Music News & Notes

Roadrunner Records to Unveil Top 10 Album Covers Via Website

Like heavy metal and album cover art? Then head on over to Roadrunner's official site and take a look at the iconic hard rock/metal label's feature on the Top 10 Roadrunner-released album covers of all time (as selected by their staff). Each day for the next week-and-a-half, a new cover will be unveiled, counting down from 10. There have been iconic, blasphemous, painted, photographed, found and commissioned artworks used for these album covers and several of the artists comment on the artwork and its place in time and what it means or meant, looking back. An interesting project, it should have some great album cover art to explore!

Check out their first installment here:

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/Ten-Greatest-Album-Covers-in-Roadrunner-History-10-21075.aspx

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Passion Pit To Reissue Debut Album

The band Passion Pit is reissuing their 10-month old debut 'Because Of Course They Are.' The reissued version, due out on April 13, will feature the original album with new artwork, two "stripped-down" tracks ("Sleepyhead" and "Moth's Wings") and a cover of the Cranberries' "Dreams," which the band plays live all the time.

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Teenage Fanclub Announce Comeback Album 'Shadows'

It has been almost five years since alt-rockers Teenage Fanclub released their LP 'Man-Made,' but their hiatus is about to come to an end. The Scottish band are set to release a new album called 'Shadows' later this year, which they have been working on over the past couple of years and will be released on their own PeMa label. The group began recording the album as far back as August 2008, so fans have had to wait patiently for this record to transpire. This is only the second proper Teenage Fanclub album in the past 10 years - making news of a new record an increasingly rare event.

Fortunately, it looks like the band is getting behind 'Shadows,' and has already announced a short tour of the U.K. in May and June to promote the record. The chances of a few North American dates don’t look promising—it’s not even clear yet who will be releasing the album on this side of the Atlantic—but U.S. fans will no doubt be keeping their fingers crossed.

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LCD Soundsystem confirm their third album will be their last

It's being reported that LCD Soundsystem's upcoming third album will be their last. James Murphy has made good on a string of earlier comments, confirming plans to wrap up the project "and then go do something else".

"It just [seems] perfect," Murphy told BBC Radio's Zane Lowe in an interview this week. "We'll make this the last record and we'll do exactly what we want and go out happy." Murphy's use of the first person plural is telling. Although most see LCD Soundsystem as the DJ's solo project, it's a group involving several consistent collaborators, including Pat Mahoney, Al Doyle and Nancy Whang.

"I feel good about it and really positive," Murphy said. "I think that it's nice to feel like it's the last one and we'll tour really hard and then go do something else."

We already have some hints of Murphy's future plans. "[James] is quite keen to do a disco thing," band-mate Al Doyle said in 2008. Murphy is also about to release a soundtrack album for director Noah Baumbach's film, Greenberg. The soundtrack includes seven songs with vocals, Murphy told Pitchfork, inspired by the 1970s home-recording techniques of Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson and Harry Nilsson.

LCD Soundsystem's third album will be released on 17 May. Their next – and possibly last – UK/Ireland tour begins 20 April.

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Cauldron Black Ram Releases New Album, To Play Black Mass Ritual III This Fall

Adelaide’s Cauldron Black Ram released their new album, 'Slubberdegullion,' in Australia on March 14th.! Copies will be available through The Cave Distro and Abysmal Sounds Distro, with the vinyl release available soon through Blood Harvest.  The band will also be appearing at the Black Mass Ritual III in Helsinki, Finland in October.

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Behemoth Frontman Nergal Facing Prison Time Over Bible Tearing Incident In Poland

Gazetaprawna.pl has reported front man Nergal (Adam Darski) of Polish death metal band Behemoth has officially been charged with insulting the Roman Catholic Church, which is a crime in Poland that carries a penalty of up to two years in prison. The charge stems from an incident in 2007 when Nergal tore a bible apart on stage and referenced the church as being a murderous cult. A video of the concert that caused the charge can be viewed below. Nergal has stated that tearing apart the Bible was part of his artistic work and was not meant to offend religious sensibilities. More details on the case will be announced as they are made available.



Personally, although I am not an overly religious man, this isn't "artistic work," but rather a very sad attempt at gaining some PR for the band. Come on, you knew that it would offend somebody!

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Escape The Fate To Release Special Edition Album

Las Vegas rockers Escape The Fate will release a deluxe edition of their album 'This War Is Ours' on April 27 via Epitaph Records. The two disc collection will include the standard album with two new unreleased tracks, "Bad Blood" and "Behind The Mask," an acoustic version of "Harder Than You Know" and an unreleased remix, "This War Is Mine," by Clown of Slipknot, as well as a DVD containing an explosive new music video for "This War Is Ours (Guillotine Part II)," videos for "Something," "10 Miles Wide" and "The Flood," a world tour documentary, and a behind the music feature.









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Guns N Roses Announces New Chile, Argentina Dates

Guns N Roses was forced to cancel their March 14th show in Rio De Janeiro at Apoteose Stadium due to the stage collapsing as a result of heavy rains. The collapse resulted in injuries from both our camp and Rio crews and a truck with part of Sebastian Bach's band's gear rolled on the trip from Sao Paulo to Rio.

In related news, the Argentina and Chile shows have new dates announced:

MAR 20th Santiago @ Movistar Arena
MAR 22nd Buenos Aires @ Estadio Velez Sarsfield

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Phish Announce Tour and Phish3D Film

Phish will kick off an extensive summer tour on June 11th at Toyota Park in Chicago, IL. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, April 2nd.

The band performed Genesis' "Watcher of the Skies" and "No Reply at All" this week at the 25th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and guitarist/vocalist Trey Anastasio had the privilege of inducting the group.

After the sold-out summer tour last year, Phish delved into another ambitious undertaking: Festival 8. Held October 30th, 31st and November 1st at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA, it was the band's eighth festival and attracted over 40,000 fans. Highlights from the celebration are captured in the new film, Phish 3D, which will be released in theatres this April.

The group played eight sets over the course of the weekend, including its first-ever full acoustic set and, reviving a longtime Phish tradition, a Halloween set that featured them donning a "musical costume," covering a full album by another band. This year's selection was a double album - the Rolling Stones' 1972 classic, Exile On Main Street. Complete ticketing and theatre information for Phish3D will be announced shortly. Here are some of the tour dates:

6/11 Chicago, IL Toyota Park
6/12 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
6/13 Hershey, PA Hersheypark Stadium
6/15 Portsmouth, VA nTelos Pavilion at Harbor Center
6/17 Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre
6/18 Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre
6/19 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
6/20 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
6/22 Mansfield, MA Comcast Center

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James Taylor and Carole King Announce Live Album and DVD, Add New Tour Dates

In November of 1970, James Taylor and Carole King first performed together at the Troubadour on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, California. Taylor had just released his debut album for the Beatles' newly-formed Apple Records and King was finding her way as a first-time solo performer even though by then she was a famous songwriter with a string of hits for other artists. When they returned to the club for a two-week co-headlining run in 1971, their lives were somewhat different. That summer Taylor's "Fire and Rain" was topping the charts and King's landmark Tapestry was on its way to making her a music superstar. Thirty-six years later, in November 2007, James Taylor, Carole King and members of their renowned original band "The Section" (featuring guitarist Danny Kortchmar, bassist Leland Sklar and drummer Russell Kunkel) returned to the Troubadour for a three-night, six-show run to celebrate the venue's 50th anniversary. Those historic shows are documented in Live at the Troubadour, a special 2-disc CD/DVD available May 4th from Hear Music/Concord Music Group.

This remarkable recording, culled from these unforgettable string of shows, features 15 songs and 75 minutes of pristine video and audio, including stunning performances of the pair's most beloved hits such as Carole King's "So Far Away," "It's Too Late," and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?," as well as James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind," "Sweet Baby James," and "Fire and Rain," to name just a few.

The return to the intimate Troubadour--the fertile ground that served as the unofficial home to a some of the era's defining musicians such as the Eagles, Elton John, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and Joni Mitchell--rekindled King's and Taylor's love for making music together. Variety enthused at the time, "Taylor and King reminded us about the intensity of the song, that the artistically-rich and commercially-viable are not mutually exclusive and how one tiny club continues to be a birthing room for some of this city's most memorable music." The experience was deeply felt by everyone - the musicians on stage, the fans in attendance, as well as the project's technical crew: audio producer Peter Asher (an instrumental figure throughout Taylor's career) and Emmy-winning video director, Martyn Atkins. Live at the Troubadour is captured in sterling 5.1 stereo and state-of-the-art high definition video.

