The vinyl record collecting blog - with news about new vinyl record releases, vinyl record sales, new music releases, album cover art and weekly features
Vee-Tone Records and Elvis Unlimited team up with HMV to bring a piece of Rock‘n’Roll memorabilia to London – for one day only on Thursday, 28th October – to support the CD launch of The Memphis Jukebox Two (released 18th October)
To coincide with the release of Volume 2 of The Memphis Jukebox, Vee-Tone Records have teamed up with Elvis Unlimited and HMV to bring a piece of Rock ’n’ Roll history to the UK. On 28th October, Vee-Tone Records will be in HMV’s flagship Oxford Circus store (150 Oxford Street, London) accompanied by Henrik Knudsen of Elvis Unlimited, the new owner of the original Elvis jukebox collection. Vee-Tone Records and Elvis Unlimited will have on display over 40 original singles from Elvis’ jukebox as well as other memorabilia once owned by ‘The King’. Appropriately, Elvis used to release his early recordings in the UK on the HMV label.
For almost twenty years, the King of Rock ’n’ Roll would relax at his Graceland home by listening to his personal jukebox filled with the records he had amassed over many years. These were the songs he loved and the music that inspired him – the tunes that made him ‘shake, rattle and roll’.
And now over forty of these 45 rpm vinyl singles – by artists ranging from Gene Vincent to Carl Perkins, Bo Diddley to Ray Charles and from Little Richard to James Brown, will go on display to the public for one day only along with other items of Elvis memorabilia on October 28th at HMV’s Oxford Circus flagship store, 150 Oxford Street, London W1.
In attendance and to meet fellow Elvis fans will be the new owner of the collection, Henrik Knudsen of Elvis Unlimited as well as Megan M. Murphy of Record Collector magazine, whose article ‘secrets of the King’s jukebox’ has generated huge interest among fans.
There is no doubt that Elvis was one of the most influential recording artists of the 20th Century. He dared to blend African-American influenced Blues with Gospel, Bluegrass and Country. This unique sound became Rock ’n’ Roll, and those influences can still be heard across many music genres today. Fast-forward to today, thirty-three years after his death, and there is still a fascination with Elvis Presley and his legacy that no other artist can match.
Whilst there have been many releases over the years that have claimed to feature the music that inspired Elvis, there has never been a verifiable album that truly showcases the actual recordings and artists that influenced and entertained him, both in his formative years and at the height of his fame. Until now, that is.
It has long been known that Elvis, an avid music collector, kept a personal jukebox at Graceland. The whereabouts of these 45’s had always eluded memorabilia investigators, but in October 2009 the mystery was solved when they were put up for auction. And now Vee-Tone Records – an independent UK music label, has just released two volumes of music based on this very collection of singles: The Memphis Jukebox (Volumes One and Two).
David Gillespie of Vee-Tone Records said:
“This is a truly unique and historic collection. Whilst many of the records individually will have been heard before, together they give a remarkable insight into Elvis’ life and musical influences. Every time you press ‘play’ to listen to this collection, you are recreating a moment in time; a moment in Elvis’ life when he, himself, would press ‘play’ on his personal jukebox in Graceland.”
“As many music lovers know, a music collection can be a very personal thing. Not only does it reveal your musical tastes, but it can chart the ups and downs in your life; it can paint a personal picture of your unique spirit, personality and character. The Memphis Jukebox collections strip away the hype and the commercial aspects of Elvis and leaves behind the bare essence of the man himself. We are hugely excited to be bringing this unique and historic collection to the eyes and ears of the world.”
All singles featured on both volumes of the Memphis Jukebox albums will be on display at the event.
Mushroomhead Set To Release New Album On September 28
Explosive Cleveland, OH art-metal collective Mushroomhead has finished work on its new video for the first single "Come On." The high energy clip – taken from the band’s forthcoming release Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children - was directed by "House" of Precinct 13 and features "fight club" type scenes and bloody combat shot with stylish cinematography. House previously directed the band's 2007 video for "1200", which netted the band MTV Headbangers Ball "Video of the Year."
"Conceptually, it's about having the opportunity to vent your rage," says Mushroomhead's Skinny. "The song 'Come On' is a sucker punch and it's a metaphor for everything that's gone wrong. It's a modern day anthem for everyone who is fed up with everything, just like us." A teaser clip for the "Come On"
As one of the leaders of the alterna-metal movement since its inception in 1993, Mushroomhead is one of the more unique and adventurous hard rock bands on the planet today. It’s also one of the most DIY units. The septet has written, produced and recorded its own music, conceived and designed all of its album artwork and photography, stage shows, props and merchandise and also produces, directs, films and edits all of its music videos and DVDs. The band’s extreme performance style has garnered it an enormously devoted cult following and its cornucopian sound -- a forceful yet melodic, underground yet accessible merging of hard rock, heavy metal, hardcore punk, industrial and soundtrack-worthy ambience – has seen it move upwards of 900,000 records worldwide.
Mushroomhead (or MRH) has headlined arenas the world over and shared the stage with metal magnates such as Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Zombie, Slayer, Deftones, Lamb Of God, Hatebreed, Meshuggah and Down. The band has had multiple Top 50 Billboard debuts with 2006’s Savior Sorrow landing at #50 and 2003’s XIII rocketing to #40 in its first week of release.
The full track listing for Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children is as follows:
01. Come On
02. Inspiration
03. Slaughterhouse Road
04. I’ll Be Here
05. Burn the Bridge
06. Holes in the Void
07. Harvest the Garden
08. The Harm You Do
09. Your Demise
10. The Feel
11. Darker Days
12. Do I Know You?
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Costello Goes Really Retro With 78 Vinyl Release
Elvis Costello's forthcoming album, “National Ransom,” mines a century’s worth of pop music history in both the characters, scenarios and themes in his songs, and in the atmospheric sound that producer T Bone Burnett has given the record.
So it makes perfect sense that Costello, a voracious fan of music of all styles, would want to add a vintage touch of some kind in conjunction with the album’s release come Nov. 2.
Vinyl LP version? Everyone’s doing that nowadays, so Costello is going one step beyond: He’s releasing four songs on a pair of 78 rpm discs.
