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Jeff Beck Atco R1 523695 180g LP Produced by: Steve Lipson Engineered by: Steve Lipson Mixed by: Steve Lipson Mastered by: Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering Lacquer cut by: N/A at GZ Digital Media
MUSIC
SOUND
Beck's Back On Album Meant For Light's Off Listening
by Michael Fremer January 01, 2011
Clearly a fan, producer Steve Lipson places Jeff Beck's guitar in a distant reverberant space that decreases its solidity but increases both its size and its mystery, evoking a God-like presence hovering above a lush, string-drenched orchestra. Or you could see Beck playing perched on a craggy, windswept rock surrounded by white-capped water. The album very much has a Pacific Ocean vibe.
What to do with a guitarist who doesn't sing? Beck and the producers brought in guest vocalists Joss Stone, Olivia Safe and Imelda May for five of the album's ten songs. The others mostly luxuriate Beck in a foamy orchestral sea in which slow ballads allow Beck to linger and then tug on long, delicate feedback drenched lines. The ethereal, feedback laden guitar sound Beck and the producer create is bubble-like, delicate and soft on the ears, even on the edgy Joss Stone take of "I Put a Spell on You."
Side One opens with Britten's Corpus Christi Carol that many may have first encountered on Jeff Buckley's Grace album and ends with a dramatic reading of "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's opera "Turandot." Even your dog is familiar with the theme by now. The heavily orchestrated version here is just on the non-kitsch side of Liberace and I say that as a compliment. An "Over the Rainbow" gets the same treatment and it's equally effective.
Side One's upbeat instrumentals "Hammerhead" add buoyancy. "Hammerhead" leads with wah-wah and breaks into a huge synth string section then evolves into something that would fit nicely on Blow By Blow. That's followed by "Never Alone" a gorgeous ballad co-written with keyboardist Jason Rubello. It's got a heavy longing of a gorgeous melodic line.
Side two continues where side one left off. It opens with "Serene" and closes with "Elegy For Dunkirk"—not exactly "Celebrate Good Times." "Serene" is a Bolero-like piece reminiscent of you know what from way back, but of course mellower, with Olivia Safe's operatic voice dancing in the backdrop. Jeff Buckley's "Lilac Wine" sung by Imelda May tacks into the same slowing headwind but the take maintains deliberate momentum and Beck delivers yet another stunning series of perfectly drawn lines.
Joss Stone ramps up "There's No Other Me", which yields the album's most glass shards. It's the only explosion to be found on the album and that's fine. The album ends with Dario Marianelli's "Elegy For Dunkirk" from the "Atonement" soundtrack, with Olivia Safe adding operatic vocal backdrops. Beck makes the guitar sound like a duduk, which is about as mournful as an instrument can sound.
Lawson and Beck have made a deep, reflective and daring album that skirts dangerously around kitsch but never falls in.
This album would have to deliver the sonics goods to work effectively and it does. It's very well recorded, with rich orchestral staging, dramatic imaging, particularly on Beck's guitar and wide dynamics and bandwidth. It's meant to be enveloping in every way and it certainly succeeds at that!
Surely this is a digital recording but not because it sounds like one.
The vinyl is nicely packaged and reasonably well pressed but what I don't like is that while the mastering credit goes to Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman's, clearly the producer didn't want to pay Grundman's going rate for cutting because the vinyl was clearly cut elsewhere. There's no CB identifying scribe on the lead out groove area, so the odds of a high resolution file having been used for the cut is low and whoever did it, didn't check for serious sibilant overloads in a few places—trust me it's not my cartridge that's the problem.
Chris Bellman should have cut it. He mastered the thing in the first place. That tells you the vinyl was probably just a "throw away" despite the nice packaging. Still, this is highly recommended musically and sonically in whatever format you choose. A hi-rez download would be nice.
Thanks to Michael over at www.MusicAngle.com for the exclusive rights to reprint this material. Stop by MusicAngle.com for more reviews and features.
We all know about the vinyl record revival. To me, it's interesting to read about the vinyl resurgence in other parts of the world. We are not the only ones bitten by the vinyl bug....
The beat of our beloved vinyl is still going strong down under:
Vinyl's superiority is a matter of record
John Mangan
THEY scratch, they hiss, they warp and break, but for all their faults vinyl records refuse to go quietly into the night. Two decades after compact discs and their digital offspring threatened to consign vinyl to the vaults of history, records are still in demand.
The Agraba bar in Errol Street, North Melbourne, has a blackboard out front inviting patrons to bring their own records. ''If we dig it, we'll spin it,'' the sign says.
and in the UK, vinyl has become mainstream (with a great video to boot)
Are record clubs the new book clubs?
By David Sillito BBC arts correspondent
A growing number of music-lovers unhappy about the way album tracks are enjoyed in a pick-and-mix fashion have decided to take action.
The rules are strict. No talking. No texting. You must listen to every song on the album.
Classic Album Sundays treat our best-loved records like great symphonies and are being set up in London, Scotland and Wales.
Groups of music fans sit in front of a vinyl turntable, with the best speakers they can afford, dim the lights and listen to a classic album all the way through.
And in the good ole USA 5 record stores for your pleasure
Vinyl records: Five places to get into the groove
Audrey Medina, Special to The Chronicle
Purists claim it's the sound quality of vinyl records that makes them superior to tape and CDs. For those of us with impaired hearing from cranking the stereo up way too loud, it's the cover art, the liner notes, the history, or watching a club DJ that makes vinyl records more than just a listening experience. Here are hot spots where vinyl is still groovy
THE crowd was rockabilly through and through: girls in pegged jeans and crimson lipstick, boys in flattops and pompadours, shrunken leather jackets. When Wanda Jackson, 73, took the stage with her guitar for a sold-out show at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn recently, it was all cat growls, howls and hip swivels — and that was from Ms. Jackson herself. The audience followed suit, with a chorus of fans joining in on her song “I Gotta Know.” She first recorded it in 1956, not long after she met and began dating Elvis Presley.
Screeching Weasel Release Album Cover Art & Track List
Chicago punk rockers Screeching Weasel have just released the album cover and track listing for their first new album in more than 11 years, 'First World Manifesto,' which is due out March 15th on Fat Wreck Chords.
The band will then embark on a short tour immediately following the release.