In the album's liner notes, Taylor states: "The Troubadour in 1971 wasn't the beginning, but it was a big step into the light for both of us. When we reunited for the Troubadour's 50th Anniversary celebration in 2007, it felt like yesterday. It was, and still is, all about the music and the celebration of performing together." King adds, "What's even more remarkable is that James's and my musical connection and friendship continue to transcend time and place. Whenever we're together, there we are. I feel a tremendous gratitude to be able to share this experience with James, with this fine band, and most of all, with the fans."

This memorable event was also the inspiration for the recently-announced 60-concert "Troubadour Reunion" world tour that will kick off in Melbourne, Australia on March 26th and will travel to New Zealand and Japan before coming to North America starting in May. For the Troubadour Reunion tour, King and Taylor will once again be joined on stage by Kortchmar, Sklar and Kunkel. The tour has so far generated an overwhelming response exemplified by numerous sold-out shows including multiple nights at The Hollywood Bowl on May 13th, 14th and 15th, New York's Madison Square Garden on June 15th, 16th and 30th and Tanglewood on July 3rd, 4th and 5th.

Live at the Troubadour track listing:

1. Blossom (James Taylor)
2. So Far Away (Carole King)
3. Machine Gun Kelly (Danny Kortchmar)
4. Carolina in My Mind (James Taylor)
5. It's Too Late (Carole King - Toni Stern)
6. Smackwater Jack (Gerry Goffin - Carole King)
7. Something in the Way She Moves (James Taylor)
8. Will You Love Me Tomorrow? (Gerry Goffin - Carole King)
9. Country Road (James Taylor)
10. Fire and Rain (James Taylor)
11. Sweet Baby James (James Taylor)
12. I Feel the Earth Move (Carole King)
13. You've Got a Friend (Carole King)
14. Up on the Roof (Gerry Goffin - Carole King)
15. You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor)

Here are a few of the latest Dates according to Carole King's Website:

Mar 26, 2010 Rod Laver Arena Melbourne, AUS
Mar 27, 2010 Rod Laver Arena Melbourne, AUS
Mar 29, 2010 Entertainment Centre Adelaide, AUS
Mar 31, 2010 Entertainment Centre Brisbane, AUS
Apr 1, 2010 Entertainment Centre Brisbane, AUS
Apr 3, 2010 Hope Estate Hunter Valley, AUS
Apr 5, 2010 Entertainment Centre Sydney, AUS
Apr 6, 2010 Entertainment Centre Sydney, AUS
Apr 8, 2010 Westpac Arena Christchurch, NZ
Apr 10, 2010 Vector Arena Auckland, NZ
Apr 14, 2010 Nippon Budokan Tokyo, JPN
Apr 16, 2010 Nippon Budokan Tokyo, JPN
Apr 17, 2010 Yokohama Pacifico Yokohama, JPN

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Robert Randolph Announces New Album Plus Experience Hendrix Tour

Robert Randolph & The Family Band's new album 'We Walk This Road' is scheduled for release this June on Warner Bros. Records.

Produced by the legendary T-Bone Burnett, the album continues the Sacred Steel tradition for which Randolph has earned wide praise. Accompanied by his Sacred Steel mentors, Randolph will embark on the "Experience Hendrix Tour" beginning March 10 in San Francisco. The tour also features Los Lobos, Ernie Isley, Joe Satriani, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and others.

Throughout the recording of 'We Walk This Road,' Randolph and Burnett worked closely together as archivists, discovering songs—decade by decade—from the 20th century American music canon.

The songs they uncovered, ranging from blues and rock to field recordings and gospel, serve as the inspiration for the 11 songs on 'We Walk This Road.' Recorded at the Village Recorders and Electro Magnetic Studio, the album includes "If I Had My Way" (featuring Ben Harper), "Salvation" (featuring Leon Russell), and reinterpretations of Prince's "Walk Don't Walk," Bob Dylan's "Shot Of Love," (featuring Jim Keltner, who played drums on the original version) and John Lennon's "I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama" (featuring Doyle Bramhall II).

Of the album, Randolph says "T-Bone and I drew a lot from the past while we were making this record, but I think it really is a record for these times. I think the fact that I, as a young guy who likes hip-hop and gospel, am reaching back into this rich history of American roots music will appeal to people who are fifteen, and people who are seventy-five years old. T-Bone opened my eyes to great archival music. He's a link between the past and the present."

*"Experience Hendrix Tour"
†Featuring B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Albert Lee, The Allman Brothers Band and more

March 10 Warfield Theatre San Francisco, CA*
March 11 Warfield Theatre San Francisco, CA*
March 14 Paramount Theatre Denver, CO*
March 16 Uptown Theatre Kansas City, MO*
March 17 Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis, MN*
March 18 Chicago Theatre Chicago, IL*
March 20 Fox Theatre St. Louis, MO*
March 21 Riverside Theatre Milwaukee, WI*
March 23 Civic Theatre Akron, OH*
March 24 Wellmont Theatre Montclair, NJ*
March 25 Count Basie Theatre Red Bank, NJ*
March 27 Fox Theatre Atlanta, GA*
May16 First Flush Festival Wadmalaw Island, SC
June 13 Hollywood Bowl Los Angeles, CA
June 26 Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival Bridgeview, IL

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Infected Mushroom - Killing Time Remix EP

Infected Mushroom have announced their participation in this year's official Record Store Day with the exclusive import of the Killing Time Remix EP, a five-song collection of brand new versions of the track "Killing Time" from their latest album LEGEND OF THE BLACK SHAWARMA. Featuring hypnotic vocals from alt-rock trailblazer Perry Farrell, "Killing Time" is a bare, slow-burning anthem that epitomizes INFECTED MUSHROOM's brand of electronic rock, mixing heavy synths and digitized drums.

The Killing Time EP features remixes from music giant Paul Oakenfold (whose Perfecto Records released Legend of the Black Shawarma), Israeli psy-trance artist Astrix, English trance producer John "00" Fleming, and INFECTED MUSHROOM themselves. The EP, an exclusive import from the band’s native Israel, will be available at numerous independent record stores participating in Record Store Day Saturday, April 17, a day before the band is set to take the stage at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, where they will appear in the Sahara tent (INFECTED MUSHROOM also appeared at Coachella in 2007). For a list of participating record stores where the Killing Time Remix EP will be available, visit: www.recordstoreday.com/Venues

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Echo & The Bunnymen - The Fountain

British post-punk legends Echo & The Bunnymen are launching their first US tour in support of their acclaimed new album, 'The Fountain.' The shows are hot on the heels of the band’s recent tour celebrating their landmark album Ocean Rain that included orchestral performances at New York’s Radio City Music Hall and the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Their highly anticipated appearance at the Coachella Festival will kick off the tour.

'The Fountain' started to come together in 2007 when frontman Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant started working on new songs. For the next year, the group brought the album together in Liverpool’s Parr Street Recording Studios. McCulloch calls 'The Fountain' “the best thing we’ve done since Ocean Rain.” The press has been raving about the record with Alternative Press praising its “brisk, vibrant pop songs” and Filter calling it “ replete with shimmering, flaw-repellant pop, all glorious melodies and gorgeous atmospherics”

Echo & The Bunnymen Tour Dates
4/16/10: Indio, CA @ Empire Polo Grounds (Coachella Festival)
4/18/10: Sparks, NV @ John Ascuaga’s Nugget
4/19/10: San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
4/21/10: Chicago, IL @ Metro
4/23/10: Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
4/25/10: Glenside (Philadelphia), PA @ Keswick Theatre
4/26/10: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
4/27/10: Fairfield, CT @ Fairfield Theatre Company
4/28/10: State College, PA @ State Theatre
4/30/10: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
5/1/10: New York, NY @ Irving Plaza

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Record Store Day Vinyl Reissue of Modest Mouse's The Moon & Antarctica

New pressing from 2004 master.