A whimsical announcement about the 78s has been posted on Costello’s website, sounding much like the fancifully stylized introductions he gives his musical guests on the Sundance Channel “Spectacle” show:
“Lupe-O-Tone -- Purveyors of fine flat phonograph records & cylinders since 1913. Our motto is ‘Ego sum satus infremo.’ Lupe-O-Tone present 78 rpm discs in full Lycanthropic Sound. …‘A Slow Dance With Josephine’ b/w ‘You Hung the Moon’ and ‘Jimmie Standing in the Rain’ b/w ‘A Voice in the Dark,’ by the Lupotonians with vocal refrain by Elvis Costello.”
The 78s will be pressed in limited editions of 25 copies, each signed by Costello. No price is mentioned, but the announcement promised more details to come (http://www.elviscostello.com/)
Should make for one heck of a collectible and I would be interested in the sound quality as well.
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Nick Rhodes and Mark Ronson's New Track Will Only Be Available for One Day
In a Twitter post, Ronson revealed that his new track with the Duran Duran star will only be available from one British record store on Monday, September 27.
A new track written and recorded by Duran Duran star Nick Rhodes and DJ/producer Mark Ronson is set to become one of the most exclusive ever - it will only be available from one British record store on Monday, September 27.
Rise Records in Bristol, England will only be allowed to sell "Sound of Plastic" during Ronson's pre-gig takeover of the store. In a tweet to fans on Sunday, September 26, Ronson writes, "tomorrow Kyle, Spank Rock, Alex Greenwald, Zender, MNDR, Rose & myself are taking over Rise Records in Bristol @ 5pm. Then gig @ the Academy (sic)."
"We also made an xclusive 12" (inch vinyl record) with Nick Rhodes & Jamie Klaxons which is only available in Rise Records on that day (sic)."
Another rare collectible record, if you can get your hands on one....
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Giant Sand release new album plus reissues
Howe Gelb is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Giant Sand on October 25th with a brand spanking new album Blurry Blue Mountain and a thirty album strong reissue series on Fire Records.
About the new record Gelb says…
"These recordings were done in the space between the waking world and the sleeping one. there exists a point there with a broad landscape that has seldom been loitered in. as with every previous album, none of this was planned. every record has its own atmosphere. for me they are always a new place to live in and spend some time before moving on. On this album, it happened that every session we were able to record came between work loads that rendered us at that point of sleeping and waking. like the poppy fields in wizard of oz, we went in and out of consciousness at various times during recording. This is not a bad thing. nor does it make the record sound like we’re asleep. it has the momentum of that place between sleep and being awake. and in that narrow slip of existence lies a landscape of reason that most of us hurry past in daily lives. this record is planted firmly there."
All of the albums by Giant Sand, Howe Gelb, The Band of Blacky Ranchette, Arizona Amp and Alternator will be re-mixed, re-mastered and released with added new material. See the rough schedule below for CD with vinyl to follow…
SEPTEMBER 27, 2010
GIANT SAND – Valley Of Rain (25th Anniversary Edition)
OCTOBER 2010
GIANT SAND – Blurry Blue Mountain & Valley Of Rain (25th Anniversary Edition)
GIANT SAND – Blurry Blue Mountain
GIANT SAND – Ballad Of A Thin Man (25th Anniversary Edition)
GIANT SAND – Storm (25th Anniversary Edition)
And many more to come....
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Re-release my first album "My Little World" on Vinyl - Kickstarter Project by Jeff Matey
I found this obscure video (7 views) on You Tube and thought some of you may be interested. It is not the 'normal' way to make a record, but with new music being released by anyone who has a MySpace Page, who says this is wrong? I actually like the music and wish the man success. He's actually quite good!
A test pressing of the Led Zeppelin "Road Box" gets twice the price of one of the regular releases (there were only five released test pressings) and the #1 spot. Also, a bootleg makes the list for only the second time ever, with a Neil Young recording from the early 70s.
1. 12" - Led Zeppelin “Road Box” Test Pressing - $6,100.00
"Saints at Congo Square Vol. 1, " is the third album in Threadhead Records' Congo Square Project series, and is available for download. The project is a sweeping effort to trace the evolution of African and Caribbean music in New Orleans. Collaborators include: Levon Helm, Stanton Moore, A.F.O. drummer John Boudreaux, Sun Ra protégé Marshall Allen, Howlin' Wolf band guitarist Hubert Sumlin and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, just to name a few.
SWANS “MY FATHER WILL GUIDE ME UP A ROPE TO THE SKY”
The first new record from SWANS since 1996! After years of pursuing ANGELS OF LIGHT and recording and producing a diverse roster of artists for his label, Michael Gira has reconvened his legendary group the Swans. As he says: “this is not a reunion. It’s not some dumb-ass nostalgia act. It is not repeating the past. After five Angels of Light albums, I need a way to move forward, in a new direction, and it just so happens that revivifying the idea of Swans allows me to do that”.
This highly anticipated album is as powerful and diverse as anything Gira has ever done, in Swans or otherwise. It opens with the epic, soul-crushing “No Words/No Thoughts”, but quickly veers to more pastoral terrain, and on to ever-ascending monotonal grooves. A filmic-folk idyll featuring Devendra Banhart on lead vocal abruptly shifts to cataclysm, and is followed by more airplane-taking-off ascensions, art songs and lethal sonic pummeling. In short, this is the new Swans album, a significant advance from where they left off and as challenging and emotionally demanding as ever. A massive 18 month tour (Montreal and Toronto dates are scheduled for early October) in support of the album begins in September. Released on Young God and available October 1st, 2010.
1.No Worlds/No Thoughts
2.Reeling the Liars In
3.Jim
4.My Birth
5.You Fucking People Make Me Sick
6.Inside Madeline
7.Eden Prison
8.Little Mouth
Monkey Killer Records Announces Operation Rolling Thunder’s Debut Album
Monkey Killer Records is very proud to announce the release of Dunedin band Operation Rolling Thunder’s debut album, III. Since their inception many years ago, Operation Rolling Thunder have been in the habit of doing things unconventionally; their live sets rarely break the thirty minute mark, they eschew bass in favour of a tight two piece format, and they utilise a sampler in lieu of vocals. Now their debut album is released on vinyl with download three years after it was recorded.