1. Follow Your Leaders
2. Frankengirl
3. Beginningless Vacation
4. Dry Is The Desert
5. Totem Pole
6. Creepy Crawl
7. Three Lonely Days
8. Friday Night Nation
9. All Over Town
10. Fortune Cookie
11. Baby Talk
12. Come And See The Violence Inherent In The System
13. Bite Marks
14. Little Big Man
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Green Day Side Project The Frustrators To Release EP 'Grillers' In February
The Frustrators, an outfit that features Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt, is set to release an EP 'Grillers' on February 18th. The band previously released the album 'Achtung JAackass' way back in 2002. For this release, Dr. Strange Records will be handing 7" vinyl, while Adeline Records will handle digital and CD formats. Check out The Frustrators Facebook Facebook account for more details.
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Yes, the 2011 edition of Record Store Day is quickly approaching. I wonder what kind of goodies we will see and if the past is any indication, this year's Record Store day will continue to build upon the others and be a pivotal event for collectors worldwide!
The folks at Record Store Day have set a deadline of February 1, 2011 to provide them with information on the commercial vinyl pieces that you would like to release. You can contact Carrie Colliton at carriecolliton@earthlink.net with such information, or if you have questions.
We would love to press your vinyl releases for RSD, so here is a general timeline of when you need to order from us to have product in time for your distributor, or for directly to retailers:
RSD Vinyl Pressing Orders submitted 2/1 should ship by 3/15
RSD Vinyl Pressing Orders submitted by 2/7 should ship by 3/22
RSD Vinyl Pressing Orders submitted by 2/14 should ship by 3/29
RSD Vinyl Pressing Orders submitted by 2/21 should ship by 4/5
RSD Vinyl Pressing Orders submitted by 2/28 should ship by 4/12
* Please note that delays in test pressing/art approvals/other circumstances can alter these timelines.
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Did You Know?
On this date in 1959, Buddy Holly made his last recordings alone with an acoustic guitar and tape recorder. The songs were released posthumously.
The Beach Boys recorded "Wouldn't It Be Nice" in 1966.
That in 1969, the Beatles entered Apple studios in London to record the 'Get Back' album.
The late Michael Hutchence (INXS) was born in 1960.
Steve Perry, of glam rockers Journey, has a birthday today.
The term "rhythm & blues" was coined in 1948 by a young Billboard reporter and future Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler, to replace the negative term "Race Records".
In 1977, Peter Green, who had earlier left Fleetwood Mac, was institutionalized after firing a pistol in the general direction of a delivery boy who was attempting to deliver a $30,000 royalty check. Green had renounced Rock and Roll in 1970 and didn't want the money. He later worked as a hospital porter and a gravedigger, but came back in 1979 to record "In the Skies", which did manage some moderate success. Worked out well for Fleetwood Mac as well....
Interestingly, the term "rock and roll," which was black slang for sexual intercourse, appeared on record for the first time in 1922 on Trixie Smith's "My Baby Rocks Me With One Steady Roll." I looked in the Jerry Osborne Rockin Records price guide and see that she has a couple of 78 rpm records that are worth a couple of hundred.
And in 1991, twenty-three years after it was released in America, the LP 'Elvis' Gold Records' was made available in China on cassette only.
On his 25th birthday, Sam Cooke switched record labels from Keen Records to RCA, even though he had a string of hits with Keen that included "You Send Me," "Only Sixteen," "Everybody Likes to Cha Cha Cha" and "Wonderful World." The switch was beneficial to all as Sam continued to crank out the chart busters until his death in 1964 (he was born in 1935).
I have two 45 rpm singles from Amos Lee's new LP to giveaway. Just be the first two to email me (rbenson30@wi.rr.com) with the title of my favorite Amos Lee cut in the subject line and you win! (hint, I put up the YouTube video twice last week). It's that easy (sorry, this contest is only open to those who have not won anything here previously)
Amos Lee's new album Mission Bell available to stream on MSN Music
Fans can preview Amos Lee's new album Mission Bell in its entirety via a free audio stream from MSN Music's Listening Booth (http://music.msn.com/) beginning today through the release date of the album, January 25.
Produced by Calexico’s Joey Burns, Mission Bell is Lee’s richest and most fully formed recording to date, displaying an array of emotions unified by his eclectic taste and distinctive vocals. With a remarkable set of guests — including Lucinda Williams, Willie Nelson, Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam, Priscilla Ahn, Pieta Brown, and James Gadson — and the musical backing of Calexico, the album marks the arrival of Lee as a mature artist who continues to explore his musical and thematic interests.
CRITICAL PRAISE FOR AMOS LEE:
“Mission Bell reflects the themes of loss, redemption, and hope and Lee’s talents still ring true on the album: soulful vocals and vivid, narrative-driven lyrics mixing folk, pop, R&B, rock, gospel, blues and country influences. His skills fused with those of Joey Burns and Convertino, spark the perfect synergy on lead single, ‘Windows Are Rolled Down.’” — Billboard
SCALE THE SUMMIT Announce New Album and Unveil Cover Artwork
Houston-based progressive-instrumentalists Scale The Summit have recently announced the title of their third album, 'The Collective, which is scheduled for release on March 1 via Prosthetic Records. It’s the follow-up to their 2009 critically acclaimed Prosthetic debut, 'Carving Desert Canyons.' The album was recorded at Paint It Black Studios in Orlando, FL with producer Mark Lewis (Devildriver, All That Remains, The Black Dahlia Murder).
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DROPKICK MURPHYS Reveal Cover Art For March 1st Release
Celtic punkers DROPKICK MURPHYS have announced a March 1, 2011 release date for their seventh full-length studio album 'GOING OUT IN STYLE.' The record will be released through their own BORN & BRED RECORDS (ILG), and was produced by Ted Hutt. The album also features a guest appearance by "The Boss" himself, with BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN providing vocals in their rousing rendition of "Peg O' My Heart."
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ACROSS THE SUN Reveal 'BEFORE THE NIGHT TAKES US' Cover Art
Portland, Oregon-based ACROSS THE SUN will release their Metal Blade debut BEFORE THE NIGHT TAKES US on March 15, 2011. The band has just revealed the cover art and tracklisting, and those that "like" the band on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/acrossthesun will be treated to the first single from the release, "Song For The Hopeless."
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SHROUD OF DESPONDENCY To Release 'Dark Meditations' In February
"Dark Meditations in Monastic Seclusion" from dynamic U.S. black metal act SHROUD OF DESPONDENCY is set for self-release on February 12. The album is an organic blend of beautiful acoustic and caustic black metal songs with lyrics focusing on isolation, despair, hatred, and one's personal celebration of introversion.