Modest Mouse and vinyl were made for each other. Albums from the Pac-NW rock legends tend to be long and sprawling, and breaking them across a few sides is the way to go. Their 2000 major-label debut, 'The Moon & Antarctica,' which we named the #6 record of the decade, has been out of print on vinyl for some time. But that's going to change next month.

For the LP's 10th anniversary, Epic/Legacy are re-issuing Moon on vinyl. The set, due on April 17 for Record Store Day, has been remastered using the band's preferred 2004 master, but it contains the original tracklisting, without the extras found on the expanded edition. It also features the original artwork and contains the locked groove found at the end of the first side.

This Date In Music History-March 18

Birthdays:

Charlie Pride (1938)

John Hartman - Doobie Brothers (1950)

Irene Cara (1959)

Grant Hart - Husker Du (1961)

Vanessa Williams (1963)

Jeff LaBa - Cinderella (1963)

Jazz musician Courtney Pine (1964)

Jerry Cantrell - Alice In Chains (1966)

Queen Latifah (1970)

Stuart Zender - Jamiroquai (1974)

Adam Levine - Maroon 5 (1979)


They Are Missed:

Born on this day in 1947, Barry J Wilson, drums, Procol Harum, (1967 US #5 single "Whiter Shade Of Pale"). Wilson died after spending several months in a coma following a car accident on October 8th 1990. he was 43.

In 2001, American singer, guitarist, and songwriter John Phillips of Mamas and The Papas died of heart failure (age 65). The Mamas and The Papas scored the US #1 "Monday, Monday." Phillips was married to Michelle Gilliam, they had one child together, Chynna Phillips, vocalist of the 1990's pop trio Wilson Phillips. His second solo album was released on Rolling Stones records and featured Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor and Ronnie Wood.

The late Wilson Pickett ("Funky Broadway") was born in 1941. He died on January 19, 2006.

One-time Steppenwolf guitarist, Kent Henry, died in Portland, OR in 2009. He was a member of Blues Image (“Ride Captain Ride”) prior to replacing Larry Byrom in Steppenwolf. He was 60.




History:

In 1902, Enrico Caruso recorded 10 arias for the Gramophone Company. He was the first well-known performer to make a record.

The first opera by a US composer performed at the Met in New York City in 1910.

In 1939, Frank Sinatra made his first recording, a song called "Our Love," with the Frank Mane band.

In 1958, Jerry Lee Lewis became the first artist to sing three songs on an episode of ABC-TV's "American Bandstand" (and he sings, not lip-synchs them).

EMI Records in the UK announced in 1959 that it had now stopped all production of 78 rpm discs.

The Everly Brothers recorded "Cathy's Clown" in 1960.

In 1965, the Rolling Stones were each fined $8.50 for urinating in a public place. The incident took place at a petrol station after a gig in Romford, Essex, England.

John Lennon gave his friend and ex-Quarry Man Pete Shotton £20,000 to open Hayling Supermarkets in 1965. Lennon, George Harrison and Shotton became joint directors of Hayling Supermarkets Ltd.

The Standells appeared on an episode of NBC-TV's "The Munsters" in 1965.

Pink Floyd signed to EMI Records in the UK in 1967.

The Beatles scored their 13th US No.1 single in 1967 with "Penny Lane."

Neil Young started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1972 with "Heart Of Gold."



The Film 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' featuring David Bowie premiered in London in 1976.

The Clash released their first single “White Riot” in 1977.

The Bee Gees had the Top 3 on the US singles charts in 1978, "Night Fever" at #1, "(Love is) Thicker Than Water," by brother Andy at #2, co-written by Barry Gibb and "Emotion" by Samantha Song written and produced by The Bee Gees at #3.

Aerosmith, Santana, Heart, Dave Mason, Ted Nugent and Mahogany Rush all appeared at the California Jam II festival, Ontario, California in 1978. Over 250,000 people were in attendance.

Driving home from a basketball game in Philadelphia in 1982, soul singer Teddy Pendergrass crashed his Rolls Royce severely injuring his spinal cord.

In 1989, a radio station in California arranged to have all it's Cat Stevens Records destroyed by having a steamroller run over them in protest of the singer's support of Ayatollah Khomeni.

In 1994, four guns and 25 boxes of ammo were confiscated from Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) after his wife, Courtney Love, called police fearing he was going to commit suicide. He did commit suicide about 3 weeks later.

In 1997 - Yanni became the first western composer/performer to play at the Taj Mahal in India.

Michael Jackson and his son went shopping at a toy store in Munich, Germany in 1998. Jackson was dressed as an Arab woman.

In 2000, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 20-cent stamped postcard that featured the historic Ryman Auditorium, the home of the Grand Ole Opry for more than 30 years.

Crazytown went to #1 on the US singles chart in 2001 with "Butterfly."

In 2002, The Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Eddie Vedder, lead singer of Pearl Jam and close friend of the Ramones. The ceremony took place at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

Courtney Love exposed her breasts during an appearance on David Letterman's TV talk show in 2004. The singer, who had her back to the audience, flashed at the presenter while singing the song "Danny Boy." After the show, she went on to perform a surprise gig at the Plaid night-club in Manhattan where she was alleged to have injured a man by throwing a microphone stand into the crowd. Love was charged with assault and reckless endangerment.

R&B singer Ne-Yo was at No.1 on the US album chart in 2006 with his debut album ‘In My Own Words.’

‘07’s "Raising Sand," Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant's collaborative album with Bluegrass performer Alison Krauss, was certified platinum (one million sales) by music-industry organization RIAA in 2008.

Smith ~ Baby It's You

This from my vinyl friend Shawn over at http://isontheair.blogspot.com   Thanks Shawn, one of my favorite bands from the era:

Smith were a one-hit wonder American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1969. They had a blues based sound and had a Top 5 hit in 1969 with a cover of the song "Baby It's You", with the lead vocals sung by Gayle McCormick. This disc, released in July 1969 had, by October, sold over one million copies, and received a gold record awarded by the R.I.A.A.

Smith were discovered by 1960s rocker Del Shannon in a nightclub in Los Angeles. McCormick had started her career singing songs by Tina Turner, Etta James and others of that ilk. Shannon arranged "Baby It's You" for the group and got them signed to the ABC-Dunhill Records label. Smith released an album titled, A Group Called Smith, which spent 11 weeks in the Top 40 album listings of the since-called Billboard 200 record chart. On the album, vocals were split amongst Rich Cliburn, Jerry Carter and McCormick. Smith recorded a second album titled Minus-Plus with lesser success. Smith's version of "The Weight" was included on the epochal Easy Rider soundtrack because The Band's version, which appeared in the movie, was not available for contractual reasons. Most of their material consisted of covers of popular rock and R&B tunes. The band broke up after a couple of albums, although their singles "What Am I Gonna Do" (co-written by Carole King) and "Take a Look Around" made the middle of the charts. The band's hit "Baby It's You" was also featured in Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse film, Death Proof.

McCormick went on to record three solo albums, Gayle McCormick, Flesh And Blood and One More Hour after the group disbanded. "It's A Cryin' Shame" was a minor hit for her from the first of these, reaching #44 on the charts in 1971.

Smith were a quintet of one woman and four men:

Gayle McCormick- lead vocals - from St. Louis, Missouri
Larry Moss - organ and kazoo
Jerry Carter - bass
Robert Evans - drums
Rich Cliburn - lead guitar

Alex Chilton of the Box Tops/Big Star Dead at 59

Alex Chilton, the pop hitmaker, cult icon and Memphis native best known as a member of 1960s pop-soul act the Box Tops and the 1970s power-pop act Big Star, died Wednesday at a hospital in New Orleans. Chilton had been complaining about his health earlier Wednesday, Fry said. He was taken by paramedics from his home to the emergency room but could not be revived. The singer, songwriter and guitarist was 59.

Chilton was born in Memphis and played both bass and rhythm guitar in area groups while still in high school. One of those groups, the DeVilles, caught the eye of producers Chips Moman and Dan Penn who had them signed to Bell, changed their name to the Box Tops and had them record the song "The Letter." The record, one of the shortest in chart history at under two minutes, went to the top of the U.S. charts and stayed there for four weeks making it the biggest hit of 1967.

