ìThe Earthî dbl LP
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY ìThose Who Tell Us The Truthî LP
GRAILS “Burning Off Impurities” LP
I LOVE YOU BUT I’VE CHOSEN DARKNESS “Fear Is On Our Side” LP
LIGHTNING DUST “Infinite Light” LP
MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. “Josephine” LP
MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. ìFading Trailsî LP
MONO “One Step More And You Die / New York Soundtracks” dbl LP
MONO “Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky” LP
MONO & WORLDíS END GIRLFRIEND ìPalmless Prayer/Mass Murder Refrain” dbl LP
OKKERVIL RIVER “Don’t Fall In Love With Everyone” LP
OKKERVIL RIVER “Down the River of Golden Dreams” LP
OKKERVIL RIVER “The Stage Names” LP
OKKERVIL RIVER “The Stand Ins” LP
ONEIDA “Rated O” triple LP
STEPHEN O’MALLEY “Keep an Eye Out!” LP orange vinyl
SUFJAN STEVENS “Greetings From Michigan” dbl LP
SUFJAN STEVENS “Illinois” dbl LP
SUFJAN STEVENS “Seven Swans” LP
SUNSET RUBDOWN “Random Spirit Lover” LP
WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS “These Four Walls” LP
YOUNG WIDOWS “Old Wounds” LP
ZERO BOYS “Vicious Circle” LP

Stop by www.vinylcollective.com for some great collectible vinyl records!

This Date In Music History-October 17

This Date In Music History-October 17

Birthdays:

Rico Rodrigues - The Specials (1934)
Alan Howard - Tremeloes (1941)
Jim Seals - Seals & Croft (1941)
Gary Puckett - Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (1942)
Jim Tucker - Turtles (1946)
David St Hubbins - Spinal Tap (1947)
Alan Jackson (1958)
Ziggy Marley - Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers (1968)
Eminem (1972)
Wyclef Jean - The Fugees (1972)
Chris Kirkpatrick - *NSYNC (1977)


They Are Missed:

The late Cozy Cole ("Topsy II") was born in 1909 (died January 31, 1981).

In 1972, Billy Williams, lead singer of the Charioteers, died in Chicago (age 61).

Singer and television presenter Tennessee Ernie Ford ("Sixteen Tons") died of liver failure in 1991. In the 60’s hosted a daytime talk show, The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show on the ABC television network.

Born today in 1933, Floyd Cramer, country piano player. Worked with Elvis Presley on "Heartbreak Hotel" and other hits. Cramer died on December 31, 1997.

Chris Acland drummer with UK indie band Lush committed suicide in 1996 (age 30)

Thomas Durden, who wrote the lyrics to "Heartbreak Hotel" died in 1999 (age 79). Durden had read a newspaper account of a man who had committed suicide, the man had left a note saying, ''I walk a lonely street,'' and Durden used the phrase as the basis for the Elvis hit "Heartbreak Hotel."

Songwriter and composer Jay Livingston died of pneumonia in 2001. Best known for writing hits with Ray Evans for Doris Day, ("Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" and Nat King Cole, ("Mona Lisa").

Derek Bell, instrumentalist in the Irish folk group The Chieftains, died of cardiac arrest in Phoenix, Arizona in 2002.

Singer Teresa Brewer died in 2007 (age 76). She was one of the most popular US pop singers of the 1950s scoring hits such as "Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now" and "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall." She also sang with Tony Bennett, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and Wynton Marsalis.

Four Tops singer Levi Stubbs died at his Detroit home in 2008 (age 72). The group signed with Motown Records in 1963 and produced 20 Top 40 hits over the following 10 years, making music history with other acts in Berry Gordy's Motown stable.


History:

The Drifters started a three week run at #1 in 1960 with "Save The Last Dance For Me."

Dion and the Belmonts split up in 1960.

The Beatles performed on TV for the first time in 1962, on the British program People and Places.

The Zombies' "She's Not There" was released in 1964.