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Beatles' John Lennon's Letters And Drawings To Be Turned Into A Book
John Lennon's drawings and letters are scheduled to be turned into a published book. Yoko Ono has sold the rights to a collection of Lennon's letters and drawings, per a Rolling Stone report. The book will include over 150 letters, written throughout of Lennon's life to record companies, newspapers and a variety of drawings. The as-yet-untitled collection is set to be released in October to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Beatles debut single 'Love Me Do'.
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Jukebox Envy
My DJ friend Shawn out of Waterloo, Iowa has told me about his great find, and I would agree. I have been wanting a jukebox of my own (hint hint) for many, many years. Now I am jealous. Take a gander at Shawn's new toy! He also told me of a collection of old jazz LPs (most on Bluenote), so watch eBay for some treasures heading our way!
Check out more pics of this amazing machine at Shawn's Blog
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‘The Eight Track Museum’ to open in Dallas
Goldmine magazine has a great write up about the old 8-tracks we used to know. I actually still have a couple hundred hidden away somewhere, we recently moved and I am sure the boxes are somewhere! :O)
Read more: Eight track museum to open in Los Angeles | Goldmine Magazine
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Less Than Jake drummer Vinnie Fiorello talks about new covers album and tour stop in Stroudsburg, Pa.
Not many bands can get away with covering the "iCarly" theme song and still be considered punk -- unless you're Less Than Jake.
It's one of 16 commercial jingles and TV theme songs that make up the band's new album, "TV/EP," which also includes the "Diff'rent Strokes," Toys R Us and FreeCreditReport.com themes.
A couple of months ago, I stopped in at a yard sale and came across this strange little creature. The apparent mummified corpse of a fairy being - or some kind of demon offspring (?) - this specimen is surreal to be around. My cat continually tries to get at the diminutive cadaver through the jar; and the thing just generally unnerves people whom have been in its admittedly creepy presence. It does have a definite Black Magick, otherworldly, Voodoo feel about it. In my opinion, the faint of heart are better off not having this thing around them.
This was apparently the write up, seems a bit creepy to me, but, hey, if it sold and the guy made a few bucks, I give him an A for effort. Check out the 10 weirdest eBay auctions HERE
Born on this day in 1939, DJ Wolfman Jack. Master of ceremonies for the rock 'n' roll generation of the '60s on radio, and later on television during the '70s. Died of a heart attack 1/7/95.
Hank Ballard and the Midnighters were the first group to place three records on The Billboard Hot 100 at the same time - "Finger Poppin' Time", "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" and "The Twist" in mid-July, 1960.
The shortest record to reach the Billboard Top 40 was "Some Kind-A Earthquake" by Duane Eddy. This seldom heard instrumental, which is only one minute, seventeen seconds long, reached #37 in 1959
In 1957 - Singer Patsy Cline appeared on Arthur Godfrey's nighttime TV show. She performed "Walking After Midnight."
The Byrds recorded "Mr. Tambourine Man" in 1965.
In 1968, Jimi Hendrix recorded his epic version of the Bob Dylan song "All Along the Watchtower" at Olympic Studios in London. Rolling Stone Brain Jones and Dave Mason from Traffic both played on the session.
In 1978, the soundtrack album 'Saturday Night Fever' started a 24 week run at No.1 on the US album charts, it went on to sell over 30 million copies world wide, making it the best selling soundtrack album of all time.
In 1982, B.B. King donated his entire record collection of over 20,000 discs to Mississippi University's centre for the Study of Southern Culture,
In 1987, The Coasters, became the first vocal group to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
And in 1997, 'Colonel' Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager and agent died of a stroke in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age of 87. Born Andreas van Kuijk, a Dutch immigrant who changed his name as soon as he arrived in the US, Parker never applied for a green card and feared deportation his entire life. He briefly managed country singers Eddy Arnold and Hank Snow.
Carter Burwell – True Grit Soundtrack – Nonesuch Records
(Original Music by Carter Burwell; Cond. by Carter Burwell; Orchestrated by Carter Burwell and Sonny Kompanek) Score contains excerpts of “Hold To God’s Unchanging Hand”; “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”; “Leaning On Everlasting Arms”; “Talk About Suffering”; “The Glory-Land Way”)
A movie score can be crucial to the plot manipulation. With a mere notation or swell of an orchestra, a viewer can be drawn to the varied content of the storyline. Fifty years ago, piercing violin notes in Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller, Psycho (composed by Bernard Herrman), left an indelible mark on the emotions of moviegoers, The electronic pulse of Chariots Of Fire (Vangelis) was equally unforgettable, as a collage of slow motion running became poetic. Even a comedy like The Sting depended on the Marvin Hamlisch adaptation of Scott Joplin’s ragtime to build a visual sketch of Depression-era Chicago. Common among these soundtracks was the ability to enhance the narrative.
In scoring the Coen Brothers’ remake of True Grit, Carter Burwell has continued the tradition of symphonic arrangements for instrumental music. Together with the Coens, Burwell has fabricated the heart of the auditory themes from 19th century hymnals. Included are excerpts from several period songs. The arrangements develop from simple church piano structures to grandiose orchestral signature. This progression reflects the journey of the protagonist, Mattie Ross, a fourteen-year-old grounded Protestant believer, as she embarks on an epic journey to seek out and avenge her father’s killer. Certainly, the heroine enlists the heroic aid of Rooster Cogburn and Ranger La Boeuf, but unlike the 1969 version starring John Wayne, the focus is on Ross.
With evocative radiance, majestic landscapes and human drama are captured with plaintive beauty. The introduction of a French horn or violin crescendo works seamlessly in tandem with the visual imagery of the film. Some of the gospel songs, traditional and original, are interspersed throughout the soundtrack. “Leaning On Everlasting Arms”, one of the source pieces, had been used previously in the chilling 1955 film, Night Of The Hunter (directed by Charles Laughton and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters). Elegiac renditions of acoustic piano music (also poignantly effective in Ken Burns PBS series on the Civil War) are moving, delivering pathos and sentiment. The music is not extraneous, but vital to the flow of the movie.
Burwell has assembled a top-notch ensemble of musicians in the studio. The mixing is excellent, expressing the litheness of a simple melody, or dramatic urgency of orchestral coloration. A memorable movie will invariably have a memorable soundtrack.