Operation Rolling Thunder’s debut album has had an extended gestation period, having been recorded in 2007 at the Masonic Lodge in Port Chalmers by Dale Cotton (who has recorded High Dependency Unit, Mestar, Collapsing Cities and many more). The record was mastered for vinyl in January 2010, and pressed in the USA, finally ready for release in September 2010.
The album is available now directly through the Monkey Killer Records website, and will be available through selected stores New Zealand wide over the coming weeks.
“Dunedin two-piece sonic rock exponents Operation Rolling Thunder are a musical force to be reckoned with. They create soundscapes that transport you to another time-space continuum…” Vicki Anderson, The Press
“Throughout their unfortunately short set, ‘Thunder displayed an uncanny talent for using dynamics, creating textured sonic landscapes capable of crushing the listener, before relenting – creating claustrophobic tension within their music.” Sam Valentine, Critic
Operation Rolling Thunder: Rob Falconer- Drums/Samples Adam Falconer- Guitar
Brokencyde detail second album, give middle finger to industry
Brokencyde have detailed their upcoming second album, Will Never Die. The album is due out November 9, 2010. The band made the following statement about the album:
"With this whole album, we're putting our middle fingers in the air toward the entire industry," commented Mikl from Brokencyde. "The album artwork is pretty much self explanatory. We want to smash everything and anything that stands in the way of us making music. We want to show all our detractors that all the hate they spew only fuels our music and makes us that much stronger."
1.Epic Intro
2.Dis Iz a Rager Dude
3.Always Go Hard
4.SHAKE!
5.Whatcha Want
6.T.M.H.T.S. Lesson 1 (skit)
7.Teach Me How To Scream
8.Money Hungry Hoe
9.High Timez (feat. Daddy X of the Kottonmouth Kings)
10.Where we @? (skit)
11.Da House Party
12.My Gurl
13.Kama Sutra
14.Ugly Bitch with a Mustache (skit)
15.Goose Gogglez
16.U Ain't Crunk
17.Ride Slow
18.Sunshine
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Social Distortion confirm new album release date
According to the latest issue of Rolling Stone, Social Distortion is scheduled to release their Epitaph Records debut, 'Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes' on November 23, 2010.
The album will be their first since 'Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll,' which was released in 2004. The band released a Greatest Hits album in 2007 and will be touring next month.
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This from Roadrunnerrecords.com:
RONNIE JAMES DIO Statue To Be Erected In Kavarna
Newly created plaster model of Ronnie James Dio statue
Legendary heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio will have a monument dedicated to him in the Bulgarian Black-sea coastal town of Kavarna. The statue will be placed in the city's central park, as part of the soon-to-be built "Walk of Rock," a project approved by the City Council four years ago.
According to Radio Bulgaria, the decision to erect the monument was taken by the municipal administration, with the most active proponents being Kavarna Mayor Tzonko Tzonev as well as leading journalists, musicians and singers.
A replica of the monument was displayed during the three-day Kavarna Rock Fest in July and a plaster model of the statue has since been created, marking the final stage of the preparation for its construction.
The actual statue will be 1.5 meters in height (approximately four feet and eleven inches) and will be combined with large stones taken from the sea.
The artists behind the project are sculptors Alexander Petrov and Krasimir Krastev - Lomsky, while the painting is being handled by Ivan Stratiev.
Dio was reportedly one of the very first heavy rock icons to play Kavarna. In fact, he performed in Bulgaria no less than five times and took an active part in the campaign for liberating the Bulgarian nurses held in prison in Libya for eight years.
According to Standart News, the mayor of Kavarna, Tzonko Tzonev, has managed to turn his life-long hobby — rock music — into a successful and profitable project and thus pours funds into the treasury of Kavarna Municipality. Thanks to Tzonev's efforts, some of the greatest rock musicians of all time have come and performed in the small coastal town of Kavarna.
Ronnie James Dio was one of rock's most respected and talented frontmen, renowned for his instantly recognizable vocals, lyrics and stagecraft. On May 16, 2010, Ronnie succumbed to stomach cancer at the age of 67 and the world of hard rock lost one of its greatest talents.
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OZZY OSBOURNE Dedicates 'Road To Nowhere' To His 'Old Friend' RONNIE JAMES DIO
Ozzy Osbourne dedicated the song "Road To Nowhere" to his "old friend" Ronnie James Dio during Ozzy's September 22, 2010 concert at the Palasharp Arena in Milan, Italy.
"I'd like to dedicate this to my old friend Ronnie James Dio," Osbourne said from the stage. "God bless you, man. It's a song called 'Road To Nowhere'. I love you, Ronnie."
Fan-filmed video footage of the Dio dedication and "Road To Nowhere" performance can be viewed below.
Ozzy's setlist was as follows:
01. Bark At The Moon
02. Let Me Hear You Scream
03. Mr Crowley
04. I Don't Know
05. Fairies Wear Boots
06. Suicide Solution
07. Road To Nowhere
08. Shot In The Dark
09. [Band Jam / Solos]
10. Rat Salad
11. Iron Man
12. Killer Of Giants
13. I Don't Want To Change The World
14. Crazy Train
15. Mama, I'm Coming Home
16. Paranoid
17. War Pigs
Ozzy Osbourne told QMI Agency in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on in May that Ronnie James Dio's ultimately fatal battle with stomach cancer hit close to home.
"As soon as I heard I heard he had been diagnosed with cancer, I sent him some encouragement," Osbourne said. "Having been through that situation myself with (my wife) Sharon when we were doing (the reality TV show) 'The Osbournes', it's always somebody over there. When it lands at your doorstep you're like, 'What do you do? How do you get round this?' When Sharon got (colon) cancer, I'd never known anyone who survived. I thought it was bullshit when they told you, 'They can survive.' I just thought they were trying to smooth me over. And she got over it."
Osbourne added that he ran into BLACK SABBATH/HEAVEN & HELL drummer Vinny Appice at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards show in early April and inquired about Dio's health.