Manfred Mann started a two week run at #1 in 1964 with "Do Wah Diddy Diddy."



The musical "Hair" made its premiere off-Broadway at New York's Public Theatre in 1967.

In 1968, Jose Feliciano, the blind Latino singer-guitarist, issues his controversial, bluesy rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" on RCA Records. He first performed it at a 1968 World Series game between the Tigers and Cardinals. The fans booed Feliciano's rendition.

In 1969, Led Zeppelin began its third US tour at New York's Carnegie Hall. It also released "Led Zeppelin II" which many feel is destined to become the heavy-metal Bible.

Eric Clapton's "After Midnight" was released in 1970.

The Jackson Five started a five-week run at #1 in 1970 with "I'll Be There," the group's fourth #1 of 1970. Motown records claimed the group had sold over 10 million records during the year.

In 1977, "Street Survivors" was released by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Three days later vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines (Steve's sister) and road manager Dean Kilpatrick were killed when their plane crashed in Gillsburg, MS. The other four members of the band were seriously injured but survived the crash.

Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand record "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" in 1978.

Frankie Valli hits #1 in 1978 with the title track from "Grease." It's the biggest hit of his solo career and will go on to sell over seven million copies.

Fleetwood Mac's two record set Tusk, an experimental set of songs that cost the band $1 million to record, was released on Warner Brothers Records in 1979.

"Sid And Nancy," the film biography of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious and girlfriend Nancy Spungen, opened nationally in 1986.

Lisa Lisa and Cold Cut went to #1 in 1987 with "Lost In Emotion."

The Barenaked Ladies went to #1 in 1998 with "One Week."

In 1999, Bruce Springsteen and the reunited E Street Band play the first of four nights at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The concert was the first event in the building.

Usher and Alicia Keys were at #1 in 2004 with "My Boo." The hit gave Usher his fourth #1 of 2004.

Music News & Notes

Susan Boyle Cover Art for I Dreamed a Dream Released

Susan Boyle's cover art for her debut album I Dreamed a Dream has been released. It is taken from a photo shoot Susan Boyle did recently for Harper's Bazaar magazine. It is a very simple but effective photo framing her face with her wearing what appears to be a classic sequined dress. The recent release of the album's track list indicates she will be performing an eclectic collection of songs from Madonna to "Amazing Grace." The album will be released November 24, 2009.

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Creedence Clearwater Revival: The Singles Collection

Creedence Clearwater Revival's golden era of hit singles (fall of 1968 through spring of 1972) rivals that of any band in rock 'n' roll history. The Southern-flavored quartet from El Cerrito, Calif., turned out 17 hits in a 44-month stretch, nine of them in the Top 10, five of them in the Top 5.

On November 3, Fantasy Records will release The Singles Collection, a two-CD, one-DVD box with a slip case, containing all of the band's U.S. singles - 30 songs in all. Top 5 smashes like "Bad Moon Rising," "Green River," "Down On The Corner," "Travelin' Band," "Who'll Stop The Rain," "Run Through The Jungle," "Up Around The Bend," "Long As I Can See The Light" and "Lookin' Out My Back Door" are joined by seldom-heard singles that never charted ("Porterville" and "Call It Pretending" on Fantasy's Scorpio subsidiary, and later singles "Tearin' Up the Country" and "45 Revolutions Per Minute [Parts 1 & 2]").

The 30 songs, (which are presented in their original single mixes, many of them in mono - are making their CD debut), housed on two CDs, will be joined by a DVD containing four never-before-available, long-pre-MTV music videos: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "Bootleg," "I Put A Spell On You" and "Lookin' Out My Back Door." Also included in the package are a poster featuring the dozens of international single sleeves, and a 16-page booklet with liner notes by former Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres, who lived and wrote in the Bay Area during CCR's golden half-decade.

Fantasy will also manufacture a limited edition collectors' version of The Singles Collection featuring actual vinyl 45 rpm singles with reproductions of the original Fantasy label design and housed in their rare picture sleeves - the ultimate holiday gift for Creedence fans.