TrackList: The Wicked Flee; La Boeuf Takes Leave; Little Blackie; River Crossing; The Hanging Man; Talk About Suffering; Your Headstrong Ways; A Great Adventure; We Don’t Need Him To Go; Father’s Gun; A Methodist And A Son Of A Bitch; Talking To Horses; A Turkey Shoot; Taken Hostage; One Against Four; The Snake Pit; Ride To Death; I Will Carry You; A Quarter Century; The Grave
-- Robbie Gerson
Special thanks to John at www.audaud.com for the exclusive rights to reprint this material.
AUDIOPHILE AUDITION focuses on recordings of interest to audiophiles and collectors, with an accent on surround sound for music, and on all hi-res disc formats. Over 100 SACD, DVD Video/Audio and standard CD reviews are published during each month, and our archives go back to January 2001.
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on Wednesday announced the music lineup for the 2011 festival scheduled for April 29 through May 1 and May 5 through 8.
With 12 stages of virtually every style of roots music, Jazz Fest presents one of the entertainment world's most diverse music lineups. This year is no exception. Fans can catch Arcade Fire, Kid Rock, Bon Jovi and John Mellencamp alongside Jimmy Buffett, Willie Nelson, The Strokes and Lauryn Hill.
And that's just the start of it. Hundreds of Louisiana artists will be taking the stage alongside national acts such as Wilco, Tom Jones, John Legend and Jason Mraz.
OLD-STYLE vinyl records are still a hit on Teesside despite download sales taking over the charts.
Digital sales now account for just under 20% of all album sales and last year The BPI and the Official Charts Company’s figures showed digital album sales topping 50 million.
Even so, it looks increasingly unlikely physical media, like vinyl and CDs, will fade away completely.
An incredible story through the words of a vinyl lover!!
Uncovering Bangkok through its forgotten vinyl records
DJ Chris Menist explains how being an outsider allowed him to breathe new life into Thailand's oft-maligned northeastern beats and vinyl castoffs
Read more: Uncovering Bangkok through its forgotten vinyl records | CNNGo.com HERE
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Interesting sidepiece and some great thoughts:
Vinyl Records: The New Growth Story!
by M Kraten
Times are tough in the music business nowadays! Sales of CDs, and of almost all other forms of recorded music, are dropping precipitously. And the live concert business is wilting as well, with entertainers from U2 to Christina Aguilera forced to cancel performances because of low customer demand.
Earlier this month, however, when Billboard reported its annual SoundScan sales totals, one form of recorded music actually reported a significant increase in sales volume between 2009 and 2010. And the size of that increase would have been impressive in any era: 14% on a year-to-year basis!
Even more surprising was the nature of the format that experienced this increase in sales volume. Yes, it was the venerable disk shaped record, a technology that was first introduced in the 1880s and that overtook the phonograph cylinder during the 1920s. Can it now become the growth story of the 21st century?
Vinyl has now done it, it's now a story in Time Magazine!!
Vinyl Gets Its Groove Back
By Kristina Dell
From college dorm rooms to high school sleepovers, an all-but-extinct music medium has been showing up lately. And we don't mean CDs. Vinyl records, especially the full-length LPs that helped define the golden era of rock in the 1960s and '70s, are suddenly cool again.
Just found this, according to http://www.musicpriceguide.com/ a Jack White record has sold for over $13,000 on eBay recently. Amazing!!
this from the seller:
Hand Painted ( Dave Buick artwork) Lafayette Blues #15. there are only 15 of these hand painted beauties out there. hard to come by & rare.
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ARTILLERY: New Album Artwork Revealed
Danish thrash metal veterans Artillery have completed work on their sixth album, "My Blood", at Medley Studios in Copenhagen for a March 21 European release via Metal Mind Productions (April 5 in the U.S. through MVD). The cover artwork was created by well-known Polish graphic designer Graal, who has previously worked with VITAL REMANS, SINISTER, SOLITUDE AETURNUS and BULLDOZER. Graal was also responsible for the covers of ARTILLERY's "Through The Years" box and "When Death Comes".
Chilling work, well done......
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Did You Know?
Although it is generally acknowledged that the "Rock 'n' Roll era" began in the US when Bill Haley and His Comets reached the top of the Billboard chart in July, 1955 with "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock", many Rock historians believe that the first true Rock and Roll record was a song called "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and The Delta Cats, which topped the American R&B chart in May, 1951.
The longest title of an album to reach the Billboard Hot 200 LP chart is Fiona Apple's
"When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'Fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right"
The title is made up of 90 words. Sheeeeesh......
In 1965, Alan Freed, who many credit with coining the term "Rock and Roll", died at the age of 43. Freed was a Cleveland disc jockey who started promoting dances that featured the top artists of the day, including, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis. After moving to New York and appearing in some teen movies, he was caught up in the payola scandal of 1959 for accepting money for playing certain records on his radio show. Before his death, he was virtually broke and fighting charges of tax evasion. It was a sad end for one of Rock and Roll's most important pioneers.
Also in 1965, The Rolling Stones and the Kinks made their first appearances on ABC-TV's Shindig! Also appearing were the Dave Clark Five, Petula Clark, Bobby Vee, Bobby Sherman and Gerry And The Pacemakers.
In 1968, an amazing event unfolded as John Fred's "Judy In Disguise (With Glasses"), a song title inspired by the Beatles "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," knocked the Fab Four's "Hello Goodbye" out of Billboard's top spot.
In 1973, Jerry Lee Lewis was booked to play the Grand Ole Opry on the condition that he would stick to Country and Western tunes only. Jerry did just that for a while, but eventually broke into his old Rock hits from the 50's, while swearing up a storm. He proclaimed, "I am the rock and rollin', country and western, rhythm and blues singin' motherf***er." Nice, and I couldn't agree more!
And in 1982, the infamous Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off of what he thought was a plastic bat thrown at him during a concert in Des Moines. The bat turned out to be real and Ozzy later went through a series of injections against rabies. Mmmmmm....good stuff
SONY MASTERWORKS JAZZ RELEASES CLASSIC REISSUES FROM GEORGE BENSON, DEODATO, MILT JACKSON, PAUL DESMOND, JIM HALL AND RON CARTER
Available January 25, 2011
Also available, critically acclaimed CTI Records: The Cool Revolution deluxe 4-CD box and California Concert: The Hollywood Palladium 2-CD set featuring previously unreleased tracks
NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Masterworks Jazz continues the celebration of the 40th anniversary of CTI Records, the beloved jazz label founded in 1970 by producer Creed Taylor with the release of 6 more classic reissues available on January 25th, 2011. They include: White Rabbit by George Benson, All Blues by Ron Carter (first time on CD in the U.S.), Prelude by Deodato, Pure Desmond by Paul Desmond, Concierto by Jim Hall, and Milt Jackson's Sunflower. The reissues are packaged in eco-friendly softpack sleeves that replicate the original gatefold LP design and their iconic covers most with photos by Pete Turner.