"I didn't get a chance to see him but I was talking to the drummer Vinny, and I said, 'Did he get my message?' 'I don't know,' he said.' And I said, 'Well, tell him to keep up the fight.' Then on the weekend, we heard he had passed away, which is sad. He had a great voice. People thought that me and him were at war. At first, I suppose a bit of theatrics would be involved, but I mean it's been 30 years."
The deaths of Dio and SLIPKNOT bassist Paul Gray are the latest that have stunned the heavy rock world in the last few months. AVENGED SEVENFOLD drummer James "The Rev" Sullivan died last December, while TYPE O NEGATIVE frontman Peter Steele passed away in April.
Ozzy, who knew or had a passing acquaintance with all four artists, told The Pulse of Radio it's sad to see so many musicians pass away in such a short period of time. "I mean, of late everyone's dropping dead," he said. "This happens every so often, you know. I'm only hoping my number don't come up soon. It's what happens, you know. You hear me talking, I'm lucky I'm not one of the dead ones, 'cause I used to — I mean, Ronnie James Dio didn't have any problems, but when there's drugs involved or alcohol...I should have died a thousand times."
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Underoath reveal album cover, tracklisting for new album
Underoath have released the tracklisting and album art for their upcoming album, Ø (Disambiguation), which comes out on November 9 via Tooth & Nail/Solid State in the US and through Roadrunner internationally. The 11-song record will apparently reveal the band’s extensive vocabulary, particularly on songs with titles like “My Deteriorating Incline” and “A Divine Eradication.” You can check out the album’s artsy lunar-style cover here.
The band, who will be touring with A Day To Remember this fall, seems confident that this collection of songs will wow fans. Singer Spencer Chamberlain recently said of the album, “Ø (Disambiguation) lives up to its meaning. It’s an album that provides clarity about a band that has experienced its share of misinterpretation. We think it’s our best record by far.”
Check out the tracklisting below:
1. In Division
2. Catch Myself Catching Myself
3. Paper Lung
4. Illuminator
5. Driftwood
6. A Divine Eradication
7. Who Will Guard the Guardians
8. Reversal
9. Vacant Mouth
10. My Deteriorating Incline
11. In Completion
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Susan Boyle Number One In America
SuBo’s album tops chart more than a month before it’s released...
Susan Boyle’s forthcoming album has already topped the US charts six weeks before its official release.
'The Gift' is number one on Amazon’s US music chart on pre-orders alone – just one day after being made available to order. Boyle's album topped the chart ahead of new releases from Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Robert Plant, Neil Young and Taylor Swift.
Amazon declared this “the season of Susan” and said the interest in the Britain’s Got Talent sensation was unprecedented. "She has done phenomenally well going to the top of the chart in the US based on one day of pre-orders alone and she's racing up the charts in the UK as well,” an Amazon spokesperson said. “She has really captured the hearts of the nation, both here and in the States."
SuBo’s debut, I Dreamed A Dream, broke records back in 2009 to become the largest global CD pre-order in history; it went on to sell nine million copies and was the biggest selling album of that year. Judging by the buzz around the singer’s new release, she may just top that.
The Gift’s official UK release date is November 8. The album features Christmas classics The First Noel and O Holy Night alongside covers of pop hits such as Hallelujah, Perfect Day and Don’t Dream It’s Over.
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Texas State University Receives Gift of Large Willie Nelson Collection
John Kalinsky, a long time collector of Willie Nelson memorabilia, has donated his collection to the Wittliff Collections at the Texas State University's Alkek Library.
Included in the collection are 877 recordings (45s, LPs, cassettes, VHSs, CDs, DVDs) covering not only Nelson's performing career, but also his work as a producer, guest musician and songwriter. The collection spans the years 1954 to 2010 and includes two 45s released in 1954 by Dave Isbel which includes Willie on guitar. Also donated was Nelson's own first single, No Place For Me/Lumberjack, recorded in Vancouver, WA when the singers was still working as a DJ.
Wittliff was already had a major collection of Nelson's work, including hand-written lyrics, screenplays, letters, posters and other memorabilia. The Kalinsky collection makes the library the primary repository in the world of Nelson material.
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Florence and the Machine to release album and single on the same day
Florence + the Machine is set to release 'Heavy In Your Arms' on November 15. The single is taken from Between Two Lungs, A two disc special edition of album Lungs to be released on the same day
To round off yet another exceptional year, Florence will be releasing the mighty single 'Heavy In Your Arms' on November 15th through Island Records. Produced by Paul Epworth the track, a favourite of recent festival headlining live sets, was recorded for the Twilight Eclipse film.
Florence comments, 'Heavy In Your Arms I suppose is about the weight of love, and how sometimes it can be a burden between two people. I felt a strong theme in the Twilight series was someone being rescued or being condemned, and is the love you carry bringing you down. I recorded it with Paul one evening, using a lot of strange reversed vocal samples and big hip hop piano. It's basically inspired by 90's hip hop, and gospel choirs, like most of my songs.'
'Heavy In your Arms' will also be available on Between Two Lungs. A two disc special edition version of her 4 x platinum selling Brit Award winning debut album Lungs.
Between Two Lungs will feature new cover art, sleeve notes by Florence and exclusive images. A 10 track second disc which, as well as 'Heavy In Your Arms', also includes among others, a live recording of brand new song 'Strangeness & Charm'. The massive collaboration with Dizzee Rascal 'You Got The Dirtee Love' and a previously unreleased Yeasayer remix of 'Dog Days Are Over' and will also be available on November 15.
Florence recently wowed worldwide audiences with her live performance (and victory) at this year's MTV VMA Awards which saw her album explode in the U.S. Firing up to #2 in the I tunes chart and breaking the top #15 in the Billboard album chart. Exciting times ahead! Back home Florence has just been nominated for two Q Awards, including Best Female and Best Song.
Disc 1. - the Lungs album
1. Heavy In Your Arms
2. You've Got The Dirtee Love
3. Hurricane Drunk (The Horrors Remix)
4. Strangeness & Charm (Live from Hammersmith Apollo)
5. Swimming (Live From Hammersmith Apollo)
6. Dog Days Are Over (Yeasayer Remix)
Disc 2.