The members of Creedence Clearwater Revival, of course, hailed from the suburbs of Oakland the little town of El Cerrito, lappeding up music on the radio through the late '50s and '60s, and eventually signeding to a small, open-minded jazz label in Berkeley called Fantasy Records. Originally known as the Tommy Fogerty & the Blue Velvets and then The Golliwogs, the band's break came with its swampy 1968 cover of Dale Hawkins' "Suzie Q," which notched #11 on Billboard's pop singles chart. Starting on San Francisco's free-form rock radio stations, the song crossed over top Top 40, putting Creedence on the map. As Fong-Torres notes, "radio needed acts like CCR - reliable producers of solid tunes laden with hooks."

Even in the South, radio was taken with CCR. DJ Scott Shannon, then on Memphis' WMPS-AM, was a Dale Hawkins fan and thought Fogerty nailed it. "His voice and his mixes were perfect for Top 40," he said. "It just screamed out of the AM radios."

But it wasn't just the radio. CCR songs began popping up in movies and TV shows - several dozens of them, in fact. "Bad Moon Rising" has shown up the most often (including in An American Werewolf in London), and "Fortunate Son" has been heard in films ranging from The Manchurian Candidate (2004) to Live Free Or Die Hard (2007).

"I used to say in 1968 that I wanted to make records they would still play on the radio in ten years," John Fogerty said in early 1993, on the eve of Creedence Clearwater Revival's induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

Forty years later, the music sounds as fresh and vital as ever.



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Alice In Chains Announce Next Single

To coincide with the band's European tour, Alice In Chains will release a new single, "Your Decision", on November 16 in the U.K.

"Your Decision" is the second single to be lifted from band's first all-new album in 14 years, titled "Black Gives Way To Blue", which sold 126,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 5 on The Billboard 200 chart (behind latest albums from Paramore, Mariah Carey, Barbra Streisand and Breaking Benjamin).

Alice In Chains took part in "Stripped", Clear Channel Music Group's exclusive in-studio performance series created for artists who thrive on performing without the typical studio and video embellishments. The three-song performance, which was taped on September 9 at the PC Richard & Son Theater in New York City, can be viewed here.



Acoustic versions of the following songs are available:

Check My Brain
Your Decision
No Excuses

Alice In Chains will perform on the October 30 edition of NBC's "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien".

Alice In Chains recruited pop legend Elton John to contribute piano to the CD's title track, which is written in tribute to Staley.

"Black Gives Way To Blue" was recorded with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush) at the Northridge, California studio of Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl.

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Blink-182's 'Enema of the State' to receive vinyl release


Blink-182's wildly popular 1999 full-length, Enema of the State, will be released on vinyl for the first time by independent punk/hardcore label Mightier Than Sword Records (O Pioneers!!!, Ris Paul Ric, Smartbomb). The news was initially mentioned late last night on Generic Insight Radio, but Punknews.org is ecstatic to now bring you exclusive details on the release.

The album will be the first in a 10 Year Anniversary series by the label, with each release involving a limited pressing of 500 on 180-gram vinyl. They will also feature a gold seal to commemorate the release. In addition to the 500 180-gram copies, Mightier Than Sword will also press 500 each on clear red, clear blue and clear colors.

The official release date is set for December 1, but the label will begin taking pre-orders this coming Monday, October 19th.

You can click Read More for some mock-up previews of the various colors.

Enema of the State was originally released in 1999 on MCA and featured some of Blink-182's biggest hits to date, including "All the Small Things," "What's My Age Again?" and "Adam's Song." It went on to sell 15 million copies worldwide.

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Zeppelin, Floyd Get UK Stamp Of Approval

Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Mike Oldfield are among 10 artists whose classic albums will be celebrated by the Royal Mail next year.