White Rabbit is perhaps George Benson's finest album for CTI, featuring the signature title track arrangement of the Jefferson Airplane classic – a 1972 Grammy® nominee for Best Jazz Performance by a Group.
All Blues by Ron Carter makes its debut on CD in the U.S. (it was previously only released in Japan). Carter was voted Bassist of the Year in DOWNBEAT's Readers' Poll in 1973, 1974 and 1975, highlighting his work with CTI.
Deodato's Prelude includes his Grammy®-winning hit title track, an arrangement of Richard Strauss's fanfare from Also Sprach Zarathustra, used as the main theme in 2001: A Space Odyssey. This song is the biggest hit the CTI label would ever have. The album's title track won 1974 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance, and rose to No. 2 on the U.S. pop charts.
Pure Desmond by Paul Desmond was not only highly praised but it also brought to the spotlight the considerable talents of Canadian guitarist Ed Bickert. It also features Ron Carter on bass and Connie Kay on drums. Paul Desmond was voted by DOWNBEAT's readers into its Jazz Hall of Fame in 1977.
For his work on Concierto, Jim Hall received a Grammy® nomination in 1975 for Best Jazz Performance by a Soloist. He was also named Guitarist of the Year in DOWNBEAT's Jazz Poll in 1974, the year before he recorded Concierto.
Sunflower is the most revered album by Milt Jackson, one of the greatest of jazz vibraphone players, and most acclaimed improvisational blues instrumentalists of all time. He was a founding member of the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet, voted by DOWNBEAT's readers into its Jazz Hall of Fame in 1999.
Sony MASTERWORKS Jazz kicked off the 40th anniversary celebration with the release of CTI Records: The Cool Revolution, a deluxe 4-CD multi-artist box set retrospective in the Fall. Receiving rave reviews The Associated Press dubbed it "…the most comprehensive anthology to date" and NPR said it was "… as striking a portrait of the Jazz World in the '70s as you'll find anywhere."
Also released in the Fall was the double-CD restoration of California Concert: The Hollywood Palladium (1971) which included 90-minutes of music rarely heard and never before available. It is the most complete version of the historic Hollywood Palladium all-star concert recorded July 18, 1971. It doubles the content of the original five-song LP release with five additional tracks - three of them previously unreleased - and restores the original concert sequence for the first time. Creed Taylor hand-picked a dream team of CTI artists for the occasion: Freddie Hubbard, Hubert Laws, Hank Crawford, Stanley Turrentine, George Benson, Johnny Hammond, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham and Airto Moreira. Liner notes are by multi-Grammy winning musician-producer Bob Belden who says California Concert: The Hollywood Palladium "...ranks up there with the greatest jazz concerts of all time…"
The celebration also included reissues of the first set of 6 classic CTI albums: She Was Too Good To Me by Chet Baker, God Bless the Child by Kenny Burrell, Red Clay by Freddie Hubbard, StoneFlower by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Morning Star by Hubert Laws (first time on CD), and Stanley Turrentine's Sugar.
In addition, Sony also released the following 180-gram vinyl LP reissues of 4 classic CTI albums using the original gatefold sleeve designs accompanied with digital download cards: Red Clay by Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine's Sugar, White Rabbit by George Benson and Prelude by Deodato.
In the 1970s, CTI, its music, its style and its discriminating quality transformed contemporary jazz. The roster worked almost like a repertory company, in which great musicians took turns in the spotlight and accompanying each other. The albums they and their colleagues created set new standards in their look as well as their sound. "[Creed Taylor's] plan was ingeniously simple, yet famously maverick: record top-tier musicians, keeping their artistic integrity intact while also making their art palatable to the people. CTI thus achieved that rare balance of jazz and commercialism," writes Dan Ouellette in the liner notes. CTI surpassed the majors and fellow indies to be named the #1 Jazz Label of 1974 by Billboard. The immediate success of CTI's recordings has echoed across the decades in a profound influence on jazz, pop, R&B and hip-hop.
Music mogul Don Kirshner, whom Time magazine once called "the man with the golden ear," had expressed disappointment over not having been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Joshua Prezant / Washington Post)
It always amazes me that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has not recognized his contributions to the industry (shame on the Hall). Heck, he brought some cool TV shows back then, something that we don't have right now (sans videos). Could you imagine some of the brightest stars doing this today? I can't......
Don Kirshner dies at 76; music mogul
Don Kirshner guided the careers of songwriters, launched the Monkees and introduced TV audiences to an array of musicians and comics through his show in the 1970s.
Don Kirshner, the veteran music mogul who shepherded songs from a monstrously talented stable of young writers to the top of the pop charts in the 1960s, launched the career of the Monkees and then became a familiar face to millions of rock fans as impresario of his late-night music TV series in the 1970s, died Monday of heart failure in Boca Raton, Fla., where he had lived for the last decade, a family spokeswoman said Tuesday. He was 76.
"Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" brought the biggest names in rock and pop music to television in live performances instead of the lip-synced sessions that often characterized rock music on television.
DEAR JERRY:After reading of Patti Page's unsuccessful revival of Patsy Montana's “I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart,” I did a little research on this song.
Turns out Patsy Montana's signature song is widely regarded as the first million-selling single ever by a female!
Hoping to find a 78 rpm of the original version, I scanned eBay, but was surprised and confused by the results.
I found this song on eBay on four or five different labels (Columbia, ARC, Melotone, etc.) and no explanation by anyone as to which is the first issue, or which ones, if any, were recorded years later and would not sound the same as the original hit.
Curiously, one is on the Montgomery Ward label. I didn't know this store also had a record company. I can't imagine competing stores selling records made by them.
Can you guide me through this Montana maze? —Imogene Chamberlain, Beloit, Wisc.
By January 1936, the track that would become the most famous and recognizable yodel song in history was in the Pop Music Top 10, and headed for unprecedented success.
Shortly after release of the original recording (Vocalion 03010), in what was an extremely common practice for then, the American Record Company (ARC) leased the original master and rights to produce records for their family of budget labels.