Chilton and Big Star had been scheduled to play Saturday as part of the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.

Book Review and Author Interview: The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz

A special thank you to Tarie at http://peteredmundlucy7.blogspot.com  (Into the Wardrobe: an international blog on literature for the young and young at heart) for the permission to reprint the book review. Addditionally, a special thank you to Yvonne Prinz for allowing the reprint. Stop by her site and pick up her fascinating book. www.thevinylprincess.com  He is a link to the original post http://peteredmundlucy7.blogspot.com/2010/03/book-review-and-author-interview-vinyl.html

"He asks me about an LP and I know exactly when I got it, where I got it and even whose collection it originally came from. I know the artist's musical background and I know if they played in any other bands, even if it was only as a sideman, even if it was only for fifteen minutes. Music, to me, is one giant puzzle, and collecting music is about finding all the pieces and trying to fit them together."

That's Allie. Allie is sixteen years old and she lives with her mom in Berkeley, California. For the summer she is working full-time at Bob & Bob Records. When not working at the record store, Allie is blogging about music at http://www.thevinylprincess.com/ . She also writes a music zine.

The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz (HarperTeen, 2009) is about Allie (a.k.a. the Vinyl Princess) and her love for music, specifically her love for vinyl records. The Vinyl Princess is also about changes, summer, and seeking a community of people who share your passions.

Allie, her best friend Kit, her mom, her grandmother, and all the other characters in the novel seem very real. They are all unique, VERY interesting, and flawed (read: realistic). Their relationships are great to read about and their Berkeley setting is solidly established. Allie's narration of events is very convincing.

I love reading about a character with a creative passion. I loved whenever Allie obsessed over her blog and zine. I loved reading her musings and conversations with other characters about music. A well-written main character with a creative passion is always entertaining and inspiring to read.

The Vinyl Princess is one of those quiet YA novels. It isn't very dramatic or angsty or really emotional. But it's still very much about the ups and downs of being sixteen and I really enjoyed reading it.

Below is my quick Q&A with the author Yvonne Prinz, who is also the cofounder of Amoeba Music, the world's largest independent music store! I just had to know more about the woman behind this cool YA novel!

What is your strongest or favorite memory from when you were Allie's age (16)?

Like Allie, I worked in a record store, but it was in Edmonton, Canada. I remember being crazy for music. I went to my first Rock Concert that year- HEART and RUSH. It was such a thrill. I hated High School and couldn't wait to get out of there.

What was your favorite book and favorite music album when you were Allie's age? What is your favorite book and favorite music album now?

My favorite book was In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. It was sitting on my parent's bookshelf and I picked it up and started reading it. I was hooked. My favorite record? I had so many. I think I was still pretty into The Beatles White Album, although my record collection was vast. Right now, today, my favorite record is Howlin' Wolf, Ridin' in The Moonlight. That will change tomorrow, I guarantee it. The last book I read that I loved was The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster.

Why do you write for teen readers?

I like writing for teens because it's such a confusing time. I remember how excited I was at that age, when I found a book where the writer seemed to know about those years. I want to be that person now.

What do you think is the importance of quality books specifically for teens?

I think reading is a great way to learn about the world. It seems that there are more YA books now than ever before especially if you're into Vampires. Quality books are a little harder to find but if teens are reading, I'm happy.

Who are your favorite authors? How have they influenced your own writing?

Cormac McCarthy, Lorrie Moore, A.M. Holmes, John Cheever, Tobias Wolf. Dan Chaon. Good writers always inspire me to write. There is something magical about a well told story. All of these writers are brilliant storytellers.

What was your writing/research/creative process for The Vinyl Princess? Do you have any writing rituals?

I have terrible writing habits but for The Vinyl Princess I rented a studio in Berkeley and I went to "Work" every day. I became very disciplined because I had a very good agent's interest and I wanted to present her with my best work. I had a boom box and a kettle for tea and a desk. My view was College Avenue, right near my character's house. It was perfect.

Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 15, 2010


DEAR JERRY: In 1964, with the British Invasion music sweeping North America, Chicago's WLS jumped on the trend more than any other station in the Midwest.

As you once reported, WLS was the first station in the country to play a Beatles record.

Since those days, I have sought one of the British hits they played that year, but it seems I am the only one who knows anything about it.

I know it refers to a guy sitting in a coffee shop, and how happy he is when in walks a pretty girl.

The group sounded like the Searchers, but I find that nothing by them matches the one I remember.

Every time I go to Starbucks, this song starts running through my mind. As the song goes: Help!
—Morris O'Keefe, Springfield, Ill.


DEAR MORRIS: Your description narrows the search down to just one possibility: “Don't It Make You Feel Good,” one of two regional hits in 1964 for the Overlanders (Hickory 1275).

The other release that year for this British band is “Yesterday's Gone,” a cover version of the Chad & Jeremy hit.

The original Overlanders are Paul Arnold; Laurie Mason; and Peter Bartholomew. Chicago is one of the regions where “Don't It Make You Feel Good” did very well, briefly residing in the Top 10 on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey.

If you would like to refresh your memory of “Don't It Make You Feel Good,” the tune is on YouTube. Use the keywords “overlanders mpg” and it will indeed make you feel good.




DEAR JERRY: My period of greatest interest, musically as well as culturally, is 1955 to 1970, and my questions pertain to those years.

I know the Beatles once had the entire Top 5 to themselves, but were any of the other five slots that week by females?

If not then, is there at least one week with an all-male Top 10?
—Kelley Morrison, Atlanta, Ga.


DEAR KELLEY: The week of April 4, 1964 is when the Beatles owned the USA's Top 5. For seven days, the ranking of their hits went like this: 1. “Can't Buy Me Love”; 2. “Twist and Shout”; 3. “She Loves You”; 4. “I Want to Hold Your Hand”; 5. “Please Please Me.”

In the next five slots, all but one of which are American artists, is one female: 6. “Suspicion” (Terry Stafford); 7. “Hello Dolly! (Louis Armstrong); 8. “The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)” (Betty Everett); 9. “My Heart Belongs to Only You” (Bobby Vinton); 10 “Glad All Over” (Dave Clark Five).

There are many, many weeks when the Top 10 included no solo females, no girl duos or units of any size, and no mixed-gender groups, such as Peter, Paul & Mary, and the Fifth Dimension.

One extreme example occurs right near the end of “your period.” For a full month in 1969 (September 20 - October 18), the Top 18 each week was a boys-only club.

In the first week of October, the only female voice in the entire Top 30 belonged to Gayle McCormick, the lead singer and lone lady in the group named Smith.


IZ ZAT SO? Looking at this gender-based Top 10 situation made me wonder about the flip side — a time when the women did outnumber the men.

The example that jumped out at me is the last week of January 1955, when men held only two of the Top 10 spots. At No. 4 is “The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane,” by the Ames Brothers, and No. 6 is “Melody of Love,” an instrumental by Billy Vaughn and His Orchestra.

The other eight positions are locked up by the gals: 1. “Let Me Go Lover” (Joan Weber); 2. “Mr. Sandman” (Chordettes); 3. “Hearts of Stone” (Fontane Sisters); 5. “Sincerely” (McGuire Sisters); 7. “That's All I Want from You” (Jaye P. Morgan); 8. “(My Baby Don't Love Me) No More” (DeJohn Sisters); 9. “Make Yourself Comfortable” (Sarah Vaughan); 10. “Teach Me Tonight” (DeCastro Sisters).


Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column.

Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368

E-mail: jpo@olympus.net


Visit his Web site: www.jerryosborne.com.


All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.

Copyright 2010 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission

Music News & Notes

Dixie Chicks Team With Eagles for First Tour in Four Years

The Dixie Chicks are set to hit the road for the first time in nearly four years this summer when they team up with Eagles and Keith Urban for a co-headlining stadium tour. Urban will miss the tour’s opening show June 8th in Toronto, but will join the tour when it swings south to East Rutherford, New Jersey’s New Meadowlands Stadium on June 10th. Here are the eight June dates that have been announced.