On January 7 a new set of stamps will go into circulation, each with the image of a classic album. Among the collection are:

Led Zeppelin – IV

Pink Floyd – The Division Bell

Mike Oldfield – Tubular Bells

Rolling Stones – Let It Bleed

David Bowie – The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars

The Clash – London Calling

Unfortunately the Royal Mail have blotted their copybook by also including Coldplay’s A Rush Of Blood To The Head in their list. Write and complain now! (Not that your letter will ever reach its destination…)

For further info, go to www.royalmail.com/portal/stamps

A side note, an organization called Vinyl Record Day (www.VinylRecordDay.org) is trying to do the same thing here in the states. Stop by the site and learn how you can support this project.

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Tubular Bells Producer Puts Out Album Of Unreleased Songs


Tom Newman (producer of Tubular Bells) and Peter Gibson (frontman of Brett Marvin And The Thunderbolts) have a new double album CD available, called Join Together. This features unreleased songs produced by Newman, at his Argonaut Studios in London, between 1977-1982.

Artists featured on these recordings include Mike Oldfield, David Gilmour, Snowy White and Jade Warrior.

For further info, go to: www.wellalright.co.uk

Turning directions: Many listeners find digital recordings too harsh, sterile

I would like to thank the people at Terra Haute Tribune Star for allowing me to reprint this interesting material.


By Reggie McConnell

Special to the Tribune-Star




TERRE HAUTE — In 1983, when Sony introduced the compact disc, it boasted that it was giving the public “prefect sound forever.” A quarter of a century later, audiophiles are still waiting for Sony to make good on its boast. Many listeners find digital recordings too harsh and sterile sounding. They complain that CDs and MP3s prevent them from becoming immersed in the “musical experience.” Whereas analog recordings allow them to connect with the music on an “emotional” level. “Listening fatigue” is a common complaint of critical listeners attempting to cope with today’s digital formats.

Michael Fremer, senior contributing editor to Stereophile, is certainly a critical listener. His turntable costs $150,000. (That’s not a typo.) A stereo system like Fremer’s will set you back $340,000. Though he’s quick to stress that one can assemble a “musically satisfying system” for $3,000. Fremer has devoted a large portion of his adult life to evaluating the sonic differences between analog and digital recordings. And he’s pretty dogmatic on the subject of analog’s sonic superiority.

Fremer: “A $400 turntable will sound more ‘musical’ and enjoyable than a $5,000 CD player. The problem is the lack of resolution. Sixteen bits [digital’s ceiling] is barely sufficient. All you have to do is hear a higher resolution version of the same recording to know that.”

Perhaps that’s one reason for vinyl’s resurgence. Last year, nearly 2 million vinyl albums were purchased, according to Nielson Soundscan, which began tracking LP sales in 1991. Actually, that number is conservative since Nielson fails to track sales at small indie shops where vinyl thrives. Moreover, early indications point to robust sales for 2009, despite the year-long recession.

These numbers aren’t surprising to those in the record business. Chad Kassem, owner of Acoustic Sounds, has been selling vinyl records for 25 years. His business is based in Salina, Kan., and has become a Mecca for vinyl lovers. International sales account for a third of his business. Kassem began his career by selling LPs out of his two-bedroom apartment. These days he needs a 50,000 square-foot warehouse to hold his burgeoning inventory. Though Kassem sells CDs as well, vinyl accounts for 80 percent of sales.

Kassem, Fremer and Michael Hobson are responsible for saving vinyl. Hobson founded Classic Records in 1992 and began reissuing vintage recordings (both classical and jazz) from the 1950s and early ’60s. Fremer says of Hobson, “In the darkest days he put his money where his mouth was and began licensing titles for vinyl reissue.”

The dark days were the early 1990s, when it appeared vinyl was going the way of the dinosaur. Thanks to Hobson’s efforts, new vinyl reissues from vintage labels such as Mercury Living Presence, RCA, Decca and Blue Note are available today.

The fact that people are spending serious money on vinyl was made manifest to me earlier this year, when my friend, Brian Reece, showed me his latest vinyl acquisition. Reece is a dedicated Pearl Jam fan. Recently, the band reissued its classic 1992 album “Ten.” Like many bands, they chose to release it on both CD and vinyl. The week it was released over 10,000 copies of the deluxe vinyl version were sold for $140 per pop. The standard version sells for $19.