Rather than sell to record stores, ARC distributed their pressings to department stores with an area for record sales, and at prices discounted as much as 75% off what the major labels charged.
Music lovers could choose from higher quality records, in this case Vanguard, for about a buck, or an ARC reproduction for 25- to 39-cents, depending on where one shopped.
Though the cut rate companies produced records using lower grade materials, resulting in lower audio fidelity and a shorter playing life, we must not forget the country was in the midst of the Great Depression. In all areas of life, less expensive alternatives were mighty appealing.
That any record sold a million copies under those economic conditions makes the feat even more extraordinary.
By the end of 1935, ARC-produced 78 rpms of “I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart” were available on ARC itself, plus at least six other variations:
Notice all of these labels have the same selection number, 5-11-56. The actual record number is really 56, but the 5-11 tells us it came out in 1935, during November.
ARC also made two of the above labels specifically for what were known as dime stores: Romeo for S.H. Kress & Co. 5-10-25 Cent Stores, and Oriole, which proudly states right on the sleeve “Sold only at McCrory's” (Five and Dime Stores).
Another ARC product, with a different name and selection number (Conqueror 8575), was offered exclusively by Sears, Roebuck & Co.
Which leads to your comment about the Montgomery Ward label. Unlike Sears, Roebuck & Co., the Ward stores leased the music directly, eliminating the middleman (ARC). They effectively created their own discount label, active from 1933 to 1941.
Ward did issue two Patsy Montana singles, “When the Flowers of Montana Were Blooming” (MW 4322) and “Montana Plains” (MW 4484). Neither contained “I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart.”
The Columbia 78 you found is also the original Vocalion master, but didn't come out until 1947 (Columbia 37602).
For best quality reproduction, you can't go wrong with either the Vocalion or Columbia 78.
IZ ZAT SO? There will never be a better time to identify some of the other record labels manufactured exclusively for nationally known retailers: Macy's (Cameo); McCrory's (Oriole); S.H. Kress (Muse; Romeo; Tremont); Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Challenge; Conqueror; Harvard; Oxford; Silvertone; Supertone); W.T. Grant (Bell; Diva); and Woolworth's (Crown).
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: http://www.jerryosborne.com/
All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.
Copyright 2010 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
Amon Amarth: New Album Cover Art, Track Listing Revealed
Swedish metalheads Amon Amarth are set to release their eighth studio album, 'Surtur Rising,' in North America on March 29 (Metal Blade Records). Named in tribute to Surtur, leader of the fire giants of Muspelheim ("flame land") and the oldest being in the nine worlds of Norse mythology, the record, which was listed among Decibel magazine's most anticipated albums of 2011 and features 10 tracks of sword-wielding, fist-pumping, hyper climactic battle anthems. The follow-up to 2008's monolithic "Twilight Of The Thunder God" full-length was recorded again at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with Jens Bogren and features strikingly brutal cover art by Tom Thiel.
WHITESNAKE, the legendary rock 'n' roll legacy founded and formed by renowned singer/songwriter David Coverdale, will release its new album, "Forevermore" on March 29 in North America (March 25 in Europe ) via Frontiers Records. The band's eleventh studio album was recorded, produced and mixed by Coverdale, guitarist Doug Aldrich and Michael McIntyre at Snakebyte Studios and Grumblenott Studios & Villas in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, with additional work at Casa Dala, Sherman Oaks, California.
Protest The Hero Reveals Cover Art For Upcoming Full Length
Canadian progressive metal titans Protest the Hero have revealed the cover artwork for its forthcoming full length album. The new album, titled "Scurrilous," was produced once again with producer Julius 'Juice' Butty and will see its release on March 22, 2010 through Underground Operations in Canada and through Vagrant Records in the United States.
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Lower Than Atlantis Album Cover Art
Lower Than Atlantis have posted the album art for their upcoming album WORLD RECORD which is to be released on the 4th of April.
“The cover art for ‘World Record’ was hand drawn by the very talented Mr. Paul Jackson of Tank.Axe.Love, and it bloody works!” says frontman Mike Duce. “I’m pretty into it because it’s almost like a photo of my own hands – I think it’s supposed to be to do with being in a band and being poor but if you ask me, he’s got a load of cool shit there! A pick for playing guitar so he can write songs, the means to make a cigarette because smoking’s cool and enough money for a couple of penny sweets to keep his energy up while writing said songs! When we first saw the art we were all in total shock at how great it was. Could not be happier with Paul’s vision and the results of his work.”
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Lost Highway Records Celebrates 10th Anniversary
NASHVILLE-based LOST HIGHWAY RECORDS celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with a special vinyl reissue series and a much-anticipated showcase during the SOUTH-BY-SOUTHWEST MUSIC CONFERENCE in AUSTIN.
LOST HIGHWAY will commemorate its anniversary throughout 2011 by releasing 20 different titles from its extensive and diverse catalog on limited-edition clear vinyl. This series will begin on JANUARY 25th with releases of RYAN ADAMS’ "Gold" and the soundtrack of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" That will be followed on FEBRUARY 15th with releases of HAYES CARLL’s "KMAG YOYO" and DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS’ "Southern Rock Opera." MARCH will see the vinyl releases of LUCINDA WILLIAMS and BLACK JOE LEWIS & THE HONEYBEARS’ newest releases.
On MARCH 18th, LOST HIGHWAY will team up with BMI to hold a concert at the new AUSTIN CITY LIMITS studio called THE MOODY THEATER. Artists performing include WILLIAMS, ROBERT EARL KEEN, CARLL, LEWIS and special guests.
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My Chemical Romance To Release Limited Edition Colored Vinyl
My Chemical Romance will release its current album, "Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys" on limited-edition colored and black vinyl on February 1. In the U.S., 500 colored vinyl discs will be available for purchase exclusively at MCR’s webstore at http://www.mychemicalromance.com/shop while 2,500 black vinyl discs will be available for purchase at retail outlets, the band’s website, and becausesoundmatters.com/
Released by Reprise Records on November 22,the album claimed the No. 1 spot on Soundscan’s Rock and Alternative Album Charts, and debuted at No. 8 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart..
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Still Busted At Oz
Permanent Records’ Lance Barresi talks about re-issuing the classic Chicago punk compilation
by Leor Galil
Three decades ago, a fledgling Chicago label called Autumn Records released Busted At Oz, a compilation record that documented the city’s punk scene. Recorded live at Oz, a venue that hosted many of Chicago’s first punk acts, the compilation features early recordings from Strike Under, Da, Silver Abuse, Subverts, Naked Raygun, and the Effigies.