Dixie Chicks/Eagles/Keith Urban
June 8 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre*
June 10 – East Rutherford, NJ @ New Meadowlands Stadium
June 12 – Boston, MA @ Gillette Stadium
June 14 – Philadelphia, PA @ Citizens Bank Ball Park
June 15 – Washington, DC @ Nationals Park
June 19 – Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field
June 22 – Winnipeg, MB @ Canad Inns Stadium*
June 24 – St. Louis, MO @ Busch Stadium*

(* Keith Urban not on bill)

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DJ Lundy Passes Away

One of New York's great DJ's has passed away. Ron Lundy, who worked at WABC from 1965 to 1982 and WCBS from 1984 to 1997, died Monday in Oxford, Mississippi at the age of 75.

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Jack White And Jay-Z Record 'Unbelievable' Song Together

Jack White has just revealed that he recorded a song with famous rapper Jay-Z recently. The White Stripes frontman failed to disclose how the pair came together, but described their untitled track as “unbelievable-sounding."

"We did a song together a few weeks ago,” White told GQ magazine. “It was incredible. “I played him something that I've been kicking around for a while and he immediately came out with words for it.”

The pair's collaboration comes just months after Jay-Z described White as a “renaissance man." It is not clear at present whether the song will be released.

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VINCE NEIL: 'Tattoos & Tequila' Artwork, Release Date Revealed

MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil 's "Tattoos & Tequila," his new solo album, will be released on June 22 via Eleven Seven Music. The CD was recorded with bassist Dana Strum and Jeff Blando (both of SLAUGHTER) and drummer Zoltan Chaney. At least two cover tracks were reportedly laid down during the sessions — CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL's "Who'll Stop The Rain?" and SEX PISTOLS' "No Feelings".

In a recent interview with The News Tribune Vince stated about the upcoming CD's title, "It's rock 'n' roll. That's it. It has nothing to do with MÖTLEY CRÜE. Tattoos and tequila is basically my life."





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GRAND MAGUS: New Album Artwork, Track Listing Revealed

GRAND MAGUS, the three-piece Swedish heavy rock band featuring "JB" Christofferson (guitar, lead vocals), Fox Skinner (bass, backing vocals) and Sebastian "Seb" Sippola (drums), will release its fifth album, "Hammer Of The North", this summer via Roadrunner Records. The CD was recorded at 301 studios outside of Stockholm and will feature artwork by Necrolord.

Commented JB: "Necrolord is a legend and has created some of the most striking and powerful images ever. He's also closely connected with Swedish metal. We just knew that he would deliver the perfect feel, mood and imagery for the new record. No one else would come close. It's an honor to have his artwork for 'Hammer Of The North'."

CD of Wax Cylinder Recordings Being Released

Here's an interesting tidbit to my email box - and yes, they did listen to music that way many, many years ago.  Read on:

For Immediate Release-
How Lo-Fi Can You Go? Aaron Keim Releases CD of Wax Cylinder Recordings

Aaron Keim, multi-instrumentalist and founding member of Boulder Acoustic Society, is known for his old timey music taste and indie approach to the music business. At last year's Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis, he met Martin Fisher who is a sound archivist and recording technician. Martin was recording musicians at the conference on a turn of the century wax cylinder recorder. Aaron got out his guitar and ukulele, sat down in front of the recording horn and turned out 5 tracks.

Invented by Thomas Edison in 1877, the wax cylinder phonograph was the first commercial recording and playback device and was popular into the 1910's when disc shaped records forced them out of business. If you think a 78rpm record sounds old and scratchy, wait till you hear the lo-fi glory of wax cylinder recordings. To make these non-electrical recordings, the musician sings into a large horn, which guides a needle as it digs into the wax cylinder. Aaron transferred his wax recordings to CD and is releasing them as The Quiet American.

For this EP Aaron recorded three original indie-folk songs and two traditional songs. This includes help from Boulder Acoustic Society on Ruben's Train. You can see them recording in front of the wax recording machine at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOlH6YZZfjM . Also, included on the CD is a digital version of the song The Light The Dust, which was recorded at the same time as the wax version.

To celebrate this release, Aaron is squeezing two shows around Boulder Acoustic Society's busy schedule. Oskar Blues in Lyons on May 2nd and the Mercury Cafe in Denver on April 30th.

To hear a sample, check out www.myspace.com/aaronckeim and click on "Rove Riley Rove."
To Purchase, go to http://www.etsy.com/shop/LazarusBooks

For more info:
Aaron Keim
720 254 6725
aaronckeim@gmail.com

Music News & Notes

Darkthrone launch new album website

Norway’s prominent black metal duo, Darkthrone, have launched a mini-website for their upcoming album “Circle the Wagons” which contains exclusive audio samples, album info, photo galleries and album bundles. Fans of the band can preorder both the vinyl and CD editions of “Circle the Wagons” via the new mini-website and those who sign up to the band’s mailing list will receive a free song download from the new album.

The mini-website can be viewed here http://www.peaceville.com/darkthrone/circlethewagons/

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MORBID ANGEL's 'Formulas Fatal To The Flesh' Available On Vinyl For First Time

"Formulas Fatal To The Flesh", the 1998 album from death metal veterans MORBID ANGEL, is out now on vinyl for the first time ever. The third release in Earache's "First Time on Vinyl" campaign, "Formulas Fatal To The Flesh" marked a new era for MORBID ANGEL upon its original release, being the band's first album with new vocalist and bassist Steve Tucker. While "Formulas Fatal To The Flesh" featured the traditional, blasting death metal for which MORBID ANGEL became known, the album also included more experimental instrumental pieces, showcasing a new diversity and ambition from the band.

"Formulas Fatal To The Flesh" is available now on limited-edition double gatefold vinyl LP in the following colors:

* Lava vinyl - 100 copies (sold out)
* Red vinyl - 200 copies
* Clear vinyl - 300 copies
* Black vinyl - 1,400

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CODE: 'Resplendent Grotesque' To Receive Vinyl Release

"Resplendent Grotesque", the second album from CODE — the British/Norwegian black metal project featuring bassist/backing vocalist Viper (a.k.a. Vicotnik from DHG), guitarist/songwriter Aort and vocalist Kvohst (DØDHEIMSGARD) — will finally see its long-overdue release on the hallowed vinyl format. It will be available in a few short weeks and feature "suitably glorious packaging," according to the band. More information will be made available soon.

"Resplendent Grotesque" was released on June 1, 2009. According to the band, the follow-up to 2005's "Nouveau Gloaming" contains "songs of necrospiritual dust and desertion, crafted by bony hands in blackbird gloves." Aort previously stated about the CD, "Adrian completely devastated the drums for this recording and Vicotnik has managed to really outdo himself with his most inspired bass work yet. I think we have all raised the bar with this recording and we are itching to get these morbid hymns out to you."

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THE CROWN's 'Hell Is Here' Released On Limited-Edition Dark Flames Splatter Vinyl

Night Of The Vinyl Dead has released THE CROWN's 1999 album, "Hell Is Here", on limited-edition dark flames splatter vinyl. Limited to 500 hand-numbered copies

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Jackson estate agrees record deal

With Sony having sold 31 million Jackson albums since his death last June the estate of Michael Jackson has agreed the biggest recording deal in history, worth more than $200m (£133m), with Sony Music, US reports say. The deal looks set to cover a 10 album releases over seven years with previously unreleased material.

With the contract with Sony worth up to $250m if certain conditions are met, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing sources close to the deal. An official announcement is expected later.

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Katatonia Release New EP

Swedish master of melancholy, Katatonia, has unleashed 'The Longest Year', a new four track EP, available today through the Peaceville Records store. http://www.burningshed.com/store/peaceville/collection/241/

Alongside the new single, "The Longest Year", taken from 2009's, Night is the New Day, this new EP also features the previously unreleased track, "Sold Heart", a remix of "Day and Then the Shade", and an alternative version of "Idle Blood", plus the videos for both "The Longest Year", directed by Charlie Granberg (Bloodbath, My Dying Bride), and "Day and Then the Shade", directed by Lasse Hoile (Porcupine Tree, Opeth).

Both the vinyl and special editions of the album are available through the Peaceville webstore, along with all the albums from the band's back catalogue, including limited vinyl editions of the classic albums.