Florence & The Machine perform acoustically Live from The Roundhouse:
7. Drumming Song
8. Girl With One Eye
9. Hurricane Drunk
10. Dog Days Are Over
11. My Boy Builds Coffins
12. Hospital Beds
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Katy Perry Mocks Sesame Street Boobs Saga On Saturday Night Live In revealling Elmo shirt...
Katy Perry poked fun at the controversy over her axed Sesame Street cameo as she appeared on Saturday Night Live (SNL) last night (September 25). Last week, producers from Sesame Street were forced to axe the singer’s skit with Elmo on the children’s TV show after parents complained that her outfit was to revealing.
Appearing on the set of Bronx Beat on SNL, Perry sported a revealing t-shirt emblazoned with Elmo’s face. The singer, who was playing a 16-year-old library volunteer, bounced up and down as she responded to questions. This breaks me up!
‘You don’t have the American version, the one with the extra track, from 1971, do you?” asked the burly middle-aged bloke in what might once have been a Rolling Stones T-shirt.
All around him, knowledgeable collectors of vinyl – men of a certain age, generally – were having roughly the same conversation with equally knowledgeable dealers.
This was the exhibition hall at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall yesterday as the latest Music Fair began its weekend residency. At one point, a man walked in with a rolled-up array of original Beatles posters. Nearby, people were wondering whether to spend £110 on a Japanese-issue, red vinyl, mono copy of the early Beatles album, With The Beatles, or £80 on a framed HMV presentation marking one million UK sales of Dido’s album, No Angel. Bootleg recordings of live concerts by everyone from Bob Dylan to the Rolling Stones were also attracting interest.
The fair, which continues today, is part of a network of such events across the UK, and the organisers view them as the future of music shopping.
The collectors are in good company. According to the Official Charts Company and the BPI, the voice of the UK recorded music business, vinyl sales increased by 5% last year, although they still account for a mere sliver of the overall market. Vinyl album sales stood at 219,449, just 0.2% of the market, while seven-inch singles, at 222,193, represented just 0.1%. Some 112.9 million physical albums were sold in 2009, as opposed to 16.1m digital albums. Digital, however, has had an increasingly substantial impact on singles sales. In 2009 there were 149.7m download sales, compared with a mere 3.1m physical sales.
“Vinyl is definitely thriving,” said John Wallace, manager at the organiser, Leicester-based VIP Events. “People are back out there, collecting it. It’s the younger generation that downloads, because they don’t know anything else.”
Despite shifting trends in music, vintage artists who all embarked on their careers in the 1960s remain the most sought-after. “The ones who always stand out are Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Bob Dylan,” adds Wallace, himself a collector of soul records, “though there will be odd new records by certain other artists which might fetch some money. We’ve also noticed that coloured vinyl seven-inch singles are being snapped up.”
Certain items are so rare that, if found in mint condition, could command respectable sums from collectors.
“The Beatles released a single, Please Please Me, in 1963. The first 50 copies or so came out with gold lettering on the black ‘Parlophone’ disc label, on both the mono and stereo versions. If you get a stereo version with the gold lettering, you could be talking about £3000 or £4000. If it’s the mono version, you might get about £300 or £400 for it.”
Edinburgh-based dealer George Robertson, who specialises in blues, jazz and 1960s psychedelia vinyl, said: “There was a downturn in vinyl through the 1990s but there has been an upsurge over the last five years. A lot of people swear by vinyl’s sound, and then there’s the importance of physically owning an artefact from the period in which it was manufactured: it is not like buying a remastered CD.”
Robertson, who is planning to open a music-and-art shop in Stockbridge in the New Year, observes that the internet has impacted on dealers’ ability to acquire fresh stock.
“One of the issues is that people who used to come to fairs to sell stuff to dealers are now selling it themselves on the internet, and getting better prices than if they sold it to dealers. The middleman has gone,” he said.
Robertson concedes that music fairs are even bigger business on the Continent. “The main fairs, in places such as Utrecht, Milan and Barcelona, are big tourist draws. They’re often sponsored by local authorities and can attract between 25,000 or 30,000 people.”
The Glasgow fair is small by comparison but no-one was complaining, least of all the man in the Stones T-shirt, who found what he was after.
Olivia Newton-John (1948) (yes, I still Love her!)
Stuart Tosh - Pilot (1951)
Cesar Rosas - Los Lobos (1954)
Craig Chaquico - Jefferson Starship (1954)
Tracey Thorn - Everything But The Girl (1962)
Cindy Herron - En Vogue (1965)
Shawn Stockman, Boyz II Men (1972)
They Are Missed:
George Gershwin was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1898 (Died July 11, 1937) . His works include "Swanee" and "Rhapsody in Blue." Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known.
Blues singer Bessie Smith died in 1937 (age 43) after being involved in a car accident while traveling along Route 61 outside Memphis, Tennessee. Her 1923 song "Downhearted Blues" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2006.
Born on this day in 1925, Marty Robbins, Country singer and superstar. He died on December 8, 1982.
Richard Shannon Hoon (September 26, 1967 – October 21, 1995), singer-songwriter and musician. He was the frontman and lead singer of the band Blind Melon until his death from a drug overdose in 1995.
Born today in 1926, Julie London, US singer. She died on October 18, 2000.
Born on this day in 1941, Joe Bauer, drummer, The Youngbloods, died of a brain tumour in 1982.
Robert Palmer ("Bad Case Of Loving You") died of a heart attack in 2003.
History:
In 1956, fourteen year-old Tammy Wynette watched the King perform from the front row as "Elvis Presley Day" was celebrated at the Missippi-Alabama Dairy Fair in his home town of Tupelo, Mississippi (where he himself had sung at age ten).
The Monotones recorded "Book Of Love" in 1957.
The musical "West Side Story" opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in 1957.
Connie Francis started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1960 with "My Heart Has A Mind Of It's Own."
The Greenbriar Boys started a two-week residency at Gerde's Folk Club in New York in 1961. The opening act was Bob Dylan.
Roy Orbison started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1964 with "Oh Pretty Woman."