Busted At Oz has long been out of print, and it has become a collector’s item for Chicago punk enthusiasts. It has been hard for most folks to hear the record, until now. That’s because Ukrainian Village record store and label Permanent Records is reissuing the compilation on vinyl: 500 copies of the newly minted Busted At Oz will be available at the end of the month. Before the reissue hits store shelves, The A.V. Club spoke to Permanent co-founder Lance Barresi about the record, why it’s taken so long to reissue, and why he thinks it’s the quintessential Chicago punk document.
A389 Records owner talks about the heavy music scene and the endurance of LPs
A389, perhaps Baltimore’s premier active heavy-music record label, celebrates its seven-year anniversary this weekend with a blowout, ear-caving show at Sonar. Sporting a roster ranging from pure New York hardcore brutality to heavy-tonnage sludge to whatever you call Baltimore’s Oak, the label’s catalog offers a tour of extreme music—though, like much of the city’s extreme music, A389 is a mite undersung on its own turf. City Paper talked to label founder/owner Domenic Romeo, who also plays guitar in hardcore band Pulling Teeth, last week over the phone during a break in his workday about supporting heavy music, evictions, and why metal and punk fans still actually buy records.
Restoration of Phil Spector's Catalog Brings 4 New Collections
BE MY BABY: THE VERY BEST OF THE RONETTES (Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees, 2007); THE SOUND OF LOVE: THE VERY BEST OF DARLENE LOVE (Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, 2011); DA DOO RON RON: THE VERY BEST OF THE CRYSTALS; WALL OF SOUND: THE VERY BEST OF PHIL SPECTOR 1961-1966
All titles available at both physical and digital retail outlets starting February 22, 2011, through Phil Spector Records/Legacy
Panic! At The Disco Unveil "Vices & Virtues"; First New Album in Three Years to Be Heralded by First Single, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa," Available at Digital Retailers on February 1st; PATD Also Set to Return to the Stage With Eagerly Awaited Live Sold Out Performance at NYC's Bowery Ballroom on February 1st; "VICES & VIRTUES" Drops Everywhere on March 29th
Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen recording group Panic! At The Disco has announced the release of their hugely anticipated new album. "VICES & VIRTUES" arrives in stores and at all digital retailers on March 29th.
The album's first single, entitled "The Ballad of Mona Lisa," will be available at all digital retailers on February 1st. That same day will see the multi-platinum certified band debuting new music from "VICES & VIRTUES" with a very special live performance at New York City's Bowery Ballroom, tickets for which sold-out in one hour. Furthermore, Panic! At The Disco will also play two European dates, the first a sold-out show on February 8th at London's Bush Hall, followed by a performance on February 10th at Visions Party/FZW in Dortmund, Germany. The band recently shot a music video for the single, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa" in Los Angeles with director Shane Drake, which will be released shortly. Drake previously directed the group's music videos for "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" and "Nine In The Afternoon."
Produced by Butch Walker (Weezer, Pink) and John Feldmann (Neon Trees, The Used), "VICES & VIRTUES" marks Panic! At The Disco's first new release in three years, as well as their debut outing as a duo comprised of singer/multi-instrumentalist Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith.
"It's been a long time coming," Urie recently told Alternative Press, "but we're really excited about the songs."
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Did You Know?
The Platters reached the number one spot on the US Pop chart in 1959 with the immortal "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes."
In 1974 - For a mere $4 you could have seen Bruce Springsteen at Kent State University in Ohio as the opening act for Black Oak Arkansas.
In 1993, an inaugural concert is held in Landover, Maryland to honor President-elect Bill Clinton. Aretha Franklin sings "I Have A Dream" and Fleetwood Mac perform "Don't Stop", a tune that the Clinton campaign used as their theme song. Others appearing were Michael Jackson, Judy Collins, Chuck Berry, Michael Bolton and Little Richard. All just a lead in for Monica......
In 1994 Paul McCartney inducts John Lennon into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, saying "The thing you must remember is, that I'm the number one John Lennon fan. I love him to this day and I always did love him."
In 1998, Rock and Roll pioneer Carl Perkins died of stroke related causes at the age of 65. Carl wrote and recorded "Blue Suede Shoes" which went to number 2 for him in 1956, selling 2 million copies. The Elvis Presley version topped out at number 20 the same year.
In 2006, Wilson Pickett suffered a fatal heart attack. During his career, he placed 16 hits on Billboard's Pop chart, including "Land Of 1000 Dances" (#6) and "Funky Broadway" (#8).
At 65 years old, Bob Dylan became the oldest living musician to ever top the Billboard album chart when "Modern Times" entered at #1 in September, 2006.
And in 2008, John Stewart, singer / songwriter who was a member of The Kingston Trio in the early '60s, but more often remembered for writing The Monkees' hit, "Daydream Believer", died following a brain aneurism. Stewart also had a successful solo career which included four dozen albums and a Billboard #9 hit single with "Gold" in 1979.
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Even more useless trivia for music buffs
The Artists Who Spent The Most Weeks At #1
Number Name Total
1 - Elvis Presley 80
2 - Mariah Carey 61
3 - The Beatles 59
4 - Boyz II Men 50
5 - Michael Jackson 37
6 - Elton John 34
7 - Janet Jackson 33
8 - Madonna 32
9 - Whitney Houston 31
10 - Paul McCartney 30
11 - Bee Gees 27
12 - Stevie Wonder 25
13 - Puff Daddy 24
14 - George Michael 23
15 - The Supremes 22
16 - Santana 22
17 - Pat Boone 21
18 - Debby Boone 21
19 - Lionel Richie 21
20 - Rod Stewart 20
21 - Diana Ross 20
22 - Jennifer Lopez 20
23 - Four Seasons 18
24 - Olivia Newton-John 18
25 - Celine Dion 18
26 - TLC 18
27 - Goo Goo Dolls 18
The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council has recently ruled that the Dire Straits’ 1980s hit "Money for Nothing" is too offensive for Canadian radio. The ruling, released last Wednesday, was in response to a complaint against St. John’s radio station CHOZ-FM. The listener complained that the word faggot – which appears three times in the song is “extremely offensive” to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
It ruled that “faggot,” when used to describe a homosexual, is “even if entirely or marginally acceptable in earlier days, is no longer so.”