This Date In Music History-March 16

Birthdays:

Jerry Jeff Walker - wrote "Mr Bojangles," a hit for The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1942)

Michael Bruce - Alice Cooper Band (1948)

Ray Benson - Asleep at the Wheel (1951)

Nancy Wilson - Heart (1954)



Flavor Flav - Public Enemy (1959)

Jimmy DeGrasso - Megadeth (1963)

Patty Griffin (1964)

Andrew Dunlop - Travis (1972)


They Are Missed:

In 1970, Motown singer Tammi Terrell died of a brain tumour at the age of 24. She had collapsed onstage on October 14, 1967 into Marvin Gaye's arms during a concert in Hampton, Virginia. Initially Terrell recorded solo, but from 1967 onwards she recorded a series of duets with Marvin Gaye, including the 1967 US #5 "Your Precious Love" and the 1968, "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing." Marvin Gaye reacted to her death by taking a four year hiatus from concert performance and went into self-isolation.

Johnny Cymbal (he sang "Mr. Bass Man" and was known as Derek when he later recorded "Cinnamon") died of a heart attack in 1993.

Tupper Saucy (recorded as the Neon Philharmonic-- "Morning Girl") died of a heart attack in 2007.


History:

In 1959, the doo-wop group The Platters scored their only UK #1 hit with "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (also a US #1 hit).

"Puff The Magic Dragon" was released by Peter, Paul and Mary in 1963.



Rock ‘n’ Roll’s pioneer promoter (and the man who coined the term) Alan Freed gets nailed for tax evasion in 1964.

In 1964, the Beatles set a new record for advance sales in the US with 2,100,000 copies of their latest single "Can't Buy Me Love."

The Rolling Stones were at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1965 with "The Last Time," the bands third UK #1 and first #1 for song writers Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

The Beatles continued filming in Austria in 1965 for their second movie, 'Help!' They completed the "ski lift" segment of the film.

The posthumously released Otis Redding single "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay," started a five week run at #1 on the US chart in 1968. Redding was killed in a plane crash on December 10, 1967, three days after recording the song.

Some of the winners at the 1971 Grammy Awards included, Simon and Garfunkel who won Record of the year, Song of the year and Album of the year for "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The Carpenters won Best new act and Best vocal performance.

In 1972, John Lennon lodged an appeal with the US immigration office in New York, after he was served with deportation orders arising from his 1968 cannabis possession conviction.

Barbra Streisand started a two-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1974 with 'The Way We Were', the singers second US #1.

During a US tour in 1974, Elvis Presley played the first of four nights at the Midsouth Coliseum in Memphis Tennessee. This was the first time Elvis had played in Memphis since 1961.

After being with the label for just six days in 1977, the Sex Pistols were fired from A&M due to pressure from other label artists and its Los Angeles head office. 25,000 copies of "God Save The Queen" were pressed and the band made more than $127,500 from the deal.

In 1979, Twisted Sister became the first band to sell out New York City's Palladium without ever releasing a record. The band did not sign a record deal until 3 years later.

In 1989, MTV America launched a contest to give away Jon Bon Jovi's childhood home.

In 1991, seven members of Country singer Reba McEntire's band and her road manager were among 10 people who were killed when their private jet crashed in California just north of the Mexican border. McEntire, who had given a private concert in San Diego for IBM employees the night before, was not on the plane.

During a Metallica gig at Orlando Arena in 1992, fans dangled an usher by his ankles from the balcony as trouble broke out at the concert. The band was charged $38,000 for repairs and cleaning after the audience trashed the building.

The Ramones performed what they claimed would be their last ever date in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1996.

The album "Great Zeppelin: A Tribute To Led Zeppelin" was released by Great White in 1999.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) presented the first Diamond Awards in 1999. The awards are given in recognition of albums and singles that have sold 10 million copies or more. Groups who have already hit the mark are AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Boston, Journey, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Van Halen and ZZ Top.

In 2000, the record industry acknowledged that a pair of Dave Matthews Band albums are multi-platinum: “Crash” at seven million copies sold while “Under The Table Dreaming” sits at six million.

Godsmack's all-acoustic “The Other Side” EP finally rolled out in 2004. The set was originally slated for release the previous fall but with the “Faceless” CD still selling strong it was postponed.

In 2010, the White Stripes documentary 'Under Great White Northern Lights' is available on DVD, CD and vinyl as part of the limited edition box set. The Emmett Malloy-directed film chronicles the band’s ’07 Canadian tour. And the 16 track CD includes "Seven Nation Army," “Fell In Love With A Girl,” "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" and "Ball And Biscuit.”

New Music Releases - March 16

Here are a few of tommorrow's new releases. 
Be sure to stop and buy your vinyl at:

http://www.insound.com/ 


Al Jarreau - Live In London (Deluxe Edition)
Angus & Julia Stone - Down The Way
Annie - My Love Is Better (vinyl)
Archie Bronson Outfit - Shark's Tooth (vinyl)
B-52's - Cosmic Thing (Audio Fidelity)
Band of Skulls - I Know What I Am (vinyl)
Beirut - Lon Gisland (vinyl)
Bellamy Brothers - Greatest Hits 3
Beth Orton - Trailer Park
Billy Edd Wheeler - A Big Bag Of Songs
Billy Joel - Glass Houses (Vinyl)
Bob Dylan - Greatest Hits
Bob Marley & the Wailers - Reggae With Soul: Roots of
Brad Mehldau - Highway rider
Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue
Charles Wright - Live @ The Ford Theatre (Vinyl)
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Wind Phoenix (vinyl)
Deep Purple - Machine Head (Audio Fidelity)
Delta Mirror - Machines That Listen (vinyl)
Devon Sproule - Don't Hurry for Heaven!
Dirty Three - Ocean Songs (vinyl reissue)
Disco Biscuits - Planet Anthem
Donovan - Greatest Hits
Doors - Absolutely Live (2-LP vinyl)
Drive By Truckers - The Big To-Do
Dropkick Murphys - Live on Landsdowne Boston MA
Duke Special - The Stage, a Book & the Silver Screen (3-CDs)
Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Rush To Relax (vinyl)
Ella Fitzgerald - The Best of Twelve Nights in Hollywood
Ellie Goulding - Lights
Field Music - Field Music (Measure) (vinyl)
Flobots - Survival Story
Friendly Fires & Holy Ghost - Hold on/On Board (vinyl)
From First to Last - Throne to the Wolves
Gamma Ray - To the Metal!
Gin Wigmore - Holy Smoke
Gloria Estefan - Greatest Hits
Gogol Bordello Non-Stop (dvd)
Graham Parker - Imaginary Television
Groove Armada - Vertigo (reissue)
Happy Birthday - Happy Birthday (vinyl)
Hoodoo Gurus - Purity of Essence
I Am Robot & Proud - Uphill City Remixes & Collaborations
Iration - Time Bomb
Jeff the Brotherhood - U Got the Look (vinyl)
Jimi Hendrix - Band of Gypsys (reissue)
Jimi Hendrix - Bleeding Heart (Limited Edition 7" Single) (Vinyl)
Jonas Reinhardt - Powers of Audition
Josiah Wolf - Jet Lag (vinyl)
Kansas - Point of Know Return (Limited Edition Gatefold Cover) (Vinyl)
King Khan & Pat Meteor - The Fiery Tears of St. Laruent b/w Bon Bon (vinyl)
Kirk Fletcher - My Turn
Lady Gaga - Telephone (vinyl picturedisc)
Les Paul & Mary Ford - Let's Go To Town
Locksley - Be in Love
Lou Bond - Lou Bond (remastered with bonus tracks) (vinyl)
Loudon Wainwright III - Album III (vinyl reissue)
Loudon Wainwright III - Attempted Mustache (vinyl reissue)
Loudon Wainwright III - Unrequited (vinyl reissue)
Lusine - Lucky Numbers: The Ghostly International EPs
Mac Wiseman with Lester Flatt - Bluegrass 1971
Mannish Boys - Shake For Me
Mark Egan - Truth Be Told
Mark Matos & Os Beaches - Words of the Knife (vinyl)
Marvin Sapp - Here I Am
Mary Wells - In And Out Of Love
Mazzy Star - Among My Swan (vinyl reissue)
Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See (vinyl reissue)
Meredith Andrews - As Long As It Takes
Nas And Damien Marley - Distant Relatives
Neil Young - Dreamin' Man Live '92 (Vinyl)
Neon Trees - Habits (vinyl)
Old Man Luedecke - My Hands Are on Fire and other Love Songs
One for the Team - Ghosts (vinyl)
Os Mutantes - Os Mutantes (vinyl)
Pantha Du Prince - Stick to My Side (vinyl)
Patti Smith Group - Radio Ethiopia (vinyl reissue)
Pelican - What We All Come To Need
Peter Karp & Sue Foley - He Said She Said
Peter Wolf - Midnight Souvenirs
Polar Bear - Peepers (vinyl)
Popa Chubby - Fight Is On
Reni Lane - Ready
Rev. Gary Davis - Rev. Gary Davis At Home & Church (1962-1967) (3 CDs)
Rick Springfield - Venus in Overdrive / Live in Rockford
Rick Wakeman - Past Present & Future
Robin Guthrie - Sunflower Stories
Runaways - Mercury Album Anthology
Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family - Go Waggaloo (vinyl)
Seabear - We Built a Fire (vinyl)
She & Him - In the Sun (vinyl)
Simon & Garfunkel - Parsley Sage Rosemary & Thyme (Audio Fidelity)•Sly & the Family Stone - Ain't But the One Way
Slim Cessna's Auto Club - Buried Behind the Barn (vinyl)
Sly Asher - Le Temps
Solid Gold - Synchronize EP
Stranglers - Decades Apart (2 CDs)
Streetlight Manifesto - 99 Songs of a Revolution
Summer Cats - Your Timetable (vinyl)
The Audition - Great Danger
The Nada - Almanac [mp3]
The Secret History - World That Never Was
The Superions [The B-52's Fred Schneider project] - The Superions [EP]
Tom McRae - The Alphabet of Hurricanes
Twin Atlantic - Vivarium
Uriah Heep - Celebration (CD)
Uriah Heep - Live at Sweden Rock Festival
Various Artists - Coraline (Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording)
Various Artists - Florida Funk: Funk 45s from The Alligator State
Various Artists - Malaco Soul Sisters
Various Artists - Thai Beat a Go-Go 2 (vinyl)
Various Artists - The Rough Guide To World Music For Children
Various Artists - Through A Faraway Window: A Tribute to Jimmy Silva
Various Artists - Troubled Troubadours
Whigs - In The Dark
White Stripes - Under Great White Northern Lights (2-LP vinyl) (DVD) (Blu-ray DVD)
Woody Herman, Les Paul & Mary Ford - Let's Go To Town
Yes - A Time And A Word (Vinyl)
Young Widows - Live Radio Performance April 6 2009 (vinyl)
Zach Lupetin and the Dustbowl Revival - You Can't Go Back To The Garden Of Eden