The Kinks released the song "You Really Got Me" in 1964.
In 1965, the Beatles were decorated with the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth.
In 1967, Pink Floyd played the first of three nights at the Fillmore in San Francisco, the groups first ever live dates in the US.
The Sallyangie a group featuring 15 year-old future Tubular Bells star Mike Oldfield and his sister Sally appeared at The Cousins folk Club Soho London in 1968.
Brian Jones (Rolling Stones) was fined $150 for possession of marijuana in 1968.
The Beatles released the epic LP 'Abbey Road' in the UK in 1969, their final studio recordings from the group. It featured two George Harrison songs "Something" and "Here Comes The Sun" plus "Come Together," "Sun King" and "Golden Slumbers."
In 1970, Tamla-Motown Records announced that the Jackson 5 had sold 10 million singles world wide in nine months.
"Walls and Bridges" was released by John Lennon in 1974. He would not release any more new material for almost 6 years.
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" opened in theaters in 1975.
The Clash released their first U.S. single in 1979. It was their remake of Bobby Fuller Four's "I Fought The Law."
In 1981, Bruce Dickinson joined UK rock band Iron Maiden, (Dickinson had been the vocalist with Samson).
The Go-Go's started a six-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1981 with 'Beauty And The Beat.' The album sells over two million copies.
The Prince song "Purple Rain" was released in 1984.
Michael Jackson started a six-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1987 with 'Bad.'
Whitney Houston started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1987 with "Didn't We Almost Have It All."
The Grateful Dead`s "Touch of Grey" peaked at #9 in 1987 becoming the group`s biggest hit.
"Talk Is Cheap" was released by Keith Richards in 1988. It was his first solo album.
Nirvana appeared at the Castaic Lake Amphitheatre, Castaic, California in 1992.
In 1996, police found drugs hidden in a Smarties tube when they raided the London home of Paula Yates and INXS singer Michael Hutchence. The couple were away in Australia at the time of the raid. Smart.....
In 1997, the initial 300,000-unit shipment of Elton John's "Candle In The Wind 1997" sold out in Japan on its first day of release.
MTV Russia debuted at midnight in 1998. The first video shown on the network was Mummy Troll's "Vladivostock 2000."
The Dixie Chicks went to #1 on the US album chart in 1999 with 'Fly.'
In 2003, a report published on requests by artists to venues of their backstage requirements revealed; Limp Bizkit insisted that all the lamps in their rooms be dimmable while Mariah Carey would only have 'bendy' straws as she will not use straight ones. Van Halen insisted that back-stage celery is trimmed and not peeled. The Red Hot Chili Peppers asked for a meditation room and a selection of aromatherapy candles. Barry Manilow requested that the air temperature in the auditorium be kept at a regular 65 degrees. Am I want the all brown M&Ms......
Green Day scored their first UK #1 album in 2004 with ‘American Idiot’ the bands seventh release.
Nelly was at #1 on the US album chart in 2004 with ‘Suit,’ his third US #1 album.
In 2006, the Black Crowes issued “The Lost Crowes,” a two-CD compilation featuring previously unavailable tracks. The collection includes 26 songs from sessions in ‘93 and ‘97. A manufacturing glitch forced a one month delay of the set’s release. A DVD version of the Crowes' 92 concert video, “Who Killed Your Bird Out On That Windowsill” was also in stores.
"Ronnie Wood Anthology: The Essential Crossexion," a two-disc retrospective of the Rolling Stones guitarist was released in 2006. There are tracks from Wood’s solo albums, plus his tenure with the Stones, the Faces and the Jeff Beck Group.
George Harrison's ‘73 album, "Living in the Material World," was re-released in 2006. The remastered CD has two bonus tracks, "Deep Blue" and "Miss O'Dell."
"The U.S. vs. John Lennon" soundtrack was released in 2006. The disc features 19 Lennon songs, including "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," "Imagine" and "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)," as well as a pair of previously unreleased cuts. The movie premieres 9 (Lennon's lucky number) days earlier.
"Last Man Standing," a star-studded album by Rock & Roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis was also released in 2006. Five years in the making, the 21 song CD feature features contributions by Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Don Henley, John Fogerty, Rod Stewart and Ringo Starr.
Tony Bennett's "Duets/An American Classic" album was released in 2006 with the legendary crooner singing alongside Paul McCartney, Elton John, Sting, Billy Joel, U2's Bono. The disc commemorates the crooner's 80th birthday.
In 2007, a charitable foundation set up by Shakira donated $40 million to help victims of natural disasters. The money would go towards repairing damage caused by an earthquake in Peru and a hurricane in Nicaragua. A further $5 million would be spent on health and education in four Latin American countries.
Jay-Z started a two-week run at #1 on the US album charts in 2009 with ‘The Blueprint 3,' the rappers eleventh studio album.
Manhattan Records LP Produced by: John Leventhal Engineered by: John Leventhal and Rick DePofi Mixed by: John Leventhal and Rick DePofi Mastered by: Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound Lacquer cut by: Ron McMaster at Capitol Studios
Music
Sound
Cash Draws From Her Dad's List of 100 Essential American Songs
by Michael Fremer September 01, 2010
Drawn from a list of "100 Essential Country Songs" her dad penciled on a yellow legal pad after realizing that his young daughter didn't know any of what he considered to be part of his, and therefore her musical DNA, Roseanne Cash's The List is a full circle tribute to her father Johnny and her musical homecoming. It's an album the elder Cash would have been thrilled to hear.
As Cash points out in the notes to this collaborative effort with her husband John Leventhal, it incorporates elements of her Southern birth, her Southern California upbringing, a decade spent in Tennessee and her later life as a longtime New Yorker. Whew! So infused within these twelve, economically arranged and impeccably performed country classics is a musical mash-up that includes classic country, suburban rock and city sophistication.
The set list opens with a breezy "Countrypolitan" take on "Miss the Mississippi And You" that Chet Atkins would have been proud to produce and/or play on. Next up is the public domain "Motherless Children" popularized by Eric Clapton. "Sea of Heartbreak," co-written by Hal David has Bruce Springsteen joining in and sounding more like Lyle Lovett than "The Boss."