Here are the offending lyrics from the song:
The little faggot with the earring and the makeup Yeah, buddy, that’s his own hair That little faggot’s got his own jet airplane That little faggot, he’s a millionaire
The Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music took place at the Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet, England over the weekend of 27th and 28th June 1970. The line up included a good number of major American acts (inc Jefferson Airplane, Frank Zappa, Steppenwolf) and from the UK the likes of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.
The festival suffered from some appalling weather at times and also from traffic jams getting to the venue which affected some acts. The original schedule of artists times for appearing went disastrously wrong and delays eventually meant acts appeared through both nights and into Monday morning.
The Byrds appeared on stage, in the early hours of Monday 29th June and the following from the festival archives site takes up the story - It was really late, something like 2 am
Animal Style Records has given the vinyl treatment to 'Stallone,' the 2006 full-length effort from Vancouver, BC's punk rockers Daggermouth. The first vinyl pressing is limited to 500 copies spread across three variants (100 red, 200 forest green and 200 clear pink).
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Soundgarden Announce Live Album
Soundgarden announced their first-ever live album titled, 'Live on 15.' The 17 track LP is scheduled for release on March 22nd and will include the crowd pleasing "Outshined," "Spoonman," and "Black Hole Sun," and some fantastic covers of The Beatles’ "Helter Skelter" and Iggy and The Stooges’ "Search and Destroy." The set was recorded at shows while touring North America in 1996 and feature two tracks recorded at Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, CA.
In addition to the live album they may release an album of B-sides.
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Jack White Enlists Bob Dylan On New Wanda Jackson Album
Music and melody maker Jack White enlisted the help of Bob Dylan on his latest project, Wanda Jackson's new album 'The Party Ain't Over.' The album includes collaborations with Jack White's wife Karen Elson, The Dead Weather's Jack Lawrence, The Raconteur's Patrick Keeler, Ashley Monroe and Patti Smith's son Jackson Smith.
''I just happened to ask Bob Dylan what he thought, because I told him Wanda was coming to record with me,'' White told BBC 6 Music. "I asked if there were any songs of the top of his head, he sent a couple over and one of was Thunder on the Mountain."
Wanda Jackson is signed to White's Third Man records and they are offering – with the first 1,000 album preorders – an exclusive poster print from the legendary Hatch Show Print letterpress printers in Nashville in the limited edition Greeting Card Gatefold™ (a first for Third Man). Amongst the lucky people who pre-order the LP, 100 will have a chance at the fuchsia-colored vinyl discs that have been randomly inserted.
Nice collectible, I hope I get one!
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Steven Tyler Tells Howard Stern That Aerosmith Will Write and Play Again
New 'American Idol' judge Steven Tyler popped by Howard Stern's SiriusXM radio show this morning and dished about how things are going with his 'other' gig in Aerosmith Stern exalted Tyler, calling him the "American Mick Jagger," and then launched into the hardline questioning he's known for. There were no softballs here, with Stern flat out asking.........
Yes, I know, this is a blog about vinyl. However, other music mediums exist and The Beatles balked for years to join the downloading game. But they are introducing their music to a whole new generation of fans and that cannot be a bad thing.
In fact, in only two short months the Beatles have accomplished a feat that has taken many modern artists several months to accomplish – sell five million songs and one million albums; almost half of those in the first week the music was available in the middle of November 2010 on Apple iTunes.
According to Apple statistics, the most popular of the 13 Beatles’ albums is 'Abbey Road,' and amazingly (considering all their hit singles) the most popular song is the George Harrison penned “Here Comes the Sun”.
For us vinyl fans, the Beatles also topped 2010 sales for record sales. The iconic group from Liverpool sold 36,700 albums in 2010 with 35,000 copies of 'Abbey Road' being sold. In all nearly three million vinyl record albums were sold in 2010.
Nielsen SoundScan the top 10 selling artists vinyl albums for 2010:
The Beatles
The Black Keys
Radiohead
Arcade Fire
Jimi Hendrix
The National
Pavement
Vampire Weekend
Metallica
Bob Dylan
The top 10 individual vinyl albums for 2010:
Abbey Road by The Beatles
”Suburbs” by Arcade Fire
”Brothers” by the Black Keys
”Contra” by Vampire Weekend
”Thriller” by Michael Jackson
”High Violet” by the National
”Teen Dream” by Beach House Valleys Of Neptune (2 LP Vinyl) Jimi Hendrix Experience
”Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd
”XX” by the xx
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Did You Know?
Johnny Preston started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1960 with "Running Bear." Written by J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper), the tune originally entered the chart in October 1959, then quickly vanished, but re-entered in November and slowly climbed to the top. It was also a UK No.1.
In 1964, The Beatles had their first appearance on the US singles chart with "I Want to Hold Your Hand." The record entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #45, just ten days after its release, making it the fastest-breaking and the fastest selling single in Capitol Records history. Capitol had earlier turned down "Love Me Do", "Please Please Me", "From Me to You" and "She Loves You", which were then released by Vee Jay Records. After a nasty lawsuit, Capitol Records was granted an injunction, restraining Vee Jay Records from further manufacturing, distributing, advertising or otherwise disposing of recordings by the Beatles. If you have any old Beatles records on Vee Jay, hang on to them, they are now collector's items.
In 1974, former members from Free, (Paul Rodgers & Simon Kirke), Mott The Hoople, (Mick Ralphs), and King Crimson, (Boz Burrell), formed Bad Company. The band went on to score a US #1 album with their debut release.
And, another Barry Manilow reference, this is two days in a row (sorry) - In 1975, Barry Manilow launched his career with the number one smash "Mandy". Originally called "Brandy" when it was recorded in 1972 by Scott English, Manilow changed the title to avoid confusion with the hit of the same name by a group called Looking Glass.
In 1978, Johnny Paycheck's cover of David Allan Coe's ode to workplace frustrations, "Take This Job and Shove It", reached the top spot on the Billboard Country chart. Although the song failed to crack the Pop chart Top 40, it still seems to be one that we all know and can relate to!
DAVID ALLAN COE Take This Job And Shove It
Lisa Marie Presley divorced Michael Jackson in 1996 after less then two years of being married. No one saw that coming.......
And in 2007, crazy rocker Ted Nugent caused a stir at the inaugural ball of Texas Governor Rick Perry when he appeared on stage wearing a T-shirt adorned with the Confederate flag and then embarking on an angry monologue about people who don't speak English. The 58-year-old Rocker also carried a fake machine gun on stage with him.
by The Beatles 
Jimi Hendrix Experience