Vinyl Treasures

There could be money in that box of LPs


Richard Morrison, Financial Post


In 1974, a local rock band called Rush played our high school cafeteria and after the concert was over I bought a copy of the group's debut album from the singer, a genial, hawk-nosed fellow named Geddy Lee. He smiled, pointed to the pile of records and spoke, but since my eardrums were still ringing from the 120-decibel music, I had no idea what he was saying. But now I know: "Buy all the records in this pile and don't open any of them because they'll be worth a fortune in 35 years."

The pile of LPs Mr. Lee was selling next to the stage were some of the 3,500 pressings of Rush's first album, produced by Moon Records. A sealed version of the album sold for US$831 on eBay in November, according to popsike.com,a site that tracks record prices. With LP records, the first recordings by artists who later went on to superstardom are the most valuable, but even obscure musicians who couldn't fill a church basement have their followers, says Matt Oehmen, who runs Honest Reds Records, an online record store on eBay.

"Every artist has a fan somewhere, no matter how uncool or obscure. This is a lesson that has never failed to amaze me."

There is plenty of evidence that LP records are still being listened to. Best Buy, for example, offers about two dozen turntable models, many of which are sold out. Amazon.comlists more than 200 turntable models for sale. Mr. Oehmen says he was selling LPs last fall at a show near the University of Ottawa, "and never have I seen so many young people excited for vinyl. They were ravenous."

Like all collectibles, rarity and condition are key. Most LP records are worth less than a dollar, either because there are still thousands of them around, they are scratched or their covers have been damaged, Mr. Oehman says. But there are still some gems.

"The diamond in the rough -- the kind of collectible record that doesn't advertise itself as so, the obscure bands you've never heard of, that weird jazz album, that private pressing soul 45. These kinds of things are either spotted by luck or by a well-seasoned eye."

If you have a box of old records in your attic, basement or garage and you want to know what they're worth, log on to eBay and under "advanced search" check "completed listings," which details the results of auction sales that ended over the past 90 days. You will have to key in each artist and album title individually -- a time-consuming process that can be exasperating, especially when you go through 250 LPs and not a single one has sold for more than a dollar.

Along with the usual Pink Floyd, Beatles, Michael Jackson, Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and other major stars, LPs by bands so obscure they don't even have a Wikipedia entry attract the attention of collectors. For example:

- In 1968, the Immediate Record Co. Ltd. rounded up some budding British rock stars, called the group Billy Nichols, and tried to create a British version of the Beach Boys. But after 100 or so promotional copies were made, the label ran out of money and the album was pulled. A copy in near-mint state sold for US$9,700 on eBay on March 7.

- A 45rpm single from the mid-1960s, Lady In Green recorded by The Magnetics, a Detroit-based soul group, sold for US$5,500 on Feb. 22. Last year, the surviving members of the group reunited for a concert in England, where the group members were astounded at the value of their record. You can log on to YouTube and see the reunited group perform the song.

- Mind Odyssey, an LP by the 1960s California psych-rock group The Aggregation, sold for US$860 on Feb. 14. The group recorded the album while under the influence of LSD and most of its fans were similarly stoned. YouTube has a few cuts from the album, appropriately illustrated with kaleidoscopic images and lava lamps.

- A sealed copy of I'll be alright by Dave Lamb & Gye Whiz attracted 30 bids and sold for US$753.73 on Feb. 24. This English folk-rock group from the early 1970s is so obscure that it has neither a Wikipedia entry nor any clips on YouTube, but collectors love it.

- Asylum's First & Last original LP sold for US$710 after 22 bids on Feb. 26. The group, formed by members of the Fork Union Military Academy school in Virginia, had only 500 copies of this album pressed.

There are collectors willing to pay up for classical LPs, and those obsessed with 78-rpm disks. If you're at a garage sale and see a Columbia LP from 1965 featuring a Beethoven concerto by Soviet violinist Leonid Kogan accompanied by an orchestra conducted by Constantin Silvestry with a turquoise and silver label, buy it. It sold for $6,363 last month. A mint-state 78-rpm recording of Alabama bluesman Ed Bell, made in 1928, sold for US$3,939 on Feb. 28.

A few weeks ago, a music store owner gave me a pile of 65 dance records from the 1980s, warning that the whole box of 12" 45-rpm records were likely worthless. He was right: after checking them against completed eBay listings and on Popsike, I tossed them all out. But not all 1980s dance albums are worthless, as a copy of Italian disco artist Ryvon DJ sold for US$3,551 on Feb. 21.

The best places to find LPs are garage sales, classified ads and estate sales, Mr. Oehmen says. This often means buying in bulk, so you may end up getting a good deal on 5,000 records where there may be 1,000 worthwhile selling.

"It's a lot of work, and is certainly not a get-rich-quick scheme. You must be actively passionate in collecting yourself in order to sell successfully."

Along with Popsike and eBay's completed listings, you can search record values at U.K.-based Record Collector magazine ( recordcollector.com),a bible of the hobby. A one-year subscription from Canada is £72. The magazine also offers a hard-bound price guide for £28.

Locally pressed LPs that are common in some parts of Canada may be collectors' items elsewhere, Mr. Oehmen says. "There can be regional variations, what's common in your home town isn't necessarily common elsewhere in the world. This really only comes in handy when selling on eBay or the like, where your marketplace is the entire world."

If you think you might have a valuable record, check it under a good light to make sure it is not scratched or badly scuffed, and if you have the time and access to a turntable, give it a listen.

Mr. Oehmen says he has 8,000 LPs in his inventory, and taking the time to play them all would "drive me clinically insane. I grade visually, and I've become better at it as I go. The only time I play-grade something is if it's a particularly collectible, scuffed disc, sometimes an ugly one will play through fine."