Examining the album, I was struck by the quality of the pressings. Thick, flawless 180 gram vinyl; nothing like the thin, warped crap that Columbia Records used to foist upon the public.

The Pearl Jam record is also available at Best Buy. That’s right, a big-box chain is selling vinyl. The consumer-electronics giant picked up on the trend last year and has devoted merchandising space for vinyl in all its stores. And while vinyl represents less than 5 percent of Best Buy’s music business, the key point is that vinyl sales are growing while CD sales continue to shrink.

It’s instructive to note that there are more turntable manufacturers today than existed in 1983. Moreover, they are doing a brisk business with people under the age of 30. Young people have played a major role in vinyl’s resurgence. Perhaps it’s because they have grown up listening to low resolution audio formats and when they hear what they’ve been missing they are eager to upgrade.

Fremer: “When kids brought up on MP3 files, who’ve only heard MP3 files, hear vinyl they flip out! I’ve seen it myself … I had a young friend (25) bring over one of his friends who is a big Dylan fan. He’d only heard Dylan on MP3s! I played him an original pressing of “Tangled Up In Blue” and the kid started crying … he said he’d never really heard the song before and had never really ‘felt’ it.”

So much for the notion that MP3s constitute progress. I, too, prefer the warmer sound of vinyl. Vinyl manifests a euphonic sweetness, if you will, that can’t be duplicated via CD. I own several recordings on both formats. The biggest difference I notice (besides vinyl’s sweeter sonic signature) is that it throws a wider, deeper soundstage. This serves to create a holographic effect. Images seem to float in mid-air, directly in front of my listening chair. You can easily place the location of the performers on stage. Good luck trying to duplicate that 3-D imagery with CDs.

(I should put my remarks in context by noting that I listen in two-channel stereo and do not utilize any surround sound or ambience restoration devices.)

With analog recordings, the sound is picked up via a microphone and fed to tape. The magnetic particles on the tape are configured in patterns analogous to the audio wave-form. Whereas digital recorders convert the audio signal to a binary code of ones and zeroes. Each one and zero is called a “bit.” Space does not permit further explanation, but it’s the processing of this binary information (or lack thereof) that accounts for digital’s disappointing sound.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing for music critics and sound engineers is having an inferior format hailed as “a quantum leap forward” by industry types who have a vested interest in digital’s commercial success.

Those wishing to take the Pepsi Challenge might begin with Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks.” Compare a CD (even a CD is superior to MP3s) to the record. If you prefer classical, then I suggest RCA’s “Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3,” Charles Munch conducting. Headbangers should A/B the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Stadium Arcadium.”

A cautionary note: Many of today’s vinyl releases are sourced from digital. Eschew! When purchasing vinyl make sure your selections are pure analog.

“Sweet” “euphonic” “warm”: but these are merely descriptive terms and tell us nothing insofar as the technical reasons for vinyl’s sonic superiority. Enter Doug Sax. Sax is the most accomplished mastering engineer of my generation. He notes that “Analog tape is high resolution, which means two things. One, the extended bandwidth over a conventional CD, and, two, more low-level performance than a CD … Analog tape has a full octave above a CD, with ease. And you can hear detail way into the noise floor. We’re [analog enthusiasts] used to that resolution.

“One of the great lies of digital is that digital copies sound like the original. They do not. Analog playback is not like the original, either — believe me … but it changes it often in a very musical way. When digital changes, it’s always unmusical. It never sounds better.”

Will vinyl ever replace CD as the preferred listening format? Of course not. The compact disc player is perfect for today’s instant-gratification-culture. Just push a button and the room is bathed in “music.” And let’s face it, there’s nothing sexy about cleaning a record every time you play it. But if you value great sound over convenience, then chances are you will find yourself shopping for a turntable sometime soon.

SOURCE: http://www.tribstar.com