"Take These Chains From My Heart" by country veterans Hy Heath and Fred Rose hits all the right classic country notes: melody, lyrical line, pacing and emotional tone. This one epitomizes the spare, understated beauty of all of John Leventhal's arrangements. They're so good if you don't pay attention you'll miss them, which would be a real shame.
Hank Snow's country blues "Movin' On" covered in 1964 in a raucous version by The Rolling Stones gets a lazy yet resigned and powerful version. The side ends with Elvis Costello lending a hand on the classic "Heartaches By the Number" taken as if one time Carter-Cash family member Nick Lowe was involved.
That's just one side of this low key, understated and oh so tasteful album. Side two includes an appropriately spare, desolate and lonely take on Hedy West's "500 Miles" that Peter, Paul and Mary popularized, a mournful "Long Black Veil" featuring Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, "Hank Cochrane's lyrically archetypal " (I've Got the Records) She's Got You," Dylan's "Girl From the North Country" (squaring the circle) and after the unlikely pairing of Cash and Rufus Wainright (about as likely as Dylan and Johnny Cash!) on Merle Haggard's "Silver Wings," the album ends with founding Carter family member A.P. Carter's "Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow."
The List was just named "Album of the Year" at the Americana Music Association's "Americana Honors and Awards Show" held at Nashville's famed Ryman Auditorium, during which Ms. Cash awarded John Mellencamp the " 2010 Lifetime Recipient for Songwriting" award.
Sonically it's a well intended, cleanly produced album, with the collaborative vocals "phoned in" as is commonplace these days. It sounds ProTools-ish. That is the top end is opaque and diffuse, there's little in the way of instrumental definition and image solidity but either you get used to this for now, or you won't be buying too much new music.
If it's other than ProTools I'd be surprised and humiliated and I'll be sure to correct myself in this review. I asked a well respected recording engineer why ProTools recordings sound as they do and he said "It sucks. They don't know how to construct the algorithms to make music sound good." Or something close to that.
Ted Jensen mastered at Sterling but the lacquer cut was done at Capitol because someone didn't want to pay the higher going rate at Sterling so I'd bet a 44.1k/16 bit file was used to generate the lacquer. If I find out that's wrong I'll tell you.
Pressing quality is acceptable but not great so perhaps you're better off getting the CD. Whatever the format, you're better off getting this music!
Thanks to Michael over at http://www.musicangle.com for the exclusive rights to reprint this material.
“A series of owl cries and electronically distorted yowls rose and fell over guitar lines played carefully just a half tone off where they should be, and the bass lurked and dodged in the lengthening shadows.” – Chicago Sun-Times
“The trio has become one of the most daring noise bands to emerge from New York this century.” – The A.V. Club
Liars are releasing Live at Shepherds Bush Empire, a new EP consisting of five live tracks from their May 27th 2010 show at the renowned London venue. The iTunes exclusive EP is out September 28, 2010.
Liars will also release a new single, Proud Evolution, as a six track EP on October 19th, 2010. The new EP features a remix from Thom Yorke, a live version recorded at Music Hall Of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, plus three exclusive new b-sides “Come Now”, “Total Frown”, and “Strangers”.
Liars make a long awaited return to Canada, playing Toronto and Montreal for the first time since 2006, and playing Ottawa and Hamilton for the first time ever! Having taken their critically acclaimed fifth album Sisterworld across the US, Liars head north to devastate Canada including a headline appearance at the Pop Montreal International Music Festival on September 30th. For a peak at what Sisterworld looks like live, check out (Here) Liars’ performance at La Route Du Rock festival in France from August 13th 2010.
Sisterworldis out now on CD, double vinyl and 2CD version. The second disc of the 2CD release sees each track on Sisterworld remixed and reinterpreted by a host of artists including Thom Yorke, Devendra Banhart, Atlas Sound, Blonde Redhead, Fol Chen and Alan Vega while the unique packaging for the 2CD and deluxe vinyl editions, designed by Brian Roettinger / Hand Held Heart (Grammy nominated and Rolling Stone award winning for his work with No Age) allows a surreal glimpse into Sisterworld.
Barbara Allbut - Angels. The Angels were the first white girl group to have a US number one hit (1940)
Phyliss "Jiggs" Allbut - Angels (1942)
Gerry Marsden - Gerry and the Pacemakers (1942)
Carson Osten - Nazz, Utopia with Todd Rundgren (1946)
Jerry Donahue - Fairport Convention (1946)
Peter Salisbury - The Verve (1971)
They Are Missed:
The late Jim Henson (the voice of the Muppets, Ernie "Rubber Duckie" and Kermit) was born in 1936. His contributions to children's music are immeasurable.
Born on this day in 1933, Mel Taylor, drums, The Ventures. Taylor died of lung cancer on August 11, 1996.
Born today in 1942, Linda McCartney, (Linda Eastman). Wife of Paul, photographer, animal rights campaigner, launched her own brand of vegetarian food. Played keyboards with Wings and solo McCartney records. She died of breast cancer on April 17, 1998.
Singer-songwriter Matthew Jay died in 2003 (age 24) after falling from a seventh-storey window in London. Released the 2001 album ‘Draw’ and toured with The Doves, Stereophonics, Dido and Starsailor.
History:
Glenn Miller ended his broadcasts for Chesterfield Cigarettes in 1942 so he could go to World War II.
Sarah Vaughan recorded "Make Yourself Comfortable" in 1954.
In 1955, Elvis Presley appeared at The Louisiana Hayride, on KWKH TV, broadcast from Shreveport Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Judy Garland made her TV debut on the "Ford Star Jubilee" on CBS in 1955.
'Mister Rock and Roll,' the story of legendary Rock promoter and DJ Alan Freed, premiered at the Paramount in New York City, NY in 1957. The film has appearances by Chuck Berry and Little Richard.
The Platters recorded the immortal cut "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" while in Paris in 1958.
In 1962, Elvis Presley received an invitation to appear at the Royal Variety Performance in the UK which is attended by members of the British Royal Family. Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker graciously declined, citing motion picture commitments. The real reason was that Parker was an illegal Dutch immigrant living in the United States who feared he might not be allowed to return if he left the country.