SOURCE:  http://www.financialpost.com/

Reprinted By Permission

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Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales - Week Ending 03/13/2010

1. LP - Billy Nichols "Would You Believe" Immediate UK Pressing - $9,700.00

2. LP - various artists "Black-Out: New Sounds Of '70" Century - $3,700.00

3. LP - The Beatles "white album" UK Pressing #0000033 - $3615.16

4. 45 - Royal Imperials "This Heart Of Mine" / "Keep It Up Baby" Mellow Town - $3,173.00

5. LP - Johnny Griffin "Introducing Johnny Griffin" Blue Note 1533 - $3,167.00


More on this week's top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 7:00PM Eastern / 4:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.  http://shows.radiodentata.com/shows/accidental-nostalgia

Music News & Notes

SICK OF IT ALL: New Album Artwork Unveiled

"Based On A True Story", the new album from New York hardcore legends SICK OF IT ALL, is scheduled for release on April 20 via Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2006's "Death To Tyrants" was recorded Antfarm Studios in Århus, Denmark with Danish producer Tue Madsen (HALFORD, BEHEMOTH, KATAKLYSM, THE HAUNTED). The cover artwork was created by Ernie Parada .

Reflections Records will re-release the first two albums from SICK OF IT ALL — "Blood, Sweat And No Tears" (originally released on July 12, 1989) and "Just Look Around" (1992). Both albums will feature original artwork but be packaged in a gatefold sleeve. They will be limited to 500 copies.

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DOVECOTE RECORDS TO RELEASE THE FUTUREHEADS & HOORAY FOR EARTH

Dovecote Records is excited to announce upcoming releases by Sunderland, England's The Futureheads AND New York by way of Boston's Hooray For Earth.

The Futureheads' new full-length album, The Chaos will be released June 1st via Dovecote Records. The Chaos is the band's fourth album and arguably their most riotous to date. Following high-profile tours supporting the likes of The Pixies and Foo Fighters, the four-piece buckled down, penning bold, three-minute, heads-down, pop delicacies. The Chaos was recorded over a series of sessions with David Brewis of Field Music and renowned producer Youth.

Also releasing June 1st is Hooray For Earth's MOMO. Originally available as a 5-song EP through the digital eMusic Selects program, a sixth track has been added to the EP and will see a proper physical and digital release from Dovecote Records. Hooray For Earth formed in Boston, MA in 2005, self-releasing an album in 2006.

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Zappa's Music To Come Alive

Don Preston and Bunk Gardner, both original members of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention, are going out on a tour of the east coast billed as The Don and Bunk Show. They plan on performing a wide range of Zappa's music plus "zany antics, wild improvisations and strange electronic music the early Mothers were famous for."

"We're doing this tour because I think Zappa fans need to come and hear how Zappa's music was performed by the originals," says Don Preston. "Hey people! We're still doing it!"

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Singer Lesley Duncan Dies

Singer-songwriter Lesley Duncan passed away on Friday after a long illness (age 66). She is probably best remembered for the beautiful duet of her song "Love Story" that was on Elton John's Tumbleweed Connection album, one of the few songs he recorded in his career that he didn't compose himself.

Over her career, she recorded five albums and sang backup for John, the Dave Clark Five, the Alan Parsons Project, Dusty Springfield and Pink Floyd, doing backup vocals on Dark Side of the Moon.

This Date In Music History-March 14

Birthdays:

Quincy Jones (1933)

Walter Parazaider - Chicago (1945)

James O’Rourke - John Fred & His Playboy Band (1945)

Jim Pons - Turtles (1946)

Boon Gould - Level 42 (1955)

Taylor Hanson - Hanson (1983)

Colby O'Donis (1988)


They Are Missed:

Mary Ann Ganser of the Shangri-Las ("Leader Of The Pack") died of a barbiturate overdose in 1970.

In 1972, soul singer, Linda Jones, died (age 26) in New York after collapsing into a diabetic coma following a performance at Harlem's Apollo Theatre in new York. Had the 1967 US #21 single "Hypnotized."

American songwriter Doc Pomus died in 1991. With Mort Shuman he wrote many early 60's hits including, "A Teenager in Love," "Save The Last Dance For Me," "Sweets For My Sweet," "Can't Get Used to Losing You," "Little Sister," "Suspicion," "Surrender" and Viva Las Vegas."

Born on this day in 1922, Les Baxter, (1956 US #1 single "Poor People Of Paris"). Died on January 15, 1996.


History:

In 1955, CBS talent scout Arthur Godfrey turned down the chance to sign Elvis Presley, instead at the same audition he signed singer Pat Boone.

The movie "Rock Around the Clock" (with Bill Haley) made its premier in Washington, DC in 1956.

Perry Como's "Catch A Falling Star" was certified as the first gold single in 1958.

Mick Jagger saw Buddy Holly & the Crickets perform at the Granada Theatre in Woolwich, England in 1958.

Fabian was voted Most Promising New Talent by the viewers of ABC-TV's "American Bandstand" in 1959.

In 1963, on a UK tour with Chris Montez and Tommy Roe, The Beatles appeared at the Gaumont Cinema, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire. For the third night in a row, John Lennon, suffering from a bad cold, was unable to perform.

In 1964, Billboard reports The Beatles own sixty percent of it, thanks largely to Capitol Records flooding the U.S. market with numerous recordings. Fortunately, The Beatles survive the “fad” stage.

Petula Clark made her American TV debut on CBS' "Ed Sullivan Show" in 1965.

The promotional film for ‘Lady Madonna’ was broadcast in black and white on Top of the Pops on UK television in 1968. The video portion of the film clip was shot while The Beatles were performing the song "Hey Bulldog," but the ‘Lady Madonna’ audio track was paired with the video for the promo release.



The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded a live concert for 'Fan Club', the Dutch TV show in Amsterdam, Holland in 1969.

Elton John was at #1 on the US singles chart in 1973 with "Crocodile Rock."

Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Alec John Such formed Bon Jovi in 1983.

Rainbow played their last ever gig as a band when they performed in Japan in 1984.

Huey Lewis and the News went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1987 with "Jacob's Ladder."

Michael Jackson was voted artist of the decade at the annual 'Soul Train Awards' in 1990.

John Mellencamp and Neil Young joined Willie Nelson for Farm Aid V in Irving, TX. in 1992.

With the release of 'Me Against the World' in 1995, Tupac Shakur became the first male solo artist to have a #1 album on the Billboard chart while in prison.

Will Smith started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1998 with "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It."

TLC started a four week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1999 with 'Fanmail.'

In 2001, Peter Blake, who designed The Beatles’ classic Sgt. Pepper album cover sued the group’s record company for more money. Blake was paid £200 ($340) for the famous figures in 1967, but was now “cheesed off” that EMI have never offered to pay more money.

In 2004, thieves stole $325,000 worth of Elvis Presley`s jewelry and kitsch from the Elvis-A-Rama Museum in Las Vegas. Among the stolen inventory: a gold-plated handgun, a custom scarf, a bracelet and Presley`s Humes High School ring from 1953. However, the crooks leave Elvis` blue suede shoes.

In 2006, U2 topped Rolling Stone magazine’s annual list of the year’s biggest money earners from 2005 with $154.2m, the Rolling Stones were listed second with $92.5m and The Eagles third with 63.2m. Paul McCartney was in fourth place with $56m and Elton John in fifth with $48.9m.

A Black Sabbath compilation titled "Greatest Hits 1970-1978" was released a day after the band is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. The disc contains remastered songs recorded by the group's original lineup, including "Iron Man," and "Paranoid."

The Rolling Stones played their first-ever show at New York's famed Radio City Music Hall in 2006. It's a benefit for the Robin Hood Foundation which distributes funds to nonprofit charities.

In 2007, Gibson Guitar announced a limited-edition replica of Jimmy Page's double-necked electric guitar, based on the '71 Gibson EDS-1275 that features both a 12-string and a 6-string neck. The Led Zeppelin guitarist's majestic double neck was a fixture of the band’s live shows. A run of 25 signed, "aged" versions of the guitar retail for $33,500. A cheaper edition goes for $10,000 to $12,000.