The Rolling Stones appeared at the Ricky Tick Club, Thames Hotel, Windsor, England in 1963.
In 1965, Bob Dylan played the first night on a 36 date North American tour at Austin Municipal Auditorium in Austin, Texas.
Jimi Hendrix arrived in London in 1966 with manager Chas Chandler on a flight from New York City. With only the clothes he was wearing, Hendrix had sold his other belongings to pay a hotel bill in New York.
The Association started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1966 with "Cherish." The New Christy Minstrels almost recorded the track but Association member and songwriter, Terry Kirkman, held onto "Cherish" instead of selling it for $1,000. The finished recording played for 3 minutes and 25 seconds, but the single’s label listed the time as 3:00 so that DJs wouldn’t be discouraged from playing a “long song.”
Traffic made their live debut in 1967 when they appeared at Saville Theatre in London, featuring Steve Winwood.
Also in 1967, filming continued for The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour' at West Malling Air Station, Maidstone, Kent with the shooting of the "Your Mother Should Know" ballroom finale. With The Beatles all dressed in white suits and shoes, gliding down a glittery staircase as 160 members of Peggy Spencer's dance team swirled round about.
In 1971, the Jackson 5 appeared on the cover of LIFE magazine.
Stevie Wonder's sensational cut "Superstition" was released in 1972.
"The Love Boat" debuted on ABC-TV in 1977. The theme song was sung by Jack Jones and was written by Paul Williams and Charles Fox. (you won't hear it here!)
The first Elvis Presley convention took place in Memphis, TN in 1977.
"Come Sail Away" was released by Styx in 1977.
Fleetwood Mac`s "Don`t Stop" peaked at #3 in 1977. However, an Arkansas fan, Bill Clinton, revived the song using as his presidential campaign theme song in '92.
The mixing of the forthcoming John and Yoko album Double Fantasy moved from the Hit Factory in New York City to Record Plant East in 1980. During this session, John Lennon gave one of last ever interviews to Lisa Robinson from 97-FM in Buffalo.
Prince's "1999" single was released in 1982.
ZZ Top’s "Eliminator," containing "Legs" and "Sharp Dressed Man," went platinum in 1983. The album stayed on the chart for over three years.
Billy Joel went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1983 with "Tell Her About It," the former boxers second US #1, a #4 hit in the UK.
Paul McCartney released "No More Lonely Nights" in 1984.
Bobby McFerrin started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1988 with "Don't Worry Be Happy," the first a-cappella record to be a #1. "Don’t Worry, Be Happy," was also included in the movie, 'Cocktail.' The song would go on to win Grammy Awards for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
The Hollies were at #1 on the UK singles chart in 1988 with "He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother" after the song was used on a UK TV beer commercial, the song was originally a hit in 1969 and featured a young Elton John on piano.
In 1988, James Brown was arrested after a high-speed chase with police through South Carolina and Georgia. He was eventually convicted of illegal possession of firearms, drugs and failure to stop (ya think?) for the police and was sentenced to six years in jail.
Nirvana’s album ‘Nevermind’ was released in America in 1991, entering the chart at #144 on its first week, peaking at #1 in January 1992.
The album "The Low End Theory" was released by A Tribe Called Quest in 1991.
In 1993, Guns N' Roses reached a settlement with their former drummer Steven Adler ($2.5 million). Adler had been kicked out of the band for not kicking his heroin habit.
Eric Clapton performed on the season premiere of 'Saturday Night Live' in 1994.
The Charlatans were arrested by 24-armed police after a flight to New York in 1995. The band were accused of trying to disrupt the planes flight path, passengers complained of the group being drunk, spitting and interfering with in flight TV sets. Boys will be boys.....
In 1997, Barry Loukaitis was convicted of shooting and killing two pupils and a teacher at a school in Washington. His defense team claimed he had copied scenes from Pearl Jam's video "Jeremy."
Elvis Presley was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998.
In 2003, The Dave Matthews Band played at Central Park in New York City, in front of almost 100,000, the band's largest audience to date. The Central Park Concert was later released as an album.
Gordon Lightfoot was inducted into the Canadian Songwriter Hall of Fame in 2003.
Stamps designed by John Lennon to support a strike by postal workers were sold for $2,000 in 2003, double the pre-sale estimate, according to auctioneers at Sotheby's.
In 2004, London`s Wembley Arena was the site of the 50th birthday party for the Fender Stratocaster guitar. Paul Rodgers, Joe Walsh and David Gilmour are among those who attend. Proceeds from the event go to the Nordiff-Robbins Music Therapy charity.
Audioslave's North American trek starts in Bakersfield, CA. Songs from member's previous bands find their way into the set list. "Between Rage (Against the Machine), Soundgarden and Temple Of The Dog, there's 11 or 12 (albums) that we could draw from," says guitarist Tom Morello. "The members of Audioslave are such a critical part of my history as a musician," claims Seether frontman Shaun Morgan. His group and Kasabian are the opening acts. 2005
In 2007, Puddle of Mudd frontman Wes Scantlin is banned for life from the late Elvis Presley's Graceland estate after jumping into a private pool on the grounds. The band is visiting the grounds while on tour. "I just wanted to take a dip," quips Scantlin. He’s dragged out of the pool by very unhappy security personnel.
Theory Of A Deadman score their first #1 on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks in 2008 with "Bad Girlfriend." The song displaced Metallica's "The Day That Never Comes" at the top spot. Meanwhile, Offspring's "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" jumps to #1 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, knocking off Staind's "Believe."
The Police top Forbes magazine's list of the world's best-paid musicians in 2008. Between June ‘07 and June ’08, the group earned approximately $115 million. Van Halen and Genesis also land in the Top 10.
In 2008, London's Proud Camden Gallery hosted an exhibit featuring 200 photos of Elton John taken by photographer Terry O'Neill. Eltonography: A Life in Pictures includes a large number of previously unseen photos.
U2's concert breaks the attendance record for Giants Stadium in 2009. The Irish band drew 84,472 fans, breaking the previous record of 82,948 held by Pope John Paul II. Cool, out-drawing a Pope!
